Me and My Stethoscope

The highlight of my week was an evening out with my fellow female physicians. We are a group of Pediatricians, Internists, Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Anesthesiologists, Cardiologists, Psychiatrists and Ophthalmologists.  We are also writers, book authors, speakers, researchers, fashionistas, leaders, globetrotters, home chefs, charity organizers, foodies, entrepreneurs, family members and friends. We talked and shared stories. We have saved lives yet also lost lives. We have delivered good news and delivered bad news. We were called to serve in Medicine yet also sustain its burden. We face sexism and misogyny daily. We are overlooked professionally because we are women. We are held to conflicting double standards. My own personal story: I declined to see a patient who showed up late beyond the grace period. It was the last patient of the day. I was asked to stay late to see this person. Then I was told that I did not accept the feedback in a positiv

Influenza is no joke. I unfortunately fell victim to this vicious virus a week ago. It started with an annoying dry cough. The next day, I had full-blown fevers with shaking chills and body aches for two days. Then I had a 10/10 dull headache with pressure over my eyes and light sensitivity for three whole days. I don’t suffer from migraines and this was honestly the worst headache of my life. After forty-eight hours of 10/10 headache, I recognized that I needed help. I checked into Urgent Care. While I was waiting, I curbsided one of the Infectious Disease doctors. He advised me to start Oseltamivir immediately. (I had held off because my fevers and chills had resolved in two days.) He told me if I wasn’t better in two days, I might need a CT scan of my head and/or spinal tap. I relayed this information to the Urgent Care physician and she ordered Oseltamivir and, just in case I didn’t get better, Amoxicillin for possible sinusitis. I see patients with colds and flu all the t

I was assigned to care for a patient who had been newly diagnosed with cancer. A midline IV line had been inserted with plans to start chemotherapy. Unfortunately a blood clot had developed at the midline IV site (a common occurrence in patients with cancer). The midline IV line was pulled out. She needed some sort of access for chemotherapy. She had also complained of chest pain.    A CT scan, EKG and blood tests didn’t show the heart or lungs to be the source of her chest pain. I came to the patient’s bedside to introduce myself. She smiled at me. I had barely started my introduction when her father stormed in and started shouting. (At me, in case there was any doubt.) He had multiple complaints. He blamed “you people” for the blood clot. He was angry at me that the patient’s Oncologist hadn’t run to the patient’s bedside already. He was angry that I hadn’t figured out what was causing her chest pain. I reviewed all the results with them and advised them that the