| ACS |
| NEWCASTLE 75 REUNION THE CLASS OF 75 ~ 1975 - 2015 |
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| SATURDAY 18TH JULY 2015 - BE THERE! |
| Jon Bland |
| The short version of the last 40- 50 years is – art, acute, academic, abuse, active, art Art. One of my better kept secrets is that I was determined to go to Art school until I was 17. Now art is my major retirement project as I try to master silk screen printing at the local graphic workshop. My wife Anne made the leap years ago, leaving pediatric physiotherapy to do a fine Arts degree at Goldsmiths College in London. Acute. I am still working full time, still doing on- call. After moving to Stavanger I had the possibility (and pleasure) of developing the European guidelines for advanced pediatric life support and am still very involved in teaching that on both local and national courses using simulation. In other words I am still playing with dolls at the age of 64. |
Academic. We were a gang of young hungry ambitious consultants in
Stavanger at the end of the ‘80’s who realized our hospital had the
potential to be a teaching hospital. It took 14 years. Now I am winding
down with no undergraduate or administrative responsibilities and just
one committee left. It is time to let the next generation of young Turks
develop the dept. as they see fit.
Abuse. Thanks to Christine Coopers teaching and post grad. UK
experience I got all the abuse cases in our county. Now, after 20 years
alone with the case load, there are 4 young consultants ready to take
over that bit of the job as well. I will not miss it.
Active. I am now the proud owner of two chain saws and two bikes –
retirement projects 2 and 3. We have a small holding of approx. 30 acres
that is overgrown by trees. This year was the first year we have been
totally self-sufficient for firewood. The bikes have replaced my climbing
boots but not my skis. After cycling to work for years (in the best Mike
Parkin/Pediatric tradition) I am doing my first 95 km cycle race in June. I
hope I have a positive tale to tell about that in July.
Art. See paragraph 1.
Addendum. My children have made it to adulthood, one is a vet, another
is a health visitor and the youngest has just got a job as an engineer in
the oil industry despite the cut backs. Two of the 3 grandchildren live
locally.
Stavanger at the end of the ‘80’s who realized our hospital had the
potential to be a teaching hospital. It took 14 years. Now I am winding
down with no undergraduate or administrative responsibilities and just
one committee left. It is time to let the next generation of young Turks
develop the dept. as they see fit.
Abuse. Thanks to Christine Coopers teaching and post grad. UK
experience I got all the abuse cases in our county. Now, after 20 years
alone with the case load, there are 4 young consultants ready to take
over that bit of the job as well. I will not miss it.
Active. I am now the proud owner of two chain saws and two bikes –
retirement projects 2 and 3. We have a small holding of approx. 30 acres
that is overgrown by trees. This year was the first year we have been
totally self-sufficient for firewood. The bikes have replaced my climbing
boots but not my skis. After cycling to work for years (in the best Mike
Parkin/Pediatric tradition) I am doing my first 95 km cycle race in June. I
hope I have a positive tale to tell about that in July.
Art. See paragraph 1.
Addendum. My children have made it to adulthood, one is a vet, another
is a health visitor and the youngest has just got a job as an engineer in
the oil industry despite the cut backs. Two of the 3 grandchildren live
locally.