Healthcare Services
My First Visit to a Hospice Patient
This article is the story of my first visit to a hospice patient, but it is also a story about getting more comfortable in a scary and sad environment.
How the Canadian Universal Health Care System Works
Canada is home to a universal health care system but how does it work, what does it cost, and how does it stack up to the system in the United States remain regular questions from people on both sides of the border.
My DNA Testing and Ubiome
My yearning to find answers for better health has been quite an adventure and also quite expensive. Here is a summary of my investigation.
Signs of Stress in a Caregiver and Tips to Avoid Burning Out
About 1 in 3 US citizens are providing care for an older adult. Facts, tips and methods to cope with difficulties are discussed. Caregiver burnout symptoms are reviewed, as is coping with the difficulties of caring for a loved one.
"Please Help": How to Help Others Without Hurting Yourself
If you are a helper, you already know that eagerly helping others is not always a positive experience. Society and others encourage us to help if we can, but how do we know when or who to help?
Beware of Problems with Medicare Advantage Plans
Learn about issues some people have had with Medicare Advantage Plans that have made getting the care they need at the price they thought they were going to pay difficult.
How to Care for Caregivers: Helping People Like Me See Through the Darkness
This article provides information on some of the barriers caregivers encounter in taking care of themselves. It also offers suggestions for others to help or offer care.
I'm Sick and Need Help: How to Keep Searching for the Right Doctor
Even when you've tried and failed to find the right doctor with the answers to your unexplained symptoms, don't give up. Keep trying! The doctor you seek may be the very next one you see.
How to Care for Yourself When Your Job Is Caring for Others
"Sandwiched" between caring for aging parents and a chronically ill child can wear anyone down. Staying positive and avoiding caregiver burnout requires conscious effort, but it can be done.
My Experience as a Patient at Shriners Hospital for Children
A review of my experience at Shriners Hospital, including information about the hospital, my journey as a patient, life after leaving Shriners, and recommendations for future patients.
How to Disenroll From Your Ontario Healthcare Provider
Whether you've moved or are unhappy with your current doctor, you must de-enroll from your current doctor with the Ministry of Health before a new doctor can accept you as a patient. Here's how to do it.
Risks and Benefits of 23andMe DNA Analysis: A Personal Experience
It's a brave new world. Where genealogy meets genetics, 23andMe provides direct-to-consumer genetic testing. You pay to turn over your DNA and personal data. Big companies profit. Understand the risk.
25 Ways to Cope When a Loved One Has Cancer
If a loved one is dealing with cancer, your strength is vital. Staying strong is not mandatory, but it helps you cope.
How to Pick the Type of Eye Specialist You Need
This is a description of each eye specialist profession. Knowing this will help you choose the right one for your needs.
Mental Illness Treatment and Making a Complaint
A guide to filing a complaint about mental health services and treatments in the UK.
Workers' Comp Versus the Little Guy
Worker's compensation is designed to provide medical coverage when an employee is injured on the job. But what happens years later when the injury worsens and the worker has a different employer?
Words From a Nurse: Why You Wait 6 Hours in an Emergency Room
Have you ever been to an emergency room where you spent the better part of your day either in the waiting room or lying uncomfortably on a bed of wheels, desperately wondering when someone was going to tell you what is wrong with you?