Report of 11 June '06
Hello from sunny Indiana, not sunny India -
Trust life is good for all of you. I am doing very well, having just returned from the wedding of Nathaniel Christadoss and Michelle Lanham in Midland, Texas. Nat is the son of our friends Jennifer and Prem, whom we met in Houston 15 years ago. They are lovely people, have some wonderful relatives, and I was happy to attend the merriment. I used to wonder why my parents took great pains to attend their friends' kids' weddings and now I know why; it's bloody good fun.
Work is good. We have our share of young patients discussing health issues and one of them said she did not know her family's medical history. On probing, it came out that she'd been in foster care, and it was inordinately saddening. To not have parents to guide and influence one, to not have some unconditional love and affection, to not have an occasional treat or 2 - this was deprivation. Indeed, she might have had these things off and on, but I did not get that impression. We discussed the issues as best as we could, especially intimacy issues, and I told her she could return any time she wanted.
Then there was the young man who came in w/ a sore throat. We went through the standard visit protocol, and when I asked whom he lived with (to determine if that person had also been sick), he said, "One person." I said, "Girlfriend?" He replied, "Wife." In my patient populace, I am used to folks living w/ boyfriends and girlfriends and I switch pretty automatically to the U.S. mode when I work here, taking this, premarital sex, multiple partners, wonderful honesty, good senses of humor, great driving conditions, tasty chocolate chip cookies, all in stride (or at least, try to). This reply caused me to do a double take, and the patient and I talked at length about his priorities and perspective, which aren't quite mainstream-my-patient. It was great! I also commented on his size 18 shoes, the largest I've seen so far (haven't seen Shaq in person) and we concluded the visit.
I was privileged this week to have dinner w/ Louise Hass, the former librarian from St. Vincent Hospital. Louise is a well-travelled, well-read, witty woman who unfailingly takes me to dinner when I am here, and we had a great evening. We sat outside, had Greek food and talked up a storm. I have also moved out of the Tabers' house into the home of my residency classmate, Kris Rea, her husband Gabe and their daughter, Isabella. Like the Tabers' home, this one is also full of affection and warmth. The neighborhood, Broad Ripple, is pretty and each house is unique and has character. It is easy to talk to Kris and Gabe, both of whom I love very dearly, and the company is a treat.
The Mavericks gave me some thrills in their first 2 games, especially handling their victories w/ great dignity. I was inclined to simply wish for a great series, but my Texan roots are showing. There is some chaos brewing w/ our Texans in India, w/ their cooking gas running out; the cylinders need to be ordered in advance, and I had tried to do it before I left but nobody had answered the phone in the gas office. I was tempted to micromanage it from here - you know, email our absolutely phenomenal neighbors and request someone to send the men some food - but I figured the 3 Weiss men must just learn to handle such emergencies, and handle it they will. It doesn't mean their plight will vanish from my consciousness, though.
Unw -
Renu
Trust life is good for all of you. I am doing very well, having just returned from the wedding of Nathaniel Christadoss and Michelle Lanham in Midland, Texas. Nat is the son of our friends Jennifer and Prem, whom we met in Houston 15 years ago. They are lovely people, have some wonderful relatives, and I was happy to attend the merriment. I used to wonder why my parents took great pains to attend their friends' kids' weddings and now I know why; it's bloody good fun.
Work is good. We have our share of young patients discussing health issues and one of them said she did not know her family's medical history. On probing, it came out that she'd been in foster care, and it was inordinately saddening. To not have parents to guide and influence one, to not have some unconditional love and affection, to not have an occasional treat or 2 - this was deprivation. Indeed, she might have had these things off and on, but I did not get that impression. We discussed the issues as best as we could, especially intimacy issues, and I told her she could return any time she wanted.
Then there was the young man who came in w/ a sore throat. We went through the standard visit protocol, and when I asked whom he lived with (to determine if that person had also been sick), he said, "One person." I said, "Girlfriend?" He replied, "Wife." In my patient populace, I am used to folks living w/ boyfriends and girlfriends and I switch pretty automatically to the U.S. mode when I work here, taking this, premarital sex, multiple partners, wonderful honesty, good senses of humor, great driving conditions, tasty chocolate chip cookies, all in stride (or at least, try to). This reply caused me to do a double take, and the patient and I talked at length about his priorities and perspective, which aren't quite mainstream-my-patient. It was great! I also commented on his size 18 shoes, the largest I've seen so far (haven't seen Shaq in person) and we concluded the visit.
I was privileged this week to have dinner w/ Louise Hass, the former librarian from St. Vincent Hospital. Louise is a well-travelled, well-read, witty woman who unfailingly takes me to dinner when I am here, and we had a great evening. We sat outside, had Greek food and talked up a storm. I have also moved out of the Tabers' house into the home of my residency classmate, Kris Rea, her husband Gabe and their daughter, Isabella. Like the Tabers' home, this one is also full of affection and warmth. The neighborhood, Broad Ripple, is pretty and each house is unique and has character. It is easy to talk to Kris and Gabe, both of whom I love very dearly, and the company is a treat.
The Mavericks gave me some thrills in their first 2 games, especially handling their victories w/ great dignity. I was inclined to simply wish for a great series, but my Texan roots are showing. There is some chaos brewing w/ our Texans in India, w/ their cooking gas running out; the cylinders need to be ordered in advance, and I had tried to do it before I left but nobody had answered the phone in the gas office. I was tempted to micromanage it from here - you know, email our absolutely phenomenal neighbors and request someone to send the men some food - but I figured the 3 Weiss men must just learn to handle such emergencies, and handle it they will. It doesn't mean their plight will vanish from my consciousness, though.
Unw -
Renu
posted by Renu Weiss at
2:21 PM
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