Monday morn'

As I sit here on my desk at 545 am sipping on my morning coffee (in part jetlag, in part due to the impending work), I'm having this sick, twisted, empty feeling in my gut. And no, it's not hunger.

It's quiet. Usually I cherish this. The moment to reflect, to think, even to daydream. But not today.

Where are the sounds familiar to me? My dogs barking. The crickets. The mynahs and their song. Dad's snoring. Alex's crying. My buggy sister. The school bus. The newspaper guy's motorcycle engine.

Instead... deafening silence. Slight hum of my PC. And the clock. Nothing else. No heartwarming, familiar sounds.

Could it be?

Am I missing home already?

I look at my list. 5, possibly 7 patients to round on. Pituitary apoplexy. Radiation-induced panhypopituitarism. Pheochromocytoma. Adrenal insufficiency. And hypothyroidism.

Vacation's over. Nothing else to do, but to get dressed and get to work. Pick up the oncall pager for the week. Back to the grind.