As a member of IST for a couple of years and always being a teacher/trainer at heart, I would introduce new team members to the policies and processes related to the Security/Access Change Approval Board. Every Epic application or module had a representative on the board. For example, the module called Radiant deals with Radiology functionality, the module called Cupid - Cardiology, the module called Stork – Obstetrics, etc.
As I remember, Rhafia Bucoy joined IST in 2011 as a representative of the OpTime module which deals with all things related to the Operating Room. I stepped up to orient Rhafia to the team and learned in the Philippines she had been a General Practitioner; which commonly in the United States meant she was a highly educated and skilled Registered Nurse. While the modules each of us represented on the team – scheduling and operating room – rarely crossed paths in those days, we became friends at work due in part to the weekly IST meetings.
During the late summer months of 2012, I didn’t see Rhafia at the office which was not uncommon as Kaiser allowed Epic Analysts to work remotely one or two days a week and calling into the weekly IST meetings was acceptable. This meant that months could go by without one specific analyst seeing another based on the remote work schedule for each analyst.
In early September, 2012, I saw Rhafia for the first time in months. She had been physically transformed. The reduction in her wait was absolutely remarkable to the point I did not recognize her and she called me out on it. She explained to me that she had been following the Ideal Protein protocol. Not only was she a walking advertisement, she had opened her own Ideal Protein Clinic called Our Last Ideal Diet. I spent some time talking with Rhafia about the Ideal Protein protocol and we make plans for me to drive to her office in Tracy, CA for a consultation.
Keep in mind, at this time in my day to day life, I was a regular marijuana smoker, meaning several times a day, every day. I had reduced and almost eliminated drinking alcohol after taking part in the Autumnal Cleanse facilitated by Jennifer Ruth Russell. (See the blog post titled, “The Beginning of the Beginning.)
Following the consultation with Rhafia, I started the Ideal Protein protocol on Monday, October 1, 2012 with a goal weight of 135 lbs. My weight at the consultation was 270 lbs.
This morning, August 15, 2016 I weighed 134.6 lbs.
I know, I lot of time as passed between then and now.
Future blog posts will fill in the time between these dates. I will also post before and after photos soon.