Book: Unaccountable - What Hospitals Won't Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care

<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538861-unaccountable" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won't Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344317040m/13538861.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538861-unaccountable">Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won't Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5786795.Marty_Makary">Marty Makary</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/590250404">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />

Everyone in America should read this book to be informed about our medical care in the United States. It is written by a doctor who wants "regular" people to understand the risks and benefits of their health care. Dr. Marty Makary wants us to know that we have a right to take charge of our health and all decisions involved in it. It is not shocking to read that many procedures done are driven strictly by the increase in profit and not because of the necessity to a patient's health. It is downright scary!

It took courage for Dr. Makary to write a book like this about his field in medicine and the many problems within it: thousands of incompetent doctors , the secrecy behind pushing dangerous and unnecessary treatments and surgeries solely to increase profit margin, kickbacks doctors receive for using chemotherapy despite scientific fact of its toxicity to humans, performing organ transplants instead of just partially removing a tumor because then the patient needs to be on lifetime meds and complications, the "never should happen" events such as wrong limbs amputated or foreign objects being left inside surgery patients, and the list could go on and on. I am so glad I read this book! Yes, I am grateful for the advances in technology and medicine. But it is good to be informed because that is how we can make intelligent choices.

Kudos to Dr. Marty Makary for taking the initiative to do and say what needs to happen! He is truly a model of leadership education.

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Standardized Tests

I loved reading the book Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire by Rafe Esquith. One of my favorite quotes is found on page 73. Teacher Rafe Esquith says, "The testing obsession that has swept our nation's schools is detrimental to helping children reach their potential as students AND [my own personal emphasis!] human beings!!..Despite the fact that standardized testing was conceived to help our children succeed, in practice, it has only contributed to their failure."

My own recollections of standardized testing known as the CAT, or California Achievement Test, are laughable. Every year, my scores improved by leaps and bounds. And the reason it did was that we received the identical test all four years. I would remember the questions which I knew I answered wrong and I would look up the correct answers so next year it would be right. That was my coping mechanism for the standardized testing madness. By my senior year, I tested in each area at 12.9 +. I was the model student and my high school loved having me there. By my unconventional method of test results improvement, I felt that I had beat the system, a system I was so against. But did I feel any smarter? Absolutely not!

Now that I am an adult, I am appreciative of the life-long learning which I have continued to pursue. No one has coerced me. I simply enjoy it. I feel I have obtained a liberal arts education. No formal degree required.

I ran across the following link to an article I found very interesting.

http://www.maa.org/saum/articles/wiggins_appendix.html

May we break loose of the shackles of our past schooling and liberate ourselves with life-long learning!

Leo Lionni's Fish is Fish and the liberal arts education

I love books by Leo Lionni!  He is a great children's author and illustrator.  One of my favorites is called Fish is Fish.  The story is about two best friends, one a tadpole and the other a minnow.  Then, as is normal for all tadpoles, he starts to grow appendages - legs, arms - and then he reaches his physical potential, a frog.  Frog can no longer stay under the water with his best friend Fish.  He leaves the pond to explore the world.  Frog is gone a long time.  But eventually he returns to the pond where Fish and Frog spent their childhood together.

Frog relates all of his extraordinary experiences to Fish.  But with the limited experience Fish has in his limited pond world, all his brain can picture as Frog is relating all the different animals and people he has encountered are creatures with scales and fins.  Fish wanting to see the world for himself jumps out of the water and onto land and soon realizes he cannot breath.  Frog hears Fish yelling for help, hurries to the rescue, and pushes Fish back into the pond.  And Fish concludes, "Fish is fish."

We need more Frogs in this world through liberal education, or in other words, students who have broad knowledge and skills.  Prior the the 20th century, the majority of students received a liberal arts education.  This type of education ensures not only a free human being but also a society founded on freedom.  This happens because instead of specialization and regurgitation of meaningless facts and standardized testing, students learn a wide range of subjects. They are able to think for themselves as they go to the original sources to learn and to experiment and most importantly to experience!  Physics, logic, mathematics, literature, biology, history, foreign languages (especially Latin, Greek, and Hebrew), physical fitness such as dance, music, and anything else that can be conjured up to study come alive through a liberal arts education! Students have greater confidence in themselves and gain a sense of adventure as liberal arts learning weaves each "subject" into a holistic wholeness instead of unrelated compartments.  The door of the world of opportunity is opened wide.

I feel empathy toward Fish who is limited in his little world.  But of course, with him, it is not a choice.  He has his physical limitations and will literally die by defying it.  For the rest of us, we most likely do not have limitations. So what is stopping you? Go get that education you deserve and the world needs!

To  get started, you can read from The Great Books, or start with Shakespeare's works (wonderful for insight on human nature!), or order a dissection kit from a science supply store, or do math problems that are challenging.  Need more ideas? Do an internet search on obtaining a  liberal arts education. And most of all, have fun!!! I know I am!

Grow up to be Frog NOT Fish.

Hogwash, is it?

Definition of hogwash: 1. nonsense; 2. meaningless or insincere talk.

Why would I start out this post with that word and define it, especially since it has been months since the last time I have written? It is to say that when you use the power of visualization and affirmations, good things come to pass. They happen!

And so much has happened since my last writing! I really did not start off with the intention of neglecting Model of Leadership Education...really. But I have so many "hats" that I wear that it is getting hard to keep up with everything.

So what is this "hogwash" I speak of??? It definitely is NOT nonsense! A leader simply leads, wouldn't you agree? I have been leading. My life is full of leadership activity. And much I owe to the non-hogwash activity in my life.

Approximately one year ago, I had a horrible asthma attack. It was my first major one in about 10 years. And since I did not have any medication available, I went to Urgent Care to see the doctor and get a prescription. Little did I know how that visit would change my life. The doctor on staff told me that according to my blood tests a year ago, I was diabetic. She went on to explain what medications I would need to take. I declined the medications respectfully saying most prescription drugs do more harm than good in the long run. I also said, "I got my body into this mess. I will get it out of this mess the right way." The doctor lowered her voice as if not wanting to be heard by others and said to me, "I don't like prescribing medications either."

I started eating nutritionally sound and following the food plan found in the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. This book was referred to me by a friend that had lost 45 pounds in 5 months and she looked and felt great! When I went back to the doctor three weeks later for results to follow-up tests, I had lost 9 pounds and ALL tests were normal (blood sugar levels, cholesterol,etc). My regular doctor said I was a super healthy 46 year old woman and wished more people would take charge of their own health.

Since that time, I have been hired to do public relations for the gym where I rock climb. I go to health fairs throughout the surrounding communities talking to people about the importance of exercise and of course, promoting the gym. I have spoken at a leadership conference about the importance of taking charge of our own health. And I started teaching yoga classes. I have competed in my first two triathlons, ran various 5Ks, and ran my first half marathon (13.1 miles). I do Cross Fit, Insanity, Tap Out, Zumba fitness dance, Kickboxing, hiked 12 miles on the TransCatalina trail, and of course, my passion -- rock climbing.

My many other "hats" include being on the Arlanza Community Garden Council, teaching American Sign Language and Art to 5 - 8 year olds, mentoring 13 - 15 year old young men scholars to be leaders and entrepreneurs, involved in an adult book colloquium to enhance my own leadership skills, and interpret for Deaf community members. Family life is good. My personal life is full and happy.

In my journal, I have pasted pictures of things I want to do and how I want to be. I have written my own mantras or affirmations on my life's philosophy. Affirmations and visualization works. I have transformed into someone I never imagined. And all because of an asthma attack. Hogwash, you say? I think not!

A truly educated man...by Ezra Taft Benson

One of my heroes - Ezra Taft Benson - because his insight on human nature and surroundings came from his reading of the classics including an extensive knowledge of our US Constitution and other founding documents:

Ezra Taft Benson was born on August 4, 1899 on a farm in Whitney, Idaho and was the oldest of 11 children.

In 1953, he was appointed as the United States Secretary of Agriculture by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  Mr. Benson  openly opposed government price supports and aid to farmers calling that a form of socialism.

Some of his published works include An Enemy Hath Done This, The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner, and The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson.  He also wrote a pamphlet called "The Proper Role of Government" and can be read here:  http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html.

The following quote comes from his book The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson (page 304):  "With the abundance of books available, it is the mark of a truly educated man to know what not to read.  Do not make your mind a dumping ground for other people's garbage.  It is harder to purge the mind of rotten reading than to purge the body of rotten food, and it is more damaging to the soul."

I love this quote because it is true.  Our choice of reading material has an influence on us for good or not so good. By choosing to read from the classics, we are on the path to become educated people.

In the book A Thomas Jefferson Education (on pages 62 - 66), the author Oliver DeMille lists six reasons to study the classics.

1.  The classics teach us human nature.
2.  The classics bring us face-to-face with greatness.
3.  The classics take us to the frontier to be conquered (the frontier within).
4.  The classics force us to think.
5.  The classics connect us to stories.
6.  Our canon becomes our plot.

We can have a positive impact on others by establishing a habit of reading from classics because they change us for the better! Read on!

The great teacher .....

The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires!

I am looking forward to being inspired tomorrow (Saturday, March 3rd, 2012) at the Thomas Jefferson Education Forum in Rancho Cucamonga. www.fatjef.com

I remember the teachers who helped inspire me when I was in school. Do your remember yours? It's up to us to pay it forward and be an inspiration to others around us.

Busy, busy, busy! But I'm being mentored by a true leader!

I have been so busy helping with the Thomas Jefferson Education Forum in Rancho Cucamonga on March 3, 2012 that I have not posted anything in a while. But it has been a learning experience for me and I am grateful to say that I am being mentored through example from a true leader. The founder of the FATJEF (www.fatjef.com)  is Deena Ortiz. This will be the fifth annual one held for the Inland Empire and surrounding areas. She asked me to help her coordinate and confirm speakers, take care of any requests they may need, make sure bios and session descriptions are up-to-date, etc.

And since I am privy to the behind-the-scenes details of making sure this forum is a go, I also know that the state of the economy has affected the number of people registered for this event to be lower than other years while the rent of venue has increased.  So when I found this out, I sincerely asked Deena, "What do you want to do? Will this leadership conference still go on even if you lose money? How much money are you willing to lose?" Her response was an inspiration to me, something only someone who has invested in a leadership education would respond. She said that even if she had to lose out on the few thousand dollars it would take to allow it to take place, she (and of course, with her husband's support) knew that this leadership forum has such an important message, even crucial to the sustaining of liberty for our country, that it MUST happen! I know the family is not abounding in money, but they do budget for philanthropy every year. This would just come out of that budget - simple as that.

Now that is a leader; she is truly displaying virtue - doing what is best for the whole with no regard to what would be best for self.


And here is what Thomas Jefferson said about the importance of continuing education of the people and why it is crucial. Our present state of liberty is diminishing and we need to act.

Convinced that the people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, and that they are not safe
unless enlightened to a certain degree, I have looked on our present state of liberty as a short-lived
possession unless the mass of the people could be informed to a certain degree.
--Thomas Jefferson to Littleton Waller Tazewell, 1805

And that is why the forum must go on! I hope (really) that some of you will attend. People are donating their time and resources to bring you information that can cause a positive transformation in your life and in the lives of those around you. Most are not receiving one single penny except what they might sell in the vendor hall (more examples of leaders in action).

And for that I am truly grateful for my mentor, and she probably does not even know it...but I do. And that makes all the difference in my life.