Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: ALS

  • Destination

    J Rush PierceLakewood, CO, United States It must have started some time before, but I was unaware of it on that pleasant September day, hiking in the rocky foothills of northern New Mexico with my daughter. Arriving back at the trailhead by late afternoon, we shucked our packs into my SUV and paused for a…

  • Fish story

    Tim Chapman Chicago, Illinois, United States You can get to know a person pretty well when you’re helping them wipe their ass. My name is Ernie Fischetti. I was named after “Mr. Cub,” Ernie Banks. I used to hate the Cubs. In fact, until this year, I hated baseball altogether. I hated hearing guys talk about…

  • A fine notion

    Ruth Z. DemingWillow Grove, Pennsylvania, USA Think of the worst disease imaginable. That’s what I’ve got. ALS, Lou Gehrig’s. One of 30,000 Americans. Me, a chaired professor of law at Temple University. Maple Oaks has a good reputation. I signed the reams of papers to get in. But, damn, it takes a long time for…

  • Sitting here

    Shalamar SibleyMinnesota, Minneapolis,  USA Poet’s statement This poem was written after a day in the clinic. I will let it speak for itself, except to note that the opening quote is from a poem written by a mentor I had at the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference who has passed on. The poem becomes a dialogue or…