Has There Been a Pathologist in YOUR Life?

There are about 21,000 pathologists in the USA. That’s not a lot. And we are a pretty quiet bunch, even though some of us blog, a few of us tweet, and a handful probably Tik Tok and Instagram. Quincy M.E. may have been our show but that ended close to 40 years ago, Jack Klugman himself met his maker early in the last decade.

Yet pathologists matter! We make the diagnoses on the biopsies that influence your treatment. We ensure quality in the numbers that tell how well your diabetes medication is working. We make sure your Covid-19 test is as accurate as current science can provide. We study the genetics of your tumor to predict its aggressiveness or the likelihood of passing it to your children. And we can be the final arbiter of how and why a loved one died.

Whether by nature or whether by circumstances, we are mostly behind the scenes. Unlike your heart surgeon, your internist, or even your urologist, you rarely get to choose your own pathologist. And even less often do you rave about us to your neighbors. “You need a CBC? Your really should get it done at Midtown Clinic–that Dr. Greene is a great pathologist.”

But are there some of you who have known of a pathologist and of the role they played in your healthcare? Maybe it was at a tumor board you attended. Maybe you went out of your way to review your slides with the doctor who read them. Maybe you called with a question about your Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test.

If any of the above pertains to you, I’d like to know about it. Leave a comment, or drop me a line at les.raff@post.com. Let me know about any pathologists who stood out, who gave you knowledge, who made you feel cared for.

Please share, retweet, or forward this post, especially to those you know who have had an interaction with the healthcare system. I’d like to collect your stories for a future blog, or maybe more.

In the meantime, be well!

The opinions expressed above are those of the author and not UroPartners, LLC.

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Abt Expands–Will My Wallet Contract?

Abt has filled people homes for decades.

The Tribune is reporting that Abt Electronics in Glenview is doubling the size of its warehouse. That means I can relax.

I never know when Barb and I are going to need something from the monster electronics and home appliance store. It is our go-to, and believe me, we have gone there.

When we had a townhouse in Niles, Abt had a store in Niles. When we built a home in Arlington Heights, Abt was in nearby Morton Grove. And through our builds in Long Grove and Riverwoods, the massive Abt showroom in Glenview has been our frequent destination.

We don’t bother to shop around. We trust that we will get a good price, maybe the best price. So of course, all the original appliances for our first houses came from Abt. Redoing our kitchen in Long Grove? Yup, Abt once again. Building a new house less than two years after that kitchen makeover (OK, that was MY fault)–well of course we were going to Abt.

And it’s not just the kitchen stuff. Our new mattress is an Abt’er as well. Every TV in the house (and there are more than you can count on one hand) is Abt purchased and installed. And when the Sony sets stopped working with our Comcast cable system, Abt was there with Mitsubishi replacements.

In the height of the pandemic last spring, when Barb was cooking, cooking, cooking, we ran out of space in our kitchen fridge. and decided a garage refrigerator would be a good solution. We, along with about 1500 other Sunday shoppers, masks over mouths (and some noses) braved the Abt showroom. It remains as the biggest crowd we have been in over the last 15 months. We weren’t totally comfortable, but we got our new fridge, and at a good price too.

We have instilled Abt loyalty in the whole family. The store did a great job heating our son’s screened-in porch last fall. That has kept us warm through quite a few “outdoor” celebrations.

So Abt family, thank you for expanding that warehouse. You never know when Barb and I will think of a new project (NOT a new house.) And we wouldn’t want you to be out of stock on any whiz-bang gadget we might need!

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Should I Try To Win Tickets to a Genesis Concert?

The DJ’s on WXRT are super-excited. The station is giving away tickets to see Genesis perform at the United Center in November. Call In To Win!

Should I make that call? So many thoughts come to mind, so many questions.

First, as I have said before, I am not particularly lucky in contests–though I used to do OK on Lin Brehmer’s 3 for Free back in the day, back when Lin still hosted early mornings on ‘XRT. But there were no prizes for winning, and 3FF was broadcast at 6:30 in the morning–not a heck of a lot of competition.

Next, will I be ready to go to an indoor concert at the United Center in November? Like everyone, I am entertainment starved. And public health officials say we are getting to an inflection point in the pandemic. Barb and I are both well-vaccinated, and we wouldn’t turn down a booster if it was necessary.

So yes, we are edging toward losing our inhibition about indoor recreation. I am back working out at my (nearly deserted) fitness center. We are noticing that Broadway is going to be opening back up in September, though we will be holding off on a New York City trip until the Neil Diamond jukebox musical opens in 2022 (tickets to opening night would be appreciated.)

And we do have tickets for a couple of indoor things–the Van Gogh exhibit on Father’s Day and Six on our anniversary. But none of that is like going into the cavernous barn that is the United Center. The contest is for admission to a “luxury suite,” but I still would anticipate lots of crowds in the walkways and on the stairways. Will I be ready in November to rub elbows with the hoi polloi?

Lastly, there is the band itself. How much do I care about Genesis? I have a personal rule, I would never go to a concert if I can’t name at least 10 songs by the band. I have no trouble doing that for Genesis–but could Barb do the same? That is a lot less likely. Plus, Barb likes her concerts at the United Center more mellow–she still complains about being dragged to see Bruce Springsteen there. Besides, who would babysit Cooper?

So all you Genesis fans out there–don’t mind me. I won’t compete for those tickets. Though if Phil and Mike and Tony want to play a set in my backyard, that’s cool–I am sure we can get the Home Owners Association’s permission for a great night out on the lawn.

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