Archive for April 2020
Plan For Now, Plan For Later – Thinking About the Big Picture with Covid
Provide Emotional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Physicians Facing Psychological Trauma From the COVID-19 Crisis
The U.S. now has the highest number of COVID-related deaths in the world, with exhausted, frightened physicians managing the front lines. We need not only medical supplies but also emotional personal protective equipment (PPE) against the psychological burden of the pandemic. As a psychiatrist, my role in COVID-19 has included that of a therapist for my colleagues. I…
Read MoreNutrition in the Time of Covid – and Beyond
Here are some simple adaptations regarding food shopping and food prep that are relevant to our stay-at-home situation. Many of us as health care workers, are still on the job in some ways, but we are home more than we’re used to, out of our routine. And many have their young children or adult children…
Read MoreAn Easter and Passover Message, in the Time of Coronavirus
This morning, one of our Lady Docs Corner Cafe dear friends, Dr. Joann Urquart, a cardiologist, sent us a link to a very well written and moving article by a movie producer and writer, Julio Vincent Gambuto, titled “ Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting.” This writer knows the human condition and psychology very well, as shown by…
Read MorePractical FAQs about COVID
Knowledge is the best antidote to anxiety regarding the unknown. Based on questions from my patients, I composed a FAQs sheet, and a list of reliable resources. There are many emails and videos out there that can make you more anxious, so try to limit your reading to reliable sources. Importantly, try not to read about…
Read MoreIn the Time of Coronavirus: Social Distancing and Exercising
While being forced to stay home can lead to boredom and lethargy, it does not need to be the case. As a society we spend a lot of money on health clubs, gym memberships, fitness centers, etc. I do the same, mostly because I find I push myself harder when in a class with an…
Read MoreIn the Time of Coronavirus: Why Eliminate Unnecessary Trip?
My husband and I took a walk around a lake last weekend. The paths were wide. The people were respectful of the 6 foot distancing. However, as I was backing out of the busy parking lot, I was involved in a fender bender. No one was hurt, but I had to exchange information with the elderly…
Read MoreIn the Time of Coronavirus: Gastrointestinal Symptoms of COVID-19
While most of us know about fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath as symptoms of COVID-19, intestinal symptoms can be present in almost 30% of patients. These include anorexia (loss of appetite), nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Many of us get occasional diarrhea or an episode of vomiting and/or diarrhea that we attribute…
Read MoreIn the Time of Coronavirus: Corona and the Marriage
Stress, especially big and scary stress, impacts us like a threat to the nervous system. With the importance of social distancing, you and your partner are likely to be feeling those stressors in close quarters. (And you probably won’t be alone! Kids! Pets!) Here are the three ways people tend to respond when faced with…
Read MoreIn the Time of Coronavirus: Corona and the Divorced Family
Social distancing in a divorced family can be complicated. When kids are required to travel back and forth between parents’ houses, additional infection risks can increase. The disruption of regular schedules with school closures and changes in parent work locations requires additional communication between co-parents. Here are a few tips for communication with your co-parent…
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