Author's posts
Reflections of a critical care doctor after 2 years of COVID
COVID has been with us for two years. I have written my reflection during the pandemic periodically to vent, share and disseminate information. But I have felt at a loss for words in the last few months. I am exhausted, emotionally drained and bereft. …
The danger persists. The contagion has won.
A subtle vibration permeates the still air, a thumping that melds with our heartbeat. The drumbeat becomes constant, louder, deafening, echoing the chaos around us. The sounds initially emanate from a far-off land. There is news of a contagion. There a…
How a physician breaks bad news is just as important as the bad news itself
Medicine is an art. One can learn about symptoms, diagnostics, and treatment plans for various diseases, from textbooks and journal articles. It is harder to study empathy, compassion, and human connection from conventional academic resources. The art …
Why this critical care doctor got the COVID-19 vaccine
December is typically busy in the ICU. Flu and respiratory viral pneumonia cases start trickling into the ICU, interspersed with cardiac arrests, strokes, pulmonary emboli, septic shock, and COPD exacerbations. The ICU census starts creeping up. Decemb…
I am a critical care physician. These are the patients in the ICU.
I am a critical care physician. I am at the frontlines of this pandemic, in a state of “war” against an unseen enemy that has brought unimaginable destruction in its path. I arrive at work at 7 a.m. for my shift. I am in a state of hypervig…
Lung cancer screening explained by a pulmonologist
Lung cancer screening is a process that is used to detect the presence of lung cancer in otherwise healthy people at high risk for cancer. In 2020, 229,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and 136,000 people will die from the disease, making …
When physicians get sick: We are just a human as the patients we treat
Physicians are natural caregivers. We are in-tune with the needs of our patients, often to the detriment of our own health. It is a rite of passage during medical school to stand in for lengthy eight to ten-hour surgeries, as retractor holders, keeping…
A physician’s convoluted FMLA journey
I have dealt with unstable knees since childhood. In December 2019, I noticed knee swelling, which would improve with rest. This flare-up was not unusual, except that the swelling and pain gradually became a routine fixture in my life. This was still p…
A pulmonologist’s COVID diary
June 25 Like most physicians, I am bad at scheduling my own doctors visit. This year, despite COVID craziness, I had made an appointment with a new PCP to get Singulair refills (my allergies were a killer, and a drippy nose behind an N95 is no joke). I…
