Saturday, May 31, 2008

Countdown to 200k visits


I noticed recently that our pal Dr. Rob just passed 100,000 visits. He made light on this event, with, what else, a Twitter post. I then took a look at my own Sitemeter stats and saw that I'm getting close to 200,000. YAY! Doing some calculations, I think this will happen this weekend. Help me out (hehe), send your friends and neighbors over here to check out my blog. Hope you're having a great weekend!

Friday, May 30, 2008

Show 36 Wrap-up




Thanks so much to Dr. Bruce Campbell for joining the show. (See video post above) His blog is called Reflections In A Head Mirror. We talked about how he chose his career as an ear, nose, and throat specialist. He said that he was originally going to be a primary care physician, but then changed to ENT - that's an interesting story.

We then talked about how be started blogging. His hospital asked him (and a few other docs at where he works) to start writing articles for the hospital. This then was moved forward to blogging. Bruce shares an interesting story about how did (and still does) keep a journal of his reflections on life. That's so interesting, because that's a theme that I have found - especially with physician bloggers. I did keep a journal myself for a few years, so I can relate to where he's coming from.

I would like to thank my callers to joining the show as well. Dr. Val asked about the peritonsillar abcess which sometimes can be an emergency situation which needs treated right away. Theresa, who is a new blogger at Rural Doctoring, called in and asked about the diagnosis and treatment of sinus infections. ScanMan also called in later in the show to talk about sinus x-rays. Thanks also to Kb and MediMediMary for calling in and saying hello. Also, in the chat room for the first time was Buckeye Surgeon. Thanks for everyone's support of the show.

I also talked about some news stories at the end of the show: Some Shun Wireless Internet, Warning issued over unlicensed sex drugs, Japan man stalks toll-free line to hear woman's voice. Let me know if you like news stories at the end of the show. I'm debating with myself whether to keep this part in. Don't forget to rate Show number 36 on the BlogTalkRadio site. Have a great weekend everybody!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

At the Apple Store



Stopped by the Apple Store this morning. YAY!

Dr. A Show 36: Bruce Campbell





BlogTalkRadio Listen Live

Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time

Join us tonight for The Doctor Anonymous Show number 36 (See video post above). Our guest will be Dr. Bruce Campbell who is an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Check out yesterday's post for a sample of his blog called: Reflections In A Head Mirror.

If you do listen live, you can even take part in the chat room. It is truly "The show within the show." You can even call in and say hello. A great opportunity to interact with medbloggers you've only read about. And, you will be able to see me on the live webcam during the show! See you tonight!

For first time Blog Talk Radio listeners:
*Although it is not required to listen to the show, I encourage you to register on the BlogTalkRadio site prior to the show. I think it will make the process easier.

*To get to my show site, click here. As show time gets closer, keep hitting "refresh" on your browser until you see the "Click to Listen" button. Then, of course, press the "Click to Listen" button.

*You can also participate in the live chat room before, during, and after the show. Look for the "Chat Available" button in the upper right hand corner of the page. If you are registered with the BTR site, your registered name and picture will appear in the chat room.

*You can also call into the show. The number is on my show site. I'll be taking calls beginning at around the bottom of the hour. There is also a "Click To Talk" feature where you do not need a phone to call into the show - only a microphone headset. Hope these tips are helpful!

Physician's Right To Choose?


Can a physician refuse to treat a patient based on religious views? This is a question that is being brought before the California Supreme Court. Oral arguments were presented on May 28th. At the center of the case is a woman who is making the claim that she was refused an intrauterine insemination with donated sperm because of her sexual orientation. (ABC)
Benitez, now 36, is a lesbian. She sued her doctors under California's civil rights laws, charging that they discriminated against her because of her sexual orientation. Today, the state Supreme Court will consider whether a doctor can invoke his faith to refuse a patient treatment.
In reading articles from sources like the LA times, AP, and ABC, the press is spinning this into a gay verses religious issue. They always love doing that. Also, take a look at the LA times comment section - definitely no love lost for docs. The press also like to sprinkle in a little racism undertones to add fuel to the fire.
Benitez's lawyer, Pizer, compared their response to the civil rights era: "I don't treat black patients, but I will refer you to someone who will." "It opened our eyes to discrimination," Clark said. "We knew how black people felt and didn't realize how deep it went and how on-guard it makes you."
Here's my take on this case. First of all, fertility services are an ELECTIVE procedure - meaning this is not an emergency situation. The rules are entirely different for an elective procedure. The press is playing this off as the docs refusing "the right" of treatment. And, people are asking on "how can doctors refuse treatment?" "Doctors should be required to do these services or have their license taken away." If this was a doc refusing to treat a unstable and dying patient because of religious or any other beliefs, that would be a lot different. But, this is not the case here.

Secondly, when it comes to non-emergency treatment, doctors, nurses, hospitals, dentists, chiropractors, physicians assistants, minute clinics, and anyone else in the medical field - can and have - refused treatment - pretty much on any grounds. Whether it's right or wrong in your opinion, finances are a reason. Some offices don't accept Medicare anymore. Some offices don't accept Medicaid anymore. Most offices do not accept every single insurance out there. If people don't pay their bill, then they are terminated from treatment. Is this discrimination? Some say it is. Some say it's not fair, but it happens every day in this country.

I have the ability to prescribe antibiotics for conditions which I think are appropriate. If a gay person wants antibiotics and I don't think they're appropriate, does that make me a homophobe? If a person of different race and I disagree on a particular treatment course, or if I refer this person to someone I think would be more appropriate for a treatment, does that make me a racist?

The press and the media have engrained in this culture that patients have the ability and "the right" to refuse any treatment that they like. The press and the media have engrained in this culture that patients have the ability and "the right" to sue any and all doctors if they believe they received inappropriate treatment. The press and the media have engrained in this culture that patients have the ability and "the right" to express their religious beliefs to a point where patient care may be compromised. Even soldiers in the war zone can refuse (on religious or any other grounds) to take any role that would support a combatant organization armed forces. Do docs have any rights here?

This California case is NOT about sexual orientation or religion or racism or refusal of treatment. This is about seeking different options with regard to an elective procedure. Are you telling me that physicians cannot decline to treat a non-emergency condition? That's ridiculous. Fast track this case to the US Supreme Court and let's have this settled once and for all.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The Bruce Campbell Interview


The Doctor Anonymous Show is proud to welcome Dr. Bruce Campbell to Show 36 on Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time. He is an ear, nose, and throat specialist (otolaryngologist) and author of the blog called Reflections In A Head Mirror. Here's a quote from his bio:
Bruce Campbell, MD, grew up in the Chicago area, graduating from Purdue University and Rush Medical College. He completed an otolaryngology residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a head and neck surgery fellowship at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He has been on the faculty at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin since 1987.
Even though this resume is pretty impressive, what really impresses me is the high quality posts that this guy writes. For example, here is one of Bruce's early posts simply entitled "Testimony:"
Several days each year, I teach high school health classes about smoking. The kids, no doubt, understand that a middle-aged physician is going to tell them that smoking is bad. As I begin, they are polite but disengaged. As I run through statistics about teen tobacco use, they look around, stifle yawns, and do their math homework. Then I show them videos I made of some of my patients.

One woman in her late 40’s had a recurrent cancer. She is lying in a hospital bed, gaunt, pale, and exhausted. She has a feeding tube in her nose. Her voice is hoarse and her movements deliberate. On the video, I ask her if she thinks her smoking had anything to do with her cancer. “Oh, definitely,” she responds. Then, spontaneously, she continues, “Every time I see someone smoking, I’d just like to tell them about me and how much I have suffered.” She takes a deep involuntary breath and begins to cry. I have watched the scene dozens of times and it still affects me.

As she wipes her eyes, the kids in the classroom are transfixed to the screen and absolutely silent. I honestly do not know if this woman, now long dead from her cancer, has had an impact on individual kids’ smoking behavior, but I like to think that her testimony has made a difference in at least a few of their lives.
I hope you're able to join us for the show, because we're going to have a great time. Following the interview with Bruce, I just be talking about stuff for the last 30 minutes of the show or so. Even feel free to call in, if you like. Check out the blog tomorrow for more details!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Show 35 Wrap-up




Thanks so much for Amy Tenderich for being on tonight's show 35. (See video post above) I have admired her for a long time and the work that she has done on Diabetes Mine. She said that their website has just been updated, so I encourage you to check that out. We talked about her story about when and how she was diagnosed. She also mentioned a post called "Dr. Suess Fun with Diabetes Book" which apparently garnered a lot of attention.

We also talked about a new diabetes social networking site called Diabetes Connect. I've checked it out and it looks intriguing. I want to wish her the best of luck in getting Diabetes Connect up and running, and congratulate her on the continued success of Diabetes Mine. Amy said that the diabetes community on the internet has just exploded in the past few years. I know I direct my patients to some of these patient blogs to get first hand knowledge of some of these chronic diseases.

After my conversation with Amy, I tried something different to end the show. I had about half and hour of me just talking about stuff. I talked about various news stories like this one, this one, this one, and this one. I'm not sure if I like doing that, so let me know if you like that format (of me commenting on news stories).

Thanks so much for Peggikaye for calling into the show (at almost the very end of the show). With her son just graduating high school and Pk going back to college, this means that they are going to be on the same college campus. How interesting is that?

Finally, I'm on call this weekend for the Memorial Day three day weekend. Hopefully, things will not be too crazy-busy for me working. Don't forget to rate Show number 35 on the BlogTalkRadio site. Have a great weekend everybody!

Dr. A Show 35: Amy Tenderich


BlogTalkRadio Listen Live

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time

Join us tonight for The Doctor Anonymous Show number 35. Our guest will be Amy Tenderich who is author of the blog Diabetes Mine: A Gold Mine of Straight Talk and Encouragement For People Living With Diabetes.

If you do listen live, you can even take part in the chat room. It is truly "The show within the show." You can even call in and say hello. A great opportunity to interact with medbloggers you've only read about. And, you will be able to see me on the live webcam during the show! See you tonight!

For first time Blog Talk Radio listeners:
*Although it is not required to listen to the show, I encourage you to register on the BlogTalkRadio site prior to the show. I think it will make the process easier.

*To get to my show site, click here. As show time gets closer, keep hitting "refresh" on your browser until you see the "Click to Listen" button. Then, of course, press the "Click to Listen" button.

*You can also participate in the live chat room before, during, and after the show. Look for the "Chat Available" button in the upper right hand corner of the page. If you are registered with the BTR site, your registered name and picture will appear in the chat room.

*You can also call into the show. The number is on my show site. I'll be taking calls beginning at around the bottom of the hour. There is also a "Click To Talk" feature where you do not need a phone to call into the show - only a microphone headset. Hope these tips are helpful!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Amy Tenderich Interview


The Doctor Anonymous Show is proud to welcome Amy Tenderich to Show 35 on Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time. She is author of the popular blog called Diabetes Mine: A Gold Mine of Straight Talk and Encouragement For People Living With Diabetes.

As I discuss in my video post below, this blog was one of the first that I started reading when I was considering starting my own blog about two years ago (how time flies when you're having fun).

Here's a little excerpt from her most recent post called "On Good Advice and Saving Mantras":
My personal best-advice-received was only a few years ago, post-diagnosis, and surprisingly, came from a woman I barely know and don't even like very much. I was at the gym, apologetically trying to fit myself in to the front a crowded aerobics class, when this rather unfriendly Super-Aerobics-Babe sort smirked at me openly and said, "Be bold."

At the time I was simply annoyed and a little confused by her words. But since, I've decided that's about the smartest thing anyone ever said to me. No more apologies for being who I am. Having this stupid disease, I'm lucky to be alive. Lucky to be healthy enough to jump around in an aerobics class at all. Lucky to have been able to reach out to so many people via this blog and discover a whole community of like-minded souls.
Following Amy's interview, I'm going to be starting a new segment of the show - which will be the last 30 minutes of this week's show. I really learned something from last week's debacle of a show (it wasn't that bad, just a little embarrassing to me). And, I'll talk about it at the end of Show 35. So, you'll just have to find out what it is....



Sunday, May 18, 2008

Twitter Come Back




Saw this link out there on the Twitter a few minutes ago (Thanks Kevin Rose). I think it's pretty self explanatory (You can also check it out here and here). Don't know what Twitter is? Well, why not? Just click here and you'll learn more information.

Friday, May 16, 2008

New Blogger Alert


This morning, I was notified that someone called "ruraldoctoring" is now following me on twitter. So, as I usually do, I check out the blog. And, it looks like this blogger just started this week. Remember when you first started blogging and wondering whether anyone would read your stuff? Here's an introduction:
My name is Theresa Chan. I'm a family physician working in rural Northern California. This blog is about the small triumphs and everyday drama of making a living in medicine.

There are a lot of good medical blogs to read, and many of them are much better than I am at dissecting the policy missteps that have led to the current collapse in primary care, and at criticizing the government policymakers behind them. However, most medblogs have a decidedly urban/academic/policy-centered focus.

What is missing is the voice from small-town doctors such as myself, who are struggling with policy failures in rural settings in which clinical services and political advocacy are severely limited. What is also missing is the personal testimony of individual doctors making career choices that represent disappointing concessions to these same policy failures, all in order to survive financially in the current medical climate.
This is really great stuff. So, I encourage you to check out the Rural Doctoring blog and follow her on her twitter feed. I think this blogger has great potential, and I think you will too. And, don't forget to tell her that Doctor Anonymous sent ya!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Show 34 apology




What a frustrating night! Show 34 started off well. I told my little Las Vegas story and I thought things were going well. I took a musical "commercial" break, and then my connection was gone. Then, computer problems. I took the next 20 minutes to try to figure things out, but was unsuccessful.

I remember back to those first shows last summer when I literally had a technical glitch for every show. I didn't know what was going on. It seemed like every show something would go wrong. Then, I think I fixed the problem, and I had a good run for a while - that is, until tonight.

So, I apologize for the show tonight. Thanks to all those who stuck with me as I was trying to fix the problem. What's great about all of you is that when I was trying to fix things, the chat room seemed to come alive with activity - I really appreciate that. I'm going to work on things over the next few days, and I'm optimistic that next week's show will be a lot better.

Dr. A Show 34: Vegas Vacation


BlogTalkRadio Listen Live

Thursday, May 15th, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time

The Doctor Anonymous Show returns after being off last week for show number 34. There are no scheduled guests, but don't let that stop you from tuning into the show.

Last week, I was in Las Vegas for a couple of nights and that was a great time (check out last week's posts and video if you haven't already. Have you been to Vegas? Well then, call into the show and we'll talk about it.

You can even take part in the chat room, or what I affectionately call, "The MedBloggers Lounge." A great opportunity to interact with medbloggers you've only read about. See you for the show!

For first time Blog Talk Radio listeners:
*Although it is not required to listen to the show, I encourage you to register on the BlogTalkRadio site prior to the show. I think it will make the process easier.

*To get to my show site, click here. As show time gets closer, keep hitting "refresh" on your browser until you see the "Click to Listen" button. Then, of course, press the "Click to Listen" button.

*You can also participate in the live chat room before, during, and after the show. Look for the "Chat Available" button in the upper right hand corner of the page. If you are registered with the BTR site, your registered name and picture will appear in the chat room.

*You can also call into the show. The number is on my show site. I'll be taking calls beginning at around the bottom of the hour. Hope these tips are helpful!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Show 34 Preview and other stuff


I don't know about you, but this has just been a crazy week for me. Why is it that you're getting ready to take a vacation (even 2 days), you're really busy before you leave AND you're busy when you get back? That has happened to me this week. That's why I've been quiet here and even on Twitter this week.

BTW, if you haven't already, check out Grand Rounds 4.34 over at the Health Business Blog by David Williams. His blog was one of the ones that took part in the April Fools Grand Rounds. He's got a great blog over there, including a number of podcast interviews with medical professionals. Thanks for including my GR post this week:
Are doctors overmedicating kids? Doctor Anonymous raises the issue but keeps his own verdict close to the vest.
Interestingly enough, I was mentioned again in this week's Grand Rounds. TBTAM (former guest on The Doctor Anonymous Show 25) made some comments about my recent interview with Paul Levy. Here David Williams' take on TBTAM's post:
Doctor Anonymous interviewed Beth Israel Deaconess president Paul Levy. The Blog That Ate Manhattan was eating it up at least for a while. Here’s an administrator who gets it, who’s empathetic toward docs and generally a good guy. 

But then she reacts (or possibly overreacts, as she admits) to a comment Levy made about dealing with a difficult doc in a negotiation. In the comments section Levy explains himself further: Doctors should be expected to communicate and negotiate well as part of their jobs, and not just in dealing with administrators. 

Meanwhile GruntDoc was listening to the podcast, too. He didn’t take umbrage at Levy’s comment. In fact he’s a bit embarrassed that doctors display such “horrible” negotiation skills.
WOW! It's great to see the show causing such a stir out there in medical blogland. This is exactly what I was hoping this show would do - cause more discussion. Fascinating...

Anyway, I would like to invite everyone out there to The Doctor Anonymous Show on Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time where we may further discuss these topics and a lot more. I have no scheduled guests, so it will be me rambling on about - whatever. And, of course, taking your phone calls. I'm excited to tell you about my trip to VEGAS. Has anyone out there been to Vegas? Call in and tell me about it. See you for the show!

Friday, May 09, 2008

Vegas Recap




I can't believe that I'm going back home later today. Had a great time out here. Check out the video above and you'll get the recap on my two quick days/nights here in Las Vegas. Have a great weekend, everybody!

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Only in Vegas (airport)




I have a headache this morning for some reason (and I don't know why). Anyway, I knew no one was going to believe this when I told them, but this person (see video post above) was on the same plane with us arriving to Vegas. So, while in baggage claim, why not shoot a little video. Everyone else was. More video posts soon (when I can edit them).

Vegas Nite One


Wish you were here! What's the caption? Gimme your best shot...

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Viva Las Vegas




As I mentioned previously on The Doctor Anonymous Show, there will be no show for May 8, 2008 since I will be out of town. Where am I going? Well, I will be in Vegas Baby! (see video post above) In case anyone is interested, here is the current forecast for Vegas (They say it's a dry heat, right?)

I'm going out there with people from the hospital for a conference. I haven't even looked at the schedule yet, but I hope that it's not an all day thing. What's the time difference out there, anyway? I guess I'll find out. With me being on call last weekend, I'm still catching up on things and haven't been able to think ahead that much.

Our flight leaves this afternoon and we'll be arriving there in the early evening tonight. I hope to be shooting some video out there and posting it here. Wouldn't that be nice? It's been a few years since I've been out there. As with my previous trip this year, make sure to keep track of My Twitter Feed to see what I'm doing. I may even check out this Brightkite account that I just got. Anyway, any suggestions on what I should do when I'm out there in Vegas?

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Grand Rounds


Grand Rounds 4.33 is now up and running over at Suture For A Living. (apologies for the late posting of this today). There is no theme this week. But in addition to the great posts, there are some great pics! Thanks to Dr. Ramona for including my post this week:
Dr Anonymous asks a simple, yet, controversial question: If someone has used marijuana - even if used for medical reasons - should this prohibit him or her from being considered to be on a transplant list? Hospitals throughout this great nation struggle with this question every day.
If you don't know what Grand Rounds is, it is a weekly compilation of the best posts from the medical blogosphere that moves to different sites each week. And, who doesn't like reading about medicine and science? Next week, Grand Rounds moves to the site called Health Business Blog.

Monday, May 05, 2008

Doctors Overmedicating Kids


You've probably seen this your morning news stories, but doctors are being blamed (imagine that) for overmedicating kids (again). In fact, according to a study reported by the Associated Press, American children are taking what are called "anti-psychotic" drugs at a rate six times higher than children in the UK.
Does it mean U.S. kids are being over-treated? Or that U.K. children are being under-treated? Experts say that's almost beside the point, because use is rising on both sides of the Atlantic. And with scant long-term safety data, it's likely the drugs are being over-prescribed for both U.S. and U.K. children, research suggests.
What are "anti-psychotic" drugs? Well, according to the article, the most commonly prescribed drugs in the UK in this study have the names of risperdal and thioridazine. Now, I have to tell you that these are medications that I hardly use in adults. And, I have never used these drugs in children.
The new U.K. study, involving 1992-2005 health records of more than 16,000 children, is the first large examination of these drugs in U.K. children. It found the increase was mostly in medicines that haven't been officially approved for kids. They were most commonly prescribed for behavior and conduct disorders, which include attention deficit disorder.
Ah, HA! Here we go. The issue of attention deficit disorder is so divisive among the parents, teachers, and docs that I talk to - that this article will continue to fuel the fire. There are some who debate whether this diagnosis even exists. There are others who believe that docs do not medicate these kids enough. So, why do US docs medicate kids more?
A recent report in The Lancet suggested that the U.K.'s universal health care system limits prescribing practices there. The report also said direct-to-consumer ads are more common in the United States. These ads raise consumer awareness and demand for medication.

While drug company ties with doctors are common in both the U.S. and U.K., Vanderbilt University researcher Wayne Ray said U.K. physicians generally are more conservative about prescribing psychiatric drugs. Ray co-authored the U.S. study, published in 2004.
So, again, it's the doctors fault that American kids are overmedicated for attention deficit disorder. What is new about that? It'll be interesting to see how the parents, teachers, and medical blogs will react to this report today. We'll see.

Finally, if you haven't seen this already, the American Heart Association made a statement last month that kids who will be receiving attention deficit disorder drugs - these kids should receive a heart test (ECG/EKG) before start of these medicines. The American Academy of Pediatrics has not taken a position on this recommendation as of yet. But, this recommendation could have a huge impact. Here is what's on the AAP website:
The American Heart Association is now recommending children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should have heart tests - including an electrocardiogram (ECG) - before starting treatment with stimulant drugs. The AAP is evaluating the science behind these recommendations and will offer its guidance in the near future. Meanwhile, parents with questions or concerns about the AHA statement should consult their child's pediatrician.
By the way, just to clarify, family docs also take care of kids. Why couldn't they say "consult their child's physician." Sheesh.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Show 33 Wrap-up




Thanks so much to my guest Dr. John Halamka for being on The Doctor Anonymous Show. Very knowledgeable guy. So much so that I have to admit that I was a little intimidated after doing research for this interview. But, to my pleasant surprise, not only is he a knowledgeable guy, a very nice guy - and funny.

We talked about his early love for medicine and technology. He is the first physician in his family and talked about how he built his first computer. Then, the talked about how he used this passion for technology in medical school and in residency. Following his emergency medicine residency, the pursued a fellowship in Health Informatics and then eventually ended up in his position right now which is Chief Information Officer at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

How do you incorporate technology in a health setting? We talked about when he started in Boston and when Paul Levy became CEO of the hospital there. Since it's my show, I talked about my situation being a physician leader at my hospital and how sometimes physicians can be resistant to change - particularly technology change.

Close to the end of the show, we talked about the partnership between Google Health and Cleveland Clinic in the area of health information. He informed me that his hospital has also partnered with Google for a similar program. Sarebear called into the show and discussed topic as well.

Finally, on a lighter note, John discussed his personal weight loss story which included a shift toward vegan life. The weight loss has opened the doors for him to do things like rock climbing and ice climbing. He also has a love for the Japanese flute (music included in the video post above). And, we talked about his association with Blackberry. Can you believe this guy gets 600-700 e-mails a day? Sheesh! Don't forget to rate the show here after listening to it. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Dr. A Show 33: Dr. John Halamka


BlogTalkRadio Listen Live

Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 9pm Eastern Time

Join us tonight for The Doctor Anonymous Show . Our guest will be Dr. John Halamka who is Chief Information Officer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He is author of the blog called Life as a Healthcare CIO. He is also an emergency physician, and apparently, a Blackberry guy. I'll have to ask him some iPhone questions just to be funny.

You can even take part in the chat room. It is truly "The show within the show." You can even call in and say hello. A great opportunity to interact with medbloggers you've only read about. See you for the show!

For first time Blog Talk Radio listeners:
*Although it is not required to listen to the show, I encourage you to register on the BlogTalkRadio site prior to the show. I think it will make the process easier.

*To get to my show site, click here. As show time gets closer, keep hitting "refresh" on your browser until you see the "Click to Listen" button. Then, of course, press the "Click to Listen" button.

*You can also participate in the live chat room before, during, and after the show. Look for the "Chat Available" button in the upper right hand corner of the page. If you are registered with the BTR site, your registered name and picture will appear in the chat room.

*You can also call into the show. The number is on my show site. I'll be taking calls beginning at around the bottom of the hour. Hope these tips are helpful!