by Shirley Adelman* Seated on the train, the four of them signed, smiling, grimacing, gesturing,| like Italians in the piazza, orchestrating words, while we who speak and hear, sat still, drawn into ourselves, like wayward children, waiting to be admonished. * Author Bio: Shirley Adelman is a mother of two, grandmother of three, a breast cancer survivor, a former college teacher, and a writer of poetry and prose. Her work has been published in academic, literary, and medical humanities journals in the United States, Canada,South Africa, and Israel. Signing previously appeared in “Kaleidoscope Exploring The Experience Of Disability Through Literature And The Fine Arts,” Summer/Fall 2003, p. 60.
Space Occupying Lesion: A Poem
Space Occupying Lesion By Fredrick Martyn You take up space within my head Your influence I pray it does not spread Today your presence makes me nauseous Tomorrow, I hope it’s not more noxious I sense you there, with your malignant aroma I yearn for resection, dear glioblastoma Bio: Fredrick Martyn is a writer, poet and medical student originally from Toronto. His poetry has appeared in Pulp Poets Press, Spillwords Press and The Eunoia Review among other places. Find his words at fredrickmartyn.weebly.com
Noseworthy: “Old Man with a Young Boy”
Rhinophyma in “Old Man with a Young Boy” Ariana Shaari, Barnard College, Columbia University New York City, New York Ariana Shaari is a senior at Barnard College, Columbia University majoring in Psychology. Her love of literature and art history fuels her pursuit of a career in medicine. 201-820-7068 email: als2287@barnard.edu The unshakeable eye contact, hand placement, and emotional sensitivity between the two figures in Domenico Ghirlandaio’s “Old Man with a Young Boy”1 suggests an affection so strong that art historians assumed it to be a portrait between grandson and grandfather without actual evidence of this relationship. At the time of the painting’s genesis in 15th century Florence, Ghirlandaio was commissioned … Continue reading
The Sabre’s Cut
Ian S. Maloney* Her wrinkly hands touch my forehead. She places her glasses on her nose, hung from a chain around her neck. I pull my hair back as the doctor looks at the ghostly blue crease on my head. My mother waits in the seat next to the desk; she clutches her purse and taps her feet. My father waits in the car, smoking and listening to sports radio. “He came back from football camp with it…it just seems to get darker and more pronounced every day since. We thought it was a pinch from the helmet.” “I see.” I remain silent. I keep looking around as the doctor … Continue reading
Seborrheic Keratosis: A Poem
Seborrheic Keratosis by Fredrick Martyn* She didn’t care that his words stank like halitosis For she was blinded by the amorous amaurosis A relationship that had started with blissful symbiosis Had slowly turned parasitic like toxoplasmosis Alas, she could not outrun the poor prognosis Their connection soon narrowed like aortic stenosis Then it eventually happened, the myocardial necrosis And they split like a cell during the last stage of mitosis Her heart writhed like a hand with athetosis Her mood drooped like an eye lid with a ptosis She felt at a loss like hypovitaminosis A general sense of blue, internal cyanosis In time, the tears disappeared and instead anhidrosis … Continue reading
The Royal History of Porphyria
The word “Porphyria” originates from the Greek “porphyros”, meaning purple. During the Phoenician Era, wearing a purple garment meant having to harvest mollusks to obtain the dye. The process itself proved to be costly and laborious as about 250,000 mollusks were needed to produce just one ounce of the purple dye.1 As a result, purple apparel could only be afforded by the wealthy, and in effect began to symbolize royalty. However, the word “porphyria” may invoke the thought of royalty for another reason being that King George III of Great Britain was thought to have had porphyria. The Porphyrias comprise a group of metabolic disorders that result from an enzyme … Continue reading
Strategies for Hope Conference
Strategies for Hope: Addressing the opioid crisis in rural communities. May 17, 2019 Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, Massachusetts Random notes from a compulsive note taker I attended this important conference and am a compulsive note taker. Most people, when the lecturer says, “Good morning,” will mumble back “Good Morning.” But, if one is a pre-med, when the professor says, “Good morning,” you write it down as it may appear as a question on an exam. I never unlearned that habit. These note may be of some value to others.Erik Garcia, M.D.: Homeless Outreach and Advocacy Program, Worc3ester, Massachusetts. Stigma and shame play a big role in epidemics. HIV, opioid. It … Continue reading
Evolus Launches Jeuveau at Cancun!
NY Times article: Botox Rival Invites Doctors to Party in Cancun, With Fireworks, Confetti and Social Media Posts Link. Top plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun one weekend this month to learn about a wrinkle-smoothing injection, Jeuveau, that goes on sale this week. It was billed as an “Advisory Board” meeting! All expenses were paid. More than a dozen top doctors gushed about the event on social media — using the company’s preferred hashtag, #newtox — without disclosing that Evolus had paid for their trips. Some of who attended this “working weekend at Cancun” were: Dr. Melanie Petro from Alabama Dr. Lara Devgan, New York … Continue reading
Dear Skin,
dear skin, you have been the cup of my life embracing the everything mystery called me during those years i never thanked you— employed as you are to bear both the scars and joys of my existence someday you will be dust returning me to the inscrutable All of love, laughter and stars when that day comes you will know a new breath and oh the touch that you have always longed for Sr. Lou Ella Hickman Author Bio: Sister Lou Ella Hickman is a former teacher and librarian. She is a certified spiritual director as well as a poet and writer. Her poems have appeared in numerous magazines and … Continue reading
2019 Hot Spots in Dermatology
It is a great pleasure to announce the 32nd Hot Spots in Dermatology Conference held in Hawaii from August 16 – 18, 2019! We have assembled a stimulating agenda, totaling 9 – 12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. The program has unique social receptions at which you can mingle with faculty and fellow registrants while watching the sun sink behind the Pacific horizon. Highlights for Hot Spots 2019: Updates on Cutaneous Lymphoma by Madeline Duvic Fine Art and Dermatology by Patrick Kenny Legalized Marijuana Panel Discussion (Pro and Con) Pharmaco-economics and the Biologic Invasion Roy Grekin’s take on his 40 year career as a Mohs Surgeon Conflict of Interest in … Continue reading
