Dear Colleagues,
With so much of gravitas a-happening currently this
is small talk indeed - but it is nice to know that our year is still
contributing in many ways in the effort against Covid-19. I trust that year members are coping with the
difficulties and will let others know if there are ways others might be able to
help … or at least just know what old mates are up to and dealing with,
families, health, practice and other issues.
I will post any replies to our blog as desired. Photos also welcome.
Peter Collignon is quoted in the New York Times
which in late April finally wrote a short piece about Australia’s apparent
success in comparison to USA in combating the epidemic. Peter has also been interviewed locally on
numerous other aspects of the lock-down and its gradual lifting depending on
outcomes. Australia has had both good
luck and good management. Many other
countries have had neither.
Annabelle Farnsworth is busy managing DHM pathology
in the covid19 era, the largest provider of Corona virus testing in the
state. She is sceptical of much
‘science’ coming out of America and she predicted the fire-storm now unfolding
there. Annabelle and Robert’s two sons
are in New York and London, so it cannot be easy.
Ian Cook has been involved, like many of us, in
clinical preparations for the impending Covid crisis.
Michael Freelander gave a marvellous speech to
parliament on 23 March about tolerance in the age of Covid-19. He pointed out that young people who want to
go out and have a good time should be understood and sympathised with (their
risk is low). Likewise people who are
hoarding food, etc. Education and
reassurance are crucial. He also has
brief but poignant messages on Facebook about the meaning of May Day and a
Ramadan greeting to his Muslim constituents in the Macarthur electorate. As one of the few doctors in federal
parliament he is now advising on the Covid App for contact tracing, a new-age
tool against the epidemic.
Bill Brooks continues his Alzheimer’s research,
largely from home. He is probably also
listening to the free opera streaming from MetOpera in New York – a new opera
every day during the lock-down!
Agnes Kainer Geyer tells me that she has
re-registered herself after formally retiring.
She may become involved again in Telehealth, something she has enthused
me about in dependency medicine.
However, it is not as easy as opening a Skype screen and there are many
pitfalls.
My Potts Point neighbour Mary Dwyer has retired from
clinical practice and is concentrating on her duties as board member at St
Vincent’s College as they deal with learning in the time of plague.
John de Launey has written about hospital
dermatology services being scaled back and resources moved to acute medicine,
giving him a bit more free time. See
photo below on their visit to Bowral last spring.
Miriam Van Rooijen and Jeff Peretz are still working
in paediatric radiology at Prince of Wales Hospital.
I spoke to Eddie Howe who is still in general
practice and coping with the new world order.
He is listening to opera through much better speakers than mine.
Steve Jurd is coping with a full hand of issues in
Sydney, including family matters, teaching, College, etc. He is also involved with a new residential
treatment venture The Sydney Retreat: https://www.thesydneyretreat.org.au/
Clive Lovell’s work in aviation medicine has
contracted but he still does some general practice and might be one of the last
doctors in Macquarie Street.
I see Fiona Stewart at opera openings in Sydney
including the final outing before the lock down on 12th March. Fiona is a delight but is just a bit
reluctant to socialise.
I have been in touch with Ian and Judy Stokes who
have been dealing with many issues beyond the normal … family, practice,
teaching and more. Jim and Margie Markos
came to their rescue when things came a little “unstuck“ during a recent
caravanning holiday in Tasmania (see below).
I understand Bernie Haylen is still in busy practice
but that Anne Pike has retired.
Di Phillpot is still working three days in general
practice plus nursing home visits. She
is part of a group of year members which includes Romany and Russell
White.
Even after his major vascular issue Allan Glanville
is a member of National Covid19 Clinical evidence taskforce – with weekly
updates for clinical purposes. Allan represents the Thoracic Society of
A&NZ as their past president. Ann
Glanville has left medical practice and is now busy with the farm at Bathurst
amongst other things.
Andrew Byrne continues Wed-Sat each week at the
clinic in Redfern with the rest of the week in Bowral where autumn colours
dominate currently. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
seems a long way in the past (17 years and counting). As a fellow traveller with the faithful he
has heard hundreds of sermons in each of Christian, Muslim and Jewish houses of
worship, despite being staunchly secular personally. The faithful would need to question why the
deity has chosen to visit this plague upon the world, just as happened in
Biblical times (all three religions revere the Torah or ‘Tawrat’). Even we secular folk need to carefully
reassess the direction the world is going regarding global warming, pollution,
poverty and planetary survival. End of
sermon.
Please take best regards from me and trusting that
everyone can garner the strength needed for current contingencies.
http://1971syduni.blogspot.com/
(see my review of prescient “Deadly Invaders” New York Times book by Denise
Grady from 2006 predicting just what has happened with Covid 19).
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