How cliche to write an end-of-year piece. And yet, after my first year of consistently writing about things that are both personally meaningful and hopefully contain thought provoking points, how can I not comment on the event?

The days continue to get shorter and darker here in the Pacific Northwest. But soon they will lengthen, imperceptibly at first, but eventually, the return of the light will be obvious. Ever since I spent a week in Alaska in late winter, where their days are even darker and shorter than I had previously experienced, I’ve been aware that in this season, I have less energy for all the things.

When I don’t feel well there is always part of me observing, noticing, and diagnosing. I wonder if other doctors do this. Frequently when I am faced with an illness, injury, or surgery, I notice that I am in a dual state. I am both the patient experiencing the health challenge and a clinician observing the patient, taking notes, and filing them away in my personal MHR (Mind Health Record).

Star Trek nerd alert! Actually, I probably don’t know enough details or watch enough of the spinoffs to fully qualify as a true Star Trek Nerd™, but I’m definitely a fan and have been as long as I can remember. There were very few shows my parents let me watch as a kid and even fewer that would qualify as family viewing, but Star Trek was one of those. We would watch the rebroadcasts as a family throughout my childhood.

Like many physicians, I had been unaccustomed to illness. I had never missed a day of work due to illness, except for the one week I took off after my appendectomy in 2007. It turned out that one week was not enough time, as the fatigue and pain with strenuous activity lasted longer than anticipated. (I also took time off after my thumb fusion, but that was mandated by my doctor, and a cast after a reconstructive procedure. Not really sick time, right?)