Our lives are filled with moments, memories, events that forever put their indelible stamp upon us and change our lives and the ways in which we view the world. Often these challenges will require us to dig deep within ourselves. February 18, 1981 was one of those days. The memory of that day never strays very far from me.

February 18, 1981 was probably much like any other February 18. There was snow on the ground and it was the dead of winter in Canada. No surprises there. Hockey season was in full swing. The Toronto Maple Leafs were sliding into the playoffs, only to eventually lose to the Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders 3 - 0. No surprises there either.

I was in the tenth grade at the time - 15 years old but, perhaps more importantly, just 4 feet 8 inches tall and a whopping 68 pounds. Yes, you read that correctly.

Of course, there is a story that goes along with this – and many life lessons learned. Here is my story.

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We can learn a lot from plumbers. And health care would be better for it.

You don't think twice about getting a plumber, do you? You check out the competition, read some reviews, do a little cost comparison, and find the best value for your money. You probably ask friends and co-workers if they have a recommendation.

The plumber then has a project to be done - at a certain price, for a specific level of quality or workmanship. The plumber is now accountable for the outcome. You demand that accountability for the project - on time and on budget - otherwise, you don't pay them fully, or you give them a bad review - or both.

It's pretty simple, isn't it? Some basic consumer principles - the product of a market economy - drive the scenario effectively.

As consumers, we probably pay more attention to our choice of plumber than our health care.

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Patient-centered care is an over-used, misunderstood, and oftentimes hypocritical phrase.

There. I said it. I know, that is a pretty strong statement, but it had to be said.

It has become a trendy phrase that gets thrown around regularly these days. But the deeper meaning - and how to truly attain it - is, at times, lost or misunderstood.

There can be many subtle barriers to patient-centered care. We may think that something is patient-centered, yet it is far from it.

"Patient-centered" indicates more than just the fact that the patient is the center of the equation. It is more than just having a focus on the patient. True patient-centered care manifests itself in many ways.

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On Monday night, basketball fans at the Erwin Center got to see two teams headed in very different directions. Fans were given a fine example of the characteristics of a good basketball team, and one not-so-good team.

For those who may be wondering, the team headed in the downward direction is none other than the University of Texas Longhorns. On the upswing are the Baylor Bears. Oh, how times have changed.

The Horns were on a four game winning streak heading in to Stillwater for Saturday’s game against OSU. I, for one, was starting to get, well, almost optimistic. Perhaps they might be able to finagle their way into the Big Dance in March. A big maybe, but after 4 straight wins, it was conceivable.

But over the span of two games, Longhorn fans were subjected to the harsh reality of the 2011-2012 season.

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