Category Archives: Health

Life support vs. comfort care – not always a clear choice

Ed Note: The following is not an unusual situation. Following an advance directive is not necessarily a clear choice. This young Critical Care physician has an ethical dilemma involving a loved family member. If interested, I have similar stories of … Continue reading

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UW students create innovative devices to solve vexing medical problems

From Ann Milam: Published in the Seattle Times Last year, there was a national outcry after the price skyrocketed for a medical-injection device that counteracts the life-threatening symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. But for a team of students at … Continue reading

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From Canada – understanding U.S. health care

Ed note: When in Victoria recently I happened to spy this article in The Globe and Mail newspaper. They truly have trouble understanding our health care system. The answer: see below! “To Understand U.S. health care, think like an American.” “Don’t … Continue reading

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Sunglasses won’t cut it: How to keep your eyes safe during the solar eclipse

From Ann Milam Jul. 25, 2017 at 7:27 AM A. Pawlowski TODAY The total solar eclipse is coming, and as the excitement builds, so does the worry that it will leave behind a nation of eye problems. On Aug. 21, … Continue reading

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Becoming an unexpected caregiver

When You Feel Like Strangling the Patient (Love and Support for the Caregiver) On-Demand Webinar: click here Here’s  “a unique webinar featuring author and family caregiver Lauren Simon sharing her surprising experience as an unexpected caregiver. “When her husband Stephen Simon … Continue reading

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Your Life Your Choices

Below is a video of a program I’ve been involved with for the past 10 years giving presentations at Skyline and a variety of other venues. We all have the rights to make end of life choices and to have them … Continue reading

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Enlightened Aging – Eric B. Larson, MD

ENLIGHTENED AGING: BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR A LONG, ACTIVE LIFE by Eric B. Larson, MD, and Joan DeClaire Eric Larson has presented on the topic of Enlightened Aging here at Skyline in the past. He heads up the research department at … Continue reading

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Being prepared for the unexpected

From the NYT: FEMA, the American Red Cross and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all provide checklists to help you get started, and many items they recommend overlap. Each agency offers a basic list, which includes water, food, a battery- or hand-powered radio, … Continue reading

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End-of-life-care – US rankings surprisingly improved in some areas

Most folks wish to pass from this life in a home-like environment surrounded by loved ones. But in the past, most of us were whisked off to the hospital. Hospice care has had a huge impact by improving end of life … Continue reading

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The Smallpox Miracle

Smallpox dates back to the body of Pharaoh Ramses V, who died more than 3000 years ago. He had telltale pockmarks on his mummified skin. There have been horrendous repetitive epidemics over the centuries, for example an epidemic raged in … Continue reading

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Doctor, get off the computer!

I recently had my Medicare annual checkup. The checks in the checkup turned out to be the boxes on the computer screen carefully completed by my Internist. As she smiled and we chatted, there were a lot of computer screens … Continue reading

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Do Hand Sanitizers Really Cut Down on Illness?

  There are some “simple” precautions that we should be taking, but do we? The hard part is remembering. In addition to hand washing or a sanitizer, can we really keep our hands away from our noses? From the NYT:  Q. … Continue reading

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“How do we heal medicine” Atul Gawande

His book, “Being Mortal” will be discussed at next Monday’s Book Club at Skyline.  

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The century of tobacco abuse that lingers on

   The 20th century will be remembered in many ways – one of which is the epidemic of lung cancer, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease related to tobacco abuse. Remember when cigarettes were less than a quarter a pack and the … Continue reading

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A letter to the President from organizations across the political spectrum

The letter below to President Trump was signed by America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Benefits Council, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, the Federation of American … Continue reading

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Updates from Aging & Disability Services – King County

Update from : Aging & Disability Services; Seattle King County Area Agency on Aging Thanks to effective advocacy from the Advisory Council and aging network partners, there has been a number of wins this legislative session, including: Vulnerable adult bill 1153 passed both … Continue reading

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”We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep”

We still know far too little about sleep. It’s surprising because if we live to be 75 and sleep 8 hours a day, we’ve slept for 25 years. Why? What’s going on? The restorative aspects of sleep are widely appreciated … Continue reading

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Diagnosing high blood pressure: Who knew it could be so complicated?

Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (formerly Group Health Research Institute) is undertaking an important study about how we diagnosis hypertension. It’s well known that on a medical visit that blood pressure readings are generally lower after the visit than … Continue reading

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Have you registered with smart911?

National EMS Week is May 21-27, 2017. Let’s thank them! One way to protect ourselves (and to help 911 dispatchers) is by listing your phone number plus pertinent medical and contact information at the confidential site for 911. By logging … Continue reading

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Turning negative thinkers into more positive ones

From the NYT passed along by MJF: “Most mornings as I leave the Y after my swim and shower, I cross paths with a coterie of toddlers entering with their caregivers for a kid-oriented activity. I can’t resist saying hello, … Continue reading

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April 29th film and gathering at nearby Seattle First Baptist Church

Hospice Chaplain Trudy James has spoken previously at Skyline. If you missed viewing her film Speaking of Dying, here’s your chance. I’ll be there! 4 p.m. — FREE SCREENING of the 30-minute film SPEAKING OF DYING, plus  a conversation with  two physicians … Continue reading

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Your tongue

The amazing thing about our bodies is how unaware we are when everything is functioning normally. I’m worried about a friend who’s loosing control of her 12th cranial nerve, the hypoglossal nerve. Never heard of it? Well that’s OK. There … Continue reading

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Things of Beauty: Scientific Instruments of Yore

Are you a collector? Or if you aren’t do you wish you had been? A friend has his house full of cash registers. Of course, he worked for NCR and just can let them go. Below is a video of … Continue reading

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And your insurance policy covers ….

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“Is Death in Trouble” – from the Hastings Center

Daniel Callahan wonders if death is in trouble. Have we pushed death back so far with the advances in medicine that we no longer die of old age? It’s an interesting thought. Death may be intellectually inevitable but it’s always … Continue reading

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