Medical Examiner by Daniel Pearson

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OCTOBER 19, 2012

THINK PINK

Your Breast Cancer Questions Answered by Dr. Samir N. Khleif Director, Georgia Health Sciences University Cancer Center

hey’re the questions that come into our minds after midnight, when we’re trying to go to sleep. The ones that cause us to wonder—and worry. The ones that we’re afraid our doctors will think are silly. But if we, or someone we love, are at risk for breast cancer, there are no silly questions. About 120 out of every 100,000 women in Georgia and South Carolina will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime according to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making breast cancer the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the two states, and second only to lung cancer in deaths. October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is not only a time to celebrate breast cancer survival, but to learn about your own risk and get the facts about breast cancer. Here are a few frequently asked questions:

If I fi nd a lump in my breast, do I have cancer? Most breast lumps are not cancerous. But any lumps or other changes in the breast should be reported to your physician. A breast exam and tests such as mammograms can determine whether the lump is something to worry about.

Can mammograms give me breast cancer, or cause cancer to spread? This is a very common myth. Mammograms use very small amounts of radiation, and risk of harm from exposure is very low. For years, mammograms have been used safely as the gold standard in screening for breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends mammograms for women age 40 and older every one to two years. Talk to your physician if you have a family history of the disease or other risk factors, which might indicate an earlier start or increased frequency. What is my risk for breast cancer? The National Cancer Institute, as well as the GHSU Cancer Center and others, uses a tool that looks at age, medical history, family history of breast cancer and race/ ethnicity to help determine a general personal risk of breast Please see QUESTIONS page 9

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

We called the bald What’s W

JEAN MOSLEY You would never guess that when this picture was taken, Jean had just been in a serious car accident. Another driver barreled through a red light and broad-sided her car on Walton Way. As you can plainly see, Jean is the type of person who keeps a positive attitude. “Attitude and support is a key part of healing.” Now in her second battle with breast cancer, Jean has learned to live

every day as though it were her last. Not that she intends to lose her battle. She’s lost enough already. “I’ve lost my hair and I’ve lost my breasts, but I haven’t lost my femininity. My losses don’t define me.”

OLIVIA MITCHELL “Cancer sucks,” says Olivia. She’ll get no argument there. But it has its advantages. “It forces you to get your life in order. I’ve been putting things off, but I can’t do that anymore.”

LEIGH ANN KEELS Leigh Ann has one of those faces you may think you’ve seen before. That’s understandable: she owns Tuscany, A Classic Italian Spa, and Augusta School of Massage. We ran into Leigh Ann at a University Hospital waiting room. Was she waiting for a radiation or chemotherapy appointment? Nope. The birth of her first grandchild, a baby boy named Pace. She readily agreed to participate, but told us, “You better hurry! My hair is growing back!” You can’t tell from this photo, but that pink sticker on her shirt shows a pink

ribbon with the word “Survivor” written across it. And that Tshirt she’s wearing has a picture of boxing gloves and below that, “Fight like a girl.”

MARIE CADLE ANN RHODES That’s Marie on the left and her mother Ann on the right sporting matching “Hair by Chemo” t-shirts. Ann doesn’t have cancer, but she shaved her head to show support for her daughter and for her best friend, who succumbed to cancer Oct. 7. Marie was diagnosed with lobular carcinoma in 1999 and thought she had it licked until being diagnosed again in April of last year. Today (Friday) she gets the results of a CT scan she had on Wednesday to see how things are going. Say a prayer for her. Marie says, “If I won Publishers Clearing House I would donate a lump sum to cancer research to find a cure for this thing.” Amen, Marie. Best wishes to you and all cancer patients. We admire the strength and the positive attitude you demonstrate, and the doctors and researchers working diligently on a cure. +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner? Why would anyone pay for a subscription to a free newspaper? That’s certainly a legitimate question. The answer: as a major regional medical center, patients come to Augusta hospitals and physicians from all over the Southeast. The MCGHealth Medical Center alone sees patients from every single county in Georgia, not to mention South Carolina, Florida, and beyond. Add to that the regional reach of Eisenhower Army Medical Center and both Veterans Administration hospitals, the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital, MCGHealth Children’s Medical Center, Walton Rehab and University Hospital, and it’s clear that many people seeking treatment in Augusta are not local residents. Furthermore, some of our most loyal readers are in town only occasionally. Or their treatments and visits to Augusta are only temporary. Even local residents may find it more convenient to walk to their mailbox than visit one of our many newsstands. Subscriber copies are mailed the day prior to the issue date so they will be received by most readers no later than the publication date printed on the paper. Copies are sent by First Class mail in a sealed envelope so they’ll arrive promptly and in crisp condition. Rates are $16 for a 6-month subscription (12 issues), $32 for a full year (24 issues). Complete the form below and drop it in the mail with your payment. Thank you! +

your story? Nearly all of us — even doctors and nurses — are sometimes patients. Perhaps you were recently injured playing your favorite sport, or years ago you somehow got hurt without even leaving your favorite recliner. Maybe you were diagnosed with a dreaded disease, mugged in a dark and lonely parking lot, or you stubbed your toe in the safety of your own bedroom. On the other hand, perhaps you needed medical attention 5,000 miles from home. Whatever your medical experience, we’d like to hear your story for our Medicine in the First Person feature. It can be frightening or funny, ordinary or extraordinary, just a few paragraphs long or quite a lengthy tale, bylined or anonymous. We’ll publish your encounters with the medical profession as often as we receive them. + Send your submissions for Medicine in the First Person to the Augusta Medical Examiner via e-mail: info@AugustaRx.com or to PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397. (The Medical Examiner reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission at its sole discretion.)

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hat woman says, “I’ve lost my hair. Send a photographer right over”? The answer: the five inspiring women to your left. We issued the call for those who have lost their hair at several oncology offices and in our last issue. The response was great, far more than those you see here. Unfortunately we couldn’t make the connections with everyone who volunteered during the limited window of opportunity we had available. To those who volunteered but aren’t pictured here, we say a hearty thank you and best wishes in your journey through treatment. Would you like to meet these five beautiful ladies?

MEDICAL EXAMINER

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www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment consult your doctor. © 2012 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Hope IS Possible

Let’s have awareness of this, two Helen Blocker-Adams

ctober is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It evolved from the first Day of Unity observed in October 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to connect battered women’s advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. In October 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. This annual observance always brings to my mind the memory of Shakayla and Jordan Hawes, two children slain at the hands

of their mother in November 2007. They are the same two children who I was blessed to help raise money for so they could have a proper Christian funeral. And as a result of that tragedy, Hope IS Possible was born. These children’s memory will live on forever. Safe Homes of Augusta, Inc. was the organization chosen for the remaining monies generously donated over and above the funeral expenses. If you were to visit Augusta’s County government website and click on Solicitor General, and find the link to the Domestic Violence page you will find the following at the top of that page: Domestic Violence is a Crime. The webpage also defines what domestic violence is based on Georgia Law. “Georgia law defines domestic violence as any felony, battery, simple battery, simple assault, assault, stalking, criminal damage to property, unlawful restraint and criminal trespass between past or present spouses, persons who are parents of the same child, parents and children, stepparents and stepchildren, foster parents

and foster children and persons living or formerly living in the same household. You do not have to be married to someone to be a victim of domestic violence in Georgia.” Is there a correlation between depression and domestic violence? I asked Dr. Amy House, a clinical psychologist with MCGHealth, who specializes in treating women with mental health/ behavior health issues. “Research in this area consistently reveals that intimate partner violence is a significant risk factor for depression, as well as other mental health consequences, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. In one review of the research, it was estimated that

the prevalence of depression among women who have experienced intimate partner violence was 47%,” explained Dr. House. When you read the facts from the Augusta-Richmond County Solicitor General’s website and tie it into Dr. House’s comments, one can see a direct correlation indeed. • A woman is abused every 9-15 seconds. • In the United States, six million women are beaten each year by their husbands and boyfriends - 4,000 are murdered. • 30% of all murders in this country are committed within the family and 13% are committed by spouses. • Children are present during 80% of the assaults against their mothers and 3 million children witness domestic violence each year. • Many cases of domestic violence are not reported because of feelings of helplessness, fear and shame. • Domestic violence transcends racial, age and socioeconomic boundaries. Its victims are educated, uneducated, poor, middle class, and wealthy. They are

Caucasian, Hispanic, AfricanAmerican and are of every ethnic origin. • Children who witness violence in the home learn that violence is the answer and these children are 1000 times more likely to abuse as adults. • In Richmond County, more than 2,500 cases involving domestic violence are prosecuted annually in the Office of the Solicitor General. The 2,500 figure is quite staggering to say the least, but there is help available. You can contact Victim/Witness Assistance at 706.821.1207. You can also call Safe Homes of Augusta, Inc. at 706.736.2499. + Helen Blocker Adams is President/ CEO of The HBA Group, Intl and Executive Director of the Southeast Enterprise Institute, Inc. Visit her website at www.helenblockeradams. com. If you like politics, visit her blog at www.projectlogicga.com. You can reach her via email at hba@hbagroup-intl.com Helen’s new book, Unlikely Allies: 8 Steps to Bridging Divides that Impact Leadership can be purchased by visiting www.hbagroup-intl.com or www.authorhouse.com

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT BRIEF HUMOR by Bad Billy Laveau No, I am not writing this in my underwear. Prolonged concentration ain’t my style today. Neither does that seem to be the style of our mainline media news programs. So brace yourself for some profundities. Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. (I stole that from Benjamin Franklin.) Regardless of what they say, everybody listens to RAP music ... at red lights, at gas stations, at drive thrus. How to make a psychological diagnosis in one easy lesson: If someone drives slower than you, he’s an idiot. If he drives faster than you, he’s a maniac. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean the bastards aren’t out to get you. Just because the monkey is off your back doesn’t mean the circus left town. This weather forecast is always 100% correct: Tonight, we’ll have darkness.

hear times have changed.

So is this one: Gradual onset of darkness at sundown with increasing intensity by midnight and gradual clearing by sunrise. What is so hard about that?

Best

Everybody talks about the weather. Nobody does a damn thing about it. (Stolen from Mark Twain) Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? I ask, why do the rest of us have to go to work and not have time for silly questions like those? Do you know why Santa is so jolly? He knows where all the bad girls live. If you read the Bible more as you get older, does it mean you are cramming for final exams? You have the perfect job situation if you work just hard enough not to get fired ... and get paid just enough money so you can’t quit. The Perfect Employee: An obese black female who is a pregnant, single, HIV positive, atheist, communist, lesbian who walks with a limp. She fits every American minority. She will not have to work, just show up and tell federal regulators how open-

GOT A STORY?

e n i c i d ME

My editor said I had to write something about medicine or give some medical advice, so here goes: I have discovered a medical breakthrough: the best cure for insomnia is to get lots of sleep. Don’t worry about your heart. It will last as long as you live.

minded her employer is.

at his calendar and demanded to know who May was.

Luther told me he overheard two lesbian whispering in a bar about how they liked tall skinny women with breast implants, perfect hygiene, long blond hair, and high cheek bones. That’s when he realized he was a lesbian trapped in a male body. Luther said his wife was afraid of the dark... then she saw him naked. Now she’s afraid of the light. Luther told his wife the truth and admitted he was seeing a psychiatrist. Then she told him the truth: that she was seeing a psychiatrist, two plumbers, and a bartender. Luther’s wife met him at the door in a sexy negligee. Unfortunately she was just coming home. Luther’s wife is ridiculously jealous. The other day she looked

98% of people who die from colon cancer use toilet paper.

I gave Luther some sage advice: Never raise your hands to a woman. It leaves your groin unprotected.

Are you sure it is safe to drink water? After all, that stuff rusts pipes.

The other night I ate at a real nice restaurant. I knew it was a family restaurant because every table had an argument going on.

Don’t worry about the present. There is no such thing. There’s only the immediate future and the recent past.

When you step on the brakes, your life is in your foot’s hands.

He forgot to tell me I had to be totally serious. +

Women are like elephants. I like to look at ‘em, but I wouldn’t want to own one.

Bad Billy Laveau is a retired MD with a pointed sense of humor. Bad Billy speaks and entertains at public and private events for audiences not subject to cardiac seizure secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee BadBilly@knology.net or 706306-9397

The world is such a dangerous place, you can’t get out of it alive. Yuppies think it is cool and sexy to tell a fetching young lady that they want some Poon Tang: Prune Juice and Tang with a dash of Vodka. I first tried that 40 years ago. She slapped my face. I

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OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER Editor’s note: Exceptional Living appears exclusively in the Medical Examiner each month, addressing issues that all of us can benefit from involving people with special — let’s call them exceptional — needs.

Adventures in Administration

Exceptional Living

Weakness can strengthen by Naomi D. Williams, MPH, CHES, CIC® My October 5 column was hard to read and even harder to write, but it was my heart. This past Sunday, I shared some things with my mom (as I often do), reflecting on Romans 8:28 “And we know all things God works for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” As I looked at my particular situation regarding my son Noah, I was thinking “How is this good?” My mom said, “It’s not that it’s good Naomi, but God is working it for good. It’s not about where you are, but where He is taking you, and how He is using what seems to be a negative into a positive.” The article below illuminates this very thought.

When weakness is a blessing by Jeff Miller, from The Augusta Chronicle “Your Faith” section, 6/25/12

It was a cool, quiet summer morning. I sat with Abbey in my truck, parked in my driveway, for nearly an hour. The only words she said the whole time were “Music please.” This was one of her favorite morning routines. She sat next to me, listening to soft piano music, contented to look out the window while I ran my fingers through her hair. It was the best part of my day – probably my month. The sky was beautiful, and so was my little girl. The anxiety and disconnection that characterized most of her life was, for a moment, strangely absent. The peace was so sweet, I found myself crying. For three years my family has journeyed along the off-beat path of disability. Six surgeries, hundreds of therapy visits, the constant whirring of a feeding machine, and a diagnosis of severe autism later, we are still going. Through the process of grief, confusion, and the beginnings of acceptance, we are discovering something unexpected on the other side: Blessing. My status as “man of God” has been severely tested lately. I say that I believe things in the Bible like “God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.” All things? Lord, the divorce rate for people in my situation is 85%. My other kids are being neglected because their sister needs around-the-clock medical care. She has never chewed food in her life, and rarely even acknowledges me. A short school bus is coming for her this fall. All things? In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul says it like this: You will experience weakness, and this weakness will be a blessing, because it will develop new strength in you. You will understand things that you could not understand before. You will know what it is like to be beset; you will feel the plight of the poor, the unable, the disabled, those who cannot care for themselves. You will begin to see things the way God does. And it will change you. We have much to learn. Become bound to a wheelchair for just a day, and the privilege of walking will become a miracle to you. Blindfold yourself for just an hour, and the gift of seeing will become amazing. It has become very hard to complain about food – ever – when my daughter cannot eat. Amid all the hardships, the blessings of life have become that much more astounding and appreciated. To any who live with disability in some form, I say this: Yours is the hard life, but you have something that others do not. You understand weakness, and it is making you a stronger, more thankful, more selfless person. A few months ago one of my sons came home from school a bit quieter than usual. Later that evening he talked about his day. Walking by the special education class, he related how other kids were making fun of those in that class – a hard-scrabble mob of human awkwardness. But my boy had a different experience. He stopped and stared and felt. He saw something else in there. He saw his sister. And instead of fear and unease, he felt tenderness. His young soul was rooting very deeply in the things of God. Our weaknesses have something to teach us, if we will let them. These lessons are the rusty and the dusty ones, books rarely read in the library of life. But I believe they are the best ones. Here’s to many more quiet sunrises with my little girl.

was immensely proud of being identified with St. Joseph Hospital. It was Augusta’s smallest. It was unpretensious. It was poor. It did not strive for greatness. But somehow it was the best. I remember so well a sister-leader asking employees randomly, “What is the greatest threat to St. Joseph?” The answer: Losing its mission to extend the work of Christ. My role at the hospital permitted me to meet many wonderful people, two of whom were Bob Reynolds and his wife. Bob was one of the MCG deans during the brief leadership of Chris Fordham. Fordham left Augusta for the presidency position at Chapel Hill. One summer evening Bob and his wife planned a four-couple dinner party that included my wife Nancy and me. Another couple was Virginia and John Palmer. This story is really about John Palmer, a once-in-a-life time person to know. John grew up in Waynesboro and from there went into the Navy. Upon return his dream was to practice medicine in his hometown. Unfortunately for John and Waynesboro, he was rejected by the local medical doctors. Not content with office practice, John regrouped, looking for an other way to serve. With a perfect fit he was appointed as creator and director of MCG’s Physician Assistant Program, among the first in the nation Assistant. The program still functions well at MCG. As the Reynolds, Atkinsons and another couple (whose name escapes me) waited for the Palmers to arrive, the phone rang with John on the other end. “We are going to be a little late. There is a rattlesnake in our front yard, and although I don’’t like to kill anything, I fear for my dogs.” John Palmer was the kind of man who is remembered for the fine qualities of his character. When John and Virginia finally arrived the wait was well worth our time. John was carrying a round wicker laundry basket of about 24 inches in height. As you might guess, John had brought his trophy coiled in the bottom of the basket.. Immediately the main topic for the evening shifted from health care to wildlife. But isn’t there an old adage, never bring a rattlesnake to a dinner party? If not, there probably should be. I do remember a bit of advice that John passed on. Never approach a snake from its backside. I guess a snake can whip backwards further than it can lunge forward. The advice can be added to the list of outdoor lore which suggests stepping on a log not over it. Although John has left us, the story of Virginia Palmer and Nancy Atkinson continues. At the moment they live in the same nursing home (Brandon Wilde) and see each other every day. I know because I eat with Nancy at least once per day. Virginia, always smiling and good natured cannot remember anything. The one exception is music. When the staff can persuade her she paddles her strange bed-type wheelchair up to the piano and plays by request for the entertainment of all. She is whiz at the piano and must know a thousand songs. Thanks to St. Joseph Hospital, I have had an amazing life, having met an array of wonderful people, all of whom would know to step on the log. And maybe the snake, too. + Editor’s note: This series is by Bill Atkinson, former CEO of Trinity Hospital (then St. Joseph Hospital), and the author of the comprehensive 2009 Medical Examiner series on the founding of the Augusta area’s major healthcare providers.

When this letter was brought to my attention, I just knew I had to reach out to its author. I was so touched and blessed by his words and even more, I could relate with his feelings. What surprised me the most and why I was/am so thankful to Jeff, is that despite being the pastor of a local church, he has allowed himself to be vulnerable by sharing an intimate and sacred part of his life, his daughter, and thus his family. He is letting God work for good, and he is manifesting that weaknesses can be a blessing. + Naomi Williams is a health educator by training, an entrepreneur by nature, mom, and advocate of the best kid ever, Noah Samuel.

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OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Don’t Lick the Beaters and other interesting food facts

by dietetic interns with University Hospital’s Augusta Area Dietetic Internship Program

Getting nutrients without going nuts body needs, so go enjoy nuts and all the nutritional benefits they have to offer! — Kathryn Warr, Dietetic Intern Sources: • Boyle, Maire and Sara Long Roth. Personal Nutrition. Seventh Edition. 2010. • www.eatright.org • http://ajcn.nutrition.org/ • http://www.fda.gov/Food /

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One ounce of almonds, approximately 23, has 160 calories, three grams of fiber, and contain both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. That serving has six grams of protein which will keep you satisfied longer compared to a snack with little protein. It also provides 35% of the daily recommended vitamin E, 20% magnesium, 15% phosphorus, 8% calcium, 6% iron, and 4% folate. Bottomline—a nutritional powerhouse packed in a convenient 23 almonds. Pistachios, usually thought of as a holiday food, are now being recognized for their capability of fighting heart disease. A study done in 2008 by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that borderline high cholesterol participants reduced their low density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol” by 9% after a month of eating a serving of pistachios daily with a healthy diet. The pistachios had no affect on the HDL, high density lipoprotein or “good cholesterol,” levels. They have only 178 calories per ounce and contain monounsaturated fats,

lutein, beta-carotene, vitamin B6, potassium, and magnesium. Walnuts are a super food. They contain a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) 2.5 grams. ALA is an omega-3 fatty acid that has been connected with a lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. The serving size for walnuts is 14 walnuts halves which provide 190 calories and four grams of protein. They have 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat and 13 grams of polyunsaturated fat. The Food and Drug Administration released a statement saying that “eating 1 _ ounces (45 grams) per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease”. Noticing a trend? Research is showing that nuts when properly portioned can lower the risk of heart disease. There are drawbacks to nuts; they are high in calories and fat, but it is good fat that your body can process. When adding nuts to your diet it is important to make sure that you are taking other calorie sources out. The right serving size is essential to remember when eating nuts—too many nuts eaten equals increased calories which can increase pounds. When eaten in the correct portion most are under 200 calories, less than two Twinkies (approximately 300 calories), plus nutrients to boot. Because nuts are high in fat and they are capable of going rancid very quickly, it is best to store them in a cool, dry place. The area should also be dark because when expose to light it can decrease their quality. Most nuts can be stored in air tight container for six month or in the freezer for up to 12 months. They can be eaten as a snack or add a healthy crunch to your menu. Sprinkle walnuts halves onto plain yogurt and drizzle honey on top. Top spinach salads with pistachio nuts and dried cranberries. Add almonds to oatmeal along with blueberries and banana slices. Adding different kinds of nuts to your diet will give you a variety of nutrients that your

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With aisle after aisle of endless snacking options, what is a person to do when the 3 o’clock slump hits and you need a hold over until dinner? Many snacks promise to be healthy because they throw words at you like “natural” and “from nature.” That’s how they end up in your cart with you being none the wiser that they may not be the best choice. So where do you turn when the snack attack hits? No snack off the shelf offers more nutrients per serving than nuts. Yes, nuts! Although, not all nuts are created equal; some nuts stand out nutritionally more than others. There are many great choices, but the three that are going to be discussed are almonds, pistachios, and walnuts.

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OUR NEWSSTANDS Medical locations: • Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr, 15th St., Main Entrance • Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Uptown Div., Wrightsboro Rd., main lobby • Doctors Hospital, 3651 Wheeler Rd, ER Lobby Entrance • Doctors Hospital, 3651 Wheeler Rd, Employee Entrance (near the Joseph M. Still Burn Center entrance) • Eisenhower Hospital, Main Entrance, Fort Gordon • George C. Wilson Drive (by medical center Waffle House and mail boxes) • GHSU Hospital, 1120 15th Street, South & West Entrances • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Parking Deck entrance • GHSU Hospital, Emergency Room, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Children’s Medical Center, Harper Street, Main Lobby • GHSU, Laney-Walker Boulevard transit stop, Augusta • Select Specialty Hospital, Walton Way, Main entrance lobby • Trinity Hospital, Wrightsboro Road, main lobby by elevators • Trinity Hospital Home Health, Daniel Village, main lobby • University Health Federal Credit Union/ University Hospital Human Resources, 1402 Walton Way, Main Lobby • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Emergency Room lobby area • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Outside Brown & Radiology/Day Surgery • University Hospital - Columbia County, 465 N. Belair Road, Main Lobby • University Hospital Prompt Care, 3121 Peach Orchard Road, Augusta

Around town: • Barney’s Pharmacy, 2604 Peach Orchard Rd. • Birth Control Source, 1944 Walton Way • ASU Student Bookstore • Blue Sky Kitchen, 990 Broad Street • Columbia County Library, main branch lobby, Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans • Enterprise Mill (North Tower), 1450 Greene Street, Augusta • Daniel Village Barber Shop, Wrightsboro Road at Ohio Ave. • Hartley’s Uniforms, 1010 Druid Park Ave, Augusta • International Uniforms, 1216 Broad Street, Augusta • Marshall Family Y, Belair Rd, Evans • Mellow Mushroom, 12th and Broad Streets, Augusta • Southside Family Y, Tobacco Road, Augusta • Surrey Center, Surrey Center Pharmacy, Highland Avenue, Augusta • Top-Notch Car Wash, 512 N. Belair Road, Evans • Wild Wing Cafe, 3035 Washington Road, Augusta

Plus... 500+ doctors offices throughout the area for staff and waiting rooms, as well as nurses stations and waiting rooms of area hospitals.

OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

EDITOR’S NOTE: Very little if anything about healthcare is inexpensive, and that includes medicine. Tiny pills can command large prices. Over-the-counter medications may be less expensive, but are they also less effective? Find the answers to lots of your drug store questions in this column written by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson exclusively for the Medical Examiner.

DRUGS ARE POWERFUL We know how small pharmaceutical tablets can be. Just try to A ten milligram hydrocodone pain pill can easily render you pour only one tablet into your hand. How can such a tiny bit of unable to safely drive a car. But that’s only one hundredth of a medicine and filler lower blood pressure or keep your diabetes small paper clip worth of medicine combating my pain, and only in control? How can one pain the hydrocodone which gets into pill cause you to be “under the my brain and central nervous influence” when it comes to system can cause me to be under driving? It just goes to show that the influence of the drug in legal you don’t need a lot of a given terms. What happens to the vast There are 453,592 milligrams in a pound, so a 150-pound medicine to have an effect. majority of the hydrocodone person weighs well over 68,000,000 milligrams. That means if The active ingredient in a tablet you’re taking a drug with one milligram of active ingredient, that you take that doesn’t cause or capsule is just a small part of an effect in your brain? It is the drug is diluted in your body to this degree: 1:68,038,800 a small dosage form. There are metabolized by your liver and To illustrate another way, certain chemicals are legally allowed fillers in there also, and in the flushed out of your body by your to be present in the environment only at so many parts per case of tablets, binders to hold kidneys before doing anything million (ppm). A drug with ten milligrams of active ingredient the various powders together. useful. But it has to be there is present in a 150-pound body at a concentration of .068 ppm, Some tablets have just one because we have not developed or a solution of 0.0000068%, 6.8 millionths of one percent, yet milligram of active ingredient “smart medicines”, as they are it’s still powerful enough to do its job. in it. Keep in mind that a gram called, that know where to go to (not a milligram) is equal in be effective without flooding the As the headlines in recent weeks have demonstrated, even weight to approximately a small whole body with medication. legitimate drugs can sometimes become tainted. Considering paper clip and that there are one So if we can get these effects by how amazingly powerful drugs can be in even infinitesimal thousand milligrams in one gram. the equivalent of grinding up a concentrations, taking drugs from unknown sources — illicit So there is only a thousandth small paper clip into powder and street drugs or pharmaceuticals ordered from overseas via the of a paper clip worth of active using just a tenth to a thousandth Internet — is risky behavior in the extreme. + ingredient in, say, a glimepiride of the powder to flood our whole tablet for your diabetes. That body with medicine, then imagine one milligram of medicine has what can happen by taking more to spread throughout your entire body in order to arrive at its than the doctor prescribes for you. Nothing good, let me tell you. desired location and only at this one location can it produce a good Side effects are very common even at therapeutic doses and gets effect. This effect will be to lower your blood sugar by stimulating even worse at above average doses. So follow your doctor’s advice the pancreas to produce insulin. With the pancreas only weighing and take your medications as prescribed. + between sixty and one hundred grams in a normal human body Questions, article suggestions or comments on this article email how much insulin do you think it can secrete? There is another us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net drug effect from a small amount of substance we could analyze.

POTENT FOOD FOR THOUGHT

THIS WEEKEND! SATURDAY, 7-10 PM

Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net )

is now

AND C EL EBR IT Y

BAD B ILLY LAUCTIONEER AVEA U!

• Specialty Pharmacy • Home Infusion Ser vices • IV Nursing Same phone numbers! Same convenient location! 3630 Wheeler Road • Augusta, Georgia phone: 706.447.4343 • tollfree: 877.436.4584

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From hospital to home, quality of care continues

This newspaper is published every 1st & 3rd Friday

OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

QUESTIONS… from page 1 However, many factors determine a risk for breast cancer, and women should work closely with their health care professionals to discuss results from these or similar tools. If my sister had breast cancer, will I get breast cancer, too? Only about 10 percent of breast cancers overall are related to family history. But family history can be a predictor of breast cancer, especially if first-degree relatives (sister, mother or daughter) had breast cancer and if the cancer occurred when they were younger than 50. If your grandmother or aunt had breast cancer, your risk increases as well, but only slightly. If you do have a family history, tell your doctor. He might suggest genetic testing to see if you carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast cancer gene mutations. Genetic testing should take place only upon the advice of a doctor and only if a genetic counselor

p.m., at 888-365-0747. And remember, while talking about cancer can seem scary, increased knowledge can only improve your health. +

cancer.

A Public Service Announcement ad from India. More PSAs from around the world are at the Medical Examiner blog all month long (Visit www.AugustaRx.com/news) is available to discuss your results with you. If I have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, will I defi nitely develop breast cancer? These mutations multiply the risk of developing breast cancer by five, but they don’t guarantee it. Talk with your physician about your risk as well as preventive treatments, such as the drug Tamoxifen,

which reduces risk by 50 percent or more. Another preventive option includes removal of the breasts, and women of childbearing age may choose increased surveillance, including more frequent clinical exams and mammograms. Have more questions? Talk to your doctor, or call our cancer hotline, staffed weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5

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You can read the Examiner online at www.AugustaRx.com/news

Author Dr. Samir N. Khleif is Director of the Georgia Health Sciences University Cancer Center. A medical oncology and opinion leader who has served on many international committees, working groups and expert panels, he is leading the transformation of the GHSU Cancer Center into Georgia’s second National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, which will create an array of new research programs, clinical services and prevention strategies, and attract top-level clinician-scientists and biotechnology.

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OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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The blog spot — Posted August 20, 2012 at the Stupid Cancer blog: blog.stupidcancer. comhttp://drwes.blogspot.com. The author is a two-time Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor. Her first diagnosis was in 2008 at age 16. She relapsed in 2010, ultimately requiring a bone marrow transplant from her older sister. Her cancer is considered cured.

BREAKING THE NEWS

“

With a new diagnosis comes fear and uncertainty and a temptation toward denial. The last thing anyone wants to do when they are diagnosed is tell your story over and over to people, but it has to be done. I remember waking up from my biopsy with tears, a painful incision and new hurdles I had to face. I gripped my parent’s hands and listened to the doctor talk. We had many questions about treatment and what life would be like for the next several months. Later that day, my younger brother and sister called me and asked how things were going. I had to go slowly with them because I felt I couldn’t just tell them over the phone how my life had changed. Instead, my family talked it through together in my hospital room when they came to visit. Together, we shared hugs and tears, but also hope. It was difficult to wait to discuss my illness with my siblings. On one hand, it lengthens the period of fear and dread. On the other hand, everyone can benefit from the comfort that closeness provides. Telling friends and relatives inevitably involves phone calls. Based on your strength and stamina, you may want to decide to do it all at once, as the words seem to flow more freely after the first call. With family, one of my parents would casually ask them how they were doing. Then they would tell them that we had some news, that wasn’t going to be easy to understand. My parents would always sound an optimistic tone by first telling them that things were going to be all right and that I was doing well. Then they would put the phone on speakerphone so we all could talk. This way if one of us stumbled or got emotional, the other could take over. We would usually tell them that I would be fine and would hate losing my hair but looked forward to getting a sexy blonde wig. Then my mom would talk and try to arrange a time for them to see me. Next, we would tell them to make calls to family friends and people that we see less frequently. Everyone wants to hear from the patient directly and really appreciates even a short call. After the first few calls you fall into a pattern and it isn’t wasn’t so draining. Friends are easier to communicate with given all of today’s social media connections. However, like family, some people can’t be tweeted or texted. You need to talk to them on the phone. I knew I would need to tell my boyfriend who I had only started to date 2 weeks ago. I called him and told him that I was not doing well but my prognosis was good and to come visit me to talk more. I did the same for a few of my best friends. I told them to come in a group so I could explain my situation fewer times and answer questions so the story was less likely to change by word of mouth. Finally, I got messages and wall posts on Facebook from people reaching out and offering support. One of the great things about social media is that you can give lots of people updates even when you don’t feel like talking. When you do feel like you want to really connect with someone who is not close, try Skype video chatting. It’s the next best thing to being there. +

It has to be done.

”

“

11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

While forbidden fruit is said to taste sweeter, it usually spoils faster. — Abigail Van Buren

“

From THE Bookshelf This may be the perfect gift book for that friend of yours who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer — or any of the other thousand things that sometimes make life seem like a drag. (The person who deserves this gift the most might very well be the person who looks back at you from the mirror.) This isn’t a book full of inspiring essays trying desperately to convince the unfortunate that somehow everything. Books like that sometimes come across as trying too hard. They often seem like they’re not acknowledging reality; just the opposite, in fact. It’s like someone repeatedly saying, “The Board of Regents made the right decision” in the GRU name fiasco, without ever really offering any proof to support that contention. Instead of that approach, this book is just shy of 100 pages. Of art. Pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words apiece, remember. And most of the pictures in this book have a handful of good words thrown in for good measure: like the beautiful painting with the words “you are lovely” superimposed across the image.

Another: “You are so loved.” Who doesn’t want to hear that kind of message once in a while? Yes, Everything is Going to Be Ok is a nice dose of positivity, an antidote to so much of what surrounds us every day. It’s a stark contrast with this very politicized election season, when each group of partisans can see no redeeming qualities whatsoever in the candidate who isn’t their standard bearer. Political ads leave the impression — possibly an unfair conclusion but an inescapable one — that they are all about negativism, attacking the other guy, rather than presenting the solid credentials of the candidate they favor. One is left

with the distinct impression that either choice (in any race) is a choice between the lesser of two evils. By contrast, this book injects a clear call to vote against negativity and cynicism. As the book’s foreword says, “Optimism is underrated... We get so caught up in [problems that]... worrying and complaining [can] become second nature....” But like a trip to the Morris on a rainy afternoon, “Art can break the cycle of our days, pull us from the fog of our own minds, force us to look and see and think anew.” But that analogy does add a note of reality. A few bland sayings and some artists’ creations aren’t really going to magically make everything ok. But that’s kind of the point: while a certain amount of what happens in life is fully under our control, a lot of it isn’t. In those areas, the key is not the hand we’re dealt in life but how we react to it. The message here is that we can react with strength, optimism, grace and positivity. +

Everything is Going to Be Ok, 96 pages, published in 2011 by Chronicle Books

the

Clipping File More than a century of sleep deprivation How much sleep should your kids get? If you’re a typical parent your answer might be, “Whatever it is, my kids aren’t getting it.” You’re probably right. Official recommendations from experts vary, but over the past century they’ve been dropping, and so has the amount of sleep kids are actually getting. According to The Wall Street Journal, the 2-year-olds of 1897 were supposed to get 16 hours of sleep a night. A 1933 study recommended 12 hours of sleep a night for 5-year-olds. The guideline for the same age group in 1964 was 11 hours. In 2010 Harvard Medical School said 11.5 hours a night. Meanwhile, studies show that children are getting about 70 minutes less sleep today than they did a century ago. According to the National Sleep Foundation, kids aged 5 to 12 should get 10 to 11 hours

of sleep every night. Teenagers need between 9 and 10 hours. However, studies have revealed that 45 percent of adolescents aged 11 to 17 get less then 8 hours of sleep a night. For children, not getting enough sleep is associated with obesity, aggresive behavior and learning and memory issues, along with a higher risk of drug and alcohol abuse, depression and anxiety disorders later in life. The rolling ER In old movies, ambulances looked like they could double as family stationwagons when there was no emergency afoot. In 2012, ambulances can have more sophisticated equipment on board than a hospital emergency room did back in the days of black and white movies. That makes a huge difference when it comes to saving lives: survival rates for cardiac arrest patients transported by ambulance vary widely around

the country, says the WSJ, from higher than 16 percent in Seattle to a mere 3 percent in Alabama. Presumably that’s the difference between the quality of urban and rural EMS gear. Nationally, the pre-ER survival rate for cardiac arrest patients is a mere 10 percent, but the rate is getting better, thanks in part to more well-equipped ambulances. Wardrobe malfunctions Recent research has brought garment related health issues out of the closet. Neckties tied too tightly and shirt collars that are too small can cut circulation to the brain and increase introcular pressure; heels higher than 2 inches have been linked to all kinds of problems; bras that don’t fit are said to be worn by 75 percent of all women; new clothes that haven’t been washed before wearing can contain chemicals that cause contact dermatitis; skin-tight jeans and super-tight belts can contribute to digestive problems. +

+ 12

THE EXAMiNERS +

Who are you voting for?

OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

by Dan Pearson

I wanted to vote for Scott Peebles.

Because her first name is What about her? Pebbles. I like that name.

No, because of his wife.

Because of his stand on the issues?

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Downtown theater 7. Having little to no hair 11. Former mayor Young 14. Ring around the nipple 15. Gear 17. Lengthier 18. Work pants; jeans 19. Salad ingredient 20. Bend downward 21. Casual shirts 22. Scull power 24. Third son of Adam 26. Pizza _____ 29. Grand ___ 32. Former pharmaceutical company (now part of Pfizer) 35. Mythical monster 36. Vulcanite 39. Where The Wild Things ___ 40. TV movie network 41. Georgia Southern player 42. Prolonged noise 43. Diaries author 44. Hint 46. Even (poet.) 47. Baby bird 49. Become firm 50. Hindu warrior king 52. Dregs 54. ____-in-one 56. Bedouin 58. Floor covering 61. Major port in SW Iran 65. Common sterilizer 67. Shawl worn in Mexico 68. Hair clasp 69. Aimed at peace; conciliatory 70. Grant or Carter 71. Fancy; impulse 72. Band; stripe

The Mystery Word for this issue: MENTRUS

Simply unscramble the letters, then begin exploring our ads. When you find the correctly spelled word hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing. We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM TO ENTER! 1

20 22

29 36

Click on “Reader Contests”

QUOTATION PUZZLE 33

25 32

21 24

54 59

L N I V T R G T T F T N L A H P L I N E T S E G R I L R I S O I E E W L H A A S A S F E A C

55 61

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each

Solution p. 14

DOWN 1. Menopause beginning (sometimes) 2. Anemia preventer 3. Grant temporary use of 4. Traditional saying, esp. one attributed to Jesus 5. Raise 6. Less common 7. Hospital size yardstick 8. Water, or blue-green 9. Thorax organs 10. Excavate 11. Without a hat 12. Double curve 13. Honey gatherers 16. ____-cake 23. Former Walton Way bakery 25. Female sheep 26. Artist Jasper, born in Augusta 27. Eye socket 28. Worship of icons 30. Fish with rod and line

31. Female demon in Semitic myth 33. A person who tests or tries 34. Tattoo type 37. Mr. Hogan or Mr. Crenshaw 38. Decimal base 44. Eisenhower, for short 45. Lambuth lead-in 48. Concrete reinforcement 51. Closer 53. Black______ 55. Fertile area in a desert 56. 70s Swedish pop group 57. Quantity of paper 59. Oxidant intro 60. Abound 62. Resident of Denmark 63. Capital of Western Samoa 64. Lace starter? 66. Morning condensation

in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once. Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line. Solution on page 14.

X A M I N E R

6 7 1 4

1 4 5 9 3 4 7 5 8 3 7 1 2 6 1 7 2 9 4 5 7 5

U D O K U

DIRECTIONS: Every line, vertical and horizontal, and all nine 9-square boxes must each contain the numbers 1 though 9. Solution on page 14.

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle. All the listed letters following 1 are the 1st letters of each word; the letters following 2 are 2nd letters of each word, and so on. Try solving words with letter clues and entering unique and minimal choice numbers (such as 5 thru 8 in this puzzle). A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

U 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

F B 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A N 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4

W 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 S V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1.SWWONNFALIPT 2.UUHSRNIAIROO 3.RREECKLOON 4.FVELTNRY 5.EEEBAI 6.AARRV 7.SLREO 8.RL 9.S

SAMPLE:

1. ILB 2. SLO 3. VI 4. NE 5. D =

L 1

O 2

V 3

E 4

I 1

S 2

B 1

L 2

I 3

N 4

D 5

WORDS NUMBER

THE MYSTERY WORD

OCTOBER 19, 2012

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE pressure and tells the woman it is very high. “Of course it’s high!” the woman screams, “When I came in here I was tall and slender! Now I’m short and fat!”

ha... ha...

How does it change many dyslexics to take a light bulb? Some men in a pickup truck drove into a lumberyard. One of the men walked in the office and said, “We need some four-bytwos.” The clerk said, “You mean two-by-fours, don’t you?” The man said, “I’ll go check,” and went back to the truck. He returned in a minute and said, “Yeah, I meant two-by-fours.” “Alright. How long do you need them?” The customer paused for a minute and said, “I’d better go check.” After awhile, the customer returned to the office and said, “A long time. We’re gonna build a house.” +

A woman goes to the doctor for her yearly physical. The nurse starts with certain basic items. “How much do you weigh?” she asks. “115,” the woman answers. The nurse puts her on the scale. It turns out her weight is 140, which the nurse tells her. The nurse asks, “Your height?” “5-foot-8,” she says. The nurse checks and sees that she only measures 5 feet 5 inches. The nurse then takes the woman’s blood

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There is only one. +

MEDICAL EXAMINER Augusta’s only independent publication dedicated to medicine, health and wellness

The Patient’s Perspective by Marcia Ribble

t’s Sunday Morning and the sky is that spectacular piercing blue we are fortunate to experience from time to time. Only a very few, very thin white clouds are preventing the full experience that reminds me so much of Michigan skies from my childhood. On days like that my dad would come into my bedroom, wake me up, and suggest that we go fishing. I’d slide into my fishing uniform, blue jeans rolled up past mid-calf, a blue plaid flannel shirt, white tennis shoes and my one and only fishing hat, a red sailor hat with Black Mariah and other sayings written on it. When I got downstairs, Dad would have breakfast ready, we’d eat, grab our poles, our minnow bucket, our can of worms and Dad’s tackle box, stuff them into the trunk, and head off for a day of peace and quiet, which we both enjoyed. If we got home with a big stringer of yellow perch, great. But we had fun even when the fish weren’t biting. Sadly, many women think of fishing as a man’s sport, as somehow unwomanly, but for me and Dad, it formed a profoundly deep connection between us in all those hundreds of hours spent together, even though we never talked much, except for the cursory questions about how many minnows we had left, or whether they were biting on minnows or worms best. Or when I needed help with untangling the dreadful mess I sometimes made of my old casting reel when I’d give it a serious case of backlash. As we get older and our bodies begin to disintegrate, it is helpful to remind ourselves of our young selves, with bodies which would do our will, skip up the stairs two at a time, and feel so incredibly alive as we pulled up our lines with two perch on each pole, barely able to keep them baited and in the water when the perch were in a biting frenzy and we were smack dab in the center of a school of them. If my current reality is walking slowly with a walker,

Talk is cheap. Not talking can be deadly.

remembering those days is like taking a mini-vacation from my present day infirmities. If it was during those days when I demanded obedience from my muscles and joints that caused the arthritic mess they are in today, I don’t resent them, instead savoring the value of every climb up a mountain, every minute spent sitting on concrete watching my children play, every shovel of snow shoveled, every diaper hauled up from the basement and hung on the clotheslines outside. My body is aching this morning, but my soul is happy. I love the memories of crawling around the garden on my knees, fighting the ever-losing battle against weeds, or washing and waxing the floors on my hands and knees, wanting to make the floors so shiny I could see my face in them. If my hands hurt, I remember all the hours spent knitting afghans, scarves, and hats, crocheting warm rugs for the floors, and time spent peeling potatoes, canning tomatoes, sitting at my ancient treadle sewing machine sewing clothes for the children. Dad used to talk about our responsibility to use our talents, but it is also our responsibility to use our bodies, even when it makes them wear out a bit sooner. + Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and recently retired from the University of Cincinnati where she taught composition. She taught writing at the college level and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She can be reached with comments, suggestions, etc., at marciaribble@hotmail.com.

Want advertising info about this paper? Check our rates at www.AugustaRx.com

GRAPHIC ADVERTISING

Publisher of the Medical Examiner Proudly celebrating our 24th year in Augusta publishing, 1988 — 2012

+ 14

OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: PLACEBO

...carefully hidden (on the signpost) in the page 8 ad for THIS WEEKEND’S WAGS TO WISHES EVENT Congratulations to Whitney Times, who scores a $20 Wild Wing Cafe gift certificate, two free movie passes courtesy of Health Center Credit Union, a free Top Notch Car Wash gift card, and a jar of Drug of Choice gourmet coffee. Win this stuff! The new Mystery Word is on p. 12. Start looking!

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then be the first to find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries you’ll score our goodie package: gift certificates from Wild Wing Cafe, Top Notch Car Wash, Cheddar’s, and movie passes from Health Center Credit Union! SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (WInners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED? USE THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL IT IN, OR GO TO WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM AND PLACE & PAY CONVENIENTLY AND SAFELY ONLINE. THANKS!

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC. FOR SALE Brand new contemporary townhome/end unit in The Vista on Hwy 1, minutes from MCG. 1450 sqft. Two bdrm, two baths, office. Walk-in closets, lots of upgrades. Hardwood throughout, custom tiled kitchen/bathrooms. Floor to ceiling windows, pristine condition. Ready today. $125K - OBO. 803-5078991. WEST AUGUSTA Two bedroom townhome, quiet & clean units close to ASU, GHSU and hospitals. $645/mo. Call 706951-3598. 11112

FSBO SPRINGLAKES One story brick home built in 1981 Bonus Rm upstairs; 2,792 SF finished downstairs; MBR with two closets (one walk-in); 3 addl BRs; 2 Full Baths and 2wo Half Baths; Formal LR and Dining Rm w/hardwood floors; Large Breakfast area with hardwood floors; Walk-in Pantry; Kitchen redesigned with Stainless Appliances & Granite tops (7 years old); Nice Laundry Room; Large Den with built-ins & fireplace with gas logs; Double Garage. 127 Reed Creek Rd Martinez, GA $229,900 Lot: .7 Acre with sprinkler system front and rear. Google the address and look for it on Zillow.com Phone: 706/863-0886

TOWNHOME large furnished room (dresser, bed, night stand, linens) for rent with private bathroom in convenient and very nice neighborhood near Doctors Hosp. $445 a month includes utilities and Internet service. Please contact 706589-0238 ask for May. TOWNHOME Great location, everything new, 2 master suites, sunroom, all appliances. $98,000 (706) 504-4023 WEST AUGUSTA Luxury 3 BR / 2 BA Townhouse, 1-car attached garage located off Pleasant Home Road $725 /mo 706-228-4655 TOWNHOME 3 bedroom, 3 full bath townhome. 2 master suites, like new, end unit with extra parking, single garage, covered patio, $125,000. 706-799-0394

MISCELLANEOUS MATTRESS We have a Queen Pillowtop Set that is new and still in the wrapping $150 Call or Text 762-444-7615.

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OCTOBER 19, 2012

by Ross Everett

t would indubitably take both hands to count the number of times my career choice has been questioned by others in the aftermath of healthcare reform. The conversation is fairly predictable. After the initial inquiry, most people offer their approval of medical school and then ask what sort of doctor I plan to be. This is followed by a few minutes of small talk. Then, as the conversation draws to an end, this individual bestows his/her last two cents on the matter…“Well hopefully it’ll still be worth it after Obamacare takes over.” I’ll never look to argue politics or politicians here. But with this issue of the Medical Examiner being my last column before the election, I thought it as good a time as any to address my feelings about healthcare reform. Besides, both candidates have passed intrinsically the same bill at different times, so you can’t say I’m being partisan. I’m talking about reform in general today. Ineluctably, any talk of reform these days will draw consideration of

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

the reform of the current administration. However, deliberation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is not my overall intent. My views on healthcare rapidly evolved when I got to Athens to start my undergraduate education. I was quickly made aware that I had more growing up than so many. Firm footing in the middle class had given me ready access to healthcare through 19 years of life. Since then, the path of a premedical— and now medical— student has shown me more and more disparities related to health. If you don’t know already, our system is very broken. The actual care we do provide isn’t even in the top twenty in the world, but the bigger problem—the problem reform has attempted to address—is that so many can’t obtain even this care. That’s the matter I bring into question below. First, look at the present with me. We can’t solve a problem that many believe doesn’t exists. One of the foremost

obstacles to change is the belief that everyone has access to care now. In fact, 90% of Americans believe that an Emergency Department can’t turn anyone away. Factually, however, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA, (the 1986 bill that is the source of the fallacy) says that hospitals can’t turn away women in active labor or people at risk of death. That’s it! Granted, EDs across the country take in far more than that, but they are still incapable of providing adequate care for even these people. The simple mammogram or blood work that could save lives isn’t going to be offered here! That’s not care; it’s stabilization. Second, let’s take a look back. Many people argued against that bill, EMTALA, I just mentioned. I think if you ask around today, though, most folks would agree it’s a pretty good idea at its core. However, before PPACA, no reform effort had met as much resistance as the furor over the birth of Medicare and Medicaid. These institutions were predicted to end the American health system. They were a death sentence for seniors and a calamitous end to physicians. Yet, the system adapted and now Medicare, Medicaid and the Department of Veteran Affairs (a more government-run system of healthcare than Canada or the UK) boast higher satisfaction

levels in recipients on average than any private insurers. And again, if you ask around today, I think most people would say it was a pretty good idea. Third, take one last jump back to the present. Approximately 700,000 Americans declare bankruptcy every year for health-related debts. In 2010, there were 49.9 million uninsured Americans. The Institute of Medicine estimates that 22,000 Americans die each year because they are uninsured. Seventy-five percent of these work full-time or part-time. They aren’t moochers who never earned anything. They aren’t recipients of some cosmic karma for bad decisions they made. They are American people, who only have one life to live, just like you and me. I remember the first account I came across of the uninsured that broke my heart. Nikki White would have turned 39 this month on October 28th. Instead, she died at the age of 32 of a treatable disease. I urge you to read her story next time you wonder about who these uninsured are.

To watch a brief video of Nikki White’s story, visit the Medical Examiner blog: www.AugustaRx.com/news

E- OLD DEBA G A TE E H +T

Providers

Finally, we circle back to me. I chose to pursue medicine because I liked medical science and I wanted to help and experience people. People share the most intimate details of their lives with their physicians. Sometimes it can be knowledge that a patient proffers to you. Other times it can be the trust and care they put into your hands. Regardless, I can’t imagine a more powerful way to interact with my fellow man. No matter what reforms are enacted, I’m sure I’ll always be able to make ends meet. Look, any reform we’ve had lately is far from perfect. It’s not the answer for our problems. But I hope it will be a big step in the right direction. Maybe one day people will point to the change that brought healthcare to every American and say it was a pretty good idea after all. I am excited to see what changes lie ahead and to continue my pursuit of medicine. I’m not worried about it being worth it. It will be. + Ross Everett is a 2nd year medical student at the Medical College of Georgia. He grew up in Buford, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011. In addition to his coursework, he is very interested in health policy, health systems and health management. Please contact him at wideeyedwhitecoat@gmail.com

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Healthcare providers are among the best-paid, best-educated members of our community, filling stable, recession-resistant jobs. They are the backbone of the Augusta area economy.

Healthcare consumers are every one of us. Accessing healthcare takes time, which is what Waiting Rooms are for. Which is where thousands of Medical Examiners are distributed. And read. And taken home.

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OCTOBER 19, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

FISCAL HEALTH

The Money Doctor

Save for the future or pay off student debt? The balancing act.

erhaps you just completed your last nursing rotation or possibly finished up your final year of residency. Regardless of the event that solidifies you as a healthcare professional, you will soon be forced to make financial decisions that will impact the rest of your life. My wife is a young healthcare professional. When her peers and co-workers find out what I do for a living, I often receive a plethora of personal finance questions. Most of these conversations include some version of this phrase: “Right now I’m focusing on paying off my student loan and will focus on retirement when that is paid off.” Although paying off student debt is important (and an entire article by itself), focusing on saving for retirement and taking advantage of the benefits of compounding interest, is critical to a financially secure future. Compounding interest is a powerful investing tool. For example, an individual who contributes $2,000 per year beginning at age 22

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no tax is owed for retirement distributions. Regardless of the tax consequences, employers will often match a portion of your contributions, so make sure you are at least contributing the maximum to receive these contributions from your employer. Investing in these accounts can be tricky. Unlike an individual brokerage account, often you will have limitations on your investment options and not have access to specific stocks, mutual funds, or exchange traded funds (ETFs). The names of the investment options in your employersponsored retirement account can range from “Aggressive” to “International Equity Index.” Often we see individuals not knowing what funds to invest in, so they simply allocate their contributions to some mix of the available funds and hope their risk has been spread adequately. Many times options are selected based on what funds had the best performance last year, while not factoring in the amount of risk of that fund. Effectively investing in your retirement plan involves assessing your desired level of risk and developing an appropriate investment strategy even before opening your retirement benefits pamphlets. After you have decided

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on the appropriate asset allocation, research your investment options to determine any inefficiency, such as high costs or an overlap in individual holdings among funds. This can usually be done with the help of the fund provider’s website or reputable financial resources such as Morningstar. Although these types of accounts are critical in retirement planning, there are drawbacks that you need to be aware of. You may incur fees and taxes if you need to access your funds before age 59-1/2, assuming the distribution is for a non-qualified purpose. This is why it is important to also have a liquid reserve fund set aside. If your employer actually allows for distributions, under most circumstances a 10% excise tax, along with ordinary income tax, will be imposed on the funds withdrawn. Another item to be aware of is you immediately have the right to the contributions you make; however, some companies require you to work a certain number of years before you have the right to the amount contributed by them, also known as vesting. Your company’s vesting schedule will indicate the percentage of their match that is vested each year. This schedule is helpful in determining your contribution

amount, but is a factor to consider in evaluating whether or not to stay with your current employer. If you decide to leave your current employer, be sure to roll over your retirement plan into an IRA, or possibly your new employer’s retirement plan. You will need to familiarize yourself with the differences in tax consequences, both current and future, of a Traditional IRA and Roth IRA, as the two vary significantly. Contributing to your employer’s retirement plan may help you retire comfortably, but actually understanding these plans will allow your money to work harder for you while effectively managing your tax obligation. Beginning these contributions as soon as possible will allow one of your most valuable investing assets – time — to be utilized to the fullest degree possible. + by Tony Welch. Tony is a financial planner with Preston & Cleveland Wealth Management, LLC (www. preston-cleveland.com). Tony has a MBA from Augusta State University along with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Georgia. Preston & Cleveland is a fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm with offices in Atlanta and Augusta, GA.

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through age 33 will have amassed approximately $237,500 at the age of 65, assuming 6% interest. An individual beginning contributions at age 31 will have to contribute through age 65 to accumulate the same wealth, assuming similar contributions and interest rate. The early investor will have saved $46,000 in contributions and will have contributed for 23 fewer years than the investor who started at age 31. To clarify: I do not recommend stopping retirement contributions at an early age, but this example illustrates the importance of saving early. An excellent way to begin saving for retirement is through employer-sponsored retirement plans, which include 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans. These plans allow you to contribute up to $17,000 in 2012 (a $5,500 catch-up contribution is allowed for those over 50). The wages contributed, along with any gains on the account, are not included in your current taxable income. Taxes are deferred until the year you receive a distribution, usually during retirement. It is worth mentioning that some employers offer a Roth retirement plan that is taxed differently than their traditional counterparts. Roth plans require you to pay taxes in the year of contribution, but

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