Speak Up and Advocate for Yourself!

Speak-Up, Advocate for Yourself

“Whenever a doctor cannot do good, he must be kept from doing harm.”  ~Hippocrates

            I like my doctor, my family physician and I grew up together and I have known him most of my life…before he took over my medical care, his father was my doctor for years and years.  I have many friends and acquaintances who are involved in the medical field and who have a real desire to see the improved health and wellbeing of the patients in their care.  This is the advantage of developing a relationship with a primary care physician, you develop an advocate for your health.  I feel like I am lucky because I have this relationship with my doctor.  Many people don’t have a close relationship with their doctor because of things that are beyond their control such as a lack of health insurance, lack of availability of physicians, the reorganization of physicians who are in or out of network, the exorbitant cost of healthcare…the list just goes on and on as to the challenges in developing a relationship with a primary care physician. With the ever-increasing challenge to find a primary care physician, more and more patients find themselves at the emergency department at the hospital or at the local urgent care waiting in line with a room full of other people who are waiting hours for a 15-minute visit with an overworked doctor.  As much as we all look to doctors for our health and wellbeing, doctors are human too.  With shortages in family doctors looming ever larger and other facilities becoming overwhelmed by waiting patients, sometimes, things might get overlooked, missed, or not taken into account by a nurse or doctor, despite their best intentions.

            I bring this topic up today because a friend of mine was sharing a story of how over the past six years, as she has been to local physicians, urgent care units and the local hospital to seek medical help.  My friend thought she has been suffering from chronic UTI’s (urinary track infections) and over the years has been giving battery after battery of antibiotics with little success.  It came to light that she has had blood in her urine and that all her test came back negative as to the UTI (but never reported back to her), but the initial thought has always been that it was a UTI.  So, scripts were written, and the patient sent on her way.  All three locations that she has been going to over the years never seemed to put them together…they just saw the initial diagnosis and assumed it was the same again.  All this information came to be known as my friend started asking questions and challenging the assumptions of the doctors and nurses.  She started being proactive in her health care and being more involved in what her options for treatment might be moving forward.  She is now speaking up, advocating for herself, and now armed with the documentation from all her past physician visits, is seeing a specialist in hopes of avoiding more serious health issues.

I want to be very clear here on this point.  My friend is trying to get a better handle on her health and the physicians and nurses who had treated her believed that they had a handle on things…I am not trying to create a vision of fault or blame…I am simply saying that we all need to take a greater role in the management of our own health. 

Patients and physicians alike must take on the role and the responsibility in the care and measurement of our own health.  If you have questions for your doctor, and as the patient, you feel that those questions are not being answered, it’s ok to reach out to another doctor who is willing to answer those questions.  But, in that same line of thought, if your doctor is telling you something you don’t want to hear like excessive drinking or smoking is unhealthy for you, you’re not likely to find another doctor to tell you otherwise.  In the case of my friend, she wanted better answers…she ended up going to a specialist who helped her understand what has been going on for years.  The fear and concern is early onset bladder cancer... (I am not a physician, I’m just relating what her doctor shared with her).  More test to follow and I hope that too much time hasn’t elapsed and that there is a positive course of action for her.  Had she remained passive and never asked hard questions…who knows what outcome would transpire, but at least she has a better understanding of what is going on and can now face the future armed with knowledge and a plan of action.

Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions as you advocate for yourself.  If you feel like you can’t advocate for yourself, bring along someone who is comfortable in advocating for you.  When I say advocate, I mean ask questions and become involved in the process…I don’t mean being disrespectful or contemptuous of the person or people who are trying to help you.  If you really feel like things are not going as you would like, it’s ok to seek a second opinion…but be involved in your own health.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Being Prepared

Catalyst for Preparation

“The big lesson I learned from Hurricane Katrina is that we have to be thinking about the unthinkable because sometimes the unthinkable happens.” ~Mike Leavitt (United States Secretary of Health and Human Services 2005–2009)

            As we approach the middle of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane season, the Outer Banks off the coast of North Carolina is preparing for the worst.  Hurricane Florence is expected to slam into the East coast later this week and tens of thousands of residences have been ordered to evacuate and get out of the path of the storm.  As we reflect as to what that means, one might remember last year as a year full of powerful storms that wreaked havoc over broad areas of Florida and especially the Caribbean.  The United States protectorate, Puerto Rico, is still suffering from massive shortages on basic needs like electricity, running water, food, safe shelter and healthcare.  Hurricanes bring a destructive power unlike any on earth.  It was thirteen years ago when Hurricane Katrina slammed in to the Gulf coast and all but destroyed the City of New Orleans.  Out of the dark cloud of the massive destruction and loss of life caused by Katrina, there is, as with all dark clouds, a silver lining.  One might argue what good could possible ever come from the largest natural disaster in the history of the United States?  I would answer that the government, from the national level to the local municipal level, is planning for the next disaster.

            The idea of planning for the unthinkable seems like a ludicrous idea.  How do you plan for the unthinkable?  First, you must think of it, determine the likely hood and then plan for it.  The government at every level was completely unprepared for happened in 2005 when Katrina hit.  No one expected record level storm surges…no one expected over a 150,000 people to ignore the mandatory evacuation order…no one expected the number of levies to fail and no one expected that so much of the city would find itself under water.  In the Aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, thousands of homes needed repair due to substandard building codes that had been the norm in South Florida during the building boom of the 80’s.  In New Orleans, there were very few homes to repair because most of the homes destroyed were completely flooded.  After Hurricane Andrew, building codes were revisited in Florida and as a result, homes are built to a standard that they can now withstand greater forces brought on by hurricanes resulting in less loss of property due to storm damage.  The point is, with every event, be it a natural disaster or a manmade catastrophe, there are lessons to be learned if people can look dispassionately to the evidence at hand.  In looking at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the government has spearheaded an effort to help people become better prepared for disaster.

            September is Disaster Preparedness Month.  There are a whole host of websites that now provide supplies, guidance and materials in order to help you to prepare for the unthinkable.  I know it might sound silly if you think about the probability of a catastrophic event occurring but let’s look at it.  Disaster can come as a blizzard that knocks out the power for several days, or a sever weather event Like Hurricane Ike that disrupted power in the Ohio valley for over a week.  There are events like the oil spill near Decatur, Indiana that is affecting the water there or the horrible water issues in Flint, Michigan.  Disaster comes in many forms and as responsible adults, we must prepare for such things.  I encourage you to visit the many websites and investigate what you can do to protect yourself, your loved ones and your property during an emergency event.  A good place to start is with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website, www.ready.gov/be-informed, as it lists several possible emergency situations and tips on how to deal with each one.  Another good place to gather information on how to prepare for the unthinkable is the Red Cross website, www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html

            Being informed and having a plan of action is the first and best step in protecting yourself and the ones you love and care about.  Have the discussion with your family about what to do “In Case of … (fill in the blank)” To paraphrase Winston Churchill…failing to prepare is preparing to fail.  Don’t fail, be prepared.  Our thoughts go out to the families who once again will face the wrath of Mother Nature.  Our thoughts also go out to those who are still suffering the ramifications of the vile acts of terrorism on this date 17 years ago…9/11, we shall never forget.  I encourage you to stand tall and be kind and compassionate to yourself and your neighbors, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Critical Thinking

A Different Type of Attack

“The value of…education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think.”

~ Albert Einstein

            A thousand years ago, warfare consisted of one army laying waste to another on the field of battle and either killing the opposing king/chief or capturing them.  It was pretty straightforward…typically not a whole lot of subterfuge or treachery (yes, it happened…but stay with me on this) …just destroy the enemy on the field of honor and glory.  In the twenty-first century, things are a little more complex.  Yesterday, social media giant, Facebook, suspended over 650 ‘fake’ accounts that they deemed to be run by foreign governments that were designed to help sway the thought process of the American people as we get closer to the midterm elections this November.  This, in my way of thinking, is an outright attack on the American people and the system of government we have in place to serve the people.  All this goes back to the opening quote of the importance of education…it’s not all just about facts but education should help us develop the ability to think for ourselves and to form informed thoughts that lead to informed decisions.

            Social media mogul, Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook), developed his social media platform to help people connect or reconnect.  As our social patterns have evolved over the years, more and more people move away from family and friends to chase careers or dreams all over the globe…social media has given us all the power to stay connected to the ones we care about and love in an easy to use platform.  As with all things associated with the internet, there are dangers that lay in wait for the naïve, the unthinking, and the careless.  What I’m talking about it the information that one can find on the internet and the value of the credibility of that information found on the internet.  One of the many clichés that comes to mind when I think about information I read online, especially on social media platforms is, “It must be true, I read it on the internet,” a tongue in cheek thought, which just means that any information on the internet, unless researched and verified, is suspect of bias and being inaccurate depending on the source.  Many people blamed social media outlets for the misinformation that appears on their platforms but in reality, blame also lies with people who blindly accept what they hear and read on social media as well.  Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are clamping down on fake accounts that are aimed at swaying political thought and policy, but responsibility also falls on the head of the users of social media too.

            An example of the success of foreign input through social media to influence an election can be seen with the November elections of 2016.  The influence provided just enough push to create doubt as to the validity of the election process thus putting doubt into the process as a whole.  One of the things that makes our country unique, and in my mind, a special place, is election process of our leaders.  We as a population have the privilege to vote in elections and know that their vote counts.  My friend and class mate who ran for the House of Delegates for the State of Virginia, tied the incumbent after all the recounting had been done, lost the seat after her opponent’s name was drawn out of a bowl…democracy in action.  Every vote counts…just ask Shelly.  As much as I advocate for people to get out and vote, I also advocate for people to go and make INFORMED CHOICES.  Learn about the people and issues you’re voting for, so your vote really can make a difference. 

            The midterm November elections are just over ten weeks away.  Become a critical thinker as you approach your ballot in the upcoming election.  If you see something on social media that enflames your passion…something that breaks the last straw in your belief system about a particular issue or candidate…take a moment and do a little research to see if that statement on social media is true.  It usually only takes a moment.  Never leave something as important as your vote up to something you read on the internet…it just might not be true.  Don’t forget to register to vote if you haven’t already, that deadline is rapidly approaching as well.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Fall Sports

Balancing Act

“Sport is quite a simple thing.  It is play, and in play, people of all ages find the chance to engage their most profound emotions-love, fear, excitement, disappointment, anger, and joy.”

~Timothy Shriver

            In my recent travels across this most beautiful and engaging country of ours, I was able to see something that transported me back to my high school days of long ago.  As I drove past rural high school after high school in the warm August sun, I could see clouds of dust rising from the practice fields as young gridiron gladiators were preparing for the upcoming football season during their long and tiring two-a-day practices.  Two-a-days mark the start of the football season when there are generally two practices a day for four or five days when a coach will have a four-hour practice in the morning and a four-hour practice in the afternoon.  The days are typically long, hot and physically demanding as the young men give their physical all to try and stand out to their coaches.  A byproduct of this extensive physical activity in the searing summer heat is often heat related illness for some players and in some rare cases, total collapse.  It’s not just football players who are gearing up for the coming school year…there are a whole host of fall sports that have started their practices and training sessions in the summer heat that must take precaution against minor injury or more catastrophic events.  It seems like every year there are athletes who die from some form of heat related complications during the arduous training schedule, at all levels of athletics.  As our summers seem to be hotter and hotter each year, more and more precautions need to be taken as young men and women take to the field of competition each school year.

            I am a huge fan of athletic competition no matter what the sport.  I believe that the spirit of competition provides a good platform to teach life skills to young people, to help them build resilience in the face of adversity, confidence through the process of performance, and honing the skills of building teamwork cooperation.  All these abilities are life skills that no one should be without.  I understand that not every child is available or desires to compete in organized athletics, I’m not diminishing that pathway because play and the skills learned from play comes in many different forms.  What I am talking about today is that there are those that love to play on a larger field and for the glory and honor of their school or their club, community…etc.  Play is an important component of growing up no matter what one is playing but it is also critical that when our young men and women are engaged in play for whatever reason, that they be protected and watched over to ensure their safety of health and wellbeing.  The best way to take care of our young people is to make sure that the coaches and volunteers that are guiding the athletes on the field of play are trained in such a manner as to help mitigate injury.  Athletes get hurt, ankles get sprained and muscles get bruised, minor injury due to physical exertion happens and nothing will ever change that short of the termination of the sport being played.  Injury due to heat illness is preventable in every sense of the word preventable.  Coaches and volunteers need to be acutely aware of conditions such as temperature, humidity, the number of water breaks, and the overall conditions of the training schedule in the heat.  What is acceptable and what is dangerous?  Every organization that offers athletics needs to have guidelines in place and to know that the coaches have an understanding of these guidelines in order to prevent a possible tragedy.  Coaches want to produce winning teams because the schools, parents and fans expect their team to win.  Athletes want to win for the joy of the victory through hard work and sacrifice.  While everyone wants to develop a high performing team or athlete to bring home the honor of victory, there needs to be a balance of desire to perform and the need for safety during these hot and humid days of summer. 

            Best of luck to all the young men and women who have embarked or are about to embark on their athletic seasons.  Be it football, cheer, soccer or tennis…cross country, water polo, volleyball or lacrosse, no matter what the sport, good luck.  As I leave you today, remember to take care of yourself and each other, whatever sport you follow or play, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Starting Off Right

Mother’s Milk

“While breastfeeding may not seem the right choice for every parent, it is the best choice for every baby.”  ~Amy Spangler

            As the dog days of summer start to arrive on the calendar and both kids and parents alike begin to think about the new school year, we also welcome August as National Breastfeeding Awareness month.  Why do we need a month dedicated to the awareness of breastfeeding you ask?  Despite the mountains of research spelling out the multitude of health benefits to both mother and child from this natural act…there are still those who fail to grasp the importance of breastfeeding and still others who shame those mothers who try to give their child every advantage during this fragile stage of life for feeding their child in public.  The debate over breastfeeding in public has become a prickly subject in recent years as some are very uncomfortable by seeing a mother feed her child in this manner.  The truth is that more and more public venues are providing space for mothers to breastfeed their babies thus giving them a comfortable space to do it and to also help ease the concerns of those who feel wary about a mother feeding her child.  It really shouldn’t matter whether a mother feeds her child in public or not, the overall benefits to both mother and child are indisputable.

            The connection between mother and child is one that has a mysterious bond and that bond is made stronger by the simple act of breastfeeding.  The skin to skin contact during breastfeeding has a positive, life-long effect that not only allows for a happier and healthier baby but a healthier mother as well.  The benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child begin from the first feeding.  The first milk produced by the mother, called colostrum, a more viscous and thick milk, that is yellowish in color called liquid gold.  This milk is very rich in nutrients and includes antibodies to protect your baby from infection and it also helps your newborn's digestive system to grow and function.  Mother’s milk changes to meet the needs of the infant and after the first few days the breast milk thins out but still provides all the needed nutrients that the infant needs to grow healthy and strong.  Recent research shows that the breast milk produced reacts to the needs of the baby so literally, the make-up of the milk can change from day to day in order to meet satisfy the nutritional needs of the child.  No one can give an explanation as to why this happens, but it just is.  Other advantages for the baby if it is breastfed are a significantly lower risk of asthma, leukemia (during childhood), obesity (during childhood), ear infections, diarrhea and vomiting, lower respiratory infections, type 2 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).  Studies have shown that if a mother can breastfeed their child for at least three months these benefits will be present with the child throughout childhood but the longer a child can breast feed the better.

            Of the advantages of breastfeeding for the mother, there are hormones released that can help the mother feel more relaxed and comfortable during that time of feeding.  The production of milk requires a lot of energy, so the body burns more calories that normal thus helping women lose some of the weight normally gained during pregnancy.  One of the biggest benefits (in my mind) is that women who breastfeed have a lower probability of getting breast cancer.  Think about that for a moment…women who have breast fed their children have a significantly lower probability of developing breast cancer.  These are just a smattering of the positive side of feeding a newborn infant with mother’s milk versus baby formula from the store.  As recommended by multiple agencies, the only time a baby should be fed formula is when there is a health risk from breastfeeding.  Other things to consider…formula is very expensive and often babies have a difficult time digesting it…breast milk is free and is custom to your baby’s needs.  The list just goes on and on regarding the pros and cons of breast milk versus formula, more than will fit in this blog.  I recommend that you take a moment to read up on it if you or someone you know is about to have a baby.  Ultimately, being a parent isn’t always about what is the easiest path but is about doing what is best for your child.  Breastfeeding is a critical act for the health and wellbeing for both mother and child, being aware of this tender act and the benefits that come with it should help us all have a better understanding of the importance of breastfeeding…be it at home in the nursery or on a bench in the middle of the city park.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Birth of Medicare

Protecting the People

“We pledge ourselves to work unceasingly in State and Nation for…the protection of home life against the hazards of sickness, irregular employment and old age through the adoption of a system of social insurance adapted to American use.”  ~ President Teddy Roosevelt

            This week marks the anniversary of President Johnson signing Medicare into to existence on July 30th, 1965.  The President signed the bill into law at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library with former President Truman being the first recipient of the first Medicare card because of his efforts to get a national healthcare system started during his presidency in 1945.  The history of our national healthcare efforts goes back well before President Johnson and President Truman.  National healthcare was one of the planks in the platform for Teddy Roosevelt in his failed attempt at the presidency in 1912.  As the United States stood idle on the issue of national healthcare in the late 1800’s, many of the industrialized nations of Europe had already started to put into place early measures that would develop into the national healthcare systems we see today.  It wasn’t so much out of benevolence and care that nations like Great Britain and Germany developed healthcare systems to take care of their populations.  The general belief was that healthy workers made for more industrious workers and so the wealthy pushed for measures to take care of the poor working class.

            There have been efforts in the United States to get universal healthcare coverage long before Medicare came about and each time it was struck down.  As early as 1880’s there were those in this country that saw the need of taking care of our own who couldn’t take care of themselves.  The United States, at the time, was an isolated country whose mindset was very different from our European cousins.  With a wide ocean to help insulate the common person from the affairs of the European continent and an industrious, “can do” self-sufficient attitude, most Americans couldn’t see the need for a universal form of government supported healthcare.  At the time around the turn of the twentieth century, families still tended to take care of their elderly within the family homes.  As the twentieth century moved forward through two world wars, industrialization, and a social and economic metamorphous…the family unit structure changed and suddenly there were more and more elderly who were left to live on their own and fend for themselves.  A study under the Kennedy administration showed that 56% of Americans over the age of 65 had no health insurance and President Kennedy tried and failed to get universal health coverage for the elderly before he was assassinated.  Why did President Johnson succeed where so many others failed?  The time was ripe as the United States, as a whole, was going through a period of growth of social consciousness. 

            The initial bill, H.R. 6675, took care of those who were 65 years or older and in that first year the budget was $10 million dollars and had 19 million people sign up.  Today, more than 58 million Americans are enrolled with Medicare and take advantage of the help the program offers for medical exams and procedures as well as to help offset the cost of medications.  Even though the original bill was designed for those who were 65 years of age, over the following years, the Medicare program has been expanded to include those younger than 65 with long term disabilities, those in extreme poverty and a whole list of other changes that are too numerous to list here.  The evolution of the idea of healthcare coverage has grown to include universal healthcare coverage in the form of the Affordable Healthcare Act of 2010.  Though the system is not perfect, it does allow millions of Americans to have access to health insurance who found it to be unattainable before.  The healthcare in the United States is the most expensive in the world and as a nation we have a long way to go before we find an equilibrium of services provided and cost.  Other industrialized nations who provide healthcare have been doing it for well over a hundred years and we are relative newcomers to the game.  It will take time for us to sort it out and be happy with the system we develop but we have a start.  Even though President Johnson was the first to sign a national healthcare bill, we owe a thanks of gratitude for all those who came before and advocated for the health and wellbeing of our people.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this thing together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

National Parks

Get Up and Go!

“As I went walking that ribbon of highway

I saw above me that endless skyway

And saw below me that golden valley

This land was made for you and me”

~ Woody Guthrie

            Woodrow Wilson Guthrie, born in 1912, is considered one of America’s greatest and most influential songwriters of the twentieth century.  The above quote comes from one of his most famous songs, “This Land” which most of us know as, “This Land Was Made for You and Me.”  Although the song was originally a song of protest, the lyrics do give a general feel of the grand beauty of our nation and the importance of the land being there for all of us as a people for generations to come.  Recently, I have had the undeniable pleasure of driving across the northern part of our beautiful country and my thoughts of Woody and his lyrics came to mind.  With so much natural beauty to see and wonderful people to meet, I wanted to write to urge you to take that plunge and get up and go and take a chance on traveling to new places and discovering new lands.  I confess that I must have crossed off at least half a dozen things on my personal bucket list of things to do and see in my lifetime.

            The importance of travel can not be overstated.  Most people travel for pleasure such as a vacation or to visit friends or family.  Other people travel for work or to start a new chapter in their personal life story.  What ever the motivation, get up and go…I have traveled for all the above reasons, for fun, for visiting loved ones as well as for work and starting over.  In each case there is a magical opportunity to learn.  Learning takes place whenever we set our previous notions and prejudices aside and open our minds to new experiences…and this is why travel is so important for personal growth.  Travel allows us opportunities that are hard to gain from a magazine article or a book.  Yes, reading gives our minds a magic carpet to travel the world and see places that we might never have a chance to otherwise visit but there is never a substitute for getting your feet dirty and walking the walk to places that capture the imagination and to tread the same paths as some of the most distinguished names in American history.  Thankfully, some of this treasured land with it’s enduring beauty has been saved and held in trust by our U.S. National Parks.  These parks, forests and historic sites have been recognized as national treasures to be shared with the world for generations to come.

            The history of our national park services goes back well over a hundred years ago when the western states were still very much a wilderness full of mystery and hidden beauty.  Inspired by early naturalists and writers like John Muir, the United States created the first ever national park on March 1, 1872 when Yellowstone National Park was created and preserved for all the people to enjoy.  As more parks, historic places and reserves came into existence, they were under the control of several different federal agencies but on August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating a single federal agency to manage all the national sights under one umbrella, the United States National Park Service.  “The National Park System of the United States now comprises more than 400 areas covering more than 84 million acres in 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the Virgin Islands. These areas are of such national significance as to justify special recognition and protection in accordance with various acts of Congress,” (https://www.nps.gov/articles/quick-nps-history.htm)

            I know my journey with my family barely scratched the surface of what our nation has to offer in the way of unique and unforgettable places to experience the overwhelming natural beauty of our country.  I am committed to seeking out new areas to scratch, to find new and different national park lands and forests to discover and to drink in the intoxicating views and experiences our nation has to enjoy.  I beseech you to take time and do the same.  As our climate changes and as different presidents feel they can wipe these precious lands away on a whim, this beauty is but here for a fleeting moment and then it will be gone.  In 1850, there were 150 glaciers in the Glacier National Park area (before it was a national park), today there are only 25 and those are shrinking at an alarming rate.  I strongly recommend you get up and go before it’s too late.  As you do get up and go see some of our nation’s forests or parks, take time to take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Korea

The Forgotten War

“In the simplest of terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: we are trying to prevent a third world war.”  ~President Harry S. Truman

            On this date in history, 68 years ago, the United States was plunged into a shooting war in a little known part of the world as the North Korean army poured more than 75,000 soldiers across the boarder at the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea.  What was first thought of as a boarder incident was soon recognized as a full scale invasion and caught the South Koreans and their American allies completely unprepared.  After three bloody years of intense fighting, all parties in the war have settled into a cease fire agreement that still holds to this day as a final peace in the region seems forever elusive even though recent talks have brought the discussion of a final peace treaty to light yet again.  How did this all come about?  How did the peace and the safety of the world come to hinge on such a small part of the world?

            The Korean Peninsula, which was held by the Empire of Japan at the end of World War II, was divided between spheres of influence in a similar manner as Germany with the hopes of reunification to take place at some future date.  The Soviet Union was given North Korea to govern and the United States was tasked to help South Korea.  Korea had been in the possession of Japan since 1910 and the Korean people suffered terribly under their oppressive rule.  The Korean Peninsula was split along the 38th parallel after WWII and it soon became apparent that the two halves of the country would be estranged much like their German counterparts as the Cold War developed between the Soviet Union and the United States.  After the North attacked the South with such ferocity, President Truman was able to get a security resolution passed through the United Nations which called for military action under the flag of the United Nation versus the United States acting alone, (the resolution passed because the Soviet Union, which had the power to veto such a measure, was boycotting the U.N. Security Counsel at the time).  This “hot war” in the midst of the growing cold war was the acid test between the ideas of communism of the Soviet Union and China and the ideas of democracy of the West. 

            The Korean War was considered a “police action” and called for a limited war (a return to the status quo versus total victory and the reunification of Korea), and was an unpopular war in the United States as we were only five years removed from WWII.  The human cost for the war, over a period of three years, for the United States stands as just over 36,000 deaths and over 100,000 wounded.  South Korea had over 217,000 casualties (killed and missing), North Korea had over 406,000 casualties and China suffered over 600,000 casualties.  The numbers are just staggering as to the amount of human life lost over the three years of the war.  During the 20 years the United States was involved in Vietnam, our total losses there were over 58,000 dead and over 153,000 wounded…just to give a perspective and comparison.  Because the Korean War sits between World War II, (the good war), and the Vietnam War, (considered by many to be an unnecessary war and highly unpopular), it has become a largely forgotten conflict of arms.  If not for the popular television series MASH, the Korean War would be a forgotten footnote by many today.  Only by understanding the complex history of the Korean War, all of the participants, and the roles of those participants of the conflict (then and now) can we hope to have lasting peace in the region. 

            War should never be an option, as a kid I pretended I was a tough Marine like John Wayne just like every other kid…but then I grew up and saw the horrors of war on the evening news.  I hope for a peaceful solution on the Korean Peninsula, not only for the peoples of those two nations, but for my children…and their children when that time comes.  I honor those who gave so much to provide the privileges I have today, and I respect them for the sacrifices they gave.  I hope that someday peace will rule the day and armed conflict will be a thing of the distant past and confined to the history books.  As we get closer to our nation’s birthday, remember to take care of yourself and each other, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Flag Day

Stars and Bars

“When we honor our flag, we honor what we stand for as a nation: freedom, equality, justice, and hope.” ~ President Ronald Reagan

            By act of the Second Continental Congress, June 14, 1777, a resolution was adopted stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”  The Continental Congress, which had signed the Declaration of Independence just eleven months before, had taken one more step in helping to shape our national identity by adopting a national flag.  The first flag had the thirteen red and white stripes we know today but only had thirteen stars in the blue field arranged in a circle.  As our country would grow and new states were accepted into the union, new stars would be added.  I write about the flag today as today we celebrate Flag Day. 

            The first Flag Day celebration took place on the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the first stars and stripes flag.  In 1877, the United States would add one more star that year to bring the total to 38 stars to go along with thirteen stripes.  Originally, as new states entered the union, a star and a stripe were added but in 1818, congress restricted the number of stripes to the original thirteen.  It wasn’t until 1949 that Flag Day was officially established as a national day of observance on June 14th.  For all you history buffs out there, Flag Day also coincides with the birthday of the United States Army which was established by the same congress two years before in 1775.

            Over the years, there have varying views of the United States flag and what it comes to represent.  I believe in my heart that for the most part, people view our flag with the honor it deserves.  There is great controversy today as many professional athletes have chosen to take a knee during the playing of our national anthem in protest of certain social injustices and many might remember during the time of the Vietnam war in which the flag was burned in protest of our nation’s involvement in that conflict.  Because the flag means and represents so much to so many people, it is often targeted by those protesting actions by our government or our society as a whole in order to raise awareness and promote change.  Whether you believe in the use of our nation’s colors this way or not, the fact remains that our national flag is often used as an extension of our first amendment right of freedom of speech.

            As our national flag stands now, there are fifty stars to represent the fifty different states, the last two stars both coming in 1959 as Alaska and then Hawaii were admitted to the Union.  Since 1959, there has been discussion of adding a 51st star as the United States has several territories that could possibly become new states if they decide to go through the process of statehood.  The most likely candidate would be the territory of Puerto Rico as over 90% of those voting last year in local elections want to start the process of statehood.  Another possibility of getting new stars on the flag will be making headlines over the next several months as the state of California just accepted for the November ballot the proposal of splitting the state into three separate states.  We will have to wait and see on that one.  Even if the vote passes for the state to be split up, there still needs to be approval from congress and clear all the legal battles which will surely erupt.

            Our flag is a grand old flag that evokes emotions and feelings…either positive or negative…all over the world.  I know for myself, it certainly evokes strong feelings as I have strong feelings for our nation as a whole.  Flag Day doesn’t get the press it might deserve but as long as it exists, people should continue to try and learn a little about our national colors.  I hope everyone has a great weekend as we get closer to the official kick off of summer and the longest day of the year.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com 

Getting There

More Than One Way

“It’s not our differences that divide us.  It is our inability recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” ~Unknown

            Not to put you to sleep with my folksy brand of wisdom, but when my kids start to complain about how the other is not doing something the right way, I tell my kids that there is more than one way to get to Florida.  What I mean when I share this golden nugget of wisdom is that just because one sister does a task differently from the other sister doesn’t mean it’s the wrong way to do it.  Usually the offending task in question has more than one way of being accomplished and I’m just trying to stress the idea of neural flexibility, the ability to think outside the box if you will…as long as the task gets accomplished in a satisfactory manner, I don’t care.  The catalyst for this conversation comes from a book I was reading and the idea of taking this notion of more than one way to do the same thing bubbled to the surface.  In a moment of introspective wandering, I realized that there are times when, I too, suffer from the notion that my way is the right way, but as we all know, this is not always the case.  I understand on a rational level that there is more than one way to get things accomplished and it is to our benefit if we can objectively observe others who accomplish the same job via a different method…learning opportunities abound when we can open our eyes and our mind to new processes and procedures.

            How do you get to Florida?  (Pick whatever destination you choose to be your end point…)  What’s the best way?  What’s the right way?  The point being is that there is no one correct way to get there… a person can drive to Florida, fly via Buenos Aries, walk, run, bike, stow away on a freighter, or sail on a tiny boat…there is more than one way to get to your final destination and each method has its own merits.  Each method has something to be celebrated and learned from and there is no one correct method.  As a society, we tend to do things in a certain manner as our culture (as we understand it) expects us to act.  In other words, we tend to emulate and do things like our neighbors or community do them.  When a strange custom enters our comfort zone, what reaction do you typically display?  Be honest with yourself…do you feel as though the foundation of your civilization is starting to crumble, maybe a spike in your anxiety levels?  Or do you feel excited and are filled with curiosity and wonder?  I can’t answer these questions for you, I can only present them and hope you can examine yourself honestly.

            The to observe the different cultural approaches to events such as celebrations (birthdays, religious observances, or special recognized days) or memorial observances, or even common events like a family meal, we can all learn something about each other.  Obviously, if your constructing a house, you need to put in the foundation first before you build the walls or put on the roof…I’m not talking about things like that…what I’m discussing is understanding that different cultures coexist in communities all over our country and the meshing of ideas and traditions.  I’m talking about the ability to see and recognize those differences, try and understand those differences and then make the jump to accepting those differences.  Accepting differences for what they are reduces the anxiety we feel and opens the door for us all to coexist in a happier state.  If we were all the same, life would be pretty darn boring and we resisted new ideas from different cultures, we would be a world in perpetual war.  Throughout history, humankind has always adapted ideas from other cultures to help create and foster peace…today is no different.  Just some ideas to think about.  I hope everyone has a fantastic week.  Please take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com