Anxiety
Anxiety ranks among my least favorite diagnoses. In medicine, we have a long history of blaming a variety of diseases on anxiety. Even in the recent past we attributed gastric ulcers to stress until it was proven that a bacteria that lives in the gut is responsible. Indeed, who would have thought: a bacteria living … Continue reading
Doctors Can Only Give So Much
editorial in SLC Tribune I called it “The Depressed Doctor” in homage to David Foster Wallace and his short story, “The Depressed Person.” The SLC Tribune titled it: “Doctors Can Only Give So Much.” Here’s a link to the Schwartz foundation and more about Schwartz Rounds.
53 Year-Old Black Male
“53 year-old black male,” the medical student begins his presentation of the patient’s case. “53 year-old man,” I correct him. It’s not his fault, we are taught to do this in medical school. We are taught to refer to people as “male ” or “female,” but every time I hear someone say that I think … Continue reading
Girl Driver
“Mom, doctors are men and nurses are women,” one of my four-year-olds said to me cuddling up in my lap as the pediatric nurse walked in. He wasn’t trying to be inflammatory. At this age, he had been learning social norms, and his voice betrayed the pride he felt at finally figuring out this “rule.” … Continue reading
Five Things
“What are you looking for?” I asked my supervising attending physician. I had been the intern on the bone marrow transplant service for less than a week. “Which numbers are important?” I wanted to know. “You listen every day as I rattle off hundreds of numbers in a few minutes, with no emphasis or pause, … Continue reading
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