Day 3792: Dedicated

Yesterday, I was one of the speakers when a building was dedicated to and named for my dedicated cardiologist, Dr. Deeb Salem.

My dedicated readers know what a great doctor Deeb Salem is, because I’ve dedicated space in many blog posts to him (including this, this, and this).

Dedicated as I am to clear communication, I regret that the picture and sound in this video of my speech are fuzzy.

I hope you can tell how dedicated Dr. Deeb Salem and I are to each other. Many people dedicated to him told me they were also crying during my speech, which “perfectly captured Deeb.”

As usual, I’m dedicated to sharing more images from my daily life with you.

I guess I’ll be celebrating Do Dah Day, because I’m also dedicated to silliness.

Dedicated thanks to all who helped me write this dedicated post, including Dr. Salem and YOU!

Day 3791: Speeches

Today, I’ll be one of several people making speeches about my wonderful cardiologist, Dr. Deeb Salem, who is having a building named after him.

I haven’t made too many speeches in my life, but I have a lot to say about Dr. Salem, who has been my cardiologist for over forty years. It’s been difficult for me to keep to the five-minute time limit for all the speeches today. If I just read all the blog posts I’ve written here about Dr. Salem (including this, this, and this) that might take up the time of the whole ceremony!

I get nervous about making speeches but I’ll try not to let that show. Also, I’ll probably be rewriting that speech until the moment I have to give it.

Because the speeches aren’t being formally recorded, I’ll try to get somebody to capture my speech today so I can share it with you tomorrow.

Let’s see if there is any material for speeches in the rest of today’s post.

If I were giving the Daily Bitch’s short speech today, I would probably change “Sometimes I wish I was a dog” to “Sometimes I wish I were a dog,” but I’m not going to give a speech about using the subjunctive.

Here’s what I find when I search for “speeches” on YouTube:

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In speeches and blog posts, I like to end with gratitude, so thanks to all who help me live my best life, including Dr. Salem and YOU.

Day 3786: I have no idea

I have no idea how I’m going to convey, in a speech I’m giving on Friday, how special and important my cardiologist Dr. Deeb Salem is. Actually, I probably don’t have to convince my audience about how special and important he is, because they’re naming a building at Tufts Medical Center after him and that’s why he asked me to give the speech.

Whenever anybody (including myself) uses the phrase “I have no idea” I think about a psychologist at my first student internship who always responded with this: “You must have some idea.” And, indeed I do have some idea about how to talk about how great Dr. Salem is. My problem is I have too many ideas, because he’s been my cardiologist for over 40 years, helping me live my best life while reaching the ripe old age of 70.

I was about to say I have no idea how to use all the images I have for you today into a cohesive enough blog post, but I must have some idea.

I have no idea what Mother’s Day is going to be like this year. Wait, I must have some idea. I’m sure to hear from my son, Aaron, who coincidentally has the same birthday as Dr. Salem. I have some idea that if it weren’t for Dr. Salem, neither Aaron nor I would be here today.

I have no idea what the best Stevie Wonder song is, but I have some idea about which one I’ve listened to the most. It’s either this one…

… or this one:

I have no idea how to adequately express gratitude to all who help me meet every new day as best I can.

As usual, I had some idea.

Day 3752: Naming it

Naming it, for me, means

• awareness,
• acknowledgment,
• identifying and accepting all feelings,
• speaking one’s truth,
• letting go of judgment, and
• moving on to effective action.

I’m naming it when I acknowledge that I’ve written other posts about naming it in my ten years of blogging (including here and here).

I was naming it earlier this morning when I realized

• I’m nervous about our cat Joan’s apparent eye infection,
• it’s difficult to put drops in a cat’s eyes,
• I don’t like taking the cats to the vet but we’ll be taking them both in soon,
• I am going on a river cruise down the Rhine in three weeks,
• I have to finish my speech for a hospital building dedication ceremony in May when they’ll be naming it after my wonderful cardiologist, Dr. Deeb Salem,
• I wonder whether we’ll get better attendance for a support group I’m facilitating for doctors, nurses, and other treaters at the hospital where I work if we change it from a remote group to a “hybrid” group which combines remote and in-person,
• I’m anxious about facilitating a hybrid group because I’ve never done one before, and
• I would like to reduce my work hours on Fridays, spending more time on music and writing about my Coping and Healing groups for patients.

Naming it always helps me. Do you see naming it in my images for today?

I’m naming it when I say that I’m not working from home on Global Work from Home Day and I’m looking forward to the chocolate chip cookies a group member is bringing to today’s in-person Coping and Healing group.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “naming it.”

I look forward to people naming it in the comments, below.

I’m naming it at the end of each blog post when I express my gratitude to YOU.

Day 3706: Happy

I’m happy to wish a happy birthday to my son Aaron and to my cardiologist, Dr. Deeb Salem! 🎉🎉🎂🎂🎁🎁💕

Yesterday, I was happy about the results of my annual check up with Dr. Salem. He said he wants to see me again in six months because “seeing you makes me happy.” Tufts Medical Center is going to name a building after him soon and when they do, I’ll be happy to make a speech, as he has requested, at that celebration. I was happy to swap stories about our long relationship in front of two young doctors yesterday and I was happy to exclaim, “Don’t I look great for my age!” even though nobody could really tell because I was wearing a mask.

I’m happy that I have a wonderful son and that we decided it was safe enough for me to get pregnant in my 40s despite my congenital heart condition.

My husband Michael and I were happy to watch the Deadwood movie last night which gave some good closure to the series, especially because some of the characters were finally happy!

I’m happy that today is my longest and busiest working day of the week because I get to facilitate two Coping and Healing groups on Thursdays.

I’m happy with our new shower/bathroom remodel and with all the images I have to share with you today.

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I’m happy with the new tiles in the bathroom on National Tile Day and I’m very happy that today is World Understanding and Peace Day.

I’m happy that this is what I find when I search for “Happy” on YouTube.

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Finally, I’m happy to thank everyone who helped me create this happy post, including YOU!

Day 3705: Corrected

Here are some random thoughts about “corrected”:

• I have a very rare congenital heart condition — Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries — a name that is sometimes corrected to Levo Transposition of the Great Arteries.
• When my cardiologist Dr. Deeb Salem (whom I’m seeing today) discovered in 1980 that I had Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries, that finding corrected previous doctors’ assumptions that I just had a complete heart block which had been corrected with pacemakers starting when I was 10 years old.
• When we found out I had Congenitally Corrected Transposition, I corrected one of my mother’s favorite expressions — “Two wrongs don’t make a right” — because in Congenitally Corrected Transposition two wrongs DO make a right — all the blood ends up in the right place (phew!).
• For decades, I didn’t realize that Dr. Salem and my son Aaron were both born on February 23, an oversight that was corrected last year when my annual check-up with Dr. Salem was on that shared birthdate.
• I remember the late Steve Allen saying this on some late night show: “I stand corrected, because I’m wearing orthopedic shoes.”
• The extensive water damage in our upstairs shower/bathroom is almost complete corrected after almost two years of insurance claims and construction. Something that still needs to be corrected is a replacement toilet that was ordered in the wrong color.
• Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like there is always something that needs to be corrected.

Do you see anything corrected in my images for today?

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World Thinking Day has me thinking about yesterday’s Coping and Healing group where people were thinking about ways to correct (or at least reduce) overthinking, including practicing mindfulness.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “corrected.”

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Just to let you know, when I try to type L-tga (the abbreviation for Levo Transposition of the Great Arteries), auto correct keeps changing it to “L-thanksgiving”.

Speaking of thanksgiving, thanks to all who help me publish corrected blog posts every day, including YOU!

Day 3342: What is there to celebrate?

What is there to celebrate on a day like today, when Putin is invading Ukraine and some people in the USA are supporting him?

I celebrate every day that I’m above ground, and I’m celebrating that my cardiologist, Dr. Salem (who I saw yesterday for my yearly echocardiogram and checkup) expects that I’ll be celebrating many more days in the future.

Because I can hold more than one feeling, I am celebrating my good fortune while also feeling sadness, anger, and fear about the invasion of Ukraine and about other terrible situations in our shared, precious world.

Can you see anything to celebrate in my photos for today?

There’s always something to celebrate, even when our hearts are breaking.

This is what I find when I search for “what is there to celebrate?” on YouTube.

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I celebrate my connection to you and thank you for being here, now.

Day 2956: Appreciating

Appreciating people is very important to me.

Yesterday, on my birthday, many people were appreciating me and I was appreciating them. Right now, I’m appreciating today’s Daily Bitch Calendar.

I’m especially appreciating today’s Daily Bitch because, for weeks, I’ve been saying this in my therapy groups: “Good work not murdering anybody.” That’s my way of appreciating people for not acting out with pent-up anger and frustration, which most people have been feeling. I’ve been appreciating that my saying something like that usually gets (1) a laugh and (2) a sense of relief.

Today, I’ll be seeing two people I’ve been appreciating for years: my Primary Care Physician Dr. Laura Snydman and my cardiologist Dr. Deeb Salem. I’m sure I’ll be appreciating all that I get from them.

I’m appreciating that I danced to two favorite tunes (here and here on YouTube) with my husband Michael last night and I’m hoping my readers will be appreciating these songs too.

I’m appreciating that at age 68 I can still dance!

I’m still appreciating that my old friend and ex-business partner Jonathan suggested that I celebrate my birthday by listening to this commencement speech by David Foster Wallace that Jonathan has been appreciating for years:

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I’m appreciating that I get to share videos and photos with all of you every day.

I hope you are appreciating that I was too busy appreciating many things yesterday to take many photos.

Appreciating is the gift that keeps giving. I’ll be appreciating any comment you leave about appreciating others, yourself, or anything else.

As always, I’m appreciating all who help me create these daily blog posts, including YOU.

Day 2775: Overload

Yesterday, when I was in an elevator at Tufts Medical Center, overloaded with awareness AND worry about being out and about during the coronavirus pandemic, I saw this:

These days, we are dealing with an overload of

• bad news,
• uncertainty about the future,
• corruption,
• lies,
• trauma,
• injustice,
• deaths, and
• information (which is why I linked to a load of other material throughout this list).

Thankfully, I’ve had  an overload of  good care from my long-time cardiologist, Dr. Deeb Salem (featured in an overload of my previous posts here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here).

Even though this blog might have an overload of photos of Dr. Salem, here is another one from my appointment with him yesterday:

During the coronavirus pandemic, frontline health workers like Dr. Salem have to wear an overload of Personal Protective Equipment.  Dr. Salem, who has an overload of cardiology students wanting to work with him, told  one of them yesterday that he always schedules me for his last appointment of the day because we have an overload of things to talk about. Yesterday’s overloaded conversation included

• Dr. Salem’s personal experience of working with Dr. Anthony Fauci (who is “a very smart and very good guy”),
• discussions of my having had the coronavirus in March and possible lasting effects of that,
• scheduling an echocardiogram to make sure that there is no permanent damage to my heart because of COVID-19,
• the possibility of Dr. Salem and I writing a book together,
• my stating that Dr. Salem and I have an overload of respect and love for each other,
• Dr. Salem saying, “I think you’re doing great,” and
• scheduling our next overloaded appointment for the day after my 68th birthday in February.

Dr. Salem said he was interviewed on Boston TV recently about his experiences working with Dr. Fauci, but I can’t find that interview in the overload of videos out there about Dr. Fauci.

Here’s an overload of other photos from yesterday:

Michael overloads our plates with nutritious food, ever day.

Here‘s “Overload” by Zinnia, which has been loaded over 7 million times on YouTube.

I’m looking forward to an overload of comments, below.

As always, I have an overload of gratitude to all, including YOU.

Day 2704: I forgot

I forgot why I decided to call this post “I forgot.”

Wait!  I remember.

I forgot to check the celebrity gossip yesterday. I also forgot to share yesterday’s Daily Bitch Calendar.

I forgot to mention that I think there are many delicate balances in life.

I forgot what that off-shore structure was for (if I ever knew), but I didn’t forget to take more photos of it yesterday for the amazing blogger Christopher Waldrop (who mentioned it in a comment about yesterday’s post).

I forgot that we bought a “Breaking Bad“  hat years ago.

I forgot most of the episodes of Breaking Bad because I binge-watched them so I could watch the final episode with Michael and Aaron.

I forgot that we  bought a silver pen so that the star of Breaking Bad,  Bryan Cranston, could sign that hat, but he forgot to come out and meet fans after a performance of the play All the Way in Cambridge before its Broadway opening.  I forgot whether that was the only time he didn’t come out during the Cambridge run of the play, but I think so.

I forgot my cardiologist’s story about meeting Bryan Cranston, but I think it was a good one. (My cardiologist has SO MANY stories and I have so many stories about him.)

I forgot to feel sad about Oscar’s cancer yesterday, because he is doing so well.

I forgot why yesterday was an all-day “New Event” in my calendar.

Don’t forget: every day is an all-day new event.

I forgot whether the rest of my photos from yesterday fit today’s topic.

I forgot to ask a question from that book in my Coping and Healing group yesterday.

I forgot to take off those socks before my Coping and Healing group, but nobody could see them anyway.

I forgot to practice keyboards.

I forgot to read more of that excellent book about how the body remembers trauma.

I forgot how the ocean looks so different, every friggin’ day.

I forgot to remind you how awesome you are.

I almost forgot to share that photo of Michael’s latest cooking masterpiece. I forgot to eat crunchy snacks yesterday because Michael’s vegetables are so satisfyingly crunchy.

I forgot all the details of this old Steve Martin routine.

Don’t forget to leave a comment and I never forget to express my gratitude to all my readers, including YOU.