patient

*This article was originally published on 9/3/2017 and was updated on 1/29/2022 When I became a caregiver to my dad, I quickly realized that I was not going to be able to keep all of his medical information in my head. After years of packing my brain with medical facts, I began to feel I

*Please note that this article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. You should always use your best judgment and the advice of your personal physician or another licensed healthcare professional when deciding when and where to seek medical care.*   Years ago, there were very few options for

*Note: To watch Episode #10 of  “Navigator Nuggets”, my weekly Facebook Live show (Mondays 8pm ET) where we had an informative discussion on this topic, click here.       In December 2017, a 75-year-old woman in stable condition recovering from a brain bleed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center died after a nurse committed a

My husband may not be happy that I’m sharing this but getting him to go to the doctor is like dragging a toddler out of Disney World at the end of a long day. He doesn’t kick and scream, (ok, he doesn’t cry either) but he puts up fierce resistance. He comes up with a

I will never forget April 11, 2018. That is the day my pain journey began, the day I became a patient. I’ve actually been a patient a few times in my life. I delivered two babies, had my gallbladder removed, and I’ve had a couple of oral surgeries. However, those experiences pale in comparison. My

Part 2 of a 3-Part Series in recognition of Health Literacy Month Imagine being placed behind the wheel of a brand new car. Sounds really nice, right? Now imagine you are only 13 years old, you haven’t taken a single driver’s education class, and you have no idea what to do. Unfortunately, this is often

Part 1 in a 3-part series in recognition of Health Literacy Month   Before I became a caregiver for my dad, I had only peripheral knowledge of his medical challenges. I remember getting frustrated with him during conversations about his declining health. I would ask about his most recent visit with his primary care doctor

Everyday life can be stressful. There are pressures of personal, family, economic, and social responsibilities. Modern life encourages people to stay plugged in, turned on, and keyed up. Remaining healthy is a challenge. What happens when a health breakdown isn’t visible or outwardly obvious? What happens when the injury or illness is in the mind

There are two extremes among my family and friends–those who go to the Emergency Room for paper cuts and those who would wait until their pinky finger was literally hanging by a “thread” before seeking medical care. I say this in jest, to some extent, but we all know people who fit into one or