When to Call Hospice   When IU accepted my job as palliative care nurse practitioner eight years ago, a Chaldean colleague told me I was crazy for taking the position and that I will not be able to get any Chaldeans into Hospice. Although this was never my objective, I am glad to say he was wrong.

By Dr. Rena Daiza July 1, 2022 Beautiful Michigan summer is finally upon us. Summer is typically a relaxed time to enjoy the outdoors and catch up on that vitamin D we were missing all winter long. But with the change in weather and increased outdoor activity comes certain hazards to be aware of. This can include heat-related illnesses, sunburns, and water accidents. Heat exhaustion is when your body is literally overheating. If you are ever in the unfortunate situation where you have been exposed to high heat for a time and notice heavy sweating accompanied by a rapid heart rate, it’s important to immediately stop all physical activity and seek cooling shelter. Your body needs rest and hydration. If you fail to pay attention to the warning signs, you could find yourself having a heat stroke – the most serious of heat-related illnesses. Heat stroke occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature. The sweating mechanism fails, and the body just can’t cool down. This is a medical emergency requiring an immediate trip to the Emergency Room. You can still have fun in the sun but should know your risk level. Children and older adults who are […]

August 28, 2018 It was 4 p.m. on a Friday af­ternoon, and “Ruth” was my last patient of the day. She was one of my regular el­derly patients and I was hop­ing for a short visit. I noticed that she failed to greet me at the door as she always did. I started discussing her blood pressure readings but she seemed unusually reserved during our conversation. At one point, she mumbled, “You may not see me again.” At first, I failed to process this comment, but her demeanor made me concerned enough to explore her mood. I went through a questionnaire with her that revealed she was suffer­ing from severe depression. She even admitted to having suicidal thoughts. “Nobody would miss me or think about me, Dr. Daiza,” Ruth said. “Sometimes I think about hanging myself in the basement.” I froze. I immediately urged her to get help. I mentioned mental health professionals, medications, and even inpatient psychiatric treatment. She refused everything and appeared frightened. “Don’t tell anyone! Don’t send me away!” she sobbed. I started to counsel her and asked if she would agree to meet with me every few days. I had built a trust with her that […]

April 30, 2021 By Dr. Rena Daiza The past year represented the most challenging times in my career as a physician. Every member of the healthcare community would echo this sentiment. We all, like the rest of our society, long for a return to “normal,” like the times when we could do our jobs and take care of the sick without risking our own health. Our close-knit Chaldean community has also suffered greatly with the losses of so many to this pandemic. We all wish to gather with our friends and family for holidays and weddings again. The light at the end of this dark tunnel is mass vaccination. It is our only safe path. But now the medical community has another battle to fight – vaccine hesitancy within our own community. In an era of rampant social media and hyper-politicized environment, sometimes it can be difficult to separate myths and lies from facts about the vaccine. Much of the hesitancy is reasonable yet with a bit of education, people can learn that getting immunized is the right thing to do to prevent further devastation and loss. In Michigan, vaccines are now available to anyone over the age of 16 […]