PROFILES Mama Surgeon: An Interview with Dr. Heidi Murley "For me, a typical day includes balancing other people's life-threatening illnesses with my kids’ homework. I believe that the single most important personality trait for a mother of three is an appropriate sense of perspective. At the end of the day, if everyone's breathing and no one is in the emergency room, then the day’s a success. Many parents of one or two children don’t understand this "damage control" model of parenting."