Conditions

Jimmy Carter’s end-of-life decision: Respecting patient autonomy and the importance of hospice care

Conditions
April 12, 2023

A KevinMD article about Jimmy Carter’s end-of-life care decision, “The heartbreaking story of Jimmy Carter: a call for Medicare reform in end-of-life care,” indicated that the former president’s decision was heartbreaking. However, I have a different view. In my opinion, the 39th president, at age 98, made an autonomous and well-informed decision.

On February 18, The Carter Center announced in a statement that “after a series of short hospital stays, …

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Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome: Understanding a rare disorder and supporting patients and families

Conditions
April 11, 2023

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical features, including intellectual disability, growth retardation, and distinct craniofacial and limb abnormalities. Named after Dr. Jack Rubinstein and Dr. Hooshang Taybi, who first described the syndrome in 1963, RTS remains an area in which the medical community has limited understanding, diagnosis, and treatment options. Improved awareness and research efforts are needed …

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Transforming birth: How advocacy and sharing stories can shape policy and empower families

Conditions
April 11, 2023

Musical genius and mogul Rihanna recently graced the Oscars stage for her second performance after the birth of her son, with a baby bump indicating her second pregnancy. She described her first birth as “blessed” and “beautiful.” While many expecting parents long to describe their birthing process similarly, there are realities within the medical system that complicate this narrative for those who are not celebrities. When my partner and I …

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Finding hope in the face of cancer

Conditions
April 9, 2023

“My best friend’s mother arrived at our oncology outpatient department. She had recently been diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer and was understandably apprehensive, filled with numerous questions. I took her medical history and performed an examination. She didn’t have any relatives with cancer, so all the treatments and terminology were completely unfamiliar to her. Her medical workup was completed, and she began neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with surgery planned for a …

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How do we reduce hypertension in Black Americans?

Conditions
April 8, 2023

Nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, but hypertension disproportionately affects Black Americans, with 56 percent of this population affected. The disparity is especially stark for stage II hypertension, which affects 42.1 percent of Black Americans compared with 28.7 percent of white Americans. “In the United States, at any decade of life, blacks have a higher prevalence of hypertension than that of …

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Proud dental school patient shows off a rare gold foil filling

Conditions
April 6, 2023

I treat at the dental school in my community, Louisville, Kentucky. I have been a patient there for more than 30 years, so I have had many soon-to-be licensed dentists and dental hygienists look at my teeth. I have never had a bad experience or a clunker as a student in all those years.

Students come from everywhere in America and beyond. Recently, I had one from Afghanistan, another from Syria, …

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The heartbreaking story of Jimmy Carter: a call for Medicare reform in end-of-life care

Conditions
April 4, 2023

The purpose of the serious illness conversation is to offer patients a clear choice between treating and not treating an incurable disease like liver cancer. The goal is to give the person permission to alleviate pain and suffering. The individual might decide to be treated as a patient or honored as a person if given this option near the end of life.

A non-serious illness conversation ends with the patient wishing …

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From hope to heartbreak: a story of loss in the ICU

Conditions
March 31, 2023

Ms. Laura was a vibrant and feisty lady with a personality that filled the room. She had been my patient two months ago when she was admitted for an irregular heartbeat and COPD exacerbation. She was a smoker, and despite her heart issues, she had a strong will to live. I had advised her to quit smoking, but it was a habit that was hard to break.

When I saw her …

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The beauty of a patient’s gratitude

Conditions
March 30, 2023

This is not an ordinary 1000 Rupee note. It’s a happy memory for me.

For those who say I always share depressing stories, this one is for you, for a change.

We performed concurrent chemotherapy and radiation on a 70-year-old lady with nasopharyngeal carcinoma a few months back. She was elderly and frail, and she experienced a lot of mucositis and skin radiation …

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Overcoming Parkinson’s: a journey of laughter and resilience

Conditions
March 28, 2023

In 2017 at the age of 62, I retired from my position as a family nurse practitioner when the small, independently owned private practice where I had been employed for 20 years was sold to the local hospital. I had been having some odd motor symptoms that were diagnosed as akinetic-rigid Parkinson’s disease in 2015.

The stiffness and reduced fine motor coordination on my dominant left side made many common tasks, …

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The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

Conditions
March 28, 2023

They’re very easy to spot. Sometimes it’s the crisp, brand-new lab coat or the shadows under their eyes. Often it’s announced in large letters on their ID badge. Or the badge is hidden, which is also a tell. If they’re trying to avoid being spotted, they’ll usually say they’re “working with” my doctor, as though I can’t figure out what that means.

Well, hello, resident doctor.

I see a lot of you …

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The endless waves of chronic illness

Conditions
March 27, 2023

Life keeps buffeting the patient diagnosed with several chronic conditions, like continuous incoming and outgoing mammoth ocean waves flooding over one’s body, raising you high up into the air and then sucking you downward, a struggle to keep your head above the water for survival. There is no rest, true calmness, or time to catch your breath.

My time is dictated by scheduling appointments with my doctor, who then lends me …

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The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together

Conditions
March 26, 2023

The power of Play-Doh. This sounds like such an ironic phrase considering the malleability of this childhood favorite. Between several personal trips to the local store, our clinic buying several boxes, and getting donations from one of our amazing third years who has donated books and goodies for our patients since early intern year; we ended up having a plethora of the stuff.

We needed to make room for more spring-focused …

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Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

Conditions
March 24, 2023

Lazarus is a man of the new testament, living in the time of Jesus Christ in the city of Bethany. He was the brother of two of Christ’s followers, sisters Mary and Martha. Bethany sat less than 2 miles south of Jerusalem in Israel. The story of Lazarus’ death and Christ’s rising from the dead is depicted in John 11:1-45.

What are the details of Lazarus’ illness and subsequent reappearance?

As only …

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The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

Conditions
March 23, 2023

She was one of my first long-term, supervised psychotherapy cases during my second psychiatric residency year. She was young but still a year or two older than her inexperienced, wet behind the ears therapist, and I use that term very loosely. I was to see her once a week, and every other week or so, I would enter the office of my supervisor/mentor to discuss whatever progress I had failed …

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5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

Conditions
March 23, 2023

1. Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eating a healthy diet is an important way to help prevent prostate cancer. Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants, which can help protect your cells from damage that can lead to cancer. Fruits and vegetables that are particularly beneficial for prostate cancer prevention include cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower), tomatoes, citrus fruits, berries, apples, …

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