I'm pretty sure I haven't told this story here. If I have it was a while ago, and it's totally relevant to my last couple of posts so I'm going to retell it.
I was young, in my early 20s. And I'd gotten sick. Really sick. One of those bizarre, mysterious (non-contagious) illnesses that land you in the emergency room and then get you admitted to the hospital for several weeks. That's right, I said weeks.
Besides the fact that I felt like shit, I was getting more depressed with each passing day. Sure, friends and family would come by to visit. But I was trapped in the hospital. Oh, and I was NPO which means I was being fed intravenously. I wasn't even allowed to drink water.
The only thing that kept me from losing it was that one of my doctors was totally hot. HOT! And not only that, but he would take a few minutes each day to come and hang out with me. It felt like he was flirting with me, but I couldn't tell. For starters, I looked nasty. I was only allowed to shower every few days and I was pretty weak. He was this gorgeous, older (about 12 yrs older) doctor who could have any woman he wanted. Eventually I chalked it up to him just taking pity on me.
Jump ahead a few weeks. I got better and was released from the hospital (no, I'm not going to say what was wrong with me - too much detail). A couple of weeks after my release I had to go back for a follow up appointment with the hot doctor. I got all dressed up and made sure that I looked good. I figured that if there was any chance he really was flirting with me, I wanted him to know I was interested.
He said I looked great, but that was all. He didn't ask me out, or even hint at it (what was I even thinking, that would have been totally inappropriate). I left feeling let down, but I wasn't ready to give up. I went home and called information (Yeah, it was that long ago. I didn't even know how to use a computer back then.) and got his home phone number. Luckily, he had an uncommon enough last name and I knew what neighborhood he lived in from one of our flirty chats.
And then I called him at home and asked him out. Yes, it was insanely awkward. I'd never done anything like that before. I'd introduced myself to men at bars, but never actually asked someone out. But here was this man who I liked, OK - who I had a huge crush on and who I thought might like me back. I figured we'd never see each other again as doctor and patient and that if I didn't do something we'd probably never see each other again period. So I did something.
He said yes. Not right away. First he said that he didn't think it would be appropriate. I said I understood and was about to hang up (and then go eat a pint of ice cream) when he said, "but as long as no one finds out it's fine". And so we went out. Several times. Over the course of a couple of months. And it turns out that he was actually a total asshole. Arrogant, selfish and mean. But that's not the point here.
Since then I've done some equally ballsy things. Nothing quite as dramatic, perhaps. It always comes down to the same thing, though. Why not? What have I got to lose? What could I gain?
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Category: Pandemic preparedness • Public health preparedness • Swine flu
Category: Pandemic preparedness • Public health preparedness • Swine flu
The UK is having quite a swine flu outbreak, although the authorities aren't owning up to it. As for the public, they are being whipsawed between the usual poles of "it's all hype" and "we're all going to die," with the latter fading in parallel with the fading of effectiveness in selling tabloids. So, yes, there's a lot of dreadful stuff in the news about swine flu, but there's some pretty astute stuff, too. Here's something I ran across in TimesOnline [UK] by Melanie Reid:
Posted by Joven at 11:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: hospital
Top tips for men for living a longer, healthier lives
Thursday, June 4, 2009
By RITA COOK
For men, being healthy can be a state of mind. "Of course, there are some anatomical differences between men and women, but the sources of men's health issues are less tied to that than to their mind-set about their health, their diets and going to see the doctor," says Dr. Alan Kaye, internist at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.
"By changing those attitudes, men can enjoy healthier and longer lives and, most importantly, they'd have better quality of life."
We asked a team of doctors and others at the hospital for advice on how to do that.
Here's what they said:
"Play it safe and buckle up. Men are less likely to wear seat belts, while they're more likely to be the ones speeding down the highway."
Ken Locker, certified athletic trainer
"Find a good woman – and stay with her. Divorced and-or separated men are at much higher risk of mental health issues, including suicide."
Dr. Jim Harris, psychologist
"Find a sport you love. The monotony of working out at the gym gets old. Then what? Instead, find a sport or hobby you love that will help you burn a few calories and improve heart health while you're having fun."
Dr. Gary Weinstein, pulmonologist
"Get involved in the grocery shopping; learn how to read labels and buy healthy foods and snacks. Don't eat the unhealthy snacks in the house, and cook a healthy meal for the family at least once a week."
Angela Clark, director of the Urology Research and Education Foundation
"Get to know yourself. Breast self-exams are common for women, but men aren't encouraged to do self-exams of their testicles enough. It's a way to catch testicular cancer early."
Ken Locker
"See a doctor annually after age 40 and get PSA tests for prostate cancer annually after 50 (or sooner if there are increased risk factors)."
Dr. Alan Kaye, internist
"Get a hobby. It often kick-starts a little exercise, even if it's just gardening or woodworking."
Dr. Sandeep Gupta, allergist
"Get some sleep. Sleep apnea is more common in men than women. It can cause a host of medical problems, including high blood pressure and heart failure. Loud snoring, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness and long pauses in breathing while sleeping can be signs of this serious, insidious disease."
Dr. Nabeel Farah, sleep medicine specialist
The UK is having quite a swine flu outbreak, although the authorities aren't owning up to it. As for the public, they are being whipsawed between the usual poles of "it's all hype" and "we're all going to die," with the latter fading in parallel with the fading of effectiveness in selling tabloids. So, yes, there's a lot of dreadful stuff in the news about swine flu, but there's some pretty astute stuff, too. Here's something I ran across in TimesOnline [UK] by Melanie Reid:
Posted by Joven at 11:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: hospital
Top tips for men for living a longer, healthier lives
Thursday, June 4, 2009
By RITA COOK
For men, being healthy can be a state of mind. "Of course, there are some anatomical differences between men and women, but the sources of men's health issues are less tied to that than to their mind-set about their health, their diets and going to see the doctor," says Dr. Alan Kaye, internist at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.
"By changing those attitudes, men can enjoy healthier and longer lives and, most importantly, they'd have better quality of life."
We asked a team of doctors and others at the hospital for advice on how to do that.
Here's what they said:
"Play it safe and buckle up. Men are less likely to wear seat belts, while they're more likely to be the ones speeding down the highway."
Ken Locker, certified athletic trainer
"Find a good woman – and stay with her. Divorced and-or separated men are at much higher risk of mental health issues, including suicide."
Dr. Jim Harris, psychologist
"Find a sport you love. The monotony of working out at the gym gets old. Then what? Instead, find a sport or hobby you love that will help you burn a few calories and improve heart health while you're having fun."
Dr. Gary Weinstein, pulmonologist
"Get involved in the grocery shopping; learn how to read labels and buy healthy foods and snacks. Don't eat the unhealthy snacks in the house, and cook a healthy meal for the family at least once a week."
Angela Clark, director of the Urology Research and Education Foundation
"Get to know yourself. Breast self-exams are common for women, but men aren't encouraged to do self-exams of their testicles enough. It's a way to catch testicular cancer early."
Ken Locker
"See a doctor annually after age 40 and get PSA tests for prostate cancer annually after 50 (or sooner if there are increased risk factors)."
Dr. Alan Kaye, internist
"Get a hobby. It often kick-starts a little exercise, even if it's just gardening or woodworking."
Dr. Sandeep Gupta, allergist
"Get some sleep. Sleep apnea is more common in men than women. It can cause a host of medical problems, including high blood pressure and heart failure. Loud snoring, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness and long pauses in breathing while sleeping can be signs of this serious, insidious disease."
Dr. Nabeel Farah, sleep medicine specialist
Swine flu: distraction and leadership
Category: Pandemic preparedness • Public health preparedness • Swine flu
The UK is having quite a swine flu outbreak, although the authorities aren't owning up to it. As for the public, they are being whipsawed between the usual poles of "it's all hype" and "we're all going to die," with the latter fading in parallel with the fading of effectiveness in selling tabloids. So, yes, there's a lot of dreadful stuff in the news about swine flu, but there's some pretty astute stuff, too. Here's something I ran across in TimesOnline [UK] by Melanie Reid:
The UK is having quite a swine flu outbreak, although the authorities aren't owning up to it. As for the public, they are being whipsawed between the usual poles of "it's all hype" and "we're all going to die," with the latter fading in parallel with the fading of effectiveness in selling tabloids. So, yes, there's a lot of dreadful stuff in the news about swine flu, but there's some pretty astute stuff, too. Here's something I ran across in TimesOnline [UK] by Melanie Reid:
Category: Infectious disease • Pandemic preparedness • Public health preparedness • Swine flu
Category: Infectious disease • Pandemic preparedness • Public health preparedness • Swine flu
The unpredictability of flu and difficulty of making any predictions with confidence is tiring to repeat and tiresome to listen to. Unfortunately that doesn't make it any less true. There are things we know -- because we see them happening -- and things we don't know -- because the information isn't available (like an accurate estimate of CFR or prevalence) or they have yet to happen.
What we know is that we are confronted with a new influenza virus that is spreading with ease outside of its normal season, is infecting an age group that normally doesn't get easily infected (the 5 - 24 year olds), and is causing most of its serious illness and deaths in that same age group. In North America it is now the only significant circulating flu virus, present in all 50 states. WHO's Dr. Keiji Fukuda ((WHO presser .mp3) said yesterday that preliminary data from Chile, in the southern hemisphere, suggests it has similarly displaced the usual seasonal flu strains there. 64 countries have now reported over 17,000 cases and there is no doubt this virus is now a pandemic strain, whatever WHO chooses to call it. So that's what we know, because it is happening and we can see it.
The unpredictability of flu and difficulty of making any predictions with confidence is tiring to repeat and tiresome to listen to. Unfortunately that doesn't make it any less true. There are things we know -- because we see them happening -- and things we don't know -- because the information isn't available (like an accurate estimate of CFR or prevalence) or they have yet to happen.
What we know is that we are confronted with a new influenza virus that is spreading with ease outside of its normal season, is infecting an age group that normally doesn't get easily infected (the 5 - 24 year olds), and is causing most of its serious illness and deaths in that same age group. In North America it is now the only significant circulating flu virus, present in all 50 states. WHO's Dr. Keiji Fukuda ((WHO presser .mp3) said yesterday that preliminary data from Chile, in the southern hemisphere, suggests it has similarly displaced the usual seasonal flu strains there. 64 countries have now reported over 17,000 cases and there is no doubt this virus is now a pandemic strain, whatever WHO chooses to call it. So that's what we know, because it is happening and we can see it.
Swine flu: warning signs that someone is going sour
Category: CDC • Clinical • Infectious disease • Influenza treatment • Swine flu
Since I talk a lot about flu in my real life as well as on the blog, I get questions from moms and care givers who wonder when they should start to get worried about a sick child or relative. It's context dependent, of course. The same symptoms that would be shrugged off at any other time take on a different meaning during a flu outbreak, especially when everyone seems uncertain about what is happening or what might happen. There's nothing irrational about this. Infection with influenza virus is always potentially serious and when the young and healthy are in the cross-hairs even more so. Many other viruses can cause the same initial symptoms ("flu-like symptoms"), outside of flu outbreaks the likelihood those symptoms represent influenza infections is small. When flu is circulating in the community, however, the likelihood that the very same symptoms are from an influenza infection goes way up (the reasons can be found via an elementary application of Bayes Theorem in probability theory). So knowing when things are going sour is more important.
Since I talk a lot about flu in my real life as well as on the blog, I get questions from moms and care givers who wonder when they should start to get worried about a sick child or relative. It's context dependent, of course. The same symptoms that would be shrugged off at any other time take on a different meaning during a flu outbreak, especially when everyone seems uncertain about what is happening or what might happen. There's nothing irrational about this. Infection with influenza virus is always potentially serious and when the young and healthy are in the cross-hairs even more so. Many other viruses can cause the same initial symptoms ("flu-like symptoms"), outside of flu outbreaks the likelihood those symptoms represent influenza infections is small. When flu is circulating in the community, however, the likelihood that the very same symptoms are from an influenza infection goes way up (the reasons can be found via an elementary application of Bayes Theorem in probability theory). So knowing when things are going sour is more important.
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