No Matter How Late

(5PM) Going to the OR later. Don’t know when I’ll be home.

White Girl Can’t Jump:

or,My husband feels betrayed that I was a fan whenStockton & Malone were in the finals but it turns outthat I don’t watch basketball Building rapport before heading to the OR. “So,are you one of our Utah athletes?” His mother’s indignant. “He plays for the Jazz!” He’s really famous. My bad.

In Process

Wake up.Turn o! white noise app.Count on fingers the hours I slept.Open up email. Delete.Open up NY Times app.Swing legs over edge of bed.In slippered feet turn on co!ee.Open NPR, BBC, Instagram.Sip then slurp black co!ee.“I’m not doing enough.”My panic rises.“But am I enough?”

Metabolism

The course did not go well.

What I’ve seen?

Heroin, sometimes meth. Homelessness, criminality, dishonesty. Hopeless?

Peanut M&Ms

I successfully extracted the peanut M&M from his 4-year-old nose.

Advanced Maternal Age

“Happy Birthday!” All I can think is, “great, now I’m advanced maternal age.”

Joy

Standing unobtrusively in the corner of the hospital room, giving the student-team as much space as possible to round with the family.

It Could Be Me

A colleague asks me to see her cousin. I know him.

Wish

You yelled and belittled my intern.

Mom, M.D.

Being a physician-mother sometimes makes me feel inadequate at both jobs.

Mine

In the clinic, I hear the story: PHQ high, cuts to the wrist, just not fitting in.

I am Asian American

The room is filled with brand-new MS1s…

Interrupted rhythm

Wiry, weathered rancher for a simple bladder biopsy.

Stapler Misfire

Our stellar MS3 fired the stapler on her last day.

book club

What are you reading now?

3

Almost done – 3 years of 4.