MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'dr rob'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:53:53 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287412&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Freal-meaning-at-christmas%2F2010.12.24 Every day I go to work and spend time with suffering people. They come to me for help and for comfort. They open up to me with problems that they would not tell anyone else. They put trust in me — even if I am not able to fix their problems. I serve as a source of healing, but I also am a source of hope. Christmas is a moving season for many of the same reasons. No, I am not talking about the giving of gifts or the time spent with family. I am not talking about traditions, church services, or singing carols. I am not even talking about what many see as thereal meaning of Christmas: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, and baby Jesus. The Christmas story most of us see in pictures or read about in story books is a far cry from the Biblical account. The story we see and hear is... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287412 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 22:00:14 +0100 4287412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281311&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-a-doctor-is-spent%2F2010.12.22 “I need you to do me a favor,” my nurse asked me at the end of our day on Friday. “Sure,” I answered. “What do you want?” “Please have a better week next week,” she said with a pained expression. “I don’t think I can handle another one like this week.” It was a bad week. There was cancer, there was anxiety, there were family fights, there were very sick children. It’s not that it’s unusual to see tough things (I am a doctor), but the grouping of them had all of us trudging home drained of energy. Spent. I think this is one of the toughest thing about being a doctor (and nurse, by my nurse’s question): The spending of emotional reserves. I’m not physically active at work, yet I come home tired. I don’t have to be busy to feel drained. It’s not the pati... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281311 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 23:00:40 +0100 4281311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265738&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmay-we-all-die-so-well%2F2010.12.17 Everyone liked him. Though his later years (the only ones in which I knew him) took away his ability to do most things, and though he was in great pain every day, it was easy to see the mischief in his eyes. The subtle humor was still there, coming out of a man who was weak, in pain, dying. She lived for him. She was always telling me of his pain, frustrated with the fact that he didn’t tell me enough. She was anxious about each complaint of his, wondering if this was the one that would take him away from her. Many of her problems were driven by this anxiety and fears, and she spent many hours in my office giving witness to them through her tears. As his health failed, I wondered about her future. He was the center of her life, the source of her energy, joy, purpose. How could she manag... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265738 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:00:23 +0100 4265738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253140&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsocial-networks-for-doctors-one-place-at-a-time%2F2010.12.12 I suspect that in the next couple of years we’ll see the emergence of a viable social network for physicians. It hasn’t happened yet, but I suspect that we’re getting close. Physicians are increasingly dabbling in mainstream social sites. But maybe that’s a problem. After all, a doctor can only hang in so many places. If you have “The Facebook for Doctors,” do you expect us to spend our time there instead of on Facebook itself? Maybe we will, and maybe we won’t. Beyond the obvious requirement of a network to deliver value, I think the rate-limiting factor is old-fashioned bandwidth. You can only be one place at a time. If I spend my days on Twitter, I’m not likely to spend my days on said doctor’s network. I will go there for particular things and to talk to certai... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253140 Sun, 12 Dec 2010 15:00:55 +0100 4253140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249059&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-virtue-of-unnecessary-care%2F2010.12.10 I case you didn’t hear the news, the American healthcare system is in financial crisis. One of the biggest culprits indicted in this crises is “unnecessary care,” with estimates ranging from $500 to $650 billion (total spending estimate is $2.6 trillion) going toward things labeled “unnecessary.” Personally I think this is an underestimate, as it doesn’t take into account the some big-ticket items: Brand name drugs given when generics would do. Antibiotics given for viral infections (and the additional cost due to reactions and resistance). Unproven costly care considered “standard of care” (PSA testing, robotic surgery, coronary stents). The unnecessarily high price of drugs. One of the main reasons I am an advocate of EMR is to measure and analyze care, eliminating tha... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249059 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:00:19 +0100 4249059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197065&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-seduction-of-primary-care%2F2010.11.24 Hey there, big, smart, good-looking doctor… Are you tired of being snubbed at all the parties? Are you tired of those mean old specialists having all of the fun? I have something for you, something that will make you smile. Just come to me and see what I have for you. Embrace me and I will take away all of the bad things in your life. I am what you dream about. I am what you want.  I am yours if you want me… Seduce: verb [trans.] attract (someone) to a belief or into a course of action that is inadvisable or foolhardy : they should not be seduced into thinking that their success ruled out the possibility of a relapse. See note at “tempt.” (From the dictionary on my Mac, which I don’t know how to cite.) If you ever go to a professional meeting for doctors, make su... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197065 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:39 +0100 4197065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4162924&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-doctors-many-hats%2F2010.11.13 I have taken on the task of writing 50,000 words for a novel in November (NaNoWriMo) and would have to carve time out of work or family [my posts are decreased by this new hat]. I can only wear so many hats. But I am here, and my writing has been far more enjoyable than I expected. This is the time when it is easy to hit the wall (we get daily encouraging emails from successful writers to get us through this time), but I’m okay so far. I am writing about a doctor who encounters a very unusual patient. I am writing in the first-person, which was a good choice, as I know the first person of a physician intimately and stand no risk of getting those details wrong. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Musings of a Distractible Mind* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4162924 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:00:00 +0100 4162924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118934&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-big-picture-benefit-of-primary-care%2F2010.10.28 Her eyes were bloodshot. She responded to my casual greeting of “How are you?” with a sigh. “How am I? I’m alive, I can tell you that much for sure.” She went on to describe a situation with her adult son who’s in a bad marriage and has struggled with addiction. She sighed again: “I feel weak. I don’t know if I can deal with this one. I’ve had so many hard things in my life already. When will it stop?” “Many hard things” — yes, I agree with that assessment. She’s been my patient for more than a decade, and I’ve had a front row seat to her life. Her husband died a few years ago (while in his 40′s) of a longstanding chronic disease. Her daughter also has this disease, and has been slowly declining over time. I’ve watched her bear that burden,... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118934 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:00:29 +0100 4118934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097936&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoctors-hospitals-and-the-yankees%2F2010.10.23 Joe Boyd hated the Yankees. “Those damn Yankees. Why can’t we beat ‘em?” Then he got the opportunity to save his beloved Washington Senators by making a deal with the devil — giving up his soul in exchange for being transformed into “Shoeless Joe” to propel his team to win the World Series. Interesting. I think a lot of doctors are making their deal with the devil. They are looking for a small gain in comparison to a long-term of misery. True — Joe Boyd made out in the end, but that will only happen if someone from Hollywood writes our script. Here’s the problem: At the core of our problems with healthcare is the total lack of cohesive communication. Doctors have no idea what other doctors have done with a patient. Tests get ordered, medications get changed, proc... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097936 Sat, 23 Oct 2010 16:00:04 +0100 4097936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082092&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-customer-service-is-good-care%2F2010.10.18 Gosh, a whole lot of huffing over a little word! “Customer.” Okay, now grab a paper bag and breathe slowly and steadily into it. I know it’s hard to hear that word. I am sorry to have caused such trouble. Some folks misunderstood my last post, thinking that I thought patients should only be considered customers, or that they should be referred to as customers. I never said that, nor did I imply it. I simply said that patients are customers. They are. Medical care is not free, and it is being paid for by the patient (directly or indirectly). Medicine is a business that has been so mismanaged that we are now in a crisis over its financial side. The trouble is the cost of care. Cost implies money is used, and trading money for services or goods is what business is about. We�... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082092 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:00:20 +0100 4082092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060587&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-is-a-patient-a-doctors-perspective%2F2010.10.12 What is a patient? What do they do? What’s their role in the doctor’s office?  Are they chassis on a conveyor belt? Are they puzzles for doctors to solve? Are they diseases? Are they demographics? Are they a repository for applied science? Or are they consumers? Are they paying customers? Are they the ones in charge? Are they employing physicians for their own needs? It depends. It depends on the situation. It depends on perspective. Some physicians are very offended when the “consumer” and “customer”  labels are applied to patients. They see this as the industrialization of healthcare. We are no longer professionals, we are made into “providers” — sort of smart vending-machine made out of flesh. Patients, on the other hand, get offended when doctors forget who... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060587 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:00:31 +0100 4060587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040561&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftop-gripes-about-drugs-and-what-they-cost%2F2010.10.07 I used to defend pharmaceutical companies. ”What companies out there have contributed more good? Should care manufacturers make more when all they do is make transportation that breaks after a few years?” It made sense to me that you should put a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow so that companies are motivated to invent more drugs and innovate. We throw a lot of money to athletes and movie stars who simply entertain us, shouldn’t we do better to those who heal us? I used to say that. I don’t anymore. No, I don’t think the drug companies are “evil.” People who say that are thinking way to simplistic. These companies are doing exactly what their shareholders want them to do: make as much money as possible for as long as possible. That’s what all companies do, right? They... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040561 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:00:07 +0100 4040561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4027159&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedicare-reimbursement-a-23-percent-cut-soon-to-come%2F2010.10.03   “It will never happen.” “They know better than to do it.” “They realize the disaster it would be if they let it pass.” That’s what I hear. I hear that the upcoming SGR adjustment, the one that will cut Medicare reimbursement by 23 percent, won’t go through. In case you missed it, the SGR is a formula coming from the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that does automatic cuts to Medicare reimbursement. This year we witnessed a legislative game of chicken in congress, with both sides agreeing that it was a bad idea to screw physicians in a time that they are trying to fix healthcare. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Musings of a Distractible Mind* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4027159 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 16:00:13 +0100 4027159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4002884&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-care-not-health-performance%2F2010.09.26 The “empowered patient” movement (which I think is a good thing) strives to take the doctor out of the center of care and put the patient at its focus. The role of doctor is not to be the star of the show, the quarterback, the superhero, but the advocate and helper for the patient to accomplish their goal: Health. Many rightly attack doctor prima donnas who want the exam/operating room to be about them instead of the patient. This is health care, not health performance. They want doctors who care more about the people they treat than they do about money, praise, or status. I get it. I get the message that doctors have to adjust to this new age of patient empowerment and patient-centeredness. I get the fact that making patients wait is a bad thing, and that communication is as essentia... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4002884 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:00:36 +0100 4002884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993905&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpanelist-video-interviews-from-the-fact-or-fiction-adhd-in-america-capitol-hill-forum%2F2010.09.22 On September 16, 2010, I attended Fact or Fiction: ADHD in America, a Capitol Hill Forum, along with Dr. Val Jones of Better Health and Dr. Rob Lamberts of Musings of a Distractible Mind. The event, coinciding with ADD/ADHD Awareness Week, was a panel discussion about the impact ADHD has on our society. It was sponsored by Shire, in partnership with the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC) and the Lab School of Washington [Disclosure: I received a stipend for covering the event.] Below are interviews Rob and I did with some of the panelists. Kevin Pho interview with Michele Novotni, Ph.D., ADHD Expert and Former Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) President: (more…) *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993905 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:46:38 +0100 3993905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993908&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsickening-people%2F2010.09.22 The man who twirled with rose in teeth Has his tongue tied up in thorns His once expanded sense of time and Space all shot and torn See him wander hat in hand - “Look at me, I’m so forlorn - Ask anyone who can recall It’s horrible to be born! - Bruce Cockburn, from song “Shipwrecked at the Stable Door” I found the discussion around my recent post about treating colds very interesting. Sick people come to the office to find out how sick they are. Most people don’t want to be sick, and when they are sick they want doctors to make them better. Most people. Some people want to be sick, and some doctors want to make people sick. I am not talking about hypochondriacs — people who worry that they may have disease and become fixated on being sick. I am not talking about malingere... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993908 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 14:00:34 +0100 3993908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3972916&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fadhd-fact-or-fiction-join-me-on-capitol-hill%2F2010.09.15 Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is probably overdiagnosed by physicians. In the lay public, the term is often used jokingly to describe the common feeling of distraction we experience in a world filled with interruptions. With a constant stream of text messages, Facebook updates, TV commercials, and fast-paced Twittering, there’s little wonder that we all feel frazzled at times. But the occasional experience of jangled nerves is not a proper basis for a diagnosis of ADHD. Unfortunately, there has been great confusion between the actual disorder, and its misuse as a label for simply feeling distracted. So to help set the record straight and to tease out fact from fiction, I’ll be attending a forum on Capitol Hill with my co-bloggers Dr. Kevin Pho and Dr. Rob Lamb... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3972916 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:41:12 +0100 3972916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954257&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-there-a-rule-book-on-grief%2F2010.09.10 She looked down toward her feet at the end of her visit. “I’ve got one more question, doctor,” she said, hesitating. I turned toward her and waited for her, letting her ask on her own time. Clearly this was something difficult for her to ask. “When will I get over the death of my husband? It’s been ten years, and I still wake up each morning thinking he’s there. I still come home wanting him to be there. Am I crazy?” Her face showed the shame that was so clear in her words. I had been along with her during the death of her husband, and she handled that period with much grace and strength. Now the silence at home is deafening. People around her, on the other hand, are far too quick to tell her how to grieve. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954257 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:00:02 +0100 3954257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3924905&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-letter-to-medical-students-considering-primary-care%2F2010.09.01 Dear Student: Thank you for your consideration of my profession for your career. I am a primary care physician (PCP) and have practiced for the past 16 years in a privately-owned practice. (At some point I intend to stop practicing and start doing the real thing. It amazes me at how many patients let me practice on them.) Anyhow, I thought I’d give you some advice as you go through what is perhaps your biggest decision regarding your career. Like me, you probably once thought that choosing to become a doctor was the biggest decision, but within medicine there are many options, giving a very wide range of career choices. It is the final choice that is, well, final. What are you going to do with your life? ”Being a doctor” covers so much range, that it really has little meaning. Dr. ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3924905 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:00:43 +0100 3924905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911702&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fare-you-cut-out-for-primary-care%2F2010.08.27 If you’re considering primary care medicine as a career someday and want some great insights into what it takes to become a good one, Dr. Rob clarifies the personality type and tolerances required. So what does it take to be a specialist? Exactly the same. Except the part where he describes a possible need for outward social status and only working on left fingers. Just realize that those extra years of training that we not-so-specialists endure are really there just so we can completely forget most of what we once knew and how to fill out discharge paperwork. -WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist. *This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911702 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3911702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907601&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoctors-and-their-smartphones%2F2010.08.26 An eye-popping statistic shows that 94 percent of doctors have adopted smartphones, in part to keep up with an information glut. A consulting group released results of 100 in-depth interviews with physicians working in acute and ambulatory care environments in numerous specialties nationwide. The physicians used the phones to communicate, manage personal/business workflows, and access information, including medical reference materials. (In case you’re curious about what your peers are using, 44 percent use an iPhone and 25 percent use a BlackBerry.) This growth in adoption — a 60 percent increase since 2006 — isn’t surprising, since the same survey reported that doctors’ biggest challenges are communicating with colleagues in a timely manner, the volume of... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907601 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3907601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858158&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdefining-family-practice%2F2010.08.11 I like Dr. Rob, the one with the “distractible mind.” And although I thoroughly agree with the stance he takes in his recent post against cholesterol screening in kids, I must take issue with his opening statement: I have a unique vantage point when it comes to the issue universal cholesterol screening in children, when compared to most pediatricians. My unique view stems from the fact that I am also an internist who deals with those children after they grow up on KFC Double Downs. From Dictionary.com: “Unique: existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics.” Your med-peds training allows you to follow patients from birth to death (but no obstetrics or gynecology). You can care for all organ systems and all stages of di... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858158 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:00:55 +0100 3858158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721764&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-terminology-reasoning-or-lack-thereof%2F2010.07.02 It’s been a very long time since I did an “Ask Dr. Rob” post. It’s also been a long time since I shot a spitball out of a straw and hit someone behind the ear during social studies class. I realize that just because it’s been a long time since I’ve done something, it doesn’t mean the world is better off with me doing it again. Still, there have been some interesting questions that have come up and I think it’s time they should be answered. They’re both along the same line: Question 1: What’s the difference between health care and healthcare? I see that you contribute to the Health Care Blog, but you write about healthcare all of the time. What’s the deal? Question 2: What’s the difference between EMR and EHR?  It seems that some people feel tha... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721764 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:01:59 +0100 3721764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2834239&cid=t_292919_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fbook-review-guide-to-raising-fit-kids%2F Raising kids is never easy, especially in this age of junk food, technology, and information overload. We are constantly bombarded by the media with news of rising childhood obesity rates, inactivity, and poor eating habits. What’s a parent to do? Well, one thing that might help is reading Dr Rob’s Guide to Raising Fit Kids. While he doesn’t have all the answers, his expertise as a physician, coach, and parent allows him to provide a general blueprint on how to raise a healthy child Dr Rob is actually Dr Robert S Gotlin, Director of Orthopaedic and Sports Rehabilitation in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. He’s also the team physician for the Harlem Wizards basketball team, a member of the medical team for women’s rugby, U.S. nationa... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2834239 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:35:20 +0100 2834239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=876026&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F09%2F17%2Fask-dr-rob-pax-saliva%2F OK, time to get back to answering your questions (after a brief hiatus to be somewhat serious). Some of the readers of my regular blog may not realize that I am now also answering questions for the publication Offsprung, a parenting website like no other. Obviously it is off of the mainstream, if you consider that they asked me to contribute! Anyhow, the next question comes from one of my Offsprung pals Matthew, who asks: Sometimes, when I’m at the store with my son, he’ll drop his pacifier on the floor and I won’t have any baby wipes to clean it off with. If he’s getting fussy and needs the pacifier after that, I just put it in my mouth first, the thinking being that I’m giving the dirty germs to my stronger immune system and also cleaning it with my magic da... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=876026 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:50:30 +0100 876026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=841675&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F09%2F05%2Fask-dr-rob-aqua-feline%2F The next question is from an old friend (at least as far as blogging friends go - that means over 6 months) Cathy, who writes me the following: I hope you can answer this question for me. I have searched and searched for a long time and can not find an answer. “Why do cat’s prefer toilet water, over a fresh bowl of clean tap or even bottled water?” I have just posted on my blog about my cat “Gary” and this nasty habit of his. I also linked to you in that post. She details in her blog post: Dave almost suffered a stroke when he caught me pouring a 1.29 cent bottle of Aqua Fina into the cat’s bowl. ya’ll know Dave is so tight that his wallet never sees the light of day. But, I thought maybe Gary (the cat), would like some sparkling good water, and w... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=841675 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:22:23 +0100 841675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=823015&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F08%2F26%2Fask-dr-rob-resilience%2F Whoa. Chris and Vic (that lovable duo also known as CAK) have hit Dr. Rob with a tough one. Dr. Rob, do you ever write about serious items? If so, how about your take on “resilience”? Is resilience a cure for trauma and hardship? Is resilience a constellation of coping mechanisms? Or ??? What if your child has serious disabilities and cannot even understand the concept of resilience? Does that make him less resilient? Does cognitive or behavioral disability disqualify him from developing resilience? Is there a way to train for resilience? First let me give the “dictionary definition.” resilience (n.) The ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune; buoyancy. resilience (n.) The property of a material that enables it to resume its original shape or... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=823015 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:49:00 +0100 823015 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=811074&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F08%2F20%2Fask-dr-rob-the-stys-the-limit%2F Mary asks an uncomfortable question: My husband has a recurring sty in his eye. Is this from spending too much time out at the pigpen, or those magazines we found under our son’s bed? Hmmm…. How can I word this? Uh, First off there is the issue of a stye. Styes are bumps on the eyelid. There are two main types of eyelid lesions: a hordeolum and a chalazion. I would like to personally thank whoever named these to bumps, as they are pretty much the most fun names to say aloud. Certainly both are much more fun to say than “stye” or “bump on your eyelid.” THANK YOU MR/MS BUMP ON THE EYE NAMER!! {{{HUGS}}}. Sorry. I got carried away. Hordeolum is not to be confused with a Horta (pictured below), which is a silicon-based life form as described by Wikipedia: A... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=811074 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 01:09:17 +0100 811074 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=804400&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F08%2F16%2Fask-dr-rob-reaching-new-heights%2F An anonymous reader asks the following question: Dr. Rob, I have a terrible fear of flying.  Is there anything I can do about that? Let me start out with suggesting that you get yourself a good name.  It certainly must be difficult going through life without one.  Even though you have probably been traumatized by living your life to this point without a name, it certainly can be viewed as a golden opportunity.  You can choose any name you want!  If you want to be “The Phantom,” ”Yellow Mystery Meat,” or even “Most Excellent Cool Guy,” you can.  What a great opportunity! Do not do, however, what this Chinese couple tried to do: Chinese couple tried to name baby “@” A Chinese couple tried to name their baby ... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=804400 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 03:49:20 +0100 804400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=794196&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F08%2F12%2Fas-dr-rob-beat-the-heat%2F The next question comes from Mrs. Dr. Rob: How do I survive these 100-degree days in the southeast? What is the best way to cope with the hot weather? As you can probably tell, we are going through a miserable time here in Georgia, with the temperatures hitting over 100 and the humidity not far behind. While I can frolic away the hours during the day in air conditioned comfort, she is stuck in a house that is valiantly serving to fight global warming by pumping cool dry air into the hot and humid Georgia summer. The truth is, it would probably be 101 here if it weren’t for our house working so hard to cool things off outdoors. So what is the best way to deal with the hot weather? First, we need to discuss the effects of the extreme heat on the human body. Heat and Humans Mrs. Dr. R... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=794196 Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:43:24 +0100 794196 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=786725&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F08%2F08%2Fask-dr-rob-apocalypse-now%2F Conclusion Why is nobody getting the message out? The forces of evil know that the only news agency with enough guts to carry such a story was the Weekly World News. As you probably have heard, “coincidentally” this publication is going out of business. The war will be waged on many fronts. What begins as the innocent crunching of snails under our feet will end in world domination by a Giant Lego Man god that will lead us to Armageddon. While I am not really the Doctor of Human Destruction, I am wise enough to heed the signs. Unfortunately I have no time to do anything about all of this. I’m too busy watching that cheese on the web. Just waiting for it to move or something. Dang, it just keeps sitting there…. Thanks for your question! Don’t forget to send your... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=786725 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:29:08 +0100 786725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=773344&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F08%2F01%2Fask-dr-rob-potpourri%2F The questions just keep rolling in, so I thought I would take the opportunity to answer a bunch of them in one fell swoop. This allows me to accomplish several things: Clean up my inbox Do something other than watching Baywatch reruns Regale my readers with some madcap antics Make me feel less guilty about not answering questions. Question 1 (from Angel): “What piano songs would be appropriate to play for goats and/or llamas?” This first raises a few questions of its own: Do you keep livestock in your living room? If so, how did you get them housebroken? If you didn’t get them housebroken, how did you lose your sense of smell? Do you have a piano in your barn? These issues aside, the question assumes something that is actually a common mistake. Most people assume tha... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=773344 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 21:53:14 +0100 773344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=741435&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F07%2F17%2Fask-dr-rob-animal-magnetism%2F Tom asks the following question: I recently had an MRI, this is the third or fourth, any time I go though the anti-theft devices at stores. The alarm sounds when I have nothing on me.  What can I do? Good question, Tom.  Before I answer the question, however, I need to address the fact that you are in stores with nothing on you.  While I am sure it gives you a “free feeling,” it really is generally not acceptable to be in stores without clothing.  But don’t feel ashamed of your love of public nudity.  It is all a part of growing up. There was a recent story in the news about a man who is very much like you: DETROIT ? A man who was sentenced to 30 days in jail for taking his daily run while wearing only a stocking cap, gloves and reflective tape ... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=741435 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:10:21 +0100 741435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=726254&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F07%2F10%2Fask-dr-rob-blogging-in-person%2F Conclusion   I am nothing like myself IN PERSON while BLOGGING.  I think it is pretty clear that I have the entire world of the Internet completely duped into thinking I resemble the person I am not while I blog IN PERSON.   Personally, I think my BLOGGING persona never blogs as a person, but rather as a llama. This seems pretty obvious to me. Thanks for the question. PLEASE don’t for get to send your questions to dr.rob.questions@gmail.com. (Source: Musings of a Distractible Mind) Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=726254 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 01:54:43 +0100 726254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=716536&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F07%2F06%2Fask-dr-rob-doctor-tricks%2F Our next question comes from PJ, who asks: Why do you always measure the patient’s blood pressure at the beginning of the visit, instead of halfway through or at the end? First off, I would ask how you know what I do in my office. Have you been spying on me? Are you the one who put the listening devices and webcams secretly in my office? Are you the one who put the GPS device on my stethoscope? Are you the one who posted the video of me on YouTube? Are you the one who put those voices in my head that constantly tell me to move to Idaho and open a llama ranch? Oh wait, those all went away with the medication adjustment. Sorry. Anyhow, this raises an interesting fact that most people don’t know about doctors: we have tricks that perpetuate our business and ensure job security. ... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=716536 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 05:27:22 +0100 716536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=707636&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F07%2F01%2Fask-dr-rob-lovehate-and-spit%2F From Amanda, I got the fascinating question: Why do I insist on having three cats even though I’m allergic to the wee beasties? Thanks for the thoughtful question. I am always happy to do whatever I can to mend fences between species. Clearly you have a love/hate relationship with the feline type. Your reference to them as “beasties” betrays an ambivalence that probably runs quite deep. I would suggest a visit to either Dr. Deb or to Shrink Rap - two psychiatry blogs - to sort out these issues. They may help you discover your “inner cat.” But what of this insatiable desire to be with them, and what of the allergies? You would be interested to know that it is actually not the wee of these beasties you are allergic to, it is the spit. Yes, cat allergy is actual... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=707636 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 14:06:20 +0100 707636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=691247&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F06%2F22%2Fask-dr-rob-9-months-of-speed%2F A skeptical reader from Houston asks: “What are the effects of speedboats on a fetus?“ Now, I have to start out by addressing the purists out there who would point out that a child does not become a fetus officially until the 9th week of gestation, meaning that the title of this blog should actually be “7 Months of Speed.”  There is one of you in every crowd, and I can honestly say that you bug the rest of us.  Here I am, just blogging away happily, exercising my poetic license and I get a cold fish whacked across my face in the form of a “well, actually” response.  Not this time, bucko!  I made sure of that!  Ha! Besides, I think addressing the effects of speedboat on embryonic development is entirely appropriate.  A... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=691247 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 22:04:48 +0100 691247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=682757&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F06%2F18%2Fask-dr-rob-poverty-and-medicine%2F Obviously, many of the letters sent to me since my inaugural “Ask Dr. Rob” post have been a bit on the silly side.  I will go that route fairly soon.  But one of the questions was actually quite serious. Mario, who works over at the Huffington Post writes: How does a scientific report about skin cancer get spun to focus on the rich while ignoring the poor?    He then referred me to an article by Deborah Blum which describes the media spin in regard to a scientific report on skin cancer. I’d like to tell you a story of skin cancer, wealth, poverty and, I’m afraid, journalism done badly. My morality tale starts this Monday with the announcement of a study in this month’s British Journal of Dermatology: a report by scientists in Belfast, who ... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=682757 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:59:21 +0100 682757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675466&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F06%2F10%2Fask-dr-rob-taco-time%2F Well, let’s get this thing off the ground. Right off the bat, Awesome Mom asked in incredibly good question: “Why does my husband think that putting ketchup on tacos is a normal thing to do?” Given the fact that I happen to have spent some time doing basic taco research, and that I have eaten both tacos and ketchup (although not simultaneously, I must admit), I am the perfect person to answer this question (although a guy in a taco suit may also be a good candidate). Most men do not put ketchup on tacos. It is actually a condition that occurs in 1 in 5,000 people, with a preponderance of these being men. The taco/ketchup combination is what is known as a x-linked recessive genetic disorder. Genetically, the difference between men and women is that women have two “... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675466 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:48:38 +0100 675466 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675467&cid=t_292919_123_f&fid=34879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdistractiblemind.ambulatorycomputing.com%2F2007%2F06%2F09%2Fnew-feature-to-the-blog%2F Did you ever wonder: Why am I here? Where does that highway lead to? How do you use a semicolon properly? What are “living daylights” and why can they be scared out of me? Where does Dr. Rob get buy his mouthwash? What is the capital of Assyria? How do you raise milk goats successfully? How long will this list be? How do you say “I am seasick” in French? What is better, bowling or mayonnaise? Why is a mouse that spins? Well, today’s your lucky day! I am starting a new feature called “Ask Dr. Rob.” This is where you, the reader, gets to ask me, Dr. Rob, questions about things (like, “why did you use so many commas in the past sentence?”). I will, in turn, respond in a blog post which may or may not have anything to do with your questi... Musings of a Distractible Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675467 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 18:21:13 +0100 675467