A Request that Begs for a Response

A hurricane had hit the West Indies, and a bricklayer was sent to repair the damage. He wrote to the home office as follows: 

Respected Sirs:
When I got to the building I found that the hurricane had knocked some bricks off the top. So I rigged up a beam with a pulley at the top of the building and hoisted up a couple of barrels full of bricks. When I had fixed the building, there was a lot of bricks left over. I hoisted the barrel back up again and secured the line at the bottom, and then went up and filled the barrel with the extra bricks. Then I went to the bottom and cast off the line. Unfortunately the barrel of bricks was heavier than I was, and before I knew what was happening the barrel started down, jerking me off the ground. I decided to hang on, and halfway up I met the barrel coming down and received a severe blow on the shoulder. I then continued to the top, banging my head against the beam and getting my finger jammed in the pulley. When the barrel hit the ground it bursted its bottom, allowing all the bricks to spill out. I was now heavier than the barrel and so started down again at high speed. Halfway down, I met the barrel coming up and received severe injuries to my shins. When I hit the ground I landed on the bricks, getting several painful cuts from the sharp edges. At this point I must have lost my presence of mind because I let go of the line. The barrel then came down, giving me another heavy blow on the head and putting me in the hospital. I respectfully request sick leave.
 
(Apparently first reprinted in the Manchester, England Guardian and later in the Salt Lake City, Utah  Deseret News)
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

If the incident happened in our time, and the home office was sympathetic to the poor man’s request, and the hospital prescribed medication for man’s woes he might have read the following—which is copied directly from a drug information sheet for a common medication (doxycycline) prescribed for a sty in my wife’s eyelid: 

Very common (10% or more): Headache (up to 26%)
Frequency not reported: Sinus headache, dizziness, drowsiness, amnesia, paresthesias of body areas exposed to sunlight, phrenic nerve paralysis after sclerotherapy
Postmarketing reports: Pseudotumor cerebri (benign intracranial hypertension), headache

Frequency not reported: Bulging fontanels in infants, benign intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) in adults

Benign intracranial hypertension resulting in significant loss of vision has been reported.

A 70-year-old female patient with no significant medical history suddenly developed a severe headache followed by vomiting about 15 minutes after the initial dose of doxycycline. The patient also experienced memory dysfunction; she could not remember the events of the afternoon prior to the doxycycline dose and could not retain the information after she was reminded. The incident lasted about 30 minutes and she was transported to the hospital for further evaluation. No further cause, such as intoxication or trauma, could be elicited. Once at the hospital, the patient was able to remember the events of the afternoon and could retain new information, but amnesia regarding the events of the 30 minutes following the onset of the headache persisted. The patient's laboratory results, CT scan, MRI scan, cerebrospinal fluid, and EEG showed no pathology. When the patient was discharged 2 days later, the amnesia for the 30 minutes continued. After elimination of other symptomatic causes, the amnesia was concluded to be due to the doxycycline because of the close relation of the doxycycline dose and the onset of symptoms.

Gastrointestinal

Very common (10% or more): Nausea (up to 13.4%)

Common (1% to 10%): Vomiting (8.1%), toothache (7%), tooth disorder (6%), dyspepsia (6%), diarrhea (up to 6%), periodontal abscess (4%), acid indigestion (4%), upper abdominal pain (2%), abdominal distention (1%), abdominal pain (1%), stomach discomfort (1%), dry mouth (1%)

Frequency not reported: Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea, esophageal irritation, ulceration, epigastric burning, black hairy tongue: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, glossitis, dysphagia, enterocolitis, inflammatory lesions (with monilial overgrowth) in the anogenital region, esophagitis, esophageal ulcerations

Numerous cases of esophageal ulceration have been reported. In most of the cases the patients had taken their medication at bedtime, usually without enough liquid. Patients often present with severe retrosternal pain and difficulty swallowing. Ulcerations generally resolve within a week after discontinuation of the medication. One case report describes severe hiccups of 4-day duration associated with esophagitis following the first dose of doxycycline.Esophagitis

Other

Very common (10% or more): Common cold (22%), influenza symptoms (11%)
Common (1% to 10%): Injury (5%), pain (up to 4%), back pain (up to 3%), back ache (2%), infection (2%), fungal infection (2%), influenza (2%)
Frequency not reported: Possible overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms (superinfection)

Microscopic brown-black discoloration of the thyroid gland

Musculoskeletal

Common (1% to 10%): Joint pain (6%), muscle pain (1%)

Respiratory

Common (1% to 10%): Nasopharyngitis (5%), sore throat (5%), sinus congestion (5%), coughing (4%), sinus headache (up to 4%), sinusitis (3%), bronchitis (3%), nasal congestion (2%), pharyngolaryngeal pain (1%)

Dermatologic

Common (1% to 10%): Rash (4%)
Frequency not reported: Nail discoloration, phototoxicity, photoallergic reaction, photo-onycholysis, photosensitivity, maculopapular and erythematous rashes, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, exfoliative dermatitis, hyperpigmentation Paresthesias of the body areas exposed to sunlight may be early signs of sunburn reactions. Photoallergic reaction describes scaly erythema and vesicles on the face and neck associated with doxycycline administration. Upon rechallenge, a flare with erythema, itching and burning occurred in the same area.

Genitourinary

Common (1% to 10%): Menstrual cramp (4%), bacterial vaginitis (3.3%), vulvovaginal mycotic infection (2%)
Frequency not reported: Vaginal itch,vaginal candidiasis

Cardiovascular

Common (1% to 10%): Hypertension (3%), increased blood pressure (2%)

Hepatic

Common (1% to 10%): Increased aspartate aminotransferase (2%)
Frequency not reported: Acute hepatocellular injury, cholestatic reactions, hepatotoxicity

Metabolic

Common (1% to 10%): Increased blood lactate dehydrogenase (2%), increased blood glucose (1%)
Frequency not reported: Hypoglycemia, anorexia

Psychiatric

Common (1% to 10%): Anxiety (2%)

Hypersensitivity

Frequency not reported: Hypersensitivity reactions (including urticaria, angioneurotic edema, anaphylaxis, anaphylactoid purpura, serum sickness, pericarditis, exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus, drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms [DRESS])

Hematologic

Hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, eosinophilia

Ocular

Frequency not reported: Diplopia, papilledema, loss of vision (associated with doxycycline-induced benign intracranial hypertension)

Renal

Frequency not reported: Dose-related rise in BUN

Immunologic

Frequency not reported: Autoimmune syndromes

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

I think if I had the mandatory choice of suffering the brick bucket incident or taking doxycycline I would take the former and rejoice that I was so lucky.

Pushing

My current retirement job is as a golf course marshal at a resort.  A big part of my responsibility is to keep people on pace as they move around the course.  To do that I have to constantly keep pushing. 

 

The problem is entropy—the second law of thermodynamics—the tendency for a moving body to slow down or order to come to disorder. 

 

Knowing this common human tendency,  and knowing that the very beautiful piece of real estate with its stunning vistas and abundant wildlife  will be a distraction for the players, it is a proactive part of my job to remind people before they start, or early in their round, that the pace-of-play expectations will be enforced and why they are necessary.

The reason, of course, is that one slow person or group will slow down everyone behind them.  And when that happens, you have not only the one unhappy slow person who is being pushed, but the many unhappy people behind who are being inconvenienced as their expectations are being compromised or thwarted.  People have other plans during their day besides golf—luncheon or dinner appointments, airplanes to catch, etc. Most golfers love to be out on the golf course, but serious golfers don't appreciate 5- 5 1/2 hour rounds.

It was often the same in my career as a school teacher.  How often a teacher finds himself pushing students to make it to class before the bell rings and they are tardy. Or pushing to make assignment deadlines. Pushing—or being pushed—wears people out and nobody enjoys being on either end of it. 

Leading, of course, is always preferable pushing people.  But some people won’t be led. 

The antidote?  Simple courtesy is a good beginning point.  People need to think beyond themselves and always remember that they are not the only fish in the pond.  

One can extrapolate from either golf or school to the larger lessons in life:

 

·        Stay focused at the task at hand—especially if other people are involved, and always consider the effect of what you do will have on others.

·        Get qualified before you attempt a challenge that is beyond your abilities.  It has been said that ‘If you can’t run with the big dogs stay on the porch.’ I say, better yet, practice running on your own or with help from others until you can get ‘up to speed’ and then push yourself to maintain the pace. 

·        If you find yourself in the role of an ‘enforcer’—a parent, a teacher, a golf course marshal, a referee, etc., try first to lead by example, persuasion, proactive encouragement and clear instructions.  If these approaches are less than effective, have your expectations in writing so that if enforcement is necessary you have an objective set of rules that you can refer to that will support your expectations. 

The less you have to push, the less stress you will have in your life.  The less you have to be pushed, the less resentment you will have to deal with.  If persuasion does not ‘take,’ though, push yourself if you still choose to stay in the game. 


‘Push-back’ may be the topic for another essay some time. 

THINK !

I once saw this word painted in big black block letters on the front wall of a classroom.  I never forgot it. 

Associated with thinking are a few common action words that, if used, could prevent a multitude of problems for people

Think.  Stop.  Pause.   Anticipate.  Plan.  Project.  Remember. Pray.  Visualize. 

Among the people who could greatly benefit by pausing to think first are they:

·        whose impetuosity or impulsiveness  gets them into trouble (who act first and regret later)

·        who act or speak before thinking

·        who habitually lose things

·        who do not calculate costs or underestimate costs in terms of money, effort or time

·        who do not consider the ramifications of how their actions/inaction will impact others

·         who overestimate their abilities or underestimate their inexperience

·         who do not allow for others’ actions

·         who do not consider associated ‘worst-case scenarios’ before acting

·         who do not allow for a safety margin, a cushion, a buffer

Conversely, a thinking person asks herself/himself:

·        Will my action help others?  Hurt others? Help myself? Hurt myself?

·        Do I really want to do this?  Why?

·        Is now the right time?

·        Can I afford this if something goes wrong?

·        Is this the best approach?  Have I considered other approaches?

·        Will my action(s) please the most important person in my life?

·        If I do/don’t do this what is likely to happen?

·        Is this a waste of my time/money/resources/strength/or image or reputation?

·        Is the hoped-for gain worth the cost?

·        Does this contribute or detract from my long-term goals?

A past President of the United States in an interview I heard said that having uninterrupted  time to think would have been something he would have most valued during his presidency.  I submit that most of us have a little more discretionary time than the president, but do we use it to think through probable outcomes before acting?  Maybe we should. 

“Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.”  (Doctrine and Covenants 9:7)