Report of 19 Aug 2018

And I am done at Fort Wayne!  The team was lovely, the place was not.  As a colleague here said, now I will find new joy in everything - and that is the reason I was here. 

There is a visceral and spiritual exhaustion, and also a new-found appreciation for all my bosses in India.  I did make some phenomenal friends here and will be in touch with them for the rest of my life.  These are also the reasons I was here, placed here to look at the balance and decide - ultimately - that the good in my life and on earth outweighs the bad.   

A memorable patient was a slender and tiny 89 year old lady, who came with breathing difficulty.  She improved nicely with the nebulizer treatments and - for reasons incomprehensible - the treatments were then stopped.  The next day, she was sitting in bed gasping for breath, bloody near death: no one had notified me prior to that - not the nurse, the respiratory therapist, no one.  This was also mystifying and I became irate; we resumed the treatments and then began what my nurse practitioner colleague calls FBI work - trying to find the source of the error.  The errors were on multiple levels and not easily addressed.  At least 1 person doubted the fact that the patient was near death - and he had not seen her when she was gasping and scarily and agonizingly distressed.  I am very happy to be leaving.

Ultimately, all of health care is about diligence, not brilliance: listen to the patient, watch the patient, check on the patient.  Take the time to do one's job thoroughly. 

Navin's flight schedule cooperated last weekend and he came to Fort Wayne.  We went to the memorial service for Morris Taber; that was therapeutic.  The Tabers are extended family, and it was soothing to grieve together.  We were privileged to be joined at our table by the entire Mark Taber (son of Morris) family, and that was healing.  It was particularly salutary to see Ann (Morris's wife), though under unfortunate circumstances; Ann is a gracious and fine lady, and we were privileged to see her. 

Navin and I also saw "The BlackkKlansman."  It was good, and the fine Denzel's son has some acting chops of his own.  Adam Driver was, as usual, good.

Naren is in India, hanging out with his father, having some fine times on our balcony - which is, truly, a restorative place: views of the sea, and of the green, and a relaxing locale to talk to anyone, including a genial, proud and fun father. 

We are, I am reminded daily, proud of both boys.  Not boys any more, eh - young men.   

The Kerala floods have saddened me.  The destruction of the environment in the name of "development" will have consequences; Mother Nature has a way of periodically reminding us of that.  A school friend's 85 year old mother had to be rescued by total strangers who spent the night with her in her flooded home until help arrived; we are glad she is safe and are grateful for those who would take care of others, known or unknown. 

I had to go to the Immigration department in Cincinnati.  As I told my sister-in-law, I am absolutely not shaken when someone's heart stops or they develop trouble breathing, but the Immigration department - that unfailingly unnerves me.  Thankfully, everyone there was courteous, the issue was addressed professionally and all's well that ends well.  I met my in-laws for dinner after that at Panera, one of my favorite restaurants, and that was a fun-fest.  So much laughter, decompression, debriefing and joy - the in-laws are always a hoot.  A colleague had given me a gift-card for Panera, such a perfect gift, and all of it combined to make the evening fun and joyous - not words ordinarily associated with the Immigration department. 

I have spoken to my father, and all 3 Weiss men.  That was also fun and joyous - words usually associated with them.

Enjoy the good in your life.  Sometimes we have to see the bad to be reminded of what is good.

And the good for me definitely includes all of you.  Thank you, and may your goodness return to you multiplied exponentially.

Unw -

R