I don’t remember much from college. I bounced around—three universities, multiple majors, spotty grades—but I do remember the rhesus monkeys. In one of my psychology classes we read about a bonding experiment in which baby monkeys were given the choice of two surrogate “mothers.” One was made of wire but had a bottle of food […]
Maxine
Although she has diabetes, high blood pressure, and occasional arthritic pain, Maxine is a relatively healthy 55-year-old woman. She came to the clinic, however, complaining of knee pain. I evaluated her and diagnosed the pain as worsening arthritis. We discussed the treatment plan: adjust the oral anti-inflammatory medicine and start physical therapy.
As […]
My left hand is making a lot more noise these days.
When I pick up a coffee cup - tink! When I grab the phone - tik! When I clean crumbs off the kitchen countertop - clsssk sssk sk!
Most of the regular readers of this site already know the source of these new sounds.
My […]
What was your worst breakup ever? Didja get caught in an affair? Fight over money? Accidentally pull up all the baby carrots in someone’s beloved garden, mistakenly thinking they were little weeds? (Yes, I did that, but it was to an earthy garden-girl I had a crush on, not an actual girlfriend.) How bad did […]
It’s been a good many years since I’ve thought of myself as a musician, notwithstanding my brief stint last year in a performance-art Patsy Cline cover band. But until my sophomore year of college, my primary identities were, about equally, writer and musician.
I played string bass from the time I was 9 until I was 19. I also took piano lessons from […]