Toward Ecosophy

Here is an update regarding my planned return to medical practice (I’ve been a jobless doc since August, 2021 for refusing the Covid-vex), and my younger daughter’s danger of getting the c-vex.

As those who’ve followed me may recall, in December/January, I learned that that self-employed physicians in my state are not subject to the vex as as requirement to practice medicine. In December, I had been told by my state’s medical licensing authority that I would not be able to renew my medical license if I were unvexed, but I nevertheless logged onto the the re-licensure website, worked my way through it, and was never asked about my vex status. I eventually reached the checkout page where I was billed, and voila, my license was renewed.

So I enquired of my referral base if they would resume sending me patients, and they said they would. I then decided to re-enter medical practice.

Since, I’ve been looking for a clinic space to lease, and that’s been quite a difficult process, as there is only a 3% vacancy rate for medical clinic space. I lost out on several spaces to competing lessees, bailed out on one that was expensive, and with lease terms that were high risk. There were several others that seemed promising, but did not appear permittable as clinic space. Eventually, a space that I had previously lost out on was re-listed; and it was already permitted for medical use, and was quite low-cost. So I grabbed it; and the lease did not have unreasonable or high-risk terms. I have my business/property insurance lined up. Once I have my phone/FAX, order-pads/prescription-pads/clinic-forms printed up, my signage, my new practice registered with the various authorities etc, then I’ll notify my referral sources and open my doors.

As for my younger daughter, who is 11, who had planned on getting the covid vex when she turns 12 in several weeks, there appears to be some sort of odd break. My understanding is that the FDA regulations permit 12-year olds and over to sign consent for the vex. My daughter was told this by her teachers last fall, and so she announced her plans to get vexed on her 12th birthday. She seems to have forgotten this. My ex-wife also forgot, oddly. Early in our divorce negotiations, before we knew of the FDA reg’s, I insisted on the right of vetoing the c-vex for our minor daughter, and my wife begrudgingly agreed. So when the Jewish summer camp insisted on all the campers getting the vex, my former-wife, much to her credit, REMEMBERED and honored her commitment to me, and withdrew our daughter’s application to summer camp. Daughter was upset, knew I was the cause, but has equanimity with it, and we are working on other plans. She did not threaten to sign herself up for the c-vex, and appears to have forgotten she can do this!

My Ex was shocked when I told her this week that 12-year-olds can sign for themselves (I thought she knew!); she forgot too. Then she did some investigation, confirmed this is indeed an FDA regulation, was surprised and shrugged her shoulders. So we’re going to let sleeping dogs lie, and I pray that my younger daughter doesn’t relearn she can get vexed on her own. The vex definitely seems to have have fallen off the social radar, and there doesn’t seem to be the social pressure to get it the way there had been last year.

My former sister-in-law had declared last year that her kids and my kids cannot visit as long as my kids are unvexed. This week, she let slip her own rule, and came down from Canada so our kids could visit for the first time in two years.

Now for the important part of my message: I owe thanks to those commenters here who pledged their intercessory prayers not only for my daughter, but for me and my return to medical practice. I subscribe to the notion of intercessory prayer, and regard these events as reflecting said prayers and the divine response. I wish there were more potent words than “Thank You”, but I can’t think of any.

I shudder to think of the situation I’d be facing if not for your prayers and the divine response. May you all savor the satisfaction knowing that your prayers were honored, and may you all be blessed in return. You are featured in my prayers of gratitude.

—Lunar Apprentice