August 13, 2026

It is 2 days until the 4th annual H3SD, and 12 days until we fly out with our youngest to drop her off at Cambridge/Harvard. She’s registered for her classes and after minor drama, has a schedule that she loves. In between shopping with her at stores and spending money I would never have spent on myself, I’ve been working with our UC San Diego premedical students and getting the 4th annual H3SD summit off the ground. It’s been a lot more work for me this year, since the students organizing the summit are younger and need more support. But it’s honestly been more interesting and more rewarding. In previous years, I would just hold my breathe and hope it all worked out. And it always did due to the amazing contribution of everyone but in large part due to senior post-baccalaureate students who are now all matriculated to medical school.

This year, I’ve been involved more heavily in the speaker coordinating, CME approval process, coordinated several sessions, speaking at one of the sessions, recruiting volunteers, nagging volunteers, recruiting the tech team, nagging the tech team lead (who is my own son), making sure said son comes back in time from Vegas to lead the tech team (which involved buying him a ticket to fly home from Vegas instead of driving home with his friends), nagging Mr. Plastic Picker (said tech team’s father) to buy him his ticket home. Then there was the custom cheese boards and charcuterie platters that were etched with our logo. The logos were created by Dr. Luis Castellanos’ son. There was ordering the stickers! Here are the stickers

There was also approving 2 research/advocacy posters, and then heavily organizing and writing 2 additional posters (they were ALOT OF WORK!). But those are two important projects that I wanted to get done for the community anyway, and it was fun working with the two separate groups.

There was recruiting my own resident to present, and mentor a high school student.

Wow! It’s been so busy. But during this entire time, I was able to spend time with our daughter. We have 12 more days until she leaves for college. And I intend to fully enjoy the last 12 days with her. We will shop. We will chatter. We will be together. She said she’d come with me to some of the summit preparations as well. Here is the fancy luggage we got after many conversations with her aunt.

So it will be a glorious 12 more days to end an idyllic last summer together. And then I will be left with myself. But I really know and like me. So I think I’ll be okay. I have a lot of projects planned for the fall, and will by flying out twice to see her.

She’s so cute! I had 10 mugs made with her picture on it. The mugs cost $15 each and they are for close family. Her education already costs $500K (JEEZE LOUISE!) from 3-18yo but it was totally worth it. I never intended to work so much as a pediatrician but it all went to her education which was good. I have to go now and keep on working! I hope to have graduate school to pay for!