by Dan | Aug 2, 2026 | Etc.
I had an incident this week where a former patient came up to me and told me: “I am sure glad of who you referred me to take over my care after you retired. She has a great sense of humor, and when I give her some grief she dishes it back! Everything is going to be just fine!”
At the time, I thought he was referring to himself. Looking back and thinking about this…maybe he was also talking about me. Since retiring, I’ve had time to…
watch my grandchildren grow.
Take more photographs.
Continue to exercise every day, but am much more flexible of the time of day when I do.
I have had time to write on my book I am working on.
Spend afternoons and evenings doing things I never had time to do before.
Then…maybe everything isn’t perfect. My knee still reminds me I’m 61. I still have difficult weeks. Life still has surprises. But…then I look at Sarah…and our grandchildren…our kids…and I realize…Everything really is going to be just fine!
I struggled at the beginning of retirement, asking myself “did I retire too early?” “Am I still useful?” “Should I still be practicing?” “Will my patients be taken care of?”
That patient gave me peace that day. My family gives me proof of it everyday!
Nothing is better than being swarmed by my grandkids…especially all of the snuggles from Caleb! This particular patient may have been saying he was going to be just fine, but deep down he was telling me something as a caregiver for almost 35 years, that “You’ve done your work. It’s ok to enjoy the life you’ve earned.”
If nothing else, my grandkids are going to learn, by example, how important it is to help take care of your own health. You have to work at also. You can never take your health for granted, or think things are just going to be good “just because”. We will be having lots of future workouts in the “Reiflex Center”! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of newest streak #: 886
by Dan | Jul 26, 2026 | Etc.
This week I was able to run on four different days.
I was able to take pictures of a Monarch butterfly while I was out running.
Thursday was National Gorgeous Grandmother Day!
But the moment I’ll remember most happened in a nursing home.
My daughter Molly was feeding her son, Caleb, my grandson, and my mom’s great grandson, in the middle of a table in a nursing home dining room. He was just being happy, smiling, laughing, and truly getting the attention of all of the staff, and residents. Without me even initially noticing, I saw my mom’s hand holding onto to Caleb’s foot! She had a huge smile on her face. You can never take the mom out of her. She was beaming! She did not want to let go. She kept softly rubbing his foot, while Caleb just kept opening his mouth to get the next spoonful! Both of them were happy! Caleb and my mom may not remember much of this moment later…but I sure will!
One life just beginning. One life rich with decades of memories and experiences. And for those minutes, they were just enjoying each other’s company…and I was just enjoying watching!
4 generations gathered around the table…to eat…to talk…to spend time together…to make memories.
I was thrilled to find a monarch that I saw on the grass when I was out running. Last month we found a monarch caterpillar. Was this the same one?? Who knows. Funny how life often gives us reminders of the different stages in life.
I love to run, but this week was not about getting back to running. It was about a 61 year old carrying his grandson, standing with my daugther, to go see a mom, a grandma, and a great grandma. A medal can’t give you that. A great race time can’t give you that. Even a successful career can’t give you that by itself. These are the moments we hope our lives make possible. And maybe that’s why I keep running…why I keep trying to recover…why I refuse to just sit in a rocking chair. It’s not about adding years to your life, but about adding life to your years. It was fitting that this past Thursday was Gorgeous Grandmother day…that fits my mom well! But…
…it also fits perfect for my Sarah! Keep making memories. Keep adding life to your years. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of newest Streak: # 879
by Dan | Jul 19, 2026 | Etc.
This morning I ran 3/4 of a mile. Not fast. Not continuous. But I ran! I have not been able to run for almost 3 months. Years ago I would have laughed at the fact I only ran 3/4 mile. Today, it was a huge milestone for me, and I am grinning ear to ear. My knee finally had no pain. I took Dakota for a walk, and we went 2 miles, and then I walked/ran for 1 1/4 miles, of which 3/4 of it was running. No pain!!! It topped my week. The week started out awful. I had vertigo and was leaning to the right all week. Dizzy, running into the wall. Nauseated. I was on a continuous merry-go-round that would not stop. It is now much better, not gone, but much better.
Friday I went to Brookings and met my daughter Molly and grandson Connor, and granddaughter Tessa, at the Children’s Museum. 5 hours of non stop play!! It was Connor’s 5th birthday, and we had a ball. Running, shopping, climbing, pretending he was a Vet, a farmer, and swimming and fishing!!
Tessa is a natural shopper, and she loves bread, so her cart was “3/4” filled with bread. Smiling all day.
Saturday we drove to Sioux Falls to see my mom, and my brother Rich flew in from Albuquerque for the weekend. Saw my brothers Ray, Tim, sister Mary, sister-in-law Joni…went out to eat. What a great day!
With the vertigo, I got to spend some more time riding my stationary bike. I couldn’t fall all of this! No matter what, I still find ways to keep moving.
I also got to spend some time taking some pictures of flowers. The skies were not as cooperative this week, so I got some practice in with these kind of pictures:
I love this last one. The words behind it says it all, and overall, this ended up being a great week. Appreciate the wins when they come, because everything is not always going to work out the way you want it. There are silver linings hidden everywhere, sometimes we just have to look a little closer. This is not a story about running, but a story about returning, and taking the good things when they come. I can say today topped what ended up being a great week. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but none of us do. Go with it. Keep trying. Stay positive. Be grateful for those good moments. Sometimes you have to pay a little more attention to things to realize when those moments are. Keep moving everybody…”3/4 of a mile at at time!”
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of newest streak: # 872
by Dan | Jul 5, 2026 | Etc.
Well, this week was much better compared to last week. I am still not able to run, but I can go walking again. How fitting to be talking about “Freedom” during the 4th of July Holiday. This week I had freedom. Freedom to adapt. Freedom to enjoy. Freedom to participate. Freedom to appreciate. Sometimes these things are right there in front of you…you just need to slow down and appreciate it. If anything, this is what not be able to run has done for me…slow down!! No question with being hurt, I have had to learn to adapt and change what I do for working out, or just plain being able to exercise and move. The Freedom 5k run/walk was this Wednesday, and at least I got to participate…walking. I even pushed it a little and started practicing my “power walk”. It went well, and with my friends and family running in it, at least I got to be a part of it too.
Thursday I went to the Zoo…by myself. I took my camera, and telephoto lens, and went to go take pictures. No rush. Took as many picture’s as I wanted. I had a ball. Some of the birds there are so impressive, and I got great close-ups. I did take a few with my iphone, like this one of the kangaroos.
It was a great morning. We had a storm earlier in the week, and some of the clouds were quite impressive…and scary. The colors that showed up after, during sunset, were very cool! You can see this pictures on my Facebook page, under Reiffenberger Reflections.
Then I got to enjoy the 4th with Dan and Megan coming over, and later Owen and his girls came over to watch the fireworks on the lake. I did some experimenting with taking pictures of the fireworks, and here are a few of them (more next week, again with Reiffenberger Reflections!).
Bottom line, we all have the “freedom to choose”…make it count! One of the famous lines from Raiders of the lost Ark series: “Choose wisely!” Take care of yourself. Keep moving. Appreciate what is in front of you…and spend time with family! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of newest streak: # 858
by Dan | Jun 28, 2026 | Etc.
Some weeks just don’t go as planned. I will explain Monday later, because that was the day that saved the week. I have not been able to run now for over 2 months. I have a knee injury, and I have been going to therapy for this. I have been making progress, and so my therapy has also been advancing, and then after Tuesday’s session, I went backwards. I had the same knee pain as when I started and then developed another bruise on the inner aspect of my knee. I was hoping I would be running soon, but my knee had other ideas and showed me that I am not ready. I had to get creative again with the therapy, and I could not walk for 2 days, so I did my arm exercises. Afterall, my word for the year is “adapt”, so I had to adapt. My knee is now already better, and I am back walking, but will see what therapy says next week. Like the first picture, sometimes you have to “pull yourself back up” even if you really don’t want to!
I have also had a “cold” for the last several weeks, and it really hit this week. The last 4 nights I have not slept because I am constantly coughing. Rest. Fluids. I even tried some chicken soup (my mom’s solution!). This is improving now too, but man is it frustrating. Dealing with the knee, and then the coughing, and sleeping more during the day because I can’t at night…I was thinking first that this week was a total waste…and then I remembered I had the grandkids on Monday. How could it be a waste when I got to spend time with them! Life did not become bad because the grandkids were there. It became hard because life happened afterward. Those are different things. Maybe the positive isn’t finding a silver lining. Maybe it’s recognizing that even in a difficult week…I still had Monday! That doesn’t erase the cough. It doesn’t fix my knee. But it reminds you that one difficult chapter does not define the whole story. We got to play outside all day Monday playing. I was looking back at the pictures I took of them, and one last Sunday when Tom and I did a long walk with our dogs instead of running:
No question, the day I spent with the grandkids outweighed everything that did not go right the rest of the week. But the biggest thing is that this week is coming to an end, and next week is ready to begin. So yes, did I not have such a great week overall? Yes. Was it all bad? Absolutely not! My knee hurts…I am coughing…I am not sleeping… and I am frustrated. But I’m still here. Some weeks, that’s enough. What didn’t change this week? Sarah…the grandkids…my commitment to exercise…my values…my gratitude. Sometimes we just need to be resilient. Take the good with the bad. Really appreciate the good when it does show up. Does this mean we all need to learn to “adapt”? I guess there is no doubt why this is my word for the year! Different doesn’t mean defeated…just figure out a way to adapt! I am still moving forward…we all need to keep moving forward…and as I always say, “Keep moving everybody!”
Who knows, someday Connor may someday become an NFL quarterback! Look at that form and determination!!!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of newest streak: # 851
