Mark Stoller and his wife, Andra, moved to Falcon with their family in 2007. Both are U.S. Air Force veterans and enjoy life with their daughters, extended family and adopted rescue dogs in Latigo. Mark is fortunate to have his wife and daughters as his muse for topics, people to meet and places to investigate.
March Madness
By Mark Stoller
Already we’re closing out the first quarter of the year. There’s so much going on, too.
If you’re a basketball fan, March Madness is right around the corner. Get your matchups analyzed and bets in for the tournament.
Daylight Saving Time begins again on the 10th and then followed by St Patty’s Day on the 17th.
You’ve heard the quote, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Those words were offered by Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 4, 1933, during his inaugural speech. It was the time of the Great Depression, stock market crash and an overall decline in American wealth, employment and industry.
We’re seeing similar issues today in America about the border, our international worth/standing and the muckraking politics of the upcoming election. Take heed of Roosevelt’s words and stand strong against the news cycles, specifically created to stoke fear in us all.
Sorry, I went on a little bit of a tangent there. Now where was I?
The middle of this month is attributed to the famous quote, “Beware the Ides of March.” I seem to remember the quote is attributed to William Shakespeare as he detailed the betrayal/assassination of Caesar by Brutus in 44 BCE.
But truly, what is an Ide? I’ve always heard of it but never knew what one was — until now. History.com tells us, “Ides simply referred to the first full moon of a given month, which usually fell between the 13th and 15th. In fact, the Ides of March once signified the new year, which meant celebrations and rejoicing.”
It’s not nearly as ominous when you look at it as the old Roman way of marking time. From an emergency medicine point of view, we firmly believe people do weird things when the moon is full.
What is ominous, however, is the article I found from the American Council on Science and Health that states people are far likelier to die during the winter. New data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show very clearly that the heart of winter — December, January and February — are the deadliest months of the year. Thank goodness it’s March!
Cold weather by itself is deadly. But it can kill indirectly, as well. It is thought that cold temperatures suppress our immune systems, making us more likely to get sick. Perhaps that’s why the flu season is almost always in the winter, with February often being the absolute worst month.
We just experienced the death of one of our four dogs who collapsed and died from a ruptured cancerous spleen on Valentine’s Day. If you have recently lost a beloved pet too, the Humane Society recommends the following to help you deal with your grief. “Acknowledge your grief and give yourself permission to express it. Allow yourself to cry. Try not to replay your last moments with your pet. Instead, focus on the life you shared with your pet and some of your favorite memories with them. Create a memory box with photos, your pet’s collar or favorite toys.”
In my respiratory therapy clinicals this month, we terminally extubated five people in one week at the wishes of their families. Specifically, we removed the tube connected to the ventilator breathing for the patient. This doesn’t happen with such frequency in the summer.
Switching to happier thoughts, Alexander Pope wrote, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never Is, but always To be blest. The soul, uneasy, and confined from home, rests and expatiates in a life to come.” March 19 is the first day of spring and good things are coming!
