Shared History

I say, “What seems to be the problem?”
You say, “I don’t know. You called me in.”

I say, “Are you getting enough exercise?”
You say, “I’m too tired after a day on my feet. My muscles ache from
the up-down-up-down-up-down.”

I say, “Are you taking your fluoxetine as recommended?”
You say, “The little half-moons? I take a couple when I feel too down.
Regularly, just like you said.”

I say, “Do you have a support system for after the surgery?”
You say, “Yeah, my dog always helps me feel better. Don’t worry about
me, doc.”

I say, “You’ll need a radical orchiectomy.”
You say, “That’s fine, but can I keep my testicle?”

Laurel Hiatt (they/he) is an MD/PhD student who has been involved with Rubor since 2021. They were Editor-in-Chief for Rubor Volume 11. They love poetry and prose almost as much as their two dogs, Aries and Winston.