Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Air Dead - Emphysema

Our families have a history of emphysema deaths. It is with this in mind that we found this story from the United Kingdom's Burton Mail that we wanted to call to your attention. Medical mistakes aren't just an American phenomena.
"Mrs Margaret Jee, of Curtis Court, Horninglow, 73, suffered a heart attack on July 3, shortly after completing ‘gentle exercises’ at Hill Street Health and Wellbeing Centre, in Stapenhill; an activity recommended to her by her doctor to help her lose weight."
"[C]onsultant pathologist Dr Peter Acland said his examination confirmed Mrs Jee, who had underlying health problems including angina, arthritis and type two diabetes, had stopped breathing because of a heart attack. He said he had found evidence of surgical emphysema; air entering body tissue, indicating that air had been ‘going into the wrong place’, but it was ‘hard to say’ whether this had happened while she was alive or at the time of her death."
OK maybe it was that "gentle exercises" that we wanted to call to your attention after the earlier story about strenuous exercising to reduce prostate cancer that made us find and include this story or maybe not. We're concerned about what was done to Mrs. Jee. We really are concerned. While we don't know Mrs. Jee and the specific problem of medical emphysema hasn't been studied she could be our Mrs. or your Mrs. or she could be one of us or Amy Winehouse. We probably do need to lose weight and probably will. We just think it should be noted that there is a down side to physician ordered exercise. So let's be careful out there!


Gold Seal
If you're suffering from emphysema whether major or minor and are in the District of Columbia the Joint Commission gives their "Gold Seal" for Emphysema Treatment to the four (4) following hospitals: Howard, Providence, The Specialty Hospital of Washington-Capitol Hill and Walter Reed. To see their selections for the state of Maryland six (6), North Carolina seven (7) and Virginia fifteen (15) hospitals select the appropriate state's name to get to the link page with that information.

More Coffee Please...

It probably comes to late for actor Dennis Hopper, reporter Bryant Gumbel probably won't be helped by the news nor movie star Nick Nolte and we've long since made known the earlier results in our July coffee health benefits story. The story that "Coffee drinking linked to significantly lowered risk of prostate cancer" has been the lead story on CBS News from Boston, Chicago (WATCH), Los Angeles (WATCH), San Antonio to India:
I love coffee
"The research involved 50,000 males over 20 years old. Kathryn Wilson, a scientist at the Channing Laboratory at Harvard, led the study. Her team found out that 5% of the men, who had at least 6 cups of coffee a day, had a 60% lower risk of obtaining the more complex form of the disease than those who had no coffee. Those who consumed 4 to 5 cups a day had a 25% lower risk, while those who drank 1 to 3 cups had a 20% lower risk. This is the first study to disprove the belief that prostate cancer and coffee are not connected in any way. Wilson and her colleagues used a different approach, that is, by looking at the link between the drink and the different stages of prostate cancer, instead of treating them as a single entity. However, more research needs to be done to confirm their findings, she said."
Though India is more associated with tea than coffee. Their reporting dealt with the recent research on prostate cancer in connection with our old "nemesis" exercise:
"[T]he researchers found that men who walked four or more hours a week had a 23 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to men who walked less than 20 minutes per week. Men who walked 90 or more minutes at a normal to brisk pace had a 51 percent lower risk of death from any cause than men who walked less than 90 minutes at an easy walking pace. Walking didn’t show any effect on prostate cancer specific mortality, but more strenuous exercising did. Men who engaged in five or more hours of vigorous physical activity a week were at a decreased risk of dying from their prostate cancer." - IndiaTimes
Gold Seal
DNA or no DNA "optimum health" is still and probably will always be related to some amount of strenuous exercise. If you or someone you knows needs treatment for prostate cancer the gold standard for care in the area is with following DC hospitals: "Howard, Providence, and Walter Reed". To see the seven (7) results for the state of Maryland, the seven (7) results for the state of North Carolina, and the thirteen (13) results for the state of Virginia. The Gold Seal is issued by the Joint Commission:
An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 17,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.
So enjoy your extra cup of "joe" just remember how you sweeten it can affect your health though thankfully it might have no effect on your prostate.

Sick Puss

We're really editing ourselves because we're pet owners though some of us are allergic to pets. So we're torn between caring and not giving a hoot! Given the choice between concern for the living humans and pets were not People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) zealots. We put people first. We out "Peta" PETA in our concern that pet owners who are H1N1 sick might tend to pity themselves by snuggling up with their furry friends instead of keeping them away from their "infected-ness." Sick is sick so stay away from all the healthy creatures and suffer through it. PETA, however, has no published position on this issue.
sick as a dog
Kennels cautious after pets get flu - Two house cats in Colorado are recovering after both tested positive for the H1N1 virus. A veterinary lab at Colorado State University confirmed the separate cases. One of the cats became ill in early October and the other got sick in early November. Several kennels are also requiring dogs to get flu shots before being boarded. - 9News
Of course if you've ever listen to us or had been listening to us you'll run to the hospital get treated and get those numbers back up. Because in this environment its better to be safe than sorry. Especially if you H1N1 sick. We won't be counting the number of pet deaths but we will be watching their numbers. Yes, even pet deaths count! Maybe not to you, maybe not to the local health departments - yes we're talking about you DC! But our pets matter to us and we'd be very hurt if we lost them for any reason. While the picture maybe humorous in this we're very serious.

Wait For It!

We keep saying "It's Not Over!" We know no one is listening but still we shout in the wilderness because someday soon someone will. One of the down sides to the lack of deaths numbers and news reports of the "decline" is that people aren't getting in line to get the shot. It also could be that those in the "high risk" category have begun to reach their tipping point. We all still can't get the shot though some of us have been inoculated.

Though we can only speak to the national coverage and not the local. We'll make every effort to remedy this by this weekend to give you both actual on the spot coverage with pictures. According to Chicago Tribute, Boston.com, Cybercast News, Nevada Appeal:
Flu vaccine clinic turnout lower than expected - Officials were ready for 5,000 - Ann Scales, spokeswoman for the Boston Public Health Commission, said the turnout was lower than expected because fewer reported cases of flulike illnesses have been reported recently and because many city residents are already vaccinated. “That has suppressed interest in the vaccine,’’ she said. Panic about the swine flu is waning as many people with symptoms are opting to stay home and ride out the illness rather than going to their doctor, she said.
We still love former Governor and now Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, but we think she's "going rogue!" When she came to DC on the 19th of November to tout the increase in supplies we didn't have the vaccine. The conference doesn't appear anywhere on the website nor in our search through the normal media sources. Since that appearance Sebelius has said heads will roll! We believe her and it's not just because she scares us.
“Right now, as of today, we have 50 million doses not available and more is coming each and every day,” Sebelius told the crowd of about 100 people that gathered at the center to hear her and Spanish-speaking representatives from the CDC. “And so, if you haven’t had the opportunity to have a vaccination yet, more will be available.”
Almost ten (10) days later in the Maryland suburbs supplies were still lacking.
US struggles to keep up with demand vaccine - Just outside the capital, Washington DC, Mary Anderson, at the health department of Montgomery County, Maryland, said her region had only received half of vaccine order they placed. One the countries hardest hit by the swine flu outbreak, the US was struggling to keep up with demand, even as public concerns over the safety of the vaccine kept some people away from the queues for the jab. - Monsters and Critics News
The former Kansas governor added this at the earlier gathering:
“The vaccine will be available, and it will be free, and it will be available to everyone,” Sebelius said. “I’m here to remind you that the good news is we do have a vaccine. It does work against this flu, and it is safe."
We emphasize this statement because while the now Health and Human Services Secretary made it plain the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they have the 2009-2010 seasonal flu vaccine ready.
FDA Approves Agriflu Seasonal Influenza Vaccine - Another option to prevent illnesses caused by subtypes A and B influenza virus - Novartis is required to conduct further studies to verify that the vaccine will decrease seasonal influenza disease after vaccination. The company also manufactures another licensed seasonal influenza vaccine, Fluvirin, for use in the United States. Fluvirinis approved for people ages 4 years and older. Agriflu is not intended to protect against the 2009 H1N1 influenza.
That's right the FDA says they don't know if it will work but they do know it won't work against the H1N1 virus - you know the one that's been killing us. She's really going rogue and she's not named Sarah! She's the other former female governor whose name starts with an "S!"

The problem with people not getting the H1N1 vaccine is being highlighted now that the supplies are becoming available but again primarily to the "most vulnerable" is fear and ignorance.
H1N1: Why I'm Willing To Get Vaccinated - Tyrone Jones - A 13-year-old child is five times more likely to contract the H1N1 than an adult because the virus feeds off less developed immune systems. H1N1 is a very contagious disease and nobody is naturally immune to it. Knowing this is enough to get me to run out for a vaccination. - NCMONLINE


Just last week we heard this:
Lessons learned from the H1N1 flu vaccine shortage - Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Tuesday that a major review and proposed overhaul of the government's efforts to develop new protections against pandemics, bioterrorism and other health threats has been initiated.
The shortage is currently a non-issue, as about 69 million doses are now available, however, the virus is still spreading widely and a third wave could occur later this winter, said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden. CDC reports in the Alabama region (Region 4), we are still experiencing elevated levels of activity, and our region has reported 37 pediatric deaths. - Baltimore Examiner
The Washington Post noted that we may have to wait a year to determine how many heads rolled:
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that she ordered the evaluation in part because the H1N1 vaccine shortage had highlighted the nation's dependence on antiquated technology. "We'll look for the fastest ways to move to new technologies that will let us quickly produce countermeasures that are more dependable and more robust," she told the American Medical Association's Third National Congress on Health System Readiness, which is being held in Washington. "Not just for flu and not just for infectious diseases, but for all the public health threats we face today." The review will be led by Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary for preparedness and response, and will be complete by "early next year," Sebelius said. - Washington Post
The rogue secretary's remarks can be found at Health and Human Services (HHS along with her testimonies and statement on the issues of the day. She's getting things done. It's up to us to queue up and get the shots when they're available. Unfortunately not enough of us are doing that. We can't wait until the lines open up for the rest of us so we can get the protection as well. Unfortunately everyone doesn't feel that way and their ignorance is resulting in their deaths.
Swine flu deaths higher among minorities, state says - Blacks and Hispanics in Illinois have died from swine flu at double the rate it has killed whites in the state, and swine flu has hospitalized the two minority populations at more than triple the rate for whites. Less access to health care, more chronic health problems and lower vaccination rates among the two minority groups probably play a role, Illinois officials said Friday at a meeting in Chicago where minorities were encouraged to be inoculated. - Chicago Tribune
Now that we know - though it's not our job - it's our mission like the rogue former Governor now HHS Secretary to do something. It's a matter of life and death.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Breast Is Best!

DNA matters and so does using the non-formula way. It seems as though it might be able to change genetics if done longer and earlier.
WebMD logo
Breastfeeding was shown to significantly lower a woman’s risk for developing metabolic syndrome in a study reported today by researchers with Kaiser Permanente. The longer the women in the study breastfed, the more protection they seemed to derive. - WebMD
The original study is published and will be fully published in the journal called Diabetes. All we could afford to read was the free abstract so go to the original WebMD story for more information. If anything it points to the power of the human ability to adapt.

The Littest Winning Loser

NBC will be broadcasting the Biggest Loser to highlight their weight loss show and we're always reminded of Oprah's big reveal show from Kirstie Alley to her own struggles. While such shows do demonstrate the power of individual extraordinary effort they also tend to suggest that if you don't make such efforts you're some kind of a less than person. We've held such beliefs about ourselves as well as pointed fingers at others. It is with this in mind that we point to the both the new and older research that offers another take on the issue of the overweight.
big kids now
Considerable attention is currently being paid to the secular changes in food intake and physical activity that underlie the increase in the prevalence of obesity that is apparent in many societies. While this is laudable it would be unwise to view these environmental factors in isolation from the biological factors that normally control body weight and composition and the compelling evidence that inter-individual differences in susceptibility to obesity have strong genetic determinants. - Philosophical Transactions B
It's not just talk show hosts with "motional and medical issues." It's all of us with life's day to day. It's not that we can't loss weight if we "really really try." It's we can't keep it off even after really really trying.
Diets don't work because dieting is not a long-term solution. If you diet to lose weight, you'll gain the weight back once you get off the diet. Remember, you behave your way to success. There are no quick fixes. Even gastric bypass surgery can only provide short-term results if your behavior and your thinking don't change. - Dr. Phil
Where we disagree is that we don't choose to be overweight! We do agree that it appears that the leading causes of death are avoidable what we disagree with is that the victim isn't the sole solution to the problem. It isn't just a point of disagreement it's a matter of life and death.
A third of heart disease deaths are caused simply by being overweight, researchers have found. The stark conclusion means about 67,000 deaths a year in Britain could have a direct link to our expanding waistlines. It also suggests obesity could be a bigger risk factor for cardiovascular disease than previously thought. - The Daily Mail
Yes, the study is a UK one but this just points to the fact that the issue is one of a developed nation and not just a fat and lazy one. This current version highlights the accuracy of the earlier research. We're also not saying that "it's not your fault that you're getting fat" as the website and book alleges. We're saying it's not just your fault that you're getting fat! It's a little bit our fault that we're "with child." It's not totally our fault!

Fat and Nasty

We're As Happy As A Pig In Slop. Forgive our country idioms but we're not quite back in our city mode. While out of the local jurisdiction and expanding into the Carolina we didn't publish the stories on obesity that were released during this period.
pig in slop
We're happy to report while those studies were more of the "we're going to hell in a hand basket variety" because we're so overweight. It gives us great pleasure to report that our extended bellies can now be attributed to something other than our slothful ways. Combine that study with another concerning our porcine friends and we're just giddy with the news. The next time someone suggests that our behaviors are anything but pristine we can always point them here and say we are the way we are to maintain the most optimum health.

It is with this in mind that we offer you the following: "Dirty pigs beat disease" - Immune system gets a boost from early exposure to bacteria. - Natasha Gilbert
Living like a pig could be good for you, according to research showing that dirty piglets pick up 'friendly' bacteria that help them to develop robust immune systems later in life. The results provide support for the hygiene hypothesis, which suggests that a lack of exposure to microbes in early life can affect development of the immune system and increase susceptibility to certain disorders, such as allergies and inflammatory bowel disease. - NATURE Magazine
Add to this the following stories (though related to severely overweight children - we've always considered our inner child a critical part of our personalities). According to the ABC News, Chicago Tribune, US News and World Report and others:
Obesity in some children tied to DNA, study finds -- Some children get severely obese because they lack particular chunks of DNA, which kicks their hunger into overdrive, researchers report. The British researchers checked the DNA of 300 children who'd become very fat, on the order of 220 pounds by age 10. They looked for deletions or extra copies of DNA segments.
So the next time you think about pointing your finger at our unborn obese bodies and ask when we're due - its not us its our DNA!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Aunt Alice - The Last

Pearlie Mae had two remaining sisters. Her twin, Mamie and her older sister Alice. Lea Alice Frierson McKiver was the sixth child of the late William and Queen E. Frierson, born May 4, 1916 in Timmonsville, South Carolina. Early Tuesday morning November 24, 2009 she departed her life.
Alice graduated from Upchurch High School in 1935. She worked at Fort Bragg before relocating to Long Island, New York. Alice later moved to Haverstraw, New York and was employed by the State of New York, at Letchworth Village, a residential Service of the Office of Developmental Disable Services for over 25 years, until retirement. In 1999, Alice returned home to Raeford, North Carolina. He was united in Holy Matrimony with Howard T. McKiver who preceded her in death. She is also preceded in death by three brothers and six sisters. She leaves to mourn: two children and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Although we may be sadden because we will miss her, it is a comfort for us to know the one we LOVE has found eternal and lasting peace.

We were with her at the very end and was honored to have been allowed the privilege of spending her last remaining days with her and the family. We've lost more than an aunt we lost a familial legacy. A human historical remnant of people, places and memories not found in any library, museum or laboratory and forever lost to the future. Alice L. Frierson McKiver was/is both irreplaceable and unforgettable to all who knew her.

Flu Week 47 Only One DC Death Again

From our point of view the numbers are higher for the District of Columbia than in the last two years and we knew the flu was coming. The numbers are lower than last year for Maryland and we knew it was coming. The numbers are higher in Virginia and we knew the pandemic was upon us. The numbers are lower in North Carolina and they are doing a better job with less.
"Secondary bacterial pneumonia was a frequent cause of illness and death during each of the influenza pandemics of the 20th century. Pneumococcal infections have also been identified as a complication in some severe and fatal cases of the current H1N1 influenza pandemic."
Maybe its because North Carolinians aren't as congested as we are. The Department of Health is either underreporting, as we suspect DC is doing or something else is going on. We think we should be doing better. Maybe it'll happen next year but the numbers are people. It is us! For us it's Pearlie Mae's minister who had "underlying conditions" but the numbers that aren't us affect us and rob us of people and personnel many of which love, protect and keep us safe. Governor Bev Perdue (WATCH) got her seasonal flu vaccine and we're still waiting for our H1N1 vaccine. That might explain why North Carolina's deaths are behind the last previous years.

JURISDICTIONS
This
Last
2009
2008
2007
Swine Flu
District of Columbia
Baltimore, MD
Charlotte, NC
Richmond / Norfolk, VA
1
10
2
6
1
11
10
5
101
696
443
238
81
764
453
199
74
595
452
202
DEATH TOTALS WK 47
19
27
1478
1497
1323
We also have to keep saying - it's going to get worse because we're still not in the midst of the storm. It's going to get worst. Our hope and prayer is that we'll all get the inoculations we need in time so keep the deaths down and the suffering to a minimum this year and into the next. We're not the only ones saying this Maryland's Governor O'Malley hypes the good while ignoring the bad but still offers a caveat that we still need to vigilant.
"This week, as vaccination shipments into the State continue to increase, we are seeing potentially positive signs in overall flu activity in Maryland," said Governor O'Malley. "All flu indicators, including hospitalizations, positive H1N1 tests, ICU admissions, and emergency room visits are on a downward trend. And that's a good thing. But this is still a public health threat we all should be taking very seriously."
Another day and we aren't in that number. We count that a very good day indeed!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

It's Not Over...

Until the dying stops. We're becoming as insensitive as the news reporting the dying as one big number instead of noting the passing of each individual. We write it but don't highlight it. How many are lost each week as well as the totals year to date this year and past? We noticed our omission and debated how this is change recognizes each individual loss. In the interim we offer you this subtle change to make the season bright.
"[W]e don't know what the future will bring. We do know that we have more vaccine now. It is a real window of opportunity to get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. And vaccination remains our best protection against the flu and for people who are sick. It's important still to get prompt treatment. When you're sick with flu-like symptoms, it may or not be flu, but if you're sick, see a doctor. Or if you have an underlying health condition like diabetes, it's particularly important to see your doctor." - Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director for Centers for Disease Control Prevention
Total Doses as of 11/24/09*
Allocated
Shipped
Incr.
Population
% Pop.
District of Columbia
Maryland
North Carolina
Virginia
   125,200
1,732,600
1,049,500
1,446,200
   121,000
1,734,400
1,126,000
1,557,900
103%
100%
93%
93%
   591,833
9,222,414
5,633,597
7,769,089
20%
19%
20%
20%
TOTALS
4,353,500
4,539,300
96%
23,216,933
20%
With twenty (20%) percent of the most vulnerable population covered with the vaccine. Any slowing of the death or infection rates could be contributing to any decreases which would point to either the effectiveness of the inoculations process and the need for the vaccine rather than an ending of the H1N1 flu season.
"In the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from seasonal flu-related complications, and; about 36,000 people die from seasonal flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications."
The chart shows a decrease or downward turn of the number of deaths which would signal good news as though the worst was over if you're desperately searching for good news. We hate to be harbingers of doom but we like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must point out that this is the month when supplies should make it's way to general population - those of us not at high risk but at risk nonetheless. Again it's how you look at it and where you look. The number of visits are down but deaths are not.
"Timing is uncertain. In past years, seasonal flu activity typically did not reach its peak in the U.S. until January or February, but flu activity has occurred as late as May. However, the 2009 H1N1 virus caused illness, hospitalizations, and deaths in the U.S. during the summer months when influenza is very uncommon. So it is not known when flu activity will increase, when it will be most intense (peak), what viruses will circulate, or how long the season might last."
The CDC's official advice isn't to go and receive help from the hospital but to avoid the hospital and stay home:
If you get sick with flu-like symptoms this flu season, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care.
If the CDC has been successful in getting the word out that same success must be reflected in the decrease in the number of individuals seeking hospitalization but not deaths. Even media professionals aren't immune to conflicting and bad advice. Business Week's reporter sent this story in: My 10-Day Ordeal With the Swine Flu - Reporter recounts her bout with H1N1, made all the worse by chronic asthma - Serena Gordon
"I shouldn't have waited over the weekend to get medical help, and I was lucky I hadn't ended up in the hospital on a respirator due to the delay. What still strikes me is how ill-prepared I was for the severity of this illness. Despite everything I've read, and even though I talk to doctors and other health experts all the time, H1N1 blindsided me."
Yet the news wants you to relax and not stress out. We don't want you stressed just informed. It ain't over until we're vaccinated and we're into 2010. Hope is that the regular flu returns and the regular season returns where there are a few deaths that occurs in our normal season for 2011. Of course the number of deaths will still be about 30,000 but maybe we'll learn something and be better prepared for the next round. Then we can relax until 2012. Of course if the Mayans are right- that's when it's really over!