Monday the department heads and team leads gathered in the conference room.
"I'm Tessa Garneau," a new doctor introduced herself to Megan.
"Meagan Hunt," Megan smiled, "reconstruction and trauma. You?"
"Peds," Tessa smiled, "are you new to Seattle as well?"
"I grew up here and am moving back to be closer to my mom and brother," Megan replied, "where are you from?"
"Ottawa Ontario but I've been practising at BC Childrens," Tessa replied, "I was born in Maine so I wanted to come back."
"Giving up Canadian health care and lack of gun violence," Megan asked.
"I know but when I was asked to interview I took it," Tessa replied, "what about you?"
"I just left the military," Megan replied, "20ish years. My son needs more stability."
"So does my daughter," Tessa replied, "my cousin and her husband are close by and their kids are only a couple years younger."
"You're Teddy's cousin," Megan said, "I'm Owen's sister."
"She said she wanted a staff she could trust," Tessa replied, "do you know anyone other than Teddy and Owen?"
"Some," Megan replied, "Merideth Gray is in and out and she operated on me about 6 years ago. I was her abdominal wall transplant. Amelia Shepherd head of neuro is Owen's ex."
"Awkward," Tessa asked.
"They're all friends and I hardly know her," Megan replied, "I was overseas when they were together."
"I read Grey's paper on that, it was impressive," Tessa replied, "the entire story."
"Yes and no," Megan replied, "the surgery was the highlight. My new abs convinced several soldiers with similar injuries to let us do the same for them. Do you have someone?"
"Single by choice now," Tessa replied, "and staying that way. My ex is in and out of my daughters life. You?"
"Not right now," Megan said, "my son calls it a situationship with my ex. But Nate and I are more friends. He's been hired back here in cardio after being in LA with me for a while."
"You're okay with that," Tessa asked.
"Riggs and I have always worked well together at work and in the hospital," Megan replied, "he's really close to my son who I adopted in Iraq. We make it work."
"Have you worked here long," Tessa asked, "I haven't worked with Teddy professionally before."
"She was one of my COs years ago in Iraq," Megan replied, "then I've scrubbed in her to help out a few times in the last couple years but it's my first day here as well."
"Good morning," Teddy greeted, " if we can all grab breakfast and a seat we'll get started. We have a lot to cover this morning and I want to do this in under an hour. "
People rushed to grab food and take a seat. Teddy was typically respectful of everyone's time and kept meetings short emailing where she could.
"We finally have a full staff" Teddy smiled one everyone was seated, "I'm going to start today with a few introductions. We have Tessa Garneau taking over our peds department coming to us from BC Children's. Addison Montgomery is taking over as chief of OB to allow Dr Deluca to focus on the women's health clinic. Dr montgomery will continue with her mobile outreach 2 weeks out of the month. . Arizona Robbins is joining as fetal and neonatal. Megan Hunt is our new team lead for reconstructive working as a liaison between trauma, general, ortho and plastics pulling in cardio and neuro as needed. Dr hunts job is to look at everything holistically. Our final new hire is Mike Jansen in plastics joining us from UCLA. And I have our reshuffle of leadership roles. Miranda Bailey is chief of general, Winston Ndugu is chief of cardio. Nathan Riggs is coming back to do cardio and cardiac trauma. There is the matter of my upcoming maternity leave. I will be taking 12 weeks fully off with baby girl and do a slow transition back over 6-8 weeks when I return. Addison and Miranda have offered to share intern chief along with Richard Webber. Let's start departmental updates. Amelia let's start neuro. "
They ran though the department updates for the week quickly. People had now learned that Teddy wanted short updates about what would be pertinent to every one.
"We're hiring for senior residents and starting to look at our next intern class," Teddy announced.
"We started interviewing," Nick replied, "you and I can meet later and look over the resumes."
"I spoke to you about the ones I want to bring back and the soldiers who have been medically discharged but need to complete residency," Teddy replied, "we can be a safe home for them to come and learn and rehab. Owen, Megan, Riggs and I have all been there. We are continuing to take a few residents and interns who may have been unsuccessful elsewear. We need some strong leaders and skills but we're re building. We're creating the program again from scratch."
"We need to talk about the curriculum," bailey said.
"We will," Teddy agreed, "that committee meets next week. Send me your ideas ahead and I'll pull it together into one document. I want strong rounded drs."
"Teddy," Tessa said, "do you have dedicated peds residents?"
"Not yet," Teddy replied, "I have my chief resident who is interested in peds. Schmidt will see you later.
"What about Helm," Link asked.
"We're encouraging general," Teddy replied, "but I want to look into holding her back with the amount of time she missed. I want to give her an additional 6 -12 months."
"What about your feed the residents campaign," Richard asked.
"I'm noticing that they are accepting it more and the meal swipes and lounge food is being consumed," Teddy replied, "speaking of the residents. Yasuda is on cardio this week. I want her help on cardio for two or three rotations. I think she's cardio bound. Rotate her with me, Ndugu and Riggs. Link I need to see ortho numbers coming back up."
"I know," Link replied, "I have something for the Kraken this week that should boost our profile."
"What have we missed," Teddy asked.
"Trauma training three this week for the interns," Owen said, "with me and Megan. This is a field exercise. We will be setting up with Seattle FD and PD. Warren is setting up the scenario and we will be using the PRT since Montgomery is here. I am proposing we bring the PRT program back with a second vehicle keep the current one for community outreach and Montgomerys use and add a second vehicle based here with a trauma surgeon to dispatch as needed."
"We will look into it and approach the board and foundation," Teddy agreed, "it's a good training vehicle."
"The logistics with FD," Bailey asked.
"Warren," Teddy replied, "it gets your husband here more Miranda."
"I like making it a hospital program and removing it from the politics of the fire department and city hall," Bailey agreed.
"We'll look," Teddy agreed, "I don't know if I have the budget this year. It may be a next year item. I need to secure funding."
"I'll take care of it if you sign off on it," Owen offered.
"Put it on my desk in my office," Teddy replied.
"Will do," Owen agreed.
They wrapped up the staff meeting and Teddy smiled at Tessa.
'Teddy," Tessa greeted with a hug.
"It's been years," Teddy smiled, "how are you? How's Ella and Alex?"
"They're adapting," Tessa admitted, "I'm happy to be here and get started. It looks like a good program. Smaller than childrens."
"Build it," Teddy smiled, "it's your department. I don't micromanage anywhere except cardio. I trust you to know your department and run it."
"How long do I have," Tessa asked.
"We'll meet next week to get your initial observations," Teddy replied, "and in a month for a preliminary plan."
"Your kids," Tessa asked.
"Leo is almost in kindergarten and Allison is almost 4," Teddy smiled.
"You have two," Tessa replied.
"Almost three," Teddy smiled, "you can ask me about it Tessa. Everyone here knows."
"How many weeks," Tessa asked.
"26," Teddy smiled, "baby girl we're not sharing her name publicly until she's here. You and your girls will come for dinner this weekend? We'll have a BBQ?"
"Sounds good," Tessa smiled, "your sister in law?"
"You met Megan on your way in," Teddy asked.
"I did," Tessa agreed.
"She's a force to be reckoned with," Teddy smiled, "passionate, stubborn, usually right, will go down fighting for her patients and family doesn't care who she over rides to do what she thinks is best for her paitent. She's gone over Owen and I many times in the army. I almost wrote her up for insubordination a few times. But she's a damm good surgeon. Doesn't publish, doesn't chase glory but good at what she does. And her and her son are living with us for a while while she finds a place."
"That's okay," Tessa asked.
"It is," Teddy agreed, "Megan and I are good friends. This place is really welcoming. Other than a few months when Owen and I weren't doing so well I've always felt welcome here but that was my own fault."
"What about having your space you were always so private," Tessa replied.
"They're staying in the guest room," Teddy replied, "Owen and I have our room and the home office when I need space."
"Double checking," Tessa started, "Owen is the hot guy you couldn't shut up about from your in the middle of a war zone army days?"
"Yes," Teddy smiled, "I've known him 20 years. It just took us a long time to get our shit together as Megan puts it."
"And your happy," Tessa asked.
"I am,"Teddy smiled, "I know you've had a rough couple years."
"I need a new start where my husband isn't sleeping with a co worker," Tessa said.
"We've had our share of relationship drama here," Teddy replied, "but this can be your fresh start."
"Teddy," Arizona called, "are you coming to the peds / neonatal/ maternal fetal meeting later?"
"Not for this one," Teddy replied, "I have a CABG and I trust all of you. I don't micromanage. You know your specialties best. You know what your staff and patients need so make it happen. I want to know about controversial things, changes in protocols, ground breaking stuff but day to day you can do it without me. I hire leaders I trust. I only micro manage in cardio."
"Because it's your favourite," Arizona smiled, "you and hearts."
"Always," Teddy smiled, "so far my kids think they all look like cartoons."
"We'll fix that and I need to meet your older two," Arizona smiled.
"You do and I need the updates on Sophia," Teddy smiled, "she has to be in middle school now."
"Going into ninth," Arizona shook her head.
"Too grown up," Teddy replied, "I saw her in the NICU."
"That's a long time ago," Arizona sighed, "and now you have three tiny humans."
"Almost," Teddy smiled, "14 more weeks."
"Feeling good," Arizona asked.
"For now," Teddy agreed, "baby girl is growing fast I think she'll be bigger than her sister."
"You never know," Arizona smiled, "but you might just be carrying differently."
"I am," Teddy replied, "lower somehow and more ball like."
"Different baby," Arizona smiled, "it all looks good?"
"So far," Teddy replied, "Carina is great but I'd like you or Addison to give it a once over for my piece of mind."
"I will," Arizona agreed, "tomorrow. I'm going to go see what they did to my nicu while I was gone."
"Slow changes," Teddy cautioned, "one change at a time gets better buy in."
"I will," Arizona agreed.
"Prioritise," Teddy directed, "you can come up with a year or two year plan. Changes don't all have to happen now and shouldn't. Give people time."
"I will," Tessa nodded seeing how Teddy wanted things done, "slow and steady like Grandma said."
"She was smart," Teddy agreed.