It was my birthday yesterday — the same day I found out that Fernald, a World War II veteran and one of the wisest, bravest and most adorable people I’ve ever known, had passed away.
Eye contact or Angry Birds?
By
Gary Tetz
Jan 16, 2013
My wife’s a Realtor. And no, I’m not wondering if you or anyone you know would like to buy or sell a home in Walla Walla, WA. That would be a crass and brazen misuse of this forum. Though if...
Lessons under anesthesia
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 12, 2018
Nothing ever makes me feel more empathy for those we care for than my own occasional reluctant forays into our American healthcare pseudo-system. I just walked a mile in somebody else’s figurative...
No place for a pessimist
By
Gary Tetz
Feb 22, 2024
My new co-worker’s eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation when he said it, like a child on Christmas morning expecting to find a Red Ryder BB gun under the tree. “I love...
The beauty of bad publicity
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 28, 2014
When I saw the New York Times article illuminating the clever ways devious operators could inflate their Medicare star ratings, I had mixed emotions ranging from fury to rage.
There’s no time to cry
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 01, 2021
If you’re close to my aging vintage, you remember those adorable pioneers on the TV show “Little House on the Prairie.” Now we’re living in their world. Menaced by fires, floods, climate change...
Don’t spring a wellness leak
By
Gary Tetz
May 18, 2023
In a valiant attempt to achieve maximum personal and professional potential, and in support of her difficult job recruiting long-term care staff, a colleague of mine chooses one word every year on which...
End of the ‘youdate’
By
Gary Tetz
May 04, 2023
The departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security have announced their intention to “start the process to end” the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Now, before we get too excited,...
When it matters most
By
Gary Tetz
Jun 01, 2013
Pondering difficult end-of-life situations made me think, naturally, of Chevy Chase.
No more lonely nights?
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 10, 2023
No one knows better than long-term care folks the unfortunate toll cognitive decline can take. So if you’re like me, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, you’re always interested in ways to keep your...