University of Oklahoma – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Awesome August

August is a busy month despite the absence of major holidays in the US. It marks the start of the academic year and the Olympic Games. In this post I reminisce about starting medical school in August and witnessing changes in the field. Then I discuss the Democratic National Convention and the Paralympic Games.

updated August 26, 2024

August is an exception among months. It has no major or federal holidays in the United States. Although the temperatures still feel hot and muggy, many students and teachers return to school and college for the “fall” semester.

If you planned to buy a new swimsuit it’s too late. If you need a new winter coat, they’re available, if you want to try one on when it’s 95 degrees outside. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas merchandise are already on sale.

I started medical school in August

My first day as an MS1, first-year medical student, was August 24, 1974. After four arduous years I graduated, completed a three-year residency in Family Medicine, board-certified, and practiced for 41 years.

Today medical schools hold a White Coat Ceremony for incoming students but not then. But I was still proud to don my white coat and follow residents and attendings around the hospital.

One day a week we were sent off campus to a private doctor’s office to observe and “shadow” them. I watched a family physician interact with a wide variety of patients he treated as friends. That’s when I fell in love with Family Medicine.

Years later we practiced in the same medical group. Since I had been there first, he called me his “senior partner”. But to me, he was forever my mentor. He practiced well into his seventies, then was injured in a serious auto accident and never practiced again.

These are the only photos of me in the yearbook. I don’t think I knew there would be a yearbook. I didn’t socialize much so that must explain my absence.I wonder how they accumulated enough photos since no one had cameras on their phones then.

With that hair and jumper, I definitely look like a ’70s girl. I’ve changed and so has the Health Sciences Center; when I visit now, I hardly know my way around, with new structures and name changes.

Medicine has changed a great deal since then, and perhaps the biggest change is the increased number and percentage of women in medicine. In my class of 150 students, 25 of us were women. In the average medical school class today, that number would be 75 or more-at least half.

There are still more men than women practicing medicine. It will take a few more years to catch up as older male physicians retire and more young women physicians begin practice. I have enjoyed more female colleagues as our numbers increased over the past 40 years.

My school, the University of Oklahoma, now holds a White Coat Ceremony. Several weeks before, they ask us alumni to write a note offering advice to a student. They print it on a card and place it in the coat’s pocket.

I don’t remember exactly what I wrote. I congratulate them for getting this far and welcome them as a future colleague. I tell them all the hard work will be worthwhile because what they do is valuable. I don’t tell them it won’t always be recognized and appreciated.

I don’t know if the school includes our name on the card, but probably not. I have never heard from one of them. I always wonder if they find my advice helpful.

Why women physicians are good for health care

The first woman graduate of a United States medical school was born in Bristol England in 1821. Elizabeth Blackwell came to this country as a child and originally had no interest in medicine. But when a dying friend told her, “I would have been spared suffering if a woman had been my doctor”, she found…

Keep reading

The Olympics concluded on August 11

Most of the Olympic events occurred in August so we watched many of our favorite events, although they don’t all get equal broadcast time.

The Olympic Games remind me of my trip to Greece. I saw the Panathenaic Stadium, site of the first Olympic games in Athens.

The Panathenaic Stadium was built for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens, Greece. It is the only stadium in the world made completely of marble.

In 330 BC a stadium was built at this site for the games of the Panathenaea. It fell into disuse with the rise of Christianity and eventually most of the site was destroyed and forgotten.

After archaeological evidence of the stadium was uncovered in the 1830s, the site was excavated in 1870. In 1895 the new stadium was built there to hold the 1896 Olympics.

From the Panathenaic Stadium, the Olympic flame is officially passed to the host country of each Olympic Games. It continues to be used for sporting events and functions.

click on any photo to start a slideshow

A unique archaeological monument, a living symbol of the ancient and modern heritage of sport and the Olympic Games.
PANATHENAIC STADIUM

The Democratic National Convention-August 19

The Democratic National Convention was held August 19-22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

On July 21, 2024, by letter, President Biden informed the nation that he was withdrawing from his reelection campaign. This marks the first time in 50 years that a sitting president did not run for reelection. (And I remember that time also. Do you know which President it was?)

Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan with Navy Pier in foreground — Chicago city skyline and Navy Pier from a boat on Lake Michigan-photo by Dr. Aletha

President Biden and other Democratic leaders endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris who accepted the nomination. She chose Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota as her running mate.

The Paralympics begin on August 28

We are not done with international sports competitions yet. The Paralympic Games begin on August 28, 2024, in Paris and conclude in September.

The word “Paralympic” derives from the Greek preposition “para” (beside or alongside) and the word “Olympic”.

Paralympics are the parallel games to the Olympics showing how the two movements exist side-by-side.

Sport for athletes with an impairment has existed for more than 100 years. It was widely introduced after World War II to assist injured veterans and civilians.

On September 22, 1989, the International Paralympic Committee was founded as an international non-profit organization to act as the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement.

The Paralympics reminds me of my late friend Bob who walked with crutches. As a boy, he was left paralyzed due to a bout of polio, before the vaccine was available. But that did not stop him from living a full life.

Bob’s wife, a medical assistant, worked in my clinic. We also attended the same church so I knew him and their three children. Despite his limited walking, Bob learned to bowl and did so competitively, winning several tournaments. He unfortunately passed in middle age of unrelated causes and his family misses him sorely.

You’ll enjoy this video about the Evolution of the Paralympic Games from the official Paralympics YouTube page.

Exploring the HEART of Health

The last President to resign without running for reelection was Lyndon Johnson, in 1968. Did you guess correctly?

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Dr. Aletha

A tour of the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado

A visit to the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs showcases the dedication and resilience of Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Promoting physical activity, it emphasizes the health benefits of exercise, while sharing the “Winning Attitudes” and determination exhibited by champions. The center inspires a commitment to personal excellence and perseverance.

Keep reading

Cover Photo

The Bizell Memorial Library on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman Oklahoma. Photographer-Dr. Aletha

Two Words That Still Change My Life

This post shares a personal journey of unexpected love, marriage, and struggles stemming from unrecognized PTSD. It delves into the transformative power of reconciliation and healing trips to Vietnam, ultimately bringing hope and joy. Through various life-changing encounters, the couple’s story exemplifies the impact of powerful, unforeseen words and encounters.

updated July 10, 2024

I’ve shared this post several times, and every time I’ve heard from someone, usually unexpected, who tells me the story speaks to them similarly. I didn’t know their story before, but learning we share a similar bond brought new meaning to our relationship.

We may not know your story, but if yours is similar, we understand, care, and hope our story inspires you and helps you find “your missing peace”.

a couple sitting at a table by a window with an ocean view — Here we are on a cruise.

Two Words That Changed My Life

In college, I participated in Chi Alpha, a faith-based student group. When I started dating a young man of a different faith, he enjoyed coming to the gatherings with me and my friends liked him. We were fond of each other, but his feelings grew stronger and more serious than mine.

To be fair, I ended the relationship. We parted amicably but he left our group; it was awkward for both of us. Although the breakup was the best of us both, I grieved the loss of our friendship.

One evening several of us were talking when a new member joined us. We knew little about him other than he had recently left the Army and started attending the university.

He looked at me and said, “Where is John tonight?” (not his real name) No one spoke as everyone looked from me to him and back to me. Apparently, he was the only one who didn’t know we had broken up.

Finally, one of the girls softly explained, “They aren’t dating anymore.”

Everyone remained silent, I suppose assuming I was upset. I wasn’t upset but I realized everyone else was uncomfortable. I didn’t want our new friend to feel bad about the mistake, so I tried to make light of it. I blurted out the first thing that popped into my head.

“That’s right,” I said smiling. “I’m available.”

With that, everyone, including me, laughed. Thinking back now, I wonder why I said that. It was out of character for me, a confirmed introvert, and besides, I did not need or want another romantic relationship. I was planning to attend medical school, and romance did not fit into that plan.

However, the young man took me seriously, calling me a few days later to ask for a date. And despite my reluctance to become involved, I said yes.

“What harm could it do?” I thought. “Why sit in the dorm alone on Friday night?”

Two more words

That night I learned about Raymond’s past. He had served for three years in the Army. He had already earned a bachelor’s degree and was working on a master’s degree with his veteran’s benefits. I casually asked if he had been stationed overseas. He said yes- he had served in Germany and in Vietnam. I did not realize those words also would change my life.

soldiers at a remote military base — various scenes from the firebase where Raymond was stationed in VietNam; I understood nothing about what happened there.

This was 1972 and the American war in Vietnam was raging. The United States government needed soldiers to carry out the engagement and was drafting them, which they and their families dreaded. The war was unpopular and divided our country. We watched the course of the conflict nightly on television news (no Internet or social media then).

Raymond was the first person I knew personally who had served in Vietnam. Service members and veterans of that war were portrayed in the media as fighting an unnecessary, unjustified war at best and as baby killers at worst.

Today military service members and veterans are honored and considered heroes. Today’s veterans feel proud of what they do; far too often those who served in Vietnam did not.

library interior — The reading room of the library looks the same as it did 40 years ago.

Over dates at football games, church, social events, and study times our feelings for each other grew from friendship to love. He asked me to marry him a few weeks later. We married about 2 years later, as he completed his master’s degree.

Soon after our wedding I started medical school, graduated, and joined a medical practice. He pursued a career in the Information Technology industry. We raised two sons, traveled, and attended church.

Expectation-“happily ever after”

But our “happily ever after” did not match reality.

Our marriage was often tense, unsatisfying, and distant and we did not understand why. We could not communicate well. He felt I was demanding and controlling. I felt he was insensitive and selfish.

We had to look to the past to find the reason for the pain in our present.

family skiing on mountain — one of many family ski trips

Words that changed our lives- post-traumatic stress disorder

Military medicine now recognizes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a common result of service in combat; 40 years ago it was unrecognized and untreated. There were no support groups, counseling or rehabilitative services available.

My husband didn’t talk about his military service, so for years we both suffered the effects of unrecognized PTSD. By the mid-1980s veterans’ groups pushed to recognize and honor Vietnam veterans’ service and encouraged discussion about the psychic trauma many of them dealt with; and with that came opportunities for treatment and healing.

army veteran standing next to a floral bouquet at a memorial — We always visit the traveling Vietnam Veteran Memorial Wall when it comes to our area.

Words that changed Raymond’s life

Through counseling and a support group, my husband faced the past and started to move forward. After reading a book, A Missing Peace, written by another Vietnam veteran, he considered taking a trip back to Vietnam and after much thought and prayer, signed up, although we were both apprehensive.

He chose to travel with Vets with a Mission, VWAM, a faith-based non-profit organization whose mission was “reconciliation” between former enemies in the Vietnam War, and also within the veterans themselves. (VWAM is now inactive. A partner organization, Medical Outreach of America, does similar work in Vietnam. )

Raymond began moving past the painful memories and creating a new history by touring the country and meeting Vietnamese people in peacetime. He found a country still suffering from the aftereffects of many years of war, and found a new purpose for his life- to help the country that had caused us so much pain.

man with Vietnamese boys laughing — Raymond making friends and having fun with some Vietnamese boys

That trip led to another – thirteen trips serving on volunteer teams to Vietnam with VWAM. He served by teaching computer technology he spent years learning and mentoring Vietnamese professionals as they developed skills like his.

I accompanied him on many of these trips, serving as a physician on medical teams, and treating poor Vietnamese citizens in free clinics. We made friends with other veterans and their families, and with Vietnamese people, who often respected American Vietnam veterans more than Americans do.

Raymond found “reconciliation” for himself and we experienced it in our marriage. It was a process and still is.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
1 Corinthians 5:18, motto of VWAM

man next to concrete bunker — visiting an old war bunker on China Beach

More words that changed my life

As a pre-teen, I read a book about an American doctor who treated poor people in a foreign country. This and other books sparked my interest in health care and I decided to become a doctor. I dreamed of someday traveling overseas and treating people like he and other doctors did.

I didn’t remember anything about him except his name. I did an Internet search and found his story- Dr. Tom Dooley. Now deceased, he had served as a physician in the United States Navy and in the 1950s was assigned to direct the care of refugees- in Vietnam. (After his military service, he founded a humanitarian organization and tragically died young of melanoma.)

When I watched the war in Vietnam on TV news, I didn’t realize the doctor I had read about had worked there. I never imagined that I would ever go there.

And I never imagined that war would help me meet my husband, and create a family that brings me joy every day.

When I said, “I’m available” I had no idea how true that would be.

man and lady dressed in dance costumes — And I never expected us to do a ballroom dance routine for an audience!

Words that changed Raymond’s life

Raymond researched and wrote about a little-known battle of the Vietnam War. His is an eyewitness account of the events and aftermath of the Battle for TraBong Vietnam.

It is available as an eBook for Kindle apps from Amazon. The following is an excerpt.

Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath

Fire Support Base (FSB)/Landing Zone (LZ) Cindy was established in 1968 by being relocated from Tam Ky, Vietnam. By 1970, the FSB was considered a “model” for other FSBs in South Vietnam.

The base operated on the high ground of the Happy Valley with an Observation Post (OP) Searchlight (SLT) unit that provided illumination at night for the entire valley. Next to the FSB was an Armed Forces Vietnam (ARVN) unit of 100 men. Besides the helicopter landing zone, we had the shortest airstrip in Vietnam managed by a Military Air Command Vietnam (MACV) unit. The Tra Bong village was between MACV and FSB/LZ Cindy.

The firebase had tremendous firepower with automatic weapons, 50-caliber and 60-caliber machine guns to include a Quad 50, Dusters, 8 inch and 175 howitzers, mortars, grenades, claymores, flares, etc. In the year 1970, FSB Cindy had zero Wounded in Action (WIA) or Killed in Action (KIA) men by enemy forces. Also, the North Vietnamese (NVA) did not penetrate our perimeter because our unit operated as a team.

A Battery remained at FSB/LZ Cindy (BS342882) providing general support to both US and ARVN units. On 16 September 1971, A Battery was moved to Chu Lai to begin stand-down activities.

During Christmas of 1971, the ARVN camp was overrun by NVA/VC and wiped out.

The firebase did have a major battle in September 1970. That battle and how it impacted the war in general and one soldier’s life specifically is the subject of this book.

We who served on LZ Cindy in 1969 and after when the unit left in 1971 did a job that had to be done to save more lives than were taken by the enemy. All of us were there because we were asked or drafted to serve this country and help the people of Vietnam survive.

Those of us who did the job on LZ Cindy did the best we could to survive and help those who served with us. It is unfortunate that some of those did not survive, but in war people die, and there is nothing we can do about it.

We also recommend Robert Seiple’s book-

A Missing Peace: Vietnam : Finally Healing the Pain

by Robert Seiple and Gregg Lewis

(This is an affiliate link.)

“The gripping account of the author’s experiences with “a war without closure” as a Marine aviator and as head of a relief agency ministering in that country. Through his own search for personal and national reconciliation, he shows us the only way to find real closure and genuine healing.” AMAZON

sharing the HEART of marriage

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