Someone asked me recently if there is a significant increase in the prevalence of mental illness since it seems everyone is in treatment somewhere. It was a good question and got me thinking. The prevalence of mental illness has been increasing in rece…
Pages of my life turn over as the breezes of time flow over me. Remembrances of your presence as the world welcomed my firstborn so many years ago. Your calming voice and words of wisdom reminded me that life would be different but oh so much better. M…
As a health care writer and policy analyst, I frequently encounter the term “risk” in discussions of medical issues. I also frequently see the term grossly misused in both the popular press and medical literature. Nowhere is this more evide…
For a growing percentage of our population, autism is a part of everyday life. How we support and empower children with autism speaks volumes about our society’s ability to be inclusive, productive, and fair. May is Mental Health Awareness Month….
Fecal impaction and severe chronic constipation can have significant consequences on patients’ mortality, morbidity, psychosocial well-being, and health care costs. It is especially prevalent among the elderly and individuals with neurogenic bowe…
I am a physician, a urologist, and a survivor of multiple suicide attempts related to physician burnout. In dealing with my psychopathology, I experienced a devolution in my mental status, culminating in suicidal behavior. I can remember the exact mome…
The day Ann entered my clinic, I had already been practicing pain management for over ten years. A 40-something physical therapist, she had a warm smile, a positive attitude—and chronic pain in every part of her back. Twenty-five years earlier, Ann had…
When people (especially women) are highly organized, hyper-focused, and efficient they often label themselves (or are labeled by others) as OCD. In essence, “being OCD” is a superpower that leaves us with clean houses, well-manicured appear…
Not all transfusion therapies are the same. Unlike other transfusion therapies, automated red blood cell exchange (RBCX) efficiently and rapidly removes a patient’s hemoglobin S (HbS)-containing RBCs and replaces them with healthy RBCs. You may b…
Not all transfusion therapies are the same. Unlike other transfusion therapies, automated red blood cell exchange (RBCX) efficiently and rapidly removes a patient’s hemoglobin S (HbS)-containing RBCs and replaces them with healthy RBCs. You may b…
