Do Dogs Know They are Dying?

Labor Day, 2006, is a day I will never forget.  It was a gorgeous day here in San Diego—bright, sunny and nearly 90 degrees.  I decided it was a perfect day to give the dogs an outdoor bath.  At the time, we had Valentine, the matriarch at nearly twelve years old, Izzy who was four,… Continue reading Do Dogs Know They are Dying?

Two Hundred and Nine Short Essays Later

  Here I am in Boston, on the eve of my very first writer’s conference, feeling a bit like an imposter.  After all, the extent of my writing so far has been this blog, apart from thousands of histories, physical exams and treatment plans over the last thirty-nine years since starting medical school.  It occurred… Continue reading Two Hundred and Nine Short Essays Later

Why Won’t They Stop Talking to Me About Sex?

I have recently checked the website of the American Board of Sexology, and I can absolutely confirm that I am NOT a sexologist.  So why is it that my patients ALWAYS want to talk about sex?  Old, young, male, female, gay, lesbian and transgendered—it doesn’t matter.  This is a topic on everyone’s mind, apparently all… Continue reading Why Won’t They Stop Talking to Me About Sex?