Hollie spoke to Ineke Meredith about her memoir, On Call.
Author Photo: Rachel Calvo
What does a typical day look like for you?
Well, I don't quite have a typical day at the moment. I am in this period of transition with my life in Paris now. A few years ago, I launched our canine dermocosmetic brand in New Zealand and now we are launching in France. I have a new business partner here in Paris, and we are just about to take on a new member of the team. Most days we are working together.
But the typical day starts with coffee and a croissant. We live next to the Eiffel Tower so I try to run in the morning along the river and say hi to her :) I never cease to be absolutely amazed by her beauty. Then I have a day packed full of business meetings or I am writing something! I just finished writing an article for the veterinarians in the UK about the importance of dermocosmetics in dogs. Later this month, we are working with the French veterinary dermatologists in Corsica, so it's really project after project right now. If I did not run in the morning, I absolutely have to run in the evening. My running route is along the river all the way to the Louvre and back. I try to have a little break from the desk before I jump back on to time with NZ waking. At the moment, I am on meetings with NZ from 930pm - 2am Paris time. I am involved with some changes happening in Breast Screen Aotearoa so the meetings are a mix between Fur Love and that ;)
What made you decide to write ‘On Call’?
I never really 'decided' to write On Call. I was writing about patients and their stories which are always far greater than what we appreciate when we see someone in their illness. I was a little hit by this idea that we manage disease, and in particular for trauma or cancer, this journey turns the whole family upside down. I just wanted to write about them so that I would remember them as a person and not just the disease. I initially thought that I would like to write something to the New England Journal of Medicine which is one of the greatest medical journals but they did not want my stories, so when I had over 30,000 words I decided that maybe a publisher would want it.
The importance of your relationship with your mother shines through in your memoir, what was the greatest lesson she taught you?
I have a huge work ethic, I don't stop and this was through watching her. I don't know anyone who worked as much as she did. But if there is one 'lesson' that shines through for me, it is not to look into your neighbour's bowl. I do my best! Anyway, I think I am too busy to worry about what others have and what I don't have...and to be honest, if there is one thing medicine teaches you, it's that every day is a gift.
What is your strongest memory of medical school?
For some reason, cadaver labs. I suppose because it is so strongly visual, that it pervades my memories of med school. I can remember the hallway outside where we would leave our bags. The smell and the harsh white light in the labs. The cadavers on the table and our small groups huddled around a cadaver...I remember even the cold of the cadaver through my gloved hand and the greasiness... I imagine this memory is quite pervasive for most of us. My husband is also a surgeon and one day he bought a leg of "Pata negra" which is a cured leg of pork. At the time, it was a good idea...we loved to eat it in restaurants. Why not have it at home with friends? After a couple of months of this big leg of meat sitting on our kitchen bench, we started to feel unwell even walking into the kitchen. It really pulled on the memory of cadaver labs for both of us!
What’s one takeaway you hope people will have from your book?
It's been a pretty amazing month because I never realised how widely the book would resonate for all people from all walks of life. When I was writing the book, I had different thoughts at different moments: First, I hoped it would become this 'book of truth' for people entering medicine. For so long, we were always told to read 'House of God' but I was disappointed by how negative it was about patients, and frankly, our patients are awesome and they go through a lot. I hoped that it would illustrate something closer to the truth for young people who wanted to become surgeons at this moment in time. Second, I hoped that patients and patients' families would read it, and understand how much they impacted us. No matter how many times we have given bad news, it is always hard and heartbreaking even for us. And third, I hoped that the families of my colleagues would read it, and understand what it is like because I don't think there is any way you can understand what it is like unless you live it. I have had amazing messages from people who have read the book and so many messages have made me cry. People have told me they cried and they laughed. Spouses of colleagues have said that they have insight into what we go through at work. But the most frequent message I have received is that the book made them realise that life is fragile and can be taken at any moment.
What author or book is a recent discovery for you?
I am terrible. I have 3 books on the go right now. Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, Nos Frères Inattendus by Amin Maalouf (I always try to read something in French to continue to improve) and I am finishing Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. One of my favourite books and 'recent' discovery has to be The Spinoza Problem by Irvin D. Yalom. I thought it was extraordinary and I subsequently read his other book When Nietzsche Wept which was also very good.
What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?
I can't snack while writing because if there is something in front of me, I will inhale it. So I am more of a mint tea while writing kinda girl.