1/
#WhatsYourWhy

In front of Grady

Them: "Scuse me--did I see you on TV talking about the #COVIDVaccine?"
Me: "Hey there. I think so, yes."
Them: "I liked what you said."
Me: "Wow. I appreciate that."

The wind whipped around as we stepped aside for someone to pass.
2/
Them: "There was one thing I was wishing y'all had talked about. But I guess you can't go over everything."
Me: "You mind me asking what?"

They pulled their coat in tighter. I did my best to look like I wasn't in a rush.

Even though I kind of was.

Them: "It's okay."
3/
Me: "Happy to give it a try if you think it might help you."
Them: *thinking* "I kind of feel like to a doctor it might seem stupid. But I know a whole bunch of people who wonder about this."

Their internal deliberation continued as the wind kept punishing us. I waited.
4/
Them: "Is it a tracker or a tracer in the shot?"

I'd heard this before. But wanted to be sure we were thinking of the same thing.

Me: "Tell me what you mean."
Them: "Like. . . . I saw this thing that said they giving us this shot so that they can keep tabs on us."

Hmmm.
5/
Me: "You know? You aren't the first person to say something like that. I've heard that, too."
Them: "Yeah. Like, if they got all this technology to make a vaccine that fast, they probably got a way to really do that."
Me: *listening*
Them: "Plus, y'all do got tracers."
6/
Me: "So when you say 'tracer' are you talking about something that would let somebody know where you are all the time?"
Them: "Exactly. And also they could do something to you if you go through a X-ray machine. Because a lot of the tracers show up on X-rays."
Me: "Gotcha."
7/
Them: "So that's what's got me saying no. Like, I don't like the idea of somebody tracking me or marking me when I go in the airport."
Me: "Oh yeah. I forgot they have those scanners."
Them: *hard nod* "Mmm hmmm."

*pause*

Them: "I know it sound crazy. But you never know."
8/
Me: "So you are right--we do have some tracers for things. Like, mostly we use them for special x-rays when we try to find where somebody is bleeding or a cancer."
Them: "Yeah, but how we supposed to know it ain't being used for something bad, too?"

I thought about that.
9/
Me: "You know? Let's think this through. So, let's say they did want to put a tracer in us. It would need to go straight into your vein. The vaccine goes in your shoulder muscle."
Them: *listening*

I started to just say, 'It's not a tracer in it.' But they deserved more.
10/
Me: "But real talk--here's what's in it: the mRNA which helps with you making antibodies, some sugar, some salt, and some lipid or fat."
Them: "What else though?"
Me: "I think one of them has some acid that's kinda like vinegar. But I'd need to double check that."

*silence*
11/
I pulled out my phone and looked it up. Right then and there.

Me: "Yeah. One of them has a acid. But neither has the things we use as taggers or tracers."
Them: "Oh, that's good."

*silence*

Me: *looking at my cell phone* "I just thought of something."
Them: *cocks head*
12/
Me: "Anybody who wants to trace us, can do it with this." *holding up phone* "Even if we try to set everything private, this is all they need."
Them: "Damn. I didn't even think about that."
Me: "Like, yeah. Why would you go through all that hassle when you got this?"
13/
Them: "I hate even thinking about all they can know from them phone towers."
Me: "Yup."

I looked at my watch and they caught me.

Them: "I appreciate you talking to me."
Me: "It's cool."
Them: "That part about the shot going in the muscle made sense to me."
Me: "Good."
14/
Them: "I'm gonna tell people that."
Me: "That's what's up."

I stepped off of the curb.

Me: "What you think you gon' do."
Them: "I'm probably gon' take it. But, shit, now you got me wanting to get rid of my phone."

*laughter*
15/
Concern about privacy.
Unsure of the ingredients.
And a belief that anything could happen.

Which is a valid belief.

These were their reasons.

Theirs.

The whole exchange took <2 min. And allowed us to think it through together.

And I'm so glad we did.

#BlackWhysMatter

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More from @gradydoctor

30 Jan
1/
#WhatsYourWhy

Clinic

Her: “You probably think I’m stupid.”
Me: “That’s not true, sis. I’ve worked with you too long to think that.”
Her: “Okay. Well I bet you think me saying no to a #CovidVaccine when I work in a hospital is dumb.”

I shook my head.
2/
Me: “I think you’re amazing. And if you’re holding off on getting it, you probably have your reason.”
Her: *sighs*
Me: “Can I ask you what it is?”
Her: “What—my reason?”
Me: “Yeah. I mean, if you cool telling me.”

*silence*

Her: “Maaan. I just don’t know, Dr. Manning.”
3/
Me: “Okay.”
Her: “Okay?”

I touched her arm.

Me: “Yeah. Okay. I mean. . .We can talk about it if you want. Or not if you don’t.”
Her: “I. . I just. . .” *looks around* “Um, can we chat someplace private?”
Me: “Sure.”

We stepped into a patient room and closed the door.
Read 15 tweets
28 Jan
1/
#WhatsYourWhy

Last week

Him: "Are you. . . Manning?"
Me: "Yup."

*pause*

Him: "Okay, just to be clear: Ma'am, I'm here only to take payment and remove the immobilizers from your tires. I can't handle any disputes or anything."
Me: "Uhh. . .okay."

He adjusted his mask.
2/
Me: "Excuse me, sir. May I ask a question?"
Him: *looking up from credit-card reader* "Yes, ma'am?"
Me: "Is 'immobilizer' a new fancy name y'all use for 'boot?'"

*laughter*

Him: *shaking head* "You funny."
Me: "Immobilizer? This is downtown ATL, shawty. That's a BOOT."
3/
He laughed again and took my credit card.

Me: "Dang, so you must really meet some characters."
Him: *shaking head* "Maaaan, listen. These folks be going off on me. And I be like, 'Look, I'm just here to take your boot off.'"
Me: "You mean immobilizer."

*laughter*
Read 18 tweets
25 Jan
1/
Waiting for takeout

Her: “Girrrrl! Who is that random white man all over your face?”

*leans closer*

Her: “Waymint—is that my man #Fauci? Oh, okay, sis. You good.”
Him: “Oh yeeeeah, that’s our dude. Fauci definitely invited to the family BBQ.”

*laughter*
2/
Me: “Plus you know he’ll wear a mask.”
Him: “And he already got a #COVID shot.”

I mean . . how could I resist?

Me: “So what y’all thinking about getting a #COVIDVaccine?”
Her: *shrugs*
Him: “Shiiiiid. I already got BOTH a mine.”
Me: “Yeah?”
Him: “Heeeeell yeah. At my job.”
3/
Her: “You wasn’t scared?”
Him: *shaking head* “F that. I’m way more scared of suffocating to death.”
Her: *listening*
Me: “I got vaccinated, too.”
Her: *swinging head to me* “You did?”
Me: “Yup.”
Him: *gives me elbow bump* “That’s what’s up.”

She looked intrigued.
Read 7 tweets
20 Jan
1/
A Grady elder once told me that we should all learn (and savor) ALL 3 verses of the Negro National Anthem. In honor of her-- and this historic moment--these @EmoryMedicine #BlackWomeninMedicine have done just that.

The first but not the last. . . .
2/
. . . and at @EmoryMedicine, not the only either.

We are Assistant, Associate, and FULL Professors.
We are deans, vice chairs, chiefs, educators, investigators, and more.

And this?

This is for colored girls who considered quitting when the expectation wasn't enuf. . .
3/
Sis. . . .you've got this. Yes, you.

We see you.
We're with you.
We celebrate you.

The first but not the last. Oh, happy day! 🌄✊🏾

#RepresentationMatters
#BlackWomeninMedicine
#BlackWomenatEmoryMedicine
#LiftEvryVoice
#TheFirstButNotTheLast
#WeGotNOW
Read 4 tweets
20 Jan
1/
#WhatsYourWhy: Day 7 of 7

Car Wash

Me: *approaching car* "Oh my bad. I thought they called for me."
Him: "Hey Doc . . . almost done." *looks over at co-worker* "She a doctor. Ask her."
Me: *turning to her* "Ask me what?"

She snapped him with a towel and scowled.
2/
Her: "Forget him! I ain't buggin' you out here."
Him: "Doc, you want air freshener today?"
Me: "Sure." *turning to her* "Happy to answer a question if you have one. But I also understand if you didn't want him putting you on blast."

*laughter*

She was limping.
3/
Me: "Something with your foot?"
Him: "See? Tell her!"

*pause*

Her: *shaking head* "My foot be killing me. 'Specially in the morning when I first get up."
Me: "Yeah?"
Her: "Yeah! Like that first step out my bed?" *squeezing her eyes* "Baybaaaay! You talkin' bout some pain?"
Read 19 tweets
18 Jan
1/
#WhatsYourWhy: Day 6 of 7

You

You know how much I love you. We’re so close that sometimes we do that thing where we call each other at the same time. Because, in that precise moment, we both felt a cosmic need to connect.

That close.

And, on top of that, you trust me.
2/
I told you that I thought you should be vaccinated. You said something like, “I hear you.” But that? That was before we actually had a #COVIDVaccine.

So I didn’t press you.

But then the news hit. 2 vaccines—and an EUA for them to be injected into arms ASAP.

Yup.
3/
I brought it up again. You answered quickly.

You: “I’ll get it.”
Me: “Wow. Okay.”

And you went back to doing whatever you were doing.

Me: “That's all? Did you want to talk about it?”
You: *shrugging* “I mean. I’m getting it. So . . . “

You laughed.
I did not.
Read 17 tweets

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