TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 - SPECIALISTS

 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 - HEALTH AND THE CARDIOLOGIST

Six years ago, when I had my major aorta surgery, I got a cardiologist.  

I should have had one for years.  My blood pressure had been creeping up for years.  I was already on two blood pressure medications.  In Connecticut, I saw a regular family-practice doctor - (primarily for poison ivy).  But he was watching my blood pressure.

Then, after retirement, I had a family practice physician. The same story - I didn’t see the doctor frequently - got my annual physical - and was told I needed to watch my blood pressure and keep my weight down.  (But that message didn’t sink in).

BUT - I let four factors really get to me - stress me.  I needed to ignore those things, but instead, I let them fester and grow.  

BOOM - my blood pressure was 213 over 161 with a pulse of 165.  Considering that “normal” blood pressure is about 120 over 80 and a pulse of about 80, I was “running a fire hose” through my blood vessels.

And I found the world of medical specialists.  I knew they had existed, but finally, I had a cardiologist.

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Now, cardiologists - have more depth in that area.  While I think my cardiologist “could” take out my tonsils, I think she would be better at interpreting my EKG and listening to my heart.  

My primary care physician might also be able to take out my tonsils, but I'm not sure I want her doing open heart surgery on me!!!.  

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I have a doctorate - does that mean I can be a “doctor” in the medical field and a “doctor” in my academic field?

Now, you are the body of Christ and members individually. God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, and after that, miracles, gifts of healing, helps, administrations, and varieties of tongues.  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?  Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?  But earnestly desire the ]best gifts. 

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Here is an old story about the Animal School.

The animals organized a school to help their children deal with the problems of the new world. 

To make it easier to administer the curriculum of running, climbing, swimming, and flying, 

they decided that all their children would take all the subjects. This produced some interesting issues.

The duck was excellent in swimming but relatively poor in running, so he devoted himself to improving his running through extra practice. Eventually, his webbed feet got so severely worn that he dropped to only average in swimming. But average was acceptable in this school, so nobody worried about that, except the duck.

The rabbit had a nervous breakdown because the other animals said she looked like a rat when she jumped in the water for swimming class, and all her hair got matted down.

In the climbing class, the eagle beat all the others to the top of the tree but kept insisting on his own method of getting there. This was unacceptable, so the eagle was severely disciplined.

And then the fish came home from school and said, “Mom, Dad, I hate school. Swimming is great. Flying is fun if they let me start in the water. But running and climbing? I don’t have any legs, and I can’t breathe out of the water.”

The fish’s parents made an appointment for her with the principal, who took one look at her progress reports and decreed, “You are so far ahead of the rest of the class in swimming that we’re going to let you skip swimming classes, and give you private tutoring in running and climbing.”

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The moral of this story is:

Let the fish swim. Let the rabbits run. Let the eagles fly.

We don’t want a school of average ducks.

Play to people’s strengths.

 

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And I’m glad I have a cardiology specialist!!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

(my cardiologist did take an EKG and thought my heart was healthy.)