tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40681817889284433112024-03-21T14:17:42.823-04:00Medicalmanes. Mainly events that occur in and around the medical world. Some you need to know about and some you don't. All to either inform or amuse you.
Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.comBlogger469125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-39735316571442188152022-12-28T15:40:00.001-05:002022-12-28T15:40:27.763-05:00The Sane Psychiatrist. (or, it ain't easy being a shrink!)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i> It's not easy being a shrink. Nobody ever let's you forget it. Everyone is just a little apprehensive, that you look right through the skin and fat and bones that shelter the few pounds of jelly in your skull that determines everything you think and do. They think you know just how vulnerable it is - and you do!! I have a thousand stories of the strange results of its gyrations.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Manipulator</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I hadn’t seen my cousin Peggy McGoldrick since she she came over from Dublin to visit us in Canada in <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">2012</span>,
the year after her divorce. She was
staying with a friend in Toronto,
convalescing from the effects of a two-year marriage which had gone sour after
a few months, and that took longer to recover from than the marriage had
lasted. Maggie and I live on a small farm
two and a half-hours drive from Toronto. When her father, my Uncle Jimmy<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">,</span> phoned us to
suggest that since she was in Canada we might like to have her visit us, ("you know, it would help her to get over things"), we were more than willing to do so.
My Uncle Jimmy was a special person, despite his idiosyncrasies, and was
especially kind to Maggie and me, eons ago, when we were first going out together. He was a great fly fisherman and had often
tried to interest me in that art when I was a kid. The problem was that if we didn’t catch
something in the first thirty minutes I rapidly lost interest. Anyway, Maggie phoned Peggy, and in her warm and welcoming way she soon convinced her to spend a week or two with us. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> She had been a spoilt kid as I remembered
her, but she turned out to be good company and we had a nice couple of weeks together,
despite her underlying post divorce blues.
She had a great sense of humour and if ever I gently nudged the
conversation in the direction of her marriage, she found a good-humoured way to
firmly steer the conversation in another direction. She wasn't having any snooping from me!
However, when we were saying our good-byes, her parting words to me were “since
you’re such an expert on marriage, maybe someday we’ll see if you can evaluate what went wrong with mine.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I had in arrived in Dublin a couple of days earlier for the funeral of an old friend and to <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">fulfill</span> my commitment as the executor of her will. For various reasons Maggie couldn't come at this time so I was on my own. I phoned Jimmy soon after my arrival in Dublin and he had invited
me over to dinner.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Mary’s away too’, he said when he heard Maggie wasn’t
with me. “Come over and I’ll show you
what a good piece of fish should taste like.
I’m a pretty good cook you know and I caught the fish myself.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I arrived on
Sunday evening and was surprised when Peggy, his daughter opened the door delightedly. </span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“It’s good to see you, ”, She said. “It’s been a long time”.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Yes,” I said, “I've tried phoning you several
times when I knew I was coming but never actually managed to connect. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a fine dinner and Uncle Jimmy made much of
the facts that he’d caught the trout and shot the partridges, and talked as
though he’d cooked the whole dinner, even though I knew it was Peggy who’d
done most of the work. We talked a lot
about the good old days, and the more we sipped our 'Bushmills Black' the better they
seemed.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“And what’s new with you, Peggy,” I said. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Quite a bit,” she said happily, “ I’m getting
married – again” and then, more seriously,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“You remember, when I visited you in Canada a couple
of years ago and you said to me that that we could discuss what happened in my
marriage, and I brushed it aside mainly, I suppose, because I just wasn’t ready
yet- too painful. Well, I think I’m
ready for that now. I know that things
are going to be right with Hugh, but I still think I should learn as much from
my failure as possible. Does your
offer still hold?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“It certainly does, “ I said, “after all, if we
don’t learn from our mistakes we are doomed to repeat them, and this is a good
time to do this, if it won’t embarrass your Dad.”</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I
glanced over at Uncle Jimmy.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>“It won’t embarrass him,” she answered for him,
“will it, daddy? It’ll just bore him to
death. He and Mom lived through all that
too, and I don’t think I could ever have gotten through that time without their
support.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Go ahead,” Uncle Jimmy lit up his
pipe contentedly, “maybe we’ll all learn something”. </span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I said, “I know there’s a great
danger in trying to simplify complex situations, but usually people used to manage to
handle the myriad of minor irritations associated with day to day living within
their marriage. These days <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">people are much more inclined to walk away at the first major confrontation rather than try to work them out. </span> <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A great deal depends on how good the marriage was in<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> the first place and in the flexibility of the couple. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do you think your marriage failed? </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> She considered the question for a
few moments. “Kenny, - that was my
former husband’s name, was a real control freak. You’d probably call it an
obsessive-compulsive personality or something like that. I should have seen the writing on the wall,
because it was evident long before we got married. Kenny, he insisted on being called Kenny,
not Ken or Kenneth, started when we were planning the wedding. He had to have his own way in every little
thing."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> " <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A sure recipe for failure, if ever there was one. One that has to be sorted out <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">before</span> the marriage because it<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'s not likely to be resolved afterwards.</span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">S</span>ome of the issues were really trivial, and yet if he didn’t get his own way
they could blow up into a major fight.
We hadn’t been married very long before he started making demands. He wanted me to become active in the Church,
which he had never even been interested in, or belonged to before we were
married. He became very involved himself
and expected me to do the same.
Initially, I thought he was having an epiphany, but after a while I
began to realize that he saw it more as a step to success, than anything
else. Kenny was an accountant doing
okay, but certainly not setting the world on fire, and I think he thought being
perceived as a family man might help him<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">. I had my own career which I certainly th<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ought no less important than his. But other than my bringing home my pay packet to share in the house expenses he didn't seem interested."</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "And how was your sex life<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">?' I asked.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Her father busied himself filling his pipe and trying to move out of ear shot. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "Not that great, but it did exist." she <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">responded<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">, and added, "I did let him know that on a couple of occasions</span></span> and I guess that didn't help very much."</span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>“<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">No, it wouldn't"</span> I couldn’t help <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">observing.</span>.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “I guess I was being mean. <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">O</span>ur sex life sure wasn’t anything to write home
about. But what really bothered me was
that he never seemed to want to be alone with me. Almost every week-end and holiday was spent
with his mother, or middle-aged bachelor friends and some of the time I could
come if I liked, or not, and some of the time I was just not invited. And if we weren’t going out, he thought we,
or rather I, should be entertaining them.
After a while that started to wear pretty thin. It wasn't long before I was making all sorts
of changes to my plans to facilitate Kenny.
I found I was resenting it increasingly because it seemed to me that he
wasn't making the same sort of concessions.
For instance I changed my work schedule at his request so that we could
spend more evenings together and found that his concept of spending evenings
together was visiting his friends or entertaining them and his family. We rarely had an evening together to go to a
movie or to just to sit and watch television.
He wanted me to work and share all the expenses of living, including
paying him rent, I might add, but was very resentful when my work interfered
with his social expectations."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "You can be sort of anti-social
at times, <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>," her father said quietly.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "I don't think I'd call it
anti-social, Daddy," she said, " I just don't like being with people
all the time, and Kenny never seemed to get enough. But I thought if someone really loved you,
it was without reservation."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I shook my head sadly, "that's
the way it is in romance novels, unfortunately in real life it rarely works
that way, and if things get bad enough between a couple they both find that
there are very real reservations and limits to their love." </span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "I realize that now,"
Maureen continued, "so we were fighting more and more frequently, and he
said horrible things to me and - "</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Her father interrupted, "you
have a pretty sharp tongue yourself ".</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "Oh Daddy, who's side are you
on?" she asked angrily, "you'd think it was all my fault!"</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "I'm sure it was both your
faults," he said.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> They both looked at me as though
seeking some judgement. I thought I'd just listen.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "So what happened next," I
asked solicitously.</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "What happened next was the
inevitable spiraling of our conflicts until eventually even the silliest little
difference ends up with us screaming at each other. He was so controlling that eventually
everything ended up as a conflict and he was just impossible to live
with. He said such horrible thing to me."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "Whoa," I said, "you
knew this man for some time before you married him, are you telling me that you
didn't see this side of him at all before you married him?"</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "Well, I suppose I did, but I
thought we would be able to work it all out after we got married," she
said sheepishly.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "I don't want to sound
cynical," I said, "but marriage tends to magnify these problems, not
diminish them. Put two people in close proximity
on a daily basis and sooner or later they will have to confront these
differences and if they don’t respect each other’s boundaries living together
soon becomes untenable.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Anyway,” <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span> said, “to cut a
long story short, it ended up with him running back to live with his Mama when
he found he couldn’t just get me out of his house. It was his house, and he was going to get me
out of it, and I wasted the next two years of my life depressed and miserable
trying to get over it. I’m sure not going
to make any of those mistakes again.
This time I’m really sure things are going to work.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “That’s encouraging to hear, <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>,” I said. “What have you learned that inspires such confidence?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “First of all, I have learned that
the person you marry is going to be the same person after the marriage as
before it. In fact, any problems that
exist before the marriage must be resolved then, because after the marriage
living in close proximity magnifies those irritants. When Kenny and I got married, I made a whole
series of promises for change, which ranged from quitting smoking to becoming
more of a social creature that just was not me. I found myself making promises that I just
couldn’t keep, but he was such a nag, that I’d have said anything to shut him
up. With Hugh, I had the maturity and
self-confidence to say ‘what you see is what you get’. Sure, I want us to please each other, but
not under the circumstance ‘do what I say and change to suit me or get out’. No promises of that nature from me, and I
don’t expect them from him!”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “That’s certainly an important
lesson,” I said, “maybe the most important one. If you want to make over your partner even
before the wedding, it doesn’t bode well for the future. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">From what you’ve said to me, I think you can realize
what harm words can do. Nothing could
be further from the truth than that old saying children used to quote when they
were the victims of hurtful words. ‘Sticks and stones can break my bones but
names can never hurt me’. In fact sometimes
words can hurt much more than sticks and stones. And the problem is once said they can’t be
unsaid. Words said in anger can
reverberate long after the anger has dissipated and the issues that gave rise
to them are forgotten.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span> looked at me thoughtfully, “yes, I think you
may be right,” she said. “Another
important thing is the change in relationship that normally takes place between
a married person and his or her family and friends. I think those relationships are very
important, but a successful marriage depends on the persons involved placing
themselves above all else – without in any way depreciating the other
relationships in their lives. I’m sure
there is a lot more about marriage that I’ve learnt that I can’t just put my
finger on right now. I know this is
your area of specialization, maybe you’ve discerned some other messages in my
story that I’ve missed?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It's often the small things</span>, <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>, give me an example of some small thing
that provoked a third world war between you and Kenny?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Well there was the bloody ridiculous picture thing
just before we broke up. I thought a few
of our pictures needed to be moved and started early on Sunday morning, full of
enthusiasm to do the moving. I must have
woken the bastard gently hammering a nail in the wall, and he came downstairs in
his pyjamas ranting and raving when he saw what I was doing, and asked me what the
fuck I meant by moving pictures in his house
without discussing it with him first.
I was so furious that it took me days to get over it.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Do you think your anger was out of proportion to
the circumstances?” I asked her.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“What do you mean out of fucking proportion,” she
responded angrily, “you didn’t have to listen to the bastard going on for
hours.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“You said twenty minutes,” I said.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">She looked at me angrily and said nothing.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>, when people over-react to something, <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">sometimes</span> they are transferring an unresolved conflict from their early life onto the
present situation without realizing it.
Does this remind you of any feelings from your early life?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“What do you mean?” she asked.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Well, as you are having these feelings, does that
remind you of similar feelings when you were growing up?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“Oh, you mean when me and Mom got into it? Well yes, she always did seem to have it in
for me!”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Uncle Jimmy looked uncomfortable. “Oh God, the two
of you used to be at it terrible, I was even glad to have to go to some of those
evening meetings on occasion.<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>And
then there were those evening meeting of the Irish Fly-fishing Association. It seems to me that you and your mother were
two peas in a pod. You could both be
equally unreasonable at times with me burying my head in the sand as I ambled
down to my fly-tying equipment in the <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">garage</span> to get a couple of hours of
peace and quiet.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “So you and your Mom are sort of similar
personalities, eh <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>?” I asked. “We tend to pick someone like one or other
of our parents to be attracted to. So which
of your parents was Kenny most like?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Uncle Jimmy picked up his well
chewed browning Meerschaum pipe and looked as though he were about to leave the
room.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Sit down Jimmy,” I barked. He may have been a favourite uncle but there
was no way he was escaping right now.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Oh he always tried to get away like
that when the situation was getting uncomfortable, I hope Hugh isn’t too like
that.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Let’s get back to the point, <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>,” I said, “which of your parents is Kenny a bit like?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “You mean, that I’m like my
mother?” <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>’s voice elevated an octave, “and that Kenny was a bit like me?”
her voice had risen another half octave.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “You have to understand, that what I
am really explaining is that you tended to transfer the unresolved control
conflicts with your mother onto the similar personality of Kenny, resulting in
minor angers becoming major rages.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “I never thought of it that way
before, but if you are right, there’s probably nothing that you can do about
that, is there?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peggy</span>, when you spot transference
of unresolved feelings, from an early life intimate relationship, you have to
put the feelings of anger and sadness, back where they come
from. This <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">can sometimes be</span> done by
writing about it briefly, in a journal, recognizing the original feelings of
anger and sadness that you have never dealt with and putting them on paper.” </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> “So how does that help me with the
picture hanging, or should I call it the ‘picture lynching’ episode, Dr. Freud?”
she said sarcastically.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Most couples are pretty competitive
with each other these days, rather like the competition between siblings. Couples are best off when they clearly
define zones of responsibility. Each
partner must have clearly defined responsibilities for the various tasks that
have to be accomplished on a day to day basis.
Traditionally the woman always looked after the house, the man the
outside and the cars for example. Yet,
if the man was going to change the appearance of the garden, he should consult
with his wife before he makes any final decision, just as much as if you were
going to change the pictures, you should have consulted with your partner
first.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “But why would he flip out over
moving a couple of simple pictures?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Maybe his father wouldn’t let him
put posters up on his bedroom wall as a kid, and he’s pretty touchy about this.” <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I</span> said, then added, “how were things done in your house when you were a kid?” </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "I never cared about that sort of stuff."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> “
Well, if you had checked with Kenny, it may never have bothered him. It may just have been a lack of communication,
or it may have been a truly touchy situation.” </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"I think my husband and my mother were both control freaks," she said.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "And there was<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> no way you were going to be controlled by anyone?"</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "That's right<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">."</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> By now, I was thorough<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ly fed up with all this nonsense. I needed to wind it up so that it wouldn't ruin my holid<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ay. I wasn't even getting paid for talking <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">or listen<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ing<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> - unus<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ual for me.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">So this <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">was</span> the best way <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">to wind it up quickly.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Said I, “Look, I didn’t do everything right,
and tended to take the line of least resistance a lot of the time, that’s my
problem that I have to deal with – but there’s no way I can blame my parents
for that, and equally there is no way you can blame yours. If you’re frustrated with <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">them </span>for not being
more assertive<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> and more to <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">your</span> liking</span> that’s your right, but don’t blame <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">them</span> for your problems. And, believe me, you have no idea what they are going to be, yet. They might just <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">make ours</span> seem mild. Remember, the secret of a successful life is
not necessarily to be dealt a great hand, but to play the hand you were dealt
the best possible</span></span> <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">way.</span></span></span></div>
Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-44487310715414286662022-03-30T17:09:00.025-04:002022-03-31T18:38:42.510-04:00Monet & Me!<span style="font-size: large;">Claude Monet & Me. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"> post-impressionism /pəʊstɪmˈprɛʃ(ə)nɪz(ə)m/ ♫
noun [mass noun] the work or style of a varied group of late 19th-century and early 20th-century artists including Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cézanne. They reacted against the naturalism of the impressionists to explore colour, line, and form, and the emotional response of the artist, a concern which led to the development of expressionism. Long long ago I went through a period when I fancied myself as an up and coming artist. It only lasted as long as my first few attempts, when even I could recognize a lack of any exceptional talent. However, one of my pictures was sufficiently passable for my wife to suggest that we have it smartly framed and hung
in our home. I was doubtful but she had such confidence in me that I went along with the idea. There was a fine picture framer in our neighborhood and we had some pictures framed from time to time and we were always happy with their recommendations and their work.
Cut a long story short, Betty, the owner, looked at my picture and asked ,
"Did you say it was his first painting ?" </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> "Yes," said Irene, "Good, isn't it? That's why I'd like to get a really nice frame for it." </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> "It's quite good for a first attempt. I wouldn't recommend spending a lot of money framing it. You could buy a very nice frame for it in one of the 'Big Box Bric a brac stores for a few dollars, that would look quite nice hanging in the basement or in a den. Custom framing is really quite expensive and I don't think you need to spend a lot of money on this."
Irene told me the story and ended up saying, "Well, I still like it. It's better than a lot of the junk you see in many of the artsy stores." </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Being the thrifty souls we are, we ended up following Betty's advice and I found a frame in a local hobby shop that fitted my picture perfectly. Instead of throwing my work of art out, Irene hung it in the den part of our basement and there it hung for many years. Five Years later. my office or den in our basement. was a separate room squeezed between tyke playroom and the utility area of the basement.. the kids used to frequently play in the playroom and on this particular day, as I dashed down to the office to sign off various urgent papers,I see my daughter and her little friend, both about nine years old, standing looking at two paintings side by side on the wall. One was a nice little inexpensive print of a picture by the great impressionist artist Monet and beside it was my pathetic work that even Betty the Art Framer, could not bring herself to charge invest my money in! The two girls were pensively evaluating the works of art. Unobserved, I watched them.
"Oh, I like that one best," said the little girl.
"Yes, I like that one best too," said the other little girl, who happened to be my daughter, dismissing the Monet.
I was thrilled! Years later.
It was that stage of life when we were gathering the desiderata of a lifetime and deciding what could be dumped and what sentimental garbage the kids (middle -aged now) might be interested in keeping. As we groped our way through the boxes of toys, kids books and pictures, we tended to reassign items from the 'dump' group back into the 'keep group'.
"Hey! Look what I've found here," I yelled, pulling a painting out of a cardboard box. ' It's the painting that Betty the picture framer wouldn't waste MY money framing!. I think it's pretty good now - or perhaps it's that my vision isn't what it used to be. Still, I do recall Rena and her little friend preferring my picture to Monet's."
[Monet, Claude /ˈmɒneɪ/ ♫
(1840–1926), French painter. A founder member of the impressionists, his fascination with the play of light on objects led him to produce series of paintings of single subjects painted at different times of the day and under different weather conditions, such as the Water-lilies sequence (1899–1906; 1916 onwards).]
Now it so happened that my daughter and her husband had just bought a new condo and high on their list of imperatives was filling those lovely walls with appropriate artistic endeavours.
"When she and Bill come to visit next we'll see if she still thinks I'm better than Monet."
They came to visit a few weeks later.
"We have some nice pictures that I think you and Bill will really like for your walls," Irene said. "They are stored in boxes in the basement. I'll call you when dinner is ready. "
"Okay," said Rena, beginning her descent into the basement. Bill followed her down an we heard no more for a while.
Shortly after, we heard quite a lot of noise coming from the basement as Bill and Rena made their way back up to the living room.
'Well, did you find anything that you'd like to hang on your walls?" Irene asked. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> "Yes we did, several things," Rena said excitedly, "but this is what we both like best like of all". They both held out the favoured picture.
Here it is: A genuine Smith! (I note that modesty prompted me to leave it unsigned.)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFaJT7lzUgkWXdwQpU8wg-SnIlebsngOH-bXlzBNPBzFMobL9bHb5Q5DamzhfzEpLgJHW2GqK2hFnvitieH4owL5OvVCnHU6cd5jpWhhEtMOqyNFY78cGjtM32ifiFB857w3ic5akWg5aD_nmEOinIt5beRc9B0asUEh1NSbV9sAr1lhAfrqkh-ZwA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1152" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFaJT7lzUgkWXdwQpU8wg-SnIlebsngOH-bXlzBNPBzFMobL9bHb5Q5DamzhfzEpLgJHW2GqK2hFnvitieH4owL5OvVCnHU6cd5jpWhhEtMOqyNFY78cGjtM32ifiFB857w3ic5akWg5aD_nmEOinIt5beRc9B0asUEh1NSbV9sAr1lhAfrqkh-ZwA" width="320" /></a></div><br />And still it hangs. For their next birthday I'm going to have it professionally framed!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Someday I may paint another picture!!<br /><br /></span></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-64306893407223967942022-03-12T22:10:00.000-05:002022-03-12T22:10:33.448-05:00The Dental Fairy V The Great Barber -Surgeon -Dentist.<p> </p><span id="docs-internal-guid-df8cc247-7fff-7339-d9fd-48cacb1ac623"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6gio1JsadOr_3vl9nwjs_66hTxjX8dGP9uMQyVX8KejRyffX3w-afLxg1UktVZlc0Inks5ksRzvb8O7CskTmQ1FagsCqg0BD1IS1hKgHQiKk61U3zdr-xDyNC_oKzykft6eyOUCaJfE1J86D6uPy8mzlAe0U4tEmttSl3mpunrSeyqZklqJhNPuiB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1358" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6gio1JsadOr_3vl9nwjs_66hTxjX8dGP9uMQyVX8KejRyffX3w-afLxg1UktVZlc0Inks5ksRzvb8O7CskTmQ1FagsCqg0BD1IS1hKgHQiKk61U3zdr-xDyNC_oKzykft6eyOUCaJfE1J86D6uPy8mzlAe0U4tEmttSl3mpunrSeyqZklqJhNPuiB" width="472" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Great Barber-Surgeon-Dentist!</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">“His pole, with pewter basins hung,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Black, rotten teeth in order strung,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rang’d cups that in the window stood,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lin’d with red rags, to look like blood,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did well his threefold trade explain,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who shav’d, drew teeth, and breath’d a vein.”</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-The Goat without a Beard, by John Gay.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> From the Middle Ages to the late eighteenth century when folks had a bad toothache and many other surgical conditions, they went down to the barbershop. The Surgeon Barber's were the practical surgeons of the Middle Ages and looked after many surgical conditions as well as the grooming of their patients.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dental extractions were one of the commoner procedures of the barber surgeons or of a family member good with pliers, but in those pre-anesthetic days people often pulled out their own teeth using everything from a string tied around the tooth and the other end around the door handle. A good slug of gin, then slam the door and voila - the tooth is out.</span></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The point of all of the above is that before I cut to the chase, I wanted you to know that in 1902 a dental extraction was 25c. Now let's carry on with the story!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> My wife developed a toothache and a loose tooth recently. She went to her dentist. The dentist confirmed the loose tooth and decided it should be extracted. The dentist referred her to a specialist which mildly surprised me, since in my day, dental extraction was the bread and butter dental procedure. (see the published tariff above in 1902 the procedure cost twenty-five cents).</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The appointment date rolled around pretty quickly and I drove my wife to the dental appointment. Initially, I thought the appointment was to have the tooth pulled. Perish that thought! The appointment was to have the tooth that was to be extracted assessed, the 'surgery' to be planned for a later date. We went into the waiting room, where my wife was given a five page medical history form to complete that I filled in for her. (The print was too small for her failing vision so I guess if I wasn't there they would have had to find someone to do it for her.) Apart from the basic medical history required, the document appeared to be put together mainly to indemnify the dentist in case anything went wrong.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The waiting area was comfortable enough and dominated by a large OLED television screen with one of the best pictures I have seen - at least that's what I think it was. A colorful collage of ocean creatures displayed their magnificently spectacular, spectral antics in a manner that suggested that even for fish and other sea creatures the virtual life superseded reality. A real tank could not host the drama as magnificently. It was obvious that this was going to be one expensive piece of dental surgery. I was enjoying the show when the assistant came to take my wife into the dentist. Since this was the tail-end of Covid (one visitor in the office at a time!) I waited outside, which I was more than happy to do as I had become engrossed in Oceanography.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "Everything okay?" I asked.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> She nodded, "Oh yes, I'm going to have it out on Thursday. I hope you don't have an appointment for that time ?" she asked anxiously.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> (Now that we are both octogenarians we have so many maintenance appointments from head to foot that we have to be careful that they don't conflict.)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "Did it hurt when he wiggled the tooth to see how loose it is?" I asked.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "No" she shook her head as we both struggled to get our seat belts done up.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "Well," I said impatiently, "What did he say when he looked in your mouth and probed it?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "He didn't look in my mouth at all," she said, struggling to get the seat belt off."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> My wife doesn't hear as well as she used to. I increased my normally loud vocal volume up a notch. "I asked what he said when he looked in your mouth," I shouted. She has the best teeth I've ever seen in a person of our age, and in sixty years this old General Practitioner spent a lot of time looking in mouths.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <b><i> "Oh, he didn't look in my mouth at all,"</i></b> she said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "He didn't ask you to open your mouth at all?" I asked</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "No! He just put my head in a big thing and took some sort of x ray. I think it was some sort of MRI thing "</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Now I know I am old, very old. So old in fact that way back in the days of CB radio, (remember that?) my moniker was "The Dinosaur"!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> THE SURGERY.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> A week later we arrived at the dentist's office at 1.25pm, for our 1.45 appointment. I was relieved that the same oceanography program was still on.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> In no time at all my wife appeared back in the waiting room, biting on a large bloody gauze square with a prescription for an antibiotic, an analgesic, a box of gauze squares as well as a prescription for a mouthwash that dentists prefer.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The price had gone up considerably since the 1902 rates published at the top of this blog, but then so has everything else! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Kalam;">We've come a long way since the tooth fairy used to visit me!!</span></span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 360px; overflow: hidden; width: 600px;"><br /></span></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-52187493225012759392022-02-23T17:40:00.003-05:002022-02-23T17:40:40.037-05:00Vaccintion Politization.<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Vaccination Politization. <span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">When I was born in 1935, no-one asked my mother if she'd like me vaccinated against small-pox, they told her I had be vaccinated. Neither her permission nor my father's was required. Although she had no special medical knowledge, she, like many others, did have enough perception to realize what a killer smallpox had been and was happy to have her newborn protected against it. That general realization was sufficiently widespread and the vaccination sufficiently accepted as being effective, that the lethal disease has been wiped off the face of the earth. People showed off their small ugly vaccination scar on their upper arm with pride!
</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: trebuchet; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When I was growing up, the countryside in Ireland was peppered with TB Sanatoria. Now there are none. Not many years later tuberculosis was preventable by vaccine or treatable and when my daughter was born no one asked her mother or me if we would like her immunized against that scourge. The same applied to numerous other serious diseases that had crippled or killed people, particularly children. Diseases like polio (infantile paralysis), diphtheria and a myriad of other diseases. Much of the population was aware of the patients who lived out their lives in an 'iron lung' to breath for them or spent their life wheel chair confined and so were relieved when their children had their vaccine even though the approval was post facto. Widespread dissemination of infectious disease has largely been avoided in recent years thanks to immunization. Unfortunately, the public as expert as they believe themselves to be are largely unaware of why they have enjoyed protection from so many potentially lethal infectious diseases. Unfortunately, many of the experts are lacking in historical perspective and fail to appreciate how much of the success of modern medicine is due to the contribution of Edward Jenner and 'The Dirty Dairymaids of Devon'.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In 1796, Jenner carried out his now famous experiment on eight-year-old James Phipps. Jenner inserted pus taken from a cowpox pustule and inserted it into an incision on the boy's arm. (He'd be sued and crossed off the medical register for that today!) He was testing his theory, drawn from the folklore of the countryside, that milkmaids who suffered the mild disease of cowpox never contracted smallpox, one of the greatest killers of the period, particularly among children. Jenner subsequently proved that having been inoculated with cowpox Phipps was immune to smallpox. He submitted a paper to the Royal Society in 1797 describing his experiment, but was told that his ideas were too revolutionary and that he needed more proof. Jenner experimented on several other children, including his own 11-month-old son. In 1798, the results were finally published and Jenner coined the word vaccine from the Latin 'vacca' for cow.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jenner was widely ridiculed. Critics, especially the clergy, claimed it was repulsive and ungodly to inoculate someone with material from a diseased animal. A satirical cartoon of 1802 showed people who had been vaccinated sprouting cow's heads. But the obvious advantages of vaccination and the protection it provided won out, and vaccination soon became widespread. Jenner became famous and now spent much of his time researching and advising on developments in his vaccine. Jenner carried out research in a number of other areas of medicine and was also keen on fossil collecting and horticulture. He died on 26 January 1823. His discoveries and their offshoots developed by others have probably saved more lives than any other medical management.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> So, the anti vaccine luddites can rant and roar as much as they like: study the facts carefully and apply simple logic and the answers will usually become obvious. Meanwhile, each and every one of us should be grateful for the vaccines that have saved so many lives - and let there be no doubt about it, they did save many lives.</span></span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="font-size: x-small; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have any vaccination views - share them.</span></span></span></span></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-36295741706859465872022-02-15T11:35:00.000-05:002022-02-15T11:35:00.059-05:00The Surgeon Poet.<p> </p><span id="docs-internal-guid-bec9a23f-7fff-b4f9-83ed-af18ffb24e07"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6a84d268-7fff-9a7f-c2b7-66f44a2495d9"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 625px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="625" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/S8JG38RrS_SZR3qN5ZWP4yKmj1dYZ70wuHcBagZbodVWwMn93r_tCTFxs80284u2gIakWfp3fPOJwJzmOVntA1bzBM6CSRlsL8Ed1Ju5G72xSoUvRFK5acKxXi6nhNKzjDCZoEsX" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></span><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Surgeon Poet.</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I got a little ahead of myself, launching into quotations from the book before relating the difficulty in getting hold of a copy of it. At first I set out to buy a copy, after all, Amazon has everything.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> They had one copy available and t was over a thousand dollars (Yes, a were dollars!) I didn't want to own a copy of the book, I just wanted to read through it to see if I was missing anything by postponing the search for fifty-five years! Being a 'Life Member' of the Canadian Medical Association and of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, I knew I would have no difficulty in accessing the text on line. I was quite prepared to pay the going rate for online access. I checked them out, I even phoned the librarian of the CFPC without success. Fortunately, I mentioned my frustration to a family member who is faculty at Canada's senior University and he offered to try to access it for me.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Lo and behold, the entire canon became available to me in a short time, for which I was extraordinarily grateful because as I continued my on - line search any sort of copy was unacceptably expensive. Interestingly, the copy to which I had access was last accessed several years ago, after several years in limbo.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> During the first world war Cope served in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a Major and was no 'behind the desk' officer. He saw active service in the Middle East from 1916-1919. In the WW2 he was a senior officer of the Emergency Medical Service. Two clinical volumes of the 'Official History of the War if 1939-1945 were edited by him.</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Despite his brilliance, Sir Zachary did not hesitate to use his own errors or omissions as teaching opportunities. Not an easy thing to do. The following few stanzas tell a personal story that many a physician would prefer not to publicize:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I still remember with regret,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Indeed I never could forget</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> What drove this lesson home to me</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And now to you a guide shall be.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> All day long I had been busy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And then with fatigue nigh dizzy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> They called me to an urgent case</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> To which I went with laggard pace.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The patients pain had been severe</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But when I saw her it was clear</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> They were much less and since she seemed</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> To be improving fast I deemed</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Perhaps she could be left a while;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My conscience I did reconcile</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> By thinking that the patient's state</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Might still improve if we did wait</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And in the morn at any rate</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We could if needful operate.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But yet I knew that she was ill</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And spite of all felt doubtfull still.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> So I went home and had my rest</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> With hopes all would be for the best.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But on the morn she was much worse</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And my delay I then did curse</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> For at the urgent operation</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I found a gastric perforation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And so the end of my sad tale is</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> She came to 'exitus lethalis'. (Latin for dead.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two morals of this story should be starred -</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When very tired be doubly on your guard,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All slackness in the surgeon should be barred.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, when not sure and full of hesitation</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't wait too long before an exploration.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The lesson in this story needs no explanation but it takes a courageous surgeon to use himself as the bad example!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Much of his advice is as relevant today as it was when he gave it. For instance,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Examine from the head and toes,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Before you dare to diagnose.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> More harm is done because you do not look</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> Than from not knowing what is in the book."</b></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-28520863938891124512022-02-11T13:07:00.002-05:002022-02-11T13:17:28.453-05:00The Acute Surgical Abdomen in Rhyme. <p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Memo to Me. (Written circa 1955)</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-062d653b-7fff-0c70-caea-b5130904ca03"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I'm at the stage of life when it is necessary to start eliminating the trivia of a lifetime. Among the cards commemorating birthdays, anniversaries and certificates of all shapes and sizes and the endless albums of photographs, I came across some lecture notes from my earliest clinical years. I was always a prolific note taker so I thought I would review some of my student surgical notes to see if they were as good as I thought (things aren't always!). The notebook that I chanced upon was on abdominal surgery. As I reached the end of the topic I noted that I had scratched in a personal note to myself which read 'The Acute Abdomen in rhyme, be sure to read it. Prof says it is brilliant and hilarious!'</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> It was forgotten of course, until the message jumped out at me after fifty-five years. I obviously had to take prompt action. I started my search pursuing the usual channels. Secure in my knowledge that 'Mr. Google' knows everything, I typed in the name of the book and found it had been written in the forties by Sir Zachary Cope. Sir Zachary was already internationally famous for his knowledge and text book on acute abdominal surgery. It was the recognized definitive benchmark on this topic in the world. It was published continuously by Sir Z from 1947 to about 1987 and thereafter continues to be updated by a surgeon who had served as his House surgeon.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Not long after the acclaim of his book (and many other publications) Sir Zachary, who despite his protestations to the contrary was something of a poet and a humorist, began work on the book published in 1947, that was to be called "The Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen in Rhyme". He wrote under the pen name of 'Zeta'. It is this work and its genius in maintaining scientific accuracy with his poetic humour that is fascinating.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Part of his preface goes like this:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Well, wait and see, at least this I can state</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A rhymster needs to think and concentrate,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And chose his words more carefully than those</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who oft repeat themselves in common prose.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course I do not claim to be a poet</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And at the outset I would have you know it;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So look not for the fanciful sublime</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nor coloured metaphors in my plain rhyme;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My aim, which well may be I shall not reach</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Is to amuse you while I try to teach.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So in the future when in doubt who knows?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some couplet may help you to diagnose."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He goes on into the general principles and with extraordinary prescience in 1947 anticipates the replacement of clinical skills with technology.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> This is how he puts it:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "The diagnostic problem of to - day</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Has greatly changed - the change has come to stay;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> We all have to confess, though with a sigh</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> On laboratory tests we much rely</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> And use too little hand and ear and eye.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> We culture this, we plant out that with care,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> And on the plates with hope we daily stare;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He finishes this paragraph,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "..........but now there is the danger</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> That student to the patient may be stranger,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> And though he deal with culture-tube with ease</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Forget the signs and symptoms of disease."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I couldn't have said it better myself!</span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> More about Sir Zachary soon.</span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-60639979754229963352022-01-22T14:32:00.000-05:002022-01-22T14:32:27.981-05:00Black Magic & White Poison.<p> <span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Black Magic & White Poison.</span></span></p><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc e5nlhep0 dati1w0a" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_z" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; padding: 4px 16px; transition-property: none;"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg" style="animation-name: none; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px; transition-property: none;"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; transition-property: none;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" color="var(--primary-text)" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; display: block; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; word-break: break-word;"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Despite a lifetime of medical practice</span><span style="font-size: medium;">, it never grew dull. My last two patients that day, after a long day of seeing patients were enough to keep me wide awake. Not far from the teaching practice where I was working at the time was the Oneida Nation of the Thames Reservation.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Patrick , a fifty-five year old native patient, walked in at five o'clock.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "What can I do for you, Patrick ?" I asked him. I knew him quite well.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Something is interfering with my thinking, Doc," he said.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "What do you mean?" I asked.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Someone put a curse on me, Doc," he said.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Tell me about it," I prompted .</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> " I think it was my cousin," Patrick said.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Why would your cousin put a spell on you?" I asked.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I think it was because he thought I was making love to his girlfriend," said Patrick</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "When was this?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Oh, years ago. I took no notice, I didn't do anything, but he thinks I did, that's why he put the curse on me. Can you get rid of it?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I knew that what I said next was going to determine whether Patrick was going to follow up with me or not. I took a careful psychiatric history. There were no florid psychiatric symptoms apart from the conviction that a curse had been put on him.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Maybe I need some medication?" he asked.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Let's just keep an eye on things for the moment," I said.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "So can you takes off curses?" he insisted.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "We will need to follow up on this." I evaded the question.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "So you can get rid of spells?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "No, but we can get rid of your problem. I'm not going to write you a prescription right now. I'm going to see you again next week and see how you are doing."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Okay, thanks. I'm glad you can help me."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I asked several more questions to satisfy myself that Patrick was not going to be a danger to himself or anyone else.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I walked him out to the desk to make sure he had an appointment for follow up in a few days.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "If anything changes in the meantime just come right in ." I called after him.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I breathed a sigh of relief as my last patient of the day walked in to the office.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He was about eighteen years old and had a restless, agitated demeanor. I was alerted when I read the name on the chart, because I had seen the boy's mother not very many days earlier and she had expressed some concerns about her son, Glen.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I invited him to sit him down across from me. I smiled at Glen, attempting to put him at ease but he avoided eye contact.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "What can I do for you today, Glen?" I asked him.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I have a problem," he said, coming straight to the point. He thrust his right hand into his trousers pocket and pulled out a square tinfoil wrapper.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I'm hooked on this and I need help to get off it," he said, with obvious agitation. "I feel so nervous all the time and I can't sleep. I lie awake most of the night sweating and twitching and I can't get up in the morning. I've been missing a lot of school."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I looked down at the discarded packet. Duragesic Transdermal Patch, This was not good news. This was Fentanyl,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Where have you been sticking this?" I asked. A transdermal patch is applied to the skin, through which the active ingredient is absorbed. It is fifty to a hundred times more potent than morphine,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "The kids at school cut them into four and we suck them."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "This is heavy duty stuff," I said. I wanted to know where Glen had got hold of this stuff; this stuff came right out of a hospital. It sure as hell didn't come wrapped like that on the street, I'd have to find out how this was getting on to the street, but I didn't want to frighten him off by going down that street right now because I thought I was getting through to him.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Yeah, I know. I have to do something about it,"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I'm going to tell you what you have to do. I have to see you on a regular basis and you've got to join Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous, you can't do this on your own."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Glen looked doubtful. " I think I can do this on my own, if you can just give me something to help me sleep at night."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "That's not the way it works,"I said. "Right now, you're at a crossroads in you life. If you do things the right way now, you have a chance. If you don't you're on the slippery slope to a life of addiction, detox centres, rehabilitation centres and worse. If you don't want to waste your life, you have a chance to act now."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Okay," Glen agreed, perhaps a little too readily, I thought, "I'll do it"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I printed a list of of treatment centres near his address. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> I said, "I'm going to make time to see you next week and when I do, I want to hear that you're been to an AA or a NA meeting and that you have plans to get set up with a sponsor. I'm going to give you a few pills to help you to sleep, just enough to last you until I see you next week. This is where you'll get help if you want it" I added, handing him the list.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> " OK, " he said, "I'll see you next week."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I never saw him again.</span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div class="stjgntxs ni8dbmo4 l82x9zwi uo3d90p7 h905i5nu monazrh9" data-visualcompletion="ignore-dynamic" style="animation-name: none; border-radius: 0px 0px 8px 8px; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; 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align-items: stretch; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 g5gj957u rj1gh0hx buofh1pr hpfvmrgz taijpn5t bp9cbjyn owycx6da btwxx1t3 d1544ag0 tw6a2znq jb3vyjys dlv3wnog rl04r1d5 mysgfdmx hddg9phg qu8okrzs g0qnabr5" style="align-items: center; animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; flex: 1 1 0px; font-family: inherit; height: 44px; justify-content: center; margin: -6px -4px; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; transition-property: none; white-space: nowrap; z-index: 0;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 cbu4d94t pfnyh3mw d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz ph5uu5jm b3onmgus iuny7tx3 ipjc6fyt" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 4px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><i class="hu5pjgll m6k467ps" data-visualcompletion="css-img" style="animation-name: none; background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v3/y8/r/to5D3VdWQ_H.png"); background-position: 0px -182px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 26px 868px; display: inline-block; filter: var(--filter-secondary-icon); height: 18px; transition-property: none; vertical-align: -0.25em; width: 18px;"></i></div><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 cbu4d94t pfnyh3mw d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz ph5uu5jm b3onmgus iuny7tx3 ipjc6fyt" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 4px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v lrazzd5p m9osqain" color="var(--secondary-text)" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; word-break: break-word;">Comment</span></div></div><div class="n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s rnr61an3" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="animation-name: none; background-color: var(--hover-overlay); border-radius: 4px; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: var(--fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out); transition-property: none; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="cwj9ozl2 tvmbv18p" style="animation-name: none; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; transition-property: none;"></div></div></div></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-59244249759417765532022-01-20T10:53:00.004-05:002022-12-28T15:41:15.381-05:00The Micawber Principle or 'How to be happy!'<p> Mr Micawber, a character in Charles Dicken's "David Copperfield" said the following.</p><p>" <span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, (almost twenty pounds) result happiness. </span></p><p><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 14px;">Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, (just over twenty pounds)result misery."</span></p>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-87232456798128752562022-01-20T10:49:00.000-05:002022-01-20T10:49:59.511-05:00The Bleeding Plague.<p> </p><span jsslot=""><div jsaction="rcuQ6b:npT2md;ASLTGc:ruyrc;uounjb:rMeJ7b" jscontroller="pOAbs" jsshadow=""><div class="lr_container yc7KLc mBNN3d" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div jsslot=""><div class="VpH2eb vmod" data-hveid="CAcQBQ" data-topic="" jsname="x3Eknd" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; padding-bottom: 10px;"><div aria-label="Listen" class="gycwpf D5gqpe" data-animation-enabled="true" data-audio-play-tts="false" data-language-code="" data-tts-string="" data-uti="1" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QlfQBegQIBxAG" jsaction="rcuQ6b:npT2md;DiIjNc;xLXIyb:DGzHQ" jscontroller="UYJibd" role="button" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: -6px 6px -6px -6px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><div class="brWULd" style="height: 36px; margin: -4px; padding: 4px; width: 36px;"><div class="vfmVQ" jsname="qpYryf" style="border-color: rgb(218, 220, 224); border-radius: 50%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 34px; position: absolute; width: 34px;"></div><div class="KnZOyc" jsname="FJYLhd" style="background-color: #e8f0fe; border-color: rgb(210, 227, 252); border-radius: 50%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; height: 34px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; width: 34px;"></div><div class="pkt1Wd fjnQw" style="background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIyMiIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyMiIgdmlld2JveD0iMCAwIDIyIDIyIj4KICA8cG9seWdvbiBmaWxsPSIjMUE3M0U4IiBwb2ludHM9IjIuNzUgOC4yNSAyLjc1IDEzLjc1IDYuNDE3IDEzLjc1IDExIDE4LjMzMyAxMSAzLjY2NyA2LjQxNyA4LjI1IiAvPgo8L3N2Zz4K"); height: 22px; margin: 7px; position: absolute; width: 22px;"></div><div class="pkt1Wd nIW5Sd" jsname="m1xdOb" style="background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIyMiIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyMiIgdmlld2JveD0iMCAwIDIyIDIyIj4KICA8cGF0aCBkPSJNMTUuMTI1LDExIEMxNS4xMjUsOS4zNzc1IDE0LjE5LDcuOTg0MTY2NjcgMTIuODMzMzMzMyw3LjMwNTgzMzMzIEwxMi44MzMzMzMzLDE0LjY4NSBDMTQuMTksMTQuMDE1ODMzMyAxNS4xMjUsMTIuNjIyNSAxNS4xMjUsMTEgWiIgZmlsbD0iIzFBNzNFOCIgZmlsbC1ydWxlPSJldmVub2RkIiAvPgo8L3N2Zz4K"); height: 22px; margin: 7px; position: absolute; width: 22px;"></div><div class="pkt1Wd byDyWd" jsname="DFrD7b" style="background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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"); height: 22px; margin: 7px; position: absolute; width: 22px;"></div></div></div><div class="WI9k4c" style="display: table; word-break: break-word;"><div class="jY7QFf" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; min-height: 36px;"><div class="c8d6zd DgZBFd ya2TWb" style="color: #202124; font-family: "Google Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; line-height: 36px; margin-top: -6px; vertical-align: top;"><span data-dobid="hdw">an·ti-vax·xer</span></div></div><div class="S23sjd" style="padding-top: 8px;"><span class="LTKOO" face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">/ˌan(t)ēˈvaksər,ˌan(t)īˈvaksər/</span></div></div><div class="ABgcGb vmod" jsname="p0q1Sd"></div><div class="vmod"><div class="vmod" data-topic="" jsname="r5Nvmf"><div class="lW8rQd" style="display: flex;"><div class="pgRvse YrbPuc vdBwhd" style="color: #70757a; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; min-height: 20px; padding-top: 4px;"><i>noun</i><div style="display: inline-block;"><span class="mQo3nc aztjNb emHvJd" style="background-color: #f1f3f4; border-radius: 2px; color: #202124; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.3px; line-height: 16px; margin-left: 8px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px 6px; text-transform: uppercase;">INFORMAL</span></div></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="-1" jsname="jUIvqc" style="max-height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: max-height 0.3s ease 0s;"><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #70757a; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #3c4043; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span></div></div><ol class="eQJLDd" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px;"><li jsname="gskXhf" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="vmod"><div class="thODed" style="padding-top: 8px;"><div class="LTKOO sY7ric" data-topic="" jsname="cJAsRb" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><div style="margin-left: 20px;"><div class="LTKOO sY7ric" style="line-height: 16px; margin-left: -20px;"><div data-dobid="dfn" style="display: inline;">a person who is opposed to vaccination, typically a parent who does not wish to vaccinate their child.</div><div class="vmod"><div class="ubHt5c" style="color: #70757a;">"experts say several diseases that are avoidable are making a comeback due to anti-vaxxers who refuse to vaccinate their kids"</div></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 20px;"></div></div></div></li></ol></div></div><div jsname="Hqfs0d"><div aria-hidden="true" class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="-1" style="max-height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: max-height 0.3s ease 0s;"><div id="_N-3gYczgHM-FtQb8s5TwDA16"><div class="FpiMuf" style="color: #202124; font-family: "Google Sans", arial, sans-serif-medium, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 20px 0px 0px;"></div><div><g-img aria-hidden="true" style="display: inline-block; height: 80px;"><img alt="" class="rISBZc zr758c M4dUYb" height="58" id="lr_dct_img_origin_N-3gYczgHM-FtQb8s5TwDA1" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///////yH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" style="border: 0px; display: block; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 10px; position: relative;" width="197" /></g-img></div><div class="LTKOO" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="SDZsVb IvF8ze" data-term-for-update="anti-vax" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QgCt6BAgHEAk" jsaction="trigger.nw2q7b" role="link" style="color: #1a0dab; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="-1"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="xpdxpnd gi0Tyb" data-mh="-1" id="_N-3gYczgHM-FtQb8s5TwDA18" jsslot="" style="margin-left: -36px; margin-right: -36px; max-height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-left: 36px; padding-right: 36px; transition: max-height 0.3s ease 0s;"><div class="PuAulf vmod vfaaGe" data-hveid="CAcQCg" data-nts="0" data-tae="true" jsaction="rcuQ6b:npT2md;wUL9Q:bO4mad" jscontroller="HuszEb" jsname="L4Nn5e" style="padding-bottom: 16px; padding-top: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="nA7Li mfsgsd" face="arial, sans-serif-light, sans-serif" jsname="cU2a6" style="color: #202124; display: inline-block; font-size: 16px; line-height: 38px;"><span class="pttFI Pqkn2e" face="arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: 22px; margin-right: 12px;"></span><span class="X61Xb" style="border-radius: 0px 0px 2px 2px; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><select class="LiOdre mfsgsd pOf5Yd TVSh JBcDBe" data-log-string="translations-language-select" data-pref-link="/setprefs?sig=0__OwyFUJV0GpZZ2ucGXyPHV9F2rg%3D" data-uti="1" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4Qmp0CegQIBxAL" id="tl_select" jsaction="trigger.wlttBf;change:trigger.KEXcpd" style="appearance: none; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-origin: initial; background-position: 154px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system/1x/arrow_drop_down_grey600_18dp.png") 154px center no-repeat rgb(255, 255, 255); border-color: rgb(223, 225, 229); border-radius: 8px; color: #202124; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif-light, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 5px 0px; text-indent: 5px; width: 180px;" tabindex="-1"><option value="">Choose language</option><option value="af">Afrikaans</option><option value="sq">Albanian</option><option value="am">Amharic</option><option value="ar">Arabic</option><option value="hy">Armenian</option><option value="az">Azerbaijani</option><option value="bn">Bangla</option><option value="eu">Basque</option><option value="be">Belarusian</option><option value="bs">Bosnian</option><option value="bg">Bulgarian</option><option value="my">Burmese</option><option value="ca">Catalan</option><option value="ceb">Cebuano</option><option value="zh-CN">Chinese (Simplified)</option><option value="zh-TW">Chinese (Traditional)</option><option value="co">Corsican</option><option value="hr">Croatian</option><option value="cs">Czech</option><option value="da">Danish</option><option value="nl">Dutch</option><option value="eo">Esperanto</option><option value="et">Estonian</option><option value="tl">Filipino</option><option value="fi">Finnish</option><option value="fr">French</option><option value="gl">Galician</option><option value="ka">Georgian</option><option value="de">German</option><option value="el">Greek</option><option value="gu">Gujarati</option><option value="ht">Haitian Creole</option><option value="ha">Hausa</option><option value="haw">Hawaiian</option><option value="iw">Hebrew</option><option value="hi">Hindi</option><option value="hmn">Hmong</option><option value="hu">Hungarian</option><option value="is">Icelandic</option><option value="ig">Igbo</option><option value="id">Indonesian</option><option value="ga">Irish</option><option value="it">Italian</option><option value="ja">Japanese</option><option value="jv">Javanese</option><option value="kn">Kannada</option><option value="kk">Kazakh</option><option value="km">Khmer</option><option value="rw">Kinyarwanda</option><option value="ko">Korean</option><option value="ku">Kurdish</option><option value="ky">Kyrgyz</option><option value="lo">Lao</option><option value="la">Latin</option><option value="lv">Latvian</option><option value="lt">Lithuanian</option><option value="lb">Luxembourgish</option><option value="mk">Macedonian</option><option value="mg">Malagasy</option><option value="ms">Malay</option><option value="ml">Malayalam</option><option value="mt">Maltese</option><option value="mi">Māori</option><option value="mr">Marathi</option><option value="mn">Mongolian</option><option value="ne">Nepali</option><option value="no">Norwegian</option><option value="ny">Nyanja</option><option value="or">Odia</option><option value="ps">Pashto</option><option value="fa">Persian</option><option value="pl">Polish</option><option value="pt">Portuguese</option><option value="pa">Punjabi</option><option value="ro">Romanian</option><option value="ru">Russian</option><option value="sm">Samoan</option><option value="gd">Scottish Gaelic</option><option value="sr">Serbian</option><option value="sn">Shona</option><option value="sd">Sindhi</option><option value="si">Sinhala</option><option value="sk">Slovak</option><option value="sl">Slovenian</option><option value="so">Somali</option><option value="st">Southern Sotho</option><option value="es">Spanish</option><option value="su">Sundanese</option><option value="sw">Swahili</option><option value="sv">Swedish</option><option value="tg">Tajik</option><option value="ta">Tamil</option><option value="tt">Tatar</option><option value="te">Telugu</option><option value="th">Thai</option><option value="tr">Turkish</option><option value="tk">Turkmen</option><option value="uk">Ukrainian</option><option value="ur">Urdu</option><option value="ug">Uyghur</option><option value="uz">Uzbek</option><option value="vi">Vietnamese</option><option value="cy">Welsh</option><option value="fy">Western Frisian</option><option value="xh">Xhosa</option><option value="yi">Yiddish</option><option value="yo">Yoruba</option><option value="zu">Zulu</option></select></span></span></div></div><div class="VZVCid vmod U5yxHb" style="margin-bottom: 4px; padding-top: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="EKJSGf" style="align-items: center; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"><a class="Bktbjd QsHrIf BxI46 BjWz4c" href="https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en&ved=2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QvecEegQIBxAM" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); color: #70757a; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px; padding-right: 8px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;">Definitions from Oxford Languages</a><div class="nPDigc dobdf" data-async-context="async_id:duf3-4;authority:0;card_id:;entry_point:0;feature_id:;ftoe:0;header:0;is_jobs_spam_form:0;open:0;preselect_answer_index:-1;suggestions:;suggestions_subtypes:;suggestions_types:;surface:0;title:;type:4" data-dictionary-corpus="en-US" data-dictionary-term="anti vaxxer" style="flex: 1 1 0%;"><div class="yp" data-async-context-required="type,open,feature_id,async_id,entry_point,authority,card_id,ftoe,title,header,suggestions,surface,suggestions_types,suggestions_subtypes,preselect_answer_index,is_jobs_spam_form" data-async-type="duffy3" data-jiis="up" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4Q-0F6BAgHEA0" id="duf3-4"></div><a class="oBa0Fe" data-async-trigger="duf3-4" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4Qtw96BAgHEA4" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=anti-vaxxer&oq=anti-vaxxer&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i67j0i512l7.28202j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" jsaction="trigger.szjOR" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); align-items: center; color: #70757a; float: right; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Feedback</a></div></div></div></div></div></span><g-more-link class="zrlv1d xpdarr mIKy0c OSrXXb dGWpb tiS4rf" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QmDN6BAgHEA8" jsaction="trigger.DtHYu;fastbutton:trigger.DtHYu" style="cursor: initial; display: block; line-height: 1.43; margin-top: 18px; overflow: visible; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="font-family: Kalam; font-size: large;">Seven year</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Kalam; font-size: large;">s ago I presciently blogged this:</span></i></g-more-link><g-more-link class="zrlv1d xpdarr mIKy0c OSrXXb dGWpb tiS4rf" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QmDN6BAgHEA8" jsaction="trigger.DtHYu;fastbutton:trigger.DtHYu" style="cursor: initial; display: block; line-height: 1.43; margin-top: 18px; overflow: visible; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;"><b>Anti-Vaxxers: Ignorance or Fraud.</b> </span><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;"> In 1998, a British physician named Andrew Wakefield and twelve of his colleagues published a small case series in the Lancet, a prestigious British medical journal that suggested MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine may be related to autism. MMR vaccination rates began to drop almost immediately as a result of that. Subsequent studies did not confirm any such relationship. Ten of the twelve authors refuted the interpretation of the data on the basis of </span><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;">insufficient evidence. </span><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;">Further, it emerged that Wakefield et al had failed to disclose that they had been funded by lawyers who were engaged by the parents in legal suits against vaccine producing companies. Ultimately, Wakefield et al were found guilty of deliberate fraud and fabrication of facts apparently for personal gain. Wakefield was removed from the General Medical Council of Britain's register and was no longer permitted to practice medicine in the United Kingdom or Ireland.and emigrated to America, to lead and encourage the development of the 'Anti-Vaxxer' movement which would lead a significant group, most of whom should have known better, back into the dark ages.</span></span></g-more-link><g-more-link class="zrlv1d xpdarr mIKy0c OSrXXb dGWpb tiS4rf" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QmDN6BAgHEA8" jsaction="trigger.DtHYu;fastbutton:trigger.DtHYu" style="cursor: initial; display: block; line-height: 1.43; margin-top: 18px; overflow: visible; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;">So how is it that so many allegedly educated elitists buy into this absurd theory that a measure that has done more to promote health and eliminate devastating disease is harmful and therefore should be avoided. How is it that these allegedly educated dopes cannot understand that what is 'natural' often is for people to die of infection, of pneumonia and of sepsis from an infected finger? Can they not understand that it was 'natural' for one in five children to die during childbirth, along with a goodly number of mothers? Can they not understand that pain and suffering is natural and that it is quite unnatural to remove those natural warnings? Do they not take antibiotics when infected or painkillers when in pain? You bet they do! Can they not understand that freezing to death is natural and that central heating and burning of fossil fuels is unnatural? Can they not understand heat and humidity are natural and that air conditioning is horribly unnatural? Those poor feckless milksops are to first to cry out for those unnatural balms that they so despised, as soon as they perceive a little pain and suffering. </span><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;">Of course they really do understand what it is all about. They want to parade their ignorance as though it were knowledge. Some believe that their unscientific and uneducated views are "equal" to those of scholars and scientists who have spent their lives studying those topics. They are not, but unfortunately they can still do immense damage and enjoy some credibility, while the herd immunity that the last generation ensured persists and offers them protection. Fortunately, most sensible folks protect their children, but we are likely to see more outbreaks of these once well controlled diseases as immunity wanes. </span><span style="text-align: left; white-space: normal;">Meanwhile, the pseudo scientific simpletons will continue to consider themselves as an elite group entitled to inflict their often ill-founded views on their fellow beings.</span></span></g-more-link><g-more-link class="zrlv1d xpdarr mIKy0c OSrXXb dGWpb tiS4rf" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QmDN6BAgHEA8" jsaction="trigger.DtHYu;fastbutton:trigger.DtHYu" style="cursor: initial; display: block; line-height: 1.43; margin-top: 18px; overflow: visible; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left; white-space: normal;"> Dr. Wakefield and his ilk will thrive as long as they can recruit the un-informed, the misinformed, the self righteous and the gullible!</span></g-more-link><g-more-link class="zrlv1d xpdarr mIKy0c OSrXXb dGWpb tiS4rf" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QmDN6BAgHEA8" jsaction="trigger.DtHYu;fastbutton:trigger.DtHYu" style="cursor: initial; display: block; line-height: 1.43; margin-top: 18px; overflow: visible; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div aria-controls="tsuid11" aria-expanded="false" class="MXl0lf tKtwEb wHYlTd vk_arc" data-fbevent="fastbutton" role="button" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 18px; border: 1px solid rgb(218, 220, 224); box-sizing: border-box; color: #202124; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 36px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: -19px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 7px 11px; pointer-events: auto; position: relative; width: 300px;" tabindex="0"><span aria-hidden="true" class="EZRelc HbX59e U56OG" style="flex: 0 0 auto; float: left; margin: 0px 8px -2px 0px;"><span class="pmZ66 z1asCe QFl0Ff" style="display: inline-block; fill: currentcolor; float: left; height: 20px; left: 12px; line-height: 20px; position: absolute; width: 20px;"><svg focusable="false" viewbox="0 0 24 24" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M16.59 8.59L12 13.17 7.41 8.59 6 10l6 6 6-6z"></path></svg></span></span><span class="wUrVib OSrXXb" style="color: #1a0dab; display: inline-block; max-width: 220px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; width: auto;"></span></div></span></g-more-link><g-more-link class="zrlv1d xpdarr mIKy0c OSrXXb dGWpb tiS4rf" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QmDN6BAgHEA8" jsaction="trigger.DtHYu;fastbutton:trigger.DtHYu" style="cursor: initial; display: block; line-height: 1.43; margin-top: 18px; overflow: visible; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></g-more-link><g-more-link class="zrlv1d xpdarr mIKy0c OSrXXb dGWpb tiS4rf" data-ved="2ahUKEwiM2I7dpbD1AhXPQs0KHfwZBc4QmDN6BAgHEA8" jsaction="trigger.DtHYu;fastbutton:trigger.DtHYu" style="cursor: initial; display: block; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.43; margin-top: 18px; overflow: visible; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></g-more-link>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-57754048489546251042021-11-27T18:19:00.001-05:002022-12-28T15:41:21.763-05:00My Dairy King.<p> A Nice Ice Cream Cone!</p><p>Recently, for some reason I've been thinking about a delicious, large soft ice cream cone. I've always been a soft ice cream aficionado. I am not sure why I never seem to get the pleasure from hard ice cream that some folks do, but ever since I had my first Dairy Queen ice cream I have been converted. All through Covid I longed for one, despite the fact that a carton of fine ice cream lay 'icifying' in my fridge. Occasionally, my son would take a spoonful on his dessertafter he had dinner with us and would never fail to remark 'this ice cream is all icy'.</p><p> So, when I visited Costco to pick up some essentials yesterday I was mentally and physically ready for a </p>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-72655326086624861292021-07-16T12:35:00.000-04:002022-12-28T15:41:26.295-05:00A Grave Tale!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><b> This is a true story. Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty, most of whom are dead. However, I know at least one is alive, so we will adopt the convention!</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all about Dr Graves of international
fame as the discoverer of thyrotoxicosis, also known as Graves Disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bust of the Great Man decorated the main
atrium of the Hospital in Dublin in which I trained and the statue was atop a broad flight of concrete steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Graves was worshiped with all the respect due to a deity.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dean Eltree, was an older medical student
from Vancouver, BC, who had come to Dublin to study medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a nice guy, who everyone liked to poke
a little fun at, because he was considerably older than the rest of students,
and also because as one of the few students who had a car, he spent a lot of time polishing his little old Ford convertible.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That night, a motley crew of
students were heading back to the hospital after a good night at the local
pub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All three sheets to the wind, the
older ones were handling their booze a little better than their younger colleagues.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Let's do something with old
Eltree's car," Tom Snowdon said, in a loud self-assured English
accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I'm so fed up watching him
polishing and nursing it, I think it's time we taught him a lesson."</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yes, let's let the air out of
his tyres," Pete Sangster responded.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"For God's sake, Sangster,
don't be so bloody childish. Can't you think of anything more original than that," Snowdon responded
scornfully."</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The rest of the noisy group suddenly
quietened down, wondering where this was going next.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Why don't we carry his stupid
little car up the steps and deposit it in the main lobby of the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would certainly create a little
pandemonium in the morning." Snowdon said.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hoots of drunken approval emanated
from the group.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"We'll get into terrible
trouble if we're caught," Steve said.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Don’t be such a funk,"
Sangster said contemptuously.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The herd mentality was kindled and
there was no stopping them now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>"Do you think we can lift it?" Sangster asked.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Let's give it a try," an anonymous
voice suggested.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As many pairs of hands as could fit
squeezed around the little car and tried to get a good grip on some lifting point
and heaved.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It's as light as a
feather," another responded.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Twenty or so, able -bodied students
lifted the car and slowly carried it up the twenty - eight concrete steps that
opened onto the main lobby of the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Others held the large lobby twin doors open, while the car was quietly placed
in the centre of the lobby.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It looks wonderful
there," drawled Ronny Snowden, "but it would look much better if we
put that bust of Robert Graves behind the steering wheel." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Christ,"said Steve,
"all hell will break loose."</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A contemptuous glance from Snowden,
while<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a couple of his followers
struggled to get the bust into the front seat behind the steering wheel.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Let's put a scarf around his
neck and a cap on his head, just to complete the picture," Snowden added.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of the more fashionable members
of the group volunteered his scarf and rather racy hat which he carefully
arranged to give the long deceased Graves (he died in 1853) a decidedly sporty
appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even Steve had to admit
that the effect was dramatic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
stealthily withdrew to the students residence before releasing their whoops of apprehensive delight at their daring act.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Steve awoke in the morning slightly
hung-over and reflected on the previous nights action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got up as quickly as he could, anxious to
see the damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He walked out into the
courtyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About twenty maintenance
workers were laying wooden planks in parallel tracks down the concrete
steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The car, with Dean Eltree
sitting behind the wheel was purring gently, having just been driven through
the twin doors and was now being secured by ropes attached to the axle,
so that it could be lowered slowly down the parallel planks to street level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large crowd stood in small groups at
various vantage points around the courtyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some laughing, some talking in hushed tones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dean was now anxiously supervising the maneuver to make sure his beloved car wasn't damaged.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The next morning Steve was in the
line-up that the students and interns were ordered to attend. The perpetrators were exhorted to turn themselves in, like decent human beings, so that the entire class
wouldn't suffer the consequences for the desecration of the venerable and
internationally respected [except by us!] Robert Graves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We unanimously decided not to be decent human beings,</span> knowing that there's safety in
numbers. No-one claimed responsibility and there were never
any consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
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Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-68476359798368164232021-07-15T21:13:00.003-04:002021-07-15T21:17:25.638-04:00The Toilet Paper Revenge & Jailbreak.<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Toilet Paper Revenge.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">A visit to the psych centre.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c46307e-7fff-95b9-db64-f208255e69f3"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Our visits soon became routine. we had regular clinics 3 times a week and responded to calls twenty-four hours a day. One or more students or residents attended the clinics to learn how to deal with these difficult and often manipulative patients. The variety of patients were extreme ranging from the xxy ( the bad guys in old monster movies ) who you wouldn't want to meet in the back alley on a dark night, all the way to clean-cut, well-groomed even in prison garb, inmates. All the usual complaints that occur in any practice presented, as well as a large number of manipulators who came to the clinic with some ulterior motive that could range from the desire to get hold of some illicit medications to getting hold of some item of clothing that had become popular (and 'fashionable') among most of the prison population. For instance Nike runners were a high prestige item and inmates often demanded them for painful feet or low back pain. They were often aggressively specific in their demands and they were loyal to brand names so that a cheap trainer would be quite unacceptable to them. Their response, when they were not given what they want could sometimes be violent. Such demands could run right through the institution and if an inmate managed to manipulate such a prescription there would be an avalanche of people with foot pain and lower back pain all needing Nike shoes. Eventually, when I was presented with such requests I had a cover story that they could only be prescribed by a specialist in Orthopedics and I would be glad to arrange an appointment for them but that the waiting time would be about a year. That worked very effectively and usually stopped the request.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> One of the common situations was an attempt to obtain narcotic drugs by feigning symptoms. They thought that would result in a prescription for what they wanted. They had other schemes to obtain drugs that they could not get prescribed for them. Visitors entering the institution were screened very carefully because they sometimes smuggled in illicit medications. Indeed the inmates were so successful at getting medications illicitly that the staff carried out searches from time to time. The inmates were cleared out of their cells and a spontaneous search would sweep through the institution looking for narcotics and other drugs. Many drugs were discovered on these searches and on one occasion a search revealed a partially completed homemade still to distill alcohol. Although it never actually succeeded in producing any alcohol, its manufacturer's had made significant progress in its construction before being discovered.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Some of our students were attractive young women and in an all-male institution of this sort, this naturally aroused considerable interest and necessitated careful security precautions</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Some of the inmates were only temporarily remanded while a psychiatric assessment was carried out. Those individuals were sometimes released into the community. When they did not get what they wanted, some of these inmates would level threats at the psychiatrists, physicians and or nurses. I recalled one such individual who issued a threat that when he got out he would ‘get’ me. As he was only being held on remand and it was likely that he would be out soon, it left me feeling a little uncomfortable. Shortly thereafter he was discharged. Not long afterwards, I came home one night to find that the trees and bushes in my front yard were draped with toilet paper and my front room windows were smeared with toothpaste spelling out some obscene words. After cleaning up and considering who was responsible, It occurred to me that it might be the individual who had previously threatened me. I went along to our local police station to report damage and danger. I explained the background and that I worked in a maximum-security prison. The police sergeant said, " They didn't do much damage, you were lucky they only used toothpaste and not paint.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I pointed out that it was not the property damage I was concerned about but the potential danger to my family and myself.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “ Oh well, we'll have a patrol car cruise around your cul-de-sac once in a while and keep an eye out for anything strange.” He didn't seem worried at all. The end result was that my neighbour who had a trailer parked outside his house on the street in our cul-de-sac found a fifty dollar ticket on it a few days later.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Strange "he said to me.`` It's been parked there for ages and I never got a ticket before. "</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I didn't tell him it was because I'd asked the police to keep an eye on our house. I guess they thought they might as well ticket his trailer and have something to show for their trouble. Fortunately nothing ever happened and I never did find out who the perpetrator was, but when my colleague suggested that he lend me his shotgun for a while in case any murderers or rapists break into my house I gave it serious consideration.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Break-out. (Almost).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As I entered the RPC one morning, there seemed to be a lot of commotion at the entry gate with a line up of individuals with various business to complete waiting to get in. By this time I was well enough known to the guards to push my way ahead to gain entry. There were a lot of officers there.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "What's up," I asked. "What's the big hold-up?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "One of the guys tried to break out and he managed to get into the area between the inner and the outer fence. He was just starting to climb the outer fence when Gil showed up with a shot-gun, lined him up in the sights and told him he better get down or he'd be shot."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I'll bet he did as he was told" said I.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "He did," said the guard.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I walked across the courtyard and entered the building. As I approached the clinic I saw Gil, sitting at a desk, typing earnestly with two fingers.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "What are you doing there? " I asked.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "You heard about what went on this morning ? I'm just writing up my report."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I started reading over his shoulder.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "the prisoner had managed to get over the inner steel chain fence and had made his way to the outer fence and had begun climbing it to make his way to freedom. I pointed the shotgun at him and said 'please step down immediately or I will have to shoot you.'</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I laughed because I knew that Gil didn't talk like that. "Okay, what did you really say?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Gil laughed right back and said, " I said 'drop, fucker, or I'm going to waste you! He dropped!'"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I attended the RPC for seventeen years and that was the closest we ever got to a jail break!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-64307848336267080222021-07-06T10:56:00.004-04:002021-07-06T10:56:49.835-04:00Corrections Canada. Pt.2.<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Regional Psychiatric Centre. Corrections Canada.Pt.2.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-caa8f6fc-7fff-5d56-2dec-864b3531a87d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Walking the Walk.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After passing through the metal detector, the metallic clunk of the lock being released on the inner door, allowed the visitor to begin the long walk across the courtyard to the main building. As I walked across the courtyard I noticed a pretty cozy-looking tiny house to my right that spiked my curiosity. I had to find out its purpose. It seemed all pink and fluffy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "What's that little fairy tale cottage over there all ?" I asked.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The guard, whose name was Gil grinned. "We call that the 'Fuck Hut', er I mean the 'Love Hut'" he said. "That's where the poor deprived prisoners, er, I mean inmates - they don’t like the erm prisoners here,spend the night for a cosy little interlude when the wife or as they say nowadays ‘significant others’, comes to visit. They can't be denied their conjugal rights, you know."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He laughed again. "One guy's wife phoned a couple of weeks ago to know why he was being allowed to bring in a hooker who swore she was his wife. It's not a bad life here once they get used to it."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As I approached the second set of security doors, I wondered if I was going to have to go through the same routine again but they were expecting me and a loud clunk sounded as someone in security who had been following our progress on multiple video cameras, sprung the release. The tightly controlled security nerve centre, to which I was only admitted once by a friendly guard, was very high tech and any part of the institution could be monitored in detail or locked off, if deemed necessary. Once inside the building, the guard behind the desk said, “Hold on a minute doc, and we’ll take you on a guided tour of the institution and wind up in the clinic where you'll be working. I’ll show you around and introduce you to the clinic nurse who'll be working with you.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The circular corridor was divided into sections so that any area uprising could be instantly isolated to prevent spread. The large steel gates unlocked noisily as we approached each section and locked equally noisily after we had passed through.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> " Very smooth," I said. Canadians were efficient in those days and did what had to be done.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Inside the circle of the building was a large central area where the prisoners were allowed to exercise and in the centre of that area was a beautifully landscaped cultivated area. I noticed one or two men picking daintily at the edge of the turf.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "The prisoners do a really nice job of maintaining these gardens," I said to Gil.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Gil laughed at me again. "This place is maintained by the biggest and best landscaping company in town, Doc. I wish I could afford them. The only prisoners who work in the garden are those who request to do so, provided they are not considered too dangerous. Prisoners can't be coerced into working and those who volunteer have to be paid."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We stopped at a point in the corridor where a locked door on the left had a sign that read 'General Medical Clinic'.Gil pressed a button and spoke into a speaker. "Okay, we're here at the clinic. Let us in."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Again the loud clunk of unlocking. We walked in. I looked around the clinic area. This clinic looked better than my family medicine clinic at University Hospital! The clinic itself was well laid out, no intrusive security precautions apparent and better equipped than my office at University hospital. Corrections Canada is federally funded never seemed short of money, whereas health care provincially funded was always in need.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "This is your Nurse, Doctor Smith,” said the guard, introducing me to Heather, a pleasant young woman who looked about fifteen years old and who wouldn't have weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet. I have a daughter who is a nurse and I couldn't help thinking I wouldn't want her working here. It was a hazardous job but Heather turned out to be a fearless young woman who seemed to manage two hundred and fifty pound six foot two giants comfortably. Thought I, she’s a better man than I am!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I hope That you always have adequate security when you're working in this Clinic.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “ Oh yes, I have my belt alarm,'' she said, indicating the gadget attached to her belt. “All I have to do is press this button and there's someone here right away. Most of the time there is a guard right in the room with me."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I think that we'll have to change that a little and tighten up the security. When we are seeing patients there will be a guard in the room at all times and if it is a patient with a violent history there will be two guards in the room and another just outside the door in case we need it.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Well there is patient confidentiality to consider, some of the guys don't want anyone hearing about their personal problems," Heather said.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> You bet they didn’t!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "In this situation I think our safety is more important than patient confidentiality so the guys will just have to suck it up. If there's any problem with that then we need a meeting with management. Further,if there are investigations or treatments that can't be done here at this institution and patients need transfer to university hospital, facilities will have to be developed to move them promptly, observing all the appropriate precautionary measures necessary. Because these guys will have to be handcuffed and ankle cuffed when they're being taken over to University Hospital and two guards and a driver will be necessary to undertake the journey safely.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After inspecting the clinic, the team, which had now grown to include a couple of administrative bodies, continued on to inspect the living quarters of the inmates. Each prisoner had what we in the competitive outside world would call a studio apartment. Some of my patients who worked hard trying to make a decent living did not live as well as these inmates.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Next, the nurse shepherded us into the dining room which was more like a middle range restaurant than a jail.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "The staff can eat here too, so if the clinic runs on a little late you could save a little time and then go on to your office, " said Heather, and then added, "You should try to make it on a Thursday," she smiled, "because on Thursday we get steak! That’s a rule. Steak once a week”.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who said 'crime doesn’t pay?'. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-13108257960514147252021-06-24T21:45:00.000-04:002021-06-24T21:45:30.717-04:00Corrections Canada.<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Corrections Canada.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-49f90fb4-7fff-0aa6-832f-a6e0e9330b42"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Following a modestly successful career in training young physicians in family Medicine in an era when superspecialization was the solution to all the world's problems, I was offered the Headship of the Department of Family Medicine at University Hospital in Saskatoon, the site of the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Generalists In a territory the size of Texas, with a population of 1000000 were desperately needed. The opportunity was too good to turn down and eventually led to becoming the Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and a full Professorship. When I was forty I had taken an academic position as Assistant Professor of Family Medicine which involved teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students and developing a residency training program in the newly built teaching hospital, The Plains Health Centre. It was with mixed feelings that I left the community based partnership that I had enjoyed for fourteen years. My partners were of a caliber I don’t seem to encounter very often nowadays. Hardworking, caring and rugged individualists. We all took our own night calls, did our own deliveries and made house calls. All without whining about how hard we were working and what facilities we could access for burnout!! (What was that, anyway?) We kept our post-partum patients in hospital for five days, because we knew that new mothers needed the rest and weren’t likely to get it at home. When a patient pressed for early release we would reluctantly let her go home on the fourth day and feel we were exposing her to stress.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In those days our heart attack patients stayed in hospital for several weeks and weren’t even allowed to get up to go to the bathroom for the first week. We would look after the elderly at home, making house calls as necessary to monitor their progress. Those were the days before the ‘Health Care Industry’, when being a physician was naively thought to be a noble profession.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I had only been in my new position a few days when my nurse knocked on my office door,.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Dr. Smith, there are two Mounties here to see you, they say it’s personal,” she said apologetically.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Oh, they’ve finally caught up with me,” I said laughingly, “show them in.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Two young RCMP officers came into my office, looking a little uncomfortable.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “We’ve come to pick up your RCMP special constable pass, doctor,” the shorter of the two said, awkwardly.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Oh, you mean you’re firing me?” I asked gravely.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Oh, nothing like that, sir. It’s just that our headquarters are in Regina. I’m sure that if we have any medical needs in Saskatoon you’d be the first person we’d be contacting.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I reluctantly handed over my RCMP Special Constable pass thinking of all the story-telling mileage I’d gotten out of it over the years. Little was I to know, however, that before long I was to be offered another position with the Justice System that would be more interesting, more lucrative and more dangerous than the one I had just given up.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Soon after we had moved to Saskatoon where the Medical School was, I was approached by an old friend of mine from my Regina days. Dr David Williams was a graduate of Cambridge University, who had come to Canada, possibly to escape two ex wives and two sets of kids who’s maintenance kept him permanently impoverished, to the extent that he found it difficult to maintain the lifestyle he preferred. That included wining, dining, skiing and travel. Fortunately his current lady was also a physician, who was well able to support herself. He was a very competent and busy family physician whose itinerant lifestyle was prompted more by personal preference than by any professional shortcomings. In any event, he ended up in Saskatoon as the Medical Director of a maximum security Corrections Canada Psychiatric Institution. (Prison!)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He sat in my office, “So how are you enjoying being the big boss at the Regional Psychiatric Centre?” I asked him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “The job is actually quite interesting and pays well too!” he responded.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I interrupted, “How the heck did you get did you get a high level administrative job like that, you hadn’t had much administrative experience, had you?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “No, not formally, at any rate. As you know, I did a term as President of the Provincial Medical Association and did interact quite a bit with Health Care Politicians and bureaucrats, regarding various issues. Being fluent in French didn’t hurt either.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things, Stan. As you know, I’m the medical director of the Regional Psychiatric Centre. I’m quite enjoying the job but I have a couple of concerns. The first is that I don’t want to get so far out of medical practice that I can’t get back into it. I don’t want be an administrator for the rest of my life. I know that you have some community based physicians come in to the clinic and do some teaching, as well as farming out residents and students to community based practice. So, I’d like to offer my services to your department one day a week, doing anything that you feel would be useful in the department as long as it involves patient care. I have done some teaching in the past and had students do a month rotation in my office when i was in private practice. Actually, I got some pretty good evaluations from the students. So do you think there may be something I can contribute that will allow me to continue to have some exposure to patients on a weekly basis. Of course I don’t want any remuneration and any fees that I generate can go into the departmental slush fund or whatever.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “I have no doubt that you would be a valuable asset to the department. If you can firmly commit to coming on a Monday, which is our problem day to get teachers to come into the unit, I can definitely facilitate you. You say you had a couple of issues you wanted to discuss, what else do you want to talk about?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “We have a whole phalanx of psychiatrists at the Psych Centre, but we have as yet, no clear-cut mechanism for providing general medical care for the inmates. We wondered if the department of Family Medicine would provide that care.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “That’s going to provide a considerable time commitment, Dave. There’s no way we could do it on a fee for service basis.” I said.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “We don’t expect you to do it on a fee for service basis.” He mentioned a figure that quickly removed any doubt in my mind as head of a university department with an unhealthy deficit. The Department needed the funds.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I looked impassively at Dave for a moment and wondered what all the wives and mistresses saw in him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “I’ll have to discuss this with members of the department, but we’ll certainly give it serious consideration. I could see that it could have some very valuable advantages from a teaching point of view,” I said. I didn’t add that it would also have some very valuable advantages from a financial view for a teaching department that was having difficulty maintaining its mission while functioning in the black. Let me talk to the department and think about it for a day or two and I’ll get back to you.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Experience had taught me never to say yes or no to any idea, no matter how good or bad it seemed at first blush, until one had a chance to think through all its implications.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My decision to follow such a policy had served me well over the years and avoided embarrassment on a number of occasions.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It didn’t take me long to convince Staff and Residents that providing the general medical care for the Regional Psychiatric Centre would be a valuable teaching service as well as providing the financial means to provide some much needed improvements within the Department.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And so it came to pass that Dave became a regular Monday afternoon teacher in the Department of Family Medicine and the Department of Family Medicine became the official care providers of the Regional Psychiatric Centre. We negotiated a start date a couple of months down the road and it took all of that time to get the necessary security clearance and complete the contract. Two of my departmental colleagues and I would alternate coming out to the centre on a weekly basis accompanied by a family medicine resident to hold a clinic and the physician or resident on call for the department would manage out of hours calls.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> On January the second nineteen eighty-eight, I showed up at the RPC Saskatoon, federal maximum security institution of Corrections Canada and walked up to the perimeter fence.. This place was for males only - the really dangerous guys. The entire complex was protected by a double ten foot high fence broken only by a single entry point that served as a check point for anyone or anything entering or exiting the centre. Sensors secured the area between the two fences which were sufficiently sensitive to be triggered on occasion by birds or small animals.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The entrance was protected by a checkpoint that was an office with an outer and inner door between which was a security desk and a scanner of the variety which we have all become familiar with at every airport. The security doors were glass in their upper part so that any prospective entrant who rang the bell to gain entry could be observed and questioned as to the nature of their business. Once admission was considered appropriate the visitor was questioned regarding the nature of his business and prior to gaining admission to the institution proper was required to turn out his pockets and empty any briefcase or other baggage to avoid the possibility of anything being smuggled in or out or of being stolen by the inmates. After passing through the metal detector the metallic clunk of the lock being released on the inner door, allowed the visitor to begin the long walk across the courtyard to the building.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-80113585350353578952021-06-24T21:25:00.001-04:002021-06-24T21:25:20.979-04:00The Holyland. Pt 3.<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monday 29th Jan.</span></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Met with Dr. Ben-Basud, head of the clinical decision making group at BG . A very interesting man who moved here from Jerusalem to head up the decision making group. We talked about changes in medical education, (he is about my age) and the change from traditional histo - pathologic based diagnosis and treatment, to 'evidence based medicine', which attempts to encourage professionals and decision-makers to pay more attention to statistic -based evidence to inform their decision making and to eliminate traditional or outdated practices. unless to some of the recent Russian emigrants who had been accepted into the FMR program. The Residency here is a four year program, the last of which is, more or less a social service year in which the resident practices independently for the most part, with some general supervision. This usually occurs in the various outlying clinics in the Negev. These immigrant physicians are faced with the task of trying to learn Hebrew and English at the same time- no easy job. Incidentally, they are among the best dressed people I have seen in Israel, where most of the physician are in jeans or cords and shirts. Afterwards I was driven back to the hospital by one of these residents, who was driving one of the nicest cars I've seen in Israel.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Irene has a bad cold so we didn't go out once I came home. I tried plugging in the modem, and though I didn't manage to make the connections I wanted, it didn't fry the modem. So I'l have to experiment a bit. Meanwhile, I will continue to use computers around the hospital.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tue 30th January.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This morning I went up the the shopping centre to have a haircut, while waiting for Irene to wake and see how the cold is and whether we would be able to make the trip to Jerusalem or not. Went into an Israeli salon where they didn't speak much English and I said I wanted it short. And boy, did I get it short, in a very military sort of style! At least I won't need another haircut for a long time! We still haven't become used to the manner in which Israelis invade your space, quite unlike Canada and the US. As I sat in the chair, one of the female stylists came over to talk to the young man who was cutting my hair. She leans over to talk to him, her bare midriff right in my face, totally oblivious to my presence. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We left for Jerusalem at about two p.m. and made our way across the countryside enjoying the rolling hills, the very green fields, this must be the greenest time of the year, the trees and the sights. Just coming out of Beer Sheva, the Bedouin Shanty towns, followed by nice new permanent Bedouin housing developments. Took some photos of both of these to illustrate the contrasts. Once onto the main Tel Aviv Jerusalem stretch, the traffic was horrendous, and we observed the Israeli phenomenon of turning a normal human into a lethal driving machine. As we get into Jerusalem and the traffic slows down before the ultimate gridlock, the other Israeli compulsion of honking the horn incessantly becomes evident. Israelis sound their horns insistently and incessantly, for reasons that are often not clear. Sometimes I think its just to let you know that they are there. They also pass on single lane highways in situations that most sane N.Americans wouldn't think of. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jerusalem was far busier than when we were last here in 1989. As we were driving in we recognized the area where we were living then, and drove and walked around a little 'til we found 18 Mitudela where we had stayed, a big stone apartment block that was always cool - without air conditioning. It was so designed that the cool evening air blew gently through. We then drove downtown and after much hunting around managed to find a parking place. Ambled around King George street and Ben Yehuda St. and finally found a nice outside restaurant and had fish and chips. Thought it time to start heading back to Beer Sheva as I had no idea how to start back. Stopped at a gas station for some directions and they advised me to head the most direct way which was through Jericho. Now even we are not so poorly informed that we don't know that this is a dangerous place, and since the attendants at the gas station seemed a bit vague perhaps they were underestimating the dangers. Since we remembered that we came in on the Tel Aviv road we headed back out that way to look for the turn off to Beer Sheva, which we somehow seemed to miss. We soon found ourselves almost at Ben Gurion Airport, and I decided to turn into the airport for further direction. As we turned into the airport there was a sort of obstacle course, which quite obviously, was to stop any would- be car bomber from getting in to the airport. As I came through the path, three heavily armed soldiers, came out and. waved me down. I stopped the car immediately and jumped out. They had me pull the car out of the traffic lane, but quickly seemed to rule me out as a serious terrorist threat, despite my military haircut. They could speak hardly any English, and I just kept saying in my very few words of Hebrew "Where is Beer Sheva?" They told me in very simple Hebrew how to get back on the road, and sent us on our way. Later discussed our avoidance of the Jericho route with some of our local acquaintances. They assured me it was the right decision.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Wed 31 Jan 1996.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Went to Research meeting on Bedouin Health and their perceptions of their health care. Main coordinator of the research program is Maroud, a medical resident who speaks Hebrew, Arabic, Czech, English and Russian. He is carrying this project almost single-handedly, because acceptance of researchers of other ethnic origins would not be acceptable to the Bedouins. The research project calls for many meetings involving all the different communities and requires separate meetings for men and women, and Maroud attends almost all of the meetings. In addition he attends to his duties as a family medicine resident on his one year rotation of Internal Medicine. Many of the issues are similar to those of our Canadian Indians, to provide continuity and comprehensiveness of care in the rural areas. One of the differences is that the distances are so small in Israel, that even from the most remote areas it's at the most a couple of hours drive to a major centre. Anyway, after the meeting I had an interesting chat with Maroud, and he suggested I might like to go and visit some Bedouins and drink some coffee in the tent. I said I'd love to. He said he would arrange it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Later I went to a meeting of the Family Medicine Dept, during which time all the peripheral teachers come in to have a department meeting and a continuing medical education presentation. When I came in to the meeting the Chairman asked me if I could follow the meeting in Hebrew. When I answered no, he said, "Dr Smith does not speak Hebrew, does anyone have any problem with changing the working language to English?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Nobody had any trouble with that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thur 1 Feb.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Spent the morning in the Family Medicine Unit seeing patients with some of the staff physicians and residents. Some of the residents were experienced physicians who had emigrated to Israel and were working towards full licensure. Most, but not all had a working knowledge of English. Several were from South American countries including one from Cuba and several were from Russia. There were quite a few Americans and Canadians. Very few were fluent in Hebrew.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In afternoon went to old part of the city and sought out another well of Abraham. Seems to be several around here. This one was a tourist centre with information handouts and a women in the office who was delighted to have someone to talk to. This area had four wells and were not as old nor as impressive as the much narrower, deeper well at Tel Beer Sheva. This was in a part of the old city that we had not seen before, and had an interesting looking market and shops that would stand a little exploration.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In the evening we go with Mickey and Sid, the couple we rent the apartment from, to a social gathering a friend of theirs is hosting to present a lecture on the 'Alexander Method', a sort of alternative therapy ', aims to re-educate the mind and the body through a series of movements so the body uses muscles more efficiently'. The relationship between the head and spine is the key. The talk is given by an Israeli therapist, a fortyish, lean man who is the therapist of the aging hostess. He delivered the talk with some difficulty in English. It turns out to be another worthless, crack-pot theory but being the only physician there among the converted, I managed to keep my mouth shut and look thoughtful. Something I don't easily accomplish.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sat. 3rd. Feb.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Got up at a respectable hour this morning and headed to Ein Gedi, a kibbutz on the Western sore of the Dead Sea. Ein Gedi was an ancient Oasis Settlement of great significance during the First Jewish Rebellion against Rome (66CE). The drive was incredible involving a drive through Arad and on to the Dead Sea, which goes through very picturesque sandstone mountains, up and down winding narrow roads, some overlooking dramatic precipices, the crazy Israeli drivers passing blindly on the dangerous curves. When the Dead Sea comes into view, 400 meters below, it does so as a glorious panorama of intense blue and white, overshadowed by the monumental Jordanian mountains. We drove on to Ein Geddi, where we stopped at the Spa, had some lunch, (an interesting salad bar, which included one of my favourites, egg-plant - known as hatzilim here.) walked on the beach, for a while and then went on to the En Geddi beach. Ein Geddi, has been an Oasis in the desert for thousands of years, across the Sea from which is the Moab mountains, where Moses was buried. Here is one of Israel's most important archaeological sites, which we did not go to see nor even know about. We will have to go there again.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">February 5, 1996</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Meeting in morning re Inf Hepatitis Study. Pesach is very good at getting drug Co. money for acceptable research studies.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Went over to library to do a lit search on stroke incidence in Israel. Librarian from California. In the afternoon met with Vice Dean Carmi Margolis. Talked to him re computerized medical record. Very interesting. Need to spend more time with him re CPGs. He's from NY. He told me the story of how he and others developed an electronic medical record for Kupat Cholim, complete with all the bells and whistles, and that it needed updating and K.C. pulled their funding and decided to go with another system - that the clinics involved are now back to writing records manually. He referred me to someone else for further information. We talked for about an hour about emr. My diagnosis is they were shooting too high, and should have extemporized and tried to hang on to what they had, but there may be factors that I don't know about. We never did get on to talking about CPGs, and will have to schedule some further meeting to discuss this and other issues. Carmi's explanation for Israeli behaviour-Israelis got their country by fighting relentlessly, winning the war, and estalishing the state-and feel every issue has to be won in the same way, by fighting a war there is no such thing as resolution by compromise.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">February 5, 1996</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Today went to Ashkelon to the K.C. Clinic to spend the day working with David Tobin, a physician from Ottawa who has been in this area for about ten years. The clinic is very busy and David sees from 40 to seventy patients per day. This is a bit hard to understand in view of Israels very high ratio of physicians to patients. There seems to be some very real competition between family physicians and various specialists, and perhaps between the various managed care groups, of which there are four or five. A great cultural cross section of patients, varying from Ethiopians (very difficult to diagnose because of cultural differences and somatization), to new Russians, many of whom don't speak Hebrew. Patients tend to be pushy and tend to push into the Drs office without invitatiion, so Dr. Tobin locks the door between the examining room and the waiting room once he shows his patients in. Although part of Israel is extremely high tech in some ways, this clinic which could be very easily computerized at little expense, has an archaic record system. David seemed glad to have someone to confer with and I think must feel a bit isolated practicing alone. I saw a few interesting patients, David interpreting for me. I think I could pick up 'medical hebrew' pretty quickly. David stated he feels aware of the booming Israeli economy. His analogy of Israeli life is of the person getting on the bus getting trampled by the other passengers running over him, but when they see the poor fellow cannot get off the bus they carry him on their backs to the hospital. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Tonight we were invited to Noga Porter's for dinner and met her son, ready to go into the army, and her husband Basil, a pediatrician. He is very interested in CPGs and I think we shuld meet in the business setting to discuss this and other issues.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Basil is a S.African who immigrated to Israel years ago.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">February 6, 1996</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Met with Dr.Haim Belmaker, a transplanted American psychiatrist who is the head of Psychiatry here. An interesting fellow, who recently co-authored a paper entitled:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dopamine D4 Receptor (D4DR) Exon III Polymorphism Associated with the Human Personality Trait of Novelty Seeking.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This made Time Magazine in January.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Of more mundane interest is that Dr. Belmaker holds the Chair of Ortho- Molecular Psychiatry, endowed by the Vikars family, brother-in-law of Abraham Hoffer. Dr.B. has been active in O-M research, recently publishing a paper entitled, "Double-Blind, Controlled Trial of Inositol Treatment of Depression," which was reported in a newspaper that came to the notice of Hoffer, who was not at all pleased that the research was not directly concerned with the use of vitamins in the treatment of schitzophrenia. He wrote quite a nasty letter to Dr. B. saying how displeased he was with the direction of B.s research, and that they would have done better to give the money to a Canadian or American University. He hasn't replied to this letter yet, and he states that he will show it to me before responding. Apparently the whole endowment brings into Psychiatry $3000/yr. I'll be iterested in the follow up. We have arranged a meeting between Dr. Elana Belmaker and myself for later, as she is some sort of a public health physician.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Walked round old BeerSheva and had a light supper at a side-walk cafe.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Rena phoned at one am, just after I had dropped into a nice deep sleep. She sounds great.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">February 8, 1996</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Met with Jeff Borkan this morning to talk about a possible low back pain project and made a few notes.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Also found an office that has word perfect, where I hope I will be able to print up some of the stuff I have written.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">February 9, 1996</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dimona to meet with Dr.Alan Bitun, a graduate of BGU practicing in a Kupat Cholim Clinic. He lives at Sde Boker, Ben Gurion's clinic, and invited us to visit him at the Kibbutz, which I hope to do. I had a short but interesting takl with him, which covered the fierce competition between Israeli Family Physicians and other primary care specialists. Interestingly he very definately distinguished between 'specialists in Family Med, and other primary care physicians. Irene came withme and we went on to Mamshit, a city built by the Nabotheans two thousand years ago. A really impressive site and sight, of which i took many pictures. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dimona is interesting apart from its Nuclear reactor. Noga told me that a large black commuity had come there to settle from Chicago years ago </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" />Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-50090977579937995592021-06-24T21:20:00.000-04:002021-06-24T21:21:00.361-04:00The Holy Land. Pt2.<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Wanderings in the Negev.</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Once on the road again we started heading towards Dimona, a modern Israeli town with a 'secret' nuclear reactor. I say secret in parentheses because absolutely everyone, Arab or Jew knew all about it, I knew all about it too but when I raised the issue they 'shushed' me.</span></span></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "It's a secret, we don't talk about it!" </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Somewhere in this area we pulled off the road again, for one of those pilgrimages to a Bedouin spontaneous settlement that was virtually invisible from the road, and only after a considerable journey over rocky, uneven terrain, they becomes identifiable when you are a few feet away. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Maraud showed us the Nissan hut that had been the medical clinic when he was on his remote rural rotation, which he said he had physically built himself. He described the difficulty in providing appropriate medical care to women, who were only allowed to come to the clinic if accompanied by the husband, who remained present during the history and the physical examination. The clinic had been discontinued when he left, and apparently was to be permanently closed down. The message being that the local people should go to Dimona, which is only a few miles away, where there was a modern well equipped well staffed clinic. My conviction was that after he had left it was impossible to find another physician to practice under those restricted circumstances when there was a modern clinic nearby. He agreed with this theory and he also pointed out that due to the terrain, which was subject to flash flooding, the ambulance would not leave the main road to pick someone up regardless of the severity of their condition. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We ended up at a traditional Bedouin goat skin tent where we were invited in for tea. We were seated around the in-tent fireplace where we were offered something to eat, which we politely declined, and were given the hot sweet tea that the Bedouin sit and talk and sip all evening, sometimes very strong bitter coffee was the alternative.. We sat talking for some time, the Sheik sitting reclining on comfortable woven mats that covered the floor of this communal tent, with their thick embroidered cushions. His traditional keffiyeh framed his dark mustached face, the gray Western style suit he was wearing forming a strange contrast. Shortly thereafter, the Imam or holy man came into the tent to join us, and was greeted with great respect - everyone stood up and shook hands. About eight or nine others sat around the fire, the older ones in traditional dress, the younger ones in jeans, but most wearing the traditional Arab headdress. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">An Amusing Exchange.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As we had approached this settlement, I noted that the tents we were approaching were all black. I wondered about this, because, in the desert, where the sun beats down all day, surely the tents should have been white, to reflect the heat and the light of the sun. M. had introduced me as 'Professor Smith from Canada,' and of course all our conversation in both directions went through him.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As our conversations drew to a conclusion the Sheik inquired as to whether there were any other questions I would like to ask. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Yes," I said, "I want to know why all the tents are black, when it would be much cooler to have white tents?"</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> All of the occupants of the tent, both old and young, broke out into hilarious laughter. It went on for quite a while.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "What's so funny?", I asked M.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Well," he said, a smile on his face, " the Sheik said , tell the Professor , that the tents are black because the goats are black!"</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After a while we took our leave, and after a long cross-country drive, over moon - like rocky terrain, we passed the Dimona power station and headed back to the road.</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunday Jan 28th.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Meeting with the Dean scheduled for 11am. First I met witn Pesach, and when I noticed the time was a little past eleven and pointed this out, Pesach said, "oh, he'll wait for us" and carried right on chatting. A few minutes later the Dean's secretary came into his office looking for us. The dean was a very nice fellow, who chatted about the various problems that exist in primary care in Israel, particularly in the area of geriatrics, as this population has a high percentage of elderly people. They are talking about increasing the geriatrics in the program - at te moment there is one month of geriatrics in the FM program, and also of having some sort of a certificate of special competence ingeriatrics. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">the dean then said, ( obviously he had read my CV carefully!) </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I hear you have a special interest in stroke prevention."</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I agreed.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I think I see a great need for that in Israel. Perhaps you could put forward some sort of a proposal in that regard while you are here. In fact," he continued casually, "I'd like to see something in place before you go."</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Certainly," I replied confidently. And so I've been commisioned!</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After the meeting with the Dean, I came home, picked up Irene and went to Tel Beer Sheva. This is the archeological site of the ancient city of Beer Sheva, and is really very interesting. Particularly fascinating is the well, just outside the town site, which is the well of the biblical stiry of Abraham. The well is excavated to an amazing depth, and with the aid of some recently installed flood-lights one can see right down to the water - a long, long way below. Gives one quite queazy feeling in the stomach to look down there. Even though there is a robust grid over the top of the well to prevent one from falling down. We picked up a pamphlet which incudes a map of the general layout, and which will be a appendix to this journal, so I will not describe what others have done better. I took quite a few photos of the site and of the surrounding hills. The site closes at four , and we were a little late getting down to the exit area. A young bedouoin man told us it was timefor himto have a sleep and so it was time for us to go. (very politely). When we got to the exit the woman on the door said he had wanted to lock up the park, but she had seen our car on the parking lot and told him he was to find us first. Otherwise we would have been spending the night in the biblicalcity of Beeer Sheva. There is a view tower in the centre of the archeological site from which the 360 degree view is impressive.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Afterwards we drove around Beer Sheva a little and ended up in the old parrt of the city. Parked the car and found a seventy shekel parking ticket on it, when we got back. Lots of new Russians around town, and many of the stores had signs in Hebrew and Russian.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monday 29th Jan.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Met with Dr. Ben-basud, head of the clinical decision making group . A very interesting man who moved here from Jerusalem to head up the decision making group. We talked about changes in medical education, (he is about my age) and the change from histo - pathologic based treament, which despite its rationality often just does't work, to evidence based medicine, which is so much in vogue and spearheaded by MacMaster.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Later I went to oneof the other Family Medicine Clinics in Beer Sheva, and after a drug company sponsored lunch, the topic was vertigo, the drug serc, spent some time talkig to some of the recent Russian emigrants who had been accepted into the FMR program. The Residency here is a four year program, the last of which is, more or less a social service year in which the resident practices independantly for the most part, with some general supervision. This usually occurs in the various outlying clinics in the Negev, as far as I can understand. These imigrant physicians are faced with the task of trying to learn Hebrew and English at the same time- no easy job. Incidentally, they are among the best dressed people I have seen in Israel, where most of the physician are in jeans or cords and shirts. Afterwards I was driven back to the hospital by one of these residents, who was driving one of the nicest cars I've seen in Israel.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Irene has a bad cold so we didn't go out once I came home. I tried plugging in the modem, and though I didn't manage to make the connections I wanted, it didn't fry the modem. So I'l have to experiment a bit. Meanwhile, I will continue to use computers around the hospital.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tue 30th January.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This morning I went up the the shopping centre to have a haircut, while waiting for Irene to wake and see how the cold is and whether we would be able to make the trip to Jerusalem or not. Went into an Israeli salon where they didn't speak much </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">english and I said I wanted it short. And boy, did I get it short, in a very military sort of style! At least I won't need another haircut for a long time! I still haven't become used to the manner in which Israelis invade your space, quite unlike Canada and the US. As I sat in the chair, one of the female stylists came over to talk o the young man who was cutting my hair. She leans over to talk to him, her bare midriff right in my face, totally oblivious to my presence. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We left for Jerusalem at about two p.m. and made our way across the countryside enjoying the rolling hills, the very green fields, this must be the greenist time of the year, the trees and the sights. Just coming out of Beer sheva, the Bedouin Shanty towns, followed by nice new permanent Bedouin housing developments. Took some photos of both of these to illustrate the contrasts. Once onto the main Tel Aviv Jerusalem stretch, the traffic was horrendous, and the Israeli phenomenon of turning a normal human into a lethal driving machine. As we get into Jerusalem and the traffic slows down before the ultimate gridlock, the other Israeli compulsion of honking the horn incessently becomes evident. Israelis sound their horns insistantly and incessently, for reasons that are often not clear. Sometimes I think its just to let yo know that they are there. They also pass on single lane highways in situations that most sane N.Americans wouldn't think of. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jerusalem was far busier than when we were last here in 1989. As we were driving in we recognized the area where we were</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">living then, and drove and walked around a little 'til we found 18 Mitudela where we had stayed in then. We then drove downtown and after much hunting around managed to find a parking place. Ambled around King George street and Ben Yehuda St. and finally found a nice outside restaurant and had fish and chips. Thought it time to start heading back to Beer Sheva as I had no idea how to start back. Stopped at a gas station for some directions and they advised me to head the most direct way which was through Jericho. Now even we are not so poorly informed that we don't know that this is a dangerous place, and since the attendents at the gas station seemed to me to be Arab, perhaps they were underestimating the dangers. Since we remembered that we came in on the Tel Aviv road we headed back out that way to look for the turn off to Beer Sheva, which we somehow seemed to miss. We soon found ourselves almost at Ben Gurion Airport, and I decided to turn into the airport for further direction. As we turned into the airport there ws a sort of obstacle course, which quite obviously, in retrospect, is to stop any would- be car bomber from geting in to the airport. As I came through the path, three heavily armed soldiers, came out and waved me down. I stopped the car immediately and jumped out. They had me pull the car out of the traffic lane, but quickly seemed to rule me out as a serious terrorist threat, despite my military haircut. They could speak hardly any English, and I just kept saying in my very few words of Hebrew "Where is Beer Sheva?" They told me in very simple Hebrew how to get back on the road, and sent us on our way. Later discussed our avoidance of the Jericho route with some of our local acquaintances. They assured me it was the right decision.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Wed 31 Jan 1996.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Went to Research meeting on Bedouin Health and their perceptions of their health care. Main coordinator of the research program is Maroud, a Bedouin resident, who speaks Hebrew, Arabic, Czech, English and Russian. A tall, handsome, dark-skinned man in his early thirties, he is carrying this project almost single-handedly, because acceptance of researchers of other ethnic origins would not be acceptable to the Bedouins. The research project calls for many meetings involving all the different communities and requires separate meetings for men and women, and Maroud attends almost all of the meetings. In addition he attends to his duties as a family medicine resident on his one year rotation of Internal Medicine. Many of the issues are identical to those of our Canadian Indians, and to providing continuity and comprehensiveness of care in the rural areas. One of the differences is that the distances are so small in Israel, that even from the most remote areas its at the most a couple of hours drive to a major centre. Anyway, after the meeting I had an interesting chat with Maroud, and he suggested I might like to go and visit some Bedouins and drink some coffee in the tent. I said I'd love to and he is going to give me a call sometime. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Later I went to a meeting of the Family Medicine Dept, during which time all the peripheral teachers come in to have a dept. meeting and a cme presentation.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When I, the great Canadian Professor, came into the meeting the Chair asked me if I could follow the meeting in Hebrew. When I answered in the negative he said, "Professor Smith cannot follow the meeting in Hebrew, is there anyone who would object if we change the language to English?" Not a person objected!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></div></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-26618353085638915362021-06-01T20:40:00.000-04:002021-06-01T20:40:44.209-04:00The Holy Land. Pt.1.<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> <span color="var(--primary-text)" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wanderings in the Negev Desert.</span></b></span></p><div style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; transition-property: none;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc e5nlhep0 dati1w0a" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_27" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; padding: 4px 16px; transition-property: none;"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg" style="animation-name: none; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px; transition-property: none;"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; transition-property: none;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" color="var(--primary-text)" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; display: block; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; word-break: break-word;"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: 0.9375rem;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> It was in 1996 when I took a year of sabbatical after having been the chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan for ten years. I spent half my sabbatical at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, working with their renowned stroke prevention unit, with Dr. David Macher and his colleagues at Duke University. I had been involved with a similar unit at the University of Saskatchewan that was focused on stroke prevention as applied to primary care.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The second half of my sabbatical, starting in January, 1996, was spent in Israel as a visiting professor at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva, the gateway to the Negev Desert. Historically an intriguing area, the odds are that when you stub your toe, the object you hit dates from long before the Christian Era (you can read your bible if you want to know more!). It was regarded as a bit of a backwoods then, apart from its outstanding Ben Gurion University. Extensive building was going on everywhere and still is and friends who have visited since tell me I wouldn't recognize it. I was working as a visiting professor in the Department of Family Medicine and since the provision of health care in remote northern areas of Saskatchewan was provided under the aegis of my department, one of my interests was in outreach medical care in remote areas. Because of my experience in this area, the Dean of. Medicine at BGU requested that I review and comment upon outreach medical services in the Negev Desert and make any recommendations that I thought appropriate.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> It was after a presentation to faculty when we were discussing issues of providing medical care in remote areas, that I was approached by Dr. Mahmoud Maroud , a senior resident in the department of family medicine at BGU. His resident project was a study of medical care to patients living in remote places in the Negev. He had heard my presentation regarding the role the department of family medicine played in developing medical care to people in Northern Saskatchewan.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Saskatchewan's 651,036 square kilometres of land area, (population about a million) is larger than all but two states Alaska, which is almost three times the size, and Texas, with a population of less than 20,000,000 at that time. The Negev, on the other hand, is an area of 13,000 km squared, with about half a million population, about 25% of which are Bedouin. Dr. Maroud, a Bedouin, observed that many of the issues in delivering health care to the native population in remote parts of Saskatchewan were similar to the issues of delivering health care to the remote desert Bedouin, despite the great difference in area served, and of course the climate. Half of the Negev Bedouin lived in unrecognized villages in traditional Bedouin nomadic tent communities and half of them lived in towns built for them by the Israeli government between 1960 and 1980. Dr. Maroud, invited me to accompany him on his tour to visit and comment on Bedouin communities and their health care issues. I enthusiastically accepted his offer, ecstatic at the prospect of having a guide who spoke Arabic, Hebrew and English fluently and who, as an insider, would provide access to people and places I would otherwise have little chance of meeting. He informed me that he would contact me for his next foray into the desert. I informed him that my wife and companion was interested in coming along and he responded by pointing out that this would be fine in most but not all of the places that we were to visit, emphasizing the dress code and a number of other issues with which my wife and I were well familiar, that would make an accompanying woman's presence tolerable in the Bedouin culture. Several days later, he phoned.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Here my journal notes start and I share them with only small corrections:</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On January 16th 1996, at 3.10pm the phone rang at the apt. It was Dr. Maroud, and he arranged to pick us up later that same afternoon to visit a fairly near-by Bedouin settlement and introduce us to the Bedouin way of life. He was a tall, dark, man with a strong face who looked to be in his mid thirties, dressed in modern style and spoke accentless English. I introduced him to Irene, and we both climbed into his small car to begin what was to be an eventful and unusual day. We drove out onto the road from the small modern town of Omer on the periphery of Beer Sheva where we had rented an apartment. The setting was more reminiscent of California than Israel and we drove towards Shoket Junction while Dr.Maroud gave us a short history of the Bedouin and of himself.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He told us his uncle was a member of the communist party and he himself had gone to medical school in Czechoslovakia and then came back to Israel for his postgraduate training.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> His off the top of his head population figures, and remember this was 1996 were as follows. There were approximately one hundred and ten thousand Bedouin in the Negev, and another hundred and ten thousand in the north of Israel. There were approximately two and a half million in total, mostly in the surrounding Arab countries, but extending as far as Cuba. We could not imagine how they came to migrate there, but as the story unfolded we were later able to gain some insight as to why that happened.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> When we reached S.Junction we turned left and headed to Leguia, and pulled off the highway onto a dirt road. The dirt road appeared to have no distinguishing features. We seemed to be driving across oceans of sand with no identifying landmarks and the idea did cross my mind that we could perish in the desert if the car broke down or worse. (No mobile phones in those days!)</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "How do you know you turned off the highway in the right place?" I asked. This was in the days before GPS. "It all looks the same to me."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "We should see a water pump in about another five minutes and then turn right," he said.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "And what if we don't?" I asked.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He laughed."then we'll just have to stop and ask someone!. You think that there's no one to ask, don't you?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He was quite right, we hadn't seen anything or anyone since we had left the road.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Now, I'll just point out some things as we drive along. Oh, and there's the pump just popping its head over the sand dune almost straight ahead."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> M. pointed out to us the galvanized iron huts and tents on the one side of the road, so well blended in with their background we would never have noticed them if they were not pointed out to us by someone who knew where to look. On the other side of the road were some new houses built by the Israeli government. He commented that though the new houses looked lovely from the outside that the inside was not correspondingly furnished, and usually contained the furnishings typical of the interior of the tent. The new houses, known as planned settlements, had electricity and running water, while the old shanties had no such provisions, although many of them had small generators.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The car climbed up a small hill. We got out to look around.From the top of a hill we were standing on, Mahmoud pointed out a fine, affluent home that would have looked quite in place in California and informed us that it was being built by one of the wealthy members of the tribe and it needed to be large because he had three wives. He commented that many of the young men were reverting to having two or three wives if they could afford it. I asked him jokingly if that was what he had in mind. He laughed back,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I don't think my wife would let me -she's a Czech!"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I asked why some of the Bedouin have new homes in settlements (the so-called planned settlements), while others stay on in tents - the old settlements. Apparently, the issue is one of giving up land in exchange for resettlement homes, and according to M. there is some pressure on the Bedouin to resettle. The reason for this is ascribed to 'security reasons'. We then headed east toward Ksifr and turned south across land where no life could be seen, unless trained eyes were there to point them out. M. pointed out more Bedouin tents that were almost invisible against the background of the rolling hills of sand and some green. The green, I was later to find out is wheat, somehow shlept out of this sandy, stony terrain and looking pathetic when compared to the lush prairie wheat fields where some of the farms were nearly as big as Israel. We continued up a meandering stony path, which I wondered if the car could negotiate, Finally we arrived at the high point, overlooking several Bedouin tents. Out of nowhere a white car appeared, a menacing man behind the wheel. M indicated to me that I should lower my window, and started talking to the driver of the other car in Arabic. Once he identified himself as a fellow Bedu, the animosity vanished instantly, and the man came around and shook his hand, ignoring me. M. showed us some olive trees, explaining to us that the Bedouin don't usually grow trees but the land ownership act stipulates that if there are trees growing on the land it implies ownership. He also explained to us that the Bedouin build permanent structures inside the tents, another sign of land ownership.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> We continued driving over this harsh, pitted, rutted, uneven terrain, over mounds of rocky sandy earth that I was sure the car could not negotiate. I could picture the undercarriage hung up on some huge sandy knoll. M. however seemed to have no such worries, seemed to know every inch of the terrain and traversed it with complete confidence, everywhere pointing out with pleasure Bedouin tents invisible to the casual eye. Back onto a road where we drove to another resettlement road, beyond the new dwellings, some of which looked very nice, There was a magnificent timpressive looking mosque. We stopped to look at it, and I asked M. if I could take a photograph.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Of course!" he answered. I pulled out my camera and took a photograph. I was just getting back into the car when a rather aggressive young Arab man came over to ask what we wanted. Again M. responded in the Bedouin dialect, introducing himself. The man asked in Arabic some questions.. (I confirmed this with M. later). "Are you Bedouin?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> M answered in the affirmative, entering into a short discussion. The young man was obviously dealing with a person of some status. After which much shaking of hands (including mine!) and friendly farewells. I don't think I would have felt very comfortable stumbling into this by myself. I asked M. what would have happened if he wasn't there, he answered that we would have just been told to move on.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He looked at the magnificent mosque I had been photographing.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> " Where do you think the money came from for this mosque," he asked me.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Where?" I asked, not wanting to offend him with my opinion.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "From fundamentalist countries like Iran and Iraq. They are trying to foster fundamentalism among young Bedouin. The Bedouin are traditionally non political, but there is some fundamentalism arising among the young people, who feel their needs are not being met and they are in danger of losing their land."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> We pulled out towards the road again.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "See how far the school is from the village?" he asked, "why do you think that is?"</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I don't know," I answered.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "It's because the teachers don't feel safe with the school being right in the village," he said, "in the case of any trouble the school could become a fortress. "There is the Kupat Cholim clinic, also quite far from the village, for the same reasons." He pointed out the medical clinic to me. It looked nice and modern and clean, but there was nothing going on in it. Certainly no doctors or patients visible. How was that? </span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He explained to me that women could not come to the clinic unaccompanied by a relative - usually male. He pointed out that many preferred ritual healers and avoided modern medicine if they thought they could.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">More next week.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; transition-property: none;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicalmanes.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0eg7ffr1i0a-YsjOKge5c9Cd49dUBki4uy_1JI-uQIKiZ5zrkOzGt3OL4&h=AT2Qkf9_ekXAIQn3_1mT8qtbUNXu1IleVJu2PdvOKI6UhmyGlK634b_DlE8IpOGWLmWxkcaXltxZwP527UFwhCdHYjpcMMoKklguN4ie4DhzcYmSS3xYmo4ZQzoQhqmX&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT2dCyqGgYJMlHNMT-kFi62rueieegNEoiwl18KK9i_7sQ0iKC6l6yY5t0vf7UWaCuy6uwRfquqKi3_nuaOpvHLjRZKRV3rhy5B74eQEFSd-SkksIsHBgyYP8Rwq9FHb2t_NJOabQJ6gzd-qX0Bt" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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height: 18px; transition-property: none; width: 18px;"><span class="tojvnm2t a6sixzi8 abs2jz4q a8s20v7p t1p8iaqh k5wvi7nf q3lfd5jv pk4s997a bipmatt0 cebpdrjk qowsmv63 owwhemhu dp1hu0rb dhp61c6y iyyx5f41" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: inherit; animation-name: none; display: inherit; flex-direction: inherit; flex: inherit; font-family: inherit; height: inherit; max-height: inherit; max-width: inherit; min-height: inherit; min-width: inherit; place-content: inherit; transition-property: none; width: inherit;"><div aria-label="Like: 7 people" class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl l9j0dhe7 abiwlrkh p8dawk7l" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; 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border: 0px; transition-property: none; vertical-align: top;" width="18" /></div></span></span></span><span class="np69z8it et4y5ytx j7g94pet b74d5cxt qw6c0r16 kb8x4rkr ed597pkb omcyoz59 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 qxh1up0x qtyiw8t4 tpcyxxvw k0bpgpbk hm271qws rl04r1d5 l9j0dhe7 ov9facns tkr6xdv7" style="animation-name: none; border-bottom-color: var(--card-background); border-left-color: var(--card-background); border-radius: 11px; border-right-color: var(--card-background); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--card-background); border-width: 2px; font-family: inherit; height: 18px; margin-left: -4px; position: relative; transition-property: none; width: 18px; z-index: 1;"><span class="t0qjyqq4 jos75b7i j6sty90h kv0toi1t q9uorilb hm271qws ov9facns" style="animation-name: none; border-radius: 9px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 18px; transition-property: none; width: 18px;"><span class="tojvnm2t a6sixzi8 abs2jz4q a8s20v7p t1p8iaqh k5wvi7nf q3lfd5jv pk4s997a bipmatt0 cebpdrjk qowsmv63 owwhemhu dp1hu0rb dhp61c6y iyyx5f41" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: inherit; animation-name: none; display: inherit; flex-direction: inherit; flex: inherit; font-family: inherit; height: inherit; max-height: inherit; max-width: inherit; min-height: inherit; min-width: inherit; place-content: inherit; transition-property: none; width: inherit;"><div aria-label="Love: 1 person" class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl l9j0dhe7 abiwlrkh p8dawk7l" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none; user-select: none;" tabindex="0"><img class="j1lvzwm4" height="18" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink' viewBox='0 0 16 16'%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient id='a' x1='50%25' x2='50%25' y1='0%25' y2='100%25'%3e%3cstop offset='0%25' stop-color='%23FF6680'/%3e%3cstop offset='100%25' stop-color='%23E61739'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3cfilter id='c' width='118.8%25' height='118.8%25' x='-9.4%25' y='-9.4%25' filterUnits='objectBoundingBox'%3e%3cfeGaussianBlur in='SourceAlpha' result='shadowBlurInner1' stdDeviation='1'/%3e%3cfeOffset dy='-1' in='shadowBlurInner1' result='shadowOffsetInner1'/%3e%3cfeComposite in='shadowOffsetInner1' in2='SourceAlpha' k2='-1' k3='1' operator='arithmetic' result='shadowInnerInner1'/%3e%3cfeColorMatrix in='shadowInnerInner1' values='0 0 0 0 0.710144928 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.117780134 0 0 0 0.349786932 0'/%3e%3c/filter%3e%3cpath id='b' d='M8 0a8 8 0 100 16A8 8 0 008 0z'/%3e%3c/defs%3e%3cg fill='none'%3e%3cuse fill='url(%23a)' xlink:href='%23b'/%3e%3cuse fill='black' filter='url(%23c)' xlink:href='%23b'/%3e%3cpath fill='white' d='M10.473 4C8.275 4 8 5.824 8 5.824S7.726 4 5.528 4c-2.114 0-2.73 2.222-2.472 3.41C3.736 10.55 8 12.75 8 12.75s4.265-2.2 4.945-5.34c.257-1.188-.36-3.41-2.472-3.41'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e" style="animation-name: none; border: 0px; transition-property: none; vertical-align: top;" width="18" /></div></span></span></span></span></span><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span class="tojvnm2t a6sixzi8 abs2jz4q a8s20v7p t1p8iaqh k5wvi7nf q3lfd5jv pk4s997a bipmatt0 cebpdrjk qowsmv63 owwhemhu dp1hu0rb dhp61c6y iyyx5f41" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: inherit; animation-name: none; display: inherit; flex-direction: inherit; flex: inherit; font-family: inherit; height: inherit; max-height: inherit; max-width: inherit; min-height: inherit; min-width: inherit; place-content: inherit; transition-property: none; width: inherit;"><div class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 a8c37x1j p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl l9j0dhe7 abiwlrkh p8dawk7l gmql0nx0 ce9h75a5 ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; max-height: 1.3333em; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none; user-select: none;" tabindex="0"><br /></div></span></div></div></div></div><div class="tvfksri0 ozuftl9m jmbispl3 olo4ujb6" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px; transition-property: none;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 pfnyh3mw i1fnvgqd gs1a9yip owycx6da btwxx1t3 ph5uu5jm b3onmgus e5nlhep0 ecm0bbzt nkwizq5d roh60bw9 mysgfdmx hddg9phg" style="align-items: stretch; animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; justify-content: space-between; margin: -6px -2px; padding: 4px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 cbu4d94t g5gj957u d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz rj1gh0hx buofh1pr n8tt0mok hyh9befq iuny7tx3 ipjc6fyt" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 0px; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 2px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><div aria-label="Like" class="oajrlxb2 gs1a9yip g5ia77u1 mtkw9kbi tlpljxtp qensuy8j ppp5ayq2 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 rt8b4zig n8ej3o3l agehan2d sk4xxmp2 rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 pq6dq46d mg4g778l btwxx1t3 pfnyh3mw p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x tgvbjcpo hpfvmrgz jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso l9j0dhe7 i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of du4w35lb lzcic4wl abiwlrkh p8dawk7l" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-items: stretch; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 g5gj957u rj1gh0hx buofh1pr hpfvmrgz taijpn5t bp9cbjyn owycx6da btwxx1t3 d1544ag0 tw6a2znq jb3vyjys dlv3wnog rl04r1d5 mysgfdmx hddg9phg qu8okrzs g0qnabr5" style="align-items: center; animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; flex: 1 1 0px; font-family: inherit; height: 44px; justify-content: center; margin: -6px -4px; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; transition-property: none; white-space: nowrap; z-index: 0;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 cbu4d94t pfnyh3mw d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz ph5uu5jm b3onmgus iuny7tx3 ipjc6fyt" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 4px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v lrazzd5p m9osqain" color="var(--secondary-text)" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; word-break: break-word;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Like</span></span></div></div><div class="n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s rnr61an3" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="animation-name: none; background-color: var(--hover-overlay); border-radius: 4px; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: var(--fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out); transition-property: none; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></div><div aria-label="React" class="oajrlxb2 gs1a9yip g5ia77u1 mtkw9kbi tlpljxtp qensuy8j ppp5ayq2 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 rt8b4zig n8ej3o3l agehan2d sk4xxmp2 rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 pq6dq46d mg4g778l btwxx1t3 pfnyh3mw p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x tgvbjcpo hpfvmrgz b4ylihy8 rz4wbd8a b40mr0ww a8nywdso pmk7jnqg i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of du4w35lb lzcic4wl abiwlrkh p8dawk7l pphx12oy hmalg0qr q45zohi1 g0aa4cga" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-items: stretch; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip-path: polygon(0px 0px, 0px 0px, 0px 0px, 0px 0px); clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 13px 0px; position: absolute; right: 6px; text-align: inherit; top: 1px; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><i class="hu5pjgll m6k467ps" data-visualcompletion="css-img" style="animation-name: none; background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v3/yo/r/rbVpSq0ak3-.png"); background-position: 0px -1092px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 34px 1110px; display: inline-block; filter: var(--filter-secondary-icon); height: 16px; transition-property: none; vertical-align: -0.25em; width: 16px;"></i><div class="n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="animation-name: none; border-radius: inherit; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: var(--fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out); transition-property: none; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></div></div><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 cbu4d94t g5gj957u d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz rj1gh0hx buofh1pr n8tt0mok hyh9befq iuny7tx3 ipjc6fyt" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 0px; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 2px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><div aria-label="Leave a comment" class="oajrlxb2 gs1a9yip g5ia77u1 mtkw9kbi tlpljxtp qensuy8j ppp5ayq2 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 rt8b4zig n8ej3o3l agehan2d sk4xxmp2 rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 pq6dq46d mg4g778l btwxx1t3 pfnyh3mw p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x tgvbjcpo hpfvmrgz jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso l9j0dhe7 i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of du4w35lb lzcic4wl abiwlrkh p8dawk7l" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-items: stretch; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 g5gj957u rj1gh0hx buofh1pr hpfvmrgz taijpn5t bp9cbjyn owycx6da btwxx1t3 d1544ag0 tw6a2znq jb3vyjys dlv3wnog rl04r1d5 mysgfdmx hddg9phg qu8okrzs g0qnabr5" style="align-items: center; animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; flex: 1 1 0px; font-family: inherit; height: 44px; justify-content: center; margin: -6px -4px; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; transition-property: none; white-space: nowrap; z-index: 0;"><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 cbu4d94t pfnyh3mw d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz ph5uu5jm b3onmgus iuny7tx3 ipjc6fyt" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 4px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><i class="hu5pjgll m6k467ps" data-visualcompletion="css-img" style="animation-name: none; background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v3/yV/r/DWO4NPBht2S.png"); background-position: 0px -92px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 26px 818px; display: inline-block; filter: var(--filter-secondary-icon); height: 18px; transition-property: none; vertical-align: -0.25em; width: 18px;"></i></div><div class="rq0escxv l9j0dhe7 du4w35lb j83agx80 cbu4d94t pfnyh3mw d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz ph5uu5jm b3onmgus iuny7tx3 ipjc6fyt" style="animation-name: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 4px; position: relative; transition-property: none; z-index: 0;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v lrazzd5p m9osqain" color="var(--secondary-text)" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; word-break: break-word;">Comm</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="cwj9ozl2 tvmbv18p" style="animation-name: none; background-color: var(--card-background); font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 4px; transition-property: none;"><ul style="animation-name: none; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition-property: none;"><li style="animation-name: none; transition-property: none;"><div class="ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs l9j0dhe7" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; position: relative; transition-property: none;"><div style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><div aria-label="Comment by Susan Yaffe-Levy 2 days ago" class="l9j0dhe7 ecm0bbzt rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 dati1w0a j83agx80 btwxx1t3 lzcic4wl" role="article" style="animation-name: none; display: flex; flex-direction: row; font-family: inherit; outline: none; padding: 4px 0px 0px 16px; position: relative; transition-property: none;" tabindex="-1"><div class="rj1gh0hx buofh1pr ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs hv4rvrfc" style="animation-name: none; flex-basis: 0px; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; padding-right: 16px; transition-property: none;"><ul class="_6coi oygrvhab ozuftl9m l66bhrea linoseic" style="animation-name: none; color: var(--secondary-text); display: inline-block; line-height: 12px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 12px; 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clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><i class="hu5pjgll m6k467ps" data-visualcompletion="css-img" style="animation-name: none; background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v3/yo/r/rbVpSq0ak3-.png"); background-position: -18px -1034px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 34px 1110px; display: inline-block; filter: var(--filter-secondary-icon); height: 12px; transition-property: none; vertical-align: -0.25em; width: 12px;"></i><div class="n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="animation-name: none; border-radius: inherit; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: var(--fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out); transition-property: none; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></div></span></div></span></li><li class="_6coj" style="animation-name: none; display: inline-block; transition-property: none;"><span aria-hidden="true" class="_6cok" color="var(--placeholder-icon)" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"> · </span><div class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 q9uorilb p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl m9osqain gpro0wi8 n3ffmt46 l9j0dhe7" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--secondary-text); cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0">Repl</div></li></ul></div></div></div></div></li></ul></div></div></div></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-56602387597194713442021-05-24T15:36:00.000-04:002021-05-24T15:36:18.417-04:00My Left Foot.<p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Christy Brown and Others.</span></p><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My Left Foot.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Christy Brown.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> I stood there, a lone medical student, at the bottom of bed number thirty-six. I had been dispatched to do my first solo history and physical examination. Of course I had done many before, but always as part of a team or with at least one other student or intern.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Lying on the bed was a young man, about my age writhing in spastic, athethoid movement, neck extended and rigid contractures of the arms and legs and a more shocking example of the physical misfortunes than I had ever seen. He seemed to totally lack any sort of control over his body, until my shocked eyes fell on his left lower extremity. Between the big toe and the second toe of his left foot he was holding a pen, and despite the spastic movements of the rest of his body, he was writing in a small , precise cursive hand (foot!) on a stabilized notebook. It was amazing to watch.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> After I got over the shock of seeing a human being who seemed to be dealing in some way with the unimaginable devastation, I managed to pull myself together and said apprehensively, " I'm Stan Smith, a medical student, and they sent me down to take a history and do a physical examination. Is that alright?" He nodded affirmatively.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> The patient, Christy Brown, later internationally known as the author of the book and subject of the movie "My Left Foot," and "Down all the Days" and a number of other books and paintings was kind to an apprehensive new clinical student.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> His speech was dysarthric and difficult to understand, his manner kindly. He was obviously used to this teaching hospital routine. I won't attempt to replicate his spastic speech - that would just make him - and me sound stupid!!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> "Yes, I know you students have to learn from someone," he replied in the dysarthric staccato drawl.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> I was grateful I could understand him and he me.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> I took a history of sorts, more social than medical. He told me he nearly died during delivery and that he had suffered serious brain damage. We got on to his life.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Christy was born at the Rotunda Hospital in 1932, - three years before I was born. He had twenty-two siblings, (Yes, 22 !) out of which thirteen lived. His parents were urged to commit him to hospital as he was so spastic, but deferred. He was thought to be mentally impaired and received most of his education from his mother.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> "So what do you do most of the time?" I asked him.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> " I write," he said. "I've started doing a bit of painting too," he said.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> He had a certain leprechaun- ish look about him that precluded an overly sympathetic attitude and made me feel that somehow he was managing to get some fun out of life, as indeed he was. If you want to know how, read "Down all the Days". He was addicted to alcohol, which I am sure brought more to his life than ever took from it. His brothers pulled him around in a cart, mainly to the local pub and fed him Guiness. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Daniel Day Lewis played the role of Christy Brown with great insight and the movie itself kept reasonably close to the facts.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> The only other famous 'medical case' I (almost) met in my student days, was Douglas Bader, the legless RAF Air ace, who was a double lower limb amputee as a result of an air crash and talked his way back into combat missions sans legs, until he was shot down and became a prisoner of war. He came to the Meath Hospital to encourage and reassure pediatric amputees regarding their future life, though I don't think he was recommending that they become fighter-pilots!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> An even more remote potential patient was Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, who visited Saskatoon many years ago when I was Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and the Emergency Department. Her Majesty, of course, traveled with her own team of Physicians but as their access to all of the facilities of University Hospital had to be through a duly qualified physician with full privileges I was selected and thus I can claim to have been duly appointed Physician to the Queen for two days! Unfortunately, I wasn't smart enough to request a written testimony at the time. Fortunately, Her Majesty and her physicians didn't require my services!!</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8" href="http://medicalmanes.com/?fbclid=IwAR0pNu1zHff-XtfVcQHdQpl5RZFolrEv83VuxNyjsuDZH2emeNOeF3MBgPw" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none !important; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">medicalmanes.com</span></a></span></div></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-64371836815166525652021-05-06T12:23:00.000-04:002021-05-06T12:23:35.105-04:00Cabbage Pt. 3<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cabbage Pt 3. The Nortel Pillow.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ce802bf4-7fff-aa87-901d-48aa60b56fff"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cabbage 3 -Post Surgery.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Much of my discomfort came later and was due to a hyperesthesia (super-sensitivity) of the scar. So much so that even touching the area was painful.. The touch of clothes brushing over the hypersensitive scar tissue was more painful that some of the really big stuff that seemed relatively painless. How is it no one has ever thought of a little plastic cradle one could tape over the scar to prevent clothes from brushing against the hypersensitive skin? Maybe I need to invent such a gizmo? It would be relatively easy. I thought maybe I'd do it when I was better! Needless to say, I never did. Somehow, that night crept by, a nanosecond at a time, it is true, but a least I could see that the morning would come eventually.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Morning at last! Moved out of the ICU and to the step-down unit. I had been in the ICU for two days instead of one, not because I needed to be there, but because they had nowhere else to put me. Another day there and I’d really have been crazy, but now I had windows and daylight and could see the sky. Oh happy day!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My surgeon, the guy who was holding my heart in his hands just hours ago, was standing at the bottom of the bed, relaxed and easy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Everything went well; you’re good for another thirty years!”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was glad to hear that.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Soon my family were sitting by the bed and had obviously seen a good deal more of me in the past 48 hours, than I had of them. They reassured me of how good I looked, and in fact I wasn’t feeling too bad as long as I was lying fairly still in the bed. But I knew that the therapists wouldn't let me lie in bed for too long and, after adequate numbing with narcotics, they had me walking a few steps later the same day.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The following day my surgeon came around to see how I was doing.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “You are good for another twenty years,” he smiled.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Not so fast,” I threw at him, “yesterday you said thirty, so that’s thirty percent deterioration in one day.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He laughed indulgently..</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My main complaint, until now, had been nausea, and had been controlled mainly by living on juices and apple sauce and processed fruit, and sending my set meals back without even looking at them. Now I was ready to tackle something a little heartier. Normally, I am not a fussy eater. The meals came, as I found out later, from some central depot. Before taking the lid off, they looked like Air Canada meals (economy), which when I used to fly a lot were not too bad. I remember the choices – “fillet, chicken or fish?” Any resemblance finished on lifting the outer plastic cover. What took place under the cover defied description. Once the lids were whipped off these dishes any inclination to eat was gone. Irene took one look and vowed that my food would be coming from home! Subsequently it did.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Nortel Pillow.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Nortel was a Canadian communications company in the days when Canada was a successful country. After an outstanding performance it went into a nosedive and a lot of people lost a lot of money. China (Huawei) denied that it had reverse engineered the product and destroyed Nortel. Most of us knew better. On post op day two I was moved to the step-down unit. Because post op breathing and coughing is important the physiotherapist gave us a pillow to clutch to take the tension off the scar when we coughed. Having taken a beating on my Nortel stock when that company went bankrupt I was more than a little surprised to see beautifully embroidered on the pillow 'with the compliments of Nortel Networks'. Nortel had cost me a lot of money and the irony of the situation left me uncertain of whether to laugh or to cry. I decided to laugh even though it hurt! (After all, I had my pillow to hug!) The guy in the bed next to me heard me laughing. We chatted a little. A healthy looking fifty -five year old, he had found his way into the cardiac unit as a result of forcefully pulling open his car door and hitting his subcutaneously implanted cardiac pacemaker so hard with the edge of the door that it was totally wrecked and needed immediate replacement.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "What's the joke?" he asked. I told him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He examined his pillow. He laughed. "I guess I have the same twenty grand pillow!"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We laughed so much that the nurse came over to see what was wrong.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Thereafter we referred to the pillows as our twenty thousand dollar pillows, because that's about what they cost us. There are no free lunches!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> On day three my surgeon popped in to make sure I was doing okay and my scar was okay.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I have two important questions to ask you today. "</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Okay, fire away."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "One, when can I get out of here?" I asked.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "A couple of days."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Maybe tomorrow?" I bargained. "If you look out of the window you can see my condo. I could be in emergency quicker from there than you can get me down from here." I was on a higher floor in the hospital so that statement was probably true.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "We'll see how you are tomorrow. The other question?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "When can I have a martini?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "As soon as you can get some to bring you one." he intoned, his Scottish accept a little more prominent than usual.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I love the Scots!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The next day he arrived after his operating list and I was ready for him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I think I'm ready to go home today," I said cheerily. I could see I was starting to wear him down.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He countered with, "You can go as soon as you have had a bowel movement." Sometimes the bowels are a little slow to start functioning after major surgery,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> " I've just been," said I triumphantly.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And that's how I managed to go home on the fourth day after my quintuple bypass!</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some post surgery thoughts:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A bath! Oh, what a pleasure, oh what a joy! And, oh, how much muscle power it takes to get in, wash yourself and to get out! Amazing how much leverage, torsion and other forces involved in just sitting up, pushing yourself on to your feet, while praying that your feet don't slip away from under you, cracking your cracked thorax on the side of the tub, and ending back at the hospital. And where does all that disgusting dirt in the water come from anyway, when you haven't been out of your house and barely out of your bed since the last bath? Anyway, it confirms that the simple joys are great!</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note to Friend on Dec 2. (while still under the influence of medication!)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Apropos of nothing, but in the light of some of our recent discussions, I thought you might be interested in this paragraph I just read in the NY Times Review of Books, from the review of the book by Harold Bloom entitled " Where Shall Wisdom be Found?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"It reminds me of the experience of a friend years ago,” he wrote, “when, awakening from major surgery, she heard in the recovery room a faint voice reciting the Easter soliloquy in which Goethe's Faust comes back from the brink of suicide to the joy of life. Through her anesthetic haze, she wondered to whom the voice belonged until she recognized it as her own; speaking a poem she had known by heart since childhood and somehow retrieved from deep memory during induced sleep."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Oh, what strange things we store in that three pounds of jelly in our skull!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Finally, A colleague phoned and was pressing me for information about the pain and pinning me down for some descriptors. My bottom line and I knew him well enough to know he would understand the simile, “ - like coming home hungover, getting into a fight and having your chest and ribs kicked in!” Not very eloquent, but I think more accurate than described in any medical text!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-4642938843676940892021-04-27T20:05:00.003-04:002021-05-04T18:46:43.057-04:00Cabbage Pt 2.<p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cabbage. Pt 2.</span></b></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">'Cabbage' medical jargon for Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When I sprung it on relatives, colleagues and friends that I was planning to have bypass surgery, the first response tended to be reassurances as to how healthy I looked, and questions as to how long I was ill. Funny, because I never considered myself ill at all. After all, all I had experienced was a bit of breathlessness and a little tightness in my chest when I exerted myself. I could swim laps indefinitely, as long as I used commonsense and didn’t try to break records. And after all, I was sixty-nine, no spring chicken in anyone’s language. How was that to be equated with illness? I was never ill a day in my life. Never missed a day of school or university or work. Ill indeed, I thought indignantly! In fact, quite honestly, I was really only proceeding with surgery prophylactically, because the genetic scales were so heavily weighted against me. Was I just going to sit around and wait for those obstructed coronaries that I had looked at on the angiogram to totally plug and kill a huge chunk of my myocardium, or even me. I was determined to get those obstructed coronaries before they got me. So I carried on going to work every day, waiting to hear from my surgeon’s office as to when I would be having my surgery. Meanwhile, I was daily fielding a litany of phone calls from relatives and other well wishers, including dutiful nephews and nieces who no doubt were responding to their parents exhortations gracefully and did their duty. I could tell they were impressed when in response to their questions I told them I was having a quintuple bypass. That was rare at the time - the only other case of a 'quintuple' that I knew of was Bill Clinton!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Thursday - the day before Surgery. After a fairly normal day at work during which the objective was to keep as busy as possible, and to keep my mind off the following days ordeal, I headed home. At least, I consoled myself, as I manipulated my Honda along the dark, wet slippery country road, against a continuous steam of giant SUVS, nothing I was going to encounter in the next few days was going to be more dangerous than this. A serious martini and a light supper followed by a sleepless night, rounded off the day. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The nineteenth of Nov 2004 - day Zero! Up at 5 am and son David picked us up at 5.30 for our morning appointment. I remember, in a gentler more civilized era when patients were admitted the night before surgery, rested, worked up, sedated and assured of a good night's sleep . In the olden days, we used to think that getting the patient as relaxed and stress free as possible had some bearing on the patient’s subsequent progress. But that was before we had a Health Care Industry. Getting the patient up at 5 am is hardly conducive to survival, let alone surgery.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> At 6 am I was through the admitting area, hardly noting all those other poor souls with their problems small and great, but none I was sure, as great as mine. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A kiss goodbye; a word of encouragement from Irene and David; clothes deposited in a plastic bag and on to the OR . Although over the years, I had spent many hours in operating theatres, this one seemed so small and so crowded with people and equipment that I wondered if there was enough room for me.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Anesthesiologist greeted me as I was wheeled in the door.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"So you're Dr. Smith?'' He smiled, effortlessly sliding the IV needle into a vein.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Yes, that's me,” I tried to smile back and think up a clever witticism I could throw out.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The lights went out.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I opened my eyes. The anesthesiologist was gone; it was all over, and I was surprised at how little pain I had. Just like my niece had said of her anesthetic - 'light off, light on. Like flicking a switch!” She had also added that it had made her a little less fearful of dying, and as I reflected on that particular piece of philosophy, I found I was in agreement with it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Now I had to get the damn tube out of my throat. My God, I couldn't talk! I made as much noise as I could to attract attention and look as though I was really suffering - maybe that way I could get rid of it! The Nurse leaned over me.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Are you having a lot of pain?” she asked sympathetically.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I shook my head - no, but harrumphed and coughed as much as I could to make it quite clear I wanted this damn tube out of my throat. Maybe if I coughed enough I'd manage to propel the thing across the room. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I could hear the machine behind me, but couldn't see anything. Where was I anyway? Alive, at least, and no sign of any stroke or paralysis or anything else horrible as far as I could determine. I seemed as sharp as ever! I tried to cough up the tube. The nurse injected something into the IV tubing in my arm and I drifted into some pleasant place.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I woke up with vague pain everywhere, and a horrible nauseated feeling. The lCU nurse slouched by. “Something for the pain?” she said, pulling her drooping sweater up around her shoulders. She deftly deposited a little cardboard container with two pills in it, in my hand, and propelled them into my mouth. I swallowed them and soon dozed off again.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Are you on these pills too?” I politely asked the woman just to the right of my shoulder. I couldn't figure out why she was wearing a pretty bonnet right there, in the ICU. I managed to twist my neck around, to get a better look at her and saw this was an electric fan somehow managing to look like a woman's face, framed in a bonnet. I gave a little chuckle to myself, as I realized what I had done- no wonder the poor old geriatrics got wingy after a few days on narcotics. I had at least one other similar encounter and resolved I’d have to cut back on the pain pills. I looked at the clock, 11.10, but was it night or morning?. I drifted off to sleep again, and had a long deep sleep. I woke up again, thought I had slept for hours, and looked at the clock. 11.20! I couldn't decide if I had slept right around the clock and it was 11.20 twelve hours later, or just ten minutes had gone by. Then I noticed people all hustling around and going somewhere! Something was wrong, I was going to watch what was going on very, very carefully It looked like some sort of a set from the movies, something funny was going on here. Everyone seemed to be leaving. My last thought before drifting off to sleep again was that they really needed to have windows in these places, or everyone would end up disoriented and crazy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Someone woke me up and was offering me pills again.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “I think I'm going to throw up,” I said. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Hold on a minute,” the nurse said, a large basin appearing from nowhere.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I felt horrible, retched and threw up a large amount. The relief was immediate and wonderful. I closed my eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. When I looked at the clock a long time later, it was only 11.30 pm.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was watching the Iraqi war on the television. A bullet in the chest. Must feel something like having your chest cracked open, I thought.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Rate the pain with a number" a nurse asked. "if 1 is very mild pain and 10 is the worst pain you’ve ever had."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> What does that mean? Depends on who you are and how much pain you have experienced. Where is 10 if you’re lucky enough to never to have had much pain? I rated my current pain at 5 - a nice median number!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "There's a button attached to your IV that will give you a pre-set dose of morphine whenever you press it to relieve the pain if you need it."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Thanks," I said. I used it about twice and it made me feel worse than the pain! At least I don't have to worry about becoming a morphine addict! </span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-58799641639631519152021-04-19T20:57:00.010-04:002021-04-27T20:01:57.093-04:00Have a Heart! -Cabbageg Pt 1.<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cabbage. Pt 1.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> <span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a Heart!!</span></b></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Its seventeen years now since I had my coronary artery bypass surgery. Just a short time ago, a friend of mine who was booked for an angiogram and may be having a bypass procedure asked me about it and I responded as accurately as I could. I mentioned to him I had taken notes at the time and that I had later published an article about it in a medical newspaper, The Medical Post, describing the procedure. Although I have yet to locate the article, I still have my post surgical notes that I offered to share with him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Here they are starting with the angiogra a procedure that involves passing a catheter into a groin artery and threading it right up into the coronary arteries, injecting dye and estimating the amount of blockage. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bypass. Pt 1. The Angiogram.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I stared straight upward at the big overhead scanner, that would be photographing my coronary arteries soon. I was rationalizing the risks of the procedure and knew I took a bigger risk every time I took the freeway. Cardiac arrest, well that was easy enough to deal with, a couple of good electrical shocks and it either started up or it didn't. And if it didn't, nothing too serious, you didn't even know about it. No, I wasn't worried about that, or about a hemorrhage from the thigh artery; they can always fix that. The only thing I was really worried about, was stroking out, ending up like a close friend, a helpless prisoner in his own body. Death was a lot easier to handle. Not that I wanted to die; I still had plans and ambitions. Far more pressing than any of the above thoughts, was the itching and burning in my groins, despite the copious shaving cream and the fresh new razor I had used when following the shaving instructions. My sympathy for the poor metrosexuals, who shaved this area on a regular basis as a part of their daily ablutions had increased. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I had kissed my wife goodbye and walked toward the Cath Lab, double gowned. Modern sensibilities and sensitivities ensured that patients no longer wandered hospital corridors with 'back to front gowns', their tails hanging out for general condemnation or admiration. I'd been issued with two gowns, one opening at the front and one at the back, providing total coverage. No locker, I held my clothes in a white plastic bag, in my right hand.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Nurse introduced herself. "I'm sorry we're running a bit late," she said. "What do you want us to call you? Dr. Smith or Stan?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Stan will do," I said. "And the wait is okay, I haven't anything else to do today," </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> All of a sudden, a masked pirate, swung into the cath lab. At least that's what he looked like! He wore a red floral bandanna, with the collar of a bright red shirt peeping above the drab green of operating room attire. Was this really the balding middle-aged doctor, with a rather peculiar sense of humour, that I had spent a half an hour with last week? I guessed it was. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "He's got a rather peculiar sense of humour" warned the nurse whispering into my ear.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I smiled back weakly and nodded. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Don't worry," the pirate said to me, "this won't be too bad."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Very few things in this life are as bad -or as good as they are reputed to be", I replied, the homespun philosopher as usual.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The pirate pondered for a moment, and then said, "I think that sums up life pretty accurately." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He had told me last week that the rare complications of the procedure included hemorrhage, stroke and cardiac arrest, to name the most severe. "If you hemorrhage we might have to do some surgery to stop it, if you stroke out, there's not much we can do, but if you arrest we can defibrillate you on the table," he said benignly,. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Then, he went on to tell me that I would feel a strange warm feeling, when the dye was injected into the intravenous which had been set up right at the beginning of the procedure.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"You'll feel hot and wet all over, and might even feel as though you had lost control of your bladder, but don't worry, you won't and I'll be standing right there," he said with a strange sensitivity, I didn't expect.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He injected the local anesthetic into my groin, and after a few moments I felt nothing, but the miraculous relief of the itching and burning of the razor burn.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He brandished the sleek cardiac catheter like a rapier.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Now I just take a run at you with this!" He laughed., holding up the catheter.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The nurse bent over and she whispered reassuringly into my ear, "he's just kidding", and even though I knew it was joking, I wondered how many times I myself might have caused a frisson of anxiety in a patient, with a light word, meant to be humorous and to reassure. It surprised me that I felt nothing at all, as the catheter ran up through my femoral artery, up my aorta and into my heart.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"You can see it all there on the monitor," the male nurse said, "if you don't mind seeing that sort of thing."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I looked at the x ray of my heart beating. I saw the thin line of the catheter thread its way into my coronary artery, like a wire coat hanger being threaded into a key hole. I hoped it would leave enough room for the blood to get through.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Take a deep breath and hold it," commanded the Pirate. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I did as I was told, until it started to hurt, I waited a few moments. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"It's starting to hurt," I said, knowing that was because he was depriving my poor myocardium of much needed blood.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"That's okay, it's supposed to. You can let it out now."he said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The pain resolved quickly. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Okay, now I'm learning how to play this game, I thought.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As soon as I started to feel some discomfort as the next coronary artery was being threaded, I didn't wait. "It's starting to hurt". Save my myocardium.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Okay, you can breathe out."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Ah, now I've got it mastered, I thought.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The procedure was repeated a few more times, with little discomfort and the monitor show continued. After a few more thrusts, peppered with light commentary, the show was coming to an end. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "We are just about coming to the end of this, and I'm going to be thrusting my fist into your groin, to maintain pressure to prevent bleeding." he said. "You just lie perfectly still and we will get these three big strong nurses to lift you over to the stretcher."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Two of the nurses were fairly slight young women and the other was a slight young man. They picked up the stretcher sheet corners and whooshed from the gurney on to the stretcher. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> No wonder they all have back pain, I thought, knowing that many of the patients they lifted were twice or three times my weight. A fist was thrust into my groin, applying firm pressure. The impatient Pirate took control of the gurney with his other hand and wheeled it quickly out into the corridor. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A couple of words in my ear, "your right coronary is a hundred percent blocked, your left anterior descending about fifty percent blocked, and the obtuse marginal and posterolateral branch of the circumflex eighty to ninety percent. I think you are a bypass candidate." This guy didn't waste any time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Too impatient to wait for orderlies or porter, one fist applying pressure to the puncture wound, he wheeled me straight down to the ICU. Irene was waiting outside the Cath Lab. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Are you alright?" she asked me, we pushed on. "Are you……?" she directed her question to the pirate.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I'm the orderly," interrupted the man with the strange sense of humour.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "He’s the doctor - with a strange sense of humour," said I, "This is Irene, my wife."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Hello," said the Pirate, pushing right on for the ICU, where Irene wasn't allowed to follow.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I'll see you as soon as they move you," she called out.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And there he stood with his fist pushing into my groin for the next ten minutes.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Drink lots and wash out all that dye," he said, "and keep lying absolutely flat for the next hour or so to try not to start up any bleeding from the puncture wound. I don't even want you to raise your head, then we'll move you to the observation ward."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Every few minutes the nurse solicitously bent over me, with a glass of water and a flexible straw. I gulped greedily at first, but then started to think of the consequences of pushing the fluids too enthusiastically. I didn't want to have to empty my bladder while I was lying flat on my back, and that was going to be at least the next hour. Better to wash the dye out a little more slowly, and a little later when I could at least sit up, it might be easier.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A nurse I hadn't seen before breezed into the room. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I'm taking you down to the recovery unit," she said, wheeling the gurney out of the cubicle it had been occupying for the last hour. She got almost out of the unit, when the Pirate swung in.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Where are you taking him?" he barked rudely.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I wondered if I had just been saved from a hijacking.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The unfortunate nurse flushed and said, "just to the recovery room."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "No one leaves here until they have been checked by me," he commanded gruffly. "I have to make sure they are not bleeding."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He rolled the gurney back behind the curtain, pulled back the gown and looked into my groin, was satisfied and said quietly, "okay, you can go."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">She rolled me to the West Wing, where I was deposited in a two bed ward, the other bed was empty. Irene awaited anxiously.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Are you okay?”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yes, everything feels numb right now,” I said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ward nurse was cheerful and pleasant. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You’ve got to drink lots of water," she said cheerily, "wash all that poison out of you. And I bet you're starving. What would you like to eat?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"What's on the menu?" I hadn’t eaten since the day before.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Sandwiches, cookies, whatever you'd like. But you have to drink lots, juices, ginger ale, cranberry juice, whatever you fancy. If you do real well, I'll let you stand out of the bed to pee." She smiled.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was the best offer I'd had all day. I gulped down a glass of cranberry juice through the flexible straw and ate a tuna sandwich. It was a little easier to drink now that I had been promoted to sitting up a few degrees. What was it that they'd said a few degrees every hour? I was starting to want to pee. The nice nurse whisked by with the water. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Have a nice big drink now and I'll let you stand out at the side of the bed," she said. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thought that one over and decided it was a deal. I sucked down a big gulp of water and looked over at the side of the bed to the bedside table, where amidst the debris of sandwiches and small juice containers, I saw the new, pristine, disposable urinal. A far cry from the old stainless steel ones, which were handed out when I was a student. I flipped off the lid and tried it on for size. It seemed fine. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, barely sitting on the edge of the bed. I was lucky my weight was propped on the bed for as soon as I put some weight on the right leg, it collapsed under me. I tried to feel it; it was completely numb. Totally anesthetized! I carefully propped myself against the edge of the bed, put the urinal in place, and was all ready to pee, when the commotion behind the drape that surrounded my bed distracted and inhibited me. The nurse stuck her head through the drapes,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"You've got a new neighbor," she said,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Irene, who had stepped outside for a moment popped back in.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Everything okay?" she asked.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Yes," I sighed, giving up on the bottle, and swinging back into the bed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Irene sat on a chair near the end of the bed. The New Man's wife sat on a chair at the end of his bed. They were nice friendly people; I had seen the New Man come into the intensive unit soon after me. They started talking to Irene immediately. I felt overwhelmed with a desire to sleep, so I kept eyes closed and didn't pull back the drape.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I heard them talking and Irene replying, and then I drifted to another place where I was lying on a chaise, on a beautiful sunny day dozing, before diving into David's pool to swim another twenty laps, just to show myself I could do it without any chest pain.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I woke up about half an hour later, and thought I ought to be more sociable. Just as long as the New Man or Mrs. New Man didn't discover my occupation! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Hi," I said to Mr. and Mrs. New Man.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Hi," said Mr. New Man, "have a nice sleep?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Yes, thanks," I answered. Now I really wanted to go to the bathroom.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"What do you do, Stan?" asked Mr. New Man.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">No, I thought, I'm the patient, today, I can’t tell him I’m a physician.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I work in Mount Brydges," I answered, leaving it there.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mr. New Man left it at that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Is your leg numb?" I asked.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"No, never was."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Been to the bathroom yet?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Yes, the nurse let me go just before you woke up."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I had a bit of feeling in my right leg now. How come Mr. New Man had already been allowed the luxury of actually navigating to the lavatory on his own two feet? Well, I was going to make my own way there. I slid out of the bed, could feel my right leg ready to buckle when I tested it for weight, found I could stabilize it with my hand, and hobbled the few paces to the bathroom. There was a convenient bar to hold on to, which made it easy. Ahhhhh, heaven!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was easy after that. I joined in the conversation, checking for sensation in my leg at frequent intervals. After all, I didn’t want to be in here a moment longer than necessary and the nurse said I would be able to go as soon as my leg would support me sufficiently to independently walk down the corridor and back.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Sure enough another hour made all the difference and I could indeed walk down the corridor under the watchful eye of the nurse. She whisked me into a wheelchair and out to the waiting car</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Good luck for your surgery " she called after me as I got into the car. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: medium; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part 2, the Bypass Surgery-</span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to follow.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-52732309443363020652021-04-13T20:24:00.000-04:002021-04-13T20:24:50.826-04:00Banking on Banking!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBSCsilav8ySFp2lcW4GkVKnv5I5I0N-KrSs6pklW_8JeLO5OSqYL5LSrn429m9MbNJxGoWMut0LLNkTlwNV05y1Ak7Xr2bnt72xwPheDMkpEU9-FdQyqgqj9p6Tu9EeOS_lyi1c4ZJY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBSCsilav8ySFp2lcW4GkVKnv5I5I0N-KrSs6pklW_8JeLO5OSqYL5LSrn429m9MbNJxGoWMut0LLNkTlwNV05y1Ak7Xr2bnt72xwPheDMkpEU9-FdQyqgqj9p6Tu9EeOS_lyi1c4ZJY/" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regina, Saskatchewan. Winter 1963. Day 2.</span><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was waiting for Mac Chase, the business manager of the sixty doctor multiple specialty clinic, The Medical Arts Clinic where I was due to start working the following week. First I had to get to the bank to get some money. I arrived in Canada with a grand total of forty dollars, now whittled down to about ten. Mac had assured me there would be no problem, but as I sat waiting I could not avoid reflecting on my last visit to a bank when I had been practicing for a couple of years in the other London, where I was working in a general practice as a 'trainee assistant' -in a two physician practice on south side of London. It was a poorly paid job, but the doctors I was working for were decent pleasant people and they helped us to find a nice flat in a house that had been partitioned into two apartments. It was nicely if quite sparsely furnished and the owners were charming people. Tom had been a sergeant - major in the army and had that squeaky clean look that so many ex-army men had. Not a hair out of place, crisp collar, nicely knotted tie, pants pressed and shoes spit and polished so that you could see yourself in them. Their son Bill, was the manager of the local telephone exchange and when things were quiet he connected us up to Irene's sister in New York for a nice long chat, without charge. Transatlantic telephone calls were unbelievably expensive and we couldn't afford to phone very often.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Homes were heated mostly by coal fire with all the work and dirt that entails, and there was no heating in the bedrooms. After we noticed that our daughter's lips were getting a little blue on the cold winters nights we decided to buy an oil- fueled heater to warm up the room. The problem was I didn't have enough money so I decided to go to the bank for a loan. I made an appointment to see the manager to request a loan of a paltry twenty pounds (about $60 at the rate of exchange then). </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was a licensed physician at the time, albeit a new one and I was gainfully employed, albeit at an exiguous income. Nevertheless, I did not anticipate any difficulty in getting what after all, was a small loan.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I arrived at the manager's office at Lloyd's Bank and was shown in. After a rather uninterested greeting I was invited to sit down.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After establishing for himself that I was indeed a duly qualified practitioner and was gainfully employed, he got down to business.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "How much are you hoping to borrow ?" he asked in an unfriendly tone that suggested he felt the need to make it clear that this was a loan.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Twenty pounds!" I said, knowing that this was a huge amount.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "And what's that for?" he asked in the same unfriendly tone."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I need to buy a "Sankey Senator."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "A what?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "A 'Sankey Senator paraffin heater,'" I repeated. "It's a sort of oil heater, I need it for my little girl's bedroom. It gets so cold in their her lips turn blue."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He looked at me disgustedly. "What sort of collateral have you got?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I haven't got any collateral."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "You've got a car, haven't you." he said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "It's not my car, it belongs to the practice." I said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "You must have some life insurance." he said caustically.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "A little."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "How much ?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I said, ."A thousand pounds." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> So if I died at age twenty-three my wife and baby would have had a whole thousand pounds.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Bank Manager smiled. At last he had a solution.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "You just surrender the policy to us and we will hold it until the debt is paid off." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I surrendered the policy and the bastards returned it when the debt was paid off. I had got to this phase in my deliberations when the door bell rang. It was Mac.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Let's go," he said. "We have an appointment with the manager of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in half an hour.."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Now I was going to see how a Canadian bank would treat me!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We arrived at the bank. As we walked in the door Mac was greeted by one of the tellers as though he was a long lost friend. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "You're here to see Jack?" she said. Jack was the manager. Nowhere in the British Isles would a teller be addressing the manager by his first name. Such familiarity would an anathema.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We were greeted warmly by the manager. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Jack, this is Stan Smith , our new boy from the old country," said Mac,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Stan this is Jack Ink, the branch manager (That was his real name!)."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jack sat us down, asked us if we'd like a cup of coffee and said, "What can I do for you Stan?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Mac said, "Stan is on the payroll as of the first of this month. He needs some money." That's all there was to it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jack smiled at me, "How much do you want, Stan?" Was he kidding me?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I smiled blandly back and tried to imagine a figure. "I don't know," I confessed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jack Ink pulled out his pen, took a sheet of paper and started calculating.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">He scribbled for a while, then said, "How would five thousand be?" </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The room started swimming and I wondered if I was going to fall off my chair. Had I heard him right? Five thousand dollars! How was I ever going to be able to pay that back? </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Er, well er, I suppose so, I said hesitantly, trying to figure out how I would ever be able to repay that vast amount.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Don't worry, " said Jack Ink. "If that isn't sufficient just drop back in and we will increase it to whatever you need."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Yep, that will probably do," said Mac Chase, "He has to buy a car and feed the family. The house rent is nominal - the Kings (owners) just wanted someone in the house over the winter months while they are in Florida."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jack Ink gave me a cheque book and an account card, told me to drop in and see him anytime. It was quite a different experience than my bank experience in England.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> From there, Jack drove me over to the General Motors dealership and introduced me to Doug Higgins, the most honest car salesman I have ever met. He was a tall, relaxed, well dressed guy who was never pushy and if he didn't think a car was a good buy, for whatever reason, would tell you so.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was the days of big cars and very big cars. Gas was very cheap, forty-four cents a gallon, the same as a twenty-five pack of cigarettes. I bought a huge green eight cylinder Chevrolet Biscayne, that you could fit six people in easily, seven at a push. There was no such thing as seat-belts and the steering wheel was on the wrong side, but then they drove on the wrong side</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was ready to start work. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Next morning I got into my monstrous green Chevrolet and managed to negotiate my way to the Medical Arts Clinic, despite having to drive the monster on what to me was the wrong side of the road. The clinic was an impressive five story building on Eleventh Ave in the centre of Regina. In addition to the doctors offices and examining rooms, the clinic had its own Emergency Room that stayed open evening and weekends. It could deal with most non life threatening emergencies and by so doing it decompressed the emergency rooms in the cities two general hospitals. The clinic had its own laboratory and radiology department and the appropriate specialists to supervise them. All in all, outside of very highly specialized situations that only high population areas tended to see I was impressed that a comparatively small Prairie city could provide services of such quality. Furthermore, all essential services were covered by the Medical Care Insurance Commission (medicare). </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> For better or for worse, Saskatchewan was the birthplace of government insured medical care 'medicare' in North America. For a province only slightly smaller than the state of Texas, with a population of less than a million Saskatchewan punched a lot above its weight!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><p></p></div>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-55993548412127252302021-04-07T20:20:00.000-04:002021-04-07T20:20:55.551-04:00Regina - Here we come!<p><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regina - here we come!</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4077666b-7fff-67e4-f795-df3ab35db6db"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Arrival in Regina. 1963.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Winter 1963. A cool beginning.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The metallic clatter of the train coming to a stop awakened all three of us. At first I thought that the noise was the compartment being detached from the locomotive as we were informed would happen upon our arrival in Regina. We were then to be able to sleep on in the sleeper unit until disembarkation at eight a.m.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> There was a rat-tap-tap at the compartment door and I flicked the light switch and looked at my watch. It was four o'clock in the morning.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Excuse me, sir," the porter's muffled voice, apologetically,"I'm afraid we're not able to uncouple the Regina sleeper. I'm sorry but you'll have to get off. The train leaves in one hour. So you should get all your stuff together. All your accompanying baggage will be in the baggage department and you can arrange to have them delivered later".</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "But they told us we wouldn't have to get off until eight." I said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Yes, but they can't uncouple the rail-car, It's frozen up and so you'll just have to get off now. You can take your time, the train doesn't leave for another hour." It was forty degrees below zero outside.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> There wasn't much more to say.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Okay." I turned to awaken Irene, "I guess we have to get off, so we better start moving."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> She was awake already and ready to get up.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I'll get Rena ready while you get washed and dressed, then you can take her while I get ready."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Half an hour later we were sitting in the huge deserted waiting room of the rather dated magnificent Canadian Pacific Railway station in Regina, Saskatchewan. (it was later to become a Las Vegas type casino, but that was a long way away.) A few other passengers had also disembarked and seemed to have disappeared almost as soon as they had gotten off the train. Rena ran around happily, singing away to herself. Irene and I sat on the bench and looked at each other and tried to smile.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Well, what now?" She asked .</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The business manager of the sixty- doctor clinic I was joining was picking us up at eight o'clock, the time we were supposed to be leaving our sleeper after a good nights sleep.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "It's an awful long wait until eight o'clock when the business manager picks us up. Especially as it looks as though we can't even get a cup of tea." The station was deserted at that hour of the night. "Maybe I should call him anyway."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "You can't phone someone at four o'clock in the morning."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Okay, well why don't I just take a look out into the street and see if I can see some little all night café. There should be something like that near a railway station," I said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Okay, I'll keep Rena busy while you take a look out. I'm sure she'll be hungry soon."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I walked across the large deserted atrium of what would be a fashionable casino a quarter of a century later. I peered out through the large glass doors onto South Railway Street. It was too cold and too late for the hookers who frequented that area earlier in the evening. Across the road I saw a small variety store restaurant with a flashing neon sign. I pushed one side of the heavy double doors open wide enough to read the sign. I gasped at the blast of cold air. The sign said "Chinese and Canadian Food". I walked back to my family.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "At least we're not going to starve while we're waiting. There's a little restaurant right across the road from the station. It's really cold out there, but I think we can make it!" I added dramatically.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I must confess I'm starting to feel a little hungry myself," Irene said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Let's make a run for it."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> We found a locker in which we were able to store our hold-alls and after dressing Rena as warmly as we could, we made our way to the exit. I picked up Rena and wrapped her inside the big brown topcoat that had been my father's and which he gave me when I was leaving for Canada saying 'you'll need something really warm in that cold climate". We stepped out into the cold. Little did he know!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> What did we know? It was totally unlike anything we had experienced. There's a convergence of fahrenheit and centigrade at forty below zero and it was close to that. You could almost hear the cold. The occasional car that passed by left a dense white trail of water-vapor behind it. Inside the heavy brown all-wool overcoat I could feel the heat-exchange between myself and Rena. The road was a little slippery but had been sanded down so we ran across it without mishap. Our exhalations left a trail almost as dense as the car exhaust.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Cold daddy", Rena said from beneath the greatcoat.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> A minute later we pushed through the door of the Chinese - Canadian Restaurant and were greeted by a blast of hot air that thawed us out instantly.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Welcome, welcome, come in out of cold," a middle-aged Chinese man with an accent said to us". Take off your coats, it's warm in here. Chunhua will hold baby for you.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> You just come from station?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Chunhua took Rena and engaged her in some Chinese baby-talk before putting her down and helping her out of her warm winter over-clothes.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Hungry baby?" she asked.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Yes, hungry," Rena replied succinctly.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "You all sit down and I bring you a nice hot drink and a glass of milk for baby. Then you look at the menu and order breakfast. What you like to drink?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Tea," said Irene.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Coffee," I said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> She came back with the hot drinks.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Where do you come from?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "England," I answered. We had been living in England for about three years before we came to Canada,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Welcome to Canada, I come from Hong Kong," Chunhua said. "Many years ago," she added.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> We ordered a basic breakfast and Chunhua and her husband, fussed over Rena and fussed over us, bringing treats for us all.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "When are you going to be picked up?" Ken asked them.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Not 'til eight o'clock," I said and told him what had happened.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Ken and Chunhua were horrified.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"That's such a long time, it's not yet six. You sit here until eight and be nice and comfortable."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> So we did and sat and sipped innumerable cups of coffee and tea. Chunhua stopped by the table frequently as things were quiet and fussed over the baby, bringing her little treats to nibble and a colouring book and crayons. The time went by quickly and before we knew it, it was a quarter to eight. As we got up to leave, Ken and Chunhua came over to warmly wish us happiness and success and waving us goodbye said, "you come back to have a cup of tea or coffee with us sometime after you have settled in."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Yes, we will," said I after thanking them for their hospitality and I really meant it. Of course we never did. We have loved Chinese people ever since!</span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Mac Chase walked into the busy Canadian Pacific waiting room, looking for a young couple with an infant child. He was getting used to doing this. As the business manager of the Medical Arts Clinic, he was justifiably proud of the multiple specialty sixty physician clinic for which he was responsible. He regarded it as the Mayo Clinic of the north and in truth it was a remarkable achievement for a city the size of Regina. When Tommy Douglas brought Medicare into Saskatchewan, he watched in desperation as physician after physician flocked from Saskatchewan for other provinces and for the United States, to escape socialized medicine. The aggressive advertising campaign in the British Medical Journal and the Irish Journal had been successful beyond expectations and had brought a crop of mostly young, enthusiastic and competent physicians who did a remarkably good job considering the more experienced, established physicians they were hired to replace. There were other advantages as well. A new energy replaced the ennui that had accompanied the continuing political harassment and endless meetings. The immigrant doctors were much more easily satisfied, at least for the moment, than their Canadian counterparts and were used to taking call and making housecalls. The fact that we liked most of the new immigrant doctors and that their backgrounds were similar to ours, was an added bonus.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I was just starting to get concerned when I saw among a group of people coming into the station a well dressed man who was obviously looking for someone . He walked toward looking concerned.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I was beginning to think you might be still asleep in the Sleeper," he said after we had gotten over the introductions. "when they told me that they couldn't disconnect the sleeper I was getting worried that you had gone on to Vancouver."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I told him the story of how we were turned out of the sleeper at four in the morning. He was genuinely horrified.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "For goodness sake," he said, "why didn't you phone me? I'd have been pleased to pick you up and drop you off at the house we've rented for you. The owners are in Arizona for four months, by the way, so you'll have plenty of time to find an apartment. I really feel awful that you've had to sit around here since four this morning."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "We just couldn't wake you up at such an unearthly hour. Anyway, we found a nice little restaurant across the road, where they treated us like royalty and we had a good breakfast. They were so taken with our daughter that they made us promise that we'd visit them after we settled in and we will."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "That's nice," said Mac. Do you have any more hand luggage?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "We left a couple of bags in the lockers over there." I pointed.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> They picked up their bags and Mac shepherded them out of the station to his illegally parked car which he had left just outside the doors with the engine running.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "When it's this cold we usually leave the engine running to keep everything warm, if we're not going to be away too long," he explained. "This is the coldest snap we've had this winter. It's nearly forty below, with the wind chill factor. You didn't exactly pick the best possible time to arrive," he smiled as he ushered us out of the cold into the warm car.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> We were soon being driven out of the downtown area and along Albert Street, a fine wide tree-lined street, with the bare trees adorned with beautiful glistening diamonds of ice that reflected the early morning sun. Fine, large majestic homes lined both sides of .the street. Hardly what we expected to find in a prairie city of 120,000 in 1963.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "It is beautiful," Irene said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "It's really beautiful in the summer," Mac said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The exhaust of the cars left dense white trails as the water droplets in the hot emissions immediately froze. We noticed the deep tracks in the snow eroded by by the cars, that made driving somewhat like running on railway lines. After another few minutes we were turning into the driveway of 29 Angus Crescent. It was a very attractive two story home,that I still like to drive by whenever I visit Regina a lifetime later.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Looks like no one has been shoveling the snow since the Kings have been away."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He got out of the car, took three of the bags, held the keys between his teeth and walked up the three stairs to the door. He guided us in, "watch the ice it's pretty slippery here."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He tried to brief us on everything. He showed us how to soften the water, (what the hell did water need softening for?) He showed how to turn the heat up, (it needed turning down. It was so hot we thought we were going to faint.)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I'll let you settle in and I'll pick you up in the morning. Not too early. I made a tentative appointment for you to meet with Doug Higgins, a trustworthy used car salesman -you can't function without a car in this climate! Don't worry, Doug is a second generation used car salesman who is absolutely trustworthy. Then we'll go to the bank to make sure that you have enough money to manage until your pay cheques start rolling in."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Doug Higgins was the most honest and reliable car salesman I ever dealt with. I remained his customer for as long as he lived in the area. Mac left with, " see you in the morning. "</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I think I'm going to faint if you don't make it cooler," Irene said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I walked over to the thermostat.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Holy cow , it's eighty degrees in here. " I stretched out my hand to alter the temperature setting and quickly withdrew it as a powerful static spark flew across to my fingers. I'd never experienced this before.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I think there's a short circuit in this damn thing."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> In the old country where central heating was restricted to institutions, upscale hotels and the wealthy it was rarely comfortably warm in winter , unless you were sitting right in front of the fire. We sat and relaxed for a while and fed and played with Rena until her eyes grew heavy and she was ready to sleep.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "What have we got in the way of food?" Irene asked. "Mr. Chase said he had put a few things in the fridge and that we'd see about grocery shopping tomorrow, but I think I better take a look."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I'm supposed to be getting a car tomorrow, but I can't believe it will go that quickly and I have to meet the bank manager to secure a loan for the car and furniture when we find an apartment. Then I have to see about getting registered to practice as soon as possible."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Irene walked back into the shining hardwood floored living-room She looked a little concerned.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "There's enough of the essentials for a day or two, but it's pretty sparse,"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Mac said there's a little grocery convenience store about five minutes from here that we could walk to when the weather gets a little warmer. Maybe I could wrap up warm and take a brisk walk and pick up some essentials," I said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I don't know, it's really cold out there. Maybe we should just wait, we won't starve."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Don't worry, I'll just take a brisk walk and pick up what we need. Make a list."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Irene made up the list, while I wrapped up in my heavy wool topcoat and wound my scarf around my neck. I stepped into my overshoes that I had bought in Montreal, when we had stopped for a couple of nights to meet with some of the family, who had come up from New Jersey to see us . I walked out the door into the incredible cold. At first I didn't really feel cold at all. The sensation was rather one of stinging pain and as I walked it seemed to get worse. The cars drove by, belching forth voluminous amounts of exhaust steam, momentarily obscuring everything from view. I increased my pace, until I was almost jogging, narrowly avoiding slipping on ice several times. I was starting to feel anxious until I saw the store in the distance across the road. I further accelerated my pace until I could go no faster without losing my footing on the icy sidewalk . I opened the door and was greeted by a delicious blast of hot air that almost knocked me off my feet.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Hi," said the young woman behind the cash register, "a pretty crisp day, eh?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "That it certainly is," said I, "I thought I was going to freeze to death before I reached here."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "You walked in this weather?" she asked incredulously.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> " Ah, from just around the corner." I said. "We've just moved in and I haven't got a car yet and I had to pick up some groceries."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I looked around the store and could see most of the things I needed from where I stood. Canned tuna and salmon and a variety of vegetables and fruits. I filled two bags with these items and some cookies and cakes, so that I had two fairly full bags on check-out. I had arrived in Canada with forty dollars and had spent six on breakfast in the Chinese Restaurant that morning, so I still had enough money left. Mac Chase was going to take me next afternoon to the bank so that I could arrange a bank loan that would tide me over and provide the wherewithal to buy a car and furnish an apartment when we found one.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I paid for the groceries and as I was leaving the girl said to me ,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Where's your hat?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I haven't got one," I answered.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "How long have you been in Canada?" she asked.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Just a few days," I said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "You better put your scarf around your ears and face. It doesn't take skin long to freeze at this temperature."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Yes, I said, grasping that the first thing I needed was a hat with ear flaps."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I stepped out into the petrifying cold, and it hit me like a punch in the face. I must be walking into the wind. I thought because it felt worse than when I was coming. Tiny icicles were forming at the angle between my scarf and my face and my ears were starting to sting. The two bags of groceries were getting heavier and heavier and I could feel my fingers getting colder in my gloves. The tingling sensation in my face and my ears was getting worse. My feet, despite the extra layer of insulation, were feeling cold and making it more difficult to walk faster. I could feel the scarf slipping down and exposing more of my face and my ears. My ears grew more painful, but as I turned the corner into Angus Crescent the pain miraculously vanished as the freezing cold anaesthetized them. Irene was waiting for me as I staggered in through the double doors into the warmth.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "You look like a snowman, you poor thing, with your scarf and eyebrows all frosted up. Are you okay?"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I had put down the bag and was peeling off my coat and jacket.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I'll tell you this, I'm going to buy some sort of hat with ear flaps or something. My ears were really hurting from the cold, then the pain just went away."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "They're sure flushing now," Irene said. "They look as red as beets."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Yes, and they're starting to tingle a bit," I said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Five minutes later I was in agony as my ears thawed out, and the anesthetizing effects of the freezing was lost. It was still only noon of their first day in Regina.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Next day at two o'clock they finished lunch and were exploring their temporary new home, when the bell rang and it was Mac Chase.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "How are you settling in?" he asked.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I assured him we were settling in very nicely and went on to tell him the story of my grocery shopping expedition.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "You froze your ears. They're looking pretty frost burnt. You're going to have to be very careful because for the rest of the winter they will freeze very easily. You'd better get a hat with ear flaps. What you need most urgently is a car, otherwise you're housebound in weather like this. That's partly why I'm back here so soon. I've made an appointment with the bank manager to secure you a loan, so that you can buy a car tomorrow and have cash for whatever else you need. It's for about three o'clock and I allowed a little extra time so we could pick up some groceries. I didn't anticipate you going out walking to pick them up. I was remiss in not warning you."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "I think there is a short circuit in the thermostat, I tried to turn it down last night and a big spark hit my finger,"</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> He laughed, "That's just static electricity. You know, like when you comb your hair and it becomes charged and will pick up paper. The heat dries out the air. You just need to turn up the humidifier a bit. I guess it doesn't get that dry in the "Old Country", as Canadians and Americans referred the countries of origin from which generations of them had originated.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> "Let's go, today we've got to get you a car and introduce you to the Bank Manager!</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-48883037501652281792021-03-30T16:55:00.000-04:002021-03-30T16:55:46.206-04:00Ashford Fun.<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqV8Od-W-IpLCP8Ey2ht96Cb78WV9QgrCDBHdIYQaz21s9OQ4QpYpMfMCxk6Px1U3mtlaf40Yg8Ddt3q4T5cQ7e2kahFZvAzdPiLlVTkMN-dGWKr4OVurB1uKI2UmMJuCUS_icMJLvu4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqV8Od-W-IpLCP8Ey2ht96Cb78WV9QgrCDBHdIYQaz21s9OQ4QpYpMfMCxk6Px1U3mtlaf40Yg8Ddt3q4T5cQ7e2kahFZvAzdPiLlVTkMN-dGWKr4OVurB1uKI2UmMJuCUS_icMJLvu4/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><div class="" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc ihqw7lf3 dati1w0a" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_3c" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; padding: 4px 16px 16px; transition-property: none !important;"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg" style="animation-name: none !important; display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px; transition-property: none !important;"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Ashford Fun.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Below is Doug's (obviously not quite his real name) car. Even in 1961 a genuine bona fide antique. He was quite a big man and I, not a small man and both of our wives (no comment!) and both of our beautiful daughters, all squeezed into this car. We drove up a huge incline to Dover, and I can well recall having to stop half way up that almost vertical incline to let the boiling radiator coolant (actually water in those days) cool down. It was easier to get really boiling water out of Doug's Baby Morris radiator than it was to get boiling water in a 'tearoom'. He could take that car apart screw by screw, bolt by bolt - and put it back together again!</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I walked into the small room just next to the medical records department. It was a sort of dictation cum coffee room where the interns or specialists could do some dictation or just grab a cup of coffee and read the paper when we had time. I had made my rounds on the orthopedic ward and had half an hour before I was due in the emergency department. I met Doug, who was on his way out.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "The very guy I was looking for," said he. "I was talking to one of the ambulance drivers yesterday and he wanted to know if I was interested in buying an eight gallon crock of applejack for ten shillings. That's almost for nothing."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "What's applejack?" I asked, "cider? eight gallons sound like an awful lot!"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "It's a lot stronger than cider," Doug said. "The local farmers make cider and then they distill it. Quite illegal, of course, dear boy, but it does yield a rather excellent apple brandy. Bootleg Calvados, I call it! "</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Well, for five Bob (shilling) a piece we can't go too far wrong now, can we? That much will probably last us a few months."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Doug laughed, "A few months! It will last the whole year. Eight gallons, man, that will last us the whole year."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Okay, let's go for it." I said.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "I'll let you know when it arrives, then you and Irene come over and we'll give it a good sampling."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Three days later I was helping to bath the baby when the phone rang.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Hello" said I.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> " I need some help here," he said.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "What's up?</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "A couple of Ambulance guys pulled up at our door and said we have some stuff for you. Then they scooted off and left this huge crock on the doorstep. I need some help to get this contraband off the doorstep and upstairs (they lived on the second floor) before the cops come to help!"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Be right over!" said I.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I raced right over to find Doug standing beside an eight gallon stone crock full of apple brandy! It was difficult for two stalwart healthy young men to move, but committed to the task as we were, we managed to nudge it up a step at a time until we finally sashayed it into the middle of the kitchen.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> The big heavy stone jar came above our waist level.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> " I don't wish to sound awkward or to be difficult, but have you considered how we are going to decant that stuff into usable bottles? We certainly can't pour it out of a container this size."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Yes," said Doug. "I guess we are just going to have to siphon it out!"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "You mean you think I'm going to drink that stuff after you stick a tube into it and start it flowing by sucking it out?"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Yes, I know you are! Anyway, that stuff’s got a high enough alcohol content that nothing could live in it. I have to go over to the hospital to do a few pre-op examinations shortly so I'll pick up some IV tubing which will be ideal to start the siphoning process. Meanwhile you round up as many empty bottles or other receptacles that we can fill up with the stuff. We can't leave this giant jar in the middle of our kitchen. Once we have enough decanted we can waltz this bloody great crock into the broom closet."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> By the time he had returned from the hospital, I had rounded up a half dozen or so of empty bottles. He had the IV tubing, made sure one end of it was submerged in the 'moonshine', stuck the other end in his mouth and sucked. It took a few attempts to get it flowing and I watched carefully to make sure he wasn't dribbling any more than necessary, even though we had already decided that the concoction was antiseptic. Once the siphoning was completed and sampled, we had enough energy between us to maneuver it into the broom closet.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> " You and Irene come over for a drink or two later," said Doug, as I left.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Sounds like an idea!, We'll be there about seven."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> As soon as we had finished supper, we tucked the baby into the Moses basket and slipped on their own jackets to keep us warm on the early fall evening. A few doors down Western Rd, which ran along-side the hospital was Doug and Mona's apartment. We were welcomed in and gently put the portable crib with the sleeping Rena, in with little Carol.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Mona was already whisking their coats away.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Well there it is. That's your ten shilling crock of booze! It works out about half the price of petrol," said Doug.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I think there'll be enough to keep us in booze for the whole year. That's a lot of cider," I said.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "If this thing ever fell over onto it's side, it would flood this whole kitchen," said Doug.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "This stuff is pretty good despite it's awful colour," Doug said, after the first few sips.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Yes," I agreed, "it could definitely grow on you."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> The girls were chatting about the kids and God knows what and Doug and I were talking about medicine. I had been impressed with Doug's skills and broad experience. In those days general surgery had not yet been sub-specialized and sub sub specialized in the manner in which it has today and a good general surgeon would do a considerable range of surgical procedures that no general surgeon would do today, including orthopedic and urological surgery. General surgery today is almost relegated to abdominal surgery.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I said, "you seem to have had quite a bit of urological and orthopedic experience as well as other surgical sub-specialties.."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Yes, I've done about fifty open orthopedic cases as well as innumerable closed reductions. In the urological area I guess I've done thirty or thirty-five procedures," Doug replied.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "So with all due respect what are you doing here in Ashford?" I asked, knowing Doug had come there from one of the major London teaching hospitals. I also knew that once one got out of the mainstream that it was well nigh impossible to get back into the hierarchy.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "My boss at the Middlesex Hospital (a major London teaching hospital) advised me to go out into a rural hospital and get some 'field' experience for a year or two and then come back as his Registrar (junior consultant). So here I am."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> It didn't sound kosher to me, but I said nothing. After all, what did I know?</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">In fact it wasn't kosher at all. When Doug completed his time at Ashford and went back to apply for the aforementioned job it transpired that the job he had been promised was given to the Great Man's Wife's nephew.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "I'm sorry, Old Boy, but what else could i do?"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Doug was devastated and that whole situation was to have a major impact on the rest of his life.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> We continued to sip our drinks. They were quite enjoyable and didn't seem too potent as we remarked after a couple of drinks. In </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">fact they seemed to get milder as the evening progressed!</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">"Ever do any fishing?" asked Doug.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Yes, my uncle took me salmon fishing a couple of times. I was bored stiff."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Well, perhaps we should take a drive to Dungeness and set some lines, and leave them overnight and come back in the morning and see if we have some Dungeness crabs."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I always enjoyed seafood, so Dover Sole and Dungeness Crab sounded good.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Okay, fishing is definitely on the menu. What else is there to do around here?"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> The girls joined the conversation at this juncture.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Yes, what is there to do around here?" asked Irene.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Ah, dear girl, you are in one of the most interesting parts of England. Folkestone, Dover, Canterbury, Hythe, Rye, Maidstone are all a stone's-throw away. Historically, you are in one of the most fascinating parts of our great country," Doug concluded dramatically.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Gosh, I wish we had a car," Irene said.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "We can all go to Dover in my car, “ said Doug. Seat straps hadn't been invented yet, let alone baby seats.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Doug had a 1939 baby Morris, about the size of a shoebox, that was long since obsolete, but he kept running by will-power and the fact that he could pull the engine out of that little car, take it apart and put it back together again. Not bad for a surgeon !</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I said, "Yes, I sure wish I had a car." I was twenty-five and a doctor and had never owned a car.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "You know, I have a friend I went to school with who's now running his father's car dealership. They take in a lot of old trade-ins, in running condition that wouldn't cost much. He's coming down to see me soon. I'll ask him if he has anything cheap for sale."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "It would have to be really cheap," I said, " I've hardly any money."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "But wouldn't it be wonderful," Irene said excitedly. "We would be able to explore all those interesting places."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> The next several weekends, in February and March, despite the inclemencies of the English weather, whenever both Doug and I were off duty, both families piled into the ancient little baby Morris (See picture) and the four adults and two babies, packed like sardines, toured the surrounding countryside. Dover, Dymchurch, Folkstone, Hythe, Maidstone and Canterbury. Those historical port cities of the south of England, that opened up the world to Britain, and allowed her to export civilization, culture and education to much of the world,. In those waning days of the commonwealth, they aroused feelings not only of historical greatness but also of contemporary relevance, that were to vanish all too soon.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Some weeks later Doug's friend of the car dealership came to visit.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "This is Jim, Stan. I told you about him, he's in the car business. He was coming down to see me and I asked him if he could dig up something off their used car lot that cost next to nothing".</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Yes," said Jim. "I actually drove down today in an old clunker that still seems to drive quite well. You can have a look at it later. If you want it I think I can let you have it at a price that won't hurt you."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I was quite excited at the prospect of having my own car, no matter how old and banged up as long as it would drive safely.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "How much is this going to cost me? I may not be able to afford it." I said.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Come have a look at it." he said.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I walked with him and Doug to the parking lot. I saw it. A magnificent tank, old and worn but still majestic! Front doors swinging open from the centre, so that if you had to jump out they would undoubtedly kill you, thus their sobriquet of 'suicide doors'. The doors shut with the resounding resonance of the slamming of a bank vault door.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Can I take it for a spin around the block?' I asked.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Sure,that's why I drove down here in it."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> I slid into the driver's seat (pure well aged leather) Jimmy got in beside me and Doug climbed into the back. I pulled the starter and the engine purred on the first turnover. I slid her into first gear (there wasn't such a thing as automatic transmission in those days) and she moved off smoothly. I took her for a short drive and it was love at first sight!</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "How much does this cost? I asked apprehensively as we climbed out of the car."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "How does ten pounds sound to you?"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "You're kidding."</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> In those days a pound was worth three dollars, so this was a virtual gift.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> " I 'll take it," I yelled excitedly.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "The only thing is that I have no way of getting home now, so you' ll have to drive me home, it's about a two hour drive from here." he said.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> "Oh, that's fine," I said happily.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> " The bonus is that the tank is full of petrol and the tyres are almost new!"</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> The best bargain I ever had!</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> And that is why there's a picture of that 1935 Morris 12 taped to the notice board overlooking my basement workbench to this very day!</div></div></span></div></div></div></div><div class="l9j0dhe7" id="jsc_c_3d" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; position: relative; transition-property: none !important;"><div class="l9j0dhe7" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; position: relative; 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float: left; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; transition-property: none !important; width: 100px;"><span style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="gpro0wi8 pcp91wgn" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; padding-left: 6px; transition-property: none !important;">1</span></span></span><span class="gpro0wi8 cwj9ozl2 bzsjyuwj ja2t1vim" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: var(--card-background); float: left; font-family: inherit; margin-left: -100px; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="pcp91wgn" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; padding-left: 6px; transition-property: none !important;">Rick McDonald</span></span></span></div></span></div><div class="kb5gq1qc pfnyh3mw c0wkt4kp" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #65676b; flex-grow: 0; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; transition-property: none !important; width: 7px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><br /><p></p>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4068181788928443311.post-56549874837929415792021-03-23T10:57:00.006-04:002021-03-24T15:11:50.622-04:00Ashford and Orthopedics.<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Ashford & Orthopedics.</span></p><p> <span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was eight o'clock by the time the operating list was completed and I was exhausted by then. As the afternoon progressed, Dr.Bailey became increasingly grumpy and my arms became weaker and shakier. Dr Bailey continued to mumble complaints regarding the assistance, the delays, the blunt instruments, and me.</span></p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As I walked into the apartment at 9pm Irene greeted me with a hug and said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "You must be exhausted, I heard you leave this morning, it must have been about half past six."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He kissed her.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "What a day, you wouldn't believe it."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "What's your boss like?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "He's a miserable little hypomanic Scot. Can't bear to sit around for a minute. In between cases he runs around mopping up the chalky, white casting material from the floor with a bucket and mop, because he can't wait for the operating room porter to do it. Threw an instrument, a sort of chisel called an osteome, across the operating room at the wall yelling 'get rid of these blunt instruments, no wonder patients get shocked'. And he told me that I'd be responsible for a patient being crippled for life because my arms quivered a little while I was holding and stabilizing a very fat leg with compound fractures while he was hamming and screwing away. I didn't take too much notice of him. He's famous for being a real prima donna!"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "You must be hungry," she said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I'm starving," I said. "and, oh yes, my boss threw a dried up ham sandwich across the room at lunch time because it was 'dried up and inedible."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Thursdays were to follow that pattern for as long as I was on that service. The rest of the time was spent on following and caring for the post operative patients, and covering the emergency room patients. I enjoyed that and whenever problems arose I could call on the senior resident or the consultant on call.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Doug Brian James Rhys- Jones, turned out to be a helpful colleague and a good friend. Apart from the fact that he never allowed me to forget the circumstances of our first meeting and never hesitated after a drink or two to regale our friends with the story of (lapsing into a mock Irish accent), 'of himself (me) naively checking for reflexes in a poor old sod , who was hit by a train and who's brain was sitting on the gurney beside him'. 'Doug' as he was called was married and had a little girl about a year older than my daughter. Our families became friends and together we would visit some of those historic sites from the White Cliffs of Dover to the 'Cinque Portes', those five ports from which the British Fleet sailed forth to conquer the world.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My duties included covering the emergency department on the weekdays and a one in three night and weekend call roster. The exception to this was Thursdays, when Dr. Bailey operated starting at seven in the morning and carrying on until the orthopedic surgical list was completed. It was an exceptionally long day, because Dr.Bailey had all the major orthopedic cases from the regional seaport hospitals that he would normally have done on Friday transferred to Ashford Hospital and added on to his Thursday list. There was a method in his madness because this freed up Friday to be at his private consulting rooms in London's Harley Street, that ultimate sanctum of medical practice for the rich and famous. No doubt it greatly enhanced Dr. Bailey's income, but I continued to dread Thursdays for years after I had left Ashford. There were only three junior house interns who rotated call, and two senior residents one in general surgery and one in orthopedics, who could be consulted when the complexities of the cases were beyond the junior physicians. Beyond that various specialists were available for emergency calls. Most of them didn't take kindly to being called needlessly and sometimes their opinion of a needless call differed from that of the junior house staff. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Doug had advised me to get to the operating room at least a quarter of an hour early.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Bailey is a good surgeon, but a bit of a prima donna. You know, he throws instruments around the operating room and yells at people when he gets upset. He's a fast, non-stop worker, with a long operating list, who really gets agitated when anything slows him down. So be all ready, gowned up and ready to go before seven, and you'll make a good impression. And make sure to have a decent breakfast, God knows when you'll eat again!"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sure enough, at precisely five minutes to seven, Bailey burst into the changing room, immediately started changing from his street clothes into his operating room greens. I was already changed and was sitting in an armchair reading the previous weeks British Medical Journal. I stood up and introduced myself. This was the first time I was meeting him, because as related earlier he had missed our interview and we had only spoken on the phone.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Sorry we didn't manage to meet when you came over for your interview," Bailey said. He was a small man, with straight, well pomaded hair that was parted in the middle and brushed flat against his head. Reminded me of George Raft a Hollywood actor who played gangster roles.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Is everything ready to go? I don't want to be sitting around for ten minutes waiting for the anesthetist."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> i nodded that it was and said that I didn't know if the anesthetic was being started yet.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Well get in there and tell O'Hare that I'll be ready to start in five minutes. He's slow and I don't want to waste time standing there waiting."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I pushed my way through the scrub room and into the operating room, to where O'Hare was starting an intravenous on the morning's first patient. He was a middle aged, middle sized Irishman, who gave me a friendly grin and said:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Ah, his majesty sent you in to warn me he'll be ready in five minutes and doesn't want to be kept waiting. Well you can tell him we'll be ready in three! You must be the new orthopedic intern from Dublin. Welcome on board. I can use another sane Irishman around here to give me a bit of support."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I admitted that I was.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "He gets a bit temperamental at times, but don't take him too seriously, it blows over quickly."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I went back into the scrub-room where Dr Bailey was busily scrubbing up, stationed myself at the next sink, turned on the water with the knee-controlled tap and lifted a soft little scrubbing-brush out of a stainless steel container. I squeezed another lever with my elbow that measured out a volume of antiseptic soap and began the mandatory three minute scrub. I was glad that the noise of the running water made conversation unnecessary. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The torture that was orthopedic assisting required a little skill and great patience and often long periods of holding a shattered limb in perfect alignment while the orthopedic surgeon hammered, chiseled, manipulated and screwed plates to hold the bones in apposition in the hope that they would heal in functional position. When the limbs were attached to two hundred and fifty pound people, as they often were, and the procedure took three to four hours, as they often did, it made for a long hard day. These days there must be all sorts of gadgetry to support and align limbs and other body parts. In those days it was just another job for the poor intern. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We wound up the third case by two pm, by which time I was starving and wished that I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had taken Doug's advice to have a good breakfast. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Let's get a bite of lunch before the next case," said Bailey, who hadn't spoken to all morning. Me pall morning, other than occasional instructions, and on one occasion a barked command to "hold the bloody limb steady, if this fellow ends up a cripple it'll be your fault!"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The limb in question was obese, heavy and difficult to hold absolutely motionless, and my arms were already exhausted and shakey from keeping the limb aligned for so long..</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "I'm holding this limb as still as I can.". It took some time to learn to answer him in kind. For all the current whining about bullying, there's nothing like a little gentle bullying early on to teach a person to cope with bullying. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We walked into the little sitting room off the operating room, where the doctors sat between cases and dictated their notes while awaiting the next patient. It was two o'0clock by the time we finally succeeded in moving into the room for lunch.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "We still have five more cases to do, I don't want to waste much time in here." Dr. Bailey grunted.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "No sir," I said, reaching for a sandwich and wondering if I should have said 'yes sir'.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dr. Bailey also reached out and picked up a sandwich. He looked at it disdainfully, observed the delicately cut dried-out triangular portions, that were now curling up at the edges and flung it across the room.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Disgusting !" was his single worded comment.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "Well, they have been sitting out there since twelve o'clock," the nurse said. "I'll order some fresh ones up from the cafeteria. I suspected that the fresh sandwiches were not going to be for me so I ate several of the dried-out sandwiches while Bailey awaited a plate of fresh sandwiches. O'Hare, the anesthesiologist, just munched on his dried out sandwich and gave me an exaggerated wink.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Our lists almost always went on until seven or eight at night on Thursdays. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I didn't have many discussions with Baily, who I grew to respect for his energy and skills and his preoccupation with doing the carpentry called orthopedic surgery perfectly despite lacking in social skills. Just before I moved off his service we had a discussion in the lunch /dictation room. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The discussion turned to work and tax. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dr. Bailey "I'm just filling out my tax returns." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Me. "oh yes." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dr Bailey. "It gets worse every year."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He drove an e type Jaguar, had a boat and a big house in London. . I felt really sorry for him. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I said, "I wish I had those problems." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He smiled only slightly malevolently and said "you will lad, you will."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dammit, he was right! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Stan Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03746356231660986013noreply@blogger.com0