In the ICU, there was an experienced nurse. She was full of information and knew the policies and procedures inside and out. She was proficient in her role as an ICU nurse.
But she was flawed. Something was wrong.
Each day, she came to work wearing a gold bracelet, which she made sure everyone knew was valued at $15,000. She wore two-carat diamond rings. She would arrive, showing off her fancy pocketbook …
Imagine a medical syndrome so common that as many as one in five patients who nearly die in a medical setting experience it. Also, imagine that this syndrome has a profound, lifelong effect on both the patient and their family. Finally, imagine that if this syndrome is mishandled by the patient’s physician, it may have major adverse consequences for the patient and their loved ones.
Sounds like something all physicians and …
The moment my daughter was placed on my chest, I knew something was wrong. Her skin had a blue-purple tinge, and she barely cried. I instinctively began rubbing her tiny body, trying to stimulate her, but she remained quiet and minimally responsive. When I tried to put her on my chest to nurse, she did nothing. My doctor quietly left the room, and soon after, a team of medical professionals …
As a gerontologist, it is disheartening to engage with older adults who express disinterest in routine medical check-ups. Many of these individuals outright refuse to follow doctors’ orders or take prescribed medications. This troubling trend is not only a growing problem in America but also a critical issue that warrants our collective attention and action.
The advancements in modern medicine have significantly prolonged life spans and improved the quality of life …
Our understanding of anxiety and depression has evolved over the years, leading to advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and clinical management. However, their prevalence has not lessened; in fact, it has heightened in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its effects will last for years to come, so all mechanisms that can influence its incidence should be thoroughly considered, and the gut microbiota is the newest emerging target for antidepressant …
For decades, physicians have relied on diverse biological indicators to diagnose and monitor normal development, health, and diseases. Such indicators are important from the time we are born, when APGAR scores are recorded in the labor and delivery room, throughout our childhoods, when pediatricians monitor growth curves closely, and into adulthood, when our height, weight, and vital signs initiate virtually every medical appointment. For adults, these indicators, collectively known as …
As Tim Walz accepted the vice presidential nomination at the DNC, his teenage son, Gus, inadvertently became internet famous after clips of him crying and exclaiming, “That’s my dad!” circulated. While many across the political spectrum found the display of emotion endearing, inevitable ugliness ensued.
Ann Coulter commented in a since-deleted post on X: “Talk about weird.” Podcaster Mike Crispi mocked “Walz’s stupid crying son” as a “puffy …
I remember the first time I pronounced a patient dead—that’s something they make sure you learn well in medical training, as nobody wants to get it wrong. They taught us how to apply pressure to the fingernail to ensure the patient does not respond to pain while holding the patient’s hand, watching for breaths, and feeling for a pulse. They taught us to take our time to ensure we got …
Since its inception in the 1960s, traditional CPR has been heralded as a revolutionary life-saving technique. However, the limitations of CPR are becoming increasingly apparent, particularly in cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Currently, the survival rate for OHCA patients with good neurological function at discharge stands at a mere 7.5 percent. This raises important questions about the efficacy …
An excerpt from Facing Suicide: Understanding Why People Kill Themselves and How We Can Stop Them.
Between 2000 and 2007, suicide rates were almost stagnant for young people between the ages of ten and twenty-four. Then they began moving steadily upward. By 2018, suicides in this age group had increased 57.4 percent from 2007 levels. An economic crisis darkened that period, and according to online posts, some seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds …
An excerpt from Krooked Ketamine.
OK, here’s the thing: I had a little problem that needed correcting if I wanted to continue to work as a government surgeon. I had a janky heart, and it had a tendency to fire off at the absolute worst possible moments. I needed a pacemaker to help with the recalcitrant muscular metronome, but I absolutely hated the thought of lying down and feeling, at …
You can’t tell how much someone is suffering by looking at them—one reason I don’t share my journey with anorexia using photos to signify my mental health status. I’ve suffered more when appearing well, and “before and after photos” would spread misconceptions about eating disorders. They don’t magically go away with weight restoration and nourishment.
People assume I no longer live with anorexia. I perceive this is partially due to the …
As a physician who cares about patients’ health and well-being, you have likely experienced the grief of disillusionment. You spent years in college, medical school, and residency, imagining the kind of health care you’d provide. It would be high-quality, patient-first, equity-oriented, and heart-centered. That vision got you through tough moments along the path.
Now, you find yourself pressured to spend as little time with patients as possible. You’re giving precious hours …
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Are hospitals crazy?
I suspect many physicians would answer “yes” to that question without much contemplation. I have always assumed that, although hospitals are profit-driven and therefore likely to have very different priorities than physicians who care about patients, the institutions can be relied upon to have some semblance of reasonableness.
Lately, however, I have been forced to reconsider my position. For decades, I have represented physicians in their various interactions with …
Epigenetics has revolutionized our understanding of how lifestyle factors—such as diet, stress, exercise, and environmental exposures—affect fertility. Unlike genetic mutations, which change the DNA sequence, epigenetic changes modify how genes are expressed without altering the DNA itself. These changes occur through mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, and they play a critical role in fertility. Even more intriguing, these epigenetic changes can be passed down to future generations …
The fourth major concussion recently suffered by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa – his third in 24 months – brings into sharp focus the balance between patient/player autonomy and treatment decisions. The right to self-determination, even in sports, has become as much a moral as a medical issue. If Tagovailoa is not able to pass concussion protocols for a third time in his NFL career, he could be forced to …
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An excerpt from The Problem with Men.
Gary could tell something was wrong the moment he saw me. “Come in, friend,” he said, his voice gentle. He guided me into the kitchen, a cozy, older space similar to the one in my apartment across the street, but his was painted a cheerful light yellow. After rummaging through a cabinet, he returned with a joint and lit it without hesitation.
“Here,” he …
The modern IUD has been an option for women for 60 years now.
CDC just updated its 2016 guideline that advises physicians to discuss pain management options. This comes after continued viral TikTok patient stories about IUD insertion pain have garnered increasing attention from the medical community.
For perspective: According to OB/GYN’s Kristyn Brandi and Aliye Runyan, MD, their patients describe the insertion procedure as sometimes feeling like …
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As a U.S. health care writer and patient advocate for almost 30 years, I read a lot. Recently, some of that reading is in court transcripts of doctors being persecuted out of medicine or into jail by various prosecutors and their hired “experts.” I use the term “persecuted” intentionally. I believe that “medical experts” in many court or Medical Board proceedings are simply “hired guns” – clinical predators hired for …
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