The only constant is change. With ever-changing technology, this cannot be truer. Checking your devices multiple times has become second nature for most of us. As the internet is evolving, so is our dependence on it. Some may even term it an addiction. The internet, which was introduced as a way to make our lives [...]
Thinking about aging often brings to mind physical transformations: the weakening of bones and muscles, the slow fade of energy, the aches, and the pains. But as our bodies change with age, so do our minds. It’s true that many elders experience some level of memory loss, a series of mental changes known collectively as [...]
Whether it is the patient or the caregiver, diagnosis of a serious health condition like the need for dialysis therapy can bring turmoil and trigger anxiety. The onset of anxiety affects you not only mentally but also physically. You may begin feeling one or more effects of anxiety, like trouble sleeping, headaches and muscle tension. [...]
We are happy to announce that Dr. Gavril Hercz’s article is published, in the Perspective section of JASN October 2017 28: 2835-2837. The link for the article can be found here. http://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/28/10/2835 "The trauma of dialysis initiation" discusses at length the psychosocial impact of serious medical illness, such as kidney disease, which affects not only [...]
The clinical reception area or the reception desk, be it in a clinic or hospital, is the first and last place that a patient encounters during their anxious visit. Thus it has a major role in imprinting a positive or negative impression, while also influencing the dynamics of the encounter while there. The receptionists not [...]
Death can be a difficult subject and most of us feel uncomfortable talking about it. Death, however, does not differentiate, being an inevitable outcome for all of us. Personal meanings of death can vary, though. Through the ages, for most of us, the best way to deal with it was with denial. Maybe this is the reason that most [...]
When nothing turns out right We all feel burnout sometimes, and the helping professions like that of physicians and psychologists are also not immune to it. Having a perfect work-life balance seems like an illusion. In 1970, American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger coined the term “burnout” to describe the consequences of severe stress and high ideals experienced [...]
Often, especially during times of stress, we feel a strong urge to feel calmer, de-clutter our minds and approach the world in a more mindful way. Mindfulness has become a popular and employed stress reduction tool and has become something of a buzzword in recent years. […]
Book review by Mona Rassi “When Breath Becomes Air” is a book written by a 36 years old neurosurgeon who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Before going to medical school, Paul Kalanithi studied English literature. He loved reading and writing, and he took the opportunity to write a book that will influence the lives [...]
Feeling Depressed? Listen to your inner voice Of the 7.5 billion world, a staggering 350 million people suffer from depression, which by all counts is an alarming figure. Many who are depressed may not even know it. While the impact of depression touches every aspect of someone’s life, both the individual and his or her [...]
Until Further Notice, I Am Alive by Tom Lubbock A few weeks ago, Sifted Sand published a review of The Iceberg by Marion Coutts, a book detailing her husband’s terminal illness and how their lives changed after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This week, we review the second half of the story, written [...]
Can terminal illness mar your passion for life? No one plans his day as if he will die tomorrow. But what if you are aware that you don’t have much time left? Will your remaining life change forever? Will you retain your zeal for life? When you are given only a year or two to [...]
The Iceberg- Marion Coutts This book is a compelling and moving day-to-day account of the physical and emotional impact of a close family member becoming terminally ill. The writer has beautifully constructed a moving narrative, baring all her emotions and thoughts over a three-year journey as her husband dies with incurable cancer. […]
A poem by Linda L. Dowd R.N. Reeling images of long ago are cascading through my mind, Picture-perfect in retrospect, ~ Memories intertwined. I pay no heed to pains of past, nor to regrets or sorrows, For they'd impinge upon todays and darken my tomorrows. I fill my mind with pleasant thoughts, [...]
Do aging couples impact each other’s physical and mental well being? Studies show that as we age in relationships, we become more biologically attuned to our partners. Sharing an environment and making cooperative lifestyle decisions can lead to a couple experiencing similar emotional and physical health effects that manifest themselves as biological similarities. These similarities [...]
