It took a few weeks to hit me. I had a meeting at the main hospital on my last day, so I took the car we were having shipped to the carrier, stopped at the chief of service's office to turn in my ID badge, lab coats, and keys, and say good-bye. That evening they had a farewell gathering for me at a colleague's home after which we shook hands and hugged and I drove home. Next day we started the drive from CA to FL with my mom behind us in her car also heading to a new home in TV. Only after being here for some time did I realize that I wouldn't see those people I left in CA for quite a while, if ever. I had that sinking feeling that the good-byes we shared that night weren't enough for the many years we had worked together. When I left, it was almost like I was going on vacation, not a permanent move.
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