The Number #1 regret of the dying is not having the courage to live a life true to oneself, but instead living a life based on the expectations of others. Driving Miss Norma is a popular Facebook page, a truly inspiring passage about an endearing 90-year-old woman who “hit the road” last summer after being diagnosed with uterine cancer. Off the … [Read more...] about Driving Miss Norma – Off the Beaten Trail
Dr. H's Clipboard
THE DISCOVERY PERIOD REGARDING THE EXISTENCE OF LIFE
What do I need to know as I age? While scientists ponder the questions of water existing on Mars and if it can essentially sustain life, my duty it to assess if there is life left in Oliver - a nursing home patient transferred to the ER. Oliver was not oxygenating well, but appeared to be resting comfortably. Reportedly, Oliver had fallen that day … [Read more...] about THE DISCOVERY PERIOD REGARDING THE EXISTENCE OF LIFE
#How Lives Matter
Oftentimes, I encounter patients who are angry when they enter the emergency department because other doctors have not given them proper attention or helped them feel better. I might say to myself, “Who are you being that your health and well-being do not seemingly matter to these doctors?” My impression of these patients is that they portray an … [Read more...] about #How Lives Matter
BRITTANY’S CHOICE
This past weekend Brittany Maynard chose to end her life prematurely before a brain tumor destroyed her life completely. Brittany’s death is not the end of the conversation regarding death with dignity; opening up an examination of conscience regarding personal choice on a national level. Brittany had several choices of how to end her life. She … [Read more...] about BRITTANY’S CHOICE
NOTE TO SELF
A remarkable story hit the news last week that described a teachable moment about commitment. For forty years Bruce Farrer, an English teacher in Canada, had his freshman students write a letter to themselves that expressed their hopes and dreams. Similar to time capsules, he stowed the letters and mailed them back to the students twenty years … [Read more...] about NOTE TO SELF