"The greatest opportunity offered by AI is not reducing errors or workloads, or even curing cancer: it is the opportunity to restore the precious and time-honored connection and trust—the human touch—between patients and doctors." — Eric J. Topol, (born June 26, 1954) is an American cardiologist, scientist, and author. He is the founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, a professor of Molecular Medicine and Executive Vice-President at Scripps Research Institute, and a senior consultant at the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California.

I do appreciate the feedback from our visits via the blogosphere. It's always good to know that someone is getting something out of the stuff I throw onto the page. It is Friday, October 24, 2025, and, I do bid each one a hearty hello and welcome. I've had somewhat of a busy last several days doing mostly old people stuff. Another doctor visit yesterday where he ordered up a heart test and many blood tests. Now that they put up the results as soon as they are available, I find myself trying to interpret them before the named 'care team' has time to officially respond. I do have more than my fair share of irregularities, but, many of them are related to my diabetes and while their flagging is slightly off putting, it is, as they say, what it is. I did have a new detected anomaly in the heart scan so I await some official commentary regarding it. Have you noticed? It's always something. I told my doctor how that I spend a fair amount of time trying to parse the difference between a real ailment or those that occur naturally with age. Here's the good news: God is on my side and He knows best and I know He's able to be with me until my time is up in my journey here. (Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5) I also reminded the doctor of the availability of the interpretations provided 24x7 on the world wide web by the resident artificial intelligent specialist and he, she, or it, can be accessed from anywhere at any time. He just chuckled. He's told me before how many headaches he's had from people who do their on internet based diagnoses. He also mentioned it is most likely time for another heart stress test since my last one was five years ago. I did the last one on the treadmill. I will not do the next one on the treadmill. They will have to give me the injection instead. I am unanimous in that decision, period. I do not want to repeat the site of me on the treadmill with strangers all gathered around cheering me on as if I was in the marathon. No, thank you.

 

These cooler mornings have been nice but we are dry around our area. We are supposed to get some rain coming up tomorrow, Saturday. Those of us who stay mostly at home cheer on the rain. Those who have outside activities planned groan, but, the bottom line is how much we need it. We really do.  So here's the comment you so often hear from us older folks, "Y'all be safe out there, okay?" There are websites that contain many quotes by older folks concerning the weather. The younger people seem to be a little leery of how obsessed many old people are when it comes to the weather. The medical science folks say it often has to do with how changes in the weather impact older people's bodies. Maybe it's just that we in the over-the-hill category need something to occupy ourselves with and then to talk about it. "Hey, that may be a storm, but let me tell you about the time Hurricane Ike came calling here at our place." I used that one because I've pretty much worn out my welcome talking about what Ike did to our place. At any rate, we need to be aware of our surroundings and to always trust God while using our noggin for something other than a hat rack. (One of Paw Paw Mac's favorite sayings.) You couldn't figure it out. Okay. Try harder and if you still don't get it I will explain it to you in a future blog. Y'all be careful out there and don't forget your umbrella. Ha! Until next time, may God bless each one. Amen.