Spirituality & God

                                  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 Yea, I dare you to fear no evil as you watch Netflix’s haunting documentary “Extremis.” The ICU at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA represents a walk through the … [Read more...] about Spiritual Considerations Raised after Watching Netflix’s “Extremis” – Part 4

Spread the word: September is National Yoga Month. I've practiced emergency medicine and yoga for 15 years and often sing its praises to coworkers and patients. Yet it has been difficult to describe this invigorating experience in words until I read "Contagious: Why Things Catch On" by Jonah Berger. Why is yoga so popular? Because, Berger … [Read more...] about 3 Reasons Yoga is Contagious and Helps Manage Your Grief

Self-expression is rarely easy for patients because words often cannot articulate how patients feel inside.  Children are often asked to draw pictures in order for psychologists to gain insight into perceptions surrounding particular life experiences. Paul, a 57-year-old patient with a provocative and morbid sense of humor, stunned the ER staff … [Read more...] about One Man’s Stigmata to Bear

  This the day the Lord has made – April 15, 2016.  Unbeknownst to me, once I e-filed my taxes and posted another blog, a wave of completeness wiped my to-do-list of any pressing issues. I rejoiced in knowing that I had the day off from work and could do anything I pleased.  This type of glorious moment in life is rare and rich - indeed, … [Read more...] about A Day for Me!

This New Year is the appropriate time to make a resolution; the occasion to link advance care planning with a spiritual legacy. People all have deep-seated values and determinations of what they are willing to pay for, live for and die for, but few actually document these for caregivers or posterity. Beginning in 2016, Medicare will begin to … [Read more...] about A Spiritual Legacy for 2016

T’is the season to reflect on vitality, seemingly igniting the skies during these darkest days that commence a new era.  Vitality equals dignity and is relative to the notion that we matter even when we do not measure up.  The most captivating illustration of this is the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. We stand in awe of annual Christmas trees at … [Read more...] about All I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS INDIFFERENCE

On October 7, CNN’s headline read: My right to death with dignity at 29. My inbox was flooded with emails regarding the heart-wrenching story of Brittany Maynard, diagnosed with a brain tumor last year shortly after her marriage. Following a craniotomy to remove the tumor and pain-staking research to determine her prognosis and options, she left … [Read more...] about SERIOUSLY, DEATH WITH DIGNITY?

September is National Yoga Month. I live the wonder of yoga both personally and professionally each day. While September usually represents the beginning of a new school year, yoga offers students a new curriculum for life. Its intimate learning process involves unwinding tension in the body. Each pose becomes a private lesson in living and … [Read more...] about BEGIN YOGA: CULTIVATE END OF LIFE PEACE