July 31st, 2010 by DrCharles in Better Health Network, Medical Art, True Stories
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She coughs
and heaves a breathless goodbye
into the bedside phone.
Her lungs
damp, bloated, sacked honeycomb
wheeze with vanishing bees.
The room
of sensors and startling noise
has not air to float upon.
Morphine
slakes a thirst for breathable sky
and calms the panic within.
The shame
of living, of death smiling,
savoring smoke and ash.
Eyes closed
she imagines her son, boy,
man, precious evermore.
Flowers.
Beautiful white, red, and black
from a husband who waits.
Starstuff
spinning in galaxies far,
with summer lightning bugs.
And then
it is upon her, the moment,
dreaded, practiced, boundless.
We run
through soft sands lit by moonlight,
now tumbling under waves.
All that matters
doesn’t.
And all that happens
matters.
The absence of pain and hunger
the end of struggle and story
mark an indifferent,
yet decent,
finish.
*This blog post was originally published at The Examining Room of Dr. Charles*
July 31st, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Research
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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit focused on public health. We know that the long-term consequences of eating chemicals from pesticides used on our foods is damaging to our health.
The EWG analyzed data from the FDA and found that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the “Dirty Dozen” are eating 10 pesticides a day. We want people to eat more fruits and vegetables, but NOT to ingest more chemicals. Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. So what’s the answer? Rinse completely and buy the “Dirty Dozen” foods organic whenever possible. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
July 30th, 2010 by Jeffrey Benabio, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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I’ve been seeing a lot of jocks lately. The anatomical area, not the athletes. Summertime means heat and humidity, sports, and itchy groins. Jock itch is a general term for an itchy rash in the groin. Heat, sweat, and skin rubbing on skin can leave the area looking like you slid into second base, groin first.
There are three main causes of an itchy groin. Classic jock itch is caused by a fungus, the same fungus that causes athlete’s foot. This fungus often causes a red scaly rash on the inner thighs. It tends to be dry and can have bumps or pimples. The fungus is often spread from your feet or from contaminated sports equipment, towels, etc. It can be treated with topical terbinafine cream 1% twice a day for 2-4 weeks. Severe cases can require oral anti-fungal medications, especially if the fungus has spread to other areas on your body. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog*
July 30th, 2010 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, Humor, Opinion, True Stories
1 Comment »
I found this sign while driving past a mechanic’s shop the other day. Of course, now I get it. How do women pick their mechanic? This sign explains it all. Just look for the “Handsome Mechanic ‘Now On Duty'” sign. I wonder if it works for doctors, too.
Be honest. If your doctor had exceptionally good-looking physical features by most people’s standards, would you be more likely or less likely to keep him or her as your doctor? Would you be more likely or less likely to think of them as highly intelligent? Would you be more likely or less likely to sue them when something goes wrong?
We know that babies respond to good-looking parents differently even as newborns. So why would we expect adults to respond to handsome mechanics and doctors any differently?
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*
July 30th, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Humor, News, True Stories
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… because the pizza deliveryman might just save your life. From The Associated Press:
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Ordering a pizza may have saved George Linn’s life.
Linn’s wife says he had just gone into cardiac arrest Friday when the pizza deliveryman knocked on the door of their Colorado home to bring their order. Kami Linn says she opened the door to “some burly-looking dude” and immediately asked for help.
The deliveryman, Chris Wuebben, happened to be a paramedic recently returned from Iraq.
Kami Linn says Wuebben performed CPR on her husband and revived him. Other paramedics who later arrived then took over. George Linn remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
Kami Linn says her husband has a history of heart problems.
-WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist.
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
