The Common Vein

Posted August 4th 2009

 Living in  Newton, a town just outside Boston USA

Married to Naomi Fisher ? best friend, wife, endocrinologist, academic interest chocolate cocoa and health benefits, ensuring fulfillment of the family

Children

Talya (19) Second year student at Brandeis University ? interest creative writing

 Arielle (17) ?  interest dance

Aaron ?  interest music

Danielle ?  interest Judaic study

Born March 18th 1952

Current Position: Radiologist

Hobbies 

Art in Biology and Medicine

Medical Education

Gardening as an Art Form

email

adavidoff@gmail.com

web site:   thecommonvein.com
 Have always wanted to make some sense of my own doings so that I could understand context and provide context and understanding for my children who at this stage are not bothered with my life but if they are the same as I am now  ?  would have loved to hear my Dad?s and Moms thoughts as they lived and breathed in their prime

 The KDS 69 site has grown in leaps and bounds and the remarkable stories that come to the fore after 40 years of wandering astound and inspire me.  The honesty has led to a sense of trust and friendship between many in the group, that is unparalleled.  Many things that are shared on the site are thoughtful writings (and sometimes not so thoughtful) that could not be shared in the sponteneity of a conversation and would require hours of socialization and middle of night conversations that may only go between two or three of us at any one time.  I find myself willing and able to share deep feelings in this forum.

Thus I am going to use (and abuse to some extent) the discipline inspired by KDS 69 to create an ongoing bio of my years of wandering ? not only to bring it together in some way ?  to help me understand why I did or did not do some things ? but in some way allow my children to have a story of my life and the life of their grandparents.  Hopefully they will learn and be better prepared not to make the same mistakes, and take paths toward fulfillment.

We all hope that the site will not just be an outpouring and a consolidation of our past but that as we look to the autumn and fall of our lives that we try and give back in some way.  Some may be able to give individually but most we hope will be able to give as a group to make our society of choice better,  That is the way of Judaism ? a spiral so that in the next cycle, for the next generation, we are in a better place as a community of people.

In a nutshell

Building my career

After KDS 69 went to medical school at Wits, interned in Johannesburg with Prof Saul Zwi (medicine) and Prof Myburgh (surgery) , Prof John Barlow (cardiology) , and left to Toronto and did a fellowship in pediatric cardiology.  Moved onto Boston Childrens Hospital and did a fellowship in pediatric cardiac Pathology and then 2 years of  Cardiavascular and Interventional Radiology at the Brigham and Women?s Hospital in Boston.  A 3 year residency in radiology at the same hospital followed .

Now well trained in medicine but a feeling of cultural emptiness and an itch to explore myself and art  (1983/84), I returned home to South Africa to see my family and spent a glorious 2-3 months getting my mind and body into shape to help fill some deep seated needs.  I photographed my family, friends, the schools and the university realising that these were going to be important elements to remind me of who I was and where I came from.

Then donned a backback and camera, and headed to Europe for about a 4-6 months with the intent of deep introspection, development, and a need to understand art.  Travelled mostly alone (liked it that way ? loner at heart)  almost like a hemit but surrounded with the riches of Europe.  I tried to live frugally, push myself to some physical limits, wrote and absorbed all the valuable lessons, and kept a diary of my thoughts and experiences.  Had intermittant periods of the warmth with familiarity,  family, and friends but needed the peace thought and introspection.  It was an extremely valuable experience.

On my return I purchased a house on a pond in the country (Holliston)  inspired by Thoreau of Walden pond fame ? far from the madding crowd who wanted to marry me off, and continued in solitude to unleash a  pent up internal energy and started to paint.  It was kind of maniacal at times when the brush was in hand ? and mixed with periods of quietness and peace watching the snowflakes in the quiet of the woods.   I think it was a healthy mixture of the heights of passion and peace.

At this time I was an academic radiologist at the University of Mass , where I spent 16 glorious years excited by the world of biology and medicine, reading writing, and combining lessons learned from the past, with problems presented in the present, surrounded by questioning students, and inspiring colleagues and teachers.  The Common vein was born at this time and is waiting to be delivered after years of commitment to a crusading passion.

It was also during this time that I met Naomi my best friend and my best wife, and felt the time was ripe to move onto a new phase of my life with her as a partner.  We have four great children ? each bringing their stamp to the world and each in need of direction from parents whom they do not quite understand ?.yet.

 

Judaism and the treasures that it has to offer of 5,000 years of wisdom is central to our family.  There is a gift in there that we did not quite understand when we were growing up.  As, and if we persist with the faith that it does have important lessons, the lessons began to unfold  with their wealth, at least for for me, when I preparing for the Dvar Torah?s of my career.  I have come to realise the richness of the Hebrew letters and in turn the richness of the words-  have profound intellectual joy.  Had I not had a Mr Katz or a Mr Zimmerman who taught me the critical importance of understanding each word, it would have passed me by.  Who would have known that these painful sessions would pay off in intellectual ecstasy many years later.  The rarity of these moments is my fault ? since life and my work has taken me in so many different directions ? and it is labor that is required to find these hidden treasures ? and I have been remiss in pursuing this with the time and dedication that is needed.  Need to think about this a little during Rosh Hashana.

 

My plan is to write the bio over time ? snippets here and snippets there

The initial page will outline a biography ? a time line ? I have always wanted to do this so that dates and experiences are framed

Baby years

 PreSchool

Kindergarden

Primary School

High School

Med School

Internships

Leaving the Country

Fellowships

Home West Roxbury MA

Travel

U Mass

Holliston MA

Marriage

Home Newton Mass

Children

St Elizabeths

Now