August23 by Daniel Pearson

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AUGUST 23, 2013

The Money Doctor Becoming Disabled is More Common Than You May Think Protect Your Future with Disability Insurance

I The human body overall is 70% water • Blood is 85% water • The brain is 80% water • Muscles are 75% water • Cells are 90% water • An estimated 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated HOW MUCH WATER ARE YOU DRINKING EVERY DAY?

n planning for our financial futures, we often assume that we can continue earning our current salary, and possibly more, until we choose to enter retirement. However, leaving the workforce can be forced upon us as opposed to a choice we make when we feel we are financially ready. The numbers are staggering for individuals who can no longer work due to incurring a disability. According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, more than 1 in 4 20 year-olds will become disabled before they retire. In addition, a healthy 35 year old working an office job has between a 21% and 24% chance of becoming disabled for 3 months or more at some point during their career. Risk factors that increase these percentages include obesity, tobacco and alcohol use, high risk activities, substance abuse, and numerous health issues. Fortunately there is a way to help replace lost income in the event you can no longer work due to an accident or sickness: disability insurance. Disability insurance primarily takes two forms – short-term and long-term. Both types of insurance provide income in the event of an accident or sickness, even if the accident or sickness is not work-related, which is what distinguishes disability insurance from workers’

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compensation insurance. Short and long-term disability insurance can be purchased in the same way and often together. Many employers or professional organizations offer group disability insurance. Due to the volume of individuals signing up under group plans,

1 in 4 20-year-olds will become disabled

If the premiums were paid for using after-tax dollars, typical of a privately purchased plan, then benefits are non-taxable. Also important in determining a sufficient benefit amount is the amount of emergency savings you have on hand and ongoing debt obligations, such as mortgage payments, that will need to be satisfied in the years to come. There are other factors that will affect the cost of the premiums you pay for your disability insurance. The first factor is the elimination period, which is the time period from which an accident or illness occurs and the time period in which payments begin. All other factors being equal, a plan with a longer elimination period will have lower premiums than one in which payments begin sooner. Your emergency fund should always be sufficient to cover costs during this time period. Another factor that affects your premiums would be an “ownoccupation” plan. The premiums for own-occupation policies are generally higher due to the fact that this plan will provide benefits if you are unable to perform most of the functions of

this option is often less expensive than a privately purchased plan. However, if your employer does not offer a group plan, insurance can be purchased individually through numerous insurance agencies. Most longterm disability insurance will provide around 60% of your pre-disability earnings. In determining if this benefit will be sufficient, it is important to understand the tax requirements of these benefits. Although special situations may arise, determining the tax implications for disability benefits is generally simple. If the premiums for the policy were paid using pre-tax dollars or paid for by your employer and not included in your income, Please see DISABILITY page 10 then the benefits are taxable.

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Editor’s note: Healthcare is a whole new ballgame with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). How will healthcare providers be affected? What about patients? And how about employers who provide health coverage as an employee benefit? How will Medicare and Medicaid recipients be affected? Look to this column for the answers.

HEALTHCARE REFORM & YOUR BUSINESS by Russell T. Head, CBC, CSA

THE TOP 5 Q&As ABOUT EXCHANGE NOTICES

Q. Which employers must provide the notice? A. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) amended the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to require notice by the following employers: • Employers with 1 or more employees that are engaged in interstate commerce including the following entities that are subject to FLSA Minimum Wage & Maximum Hour Rules; • Government Agencies; • Hospitals and other institutions that care for the sick or aged that reside on the premises; • Schools; • Companies/Organizations with annual revenue greater than $500,000. It appears that the notice may even apply in a broader sense to those with revenue under $500,000. To be safe, the notice should be provided in those companies as well. There is no minimum number of employees and the notice applies whether the employer provides health insurance or not.

Q. Who must receive the notice? A. Active employees and new employees including: • Full or part time employees; • Eligible or not eligible for the health plan; • Enrolled or not enrolled in the health plan; • Independent contractors, contract and leased employees may need to receive the notice based on the nature of their relationship with the employer, based on the FLSA “economic reality test” (see www.dol. gov). • No notice is required for Dependents,

Retirees, COBRA Participants or COBRA Qualified Beneficiaries.

Q. What information must the notice contain? A. The notice must contain all of the following. The Department of Labor Model Notice fulfills these requirements. • Information about the existence of the Exchange a.k.a Marketplace; • Employer’s contact information; • A description of the services provided by the Exchange; • Information about the possibility of an employee being eligible for a subsidy; • Inform the employee that they may lose any tax-free employer contribution; • Model Notices. There is a model notice for employers who sponsor a health plan and a separate notice for those that do not sponsor a health plan, with minor differences between the two.

Q. When Must The Notices Be Delivered? A. All notices must be delivered as follows: • Employees on your payroll before October 1, 2013 must receive the notice by that date; • Employees hires October 1, 2013 and later must receive the notice within 14 days of their date of hire; • The notice must be provided automatically and be free of charge.

Q. How Must The Notice Be Delivered? A. All notices must be delivered in one of the following ways: • In writing; • First Class Mail;

• Electronically (if Dept. of Labor Electronic Disclosure Safe Harbor Requirements are met) by email, as an attachment to an email, on your company website or on a CD. Also Note: The Department of Labor Model COBRA Election Notice has been revised to make qualified beneficiaries aware of coverage options in the Exchange/Marketplace. The information presented here is not intended to be a complete outline of the ACA Regulations regarding the Exchange Model Notice. It is a summary of key components that are of interest to consumers. Please refer to ACA Final Regulations listed below for detailed information on this topic. For further explanation of the PPACA provisions outlined in this article, please refer to the following resources: www.hhs.gov www.irs.gov www.healthcare.gov www.dol.gov Russell T. Head is a Partner and Chief Visionary Architect with Group & Benefits Consultants, Inc., Augusta’s largest employee benefits consulting firm. He can be Russell Head reached at 706-733-3459 or rthead@gandbc.com. Visit Group & Benefits Consultants at www.groupandbenefits.com. +

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AUGUST 23, 2013

Don’t Lick the Beaters and other interesting food facts

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

CHOOSE SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

ith so many food issues to worry about — horse meat in ground beef, arsenic in rice, lead in green tea, etc.—worrying about which type of fish to buy may be the last thing on your mind. We know eating seafood can have positive health benefits, but at what cost to our environment? As one of the major 2013 food trends, sustainably sourced seafood has indeed been gaining momentum this year. What seafoods are sustainable, that is, not being depleted as a natural resource? Fortunately, there are convenient tools to help consumers with the sustainable seafood conundrum. Farmed seafood gets a bad rap due to the consequences of irresponsible aquaculture (seafood farming), which include: spreading of disease in species being farmed, damage to ocean terrain, and excessive use of wild fish as feed. Conversely, sustainable aquaculture could be a solution to some of our

oceanic problems. In order for seafood from aquaculture to be considered sustainable, the farm of origin must raise appropriate species, use responsible farming methods, and not disrupt natural habitats. Improper fishing techniques are just as harmful to our oceans as improper aquaculture. (This means “wild caught” may not always be best.) Approximately 85% of the world’s natural fisheries are overfished or fished to capacity. This means fish are being removed from the ocean at a greater rate than they can

reproduce. Apart from negative environmental impacts, overfishing is also a concern from a nutrition standpoint. As species of seafood are eliminated by overfishing, access to this healthy food source becomes more and more limited. Seafood Watch, a program from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, offers convenient tools for selecting sustainable seafood. They have developed Sustainable Seafood Pocket Guides for each region of the U.S. The pocket guides are updated every six months to reflect the most up-to-date information. Download free at montereybayaquarium. org. Click on Seafood Watch, where you’ll fi nd the guides, as well as more than 50 seafood recipes sorted by fi sh. The Pocket Guides arrange seafood in three categories: “Best Choices,” “Good Alternatives,” and “Avoid.” These rankings take into

SEE PAGE SIX

What’s your story?

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

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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 news within every part of the Augusta medical community. Submit editorial content to graphicadv@knology.net Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to: Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com Augusta Medical Examiner photography: H + D Photography www.handdphoto.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2013 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Hope IS Possible

Is the pursuit of happiness worth it?

Helen Blocker-Adams

have seen The Pursuit of Happyness, the Will Smith movie, many times. Perhaps you’ve seen it too. The movie is based on the true story of a man who went from broke to homeless to a multimillionaire stockbroker. Will played an awesome role along with his real son, who also played his son in the movie. I believe that was the first time his son played beside him in a movie. He was adorable. There are so many places, especially in the media, where people can find negativity. If you read the daily paper or go online and read some of the comments on a controversial issue, you will find ugly, cruel, and sometimes racist remarks. I’ve asked myself many times, how does this person sleep at night thinking the way he/she does? Smith’s wife in the movie didn’t believe in her husband. That’s real life. I know people who have had spouses who don’t believe in them, nor did

they share the dreams of the spouse. I’m sure you have too. I don’t think she gave him a chance. Her belief and faith was weak. Despite how hurt he was, he never missed a beat when she left him one day, and he also kept his son. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. But he never wavered. Did he get discouraged several times? Yes, he did. He was a little obsessed with the misspelling of the word happiness (spelled “happyness”) scrawled on the wall near a Chinese restaurant. But how does one define happiness? One definition says “happiness is a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure or joy.” Another definition is “a state of wellbeing and contentment; a pleasurable or satisfying experience.” I think we can all agree that happiness definitely impacts emotional well-being. Chris (Will Smith’s character) used a lot of positive affirmations throughout the entire movie. He used statements like “we can get out of it,” “we can do it,” “everything is going to be all right,” or “we will get through this.” Research has shown that using positive affirmations, and memorizing Bible passages and repeating them out loud can make a profound positive impact on emotional health. As long as I can remember, I have always been an optimistic person and I repeat positive

words of encouragement often. I share regular positive messages on Facebook that I call “Helen’s Life Nuggets,” and get excellent feedback. Chris never used words such as “might, maybe, I think, or but.” Those are self-defeating words that do nothing positive for emotional well-being. The phrase “pursuit of happiness” is part of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson profoundly incorporated these words in this timeless document: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Chris pondered that statement by asking, “How did Jefferson know to include that particular statement in this document?” The Declaration of Independence is the want, the will, and the hopes of the people. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with

certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (U.S. Congress, July 4, 1776.) Did you know before “pursuit of happiness” was inserted in this document, it was previously worded, “a right to personal well being”? Can a person achieve happiness without pursuing it? Can happiness be attained with a negative or self-defeating attitude? Are you happy right now? Why? Or why not? During one scene in the movie Chris’ wife said she was no longer happy. In the next scene he asked his son, “Are you happy?” With a big smile on his face, his son responded, “Yes.” Then Chris said, ‘If you are happy, then I am happy.” But let’s look at this a little further. Can a child be born happy? How does a baby even know how to be happy? One blogger had this to say about the pursuit of happiness,

“To me, the Founding Fathers gave us an important piece of advice we all can benefit from, regardless of nationality. The advice is that in order to obtain happiness, you must pursue it and go after it. It simply isn’t some location on a map that you drive or fly to. And no, you cannot order it from Amazon or bid for it on eBay. Rather it is a state of mind.” I believe that pursuing happiness gives a sense of freedom. I guess one could choose not to pursue happiness. But how sad would that be? Can happiness be attained if one does not make that choice? I don’t think most people wake up in the morning and tell themselves they are going to pursue happiness. But I bet some people wake up thanking God for waking them up (I know I do) and for peace of mind. But I wonder if we were to consider making a concerted effort for thirty days to say out loud upon awakening and after saying our morning prayer the following statement “I am going to pursue happiness today,” what kind of impact that would make on a person’s emotional well-being. Who knows, it might help emotional well-being. What do you think? + Helen Blocker-Adams is Executive Director of the Southeast Enterprise Institute; mental health advocate; and youth advocate. You can reach her at hba@hbagroup-intl. com or visit her website at www. helenblockeradams.com

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AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE

volution. There, I said it. That word rattles the very souls of born again Christians and Atheists alike. Therein, we shall delve. Should you wonder why I tackle this subject, it is because on a recent plane trip, I sat by a strikingly bright, superattractive lady who took mercy on Bad Billy Laveau and lowered herself to speak to him as an equal. Regina is a self-made success story who flies around the country consulting with businessmen to help them straighten out the mess they have gotten themselves into (intentionally or otherwise). Regina does this without the help (or hindrance) of a college education. She had a husband, but she sent him packing years ago. Her two kids are near adulthood and doing just fine, thank you. Regina is so beautiful, Halle Berry calls her for beauty tips. The Most Interesting Man in the World, the guy in Dos Equis beer commercials, is second in line for a date with Regina, should she feel so inclined. No, she did not actually say that, but if she had, I would have believed her. Regina asked my opinion on evolution, a subject she struggles with from time to time. Everybody knows Bad Billy Laveau never refuses an honorable request from a lady. So here we go on the quest for the truth on Evolution and Creationism that has eluded man since Charles Darwin published the Origin of

Species in 1859. To born again Christians, evolution is the anthem for ignorance, disbelief, and spiritual irresponsibility. To the Atheist, evolution is a creation explanation that explains how everything came to be and allows unrepentant atheists to ignore the fear of the hereafter. It is their easy way out. And there are hoards in the middle that care not to leap into the breach of argumentative swordsmanship. For this interchange, we shall ignore them, though they may be in the majority. In Genesis, using only 720 words, God lays out the 14-billion-year history of the universe and thereby the beginning of earth, and subsequently, you and I. Considering that the Bible would be read by mere mortals and should be a book for everyone, God did not go into subatomic structure or dimensions, or the double helix of DNA, or radiation emitted by particle breakdown, or quantum mechanics or any of that other stuff Stephen Hawking talks about. Instead, God pointedly tells us what He did. Evolutionists, of which I was one for a long time, tell us that everything happened by chance and though a long series of trial and error events, where the strongest survived while the weak or unnecessary did not. Darwin laid out the basis for evolutionary development. It made perfect sense to me. But is it all ancient news,

Best or is there any evidence of evolution at work today? Of course. Can man play God and cause evolution? Sure. Here are a few examples. Before 1929, penicillin resistant infections did not exist? Why? Because Alexander Fleming had not given us penicillin, and doctors had not used it indiscriminately. In World War II, 25,000 units of penicillin cured gonorrhea in our servicemen. By the Viet Nam War, the gonorrhea bacterium had evolved to the point that it took 1,200,000 units of penicillin to cure gonorrhea. That means it took 48 times as much penicillin to effect a cure. That is a lot of evolution in our lifetime. Before 1970, MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) did not exist because staphylococcus had no reason to evolve to survive methicillin antibiotics. Those little buggers evolved so they can thrive in a world dripping in antibiotics (and cost us billions of dollars each year). Until 50 years ago, we did not have tennis elbow because cavemen did not play tennis. Before 1900, Yorkshire

e n i c i d ME

Terriers and Border Collies did not exist. Man needed to kill rats in the weaving factories of England, so they bred, or evolved, Yorkies. In Australia, they needed a particularly bright, longhaired dog to herd sheep, so they evolved Border Collies. Have you ever eaten Silver Queen Corn? I have and I love it. When the white man arrived in America, Indians grew corn. It was a grass-like plant that has now evolved into stalks that tower 8 to 10 feet tall. There are many more examples of man-controlled evolution. After a few years of quiet reflection and hours of arguing with my atheist friends, I came to a startling, but simple conclusion that ends the Evolution versus Creation by Divine Intervention confrontations. Clearly, evolution exists and man utilizes God’s evolutionary process today, for good and for bad. Creation through divine intervention is correct: God created the heavens and the earth, just as the Bible tells us. However, God is not bound by the earthly timetable that is dependent upon the rotation

of the earth around the sun, a minor star in the billions of solar systems in existence. The seven days referred to in Genesis represent billions of years when measured in earth time. Evolution is also correct. The difference is that modern science and evolutionism defines the sequence of steps and events that God used (and continues to use) to create the universe. I call them the Laws of Nature. Einstein referred to them as the mind of God, and he was said to be an atheist even though he was Jewish. There is no conflict between Creationism and Evolutionism. Creationism states the basic facts regarding what happened. Evolutionism delineates the step by step details of how it happened. Creationism and Evolution are one and the same, just viewed thought different human kaleidoscopes. Maybe this will help Regina as she wrestles with her previously conceived dilemma. Hopefully, she won’t stop speaking to me forever for using her name herein. + 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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t was cold, that November day in 1935 when I was born in the hills of West Virginia. Fast forward fifty years, through high school, Korea, Paris, France, Vietnam, with never a scratch. Then off to college. I learned to work hard, play, and pray. I opened my own store and ran it for 17 years. Then came cancer and vertigo, so I sold the store. But that’s ok. God is good. Fast forward again. Now I’m 77 years old. I still have vertigo. But that’s ok. It doesn’t stop me. I climbed up a ladder a few months ago and fell 8 feet onto a concrete driveway. I broke my pelvis, injured two vertebrae in my back and broke my wrist really bad. But that’s ok. God is good.

“Everything hurt.” I had surgery at Ft. Gordon before being transferred to Doctors Hospital rehab unit where an excellent rehab staff worked with me. Mark and Kim really pushed me. Initially I could only move using a specially built platform walker. Everything hurt with every move I made. Mark pushed me to work through the pain. I had to learn all over again to clean and dress myself. It took a lot of work. Even simple things like putting on shoes and socks. Lots of pain, but that’s ok. God is good.

Getting better and going home meant physical and occupational therapists and nurses came by the house twice each week for more than a month, teaching me to take care of myself again. I moved from a platform to a 4-leg walker to a walker to a cane. God is good. They taught me to go to bed, get up, go to the bathroom, shower, and cook. Everything. Progress! God is good. With the help of a very special friend who really helped me when I couldn’t help myself, I recovered and am now back at work. God is good. + — Submitted by N. P. Smoot Augusta, Georgia

WE’RE BEGGING YOU We’re never too proud to beg. What we’re begging for is Medicine in the First Person stories. With your help, we’d like to make this a feature in every issue of the Medical Examainer. After all, everybody has a story of something health or medicine-related, and lots of people have many stories. 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. Thanks!

“The cause was a mystery for a long time.” “And that’s when I fell.” nearest hospital “He doesn’t remember a thing.” “The was 30 miles away.” “I was a battlefield medic.” “He was just two when he died.”

“OUCH!”

“It was a terrible tragedy.” “She saved “I sure learned my lesson.” “I retired from medicine my life.” “It seemed like a miracle.” seven years ago.” “We had triplets.” “It was my first year “I thought, ‘Well, this is it’.” NOTHING SEEMED of medical school.” “They took me to the hospital by helicopter.” TO HELP, UNTIL. . “It took 48 stitches.”

ambulance crashed.” “Now THAT hurt!” “The “My leg was broken “I’m not supposed to be alive.”

“This was on my third day in Afghanistan.” in three places.” “I lost 23 pounds.” “Turned out it was just indigestion.” “At first I thought it was something I ate.” “The smoke detector woke me up.”

Everybody has a story. Tell us yours. Here’s our “No Rules Rules.” We’ll publish your name and city, or keep you anonymous. Your choice. Length? Up to you. Subject? It can be a monumental medical event or just a stubbed toe. It can make us laugh or make us cry. One thing we’re not interested in, however: please, no tirades against a certain doctor or hospital. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Southern Girl Eats Clean This recipe was given to me by Margaret Gibbs, a lady dear to me. It is a quick and delicious version of one of my favorite southern Louisiana meals and can easily be made on a weeknight. I’ve been making this dish for ages and I was surprised to find that once we started to eat a cleaner diet I only had to make a couple of changes to the original recipe. Margaret’s recipe had butter and white rice. I simply replaced the butter with grapeseed oil and ditched the white rice. I use organic long or short grain brown rice and the grapeseed oil so that we get more nutrition from the meal. Oh, and I add a bit more spice than Margaret did. You can never go wrong with garlic and hot sauce. As always, I try to find organic vegetables whenever possible. I just feel better about organic, my personal opinion.

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long....approximately 5 minutes. Do not overcook the shrimp as they will become rubbery. Serve immediately over long grain brown rice. + Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog www.southerngirleatsclean.com She is a working wife and mother living in Evans, Georgia. Visit her blog for more recipes and information on clean eating.

SEAFOOD… from page 3 account the sustainability of each seafood source as well as other hazards, such as high mercury content or possible toxic contamination. A few current “Best Choices” for the southeast include: Pacific caught halibut, farmed muscles, farmed clams, farmed oysters, and Alaskan caught salmon. Seafood to avoid currently includes: imported mahi mahi, US red snapper, farmed salmon, and imported shrimp. As an added convenience for consumers, Seafood Watch has also developed apps for Android and iPhone (pictured, page 3) that you can access right at the grocery store. The free application contains the same information as the Pocket Guide, along with information on which local restaurants serve

sustainable seafood. Forbes ranks Seafood Watch at #1 for sustainable seafood applications. Forbes highlighted two other apps to provide guidance on sustainable seafood: FishPhone (ranked #2) and Safe Seafood (ranked #3). Augusta shoppers will soon be able to see action taken by Whole Foods stores based on information from the FishPhone database. Whole Foods places green or yellow stickers (see left) beside the price tag for different seafood options to alert shoppers to the sustainability rating of that item, based on information provided by the Marine Stewardship Council. Green is seafood that is “abundant, well managed and caught in environmentally friendly ways.” Yellow signifies “some concern with how caught or with health of habitat due to other human

impacts.” Last year Whole Foods stopped carrying red label seafoods, signifying products “presently caught in ways that harm other marine life or the environment.” As an increasing number of consumers gain knowledge of sustainable seafood practices and share their concerns with stores and restaurants, more businesses will take actions to provide sustainable seafood. Until then, take advantage of the resources available for consumers when choosing your seafood. + — by Paige Eubanks University Hospital Dietetic Intern References: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ lindseyhoshaw/2011/10/25/top-3sustainable-seafood-apps/ www.montereybayaquarium.org

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

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

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

AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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.

THIS MEDICINE WON’T AFFECT MY MIND, WILL IT?

e all know that stomach upset and headaches can be side effects with virtually all medicines. It sort of makes sense that anything you send through your stomach and intestines should be able to cause stomach upset or diarrhea. But how many medicines can affect your mind and your mental state? We’re not talking about likely suspects such as antidepressants whose job it is to alter mood. What about common, everyday medicines being given for a variety of issues? Let’s look at a few examples of these side effects that may be a surprise to most. Zithromax is a common antibiotic used for cough and cold infections such as strep throat. Its purpose is to kill bacterial infections in the body. This medicine can cause anxiety or aggression in a small portion of the population. Asthma medicines such as Singulair and Advair can cause mood disorders also. Singulair can cause depression up to and including suicidal thoughts in addition to aggression, dream disturbances and disorientation. Advair can cause depression and aggression also even though the active ingredients in these two asthma medicines are totally different. The hyperactivity that is also caused by Advair is sort of understandable because it contains a steroid and all steroids can cause jitteriness or nervousness when taken alone. Nexium is a medicine used

to reduce acid in the stomach. But sleep disturbances and confusion is sometimes an unintended side effect of this stomach medicine. Some heart medicines called beta-blockers, used for blood pressure and other heart ailments, can cause memory loss and depression in some users. This is a strange set of side effects for a class of medicines that works on the heart. One last class of medicines that I want to mention is the cholesterol lowering medicines called statins. The leading drug is this class is atorvastatin or Lipitor. This class of medicines has been linked to depression, confusion and memory loss.

Any drug that crosses the blood-brain barrier can be responsible for mental side effects. Once a medicine enters the brain’s blood supply then side effects like the ones we listed above can occur. The blood-brain barrier is an intricate cellular and metabolic mechanism composed of tight junctions between cells designed to restrict access to the brain’s blood supply. This is a much more restrictive barrier and filter than in the rest of the body. Some medicines that are intended to work elsewhere in the body may cross the bloodbrain barrier. These drugs are responsible for many behavioral side effects. Some drugs may act on the

GOING BEYOND CARING

brain by other mechanisms. Statins, for example, decrease cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol, aside from being bad when deposited in the arteries, is necessary for good neuron function. Other mechanisms in addition to breaches of the blood-brain barrier are also responsible for brain side effects. Advair reduces airway inflammation by increasing a certain type of signaling molecule. This molecule also affects the brain. Nexium lowers stomach acid, but also reduces nutrient intake. This nutrient intake is thought to be responsible for Nexium’s mental side effects. Another drug will affect levels of epinephrine and dopamine by causing them to stay in spaces between the neurons longer to create an effect on the heart. These chemicals can be affected in the brain also, thus causing hallucinations and depression in some patients. Again, the medications listed here are just a few examples. It would be impossible to give a complete list. Please consult your physician or pharmacist if you think you may be experiencing any problems or side effects with any medications. + Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net If you have any questions, comments or article suggestions please email us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net

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AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

by Ross Everett

FOR ME, GUPTAĘźS WEED GOES UP IN SMOKE

s a weekend filled with studying was drawing to an end, I put the books on hold to sit down and watch Sanjay Guptaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CNN documentary, Weed, earlier this month. Gupta, an Emory Medical Center neurosurgeon most known for his role as a leading CNN medical correspondent, had written in the week leading up to the release of the documentary that he had changed his position on medical marijuana. The article was decent. The documentary, however, was unconvincing. Medicine is often described as this beautiful mix of science and human interaction. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get into medical school, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an absolute must that something along those lines be in your application. Yet, I have found that often, the science becomes lost on us. I feel Dr. Guptaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film fell short for this very reason. Here, his film aimed at winning the public over, failed to deliver corroboration. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll quickly concede that the film wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t intended for audiences of the scientific community. Additionally, the documentary, which was only an hour long with commercial breaks, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the luxury of presenting its full arsenal of evidence. Still, from Gupta, who was nearly nominated as the Surgeon General a few years ago, we deserved better. The film largely focuses on a few individuals with medical illnesses that resisted a variety of well-accepted medications, only to benefit greatly from medical marijuana. It particularly followed the story of young Charlotte Fiji, a precious little 3 year old who was having nearly 300 seizures a week that had not shown improvement with any treatment. As you might guess, a little cannabis and her seizures nearly became non-existent. She can now speak, interact, learn and play. She is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;normalâ&#x20AC;? child again. It was a beautiful story. It was a heart-warming story. But, it was one story. Even with the several other individuals the film introduces, these personal stories fail to deliver the statistical evidence that is really acceptable. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying that the evidence doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m simply pointing out that this one film didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t show it. Granted, good, large studies of the drugâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effects are hard to find in large numbers. Currently, the DEA has marijuana classified as a Schedule I drug, which makes it hard for even medical researchers to get their hands on. While this classification is clearly absurd, it has, nonetheless, hindered long prospective studies. However, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just assume theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d show what we thinkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or some may wantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;them to show. Data is needed. The same findings should be reproduced multiple times by very different people. Questions need to be Please see WEED page 10

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AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

your current occupation, regardless of whether you can find employment in a different field or not. It is important to understand the definition of disability specific to your policy. Obviously, short-term disability insurance differs from long-term disability insurance in the length of time for which income is being replaced. Typically short-term disability insurance replaces income anywhere from 2 months to 1 year. Long-term disability insurance has a benefits period greater than 1 year. (The time period for which income is being replaced is known as the benefits period.) Insurance plans vary, but most will provide benefits for a specified period of time, such as 10 years, or until a

WEED… from page 9 specific age, such as 65. In our experience, more people consider life insurance than disability insurance, even though the stats show the chances of becoming disabled are much higher. Especially for young people, the most valuable asset you have is your future earnings capacity, so it seems to make sense to insure that. To give you an example, take someone that earns $50,000 a year for 40 years. We used a rate of 5% to discount that back, but the present value of those earnings today is $857,954. As discussed above, if premiums are paid with aftertax earnings, that is preferred since the benefits would be taxfree. 60% of your earnings after taxes is a lot better than 60% pre-

tax. Some employers are open to imputing these payments as income to the employee each year on their W-2, so it never hurts to ask. Either way, having some coverage in place is important for you and your family, so make sure this is something you are thinking about in your planning. + by Tony Welch. Tony is a financial planner with Preston & Cleveland Wealth Management, LLC (www. preston-cleveland.com). Tony has a MBA from Augusta State University along with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Georgia. Preston & Cleveland is a fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm with offices in Atlanta and Augusta.

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answered regarding the efficacy in a large enough sample of patients. The negative side effects—there certainly are some—need to be mapped out. Where was the little girl who it did absolutely nothing for? Where was the girl it harmed? Good, bad, and neutral outcomes happen with all types of treatments and they need to be adequately explored. Health policy should never be dictated by any “aww” moment. No, our scientists and our citizens deserve better than that. When people’s well being is involved, we should never sacrifice our ability to think critically so that we can think emotionally. Science should never be lost on that. Emotions rally support. However, they often lead to mistakes in planning and implementation. They’re powerful, but they’re not statistically significant. It’s imperative we remember that. Listen, our country has done a lot wrong in regards to its research, enforcement, and application of this particular plant. Let’s keep our heads about us and get it right this time. + Ross Everett is a 2nd year medical student at the Medical College of Georgia. He grew up in Buford, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011. In addition to his coursework, he is interested in health policy, health systems and health management. Please contact him at wideeyedwhitecoat@gmail.com and Like him on Facebook at Wide-Eyed White Coat.

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es, it’s possible. We are, after all, living in the Garden of Eden, at least from the viewpoint of mosquitoes. Remember earlier this summer when public health officials were telling us how to eliminate mosquito habitats? One news report that comes to mind was an interview a couple months ago with a member of the city of Augusta’s mosquito abatement team. He held a bottle cap in front of the camera and said, “Even this much water could provide a place for a female mosquito to lay her eggs. Well, that was then. This is now. And since then, about 900 zillion gallons of rainwater has fallen on the greater Augusta area. Searching for bottle caps that might contain water would be like looking for pennies in streets paved with gold. There are puddles and ponds everywhere. It’s like Six Flags for mosquitoes around here. Should we be concerned? Mosquitoes are not our friends. The Medical Examiner has written about these little pests more than once. They infect about 700 million people with disease every year, killing more than 5 million each year via malaria alone. The Augusta area has not been immune: last year there were deaths in the CSRA from West Nile virus. The good news, though, is that the current local mosquito population explosion is happening among a variety of skeeter known as the Asian tiger mosquito. They’re annoying and they’re numbers are growing by the millions within Georgia, but another variety, the Southern house mosquito, is the main source of West Nile. Entomologists say numbers of Southern house mosquitoes are low in our area so far this year. Even so, nobody wants a mosquito bite. What’s a body to do? It may be water, water everywhere, but that’s no reason to ignore standing water. Stopped up gutters, buckets in the yard full of rainwater, old tires in an empty lot, all should be dry. Mosquito repellents containing DEET are EPA-approved as safe and effective. Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing also seems to help prevent bites. And then there’s this fan to the left. Fans are great mosquito repellents for a number of reasons. For starters, not everyone enjoys slathering their skin with bug repellent chemicals. A fan is obviously chemical-free and low tech all the way. But what good does it do? One of the ways mosquitoes find us is through the carbon dioxide we exhale. Fans disperse CO2 and help make us invisible to mosquitoes. In addition, mosquitoes are very weak fliers. They are literally blown away by the air movement generated by a fan. According to experts, oscillating fans work best, but a simple box fan works too. Any fan is better than nothing. What’s more, using fans to keep mosquitoes away is endorsed by the American Mosquito Control Association. Even better, they’ll help you beat the heat, and that’s always cool. +

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

The blog spot — Posted at www.impactednurse.com, an Australian blog

HOW TO DISPOSE OF A PATIENT’S ID BRACELET It’s a busy shift and you are about to discharge one of your patients. You cut off their ID bracelet just before they leave. Now what? Do you usually throw it in awastebasket? There is a potential here for a breach in patient confidentiality if you do. So where should you dispose of it? I asked some of my friends what they would do and here are some of the responses. • Heather: I’m naughty and throw it in the nearest Sharps bin • Nardine: I chop it up with scissors then chuck in general waste. • Tom: As funny as it sounds, clinical waste.. I reckon people are less likely to rummage through it for a name band. • Lesley: Leave it on the pt. • Melissa: Patients like to keep it as a memento... And when they present 3 days later, the bracelet is still on.. They take pleasure in showing you they were here 3 days prior.. • Michelle: Clinical waste bin or sharps bin. Then I know the details will be destroyed. • Tina: Sharps container or shredder box at nurse’s station. • Juanita: I leave them with it....some people like the “Hollywood factor” of going home with it. Most hospital ID bracelets contain the patients name, date of birth, & their address. Some bracelets have the information displayed in a bar-code format, but even this information remains easily retrievable. If the bracelets are disposed in general waste, there is a potential for them to end up in places where they might be retrieved and the information used for identity theft or other unscrupulous activities. And those 3 pieces of information are all that is needed to commit fraud.

“It’s all you need to commit fraud.”

From THE Bookshelf Medical professionals are highly trained observers. Keen observation is a vital part of the diagnosis and treatment of disease. So doctors (and everyone else reading this): could you draw a crude sketch of the dashboard of your car? How about listing in proper order, left to right, the letters on your computer keyboard? Could you do either of those simple tasks, or a dozen others like them? Alexandra Horowitz predicts no. Her book, On Looking, is aimed at helping us to see what we’re missing as we go through life, which as it turns out, is quite a bit. In being blind to our surroundings (or at least far blinder than we realize), we’re missing out on some fundamental joys of living. A few years ago, my cousin from Wisconsin was in Atlanta on business and decided to hop over to Augusta to visit us. It was his first time in Georgia. He drove I-20 from Atlanta to Augusta and all he could talk about was how beautiful the drive was. Huh? It’s a mostly straight, flat road through a million pine

Leaving them on the patient? I think this is a bad idea. More than likely the patient will get home, cut it off and toss it in the bin. It will then make its way to the local landfill and be available for retrieval (or perhaps be rescued from the home waste bin by identity seeking dumpster divers). If the patient does ask to keep it as a momento or wishes to take it home, make sure you advise them to keep it safely or dispose of it effectively (just like we all should with these sorts of documentation). So what information is on your hospital ID bracelets, and what are your ideas on its safe disposal? + Speaking of blogs, the Medical Examiner’s blog is found at www.AugustaRx.com/news

On Looking; Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes, by Alexandra Horowitz, 320 pages, published in January 2013 by Scribner

the

Think this unlikely? It is estimated that nearly 3 million Australians have been the victim of identity fraud. The shredder box Some wards seem to have a box specifically for disposing of ID bracelets and others have a ‘shredder box’ or confidential papers bin. I would love to hear more details from anyone who has such a system. This is a great idea with some caveats. • Commercially provided confidential disposal bins may only accept paper documents (Perhaps there is potential for plastic ID bracelets to be removed from the destruction process and placed in general waste? I’m not sure.) It would be a good idea to check on your own service. • Same with mechanical shredders. Some will munch their way through credit cards etc while others will only effectively shred paper.

trees. That’s beautiful? Actually, it is. It’s great to see trees and fields along the roadside instead of strip malls and tract homes. A fresh eye sees the beauty that the regular visitor doesn’t. Think of the tourist from the country who is stunned by the concrete canyons of New York City. The locals barely notice. An example closer to home: my wife was giving directions to a co-worker not long ago. The co-worker lived in North Augusta and came down Georgia Avenue and across the 13th Street bridge every day. In giving directions my wife referenced North Augusta’s fairly new City Hall. The co-

worker wasn’t familiar with the building. “It’s the huge building right in front of you coming down Georgia Avenue,” protested my wife. “If the road didn’t curve you would hit the building!” Nope. The co-worker had never noticed it. Sound crazy? It isn’t even close to crazy. Think about what you and I see all day, every day: people walking down hallways, crossing downtown streets, sitting with friends and family in restaurants or in their cars at red lights — all of them doing what? Looking at their cellphone screens. We are undoubtedly the most unobservant breed of humans in recorded history. What are we missing? Horowitz offers readers the means to open our eyes and see things right in front of us that we’ve never seen before. We probably all need this book — if we can put down our smart phones long enough to read it. +

Never trust your instincts In its July 30 Health & Wellness section, The Wall Street Journal had a fascinating little pop quiz. They showed three pairs of restaurant offerings, and all readers had to do was pick the lower calorie option. Even with 50/50 odds, it was surprisingly difficult. First there was Jimmy John’s healthful “Gourmet Veggie Club” versus its “Ultimate Porker.” Obviously the Veggie Club wins. Wrong. The veggie club vegged out at 930 calories, while the Ultimate Porker tipped the scales at a relatively svelte 720 calories. Second up, another gimme: a plain, dry, multi-grain bagel from Dunkin’ Donuts up against a Chocolate Frosted Donut. Only an idiot would pick the donut. Wrong. Turns out the donut has 270 calories. The oh-so-healthful multi-grain bagel: 350 calories. Finally, two plates from Longhorn Steakhouse: Grilled Chicken & Stuffed Portabella up

Clipping File

against a Flat Iron Steak. Which dish do you think has fewer calories? Probably the grilled chicken. Wrong. The Flat Iron Steak packs 440 calories; the grilled chicken 530. It’s important to note that calories are far from the only deciding factor in what makes one dish or one meal more or less healthful than another. What the quiz does show, however, is how easily we can be fooled by various elements in the name, ingredients, or preparation of a product. Multi-grain bread might have “enriched flour” as its #1 ingredient, which should make you drop that loaf like it’s a redhot iron. The bottom line: read labels. Do research at restaurant websites. Coffee drinkers love life In a study published online July 2, Harvard School of Public Health researchers said drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk

of suicide in men and women by about 50 percent. Researchers discovered the connection by examined data from about 200,000 men and women enrolled in three major studies. The risk of suicide (presumably the rate of suicide attempts or stated suicidal tendencies) among people who drank two to four cups of caffeinated coffee per day was half that of those who drank little or no coffee, or who drink decaffeinated coffee. Study authors explain the connection as the result of caffeine’s stimulation of the central nervous system and its action as a mild antidepressant, boosting production of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. Researchers identified no benefits from caffeine consumption beyond four cups per day, and did not recommend that depressed adults increase their current level of caffeine intake without consulting their doctor. +

+ 12

AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS

THE MYSTERY WORD

Is your brother still in the army?

by Dan Pearson

Then I guess all his medical training Not at all. He uses it How is that possible? was for naught. all day every day. He’s a drill sargeant.

Sure is. He’s a drill sargeant.

Easy. He’s an army dentist.

THE EXAMiNERS

The Mystery Word for this issue: SMUPM

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Pacers’ school, in brief 5. Tiny particles 10. __buse (Drug given to alcoholics) 14. Burden 15. West Point attendee 16. True 17. Invalid 18. Vedic warrior god 19. William of fame 20. _____ Health (medical support profession) 22. A suit everyone owns 24. Splash with small drops 26. UK TV 29. Objective 30. America’s Cup competitor 34. Bring up 36. Evils 38. Steps for scaling a fence 39. Air sacs 41. Inflammation of the ileum 43. Mistakes 44. Hawaiian goose 46. Mr. Ballesteros 47. Augusta hospital 49. Charleston med. school 51. What follows many officers’ names 52. Self-centered hunter of Greek mythology 55. An utter coward 58. Engraver 62. Capital of Western Samoa 63. Word before current or liner 65. Swiss river 66. Condemn 67. Decatur/Atlanta ave. (as it’s known) 68. Baseball team 69. Narrow strip of wood

24 26

30 36

44 48 52

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM TO ENTER!

Click on “Reader Contests”

QUOTATION PUZZLE

All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing. We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

38 42

S E A R S M A B V V R R S G T S A L M H M D I O R O E O W Y R I N E T E E E D T O C T I E U I O R A I H O S F E

- Arthur Koestler 1905 — 1983

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.

70. Satisfied 71. Old

DOWN 1. Forearm bone 2. Bar in downtown Augusta 3. Phone 4. Improvise 5. Dirt with low pH 6. Convert into leather 7. Weirdo 8. Worth 9. Begins 10. Joint inflammation 11. Requirement 12. Rhythm in Indian music 13. Supporter 21. Electroencephalography (in brief) 23. Tantalize 25. Former Alaska governor 26. Ft. Gordon leaders 27. Southern ______ 28. Trivial, petty objection

31. About 1.75 pints 32. Type of branch the dove returned to Noah 33. Adjust again 35. Penitent, remorseful 37. Nasal cavity 40. Academy award 42. Diminished 45. Distinguished 48. Soldiers 50. Incision 53. Type of butter 54. Utility based in Cayce, SC 55. Cushions 56. Libra gemstone 57. Capital of Peru 59. Man who said “I am in control here.” (at The White House in 1981) 60. Sea eagle 61. Woodwind strip 64. Bandage type

X A M I N E R

1 2 3 6 5 3

9 2 1

5 1 2 7 9 3

8 6

6 2 5

U D O K U

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

Solution p. 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 or numbers with minimal choices listed. A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

O 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 1 2

1 2

W 1 2 3

E 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 1 2

T 2 3

K 1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4

— Kin Hubbard 1868 — 1930

1 2 3 4

1 . LT T T S F O E W T T I 2 . H H N O O S O O N A I O 3 . LT Y E S L E M 4 . T M E Y K E 5 . S E R 6 . T N 7 . A 8 . I 9 . N

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

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

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

AUGUST 23, 2013

THE BEST MEDICINE The young panther, furious at being made a fool of, says, “Here, squirrel. Hop on my back. ha... ha... You’re about to see what happens to old dogs who think they’re smart!” Once again, the old Doberman sees the panther coming from a distance, this time with the squirrel on his back. He thinks, “What am I going to do now?” but instead of running, he sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn’t seen. Just as they get close enough to hear him, n old Doberman starts chasing rabbits and the old Doberman wonders aloud, “Where’s before long, gets lost deep in the forest. that squirrel? I sent him off an hour ago to Wandering about, he notices a young panther stealthily creeping toward him with the intention bring me another panther.” of having lunch. How was the blind carpenter able to see? The old Doberman thinks, “Uh oh! I’m in He picked up his hammer and saw. trouble now!” Noticing some bones on the ground close by, Q: Has your tooth stopped hurting yet? he pretends to not notice the panther and starts A: I don’t know, the dentist kept it. to chew on the bones. Just before he thinks the panther is about to pounce from his cover and If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, attack, the old Doberman sighs and says loudly, “Boy, that was one delicious panther! But I’m still what will an onion do? Keep everyone away. hungry. I wonder, if there are any more around here?” What do you call a person who doesn’t Hearing this, the young panther immediately have all his fingers on one hand? drops his attack plans. With a look of terror on Normal. Fingers are supposed to be on his face, he slinks away into the trees. both hands. “Whew!” thinks the panther, “That was close! That old Doberman nearly had me!” Meanwhile, a squirrel who had been watching Patient: Doctor, sometimes I feel like I’m practically invisible. the whole scene from a nearby tree figured he Doctor: Who said that? can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the panther. What does an orthodontist do during an The squirrel soon catches up with the panther, tells him the whole story, and strikes a protection earthquake? She braces herself. + deal for himself with the panther.

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner? Because no one should have to make a trip to the doctor or the hospital just to read Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper.

+ +

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER 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

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

STATE

ZIP

Choose ____ six months for $16; or ____ one year for $32. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

The Patient’s Perspective by Marcia Ribble

ast night, coming home in the middle of a thunderstorm, the kind known as a gully washer for good reason, I noticed a tiny frog on my front porch. In the dark, at first I thought it might be a cricket, and later watched it jump like a frog. I had never seen a fully formed frog less than an inch long. So I was introduced to Georgia frogs smaller than a penny that I have never seen in the other states I’ve lived in. The day before on a trip to and from Andersonville, the Civil War site where union soldiers died as prisoners of war, I noticed a kind of tree that was unfamiliar to me. Tomorrow I’m going to cut a branch from one near my home and give my students the task of identifying it for me. It has fronds similar to a palm tree’s fronds, laid out like a hand of cards, and with a fuzzy pink flower at the originating point of the frond. The branches lay over one another cascading from the trunk. It’s graceful like a woman’s parasol, or a many layered petticoat. And how are these topics connected to medical issues? Easily. When women are advised to examine their own breasts, for example, they often find tumors not found in doctors’ exams and mammograms. Why? For the same reason that I noticed a difference between Michigan frogs and Georgia frogs, and Michigan trees versus Georgia trees. When you have a base of normal knowledge, anything different arouses your attention. This limits doctors’ ability to diagnose some of our illnesses because we sometimes fail to tell doctors what we know about our own conditions. Because patients expect doctors to be in charge of diagnosing their medical problems, taking responsibility for telling doctors what we know about our bodies is something a lot of people don’t normally do. We often hand over our personal power to our doctors and expect them to fix us. One thing we might do to alleviate this problem would be to become curious about our bodies and how they normally function so we could detect medical changes early on and tell our doctors about them. An

Talk is cheap. Not talking can be deadly.

interesting example of a patient contributing to her own destiny occurred years ago, when a colleague of mine went in for a colonoscopy. It wasn’t her first one, so she knew how she ought to feel afterwards, but that wasn’t how she felt. Her abdomen was telling her that it was in pain, and despite the medical personnel telling her she was OK to go home, she listened to her abdomen and refused, telling them that something was seriously wrong. It was. During the colonoscopy, the scope had penetrated the wall of the colon and moved over and punctured her spleen. She was bleeding internally. If she had gone home, that night, laden with powerful painkillers, she might have bled to death in her sleep. But she didn’t do that. Instead, she listened to her body and convinced the hospital personnel that she really did have something wrong. Shortly thereafter, they took her to the operating room, closed the colon perforation so the contents of her bowel wouldn’t leak into her abdomen, and performed a splenectomy which stopped her internal bleeding. After several months of recuperation, she was able to return to work, minus her spleen but otherwise fine. What could have been a tragedy was averted because she played the role of diagnostic partner, not the role of a child being told what was “good for her.” The doctor might have suffered short term embarrassment, but he didn’t lose his patient. So it was a win all the way around. + Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and retired from the University of Cincinnati. She taught writing at the college level and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She is now teaching again at Virginia College in Augusta. She can be reached with comments, suggestions, etc., at marciaribble@hotmail.com.

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AUGUST 23, 2013

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: PROGNOSIS ...cleverly hidden (lower left) in the page 16 ad for GROUP & BENEFITS CONSULTANTS Congratulations to MARIANNE DUCKWORTH, 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, a $40 Scrubs of Evans gift card, and if she’s a coffee drinker, a jar of Drug of Choice gourmet coffee. Win this stuff! The new Mystery Word is on p. 12. Start looking!

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then be the first to find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries you’ll score our goodie package: gift certificates from Wild Wing Cafe, Top Notch Car Wash, 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 HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC.

perfect getaway from the urban rat race, to raise kids, or retire. 706-798-4359 or 706-831-9015

ROOMMATE WANTED! 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath house with pool, 2 minutes from colleges. Perfect for medical or grad students. $425+share utils. 706.993.6082

WEST AUGUSTA House for rent. 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1500 sqft, 1-car garage, 3024 Sterling Road, located off Stevens Creek at Riverwatch Pkwy. $850/mo. Call 678467-7187.

FOR SALE: 3 BR house + 1 BR apartment (private entrance) + 2 full basements. Apt ideal for aging parent, or home office, or rental (now rented; income to offset mortgage). 310sqft basemt perfect for office or playroom. 2nd basemt (240sqft, large windows) great for workshop or studio. House & apt (2042sqft), hardwd floors, new baths. Lush back yard. Tanglewood area, near Augusta Mall. $93,500 OBO. 617-6292915. FOR RENT: Perfect location 1 mi. from MCG 1827 McDowell St. house for rent. Two bedrooms, 1-1⁄2 baths, living room, dining room, den, kitchen. Recently refurbished, tile and hardwood floors, ceiling fans, w/d hook-up, new fridge, cable, storage house. Renter pays utilities. $750 plus deposit. 706.738.2331 LAND Unique thirteen acres. Bold, beautiful rocky creek running through

FOR SALE: GORGEOUS, immaculate, never occupied townhome located mins from Medical District. 2 bed, 2 bath, master en suite, walk-in closets, office. 1450 sq ft. hardwood floors throughout, fabulous upgrades, custom kitchen and baths. Floor to ceiling windows, fenced yard. Partially furnished! 120k OBO. 803-507-6621. AugustaGAHomeSearch.COM Banks • Foreclosures • MLS ROMAN REALTY 706.564.5885

SERVICES CAREGIVER looking for work. Will do light housework too. (706) 738-2366 WILLS, TRUSTS & POWERS OF ATTORNEY - We can fulfill your legal and estate planning needs through preparation of simple wills, complex trust agreements,

BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) FULL-SERVICE MOVER Anthony’s Professional Moving, 28 years serving the CSRA moving hospital equipment, offices, homes, apartments, etc. Estimates are FREE. Call 706.860.3726 or 706.814.8141 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.

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER!

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED? WHAT’S YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE? 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)

Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

advance directives for healthcare, and/or durable powers of attorney. For more information call John R.B. Long, Attorney at Law, 411 Telfair St. Augusta GA 30901 (706) 868-8011. Mention this ad for a no-charge consultation.

THE PUZZLE SOLVED U

.75

1.00

1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.25

3.50

3.75

4.00

4.25

4.50

4.75

5.00

S I

M U

M N

QUOTATION QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: Page 12: “The more original a discovery the more obvious it seems afterwards.” — Arthur Koestler

AD COPY (one word per line; phone numbers MUST include the area code): .50

E G

SEE PAGE 12

In case we need to contact you. These numbers will not appear in the ad.

.25

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

The Sudoku Solution 9

5.25

5.50

5.75

6.00

6.25

6.50

6.75

7.00

7.25

7.50

7.75

8.00

8.25

8.50

8.75

9.00

(Copy this form or continue on additional sheet if more space needed.)

Send this form with payment to:

AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER, PO BOX 397, AUGUSTA, GA 30903-0397 Total ad cost by number of words as shown above: $ Multiply by number of times ad to run: x

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE VISIT DRUGOFCHOICECOFFEE.COM BUY AT INNER BEAN CAFE

WORDS BY NUMBER

“The only way to entertain some folks is to listen to them.” — Kin Hubbard (1868-1930)

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!

www.AugustaRx.com

AUGUST 23, 2013 FREE T AKE-H OME C OPY!

AUGUSTA

15 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

DOCTORS HOSPITAL • EISENHOWER ARMY MEDICAL CENTER • EAST CENTRAL REGIONAL • GEORGIA HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY • GRACEWOOD • MCGHEALTH • PRIVATE PRACTICE • SELECT SPECIALTY HOSPITAL • TRINITY HOSPITAL • UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL • VA HOSPITALS • WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

AUGUST 9, 2013

We’re Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper, an independent advocate for your health and wellness. The Medical Examiner is NOT AFFILIATED (and never has been affiliated) with any of the following publications: ✗ The Augusta Chronicle ✗ Metro Spirit ✗ Buzz on Biz ✗ Verge ✗ Parent ✗ Augusta Family ✗ Urban Weekly ✗ Skirt ✗ Augusta Magazine ✗ Columbia County Magazine

will work for YOUR PRAC TICE

The Medical Examiner is INDEPENDENT. If you’re interested in advertising in this paper - or would just like information — call 706.860.5455, e-mail Dan@AugustaRx,com, or visit AugustaRx.com

That’s what our Professional Directory is for. Doctors, we can help you reach new patients and make it convenient for current patients to connect with your office. Call us today — 706.860.5455 — to add your listing to the Medical Examiner’s Professional Directory. +

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY ALLERGY

DERMATOLOGY

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

Georgia Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center 2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road) Augusta 30904 706-733-3373 www.GaDerm.com

CHIROPRACTIC

DRUG REHAB

Poppell Chiropractic Clinic 1106-A Furys Lane Martinez 30907 706-210-2875 Most insurance plans accepted

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

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

DENTISTRY Dr. Judson S. Hickey Periodontist 2315-B Central Ave Augusta 30904 706-739-0071

Group & Benefits Consultants Inc. 3515 Wheeler Rd, Bldg. C Augusta 30909 Floss ‘em or lose ‘em! 706-733-3459 www.groupandbenefits.com

FAMILY MEDICINE

Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048 Dental Partners of South Augusta W. Palmer Westmoreland, DMD 2503 Peach Orchard Rd Augusta 30906 706-798-8300

MUMPS

Evans Dental Group 4250-2 Washington Rd Evans 30809 706-860-3200 www.evansdentalgroup.com

Urgent MD Augusta: 706-922-6300 Grovetown: 706-434-3500 Thomson: 706-595-7825 Primary Care Rates

HOSPICE Alliance Hospice 3685 Old Petersburg Rd. Suite 145 Augusta 30907 706-447-2461

LASER SERVICES

SLEEP MEDICINE

Ideal Image Sleep Institute of Augusta 339 Fury’s Ferry Rd Bashir Chaudhary, MD Martinez 30907 3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101 1-800-BE-IDEAL • www.idealimage.com Augusta 30909 Schedule a FREE Consultation 706-868-8555

OPHTHALMOLOGY Roger M. Smith, M.D. 820 St. Sebastian Way Suite 5-A Augusta 30901 706-724-3339

OPTICIAN

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

Murphy & Robinson O Phil Harris 1571 Walton Way Augusta 30904 706-737-2020

VEIN CARE

P T I C I A N S

PHARMACY 437 Georgia Ave. North Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

SENIOR LIVING Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community 3725 Wheeler Road Augusta 30909 SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 706-868-6500 www.augustagardenscommunity.com

Augusta Area Healthcare Provider 4321 CSRA Boulevard Augusta 30901 706-555-1234

GET YOUR PRACTICE IN FRONT OF 30,000 READERS EACH MONTH! A simple black & white listing is $95 for six months or $175 for the whole year. Add your logo and the price is just $119 for six months or $219 for the entire year. CALL 706.860.5455 TODAY!

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

AUGUST 23, 2013