The Inspiration behind AAA: Blue Bloater
Here’s the poem which injected my life with an interest in reflecting through art to cope with some of the intensity of clerkship… They’ve told us about blue bloaters before. They are managed with SABAs, anticholinergics, steroids and antimicrobials. Other prescriptions include nutrition, exercise and chest physiotherapy. Oxygen? Well, let’s give ‘er a try. But […]
Toe Nails
Elephantitis of the legs, Lymphostatic ballooning. Your protein filled, fluid logged limbs Are too heavy for your frame, Too massive for a guy. Early 30’s. The pain in those legs, Doppler’s don’t begin to explain. Rule out DVT, sure. But to cancel the shame, the guilt, A therapeutic dose would be nice. Revealing your feet, […]
Our ISUMS
They say medicine is politics on a grand scale. They say medicine is science seeped in the social. It’s about humanity, say the voices. But I wonder where the voices have gone. When you little ones sleep at night, Bundled tighter than the other babies cuddled next door, Sniffling, sneezing, sleeping. We call you the […]
Day 1
“Shit, bang and away we go.” Would be Papa’s words. If he were still here, of course. Beyond spirit, wool sweaters, handkerchiefs. Which is the bell, and which is the diaphragm, again? Castell, Ortolani, Babinski: remind me please. Again, again. It’s time to put to practice years of book-ness. Be responsible, stand up straight, know […]
Let the waves wash over you
I let the water colours flow off the paint brush as I sat on our porch breathing fresh ocean air, listening to the waves crash against the shore and reflecting on advice from my preceptor on how to approach the next couple years. Just take it all in, let it wash over you. Powell River, […]
Pain tolerance
This painting is from my rural rotation this summer. The first patient I saw during the elective was an individual with a partially ruptured Achilles tendon. S/he thought they had sprained their ankle and had been limping around for 3 days before coming in! Talk about pain tolerance..