My purpose in writing a column
is to stimulate people
to think about what I consider fairly important issues.
It does not matter to me if people agree or disagree.
I dont pretend to be omniscient, and, in fact,
I am no smarter than anybody else.
Charley Reese, Orlando Sentinel
December 27th, 1998
This week marks the fifth anniversary of Whats up doc?
It is hard to believe that five years have gone by.
It was the summer of 1998, when I had a meeting with Gordon Wright, the then Managing Editor of the Medicine Hat News. With his help and encouragement, the first column appeared in the News on August 13th, 1998.
Since then, and as of last Thursday, we have published 190 columns. That is 38 columns per year, 3.16 columns per month or 0.73 column per week.
The column first appeared every second Thursday. Currently it appears every Thursday except the third Thursday of the month.
The purpose of the column is to help the reader understand the various aspects of health care spiced with a local touch.
I look at the medical journals and listen to peoples health concerns and discuss what is new and what is important.
I try to explain to readers why it is important to take certain proactive preventive measures to live a happy, stress free and healthy life.
I try to explain that medicine is not a perfect science and doctors are like any human beings from time to time vulnerable and prone to making mistakes.
My columns have been sometimes serious, sometimes lighthearted but hopefully simple, educational and current. I hope they have not been outrageous or divisive. I apply the principles of 4Cs the column has to be clear, concise, correct, and complete.
Writing the column has also been a selfish endeavor. Teaching is the best way to learn. Sharing knowledge is the best way to improve one self. In the process I have learnt a lot about myself, my health and my own deficiencies.
I have tried to follow what I write and in the process I have made significant changes in my own lifestyle. One change at a time has added up to a better and satisfactory lifestyle so far. Rome wasnt built in a day. So there is still hope to achieve nirvana – an ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, and joy.
One column which generated the most response and comments from the readers was the one about my mother her brief life history and battle with a large benign brain tumor
(May 4th, 2000). Old age can be cruel and right now she is praying very hard for nirvana.
ELMOSS (exercise, laughter, meditation, organic healthy foods, stress relief, and do not smoke) has been my guiding principle. I have written many columns on this subject.
Many other subjects have been covered in these columns. Space does not allow me to mention them all. But my web site is under construction and I plan to put all my columns on the internet. Hopefully, by the end of this month, you may be able to browse it.
Writing is a dangerous and contagious disease and I am infected with it! But the point of good writing is knowing when to stop (L.M.Montgomery). So, let me end this column by saying thank you to the Medicine Hat News and to the readers for your support.
The column will be back in two weeks!
Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!