Tuesday, October 9, 2012

The World Needs Old Ladies

When the title of this book was given to me by Dr. McGarey, I paused

"Why" I asked.

"Because, They are the Tree of Life"

Over nine months went by, a tremendous amount of time working, typing, editing, more conversations, and more typing–– and now the book is nearly ready for publication by Inkwell Productions.

This journey took me on a sort of self-realization.

The work is biographical, it is literary, it takes the reader around a world not often visited.  Dr. Gladys will make you laugh, you will cry at times because it is the way life is.  I talk about the life of Dr. Gladys T. McGarey, M.D., M.D. (H).  Dr. Gladys as she is affectionately called gave me the material to sift through, decipher, and grow.  To do this, she sent me on a journey, to research facilities, universities and other places.  I came out with the understanding what the medical practice of a humanitarian took  over sixty years to develop.  Her background filled with color, adventure, laughter and sorrow brought new thoughts to a world where innovations and new ideas in matters of living medicine or patient and doctor relationship were not always well accepted.

During this seeding time, I stumbled upon some great information.

Dr. Gladys, now over ninety years old was born in India.  Her age and her place of birth alone makes this 'old lady' rather special.  She studied medicine when women were suppose to be barefoot and pregnant.   She was young when she was exposed to the principles of mind, body, spirit. As a doctor of medicine,  she began to see the things wrong with our system of delivering healthcare.

She is one that is able to see a problem, face it without fear, go around bounders or even climb over them when she has to.  She operated from points of balance, patience and tenacity.  One must not confuse her gentleness with the inability to be firm.

Reading  The World Needs Old Ladies –– They are the Tree of Life will introduce the reader to two distinct voices each delivering the wisdom of the ages. At the end of the book Dr. Gladys brings in some remedies she used for the decades when she was a practicing medical doctor.

During the penning, insights in areas of responsibility for the necessary changes in areas of healthcare delivery became clear to me.  Dr. Gladys helped people get well.  The medical model however, treats diseases, not people affected with a disease.  There are huge differences between the two.

She told me, "People that are sick may have a disease, they not the disease.  Diseases are not people.  To have successes in wellness we must treat the person with the malady."

My mind paused again –– I had to look deep into myself.  When I am sick, I continue to be me first.  Whatever ailment I am the host of, is a condition that I have acquired.  I am not the disease.

Though I am the co-author of The World Needs Old Ladies I express here what I know to be true.  Every person reading this book will benefit from its content.