Biology was my first love. As a child, the animals at the farm were fascinating. I learned life by watching their interactions. They’re forgiving and deal with each other in sensible ways. If they don’t get along, they stay away from each other. They take turns eating in a way that makes sense to them. In every way, animals are logical and remember important things that keep them alive. They only stress about serious stuff in the moment.
On the farm, animals are usually there for one reason. It’s not the best idea to get to attached, because, well……. most of them are there for one reason. I never had to wonder from where the food in the grocery store came. I knew. In participating in the processing of food, I learned about major organ systems and what an animal looked like on the inside. My nose was always right in the middle of the exciting stuff, with Dad explaining the inner workings of an animal body.
4-H gave me opportunities to grow animals for sale at the fair. From a scrawny lamb into a blue ribbon winner, many days went into feeding and general animal care. Rabbits and chickens were also raised for the same purpose. The fair was a time to miss a week of school to hang out with kids from all over the San Joaquin Valley of California. Kids slept in the hay with their animals, keeping the pens spotless so they could. Steers were bathed and brushed daily, while the sheep were fluffed. Even the chickens and turkeys got baths. When you see animals at a fair, rest assured, they don’t look or smell like that on a working farm.
In college, when it came to labs and dissection’s, I was a natural. Learning the names of hundreds of muscles and nerves in many different types of animals my love grew. But, I suffered from a major lack of confidence. When looking around at classmates that had come from private high schools, I convinced myself that I would never be smart enough to become a doctor. Wrong-oh. I would have been a wonderful doc, just needing to work a little harder than the others. As a second choice, I earned my MRS degree, marrying the March of my Senior year in 1977.
Through the years, my Bachelor’s degree in Science helped me to be a better teacher. A love of all things medical has remained with me through the years. Doctors are fascinating people. Sacrificing a normal life, they take an oath to “Do No Harm”. They live for messy problems that make the rest of us squirm. Nothing causes alarm, but rather a determined focus to find the cause of the trouble and fix it. They’re interesting and worthy of respect.
At a community meeting, WP and I had the rare opportunity to sit with a trauma surgeon who is running for Governor of Nevada. Dr. Fred Simon, M.D. He also runs a successful Italian restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While doing those things, he mentors teens, while caring for his own family. Two hours wasn’t enough to pick his brain about so many things.
In the last two years, he worked in a Covid unit and had lots to say about that subject. Very interesting to hear information from someone who was in the trenches. Very openly, he talked about things behind the scenes. Scary to listen, and not for the reasons you might think. Medicine is a business. The Pharmaceutical Complex is even a bigger one. Money leads. Follow the money. Yes. Covid is a deadly and horrible virus. No question about that. There are many different ways to treat a patient with Covid. Not all of them involve dangerous drugs that cost $3,000 a dose. The cheaper versions have excellent results. The only difference? $$$$$$$$$
The big take away from the Doc was this. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. Make a choice for yourself based on what you learn, not on what you see on the news. Look for ways you can strengthen your body with nutrition. Take anti-viral supplements, easy to find in any town. If you are overweight, get out and do something to change that. Get enough sleep. Try to stress less. Meditate. Social Distance. Find happiness. Don’t forget to pray. Choose a medical course that is right for your body. One size doesn’t fit all in medicine. Yes. Covid is very real. It can be very deadly. We all need to be careful.
Our dinner was way to short. Inviting us to visit his restaurant, he told us table #22 or #24 were the best in terms of listening to the jazz music playing on the weekend. I hope he becomes our next governor. His battle will be intense because the wheels are greased for other candidates, slimy and perfect in the eye of the camera. With big endorsements and money behind the chosen ones, Doc has a tough job ahead of him.
Our local chiropractor had a health scare this week, as well. Across the street from the Tee Pee Bar and Grill, his little parking lot is always crowded. In his 70’s, he sees patients day in and day out. This week, an aching leg sent him to the ER. Luckily, it was nothing serious. He is a beloved and needed part of our little community.
My dentist, Dr. B, worked diligently to save my tooth for me this week. His happy nature and skillful procedures made this dental appointment easy and painless. It’s refreshing to be around a dentist and co-workers that are positive and happy while they work. Thankfully, he is a young dentist. I really hope he outlives me because we get along just fine.
Love and pray for your doctors. They are in the trenches. With every patient they see, they need to adjust their thinking skills and diagnostic abilities. They need to listen intently to hidden messages we give as we describe our medical concern. They do this while observing body language and our physical being. In a matter of minutes, they come up with possible answers to our illnesses, usually with a big dose of comfort. They are angels on earth that are often forgotten as soon as our medical issue is corrected. They need our prayers.
Enjoy today. Do something that feels healthy. Fresh air clears the head. Happy Sunday.