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Kimberly D. Manning, MD Profile picture
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Feb 16 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
1/
 #HumanismAlways, Day 2

Me: "How did physical therapy go?"
Him: "They said I did good."
Me: "Good stuff. What all did y'all do?"
Him: "Shiid. What all didn't we do?"

*laughter*

Him: "But for real, though, they said I'm making progress."
Me: *nodding*

*silence*
2/
 Him: "You good?"
Me: "Me? Oh, thanks for asking. I'm doing okay."
Him: "Just okay?"

I pursed my lips under my mask and put a hand on my hip.

Me: "You know? I'm just kind of . . . I don't know. Seems like every time I look up, it's some bad news happening somewhere."
3/
 Him: *nodding* "I know that's right. If it ain't one thang it's another."

After saying that, he began to snap his finger and sing an old R&B song.

Him: *sings* "If it ain't. . . . one thang. . . .it's another. . " *laughter* "You don't know nothin' 'bout that!"
4/
 Me: "I'm more ol' school than you realize. I know that song."
Him: *eyebrows raised* "Maaaane. I don't believe you."
Me: "I do!"

*laughter*

I squinted one eye, cleared my throat, & began snapping my fingers.

Me: "If it ain't. . . .one thang. . .it's another. . . ."
5/
 Me: "It's a crazy, mixed-up world, it's a dog-eat-dog world. . . "
Him: "Life is full of strife. . . people just aren't nice. . ."
Me: "Ummm. . . .that's all I got."

*laughter*

Him: "I'm still pretty impressed you knew that."
Me: "Yep. Raised on that kind of music."
6/
 Him: "Yeah. So much good music back then."
Me: "Yep. Although it makes me feel like I have chores to do."
Him: "Right? If the Commodores or the O'Jays was blasting? I knew I had something to scrub."

*laughter*

I paused for a moment and prepared to leave.

Me: "Okay . . ."
7/
 Me: ". . . I'm glad PT went well. I'll see you a little later."
Him: "Sounds like a plan."

*silence*

Me: "Hey . . . .thanks for making me smile."
Him: "No problem, doc. It's always some bad news but it's always some good news somewhere, too."
Me: "Aaaah. I love that."
8/
 Him: "Don't let this world get you too down, hear?"
Me: "Whew. I'm trying."
Him: "Me, too."

Just then I remembered that he was learning how to walk and do activities of daily living again. I drew in a breath and nodded again.

Me: *waves*
Him: *waves back*

And that was it.
9/
 Here's the thing:

I have no deep moral to this story or any such thing. This moment just underscores all the things we have to gain through even the tiniest slivers of human connection.

Especially in this work.

Yep.
10/
 And no. I can't ignore the bad news. But I won't forget the good news either.

No, I will not.

Soul music.
Gains in PT and OT.
Human connection.

Now that's what I call good news.

Yeah.💛

#HumanismAlways
#SolidarityWeek
This lesson reminded me of this other lesson. So I'm resharing it to remind myself and you, too.

"Happy and sad are thick as thieves. Let them live together."

#HumanismAlways 💛

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More from @gradydoctor

Kimberly D. Manning, MD Profile picture
Feb 17
1/
 #HumanismAlways, Day 4

Residency, circa the ‘90s

Her: “Yeah, it’s been tough since my mama died.”
Me: “Oh no. I don’t think I knew that. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Her: “I appreciate that.”

*silence*

Me: “Had your mom been sick?”
Her: “Yes. She was.”

*silence* Image
2/
 She turned her head to me and held my gaze.

Her: “Know what else she was?”
Me: *listening*
Her: “She was my mama.”

Ooph.

I parted my lips to speak but nothing came out. She touched my arm and smiled.

Her: “She was sick. She was up in age. She was all of those things.”
3/
 Her: “But still. Before ALL that she was and is my mama.”
Me: *listening*
Her: “And if they was good to you? I’m not too sure it’s ever a good time to say goodbye to your mama for good.”

I gave a tiny nod.

*silence*

Me: “I’m sorry.”
Her: “It’s okay.”
Read 9 tweets
Kimberly D. Manning, MD Profile picture
Feb 17
1/
 #HumanismAlways, Day 3

Them: “Okay, I’ll dial up a Spanish interpreter while we walk over.”
Me: “Oooooh. Can we call for the in-person one instead?”

*silence*

Me: *starts dialing* “They come quick, I promise.”
Them: “No. . . umm. . . it’s fine.”

It did not seem fine. Image
2/
 Though it’s been over 20 years, I remember what it was like to be a resident. I also remember the dreaded feeling of an attending speed breaker when I was trying to get a lot done.

Me: “I know it takes a little longer to call an interpreter.”
Them: “It’s cool.”

*silence*
3/
 Me: “You know why I like in-person interpreters?”
Them: “No. . . they’re great. It’s fine, I promise.”
Me: “For the shenanigans.”
Them: *stops walking* “Wait. What?”
Me: “You can’t really get into too much random mischief over the phone or the tablet.”

*laughter*
Read 9 tweets
Kimberly D. Manning, MD Profile picture
Feb 15
1/
 #HumanismAlways, Day 1

Me: “Lights on or off?”

You looked at me and smirked. I paused with my hand on the switch.

You: “That’s in the script?”
Me: “Say what now?”
You: “What my druthers is when it come to anything.”

You chuckled.

You: “We don’t call no shots.”

Ooph.
2/
 Me: *nervous laugh*
You: “Y’all be asking stuff like we got a say. But then y’all do what y’all want. Wake you up and stick you with a needle. Put some cold hands on you. Talk your damn head off.”
Me: “Ouch.”

*laughter*

You: “Oh wait. You do get to pick what you gon’ eat.”
3/
 Neighbor in next bed: *yelling* “Buuuuuuull-shit!”

*laughter*

Neighbor: “They got me on soup with no noodles and jello!”
Me: *chuckling* “Maybe your doctor wants you on clear foods and liquids.”
You: “Or maybe your doctor just doing whatever they feel like.”

*laughter*
Read 10 tweets
Kimberly D. Manning, MD Profile picture
Jan 28
1/
 Today at Grady

Them: "Did you watch it?"
Me: "I saw a part of it this morning. But that was too much so I stopped."

*silence*

Me: "Did you?"
Them: "I ain't gon' even lie. I did. I kept saying I wasn't but I did."

*silence*

Me: "You okay?"
Them: "Define 'okay.'"
2/
 Me: "I hear you. Retract that."

*silence*

Them: "Know what? I actually don't even recommend you watch it. 'Specially not the real bad parts."
Me: *listening*
Them: "Plus you got manchildren. It'll fuck you up too much." *covers mouth* "I mean, mess you up."
Me: *nods*
3/
 Them: "Dude was a hunned-forty pounds. Prob'ly soaking wet!" *shaking head*
Me: "Even if he was 3-fifty he didn't deserve that."
Them: "But got damn! A hunned-forty? Maaaaane. That's fucked up." *raises brow* "I mean messed up."
Me: "Nah, fam. It's just what you said."
Read 7 tweets
Kimberly D. Manning, MD Profile picture
Jan 27
1/
 You: “Is Atlanta home for you?”

I finished tying the back of your gown and stepped around to face you.

Me: “Sir?”
You: “Is here your home town?”
Me: “No, sir.” *shaking head*
You: “Hmmm. But Georgia, right?”

I laughed and shook my head again. You furrowed your brow. Image
2/
 Me: “I’m was born and raised out west. Specifically Inglewood, California.”

You smirked and squinted an eye at me. Then you sucked your teeth.

You: “Yeah right.”

Out came a gravelly chuckle then your face grew serious.

You: “California, you say?”

I nodded.
3/
 You studied my face as you folded your leathery fingers on your lap.

You: “California by way of where?”
Me: “Huh?”

I paused, trying to see what you were getting at. A warm expression came over your face and your eyes twinkled.

You: “By way of where in the south?”
Read 10 tweets
Kimberly D. Manning, MD Profile picture
Jan 24
1/
 You were off the floor when I’d tried to see you earlier. You were gone again when I came back after lunch.

Now it was late afternoon. I tapped on the wall next to your bed and was glad to see the mound of your feet under the covers.

You: “Heeeey. Come on in.”

So I did. Image
2/
 The television was blaring overhead. A guest chef was doing a cooking demonstration and lauding the merits of lime zest.

You: “Lime zest?” You snorted and gave your head a tiny shake. Then you repeated yourself. “Lime zest.”

I looked at you and gave a neutral nod.
3/
 Me: “How’d the procedures go today?”
You: “I lived to tell! So I guess that’s a good sign.”

We both chuckled.

Me: “You in any pain?”
You: “Right now? Nah. I’m good. How you doing?”
Me: “Me? I’m good.”

You sat up for me to examine you without me even asking.

And so I did.
Read 13 tweets

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