Doctor, Doctor
Yesterday, I had a doctor’s appointment, and if I’ve never mentioned it before, my doctor is really hot. I love my doctor. I can talk to him about anything, and there is never any judgment. He’s also a really nice guy. I usually have to wait 30 minutes or so after my actual appointment time before I see him, but I really don’t mind. I know he’s the type of doctor who spends as much time with a patient as they need him to, and I know he’ll do the same for me. I have had doctors in the past who were in a race to see how fast they could get patients out of their office. I always felt they were not actually listening to their patients. I know my doctor listens to everything I say to him.
One of the things I always enjoy about seeing my doctor is reading his appointment notes and the visit summary. If your doctor uses MyChart, you might know what I’m talking about. I think electronic medical records are a great addition to healthcare. I remember when my mother was still working as a nurse, one of her major duties was making sure the EMR system got off the ground and was working correctly. She was the “quality assurance nurse,” so she made sure that all of the doctors and nurses were filling out their charts correctly.
Anyway, I enjoy reading my doctor’s notes on my visit. It always tickles me at some of the stuff he puts in there. Some of it is personal life stuff, like that I am happy after my recent move or that I’m exceptionally busy at work. I had to laugh when I was reading them last night because one of the things he wrote was, “He has a pond nearby.” I had mentioned that I like my new apartment and the peace and quiet out where I am now living. In addition, I mentioned there was a pond next to my building that I could see from my bedroom window. Thankfully, he didn’t also mention how much I said Isabella likes watching the birds.I was talking to Susan last night about this and I read her one of the things that he wrote under my psych evaluation, “Thought content without hallucinations or suicidal/homicidal ideations.” He also said I was: “Well-groomed. Good eye contact.” Two things about this: 1) I used to work in medical transcription, so I know there are standard phrases and shortcuts doctors use to fill in all the necessary information, and 2) He pays attention to the psych evaluation because I have a history of depression and anxiety. While I know it is probably standard for him, it always makes me feel nice that I’m “well-groomed.”
While I know that some of the “notes” are just standard medical jargon, there is a lot more personal stuff in there as well. It makes me feel like I am being listened to. Even when he has given me bad news, I always leave his office feeling hopeful. Most of the time lately, I leave feeling happy and good about myself. My A1C is under control, and if it stays with the current levels (under 6.0), he’ll take me off my diabetes medication and declare me a “diet-controlled diabetic.” While my weight has been up a few pounds, I’m still doing good. My cholesterol and blood pressure are great. My headaches have been improving with the new treatment, and my trigeminal neuralgia seems to be getting better. All in all, I’m in pretty decent health. He is happy with the progress that I’ve made, and so am I.
Happy Labor Day
Labor Day, in the United States and Canada, is a holiday that falls on the first Monday in September and honors workers and recognizes their contributions to society. In the United States, Peter J. McGuire, a union leader who had founded the United Brotherhood of Carpenters in 1881, is generally given credit for the idea of Labor Day. In 1882 he suggested to the Central Labor Union of New York that there be a celebration honoring American workers. On September 5 some 10,000 workers, under the sponsorship of the Knights of Labor, held a parade in New York City. There was no particular significance to the date, and McGuire said that it was chosen because it fell roughly halfway between the Fourth of July holiday and Thanksgiving. In 1884 the Knights of Labor adopted a resolution that the first Monday in September be considered Labor Day.
The idea quickly spread, and by the following year Labor Day celebrations were being held in a number of states. Oregon became the first state, in 1887, to grant legal status to the holiday (although the state initially celebrated it on the first Saturday in June). That same year Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey established the holiday on the first Monday in September, and other states soon followed. In 1894 the Pullman strike in Illinois, as well as a series of unemployed workers’ riots on May Day in Cleveland, Ohio, prompted U.S. Pres. Grover Cleveland to propose a bill that would make Labor Day a national public holiday. The bill, which was crafted in part to deflect attention from May Day (an unofficial observance rooted in socialist movements), was signed into law in June of that year.
Over the years, particularly as the influence of unions waned, the significance of Labor Day in the United States changed. For many people it became an end-of-summer celebration and a long weekend for family get-togethers. At the same time, it has continued to be celebrated with parades and speeches, as well as political rallies, and the day is sometimes the official kickoff date for national political campaigns.
In Canada the first parades of workers were held in 1872 in Ottawa and Toronto, and later in that year the law making labour unions illegal was repealed. McGuire was invited to speak at the celebration in 1882. In 1894 Parliament officially recognized the holiday in Canada.
Most other countries honor workers on May Day (May 1). The day was a major holiday in communist countries, and it continues to be important where left-wing political parties and labor movements wield influence.
Imagine Positivity
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if thereis any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
—Philippians 4:8
It’s easy to dwell on the negative when life is hard, disappointing, or painful. However, it’s important that we be more positive. Lord knows, I’m not always the best at being positive. In fact, I’m pretty awful at being positive sometimes. However, I still try to stay positive. Thinking positively helps us through the tough times and appreciate the great moments.
In times of desperation and hurt, it’s far too easy to be pessimistic. Those without good intentions will prey on our pessimistic attitude. However, if we remain positive, it’s harder to be exploited by the evil that surrounds us in this world. If we allow our pessimism to be exploited then we will react with despair, sadness, anger, etc. then, it is harder for us to imagine good in the world.
The biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann wrote in his book The Prophetic Imagination, “We need to ask not whether is is realistic or practical or viable but whether it is imaginable. We need to ask if our consciousness and imagination have been so assaulted and co-opted by the royal consciousness that we have been robbed of the courage or power to think an alternative thought.” If we can imagine a better world, we can make a difference, but if we cannot imagine a better world, then we won’t be able to see the good in the world. It’s absolutely imperative that we look for the good in the world, even if we have to create that good ourselves.
We need to feed our minds with blessings from God and the good things we can find in our lives or situations. We are to think about what is true rather than the evil that sometimes surrounds us. We need to dwell on what is noble and right so our actions will follow our thoughts. We are to feed our minds with whatever is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy—all the things that help us stay focused on God’s love for us.
We should focus our minds on the truth and all the good things in life. Always staying positive is a challenge, especially during the most trying times. But as we actively practice this, even in the most difficult moments, we can fight painful situations, trials, and all the difficult things we face. It’s a way to reclaim and live out our lives with love, hope, faith, and gratefulness in the full blessings and love of God.
Try to wake up each morning with positive thoughts.if you do, I think you’ll see positive changes in your life and in the life of those around you. It may be cliché, but there is power in positive thinking.
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The Closet Professor 