I Thought I Was Dying. When I Learned The Truth, I Became Desperate To Keep It Secret.
The author on a moms’ night out. “This was just one of the ways I busied myself to avoid some of the hard feelings and anxieties I was dealing with,” she writes. Courtesy of Lauren Dunn If you know me, or see me on the street, I might appear to be carefree. That is a […]
Opinion | To Fight the Gun Epidemic, Think Like a Parent
Prince is a pediatric surgeon. Each year, around Father’s Day, I find myself moved by two powerful memories, one involving my father, the other my sons, and both involving guns. The first memory is of my dad looking over me as I fired a .22 caliber rifle as a teenager for the first time. It […]
Opinion | Fostering a New and Diverse Generation of Clinicians
As a medical student, I never saw myself as a future CEO or anything close. I was often the only Black person in the room in classes and rotations. After I became an attending, I spent a great deal of time and mental energy fitting in. Speaking up and having opinions were luxuries I couldn’t […]
I Was On The Verge Of Calling Off My Wedding But Didn’t Know Why. Now I Finally Understand.
“Vacations are meant to be relaxing,” I grumbled to myself, sitting on the pebbled shore of Lopez Island, a few hours outside of Seattle. My husband, Ryan, was helping our two young children construct a driftwood fort just down the beach. This man, who supposedly loved me, had booked us a vacation rental without television […]
I’m Fat And Diabetic. Here’s Why Your ‘Concern’ For My Health Is Destructive.
I brace myself for my doctor’s words. “So, your A1C is high. It’s in the diabetic range.” After our televisit, I hang up and try to bring myself to say or even write, “I’m diabetic” or “I have diabetes.” The words are bitter in my mouth and turn my stomach. I think of all the […]
I Can’t Self-Care My Way Into Feeling Better Anymore
As we barrel toward the two-year anniversary of COVID, I find myself feeling more and more lost. Each day I cycle through rage and apathy. More bad news about variants. More bad news about breakthrough cases. More bad news about long COVID. More bad news about hope for returning to “normal.” Then I go to […]