Report of 3 Aug '09
Hello from Indiana -
I was at the lib yesterday, but did not get a chance to blog as I wanted to read the paper. I don't get my news online, thus had no clue Prince William was engaged - when did this happen? Must have been in the last 6 weeks, the time that I have not read the paper.
Work is going well, and I am not as staggeringly homesick as I was a couple of times in the first weeks that I was here. Last week, I changed locations and now go to Elwood and Alexandria, methamphetamine country. I had an 18 yo patient last week in Elwood who told me that he was addicted to oxycodone, a narcotic painkiller, and needed help coming off it. His father, truly not very old, maybe 40's, had had a stroke and was on disability, and the family was looking for affordable rehab. St. Vincent, my current employer, is all about giving good care at affordable rates, including for the indigent, and we rooted out some resources. I think the young man might still be keeping some details from me, but I admired his candor, said so, told him that admitting the problem was the first step to overcoming it and we chatted. In a Tamil movie some time ago, 1 person told another that there were only 2 people in the whole world who'd wish him well continuously: his parents. So I told this kid that, suggested he stay away from his sources, hook up with a young lady if any (and there was), appreciate his parents' solid support, and return to me for a follow-up. As I concluded the visit, I noticed that the father was in tears and I told them they could take their time in the exam room before coming out.
I'll kiss my sons double when I go home. It is getting more difficult to resist peer pressure in this age of Internet, weird TV, movies, drugs, sex and rock-n-roll, and I emailed my sons and told them I admired their diligence in the choices they have made.
Some fine times last week - I rounded with Dr. Love and that was nice, good to get solid teaching from a fine clinician. Then I headed off to my in-laws' place. Scott's mother, Jan; her sister Anita and brother-in-law Norb, have adjoining farms and they are beautiful places. These folks are among my most favorite people. Anita and Norb took us out to eat, and Saturday was spent reading and catching up on chatter - a very relaxed, fun time full of bonhomie and much eating.
Yesterday, I met Louise Hass for dinner. Louise retired as librarian of St. V, and is a remarkable person with a core of steel and plenty of beauty. She has sustained a loss (her son), as have I (my brother), and we spend a fair amount of time talking about this. The bond that bereaved folks share is unusual, and extraordinary, and I have found much solace in unloading to Louise. We also talked of a zillion other things, laughing a fair amount. Louise treated me to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Bravo, and the good food, the perfect weather outside, and the lovely company made for a memorable evening. She had a couple of giant chocolate bars for the 3 Weiss men, so she likes to spoil by proxy too.
I saw "(500) Days of Summer," which was good. Yesterday, I saw "The Hurt Locker" and that was magnificent. It's about an American bomb squad in Iraq and was "visceral" (from a review) and cerebral. Kathryn Bigelow, the director, has managed to extract convincing performances from her entire cast, and the movie played like a documentary. The best part is the relatively unknown cast (Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, more unknowns) and the fact that big names (Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse) played bit roles. It is not a movie for everyone; many times during the flick, I thought, "Goodness, whose war are they fighting?"
My sister, Anu, turned 50 over the weekend, and she and her family spent part of it with the 3 Weiss men. There was much laughter and camaraderie when I phoned, and the weekend was ostensibly spent eating, seeing a movie and eating some more. I am glad Anu had a good b'day, chose to see my family during it, and that all of us have a good relationship with each other. I can't think where I'd be if we did not have our families.
Unw -
R
I was at the lib yesterday, but did not get a chance to blog as I wanted to read the paper. I don't get my news online, thus had no clue Prince William was engaged - when did this happen? Must have been in the last 6 weeks, the time that I have not read the paper.
Work is going well, and I am not as staggeringly homesick as I was a couple of times in the first weeks that I was here. Last week, I changed locations and now go to Elwood and Alexandria, methamphetamine country. I had an 18 yo patient last week in Elwood who told me that he was addicted to oxycodone, a narcotic painkiller, and needed help coming off it. His father, truly not very old, maybe 40's, had had a stroke and was on disability, and the family was looking for affordable rehab. St. Vincent, my current employer, is all about giving good care at affordable rates, including for the indigent, and we rooted out some resources. I think the young man might still be keeping some details from me, but I admired his candor, said so, told him that admitting the problem was the first step to overcoming it and we chatted. In a Tamil movie some time ago, 1 person told another that there were only 2 people in the whole world who'd wish him well continuously: his parents. So I told this kid that, suggested he stay away from his sources, hook up with a young lady if any (and there was), appreciate his parents' solid support, and return to me for a follow-up. As I concluded the visit, I noticed that the father was in tears and I told them they could take their time in the exam room before coming out.
I'll kiss my sons double when I go home. It is getting more difficult to resist peer pressure in this age of Internet, weird TV, movies, drugs, sex and rock-n-roll, and I emailed my sons and told them I admired their diligence in the choices they have made.
Some fine times last week - I rounded with Dr. Love and that was nice, good to get solid teaching from a fine clinician. Then I headed off to my in-laws' place. Scott's mother, Jan; her sister Anita and brother-in-law Norb, have adjoining farms and they are beautiful places. These folks are among my most favorite people. Anita and Norb took us out to eat, and Saturday was spent reading and catching up on chatter - a very relaxed, fun time full of bonhomie and much eating.
Yesterday, I met Louise Hass for dinner. Louise retired as librarian of St. V, and is a remarkable person with a core of steel and plenty of beauty. She has sustained a loss (her son), as have I (my brother), and we spend a fair amount of time talking about this. The bond that bereaved folks share is unusual, and extraordinary, and I have found much solace in unloading to Louise. We also talked of a zillion other things, laughing a fair amount. Louise treated me to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Bravo, and the good food, the perfect weather outside, and the lovely company made for a memorable evening. She had a couple of giant chocolate bars for the 3 Weiss men, so she likes to spoil by proxy too.
I saw "(500) Days of Summer," which was good. Yesterday, I saw "The Hurt Locker" and that was magnificent. It's about an American bomb squad in Iraq and was "visceral" (from a review) and cerebral. Kathryn Bigelow, the director, has managed to extract convincing performances from her entire cast, and the movie played like a documentary. The best part is the relatively unknown cast (Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, more unknowns) and the fact that big names (Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse) played bit roles. It is not a movie for everyone; many times during the flick, I thought, "Goodness, whose war are they fighting?"
My sister, Anu, turned 50 over the weekend, and she and her family spent part of it with the 3 Weiss men. There was much laughter and camaraderie when I phoned, and the weekend was ostensibly spent eating, seeing a movie and eating some more. I am glad Anu had a good b'day, chose to see my family during it, and that all of us have a good relationship with each other. I can't think where I'd be if we did not have our families.
Unw -
R
posted by Renu Weiss at
12:21 PM
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