DR. CHETANA REDDY
Hosted by Erica Jolene and Kristyn Newbern with special guest Dr. Chetana Reddy
Transcription HERE
Dr. Reddy takes us through a day in her heels as she travels throughout Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital helping her Pediatric Cardiology patients. In this episode, we get to learn more about the many layers of communication that take place before the doctor ever appears in your room. We also get to learn more about the importance of hearing a patient's story as opposed to reading it in a medical chart - two very different approaches to learning about the medical history, both equal in importance. Dr. Reddy shares with us the unexpected joys she has found in her role in helping older pediatric patients and her hopes for the future of medicine.
[Image Description: Coral-peach background with a white font that reads, “Pediatric Cardiology, Dr. Chetana Reddy, Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital” Framed in a circle at the center of the image is a photo of Luke facing Dr. Reddy as he assists her as she is knelt down in from of him in the examination room listening to his heart with a stethoscope.]
Links related to this episode:
Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
Episode Transcription
Erica 00:15
Welcome to Season Two of Atypical Truth. I'm your host, Erica Jolene. In just about every episode, I start by quoting Walter Fisher, when I state that humans are storytelling beings. That is right, we all have a story to tell. And it is through those stories where the power of connection, validation and community are built. Which is why I created this podcast, to amplify the stories of people in my community, the community of rare diseases, disabilities, and complex medical conditions. I know that I've personally benefited through learning from the stories of others in my community and I hope that you have as well.
Erica 00:59
In every episode, I also make a point to state that not only will you hear from my peers in this community, but you will also hear this stories from family, friends, and professionals who advocate with us. And you may find yourself asking, "Why do I include conversations and stories from individuals who were not living with the topic at hand, but instead connected to it through personal or professional experiences?" And this is a great question, one that I will likely readdress throughout every season. I share these stories, because I feel that it is important to hear their perspective as well. As someone who has always lived with varying forms of disabilities, I'm fascinated by the stories of those who choose to show up in our lives to support us and advocate with us. Not just people who show up in this capacity because they're personally impacted by disability through a kinship to someone with disabilities. Those stories are intriguing as well. But I especially enjoy talking with people who, from an early age and having no personal experience with disability, they saw the value in our community, and they decided to dedicate their lives working to help us - be that through providing personal care, or advocacy and policy work. Those are some amazing stories as well. And you're about to hear one of those today.
Erica 02:39
My guest host this season is Kristyn Newbern, who is a fellow mother and caregiver of her son, Luke, who was born with the primary diagnosis of congenital heart defects and it was later discovered that he had a genetic disorder called Noonan syndrome. In today's episode, Kristyn is joined by Dr. Chetana Reddy, who is a pediatric cardiologist at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and St. Louis Fetal Care Institute, where she specializes in congenital and acquired heart disease in children. In addition to her presence at Cardinal Glennon, Dr. Reddy is also the Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Division of Cardiology at St. Louis University School of Medicine. Oftentimes, these medical professionals, you know, the ones like Dr. Reddy with really intimidating titles and huge responsibilities, they enter our lives during a pretty difficult and scary time. We come to them desperate, seeking their medical expertise, their advice, and their guidance. And we place an immense amount of trust in these professionals. We place the lives of ourselves, or our loved ones in their hands, without even knowing their first names. But beyond all the titles, and underneath that bright white coat, there exists a person with their own intriguing life story. And as we take the time to learn more about the people who make up our care team, we learn just how relatable they are outside their intense roles as clinicians. So before Dr. Reddy shares about her experience as a pediatric cardiologist, we're going to take some time to learn about Chetana the person before all the titles.
Kristyn 04:50
What is the world's best breakfast?
Dr. Reddy 04:54
So for me breakfast is the most important part of the day, but it's also my favorite meal and I really like, both sweet and savory. So I would probably just say an omelet but I would want a side of pancakes.
Kristyn 05:07
Oh, okay, but what is in your omelet?
Dr. Reddy 05:10
Um, I really like a Denver omlet.
Kristyn 05:12
Ooh, yes, good choice.
Dr. Reddy 05:14
I actually had a restaurant idea if, you know, of course if I didn't do pediatric cardiology. But my sister and I wanted to do a breakfast tapas restaurant, because sometimes you go to the restaurant and you want just a little of everything. So instead of everything ala carte, you just go to a tapas restaurant and you get a little of all your assortment.
Kristyn 05:30
Oh, my gosh, Dr. Reddy. Well, first of all, I'm so glad that didn't work out for you. I'm so glad that you fell back on pediatric cardiology.
Dr. Reddy 05:39
Right.
Kristyn 05:40
But no, I think that's a fantastic idea. And if you ever, if you or your sister ever go into that, let me know, I will be your first customer.
Dr. Reddy 05:49
I'm going to trademark it right now. So no one steals it.
Kristyn 05:51
Yes, exactly. No one can steal it. And if they do they have to, you know, be in partnership with Dr. Reddy. Love it. If you could pick a decade of fashion for history to repeat, which decade would you choose?
Dr. Reddy 06:06
Um, let's see. I think for me the decade that I am fascinated by and I just I love in terms of fashion is the 60's. I just love the clean lines, the really bold colors, a lot of geometric stuff. If anything could come back again, that would be it.
Kristyn 06:23
I think that's awesome. All right. So do you have any irrational phobias?
Dr. Reddy 06:29
Snakes hate snakes.
Kristyn 06:31
Okay, but that's rational, right? They're scary. Some can bite.
Dr. Reddy 06:37
Clowns? Does clowns count?
Kristyn 06:39
Yes, that would count, right? What's a domestic chore that you actually don't mind doing? Or maybe even enjoy?
Dr. Reddy 06:48
I'd have to say vacuuming.
Kristyn 06:50
Vacuuming? Okay.
Dr. Reddy 06:51
Yeah, I really like to vacuum. I find it, something about repetitiveness of it. It's very, kind of soothing and kind of Zen.
Kristyn 06:58
I love that. So, do you do you have like a specific pattern, you know, that you follow for each room?
Dr. Reddy 07:06
I am rather particular, well, not that I'm particular but I like to go in in an order. So it's like mowing my lawn to I do like the maze. Instead of the back and forth. I like start out on the edges. And I like to like create my own little maze all the way to the middle.
Kristyn 07:19
Oh my gosh, I love it. Not that I would guess that you were particular. But I could see you having having a routine with it and everything being organized. Okay, and what is a memory or moment in your life that has brought you great joy?
Dr. Reddy 07:37
A lot of my joyful moments are probably big family get togethers. I have a big family, mostly just a lot of extended cousins. We all kind of get together at least a couple times a year, well, pre-COVID, I should say. You know, it's just my sister and I in terms of siblings. But this way it provides me to have a lot of older, kind of pseudo siblings in a way. And so we have a lot of fun together and we still tease each other like we're ten and have high jinks and stuff. And so
Kristyn 08:02
Is everyone here in town? Do people come into town? Does everyone go to vacation together?
Dr. Reddy 08:08
Yeah, normally we pick a destination. We do a lot of beach vacations at times.
Kristyn 08:13
I love that. That sounds like a wonderful, wonderful vacation and family experience.
Erica 08:21
So how does this down to earth, breakfast loving, 60's vacuuming fashion Queen decide to put the breakfast tapas restaurant idea on hold and instead pursue pediatric cardiology? It seems to me that it was just kind of always meant to be. Dr. Reddy grew up in a small farming town in Indiana. Her father was a physician in this small town. So medicine, it's always been a part of her life.
Kristyn 08:56
Can you describe maybe a little bit more about yourself personally? And then what brought you to your current professional role?
Dr. Reddy 09:04
Yeah, I did pediatrics for three years and then kind of decided on cardiology a little bit on the later side. And so I did a transitional year where I did transport and worked a lot of the nurseries. So that was kind of fun and different.
Kristyn 09:17
Wow, I didn't realize that. And that was something that I have wondered too is, you know, kind of which, the chicken and egg question, which came first? So were pediatrics that was the, you know, the inspiration from the start, or was it cardiology?
Dr. Reddy 09:34
Yeah, medicine. You know, my father was a physician kind of in a small town. And so that's sort of how I got introduced to medicine and pediatrics for me was an easy choice. I grew up in a community with a lot of kids, you know, definitely was always drawn to them. And I always tell the medical students now if they're struggling with trying to figure out what career path I always say, "Look, if you're on your OB rotation and the baby's born, like where do you go? Like do you follow the baby over to get resuscitated, or just get warmed up, or are you like, with the mom, you know? And all the stuff that happens afterwards?" And so I feel like that's a really telling sign of like, where is your interest and your heart kind of going to sort of help them choose a path. Because I feel like that's a pretty big decision making kind of fork in the road. You know, I have a cousin who does adult medicine, and I'm like, I don't know how you do that. And she's like, I don't know how you do what you do. And so, you know, everybody's suited to their, to their area.