Cathren is a community collaborative artist who has been working with the Community Libraries of Providence and other non-profits since 2012, developing arts and literacy programs and creating public art installations. She has been an artist in residence at Hattie Ide Chaffee Home since 2023, implementing visual arts and health programs with seniors and dementia patients. Website: ArtHouseRI.com
The term “antibiotic” means, literally, opposing life. Their medical intent is to destroy invading bacteria, but they can be far more indiscriminate killers. Sometimes, their target is us. Since the beginning, antibiotics have been a double-edged sword. Antimicrobials are probably one of the greatest success stories in the history of medicine, saving countless lives and […]
Dear C; I’ve known Erik for about six months. At first we were just friends, but as things went on I began to feel really attracted to him. I thought I was picking up those vibes from him too, and I was really starting to think we were on the way to something more. On […]
Doctors have been regarded as superheroes and omnipotent beings, as trusted saviors and givers of life. The doctor has also been reviled as a blood-sucking pill pusher with a luxury lifestyle financed on the back of inflated fees. The truth is that physicians are as varied as the patients they treat … and today, the […]
One of my favorite literary quotes is from Stephen King’s, Cell, a gory tale in which most of the US population is turned into zombies by a frequency transmitted via their cell phones. Shortly before getting her brains bashed in by a lurching humanoid, one of the few remaining survivors says, “Don’t ever assume. ASSUME […]
Although the exact origin of condoms is debated by archaeologists and historians, Greek mythology alludes to their first use back in 150 AD, when, according to legend, Minos, the first king of Crete, used a goat’s bladder to serve as a female condom. One can only hope that the female was human. The oldest condoms […]
With the changing of the guard in America’s political arena, the future of our health care is in limbo. Trump’s election has thrown us a wild card. It remains to be seen how that card will be played, but let’s take a look at the game. Trump has declared war on the Affordable Care Act. […]
Dear C, My daughter, Lila, is 14 and she had been complaining that she doesn’t want to go on visitations with her dad anymore. I have no reason to believe she’s in any danger or that there’s some kind of abuse going on. She doesn’t come home covered with bruises or telling stories about wild […]
“He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skills of his doctors.” – from an ancient Chinese proverb In western medicine, doctors pay but glancing heed to a patient’s diet other than to hand out standard cautions and restrictions. I don’t blame the doctors; nutrition is simply not a part of their education. […]
With prices rising every week, food has become more of a luxury item than a staple. Even government assistance only goes so far; SNAP benefits for an individual are capped at about $195 a month. Those who pay cash really feel the pinch. Healthy eating on a budget? When I began writing this column, I […]
Dear C; During the holidays, I had a falling out with a friend. Let me start by saying that I have my own issues. I was touched inappropriately as a child, with no say in the matter. Physical intimacy has never been a casual thing for me. When I was younger, I sometimes let guys […]