The Whys of Healthcare Frustration Last week I wrote of my frustration with a health care system that no longer focuses on patient satisfaction. A reader suggested I explain why costs are so high and what led to the degradation

House Call  Medicine – What happened? Medical care today is beyond my comprehension. As technology, sophisticated treatments, and pharmaceuticals improve, the quality of interactions between physician and patient appears to decline. Instead of getting to know patients and their families,

Take the Hard Road A few days ago I watched a TV show where a high school athlete was given a scholarship opportunity on the track team at UCLA. Acceptance rested on her willingness to move far away from home,

They’re big, black, smart, and noisy. Most of us recognize the short and long caw sounds of crows invading our neighborhoods. I’ve been on the park blocks in Portland when it was difficult to talk to the person standing next

What is a Name? Memorial Day is a time of remembrance. Many people honor family and friends who are no longer alive while others look back further to uncover their family’s lineage. I became interested in the history of my

Portland was shocked a month ago when the Children’s Museum announced it was closing permanently after 75 years. Shuttered nearby is the Discovery Museum at the Forestry Center adding to a sense of loss. Last month, the Oregon Historical Museum

Life Across Time Gail Sheehy published several books in the 1990s describing passages adults experience throughout their lives. She talked about youth taking longer to grow up and elders longer to die, and that during mid-life people embrace a second

One Woman’s Way towards Balance There are many ideas as to what it means to live life well. To me, doing so this past year meant achieving balance, finding a way to exist in an equilibrium that allows for self-expression

Better Than you Found it A walk in the arboretum took me past a memorial bench for Robert Morgan Cameron-Husband, Father, Scoutmaster, Friend. On the plaque below his name was written, “Leave your campsite better than you found it.” I

Faced with burgeoning populations that are difficult to control, businesses and governments are testing ways to influence social behavior. Face recognition programs, computer data banks, and point systems based on good behavior are worming their way into the economy.  Keeping