May6 16 by Daniel Pearson

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

MAY 6, 2016

The key to being a good doctor:

Listen to nurses I’m a doctor. We get all the glory. And credit. And guess what? We only deserve part of it. I started out in medicine in the mid 80s, volunteering at an ER. The biggest shock to me was learning how much of what happens in a hospital is

nurse territory. Doctors will see you anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes a day, depending on how sick you are. And the rest is the nurses. They’re the ones making sure you get your pills and checking that your vital signs aren’t dropping. They make sure you don’t fall down and break something. If you start vomiting, doctors will run out of the room and the nurses will rush in. They change your wound dressings and start your IV line. They’ll bring you a warm blanket. And clean disgusting things off you. Even if you’re drunk. Or delirious. Or mean. And through all of this they try to be friendly and positive. Even though you aren’t their only sick patient. I respect nurses. I learned early on that they’re key to being a good doctor. You piss off the nursing staff, and you’ll have a miserable career at that hospital. Respect and treat them well, and you’ll never regret it. They’re as important to being a good doctor as your medical degree. Maybe more. If you come out of medical school with a chip on your shoulder against nurses, you better lose it fast. Because they will make or break your training, and often know more than you do. Be nice, and they’ll teach you. A good neurology nurse is often a better inpatient neurologist than some doctors I’ve met. I remember a guy named Steve who was an intern with me a long time ago. We were only a few months out of medical school, and as we were writing chart notes one morning a nurse came over and asked if he’d go listen to his patient’s heart. With icy contempt, not even looking up from the chart, he said, “I don’t have to listen to his heart because I looked at his EKG.” They ain’t the same thing, dude. If he had listened, he might have noticed that the patient had developed a loud murmur in the last 24 hours.

How to save $ on healthcare Once upon a time, medicine was simple. And cheap. If you had surgery scheduled, there was no need to pay an anesthesiologist. Anesthesia hadn’t been invented yet. The prescription for even complicated medical issues might be something as simple as what in 2016 we call a laxative. Yes, medicine was much simpler and less expensive for past generations. What might have cost pennies two hundred years ago could cost tens of thousands of dollars today. The trade off: what cost pennies often didn’t work; what costs many thousands often does. But that doesn’t mean it’s affordable. Insurance is expensive. Not having insurance is even more expensive. Doctor visits are expensive. So are surgery, medicines, and hospitalization. Out of pocket costs for what insurance doesn’t cover can be quite costly. There isn’t anything about healthcare that’s inexpensive. Cutting medical expenses, therefore, can amount to massive savings. The challenge is how to do it. There are many options, but let’s focus on just one. Buy a really good pair of walking shoes. Then use them. How can that save money on healthcare? Simply walking on a regular basis can improve cardiovascular health. It can help prevent hypertension or lower existing high blood pressure. It can promote weight loss, thereby lowering the risk of diabetes or making it more manageable. Walking can help prevent knee and hip pain. Regular exercise has even been shown to significantly lower the risk of certain cancers. (See chart, page 2) The price of a pair of good walking shoes is far less than the cost of a single doctor visit. There are just two simple keys to making this work: 1. Make sure you have your doctor’s okay. (See page 10) 2. Walk regularly, daily if possible, even if you have to start slowly with very short distances and gradually increase the length and pace of your walks. +

Please see LISTEN TO NURSES page 2

NURSES!

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

MAY 6, 2016

LISTEN TO NURSES… from page 1

When the attending caught it a few hours later, Steve got chewed out. If he’d taken the nurse’s advice, and listened, he wouldn’t have gotten reprimanded by the residency board. Here’s a quote from Kill as Few Patients as Possible by Oscar London, MD: “Working with a good nurse is one of the great joys of being a doctor. I cannot understand physicians who adopt an adversarial relationship with nurses. They are depriving themselves of an education in hospital wisdom.” Those doctors are also depriving themselves of friends. On a difficult day on call, sometimes all it takes is a sympathetic nurse to temporarily add you to her patient list, steal you a Diet Coke from the fridge, and let you cry on her shoulder for 5 minutes. It doesn’t make the day any less busy, but helps you absorb the punishment better. What got me started on this? While I was rounding this weekend, a grateful patient’s family brought the ICU nurses a box of donuts, and so the staff was picking through them. One said, “Oh, this kind is my favorite, it has cream filling.” Overhearing this, a patient in one of the rooms yelled, “Hey, babe, I got my own kind of cream-fi lled dessert in here! Come have a taste!” You say that to a waitress, and you’d likely get your kicked out of the restaurant. You say that to a co-worker, and you’d be fi red and/or sued for harassment. You say that to a lady in a bar, and you’ll likely get a black eye. What did the nurse do? In spite of what the patient said, she went to his room, turned off his beeping IV pump, and calmly told him that he would not talk to her that way. And I admire that. Nursing is a damn tough job. The people who do it are tougher. And somehow still remain saints. + This bonus blog spot is from a June 3, 2010 blog post entitled “Listening to nurses is key to being a good doctor” by Doctor Grumpy, a neurologist who blogs at Doctor Grumpy in the House.

Why those walking shoes will pay off, above. (See page 1)

MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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Dear Short-Timer, In today’s economy I’m sure many readers can relate to your question. It’s hard enough to get a proper fit for an ordinary pair of shoes, but when you want to “get the boot,” as you put it, it’s a different matter entirely. When you spend your hard-earned money, you want to make sure it’s money well spent. Let’s begin with style. Will these be dress boots? Work boots? Hiking boots? Choose the right boot for the right task. Fit is all-important. The best-made, best-looking boots in the world will make your life miserable if you don’t take the time to get a proper fit. Lace-up boots offer a degree of flexibility in how snugly they are worn, so they are a better choice for people with a high arch or instep. For slip-ons, no such flexibility is available, so be more careful shopping for them. Bear in mind that trying to save a few dollars can result in an inferior product that won’t be worn — or if it is, will result in pain and possibly even injury. Finally, don’t buy boots just before you need them, like the day before leaving for a camping/hiking vacation. Allow enough time to break them in, or you may wind up with painful blisters. + Do you have a question for The Advice Doctor about love, life, personal relationships, career, raising children, or any other important life topic? Send it to News@AugustaRx.com. Replies will be provided only in Examiner issues.

AUGUSTA

One family of providers.

Dear Advice Doctor, I need your expert advice on a situation that is going on at my job. If the rumors circulating around are true, I’m about to be fired. The whole department is supposedly being outsourced. Just waiting around to get the boot is extremely nerve-wracking. I can’t stand the stress and pressure. I suppose I could choose to hang on until the bitter end, but if I decide to quit before I’m fired will I still be able to collect unemployment? — Short-Timer

MEDICAL EXAMINER

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

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2016 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

#21 IN A SERIES

Who is this?

OLD NEWS +

POINTS OF INTEREST TO FORMER KIDS by Trisha Whisenhunt, Senior Citizens Council

IS IT A SERVICE ANIMAL? OR FRAUD?

he eminent physician pictured in the Glamour Shot above, Frederick Banting, is personally responsible for saving millions of lives, including countless hundreds — perhaps thousands — right here in the Garden City. He was born in Canada in 1891, and the motivation for his medical research and world-changing breakthrough came during his childhood with the death of a 14-year-old friend, a death he determined to make preventable for others. His discovery is considered the first true miracle drug. You might have heard of it. It’s called insulin. The trouble was, in Banting’s day no one had ever heard of insulin, where it came from or what it did. Banting (and others) suspected the pancreas produced this all-important hormone. Without it, the body cannot process blood sugar (glucose), and that causes all kinds of problems. With the pancreas isolated as the source of insulin, at least in the working hypothesis, attempts were made to extract insulin from healthy pancreas cells. In 1921, Banting was given lab space by professor J.J.R. Macleod, his employer at the University of Toronto. Although Macleod was skeptical, Banting persisted and developed a means of obtaining insulin from a particular region of the pancreas known as the Islets of Langerhans. This discovery was made using dogs as test subjects. He operated on some of the dogs, removing their pancreases, thereby inducing diabetes, then injecting them with insulin. The results were dramatic: blood sugar levels in the dogs were quickly corrected and stabilized, although only temporarily. As every diabetic knows, insulin is never a one-and-done thing. With the fi rst success achieved, Banting realized dogs could never provide insulin in the quantities needed to supply the many patients with diabetes. His farming childhood gave him the idea to use cattle and pigs, available in great quantities. The development of insulin brought about dramatic changes for Banting. At the time of his 1921 discovery he was living in a 7-foot by 9-foot room in Toronto, and at one point was forced to sell his car to provide funds to keep his research going. In a rather stunning turnaround, he was awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize for his discovery along with J.J.R. Macleod. At the time, Banting had been an M.D. for one year. Splitting the award did not sit well with Banting, who felt that Macleod had done very little to contribute to insulin’s discovery. Banting viewed his assistant, Charles H. Best, as the person who should have been named his Nobel co-recipient, so he split his half of the prize money with Best. Upon learning of this, Macleod split his half with biochemist James Collip, who had helped develop the process by which mass quantities of insulin could be manufactured. After winning the Nobel, Banting was awarded a lifetime annuity by the Canadian Parliament. In 1941, Banting died from injuries suffered in a plane crash in Newfoundland. He had been on his way to England to help a Toronto colleague test a new flight suit that helped pilots avoid blacking out from experiencing high G forces. +

n my office, our executive director believes family comes fi rst — and that includes our furry members. Recently there has been an increase in people taking their pets into public places where animals are not traditionally seen, claiming they must have them nearby due to a medical/mental health diagnosis. In our office we have had dogs, cats, raccoons, squirrels, frogs and opossums, just to list a sampling. We don’t claim to need the emotional support of any on the list; we just had them here as a matter of convenience due to vet visits, feeding scheduling or the unavailability of a sitter. An emotional support animal can be any species of pet approved by a doctor. Public establishments do not have to accommodate support pets, but the law states they must accommodate a service dog. There is a distinct difference. An emotional support animal provides comfort but lacks the professional training of a service dog. Occasionally, a mini-horse will be used in place of a service dog. These

adorable living “My Little Ponies” can be trained to guide the blind, and one of the advantages is getting more bang for the buck because they have a longer life span: as long as 35 years as opposed to a loyal canine who typically lives only half as long. The idea of having lunch in a restaurant and seeing a small horse standing by would be a surprise but knowing what I do about these animals, I could accept it. A kangaroo, goat or snake I would question. Laws covering service dogs have been put into place to protect those with disabilities. Unfortunately, those same laws have opened the door

to fraud. So much so that lawmakers in several states are looking to tighten the laws to clarify their intent. Imposters are an inconvenient issue for businesses and landlords who fear legal action. The problem is, current federal law does not stipulate the requirement of documentation. A Michigan law went into effect in January allowing the disabled to get a state-issued card verifying their animal as a service dog or they can opt for an official patch which attaches to the dog’s vest. In 2015, Florida passed a law that makes misrepresenting a service animal a crime punishable by up to 60 days in jail. Legislation in Maine, Virginia, Arizona, Hawaii, New York and the Puerto Rican territory is being considered which will either establish a program and/or penalize people who fraudulently claim to have service dogs or support animals. Emotional support pets serve a true need and no one is disputing that fact. However, since fraud in this area is fast becoming wide-spread, laws must be adjusted. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that there are those who want to take advantage. When the law was originally written, the experts should have seen this coming and made documentation mandatory from the start. No matter what the situation, there are always the few who ruin or make it difficult for the rest of us. +

MYTH OF THE MONTH “You need to drink eight glasses of water every day.” In evaluating this commonly held belief as myth or fact, consider how few people drink eight glasses of water every day. I have no studies or statistics at hand, but I would be very surprised to learn that even ten percent of the population drinks eight glasses of water per day. And yet they are not dropping like fl ies. That is because this is much more folklore than fact. There is no question that we need water. The human body overall is 70 percent water. Individual cells are 90 percent water, and the brain is 80 percent water. Furthermore, an estimated 75 percent of Americans are said to be chronically

dehydrated. So the issue isn’t that we don’t need water; it’s how much. The amount can vary from person to person. Water can and does come from many dietary sources other than straight water. The body will signal its thirst. When it does, listen and obey. And when you do, try to avoid drinking your water laced with sugar and food coloring. Water isn’t the only source of water, but it’s probably the best. + — by F. E. Gilliard, MD, Family Medicine 4244 Washington Road, Evans, GA 30809 706-760-7607

MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW res? ABOUT GREAT TRUTHS

k good eno r skin can ugh cer? son.”

ur minds seem to accumulate profound quotes over time. We tend to take them as humorous insights and then go merrily along, ignoring the pearls of wisdom others have so kindly given us. Many are written by men of distinction. Others are not. Here are a few insights for your consideration. k

Children should not have children. — Bad Billy Laveau (1972) I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. — Winston Churchill The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. — Winston Churchill In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress. — John Adams A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have. — Thomas Jefferson Directions to an economic train wreck: If he works, take

his money. If he won’t work, give him money. — Bad Billy Laveau (1982)

— Voltaire (1770)

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. — Aesop

t s e B

Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it. — Anonymous No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. — Mark Twain If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed. If you do read the newspaper you are misinformed. — Mark Twain Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. — Mark Twain The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. — Mark Twain There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress. — Mark Twain Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

— Ronald Reagan The government is like a baby’s alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. — Ronald Reagan A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. — George Bernard Shaw A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. — G. Gordon Liddy Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. — Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. — James Bovardï, Civil

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Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. — P.J. O’Rourke If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free. — P.J. O’Rourke Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. — Frederic Bastiat, French economist (1801-1850) I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. — Will Rogers In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. — Edward Langley, Artist (1928-1995) Medical problems are handled in various ways depending on whom you consult. Internists rule them out. Psychiatrists talk them out. Surgeons cut them out. — Bad Billy Laveau (1968) + Bad Billy Laveau is a formerlyretired MD who wields a pointed sense of humor - and now, tongue depressors too. He speaks and entertains at events for audiences not subject to cardiac arrest secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee. BadBilly@knology.net or 706306-9397.

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MAY 6, 2016

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The Augusta Medical Examiner’s publisher, Daniel Pearson, has continuously published a newspaper in Augusta since 1990, longer than any other publisher in Augusta except the gentleman to the right, publisher of The Augusta Chronicle, “The South’s Oldest Newspaper,” founded in 1785.

Libertarian (1994)

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. — Herbert Spencer, English philosopher (1820-1903)

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Tip ‘n Toss campaign will help prevent spread of Zika The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging residents to clean up around their homes, their yards and their communities and discard unnecessary items that can hold water. Tip ‘n Toss after every rainfall to reduce the number of mosquitoes and prevent the spread of Zika virus in Georgia. As of this date, no locally transmitted Zika cases have been reported in the state, but cases have been reported in returning travelers. Zika virus is transmitted primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Both species are found in Georgia. Aedes mosquitoes typically bite during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon hours but some bite at night. They are called “container breeders” because they lay eggs in any type of container with water – even something as small as a bottle cap if it has water in it. One of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of Zika virus is controlling the mosquito population by eliminating standing water around the home and in the yard. Tip ‘n Toss! after every rainfall, tip out water in flowerpots, planters, children’s toys and wading pools, and buckets. If it holds water and you don’t need it (old tires, bottles, cans), toss it out. Look for small bodies of water

such as drainage ponds, tree stumps and tire ruts. Clean out gutters, remove piles of leaves and keep vegetation cut low to prevent landing sites for adult mosquitoes. For containers without lids or that are too big to Tip ‘N Toss (bird baths, garden pools), use larvicides such as mosquito dunks or mosquito torpedoes and follow the label instructions. Used properly, larvicides will not hurt birds or animals. Homeowners associations and neighborhoods, along with city and county governments, are encouraged to sponsor community cleanup days. “Mosquitoes don’t recognize property lines, so controlling their numbers has to be a collaborative effort among neighbors,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, commissioner

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of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “DPH is increasing mosquito surveillance and educating residents throughout the state, but the greatest impact will be when individuals take personal responsibility for their homes, yards and communities.” It is also important to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing 20%-30% DEET or Picaridin, IR3535, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Follow all label instructions for safe and effective use. Wear light colored clothing with long sleeves, long pants and socks to help prevent mosquito bites. To learn more about Zika protection and prevention or Tip ‘n Toss, visitdph.ga.gov/ zika or cdc.gov/zika. +

MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Southern Girls Eat Clean Watermelon & Arugula Salad GRADUATE

Ahhhhh..... watermelon! Summer is almost upon us and watermelon just screams summer, doesn’t it? So many childhood memories come to mind when I slice a watermelon. Memories of being at my Grandmother Hester’s house at the lake with all the family there. After spending the day swimming and laying in inner tubes (the older folks got to ski), we would slice a huge watermelon, right outside on the table and everyone had a piece, lightly salted of course. The adults sat around in metal lawn chairs and the kids ran around playing as the lighting bugs came out. I couldn’t have been more than five years old, yet these memories are still very vivid to me was how the watermelon tasted and how it ran down my face onto my shirt. I still love watermelon in the summer time. For the months of July and August I keep at least half a melon in the fridge cut up into chunks so we can easily grab a piece. I try to think of ways to use it in recipes also. This recipe is one I came up with on my own. I had seen similar recipes Watermelon & Arugula Salad on Pinterest and thought I’d create one myself. The Instructions: sun-damage to skin. combination is perfect. Enjoy your spring and 1. Slice a seedless watermelon The peppery arugula is so summer, and I hope you’ll and cut it into 2 inch chunks. amazing with the sweet give this fabulous watermelon Place it in a medium bowl. watermelon and then the salad a try! 2. Add 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 of a salty taste of the feta and Blessings! container of organic arugula to Kalamata olives add another the bowl along with red onion, level of flavor. Ingredients: feta cheese and Kalamata olives. Watermelon also has so • 4 cups of cubed seedless 3. In a small bowl whisk many health benefits. Here watermelon together olive oil, red wine are a few: • 1 container of organic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. • 46 calories per cup. 4. Pour about 1⁄2 of the • Each serving has 20 percent arugula • 1⁄4 of a red onion, sliced dressing over the arugula and of your daily vitamin C. very thin watermelon. Toss to coat all • 17 percent of your daily • 1⁄4 cup of feta cheese, ingredients. Add more dressing vitamin A. crumbled if desired. • Both Vitamin A and C are • 1⁄4 cup of pitted Kalamata 5. Serve immediately. + needed for strong immunity. olives • Provides potassium, which • 1⁄4 cup of extra virgin olive Alisa Rhinehart is half of the helps steady blood pressure. oil blog southerngirlseatclean. • The pink inside of the • 3 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar com She is a working wife watermelon is loaded with • 1 Tbsp. of honey and mother living lycopene, a plant pigment • A pinch of sea salt (or Real in Evans, Georgia. that is linked to lower rates salt brand) and cracked black Visit her blog for of heart disease and certain pepper more recipes and cancers. information on • Lycopene has also been clean eating. shown to decrease chances of

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Pharma cy 4 11 Very little if anything about healthcare is inexpensive, and that includes medicine. Tiny pills can command large prices. Over-the-counter medications may be less expensive, but are they also less effective? Find the answers to lots of your drug store questions in this column written by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson exclusively for the Medical Examiner.

DO I NEED TO SHOP FOR BETTER PRESCRIPTION PRICES?

2016 T is the Medical Examiner’s 10th Anniversary year!

here have been sharp increases in prescription prices lately. This is true for all pharmacies; the wholesale cost has increased by three to ten times almost overnight. This leads to a key question: is my pharmacy giving me the best value for my money? Notice I said value, not price and, yes, there is a difference. Let’s first look at the value of services provided and see if that makes a difference in the amount you are willing to pay for your prescriptions. Tops on the list has got to be customer service and access to your pharmacy staff. Can you talk to your pharmacist when you have a question, and does your pharmacy staff go above and beyond to make sure you are taken care of? This may be much more important to you than saving fifty cents or a dollar. What is the value of your time waiting for your prescription long after it was promised, especially if that happens frequently. That is up to each individual person. We will get to other services later in this or in other articles, but let’s get back to prescription prices and whether or not to shop around. Keep in mind that a pharmacy does so much more than fill your prescription and put pills in a bottle. Each prescription is checked for numerous interactions, both with other medicines you are taking and with your allergies on file. So it stands to reason that if your prescriptions are scattered among several pharmacies, each pharmacy will have only a partial picture to check against. This may lead to interactions being missed and may at least inconvenience you, and in worst-case

scenarios may actually cause a serious medical problem. That reason alone is why I am an advocate of filling all your prescriptions at a single pharmacy. I know mail order can be enticing for filling some prescriptions, but the insurance companies will do some of the checking against mail order prescriptions, so that is better than nothing. For cash pay (non-insurance) patients you do not have this additional safety net, and it is especially important that your pharmacy knows everything it can about your medical and prescription and history. While the one-pharmacy approach will not get you the lowest price in town on each and every prescription you take, you must factor in gas and time travelling to multiple pharmacies and the value of having the safety net that we discussed when it comes to negative drug interactions. My recommendation is to find a pharmacy with a combination of both attributes that gives you a good value foryour prescriptions as a whole while still being time-efficient and accessible if you have questions. The cost of your prescriptions are going to fluctuate from pharmacy to pharmacy so call around and get prices on all your prescriptions. Then look at overall value and decide which single pharmacy gives you the best deal on a monthly basis. Remember, you want to protect your health as well as your wallet — and in a tie, your wallet comes in second. I hope this helps explain why a penny saved is not always a penny earned when it comes to your health. No disrespect to the well-aged axiom intended. + Questions about this article or suggestions for future columns can be sent to us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net )

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MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Ask a Dietitian IS ADDED SUGAR THE NEW FAT?

by Sunitha Zechariah MS, RD, LD, CNSC, FAND Division Director, Clinical Services, Morrison Healthcare Like surprises? We have all been told that eating fat makes us fat. The idea that fat causes obesity and heart diseases has dominated our culture, public policy and research for several decades now. But recent studies in nutrition science indicate that there may be a bigger culprit involved. Ready for your surprise? Yes, it is added sugars! You may wonder why added sugars causes weight gain. Think about this: if you start your day with a large caramel Frappuccino and a muffin, you just consumed close to 21 teaspoons of added sugars for your breakfast, all in just one meal. To burn this off, you need to plan a 2-hour walk or a 45-minute jog. Along with the grueling workout comes the fact that you are going to feel hungry again in an hour or so! Added to this, the excess sugar will trigger your body to secrete a lot of insulin which converts all those teaspoons of sugar into fat and stores it, making you gain weight. However, not all sugar is bad. It depends on the source. It is important to know the difference between natural sugars and added sugars. Natural sugars are sugars that occur naturally in foods such as milk and fruits. Added sugars are those that are added while preparing, processing and manufacturing foods and can be in various forms, such as white or brown sugar, cane sugar, molasses, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup.

battle

BONES IV

Sugar hides in many mysterious places. Here are some examples: • Sweet treats such as pies, doughnuts, muffins, scones etc. (this is an obvious one!) • Breakfast cereals, all sugary kinds • Energy bars • Sweetened yogurt • Sweetened beverages such as sweet tea and sodas • Energy drinks • Salad dressings • Ketchup and other sauces The latest dietary guidelines recommend that we consume less than 10% of our calories from added sugars. What does 10% of calories mean? For example, in a daily diet of 1800 calories you should consume less than 180 calories (or less than 9 teaspoons) of sugar (45 grams) throughout the day. It quickly adds up if you don’t watch where the sugars are hidden. So, does this mean you should stop eating everything with sugar, including fruits?

No, not all! Naturally occurring sugars in fruits are combined with fiber, which takes a longer time to digest resulting in slower absorption and slower insulin response. It’s not the same as eating a doughnut with the same amount of sugar which would cause an immediate insulin response resulting in rapid absorption. Here are some easy ways to reduce your sugar intake: • Don’t drink sugar! Avoid sweetened beverages and replace them with unsweetened versions. Ask for sugar-free Frappuccino! Try fruit infused water! • If you have a sweet tooth, satisfy your craving with dark chocolate, the darker the better! Go for 75% dark or more! Trust me, you will begin enjoying it and you will never go back to the regular kind! As a bonus, the antioxidants in dark chocolate are also great for your overall health.

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+ 10

MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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“Consult your physician” - why? It’s not unusual in many situations to be told, “Consult your physician,” even when the issue is something that promotes health. For instance, the page one article about saving money on health expenses recommends starting a walking program. It specifically mentions to start slow and to begin with short distances. Even so, it says to check with your doctor before starting. Why? Here are recommendations from the National Institutes of Health on who should see a healthcare provider, when and why: “Talk to your health care provider if you: • have a chronic disease like diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or heart disease • have a bone or joint

problem (for example, back, knee, or hip) that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity • are unsure of your health status or have any concerns that exercise might be unsafe for you If any of these concerns apply to you, ask your doctor about ways to safely make physical activity part of your life.”

What if you consult your doctor or healthcare provider and get the green light, or if none of those conditions apply to you and you begin? From the same source, here are guidelines on possible warning signs to be aware of: “What are the warning signs that I should stop? Stop your activity right away and seek help if you: • have pain, tightness, or pressure in your chest or neck, shoulder, or arm. • feel dizzy or sick. • are extremely short of breath. • feel pain in your joints, feet, ankles, or legs. You could hurt yourself if you ignore the pain. Ask your health care provider what to do if you have any of these symptoms.” +

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• Read food labels and ingredient lists for hidden sugars. Even some harmless-looking high-fiber cereals could be loaded with sugars. • Snack foods usually have excessive sugars. Keep fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy trail mix (meaning no M&Ms), low fat cheese sticks, low-fat Greek yogurt etc. handy. • Limit portion size. If you must have your Snickers bar, try a fun size or share with someone! • Substitute at least half the amount of sugar in baking with apple sauce, pureed banana, bean puree, etc. Now that we understand that excess sugar causes weight gain — and how to avoid it — does that mean fat is off the hook? Can

we consume a lot of fat? The answer is No! Naturally occurring good fats such as avocadoes, nuts, seeds and fish are actually great for you. Stay away from hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated fats. These fats are engineered in laboratories and are added to baked goods and solid margarines to keep them shelf stable. And that’s where they belong: on the shelf! Consume all types of fats only in small amounts. As with anything, it is all about mindful eating. Since moderation can be interpreted in many different amounts, I advocate small amounts. Enjoy sugar in small amounts as an occasional treat! You will love your “treat” days! +

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THE MEDICAL EXAMINER IS PUBLISHED EVERY 1ST AND 3RD FRIDAY

MAY 6, 2016

11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the Bookshelf The blog spot — posted by Kay Miller Temple M.D. (edited for space & content)

NURSES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY BEST TEACHERS I became a doctor because Maxine White, the mom of a good friend, suggested it was something within my reach. She was a nurse, the fi rst of many nurses who influenced my career. As a medical student, my internal medicine attending, Dr. Goodhope, shaped my initial perception of nurses. Introducing us to the ward charge nurse, Mrs. Muhm, he said, “Nurses are the most overworked, underpaid, under-appreciated members of the health care team. You must respect them.” Mrs. Muhm looked at us over the top of her glasses. She grinned and said nothing. We did not for one second think of doing other than to follow Dr. Goodhope’s advice. Next, as a fi rst-year resident, I rotated through the intensive care unit of a large city’s private hospital. On my first day, a nurses noticed the petrified look on my face and said, “Don’t worry. We won’t let you kill anybody.” But it was early in my fi rst job post-residency where I had my biggest “aha moment” about nurses. The community’s two other internists went fishing (literally), leaving me to staff the ICU. Two critically ill patients were admitted at once. Being well-trained, I had things under control. I’d written all the life-saving orders, probably close to 30 or 40 orders per patient. That task completed, I got up from my workstation to discover the two critical care nurses were still working on the fi rst patient — because that patient needed two nurses. But the second patient needed two nurses, too. I felt helpless. I’d written pages of orders — but I could do none of them. In that moment, I had the aha moment: Why do we put a patient in the hospital? Not because they need the doctor, but because they need the nurse. I could write the orders, but I could do none of them. The next morning, I went to see the hospital administrator. I expressed my concern that two patients had been at risk because of staffing. He sympathized and offered a solution should the situation be repeated. “Call another nurse.” He suggested I start with the nursing supervisor. It was good advice. When my dad was dying in the hospital, my mom asked me how I knew to do all the things I did for him I told her I had learned all those things from watching nurses take care of patients. Now, after nearly 15 years as a hospital-based internal medicine specialist, better known as a hospitalist, I realize my number one job was to help nurses take care of patients. Because I could do none of the orders I’d written, my daily rounding was not complete without making sure to communicate with each nurse caring for each patient. I came to understand that nurses were my eyes, ears, mouth — and sometimes even my soul — at the patient’s bedside when I could not be two places at once. It has been a privilege to team with nurses all these years. Nurses have been my best teachers. And thank you for lending me your stethoscope. It always worked as well as mine. +

I now realize my job is to help nurses do their job.

Kay Miller Temple is an internal medicine physician. She blogs at her self-titled site, Kay Miller Temple, MD.

THE M.E. Blog: AugustaRx.com/news

We so often celebrate the amazing accomplishments of the medical profession in the pages of this newspaper that we forget that, like any other profession, medicine has its bad apples. Really really bad apples. This publication offers ten chilling portraits of doctors (and nurses) who were apparently absent the day that the “First, do no harm” oath was administered. Serial Killer Doctor is a booklet really, at just 45 pages — and aren’t we glad? Imagine if someone could fi ll two or three hundred pages with accounts of serial killer physicians. 45 pages is plenty. If you like true crime books, you might like this one, and the price is right: it’s a free Kindle Unlimited download on Amazon (or via another option, $2.99). The list of killers begins with perhaps the worst: Nazi Germany’s “Angel of Death,” Dr. Josef Mengele — and in his case the title doctor seems completely undeserved. Under the guise of medical science and research, he performed ghastly experiments

on hundreds of victims whose only crime was the misfortune to land in the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz. There he tortured people with bizarre surgical experiments — amputations, chemical injections into the eye to see if eye color could be changed, sewing identical twins together to create Siamese twins — all performed without anesthesia, meanwhile sending others to a quick death for the most trivial of reasons. The book mentions one episode where the 750 women in a concentration

camp barracks were found to have head lice. Mengele’s treatment? Send all 750 to the gas chamber. Sadly, Mengele fled to South America after the war and was never brought to justice. He died in Brazil n 1979 at age 67. Other killers profi led in this Top Ten book include the British nurse Beverley Allitt, who attempted to kill 13 children ranging in age from 7 weeks to 11 years old over a 2month period in 1991. She was successful in four of the cases, injecting large doses of insulin into her young patients. Another killer was Jane Toppan, a Massachusetts nurse whose stated ambition in life was “to have killed more people — helpless people — than any other man or woman who ever lived.” She sent 31 people to early graves by injections of morphine or strychnine. This is a fascinating, disturbing, and mercifully brief book. + Serial Killer Doctor by Richard Berrington; 45 pages, published in April 2016 by Amazon Digital Services

Research News The Jennifer Aniston Cure Friends ‘better than morphine’ read the headline. That will certainly grab readers’ attention. As it turns out, the news is not of the Jennifer Aniston variety, although for some people (her friends) it is. No, the news is about friends of the uncapitalized sort, the kind we all have. An Oxford University study released late last month reports that people with more friends have a higher tolerance for pain. There is surely a joke in there someplace, but playing it straight, researchers believe that the connection is fairly simple, and it’s all tied in to endorphins, part of the body’s pain and pleasure circuitry. Endorphins are natural painkillers and their presence is a chemical signal of pleasure. In short, more friends equals more pleasure. More pleasure equals more endorphins. More endorphins equal less pain. It should be noted that the friends referenced in the study are actual living, breathing, 3-D

humans with whom we interact in our social network, not our social media network. There is a difference. Focus If you’re not interested, they’re not going to be either. That’s the conclusion of a study conducted at Indiana University which tracked the eye movements of parents or caregivers during playtime with infants and toddlers. When the adult’s attention wandered — looking at a smartphone, for example — so did the child’s. The net result may be raising children with shorter attention spans later in life, says the study. Sittercize Have you heard that word before? Some exercize programs for older adults who don’t have the strength and energy to stand employ seated aerobic exercizes. While that may be tailor-made for people of that age group, it’s not the best idea for younger people. A study by UT Southwestern

(Texas) published on April 27 says that a sedentary lifestyle is directly associated with coronary artery calcium, which in turn is associated with a higher risk of heart attack. That might be a bit yawnworthy — it doesn’t exactly break new ground — but what is attention-getting are the steps (feel free to take that literally) that can be taken to prevent trouble. Study authors say getting up for active breaks every hour — even if only one to five minutes — is important. It all adds up. The ultimate goal is to reduce sitting time by 1 to 2 hours per day. If that sounds like a lot, keep in mind that it can come in brief increments throughout the day, with perhaps a significant shot from a daily evening walk (see article, page 1). Even if the goal of adding as many as 2 hours a day to active, non-seated time seems unreachable, researchers emphasize that practically every minute we can be active is a step in the right direction. +

+ 12

MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS

THE MYSTERY WORD

by Dan Pearson

The film industry in I take it you Augusta really seems to haven’t heard my be taking off. big news.

You must be so excited.

I got a major part in a silent movie about mimes.

What?

The Mystery Word for this issue: AURTDAGE

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Droops 5. Human trafficker 11. Unhappy 14. Israeli dance 15. Woman who is a rogue 16. Kill Bill star 17. Free-spirited 19. Deep sleep letters 20. Offered 21. Levels 23. Remove water from a boat 24. Swindler (Yiddish) 26. Frustrate 29. An utter coward 32. Sounds at the National 33. Distinctive quality 34. Famous cartoon bear 35. Trauma pt. destinations 36. Female tiger 39. Tac leader 40. Behavioral disorder diagnosis, in brief 42. Former Soviet news service 43. Pet follower 45. Remove ions from 47. Large iron or steel beam 48. Type of urban pollution 49. Helper 50. Molten material 52. Inanimate 56. Common meal starter 57. Calamity; disaster 60. No longer an amateur 61. Hanging mass of ice 62. Without ice 63. Even (poet.) 64. Open-______ (like some shirts) 65. Precious stones

D M M S S I Y H R M I O T A

QUOTATION PUZZLE

Click on “READER CONTESTS”

E K F R S M H S Y V C C E E A E M N U E E L O S R A E A S T N

DOWN 1. Close 2. First-class 3. Broad smile 4. Ferry name? 5. Augusta weekly (with “The”) 6. Defamation 7. Sour 8. Large container 9. Before 10. ______ Blvd (in the medical district) 11. Confident; unlikely to slip 12. Prayer ender 13. Water barriers 18. Garrison, for one 22. Extremely 24. Pierces with horn 25. Exclamation of sorrow 26. Mill intro 27. Multitude 28. ____________ Road 29. _______ strings

— Sir Humphry Davy (1778 - 1829)

30. Pointed arch 31. More pleasant 33. Staring intently 37. Inflammatory suffix 38. Arachnid 41. Adverse fate 44. Soon, poetically 46. Nicotinic acid 47. Having special ability 49. Passageway 50. Brood 51. River in central Switzerland 52. Deficiency 53. Fencing sword 54. Fraud 55. Hardens 58. ______ bandage 59. Involuntary muscular contraction

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.

9 8

X A M I N E R

8 4

8 9

1 7

U D O K U

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

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle 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.

O 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4

P 1 2 3 4 5 6

E . 2 3

’

. 1 2 3 4

1 2

— Maya Angelou

1.ADGUMMPP 2.POOOGREE 3.SSEOOON 4.TTTPPW 5.LL 6.EE

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

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

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM 1

Solution p. 14

WORDS NUMBER

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

MAY 6, 2016

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

And the thought may very well be, “Seriously???” We’re looking for those things at the market or grocery store that make you think, “What is going on here?”

How many religious women does it take to screw in a light bulb? Nun. Why didn’t the Sun go to college? Because it already has a million degrees.

he 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance for getting something right, there’s a 90% probability you’ll get it wrong. A rebellious young man whose life was going down the wrong path was kicked out of the house by his parents, and with no other options available he was forced to move in with his grandmother. A few days later he reluctantly had to ask her, “Granny, have you seen my pills? They were labeled ‘LSD.’” “No, but have you seen the dragons in the kitchen?” Knock knock. Who’s there? To. To who? To whom.

What is the difference between a cat and a comma? One has claws at the end of its paws and the other is a pause and the end of a clause.

Some friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from men of God, the rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they refused. He went back a second time and again begged the friars to close. They ignored him. Since his mother attended their church he asked his mother to go and plead with the friars to close. They ignored her, too. Nothing worked, and the rival florist was about to go out of business. Finally he hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town, to persuade the brothers to close their shop. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he’d be back if they didn’t close up. Terrified, the friars closed their shop, thereby proving that Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars. Moe: What do you call an incognito deer? Joe: Jane Doe? What has 100 legs but can’t walk? 50 pairs of pants. Q: What is the difference between boogers and spinach? A: You can’t get your kids to eat spinach. +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner? Yes, organic gummy worms are now available.

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

Next time you see something on the grocery store shelf that’s a head-scratcher, whip out your phone, snap a picture and send it to: info@augustarx.com + +

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER

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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

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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-

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+ 14

MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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

...very cleverly hidden (on the building) in the p. 2 ad for THE J.B. WHITES BUILDING

ON THE ROAD TO BETTER HEALTH

Congratulations to KIMBERLY BRISCOE, who scores the current contents of the Medical Examiner goody bag. Sweet! Want to find your name here next issue? The new Mystery Word is on page 12. Start looking!

A PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE The Celebrated Editor’s note: Augusta writer Marcia Ribble wrote a long-time column in this paper entitled The Patient’s MYSTERY WORD CONTEST Perspective reincarnated in this new format. Feel free to contact her at marciaribble@hotmail.com ...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. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

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Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

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

AD COPY (one word per line; phone numbers MUST include the area code): .25

.50

.75

1.00

1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.25

3.50

3.75

4.00

4.25

4.50

4.75

5.00

5.25

5.50

5.75

6.00

6.25

6.50

6.75

7.00

7.25

7.50

7.75

8.00

8.25

8.50

8.75

9.00

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

Send this form with payment to:

AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER, PO BOX 397, AUGUSTA, GA 30903-0397

by Marcia Ribble The weather in Georgia has always been unpredictable, which is actually good, because it makes our weather predictable, in an unpredictable way. Most of our lives follow a similar, unpredictably predictable fashion. Because humans are conditioned to expect and look for religious, economic, relational, and physical security and stability in

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC. NEED A HOME SHORT-TERM? Fully furnished home avail June 1 through Sept 27. No children, no pets, no smoking. 5 miles from medical district. Call Richard: (706) 869-8770 WANTED Room / roommate on The Hill, downtown, Martinez, West Augusta, or North Augusta. I can pay $100 - 150 per week or $400 - 600 per month. I’m a clean, trustworthy, business oriented, 52 yr old, social drinking, single male. You can CALL me between 11:00 am - 11:00 pm @ (706) 251-5554 I will pay a $20 - 50 referral if you know of someone looking for a good roommate or already has a place and I move in. Thanks. POND VIEW! Evans all-brick 2-story with solar panels. Avg. electric bill $170 in Northwood, 3,400 sqft. Call 1-800401-0257, ext. 0043 24/7 for price and details. AUGUSTAGAHOMESEARCH.COM Foreclosures • MLS • Builders • Rentals (706) 564-5885 HOUSEBOAT FOR SALE Tradewinds Marina, 30 minutes from Augusta. Live at the lake - or have a second home there with NO grass to mow! Recently upgraded. $65,000 Text me at (803) 640-9732 for pics

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Total ad cost by number of words as shown above: $ Multiply by number of times ad to run: x Total submitted: $

The Augusta Medical Examiner publishes on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. Your ad should reach us no later than 7 days prior to our publication date.

our lives, aging tends to go straight ahead and break all the old rules we grew up with, if they haven’t already been demolished by now. One of my rules grew from living in a family where people were expected to remain together for life once they were married. My expectations grew from many years as a child and an adult where I didn’t know of a single couple who were divorced—regardless of

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the circumstances within the marriage, so, despite drunkenness, spousal abuse, angry fights, and years of infidelity, couples that married stayed together. For me that rule was broken in 1982 when my husband looked up from March Madness to tell me he wanted a divorce. Whoa! Was that ever unexpected! We had five children. I was obtaining, but hadn’t completed my BA Please see ON THE ROAD page 15

THE PUZZLE SOLVED S

M A

H W A

N I

FISHING CLUB wants more grey-haired members. Meet 2nd Thurs of month at Harbor Inn Restaurant, 12 noon. “Adventure Before Dementia” Info: (706) 736-8753 or (706) 829-1729 PET CARE in Martinez-Evans area. Dogs to 40 lbs, $9.00. Cats (1-3), $9.00 For interview/information, phone 706-8291729

M A

S P

E S

SEE PAGE 12

QUOTATION QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: “I have learned more from my mistakes than my successes.”

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— Sir Humphrey Davy

The Sudoku Solution 4

WORDS BY NUMBER “Most people don’t grow up. Most people age.” — Maya Angelou

MAY 6, 2016

15 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

ON THE ROAD… from page 14 in English—as a writer for whom there were no jobs available. I was an expert in changing and washing and folding diapers. I excelled at cooking, making jam, and baking scrumptious apple and pumpkin pies. Those years of raising the children alone were rough ones, even after I completed my degree. Then the unpredictability kicked in. A counselor recommended that I apply for the Communication program at Michigan State University. I did, and shortly had my Master’s Degree. I transferred to the University of Utah and got all but Comprehensive Exams and Dissertation completed there. I left Utah and went to the U of Alabama, Tuscaloosa for a short while, then my dad died and I went back to Michigan. Life was a little better then. I found lots of jobs teaching part-time at McDonaldized colleges and universities. I had to work really hard at several institutions

to support the children, but I didn’t mind the hard work. I was teaching English and Communication classes, and making about $20,000 a year teaching six or seven courses a term with 30 or so students per class. Despite how hard the work was, I enjoyed those years and became known as someone who could help students surmount less than optimal backgrounds, kids known as basic readers and writers. My colleagues began to support me and push me to go back to State to get my PhD in English, with a Specialization in Basic Writing, only the second student at Michigan State with that major. I learned in those years that the unpredictable of life can mean good things as well as tribulation and fear of the unknown. That knowledge is translating today into a more positive, healthier set of expectations to live by. +

FREE … from page 16 muscle. These include: • Lunges • Squats • Push-ups • Crunches • Jumping jacks • Leg or arm raises To make sure you use proper form, go to the online exercise library at the American Council on Exercise. They also have sample workout routines you can try. Look for low-cost fitness options Many sports and activities are free or cost little to begin with. Don’t be this guy. • Free classes. Many cities and towns offer free fitness classes for the public. Check your local paper

or look online to find out what’s available in your area. Older adults may find inexpensive classes at a local senior center. • Use local courts. Most communities have public basketball and tennis courts. • Go swimming. Find a local pool or lake and go for a swim. • Try other low-cost options. Try iceskating, jogging, hiking, volleyball, or in-line skating. Even cycling is affordable if you dust off an old bike or buy one used. + — Source: National Institutes of Health

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY DERMATOLOGY

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

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

DIABETES WOUND CARE

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

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

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

Aiyan Diabetes Center “A Comprehensive Diabetes Clinic” Dr. Janaki Nadarajah, DPM 706-868-0319 462 Furys Ferry Road

DRUG REHAB Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd. Floss ‘em or lose ‘em! Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048 Steven L. Wilson, DMD Family Dentistry 4059 Columbia Road Martinez 30907 706-863-9445

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 tens of thousands of patients every month. Literally! Call (706) 860-5455 for all the details

FAMILY MEDICINE

F. E. Gilliard MD, Family Medicine 4244 Washington Road Evans, GA 30809 706-760-7607 Industrial Medicine • Prompt appts. Urgent MD Augusta: 706-922-6300 Grovetown: 706-434-3500 Thomson: 706-595-7825 Primary Care Rates

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

PHARMACY

SENIOR LIVING

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

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

TRANSPORTATION Caring Man in a Van Wheelchair-Stretcher Transports • Serving Augusta Metro 855-342-1566 www.CaringManinaVan.com

VEIN CARE

Medical Center West Pharmacy 465 North Belair Road Evans 30809 Vein Specialists of Augusta 706-854-2424 G. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com 501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907 706-854-8340 Parks Pharmacy www.VeinsAugusta.com 437 Georgia Ave. N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

PSYCHIATRY Psych Consultants 2820 Hillcreek Dr Augusta 30909 (706) 410-1202 www.psych-consultants.com

WEIGHT LOSS Medical Weight & Wellness Specialists of Augusta Maycie Elchoufi, MD 108 SRP Drive, Suite B Evans 30809 • 706-829-9906 YourWeightLossDoctor.com

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MAY 6, 2016

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Join the gym that’s free of charge You don’t need a pricey gym membership or fancy equipment to get regular exercise. With a little creativity, you can find many ways to exercise for little or no money. If you have heart disease or diabetes, be sure you check with your doctor before starting to exercise. Take a walk Walking is one of the easiest and least expensive forms of exercise. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes. Walking gives you a great workout that you can tailor to your own fitness level. Plus, you can find many ways to add walking to you day: • Walk the dog • Walk with your kids, family, or friends • Do a mall walk in bad weather • Walk to work, or get off the bus or subway early and walk part of the way • Take a walk at lunch or on your work break • Walk to errands and

appointments • Join a walking club Just make sure you are walking fast enough to benefit your health. If you can talk, but not sing your favorite lyrics, you’re walking at a moderate pace. Start at this pace, and go faster as you get fitter. You can also buy a pedometer that will track your steps. Many will calculate calories burned and distance, too. Create a home gym You don’t need expensive exercise gear and equipment to have a home gym. By making the most of what you already have, you can work out at home without breaking the bank. • Use cans or bottles as weights. Make your own weights by using canned goods or by filling used soda bottles with water or sand. • Make your own resistance bands. Old nylons or tights make great substitutes for resistance bands. • Use chairs and stools. Chairs

can work as props for doing certain exercises, such as leg lifts. A low, sturdy stool can be used for step training. • Hit the stairs. Who needs a stair machine when you have the old-fashioned kind in your house? You can create your own stair workout by walking up and down your stairs. Play some music to keep you going, and increase your workout by a song each time. • Get fitness DVDs or video games. Look for used copies or

borrow them from your local • Use technology. Need a little library. help planning your workouts • Look for used equipment. or staying motivated? Use If you have a little money to smart phone apps or computer spend, you can find deals on programs to help you plan and used fitness equipment at yard track your workouts. Many sales and thrift shops. are free, and some cost just a • Invest in cheaper fitness small amount of money. items. Buying a few small Use your own body weight fitness tools can help you vary Whether you work out your workout. A fitness ball indoors at home or outdoors, can help strengthen your abs there are many exercises you can do that use your own and improve your balance. body weight to help you tone Use a jump rope for a great cardio workout. Continued inside. See FREE page 15

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