COLON CANCER SCREENING DURING A PANDEMIC (AKA Why is March Blue?)
By Julia Korenman, M.D. Every March, I blog about colon cancer screening for colon cancer awareness month. This year, the state shut down. Our endoscopy centers shut down except for emergencies and my blog stayed in reserve while we all hunkered down. Now that we have adjusted to the “new normal” and are performing screening examinations…
Oasis Farms and the Cycle of Giving: a Productive Summer on Dr. Rajagopal’s Farm
What have you done to relax during this COVID-19 crisis? After all, there’s only so much walking or exercising we can do daily outside of work which, for most people, has been confined to home. Many activities have been frozen until a “safer” time. When will that safer time come, nobody knows. So far, this…
On Independence Day: Civil Liberty and the Wearing of Masks
So here we are, facing another big wave of Coronavirus in 36 states, with Texas and Florida leading the pack, having the highest case reports. Am I shocked? Not unless I have been away on another planet and did not get to follow the news for a month or so, about how this surge will…
Covid-19 and the New Normal: Are We Doing Our Part?
Tomorrow afternoon, my husband and I will attend a “ Zoom funeral” for one of his close friends who died of COVID-19 at Georgetown hospital last weekend. He caught the virus from his wife, a healthcare provider who caught it herself from an asymptomatic patient at the hospital where she worked. We also joined a…
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…
An 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…
Coronavirus Time: Mental and Physical Health for Those Not Infected
(Robyn Pashby, PhD- Psychologist) There are two pandemics. The virus makes the headlines, but the anxiety that is sweeping the nation just a few steps behind (or in some cases a few steps in front of) the virus has serious and lasting consequences. Much like the virus itself, the mental health impact of this situation…
In the Time of Coronavirus: Corona and Boundaries
Even before COVID-19 arrived, many of us were already diligent about washing our hands and avoiding contact with someone sneezing or coughing to avoid becoming ill. Many have always understood the importance of washing our hands before meals and coughing or sneezing into a tissue. So, what is different now? Researchers have discovered that many…
Living with Uncertainty *
As I write this, I am about to end the third week of isolation. I work from home, and currently see clients online. This is a time of great uncertainty. It’s not easy for anyone. But for trauma survivors, myself included, times like this are especially difficult. I want to explain why and review the actions I…
Coronation of a Virus: While Preparing for it, Do Not Forget to Live
I don’t remember how many weeks that, whenever I wake up and turn on the TV for news of the day while preparing for work, I have been bombarded with statistics on how many people have died around the world from Coronavirus, and how many more people were diagnosed with this specific strain, Covid-19. My…