January 2010 - Gesundheit by Patch Adams (1993)

Discussion Questions:

• General impressions. Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?
• How is Patch Adams different from your regular doctor? Would you prefer him? Why or why not?
• Do you believe that the state of your emotional health affects your physical health? In what ways?
• Mainstream health vs. alternative medicine. Which one would you choose? Would you be open to trying a combination of both? Why or why not?
• What influence does your experience with past illness have on how you would handle a future one?
• What significance does your perspective on death have on how you would deal with future serious illness?
• If you have ever worked in a healthcare setting - what do you think of Patch's ideas? How would they go over in your office/department?
• Think about your own state of wellness... what things does Patch say are necessary to be fully healthy? Evaluate your own life compared to this list.
• Patch talks a lot about "community living" - what are the advantages and disadvantages of this? How can we experience the advantages of community without living in a commune?
• In the quest of see your dreams and plans realized, you will inevitably experience several setbacks. How do Patch and his team handle these setbacks? What would you have done?
• Do you think that a health care system like the one Patch proposes would be well recieved in Canada in 2010? Why or why not?
• What small parts of Patch's plan could we incorporate into our system with little cost, little upheaval ans sizeable benefit?

Meeting Details:

at Thea's on Thursday, January 21st at 7:30pm

Menu: "Good for the Body and Soul"

whole wheat fettuccine with chicken and broccoli rabe - Sherrie

spinach salad - Tessa

tiramisu - Theresa

... if we get a big crowd, we could add another dinner dish (maybe something vegetarian?)

and some dark chocolate (it's good for you!) to the dessert menu.

Please take a look at the post "Coming up in twenty-ten" for a list of possible books to read in the next half year. We will decide these at the January meeting if we have a large enough crowd. If we have less than 5, we'll save the decisions for February.