Update: July 1, 2013

Let's try to get everyone up to speed with what's been going on with me over the last few months:

Work/Research:  A lot to report here.  I'm starting to find my groove in health services research.  I mostly focus on figuring out ways to make healthcare make more sense.  My unit works on erasing the disconnect between patients and their clinicians.  I try to make health fit the goals of the patient and empower patients to accept nothing less.  This means I study a lot of things, but especially the way patients and clinicians communicate.  I'm looking at this critically right now in the context of communication with cancer physicians and studying the concept of "shared decision making."  Beth and I just returned from a conference in Peru where I was able to sharpen my understanding of this better.  You can watch some great keynotes about this here: http://isdm2013.org/video-archive/
My mentor, @vmontori, is promoting a concept called "minimally disruptive medicine."  I will be blogging about that some here...and some here:  http://minimallydisruptivemedicine.org/  You can also follow my musings on this and other things on twitter @aaronleppinmd  I start my Master's classes officially next week.

Life/Health:  Things are about as good as can be expected.  The GVH left my gut and moved to my lungs.  It got pretty bad there for a bit and I spent a few days in the hospital.  My lungs took a bit of a permanent hit and I probably won't ever run a marathon, but with the help of some high dose steroids I'm breathing pretty comfortably now.  I'm well enough to work at least and well enough to enjoy a trip to Peru.  Beth and I were able to go paragliding, take in some Peruvian cuisine, and have a wonderful time on the beautiful Pacific coast.  My lung capacity precluded a trip to Machu Pichu but it was a blast regardless.  We also celebrated a year of marriage about a month and a half ago.  Beth also completed her first year of teaching and is enjoying her first summer vacation!

Purpose/Ministry:  A fair amount on this front as well.  Beth and I completed a course at our church to identify our spiritual gifts, talents, and heart tendencies.  Ultimately, we felt God's leading to start a hospital ministry directed toward helping patients and their families deal with the adjustment of serious illness.  On the most basic level, we want to provide Christian hospitality and support, especially to folks traveling to Rochester from afar for care.  We also want to provide spiritual direction and understanding as much as one might desire this.  We are approaching it humbly and with willing hearts; we feel God has given us a lot to draw on here.  I will try to post updates related to this ministry that will be encouraging.  We're calling it "Hospital-I.T.Y."  (Intent on Trusting You).

Okay, that's the skinny.  Keep posted, friends.