MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'death,'. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:54:26 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876326&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FbIC8OY6mMp4%2Fend-of-life-cancer “Are you going to write in your book about the people who died?  It is so depressing,” a person in the publishing world asked while I was writing Everything Changes.  My answer: a polite version of “You better f***ing believe I am.” How could I write a book about cancer and exclude the people who died and their families?  Yep, it has its sad moments, but that’s why cancer sucks.  That’s why we raise money for research.  That’s why I write a blog and wrote a book, and promote young adult cancer organizations: all so we can support each other around the pissy hard times. Charissa is an recent widow who I’ve become friends with.  She is an incredible woman who I adore.  (See her recent post Mourning As A Young Adult?)  And I love my regular communication wi... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876326 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:44:32 +0100 2876326 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865662&cid=t_272784_88_f&fid=35612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheknifeman.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fspare-chaynge.html Our attitude to death, or Death, if you will, constantly fascinates me. I suspect it is, at least in part, related to the secularisation of society. I think people fear death considerably more now they aren't assured that it means going to paradise to meet one's maker. Coupled with the idea that we can do so much to stave off death, this seems to me to have resulted in a world where we no longer accept that death comes to us all, and devote much time and money to prolonging the inevitable.Even when this has been accepted, people seek to transfer the responsibility to someone else, usually the medical profession, often me, because I stand by the front door.Last week, among the throng that seems to be increasingly the norm at South Coast General, and this is only the beginning of Winter, wer... The KnifeMan blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865662 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:42:00 +0100 2865662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865882&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-nfl-goes-pink-for-breast-cancer-awareness-month%2F Number 10 on the Pittsberg Steelers football team wore pink cleats during Sunday night Football so did the quarterback, Ben Rothlesberger. Some of the players on other teams wore pink shoes today too. Coaches on the sidelines had baseball caps with pink beaks. Many players in the NFL wore pink gloves and pink arm bands and used pink towels on the bench. A couple of players even had pink socks on, but they all had a pink ribbon on their helmet. NBC went as far as to post tag lines on the television screen in pink while commentators of most networks broadcasting games wore pink ties. The NFL went pink this weekend for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Big bruising basher football players looking mighty pretty in pink. Some of them did it for their moms, some for their girlfriends or wives but a... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865882 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:22:02 +0100 2865882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862511&cid=t_272784_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fanother-way-defibrillators-prevent.html It seems they can stop bullets:A 61-year-old male presented to the emergency room with a gunshot wound to the upper left chest. He had a history of myocardial infarction, two coronary bypass graft surgeries, and intracoronary stents. The patient had chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 24%. He received a Medtronic Virtuoso-DR D154AWG (Minneapolis, MN) transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in 2007 for primary prophylaxis. Since implantation, he had never received ICD therapy but did atrial pace frequently. The ICD had been interrogated 2 weeks prior and was found to function normally. Despite the gunshot wound with an entry to the chest located just medial to the ICD generator, the patient remained alert with stable vital signs and ... Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862511 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:52:00 +0100 2862511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855666&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FEGWTLO6RZJg%2F Whether you agree with the new HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines or not, one has to be fair about the news that comes out about it. Last week, it was widely reported that a 14-year-old British girl died after receiving the Cervarix vaccine. This vaccine is being given to young women and adolescent girls to reduce the risk of contracting some types of HPV, which are known to cause a significant number of cervical cancer cases. Sadly, Natalie, the 14-year-old, became ill shortly after being vaccinated and she died not long after. Of course, it wasn’t hard not to blame the vaccine as it certainly appeared that the cause and effect was there. But after examining Natalie’s body, doctors confirmed that her death was not due to the vaccine, but rather that, Natalie had an undetected... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855666 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:33:02 +0100 2855666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855527&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fsuicide-woman-uses-do-not-resuscitate%2F Who is right? A woman tries to commit suicide. She’s rushed to the hospital but she’s conscious still and hands the doctors a living will that stipulates that she doesn’t want to be treated, just kept comfortable as she dies. The doctors respect her living will and don’t treat her. They feel that if they do treat her, she could come back after them later and accuse them of assault, since she specifically refused treatment. She dies. Her family is angry, accuses the doctors of allowing the woman to die (which they did). They say, they had not choice because she told them not to. Who is right? This did happen in the United Kingdom recently. Doctors in the UK have had directives that they were to obey living wills from people who refused treatment. Failure to comply co... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855527 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:29:21 +0100 2855527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851864&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FuCChiaRVIXU%2F The death of a child is one that most parents can’t imagine. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is like a monster hiding in the closet; we don’t like to believe it’s there, but we’re afraid that it may be. The worst part of SIDS is the unknown. Researchers are beginning to find some clues that point to risks, but they still don’t know what really causes it. That means any child is at risk. October is SIDS Awareness Month. SIDS, also called crib death because it happens most often while the baby is sleeping, usually strikes children before two and four months old. Risk factors that could increase the chance of SIDS include babies who are (MayoClinic.com): Male. Boy babies are more likely to die of SIDS. Premature or of low birth weight. Your baby is mo... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851864 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:56:30 +0100 2851864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2836151&cid=t_272784_83_f&fid=36527&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcutonthedottedline.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F09%2F26%2Finescapable%2F One of my friends, an intern, is struggling with the belief that they killed their patient. I’ve thought that more than once, and in cold reflection I believe it to be true in at least one and two halves. That is, one I’m personally responsible for, and about two others I’m definitely responsible for significant failings. There were several other times that I felt very guilty about for a week, but as time passes I think my responsibility is less weighty in those. I haven’t written about them before because, in close temporal proximity, I was too upset to write, and I didn’t want any time correlation for the lawyers to find. The one patient that I think of particularly, I personally failed to notice something, and that thing being overlooked led to another thin... Cut On The Dotted Line blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2836151 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:15:48 +0100 2836151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2834345&cid=t_272784_122_f&fid=37835&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iqscorner.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fdid-us-5th-circuit-court-of-appeals-use.html Very interesting (puzzling) death penalty case decided on creative averaging of three IQ scores spanning decades.  Check it at sister blog.Technorati Tags: psychology, forensic psychology, neuropsychology, criminal justice, criminal psychology, IQ, IQ tests, IQ scores, Atkins case, MR, mental retardation, death penalty, capital punishment (Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner)) Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2834345 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:54:00 +0100 2834345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2824045&cid=t_272784_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FIIkbDDMGULg%2Fsuicides-and-our-soldiers.html This topic has become more real for my family. My first cousin’s son-in-law committed suicide this past weekend. He had had difficulty adjusting since his return from Iraq, but the family was still caught off-guard. If you can make it any worse, he chose his wife’s birthday to take his life. Fortunately, neither she nor their toddler son was home at the time. The issue of soldier suicide concerns many. Maj. Gen. William D. Wofford, Arkansas' National Guard Adjutant General, recently made a public plea for help asking family members, friends and employers of the state's 10,000 Guardsmen to watch for personality changes or signs of stress overwhelming his soldiers and airmen. There has been four suicides in Arkansas Guardsmen since January. As Dr Chad Morrow points out the suicide risk f... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2824045 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:20:12 +0100 2824045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2809839&cid=t_272784_130_f&fid=34938&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEvidenceInMotion%2F%7E3%2Fgio464qDKd4%2Fdeaths-due-to-lack-of-insurance.html The world probably would be a better place if everyone had health care insurance.  I say *probably* because it really does seem like the right thing - a human thing - a caring thing.  A recent study attributes 45,000 deaths a year  due to lack of insurance.  The population considered were 64 years of age and younger.If I am allowed to extrapolate a little bit using some current data for uninsured, that means that 46.3 million uninsured run a risk of dying because they don't have health insurance.  So, even though the 1 death in every 12 minutes computation sounds horrible, mathematically the occurrence is something like .0972%.Now the flip side... life isn't a fairy tale.  Just because one has medical health insurance does not mean death won't occur.  There happen to be reports on ... MyPhysicalTherapySpace.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2809839 Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:58:37 +0100 2809839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2809717&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F19%2F8-survival-tips-for-the-spouse-of-a-terminally-ill-person-an-interview-with-owen-surman-md%2F Recently I had the honor of interviewing Owen Stanley Surman, M.D., a practicing hospital psychiatrist known internationally for his work on psychiatric and ethical aspects of solid organ transplantation. Following the death of his wife, Dr. Surman devoted six years to writer a memoir, “The Wrong Side of an Illness: A Doctor’s Love Story,” which includes a deeply personal and unique view of events both tragic and transcendent. He now lives in Boston with his new wife.   Question: What words of wisdom would you give the spouse of a person struggling with chronic illness or terminally ill? Dr. Surman: Chronic illness and terminal illness have a pervasive impact on how we live our lives and in our sense of identity. Loss of a loved one affects the part of ourselves that... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2809717 Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:55:18 +0100 2809717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859104&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrdlc.dreamhosters.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fwhen-cancer-killed-grandma%2F I’d like to expand on what I wrote in this post, particularly about my grandma. I didn’t write enough about how her death affected me. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  when she was 85 and I was 15. It’s been said that type of cancer is one of the most excruciating and lethal. (R.I.P., Mr. Swayze) Let me backtrack… my granny was Manuela. She insisted we call her Manuelita, though. She didn’t want to hear any of that “abuelita” or “grandma” business. She was short, stocky, feisty, and incredibly rugged for her age. She lived with my family since before I was born. In a sense, she was a second mom. They both ran the show while Dad was off working. Dad, Mom, and Manuelita: they were the bosses of us 5 kids. Manuelita & me Manu... Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859104 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:26:07 +0100 2859104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859105&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrdlc.dreamhosters.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fmy-foundation-dads-response%2F Not too long ago, I wrote about my father. He called me yesterday and asked if I was ready to hear his response yet. I said, “Sure.” I was curious. He actually read this to me over the phone. Can you say emotional? Between him choking up and me reaching for tissues…well, I’ll let you read it. He left this as a comment on the blog yesterday, but I’m elevating it to full-on blog post, baby! My comments are in GREEN. His reply: Hi mi hijo, After I read “My Foundation” I was crying for awhile, and so many memories to to my mind and heart. I remember how many of my plans (as a dad) for you suddenly collapsed right before my eyes. I figured maybe you would be a great soccer player. But, most of all, a martial artist that I could be teaching and coaching. (My Dad... Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859105 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:12:51 +0100 2859105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2858875&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fsacrificing-to-receive.html We are reading a book in our small group - Fields of Gold, by Andy Stanley - all about fear and giving. As I read it, I'm not thinking about money. For one thing, giving money has never been my biggest issue - stewardship is. Personally, I think that's one reason God gave me a husband. Aaron is my check & balance. My children need to be provided for, which motivates me to be more careful that I might otherwise be with my resources (time, energy, money, consumables).Watching the Indian summer dance of evening cooled skin glimmering in the cascade of water from the sprinkler across the dead grass of fall, it hits me deep. I love this place. I love these children. I love this countryside. I love the sights, the sounds, the smells. I love a million little details about the life God gave me... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2858875 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:51:00 +0100 2858875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793388&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fduh-cancer-news-headlines.html I read the cancer news headlines, although all too often my response to a headline--like this one: "Depression cuts cancer survival"--is a resounding "DUH!"Now, I do know how research works, and I know that it is dangerous to make assumptions about disease and treatment and act on the basis of those assumptions ... but is there no room in the cancer research field for common sense? I guess not.In any case, researchers at the University of British Columbia reviewed 26 separate studies, which included more than 9,000 patients, and concluded: "Depression can damage a cancer patient's chances of survival."Death rates were 25 percent higher among patients with depression, according to the study. Read: Depression Cuts Cancer Survival For those ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793388 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:10:46 +0100 2793388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2788494&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fdeath-calculator-predicts-odds-on-dying%2F Researchers and students at Carnegie Mellon University have created a death calculator that allows users to compare mortality risks by gender, age, cause of death and geographic region based on  publicly available data from the United States and Europe. Answer a few simple questions and you’ll be enlightened, perhaps even frightened. Of course, it can’t actually predict when you might kick the bucket. But it is able to  calculate your risk of dying in the next year and allows you to compare that risk to others in the world. More specifically, it displays the risk ranking for up to 66 causes of death, provides  easy and direct comparisons, and estimates of the number of people that die for a specific group. To find out more, click here if you dare…. Post from: Healthbolt (Source: H... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2788494 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 07:09:15 +0100 2788494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782346&cid=t_272784_180_f&fid=38613&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stevepavlina.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F09%2Fpsychic-development-video-interview%2F If you’ve been following Erin’s blog, then you’ve already seen this, but if not… Erin and I recently did a 35-minute video interview for the Alison and Jaye Show (see below). Most of the Q&A focuses on psychic development and communicating with spirit guides, including the benefits and pitfalls of receiving guidance from non-physical entities. We also discuss overcoming blocks to financial abundance near the end of the interview. If you’re convinced there’s no such thing as psychic abilities, you can safely skip this interview because it won’t likely do much for you. This video is geared more toward people who already have some experiences with psychic phenomena as well as skeptics who are curious about this topic and want to learn more. By ... Steve Pavlina's Personal Development Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782346 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:49:41 +0100 2782346 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778655&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-wall-of-honor-post-your-thoughts-and-memorials-here%2F Beneath every breast cancer diagnosis is a beating courageous heart. Breast cancer has proven it does not discriminate based on race, class, intelligence, beauty or even gender. It strikes at our home, our community and doesn’t spare our loved ones. Whether ourselves, a friend, a colleague or family member, we feel the heartache and pain that comes with the disease. As often as breast cancer wields its hideous reality in someone’s life, just as often that person rises to the challenge and inspires us beyond the heartache. There are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in America. Women who have fought the good fight and have won. There are precious souls too who have fought the battle and have lost but they are no less special in the memories of those who loved them. In tru... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778655 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:08:21 +0100 2778655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796606&cid=t_272784_122_f&fid=37835&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iqscorner.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fcontroversy-re-use-of-mexican-wais-iii.html See post at sister blog Intellectual Competence and the Death Penalty.Technorati Tags: psychology, school psychology, educational psychology, neuropsychology, developmental psychology, forensic psychology, MR, Atkins cases, SCOTUS, WAIS-III, Mexican WAIS-III, IQ tests, IQ scores, test norms, psychometrics (Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner)) Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796606 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:09:00 +0100 2796606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859067&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FHw58Dx6TZCA%2Fcancer-strength My mom and dad drove to Chicago for an impromptu Labor Day weekend visit.  My mom sat by my computer this morning as I checked my email.  We began a conversation about Wendy Harpham’s blog post on “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Cancer not only sucks for me, but it hugely sucks for my parents to have watched me go through it. I asked my mom what she says when someone tells her “What does not kill you makes you stronger.”  Her reply: “I’d rather be weak.”  I love my mom’s line of thinking here.  It is so her: bold, tactful, and humble. I think and write a lot about ‘What is strength?’ ‘What is weakness?’  It seems to me the cancer community has blown out of proportion the concept of strength. My back has been up against the oncology wall many ti... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859067 Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:41:22 +0100 2859067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768813&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fpenelope-has-died.html Penelope, a much-loved member of our circle of cancer bloggers, has died. I heard the news from Teri, who received an e-mail from Penelope's husband. Penelope had melanoma, which had spread to her lungs and brain. Penelope lived an idyllic-sounding life on a farm in Oregon with her family and some livestock, including goats. She and I never met, except through e-mail and our blogs, but we communicated about the topics closest to us--our children, other members of our families, how to live the best life possible with this sword hanging over our heads. ... I know that Penelope worried about her daughter, who is 8, I believe, and she was very upset when Debutaunt died, leaving 9-year-old Zoe without a mother. We e-mailed back and forth about that. Here are just a f... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768813 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:36:15 +0100 2768813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2757825&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F01%2Fadhd-stimulants-children-and-sudden-death%2F Imagine if your child was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and was started on a course of stimulant psychiatric medications (like Ritalin), a standard treatment used for ADHD. Now imagine that suddenly, your child dies for no apparent reason. Your child would be in a very small but significant group of children who die while on stimulant medications. I cannot emphasize this enough, however — this is a tiny, tiny group. This fact is likely to be glossed over in many mainstream media reports about this study. Gould et al. (2009) studied state vital statistics from 1985-1996 and found that in 564 cases of sudden death in children ranging from ages 7 through 19, 10 (1.8%) of the sudden unexplained death cases were treated with a stimulant at the time of their death, as c... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2757825 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:27:00 +0100 2757825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859069&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FYgPLhTi08js%2Fwidowed Rick Gribenas is an artist and lymphoma patient quoted throughout my book Everything Changes. I’ve become friends with his wife Charissa since Rick’s death this past spring.  In addition to starting an organization, BRICKS, she’s been writing about her real time experience as a young adult widow.  Her first guest post was “How To Be A Widow on Myspace”, here’s more from Charissa: “‘There are no rules for this,’ a very wise friend told me. And by ‘this’ she meant my mourning. She’s not a widow herself, but a level headed, tough-as-nails lady who knows a little bit about a thing or two. She’s the one who hopped in her car minutes after my frantic text message alerting her to the passing of my husband, and drove from ... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859069 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:22:58 +0100 2859069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2751903&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7807 I think there are mixed signals about testing coming out from the MOH especially when there were earlier media reports about the Health Minister encouraging doctors to use the “rapid test”. The Star reported As the death toll from Influenza A (H1N1) rose to 38, the Government green-lighted the use of rapid test kits for private clinics and hospitals to conduct flu checks on the public. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said private healthcare providers can use these kits to help cope with the large number of patients wanting to be checked, and for faster detection and containment of the pandemic. “Use of rapid test kits was discouraged in the private sector earlier when the H1N1 outbreak was still small and mostly imported. “Now that it has reached the community lev... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2751903 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2751903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737800&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F9qhEEMjDrqY%2F Many know Dominick Dunne from his crime essays in Vanity Fair magazine, or from his bestselling novels. Dunne died today of cancer. He was 83. Dunne had been to the same clinic in Germany that Farrah Fawcett attended before her death. He was receiving stem cell treatments in a clinic in Bavaria. Dunne caught the public’s attention with his articles about crime and famous people, such as O.J. Simpson and the Menendez brothers. He had just finished one final novel entitled Too Much Money. Image: Zuma Press Post from: Blisstree Dominick Dunne Dies of Cancer (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737800 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:32:29 +0100 2737800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737878&cid=t_272784_122_f&fid=37835&url=http%3A%2F%2Fintelligencetesting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fnew-iq-mr-and-death-penalty-blog.html IQ, MR and the death penalty.Today I'm announcing a new blog projected related to the "life-and-death" (literally) issues surrounding Atkins cases...court cases dealing with the topic of mental retardation and the death penalty.  The blog has a specific focus on the intellectual competence (IQ) issues and research surrounding Atkin's cases.Additional information can be found at Intellectual Competence and the Death Penalty blog.  The announcement statement can be viewed here.Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, forensice psychology, criminal psychology, neuropsychology, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, Atkins cases, MR, mental retardation, IQ, IQ tests, IQ scores, death penalty, capital punishment, SCOTUS, intellectual competence (Source: ... Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737878 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:36:00 +0100 2737878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2730160&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F3e-9AycxFgg%2F News came down today that Michael Jackson officially died from an overdose of propofol. This wasn’t a huge surprise, but now that more information from the autopsy has been released, it does confirm what officials had originally believed. It also gives them more incentive to talk to Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray. Murray gave a statement that confirmed he had been giving Jackson medication to help with insomnia for as long as six weeks prior to the singer’s death. He said “each night he gave Jackson 50 mg of propofol, also known as Diprivan, diluted with the anesthetic lidocaine via an intravenous drip.” He was concerned that Jackson was becoming addicted to the drug, and tried to wean him off of it by combining the drug with different types of medic... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2730160 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:45:37 +0100 2730160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2724833&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2F10-things-dead-bodies-have-done%2F Death – it happens to all of us…eventually. And when it does, the usual chain of events is a funeral and/or where you are either buried or cremated, followed by a period of mourning for those you left behind. But, according to this fascinating article from mental floss, it doesn’t have to be that way. Might sound somewhat morbid and gross, but it turns out there are plenty things your body can do and places for your body to end up rather than six feet under or in an urn. According to this mental floss article  ‘10 Things Your Body Can Do After You Die’, throughout history, the dead have been busy doing everything from getting married (ghost marriage) and unwinding with a few friends (mummy based panaceas) to powering up crematoriums, being a Soviet tourist attraction (Le... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2724833 Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:16:04 +0100 2724833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2715919&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0S-SBIpu8OY%2F Don’t believe everything you read at The Plank — including the part about Sarah Palin’s “death panel” claim being a “lie.” Palin’s claim was a tad hyperbolic, but that does not change the fact that — as I explain in the Detroit Free Press — President Obama has proposed a new government panel that would enhance Medicare’s ability to deny care to the elderly and disabled based on government bureaucrats’ arbitrary valuations of those patients’ lives. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2715919 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:50:12 +0100 2715919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2712165&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F19%2Fis-my-child-a-kleptomaniac%2F In an article about apologizing, I confessed to stealing a friend’s hair brush when I was six. That brush burned a hole in the back of my closet until the unbearable guilt ratted me out to my Mom. She marched me over to my friend’s house and stood at a supervisory distance while I did the death walk of the condemned up to the door. The brush was returned together with a shaky, sincere apology. I never felt so bad, before or since. Thus ended my career in petty crime. When I read Perri Klass’s article in the New York Times Health section, Stealing in Childhood Does Not a Criminal Make, it rang so true. Dr. Klass is a pediatrician/writer whose career I’ve followed since my graduate school, her medical school days back in the ’80s. Like me, she is now a seasoned professional wit... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2712165 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:00:57 +0100 2712165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2712204&cid=t_272784_115_f&fid=37661&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnottotallyrad.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fdead-on-anatomic-art.html This smoking shelter is located on the campus of a local community college. I love the artwork... (Source: Not Totally Rad) Not Totally Rad blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2712204 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:28:00 +0100 2712204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709117&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FyIliDWHWvas%2F “Death panels” are a dominant motif in the debate over health care regulation, a fact that spins off political flares like a roman candle. Extremists on both sides have taken their extreme positions: Some literally fear President Obama and his health regulation plans; others are outraged that anyone could possibly feel that way. Charges of special-interest organizing meet counter-charges of unfairness and false accusation. Good video from town hall meetings and volleys of “Nazi” and “socialist” give cable news networks another short reprieve from their long slow decline. It’s all manna for the writers at Comedy Central. But let’s talk substance: Health care is a scarce good, so it will always be rationed. The core question is whether governm... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709117 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:22:54 +0100 2709117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2705120&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7685 Headlines in Sinchew are screaming Whose fault is it that leads to the high mortality? The influenza A (H1N1) mortality rate in Malaysia is close to 2% instead of the 0.1% to 0.4% as estimated by the Health Ministry. It reflects an unusual phenomenon. Without finding out the crux of the problem, assuming that 5 million of people are infected, probably 100,000 of them will die, instead of 5,000 to 28,000 as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of August 16th, the death toll is 62. The problem about working out the mortality rate is that the true denominator is not known unless ALL suspected ILI (Influenza Like Illness) cases are tested with confirmatory PCR tests. At the moment, confirmatory testing is done only in patients ill enough to be hospitalised, and not done for the... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2705120 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2705120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859110&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrdlc.dreamhosters.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fa-newly-discovered-poem%2F I was going through old backup CDs on the computer and found a file simply called “08212004.txt”. I don’t remember actually writing the poem but it’s definitely mine. It has no title: I am a burning force, an explosion of furious, blinding light. Unstoppable. Immovable. I am a raging blue firestorm. All consuming. I am a cold steel frame. Indestructible. I cannot see. I am crusted over. Blind. Hardened. Small. Crunched and cracked. Pathetic. -car It’s clear to me now that I was trying to express the two very different, but very real impressions I have of myself. I am very proud, but equally ashamed of myself. I’m amazing. I’m a f.ing badass. I survived cancer, and all the bullshit since then. I have lived life on a razor’s edge. I know way mo... Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859110 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:31:24 +0100 2859110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691473&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fflip-flops-can-turn-deadly%2F Any flip flop wearers out there? If so, here’s a study you  might want to consider. Two reporters living in New York City recently walked around the city for four days wearing flip-flops. They took numerous train trips, walked through Prospect Park, headed out to the bars in West Village, took in a baseball game at Coney Island, waded through the public restrooms at the Coney Island subway station, and even rode the Cyclone, twice. They then turned the flip-flops over to a microbiology lab at EMSL Analytical for testing. The results -  the flip-flops had collected approximately 18,100 bacteria of the five most prevalent varieties, including the deadly Staphylococcus aureus. Now flopping around in Flip Flops might stop your feet from touching the ground but they don’t stop the grim fr... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691473 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:47:49 +0100 2691473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2681967&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FMmFwvX8t-lo%2F I have to say, I’m shocked at the news that Billy Mays had been using cocaine. For some reason, that TV pitchman that was so well-liked and so recognizable represented something down-to-earth and homey to me. I trusted his opinions and when he sold something, it made me stop and take a look at what he was pitching. So the recent news that he had used cocaine “just days before his death” is shocking to me. The autopsy results having concluded that the cocaine use contributed to his heart attack. It just goes to show that we can’t abuse our bodies and expect there to be no long-term effects. Granted, I’m shocked at some of the rock stars who are still around and yet have abused their bodies for years. Billy Mays’ body obvious couldn’t take it. He wa... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2681967 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:56:52 +0100 2681967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2678823&cid=t_272784_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F06%2F2457%2F This was a therapy day so, as the subject of self-love came up, I did a search for Jai Michael Josephs’ song “I Love Myself the Way I Am”, which was included on an early Louise Hay tape I bought in the late 1980s. I’ll paste the lyrics below the YouTube recording by Steve [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2678823 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:55:59 +0100 2678823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660789&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F82K8UGxYpQQ%2F Fans of the fabulous writer E. Lynn Harris were saddened to learn that he had passed away last week. Now, a coroner’s report confirms that he died of heart disease combined with high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. He was only 54. At first the official report was that he died of natural causes. But natural causes at 54? I’m glad they did an autopsy and found the real reason. Harris, for those of you that don’t know, was a pioneer in writing. He had ten New York Times best sellers, and over four million books in print. Amazing. We will miss him. Image: Zuma Press Share and Enjoy: Post from: Blisstree E. Lynn Harris Died of Heart Disease (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660789 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:00:20 +0100 2660789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660926&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fcorazon-aquino-dies-of-colon-cancer.html I was working as a journalist in Tokyo when Corazon Aquino--the widow of an opposition leader gunned down by Dictator Marcos--led a "people power" revolt in 1986 that swept her into the presidency, and I've been a fan ever since.So I was saddened to read that Aquino has died of colon cancer, the same disease that killed my older brother. She was 76. I never got to go to the Philippines to cover Aquino, or the fall from grace of the Marcoses, whose regime was propped up by the United States for decades. "Better the dictator you know ..." seems to have been the U.S. government's attitude toward Marcos. The hottest ticket in town was the tour of Imelda Marcos' shoe closet, and I remember listening in envy to stories told by the Tokyo-based reporters... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660926 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:14:08 +0100 2660926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660927&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fa-death-in-the-family.html During the years I've lived with cancer, my friends have become my family, and the friends I know only through my blog have a special place in my heart. So when someone in this circle dies, I feel like it is a death in the family. I just received an e-mail today from a woman who has been writing to me for awhile, a woman whose husband had colon cancer ... and she told me that her husband died yesterday morning. Even though I didn't know him, I mourn his passing, and my heart is heavy. I don't feel the need to put out a call for action ... or to raise money ... or to rally round a ribbon of any color ... or to cry out at the unfairness of this disease ... I just want to feel what I feel, which is grief, for the loss of my friend's husband, and f... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660927 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:30:00 +0100 2660927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2657716&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F31%2Fdepression-increases-the-risk-of-major-diseases-and-illnesses%2F It’s fairly known that depression can occur after a heart attack and can increase the likelihood of a second heart attack. But did you know that the flip side is also true? That depression itself can increase a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease. A recent Johns Hopkins Health Alert reports: Prospective studies show that people who had no CHD [coronary heart disease] but were depressed when the studies began were more likely to develop or die of heart disease. Depression also aggravates chronic illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis, back problems, and asthma, leading to more work absences, disability, and doctor visits. Now results from a large Norwegian study suggests that depression increases the risk of death from most other major diseases, including stroke, respiratory... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2657716 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:04:17 +0100 2657716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2639619&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fv6_Mt7KOWXY%2F It always amazes me when I hear that someone has died of a disease that is pretty much preventable. If there is a vaccine or other method for protecting yourself, why put yourself at risk? And yet that’s just what some folks do by failing to either get information, shots, or treatment right away when they first get sick. According to Web MD, fewer than half of the people in the U.S. are familiar with some of the more popular dangerous diseases, such as: • Flu. Most Americans don’t know that flu is the biggest killer of all vaccine-preventable diseases. • Hepatitis B. Only 40% of Americans say they know about this major cause of liver cancer and liver disease. • Pneumococcal disease kills 4,500 U.S. adults each year — yet only 20% of Americans know much about it. �... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2639619 Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:57:11 +0100 2639619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645496&cid=t_272784_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fdeath-ride-report-2009.html Event: Death Ride (129 mi, 15,000' climbing and 5 mountain passes near Markleeville, CA)Date: July 11, 2009Weather: Clear skies, warm in the morning to hot later, then cold rain showers during the last pass; some winds, moderate at times but mostly head/tail rather than strong side gusts (which I experienced there a few weeks prior)Other people present: I rode with my friends Shannon and Rita along with a few others.Personal goal: finish all 5 passes safelyA few weeks prior, I went up to an altitude training weekend with the Velo Girls. [Note--thanks to Kyle T. for sagging that weekend, and for giving me some of the photos posted here!] The first day, we rode an easy 30 miles just to spin the legs out a little. The next day, we tackled Ebbetts Pass, which has a max elevation of 8730', and ... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645496 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:10:00 +0100 2645496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2626228&cid=t_272784_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F21%2Fraging-like-our-lives-depend-on-it-because-they-do%2F The vote, 52-1, was not even close but Manhattan New York State Senator Tom Duane took no chances after rival Republicans killed two of his bills earlier in the day. He unleashed this impassioned speech, with long pauses and end-of-phrase shouts – in the state legislature in Albany, speaking in favour of capping subsidized [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2626228 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:58:41 +0100 2626228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2622006&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fcancer-and-suicide.html I just googled "cancer" and "suicide," and the third result that popped up on the list was this category on my blog: SuicideThat surprised me, because I don't write about suicide all that often, although it is a topic that concerns me. The National Cancer Institute says that suicides among cancer patients are probably under-reported, possibly because of a "reluctance" to report these suicide deaths.Another result of my google search is a recent story about a cancer patient who killed herself. She was, according to the story, the first person to die using Washington state's new assisted suicide law. I live in Washington, and I voted against that law, even though I do think that we all (cancer patients or the temporarily able bodied) have a r... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2622006 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:35:22 +0100 2622006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610959&cid=t_272784_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F07%2F16%2Fforgive-me-for-not-being-quiet%2F Michael Jackson got a moment of silence in Congress for dying. He sold records, made music, and made people happy. He was an accused child molester. While never convicted, he did settle CIVIL cases out of court (which is all but admitting guilt when it comes to child molestation, am I right?). My cousin Brian was 19 years old. He was killed three days ago in Iraq by what the military has dubbed an “IED.” [Improvised Exploding Device] This is called newspeak, and it’s the government’s way to change the way a word makes us feel (and our response) — it’s propaganda and manipulation of the public to alter our thoughts, perceptions, and maybe even our ideals without us even knowing. They want to make it seem not as bad — not as harsh. Now, read it again... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610959 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:23:51 +0100 2610959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606193&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-power-of-hope-to-fight-breast-cancer%2F When you are given a breast cancer diagnosis you immediately realize that your world has been changed. The one thing that gives us the power to go on is hope. We hope that the cancer was caught early. We hope that the doctor will get all the cancer when he does the surgery and we hope that the cancer hasn’t spread. Hope is a powerful thing. It keeps us searching for answers and fixes our eyes on the future. Hope is the seed that faith grows on. Faith is believing that we have what we hope for. Faith is unshakable trust in the outcome, but faith doesn’t grow without hope. A lot of people that get depressed during treatment have given up hope. The sick feelings and drudgery of chemotherapy and radiation can have that effect. That is when we need support from other people. Finding... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606193 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:59:06 +0100 2606193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859117&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrdlc.dreamhosters.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fdeath-of-a-dream%2F Surgery #1 was 1987. Once I recovered from the drug-induced haze and made my way out of the physical therapy labs (around 7-8 years old), I had seen far too many medical staff. Yet, since they were all around me and concerned about me, naturally it made me curious about them. It was simply fascinating. Overwhelming, but fascinating for a kid brain. Example thought process as a kid in a hospital: Who’s that lady? Why’s she got a mask on her head? Stetho-what? Heh, look at the dumb clown print on that guy’s shirt! How come so many of them have silly shirts? What are those cards hanging from everyone’s neck? What is that giant piece of metal? Is this a dungeon? Whoa I’m on a moving bed. Why don’t they use any orange or yellow lights around here? Everything ... Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859117 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:25:08 +0100 2859117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859119&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrdlc.dreamhosters.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fthe-dreaded-question%2F Pain leads to anger and I am angry right now. Give me a f.ing rest, will you?! Yeah, talking to you again, God. I’m tired, leave me alone. You’ve beat me enough. You win! There, I said it! You win! You’re stronger, I know it. I got the f.ing message! I’m human! I KNOW! But why do you have to keep proving your vicious and relentless power to me? Let me be. Give me peace. And I mean on EARTH, you idiot! Don’t get the wrong idea. Stop. Please, just stop. I beg you to f.ing leave me alone. What is your aim? Tell me, if you know it all… How come I can’t know? For the love of god, why me? Why, why… a million times why? I’ll never know. Nothing will ever satisfy that dreaded question. It makes more sense to me that you do not exist. All life i... Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859119 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:19:54 +0100 2859119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584326&cid=t_272784_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fmakers-of-tysabri-report-another-case-of-pml%2F As Americans prepared to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, another declaration was being proffered by the makers of Tysabri.  Another case of PML has been reported in a multiple sclerosis patient taking their drug. Citing HIPPA regulations and international privacy concerns, nothing much is being said about the condition of the patient or a prognosis. The company did, however, offer a one page summary of the use of the drug (both in the USA and abroad) as of March of this year along with rudimentary information of the 10 reported cases of PML. I’ll not belabor the conversation of if/when to make a change to the drug.  Most people have made their own decisions (and I am still in the process of making mine).  PML is one of the factors to be... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584326 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:18:39 +0100 2584326 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2584216&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F08%2Fmichael-jacksons-brain-and-the-false-narrative%2F Since the news media seems to be unable to tear itself away from the Michael Jackson story, we learn about every fascinating detail about his life, and his death. Including the details of standard autopsy procedures, as though they were new or bizarre. The latest, of course, is that Michael Jackson’s body is being buried without his brain. But this is not unusual in an autopsy where the cause of death isn’t certain and the brain is suspected to carry some clues. The brain needs to harden, in order to perform the later slicing needed in the autopsy procedure: It involves removing the brain from the skull and leaving it to soak in a diluted mixture of formaldehyde and water called formalin. This soaking process usually takes four weeks and the brain genuinely does harden. Vaug... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2584216 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:24:00 +0100 2584216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2576576&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fa-virtual-cemetery-in-your-pocket%2F Everything and I mean everything seems to be virtual and wireless these days - including, thanks to this iPhone application,  even cemeteries. I’m not too sure what to make of it really. The Pocket Cemetery lets you create virtual memories using cusomizable tombstones and cemetery plots with pictures, bios, and favorite memories. And it doesn’t have to be just for your family. You can memorialize anyone, including celebrities and pets. You can even put virtual flowers and personalized messages can be placed on graves. Given that family members are often spread around the world and can‘t always get home, this might not be such a bad idea. . According to creator Wayne Perry, fans of Michael Jackson also think it’s a good idea. He’s received numerous requests for pre-release versi... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2576576 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:40:19 +0100 2576576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2573067&cid=t_272784_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F05%2Ffor-kims-son%2F I met her at a meeting probably eleven or twelve years ago. We instantly connected because of our shared status as HIV-positive people in recovery. I adopted the runt of a litter of kittens. Emma is with me to this day. During a subsequent relapse Kim became pregnant but quickly came back to [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2573067 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:00:15 +0100 2573067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556217&cid=t_272784_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fwhy-did-the-jackson-family-ask-for-a-second-autopsy%2F On Friday morning, before the first autopsy on Michael Jackson had been completed, I wrote an article in these pages to explain just what an autopsy is, why it’s done, and what we could expect from it  (I’m a former medical examiner and a board-certified forensic pathologist). As I predicted, the initial examination of his body with the naked eye, which is called the “gross” examination, was inconclusive, in part because further tests, which take days to complete under any circumstances, were required. These tests include the microscopic examination of small samples of each of the organs as well as toxicology tests of the stomach contents, blood, bile and urine. The toxicology tests look for the presence or absence any chemicals including prescription drugs, recrea... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556217 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:43:34 +0100 2556217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2550258&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F-h1BLSpBwS8%2F Alcohol is becoming known for increasing death rates across the world. According to new statistics, 1 in 25 deaths across the world can be linked to consumption of alcohol, including violence, injury, as well as disease. According to the medical journal, the Lancet , “The net effect of alcohol consumption on health is detrimental, with an estimated 3·8% of all global deaths and 4·6% of global disability-adjusted life-years attributable to alcohol. Disease burden is closely related to average volume of alcohol consumption” And, of course, it goes without saying that it’s the poor and the marginalized of the world who are hardest hit by the effects of alcohol. What makes these numbers astounding is that statistics show that there are more people in the world who abstain ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2550258 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:56:53 +0100 2550258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2527962&cid=t_272784_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fmichael-jackson-what-will-an-autopsy-look-for%2F When any person dies suddenly or unexpectedly it becomes the responsibility of the medical examiner to determine the cause of death. Such is the case in the tragic death of Michael Jackson at the all too young age of 50. When I worked as a medical examiner in Washington, D.C., in the early 1980s, our policy was to automatically do a full autopsy investigation on anyone 50 or under regardless of their medical history. Over 50 and we might waive the autopsy if there were a clear medical history of illness or disease and there were absolutely no suspicious circumstances, as investigated by the homicide unit of the D.C. police force. Of course it goes without saying that for someone like Michael Jackson, who died suddenly at age 50 yesterday without any obvious cause, that a full scale investi... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2527962 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:47:29 +0100 2527962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570869&cid=t_272784_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fmichael-jackson-what-will-an-autopsy-look-for%2F When any person dies suddenly or unexpectedly it becomes the responsibility of the medical examiner to determine the cause of death. Such is the case in the tragic death of Michael Jackson at the all too young age of 50. When I worked as a medical examiner in Washington, D.C., in the early 1980s, our policy was to automatically do a full autopsy investigation on anyone 50 or under regardless of their medical history. Over 50 and we might waive the autopsy if there were a clear medical history of illness or disease and there were absolutely no suspicious circumstances, as investigated by the homicide unit of the D.C. police force. Of course it goes without saying that for someone like Michael Jackson, who died suddenly at age 50 yesterday without any obvious cause, that a full scale investi... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570869 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:46:00 +0100 2570869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2593218&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metastaticlivercancer.org%2F2009-06-26-cancer-treatment%2Ffarrah-fawcett-death%2F Give your condolences here: Farrah Fawcett death, June 25, 2009. Watch her home video taped documentary of her last 2,5 years battling cancer including seeking alternative cancer treatments in Germany.   Farrah Fawcett died surrounded with her loved ones   Farrah Fawcett dies after a 2,5 year battle against anal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, anal cancer is rare (an estimated 4,650 cases in 2006) but the number is rising, with those most affected being female and in their early 60’s. Farrah Fawcett dies at the age of only 62, born Februari 2nd, 1947.   At first it looked as if the chemotherapy and radiation treatments where working, but in 2007 came the abrupt Farrah Fawcett cancer update: it was back and Farrah Fawcett’s cancer had spread to her l... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2593218 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:35:08 +0100 2593218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2523660&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35300&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmetastatic-liver-cancer%2F%7E3%2FrhL2mnG37b4%2F Give your condolences here: Farrah Fawcett death, June 25, 2009. Watch her home video taped documentary of her last 2,5 years battling cancer including seeking alternative cancer treatments in Germany.   Farrah Fawcett died surrounded with her loved ones   Farrah Fawcett dies after a 2,5 year battle against anal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, anal cancer is rare (an estimated 4,650 cases in 2006) but the number is rising, with those most affected being female and in their early 60’s. Farrah Fawcett dies at the age of only 62, born Februari 2nd, 1947.   At first it looked as if the chemotherapy and radiation treatments where working, but in 2007 came the abrupt Farrah Fawcett cancer update: it was back and Farrah Fawcett’s cancer had spread to her l... Metastatic liver cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2523660 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:35:08 +0100 2523660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2522910&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7315 The morning got off to a bad start. The website was down as the MySQL server had caught H1N1 I guess. Then the depressing news that Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, has passed on. We don’t know the exact cause of death as a post-mortem has not yet been done. I don’t want to say too much so I’ll just post this video of my favourite song performed by MJ Heal The World Make It A Better Place For You And For Me And The Entire Human Race There Are People Dying If You Care Enough For The Living Make A Better Place For You And For Me So true, MJ. RIP. from the Malaysian Medical Resources Farewell MJ (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2522910 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2522910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2515200&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fbfwct4Ydmfw%2F Rabies, a virus that we often don’t think of any more unless we’re getting a pet vaccinated, is still very much a concern. Although deaths have dropped dramatically in the developed countries, there still is a risk. And, people in developing countries are still vulnerable. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , 95% of more than 55,000 rabies deaths each year, occur in Asian and African countries. Rabies is a virus that affects the neurologic system, the nerves. If a human is bitten by a rabid animal, the rabies virus travels to the brain and after reproducing, it travels throughout the body. If the infection is found right away, it can be treated, but once symptoms begin to show, rabies is fatal. How can rabies be treated? It used to be a long and painful process to... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2515200 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:37:28 +0100 2515200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2522796&cid=t_272784_85_f&fid=34967&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fdocisinblog%2FwNlq%2F%7E3%2FqzcN-DlhZD0%2F This is the second of two posts, much delayed, on the subject of Hell. The first may be found here:    ♦ The Death of Hell     On an earlier post about grace and Karma, a commenter posed this question: I’d like to ask you a question because you strike me as an intelligent man of faith. I was taught that hell is a place of eternal conscious torment, a nice euphemism for a torture chamber. Do you believe that those of us who fail to accept grace will be tortured? If not, why not? Augustine and Calvin seemed to believe it. I began to answer this question in my prior post on the subject, tackling it from a mostly metaphysical perspective, basing a belief in Hell on four principal pillars: that man is a moral being, comprised of an innate sense of right and w... The Doctor Is In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2522796 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:28:39 +0100 2522796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2522916&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7284 I read with interest this letter someone wrote to Malaysiakini. We do sympathise with the writer on the loss of his or her loved one, but there are some things the writer brought up which I feel need clarification from the medical point of view. Every time we admitted her, the doctor would take some blood sample to check her condition. In total, so much blood was taken from her and not a drop was ‘returned’, so much so that her body became skeletal Taking Blood samples are not going to make one “skeletal” and indeed will not make an adult anaemic. The doctor didn’t see it fit to put her inside the ICU even though she was clearly dying. ICU is for those who need intensive care , not necessarily for those who are dying. It is possible that the writer’s mother was... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2522916 Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2522916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510066&cid=t_272784_83_f&fid=36527&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcutonthedottedline.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F19%2Fmidnight-special%2F  Night shift is like a nonstop final exam. Remember how waiting for the test score was sometimes harder than studying for the test? Nights is a series of problem-solving exercises, where you have to come up with your best explanation and plan, then leave the building. You come back twelve hours later, and like it or not, the answer is up in public view. The rest of the residents and attendings on that service have had all day to think about it, and the official position is out: you got it right, or you missed this or that diagnosis or test or medication, and everyone knows.   I need a handbook, something like “Medical Spanish for Dummies,” maybe “How to Break Bad News in Three Easy Steps.” Last night was the worst test ever: a CT scan so bad I had to look at it th... Cut On The Dotted Line blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510066 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:06:14 +0100 2510066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2477516&cid=t_272784_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F15%2Fend-of-life-care-2009-vol-3-no-2%2F This article will examine the procedures associated with verifying a patient’s death and the legal and clinical requirements with expected and unexpected death. A print copy of this article is available from Fade Library Posted in Current Awareness, Journals Tagged: Care after Death, Care Pathways, Death & Dying, Death Certification, Palliative Care, Verification of Death (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2477516 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:48:12 +0100 2477516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2477566&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7216 I am disturbed to read of yet another alleged custodial death. Mr. A. Ghana Prakasom Anthony, a resident of Damansara Damai was found dead at the Sri Damansara Police Station at 8.06 am on Sunday, 14 June 2009. He leaves behind a wife and 6 children. He was arrested on Wednesday, 10 June 2009 . The deceased’s wife was able to see him on Friday, 12 June 2009. During her visit, A. Ghana informed her that he had complained the magistrate who heard his remand that he was beaten in police custody. Further, his wife reported to me that her husband had a bruised right eye during her visit. Ghana’s wife was then informed by the police that her husband was expected to be released on Monday without charges. Thus, it is shocking that a day before he is due for release, he was found dead in the l... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2477566 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2477566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510760&cid=t_272784_101_f&fid=34835&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.neenaw.co.uk%2Findex.php%2Fambulances%2F392%2Ftwo-tragedies%2F A few weeks ago, a two-year-old boy was killed when he was hit by a rollercoaster after accidentally wandering on to the tracks. You may have heard about it in the media. This didn’t happen in my sector, but on the desk opposite, so while I was getting on with my work, I kept picking up snippets of information across the room. “It sounded awful,” said one of the call takers. “Everyone was screaming. I couldn’t get any sense out of anyone.” “DSO’s on the phone,” announced the radio op. “He says HEMS are working on him but it’s not looking good. Crews are going to have to go off the road afterwards. The FRU paramedic is really upset. Sounds like a really awful call.” Seconds later, I had my own call to worry about. A tipsy teenage boy had fallen down a river embankmen... Nee Naw blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510760 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:16:15 +0100 2510760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464208&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FJ_Tq7HHc7Jo%2F The recent death of David Carradine was a blow for many fans and certainly the family of the beloved actor. At first the death the considered a suicide, since Carradine was found dead with a cord around his neck and hanging from a closet bar. But now that additional details have surfaced about his death, the family is asking for the FBI to help get some answers. Carradine died in Thailand while working on a movie. This complicates matters in that it has been difficult to get the exact details of what happened. A maid apparently found the actor with a “rope tied around his neck and one around his genitals.” “It is unclear whether he committed suicide or not, or he died of suffocation or heart failure,” said police Lt. Gen. Worapong Chewprecha.” I can certainl... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464208 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:35:30 +0100 2464208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452725&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fbloggers-block.html Oh, not really, I'm almost never at a loss for words.But this is the thing: For three years now I go through my days and when I see or hear something interesting, I think "I'm going to blog about that!" or....I think, "Oh, I wish I could blog about that" but I can't because it would reveal something about a patient.So I get lots of ideas, but then I get to the computer and sometimes I've forgotten them. Last night, I was with Clink and Roy and we were having an animated (hmmm, is that the right word?) discussion about Richard the Internet Porn Fan (a fictional patient in our book) when one of them said something totally random and I thought "What a great blog post title." What ever it was, it was pretty random, but I wanted to use it, and it was gone. Neither of them remembered what they'... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452725 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:18:00 +0100 2452725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452620&cid=t_272784_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fcan-death-be-sustainable.html A case study Few people like to dwell on the subject of death, but it’s up there alongside taxes with life’s inevitabilities. But, consider it we must, for the sake of the environment. At some point in our primordial past the dead were left to the scavenging dogs, the vultures, the flies, and the microbes. There were no ritual burials, no funeral pyres, no floating out to sea on a burning boat. Ida and her cousins certainly didn’t worry about the dead when they were looking for their next meal. The tombs and torment came much later in our evolution with the advent of self-awareness and imagination, with the recognition of our mortality, the pain of mourning, and the ensuing spirituality that led whole civilisations to build resurrection machines for the dead, whether pyra... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452620 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:04:11 +0100 2452620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2453096&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcelebrating-the-birthday-of-a-life-lost-to-cancer%2F Last week my husband and I had the opportunity to meet a fabulous woman. Sheila is the kind of woman who greets you with a beautiful smile and then treats you like her best friend. We started talking and we told her how Bob was diagnosed with prostate cancer last fall and I had been diagnosed with breast cancer only a few years earlier. We asked her what could be worse than that for a family? She excitedly applauded that I was a breast cancer survivor but then gently said, “I can tell you what’s worse than that.”  She told us that even worse than that was losing your baby to breast cancer. We sat shocked as she told us the story of her 31-year-old daughter who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer went into remission for a while but then came back to claim her daughter&#... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2453096 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:59:43 +0100 2453096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452445&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fassisted-suicide-issues-debated-in-britain%2F Swiss clinic Dignitis and the issue of assisted suicide have been in the British media spotlight lately, mainly due to a debate that is taking placing before the  House of Lords. This debate revolves around an old law and a new case. The old law, the 1961 Suicide Act bans assisted suicide in Britain and criminalises anyone who aids, abets, counsels or procures someone else’s suicide. The new case -  a 46-year-old woman with progressive multiple sclerosis who wants to travel abroad to die and wants to ensure her husband Omar Puente won’t be  prosecuted if he helps her travel. The law as it stands can allow for the prosecution of  relatives and friends who travel with someone planning to undertake assisted dying overseas. Granted, government law officers readily admit that thos... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452445 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:08:47 +0100 2452445 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442594&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fdebs-last-post.html During the final days and weeks of her life, my dear friend Debutaunt was thinking of us, and what she wanted to say to us, the friends she left behind. Her older sister, known as Sis #1 on the Debutaunt blog, posted Deb's last message. Here it is:Not Even Death Can Stop Deb From Having Her Say If you would like to do something for Deb, or in her memory, may I suggest making a donation to her daughter Zoe's college fund? There's a link to do that in the right hand column on her blog. I don't know how long Deb's family is planning to leave her blog on the Web, but I hope it will be for a good long time. And for those of us who are also living with cancer, and blogging, here are some things to think about: For Cancer Bloggers ... @ Jeanne Sat... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442594 Fri, 29 May 2009 15:51:52 +0100 2442594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441234&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D7105 sambantan writes: I am looking for ozone therapy treatment centres in malaysia. Will you help with their contacts, please. Short answer - no. This is because we consider ozone therapy at best “fringe therapy” and at worse outright fraud. We’ve blogged about Ozone therapy in the past so you might be interested to read these links: Ozone therapy revisited - the Malaysian Ministry of Health has evaluated Ozone therapy and found that it falls under therapy which is not recommended. Death by Alternative medicine - breast cancer patient whose early disease progressed under the hands of an unscrupulous ozone therapy practitioner. Other MMR posts mentioning Ozone therapy and do read Quackwatch - Oxygenation Therapy: Unproven Treatments for Cancer and AIDS from the Malaysian Medi... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441234 Fri, 29 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2441234 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441217&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E5%2F4LrfOUoeA40%2FI_hIIDEQY3w%26hl%3Den%26fs%3D1%26rel%3D0 It's summertime and time for a new Terminator movie -- and Terminator Salvation asks the age-old question will Artificial Intelligence (the coming Superbrain, as the NY Times article dubs it) be our salvation or annihilation?: "Today, artificial intelligence, once the preserve of science fiction writers and eccentric computer prodigies, is back in fashion and getting serious attention from NASA and from Silicon Valley companies like Google as well as a new round of start-ups that are designing everything from next-generation search engines to machines that listen or that are capable of walking around in the world. A.I.’s new respectability is turning the spotlight back on the question of where the technology might be heading and, more ominously, perhaps, whether computer intelligence wil... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441217 Fri, 29 May 2009 00:42:05 +0100 2441217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442201&cid=t_272784_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fguideposts-in-a-life-of-daily-pain%2F One of my favorite magazines, which I’ve been reading for 30 years, is Guideposts magazine, founded by the Rev. Norman Vincent Peale and his wife, Ruth Stafford Peale. I’ve enjoyed that particular publication in good times and bad. One of the aspects of it I think I’m most fond of is that it embraces all religious faiths, without showing prejudice or preference so none are segregated or left out. This matter of finding our way in life, following our own guideposts, seems to be independent of any particular religious faith. Faith is faith. I apologize if that offends any of you; but it is my belief as I have lived a considerable number of years and witnessed the hardships of the Jews over the years, the bigotry toward the Catholics in some parts of the country and the judg... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442201 Wed, 27 May 2009 21:41:50 +0100 2442201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441101&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FNmcPJp9EvZY%2F Women should not die giving life. I’m pretty sure most of us in the U.S. and around the world are in agreement on that. And yet, tragically, more than half a million of the world’s women lose their lives during childbirth - a statistic that has held steady for over seven years. Here’s the shocker: We have the technology and the knowledge to save most of those women. So why aren’t we? This week Pathfinder International and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation will discuss a new initiative that could reduce maternal mortality rates by more than 25%. They will be highlighting an innovative, low-cost, reusable technology to address postpartum hemorrhage - the leading cause of maternal deaths. The non-pneumatic anti-shock garment or “Life Wrap” c... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441101 Wed, 27 May 2009 16:40:37 +0100 2441101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441254&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Ftyson-tragedy-highlights-treadmill-dangers%2F The sad news of the death of four-year-old Exodus Tyson who died as a result of strangulation from a treadmill cord offers a somber reminder to parents everywhere of the dangers of treadmills. Treadmills and other home gym equipment is great for keeping adults fit but are a definite danger to children. In fact, the Australian Office of Fair Trading has become so concerned the increase in reports of treadmill injuries to children that they issued a public education campaign in 2008. Called  Treadmills and Kids Don’t Mix, this campaign highlights the dangers of treadmills for children, especially how a treadmill’s moving belt can cause friction injuries and entrap fingers, hands, hair, and clothing.   The campaign made the following safety tips for treadmill owners and users…  I... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441254 Wed, 27 May 2009 07:31:52 +0100 2441254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441255&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fmilitary-war-dead-help-the-living%2F It’s a little know fact but since 2001 all military personnel killed in Afghanistan or Iraq have had autopsies done and since 2004 have also been given a CT scan within an hour of their arrival at Dover Air Force Base. Arlington Cemetary It’s something that never happened in previous wars. But this is now a routine way of not only determining accurately the cause of death but to also obtain full details about injuries from bullets, blasts, shrapnel, and burns. The end result of these autopsies is yielding a wealth of information that highlights any deficiencies in equipment (ie body armor, vehicle shielding, etc) and has resulted in changes and improvements in military and medical field equipment. Have a read of this New York Times article to find out more about this new world of milit... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441255 Tue, 26 May 2009 07:14:05 +0100 2441255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441512&cid=t_272784_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FZr1XGhn5pYw%2Fgrieving.html We buried my mother last Friday, May 22, 2009.  I find myself moving through each day trying to get things back to normal, but unsure I will ever accomplish that goal.  I was never very good at picking up the phone to call my mom though I did on her birthday and on holidays.  I was good at writing her notes.  Over the past several years I have written her at least one note/letter each month and an e-mail now and then.  My father died when I was only eight, so I have some experience with grief.  Still this is different, magnified.  I am now an orphan. I do not believe I am as good a writer as Meghan O'Rourke.   She has written a series of articles dealing with the loss of her mother which I found thanks to Christian Sinclair, MD (PalliMed). ... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441512 Mon, 25 May 2009 11:01:00 +0100 2441512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442531&cid=t_272784_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F24%2Fits-been-twenty-years%2F Because I do not know the exact date in May this seems as good a time as any to mark the twentieth anniversary of my HIV-positive diagnosis. It was March of 1990 when I received definitive word at which time suspicious blood samples from the previous May were tested for HIV specifically and they were also [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442531 Mon, 25 May 2009 02:49:06 +0100 2442531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441054&cid=t_272784_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F23%2Fmartin-bril-the-author-his-death-and-his-cancer%2F Martin Bril is dead. No “news“, it happened a month ago: April 22. Martin Bril was a well known Dutch writer, poet and columnist – and the man who invented “skirt day”. He loved live -and love- in all it’s simplicity. He needed few words to describe the essence of things or as he would say: “The surface [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441054 Sat, 23 May 2009 10:01:57 +0100 2441054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442982&cid=t_272784_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F22%2Fo-wait-we-need-to-talk-about-something-else%2F Today is my Grandpa’s funeral.  Did you all forget about him?  You did right?  Its ok.  Its my fault.  I can’t seem to spread my crapness out evenly.  I’m sorry.  I’ll work on it ok? I am going to be spending the next 4 days down with my family.  We have the funeral, a memorial, a burial, some sort of party, a church service, probably a circus and I think I heard something about a concert?  I’ve been referring to this extravaganza as funeralpalooza.  I mean really?  4 days? I plan on being the drunk in the corner the whole time.  Who’s going to stop me?  And if they do?  O well wont they feel pretty foolish when I bark back with tails of my husband leaving me for no reason and divorce. …I said I’d work on separating out the crap... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442982 Fri, 22 May 2009 15:56:00 +0100 2442982 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424088&cid=t_272784_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsandnsurf.medbrains.net%2F2009%2F05%2Fcough-or-kill%2F I am a belligerent skeptic of over-the-counter cough and cold medications. I’ve been this way since well before I ever entertained the idea of being a doctor. The late Michael Shannon (also known as the ‘dancing doctor‘) nicely summed up the problems with this group of medications: ‘The problem with cough and cold medications are two-fold. One, they [...] (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424088 Wed, 20 May 2009 15:14:02 +0100 2424088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424073&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fassisted-suicide-as-prophylactic.html The media repeatedly pound home the false meme that assisted suicide is only about people diagnosed with a terminal illness. True, some American activists make that argument. But the "terminal illness limitation" is unquestionably the minority view within the movement.Case in point: On April 15, 2008, Ruth von Fuchs, a leader in the Canadian Right to Die Society told Canada AM (CTV) that she supports Betty Coumbias--the Canadian woman who is not sick, but who wants to travel to Switzerland with her terminally ill husband to commit assisted suicide. From the transcript (no link):RUTH VON FUCHS: Anyhow, the thing with Betty Coumbias I think will be an extension, because it will show there is no duty to live, that life is not an obligation, it's a right but not an obligation. It will also sho... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424073 Tue, 19 May 2009 19:32:00 +0100 2424073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424428&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fdebutaunt-celebrates.html If there was one thing my dear friend Debutaunt--who died yesterday--knew how to do, it was celebrate. So if you were a friend of Deb's and are, like me, mourning her loss, please go to this link to see a photo of Deb in happier times. Jenna posted this photo to her Flickr site, and it is of Jenna and Deb at one of the THREE parties Deb had to celebrate her 40th birthday. Like I say, the girl knew how to celebrate. And we loved her for it. Deb and Jenna @ Jeanne Sather 2009. (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient) The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424428 Tue, 19 May 2009 16:25:48 +0100 2424428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2417068&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FxWYtxlmeDQc%2F New York has its first swine flu death Sunday night. The assistant principal from Intermediate School 238 in Hollis, Mitchell Wiener, died just six days after he originally got sick. He had been hospitalized four days ago with a temperature of 103. Four students also have the disease, now called the H1N1 virus. Wiener had a ” particularly bad case that shut down his kidneys and ravaged his lungs.” He was 55. Health officials have warned that new, equally severe cases of the disease may still pop up. Image: sxc.hu Share and Enjoy: Post from: Blisstree Swine Flu Claims NY Principal (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2417068 Tue, 19 May 2009 12:54:45 +0100 2417068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415735&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fdebutaunt-died-this-morning.html Deb died this morning, and I am sad, sad, sad. I wish I could rant at how unfair this is, but cancer is unfair. Fairness just doesn't come into it. Deb was so young, and leaves behind a daughter who is only 8. I'm crying for Zoe. And Deb fought so hard, for so long, and managed to keep her sense of humor through it all--not that she wasn't up for a good rant once in awhile, but even her rants were usually funny. I'm crying for Deb. I look around the circle of bloggers who I consider my inner circle, and three are gone now, in just a few months. John. Sara. And now Deb. I'm crying for all of us, who loved them and will miss them.How am I supposed to carry on with my anti-pink-ribbon rants without Debutaunt to find the tackiest, most offensive pink... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415735 Mon, 18 May 2009 23:24:04 +0100 2415735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2416838&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fshould-medical-associations-be-allowed.html I have long marveled at the adamant efforts of many bioethicists and physician leaders to prevent doctors from participating in executions--while, ironically some of these same advocates promote the propriety of doctors engaging in assisted suicide--which is no more a legitimate medical act than execution. In North Carolina, the state medical association went so far in trying to prevent doctor involvement in executions that it threatened to make it a subject of professional discipline--a policy now overturned by the state supreme court. From the story:The North Carolina Medical Board exceeded its authority under state law when it adopted policy threatening disciplinary action against physicians who take an active role in executions, the Supreme Court of North Carolina ruled in early May. T... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2416838 Mon, 18 May 2009 16:00:00 +0100 2416838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415663&cid=t_272784_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspergerwoman%2F%7E3%2FDR27Jng0xMA%2Fjust-leave-it-that-way.html Sometimes life forces you to go on and not to look back. The past can not be changed. Today a memorial service is being held for someone I have known. He was always kind. Just a kind human being who did no one else harm.The papers in Holland more and more publish stories about the man who caused the Queensday drama. It is very sad. The more you read about him, the more it seems he was caught in a mental prison. It is always a good thing to think about those people speaking of someone involved in a crime. Like you and me, everything we once tell one another could be used for everything, even years later for a 'objective'newspaper article. Can you consider someone telling his story anonymously as a close friend? Does it help the family? This man has driven 7 people to dead!! He was a killer.... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415663 Sat, 16 May 2009 06:53:00 +0100 2415663 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405783&cid=t_272784_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fdeadheading-flowers-in-a-garden-of-chronic-pain%2F Don’t you love that word, “deadheading?” It sounds like a stoned rock band, a really obtuse individual or many other things than what it actually is. Those of us who are into gardening, know its meaning is to snip or break off the spent, old flowers which are fading to make room for new growth. In the plant world, the energy that goes into maintaining those used up, spent blossoms can be put to better use to force new growth. Just as you sometimes have to top a tree to force it to put down roots, there’s a similar action with this whole deadheading process. As a gardening chore it is time consuming, tedious at times yet necessary if you want to encourage new growth and new blooms. It can also be fun, gratifying and rewarding as you inhale fresh spring air, make yourself useful and ... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405783 Thu, 14 May 2009 17:50:59 +0100 2405783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398662&cid=t_272784_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsandnsurf.medbrains.net%2F2009%2F05%2Ftired-and-afraid%2F The curtains pushed aside Show an old man in bed. Fear lives in two dark eyes Staring from his tired head. His knuckled grip is strong, He shakes like a sailor, But his next breaths are long, Payment for his labor. Underneath his sun-beaten shell, Sliding sinews bring bones upright. What his muscle memory might tell Given time before the birth of night. The chart shows no [...] (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398662 Sat, 09 May 2009 21:00:58 +0100 2398662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398628&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fa-connection-between-sunlight-and-suicide%2F I’m sure you’ve heard of the winter blues, or seasonal affective disorder, where people are unable to function due to lack of sunlight. In fact, it’s long been thought that there is an increase in the number of suicides in late autumn and early winter months due to this lack of sunlight and increased hours of darkness. But now a new study by Swedish researchers indicates that, in some places in the world, too much sunlight can also be a catalyst for an increased number of people committing suicide. The researchers studied the suicide rates of people living in Greenland,  a country that’s so far north it never sees the sun setting in the summer months. Looking at the suicides between 1968 and 2002, the researchers found that 82% of them occurred during the summer months.  Ac... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398628 Sat, 09 May 2009 03:44:19 +0100 2398628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398950&cid=t_272784_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fpreventable-causes-of-death%2F While the media fans the flames of mass hysteria over swine flu, which has infected only a small number of people and killed almost none, they routinely ignore the more common, if not widespread, causes of death, many of which are completely, or nearly completely, preventable if only people were educated and motivated enough to make changes to their lifestyles. Imagine if just a fraction of the energy that people are putting into avoiding swine flu were put into efforts to reduce smoking, high blood pressure and obesity, which together are responsible for over one million premature deaths every year. “To have hundreds of thousands of premature deaths caused by these modifiable risk factors is shocking and should motivate a serious look at whether our public health system has sufficie... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398950 Thu, 07 May 2009 21:27:04 +0100 2398950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390498&cid=t_272784_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Frip%2F At 9:30 tonight my grandfather passed away.  He was not alone.  My Mom was with him and he died peacfully. I will miss you always, Grandpa.  You are the funny in my bones.  I love you forever. -Katrinka (Source: B a b y B o u n d) B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390498 Thu, 07 May 2009 04:42:48 +0100 2390498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2386854&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fscurilous-specter-blames-gop.html Jack Kemp died yesterday of cancer, with which he was only diagnosed in January. By the time it was caught, it had spread throughout his body. Those who knew him mourn, and those who didn't, like me, give a tip of the hat in appreciation to the pubic service of a respectable politician.But Arlen Specter--shamefully--used the occasion of Kemp's death to justify his political switch to again becoming a Democrat. From the story: "Well, I was sorry to disappoint many people. Frankly, I was disappointed that the Republican Party didn't want me as their candidate," Mr. Specter said on "Face the Nation." "But as a matter of principle, I'm becoming much more comfortable with the Democrats' approach. And one of the items that I'm working on, Bob, is funding for medical research." Mr. Specter contin... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2386854 Mon, 04 May 2009 02:00:00 +0100 2386854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2386856&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fnitschke-we-dont-want-you-in-usa-either.html Poor Philip Nitschke, so unliked, misunderstood, and unwanted. Here he is on a mission of mercy to permit old people to take Mexican animal euthanasia drugs if they are tired of life and to ensure that troubled teens to have access to the "peaceful" suicide pill in grocery stores. (Yes, he really said that.) He counseled Nancy Crick on suicide and lied to the media saying she was terminally ill. He imported and sold plastic suicide bags, but was stopped by the Australian authorities after yours truly busted his little enterprise in The Australian.He travels from Australia, to New Zealand, and thence to the UK holding how to commit suicide classes, being fawned over by media, but he's still not happy. And now, when he was willing to bring his compassion and talents to the UK, he apparently ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2386856 Sun, 03 May 2009 19:57:00 +0100 2386856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382297&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fculture-of-death-watch-media-are.html Pay close attention to how the story I am about to discuss from the Philadelphia Inquirer was written to give a favorable impression of a suicide.It is about a woman named Rona Zelniker, who killed herself because of a disabling disease. Note that the word "suicide" is never used except in a brief reference to the Oregon law. There is no doubt that was deliberate: The (assisted) suicide movement has convinced many in the media not to use that term except in cases of transitory distress or teenagers--because it is judgmental and has a negative connotation. Can't have that: Suicide for reasons of disease or disability should be viewed positively.Note too, that the issue of suicide prevention is never raised and that Zelniker's children supported her suicide. As usual, no real interviews from... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382297 Sat, 02 May 2009 21:56:00 +0100 2382297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2380945&cid=t_272784_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fwho-warns-of-likely-pandemic%2F Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has elevated their swine flu pandemic alert to phase 5, the number of confirmed cases as of April 29, 2009 remains extremely low, with most cases mild and rarely fatal. In fact, although you may hear about some 2,500 cases in Mexico with 152 deaths, only 26 cases and 7 deaths have actually been confirmed as being due to swine flu. Around the world only 148 cases are confirmed. The one death of the 91 cases in the United States was in a Mexican child who contracted the illness in Mexico before visiting the U.S. The only thing newsworthy about these numbers is that they are so low and yet the reaction to them so high. It’s important also to remember that “pandemic” simply means worldwide spread. An epidemic is a localized outbrea... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2380945 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:59:51 +0100 2380945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381060&cid=t_272784_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F29%2Fin-gods-image%2F I know I’ve checked with Ron about this before - we apparently are not related - but I come from a Chaplin family rooted in Perth and Glen Tay. (I now reside in Toronto.) The story reads like it could have been written about either my late brother Craig or me. I [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381060 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:46:55 +0100 2381060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376271&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fe63W7x_-ljk%2F The Swine Flu has claimed its first U.S. death. A 23-month old boy has died in Texas. President Obama has suggested that schools in the area may close on Wednesday for a temporary basis if they have had a confirmed case of swine flu. However, right now officials are watching the situation. Other countries, including Canada, Austria, New Zealand, Israel, Spain, Britain, and Germany have reported cases of the disease. With this death, the United States now joins Mexico as the only countries thus far with Swine Flu deaths. Image: sxc.hu. Post from: Blisstree First Swine Flu Death in US Reported (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376271 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:55:36 +0100 2376271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376917&cid=t_272784_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F28%2Fim-not-pregnant%2F OK OK.  For everyone left feeling a bit confused because I told my Grandpa we’ve been planning a baby but didn’t follow that up with “but I seem to kill them accidentally”, no.  I am not pregnant. I wanted my Grandpa to know that we are actually working on it.  There is more to that story, but I’m keeping that to myself for now.  I may let the world in on all the intimate workings of my vagina, but some things just need to be private ya know? Don’t worry world, I will make it very clear when I am in fact preggers.  In fact, you’ll all probably sense something is up without even reading my blog just based on the amount of excitement I’ll be spewing.  Maybe a little extra warmth?  Or a bit of ground movement?  You’ll know.  Belie... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376917 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:17:12 +0100 2376917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376918&cid=t_272784_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F27%2Fan-absolutely-perfect-goodbye%2F I spent the entire weekend with my Grandpa.  I talked with him, rubbed his feet (his feet!!), trimmed his eyebrows, brushed gook off his face, fixed his hair, made him comfortable and most most importantly, I made him laugh. On Saturday I was there with my mom.  We were the only ones there with him.  My Grandpa is in really good spirits and is still surprisingly alert.  Even though he can’t talk, his face speaks volumes.  He seems to be rather silly actually.  (I get my sense of humor solely from my Grandpa.  Nobody else gets us).  I noticed that his feet and legs were exceptionally dry.  This wasn’t going to work for me so I found some Cherry Blossom hand lotion in my mom’s purse and gave him a foot and leg massage.  He loved it of course - I mean who wouldn&#8... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376918 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:20:15 +0100 2376918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376633&cid=t_272784_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F25%2F1993%2F A great scene from “The Golden Girls”, although I remember Bea Arthur from her 70’s show “Maude” and her first portrayal of that character on “All in the Family”. The hilarity of Bea Arthur, and the rest of “The Golden Girls” helped get me through some of the roughest moments in the early years [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376633 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:04:35 +0100 2376633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365500&cid=t_272784_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F24%2Fin-other-news%2F So I realize that I sound like an emo teenager lately but I assure you, I haven’t started overdoing the black mascara and adding safty pins to my clothes.  Its simply not a good look for me and frankly I’m way too blond and preppy to pull it off.  While I am sad as hell and cry a lot, I’m not suicidal.  I mean please, that just sounds messy and if I’m dead who will clean it up?  I can’t live out eternity knowing I left a mess. I’d love to be able to write a whole post right now about puppies and kittens and rainbows, but I can’t.   If happy is what you’re looking for, I suggest you just skip this one. Remember back a million years ago in March when my Grandfather had a stroke?  Yeah I know, I totally stopped talkin about that didn&#821... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365500 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:13:04 +0100 2365500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365302&cid=t_272784_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fplease-dont-ask-me-how-i-feel%2F Unfortunately, as far as I know, there is no rule book or manual on how healthy people should treat others who have chronic illness. I know it’s difficult for those who love us to see us suffer and live altered lives. I know they “mean well,” but come on. It really becomes irksome, tiring and aggravating. You’re allowed to ask me that question if you’re my husband, my daughter, one of my two sons named Jeff (son-in-law included) or one of my physicians. I find that, “How’re you feeling?” is the opening line of most of my conversations with well-meaning friends, acquaintances and even some more distant family members. I grow tired of answering. I’m fatigued from the repetition. I’m weary of the sense of expectation that accompanies each question about my health. I know I... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365302 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:24:46 +0100 2365302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2357450&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F9HlbLlYHYBg%2F Since such a large number of people don’t sign organ donation cards or place themselves on a registry, healthcare personnel find themselves in the position of having to ask shocked and grieving families about their wishes. This is a difficult task for people who aren’t trained or well-prepared for the role. According to a press release issued by the BMJ , A recent audit of 341 deaths in intensive care units in the UK revealed that 41% of relatives of potential donors denied consent. In an interview study a third of relatives who had refused donation said that they would not refuse again, whereas only a few of people who had given consent regretted their decision. The authors of the study review looked at 20 were looking to see if they could find specific factors that affected h... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2357450 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:16:21 +0100 2357450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348252&cid=t_272784_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2Fm_bnCq72w8I%2Fnational-healthcare-decisions-day.html Nathan A Kottkamp, a healthcare attorney,  is the chair and founder of the grassroots effort to promote advance care planning and healthcare decision making,  National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).  This day was chosen in a nod to Benjamin Franklin and his adage “Nothing in life is certain but death and taxes."   Yesterday, April 15th, was tax day here in the United States. More than 75 national organizations, plus 660 state and local organizations, will have teams at hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, doctor's offices and even libraries to explain the benefits of advance directives.  Those who wish will be assisted in writing / signing living wills and other medical directives. The services are free.  For a list of participants check here. It ... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348252 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:55:00 +0100 2348252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349630&cid=t_272784_137_f&fid=35352&url=http%3A%2F%2Fyellowwallpaper.net%2Fblog1%2F2009%2F04%2F15%2Fone-year-later%2F Today bears the same date as the day my mother died, but that day will always be a Tuesday to me.  It felt like a Tuesday.  Or maybe Tuesdays will always feel like that day, which was sunny in that extra bright early spring way.  No leaves on the trees yet, exposing the squirrels and birds as they reorganized.  Daffodils all over the place but not yet the lush green of deep spring. I’m still surprised at times to realize that she’s gone.  Seeing her name on the grave marker was probably as close as I’ve come to fully realizing her death. I think I’ve used the phrase “suspension of disbelief” before–Coleridge coined the phrase to refer to a reader’s response to the fantastic in an otherwise credible story.  If a story resonates with the ... The Yellow Wallpaper blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349630 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:01:02 +0100 2349630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347927&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fterminal-nonjudgmentalism-is-epidemic.html I shouldn't be surprised by anything the MSM does today in boosting social outlaws into cultural icons. For example, when Jack Kevorkian was at the top of his deadly game--even offering extracted kidneys from a disabled assisted suicide victim for transplant in a news conference--Time invited him as an honored guest to its gala 75th anniversary party where Tom Cruise ran up to shake his hand.Now in "Foolproofing Suicide with Euthanasia Test Kits," Time gives the Down Under "Dr. Death," Philip Nitschke the star treatment. Nitschke has called for the right of troubled teens to get access to suicide pills. He advised an Australian woman named Nancy Crick on how to commit suicide--and in the public advocacy leading up to the deed, told the press she had terminal cancer. After she committed sui... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347927 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:13:00 +0100 2347927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347976&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fdeath-rays-from-mars.html I hope I never see a case of diphtheria. I probably won’t, provided I stay in the UK, because parents no longer worry about the safety of the routine DTP immunisations given in the first year of life. It was different when I was a medical student; worries then were about the perceived dangers of the pertussis component. Strangely, in retrospect, few seemed concerned about the dangers of giving three or four immunisations “all at the same time”. Immunologically, the worry is groundless, but I have always felt that it is a reasonable worry that any intelligent parent might have and it is most certainly a worry that must not be dismissed out of hand. It deserves a careful explanation.The Jobbing Doctor is back from singing the Messiah in Italy and has just seen a case of measles in an a... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347976 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:37:00 +0100 2347976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347929&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fstanley-fish-aint-for-conscience.html As I often say, the culture of death brooks no dissent. Now, none other than the celebrated academic Stanley Fish--perhaps best known for promoting post modernism (although he says he is an anti foundationalist, and who cares anyway)--claims that doctors and nurses who don't wish to take human life should just get over it. From his NYT (of course) blog:What's the big deal [if doctors refuse to perform some procedures], for after all, "If a procedure is legal, a patient will still have the ability to access that service from a medical professional or institution that does not assert a conflict of conscience" (HHS News Release, August 21, 2008).But should patients be asked to add to the problems they already have the problem of having to figure out (if they have the time) which providers wil... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347929 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:08:00 +0100 2347929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348833&cid=t_272784_113_f&fid=34603&url=http%3A%2F%2Fginasmith.typepad.com%2Fgina_on_gina%2F2009%2F04%2Fpassenger-landed-plane-after-pilot-died-while-flying-.html MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- It's a nightmarish scenario straight out of the movies: A passenger is forced to land a plane after its pilot becomes incapacitated. Officials released little information about those aboard the flight Monday. But it became a reality for a passenger on board a plane over Florida on Sunday, and for the air traffic controllers who helped him land safely in what the National Air Traffic Controllers' Association called "an Easter miracle." The incident began about 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The plane, a Super King Air two-engine turboprop with four passengers on board, was headed to Jackson, Mississippi, from Marco Island, Florida, about 18 miles south of Naples. The plane entered the jurisdiction of air traffic control at Miami Center, the facility respo... I'm Gina Smith blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348833 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:38:22 +0100 2348833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326688&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fcomparing-our-grief-credentials.html This is a personal story, one that has been a painful memory for me for a long time. My father died of cancer, as I've said before, and my cousin, who was exactly two weeks older than me, died in a car crash when she was 20 or 21. So my mother lost her husband, and my aunt lost her daughter. They are sisters, and have never really gotten along. But this is the painful memory part: At one point, my mother and aunt actually had an argument about which was more painful: To lose your husband or to lose your child. I find this appalling, and my point is this: What is the point of comparing griefs and saying, "My grief is greater than your grief"? What does that prove?I bring this up now because some of the comments added to my post about the Hallmark ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326688 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:04:10 +0100 2326688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2522928&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34591&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.badscience.net%2F2009%2F04%2Fmatthias-rath-steal-this-chapter%2F This is the “missing chapter” about vitamin pill salesman Matthias Rath. Sadly I was unable to write about him at the time that book was initially published, as he was suing my ass in the High Court. The chapter is now available in the new paperback edition, and I’ve posted it here for free so [...] (Source: badscience) badscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2522928 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:25:32 +0100 2522928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347990&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34591&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.badscience.net%2F2009%2F04%2Fmatthias-rath-steal-this-chapter%2F This is the “missing chapter” about vitamin pill salesman Matthias Rath. Sadly I was unable to write about him at the time that book was initially published, as he was suing my ass in the High Court. The chapter is now available in the new paperback edition, and I’ve posted it here for free so [...] (Source: badscience) badscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347990 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:25:32 +0100 2347990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313765&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fx5zJki_4cpU%2F Times have changed in how patients who are potential donors are considered to be dead and therefore able to be organ donors. It used to be that you had to be brain dead, with no signs of brain activity, cardiac - heart - death wasn’t in the equation. This has changed an now those who are heart dead can be organ donors but the teams have to move fast for the organs to be viable. I came across this story this morning of two families, two infants, and two sad stories. In a nutshell, one baby can’t live. She goes into cardiac arrest when she sleeps and needs to be brought back to life each time. Because of this, 2-month-old Kaylee Wallace lives on a respirator in the province of Ontario. Many miles away, is another infant, 1-month-old Lily O’Connor who desperately needs a hea... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313765 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:46:53 +0100 2313765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313541&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fmothers-act-to-drug-americas-moms-for-fake-postpartum-depression%2F Wake up, people who care about mental health. Wake up, people who work to prevent child abuse, people who work to prevent suicide, people who work to prevent preterm births, people who care about healthy families. Wake up, psychiatric professionals, nurses, gynecologists, pediatricians. Here’s an actual text of a communication being sent far and wide by the very loud and vociferous opposition to the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act to support increased funding, education and research for postpartum depression: “This MOTHER’S Act, with its innocuous sounding name will mandate “mental screening” for Pregnant women. This will lead to many more young mothers being labeled with fraudulent psychiatric conditions and many of them will be put on dangerous psychiatr... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313541 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 03:36:01 +0100 2313541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2313775&cid=t_272784_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FuuKoVK-2TFk%2F So many stories about transplants really tug at your heart, but ones that include children and babies can be incredibly poignant. When I put out an appeal to speak to people about organ transplants, I was contacted by Ed Weir. He told me his story of their 1-month-old daughter, Rachel. Rachel died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 22 years ago. Most often when a child dies of SIDS, the child is discovered too late for their organs to be used in transplantation. In this case, Rachel’s death was discovered immediately. And because of that, many other children were saved or their lives were improved by Rachel’s gift. Here is Ed’s story, in his words: My wife was at the veterinarian with our dog just before we were to kennel them and leave on a vacation.  She was in one... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2313775 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:52:17 +0100 2313775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2304563&cid=t_272784_83_f&fid=36527&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcutonthedottedline.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fsuperstition%2F Medicine is full of superstitions. Anyone reading medical blogs has heard about not saying “quiet night” or “not busy,” for fear that the opposite will immediately happen; or that appys and AAAs and other things come in threes; or that patients who say they’re about to die probably are. One of the less well-known has to do with specific hospital rooms: When you’ve seen something bad happen in one room, there’s a visceral reluctance to have another of your patients stay in the same room, especially soon afterwards. This is of course irrational, being that we’re in a hospital, and something bad has happened in every single room, more than once. The floors aren’t too bad. The patient turnover is high, only a couple of days usually per pati... Cut On The Dotted Line blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2304563 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:51:31 +0100 2304563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306944&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fcalling-dr-death-calling-dr-death.html Compassion and Choices (formerly Hemlock Society) has been mighty peeved lately that so many ethical doctors are refusing to supply assisted suicide prescriptions to their patients. As I noted yesterday, Montana's doctors are apparently refusing to cooperate with the suicide agenda, and so C and C has issued a pitch for willing death doctors to jump to the fore in Montana with their prescription pads in hand.It's ethical. Really! And polls show that many doctors support "aid in dying," don't you know? (Unmentioned is that virtually every professional medical organization in the world opposes euthanasia/assisted suicide.) And, why, did you know that assisted suicide is consistent with the Hippocratic Oath? From its blog: "The Hippocratic Oath demands this foremost from physicians: Do No Har... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306944 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:28:00 +0100 2306944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306872&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D6645 According to the Star, the Independent committee has found that Kugan died of inflamed heart An Independent committee that investigated the two post mortem reports of suspected car thief A.Kugan, who died in police custody, found that the cause of death was due to acute pulmonary oedema due to acute myocarditis, compounded by blunt force trauma said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican on Monday. In releasing the findings, the 10-men committee unanimously agreed there was no evidence of thermal injuries in the skin on the back of the deceased as reported in the second post mortem and was of the opinion the injuries on Kugan’s back were the result of repeated trauma by a blunt but flexible object, like folded rubber hose. Health director-general Tan Sri Dr. Ismail Merican s... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306872 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2306872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306952&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Flogical-outcome-of-assisted-suicide.html I don't know why anyone would be surprised by this story. Assisted suicide advocacy rests on two fundamental ideological premises: First, that we own our bodies and it is the "ultimate civil liberty" to decide on the time, manner, and place of our own demise. Second, that killing is an acceptable answer to the problem of human suffering. Once these values are accepted, preventing death on demand becomes logically unsustainable.The death on demand agenda is now being openly voiced in Switzerland, by the head of one of that country's suicide clinics. Apparently, the healthy wife of a terminally ill, suicidal husband, wants to die alongside him via assisted suicide. From the story:The founder of the Swiss assisted-suicide clinic Dignitas revealed plans today to help a healthy wife die alongsi... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306952 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:14:00 +0100 2306952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306955&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Ftoday-is-terris-day-fourth-anniversary.html Today is "Terri's Day." It is the fourth anniversary of the end of Terri Schiavo's ordeal of death by dehydration. This cruel end was not a necessary death. It was forced upon her by judicial fiat even though she was not terminally ill, did not require a respirator or kidney dialysis, and had a loving family eager to care for her for the rest of her natural life.Terri's family believed and believes that she knew when they visited and reacted with joy. But even if she was unaware, she remained a beloved daughter and sister, fully worthy of life and care.The Schindler family has marked this sad day with the following statement: Four Years Ago Today, Terri Schiavo Dies After Almost Two Weeks Without Food or Water. Four years ago today Terri Schiavo died. By the order of Judge George W. Greer,... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306955 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:02:00 +0100 2306955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306957&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Flast-great-act-of-living-or-how-my-dad.html The always wonderful Canadian bioethicist Margarette Somerville has a terrific and thoughtful article about dying, disability, and the great meaning that can be found in these times of difficulty. It's a long piece and I can't do justice to it--for that you will have to read it for yourselves. But we can present the gist as an appetizer.She first identifies one of the driving forces behind the euthanasia movement. From her column:Euthanasia allows people to feel that although they can't avoid death, they can control its manner, time and place. It's a terror reduction or terror control mechanism that operates at both the individual and societal level. So if we believe legalizing euthanasia would be a very bad idea, we need to develop and communicate other ways to deal with our fear of death... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306957 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:14:00 +0100 2306957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306963&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Fforced-speech-pushing-against.html The following post will be about abortion and conscientious objection thereto by medical professionals. But it could just as easily be about assisted suicide, or using embryonic stem cell therapies, or pulling feeding tubes, because the principles are the same--as are the reasons for the attempted coercion of medical professionals to cooperate with life terminating medical procedures.I have been reporting that doctors and other medical professionals who wish to hold to an orthodox Hippocratic view of medical professionalism are going to increasingly be forced by law to either be complicit in these actions or become podiatrists. The most blunt method of destroying Hippocratic medicine in this manner is the new Victoria, Australia law requiring doctors to either perform an abortion upon requ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306963 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:39:00 +0100 2306963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2302710&cid=t_272784_167_f&fid=36988&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.happynutritionistsnuggets.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fnatasha-richardson-good-example-to.html Like many, I was struck with the passing of the screen and stage actress, Natasha Richardson...wife of Liam Neeson, and mother to Michael, 13, and Daniel, 12.It is always hard to see someone die, but especially hard when the person is young like Natasha was...only 45, and leaves behind children that are just entering their teen years...not to mention a husband after being married only about 14-15 years. And thinking of Venessa Redgrave, what mother ever wants to live to see the passing of their child? And to top it off, the circumstances of the death were so strange...a simple fall while skiing on a learning slope.Though this blog is about keeping our bodies healthy, it's not such a bad thing to be reminded that life is short, and that we should treasure each day and make sure that we're r... Happy Nutritionist's Nuggets blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2302710 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:57:00 +0100 2302710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284434&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Fsuicides-r-us-franchises-soon-to-be.html I remember seeing the movie Soylent Green in the early 70s. One of the shocks of the film has E.G. Robinson's character leaving a note to Charlton Heston that he was "going home," which turned out to be death via a euthanasia clinic. As I recall, the idea that society would become so crass and abandoning as to permit clinics where people would go to be killed was seen as beyond the pale.Well, in the 1990s, Kevorkian urged the establishment of suicide/euthanasia clinics. Many laughed that off as advocacy from a fringe kook--even though he had better poll numbers than Barack Obama does today.Now suicide clinic promotion has entered the mainstream of politics. None other than Patricia Hewitt, the former Health Minister in the Blair Government, wants to see them established in the UK. From the... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284434 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:14:00 +0100 2284434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2290612&cid=t_272784_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fnatasha-richardsons-tragic-death-teaches-us-about-head-injury%2F The news of Natasha Richardson’s tragic death after a skiing accident has shocked us all; especially because of the apparently minor nature of her injury and that she was quickly up and about and talking immediately afterwards. Unfortunately, however, Ms. Richardson suffered a near textbook case of what’s called epidural hematoma. I say near because she was 45 and epidural hematoma is more likely to happen in younger adults with the average age being 20-30 (it’s rare after 50). But the rest of the awful story is only too typical. The only positive thing about epidural hematoma is that it is a rare event. In fact, it only is found in about one to four percent of traumatic head injuries. It is also a cruel irony that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month (BIAM). And doubly so because, ... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2290612 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:18:03 +0100 2290612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2281500&cid=t_272784_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fbereavement-series-complicated-grieving.html Some of the complications in grieving happened to me when I woke repeatedly after nightmarish dreams, with the circumstances of the death flashing by, feeling as if I were reliving it.This happened after my husband died from cancer in 1996. It has occured again now (2009), after my gentleman companion of the past 3 years has died following heart surgery.At 56 years old, with no siblings or children, I am alone. No relatives. It's all up to me to get through this bereavement and I will.Following my husband's death returning to work immediately was a necessity. I worked long hours frantically, making achievements, winning awards at work. But eventually it all caught up with me and I had to get medical and mental health attention, and find time to attend a Hospice Grief Group.Poor sleep, nigh... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2281500 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:16:00 +0100 2281500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287267&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Ffamily-passing.html In our prison system we get blast emails. Dinah recently has listened to me rant about how much I hate random blast emails from the many organizations I belong to. I get blast email from my professional organizations (two of them), the local symphony, my car dealership, two academic institutions and any company I've ever done business with. I spend more time deleting email than I do reading and responding to email I really want.But anyway, I get blast email from prison. The majority of it are press releases about various and sundry governer or secretary initiatives, but for some reason they also send out emails about deaths in the system. Not prisoner deaths, not anything work related, but the deaths of anybody who works in the system or is related to a DOC employee. These are called "fami... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287267 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:19:00 +0100 2287267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2277205&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-breast-cancer-diagnosis-always-means-a-chance%2F The other day, we suffered a huge tragedy in our area of Michigan. Four teens aged 16 to 19 were in a car waiting at red light when they were plowed into by a speeding car. The drunk driver behind the wheel of the car that hit them escaped with mild injuries while all four teens were killed. Being a mother of a 17 year old and a 20 year old, I have to say that this has really affected me. Frankly it has affected most everyone in Metro Detroit.  These kids were on their way to a Pizza Hut at eight o’clock at night, following all the rules of the road as well as the ones laid out by their parents. In a sense they were sitting ducks with no warning of what was headed their way. It would be easy to equate this somehow with being hit with a cancer diagnosis out of the blue. The truth is ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2277205 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:32:16 +0100 2277205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2295070&cid=t_272784_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fthe-love-connection-and-chronic-pain%2F No, no. Before you get too excited, I am not Dr. Ruth and this isn’t about that “love connection.” I’m sure that would be an intriguing subject, sex, but maybe we’ll save that for another time. Today, I am simply absorbed by the importance of love in our lives. I have suspected for a long time it is, as needs go, right up there with food and drink. According to the writers of songs, “All we need is love.” The question is whether it is better to love or to be loved. Which one is the best therapy, do you think? So hold your nose and grab your toes; we’re going to dive deeply into this subject. I was intrigued by the huge response this blog received when I wrote about the important role our pets play in our lives. It started the wheels in my bra... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2295070 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:48:15 +0100 2295070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284447&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2Firresponsibility-in-reporting-of.html I have been very unhappy about the lurid headlines in the New York Post and elsewhere about the gravely injured Natasha Richardson being "brain dead." That is not only insensitive to her devastated family, but the term is thrown around all too loosely.Brain death is a popular term for "death by neurological criteria," in which various tests and patient history show that the brain and each of its constituent parts have ceased all functions as a brain. (It does not mean that every brain cell is nonfunctional.) It often gets conflated with a diagnoses of permanent unconsciousness--but is not the same as having a catastrophic brain injury. It is dead.More responsible press reports have described Richardson as being in very critical condition or having suffered a devastating brain injury. No do... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284447 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:32:00 +0100 2284447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2276853&cid=t_272784_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2F1922%2F To His Holiness Pope Benedict: Put an extra large condom over your mouth already. In fact, why not stretch it from your chin to your nose! Meanwhile enjoy Monty Python! (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2276853 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:19:51 +0100 2276853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2263018&cid=t_272784_85_f&fid=34967&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fdocisinblog%2FwNlq%2F%7E3%2F46m9dgd74iM%2F Last week, President Obama removed virtually all restrictions on fetal stem cell research, claiming a triumph of science over “ideology.” The hope, of course, is that science may find new ways to prolong and improve our lives, now that the shackles of moral restraint, humility, and ethics have been removed. It seemed fitting, therefore, to repost this older essay, pondering whether the “victories” which science now has in store for us will be indeed Pyrrhic.   A link from Glenn Reynolds hooked into something I’ve been ruminating on in recent days: the endless pursuit of longer life. Here’s the question I’ve been pondering: is it an absolute good to be continually striving for a longer life span? Such a question may seem a bit odd coming from... The Doctor Is In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2263018 Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:57:27 +0100 2263018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2256040&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D6349 The press statement by the MMA President. : The conflict in the two autopsy reports related to Kugan Ananthan has caused all Malaysians to speculate on the reasons for the contrasting differences between the reports. So glaring are the differences between the two reports that the first Pathologist appears incompetent at the least. The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is gravely concerned about the issue. If the second autopsy report is accurate, and there is much to say that it is, then the Pathologist who performed the first autopsy was either negligent in the performance of his duty or was coerced into reporting as he did. The MMA is deeply concerned with this in either case, and condemns the first autopsy and report. The MMA has always maintained that doctors must be objective in th... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2256040 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2256040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2249564&cid=t_272784_151_f&fid=36896&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSuboxoneTalkZone%2F%7E3%2Fak_vQT8kUiQ%2F I wish I had more time to devote to this topic right now, but I am on my way to a short vacation… so I will not be available by e-mail for at least a few days.  Everyone is pacing around the house right now, waiting for me to finish with ‘that stupid computer’. I had to to write, though, because of a horrible incident in Milwaukee a couple days ago that took the life of a 15-year-old girl named Maddie Kiefer.  According to news stories, she snuck out from her house in Whitefish Bay, one of Milwaukee’s’nicer’ suburbs– by nicer meaning a place where the houses are kept up, many children grow up with two parents, and the public schools send a high proportion of students to colleges.  The suburb lies just north of Milwaukee, and along with other nor... Suboxone Talk Zone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2249564 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:09:36 +0100 2249564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2240774&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdeath-certificate-lottery.html A call was put through in the middle of the morning surgery. Eric, an 87 year old patient of mine, had just been found dead in his armchair by his son, David. David sounded distraught. This is not the kind of call that will keep until later. I went straight round.Eric had ischaemic heart disease. He had his first heart attack at the age of 61, long before I knew him. He made a good recovery. His second heart attack was three years ago. This time the recovery was not so good. He was left with heart failure and was taking a cocktail of drugs including ramipril, bisoprolol, frusemide, spironolactone and aspirin. He still got about. He still managed a weekly trip to Sainsburys and, several evenings a week, the short walk to his club. He was on borrowed time, and he knew it. I last saw Eric abo... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2240774 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:38:00 +0100 2240774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232545&cid=t_272784_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F02%2Fwashington-state-allows-assisted-suicide%2F Those who are terminally ill with less than 6 months to live no longer have to travel to a foreign country or hope they can find a medical practitioner in Oregon who will look the other way and let them die with dignity. Washington state has become only the second U.S. state to allow assisted suicide, otherwise known as a death with dignity law. It’s meant to stop the prolonging of a life simply because we can — medical technology and advances making it possible. But we still have a ways to go, as the law doesn’t mandate such prescriptions when requested by a patient. Doctors can opt-out of the law’s requirements, meaning one has to doctor-shop to find a physician willing to write the deadly prescription. In fact, entire hospitals will be banning the practice: Und... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232545 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:00:44 +0100 2232545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232678&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D6269 So the second post-mortem report on the Custodial death is out. No surprise here that it says Kugan was beaten to death. The second post-mortem on suspected car thief A. Kugan showed that he died after being repeatedly beaten. The second post-mortem, conducted by a pathologist from the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre at the request of the 22-year-old’s family, also showed that he had multiple burn marks. These U-shaped burn marks are believed to have been caused by a hot iron, said Kugan’s family lawyer N. Surendran at a press conference at the headquarters of political party PKR here Tuesday. The family will submit the second post-mortem report to the Attorney-General’s Chambers Wednesday afternoon, he added. It remains to be seen what action the AG will now take. Initially th... Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232678 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2232678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222389&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F02%2Fresisting-assisted-suicide-guidelines.html Compassion and Choices (formerly the Hemlock Society) has played a crafty game of pretense about the ultimate goals of its assisted suicide campaign. In debates (including those in which I have participated), in media interviews, in press releases, etc., its representatives have claimed that C and C wants only a very narrow legalization of "aid in dying," and that to be under strict regulatory control to ensure against abuse.Well, now that the drive to legalize assisted suicide has gained some traction, the ideological zeal of the group's leadership has caused them to go off that carefully tailored script. Kathryn Tucker is the legal director of C and C who got a sympathetic judge to impose a state constitutional right to "die with dignity" on Montana. As I noted in the Weekly Standard--co... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222389 Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:12:00 +0100 2222389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222377&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fmore-about-john.html Another cancer blogger, Brian, who also had oral cancer, e-mailed me about John this morning. Here's his message:John hit my web site and we instantly bonded because he had the same tongue cancer one year after I did. Same diagnoses and same therapies and chemo. We were in close contact until December. I knew he was getting worse, but I didn't want to believe it, I guess because it hit so close to home. While on hold waiting to talk to a person in billing at Apria, I patiently reviewed my daily blogs. When I opened yours I just began to cry. I never met John, nor talked with him on the phone, yet he felt a brother. He was just a blog buddy. I'm not sure if it's sympathy or survivors guilt. He was a brave man and I applaud him for staying positive til... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222377 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:06:44 +0100 2222377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216463&cid=t_272784_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F02%2Ffinal-exit-network-ring-of-suicide.html The Final Exit Network is dedicated to assisted suicide. More honestly than some in the euthanasia movement, its members openly acknowledge that the "ultimate civil liberty" should not be limited to the terminally ill.It has long been suspected that some members of the FEN are not willing to wait until the law changes to assist in suicides. Some old time SHSers may recall the case in Phoenix in which it seemed pretty clear that a FEN member helped assist the suicide of a woman with a mental illness.Nothing came of that case in terms of criminal culpability, but now some arrests have been made in a series of assisted suicides in several states. From the story: Four members of an alleged assisted suicide ring were charged Wednesday with helping a 58-year-old Georgia man end his life, and inv... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216463 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:21:00 +0100 2216463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216453&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fjohn-died-this-morning.html John, cancer blogger and good friend, died this morning.His sister Debbie, who had been keeping in touch with me, sent me a heartbroken e-mail telling me the news. John had oral cancer, and his cancer had spread widely throughout his body. I don't know all the details, but I don't think he was expecting to die so soon. With his sister's help, he'd written a blog post just a couple of weeks ago saying that he was not going to do more chemo, but was going to spend time with family and friends. And his sister said he was going to be released from the rehab facility soon. But then he got pneumonia, and I believe that was what killed him. Blogging FriendsI first met John not quite a year ago, when he found my blog and e-mailed to introduce himself. I put up a p... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216453 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:03:37 +0100 2216453 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216454&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fa-powerful-rant-from-amorette.html Over the two-plus years that I've been writing this blog I've come to know a number of other people, mostly women, who are living with cancer. Among all the things they give me, and do for me, is this one special thing: They have a way of expressing what I feel, sometimes even before I knew that I felt it. Certainly before I had the words to say it. Among these friends is Amorette--writer, bento artist, bitter ex-medical student, grieving mama, medical text centerfold, and lifelong cancer patient. Amorette just sent me the link to a rant she wrote about Ash Wednesday, cancer, and more. She didn't know that I needed to read this rant today, but her timing was perfect. I found out this afternoon that John, another cancer blogger and friend, had died this morning.&#016... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216454 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:43:59 +0100 2216454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260479&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Freally-living-after-breast-cancer%2F In the spirit of trying new things and embracing change after breast cancer, I have decided to take up skiing. Actually besides the beautiful treasure box that my son gave me, ski equipment from my husband has proven to be one of the best gifts I have ever received in my life. In fact, I have been skiing several times since Christmas and surprisingly I seem to have been born to ski! The most extraordinary thing is that I am fearless, and after a few times I progressed to the black diamond hill. I decided to forgo lessons and tried an intermediate hill the first time out and have only been going uphill since then. My husband who usually gives me jewelry, which is my favorite type of gift, also has made sure that I am up to date with electronics. It was a bit of shock to him then when I insi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260479 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:51:29 +0100 2260479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2207533&cid=t_272784_136_f&fid=37858&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdessertyears.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F23%2Fmake-the-choice-the-hard-choice%2F We all face The Hard Choice. The Hard Choice to pull off the layers of complaint, of self-loathing, of disdain for everyone else and the overall sense of discontent, emptiness and a sorrow that goes beyond words. To get-real. To put aside what we are feeling and to ask God, “What are You doing?” and “What [...] (Source: The Dessert Years . . . (the sequel)) The Dessert Years . . . (the sequel) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2207533 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:38:28 +0100 2207533