by Michael Foutz, MD
I can understand this being the case during the pandemic. It’s been a year or so, though, since the height of the pandemic and, yes, we’re having some economic difficulties; but it seems like the irritability level is still high.
Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment
which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words.
“Your results are normal!” The story of how one woman with diabetes and chronic fatigue restored her health
Deena Clark had type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, and chronic fatigue when she discovered the lifestyle medicine program at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho.
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
Last month, I addressed the issue of anger in the face of the Delta Surge, explaining it is a natural emotional reaction that is better not stuffed but must be processed in a healthy way. Although that resonated with many physicians who wrote back or told me in person, I recognize anger is not everybody’s response. Sometimes our reaction to overwhelm is just becoming dumb and numb.
By Guillermo Guzman, MD, Saint Alphonsus Medical Center, Idaho State Board of Medicine
The stressors of the day to day activities that fade into routine and become almost imperceptible. The added patient at the end of our shift, followed by a phone call that still needs to be completed. The almost mandatory extra hour to finish your medical records and then on to review laboratory and radiology results waiting in your inbox. Only to start again the next day. And on to the next week. And so on.
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
As we move towards implementing crisis standards of care for the first time in Ada County’s history, there is a lot of anger out there. It’s no wonder with a projection of 30,000 new COVID cases statewide in a week, an ongoing shortage of healthcare personnel to go around, and a lack of political will. One could think our state emblem might best be changed to hot potatoes.
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
Last month, US gymnast Simone Biles turned in comparatively sloppy performances during her qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics. After not sticking her planned vault, she suddenly withdrew herself from the team all-around competition. The world was stunned and some were outraged. She had experienced a case of the “twisties” or “yips,” a sudden and inexplicable loss of air balance awareness. It was downright dangerous for her to continue in the team competition, but her departure enabled the Russian Olympic Committee athletes to win the gold in the event.
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
Throughout this past year, as the medical profession has been overwhelmed with responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous voices have called for transforming medical culture. A couple of examples:
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
On the first anniversary of natural disasters, it is frequently a time to reflect on the impact of cataclysmic events in our personal and communal lives. After a year of living with COVID-19, it is all too easy to identify the massive changes in the way we live, work, play, and relate to each other. But what then? Fifty years from now, or even 500 years from now, will this be only a year in chronological history for students to memorize and get right on a test? Or is this a test, for us as a people, to get right in this moment of history?
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
There have been a number of times in my life and career when people have reached out to me for help. Sometimes it has been a person looking for a referral to a counselor. Other times it has been as simple as "I really need another perspective" (or desperate) as “I just don’t know what to do next.” Last week I took a call from somebody looking to get connected to the Physician Recovery Network because of a DUI.
