Friday, August 26, 2016
Friday, May 20, 2016
Griffith Park
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| La Jolla Farms |
When running up a winding treacherous trail across Griffith
park, I came across a dividing path-- one lead to a vertical mount while the
other lead downward toward a fancy golf course. Stopping to consider which path to take, looking intently at the surroundings to
avoid getting lost in a maze of weaving trails, I remembered what my Father
once told me. “Choose your battles wisely boy,” he would say.
Standing there, panting and with sweat stinging the eyes, I began to ask the devil on my shoulder, “which battles have I fought? which battles, worthwhile or not, have I won? did they make me happy?” To be brief, the truth is that many, many times I should have turned away and looked into a better direction-- fought only battles worth my time; in doing so avoiding unnecessary scars and pointless regrets.
The following day on a trip to La Jolla, while overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the same vexing questions rose in my head. This time however, an overwhelming sense off peace came over me thanks to the one-eyed sailor Popeye who said it best: I am what I am, and that’s all that I am.
Standing there, panting and with sweat stinging the eyes, I began to ask the devil on my shoulder, “which battles have I fought? which battles, worthwhile or not, have I won? did they make me happy?” To be brief, the truth is that many, many times I should have turned away and looked into a better direction-- fought only battles worth my time; in doing so avoiding unnecessary scars and pointless regrets.
The following day on a trip to La Jolla, while overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the same vexing questions rose in my head. This time however, an overwhelming sense off peace came over me thanks to the one-eyed sailor Popeye who said it best: I am what I am, and that’s all that I am.
Monday, March 7, 2016
2016 Los Angeles Marathon (26.2 miles)
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| official time 3:30 |
“Hurt is a great teacher, maybe the greatest of all.”
― Pat Conroy, My Reading Life.
― Pat Conroy, My Reading Life.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
2015 San Francisco Marathon (26.2 miles)
The San Francisco marathon is now in the books. A wonderful and
unforgettable experience. The highlights and random thoughts during the run:
At mile 15 while running on JFK Drive, I nearly stepped on what appeared to be somekind of rodent or maybe a squirrel or a chipmunk-- It's gotta be a chipmunk. Yes, a chipmunk. In a perfect world there would be a disease called Chipmunkiosis, a beautiful diagnosis.
At mile 18 while climbing up Golden Gate Park I began to experience intense nausea and cramps. Marching to the side of the road I puked. Several runners looked on but they kept on running. The thought came – At some point in life someone has probably seen me and thought "Well... at least I'm not that guy." This is that moment.
At mile 23, I hit the wall... The cumulative result of puking, dehydration, and depleting my glycogen stores. The 3:30 pacing team passed me – What am I doing here? why am I doing this?
The last 3 miles... Seemingly the longest 5K of my life.
After the finish line – goodbye is the hardest thing that i could do. Wish I'd had the strength to prove you wrong...
At mile 15 while running on JFK Drive, I nearly stepped on what appeared to be somekind of rodent or maybe a squirrel or a chipmunk-- It's gotta be a chipmunk. Yes, a chipmunk. In a perfect world there would be a disease called Chipmunkiosis, a beautiful diagnosis.
At mile 18 while climbing up Golden Gate Park I began to experience intense nausea and cramps. Marching to the side of the road I puked. Several runners looked on but they kept on running. The thought came – At some point in life someone has probably seen me and thought "Well... at least I'm not that guy." This is that moment.
At mile 23, I hit the wall... The cumulative result of puking, dehydration, and depleting my glycogen stores. The 3:30 pacing team passed me – What am I doing here? why am I doing this?
The last 3 miles... Seemingly the longest 5K of my life.
After the finish line – goodbye is the hardest thing that i could do. Wish I'd had the strength to prove you wrong...
Monday, July 13, 2015
Fifteen miles into a long run, I arrived at the Rose Bowl stadium to complete two laps tagging along several of the Pasadena Pacers runners. Halfway into the first lap a chubby looking man passes me and yells, "Weak sauce!" He then turns around and says, "Remember me Doc?!"
This man was once my patient 18 months ago in the cardiac care unit. I was the senior resident who treated him while he was hospitalized with a nasty anterior MI that required two drug eluding stents. Adding insult to injury, the hospital course was complicated by an ischemic stroke. I was shocked seeing him now... he'd gone from morbid obesity to 'chubby status,' having lost well over 100 pounds in the span of 1.5 years. He flexed his right arm and made a waveform with his hands to demonstrate how the deficits from his lacunar stroke had resolved.
He gave me a hug, thanked me. He said I looked gaunt... We had a good laugh and talked for another half mile. We even ran together for a bit. I gave him a tap in the back and sprinted away, "Hey! you don't look like Peter Griffith anymore!"
This man was once my patient 18 months ago in the cardiac care unit. I was the senior resident who treated him while he was hospitalized with a nasty anterior MI that required two drug eluding stents. Adding insult to injury, the hospital course was complicated by an ischemic stroke. I was shocked seeing him now... he'd gone from morbid obesity to 'chubby status,' having lost well over 100 pounds in the span of 1.5 years. He flexed his right arm and made a waveform with his hands to demonstrate how the deficits from his lacunar stroke had resolved.
He gave me a hug, thanked me. He said I looked gaunt... We had a good laugh and talked for another half mile. We even ran together for a bit. I gave him a tap in the back and sprinted away, "Hey! you don't look like Peter Griffith anymore!"
Saturday, July 4, 2015
inspiration...
 |
Wishing i could adopt this kid...but i figure his Mama is like my Mama... If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse. |
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
last day
Cleaned out my locker.
Turned in my pager.
Returned my 'resident physician' badge.
Gave back my white coat.
Got a fancy diploma.
Taught an intern how to manage and work up an acute splenic infarct.
Walked out of the hospital quietly...
Holding in my hands a miniature 'The Flash' doll--a treasured gift.
Thinking most of all...on how things end. How memories last forever.
Starkly reminded how the most meaningful part of all happened October 31, 2013-October 31, 2104, precisely.
Prayed to Him, 'take me to a place where doors are open, a lovely little place where no one is broken."
How I ended somewhere on 34th street, I don't know, but
Instead I ran 15 miles in Santa Monica; running as if fleeing from a ghost from Taiwan
Running--meditating in motion
Meditating on Neruda's Sonnet XVII, on why its true; why i still believe in it.
Turned in my pager.
Returned my 'resident physician' badge.
Gave back my white coat.
Got a fancy diploma.
Taught an intern how to manage and work up an acute splenic infarct.
Walked out of the hospital quietly...
Holding in my hands a miniature 'The Flash' doll--a treasured gift.
Thinking most of all...on how things end. How memories last forever.
Starkly reminded how the most meaningful part of all happened October 31, 2013-October 31, 2104, precisely.
Prayed to Him, 'take me to a place where doors are open, a lovely little place where no one is broken."
How I ended somewhere on 34th street, I don't know, but
Instead I ran 15 miles in Santa Monica; running as if fleeing from a ghost from Taiwan
Running--meditating in motion
Meditating on Neruda's Sonnet XVII, on why its true; why i still believe in it.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
"Fathers Day Run" (Half Marathon 13.1 miles); Van Nuys, CA
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| PR 1:37 |
Cherishing the memory of my old man on this special day.
Sometimes the most humble, unprivileged man can give his children the priceless most treasured inheritance imaginable.
Thank you Dad... Porque a pesar de todo lo que paso sigo adelante.
"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." - Mark Twain
http://www.abetterworldrunning.com/#!fathers-day-results-62115/ctmo
Monday, June 15, 2015
My last "overnight call" of residency
... the exhaustion... the bonds you create with your fellow trainees... the drama... the way your skin gets thicker... the blunders... the procedures... the tears no one gets to see... the skills... your first needle stick injury... the chaos... the patient you publish into a case report... the miracles... the facial hair phase of my career... the tragedies... families who will love you forever... families who want to crucify you...
The precision... wearing scrubs (aka pajamas) on most days... eating, sleeping, and showering in the hospital... the confusion... the patient who thinks they're in love with you... the patient who blames you for everything... the youngest patient you've lost... the centenarian that never seems to die... being reprimanded for charting "condition at discharge: Alive, but without my permission."...
The patient you wish you'd never seen... the double Facepalm when the Fail is so strong, one Facepalm is not enough... losing your faith in humanity and having it restored... losing the love of your life... realizing that no one looks back on their life and remembers the nights they had plenty of sleep.
They say life is dramatically better as an Attending physician, we'll see about that.
As I look into the future, all I think about these days is October 31, 2015.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
found this gem
“Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.”
"One day you will ask me which is more important? My life or yours? I will say mine...and you will walk away not knowing that you are my life.”
"And what is it to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth."
"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
-Kahlil Gibram
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