We just had our annual South Dakota Family Physician conference this last 3 days. Normally we would have been out in Deadwood, but because of COVID, it was all done virtually this year. So we did this from home! Sarah and I always teach a section of the conference on the first day, which usually encompasses up to 4 hours for the entire afternoon. We have been doing this now for about 13 years. Well, this year we got presented with an award. We taught our section virtually from Carletta’s house, as she is our Executive Director for the South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians. The residency began giving out an award about 3 years ago to a physician recipient who “…exemplifies excellence demonstrated by commitment to community service, academic achievement, rural practice, full-spectrum family medicine, and care of underserved populations locally, nationally, or internationally.” It is called the Dr. Earl Kemp Excellence Award. Dr. Kemp was our residency director back in Sioux Falls when we went through the program. I am not sure how many years he was there before we started, but he just retired within the last 2 years, and we have been out of residency since 1994. He was a great teacher! I think that is the part that attracted us to Family Medicine to start with. In order to be a good Family Physician, you have to listen, but you have to be able to teach as well. Teach students, residents, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and of course…patients…everyday! Normally our conference room would have looked like this.
We usually have around a hundred physicians attend each year. But this year was virtual, and we still had around 90! We always have to learn, and keep up, as medicine changes continuously. Here was Sarah and Carletta with all of the setup for our portion of the conference.
We learned a lot this weekend, and the best part of all of it…we did not have to drive across to the other side of the state! I miss seeing all of our other Family Physician colleagues, though. It is our time to learn from each other, and catch up on how everybody else is doing, and how they are handling everything with this pandemic. Hopefully next year we will be back there.
Teaching is a big part of what we do everyday. Patients need to understand their own health, and what may be involved. We do not have all the answers, but we are giving our opinion on what we think is the issue, and how we may be able to help somebody. Every day is a challenge. We have to keep learning as well. Lifelong learning. There is always something new. There are always new challenges. It was a very special honor to be recognized. Dr. Earl Kemp was the epitome of teachers. We both learned so much from him, as did all of the other hundreds of residents who went through that Sioux Falls Program. I have always said with all of the doctors we have had teaching us when we were in medical school and residency, that we learned something from all of them. We learned what to do in certain situations, and what not to do. We learned how to interact with patients. Some taught me how I wanted to be when I was done, and others taught me exactly how I was not going to be when I was on my own. But, it was all a learning experience. We have had a good time over all these years teaching other students, residents, and colleagues. The underlying principle of Family Physicians entails lifelong learning, and passing that knowledge on to others. Stay healthy everybody, and keep moving!
I got a great present at Christmas, but had to wait until now before I could start spreading the word to everybody. My daughter Molly is expecting their first child toward the end of July. My last Christmas present to open was from them, and I did not even realize my son-in-law was videoing me doing this. I could not believe it when I opened it up!
I got a picture frame with an Ultrasound picture of my future grandchild! Wow, what a present!!! I can’t wait to be a Grandpa! With everything going on in life lately, I try to stay as calm as I can. But no way with this!
For those of you have read my blog posts in the past, or have been to one of our Strive 2 Survive sessions, you have heard me talk about my Grandfather. He died just before he turned 54, and never got to see any of his grandchildren. He had 10 kids, who went on to create 35 grandchildren. The first one was born one month after he passed away. I have always said that if I have anything to say about it, that was not going to happen to me. Well, March of 2019 brought some tough reality into play. That is when I had my major health issue, and I was 54! I could have been in the same situation. I am not taking anything for granted anymore. My grandkids are going to know me, and remember me!
Here is a picture from this week! Molly is an ultrasound tech, so she has been checking. Apparently I am going to have a grandson! Imagine what I thought when I found out my grandson will be named Daniel! Hee Hee! I just have to keep reminding Molly and Tanner how good of a name that is. In all honesty, I have no idea what name they are considering, but whatever it will be, it will be great!
I had to wait for Molly to put out her announcement before we could say anything. Do you know how hard that is? I am busting at the seams, but could not say anything! I can’t believe one of my little girls is old enough to now have her own child! Where did the time go! It was a year and half ago I gave her away to Tanner. Her wedding day was one of my favorite memories, I can’t even imagine what it will be like when she delivers.
I find myself looking back at her wedding pictures often. It brings me right back to that moment. These are the things in life that are important.
Tanner and Molly, you are going to be great parents! Congratulations! I hope…change that to I know…we are going to make great grandparents. Sarah and I are both so excited for this next adventure of our lives too. But, just don’t forget, this grandchild is going to be a part of the Reiffenberger family, and you know what that means…
…our grandkids will learn they get to work out with us…walk, run, ride bikes…all of it. They will be active with us! We have to keep doing this so we can keep up with them. If they are part Reiffenberger, they will be active along with us! After all, it will be in their blood! We are so excited for this next adventure in our lives too. I am one proud Grandpa to be! Keep moving everybody!
Are you at a breaking point yet? Are you ready to lose it? Here we are half way through January, and how many of us have kept up with our plans for the new year yet? COVID has changed nothing yet, and now the stress is coming in relation to the vaccine. Who is going to get it? Who is going to get it first? Who ranks higher than somebody else? Why were they called before me? On and on it goes!
This is how it feels to me some days. How about you? Some days you just feel like you can’t do anything right, or make anybody happy. We all have days like that. We need to figure out how to deal with them. I used to go into my office and not come out until I counted to 1 million. I never got anything done then! We need to figure out what it will take for each of us to learn how to relax, and cope with stress.
All of these listed help! Prioritize them. The last one talking about making a list…exactly! Write it down! Follow it! Check if off when you are done so you realize you are actually accomplishing something. Each of us has different things that we like that is relaxing to us. Fishing, hunting, walking, sight seeing, taking pictures…whatever works for us. I love going out and taking scenery pictures. My mind is only focused on that for that time away.
No matter how many times I go out to take pictures, I see something different. Or I think I have seen it, but am seeing it differently now. No two days have been the same. Escape! Make something of it that makes it mean something to you!
Spend time with your kids, or grandkids, or pets. They always want attention. That is what has made COVID so tough to deal with is because of the social distancing. As humans, we want that social interaction. We need that social interaction. Believe me, our pets need it too. We all need to care!
Exercise! Blow off some steam. Work out your frustrations, and improve your health at the same time! The different exercises can be as creative as you want them to be.
Time to show people how tough you are! Have that mentality of “Don’t mess with me!” Laugh while you are at it. Enjoy life. It has been miserable enough this past year, so don’t make it more miserable then it has to be. It is going to take work, but it will be well worth it!. You don’t want to waste the days you have. You do have to look at things differently, and may have to be more creative, but there are things to do. Just do them!
Figure out when and where your stress free zone is at, and then go there frequently! Make it your escape place. Make it individual to you. What do you want? What do you want to accomplish? Where do you see yourself in the future, and how are you going to get there? Be creative. Imagine. Dream. Find your stress free zone frequently! And…keep moving everybody!
This picture still always cracks me up! It was a few years ago, and still in the Summer, and we were posing on the bridge by what is now North Shore, and Jill thought we were supposed to kick our leg up on the railing for the picture, but apparently she was the only one that heard her say that! Only Jill! A true example of just living life as it comes! Laugh, run, be with friends…and just be you! Of course there are many other times many of us in run club got a little goofy!
I think Jill brought the oranges, and I think it may have been her who came up with the idea of taking a picture of us like this too. Live each day like no one is watching!
We need to pay attention to those things around us as well. Many of these things, or scenes, we have seen many times, yet we never really paid any attention to them. On the weekend, or when I am driving to work, I am now paying attention to the scenery as well, and if the sky looks really neat, I pull over to take some pictures, or I just park out at the lake and watch and see what develops.
On the second picture the small bright dot is not the moon, but the sun trying to break through the clouds. We have had quite a few cloudy days this week, so it has been a little tough to get some good pictures. We just have to relax, and when we have the time, take advantage of it, and watch things develop. I was doing things at home yesterday, and it all of a sudden got bright out, and I looked out the window, and could this changing. Jackson Park is a mile from my house, so I took off, and had a good 30 minutes of taking some really cool pictures, and just watching it patiently develop.
I have said many times we could learn a lot from a dog. Dakota is no exception. When she plays, it is all out. When she relaxes, she is completely into it, and drops where she is at, and takes a nap. Now if it could always be this easy, and convenient!
She is always at your side, and ready to cheer you up, and just be with you! A true, loyal friend! Never any grudges. Each day is a new day for new adventures. Any time we are ready to go for a walk or a run, she is just tearing around the house like life cannot possible get any better. If we could all get this excited, and just be like this when it came to exercising! She is always ready to go no matter the weather, or time of day, or evening. Let’s go!
Enjoy your day like you enjoy your first cup of coffee each day! Be positive. Smile! Each day is a new adventure, and we do not know what is in store for us when it starts!
This was our Run Club picture from last Sunday. We are always ready to go, and spend time with people we know, and do something we all like to do. You can enjoy your life where you are, with what you already have, and especially, with friends you already have. This is what living here in Watertown is all about. Small community, with big hearts, and great friends! So remember…
Get ready for what life holds for us each day. Try to block out and forget everything in regards to the pandemic, and politics, and who is doing what. Enjoy the time, and enjoy the people, and enjoy where we live, and it will be easy to remember to enjoy each day like no one is watching! Keep moving everybody!
We now are in 2021! Time to forget 2020! What goals do you have this year? Are they truly achievable? What did you learn from this year that may actually be a positive going forward? What didn’t work out, and did you make changes to prevent that from reoccurring? Many questions, and hopefully many answers to follow.
There are many goals that we can keep in mind with our health. Those are listed above. But, overall, here are my goals for 2021!
I want to be able to go to work everyday and not have to wear a mask! The N95’s are very tight and uncomfortable. We have been doing this now for 10 months. We will see when this one will end, but it will take a while yet in 2021. It will be a true celebration when they can be gone for good!
I want to run another marathon! More specific, I want to run a marathon with my daughter. Megan decided she was going to run the Fargo Marathon, which normally is in May, and now got moved to September of 2021. I have been given the ok health wise to do this. If it is really hot that day, I may still have to wait. My kidneys are still the problem!
Megan and I ran the Disney World Half Marathon a few years ago. Sarah and Molly ran together. I have always wanted to run a marathon with my kids, and this will be the first. I will have to see how this one goes to decide if I can do anymore.
Sarah is also going to run with us. But, I think her main reason to run is she is going to be keeping an eye on me! We ran the Twin Cities one together a few years ago, so another reason to look forward to this one!
3. I/We need to start doing some more meal planning. Work has been crazy since this pandemic started, and we have not always had the greatest choices. By the time I get home, I am starving and ready to eat whatever I can get my hands on. But, and this is a big but, I have to help! I was talking to Sarah and we are starting to come up with a plan where we need to think ahead for the week of what we want to have each day. Even I have to admit now that chips are not one of the main food groups!
We already have these, so now we just need to start planning on using them!
4. If this pandemic has taught me anything, it is that in the evening I need to take a little time to unwind from the day. I spend 20-30 minutes before going to bed reading. It takes my mind off of the day, and lets me escape for awhile. I need to keep this going. I have so many books that I have not even read yet, it won’t be difficult to keep picking one!
I am currently reading this one!
5. I want to continue to appreciate things that have always been there, but I just never paid much attention to it. The pandemic has brought this out as well, but being sick and having my health in some major jeopardy really started it off. I love taking the sunset and sunrise pictures, and especially pictures of different cloud formations. It is a great way to escape, and it has always been there, I just never paid attention to it before. Every week brings different things to look at. When I look back on all of these, and the beauty in them all, there truly has to be a God!
6. I don’t want to forget about those closest to me. Right now, every day, that is Sarah and Dakota. Sarah has been by my side now for over 30 years, and Dakota never wants to be left out of anything. This dog never gets tired of giving hugs and affection, no matter the time of day.
With Sarah, I have a workout partner all of the time, especially when we go out to the garage and workout in the Reiflex Center! It is always easier to have somebody else push you too!
These are some of my goals for 2021! What are yours? Make you goals whatever you want them to be, but just have some. Achieving your goals is the beginning of true success!
Follow your path to success, and have a great 2021 coming! Each year is a new adventure. Take it for what it is. We do have a lot of say in how the year goes. We may not always have a direct say of things that go on, like a pandemic, but we are always in charge of our attitude. Make the best out of every situation. And remember, keep on moving everybody!
