Mindy Oshrain

Knowing things by heart usually means having them memorized, at your fingertips. Song lyrics, birthdays, phone numbers, the poem I learned in second grade.

These days, for me, knowing by heart is a different exercise. What I know by rote, what I remember, are the dosages of medications, their side effects, and illnesses that can mimic or interact with various behavioral conditions. Hypothyroidism can look like depression; palpitations aren’t always panic attacks. I have medical knowledge, learned in school and accumulated over many years.

What I know by heart, though, is different.