Decade in Review

Official: Dr. Catherine Benziger, MD, MPH

Social media was flooded with people posting reviews of the past decade this week. The 2010-2019 decade was marked by revolutionary changes in public opinion and new trends with lasting effects. From same-sex marriage and legalization of marijuana to polarizing politics and global warming, this decade has been one for the history books. Here is my recap of the decade both from national headlines to personal accomplishments.

First, we had our first African American President, Barack Obama, who made sweeping changes to health care in America by passing the Affordable Care Act. Then, in a contentious 2016 election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump, the President was elected by the Electoral College and not the popular vote and in 2019 was Impeached by the house and is awaiting hearings in the Senate. Gun violence continued to rise with this decade having been the most deadliest in U.S. history. Terrorism continued to cause fear among Americans and security at airports and large sporting events increased substantially over the decade. Purses, diaper bags, and backpacks are no longer allowed in stadiums and many schools unless the contents fit in a clear 12"x 12" bag. Airlines now charge for carry on bags and for assigned seats. Other major changes include the popularity of Bluetooth technology, electric vehicles, and prevalence of smart phones both domestically and internationally (iPhone, Google Pixel, Samsung Android) with big technology companies, which are household names: Amazon Prime, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Netflix to a name a few. Wearable devices are transforming how we monitor health and the Apple Watch now has EKG capabilities to detect atrial fibrillation. Personal desktop and laptop computers have mostly been replaced by tablets and smart phones. Home speakers are now ubiquitous and are constantly listening in on our conversations and are happy to answer our questions or turn on the lights following the command, "Hey, Alexa (or Siri or Google)". Climate change became even more pronounced this decade as average global temperatures continue to soar. Teen activist Greta Thurnberg reminded us all what we need to fight for and why it is so urgent. Species continue to go extinct, including the giant Pinta Island Tortoise native to the Galapagos after Lonesome George, the last member of the species, passed away in 2012. Women continue to struggle to achieve equity and equality with men. While the #MeToo movement broke the silence for so many women on sexual assault (and brought down many prominent men in the process), the landmark Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision has slowly been dismantling on the state level. Laws banning abortion without exceptions are causing interference with physicians autonomy and restricting women's rights throughout the country. At the same time, we are about to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the women's suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment to the Constitution given women the same rights and responsibilities as men, including the right to vote. Yet, in 2020, women are still not equally represented in leadership positions throughout the public and private sector. Only 12% of cardiologists in the United States are women and women continue to get paid less than men. Despite Title IX protests in the 1970s that banned gender discrimination in girl's and women's sports, it was the 2019 Women's World Cup in France that marked a pivotal moment for U.S. Women's Soccer and gender equity in this country. Their 4th gold medal not only brought awareness to women's professional sports but also pushed a cultural change about wage discrimination and the double standard that women athletes face compared to men. While I could go on and on, we were all there and honestly we will probably remember this decade more about personal accomplishments than national controversies so let me recap my personal journey:

I started this decade as a medical student taking on a mountain of debt studying to become a doctor. I moved to Lima, Peru between my third and fourth year as I was selected as National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Clinical Research scholar. I kicked off 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, kissing my then boyfriend, Seth, at a penthouse New Year's Eve party on Copacabana beach. We returned to Peru and went to the sand dunes in Huacachina with my brother and sister who were visiting. Seth's parents visited next and then my parents with my aunts Rita and Colleen. We went to the island of Paracas to see the sea lions and penguins and flew to Iquitos to the Amazon rain forest and took small boats to an ecolodge where we saw monkeys, piranhas and pink river dolphins. In April, Seth returned to Peru and proposed. I said, "Yes!" and we moved in together when I returned to St. Paul that summer. I presented at the World Congress of Cardiology in Beijing, China in June 2010 and we traveled to South Korea to visit one of Seth's friends from Macalester.

In February 2011, we said "I do" in Tamarindo, Costa Rica with 90 of our closest friends and family. The weekend started with the bachelor and bachelorette parties, followed by a private catamaran sailboat and sunset snorkel tour, then Seth's 34th birthday party/groom's dinner the night before the wedding and then finally the wedding itself. It was unforgettable (and our wedding song was appropriately named "Unforgettable" too!) We headed to Europe for our honeymoon. First we flew to Helsinki, then St. Petersburg, Trier, Luxembourg, Brussels, Paris and finally to Stockholm where I spent a month on a surgical rotation at the Karolinska Institute. I graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School on May 6, 2011, the same day we "officially" got married at the St. Paul courthouse. We moved to Seattle, WA, in June where I matched for my Internal Medicine Residency. My sister Anne married her high school sweetheart, Eric Joseph and the wedding party paraded across Balsam Lake on pontoons to Paradise Landing. We found out in November that we were pregnant with our son, Theodore James, and we told my family on vacation in February in Hawaii. Theo was born a month early on July 14, 2012 via c-section due to pre-eclampsia.

Besides learning how to be the best mom I could be, I spent the rest of the decade dedicated my life to learning my craft and becoming the best physician I could be too. I worked countless hours on the wards and intensive care units. I cared for young and old; from drug-addicts and prisoners to undocumented immigrants and clergyman, it didn't matter who, what, or why a patient needed me, I aimed to first, do no harm, and then try my hand at the art of healing them, sometimes more successfully than others. I saw more deaths than I care to count, ran more unsuccessful codes than successful, and spent more late nights in the hospital than early days home with my family. I am thankful for all my training as it prepared me to finally become a cardiologist, my dream job for over a decade.

In 2013, I returned to Peru to complete my research with Theo for a month when he was only 6 months old. We went back again in 2014 for two months when he was 18 months old. I learned new Spanish vocabulary words, including words for bottle, diaper and crib. I miss my Peruvian friends and gringas that were like family to me.

In June 2013, we bought our first house - 740 N 72nd Street near Green lake in Seattle and celebrated Theo's first birthday. We took Theo for many hikes and explored the Pacific Northwest (San Juan Islands, Olympic Peninsula, Mount Rainier, Portland, and Vancouver).

In 2014, I finished Internal Medicine Residency and started my Master of Public Health in Global Health at the University of Washington. I also had my daughter, Marit Marjorie, on December 12 via c-section, 4 days after my last final of the semester. I took 3 weeks off and returned to classes in January 2015.

In July 2015, I started my clinical cardiology fellowship. These 24 months were challenging at times and pushed me out of my comfort zone both as a physician and a mother. Seth was my rock and held down the fort and ensure the children were well fed and cared for and often would bring the kids to the hospital so they could see me as I would often get home late after they were in bed and leave early before they woke up. I became an auntie to Evelyn in April and then in December we celebrated Marit's first birthday in Chicago.

We returned to Costa Rica for our 5 year anniversary in February 2016 with my family. It was a much different trip than the first time but honestly much more relaxing and laid back and a welcome break from work in the hospital.

In February 2017, we celebrated Seth's 40th birthday at the Lionsgate mansion in the Dominican Republic with Fernando, Marty, TJ and their families. I became an auntie again to Josephine in March. I finished my cardiology fellowship, passed my cardiology and echocardiography board exams and in September we moved our family to Duluth, MN. I started my first job as a non-invasive cardiologist at Essentia Health. In December, I defended my thesis and completed my MPH degree. We enjoyed being closer to home so we could spend more time with family both in Chicago and Minneapolis, as well as at the cabin on Balsam Lake, WI.

On Valentine's Day in 2018, we lost my Uncle Jim to esophageal cancer. He taught me how to accept death and die peacefully. We were in Vancouver for the Chinese New Year and went snowboarding in Whistler. Theo won a medal in his first downhill ski race at Chester Bowl. I started running consistently and completed my first half marathon of the decade. We visited friends in New York City. Theo started kindergarten in the fall of 2018 and I cried as he got on the bus the first day.  Professionally, 2018 was a big year as I was selected to the American Heart Association's Epidemiology Leadership committee and Council for Scientific Sessions Planning as well as the Executive Leadership Team of the local Duluth chapter Go Red for Women luncheon.

In 2019, Marit learned to ski and also won her first ski medal. We returned to Costa Rica but this time to the Caribbean side. We took a small plane to Tortuguera where we saw sloths, monkeys, and beautiful green macaws. In April, my brother Dan and Taya eloped in Iceland. I coached Theo and Marit's U8 Congdon Park soccer team over the summer and completed a couple half marathons, my first Ragnar race, and my first Olympic Distance Triathlon of the decade. We paid off my medical student loans. In August, we were devastated by the loss my Aunt Rita to colon cancer. Rita was my godmother and taught us how to live in the present and be thankful for each and every day we have together.

As we embrace this new decade, we will learn not only from our mistakes but from other's too. We aim to love our neighbors and work to bring our communities together by celebrating our similarities rather than our differences. As we raise our glasses, let's cheers: "Here's to a bright New Year and a fond farewell to the old; here's to the things that are yet to come and to the memories that we hold. We wish you all the best in the New Year; may it be blessed with health, wealth, love and happiness." Thanks for reading and happy New Year!

Love,
Katie