In high school, I worked as a lifeguard. I still remember my first rescue—the suddenness of the event, the chill of the water over my head, and the lingering adrenaline refusing to abate after we reached the pool deck. After the event, my mind whirred on with an anxious fury. What if he had aspirated? […]
Taking the Fight Out of Cancer
Much of medical intervention is presented in military terms. We talk of “fighting” malaria or AIDS, “arms races” between pathogens and the drugs to hold them in check, and the conquest of various pathogens. While there are instances in which battle metaphors are useful in medicine such as when we explain HIV to patients with […]
An End of Life Discussion
When working in the hospital, there comes a time for many of your patients where the transition to palliative care is possible or even necessary. While on the wards, I have been part of the care of several patients that were in the process of being transferred to hospice care. It isn’t easy making these […]
