SYNAPSES GLORIA JOO, CMS ’21 Absolute Zero Artist’s Statement: Surgery rotation... 18x24”, acrylic paint. CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 51
SYNAPSES MATTHEW TAN, CMS ’22 Wandering Artist’s Statement: Some people know what they want to do in life, and some don’t... Eventually, we all have to make a decision to search and find our purpose in life... No one finds it easily, but we all manage to reach what we want with a sudden burst of clarity... Do we take the beaten path or do we forage our own? No path right; no path wrong. Up towards the sky where nothingness can be found. Down towards the earth where not a wind sings on time. Endless wandering and then... Suddenly, light. Medium: Digital art. 52 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES JONATHAN WINEGARDEN, CMS ’21 The Prognosis her eyes flicker between the pits and the skies if only she knew if only she knew that those pits could house a thousand butterflies ■ The Summer M I R E K D U N D R , P h D, FAC U LT Y CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 53
SYNAPSES MICHAEL MITTELMANN, MD ’57 Sixty-Three Years of Reflection — In Brief One of my early family mentors was an immigrant who graduated in 1902 from University & Bellevue Hospital Medical College, its first class of four years. As a general surgeon in practice for fifty years in New York City, my grandfather arranged for me to observe during an operation at a local private hospital. In 1952, I was interviewed at a New York hotel by Dr. John Sheinin prior to acceptance to Chicago Medical School. Dr. Sheinin appeared interested in painting — just as I was, too, having studied in several art schools. That creative capability helped in first-year anatomy classes and embryology…but certainly not with my struggles in biochemistry and pharmacology! In the 1950s there were many options for learning patient care: at Cook County Hospital, Michael Reese Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, the VA Hospital (now the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center), and two weeks of home deliveries with the Chicago Maternity Center. That set the stage for my understanding the basic differences in healthcare management plus appreciating the varied populations served. While on a rotating internship at a hospital in Harlem, New York, the birth of our first son interrupted one of my on-call nights. Fortunately, a colleague covered for me as I raced down to the maternity wing of another hospital. I followed that year by an Orthopaedic Surgery residency in the U.S. Army. More than nine years of military service followed, including a tour of one year in Vietnam, 1965. My wife and three children moved to Paris with her family, where communications became a problem. The broad spectrum of wartime patient care covered military casualties at the 8th Field Hospital in Vietnam. But I also had numerous cases of surgical treatment for civilian patients in the Provincial Hospital, missionary clinics, and the Leprosarium. My memories from those special times have never faded and are quickly rekindled when documentaries such as Ken Burns’ 18-hour series “The Vietnam War” appear on TV. Commemorative anniversaries add to the “fire,” as did a second visit to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. My oral history has been preserved in the Archives of The Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University and the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress. Whenever opportunities arise to encourage young students to consider such service opportunities, I don’t hesitate. Surely there will be extremely difficult times and emotional encounters to cope with, but you can also expect energizing and rewarding moments. Another phase in my career encompassed 27 years in administrative medical work in the Claim Department of a large multiline insurance carrier in Connecticut. Case file reviews brought to light many issues in workers compensation, rehabilitation of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, professional liability (malpractice), Medicare, and group health insurance. By good fortune, attendance or presentations at academic professional meetings and publication of papers was encouraged and supported during this time. In every instance, the importance of teamwork — whether in the military or civilian practice — has always been significant. It’s extremely rare that one person has all the answers for a particular diagnosis or reimbursement consideration. I’ve never had feelings of regret having entered into these lifetime undertakings. 54 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES MICHAEL MITTELMANN, MD ’57 More recently, retirement from the military and the insurance world has led me to meeting many new friends and neighbors in a 55+ gated community. Often, I am asked the questions “What kind of doctor were you?” or “What was your specialty?” My typical reply is “I’m retired.” No matter; the next comment may still seek an answer to the reason for pain in some part of the body. As politely as possible I mention the potential availability of further information from the attending physician, or the possibility of a second opinion or advice from the claim people at the insurance company or agency. During the aging process, the physician eventually becomes the patient and must learn to cope with evolving personal conditions – for example, cataract surgery, osteoporosis, a ruptured appendix, recurrent intestinal obstruction, tooth extraction, prostate cancer, and a heart attack requiring implantation of stents with a cardiac monitor. Currently, a Mohs operation in four stages for squamous cell carcinoma has been added to my list. I’ve learned even more clearly what it is like on both sides of the bedrails, and just how many caring personnel attend to us at critical times. Reflecting on 63 years of multifaceted experiences is not easy. Some have brought smiles; others have brought nighttime fears and, of course, increased knowledge in varied domains. I would hope that a small portion of my experiences – either by verbal communication or in writing – will be passed on to future generations, such as our seven grandchildren and the recently born great-granddaughters who may document their own reflections in the decades to come. ■ CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 55
SYNAPSES ME LISSA CH E N, MD, FACULTY Footprints Artist’s Statement: San Francisco, CA. 56 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES MERVYN SAHUD, MD ’64 Winter Oak Pond Later in winter things happen And earth’s energy slowly bursts forth hinting of spring For now, soggy ground bristles with germinating underbrush As small water pools form, counting each drop And heavy moss emerges covering weathered tree stumps, leeward side While mustard grasses begin to cover rows of barren vines Heavy rains start feeding rivulets channeled into worn ditches More rain, always rushing downward paths, always down With muddied, opaque liquid gathering foam at sudden turns Gathered clusters of oak leaves and debris follow along uncertain paths Along with lichen coated stems and branches gathering at rest spots While small dams temporarily impede waters determined path Young buds of orchards pointing upward toward light, skyward I turn to watch busy earth colored finches Gathering about a spill of corn seed Scattering as shrieks, wind gusts and noise propel them to safety Well, my road along is complete and I am soggy as the ground. ■ CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 57
SYNAPSES AMBER FEARON, CMS ’20 William Tears streamed down William’s face as he laid rigidly on the hospital bed, terrified, feverish, and unable to move his neck. Yet somehow, his mother’s pained expression as nurses stuck William with needles is what remains vivid in my memory. In trying to protect her six-year-old son from the dangers of vaccination, William’s mother inadvertently exposed him to a deadly disease: pneumococcal meningitis. I struggled with the dissonance between my own initial frustration at this family’s anti-vaccination views and my desire to help this family and their sick son. I felt perplexed by the contrast between William’s mother’s compassion and the choices she had made on her children’s’ behalf. Forcing myself to step into her shoes, I experienced the judgment his mother likely felt as she disclosed William’s vaccination status to us, her healthcare team. William’s mother had gone out on a limb to put aside her mistrust of the medical system by coming to the hospital and I recognized that it was my job to understand the gravity of that decision. As I realized that negatively judging her character would not help her son recover, my frustration dissipated. There was no benefit to distancing myself from her. Treating William would require as much patience and understanding as it would tests and medicine. From then on, I vowed to become their ally and to treat them with the kindness and non-judgmental nature that every patient deserves. Throughout William’s two-week treatment, I listened to and validated his family’s experiences that caused their deep-seated mistrust in healthcare. I felt a shift in our relationship and despite our differing beliefs, I knew we had formed a mutual respect. William’s disease was a symptom of his parents’ distrust in the medical system and I knew that to truly give comprehensive care, I needed to develop a better understanding of their fear of medicine. By taking the time to learn how negative experiences shaped their perspectives throughout their hospital stay, I was able to transcend our differences to achieve a therapeutic alliance. By listening to their experiences and perspectives, I was able to build trust and form a durable partnership to both educate and provide a higher quality of care. Ultimately, William completed his treatment without complication and even received his flu shot at discharge. Before leaving, his mother disclosed to me with a smile that his three siblings also had appointments scheduled to start their catch-up vaccinations the following week. I felt honored to have made an impact on this family’s life, and I knew it was because I had taken the time to listen to their perspective, free of judgment. Over and over during medical school I have heard about the importance of listening, in both medicine and life. Finally I saw the true power of this statement. I experienced firsthand how compassion, empathetic listening, and maintaining professionalism despite a differing belief system could positively impact care for not only the patient, but for their family and greater community. Caring for William’s family exposed me to a belief system very different from my own, and only increased my drive to gain as much exposure as possible in my future training and career. By working with a wide range of patients, I will continue to improve my cultural competence and grace in handling differing viewpoints. 58 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES AMBER FEARON, CMS ’20 While William’s story has a happy ending, I recognize that this is not always the case. There is never one straight-forward answer for every difficult problem. As a doctor who is constantly surrounded by medical professionals, it is easy to ignore or react negatively to opinions that contradict my training, beliefs, and experience. We, as doctors, are often so ingrained in the medical community that it can be easy to have an innately negative reaction to those who disagree with us. I plan to continually push myself to overcome my biases by listening with an open mind and separating my personal beliefs from my care. There will be patients who do not agree with my advice, but I will try to always use empathy and avoid judgment to become my patients’ allies. Ultimately, each patient we invest in, each vaccine administered, and each preventative measure received improves community health and could save a life. William’s family showed me how taking the time and investing in my patients can truly save lives. ■ Virginia Rail M I R E K D U N D R , P h D, FAC U LT Y Artist’s Statement: The Virginia rail with her chick. CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 59
SYNAPSES GLORIA JOO, CMS ’21 First Cut Artist’s Statement: Gift to preceptor, surgery rotation. 16x20”, acrylic paint. 60 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES KAY L A Q U E B R A L , C M S ’ 2 3 Red Painted Nails Artist’s Statement: During my first experience working with a cadaver, I noticed that this individual had had her nails painted red. This made me wonder what this person was like when she was once alive. What were her likes and dislikes? Was red her favorite color? What kind of personality did she have? It is interesting to know that beneath all of our unique personalities, tastes, and opinions, we all can relate in some sense in that our bodies are anatomically built similarly to one another. This art piece is dedicated to this individual who helped me learn more about the anatomy of the body as well as learn a little bit about her personality and her contributions to the world through her red-painted nails. Mixed media on paper. CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 61
SYNAPSES SIDHARTH MAHAPATRA, MD ’09, PhD ’09 Carpe Diem! “Discharge me now. I don’t have much time left to live.” These words will echo in my mind long after I have moved on. He was a 15-year-old boy who had learned he had cancer. He was breathing heavily and crying hard. His mother sat on one side, quiet, looking down to the floor, as if in acceptace of the inevitable, as if there was nothing left to look up for. His father stood on his other side, tears flowing down his cheeks, a deep sadness in his eyes, like the sadness of despair, of helplessness, of defeat, of an unimaginable loss. “I won’t be able to do so much. Like drive a car, or go to prom, or graduate.” One cannot forget the last words of a dying man. But when they are so simple and innocent, one almost feels a deep guilt in the daily, unnecessary whining, bickering, complaining, and dissatisfaction one experiences in just a single day. Have you ever felt thankful for the chance to do something as mundane as driving your car? Here was a boy crying out for that chance. He taught me in just one meeting how needlessly and selfishly we squander our limited time here. Caught in a rat-race of cut-throat struggle to reach the top, we scarcely notice the journey and contiue to covet the greener pastures on the other side. We are less thankful, yet feel more entitled. We extend ourselves less, yet continue to expect more. We respect less and push ahead regardless. Our smile is worth less because our voices are more quickly raised in anger. This hardly seems the ideal way to spend a limited resource such as time. When you have had the chance to look into the eyes of a child who has accepted his fate and yet longs to experience just one more day of pain-free pleasure in the simplest of things, maybe then you will come to realize the true essence of seizing the day, of Carpe Diem, of enjoying minute-by-minute, breath-by- breath, this limited yet precious resource we are all blessed with. ■ 62 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES ANDRE W BULLE N, Ph D, FACULTY Hummingbird Artist’s Statement: This is a Chestnut-Breasted Coronet Hummingbird (Boissonneaua matthewsii) photographed in the wild. This image was taken in a temperate Andean cloud forest (Papallacta, Ecuador) in the upper reaches of the Amazon basin. These hummingbirds are quite small, about the size of a thumb, and very fast-moving, which makes photographing them technically challenging. Their wings beat 60-70 times per second when hovering to feed at a flower like this. A multi-flash system linked to a digital camera was used to capture this image. The very brief flashes act to freeze wing motion and accentuate the iridescent colorings of these birds. CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 63
SYNAPSES L E O K E L LY, M D, FAC U LT Y A River Runs Through It My life flows from peaks covered with snow Through deep green valleys below And a river runs through it. My days begin with the sun and end with moon Each one full and over too soon And a river runs through it. My love runs deep and clear And guides me through when shoals are near And a river runs through it. My wisdom and understanding on my journey grow With each place I see and the more people I know And a river runs through it. My journey has had many twists and turns along the way I am the better for having taken it, I will say And a river runs through it. ■ 64 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES ME L ISSA CH E N, MD, FACULTY Keep Going Artist’s Statement: Des Plaines River Trail Gurnee, IL. CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 65
SYNAPSES GARY BODNER, MD ’75 Red Birds Artist’s Statement: Mixed media on canvas. 66 ROSALIND FR ANKLIN UNIVERSITY
SYNAPSES CHICAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL 67
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