An Open Letter to Miss Monica from Dr. Kassas

May the Lord join you with wlad al halal.

In the Lebanese language (often spoken, but not written), there is no greeting for “goodbye” or “until we meet again”. A prayer every mom tells her child when he or she is out the door: “May the lord join you with wlad al halal”. A translation of “Wlad al Halal” would be: The people who passed the test of God. Not just good people, but people whom the Lord had given the eye of approval.

My mom’s prayer when I moved to the US still rings in my ears. I knew Monica in the OR when I was called to be present for babies born by c-section. She was a dynamic part of the operating room, always making sure that work was flowing well. Patients are scheduled, lined up and ready, surgeons are flowing well, and no supplies are missing, all while patients are comfortable, warm, consoled and cuddled. She had that loud laugh and sense of humor. No patient looked nervous in her presence. The OR team was the source of envy of all budding doctors and practices who wished they had their own Monica.

One time I was in the lunchroom at JMH (now known as the “Café), Monica approached me and said: ”I would like to work with you”. Just like that! 2 years in Wellsville, and I must have made an impression. This was the start of our partnership in Wellsville. As an RN with great organizational skills, she took control of the office. I focused on seeing patients and she managed everything else. Soon enough, Monica realized that we would do better in private practice and JMH could not be more supportive of us. A year or two later, Monica became more thirsty for patient care and decided to go back to school and became a pediatric nurse practitioner, without skipping a day of work at the office. She had a beautiful family, a full-time job, and college duties. From Roberts Weslyan school where she earned her BSN on into SUNY for PNP school. She would perform her clinic duties while studying and completing her school projects. Among the doctors she trained with was Joan Flender, MD in Dansville. Joan was a smart doctor whom I always looked up to. Monica learned from her a relaxed and laid back approach that was backed up with a strong medical knowledge. This is how Monica’s love for medical books developed.

Her love of books, organizational nature and ability to “put things together” made her a great diagnostician. I would see a patient for several visits and not notice very subtle elements of the physical exam. Only after the same patients would see Monica, she would notice things. Many things. I would be on vacation at the end of the world, and she would call me to alert me about her discoveries. Monica is a dream partner; she would always disguise her discoveries as a team effort between the two of us. In reality, it was a team effort between her and her books. I dreaded her books. I was so scared to go on vacation. I knew that every time I blinked, she would come up with a “Von Recklinghausen” or a “Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. I dreaded her books and her ability to go over them so efficiently before that light bulb turned on only to prove my incompetence. I was so hopeful that with her retirement, I would never hear of those books again. Well… until she handed them to Molly Dempsey! Molly and Alicia McInroy will be deservedly carrying the Monica Torch.

We will all get to meet our creator one day. I know the Lord is going to face me, give me that look. My legs will fail me, I will kneel and confess: “It was Monica all along”. This will be my redemption. It is going to be very hard to work without my partner, redeemer, and best friend. I wish you move on Monica, spend more time with Scott, Emily, Andrew and their loved ones. Us however, we will lament for few days, then smile as we recount your stories and fun times we had together. Along the way, I will never forget to pray: May the Lord join you with wlad al halal.

Love
Zahi

5/1/2026