Change

How do you deal with change? Do you embrace it, shy away from or just let it roll off your back without much notice. Things are constantly changing around us. Some changes have greater effects on our daily living while others go seemingly unnoticed. I feel I am in the midst of some major changes that will have great impact on my daily activities.

I am one of those that is a little more reluctant to change. I like to have a my daily routine with just a little bit of change to spice things up, but nothing that dramatically changes my daily activities. Things are changing in two arenas for me. Often when there are changes at home, I can depend on the stability that I get at work and vice verse. However, things are changing on both fronts ,which for a person like me, can cause a little bit of stress. These are both changes that I have known about for some time, but have still found them hard to prepare for.

On the home front, our lives are about to change drastically for the fourth time. We will welcome our fourth child in January. This is a welcomed change. We are beyond thrilled to be adding to our family again, but as one of those people who resists even a welcomed change, it is scary to think about what this change actually means. I hear many comments throughout the day about how my hands are full and how do I think we will manage a fourth. I think to myself that my heart is also made full thanks to our children and that we will manage. I tell those who ask that we will still have one hand for each child between the two of us. I do stop and think though. I have a huge load with working full time and looking after three children, soon to be a fourth. I have a lot of help from my husband, a caring caregiver for my smaller kids and skilled preschool and school teachers. It is still difficult. I struggle (honestly fail) to keep my laundry caught up and I don't sweep my floors as often as I should, but I have a house full of love. When questioned, I find myself scared of adding this fourth child and the laundry and work that will go along with him. I wonder if I will be able to gather enough resources to take on this extra step, but I know that in the end, the love that this child will bring our family will be far beyond what it may cost to have him with us. Although I fear this change, I am anticipating the good that will come from it.

While I am still waiting on the change in my life that will occur at home, I am already in the midst of change that has occurred at work. We have switched over to electronic medical records. While I realize that this is not really a life changing event, it has changed the way I do things everyday. I am already in the middle of this change. We have been using the new system for about a month now. With the birth of my child, I am pretty sure from previous experiences with my other children that the change will be instantly labeled as a change for the good. With every change there is a learning curve. With a child, there is that sweet face there to always reward you for the struggle that you undergo while adjusting to the change. With EMR that reward is not always so obvious as we continue to learn and grow with the system. There is no doubt in my mind that this change is for the betterment of everyone involved, both the patients and the doctors. I see glimpses of this everyday as I am learning more, but know that it will still be awhile into the future before we are able to see all of the benefits of this change. I sometimes find that I get a little frustrated when it seems as if things were easier before the new system and I often find myself reaching for a pen to write something in a chart when in reality, it all goes in the computer now.

I am often reluctant to change. I guess it is as I have said here a few times, due to fear; fear of the unknown that comes with change. I know that both of these changes in life are going to result in a positive outcome. I just hope that I can change a little and deal more effectively with the little unknowns, extra tasks, and road bumps that come along the path of change.