Who’s Depressed? Some of my medical colleagues thought I would see patients sleepless and unhinged, suffering “post-election depression.” I haven’t seen it. Bodies regenerate themselves continuously. They never stay the same, always rebuilding, from the beginning to the end of life. Countries do the same. Populations are born, immigrate, emigrate, grow up and die witnessing […]
Who Will Pay For Health Care? (11/13/12)
So Where’s the Money? The election is over. Who will now pay for health care? There’s a simple answer – you will. Where Will You See Increased Costs? First through higher co-pays. The Affordable Care Act does little to control health insurance pricing or capriciousness (we paid for it last week but we decided against […]
Hello, Carbon Dioxide (11/12/12)
What’s In the Air Welcome, sulphur dioxide Hello, carbon monoxide The air, the air is everywhere Breathe deep, while you sleep, breathe deep It’s been a while since the musical “Hair” expressed its fragment of the sixties’ zeitgeist. And as much as its message of peace, love, and happiness appears dated in our present political […]
New Approaches to Combatting Cancer (11/7/12)
Cancer as An Information System The very word cancer scares us. The definition of cancer involves “uncontrolled, unregulated growth.” It’s as if the cells that sustain and give us life intimately betray us. They turn our bodies into a deformed version of ourselves. Heretics are more frightening than pagans, especially when the heretics take over […]
To Screen or Not to Screen for Cancer (11/5/12)
Cancer Prevention Who would not wish to prevent cancer? When President Nixon started the “War on Cancer,” hopes were high that cancer screening would dramatically lower cancer incidence and death. It did not work out that way. Now, researchers often wonder how much screening benefits hospitals and providers – compared to patients. In his book […]