Originally written June 2020. Re-posted June 2022, in honor of Juneteenth.
The Easy Patient
“Well, Mr. Duval, you made it pretty easy for me today.” His small rounded stomach bounced with each chuckle at my statement. “Your blood pressure is stable, you don’t have any complaints for today, and you don’t even need any refills. I guess I’ll just see you again in about 4 months.” I smiled and …
A Broken Heart
“What brings you in today?” A physician in dark grey scrubs sat in a chair, holding his iPad and stylus, eager to obtain the necessary information. “I’ve been having a lot of chest pain lately.” “I’m sorry to hear that. I know you’ve already been through the initial triage with the nurse and you’ve already …
Happy Valentine’s Day
When I first wrote the title for this blog, I spent a few minutes contemplating the punctuation for the title. Should I do without? Add an exclamation for the obvious excitement that it brings for those in love or for those who spend it with other single friends? Or should I end it with a …
Anxiety
Her pupils dilate. She whips her head side to side, searching for the impending danger. Her chest heaves with each shallow, rapid breath. Her heart suddenly feels too heavy for her body. “I need more air. I can’t breathe.” She told herself. She pushes her chair back, looks around at all of the blurred faces, …
Who Am I?
My bones ache. I sweat at night. I'm steadily losing weight. Who am I? A breast cancer patient. Pins and needles stab my feet. I can't quench my thirst. I gain weight for no reason. Who am I? A diabetes patient. Electric shock travels down my leg. I can't sit. I can't stand. I can't …
The Voice Inside
I order and review a lot of labs. A lot. Every day. Basic labs include a blood count, kidney function, liver function, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, etc), cholesterol, and an A1C (if you're diabetic). These labs will typically help us monitor how meds may be affecting patients, how controlled or uncontrolled their medical conditions, and if …
The Missing Piece
When I say that I practice Family Medicine, what do you think of? Most people say, "Diabetes, high blood pressure, runny noses, and families." Yep, all of that is true haha! But I think of Family Medicine as "finding the missing piece". When you go to the hospital, what do they tell you when you …
The Sad Man
"Sir, do you mind if I mention something that I've noticed about you?" He simply nodded. "You don't say much when you come in. Your diabetes is uncontrolled. Your blood pressure is always elevated. You don't take your medicines. You only nod whenever I make suggestions. You're very quiet and you don't seem interested in …
The Callous Workplace
"I'm suprised at how much you don't know." "Clearly, you don't know what you're doing." "How old are you anyway? Like 19?" "Well, I read an article about it and you're wrong." "There is a culture here and you need to get with the program and understand that." "Perspective is reality. Accept it." "You're not …
The Angry Man
Angry patients can be difficult. They're angry because they have financial difficulties, because their diabetes is very uncontrolled and they feel miserable, because they suffer from depression (a lot of men hide their depression with anger), or for a number of other reasons. But angry patients don't really bother me because it's hardly ever directed …
COVID Vaccine Part 2
I've been asked a few times why I've gotten the COVID vaccine. I can give you the proper answers about efficacy and how we're in a pandemic and we're all trying to survive. But...those aren't my real answers. Those are just my professional answers. First and foremost, I decided to get vaccinated because I'm exposed …
The Good Listener
"It's back." Tears rolled down her cheeks and she sobbed. "Oh, no." I grabbed her hand and held it tight. She could only feel the rubbery material of my gloves and she could only see my eyes above my mask but despite the physical barriers, she knew my comfort was there. "You've gotten through it …
The COVID vaccine
I got my first dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine 12/30/2020. I like to say that I ended 2020 on a high note and entered 2021 with the hope that this vaccine will keep me and my family safe during the pandemic. I’ve been asked a few questions about the vaccine so I thought I’d …
New Year, New You!
I asked my daughter a question the other day, anticipating a somewhat vague, generic answer. I asked her, "Can people change?" And she said, "Do you mean mentally, physically, or spiritually?" I found myself surprised and impressed with her response. I said, "Let's start with mentally and spiritually." Then she answered, "Yes. But they have …
The Christmas Tree
My husband practices Dermatology, a field that most medical professionals are weak in and are weary of. Why? Because it’s hard! So many rashes look alike. But my favorite rash of all time presents mostly in young women, on their back, and in a Christmas tree pattern. Yep, you heard me. This rash is spread …
Birthmark
As a child, I was fascinated with birthmarks. People would have large brown ones, small brown ones, an oddly shaped scar, or multiple spots here and there that they’d be proud to show. Now that I’m a medical provider, I still find skin marks interesting but now I know what a few of them are …
Circumcision-God’s Covenant
I remember the first time that I witnessed a circumcision. I was an undergraduate student, shadowing various Pediatricians. I watched as the baby was strapped down on a warm, comfortable examination table. I watched as the baby was undressed and his body part numbed. With one quick, swift, horizontal swipe from left to right, the …
Day 7-A Restful Meditation
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2: 2-3 NIV On the 7th day, after God created …
Day 6-Humans
Tall. Average. Petite. Obese. Average. Underweight. Anorexic. Black. Brown. Green. Blue. Hazel. Eyes. Black. Brown. Blonde. Dirty blonde. Grey. White. Hair. The possible combinations of skin, hair, eyes, height, weight, muscle build, fatty tissue, nail thickness, personality, etc. are in the millions. Yes, God made them all. Vitiligo. Neurofibromatosis. Psoriasis. Acne. Acanthosis Nigracans. Rosacea. All …
Day 5: The Influenza Vaccine
"Let the water teem with living creatures, and let the birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky." -Genesis 1:20 NIV As expected, since I'm a healthcare provider, I'm a huge proponent of the influenza vaccine (also known as the "flu shot"). Wait! Before you stop reading, hear me out! Let's go …
Day 4: Circadian Rhythm
"I'm having trouble sleeping." "Are you having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both?" "Both. It takes me a long time to fall asleep and when I do, I'm up at about 2 or 3 a.m. So I probably only sleep 3 or 4 hours every night." This is a typical conversation that I have …
Day 3: Herbal Medicine
Mood swings, hot flashes, hair loss, and amenorrhea (no menstrual cycle) for more than a year. Most people are aware of what women experience when they undergo menopause. But the most agitating symptom that my patients complain about during menopause is hot flashes. They describe sleepless nights of wrestling with covers, sheets, the fan, and …
Day 2
My last blog discussed the creation of Day 1 in the book of Genesis. Let's take a look at Day 2: Then God said, "Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth." And that is what happened. God made this space to …
Day 1
Monday. Some of you may have squirmed at the sight of that. Some may have sighed. Others may have rolled their eyes. Monday is typically denoted as the start of a new week. We typically think of it as the busiest day, the most stressful day, and the longest day of the week. For me, …
My Prayer For You
Hello everyone! I've slacked a little this past week on blogs but I'm back to it now, haha! Over the past month, I have been reading a book called "Fervent" by Priscilla Shirer. It's a book about fervent, passionate, heartfelt, powerful prayers. It's a book about how the enemy, the devil, comes after you, your …
Prayer Works, Part 4
When patient's are diagnosed with cancer, I often hear: "I'm OK with it." "I've accepted it." "I'm going to fight this." "God will pull me through." In the middle of the fight, no matter if it's going well or not, I often hear the following phrases: "I'm tired but I'll be ok." "The pain meds …
Prayer Works, Part 2
The taste of liquid metal. Such an odd taste. Distinct. Strong. Almost tangy. A fizzle in her nose. A small gush of water escaped her right nostril. Then came the tangy metallic taste in her mouth. She hunched forward and cusped her hands below her nose to catch the waterfall of blood. “No, it can’t …
Prayer Works
“ Your diabetes is very uncontrolled.” I looked at this sweet elderly patient of mine. “ I’m not worried about it. God‘s got me.” The patient smiled and looked me squarely in the eyes. “ I agree that God has you but maybe He put me in your life to help with your medical needs.” …
The Who, What, When, Where, and Why of COVID-19 testing.
When COVID-19 was claimed a pandemic in March of 2020, we were pretty strict about testing patients. Patients had to have specific symptoms and fit specific other criteria for us to even consider using a test. Part of that is because we knew very little about the virus and its symptoms. It was also because …
Continue reading The Who, What, When, Where, and Why of COVID-19 testing.
“I’m so embarrassed!”
From head to toe, we're going to discuss a few topics that my patients have felt are "embarrassing" to talk about. Black Eye: A lot of people are embarrassed by this more so because of how they received the black eye and not actually because of the black eye itself. Sure, I'm going to ask …
A Symphony During A Pandemic
"Sometimes it's hard to breathe. All these thoughts are shoutin' me. Try to bring me to my knees. And it's overwhelming. Darkness echoes all around. Feels like everything is crashing down." When I discovered a child abuse case a few years back, I found it hard to breathe. The x-ray was shouting at me. The …
The Promises of Medicine
Part of practicing family medicine is providing patient education. I have to be able to explain diagnoses and treatments and answer patient questions. A great example is when I diagnose overactive or under-active thyroid disorders (hyper or hypothyroidism). "Will I have to take this medication forever?" I'm often asked. "Yes." "Will the medication work?" Is …
Why Family Medicine
I'm Kristina Polley, a Physician Assistant that practices Family Medicine. I'm referred by most of my patients as their "family doc". Typically, that means that I take care of their high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problems, weight issues, high cholesterol, anxiety, depression, and a few other chronic conditions. I'm the one they see for their …
The Armor of God
Right when we thought we could open up movie theaters and gyms, we took a few steps backwards and ended up stuck in Phase 2 in North Carolina, with a mandate to wear masks in public. At work, I'm still seeing patients outdoors, either in their cars or on our front porch. I drape the …
Forgiveness
"That was a great mock interview!" I smiled and held back a childish squeal of excitement. "But you'll never make it to medical school." "What?" My smile slowly curled downwards. "You'll never make it. You're not good enough. You're only a B student and there's nothing on your current college transcript that says you should …
Algorithms
I LOVE algorithms! When presented with a symptom from a patient, I will always use an algorithm to figure out what's going on in order to properly treat the symptom. For example, I get a lot of complaints from patients about chronic headaches. So, I use a series of questions in order to go down …
Time is Elusive
As a Physician Assistant, I find myself reminding patients that healing take time. And I also find myself asking patients to give me time to figure things out. A sprained ankle or wrist can take 6-8 weeks before it feels back to 100%. Sometimes longer. Sometimes shorter. I remind patients that neck pain from whiplash …
Chronic Pain and Healing
Pain. It's a very common complaint that I hear from patients multiple times per day. Sometimes it's very specific pain, such as lower back pain, right shoulder pain, knee pain, etc. This type of pain usually directly correlates to arthritis or a fracture. But sometimes, it's pain "everywhere". They feel it in all of their …
Skin Deep
"I'm sorry." "For what?" I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. "I've gained so much weight and I haven't been taking my medicine these past three months." My patient said. "Ma'am. You NEVER have to apologize to me for your health." It was her turn to scrunch her eyebrows. "You just lost your daughter to cancer. …
Up In Flames
Too often, my patients say, "I feel like everything is falling apart." It usually starts with a discussion on their health. Diabetes can cause fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain, and just an overall description of "not myself". Thyroid disorders can cause weight fluctuations, constipation/diarrhea, depression/anxiety, heart racing, fatigue, and another overall description of "not myself". Chronic …
More than Pain
If you ask medical providers their least favorite topic, I would hypothesize that it's probably pain. It's not because we don't want to take the time to do a thorough physical exam, order x-rays, order bloodwork, or prescribe medication. It's because we're a bit frustrated with the opioid pandemic. In actuality, we enjoy trying to …
Genealogy
If you're 50 years or older, you're due for a colonoscopy. Unless you have an immediate family member with colon cancer, then you might need a colonoscopy sooner. If you're a 50 year old female, you're due for a mammogram. You can get one starting at the age of 40 but the USPSTF (U.S. Preventive …
Significance of a Name
Hashimoto's Disease. Takotsubo's Cardiomyopathy. Wernicke's Encephalopathy. These are some famous names in medicine. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, disovered by a Japanese physician named Hakaru Hashimoto, is an autoimmune thyroid disorder where the thyroid gland doesn't function as well as it should, which can cause weight gain, depression, joint pain, constipation, dry skin, etc. This can be life-threatening. …
Racism
Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd. I blog your names so the world will recognize, remember, and honor you. Lord heavenly father, I pray for their families, I pray for peace, and I pray for justice. God, you made this universe and the people on Earth. You SEE color much deeper and more heartfelt than …
Identity
I am a full-time Physician Assistant (PA). For patients who aren't familiar with me, they often ask, "Who are you?" I then go into my monotonous mini-speech on how PAs can diagnose, manage, and provide continuity of care for all medical conditions. I then continue on about how we can order labs, prescribe medication, interpret …
A Healthy Heart
There are a few tips that I give to my patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and/or other heart conditions. Reduce your salt intake. Nowadays, most people are good with the salt shaker. But now, we have "hidden salt". It's the salt that sneaks up on my patients. It's the one found in canned …
Financial Worship
With a current pandemic, people are living off of unemployment and food stamps and there are concerns for future economic stability. So the last thing most people want to read about is tithing. But hear me out. Many years ago, I was staring at my bank account and questioned whether or not I'd be able …
Called During Chaos
"Mommy, do you have to go to work?" "Yes. I do." Her eyes filled with tears and she crossed her arms in anger, trying to contain her emotions. "It's not fair. This whole Coronavirus thing is going on and I don't get to see you that much because you're always testing people and having to …
Togetherness
The doors are opening. Slowly but surely, the doors are opening. Restaurants will soon host family dinners, gyms will provide a time of group Zumba lessons, and our previous sense of a normal world will soon return. Hallelujah, amen! I should just stop my blog right there haha! A lot of thoughts are running through …
Finding Faith In Medicine 