...thinking too much about Noah Wylie

Who else is watching The Pitt?

Paging Dr Robby. So have you been watching The Pitt a lot too?

Despite the fact that no one seems to have a Pittsburgh accent (not even the patients? I’m from the Pittsburgh area and an actor, so I can be grumpy about this aspect. There should be one “yinz” per episode!), the show is excellent.

It’s medically authentic and well-crafted and Noah Wylie is the kind of doctor we all wish we could have. He’s also easy on the eyes.

Who knew stressed-out could look so attractive? I digress.

The show has me thinking a lot about emergency medicine and an amazing chat I had with career emergency physician Dr. Jolly on the EmCentric podcast The Shift Report.

I’m honored they let a theater major on the show. The conversation was amazing. I have the deepest respect for emergency medicine.

LISTEN HERE:

Watching The Pitt can be a bit surreal after having my own high stakes resuscitation. They throw words around constantly that were on my own chart. Sometimes I have to distract myself with my phone when the tension is too thick.

Zach will see a medical device and be like, “I saw them use that on you.”

And then we’ll hold hands and count our blessings. It’s astounding what modern medicine can do. I’m always so grateful for my doctors.

People might wonder or assume that this is all triggering for me to watch, but the truth is I’m past that now. At least I’m pretty sure I am.

Watching the show deepens my passion for wanting patients and doctors to work together for the best outcomes. As well as my enthusiasm for a high standard of care and hope for all patients to have quality medical access.

And while I cringe at the bloody graphic authenticity of it all, I’m not bothered really.

I consider it a lucky place to be now. The trauma mostly numbed out of me by time and space and a lot of therapy.

Writing my book helped too.

While it troubles me that I went through such a nightmare, I’m not haunted anymore by the memories in a way that sends my body panicking.

They are like the wind passing over me, but not knocking me down.

But then I think of these doctors and nurses, facing trauma head on day after day.

Dr. Robby has a heartbreaking line in the finale that went something like, “I don’t know how many people I helped today, but I know everyone who has died.”

The toll is great on emergency medical doctors and nurses. I heard from a friend who worked in an ER that emergency doctors are a special breed. They often can’t work anywhere else. The pace of the day is uniquely suited to those personalities.

And thank goodness for people like them. They never know what they’ll face in a day and it’s usually not good. It runs the unthinkable spectrum.

They also are filling the gap because access to primary care is a challenge for many. A study on emergency medicine last year “observed a steady increase in overall ED utilization over two decades, with notable variations across demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic groups.”

The study concluded, “gender and racial disparities in ED utilization emphasize the need for equitable access to healthcare services. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and stakeholders to develop targeted strategies aimed at optimizing healthcare delivery, improving access to primary care, and reducing unnecessary ED visits among adults.”

I think an important first step would be universal primary care, but that’s a post for another day.

In the meantime, I want to give Dr. Robby a big hug.

Following me on Instagram for more tips, pictures, and regular silliness.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

“Loved every word of this. I believe the learning and growing, not always easy or fun, the incredible inner work it takes to rebuild and transform is the hero’s journey. Though I, too, wish you never had to go through the trauma you experienced and the PTSD that inevitably follows, the power and inspiration revealed to you in your PTG is so very worthy and important. Thank you, Taylor, for sharing this so beautifully.” Betsy

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If you’re new here and wondering, “what happened to this lady?” read:

I started writing this when I was on dialysis. It’s intended to be both memoir and a practical tool to help folks who might be going through something similar or those caregivers and family supporting someone with a challenging diagnosis. NOTE: This is not intended to replace actual medical guidance. Please consult your doctors on your individual challenges and situations. Please talk to your clinicians before adjusting any of your care protocols. Also names have been changed for most of my medical staff.

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