goodbye blue sky

"...When the promise of a brave new world / Unfurled beneath a clear blue sky?" Although Pink Floyd isn't exactly known for its sunshiny demeanor, and leaving room S220 for the last time after this morning's final lecture was anything but depressing, that was the song that popped into my head anyway.

Considering the slightly-more-than-a-hint of bittersweetness that this morning's class was shadowed by, it's a slightly appropriate song, although it begs to be followed up with something like Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow". We sat together--Burke, Karen, Jeremy, Kylie, Jay, and myself--in our usual longitudinal tight-knit 6-pack in what was probably the quirkiest room on campus, we did what we always did--the comments, the laughter, the half falling asleep, and our newfound pasttime of someone always having to get the last clap in.

This was a day I'd been looking forward to for a long time. I had been growing to resent having to scan a chapter in a book for vocab words or numerical factoids or labor over a simplistic Power Point presentation containing bulleted list that lacked meaning and cohesion, just because these things might make good test questions. Now I can crack the books for real, books that I have chosen, versus the less-than-ideal textbooks too often chosen for us. I can read in-depth, at my pace, the subjects I deem necessary, applying the main concepts to real live patients. I now have the spare time to devote to my own learning based on my judgment of what's important rather than having to base my reading on someone else's. And when I feel tired, I no longer have to press on so I can say I made it through all the material, all the while remembering next to nothing the next day because I was too tired to actually absorb any of it.

That's not to say that there wasn't some wistfulness, though. I have to admit, I'm going to miss parts of this. Like making innocent side comments, some of them mildly cynical, but all of them in relatively good fun. Or ripping on the slackers in the back - again, better natured than that sounds. I'll miss the people who thought to put bottled water at every single seat in preparation for the hard-assed prof who broke school policy by saying we couldn't have so much as water during class. I'll miss the innocent Southern belle with the soft voice and a hilarious not-so-innocent inner layer. Or the wouldn't-hurt-a-fly straight-up Mormon guy who also studies witchcraft because he has so many Wiccan friends. Or the other big good-natured guy who belted out the Happy Birthday song louder than the other 96 people put together. Or the people who always said, "isn't it (so-and-so's) birthday?" when it really wasn't, inciting the profs to initiate the Happy Birthday song to the same person about 50 times during Tri 7 alone, all the while without realizing it was the same kid every time. I'll miss the differing opinions and honest discussions, the philosophy debates, the mood swings, the jokes, and the laughs.

I never thought I'd say this, but I'll actually miss our room. The first thing our prof on the first day of Tri 1 said is, flat-out, point-blank, "you guys got screwed. Your room sucks." He was being funny, but serious. At first we couldn't really stand our room. It was oddly shaped, oddly lit, and lacking in a way I never figured out. One thing I did notice was that we lacked a center aisle. If you wanted to sit in the middle of a row and not out to the side, you had to make your way past a lot of people, a task that got much trickier if you weren't in the first couple rows in front and couldn't just hop over the table. Over time, though, our room grew on us, became part of us, shaped the general personality of the class as a whole, and pretty soon it amused us, as our profs often hated our room more than we did. They'd bitch and moan about not having a center aisle, as it was harder to keep tabs on our in-class activities, and they'd burn off their frustrations by walking laps around the perimeter or pacing back and forth across the front like caged lions. The more intense the professor's baseline personality, the more comical it got to watch.

But the fact is, that chapter is done. We're no longer students in class, but rather full-fledged residents, living practically full-time in the clinic, exclusively treating real patients, and functioning as doctors in a matter of months. We keep thinking that it's only some time in early summer and that graduation is something like 9 months away, but it's not. We have to stop and remind ourselves how fast time has flown and how fast it will continue to fly. I can only imagine what this surreal vibe is going to feel 4 months from now, when we walk across the stage for real, with, as mentioned before, "...the promise of a brave new world / Unfurled beneath a clear blue sky".

For Massage Therapists: Just Getting Started?

I remember graduating from massage therapy school. It was a little surreal that, for all practical purposes, I held the title of massage therapist. I stepped out into the residual heat from the Texas July day, and the gathering humidity of the impending nightfall. It was already dark, and the parking lot was only illuminated by the single streetlamp. Since our class of about 20 or so graduated all at different times (it was all about how fast we got through internship), I didn't have anyone to share the moment with, so I basked in it by myself on the way to the truck. What I felt hung somewhere between elation and bittersweet wistfulness. I realized that as much as I had looked forward to getting done, I was going to miss this place.

So what about you, newlygrads? No longer are you your maternal instructor's massage puppies; you're out in the real world now, and it's sink or swim. Since the average career lifespan of a massage therapist is a meager 2 years, I decided to post, in no particular order, some of what I learned, both in school and during the past several years in practice, to stack some more cards in your favor.

First, do what you love. If you really hate giving relaxation rubdowns in a yuppie spa-like setting, and you'd really rather do sports massage for acute and chronic injuries for athletes, then by all means, head for the playing field instead of the spa. If you don't feel like digging your elbow into the paraspinal muscles for an hour, you don't have to do deep tissue. If you want to do energy work, cleansing, or infant massage, do it. If your calling is end-of-life palliative massage for the terminally ill, go for it! Don't chase the money, even if you perceive one avenue to be more prosperous than others. Do what you love, because life is too short not to. The financial security will follow. If you're doing the right thing from the right spot in your heart and head, the Universe will make sure you have what you need.

Next, decide whether or not you want to work for yourself or someone else. Sure, this was covered in business class, and some schools teach this subject much better than others, but give it some thought from another angle, if you haven't already. Deciding whether to start your own practice or contract with someone else seems simple, but it's not. Unless you have a strong business background (i.e. you've owned a business before or you grew up in a self-employement climate), you're going to have to shift your way of thinking to a mode you've never been in before. Working for yourself is all kinds of awesome, and I'll probably expound upon its joys and rewards in a separate future post. But suffice it to say that although it seems like a slacker's paradise (you get to set your own hours and write your own policies and whatnot), it's exactly the opposite. Since you don't have a supervisor micromanaging your every move, you have to do that yourself, which takes serious discipline. In the beginning, the business will consume your every waking moment. You'll have a lot to plan, and it's always more work than you ever imagined. The benefits pay off big, though, if you're the right personality type to drive the business to succeed long enough to reap the rewards.

Next, if you decide to open your practice, start off cheap. You really only need a table, which usually runs under a grand, some office supplies (stapler, file folders, perforated business cards, etc) which will most likely run you a couple hundred, massage oil, which can be bought in bulk cheaply, and a schedule book, which can be found for under $10. You'll probably find that you need a computer, but you can do a lot on this and the money you'll save in the long run is well worth the initial investment. While you're at it, get a printer, too - color laser, if you can swing it. Our computer was a screaming-fast top-of-the-line machine, and we custom-picked the parts and then had it assembled. Going this route cost us $1100 for the computer and $700 for the color laser printer, but you can most likely find a better deal. We do everything on that computer, including keep records, schedule appointments, communicate via email, do research, create and print newsletters, and we created our own intake forms and policy sheets as well, and we print what we need, only when we need it. We even built, wrote, and still continue to update, our website with web software we purchased at a local hole-in-the-wall shop that sells software at educationally-discounted prices to students with a simple show of a student ID. Our URL costs us around $10 per year, and thanks to a friend with a reliable, always-on networked computer, our web hosting (i.e. space to store our website such that it's always online) is free. We added a cell phone to our existing plan so that we could keep all business separate from our personal life. Sheets at Ross ended up to be $10-12 per twin set, even for trendy designer brands, and if you don't mind doing laundry fairly often, you can start with 4-8 sets. We make our own newsletter for the cost of only our time, and we design and print our own business cards. It's nothing fancy, but they are professional-looking and down-to-earth, avoiding the glitzy vibe.

If you work for yourself, I strongly encourage you to write a policy manual, even if the only person that ever sees it is yourself. This gives you a chance to dream up all the "what ifs" you can muster. Don't worry about thinking up every possible scenario now; you can always add as you go along. This will be a work in progress, changing drastically over time as clients present challenges and dilemmas to you and you learn from the mistakes you'll definitely make. Having a policy manual also gives you a bit more ground to stand on in a difficult situation. Trust me, there will be clients who will try to take advantage of you, by trying to strong-arm you into giving them a deal, working outside of your usual hours, taking an appointment on what is normally a day off, or trying to get around some other policy you've set. Certain situations will invariably come up early on in your practice, and you'll want to be armed with effective ways to handle them that are fair for everyone. Situations such as late cancellations, no-shows, strange requests from people with dubious and slimy intentions, late arrivals, etc, are unfortunately facts of life for practically every MT out there, and the more prepared you are to face these headon and stand your ground, the healthier you and your practice will be.

If you decide to work for someone else, you get to do your job, log your hours, and then go home, bypassing the all-consuming brainstorming sessions that invariably await the self-employed at the "end" of the day. Life is simpler for you in some ways, and more difficult in others. For one, you don't have as much of a say in a lot of matters. Everything is negotiable, but you're not just negotiating with yourself and your prospective clientele; you're also negotiating with owners of businesses who possess a legitimate desire to make a profit off of your efforts. Notice that I did say "legitimate". Yes, these people will charge the clientele more than they're going to pay you, and yes, they're going to keep the difference. Yes, that is OK. They're providing you with a place to work, staff to support you, utilities, equipment, some supplies, and most important of all, clientele. Heck, they may even do some marketing for you. It's give and take; the more they provide and the less you have to do yourself, the more of the fee for services they get to keep. On the other hand, the more you're responsible for doing or furnishing, the more generous the terms should be in your favor. There are a lot of bad deals out there, and contracts are generally binding. Be prepared to walk away if you can't live with the terms you're being asked to sign your name to, because it's a lot tougher to come back and claim foul play months or years later. If a term in the contract bothers you or rubs you the wrong way, ask about it, and/or try to negotiate your way out of it--before you sign. The truth is, the "employer" may already have the contract printed up, and they may insist that it's their standard contract that everyone signs, and they may even state that no one else has had a problem or question regarding it, but that doesn't mean you're relegated to following suit; every term is ultimately negotiable. This doesn't mean that the other side has to budge, but it does mean you're not prohibited from asking. And like I said, if the contract contains too many dealbreakers for you, it's OK to walk away. The right thing will come along at the right time.

This next point piggybacks on the last one, regarding business relationships--specifically independent contractor (IC) versus a W-2 style (W-2) employee. These two statuses are NOT interchangeable; in fact, they're almost opposites. It's common for an established business to want it both ways; they seek out workers and attempt to call them ICs, and then turn around and try to treat them like W-2s. The advantage to an IC is that you, the worker, retain control. You do your job (i.e. give a massage) as you see fit, you pick your own days and hours, you schedule yourself time off giving advance notice but not having to seek approval from anyone, you use your own supplies, and you pay your own income taxes. The last part is what the host business is really after; by keeping you on IC status, they save a bundle in the withholding taxes that they don't have to pay out every quarter. Who does? You. There are few advantages to W-2 status as I see it. Like any other such employer, they pretty much own you. They can set your schedule and dictate how you do massage. The advantage is that you have a few protections, such as the right to a safe environment (and retribution against the establishment if they fail to provide it), and they pay half your income taxes. Being an employee also typically does not call for a contract, some of the terms of which can be rather unfavorable to therapists. As an IC, watch out for things like non-compete clauses - if there is one and a radius and/or time frame are specified, do the math and realize the full ramifications of those specifics. A measly-sounding 5-mile radius can easily bar you from practicing anywhere else in your hometown and put you into the next suburb or town over, creating a daily drive for you.

Be professional. Don't wear skimpy or unclean clothes. Don't wear high heels. Dress for comfort and professionalism. I personally like business casual attire from places like Ross or Kohl's. I choose my clothing carefully, but I can look really good without spending much money. Business casual is a great way to set yourself apart from other therapists, showing that you're more serious and mature. Scrubs, although more typical for therapists, are good, too. They're loose (thus allowing you to move freely and comfortably) without being skanky, they're clinical without being mistaken for sexy, and they dry fast should you spill water on yourself or forget to throw them in the dryer until 10 minutes before your appointment. You could even wear a scrub shirt and jeans. My favorite outfit for the longest time was clean jeans, a white turtleneck, and a long-sleeved scrub jacket that I wore open (I dressed in layers because I got cold easily).

Go the extra mile. Warm up your hands before starting a masage. People love warm hands. Offering water afterward is an absolute must (and a glass of tap water doesn't cut it at all); people really appreciate being able to choose between chilled and room temperature water. Not everyone likes cold water; some have very cold-sensitive teeth, or they just plain may not like the taste of cold water. Make a newsletter. It doesn't have to be weekly, or even monthly. I came out with a new issue every 4 months. Make appropriate referrals. (Plan well ahead by seeking out, meeting with, and building a select network of, practitioners from various other healthcare fields. A variety is best, because you never know what a client will present to you with.) If you think someone may benefit from the services of a chiropractor or an acupuncturist, give them the names of several from your trusted network. Show them how to stretch properly, if you know this information, or perhaps give them simple, relatively risk-free exercises they can do themselves at home in between visits. They'll do better in between visits and they'll thank you for it.

Always practice good boundary management. There will be clients who test your boundaries, but engaging in conversation about iffy topics, or by dictating how various aspects of your practice apply to them. There will be other therapists who have poor boundary issues and judgment, and you'll hear stories about them from your clients who have had such therapists in the past. Boundaries indeed can mean anything from conversation matter to cancellation policies to a therapist sharing too much personal information to puncturality. So, again it's the little things. Be on time. Check your voicemail often, but I wouldn't make it a habit of answering your phone whenever, because doing so tells clients your boundaries are loose and they can just call you whenever they want. Decide on a work schedule and stick to it. Have certain days and hours that you are available for massage, and that's it. You might also designate some abbreviated evening or weekend hours for which you don't do massage but you do return phone calls or emails.

Last but not least (at least for now), never give your work away! Do not do free chair or table masage at public events just for publicity. The hosts of these events will solicit your services with the intention of getting them for free, because enough therapists in the past have done it for free, and the general public has come to expect this and takes full advantage of it. They act like they're doing you a favor by "allowing" you to "get your name out there". This largely doesn't work. Free massage at a public event does not translate to paid massage in your office. Do not think that just because these clients got on your chair or table at an event and signed up for your newsletter and promised to come see you and acted all excited about it that you will actually see these people and that they will pay you your price for your services. It just doesn't happen. Instead, when people solicit your services, thank them for choosing you and offer them a price quote. The only deal I've given for these events is a slightly discounted rate per hour when I know I'll be there all day - kind of like cheaper bulk pricing. Also, do not give your first massage away, or offer a deal to first-time clients. All this does is encourage the headachy phenomena of window-shopping and bargain-hunting, both of which can be annoying and even possibly insulting. Come up with a price that resonates with you, that you can ask for with a straight face, and stick to it. Don't apologize, don't waver, and don't backpedal. Those who appreciate your services and talents and your time will gladly pay you for it; the rest, you simply don't need--they're usually more headache than they're worth anyway.

I hope this helps. Go forth and effleurage!

so you want a free lunch...read the fine print!

CONGRESSMAN____________________________________
If you aren’t going to read the entire HealthCare bill, here is a summary:
PG 22 MANDATES the Government will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!!
PG 24 Line 116 Government effectively sets prices for ALL private health plans.
PG 30 Line 123 THERE WILL BE A Government COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.
PG 37 Line 132 The Government will be reviewing grievances about themselves and will decide on appeals for rejected claims.
PG 29 Line 4-16 YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!! Additionally you can reference PG 15 Line 19-25.
PG 42 The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HealthCare Benefits for you. You have no choice!
PG 50 Line 152 HealthCare will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise.
PG 58 Government will have real-time access to individuals’ finances & a National ID HealthCare Card will be
issued!
PG 59 Line 21-24 Government will have direct access to your banks accounts for electronic funds transfer!
PG 61 Line 22-24 Congress has no clue what Electronic Medical Records will cost. Asks for estimate.
PG 62 Protection of Data, Government shows they will have database of your personal & financial info.
PG64 L 21-25, pg65 L 1-5 which refers to processing payment transactions by financial institutions
PG 65 Line 164 is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions & community organizations (ACORN).
PG 72 Line 8-14 Government is creating an HealthCare Exchange to bring private HealthCare plans under Government
control.
PG 84 Line 203 Government mandates ALL benefit packages for private. HealthCare plans in the Exchange.
PG 85 Line 7 Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Government will ration your HealthCare! #AARP members –
your Health care Will be rationed.
PG 89 Line 6-10 The FAR is not applicable. Government can write contracts any way they want.
PG 95 Line 8-18 The Gov. will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Government HealthCare plan.
PG 98 Line 8 Americans - You will be paying for others HealthCare while paying for your own.
PG 100 Line 15-19 The Government Will be using ACORN and other community groups to promote & enroll.
PG 102 Line 12-18 Medicaid Eligible Individual will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.
PG 109 Line 207 Health Trust Fund. The Government will raise taxes on EVERYONE to fund HealthCare as they see fit.
PG 110 Line 7-12 Employment taxes on ALL employers NOT offering Government HealthCare. No choice.
PG 110 Line 13-18 An excise tax on ALL goods from companies not offering Government HealthCare. ALL Americans pay.
PG 110 Line 19-24 the Treasury can take $$ from Soc Line to pay HealthCare.
PG 111 Line 208 The Federal Government will usurp all State powers in State Based HealthCare Exchange. Violation of 10th
Amendment.
PG 119 Line 1-3 establish geographically-adjusted premium rates for public option Can you say ACORN census?
PG 121 Line 223 PAYMENT RATES FOR ITEMS AND SERVICES. Can you say Government price fixing & monopoly?
PG 124 Line 24-25 No company can sue Government on price fixing. No “judicial review” against Government Monopoly.
PG 126 Line 10-15 The Government can make up prices for anything at anytime for any reason.
PG 126 Line 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HealthCare for part time employees AND their families.
PG 127 Line 1-16 Doctors: The Government will tell YOU what you can make.
PG 129 The public option will be subsidized. Credits = your tax dollars. Redistribution of wealth.
PG 130 Line 10-23 Federal Government will subsidize State Medicaid = Even Higher State & Federal taxes for ALL.
PG 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE.
PG 149 Line 16-24 ANY Employer with payroll 400k & above who does not provide public option pays 8% tax on all payroll.
PG 150 Line 9-13 Biz with payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesn’t provide public option pays 2-6% tax on all payroll.
PG 151 Line 1-3 Aggregate Rules-tax on employers payroll not on public option include payroll of other biz.
PG 167 Line 18-23 ANY individual who doesn’t have acceptable HealthCare according to Government will be taxed 2.5% of inc.
PG 170 Line 1-3 Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay)
PG 195 officers & employees of HealthCare Administration (Government) will have access to ALL Americans
financial/personal records.
PG 198 Line 1-3 1.5% ADDITIONAL TAX on peeps who have income of 500k to 1mil. Redistribution of Wealth.
PG 198 Line 4-6 5.4% ADDITIONAL TAX on peeps who have income of 1mil+. Redistribution of Wealth
PG 199 Line 1-4 Surtax rates on raised AGAIN on Americans in 2012.
PG 201 Line 12-19 Government will ignore whatever costs they see fit to show savings. (Cooking the books)
PG 203 Line 14-15 “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax” Yes, it says that.
PG 202-215 is a Government rewrite of the tax code ensuring more taxes for EVERYONE, Everywhere.
PG 239 Line 14-24 Government will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected.
PG 241 Line 6-8 Doctors, doesn’t matter what specialty you have, you’ll all be paid the same.
PG236 L22-25, 237 L1-3 National rate of uninsured defined by Census. Can you say ACORN corruption?
PG 239 Line 10-12 Medicare DSH payments will be increased. Can you say even higher taxes for all?
PG 238-249 Line 1121 Doctors-Government mandates your growth, costs, value, services, & income. Welcome to rationing
PG 253 Line 10-18 Government sets value of Dr’s time, prof judg, etc. Literally value of humans. We’re next.
PG 260 Line 1125 Fed Government will adjust Medicare Payment Localities for California based on Census. ACORN?
PG 265 Line 1131 Government mandates & controls productivity for private HealthCare industries.
PG 268 Line 1141 Fed Government regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs.
PG 270 Line 1144 Government Mandates that all private ambulatory surgical centers submit cost data & other data
PG 272 Line 1145 TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS – Cancer patients – welcome to rationing!
PG 276 Line 3-20 Oxygen Equipment & Supply Companies - Government MANDATES you will provide supplies NO
MATTER where individual is.
PG 287 Line 14-25 PROOF that Government will ration HealthCare by mandating waiting periods for readmission.
PG 298 Line 9-11 Drs, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission - Government will penalize you.
PG 303 Line 12-25 Post Acute Care Services Data – Government will collect data including personal information as they see fit.
PG 304 Line 17-19 BIG ONE HERE: Expedited Data Collection – Chapter 35 o… Read More: http://www.twitlonger.com/
show/c5bcfdae ... 6be70918ac
PG 304 Line 17-19 Government does NOT have to protect your private information, share with anyone, & is not resp
Expedited Data Collection - Chapter 35 of Title 44 of USC SHALL NOT APPLY. Folks this gives the govt
the right to access ur data any way the see fit.
Here is link to the chapter: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode44/usc_sec_44_00003501----
000-.html
Look at number 8 THE GOVT IS SAYING THAT THEY DONT HAVE TO DO THIS!!!
(8) ensure that the creation, collection, maintenance, use, dissemination, and disposition of information by or
for the Federal Government is consistent with applicable laws, including laws relating to—
(A) privacy and confidentiality, including section 552a of title 5;
(B) security of information, including section 11332 of title 40 [1] ; and
(C) access to information, including section 552 of title 5;
PG 306 Line 3-6 The Government can expand the scope & size of Post Acute Program Services anytime & as they see fit.
PG 313 Line 9-14 Government MANDATES Health Services providers will state ownership, invest, & compensation
arrangements.
PG 317 Line 13-20 PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Government tells Drs. what/how much they can own.
PG 317-318 L 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion- Government is mandating hospitals cannot expand.
PG 318-319 Government is mandating how hospitals & physicians conduct business & investments. We’re next!
PG 321 2-13 Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input required. Can you say ACORN?!!
PG 328 Line 1157 Government study disguised. Its a HealthCare workforce study mandated by law for unionization.
Pg335 L16-25,PG 336-339 Government mandates estab. of outcome based measures. HealthCare the way they want. Rationing.
PG 341 Line 3-9 Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Adv Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing into Government plan.
PG 354 Line 1177 Government will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people!
PG 355-369 Line 1181 Government disguises tax on Drug Companies as rebate to Government to subsidize Drugs. We pay in the end.
PG 379 Line 1191 Government creates more bureaucracy – Telehealth Advisory Committee. Can you say HealthCare by phone?
PG 399 If your a subsidy eligible individual under Medicare part D and you don’t enroll, the Government will auto
enroll you.
PG 401 Section 1221 Americans will fund Medicare Language & Translation Services Program. Can you say MORE taxes?
PG 404 Lines 12-16 Government exempts itself again from - Chap 35 of title 44, USC including privacy of Americans.
PG 404 Lines 17-19 Government doesn’t know the cost of Language services but states that money is there.
PG 425 Lines 4-12 Government mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life.
PG 425 Lines 17-19 Government will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory!
PG425 L22-25, 426 L1-3 Government provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death.
PG 427 Lines 15-24 Government mandates program for orders for end of life. The Government has a say in how your life ends.
PG 429 Lines 1-9 An “advance care planning consultant” will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.
PG 429 Lines 10-12 “advance care consultation” may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from Government.
PG 429 Lines 13-25 The Government will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order. Logan’s Run anyone?
PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Government will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life.
PG 432 Lines 18-21 The Government will publish “quality measures” for individual’s end of life in Federal Register.
PG 434 Section 1234 Military Active, Reservists, Families - If you’re not enrolled in Tricare it is mandated.
PG 434 Section 1234 Military Active, Reservists, Families - Once HealthCare bill is passed your premiums will go up.
PG 438 Section 1236 The Government will develop a patient decision making aid program that you & Dr. WILL use.
PG 443 Lines 7-24 Government at taxpayers expense test out an “Accountable Care Org” program (Government doesn’t have plan.)
PG 444 Lines 1-6 Government’s Accountable Care Program will mandate services & infrastructure thru reward/penalty system.
PG 448 Lines 4-17 Government will set performance targets for ALL Accountable Care Organizations including private.
PG 455 Lines 3-4 Government exempts itself from Chapter 35, Title 44 Paperwork Reduction & Citizens Privacy Protection Act
PG 460 Section 1302 Knock Knock - It’s the Government and I’m here with the Medical Home Program - YOUR home.
PG 460 Section 1302 The Government WILL provide medical services in your home. Paging Nurse Pelosi!!
PG 464 Lines 17-22 Independent Patient Center Home Medical Services - Drs. don’t have to be at your home just some directed by D
PG 469 Community Based Home Medical Services=Non profit organizations. Hello, ACORN Medical Services here!!?
Page 472 Lines 14-17 PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED Organization - 1 monthly payment to a community-based
organization Like ACORN?
PG 476 19-20 Chapter 35/ title 44, (Privacy of personal records) shall not apply Home Medical Services. ACORN ACCESS
PG 489 Section 1308 Government will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt into your marriage.
PG 494-498 Government will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, rationing those services.
PG 502 Section 1181 Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research Established. - Hello Big Brother - Literally.
PG 502 Line 5-18 Government builds the “Center” to conduct, support, & synthesize research to define our HealthCare Services.
PG 503 Line 13-19 Government will build registries and data networks from YOUR electronic medical records.
PG 503 Line 21-25 Government may secure data directly from any department or agency of the US including your data.
PG 504 Line 6-10 The “Center” will collect data both published & unpublished (that means public & your private info)
PG 506 Line 19-21 The Center will recommend policies that would allow for public access of data
PG 518 Line 21-25 The Commission will have input from HealthCare consumer reps - Can you say unions & ACORN?
PG 524 18-22 Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund set up. More taxes for ALL.
PG 525-620 deals with the Government basically taking over nursing homes, PGs 525-620 deals with the Govt
basically taking over nursing homes,long-term care facilities (think assisted living) through regulations of
the facilities, the owners of sd facilities, the employees of sd facilities and even the land owners of that sd
facilities reside on.
Additionally as you read these 90+ pages you can come to the conclusion that any Health related svcs will be
determined and rationed by the Govt for our senior citizens and others in nursing homes.
This one post should do enough to raise awareness of the control the Govt is exerting over the older
population of American citizens.
PG 620 Line 1-9 The Government will define, prioritize, and nationalize your Health Care Services.
PG 621 Lines 20-25 Government will define what Quality means in HealthCare. Since when does Government know about quality?
PG 622 Lines 2-9 To pay for the quality Standards Government will transfer $$ from to other Government Trust Funds. More Taxes.
PG 624 “Quality” measures shall be designed to assess outcomes & functional status of patients.
PG 628 Section 1443 Government will give “Multi-Stake Holders” Pre-Rule Making input into Selection of “Quality” Measures.
PG 630 9-24/631 1-9 Those Multi-stake holder groups including Unions & groups like ACORN deciding HealthCare quality.
PG 632 Lines 14-25 The Government may implement any “Quality measure” of HealthCare Services as they see fit.
PG 633 14-25/ 634 1-9 The Secretary may issue non-endorsed “Quality Measures” for Physician Services & Dialysis Services.
PG 635 - 653 Physicians Payments Sunshine Provision - Government wants to shine sunlight on Docs but not Government.
PG 654-659 Public Reporting on Health Care-Associated Infections - Looks okay.
PG 660-671 Doctors in Residency - Government will tell you where your residency will be, thus where you’ll live.
PG 676-686 Government will regulate hospitals in EVERY aspect of residency programs, including teaching hospitals.
PG 686-700 Increased Funding to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. You mean the Government with an $18 mil website?
PGs 701-704 Section 1619 If your part of HealthCare plan that isn’t in Government HealthCare Exchange but you qualify
for Federal aid, no payment.
PG 705-709 SEC. 1128 If Secretary gets complaints (ACORN) on HealthCare provider or supplier, Government can do background check.
PG 711 Lines 8-14 The Secretary has broad powers to deny HealthCare providers/suppliers admittance into HealthCare Exchange.
Pg 719-720 Section 1637 ANY Doctor who orders durable medical equipment or home medical services MUST be enrolled in Medicare.
PG 722 Section 1639 Government Mandates Doctors must have face-to-face with patient to certify patient for Home Health Services.
PG 724 Lines 16-22 Government reserves right to apply face-to-face certification for patient to ANY other HealthCare service.
PG 724 23-25 PG 725 1-5 The same Government certifications will apply to medicaid & CHIP (your kids)
Pg 735 lines 16-25 For law enforcement purposes, the Secretary of Health & Human Services will give Attorney General access to
ALL data.
PG 740-757 Government sets guidelines for subsidizing the uninsured (That’s your tax dollars peeps)
Pg 757-762 Fed Government will shift burden of payments to Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) to States. (Taxes)
Page 763 1-8 No DS/EA hospitals will be paid unless they provide services without regard to national origin
Pg 765 Section 1711 Government will require Preventative Services including vaccines. (Choice?)
Pg 768 Section 1713 Government - Nurse Home Visitation Services (Hello union paybacks)
Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services - “increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.” Government Abortions anyone?
Pg 769 11-14 Nurse Home Visit Services include-economic self-sufficiency, employment advancement, school-readiness.
Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services - “increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.” Government ABORTIONS anyone?
Pg 770 SEC 1714 Federal Government mandates eligibility for State Family Planning Services. Say abortion & State Sovereign.
Pg 789-797 Government will set & mandate drug prices, controlling which drugs will brought to market. Bye innovation
Pgs 797-800 SEC. 1744 PAYMENTS for grad medical education. The government will now control Drs education.
PG 801 Sec 1751 The Government will decide which Health care conditions will be paid. Say RATION!
Pg 810 SEC. 1759. Billing Agents, clearinghouses, etc. required to register. Government takes over private payment system.
Page 820-824 Sec 1801 Government will identify individuals ineligible for subsidies. Will access all personal finances.
Pg 824-829 SEC. 1802. Government Sets up Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund. Another tax black hole.
PG 829-833 Government will impose a fee on ALL private health insurance plans including self insured to pay for Trust Fund!
PG 835 11-13 fees imposed by Government for Trust Fund shall be treated as if they were taxes.
Pg 838-840 Government will design & implement Home Visitation Program for families with young kids & families
expecting kids.
PG 844-845 This Home Visitation Program includes Government coming into your house & telling you how to parent!!!
Pg 859 Government will establish a Public Health Fund at a cost of $88,800,000,000. Yes thats Billion.
Pg 865 The Government will MANDATE the establishment of a National Health Service Corps.
PG 865 to 876 The NHS Corps is a program where Drs. perform mandatory HealthCare for 2 years for part loan repayment.
PG 876-892 The Government takes over the education of our Medical students and Drs.
PG 898 The Government will establish a Public Health Workforce Corps. to ensure supply of public health
professionals.
PG 898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of officers of Regular & Reserve Corps of Service.
PG 898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of civilian employees of the U.S. as Secretary deems.
PG 900 The Public Health Workforce Corps includes veterinarians.
PG 901 The Public Health Workforce Corps WILL include commissioned Regular & Reserve Officers. HealthCare Draft?
PG 910 The Government will develop, build & run Public Health Training Centers.
PG 913-914 Government starts a HealthCare affirmative action program thru guise of diversity scholarships.
PG 915 SEC. 2251. Government MANDATES Cultural & linguistic competency training for HealthCare professionals.
Pg 932 The Government will establish Preventative & Wellness Trust fund - intial cost of $30,800,000,000-Billion.
PG 935 21-22 Government will identify specific goals & objectives for prevention & wellness activities. Control You!!
PG 936 Government will develop “Healthy People & National Public Health Performance Standards” Tell me what to eat?
PG 942 Lines 22-25 More Government? Offices of Surgeon General -Public Health Services, Minority Health, Women’s Health
PG 950- 980 BIG Government core public health infrastructure includes workforce capacity, lab systems; health information
systems, etc
PG 993 Government will establish school based health clinics. Your kids wont have a chance.
PG 994 School Based Health Clinic will be integrated into the school environment. Say Government Brainwash!
PG 1001 The Government will establish a National Medical Device Registry. Will you be tracked?
PG 1003 9-11 National Medical Dev Reg ‘‘(iii) other postmarket device surveillance activities” you WILL be tracked.
PG 1018 States give up some of their State Sovereignty.
(From Peter Fleckenstein’s Twitter Account: http://twitter.com/fleckman)

pumping iron maiden

A few weeks ago, I stepped on the bathroom scale, and I think it cussed at me. What I saw horrified me. I mean, deep down I knew; I couldn't fit into any jeans except my baggier ones that I wore around "that time of the month" expressly to make myself more comfortable during those few days of water weight gain, and I couldn't ignore my morphing mirror reflection. Clothes didn't hang as right or look as cute on me. And I started to get that--ugh--cellulite look. But, as much as I wanted to believe I was just seeing things, my worse suspicions were confirmed during last week's regular routine physical in the chiropractic student clinic - I had gained 13 lbs in 2 months.

I never thought I'd have a concern about my weight. Historically, the only concern was that I didn't weigh enough. My how things change. My BMI is still within normal range, but it doesn't need to get much higher before it says I'm officially "overweight". I never thought I'd ever be in a situation like this.

I admit, I carry it well. The few people to whom I have confessed my weight say "nuh-uh. You do NOT weigh that much". I wish they were right, but alas. I have learned how to adapt my dress such that it diverts attention away from my growing middle and makes me look more shapely, but I can't deny that the side-seam of my underwear is coming apart and I know that can't be a good sign.

True to form as a nearly-graduated physician, I couldn't help but to scan the various differential diagnoses - reasons for such substantial gain. First off, NO, I am not pregnant! Trust me, I know. There is no possible way. Second, YES, I have been eating right. Not perfect, mind you, but plenty of fruits and vegetables, no wheat or refined grains, no sodas, and all meat and milk is organic except that which is in my ice cream, of which I have one bowl at the end of the night. I drink water and I go easy on the junk food - in fact, I don't eat any potato chips. I could probably use more omega-3s, but I do eat more than the average person. I'm also the least stressed out (at least, based on what I perceive) that I have been in over 3 years, so I'm not piling cortisol around my midsection. So, what gives? Nothing else has changed, except for an iron supplement I started taking to finally start correcting my long-ass-standing anemia.

So, I Googled it, and lo and behold, it seems as though others have the exact same mysterious problem. Expert after expert says that they haven't heard of any incidents or research to support such theories, but confused person after person, usually anemic females, claim it's happening to them, too. And their symptoms are eerily similar - slight upset stomach at times, but the worst is the unprecedented and unexpected weight gain. Always around the abdomen, butt, and thighs, and never flattering, it hangs around stubbornly like a bored supervisor who won't just go away.

So, when the scale cussed me out, I decided to holler back. I started working out. With a more lax class schedule, I have more freedom and more opportunity. I strategically schedule my patients around workout times and I hit the on-campus gym. My school workouts are usually about twice a week, and they last anywhere from 1-2 hours, and usually consists of a cardio-friendly workout on the treadmill or eliptical and a weight-lifting component, usually upper or lower body. In addition, when I get home, 6-7 days a week, I do a Power 90 DVD workout in the living room, alternating Sculpt (light muscle building and toning) and Cardio/Abs.

The cruel joke is that I haven't lost any weight. In fact, I may have gained a pound or 2. I'm hoping that it's because I'm replacing fat with muscle, which weighs more, and that the net gain is temporary as I start shedding adipose mass. I will say this: even though I haven't lost anything, I feel great. I won't stop taking the iron, because I know my body needs it. Every cell needs oxygen, and a shortage of iron in the body causes you to be low in the oxygen-carrying molecule, Hemoglobin. Without iron, cells don't get oxygen, and long-term, that sucks. I also won't give up on working out; although I wish I were shedding pounds, I do find that I feel a lot better, both physically and mentally. My body has been worked and I have the resulting feeling of accomplishment, like I did something with my day, for myself. That's the stuff real self-esteem is made of. Also, I feel more brain-balanced, because working out is a huge stress-buster. My problems sure as hell don't go away, but I can sure as hell handle them better and I have a healthier outlook. Yes, I still sit and stew about things at times, but it could very well be worse.

Maybe I'm seeing things, but despite the lack of cooperation from my scale since I began working out, I do feel a bit more toned. My muscles are rebuilding, and it seems as though my abs are ever so slightly smaller. Relatively encouraging, since I've been doing this only about a week and a half or so. I have to say, it's been a blast, and we'll see if my BMI is still high-normal in a few months. Until then, I'm grabbing my Ipod Shuffle, my Endura electrolyte water, and a towel, and I'm basking in the idea that the need for new workout clothes gave me another excuse to go to Kohl's. :)

Jack of all tirades

Hellloooooo, my infidels!

We decided to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of our nation by advancing our groundwork-laying for our eventual expatriation. This isn't intended to stir any pot or ruffle any feathers; my grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge, one of the most important battles of World War II, and our family is proud of its rebellious and patriotic history. Indeed, my ancestors were the chief developers of the repeating rifle, the weapon that helped the fledgling colonies win the revolution, achieving independence from Great Britain.

No, my displeasure and disgust arose from the fact that this country is not what it used to be any longer. We used to stand for certain values and focus on certain priorities, and it was that which made our nation--and its people--great. Unfortunately, this no longer applies. North American society has succumbed and denigrated to something I no longer want to recognize or admit to, and I can no longer stomach being any part of it. In part, some of this is happening in other parts of the world, but it seems as though we're the epicenter of it. We spearhead dangerous trends and policies and we follow those of the rest of the world like cattle.

I have decided that I am sick of most things contemporary American and I want to seek to find something better. I'm sick of the forced conversion to fluorescent light bulbs from my comfortable mercury-free incandescents. I'm sick of the huge concentration of electromagnetic radiation, the irritating compression of radio station signals, the tailgaters on the freeway, the house-flipping locusts moving from area to area all the while driving prices beyond the affordability of the locals, the passive income enthusiasts, the stockholders, the stakeholders, the American football domination, the obsession with Escalades and Excursions and Hummer H2's, the prescription drug advertising, and the constant living under the threat of a lawsuit from anyone at anytime for any reason. I don't want to live in a society who thinks it's actually OK to send a text message or carry on a cellphone conversation while supposedly in control of a 2-ton hunk of metal moving at 50 to 80 miles an hour, or zip without warning across four lanes of 70 mph traffic because their exit is *right there* and they couldn't be bothered to pay attention and plan ahead for that fact a quarter mile back. I don't want to live where it's common practice to pump the volume on the TV commercials, push drugs directly to consumers, get up and leave in the middle of class, or treat perfect strangers rudely or with contempt and without a shred of understanding or compassion, call holistic and alternative medicine providers quacks without having any clue what it is they actually do or know, or give the guy in a white coat God status because he holds the almighty authority to push potentially-addictive and almost always-harmful drugs onto children and their parents - drugs whose molecular structure is an atom away from something deadly and/or illegal. I don't want to live in a place where to "opt-out" of toxic drug treatments constitutes "neglect" and gives strangers the authority to remove a child from a competent and loving home.

Dead are the concepts of family, respect, and civility toward your fellow human being. Neighborhoods are dead, having slowly been replaced by dues-paying dictatorial enclaves where transients live beside each other as strangers and threaten each other into uniformity via the all-powerful homeowner's association, strutting their stuff with puffed out chests because they have money--or at least good credit. All logic, decency, common sense, manners, good citizenship, higher decision-making, and thinking beyond oneself have left the building. How sick does a society have to get before it takes perfectly good ideas like morals and values and turns them into targets of ridicule? Really, what is so wrong with simple, common-sense decency?

There is no more creativity. The work ethic is completely unbalanced (we either work ourselves to death 80 hours a week such that we barely know our families, or we don't want to work at all, preferring instead a "passive income" which then somehow allows us to forget the value of time and gives us license to waste other peoples'). Our priorities are inverted, our kids are neglected, and these are the same kids we're going to rely on and expect to take care of us when we're old and refuse to die, deceiving ourselves into thinking we can--and have the right to--live forever, and expecting others to change our diapers until the day we die.

I know what you're saying. The grass is always greener. Sure it is. Especially when where you are, you barely have any grass. Screw it, I'm out. It's done, stick a firework in it.

Can I graduate?

Although I've lately borne much closer resemblance to a closet Mexican, there is still some truth to the Third Eye Blind's slacker anthem of the same name, and I find myself asking the same questions posed therein.

Tri 8 is indeed much lighter than the preceding trimesters. I had also been looking forward to the classes - I mean, these are the icing on the cake: Geriatrics, Ob-Gyn, classes that are/were supposed to separate the men from the boys, or at least the doctors from the technicians/therapists. Then we heard through the grapevine from those who have gone before us a sense of disappointment and boredom, that those classes failed to deliver the goods and be all that they could be. Those taught by professors we've had before reiterated tired old themes, the whole "if you've heard him once you've already heard it all" vibe. Then we got into the classes and found that the reality of it all was somewhere in the middle: information did sometimes overlap and in true Parker spirit, could lack depth and meaning, but there were at least variations on those tired old themes and you could even spy a rare gem or two buried deep in the rhetoric.

Maybe it has to do with the big bang the trimester started out with and the shell-shocked lagging catch-up that followed, but I find that I'm pretty short on motivation this time around. I never did consider studying my activity of choice, especially when there are so many other options, and I'm actually probably more interested in the subject matter we're learning this trimester, as it is all clinically relevant and useful.

I think that I owe part of my "enough, already" outlook to the fact that I'm cabin-feverish and sick of our classroom. I'm tired of dressing in clinic attire every single day, complete with the lame-ass nametags pinned to our white coats. I'm sick of the drama of Parker High. I'm tired of hearing about yet another item stolen (it's not the notification I'm sick of, it's the fact that thieves walk among us, undiscovered, in the first place). I'm tired of the whining, the disrespect, the do-gooder chearleading, the numbers, the hypocrisy, the slick marketing (in all the wrong places) and the fear mongering. The buck-passing, fundraisers, lack of professionalism, and class meetings really got to me too. I'm sick of the duplicate emails, the seminar notices, the computer system hiccups every tri. I'm burned out and ready to go. I don't feel anywhere near ready to tackle that victim of a nasty car wreck, but I sure am itching to ditch these walls.

Otherwise, my lack of motivation is a fault that resides only within me and I own it. I just simply don't feel like doing anything school-related anymore. I still have a zest for life and learning that I always did, but this time I'm being compelled to channel it in other directions for reasons I can't currently explain. In short, my time and energy are going elsewhere and it's on a very instinctual, compulsory level. The last time I felt this way, life monumentally changed shortly thereafter and majorest of questions were clearly answered.

What lies ahead? I know what it's not. It's not the choke-chain moneygrab of a clinic or the snakepit administration that runs it. It's not a total of eight five-digit numbers designed to run my life for the convenience of others. It's not limited to back pain, neck pain, and headaches. And it certainly doesn't end in -ubluxation, especially as the cause of all that ails you.

Instead, I hope it's fulfillment. I hope it helps to make a difference in someone's life. I hope it's satisfaction in a spot deep down where a fat paycheck can't reach. I hope it's a slower, more relaxed way of life that gets back to basics and allows me time and energy to stop and smell the flowers, and enough of a presence of mind to register and appreciate the scent. At a bare minimum, maybe it's just enough to keep my punk ass off the street.

Stuff that is way better in Canada

To the more ignorant of us, Canada seems like that Little Country That Could, our benign neighbor to the north that does little and says even less. Kind of like a second America that we actually don't know anything about, except for maybe the fact that they say "eh" a lot and pronounce words like "out" and "about"....umm, differently.

The truth is, my fellow Americans, that we're totally missing out. Canada is like just another state and yet a completely different world all at the same time. Its economy doesn't just piggyback off of ours; they have their own that is separate and distinct. They have a subtly different set of customs and culture, one that is unique to them, and it's time it was exposed (at least, as much as one little-known blogger can do) and celebrated.

In my travels there throughout both childhood and so far as an adult, I've noticed some areas in which Canada not only matches but actually surpasses the States. Barely scratching the surface I've listed some of them off the top of my head here, in no particular order...

1. Tim Hortons. Hands down, do not pass go, go directly to Timmy's first thing in the morning. They have something for everyone; donuts, yogurt cups with fruit, muffins, bagels, sodas, smoothies, lattes, and of course, "Coffee-flavored coffee!" Not that I'm a coffee-drinker or anything, but I did fill up on my share of Boston Cremes (normally I'm not much for custard filling but this was *damn good* - I think the secret is a slight hint of butterscotch) and vanilla yogurt with raspberries and strawberries on top.

2. Smoke-free, child-free lounge sections. This is a recently new development, and it is a surprising one, given that it seems like everybody smokes in Canada. (Well, given their winters, that's almost all there is to do, besides watch hockey - that stereotype is true, and it's a sacred cow.) Imagine my pleasant surprise when, upon walking into a restaurant, the host(ess) instead of asking you "smoking or non?" says "table or lounge?" Hint: take the lounge, unless you want to run the risk of being disturbed by children. Canada is like the US in 1985 - there still is more than a shred of common decency left and parents still do live up to their title where childrearing is concerned, but you do have a fair share of American breeders living there and these days you just never know. So, you can now enjoy your dinner without being pestered by someone else's cute little angels without having to suffocate from the haze that tends to hang in the lounges of the States.

3. Radio stations. Even in the most remote, hick areas where the all-there-is-to-do-is-watch-hockey-on-satellite concept is an unavoidable reality, the radio stations are infinitely hipper than their counterparts in the most cosmopolitan metroplexes south of the border. Really. I had waaaay better luck with Saskatoon, Saskatchewan airwaves than I can ever find in Dallas-Ft Worth these days. Fewer commercials and less of that annoying and pointless signal compression are also happy bonuses. I actually read somewhere that the radio station programming is government-mandated to include a certain percentage of native Canadian music. This means that you get exposed to a lot of neat stuff that wouldn't see the light of day in the States, and I think Canada is intangibly richer for it.

4. Canadian music. So, not only do the radio stations play a greater variety than the monotonous playlists that perpetually repeat across American airwaves, but the music itself is also just plain...better. It has more heart, more soul, less processing, and less of a dollar sign motive. There is more variety, a sense of common-sense earthiness, and more of a genuine spirit. It's more organic and less fancy. You don't have to try to decipher layers of compressed, over-produced vocal tracks to figure out which is the real melody. The music is simple but not simplistic in that it does not insult one's intelligence like American pop has the tendency to do. The Tragically Hip is just one example of proof that there is subtle but profound genius lying under the surface of the seeming simplicity. Canada surpasses America's music talent in many instances. Just go to an outdoor Tea Party concert...you'll see what I mean.

5. Shopping. Not to be some co-opting locust consumer whose greatest goal in life is to spend every waking moment in a mall, and nor do I plan my vacation destinations by how their reviews stack up against each other in terms of their shopping potential, but I do notice a stark difference between Canadian and Stateside malls. I'm not exactly sure I can put my finger on it, but I'll do my best. I think it has to do with the individual stores themselves. Or maybe it's the low-key vibe, the NON-need to consume endlessly, but rather to shop when necessary for the things one truly needs. Canadians don't usually put on clicky high heels and designer clothes and make shopping at the mall a status symbol or a socially elite event. And they don't rudely smack into you with their SUV-sized strollers while gabbing on their cellphone (without so much as an apology to you but rather a borderline glare at you that it was your fault for being there in the first place) in the process. Maybe I'm way out of line and the charm of a Canadian mall is its lack of in-your-face scrolling advertising for medical group-clinics that provide elective services. I don't know. Whatever it is, I'll do my shopping up there.

Not that I'm some anti-American who is into bashing the country every chance I get, mind you. It's just that some things are truly better in other places and that the good ol' US of A isn't (and can't be) No #1 in everything all the time. I'm sure that I haven't done Canadians much justice, as I admit that it's been too long since I've been there for an extended stay and I'm too ignorant to be aware of some of the other great gems the country has to offer. But suffice it to say that it's more than just a big white land of nothingness with a Maple Leaf on its flag. That's just not what it's all a-boot...eh? ;)

the early worm gets the book

You asked for it! Here it is...

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. Look closely; I think the bird is actually symbolic of people like Jesus Christ.
One by Richard Bach. Talk about parallel universes and infinite possibilities!
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. If Jesus could talk today...question is, would any of us listen? Would any of us even recognize him? Or any other spiritual figure, for that matter?
The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Alan Watts. Really sums it up, concisely and brilliantly. Nothing is offensive, but nothing is sacred. The guy slams Santa Claus, for God's sake! LOL.
True Balance: A Commonsense Guide For Renewing Your Spirit by Sonia Choquette. Takes you through the chakras one by one, how to tell if the chakra is strong or weak, and what to do about it if it's not up to par.
Joining Hands & Hearts: Interfaith, Intercultural Wedding Celebrations--A Practical Guide For Couples by Susanna Stefanachi Macomb. If you want something other than a run-of-the-mill church wedding but you're not sure what else to do or where to turn for information, this is for you. Incorporate whichever elements you want, and as much or as little as you want; mix and match. We designed our entire wedding *custom* using this book - and we *still* get strong compliments on our ceremony well afterward!
Educated Heart by Nina McIntosh. A must-read for any massage therapist, reiki practitioner, or any other bodyworker. Even chiropractors and physical therapists would do well to read this, as some elements will apply to them. Remain compassionate and heart-to-heart while maintaining your separate and healthy boundaries.
The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra. Interesting, easy read, and a crash course in herbs and nutritive therapy. Hippocrates said, let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food. A good building block for anyone interested in herbs and nutrition!
Ayurveda: A Life of Balance by Maya Tiwari. A fantastic book by a fantastic woman. She overcame her own terminal cancer and lives in full force today, cancer-free. Comprehensive guide on how to eat and live according to Ayurvedic standards. Doing this will enhance your health and clear up many of the chronic issues that plague us. Is is through this book that I cleared up my own eczema!
13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail? by Neil Howe, William Strauss, R. J. Matson, and Ian Williams. For you later Gen X-ers, here's a lone sympathetic voice that can be heard through the din. For once, you can feel spoken to and identified with. Written in 1991, it came out when I was 13-14, but its relevance continues today.
What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual For Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard N Bolles. While this book didn't directly help me choose my career, it has had lasting influence on its direction by encouraging me to tweak an existing job into a special niche that fits me better and creates more of a demand for my services and my vision.
Microserfs by Douglas Coupland. A Gen-X fiction book that is hilarious and well-written, something benign and nostalgic. It won't get your heart pumping or your adrenaline rushing, but it will keep you turning pages until well into the night. A good-natured book about a good-natured group that decides to leave safe and secure mediocrity for an unpaved but exciting life path--and all the twists and turns and evolutions that accompany it.
Daughters of Eve by Lois Duncan. Written primarily for adolescents, but still bestowes both nostalgia and genuine stimulation upon the adult. A bit freaky - not in a huge thriller kind of way, but once you really start to put yourself in the girls' situation!
You're Being Lied To by Russ Kick. A collection of various viewpoints from different analysts and op-ed writers regarding various subjects, mostly cover-ups and behind-the-scenes facts. This book is solely responsible for my decision to enter the field of natural healthcare; it got me interested in holistic therapy in the first place, and my natural instinct upon the discovery was to share it with the world. I can only wonder about the effects it can have on the lives of others.
The Eleventh Plague by John S Marr and John Baldwin. Yes, it could happen. Here's now...
Toxin by Robin Cook. So, you think managed health care is a good idea, do you? Bureaucracy is egalitarian and utopian, and it can do no wrong? And your meat supply is safe, right? So many, many inconvenient pesky questions...

This is just for starters; I'm sure there'll be more, so look for those funky "Part 2" posts!

Kitty Immortal

I have found the secret to immortality. It trumps the Fountain of Youth, oh yeah. Not even Groundhog Day or Neverending Story compare. Here it is: if you can survive the first 30 hours or so without sleeping, you probably never need to sleep again, as long as you also don't eat. Well, you can have a banana, a donut, a couple handfuls of potato chips, some yogurt, or a Dr. Pepper. What you have to stay away from are those bigger Standard American meals--you know, where you fill a plate.

After that, it becomes a piece of cake. Well, of course it helps to get a phone call from your sister around midnight to tell you that both of your parents have been seriously injured in a car wreck and are in a hospital version of a halfway house, something between a regular room and ICU. Running on pure adrenaline, we somehow managed to squeeze 3 full earth rotations into a single (albeit deranged) circadian rhythm.

The whole thing was rather surreal, really. One minute we were dosing off on the couch to a movie at home in steamy north Texas and in what seemed like a split second, we were driving in the sun across North Dakota and then through tiny little towns in southern Saskatchewan, where gas stations are literally a half hour apart. It's like it wasn't even real. Somewhere along the returning darkness, in the midst of radio stations with signal strength that ebbed and flowed with the hilly terrain, the internal bath of caffeine and adrenaline almost gave in, but then my body must've realized that I was going to do everything in my power to circumvent the normal biological rhythms, because eventually it said "screw it" and kept the adrenaline coming at a slow but steady drip.

We arrived after 22 hours of traveling. That was surreal, too. There is something simply wrong with the concept of your strong, adult, guiding role-model parents suddenly being reduced to frail semi-lifeless shadows of what they were a matter of hours ago. Suddenly the tables turn and it's your turn to take care of them. It can be disturbing to see them so...vulnerable. In such great need.

And then we find out that the person who hit them was an older guy, and that he walked away from the accident. Well good for him. His family doesn't have to change their plans on a dime. They don't have to worry intensely about the health and stability of the two people they love the most. They don't have to miss school or arrange for someone else to care for their patients at the public clinic. They don't have to run an endocrine glandular marathon, remaining awake for 67 hours straight, or work themselves into mental pretzels trying to learn a screwed-up healthcare system that makes no sense and then try to make significant decisions with such scanty information. Why is it that we protect those who no longer deserve the privilege of driving just so that they can haul off and with a single miscalculation, hurl a family into such turmoil and trauma?

Yesterday morning was brutal; we made our way down the dark quiet hallway, only the hissing, whirring, and beeping of all the various machines masking our footsteps. We peeked in and found them, miss-the-mark Chinese recreations of what they were supposed to look like. Lifeless, motionless, and unconscious. I actually felt faint when I saw each of them. I got a little nauseous, so I bent forward at the waist. I was so glad they were fuzzy and asleep; I wouldn't have wanted either of them to see that I wasn't strong.

Things improved drastically throughout the day, and that offered us a lot of relief. There was strength from then on. Already, the day was brighter. The situation didn't look so heavy. They started talking, lucid and coherent. Their vital signs gradually improved.

I continue to be amazed at the capabilities and mechanisms of the human body. Whether it's to stay up for 67 consecutive hours and remain surprisingly functional, or to heal itself miraculously, even if only given half the chance. We haven't yet mastered eternal life, but who knows--at this rate, we just might get there in my lifetime.