I spent most of yesterday at the VA Hospital having various tests performed and handing over copies of my fingerprints at the police station. I first met with a nice woman from HR who needed me to sign yet another form. She also informed me that I have more paperwork to complete on line. These forms seem to have no end. She then escorted me ...

If you have ever known someone who went through chemotherapy, you’ve probably heard them use the term “chemo brain.” I’ve often wondered if this is a real thing. After a friend of mine had treatment for cancer, she occasionally complained of forgetting things and not thinking clearly. A recent study of women who underwent chemo for breast ...

Today I went to see a new cardiologist here in South Carolina. The doctor I used to see in Florida was excellent so I wondered how things would go today “on the other side.” Working in healthcare gives me a different perspective as a patient. It helps me to remember how much the little touches can put me at ease and how simple it is to do the ...

New advancements in technology are taking mammography to the next level. The Harris Breast Center at Boone Hospital in Columbia, Missouri is leading the way with a newly FDA approved tomosynthesis 3-D mammography ''which takes images of thin cross sections of the breast for use as an adjunct to traditional 2-D mammography.'' This new view allows ...

February is American Heart Month and we all need to sit up and take notice, especially women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Smokers, diabetics, and the obese are at higher risk. If you are having heart related symptoms and visit your doctor, any ...

Our current health care and unemployment crises have left so many Americans without health insurance. This is inexcusable in such a wealthy, industrialized nation. Other countries like Canada and Norway offer their citizens a national insurance system at little or no cost. One person keenly aware of this terrible problem is Dr. Mehmet Oz. ...

I often feel a sense of uneasiness when I have to scan a pregnant woman. I wonder if the risks were explained in language she could clearly understand and if alternative testing options were discussed. Did she sign the consent form because she was scared and being pressured or because she truly felt it was the best decision for her and her baby? ...