At some point in time, it is highly likely that you, or someone close to you, will have reason to enter the health care system. The individual will then depend upon the diagnostic prowess and clinical reasoning of one or more health care providers. There was a time when you could place your faith in the system to serve you well. My recent experiences, however, would challenge that deeply-held assertion. It is as though the critical thinking of many a clinician has disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle of health care.

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Speechless. Yes, that would have been me this week. It wasn't for lack of verbal capacity. I was speechless because I found myself without a voice this week. In reality, I still had a voice, but it was some strange amalgam of squeaks and crackles. It was a vocal sound worthy of puberty far more than that of a 48 year-old man.

This is what happens when the allergens start kicking up in Austin. For all the positives of life in Central Texas, the pollen counts definitely have a negative impact.

I am sure you can imagine that there were at least a few students (and probably a few friends as well) that were more than happy that I was a little speechless. But I digress.

So what do you do when you are tending to a vocal impairment? Stop talking and start ... writing! Welcome to episode 079 of the Rhubarb Report.

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Language is our primary means of expression and communication. Yes, we use non-verbal communication strategies and yes, they have a significant impact on our ability to establish rapport. However, language itself is important in conveying a message and expressing our thoughts, our hopes, and our dreams. Language is power, but with power comes responsibility. And that responsibility is based on context and intent.

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Breaking news: the US government is back in operation. I have trouble at times deciding if that is a good thing or a bad thing these days. But suffice it to say that we are back to "business as usual" - it's the "as usual" that is the most problematic aspect of that phrase.

It's been a bit of a crazy October for me. Between my 25th college reunion and a speaking engagement at an annual conference, I have found myself out of town for about a third of the month. That's enough to keep me feeling a little out of sync. I am looking forward to November, though with it comes a time change and the realization that the sun sets a whole lot earlier in wintertime.

Onwards to Episode 078 of the Rhubarb Report!

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