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The Lump, the CT Scan and Insisting on Objectivity

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:44:18 +0000

For those of you following my Lump #2 journey, I've posted the next chapter called, Being Assertive Improves CT Scan Accuracy.

Yes - the CT scan provided more information and an encouraging report. You can even see a photo (the scan image) of the lump itself!

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What Can The Rest of Us Learn from Angelina Jolie's Double Mastectomy?

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:34:09 +0000

I would never have proclaimed myself a big fan of Angelina Jolie's - until today.

The announcement that she has undergone a double mastectomy in the face of evidence that she could prevent breast and ovarian cancer changes that. Her decision was well-researched, warranted, and she followed through. I'm impressed, in particular because she has gone public in hopes that other women will learn from her experience. That makes me more than just a fan.

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Does Your Provider's Service Pass the Momma Test?

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:54:14 +0000

Last week I had a very informative, and overall delightful conversation with two gentlemen from Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, NY. Our conversation focused on the experiences of patients who are treated at Crouse, some of the programs Crouse has put into place to help their providers communicate effectively, plus some of the ways Crouse includes patients in their decision-making about those programs and new initiatives.

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The Journey with Lump #2 - Episode 2 Is Now Online

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:03:06 +0000

Did you ever think you'd find a soap opera on the About.com Patient Empowerment site?

I realized that chronicling this journey requires more than just a few blog posts - and so I've begun what is, in effect, a grouping of episodes. Last week I shared Episode #1 with you, describing Lump #2 and how I found it - plus some insight into my emotional make-up going into this need for a new diagnosis and yes, treatment at some point, too....

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My New Lump Will Prove that Patient Empowerment Changes Everything

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:27:51 +0000

Many of you know the story that spawned my career in Patient Empowerment. You can read it in its entirety here.

The nickel version is that in 2004 I found a lump on my torso (about the size of a golf ball), it was removed, I was diagnosed with a rare, terminal form of cancer and told I had only a few months to live. But my intuition (and probably some desperation, too) told me something was not right. I then doggedly pursued a second opinion, researched the heck out of my medical records (pathology reports) and eventually learned that, in fact, no - there was no cancer. I have never had any form of treatment, and here I am, still telling my story - and helping others improve their outcomes, too.

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A Robotic Snow Job and Few Improved Outcomes for Patients

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:54:18 +0000

Suppose you go out for dinner to an expensive restaurant. You order a roasted chicken dish that just melts in your mouth... yum!

But do you care how much money it cost to buy the oven that roasted that chicken, or how many bells and whistles that oven has on it? Would the roasting heat have been any different just because the oven has a few extra dials on it?

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DEA Sponsors "Take Back" Day - Get Rid of Those Unneeded Drugs

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:04:32 +0000

We all have them in our bathrooms, medicine cabinets, even in our dresser drawers, linen closets or kitchen cupboards - drugs (prescription and over the counter) that we never finished taking. We might have suffered untenable side effects and stopped taking them, or maybe they were pain drugs that we no longer needed. Perhaps they are old cold or flu remedies that are outdated, or birth control pills that - well - we changed our minds and decided to get pregnant!

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Big Differences in Privacy - Walmart Kiosks vs Walgreens Clinics

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:51:35 +0000

Seems like recently we're finding plenty of NEWS about retailers and their approach to healthcare; their attempts at cashing in on Americans' new found interest in healthcare that probably results more from the upcoming shift to Obamacare than any other reason. As long as we are paying attention, why not profit from it?

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The American Shame - Boston Bomb Victims Must Pay Their Own Medical Bills

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:15:52 +0000

My heart simply breaks for the victims and families of the Boston Marathon bomber, as it did for those who were hurt and killed in the World Trade Center, Oklahoma City, Aurora, Tucson and of course, Sandy Hook - all the tragic horrors and terrorism invoked upon innocent victims in America....

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Health Insurance Confusing You? Let Me Introduce You...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:01:58 +0000

You might be surprised to learn that About.com as a company is comprised of somewhere between 900 and 1,000 different sites on different topics. Whether you are interested in learning how to play poker, or the fun (or great dining) you can find in Phoenix or London, or need to brush up on dinosaurs or want to know when it's appropriate to discipline your kids (or anything in between) - you can find it here at About.com.

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