Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 2, 2020

KH . ORG 11 Brook Y. Lang, M.D. Neonatology Tell us a littlebit aboutyou andyour family: I was born and raised in Wasilla, Alaska. My father was a dentist and a hunting and fishing guide, so I was in the Alaskan outdoors since before I could crawl. I began fly-fishing solo at age 8 and assisting on hunting trips at age 10. The outdoors has drawn me to most of my locations for school and residency. I had my daughter during my fellowship in Salt Lake City and my son in Spokane after I was in practice at Sacred Heart’s NICU for three years. We moved out to farmland in northern Spokane, where my kids help with the daily chores on our small farm—caring for chickens, sheep, goats and rabbits. We love to wander the property and enjoy the natural beauty our home provides. Whydidyoupickyour specialty? I fell in love with pediatric medicine. Children have an amazing strength when sick and a blunt honesty that challenged me from the start to do better and provide these patients the best chance at recovery. I loved intensive medicine and have always been drawn to caring for the critically ill. In the NICU I found my best fit for continuing to engage in critical care but also having the reward of managing my patients throughout the entirety of their stays. What canpatients expect when theyfirstmeetwith you? I will always have time for my patients and their families. I will often sit with families at the end of a day to talk about their child but also to just spend time getting to know the family who loves my patient so much. Families often mention my honesty—some may call it a strength and others a weakness, but I am very honest with my families about how their child is doing and what to expect. When parents have a child in the NICU, they can feel like so much is unknown and out of their control. I want them to have some sort of a grasp on how their NICU stay may progress. What are someofyour hobbies? Chasing after my children, farming, playing on the water, fishing with my family, camping and traveling. What drewyou toKootenai Health? The people. No other way around it—the staff here has a positivity and energy that enticed me to take a leap of faith, and I’m so happy I did. What isyour favoritehealthy tip? As a NICU doctor, a lot of my words of encouragement or tips are directed at expecting or postpartum moms. My most important advice is to take care of yourself, emotionally and physically. Baby needs a healthy environment, and the most important way to stay healthy is getting enough rest and granting yourself some grace. provide education where I am able. What are someofyour hobbies? I love to hike with our dogs, paddleboard and kayak in the warmer months—really do anything in the great outdoors. My goal is to learn how to ski, as I didn’t grow up in an area where people do a lot of winter sports. What drewyou toKootenai Health? The passion for being a community health care center and the goal of ensuring compassionate, patient- centered care. What isyour favoritehealthy tip? I am a huge health-nut and have drastically changed my diet in the past year to be gluten- and dairy-free. My tip is to cut out unnecessary sugars and carbohydrates and to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, don’t feel bad indulging every once in a while, as we still need to enjoy life.