At Stanford University, a group of researchers studied the ability of four-year olds to wait for a treat. In the experiments, children were offered two marshmallows if they could hold out and overcome the oh-so-tempting one marshmallow that sat within reach. Guess how many children could delay gratification for the bigger, better outcome? Watch: The […]
The title of this book caught my eye right off the bat, and the mother who sent it to me is raising one of my all time favorite families. You may know her as the lady who created the breakfast cookies we sometimes bake for the patients. As I opened the Blessing of a Skinned […]
I wish I had THE magic power to slow time, to stretch it a little in order to have just a wee bit more of those magical minutes I love so much this time of year. There is nothing I love more than the excitement of children around the holidays, and I’d spend each extra […]
Ron was puzzled. He had been a mechanic for many years, and had known Ms. McCarthy through two previous vehicles. But what could he say to a request like this? “I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to do it this way. What’s the harm?” The mother of two seemed sincere and earnest. Ron knew […]
Years ago, I received a card from one of the families in my practice with a sentiment expressed by Edith Wharton that made me think of TEDMED as I packed my suitcase for the conference … As I headed off to Washington, DC for an opportunity to sit with some of the most creative thinkers […]
You may have seen some of Atul Gawande’s titles on my bookshelf. He’s a gifted writer whose books have highlighted some of my biggest frustrations with the ‘medical machine’ and how it runs. The Checklist Manifesto is one of my favorites. Dr. Gawande is a master storyteller, and in the New Yorker article, he weaves together the […]