Medical Examiner 01-22-21 by Daniel Pearson

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A REAL SHOT IN THE ARM JANUARY 22, 2021

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We all know that saying about light at the end of the tunnel. It’s supposed to signify help is on the way, but then sometimes it turns out to be a speeding oncoming train. We (the entire human race, that is) seem to be in a similar situation. We’ve just endured what most people consider to be the worst year of their lifetimes. For some, that feeling is borne of prolonged boredom caused by the forced isolation of working from home; in other words, the pandemic has been a big inconvenience. Others will always remember 2020 as the year when beloved members of their close family and circle of friends died due to a deadly global pandemic; in other words, the pandemic has caused deep, permanent scars and enduring grief. This ongoing pandemic saga has been a challenge for almost everyone, from ages 5 through 85 (and beyond). We’ve all witnessed an unprecedented attack on formerly respected institutions like medicine, science and government (plus democratic processes, law enforcement and even lofty institutions like the Supreme Court). Lately it has seemed as though the months of effort devoted to controlling the pandemic have all been for naught as new cases and deaths have skyrocketed in place after place across the US. But then, just when it appeared as though this thing could go on forever, that bright light appeared at the end of the tunnel, vaccine be thy name! The cavalry has arrived! Relief is in sight! Ok, ok...maybe not so much. But here at Medical Examiner world headquarters, our optimism is still intact. We don’t think the light at the end of the tunnel will end up being a speeding train. We have effective vaccines. Plural. Millions have already been produced and shipped all across the fruited plain. Millions of upper arms have been pierced by syringes and millions of doses have been injected. Millions of additional doses are in production and are being shipped hither and yon as we speak. Our realistic (negative) side is working hard to squelch our rosy view, and it makes some excellent points. How in the world could a problem of this magnitude not have a very well thought out implementation plan with every possible agency giving it maximum effort? Imagine if we had suffered through all of those months of non-stop obnoxious negative political TV ads, phone calls, texts, and even home visits, and then on the morning of November 3 (or January 5) someone said, “Hey, we’d better give some thought to getting some polling machines.” That seems to be a fair approximation of the vaccine roll-out so far. But let’s go back to that phrase “a problem of this magnitude.” This is not a problem that can be ignored or brushed aside. The snags and failures so far will get fixed. They have to be. The danger all of us face is the same one we’ve been facing for months: pandemic fatigue. The vaccine roll-out snafus have moved the goalpost on us all yet again, but the very best thing we can individually do is stay the course. Keep the masks on. Stay home as much as possible. Avoid crowds. Practice physical distancing. Wash your hands often. Get the vaccine as soon as you can. Eventually that phrase we keep seeing and hearing will come true: we’ll get through this. +

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THE FIRST 40 YEARS ARE ALWAYS THE HARDEST

JANUARY 22, 2021

THE ENDURING WISDOM OF

MARTIN LUTHER

KING PARENTHOOD by David W. Proefrock, PhD

Your 9 year-old son has extremely bad writing. Even when he takes his time and tries to be neat, it is impossible to read what he has written. His teacher has tried to help him, but nothing seems to work. You know that writing is less important as more and more schoolwork is done on keyboards, but you are still worried. What do you do? A. Have him practice writing in his spare time and focus on him writing more neatly. B. His school should be working with him on his writing. Let them do it. C. Writing is a thing of the past anyway, so don’t worry about it. D. Take him for an evaluation by an education specialist or an occupational therapist to see if there is an underlying problem which should be addressed. If you answered: A. While practice probably won’t hurt, you’ve already determined that he can’t write neatly even when he tries. This may be a fine motor problem. He should be evaluated for it. B. Schoolwork of any kind is not exclusively the responsibility of the school. It should be a partnership between the school, the child, and the family. Do your part. Check and see if there’s an underlying problem. C. Writing is definitely not a thing of the past. There are still plenty of reasons why a child should be able to write legibly. His difficulty should be evaluated. D. This is the best response. Difficulty writing may by a sign of an underlying fine motor problem. He should be evaluated. A persistent problem of any kind should be addressed. It’s your responsibility as a parent to work with the teacher to ensure that your child learns all the things he is expected to learn in school. Some things that may seem to be relatively unimportant may actually be signs of more serious underlying problems. + Dr. Proefrock is a retired clinical and forensic child psychologist.

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If there is anything more astonishing than the wisdom of this great man, a tiny sampling of which is provided below, it is the memory of what a dangerous radical he was considered to be at the time he said and wrote these enduring gems of wisdom. As it turns out, he wasn’t a raving radical; he was just decades ahead of his time. His words are more important and more needed today than ever before. There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth. We may have all come on different ships, but we’re all in the same boat now. The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important. Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think. The limitation of riots, moral questions aside, is that they cannot win and their participants know it. Hence, rioting is not revolutionary but reactionary because it invites defeat. It involves an emotional catharsis, but it must be followed by a sense of futility. Please see DR. KING page 3

WHAT’SYOURSTORY? 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 have a personal COVID-19 story or one involving your family. Maybe you were diagnosed with a dreaded disease, were 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 medical adventures as often as we receive them. Hopefully that will be often. + 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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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

JANUARY 22, 2021

DR. KING… from page 2

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they’d die for. Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness. World peace through nonviolent means is neither absurd nor unattainable. All other methods have failed. Thus we must begin anew. Nonviolence is a good starting point. Those of us who believe in this method can be voices of reason, sanity, and understanding amid the voices of violence, hatred, and emotion. We can very well set a mood of peace out of which a system of peace can be built.

People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem. Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Mankind must put and end to war or war will put an end to mankind.

Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ The time is always right to do the right thing.

If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way. The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?’ +

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I’ve already had COVID-19. So I don’t need the vaccine, right? It’s good news for anyone to get this virus and recover. That is what most people do, but many did not. Since we’re dealing with such a lethal enemy, it pays to be well informed about the safest possible course of action. The short answer to this question is that the vaccine is still recommended for people who have already had COVID-19. The protection someone gets from having the virus, known as “natural immunity,” varies from one person to the next. Getting the virus a second time is definitely not the norm, but it’s far from rare, and the longer someone is post-COVID, the more the chances seem to grow. The safest time in terms of reinfection seems to be within 90 days of a first case of COVID-19. In addition to dealing with a new virus, we’re also dealing with a new vaccine. It will take time to determine how long vaccine-induced immunity lasts, but it’s a sure bet that it, too, will vary from person to person. In short, no one yet knows how long protection lasts for those who get infected or those who are vaccinated. It is a fact that COVID-19 has caused very serious illness and death for a lot of people; there have been more than 800,000 cases in Georgia alone. If you get COVID-19, you risk giving it to loved ones who may get very sick or die. By contrast, what we know without any doubt about COVID vaccine side effects is that of the minor muscle soreness or headaches or fever that people might experience for a day, none of those side effects are contagious. You can’t pass them on to anyone else. Even if you could, they are minor issues of short duration. Comparing the risks associated with getting COVID-19 against the risks associated with getting a COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccine is by far the safer choice. One final note: the CDC says those who had COVID-19 and were treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. +

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

JANUARY 22, 2021

#131 IN A SERIES

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

ou’re probably thinking this picture shows the famous French hair stylist L’Oréal. Not even close (although he was French). No, this is Nicolas Andry, the eminent physician, writer, medical illustrator and coiner of new words. His most famous illustration (right) was taken from the frontspiece of his 1741 book Orthopédie, which was translated into English in 1743 as Orthopædia. Andry invented the word, and offered this definition in the book: “[the] title is of two Greek Words, viz. Orthos, which signifies straight, free from deformity, and Pais, a Child. Out of these two words I have compounded that of Orthopædia to express in one Term the Design I Propose, which is to teach the different Methods of preventing and correction of Deformities of Children.” What is the difference between orthopedic medicine and orthopaedic medicine? According to one theory, practitioners of the second version, the one with the added a, can charge more. A more accurate answer is simply that the ae combination, known as a ligature, was in style in the mid 1700s in Greek- and Latinbased words. As Andry stated in defining his new word, this medical discipline was initially developed to treat children, but the correction of deformities in bones or muscles known as orthopedics has come to include patients of all ages. Andry’s expertise was hardly limited to orthopedics, however. Born in 1658, he initially studied for the priesthood, but switched to medicine and received his degree in 1697. Previously (in 1692) he published a book on proper usage of the French language. He was fortunate to come along just in time to enjoy a new tool in medical science, the microscope. Peering through its lenses, he wrote in awe of “animals a thousand times less than a grain of dust, which we can scarcely see. Our imagination loses itself in this thought, amazed at such strange littleness.” It was a time of great learning, and a time when much was still to be learned. Dissecting a dog’s testicle, Andry saw through his microscope “such a hideous number of little worms, that you shall hardly be able to believe your own Eyes.” While he knew that sperm cells are “the occasion of the Generation of all Animals,” he ultimately viewed them as a unique species of parasitic worm. Although Andry died in 1742, his famous illustration and the word he coined live on. And each year the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons presents the Nicolas Andry Award to a worthy recipient. +

If there is anything more confusing and frustrating than trying to sign up to receive the COVID vaccine, I don’t know what it is! Listening to others talk about trying to get on a list to be vaccinated sounded almost impossibly lacking in any real comprehensive and reasonable planning. But I wondered if their being upset could be attributed to their ages or other issues, so I decided to give it a try myself. What an awful undertaking! Made calls. Tried using the computer. The results? I have nothing to show for my efforts. Absolutely not the fault of ANY SENIOR! The process seems to have been most easily characterized by a total lack of any planning. It’s like the planners, if there are any, have never met a real senior citizen. For example, many of the directions say to check availability using our computers. Hey out there! Many seniors do not have a computer, do not have transportation to get to a computer, but would still like to be vaccinated. Fill out forms…. Many seniors of any level of competence get flustered when faced with forms to fill out. They look at a form and it makes no sense to them. The default position is to close up the page and forget about trying to sign up, even when they want to be vaccinated. Then there is the issue of vaccine availability. Kroger told me that they got 100 doses, which were all spoken for within minutes. They don’t know when they will get more. Their advice was to go to www. kroger.com/flu and sign up. That gets tricky even for many people who do have computers. How can we sign up when we do not have control of when we can get someone to take us if we no longer drive? It usually takes me two weeks to arrange

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for a ride using the Columbia County Senior Transportation. Then they only drive between 10 am and 3:30 pm. And they cannot take people in and out or wait for them if they have to go inside to get the vaccine. And people usually do need to go inside. That brings up another barrier. Many seniors have significantly limited distances we can walk. I can manage about 250 feet, but I cannot stand in line. Many individuals don’t have these problems. They make an appointment for whatever time they choose. Then they get into their car and go to the appointment. If they must wait in line, that’s OK. When they are done, they just get back into their car and drive home. It makes me half sick just to think about all the complications I have to face. I know I should get the vaccine. I am 77. I have numerous co-morbidities. My health is already fairly fragile. I am willing to get the vaccine. But the lack of planning and insight into what I and others need to actually accomplish this is totally lacking. Gov. Kemp said he’ll go personally and collect the vaccine and get it to where it needs to be, that is, in the arms of folks like me, and I hope he carries through with actually making it easier to be vaccinated. As it is right now the “planners” have made it next to impossible for those of us who are still at home, but more fragile, to actually receive the vaccine. My friends in France who are homebound do not have this worry. Their country is providing nurses who bring the vaccine to them in their homes. You know, like those folks here who deliver groceries, bring us meals from restaurants, etc. I figure that if Instacart and Door Dash and others can do it, certainly the most advanced, most powerful nation in the world can manage it. So far it isn’t happening. +

JANUARY 22, 2021

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

ADVENTURES IN

Middle Age BY J.B. COLLUM

movies, and their characters, but instead of at the theater, we watched them on a small color television at home. I can still remember when we got a 19-inch color TV to replace our even smaller black & white model when I was a kid. It seemed so big at the time. Which is laughable as I look

them seems to determine how much he remembers, or at least that is how it seems with my less than scientific methods. In a way, it is good when he forgets, since it’s like watching them all over again fresh, with no spoilers from memory. As we watch them, he will ask me questions and make comments about what he does remember. At times, his memories of when he watched them previously seem to break through the mental fog, even to remembering when he saw them or even what happened afterward, and I get stories I have never heard before. One example was a few weeks ago when he told me about how he and his cousin Tim decided to walk home from the theater instead of waiting for his aunt to pick them up in the car. That lead her to report them missing, and a subsequent verbal thrashing once his aunt got home from the police department to find them safe at home. I hope that this method of spending time with my father will continue to work for a long time to come, and if you are in a similar situation with a loved one, I hope that you too can find a way to unlock some memories and have a pleasant time together for as long as you possibly can. Even tomorrow isn’t guaranteed to any of us, so we should all strive to make new memories and share old ones with our loved ones while we can. +

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Regular readers of this column know that my father has been living with Alzheimer’s for several years now., although it was only diagnosed three and a half years ago. At that time he was doing well as far as we could tell, though my mother had her suspicions. For the past year and a half, both of my parents have been living with us, and we have watched in sorrow and sometimes impotent rage as we see him gradually slip away from us. When you have a loved one with dementia, especially in its later stages, it is sometimes difficult to find ways to communicate and enjoy spending time together because they repeat questions endlessly, sometimes in a very short cycle. You may even find yourself subconsciously avoiding them at times when you can’t bear to see how little of them is left inside their head. But then there are times when it seems like it is them again and you want to take full advantage of those increasingly rare occasions. I have recently learned, through trial and error, of an excellent way to enjoy time with my father and it seems to work almost anytime (except in the evenings). It goes back to something my father and I have in common, but with a twist. When he was a kid, back in the fifties, they didn’t have a television, so he watched the Saturday afternoon serials and other movies at the theater within walking distance of his home in Miami. He enjoyed Tarzan, the singing cowboys, horror movies like The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein and too many more to mention. One generation removed from that, my generation fell in love with many of the same serials,

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I’ve discovered how to cut through the fog of Alzheimer’s.

up and see the 75-inch screen hanging on the wall in my den. Saturday afternoons, after cartoons, was when we would see these classic serials and classic movies on TV. Many of these I watched when spending the night at my grandmother’s house. She and I spent many pleasant hours watching these together. My father reminds me of her quite a bit. Lately, I stumbled upon the idea of watching these old classics together with my father, and it has gone exceedingly well. It is impossible to predict what he will remember and what he won’t, and as time moves on, this will change I am sure, but at the moment, he mostly remembers the old movies and some of the actors. John Wayne seems to stand tall in his memory, so we have watched a lot of his movies so far. Just yesterday, we watched The Fighting Kentuckian and a couple of weeks ago it was Big Jake and McClintock! Yesterday was a double feature as we also watched The African Queen with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. The time of the day in which we watch

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

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This is the time of year when many people make New Year’s Resolutions, or as my grandson says, “Revolutions.” It is known as “Dry January” to many trying to cut back on drinking. There are books on the subject, such as The Dry Challenge by Hilary Sheinbaum. But by this time in January many resolutions are already toast as failed intentions roll over us. So this month I want to give some suggestions to help you do better than ever before in your intention to drink & drug less than last year, or even to stop altogether. First, you must have a genuine desire to curb your drinking. Having the desire is at least 60% of the equation. Without it, only a gun to the head (please don’t try that!) will be effective. This is the “3rd Tradition” for most 12step self-help groups: “The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.” Without the desire the best and most expensive treatment in the nation can’t and won’t help, as evidenced by the thousands of people who become what we call “treatment wise” after multiple treatment programs fail to work. They fail because of not working the principles, compared with the thousands who work the principles and achieve permanent sobriety. Second, attend free selfhelp support groups, often religious in nature like Celebrate Recovery or a spiritual program such as AA/NA.

Three things are required for success: the desire, support, and accountability. Third, find yourself an alternative drink! What to choose? Anything! It doesn’t have to be some gooey green funky smoothie…it can be anything that you really like! It’s easier to switch chemicals than stop chemicals, believe me. Replacement vs. loss. Remember, that’s the way we calm down our kids when they’re hanging on to something. I used carbonated grape juice for a long time. (Was it the sugar or the bubbles that worked? Doesn’t matter. It worked.) Fourth, don’t be around alcohol at all, at least for awhile. We have an interesting tool that we use here in our treatment program at times: a bio-feedback machine. Towards the end of treatment we might have a recovering client who thinks, “I’ve got this,” come up and touch this small, harmless machine that is attached to a meter. It measures minute physical changes when certain images are put in front of his eyes. We might put an eraser or a piece of paper on the table and the machine registers a big “0,” but when we put out a container of his favorite beer the meter will bounce all the way up! We do have unconscious feelings — triggers — that our conscious awareness is just not tuned in to. These triggers can put us in the ditch, and fast, without our even thinking about it. Another element for success is to have a plan when cravings strike. Guess how

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN A monthly series by an Augusta drug treatment professional

long actual physical/mental cravings last? 6 to 8 seconds! That’s all. What keeps them alive and progressing in intensity is our “romancing the stone,” feeding our recall of how the alcohol or drug made us feel. So switch the channel! Do something else. Anything else! The craving will go away. Promise. Ok ok, it’ll return. But when it does just do something else again. Do not harshly judge yourself if you have cravings. They are the brain’s natural response to conditioning. You would be a machine if you didn’t have cravings. Chill out. Get ready. They’re on the way. Fifth, get something special for yourself. You’ve worked hard, you deserve a reward. Think of something you really want. It doesn’t have to be costly – it can be ice cream or a special cup of coffee, or a trip (now, that can be costly!). Do have yourself a good Dry January, and a Dry February. It beats a Wet January, and a Wet February. You know where that goes don’t you! +

THIS IS OUR

350 ISSUE!

Voted “BEST BARBER SHOP” in Augusta Magazine many times!

JANUARY 22, 2021

9 +

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

DON’T LICK THE BEATERS

The Keto Diet has the short-term effect of quick weight loss, but its long-term effects may be hazardous. The body needs food to create energy; that energy is used to keep the body functioning at rest and the energy required for physical activity. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred choice of fuel, specifically glucose. The brain can only use energy from glucose, but Useful food facts from dietetic interns with the if glucose is absent in the diet, Augusta University MS-Dietetic Internship Program the body can make it from other sources. When a person is on a low carb by Tania T. Naber, diet, such as the Keto Diet, their MS-DI Graduate Student Intern, Augusta University carbohydrate intake is about 10% of their total calories in one day. The Ketogenic Diet (Keto Diet) has gained The Keto Diet forces the body to make fuel by significant popularity due to the claims and using other methods, such as using available testimonies of people who have reported protein and fat. The protein in muscles can experiencing rapid weight loss from adopting the diet. The Keto Diet strictly limits carbohy- break down to make glucose; in fact, the body prefers to breakdown protein before it drate (carb) intake to less equal or less than breaks down fat. When the body is forced 30 grams a day, which is only a fraction of to produce energy from protein, it breaks the dietary recommendations of 45-65% of down the body’s muscles. It is important to all the food and drinks consumed per day. note here that weight-loss is a result of fatCarbs include all flours, grains, rice, pasta, loss and muscle breakdown. When weight oats, cereal, beans, legumes, desserts, sugis regained, it is regained only from fat; the ar, honey, agave, fruits, and vegetables. The muscle needs to be rebuilt. Any diet that main foods allowed in the diet are protein and fat such as poultry, meat, fish, eggs, tofu, will cause the protein to be used for energy may lead to muscle loss. When protein is no nuts and seeds, oils, butter, lard, and cheese. longer available for fuel, the body will start Before deciding to change eating habits, it is to breakdown fat in the form of fatty acids. essential to understand how the changes will A by-product of the breakdown of fatty acids impact the whole body short and long term. are ketone bodies, hence the name Keto Diet. People who can successfully adopt a strict low-carb diet are usually pleased with the time it takes to see results. Quick weight-loss occurs in the first two weeks due to glycogen’s breakdown and loss of water weight. After the first two weeks, weight loss will continue at a slower rate, but at this stage, the weight loss is fat and muscle. Another factor contributing to weight loss is that people eat less on this diet because they get full quicker. Fat has double the energy compared to carbohydrates; eating a fat dense meal will satisfy hunger with smaller portions. People will also feel full longer and increase fasting times between meals; fat is absorbed slower and burned slower than carbohydrates and protein. It is essential to weigh out the pros and

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CRASH

COURSE

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

According to various sources like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and others, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45 percent, which means that about 90 of those 200 lost lives could have been saved by universal seat belt use. Seat belts also reduce the risk of serious injury by half. We’ve had more than 1,000 of those on Richmond and Columbia roads from 2015 to 2019. That number could have been 500 serious injuries instead of more than a thousand, if only everyone wore their seat belt. Can we all agree, this is something we can and should do? Easily? But there is another group of statistics in the Georgia report that also screams Why? That data set examines the underlying cause of fatal accidents in Georgia between 2015 and 2019. The #1 cause and the #2 cause are one and the same in Columbia County, Richmond County, and across the entire state. The leading cause of fatal accidents is alcohol. The next leading primary cause is speed. The report acknowledges that some crashes are listed in both categories. Combine alcohol and excessive speed and you have a lethal mixture. Throw in missing seat belts and it makes surviving the inevitable crash that much more unlikely. It’s hard to call such collisions accidents, though, which by one definition is “an unforeseen incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, by chance, or that is without apparent or deliberate cause.” These unfortunate incidents — the majority of all fatal highway events in our two counties and across the state — are far from accidents. They are the direct results of driver actions and/or inactions. They are preventable. Let us not forget, that means that deaths are preventable. Are you on board? Are you ready to drive soberly and safely, and wear your seat belt at all times while on the road? Let’s do this! +

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elieve it or not, people are actually dying from causes other than COVID-19. It’s true. If you’re an alert reader, you might guess that in this particular corner of Medical Examiner real estate, we’re talking about traffic fatalities. If that’s what you thought, you get a gold star. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety released Georgia’s 2019 traffic statistics in late December, and the #1 question any sane person reading the numbers would ask is: Why? Why are we still having the death rate on our highways that we do? There is no excuse, and here’s why: our rate of seat belt usage in fatal accidents ranges from low to non-existent. It’s probably unrealistic to think that accidents could be eliminated, but why isn’t seat belt use 100 percent? In Columbia County in 2017-2019, of the 12 pickup truck drivers killed in traffic accidents, only 4 of them were wearing seat belts. In Richmond County for the same three years, here are the percentages of pickup drivers who were not wearing seat belts when they died in crashes: 2017: 80 percent (61%) 2018: 67 percent (56%) 2019: 100 percent (49%) Not that pickup truck drivers are the only offenders. Here are the percentages of formerly living Richmond County car drivers who died with their belts off: 2017: 50 percent (35%) 2018: 83 percent (40%) 2019: 47 percent (36%) Note: the numbers in parentheses represent the statewide seat belt compliance numbers for pickups and cars, respectively, for the years shown. The sad local results of all these anemic statistics in Richmond and Columbia Counties alone is that just over 200 of our former friends and neighbors lost their lives on area roads in the five year period of 2015-2019.

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KETO… from page 9 cons of a diet and whether it will benefit the person. The Keto Diet produces rapid weight loss; ketone bodies may also enhance antioxidants’ effects by protecting against free radical damage. Low-fat diets decrease energy needs, meaning they slow down the metabolism and cause more significant weight gain when they go back to their usual eating habits. The Keto Diet is under research to test its effect on the rate of metabolism. However, studies have shown that it does not lower energy needs, suggesting it maintains a healthy metabolism. The Keto Diet has been used for many years in the medical field to treat patients with epilepsy. It reduces the amount and duration of seizures in patients who do not respond to medication for reasons unknown. At the beginning of the Keto Diet, people experience short-term side effects such as a lack of energy, headache, backache, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, faintness, and trouble sleeping. The effects disappear after the first week. Long-term effects are a lot more severe and may cause irreversible damage. Sticking to this diet long-term may increase the risk of heart disease, liver and kidney problems, mineral deficiencies, and dehydration. Glucose intolerance may occur due to alterations in insulin production, which may result in developing type-2 diabetes. It is also essential to know that a pregnant woman should not use this diet because ketones cause severe consequences to the baby. The health problems to the baby include neural tube defects, brain damage, and developmental issues. The Keto Diet may be beneficial with short term use. For example, a significant upcoming life event or other reason a person wants to lose weight fast. Long-term effects are severe and should be understood before making a choice. No matter what the diet is, search for published scientific research, ask your health care provider, or ask a Registered Dietitian to obtain the most accurate information; this will provide the knowledge needed to make a healthy decision. +

MEDICALEXAMINER

ADVERTISERS NEED YOURSUPPORT

JANUARY 22, 2021

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

The blog spot From the Bookshelf — posted by Melissa Chung, MD, on January 16, 2021 (edited for space)

GRIEF DURING THE PANDEMIC I spent New Year’s Eve alone at my apartment, recovering from a rotation I had completed the night before. No revelry or celebration for me this year. For months, this virus has been wreaking havoc on our lives and our health care systems. I’ve seen the destruction it leaves in its wake. On my last patient list, sixteen out of twenty patients were COVID positive. Our ward’s census was always at max capacity. We have become accustomed to the rapidly expanding list of COVID positive patients in the ICU. We went from two medical ICU teams to three, then four, then five, then six. When I last checked, only 8 out of 74 patients in our medical ICU did not have COVID. It’s been 10 months of this pandemic already, with grim projections ahead. I’ve witnessed the grave consequences of this disease both as a physician and a family member. A few months ago, my grandmother was hospitalized with COVID, thirty minutes away from my own hospital. How I wished I could have been there with her and for her. We had been FaceTiming her nightly for the past week, sharing stories and saying our goodbyes, unsure if it would be the last time we saw her. The goal of a physician is to alleviate a patient’s suffering. At the end of life, this sometimes means withdrawing life-sustaining measures and pursuing comfort care, so as to not prolong a patient’s suffering. It’s always a delicate situation when these recommendations are not ready to be heard by families. It’s even more difficult broaching the topic when you know your own family isn’t ready to let go yet. One night, towards the end of a 12-hour shift, I got a FaceTime group call from my family, earlier than usual. I knew this one was different. My co-resident came in early so I could drive home to be with my family, sociallydistanced and masked. Although we couldn’t comfort each other with hugs, our presence alone was comforting. We FaceTimed her for the last time that night — all of her children and grandchildren — repeating our immense love for her and saying our goodbyes. She died the next morning. I’ve seen so much loss in the past few years during residency, and so much loss in the past year, especially from COVID. The fear I see in my patients’ eyes, the grief I hear when I tell families their loved one is dying, but no, they cannot come in to see them — it cuts through my soul. Having experienced both sides of this terrible coin — both as a provider and as a family member — neither one is easier. I become robotic to keep moving forward and continue caring for more patients, sometimes barely caring for myself. Still, when I finally stop, things come crashing down and immobilize me. The weight of human suffering I’ve been shouldering paralyzes me, and I cry for everyone who’s grieving, including myself. It’s times like these when I miss my grandmother incredibly — the biggest light in my life and the most joyful and benevolent spirit. She always had the most positive outlook on life and knew just the right words to say. I join all the families who grieve their loved ones, and all the health care providers who grieve their patients. It has been the most challenging year for humanity in our lifetimes. Grief has been so terribly prevalent in society this year. Let’s take extra care and remember to be kind to ourselves and one another. +

This has been the most challenging year for humanity in our lifetimes.

Melissa Chung is an internal medicine resident

From Publishers Weekly Instead of offering a collection of bizarre medical cases, brain surgeon Vertosick presents a set of harrowing clinical tales that highlight neurosurgery as risky, messy and often frustrating. The result is a riveting report that shatters the mystique of the brain surgeon as a wizard of technical prowess. Many of the patients profiled here die-an outcome not representative of neurosurgery at large, the author reassures us. The cases are drawn from Vertosick’s six years of internship and residency. Among the most memorable are Andy, a Down’s syndrome sufferer with multiple head and neck abnormalities who chose euthanasia over a life imprisoned in bed. We also meet Sarah, a pregnant homemaker with a malignant brain tumor who refuses radiotherapy and a therapeutic abortion. Vertosick is associate chief of neurosurgery at Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh. From Booklist

Vertosick’s is not the usual how-I-got-through-myresidency-and-aren’t-I-smart?

points out that two-thirds of neurosurgical operations are for the alleviation or control of pain. The neurosurgeon must always assume pain is organic, although this neurosurgeon neatly draws the distinctions between pain and suffering. An engaging and refreshing book.

account. Rather, Vertosick shows how a steelworker-himself--successfully became a neurosurgeon. He includes the events that shaped his feelings and emotions and his growing knowledge of himself, his patients, and his colleagues, and the fact that some of those incidents seem outwardly minor indicates that Vertosick is a perceptive individual capable of seeing the humanity of both his patients and himself. So his account of his three months in London emphasizes his ability to recognize that there are more aspects to his specialty than just the high-tech ones. And what does such a specialist typically do? Vertosick

Amazon.com Review For the patient, an operation is a single defining moment. For the neurosurgeon, each moment in the operating room represents the culmination of decades spent struggling to learn an unforgiving craft. When these two join there is drama, often too much of it. This book tells the story of Frank Vertosick’s metamorphosis from naive intern to neurosurgeon through intimate portraits of his patients and nervejangling descriptions of surgical procedures. Riveting, poignant, and sometimes shockingly funny, When the Air Hits Your Brain is a remarkable account of the mysteries of the mind and the operating room. + When the Air Hits Your Brain by Frank Vertosick Jr., MD, 272 pages, reprinted in March 2008 by W. W. Norton & Company

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MEDICALEXAMINER

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

The Examiners +

by Dan Pearson

I cannot believe this! About a year ago friend of mine couldn’t sleep so he went for a walk in the middle of the night, as innocent as can be, but by chance there happened to be a robbery nearby that same night and he was picked up and That sentence is interrogated all night and the whole time he kept telling them that he was innocent but he was arrested and charged anyway way too long. and just today he was sentenced to fifteen years for armed robbery even though he’s never even owned a gun.

JANUARY 22, 2021

THE MYSTERY WORD The Mystery Word for this issue: GITIFANN

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

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Country south of Libya 5. Prohibit 10. Mischievous little devils 14. Dynamic start 15. Wide open 16. It can come before Evans 17. Farsightedness 19. Like fine wine 20. Donkey 21. Sticky strip 23. An old broken-down horse 24. Proverb 27. Excellent 29. Remedy 30. Like pie? 31. Ex-_____ 32. Sub suffix syllable 33. Do no... 34. Examples: CVS and Target 37. In three parts or divisions 39. Common burn type 40. Meat _____ (carnivores) 41. Rude, unrefined person 42. Eggs (Latin) 43. Operated 44. Feeling of regret (or hunger) 45. Music for two 46. Flat and circular in shape 49. Passageway 50. Lab assistant? 51. Farmer’s residence (in song) 52. Acronym at AU 53. Off-Broadway award 55. Inhabitant of Naples 60. It can begin with an e 61. Down-filled quilt 62. Type of list 63. Sea eagle 64. Sting 65. Scorch

41 43

19 21

51 54

52 55

We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

E X A M I N E R

3 6 7 7 1 3

S 4 U D O K U

3 1

5 6 4

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

DOWN 1. Set a limit for 2. 2013 science fiction film starring Joaquin Phoenix 3. Last word in Sendak’s Wild Things title 4. Medicinal amount 5. _____ of Our Lives 6. Self-esteem 7. Sometimes it’s by fire (not literally) 8. Place for beehives 9. Harvests 10. McKinley’s first lady 11. Very generous or forgiving 12. Fold 13. Marshgrass 18. Breast cancer early-screening detector (abbrev) 22. Engraver 24. Severe/sudden 25. Indian millet; sorghum 26. Dispute settlement option 27. Type of house or hand

28. Savannah sound 30. They might burn from gossip 33. Like some owls 34. Harper Street acronym 35. Stomach scar 36. Roofing stone 38. Noteworthy accomplishment 39. Muscle ______ 41. Greek pastry 44. Top of the head of a bird (in ornithology) 45. Numerals 46. Examination 47. Contractions 48. Loans 49. Knee injury letters 52. Applesauce magnate 54. Achieve barely, as a victory 56. For each 57. An example of 45-D 58. Dental org. 59. And not Solution p. 14

QUOTATIONPUZZLE S T A R W Y H A

R T T L O U T E E T N H

O N D T F I F H V G I E O O I E E S H Y R N I

4 7 9 5 2 1 5 8 1G3 6O9 8 6 U 7 4 3 2

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once. Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line. Solution on page 14.

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

: B 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 D , 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

R M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4

1 2

1.BELTDMPATH 2.AAAARIOORE 3.BROSKKEL 4.DIYMEEI 5.VIE 6.SES 7.RE 8.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

Click on “MYSTERY WORD” • DEADLINE TO ENTER: NOON, FEB. 1, 2021

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JANUARY 22, 2021

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

THEBESTMEDICINE ha... ha...

n elderly man living alone wanted to plant his annual tomato garden but it was very difficult work. The ground was hard, and he wasn’t as young as he used to be. To make things even worse, his only son, Paul, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and lamented his predicament:

The

13 +

Advice Doctor

The next morning at dawn, prison officers and local police arrived and dug up the entire garden area, searching for bodies without success. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received a second letter from his son.

Dear Dad, Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances. Love, Paul.

Moe: If you can sit and watch the mayhem and disasters reported on the news night after night, if you can eat whatever is put on your plate without complaining, if you can stay calm despite all the injustice and racism in the world, if you can avoid fear of contracting the virus and hatred toward those who refuse to comply with prevention recommendations, if you can do all that, do you know what that makes you? Joe: A dog?

Dear Paul, I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here you would A huge limb from a tree walks into a bank be happy to dig the plot for me, just like in the and says to the teller that he wants to apply old days. for a loan. The teller says, “You’ll have to talk to our Love, Dad branch manager.” A few days later he received a letter from his Moe: You know, I’ve been subscribing to son. Chiropractor Monthly for years. Dear Dad, Joe: You must have a lot of back issues. Whatever you do, don’t dig up that garden! Moe: I built a model of Mount Everest. That’s where the bodies are buried! Joe: That’s cool. Did you build it to scale? Love, Paul Moe: No, just to look at. +

Why subscribe to theMEDICALEXAMINER? What do you mean?

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

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

Dear Advice Doctor, I decided a long time ago that politics is not an arena that I ever wanted to get involved with. I try to be Switzerland: a neutral state. The problem is that my co-workers are the very opposite. They fought all summer and fall, and now that the election is over (according to some of them, anyway), they’re still arguing tooth and nail. How can I convince them to give it a rest? — Sick of partisan bickering Dear Sick, This is not an unusual problem, so the answer to your question is important far beyond the confines of your office — but I definitely hope this helps there too. The problem many people have with rest is frequently a puzzle to doctors. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 30 percent of the population complains of sleep difficulties on a regular basis. Unfortunately, as all those people know, this is a nightime problem that can be, and usually is, a daytime problem too. Sleep deprivation can affect a person 24 hours a day. Because sleep loss can have major health implications, anything that doesn’t go away in a few days or that becomes chronic should get the attention of your doctor. Good sleep is that important. The culprit could be any one of a thousand things, and some of them could be very simple, like changing your bedtime habits or switching to a different medication. But to the direct point of your question, if you can’t sleep, give it a rest! Quiet rest with eyes closed in a tranquil setting (like, oh I don’t know, the middle of the night maybe?) does offer some benefits. Here’s what the National Sleep Foundation has to say about it: “Sometimes referred to as quiet wakefulness, resting with your eyes closed can calm your mind, give at least some of your neurons a break (since you’re not actively thinking or concentrating on something), and let your muscles and organs relax. It can also reduce stress, improve your mood, and increase alertness, mental clarity, creativity, and motivation. All of these changes can enhance your productivity.” KEY POINT: There is no substitute for sleep. Period. But quiet rest is the next best thing. Use it as needed. Thanks for writing, and I hope I answered your question! + Do you have a question for The Advice Doctor about health, life, love, personal relationships, career, raising children, or any other important topic? Send it to News@AugustaRx.com. Replies will be provided only in the Examiner.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICALEXAMINER +

Why read the Medical Examiner: Reason #332

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

BEFORE READING

AFTER READING

+ 14

4 2

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: WRIST ...cleverly hidden in the fireplace in the p. 9 ad for OVERHEAD DOOR OF AUGUSTA

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

THE PUZZLE SOLVED C H A D A E R O P R E S A A D A G C U R E U R B T R I F E A T E R A P L A T R A T O B I E B O O K E R N E

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

E T C H E R A C L

I M P S D A L E A G E D N A G R A T E O N A I N S R M A L O V A D U E T I S L E G I T A N T O D O S E A R

SEE PAGE 12

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

...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries, you’ll score our goodie package! SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (Winners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. Limited sizes are available for shirt prize. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher. 8. Deadline to enter is shown on page 12.

9 2 5 1 6 8 7 3

5 1 8 3 9 6 4 2

3 6 7 4 2 5 9 1

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

JANUARY 22, 2021

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

8 7 1 2 4 9 3 6

4 9 3 6 5 7 2 8

2 3 9 7 8 4 1 5

7 5 6 9 1 3 8 4

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QuotatioN QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION The things you want to die for are the things you live for. — Author unknown

WORDS BY NUMBER Promises are like babies: Easy to make, hard to deliver. — Author unknown

READ EVERY ISSUE ONLINE WWW.ISSUU.COM/ MEDICALEXAMINER

JANUARY 22, 2021

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

JEWELRY SURGEON

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EYEGLASSES REPAIRED Welcome former Murphy & Robinson customers!

ROLY POLL

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

Phone: 706.736.1099 Fax: 706.736.4401

OrderRolyPoly.com

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

Read online: issuu.com/medicalexaminer

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY +

ACUPUNCTURE

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

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

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

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

DENTISTRY

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

IN-HOME CARE

Floss ‘em or lose ‘em!

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

DERMATOLOGY

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

LONG TERM CARE

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

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

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

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

SLEEP MEDICINE

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

TRANSPORTATION AMBULANCE • STRETCHER • WHEELCHAIR

706-863-9800

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

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

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

JANUARY 22, 2021

AN OPEN LETTER PRINT

IS DEAD WELL, A LOT OF IT IS.

There are others that have died in addition to the eight past publications pictured. The Senior News is no more. The Augustan (or “The New Augustan”) seems hard to find, but that could just be a temporary COVID situation. And many people say The Augusta Chronicle is a mere shadow of its former self. The good news is that one area publication is alive and well and going strong, and for that we have our loyal advertisers and loyal readers to sincerely thank. If you’re wondering, the name of that publication is shown below:

MEDICALEXAMINER

WE’RE BEGGING YOU!

TO THE CORONAVIRUS Hey! Dear Coronavirus, To whom it may concern:

What is wrong with you??? Do you not realize what you’re doing to the entire WORLD? What would your mother think? I think you’ve made your point. You have MORE than made your point! Which brings up the question: what is your point? Why are you doing this? Do you ENJOY seeing people get sick and die? How does it feel knowing you’ve caused people to lose their jobs, their businesses, their homes, their sanity? I bet you’re really proud aren’t you? You should be ASHAMED of yourself! You were already bad enough, but then to mutate to even more contagious forms, that is just plain evil. Do you know what your name can be rearranged to spell? I’ll tell you: CARNIVOROUS, that’s what! And that just about says it all. You make me want to curse out loud, but instead I’ll just rearrange the letters of “pandemic” to EPIC DAMN because that’s exactly how I feel about you. So here’s the deal: this town isn’t big enough for both of us. It’s time for you to pack up and get out of Dodge. Yesterday! But pretty soon for sure. Got that? Yours truly, Planet Earth

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

Augusta Office:

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

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

Aiken Office:

GADERM.COM

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