Yep, It's All in My Head

One of my favorite pictures from my college graduation is a shot taken of me with one of the biology department’s most renowned professors.   Known for his quick wit, sarcasm and love of dark chocolate, Dr. Simat would never fail to expand your knowledge – if you could make it through his classes which tested your mental and physical reflexes (he would often warn us to avoid his [possibly fabricated] beast the “Veloci-raptor” who patrolled the biology wing). 

At graduation, Dr. Simat did not greet me with a handshake – instead, he grabbed the back of my head and proclaimed:

“I just wish I could get inside your head!!”

“Oh, Dr. Simat,” I thought to myself, “you know what is in my head: the countless biological terms, numerous human physiological processes, and daunting biochemical pathways (which by the way almost my fried my brain) that I’ve memorized for your tests…not to mention all of your great stories about Veloci-raptor attacks and of course my memories of your 7:30am labs – including the one in which I almost passed out.  That is what is in my head.”

Over the years, people have made similar comments asking to hear my thoughts or wanting to “get inside” my head.  Again, what is in my head?  Simply (I thought), just an overwhelming amount of educational knowledge that a prudent valedictorian is expected to retain for years and years to come. 

However, I suppose that it was at some moment between trying to explain to countless people (including family members) that I’m not a “back cracker” and realizing that I work in chiropractic office that helps people with not just back pain and headaches but also multiple sclerosis, dystonia, high blood pressure, asthma, and anxiety – that I realized that because of who I am as a doctor and a person results in there being a lot in my head!

So I’ve given in: after being prodded by family and friends to start a blog – I am.  As a female doctor choosing to practice one of the most difficult forms of chiropractic in order to provide people with holistic health care – and choosing to practice it in one of the “most miserable cities” in the US (#3 on Forbes list for the second year in a row if you are keeping track)…there must be a lot inside my head.