COVID-19: Misaligned Priorities and Missed Opportunities

(Note: this blog post was originally published on LinkedIn.) 

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, information and misinformation travel like wildfire. Meanwhile, as we individually and collectively struggle with aligning our priorities and making good choices, things get overlooked and left in the dust, including people.

Missteps have been the hallmark of the pandemic here in the United States, especially when it comes to the Trump administration's lackluster and criminally misguided response, denial of reality, rejection of science, and the consistent undermining of expertise.

No matter the administration in power, mistakes and missed opportunities will continue to be made, just not as purposefully and cynically as that of the Trump White House and its spineless Republican lackeys.

                                                                                                Photo by Adli Wahid on Unsplash.com

Where Were The Doctors?

Last week, I attended an all-day conference on mind-body medicine here in Santa Fe. At the beginning of the day, the speaker obviously wanted to know the professional make-up of her audience, so she called out various professions and had us raise our hands in response. Of course, nurses made up the majority of the approximately 225 people in the crowded room, and psychologists, counselors and social workers were also very well-represented. And when she asked about doctors, only one person raised his hand. A murmur rippled through the crowd, and there was much ironic laughter. So, where were the doctors?

Martine Ehrenclou and "The Take-Charge Patient"

Martine Ehrenclou is a well-known and talented writer whose books "Critical Conditions" and "The Take-Charge Patient" have received well-deserved attention and praise. I have been happy to become acquainted with Martine through our connections on social media, and I'm happy to provide this review of "The Take-Charge Patient", published by Lemon Grove Press in 2012. As always, I received no compensation for this post other than a review copy of the author's book.

Of Doctors, Humility and Humanity

Just recently, someone I know entered medical school with great hopes, expectations and vision for a future in medicine, and what I'm hearing about his initial experiences brings me great joy and hope. 

Doctors and Nurses: We All Can Win

Interactions between nurses and doctors can be entertaining, frustrating, enlightening, symbiotic, neutral, competitive, or otherwise charged with emotion or energy. Just recently, I've had several interactions that were all interesting in their own way.