DUCKING HOME

At the end of each semester, the staff at the Daily Orange, Syracuse's school newspaper, who are rotating off their positions write columns called "Ducks." Today, I stumbled across the column Nicholas wrote after finishing up his term as Sports Editor.

The columns are heartfelt and offer shoutouts to the other staff members who have touched them personally and professionally. For obvious reasons, I found Nicholas' to be particularly moving. What became clear was just how influential and important his time at 230 Euclid, the address of the "D.O." as the Daily Orange is affectionately known, has been.

The number of people he thanked numbered into the twenties, and it felt so good to read about and "meet" the many individuals who have looked out for our boy and made him the tremendous writer, editor, and leader he has become at the paper and beyond.

I could not be more proud of Nicholas and how much he has grown since going to college I feel so happy that we encouraged him to leave home to attend Syracuse so he could chase his dream of becoming a journalist. His "Duck" clearly demonstrates that these he is right where he belongs - in his new home!

THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR

Friends have always been a vital part of my life. Since our move here seven years ago, I have missed having close friends nearby. Without friends, most days revolve around work and family time. While I enjoy both of these things, friends take one's life to another level.

Fortunately, I still have friends throughout the country, though I do not see them as frequently as I would like. For that reason, the last few weeks have felt invigorating due to visits by two close friends from Austin and my visit to one of my best friends from medical school in New York. I did not realize how much my life was wanting until I had a chance to see these loved ones.

What is it that makes a friend so special? The shorter answer may come from the question what don't friends bring to one's life? Friends remind you who you are and how far you have traveled. Friends introduce us to new pleasures and perspectives. Friends provide comfort, solace, and understanding in a world that often feels cold and remote. Friends are like family, but they love you even though you're not related!

My life would be very empty without the many friends who have and continue to touch my life. I have tried to be that kind of friend to them, too, over the years. Amidst all the chaos, suffering, and confusion, friends offer a lifeline, a throughline, and a mainline of experiences and memories that can last a lifetime. 

If you haven't reached out to a friend lately, I encourage you to do so. I promise you will feel much better and so will they. I know I do everytime I see an old friend or make a new one!

RUNNING FOR MY LIFE

Joni Mitchell once famously wrote, "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." I have learned that lesson all too well the past nine months dealing with an ankle injury that has kept me from running.

Only my two bouts with chronic compartment syndrome have sidelined me longer than this latest spell, which involved hours of PT that did not seem to make much of a difference, a few weeks in a brace, and lots of time doing non-running activities in the gym. For all those reasons, it has felt so wonderful to be back to running, including on my beloved 5K loop through Gallup Park.

There are many reasons I find running so valuable. It is a chance to get out into nature. It is a chance to clear one's head and to just focus on putting one foot in front of the other, and it sure is a nice way to knock out lots of podcasts! More than that, running centers me and provides balance, perspective, and a sense of wonder as I move through space - no matter the pace.

I will enjoy this latest respite from injury and try not to lose sight of how lucky I am to be healthy enough again to run. Who knew such a simple thing could make such a difference to my life? Now, I do.

PATIENT ADVOCATE

Unfortunately, bad things often happen to good people. Our first reaction is to state the unfairness of these situations. However, the universe has no room for fairness or unfairness. Things happen - and not necessarily for a good reason.

I was reminded of this with a recent patient, whom I met in clinic. He had recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. and wanted to transfer his care to us 

I could not point to anything he had done to increase his risk for this cancer. It was caused by mutations that occurred by chance. He had lost the genetic lottery, but I did not feel that explaining this to him would provide much in the way of comfort. Rather, I tried to focus on what we might do to help him. I explained the odds were long and that he had already had a "Hail Mary" with his first treatment that took place when he was quite ill in the hospital. I was concerned about what more we could do to effectively shrink the cancer. Despite that, I explained that we wanted to be aggressive about reducing the symptoms the cancer was causing. With that, I admitted him to the hospital for further work-up and symptom management.

He and his family seemed relieved to be going back in, but I could also sense that they felt overwhelmed. I cannot imagine what it is like to be in there position. The only experience from my own life that comes close is when my mom was admitted after a surgical procedure. Fortunately, one of my med school friends knew her doctor and put us in touch. Over the course of that weekend, her doctor kept me updated and even listened to my many suggestions. I felt empowered knowing that I was playing a productive role in helping my mom get better. 

I now appreciate that families who come off as "demanding" or "difficult" are just trying to advocate for their loved ones. Let that be a reminder that we should all be so lucky to have an advocate like that. 

GRATEFUL

I have many reasons to be grateful, but none greater than my family. Nicholas was home this past week, and we enjoyed every minute with him. We watched many sporting events, read many articles, and discussed many current events. All of these might seem quite quotidian, but they were so enjoyable. Nicholas' presence brought a new lightness and light into our lives whose absence these past few months we did not fully appreciate.

Today, he headed back to school. I was so excited for him to keep chasing his dreams and seeing him juggle the many demands of being a student, sports editor, writer, and leader. He is becoming quite an independent and accomplished young man. However, it was definitely bittersweet to see him leave.

Cate has been very busy with school, practices, and she did not feel well this week. Despite that, the four of us  enjoyed several moments together. We went on a few walks, including to the Arboretum. We went downtown and ate out. We also took in some soccer games and played one of our favorite games, Scattergories, last night.

Afterwards, Nicholas and I stayed up late to watch the Timbers match. Of course, the Timbers surrendered a goal late! Timbers gotta timber! 

I will cherish this past week, and I never take time with my family for granted. I am so lucky to have these amazing people in my life!

HONING HIS CRAFT

For as long as I can remember, Nicholas has been curious and has gone deep on the subjects that interest him - key attributes for a journalist. His first foray into journalism was his eighth grade independent project, which included an interview with a professional soccer player. For that project, he was mentored by a journalist from our local paper, The Oregonian.

Since then, he has continued to immerse himself in the journalistic craft. He started the Gryphon Sports Live media outlet at Greenhills High School, elevating the athletes and bringing play by play coverage to many sporting events. This was a lifeline during the COVID pandemic when fans were not allowed to attend games. He had the opportunity to call games at Michigan Stadium and Ford Field. He contributed in-depth articles to the school newspaper, The Alcove.

From there it has only been up. He started a substack on the beautiful game. He became a sports writer for The Daily Orange, Syracuse's school newspaper his freshman year and has filed some detailed player profiles and gripping accounts of games - accounts that felt more alive and vibrant than the sporting event on which they were based that I had just watched. He excelled as a summer intern at the Ann Arbor News, and so many of my friends commented on how well-written his articles were.

This year his peers encouraged him to apply for the position of sports editor, which he secured. During our European vacation he somehow juggled vacation and waking up in the middle of the night since the Syracuse sporting events were happening six hours earlier. Check out the recent Syracuse Lacrosse Guide that he helped to put together and his feature article!

He is unflappable, and I so admire his passion and ability to keep going. I look to him for inspiration and want him to know how much he matters to those with whom he works, his readers, his fellow students, his friends, and our family. I cannot wait to see where life takes him. I know it will be interesting!

A LIFE CUT SHORT

Last month, Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and an environmental journalist, passed away. She was diagnosed with an acute myeloid leukemia in the immediate aftermath of giving birth to her second child less and passed way less than 18 months after being diagnosed. 

In the months following that diagnosis, she underwent multiple treatments, including two bone marrow transplants and experimental CAR-T therapy to target her recalcitrant cancer. She chronicled her experience as a cancer patient in a piece in the New Yorker entitled, "A Further Shore" that I found to be incredibly poignant. 

The piece was striking for the clarity of the medical history she recounted, but more importantly this essay brought to life the human toll cancer takes on far too many children, parents, and siblings - all categories to which Ms. Schlossberg belonged.

Though I have taken care of cancer patients as an attending for 19 years now, this piece made me truly appreciate the toll this disease takes on a patient and their family. There was not a single aspect of Ms. Schlossberg's life that was not turned upside down. 

Amidst her illness, she found herself remembering moments of the past both big and small. These surely served as touchstones for the life she once had and perhaps allowed an escape from the difficult circumstances she faced from her disease and treatment complications. 

After reading this piece, I was left with a much greater appreciation for the gift of health and how death is inevitable for us all. If we are lucky, we can look back on a life lived like Ms. Schlossberg full of passion, love, and dedication to causes bigger than ourselves. Rest in peace.