In the wake of a traumatic event—a myocardial infarction, cancer surgery, a hurricane on the war path—people often say that they will take stock of their lives, reassess their priorities, and chart a new, more sensible course. Roasted and toasted in the cauldron of adversity, people say they have seen the light or, in this case, the dark cloud of volcanic debris. As we made our way down the highway to Madrid, the physicians in our group made the expected utterances: I won’t travel so much. I won’t schedule 30 patients on the Monday after a Sunday flight. I’ll limit overseas trips.
Such pledges sound good, but I doubt their sincerity or durability. I suspect that once a road warrior, always a road warrior. Back to the old routine, we will forget the duress of the van trip and all of the anxiety, fatigue, and discomfort we experienced on the road to Madrid.
So, when the invitation comes for the International Congress of Whatever or an advisory board of the latest and greatest biologic, we will all pack our bags, head to the airport, and work on our computers on the plane as we accumulate frequent flyer miles to get those upgrades.
To the travelers out there, I hope that you will never have to experience a late take-off, a cancelled flight, or a rerouting that leaves you up in the air with time on your hands. But, if bad luck strikes, I have a good idea. If you are with friends or want to meet the person sitting next to you in the plane, try this opening to get the conversation going: Arkansas.
Dr. Pisetsky is physician editor of The Rheumatologist and professor of medicine and immunology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
