Wayne Whitwam

A rare American electrical outlet from a 1920s house. The lower plug was used to connect the radio to the antenna in the attic.

Years ago when I was a medical student, I followed a nephrologist, and we came upon a patient in a hospital bed with low blood pressure. He diagnosed pulses paradoxus and subsequent tamponade based on the clinical exam. I thought that was so cool, like a magic trick.

Broccoli is ready for harvest.

Of course AMBS rejected it. The proposal made too much good sense.

As dumb as it sounds, this book changed my life.

ECG in patient presenting with chest pain. ST-segment elevation in inferior leads (II, III, aVF). But no reciprocal change in the anterior leads. Would you take this patient to the cath lab? They did emergently: no obstructive disease.

ECG demonstrating ST-segment elevation in mulitple leads. Normal coronary arteries. Patient initially diagnosed with Influenza A.

I just met a 101 year old woman who was born the same year as my father. It was like meeting somebody who is in a very exclusive club that is rapidly losing their membership.

A surreal moment. I’m in the ICU examining a very sick man, and there’s a woman in the corner of the room playing guitar and singing, “My way,” and I start harmonizing with her.

I swear if I hear one more person comparing themselves to the "Energizer Bunny" I'm gonna lose it.

Back in my day, if you could breathe air with your mouth closed, they accepted you into medical school. Now, despite doctor shortages, you practically need a Nobel Prize.

There’s this guy I’ve met. He’s 93 and has a baritone voice that could melt concrete, think Sam Elliott. I told him he could be a great voice actor, and he said that would give him something to do since now he’s alone and widowed.

In my unpublished study, 100% of the subjects who have newly discovered sleep apnea, say they don’t have sleep apnea.

Weird things I frame: I came across this old map of Philadelphia from the 1930s. It’s hanging up in the office.

Pacific Beach

After I took the picture, I walked up to the guy and AirDropped him the picture.

I appreciate the simplicity and complexity of an ECG. It tells you everything with no words, like why this person eventually got a defibrillator.

Twice I have received a whole bag of guava fruit from a patient, and twice in two different offices I have had some office personnel exclaim that it smells like the feces of babies (but not in those words).

I heard Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2, which is probably one of the most beautiful symphonies ever written. To think, I played it in an orchestra when the composer was still alive(!)

Oscar H. Will seed catalogues.

Currently attending a theatrical performance, entitled “Valvoline Oil Change.”

I used to work as a DJ at a radio station, and came across Neil Diamond’s, “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon,” which is probably one of the creepiest pop songs ever recorded. It was then I realized Neil Diamond was a genius.

The clock is on the wall! It gives me so much joy to rebuild this old IBM school school clock.

Happy Birthday Dad. You would be 101 today. You had great phrases like “didy dump,” and “charged water,” and I laugh to myself every time I have a chance to say them.

I have seriously considered, ripping out our palm trees and planting olive trees for this exact same reason

I’m not a big fan of dogs in the hospital. But I have a real soft spot for this guy.

I looooove ooolllives!

I have known a few elderly patients over many years, from the moment that they come to me as individual people, to that time where they are accompanied by one of their children. I realize a little piece of them is gone and now the children are speaking for them. I saw it in my own father too.

I like to think of myself as more of a Hawkeye Pierce, but I’m really more of a Frank Burns.

I believe in music performed live, but the sound on Thee Sacred Souls in San Diego last night was so bad, that I’m back to recordings. The bass was heavy, vocals and brass were almost imperceptible.