Mother's Day

Mother's Day is rapidly approaching and I would like to thank some very special mothers that have touched my life.  First of all, my wife Mindy.  You have been such a blessing to my life, and we have a beautiful baby girl. Just watching you two together, I know that you have such a special bond.  I am so glad she takes after you. I'm sure I don't say it enough, but you are the best! I love you.

To my mom, Karen, I have so many wonderful memories of your sense of humor and kindness while I was growing up. I don't know how that was possible, because I couldn't have been an easy child.  It's been almost 17 years since you were called home, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you, or have a conversation with you.  I am sure you can hear me, so I will be expecting answers to all my questions when we see each other again.

My Grandmother Carroll, you were always a source of strength for me. There was nothing that could go wrong that you couldn't fix. You were always the rock for our family.  You taught me mannors and how to treat people.  There was no end to your generosity and kindness. It's been a little over 13 years since you went to join your daughter, my mom.  I will be thinking of you both on Sunday, and take comfort that you will be together.

My stepmother Bev, our relationship began rough for you.  It couldn't have been easy to be thrown in with a snotty 5 year old.  You brought with a two year old brother for me.  Some of the best memories of my life are of time spent with you guys.  You have helped me grow as a person, and were there for me, unconditionally through all of my ups and downs.  The support you showed when I was going through the loss of my mom and grandma meant more than I could ever express. I love you, and am so glad you are a part of my life.

To all of my sisters, Jenny, Jackie and Katie, you are all fantastic mothers and I love each and every one of my nieces and nephews.  I hope this Mother's Day is extra special for you, and I love you all.

Last, I would like to thank my ex wife, Dawn.  We definately have not been on the same page these past 18 years.  But you have done such a wonderful job raising our daughter, Natasha, and deserve to be recognized for that.  You are a fantastic mother, and have served as a great role model for our daughter.

May God bless and keep you especially on this upcoming day to honor mothers.  You all certainly will be in my thoughts that day.

USS Squalus

I need to take a moment to acknowledge a man that I knew only briefly, my Great-Grandpa Bill. His name was William David Boulton, and was a lifelong U.S. Navy submariner. I would encourage anyone to explore the sinking of the submarine USS Squalus on May 23,1939.  During one of its initial dives, it suffered catastrophic failure and sunk under 240 feet of water.  This was the first time an underwater rescue of this type was ever attempted.  Thanks to the McCann chamber, some submariners were saved, my Great-Grandpa Bill being one of them.

My great grandfather was cut from a rough cloth. I remember our last conversation on October 27, 1983.  I showed him my report card and his response was that there were "too many damn B's." Also that I should get perfect attendence for the year, since I had not missed any days of school at that point.  We went home and got a call the next morning that he had passed during the night.  I did my best to honor his wishes.  I did raise my grades and made it until the 3rd to last day of school without missing a day. Then, the chickenpox struck. Ugh! I knew I could hide it and finish the year out.  I snuck into my mom's makeup and gave myself what I considered a professional makeup job.  What could possibly go wrong?  Oh yeah, chickenpox itch and I wasn't good at putting on make up.  So close!

Please take the time to think of my great grandfather this Memorial Day, and especially those lost on that tragic day.

This poem is written on a plaque at the memorial in New Hampshire:

59 Men all good and true,
59 Men, in Navy blue.
59 Men without a care,
Going to sea to do their share

59 Men in a new "pig boat,"
59 Men, who could sink, yet float.
59 Men in a submarine,
Doing their bit for peace, supreme.

59 Men, and a signal crossed.
59 Men, but some were lost.
59 Men in a tail end dive,
Twenty-six dead - 33 alive.

26 Men in a watery grave,
33 Men, a door did save,
Blocking the sea, with all its might,
Saving some from their shipmates' plight.

59 Men, all tempting the fates,
To protect our home, the United States.
26 Men of a husky crew,
Who gave their lives protecting you.

59 Men on the ocean's floor,
26 Men who are no more.
26 Men who gave their lives,
Protecting our homes, our kids, our wives

Well, this has been quite the eventful week. I began my college education with the hopes of graduating from the Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist program.  I completed a semester, and through an unfortunate-turned-fortunate turn of events, dropped the course.  I had decided to do the nursing program, but to be honest my heart was not in it.  I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason.  While having lunch with a physician from heart rhythm services, I remembered why I wanted to be in the CVIS program so badly.  I love cardiology! I have met so many great, even legendary, cardiologists during my tenure at Mayo Clinic, and while I have no misconceptions that I will reach legendary status, I feel that I can make a difference. This is what life is about for me. I want to help make a positive difference through cardiology.

I only need to look at my oldest daughter to be reminded of how special these doctors are.  At 17, she had a condition called AV node re-entry. This is a frightening condition that causes an increased heartbeat often accompanied by fainting.  Dr. Osborn changed her entire life.  Not only was her physical condition completely treated, her psychological well being was also dramatically improved.  The most impressive thing is that Dr. Osborn did the follow up appointment on his day off.  I was reminded by my good friend that I should pursue my passion.  I was accepted back into the program yesterday, and feel on top of the world!

I have had sick family members, and witnessed questionable healthcare in other areas of the country.  I was seriously moved by Dr. Mayo's words stating that the needs of the patient come first.  Those words have special meaning for me, and I willd o my best to live up to them.

unconditional love

There is nothing more difficult for a parent to do than to watch their children suffer in any way. I am positive that any parent reading this will know what I am talking about. This week has been especially trying in that respect.  What started out sas sniffles turned into a sinus infection for my 15 month old. Aside fron flushing her sinuses with saline and aspirating them, there isn't a whole lot one can do.  It is heart wrenching to see that suffering look on her face.  Tylenol and Advil provide symptomatic relief, but does not treat the congeston.  So sleep this week has been in short supply in the Mason household. Oh yeah, did I mention that my wife was sick as well? 

It couldn't possibly get any worse, could it? Let me answer that.  My daughter turned 15 months old yesterday. Any guesses what happens at 15 months?  That's right, innoculations! (And a blood test that needed to be redrawn because the lab only ran half of the test the first time.  Dad did not feel like the good guy yesterday! However, when my little 공주 (princess in Korean) finished with each of her little procedures, she blew kisses to the nurses and lab techs. She even had hugs and kisses for her dad.

I think sometimes we all forget how resillient our children are.  They are little bundles of unconditional love and I think we can all learn something from them.   

Well, I am finding myself coming to the end of another semester.  I have just finished my second to last exam for one of my classes a couple of minutes ago.  Big relief.  One of the distractions that I did not really count on this semester, rather ironically since I want to work in the health field, is illness.  It has been three times the fun with my baby girl, my wife, and myself passing it along to each other.  And if I wasn't the one sick, I was playing nurse.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, most of you will.

This journey throughout the semester has opened my eyes to some new things.  In fact, I have signed and dated "The Glass Castle" and given it away.  I have instructed the new owner that I hope she does the same when she finishes.  It would be really interesting to see where the book makes it to. Come to find out, my sister and daughter were also reading it at the same time I was. I am also reading a book by Ann Coulter, but I fear it would not be met with the same enthusiasm if I were to try the same thing.  Although, I do love her sarcastic style.

There have been some highs and lows for me this semester, but as a whole (I think of Austin Powers when I say that), it has been a great experience.

Every week I re-evaluate my decision to attend college at a less than traditional age.  For me, it comes down to two things: my family and my heart.  I want to set a great example for my children so they pursue higher educaction and work toward rewarding lives for themselves. I also want to have the means to provode for my wife and children to the greatest of my ability. I want to have those memories that last a lifetime, and a college degree will hepl put me into the financial position to do so.

The other, perhaps equally inportant reason is that I believe I have found my calling in life.  I want to be a health care provider at Mayo Clinic, an institution that I believe does and will continue to lead the world in health care.  I truly want to be a valuable part of this institution, and feel that I have much to offer.  Beginning college after my tenure in the military is the first step.

While I was a medic in the Army, our motto was:"so that others may live."  Dr. Mayo's words "The needs of the patients are the only ones in which to be considered," move me deeply, and serve as one of my may motivating factors for entering college.

Well, I finally made it through a weekend that I have been dreading for 18 years, my daughter's senior prom.  When the day came, al of the nerves seemed to give way to feelings of joy.  This was a special day for her, and the smile on her face will be etched in my mind forever. It served as one more reminder that my little girl was growing up. AND I STILL AM NOT SOLD ON IT 100%!  However, this is't about me, its about the fine young lady that my daughter has become. I am so proud of her, and it seems the older she gets, the more the things my dad told me makes sense.  It's funny how that works.

To my daughter, Natasha: I want you to never forget how much you are loved, and how blessed I am to have you as my daughter.This is going to be a year of endings, and of new beginnings. You are about to graduate high school, visit Europe and begin college.  There are going to be times that you feel alone, but you never will be.  I hope all of your dreams come true!  -Dad

The celebration of the 100th anniversary of birth of Kim Il Sung, the man that brought communism and the resulting famine to North Korea, has proven to be an example of faulty logic.  Following World War 2, the United States and the Soviet Union had a dispute over which would control this stregic penninsula.  It was the United States that decided the nation should be divided by the 38th parallel. The South Koreans would be a democracy while the North Koreans would turn toward a communist dictatorship led by Kim Il Sung.  To the Koreans, either was an improvement over the 35 plus years of Japanese rule. However, in order to keep the North Koreans loyal, the regime of Kim Il Sung would need to isolate his people from the rest of the world.   

In time, the people of North Korea were indoctrinated to consider Kim Il Sung as a sort of demigod.  As someone sent from the heavens.  It was even tought that the man was born atop a mountain and never went to the bathroom. For decades, this fanaticism persisted.  It has survived through the rule of his son, and now grandson.

But the threads appear to be unraveling. With widespread famine and increased difficulty to control social media, the truth is certain to sweep across this nation soon.  It was over this past weekend that the regime had yet another catastrophic failure when it defied the United Nations and attempted to fire a ballistic rocket.  This rocket failed after two minutes.  It may take some time in certain circumstances, but faulty reasoning will ultimately come back to the perpetrator. And when it does, credibility is destroyed.

The Glass Castle

While reading The Glass Castle, I experienced a wide range of emotions.  When I began reading, I wondered how Jeanette could allow her mother to dig through a dumpster.  I initially had the impression that she was ashamed of her parents. As the book progressed, I developed a feeling of sadness for Jeanette and her siblings and a genuine disgust for her parents. I wondered how any parent could treat their children with such disregard as Mr. and Mrs. Walls did. I could not figure out why the Jeanette maintained such affection for her father, even when he treated her with complete selfishness.  As I read further, Rex Walls spoke to Jeanette in such a way that it was apparent how much he did love her.  On the other hand, Mrs. Walls maintained a sense of apathy toward her children throughout the book.

The Glass Castle was a great story with a great message: Through hard work and motivation, children born into poverty are not condemned to this life as adults.  These hardships can serve as the driving force behind their success.  I would definately recommend this book to others, and have.  I believe that we can all get caught up in self pity, and this book is a good reminder that people can rise above anything.

Knowing Who We Are

At one time or another we all have wondered about a relative that we heard stories about, but never had the chance to meet.  For me, the stories my grandmother told me about her father really made me wonder what this man looked like.  I had an image of him in my mind, but had never seen a photo of him.  I knew that he must have been quite a handsome man since my grandmother had told me that I looked a bit like him.  I had asked to see photos of him, but my grandmother always said that they were packed away and that she would look for them later.  Sadly, later never came.  My grandmother passed away in 1998, and I would need to wait about 10 more years before I would be able to put a face to all of those wonderful stories.

In about 2008, I was visiting my grandfather and he asked if I wanted to go through a box of photos with him.  I assumed they were photos of my cousin and I growing up.  As I opened the box and searched through the contents, I noticed these were much older photos than I had anticipated.  There were many faces that I did not recognize.  I sat for hours with my grandpa looking over these old photos and hearing his stories of the people in the pictures.  Eventually, I did find a photo of a man that resembled my grandma.  I was told this was my great grandfather.  At last, the elusive face of Elmer Fritsch was revealed to me. I felt such joy in seeing this photo that I wanted to see how far I could trace my ancestry.  This has since become a passion for me.  I want to gather as much information as I can to pass it to my children.  This is who they are,  and I want them to know as much as they can. 

Since beginning my quest of ancestral knowledge, I have traced my family back twelve generations in some branches.  I am very proud of this.  It has taken many hours of searching records, asking family members about their memories, and requesting copies of any photos they may have.  I then thought that I would try to trace my wife's family tree.  I thought this would be a much more daunting task since her family is from South Korea.  So, I began my quest by asking her aunt for any information.  I was shocked when she pulld out a book that traced their family back seventy six generations.  That means that my daughter, Myla, is generation seventy seven, and it is all recorded.  I absolutely love that my wife's family holds their heritage in such high regard that all of her ancesters are remembered.  It is a quality that I hope my children pass on to their children.

Distractions and Motivation Part 2

As  this semester races forward, I am still struggling with the same distractions common to most students and parents.  It seems there is always a deadline to be met or a paper to be completed. I find myself feeling as if I am forgetting to do something quite often.  Sometimes this can feel overwhelming. This is especially true when it is coupled with the rigors of everyday parenthood.  The normal bumps and bruises, sniffles and teething of a growing 13 month old seem unending.  And this is a walk through the park when compared to the mood swings of an 18 year old girl and the realization that she will soon be out on her own and attending college herself.

The progression of my daughters through their respective changes is what keeps me motivated to do well in school.  I want to serve as a good example that you can achieve your goals by working hard and persevering.  The ability to better provide for my family financially is also a great motivating factor. It is through furthering my education that I will be able to do this.  I often heard my parents say that they wanted to provide for us kids more than they had.  I always felt like I had enough in my childhood.  However, I now understand what they meant.

My daughter, Myla, recently celebrated her first birthday.  It was truly a time of celebration.  It was a day for our entire family to gather and celebrate the first year of a beautiful little girl. It was also a day of blending cultures.  My wife and her family are originally from South Korea, whereas my family is 100 percent European.

  

Our house was filled with the usual decorations that most of us associate with a child's first birthday celebration.  Balloons, pink streamers, gifts wrapped in bright colors, and of course a birthday cake. However, upon further examination you would begin to notice the Korean culture. Assorted colorful candies made of soy are stacked high to represent a long life.  Traditional Korean seaweed soup is also on the menu to represent the difficulties the mother endured during childbirth. (The soup is given to the mother during her recovery.) The entire counter top is filled with Korean dishes, as well as more traditional American favorites. 

Myla greeted her guests in a white birthday dress and a hat with pink furry trim and tassel.  Immediately after the singing "Happy Birthday" and eating her cake, she was taken away by her mother and grandmother.  A space was cleared on the floor and several items were laid out on a mat.  A pencil, string, a book, money, and rice were a few of the items.  After a few minutes, Myla made her grand re-entrance, this time wearing a traditional Korean dress.  She was placed on the mat, in front of the items.  Now it was time to see which items would be chosen. The first was the money.  This is supposed to predict financial stability for my daughter.  The second was the book, which represents intelligence.  The final item chosen was the string.  This one represents long life.  So, I have hope that my daughter will have a long career as a cardiologist!

I believe that my daughter's life will be greatly enriched by being a part of both cultures.  There are many differences in American and Korean cultures.  However, it is very apparent how much our children are celebrated in each.

With Valentine's Day rapidly coming up on us, we often focus our attention on our wife/husband or boyfriend/girlfriend.  As a husband, I will get my wife flowers and chocolates.  Perhaps a jewelry purchase is in my near future. And rightfully so.  Our significant others deserve to know how much we love and appreciate them.  This is truly a special day for couples.  That is why I also like to remember those special couples that have been influential in my life; people that have helped shape me into the good person that I hope I am today.  Today, I find myself thinking of my maternal grandparents, Fred and Carroll VanderKooi.

My grandparents met while my grandfather was in Korea during the "Forgotten War".  He was in an infantry squad with my grandmother's brother.  Without the luxury of emails or cell phones, serving in such conditions was extremely isolated and lonely. Through a very fortunate chain of events, my grandfather began to write letters to my grandmother.  For over a year and a half this correspondence continued.  This is hard to understand for most people now, as the mail took several weeks to be delivered.  But, somehow they endured, and finally met face to face.

It wasn't long before they were married and started their family.  They moved to a small farm in rural Hinton, Iowa and my grandfather began his longtime career as a semi-truck driver.  Life wasn't always easy for my grandparents, but they were always there for each other.  My grandparents were very reserved with displays of  affection in front of others, but somehow it was always apparent how much they loved each other.

Grandpa Fred would come home from work visibly exhausted.  He would always have on a t-shirt and jeans in the summer and added a flannel shirt in the winter.  I remember him smelling like the field corn he had been hauling all day. Although tired, he always had the energy to ask my grandmother about her day. My Grandma Carroll, who also worked very hard in their home, made sure there was always a wonderful dinner and a kind word for her family to enjoy.

My grandfather once told me, jokingly, that the secret to a happy marriage is the man always needs to have the last word...and those words better be "yes dear".  I am forever thankful to my grandparents for showing me how to be a good husband and father.  Their bond never faded.  Not even on the day that my grandmother passed away.  My grandfather doesn't know that I saw this, but while my grandma was lying in her hospital bed my grandpa leaned over her and gave her a kiss and told her that he loved her.  It was the only time I had ever seen my Grandpa Fred cry.

 (BTW...My grandpa is wearing a wig in this photo)

Inspirational Words

"I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you and the people who knocked these buldings down will hear all of us soon." President George W. Bush spoke these words on September 14, 2001, three days after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. It was at that moment that I felt something that I had taken for granted since I was a teenager. That thing was true national unity.  In the wake of the cowardly, evil actions that were intended to cripple our great country, President Bush addressed the nation in such a way that panic was relieved, and people genuinely knew that we would get through this as a nation united.

Not since the famous speech given by President Ronald Reagan in West Berlin, in which he famously asked Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" (referring to the Berlin Wall), had I been so moved by a man's words.  In both instances, if only for a moment, it felt as if our entire nation was standing shoulder to shoulder behind our president.  And in both cases, America's star was shining just a little brighter.



Often times, the very inspiring words of President George W. Bush are overshadowed by political perspectives.  I feel that regardless of your viewpoints on the War on Terror, or President Bush, those words should be remembered in the context in which they were spoken. I've witnessed many things and lost friends in the years since this speech, but I am still moved to the point of tears everytime I hear it.

Distractions and Motivation

When making the decision to choose a career path or to enroll in college, many factors come into play.  Questions regarding job outlook, the financial burden of attending college and time commitment are all common issues one must address before making such a decision.  So, the next steps are to research the job market, using the best predictive skills you have, apply for financial aid (and perhaps apply for a job) and to weigh the time commitment against the benefit of receiving a degree.  While going through this decision process, I often times found myself confused and stressed out.  I wasn't a traditional student going through this process, I was a married 35 year old with a 15 year old daughter.  I had spent a considerable amount of time in the military, and was already working at Mayo Clinic. But still, when I had made it through this decision process and dedicated myself to pursuing a degree, I was sure that the most stressful part was behind me.  I could not have been more incorrect.  The real anxieties of college, and life, were still ahead of me.

Approximately 21 months ago, my wife and I found out that we were expecting an addition to the family.  This would be the first child we had together, as my older daughter is from a previous marriage.  Upon hearing this wonderful news, I became additionally motivated to do well in school and to make sure that I was on the correct career path.  Just having the knowledge that a little one would be arriving in a few months gave me the desire to study those extra minutes or hours.  As my wife progressed through the pregnancy, my motivation only grew stronger. After our daughter was born, that motivation was redirected toward spending time with her.  Those extra minutes of studying quickly were spend holding and playing with this precious baby.  So, I found myself with a distraction from school and decided to take a semester off.  I needed to rethink my goals.  After much thought and discussion, I was sure that the commitment to school was the right decision for my family.

I believe that the motivation that originally moved me to enroll in college has been with me throughout this process.  Keeping this motivation balanced between work, school and home has been the truly stressful part of this journey. I suspect the same is true of younger, more traditional students as well.  This is a conversation I am having with my now 18 year old daughter.  Hopefully, my experiences will help help her prepare for her upcoming time in college.