About a year ago, I was referred to a sleep clinic and was diagnosed with “very mild obstructive sleep apnoea” (OSA). A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device was recommended with a litany of disorders that would occur (heart dis…
Category: Conditions
Why we should prioritize vaccinating young adults. Now.
Reading this title, you’re probably shaking your head in disbelief, disgruntlement, or more than likely a passionate mixture of the two. And for good reason: It’s no secret that seniors are extremely vulnerable to COVID-19, especially when considering …
An organizational solution to lactation support for women physicians
In a previous post, I recognized lactation support for women physicians as an equity issue. Many of the women physicians I’ve interviewed have identified returning to work while breastfeeding as a major challenge and a major source of stress. Providing…
Does your reaction to COVID reveal your political leaning?
COVID-19 is the first-ever “politicized pandemic” in human history. COVID-19 happened in an era of widespread social media which helped the general population to understand the disease better and faster. However, the public also formulated an opinion a…
Let’s talk about vanishing twin syndrome
This letter serves to provide my story for other women who may experience vanishing twin syndrome (VTS) and the providers that care for them, especially given how common VTS is and will continue to be. For the folks who are either physicians or becomin…
Research and censorship in an uncertain time
Joseph B. Fraiman is an emergency medicine physician currently practicing at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and three other regional hospitals in Louisiana. This interview, conducted by journalist Martha Rosenberg, has been edited for clarity and le…
Dying of loneliness: the COVID-19 epidemic in children and adolescents
We stood at the bedside. Our eyes met through plastic goggles and face shields. Wordlessly, we acknowledged a palpable shift. We three pediatric emergency physicians staffed our New York City ER that late fall day, caring for the third teen in a row…
To the patient who wants to die: a psychologist’s perspective
I’ve been there. In my first two years of severe, chronic pain, I was right where you are at. I felt hopeless, mentally exhausted, and didn’t want to keep living with an extreme level of pain anymore. I felt there was no point if I couldn’t…
A daughter is dead. The mother is silent.
Mom wept silently as she stared at her dead daughter — quiet, near catatonic. I was prepared for a sharp scream. But she sat there quietly. She was staring at her beautiful but lifeless daughter. Young with long black hair and 21 years old. She was mom…
How to know which COVID test is right for you
I remember the time (about one year ago) when I could only provide one COVID test for patients walking into urgent care: the PCR or polymerase chain reaction. Back then, patients had no choice other than to get a nasal swab that was uncomfortable, irri…
