From: Andrew Byrne
[mailto:ajbyrne@ozemail.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 19 September 2016 9:24 AM
To: 'ajbyrne@ozemail.com.au'
Subject: Syd Uni Med 1978 small talk ...
Sent: Monday, 19 September 2016 9:24 AM
To: 'ajbyrne@ozemail.com.au'
Subject: Syd Uni Med 1978 small talk ...
This email is a
propos of nothing in particular, but of many small events which are
affecting us all as we look at retiring age in the face. But just now is
when some have turned to other careers such as ...
As of the recent
election Mike Freelander MP is the federal Labor member for
Macarthur! I spoke to him on the phone on Friday ... very happy,
enthusiastic ... and a little daunted after decades of paeds in South West
Sydney. We would all wish him well, I am sure! I put in a word for
propping up Medicare as well as my perennial prickly issue of the lack of any
travel insurance cover for most previous cancers, especially in America.
We all see and hear
Peter Collignon every time there is a matter of public health import in the
media.
Bill Brooks can be seen at almost every cultural event in
Sydney and beyond ... I see him at the opera but he attends (and still
occasionally performs) beyond that narrow circle.
I spoke to Mike
Kefaloukos recently - he is still in general practice with some challenging
patients in Campsie (also in practice with George Dracos).
Ron Lopert has retired from GP and sent me an open
invitation to visit him in Tauranga, NZ.
Margaret Malcolm
(McCluskie) and Peter are
Southern Highlands neighbours of mine - along with Cheryl Hanbury (Headford)
who lives on Mount Gibraltar with husband Richard who is also a local
GP. Simon Grant and Marise (Hely) are also nearby.
I keep in touch with Arnold
and Miriam Van Rooijen (Jucovic) through occasional shule visits with
Arnold while Miriam alternates with Geoff Peretz doing cutting-edge
paediatric radiology around the clock. Son Adam Van Rooijen is a
neighbour of my city pad in Potts Point.
St Vincent's
immunologist Bill Sewell has reported my blood results more than once
over the years, but much more pleasant it is to see him at the Sydney opera,
our mutual predilection.
Andy Csillag is still doing high-powered radiology at St
Vincent's Hospital (I know because he has imaged me a few times over the years).
Tim Ingall got a write-up in Granny's Column last week
over a strange sounding rattle snake story ... 'only in America'. Still
doing neurology at Mayo Clinic.
Tamara Tcheney
(Freund) is in part-time
general practice in California and wrote recently fondly about Sydney
connections.
Virginia Noel who has trodden many paths over the years is
currently involved in methadone prescribing like me.
Fiona Stewart can be seen at all the opera openings, still
teaching anatomy at the Anderson Stuart Building (scene of some original
crimes).
Leah Port sounded in good form when I spoke to her
briefly on the phone recently.
I saw Agnes Kainer
Geyer and her husband at a concert and we share emails from time to time.
Clive Lovell has moved from general practice to aviation
medicine and may be the last doctor to practice in Macquarie Street. I
often see him walking to work near the (new) Coke sign in Kings Cross.
I saw Bernie
Haylen and his wife at a restaurant in Bowral recently ... I made the
mistake of saying to my dinner guests: "Oh, I have just noticed my
gynaecologist is sitting over there!" We had a brief chat about
country visits, colleagues and happy days generally.
Chris Allen has retired from long-time general practice in
Kincumber, NSW where he looked after some of my methadone refugees for many
years ('shared care', folks!).
Last I spoke, Zelko
Mustac was considering a move to Sydney from Perth where he was proposing
to retire from his long-time psychiatry practice.
Please send your own
info and I will happily add screeds, corrections or photos to the mix when time
allows. Also happy to pass on any contacts you may need.
Check out old and new
things on our year web blog: 1978
Sydney University Medical Graduates social pages: http://1971syduni.blogspot.com.au/
Our original year book: http://sydneyuniversitymedicalgraduates1978.blogspot.com.au/
My own blog: http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com/
Best wishes to all
from Bowral Tulip Festival weekend ... Andrew Byrne ..
