A Physician Assistant’s Journey of sharing God’s love one patient at a time
Pain. It's a very common complaint that I hear from patients multiple times per day. Sometimes it's very specific pain, such as lower back pain, right shoulder pain, knee pain, etc. This type of pain usually directly correlates to arthritis or a fracture. But sometimes, it's pain "everywhere". They feel it in all of their …
"I'm sorry." "For what?" I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. "I've gained so much weight and I haven't been taking my medicine these past three months." My patient said. "Ma'am. You NEVER have to apologize to me for your health." It was her turn to scrunch her eyebrows. "You just lost your daughter to cancer. …
Too often, my patients say, "I feel like everything is falling apart." It usually starts with a discussion on their health. Diabetes can cause fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain, and just an overall description of "not myself". Thyroid disorders can cause weight fluctuations, constipation/diarrhea, depression/anxiety, heart racing, fatigue, and another overall description of "not myself". Chronic …
If you ask medical providers their least favorite topic, I would hypothesize that it's probably pain. It's not because we don't want to take the time to do a thorough physical exam, order x-rays, order bloodwork, or prescribe medication. It's because we're a bit frustrated with the opioid pandemic. In actuality, we enjoy trying to …
If you're 50 years or older, you're due for a colonoscopy. Unless you have an immediate family member with colon cancer, then you might need a colonoscopy sooner. If you're a 50 year old female, you're due for a mammogram. You can get one starting at the age of 40 but the USPSTF (U.S. Preventive …
Hashimoto's Disease. Takotsubo's Cardiomyopathy. Wernicke's Encephalopathy. These are some famous names in medicine. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, disovered by a Japanese physician named Hakaru Hashimoto, is an autoimmune thyroid disorder where the thyroid gland doesn't function as well as it should, which can cause weight gain, depression, joint pain, constipation, dry skin, etc. This can be life-threatening. …
Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd. I blog your names so the world will recognize, remember, and honor you. Lord heavenly father, I pray for their families, I pray for peace, and I pray for justice. God, you made this universe and the people on Earth. You SEE color much deeper and more heartfelt than …
Finding Faith In Medicine 