This past weekend, my training plan was open water swimming followed by a running.
When I got out of water and during my run, I frequently took out my phone and checked the ironman app, because my previous attending Dr J was doing ironman. This is his first full ironman.
I was his intern 16 years ago. When we first met, I was completely new to US medical system. I couldn't spell names of many diseases and drugs. During the rounds, when I struggled to present patients' history, he always patiently listened to me and corrected me. He forced me to do presentations every week about every topic from CHF to DM. He witnessed my struggle the first year of my residency.
Every step i make, he would encourage me. I knew there was still a big gap between me and other residents, but with his encouragement, I gained more and more confidence.
Dr J graduated from one of those top medical schools and could have made a lot more money by joining private practice, but he chose to work as a full-time resident program director. I was among those lucky ones ever taught by him. He showed me what kind of doctor I want to be.
Gradually, we went from mentor student to friends. I can't recall how many times, when I felt wronged or homesick, I would go talk to him and then felt much better afterwards. His wise and kind words comforted young residents like me who were lonely in foreign land. His strength of personality is like the lighthouse on the cold beach I saw in Point Reyes. Even when I think about it now, I still feel the warmth in my heart.
After I completed the Ironman Lousiville in 2019, I went to my residency hospital the next day even though my body was trashed . I took the time to prepare a morning report . I felt this was the only way I can give back.
When the lecture started, I saw Dr J silently walking in, sitting in the last row, and looking at me, as if I was still the intern trembling in front of everyone and stuttering at the morning report 16 years ago. All those memories suddenly came back to me. I could barely hold back my tears.
Dr J is now a high level leader of the hospital. He was so busy when I went to visit him in his office. I brought him the socks with the Ironman logo as a gift, having no idea in the near future he will become an ironma himself!!
When I was leaving, he suddenly asked me, how did you start the journey of ironman? I said, because I like challenges.
Years passing by, I sudently got a message from him saying that he had started swimming again and hoped to participate in a triathlon event one day. I was very suprised and also excited.
Dr J never talked about how much training he has to do, how busy his work is. I can only imagine as a midage atehlete with 3 kids and highly demanding job, how many early mornings, late evenings, how many solo rides and swimming he has to finish. The effort leading to any full ironman is enormous. To just finish an ironman, is already a hugh achievement, one out of million. And he finished his first ironman with time of 11hour 56 min!
I am so proud of him. He is just this awesome! When I sent him a message to congratulate him, he replied in a humble manner as always.
Suddenly a term comes to mind, the butterfly effect.
A butterfly flapped its wings lightly. Unknown to her, a long time later, a storm blew up in a completely unexpected place.
16 years ago, Dr J taught me a lot of medical knowledge and humanistic. 16 years later, my patients may not know him, but they all benefit a lot from him.
I took on ironman training and somehow inspired Dr J to become an ironman.
We just never know, how we act now, can affect others so profoundly in the future. So always be positive, always be inspring, always be kind.
