Four Prompts On Death

Bansi Savla Once Again! Bansi is a 26yo wife, radiation oncology resident, and mother of three ferrets. In the four years since our first interview in May 2016, Bansi has graduated medical school, finished her transitional year of residency, and begun the road to mastery in the field of radiation oncology. In this conversation, we discuss how and why she changed in those four years, the story of her courtship and marriage, and how it is difficult to choose a death when you know how people die these days.

Lobynn Cha! Lobynn is a 25yo daughter, entrepreneur, small business owner, and chef. I met Lobynn at her wonderful restaurant Little Miss Korea in Allentown, PA. During this conversation, we discuss her vagabond upbringing by missionary parents, how Koreans and Italians have more in common than you’d think, and how she navigates running a small business with her family. I hope you enjoy!

Stephen Jenkinson! Stephen is a 66yo teacher, author, story-teller, and musician. I met Stephen first through his incredible book, Die Wise, and truly enjoyed this conversation with a man who has spent time in the trenches and has already forgotten more about death than I will likely learn in my remaining life. During this conversation, he appropriately eviscerates the premise of the four prompts, we discuss how right/wrong is meaningless in the context of fulfilling the wolf’s role, and how advanced directives are a final grasp at control and autonomy.I hope you enjoy! :)

Matt Michaud! Matt is a 35yo firefighter, paramedic, CrossFit affiliate owner, father, and husband. I met Matt when I lived in NH and I had the great privilege of coaching at his CrossFit gym. In this conversation, we discuss how he processed the recent news of his wife’s breast cancer diagnosis, the unexpected dangers associated with firefighting, and how his children help him leave those dangers at work.I hope you enjoy! :)

Alexander Minot! Alexander is a 30yo son, partner, and dog father. I met Alexander in the years after college, through previous guest Adam Arazi. During this conversation, we discuss his Jewish upbringing, the death of his father two years ago, and the challenges of bringing his family together in the wake of that death.I hope you enjoy! :)

Alana Karma! Alana is a 24yo survivor, growing human, not a phoenix. This marks the third time Alana has joined us on the podcast, effectively ending the trilogy which began in 2017. Between that first interview and the second, she suffered a severe car accident which left her with brain damage and difficulty adjusting to her new life, as evidence in that 2018 interview. Now, almost three years after the initial interview and two years after the accident, we discuss life on the other side of forgiveness for someone that hurt you, how the coronavirus pandemic felt like everyone joining Alana in the “weird”, and how she identified with a caterpillar more than a phoenix these days.I hope you enjoy! :)

Christina G! Christina is a 26yo future surgeon, former Christian, and current leader. She spoke at the Student Clinician's Ceremony that kicked off my third year of medical school, and ever since then I've been itching to sit down with her. In this conversation, we discuss her complicated relationship with a Christian faith, the separation of a cash register, and the importance of integrity.I hope you enjoy! :)

Today, I ramble into the microphone while discussing some of the events ongoing in the world and how it will affect the podcast. I hope you enjoy! :)

Cat Thomas! Cat is a 32yo expressive arts facilitator, a multi-modal artist, as well as a feline and canine caretaker. I met Cat through a network of lovely humans and she happened to work at Moffitt Cancer Center, next to my University of South Florida medical education. There, she facilitates a therapeutic expressive arts experience for caregivers and patients. During this conversation, we cover her journey to this work, her adventures in grandma's forest, and why she wants to die at 103.I hope you enjoy! :)

Morgan Allen! Morgan is a 30yo weightlifter, dog mom, and daughter. I met Morgan through her fiance, John Foley, my good friend and previous interviewee for the podcast. During this conversation, we discuss her father’s death by suicide, the evolution of her family dynamics, and the hurdles to starting her own family. I hope you enjoy! :)her at her funeral, and why he is learning statistics on his commute to work.I hope you enjoy! :)

John Foley! John is a 29yo athlete, brother, and lover. I met John the first weeks of freshman year at Tufts University, over a decade ago, and we have been close friends ever since. During this conversation, we discuss his combative relationship with religion, the roast of his grandmother at her funeral, and why he is learning statistics on his commute to work.I hope you enjoy! :)

Colin Kirts! Colin is a 33yo teacher, father, and co-creator of Koru Real Wellness in Doylestown, PA. I met Colin when I met his business partner Dayana Pereira, a previous interviewee for the podcast. During this conversation, we discuss Colin’s Catholic upbringing and how a trip to Scandinavia opened his eyes to the wider world, how he spent the years during his hippie commune phase, and how a rabbi became his elder mentor.I hope you enjoy! :)

Randall Sheffield! Randall is a 29yo doctor of physical therapy, yogi, and friend. Since our previous conversation about 18mo ago, Randall has graduated from PT school, developed himself spiritually, and stepped into his role as a speaker and teacher. During this conversation, we discuss how Gainesville, FL kicked off his spiritual journey, why he hasn’t touched a barbell in weeks, and Randall relates a recent brush with mortality off the beach of Costa Rica.I hope you enjoy! :)

For this 2020 Season Prospective, I reflect on the winter hibernation away from this podcast and from writing my weekly reflections. I consider the coming season of this podcast: I preview and contextualize the interviews I’ve already recorded. And I wish you, the audience, well and hope you are taking care of yourself during this time of uncertainty.I hope you enjoy! :)

Rahul Paul! Rahul is a 26yo Hindu-raised Bangledeshi, a third year medical student interested in emergency medicine, and a scientist. During this conversation, we discuss the relatable story of Krishna, the value of earned perspective, and why you should breathe into your balls.I hope you enjoy! :)

Lui Espinosa! Lui is a 31yo second year medical student, a burgeoning philosopher-physician, and a runner. He has stood out among my classmates as a human with lived experiences and earned wisdom. During this conversation, you'll learn about the death of his grandfather as well as his Portuguese friend Hannibal, his setbacks and obstacles while growing up and attaining his education, and his joy of life throughout it all.I hope you enjoy! :)

Caroline Wilson! Caroline is a 19yo college student, positive human, and survivor of a traumatic brain injury. I met Caroline while coaching crew in New Hampshire for Great Bay Rowing, and she served as a right-hand coxswain for the team. During one of our dryland practices, she fell and hit her head on cement. This caused a 2wk-long Elmer Fudd stutter and a long road to recovery. Luckily, she had her grandmother nearby, who underwent chemotherapy at the time. In this lovely conversation, we discuss the plastic nature of memories especially when you have impaired long-term memory, how a positive reframe of a situation can change your outlook on life, and the nature of social crutches and how they help us function.I hope you enjoy! :)

Pooja Jayaprakash! Pooja is 23yo second year medical student and Indian woman with a liberal arts background. I met Pooja during the first week of med school and I have known that she would make an outstanding guest on the podcast. During this conversation, we discuss growing up Indian in Utah, imagining her mixed-race children, resisting the draw of medicine, and the death of her 109yo grandfather with his complicated legacy.I hope you enjoy! :)

Meg Scott! Meg is a 23yo well-rounded second-year medical student, a follower of Christ, and a runner. I’m honored to call this deeply intelligent human my friend and I look forward to keeping tabs on her future career in surgery. In this conversation, we explore her relationship with Christ, how karate and horseback riding can teach you how to teach, and what the death of her close friend’s father taught her about death.I hope you enjoy! :)

Anna Shon! Anna is a 57yo mother of two, a devoted Catholic, and a good friend. In this conversation, we talk about the death of her parents and how this influenced her own vision for end of life, her aversion to burials, and her optimism for the future.I hope you enjoy! :)