Light Bulb Moment

I celebrated with 35 year old Mike Lodge today because of what I call a “light bulb moment”. He had discovered that by eating at least 2 meals a day instead of one huge meal at supper, he could actually lose weight.  For many years, he has weighed 300 to 325 pounds, but today he…

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Curing Neck Pain on a road in India

Sometimes cures for medical ailments come in the most unlikely ways. Hearing my patients’ stories about how these cures happen is one of the enjoyable parts of medical practice. I’m always willing to learn something new, plus I like a good story.  Today’s story is about Mary Beachman, who has been having neck pain and…

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Diabetic Complications

Today I saw two different patients that both exemplify the severe and undesirable complications of diabetes. I would not wish them upon any person or patient. The first patient was a lady whom I will call Judy Lath*. She has been hospitalized for the past week and I discharged her today. She has been a…

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Husband-wife hypothyroidism

Remember the Bushes? Before they left the Whitehouse they were both diagnosed with Grave’s Disease (hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid). Well, I recently diagnosed both a husband and wife with hypothyroidism (underactive or low thyroid). Both are being treated with thyroid replacement medicine and are doing well, but we all continue to wonder what causes cluster…

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Teaching Fourth Graders

Today was a very rewarding day. I received 24 hand-written thank you notes from all the students in the fourth grade class which I attended last week. They had been studying the human body, and so my daughter, who is a member of Mrs. Sommers’ class, asked me if I would make a presentation to…

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Tongue-tied

Jared* is a growing little boy whom I delivered 2 l/2 years ago. His mothermade the appointment today because of a rash which she wanted diagnosed. After we took care of the simple problem of eczema and prescribed over-the-counter cortisone cream, what the mother really wanted to know was why he was having trouble with…

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Sciatica

Jim Cardinal* was better today when I saw him in follow-up for his left legpain and numbness. He elected to treat his sciatica just as I would haveelected the same conservative treatment for myself If I had his problem (and I did at one time and so I can empathize). Three weeks ago this 40-year-old…

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