A Thanksgiving Surprise

Leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday last week, I knew that Scott would be working nights at the hospital all week long. One of our good friends that is in the same residency program as Scott knew that he would be working nights. He and his wife suggested that together we surprise Scott at the hospital with a full Thanksgiving meal. Best. Friends. Ever!

Thanksgiving is Scott's favorite holiday, so I knew he would be bummed if he didn't get to celebrate it the way he loves - with football, food, and family. We can't do much about the family part when we are at the end of his medical residency over 2,000 miles away from where all his family was getting together. But we could make sure he got football and food!

As the day approached, Scott asked me what my plans were for his favorite day of the year. I bluffed. I told him that I was going to spend the day at a friends house. This particular friend really did invite me to spend the day, but I already knew at that point that we would be surprising Scott at the hospital so I had declined. Scott took the lie, and with a pathetic frown told me he was happy that I would be eating with friends on HIS favorite holiday. What a sucker! Really, I'm surprised that Scott believed me at all, but I guess I was pretty convincing.

All week Scott went to work around 5:00 Pm and returned home around 7:30 Am to sleep. Most days he slept until just before he needed to go into work again. Some days he would wake up a little earlier, because he had found some sleep time between admissions at the hospital. He would use that time to work out or get caught up on emails and notes.

On Thursday, I was in full cooking mode. I made pie, cranberry sauce, rolls, turkey breast on the bone, and stuffing. Our most excellent friends made potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pie too.

Meanwhile on Thursday morning, Scott went from the in-patient service, to the OB floor to induce a pregnant patient, and then... to a turkey bowl football game. Priorities, of course. When he came home, he laid on the couch and said he was going to watch football and if he "happened to fall asleep" that was okay. Yeah, right! He was exhausted but it's not like he's capable of falling asleep during football on Thanksgiving. He didn't say anything as I was busy in the kitchen, but later he mentioned that he was thinking to himself - "Why is Katie cooking everything when she was invited to someone else's Thanksgiving dinner?"

When the time came, Scott left home to deliver a Thanksgiving baby. Our friends and I went over to the hospital to set up the Thanksgiving feast in the in-patient residency room. When Scott arrived, with his cafeteria take-out container, he was legit surprised! The table spread was pretty impressive, and we had even turned on the residency room TV to a football game before he came in.

He kept saying all night how grateful he was for friends and me, that we would take the time to do this special treat for him. We all shared how grateful we were to have been directed to this residency and each other. For hours, we stuffed our faces with the most fantastic food until we couldn't possibly eat any more. Then after a brief pause for digesting, and some dessert, we left Scott to watch football and take care of his admissions for the night.

Like my friends reflected that night - feasting in the hospital was the best possible way we could have spent our last Thanksgiving during residency in Wisconsin! It was a Thanksgiving to remember.