BETWEEN BUSINESS CARDS - A help-yourself-while-I-stumble-through blog

Holy Dirt

“Be careful with the words you release from your tongue. They cannot be put back.” My mouth burning from a habanero-laced pistachio, I nodded politely but didn’t really listen. The…

Tears and Tiaras

I didn’t realize that taking my high school guidance counselor’s advice would lead to one of my biggest embarrassments. In the fall of senior year, he suggested I broaden participation…

Courage At 0.5 MPH

Courage at 0.5 MPH I’m a retired physician and empty nester. Basically, a woman with degrees, hot flashes, and a deep commitment to self-deprecation. Wanting to write essays about life’s…

Finders Keepers

My childhood home was a one-story, white-shingled farmhouse nestled in the middle of corn and soybean fields. Typical of homes built in the early 1900s, it was long on charm…

Lemonade and Pearls

One long summer day, a string of fake pearls turned into a lesson on kindness. My dad was a fair, practical man, with a great sense of humor and a…

Good, Better, Perfect

As a life-long perfectionist, anything less than 100 percent never felt good enough. Tutorials on perfection came early in my life. One afternoon when I was in fifth grade, I…

Imposter for the Win

I had never felt like a bigger fake — winning a karate tournament without landing a punch. Three years before, as an on-call physician making hospital calls after midnight, I…

Holding onto Hope

When your sight is in peril and your spirit needs a lifeline, where do you find hope? I entered the exam room for my second cancer surgery. There was concern…

After the Rain

When did I age out of having dreams? I’m not sure the exact time or place, but I know what it looked like. After the melanoma diagnosis, my calendar had…

Pits and Grit

As much as you love your mother — and she loves you — coming together in tight quarters requires patience and understanding. Despite the stress, if you look for it,…

Tangled Up In Blues

Still warm from sleep, I fluffed the pillows and made the bed, reassured by the aroma of fresh, black coffee. My husband and I were leaving for New York where…

Wonder in Flight

Wonder arrived on striped yellow wings just when I needed it. After weeks of tests, I finally underwent my first surgery for melanoma. It was followed by more waiting, which…

Wonder in Flight

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Wonder arrived on striped yellow wings just when I needed it. After weeks of tests, I finally underwent my first surgery for melanoma. It was followed by more waiting, which seems to be the treatment protocol for contemporary medicine. My doctors issued a long list of temporary restrictions: exercise, sun, sweating, caffeine, alcohol, smiling, and vigorous chewing. All off-limits. To amplify my isolation, I needed to stay in a hotel near the hospital for several days. I had no desire to venture out in public. My cheek and black eye bore witness to the surgery. I felt disfigured. With one eye nearly closed, reading was difficult. I was in no…

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