I don’t know about the rest of you but this year our family Thanksgiving looked a lot different. This year we were not surrounded by the usual guests at our home – my father-in-law, mom, two sisters-in-law and their families, my oldest daughter and her husband, and our youngest daughter....
I was asked to share our reflections from 2020 at our leaders meeting this past week. I ended up putting together a PowerPoint with highlights for each month. Much to everyone’s surprise, we had a lot happen this past year besides COVID. It was really inspiring to look back and...
I was considering my Christmas letter this year. I thought a whole page of swear words would be appropriate, but not necessarily as festive as I would like. I thought I could write a song and do a short video of interpretive dancing - but that would be a lot...
Gratitude Can Transform... When you read this Thanksgiving will be over, and my wish is that everyone had a very Blessed Day even though things were much different. I know for our family it was. Even though it was just our immediate family I think I made enough to feed...
Jordan scolded me and told me to lighten up and don’t talk about Covid. Ok, I won’t … instead, I’ll write about a dreadful movie I saw last night. Don’t watch the movie “Downhill” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell. It was marketed as a comedy, but I don’t think...
We had a family discussion last night about the plan for Thanksgiving. This is the one holiday that Rick’s mom loves, and we knew she would be heartbroken to hear that we were going to choose to be safe this year and not get together to celebrate. Fortunately, Dr. Whitters...
Today, Thursday November 19, 2020, is National Rural Health Day. Honestly, I didn’t feel 24 years ago when I assumed this role as CEO of Iowa Specialty Hospitals and Clinics (then Community Memorial Hospital) that I would still be here today. In 1996, as a 32 year old guy with...
We are over eight months into preparing, planning and adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a roller coaster and we are not done yet. Emotions are high and many of us are tired, yet we all keep pushing through as that is what we do as healthcare workers...
Weird time with the pandemic. Even though we are exhausted and really, just done with the whole thing … it’s still here, getting worse, and forcing us to reevaluate. It feels like the month of April again - but back then I seriously thought we’d be done with this by...
I recently was gifted with a sign that reads “in the middle of my little mess I forget just how big I’m blessed”! I love this sign so much and have it displayed in my office above my desk. It is a great, gentle reminder to me every day to...
