Category: Conditions

Resident adds Rorschach reads to radiology reports

In the dark radiology reading rooms, only the gentle hum of the computers and the quiet chatter of residents dictating radiology reads break the silence. Among the computers sits Dr. Exner, a senior radiology resident at Hospital Woeisme. He has recent…

COVID-19 showcases the bravery of first responders

When first responders answered roughly ten calls from a long-term care center in Kirkland, Washington, over the course of a week, they did not expect to become patients themselves. Entering the Life Care Center of Kirkland last month exposed them to th…

The casualties of the Iran missile attack: not your father’s concussion

Recently, revelations indicated that the Iran missile strike on the U.S. base in Iraq actually did cause head injuries.  So why did the U.S. initially claim no “casualties”?   From the limited reports available, it appears that most of the soldiers’ sy…

What coronavirus is teaching us about telehealth

“Should I cancel my business trip?” That is not the kind of question that patients typically ask their doctors. For most people, that’s not even a question they can ask their doctors, at least, not without an appointment, a co-pay and an anxiety-induci…

What coronavirus is teaching us about telehealth

“Should I cancel my business trip?” That is not the kind of question that patients typically ask their doctors. For most people, that’s not even a question they can ask their doctors, at least, not without an appointment, a co-pay and an anxiety-induci…

How to prevent coronavirus: Your COVID-19 questions answered by a public health professional

1. What can I do to prevent becoming infected? When people are sick with a respiratory disease like COVID-19, they cough or sneeze particles into the air. If someone is coughing near you, the virus could easily land on your eyes, nose, or mouth. These …

COVID-19’s biggest threat is to the health of our economy

“Made in China.” Words ubiquitous throughout the products we use every day and now, ironically, applicable to the virus that has laid siege around the world.  Illness and death have spread across borders and continents, as well as fear and …

A great nurse shares their knowledge and does not judge

As a new nurse, I was constantly overwhelmed.  I had spent four years of my life learning how to become a nurse, and then here I was, being “a nurse” and wondering all the time whether I was even any good at it. My heart was in it. But every moment of …

An infectious disease doctor answers your COVID-19 and coronavirus questions

Being a specialist in infectious diseases right now is an interesting experience. Added to the usual challenges of our everyday practice — caring for people receiving transplants or chemotherapy, those with HIV, surgical infections, tropical diseases, …

6 months of probation: Taking care of someone with alcohol-related liver disease

“Are you my doctor?” Mary* asked me, as I, a resident physician, approached her bed. “Yes, I am one of the primary medical doctors taking care of you here,” I confirmed with my standard, pre-scripted introduction — with little a…