Operation and My Holiday Observation

As you read this, I am laying on a surgical table and under general anesthesia. Yep, you read that correctly! If all goes according to plan, while you sip your morning cup o' joe, I will be in lala land, getting sliced and diced like tomorrow's turkey.

I know what you are thinking, "What happened? Are you going to be ok? Are you finally getting plastic surgery?"

Ouch! That hurts... And NO!

Before you get ahead of yourself and start planning my candlelight vigil or bedside prayer gathering (You were planning those, right?), I should probably fill you in.

I tore my rotator cuff.

I would like to tell that I sustained the injury in a glory filled athletic endeavor or an exuberant moment conducting Holst, but you're unlikely to believe either of those. Let's just skip the "how," save you the lie, and me, the embarrassment.

Having never been under general anesthesia before, I had some basic questions and concerns. Would I feel anything? What would I remember? Is this the stuff Michael Jackson used? Can I get it to go?

The doctor was thorough, patient, and professional as he walked me through what to expect both during the procedure and during the extended recovery period.

Am I concerned about the surgery? Nope!

After all, these are highly skilled medical professionals with years of experience. I checked them out and their diplomas were real! Seriously, if you can't trust someone with advanced degrees, professional expertise, and extensive experience, who can you trust?

Which is why I trust you, yes... YOU!

You are every bit the seasoned professional that my doctor is. Your skill sets may be different but the result is the same; you are both professionals worthy of my trust.

Think about it, you have a bachelor degree. You are a highly regarded, experienced veteran teacher with a track record of success. You likely have advanced degrees or even your Doctorate. Some of you are even Nationally Board Certified. To be clear, your credentials can stand alongside any other highly respected professional... But you're not always treated you that way.

I don't know why, in our society, we see a Doctor of Music Education as something less than an M.D., but we do. I don't know why an MBA is more prestigious than a MA, but it is. I don't know why we treat years of standing on a podium as something less than years of standing in an exam room, but it happens. I don't know why we see someone who treats a broken heart as less than someone who treats a broken bone, but this is what our society does each and every day, and I believe it is wrong.

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am truly blessed to be under the supervision and care of some of the finest professionals on the planet. But even more than that, I am most thankful for the fact that I can say the same about my children.

Thank you for doing what you do.