page contents Google

HEALTH JOURNEY ON A ROUGH ROAD

A ‘health journey’ is a phrase used by people with lots of doctor appointments. If you’re old enough you either take that rough road yourself, or you show up for others on it. Personally, I’ve never liked the term. I like it even less when it applies to young people coming down with old people […]

STORY MEDICINE PRESCRIPTION: READ AND WRITE

Story medicine is good for what ails you. Why? Because you deserve a break. Things go bad, and you read a story about something worse? You might feel better. But what about when things are going good, never been better. What story is going to improve that?

PRACTICING TOLERANCE FOR A TEST YOU DON’T WANT TO FAIL

The idea of practicing tolerance isn’t the same as ignoring the important stuff. Tolerance: the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with. With that definition, you know you’ll need practice. But does tolerance have to be an extreme hardship? It depends […]

HEALTH LITERACY TEST: WHEN NOT TO RUB SOME DIRT ON IT

Health literacy in the cardio rehab gym is pretty basic. No one saw an ad and signed up. No one quit their old gym for this new one because they didn’t want to hear another, “IT’S ALL YOU BROTHER, PUSH IT.” And the grunting and groaning that follows. On a sixty pound bench press attempt. […]

MEDICAL SCIENCE FOR STREET DOCTORS

Medical science seems complicated from the outside looking in. If you’re on the inside looking out, it’s even more complicated. But it’s different for Street Doctors, or SDs. From them nothing is too complicated. And that’s a problem, a big problem. Not for them, for their ‘patients.’ Where do Street Doctors come from? Start with […]

MEDICAL MARIJUANA: 420 FROM THE OTHER SIDE

Medical marijuana sounded like a clever joke the first time I’d heard of it. Medical? Like legal? Did a smart hippie find a loophole to get high without getting arrested? What’s next, I figured, the return of cocaine to Coca-cola? Extra morphine in cough syrup? The benefits of medical marijuana dawned on me after a […]

MASKED MEN AND WOMEN: WHO WORE IT BEST

Masked men and women send a message to all who see them: “I don’t plan on killing you,” is the message. “Don’t blame me if you get coronavirus,” is the mask subtext. What they aren’t saying:

MEDICAL SCIENCE vs “I’VE GOT A HUNCH”

Medical science is not the same as a horse race; you can have a hunch about Big Red in the fifth, but a hunch about medical science? I don’t remember the last time I heard about a medical hunch, if I ever have. But if this hidden memory pops up, I hope the medical hunch […]

DAN PATRICK REPORTS IN

Dan Patrick is the face of sports biggest awards. No one hands out the Vince Lombardi trophy like Dan; no one wants to take it from anyone else. Mr. Patrick gave us something else today. Part apology, part confession, part reassurance, Dan ran down what’s been bothering him for years, and it’s not Reggie Miller.

PREDICTING FUTURE HEALTH CONCERNS

I don’t always post about health, but when I do it’s life or death, not a sniffle. Read on.