A lesson from the Glimmer Twins

I probably played this album louder, and more often, than any other during my formative years as a teen and young adult.

If pressed, I'd still put a couple of the songs on a list of my all-time top-whatever favorite tunes - most notably the piece that closes out the album, "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

Or, as a very young Jessica once told me while I was babysitting, "You can't get what you always want."

There may be some deep meaning behind the title, or the lyrics, to ponder in the context of end of life care.

And the thought of drawing my last breaths as the tune blasts from a set of twelve-foot high speakers has a certain appeal - though I always pictured myself entering the gates of heaven to Frank Zappa's "Peaches en Regalia" (specifically the version featured on "Live at the Fillmore").

In any event, I got this email yesterday...

From: Kilburn, Lisa
Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 4:28 PM
To: Soucy, Gerard
Subject: Education Exchange-Final Selection Notification
December 17, 2009

Dear Mr. Soucy,

Thank you and your co-author(s) for your submission to the inaugural 2010 AAHPM/HPNA Interactive Educational Exchange. We had a tremendous response to this first offering with 52 submissions and the selection committee enjoyed reading the diverse abstracts.

We wish we could accept all of the outstanding abstracts that were submitted. Unfortunately, your abstract was not among the 5 final selections.

However, please note that we anticipate including all submitted abstracts in the session handout which will be posted online. This is to further promote the intended interaction and sharing beyond the session itself…

…Additionally, we hope you will express your support to AAHPM/HPNA for the Educational Exchange format, so you may have a similar opportunity to submit/resubmit and share your work next year.

Thank you again for your submission. We appreciate your dedication to education and to palliative care and hope we will see you at the Educational Exchange session in Boston on March 5, 2010, 3:15-4:15pm.

Please consider joining with your colleagues to explore innovations in palliative care education. See the AAHPM website for registration information.

Sincerely,

Laura J. Morrison, MD
Shirley Otis-Green, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, OSW-C
Pamela N. Fordham, DSN, FAANP
Elise C. Carey, MD

Ever gracious in the face of adversity, I replied:

Hi, All:

Thanks for your note. I'm disappointed, but also glad for having had the chance to submit my abstract, and for its inclusion in the session handout.

I look forward to attending the Assembly and the Educational Exchange next spring.

Jerry

So I guess if you try some time, well, you just might find, you get what you need.