New Year….New Endeavor
I’m taking a deep breath (aaaaah!), today is the first day this week that I’ve had time to sit down and even think about working on my blog! It’s been busy to say the least.
As many of you have read, I have made some big changes with my career. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a dentist (you can tell me “I hate the dentist” and I promise not to take it personally) and since graduating from dental school in 2006 have been working as an associate dentist in a few private practice offices. I’ve spent the majority of those years associating in a great private practice, working with amazing co-workers and under the direction of my boss whose dentistry is the best I’ve seen. I love each and every person I work with at this office and have learned so much from my boss, but I’ve always known that I’ve wanted my own dental practice. Hubby is an orthodontist and works closer to home, whereas my job is across Lake Washington here in the Seattle area and is far from Hubby’s own office. Our goal was for me to own a place and be closer to Hubby so that we can work together on patients/cases.
Hubby and I have been looking for an office for me for quite some time but kept finding places that weren’t the right fit. Then by a twist of fate, I found an office north of Seattle and it all fell into place. We are still working out all of the details, but I started this week with my new team and patients and can finally say “I have my own dental practice!” It’s been such an exciting week! I’m exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. And I’m so tired but can’t sleep, so I’m glad the weekend is almost here so I can catch up. I’m currently working at my new office but also working a day and a half at my former associate position, so I’m pooped!
I had put off buying an office for a while now because I kept thinking I would get pregnant and it would be too big of a challenge to do both at the same time. However, this whole infertility road has taken much longer than expected and I felt like I couldn’t put my career on hold or stay static for much longer. I absolutely love what I do and even with kids will continue to practice dentistry. With all of the heartache we’ve experienced lately, Hubby and I are going to take a break from fertility treatments. I’m going to focus on my practice, together we are going to focus on living life without the pressure of getting pregnant, and we’ll revisit things in the Spring/Summer of this year. I would love to have 1 day….maybe even 1 hour when I don’t think about our infertility. Infertility is all-consuming and I just need a breath (another one I guess). I’ll focus my energies elsewhere and hope to be happier and in a better place when we get back to our treatments.
Happy Friday everyone!
hopefulandhungry 
Congratulations! My dad is a dentist and opened his own dental practice (once in CO and then again in GA) so I know how difficult it can be! That is AWESOME! I don’t know if the new practice will give you one hour of respite from infertility, but I’m glad you’re not putting life on hold. I’m so guilty of doing that! Congratulations again!
Thanks Amanda, it’s a challenge, but I’m very excited. I’ve been following your blog and your posts and information are great.
Congratulations on owning your own practice! That is a huge accomplishment! And it seems like you have a great attitude about going forward. Wishing you every bit of luck this year, both with your practice and eventually your IF treatment. Too bad my dental insurance won’t cover care in the US, otherwise I’d come see you! We are down in Seattle so much it would be easy! I need a good dentist!
Thank you so much. I’m trying to concentrate on the good in my life right now. I’d love to have you as a patient if you were a US resident. 🙂
Congratulations!! That is so exciting! I wish you the very best for your new practice, how nice to be able to ‘work’ with your husband in some way! Like you said, IF is all consuming, but I hope you can get some rest and enjoy your time off too so that you are refreshed and rejuvenated for your new round. My friend told me before my last cycle, think of getting pregnant like baseball stats. When a batter strikes out 9 times in a row, the odds are for him that he will finally get a hit in the next few times. It’s just probability. I think this year, the odds are for you, and you will have everything you’ve wanted in 2013. xo
Thank you so much for your outlook, that’s a good way to look at it. I’m so happy for you!
Congratulations on the new practice! Very exciting. I’m also glad to hear you have a plan for the coming months to give yourself a break and enjoy life. It certainly does seem like the search for the happy ending and the sadness of IF can intrude on every aspect of life, and sometimes its healing to just step away from all that for a while. And we can’t put our plans on hold forever. Good for you! I’ll be sending so many good vibes, for this venture and those to come.
Thank you so much, you said it perfectly!
Congrats!! That is great news. I hope you guys have a chance to catch your breath during the break and enjoy life to the fullest. I’m also putting treatment on hold and hoping it will give us a chance to remember all that we have, instead of focusing on what we don’t. Keep us updated!! xo
That is a wonderful way to put it “remember all that we have, instead of focusing on what we don’t”. Enjoy your break as well. xoxo
This is so exciting! What a huge, important change to be making! I’m proud of you for putting your life first again – that is really hard to do during IF. B and I totally lost ourselves to IF and it’s one of our biggest regrets. I am so envious of you that you figured this out and are DOING SOMETHING about it!
Go you!
Thanks Courtney, this decision has been a long time coming. I don’t want to put everything on hold. Hoping the IF will work out in the end like this opportunity has. 🙂
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 8, 2013, at 12:10 PM, hopefulandhungry
Super excited for you! We’ll be out to visit soon! Life doesn’t wait on us, glad that you have made this big move in your career and life. Will be great to have this aspect of your life taken care of. You are a very lucky little lady! Being married to a dentist, I practically am one, let me know if you need help at the office! 😉
Thank you so much Alex. Can’t wait for you to come see it. I’ll ask you to fill in if I need a personal day. 😉
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 8, 2013, at 3:13 PM, hopefulandhungry
Congrats!!
I love that you and your husband will have your own dental practice together! How cool 🙂
Thank you, we’re excited for the change.
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 9, 2013, at 2:03 PM, hopefulandhungry
So excited about this for you!! I’m due for a cleaning in about 5 months so I’ll be headed your way! 🙂
Yay! Would love to have you come to the office!
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 10, 2013, at 10:19 AM, hopefulandhungry
Congrats on your own office! Good luck!
When you are ready, you should consider sending your medical records to an expert in endometriosis excision, like the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, (Dr. Albee and Dr. Sinervo) They do free records review, and many Endo patients after surgery get pregnant naturally. It’s worth a shot just to talk to one of their amazing doctors…
Thank you Monica. And thank you for sharing the information about the endo review. I’m definitely busy right now and am trying not to think too much about the fertility stuff (we need a break). But, I’ll definitely consider sending my records in.