Tag: emergency room

It’s Not Easy Being Green

It’s Not Easy Being Green

I wrote this piece in 2002, and it was published in the medical school literary magazine where I did my residency. As I mentioned in my last post, I have hundreds of journal entries and essays like this one. Geez, I used a lot of 

Tales from the Shift

Tales from the Shift

Remember Tales from the Crypt, that cheesy HBO horror series based on the 1950’s E.C. comic books? Well, it’s the perfect title for this post. Here it is Halloween season, and I am right now transcribing the winter 2002 journal entries from my intern year, 

“Is the system supposed to work this way?”

“Is the system supposed to work this way?”

My friend’s husband asked me this question as we stood outside their house in the February cold chatting, while their pajama’d kids ran around inside. His tone was incredulous, his expression both baffled and angry, and his frustration well-justified. I was on my way to 

Personal and Family Crises

Personal and Family Crises

Yes, it’s been a month since my last post, and I owe you all an explanation. So here’s what’s been happening: In mid-February, my dad fell down his stairs and hit his head. He hit hard, but seemed okay, at first. It was four days 

Long Day, But It’s Okay

Long Day, But It’s Okay

Here’s a true story from my yesterday, as in, New Year’s Eve 2019: I had wrapped up my clinic and was looking forward to maybe leaving the office earlier than usual. Most of our docs have been away for the holidays, and I’ve been one