Timothy H. Cook's Blog, page 8
April 6, 2015
The Book of Drachma, take two!
For any who may be wondering what it's like to "be an author," let me tell you that it's like chasing an elusive something that is forever just out of reach. What do I mean?
If you have ever written anything, and seen it in print, staring back at you - then I think you know what I mean. It is there with all its own imperfections, and things that you wish you had said differently. And those danged typos! And you just keep telling yourself, "ah, well, I've done that, and now I've just got to move on, imperfection or not." But still, there's that nagging in the back of your mind...
And so that brings me to the next development in The Book of Drachma. I am now done with the revisions, and the second edition of The Book of Drachma will "soon" become a reality. This is to be the same trilogy, with the same plot, same characters, but with one major difference - the language is cleaned up (and there should be far fewer typos). Just when will the second edition be available? About that I have no idea - that is up to the publisher's schedule.
Will the books look the same? That is very doubtful. Now I really do like the cover design of the first edition, but we shall see how the publisher and I can come up with new ideas for new covers.
So, keep tuned, and I'll let you know about the progress.
And just to let you all know, the beginning of the second trilogy will actually be released soon (May 19th is the release date). Now with all of my "experience" in the book publishing business, you'd think that I might have figured out a few things. We shall see...
If you have ever written anything, and seen it in print, staring back at you - then I think you know what I mean. It is there with all its own imperfections, and things that you wish you had said differently. And those danged typos! And you just keep telling yourself, "ah, well, I've done that, and now I've just got to move on, imperfection or not." But still, there's that nagging in the back of your mind...
And so that brings me to the next development in The Book of Drachma. I am now done with the revisions, and the second edition of The Book of Drachma will "soon" become a reality. This is to be the same trilogy, with the same plot, same characters, but with one major difference - the language is cleaned up (and there should be far fewer typos). Just when will the second edition be available? About that I have no idea - that is up to the publisher's schedule.
Will the books look the same? That is very doubtful. Now I really do like the cover design of the first edition, but we shall see how the publisher and I can come up with new ideas for new covers.
So, keep tuned, and I'll let you know about the progress.
And just to let you all know, the beginning of the second trilogy will actually be released soon (May 19th is the release date). Now with all of my "experience" in the book publishing business, you'd think that I might have figured out a few things. We shall see...
March 7, 2015
Release Date
For those of you who might have a passing interest, I would note that the release date for Heir of Drachma, Book One - The Healer's Defense has now been set. It will be released to the world of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine online bookstores May 19, 2015.
You might, however, just want to get your hands on a copy before that. You may do that by going to the publisher's site at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookst...
The other way you can get your hands on a copy before the release date would be to find me at one of my upcoming book signings, which, though they have not yet been scheduled, will likely be sometime in April, starting in the Oklahoma City area, and then in the NW Arkansas area - then who knows?
Anyway, I'm excited to bring you the beginning of the next trilogy!
You might, however, just want to get your hands on a copy before that. You may do that by going to the publisher's site at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookst...
The other way you can get your hands on a copy before the release date would be to find me at one of my upcoming book signings, which, though they have not yet been scheduled, will likely be sometime in April, starting in the Oklahoma City area, and then in the NW Arkansas area - then who knows?Anyway, I'm excited to bring you the beginning of the next trilogy!
February 17, 2015
Well, it's now official
Heir of Drachma, Book One -The Healer's Defense, is now a reality. I am waiting for it to be printed, but I'll be able to sell copies soon. It's official release will be in about three months. But if you cannot wait, you can preorder copies from the publisher. The easiest way is to go to my website (timothyhcook.tateauthor.com), where you can click on the "buy the books" icon. The book should be available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers in three months' time. And I suspect that the ebook versions will become available first from the publisher's site, and later from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.
This is the first book in my second Drachma trilogy. It is set mostly in the late 15th century, in the British Isles, in a mythical island called Shepperton. But it also takes place in the late 20th century, from which two of our main characters have come. There are new characters to love and to detest, including Diego Monteverde, a seagoing prince rescued from a shipwreck, Alexandra, a six-year-old who is the great granddaughter of Cartho. And there are (of course) Antoine LeGace our amoral fiend from the first trilogy, as well as the mysterious Guarneri, and Emile Patronis. And, in all fairness, I have included a list of characters this time.
Enjoy this one, as I continue writing the fifth and sixth books in the series...
This is the first book in my second Drachma trilogy. It is set mostly in the late 15th century, in the British Isles, in a mythical island called Shepperton. But it also takes place in the late 20th century, from which two of our main characters have come. There are new characters to love and to detest, including Diego Monteverde, a seagoing prince rescued from a shipwreck, Alexandra, a six-year-old who is the great granddaughter of Cartho. And there are (of course) Antoine LeGace our amoral fiend from the first trilogy, as well as the mysterious Guarneri, and Emile Patronis. And, in all fairness, I have included a list of characters this time.
Enjoy this one, as I continue writing the fifth and sixth books in the series...
January 19, 2015
Where things are right now
This is the beginning of a much needed week off for me. I have been working too many hours, for too many days - and now I can "relax" and concentrate on what is becoming my own obsession.
Now don't get me wrong. I do love my work, or at least that part of it that involves real human beings. I love hearing their stories, interacting with them, and helping them heal. But what I don't like, and in fact, rather detest, is that portion of my job which involves computers - billing, coding, and documenting - so that somewhere, somehow, someone can get paid for the work that I do. And it is this stuff that tires me out. It is what drains me of my enjoyment, and leaves me numb and exhausted at the end of a 100+ hour stretch of days. And I really do need these days off.
Writing has become more than my own hobby. It has become my therapy. It is therapeutic for me to tell stories (or more precisely for my characters to tell me their stories, which I write down for posterity). Now whether the story-telling is any good becomes a secondary concern. And I am not the one to judge that aspect of my writing. That is for the greater population of readers - you folks. I do try to follow the dictates of "good writing," but I'm quite certain I fail as much as I succeed. But still there are the stories. Those of Craycroft and Robert, of Alex and Diego, of Judy, Tom and Melchior, and Marilyn and Charlie - so many interrelated individuals, caught up in this maelstrom of conflicting times and expectations, of emotions and disaster. And so far, I've only gone partway with this tale-telling.
I do know that there are many of you out there who would "like to know how this all works out." and it is for you that I do keep on. And for you there is some good news - I have just sent back to the publisher my final edits on Heir of Drachma, book one, The Healer's Defense. But one word of warning - it is book four of six, and so it leaves much to be answered, in books five and six. And I'll tell you that I'm actively working on book five (Center Game).
So, putting it all in perspective, what I can tell you is that I would like to make a living as a writer, but realistically, I do know that I'll still be doing my day job, as a physician, for the next several years - and I'll keep trying to enjoy it, between the sessions of yelling (sometimes silently, sometimes not) at the computers which steal my joy.
Now don't get me wrong. I do love my work, or at least that part of it that involves real human beings. I love hearing their stories, interacting with them, and helping them heal. But what I don't like, and in fact, rather detest, is that portion of my job which involves computers - billing, coding, and documenting - so that somewhere, somehow, someone can get paid for the work that I do. And it is this stuff that tires me out. It is what drains me of my enjoyment, and leaves me numb and exhausted at the end of a 100+ hour stretch of days. And I really do need these days off.
Writing has become more than my own hobby. It has become my therapy. It is therapeutic for me to tell stories (or more precisely for my characters to tell me their stories, which I write down for posterity). Now whether the story-telling is any good becomes a secondary concern. And I am not the one to judge that aspect of my writing. That is for the greater population of readers - you folks. I do try to follow the dictates of "good writing," but I'm quite certain I fail as much as I succeed. But still there are the stories. Those of Craycroft and Robert, of Alex and Diego, of Judy, Tom and Melchior, and Marilyn and Charlie - so many interrelated individuals, caught up in this maelstrom of conflicting times and expectations, of emotions and disaster. And so far, I've only gone partway with this tale-telling.
I do know that there are many of you out there who would "like to know how this all works out." and it is for you that I do keep on. And for you there is some good news - I have just sent back to the publisher my final edits on Heir of Drachma, book one, The Healer's Defense. But one word of warning - it is book four of six, and so it leaves much to be answered, in books five and six. And I'll tell you that I'm actively working on book five (Center Game).
So, putting it all in perspective, what I can tell you is that I would like to make a living as a writer, but realistically, I do know that I'll still be doing my day job, as a physician, for the next several years - and I'll keep trying to enjoy it, between the sessions of yelling (sometimes silently, sometimes not) at the computers which steal my joy.
December 6, 2014
Here it is ... See how you like it.
After much soul-searching, and considerable angst, Here is the cover design for my newest book, which is now at the publisher.
I wanted something to set the tone, without giving too much away. So this is what we came up with. Let me know what you think of this - I'd be curious to see what you all think.
I wanted something to set the tone, without giving too much away. So this is what we came up with. Let me know what you think of this - I'd be curious to see what you all think.
December 4, 2014
Your own individual demons
Now that I'm at another starting point in my dealings with the world of publishing, I thought that this might just be the right time to introduce you to one of the underlying characters in my trilogy. For a bit of background I would refer you to one of my older posts (Jan 5, 2013 - Paracelsus, and The Book of Drachma), in which I expounded on one of the historical people whose life and writings I used to infuse my own characters with a sense of history. For those of you who do not know, Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, better known as Paracelsus was a real 16th century physician, who traveled about Europe teaching, writing and generally creating a nuisance - but who also laid down the foundation for medicine to move beyond antiquity.
But there is another real person whose life influenced the characters who appear in my book. If you look at the dedication page to my first book, Laminar Flow, you'll find it was dedicated to the memory of Hale Henry Cook, MD. Hale was born January 4th, 1918, in Boston, MA. He was born into a family of some renown. His own father was the fifth generation physician in the family, and was a rising star in the specialty of pathology, and would eventually settle in New York state. Now, as a youth, Hale was an exceptional student, and was pushed by his parents to exceed and excel in school, and was able to enter Cornell University at the tender age of sixteen.
Two things happened to Hale in his youth, which became influential in his development. The first was the death of his younger brother, Jack, who died in a freakish bicycle accident, when he and Hale were playing outside, and Hale had just angrily "told him off." The second was meeting Allan Gleason in high school. Allan and Hale became inseparable friends, and each would influence the other throughout life.
It was at Cornell, where the two of them, both young and nerdy to the core, and both outcasts by virtue of their own inability to fit in, where Hale and Al found that they were able to rely on one another's friendship to sustain them. It was also at Cornell, where Hale and Al each developed their own ways of being separate, but inseparable. Al had decided to pursue linguistics, and also the ministry, where Hale, being the dutiful son decided to go to medical school (Harvard). It was either in his junior or senior year at Cornell, when Hale got into a canoeing accident, and woke up to find himself on dry ground, never knowing how he got there, and thanking God for saving his life. Now up until this time, Hale had not even considered that God might even be a factor in his life. He grew up in a very secular home, where matters of religion were never discussed. But with Al to discuss his newly found faith with, it became apparent to Hale that his path might have been chosen for him. He did attend Harvard medical school, in keeping with his father's approval, but then, when he told his father that he intended to become a missionary, he was cut off from the family, particularly his father, who disowned Hale.
One of the traits that I have discovered particularly useful in getting through life as a physician is stubbornness. And it was this trait which carried him forth on his journey. He had now met Doris Deline, got married, went through internship, a surgical residency, a bachelor of divinity degree (while doing his surgical residency) - all the while keeping in close contact with Al Gleason - and he now felt ready for what the mission field in India had to offer him. So in 1947, Hale and his small family, which included his new child, Stephen, set off for India.
It was in India where Hale found his own path, and felt the gentle guiding hand of God. This was despite troubles too numerous to count, which included the fact that his wife, Doris, died in childbirth, delivering a dead, malformed baby. And also included the ravages of poliomyelitis affecting his new family, including two of his children (my younger sister and me), which required an unexpected furlough in the States. During this time, he got his Masters degree in Public Health at Harvard. While on furlough, Hale tried to make contact with his father, but to no avail.
In any event, it was back to India we went, at first to the town of Satara, and then to the village of Vadala, where Hale set up programs in Leprosy control, TB control, family planning, nutrition and sanitation, as well as general medical outreach. This, while raising his ever-growing family, with his wife, Margit. Beset with health concerns again, we made another trip back to the U.S. for furlough, where he now again tried to contact his father. Eventually, after years of separation, his father (now recovering from a heart attack, and clearly dying) did agree to finally make peace with his son.
It was some years later, back in the States, after another five year stretch in India, when I sat down with Hale to talk over my own plans for medical school, and it was during this conversation, that I got some insights into the mind of this gentle, tolerant and loving man whom I had known simply as Dad. It came up that Al Gleason had written a book, which has been used as the standard textbook of linguistics in colleges across the US, including the college I attended, and how that must have brought him lots of fame and money. My dad, in his quiet way, then pointed out to me that Al and Fran Gleason's daughter had not been right since childhood, and they had to care for her, and she could not live alone independently - and what a burden that must be for them. He said that we each must bear our own burdens - that none of them are at all alike, and any of them can turn into demons, if we let them, but which are still our own individual demons. His had been the guilt that accompanied the tragic death of his brother, which he still felt he had "caused." His father's had been his disowning of his eldest son, and the lack of family that caused. So, he said, you have no right to be jealous of anyone's life, for each life is a gift, and with it comes the responsibility of learning to manage your own demons.
So, as you read of Bob Gilsen's exploits and foibles, just remember some of the fertile imaginative soil from which he sprang.
But there is another real person whose life influenced the characters who appear in my book. If you look at the dedication page to my first book, Laminar Flow, you'll find it was dedicated to the memory of Hale Henry Cook, MD. Hale was born January 4th, 1918, in Boston, MA. He was born into a family of some renown. His own father was the fifth generation physician in the family, and was a rising star in the specialty of pathology, and would eventually settle in New York state. Now, as a youth, Hale was an exceptional student, and was pushed by his parents to exceed and excel in school, and was able to enter Cornell University at the tender age of sixteen.
Two things happened to Hale in his youth, which became influential in his development. The first was the death of his younger brother, Jack, who died in a freakish bicycle accident, when he and Hale were playing outside, and Hale had just angrily "told him off." The second was meeting Allan Gleason in high school. Allan and Hale became inseparable friends, and each would influence the other throughout life.
It was at Cornell, where the two of them, both young and nerdy to the core, and both outcasts by virtue of their own inability to fit in, where Hale and Al found that they were able to rely on one another's friendship to sustain them. It was also at Cornell, where Hale and Al each developed their own ways of being separate, but inseparable. Al had decided to pursue linguistics, and also the ministry, where Hale, being the dutiful son decided to go to medical school (Harvard). It was either in his junior or senior year at Cornell, when Hale got into a canoeing accident, and woke up to find himself on dry ground, never knowing how he got there, and thanking God for saving his life. Now up until this time, Hale had not even considered that God might even be a factor in his life. He grew up in a very secular home, where matters of religion were never discussed. But with Al to discuss his newly found faith with, it became apparent to Hale that his path might have been chosen for him. He did attend Harvard medical school, in keeping with his father's approval, but then, when he told his father that he intended to become a missionary, he was cut off from the family, particularly his father, who disowned Hale.
One of the traits that I have discovered particularly useful in getting through life as a physician is stubbornness. And it was this trait which carried him forth on his journey. He had now met Doris Deline, got married, went through internship, a surgical residency, a bachelor of divinity degree (while doing his surgical residency) - all the while keeping in close contact with Al Gleason - and he now felt ready for what the mission field in India had to offer him. So in 1947, Hale and his small family, which included his new child, Stephen, set off for India.
It was in India where Hale found his own path, and felt the gentle guiding hand of God. This was despite troubles too numerous to count, which included the fact that his wife, Doris, died in childbirth, delivering a dead, malformed baby. And also included the ravages of poliomyelitis affecting his new family, including two of his children (my younger sister and me), which required an unexpected furlough in the States. During this time, he got his Masters degree in Public Health at Harvard. While on furlough, Hale tried to make contact with his father, but to no avail.
In any event, it was back to India we went, at first to the town of Satara, and then to the village of Vadala, where Hale set up programs in Leprosy control, TB control, family planning, nutrition and sanitation, as well as general medical outreach. This, while raising his ever-growing family, with his wife, Margit. Beset with health concerns again, we made another trip back to the U.S. for furlough, where he now again tried to contact his father. Eventually, after years of separation, his father (now recovering from a heart attack, and clearly dying) did agree to finally make peace with his son.
It was some years later, back in the States, after another five year stretch in India, when I sat down with Hale to talk over my own plans for medical school, and it was during this conversation, that I got some insights into the mind of this gentle, tolerant and loving man whom I had known simply as Dad. It came up that Al Gleason had written a book, which has been used as the standard textbook of linguistics in colleges across the US, including the college I attended, and how that must have brought him lots of fame and money. My dad, in his quiet way, then pointed out to me that Al and Fran Gleason's daughter had not been right since childhood, and they had to care for her, and she could not live alone independently - and what a burden that must be for them. He said that we each must bear our own burdens - that none of them are at all alike, and any of them can turn into demons, if we let them, but which are still our own individual demons. His had been the guilt that accompanied the tragic death of his brother, which he still felt he had "caused." His father's had been his disowning of his eldest son, and the lack of family that caused. So, he said, you have no right to be jealous of anyone's life, for each life is a gift, and with it comes the responsibility of learning to manage your own demons.
So, as you read of Bob Gilsen's exploits and foibles, just remember some of the fertile imaginative soil from which he sprang.
November 10, 2014
Why I write the way I write
What is it about my writing style that some like, and others do not? The simple answer is that we all have different tastes—some like a lot of action, some like romance, some like mystery, some like political intrigue, some like their fantasy laced with dragons, demons, vampires, and others like erotica. There are books to fill all of those niches, and I'll admit to liking multiple types and genres of books.
But what about my own style? What is it that makes me want to put it down on paper (or nowadays on the screen)? To tell you the truth, it's the characters themselves. They make me do it!
It started off as a simple enough idea. What makes a doctor or nurse do what he/she does, day in and day out? And how about those from ages ago —was it the same for them? It is obviously not about the money, because there is not enough money out there to make someone get up at 3 AM, in a winter storm to care for his desperately ill patient. It's got to be more than money. And it is...
It was simple ideas such as that which got me going on the start of The Book of Drachma. But it was really the characters themselves which kept it going to the end. That, and all the mystery, political intrigue, romance, etc. But then I found that my characters were still needing to speak—so I've started the next series.
And who are these characters? They are bits of you and me, and your family and neighbors. They are based (very loosely) on people whom I've gotten to know through the years, some living, some gone, but all of them real (including the evil ones). And to tell you another bit of truth, I do not know ahead of time what they're going to do or say. And so that is, in essence, why I write what I write—because I want to know, too.
And a word of thanks goes out to all of you who have encouraged me to keep on writing. And my wife thanks you as well, for it keeps me out of her kitchen!
For those of you who might be keeping track, I have completed the editing phase of Heir of Drachma, Book One—The Healer's Defense, and I've sent a copy to my own personal "editor" for another pair of eyes. And this means that I should have copies for sale within three months or so—probably not for Christmas, but sooner than I anticipated.
But what about my own style? What is it that makes me want to put it down on paper (or nowadays on the screen)? To tell you the truth, it's the characters themselves. They make me do it!
It started off as a simple enough idea. What makes a doctor or nurse do what he/she does, day in and day out? And how about those from ages ago —was it the same for them? It is obviously not about the money, because there is not enough money out there to make someone get up at 3 AM, in a winter storm to care for his desperately ill patient. It's got to be more than money. And it is...
It was simple ideas such as that which got me going on the start of The Book of Drachma. But it was really the characters themselves which kept it going to the end. That, and all the mystery, political intrigue, romance, etc. But then I found that my characters were still needing to speak—so I've started the next series.
And who are these characters? They are bits of you and me, and your family and neighbors. They are based (very loosely) on people whom I've gotten to know through the years, some living, some gone, but all of them real (including the evil ones). And to tell you another bit of truth, I do not know ahead of time what they're going to do or say. And so that is, in essence, why I write what I write—because I want to know, too.
And a word of thanks goes out to all of you who have encouraged me to keep on writing. And my wife thanks you as well, for it keeps me out of her kitchen!
For those of you who might be keeping track, I have completed the editing phase of Heir of Drachma, Book One—The Healer's Defense, and I've sent a copy to my own personal "editor" for another pair of eyes. And this means that I should have copies for sale within three months or so—probably not for Christmas, but sooner than I anticipated.
November 5, 2014
The Healer's Defense - a fantasy, now a reality
It's now a reality in the making, though at least a few months off from one that you can enjoy with me. The start of the second trilogy, now called Heir of Drachma, has been through the first stage of publishing, and is sitting inside my computer, somewhere in cyberspace. It is called The Healer's Defense (more on the titles later in this post). I have started the process of going through the editor's recommendations - all the typos and commas to be removed, as well as recommendations: for how I could say this better, and which paragraph just doesn't work, and which sentences can be removed, because I've already said this earlier; and all of the little things that it is their job to sort out. Interesting though - their recommendations are all small ones. There will be no major changes in the plot lines, or even characterizations.
This second series involves the same characters you got to know in the first series (plus some new characters, such as Alexandra - a young girl - so much more mature than her years, Diego Monteverde - a nobleman who survives to become a major part of life in Shepperton, and Tom's brothers. And we find ourselves in Shepperton, which is facing threats even more dangerous than in the first trilogy. And so Craycroft, Kerlin and Tom are left to sort out just how to shore up the defenses of the realm, and to protect what they now have.
After I'm done with the editing, I get to do what is one of my favorite tasks in all this - working with the person assigned to cover design. And as you can tell from the previous trilogy, it is one I take quite seriously. I want something that conveys a feeling of what the book is about, but doesn't give anything away. And eye-catching, as you typically get only 2.5 seconds to make an impression.
And that brings me to the subject of the titles. As some of you know, the titles of the first three books are all borrowed from doppler echocardiography, which is one of my own particular areas of interest, and some would say expertise. What then of the titles of the new series? In this case I chose the theme of chess, which somehow seemed appropriate to the series. The first title is The Healer's Defense. And the title of the second book in the series will be, unless I change my mind, Center Game. Now, it would appear that you do have time to get, and to read the first trilogy before the next one starts to come out. The easiest way to get them would be to go to Amazon.com, and look them up, based on the titles. If you look up Timothy Cook, you're bound to see a bunch of stuff by Apple's CEO, to whom I not in any way related. Anyway, happy reading!
This second series involves the same characters you got to know in the first series (plus some new characters, such as Alexandra - a young girl - so much more mature than her years, Diego Monteverde - a nobleman who survives to become a major part of life in Shepperton, and Tom's brothers. And we find ourselves in Shepperton, which is facing threats even more dangerous than in the first trilogy. And so Craycroft, Kerlin and Tom are left to sort out just how to shore up the defenses of the realm, and to protect what they now have.
After I'm done with the editing, I get to do what is one of my favorite tasks in all this - working with the person assigned to cover design. And as you can tell from the previous trilogy, it is one I take quite seriously. I want something that conveys a feeling of what the book is about, but doesn't give anything away. And eye-catching, as you typically get only 2.5 seconds to make an impression.
And that brings me to the subject of the titles. As some of you know, the titles of the first three books are all borrowed from doppler echocardiography, which is one of my own particular areas of interest, and some would say expertise. What then of the titles of the new series? In this case I chose the theme of chess, which somehow seemed appropriate to the series. The first title is The Healer's Defense. And the title of the second book in the series will be, unless I change my mind, Center Game. Now, it would appear that you do have time to get, and to read the first trilogy before the next one starts to come out. The easiest way to get them would be to go to Amazon.com, and look them up, based on the titles. If you look up Timothy Cook, you're bound to see a bunch of stuff by Apple's CEO, to whom I not in any way related. Anyway, happy reading!
October 23, 2014
Taking a little time out... to be human.
One of the things that I keep getting reminded about, in my daily rounds as a physician, is just how I should be doing things "better." After all, patient satisfaction scores on surveys sent to patients after discharge, are abysmally low. But more on that later.
More to the point - I do try to provide rational, caring, and expert care to my patients. And insofar as I am able, to help them heal; or if not, to provide comfort and knowledge of their condition, so as to alleviate anxiety. But, I tell you, it is getting harder by the day. Ever since our hospital has gone to Electronic Health Records (EHR), it now takes me an extra twenty to forty minutes per patient, to make it through the day. It is said that EHR will improve reliability, and documentation - and to that I say: NONSENSE! And patient care is not factored into the equation at all - just the measurable outcomes. And to make matters even worse, the computers DO NOT WORK! Even if one of the computers has a particular software glitch in it, the next computer has some different glitch, and all this takes time (and by that I do not mean time spent with patients).
Well, you get the picture. The medicine of today is best practiced by young, computer-savvy new graduates, who know how to beat the system, and which shortcuts work, and which ones do not. And better yet, which ones will improve patient outcome surveys! But, as a rule, these new graduates do not know that a stethoscope is an instrument that you have to place in your ears, and then, of all things, actually LISTEN while the other end is in contact with the patient. And the issue of actually making rational decisions based upon what you hear, is rendered absurd by all of the tests available to the savvy young internist of today.
Anyway, while all this goes on, my sense of humanity reminds me that my own sister is up in Iowa, under hospice care. And that means that she is actually dying. And I'm trying to find the time to go up and visit her one more time (at least), while she is still coherent. And then, as my own humanity comes crashing down around my head, I am trying to write the next book in my series of six. More on that in a later post.
Well let me tell you that I took a step back from all the chaos in my life right now, and I did what I advocate for my younger colleagues to do - I listened. And not just random listening, but listening to one particular piece of music, one of the twentieth century's true masterpieces. It is an absolutely beautiful, understated, moving piece of utterly transcendent music - The Requiem, by Gabriel Faure. And in particular, a performance by Robert Shaw, which distills to the absolute core the masterpiece which it is. I cannot even begin to tell you what that half hour of music is capable of doing - you do really need to listen to it yourselves, quietly, with no distractions - just listen and let the music do what it alone is capable of doing.
After hearing once more the Faure Requiem, I am somehow able to process better all the disgusting folderol of my work. And isn't it ironic that the UCLA Medical center had to abruptly stop their pursuit of high patient satisfaction scores, because (get this) the patients who were enrolled in their survey were found to have much higher morbidity and mortality rate than the control group. I have my own thoughts on why.
More to the point - I do try to provide rational, caring, and expert care to my patients. And insofar as I am able, to help them heal; or if not, to provide comfort and knowledge of their condition, so as to alleviate anxiety. But, I tell you, it is getting harder by the day. Ever since our hospital has gone to Electronic Health Records (EHR), it now takes me an extra twenty to forty minutes per patient, to make it through the day. It is said that EHR will improve reliability, and documentation - and to that I say: NONSENSE! And patient care is not factored into the equation at all - just the measurable outcomes. And to make matters even worse, the computers DO NOT WORK! Even if one of the computers has a particular software glitch in it, the next computer has some different glitch, and all this takes time (and by that I do not mean time spent with patients).
Well, you get the picture. The medicine of today is best practiced by young, computer-savvy new graduates, who know how to beat the system, and which shortcuts work, and which ones do not. And better yet, which ones will improve patient outcome surveys! But, as a rule, these new graduates do not know that a stethoscope is an instrument that you have to place in your ears, and then, of all things, actually LISTEN while the other end is in contact with the patient. And the issue of actually making rational decisions based upon what you hear, is rendered absurd by all of the tests available to the savvy young internist of today.
Anyway, while all this goes on, my sense of humanity reminds me that my own sister is up in Iowa, under hospice care. And that means that she is actually dying. And I'm trying to find the time to go up and visit her one more time (at least), while she is still coherent. And then, as my own humanity comes crashing down around my head, I am trying to write the next book in my series of six. More on that in a later post.
Well let me tell you that I took a step back from all the chaos in my life right now, and I did what I advocate for my younger colleagues to do - I listened. And not just random listening, but listening to one particular piece of music, one of the twentieth century's true masterpieces. It is an absolutely beautiful, understated, moving piece of utterly transcendent music - The Requiem, by Gabriel Faure. And in particular, a performance by Robert Shaw, which distills to the absolute core the masterpiece which it is. I cannot even begin to tell you what that half hour of music is capable of doing - you do really need to listen to it yourselves, quietly, with no distractions - just listen and let the music do what it alone is capable of doing.
After hearing once more the Faure Requiem, I am somehow able to process better all the disgusting folderol of my work. And isn't it ironic that the UCLA Medical center had to abruptly stop their pursuit of high patient satisfaction scores, because (get this) the patients who were enrolled in their survey were found to have much higher morbidity and mortality rate than the control group. I have my own thoughts on why.
