by drannekatz | May 8, 2019 | Uncategorized
The patient was well over 6 feet tall and looked like he had recently lost weight. When he took off his winter coat and hung it over the back of the chair, I could see his scapulae like wings under his sweater. He folded himself into the chair and carefully crossed...
by drannekatz | May 8, 2019 | Uncategorized
It’s become a common practice in oncology institutions across North America: A patient completes their prescribed course of treatment and they ring a bell. Usually it’s a large bell, like one that used to be rung in schools signaling the end of recess. Or it’s a...
by drannekatz | Mar 21, 2019 | Uncategorized
Going through the process of diagnosis, treatment decision making, and often lengthy treatment without a partner can be challenging. While children, friends, and other family members are supportive, for the single individual, there is no one to talk to in the middle...
by drannekatz | Mar 21, 2019 | Uncategorized
The woman waiting to see me looked every inch a lawyer or accountant in her black pencil skirt, pink shirt, and a Chanel-style houndstooth jacket. Her ankle boots were reminiscent of those worn by women in Victorian times with a row of small buttons up the side. She...
by drannekatz | Mar 21, 2019 | Uncategorized
I recently attended a lunchtime session on the Choosing Wisely initiative. This public and professional awareness endeavor attempts to educate the public and health care providers about procedures that do not benefit patients and that may ultimately cause harm. It was...
