StoryCorps and Intermountain Healthcare partner to share conversations of hope and healing.
Pediatrician Marty Nygaard, MD, and his wife, Louise live near St. George, Utah. Dr. Nygaard’s original songs have been making patients, doctors, and caregivers smile for more than two decades. "One thing that's amazing about you is that you can talk about serious spiritual things, and then end with a silly song."
Louise Nygaard: I like to say that you were a closet entertainer until I met you, and then I got you out of the closet. Because you didn't think you were funny or specifically talented to be on the stage.
Marty Nygaard, MD: You definitely encouraged me. You volunteered me for things that I wouldn't have volunteered for myself. It has changed the way my life has gone, for sure.
Louise: Tell us how you sing to your patients.
Dr. Nygaard: If they're coming in close to their birthday or on their birthday, I sing Happy Birthday to them. I have one song that I've used for years and years, which I stole from John McCutcheon, and that's called Cut The Cake and it goes like this: "It makes me think of the good old days, happy birthday to you. You sure grew out of your baby ways, happy birthday to you. It's your birthday, we wish you many more. Health and wealth and friends by the score. Cut the cake and let's eat some more. Happy birthday to you." Sometimes the kids are really scared, and other times they love it.
Louise: I think that's just one way you connect with your patients. You have a phenomenal memory for names and will go to a movie or dinner somewhere, and there'll be a child kind of hiding, waiting for you to see them and recognize them by name.
Dr. Nygaard: I mean, that is one of the highlights of being a pediatrician, is seeing your patients grow up and seeing them in other settings. I do remember the one time where I was in the grocery store, I turned around and there was a little girl in the cart who was my patient, and she just screamed so loud because I was not a happy memory for her.
Louise: Oh no, you triggered a ...
Dr. Nygaard: Post traumatic stress, for sure. Other times, they're so happy to see me out and about, and I'm delighted to see them. It's fun to connect with your patients in different venues.
Louise: Yeah.
Dr. Nygaard: One of the things I've done since I came to St. George 24 years ago, I was asked to do the boy's maturity talk, but I try to make it fun. I worked up a song, and it goes, "Puberty, let's talk about puberty. Can't you see your body is changing? You've got hair where you never had it. What's that there? We'll talk about it." We go on from there, that's long enough.
Louise: Kind of breaks the ice.
Dr. Nygaard: Breaks the ice. Maybe this won't be so terrible after all.
Louise: The nurses always ask you to perform at their parties or for the other doctors, because you will write songs specific to their specialty.
Dr. Nygaard: Yeah, I've written songs about OB nurses. I wrote a song about mental health integration.
Louise: Your greatest hit is Colorectal Surgeon. Do you want to sing that one?
Dr. Nygaard: "We praise the colorectal surgeon, misunderstood and much maligned. Slaving away in the heart of darkness, working where the sun don't shine. Respect the colorectal surgeon. It's a calling few would crave. Let's all raise our hands to greet him, let's all do the finger wave. When it comes to spreading joy, there are many techniques. Some spread joy to the world, while others just spread cheeks. You may think the cardiologist is your best friend, but the colorectal surgeon knows he'll get you in the end." That was not an original to me.
Louise: That was often requested.
Dr. Nygaard: Someone sent that to me and it stuck, yeah.
Louise: One thing that's amazing about you is that you can talk about serious spiritual things, and then end with a silly song.
Dr. Nygaard: I appreciate that. There's time for both. "I am a pediatrician."
Louise: Hurrah.
Dr. Nygaard: "Hurrah for the pediatrician. It is, it is an honorable profession to be a pediatrician. It is, hurrah for the pediatrician. Hurrah for the pediatrician."
Marty Nygaard, MD: You definitely encouraged me. You volunteered me for things that I wouldn't have volunteered for myself. It has changed the way my life has gone, for sure.
Louise: Tell us how you sing to your patients.
Dr. Nygaard: If they're coming in close to their birthday or on their birthday, I sing Happy Birthday to them. I have one song that I've used for years and years, which I stole from John McCutcheon, and that's called Cut The Cake and it goes like this: "It makes me think of the good old days, happy birthday to you. You sure grew out of your baby ways, happy birthday to you. It's your birthday, we wish you many more. Health and wealth and friends by the score. Cut the cake and let's eat some more. Happy birthday to you." Sometimes the kids are really scared, and other times they love it.
Louise: I think that's just one way you connect with your patients. You have a phenomenal memory for names and will go to a movie or dinner somewhere, and there'll be a child kind of hiding, waiting for you to see them and recognize them by name.
Dr. Nygaard: I mean, that is one of the highlights of being a pediatrician, is seeing your patients grow up and seeing them in other settings. I do remember the one time where I was in the grocery store, I turned around and there was a little girl in the cart who was my patient, and she just screamed so loud because I was not a happy memory for her.
Louise: Oh no, you triggered a ...
Dr. Nygaard: Post traumatic stress, for sure. Other times, they're so happy to see me out and about, and I'm delighted to see them. It's fun to connect with your patients in different venues.
Louise: Yeah.
Dr. Nygaard: One of the things I've done since I came to St. George 24 years ago, I was asked to do the boy's maturity talk, but I try to make it fun. I worked up a song, and it goes, "Puberty, let's talk about puberty. Can't you see your body is changing? You've got hair where you never had it. What's that there? We'll talk about it." We go on from there, that's long enough.
Louise: Kind of breaks the ice.
Dr. Nygaard: Breaks the ice. Maybe this won't be so terrible after all.
Louise: The nurses always ask you to perform at their parties or for the other doctors, because you will write songs specific to their specialty.
Dr. Nygaard: Yeah, I've written songs about OB nurses. I wrote a song about mental health integration.
Louise: Your greatest hit is Colorectal Surgeon. Do you want to sing that one?
Dr. Nygaard: "We praise the colorectal surgeon, misunderstood and much maligned. Slaving away in the heart of darkness, working where the sun don't shine. Respect the colorectal surgeon. It's a calling few would crave. Let's all raise our hands to greet him, let's all do the finger wave. When it comes to spreading joy, there are many techniques. Some spread joy to the world, while others just spread cheeks. You may think the cardiologist is your best friend, but the colorectal surgeon knows he'll get you in the end." That was not an original to me.
Louise: That was often requested.
Dr. Nygaard: Someone sent that to me and it stuck, yeah.
Louise: One thing that's amazing about you is that you can talk about serious spiritual things, and then end with a silly song.
Dr. Nygaard: I appreciate that. There's time for both. "I am a pediatrician."
Louise: Hurrah.
Dr. Nygaard: "Hurrah for the pediatrician. It is, it is an honorable profession to be a pediatrician. It is, hurrah for the pediatrician. Hurrah for the pediatrician."