August 19, 2024

by Dr. Plastic Picker

The house is a disaster. There is a gift bag filled with vegetables I need to drop off at Dr. Luis Castellanos’ house. I believe he has peaches for me, which I will come get hopefully Tuesday. They are probably overripe. The last of the cherry tomatoes are on the vines, and the summer is coming to a close for our family. We have the house to ourselves and somewhat our lives back after successfully finishing H3SD 2024 at UC San Diego School of Medicine. It’s hard to describe how successful the gathering was. Just some phrases I posted on my personal facebook page.

“H3SD 2024. It was an absolutely inspiring evening. Day #1 was all about the students. Opening and poster presentation.”

“It’s hard to sum up how wonderful it went. H3SD 2024 , the collective we (organizations and individuals) knocked it out of the park. So it gets an Instagram reel share on Facebook.”

Instagram posts as well with reels and commentaries. But we will write the summit proceedings up, as it needs to be shared as soon as possible. We made important connections during that meeting, and built up regional leadership to address global heating in our region. One of the most important connections we made as an organizing committee, is looping in San Diego State School of Public Health – as they are doing work at our most at-risk community which is the Imperial Valley. Our AAP CA3 chapter actually is San Diego and Imperial Counties so that is our catchment area as well. It’s humbling to know that as one of the chapter committee chairs, I don’t know enough about the children in the Imperial Counties.

But today is just a feeling of exhaustion. I’m sure our hard working coordinators are feeling the same. This year was so different than the first. I think this one belonged to everyone, and overall objectively improved and impactful. But I’m thinking back to last year, and it’s with an overwhelming sense of love. H3SD 2023, was my shooting my shot at global heating. I was shooting my shot at building relationships and connections across institutions. I was shooting my shot at perhaps chance meetings that would lead to some drama. And it led to something entirely different, and something more enduring.

As the person who helped start H3SD, the first one will always be the most loved. It’s like your first child. You don’t know what you are doing, but you know that you absolutely love him/her/they. And that love and fear and anticipation, can never be recreated. But the 2nd child, you are more experienced and it goes more smoothly. And H3SD 2024 was that. This was the 2nd child, well planned and executed. It was other people 1st child, but for me it was the 2nd. I started H3SD with friends as an idea on the wetlands, and it was powered by so much joy and hope. And I am so happy that it’s taken a life of it’s own. It no longer belongs to me, it belongs to the shared community that made H3SD 2024 a hopeful coming together of the house of medicine – raising it’s voice for the planet.

But I am indeed so tired. I need to do our taxes. The entire thing probably costs our family $10K or so? We received some funding for other sources and UC San Diego School of Medicine came through. But we applied for some grants and awards, and I know that this next year – it will be no longer just us but shared. Just letting things soak in and enjoying the exhaustion.

But my daughter reminded me that she’s a junior this year, and she needs my support. I’m going to limit myself this year. I only have her at home for another two years, and these are two crucial years. She’s my climate why, and I have to be mindful that I have to be there for her. I’m trying to save the earth for her, and my future grandchildren – whoever they might be.

I was going to show you a picture for her, but it’s her pictures and she has her own social media now. So I’m going to respect her privacy. I’m learning for sure, and growing and learning not to be so superficial.