Help us help others! Please spread the word: Autumn Harvest Celebrations of autumn, the harvest, and the blessings of the passing year are found in many cultures. In China, there’s the celebration of the harvest moon. In the Jewish culture, a festival called Sukkot celebrates the wandering in the desert and the harvest. The ancient Greeks celebrated a...
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Take a minute, watch beginning of this video (sorry, only available for US viewers)! http://youtu.be/nMxIKS-z4Go The first time I heard Yosemite Sam’s song I laughed out loud. I love Yosemite’s dance and the pride he exudes in “sticking to his guns.” Then while at the Symposium for Connected Health 2013, I found myself thinking of this song. ...
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Our body consists of trillions of cells that follow a certain cycle of growing, dividing, and dying. When these cells grow out of control, they may become cancerous and invade other tissues. Cancer is a group of over 100 diseases, distinctive by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells, and if remain untreated, may even cause death. According to...
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Last week we posted about communicating about “Dr. Google” with your own real doctor. Now, we’ll dive into some more details. As I mentioned, I conducted an online “survey” to gain insights into the experiences of patients and physicians during October 2013. Specifically I tried to find out about what happens during appointments when...
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In 2007 Scott Haig, an orthopedic surgeon, wrote “When a patient is a Googler” which was published in Time Magazine. He describes a patient that he names Susan, the “queen of Googlers.” “Every doctor knows patients like this. They’re called ‘brainsuckers.'” His article praises patients that are nurses and...
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The time, energy and intellectual capacity of being a pancreas is daunting. “I am often the only person around who needs to do complicated mathematical equations before eating anything, before going anywhere, before mowing my lawn, shoveling snow, taking a walk, or before going to sleep at night. Diabetes is always on my mind, whether I like it or...
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Hello! My name is Rann Patterson, and I am so glad that you stopped by today! I am a writer and editor, and a two-time cancer survivor and will be popping in every now and then to talk about the topic of survivorship. I was a very naïve 26 year old when I became ill the first time and it was long before the internet existed. I had to gather...
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In Memoriam: Lisa Boncheck Adams “…I search for powers to rise above, get out, fly away… The words of disease become words my brain gravitates to. The ebb and flow of cancer, Of life. And so too, Inevitably, Of death….” –Lisa Boncheck Adams Yesterday a woman of great courage died. Lisa Boncheck Adams chronicled her experiences of...
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Do you keep losing your keys? Are words staying on the tip of your tongue a few moments longer than they used to? Should you be concerned? A recent study suggests that people with type 2 diabetes may suffer from brain loss in some important parts of the brain. However, there are many studies that describe protective activities, or even generative...
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Or Patient-Centered Cancer Care: IOM’s recommendations Last week, we looked at the recent Institute of Medicine’s report and wrote the post about “How the US Got Its Cancer Care Crisis“. This week we get more practical. With specific recommendations you can use! The general recommendations include: (1) becoming engaged patients. (2)...
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Did you know… In a study conducted in 2012, 69% of patients diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and 81% of those diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer did not understand that chemotherapy was not at all likely to cure their cancer? That a national survey showed physicians asked patients what they want in their care only ½ the time? That patients ask...
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So often people who undergo chemotherapy hear something like this from their family, friends or other well-wishers, “Thank goodness that’s over, now you can get on with your life. You can get back to normal.” Although it’s true that chemotherapy is over, the road that the patient is on is not smooth. There are important changes that caregivers and...
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