Surgery

Last week, I had outpatient surgery for kidney stones. The procedure is called a laser lithotripsy. In the preoperative waiting period I was in a room where the anesthesiologists, a nurse and others prepped me for surgery. The anesthesiologist was arrogant and rude to me while he flirted with the…

The privilege of not going to the doctor — Last week, while working on the hospital ship in Dakar, I met a man I’ll call Amadou. Amadou is from Senegal. Like many of the patients I see on that hospital ship, he has a tumor. Unlike many, however, he doesn’t have a very big tumor. He’s had it for…

Once upon a time, we’d glance at glossy magazines, envy the celebrities gracing the covers, and wonder, “What if?” But now, achieving that chiseled jawline, those high cheekbones, or that impeccably contoured nose is no longer a whimsical daydream. It’s a reality. Welcome to the age of plastic surgery, where…

Many people (and by “many people” I mostly mean my endocrinologist) have asked me, “Holy, why on Earth are you hanging on to your remaining half thyroid when we keep telling you it’s a ticking cancer bomb?” It’s a fair question. If I let them slit my throat one more…

We have 3 more days until summer vacation…well actually I have more because of teacher workday. However, there is only 3 more days, until the kids are out of school! We are just buying time. They finished up with their reading on EPIC, which is a website for kids to…

Here’s what I recommend for living well beyond a heart surgery — I failed at preventing open-heart surgery. Yet, through exercise and diet, I probably delayed it for 20 years. There is a history of heart disease in my family. My father had open-heart surgery when he was 56. In January 2022, when I was 75, a surgeon replaced four of my…

Read about my experience with LASIK eye surgery to see if it may be worth looking into. — A couple of months ago, I had a talk with myself about why I am hesitant to take a long road trip. I don’t like driving at night or in the rain because I have crappy vision and low confidence because of it. Despite wearing my contacts or glasses, I…

17. “Crimes of the Future” — If you asked me to give you two truths and a lie, I would tell you that I’ve been looking forward to getting my appendix removed for as long as I can remember. Then I would tell you my birth date and year, I guess. And then a lie. This…

Hello, fellow rumor enthusiasts! Today, I have stumbled upon a gossip goldmine that will make your jaw drop and your imagination run wild. Brace yourselves, because we’re about to delve into the sensational world of Tom Cruise’s alleged cosmetic treatments, all while being entangled in a whirlwind romance with none…