Life is an accumulation of memories. Memories of experiences amassed throughout years of work and play. Some, life changing and profound, others, whimsical and fanciful. All said and done, though, often it is the small and minor incidents in life that leave a lasting impression.

Lake Powell is a large man-made lake along the Colorado River, in the hot dry deserts of Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. Rainfall is rare and far between. A few years ago, we rented a houseboat and spent a week exploring and sightseeing the many canyons and gorges, filled with the water of the lake and accessible only by boat. It was late summer and we were expecting a hot trip down the lake. However, we were pleasantly surprised when a rare summer storm gave us cloud cover and a much welcoming rain. The many magnificent waterfalls fed by the downpour, over the precipitous canyon walls, was a treat.  The boisterous waters of the lake added to the memories of the day. We have made many trips down that lake in the years, since, yet that summer trip is the one with a lasting impression.

On another occasion, while camping on the shores of the Gulf of California, by the town of Topolobampo, Mexico, during the Christmas Holidays, we were surprised at sunrise on Christmas Day, by a Mexican fishing boat, who precariously approached us on the shallow waters and made us a generous gift of freshly caught shrimp.
"Feliz Navidad," they shouted with a smile. We ate fresh shrimp for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of our stay there.

And a colleague working on an Indian Reservation tells the story of a time, when his patient was an adorable boy of four who was there for a checkup. For the exam, he needed the child to disrobe, which he did but refused to take his shoes off. His mother talked to him in their native tongue but to no avail. She finally informed my colleague that there was a hole in one of his socks and he was embarrassed to show it. My colleague says; I laughed heartily and sheepishly took my own shoe off and showed him a hole in my sock. The child beamed gloriously, and we became good friends to the delight of his mother.

Here is to those junctures of life. We find them in the narrow crevasses and detours, often experienced in places far from annoying crowds and busy practices. Look for them and build lasting Little Great Memories.

Practicing From the Heart in the Age of Technology tells of many occasions where the humane interactions have left undeniable memories, making the practice of medicine joyful and magical.

We’re on the far side of school
A new life awaiting and soon
All efforts to get paid
Song of the future serenade.
 
A dream has been fulfilled
And a perfect life to build
Yet outstretched hands await
To steal the future at the gate.
 
Bundles of money to entice
And show a false paradise
Of luxury and wealth
But a real façade is dealt.
 
For one morning, all is clear
The hoped for future has not appeared
As it was stolen at the gate
All is not lost though, wait.
 
There is a rich world that is yours
Past the luring hands at the doors
To show the true magic of
What can be done with skill and love.
 
Just look past the ruse
To see the real needs to choose
The hardest job you’ll love
With rewards far and above
A shining future to speak of.

Reza Ghadimi

Thank you, Dr. Waters, and The DO (Journal of the American Osteopathic Association), for reviewing this book.

Dr. Waters’ observation of the core message of this book is a testament to its importance, especially for our students.
You can read the full review in this week’s The DO.  As Dr. Waters thoughtfully puts it:
“…(Ghadimi) provides dozens of heartfelt reflections on what is central to everything we do – the simple act of caring for another person.
I was struck by the unique voice of each one (vignette, essay) even though the subjects are many and varied. …They’re all personal observations, steeped in the experience of a long career in patient care.”
             (Daniel J. Waters, DO, MA, FACOS-D, FACS – The DO)

This, along with other reviews by leaders of our profession, reveals the need to address the increasing disparities in patient care in our country and around the world. I appreciate their support and hope that all in healthcare read this book.
Reza Ghadimi
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Here is the full text of Dr. Waters' review:
(Re-Printed with permission from 'The DO')

“Practicing From the Heart (In the Age of Technology),” Reza Ghadimi (Foreword by Humayun (Hank) Chaudhry, DO, MACP), ThPulse/PAPulse, LLC (2021) 264pp.
By Daniel J. Waters, DO, MA

This enjoyable, self-published volume arrived in the mail on the very same day I first saw something about ChatGPT®. It took me awhile to read the collection of essays and reminisces. By the time I was done, Bard® (Google) had arrived and, as of this writing, there are a half dozen or so more on the way. As a New Jersey native, I’m a diehard fan of Bruce Springsteen, but we might have to tweak one of his lyrics to, “Is that me, baby, or just some brilliant A.I.?”
Now, I don’t think a chatbot, even on a good day, could do what Ghadimi has done. He has organized his musings (vignettes might be a better word) in 12 chapters headed by the calendar months, although the stories told are not in chronological order. He’s been a practicing physician assistant for decades, and even though he’s not a physician, his close professional association to physicians provides a unique observational perspective on where we are and, just maybe, where we’re heading. We’re all prone to parallax, and so a take from another angle can be illuminating.
Ghadimi does not rail against technology or progress, instead he readily admits to using one of the first home computers (from Radio Shack!) to write. He provides dozens of heartfelt reflections on what is central to everything we do — the simple act of caring for another person.Some of the stories are less than a page, others are much longer. I was struck by the unique voice of each one even though the subjects are many and varied. This would be a good book to keep in your office and maybe read a bit between cases or patients.
Skip around the story selections if you’d like — short or long, each is a stand-alone piece. They’re all personal observations, steeped in the experience of a long career in patient care. Perhaps, in the end, what will separate us from purely programmable authors is our ability to contextualize. I certainly hope so.