Month: July 2020

July 21, 2020

by drplasticpicker

When I first met my environmental mentor Dr. Bruce Bekkar, we met at True Foods in Fashion Valley. I met him with Dr. Dave Niesen who is a young ED physician and in charge of wildfire responses. It was the retired ob-gyn climate activisit founding member of Surfrider, the young blond ED physician wildfire expert, and me – middle aged litter picking pediatrician and self proclaimed Dr. Plastic Picker. It was at a vegan restaurant and at that point I was not #tryingvegan. We met in one of those surreal moments ala Matrix, where Bruce Bekkar looked at us younger physicians. Bruce had given ground rounds 10 years ago at our HMO on climate change, and the profound lack of interest among the physicians was profound. And now here we were, two younger physicians from complete opposite ends of the healthcare organization had separately found him. He looked at us across the table and said, “I’ve been waiting for you two for 10 years.” And this is when this group of concerned climate activists was formed to try to move health care organizations within our region to a more sustainable model. But one of the most powerful memories I had during this vegan meal at this vegan restaurant with these two already vegan physicians, was how non-judmental their veganism was. They recommended a certain tofu broth dish. I was intrigued. I ate it, and mostly it was the conversation that I came for. We were planning, and dreaming and discussing the climate. But I left with a normal sized restaurant bill, a sense of wellness and I felt light but also full – if that makes sense.

(more…)

July 20, 2020

by drplasticpicker

My right foot has been hurting. It’s probably plantar fascititis one of the most common causes of foot pain. I started jogging a bit more before my plastic picking sessions and overall I think it’s good for my health. I’m doing more stretches to ease the strain on the fascia. My foot pain has been bothering me on and off for a few weeks now, and it’s part of the reason why my health took a turn for the worse about a year ago. I don’t talk about it much. Many of us who are healers, mothers, and nurturers – we need to take care of our SELF. But we are often drowned out by this noisy world.

(more…)

July 19, 2020

by drplasticpicker

FISE stands for Financially Independent to Save the Earth. This is my lofty goal for the world. I believe most physicians, especially pediatricians, care for our earth. But physicians in general are not well known to be good at money management. If I can help my colleagues save some money here or there and more importantly save their time and their well being, than I have hope they will go out into the world and help the earth and help our society. I imagine them all leading Scouting groups on beach cleaning outings. If they have extra cash from being FISE, they can opt out of the Louis Vutton bag ($1000) and instead save 2,000 acres of Peruvian rainforest ($2000) or plant 20,000 trees ($1000).

(more…)

July 18, 2020

by drplasticpicker

Yesterday morning began with a plogging session and a bag of trash. I was feeling hopeful as I had eyed a large clear plastic single-use cup from 7-eleven sitting on the curb and circled back after my run to pick it up. Someone else had picked it up. It was a neighbor a bit older than me with a mask, an orange bucket and a grabber. I waved to him across the street with my own two plastic bags and said, “Are you part of the Street Stewards? We have a Facebook group.” He replied, “No. I just started picking it up recently.” I said thank you.

(more…)

July 16, 2020

by drplasticpicker

To All the My Patients and Your Parents,

Dr. Plastic Picker has now completed my FIFTH anti-vaping trash art piece. Yes my FIFTH trash art piece. The first one was Ocean Plastic Beach Baby which made a great splash on my personal facebook page. She was quickly followed by Vaping Company CEO Man, Hypertensive Man Made from Vaping Pens and an old blood pressure cuff, Shark Boy with Vaping Pen Arms, “A Deconstructed Life,” and yesterday I posted on Instagram “Vaping Aliens: Vaping Flavors Hook Adults, Kids and Aliens.”

As a litter-picking and ocean plastic pollution preventer, I am part anthropologist as I sometimes sort through the debris of our modern human lives. Not only are these vaping pens literally going into the oceans (I found the passion fruit one on the lower left panel on Tourmaline Beach in Pacific Beach washed onto the rocks), they are going into the lungs of our children and of their beloved parents. Two parents told me yesterday that they Vape, and that the flavors are hooking them. Now I am irate that children are being marketed to and children are telling me that the middle school bathrooms are FILLED with vaping students. And now I have realized that the hard-working parents that I have known for years are falling victim to the Vaping Company CEO Man. They are taking money from your children and your families, and also polluting our oceans.

This is the OBJECTIVE TRUTH that Dr. Plastic Picker sees in the world now.

(more…)

July 15, 2020

by drplasticpicker

When I was a young pediatric resident, I would often watch the nurses go about their tasks and ask them questions. I would like to look at the IV setups that some doctors would just take for granted, and sit and figure out how the the saline in the saline bag which started high above the patient’s head on a pole actually flowed into the patient’s veins. I never wanted to be a nurse. But I always knew the details of their work was important to understand. I can appreciate someone’s role better when I know some details.

On Monday the staff lunches that were stored in the bottom drawers were oddly covered in coffee. It looked like coffee that had cream and sugar. My cold brew coffee was still secure in it’s mason jar and one of our nurse’s cold brew coffee that had creamer in it, was also secure. I pulled out the drawers and cleaned the food, and after a few minutes found the source. It was a half filled styofoam coffee with creamer on the top shelf that looked intact. But there was a small dent on the side. It was leaking. I found the source and cleaned it up.

(more…)

July 14, 2020

by drplasticpicker

It’s 520AM and I am working from home today. I am waiting for the sun to come up. The kids are sleeping as is Mr. Plastic Picker and the black puppy, but my in-laws are up. These early mornings it’s usually me with my cup of coffee and them. They wander in and out of the kitchen, getting their coffee and quietly beginning their day. They moved in with us fifteen years ago when I had the brilliant idea to get pregnant intern year (yes it was planned). But we have lived all together, husband and wife, two children, two grandparents since then. We have been joined by two bunnies and a puppy, and a Upcycled Presidential Bird House that is busy with California Towhees every morning. Mr. Plastic Picker has been asking to get another puppy because he thinks it would be great fun to have a playmate for our black poodle mix. But I said no.

(more…)

July 13, 2020

by drplasticpicker

This week, I have a big work project I need to complete. Previously I would have just started. I’m a relatively efficient person and like to check things off a To-Do list. But the wonderful thing about being Assistant Boss and being mid-career, is that I can pick and choose my tasks. This task is important and needs to be done well. I need to finish our Departmental Leadership Grid/Flow Visual that describes the current state of leadership development, and how we reimagine the leadership development process.

(more…)

July 12, 2020

by drplasticpicker

Trash is ubiquitous. Our life is full of disposables. Single use beverage containers, single use fruit squeezes and single use friends. Why put the effort into buying fresh apples and remembering to eat one every day before they spoil, when you can buy a box of Go-Go Squeeezes that lasts practically forever? I was chatting with a co-worker. We were discussing a departmental issue and I used a trash analogy. She agreed and said that everything can be analagous to trash. She is right – trash is everywhere. It is the medium that conducts our modern lives and relationships.

Yesterday was a productive trash art day because I finished three pieces. I was in the flow. Some of them are useful for my Pediatric Anti-Vaping and Anti-Smoking work efforts. Some are silly. Some are helping me work through issues. I never thought I had issues, but I now realize that we all have issues. My dog died at 5 years of age when I was away at college. I never fully processed it. I made a trash art picture memorial to him. It’s silly and sad. It’s meant for me. I’ll hang it in my office.

(more…)

July 11, 2020

by drplasticpicker

There are times when you know you have made the right decision and that you are in the right place. I remember being six months into categorical pediatric residency and working an evening shift in the Pediatric ED at Mans Greatest Hospital (MGH). It was a normal shift. I knew what to do. Who to consult. What orders to write. I was walking down the narrow hallway that separates the two bays of exam rooms when a toddler peaked her head out and saw another toddler. This toddler said in her high-pitched very friendly voice, “Hey baby.” I think she was looking for a playmate. I stopped what I was doing. I paused and I thought “They ARE both babies and that is so incredibly cute.” I was in the right place.

(more…)