For immediate release: #1 When rounding in hoop and/or loop earrings, one must exert extreme caution so as not to entangle one's stethoscope in said earrings. The result could involve significant pain and potentially disfigurement. #2 When referring to the palliative care team in a progress note, refrain from using the word "impending." That conjures … Continue reading Public service announcement for July 25th, 2019
Tag: palliative care
Dear PCP
Hey there, Dr. Brown. Just wanted to send a little note to warn you that I'm coming to see you soon for my "check up." You and I both know that this will be my yearly opportunity to spew all of my worries on you and for you to reassure me that I'm not dying. … Continue reading Dear PCP
How to prolong death and maximize suffering
I'm super excited that this essay was just published on KevinMD.com. Not quite NEJM or JAMA, but I'll take it! Due to word count restrictions on KevinMD, I had to modify the original version quite a bit. Here is the link to the KevinMD post with my unabridged essay below. Enjoy! https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2019/06/how-to-have-an-exciting-death-5-tips-from-a-palliative-care-physician.html https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2019/06/how-to-have-an-exciting-death-5-tips-from-a-palliative-care-physician.html We’re all … Continue reading How to prolong death and maximize suffering
Accomplishment
Regardless how big or how small, an accomplishment is an accomplishment. Today, I celebrate and share with you one of my most unexpected and strangely gratifying accomplishments. It was a normal day, sometime last year, when I grabbed a cup of grapes in the staff lounge. In that moment, I had no way of knowing … Continue reading Accomplishment
NO TANNING BEDS FOR YOU!
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month! In my line of work, I see a lot of horrible things happen to people at no fault of their own. Often times, their illnesses could not have been predicted or prevented. Skin cancer, however, is something that can be detected early and there are steps that you can … Continue reading NO TANNING BEDS FOR YOU!
The Platform
I found you standing on a platform. It was a foggy, damp morning and your vision was obscured. People came and went, some with urgency, others not so much. Some people you knew, others were strangers. Your husband was usually nearby, often holding your hand, other times out of sight. At times you could hear … Continue reading The Platform
But I’m a doctor
The following is my personal account of an actual situation. Others involved may have a completely different recollection, and may question my recall of recent events. The scene: My kitchen The time: Monday morning, just before leaving for school Louisa: Hey dad, when you go shopping today will you get Nutella? Danny: Um, no. Me: … Continue reading But I’m a doctor
I get by with a little help
I just finished a five week stretch of clinical service, including four weeks in the hospital seeing inpatient Palliative Care consults and one week at our local Hospice House. This stretch also included two weekends of coverage, the most recent being this past weekend. Now...I realize that most people work every week, but keep in … Continue reading I get by with a little help
I’m sorry, sweetie
This morning as I was sitting at my desk reviewing patient charts, my office partner (we'll call him Dr. Patt Rones) walked in like he normally does, dropped his stuff on our couch (that's right, we're big time and have a couch in our office) and offered a chipper "good morning!" Then he walked over, … Continue reading I’m sorry, sweetie
