Thursday, 21 April 2022

Message from Hal Rikard-Bell

 Hi Andrew,

This is a Hal Rikard-Bell update.

Thank you, super job keeping us all in contact.

 

We have sold our  practice in Bathurst, after 25 years, a clinic of 5 old partners, 3 associates, 2-3 revolving registrars. A great team staying on and taking over, including Joss, my daughter.

 Retirement looms, although still registrable until the end of the 2025 triennium. Maybe  locums like the Katherine NT. stint last year. [Carmen, Opera Australia, came on tour and performed in the open air school shed.]

15 years in West Wyalong before that, Rural Doctors Association, 100 or so registrars in that time on their way to a FRACGP or FACRRM, a multitude of students, Flynn scholars, plus teaching for Sydney Uni Orange campus.

Before that, a few years at RNS, a stint in Lismore, and a stint in Papua Niugini.

OMG !   So does that make that 44 years already?

Any way : best book: in the last few years “Girt” or ‘‘10% human’’

                Best holiday : 2 weeks in a 5 man whaler wooden boat rowing down the Colorado river.

                                       Or CMH heliskiing in Galena Canada.

                                        Or 2 weeks walking from cape Ruthiere’s to King George falls WA.

                                        Cycling Shikoku was pretty good too.

              Best wine:  Rikard 2015 Orange Pinot Noir, or his 2013 Chardonnay. Ask Jim Wall for confirmation, Mark Henschke had some too.

              Best Race horse: Swilken Bridge, by Spirit of Boom. Because he’s a 2yr old and unraced. Bernie Hudson might say we’re still in the ‘I wish and dream and hope stage. ‘

               Best scientific advance in my time : heat stable polymerase giving us PCR etc

                Greatest Joys :  3 children, 6 grandchildren  and their life’s journeys.

So….

Still cycling (as long as Megan waits for me at the top of the hills), still squash, skiing, tennis, bridge, some chess, and a terrible golf handicap,

Improvements planned: up-grade my poor Spanish, learn more about Persian and tribal hand made rugs, help in the winery/vineyard, advocacy for Rural GP’s, convince my local member that we want ‘better not bigger’ ie stabilise population …

 Yes, retirement looks scary.

Regards,

Hal Rikard-Bell   

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