I wet my bed, after months of gold stars on my chart. At four years old, this is my way of telling you I’m afraid of the dark. I’m not at home; I’m visiting fear. Don’t scream at me. For now, forget my past progress; forgive this accident. Please meet me where I am.
It's been a long time since I've offered a microvacation post. Today's link takes you on a 5-minute world tour of people dancing. As always, I see some valuable lessons for Healthy Survivors.
Neti-pot irrigation can be an effective non-pharmaceutical intervention for many sufferers of chronic sinus congestion.
As a physician-patient, I usually prefer safe, effective treatments that avoid lifelong systemic medications for chronic conditions. But an ABC News story highlighted a serious risk of improper Neti pot use: life-threatening infection with a rare water-borne amoeba (Naegleria fowleri).
My August 5th post, What a Difference a Letter Can Make, extolls the virtue of writing letters to your young children if you have a terminal illness. What I didn't say is that writing these letters does not mean you have given up hope of recovery.
Have you ever worried about saying the wrong thing to someone facing a medical challenge? If you are a patient, have you ever been hurt by something someone said?
Journalist and cancer survivor Lori Hope answered "Yes" to both questions and decided to do something about it.
In response to people concerned about children whose parents choose to keep the parent's illness a secret, I wrote "Important Message to Parents, Friends, and Extended Family."
When young parents are dying, they face the loss of everything they know and hold dear. Arguably their greatest pain is losing the chance to raise their child(ren). To help such parents find hope in desperate times, I offer a suggestion:
