RETIREMENT for JP

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Happy Retirement Dr. JP MD!
After 4 years of medical school, 3 years of residency and 39 years as a family physician, Dr. JP finally retired! He turned in his Allina ID badge, his pager (yes the hospitals still use pagers in 2022) and logged into Epic for one last time (hooray!). No more emails, no more calls, no more MyChart messages, no more urgent pages to return, no more patients to see, no more pain meds to order, no more holiday weekends to cover, no more shifts to trade, no more masks, no more picking which tie to wear, no more packing your lunch, no more forgetting your lunch (or pager or cell phone) at home, no more commuting; Dr. John is a free man, free at last. He was a wonderful mentor to many aspiring physicians and early career docs, including his children. He will be deeply missed by many - the Coon Rapids clinic and hospital staff, his colleagues and the patients for whom he devoted his life to serving. They say medicine is a jealous mistress or your lawful wife; she will be satisfied with no less. A career in medicine is unbelievably demanding and the people who suffer the most are those who are closest to the person - their family. 

Dr. John wrote the following in an email to our family after a lovely retirement weekend at the cabin:

"As I sat on the porch tonight, sipping a glass of delicious leftover red wine from our dinner at Indianhead, watching another beautiful sunset at Balsam Lake with the water like glass, the wind, boats, and weekenders gone, and only the calling loons and I remaining (and some uncaught fish), I was reflecting on how blessed I am, and the gifts that are mine, as well as a small speech I might have made at my retirement party had I planned ahead a bit.

First and foremost, my biggest and best gift is my wonderful Hun-Bun! She has been my rock, our rock, and the center of our family. Most of our nurturing skills we owe to her. She is one of the most caring and unselfish people we will ever meet. They say behind every great man is a great woman, and vice versa. We all know how true that is for mom and I. 

I was blessed with the opportunity and gift to be a kind, skilled, and empathetic physician for 39 years, and fortunate to be able to end my working career at ANW with no in-basket, and only working 3 days a week! It was a great privilege to be a Family Physician!
 
Mom and I were blessed with the gift of three wonderful, amazing, talented, and highly intelligent children whom we love very much and who love us very much. They are all very successful, and maybe not so coincidentally found careers in medicine, as did their parents.I am proud that all my children are even smarter than me. "They'll learn much more, than I'll ever know, and I say to myself, what a wonderful world".

They in turn have been blessed with equally amazing spouses, grandchildren, and grand dog! 
 
The past week has been one of the highlights of my life. From the beauty, ruggedness, and adventure of the BWCA, to the family Labor Day weekend activities at the lake.
- Getting pushed off the bongo by Josie and Theo to plunge me into retirement!
- Helping the grandkids fish off the dock or in the BWCA, and seeing their excitement when, "I've got one"!
- Watching the kids having even more fun jumping on the bongo on the land than on the water, especially the gymnasts Evie and Theo!
- Sailing with Katie, Marit, and Josie!
- Sailing with my three children!
- Family picture adventure!
- Lovely pontoon rides, especially to and from Indianhead!
- The wonderful, touching, retirement party at Indianhead Supper Club, and the expressions of your love and affection as I enter retirement!
- The northern lights!
- Bonfires, complete with s'mores, sparklers, and celebratory cigars!
- Fine wine!
- Watching the moonset!
- Having my grandchildren help me blow out my birthday cake candle, especially Lucy, as well as watching her dip her finger in the blue frosting flower repeatedly, then licking her finger!

Thank you all so very much for the wonderful memories and festivities!

"Amongst all men, I am most richly blessed!"

Happy Retirement, JP! We are very proud of you and hope you enjoy this next chapter.  
The whole fam at the cabin
Whole fam take 2
Dan and Dad
Dad and his girls
Dad and the grandkids
Yay, no more pictures!
Their only grandson
Boat ride to dinner
Jojo reading her card to JP and recalling all the hospitals and clinics he's worked at over the past 39 years.
Tears of happiness

New retirement hat


Retirement activity #1 - fishing. And a new fish measuring stick
Retirement activity #2 - travel. Bucket list books from the national park
Retirement activity #3 - sailing. And a paddle for when you are in the "doldrums" of retirement.
Retirement activity #4 - golf. Theo bought him some new ProV1 golf balls
The last white coat he'll ever wear.
Blowing out his birthday candles

The 5 grandkids
His new full time retirement job - grandpa!
Morning view of the lake


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