“Do your parents realize that he could die?” I had been summoned to the workspace of the ED physician who was trying to save my brother’s life. I remember noticing that he was short with thick brown hair and a crisp white coat which were both too tidy and incongruent with the message he was […]
Category: Pediatrics
A pediatrician finds her “why”
Last Friday, as I sat finishing up notes on the last of my almost 30 physicals (this number is never any surprise for us pediatricians this time of the year, it’s back to school week, so every Thomason, Dickinson, and Harrison is lining up for sports physicals and regular physicals and all sorts of clearance […]
Why your child should have a black, male doctor
When I was 20 years old, I boarded a flight from St. Louis, Missouri to Houston, Texas. It was Fall and the temperature had begun dropping. That being the case, I was dressed like a typical college student at that time of year: sweatpants and a hoodie. After taking my seat, a middle-aged white woman […]
Remembering the age of polio
“Polio. I’ve seen polio.” Last night, I was speaking with one of the most experienced pediatricians I’ve ever met, Dr. Jack Burstiner. I’ve known him for 50 years. I would have known him even longer if I had been born earlier. He lived in my neighborhood, two doors down. He was my pediatrician. Jack is […]
Remembering the age of polio
“Polio. I’ve seen polio.” Last night, I was speaking with one of the most experienced pediatricians I’ve ever met, Dr. Jack Burstiner. I’ve known him for 50 years. I would have known him even longer if I had been born earlier. He lived in my neighborhood, two doors down. He was my pediatrician. Jack is […]
10 things a pediatric oncologist wants you to know
1. Cancer is not rare. Technically, childhood cancer is rare compared to adult cancer, but it’s not as rare as you think. Outside of my work, I can think of 3 people who I know personally that had a childhood cancer. A teammate on my high school basketball team, my sister-in-law, and a high school […]
Being a mom doesn’t make you a medical professional
As a mom to two little girls, I understand the lure of online forums. With so many accessible tools — including Google, Instagram, and online support groups like Facebook groups — before a parent brings their child to the doctor, they will inevitably first post their inquiry online. They post a picture: “What’s this rash?” […]
Perils of a postpartum pediatrician
During my first pregnancy, I frequently dreamt of my baby. I couldn’t remember the details of facial features or hair color, but I always knew that I was going to have a girl. Three years passed after Claire was born, two more heartbeats were identified and then lost somewhere deep within my abdomen. On two […]
With every hardship comes ease
“Where is my baby?” I awoke upset that my belly, which hours before was bulging through my doctor scrubs, had surprisingly been flattened. No one had asked for my permission to deliver my baby. They told me he was delivered emergently — at 32-weeks gestation — to save both our lives. I was a third-year […]