So, I’m back, once again here from Happy Meadows, where it has rained every day for a long while. Mike has been reading on his medical news feed that the pandemic has caused an increase in the incidence of obesity in children. Send your kids out to play, and give them healthy snacks, please! Another casualty of the pandemic is health care provider stress, including suicide. September 17 was National Physician Suicide Awareness Day—it’s a shame we have to have such a day. Everyone can do their part by getting vaccinated and masking up to prevent the spread of the disease and slow the emergence of new, more deadly strains. Come on, y’all, be a good citizen!
Michelle just called Mike to tell him about an amusing encounter. She had called for tech support at Emory, and when the fellow was done she thanked him. He replied, “You betcha.” Michelle said, “Oh, you’re from the Midwest,” and he was surprised that she could tell. He was from Iowa.
So, It is now 2 weeks later. Somehow I got distracted and didn’t finish. Noteworthy events have occurred in the interim. Most importantly, and sadly, the ivory billed woodpecker has been officially declared extinct. We still have a large crested woodpecker that I see occasionally, the pileated woodpecker, but the ivory billed woodpecker was spectacular. Mike in his cynical moments points out that animals and plants have been going extinct for millions of years, and maybe it isn’t such an unnatural or tragic occurrence. But, he also agrees that it is man’s responsibility to take care of the earth, and not to simply exploit it. He and I both agree that long after people and cats are gone the earth will still be populated by cockroaches.
It is now 2 years since Mike closed his office, and he still hears from patients occasionally who want to let him know that they are doing well, and to thank him for his part in their well-being. Mike asked me to thank everyone on his behalf for the good wishes, and for the privilege of being let into their lives.
Work on Mike’s book proceeds apace. He hopes to get the book proposal to his agent next week. The author’s website should be activated soon. I will let you know. Next Sunday Mike is delivering a sermon, or at least that is what the church is calling it. It is really a talk about the topic of his book, the Twelve Steps as a Heroic Journey of Recovery. I hope he doesn’t tell too many bad jokes.
Y’all take care of yourselves and be safe. Until next time, so long from Happy Meadows!