That sounds really frustrating. Having days of the week and having the weekend to look forward to is so easy to take for granted, but when it's gone...

I can remember when I worked for a portrait studio and had long hours that didn't match up with the rest of the 9-5 world and days off that sometimes disappeared from my schedule.

The one thing I longed for most was to feel Monday through Friday with a weekend at the end. I envied those people who had leisurely Saturdays. I wanted so badly to work when others worked and be off when others were off. Instead I felt like a photography monkey, available at the whim of those who enjoyed such a predictable and homogeneous schedule (and add to that the fact that I had college courses thrown in the mix as well).

I was drained and disoriented.

How long with your schedule be this way, BlueDev?

I hear you TW. It is maddening when your schedule gets all out of whack.

I will be on this type of schedule for about two more months, then things should start to settle down a bit.

I know this too. I used to work a '4 on - 4 off' shift as the Computer Systems Crew Chief. Thankfully, each shift day was only 12 hours long and there was no 'on-call' duty, unlike my wife, who has just started a new job working for a 24 hour News service. This will mean random shift work 7 days a week. I'm not too sure yet how this is going to work, but we're both trying to keep an open mind. Thankfully, she only has to work 8 hour days, unlike you, Dev.

I suppose the good thing is theres a light at the end of the tunnel. Still, it doesn't do anyone much good to mess up their circadian cycle.

Cheers,

Maso

Ah, the joys of internal med... where everything must take a backseat to the intellectual onanism / pissing contests that somehow manage to invariably ruin your day. How are your residents and attendings? Sometimes that can make all the difference in the world, at least for me.

Now you see why I'm doing peds . I hope things get better for you in the call-toleration department

- Stanty8

I haven't seen a full weekend since February. My shift changes every week and I never know what day it is. 6 days on, 2 days off, 4 days on, 2 days off, and all in the name of customer care. What bothers me the most about work commitments is realizing how good I used to have it... coming to terms with the knowledge that I am an adult with a maximum of 2 scheduled weeks off a year and 4 sick days only is just depressing and difficult to grasp.
But that's life.

I am an adult with a maximum of 2 scheduled weeks off a year and 4 sick days only is just depressing and difficult to grasp.

Nicky, it doesn't sound like much of a life compared to Australia's workers. We get 10 days sick leave and 20 days annual leave per year. Those of us in particular jobs (such as mine) also have an ADO (allocated day off) per month. And then there are the usual public holidays as well. But still, when you work it out, it is only a maximum of 42 days, excluding public holidays and providing one uses all their sick leave.