Why We Are Who We Are
Looking back on my journey to managing New Image, I had no idea what I was getting myself into!! lolBut it’s usually best that way. Set your sights on achieving a goal and take one day and one year at a time.You see, there was a time before we moved from Cincinnati to Chillicothe, in 1990, that I felt disconnected and discontent.Even though I loved being at home with the kids, I was struggling to work out where I fit into my husband’s life passion as a doctor, that demanded so much of his energy and time.His answer was: “Go to work if you want to.” (As if being a stay at home mom wasn’t work!! lol). But that’s a topic for another day:)I realized with his gentle direction in a long “around the bush” discussion that my only desire was to be able to work with him.
In my case my goal(s) were 2-fold:1. Raise our kids to be strong, confident, productive adults2. Help my husband to reach the next level, which at that point was to establish a private medical practice.I wanted to stay connected to this intensely driven man and had the same desire to help people. So there it was, and literally within two months of our move to Chillicothe, I began that journey.But I’m getting way ahead of myself…
The #1 Thing That Allows Us To Work Together (and Not Kill Each Other)
We are the Madsens. We’re best friends, lovers, parents, grandparents, believers; we’re part of a church family, and part of a community.We are New Image, and we’re also Madsen Medical.We’re workers, play makers, givers, and we’re dreamers.
But above all, we’re blessed, and we’re a TEAM.
Where do I begin to tell the story of why we are who we are, why we do what we do, and how great love between two people has been the foundation of it all (can you hear the music? lol.)Ours is a love story that began in nursing school at the University of Iowa in 1978 (yes we are native Hawkeyes! But never fear quite transplanted Buckeyes for 32 years now :)
I married a nurse who became a doctor. A man passionate to help others and who kept quiet about his desire to be a doctor, not believing that he could actually achieve that. But as they say: ”never say never.”When God is in it, all things are possible! And after one year of marriage following our graduation from nursing school, Dan started down his path with his greatest cheerleader beside him (that would be me, of course:), rooting him on, believing in him and yes, teaming with him to get where he wanted to be.We started our family literally three days before day one of medical school (Heidi, now married to Dr. Nick Benner and who also cheered her hubby thru the process,) and two days before our first anniversary.So it’s been a family affair right from the beginning!By the end of medical school, internship, and residency we were Buckeyes and had daughter #2 Tiffany, and our all wrapped up in one glorious package red-headed, brown-eyed boy, Noah!
A long road but so blessed!
Before our move to Chillicothe in 1990, this small team of two began to put together a private medical office in Pike County and in a matter of 3.5 weeks from the day Dan finished at a Pike County Clinic, opened a small office on July 15, 1991.We had a few employees and very quickly became very busy, doing what he had worked to do: care for people through medicine and I learning how to manage an office, employees, and medical billing. All the while keeping up with the kids, who made many trips after school back to the office with me to finish the work still needing to be done.Our kids have many memories of Atari, VCR movies and pizza from Cardo’s at the office while Mom and Dad finished for the day. Many changes, many patients who became like family and friends, a new building built in 2001, and many wonderful employees came and went since 1991.There were amazingly blessed times and of course other times that didn’t feel so blessed due to circumstance, but the team marched on together and in 2008 our next new venture began.
New Image.
I’ll be honest; I thought he was crazy to take this on.He was so busy but has always loved a challenge and wanted to stretch out to do something new. Something that would encourage and care for people in another way, and yes I will confess something that didn’t involve insurance companies:)Our “baby” was in college by then, and the nest was essentially empty (if you don’t count the dogs), but honestly, they have been a part of the team too enjoying the affections and attention from many of our patients and clients!
My new role then was to manage New Image and see what happens. Well, ten years later, a lot has happened! We have operated out of three different locations, our current and longest remaining at 614 Blackwater Rd for the last six years, met and served so many wonderful clients, and added new and better treatment options.Now you may remember, I am the part of the team that could remain the same doing the same and being quite comfortable in my rut. Except that the other 1/2 of our team LOVES change and challenges! He is the visionary, and I am the implementer.We enjoy working together for our clients, well most of the time! Lol We all have our moments, right? It’s a joy to work together to encourage people, and I like to believe we compliment each other for our client’s benefit (at least that is our goal.)If you ask him what he would do if I were gone, he’ll tell you “sell it all and go live on an island.” So you see he is driven to work, to achieve, to produce for our family and me. Since I am wired to assist him to succeed in whatever he does if he were gone I too would move on. Not to an island, but certainly near our kids and grandkids because they are the other part of life that makes me tick.For now, we are a team that works better together than apart, and our story continues.We are so blessed and grateful!! We hope that this year that has brought many changes to us, some exciting and some challenging, has been a year of blessing for you as well!We truly hope you have a “team,” whether that be in marriage, at work, or with family and friends.
We are always better together! Be Blessed!!
Roxy.