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 'faith'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:53:50 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181816&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1837 I think a lot about the slow, certain dissolution of medicine as we know it.  Mental health issues crowd emergency departments, as few mental health clinics are available.  Psychiatrists are in short supply.  Drug abuse overwhelms the medical system, with either patients seeking pills or patients families hoping to get them off of pills. Persons with little interest in their own health continue to smoke and drink, use Meth and eat poorly.  Disability claims are skyrocketing as younger and younger individuals confabulate their misery in hopes of attaining a check, paid for by someone else. The poor, with genuine medical problems, have increasing difficulty finding care as jobs, and insurance, fade away.  Politicians, eager to be re-elected, eager to be loved, promise more and supply le... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181816 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:14:08 +0100 5181816 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174627&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1829 This is my column in yesterday’s Greenville News.  A direct link requires a subscription, so I reprinted it here. Thanks! Being ‘hung up’ about sex isn’t so horrible One of the chief objections to Christianity is that it meddles in people’s personal lives. This is a curious objection, in some ways. Christianity has fairly little to say about food or drink, except to advocate moderation. And very little to say about clothing, except that modesty is appropriate. It’s silent on computers and automobiles. And it generally advocates discipline couched in love where children are concerned. What its detractors mean often comes down to this: ‘Christianity has something to say about sex, and we don’t like it one bit.’ Typically, one hears that ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174627 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:10:39 +0100 5174627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169684&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fsmall-fruit.html Slow progress. I feel like that's what I'm making, up out of the deep dark pit that swallowed me whole in April. I see others making slow progress, too, and it hits me kind of like the sun on a 70 degree day. Slowly, the warmth builds and spreads, and yes, you will sweat just as hard as a hot day if you stay long enough. We planted a few tomato plants in a long-abandoned deck garden at the beginning of summer. They've been blasted with sun, never have seen a watering can, and are at the whim of every passing downpour or hailstorm. Yet there is some fruit growing on these vines. While we might have hoped for a huge crop - 20 tomatoes or so - we have seven. And we are thrilled with the seven who have survived the craziness of a in and out again hospital summer.I know believers like thes... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169684 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:06:00 +0100 5169684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159203&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-august-23-2011%2F Every once in awhile, I like to snoop around my old diaries. Besides personally being one of the best non-fiction reads to me, it gives good insight into who I was and potentially who I will be. One of the jewels of wisdom I recently picked up from a 7 year old Winnie the Pooh journal contained information on my state of mind at the time. The details are not important. But the general feeling of that entire year was one of heartache and confusion. There was this sense of longing, emptiness, a feeling that whatever I was going through was not only uncomfortable, but unfair. I even wrote: “When I’m 50, I’ll probably look back on this moment and it will be a fleeting and insignificant memory. But right now, I’m having a hard time with it.” I smiled reading it bec... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159203 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:39:33 +0100 5159203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159021&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1818 , no matter what the season This is my column in today’s Greenville News I am sitting here, looking into the sky and out into the yard. The clouds are hanging low over Tamassee. They are pregnant, but not so much with rain as with change. I can see, in their fullness and varied shades of blue and gray, that Autumn is lurking, and waiting eagerly to descend. Most years, there is a weekend in September that blows in cool, with low humidity and breezes. I mark the end of summer by that event, and often in years past would note it as I drove home from my night-shift in the emergency room. The air through my car windows had a chill, and as I slept off the night’s work, I would revel in warmth, not cool. This time, while not as cool, it came in August. Frankly, anything less than a h... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159021 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 19:56:57 +0100 5159021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118658&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1789 In following the stories out of the UK, I am saddened by the violence and senseless destruction in the nation that so many of us look to as kindred.  Many of us have a deep, almost genetic, reverence for the land of so many of our ancestors.  I certainly wish we could once again unite and rise up, standing for freedom and the greatness of the West.  Alas, not yet. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/08/11/london-police-raiding-houses-over-uk-riots/?test=latestnews It is, of course, like all such violence in places where a perfect storm of ideology brews. Closing the trough First, young poor people, told for decades it was the duty of the government and taxpayers to care for them, become animal-like when their feed-trough is threatened.  And, animal-like, brutal in nature, ‘red in t... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118658 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:54:36 +0100 5118658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5119001&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2F8-admissions%2F The wisdom of these timeless spiritual paradoxes are encompassed in all 12 Step Fellowship recovery processes. Admit your fear, and your courage will grow. Admit to not knowing, and you will learn. Admit your weaknesses, and you’ll become stronger. Admit your mistakes, and you’ll begin to move past them. Admit you don’t know what to say, and you’ll have said just the right thing. Admit that you’re confused, and you’ll begin to understand. Admit that you’re hurting, and you’ll begin to heal. Admit that you care, and the things that truly matter will grow stronger. Being honest with yourself, with others, with life, can often be difficult and intimidating. Yet honesty is always the most reliable, the most direct route to truly attain whatever... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5119001 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 07:33:38 +0100 5119001 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107454&cid=t_106873_85_f&fid=34967&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fdocisinblog%2FwNlq%2F%7E3%2FG-NDSA6ry_I%2F Almost cut my hair, Happened just the other day. It was gettin’ kinda long, Could’ve said it was in my way. But I didn’t and I wonder why, I feel like letting my freak flag fly, And I feel like I owe it to someone… I’m suffering from whiplash — perhaps I should call one of those attorneys whose ads I see at bus stops and on the back of grocery carts… In a recent post, I waxed euphoric about a big transition in my professional life, wherein I would move from being a solo practitioner to a hospital group employee, working predominantly in an inpatient capacity, with a much reduced load of office paperwork and business responsibilities, with the expectation of significantly more free time. I was truly excited about these possibilities, and felt great ... The Doctor Is In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107454 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 06:46:15 +0100 5107454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103487&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fall-nature-sings-his-glory.html Praise flows from the million voices of crickets singing a late summer lullaby.Glory cascades from the yellowest sunset I've ever seen.Skepticism melts in the shadow of a gold harvest half moon.His presence shines from every one of the thousand stars visible tonight.He begs me for these: praise, glory, belief, presence with Him.In everything beautiful, and in everything ugly about this world,there is the shadow and whisper of His holiness.He is making all things new.Even my broken heart and shattered mind. (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103487 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 04:11:00 +0100 5103487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103349&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1780 Texas Governor Rick Perry suggests that we pray for our nation.  I read the article, then began reading the comments.  Here’s the link: http://tinyurl.com/3sasw88.  Fascinating, really. America wants leaders who live by a high standard of ethics, who seek the best for their citizens, and for the world at large.  America wants leaders who believe in honesty and truth. So Gov. Perry, who may be the Republican presidential candidate, says it’s important to pray.  Not to a God who calls for child sacrifice, or asks us to wage war for our faith.  Not to a God who is hateful.  Not to a God who accepts lies. Gov. Perry asks America to pray for help in hard times.  Not to smite his enemies.  (He said we should pray for our president as well.)  Not to let him win the election.... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103349 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 22:12:14 +0100 5103349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096222&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1764 No co-pay for contraception? So it turns out that one of the provisions of Obama-care is  that it prohibits prohibits insurance co-pays for contraception.  I find this curious. I always pay co-pays! Having a child with diabetes, I have paid plenty of co-pays for products and medication necessary to his health.  And for visits to the pediatrician, surgeon, obstetrician, etc. Many people have high co-pays for essential services, from cancer therapy to cholesterol medications and all the rest. What’s the difference? So why is contraception so sacred?  Why is it, in an era of falling revenues, in an age when western civilization is slowly depopulating, that we would encourage contraception?  When what we need, in fact, is (quite to the frustration of many) more people? You can&#821... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096222 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 02:09:55 +0100 5096222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086484&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Flife-is-in-little-things.html I receive an e-mail from a friend that brings me to tears. I took care of her little girl, sweet Maddie, when she was undergoing both of her 2 bone marrow transplants in an effort to control her life-threatening disease. When her single mother adopted her from China at 14 months, she was a healthy toddler. In a few months, things started to go awry. I met them several years later, and Pat, Maddie's mother, became one of my own everyday heroes.I went outside an hour or two later after wrestling with data organization, feeling frustrated and depressed. "Depressed", for me, means a sudden wave of incredible sadness and hopelessness about my life and the impact I am having on others. Just like I didn't want my oldest to intimately know the word "cancer" at age 4, I don't want any of them to kn... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086484 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:52:00 +0100 5086484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036240&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1726 Church Camp Helps Kids Learn How to Choose This is my column in today’s Greenville News. My wife and I just returned from helping to chaperone 20 middle and high-school students at a church camp populated by a total of 600 youth. We were at SummerSalt, the flagship camp of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, located near Winnsboro, SC at White Oak Conference Center. (Actually, I’ve always referred to it as ‘Hotternhades, South Carolina,’ but that’s just me.) Since it is a Southern Baptist Camp, let me immediately set fire to the standard ’straw-man’ stereotypes leveled at our denomination; and indeed, at evangelicals in general. We did not spend our time making lists of all the people we believed were going to hell. We did not meet secretly to d... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036240 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:59:47 +0100 5036240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029223&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fsurrender-to-win-2%2F Willingness is the key The Higher Power Is Good “Before Alcoholics Anonymous, I could not, or would not, admit I was wrong. My pride would not let me. And yet I was ashamed of me. Caught in this conflict, I banished the Higher Power from my life because I felt He asked me to adhere to a behavior pattern too high for a man of my human frailty. Somehow, I believed that there could be no forgiveness of any failure, that he Higher Power required me to be all good. The moral of the story of the Prodigal Son eluded me. “Since I thought trying was not enough, I stopped trying. That made me feel guilty. For a while, alcohol blotted out the guilt. Then alcohol became the greatest cause of my guilt. I had to be beaten to a pulp physically, mentally and emotionally, become bankrupt in all... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029223 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:25:41 +0100 5029223 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975876&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1706 Trained as an emergency physician, my entire career has been spent pondering, searching for, often finding and managing the worst possible eventualities in my patients.  Chest pain is, first and foremost, a heart attack or pulmonary embolus.  Abdominal pain is appendicitis, a ruptured tubal pregnancy.  Fever with headache is meningitis.  And neck pain from a car wreck is an unstable cervical spine fracture. So it has taken enormous effort to ‘dial-down’ my response to my wife’s recent cancer, treatment and recovery.  I drive her to distraction with ‘how are you feeling?’  I pester her endlessly to eat.  I have imagined every bump or cough a metastasis.  I have envisioned all the worst outcomes imaginable.  I endlessly ‘catastrophize,’ as o... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975876 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:01:30 +0100 4975876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4976152&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fspiritual-cpr.html Theoretically speaking, if you take proper maintenance of a car, it could last forever. My husband is pushing this theoretical truth every day in a 1984 Honda Accord. This runner has had many visits to the mechanic, and just as many repairs in our own garage. You could skip the maintenance and just go repair-to-repair. However, most people are aware of the enormous amount of trouble they get into if they skip maintenance.What is maintenance for life? I have loved Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs since I first read it. Maintenance probably covers the whole pyramid up until you hit self-actualization.Yet suddenly a crisis is upon you. A crisis of faith, a crack in your marriage, a season of grief or depression, the death of someone so important to you there are threads of that person all through ... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4976152 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:51:00 +0100 4976152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952863&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1683 Thank you all for your prayers for my dear wife.  I haven’t update lately, so here’s the latest. We went to MUSC in Charleston a couple of weeks ago for follow up, some 12 weeks after completion of chemotherapy and radiation.  Jan’s exam looked very good.  Nothing going on in her tongue or throat except some generalized edema.  Healthy looking cells, unlike the scary white ones we saw back in December. ‘Hallelujah, thine the Glory,’ as the song goes! She also had a PET scan.  It took a couple of weeks for the final reading and review by the tumor board at MUSC.  But the results were pretty good.  The left side of her neck was clear (that’s where the original malignant nodes were found).  The right side of her neck was clear except for one lymph n... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952863 Sat, 18 Jun 2011 17:39:28 +0100 4952863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921761&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Falcohol-the-isms-and-fear%2F This article will discuss the ism’s and associated fears.The Ism’sThese ism’s are part of normal life, everyone has them to varying degrees. Specifically, the ism’s are an attempt to make life bearable, as a way of “interpersonal control and coping.” This is, of course, what we all strive to do on a day-to-day basis, we need these thinking patterns and behaviours to cope, most people seem to be doing alright, while the alcoholic seems to be sinking fast.One of the main ism’s with alcoholism is the ism of fear.FearsRecovery is mostly about letting go of fear. In fact, fear produces most all my insane moments. Any time I need a reality check, I try to stop and ask myself if there is a fear at the root of what I’m doing.These are the fear demons I’ve identifi... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921761 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:44:23 +0100 4921761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893469&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1653 Dear friends, Jan is doing wonderfully, and her recovery from both her cancer therapy, and her pulmonary embolus, has been nothing short of miraculous.  I am so thankful for God’s grace and mercy, and for the skill of those whose treatment of my wife honored the One who called them into medicine.  (Whether they knew it or not!) She has been eating better every day, working out, mowing the lawn and organizing our lives like normal.  I’m very proud of the courage, fortitude, love and patience she has shown throughout her ordeal.   And of the faithfulness in trial that our amazing children displayed. Monday June 6 is the day of her follow-up PET scan and pharyngoscopy at MUSC.  Please pray that her cancer is completely gone.  Her scan is early, I think at 7 am, and her exam... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893469 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 02:17:19 +0100 4893469 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893470&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1649 My son Sam and I were driving along (well, he was driving) and discussing all of the things we’d like to do in life.  His interests are expansive, just like his dear old Papa, aka me.  We both recognize that life is not long enough to try all of the careers, degrees and experiences we would so love to enjoy.  ‘I think that’s what heaven is for, Sam.  Maybe we want to do those things because we’re supposed to do them in eternity!’ Sam, who sometimes toys with the idea of being a physician, pondered it all then said ‘No offense, but I don’t think we’ll need doctors.’ ‘That’s fine with me,’ I replied earnestly.  And I began to think about it. No more doctoring… A doctor I will no more be When I pass heaven&#821... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893470 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:21:17 +0100 4893470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883587&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1633 This is my column in today’s Greenville News                 Dear graduates, congratulations on your accomplishments!  Whether you are leaving high-school, trade-school, college or graduate school, you have done something.  You have, unlike many others, persevered to the end of your course of study, whether two years, 12 years or 18 years.  That’s a good first step; but only a first step.  Your certificates, awards and accolades, your grades and honors are testament to your effort.  But you have to accomplish more.             So, first of all, I charge you, I ‘knight you,’ to go and do something great.  There are those who genuinely believe that there is no greatness left.  That all noble achievements have been attained.  This is an... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883587 Sun, 29 May 2011 16:49:56 +0100 4883587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872162&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F27%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-27-2011%2F I remember the first time I ever felt in control of my life. I was about 8 or 9 years old at the time and had a reoccurring nightmare about two kids chasing me down the street. When I told my dad about it he said, “You know you can control your dreams right?” He told me all I had to do was visualize what I wanted to happen in the dream before I went to sleep. Because I had the kind of faith in magic and pure wonder that only occurs in childhood, I wholeheartedly believed him. The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face. In my dream, the two kids that were chasing me finally caught up. But in their hands were melting ice-cream cones they had been trying to give me. That dream was years ago, but I will never forget it. More than teaching me how to control my dreams, it tau... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872162 Fri, 27 May 2011 10:40:45 +0100 4872162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872108&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1628 A friend recently asked how to explain the death and resurrection of Jesus to his young son in a non-judgmental, values-neutral way.  I have to admit, while a noble thought it’s very difficult.  Jesus himself said he came  ‘not to bring peace, but a sword,’  and that he would cause divisions even in households.  It’s tough to explain it without embracing the story or discounting it. But since so much of faith requires metaphorical thinking, I have an idea.  Let’s think, first, about sin.  Modern society gets very upset about that word.  And probably, the church (temporal) has done a rotten job of explaining it.  Sin isn’t just cheating, lying, stealing, adultery, drunkenness, murder, blasphemy, etc.  Sin isn’t ‘making us guilty for ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872108 Thu, 26 May 2011 17:36:12 +0100 4872108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876527&cid=t_106873_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FyCmShq81sG8%2F With all of the natural disasters and really horrific news over the past few months, it’s easy to get down and negative. I find myself in a funk after listening to the latest round of news reports. It’s hard to get the horrific views of tsunamis, tornadoes, and earthquakes out of my mind. While I think it is a good idea to keep up with world events, it’s easy to get overwhelmed from time to time. I really want to help out in each situation, but the fact is I can’t. I end up feeling guilty that I’m still safe and others are suffering. While I think its important to donate and help those in need, I realized the other day that we all need a break from time to time. We need to focus on our family and friends. We just need to celebrate a good day. The way our minds... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876527 Thu, 26 May 2011 13:35:42 +0100 4876527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847967&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1610 Kindness as Medical Treatment (This originally appeared as one of my columns in Emergency Medicine News, in 2001.) Before me on the exam table was a young woman in her mid- to late 30s. She was a little anxious. Her chart indicated that she had back pain, neck pain, headache, chest pain, and insomnia. I took a deep breath, rolled my eyes, and began to take a history. I tried my best to tease out what things might be serious and what was not. No injuries, no weakness, no shortness of breath, no history of heart disease, no thunderclap headaches, no, no, no. Her exam was almost as unremarkable. Until we went a little further. As her history continued and she opened up, I learned that she was working third shift at a local factory, raising three small children and caring for a husband on dia... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847967 Fri, 20 May 2011 03:09:05 +0100 4847967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841489&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1601 I was drifting off to sleep when the movie ‘Working Girl’ came on the television.  It features a young woman who makes good in the high-powered world of Wall Street.  The movie opens on the Manhattan skyline.  ‘Let the River Run,’  by Carly Simon, is playing in the background.  The imagery and lyrics, indeed the script, suggest that New York is meant to represent a kind of New Jerusalem of opportunity and hope; at least, that’s how this impressionable Southerner interpreted it. The problem is, the camera panned past the Twin Towers.  The movie was released in 1988, and the Twin Towers were in the fullness of their steel and concrete lives, architectural creatures that stood watch over the millions who rushed forward every day beneath them.  Today, of co... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841489 Thu, 19 May 2011 03:21:36 +0100 4841489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828897&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1592 I'm not judging, I'm just saying... Warn others, and don’t worry about the hypocrisy label My column in yesterday’s Greenville News Graduating high school students will soon be headed for beaches and other sunny locales to celebrate their liberation; often with behavior that is best performed far from home. Some will then become college students, many of whom will spend several years exploring the moral universe in an attempt to ‘find themselves,’ right before the hard world finds them and offers them little reward for being fun at parties. As parents launch their children from home, many of them find it difficult to give suggestions for proper behavior. And the reason is often this: ‘well, who am I to say what they should or shouldn’t do? I did ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828897 Sun, 15 May 2011 21:12:03 +0100 4828897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829225&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fwe-see-faith-as-strong-steel-bands-that.html We see faith as the strong steel bands that bind us to God's will, meted out with each drop of blood on the Cross. We feel it is something we have to maintain, work at, and suffer for.But the big picture tells us that the steel bands are Christ's grip on, the shorter, weaker pole to which Greatness of lashed. And that, for each good deed we do, He deserves the credit for victory of life over death.He is with you when your faith is deadAnd you can't even get out of bedOr your husband doesn't kiss you anymoreHe is with you when your baby's goneAnd your house is stillAnd your hearts are stoneCrying "God what'd you do that for?"He is with youThere's a time for yesAnd a time for noThere's a time to be angryAnd a time to let it goThere's a time to runAnd a time to face itThere's love to seekIn a... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829225 Sun, 15 May 2011 20:47:00 +0100 4829225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794953&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fgreed-grief-and-the-choices-of-a-lifetime%2F As most of you already know, my daughter, Beth and I have just returned from a working trip to the high desert region of California. My sweet mother-in-law passed away last May and due to other family matters it has taken us a year to make it down there to clean out her home. The weather is also a factor because I cannot tolerate heat or sun. When we left home it was drizzling here in beautiful, green yet soggy Oregon. The contrast to the high desert is startling. Yucca trees, a few evergreens and lots of brown greeted us. It was also 90 degrees. I got out the sunscreen but still have many fever blisters. You all know I have trouble sitting, and had to go to the hotel and just lie down after the trip. We had drawn row 12 on our small commuter plane and got stuck right in front of the emerg... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794953 Fri, 06 May 2011 20:36:00 +0100 4794953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762858&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fthe-assologist-is-evolving%2F After writing this blog for almost five years, I find I have few secrets. My life is an open book. I’m one of those irritating women who talk to you in line at the market, have total strangers pick me out of a crowd to ask directions and always pet friendly, furry dogs at street fairs. I’ve always had a tongue that had a life of it’s own but now I’m far worse. My life changed about half-way through when, over a period of a few months, I developed two strange symptoms. Those two irritating and eventually painful problems changed my life forever. When I look back on the last 20+ years, I no longer recognize the woman I used to be. There is something about having chronic pain everyday of your life that causes you to evolve. I decided long ago it was up to me to decide if that evolutio... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762858 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:08:12 +0100 4762858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762940&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fstay-on-the-beam%2F Just for Today – Stay on the Beam“Today most commercial flying is done on a radio beam. A directional beam is produced to guide the pilot to his destination, and as long as he keeps on this beam he knows that he is safe, even if he cannot see around him for fog, or get his bearings in any other way.As soon as he gets off the beam in any direction he is in danger, and he immediately tries to get back on to the beam once more.Those who believe in the All-ness of a Higher Power, have a spiritual beam upon which to navigate on the voyage of life. As long as you have peace of mind and some sense of the Presence of God you are on the beam, and you are safe, even if outer things seem to be confused or even very dark; but as soon as you get off the beam you are in danger.You are off th... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762940 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:45:07 +0100 4762940 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747622&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1537 Science’s wonders point to Jesus’ wondrous work This is my column in today’s Greenville News.  Happy Easter!  He is risen indeed! It is believed that with every breath, we inhale at least one atom inhaled by everyone who ever lived. Caesar, Gallileo, Lao Tze, Marie Curie, Luther, dead presidents and every single one of your ancestors. Not surprising. According to Jim Mueller, author of ‘Bit Sized Physics,’ a thimble of water contains some 1 x 10 23rd atoms. That’s pretty tiny. Of course, since everything is made of atoms, we’re sitting on them all the time. Well, we’re sitting on the even smaller electrons that surround the vast empty space of an atom. Although, the odd thing is, it’s believed they don’t really surround them. ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747622 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 16:42:18 +0100 4747622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4742340&cid=t_106873_85_f&fid=34967&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fdocisinblog%2FwNlq%2F%7E3%2FUABws3Cvwso%2F Today is Good Friday. It has been my custom, on this extraordinary day, to post an old meditation on the meaning of the cross, called Three Men on a Friday. Today, however, I feel led to meditate on something rather different, though not unrelated. Good Friday, of course, is the Church’s remembrance of its most central truths: that God became man, was crucified to pay the price which we could not pay, and was raised victorious on the third day. Good Friday is a somber day, a day to remember that we individually are responsible for the torture and agony which befell Christ — that he hangs on the Cross in our stead. Yet, in the deep sorrow and humility which we bring to mind on this profound day, there is also an extraordinary hope: that in our greatest disasters, in our biggest ... The Doctor Is In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4742340 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:33:33 +0100 4742340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723854&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1510 I am sitting in our kitchen, writing my update as Jan plays Solitaire, and the kids distract themselves with television, music or games. We’re all a bit tired, because we just returned from a short trip to Myrtle Beach. After our difficult winter, Jan and I felt that the family needed some distraction. We are a family that travels whenever we can, and a trip was a kind of return to normalcy. Even though it was cold and windy on the coast, we had fun; as we always do when we’re together. I haven’t written about Jan’s progress for a while. Many of you follow us on Facebook and you know that she’s doing well. In early March, she completed her chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It seemed as if the last dose of chemo was the worst, and the radiation effects grew m... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723854 Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:32:37 +0100 4723854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4719986&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fgone%2F Life is filled with constant change As we grow, mature and learn Unfortunately it’s not all mental as Our bodies sometime take a turn. Yet, each of us is amazed Because life doesn’t stay the same; Relationships, jobs and health In a flash can rearrange. Each time the hand of fate comes down We face surprise and shock Because we want it all to stay the same We learn early how to pitch a squawk. Accidents, bad planning and stupidity Can throw us into a spin; It seems we’re always trying to cope, To adjust, never dreaming we could win. As we struggle to adjust our Rubik’s cube We blame ourselves when struck by fate, And we face fear, self-blame and loathing And try to give up, “That’s it, it’s just too late.” Yet, deep within us, after the initial surprise Is this glim... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4719986 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:15:00 +0100 4719986 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709356&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbeating-breast-cancer-is-like-taking-on-a-pitbull-you-dont-know-you-can-do-it-until-you-do%2F The other night my dog Dixie and I went for our usual walk around the neighborhood. We look ridiculous, since Dixie generally walks me while I hold on to her with all my might. To say she’s not well trained on a leash — after 10 years — is an understatement; however, she has me well-trained. Generally, we feel quite safe and arrive home without incident. This night was the exception. Half way through our trek, we were confronted by a pit bull loose in the neighborhood and obviously without an owner. My reaction was not what I would have expected. I quickly swooped up my little Dixie — a Jack Russell terrier — in my arms and yelled at the pit bull to go home while lunging at it aggressively. Initially, the pit bull repeatedly turned away and turned back — at least until Dixie de... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709356 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:22:02 +0100 4709356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704654&cid=t_106873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwarning-dr-mehmet-oz-is-not-a-trustworthy-source-of-health-information%2F2011.04.12 When I was in medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Mehmet Oz had the reputation of being a competent and caring cardiothoracic surgeon whose research interest was reducing preoperative stress. I remember hearing about a music study of his in which soothing melodies reduced blood pressure and heart rates in patients preparing for heart surgery. I felt pleased that a surgeon was leading the charge in improving patients’ O.R. experiences, and had no inkling that 15 years later Dr. Oz would be America’s chief snake oil salesman. I have been slow to criticize Dr. Oz on my blog because of a sense of loyalty to my medical school, however yesterday he crossed the line when things got personal – a friend of mine was negatively impacted by h... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704654 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:00:23 +0100 4704654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696640&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1503 This is my column in today’s Greenville News. Acting helps us see we’re part of a great drama I like a well-executed play. I’ve been awed on Broadway, and humored in Las Vegas. I have laughed at local community productions of comedies. I respect the talent involved in taking a story and portraying it live. I have never been particularly interested in acting myself. (Although, I think I know the lines from Young Frankenstein well enough to play several roles.) Still, I can’t pass up the opportunity to be involved in the Passion Play at my church, College Street Baptist, in Walhalla. It’s an old tradition in the church. In Medieval times, church members often performed in community dramas known as ‘Morality Plays,’ based on Biblical stories. Given th... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696640 Sun, 10 Apr 2011 21:37:19 +0100 4696640 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693398&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Flearning-to-live-with-the-gremlins-called-fear-and-guilt%2F There are two little gremlins that sit on my shoulder each day and night. I swat at them like pesky flies, but they continue to stick. It’s as if they had glue on their feet, sharp little claws, and such extreme staying power that I would admire them under different circumstances. Their names are fear and guilt. These persistent little buggers came to me many years ago — or maybe I was born with them, as most of us are who are full of the normal human foibles. Fear of heights, fear of failure, fear of the next unknown event flying at you — list goes on and on. When you suffer disease and chronic pain, there is much to be afraid of. You can’t dispel fear. You have to confront it and look it squarely in the eyes. Fear is normal under many circumstances. Many actors always hav... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693398 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:04:59 +0100 4693398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676870&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F04%2Ftips-to-start-journaling%2F Journaling — the act of writing things down somewhere (where doesn’t really matter) — has many benefits. Here’s an important one: “It’s not in the rereading that one finds solace but in the writing itself. It’s like crying—you don’t know why, but you feel so much better afterward. Everything pours, streams, flows, out of you aimlessly,” writes Samara O’Shea in her beautifully written book Note to Self: On Keeping A Journal And Other Dangerous Pursuits. Here’s another: Journaling is a profound — and simple — way to get to know yourself better. To figure out what makes you tick. What makes you happy. What makes you defensive. What makes you giggle or grateful or grieve. What makes you who you are. Quite simply, it’s a grea... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676870 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:39:01 +0100 4676870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664361&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fsharp-retorts-for-dull-people-in-a-life-of-chronic-pain%2F Each of us who lives a life of compromised health doesn’t do it on an island. Neither do we live in a gilded cage, whatever the heck that is. No, we live in a larger cage without any adornments as we struggle to make it through each day — each of us in different circumstances and conditions. Some of us are seriously disabled while others live with different degrees of equally serious pain. There is definitely one aspect of life we experience as we live in flocks, groups or herds. Yes, herds. Have you been to a large city lately? The only thing missing is the mooing. There is a certain insensitivity that has crept into our society as we bump up against others, going through life in our limited capacity or attempting full speed ahead. Most people do not understand what a life of chr... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664361 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:53:31 +0100 4664361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664192&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1482 Dear readers, Many of you have wonderful connections  in the medical world.  Please read this and respond to the young lady, or to me,  if you have any suggestions. And please lift her up in your prayers! Edwin From: Sarah Lindsey <sarah.lindsey.nc@gmail.com> Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:51:11 -0400 To: Sarah Lindsey<sarah.lindsey.nc@gmail.com>; Sumit Gupta<sgupta@icrsaga.com>; <sumitandsarah@gmail.com> Subject: An URGENT medical request – please read Dear Family and Friends, I am writing out of hope, faith, but also out of desperation. I need your help so please take the time to carefully read and immediately act on this email as time is certainly of the essence. As many of you are aware, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, Adrenocortical Carcinoma (A... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664192 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:51:12 +0100 4664192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642676&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F27%2F8-survival-tips-for-the-spouse-of-a-terminally-ill-person%2F The other day, I had the honor of interviewing Owen Stanley Surman, M.D., a practicing hospital psychiatrist known internationally for his work on psychiatric and ethical aspects of solid organ transplantation. Following the death of his wife, Dr. Surman devoted six years to writer a memoir, The Wrong Side of an Illness: A Doctor’s Love Story, which includes a deeply personal and unique view of events both tragic and transcendent. He now lives in Boston with his new wife. Question: What words of wisdom would you give the spouse of a person struggling with chronic illness or terminally ill? Dr. Surman: Chronic illness and terminal illness have a pervasive impact on how we live our lives and in our sense of identity. Loss of a loved one affects the part of ourselves that has led us to ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642676 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:02:30 +0100 4642676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615188&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F20%2Fwhy-is-religion-important-to-mental-health%2F As a member of NAMI FaithNet, which “supports faith communities in mental illness outreach, education, and advocacy,” I receive their newsletters. A recent issue featured an interview by Gale Bataille and Bill Berkowitz with Jay Mahler, activist and founder of a grassroots movement which became The California Mental Health and Spirituality Initiative, and Rev. Laura Mancuso, Director of the initiative on the relationship between spirituality and mental health, religion and psychology. Below are some excerpts. Historically, religion and mental health issues have had an uneasy relationship–and it goes both ways: people with mental illness have long faced stigma in religious communities, and mental health professionals have, for the most part, been suspicious of religion. M... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615188 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:11:42 +0100 4615188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610822&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1465 Dear friends and family, Every day, Jan is doing a little better.  Eating, drinking…slow but sure.  And she can talk now, though her voice is weak.  What a joy it has been to hear her voice!  She does laundry, she sits up all day with the kids.  (Who listen to her faltering voice better than they do to my strong one!) But today a minor setback.  She’s really weak and passed out doing laundry.  So, it’s off to the cancer center for a blood count.  I believe she’s anemic from her last chemotherapy; but then, this is all new territory for me. Of course, I’m out of town at a meeting today.  So our dear friend Lynn is taking her to the office. Please pray for Jan to have strength, and to be encouraged.  She’s in the final stretch, we just have a lit... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610822 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:49:17 +0100 4610822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4606013&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fmist.html You drive through it, fog lights on, and all the familiar landmarks are foreign. Only the blackness of the tar in front of you assures you that you are on the road. You slow down. You search for the familiar. You drive beyond your headlights and it is trust that propels you forward, the moving car in the wilderness of white, the waiting for protection, the begging for a clear ravine where you regain your boundaries.Your vision is dimmed in the mist. You aren't certain of what you see...or whether you'll see it in time.You stand in the fog, and the horizon has disappeared. Only the faded glow of the moon is visible. The trees are mere shadows, and your house is dark and distant, just a few feet away.But you hear in the mist. The lone whistle of a distant train. The faint crow of the pheasan... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4606013 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:19:00 +0100 4606013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580907&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1463 For anyone who didn’t see my post a few weeks ago, here’s the link to my latest book.  It’s about finding sanity and perspective in the practice of medicine.    As it’s my blog, I can shamelessly self-promote with relative impunity. Makes a great graduation present for everyone from pre-med students to those graduating residency. Thanks! Edwin http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=1460 (Source: edwinleap.com) edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580907 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 03:02:34 +0100 4580907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580908&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1460 So again, thanks for all of your prayers and concern!  Thanks to those who have encouraged us, who have fed us amply, who have just spoken kind words or told their own story!  I have held so many of you in my own prayers. Tomorrow, it will be two weeks since Jan’s last radiation, and 11 days since her last chemotherapy.  She is better every day, and looks great despite her obvious fatigue.  She continues to be plagued by thick secretions, although to my eye they seem a little less frequent.  But then, I’m not the one trying to cough that stuff up! I wondered tonight, is there a special prayer for phlegm?  Is there a patron saint of secretions?  Bless her heart, it’s miserable.  And it causes such  nausea, as if the doctor were tickling your uvula with a tongue de... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580908 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 02:42:37 +0100 4580908 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565911&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1458 Thank you, first of all, for your prayers and love.  Jan’s last radiation therapy was last Monday and her last chemotherapy was last  Thursday.  While those are happy, hopeful things, she still feels miserable.  She is having copious secretions from her throat, vomits periodically and is extremely weak as yet.  However, she did get up today and do our bills…which probably made her want to faint dead away! One of her chemo nurses said that after this therapy, the subsequent two weeks can still be pretty tough.  It appears she was absolutely right.  I hate that Jan is still nauseated and fatigued, but I believe that better days are coming.  It’s a horrible feeling, this sense of being powerless to stop the  misery of one we love.  As a ‘fixer,’ it&#821... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565911 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:15:30 +0100 4565911 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560606&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fthe-dark-side-of-goal-setting%2F .It’s worth bearing in mind the dark side of goal-setting so that you don’t stray from your overall aims. Goals can be useful, but they shouldn’t be too inflexible.Too specific: It’s easy to get stuck on a goal that’s too specific and lose sight of the overall aim. Goals should be in the service of our overall aims, they shouldn’t be our masters.Too many: when people have too many goals they tend to concentrate on the easy ones. If the difficult ones are more important, once again the overall aim can suffer.Too soon: short-term goals encourage short-term thinking. Do you want your business to be around in five, ten or twenty years? The reason it’s difficult to get a cab on a rainy day in New York is partly because cabbies do such good business that... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560606 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:18:32 +0100 4560606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4552150&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fagnostics-and-alcoholics-anonymous%2F Image via WikipediaFor agnostics who would like to work the steps, this version of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous provides slightly different wording of the six steps that make reference to God or a Higher Power. This version of the Twelve Steps seems to have originated in agnostic A.A. groups in California.1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol-that our lives had become unmanageable.2. Came to believe and to accept that we needed strengths beyond our awareness and resources to restore us to sanity.[Original: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.]3. Made a decision to entrust our will and our lives to the care of the collective wisdom and resources of those who have searched before us.[Original: Made a decision to turn our wills an... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4552150 Sat, 05 Mar 2011 17:59:00 +0100 4552150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532510&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Flove-will-not-betray-you.html Serve God, love me and menThis is not the endLive unbruised, we are friendsAnd I'm sorryI'm sorrySigh no more, no moreOne foot in sea one on shoreMy heart was never pureYou know meYou know meAnd man is a giddy thingLove - it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you,It will set you freeBe more like the man you were made to be.There is a design,An alignment, the cryOf my heart to seeThe beauty of love as it was made to be~Sigh No More, Mumford and SonsThe basilica shines black against the white snowladen sky.I hover and take photos through the cracks behind the altar,and watch people pray.Yes, everything that has breath...Praise the Lord.Searching for the love that does not betray, dismay, enslave.The love that sets me free. (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532510 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 04:11:00 +0100 4532510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532219&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1455 Here’s my column in the March Emergency Medicine News. ‘Everyone is a drug seeker. Why does everyone want to be on disability? I’m so tired of lies. Great, another lousy shift. I wonder who will die tonight? I’m so sick of suffering. I’m so weary of misery and loss. I hope this never happens to my family. I’ll probably get sued. Being sued nearly drove me crazy. This job never gets easier, only harder. I have to find something else to do; I can’t go on this way. I think I’m going crazy. I don’t have any more compassion. People hate me now.’ These are only a few of the wonderful thoughts that float through the minds of emergency physicians these days. Sure, not every physician has them. But I know our specialty, I know our colleag... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532219 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:52:57 +0100 4532219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527740&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1453 This is my column in today’s Greenville News. Sickness can show the depth of a couple’s love When I met my wife at a college Halloween Party, we were 19 years old. She was a black-haired, blue eyed beuaty dressed as a mime. I was dressed as a doctor. (I was a big pre-med nerd.). After the party, our group of friends spent all of our free-time together, in and around our dorm at Marshall University. Several months later, after a day when the school was closed by snow and we went sledding, a fire began to flicker between us. Soon we went on our first date. We were poor, skinny college kids who loved to laugh and eat cheap pizza. We went to free movies on campus and met one another between classes. I still see her, bouncing across the grass, a red hat and cape on a cold day, wal... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527740 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:42:03 +0100 4527740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522193&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fpotholes-in-the-road-of-chronic-pain%2F We have often shared how rough the road of chronic pain can be. It winds around many curves, jarring us for years as we seek to live as “normal” a life as possible. Along this ride we call life, there are often potholes strewn along the way. Some are small and easily traversed but others are huge and appear to swallow up our lives leaving us in a sunken, dark state of stickiness of being. Attitude and state of mind. It’s difficult to put enough emphasis on this one particular point without overdoing it. Little ruts along the way can jar us and shake us up a bit. They can hurt our outlook on life which is already in a compromised state due to our pain. It’s impossible to merrily skip along the road of life when you hurt everyday. First of all, many of us find it impossible to skip a... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522193 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:52:26 +0100 4522193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489832&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fode-to-my-ass%2F Thus you’ve always been, Following me around Changing with each age and phase Once so firm and round. I used to be quite fond of you When we both were young and perky, That was very long ago Now you look like turkey jerky. I know gravity takes its toll I see it mirrored day by day But I must confess I do resent you, Do you consider this fair play? All those years you came last Letting me go first Then behind my back you fell apart As if a balloon had burst. I once had a shape to be envied And loved to shake my booty. At least you still hold up my pants And they don’t fall down around my footy. You were designed to sit, To hold my legs and back To help me get from place to place So what if you were cracked? When sacroiliitis struck my tush, Pain came to live with me Infesting everything... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489832 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:53:35 +0100 4489832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459973&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1448 Hello friends and family, near and far! On a positive note, yesterday was the half-way point in her radiation therapy.  From here, it’s down hill until she finishes the first week of March. However, today my dear wife Jan is receiving her second dose of chemotherapy.  I am thankful for all of the care she is receiving.   But I hate the nausea, the aches, the weakness that it causes her.  Like  most spouses of patients undergoing trial, I feel powerless. Fortunately, brothers and sisters, we are not powerless, neither  Jan, nor I, nor you who are my fellow believers. God is with us, and the weaker we are the stronger He is. “And he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in m... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459973 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:32:54 +0100 4459973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4450301&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1444 Here’s my column in Sunday’s Greenville News.  I hope you enjoy it! Kitchen provide a refuge when life get’s stormy I have long loved kitchens. The kitchen of my childhood home was cozy, with a small bar where I ate my breakfast and where my sleepy brain came around in preparation for school, to the background of the radio built into the wall. My parents passed through hurriedly, kissing and feeding me as they entered their own worlds until evening. I well remember the layout of my grandmother’s kitchens. Both were small, with dark wood and thin tables set against a window. From those kitchens emanated wonderful smells, laughter and love. In summer they could swelter, but in winter! In winter they were havens of warmth. Their ovens heated the room, and warm buttere... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4450301 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:02:21 +0100 4450301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424399&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fsafe-in-arms-of-love.html We got lost againDrove to the end of a roadAnd a red faced manTold us to do what we're toldAnd on the 23rd nightThings ain't bad but things ain't rightAre we falling or flyingAre we falling or flyingAre we living or dyingThe air's so heavyIt could drown a butterflyIf it flew too highAnd on the 35th morningThings ain't good but things ain't boringAre we falling or flyingAre we falling or flyingAre we living or dyingSometimes it's hard to tellIf there's a life behind a songBut i know tomorrowToday won't feel so longCause on the 42nd nightThe room was dark but the stage was brightAre we falling or flyingAre we falling or flyingAre we living or dyingCause my friend this too shall passSo play every show like it's your last~excerpted from "Flying or Falling", by - you guessed it - Grace Potter!~... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424399 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 01:04:00 +0100 4424399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419147&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1442 Dear friends, First, let me praise God for all his blessings and mercy in our difficult time!  Since the first day when we were stunned by Jan’s cancer diagnosis, we have had hopeful news that her condition is treatable.  We are thankful for that.  With each and every test along the way, when I anticipated more bad news, the results were better than I hoped, and I am thankful to the Almighty for His grace and healing power. Thank you for your intercession for us, and for the encouragement you daily have sent our way!  Your prayers have helped to result in the progress Jan has made, I’m certain of that.  And the words (and food) of many have lifted us up. For example, Jan was initially terrified of the radiation therapy frame, which pressed tightly on her face and locked he... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419147 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:04:46 +0100 4419147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419148&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1439 It’s Probably Nothing! The lessons of bad news, fear, love and hope. http://journals.lww.com/em-news/blog/BreakingNews/pages/post.aspx?PostID=25 It’s probably nothing. That’s what we heard over and over. My wife, Jan, had a swollen lymph node on the left side of her neck, just under the angle of her mandible. That’s what I told myself when she first complained of it a few months ago. A tender, swollen lymph node after all of us had colds, sore throats, and fever. Probably nothing. In November, it was more painful. (Painful node; probably nothing, right?) So it was off to the ENT. A cautious, competent surgeon, he said it was probably nothing, but it needed to be evaluated. The CT scan showed an enlarged node. Nothing else was visible. No other adenopathy. We figure... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419148 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 01:43:49 +0100 4419148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419379&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Ftrading-in-my-cardboard-crown.html We listen to Grace Potter for a whole month straight, and I dream of cutting the foot pedals off one of my organs and building a revolving amp like the Leslie she had custom-made. (One of the major perks of being a famous musician has got to be the custom-made instruments. What a dream come true!)We fire up the organ once a day and Caleb is always first in line. I'm not sure if it's the many buttons and slides he can manipulate to his little engineering brain's content, or the thunder of the bass pipes rattling the wall in front of him. Either way, I guarantee this kid is going to have a love of organs for the rest of his life.I look down at the walnut furl of the organ leg descending out of the cabinet, and I think about how Amy told me once that photography is the gift of seeing beauty i... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419379 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:54:00 +0100 4419379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411729&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Ffaith-in-something%2F Something Greater than MeA Glacier Melts“A.A. provided for me a means by which I could overcome the compulsion to drink and, more important, a means by which I could achieve a personality change or spiritual awakening-a surrender to life. Though I have had problems and deep troubles since that summer ten years ago, my faith has not been shaken. I cannot say that I have found God as I understand Him, but rather that I have faith in Something which remains a mystery to me and which I continue to seek. – Fresno, California, USA”AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 2004, pg. 59Originally posted 2009-12-23 12:37:08. Share, print or e-mail this articleAction and Patience (Source: Recovery Is Sexy.com) Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411729 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:40:01 +0100 4411729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399759&cid=t_106873_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F25%2Fthe-shack-allegory-and-empathy-but-forgiveness%2F “I brought a book I think you’ll find interesting,” my cousin said as we sat down for lunch recently, handing me a paperback copy of The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. I will not suggest motives she might have had in giving me this book other than the fact that she knows, perhaps as much [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399759 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:08:17 +0100 4399759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394687&cid=t_106873_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F25%2Fthe-shack-allegory-and-empathy-but-forgiveness%2F   “I brought a book I think you’ll find interesting,” my cousin said as we sat down for lunch recently, handing me a paperback copy of The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. I will not suggest motives she might have had in giving me this book other than the fact that she knows, perhaps as [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394687 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:08:17 +0100 4394687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394692&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fstrategies-for-survival-after-breast-cancer%2F Once we are diagnosed with breast cancer, there is a plan for treatment. Once we survive the treatment, there really isn’t a plan for our continued survival. We are not sent home with a warranty and no one assures us that the cancer won’t spread or come back. So a plan for continued health and survival isn’t a bad idea. This month, I committed to making my health a priority starting with my routine visit to my oncologist. From there, my plan is to follow up with annual tests and a colonoscopy. Next month I plan to go to my eye doctor and the dentist. In addition, my new plan needs to include my commitment to more exercise, and of course, better eating habits. However, my main focus is to find additional support through alternative medicine, perhaps herbal supplements, and massage the... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394692 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:43:08 +0100 4394692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382770&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1425 You might like this interview I recently did with Christian Devotions.  Thanks to Scott McClausey, who graciously invited me and let me speak about my faith, my family, my career and writing! http://christiandevotions.us/2011/01/18/christian-devotions-speak-up-with-dr-edwin-leap/ (Source: edwinleap.com) edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382770 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 03:50:16 +0100 4382770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377681&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fthe-circle-of-life-and-the-grieving-process%2F I realize I may sound like a cartoon or Elton John, but the Circle of Life is very real for all of us mere mortals. The simplistic approach may offend many self-proclaimed sophisticated adults, but life is truly just that simple. We’re born, we live, we wear out or run into trouble, and then we die. If you have not been touched by this circle, experiencing birth and death within the last year, then you are probably overdue. The joys of birth, the gut-wrenching pain of death, and all that happens in between represent this experience called life. Like the filling in a sandwich cookie, that “in between” is the most important part. I’ve never known anyone to scrape out the filling of an Oreo and toss it out just to eat the crispy cookie, have you? We are each of stuck with the whole co... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377681 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:44:28 +0100 4377681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377575&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1420 This is my article in the Baptist Courier today.  We underestimate our prayers. http://www.baptistcourier.com/4836.article Here’s the text: Prayer is a fire, not a flower Never in my life have I understood, so personally, what it means to pray, and have others pray for, my family. You see, my wife Jan was recently diagnosed with a cancer in her throat. What began as a swollen lymph node, which was ‘probably nothing,’ became a terrifying diagnosis and the beginning of a journey in which we still find ourselves. From the first doctor’s visit, to the CT scans, biopsies, surgery and other evaluations, we have learned to lean on prayer. We have cried out to God for courage, for healing, for good news, for direction, for wise physicians, for miracles, for our children, ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377575 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:17:14 +0100 4377575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318341&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1410 Theologically questionable; still pretty funny! Living and working in ‘Smite-ville.’ My partner, the sagacious Dr. Doug McGuff, has many words of wisdom.  I hope that he will one day collect them in a book, because generations of people will benefit. One of his pearls of wisdom is that, in emergency medicine (indeed, medicine in general), we live and work in ‘Smite-ville.’   That is, it always seems as if we care for patients who have been smitten by some terrible event, some awful disease.  His point was not that we are witnessing punishment, or even that the world is necessarily more horrible than we thought, but that we who work in emergency rooms and hospitals often see the worst of everything.  Emergency departments and hospitals are where horrors come to ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318341 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:08:51 +0100 4318341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318497&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fflame-lit-by-consuming-fire.html Note: All the photos in today's post are courtesy of my husband,who is much better at pausing for beauty than I. He captures the skies.And I look at his photos in awe. Miss you, honey!Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket,but on a stand, and it gives great light to all in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others,that they may see your good works and give glory to your Fatherwho is in heaven. (Matthew 5:15-16)It is tempting, at times, to listen to the hushing voices that would have you question your walk with God or authenticity of your faith. But He is not a quiet God who listens to other voices. He lights our skies day and night with the most fantastic, ever-changing display of color, light, and even sound and fury, for all men to see...and even enjoy.I... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318497 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:59:00 +0100 4318497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309668&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-january-4-2011%2F Well here it is. Here we are. It’s 2011 and we made it through another holiday season and a whole other year. How do you feel? Was it everything you expected and hoped for? Did it exceed your expectations or underwhelm you? Oftentimes high hopes and unrealistic expectations set us up for disappointment. We place our bets on the new year, putting our dreams and wishes to be thinner, happier, more successful all on the chance that something will change just because we want it to. If we’re lucky, sometimes it does. But more often than not, a day is just another day whether it’s 2010 or 2011. With that being said, ordinary days provide extraordinary opportunities. We can choose to walk a different path, changing our usual responses and reactions to the same triggers. In the e... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309668 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:44:46 +0100 4309668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305109&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fbeing-of-freedom%2F Image via WikipediaBeing of Freedom We do not regret the past, nor wish to shut the door on it.  We comprehend the word serenity and we know peace.  We live a life of balance by taming the many voices within so that they may serve their individual purpose without taking over and destroying the perfect harmony of our being. We give up the mastermind of our own self-will to follow the light of our spirit and live a humbled existence.  We know the gift of life comes from deep within by experiencing the gratitude of this very moment.  We accept that Thy will leads us to true freedom.Being of Freedom « The Hazelden Blog.Related articlesHeart of Serenity (recoveryissexy.com)Two Wolves (recoveryissexy.com)Disturbing Denial (recoveryissexy.com) Share, print or e-mail this articleStepping Ston... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305109 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 10:07:13 +0100 4305109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305111&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fwomen-the-12-steps-of-aa%2F 12 Steps lead women upwardsWomen and the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous: A Gendered NarrativeThis paper examines how women “work” the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) from a gendered perspective.Feminist critics of AA havechallenged the language of AA’s Twelve Steps,the spiritual nature of the steps, andthe male-dominated culture of the Twelve-Step program.This paper offers insight into how women in AA approach, interpret, and utilize the Twelve Steps to recover from alcoholism.Through survey and narrative data, findings suggeststhat women working AA’s Twelve Steps become empowered andchange for the better in spite of the male-dominated culture and language of the Twelve Steps andregardless of the difficulty they may have encountered in completing these steps.In part... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305111 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:21:02 +0100 4305111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302286&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2Fsmlsa_fZZ-4%2F : Uncovering the Spiritual Dimension in the Treatment of Addictions – A Recovery BookMillions of alcoholics and addicts recover through spirituality. In The Soul of Recovery: Uncovering the Spiritual Dimension in the Treatment of Addictions, author and journalist Christopher D. Ringwald tells how and why they seek and achieve these transformations.Ranging as far back as the Washingtonian Total Abstinence Society in 1840, Ringwald discusses the use of spirituality within a wide range of treatment options — from the famous Twelve Step-style programs to those tailored to the needs of addicted women, Native Americans, or homeless teens not ready to quit. Focusing on the results rather than the validity of beliefs espoused by these programs, he demonstrates how addicts recover throu... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302286 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:54:09 +0100 4302286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287422&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1398 To all:  thank you for your intercession for Jan and our family.  Please now pray for Danny Mimms.  Danny is a friend, and his wife is one of our nurses.  He is a young man with three young daughters, and is now fighting for his life on a ventilator in an ICU.  Please, please lift him up and lift up his family in this terrible, terrifying time. Thank you.  I love you all for your constant concern and loving prayers. Your brother in Christ, Edwin (Source: edwinleap.com) edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287422 Sat, 25 Dec 2010 02:01:04 +0100 4287422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287591&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=36896&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSuboxoneTalkZone%2F%7E3%2FCWFr1ITbN6k%2F Best wishes to everyone for the holiday season!   I am not a big Christmas person.  I’m not sure when things changed;  I used to enjoy the season much more…  I remember past days when I would gaze at the tree and feel a warmth from memories of being a kid, sitting in church, feeling safe and loved.  Now it is so hard to let go of the worries over bills, fears about the health of older family members, concern about the economy….  it seems that there is so much to worry about! But at the same time, there is nothing that I can do about most of those things.  So why worry?  Worrying makes me feel, I suppose, that I have some power over things that in reality I am powerless over.  It is all a big ruse– the worry is only there to fool me… and keep me mis... Suboxone Talk Zone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287591 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:15:13 +0100 4287591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281320&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1391 This is my column in last Sunday’s Greenville News.  Merry Christmas to all. Christmas brings hope and joy amidst life’s pain. (And life can really punch you in the gut!) This is one of our favorite seasons as a family. One Sunday, we put up all our decorations in a frantic three hour effort between morning and evening church activities. As usual, my wife has made the place beautiful by directing all of us the way a conductor directs the orchestra. ‘No, those lights here. No, there’s a gap in the tree. Yes, put the couch here, and the nativity set on that table.’ Her tastes are exquisite. We have done most of our shopping. (Much of it accomplished on recent kid-free date night in Greenville.) The trees are lit, the children well. We have already enjoyed Chri... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281320 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:01:30 +0100 4281320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266155&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fvoice-in-wind.html I stand alone with arms outstretched in the summer field on the prairie, watching the storm roll in. I am pelted with the rain drops driven before the wind. The grass bends over in submission to it. Stand, or run?In joy and in pain, I hear the bittersweet strains of the symphony of life, and I bend my head and close my eyes and keep on clinging to the hand of the One who guides me. Tears fall on my feet sometimes. Sometimes I am laughing.Always, in the wind, I hear another voice, the voice that calls me to doubt, to fear, to flee, to protect myself, to shut down and to give up. But even when He isn't speaking, there is always the warmth of that hand gripping mine, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the comfort that says there is nothing on earth I have ever to fear again.Bring me joy, bring ... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266155 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 20:36:00 +0100 4266155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265756&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1389 I want to say, to everyone, thank you for your faithful prayers!  You have been prayer warriors for Jan and for our whole family.  I am confident that your intercession has made a difference in our lives.  How easy it would be, for post-moderns like us, to say ‘wow, that wasn’t that bad after all; and to think we were so worried!’ For all I know it was worse and has been made better; for all I know it could have been worse.  For all I know, every cancer cell in her body is now dead by the hand of God.  That’s my prayer and hope. And as Jan said, in all of this, many more terrible things could have befallen either of us or our children.  Jan says there’s a blessing here, and I agree.  There are, in fact,  many.  A blessing of empathy, of understanding,... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265756 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:50:34 +0100 4265756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266281&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2F10-pointers-to-recovery%2F Seek and yee shall findThese Ten Pointers are a summary of the lifesaving directions to recovery from alcoholism given in ‘How It Works’, chapter 5 of Alcoholics Anonymous – the AA Big Book.Completely give yourself to this simple Program.Practice rigorous honesty.Be willing to go to any lengths to recover.Be fearless and thorough in your practice of the principles.Realize that there is no easier, softer way.Let go of your old ideas, absolutely.Recognize that half measures will not work.Ask a Higher Power’s protection and care with complete abandon.Be willing to grow along spiritual lines.Accept the following ideas:that you cannot manage your own life;that probably no human power can restore you to sanity;that A Higher Power can and will if sought.See also12 Spiritual QuestionsThe L... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266281 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:29:38 +0100 4266281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265757&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1387 ‘Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.’  Jeremiah 17:14 To all who have written to encourage us, who have prayed for us, thank you!  It means more than you know.  In the coming months we will lean on your prayers as we travel this path of treating Jan’s cancer.  While it is a terrifying thing, I have faith that God will see us through Thank you also for your stories of triumph.  They have great power to lift us up with hope. God bless all of you.  I hope to thank each of you individually, but until then, know that we are grateful. Edwin and Jan (Source: edwinleap.com) edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265757 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:45:39 +0100 4265757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258876&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1385 Jan is doing well, up and about.  Saturday she was Christmas shopping and Sunday we were in church.  (Less than one week after major surgery). Our Sunday School class put us in chairs in the middle of the room, and spent the entire class praying for us and over us. Jan is bold and resolved; I am still a wreck of anxiety, and need to remember to pray and say scriptures in my mind. I think a career in emergency medicine makes me always imagine the worst.  Please pray for me to have faith.  ‘I believe.  Help thou my unbelief.’  And obviously, pray for Jan’s healing and the childrens’ comfort.  And for a normal CT chest/abdomen/pelvis tomorrow.  I work this evening and it’s very hard to focus now because my worry level is high. I know we are called to cast... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258876 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:06:58 +0100 4258876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249064&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1383 So, Jan’s tonsil fragment was not malignant, so we don’t know where the primary site is.  It isn’t showing up on any of her biopsies, except in some lymph nodes on the left (all of which appear intact on the pathology report…that is, they haven’t spilled out locally). Therefore, it will be a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, then frequent follow-up for a primary site to manifest itself.  Then, possibly more surgery. I knew most of it already.  I was happy the nodes were intact, and had prayed hard for good news today.  I feel as if I received some, and I’m glad we now have a plan. Still terrified, but confident that God will provide.  We are hopeful and prayerful and believe in healing miracles.  In Psalm 103, it says it is God ‘who ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249064 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:47:50 +0100 4249064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241730&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1381 For those of you unaware, Jan had surgery Monday for a swollen lymph node in her neck.  It turned out to be a metastatic squamous cell cancer.  Usually only found in elderly men who smoke and/or drink excessively.   The primary appears to have been some leftover tonsil tissue at the base of her tongue.  (Tonsillectomy at age seven.) Her surgeon, the excellent Dr. Charles Theivagt, feels that he removed all of the primary, as well as the affected node and everything else in her left neck.  (She had a modified radical neck procedure.  Her comment?  ‘I look like Frankenstein!’  She said it with a smirk.  I think she looks just beautiful.) She spent seven hours in surgery Monday.  She came home yesterday.  She is doing well, in great spirits.  As you know, she hates to ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241730 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:03:10 +0100 4241730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233191&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1376 Here’s my column in yesterday’s Greenville News.  ‘The Real Sometimes Collides with the Ideal.’ Or my personal title, ‘the dangers of house-porn.’ My wife and I were sitting and chatting about the holidays last week. She was thumbing through that most terrifying of all magazines, ‘Southern Living.’ I’m sure you’ve seen it. The pages are meant to represent the elegance and culture of the modern South. It is filled with beautiful photos of spotless homes, with neat, well-arranged furniture and sparkling floors and counter-tops. The food in the kitchens is stored like art-work. The porches, the verandas as clean and perfect as the day the builders and painters shook hands, collected checks and walked away. Where humans appear, they... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233191 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:26:18 +0100 4233191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233187&cid=t_106873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-diplomacy-and-a-night-at-the-white-house%2F2010.12.06 It’s not often you get invited to the White House. I had my chance this week, when I was a guest at the White House’s Hanukkah party. Now, when I say “guest,” I mean I was a guest of the president — of Hadassah, that is. My mother, Nancy Falchuk, is the president of one of the largest Jewish charitable organizations in the world, Hadassah. Her organization sponsors many different charitable activities, particularly related to healthcare (here she is in Jerusalem speaking at the ceremony lighting the walls of the Old City pink in honor of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.) One of the terms she uses a lot is “healthcare diplomacy” — the idea that part of the solution to intractable problems of war and peace is building bridges through something that we all share –... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233187 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:00:14 +0100 4233187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253456&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FZoViqCqG69Q%2F The Big Book of “Alcoholics Anonymous” includes the story of a woman whose drinking landed her in jail twice and nearly ruined her third marriage. Her final drunk, she recalls, lasted 60 days around the clock. “It was my intention, literally, to drink myself to death,” she said. Joining AA saved her life, largely because it helped her overcome the habit of resentment.This woman wrote that “self-pity and resentment were my constant companions … for I seemed to have a resentment against everybody I had ever known.” Moreover, “the only people who would support this attitude or whom I felt understood me at all were the people I met in bars and the ones who drank as I did.”AA recognizes that resentment is toxic to our inner lives. The case i... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253456 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 03:37:37 +0100 4253456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253457&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FfdFyZa5Rz4M%2F • “If I could have stayed cool, I’d still be drinking. Very quickly, though, I started getting into trouble. Going to sixth grade got in the way of my life, which consisted of getting drunk as much as possible.” [After rehab] “I was going to A.A. meetings. Everyone was older, even most of the kids at the young people meetings. But I found that alcoholics understand other alcoholics. . . . Regardless of how young or old or ‘special’ I am, in A.A. I’m just a drunk.” Tina, who joined A.A. at 13• “I loved drinking and was as addicted to the lies, the shady people and places as I was to the alcohol. My grades suffered until I stopped going to school altogether. . . . I found myself in places without any idea of how I had gotten there. I overdosed on alcohol.” Since comin... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253457 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 03:37:34 +0100 4253457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225565&cid=t_106873_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F03%2Fthe-fear-factor%2F During a lunch meeting with friends today someone spoke of past states of generalized anxiety which professionals often tried, unsuccessfully, to pin down – fear of flying, fear of social situations, “What are you afraid of?” That didn’t work. Then, my friend recounted, while sitting with people she didn’t know she blurted out her frustrations [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225565 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:39:30 +0100 4225565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225371&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F03%2Fhow-to-be-a-successful-psychic-tell-em-what-they-want-to-hear%2F You couldn’t tell by looking at me, but I moonlight as a tarot card reader for a 1-800 network. Honestly. A lot of people are surprised by this tidbit of information whenever they hear it — apparently most of us think the majority of psychics own hundreds of cats and reek of patchouli. But it’s been a good source of income for me for about a year now. Everyone has their own opinion about cards and clairvoyance, but in my world, these things are simply tools to help us along the highway of life. My opinions on the matter aside (believe me, I’ve had the “it’s real / it’s not real” debate one too many times with family members and annoying strangers alike), I’ve recently noticed a psychological trend that’s made me rethink the way I ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225371 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:27:12 +0100 4225371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214404&cid=t_106873_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F01%2Fworld-aids-day-2010-stories-2-this-friend-living-with-aids-who-gave-me-so-much-by-dominique-gauvreau-google-translation-edited-by-kc%2F Each author in this series has generously given me permission to post their work. The views and experiences shared are their own. Where applicable, links will also be provided at the end of the piece. This is the World AIDS Day, 2010 entry in Dominique Gauvreau’s blog Rencontre sous le Chêne de Mamré (Meeting under [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214404 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:49:35 +0100 4214404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214405&cid=t_106873_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F01%2Fworld-aids-day-2010-stories-1-excerpts-from-the-prologue-of-crooked-road-straight-the-awakening-of-aids-activist-linda-jordan-by-tina-a-brown%2F Each author in this series has generously given me permission to post their work. The views and experiences shared are their own. Where applicable, links will also be provided at the end of the piece. AIDS didn’t become important to me until somebody I knew died. I imagine that is also the case for most [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214405 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 05:50:32 +0100 4214405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214129&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1373 Gifts for my colleagues, near and far This is my column in December’s EM News Merry Christmas! I like to think back on favorite Christmas gifts I have received down the years. I don’t think I can do any better than the children of mine who were born around Christmas. Three of the four came within one month of Christmas day. One came on December 23rd;. What wonderful presents! Going farther back, I recall sitting by the Christmas tree at my childhood home, or the homes of my grandparent’s. I found toy soldiers, toy horses, Matchbox cars, pocket-knives and many other little boy wonders. I remember the beautiful wooden stock and golden trigger of my first shotgun, and how it pulled me irresistably into a sense of impending manhood to know that my father and mother trusted m... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214129 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 03:37:03 +0100 4214129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214037&cid=t_106873_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fcitizen-journalism-why-i-blog-on.html I am teaching my current students about alternate media, a.k.a. citizen journalism, also known as "blogging", in a course on organizational and social aspects of healthcare informatics.I am using a (de-identified) personal experience as an example of why alternate media is valuable in getting "inconvenient" memes into circulation.In addition to recent articles such as "The Problems with Peer Review" (in the British Medical Journal by Mark Henderson, Science Editor, the Times, London. BMJ 2010;340:c1409), "Ghostwriting at Elite Academic Medical Centers in the United States" (LaCasse & Leo, PLoS Medicine, February 2010, Volume 7, Issue 2) and others about ghostwriting and other ills affecting the conventional biomedical literature, I provided my students the personal example below.I thou... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214037 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:58:00 +0100 4214037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4207288&cid=t_106873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffaith-fitness-and%2F2010.11.28 Since March I’ve been working out with a fitness instructor. She is the toughest, most motivated coach I’ve ever known. Sadly, today was our last day together because she’s beginning maternity leave and I’m moving out of the area. I was reflecting on what made her such a great trainer, and I think the essence was her undying belief in everyone’s ability to improve. Each exercise was a chance to do better than last time — to perfect one’s form, do one more repetition, or to slow the speed of a lift or increase the resistance involved. She never let me slack — she told me she believed in me, that I could do better, and that she didn’t care how many reps I did, I had to do them the right way. There were times that I just wanted an “easy” workout, or when I’d as... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4207288 Sun, 28 Nov 2010 16:00:18 +0100 4207288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214496&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fheart-of-serenity%2F Serenity Serenity Prayer gets to the heart of recovery In the concentration camp, Viktor Frankl was prisoner No. 119,104. He spent most of his time in forced labour, laying tracks for Nazi railway lines. At one point, his job was to dig a tunnel for an underground water main. He worked alone. His reward was a coupon worth 12 cigarettes. Instead, he exchanged the token for 12 bowls of soup so he could avoid starving. Many people assume that the only response to this situation would be misery or insanity. Yet, even in the concentration camp, Frankl felt free. In Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy (Beacon Press, ed. 4), Frankl concluded that everything can be taken from us except one thing: the last of human freedoms — to choose one’s own attitude in any given ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214496 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:19:03 +0100 4214496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4203164&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1371 Here is my column in yesterday’s Atlanta Journal Constitution, ‘The problem with phobias.’  It addresses the way we use the term phobia to insult our opponents; and how very wrong it is to do so. http://www.ajc.com/opinion/the-problem-with-phobias-752545.html Here’s the text as well: I admit that I have fears. They are generally based on my own experiences or my observation of the experiences of others. For instance, I’m afraid of accidents or infections that might take my wife and children from me. A career spent in the emergency department will do that. I’m a big fan of flu vaccines, seat belts and having everyone safe at home before midnight, after which time bad things tend to happen. Professionally, I’m afraid of missed diagnoses, lost airway... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4203164 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:35:48 +0100 4203164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4200562&cid=t_106873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthanksgiving-and-your-priorities%2F2010.11.25 Here is my column in [the November 21st] Greenville News: This Thanksgiving we will have 32 guests at the table. Rather, at the tables we scatter about the dining room…and living room…and kitchen. At our house, food is practically a sacrament. And obviously Thanksgiving is the high holiday of American eating. So we will be honoring the tradition by feeding everyone as much as we can. Because the guests are all beloved to us, we will also have a variety of foods, in a variety of presentations. For instance, there will be fresh cranberries for organic purists, as well as a maroon gelatinous mass of cranberries for those who feel that cranberries indeed spring from aluminum. The turkeys will be divided perfectly among dark and light meat lovers. And for the carb-loving, there will be s... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4200562 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 13:00:38 +0100 4200562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4203319&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fsobrietyattitudes%2F Who has attitude? “I am convinced that attitude is the key to success or failure in almost any of life’s endeavours. Your attitude – your perspective, your outlook, how you feel about yourself, how you feel about other people – determines your priorities, your actions, your values. Your attitude determines how you interact with other people and how you interact with yourself.” – Carolyn Warner - The greatest change that I experienced in recovery is my attitudes to all of life’s situations. One of the best books I read and reread in early sobriety was Sobriety and Beyond. I get it out about once a year and brush up on my attitudes. Sobriety and Beyond Sobriety Without End Recovery Promises to … Does AA Work? The Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book Unpl... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4203319 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:40:01 +0100 4203319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197068&cid=t_106873_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-low-can-oprah-winfrey-go-promoting-faith-healer-john-of-god-to-the-masses%2F2010.11.23 Several of the bloggers on Science-Based Medicine have been — shall we say? — rather critical of Oprah Winfrey. The reason, of course, is quite obvious. Oprah is so famous that if you mention her first name nearly everyone will know exactly of whom you speak. For the last quarter century, Oprah’s daytime TV talk show has been a ratings juggernaut, leading to the building of a media behemoth and making her one of the richest and most famous women in the world. Unfortunately, part of Oprah’s equation for success has involved the promotion of quackery and New Age woo, so much so that last year I lamented about the Oprah-fication of medicine, which scored me a writing gig in the Toronto Star. Whether it be promoting bio-identical hormones, The Secret (complete with a testimonial ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197068 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4197068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190094&cid=t_106873_85_f&fid=34967&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fdocisinblog%2FwNlq%2F%7E3%2FfEjqnkPTsbo%2F Before the joys and trials of family get-togethers, the bacchanalian consumption of endless pounds of poultry, and the weariness of holiday travel tempered only by the thrill of a TSA patdown, it is perhaps fitting to pause and reflect a moment on the reason for the season we celebrate this week: Thanksgiving. Like most of our holidays, Thanksgiving has become commercialized, sterilized, and neutered, long ago detached from its original significance, its spiritual roots withered and wizened, lost in the ever-longer lead-in to the crass commercialism of Christmas. To be sure, we nod in its direction, with cursory platitudes of gratitude for material blessings and bountiful food. Yet our lives betray the truth behind the truisms: we are a most unhappy, ungrateful, ungracious, and resentful ... The Doctor Is In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190094 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 06:38:19 +0100 4190094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190165&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1367 Here is my column in yesterday’s Greenville News. This Thanksgiving we will have 32 guests at the table; rather, at the tables we scatter about the dining room…and living room…and kitchen. At our house, food is practically a sacrament. And obviously, Thanksgiving is the high holiday of American eating. So we will be honoring the tradition by feeding everyone as much as we can. Because the guests are all beloved to us, we will also have a variety of foods, in a variety of presentations. For instance, there will be fresh cranberries for organic purists, as well as a maroon gelatinous mass of cranberries for those who feel that cranberries indeed spring from aluminum. The turkeys will be divided perfectly among dark and light meat lovers. And for the carb-loving, there wil... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190165 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:55:38 +0100 4190165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179327&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1352 Recently I drove the church bus for a short trip with our youth group.  It’s the first time I’ve been trusted with the bus since I tried to drive it under the church rain-shelter (which was several feet shorter) a few summers ago.  Trusted with the bus once more, I was elated!  I had outlived my unfortunate nickname:  ‘Crash.’ However, despite the excitement I was later deflated.  A bus full of teens is always overflowing with energy, laughter and gentle teasing.  But the bus on the way home was filled with the sounds of anger and taunting.  There were shouts and accusations, threats and counter-threats.  I maintained control (of the bus and my temper).  We made it back to the church without blood loss or law-enforcement involvement. The regular members of... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179327 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:18:02 +0100 4179327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179473&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Flast-best-day.html Have you ever experienced the sharp intake of breath as you revel in a moment of pure joy and beauty...and fall like a roller-coaster car over the precipice of anxiety as you wonder if this will last? Anything can be a last, after all. Children grow and change. Bad things happen. People grow apart. Distance separates.It comes to me like a thief in the night, unexpected. I wonder if it's always lurking there, this silent thief of joy, the heaviness of temporariness that robs me of moments I intended to savor. The last night with Amelia in the hospital. She was awake until 1 a.m. The previous late nights in the hospital were excruciating, because I didn't know how many more late nights stretched before me. But the last night...it was different. It was pure sweetness. Amelia's husky little be... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179473 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:17:00 +0100 4179473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172331&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Frecovery-and-healthcare-spirituality%2F Spirituality is universal; in recovery from alcoholism, addiction,  co-dependency; or in the practice of health-care, the principles are the same. This is an extract from an article by the Royal College of Psychiatrists In healthcare, spirituality is identified with experiencing a deep-seated sense of meaning and purpose in life, together with a sense of belonging. It is about acceptance, integration and wholeness. According to one definition, “The spiritual dimension tries to be in harmony with the universe, strives for answers about the infinite, and comes especially into focus in times of emotional stress, physical and mental illness, loss, bereavement and death.” This desire for wholeness of being is not an intellectual attainment, for it is no less present in people with learning... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172331 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:01:00 +0100 4172331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172332&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fcame-to-believe%2F The spiritual adventure of Alcoholics Anonymous as experienced by individual members. Over 75 A.A. members from all over the world describe the wide diversity of convictions implied in “God as we understood Him.” Especially helpful to those who confuse “spiritual” with “religious.” - Order now >> Came to Believe - Share, print or e-mail this articleAction and PatienceThe Alcoholics Anonymous Spiritual AwakeningMany Faiths Aid RecoveryBill W was Spiritual not ReligiousReligious 12-Step Fellowship Links (Source: Recovery Is Sexy.com) Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172332 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:30:24 +0100 4172332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159516&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FPzXkHcBVhDs%2F Image via Wikipedia We Agnostics Yet we had been seeing another kind of flight, a spiritual liberation from this world, people who rose above their problems. They said [the Higher Power] made these things possible, and we only smiled. We had seen spiritual release, but liked to tell ourselves it wasn’t true. Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of [a Higher Power]. It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself. We finally saw that faith in some kind of [Higher Power] was a part of our make-up, just as much as the feelin... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159516 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:38:00 +0100 4159516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151677&cid=t_106873_85_f&fid=34967&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fdocisinblog%2FwNlq%2F%7E3%2FeXJYnJG5xFM%2F In July 1940, an engineering marvel was completed: the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge. One of the longest suspension bridges in the world at the time, it exemplified the light, graceful architectural trend of suspension bridges built in this era. Called the crowning achievement of his career, designer Leon Moisseiff — the architect of the Golden Gate and Bay bridges in San Francisco — later declared “our plans seemed 100% perfect.”     Yet 4 months later, on November 7 1940, the Narrows Bridge catastrophically collapsed in a windstorm into Puget Sound. Leon Moisseiff had unshakable faith in the reliability of his newly-completed masterpiece. He would have had no qualms whatsoever trusting its dependability in any weather conditions. Yet had he stood upon his ... The Doctor Is In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151677 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 06:42:42 +0100 4151677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152284&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Ftwelve-step-christianity%2F Genuine Christianity is more than a set of beliefs–it is a relationship with Jesus Christ that involves hearing His voice and following His directions. But how does one do this? What tools or spiritual disciplines enable Christians to live out their lives in dynamic submission to God’s will? Perhaps no set of principles is better suited to help Christians hear God’s voice and submit to His will than the Twelve Steps. As a Christian who practices the Steps, Saul Selby knows them to be an invaluable tool for living out the Christian faith. Selby brings his knowledge to bear in Twelve Step Christianity, which teaches Christians in recovery to connect their faith with their program–and shows any Christian a clear path to a more intimate relationship with Christ. Laid o... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152284 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 13:37:07 +0100 4152284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125213&cid=t_106873_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2F-6zuu17h5cg%2Fnow-thats-scary-a-sae-post.php Halloween has always been a tricky holiday for me. As you know, I have grown up going to church, and I think that a lot of Christians struggle with this holiday. My family was never really one of those families that did not celebrate it at all, but from what I can remember we tried to find some sort of odd balance.For example, the year I remember most clearly - for the church's harvest festival (a way for the kids to get candy without "celebrating" Halloween) my brother and I dressed up as Mordecai and Esther. Then we came home and changed into our hobo outfits (oversized sweatsuits stuffed with pillows?!) and went trick or treating in the neighborhood.Tonight I had some friends over for dinner. Honestly, when I invited them, I did not even remember it was Halloween. I had to ask them if t... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125213 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:35:13 +0100 4125213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119583&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fdying-to-be-beautiful-part-ii.html The thing about autumn - this season whose hallmark is death - is that it falls short of our expectations. It cuts short our sun-splashed summers, the boating and vacationing; the harvest is over, and whatever food we've stored from our gardens is it. Often it brings a sense of failure: failure to capitalize on a limitless amount of fun we could have had, work we could have done, yard improvements that languished and friendships we left fallow. In his classic book, Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why, author Laurence Gonzales tells us that our survival - eluding death when the moment beckons - depends mostly on our ability to change our expectations.  If you continue to exist in the old reality - "Holy crap! I am about to die! Here it comes!" - then you probably will do just th... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119583 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:26:00 +0100 4119583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118953&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1331 This is my column in this weeks SC Baptist Courier.  The link isn’t up yet online, but it’s in the print version. Didn't sing Kum ba ya even once! Most of us spend our time dealing with the consequences of life on this planet. I practice emergency medicine, so I’m busy treating chest pain, closing wounds, opening abscesses, dealing with car crashes, violence, overdoses and all the rest. Attorneys occupy themselves attempting to ensure justice, keeping humans from taking unfair advantage of one another, and trying to see that evil has an earthly consequence. Builders make shelter for us, because it is difficult and unpleasant to spend all of one’s time outside. Businessmen make and sell products that we need, because all of our needs are not instantly met in t... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118953 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:27:59 +0100 4118953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105678&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1326 Here’s my column in today’s Greenville News: It’s good for us to know what evil is… I’ll never forget watching the original film adaptation of the novel ‘Salem’s Lot,’ by Stephen King. Burned into my mind is the image of a child-vampire floating outside the bedroom window of one of his friends. It gave me chills for years. I went to a ‘Midnight Movie’ in high school with my girlfriend Viv. It was Halloween II. Needless to say, when I walk down lonely hospital corridors at night, I still sometimes wonder if Michael Meyers is slipping up behind me, bloody scalpel in hand. Of course, in each of those movies, we could identify the villain with relative ease. The vampires were still vampires. They still wanted blood. Michael Meyers.mig... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105678 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 02:01:26 +0100 4105678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097952&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1321 This is an excerpt from a book of ultra-short fiction I’m writing. Gene spent all of the time he could by the bedside of his wife of, well, his wife of all the years he could remember. Esther had suffered, and dissolved, bit by bit since the stroke first took her speech three years prior. Then it was a a hip fracture, then another stroke and a heart attack. Her kidneys died then, and she received dialysis a while until the day her intestines were shocked by a low blood pressure and then they died too. Gene held her hand all the way until her last breath slipped out the next day, lovingly refusing any other efforts to prolong the life he knew was ending. And oddly, he felt something slip out of himself. None of Gene’s doctors understood what had happened. He did not set out to ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097952 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 02:19:50 +0100 4097952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097953&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1318 This weekend is the Western Carolina Walk for the Cure, for Juvenile Diabetes.  Our son Seth is 13, and has been diabetic since age 5.  The Walk is one of our favorite yearly events. More than that, the idea of a cure is one of our favorite dreams! Seth has come a long way.  He wears an insulin pump, and is now wearing a continuous glucose monitoring system.  His chances of long term complications, such as blindness or renal failure, are remarkably low compared to what kids faced in past decades. His physician, Dr. James Amrhein of the Greenville Hospital System, is outstanding.  He and his outstanding nurse practitioners brought us through the shock and trials of diabetes with great compassion and understanding.  He offered us that precious commodity, hope. But diabetes is still har... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097953 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:41:22 +0100 4097953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097954&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1312 Many mornings, Jan and I make breakfast for the children.  Because they are home-schooled, we have the time to eat with a bit of leisure.  Today, as so often, we had chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and (for the Mama) a BLT.  Cups of hot tea followed. It is a small thing, breakfast, and food in general; but not so small.  One of the things I was taught in my training was to offer food or drink to agitated or mentally unstable patients.  I’ve done it many times, and have had remarkable success. Sometimes, a soda, a cup of coffee, some crackers and peanut-butter have as much benefit as any pharmaceutical product ever could.  In the midst of their anger, their frustration, I get up to leave the room to order labs or make phone-calls and I turn, ‘can I get you some coffee?  So... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097954 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:45:27 +0100 4097954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4106073&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2Fr3zaoopVbVg%2F Members of 12 Step Fellowships in recovery often catch themselves asking ‘why?.’ We are usually encouraged to talk to our sponsor, go to meetings; let go, let God. Good and most often successful solutions. But we are also usually encouraged to get active. These eight questions are complimentary to the 12 Step program. —— I am writing this with a broken neck… One minute I was playing footy, the next I was stretched out on a hospital bed with my neck in a brace which I will be wearing for the next 6-12 weeks. When faced with a crisis, our natural response is to ask "Why?" Why did this happen now? Why did this happen to me? But "Why?" may not be the most helpful question to ask. Sure, sometimes we need to understand the cause of the problem – p... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4106073 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:09:27 +0100 4106073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086523&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FDFzSya4LSlE%2F When You Don’t Believe in God Here is an opportunity to listen in on fascinating conversations with people who found God when they didn’t really want to and weren’t even looking. Through a series of deeply personal interviews with individuals from different walks of life, the authors conduct a captivating discourse on discovering a "higher power." The interview subjects are not proselytizers, nor are they interested in comparing spiritual states. Their stories are neither tidy nor definitive. What they offer, however, is a remarkable, refreshing, and ultimately satisfying mosaic on the meaning and manifestation of God.   Get today >> Finding God When You Don’t Believe in God Share, print or e-mail this articleRandom ArticlesShould ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086523 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:26:00 +0100 4086523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077320&cid=t_106873_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F17%2Flet-me-live-until-i-die-an-interview-with-thea-bowman%2F Following are excerpts from an interview with Thea Bowman, a Franciscan Sister who became a huge inspiration to black Catholic communities, and to wider circles for her joy and gratitude, her nobility of spirit, and her very real spirituality. The interview, published in Praying magazine and US Catholic, was conducted shortly before she died from cancer, in March 1990, at the age of 53. For me, she is the picture of courage and perseverance of a person living gracefully with pain. Question: What kind of changes have you had to make in your life because of the cancer? Thea Bowman: Part of my approach to my illness has been to say I want to choose life, I want to keep going, I want to live fully until I die … I don’t know what my future holds. In the meantime, I am making a cons... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077320 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 13:21:40 +0100 4077320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077608&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fspirituality-is-an-awakening%2F What is Spirituality? “Spirituality is an awakening—or is it all the loose ends woven together into a mellow fabric? It’s understanding—or is it all the knowledge one need ever know? It’s freedom—if you consider fear slavery. It’s confidence—or is it the belief that a higher power will see you through any storm or gale? It’s adhering to the dictates of your conscience—or is it a deep, genuine, living concern for the people and the planet? It’s peace of mind in the face of adversity. It’s a keen and sharpened desire for survival. From; AA book – Came to Believe, 2004, pg. 5 See also Spiritual Health Blockages SPIRITUAL AWAKENING Spirituality Books Inspirational Books 12 Spiritual Questions Share, print or e-mail this articleWhat About This Spiritual Awa... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077608 Sat, 16 Oct 2010 14:46:04 +0100 4077608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074366&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Falmost-half-way-there.html A week from today, I will be sitting in on the first conference session about how to become a better blogger for Christ!  I am still "miles" away from my fundraising goal, and wondering how this is all going to happen in just a week's time.  Today I am busy writing for Lippincott, so that I can divert some Christmas budget into the Relevant conference expenses, if need be.   I put together a cute new ticker that shows how far along I am on the fundraising "road".And just in case you would like to contribute, but haven't yet, you can do so with a check, credit or debit card by clicking on the "donate now" button below! (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074366 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:10:00 +0100 4074366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074339&cid=t_106873_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F15%2Fbrother-andr%2F Millions of Roman Catholic pilgrims climb the 283 steps to St. Joseph’s Oratory – praying on their knees. In the early days of my AIDS diagnosis I used to go to a “healing mass” at Our Lady of Lourdes on Sherbourne Street here in Toronto.  I can’t say I wholeheartedly believed there was much hope [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074339 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 06:50:00 +0100 4074339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074012&cid=t_106873_87_f&fid=36069&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffrankiespeakingfrankly.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fradio-interview.html I was invited into the local BBC Radio station yesterday, for a half hour interview on what motivated me to get involved with campaigning. Apparently they were looking for 'inspirational' people and I ticked all the right boxes! That's got to be one of the best compliments I have had in my life :)Of course if meant taking half a day off work, and all the nerves that go with it, but I figured it would be a good experience that would help build my confidence, plus I really did think I had a story that should be told.I actually really enjoyed it. Justin Leigh did the interview (stepping in for the usual presenter - Justin is the one you usually see on Spotlight tv). He was incredibly nice, and made me feel at ease straight away - obviously a very skilled presenter.If you ever get the chance t... Frankie Speaking Frankly blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074012 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:27:00 +0100 4074012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036975&cid=t_106873_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E3%2Fj6UT-AXJxXU%2F A storm of biblical (quite literally) proportions is bearing down on a small town in South Texas. Everybody has been told to leave their homes immediately and head for higher ground. However, Bob a pious and righteous man, decides he’s staying put. He knows in his heart that God will help him should the need arise and as such settles down to do some serious praying. As the torrential rain starts to fall there is a knock on the door and it’s the Police. Hearing that he hasn’t left town the Sheriff had sent a car to pick him up and transfer him to safety. “No, no”, says Bob, “I’ll be fine, God will save me if necessary.” A few hours later and the torrential rainfall is up to the top of the door and Bob is sheltering in his upstairs bedroom praying for all his worth. As he loo... Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036975 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:36:38 +0100 4036975 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031251&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1297 This is my most recent Greenville News column, concerning free speech.  Does it exist anymore?  Maybe not… Where do we draw the line between our public and our private lives? It’s a difficult question in an era of constant electronic communication. We certainly seem hell-bent on making our lives public; and I’m not throwing stones since I live in a big glass house. From blogs to Facebook, MySpace to Twitter, texting to sexting, we seem eager as a culture for our actions, our images and our ideas to fly across the world to others, eager to view them, eager to love or hate us; but who will at least see us and rescue us from anonymity. There is no question that these are perilous times for privacy and good taste. Men and women have lost jobs and opportunities over images ... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031251 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:11:29 +0100 4031251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031252&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1295 Here’s my column in this month’s Emergency Medicine News http://journals.lww.com/em-news/Fulltext/2010/10000/Second_Opinion__How_to_Have_a_Successful_Practice,.6.aspx I have practice with the same group, in the same hospital, for 17 years. Because we have been together so long, our group is a family. So it was with enormous grief that we buried our founder, Dr. Jack Warren, 11 years ago after a tragic car crash. That wound is still open, but we still tell stories about his humor, his compassion and his grace. As I write this, I am tending another wound; or I should say, our group is tending another. A second partner passed away last week. Unlike the sudden horror of the first death, the second was progressive, as our friend and partner, Dr. Howard Leslie, left us by degrees, th... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031252 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:42:45 +0100 4031252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018300&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fthe-power-of-expectation-in-a-life-with-chronic-pain%2F When we are plunged, thrown, or gradually swallowed by a life of chronic pain, it’s only human to feel despair. We say things like, “Well, I’m just not going to let this get me down,” or “I’m trying to stay positive about this.” I’m not certain why we do that. I think we fear thinking about the worse scenario of whatever is happening in our lives and bodies. I believe, also, we are trying to put on a happy face for our family members and friends. We don’t like to embrace the fact we may be causing anxiety, pain, and worry for those we love as well as for ourselves. To have your life shattered takes more than glue to put it back together again. I don’t know anyone who went through life, particularly the early years and said, “Oh let’s see. When I’m 40 years old I t... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018300 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:21:22 +0100 4018300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013426&cid=t_106873_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2Fn6YgZAj2hJE%2Fdiabetes-guilt.php At church this past Sunday we were talking about the missions opportunities we support. We have been training local leaders to establish small home churches in Asia and they are now expanding into Africa as well. It costs about $150 to fully support one of these churches.Later Sunday night all of my diabetes technology needed to be "changed". I refilled my reservoir, changed my infusion set, and inserted and calibrated a new CGM sensor.I was quickly struck by the amount of money involved - the cost of insulin, of my pump, reservoirs, infusions sets, medical tape, CGM sensor, CGM receiver, and test strips.To be totally honest, the feeling that struck me most was one of guilt. How do I reconcile the fact that the same amount of money I just used here (most of which will last for less than a ... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013426 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:37:43 +0100 4013426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013212&cid=t_106873_101_f&fid=38970&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwvmedicgirl.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ffriend-and-prayer.html It amazes me how you can find a friend in someone you never thought you would. Tonight I was chatting with a friend who works as an emt at a local fd that I run mutual aid with as a medic and we had what was a very emotional conversation for me and I don’t think they even knew it. We got on the topic of how I have wanted to lose weight for some time now but I feel like it doesn’t matter what I do it either doesn’t work or only for a little bit. I was not expecting to get nearly as emotional as I did. I found myself not just shedding a tear or two at how kind he was being and how encouraging he was trying to be but I found myself sobbing, sitting in the medic office at work crying like a damn blubbering fool.  This is a person who until tonight I considered only an acquaintance o... Stephanie's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013212 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:51:00 +0100 4013212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4001809&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fone-now-at-a-time%2F One Now From ’The Horse Whisperer’ “The only time he remembered his father happy . . . was when for three days they drove the cattle up to the summer pastures. His mother, Frank and Rosie came too and the five of them would ride all day and sleep out under the stars. ‘If only you could make now last forever.’ Frank said on one of those nights while they lay on their backs watching a huge half-moon roar up out of the dark shoulders of the mountain. Frank was eleven and not by nature a philosopher. They had all lain still, thinking about this for a while. Somewhere, a long way off, a coyote called. ‘I guess that’s all forever is,’ his father replied. ‘Just one long trail of now’s. And I guess all you can do is try and live one now at a time without getting too worked ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4001809 Sat, 25 Sep 2010 17:18:55 +0100 4001809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999002&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1293 Elijah's weapon of choice for flashlight wielding intruders This morning I worked day shift.  To allow my wife and children a little more sleep in the pre-dawn stillness,  I poked around the house with a flashlight, gathering stuff and attempting not to fall over a cat on the dark stairs. While downstairs, putting on my shoes around 6:30, I heard tentative steps down the stairs.  I looked up to see Elijah, my 11-year-old son, walk into the dining room, eyes squinting…with a machete in his hand. ‘Uh, what’s up?’  I asked, hoping that he wasn’t having a dream of combat in which I would become the ‘black knight.’ ‘I wasn’t sure who was using a flashlight,’ he answered calmly. I hugged him and said, ‘I am so proud of you... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999002 Sat, 25 Sep 2010 02:47:07 +0100 3999002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987208&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ftongues.html My Bible fell open to Acts 2 yesterday morning, the scene in which the Holy Spirit descends on the early church  on the Day of Pentecost.  So many times of late, I feel like I am speaking the wrong language...or at least a different one.  I remember a mission trip to Honduras, when I, by some magical interjection of the Holy Spirit into my stubborn brain, demonstrated fluency enough in Spanish to see patients without an interpreter for several whole days at a time.  I remember coming home to the States the next week and trying to speak to a Hispanic patient, and fumbling over a basic word I'd learned many years prior.  That experience taught me that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, at times, with that gift of tongues...that New Testament kind of "tongues" where y... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987208 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:06:00 +0100 3987208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3982089&cid=t_106873_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fmr-dawkens-is-wrong-in-right-way.html Do please watch this video in which Richard Dawkens (The God Delusion) affirms that his sect of Athiesm does indeed reject the idea of an "absolute morality" and is, indeed, rather alarmed by the whole thing. He then goes on to establish that most people of faith reject many "moral standards" and social norms that are stated in the Bible - slavery and stoning adulterers, for example. He's entirely correct, so far as he goes... Please watch the video, and I'll get into the "however" of it after the jump.The flaw in his argument - that religious morality is absolutist - is upset by his own observation, that religious morality has, in fact, evolved and matured over the millennia. And this is really my quibble; an annoyance on my part towards those arguing either side of the case.Bei... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3982089 Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:06:00 +0100 3982089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980835&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1282 This is my column in today’s Greenville News.  It’s a follow-up to a recent column I wrote on the mental health ‘crisis’ in America, as seen in our emergency rooms. My last column addressed the unfortunate truth of the overwhelmed mental health system in South Carolina, and indeed in much of the US. While I lament the fiscal condition of our mental health system, and while I feel for those who truly need the help we are often powerless to supply, I would be a poor observer if I didn’t report the truth. And the second truth we must face is that much of what we call mental illness is neither truly ‘mental,’ nor even ‘illness.’ Let me first state the obvious; the brain is an organ. It is incalculably complex and truly a wonder of design and engineering. But... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980835 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:04:41 +0100 3980835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3982126&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FaZwjyCm6dWo%2F The Language of Letting Go Our basic recovery concept in 12 Step Fellowships that never loses its power to work miracles is the concept called acceptance. We do not achieve acceptance in a moment. We often have to work through a mirage of feelings – sometimes anger, outrage, shame, self-pity, or sadness. But if acceptance is our goal, we will achieve it. What is more freeing than to laugh at our weaknesses and to be grateful for our strengths? To know the entire package called “us” – with all our feelings, thoughts, tendencies, and history – is worthy of acceptance and brings healing feelings. To accept our circumstances is another miraculous cure. For anything to change or anyone to change, we must first accept others, the circumstance, and ourselves exactl... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3982126 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:12:02 +0100 3982126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3969188&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fgod-as-we-understood-him%2F Bill W. Co-founder of AA Historical Roots of the Concept ‘Higher Power’. The basic principles of Alcoholics Anonymous were worked out in the late 1930s and early 1940s, during what co-founder Bill W. often referred to as the Fellowship’s period of “trial and error.” The founding members had been using six steps borrowed from the Oxford Groups, where many of them started out. Bill felt that more specific instructions would be better, and in the course of writing A.A.’s basic text, Alcoholics Anonymous, he expanded them to twelve. But he was dealing with a group of newly sober drunks, and not surprisingly his new version met with spirited opposition. Even though the founding members were in many ways a homogeneous bunch (white, middle-class, almost exclusively male, and primarily... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3969188 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:12:01 +0100 3969188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965453&cid=t_106873_101_f&fid=38970&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwvmedicgirl.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ffilling-void.html So recently I have been doing a lot of self research. By self research I mean trying to figure out what I want in life, where I wanna see myself in the future, what I can get out of my life. The more research I did the more I realized there was something missing, and that maybe I was searching in the wrong direction for the wrong things. When I was in high school I had what felt like a tight-knit relationship with Christ. I was very involved in various church activities and also with a Christian organization known as Young Life. When I went off to college my relationship with Christ slowly dissipated, I didnt have strong support of friends and family I had and I apparently was not strong enough in my faith to stay close to God. I did my own thing and experienced the world. It has only been... Stephanie's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965453 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:29:00 +0100 3965453 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3960075&cid=t_106873_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fwellbriety-recovery-for-native-americans%2F Wellbriety – Continuing a Legacy of Resistance … Implementing a Vision for Healing Wellbriety means to be both sober and well. It’s a word translating a term from the language of the Passamaquoddy Nation of Maine as given by an elder in the mid 1990s. It describes a natural evolution of the recovery process. The Wellbriety Movement among Native Americans is a direct descendent of the modern Native sobriety movement that began in the 1950s and continues to change and grow even today. “I went to a sobriety meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the early 1980s and there was a guy named Harold Belmont there who had a smudge. I was going, ‘What is this? What is this?’ It was controversial because it was very early sobriety for Indian people and there were sober people prese... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3960075 Sat, 11 Sep 2010 13:50:35 +0100 3960075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954366&cid=t_106873_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fhaving-faith-in-a-life-of-chronic-pain%2F If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you will notice that many of the regular readers who write in often ask for prayer from all who are reading. It has always been my goal to keep this blog about my struggle with chronic pain a non-sectarian, open one. I want all who visit here because they also struggle each day to feel welcome. Faith, to me, is totally apart from the church you attend, the version of Holy Book you read or the set of doctrines you live by. Faith and belief constitute a journey. It’s a very personal journey and one each human experiences, whether they know they are traveling or not. To have faith in a Power greater than yourself or not to have faith; these are choices. As part of the free will we are given when we are born, we can choose to believe or we c... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954366 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:15:32 +0100 3954366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942978&cid=t_106873_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F08%2Ftrying-to-articulate-however-inadequately-my-spirituality%2F Anyone from “the rooms” who’s heard me talk about 2, 3, 11 and others, especially since my comeback following Craig’s death, knows that I’m having trouble – at best – articulating my beliefs regarding spiritual matters and – at worst – am profoundly confused. The way from my heart to my head, or vice versa, [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942978 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:41:00 +0100 3942978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3915012&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1260 I sometimes write about the brokenness of my patients, and of the world in general.  Today, I post someone the comments of a cross-country friend.  My friend is a high-school teacher who feels powerless.  When you read this, you’ll understand why he is overwhelmed by love for these students and simultaneously crushed by a sense of hopelessness.  Add this fine teacher and these students to your prayers today, please. My students are BROKEN!!! I am teaching a high school class that is basically the “last chance” for some of the students . . . a reward for them doing nothing so far in their academic career so they can graduate in three years instead of four. Even though my classes are “smaller” I have students who are repeating 9th grade . . . who just got ou... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3915012 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:18:35 +0100 3915012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899403&cid=t_106873_88_f&fid=39185&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedwinleap.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1250 Last week a trailer less than a mile from our house experienced a small explosion.  Trailers, which seldom explode on their own (without undiscovered volcanoes or CIA drones with missiles) was concealing a Meth lab. What can you say?  If I weren’t an emergency physician, I’d say ‘Shocking!  Ghastly!  Unbelievable!’  But I do what I do, so I say, ‘huh, how about that.” I’ve lost much of my capacity to be shocked.  I have seen Meth users, and probably Meth dealers.  I’ve known and enjoyed the company of alcoholics and Valium addicts.  I’ve cared for murderers and the murdered (albeit briefly in the case of the latter).  I’ve been involved in the evaluation of sexual assault victims, car thieves, drunk drivers and child-abus... edwinleap.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899403 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:40:40 +0100 3899403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885512&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-good-stuff-can-outshine-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F There is a Bible book in the Old Testament called Job, which tells the story of a man who had everything in life. Job was a well-respected and good person who was prosperous and had a big family. But when God allowed Satan to test Job, he lost everything, including his children. While he was sitting forlorn and discouraged, his wife — who I assume was just as adversely affected by all the loss — told him to curse God and die. I don’t blame her for her sentiment at the time. Job, however, resisted all urges to turn on God and refused to give up his faith. In the end, God restored everything to Job and more. Lately I have heard more than one person give themselves the name of Job. We are all tempted to see our particular hardship as the worst thing that could happen to anyone. A woman ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885512 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:45:18 +0100 3885512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876855&cid=t_106873_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fsong-of-safety.html Today was another day in a string of days carrying professional disappointment.  As I sat in my quiet house while the littlest two slept...the elder two spending a week with Grandma up north...I resized some photos from a fun-filled weekend and sat reflecting.  Because I am blessed with a wonderful father here on earth, the use of "Father" as allegory in Scripture is so comforting to me.  In this disappointment, in all disappointments, I can rest content that my Father knows best.  These photos of Rosy and Caleb interacting with their grandfather shows that trust...the trust I am supposed to emulate now, as an adult. (Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14)Suspende... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876855 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:39:00 +0100 3876855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3868892&cid=t_106873_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FCLipt03WGLQ%2Fthe-sacred-dance.php The list of blogs that I read is quite eclectic. If you could see my list of bookmarks, you will see blogs about diabetes, Haiti, photography, religion, and a bunch of other blogs that don’t easily fit into any category.I started reading a blog called Bring the Rain – wow – about two years ago now. It is written by the wife of one of the singers in the Christian group Selah. At the point I started reading, the author, Angie was about to give birth to her fourth daughter. However, family had been told that the baby would not survive and they had been counseled during her pregnancy to terminate.I know what you are expecting me to write next - that there was a miracle and despite all the doctor’s predictions, the baby survived. That is what we want from our faith, isn’t it? That when som... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3868892 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:40:05 +0100 3868892