On Monday my husband started flight school.  I haven’t really
mentioned what his plans were in the past, as we were a little unsure
whether or not things would work out.  Anyway, he wants to be a pilot,
so he just started school.  It will take about 7 months for him to
finish, at which point he will be a flight instructor for the
remainder of my rotations.  And then, hopefully, he will get a job as a
commercial pilot!

Nick’s decision to go back to school was really difficult for me at
first.  I had no doubt that he would make a great pilot, but I always
thought he would wait until after I had finished my own training.
However, my first two years in medical school were really tough for
him.  Nick worked as an office support assistant for those two years –
a job which only requires a high school diploma.  He was way
overqualified for such work, but Kirksville is a small place and there
weren’t a lot of options for someone with a Bachelors Degree in
English.

When he first told me he wanted to start flight school, I wasn’t very
supportive.  I wanted him to wait.  I worried about the cost.  I
worried about our plans to have a baby.  And it was a real struggle
for our relationship.  Nick was mad at me for not supporting him, and
I was upset that he was ruining our plans.

And then I realized that it wasn’t “our” plans he was ruining – it was
“my” plans.  I had decided Nick would work to support me during
medical school.  Nick just agreed because he loved me.  And he really
didn’t like his job in Kirksville, but he got up and went to work
every day to support my own dream of becoming a doctor.

Once I took the time to really think about all the sacrifices Nick has
made for me, I realized that I was wrong.  It was wrong of me to not
be supportive of his dream because Nick has only ever been supportive
of my dream.  He never once said my school was too expensive.  He
never once asked me to wait until his own career was underway.

Once I realized how wrong I had been, we started to make plans for
Nick to start flight school.  And I’m so glad that everything has
worked out as well as it has.  I have never seen Nick happier than I
have this week.  He gets to fly every day, and in only a few days he
has already taken off and landed by himself!

One of my biggest worries when Nick decided he wanted to be a pilot
was how on earth we were going to manage.  The thought of a doctor’s
schedule and a pilot’s schedule trying to coexist was more than I
could envision.  Plus having a baby and wanting more kids…it just
seems insane at times.  But I decided a long time ago that I wasn’t
going to worry about the future.  Everything always works out.  A year
ago I couldn’t imagine being pregnant, taking boards, moving across
the country, AND having a baby.  Let alone starting rotations while
Nick started school.  But everything has worked out.

Our life is a little crazy at times.  But all in all, we are a very
happy family.  I love seeing my husband as passionate about something
as I am about medicine.  I know our careers will be difficult to
manage in the future, but it is what we are both meant to do.  And I
know everything will work out.  It always does.