Dr. Tom

I wrestled in junior high. I've written briefly before about wrestling in junior high or different aspects of why I've wrestled in the past. If you type in wrestle you get a number of citations before I discussed or used the word wrestle in previous blog postings. Wrestling takes place between October and February and March depending on how well a person does and tournaments. Wrestling takes place late autumn and winter. It was usually dark when you leave the field house at my junior high and begin the long walk home. Of course, many of my teammates lived fairly close to the junior high I of course did not. I would walk alongside of the road in hopes of my father would often be coming home from work at about the same time would notice me and pick me up. The system is not foolproof that worked fairly well.

One of my fellow wrestlers was a fellow named Tom Powell. Tom is a great guy I really like the guy. We wrestled close to the same weight so we often had to wrestle each other for the right to wrestle in the weekly matches. I most often won. Tom was bright and sophisticated. I doubt there is any way I could've ever competed academically with Tom Powell. I've always been humbled to call Tom a friend. Relatively recent I've been able to make contact with my friend again with social media. What a great device social media. I was totally blown away to find out that Tom Powell, my friend was a trauma surgeon in England! When I learned this I just sat back in my power chair and marveled. I guess Tom had a whole life and career and then elected to go to medical school in England and succeed. How does a person do this? How does a person do this have the energy to do this at about 40 (I imagine)? I wish there is a way I could sit down with Tom and find out how he pulled this off. I'm sure I would get a sanitized version but I bet it's a heck of a story.

I noticed Tom popped up on my active feed this morning or maybe last evening and I thought what the heck I would take a chance and wish him a Merry Christmas since I do not have an address I could post a card. Hours past and then the rest of the night with no activity. I was even encouraged that one time when I saw the little check pop up next to his name indicating that he had seen the comment. I prayed that he did not see me as a nuisance or someone he did not wish to engage with from his past. I must say with some guilt there are few folks I have kind of ditched that way myself. If this were true, I would be so mortified. I've given up hopes of hearing from Tom then this evening, following my evening workout on my hand bike I noticed a posting from Tom by texting feed. Tom and responded! Tom left a great message. The message was a bit short but that's okay. I'm just glad he responded. I was shocked however to realize he had retired from his medical/teaching post. Tom is keeping his fingers and medicine which makes sense. He practices a couple days a week and I'm sure covers other medics are needed I am sure Tom does teach a little as well. I'm just shocked I shouldn't he retire, he's my age? Just seems to go through the trauma of medical school, internship and residency's a person would want to practice as long as possible. At least I would. The job Tom, you've always been a mystery to me and you still are. Good luck and enjoy your retirement.