Medical Examiner 6-5-20 by Daniel Pearson

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JUNE 5, 2020

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Experts — and let’s face it, most of the rest of us, too — have been talking about a phenomenon they call quarantine fatigue. We’re not sick, most of us, but we are sick (and tired) of the lockdown. But just in the nick of time, Georgia, South Carolina, and most other states started easing restrictions and trying to gradually restart Daily Life 101. How is that working out so far? Not so well. Since late April, deaths in Georgia have more than doubled, from 899 on April 24 (when restrictions started to be lifted) to well over 1,800 on June 1. The total number of cases also topped 46,000 in Georgia by the end of last month, double what they had been just 5 weeks previously. The picture in South Carolina has been roughly the same: both total cases and deaths almost doubled in the past month, going from May 1 totals of 6,258 and 256 (cases and deaths, respectively) to 12,148 and 500 on June 1. Those numbers send a clear message: this thing is not only not over, it isn’t even trending in the right direction yet. The fat lady has not even started to sing. The latest concern is that protests over the murder of George Floyd, featuring densely packed throngs of people in city after city around the country, may cause a fresh resurgence of new cases. It may be time to try to restart the economy, but it is definitely nowhere near the time to start relaxing health guidelines designed to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19. We’ve come this far through an amazing level of cooperation around the world. Without that, the early forecasts had predicted 2 million or more deaths from this virus. Abandon ship now and that dire prediction may come true after all. Pharmacology and public health experts have been telling us that a vaccine might take as long as a year and a half to develop. Optimistic forecasts hope for one by year end. Since lives are involved, some people wonder why the process can’t be accelerated. The quest might be compared to baking a cake. You can assemble all the right ingredients and mix them together exactly as the directions say. But if you want to take the cake out of the oven after only 10 minutes, you’re not going to be happy with the results. Some things just can’t be rushed, and one of them is conquering COVID-19, whether it’s what you and me and our neighbors and co-workers are doing, or it’s what top scientists are doing in world-class labs and research facilities. All of it can have immense

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THE FIRST 40 YEARS ARE ALWAYS THE HARDEST

JUNE 5, 2020

The path I have chosen by Kimberly Savage

PARENTHOOD by David W. Proefrock, PhD

Your 14 year-old son, like every other child during these times of COVID-19, has been taking classes online. He is doing very poorly and is becoming more resistant to doing his lessons. You have to stand behind him the whole time he is supposed to be studying and he still can’t stay focused. Before this, in regular clases at school, he was a pretty good student. What do you do? A. He should accept responsibility for doing his schoolwork. If he fails, he fails. He will have to make up classes. B. Set up a reward system for him. He gets something he wants when he does his schoolwork and doesn’t get it when he doesn’t do the work. C. Don’t stand behind him, hovering over him. Sit beside him and do the work with him for a little while and see if you can figure out what’s going on. Then you can address it. D. School is important even if it has to be done online. Punish him for not doing his work. If you answered: A. Learning to accept responsibility is important for adolescents. However, this is an otherwise good student who is failing in these extraordinary times. It is more important now to find out what the problem is and address it. B. This might be the response you end up with, but it is important to figure out what the problem is before trying to solve it. C. This is the best response in this case. We are all dealing with stressful times. Apparently, he is going to need some help. D. This is very unlikely to be a successful response. First, find out what the problem is. You will most likely find a better solution than punishment. We are living in very strange and stressful times. Your children need understanding and support. You may have to help them in areas they didn’t need help with before. + Dr. Proefrock is a retired clinical and forensic child psychologist.

disease or COVID-19. It is the path I have chosen. When the hospital started cutting visiting hours, and then cut them out altogether, that got my attention. Before I knew it I saw procedures going into place to prepare

“The uncertainty was overwhelming.” for the influx of patients with this virus. There were units designated solely for the care for these patients. The procedures for patient care, intubation, PPE and PAPR (which stands for Powered Air-Purifying Respirators, the PPE we used when a COVID-positive patient needed intubation. Think the movie Outbreak) changed daily; sometimes several times a day. We had teams of clinicians for screening, telehealth, testing, probing and caring for the patients who were COVID-positive and critically ill because of other comorbidities. The uncertainty was overwhelming, and the only

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I am new at this so let me introduce myself. My name is Kimberly Savage and I am a Respiratory Therapist and I work at two CSRA hospitals. I have been a respiratory therapist for 3 years; my first career was a stay at home mom. I am married and I have 3 kids. My family are my most favorite people in the world. When COVID-19 first started making headlines I paid very little attention to it, in large part because at the time it was largely known as the coronavirus. I have cared for patients with coronavirus in the past, so while it was new to most of the world, it was not new to me or any of my colleagues. If you haven’t already done so, Google coronavirus. The symptoms are similar to the common cold. I expended very little energy worrying about the virus and I will tell you why: it is my job to care for my patients and their respiratory needs, so when this new strain of the virus started to gain momentum it didn’t really impact me. Patient care is my job whether the patient has the flu, stroke, trauma, heart

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thing that was certain was that things would change. I suppose this level of stress could have easily brought out the worst in those of us on the “front lines,” and I know that there were moments that did not show our better side. That said, more than anything else there was a sense of teamwork throughout all the disciplines to provide the best possible care to these patients. The doctors worked with the nurses who worked with the respiratory therapists who worked with the patient care technicians who worked with the clerks who worked with the environmental science workers and so on to provide the best patient care. We also acted as the patient’s advocate since they could not have family members in the hospital. We were all a little afraid, we were all a little unsure but we all faced each challenge as a team. As a clinician, I was very proud to be a part of something that showcased the reason that so many of us entered the healthcare profession and that is an overwhelming desire to help others especially those who cannot help themselves. There are still many unknowns surrounding COVID. Will it surge in the fall as predicted? Will a vaccine be developed fast enough and then will it work? Will our kids be able to go back to school like before? Will we be able to go out to a restaurant like before or to a concert, a party, wedding or a movie? What is normal now? As a respiratory therapist who is passionate about my profession and caring for my patients this global pandemic affirmed I am exactly where I am supposed to be doing exactly what I should be doing and I am in excellent company with healthcare workers who feel the same. +

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JUNE 5, 2020

THEMASKCONTROVERSY Doctors and nurses have been wearing masks since forever as standard operating procedure (and also when not actually operating), and no one has given it a second thought. Now masks are suddenly a matter for debate. For example, someone in Augusta posted on the NextDoor app, “I heard that wearing a mask all the time weakens your immune system.” What she heard is not true, but it illustrates a point of critical importance: think. If what she heard was true, doctors and nurses would all have the coronavirus. They wear masks all the time. That didn’t take long, did it? And only a few brain cells were required. But then, why did the CDC initially recommend that the general public not wear face masks? As the “Reality Check” article on page 6 suggests, what we

know about this virus is still evolving. In the earliest days even experts never dreamed it would spread as widely as it has. As that picture changed, you will recall, a problem emerged that some healthcare providers are still fighting: shortages of masks and other basic elements of personal protective YOU equipment.

IT ISN’T OVER… from page 1 and far-reaching effects. So don’t give up yet. It’s still wise to wear a mask (see page 3). It’s still prudent to avoid contact with large groups as much as possible. It’s still recommended to frequently use hand sanitizer. +

That problem has begun to resolve itself, easing the shortages, but one of the reasons for the early recommendations for the general public to not wear masks was to make sure front line healthcare workers exposed up close and personal to the virus on a daily basis had adequate supplies of masks. Another recent issue: a quack former physician who published an attack on masks and their value which spread like wildfire on social media. Rest assured, masks are still a vital tool in helping to stop or slow the spread of the COVID-i9 virus. Take a cue from doctors and nurses who have been wearing masks every day for years. They work. +

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On May 28, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp extended the state’s Public Health State of Emergency through July 12, 2020.

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Why are physicians physicians? With all the headaches from insurance company red tape, electronic medical records, student loan debt and a few dozen other things, it’s a valid question. But you’ll have to ask them. All we can address here is where the word comes from. And it is a bit curious: as Merriam-Webster notes, scientists study science, dentists apply dentistry, plumbers work with plumbing. But a physician is not an expert on physics; the word for that is physicist. So why are physicians physicians? As it turns out, say the wordsmiths and lexicographers at Merriam-Webster, back in the olden days (the 1400s), the word for the practice of healing disease was “physic.” Thus, Shakespeare later wrote (in Hamlet), “This Physicke but prolongs thy sickly days.” A Shakespeare contemporary wrote, “Gold cannot buy you health; [the] Physic himself must fade.” The word was in play for centuries. A 1725 dictionary defined medicine thusly: MEDICINE: the Art of Physick So what changed? In the 18th century, biology was coined, and physics became restricted to the study of matter and energy rather than living things. By 1828, Noah Webster defined physic as: “The art of healing diseases, now generally called medicine.” With the newly identified branch of science called physics born - its practitioners called physicists physician, previously limited to “one who studies natural science,” picked up the remnants and transitioned to “one who practices medicine.” +

DEARREADERS

Many of you have contacted us to ask when the print edition of the Medical Examiner will return. We are as eager for that day as you are, but when it happens will be dictated by conditions largely beyond our control. It will happen as soon as it is practical and safe to do so, you may be sure. In the meantime, thank you for continuing to support this online version and the loyal advertiers who make it possible. +

MEDICALEXAMINER

M.D. John Cook,

AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

www.AugustaRx.com The Medical Examiner’s mission: to provide information on topics of health and wellness of interest to general readers, to offer information to assist readers in wisely choosing their healthcare providers, and to serve as a central source of salubrious news within every part of the Augusta medical community. Pictured above (from left to right), John Cook, MD; Lauren Ploch, MD; Jason Arnold, MD; Caroline Wells, PA-C; Chris Thompson, PA-C

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JUNE 5, 2020

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#116 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

f ever there was a medical pioneer that should be remembered in 2020, this is our man, no question. Curiously enough, though, he was just a country doctor from Haskell County, Kansas, a sparsely populated area tucked away in the far southwest corner of the state. Its 2010 population was just 4,256. But a century ago, tiny Haskell County was the flashpoint for a massive and unprecedented health emergency that was to have global implications. And only one person know about it, the man pictured above, Dr. Loring Miner. Not that he kept it to himself. He tried to sound the alarm, but no one was listening to a small town doctor from Kansas. What epidemiologists have discovered through extensive research is that Haskell County, Kansas, was Ground Zero for the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. It’s comforting to think that deadly pandemics are always unsavory imports from primitive Third World countries, but the worst one on record hails from Kansas, a fact that Dr. Minor tried to report to the U.S. Public Health Service as early as March of 1918. He noted that healthy people in the prime of their lives were dying from “influenza of a severe type.” With strong echoes of 2020, there was a lot of pandemic denial in 1918, and as late as September of that year news reports about it were being either quashed or labeled as vicious rumors planted by the enemy: by unfortunate coincidence, a world war happened to be raging at the time. Hiding the evidence quickly got harder and harder. 195,000 people died in the U.S. during October of 1918, making it to this day the deadliest month in U.S. history There was a huge mask debate going on in 1918, too. In one case, a health inspector in San Francisco shot a man for refusing to wear a mask. Meanwhile the Washington Times reported that “health officials [are] inclined to doubt their value...as a preventative measure.” Another unfortunate fact was the 1917 passage of a morale act, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment for up to 20 years for uttering, writing or printing anything “profane, scurrilous or abusive” about the United States. In Chicago, the health commissioner, in refusing to “interfere with the morale of the community,” told citizens that “fear kills more than disease.” The same month as his comments, the death rate in Chicago among those infected rose from 15% to 40%. Other cities, Philadelphia most infamously, fearlessly held parades to show the pandemic they would not cower in fear. By the time the Spanish Flu mysteriously stopped, the price for ignoring the early warnings from Dr. Miner which could have contained the epidemic was unimaginably high: at least 50 million people around the world were dead, including between 500,000 and 850,000 Americans. +

One huge health issue today is the interaction between police officers and citizens, especially those who are mentally ill. When police are asked to intervene or when they encounter someone who is mentally ill for other reasons, there is already a built-in set of stress issues. Is the person armed? Can the person follow directions? Does the person harbor anger, suicidal, or other difficult feelings? Each encounter is different. Each person is different, including each police officer. The opportunities for something to go wrong are numerous, but when police are well trained and compassionate, a life or lives can be saved. What follows is a recounting of my experience with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department. In Georgia, as in other states and municipalities, we have recently had incidents in which individuals have lost their lives in encounters with police and former police. But it would be grossly unfair to label all police officers as racist murderers. On May 28th my grandson had a mental illness episode. The policemen that came to help did not hurt him, even though he had a knife in his hand. They tried to talk him into putting down the knife from 6 pm until 3 am. Our street became filled with police vehicles. I didn’t count, but there were probably seven or eight cars and an equal number of policemen. My grandson is black and white mixed. His hair hasn’t been cut in six months and he looked wild and scary. I was terrified about what might happen to him. But the Sergeant read Psalm 23 with me as I wept in fear for my grandson. The officers were kind and patient beyond belief and understood how sick he was, not viewing him as a bad person. He told them I was dead, and that helped them understand how sick he is. He had turned off the power to the house, so

they took me outside to wait it out. Finally, at 3 am, they said I needed to go to a hotel where I would be more comfortable. The officer who took me to the hotel was gentle with me and seemed concerned only with my welfare. But as he was working on getting a room for me, they called him to tell him it was all over and he could bring me home again. When we got home my grandson Richlynd was laying on the grass in the front yard, handcuffed, but very much alive. He is in a hospital now, and getting his meds, still very ill, but alive and with his humanity intact and respected by the police. I will be grateful for the rest of my life for the kindness shown to me and to Richlynd. How I wish other police officers could know how appreciated they become when they show kindness to the mentally ill. Their restraint is how policing should be done. They can wake up the next morning feeling proud for saving a life instead of sick from knowing they had taken a precious human life. I could wake up happy that my grandson’s life was honored and his humanity treasured as it should be. I was able to phone his mom in Michigan who had been waiting the whole time, hoping and praying that the police would treat him as they would want one of their own children to be treated. Happy endings can be achieved when properly-trained police officers respond to mental illness with love, patience and restraint. The same should be true of all suspicions of wrongdoing. Police officers should never be held accountable for determining a person’s guilt or innocence. That is not their job. If “my” cops had been there, many of the recent incidents resulting in death could have been deescalated and innocent or even guilty persons would still be alive. I want to congratulate Sheriff Clay Whittle and his officers for conducting themselves so professionally! +

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ADVENTURES IN

Middle Age BY J.B. COLLUM

The ancient Greeks had a much simpler list of elements than we have now. They imagined that everything around us was made up of just four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Today we know the universe is made up of elements from what we call the periodic table of elements. There are 118 elements in this table, a lot more than what the ancient Greeks reckoned. To be fair, they did do a rather good job of describing the four states of matter: solid (earth), liquid (water), gas (air), and plasma (fire). When it comes to the elements of middle age, I think the ancient Greek list is still pretty accurate though. First of all, they are ancient, so they check that box. I know, that’s a groaner. Anyway, let’s examine the four elements of middle age. Earth: It’s where we are all destined to end up once our journey is complete, but let’s not dwell on this one now (or ever). Air: Perhaps this one should be called wind, as in, breaking wind. I’ve discovered from personal experience that this element plays an increasingly larger role in my life the older I get. What do I mean? I’m glad you asked. When I was younger, I could eat pretty much whatever I wanted without having to worry about what my body would do with the food. I ate what I wanted and what my mom told me I had to eat. My body then did its magic and turned it into energy or used it to make bones, organs, and other tissue, and pushed the waste out in a normal healthy way. Now? Not so much. When choosing what to eat, I must pause and think, what do I have to do in a few hours? Will I be in a car or a plane or maybe a meeting? The answer is important too, because you don’t want to suffer the embarrassment or discomfort of choosing poorly. Sometimes you know it isn’t good for you, digestively speaking, but you love it so much you decide to risk it anyway, or you figure that you’ll just spend a little extra time outside or in the bathroom, and for this dish it’s worth it. I’ve seen how this affects some older people in my life even more. Just the other day, I was helping an older gentleman up the stairs by standing behind him to make sure he didn’t fall. I certainly wish he had considered where he might be later when he ate his meal prior to this because the position of my nose relative to the element of wind was the least advantageous possible, I can assure you. At the first hint of “wind,” I was taken aback a little but just had a subdued chuckle and said nothing. However, as the onslaught went from those mere hints, a light breeze if you will, to a full-on gale, I couldn’t help laughing out loud and exclaiming, “would you please hold off on the farts until I get you up the

stairs? I’m dying back here!” And I was. I was wishing I had a military-grade gas mask instead of these flimsy things we’re wearing for the pandemic. He started laughing because, well, what else could he do? This elderly gentleman whom I had always known as a very dignified and respectable man was now suffering from the “element” of wind, and the older I get, the more I am becoming familiar with it myself. Not too long ago, I was on a camping trip with a close friend who also suffers from the afflictions of middle age. He demonstrated two aspects of middle age “wind” at once as he serenaded me throughout the night from his tent next to mine. I genuinely believe that he formed actual musical chords with the use of air both through his snoring and breaking wind all through the night. I didn’t get much sleep, but at least I wasn’t in the same tent. And the noise at times made me forget how cold I was.

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Fire: I’ve found myself increasingly attracted to fire and its accompanying warmth. Before middle age, I had rarely been cold in my life, but now I wake up with cold feet, so I keep socks by the bed for when this happens. I find myself enjoying a blanket across my legs when sitting in my recliner as well. I’ve heard from older married friends that they experienced a role reversal during middle age: now it’s the husband getting cold and the wife was the one turning the thermostat down while the husband complained. That hasn’t happened to us quite yet, but like the thermostat, the writing is on the wall. Water: As a young man, when I was thirsty, I drank something. It didn’t really require forethought. Now, when I’m thirsty, I have to look at a clock. If it’s past a certain time, I must refrain because I don’t want to get up all through the night to go to the bathroom. I also remember long trips with the family and getting irritated that the kids seemed to need to stop at every exit to use the bathroom. On trips these days I’m saying things like, “If you need me to stop for a bathroom break, that’s fine.” When they say, “no, but if you need to go that’s fine,” I reply, “Oh no, I’m fine.” I’m not fine, but I am too proud to stop. This calls to mind a good piece of advice I once got from an older man that I’ve always viewed like an uncle. I’ll pass it on to you, dear reader. He said to me: “Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom, and never trust a fart.” Truer words were never spoken as I am now learning all about the middle age periodic table of the elements. + 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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Let’s spend a few calm, quiet and rational minutes talking about everyone’s favorite subject, the coronavirus. (Part 5 of a feature of unknown duration.)

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Everyone in any branch of the media — broadcast, print, electronic, even the little Medical Examiner in Augusta, Georgia — has had to learn a hard truth covering this pandemic. No matter how fresh and crisp your statistics may be when you send them out into the wide world, they’ll be stale before half your listeners, readers or viewers see them. Because of that, on many websites that offer the latest numbers on new cases and deaths you can often spot a small notice tucked away in a corner of the screen that says something like, “Updated 6 min ago.” Things can change in a hurry.

Over time, what initially seemed like good news has sometimes become not so good. For instance, in the “Reality Check” article of our April 3 issue, we urged readers to stay calm: “80 percent of all cases will experience mild symptoms if any - and then they will recover. Many of us have seen interviews on the news with people who have tested positive for coronavirus, people who say they have no symptoms or very mild symptoms. It isn’t all doom and gloom.” That’s what the experts said then, and they’re still saying now. That seemed like good news, and on that day maybe it was.

JUNE 5, 2020 But when the sun came up on April 3, there were well under 300,000 coronavirus cases in all fifty states, less than 6,000 of which were in Georgia. Today we’re closing in on 2 million cases nationwide, more than 40,000 new cases in the Peach State since then, and we have far surpassed 100,000 deaths across the country. With the perfect vision of hindsight it has become clearer by the day that people walking around who have coronavirus but no symptoms (or very mild symptoms) is not a good thing at all. Thanks to their mild or non-existent symptoms, they have no idea they have the virus. As a result, they may not be staying at home; they may not wear a mask around others; they might not wash their hands as often as we are all recommended to do even when we don’t have the virus. We have also pointed out on these pages that more than 99% don’t have the virus. When you add together the people with no symptoms, those with only mild symptoms, and the 99% who don’t have it, all of our sequestering begins to seem foolish and unnecessary.

Something that none of us should forget is another term used to describe coronavirus when news about it first broke, a word we hear less and less these days: novel. Remember when “novel coronavirus” was the standard term? Despite its gradual disappearance, the word is still an accurate descriptor of this virus. As mentioned in our Feb. 7 issue, coronaviruses themselves are nothing new or “novel,” but this particular strain is. Because of that, doctors have been regularly discovering new reasons for concern about the effects of this virus. Some studies and autopsies have suggested possible changes to the lungs, brain and other major organs. Initially it was believed that children were immune; that has been proved false. Animals and pets were also considered to be safe early on, and that too has been shown to be false. The message is clear: we still have a lot to learn about this virus, how it spreads, how it affects us and how to treat it. Like page one says, the fat lady hasn’t sung yet. It is still highly appropriate to be using all preventive measures. +

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I am a huge fan of all kinds of salads, and when our area got a Zoe’s Kitchen, I found I got a little obsessive over their quinoa salad, which could get a bit expensive eating out all the time. I decided to create my own Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe. It is super easy to make and would be great for lunch or add grilled chicken and make it a dinner the whole family will enjoy. To make it even easier, I bought my organic quinoa from Costco already prepared in the freezer section. I just had to pop it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Sometimes when I prepare this salad, I like to add some extra goodies to mine, such as sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, and chickpeas. Depending on what you had on hand, you could also toss in some chopped broccoli, celery, or green peppers. The combinations are endless once you have the basic salad built. Not only is this salad full of nutritious veggies, it also has quinoa. Did you know that quinoa is considered a superfood? This newly popular seed, which cooks like a grain, is an excellent addition to a healthy diet. Quinoa is high in fiber and highquality protein. In fact, it contains more protein than any other grain while also packing in iron and potassium.

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

ASK DR. KARP

NO NONSENSE

NUTRITION Charles from Augusta desperately asks, “During this coronavirus pandemic, can we survive without beef, pork and chicken?”

COVID-19 Nutrition Bulletin: Yes, it is absolutely true that because of the coronavirus pandemic, there most likely will be a decrease in beef, pork and chicken products available in your favorite supermarkets and — calm down, take a breath — yes, you will survive your personal crisis (and perhaps even be a bit healthier). Because of rising coronavirus infection rates in meat processing plants and because of panic

meat buying by the average Josephine Q. Public, there most likely will be a shortage of beef, pork and chicken at your Kroger or Publix. Adding insult to injury, the beef, chicken and pork that is there will be more expensive and available only in limited quantities. Think of it as the toilet paper “Waterloo” of the meat industry. In the United States, where red meat is King, anxiety levels are rising over the prospect of pulling out the grill and not being able to slap a steak, hamburger or even a hot dog on it. Chill. From a nutrient point-ofview, you and your body will do just fine, I promise. Is all that saturated fat, cholesterol and all that black smoke essential to your diet? No. And although the meat substitute industry is salivating thinking about all the meat replacement products they will sell, (i.e., Beyond Meat Burgers. Impossible Burgers and the like), the fact is that you don’t even have to buy expensive plant-based “meat” protein to get the high-quality protein you need to live and be healthy. You will do just fine meeting your daily protein requirements by eating less beef, pork and chicken and, instead, eating fish and other seafood, drinking low-fat milk, eating other low-fat dairy products, like

cheese and yogurt, and eating eggs (whites have most of the protein). In addition, don’t forget about plants. You can get loads of high-quality protein in your diet by simply eating more plants. You can even do very well eating protein from plants alone. I am talking about beans and peas (soybeans, black beans, red beans, pinto beans, white beans, lentils, and chick peas) and legume nuts, such as peanuts. I am not an anti-meat zealot. In fact, I eat meat and I am not ashamed to say that I like the taste of meat. Even in the preCOVID-19 era (PCE), I moderated my use of animal protein and got most of my protein from fish and plants. This was not only very good for my body, but extremely good for my wallet. All the accumulating scientific data point to the fact that people and cultures that eat less meat protein, especially red meat, are generally healthier. For example, since plants can’t make cholesterol, there is no cholesterol in plants and foods made directly from plants. If you are worried about cholesterol, you can even

JUNE 5, 2020 avoid the cholesterol in eggs while getting all the protein benefit by eating egg whites instead of the whole egg. The egg protein, called egg albumin, resides in the whites. A word of caution. If you decide to go completely vegan, then you might need to take a supplement of calcium, iron and B12, since they are missing, low or not as bioavailable in plants. Also, total vegan diets, unless managed prudently, may not be suitable for growing children who, in addition to the calcium, iron and B12, also need calories for growth and development, which are sometimes lacking in total vegan diets. When you use plants as your source of protein, you also get much more fiber, vitamins and minerals in your diet. And remember that seafood is an excellent source of protein in your diet, especially oily fish like salmon. Next time you want to slap a steak on your grill, slap on a salmon steak. As a little hint, did you know that if you coat your grill ahead of time with some cooking oil, it will prevent the fish from sticking to the grill as much? Besides all the nutrition and cost benefits of eating less beef, pork and chicken, there is a tremendous difference in the environmental impact. It’s been estimated that it takes 80 times less energy

to grow one calorie of a plant protein, like soybean protein, than it does to produce one calorie of beef protein. It also takes approximately 15 times less water. In addition, from a humanistic and ethical perspective, I’d much rather go to a plant processing facility than a meat processing facility. Have you ever visited a slaughterhouse? You’d most likely eat less meat if you did. The animal protein you eat is not born in neat, clear-plasticwrapped styrofoam containers. Surprised? You actually have to slaughter live animals to get meat to the table. And I am not talking about shooting one deer for dinner. Even hunters would agree, slaughterhouses are pretty gruesome places. So, what is the “No-Nonsense COVID-19 Nutrition” advice for today? Simply this. We survived World Wars I and II, the oil crisis, and September 11. YOU will survive your personal crisis of eating less beef, pork and chicken. Instead of throwing so much beef, chicken and pork on the grill this summer, throw on some fish. Or slap on some portabella mushrooms or eggplants, and serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato, horseradish mayo and relish. Try these suggestions and chill, bro, chill. And while you’re at it, stop buying so much toilet paper. +

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

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JUNE 5, 2020

Ask a Dietitian

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MAKE IT SWEET - NATURALLY

by Karen W. Cota, RDN, LD, CDE Consulting Dietitian with Aiken-Augusta Holistic Health, St. John Towers, and Carolina Nutrition Consultants, Inc Who doesn’t like sweets? Not many! In eating and to compare products to find the fact, our enjoyment of sugar has become a healthier one. All processed foods are not real health concern for many Americans. The created equal, but usually have more sugar, American Heart Association has recommendsalt and fat than you think! ed limiting added sugars to 6 teaspoons (25 Beverages often sneak in a lot of sugar grams) a day for women and 9 teaspoons (38 when we aren’t suspecting it. If you drink grams) a day for men. This recommendation sugar sweet beverages like soda, sports has resulted from research associating a high drinks, vitamin waters and energy drinks, intake of sugar with increased that’s a great place to start SAY risk for developing type 2 diabecutting back. If you sweeten tes, cardiovascular disease and your tea and coffee with sugar, obesity. To put this in perspecsee if you can gradually reduce tive, a 12-ounce glass of apple to 1 teaspoon per cup or glass. juice has 45 grams of sugar and Remember water is always the a 12-ounce can of Coke has 39 best way to hydrate and addgrams of sugar. Either one is ing fruit or vegetables makes it over the daily limit all by itself! refreshing too. Do you know how much For your morning (or eve“added sugar” you consume in ning) cereal, choose the una day? If you don’t, you should sweetened version and instead take a few minutes to find out. of adding sugar, add fruit like (SUGAR) You can get a good estimate raisins, berries, chopped apples by listing everything that you eat and drink or bananas instead. It will give you a sweet today and how much. Then check out the taste plus the benefit of fiber and other nutriNutrition Facts Label for the “Added Sugars” ents. In fact, very ripe bananas and dates are listed under Total Carbohydrate. Added sugar an excellent way to replace sugar, honey or is just sugar with no health benefits; sucrose, syrup in muffins and energy bars. honey, syrup, maltose and dextrose are just a If you’re craving some sweet treats, make it few to look out for. You will find these listed yourself instead of buying something already in the ingredient list of manufactured foods or made. You can control the amount of sugar in as an ingredient for your recipes. the recipe by replacing it with fruit. Natural Be sure and calculate the total “added sugly occurring sugar is the sweetness that you ars” based on how much you actually ate, not taste in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose). by the listed serving size. If you are adding They are sugars, but they are surrounded by sugar to beverages, one level measuring tealots of healthy nutrients like vitamins, minerspoon has 4 grams of sugar. als, phytonutrients and fiber. When you eat The average American consumes about 17 a piece of fruit or drink a glass of milk or if teaspoons of sugar a day. If that’s where you you added these items as an ingredient in a are, here are a few suggestions to help you recipe, you are getting the sweetness plus the reduce that unhealthy sugar intake. added benefit of all those additional nutri Always read the nutrition facts label. It’s ents. The other benefit of naturally sweet fruit a great way to help you know what you are Please see SWEET page 16

YES TO LESS

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CRASH

COURSE

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

ne year ago this week, Texas Governor Greg Ab- bott signed a law that banned traffic cameras in the Lone Star State. Often called red-light cameras, traffic cams are sometimes used for that — enforcing that often-forgotten “red means stop” principle — and sometimes they are used to enforce speed limits. And sometimes both. The curious thing about banning such cameras is, well, the sub-head of this column above: More Americans have died on our highways...well, you know the rest. What could possibly be wrong with a device that helps prevent accidents and promote highway safety? That depends on who you ask. Or is it whom? In Texas, the conservative governor prides himself on values like “faith, family and freedom.” Freedom, apparently, includes the right to run red lights and ignore the speed limit — unless, that is, another human catches you in the act. Speaking of freedom, a fellow Republican state senator in Texas credited a number of “patriots” by name and said without them, “they [traffic cams] would still be up and violating our rights.” This in a state with a traffic fatality rate per 100,000 miles driven that is double the rate in New York. Critics of the ban in Texas and other states — bans that rescinded existing laws permitting traffic cams — say they reflect the depth and breadth of driver entitlement. In fact, after Gov. Abbott posted a Tweet of the bill being signed, one response was “Thanks @ GregAbbott_TX Let’s keep big brother out of our business!”

Locally, both speeding and red light camera enforcement is prohibited in South Carolina, while both are permitted in Georgia. For safety reasons alone, traffic cameras seem like a great idea. Why are they so controversial? As mentioned by Gov. Abbott’s Tweeter, some people view them as intrusions by Big Brother. It’s an issue of personal freedom, similar to someone who would question the government’s right to make people drive on a certain side of the road. Big Brother again. All criticisms of the freereign school of driving aside, however, there are some legitimate legal concerns about traffic cams. In Georgia, for example, the person liable for a red light violation is the registered owner of the vehicle. So Dad, if your teenaged leadfoot thinks yellow means floor it, you’re the one who will get the ticket if he’s driving the family car. Critics say that violates due process. Georgia law takes that into consideration, as do most other states: there are no points involved, the offense is not considered a moving violation,

and the information is not made available to or usable by insurance companies. And there’s no law against Dad grounding Junior or making him pay the fine. In a number of states there have been huge scandals involving traffic cams, which are generally supplied, installed and maintained by private companies at no cost to municipalities. The catch is that they take a share of the revenue generated as their payment. That’s all well and good on the surface at least, but in several cities the companies were caught tampering with the timing of yellow lights. By going from green to red with only a short yellow they were artificially and fraudulently creating violations and more revenue. Bribes, kickbacks and payoffs have also come to light in many places. These are very lucrative contracts. And it turns out they don’t always reduce accidents. Sometimes they increase them, especially rear-enders. The common scenario involves a driver about to sail through a very stale yellow when at the last second he notices a sign like the one shown above. He slams on his brakes to avoid a ticket and as a result is hit by the car that was trying to ride his coattails through the red. Red light and speeding cameras are not a factor in the CSRA landscape, but no responsible driver should care. Would you steal something just because no one was looking and there were no security cameras in sight? Hopefully not. In a simlar vein, anyone who deserves to be on the roads will drive safely regardless of who is or isn’t watching. +

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER!

JUNE 5, 2020

HUMAN BEHAVIOR It all started with notecards. In high school and college, I used to make these ridiculous notecards for school. I figured, “Well, if I’m writing it down, it’s getting into my brain.” by Jeremy Hertza, Psy.D. It took me almost eight years to figure out that, at least for me, stacks of notecards did nothing for me. While it could work for someone else, I just don’t learn that way. It would have been nice if someone said to me, “Cut that out. Try this instead.” Now, I get to be that someone.

THE CHALLENGE OF LEARNING WHEN IT’S NOT YOUR THING

Paying Attention Yet? Say the words “neurobehavioral testing,” and prepare for eyes to glaze over. But for a family whose kid has a learning disability or a behavioral or cognitive disorder, testing is really, really important to help figure out what their child needs to do better at school. But testing’s not just for kids with learning, behavior or cognitive problems. It’s also valuable for any kid who is just like I was. The kid who’s struggling with figuring out the best way to learn. The kid who works so hard but is still getting Ds in school. The kid who really, really wants to do better (even if they don’t know it yet) just but doesn’t know how. It’s also for children in categories you might not think about: Those with diabetes whose brains might be just a little slower at processing (a possible side effect of the disease). It’s for children with asthma or another chronic illness who’ve missed a lot of school and can’t seem to catch back up. And it’s definitely for that star athlete who chokes in big competitions because nerves take over, or who’s had a concussion. This is where (cue the big words) neurobehavioral testing and training can really make a big difference. Let’s Start Training A lot of us think that to help kids focus, medicine has to be a part of that. Sure, it can help in some instances, but you don’t necessarily have to start there. In other words, medicine shouldn’t be a substitute for learning how to use your brain. Think about it: We work out because we want stronger bodies and stronger hearts. Mental training is just as important to help improve our memories, our focus and attention, and our ability to learn effectively. And just like with working out, it’s important to have a personal trainer to help your child get there. The only difference is that mental training uses pencil and paper or a computer program instead of weights or exercise machines. Here’s one example: To help train kids to focus their attention, we use a computer program where the child focuses in on a specific image while regular stimuli (visual distractions) change around that image. As kids keep working on maintaining that focus, their ability to pay attention improves. One final, important piece is figuring out ways to help children compensate for areas where they may not be as strong. For example, maybe a child has a really hard time staying organized with how they study. While notecards didn’t work for me, they might be a great solution for your child. The Whole Point Not all kids learn the same way. So for any child, whether or not they have a diagnosis, the point of this kind of neurobehavioral testing and training is to help them figure out the way that works best for them, help train them to think faster and remember best, and use their brain effectively so that school is less about work—and notecards—and more about learning. + Jeremy Hertza, Psy.D., is a neuropsychologist and the executive director of NeuroBehavioral Associates, LLC, in Augusta, on the web at http://nbageorgia.com. Contact him at 706-823-5250 or info@nbageorgia.com.

JUNE 5, 2020

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

The blog spot From the Bookshelf — posted by Mahir Mameledzija, MD, MBA on May 28, 2020

COVID-19 MISINFORMATION: TO RESPOND OR NOT RESPOND, THAT IS THE QUESTION Recently, I ran across a post on social media with multiple bullet points of theories targeted at the current COVID-19 pandemic. Having encountered handfuls of previous posts running along the lines of these factually incorrect claims, I decided it was time to politely challenge the post by asking for the sources of these claims. Within minutes, I was attacked by multiple users with claims of being a “sheep,” ignorantly believing everything I’m told, and to look up the facts. As an incoming emergency medicine resident, I was shocked at the amount of resistance I faced, as my initial hope was to have a conversation. It was through this conversation that I wanted to ultimately stand up for my fellow healthcare providers and provide trustworthy information. Following the initial attacks, I was at a fork in the road with the choice to exit the conversation or continue. I decided to stay the course and continue responding. After a daylong exchange of various topic shifts, twirls, and outrageous claims, the other contributors stopped responding. By the next day, the posting was ultimately taken down. Regardless of putting out credible information with my responses, providing citations, and treating others with respect, I came out of that exchange demoralized and unsure if I had any impact at all. This prompted me to question: What are our responsibilities as healthcare providers on social media to combat misinformation regarding COVID-19? Johnathon Swift once said, “Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it.” As frontline healthcare workers come home from exhausting shifts and look for a way to connect with others through social media, they may face a range of posts on a spectrum ranging from factual to fabricated. Consequently, multiple options might run through that person’s mind, such as unfriending that person, responding to the post (in a multitude of ways), scrolling past it, etc. In this day and age of constantly breaking news, it doesn’t surprise us that misinformation is distributed faster than truth. That begs the question of why address the post if we ultimately feel it won’t go anywhere? Sensationalism in media and the wide range of political bias challenges the sources by which these posts are deemed credible as well. The majority of us are not politicians, rather healthcare providers, and many times these posts are muddled by influences of political topics. What is scary to think is that these types of misinformation can ultimately guide policy which directly impacts local and national public health. However, we have a priority to care for our patients within the walls of the hospital. If you choose to respond or challenge someone’s post, first check in with yourself and make sure you have the emotional bandwidth to respond professionally and communicate effectively. Prioritize what is important to you as a healthcare provider with a support system of family and friends. These times are taxing for those sacrificing their health and safety to battle this pandemic, and everyone’s emotional and spiritual capacity is limited. It helps to find common ground in approaching these claims, while ultimately using clear communication and focusing on credible information in your responses. To a certain degree, we do have of duty to ensure factual information regarding our profession is portrayed appropriately. This is one way in which we may indirectly advocate for our past, current, and future patients. However, this should only be done to the degree that it doesn’t cause emotional harm to ourselves and impede our ability to care for the patients we see on a daily basis. +

Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it.

Mahir Mameledzija is an emergency medicine resident.

We medical examiners like to stick together. And so we herewith remind you of a book that isn’t a new release, but it’s still highly readable and full of valuable information. And it’s written by a doctor who... well, let’s just say when she talks, we really should listen. She knows what she’s talking about. Here is an excerpt from the review of her book at Amazon.com:

Thousands of people make an early exit each year and arrive on medical examiner Jan Garavaglia’s table. What is particularly sad about this is that many of these deaths could easily have been prevented. Although Dr. Garavaglia, or Dr. G, as she’s known to many, could not tell these individuals how to avoid their fates, we can benefit from her experience and profound insight into the choices we make each day. In How Not to Die, Dr. G acts as a medical detective to identify the oftenunintentional ways we harm our bodies, then shows us how to use that information

to live better and smarter. She provides startling tips on how to make wise choices so that we don’t have to see her, or someone like her, for a good, long time. • In “Highway to the Morgue,” we learn the one commonsense safety tip that can prevent deadly accidents—and the reason you should never drive with the windows half open • “Code Blue” teaches us how to increase our chances of leaving the hospital alive—and how to insist that everyone caring for you practice the easiest hygiene method around • “Everyday Dangers” informs us why neat freaks live longer—and the best

ways to stay safe in a car during a lightning storm Using anecdotes from her cases and a liberal dose of humor, Dr. G gives us her prescription for living a healthier, better, longer life—and unlike many doctors’ orders, this one is surprisingly easy to follow. This book is valuable in the way the author presents each case. she describes in detail the damage done to the body by human indifference, forgetfulness and recklessness. You think you don’t you need to take that blood pressure medication because you “feel fine”? Well, you might not feel it but your heart is enlarging to double its size and your arteries are hardening, which will lead to a stroke in a few months. The book is full of examples like this. You already know most of this, but you might need a reminder of just how bad things can get if you don’t start taking care of yourself. + How Not to Die by Dr. Jan Garavaglia, 288 pages, published Sept. 2009 by Harmony

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The Examiners +

Guess what I’m going to do that I’ve never Tell me something funny? done before?

by Dan Pearson

No, I’m going skydiving! Nope. And I found a The only catch is parachute on Amazon You do realize that there Now that is funny. with zero negative are never negative reviews I have to supply You’ re kidding, right? of parachutes, don’t you? my own parachute. reviews.

JUNE 5, 2020

THE MYSTERY WORD O The Mystery Word for this issue: ELLBIRA

N ACAthen begin exploring Simply unscramble theVletters, TIONspelled word our ads. When you find the correctly hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Training ____ 4. Fortification made of tree branches (historical) 10. Ran away 14. First follower 15. Glowing 16. Daytime TV host 17. Campus org. 18. Grand ______ 19. Islamic chieftain 20. Have a bad effect upon 22. Monetary unit of Romania 23. Make into law 24. Wonderment 26. Augusta talk radio station 28. Downtown building 30. “Love thy________” 34. 9th governor of Alaska 35. Inheritors 36. ____ bandage 37. Doing nothing 38. Adjective for bad service 39. Hyper abbreviation 40. Some storms have one 41. Chain founded in 1886 42. Augusta-based political cartoonist 43. Ford model (1957-1979) 45. Transparent liquid 46. It often follows “O” 47. Patch in Aiken 48. Greek goddesses of the seasons 51. Doc’s org. 53. Mr. Barnard 57. Giant in Norse myth 58. Spring back 61. Prostate test abbreviation 62. Four make a bushel 63. Elaborately adorned 64. Brain test (abbrev.)

21 24 28

22 26

31 36

29. Congressman Rick 30. Medical prefix 31. Noted 1995 burn patient 32. Red earth pigment 33. Advice or counsel (archaic) 34. Landing spot 35. Cache 38. Lecherous look 39. Behaved 41. Type of horn? 42. #5 of 12 44. ________ Hill 45. Ghostly apparition 48. Allergenic beginning 49. Portent 50. Augusta painter Ed 51. Skin eruption 52. Castle defence 54. Not secretive 55. Employs 56. Antebellum relative? 58. Decay 59. Before, poetically 60. Grant foe

DOWN 1. Criticize severely 2. Capital of Latvia 3. Jewish calendar month 4. Lou Gehrig’s affliction 5. South Augusta high school 6. As a square, 208 ft. per side 7. Augusta’s old Cafe du _____ 8. Days follower 9. Abbrev. for HPV or HIV 10. First name in Surrey Center 11. Capital of Peru 12. Heroic or grand in scale 13. Slender throwable missile 21. Her maiden name was Doud 23. Benedict beginning 25. Pale 26. WBBQ founder George 27. Breezy 28. Evans amphitheater

E X A M I N E R

S U D O K U

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

65. Singles 66. Verb: to grow teeth 67. Intel agcy.

We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

Solution p. 14

7 9 6 1 2 4 3 2 A S L 1 6 A A E 8 5 C R E 4 7 E E 5S 3 9 8 — Hippocrates

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.

P 1 2 3 4 U 1 2 3

1 2 1 2

1 1 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 S D — Francis Bacon 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 1

1.AIABBBIGIHS 2.ROOSSTUUA 3.PPTODE 4.DAPE 5.EK 6.FR 7.A 8.S 9.T

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, June 1, 2020

3 5 8 9 7 4 6 2 1

6 3 5 4 9 2 1 8 7

1 2 7 5 8 6 9 4 3

JUNE 5, 2020

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

THEBESTMEDICINE ha... ha...

omparing Steve Jobs and Donald Trump is like...well, like comparing apples and oranges. Moe: I just discovered that the word “nothing” is a palindrome. Joe: I don’t think you know what a palindrome is. A palindrome is a word that is spelled the same forwards and backwards. That does not apply to “nothing.” Moe: I beg to differ. Backwards it spells “gnihton,” which also means nothing. Moe: What do you call it when two Sunni Muslims or two members of the Eastern Orthodox Church get married? Joe: Those are same sects marriages. Moe: What do you get when you swear a politician to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Joe: You get three different answers. A single young lady who happened to be an only child and who had been raised in a family with very strict morals was distraught to discover that she was pregnant. And that very

The

Advice Doctor

evening her parents had invited her and her fiancé to dinner, where they would be meeting him for the first time. “How am I going to break the news to my father that I’m pregnant?” she wailed to her fiancé. Wanting to soothe and reassure his brideto-be, the young man said, “Don’t worry about that, sweetheart. I’ll take care of it.” At dinner that evening, her father swallowed something that went down the wrong pipe and started to cough. “Uh oh!” said the young man, “Grandpa needs some water!” The crow was brought into the interview room as the prime suspect in a homicide. “Where were you the night of the killing?” asked the police detective. “I was with a group of friends,” the crow replied. “And what do you call that group?” “I want a lawyer,” said the crow. Moe: You really have to feel sorry for seniors this year. Joe: That final year really flies by. Moe: But who knew this year it would Zoom? Moe: You know those connect-the-dot puzzles? Joe: Sure. Moe: My wife thinks I’m addicted to them. Joe: Well, are you? Moe: I like them, don’t get me wrong. But I know where to draw the line. +

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, During this new WFH age, (even Work From Home is a new acronym), I find myself wondering if corporate life will ever return to normal. I’m re-evaluating my entire life strategy which, in business at least, had always centered around climbing the old corporate ladder. What do you think the future holds in business? — Former (?) Climber Dear Climber, You’re right to be concerned about this important subject. Climbing the ladder can be very dangerous, and according to the World Health Organization, the United States leads the world in ladder-related fatalities, and ladders are also implicated in about 164,000 emergency room visits every year. They should be outlawed! Ironically enough, most of the 300 or so ladder-related deaths in the U.S. every year result from falls of 10 feet or less. So getting high is not the issue here. It’s where ladder accidents cause their injuries, and it turns out to be a slightly important body part: the head. When you don’t use it, it gets hurt. Here’s where it gets even stranger. According to one source, of the two most common types of ladder mishaps, #1 is missing the last step. So we’re talking about being only a foot or so off the ground. #2 is overreaching, leaning just one skinny inch past the point of no return. That is a memorable sensation to experience, isn’t it? Other leading causes of ladder falls are like the two above: they have nothing to do with the ladder itself and a lot to do with the ladder operator. These include failing to make sure the ladder is thoroughly stabilized before climbing it, and also misusing the ladder, doing things like standing on the very top of a step ladder, putting your feet right on the warning label that says “Do not stand here” after climbing up the last two rungs that have warning labels that read “NOT A STEP!” They say certain things are as easy as falling off a ladder, but as dumb as the reasons for some ladder injuries are, you just have to give the victims an A for Effort. They truly earned their injuries. I hope this answers your question. Thanks for writing! + 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.

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BEFORE READING

AFTER READING

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

O I T A in the p. 16 ad for ...cleverly hidden on a windowframe C A AUGUSTA WEST V CLEANING CO. N O

THE WINNER: WE STUMPED THE PANEL! NO WINNER! 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!

JUNE 5, 2020

AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER THE PUZZLE SOLVED B A S H

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QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION “Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.” — Hippocrates

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WORDS BY NUMBER “

SEE PAGE 12

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

...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.

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

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JUNE 5, 2020

IT’S A QUESTION OF CARE COVID-19 Reflections from an Aging Lifecare Manager, Part I, by Lori Beth Charlton, MSW, LMSW, C-ASWCM Benefits of Senior Living at this Unprecedented Time The news of Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Facilities closing their doors to family members and friends of the residents to prevent the spread of COVID-19 hit many

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER people like a ton of bricks. It brought the reality of the seriousness of this pandemic to the forefront of people’s minds. It also was one of the first realizations many people had that this pandemic is going to be a lonely time for many of our most vulnerable populations. There have been many viral social media posts showing family members standing outside of their loved one’s facility window, wishing they could embrace each other. These pictures accurately portray the senior “locked away” behind facility walls for their protection. Although I think the majority of our society understands and agrees that this is needed to protect the residents of these facilities, it also saddens many. I’ve seen people share these types of pictures on social media with comments mentioning how badly they feel for these facility residents or how scared these people must be. I will not disregard these feelings of sadness for

these residents and their families or the difficulty of the change it brings, but I also want to recognize the positive side of living in a senior community during a global pandemic. I’m in a unique position to see how this has affected many seniors who live in various living situations since I have clients who live by themselves, at home with caregivers, in independent living communities, in assisted living communities, and in skilled nursing facilities. Below are my three top positives to living in a senior living community during this pandemic. Food and Necessities: Many people choose to move into a senior living community such as an assisted living or skilled nursing facility because they will have all of their needs provided for and that in itself has proved to be more beneficial now than ever. These residents do not have to find

someone to shop for their groceries to stay safe in their homes or worry if they will find toilet paper the one time they brave going out to buy their own essential needs. 24/7 access to healthcare professionals and support staff Not only do residents at facilities have caregivers and medical professionals monitoring their wellbeing several times a day, but they also know there will always be someone there to assist them with everyday challenges or needs they may have. Many people who live at home rely on family members, friends, or paid caregivers to help them with their activities of daily living or other tasks. This pandemic has required family members to limit their interactions with their elderly parents, grandparents, and friends. Caregiving agencies are working tirelessly to ensure their caregivers are well and have support in their

personal lives so they can go into work, but many elderly clients have had to go without the normal support they get from these agencies due to the social side effects this virus has had on the caregiving workforce. Residents in senior living communities and their families have the peace of mind knowing there will always be someone around in a time of need and someone monitoring their healthcare needs. Socialization Isolation and loneliness are already major concerns for the aging population, but this pandemic has exacerbated that problem tremendously. The effort that senior living communities have put into providing continued social and emotional support to their residents is outstanding. They have had to alter their normal activities to keep the residents safe, but Please see COVID REFLECTIONS page 16

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

PHARMACY

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

Karen L. Carter, MD Medical Center West Pharmacy 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 465 North Belair Road Augusta 30901 Evans 30809 706-396-0600 Your Practice 706-854-2424 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com And up to four additional lines of your choosing and, if desired, your logo. Parks Pharmacy Keep your contact information in this 437 Georgia Ave. ARKS convenient place seen by thousands of HARMACY N. Augusta 29841 patients every month. Steppingstones to Recovery 803-279-7450 Call (706) 860-5455 for all the details! 2610 Commons Blvd. www.parkspharmacy.com Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

YOUR LISTING HERE

DRUG REHAB

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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER

SWEET… from page 9

is you are unlikely to eat more than one apple at a time (15 grams of sugar, 60 calories), but you could easily drink a 12- ounce glass of apple juice for 45 grams of sugar and 180 calories. If you were really thirsty, you might even drink two. So, do we have to resign ourselves to never having anything sweet again in order to stay healthy? Absolutely NOT! We just need to know the difference between natural sugar and added sugar and how to use fruit to sweeten foods naturally. Here are a few recipes to get you started. Chocolate Banana Ice Cream One quick guilt-free and no added sugar dessert or snack is to peel, slice and freeze a very ripe banana. Then put it in a small food processor and pulse until in small pieces. Add one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and continue to blend. When it’s smooth you’ll have a delicious dessert that tastes like chocolate ice cream.

Energy Bites These freeze well and are very easy to make if you don’t mind getting your hands messy. • 2 cups old fashioned oats • 1 cup of date paste or 2/3 cup of honey • 1 cup ground flax (or ½ cup flax; ½ cup chia seeds) • 1 cup of dark chocolate chips (or ½ chips; ½ dried fruit) • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 cup peanut butter Stir all ingredients together. Cool in refrigerator 10-20 minutes. Shape into balls and roll in cocoa powder or unsweetened coconut. Store in airtight container. I make 24 balls.

have worked diligently to provide a level of normalcy for their residents. While still having some fun and laughter is great, it is the simple ability to have an in-person conversation and regular human contact that is the biggest positive in my book. The fear that is running rampant related to this pandemic is often turned into anxiety and depression, which affects one’s physical well-being. Having regular human interaction and someone to remind you that you are supported and are not alone is invaluable to this vulnerable population at this time.

Daniel Village Barber Shop 2522 Wrightsboro Road

736-7230

GUYS! ARE YOU SURE YOU

REALLY WANT TO BE THE GUINEA PIG FOR HER FIRST HAIRCUT? DANIEL VILLAGE BARBER SHOP

76 Circle K former Smile Gas

Highland Ave.

Nutrient content: 76 calories, 4 grams protein, 5 grams fat and 7 grams of carbohydrate each.

COVID REFLECTIONS… from page 15

Ohio Ave.

Date Paste If you haven’t tried date paste, it is super sweet and can replace sugar, honey or syrup in many recipes. Along with the sweet taste

you also add more fiber, potassium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B6, calcium and copper, instead of just calories. Pit 10 or 12 Medjool dates and place in heat-proof bowl and just barely cover with boiling water. Let sit for 20 minutes. Then puree in small food processor. Use date paste to replace sugar 1:1, or 2/3 cup of date paste to replace ½ cup of honey or syrup.

JUNE 5, 2020

Medical Complex Wrightsboro Road

Daniel Field

Augusta Mall

NEW TEMPORARY HOURS

Tue - Fri: 7:30 - 4:30; Saturday: 7:30 - 11:30

Visit us at danielvillagebarbershop.com

MEDICALEXAMINER

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