Doctor

The family of a Newport Beach doctor killed in January is accusing the suspected gunman of defrauding them in the weeks after the deadly shooting in January. They have filed two lawsuits in the span of a week against Stanwood Elkus, the Lake Elsinore man accused of gunning down urologist Dr. Ronald Gilbert in an examiniation room. In addition to a wrongful-death claim, the family accused Elkus of giving away real estate he owns in order to shield it from the Gilberts if they win damages.

This isn't an easy subject for me, but it's one many will relate to. I have rheumatoid arthritis. Thanks to the wonders of medical science and a doctor who worked with me for five years to get my "Molotov cocktail" just right, I am, for the most part, in remission. I'm hoping by sharing the beginning and middle of my journey (I won't say end, because this disease is not curable) I will provide others with some encouragement. Before RA, I was being treated for chronic sciatic nerve and joint pain -- I was given more than 45 cortisone injections and physical therapy.

The family of a Newport Beach doctor killed in January is accusing the suspected gunman of defrauding them in the weeks after the deadly shooting. They have filed two lawsuits in the span of a week against Stanwood Elkus, the Lake Elsinore man accused of killing urologist Dr. Ronald Gilbert on Jan. 28. In addition to a wrongful death claim, the family accused Elkus of giving away real estate he owns in order to shield it from the Gilberts if they win damages, the Daily Pilot reported.

People suffering from depression may not bring it up with their doctor for a number of reasons, a study finds. The most common one? They're afraid of getting a recommendation for antidepressants. Those findings are featured in a study released Monday in the journal Annals of Family Medicine . In it, researchers surveyed 1,054 adults about why they wouldn't tell their primary care physician about depression symptoms, as well as their beliefs about the mental disorder. Depression symptoms, the study authors note, are underreported.

Before I had my daughter I thought everything I did mattered. The tone of voice I used, how much I held her, the way she was disciplined, or not. Now she's 6 and I'm wiser. I know there is a flower contained in her soul that needs only to blossom, and my job is to get out of her way . . . if I can. But there was one decision that was crucial to my daughter becoming who she is -- and that was choosing her doctor. Being wary or neurotic, depending on your definition, I interviewed several doctors before deciding on the woman who became my daughter's pediatrician.

I was disappointed, and surprised, when reading your Dec. 29 article, "Medical-Waste Mess Leads to Fees for Health Professionals," to learn that The Times apparently does not know that a dentist is a doctor. A veterinarian is also a doctor, as well as numerous other professionally trained people. The title "doctor" is a generic term not intended to be used to exclusively indicate a medical doctor (physician). Your consistent use of the phrase "doctors and dentists" is incorrect, benighted and offensive to all professionals authorized to use the title "doctor."

Re "Rethinking cancer," Editorial, July 29 Your commentary that "aggressive measures aren't always best" in cancer treatment is based on a study with subjective end points that create more confusion. All studies have a built-in bias or limitations determined by the authors. Medicine is not a true science; it is based on clinical experience. The standard of care is determined by the physician. The Medicare Act of 1965, which promoted sub-specialty care and the development of designer drugs, changed everything.

Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III -- in a development that should shock nobody -- is well ahead of schedule for his recovery from knee surgery, Washington's team doctor told the NFL Network on Friday. Griffin, the league's offensive rookie of the year, underwent a reconstructive operation last month to repair the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his right knee. The typical recovery and rehabilitation time for a professional athlete is nine to 12 months.

OK, here's the best argument yet for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:  It clearly costs too much to become a doctor. How else to take the news that a Connecticut family is selling a cherished memento to help pay off their son's medical school debts? Thirty-year-old Michael Gott of Stamford, Conn., has almost $200,000 in school loans, his mother explained.  But, as luck would have it, there's a little something tucked away in a drawer for a rainy day: a baseball.