2021 LaGrelius Christmas Message

Greetings to all! As you know, 2021 was mostly canceled. The Rose Parade was a canceled, but in 2022it’s back, we think. Piper and Ellen will ride the Torrance Rose Float January first, like Patti and I didBEFORE covid, watch for them, unless it’s canceled. “Cancel Culture” is getting old.

Patti and I spend much more time in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. We feel safe there. So far so good provided the water, sewage, electricity and internet work. Sometimes a problem.

We bought a house there and Patti is making it our style. We still have a catamaran there too. Here is a photo from our breakfast deck taken at Thanksgiving when we brought the whole family down (exceptMichael who had other obligations), and our hot tub, and a shot of us on the beach including Brian, Kim’s cool SO.

Last year we didn’t tell you about all the many interesting, fun things we did as a family. This year we feel more liberated. Fun is allowed in limited doses if approved by authorities and consistent with science. I plan to ski with the grandkids again this year, unless of course they shut down the ski resorts—again.

I can STILL say none of my own patients died of COVID! Dozens of cases, but no deaths. I think that is remarkable, especially for a geriatrician. If you want to know how we did it, call and I will wax poetic.Briefly, vaccines work, being outside works, Vitamins D, C, zinc and quercetin work, but getting prompt excellent care is critical. Soon the new antivirals will be game changers, we hope.

Now we are paying the price for all the folks who avoided acute illness care and preventive care including the 50% who stopped their cancer chemotherapy, out of fear. My hospital is now packed with such patients, and some with COVID-19. Some medical staff left practice so we are also a bit short on nurses and doctors. Still, I would not have missed working in the pandemic. What an experience. I still have no plan to ever retire! I”d be bored to tears.

Doctor Jeff Karns became a full practice partner 1/1/2021. He has proven an even greater asset than expected. Brilliant and caring. Father of three. And Nicole now has THREE sons. www.skyparkpfc.com.

Kimberly is living in San Francisco, and continues to work remotely as a Customer Success Manager for G2. This So Cal beach girl has taken a liking to snow skiing and is getting really good!

Michael is living in Hermosa Beach with a bunch of guys, working for PetCo and recovering very well from a challenging couple of years. He came over the other night and helped us decorate the tree. Yes, once again we got a tree unlike last year when we skipped it (except for a twig) since Patti got a new knee December 2, 2020. It works really well. I can no longer catch her.

Piper, Todd, Ellen, Nora, Lydia and Barrett left San Francisco and moved toLafayette way past Oakland. Rolling hills, deer by the roads, a swimming pool and open space. Also, nearby Concord has a convenient, inexpensive, small airport I just love.

And I got COVID on December 11th. Expected. Benign. Call for details.

God Bless and Keep You All, Tom and Patti.

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