May 18, 2020
Editorial May 2020: Spot the link
In these uncharted waters, from the perspective of those of us for whom World War Two means an episode “Band of Brothers” rather than personal memory, I hope focusing on some familiar surgical detail distances the bigger picture temporarily.
It’s Spring in the UK and for once we have consistent sun & blue skies to take the edge of the distancing and isolation. Things are not as apocalyptic currently as they might have been, but it’s not same for many of you in other countries.
For all of us though, united by the practice of surgery, our professional lives will be almost unrecognisable at the moment, with much higher risk than the norm we are accustomed to for both our patients and ourselves.
It is surprising to reflect how quickly the completely unprecedented has become normal. I imagine that comes with being a highly adaptive species, even if not quite as able to master its environment as it thought. Who can guess exactly what the new normal will be but it is impossible to consider that our wider lives will not be radically different. Surgery will however still be surgery, and for those of you with more time than usual now might be the opportunity to keep your neurones sharp with OrthOracle. Maybe explore what it is a spinal Surgeon does? I’ve personally never been convinced as to just how difficult it really can be, by which token the same goes for brachial plexus surgery. That granular, step by step, detail is here on the platform guiding you through every stage of every technique, so you can make your own assessments.
The editors at OrthOracle remain busy, with enough techniques already in progress to keep delivering new operations for most of the year, though we expect to be back and recording in the next month or two. From this week we’d also love for you to start rating all our techniques, with a new “thumbs up”(or down) feedback functionality which will help us to improve where we need to, so please do feedback.
The image link ?……is nothing to do with sharp dressing, though could well have been so award yourself half a point if that’s what you’d noted down. It’s positive quotations, with subtly different perspectives, on how to deal with adversity.
“Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course”.
William Shakespeare
“When adversity strikes, that’s when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on”.
LL Cool J
“There is no education like adversity”.
Benjamin Disraeli
And finally perhaps the most positive view ….
“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has”.
Billy Graham
