Fellowship has been just as time-consuming and emotionally taxing as I anticipated it would be (as, in part, is evidenced by the random gaps in posts here), but something else I anticipated is that I’d have some amazing experiences this year. Today, the day of my program’s annual Holiday Festival for our patients with cancer, would definitely qualify as amazing.

The Festival is held in a local hotel ballroom, and patients’ families are encouraged to bring all of their kids along. This year, a national department store donated a ton of presents, and other companies donated food, drink, and goodies for the parents. One of the senior doctors in the department plays Santa every year (mostly because he already fits the role with his body habitus and perpetual cheer), and all of the first year fellows play Santa’s elves, complete with bloomers, stockings, and pointy shoes. Today, we stood up on stage with jolly Saint Nick, helping the kids through the line, getting them to smile for the pictures, and handing out age-appropriate presents. It was just awesome to see all of our patients in their holiday best, running around and excited to be out of the hospital. (And it was actually fun to be mocked by a few of my patients, and pose with them for pictures so they could keep a bit of evidence that their doctor is willing to make a fool of himself for a bit good cheer.) And despite the occasional Christmas buzz-kill — a parent or two who cut into line, a few more who asked to exchange the gifts that their kids received because they wanted something better — I was glad to be a part of it.