Medical Examiner 02-05-21 by Daniel Pearson

MEDICALEXAMINER

HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS

Happy Anniversary

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

We are all about to observe our first anniversary with the worst partner of all time. Remember this front page? Yes, it was exactly one year ago this week that the I Medical Examiner and countJUST THE FLU? S less others around the world started to notice a stranger lurking outside our doors, trying to pry open our windows at night, doing everything it could do enter our lives. YOU’RE INVITED! In effect, we have all been CHECK OUT ALL THE NEW COLORS & STYLES FROM HEALING HANDS SCRUBS kidnapped and forced against our will into a relationship with this stranger. We want a divorce! All of us! Alas, these things take time. Of course, there are still those who refuse to recognize this unholy union even though they’re in it. We see them in stores to this day, walking right past all the signs that say masks are required for entry. They walk across the same ground everyone else does, the ground that now holds the bodies of some 450,000 Americans who were, with a few exceptions, alive and well on this very day one year ago and had no plans to do anything but keep on living. Yet the deniers persist. Perhaps you heard the news this past weekend about the protesters who temporarily shut down one of the largest COVID vaccination sites in the nation. Demonstraters at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles forced the site to be closed for nearly an hour on Saturday, Jan. 30, confronting people waiting in line with claims that the pandemic is a scam and the vaccine is both unnecessary and dangerous. It makes you wonder what it will take for some people to acknowledge that COVID-19 is

MEDICALEXAM NER

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

AUGUSTARX.COM

ome people think the flu is nothing more than the sniffles, maybe a headache and some body aches thrown in. Guess what? Most of the time they’re right. Even symptoms of the headline-grabbing coronavirus are in most cases nothing that would give you nightmares: runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes, headache, coughing, sneezing (see page 3), mild fever and body aches. Most people with coronavirus think they have nothing more than an ordinary cold. All of that makes the following figures seem completely illogical: the 2014-2015 flu season killed around 51,000 people in the U.S. alone based WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS? on CDC estimates. 2015-2016 saw The name comes from the surface about 23,000 flu-related deaths, folprojections of the virus that look lowed by 38,000 in 2016-2017. Final data is still pending for the 2017-2018 like a royal crown or solar corona. The viruses were discovered in the and 2018-2019 flu seasons, but the early numbers are 61,000 and 34,000, 1960s, and were behind previous respectively. That’s well over 200,000 flu outbreaks like SARS and MERS. deaths in the U.S. alone in just the past five flu seasons, an average of more than 41,000 deaths per year. How does something whose symptoms seem no worse than a common cold end up killing people by the hundreds of thousands?

How flu kills If we put ourselves into the mind of a killer (let’s go with a lion), our target of choice will be the weak and vulnerable. Easy pickings. That is our first clue to how and why flu kills: by preying on the weak. That could be the elderly or the very young, including infants who have yet to be fully inoculated. The same strain that might barely slow down a strong and healthy young adult could have devastating consequences for someone in infancy, in their 80s, or who for whatever reason has a weakened immune system. Every year, however, people who had been the very picture of health days before die suddenly from the flu. How does that happen? It should be noted first that, despite the alarming numbers above, death from the flu, even the current coronavirus, is a highly unusual event. Even Please see JUST THE FLU? page 3

(706) 364.1163 • WWW.SCRUBSOFEVANS.COM • 4158 WASHINGTON RD • ACROSS FROM CLUB CAR • M-F: 10-6:30; SAT: 10-4

real, and that the basic precautions recommended by public health experts are legit. We’ve gone from 60 million cases worldwide on Thanksgiving Day to well over 100 million in late January. In the United States, confirmed cases on Thanksgiving Day were well above 12 million. Exactly two months later (on Jan. 27) that number had more than doubled, exceeding 25 million. The U.S. death toll has grown similarly: it was over 262,000 on Thanksgiving, and on January 27 it was almost 428,000. To put that another way, it took more than 9 months to reach 262,000 deaths, but in just the past two months another 166,000 have died. If we are at war against this pandemic, as some people have said, we’re all troops, whether we like it or not. In a worst-case scenario, it’s a kill or be killed situation. Maybe we’ll escape the COVID bullet, but it makes sense to improve our odds by taking every possible precaution available. On this first

Visit us

anniversary it’s instructive to think back to some of the rosy predictions we heard, like the then-president saying we’ll get things open again by Easter. Maybe he was right. After all, he never specified what year he was referring to. Maybe he meant Easter 2022. We might be able to break up with COVID and end this abusive relationship sooner by listening to the recommendations of public health experts. Get vaccinated as soon as you’re able. Before then (and after), keep wearing masks, keep avoiding crowds, keep hand sanitizing. And keep hoping there is no second anniversary. +

to find your fit!

WWW.SCRUBSOFEVANS.COM • (706) 364.1163 • 4158 WASHINGTON RD (ACROSS FROM CLUB CAR)

AUGUSTARX.COM

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

BRAINDAMAGED

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

THE FIRST 40 YEARS ARE ALWAYS THE HARDEST

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE LOBOTOMY, PART 1 by guest columnist Justin White

On a cold day in November, 1941, Rosemary Kennedy, the daughter of Joseph and Rose Kennedy and sister to John F. Kennedy, lay on an operating table, strapped down, confined, and sedated by a mild tranquilizer. Dr. James W. Watts stood over her, peering down and making a decision as to where to begin. He made a sugical incision on both sides of her head. Then, inserting what resembled a butter knife into her brain, he moved it up and down to cut brain tissue. Although mildly sedated, Rosemary was conscious. During the procedure Watts’ assistant, Dr. Walter Freeman, would ask Rosemary to do things like recite the Lord’s Prayer, sing God Bless America, or count backwards. Her responses determined how deeply they cut into her brain. When she became incoherent they stopped. Why was the procedure performed and what were the results? Due to a lack of oxygen during a difficult birth, Rosemary was left with learning disabilities and other hindrances. Even by age two she still had trouble crawling, sitting up, and learning to walk. As she grew older and was educated privately at convents, her mental state only deteriorated. Her sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, later said that by age 22 Rosemary was often irritable and difficult. She would often fly into fits of rage and have violent convulsions. The following year her father learned about the lobotomy procedure and made the decision to use it to try to help his daughter. But things only got worse for Rosemary. Dr. Watts would later say that in his opinion Rosemary suffered from depression, not mental retardation. Whatever the diagnosis, the lobotomy did not have its intended effect. After the procedure Rosemary was immediately institutionalized and spent the next several years at a private psychiatric hospital called Craig House, a mere hour and a half from New York. In 1949 she moved to St. Coletta School for Exceptional Children in Jefferson, Wisconsin, where she spent the rest of her life. The side effects of this procedure, though, were more than just medical and psychological. Her altered mental state led her to be a difficult person to be around, and her family all but abandoned her, keeping her in institutions and alienating her for the majority of her life. It was 20 years before her mother, Rose Kennedy, even came to see her. But was this the typical outcome of the lobotomy? The evidence for each side can be a little unclear as the egos of doctors have clouded some of the facts and kept others in hiding. A History of the Lobotomy The creation of the lobotomy in 1935 is credited to a neurologist named Antonio Egas Moniz. His innovation won him a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1949,

PARENTHOOD by David W. Proefrock, PhD

an award he shared with another doctor. However, this was not the first attempt at brain manipulation in an effort to calm patients with mental illness such as hallucinations and other symptoms of schizophrenia. That effort actually began in the late 1880s, and as time went on the procedures became more and more sophisticated and at first seemed promising. While researching the science of lobotomies, a neuroscientist named John Fulton performed the procedure in 1935 on two chimpanzees he named Becky and Lucy. Before surgery these primates would show signs of “frustrational behaviour” often having tantrums that would include rolling on the floor and defecating. Following the removal of their frontal lobes by means of a lobotomy, the primates behaviour changed markedly. Becky, in particular, was so pacified that it led another doctor to state that Becky had “joined a happiness cult.” Even with this apparent success, there were still concerns over the procedure’s use as a way to treat mental and psychological disorders and illnesses in humans. When Moniz asked Fulton if this procedure might be extended to human subjects, Fulton stated that while it was theoretically possible, it was surely “too formidable” as an intervention for use on humans. Despite Fulton’s warning, application of the procedure moved from animals to humans. But how exactly was it done and what were the protocols surrounding it? The Method In the beginning, the procedure was performed by cutting a hole in the skull and injecting ethanol into the brain in order to chemically destroy the fibers that connect the frontal lobe to the other parts of the brain. The brain being essentially composed of two different types of matter: gray matter that contains the neurons or brain cells along with blood vessels, and white matter which comprises of axons or nerve fibers that connect to the gray matter to carry messages between them through electrical impulses. So the lobotomy was intended to sever the white matter from the gray. In 1935 Dr. Moniz and Dr. Almeida Lima performed the first recognized lobotomies. Please see LOBOTOMY page 16

You and your spouse have decided to get divorced. The two of you have already decided that it would be best for your two daughters (ages 6 and 8) to live with their mother, but you don’t want this separation and divorce to be any harder on them than it has to be. There has been no serious animosity, but you are concerned about how much contact the two of you should have when the children are around. What do you do? A. This is easy. If you can be around each other without arguing and fighting, spend as much time together as you like. If too many bad feelings come up, spend less time together. B. Be polite and cordial when transferring the children before and after visits, but don’t spend a lot of time together besides that. If you need to have lengthy discussions, do it over the phone or when the children aren’t there. C. Make yourselves spend time together even if you don’t want to. The children need a gradual transition and a link to their intact family. D. Make a clean break. Don’t spend any more time together than is necessary. It will confuse the children if you spend too much time together. If you answered: A. This is the best response. If you can be together and spend quality time with the children, it helps all of you establish the new relationships with each other. It may be a little confusing to the girls at first, but in the long run they will adjust better to the divorce if the two of you get along with each other. B. You should be polite and cordial anyway, but there is no need to limit your contact if you are able to get along. C. This is a mistake. The girls are plenty old enough to sense the tension even if you are trying to hide it. It is better to limit contact than to place them in a stressful situation. D. Although you may see this recommended at times, it is not what is best for the children. They will adjust to the divorce if they see their parents getting along, treating each other with respect, and acting together to raise them. There is no getting around the fact that divorce is hard on children. The only thing that makes it better is for their parents to work together on being good parents. That includes getting along with each other and treating each other politely. + Dr. Proefrock is a retired clinical and forensic child psychologist.

IT WAS FUN FOR A WHILE Ready to get your life back?

Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd. Augusta GA 30909

706-733-1935

3 +

DEARREADERS FEBRUARY 5, 2021

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

See the two ads below? They are what are sometimes called “house” ads, internal plugs not placed by paying advertisers. House ads may not generate direct income, but they are very important ways to remind readers to support our advertisers (they make this newspaper possible, after all) and local businesses in general. Why is it so important to support local businesses? Because it can mean the difference between life and death - and not for this newspaper. We’re talking about literally living and breathing and literally dying, as in not breathing. As you have noticed, there has been a steady supply of news reports about snags with the vaccine roll-out, how slowly it has been going, how the National Guard needs to be deployed, how national chains like Walgreens and CVS and Starbucks are going to get involved. People try to call the health department and get nothing but busy signals, or they register online with the health department and never hear a peep back in return even many weeks later. It’s dysfunction in a life & death project on a local, state and national scale. Meanwhile, guess who we keep hearing is quietly giving lots of shots in a very efficient and organized program? Barney’s Pharmacy. Little old local hometown Barney’s Pharmacy. In place after place people tell us they got their vaccination at Barney’s. They don’t even advertise with us, but that’s beside the point. And it’s not that they’re the only vacination source in the river region, but what’s noteworthy is that in an era when national chains routinely crush the local guys, the local guys are doing what the big guys can’t, or at least haven’t done so far. Without local support of local businesses, where would we be right now in the vaccination process? Still waiting for the roll-out to start in earnest? Probably. Long live Barney’s, long live our advertisers, and long live local businesses. +

LETSKEEPUSINAUGUSTA SHOP LOCAL!

Spread the love How can readers let our advertisers know how much their support is appreciated? A few suggestions are shown.

“Thanks for advertising in the Medical Examiner.”

I had a reaction to my first COVID vaccine. Should I get the 2nd one? It depends. If a person gradually developed soreness and some swelling at the site of the injection, perhaps along with a headache and generally icky flu-like feelings such as fever, chills and fatigue, those are all considered normal and of little overall concern. They usually last only until the day after the vaccination and are gone by the second day. Nothing like that would normally preclude getting a second dose of the vaccine. On the other hand, more or less immediate and severe side effects are not normal and would bring the wisdom of receiving a second dose into serious question. “Immediate” in the vaccine context is defined as reactions that occur within four hours or less after the dose is administered. A few of the serious and abnormal side effects would include any respiratory distress like wheezing or difficulty breathing, breaking out in a rash, swelling of the face and eyes (officially called angioedema), or any other obvious allergic reaction. A patient who experiences any of those reactions after leaving the vaccination site would be well advised to at least call their doctor, if not 9-1-1. If they occur while still in the presence of the vaccinating personnel, be sure they are alerted to what you’re experiencing. Other second-dose considerations include making sure you’re observing the recommended time interval between doses (21 days for the Pfizer vaccine; 28 days for Moderna). If someone has an appointment for the vaccine (first dose) and is diagnosed with COVID-19 before their appointment rolls around, the CDC says the vaccination should be deferred until the person has recovered from the communicable phase and has no symptoms. The same CDC recommendation to wait applies to anyone who gets a first dose and then is afterward diagnosed with COVID before they can receive their second dose. No other vaccines of any kind (like flu, shingles, etc) should be administered within 14 days (before or after) of getting the COVID vaccine. The two main vaccines available (Pfizer and Moderna) are not interchangeable. Whichever one a patient gets as their first dose needs to also be their second. +

MEDICALEXAMINER

AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

“Yes, I saw your ad in the Medical Examiner. I’m calling to ask if you carry....”

“I was just looking at your ad in the Medical Examiner. Are you open on Saturdays?”

www.AugustaRx.com The Medical Examiner’s mission: to provide information on topics of health and wellness of interest to general readers, to offer information to assist readers in wisely choosing their healthcare providers, and to serve as a central source of salubrious news within every part of the Augusta medical community. Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to: Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net www.Facebook.com/AugustaRX Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and/or their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., nor its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for general informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment, consult your doctor. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2021 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

#132 IN A SERIES

Who is this? ON THE ROAD TO BETTER HEALTH A PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE Editor’s note: Augusta writer Marcia Ribble, Ph.D., is a retired English and creative writing professor who offers her unique perspective as a patient. Contact her at marciaribble@hotmail.com by Marcia Ribble

lack History Month may be lost in the shuffle of everything going on in the world this year, but not in this space. Granted, as you can tell from the photograph, we aren’t exactly talking ancient history. This smiling face belongs to one of the world’s foremost scientists of the year 2021. Her name is Kizzmekia Corbett, aka “Kizzy,” and she is all of 34 years old. Well actually, she turned 35 while we typed that sentence. What does she do for a living? She is a viral immunologist at the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (whose director is someone you may have heard of: Anthony Fauci), part of the National Institutes of Health. She is the lead scientist of the VRC’s Coronavirus Team, and as Fauci said in December, “Kizzy is an African American scientist who is right at the forefront of development of the [COVID] vaccine.” He mentioned that she’s African American for a specific reason: in recent decades African American communities are among the most vaccine-hesitant. The NAACP released a study which found that only 14 percent of black Americans believe the COVID vaccine is safe. The more large population blocks who avoid vaccination, the less effective the entire vaccination program is, so Fauci’s comment was a subtle but direct appeal to African American communities to trust a vaccine in part because it was created by one of their own. “But wait,” you say. “I thought Moderna and other pharmaceutical companies developed the vaccine.” Not exactly. Corbett lead the research that developed the COVID vaccine, including the innovative use of messenger RNA (mRNA) to stimulate production of antibodies that protect against cornonavirus. But being only a research lab, they needed outside assistance for large-scale testing, so Corbett’s team partnered with Moderna to launch animal studies, which rapidly progressed through clinical trials to full-scale approval. And the rest is current history. Corbett grew up in Hillsborough, North Carolina and earned a PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. As for future chapters of the Kizzy Corbett story, don’t be surprised to hear one day in the not too distant future that she has won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. +

With the pandemic in full devastation, the issues of health, physical and mental, as well as financial, loom large for many of us. While many have a reasonably secure life, many women do not. This affects virtually every aspect of women’s lives as we age. To discover the roots of this problem we need to go back quite a way. It used to be the case that women were cared for within the scope of a family, but with divorces increasing dramatically in the 1970s and 80s, that protection (such as it was), virtually evaporated for many women, exposing them, and their children, to huge risks, physically, mentally, and financially. The political establishment of the 70s reacted by creating welfare programs to ensure that those families had at least minimal life supports. Many of those women had only finished high school, and they had been out of the job market for most of their adult lives; this reduced their earning capacity significantly, which would normally have assigned them and their children to abject poverty. Bright minds in Congress and the Presidency decided to help them earn a degree or other training, so they could get off welfare and be able to support themselves and their children. We have long known that the children of impoverished mothers tend to remain in an ongoing cycle of poverty through their adult lives, To combat this cycle, those wise folks determined to help women become selfsufficient. The WIN program paid for these women to obtain more education, both by paying for their schooling and by ensuring that their children would receive childcare, allowing mom to go to school and/or to get a job outside the home. This support was “free” which meant that as soon as mom was gainfully employed she could use her earnings to increase her family’s standard of living. For many thousands of families, within a relatively short period of time, that is exactly what happened. Mom got a good job. Her children followed her into fiscal responsibility and tax paying support of others who found themselves in dire straights. That program was ended by

Reagan to give tax cuts to the wealthy, Today we are again in a situation where hundreds of thousands of families are sinking deeply into debt, due to the pandemic, which has cost millions of women the jobs they depended on to support themselves and their children, whether or not the moms are married. Today I read a short article by Jill Chapin. In it she argued that her mom had been on the WIN program, had been able to not only support her family, but also achieve home ownership. Jill remarked that she and her siblings have never been on welfare, and that just she had paid over a million dollars in taxes over her years of employment. This kind of extensive point of view will be helpful to us in determining how we will or won’t adequately assist those unemployed women to get back into the job market earning enough to support their families. If they are just left to founder in the poverty they are now experiencing, it will be much more costly over time than to lift them up out of poverty now and create millions of taxpaying Americans as well as millions more taxpayers when their children become adults, as Jill noted. If we jealously, obstinately adopt the position that we ought to leave those families to sink or swim, we may find ourselves sinking with them. Reagan’s tax cut for the wealthy put us on the brink of a depression and destroyed much of the earning capacity of those in the rust bowl. Bush Jr.’s tax cuts plunged many millions into poverty, leading to the recession of 2008. Now the Trump tax cuts are again affecting the earning capacity of millions. When the majority of a population are in poverty, they are not buying those goods and services that keep the economy afloat. At that survival level people stop buying, stop taking vacations, stop buying cars, stop all but essential spending. I am hoping that folks will begin to realize the degree to which the future of all of us is essentially linked to the future of the poorest of us. It’s smart economics to get moms employed and pay them enough to have a bit of a surplus so they can buy a bit beyond survival level purchases. +

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ONLINE EDITION! IT’S FREE! Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett (left), briefing a group that includes her boss (Anthony Fauci) and President Trump on March 3, 2020. +

Just go to www.issuu.com/medicalexaminer and enter your email address.

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

5 +

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

ADVENTURES IN

Middle Age BY J.B. COLLUM

car to move closer was a huge hit to my ego. I debated trying to stretch the gas pump hose to its limit to avoid admitting I was wrong, but I eventually had to get back in and move the car. That wasn’t enough of an embarrassment though, because then I made it worse. After pumping the gas, I got

that caused incredible pain. I got in the driver’s seat and sat there for a few minutes rubbing my shoulder and wishing the weather wasn’t so cold because that made it worse. It still hurts this morning. As a younger man, I remember doing daring (or as my wife says, “stupid”) things that often involved falling, bouncing off trees, doing backflips and other contortions, and most of these ended up causing only minor or even no long-term pain. I’d get up, dust myself off, and go back to doing the stupid thing. Now, I have to plan how I am going to exit my recliner. Of course, I can’t blame all of this on getting older. I could certainly afford to lose some weight and get in better shape, and I think I might have reached a point where I have to. When I was younger, I knew that, theoretically, I had to eat fruits and vegetables in sufficient quantities, and junk food in moderate, lesser quantities. I also knew that for some reason people needed to exercise, although I seemed to feel fine and be in great shape without it, living off whatever junk food I liked to eat, in whatever quantities I could stuff it in. There was no exercise other than what I did for work and things I did for fun, like sports and outdoor activities. Now I live in the Twilight Zone. I mean, the middle age zone. In this world, I have to actually eat a balanced diet in moderate quantities. I have to exercise to get into and stay in shape. I have to refrain from activities that can injure me. And I have to look into this theory about parking lot fairies. Oh, and I have to take a lot of medicine. Until next time, my dear readers, stay safe out there and feel free to send me any of your experiences in this adventure we call middle age to the email address listed below. +

THE

{

As I venture deeper into this adventure called middle age, sometimes it feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone. Like I woke up one day in someone else’s body. What do I mean? I’ll tell you; it’s what I do. In brief, things aren’t “normal” or not the old normal anyway. There are things that used to be easy that are now difficult or virtually impossible. I wake up with phantom injuries, but I have no recollection of getting injured. Aches and pains arise inexplicably, and you wonder if it is because you get injured more readily or that you forgot about an injury because your memory isn’t what it used to be. Spoiler alert: It’s both. I recently started having something happen that, at first, I blamed on other people, improperly adjusted side view mirrors, strangely painted parking lines, parking lot line painting fairies, and anything or anyone else that I could use to deflect the blame from myself. I used to be able to park my car neatly between the lines in a parking lot and pull up nice and snug close to the front painted parking spot line. But lately, I get out of the car and see that my car is parked askew or I’m far back from the front line, or conversely, over it. Many times, when I think I have parked the car dead center and perfectly straight, I get out of the car to see that someone (the aforementioned parking lot line painting fairies) must have quickly repainted the lines in between the time I parked the car and exited it. When it comes to parking, I’m not what I used to be. A couple of weeks ago, I pulled into a gas station and commented to my wife that the guy at the pump beside me sure was parked close. Always ready to tell me I’m the problem and not the other guy, true to form she said that it was me. I started to argue that I was parked as closely to the pump as I could be and still be able to fit to operate it. Then I got out of the car and walked around to the other side to pump gas and discovered that she was, of course, correct. Getting back in that

{

I know that in theory I’m supposed to eat fruits and vegetables

back in the car and started toward the exit of the gas station to get back on the road home. But I suddenly wondered if I had put the gas cap back on. I looked back in the side view mirror and saw that I had not. Mind you, I never forget this, especially on this car, which doesn’t even have a gas cap. Just pushing the fuel door until it latches serves as the fuel cap, but somehow I absent-mindedly left it open. We had at least two hours left in our drive home from there and these two mental lapses were enough to make my wife say that perhaps she should drive us home. I let her. This was a humbling experience for a guy who has always felt in complete control of my faculties and of any vehicle I drive. Backing up is a lot scarier than it used to be too. Our backup camera has been working only sporadically lately, so now when I am backing out of a space, I take a lot longer than I used to. I can’t seem to be sure I’m not going to hit another car or pedestrian. I blame some of that on getting dependent on the backup camera, but I can’t lay all of it on that factor. It isn’t just parking and forgetfulness though. Just last night, I reached in the back door of the car to put something behind the back seat, and as I turned and simultaneously pulled my arm back out between the seat and the area behind it, I managed to torque my shoulder in a way

J.B. Collum is a local novelist, humorist and columnist who wants to be Mark Twain when he grows up. He may be reached at johnbcollum@gmail.com

MEDICAL EXAMINER +

IS NOT A

OR A

PILL

CREAM It is a TWICE-MONTHLY

NEWSPAPER designed to promote SALUBRIOUS LIVING.

every

READ

ISSUE

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

DOCTORS:

Is this the prescription for your practice?

Advertise in the Medical Examiner

FIRST OF ALL, NICE HANDWRITING! SECONDLY, CALL US TODAY: 706.860.5455

WIN A MUG! The world’s most salubrious mugs, crafted by artists at Augusta’s Tire City Potters, are part of the haul if you win the Mystery Word Contest! Plus gift certificates from Scrubs of Evans and Wild Wing Cafe!

WINDOW CLEANING • PRESSURE WASHING Free estimates! Call us today at 706-828-1919

THANKS TO OUR CONTEST CO-SPONSORS

LOOK FOR THE MYSTERY WORD IN EVERY ISSUE!

SEE PAGE 12 FOR MORE INFO! 2021

19 OURNEXTISSUE

FEBRUARY

I LOVE THE MEDICAL EXAMINER!

TRYTHISDISH FEBRUARY 5, 2021

7 +

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES

by Kim Beavers, MS, RDN, CDCES Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Chef Coach, Author Follow Kim on Facebook: facebook.com/eatingwellwithkimb

QUICK OLD-FASHIONED OATMEAL

It’s supposed to open again!

Yes, old fashioned oatmeal can be microwaved. It is more nutritious than instant oatmeal and less expensive too.

We install and service garage doors.

Ingredients • ½ cup oatmeal • 1 cup skim milk • 1 tsp. ground flax seed (flax meal) • 1 tbsp. raisins • 1/8 tsp. cinnamon • 1 tsp. honey or brown sugar (optional)

OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY OF AUGUSTA/AIKEN (706) 736-8478 / (803) 642-7269 WWW.OHDAUGUSTA.COM

Headquarters for the well dressed man since 1963

Instructions Combine oats, flax meal, and milk in a large microwavable bowl. Microwave for 2½ minutes. Add raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Yield: 1 serving Nutrition Breakdown: Calories 310, Fat 4.5g (0g saturated fat, 670mg Omega-3 fatty acid), Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 135mg, Carbohydrate 55g, Fiber 6g, Protein 16g. Percent Daily Value: 10% Vitamin A, 30% Calcium, 20% Vitamin C, 15% Iron

451 Highland Ave in Surrey Center • (706) 733-2256 • www.gentrymensshop.com

Carbohydrate Choices: 3½ Carbohydrates Diabetes Exchange Values: 2 Starches, 1 Milk, ½ Fruit, ½ Protein, 1 Fat

4 44 LOCATIONS

*Note: Be careful the first time you try this recipe since microwaves vary in strength. It is possible this could boil over. This is also why a large bowl in important. +

YEARS IN BUSINESS

NEED A HOUSEKEEPER? CALL BUNNY • FAST • THOROUGH • DEPENDABLE

706-294-5268

YOU

CALL YOUR NEAREST C&C SHOP TO SCHEDULE YOUR SERVICE TODAY

• AIKEN COUNTY • 2355 Jefferson Davis Hwy 803-593-8473

• DOWNTOWN • 990 Telfair St 706-724-0900

• W. AUGUSTA • 3954 Wrightsboro Rd 706-863-9318

• MARTINEZ • 4014 Washington Rd 762-685-5555

VISIT CCAUTOMOTIVE.COM

ART & FRAME

FOR MONEY-SAVING COUPONS, CAR CARE TIPS, & MORE! • Customer shuttle • 6 months same-as-cash financing • 3-year/36,000 mile warranty • ASE Certified technicians • 24-hour towing & key drop • www.ccautomotive.com

Catch the C&C Automotive Show Saturday mornings from 8-10 on 580 AM or 95.1 FM

Custom Framing Custom Mirrors

Art Installation Reframing

Gallery Moments Printing Services 526 Georgia Avenue • North Augusta • 803.441.0144

E THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR ADVERTISERS! e

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

ASK DR. KARP

NO NONSENSE

NUTRITION Suzy, an AskDrKarp Facebook friend from Washington, Georgia, asks, “Is losing weight by fasting a good idea?” Fasting is common in many cultures around the world for various reasons. Most of the time, fasting is part of the religious rituals of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Jainism, and Hinduism. Fasting has been practiced in First Nations communities for thousands of years. There are many different versions of fasting, such as short-term, long-term, continuous or intermittent fasting. From a spiritual perspective, fasting may free your mind and body from everyday cares so that you may ponder the sublime.

From a physiological viewpoint, fasting does not “purify” your body. Fasting does not “detoxify” your body and it is a very poor way of losing weight. Can you lose weight if you don’t eat for periods of time? Absolutely. Is that surprising? No. Is it a healthy way of dieting or does it usually lead to long-term weight loss? No. The simple fact is this: people who practice fasting do not weigh less than people who do not fast. Fasting as a religious or self-improvement ritual is an exercise in self-control and self-awareness. When done ritualistically, fasting is never done to lose weight. The goals are much loftier. Weight loss is sometimes a side effect, many times not. From a biochemical and physiological point of view, you do not purify your body when you fast; in fact, just the opposite. When you fast, you build up what are known as ketone bodies in your blood and urine. Under normal conditions you have very low levels of these ketone bodies, but during a fast, they can rise quite dramatically. In unusual circumstances, such as in poorly managed diabetes, ketone bodies can cause coma and death, which is most definitely not a good thing. If a diet you are on recommends measuring ketone bodies in your blood or urine as a marker of success, that is a sure sign that you are on a fad diet. Basically, ketone production in your body is a protective

NEED HEART PILLS?

ARKS

HARMACY

adaptation to starvation or a sign of disease and may lead to metabolic problems. When most people use the word fasting they are not referring to the normal fasting process that occurs overnight every night. They are referring to deliberate and prolonged fasting, especially to lose weight. There is one side effect that people who fast take advantage of: the production of ketone bodies is associated with decreased appetite. So when you are feeling sorry for people on hunger strikes, the fact is that after a few days, they may not be hungry at all. The important questions to ask when you are considering fasting as a weight-loss technique is, “how does fasting change my long-term eating behavior, improve my heart health, lower my blood pressure, or lower my overall cardiovascular risk?” The answer: it doesn’t. When the

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

weight-loss fast is over, guess what happens? Yup, you go right back to your pre-fast weight or gain even more. You haven’t learned through fasting how to eat healthier, how to make healthier choices, or how to adjust your life to include daily exercise; in fact, you haven’t learned a darn thing. A fasting diet produces short-lived weight loss without the behavioral changes and psychosocial changes you need to keep the weight off. Fasting for weight loss is a fad non-diet. But will fasting help you live longer? No. If you are interested in living longer, then make sure you are within your reasonable weight range, actually toward the lower end, and exercise each day. Medically, one of the only times fasting is recommended is 12 hours before surgery, or before you have your blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels measured, since eating

right before having these lab tests done will give false results. It is also important to realize that there are people who should not fast; for example, pregnant women, people with certain cardiac problems and people with liver or kidney disease. What’s the “no-nonsense nutrition advice” for today? Simply this: if you want to stop thinking about cooking and eating for periods of time as a metaphysical exercise to become more self-aware and to reach higher levels of consciousness, I do not have a problem with that as long as you do not have any medical red flags. However, if you think that fasting is an option for losing weight, living longer, or curing diseases like cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression, and whatever else, yes, I do have a problem with that. +

Have a question about food, diet or nutrition? Post or private message your question on Facebook (www.Facebook. com/AskDrKarp) or email your question to askdrkarp@gmail.com If your question is chosen for a column, your name will be changed to insure your privacy. Warren B. Karp, Ph.D., D.M.D., is Professor Emeritus at Augusta University. He has served as Director of the Nutrition Consult Service at the Dental College of Georgia and is past Vice Chair of the Columbia County Board of Health. You can find out more about Dr. Karp and the download site for the public domain eBook, Nutrition for Smarties, at www.wbkarp.com Dr. Karp obtains no funding for writing his columns, articles, or books, and has no financial or other interests in any food, book, nutrition product or company. His interest is only in providing freely available, evidenced-based, scientific nutrition knowledge and education. Dr. Karp The information is for educational use only; it is not meant to be used to diagnose, manage or treat any patient or client. Although Dr. Karp is a Professor Emeritus at Augusta University, the views and opinions expressed here are his and his alone and do not reflect the views and opinions of Augusta University or anyone else.

Daniel Gregory Leopard pc AT TORNEY

L AW

PUTTING THE

437 Georgia Avenue, North Augusta, SC

POWER

parkspharmacy.com

PERSONAL INJURY • CRIMINAL DEFENSE • FAMILY LAW

5-STAR PERSONAL SERVICE • DRIVE-THRU • DELIVERY

461 Greene Street at 5th • www.gregleopardlaw.com • 706-724-7511

Hometown. Not big box.

803-279-7450

IN POWER OF ATTORNEY

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Ask a Dietitian

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

SOLVING THE PASTA PUZZLE by Valerie Lively, RD, LD, CDCES Weight Management Dietitian

If you have been shopping lately in the pasta aisle you may have noticed some new choices, such as “chickpea pasta” or other pasta made with bean flour instead of wheat flour only. You may have seen pasta that said, “high protein” or “whole wheat” and wondered, which one should I get? We all want to get the healthiest thing for our food dollar and make it stretch. Some items marketed as healthier are not that much better for us despite being expensive compared to the regular versions. So for all you pasta lovers, let’s take a look at the pasta puzzle! When you look at the nutrition facts label on dry pasta, the serving size listed is generally 190 calories for a 2-ounce portion. Two ounces typically cooks up to about 1 cup. Going through the following different pastas it is important to remember that we are comparing the same serving size. What will we look for on the label that makes one pasta a better choice than another? It is the number of grams of fiber in that 2-ounce (about 1 cup cooked) serving. We tend to hear about fiber all the time, but what is it and why do you want more of it? Adequate dietary fiber (about 25-35 total grams per day) helps to slow down the rate that carbohydrate breaks down to sugar and enters the bloodstream. Fiber is thought to also help prevent some forms of cancer, can help with constipation relief, and may help with controlling blood pressure and blood sugar. You can supply it to your diet through many delicious fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains. Gut bacteria need fiber to grow, which is why fiber is known as a probiotic. Fiber gives the good bacteria in the gut (not the bad bacteria) a chance to grow and this helps us to have a healthier gut. Now let’s check out those pasta choices! Regular Pasta: This is made from semolina flour and only has about 2 grams of fiber per serving. This flour is made by removing the bran and the germ; it is highly refined and processed. Whole Wheat Pasta: This pasta is made from wheat flour that has been produced by crushing the wheat berries. Sometimes in the crushing process, important parts of the wheat are lost, so you do not actually get the “whole wheat” berry that includes the nutrient dense parts like the bran and the germ. But overall, it is a better choice than regular pasta since it has more fiber (about 4-5 grams per 2-ounce serving). Higher Protein Pasta: This pasta boasts 10 grams of protein per serving, while regular pasta has 7 grams of protein per serving.The additional 3 grams is not that much more

GOT A WILD CHILD?

OUR KID’S MENU ROCKS!

if that’s the only reason you are buying it. What is interesting about this type of pasta is that, according to the labels I reviewed, they tended to be a mix of chickpea flour and whole wheat flour. If you tried the chickpea pasta but didn’t care for it, you might like this product. A 2-ounce serving has 4 to 5 grams of fiber. Chickpea Pasta: This product is made from whole ground chickpeas. Some have other types of refined and unrefined flours mixed in, so be sure to check the label if you are trying to avoid those flours, or if you want one that is only made of chickpeas. The label should read “Ingredients: Chickpeas.” This pasta contains 8-9 grams of fiber per 2-ounce serving. Red Lentil Pasta: This is like chickpea pasta, except it’s made using red lentils instead of chickpeas and contains 5-7 grams of fiber per 2-ounce serving. When enjoying pasta, remember that moderation is your friend. Choose a healthier pasta, but make a goal to have double the amount of non-starchy veggies of your choice with your meal to help you get some balance. For example, if you are having a meal such as a piece of fish and 1 cup of pasta, round that meal out with 1 cup of steamed broccoli and some carrot sticks. I hope this article helps you to make sense of the many choices on the pasta aisle. Try something new. You just might have a new healthier favorite. Bon appetit! + For more information check out these links: • https://www.fda.gov/media/99331/download • https://www.eatright.org/food/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrient-rich-foods/fiber#:~:text=Fiber.%201%20Mix%20in%20oats%20to%20 meatloaf%2C%20bread,it%20to%20top%20cereal%2C%20pancakes%20or%20desserts.%20 • https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/whats-food/fiber

LETSKEEPUSINAUGUSTA SHOP LOCAL!

9 +

DINE IN! • TO GO! AUGUSTA

3035 WASHINGTON RD

706-364-WILD 9 4 5 3

GROVETOWN

5147 BLUEGRASS TRAIL

762-800-WILD 9 4 5 3

W W W. W I L D W I N G C A F E . C O M

LIFE IS COMPLICATED Death doesn’t have to be. We know how to help.

Caskets & More

1944 WALTON WAY • AUGUSTA • (706) 738-2999 • WWW.CANDMAUGUSTA.COM

NEXTISSUEFEB19 Read us online at AugustaRX.com

+ 10

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

CRASH

COURSE

More Americans have died on US roads since 2000 than in World Wars I & II combined

(another word we’ve all learned courtesy of the pandemic) like failure to wear seat belts. The risk factors really start to add up, and decidedly not in the driver’s favor. The sum total of it all in South Carolina is a startling number. It is the percentage of all accidents where the primary cause is driver error. Care to take a guess? Like the vaccine effectiveness numbers, mistakes by drivers have a 95 percent rate of effectiveness in causing accidents in South Carolina. That is the percentage of accidents in which driver error is the primary cause. And it isn’t 95 percent of a small number; it’s that big of a slice in more than 142,000 accidents statewide (in 2018, the latest year for which numbers are available). For 2018, Palmetto fatalities (1,036) were higher than any year in the previous decade, and approaching numbers that harkened back to the late 1980s. One thing about South Carolina statistics that might be surprising to some is the accident clock and calendar. What would you imagine to be the most dangerous times of the day to drive, and the most dangerous days of the week? If you’re thinking late at night, especially weekend nights, give yourself zero gold stars. As it turns out, there are more accidents during the four days South Carolina defines as weekdays (Monday through Thursday) than there are on the three days defined as weekend days (Friday Saturday and Sunday). Friday, however, is the single day when more accidents happen than on any other day, and Saturday is the worst day for fatal accidents. As for time of day, the best time to be extra vigilant is during after school and the evening rush hour: from 3 to 6 pm is the worst time for accidents. And far from being consigned to the dead of night, most fatal accidents in South Carolina happen between 6 and 9 pm. As these statistics demonstrate, it’s always a good time to drive safely and defensively. +

{

ow do you feel about the potential effectiveness of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines against COVID-19? Both have been clinically established as being about 95 percent effective. By comparison, regular seasonal flu shots are often in the 40 to 60 percent effectiveness range. Millions of people confidently get the flu vaccine every year even at 40 to 60 percent efficacy rates. Surely a vaccine with a 95 efficacy rate inspires even more confidence: “this shot will work” would describe the attitude of most people. But wait. Isn’t this a column about highway safety? It is, indeed. There is a comparison that can be made between vaccine effectiveness and highway safety. In this space two weeks ago a number of statistics from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety were presented. The underlying theme was that a huge percentage of serious injuries and fatalities in Georgia are easily preventable and therefore unnecessary. This time we’d like to turn a spotlight on South Carolina statistics. Unfortunately, the picture is just as grim and just as needless. As in the Peach State, as well as both Richmond and Columbia Counties, the top two causes of highway fatalities in the Palmetto State are speeding and being under the influence. And as is the case in Georgia and virtually every state across the nation, the presence of one is usually related to the presence of the other. To illustrate the situation in the context of the pandemic, people with pre-existing conditions have more risk if they contract the virus; in similar fashion, when people drive excessively fast and they already have a pre-existing condition (like being under the influence), their risk of serious injury or death multiplies exponentially. As we discussed last week, many times being under the influence spells not only impaired judgment and reduced reaction time but also other co-morbidities

{

What are the odds?

Sparkle

Wash

PRESSURE PROFESSIONALS

HOUSE • ROOF • DRIVEWAY • WALKWAYS • DECK • PATIO 706 863.5050 10% ESTIMATES! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! OFF

FREE

MENTION THIS AD AFTER YOUR FREE ESTIMATE FOR 10% OFF!

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

HUMAN BEHAVIOR HOW TO GET ALONG EVEN WHEN WE DON’T AGREE

Are you a Democrat or a Republican? Were you for Biden or Trump? Is COVID-19 truly widespread, or is it being overblown for political purposes? Pro-vaccine or anti? by Jeremy Hertza, Psy.D. Maybe it’s because we’ve all been apart too long, but the world feels like it has become incredibly polarized. Lines are being drawn in the sand—and if you’re on the wrong side, watch out. We all make decisions and form opinions and beliefs every day. If you like bacon and your partner prefers sausage, that’s probably not a deal breaker. But other beliefs may be. Why We Fight For Our Beliefs This is how we’re designed: When we form opinions and beliefs, we—consciously or unconsciously—tend to look for information that validates our decision and push away or ignore other information that challenges it. Sometimes, too, people don’t know what or who to trust when it comes to sources—another reason we only focus on information that supports what we believe. Especially when it comes to opinions and beliefs that we feel are a significant part of who we are, we dig in. So, it’s far easier and more comfortable to defend our wall. Anger and Conflict When we come up against someone who believes differently from us, here’s what’s going on in the brain. Anger and fear are both protective biologically, churning out neurochemicals that activate our body into movement and action. At the same time, less blood flows to the brain. In other words, when we’re angry, our bodies and brains are designed to jump into action first, and think logically second. It’s nearly the same process that happens when we touch a hot stove—our body knows to move our hand away, before we consciously think about it. When we’re angry and frustrated for a long period of time, the part of our brain that controls emotions and our ability to control our behavior gets overstimulated, andwe can’t focus as well, are more impulsive, and tend to make bad decisions. Getting Along Clearly, being in that frame of mind isn’t good for any of us or our relationships. So, if we want to get along—even if we do disagree—how do we get there? • First, let’s realize that none of us is right 100% of the time, and nothing is truly black or white. • Then consider what our goals are. Yours are probably the same as everyone else’s—for example, a happy, prosperous life with freedoms and securities—even though we might not agree on how to get there. Let’s focus on what we do agree on. • Ask yourself: What am I scared of, really? Is it losing your health care or not being able to pay bills? Is it that your loved ones will get sick? Then don’t keep it to yourself. Talk it through with a level-headed friend. • Find something to do that gives you control. Maybe it’s volunteering to work on a political campaign. Maybe it’s working on your resume or maybe it’s running errands for your elderly parents so they can social distance at home. • Get your head out of the negativity. If you watch the news and feel yourself getting upset, turn off the TV and go for a walk. It’s good to distance yourself from negative thoughts. This past year has been hard for all of us. But if there’s ever been a time we need each other, it’s right now. Whatever you believe, think about your ultimate goal—and let’s get there together. +

Jeremy Hertza, Psy.D., is a neuropsychologist and the executive director of NeuroBehavioral Associates, LLC, in Augusta, on the web at http:// nbageorgia.com. Contact him at 706-823-5250 or info@nbageorgia.com.

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

11 +

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

The blog spot From the Bookshelf — posted by Lauren Follmar, on January 25, 2021 (edited for space)

LIP READING DURING THE MASK ERA I taught myself as a child how to lip read. I needed something to help me know what was going on around me other than relying on my hearing aids. I went to a deaf school as a kindergartner for all of three months and hated it, so my parents switched me over to the local public school system. I was the first deaf student to be mainstreamed in that school district back in the 80s. Being in a classroom full of chattering, active kids, I learned quickly how to adapt, and that was by lip reading. By lip reading, I felt that I wasn’t out of the loop. Lip reading and the ability to read facial expressions and body language, in conjunction with the little hearing I have amplified by hearing aids, all combined to help me decode what others said to me. It is like an ever-evolving puzzle. Conversation topics will vary from the workplace to family to social situations like crowded bars. Over the years, I learned to anticipate conversational topics depending on the person I would see and the location I would be in. Utilizing that knowledge with my limited hearing and lip reading helped make me feel more in control. I have often joked that since I rely on lipreading so much, I have no real concept of how little hearing I actually have. So much of what I “hear” and understand is actually a product of reading lips and facial expressions. My lip reading skills have come in handy during loud, rowdy events over the years. I would be the one individual who could understand what people would say to one another during a loud dinner, a unique experience for someone who was often left out socially. Many a friend would ask me to lip read what other people were saying across the room which would lead to hilarious, if inaccurate, accountings. When the pandemic hit, I quickly realized that I do, indeed, have much, much less hearing than I thought. As I had suspected over the years, my lip reading skills helped to mask (no pun intended) any shortcomings my incredibly limited hearing had. My husband and a number of our extended family are physicians and many of them are on the frontlines caring for COVID-19 patients. So wearing a mask to slow the spread to give doctors and nurses a fighting chance to provide meaningful care to COVID-19 patients is a no brainer. My husband often says that wearing a mask is the ultimate act of altruism. Wearing a mask does more to protect others than it does to protect ourselves. It is such a simple and easy thing to do for others, especially our health care workers. By everyone wearing masks in public, I may not be able to lip read. Simple conversations may go over my head. I have even been in situations where my oldest son, at age 10, finds himself helping interpret what is being said as he is (luckily) a lot more patient with his mom than many others can be. Despite the inconveniences of not being able to lip read during COVID-19, I proudly wear my mask and fully expect others to wear theirs. It’s unfortunate to see so many others refuse to wear a mask — during a pandemic — for childish and selfish reasons. If a deaf woman like me can forgo lipreading, one of my main communication methods, and still support mask-wearing 110 percent, what petty excuse do others have? This is a time for altruism, for thinking of others. The best way to show your care for others, especially front line medical staff, is by wearing a mask when out in public. +

If I can do this, what petty excuse do others have?

Lauren Follmar is a patient advocate.

Now here is a book that delivers. You’re promised bones, and bones you shall get. You and I might not be able to fill more than 300 pages with what we know about bones, but then, neither you nor I happen to be orthopedic surgeons, or clinical professors therof at UCLA. Roy Meals, MD happens to be all that and then some. The good doctor has been practicing his trade for forty years, and it shows. The problem with someone who knows his craft ”Inside and Out” is that they sometimes forget that what is ordinary, everyday knowledge to them is totally Greek to the uninitiated. Fortunately for those fortunate enough to read this book, Dr. Meals goes easy on medical terminology — real easy — and when he does throw in some 14-letter word (sometimes he apologizes for doing so, explaining that it was unavoidable), he not only explains how to pronounce it but then explains its job within bones using an analogy a ten-year-old would easily understand. For example, early in the book he explains that bones

are built from individual collagen molecules that resemble corkscrew pasta. They connect with each other extremely tightly both mechanically and chemically like, he writes, tiers of Legos smeared with Super Glue before being snapped togther. It isn’t difficult to picture than word picture. The same is true for his explanation of the extremely minute scale at which bone building occurs: It would take seventeen hours of collagen molecule building at the rate of one molecule per second to build a stack as thick as this page is thick. Another word picture he paints for us about collagen molecules: “It would

take 300,000 of them placed end to end to span the space inside this “o.” The book is liberally sprinkled with these kinds of gee whiz facts, and Meals’ favorite word may well be “remarkable.” As it should be. But this is far more than just a book about bones. It is also a thorough history of the medical treatment of bones and the assorted troubles they sometimes give us, and the medical pioneers who have refined and improved the art and practice of orthopedics over the centuries. Also covered in detail are the many practical uses of bones when they aren’t inside a body anymore. Human and animal bones have been used for centuries as tools, art, weapons, religious objects and talismans, musical instruments, and clues for paleontologists and homicide detectives, and much more. Bones is a fascinating book, one that anyone (including practicing orthopedic doctors) will learn from and enjoy. + Bones: Inside and Out by Roy Meals, MD, 304 pages, published in October 2020 by W. W. Norton & Company

BINGEREAD VISIT ISSUU.COM/MEDICALEXAMINER, WHERE MORE THAN 200 ISSUES OF THE EXAMINER ARE ARCHIVED FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE.

MEDICALEXAMINER

+ 12

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

The Examiners +

I just found out I have celiac disease.

by Dan Pearson

When someone is newly diagnosed they have a fun tradition where other celiacs will chase the person with bread to What a crazy custom. make them feel welcome. Why? What’s it called?

Too bad you don’t live in Germany.

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Part of a pirate’s logo 6. Medic beginning 10. Cone dropper 14. Lofty nest 15. Money of Cambodia 16. An addict 17. Desert region of Israel 18. Not written 19. One of 18 in golf 20. Unity 22. Varies; disagrees 24. Destiny 25. Long fish 26. Late anti-apartheid activist 30. Nutritional abbrev. 31. Polychlorinatedbiphenyl, for short 34. Think too much of 36. Australian marsupial 38. Pleasing 39. Saint Kitts and _______ 42. Secondhand 43. 2008 Liam Neeson film 45. Overealous environmentalist 47. Low ranking nav. officer 48. Eccentric 51. Blight on the landscape 52. Lymph follower 53. Derelict 54. Athletic shoe 57. Convert 02 into 03 62. One way to serve potatoes 63. Lance prefix? 65. The “R” of R.E.M. 66. Black Beauty author Sewell 67. Principal 68. Surrounded by 69. Small duck 70. Lump of earth 71. Flat shelf

24 26

35 39 44

36 40

45 49

37 42

46 51

52 54

57 64

Click on “MYSTERY WORD” • DEADLINE TO ENTER: NOON, FEB. 15, 2021

We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

E X A M I N E R

5 7

4 8 2 1 8 3 4

3 9

1 6

2 1 9 7

4 1

S 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.

DOWN 1. Augusta follower of 26-D 2. Sharp 3. Exhort 4. Mortgage 5. A mason’s trowel can be one 6. Gland in men 7. Atmosphere 8. What cards are scanned by 9. ______ health professions 10. Uses a pipe 11. Small island 12. Close 13. Energy units 21. Gannet or goose 23. Anti-aircraft fire 26. Augusta intro to 1-D 27. ____ Flu 28. The narrow tops of bottles 29. Daughter of Mariel (Hemingway) 31. Leisurely stroll (Literally, “step” in Spanish)

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

32. Bell description 33. Noted Augusta burn survivor Shirley 35. Character famously played by Joanne Woodward 37. Belonging to us 40. Like a frozen lake 41. Soviet spacecraft 44. Small recess 46. Relating to the thigh 49. Local Army hosp. 50. Pertaining to skin 52. Relating to the nose 54. Quick!!! 55. Not one 56. Sicilian volcano 58. Title 59. Apple music player 60. Zest 61. Verge 64. Life prefix

Solution p. 14

QUOTATIONPUZZLE , H W P A U O D N U E T A W E E A Y E Y I Y O C E T I N H N X T O T W G T E O G H S R U N

6 1 7 5 9 8 1 6 3 E2 5W4 8 T3 4 9 2 7

3 4 2 8 9 7 6 1 5

— Italian proverb

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out 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.

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle above. All the listed letters following #1 are the first letters of the various words; the letters following #2 are the second letters of each word, and so on. Try solving words with letter clues or numbers with minimal choices listed. A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

1 2

O H R 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 O A C O I 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2

1 . O I H I B T T TA C C 2 . F L E E B S O O OT H 3 . I N L E E 4 . G V E C 5 . H E E 6 . A R T 7 . N L 8 . E 9 . S 1 0 . 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 The Mystery Word for this issue: ESTO

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

2 1 6 3 5 9 7 8 4

5 9 3 4 7 8 2 6 1

7 8 4 2 6 1 5 3 9

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

THEBESTMEDICINE ha... ha...

indly old Mr. Smith was playing in his front yard with his grandson Billy one day when he saw Billy’s teacher coming down the sidewalk a block away. “I know you should be in school today, Billy,” said Mr. Smith. “Your teacher is about to walk past. You’d better go hide.” “No, you hide, grandpa!” said Billy. “Hurry!” “Why should I hide?” he replied, “You’re the one skipping school.” “Because this morning I told my teacher you died. That’s why I’m skipping school!”

The

13 +

Advice Doctor

to the front yard to see what was going on and discovered that our neighbor’s house was on fire and firefighters were all over the place. Our neighbors were really worried until they saw us. But as soon as we showed up they were angry and disgusted. Joe: Why? Moe: Well, that’s when we realized we were still holding our sticks with marshmallows.

Moe: Why did Donald Trump sue the maker of Viagra? Joe: I give. Why? Moe: Erection fraud. Moe: I gave my French girlfriend a pendant that says “Le Monde.” Joe: I bet she loves that. Moe: She said it means the world to her. Moe: What do you call an Englishman with bifocals who is falling-down drunk? Joe: A cab?

“Paper or plastic?” asked the bag boy at the grocery store. “Doesn’t matter to me,” said the shopper. “You choose.” “Sorry, baggers can’t be choosers.”

“Class,” asked the teacher during an American history lesson, “what book written by the hand of a woman is said to have helped bring an end to slavery?” Sally raised her hand and was called on. Moe: I’ll never forget one chilly fall day when “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” she said, but as soon the neighbors across the street started hating us. as she did, Johnny’s hand shot up. Joe: What in the world happened? “Yes, Johnny?” said the teacher. Moe: We had just built a little fire in our back “Uncle Tom’s Cabin was not written by the yard to have a marshmallow roast when we started hand of a woman!” he said. hearing sirens. They got closer and closer and “It wasn’t?” louder and louder until finally it sounded like they “No!” said Johnny. “It was written by were right in front of our house. We all ran around Harriet Beecher’s toe.” +

Why subscribe to theMEDICALEXAMINER? What do you mean?

Staring at my phone all day has had no Effect on ME!

Because try as they might, no one can stare at their phone all day.

Dear Advice Doctor, I work with a really stupid man who is, of all things, a know-it-all! How does this happen??? My guess is that he knows he’s dumb so he tries to come across like a walking encyclopedia as a way of hiding his true ignorance. My question is, should I just ignore this (very difficult to do) or should I try to talk him about it (also very difficult)? — Average Intelligence Dear Average, I think we can all agree — or at least 95 percent of us can — that we need more exercise. And it’s February already, so that means most of the New Year’s resolutions to be more active are already shot to pieces. But there is no reason to give up so quickly. Granted, some people joined a gym or fitness club with the best of intentions, and they’re hooked whether they like it or not. That doesn’t mean they’ll keep going to the gym; it just means they’ll have to keep paying their monthly dues whether they go or not. For anyone reading this who is in that situation, my advice is to keep going! Remember the resolve you had when you started, the goals you set and the reasons for those goals. But I’d like to get back on track and address the specific point you brought up. I take issue with one of your comments. There is one kind of exercise that nearly everyone can do. In fact, everyone already does this. It’s safe, 100 percent free, and requires no special training or equipment. Have you guessed what I’m talking about? I hope you guessed walking. It is an extremely healthful and salubrious endeavor with all kinds of benefits to offer. We’ve been doing it our entire life already, so all of us are primed and ready to start a walking program (and for anyone who has the slightest doubt, by all means, ask your doctor). You can start slow, and in fact, you should. Here is a complete 4-part set of instructions for a ten-minute neighborhood walk: start walking; walk for 5 minutes; turn around; walk home. I accept that there are entire books written about walking and monthly magazines about walking too. But a walking encyclopedia? Seriously? You don’t need that. It’s not complicated. Just start walking. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. Thanks for writing, and I hope I answered your question. + Do you have a question for The Advice Doctor about health, life, love, personal relationships, career, raising children, or any other important topic? Send it to News@AugustaRx.com. Replies will be provided only in the Examiner.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICALEXAMINER +

Why read the Medical Examiner: Reason #332

By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers. If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area, or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house! NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP Choose six months for $20 ____ or one year for $36 ____. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

BEFORE READING

AFTER READING

+ 14

4 1

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: FAINTING ...cleverly hidden in their logo in the p. 7 ad for WILD WING CAFE

THE WINNER: WILLIAM HARDESTY! Want to find your name here next time? If it is, we’ll send you some cool swag from our goodie bag. The new Mystery Word is on page 12. Start looking!

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER THE PUZZLE SOLVED S A N O

K E E N

M O N T E

A V I A N

S T A T

N O N E

U R G E

L I E N

L E V E L N D E E R R C E K E N S O N O E A K T S N A A L

S O L A N

P R O S T A T E

D D E A M C

D E R M A L

A R A I E L R A L D I E E R D E V I S E C O E Y B U O Z B U I N O D

P U F F F L S A K O U F R E S M O N R A A M L E

I S L E

N E A R

E R G S

P A S E O

C L E A R

B A D K E

I P O D

Z I N G

E D G E

SEE PAGE 12

The Celebrated TheSUDOKUsolution MYSTERY WORD CONTEST 6 1 3 2 5 7 8 4 9

...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then 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! 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. Limited sizes are available for shirt prize. 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. 8. Deadline to enter is shown on page 12.

7 9 1 3 5 8 4 2

5 8 6 2 4 3 9 7

4 2 8 9 7 6 1 5

Love to stare at your phone? Visit issuu.com/ medicalexaminer and stare away.

1 6 3 5 9 7 8 4

9 3 4 7 8 2 6 1

8 4 2 6 1 5 3 9

6 5 9 4 2 1 7 3

2 1 7 8 3 9 5 6

3 7 5 1 6 4 2 8

QuotatioN QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION

Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want. — Italian proverb

WORDS BY NUMBER The height of cleverness

is to be able to conceal it. — Francois de La Rochefoucauld

READ EVERY ISSUE ONLINE WWW.ISSUU.COM/ MEDICALEXAMINER

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

15 +

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

JEWELRY SURGEON

SPEND A HALF HOUR PER DAY EXERCISING AND THIS IS HOW MANY HOURS YOU STILL HAVE LEFT. SPEND THEM ANY WAY YOU WISH.

the

• MODERN & ESTATE PIECES •

ROLLED SANDWICHES • SOUPS • SALADS

1 2

WE’RE CONDUCTING A

RESTORATION AND REPAIR ON GOLD & PLATINUM JEWELRY

CLOCK REPAIR WHEN SECONDS COUNT

1254 AUGUSTA WEST PARKWAY INSIDE BARGAIN HUNTERS CALL AHEAD: (706) 284-0190 To view my work visit scscja.org. Click on resources, then merchandise. Click on the ring photo, then the PDF link.

EYEGLASSES REPAIRED Welcome former Murphy & Robinson customers!

ROLY POLL

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ROLY POLY SANDWICH? PLEASE STOP BY THIS WEEK TO CAST YOUR VOTE. 3626 Walton Way Extension (Walton’s Corner)

Phone: 706.736.1099 Fax: 706.736.4401

OrderRolyPoly.com

WILD WING CAFE & SCRUBS OF EVANS They’re the prize sponsors of our Mystery Word Contest.

Read online: issuu.com/medicalexaminer

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY +

ACUPUNCTURE

Dr. Eric Sherrell, DACM, LAC Augusta Acupuncture Clinic 4141 Columbia Road 706-888-0707 www.AcuClinicGA.com

ALLERGY Tesneem K. Chaudhary, MD Allergy & Asthma Center 3685 Wheeler Road, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

CHIROPRACTIC Evans Chiropractic Health Center Dr. William M. Rice 108 SRP Drive, Suite A 706-860-4001 www.evanschiro.net

COUNSELING Resolution Counseling Professionals 3633 Wheeler Rd, Suite 365 Augusta 30909 706-432-6866 www.visitrcp.com

DENTISTRY

Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048

IN-HOME CARE

Floss ‘em or lose ‘em!

Steven L. Wilson, DMD Family Dentistry 4059 Columbia Road Martinez 30907 706-863-9445

DERMATOLOGY

Everyday Elder Care LLC Certified Home Health/Caregiver 706-231-7001 everydayeldercare.com Zena Home Care Personal Care|Skilled Nursing|Companion 706-426-5967 www.zenahomecare.com

LONG TERM CARE

Georgia Dermatology & WOODY MERRY www.woodymerry.com Skin Cancer Center 2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road) Long-Term Care Planning I CAN HELP! Augusta 30904 (706) 733-3190 • 733-5525 (fax) 706-733-3373 SKIN CANCER CENTER www.GaDerm.com

DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS Karen L. Carter, MD 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 Augusta 30901 706-396-0600 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com

DRUG REHAB Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd. Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

PHARMACY Parks Pharmacy 437 Georgia Ave. ARKS HARMACY N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

SLEEP MEDICINE

Sleep Institute of Augusta Bashir Chaudhary, MD 3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

TRANSPORTATION AMBULANCE • STRETCHER • WHEELCHAIR

706-863-9800

VEIN CARE Vein Specialists of Augusta G. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI 501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907 706-854-8340 www.VeinsAugusta.com

YOUR LISTING HERE Your Practice And up to four additional lines of your choosing and, if desired, your logo. Keep your contact information in this convenient place seen by thousands of patients every month. Call (706) 860-5455 for all the details!

+ 16

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

Daniel Village Barber Shop

LOBOTOMY… from page 2

2522 Wrightsboro Road

736-7230

BEAUTIFY AMERICA!

GET A HAIRCUT!

76 Circle K former Smile Gas

Highland Ave.

Ohio Ave.

DANIEL VILLAGE BARBER SHOP

Medical District WRIGHTSBORO ROAD

Daniel Field

Augusta Mall

WE’RE OPEN FOR YOU!

Tue - Fri: 7:30 - 5:30; Saturday: 7:30 - Noon

Visit us at danielvillagebarbershop.com

WE’RE BEGGING YOU!

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Drilling holes into the skull on either side lutely terrifying. of the prefrontal cortex, they injected the Dr. Freeman began the procedure with an connecting fibers with alcohol in an attempt ice pick, which he later upgraded to an orto destroy them. This procedure, however, bitoclast, a tool still similar in many ways to ended up having too many complications, an ice pick. He would insert the tool through including damage to other the top of the eye socket, parts of the brain. The prothen, using a mallet he cedure had to evolve. would gently tap the back After the initial issues, of the tool in an attempt Moniz decided to use a to break through the bone tool called a leucotome, behind the eye that sepaa tool that had a narrow rates it from the brain and shaft which is inserted into rest of the skull. Then, the brain through a hole in rotating it he would cut the skull and that extended through the fibers of the a wire loop or metal strip white matter in the frontal into the brain. Then the cortex. The procedure tool is rotated, cutting the was then done through brain tissue. the opposite eye. It only The procedure, however, took about 10 minutes to would continue to evolve perform. as a new method and one Because of the ease of that was supposed to be this procedure and the fact Lobotomy proponent and Nobel less invasive came into that no drilling into the Prize winner António Egas Moniz practice. skull had to be performed, Doctor James W. Watts and his partner Dr. it could be (and was) done by non-surgeons Walter Freeman began performing lobotoin places such as mental hospitals and even mies in the United States in 1936. Ten years hotel rooms. Dr. Freeman even performed it later, Freeman had perfected another method as an outpatient procedure in his office. of lobotomies called a prefrontal lobotomy, But how popular was this procedure and one that, on the surface seemed safer and what were the long-term effects of it from a less invasive. medical and social perspective? + Although this step in the evolution of lobotomies initially appeared safer than earlier Discover the answer and read the rest of the methods, it still had issues: in practice the story in “Brain Damaged, Part 2” in the actual execution of this surgery was absoFebruary 19 Medical Examiner.

Michael Sharkey, MD Lauren Ploch, MD Caroline Wells, PA-C Chris Thompson, PA-C John Cook, MD, Emeritus GENERAL, SURGICAL & COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY

MEDICINE IN THE FIRST PERSON Everybody has a story. Please tell us yours!

THE MONEY DOCTOR

Augusta Office:

Aiken Office: S

In our next issue

GADERM.COM

E TO

Send your interesting (or even semi-interesting) stories to the Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903 or e-mail to Dan@AugustaRx. com. Tell us if you want it “by you” or if it needs to be anonymous. Thanks!

YOU ARE ESSENTIAL DON'T DELAY. GET THE CARE YOU NEED.