By Andy Esch, MD
Living with Huntington’s disease can be extremely challenging. It’s a disease of the nervous system and brain, with symptoms that typically progress over time. These can include uncontrollable movements in your arms, legs, or body overall; painful muscle jerking; and difficulty swallowing or breathing. Huntington’s can also cause mental disturbances such as nervousness, mood swings, depression, and personality changes. … Read More
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
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