Next time I release my OR time, I will check with my secretary, my wife and my therapist!

Recently I did the unthinkable: I errantly released my OR time for a day. I told my secretary that I'd be away July 20, but I meant to say June 20. Sad truth is that June 20, my wife and I were scheduled to travel to a conference a (ahem) relaxing 6-hour drive away. Yet there I was with 7 cases — that I didn't have the heart to reschedule. By some miracle, I was able to retrieve some of my time back but the day was, at best, poised to move at glacial speed. My wife was eagerly expecting me to come home at 3-ish so we could depart for the trek to upstate New York at a reasonable hour. When I sauntered home at around 9:15 pm, I could have sworn I heard the Southwest Airlines commercial jingle: "Wanna get away?" This misadventure in scheduling taught me a few lessons:

• OR time is worth more than gold bullion. I didn't realize how precious block time really was. When my time was released, several surgeons were waiting to pounce on it. Since many younger surgeons are granted later starting times, the mere opportunity for a 7:30 a.m. start is like manna from heaven to a junior practitioner. New policy: Before my secretary releases my OR time, she'll ask me at least 3 times, "You sure?"
• A friend in need is a friend indeed. I learned in my ordeal that most of my surgical colleagues were open to helping me resolve my block-time crisis. One honorable general surgeon immediately relinquished his time back to me, stating with dignity: "It is your time to take back." Others were less generous, offering such paltry excuses as, "I really need the time." Well, if it didn't take you 6 hours to do a hernia, maybe you wouldn't need so much time! Another excuse rendered was: "My patient really was counting on having surgery that day!" I am reasonably certain that with the recent rash of good weather, perhaps the surgeon was counting on a definite golf start time. This next one took the prize for my favorite alibi: "I can't miss another of my son's T-ball practices." T-ball practice? This is the same doc who forgot his wife's anniversary 3 years in a row! Gimme a break.
• Nice guys finish first. Leo Durocher was wrong with this one. Having the blessing of a solid upbringing where I was taught by my parents (and the nuns) to treat everyone with dignity, I knew I had many friends in the OR truly trying to help me resolve my ordeal. Several times nurses offered encouraging words, like "I will see what I can do" and "If anything opens up, you'll be the first to get it." Nurses run the OR and they naturally will extend every possible courtesy to docs who treat them with the respect they so much deserve. In the final analysis, the imperialistic, domineering and demanding surgeons are the least likely to be granted extra courtesies. We do in fact reap what we sow.

Time well spent
Despite leaving very late that evening, my wife, whom I refer to as "St. Marie," understood my blunder and did the lion's share of the driving. Six hours, 4 cups of high-test coffee and 3 Vivarins later, we arrived in the beautiful Adirondacks for 4 restful days. But make no mistake: Next time I release my OR time, I will check with my secretary, my wife and my therapist!