Monthly Archives: December 2008

Lessons Learned

By Linda | December 29, 2008

It was about one year ago when I received my final pay check from the State University of New York (SUNY). I was officially “retired” as part of the settlement for my gender discrimination claim. Several weeks later I was called into my chairman’s office. I was more than surprised when he informed me that [...]

Posted in Flashbacks, Mentorhood, The Confessional | 3 Comments

From Bariloche to Buffalo

By Linda | December 22, 2008

Sneaking into Buffalo, between two quite serious snow storms, we made a safe landing only two hours later than expected, with our luggage no less. I think that qualifies as a successful end to an extraordinary trip. But before I get back to the reality of the weather (which is the least of [...]

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El Califate: Calving, Crampons and Catamarans

By Linda | December 20, 2008

Before coming to Argentina, all I knew about Patagonia was that is was someplace exotic, maybe an island in the south Pacific or a small country in Africa. Feeling foolish, I now know that it is a beautiful region which makes up most of the southern part of Argentina. So where did we go during [...]

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Buenos Aires—Departures and Arrivals

By Linda | December 15, 2008

Five months ago our youngest Becca shipped herself off to Buenos Aires (BA), Argentina, for her junior semester abroad. We said our farewells at the ferry docks at Vineyard Haven on Martha’s Vineyard confident that she would make her way by bus to Boston’s Logan Airport, fly to Buffalo, pack for 6 months abroad, and [...]

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Gifts of Gratitude—The Joys of Mentoring

By Linda | December 11, 2008

August, 1983
I had arrived in Buffalo only the month before, two months after graduating from my residency training. Despite no formal training in educational techniques or curricular guidance, I was immediately thrown into the role of “teacher” for the medical students. Third-year medical students rotate through different clinical services where they follow the professorial doctors [...]

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Mail-phobia

By Linda | December 9, 2008

I have developed what I think is a new psychiatric problem for which there is no diagnostic code: Mail-phobia. This is not a mis-spelling. I am not talking about fear of men but about fear of the US Postal Service.
No, I have never been attacked by a mail carrier. No, I have never received anonymous [...]

Posted in Anger Management | 5 Comments

Make Your Life Count

By Linda | December 8, 2008

My son sent me this YouTube video of a child, Brenden Foster. Brenden died before he got to finish high school or go on his first date. But he died a hero. He lived his short life as best he could under the most difficult of circumstances. He made his life count.
His words stirred up [...]

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Gifts of Gratitude 1 (A Series of Gifts from My Patients, Their Families, My Students and My Teachers)

By Linda | December 5, 2008

Let’s face it, we all love to receive gifts. As doctors, we are not supposed to accept gifts from patients, but it is just a wee bit difficult to tell that to a small child who brought you a plant or spent last night painting you a picture telling you how grateful they (but more [...]

Posted in On the Job | 1 Comment

Thanksgiving, Part 2. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Linda | December 4, 2008

The 82nd Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was a special event for me this year. Although I have never been there in person, despite having lived in New York City for a number of years, I was especially drawn to this year’s extravaganza.

Why this parade? Why this year? Magical floats and ever-more-massive cartoon-character balloons hover over [...]

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Thanksgiving, Part 1. Gluttony, Gratitude, and Guilt

By Linda | December 1, 2008

Confession: Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are lots of reasons: It falls on the same day(but not date) every year. The family gathers. We eat the same foods. There are no prayers and no presents. And best of all, almost every American celebrates this festive feast—it’s okay to ask just about anyone, “And what are you [...]

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