I come from a long line of optometrists. My Uncle Buddy and his dad, my grandfather, practiced together for a while and his daughter and I were classmates at SCO. I am a fourth generation optometrist and somebody said that there were 22 of us in the family. I am an optometrist because my grandfather made me feel the joy he felt as he dispensed a pair of glasses and “watched her face light up as she saw things that she had never seen before.” But really we all come from an optometry family. We all benefit from the chances taken and the battles fought by those who came before. Whether it is being called “doctor” or treating glaucoma, we owe it all to someone who took a chance on our behalf. I am thankful for them all.
I am thankful for those who continue to go up against “Goliath” for our profession. Some are fighting on Capitol Hill both in Washington and on the state levels. We have people who are working hard with the bureaucracies of insurance companies too. There are others who continue to work to improve our standing within the medical community. It is an on-going effort and I know many people who do far more than their fair share and I benefit. Thank you.
I am thankful that I am finding my way to contribute to the profession and how you are allowing me to do that. Bureaucracies and politics, it turns out, aren’t my thing. I like a good fight as much as the next guy, but my passion is helping the dial spinners, one at a time, who are just having a tough time figuring out what to do next. Those doctors who take such great care of their patients, but may be having trouble making ends meet at the end of the month. I love watching a young doctor’s face light up and she sees her practice and staff from a perspective that she’s never seen before. And helping them all figure out how they can give back to our profession.
I am thankful to all the doctors and students who come to me after a presentation and say, “I really liked your message and think it is just what I need at my office because this is my problem…..” And I particularly like hearing that you tried something I suggested and it actually worked. Especially when it meant you took a step that was bigger than you thought you could handle.
I am thankful for those who invested time and money in the development of the BluePrint™ when it was just a collection of ideas on a legal pad. Your trust in me to create a tool to make a difference in practices is a gift I will always cherish. I am thankful for the developers of the program who convert drawings and abstract notions into something that actually works. I am thankful to those of you who are ready for whatever is next.
I am thankful for my team at WGEC and the patients that trust us to care for their vision. I do push and I do want more and I know that I am relentless in making our practice all it can be. And many times, I throw out an unrealistic challenge and move on to another project before we see it through. But we always accept the challenge and consistently work to become a better practice. We sometimes lose our way, but never for long. I am indebted to you for continually striving for the best for our patients. We are West Georgia Eye Care!
I am thankful for my health and my friends. I take both for granted far too often and sometimes need a knock in the head to realize how precious both are.
And I am thankful for my family. My wife, Christy and our two wonderful kids, Caroline and Samuel, are everything to me. We are a family committed to laughter, togetherness and love for each other. Too often I let the things that matter the most slip away because of what I have let sneak up on me. I have made so many mistakes and taken so many chances and every time I am encouraged to jump again. I know that I have been blessed with a family that loves me no matter what. Who could ask for more than that?
And I am thankful for you, the readers of this newsletter. I know how busy you are and it means a lot to me that you take the time to read these messages from me. I hope you will click here and share with me what you are thankful for today.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Mike Rothschild, Leadership OD