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When Western Medicine Fails
Last month, my doctor told me, “Western medicine has failed you.” But, I don’t buy it. I can’t believe that in this day and age, western medicine failed me. It is not over yet. I’ve been to many...
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Autonomic dysfunctions
I’m sorry for not keeping up the blog. The past month or so has been a mess. I’ve been experiencing a decline in my autonomic function. I’m having a lot of trouble with my bladder–mainly urinary...
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Disability
Recieving disability payments is more difficult than one might think. To catch you up, I recieved Short Term Disability payments through my employer over the summer. After an initial denial of my...
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Evasive Autoimmune Disease
I read an article recently that said the average length of time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis of autoimmune disease is 12 to 15 months. That may not seem like a long time to you, but to me, it is...
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The Marginalized Patient
Do you want to know what makes me sick (no pun intended)? The insurance company denied my Long Term Disability claim stating that there was not enough evidence to approve the claim. Therefore, I will...
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Immunosuppression
So I thought I would provide an update on my diagnosis/treatment journey. About a month ago I came to the end of corticosteroid treatment that proved beneficial. I started to show signs of Cushing’s...
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Radiculopathy and Pain Management
“Radiculopathy: refers to a set of conditions in which one or more nerves are affected and do not work properly (a neuropathy). The emphasis is on the nerve root (radix = “root”). This can result in...
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Prednisone and Rachel Dratch
I promised myself I wouldn’t be Debbie Downer (wah, waaaah). I have neglected to write because I have nothing good and hopeful to say. But today, I changed my mind. I read: “Maybe your [experience]...
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Road Bikes in San Francisco
I remember reaching downtown just as the sun began to set. San Francisco at dusk is a beautiful, bustling place. Brakes squeaking, fluorescent lights illuminating bars and restaurants. Riding road...
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Autoimmune Disease and IVIG
Susannah Cahalan, a journalist for the New York Post, was afflicted with a very rare autoimmune disease called anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis. Where my type of autoimmune disease affects...
View ArticleMisdiagnosis, Zebra Retreat, and Four Things Patients Can Do To Prevent It
Zebra Retreat. No, it is not a new safari resort in Africa. It is not a ride at Disney. Not a new game rivaling Angry Birds. And it is not a Starbucks Frappuccino flavor (although I would imagine it...
View Article5 Things You Need to Know About Having an Invisible Illness
As one might expect, navigating life with an invisible illness is one challenge followed by another. Beat one. Greet one. Every. Day. Nothing prepares you for the constant fatigue, pain and mystery...
View ArticleFamous Nurse Fired for Instagram Post
Katie Duke, nurse and star of ABC’s NY MED, was fired recently for posting an image to Instagram with the caption man vs. 6 train. The image, seen above, is of a trauma bay after the man was worked on...
View ArticleWhy the nurse is not to blame for the Ebola “mistake”
There is a lot of talk about why the man diagnosed with Ebola at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital was sent home from the emergency room not having been tested for Ebola despite telling the triage...
View ArticleKindness Oriented Healthcare and Patient Outcomes
Dignity Health recently put out an infographic detailing the effects of kindness on patients and healing. They suggest that when healthcare is given with kindness and compassion, patients have better...
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