Category: Editorials

The Loss of the Pope, and Dignity in Aging Pope Francis passed away Monday morning at the age of 88. Just weeks ago, he had spent 38 days hospitalized at … Continue Reading →

Eliminating funding for lung cancer research There is a prevailing belief that government spending is excessively wasteful. Indeed, there may be some truth to this. However, eliminating preventative programs is … Continue Reading →

Losing lives of those saving lives I didn’t know them well. They were primary care doctors on the hospital staff where I served on the Medical Executive Committee. They provided … Continue Reading →

A team struggle moving us forward When my wife, Robin, was diagnosed with a terminal cancer and given 6 months to live in November 2022, we knew we had to … Continue Reading →

Prevention is Dam Important As we approach mid-March, we will again discuss one of the worst disasters in California history that occurred in the Santa Clarita Valley: the collapse of … Continue Reading →

Moving into the Stone Age With the recent change in the Washington, D.C. administration, older adults fear their health insurance through Medicare and personal finances through Social Security might be … Continue Reading →

The Unknown Role of Hormone Balance and DNA We move into every new year carrying beliefs from previous years. Scientific confusion and unresolved questions can sometimes cause society and families … Continue Reading →

Communicating with your doctor online could cost you The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated medical communication as patients and doctors utilized computer technology to manage healthcare that was not available a decade … Continue Reading →

Passing the torch of friendship to you and future generations I have been given the gift of writing excerpts of my life that might influence future family generations, hopefully helping … Continue Reading →

You are now a “deep pocket” and in the crosshairs is your home. As a physician, I have always faced the stigma of being considered a “deep pocket.” What does … Continue Reading →

A holiday tribute to teachers Hello Everyone Happy Holidays to all! Sometimes, a song, a story, or a movie can evoke heartfelt feelings of the season. So often, though, throughout … Continue Reading →

Defeating diabetes What if you knew drinking egg nog would not affect your blood sugar? What if you knew eating a salad increases your blood sugar 100 points? Would it … Continue Reading →

Blame game on the road In almost 60 years of driving, I have never been in a car accident. Lucky.  But I already know now that if I am, fingers … Continue Reading →

Medicare “Disadvantage”  It’s Medicare Open Enrollment time again, and I provide my annual warning of the major pitfalls of Medicare HMO “advantage” plans. When our family first came to California … Continue Reading →

If you build it, they will come The clouds are wispy, and the breeze drifts toward the sunset. The dusky colors of the coming evening signify the end of the … Continue Reading →

Lying displaces trust What if your doctor lied to you? “I can fix your spinal cord so you can walk again,” or “This drug will keep you from getting wrinkles … Continue Reading →

A terminal disease intercepted by modern medicine I have been a physician for over forty years with an office practice and providing geriatric house calls in our community. Now, I … Continue Reading →

A “Senior-friendly” 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles The Paris Olympics have ended, and watching two weeks of events on television was, as usual, captivating. As most of you know, this … Continue Reading →

Hope for those who give up their car keys When you are older, you are a threat to other drivers. Reflexes are dampened, muscle responses are sluggish, cataracts obscure vision, … Continue Reading →

Keeping us in our lane As we get older, one fear is not passing the California driver’s test at the DMV.  Our quality of life depends on hopping into our … Continue Reading →

Passing the torch One difficult responsibility as a physician is to recognize physical frailties especially those indicating patients are incapable of driving.  Too often in my medical practice, most resistance … Continue Reading →

Teammanship Nothing could have prepared me better for my career and life than playing team sports growing up.  It’s hard to imagine someone now in their 70s pitching a fastball … Continue Reading →

The Meaning of D-Day Robin and I share a family bond. Both our fathers were wounded WWII veterans. Her father was on the water, taken to a British hospital unconscious … Continue Reading →

A Jury of Lie Detectors A trial by a jury of your peers does not mean they will reach the correct conclusion of innocence or guilt. When serving on a … Continue Reading →

Targeting Targeted Cancer Therapy For decades, many patients, their children, and grandkids have strived to answer, “What is cancer? As a doctor and scientist, over the past 16 months, I … Continue Reading →