In 1996 headlines proclaimed women were discriminated against in heath care. My initial thought was, “That‘s dumb. I don’t treat my women patients differently than men.”

At the same time I presented a program for the American Heart Association on “Women and Heart Disease”. A common obstacle was that women tend to worry about their husband’s health but their figure.

I had a friend die of ovarian cancer. She said her initial symptoms were diarrhea and a 10 pound weight loss. She didn’t go to the physician right away saying, “What woman wouldn’t be happy to lose 10 pounds?” (more…)

I lost my sense of smell sometime last year. My ENT suspects a palsy of the olfactory nerve following a severe sinus infection which may be permanent or temporary.

If I had to suffer sensory deprivation, loss of smell is not so bad. I can still see and hear. It has been quite an adjustment, however.

My sense of taste is not as acute anymore. I threw away a gallon of milk one day past the expiration date rather than use it when I was home alone. Clothes on the floor automatically go to laundry (No way to sniff out the clean from dirty). (more…)