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These Vital Signs: A Doctor's Notes on Life and Loss in Tweets – Stories from the Pandemic Born from Viral Twitter Poems
A doctor reflects on his profession and his experience with patients in this brilliant essay collection that expands on his wildly popular Twitter poems. In medicine, every patient presents with a story. “Once upon a time I was well, and then . . . ” These patient narratives are the beating heart of medicine; through stories we strive to communicate, to understand, to empathize, and perhaps find healing. These Vital Signs is a poignant series of essays—deeply personal stories—inspired by nephrologist Sayed Tabatabai’s medical experience and based on a series of poems he posted on Twitter that began going viral at the height of the Covid pandemic. Each short work is a poignant glimpse into the ever-changing field of medicine and the special relationship between patients and their doctor. In each, Tabatabai beautifully evokes the emotional tension between life and death, wellness and disease, uncertainty and hope, in a unique and unforgettable way. Exploring themes of illness, dying, grief, and joy, universal in its reach, These Vital Signs tells stories both remarkable and utterly ordinary of a doctor and the patients who have shaped him.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published May 16, 2023
26 people are currently reading
2015 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 3, 2023
Where "Tweetistry" becomes Poetry
There's a reason Dr. T has nearly 75K followers on Twitter. Folks follow him for his incredibly uncanny ability to write stories that we can all connect with. It doesn't matter at all whether or not you work in healthcare, this is a must read.
While reading this book, you will smile, you will frown, you will laugh, you will cry and you may find that many of these stories resonate with you because at the end of the day, Dr. T is really just writing about what it means to be human and the collective human experience.
You will find stories about being a doctor, a patient, family members of those who are ill among others. You'll also read incredibly engaging science fiction that turns out to be another portrait of humanity in disguise.
For students and learners (which to be honest, in medicine, we're all always learning), you will find many an important life lesson that he has beautifully weaved into his tales.
It was really incredible to read some of these stories on Twitter when he wrote them in real time but all of his stories here published together have been arranged in a truly masterful way.
There is something about the tweet-like format of his stories that really blends the best of prose and poetry, and you may find yourself thinking that you are reading a book of touching poems.
My only real criticism is that being less than 180 pages, it ended too soon and I was left wanting much more!
There's a reason Dr. T has nearly 75K followers on Twitter. Folks follow him for his incredibly uncanny ability to write stories that we can all connect with. It doesn't matter at all whether or not you work in healthcare, this is a must read.
While reading this book, you will smile, you will frown, you will laugh, you will cry and you may find that many of these stories resonate with you because at the end of the day, Dr. T is really just writing about what it means to be human and the collective human experience.
You will find stories about being a doctor, a patient, family members of those who are ill among others. You'll also read incredibly engaging science fiction that turns out to be another portrait of humanity in disguise.
For students and learners (which to be honest, in medicine, we're all always learning), you will find many an important life lesson that he has beautifully weaved into his tales.
It was really incredible to read some of these stories on Twitter when he wrote them in real time but all of his stories here published together have been arranged in a truly masterful way.
There is something about the tweet-like format of his stories that really blends the best of prose and poetry, and you may find yourself thinking that you are reading a book of touching poems.
My only real criticism is that being less than 180 pages, it ended too soon and I was left wanting much more!
March 21, 2023
Absolutely lovely
June 24, 2024
I absolutely loved this book.
My favourite chapter was "Where Hearts Beat Strongly".
I have been following Dr. ST on Twitter, and that is where I got to know about his book.
He has written the book so well, I am sure I will be reaching for it again in the future.
My favourite chapter was "Where Hearts Beat Strongly".
I have been following Dr. ST on Twitter, and that is where I got to know about his book.
He has written the book so well, I am sure I will be reaching for it again in the future.
May 19, 2023
This book. Whew. I tried not to read it so fast (2 days), but it was impossible.
It’s beautiful.
It’s 💔
It’s full of humanity.
It’s like a hug.
Everyone should read it.
It’s beautiful.
It’s 💔
It’s full of humanity.
It’s like a hug.
Everyone should read it.
May 19, 2024
This so perfectly encapsulates what it feels like to be in medicine post covid. “I know so much. I know nothing.” I will definitely come back to this.
May 21, 2023
Heartbreakingly healing
This book is a beautiful depiction of what it’s like to be in medicine. Emotions put into words. As an NP student under Dr T as the pandemic was making its debut, it makes me appreciate the lessons learned so much more and hold onto them harder. A must read.
This book is a beautiful depiction of what it’s like to be in medicine. Emotions put into words. As an NP student under Dr T as the pandemic was making its debut, it makes me appreciate the lessons learned so much more and hold onto them harder. A must read.
May 26, 2023
This is an amazing read. Dr. Tabatai’s style, created as he discussed by Twitter’s character limit, creates an absolutely unique but impactful storytelling.
As someone who read many of these stories on Twitter initially, I can assure you that they continue to be just as impactful, just as emotional, and just as good now in book form.
I’ll be reading this again and again, and look forward to whatever else Dr. Tabatai offers us in the future.
As someone who read many of these stories on Twitter initially, I can assure you that they continue to be just as impactful, just as emotional, and just as good now in book form.
I’ll be reading this again and again, and look forward to whatever else Dr. Tabatai offers us in the future.
June 23, 2023
I first started following Sayed during the pandemic and his ability to express himself and his feelings so beautifully and in limited characters, more often than not, caught my breath. A lovely read - some of what he posted on Twitter, but preceded by a few paragraphs of his writing. I think we forgot, through the pandemic, the stress and strain on medical staff, and he underlines it beautifully.
May 23, 2023
Heartfelt and amazing. This is an important book on life.
January 24, 2026
This was exactly what I needed to stave my physician burnout. To remember that it is an honor, not a burden, to be a hand-holder.
December 3, 2023
A quick but powerful read that sheds light onto the horrors, tragedies, and frustrations of medicine, while still providing hope towards the remarkable opportunities for service and growth that are (more or less) exclusive to medicine. A well-rounded, realistic (but not solely pessimistic) view of a kind-hearted but also human practitioner.
June 1, 2023
Loved it so much.
July 23, 2023
The title of this collection of essays - These Vital Signs - is drawn from one of the essays, where Tabatabai speaks of the "people, principles and purpose that nourish our spirits and illuminate the path forward. That show us the signs we look for to find our way. These vital signs." Tabatabai's essays range from accounts of his medical training and the mentors who inspired him, to his encounters with patients and stories of how the healthcare system is failing patients, to stories of his family and his experiences battling COVID.
He writes of his paternal grandfather, a military man who had an arranged marriage to the daughter of a wealthy scholar and poet; their marriage was a "true match" and they found in each other a humsafar or travelling companion. Tabatabai's grandfather writes poetry as well and he mourns the fact that his grandfather wrote in a language that Tabatabai cannot read nor understand. He writes of his maternal grandfather, born into a large, poor family in Punjab, India who nonetheless somehow manages to become a doctor; he flees Pakistan after he refuses to falsify an autopsy report to protect a powerful man who has committed murder and eventually ends up in London.
There are such gems as his exchange with a cardiology fellow who is trying to teach him to interpret EKGs. He asks Tabatabai how many letters there are in the alphabet and Tabatabai replies that there are 26. The fellow responds that it really depends on the language. As with life and as with EKGs, how we interpret things depends on our perspective. Tabatabai writes: "We see not only what we can. We see what we choose to."
Or this reply from a palliative care doctor, when Tabatabai asked how he manages difficult conversations with family members of terminally ill patients: "You asked me how I do this without hurting. The secret isn't in feeling nothing. It's just accepting what you feel. It can hurt, sometimes worse than others. And I accept it, whatever it is. I accept it."
And the reminder he offers for us to cherish each moment: "At some point, your parents picked you up, set you down, and never picked you up again...There are invisible milestones we cross every day, unknowingly. Last times, and first time, for everything."
Or this timely, resonant bit on what it means to battle the desire to quit, when one's sense of purpose and commitment is shaken: "Maybe it's knowing that I'm just a cog in the machine. The constant noise, the climbing workload, the relentless pressure of bureaucracy and benchmarks...Time to find my faith...The interaction with my patient has reminded me of something crucial. So much power lies in our ability to reset. Reset our minds. Reset our paradigms. Reset our systems...This process of preserving your passion is often preached as the antidote to burnout. They call it "remembering your why." Why you went into medicine in the first place. Why you chose this profession. Why you once valued it. Why you value it still."
Tabatabai's essays were first written on Twitter and as a result, his writing is terse and tight. When he writes about his reaction to the overwhelming response he received to his writing on Twitter, he describes it in these three words "Dopamine and disorientation". Brilliant. AA who recommended this book told me it would take me 90 minutes to read. It is a quick read (though it took me a shade longer than 90 minutes) but it's well worth taking the time to savour and reflect on Tabatabai's writing. My only minor complaint is that I didn't really like the COVID-19, 2060 and Hand-Holder essays, which were fictional, futuristic pieces.
He writes of his paternal grandfather, a military man who had an arranged marriage to the daughter of a wealthy scholar and poet; their marriage was a "true match" and they found in each other a humsafar or travelling companion. Tabatabai's grandfather writes poetry as well and he mourns the fact that his grandfather wrote in a language that Tabatabai cannot read nor understand. He writes of his maternal grandfather, born into a large, poor family in Punjab, India who nonetheless somehow manages to become a doctor; he flees Pakistan after he refuses to falsify an autopsy report to protect a powerful man who has committed murder and eventually ends up in London.
There are such gems as his exchange with a cardiology fellow who is trying to teach him to interpret EKGs. He asks Tabatabai how many letters there are in the alphabet and Tabatabai replies that there are 26. The fellow responds that it really depends on the language. As with life and as with EKGs, how we interpret things depends on our perspective. Tabatabai writes: "We see not only what we can. We see what we choose to."
Or this reply from a palliative care doctor, when Tabatabai asked how he manages difficult conversations with family members of terminally ill patients: "You asked me how I do this without hurting. The secret isn't in feeling nothing. It's just accepting what you feel. It can hurt, sometimes worse than others. And I accept it, whatever it is. I accept it."
And the reminder he offers for us to cherish each moment: "At some point, your parents picked you up, set you down, and never picked you up again...There are invisible milestones we cross every day, unknowingly. Last times, and first time, for everything."
Or this timely, resonant bit on what it means to battle the desire to quit, when one's sense of purpose and commitment is shaken: "Maybe it's knowing that I'm just a cog in the machine. The constant noise, the climbing workload, the relentless pressure of bureaucracy and benchmarks...Time to find my faith...The interaction with my patient has reminded me of something crucial. So much power lies in our ability to reset. Reset our minds. Reset our paradigms. Reset our systems...This process of preserving your passion is often preached as the antidote to burnout. They call it "remembering your why." Why you went into medicine in the first place. Why you chose this profession. Why you once valued it. Why you value it still."
Tabatabai's essays were first written on Twitter and as a result, his writing is terse and tight. When he writes about his reaction to the overwhelming response he received to his writing on Twitter, he describes it in these three words "Dopamine and disorientation". Brilliant. AA who recommended this book told me it would take me 90 minutes to read. It is a quick read (though it took me a shade longer than 90 minutes) but it's well worth taking the time to savour and reflect on Tabatabai's writing. My only minor complaint is that I didn't really like the COVID-19, 2060 and Hand-Holder essays, which were fictional, futuristic pieces.
June 25, 2023
Twitter is such a fascinating social media platform. And like all of them, has its good and bad. Somehow, during the pandemic, I found myself in MedTwitter. Probably because I had called out a couple of insurance companies on their evil practices. However, it came about, Dr. Tabatabai's posts showed up in my Twitter feed and I had to follow him, because I was captivated. Utterly captivated.
He began sharing stories on Twitter. Stories about patient interactions. Stories about medical school and practice experiences. He shared his thoughts and his vulnerabilities as a doctor. And in these stories emerged a theme. A theme about the beautiful and heartbreaking moments in humanity as people struggle with life and death.
And in the midst of a pandemic, when things were unknown and scary and events ever changing, these stories brought us thoughtful moments of hope and inspiration. So often, I found myself sharing these stories with The Doctor, who is not on Twitter, because I knew he would appreciate them.
The format in these stories is the same as in Twitter; 120 character paragraphs, which makes for easy reading. Dr. Tabatabai introduces each chapter and his thoughts add depth and perspective. His storytelling ability, especially in a medium of 120 characters or less, is exceptional.
I enjoyed so many of these stories in real time, and I was thrilled when he announced a book. I pre-ordered it as soon as I could. I was not disappointed.
These Vital Signs is a thoughtful book that reinforces the importance of story. All of us have stories and they have value and significance. Our stories should be shared and cherished and Sayed teaches us this in a simple and beautiful way.
He began sharing stories on Twitter. Stories about patient interactions. Stories about medical school and practice experiences. He shared his thoughts and his vulnerabilities as a doctor. And in these stories emerged a theme. A theme about the beautiful and heartbreaking moments in humanity as people struggle with life and death.
And in the midst of a pandemic, when things were unknown and scary and events ever changing, these stories brought us thoughtful moments of hope and inspiration. So often, I found myself sharing these stories with The Doctor, who is not on Twitter, because I knew he would appreciate them.
The format in these stories is the same as in Twitter; 120 character paragraphs, which makes for easy reading. Dr. Tabatabai introduces each chapter and his thoughts add depth and perspective. His storytelling ability, especially in a medium of 120 characters or less, is exceptional.
I enjoyed so many of these stories in real time, and I was thrilled when he announced a book. I pre-ordered it as soon as I could. I was not disappointed.
These Vital Signs is a thoughtful book that reinforces the importance of story. All of us have stories and they have value and significance. Our stories should be shared and cherished and Sayed teaches us this in a simple and beautiful way.
March 19, 2024
The author's ability to express such deep, meaningful, complex emotions and thoughts within such a restricted amount of characters is art. These stories range from inspiring, to heart-wrenching, to horrifying, but all are thought provoking and carry such weight to them that it's hard not to have to stop and digest each one before continuing. You don't need to be a doctor or have any knowledge of the medical field to understand or appreciate these stories, and feel the impact they leave. The lessons learned and shared are universal.
I wanted to take my time with these, and found myself many times having to set the book down to cry and process the emotions I was flooded with. And yet as soon as the tears stopped and my eyes were no longer blurred, the book was back in my hands and I was already a few tweets into the next story. While I loved and enjoyed them all, I think the Hummingbird and Invisible Milestones stories will stay with me forever.
Sometimes I feel like we get so caught up in seeing the negative sides of humanity. Sometimes we end up either hating people or growing numb to it all. These stories rip through those calluses and remind us of just how precious life is. It's such a great reminder to care more, to show more kindness & grace, to treasure every moment we get with the people we love.
"At some point, your parents picked you up, set you down, and never picked you up again. I don’t know who first said that, but the thought has been lingering with me. There are invisible milestones we cross every day, unknowingly. Last times, and first times, for everything."
I wanted to take my time with these, and found myself many times having to set the book down to cry and process the emotions I was flooded with. And yet as soon as the tears stopped and my eyes were no longer blurred, the book was back in my hands and I was already a few tweets into the next story. While I loved and enjoyed them all, I think the Hummingbird and Invisible Milestones stories will stay with me forever.
Sometimes I feel like we get so caught up in seeing the negative sides of humanity. Sometimes we end up either hating people or growing numb to it all. These stories rip through those calluses and remind us of just how precious life is. It's such a great reminder to care more, to show more kindness & grace, to treasure every moment we get with the people we love.
"At some point, your parents picked you up, set you down, and never picked you up again. I don’t know who first said that, but the thought has been lingering with me. There are invisible milestones we cross every day, unknowingly. Last times, and first times, for everything."
June 3, 2023
It’s like Chicken Soup for the Soul. Dr. Tabatabai, one of my very favorite doctors, has written a soul awakening masterpiece that has come out at just the perfect time. Post pandemic nihilism is at an all time high for many healthcare workers I know, and patients as well. This book has been part of my “reset”; I ravenously turn page after page, seeing reminders as to why I work the job I do. This book gives me strong validation for moments in my own personal experience, when I was certain I was so alone. It is as if my soul is screaming, “me too, me too!” with several stories. For others, the stories feel like I am not only reading of Dr. T’s most personal vulnerabilities as a physician and human, but that I am alongside with him. He has a beautiful writing style, the kind that makes you feel like you are right there, vividly experiencing these powerful life and death moments. You come to the brink of each existential collapse before experiencing his ingenious positive reframing of reality and purpose.
It’s just *chef’s kiss*. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those of us who need strong, but gentle, reminders of why we clock in. Thank you, Dr. T, for this gift. I look forward to your next book, but this one will always have a place right on my coffee table.
It’s just *chef’s kiss*. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those of us who need strong, but gentle, reminders of why we clock in. Thank you, Dr. T, for this gift. I look forward to your next book, but this one will always have a place right on my coffee table.
April 28, 2024
Achingly and beautifully accurate reflections on life, medical training, and work in medicine. Originally composed as short stories on social media but telling stories as old as mankind, modern and ancient, timely and timeless. Of grief, hope, illness, healing, and loss. Sayed Tabatabai's skill, intelligence, and empathy are common in physicians; his patience, reflection, humility slightly less so; his gift with words, description, timing, and spacing in the prose is truly sublime. This collection is the truest of windows into life and loss in modern medicine.
And while the whole book is full of meaning and depth, the poems relating to COVID truly hit hard. They capture what we as a field went through, and continue to go through. As he described, many people asked about going "back to normal," but for many of us it was "before" and "after," that things were never really normal again, that some scars never fully heal.
It is not a technical book; it is highly readable and accessible - I recommend it to all to glimpse what it's like in modern medicine. If you are already in medicine, this book is a lovely companion and space for reflection and remembering, of reconnecting with empathy and purpose, of the why.
And while the whole book is full of meaning and depth, the poems relating to COVID truly hit hard. They capture what we as a field went through, and continue to go through. As he described, many people asked about going "back to normal," but for many of us it was "before" and "after," that things were never really normal again, that some scars never fully heal.
It is not a technical book; it is highly readable and accessible - I recommend it to all to glimpse what it's like in modern medicine. If you are already in medicine, this book is a lovely companion and space for reflection and remembering, of reconnecting with empathy and purpose, of the why.
May 18, 2023
I would give this book 10 stars if I could. This is one of the few books I am delighted to own a copy of and expect to return to again and again over the years.
I read most of these 'essays' in their original format on Twitter, but what a gift to have them all collected in one place with Tabatabai's thoughts preceding each section. (Many of them brought me to tears once again.) He's kept the original format, essentially reproducing each essay as a string of 180 (or is it 280?) character paragraphs. It looks like poetry. I am convinced that language arts teachers could use his writing as an example of how to pare language down to the most essential elements. With all of the extra words stripped away, each Tweet story is distilled to pure emotion.
While this is a beautiful reading for anyone, it would make an exceptional gift for someone entering the medical profession. Tabatabai's empathy and wisdom shine through each page as he explores what it means to be a care giver, and, more importantly, what it means to be human. All the stars, all the hearts, for These Vital Signs.
I read most of these 'essays' in their original format on Twitter, but what a gift to have them all collected in one place with Tabatabai's thoughts preceding each section. (Many of them brought me to tears once again.) He's kept the original format, essentially reproducing each essay as a string of 180 (or is it 280?) character paragraphs. It looks like poetry. I am convinced that language arts teachers could use his writing as an example of how to pare language down to the most essential elements. With all of the extra words stripped away, each Tweet story is distilled to pure emotion.
While this is a beautiful reading for anyone, it would make an exceptional gift for someone entering the medical profession. Tabatabai's empathy and wisdom shine through each page as he explores what it means to be a care giver, and, more importantly, what it means to be human. All the stars, all the hearts, for These Vital Signs.
June 7, 2023
I follow dr. t on twitter and love how he used his twitter thread style in this book. a really great read, full of heart and insights into lessons we can learn from medicine. I think it encapsulates this particular moment in american medicine and healthcare very well, and i’m sure i’ll revisit many of these stories again and again!
June 18, 2023
Incredible. I've been following Dr. Tabatabai's twitter for a couple years now and his writings never fail to make me feel emotional. Every time I read each piece/story, I think "I want to write like this-- to tell stories like this." What a gift it is to have these words in print form!
I will be reading this again and again and again and again.
I will be reading this again and again and again and again.
August 1, 2023
I used to read Dr. Tabatabi Tweets on Twitter and I really liked his way of story telling.
Now as to this book, there are some passages that I loved and some that I didn't.
It is always boring when we have to romanticize our parents and grandparents, I didn't like the repetitive COVID-19 theme.
I really liked the Red car, A dog named Tesla, What did it take, The Bouquet, and Reset.
Now as to this book, there are some passages that I loved and some that I didn't.
It is always boring when we have to romanticize our parents and grandparents, I didn't like the repetitive COVID-19 theme.
I really liked the Red car, A dog named Tesla, What did it take, The Bouquet, and Reset.
July 8, 2023
An easy read but profound. Some really simple but mind shattering snippets. It did bring me back to the peak of Covid and was a subtly reminder of what was. The last chapter - advice to learners- is so good.
July 29, 2023
I am not on social media, which also meant that I’d never heard of the author before AA recommends this book to me.
Amazingly touching book - not just suitable for doctors but relevant for anyone looking for meaning in life. And the writing was beautifully crisp, (no) thanks to Twitter.
Amazingly touching book - not just suitable for doctors but relevant for anyone looking for meaning in life. And the writing was beautifully crisp, (no) thanks to Twitter.
February 5, 2025
Dr. Tabatabai is a poet who weaves through the hardest situations in life with care and ease. He intertwines his family’s considerable journey with the journeys he accompanies his patients on.
He is compassionate, introspective, empathetic, thoughtful and most of all, he is Kind.
He is compassionate, introspective, empathetic, thoughtful and most of all, he is Kind.
June 11, 2023
Poetry. You will laugh and cry.
June 15, 2023
A heartfelt memoir told in medical episodes. His lessons of kindness and humility should be in every med school curriculum.
July 9, 2023
Read in one go last evening thoroughly enjoying a reread of some of Dr. T’s tweets along with some new ones. It was his prefaces to chapters that was lovely… especially the heartwarming Humsafar 🥰
August 1, 2023
Fantastic book. Touching. Thoughtful. Profound.
October 23, 2023
Short, sweet Tweets, made for an insightful and compassionate book.
December 25, 2023
“Progress always leaves people behind. The question is who gets to choose who gets left behind and who rises” (Tabatabai 161).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews