No, not an 18th century Romanian King, but the name given to a baby boy born this morning around 5am. A strong-willed mother who said she didn't want anything for pain and stood by that. A soft-spoken father, who hovered closely, not as in a "I'm-in-charge, macho, territorial" mode, but as in "I care; I'm here when you need me."
I don't see many namesakes let along juniors, in fact can't remember the last one, and "the third" has to be very rare. But I'll bet that Darian III will be proud to be a Darian.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Friday, February 3, 2017
223. Is Health Care a Right?
Not a subject of debate, that having been decided with the first laws preventing emergency rooms from denying service, and confirmed by republicans who now say, "repeal and replace," instead of the previous, "repeal."
But how far, if at all, does that right go beyond the ER?
Amber is 24 weeks pregnant. With each visit she requests an ultrasound. She also has regular massages for pregnancy-related back pain and weekly sees an "obstetric chiropractor," all covered by her work-based health insurance.
Is health care a limited resource, a health care pie as it were? Does Amber's bigger piece mean a smaller piece for someone else? Obamacare gives (I almost said "gave" but we're not there yet) a piece of the health care pie to millions who never had pie. Detractors feel their pieces are thereby diminished.
Somehow, in this squabble for the imagined last piece of pie, the humanity of it all has been lost.
But how far, if at all, does that right go beyond the ER?
Amber is 24 weeks pregnant. With each visit she requests an ultrasound. She also has regular massages for pregnancy-related back pain and weekly sees an "obstetric chiropractor," all covered by her work-based health insurance.
Is health care a limited resource, a health care pie as it were? Does Amber's bigger piece mean a smaller piece for someone else? Obamacare gives (I almost said "gave" but we're not there yet) a piece of the health care pie to millions who never had pie. Detractors feel their pieces are thereby diminished.
Somehow, in this squabble for the imagined last piece of pie, the humanity of it all has been lost.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
222. Maria Update
Maria's ultrasound showed a very thin uterine lining; no cancer has been associated with such a thin lining. With this news, I hoped she'd be comfortable with not pursuing a hysterectomy, but after I emailed her with the positive news from the ultrasound, she did not reply. Maybe signaling a persistent uneasiness.
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