Monthly Archives: October 2011

Essay. What matters least.

When I was a little girl, there was a big rivalry between my school district and another about 20 minutes away. High school students from my town referred to Cumberland Valley as “Cow Valley” cruelly and often. When I was … Continue reading

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Patient Advocacy. Decision-making in the urgent setting

As many people have read, Steve Jobs’ biographer writes that Jobs delayed surgery that might have cured his pancreatic cancer for 9 months while he pursued non-Western, non-invasive therapies. When surgery was done, it was too late to get all … Continue reading

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Personal health log. Riding out the storm IV

A number of years ago, I was admitted to a hospital for several days of EEG (brain wave) monitoring to see what types of seizures I was having, how often, and thus, what medication change or other treatment might help … Continue reading

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Essay. Fortune.

Last week I got a fortune cookie that read “Consume less. Share more. Enjoy life.” As always, especially when depressed, I thought about that phrase like a cow chewing and chewing its cud of grass. A few days later, I … Continue reading

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Personal Health Log. Riding out the storm III

It has been over a month since I realized I am seriously depressed. I know that my mood fluctuates with what is left of my menstrual cycles and that depression is common for women entering or passing through menopause. That … Continue reading

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Essay. What matters most (revised October 2011)

My husband and I married in late December because I had time off from medical school. We particularly cherished our wedding because it was Christmas time. About six or seven years ago, we found a friend-caregiver who was comfortable enough … Continue reading

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