A year ago, I started writing. I wrote to process what I had seen and done and to prepare for what I knew was to come. It was inevitable. Humans would return to their normal activities, and despite mine and so many others’ advice, would do so …
Category: Conditions
A new vaccine emoji to get more COVID-19 shots into arms
A public health expert and a web developer have created a new digital communication tool to get more COVID-19 shots into arms — a vaccine emoji. Social media users have been using the syringe, microbe, or mask emoji in their posts to talk about t…
Education is the key to moving past the pandemic
Our country is seventeen months into a pandemic that we have an effective vaccine for, and yet, COVID-19 cases are still rising at an alarming rate. Currently, this dramatic acceleration in cases is evident in several states. Furthermore, these areas …
The horror of keeping a loved one alive at all costs
He was in his ICU bed without movement or brain stem involvement. His weight was down to 90 pounds. His six-foot frame and skeletal body made me gasp. After countless sessions with the patient’s daughter to make her 92-year-old dad “comfort…
Menopause changes women’s singing voices
Singing during the years around menopause can bring unforeseen challenges for some women. To Elaine, a 56-year-old professional singer and voice teacher, her voice has felt like a mystery for the last few years. Her vibrato was wider than it used to be…
Teens need later school start times
Daily cries from parents, pediatricians, the press, and the public to reopen schools in the fall are certainly well-intentioned, but they are overlooking a critical opportunity to advance adolescent physical and mental health long after the COVID-19 pa…
JAMA retracts controversial masks study
A controversial study suggesting that masks may harm children by exposing them to high carbon dioxide levels was retracted on Friday. The research letter released in JAMA Pediatrics on June 30 had reported unacceptably high levels of carbon dioxide by …
During COVID, older patients stopped going to the doctor. Here’s how to change that.
When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out last year, Helen (not her real name) took all the right steps to protect herself. The 74-year-old self-isolated, wore a face mask, and practiced social distancing. Helen stayed safe from the virus during this time, …
The memories of a nurse’s old car
Today. Finally, a day off. I could oversleep, roll out of bed, then make a pot of coffee — and prepare for a “do nothing” day. But today is the day. After dealing with more electrical problems on this 160,000-mile-plus car, I will say goodb…
When air hurts and becomes the harshest invader
Wood art When Air Hurts When the Lung Repulses Air When Air Becomes the Harshest Invader When Air Is Heavier Than Mountains This work was inspired by my father and many other patients who were struggling to breathe. The soft, unnoticeable air suddenly …
