RESTORATION

I chose to take it down and haul it to the shop not quite sure yet if I was fully committed to restoring it, but to at least enable me the chance to appropriately assess its condition. It sat for a few months waiting for me to get around to it. Another friend of mine, with considerable experience in woodworking, was soon visit to help guide me on another project. I thought I would take advantage of having him there to help me assess the damage on this one and brainstorm different approaches on how best to restore it. Only after doing that could I even determine if I had the skills, tools and confidence necessary to do it.

In preparing for his visit, I removed all the hardware and disassembled the components, most of which were still in reasonably good condition. I also took notes and a few photos to help me remember how to put it all back together again! I then stripped layers of varnish, careful not to cause more damage. In doing so, I realized that the damage, now totally visible, was far more extensive than I realized. It was as if in some spots, varnish was the only thing holding it together. I realized I had caught this just in time.

As I stood there eyeing my project, I understood that I was now in the “have to restore” option; there was no turning back. I also came to appreciate that there are a number of lessons in this experience that parallel your healthcare practices:

The symptoms that manifest do not reveal the underlying cause of the issue to be addressed, nor the extent of it.

The symptoms can often distract or disorient you from finding the true root cause.

Patching or repairing the symptoms is only temporary at best and does address the core issue, nor solve the problem.

Without knowing the root cause, it is futile to begin a restoration project.

If the cause is not identified and corrected, whatever initiated it in the first place is likely to do so again, taking your restoration efforts, time and money down the drain in the process.

After identifying and restoring the piece, it will require regular maintenance to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Fixing the root cause is a far larger task. But it is the only way to do it right.

To be fair, my project is not as complex as the human body with all its interdependent systems, where seemingly unrelated processes all interact with each other all the time. So, admittedly, your missions are a lot more complicated than my simple project, as daunting as it may now seem laid out in front of me with the full extent of its damage clearly visible. I honor your devotion and your accomplishments.

I’ve developed a plan of action and did so within the limits of my skill level and the tools and materials available to me. Time now for me to get to work.