I am a late bloomer. I married a wonderful person at age 39 and now have my first child, a girl, at age 47.
It has been 8 months since Lena was born, and I feel like a first year resident! As a resident, you are thrown into the “water of residency”, and by trial and error, you learn to stay afloat and eventually (hopefully) swim like a champion.
Now Lena, I have been told by her care-giver is a good girl. She repeatedly says “you haven’t seen difficult children yet.” Believe me, I don’t want to! Lena is a handful as it is.
If you ever want to sweat profusely, try putting clothes on, especially one with long sleeves, on an infant or baby. Talk about a moving target!
Sometimes Lena has difficulty going to sleep and after an hour of trying to calm her, I just want to cry. Here I am, a board certified plastic surgeon, who is almost always in control in the operating room, completely exhausted and defeated by a 20 pound living being, who can’t even walk or talk. Imagine what will happen when she does both!
Have you ever read the instruction manual for a baby car seat installation? Even I had a hard time trying to figure this one out. I rather read a medical journal, thank you!
At the end, however, Lena grows every day and acquires new skills, and so do I. I may not grow physically, but as a person, having a child has changed me for the better. The trick is to survive day by day until Lena can take care of herself. Of course, by then, there will be other issues such as boy friends, wanting a car, which school to go, etc. Will it ever end? Not until I either go bald or my entire hair is white!
Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D. is a board certified plastic surgeon in Santa Ana with over 12 years of experience. His office is located in Orange County, California. To schedule a complimentary consultation, please call (714) 834-0101.