WOMEN IN MEDICINE
A Working Mom in Progress By Brittany Lenz, MD
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oday, I woke up my son, got him ready for daycare and kissed him goodbye. I then went to work where I treated 30 patients, rushed home to cram in some cuddles with my little one before bedtime, shared a reheated leftover dinner with my husband and finally had the chance to sit and write these thoughts down at 9 p.m. It was a pretty good day. How different a day looks, before and after parenthood! My husband and I met in college and were married for 10 years before we decided to have a baby. We loved our childless life as two young professionals. We traveled, enjoyed late nights out with friends, and cultivated hobbies and interests outside of work. We adopted the sweetest rescue dog, who allowed us to flex our fledgling co-parenting muscles while requiring minimal change to our lifestyle. The concept of work-life balance never crossed my mind. I could give 100% to my job whenever I needed to, and my husband had his own career goals to focus on. We always made time for each other, but there was an easy flexibility between two adults who understanded each other’s busy professional lives. A decade later, the arrival of our son completely rocked our world. As a new mother and full-time private practice physician, I have struggled to find worklife balance. Yet as I navigate the complexities and challenges of life as a working mom, I can’t help but wonder if such a thing truly exists. Before my son was born, I was confident that I would rise to the challenge of attaining
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this elusive balance. I imagined myself deftly astride the proverbial seesaw with my family on one side and my career on the other – both in perfect harmony. Now that I am living it, I would not describe my current life in any sort
SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • November 2021
of balance. Rather, I have found a carefully timed and slightly frenzied method of getting it all done that is more reminiscent of a struggling entertainer. A woman alternately tossing and catching several tasks at once, shifting and
