Boy Scouts, Bugling and Box Turtles

I’ve read that the Boy Scouts have unfortunately taken on some bad press lately and because of some abuse scandals, they have filed bankruptcy.  That’s tragic for the kids involved and for the organization in general, because back in the day when I was a scout, it provided me significant challenges that helped prepare me for obstacles that would come my way in the future.  In fact, without sc Read More

Medical Students and Special Wake up Calls

Back in the day, there were interns and residents and these young doctors in training always stayed in the hospital all night when on call.  Depending on the rotation, as I recall, this on call schedule was usually every third night.  However, unlike today, junior medical students who were rotating on month long clinical rotations were also on call with their supervising interns or residents and therefore, a Read More

The Woodpecker returns: Cracking The Code

I was gone from the office, working in the hospital for a prolonged stretch, and my office staff said that pesky pecker stopped coming during my absence. One night, I came to the office to do some paper work when everyone was gone and he came back, looking at me on the window ledge—staring at me before he started pecking on the glass a few feet away from my computer.  Damn I thought, doesn’t he have s Read More

National Nurses Week and Muffin Tops

This is national nurses week and I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for all the fine nurses that I am honored to work with. Without question, nurses are special people for the care and dedication that they provide to these critically ill patients. And well, the nurses take care of me too, and make me more successful than I deserve. And speaking of taking care of me, well, there was a deli Read More

Woodpeckers Are People too: They Like Marijuana

Woodpeckers Are People Too:  They like Marijuana I looked it up on the internet and I found his picture and it sure seems it is a match:  He’s a Northern Flicker woodpecker and they are about 15 inches tall as an adult. But since I live out west and he’s a Northern Flicker, then clearly, he is hopelessly lost. Not only that he doesn’t understand the difference between window glass and wood. Read More

Here Today And Gone Tomorrow

I almost lost my life seven years ago, to this day. Well, I had close calls before, but this was the real deal. The last words I said to my lady friend that morning as I drove to work to take care of critically ill patients in the ICU was: “Have a great day dear, and I’ll talk to you soon.”  In fact, earlier that morning, amazingly, I swam a thousand yards in the lap pool at the local gym without a sign Read More

The Mask Can’t Hide Her Eyes

The Mask Can’t Hide Her Eyes I once wrote a blog piece a few years ago, February 1, 2016, to be exact. It wasn’t that long ago, but it is still fresh in my mind, and I remember that I had a lot of fun writing it.  It was complete and absolute fiction. I’m not sure what inspired me, but I do remember being at a gym on a boring treadmill machine, staring straight ahead at the empty treadmill in front o Read More

Physicians and Gallows Humor

               This Covid – 19 world -wide pandemic is affecting all of us around the world, from all walks of life. It has unfortunately caused death, suffering, lay – offs, financial stress and social upheaval in a way that we would never have predicted, so suddenly. Everybody knows this of course, unless you are living in a cave s Read More

I Have Lived a Good Life

The internist consulted me to help with this patient’s respiratory status.  He told me, “She has Osteogenesis Imperfecta with some right heart failure and is having trouble breathing.  I don’t know what else to do at this point.” “I’ll be happy to see her.  What room is she in?” He told me her room number, and then said, “And she’s two and a half feet tall Read More