As a hospice chaplain, I visit patients in homes and long-term care facilities. There is one facility I particularly enjoy visiting because I have a special relationship with the director of nursing. A couple years ago, I was speaking to a nurse about one of my patients when I noticed…
“It’s been too long.” “Oh my goodness, your kids have grown!” “It’s been forever since we’ve seen each other.” These sentiments resonated as members of Sangre de Oro, the Bleeding Disorder Foundation of New Mexico, gathered for Family Education Weekend March 21-23 in Albuquerque. While many chapters around the…
What do developmental disabilities, French bread, endometriosis, nutrition, English tourism, and bleeding disorders have in common? They all claim March — or a select day or week during the month — for awareness. Organizations dedicate this time to educating the public through local and national gatherings and social media campaigns.
Last in a series. Read parts one and two. Guinea pigs are similar to humans. Their body chemistry has led to testing that’s revolutionized research, with the development of vaccines, replacement heart valves, and asthma medications, to name a few. The term “guinea pig” has become synonymous with…
Second in a series. Read part one. A hemophilia inhibitor is like a firewall in a computer network. Clotting factor replacement therapy is supposed to enter the bloodstream and help form clots to stop bleeding, just as data should pass through a network without interruption. However, an inhibitor acts…
First in a series. Every person is unique, shaped by the combination of their upbringing, education, cultural influences, values, attitudes, and behaviors. No two people are exactly alike. Even identical twins, while genetically similar, have differences, including their fingerprints. Medical conditions can also emphasize a person’s individuality. While many may…
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that celebrates love. However, the day’s origin doesn’t involve a hard-to-get dinner reservation, the perfect Valentine’s card, and the best box of chocolates, but rather a martyred saint and a massacre. Fortunately, our 21st-century world has a more pleasant understanding of the day. While this…
It’s impossible to turn on the TV and not find a reality show, in any of its many types. Some are like staged plays that claim to be real, yet they’re often scripted and orchestrated before they’re shot. Others are more social experiments in which human behavior is observed and…
I love to watch hummingbirds. They’re lightning-fast as they move from flower to flower, feasting on nectar and insects. When they come to the feeder outside my window, their chirps and hums are different from those of other birds. I’m intrigued that the hummingbirds go into a state…
The start of a new year often brings a surge of enthusiasm, hope, and resolutions. We might set ambitious goals like, “This is the year I lose weight.” Or, “This is the year I go to the gym five days a week.” Or, “This is the year I mend a…
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