Month: May 2018

(Snippets from the frontline) Surviving the onslaught Sometime in the future… “Hey great, great, great grandpa.  What was it like to be a doctor in America?” With a crackly yet … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Overdosing elder seniors “Something’s wrong with grandma!” We expect age to diminish health, but who would have thought the overuse of medication might be just as … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Mother-daughter connection Her charm and charisma befitted her royal name, Victoria, declaring “I migrated from the Garden State to the Golden State.”  Indeed, after her husband … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Caring for furry friends My neighbor’s cat had a stomach hairball and needed it removed by a veterinarian using an endoscope.  After many phone calls, the … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Being a second responder Since starting medical school 40 years ago, I have been on the hospital receiving end of first responders as they transferred care … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) The beat goes on We continually hear about salaries, bonuses, and compensations of major company CEOs unfairly outpacing those of the common worker.  This is especially … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Housecall pidgin talk “Whatsa matter you?” was the greeting from my 89 year old Hawaiian patient. “I no like da bed!” She had battled bladder cancer … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Physician, heal thyself Put it on the table; talk about it at meetings; stop ignoring the fact:  Our profession has been taken over by business, and … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Conveyor-belt medicine Can business convert medicine into an assembly line model without sacrificing quality? I can see it manufacturing a car, but can it be applied … Continue Reading →

(Snippets from the frontline) Death panels exist Our mother is in her nineties and went to the emergency room for the stomach flu.  Before we arrived, the ER had already … Continue Reading →