Hollywood stars advance the causes they care about and I really appreciate that, especially when they’re educating the public in a responsible way. Rita Wilson has done every person in America a service by publishing her story of how a second opinion saved her life.1 Because Ms. Wilson had previously been diagnosed with a condition called lobular carcinoma in situ, or ...READ MORE »
When do you need a health advocate? It’s not so different from, “Who needs a health advocate?” or, “Why do you need a health advocate?” But the question of when you need a health advocate can be answered a little differently. When you: Feel overwhelmed or consumed by your health and illness. Have been managing a chronic illness or condition that changes ...READ MORE »
When I hear stories of nursing home residents who are overmedicated1, it takes me immediately back to my mother’s experience. My mom had a stroke in 1998 and 2 weeks later had a perforated bowel, which caused her a rapid decline until it was treated by surgical repair. She had type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure for several years as ...READ MORE »
Imagine your mother has a stroke. Within 2 weeks, you learn that your mother needs surgery for a perforated bowel or she could die, plus she’s in terrible pain. This happened to my mother 13 years ago. She had the surgery, but then she had one complication after another. Preventable medical errors with serious consequences occurred again and again. It ...READ MORE »