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 …
From hope to heartbreak: a story of loss in the ICU
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 …
The beauty of a patient’s gratitude
I now understand. As soon as I clocked out for the last time, I started to breathe again. The race, the rat race, everything is fast-paced and there’s no time to breathe when you’re in it.
But now I have time, and I don’t know what to do with it. I sleep, I wake up, I make some coffee, walk the dogs, and the rest of the day is empty. I …
From clocking in to clocking out: the transition to retirement
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, …
Overcoming Parkinson’s: a journey of laughter and resilience
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 …
The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors
An excerpt from Sleep Reimagined: The Fast Track to a Revitalized Life.
Stimulus control is highly useful in treating insomnia and can be considered a partner to sleep restriction because it helps maximize sleep efficiency by limiting disturbances. Stimulus control is based on the concept of conditioning and association. Its goal …
Maximize sleep efficiency with stimulus control
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 …
The endless waves of chronic illness
An excerpt from Beautiful Trauma: An Explosion, an Obsession, and a New Lease on Life.
The experience of trauma changes us. Like spilled ink, it seeps into every aspect of our being, perceptibly and imperceptibly tinting memory, perspective, identity, and beliefs, long after clinical symptoms fade. Prompted by almost any encounter …
Surviving and thriving after life’s most difficult moments
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 …
The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together
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 …
Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life
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 …
The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care
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, …
5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer
One in five children and adolescents will receive a behavioral or mental health diagnosis by 18. That is more than the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer (1 in 8). According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 50 percent of pediatric office visits involve behavioral, social-emotional, or developmental concerns. Seventy percent of behavioral health medications are prescribed by primary care clinicians. However, …
Changing the pediatric care landscape: Integrating behavioral and mental health care
The obesity epidemic is reaching an all-time high. It’s no surprise why – the fitness industry pushing expensive diets and intense workouts, combined with limited access to affordable health care options, makes it difficult for people to maintain health in our society today. And what’s even more concerning? More than 72 percent of Americans are now overweight or obese, impacting not just us but future generations too, affecting over …
Unlocking the secret to successful weight loss: Curiosity is the key
It is near summer now as I write this brief narrative. This time of year, when I turn on my car radio, I sometimes hear various individuals talking about summer reading, past or present.
These programs got me thinking about Percy Holmes, or the late Percy Holmes, an English teacher I had in the tenth grade at Haverhill High School in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
I remember Mr. Holmes as a dapper little man, …
The teacher who changed my life through reading
I believe that mental health care is one of the most underrated areas in health care. Mental illness is an epidemic plaguing virtually every corner of the world. While great strides have been made in identifying and treating mental disorders, particularly in wealthier countries, many people remain without adequate care for their conditions. The numbers are staggering. According to the World Health Organization 2020 report, almost 1 billion people worldwide …
Revaluating mental health assessments: It’s not just the patient you should consider
Despite advancements in health information technology (HIT), the prevalence of diabetes in the United States continues to be high and is the seventh leading cause of death. Diabetes management in underserved communities has challenges concerning health care access for high-risk groups, often resulting in debilitating health outcomes worsened by adverse socio-economic consequences. Optimal HbA1c levels, controlled for by risk reduction, are essential. If diabetics encounter barriers to health care services, …
Breaking down barriers: How technology is improving diabetes management in underserved communities
Inflation and rising interest rates have given way to a record high of $930.6 billion in credit card debt.
I am among many people who have gone into credit card debt by spending too much on health and wellness.
Several years ago, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is not the same as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBD is …
Yoga and self-care won’t cure my Crohn’s disease
Fainting, or syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness when the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen. Many things, including dehydration, low blood sugar, or anxiety, can cause it. As all doctors know, a common trigger for fainting is seeing blood or a needle.
Emotional fainting is very common in humans, especially in younger people, but it is extremely rare in non-human vertebrates. Fainting may be a response that Homo sapiens …
What causes fainting and how to prevent it during needle procedures
As I write this, a friend from my church is going through terrible setbacks as he awaits a new heart. He has been lovingly supported during his lengthy trials by church members. They visit him in the hospital and at home and support his wife with meals as she cares almost around the clock for her husband. His journey into medical care began several years ago when he experienced heart …
Healing through love and spirituality
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