In this episode, author Susan Lieu discusses her memoir, “The Manicurist’s Daughter,” which explores her mother’s  death during an elective surgical procedure. Mayo Clinic physician Dr. Alyssa Janousek provides her anesthesiology expertise to help listeners navigate and make sense of surgical procedures. 

We talked with:

Susan Lieu, a Vietnamese-American author, playwright, and performer, tells stories that refuse to be forgotten. A daughter of nail salon workers, she took her autobiographical solo theater show 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother on a 10-city national tour with sold out premieres and accolades from L.A. Times, NPR, and American Theatre. Her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter has been featured on The New York Times, NPR Books, and The Washington Post. Also, Lieu is the co-host of The Model Minority Moms podcast and board member for international NGO Asylum Access. Susan and her sister co-founded Socola Chocolatier, an artisanal chocolate company based in San Francisco. Susan lives with her husband and son in Seattle where they enjoy mushroom hunting, croissants, and big family gatherings. 

Alyssa Janousek, M.D., is an anesthesiologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She received her Medical Degree from University of Arizona-Phoenix, followed by residency in Anesthesiology at University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston with distinction as Chief Resident. She practiced at UTMB in Galveston until 2020 when she moved home to Phoenix and began a private practice career. She has been at Mayo Clinic since May 2023 and has a special interest in graduate medical education, clinical education research, and quality and safety. She is married to her husband, Derrick, and they have two daughters, Eleanor (5) and Clara (2). 

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Purchase “The Manicurist’s Daughter”

• From Bookshop.org.
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Information from Mayo Clinic about general anesthesia

Information from Mayo Clinic about cosmetic surgery

What to do — and avoid — before anesthesia

Anesthesia 101 – American Society of Anesthesiologists

Preparing for Surgery – American Society of Anesthesiologists

How to Make Peace with Your Belly Fat talk by Susan Lieu

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