Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Here is the link to a collaboration piece with Dr. Latessa called, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place." I can't seem to get access to my own poem for some reason. So I've attached the poem below, and then read the commentary. It is super cool to see myself as a first author on PubMed! Yup, go ahead. Search for "Swendiman," and I now can take credit for all FOUR publications (even the one from 1950 by a Mr. GA Swendiman). Headache case report? That must have been me too...


Between a Rock and a Hard Place
by Robert Swendiman

Operating Suite #9. We waited in silence for the pathologist to call.
A 15-month-old boy lay before us. Flaccid, sterile, powerless.
There were only two possibilities, given the X-ray and MRI.
We prayed it wasn't cancer.
"I only see blood, no abnormal cells. No cancer."
Sigh of relief. The diagnosis was child abuse.


Swendiman RA, Latessa RA. Medicine and the arts. Between a rock and a hard place: [excerpt] by Robert A. Swendiman. Commentary. Acad Med. 2013;88(6):778-9.