I took 24 hours offline from Friday at sundown through Saturday at sunset. I didn’t use my phone, I didn’t text, I didn’t log onto a computer, and all the while I didn’t enter a single network. I didn’t blog, tweet, Facebook, or LinkIn. I was genuinely unplugged without entering the wilderness. I was at […]
Mama Doc Philosophies
8 Lessons From Beginners
Sometimes health education comes outside the textbook or the hours required in medical school. On the plane this week I tripped on an extension class–a movie. A movie every doctor, daughter, son, mother, father, dog owner, and caregiver should see. I’ve never recommended a movie here before but this one I consider a must-see. It’s […]
A Dr, Patient, And An Insurer Walk Into A…
When I was a medical student and resident physician, those around me taught me how to distrust the pharmaceutical industry and how to distrust the insurance companies. The drug companies just wanted the public to buy their medications (to get rich) and the insurance companies just wanted to block services for my patients (to get […]
Cell Phone Parenthood
I loved a recent NYT article where Dr Eric Topol described Americans as surgically connected to their phones. He also described the great opportunity that resides within the phones for getting and providing better health care. These phones are a part of our future and can be exceptional partners in measuring and preserving our wellness. […]
Mommy Daddy Days
For the last month or so O has woken up every single morning with the same question: “Is today a Mommy Daddy Day?” What he means is, “Is this a weekend where I get the day with both of you?” The answer, less than 2/7 of the time, is unfortunately “No.” And on some level […]
Half & Half
I had a great trip to the grocery store today with the boys. Life has been so hectic these past few weeks, we haven’t had weekend time for a leisurely trip to the aisles of fruit and fondue. Today, we had the luxury of time, a list, and a proper plan. They weren’t hungry (and […]
An App For That?
Stop what you’re doing to read this The New England Journal of Medicine perspective by Dr Doug Diekema. It’s about vaccines, opportunities for health, and physician obligation. Written for physicians, it also speaks loudly to parents and includes a few very essential points. The whole time I read the article, my thoughts kept leaping to […]
What About Chores? Seattle Mama Doc 101
So what about kids and chores? My take is that it’s personal. But also I’ll hint that I think chores are a great opportunity to build community and citizenship. Research has found great lifelong reward from doing childhood chores (think: less drug use, higher self-esteem, more sound relationships, beginning a career path, less anxiety, etc). […]
To Make Time Stand Still
It would be nice–every once and a while–to make time stand still. To catch the blades of a propeller mid flight and have the ability to hover effortlessly. Just for a moment so that we could look over, savor our children…their beauty and all that they are all in one precious moment…all to ourselves. The […]