Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Fever Year: The Killer Flu of 1918 by Don Brown

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Fever Year: The Killer Flu of 1918 by Don Brown: Reviewed by Jeanne I like the way Book Bingo expands my reading.   This year I had another “read a graphic novel” square so I ...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End...: Reviewed by Jeanne Modern medicine has had an enormous impact on society, and not just in the form of longer lifespans.   Ther...

Still Sick

As some folks know, I have been fighting a cold that I got from Scott. I am still sick though slightly better this evening. Not sure what happened while sitting at UTD late this afternoon, I got very sleepy and a little dizzy. I actually napped for a few minutes in a chair in Green Hall until a future politician walked by holding court and spewing utter nonsense. He will go far.

Shortly after that Scott showed up and there was no way I could drive yet so we had dinner on campus. Sitting outside the pub area on campus, we ate dinner and I started feeling a bit better.  The weird dizziness and lightheadedness faded away, the nasal passages quit doing their fluid things, and the chest pressure and tightness I have had for the last three days went away. We sat there a bit longer and I started feeling decent. At least decent for me. Feeling it was safe to do so, we headed home.

The whole deal was weird and not something I have dealt with before.

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Navel Gazing by Michael Ian Black

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Navel Gazing by Michael Ian Black: Reviewed by Ambrea When I first picked up  Navel Gazing , I realized I recognized the author’s name.  He was relatively famous, I...

Now That You Ate Dinner

2 salmonella outbreaks leave 10 ill, prompting chicken recalls

Possible Bad Food

Lots of places on the updated list regarding Reser's Fine Foods, Inc. as well as a lot more products. Go to the FDA webiste and check the list. Stay safe.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm372345.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Update on Things---Dealing with TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Back in late November I wrote about how I had finally gotten approved for assistance for Medicare Part D by the Social Security Administration.  It took a while longer, but, I now know in general terms what kind of basic help I will receive on my medication costs. Anything helps and this will help me. Late last week I applied online for the program I wanted for drug coverage after overriding in the system (I think) the program that they had automatically put me into.

No surprise that the program they were automatically putting me into--something offered through AARP---had restrictive drug quantity limits and would not cover one of the drugs I am on for my high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Having played drug roulette before where my blood pressure meds were changed due to insurance nonsense with the result I wound up in the hospital, I have no interest in doing that again.  

Back when I was working I used to scare folks because sometimes I would be beet red in the face and other times I would be as pale as a ghost. People I worked with tended to notice that sort of thing. It isn’t something you can hide like trying not to limp even when your leg and back are hurting big time. I have weird blood pressure issues where I can easily soar sky high (over two hundred) and then drop to below a hundred twenty minutes later. Basically, it is a roller-coaster effect and I have to be on meds that handle that sort of thing. Therefore, I went with a program that appears to not only be cheaper than the program they picked for me but also--at least for now--covers my drugs. It is going to be another ten days or so before I know if I got in and when coverage starts.

Like I said, anything helps. If things go the way I want, this will help.

Dealing with TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES remains far more difficult than it should be or is necessary. Appeal letters went out today trying again to get us back on food stamps and Medicaid for Sandi and Scott. Somehow, and probably because of the original foul-up with Social Security, they have Sandi making a very nice income. I have provided proof again that the figure is/was wrong. I have also provided again documented proof that she is out on UNPAID medical leave and, in addition to other issues, is facing some sort of cardiac surgery to remove the thing from her chest wall slightly behind her heart. I have sent proof to the various people at the various levels who have handled the case incorrectly in the hopes that one of them can fix his or her error and thus restore our much needed food stamps and their Medicaid coverage.

I also included the latest bill from the cancer doctor as Texas Medicaid has not paid that. Now the bill has risen to 847 dollars and with more cancer treatment most likely needed in the upcoming weeks it needs to be paid by them ASAP.

What really took the cake with Texas HHSC was the deal we got yesterday. As I explained back in late November, I had been denied by Texas HHSC for help with Medicare Part B because I had failed to fill out an application. Being certified by the feds wasn’t good enough for the state folks. Also, the family being on food stamps with the same agency having financial records and every other thing on us going back two years plus was not good enough. I had to fill out another application for that and I hadn’t done so. Of course, one can’t fill out an application if one does not get one. So, I appealed the decision--pointed out the obvious problem that NO APPLICATION ever arrived--and requested an application.

I continued to request an application from each person in a different office in the state as the case was assigned a hearing officer, a date and time, etc. I kept pointing out there was no need for a hearing at this point as all I really needed was an application. I finally got my application yesterday.

In SPANISH.

After repeatedly requesting it and never once using anything other than ENGLISH, they sent me a multi-page horrendously long form all in SPANISH.  I can’t read Spanish. I can’t write Spanish. I do not understand anything sent to me in Spanish. My Spanish understanding consists of two obscenities. Two obscenities that I will not repeat here and are not found on any government forms to the best of my knowledge.

I have requested this morning an application in my native language of English.

Next time you see Texas Governor Perry on television talking about waste of tax dollars and how the state of Texas will not participate in the expansion of Medicaid because the state can set up things so much better than federal folks, think about us. Think about what we went through and have been going through to get the very little bit of assistance this state provides to their neediest residents. Residents, who, through no fault of their own, got sick, can’t continue to work, and need help.

Think about how Texas ranks number one in the number of people without insurance. Think about how Texas ranks at near the bottom on education and a number of other things. Think about us and what we have gone through and are still going through.

It just isn’t right. It is bad enough to be sick, disabled, etc. but those in charge make things much worse and much harder than they have to be.

Kevin

Book Review: "Good Medicine: A Return to Common Sense" by Carol Roberts, M.D.

Published in 2009 by way of Outskirts Press, Good Medicine: A Return to Common Sense reflects the author’s working blending together traditional and holistic care to deal with patient illness. The several page introduction is best summed up with the bold face quote on page XI: “This book is all about you, your body, its needs, your well-being, and how to achieve it and your ultimate joy in living, which, surprisingly, does not depend on the body or its stale of health.”

The book opens with a look at options in “Chapter 1: Conventional Medicine and Holistic Medicine-Know Your Choices.” After briefly recounting her experience in medical school, her medical practice of ear, nose, and throat surgery, and why she believes there is a place for holistic medicine based on her personal experiences; Dr. Carol Roberts explains options in simple to understand jargon free language. After comparing and contrasting the purpose and uses of traditional and holistic medicine it is on to the various aspects of the body as seen holistically.

Everything starts with the digestive system so that comes next in “Chapter 2: The Foundation of Good Health- The Digestive System. Starting on page 11, there is an explanation of how the digestive tract is supposed to work, how probiotics work, how ulcers can be treated with licorice root and mastic gum, dealing with food allergies, among other topics.  Along with the information presented here, the chapter closes with some action points and a list of recommended reading. That same closing of the chapter format is followed throughout the book.

Now that you k now how the digestive tract and everything related to it is supposed to work it is time to talk about the food that goes into your body with “Chapter 3: What Should I Eat, Doctor.”  Starts on page 25 with the ideas that one should eat whole foods, eat fresh foods, drink plenty of water, avoid the sugary sodas, eat the right amount of protein and fats, and other detailed information. Unlike your doctor who may not take the time to tell you why, Doctor Carol Roberts goes into some detail on each recommendation here while explaining why each one is important.

The question of whether vitamin supplements work is one that is frequently covered in media news stories with inconclusive results. The topic is addressed here starting on page 33 of “Chapter 4: What Vitamins Should I Take, Doctor?”  After pointing out that supplements are not realistic way to avoid taking drugs, the author goes into detail about various vitamins, how they are supposed to work, and the natural source for them. Also included here is some information about minerals as well as basic recommendations for everyone.

One of the recommendations is to take two 1,000mg capsules of fish oil daily as, among other things, it helps with chronic pain. My cardiologist recently put me on one 1,000mg capsule of fish oil daily because of my cholesterol numbers. I have noticed no change in my severe pain levels based on taking one for a month plus now. Whether two a day would make a difference I don’t know, but it is something to seriously consider. Something I may try even though taking one seems to make me burp a bit about an hour to two hours after taking it with dinner.

“Chapter 5: The Anatomy of the Energy Body” follows with a discussion about how important patient feelings are and how they are ignored by traditional medicine. There is a mind/body connection and the energy of the body flows through various vortexes called “chakras.” This chapter covers how the chakras are supposed to work in your life from birth to death.

Next up in details is the heart in “Chapter 6: The Healthy Heart” that begins on page 55. After explaining the heart and various aspects of how it is supposed to work, the focus shifts to treating heart disease conventionally and holistically. Along with dietary suggestions, the obvious recommendation to avoid toxins such as smoking, references to food allergies, there is an explanation of chelation therapy and how it improves circulation body wide.

The focus moves upwards to the head in “Chapter 7: Brain Health- Now and Forever.” What your brain needs supplement wise, sleep wise, and other useful information is here. The ten page chapter goes into more detail than the often repeated recommendation to do games and puzzles.

“Chapter 8: Sex Hormones in Women-The Good and the Not-so-good” begins on page 70 with an explanation of hormone therapy and menopause. Some suggestions are made along with a discussion of how emotions and hormones work together and the need for regular breast exams.

A theme throughout the book is that the patient is a product of his or her environment. In “Chapter 9:  Effects of Environmental Toxins on the Body” Dr. Carol Roberts explores what toxins can do to your body.  Heavy metals, food additives, and more toxins are covered here as is detailed explanations of the damage caused is covered here.

“Chapter 10:  Ridding the Body of Toxins” explains how you do exactly that. “Clean up what’s coming in, support the body’s detoxifications systems, eliminate the junk.” (page 101). Along with probiotics, sweating through exercise, colonics, other suggestions are made to accomplish the quoted goal. Part of that cleanup is to practice positive thinking in the form of meditation and having the courage to changing your life.

Starting on page 115, “Chapter 11: Sex-Keeping It Up Longer” goes far beyond the latest erectile dysfunction ad. Beyond the biological need for sex, the act is one of the body needs for good health. The benefits of “Tantric Sex” are discussed here along with other information on the topic.

Acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, flower essences, and more alternatives are covered in “Chapter 12: Other Forms of Treatment.” Starting on page 121, various forms, their uses and abilities, and what they are believed to do are covered here. The ones here are ones that the author has some experience with and feels comfortable recommending.

The person and their relationship to society and society’s relationship to the planet is the focus of the brief final “Chapter 13: The Big, Bigger, Biggest Picture.” Everything is interconnected and society has to fundamentally change to protect Gaia (Mother Earth).  It has to be recognized that the planet is alive, women must be respected as must the plants and animals, and that, among other items, violence is unacceptable and archaic. The new watch words must be “Respect for life, care for one another, and create the new world together.” (page 136)

An afterward with a short list of online resources to find a holistic doctor closes this 164 page book.

Good Medicine: A Return to Common Sense is an interesting book that makes the point that patients need to be fully informed about their medical situations in order to make informed decisions. While medications many be needed, often the drug is just treating a symptom and not getting to the root cause of the issues. For real improvement, one has to get beyond treating the symptoms and actually treating the real cause of the problem.

Good Medicine: A Return to Common Sense

Carol Roberts, M.D.

http://www.goodmedicinebook.com/about.asp

Mercurius Press

December 2009

ISBN# 978-0-9779316-2-0

Paperback (also available as an e-book)

164 Pages

$19.95

Material supplied back in March 2010 for my very long overdue objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012

Author of the e-book short story collection Mind Slices available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords in a variety of formats.

Reviewing: "Top Five Questions To Ask Your Doctor" by Jim Sutton, RPA-C and Sagar Nigwekar, MD

Written by two doctors, Top Five Questions To Ask Your Doctor: Important questions your doctor wants you to ask about your medical condition is designed to give you the most important questions to ask your doctor regarding a variety of diseases and conditions. Instead of going blank when you hear the term “cancer” or something else, or suddenly thinking of things to ask later in the dead of night, this book is designed to help you stay informed about your condition.

As we all know, a doctor's time is increasingly limited. Those precious minutes with him or her have to be maximized. In the section titled “Tips for Talking to Your Doctor” it stresses the idea that the patient should “set the agenda” and “use your time wisely.” That is followed by suggestions for questions that you should always ask every visit. Examples range from the general “how will I know my treatment is working?” to the more specific “will this medication interact with any other medication I am taking?” There are also several basic questions listed for staying in the hospital and before a surgery or procedure. Those few pages pass quickly and then it is on to the alphabetically listed diseases and conditions.

From what my father-in-law had years ago named “Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm “ on page 10 to Warts (common warts) on page 154 and nearly everything in between the authors cover a number of medical issues that are common as well as rare. In each case, the authors list the top five questions for each topic and additional questions. A topic can be covered in as little as two pages to nearly a dozen. 150 different problems are listed and can range from the very common “Ear Infections” (page 71) and “Tooth Pain” (page 144) to the less common and more complex “Bell’s Palsy” (page 36), “Meningitis” (page 107) and “Vasculitis” (page 198) among others. Each disease or condition also has a multi sentence paragraph introduction explaining what it is before leading into the questions. While some questions are generic in nature and cover a variety of diseases/conditions, others are very specific to the disease or condition.

A five page index brings this very helpful book to a close. Written in regular language devoid of medical jargon by doctors, this book is one of those books that everyone should own. Easy to use and easy to understand, it allows the patient to focus on other things---like getting well.

Top Five Questions To Ask Your Doctor: Important questions your doctor wants you to ask about your medical condition

Jim Sutton, RPA-C

Sagar Nigwekar, MD

Outskirts Press, Inc.

2010

ISBN# 978-1-4327-5826-4

Paperback

160

$12.95

Material supplied by the authors in exchange for my objective review. It is also available on the Kindle for $3.99

Kevin R. Tipple © 2011