Sunday, May 25, 2008
DenverDoc in North Carolina
DenverDocWife found us a vacation spot in Holden Beach, NC many years ago and we've come back every year. This year for the first time I attended Holden Beach Chapel. It was packed! I'm used to our Evangelical services back home, and the more liturgical service was a nice change. The preacher was a Methodist, which hearkens back to my conversion in Salt Lake City at a Methodist church. On May 24, 1738, John Wesley wrote,
"I felt my heart strangely warmed...and an assurance was given me that he had taken away MY sins, even MINE and had saved ME from the law of sin and death."
Wesley had already been a successful evangelist for several years at this point. It just goes to show how mysterious the Lord is and how individual the walk of faith. Wesley came suddenly one Wednesday night to the realization that Christ went to the cross for HIM alone as much as for all the masses.
The preacher also told a story about Billy Graham's wife, alone with the kids while Billy was out preaching. A friend told her to rephrase John 3:16 personally: For God so loved ME that he sent his only begotten son, that I might have eternal life...
It was good. I walked out refreshed and ready for more recreation with my family.
"I felt my heart strangely warmed...and an assurance was given me that he had taken away MY sins, even MINE and had saved ME from the law of sin and death."
Wesley had already been a successful evangelist for several years at this point. It just goes to show how mysterious the Lord is and how individual the walk of faith. Wesley came suddenly one Wednesday night to the realization that Christ went to the cross for HIM alone as much as for all the masses.
The preacher also told a story about Billy Graham's wife, alone with the kids while Billy was out preaching. A friend told her to rephrase John 3:16 personally: For God so loved ME that he sent his only begotten son, that I might have eternal life...
It was good. I walked out refreshed and ready for more recreation with my family.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Google Health comes on line
Google has announced Google Health, a portable electronic medical record, free like most of their services. This article reviews it.
Marry Him! An interesting article.
You have figured out by now that I like to podcast Dennis Prager (and also Dave Ramsey, on finances.) I heard Dennis interview a woman who thinks a lot of modern, well educated women miss out on Mr. GoodEnough waiting for Mr. Perfect. She wrote an article in The Atlantic which I recommend to you. This could be particularly poignant for young women in medical training; medicine is a jealous career.
Since DenverDocDaughterOne is getting married in a month (!!!), I'm going to use my soapbox. What did I tell my daughters?
1. Look at how boyfriend's DAD treats boyfriend's MOM. That is his modeling.
2. Use your brain early on. Someone in the relationship has to use her brain, and I'm telling you most of the time it is not the guy.
3. As a Christian, you have the obligation to have some friends that are projects, that need help. But you ALSO need some friends who are good for you. Of critical importance is, you DO NOT marry a project!
(at this point, DenverDocWife pointed out that "Dear, all men are projects.")
Yes, most women do believe this. Many men need a little bit of finishing carpentry and that is a cute hobby. But some men need deep foundation repair, and you do not want to try to repair deep foundational issues in a spouse. You cannot change another human being; most of us have a great deal of trouble changing ourselves!
4. If at any time you decide this guy is a poor risk for the long term, get out now. There are lots of other guys out there. You may get stuck emotionally if you keep going out with the wrong guy.
OK, back off the soapbox.
Since DenverDocDaughterOne is getting married in a month (!!!), I'm going to use my soapbox. What did I tell my daughters?
1. Look at how boyfriend's DAD treats boyfriend's MOM. That is his modeling.
2. Use your brain early on. Someone in the relationship has to use her brain, and I'm telling you most of the time it is not the guy.
3. As a Christian, you have the obligation to have some friends that are projects, that need help. But you ALSO need some friends who are good for you. Of critical importance is, you DO NOT marry a project!
(at this point, DenverDocWife pointed out that "Dear, all men are projects.")
Yes, most women do believe this. Many men need a little bit of finishing carpentry and that is a cute hobby. But some men need deep foundation repair, and you do not want to try to repair deep foundational issues in a spouse. You cannot change another human being; most of us have a great deal of trouble changing ourselves!
4. If at any time you decide this guy is a poor risk for the long term, get out now. There are lots of other guys out there. You may get stuck emotionally if you keep going out with the wrong guy.
OK, back off the soapbox.
The Loser Letters, part 2
in which the author talks about problems atheists (or anyone else, for that matter) has when they claim that "Reason" is on their side. We all need to recognize that reason is only a tool, not a worldview. Reason works with the raw material you give it: the assumptions, observations about the world. Nazi's took the unprovable assumption that there were lives not worth living and applied reason to it to create gas chambers. (Interesting that they began with crippled and retarded children, isn't it?) Anyone who thinks that religious people do not use Reason has not read C. S. Lewis, Thomas Aquinas, Isaac Newton, Augustine, or St. Paul. Science, also, is a tool, a highly successful method for uncovering natural mechanisms and relationships. It has very little use outside of nature, however, and makes a lousy deity.
Addition: A quote from John Wesley, founder of Methodism:
“Passion and prejudice govern the world; only under the name of reason”
Addition: A quote from John Wesley, founder of Methodism:
“Passion and prejudice govern the world; only under the name of reason”
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Loser Letters (on the New Atheism)
A new series is appearing called The Loser Letters. It is supposedly a letter from a Convert to Atheism to some unnamed Atheist, extolling the virtues of atheism (but as you will see it is a lot like the Screwtape Letters...) Enjoy.
The first letter is mostly about sexuality.
The first letter is mostly about sexuality.
Suffering
I was listening to the John Patrick CD some more and he said that one of the important issues is, what value could there be in suffering?
Dennis Prager said recently in his debate with the American Atheists that the believer has to explain the existence of unjust suffering, and that is a real problem. The atheist has to explain the existence of everything else.
Peter Kreeft has written a wonderful book on this subject that I read for John's Augustine College course for physicians. The link is to Amazon used books; looks like it may be out of print. You could try a used Christian bookstore also. If you can manage it I HIGHLY recommend spending a week up in Ottawa with them--it's like the fun part of College without the angst.
A quote came across my Email today that also may be pertinent:
God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His goal is not to pamper us physically but to perfect us spiritually. Paul Powell.
If we are citizens of Heaven and visitors on Earth, we need to recognize that suffering has physical, emotional, AND spiritual components. As physicians, we should consider relief of suffering to be important but not paramount. God may be using that suffering for the good of the patient or for someone who is watching the patient and we must be wise. After all, to be incredibly insensitive and blunt, stopping suffering is incredibly easy: just euthanize the patient...
Dennis Prager said recently in his debate with the American Atheists that the believer has to explain the existence of unjust suffering, and that is a real problem. The atheist has to explain the existence of everything else.
Peter Kreeft has written a wonderful book on this subject that I read for John's Augustine College course for physicians. The link is to Amazon used books; looks like it may be out of print. You could try a used Christian bookstore also. If you can manage it I HIGHLY recommend spending a week up in Ottawa with them--it's like the fun part of College without the angst.
A quote came across my Email today that also may be pertinent:
God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His goal is not to pamper us physically but to perfect us spiritually. Paul Powell.
If we are citizens of Heaven and visitors on Earth, we need to recognize that suffering has physical, emotional, AND spiritual components. As physicians, we should consider relief of suffering to be important but not paramount. God may be using that suffering for the good of the patient or for someone who is watching the patient and we must be wise. After all, to be incredibly insensitive and blunt, stopping suffering is incredibly easy: just euthanize the patient...
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
An ethics dialogue, for students and residents
You, student, go in and do that abortion.
Before I do, may I ask you a question?
Yes but make it quick.
Would you want your doctor to have moral integrity or not?
Uh, of course I would.
I know this is not an issue for you, but abortion is a moral issue for me and if you use your power to force me to do this abortion, you will destroy my moral integrity. Is that your desire?
Paraphrased from John Patrick, MD, latest CMDA Christian Doctor's Digest.
Before I do, may I ask you a question?
Yes but make it quick.
Would you want your doctor to have moral integrity or not?
Uh, of course I would.
I know this is not an issue for you, but abortion is a moral issue for me and if you use your power to force me to do this abortion, you will destroy my moral integrity. Is that your desire?
Paraphrased from John Patrick, MD, latest CMDA Christian Doctor's Digest.
Monday, May 19, 2008
A Christian approach to Depression
As with many families, depression has touched DenverDoc's family. It is so difficult to watch the suffering of loved ones.
Depression is so complex and multidimensional. I'm convinced that there is in part a biological component, a neurochemical portion. But there are also spiritual, behavioral, learned, environmental, and psychological components and they all interact.
BeliefNet has put out an article on "How to pray when you are depressed." I scanned it quickly and there may be some useful information there. It certainly appears that when depression hits, people tend to isolate themselves from other people and from God. I wonder if that happens in other cultures, or if it is a "show no weakness" American response?
At one of our Resident talks a couple of years ago, there was discussion about forgiveness and the story came out that a depressed patient found great relief in forgiving people in her past. She was actually counseled to make a list of all the people that had hurt her, and was told to pray to learn to forgive those people. (This would require great wisdom in helping discern between forgiveness and enabling or going back into abusive relationships.)
Another of our members told me that he had suffered with depression for years (in his case, in came out as anger. I heard somewhere recently that anger is one of the most common symptoms of male depression.) He read Isaiah 61:3: "...and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." He said that he would take his dog on a walk each evening and praise God during the walk. "The dog was fine with it, but I worried a bit about the neighbors!" he told me. The darkness lifted for him, and one of his nurses noticed that his anger at every little thing had evaporated.
There was also a book called Spark that I read recently. Despite the fact that it was written by a Harvard (not a Duke) psychiatrist it is still worth the read. Apparently there have been some recent studies that aerobic exercise is more effective than antidepressants (if of course you can get a depressed person to stand up and exercise.) The book also contains interesting information about maintaining cognitive abilities and even combating some kinds of learning disability, particularly ADD, with aerobic exercise daily.
That said, do I as a pathologist have the gall to say, "Throw away your antidepressants! Pray, forgive, praise, and exercise and all will be well! (oh and make sure you get lots of bright light!)" No way. My family members have found great relief in well-prescribed medication, and also bright light exposure. But I throw these out for your consideration.
Depression is so complex and multidimensional. I'm convinced that there is in part a biological component, a neurochemical portion. But there are also spiritual, behavioral, learned, environmental, and psychological components and they all interact.
BeliefNet has put out an article on "How to pray when you are depressed." I scanned it quickly and there may be some useful information there. It certainly appears that when depression hits, people tend to isolate themselves from other people and from God. I wonder if that happens in other cultures, or if it is a "show no weakness" American response?
At one of our Resident talks a couple of years ago, there was discussion about forgiveness and the story came out that a depressed patient found great relief in forgiving people in her past. She was actually counseled to make a list of all the people that had hurt her, and was told to pray to learn to forgive those people. (This would require great wisdom in helping discern between forgiveness and enabling or going back into abusive relationships.)
Another of our members told me that he had suffered with depression for years (in his case, in came out as anger. I heard somewhere recently that anger is one of the most common symptoms of male depression.) He read Isaiah 61:3: "...and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." He said that he would take his dog on a walk each evening and praise God during the walk. "The dog was fine with it, but I worried a bit about the neighbors!" he told me. The darkness lifted for him, and one of his nurses noticed that his anger at every little thing had evaporated.
There was also a book called Spark that I read recently. Despite the fact that it was written by a Harvard (not a Duke) psychiatrist it is still worth the read. Apparently there have been some recent studies that aerobic exercise is more effective than antidepressants (if of course you can get a depressed person to stand up and exercise.) The book also contains interesting information about maintaining cognitive abilities and even combating some kinds of learning disability, particularly ADD, with aerobic exercise daily.
That said, do I as a pathologist have the gall to say, "Throw away your antidepressants! Pray, forgive, praise, and exercise and all will be well! (oh and make sure you get lots of bright light!)" No way. My family members have found great relief in well-prescribed medication, and also bright light exposure. But I throw these out for your consideration.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Adult stem cells, again
Article from Scientific American talks about using attributes of tumor cells to "trick" adult cells into becoming stem cells. There are so many successes with adult stem cells, and so little actual data with embryonic in ANY species, that it is amazing to me that governments still want to put many resources into human embryonic stem cell research. It's also a shame that this constituency has duped so many celebrities (and others) into thinking embryonic stem cells are their hope for the future. My nephew has type I diabetes and used to think this way (until I got ahold of him and told him the truth.)
***Added note. Please click on the comment added by "Don" below. He makes the interesting point that adult stem cells are programmed to make repairs, and so have resulted in numerous potential and real therapies. Embryonic stem cells are programmed to make babies, and have been impossible to control. Not a bad sound bite! Highly recommended post. Here is his link to his website.
***Added note. Please click on the comment added by "Don" below. He makes the interesting point that adult stem cells are programmed to make repairs, and so have resulted in numerous potential and real therapies. Embryonic stem cells are programmed to make babies, and have been impossible to control. Not a bad sound bite! Highly recommended post. Here is his link to his website.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The Rebelution
Two teens have started The Rebelution, a rebellion against low expectations. They are having a conference in Denver on May 31st at Colorado Community Church. This is definitely worth considering if you have teens. Their motto is, "Do Hard Things." Those of us who attended Medical School understand this motto and its importance, but it has become, like, totally countercultural, man.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
On Marriage
Found, of course, in May First Things:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote:
Marriage is more than your love for each other. It has a higher dignity and power, for it is God's holy ordinance, through which he wills to perpetuate the human race till the end of time. In your love you see only your two selves in the world, but in marriage you are a link in the chain of the generations, which God causes to come and to pass away to his glory, and calls into his kingdom.
In your love, you see only the heaven of your own happiness, but in marriage you are placed at a post of responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal—it is a status, an office. Just as it is the crown, and not merely the will to rule, that makes the king, so it is marriage, and not merely your love for each other, that joins you together in the sight of God and man.
As high as God is above man, so high are the sanctity, the rights, and the promise of marriage above the sanctity, the rights, and the promise of love. It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains your love.
Perhaps it is the upcoming marriage of DenverDocDaughterOne that inspires such musings?
Max Planck, Originator of Quantum Mechanics
Two great quotes:
"All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force... We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter."
"Anybody who has been seriously engaged in scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science are written the words: "ye must have faith." It is a quality which the scientist cannot dispense with."
Thanks to ThinkExist.com for the quotes...
"All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force... We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter."
"Anybody who has been seriously engaged in scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science are written the words: "ye must have faith." It is a quality which the scientist cannot dispense with."
Thanks to ThinkExist.com for the quotes...
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Primer on Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS.)
Not a bad little review from the University of Washington. Clearly a secular reviewer, clearly trying to be balanced. Will give you a brief listing of ethical points.
I think the weakness of the article is its relative lack of attention to why so many people support PAS. I remember when we euthanized our dog in the living room. A family friend was a vet tech (sort of like a vet nurse) and brought over the cocktail and equipment, and he just peacefully slipped away. (DenverDoc was crying like a baby, I freely admit.) The vet tech then said, "Why can't we humans have this option?" I totally understood her emotional reaction, and yet disagree completely with her conclusion.
The major reason for PAS is, in my opinion purely emotional. Very few proponents would be able to give you a coherent ethical analysis. (and very few opponents too, unfortunately.) People fear loss of control, they fear pain, they fear the coldness of the healthcare system, they fear loss of dignity. It's fear, pure and simple.
We had a conversation about PAS in the pathology meeting room a few years back over lunch. The secretaries asked me what I thought. As I recall, I said
"The emotional desire for a less painful passing is totally understandable in each individual case. But what would it mean for all the rest of us? I fear giving doctors, who are people, absolute power over life and death. I fear what managed care companies might do with that power. I fear what greedy relatives seeing money going into treatment instead of estates might do with that power. I fear what governments, who have become managed care providers, might do with that power. I fear that the right to die would very rapidly become the duty to die.
I also know that many of those who seek assisted suicide have untreated depression, and when treated most withdraw the request. I also know that the last few months of a person's life can be incredibly meaningful in regards to confessions, re-establishing relationships, passing on wishes or stories Pulling the trigger too fast on PAS denies the patient and their loved ones that opportunity. I also recognize that our medical culture has to learn to care for patients better in terminal conditions."
I think the weakness of the article is its relative lack of attention to why so many people support PAS. I remember when we euthanized our dog in the living room. A family friend was a vet tech (sort of like a vet nurse) and brought over the cocktail and equipment, and he just peacefully slipped away. (DenverDoc was crying like a baby, I freely admit.) The vet tech then said, "Why can't we humans have this option?" I totally understood her emotional reaction, and yet disagree completely with her conclusion.
The major reason for PAS is, in my opinion purely emotional. Very few proponents would be able to give you a coherent ethical analysis. (and very few opponents too, unfortunately.) People fear loss of control, they fear pain, they fear the coldness of the healthcare system, they fear loss of dignity. It's fear, pure and simple.
We had a conversation about PAS in the pathology meeting room a few years back over lunch. The secretaries asked me what I thought. As I recall, I said
"The emotional desire for a less painful passing is totally understandable in each individual case. But what would it mean for all the rest of us? I fear giving doctors, who are people, absolute power over life and death. I fear what managed care companies might do with that power. I fear what greedy relatives seeing money going into treatment instead of estates might do with that power. I fear what governments, who have become managed care providers, might do with that power. I fear that the right to die would very rapidly become the duty to die.
I also know that many of those who seek assisted suicide have untreated depression, and when treated most withdraw the request. I also know that the last few months of a person's life can be incredibly meaningful in regards to confessions, re-establishing relationships, passing on wishes or stories Pulling the trigger too fast on PAS denies the patient and their loved ones that opportunity. I also recognize that our medical culture has to learn to care for patients better in terminal conditions."
Physician Assisted Suicide in Washington
Yes, it is back again. Physician Assisted Suicide is on the march in Washington State. (I was born there, my father grew up there on a farm, and my daughter has just moved there.)
CMDA has some resources available on this topic. I'm going to spend a bit of time on this later but wanted you to have the link ASAP.
CMDA has some resources available on this topic. I'm going to spend a bit of time on this later but wanted you to have the link ASAP.
