How Adena surgeon and mother of three balances life

CHILLICOTHE― Nicole Meschbach has learned the art of balancing being a mother and working long hours as a surgeon at Adena Health System.

The mother of three has worked as an orthopedic surgeon at Adena since 2022. With three children under the age of four and a busy work schedule, Meschbach said most days can be unpredictable. She navigates life using a non-negotiable policy: no matter what the day holds, her family has dinner together and she puts her kids to bed.

"You can't possibly do everything that you want to do, but those two things are important to me," Meschbach said. "I may not be there for everything during the day or right after school... but as long as I have that to look forward to and that's consistent then that makes me happy and I think makes my kids happy too."

She plans her schedule in advance as much as possible to be efficient with her time. She thanks her team at Adena, many of whom are also parents, for allowing her to spend the most time with her family. Her husband, Daniel Holloway, works from home and keeps his schedule open when it's not possible for Meschbach.

By making it home by 5, Meschbach said she hopes to establish a pattern for her kids so they know she's always available for them.

Her two older kids have visited her in action at Adena, although they are often more interested in the candy offered to them by colleagues. Meschbach jokes that there's never a dull moment when her children visit her at the hospital, remembering when her son used a surgical cap to imitate a jellyfish.

During their free time, her family spends time together outdoors going on bike rides, to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium or to parks like Hayden Run Falls and Glacier Ridge Metro Park.

Meschbach said she remembers her own mother working long hours as an entrepreneur. She said it was inspiring to see her mom work hard at what she loved. She hopes her children find a "higher purpose" in her own work, potentially leading them to a fulfilling career when they're older.

"Yes, I work hard and sometimes long hours, but what I do is meaningful and I'm helping other people," Meschbach said. "I hope that they can take that into whatever they decided to do. That they can go help other people or find meaning in what they do and have a career eventually that they love."

Megan Becker is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. Call her at 740-349-1106, email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @BeckerReporting