A Letter to my Friends

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I want to hear about you.

I want to hear about you and your spouse, about your health and your happiness. I want to hear about the vacations you’ve taken and the trips you’ve planned. I want to hear about the difficulties you have been facing, how you are dealing with them and how I can help. I want to hear your funny stories and share the laughter, to hear the sad stories and share the pain.

I want to hear about your family, about your children and your grandchildren, about first steps and first dates, baby steps and giant leaps. I want to see pictures and hear the stories that go with them. I want to hear about their successes and their struggles, their dreams and their plans.

I even want to hear about your pets, (especially about your dogs), the funny things they do and how they are a part of your family.

I want to hear about those things that I can share with you, your joys and your sorrows. I want to hear how I can encourage you, to partner with you on the road of life. I want to pray for you, that you may know God and His plans, and that you may follow Him.

What I don’t want to hear about is your political views. I most likely know them, and they probably aren’t unique to you. I’m certain I have heard the same perspectives expressed by others hundreds of times in the last few months. I don’t want to hear because your politics aren’t what make you special or interesting. Your politics aren’t you, and it is you I love and care about.

Bart

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Husband Resolutions

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Thinking of New Year's resolutions for this year, I realize the need to change things up a bit. I do not need to lose weight (Lisa tells me my butt has disappeared and that I need to put on some pounds!). Exercise is out, as I am not physically able to do much more than walk. I do not smoke and I do not drink so there is no resolution to be made there. There is however, one area of my life that I want to excel in. I want to be a better husband. With that in mind I am making the following resolutions.

Every day I resolve to-

  • Look her in the eyes and tell her that I love her.

  • Hug her and hold her like I never want to let her go.

  • Kiss her like I mean it.

  • Listen to her. Really and truly listen to her.

  • Pray for her, that God will bless her with peace and happiness, and a closer walk with Him.

  • Pray for myself, that God will help me love her and honor her in such a way that she will always feel safe and secure

I want to also do the more difficult things. Put the toilet seat down, pick up my underwear, and put my dishes in the dishwasher. Do all the little things that tell her I care.

I can think of no better resolution for 2021, and every year, than to love my wife better.

Bart

PS: You may have noticed that I did not mention giving her control of the TV remote. That would be crazy talk.

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Primary care with Covid on the rise

The cases continue to mount.

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Last night I took a call from a wife of a patient in his 70’s, who had not left his house for weeks, who only visited with his son through his front window, and whose memory had deteriorated seemingly overnight. At 6 PM he did not remember a family FaceTime call he had at 5:30. I sent him to the ER, where he was diagnosed with COVID.

Another careful patient in his 60’s emailed me today saying he had been diagnosed with COVID last week. His symptoms were mild thus far, but he was not yet out of the woods. Another healthy and active senior patient was in the ER on Thursday, 9 days into his illness. We had talked just two days earlier, and we both thought he was on the road to recovery. He wasn’t, as within 48 hours he was short of breath and in decline.

Another patient came in to see my PA four days ago for a routine visit. He had no known exposure and had no symptoms, but he did 24 hours later. My PA, who just recently completed over a year’s worth of breast cancer treatment, was left counting the minutes she was in his presence trying to determine her exposure risk.

On Friday I had a brief interaction with a patient who gave me a Christmas gift. Her son came down with COVID on Saturday, and sure enough, she started having symptoms today. I found myself hoping she had not unwittingly also given me an unwanted present.

These were some of the careful ones. Two weeks ago I met with the director of my grandmother’s assisted living facility to discuss her care. We were masked and about 8 feet apart for the brief meeting, a meeting I would not have had if the director had told me that she had a sick daughter at home. The director was sick the next day and tested positive the day after, forcing me to stay out of the office for a few days, and starting an outbreak in the facility that impacted several residents.

Another patient, who had sick family members at home, nevertheless decided to go and see his eye doctor. For some unexplainable reason he did not see that he was putting doctors and their staff at risk for infection, something that is hard for me to fathom.

In response to the recent explosion, and since as health care workers we are probably just weeks away from being vaccinated against the virus, my PA, office manager and I made the decision today to limit face to face visits to only those urgent visits and essential encounters that have to be done in person. We do not want to infect our families over the holidays and see no reason to needlessly put ourselves at risk when lasting protection is just around the corner.

Not all patients have responded positively to our decision. Some have even expressed anger, accusing us of being selfish. I do not know how selfish we are being, but I do know that we cannot trust that all of our patients will take appropriate precautions or will tell us of possible exposures. Given the overwhelming surge in cases (a dramatic increase relative to the summer peak), we feel the difficult decision has to be made.

But, being the health professionals we are, in addition to full telemedicine schedules one of us is going to be in the office every day. When people truly need us, we will be there for them. We each took an oath, and we both take it seriously. Some risks have to be taken.

Dr. Barrett

PS: Be smart, and be safe. While the case fatality rate is not as high as once feared, this not a harmless disease. The vaccine is here, and all who want it should have access to it by summer. Now is not the time to lose vigilance.

PPS: This is a personal post, not a political one. I am not writing for or against lockdowns, I just want people to be careful. I know many people have no choice but to work (my daughter is a hairstylist and things are very hard for people in her profession) and I am deeply concerned about the tragic emotional and economic consequences suffered by so many.

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We Need A Little Christmas

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I have been a little gloomy lately. I miss smiles. I actually miss seeing  faces in general, even the non-smiling ones. It seems every day brings at least one tale of sadness, of a job lost, of worsening anxiety or depression, or of a seriously ill loved one. When faced with such sorrow I give what encouragement I can, but many times I feel there are no words to say.

I have even grown tired of watching the evening news, as it has become just another way for more darkness to enter our lives. Reports of rising hospitalizations and death tolls, of businesses failing, and holidays cancelled, make us feel as we live in a world filled with the hopeless. What can we do?

I wonder if an answer may not be found In the story of another nation in a distant time, a nation oppressed and also seemingly hopeless. Government rule made their daily lives a struggle. They were heavily taxed and had no right to complain. Their trusted leaders were not worthy of trust, often taking the side of their oppressors and adding to their troubles.

It seems the answer to our troubles right now might be the same as theirs. To them, the people of Israel, a promise had been given hundreds of years earlier-

“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish… The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9

They needed Christmas, the birth of their Savior. They needed hope, a reason to look beyond the gloom of their circumstances and to a future of freedom, joy and peace. They didn’t see it coming, but nonetheless their Savior came, the One True Light, shining forth in their darkness.

The message of Christmas remains the same today. A Savior has come, bringing good news of great joy for all people.  Love, hope, peace, and joy remain and endure, free to all who will accept them.  I cannot think of a time in my life when this message was more needful.

Today we joined many of our neighbors in beginning our celebration of Christmas. We hung our lights, hung a wreath and set up our nativity scene. We broke out our Christmas tree and this evening watched White Christmas.

As we did, perhaps just for a season, I felt some of the gloom fade and even a touch of joy.

Bart

Sent from my iPad

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