Author Archives: ddxdx

About ddxdx

A Family physician, former county coroner and former Idaho State Senator

Counting Deaths

I have written before about the value of knowing the cause of death to a community. Obituaries used to be reported in the newspaper, not paid personal notes as they are now. The cause of death was usually included in … Continue reading

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Response to Protest

There were pictures of armed protesters in the Michigan state capitol last week. They came to publicly disagree with governor-ordered restrictions on activity in response to the ongoing viral pandemic. No shots were fired, but the internet flamed with outrage. … Continue reading

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Last Wish

About a month ago when the shutdown was starting and the Corona virus was just starting to kill people in serious numbers in this country we had an uncomfortable conversation in our kitchen.  It didn’t go well. I share it … Continue reading

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No Column This Week

I’ve been plugging away at writing this column for over three years now so I thought I’d take a break. There will be no column this week. Initially I’d thought, since we are nearing the primary election, I could say … Continue reading

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Pandemic Placebo

The buzz drummed up around hydroxychloroquine by our President as a treatment for Covid19 doesn’t surprise me. Honestly, a lot of politics is snake oil and he’s proven to be really good at selling it to some of us. But … Continue reading

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Time Waits for no Fish

The pool hall is closed, the streets are quiet but there’s still work to do. You should be reading the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Columbia River System and submitting a comment. The deadline is April 13th, so get … Continue reading

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Progress

Last week I saw all my patients (except one) by phone or online visit: telehealth. Thanks to our global pandemic us old doctors are having to learn new tricks. It was telling that the telehealth, online visits were mostly with … Continue reading

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Calvinball

I loved the Calvin comic strip. He and the tiger played Calvinball. There were no rules in Calvinball. The Idaho legislature must love Calvinball too. For the second year in a row they have not approved any rules. The legislature … Continue reading

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Prepare

March 15 2020, Moscow Idaho The world and my little town seem to be preparing for a wave of Covid19 infections, and some critically ill patients. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen. But just how would we do in the face … Continue reading

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No News

With the Idaho legislature in session, a pandemic threatening, and health care costs on their steady climb I want to catch you up on all the Idaho health care news. Well, this could be short. Just to save you the … Continue reading

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