My personal doctor and two of my cherished mentors died within the past several years, each “after a long illness,” according to their obituaries. Rock legend David Crosby (The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) recently died ̶…
Category: Conditions
The importance of childhood obesity prevention: a doctor’s perspective
I’m starting to see this trend of podcasts and articles that seem to be raising the white flag against childhood obesity. We should all agree with physicians that these conversations should be approached carefully and thoughtfully. We should agre…
Miscommunication leads to misunderstandings: the tragic consequences of misinterpreted sobriety
At her first visit, still lightly jaundiced, Jennie wanted to talk about a liver transplant. I told her that she had to be sober for six months before they would consider putting her on the list. She told me proudly that she had been sober for three we…
From stroke to strength: one person’s story of overcoming challenges
My story began in the early morning of November 17, 2021, and resulted in a re-birthing of who I am and what I’m becoming. I had a massive stroke that caused paralysis of my right side and left me unable to speak. I was life-flighted to the hospi…
What does an ENT doctor know about childbirth?
An excerpt from Fifty Years a Doctor: The Journey of Sickness and Health, Four Plagues and the Pandemic. I went to medical school for four years. I was a medical intern for one year and a surgical resident for one year. And finally, an otolaryngology r…
Unlocking the power of graphic medicine: the key to improving health literacy
According to the Office of the Surgeon General, only about 12 percent of the U.S. population has suitable health literacy skills. Health literacy is the repertoire of knowledge we fall back on to comprehend medication instructions, understand our risks…
The ICU experience that changed a young doctor’s perspective forever
As a healthy 30-year-old intern with an infant, I never expected to land in the ICU on a random Thursday at 10 a.m. As I prepared to start my first precepted thoracentesis at the VA, I suddenly began to experience double vision. Assuming it to be a wei…
Candy weed: no protection for marijuana child poisoning
Timmy’s eyes were rolling side to side in his head as his limp body did not respond to his mother’s calling. He was rushed to the hospital and admitted to the ICU. The 4-year-old ate one of his mother’s cannabis-infused, rainbow-sherb…
Saving lives, one heart at a time: the fight against women’s heart disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease killed 314,186 women in 2021. This means that approximately one out of every five female deaths was d…
Building trust with patients: the power of credibility, trustworthiness, and likeability
An excerpt from The Mumbo Jumbo Fix: A Survival Guide for Effective Doctor-Patient-Nurse Communication. When advertising agencies launch a new ad campaign, one of their popular strategies is the testimonial. As consumers, we see testimonials all the ti…
