Victor Adimoraegbu and Andrew Justicia

00:02 Perfect. You should see it counting right there, but I'll make sure to give you time to use the Victor if you want to go ahead and introduce yourself.

00:12 My name is Victor Rd Murrayville. I am 32 years old. I'm calling in eventually, but I'm currently in Portland and I really good friend of mine. We play soccer together and usually McCann.

00:34 He works for The Graduate medical office. So I met him during orientation for residency.

00:46 Yeah. Thanks Victor. I think Jesse. My name is Andrew. Justicia. I'm age 44. I'm in Northeast Portland and logging in virtually from my home office via WebEx.

01:00 And Victor is a good friend of mine that I've met.

01:05 Initially I had to do Jimmy when I supported the residence. I saw Victor Justino coming in as an incoming essentially and also out he's part of my soccer team and so we have a lot in common and a lot more and and yeah, so here we are Victor time. I truly appreciate it and being part of a share and I'm also honored to be a part of it.

01:35 I have a question for you, and I guess I'll start kind of with you know, the current situation where where Ralph is in the pandemic facing isolation everyone facing different stressors. And and I know that you are on the front lines of all of this.

01:55 You seen a lot of it play out.

01:58 And that we normally catch up and IMAX rides, you know, because we catch the orange line and I parked kind of where you live at and we've also had the conversations that way but I'm really curious about how how things are from your perspective. But only as a resident also as a black president during the pandemic and that's a large question. If you can give me an overview of a Victor's take on it being a bigger place to start and think he's thinking again.

02:35 That's a that's a loaded question on 20/20 has BLM protest.

03:02 I mean, you know the experience you you have every day. It's definitely change during 2020 and I say that because as a physician when you going to the hospital, you don't usually go with it feel like I'm I going to get a disease that might kill me, you know, you don't like before 20 $20 in the kitchen. I just went and you know did not work not to kill patients go home. But this year, you know, every time you wake up in the morning and in the actor self that you know exist today, I cover my contacts covid-19 have not sent them two. Am I going to be one of those people who end up in the ICU?

04:02 Every day in the hospital, but I'll tell you no other state has been really lucky compared to like New York and California be haven't you really had to search like those States? I mean the hospital capacity at Hsu is full but it is basically hasn't been that bad as you know, you could have been

04:40 So is it that makes me very tricky and you know makes you worry worry about your own mortality while you're trying to save or trying to care about so that people can sit at the hospital. You know myself very lucky because it's also. Hope

05:10 Thanks for answering this a big question if there is heavy on my mind lately and I mean to ask you that and specifically I was wondering how you know your family back home is doing cuz I know that we chat a lot about our connection to just have a family that lives in a place that's completely different than this.

05:31 And I want to find out how how they're faring how things are going for for them and just because I appreciate it. It's very hard when you don't have your parents are most of the time with you and for me, it's been that way since 2007 when I left him at school. I've never really tired.

06:07 My parents around during the holidays, you know, like sometimes I'm able to go to Nigeria sometimes. I'm not sure that's the reason you have good friends because you know your friends become your family so deuced practically take the place of you know, your mom or your sister or brother.

06:32 Desmond isn't difficult, you know.

06:35 Especially last year where you know, oh, you know, I mean my parents are no young holder. So, you know, I'm constantly worried about them, you know, and thankfully, you know that Dad doing. Okay so far so good. I mean didn't even though it's hard. What country did we going to be able to get the vaccine maybe in a year or two? So that's an additional layout of worried in Nigeria. Right? It's not as bad as here. But you know how to know if that really reporting the true number is a idiot test in enough people, you know, I know it's not like I need misdiagnosing people.

07:30 She's very complicated.

07:39 13 years now, but that's my own reality and I'm kind of unfortunately used to it by now.

07:50 Yeah, it's it's not easy being away from family. And your right friends are important to me in in that and they fill a lot of space.

07:58 In those relationships agree with that and I kind of wanted to ask about that piece, you know, you've been away from family for some time and resilience.

08:12 Different aspects, but you know, you also did come from the East Coast have not mistaken for medical school to do residency in the West Coast.

08:22 And just in the South USA so different from state to state and when I think about the east coast to the West Coast and also the way black people are treated on the west coast is also different according to different areas and they still subject to a black person experience. I don't want this also because you know, you're African when I get that and I'll bet here for example and Bolivian and I can be like that a someone that's Mexican, right? That's the general thoughts from around people what they think off the bat from the glasses they may have there for when I think of you as a black man.

09:09 Since your last name and they know about last names Etc. That's a different story. But my point is what's been experiencing the West Coast here compared to the East Coast.

09:21 I could actually go back further.

09:26 I mean I came I came here in 2079 and I came directly from Nigeria by myself. I really experienced, you know racism or anything like that.

09:43 Does it cost me to everyone was black so it wasn't really a thing it wasn't that people tend to like being classified people or what not.

10:05 I mean, what's my different personally?

10:20 And I think my first interaction with it was actually do it's one night in college where I was riding my bicycle around town trying to like enjoy the nice breeze and I think I stopping at an intersection and it was this truck that had that you close to me and hide people on the back of the truck.

11:01 And you know, they looked at me. I looked at them.

11:06 Yeah, I just said hi, you know in a century and you know the kind of it was a bunch of boys it just use the n-word and drove away just experienced. Unfortunately, I mean an initially I really didn't know how to feel about the election in Missouri, you know, so to Prejudice or racism. People talk about that something that you kind of like have to learn almost.

11:56 In DC wasn't really that bad. I mean my experience because it was a very diverse City to know people in the background so might the reactions. Do you know where mostly good so find the West Coast that people in West Coast? I like nice in general. I haven't really maybe when I was taking care of a patient, you need some kind of comment about me.

12:40 How does Austin Kelvin Mai on the Cardiology service and you know, I went in the exam questions asked him how his medications?

12:57 Affecting him any side effects when I walked out for some reason. I still got the door, you know, trying to write my notes and make any to remind myself what I'm going to be there next to him and I overheard him saying, you know that you know, that's a black guy that's always causing all my problems last week to me was like ridiculous because I wasn't making any of the decisions. I was just making sure to work was done and so and so far

13:47 Thank you for talking about that kind of want to go step further. And I don't mean I want to hear about your influence has to be to become a doctor Victor Licata. Play. I'm living in Nigeria to call your parents a little bit and or the or the influences that the may have led you to go in Missouri right to that play out. And then and then how did it work out for you to go to DC? And then where did you where you at were particular School?

14:21 Are the Howard canvas? How did that work out that that John patini back to you know, the Victor than I would but I imagine which is you playing ball like and some some dusty Fairfield Inn in some Nigerian City no matter all about that. You correct me in my vision.

14:46 Take me there to geographically and then kind of like, you know, what's going on around you and how did that work out, you know?

14:53 So my my dad is actually so he went to medical school. So I've always had that medical influence constantly in my life. I'll say the Tipping Point for me was when I was 5 years old when I had my appendix taken out and was actually my dad who took out my appendix.

15:26 Yeah, I remember that's actually my Elias memory and trying to run away trying to call you cuz I I knew that you know, there's something giving me medication drifting off to sleep waking up in in in severe pain because we didn't really have opioid Tylenol and ibuprofen.

16:09 I remember seeing you being in bed for like a week, you know painful and I get to go first exposure to medicine and I think that kind of like, you know, spark my interest. So after that is that helping my dad has to know sometimes school open up to like do operations with him.

16:40 I mean, it's okay. I don't I don't really tell people this story because it's very frowned upon to work on your family member. Have a good reason but in Nigeria.

16:57 You know, you almost have to do something like that because Daniel nothing else qualified test. Now I got time to do that kind of operation. If it's your own son or daughter on the line you want to make sure that's okay.

17:12 I'm dating myself because I want this to be done. Right the Hampton is my inspiration from 4 to Medicine. I think the road the road started in Nigeria always try to do well in school, you know came to the US in 2007. That was a very big transition for me. I came by myself. I didn't have anyone calling me big transition.

17:47 College college was born and good friends. I play the lotto soccer actually in college then went to medical school medical school is difficult. I have to say Midnight Oil medical school and residency in Oregon.

18:18 I'm glad you did.

18:20 I'm glad it worked out that way and I'm glad you matched with the waitress you and I'm about to play. That way, you know any for the Department that you working cuz I really lucky to have you and I know that for a fact from supporting the department, right and that rule that was in previously. It's a good one has soccer throw me see I knew you'd be fine with that says happy to hear the forward. Anyway, it was perfect. You know, I'm taking you back there. I appreciate that mess. That's pretty incredible to hit that your dad was doing surgery on you, you know nothin for a lot of kids since pretty amazing to be able to help you.

19:14 Yeah, yeah, that was a that was the one and only said you had in me. I think he also operated in my mom and my sister. So yeah, it was eats a controversial decision to make a thing to do but I mean the country where you have very limited resources and qualified personnel and I believe he was like, you know, the only American train trauma surgeon in the city will leave then so next time do I have to do I'm sure half of the community. If not, most of it was being you know, I buy him anyway, so it's all right under that is what it is, you know ya know so I kind of wanted to ask you all this about I was curious about your your next steps. Do you know where you're seeing yourself as I got you after all this time.

20:14 I'm going back to the roots there, or do you still something of pursuing something here in the US for the unanswered question are?

20:23 I would say a combination of both I would be fine. I feel like I want to stay here and now so served are also I mean you'll be kind of difficult to go back to Nigeria on a bike. It's fully does it get his medicine is practiced here and it's totally different but

20:56 I would really know it's like going mission trips as I can but I think for the most part of the US.

21:15 Yeah, you know when I first met you I first met you on paper, right because we will be before we see are all residents coming through Jamie least their names.

21:24 Is it going to get all kinds of stuff or you believe it or not? They're working. Really I mean, you know this or working really hard I would say maybe six months you can before you step foot when they get the names in the match. They're already trying to figure out, you know, Victor scrubs and got to get them access and you access to all the buildings and yada yada and all these things that I wouldn't only think of them if I was not rule being paid for it, right supporting.

21:52 Ironically, it makes sense that in the soccer team that I play for on Minnesota support assist person. You know, I'm & I near person that's for schools. And so insecure and here we were right in real life scenario where I'm supporting you to do your job, you know what to do in to do a great job, you know to to buy awesome Healthcare to these patients that need it from people like you and so I had seen your name and I knew that you are Nigerian because you know, I do not mention soccer few times, but I know a lot of things stars on Michigan Linguistics tubing in background from following the Screamin Eagle, and I was fine of a fan of Agriculture and entry fireworks in the back in the day.

22:45 Anyway, so I was like cool. I wonder if you play soccer and none of the first thought I had your son school. So I'm cool with that, you know, and also I just got high play soccer. Anyways, the name surnames come through etc. Etc in connection with with you. Sorry that you're asking me and then I'm going to translate to your professional life. Are you being down to earth and relaxed translates to being an anesthesiologist? Right? Because from eating a lot of planet Earth is almost like

23:35 You have to be relaxed in order to allow people to relax. Relax and easy-going, you know an in-house a picture advantage.

23:56 Yeah, I mean if you ask my mom she would tell you I've always been relaxed, but I personally don't feel all this relax. Maybe that's just bye-bye dear. No, I think it's especially anesthesiologist. You practically have to be in control because you know you have

24:20 I mean for Life lack of a better expression, you have a patient in front of you who you know, whose life depends on your decision making and the Sergeant's are so depending on you because you know, do you want to go in there and do their job and do it safely peace of mind you I didn't get a job because they trust that the person at the head of the bed knows what they're doing.

24:58 Go ahead and keep speaking and I can still come back and be does will be okay.

25:04 I think the main down to earth and I'm being, gives the surgeon.

25:14 You know peace of mind. Okay, you know someone someone is in control of this patient's life when I can do my job.

25:24 So, you know being eat if you're not, I mean I was telling myself that you know, like being anxious. So he doesn't really help in a very stressful situation because you know people look up to you to be like, hey, you know, what I was going to do. What's the next step if you portrayed.

25:49 95 of confidence and you know call me as soon as that that that spreads calmness over the real man.

26:05 Let me let me message him and see.

26:45 Do y'all hear me?

26:52 Okay, I don't know what happened. I got booted out of my laptop. So I'm doing I'm doing the phone approach right now.

27:03 Okay, you can hear me a picture.

27:06 Jesse can't scare you though. I know.

27:14 The black hat wasn't working. So

27:17 How much are the laptop back?

27:29 Going to try to come back Inn.

27:32 He said he

27:36 Is locked up kicked him out then he tried using phone.

27:40 Ankeny game with the song Sail

27:45 Do y'all hear me? Wonderful?

27:52 Okay.

27:53 Okay last question.

28:20 Now it's frozen.

28:52 JCPenney near me

28:55 Victor

28:57 Amazing amazing. I don't know if I'm on the phone you guys and I'm just going to set it down. So nothing breaks, okay.

29:06 Sorry about that. I got booted off the computer.

29:10 I thought it was you guys. I'm like, oh you guys connection is not working because I'm

29:20 Ne how well I had a question that I had at the house and I can remember it be a bit. I'm sure you wanted this to read or insulator.

29:30 How do I do Jessie?

29:33 However you

29:40 Well, then I'm sure that the question is captured already in the recording. Do you want to ask you a question, but you're going to repeat it.

29:52 I just missed it cuz I must look spun out when they're before. We apply you're talking some nevermind. I move on if you're so I guess for me like I have other questions to you know, like

30:10 How's it going? Right now? You know, I feel like a lot of time has gone by Justin what's cold it alone? And then also me being my new position with the last couple years have been super busy and haven't had time to check out what's on my favorite residency know and we have mint plant indoor much because I know you have been busy but also because endemic, you know,

30:32 Or else if I would have an indoor means like the indoor soccer Futsal are depending, you know, what's available to play. So how is the residence to go in and how the whole experience how would you sum it up? Because aren't you nearing the end of it? It's scary being close to the end. But oh so excited on sometime. This year has been I feel like you know I've missed

31:10 A lot of life. We're living just because of quarantine in the drinks with friends or going out to restaurants without having to do without worrying about catching something. You know, too many people is a contact sport to have missed out on

31:54 But I got to tell you I'm very grateful that I'm still alive still able to take care of patients that I can go to my vaccine. You know, that many people are many families in the US now, you know 400000 + who lost their lives because I'm suffering because of it. So you need my own selfish desires out for life to go back to normal after, you know be appreciative of life itself on being in life.

32:37 Yeah. Yeah, so true.

32:40 This whole year is any people re-evaluate a lot of stuff, you know him and it feels like we I could relate a lot to what you said there about.

32:48 And I'm missing a lot this year missing a whole lot for me on the other end has been sort of a kind of Bittersweet for a lack of a better term get you to see my son kind of like hitting Milestones, you know, cuz he was born going to be 17 months here at the end of this month, you know, and it's name is Victor not named after a year or so when in his powerful I think when the father names their son Victor and in the ways, I can kind of relate to how your parents are thinking about your name. Well go ahead and talk to me cuz I am so why you well I mean

33:48 That's how is it in New York?

33:55 The yard your little Victor whenever he comes about he needs to play with my little Victory nose.

34:05 That's cool. You know I was thinking about that and then I was like, my last name is was DCI, which means just this guy's name. That is completely Latino. You know, I wish I had that in retrospect like you take my name, right? And then also I also wanted to him to be a Victor in Justice and it's that was kind of that died Dia behind my my movement. My dad's name is also for you.

34:47 Man, it's a trip. It's like they started Victor, you know, how they say people don't change don't change unless something major happens, you know, like a death a birth or natural disaster. Well, we're wearing one right now, you know her or Aura and I think the bigger picture is a really good thing, but for me, I fundamentally changed to have to completely and now I have a whole different set of responsibilities, you know, so it's a whole different game, you know, I am operating in a whole different steaks. The stakes are much higher than the ever I could imagine ever them being. So that means to me that means that there is no option of failing and not feeling in pretty much anything that I do. So it's this huge burst of energy that I cannot really describe it when you have

35:47 Define our daughter that you will have you will see you will see that and feel that is this next level is the next level. That's what it is. It's a next level of of being you so Remy you think you've topped off with you. Are you knocked and then you get the other level when you have your kids into it for me and the kids young. So it's going to be a feeble old man and SMB Cami hopefully to my bed part of your kind of goes in you before your son on I think he told me oh, you know, I don't think I'm going to have any kids.

36:41 Where did that transition happen like that? And you're you're in the field of medicine you met my old my wife was in between birth control and things it's lined up things just lined up man. And I just work that way and we looked at each other and we said it it's it's on us to make it work and to be the best we can be so you better believe it. I was signed up to be an uncle for that was my role. I would like I'm an uncle and that's what it is, but such as life that you know, Never Say Never and so things took this term and things happened.

37:28 And yeah, and then it All Began in the fact is that I had this Khalid waitress you that you're so I got to see it all kind of play out from the other side, you know, and that in itself is a whole different topic that was incredible to see the Residence Inn, See what you all do, you know and I all the time new but to be like how to tie steaks in it right like you yes, I like that you're talking to somebody that I'm going to live and die for a right that you're that the doctor say Perry's or the doctor, you know these residents that I've seen them on paper and I knew them just like that. I knew you, you know, you could have easily been through on your rounds. Let's say I don't know I could have someone like you with that was going through so I had a lot of respect for what played out for him in the support that way since you gave me and my family

38:17 Yeah. Anyway, I am it's crazy. You know that you say that cuz I I told him if you people that that he called me out that I wouldn't do it and now I would tell somebody to have kids and before I be like no don't do it at that really good idea and I look at the world when you do that, you know, well you just like you do with it and can you take your losses and take your wins and you go with it and you can control my sentiments. I kind of similar especially when it comes to like with kids.

39:01 But you know when you see what's happening in the world today, you're like I'm capable of raising a child and you know, you know what to do. Don't listen to you. You know how I feel like, you know the rest.

39:30 You know, they're going to be a little bit like you Victor whether we like it or not. And that means I got to be chill and cool so you can so that's one thing that is a wind, you know, right there. It's interesting but nothing's for asking that because it definitely something that I'm really proud of, you know, and I just proud of anybody that's not it is proud of doing the work that it is to bring a good little kid off, you know and making them into a good man a good contributor to society. You know that I'm going to do good because you know when my wife and wife said that I see the world the world needs to know more men that do good, you know, and and that's kind of what we anchored to and with that. Okay will do we're going to raise a good dude, you know, someone is going to do right.

40:20 And I know we're excited about it. But I really give more of me than I thought I would I would but I'm really happy that I did so then every moment that I have which like on the field say even if I'm out jogging on my cell if you know this and that make you with the headphones on the mind you anyway I hit it makes it sweeter that I have that that window of time because I feel like I've squandered a lot of time away before I had a child. It's crazy. How do puts into perspective whether I did or not.

41:06 And that's what I'm curious about. You know you like do you see yourself in this house with his family like a like I am picturing these doctors that are alike in these two fancy houses in him with the right there like his, you know, you going to be a pretty run-down anesthesiologist before you know it, you know, I really don't need much to make me happy. So, you know, I mean maybe maybe but I just I just feel like I want to get to the point where I can help people in your help my family, you know, that's why important to me then

41:56 Now that's how I'd like to buy collector that you just down to earth and all you're almost like you answer the right thing when turn out like I said question, you know, cuz I want to bet you you're the realest and that's what I always. Do. You know, I have a small circle. So I am really happy that we could connect them this then you nothing new to to me or to you because we've discussed a lot of these things already, you know, just thank you for for speaking to me and for obviously finding interest in what I do and and in my son and in Devine being a good friend that I can always call on. I really appreciate that about you. Thank you very much.

42:35 Yeah for sure leichter.

42:40 Any other questions for I stopped recording or no? Thank you, Jesse. I'm good.

42:46 Where am I?