Wednesday, September 30, 2009

We Asked They Answered

As we were writing this we received a yet unpublished report from Maryland "“Sadly we must report Maryland’s ninth death – the second of a child under the age of 18 – related to the H1N1 (Swine) Flu virus and we wish to express our sympathies to the family and friends,” said DHMH Secretary John M. Colmers. “The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tells us that Maryland experiences about 1,000 flu-related deaths each year and therefore such deaths are unfortunately."

Still we say with all seriousness - Do be afraid! Listen when Toyota recalled their floor mats yesterday the news reports hyped the biggest recall in automotive history. Instead of saying take out your floor mats Toyota owners they might make it difficult to apply your breaks. Fear is more important than facts. The next biggest recall of in automotive history will be for a light bulb that will accidentally not go out in the case of an accident. It was much ado about nothing. Was the accident and the officers death nothing - NO? That was something but that wasn't the sound bite. The hype was nothing.

We asked all the experts we could find who were quotes or whose research seemed to contradict the current wisdom. We asked them if they intended to get the shot or have their family immunized and their answers were consistent. The best answer we "have in years past and likely will this year as well."
The same can be said about whether or not you should take a flu shot. Depending on your health and that of your child - you should get the shot. Even the mother who lost her child still believes that parents should get their child immunized. Tammy Osborne told CBS News and wants you to know: "(W)hat we think is most important for people to know, even in our time of pain, is that I knew Chloe [her daughter] was sick, and even thought the doctor said she was gonna be OK, and they didn't give her the medicine (Tamiflu, which the Osbornes say wasn't administered until Chloe had taken a severe turn for the worse), I knew she was really sick. And I would have been more demanding in her treatment, and been more of an advocate for her than I was."

Don't be afraid. The following information was obtained from the Huffington Post. Again do not be afraid. "The flu virus can make you sick all on its own. But it can also set up your body for a more serious, bacterial infection like pneumonia or meningitis in the following days. In fact, historically, these bacterial pneumonias account for a large fraction of the serious illness and deaths that occurred during an influenza pandemic. A bacteria called pneumococcus that accounts for about 1.5 million worldwide deaths each year on its own, is one of the most common bacterial causes of these pneumonia cases. Knowing that there is a likely bacterial pneumonia surge that will follow pandemic influenza may seem scary but it is actually helpful. Because in addition to the vaccines that can prevent influenza, we have vaccines that prevent the pneumococcal pneumonias that follow flu illnesses and antibiotics to treat those that get through the vaccinations."

News may seem scary but it is actually helpful. This information may seem scary but it is meant to be and is actually meant to be helpful. Be more demanding in your treatment and be more of an advocate for your loved ones. It's not just a cold after ten (10) days but you have eleven (11) more days to get the treatment you'll need when it gets worse. We can't do this alone but parents can do it for their children, husbands for their wives. We can do this. We can survive. Don't be afraid!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Best Guess

We have to be grown up and act grown up. We must put away childish things. It sucks we know but we have to be parents. The great thing about the Internet is access to information. You can trust AND verify while you trust. You just can't do it in real time. When the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) met the press on Friday, September 18, 2009 - the press wasn't prepared. There were some shining stars but even they got blind sided.

You can read the transcript or listen to audio mp3 file or view the video. We tend to enjoy reading more because we get bored and want to hurry on to the next sentence and bypass the really boring parts. When you listen to the government there are a lot of really boring parts.

The media made the CDC afraid to guess. The question we hoped that someone would ask was asked. It wasn't answered but it was asked. "Stephen Smith with "Boston Globe." So in CDC are there actual working estimates of how many deaths from H1N1 might result this fall? And have those changed over time with a better understanding of the virus? And how should the public and public health officials, for that matter, square these planning scenario figures with the CDC's own data showing that so far there have been fewer than 1,000 H1N1 deaths?"

"Dan Jernigan: Yes. You point out the difference between planning scenarios and monitoring what's going on. And so we have ways of estimating the numbers of deaths, the numbers of hospitalizations, looking to see what we're seeing with the actual numbers coming in, how do they compare to what we might expect. Some of that information I think is very close to coming out that we would be able to provide to you. Similar to how Dr. Lipsitch's information came out as well. We are likely to have numbers that look very similar to what Dr. Lipsitch had. But the virus I think we have to continue to monitor. There's only so much that you can do with forecasting. It helps us to understand what resources might be needed, what policies might need to be changed. But we don't want to provide a very specific number because all of those numbers are estimates. They're based on many assumptions. So we want that information that comes out to be as realistic as possible. The -- through the summer we have been collecting a lot of information, have been working with a lot of collaborators, and I think that's really helped us refine the numbers so that they will be as accurate as possible."

What the!?!?! What? Dr. Lipsitch is Marc Lipsitch, a Harvard School of Public Health epidemiologist, who speculated that the official count of swine flu deaths - it stands below 1,600, as of the middle of last week - “is certainly an underestimate of the number of deaths. It may be a bad underestimate or it may be a modest underestimate, but it is certainly an underestimate.’’ (BOSTON.COM)

The Boston Globe and BOSTON.COM in the same article just before quoting Dr. Lipsitch also quoted: “People die of heart attacks and pneumonias and so on who wouldn’t have died if they hadn’t been infected with influenza,’’ said Dr. David Ozonoff, a flu specialist at the Boston University School of Public Health. “But if you look at many of those death certificates, they won’t have influenza as the immediate cause or even the contributing cause.’’

His is an opinion we echo because we're in agreement. FOX News and others have been quoting Dr. Lipsitch's presentation “Modeling and Epidemiology of H1N1 Pandemic” on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 before the US The Institute of Medicine. Unfortunately no one read or viewed the presentation which models the info based on May and June of 2009 to reach his conclusion.

As part of a group of five (5) experts who offered a method of preventing a pandemic that we hope and pray will be institutionalized. If we had listen then and acted earlier we might have substantially reduced the amount of deaths still to come. It still might not be too late. We might get that barn door closed in time.

Monday, September 28, 2009

The Count Doesn't Count

As children we loved the Slide game where the numbers are jumbled and you have to unscramble them in the right order. That sort of what we feel like when we try to verify the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) numbers for our region. And it's no where near as much fun.

When you fudge the facts its hard to get all the numbers straight and sometimes everybody doesn't get the notice. We've tried to keep you updated with the facts but we seem to be the only ones locally who are. Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia will tell you there are no H1N1 deaths even if you ask them about flu or pneumonia so Pennsylvania and West Virginia's numbers seem evasive. Maryland and Virginia say they've had ONLY one pediatric death to swine flu. Only Washington DC doesn't respond but their site says they've had no death to date. As the news stations continue to report the number of students growing to the hundreds infected with the flu the site proudly proclaims one (1) confirmed case.

Officially the count doesn't count. According to the tally given by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that we know this is an under count. Their own numbers can't be verified even with a "reset." That the CDC claims will "allow jurisdictions to implement the new case definition, counts were reset to zero on August 30, 2009." While their website claims that in Region 3 there were ten (10) pediatric deaths.

Internally we have the full count and will continue to use the CDC internal memos to report the full figures for our jurisdictions that the departments of health legally are required to report to the CDC. Obviously the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has no legal obligation to tell us the citizens the real numbers. We can't even confirm the ten (10) deaths that the website claims occurred in the Region officially with the various jurisdictions.

With that in mind and the latest report from the "Children's Hospital Boston" published in PEDIATRICS magazine for October 1st and reported in the news: Associated Press (AP), Atlantic Journal Constitution (AJC), HealthDay which states: "More than half a million kids a year are treated for medication side effects in American outpatient clinics and emergency rooms, according to new data."

Should we as parents be concerned for our children about the H1N1 virus when we rush them to our emergency rooms? That's the question we posed to the remaining authors of the study.

slide game"Parents should pay close attention when their children are started on medicines since "first-time medication exposures may reveal an allergic reaction," said lead author Dr. Florence Bourgeois, a pediatrician with Children's Hospital in Boston."

What they tell us we'll report to you. Our feelings are that there is little with which to be concerned. What the non-pediatric death of the Miami University student from Ohio lets us know that there is three (3) weeks between the time a healthy adult succumbs to the virus.

On September 5 the doctor's notified his "parents that they did not expect him to survive the night" yet "he held on for three weeks." There is a vaccine meant to revive and save a dying H1N1 patient. Demand it and if necessary call your congress/senator and get it yourself from the United Kingdom. DO whatever it takes.

Should parents be concerned about the H1N1 vaccinations or have enough testing be done to convince you that such ADE's won't be of significant concern? We don't think so. Just pay attention and ignore the "official" word.

There is a vaccine meant to revive and save a dying H1N1 patient. Demand it and if necessary call your congressman/senator or get it yourself from the United Kingdom. DO whatever it takes. Fight. Fight like hell for the ones you love - always even when you think the doctors are on your side.

Why aren't the real numbers published by the CDC and Prevention we asked AttorneyAtLaw.com. Maybe its a legal thing. If so we suggest every victim "get to suing." The facts are the facts and truth counts.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Confirmed Deaths

One of our favorite BBC Scifi Programs was called BLAKES 7 and on the program their computer answered the pilots by saying: Confirmed! On the show it was the dispassionate computers way of saying: Yes!

What does confirmed mean when the local jurisdictions health departments use the word? What's that mean? Absolutely nothing! ABC News reported this morning on the new report from Connecticut where their confirmation process has been called into question because of the amount of incorrect responses received. This early indicator research suggests that having specific information of only CONFIRMED cases does not adequately provide enough accurate information to be of use to the general public or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

We've long maintained that to the general public, we who suffer, what we have isn't as important is how we can avoid, not be killed by, or survive it. What we need is full information and leave the specifics to the scientists and technicians. We here at PearlieMaes don't want you to die and we're certain no one wants you to die in or out of government. That's not the issue. The issue, to us, is what decisions will they or we make that will put your life and health first and foremost.

When there is an information restriction or blockage doesn't panic occur when the restrictions are removed? That's the issue. When you can't trust those trusted with "Prevention" and discover that trust was violated you have to assume the facts are so bad they are beyond belief and panic is the only rational reaction.

 By Jurisdictions  Flu Deaths  Swine Flu
District of Columbia        89 
Baltimore, MD      556 
Richmond / Norfolk, VA      170+ 


Since the first week January 2009 to September 25, 2009 these are the REPORTED figures to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention by the above mentioned local jurisdictions state Health Departments. These are the figures that are not reported on their websites.

Don't panic. From the research we're not really certain washing your hands (early and often) is sufficient to protect you from the flu. What we are certain is that diligence and hand washing creates good habits that can probably limit your exposure. Washing your hands and face we think when out in public gently while taking a clean moist paper towel to turn off the faucets, open the doors to the rest room where you wash your hands and face is probably a better idea. Because: "It's a jungle out there" - who knew you have to be "Monk" to survive it. "We could be wrong but we don't think so. It's a jungle out there!(Hear)(Read)"

So pay no attention to the obituaries. Just because people are dying from the pneumonia. They're aren't confirmed! Their deaths don't count. Just ask your health departments.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Don't Be Afraid - Fact Are Facts

You don't have the flu, swine (H1N1) or otherwise. So what does it matter how many people died. You didn't die. All that matters is that you are safe and without infection. Maybe you're reassured by not knowing. Many people don't ever really want to know and they panic when they get those false emails telling them that the "sky is falling!" Today we heard from a relative by email something that happened to someone else that we should now be cautious. The "facts" in the email weren't true and the email had been circulating since last year. The purpose was to protect us by making us cautious. All such emails are false. We've received only one in five years that was actually true.

know your numbersAs we approach the weekend and our weekly flu death numbers the local jurisdictions (DC, Maryland and Virginia) have released their "official" "reset" stats and ignored our emailed questions concerning the numbers to date! While the District of Columbia has a huge brand new splash page proclaiming only one (1) confirmed H1N1 cases* and zero (0) deaths they offer this caveat: "As of September 1, the Department of Health only tests for H1N1 in hospitalized flu cases. Counts are the number of confirmed cases since September 1, 2009."

What's missing is the date of the notice so we'd know that they're counting from the first of September til when? The second of September? You'll notice the words "confirmed cases." What do we care whether or not the case is confirmed as H1N1 or not? How many individuals in the District of Columbia have died as a result of the flu?

Maryland's Department of Health is more imaginative but to find the information you'll have to look "in the corner in the booth in the back in the dark." Look at the very bottom on the right hand side. You'll see a much smaller chart "below the fold": "Total Maryland 2009 H1N1 Flu Hospitalizations and Deaths, Posted 09/01/09 @ 1:42 p.m., Reported since June 1, 2009. Hospitalized Cases 166, Deaths 7."

must knowKudos to Maryland for not "resetting" their numbers to zero as per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "To allow jurisdictions to implement the new case definition, counts were reset to zero on August 30, 2009. From August 30-September 12, 2009 4,569 hospitalizations and 364 deaths associated with influenza virus infection, or based on syndromic surveillance for influenza and pneumonia, were reported to CDC."

Virginia's Department of Health has the most accurate, maybe, method taking their clue from the CDC very difficult to understand graphic map. The PDF shows: "Percent of Emergency Department and Urgent Care Visits with Influenza Like Illness (ILI) by Health District in Virginia, 2009 - Data for week ending September 12, 2009." Which again isn't the information we really want to know. Are we then suppose to move, live, work in the areas where their is no activity or like the scary emails we get - "be afraid, be very afraid?" Is the sky failing?

information is powerWe'd really like to know who made the decision or approved the decision to "reset" to zero the number of deaths due to the flu for the District of Columbia, who decided to hide the count on the Maryland page, or who decided that a graphic, non-interactive map was the most efficient way to demonstrate ER flu visits? We REALLLLLY would like to know in case that individual or those individuals ever decided to seek higher professional aspirations. We want names!

Think its okay. Let's put it this way: John Allen Muhammad, Jeffrey Dahmer or Charles Manson have not killed anyone -if we reset their murders to zero. It's exactly the same. It's disrespect for the lives of the dead. They aren't important. All that is important is what we say!

We will not reset our numbers to zero! Information is power. If you need to bury your head in the sand go right ahead. We're going to keep our heads to the sky.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Sorry Wrong Numbers?!?

Why are we so smart? How did everybody else get it wrong? Are we wrong? We verify and we ask the unasked questions. We also tell you when we ask, who we ask, when they allow us to we tell you what they say or at least our impressions or responses to their information.

There appears to be a disconnect between what we read and document and what they say and don't. The network specialists, whom all are notable physicians, explain what's reported without challenge.

We went back to their source the CDC and we discovered that the numbers don't match because we discovered a number "reset." The Center for Disease Control and Prevention started from zero in their counting techniques. That's one reason our numbers don't match theirs. The CDC only reports "pediatric" deaths and not all deaths. We also can't confirm the numbers for our region because all though the number were reset to zero all jurisdictions don't report the numbers to the public in their "contact" email addresses.

Our questions now are: Do our jurisdictions have an obligations to us their paying public to conceal our information. Do we need to know? Are we better off being lied to? You lie! Or Lie to us! Which do we prefer? Can we handle the truth?

We reviewed the footage and what they say the professionals don't say. See if you can hear or find what they say because we certainly can't? Here are the reports and here are the facts that they had to reach the conclusions that they did. We couldn't. Watch and compare - we don't know how they did it - maybe you can figure it out and tell us.

Our favorite is NBC Nightly News whose story mentioned the report from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID). The NBC evening news report talked about how many shots NIAID is recommending for children, which can be protected with just one dose, and needed a booster shot in the past. NBC shows the NIAID director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. speaking but do not air his words saying what their report claims he says.

Our least favorite news broadcast is ABC's World News Tonight which had the least informative report which ignored the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease statement to focus on the CDC video contest winner on how to prevent the virus which they called "Fun With the Flu." Though the least informative it turns out to be the most accurate.

the networksWe love Katie Couric the NBC transplant to CBS but aren't a fan of the CBS Evening News. The networks graphics highlight that their source is NIAID and asks the important question: "How Do We Know It's Safe?" and speaks about the two forms of the vaccine - spray & or shot. They get it wrong as well even though CBS uses their own female physician to highlight the electronic chart.

Watch the broadcast if you've got ten (10) minutes and compare them to this statement from the source the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID): "This is very encouraging news," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "As we had hoped, responses to the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine are very similar to what we see with routinely used seasonal influenza vaccines made in the same way..."

"...These results are not unexpected and are both similar to what is seen with seasonal influenza vaccines and consistent with what we and our colleagues at the Food and Drug Administration anticipated," notes Dr. Fauci.

We asked the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) why there appears to be a disconnect between what they say on their website and what the networks report. Here's how we discovered why our numbers don't equal their numbers. "During week 36 - 1,378 (18.2%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories and reported to CDC/Influenza Division were positive for influenza..."

"...Two influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported, and both were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection..."

"...The 2009-10 influenza season officially begins October 4, 2009. To allow jurisdictions to implement the new case definition, counts were reset to zero on August 30, 2009. From August 30-September 12, 2009 4,569 hospitalizations and 364 deaths associated with influenza virus infection, or based on syndromic surveillance for influenza and pneumonia, were reported to CDC."

We'll of course their numbers are lower when they hit the "reset count" button and only show you the lowest groups (children's) numbers. Here's our verification and proof - where's theirs? So who are you going to believe them or our lying facts?

We were surprised to find this little nugget of truth from the World Health Organization (WHO) about the US and the H1N1 "swine flu." It's on page 1 of the PDF so you don't have to read it all. "The pandemic A(H1Nl) virus was first detected in April in the United States and shown to be responsible for outbreaks in Mexico in March and April. Outbreaks subsequently occurred in all regions of the world and by July pandemic A(H1Nl) was the predominant influenza virus circulating in many countries in the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania."

We're number one! We're number one!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

How Long Before You Die?

The question no one asks on the nightly news (ABC, CBS and NBC) as they speak about giving children, who supposedly are the most vulnerable the swine flu, the vaccination what's the period of infection before death. People have already died of the H1N1 virus (593 in the US with 266 in NY alone). We understand why the networks did the report but no one is asking the questions we think need to be asked.

flu deathsWe argued about this (how can they possibly know for certain) but we found this answer from England. Normally we find all our info from the World Health Organization (WHO) but we couldn't find what we were looking for there. From there here is the question and the answer we got: "What if I don't recover within a week? If your symptoms don't improve after seven days (or five days if you are under 16), contact your local NHS service..."

"How does swine flu cause death? Like any other type of flu, people can die from swine flu if they develop complications, such as pneumonia."

"Will I die from swine flu? For most people, the illness has been mild and self-limiting. The virus has caused severe illness in a minority of people, most of whom had an existing serious condition. NHS staff are well trained in treating people who are in hospital with swine flu. They can provide effective treatment for any secondary bacterial infections, such as pneumonia."

As we write this and we thought what makes one susceptible to death from the swine flu. We posed the question to the jurisdiction of Virginia. We never quite got an answer from the Department of Health to what were the "pre-existing conditions" that led to the deaths of the child and adults who the state admits died from the H1N1 virus.

Who are at risk we asked. We found: "What are the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups? These are people with: chronic respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic heart disease, such as heart failure, chronic kidney disease, such as kidney failure, chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis, chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs, and immunosuppression (a suppressed immune system), due to disease or treatment.

From WHO we learned that children weren't necessarily an at-risk group so what the networks accepted that "the professionals" say about how much is too much, we could not verify. Flu shots are recommended as a good seasonal preventive so the one (1) not two (2) shots makes sense in that vein. What we object to is the focus on the kids when they aren't at risk.

The socialized British National Health Service (NHS) gave us this info: "Why are healthy people over 65 and children not a priority for the swine flu vaccine? Healthy people aged over 65 appear to have some natural immunity to the swine flu virus. And while children are disproportionately affected by swine flu, the vast majority make a full recovery - therefore the experts do not advise that children (other than those in at-risk groups) should be vaccinated initially."

So you say who are we going to believe the good ole USA or those socialist limeys. Again we trust and verify. We went to California, our honeymooned state - specifically Calstate Fullerton, to get the answer to the question: "Why is this flu strain considered more dangerous? It’s a new strain and so our bodies have not built up immunity to it. However, keep in mind that during a normal flu season, about 0.1 percent of the population will die from a seasonal flu. So far, swine flue is causing at least a one percent death rate among those infected with the virus. So, if you’re looking at 300 million people, about 10 to 20 percent — or a minimum of 30 million people — will develop the flu. Of these, one percent or 300,000 people will die."

Monday, September 21, 2009

Alzheimer Growth

We were tracking the story from The Associated Press, Atlanta Journal Constitution, US News, USA Today, LA Times, "a new report from Alzheimer's Disease International" (PDF) about the rising Alzheimer rates with info on how to "reduce your risk." The interest for us is in the increasing numbers and costs associated with the increase. It's not quite at the "Alzheimer's out to get ya" phase but as we age we're keeping the stats in mind. Like the commercial where the senior says "that's for old people - I'm not old!" We put it it that category.

To decrease your risk, exercise, eat right, stay active in your social circles, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah... But most importantly we learn this from the US News and World Report: "Granted, there isn't a proven prescription for prevention. The challenge researchers face is how to pluck out the meaningful behaviors of people who maintain cognitive function into old age, then put them to the test in rigorous clinical trials."

So even if you found a way to do all the "6 Ways to Protect Yourself Against Alzheimer's and Dementia." You still could suffer from Alzheimer. alzheimer's disease internationalIt's just a good idea to do the six ways. However as you start to suffer it gets difficult to do any of the things that you have to remember to do to not suffer. You can't keep friends when you can't recall how you met the person. Like all diseases`we have the irrational fear that regardless of what's known somehow you can catch just by being near the sick.

Nursingtimes reports: "Longer lifespans means in 20 years there will be nearly twice as many people suffering from dementia in the world as there are today, experts have warned. In 2010 there will be 35.6 million people across the world with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, which will almost double to 65.7 million in 2030, according to British researchers. They estimated that the number would nearly double again 20 years later, to 115.4 million in 2050."

That's just one of the costs of the increase. The other is the bill for medical treatment of these individuals which would dwarf any public option any nation or leader anywhere is considering. That cost will be one paid for by our children and our children's children worldwide.

FLU WHAT WHY?

We asked all of the Region 3 jurisdictions as defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to share with us the number of deaths from swine flu to determine which suffered the ten (10) deaths that reported for the week. Surprisingly not all responded to our "non-media" request. The ones who did didn't equal the total reported as "pediatric" deaths. We've long since determined that the numbers were far greater than reported and growing - but not in a "sky is falling way" but in a if you knew you'd panic needlessly. From all our research panicking is needless.

trust by verifyThe World Health Organization (WHO) reports that: "Most people recover from infection without the need for hospitalization or medical care." For us that means catching the flu isn't a death sentence as a treatment is readily available to prevent death. The flu is rather difficult to acquire. The CDC and Pennsylvania State Health Department (H1N1INPA) say: "The virus can live on hard and soft surfaces anywhere from 2 to 8 hours after being touched by an infected person. 2 to 8 hours!"

How each jurisdiction addresses the problem should be our concern. Ours has a plan that we believe is wholly inadequate. Ours isn't the one. This story was the headline today: "Cincinnati-area hospitals are placing restrictions on visiting due to the spread of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, the Greater Cincinnati Health Council said. Beginning Monday, most area hospitals are allowing visitors ages 14 and older only. People with respiratory symptoms, including fever and coughing, are also not permitted to visit, according to a news release. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is limiting visitors to parents and guardians only, according to the release."

We immediately went to the Ohio Department of Health which has virtually no information on current rates of infection or deaths. The only thing we could find was this from the ODH Director Alvin D. Jackson, M.D. in a memo (PDF) provided to public health colleagues: "Director's Journal Entry, In Re: Reporting of Influenza A H1N1... Effective immediately, I order health care providers, laboratories, and local health departments to consider influenza A HlN1 as non-novel and to report cases pursuant to paragraph (B) of section 3701-3-O2 of the Ohio Adm. Code."

It's not a novel or unusual virus anymore. It's bad! It's really bad. Even though the World Health Organization (WHO) says: "The main route of transmission of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus seems to be similar to seasonal influenza, via droplets that are expelled by speaking, sneezing or coughing. You can prevent getting infected by avoiding close contact with people who show influenza-like symptoms (trying to maintain a distance of about 1 metre if possible)..."

To recap a Cincinnati Children's hospital has developed emergency procedures for a problem that the state's Department of Health doesn't acknowledge exists. That's the problem or rather that's what we think is part of the problem.

We're suspicious. The individuals who have died from this flu don't seemed to be grouped together or are they? Did the first individual who died in the jursidiction come in contact somehow in someway through someone who distributed the flu to the second individual who died? Transmission appears to be difficult and we accept that but this information blackout or in Virginia's "pre-existing conditions" case seems odd.

Why do we trust the World Health Organization (WHO) is because: "WHO continues to track the evolving infectious disease situation, sound the alarm when needed, share expertise, and mount the kind of response needed to protect populations from the consequences of epidemics, whatever and wherever might be their origin."

The World Health Organization was the first to warn of the pandemic when the US including the CDC were slow to react and the number had prior to the season begun to approach previous years totals.

trust by verifySo what do we in our suspicious mind think you should do? If you took a flu shot last year get your regular shot this year. Or if you didn't it shouldn't hurt to get one this year. We don't believe that the shots give you the flu. We believe WHO who asks and answers the question: "Should I take an antiviral now just in case I catch the new virus? No. You should only take an antiviral, such as oseltamivir or zanamivir, if your health care provider advises you to do so. Individuals should not buy medicines to prevent or fight this new influenza without a prescription, and they should exercise caution in buying antivirals over the Internet."

We're not parnoid. We're just cautious. We trust but we believe in verification. WHO says and we say: "The new influenza A(H1N1) appears to be as contagious as seasonal influenza, and is spreading fast particularly among young people (from ages 10 to 45). The severity of the disease ranges from very mild symptoms to severe illnesses that can result in death. The majority of people who contract the virus experience the milder disease and recover without antiviral treatment or medical care. Of the more serious cases, more than half of hospitalized people had underlying health conditions or weak immune systems."

We've seen the real numbers and when we inquire and are given bogus numbers we have to ask - why the lie? That's our real concern. When I've asked you a question that I already know the answer to and you give me false info. That's the concern. How can you trust what can't be verified? (Oh, my God! We're paraphrasing Ronald Reagan! We're going to hell.)

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Flu Dead Numbers Rise

You won't find their names at the end of a PBS broadcasts but the first canaries who die the expected deaths from the expected flu even though we have the cure or rather the preventative are still just as dead. We all don't need saving but those whom have died within the last few weeks could have lived. The sadness is that they may have had access to the treatment and it just might have been too late. If we KNEW what was actually going on then we could grieve and just accept what is.

Again this is not to panic you, the reader. We get from those whom we employ (our representatives) what we demand of them. When you read or hear that the H1N1 swine flu isn't going to be as bad as predicted. Give them the figures. When the world says that a pandemic is coming - how is that not bad? Are they "Chicken Littles?" Do you think we are? We don't want you afraid. We want you informed. Or like the President said today and has repeated since the campaign: "Fired Up! Ready To Go! Fired Up! Ready To Go!"

Swine Flu JURISDICTIONS  DEATHS 
 District of Columbia  76 
 Baltimore, MD  544 
    Richmond / Norfolk, VA  177 

The numbers don't lie although our jurisdictions may not tell us we still think that Virginia needs to be commended for restricting their mistruths. While all the jursidictions are reporting to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) the death toll the reports are being released accurately to the public. Virginia reported another death but within the site mentions incorrectly as a year to date number an inflated weekly death toll in the U.S. Maryland has stopped counting and if you reviewed the D.C. website you'd think they're were no deaths. The flu season isn't upcoming - it's here!

What each jursidiction has failed to do is to notify the local newspapers to not report such deaths in their obituaries. We read them daily counting, contacting the families and funeral homes concerning the unexplained and DC Medical Examiner investigative deaths. It's a macabre job but somebody's got to do it!

Dirty Filthy Money

Now that we're back from our honeymoon and while we were there we were struck by the number of homeless or apparent beggars on the streets of San Francisco. Since we used plastic to pay our bills and the city is a city of cash & coin everything was so expensive we put two and three together. What we got is 1. Money is dirty. 2. The homeless are dirty. 3. Wash your hands. 4. The homeless can't wash their hands. 5. The homeless will die from the swine flu first and in greater numbers than the general population.

dirty moneyIf that isn't true then washing your hands is a bunch of crap as a method of avoiding the flu! Wouldn't the homeless be more susceptible to the flu since they receive ONLY cash & coin? Which calls our attention to the story published last month's Science Friday: "Ninety percent of the paper money in circulation in the U.S. contains traces of cocaine, according to a study by Yuegang Zou a chemist at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth. That’s up from 67 percent, as measured by Zou in a similar 2007 study."

Professor Zou spoke at the American Chemical Society revealing: "The scientists found traces of cocaine in 95 percent of the banknotes analyzed from Washington, D.C., alone." There were cities in which 100 percent of the banknotes contained traces of cocaine. These cities include: Detroit, Michigan; Boston, Massachusetts; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California according to CNN.

Yuegang Zou: "found that $5, $10, $20 and $50 bills were more likely to be positive for cocaine than $1 bills. "Probably $1 is a little too less to purchase cocaine," Zuo said "I don't know exactly [why]. It's an educated guess." The speculations that cocaine is spread by currency counting machines does not seem to hold since dollar bills are more likely to be used in bank currency counting machines as well as larger demoninations.

"For years, health agencies have advised people to wash their hands after touching cash for sanitary reasons. Disease-causing organisms such as staphylococcus aureus and pneumonia-causing bacteria have been detected in paper bills. According to a 2002 study published in the Southern Medical Journal, 94 percent of the tested bills had potentially disease-causing organisms." Although that study was related only to the western Ohio: "These results suggest a high rate of bacterial contamination of one-dollar bills."

As our technology increases so seems our ability to test for the contamination of currency which contributes to our concern over money and bacteria. In 1972 the University of California quoted as published in the American Medical Association Journal (JAMA 2008) by South Coast Today.com and everyone else on the internet but not found at the AMA website "found 13 percent of coins and 42 percent of bills were contaminated with bacteria. A report in the journal Infections in Medicine last (1997) year found just 3 percent of coins and 11 percent of bills were dirty, concluding the country had cleaned up its act."

It's the "pneumonia-causing bacteria" on bills that has us concerned. That is until we read the comments at CNN with a professional who was not involved in Zuo's study.

We contacted Professor Shirley Lowe who authored the 1972 California study and others: one to verify that there was a 1972 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and two to find out what's scarier than swine flu infected dollar bills. Until we get a response we'll keep paying with plastic!

Death Attacks

Yesterday the stories(1)(2)(3) were on race and aftercare cardiac survival rates and how Blacks do worse than Whites according to the most recent research published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). HealthDay included a link to the American Heart Association on cardiac arrest which includes the information that: "No statistics are available for the exact number of cardiac arrests that occur each year. It's estimated that more than 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital. In cities where defibrillation is provided within 5 to 7 minutes, the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest is as high as 30–45 percent."

Twelve (12) percent of five (5) percent doesn't seem significantly important except if you beat the odds and make it to the hospital you're a part of the five (5) percent. However it ain't over and surviving to receive care isn't the end whether you're Black or White. You're still likely to perish as a result of what ever created your cardiac condition. The difference isn't in your color but in what hospital you select - which for many is a matter of your skin color.

"Racial Differences in Survival After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest" When the article refers to the National Registry of CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (NRCR) for their research using hospitals affiliated with the registry we immediately sought to get a local lists. Unfortunately such a list isn't available from their website but what is listed is their original research on Cardiac arrest in the Emergency Department: A report from the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation which refers to a link to a second
(PDF) two (2) page report also links to a third report which concludes: "What does this mean to your facility? Patients who suffer a cardiac arrest in the ED are a unique population having better survival to discharge compared to patients arresting in other hospital locations. As ED location was an independent positive predictor of survival, further analysis of process variable such as personnel, training, and frequency of practice may identify opportunities for improvement."

The linked research concludes: "ED CAs have unique characteristics, and better survival and neurologic outcomes compared to other hospital locations. Primary ED CAs have a better chance of survival to discharge than recurrent events. Traumatic ED CAs have worse outcomes than non-traumatic CA."

We included the video reports here for your own edification. Most edifying are the additional comments by Dr. Chan on the issue of race abd treatment excluded from the main report but a part of the official "B" roll. The comments follow one after the other.

Where Were We?


... married and on our honeymoon. Now that we're back we'll get back to work!

Friday, September 4, 2009

There's an app for that?

We must be feeling really catty today because we weren't going to comment on this story but when you think of what our mission is - our mission is to correct what's incorrect in the news. Headlines: "New Application Aims to Detect Flu Outbreaks Faster" "iPhone users have a new means of monitoring the spread of swine flu and other disease outbreaks." Nothing really incorrect with this story. There is an app for that. We just have to ask - Why?flu tracker app

It's been on ABC, USA Today, US News & World Report you've seen it. We thought that that was our job. Except knowing where the outbreak is is sort of like knowing who has the virus. It's not the flu that needs to worry you, we think. For us its what treatments are available to keep you from dying from the flu.

This app and the others like it turns you into a video game character. What are you supposed to do run from uninfected area to uninfected area? We don't want to turn you into a frogger character. Information that informs should inform. We aren't hating! Really we aren't hating!

We think of the flu as a bad bad cold that kills whether its swine or pneumonia. Dead is dead. We're not jealous but don't allow yourself to be misdirected. Everyone who gets the flu will NOT die. It's not a death sentence. There is an available treatment to make us both resistant and able to recover from the infection. Swine Flu - there's a treatment for that!

Obese Kids

No one likes an "I told you so" person and we don't mean to be that way BUT... "Researchers are recommending that officials in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia rethink their efforts to combat obesity in children because the current strategies -- emphasizing healthy diets and exercise -- aren't working." While the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) got the numbers wrong and it's not that we need the validation. Our reason to be is to correct these widely reported errors. According to the actual research in the BMJ ( formerly the British Medical Journal): "3958 children visiting their general practitioner in May 2005-July 2006 were surveyed for BMI." The information from the survey is in this decade. We believe that the right prescription is important to receive the right remedy.

Their conclusion is: "Primary care screening followed by brief counselling did not improve BMI, physical activity, or nutrition in overweight or mildly obese 5-10 year olds, and it would be very costly if universally implemented. These findings are at odds with national policies in countries including the US, UK, and Australia."

That's why we blah, blah, blah all these studies of studies that say the answer is more victim blaming like more exercise, dieting, better nutrition. Blah, blah, blah.... We don't get overweight because we want to get overweight. The answer has to be more than just saying: "No!"

The issue of spiraling health care costs must be addressed we support the most effective and efficient methods as an alternative to the current system. Smart and effective change is the only change needed rather than change for change sake. We support "better difference (trademark pending)."

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Cancer Reviews

You'll be seeing it, reading, hearing it - how you can cut your cancer risk in half a new study reveals. If it sounds too good to be true then it is too good to be true. A review of reviews you know how we don't put much weigh into money spent excessivley to do what we do. Especially when the results are the same as our advice you know wash, rinse and repeat (exercise, watch what you eat, die) it's the same blah blah blah. These RESULTS are the same results that we've known since the 50's. Remember the president's council on fitness who enlisted Arnold before he was "the governator?" To us it's more blame the victim research. The problem is we need to get our fat behinds off the couch and stop eating the snacks as though they're our main source of energy. We know this - "But you did not persuade" us. Why you new reader might ask? If you are doing the paranoid thing of taking care of yourself because you're a big "C" fearer you won't be cutting your rise in half. This review is ONLY true if you've been ignoring all the advice that we've known for the last sixty (60) years. If you're overweight and eat what you want when you want and think exercise is for children that's who this advice is addressed to get them to cut their risk bennies (benefits).

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Breast Life

This story had it all. It's not as recent as the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Group refusing two new cancer drugs for seniors but this story has breast cancer, minority women and survival rates. How could we not focus on the mailed survey results of the over thirty-one hundred (3133) "Latina and African American women"? Their conclusion: "Greater patient involvement in decision making was associated with receipt of mastectomy for all racial and ethnic groups. Patient attitudes about surgery and the opinions of family and friends contribute to surgical choices made by women with breast cancer." In the WebMD story young women afraid of dying from breast cancer opt for a radical mastectomy and the older women with family involvement choose "breast-conserving surgery."
breast cancer
Unfortunately for our Aunt Pearlie and many women seniors a lump means cancer, means never leaving the hospital and means death. The big "C" (cancer) fear is the earliest of our AIDS, terrorism, swine flu for the generations.

As the health care debate rolls on in the media at the very same "Journal of the National Cancer Institute" you can listen to the nine minute fifty-six second (9:56) interview with Dr. Peter Bach of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center discussing the issue of treatment and health concerns being waged out of patient earshot and awareness - "How much is life worth?" It's being called the $430 Billion Dollar Question. The podcast is in the very same issue as the study from the August issue of the journal. For many seniors with a healthy, active lifestyle and strong family ties the answer is priceless. Unfortunately when pain and inoperable medical conditions apply many individuals like Pearlie Mae Leach decide the answer is a financial concern.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Non Emergency Emergencies

When Aunt Pearlie complained of a backache we though maybe some Doan's pills and she'd be back on her feet and eating again. She knew the problem was much worse but we didn't so we delayed treatment.high cholesterol If the experience taught us one thing is that for family, including ourselves, who are afraid of hospitals and dread emergency rooms (ERs) and non-urgent care center in the mall or shopping center is a good send. Some are over crowded because of their limited hours and specialities but may are crowd free. Taking a family member there while out and about or in lieu of a hospital might be a better alternative. If the situation is at all serious an ambulance from their gets you far ahead of the line than a standard ER walk-in (this is only our anecdotal experience however). According to the latest report in the news (Bloomberg, Reuters, US News & World Report) which miss reads the facts "retail clinics" are a good choice for sore throats, earaches and urinary tract infection. Here's what they actually say according to the editors of Annals of Internal Medicine: "Little is known about retail clinics in the United States. Contribution - The investigators found that nearly all U.S. retail clinics offer care for common symptoms (such as sore throat and cough), immunizations, and routine screening tests (such as lipid and glucose levels). Most are in urban locations, and about half are in 4 states. The investigators estimate that one third of the U.S. population resides within a 10-minute driving distance of a retail clinic. Caution - The findings apply only to retail clinics operating in 2008. Implication - About one third of the U.S. population resides near a retail clinic that provides basic acute and preventive care."

While some Clinics use residents rather than interns physicians we are of the "doctor is a doctor is a doctor" school of medicine in that unless you can get in to see your doctor when you want to see your doctor without a substantial wait time you don't know what you're going to get from the ER or the hospital when you walk in. Again just using our own experience we've had ambulances called from clinics where the doctors live by the "don't sue us school of medicine" where over care is better than under care any day. Our own physicians have never called an ambulance for us (again our experiences are all anecdotal) so your mileage may vary.

Diets Work on Diabetics

high cholesterol Dr Phil is known for saying "Diets Don't Work" but the Annals of Internal Medicine says that research on Italians and Rachel Ray EVOO followers would disagree with that for diabetics of type 2 after four (4) years. Good news and good video. (1:46)

"Compared with a low-fat diet, a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean-style diet led to more favorable changes in glycemic control and coronary risk factors and delayed the need for antihyperglycemic drug therapy in overweight patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes."

Diet or Drugs? The choice is eating a diet of italian style foods or take expensive drugs and make more trips to the pharmacy? Another very tough choice for us to make.