Get Palliative Blog

By Jennifer S. Scherer, MD

Living with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) presents many challenges. You may sleep poorly, feel weak or tired. Your skin can itch. Food tastes different, and you just don’t feel like eating much. It’s difficult to get around because your feet and ankles are swollen. All in all, it’s hard to get through the day and do many of the things you and your family used to enjoy. 

But you don’t have to go through this alone. There are ways to improve your quality of life. Palliative care can help.  … Read More

By Andy Esch, MD

Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressing and long-lasting condition that can cause many challenges to those diagnosed and their families. In addition to affecting muscle movement, it can impact mood and cognitive abilities; involve pain; cause sleep disturbances and other distressing symptoms. While it’s not curable, much can be done to manage the disease and its symptoms. For example, patients and families can ask for a referral to a palliative care team — a medical team that focuses on improving quality of life and relief of symptoms and stress caused by living with serious illnesses.  … Read More

The COVID-19 virus is still circulating in the U.S. and millions of people are testing positive.  Thankfully, most who come down with COVID-19 don’t have to be hospitalized. Even so, for many the symptoms can be extensive and recovery can take weeks or months. 

Listen to one woman’s COVID-19 experience, including the palliative care she received that helped keep her at home, and how she coped through six weeks with more than a dozen different and debilitating symptoms.  

This is Bobye’s story. … Read More

By Andrew Esch, MD

Heart failure is a serious illness that can take a toll on the quality of life of patients and their families. If you are living with heart failure, you already know that it is a serious illness in which the heart is unable to pump blood properly. Palliative care can help. … Read More

As a new virus, there is limited information on the risk factors for COVID-19 (coronavirus). But data show that people of any age with serious medical conditions, such as kidney disease, might be at higher risk. This includes anyone with diabetes; undergoing dialysis for chronic kidney disease; or having a kidney transplant due to use of medicines that can weaken the immune system. And as much of the country begins to phase in routine activities, it’s more important than ever to remain safe and know what to do if you feel sick. … Read More

While having dementia or Alzheimer’s disease aren’t known to increase the risk for coronavirus, other factors may. These include advanced age, and having additional serious medical conditions such as heart disease, respiratory illnesses, diabetes and kidney failure. In addition, infections in general are frequently missed among people with dementia, which could lead to worsening cognitive abilities. 

Also, depending on the stage of the disease, communication may be difficult. Since much of the time, a family member is the main caregiver, it’s important to have a plan to stay safe during this uniquely challenging and stressful time.   … Read More

Living with a serious illness like heart failure can be challenging on its own. Unfortunately, it also carries an increased risk of complications from the coronavirus. This surely adds another level of concern right now for you, your family and caregivers. It can be hard to know the cause of new or worsening symptoms, since several overlap. So it’s important to be as informed as possible, know when to communicate with your doctors – and when to call 9-1-1 for an emergency. … Read More

As a speech language pathologist for young children, Ilene’s skills as an educator, careful listener and problem solver were keys to her career success. These factors also have played an important role for her through the many years she’s been treated for advanced ovarian cancer. It was a surprise diagnosis for the 68-year-old New Yorker that came in the fall of 2015 and changed her life dramatically.

She had a growing number of symptoms and side effects from treatments and surgery. When her cancer doctor referred Ilene to the palliative care team, Ilene didn’t know about the medical specialty. She had no idea how important it would be over the many years of her cancer journey, which included several recurrences. But ever-the-educator and problem solver, she went to the first appointment hoping for help to address many sources of discomfort.  … Read More

Are you or a loved one living with a serious illness? If so, it’s normal to have a lot of questions and uncertainty, especially when new words are thrown around by doctors about your health. Whether you have a recent diagnosis, or have been living with your illness for a period of time, you may need help understanding what everything means, from symptoms to side effects, treatment options, and more.

Where can you get this kind of help?  One way is with a referral to a palliative care team.   … Read More