Medical Examiner by Daniel Pearson

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

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ON BULLIES (IN SCHOOL) Bullying is a form of violence. Although definitions of bullying vary, most agree that bullying includes: • Attack or intimidation with the intention to cause fear, distress, or harm; • A real or perceived imbalance of power between the bully and the victim; and • Repeated attacks or intimidation between the same parties over time. Bullying can include aggression that is physical (hitting, tripping), verbal (name calling, teasing), or psychological/social (spreading rumors, leaving out of group).

his article probably isn’t going to be what you’re expecting. We want to talk about bullying in the context of middleaged housewives and well-dressed businessmen. Not about Bullying is widespread in the the overgrown muscle-bound student who picks on 98-pound United States. weaklings, or the beautiful kid who picks on those he or she • In a 2011 nationwide thinks are ugly, or even the street-smart bully who terrorizes a survey, 20% of high school neighborhood. This is not going to be about bullying in school or students reported being on the playground, although those seem to be hot topics that are bullied on school property in worthy of an article, especially now with a new school year just the 12 months preceding beginning. the survey. Instead, we wanted to explore the subject on a much more • An estimated 16% of high fundamental level. Kind of on the Everyman level. On the middleschool students reported aged housewife and well-dressed businessman level. And while in 2011 that they were we’re at it, there may well be some playground lessons too. bullied electronically in the 12 months before the Where did Johnny learn to do that??? survey. When the teacher — or heaven forbid, the principal — calls to • During the 2009-2010 say there seems to be a bullying problem — and it’s your son (or school year, 23% of public daughter), after the disbelief evaporates, the first question many schools reported that parents have is our subheading just above. For the answer, we bullying occurred among suggest looking in the nearest mirror. students on a daily or From random observations in matters that seem to have no direct weekly basis. A higher connection to bullying, we think a lot of otherwise well-mannered percentage of middle school and civil people regularly engage in bullying. Accuse them of it face students reported being to face and they will vehemently deny it, of course. bullying than high school Here’s an example or two of what we’re talking about. + students. Please see BULLIES page 2

his edition of the Medical Examiner marks our 150th issue. And it seems like just yesterday when we started this thing. This would be a perfect time to extend a huge thank you to our sponsoring advertisers. Without their support this publication would not be possible. To be sure, they support the goal of the Medical Examiner to promote health and wellness. But naturally they also hope you’ll reciprocate their support with some of your own. So as you read this issue and the next 150 to come, please look for opportunities to extend your support to the people who spend some of their hard-earned profits to support this newspaper. And speaking of readers, major thanks to you too. The steady stream of positive feedback you direct to the publisher and columnists and our advertisers is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading, and for taking the time to speak, to call, to e-mail, and even send cards and letters. You are the best! So what’s new in this anniversary issue? The Celebrated Mystery Word Contest makes its return from extended summer break. In our next issue, an always-popular feature returns: The Short White Coat, a peek into life as a medical student. Our last correspondent, the gifted writer Hevil Shah, graduated and submitted his final column for the June 1, 2012, issue. Secondyear medical student Caroline Colden will take over the job beginning in our next edition and every other issue thereafter. In this issue a variation on that theme, the Wide-Eyed White Coat, makes its debut, written by another second-year medical student, Ross Everett. Like the SWC, it will appear in every other issue, so we’ll have a student perspective in every edition. Want to know what we’d like to have in future issues? More Medicine in the First Person stories. Your stories! We’re officially begging for your stories. At this very moment, thousands of people are lying in hospital beds within the sound of this newspaper. Thousands more are sitting in waiting rooms or on exam tables in doctors offices. Tens of thousands more — the vast majority of Please see 150 page 16

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

BULLIES… from page 1 “Civilized” bullying Ask any waitress or anyone who works in retail what it’s like to deal with the public all day every day. There are people who seem to think they can say or do or ask for anything because, after all, “the customer is always right.” These are the people who go to a restaurant where the prices start at $4.99 and demand million-dollar service. These are people who may be well educated and well respected. Professionals. Churchgoing. Considered devout, to put a cherry on it. But despite the veneer of respectability they are bullies, plain and simple. “I want this at 40% off. I know the sale ended yesterday but I was tied up all day.” If they can’t badger the clerk or the manager into giving them the discount, they ask for the number of the store’s corporate offices to file a complaint. That isn’t hair-pulling or name calling, but it’s still bullying. Will they actually call corporate? Yes, we’re told, more often than one would expect. And if they don’t call — if in fact they have no intention of calling — taking names and getting phone numbers anyway is what the Medical Examiner calls retail terrorism. Get your way. And when you can’t, instill fear into the heart of your enemy. And you thought terrorists wear turbans and come from faraway places. Turns out some of them sit in the same pew as you on Sundays. In an Evans family restaurant recently, a grandmotherly type got up from her table and went over to a table with a gurgling, happy (not crying) toddler and loudly and repeatedly berated the mother until the mother and child left in tears. Lady, you may go to the beauty shop every Friday and sing in the choir every Sunday, but you’re still nothing but a bully. If you want to eat in silence, stay home. Don’t go to a family-style

OUR OPINION

restaurant and attack someone who has kids who aren’t even misbehaving. If you want adults only, go to a strip club. If you want fine dining, here’s a tip: if the lighting is fluorescent, chances are you’re going to be disappointed. Don’t bully and terrorize innocent people because you’re a moron. “I saw in your circular these are buy one-get one free next week. I’m from out of state and I won’t be able to come back.” The clerk politely objects, the customer raises the volume, and to avoid a scene, the customer gets her way. Her “out of state” check shows an address in North Augusta. There was no pushing or shoving, but that’s still bullying. Like convenience stores whose policy forbids resisting a robbery, most stores forbid their employees from contending with customers, even when they make outlandish, ridiculous, rude, and selfish demands. Ironically, the corporate office will back the customer against their own employee 98 times out of a hundred. Retail terrorists know that, and it’s their green light to be bullies. It feels good to torment some minimum wage clerk or waitress, doesn’t it? “Come on Medical Examiner. Is some customer’s complaint with service really a societal issue? Here is a key point on the subject of bullying among kids: when mom or dad are making these scenes in stores and restaurants, demanding their way no matter what the rules are, who is often watching every moment? Looks like we may have our answer to “Where did Johnny learn that?” On the road Everyone who drives the highways and byways of the CSRA sees daily evidence of the “me first, you second (if at all)” thinking that is the same basic philosophy behind bullying.

We all see cars going through yellow lights until that last car — or two or three cars — end up going through a red light. Those are actions that in a subtle way send out the message that we’re special. “I hate that I had to run that light, but I’m late.” Just the other day in a Kroger parking lot, a guy who looked to be in his late 20s sped his truck right through the stop sign that brackets each side of the front entrance area, giving several pedestrians a moment of concern for their safety as he then veered sharply to the left — all so he could snag the parking space closest to the store. Granted, his actions don’t exactly signal that the apocalypse is upon us. Individually, nothing we’ve described here does. But these common scenarios suggest that the roots of bullying in schools lie in society at large. We live in a dream world Yes, we admit it: here at the Medical Examiner we sometimes delude ourselves into thinking we can be a force for good far beyond our limited ability to influence anything or anybody. But we’re not alone. Have you seen those Liberty Mutual commercials on television where one good deed breeds another and then another and another? Each act of kindness is seen by someone who then pays it forward. We’d like to imagine that things like those ads and this article and other positive influences could find expression in everyday acts. We have this crazy dream that kids will stop being bullies because their role models — their parents and grandparents, grown adults who supposedly know better — will stop bullying others. Is that too much to ask? + Read more at our blog: www.AugustaRx.com/news

Old School

et’s go old school. Really old school. Starting in New York City and circling all the back to Augusta. As most people have heard by now, the New York City Board of Health last week gave final approval to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal from earlier this year to ban sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces. For the record, the Medical Examiner is not a particular fan of soft drinks, refined sugar, obesity, or a lot of the other elements of the Big Gulp mentality which seem to be an intrinsic part of American culture. But to make it illegal? That means they’re prepared to arrest someone for serving a 20 oz. drink and haul them off in handcuffs. They’re kidding, right? Something has to be done There is no doubt about that. Diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular problems and weight-related joint replacements are exploding. Healthcare costs are growing as fast as our collective waistlines. But passing a law against 16 oz.+ drinks just seems ridiculous. When one of those ubiquitous lawyer commercials plays on television, what is often in the background? Row upon row, shelf after shelf filled with law books. There are hundreds of men and women in Washington, Atlanta, and 49 other state capitals whose job is to churn out still more laws. Do presumably intelligent adults really need the government (at any level) to intervene to keep us from self-inflicted wounds? To put the shoe on the other foot, if your employer transferred you to one of the Nevada counties in which prostitution is legal, would you suddenly feel that it’s okay to patronize a brothel, whereas here in Augusta you would consider such conduct to be immoral? In other words, who and what defines our actions? Laws generated in Atlanta or Washington? Or some higher inner code of conduct?

Here comes the Old School part We try to avoid sermonettes in the Medical Examiner, but now seems like a great time for one. Compare the aforementioned law books and the thousands of laws they contain with what history’s most influential man said more than 2,000 years ago. Asked what is the most important law, he said there are only two: love of God trumps all; secondly, love your neighbor as you love yourself. Apply that second principle alone everywhere and you would have self-destructive habits end. Assault and battery would stop. War would disappear. So would shoplifting. No child abuse. No speeding. No murder. No cheating on marriage mates, in class, or on taxes. Drive-by shootings: gone. Texting while driving would vanish. Rape would be a thing of the past. No racism. No littering. No bullies. No passing on yellow lines. No identity theft. The laws against impaired driving did nothing to prevent the wreck that took the life of my neighbor a week ago, killed on Washington Road by an allegedly drunk driver at the tender age of 19. But obeying that higher law would have. We don’t need any more laws. We already have the one law that would solve almost everything. +

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

What’s your story? “Say Goodnight to Cancers Below the Waist!” Saturday September 22nd, 2012 Lake Olmstead Stadium

Run begins at 9am Registration begins at 7:30am with a Pre-Run Program 8:30am Benefiting Georgia Health Sciences University Cancer Center

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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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! +

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Hope IS Possible

There is power in the pen love you. You hear it, and you might respond in kind, just because it’s the right thing to do, but are you truly feeling the magnitude, the positivity, the magnificence of the words “I love you”?

Helen Blocker-Adams here is power in the written word. If you consider the first verses of the Bible, that is is a clear indicator of that power. I have shared words on my Facebook page that are meant to inspire. I write for several publications. Even when I write an email or text message, I am conscious of what I am saying because I know the importance of words. I think we have a tendency to take words for granted. Someone tells you that they

I had an opportunity to speak on this subject several years ago at a conference in Augusta. The host was New York Times bestselling author J. L King. He has written more than a dozen books. His 28 year old publishing company has published over 230 books; over 100 of them are first time authors. I want to share some thoughts from my speech. I addressed four points: 1. How I got started 2. It’s bigger than you 3. It’s not about you 4. Taking empowerment to a whole new level I thought the diversity of the attendees and the intensity of interest in everything said was outstanding. I meet people all of the time who tell me they want to write a book. They

believe they have something people want to hear. One can never tell who wants to write and publish a book. You notice that I use the combination of words (write and publish). There is a difference between the two. There are many people who have written words with the expectation of publishing a book. They jot down notes here and there. They wake up in the middle of the night with a thought and write it down. Let me say that all of that is part of the process of writing and publishing a book, but until the words are put into manuscript form, edited, and send to a printer or publishing company for print and consumption by the public, it’s simply words for a book that only you and God have read. So in my presentation I talked about how, since I liked to write, one of my high school teachers encouraged

me to pursue Journalism. And she said I was a good writer too. I was thrilled about that and I did get my degree from Georgia State University. Interestingly enough, I didn’t go straight in the journalism or writing field for many years after I graduated. And frankly I don’t write as much now as I would like to. The “It’s bigger than you” notion about writing and the written word is because the impact your words can make on people’s lives is indescribable. And you’ve heard me use the message of “it’s not about you” many times in previous columns. For instance, when I’m writing these columns for The Augusta Medical Examiner, most of them are therapeutic and pleasing to me, but I’m thinking of you, as the reader, as I write. Some of the questions I ask myself are: What are you thinking about? What about the column might make an impact on you? Do you like or dislike what is being said? Is it useful information? All of tha is very important to me. I love it when someone I don’t know approaches me and says they like to read my columns. And

it happens regularly. I really appreciate that, because for a writer that is music to our ears. Taking empowerment to a whole new level is when you’ve got a reader of one’s book, article, column or letter that tells you not only exactly what you wrote, but what it meant to them. When they send you a text message or e-mail explaining what is going on in their lives and how my words empowered or inspired them... Wow! It’s an unbelievable feeling. So in case you want to make a difference in someone’s life, try writing a book. You have a voice. Bless someone with something positive and encouraging. You will be so glad you did! + 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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SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

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WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WONDERS OF UTTERANCE by Bad Billy Laveau Recently I was asked my opinion regarding a certain person and his endeavors. The person was present. I did not particularly like the person, nor did I have a strong dislike for him. However, I did not hold closely the opinion that the free world depends upon his continuing to breath. Actually, I was underwhelmed by him. Being on the spot and weak of heart when it comes to outing someone in public, I punted. I mumbled something about how everyone has a place on the planet and a role to play. It sounded spineless, and I knew it. Later, I looked back and wondered what I might have said to sound a bit more literate and kind while subtly and honestly conveying a hint of disapproval. A little research revealed a few greater minds under the same predicament, but with the talent to do better. Here are a few: “He had delusions of adequacy.” — Walter Kerr “He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” — Winston Churchill “I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.” — Clarence Darrow “He has never been known to use a word that might send

a reader to the dictionary.” — William Faulkner, referring to Ernest Hemingway. “Thank you for sending me a copy of your book. I’ll waste no time reading it.” — Moses Hadas “I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” — Mark Twain “He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” — Oscar Wilde “He is on my Astronaut’s List without Consideration for the Reentry Problem.” — Charles Lamb, PhD, Professor of Chemistry, UGA Now, all those sound much better than saying, “Oh, yeah. I knew him. He’s a sorry SOB. In the near future, I hope to attend his funeral to make sure he’s really dead.” I can recall a few cute and catchy utterances from the medical field. These subtle insults require the victim to have certain knowledge in order to be insulted. If no knowledge; then, no insult. Here is a sampling: After an exam, a street walker said to the examining Intern, “Hey, maybe we could hook up after you get off work.” Her smile was practiced. Her eyebrows fluttered professionally. The quick thinking Intern said,

Best “I would love to, but I am fresh out of Bicillin.” (FYI: Bicillin cures gonorrhea.) When a medical student gave a particular dumb answer to a question in class, the professor said, “I think all three of your neurons are held together by two spirochetes, and some fool has been giving you penicillin.” (FYI: Syphilis is caused by a spirochete that is killed by penicillin.) At a mixed social (professional, academic, medical, students, and assorted others), a college freshman, in a burst of testosterone vigor and an allusion of self-importance, was putting moves on a striking post-graduate lady. Quickly tiring of his clumsy attempts, she proclaimed with great authority, “Sir, the trajectory of your projectile loses momentum on the wrong portion of the parabola.” The confused upstart social predator mumbled, “I don’t get it.”

e n i c i d ME

“Sir, you are correct. You DON’T get IT.” (I don’t think I need to explain the double meaning of her subtle rejection.) In an English class, a student read his paper before the class. Being somewhat less than thrilled with the reading, the professor commented. “Good effort, young man. However an incomplete sentence leapt forth from your lips and painfully struck my heart.” After a few seconds of blinking as he deciphered the searing insult, the student stammered, “But sir, I have heard you use incomplete sentences in class.” “Yes. I have exercised my poetic license for effect. But I know the rules and therefore am allowed the privilege of breaking them. Apparently you are not even aware that there are rules. It is like stopping for a red light at an intersection. You can turn right during the red light ... if you know the rules. If you don’t know the rules, you might think you had to turn right at every light you see near the highway.

Think what a disaster that would be. It would be almost as dangerous as allowing you use of a pen and paper in public.” Of course, if an English teacher said that to a student these days, a lawsuit would be filed for victimizing a student. Make them feel good about themselves. To hell with actually teaching the English language. Yes, Dear Hearts, if you master the mechanics of the English language you can have great fun without the use of drugs or other such social indignities. However, if you don’t master English, you might become a rap star and become very wealthy while slaughtering the English language and degrading women. Why does our society continue to reward the unfit and punish the masters of personal discipline? You tell me. The reasoning escapes my feeble neuronal synapses and leaves me mired in the maze of unreasonable befuddlement. + 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

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Health 101 by Sandy Turner, RN, EdD, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Assistant Dean for Administration in the GHSU College of Nursing MY STOMACH HURTS! elly pain is another common reason people seek health care. Pain in the abdomen can be caused by many different things. When we look for the cause we need to think about all of the possible reasons. Did you eat something bad? Food poisoning is more common than many people think. People eat out more than ever and even when we eat at home, food storage or improper handling can lead to bacteria growth. Most often, food poisoning is minor and we may only experience mild discomfort that only lasts till the food passes through never really noticing that we had a problem. More severe cases involve nausea, vomiting, fever, griping pain, and diarrhea. These symptoms, if they progress, will lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance which can prolong or even increase the problem. Once we start losing extra fluid with diarrhea or vomiting we can quickly become dehydrated, making the cycle worse. A few days of watery diarrhea can lead to problems fixed best with IV

fluids. Since the GI tract keeps moving food through itself, it won’t slow down unless we stop putting food in it. So, the best thing to do for a lot of reasons is to stop eating. Most of us can go for awhile without food without suffering too much and the best way to quiet the belly is to slow it down. Fluids, though, are very important. Some people may think that salt is needed, but water, tea or whatever we can drink works to keep us hydrated. If you aren’t eating it may be important to add some sugar to the liquid to make sure you are getting some calories. Bullion or soup broth helps if you want some salt. If you can go 24 hours without food usually the diarrhea will stop. Medicines like Imodium will stop the diarrhea, but if you do have food poisoning and haven’t eliminated all of the offending food it may take even longer to get better. So, the first thing to do is to get the body to stop putting out more than it is taking in. Once the diarrhea has

stopped and nausea has passed or lessened, drinking can be increased. Clear liquids are always best to start with. That is, a liquid you can see through; nothing with milk in it. Then gradually begin foods. It is best to start slowly so the gut isn’t stimulated to start the diarrhea again. If it does start, then back off a bit and wait till the rolling and growling slows down to normal. The so-called BRATTY diet is a good one to get the belly back into balance. Start with Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Tea, Toast and Yogurt. All of these are bland and slow down GI movement. The yogurt helps to restore the bacteria in the bowel which supports normal digestion. Some people have a hard time with yogurt. It can be fancy or plain or even frozen, whichever tastes best to you. It really doesn’t even have to be a lot but even one serving will help. Unfortunately medicines aren’t very helpful for this problem. Sometimes PeptoBismol helps but it does contain aspirin and it can turn the stool black so we have to be careful with that. Antibiotics may even make the problem worse so they are rarely used and unless the vomiting and diarrhea become severe, most often the best thing to do is what we hate most, stop, rest and give it time to pass. +

HEALTH 101 – Information to help you make positive changes in your life to improve your health by Sandy Turner, RN, EdD, Family Nurse Practitioner, Director of the Good Samaritan House, A Free Community Health Center Open Mondays 15 pm. 213 N Main St., Dearing, GA 706-556-9080.

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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.

Exceptional Living

You can choose by Naomi D. Williams, MPH, CHES, CIC®

Friend: Morning, Naomi. How are you? Me: Cranky. Friend: Why are you choosing to be cranky? You can change your attitude whenever you want. Me: (speechless) That was a conversation I had with a friend many years ago and that short exchange has stuck with me ever since. Just a couple of weeks ago this was an exchange with another friend. Friend: You are mighty chipper today. Me: Yeah, I am. Friend: what’s got you in such a good mood? Me: Nothing special. I spent most of yesterday mad so today I’m choosing to be happy! Have you ever been upset or even irate that someone cut you off while driving, or extremely irritated at how the customer service representative poorly demonstrated their skills in handling a situation? Were you seething inside? Were you like a bull, seeing red with smoke steaming from your ears and nostrils? Did the next person you encounter catch the wrath spillover from the person who wronged you? Have you ever stopped to think just how much energy you are pouring into a situation that you no longer have control over? Have you ever stopped and thought of the control that you possess in how you respond? Not long ago I was accused of being racist by someone whom I’ve known over half of my life. This person knows me, my family, and most of all my character, yet despite their knowledge they chose to sling this accusation out of anger or hurt (possibly both). Needless to say, I was taken aback by the accusation and the thought process behind it. My immediate feeling was hurt that quickly turned to anger. In an effort to preserve our relationship my only response was to say “I have great love and respect for you, and because of that I will not respond to these comments out of hurt or anger. We can talk at a later time when emotions are not so high.” We have spoken since this situation took place, but not about what happened. When it’s all said and done the only person you have control over is you. We don’t control our spouse; we can’t control our children. We can influence and even manipulate others, yet they have the ultimate decision on how they respond or react. A recent interview I watched with Jaycee Duggard exemplifies this concept. Despite all that she endured, she said she chose to forgive the man who abducted and held her captive for more than eight years. She went on to say that she was choosing to focus on her present and future and being happy. As I raise my son, dealing with the day to day ups and downs, and considering what our long-term outcome will be, I, me, Naomi, have the ultimate choice of my perception, action and attitude in every situation encountered (and since he is only three, we will have many). No one can make me mad or sad. If that is how I feel it is because I’ve allowed their words or actions to influence my response. Remember, no matter what is going on in your life you always have a choice in how you respond. This concept transcends all areas of life: educationally, professionally, relationally, spiritually, etc. It should go without saying, but wanting to make it plain, your response options include body language and non-verbal communication (emails, letters, texts). “You cannot manage your life if you do not manage yourself. You cannot manage yourself if you do not manage your choices. Manage your choices and you will manage your life.” — Dr. Shad Helmstetter + Naomi Williams is a health educator by training, an entrepreneur by nature, mom, and advocate of the best kid ever, Noah Samuel.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Adventures Sparkle in Administration

lthough only a small percentage of medical school graduates become surgeons, the doctors who do surgery are probably the most revered. To use the sharpest of steel for entering a body part to remove, repair or reconfigure is the ultimate in being recognized as a doctor. The bookish Internist, the baby deliverer and the shrink, though educated in the same class room, do not compete in popularity with those who cut and sew. There are some aspects of surgery, although considerably more significant than the cutting itself, that receive little attention. Doing surgery for the right reason, diagnosis for instance, or managing the patient’s recovery are more critical than the mechanics. Which reminds me of a story. There was a 100-bed hospital named Piqua Memorial in Piqua, Ohio. It was not accredited, had no teaching programs and had a “walk-on” credentialing process. There was no post-surgical recovery service, surgery nurses or trained anesthesiologist. And the doctors were back scratchers: you scratch mine, I’ll scratch yours. Consequently any doctor who wished could be a surgeon. The hospital had one medical staff member who claimed sainthood with the ability to perform any surgery requested. This self-acclaimed surgeon was virtually a mechanic. He was probably pretty good in the OR if he was doing the right procedure with no complications. Beyond that he had limitations. The question was, how was he trained? The answer: he was self-trained. How? By draping himself over the railing in a Boston medical center’s surgery amphitheater watching excellent surgeons perform. Then he would return to the Piqua hospital to mimic what he had seen. By simply watching and copying he became a surgeon. And then I came along in the early 1960s as the hospital’s new administrator. There were 160 applicants for the job, but somehow I was hired. I was 29 and green. The last three administrators before me had been fired. The medical staff had resolved that the administrator would have nothing to do with doctors or medical staff affairs. The administrator was considered of no account and denied the privilege of stepping over the line. As luck would have it, the self-trained surgeon made a major goof. And my training had no railing. It happened when the medical records librarian came to me with a concern soon after my hiring. She told of a patient who had recently died during surgery from aspiration. Looking at the doctor’s order sheet, she realized that he had failed to write a preoperative order NPO (nothing by mouth). Her fear was that now, after the patient’s death, the surgeon would come back to the record and add the NPO order. To do so would not only cover his tracks but also shift the blame from him to the nursing staff. I instructed her to make a copy of the page that she thought might be altered and return it to the file. She did just that. Within a few days she looked at the chart again. Sure enough, she found that the NPO order had been written into the chart so as to appear as if it had been there all along. The surgeon had performed a fatal error: It is a legal document and in the truest sense the property of the patient. A patent’s medical record should never, ever be altered or falsified. In short order the surgeon was sitting across from my desk. I showed him the evidence and told him that he had a choice: he could draw a line through his NPO order, initial it and date it, or he was gone, off the staff. Technically I did not have that unilateral authority, but he knew I was letting him off easily. He chose the first option, corrected the chart, and got up from his chair and left without speaking a word. I cannot tell you the full impact of this event. I can tell you that during my five years as the Administrator of Piqua Memorial, my relationship with the medical staff was a pleasure. When I went on to a bigger challenge, the doctors even gave me a going away party. Falsifying anything is never a good idea. + Editor’s note: This article 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. This is the first installment in a new series.

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SEPTEMBER 21, 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.

I AM A DIABETIC. NOW WHAT? Diabetes is an epidemic that is going full steam ahead in the United States. Currently over 25,000,000 people have diabetes in the U.S. and that number is expected to only get larger: at current rates by the year 2050, a full third of the United States will be diagnosed as diabetic. Keep in mind that a large number of diabetics are never diagnosed due to the failure to see a doctor and get evaluated. This is a bigger epidemic than the swine flu ever thought about being. What causes diabetes? Two main categories represent the causes of diabetes; those are jeans and genes. Genes represent the inherited component of diabetes that is passed thru DNA from parent to child. Jeans stands for the learned behaviors and lifestyle habits that can be learned from the previous generation or created by the new generation. Together these represent the causes of diabetes. A healthy diet is one of the most important things for a newly diagnosed diabetic to learn. The doctor will already have started a medication to help correct some of the body’s defects that led to the diabetic diagnosis. So let’s look at a diabetic diet. Take a nine inch plate and divide it in half, then fill one half with non-starchy vegetables. This is the first part of your plate that you should eat. Like your mother said, always eat your veggies. The second half of the plate is divided into two equal parts; one for protein and one for carbohydrates. Yes you should have carbs with your meals, just make sure it’s the correct portion size. On a quarter of the plate, place a three ounce serving of protein (about the size of a deck of playing cards) and pair that with a serving of carbohydrate on the last quarter of the plate. The carb serving is about the size of your fist. You may also have a serving of dairy and fruit with each meal. If you choose to go strictly with a diabetic diet and eat six meals a day you would need to modify your portion sizes to accommodate. A newly diagnosed diabetic needs to be ready to handle blood sugar highs and lows. This means you need to have a way to check your blood sugar. Doctor’s offices and pharmacies are usually able to provide free or low cost meters to patients to allow them to start checking their blood sugar. Keep a log and vary the times each day so that you not only test as directed by the doctor but also get a true picture of your blood sugar at all times of the day. Keep water

handy for high blood sugar readings if you are not on insulin. This will help flush the excess sugar out of your body. For low blood sugar readings keep candy that is mostly sugar and will dissolve slowly. An example is Jolly Ranchers but there are many that fit the bill. For extreme low readings keep glucose tablets or oral gel or a tube of cake frosting on your person. This will give you a few minutes that you should use to get a longer acting carbohydrate in your system. Remember the simple sugars in frosting or glucose tablets will be utilized quickly and you must prevent setting up a ping-pong ball effect of spiking and plummeting blood sugar readings. All new diabetics should take a nutrition class at least and preferably a class dealing with all areas of living with diabetes. Several pharmacies in the area offer these classes as a public service. Most hospitals also offer classes for diabetics. Another resource is the American Diabetes Association’s website: www. diabetes.org. Some local classes providers I found online are: University Hospital, Doctor’s Hospital, Aiken Regional Medical Center and Walton Rehabilitation Hospital. Pharmacies that I know offer free classes include Medical Center Pharmacy and Barney’s Pharmacy, both on Peach Orchard Road, and Medical Center West Pharmacy in Evans. These lists only include ones that I know about and are almost certainly not all-inclusive or complete. Some doctor’s offices offer diabetes classes to their patients. One example that I know about is Internal Medicine Partners on Peach Orchard Road in the University Hospital building. Whatever you do, set a goal and have a plan to take control of your diabetes and protect your eyes, kidneys and nerves. These are the most frequent complication sites for uncontrolled diabetes. + Questions, article suggestions or comments on this article email us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net )

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Don’t Lick the Beaters and other interesting food facts

PLUS TEAM TRIVIA

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

You are what you eat. Right?

FOREARM

You are what you eat. I recall hearing this phrase during my youth and it had quite an impact on me due to my cultivated penchant for sweets. Naturally I considered myself lucky; if I am what I eat, then that makes me sweet! Okay, maybe not, so what exactly does this expression mean? Every morsel of food becomes a part of you on some level. The protein you consume breaks down into amino acids, the essential building blocks of the body. The carbohydrates you digest convert into blood sugar necessary to feed your brain, body, and organs. And that tasty dietary fat not only satisfies your taste buds and stimulates digestion, but also develops into adipose tissue to protect your precious organs and nerve networks against injury. What your body does not absorb and utilize you excrete. So perhaps more appropriately said, you are what you digest. Digestion is a complex and fascinating orchestrated event that takes place in the gastrointestinal system, breaking down and absorbing food through a twisting tube that extends roughly 30 feet from your mouth to the anus. The food you eat is churned in the stomach, digested and absorbed in the small intestines, and shuttled to the liver (for storage, conversion, or thrown into circulation in the body). If you have never seen Bodies: The Exhibition in Atlanta, I highly recommend going. It will open your eyes to the most impressive work of art, the human body, that we tend to neglect and take for granted. A family friend lamented about her weight struggle and mentioned how much easier it would be if she had a personalized meal plan so that she didn’t have to think about food. Agreed. Wouldn’t that be great if we could all just follow a simple plan, take a pill, or not have to put forth any effort? Great in theory but not very realistic. Success requires sacrifice, patience, and hard work. I can attest that taking responsibility for your food choices and health is well worth the work. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, people

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who consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reap several health benefits: reduced blood pressure, regulated blood sugar levels, and lower risk of digestive issues, heart disease and stroke, and eye problems. The USDA recommends that half of your plate be filled with fruits and vegetables. That might seem simple enough but there are other factors to consider aside from food. Restructure your priorities I used to be more concerned about what I put on my body than what I put inside it. Essentially fashion trumped nutrition. Once I started consuming more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and whole foods (occasionally eating processed and “fun” foods instead of daily), my physical, mental, and emotional health shifted tremendously. There is no greater influence on your overall health and wellbeing than what you put in your body 4 to 6+ times a day, 365 days a year. If you can make a healthier choice for at least one meal each day, you will have made over 3,500 healthier choices each decade. Little changes can add up over time. At a networking event I met a very wealthy gentleman who was suffering from a life-threatening disease. He owned several homes, drove fancy cars, and traveled the world. He seemed like he had it all until informing me that given the chance, he would give away his millions to heal his body. His biggest regret was not making his health and dietary choices a major

Be mindful of your verbal diet Life is full of learning lessons and one day was a biggie about word choice. I skipped lunch during a hectic workday because I did not have time. Correction: I did not make time for lunch (where were my priorities?). Walking into the house after 5:00 pm, I thought “I am starving” while I saying “I am going to eat everything in my refrigerator!” I stopped in my tracks, shocked at what I heard myself announce and reassessed my mental state. Backspace. Delete. Instead of eating the house down as originally intended, I refocused and prepared a healthy salad, enjoyed my food, and stopped eating when I felt full. How many times have you caught yourself saying, “I am starving”? Start to pay attention to what you hear yourself say or think and it just might shock you. Understand unconscious eating If you have sat in front of the television and polished off a pint of Ben & Jerry’s or a bag of chips on autopilot completely unaware of how much food you just consumed, you are guilty of unconscious eating. Not to worry; most people have not cultivated mindful eating skills. The US Department of Health & Human Services recommends that you “think about what you eat. Think about how much you eat, and how often.” Get in touch with the emotions that drive you towards the kitchen or cause you to mentally check out while consuming comfort foods. Why do you eat? What do you reach for when you are stressed? Depressed? Lonely? Once you connect the dots between your mood and your food choices, you can start to make healthier choices. Remember, you are what you eat — and what you digest. Make your health a top priority, pay attention to your verbal diet, and discover the emotions that drive you to eat. Make the connection between a healthy body, mind, and soul. You deserve it! + — by Jennifer Hnat Dietetic Intern

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

The blog spot — Posted February 2011 at www.kevinmd.com/blog. Note: the author is a Canadian physician.

IS POSTING ER WAIT TIMES DANGEROUS? A growing number of Emergency Rooms in the United States have taken the consumer-savvy step of posting their wait times in an effort to speed things up. Scottsdale Healthcare in Arizona operates four emergency departments. Every three minutes, Scottsdale gives patients a fairly close estimate of how long [before] they can expect to see a doctor, a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner at one its four ER sites. The times are posted automatically on billboards as well as the hospital’s web site. Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Virginia posts wait times on a huge billboard located outside the hospital. A growing number are doing it across the US. Hospitals in the US view posted wait times as a way to beat out the competition by boasting they see patients in the ER faster. In addition, companies that operate chains of Emergency Rooms find that posting wait times smoothes out patient demands for ER services by encouraging patients to visit an ER that has a shorter wait time. Some Emergency Rooms are posting wait times to embarrass the hospitals in which they’re situated into doing more to shorten the wait. In Canada, there’s no competition for patients. Emergency Rooms are a bit behind the curve. Some loosely keep track of wait times so they can keep patients in the waiting room better informed. In Ontario, where I practice, the province has set a target of being seen and treated within 4 hours of arriving with a minor problem and 8 hours of arriving with a major medical problem. In that province, you can log onto a web site and find out how often the hospital ER you go to sees patients within a prescribed or recommended maximum amount of time. The idea of arming potential patients with information on wait times seems like a smart nod to consumers. Clearly though, there are risks involved. No doubt Emergency Rooms that shorten the wait get bragging rights. But I want to know what they do to shorten the wait. My fear is that they’ll cut corners. Just shortening the encounter between patient and health care professional to 5 or 10 minutes can shorten the overall wait, but at what cost to the quality of the visit? My biggest fear is that posting wait times could lead patients to make inappropriate and perhaps even fatal decisions. I can well imagine a patient with chest pain checking on the Internet and finding that the hospital closest to him has a 40-minute wait, while the second closest hospital 15 minutes farther away has a threeminute wait. He decides to drive across town to the farther hospital and suffers a fatal heart attack during the trip. Patients need to be aware that the ER queue is not “first come, first served.” Life-threatening problems get seen right away regardless of the length of the queue. I’m also concerned that posting long wait times will discourage patients with potentially life-threatening problems from coming to the ER at all. To me, the posting of ER wait times is emblematic of a larger issue. Those who work in Emergency Rooms must re-double their efforts to connect with patients. They need to demonstrate that they care about patients as people, not just as diseases. They need to understand that wasting patients’ time in the ER is a serious issue. The one thing they should never do is discourage patients from coming to the ER. +

“

What if a chest pain patient drives past a nearby ER to get to one with a shorter wait?

”

Editor’s note: is there a favorite web log you enjoy reading that is in any way related to health and wellness? Send us the link and we may feature it here in a future issue. Send your suggestion to info@AugustaRx.com.

From THE Bookshelf If you believe the founding fathers, one of our inalienable rights is the ability to emulate James Brown and say, “I feel good!” This is what back in 1776 was known as “the pursuit of happiness.” Now we’re collectively pushing 240, and many of us are still engaged in the pursuit. While many people may feel basically content, they wouldn’t go quite so far as to describe themselves as deliriously happy. What’s more, says Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert, our author of the week, we really have no idea how to find it. Do a Man on the Street poll and you might hear comments like these: “If I could find a husband (or a wife), I would be happy.” “If I could get a divorce, I’d be happy.” “If I won the lottery jackpot, my problems would be over. Life would be sweet.” “If I could find a job, that would make me happy.” “If I could lose my lousy job, I’d be happy.” As you can see from these very ordinary comments, we’re not exactly sure what will make us happy, but if we’re able to get “it,” we may well discover it’s not the source of nirvana we

had expected. As Gilbert asks in his foreword, what would you do right now if you learned that you were going to die in ten minutes — or ten hours? Whatever it is, it’s a safe bet that it wouldn’t make you lastingly happy. For example, you might have thought, “I’d tell off my boss and quit my job.” Or perhaps, “I’d forget about cholesterol and my weight and have a huge, delicious meal.” Over the long term, these are not recipes for lasting happiness. As the title says, Gilbert’s contention is that we often unwittingly stumble upon

happiness. We exaggerate the happifying effect of certain situations, and we err regularly in predicting and pursuing what we think will make us happy. Such a revelation is critical to recognizing fruitless pursuits and avoiding quests that can be lifelong —only to leave us disappointed and unhappy. On the other hand, Gilbert reminds us that what we think will result in crushing unhappiness — losing our longtime job, for instance — may not in the long run be as bad as we expected. Despite our failings in predicting what will give us true joy and satisfaction, we keep on searching. Stumbling on Happiness is not the road map to the treasure. That wasn’t Gilbert’s goal in writing this witty and entertaining book. Instead, it is to give each reader some valuable pointers that can drastically reduce our capacity for self-deception. If we can have a clearer and more honest view of what results in happiness, decades of detours can be avoided. + Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert, 336 pages, published in 2007 by Vintage.

the

Clipping File The Reading Diet Want to lose weight? Some might advise you to join a gym. Others will recommend a daily walking routine. Still others will suggest some radical changes in what you eat. The Medical Examiner, with backing from an international team of scientists, recommends that you simply read. This diet works! We should caution that reading People magazine or the National Enquirer will not work. But reading will cause weight loss — if what you’re reading is food labels — and that has been scientifically established. Researchers in Spain, working in conjunction with teams in Tennessee and Arkansas and the CDC analyzed more than 25,000 connected observations on shopping and eating habits. In a nutshell, habitual food label readers (among women) weigh almost 9 lbs less than their non-reading counterparts. They also have a Body Mass Index (BMI) 1.5 points lower.

According to the study, 58% of men regularly read food labels when shopping, compared to 74% of women. In an interesting side note, smokers were found to be among the least likely to read nutrition labels. Researchers conclude that “their lifestyle involves less healthy habits and as a consequence, it could be the case that they are not so worried about the nutritional content of the food they eat.” In other words, smokers suffer what scientists call a “double whammy.” “D” is for disease A Canadian study of 300 hospitalized children and teenagers found that three of every four critically ill children had vitamin D levels below recommended levels. They were also noted to be sicker than others with the same conditions but higher vitamin D levels, requiring longer hospitalizations and more life sustaining therapies for longer periods.

Get a “C” in Aging That’s the recommendation of German scientists, who released a study a week ago suggesting that vitamin C and beta-carotene may stem dementia. The University of Ulm study looked at 232 subjects aged 65 to 90, 74 of whom were Alzheimer’s disease patients. Blood samples were drawn and analyzed for vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, lycopene and coenzyme Q10. The blood samples showed those with Alzheimer’s disease were significantly lower in vitamin C and beta-carotene compared to the 158 healthy control patients. There was no difference between the two groups in the other substances tested. Researches considered other factors, such as education, civil status, BMI, and use of tobacco and alcohol in their analysis of the data. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruit; carrots, spinach and apricots are good sources of beta-carotene. +

+ 12

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS +

by Dan Pearson

She said he’s the only His teacher sent a note Uh oh. Did he get Apparently he didn’t one in his class already He wrote bad words What happened home from school... it in a fight? writing in cursive. SAY anything bad... — in 2nd grade? to your son? said he was swearing. I’m so ashamed. © 2012 Daniel Pearson All rights reserved.

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. VP under LBJ 4. Former “Idol” judge 9. Nashville’s Hank 13. ___ killer 15. Frosty (to a poet) 16. Lead in to a chute? 17. Bob, PBS handyman 18. Discovers 19. Apple product 20. Sticky 22. Advise or counsel 23. 45th Vice President of the United States 24. Center prefix, sometimes 26. Hymn 29. Green hazard 34. Wagons 35. Metabolic organ 36. ___ Got A Secret 37. Son of Saddam 38. Measured with a stopwatch 39. Wicked 40. Twitch 41. Flavor 42. Sheep cry 43. Priapism 45. Pines 46. “Bad” cholest. 47. Gives silent assent 48. Area abbrev. 51. Rank of a baronet 56. Raise 57. Egg-shaped 58. Hip bones 60. Arouse (Brit.) 61. Running knot 62. Lung disease (abbrev.) 63. Lyric poems 64. Door sign 65. Offensive start?

The Mystery Word for this issue: RAFOMER

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

4 14

17 20

39 42

M D A I I R M R O E S H A E R E R M F M F M T E S M N N I M U X C O U H A T I T A O S I F O H

46 50

Click on “Reader Contests”

QUOTATION PUZZLE 31

23 26

47 51

55 59

— Abraham Joshua Heschel

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

Solution p. 14

DOWN 1. Vaccine against cervical cancer (abbrev) 2. Reagan’s Secretary of State 3. Augusta’s <blank> section 4. Uphold 5. Salt water 6. “First, __ __ harm” 7. Official language of Pakistan 8. Diminished 9. Metro follower 10. Neck back 11. Toward the mouth 12. Walk in water 14. Mischievous 21. Lower digits 25. M.D.’s reference book 26. Not chronic 27. Lowest point 28. Vestige 29. Simple name? 30. Affirm with confidence 31. Savannah _________ 32. Of birds

33. Raw hides 35. Fat 38. Coccyx 39. Flexible 41. Venereal abbreviation 42. English monk 44. ________ Hill 45. Over there, in the hills 47. Sound 48. Ice cold prefix 49. Propagative part of a plant 50. Scarce 52. Mary Kay competitor 53. Cheer 54. Blood blockage 55. Exclamation of surprise or fright 59. Alarm provider

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.

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

X A M I N E R

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 6 thru 10 in this puzzle). A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 E 1 2 3 4

M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

F 1 2 3 4 5

T 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 — Colette

1 2 3 4

1.FFFCHPNT 2.AHOOEEEE 3.WUVEMRAV 4.TREEFPEN 5.ARRE 6.CN 7.TI 8.O 9.N 10.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

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Got drugs? NATIONAL TAKE-BACK INITIATIVE

SEPTEMBER SATURDAY

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Saturday, September 29, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications. The American people have again responded overwhelmingly to the most recent DEA-led National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. On April 28th, citizens turned in a record-breaking 552,161 pounds (276 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,659 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories. When the results of the four Take-Back Days to date are combined, the DEA and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed over 1.5 million pounds (774 tons) of medication from circulation. “We are pleased at the response of the American people once again, and we thank them for participating and contributing to the battle against prescription drug abuse,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart, who added that 4,268 agencies participated with DEA nationwide in Saturday’s event. “While a uniform system for prescription drug disposal is being finalized, we will continue to sponsor these important take-back opportunities as a service to our communities. Our take-back events highlight the problems related to prescription drug abuse and give our citizens an opportunity to contribute to the solution. These events are only made possible through the dedicated work and commitment of our state, federal, local, and tribal partners and DEA thanks each and every one of them for their efforts on behalf of the American people.” General public inquiries can be made at 1-800-882-9539 + Oversight agencies and their local collection sites: • North Augusta Public Safety: Parks Pharmacy, 437 Georgia Ave, North Augusta, SC • Directorate of Emergency Services: Eisenhower Army Medical Center (Lobby), 300 East Hospital Rd., Fort Gordon • Richmond County BOE Police: Richmond County Board of Education, 864 Broad St, 1st Floor, Augusta McCormick Police Department: Food Lion, South Mine St. McCormick, SC • Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office: Barnwell Sheriff’s Office, 599 Joey Zorn Blvd., Barnwell, SC • Newberry County Sheriff’s Office: Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, 520 Wilson Rd., Newberry, SC

September is Healthy Aging Month by Kathy Crist September is the annual Healthy Aging® Month when Americans nationwide are reminded to focus on the positive aspects of growing older and to take personal Kathy Crist responsibility for healthy aging. This national initiative began more than 15 years ago. Seeing a need to draw attention to the myths of aging, the Healthy Aging® group encourages people to take control of their own health and think about the upside of growing older instead of the negative stereotypes and attitudes. Instead of dwelling on the “I can’ts” and failing health, Healthy Aging® Month encourages people age 50 and above to concentrate on the activities and exercises they can do and enjoy. Part of this year’s campaign is the launch of the free, digital Healthy Aging® Magazine, which centers on older adults living their vibrant best. Right at Home also shares this objective – to

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

improve the quality of life for seniors. We encourage people to stay as active as possible at any age, to follow their passions and remain optimistic to what’s next in life. We help seniors bring back vibrancy to everyday living, whether we help them cook wholesome meals, encourage exercise, or take fun tours and trips. The following are Healthy Aging® Month tips for reinventing yourself: • Go back to school. It’s never too late to expand your knowledge. Choose a focus or specialization that you care about. Many degrees are now available through online courses. • Take a volunteer vacation. Many travelers are opting for “giving back” vacations that allow for meeting and helping new people, learning something new or fulfilling a dream. Volunteer Vacations Across America (www. immersiontraveler.com) is an excellent resource. • Get moving like there’s no tomorrow. Older adults getting regular physical exercise are 60 percent less likely to get dementia and improve their overall physical and mental

health. Exercise increases oxygen to the brain and releases a protein that strengthens cells and neurons. • Eat fresh. Make a commitment to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your daily snacks and meals. Try to cook from scratch using fresh ingredients as much as possible, skipping the processed, canned foods that often have excess fats and sodium. September’s Healthy Aging® Month is a motivation for Americans of any age, but particularly those in their golden years, to resolve that it’s not too late to shore up their health, pursue something new or revive a favorite hobby or activity. Today is the perfect day to start. + Kathy Crist, co-owner of Right at Home of the CSRA is available to discuss your family care giving needs. Right at Home is dedicated to helping the elderly by providing private-duty care giving services. Right at Home serves Augusta, North Augusta, Aiken and surrounding areas in SC. If you have further concerns about caring for a loved one, please contact them at 803-278-0250 or on the web at www.rightathome.net/csra.

The Patient’s Perspective by Marcia Ribble

eight is a weighty problem for many of us, me included. It often frustrates us, our families, and our doctors. This is an issue that many patients have problems talking with their doctors about for a lot of reasons. Fear of being shamed and embarrassed by the doctor is just one reason. But there is often a deeper kind of fear at work in people who acknowledge that they need to, and yes, even want to lose weight. A recent medical discovery is being discussed on news shows, journals, online, and in newspapers. That is the discovery that having weight loss surgery can almost immediately reverse the diabetes that is so much a part of the picture in people who are overweight. But, even though such surgeries could be life-saving for many people, many still find that those deeper fears get in the way of their making the decision to have weight loss surgery. What are those fears and how can they be resolved? That is the medical question I am struggling with today. With just the thought of weight loss surgery, I feel a profound panic erupting. It resonates at that deep level of emotion which is felt as a life-threatening reality for me. The mere thought of having my food severely restricted engenders real terror that I recognize is beyond all reason. It seems to represent a complete loss of control over my life, even when in conscious thought I also understand that it’s actually a way to regain control. That’s why I’m writing about this topic. One of the benefits of this column is that when I write about issues I’m facing, they are forced to surface, and that pushes me to deal with them whether facing them is comfortable for me or not. The same thing can be said about talking with our doctors about this and other challenging medical issues. Simply ignoring the issue is not going to make

Talk is cheap. Not talking can be deadly.

me lose weight. The fears will remain there lurking just under the surface, blocking my efforts to lose weight, keeping me in an unhealthy and probably perilous situation, when my weight may be something my doctors and I can work together to find real and lasting and healthier solutions for. So what now? Well, first I call my sister and talk with her about the possibility of weight loss surgery as a way to get rid of my diabetes. Second, I call my kids and chat with them about it, to see what they think. Then I do some online research looking at the difference between gastric bypass and lap band surgeries and their consequences. Then I call the doctor’s office and talk with her nurse. And then, if I haven’t freaked myself out completely and if I still think after all my due diligence that it’s an idea worth pursuing still further, I make an appointment with my primary care doctor to ask who she’d recommend to do a weight loss surgery. Finally, I find people who have had the surgery I’d be planning and talk with them about their experiences. That’s what I did when I was considering my first total knee replacement, and it worked really well. + 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.

GRAPHIC ADVERTISING

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

+ 14

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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

...carefully hidden (on the skeeter) in the page 7 ad for ! JURY PEST XT ISSUE G NECONTROL IN M O C Congratulations to Jeffrey Burns, 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 anything else we may be able to scrape together on short notice. 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

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS and Internet service. Please contact 706589-0238 ask for May.

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.

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

11112

MISCELLANEOUS GETAWAY 14 acres natural wooded with beautiful rocky creek flowing through. Available immediately to enjoy while planning future devel. Hiking trails cleared, hunting, fishing, golf near outstanding Glascock school system. Call owner: 706-798-4359 81712

HOUSE FOR SALE 3 bedroom, 2 full bath, 2-car garage. Off Dyess Pkwy near Ft. Gordon. $99,900. Call 706-3395548 or 706-210-4334 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

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

SERVICES CNA IN-HOME CARE I assist with daily activities, prepare meals, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, doctor’s appts. I will meet you to discuss your specific needs. Call 706-833-9787 LAWN MAINTENANCE COMPANY Allow us to give you more free time. Try us out with one free visit! Contact us today: Total Turf Care 706-225-2550 or

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

(OURS IS COFFEE)

BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) SPARKLING CLEAN Looking for offices to clean. No contract req. Husband & wife team have years experience and give FREE on-request estimates. Call 706.831.8552 or 706.831.8553 NOTICE! ATTENTION! If any current or past employer has failed to pay you min. wage or time and a half overtime pay, you may be entitled to an order from US Federal Court awarding you twice the amount of your unpaid wages plus atty. fees. For info, call Arthur H. Shealy, Attorney at Law, 803-278-5149, 1010 Plantation Rd, North Augusta SC 29841. You may be entitled to a similar award for unpaid wages if your employer required you to perform duties during your lunch hour, before clocking in, or after clocking out. LAWN SERVICE Commercial, residential. Call Vince: (704) 490-1005 OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE WANTED! Try our bold new formula for weight loss, mood enhancement and energy. 100% natural, pharmacist-tested and recommended. Visit www.weightlossbyfrank.com to request FREE 2-day trial. Serious inquiries only. (706) 373-8867 after 5 pm. or e-mail f.wadford@comcast.net 9212

E M

S E

I T

O W

SEE PAGE 12

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FORM Name Address Work number (if applicable) ( ) Home phone ( ) Category of ad (leave blank if unsure):

8113

THE PUZZLE SOLVED

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED? WHAT’S YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE? Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

totalturfcare@yahoo.com

QUOTATION

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QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: Page 12: “Racism is the maximum of hatred for the minimum of reason.” — Abraham Joshua Heschel

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.75

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2.75

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The Sudoku Solution

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE VISIT DRUGOFCHOICECOFFEE.COM FOR YOUR REFILLS TODAY

WORDS BY NUMBER “Perfect companions never have fewer than four feet.” — Colette

Multiply by number of times ad to run: x Total submitted: $

The Augusta Medical Examiner publishes on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. Your ad should reach us no later than 5 days prior to our publication date.

Thanks for reading!

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

15 +

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

After having their 11th child, an Alabama couple decided that was enough. So the husband went to his doctor and told him that he and his wife/cousin did not want to have any more children. The doctor told him that there was a procedure called a vasectomy that could fix the problem. The doctor instructed him to go home, get a cherry bomb (big firework), light it, put it in a beer can, then hold the can up to his ear and

count to 10. The Alabamian said to the doctor, “I may not be the smartest man in town, but I don’t see how putting a cherry bomb in a beer can next to my ear is going to help me.” So the couple left and drove across the state border into Georgia to get a second opinion. The Georgia doctor was just about to tell them about the procedure for a vasectomy when he noticed that they were from Alabama. The doctor instead told the man to go home and get a cherry bomb, light it, place it in a beer can, hold it to his ear and count to 10. Figuring that two physicians couldn’t be wrong, the man went home, lit a cherry bomb and put it in a beer can. He held the can up to his ear and began to count “1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ...” at which point he paused, placed the beer can between his legs and resumed counting on his other hand. +

TO OUR READERS AND OUR ADVERTISERS

TO SUPPORT MEDICAL EXAMINER ADVERTISERS

+ 16

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

150… from page 1

by Ross Everett

ello there. When presented with the opportunity to have my own column in the Augusta Medical Examiner, I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve always been an opinionated person and enjoy discussion and debate more than most people I’ve met. And besides, where would the challenge in medical school be without finding a few other outlets for your time? Yes, I’m a bit of a sarcastic person, as you’ll see. Still, I decided to take the opening and run with it. My excitement was immediately met with equivalent uncertainty as I pondered the topic for my first article. Surely the first strike should be a knockout punch. Still, the more thought I gave to the idea the more appropriate an introduction to my column seemed to be. This notion was quickly validated, as the deadline for this issue was just one day after I accepted the job. I hope as you read, you’ll find an introduction suitable as well. With a new column came a blank slate for a name. So, when asked for any ideas, naming this segment became my first task. I feel like my reasons for the name, something we’re accused of not having in high quantity here at Georgia Regents U., is as good an introduction as any. As you probably saw before reading this far, I’ve chosen for my piece each month to be The Wide-Eyed White Coat. I think it accurately describes my future writings. As I told my editor, I’m not a practicing doctor yet. I’m not an administrator. I don’t hold a master’s or doctorate degree or have any true defining qualifications for anything I’ll be discussing. What I’ll be writing about will be the way I perceive health and healthcare as student, still discovering all of the vast intricacies involved in both. I’ll present on the things I’ve seen and read up on, and will claim to be no expert. With one foot in the door, I hope to be heard by those already in, but I will aspire to relate to those on the outside as well. So “wide-eyed” I will be. Like an old English teacher taught me, I checked to make sure I knew what it was I was trying to say. The thesaurus served me well, as I investigated this hyphenated word. Ingenuous? I will be. Inoffensive? I certainly hope so. Inexperienced? I already acknowledged. Naïve? Oh, I’m sure. But as multiple professors have taught me over the years, some of the simplest, most honest thoughts and ideas come from those new to an issue. I know some details here and there, but will always desire to see the big picture first and foremost. That’s what I plan to write about. At times, I’m sure I’ll have my groups of dissidents, whooping and hollering that my opinions would change if I only knew how things really work. I welcome your criticisms. But I’ve also come to appreciate the fact that you can never meet someone that doesn’t know something you don’t know. I plan to share with you a few of the things that I know and several that I think I know. I hope you’ll follow up with me next month and the months after that. Until then, I just thought I’d say hello. +

Less

ion people can’t be wr

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Thursday evenings:

Wine & Tapas

A sterling selection of Chef Heinz’ unique culinary skills and selections from Augusta’s most extensive wine list. $ 25 per person Friday evenings:

Helen Blocker-Adams, Cindy Elia, Naomi D. Williams, Sandy Turner, Chris and Lee Davidson, Bill Cleveland, Marcia Ribble, and the three student authors of The Short White Coat who have graced these pages: Raul Gonzalez, Hevil Shah, and Ashita Gelhot. And two more begin in this issue and next We always have the red carpet rolled out for advertisers too, so if you want to reach

our audience of loyal and enthusiastic readers — thousands of people on both sides of the stethoscope — please get in touch, and we’ll do everything we can to maximize your visibility and make it one of those win-win situations. More advertisers would allow us to launch a host of projects we’ve wanted to do since the Medical Examiner came to life in 2006, things like contributing to community health events, increasing the page count and circulation of the Examiner, and perhaps even sweetening the pot for the Mystery Word Contest. Thanks for the past. Here’s to the future. +

ong.

s of the ten Join

t ha n a m i l l

all our readers — are neither in the hospital nor currently under a doctor’s care, but they have been. We would love to hear some of your first person medical tales. Read “What’s your story?” on page 3 for a little inspiration, then send us your story. Over the past 150 issues, guest columnists in this paper have included Dr. W.G. “Curly” Watson, Dr. Rob Lamberts, Dr. William Bloodworth, Mr. Dennis Skelley, Dr. Lionel Zumbro, Dr. Paul Fischer, Mr. Tom Campbell, Dr. Pam Salazar, and others. We thank these sterling writers and our own stable of regular columnists: Bad Billy Laveau, Bill Atkinson,

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WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU SOON Celebrating Chef Heinz’ 20 years at La Maison

Chef Heinz welcomes you

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