One of the most painful experiences in life is losing a close friend or relative. I have lost many relatives, friends, and co-workers through the years. It’s hard to think about them soon after they pass, but you always cherish your memories of those precious times you had together. And the memories of all the dumb, selfish things you wish you could take back stay with you, too.…
Sounds like the title for a science fiction or fantasy story, doesn’t it? I should probably run a contest for whomever can write the best story to the title “I have no heart and you must eat my soul”. But I’m not sure what I could give away as a prize. Maybe a couple of autographed copies of my books? Yeah, I can see the legions of fans beating down the doors to write blazing copy for me.…
CNN just published an amazing story about a potential cure for cancer. Researchers at the National Institutes for Health retooled 17 patients’ immune systems to kill their cancers. The researchers adapted a virus to modify immune system cells from the patients to seek out and kill their own cancers. The patients were then subjected to chemotherapy to kill off their immune systems.…
I woke up with a sore throat earlier in the week. I thought nothing of it, maybe gargle with an antiseptic a couple of times and it will go away. But then I got a sniffle, so I took a decongestant. Okay, I’ll spare you the icky stuff. I thought I had like an allergy attack or something. But after agonizing through three days of not being able to breathe, swallow, or move — after sucking down alternating doses of Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen (it does help with the aches) — after not knowing which way is up a couple of times — I headed out the door this morning and drove to my doctor’s office.…
I should post a followup to my announcement about having surgery. That means this will be an icky post, too, and then I’m done with icky posts.
I went into the hospital last Friday morning and came out Saturday afternoon. Modern medicine has certainly reduced the amount of time you spend in the hospital for many procedures.
Each day over the past week has been a little better than the one before.…
This is the icky post, but I’m going to be offline for a few days and I’d rather use this last window of opportunity to say something that I’ve been wanting to say for a long time.
If you live in the United States or any place where you have been inundated by Nexium commercials, you have probably (like me) begun to tune out the “If you have heartburn 2-3 times per week, see your doctor” message.…
I only eat chicken soup when I’m sick. Normally, I cannot stand the stuff.
But my mother always made me eat it when I was sick. When I grew up and moved out on my own, she’d stay say, “If you’re feeling sick, eat some chicken soup.” Mom was a nurse and a lab technician and a medical office assistant throughout most of her career.…
