Alison Douglas (Menzies)

Life has changed a bit since the last reunion I attended 10 years ago! I am now divorced and living and working very happily on the Moray Firth. I am a GP in Buckie and my partner, Trevor Wilson, is also a GP, working in Elgin. I have 2 children - Jamie is 26, a doctor, who has recently started GP training in Manchester. Catriona is 24, she did a psychology degree then 2 years in Canada, and now threatening to do graduate entry medicine -I guess she's not off the payroll yet then!

Looking forward to catching up with everyone this weekend.

The Jones's are well and thriving in Rutland (that's a very small county in England for all you Scots). Gareth is a pensioner having retired from the RAF 10 years ago - he still flies but (alas) not Harriers anymore. Spurning the chance to fly jumbo jets, he completed a Warwick Business School MBA. He is now a director of a very successful healthcare company (yes on the dark side) which now looks after over 40,000 patients at home. Being the perpetual student, he completed a further IOD course and qualified as a Chartered Director last year.
Jenny contimues as a full time GP in Uppingham where she has been a principal for 20 years. Having been the first ever female GP in the practice, and the junior for 13 years, she now leads a practice of 5 female and 2 male (where did they go wrong?) doctors in a thriving rural practice. Her specialist interests include acupuncture and of course shopping. Gareth & Jenny celebrate their 30th anniversary next year - what odds on that in Freshers' Week 1971?!
We have 2 sons: Chris is 25 and a FY2 doctor in Newcastle; NIck is 23 and just graduated from Bath with a 1st Class Honours degree in Business (he's the sensible one). Both boys have no idea what they want to do in the future apart from continuing to come on sun & ski holidays with their parents.
We're always keen to keep in touch with old friends - we look forward to seeing everyone at Gleneagles!

Graham Alexander

Since moving here in 1981 Joan and I have very happily become embedded in small town life in Haddington, East Lothian. It is a great place to be a GP and to bring up a family, yet close enough to Edinburgh to get there easily when we want to. I still enjoy general practice and I am a GP Trainer. We have 2 sons, Euan 26, a doctor, and Jamie 22, who started medicine, but after 2 years realised it was a mug's game and is now enjoying himself doing history. As others have been brave enough to admit to it, I feel I too can come out and confess to really enjoying gardening. I play golf and wish I had time to play more. I try to keep fit but had to give up badminton when my degenerate right medial meniscus gave up on me during a match at Meadowbank. I managed to get back to running about 10-15 miles a week but seem to be getting slower. Looking forward to meeting up with those of us going to Gleneagles

Erwin Rodrigues

I trained in Medicine & Cardiology in Edinburgh & at the MRC Unit in London. I then moved to Liverpool. I completed my training in Hollywood/ Beverley Hills, California at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, with the American Heart Association. Then returned to UK & moved to the Wirral as Consultant Cardiologist at University Hospital Aintree where I have been Clinical Director of the Aintree Cardiac Centre since 1989.

Diane & I celebrated our Silver Wedding Anniversary in Scotland last year where this photo was taken. We have 4 great kids (now all adults!). Jeremy (left) graduated in Medicine from Edinburgh last year and hopes to specialise in Surgery. Jonathan (middle), a final year Edinburgh Medic, is a dedicated Physician while Mark (right), another Edinburgh Medic (4th year) has already developed an interest in Orthopaedics. Our youngest, Amanda, has maintained the tradition and goes to Newcastle to study Medicine in September. For obvious reasons, retirement does not feature in my immediate plans!!

We enjoy travelling and having been to Barbados in the spring, toured Canada and the Rockies in the summer (where this photo was taken on the Athabascar Glacier) and with Paris and Goa to look forward to in the autumn, it is no wonder that I am having difficulty fitting in some cardiology into my timetable!!

It will be great to meet and catch up at Gleneagles.

Edinburgh Book Festival

Owen George and I have just been to the Book Festival to see an early DocSoc member-Bruce Durie. He's quite a prolific writer on various topics, and was signing a new one about Pinkerton (of the detective agency). Sends his best to all.

He and I resat Biochemistry on a diet of Pale Ale and Regal.

Mother of prospective winter Olympian, wife of biker who tells me I'm just a dog(walker!). Shortly to be a primary health care provider in deepest, darkest Peru (for a short time at least ) and if the legs and back can stand it,hoping to make it to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail in October.
Surviving in General Practice but planning to reduce the hours soon and counting the days until I can reasonably retire and have a life!

Robin K Strachan
Things are pretty fine with us. Marriage to Erika has now been for 24 years, our son Rory is a designer and Clara is still at school in Edinburgh. We have two homes, the main one in Fairmilehead (I liked PMR Hospital so much I bought part of it) and a town house by the Thames in Chiswick. I commute and spend most weekends and any spare time in Edinburgh.
I am still full time NHS and have been Chief of Service at Hammersmith Hospitals and Senior Lecturer at Imperial College. Research has included cartilage repair, arthroscopic techniques and most recently computer assisted navigation for knee arthroplasty including joint dynamics. I travel abroad quite a lot because of this. The life plan is to go part-time NHS asap and stick with the private, medlegal and consultancy work until I get fed up. I am still in the Royal Naval Reserve.
Hobbies include psychometrics (see ‘moodgrid.com’ ), shooting and boats. I share ownership of a classic yacht out of Gosport. On my 50th birthday I passed my ICC (International Certificate of Competence) which means I can drive up to a 22 meter boat. Retirement plans therefore include a ‘live-aboard’ biggish white one somewhere East of Gibraltar……..

Joan Clark

Thirty years older and not much wiser!

Despite aspirations to widen my horizons, including mastering the guitar, painting, cooking and travelling, .. I am a full time GP principal, surviving the floods in Hull, even teaching some med students and using my foreign language skills to treat the local population!!. (Quite fun actually! lots of nationalities! not just the local lingo) Still drink coffee and chat, and largely enjoy General Practice tho retirement is looking more enticing and like most of us over 50's I like wine and gardening..

Also surviving marriage to Ken, and three testosterone charged sons.. and they have survived me and my cooking!

Sorry I won't see you all at Gleneagles, fond memories of lots of you.. have a great time!

PS God Bless and don't get too drunk!

three docsoccers

There are at least three docsoccers at this pre-reunion reunion / piss up. What are they thinking?

Brian Fernandes

Brian Fernandes


I presently live in Edmonton, Alberta, (near the Canadian Rockies).

I am currently working 3 days per week in Family Medicine.

I have developed passionate interests in:
- Fitness ( I exercise 4 days per week, including Tennis).

- Meditation and Qi-Gong (I meditate for 45 to 60 minutes per day).

- Zen Philosophy – I may still change careers soon (inspired by Sheila Innes’ story, on this Blog), and become a Zen Master. ( I already meet the requirements for minimal hair on the scalp, and Orange Robes are in fashion on the Paris runways)

Looking forward to this Re-Union, and it has been wonderful to read the Blogs.

Ken Hare

Still happily married to Lizzie, I have been in East Linton since 1983, in the smallest General Practice in East Lothian, with a bijou income to match, but it is a very nice place to work.

Still into noisy rock music, but also embracing middle age with gardening and walking holidays.

And then there's skiing......

Liz Hare

Still happily married to Ken who is my in-house IT support and all-round best pal. Together we have produced our fine offspring, Helen, 23, just starting work in the Molecular Genetics lab at the Western General in Edinburgh, and Patrick, 21, a student at Perth College, playing the sax and generally hanging out.

After an extended career break, then part-time training in General Psychiatry, I was eventually given a consultant post at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital for good attendance. Have been writing e-learning materials for the Edinburgh medics for a while, and more recently advising the RCPsych CPD On-line project. Continue to over-do the work/life balance, singing in 2 choirs, baking bread, weeding the garden, going to gigs and the theatre, badminton, skiing.... I must say the housework suffers.

Remembered from the bog wall in Physiology

From Experience I'll wager
That Pectoralis Major
Is as fine as any piece of tender steak
And superficial fascia
From underneath a gnasher
As succulent potato I will take

But if that is not your preference
May I prescribe with deference
An evening with the Monophosphate shunt
And you'll dream of far off lands
And palpating Racquel's glands
As you slowly row her homeward in a punt

Though work become your master
And the pace is getting faster
And pleasures have a transient complexion
Let you not forget
If a parting you regret
There are plenty naked women at dissection

(Three lines here I can't remember-anyone help?)

So down your tools
Your women too
There's welcome here for you
Growing senile on an MBChB

Carol Leeuwenberg

Sorry I should have put my name on the post below but was so proud I actually got this to work! I used to be Foster. I realise the photos does not reveal much to make me recognisable but it was Stromness in May.

docsoc07

After 20 years abroad in Germany, Holland and latterly 12 years in Norway where I did my GP training again and worked fulltime we returned to Scotland to Wick 6 years ago and are very happy here working and playing! 4 years ago Joost fulfilled his dream of buying a boat, a Contessa 32. I had never sailed and after it was delivered to Wick was relieved to find out I don`t get sea sick! We started with forays in and out of the harbour, then spent 2 summers cruising the Orkneys with quite a few Pentland Firth crossings to add to the excitement and this summer went through the Caledonian Canal to explore the west coast. We have 2 grown up sons who are happy and healthy so life is good. Look forward to seeing you all in Gleneagles though will have to travel there by more mundane transport.

docsoc07

You should recognise at least 3 Docsoc 77ers from this photo taken April 2007! No cheeky comments about who looks the oldest!

I'm on a roll now! This is Mary Johnston's photo with her sons-- looking as fabulous as ever after 30 years, Mary! Overall, I think all the photos show that we are ageing pretty well, don't you? Carol

Finally managed to get David Richmond's photo to upload!No wonder he likes it-- "running a marathon up Everest"!! David you put the rest of us to shame! However, did hear from a friend last week who is going to Killimanjaro that Viagra is the latest treatment/preventer for altitude sickness! (The things you learn in Sexual Health!) Carol

Another song about 30 years on!

Drunken Sailor
(Words by Dr Peter Pearson)

What shall we do for erectile failure ?
What shall we do for erectile failure ?
What shall we do for erectile failure ?
Early in the morning !

CHORUS:
Hooray and up he rises
Hooray and up he rises
Hooray and up he rises
Early in the morning !

Put him in the lab and get his measure,
Check his sugar and his pressure;
Do all we can to restore this pleasure
Early in the morning !

CHORUS:

Put ‘im on statins and lower ‘is lipids-
Oh my God! My life’s insipid.
Come on Doc- please make me livid
Early in the morning !

CHORUS:

Then before we realises
Johnny Thomas ups and rises
The strain’s too much -----and then he DIES-ES!
Early in the morning!

CHORUS:

P.S.

Guidelines will not mitigise us,
Plaintiff lawyers crucifies us!
College rises and denies us!
Early in the morning!!

Well done folks, you're all getting the hang of it now!

If you know of anyone else's e-mail addresses, please forward the BLOGSPOT link to them. Carol Cox

INNER STRENGTH

If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills

If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it

If you can understand when loved ones are too busy to give you time

If you can overlook when people take things out on you, when, through no fault of your own, something goes wrong,

If you can take criticism without resentment

If you can face a world full of lies and deceit

If you can conquer tension without medical help

If you can relax without liquor

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs-

You are probably a dog!

ANON.

I was appointed Regius Professor of Clinical Surgery at the University of Edinburgh in 2000 and continue to run a specialist service in hepatobiliary, pancreatic and liver transplant surgery. I consider myself fortunate that I now lead one of the strongest academic surgical groups in the country. I am a council member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and was Chairman of the RCSEd Quincentenary Congress (July 2005) and of the 7th World Congress of IHPBA (September 2006). I was President of the Association of Upper GI Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and am currently secretary of the British Journal of Surgery Society and the James IV Association of Surgeons and Chairman of the Programme Committee of the European Surgical Association. I serve on the editorial boards of several major surgical journals am currently Associate Editor of the World Journal of Surgery.

Mandy and I have already celebrated our 30th anniversary before this year’s reunion. Stephen goes to Bristol in October to study engineering and Katie plans to study design when she leaves school in two years time. I look forward to being able to combine a little of my international travel with more leisure and perhaps with an opportunity to visit the overseas members of the year. I can be tempted by any good wine or golf course!

I append a photo but will try to fond a better one!

James

Ian Frazer

A clinical immunologist with an interest in host-virus interactions, I do research on cancer vaccines, and promote scientific research and researchers to the community, to government, and to school kids. I’ve lived in Brisbane since 1985 with Caroline. I have three kids (one vet, and two wannabe doctors). I’m still the enthusiastic skier, cyclist and bushwalker that I was in 1977, and have added SCUBA and opera to my leisure activities. According to Cosmo magazine, I’m the “ little prick that may save your life”, and the Weekend Australian thinks that I (or more likely some research I’ve been involved in) is “God’s gift to women”. However, The Perthshire advertiser is probably nearer the mark – I’m the “Perthshire woman’s husband… acknowledged in Australia)”.

Mary Johnston

I am working 4 days a week in a faculty practice, half my time spent seeing my own patients and half precepting some of our 18 residents.
When I am not working I am skiing in Vermont where I have a condo or in the summer I am playing golf at the country club close to my home.
I am divorced. I have 2 sons , Neal and Craig, who are both in medical school here in Albany, NY.
Looking forward to seeing you all,

Mary Johnston ( was Dittmer in med school ).

Photo unable to be uploaded

David Richmond

Summary of life since uni: married, 3 children who are now working as lawyer, doctor, one at university, divorced - now have 2 more children with Liz,(another Dr but whose main interest is horses) aged 4 and 3 months......aargh...forgot what noise was! I've been working in Obs and Gynae since house-jobs and have been a consultant since 1990 at Liverpool Women's Hospital, now medical director. Off to Nepal again with no.3 child as that's how I remember them now! See You Soon
David

Photo unable to be uploaded

John Wilkinson

I am now Professor of Public Health at Durham University – well there’s not that much competition in public health! Durham is now reinventing itself as a medical school having given up previously on the idea to Newcastle in the 1960s so its all good fun and they pay me too.

Its interesting reading all the other blogs and thinking do I really look as old as that, my wife (Jill) of 30 years tells me I do.

We have three children, though not really the right word. Only one is off the books and earning real money as a lawyer. Our daughter has just graduated from Dundee in architecture, and is planning to start her career in Edinburgh. Our youngest son has found a solution to our winter holiday problem having got a degree in law from Leeds is off to the University of Geneva in September to study international human rights. We also have two dogs and two cats.

Tricia and Crawford

I have enjoyed being a GP for 26 years in my family practice in Leith and then Cramond. Crawford moved from surgery to general practice and was happy in his small practice in Bangholm Loan. We shared a passion for art and music but loved heading off to the mountains to recharge our batteries. We walked in the Scottish hills in the summer and headed off to wilderness places for off piste ski adventures in the winter. This photo is of our last lunch together while skiing in Kyrgyzstan in 2001. An hour later we were both buried in an avalanche and although I was rescued and resuscitated Crawford sadly died. I continue living in our home in Trinity and have returned to the mountains both walking and skiing.

Step we gaily..

I am so looking forward to seeing everyone in Gleneagles. Since our last reunion I met my partner Ian who is a ballet dancer with an all-male comedy ballet company called Les Ballets Grandiva. At about 6'5" en pointe he makes for a tall swan, as you can see here. We celebrated our commitment in 2003 at our church in Manhattan, St Bartholomew's, and registered our domestic partnership earlier this year in London. Life in the Big Apple is as exciting as ever and I feel incredibly blessed.

Richard Eastell

Thanks for setting this up, Carol. I am working in Sheffield as a clinical academic in metabolic bone disease. I left Edinburgh in 1982 to train at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow and then at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Rachel and I had three children - Bob lives in Edinburgh and so gives us an excuse to visit there often; Jonty has given us 3 grandchildren; Amelia is just 14 and keeps us on our toes. I am looking forward to meeting up with old friends. This blog will make it much easier to recognise people.

Grace Fergusson

Greetings from the West of Scotland!
Well, I did marry that boyfriend from the West, he didn't build me a hospital but I am now holding out for a nursing home.
This journey led me to focus on a career in psychiatry, which surprised me, but it has worked out fine and I eventually reached the dizzy heights of consultant (with the emphasis on 'eventually') .

Kenny and I have three sons, all now in their 20's, living away from home (most of the time!) and at various stages of training in construction management.

We still enjoy parties .... this group photo was for a recent 'special' birthday, guess whose. That's me surrounded by all the MacLeod 'stags', not many grouse in Argyll.
Still a 'wild cat'? ......possibly more of a 'menopausal moggie' but looking forward to the trip to Gleneagles.

Sheila Going ( Innes)

After 20 plus years in dermatology I decided it was time for a change, left medicine and retrained as a primary school teacher!! Who can beat that for a mid life crisis?? I love my new job, the holidays are great and at 3 o'clock each day the bell rings and they all go home! How many times would I have loved to do that to a crowded waiting room at 3 o'clock. I have been married to James(a pathologist in Glasgow) for 25 years and have two children age 19 and 15. My father who some of you will remember taught us, was 92 this year and as he qualified in 1937, is celebrating his 70th year since qualifying. Might help to think of that for anyone who is feeling old being qualified for 30years!! As teaching is not as lucrative as medicine I am not staying at Gleneagles but hope to join you for the dinner on Sat night. I am going to attempt to add a photo taken in NZ at Christmas but my technical computing skills are limited. If it works I definately want one of Carol's certificates!!

Peter Turnpenny

Peter Turnpenny

Wow! Where did the time go?

Within days of the reunion Alison and I celebrate 30 years of marriage. We also celebrated my mother’s 90th birthday in April – hence a clinical geneticist’s photograph of three generations! My mother should be relatively easy to spot and the other young ladies, left to right, are: Alison (age – similar to the rest of us), Jenny (25, primary school teacher in South Wales, married to Paul on her left – a sports coach and big time surfer), Pippa (19, speech therapy student, Sheffield), Theresa (21, English literature student, Southampton), and Beth (27, junior doctor in general medicine, Bolton – she survived MTAS). In case you are wondering who I am, the beard came off 4 years ago (grown at 20 to look older, discarded at 50 to look younger).

We have lived in Exeter for 14 years, during which time the Clinical Genetics Department has grown from a staff of 3 to more than 20, and the Peninsula Medical School saw its first cohort of students graduate this July. Most of my work is still NHS but research interests in spinal segmentation abnormalities, fetal anticonvulsant syndromes, hypermobility syndrome, and a motley assortment of other rare genetic conditions continues.

Thanks for sorting out the blogging Carol. I was feeling just like a houseman (? houseperson, O yes – F1) again – trying to find my registrar (not so easy these days) for help!

plus ca change-Thornton MacCallum

Hi, everyone. Well done Carol, although I do have some reservations about my ability to handle the technology...I'll just go off and find a daughter! Looking forward to Gleneagles, but perhaps not quite in the "0nly 14 more sleeps 'til Gleneagles" mode. Dermot looks like he always did, so I'd better rummage around and find something (un)suitable! I am sorry some appear unable to come but hopefully they will access addresses and stay in touch....or not....as the case may be. I don't think we've been such a bad lot. Look forward to catching up over a beer or two, no doubt dirt cheap at Gleneagles, but we can put them on the tab of the McKeown suite. See you in a fortnight....must go off now and collect my specially-made new toupee, get my Botox done, visit my colonic irrigator.....oh yes, and try and fit in a detox and liver transplant ...all in a fortnight. I hope you all have a safe journey. Thornton

The Colonoscopy Prep Song- well we're all over 50 now!

The Colonoscopy Prep Song- (sung to the tune of Funiculi Funicula).

Evacuate your bowels while you're in private
And brace yourself
And brace yourself

Eliminate all fibre from your diet
And pace yourself
And pace yourself

Drink three hundred mls of cloudy fluid
That's just a start
That's just a start

Another six of those should nearly do it
So please take heart
So please take heart

Chorus:
Rushing,rushing to and from the loo
Flushing,flushing- now you're almost through-
Hold tight the seat
And keep your feet a-firmly planted on the floor.
Don't get up too quickly or you'll faint against the door!

Evacuate your bowels while you're in private
Don't make a noise
You'll scare the boys

Eliminate all fibre from your diet
You really must
Cut off the crust

Drink 300mls of cloudy fluid
-Just hold your nose
Or use a hose--
Another six of those should nearly do it
They're fairly mean
But you'll be clean!

Chorus:
Rushing,rushing etc,etc.

If anyone has musical skills with the piano, we could have a quick rendition at dinner!

Thanks for braving the technology, Carol. Hope all of those attending and those who can't let us know how they are doing.

30 years seems a long time, but when I cycle over the Meadows to the old Medical School on a day when the cherry blossom is out, it seems like yesterday and nothing has changed. On the other hand, when I look in the mirror....

30 year reunion of Docsoc 77

Well, here we are 30 years on and trying to keep up with the latest IT technology! What a great way to keep in contact all over the world without having to find postal addresses and write to everyone individually!
After the initial e-mail last week, I have had a few responses and will post them here for general perusal. Hoping more to come as we go along.Feel free to contribute on behalf of friends as per the original Yearbook entries!Have you "changed into another animal" or are you happy with your original one?!
Looking forward to seeing quite a few people at the Gleneagles Bash.
Also, if you know of any e-mail addresses of others from our year who may not be on the database, please let me know as the list is only partially complete at present , and a couple have been "returned to sender" (Jill Gray and Grace Ferguson).
Docsoc 77 is alive and well!
Poems,songs,artistic contributions, quotes and photos all gratefully received!
Carol Cox (nee Collee)