Cell 2 Soul: The Humane Health Care Blog

Marginal Notes: A marriage of humanity and medicine

"The Doctor" by Sir Luke Fildes, 1887

Medical practice lay a-bed,
With fever to the core;
Sickness festered in her head,
While death passed by the door.

A string of suitors, all untrue,
Had left her bed of pain,
Parties of the third did woo—
Though not for love, but gain.  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years. His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Some things happen for a reason

"It's a Wonderful Life" — Clarence and George

A new used car that is on the blink. An intellectually limited father. Icy roads in the aftermath of a winter storm. A belated telephone call at eventide. Some things happen for a reason.  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years. His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Omens are made by men

"Night Light" copyright 2012 © Emily B. Maurer

Three nights ago
The sentinel streetlamp
In front of our house
Extinguished itself.
Our dim porch light struggled
To keep the darkness
At bay. more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years. His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Great performances, poor players

Arthur Fiedler, Conductor, Boston Pops

Years ago I recall watching a television documentary on Arthur Fiedler, the conductor of the Boston Pops orchestra. The camera caught Fiedler backstage, stooped and shuffling slowly about as he struggled with his tux in preparation for the evening performance at Symphony Hall. He looked like the old man he had become—tired, fatigued, worn out. But then, as he stepped out onto the stage, a miracle happened. more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Showing my (digital) age

I see my own primary care physician once a year for my annual physical exam. He used to sit and talk to me. Now he sits behind a flat screen monitor and records my answers to his questions with the click of a mouse. All of my salient medical data is duly digitalized, readily available for immediate electronic access. This, I’m told, is progress.  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: The Descendants

Imagine that you are a 40-something lawyer, married with two daughters, living on the island of Oahu, and the sole administrator of a century old land trust; somewhat estranged from your wife, who recently incurred a head injury in a boating accident that landed her in the ICU.

You find yourself suddenly cast in the role of primary parent, unsure as to how to relate to your rebellious children in your wife’s absence; when you discover that your wife was having an extramarital affair. To complicate matters a bit further, your wife’s physician informs you that your wife has been declared brain-dead. Soon life support will be withdrawn and she will be allowed to die.  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Reach out and touch something

“Amelia, tell the doctor what you got for your birthday.”

Amelia’s face lights up. “An iPod!” she says.

“An iPod?” Involuntarily, I’m caught up short. An iPod for a 4-year-old?

“She’s always playing with our iPhones,” the father says. “She’s gotten the hang of a few of the games. We figure it’s never too early to introduce kids to the touch screen. She’ll be that much further ahead when she starts kindergarten next year.”  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: The Way

Emilio Estevez's 2010 epic cinematic journey “The Way”unfolds along the panoramic backdrop of el Camino de Santiago—the Way of Saint James—the medieval pilgrimage route across northern Spain to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela where the remains of the Apostle are interred.

Filmed on location against the gorgeous landscapes of northern Spain, the spiritual journey of American ophthalmologist Thomas Avery (Martin Sheen) begins as he is called from the comforts of his California home to Saint Jean Pied de Port in France to identify the body of his only son Daniel (Emilio Estevez). Avery elects to walk the Camino on behalf of his son, embarking with Daniel’s ashes which he dutifully portions out along the way.  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Impressionistic Medicine

 
"La Ronde" by Camille Pissarro

At a recent visit to the Clark Institute, while standing in front of one of Pissarro's portraits, I — as a practitioner of another form of art, the art of medicine — could not help but think that we clinicians are called to view those patients entrusted to our care as equals in the sense of their humanity, their needs and wants.  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."

Marginal Notes: Hemingway's Boat

 
In 2002, while working on a previous tome, Sons of Mississippi, author Paul Hendrickson hit upon the idea of using Hemingway’s boat Pilar as a metaphorical backdrop for the last 27 years of Hemingway’s life. He opened his notebook and jotted the following entry: “Hemingway’s boat. June 18, ’02. If you study what happened just on that boat you’ll get Hemingway’s whole life.”  more»

 

Brian T. Maurer has practiced pediatrics as a Physician Assistant for 32 years.  His "Marginal Notes" column appears periodically in the Cell2Soul Blog. The title "Marginal Notes" is taken from a quote by Henry David Thoreau: "I love a broad margin to my life."