Category Archives: Health

Coronavirus Fail

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As of yesterday (Friday) evening, a major American hospital in an affluent suburb has no face masks available for its medical personnel.

And no coronavirus test kits, naturally.

The information comes from a frontline medical employee of the highly trained, professional type. A person who treats patients. The suburb and hospital shall go unnamed. Someplace on the East Coast of America.

What is the condition of the U.S. medical system? How bad is the incompetence and dysfunction? We’re not talking about individual frontline employees. They are usually well-educated, conscientious, dedicated.

The incompetence and dysfunction is at a higher, systemic level. Higher than the individual hospital, for sure. Doctors, nurses, hospitals understand what is needed.

But at a higher, industry-wide, systemic level, the necessary planning, coordinating, and administration doesn’t get done. Stockpiles don’t exist or can’t be delivered. Funding isn’t available. Information and communication lag behind reality.

Top-level officials appear uninformed, even befuddled.

— John

 

 

Dangerous Heatwave Alert

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Dangerous HEAT — like over 100° and then some — is expected this weekend throughout much of the United States, especially the East Coast, Andrew Freedman reports in The Washington Post. It will be an extended heatwave, possibly of historic magnitude, that’s my interpretation. Google the Capital Weather Gang. Turn on your TV. Bring in the pets.

The heat will be made worse by very high humidity left over from the hurricane that moved north from the Gulf of Mexico a few days ago.

Extremely high heat is a most dangerous weather condition, according to Freedman.

Everyone should make sure their air-conditioning is working, and that includes New England. Have extra water. That’s according to me.

ELDERLY PEOPLE who do not have air conditioning should make plans to shelter in a safe, air-conditioned place for the weekend, or longer. Pack your bag and go to a relative’s or a friend’s house. Don’t wait. Do it sooner rather than later. Today or Thursday would be a good time to go. Don’t forget your toothbrush and your prescriptions. I’m not an expert, and I don’t want to be alarmist, that’s simply my opinion.

I imagine that every big city will open heat shelters, but I don’t know if they will act quickly enough or have adequate space for everyone.

My personal suggestion for dogs and cats: It would be nice if you can take them with you, but it’s probably not critical. I think they will survive OK. Just leave them several large bowls of water and let them go down in the basement, if you can. They can go hungry for a while, but they need water.

Pray that the power companies are prepared, and the electric grid is secure. Demand overload and power failure could easily turn into emergency. Widespread and extended power outages could become disasters.

This is not science fiction, or apocalyptic fiction, or any kind of fiction. It’s news. It’s what we can expect in the future. The future begins this weekend.

— John

Wisdom All Gone

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Finally had the last wisdom tooth extracted. The one on the upper left. Yesterday. It’s been on the to-do list for years. Near the top of the list for months. The tooth was in deteriorating condition. So said the dentist. Figured I might as well deal with it now, while I’m still of sound mind and body — more or less — than later. You never can tell about “later.”

I could have my lights turned out for the procedure. So said the oral surgeon. But only if I came in the a.m. and had a driver take me home. Or I could choose local anesthetic in the p.m. My neighbor across the hall and I have a mutual accord regarding driving assistance for such occasions. I’ve taken him to and fro the hospital in Tampa a couple times. But I opted for afternoon. I never willingly schedule anything before noon.

Oral numbness was accomplished. The extraction itself was over in five minutes. No prescription pain-killers prescribed; Motrin or Tylenol recommended. I went with Tylenol. Bleeding continued for a few hours, until all the wisdom drained out. Tylenol did the trick. After-surgery pain was not as bad as advertised. Need only a little Tylenol now, on the day after.

I am under doctor’s orders to avoid exertion and fatigue. No heavy lifting or blogging today.

— John

Snowzilla Blizzard Success: Car Dug Out, And No Heart Attack

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It’s the simple pleasures!

It’s being grateful for the ordinary, everyday things we take for granted.

Such as living and breathing and your heart beating. Can’t get more ordinary than that. You’ve got to do it every day.My car 2My Honda Accord has been freed from the grip of Snowzilla. Took me two days  to accomplish. I consider it a grand success, anytime a male  over 60 digs a car out without a heart attack! And I do not brag. Some other folks were not so fortunate. There but for the grace of God go I. Heaven knows, it’s not because I’m so physically fit. Because, well, I’m not.

I’m delighted to report that here in Gaithersburg, MD, Snowzilla is in full retreat in above-freezing temperatures.

Thanks to all who shoveled, to all those who were prepared in advance with snowblowers, and thanks to the guys who drive those little mean, green machines.

— John Hayden

Medical Research May Cause Heartburn

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So now we learn that Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid, to name a few brand-name proton pump inhibitor drugs — used to treat acid reflux — might be related to chronic kidney disease and heart attacks.

The research on kidney disease (Johns Hopkins) and heart attacks (Stanford) was reported in The Washington Post on Jan. 12, 2016. The research does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship; only a statistical association, as I understand it. (Truth too tell, I don’t understand scientific and medical information at all. It makes me queasy. I think I need to lie down. But reclining makes it easier for the acid to reflux.)

I take omeprazole, the generic of Prilosec. Therefore, I resent the implications of this research. I mean, I take it personally. Does this suggest that we need to choose between kidney disease and/or heart attack, and acid reflux?

It’s worth noting that acid reflux, untreated, can result in damage to the esophagus. Just thinking about  this stuff gives me heartburn.

A possible alternative to omeprazole would be to give up pizza and chocolate. Or I could stop reading the newspaper and watching news on cable TV.

I’ll think about it tomorrow.

— John Hayden

 

Thirteen-thousand Steps On The Fitbit

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On Monday, I clocked more than 13,000 steps on the Fitbit. A new Personal Record. The goal is 10,000 steps a day. The Fitbit is a good motivating tool for people like me, who are short on self-motivation.

Lots of exercise was a frequent recommendation by the folks responding to my post about depression. So success at walking,  for at least one day, is my first, humble effort to write “good news.”

Stand by for more good news.

Can You Walk Ten Thousand Steps A Day, Every Day?

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I’ve been hearing the latest health edict for quite a while.

“Sitting is the new smoking!”

The human body was made to move, not sit. Get up and walk. Just do it.

OK, I sprang for a book. “This Is Your Do-Over: The 7 Secrets to Losing Weight, Living Longer, and Getting a Second Chance at the Life You Want,” by Michael F. Roizen, M.D. It’s 358 pages hardback, including index and a forward by Dr. Oz. Yep, that Dr. Oz. Continue reading →

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How a Medicare health maintenance organization (HMO) works. The premium is smaller, but it includes Part D prescription coverage. What’s the catch? Read all about it.

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This year’s flu vaccine don’t work so good. I could have reported that. Two weeks ago. I wonder if they’ve found out how long it takes to recover from this year’s flu. People do recover, right?

Is It Economic Contagion? Or Only the Flu?

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NOT TO WORRY. IT'S ONLY A BAD DREAM. THIS WALMART WAS BOARDED UP AS A PRECAUTION BEFORE HURRICANE IRENE A FEW YEARS BACK. -- John Hayden photo

NOT TO WORRY. IT’S ONLY A BAD DREAM. THIS WALMART WAS BOARDED UP AS A PRECAUTION BEFORE HURRICANE IRENE A FEW YEARS BACK. — John Hayden photo

February sales are a “total disaster” for Walmart? That’s what the cable news channels report. It must be a slow-news Saturday. Sounds to me like a desperate stretch for a headline. The month is barely half over!

You say Europe is in recession?  Fuh-get about it! Europe is peanuts. Europe went out with the 20th century. Get over Europe, already!  Walmart — now we’re talking important.

Continue reading →