When Your IUD is a Pain in the Uterus

My body simply didn’t like it, and my doctor wouldn’t help After giving birth to my second child, my OB-GYN convinced me that an IUD was the best form of birth control for me. After consulting with my closest girlfriends, I took the plunge.  The insertion was the easy part. But even that wasn’t easy.Continue reading “When Your IUD is a Pain in the Uterus”

The Power of Empathy

Why healthcare providers need this superpower I woke up one morning, looking over toward the bathroom of my apartment. I took a glance at an object that wasn’t supposed to be there: a wheelchair. My overstudied brain suddenly recalled that on that day, I was supposed to be a paraplegic.  The simple task of gettingContinue reading “The Power of Empathy”

The Non-Compliant Patient

More of a misnomer than a fact I’ve been a healthcare provider for over 23 years. As a physical therapist, I get to spend more time with my patients than most medical professionals, and I’ve learned a few things about the description of “non-compliant patient.” I’ve spent the majority of my career practicing in aContinue reading “The Non-Compliant Patient”

October is National Physical Therapy Month!

How great of our local YMCA to recognize the amazing benefits of physical therapy! Oh, wait… they meant personal training.  I don’t know why I get my panties in a wad about the misuse of my profession’s abbreviation. Except that I do. That’s because there’s a big difference between a personal trainer and a physicalContinue reading “October is National Physical Therapy Month!”

Last words

“Don’t do that!” These will quite possibly be the last words my father in law will utter. As his caregiver and I changed him after a quite interesting morning, he was clearly not interested in the extreme rolling, wiping, and donning of an adult diaper that we were orchestrating. As we turned him to theContinue reading “Last words”

Transitioning

It’s a fancy word for dying. Why is it that we must make up elaborate words to describe horrible things in life? This is how I feel about this word: transitioning.  My father in law has been in hospice care, in his home, for several weeks now. As Parkinson’s makes its last ditch efforts toContinue reading “Transitioning”

Notes from a Caregiver

“No!” This was my father-in-law’s response when I walked him to the car the other day, and I asked him to get in. My father-in-law, despite his Parkinson’s induced dementia, is still pretty congenial, so this reaction took me aback.  As he paused to process how to get in the car, I realized that theContinue reading “Notes from a Caregiver”

The Caregiving Conundrum

Finding yourself in the caregiving role as the leader of the village can be a bit overwhelming. For a while, you are in fight or flight, just trying to help your loved one survive. During any health crisis with a family member, I try to remain as objective as I can, using my professional knowledgeContinue reading “The Caregiving Conundrum”

Worst. Super Bowl Party. Ever.

Actually, I don’t really care about the Super Bowl. But I did get to watch it. (Well, most of it, including the epic halftime show!) But it wasn’t from the comfort of my sofa. It was from a chair in the hospital, my husband next to me in a hospital bed. So, he’s had someContinue reading “Worst. Super Bowl Party. Ever.”