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 'fears,'. Tue, 04 May 2010 18:26:24 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3425064&cid=t_302631_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspergerwoman%2F%7E3%2FEr9SlgE_q1o%2Fself-training-on-agoraphobia.html Because you have only one life to live, and sooner or later one must battle against the monsters of terror created by your own mind, I decided to start doing some exercises to defeat agoraphobia. Some years ago I attended some seminars given by Pieter Frijters, a well known Dutch counsellor who has created his own method to fight fears and phobias.His site http://www.mindtuning.com/ says it all. Ofcourse this man has written a book about his method. During the last weeks the fears got that worse that I hardly could see any light at the end of the agrophobia tunnel. Medicine, more medicine, no, I do not want to ease my pain that way. So I told myself, "OK, Aspie Bird, it's all in your hands now, you have to be your own coach, let's start today, just what Peter Frijters writes in his book, ... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3425064 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:48:00 +0100 3425064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420699&cid=t_302631_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspergerwoman%2F%7E3%2FEr9SlgE_q1o%2Fself-training-on-agoraphobia.html Because you have only one life to live, and sooner or later one must battle against the monsters of terror created by your own mind, I decided to start doing some exercises to defeat agoraphobia. Some years ago I attended some seminars given by Pieter Fryters, a well known Dutch counsellor who has created his own method to fight fears and phobias. www.mindtuning.nl  says it all. Ofcourse this man has written a book about his method. During the last weeks the fears got that worse that I hardly could see any light at the end of the agrophobia tunnel. Medicine, more medicine, no, I do not want to ease my pain that way. So I told myself, "OK, Aspie Bird, it's all in your hands now, you have to be your own coach, let's start today, just what Peter Fryters writes in his book, start doing t... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420699 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:48:00 +0100 3420699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311748&cid=t_302631_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fbuilding-assertiveness-in-4-steps%2F All of us should insist on being treated fairly — to stand up for our rights without violating the rights of others. This means tactfully, justly and effectively expressing our preferences, needs, opinions and feelings. Psychologists call that being assertive, as distinguished from being unassertive (weak, passive, compliant, self-sacrificing) or aggressive (self-centered, inconsiderate, hostile, arrogantly demanding). Because some people want to be “nice” and “not cause trouble,” they “suffer in silence,” “turn the other cheek,” and assume nothing can be done to change their situation. The rest of us appreciate pleasant, accommodating people but whenever a nice person permits a greedy, dominant person to take advantage of him/her, the ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311748 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:29:08 +0100 3311748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3294766&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fwhere-did-my-fear-go-.html I've lived with fear for as long as I've lived with cancer, which is to say for eleven and a half years.  These are the very first words I wrote about my cancer for publication, back in 1998: "How many ways can you say scared? Terrified, apprehensive, afraid, nervous, freaked out--just plain scared."  My first big cancer fear was chemotherapy:  "I've been riding an emotional roller coaster over the prospect of undergoing chemotherapy. Chemotherapy. You know, the treatment where they pump you full of poisons to kill cancer cells and your hair falls out and you vomit for days at a time and the cure is nearly as deadly as the disease. That treatment." Why did I do chemotherapy if I was so afraid of it? Well, with the help of my excel... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3294766 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:43:02 +0100 3294766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3111723&cid=t_302631_180_f&fid=38619&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FALifeCoachsBlog%2F%7E3%2FAAOuPN9MwLw%2F About 10 years ago I was in a sales meeting with a customer who happened to be a psychologist. I can’t remember how we got onto the topic, but I was telling him about my sisters severe phobia of snakes that she’d had most of her life. When I say severe phobia, I mean really, really severe. I kid you not, she couldn’t even use the word without flinching and going white. She wouldn’t go near any book that may contain a picture of a snake and vacations to hot countries where snakes tended to hang out was out of the question. The guy laughed when I told him and said he could cure her in about 30 minutes. Short of poking here in the eyes with a pointy stick and blinding her so she couldn’t see the damn things I couldn’t see how. After all she’d had this fear for 30 years since... Life Coach Blog: The Discomfort Zone : blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3111723 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:49:52 +0100 3111723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2858666&cid=t_302631_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F04%2Fwhat-is-anxiety%2F Have you ever wondered what anxiety felt like? Robin Marantz Henig, writing for The New York Times Magazine, has penned a great (but lengthy) piece about anxiety — that non-specific feeling of nervousness that, for some, can be completely debilitating. Anxiety differs from social phobia or other kinds of fears, because it isn’t specific to particular situation (like speaking in front of crowds or going to a party). It can attack at any time, for any reason or no reason whatsoever. So while you or I may get butterflies in our stomach the first time before a big exam or presentation, someone with anxiety may have them virtually all of the time. Anxiety is not fear, exactly, because fear is focused on something right in front of you, a real and objective danger. It is instead a ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2858666 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:25:53 +0100 2858666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820510&cid=t_302631_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Ffears-disabled-parenting%2F So I have a lot of really huge fears right now.As many people know Katelyn is currently in an adult foster care, but before she was placed there we decided we wanted to raise our child on the way together.  I really starting to have a lot of fears about whats going on. First off I [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820510 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:44:26 +0100 2820510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2683870&cid=t_302631_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2Fav8XgK6tXxg%2Fit-happens.html Many of the surgeries I do are elective. They can and should be scheduled to be convenient. It happens – God laughs at our plans or life interrupts or …..Last week was such a time for one patient. She called, very apologetic, “Dr Bates, I need to reschedule my surgery. My father is having tests done. He hasn’t been feeling well.”I quickly assure her that no apology is necessary. Her family comes first. I suggest we simply cancel the surgery for now until the “dust settles.” She can call me back when she is sure things are okay with her family. We’ll reschedule then. She is still worried. “The surgery center called me today. Do I need to call them? Will I need to pay them or anesthesia or you for the canceled time?”Again I reassure her, “No, I’ll call them and take c... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2683870 Sun, 09 Aug 2009 11:01:00 +0100 2683870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512444&cid=t_302631_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Faspergers-fas-fetal-achohol-pregnancy-difficulties%2F Helping Kate through Pregnancy is such a difficult thing, she normally sometimes has a very hard time with very large decisions - and the hormones are just making it worse on her.  Plus with me have Aspergers Syndrome, and Kate having Fetal Alcohol Syndrome its also a very difficult time as both have large impacts [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512444 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:45:34 +0100 2512444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376581&cid=t_302631_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FQLh9ptxvMnI%2F Reader Laura (the autismfromtheoutside blog) wrote in response to “Work It Out”: “What do you see in his future? Helping sorting in school cafeteria, hanging clothes as a local store, watering plants at a nursery.” She mentions these are jobs she’s seen students trained for, and they all sound pretty good to me for Alex. (Of course, I just got laid off, and they sound pretty good for me, too.) I remember watching Alex in the isolette after his premature birth (21 ounces, 27 weeks’ G), watching him grip the breathing tube in his silent, tiny determination to some day pull it from his own throat — which he did, more than once, and sometimes before he was ready. Doing something before you’re ready has always been to me a sign of a good spirit. ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376581 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:34:35 +0100 2376581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313544&cid=t_302631_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F05%2F9-ways-to-face-your-fears%2F Fears are like annoying relatives. You can’t avoid them forever, and ignoring them won’t make them go away. Come Thanksgiving, they’ll plop down right next to you and ask to borrow your fork. So you’d better figure out how to confront the little devils before they eat your dessert too. Here are a few fun ideas for how to tell your fears to hit the bricks. 1. Yell at them. Tell them to go to a place where there are no lemonade stands. 2. Laugh at them. A good technique: start with “ha” and end with “hee.” 3. Talk about them. Preferably to a friend, over a cup of strong coffee. 4. Scare them away. Any mask will do, but any beast or vampire getup is particularly effective. 5. Dress them up. With the right attire and hairdo, you can make anything... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313544 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:23:49 +0100 2313544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2276190&cid=t_302631_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspergerwoman%2F%7E3%2FykZRv0yiePg%2Ffriday-here-and-now.html If you do not live in the here and now, life can feel like a train passing by without being on board. Do not let autism prevent you from having a good life!When I look back on the years having lived without knowing about my autism, it is easy to remember the darkness of that time. I felt so alone, being misunderstood and neglected. Hidden in my world, struggling with many fears and unsolved questions about myself. Thinking about the future there is a new horizon in my imagination. After having accepted my Aspergers and been through some dark times dealing with the depression the diagnosis which came with it, I now seem to realise this is my luggage in life.OK, this is it. I pack my things and travel towards a new future.Between the past and the future there is the NOW. The Power of Now is ... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2276190 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:16:00 +0100 2276190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2187700&cid=t_302631_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2009%2F02%2F13%2Fword-of-the-day-paraskevidekatriaphobia%2F Coined by Dr Donald Dossey, the word “paraskevidekatriaphobia” describes those who have a paralysing fear of Friday the 13th. According to Dr Dossey, those suffering from paraskevidekatriaphobia have symptoms ranging from a mild  anxiety to a sense of doom. Seems that some people won’t even get out of bed on friday the 13th. I guess they think it’s safer to pull the covers over their head and make the day go away. Listen to what Dr Dossey has to say about this phobia at this Bryant Park Project podcast recorded last year. Tags: "paraskevidekatriaphobics, abnormal fears, fear of friday the 13th, friday the 13th, friday the 13th fears, paraskevidekatriaphobia, paraskevidekatriaphobic, superstitionShare This (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2187700 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:41:53 +0100 2187700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2132233&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fsnowy-sunday-circling-the-wagons.html Outside my windows, tiny, delicate snowflakes are swirling down. It is so beautiful. And so cold. I'll try to take a photo, but I'm not sure I can capture what I see.The weather is perfect for my mood, which is a state of mind I call "circling the wagons." I'll try to explain what I mean:I had a PET/CT last Thursday and had a tumor marker drawn about a week before that. Both of these tests will tell us whether or not my cancer is responding to the latest change in my treatment regimen. I got the results of the tumor marker (CEA, in my case) on the phone on Friday, and it wasn't good.My marker is up, when I was expecting it to be down. Now, I have to wait until Tuesday to see Dr. Lee (he's off tomorrow) to get the results of the scans. So the period that ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2132233 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:01:54 +0100 2132233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2107632&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fso-much-pain-.html I get e-mails and comments to my blog almost every day from people who are either newly diagnosed with cancer or who have a relative who is newly diagnosed. I am, of course, happy that these people write to me, and I try to do what I can to help. Often, just listening--and maybe telling them that they are NOT crazy--is enough. Sometimes they need more practical help, like the woman who wrote to me yesterday from Kansas whose mother-in-law has cancer but who doesn't have good health insurance. The hospital was refusing her treatment until she came up with some money. (I'll come back to this one.)And then there was the comment posted to my blog today, on my post The Assertive Cancer Patient: Is Not Necessarily a 'Good Patient' She wrote:I know that you wrote this ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2107632 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:05:14 +0100 2107632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2033959&cid=t_302631_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2F480531243%2Fmama-said-thered-be-days-like-this.html (cartoon photo credit) The above is a cartoon that was in the paper on December 2, 2008. In reviewing my twitters that morning (prior to reading the paper), I saw this one from Vijay to which I responded.   scanman wondering if @Bongi1, @rlbates & @DrCris have such days http://is.gd/a0dH :P   rlbates @scanman Regarding: have such days http://is.gd/a0dH Fortunately not in the OR, but with quilting and life. Worry about it sometimes.   This has been on my mind a lot lately. I have been trying to find a way to put it into words. Another female surgeon who sews, the Stitching Surgeon, recently had a day like this with her sewing.   stitchinsurgeon spent the last 3 hours with my embroidery machine...every project ruined! going to the YMCA to work out some of t... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2033959 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:16:54 +0100 2033959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021299&cid=t_302631_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fnot-ninny.html Last night at about 9pm, the fire alarm went off in our condo building. My major fear is fire. I keep "fire clothes" laid out beside our bed at night. I'm also aware of an exit strategy no matter where I am - plane, work, home, restaurant, wherever.After about five seconds, Husband and I looked at each other. Without a word, he went to get the boy from the bedroom. I gathered Daughter, a blanket, a packed diaper bag and my purse and proceeded to the staircase, fully anticipating a ten flight descent to safety. I couldn't believe how calm I was. Having gone over this scenario time and again in my mind, I'd always figured I'd be hysterical. A ninny, if you will. As soon as it started, the alarm shut off. We waited for a few minutes in the hallway. Nobody else came out of their apartments, an... Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021299 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:51:00 +0100 2021299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812657&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fyes-i-could-die-on-you.html Regular readers of my blog will know that last spring I began a relationship with a man I call Car Guy. Car Guy sorted out my 1964 Corvair's woes, caused by the previous mechanic who put the car back together wrong (a gross oversimplification, but I don't think Car Guy is reading this post), and we became close friends. We've teetered on the brink of a romantic relationship for months now, and then finally, last weekend, when we were discussing sex (Yes, I brought it up), Car Guy said: "Well, one of my fears is that I could come to care about you, and then you would die."He added, "Maybe this is selfish ..."Painful as that conversation was, it was overdue for the two of us. Car Guy has known since he met me that my cancer cannot be cured. I've ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812657 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:35:48 +0100 1812657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794471&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2008-09-16-cancer-treatment%2Fone-caregiver-is-never-enough-patricks-father-has-metastatic-liver-cancer%2F Patrick is scared for what is to come… Patrick’s story below (commented at Can chemotherapy cure metastatic liver cancer?) feels like he is telling our story with our father, our fears included …   We will share what we did in the hope, Patrick, you can gain some much needed strength out of it.   Get as much care givers as possible   Rule number 1 is that your father needs a person 24/7 who only takes care of father’s need. This would be the ideal situation.   As you can understand, one person can never-ever give 24/7 support. So you need to find as much people to help you as possible and as much help as possible.   When people wanted to visit father I told them:   if you have a pot of thick, healthy homemade soup ready, just bring, s... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794471 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:40:29 +0100 1794471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642563&cid=t_302631_85_f&fid=34705&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffatdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fbig-splash.html Yee Haw! The neighbors have their wifi on, though I have only one bar, so I may get cut off at anytime.Had a seriously hot time on the dock while everyone else swam in the lake. I don't swim in lakes. Catfish and snakes terrify me. Then we climbed in friend's big old speedboat and went 40 mph across the lake to a restaurant. It felt like we were going the speed of light.After we ate, Son went to the dock to feed leftover french fries to the carp and fell in the lake. Luckily, we insist he wear his life jacket whenever near the water. The two teenage girls with him immediately fished him out, and he responded (gleefully per their report), "I made a big splash!"While I'm glad he has gotten over his fear of water, I'm also a bit glad he had that experience. He told me he wants to wear a lifej... Fat Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642563 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:28:00 +0100 1642563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1552025&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchemotherapy-induced-fears%2F Fears are like nightmares; they loom bigger in the dark. So I figure the best way to deal with your fears is to take them out into the light where you can have a better look and face them head on. One of those looming fears for me has been the possible side effects from chemotherapy. My father, who had chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, survived the lymphoma only to succumb to chemo induced leukemia. At that point there were no treatment options available to combat the leukemia. I have a real fear of developing a non-treatable condition from having been exposed to such strong chemicals during treatment. I have asked my oncologist about it, but the response has been vague, probably because there is not a lot of information available for the long term effects. I had three types of ch... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1552025 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:23:32 +0100 1552025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522656&cid=t_302631_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2F312972201%2Fpatients-fears-and-dreams.html Patients will sometime have dreams (nightmares?) before their surgery similar to the "got up to give my book report and I had no clothes on" ones from our younger school days. Some of them are understandable -- you can "see" a thread that connects the procedure and the anxiety and the dream. A good example of this is the 4th Season episode of Roseanne "Less is More" which dealt (very nicely) with her breast reduction surgery. In the episode she had a dream where she woke up after surgery and actually had larger breasts. She was dressed as Madonna in the "cone bra". I've had breast reduction patients tell me versions of this one.Recently an abdominoplasty patient was talking to me before surgery. I was trying to answer any last minute questions or concerns. She needed to tell me about the d... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522656 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:30:00 +0100 1522656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1362351&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F04%2Ffeed-a-cold.html I woke up this morning feeling crummy, and decided I'd better cancel my volunteer gig at First Place School. Then, as I was giving Constant, the Wonder Dog, his shower (needed since he came home from the dog ranch a week ago), I kept feeling dizzy and had to sit down a couple of times. Now, the thing about feeling like this when you have cancer is that it's hard to tell if the problem is: A. The cancer B. The drugs or: C. Some garden-variety thing that everyone is getting. So I waited a few hours, had coffee with a friend here instead of going out for it as we had planned, and worked on my blog for a bit. Then, sure enough, I started noticing cold symptoms. So now I can relax. If you have cancer, you know what I'm talking about. Now we come to the "feed a cold" part. This is ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1362351 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:44:20 +0100 1362351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1261948&cid=t_302631_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Frlbatesmd.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fworst-nightmare.html Recently I have had to deal with a patient who refers to herself as my "worst nightmare". I knew she would be difficult before I ever did her surgery. She had warned me that she always had a lot of pain and it was difficult to control. I knew she would need more TLC than most patients. I always call outpatients the night of surgery. It helps me sleep better and hopefully them/their families too. The night of her surgery (and I have learned to double check phone numbers where they will be), I called three separate times over a 2 hour period to two numbers. No one answered any of them. I left a message that "If there are any problems tonight, please, have me paged through the Medical Exchange at ****. I will check on you again in the morning." That night it was quiet.I called her the next mo... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1261948 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:53:00 +0100 1261948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1251705&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fa-melanoma-diag.html I woke up this morning to find an e-mail from a young woman (35) who was just diagnosed yesterday with melanoma. She had found my blog, and was writing to ask for advice. She's the mother of four young children, and was feeling very afraid and freaked out. "I'm driving myself crazy and it's day one," she wrote. "I'm looking for some advice about how to handle the stress and worry." Well, I don't usually like to give advice, but I couldn't ignore this one. Here's my answer. I'm laughing, but very gently, so don't be offended. This is how I felt when I was first diagnosed--with breast cancer and then later with melanoma. Of course you're afraid. Of course you are checking every single mole! I still do that, even though my doctor also checks them every few months--but I found the first o... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1251705 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:53:50 +0100 1251705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1248129&cid=t_302631_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Frlbatesmd.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fsteriod-use-in-girls.html What do anabolic steroids have in common with amphetamines, tobacco, diet pills, laxatives, and anorectics? They all are drugs used by adolescent girls seeking to stay thin, says Dr. Linn Goldberg of Oregon Health Sciences University. Call me naive, but I had not heard of non-athletic girls using steroids until I heard this (Cheerleader Drawn to Steroid Use) on Good Morning America (GMA) yesterday morning. I was surprised, though maybe I shouldn't have been. I felt the need to read more about this. Here is some of what I learned. Among high school students, the use of androgenic steroid hormones is prevalent, with 1% to 2% of adolescent girls and 4% to 6% of adolescent boys having used an anabolic steroid at least once. It is being used in teens as young as 12-, 13-, 14-year-olds. Androgen... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1248129 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:04:00 +0100 1248129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1239414&cid=t_302631_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Frlbatesmd.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fthreatened.html Recently I was "threatened" by a patient. So the news of therapist Kathryn Faughey being slashed to death in her Manhattan office Tuesday evening has really stayed with me. And it wasn't even her patient. Was my patient's threat serious? Here's the story. A few weeks ago I saw two women, good friends, together in consultation. Both wanted procedures done (non-facial), similar goals but different procedures needed. Patient one (Uno) had lost a family member to an unexpected (car accident) death within the past year, but assured me that she was through with most of her grieving. We spent time discussing this. I wanted to be sure she was ready to proceed. The second patient (Dos) was Uno's best friend and had taken care of her while her friend grieved. She wasn't so sure her friend was throu... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1239414 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:53:00 +0100 1239414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1179058&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fkeeping-secrets.html Well, here's one secret I won't have to keep anymore: Amorette is pregnant! Read all about it on her blog, in a post that breaks my heart even while I'm feeling such joy for her. Amorette was never supposed to be able to get pregnant, because of some heavy-duty cancer treatment at a very early age. (Radiation, age 3.) Read: Wait, aren't I infertile? Amorette does such a great job of feeling what she feels and then bleeding all over the page, in a way that is impossible not to empathize with. I've known about this pregnancy for a little while, because we communicate by e-mail as well as on our respective blogs, and I was really afraid that I was going to slip up and say something in a comment that would out her before she was ready (chemo brain, you know). So now I can relax about th... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1179058 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:41:28 +0100 1179058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1093051&cid=t_302631_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F13%2Fdoes-eminem-have-bipolar-disorder%2F According to a new tell-all book by his mother, Eminem — the famous singer, producer and actor — has been grappling with some form of bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) for most of his life. The book, entitled, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, was written by Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson. In her new book, she revealed that her rapper son, Eminem, 35, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, has grappled with manic depression his entire life. Eminem’s manic depression as an adult reportedly worsened when his ex-wife Kim Mathers birthed their daughter Hailie (now 11). He apparently had another bout with bipolar disorder again when the couple divorced in 2006. A “family friend” told Life & Style magazine, “She just hopes h... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1093051 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:36:14 +0100 1093051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=948648&cid=t_302631_93_f&fid=35707&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhemodynamics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Ffear-is-mindkiller-part-3.html My slogan for internship: "I will not fear. Fear is the mindkiller"--from Dune. But there seems to be no getting around fear. ***I've been feeling burdened lately. I had the day off on Monday, and I was at a grocery store in a wealthy neighborhood getting myself the best coffee in town. I was there because I felt that with everything I'd been through in the previous week, I deserved a treat. A young mom wearing some outfit that a skinny person would wear to yoga (the pants were tight and stretchy, not loose and concealing) had run into someone she knew. "Oh, I'm a little stressed right now," she said. "The kids are starting sports, and they're in school now, so lots going on, it's been a little bit overwhelming." I wanted to turn to her and say, "Are you f***ing kidding me? Seriously. You'... hemodynamics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=948648 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:40:00 +0100 948648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=749718&cid=t_302631_93_f&fid=35707&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhemodynamics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fnight-float-md-aware.html I've mostly been in the clinic for the past two weeks, but the otherwise normal schedule of the clinic weeks of internship is broken up for one Friday night by night float. This allows the people on the night float rotation to take a day off. Last night was my night. Today, I'm spaced out and headache-y. Some of the other interns are getting together for dinner and drinks tonight, and I should go, but I feel as if I can't bear to talk to anyone or go anywhere. Instead, I'm sitting in my apartment while Ms. Dr. Hemodynamics is on call, listening to KCRW on the internet, writing this after cooking myself some dinner. I'm not sure when the concept of night float was invented, but it's become a lot more common with work-hour restrictions for residents. In overnight call systems, when residents... hemodynamics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=749718 Sun, 22 Jul 2007 00:51:00 +0100 749718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=690149&cid=t_302631_93_f&fid=35707&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhemodynamics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fwise-words.html Illustration: William Hogarth, Industry and Idleness, Plate V (1747). "The idle apprentice: turn'd away and sent to sea." The British Museum. (Sad: he probably violated rule #8, below.)Internship starts tomorrow. I'll be starting with the medical ICU, and my first day will include an overnight call night. Amidst all the emotions associated with the anticipation of such an event, some of the graduating interns came up with tips for us while on rounds, and one of them wrote them up and sent the list out to our email list. Here's an excerpt (the first six are mostly hospital specific):7. Send each other funny pages--it will keep your spirits up. And make you laugh in the middle of an otherwise serious conversation.8. Get your coffee on the way to work. Otherwise you'll never get it, and nobod... hemodynamics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=690149 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:17:00 +0100 690149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=682224&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fwoo_hoo_good_ne.html So, I assume those of you who are also living with cancer could see through the humor in my most recent couple of posts to the fear lurking in the background. A Freudian Morning? No Break for Me After all this drama and two weeks of anxiety, not to mention numerous scans of pretty much every part of my body, I saw The Bone Guy this morning. He was running an hour late for my 10 a.m. appointment, which was one more hour for me to sit there and watch my blood pressure rise. (To about 150/106.) However, he turned out to be a great guy, and I wasn't even mad about missing my lunch date with my friend Gloria, which we had optimistically scheduled for 11:30. The really funny thing is after getting all those MRIs and CTs and PETs that I blogged about yesterday, and carrying them to him on... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=682224 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:06:19 +0100 682224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=677381&cid=t_302631_93_f&fid=35707&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhemodynamics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fabove-retrovintage-flight-bags-from-klm.html Above: retro/vintage flight bags from KLM and Aeroflot, from inretro.net. Below: my bag..Today, I bought a bag, and I fell in love with my bag. My bag is a dorky bag. I wouldn't buy or wear it under other circumstances. It's like a wierd zipper-heavy backpack-influenced re-creation of airplane bags that the airlines used to give out in the 1960s, but without the cool retro airline logo design. REI calls it a "Boarding Bag"; like its predecessors, it's designed to be a small carry-on bag that holds the stuff you want on an airplane journey. Probably only someone who was a little worried about flying would buy such a thing. I didn't buy it for flying. I bought it for the hospital. But I did buy it because I was worried.To explain this dorky-bag purchase, I must first explain that among medic... hemodynamics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=677381 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 05:11:00 +0100 677381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=677380&cid=t_302631_93_f&fid=35707&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhemodynamics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Ffear-really-is-mindkiller.html ACLS training today. That's Advanced Cardiac Life Support--it's where you learn how to shout "Clear!" and deliver a shock; or, "One milligram of epinephrine!" Just like TV. (Except, you shouldn't shout.)I passed the written part of the exam with 100% of the questions correct (not a super hard test, and my result was shared by many present, but still, it was satisfying). Then we went downstairs to do what the American Heart Association calls "Megacodes" which inspired some of us earlier in the day to keep saying "Megacode!" at random times during breaks. (Well, mainly me, actually. But I'm sure that others wanted to.) The megacode involved standing with a mannequin and a bag-mask and a defibrillator; while an instructor ran us through a basic simulation of cardiac or respiratory emergencies... hemodynamics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=677380 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 04:16:00 +0100 677380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=631563&cid=t_302631_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F23%2Fcancer-fears-fuel-self-fulfilling-prophecy%2F Filed under: All Cancers, OpinionAre Americans so afraid of cancer that the actual fear leads to lifestyle choices and other things that end up in one getting cancer? That's the conclusions from a recent study that said so many Americans don't believe they can do anything to protect themselves from cancer. Hence, the creation of a self-fulfilling prophecy.In other words, the more you believe something (even without proof), the more likely you are to somehow find a way to make it happen. The research here looked at 6,000 people; and 47 percent of them concluded that "nearly everything causes cancer." While that's not even close to being true, just how close it is? That's impossible to answer I think.The best you can do is to live as healthy as possible (within your means) and don't engage i... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=631563 Wed, 23 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 631563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=551267&cid=t_302631_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F18%2Fsean-connery-in-good-health-despite-cancer-fears%2F Filed under: Throat Cancer, Daily news, Celebrity newsYou may not have known it but actor Sean Connery has been fearing cancer for the past two decades.The Scottish Connery, 76, has been seeing doctors for 20 years so growths in his throat could be monitored. Fearing the worst -- cancer -- Connery wanted to stay on top of things. Results from a recent medical appointment reveal Connery has been given the all-clear, according to his brother Neil who is also plagued by throat polyps.Some were concerned about Connery's absence from a New York Tartan Week charity show he was scheduled to host two weeks ago. Apparently, there was nothing to worry about. He was just just getting his check-up, and he later assured fans he is in good health. "It is something which needs to be followed through," sa... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=551267 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 551267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=544198&cid=t_302631_113_f&fid=34933&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpalmdoc.net%2F%3Fp%3D1242 A couple of new updates spotted in Palmgear IV Med Notes: Nurse’s Clinical Pocket Guide Accessing an intravenous site and delivering fluids and medicine can be a difficult and frightening experience for students. IV Med Notes alleviates students’ fears by providing up-to-date information needed to safely administer medications by IV. Procedures in Medicine 2008 v1 A medical reference text with detailed step-by-step procedures, work-ups, treatment plans, medicines and differentials for a myriad of medical conditions. (Source: The Palmdoc Chronicles) The Palmdoc Chronicles blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=544198 Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:56:33 +0100 544198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=538847&cid=t_302631_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2007%2F04%2Ffear_the_list.html I live with fear. I think every cancer patient and every cancer survivor does. Ever since that first bout with breast cancer more than eight years ago, the fear has been like an alien hand, sometimes squeezing my throat, making it tough to breathe, sometimes wrapping itself around my heart. We Americans find it somehow shameful to admit to being afraid. We don't like to read that soldiers in World War I were so afraid that they defecated in their pants before battle, as Newsweek has reported. We do our best to make the fear go away, with drugs if possible. And it's a brave doctor who says the "F" word--fear--to a patient. Usually, it's "anxiety" that we are coping with, or "stress." Here are my fears, large and small: Dying, of course. Leaving my children without a mother. Pain. Nee... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=538847 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 02:05:41 +0100 538847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=488182&cid=t_302631_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Faspie-bird.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F09%2Fdying-fears-light-longing-for-harry.html My special interest on death still continues. Can not stop reading books about life and dying. I take at least one of them with me wherever I go, even when I visit my sister in hospital (kind of bizar I think, not very positive thinking...) Currently reading the books written by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. I can recommend reading her books to you all. It tells a lot about Life.Never thought I could have that many fears. Thinking about my future the Light seems to be far away. I am very happy with the support my family gives me. We discussed plans to do the removal in two steps instead of one. The Big Day will probably be somewhere in November. Yesterday I explored the country by rail. Very interesting.I will write some more about the MRI scan I had last Friday. Do not worry, there is nothing wr... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=488182 Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:24:00 +0100 488182