I hate 2020. It\’s the worst year I can remember. Between the pandemic, the shutdown, the plunging economy, the overloaded medical system, the mask debate, and the looming elections, I can\’t remember a worse one. And it\’s not over yet. From doctors to politicians, all those who know what they\’re talking about, and some who …
After a year away, we\’re back in the North Country, and it\’s bitter-sweet. I miss Thailand and my Chiang Mai friends. I miss the spices, the heat, and swimming before the pool opening time. I miss the orange-clad monks collecting alms as I returned from the market loaded with fruit, vegetables, and the meat-du-jour: anything …
My honeymoon with Thailand ended yesterday. We live in a condo in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Signs on every door warn: No Mask, No Entry. Most people comply. Some don\’t. I ignore them unless they try to join me in the elevator. If they do, I wave them away. \”Not without a mask, please.\” Yesterday, …
PPE is a generic name for the protective covers professionals use to do their job, healthcare workers included. Welders use gloves and welding masks. Electricians use protection goggles, rubber boots and fall protection harnesses. Construction workers use helmets. Adult movie stars use condoms. For all, using PPE is mandatory, otherwise safety officers will throw them …
Saying NO is hard. Even harder if you happen to be kind. You want to help, to make people smile, you want them to like you. Saying NO doesn\’t come easy. We’ve never been taught to say no. Ever since we were toddlers, we\’ve been conditioned to say yes. Rolling on the floor in a …
I roll in my bed, unable to sleep. I listen to BBC talk about the craziness that took over the world, preoccupied with this one question. What question? It’s not: “Why, Corona?” For that, I already have more answers than I want. Scientists say that COVID19 is an animal virus. It spread to humans from …
1. Take it easy. The worst part of all this is the fear. More people die from the flu, car accidents, or guns. As of Saturday, March 7th, 19 Americans had died from Covid19, compared to 1177 every week from the flu, 746 from car crashes, and 294 from gunshots. 2. Wash your hands like …
Like all doctors, I’m a lousy patient. My doctor is a lovely man, but going to see him? That\’s right there with weighing myself, getting a flu shot and doing my taxes, and behind celebrating Thanksgiving with the in-laws and getting a root canal. And I’m not the only one. If I had a …
My friend the hospitalist was livid as he came from meeting the administration. “They said doctors cost too much!” he sputtered. “We’re an expense. An expense the hospital can no longer support. WE are an expense!” He turned purple. Nice color, like a good Bordeaux. I worried about his blood pressure. He can\’t have a healthy lifestyle! None …
I work in the ER. It’s not an easy job. Not glamorous either. At least not as glamorous as my Mother-in-Law used to think. Years ago, when I declared I was going into Emergency, she looked at me askance. She didn’t ask why. She looked at me with her wise old eyes. “Let me tell …
