I had to do a house call. A patient called, complaining of hand and wrist pain. She had open-heart surgery several months before, but our phone conversation did not yield an etiology for her potential threatening discomfort. On my visit, I recognized her left wrist was swollen, which she had not noticed,...

Here are some questions you should ask doctors or nurses on the phone when your loved one is hospitalized. First, be prepared. Have a notebook and pen ready. Be sure to write the date, time, and the name of the doctor or nurse: Do they have coronavirus? Are they intubated? On a ventilator? Are they getting...

He was a prisoner of war 5-1/2 years, spending several years in solitary confinement. John McCain was tortured, yet he became a U.S. Senator and presidential candidate. He suffered. Over the past several days in my neighborhood, there have been two street birthday parties for children with no face masks...

I am very proud of my medical colleagues and their dogged attempts to understand this new virus. Despite public thinking, there is no roadmap to the present treatment plan. For critically ill patients in an ICU setting, every day brings new challenges in trying to save a patient’s life. Many doctors...

People were dying. Citizens were told to wear masks, not congregate, and stay home. This was 1918. Nothing has changed, although science has. We now know we are dealing with a virus. Molecularly, the structure and how it invades host cells has been delineated. It is highly contagious, airborne, and the...

Sometimes, an early symptom of coronavirus is the loss of taste and smell. Tuesday is garbage day, so when I run, being downwind in the wake of empty containers reassures me I am not infected. Many neighbors run, so I intentionally social-distance and try to stay outside of their “wake.” Are little...

For years, I watched infectious disease consultants advise hospital staff to wash hands diligently to prevent patient spread of bacteria and viruses. Despite their reasonable advice, some healthcare professionals did not heed the warning. Many hospital-acquired infections (known as nosocomial infections)...

“Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.” Inspirational words from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that will forever reverberate in my mind and soul. We have continually evolved as a nation, tasting freedom, energizing our spirit, motivating creativity, learning from...

Someone had to go. We needed to decide. Why should we both be in harm’s way when the other could remain safe? One of us had to be the sacrificial lamb, no matter what the danger. For me, it was an easy choice, so there’d be no flipping coins. I was the one who had to do it. I was going to Trader...

Older adults are vulnerable and disproportionally suffer more during the COVID-19 crisis. Technology took a fast lane and passed many seniors. Known problems associated with aging include decreased mobility and chronic medical conditions resulting in reduced function and participation. The mostly invisible...