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This communication contains very few visuals--my apologies to Ameilia.
Since the second week of June, I have spent almost all my spare time preparing for the Grand Canyon hike this Friday (details are available in my 6-28-11 letter). Yesterday, I spent 11.5 hours plodding and shuffling along the Oracle Ridge Trail, using my hiking crutches. I'm as prepared now as I will ever will be. I regard this as my farewell hike in The Canyon, and anticipate being the weakest hiker in the group--neither event being something I thought would ever happen.

Time flies--make the most of it.

I have acquired a number of toys that would have made hiking more fun if I had had them in the good old days. My GPS reports distance and elevation (as well as time and location) and my altimeter watch gives elevation and cumulative distance climbed. I wear a sweat band, carry a cell phone, and have the latest in hiking crutches (which, by the way, I would have made the target of scathing derision a few years back). Perhaps my next toy is shown in this panel.


An event has occurred at work that may have an impact on my future. Sonora Quest has decided to that the IOP (In Office Phlebotomist) that they have in our San Manuel clinic is not earning her keep, and as of the end of this month, they will no longer fund that position. That has the potential of putting me back into a very stressful job.

I see seven options.

  1. I can hunker down and pretend I don't experience stress.
  2. I can negotiate with Sonora Quest not to remove their IOP.
  3. I can look for another job with my present employer (Sun Life Family Health Center).
  4. I can look for another job somewhere other than Sun Life.
  5. I can negotiate with Sun Life to hire a phelobotomist.
  6. I I can negotiate with Sun Life to stop offering laboratory services to patients from outside doctors.
  7. I can retire.
I suspect there may also be some combinations or permeations worth consideration.

Option 1 requires the least effort up front, but probably has the worst long term effects. I have a lot less tolerance for stress than I used to, and I am leaning away from this option.

Option 2 has some possibility. I would have to convince my bosses (both of them) to let me represent the company, and then I would approach SQ as follows:

  • We have enjoyed working with you and respect your need to protect your bottom line.

  • We need an IOP.

  • We will approach Labcorp and offer them the deal you now have, i.e. all of our discretionary samples from the Clinics in San Manuel, Oracle, Eloy, Maricopa, Coolidge, and Casa Grande.

  • If Labcorp is not interested, we will continue our relationship with you (minus the IOP), because we think you are the better company.

I'm not much of a salesman, but it might work. I suspect that they based their IOP decision solely on the discretionary samples they receive from San Manuel, and did not consider what they receive from all the Sun Life clinics.

Option 3 also has some possibility. There is a position for a lead Med Tech at the lab in Casa Grande that has been open for over 6 months, and at present there isn't a single candidate on our list. I am qualified, and the pay raise might just about cover the cost of the 3 hour daily commute.

Option 4 is highly unlikely. Irrespective of what the law says about age discrimination, show me a company that will hire a 65 year-old white male? There is always Walmart, but can you imagine me as a greeter? "Good morning and welcome to Walmart." "What are you going to waste your money on today?..."

Option 5 is a long shot. I list it more for the sake of completeness than probability.

Option 6 would reduce my patient load by about 42%. This is similar to what Sun Life did at their clinic in Casa Grande, and would probably reduce the stress to a manageable level.

Option 7 may be a last resort. I turn 65 next month, but full retirement benefits are not available for me until 66. I have been entertaining the idea that I would call it a career sometime near the end of January 2013. "Early" retirement reduces social security by 8% per year. But, given what is happening in Washington, it is hard to tell if waiting is good or bad. The government is inflating the money supply, meaning that dollars will worth less (not to be confused with worthless). The government promised social security recipients a certain number of dollars, not a certain value. When inflation raises the minimum wage to $100/hour, it won't be difficult to collect enough in taxes to pay social security benefits of $400/month.



In a second event, I have been experiencing periods of tachycardia. My heart rate suddenly increases to about 120/minute and stays there for 15 seconds to 15 minutes, for no obvious reason. During these times, I perspire and feel short of breath. Termination of this phenomenon is often accompanied by 3 or 4 heartbeats that are a bit painful, as if the heart muscle were pulling against itself. I spoke with Dr. Brower, and he took me off all caffeine (including chocolate [as if that were a permanent option]). I have an appointment to see a cardiologist this Tuesday. Stay tuned for late breaking news...

Late Breaking News!
I visited with Dr. Ajay Tuli, cardiologist. While there I experienced an "episode" and he was able to listen to it via stethoscope (but he was not fast enough to get a EKG). His diagnosis was "paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia." Here is a link to more information, if you are nosey or one of those strange people with an enquiring mind.

There are three treatment options, depending on the degree of severity:

  1. No treatment, just monitor the condition.
  2. Administer one of several medications.
  3. "Minimally invasive" surgery to cauterize a node in the heart.
Can you guess which one I chose?

2nd news update: The echo cardiogram ordered by Dr. Tuli showed a normal heart--no surprise there.
The only surprise was Dr. Tuli's bill, which amounted to $361.00 for the 10 minutes we spent together. Can you say, "R-I-P  O-F-F  A-R-T-I-S-T ?"


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