Like a hot potato being tossed from one player to the next, Leonard went from his primary doctor to an ENT specialist and finally to the emergency department due to a tumor obstructing his airway. Sophie, his daughter, stated, ”He needs one of those tubes in his neck that will allow him to breathe.” At 93, the emergency doctor took offense at the idea of … [Read more...]

Emergency doctors normally don’t consider final wishes when it comes to treating a 47-year-old woman. Tina had metastatic kidney cancer that spread to her liver and lungs.  With her being someone’s wife, mother, sister and friend, there’s an emotional charge to keep this young woman alive. Tina deserved the best treatment available. Like most, this goal … [Read more...]

At 83, Dorothy was a good person – but a lousy patient. Frustrated with lower abdominal pain, she refused to take pain medication while in the emergency department. She finally gave in but developed heartburn from the morphine. Once her stomach settled, the doctor relayed the bad news, “Dorothy, you have uterine cancer that’s pushing on your bladder and … [Read more...]

Barbara Bush: The “Enforcer” of Dying with Dignity Last week Americans celebrated the life and death of former first lady, Barbara Bush. As the matriarch of the Bush family dynasty, she was fondly referred to as the “enforcer.” This term of endearment gained her respect and served others in knowing what she demanded. “What Barbara says, goes” is the … [Read more...]

Assistive technology can be a boon if you’re visually impaired and you may be surprised to know there are many high-tech devices out there that can help you with low vision. Here is a rundown on some of the most cutting-edge tech devices.

  Other than taxes, the only other certainty in life is death. People don’t like to pay taxes or think about dying. But on April 16th, National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) reminds people to complete their advance directives. Like a passport, an advance directive permits an individual to proceed from one world to another with an easy stamp of … [Read more...]

At 69, Bob appeared to be a broken man. He left the hospital the day before and returned to the emergency department (ED) because he wasn’t “acting right.” Bob became upset when a second injection to his abdomen burned and family members were angry that the discharge instructions did not explain this. After four years of receiving treatment for metastatic … [Read more...]

Anna knew she needed to stop drinking or suffer the consequences of liver failure. At 53, Anna came to the emergency department having a decreased level of consciousness, low blood pressure and bleeding from her nose and mouth. Her abdomen was the size of a basketball due to ascites – fluid in the abdominal cavity. Anna’s family members were not aware of her … [Read more...]

I overheard a colleague admit an 84-year-old woman to the hospital from the emergency department for a sizable mass in her uterus – no doubt, cancerous. I pictured a frail woman who’d been suffering for a while and was afraid to tell anyone about it, fearing the worst.  Like most, she preferred to ignore it rather than have others tell her what to do. Having … [Read more...]

“Driving Miss Norma” became a Facebook sensation two years ago after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer and told her doctor, “I’m hitting the road.” Accompanied by her son, daughter-in-law and their dog, Ringo, Norma took off across the U.S. and posted stunning photos of herself enjoying life to the fullest. She’s become the poster child for how people … [Read more...]

There is a stigma to hospice. Patients who qualify for hospice are often considered losers who have given up. It’s a shaming, derogatory word like “retarded,” used to malign those mentally challenged. These people began to receive better recognition and attention when others stopped referring to them as retarded or unworthy. Despite what hospice workers … [Read more...]

Can we be kinder to others by taking better care of ourselves? Becoming set in our ways is a form of chronic illness. The New Year presents the opportunity to consider necessary life changes and make resolutions. Does being kind to yourself and others matter? Does having quality of life matter? If you had a life-limiting illness like heart disease … [Read more...]