Zahra is safe and doing well in Syria. For security reasons she can't give any specifics but she is working in field hospital and several different refugee camp clinics. She is keeping a journal and will have more when she's at a safe location to share her stories.
Three Things I Love is a working exercise in gratitude. Each week I want to reflect on three things I am currently in love with. Small things like gear, a service, a good batch of beer, a computer application, a person, or a movement. You get the idea. Focus on gratitude.
Zahra Shah, MD
Zahra is a residency classmate, a friend, and a great clinician. Currently she works as a hospitalist in Wichita, KS.
She surprised me a few weeks ago when asking about medical relief work. When we got down to the root of it, Zahra wanted to help out with the crisis in Syria because she couldn't stand seeing the violence on the news or the idea of the burden on and loss of doctors in Syria. So within several weeks she had tied in to an American organization providing medical relief in Syria.
Zahra has just arrived in Istanbul to train Turkish and Syrian physicians in trauma management (Advanced Trauma Life Support) and then to travel to care for victims of the violence.
We'll be hoping to post updates of Zahra's work on HeartHandsEyes.com in the coming week.
You can't bring it all with you!
One of the easy secrets to packing lite is that you need to pick a simple small wardrobe that is versatile, and you need to be ready to wash it where you can- either at a friend's washer, a laundromat or more likely in a sink or bathtub. People think it is crazy that I do this, but if the women in Haiti can get their shirts as bright white as they are when they see me from washing in a puddle, I can do it with clean water in the sink in a hotel in Arizona or New Mexico.
Since I am on extended assignments and am a doctor I need to bring just a few more items of clothing than when I travel for pleasure. That means when I finally get around to doing laundry I have about4-9 items to wash and dry at one time.
I had for a long time considered the Rick Steves travel clothesline but considered it a luxury and never ordered one. Now a travel clothesline was becoming a necessity. I added the line to my cart but then saw the Sea To Summit line advertised at the bottom of my screen and did some research. I watched a video review comparing the two and decided this was a a better choice for me since it had a more intuitive anchoring system and was longer which would accommodate the types of hotel rooms I usually stay in.
The nylon line (vs braided rubber) is really easy to set up anywhere in my room, and has beaded pinch points that you can use as "clothespins". The double line also makes it easy to hang pants or towels flat and not let them slide off. The line also has a good built in cinch to tighten it straight.
I was worried the neoprene pouch would add bulk and weight but it does not and is super helpful in keeping the line in place.
It's a great piece of gear that keeps me able to keep my clothes clean and wrinkle free. You can easily make one yourself from paracord, but this just is a nice convenient option for 7 to 10 dollars.
I think everybody my age wants to or needs to improve their mindfulness, reduce their stress or introduce some kind of meditation practice into their lives.
Several months ago I got really focused on establishing a meditation practice. I used to just guess at the time when I would sit but the Samsara app has helped me not only keep track of the meditation but also to extend my sitting time over time.
The free app is really well designed, has a simple layout, a just does what it is supposed to do.
You set what you need to in regards to time and chime- both the sound of the bell (it includes one bell chime and you can pay a dollar as an in app purchase to have more but the included chime is just fine), and how many times the opening and closing bells chime.
I really love this app and it has helped me to increase my sitting time in the morning and evening and has wormed itself to the second screen (and I have contemplated going for the home screen) of my iPhone.
I have found my meditation practice to be one of the best habits I have introduced into my life and in 2 months I have not gone a day without meditating. I definitely notice a difference in my stress levels, concentration, and overall well being.