It's been a long duration. I'm finally improving over the past few years and going through vocational rehabailation now. My medical license is inactive: however, I kept up CME's during this long illness. I had 20+ visits to the hospital and 10 or so surgeries! I want to start working part-time in teaching or product promotion. In doing either, I can return to contributing to others lives and well being which I greatly miss since being early retired. I want to return to doing something meaningful. Maybe, I can progress from there.

Following my fellowship training, I established my solo practice in pediatric pulmonology in WPB, Fl. in July of 1991. Simultaneously, I became Medical Director for Pediatric Pulmonology at St. Mary's Hospital. Except for small group in Broward County, prior to my practice, these services were not available for children in Palm Beach, or any surrounding county in south Florida, until reaching Gainesville to the north or Miami to the south. Thus, I not only needed to develop pulmonary services for children but also teach other physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and the community the purpose and benefit of these valuable services. I was very busy in six months. My role as Medical Director involved a heavy teaching commitment with the respiratory therapist. I gave lectures for them on a quarterly basis. in addition, I made bed side rounds with the respiratory therapist who had been caring for the pediatric patients for the day or night. I also believed heavily in patient education as a major component to the health of the patient. Every patient, every visit left with a personal instruction sheet which had been reviewed with them both by myself and a staff member. I've heard back from patients or their parents, since I've not been their doctor, that they miss not getting this instruction sheet from their current provider.Unfortunately, I succumb to a hypoxic brain stem injury involving hypothalamic-pitutary function during a routine surgery. I have taken a sabbatical from work since this time to recover. I continued to do CME's during this process.

I did a three year comprehensive pediatric residency followed by a three pediatric Pulmonology fellowship at the University of Florida, Shands Teaching Hospital, Gainesville, Florida. During residency, we had in house call every third or fourth night. This was prior to the new regulation laws of hours doctors in training could work per shift or week, Our on call shifts were 7:00 AM until about 3:00 PM the next day for total of 32 hours. On a good shift, you might get 3 or 4 hours sleep in the call room. There is no substitute for the learning that occurs in this intense time of following the patient from presentation and teaching the attending physician does at bedside the next day. No one suffers from the hours, but future patients can suffer from less aggressively trained physicians when they newly enter practice. I just pray they enter groups initially, thus are surrounded by skilled physicians for back up.My fellowship training was also supervised by excellent attending physicians. The leadership at the university did a great job when I was at all levels.They balanced letting me use my skills/gain experience, as I grew and developed, but still supervised enough to protect patient care, guide and teach me as well. I did not learn by "trial and error." Afterwards, I went into private practice in WPB, Fl for 15 years until I suffered tragic illness and became a patient. AT this time, 20+ admissions to the hospital and 10+ surgeries, I am close to recovery! By the grace of God, I may get back to some form of using my skills again real soon!