Sept4 15

F RE E!

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HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS

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

7 WAYS to make back-to-school healthier

1. Here at Medical Examiner world headquarters in Augusta we are often amazed by how many adults skip breakfast. Who does not know this is the most important meal of the day??? Eat the breakfast of champions, my friends! And especially do not let kids skip breakfast! Even a breakfast drink is better than nothing and may improve your child’s school behavior and grades. Cereal and milk and fruit is even better! It’s quicker and healthier than the fast-food drive-thru, too.

2. Packing a lunch for the little monsters? As we all know, kids love bright colors. So put color on the menu, and we don’t mean M&Ms. (Not that there’s anything wrong with

Bright Clothing

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M&Ms.) How about oranges and grapes and apples and natural cheese and whole grain crackers and carrots?

3. Very few kids get enough sleep. For the 3 to 6 year-old age group, the prescription is 10-12 hours per night. From age 7 to 12, it’s still 10 to 11 hours nightly. For teenagers 8-9 hours of sleep is the recommended dose. (See Research News on page 11 for more about kids and sleep.)

4. Related to the foregoing, video games, televisions, smart phones, computers, ear buds, headphones and other electronic paraphernalia are enemies of sleep and should be off well before bedtime. Have charging stations in a common area like the kitchen rather than a child’s bedroom.

5. Learning good dental health habits does not come automatically, but teaching them to your kids pays a lifetime of benefits.

6. Tender young trees are not great places to build treehouses, and the small and growing frames of little children are likewise not good places for heavy loads.

How much does your child’s backpack weigh? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that backpacks should weigh no more than 10-20 percent of the child’s body weight.

7. What? Your dog has had all its shots, but not your child? That situation needs fixing pronto. Talk to your pediatrician about flu shots for your kids. Literally millions of school days are lost every year, up to half of them from the flu. +

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

BeSAFE SEEN Front Reflector Front Light Wheel Reflectors

Pedal Reflectors

I CALL BS!

It was barely four months ago in this newspaper in this very spot that an article featured some pointers in observation of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. It was noted that when another vehicle causes a motorcycle accident, the most common culprit is that vehicle pulling out or turning left in front of a motorcycle going straight.

Unfortunately, less than one week later former Georgia state senator Joey Brush was killed when a car pulled out directly into the path of his motorcycle.

Let us hope something similar doesn’t happen after this article.

The general vicinity of that accident — Patriots Park, Columbia Road, Baker Place Road, Louisville Road, the rural stretches of Wrightsboro Road — is also a mecca for area bicycle riders.

Last week just minutes after sunset, a roving reporter for the Medical Examiner was driving west past Patriots Park. The road there climbs a gentle hill into — on that evening at that time of day — a brilliant sunset.

Just below the horizon in the oncoming downhill lanes that evening were several bike riders. These were not casual riders. They were on expensive bikes. They wore helmets and wraparound shades and spandex. Clearly they knew better, yet they were virtually invisible below the horizon against the flaming sunset.

It was easy to see how a driver could turn left directly in front of them without ever seeing them. And speeding downhill as they were, evading or avoiding a collision would have been difficult.

They had red flashing strobes for traffic approaching them from behind, but nothing to make themselves visible to oncoming traffic.

I call BS! Be Safe! Be Seen! From the back and the front. +

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

BETTER BUSINESS

HEALTHIER BUSINESS

by Russell T. Head, CBC, CSA EXEMPT, NON-EXEMPT, CONTRACTOR OR INTERN Worker Classifications and Why They Matter

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ver the summer, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued new guidance and proposed regulations that could significantly affect how businesses classify and pay their workers.

While it may have been a Russell Head while since these issues were visited by many employers, the coming months will be a good time to review and update the policies and practices regarding worker classifications in your organization.

Let’s look at the various classifications of workers, and how the changes will affect each one.

Independent Contractors Sometimes an employee isn’t an employee at all. An independent contractor is one who offers special skills for a fee, but retains control over how and when the work is done. The use of independent

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 contractors is attractive to employers because neither taxes, benefits nor workers compensation insurance premiums are owed for these workers.

New DOL guidance was issued on July 15, 2015 that narrows the definition for these workers, suggesting the use of the much more subjective six-factor economic realities test in determining worker status. Employers are urged to research the more restrictive criteria to be sure all independent contractors are properly classified.

Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees Once it is determined that a worker is in fact an employee, they must be further categorized as either exempt (i.e., exempt from overtime) or non-exempt. New proposed regulations provided by the DOL in June suggest a revision of the rules for the “white collar exemptions” defined in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Specifically, the proposed rule seeks (1) to increase the salary requirement to be considered exempt from about $23,000 to as much as $50,000 per year, and (2) to apply automatic annual salary requirement updates. The deadline for commenting on these proposals ended September 4, 2015.

Final regulations are expected perhaps as soon as early 2016, and will become effective sometime after that.

Unpaid Interns A last category of workers

to be examined is that of unpaid interns. Interns are generally permitted to work in government and nonprofit organizations without compensation. However, forprofit employers are allowed a very limited exception for unpaid interns who are in training, ideally as part of a formal educational program, and who receive the primary benefit from the internship program. Recent rulings from the court system indicate that employers are having a harder time qualifying their unpaid workers as true interns.

Information on the criteria for these workers can be found on the DOL’s website.

Bottom line: while receiving “free labor” or the avoidance of paying overtime or benefits may seem appealing, prudent employers will carefully classify and compensate their workers to stay well within the current law and to avoid any potential clashes with the Department of Labor. + www.dol.gov www.irs.gov www.healthcare.gov http://www.oci.ga.gov/ http://www.doi.sc.gov/ Russell T. Head is President/ Managing Partner with Group & Benefits Consultants, Inc., Augusta’s largest, privately held, locally owned employee benefits consulting firm. He can be reached at 706-733-3459 or rthead@gandbc.com. Visit Group & Benefits Consultants at www. groupandbenefits.com.

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

What’s your story?

Nearly all of us — even doctors and nurses — are sometimes patients. Perhaps you were recently injured playing your favorite sport, or years ago you somehow got hurt without even leaving your favorite recliner. Maybe you were diagnosed with a dreaded disease, mugged in a dark and lonely parking lot, or you stubbed your toe in the safety of your own bedroom. On the other hand, perhaps you needed medical attention 5,000 miles from home. Whatever your medical experience, we’d like to hear your story for our Medicine in the First Person feature. It can be frightening or funny, ordinary or extraordinary, just a few paragraphs long or quite a lengthy tale, bylined or anonymous. We’ll publish your encounters with the medical profession as often as we receive them. +

Everything you need.

Send your submissions for Medicine in the First Person to the Augusta Medical Examiner via e-mail: info@AugustaRx.com or to PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397. (The Medical Examiner reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission at its sole discretion.)

AUGUSTA

One family of providers.

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MEDICAL EXAMINER

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AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

www.AugustaRx.com

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2541 Milledgeville Road, Augusta, GA • (706) 738-2581

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.

Services offered in the Augusta area:

Submit editorial content to graphicadv@knology.net Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to:

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Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com Augusta Medical Examiner photography: H + D Photography www.handdphoto.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor.

The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2015 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

#6 IN A SERIES

OLD NEWS

Who is this?

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POINTS OF INTEREST TO FORMER KIDS

by Trisha Whisenhunt, Senior Citizens Council

CHILD-PROOF CAPS ARE THE LEAST OF OUR WORRIES

I

ou are looking at the man who discovered that bacteria could cause human disease — and he made this discovery surprisingly recently: 1873.

His name was Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen, and he lived and worked much of his career in Norway. In fact, he was born and practiced medicine in Bergen, which turned out to be a key element in shaping his medical research.

Hansen was born July 29, 1841, and by 1866 was an Oslo medical school graduate. After an internship at the National Hospital in Oslo, Hansen returned to Bergen in 1868 and began to study leprosy as an assistant to the top expert on the topic, Dr. Daniel Danielssen. Danielssen had published a major work on leprosy in 1847, and his work helped establish Bergen as the center of European leprosy research. Even so, the prevailing wisdom of the day held that leprosy was a hereditary disease. Others believed its cause was the convenient culprit of the era, “miasma.”

Hansen, on the other hand, became convinced that leprosy was caused by a bacterium that transmitted the disease from person to person. That may not sound exactly revolutionary in 2015, but at the time bacteria had never been identified as the source of any disease.

That changed when, as mentioned above, Hansen peered through a microscope one day in 1873 and identified rod-shaped bodies (Mycobacterium leprae, sometimes called Hansen’s bacillus) which he suspected were the bacteria that caused leprosy.

There was just one problem — well, two, actually. For starters, Hansen was not able to culture the bacteria. That made laboratory research difficult if not impossible, and thwarted attempts to develop a vaccine. In addition, a German researcher with whom Hansen had shared his research in 1879 claimed in 1880 to have discovered M. leprae, actively discrediting Hansen and diverting his attention from research to a conflict that lasted years.

Speaking of years, the fault in failing to grow M. leprae bacteria in a culture medium was not Hansen’s: it took nearly a century before anyone accomplished the feat. And the fact that Hansen’s disease is today the preferred name for leprosy says the verdict of history gives him the proper credit for his groundbreaking discovery: bacteria cause disease.

Early on in Hansen’s research, Norway alone had (depending on the source of data) as many as 3,000 cases of leprosy. The number had fallen to just 575 by 1901. Today Norway sees only one to two cases per year.

Hansen died February 12, 1912 in Florø, Norway, at age 70. +

n 1982, Johnson & Johnson had a major crisis on its hands when it was discovered that someone had tampered with Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules, lacing them with cyanide. Seven people died.

The company did a massive recall of more than 31 million bottles of the pain reliever at a cost of $100 million.

Fast forward 33 years. You are admitted to the hospital, hooked up to an IV line and administered an appropriate drug for your condition.

Everything is fine until the drug pump is sabotaged by a computer hacker who can and does lower or raise your drug dosage at will.

A drug pump called Symbiq made by Hospira, a company based in Costa Rica, has units in hospitals, nursing homes and healthcare facilities across the U.S., all of whom have been warned by the FDA to stop using these pumps.

Hospira no longer makes the devices, but they are still being used according to the FDA, which “strongly encourages healthcare facilities to begin transitioning to alternative

infusion systems as soon as possible.” The agency warned about similar vulnerabilities to other Hospira pumps last May. The FDA was alerted by an independent researcher that Hospira’s pumps can be accessed through wireless networks. This allows an unauthorized user — a hacker — to control the device and change the dosage the pump delivers. In 2012, the U.S. Government Accountability Office warned that medical devices are susceptible and should be closely tracked.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are aware of the Hospira pump’s vulnerability. A spokesperson for Hospira stated they are working with U.S. authorities: “We have worked with them to deploy an update to the pump configuration to close access ports and put additional cybersecurity protections in

place.”

This is evilness in its purest form. There is no tangible gain.

The hacker will not benefit financially or by receipt of goods; no fame, respect or good will. This is done for the sole purpose of harming another human being - harming them not for revenge or a debt owed but just because they can.

Who would conceive such an idea and act on it? It could be terrorists, the mentally ill, or computer hackers looking for a challenge. Hiding behind a computer screen they don’t see the victims as flesh and blood.

It’s just a game. It’s sick, twisted and cowardly. Stopping it is going to be an on-going battle.

The Bible warns of the Beast.

We have always thought of this evil figure as manifesting itself in human form. It may just be the technology we created for ourselves instead.

While taking responsibility for our own healthcare, we now need to ask where the pump that is regulating our intravenous medications was manufactured. As patients we have the right to ask any questions regarding our care, but very often questions are met with body language that clearly sends the message that they aren’t welcome. Ignore that and keep asking.

With this threat and all other aspects of our healthcare being vulnerable due to technological dependence, we have to be more vocal. Speaking up will help achieve the changes required to ensure patient safety. +

MYTH OF THE MONTH It’s dangerous to wake up a sleep-walker As the medical myth goes, a sleep-walker could have a heart attack if you try to wake them up.

Not a likely scenario.

But let’s think about this for a moment. How deeply would you have to be sleeping to be able to walk around the house, even go outside —and in rare cases, drive off in your car — all while sound asleep?

The answer: very.

So it’s not usually very easy to wake up a sleep-walker. But neither is it a good idea to let them roam around while being for all practical purposes unconscious. Injuries could occur.

In fact, people trying to wake up sleepwalkers have been injured. Sleep-walkers can be

extremely disoriented and possibly aggressive when awakened from such deep sleep.

You might be too if you went to bed safe and sound and woke up in your next-door neighbor’s front yard.

Sleep experts say the best response is to try to gently and safely guide them back to bed. If that’s unsuccessful, the next best option is to stay with them to make sure they avoid dangerous objects and situations, like falling down the stairs or trying to cook while sound asleep. + — by F. E. Gilliard, MD, Family Medicine 639 13th St Augusta, GA 30901 706-823-5250

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW res? k good eno r skin can ugh cer? son.”

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ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED SIDE EFFECTS OF VIAGRA

ll of you have seen the Viagra TV ad, the one with Howlin’ Wolf moaning in the background.

It contains a directive that you should consult your doctor to determine if you are healthy enough to have sex.

Nobody is supposed to take that seriously, right? Not all that medical-legal mumbojumbo.

I’m willing to bet money that no doctor has ever had an older man come in and say, “Doc, I have a hot young thing just dying to tear my clothes off and perform acts heretofore only attempted by professional trapeze artists.

Do you think I’m healthy enough for sex?”

He’s going to take the chance of getting a medical recommendation to give up sex for health reasons? Yeah.

Right.

No way, Jose. He’s thinking: I ain’t gonna live much longer anyway. I have more aches and k

pains than a scalded house cat has got running gears. So why not get some industrial strength horizontal refreshments while I can? Why not go out with a smile on my face? Bring it on, sweet thing!

Well, Dear Hearts, wipe that grin off your faces and consider the following: Recently there was a radio news report about a man whose wife died a couple years back. Once he emerged from the depression of losing his wife, he started reliving his youth in his mind. A spark rekindled below his belt. He asked his doctor for some Viagra.

A couple nights later, he engaged the services of a prostitute because he did not want a relationship with a woman that his children might see as a replacement of their mother. In the height of passion, he aspirated his false teeth. While the young lady had many skills, CPR and the FREE T AKE-H OME C OPY!

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MEDICAL EXAMINER

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t s e B Heimlich Maneuver were not among them.

The children buried him three days later. He was 75.

The Lady of the Night did not attend. Children never want see a mysterious younger woman crying at Dad’s funeral. And she was younger: a youthful 63.

Then in a second case, there was another man whose wife had died. His children engaged a cleaning lady once a week to make the house livable. Pretty soon, the cleaning lady suggested that she could, and would, perform other more thrilling services for the widower. The children need not know about the secondary arrangement.

HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS

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times began.

However, the sister act was more than his cerebral vasculature could withstand.

He stroked and is in a nursing home now. The cleaning lady duo is out of work, at least temporarily.

What do we learn from these two cases, Dear Hearts?

That there really are good reasons to read the handout from the pharmacy about the side effects of medicines. The same drug can make a man stand up. Temporarily. Or lie down. Permanently.

Also that you really should be forthcoming with your doctor about exactly what you are doing, even in your most private moments.

It could be a matter of your life versus your death. +

The man got some Viagra from his doctor and was thoroughly entertained by the cleaning lady. He rewarded her appropriately with a suitable bonus. It became a weekly thing. Soon, she suggested that he might like for her sister to come with her the next time for even more thrilling escapades. The French call it a manage a trio, she said. How lucky can one man get?

The next week, both sisters showed up with their imaginations, not to mention their pheromones, running wild.

They had drinks. He loaded up with two of those blue magic Viagra 100 mg caplets.

(Let’s see. One woman: one caplet. Therefore, two women: two caplets, right? Well, it made sense at the time.) His blood re-pooled, and the good

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 706-306-9397.

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are learned Eating habits not intuitive. they’re to behaviors; children learn Pritam Singh So what your in life sticks Examiner by at home early Augusta Medical – by Alex Daitch eat them well into adulthood.

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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The Short White Coat I

by Jasmine Rivas

walked into my parents’ room and said, “we need to talk.” Over the course of 26 years, my parents had heard those words several times before. This time, hearing “I applied and got accepted to medical school in the Caribbean” just five months before my start date for a graduate health professional program was not what they expected. Nevertheless, they acknowledged the sincerity in my voice and supported my decision. Five months later I moved to Saint Kitts in the West Indies.

A year and a half prior to applying to University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts, I was a recent college grad, working full-time at my parents’ pediatric clinic, and unsure as to which direction to take, which was out of character for me. Even in elementary school, I told my mother I wanted to help people and

WE’RE BEGGING YOU!

be a doctor. In high school, I excelled in Anatomy and knew I wanted to pursue the highest level of medical knowledge and expertise. After admission into the Honors Dual B.A./D.O. program at Nova Southeastern University, I felt confident about my ability to excel.

Throughout the next few years as a young college student, I struggled with personal circumstances that temporarily impeded me from achieving my goal. In retrospect, I realized that I subconsciously began to believe I was not meant to become a physician because I could not carry what felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders, and simultaneously perform academically at a competitive level. My undergraduate adviser suggested I pursue a career as a health care professional outside of medicine. I did not agree. I applied to U.S. medical schools across the board and was denied interviews.

I began to research different health care professional

programs and decided to take an entrance exam for a program of interest. After researching for the best test prep book, I met with a local seller of used textbooks. Her name was Kristen Biggie and she was two weeks short of moving to Saint Kitts for medical school at UMHS. She planted a seed that day that changed my life. I moved to Saint Kitts the following year.

UMHS has provided me with a second chance to give 100% academically and discover my potential.

Is medical school challenging?

Yes. Have I been pushed to new limits? Yes. However, I always remind myself of how strongly I desired to be right where I am and how grateful I am for this experience. I went to Saint Kitts with the intention of putting my academic career first, and despite any obstacles I successfully completed my basic sciences and was able to sit for my first medical board exam.

Having the privilege to

A med student’s notebook complete my first set of clinical rotations in Augusta, a city that thrives on medical excellence, sweet tea, and some of the best chicken I have ever tasted, is a true pleasure! My intention is to continue to learn medicine, share some of what I learn with you and become active in improving its practice once I graduate. Thank you for stopping by. See you next month! + Jasmine Rivas, doing a pediatric rotation in Augusta, is a third year medical student at University of Medicine and Health Sciences and will be offering insight into medicine today from the perspective of a medical student. Feel free to contact her with questions or feedback: jrivas@umhs-sk.net

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Be it resolved...

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re you a New Year’s resolution fan?

Or a resolution hater?

Both sides in this annual discussion have their valid points.

On the negative side, by the time you read this many carefully made resolutions may have already slipped a little.

Statistically, by this date (January 9) 25 percent of all resolutions have already gone down in flames; that many usually fail within the first week. By the six-month mark the failure rate is about half. And by this time next year, the wreckage of 88 percent of all those shiny new intentions of last week’s New Year’s Day 2015 will lie strewn across the landscape.

On the plus side, that means a fairly decent 12 percent of all resolutions are achieved after a full year.

Building on that positive note, making New Year’s resolutions is evidence of one of the finest aspects of human nature — that we continuously evaluate ourselves and constantly strive to improve, to be better husbands or wives, better moms and dads, better employees, better bosses, and just better human beings.

The typical resolutions reflect those basic desires: the #1 resolution every year is always some form of better health. Lose weight. Get more exercise. Eat less junk food or fast food. Eat less, period. Quit smoking. Drink less, or quit altogether.

-HOM E CO P Y! TM

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JANUARY 9, 2015

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Achievable

You really can’t fault anyone for such noble goals. After all, health is the ultimate wealth. It’s the currency that makes every other endeavor in life possible.

Speaking of currency, improving finances is, broadly speaking, the second most popular resolution category.

Common examples include establishing and/or sticking to a budget; saving more; cutting impulse buys; getting a better job, a raise, or a promotion.

The third-most common resolutions might be categorized as self-improvement: read more; temper control/ anger management; reduce or manage stress; watch less TV; get more education: learn a new language, skill, or hobby; improve your marriage and other personal relationships, and so forth.

All of these are worthy goals. They are well worth pursuing, even if that means getting past occasional setbacks.

Since failure is always an option, it’s good to expect it and be ready to keep making progress. There is nothing magical about January 1. If you haven’t made some kind of self-improvement goal, it’s never too late. If you’ve started and failed already, restarts are always allowed.

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MEDICINE IN THE FIRST PERSON Everybody has a story.

Tell us yours!

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

AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING. Prefer paper? We’re all over town. If you prefer our digital version, we’re all over the world. The Medical Examiner is always available on your favorite device at ISSUU.COM/ MEDICALEXAMINER or at the Medical Examiner blog (www.AugustaRx.com/news) on issue dates. Click directly from any Examiner page directly to websites listed in ads and articles. You can easily view back issues, too. +

Read the Examiner — and lots more — online at AugustaRx.com/news

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

7+

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Southern Girl Eats Clean

Shortcut Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Several years ago when I made a change in my diet and decided to leave off gluten, processed foods with artificial ingredients, preservatives and most dairy, it was a bit difficult at times to find a cleaner version of some of our favorite foods at the supermarket.

I remember one particular weeknight when I had bean enchiladas on the menu. I went to the pantry to grab a can of the enchilada sauce that I typically used for this dish. I was still getting used to reading labels at this point, but I turned the can around to find out exactly what was in this sauce. To my surprise... there were all sorts of unclean ingredients.

Preservatives and sweeteners and gluten. You wouldn’t think that a tomato sauce would have gluten would you? Not a product that I wanted to pour over my enchiladas.

So, at this point I had to figure out something else. I had a few items on hand.... All-natural, plain marinara sauce, organic chopped tomatoes, a small can of organic chopped green chilies. I had all of the ingredients for a perfect enchilada sauce.

Stir to mix with other marinara sauce (I used Rao’s This recipe is the same ingredients. brand sauce) one that I still use for our 5. Add the chipotle seasoning, • 1 can of chopped tomatoes enchiladas now. It’s perfect smoked paprika and cayenne (I like Muir Glen brand), for any southwestern type pepper to the enchilada sauce. slightly drained meal where a tomato sauce is 6. Simmer on low for 10-15 • 1 4 oz. can of chopped required. So quick and easy to minutes. green chilies put together and much more 7. Remove from heat and use • 1 tsp. of Mrs. Dash brand flavorful than any canned, Southwest Chipotle seasoning in your favorite southwestern pre-made enchilada sauce style dish or.... store in the • 1⁄2 tsp. of smoked paprika you can buy. You can also rest refrigerator in an air tight • 1⁄2 tsp. of cayenne pepper assured that there are no fake glass container for 7-10 days.

• Sea salt or Real Salt brand ingredients, preservatives or Hint: if you prefer a and cracked black pepper to gluten in this sauce. smoother sauce you may use taste Enjoy! a handheld emulsion blender Directions: to purée the sauce, or simply NOTE: When purchasing pre- 1. In a medium sauce pan, let it cool a bit and place in a made marinara sauce, always heat the olive oil over blender. + look for a brand that has no medium heat. preservatives, processed 2. Add the chopped onion Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog ingredients, minimal sugars and garlic to the olive oil www.southerngirleatsclean.com and is all natural/organic. and cook until softened.

She is a working wife and mother Approximately 3-5 minutes. living in Evans, Ingredients: 3. Add the chopped green Georgia. Visit her • 1 Tbsp. of olive oil chilies to the pan and stir blog for more recipes • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed well. and information on • 1⁄2 cup of yellow onion, 4. Reduce heat to medium/ clean eating. chopped fine low and pour in the marinara • 1 jar of all natural plain sauce and chopped tomatoes.

Shortcut Homemade Enchilada Sauce

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

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

Plus... 800+ doctors offices throughout the area for staff and waiting rooms, as well as many nurses stations and waiting rooms of area hospitals.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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

MEDICARE PATIENTS: IT’S TIME TO CHOOSE

E

ach year for Medicare, like most other insurance plans, there is an open enrollment period. This is the time of the calendar year when you can enroll in a new plan or make changes to your current plan. For Medicare that time is coming up soon, so now is the time to start doing your research. There are two main options for Medicare prescription coverage. These are Part C (a Medicare Advantage Plan) which is a combination of health and prescription coverages; and Part D, which is a prescription plan that adds onto your original Medicare Parts A and B. Medicare Part A covers hospital charges while Part B covers outpatient charges such as doctors, labs and outpatient tests. Part B also covers diabetic testing supplies and inhalant solutions, in addition to diabetic shoes. For Part C, a private insurer takes over the Part A and B portions of Medicare in addition to providing prescription coverage for the Medicare recipient. Part D allows the recipient to keep the federal government administered Parts A and B with its traditional 80 percent payments and its 20 percent patient copays. The private insurer in these cases only provides prescription coverage. The Part D program is famous for its coverage gap or doughnut hole. This feature of all Medicare Part D plans is slowly being eliminated, but is currently still a thorn in many Medicare patient’s sides. The plan provides for a deductible period like standard commercial insurance plans, then payments split between the patient and plan thereafter.

After a certain level of expenses are incurred by the patient and the insurance plan, there follows a period where the patient is responsible for a large portion if not all of the costs of their medicines.

So how does a Medicare recipient control their costs? Research.

The open enrollment period for Medicare starts mid-October and continues until the first week of December. During this period a recipient can enroll in or change their Medicare prescription

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plan. The Medicare website (www.medicare.gov) has a plan comparison tool that allows all Medicare prescription plans to be compared side by side. You can compare both Part D and Medicare Advantage plans on this website. You start by answering a few questions about how you got coverage and which pharmacy you use. Then you enter your list of medicines complete with the dosages and dosing schedules. The website then ranks all plans by any one of several measures, of which the most common is annual out of pocket expenditure. Each of the private insurer’s plans are listed here and there are separate listings for deductible and no-deductible versions of the insurance plan. The plans are also identified by which medicines are covered and which tier each medicine is listed on for each plan. Lower tiers carry lower copays so this is helpful information.

For example, for insurance company A all but one drug is covered and most are on tiers one and two. This could be more or less costly than a plan that covers all of your medicines but have more tier three copays. Work with your pharmacy to see what the cash pay costs of your medicines are and combine that with the plan comparison report from Medicare.

Part C plans can be more or less costly than other Medicare options, so be careful here. Start with the prescription comparison detailed above and then continue with Part C plans on the Medicare website. Look into costs of doctor’s visits and hospital stays in addition to any other outpatient procedures you may have performed.

As you can see, the possibilities can be practically endless in trying to figure out which is the least expensive while being the best care for a Medicare plan. Also check with your providers about which Medicare plans they do and do not accept.

Plan ahead! Good luck! + Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson. Questions, comments and article ideas can be sent by email to cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Ask a Dietitian POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME WHAT IT IS AND NUTRITION’S ROLE IN ITS TREATMENT

by Rachel Johanek, MS, RD, LD Georgia Regents University Cancer Center Have you ever heard of PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome? Unless you or someone close to you has this condition, the chances are slim that you have. That’s ironic considering that PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder, affecting 6-10% of women across the globe, and is the leading cause of ovulatory infertility. An estimated $4 billion dollars is spent annually in the US alone to identify and manage PCOS. Yet it is a condition that people don’t know much about.

September is National PCOS Awareness Month, making this is the perfect time for everyone to education themselves and their loved ones on it. So what is it?

PCOS is a hormone imbalance that causes an increase of testosterone and decrease of estrogen and progestin in women.

This can result in multiple fertility complications, such as irregular periods, miscarriage, and infertility. It even increases risk for breast and uterine cancer. In addition to all this, 50-70% of women with PCOS have higher insulin and its resulting insulin resistance. This is a precursor to developing diabetes and can lead to (often rapid) weight gain, and elevated cholesterol.

It can also make it harder to lose weight. There are higher rates of anxiety and depression for PCOS patients as well.

As you can see, PCOS is complex and multifaceted, and can greatly impact the health and wellbeing of those with

the condition. However, there are ways to manage it and improve quality of life. How? First, and foremost, diagnosis is critical; many go years before being correctly diagnosed. PCOS can be diagnosed by several specialists or a primary care doctor, but is commonly diagnosed by gynecologists.

There are different tests and lab work that can be done to identify a patient, depending on age and symptoms. Once the condition is identified, different medications are commonly prescribed, again depending on the circumstances. Before starting medications do some research on your own and come to your doctor with questions about other options available.

One of the best ways to address several PCOS symptoms is through diet and exercise. Several studies have shown that modest weight loss of 5-10% of initial body weight improves several aspects of PCOS. However, there is no one diet type that is best for all PCOS patients. In general, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, swapping out processed grains like white bread for whole grains like brown rice or quinoa, and reducing added sugar intake are great ways to improve ones’ diet for PCOS. Eating small, frequent meals/ snacks every 3 to 5 hours throughout the day can also help. The key is to have healthy protein or fat-containing items at each meal or snack. These choices could be chicken, fish, beans, Greek yogurt,

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

9+

natural peanut butter, whole nuts like almonds or walnuts, avocadoes or hummus. Making these adjustments can help improve blood sugar levels (and the hormone imbalances previously mentioned) and reduce cravings for unhealthier options like cakes, chips and sodas.

Exercise is also important for those with PCOS. In fact, since PCOS patients have increased testosterone, they can build lean muscle mass faster than others. This is a great way to improve metabolism and aid in fat loss even if the scale doesn’t change much. Women with PCOS should incorporate strength training exercises into their routine 2-3 times per week. Thirty or more minutes at day of exercise, aerobic or strength training would be a good goal to aim for. It is important to also remember

and knowledge about this little known but common condition. PCOS is manageable, but it takes some work. Due to the wide variety of symptoms that can occur, no patient is the same as the next. This is why it’s crucial to get diagnosed. The sooner the diagnosis – girls as young as 12 or 13 are being identified as having PCOS – the better overall outcomes can be.

Although improving diet can make a big difference, it is often easier said than done. If you are struggling with your diet, visit with a registered dietitian who can help you come up with a diet plan that best fits your lifestyle and particular traits of PCOS. The key to remember is that you are not alone in this battle and there are those out there ready to help. +

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that this doesn’t have to be all at one time. If you have ten minutes at your lunch break to do a few exercises, go for it!

Get in a workout however you can in your day and there will be results. The key is making exercise a habit as this can improve insulin levels, which will in turn aid in weight loss and improve other lab values like cholesterol.

Hopefully this article has improved your awareness

HE ALTH

Y

+ 10

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Threats to your pet’s health can also come from outside the home. For example, some plants and flowers can be harmful to your pet. The list below describes a few of the more common plants/flowers to be aware of.

PET VET M

DANGEROUS ITEMS FOR PETS

any edible and nonedible dangers for your pet may exist within or around your home.

What items could possibly put my pet’s health in danger?

Some food items that people consider tasty treats may be considered dangerous for their pets. As tempting as it might be to share food with your four-legged friend, please resist! Some of the more hazardous food items include: • Products with alcohol (beer and wine) • Avocado • Coffee • Chocolate • Fruit/Seed pits (including corn cobs)

• Garlic • Macadamia nuts • Onions • Xylitol (a sweetener and an ingredient found in chewing gum) • Yeast products (like raw bread dough) You should also be aware that other, non-edible household items may be unsafe for your pet. Examples of these are: • Antifreeze • Fabric softener sheets • Ice melting products • Insecticides • Liquid potpourri • Rat and mouse bait • Various household cleaners (including bleach and toilet bowl cleaners) • Swimming pool chemicals

COMMON NAME • Aloe Vera • Chrysanthemums • Daphne • Dogbane • Foxglove • Kalanchoe • Lilies • Lily of the Valley • Mountain Laurel • Oleander • Poinsettia • Rhododendron • Rosary Pea • Stinging Nettle • Yew bushes

SCIENTIFIC NAME Aloe barbadensis Chrysanthemum sp.

Daphne spp.

Apocynum spp.

Digitalis purpurea Kalanchoe spp.

Hemerocallis spp., Lilium spp.

Convallaria majalis Kalmia spp.

Nerium oleander Euphorbia spp.

Rhododendron spp.

Abrus precatorius Urtica spp.

Taxus spp. + — Source: FDA.gov

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Wrightsboro Road

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We’re on Wrightsboro Rd. at Ohio Avenue.

Boardwalk to Bark Place

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$20 UNTIL AUGUST 21 $25 UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4th $30 UNTIL RACE DAY $10 FOR SICKLE CELL PATIENTS $5 FOR CHILDREN (<10 YEARS)

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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT GRU.EDU/SICK/(CELL5K

Kennnel & Daycare welcoming dogs 30 lbs and under 5873 Huntington Drive Grovetown, Georgia (706) 840-3141 www.boardwalktobarkplace.com

OUR NEXT ISSUE DATE: SEPT. 18

Read the Examiner online at www.AugustaRx.com/news OR VISIT WWW.ISSUU.COM/MEDICALEXAMINER

+

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the Bookshelf The blog spot — Posted by Keri Crewson MD, on August 29, 2015 at kevinmd.com.

25 THINGS MY DOG TAUGHT ME ABOUT MEDICINE 1. Be nice to others, even if there are a lot of butt sniffers out there.

2. Waiting to be seen is really hard. Try to keep a schedule and routine.

3. Get out for that walk. It will fill you with joy, well-being and makes the rest of the day calmer. Take other dogs on that walk to improve their well-being too.

4. “Good boy” and a treat always get better results. If you want someone to follow what you want them to do, you have to give a treat (incentive) and not punishment.

5. If you use words that dogs and patients don’t understand, they just stare at you blankly. Too many requests to do a list of things also induces the same look and result.

6. A pack is better than a single working dog. Pulling a full sled is much easier when we do it together.

7. Trust is something earned. You can’t get it back very easily if you do something to ruin it.

8. Kindness is like fur. Spread it everywhere.

9. Getting help for health reasons makes some dogs really scared and wanting to growl. Humans aren’t much different.

10. If a dog is yawning, something around is not quite right, same goes for the medical students and residents you are teaching.

11. Too much time alone makes a dog unwell. Visits are important for reassurance and good behavior. Drop in on your patients often too.

12. The rep can put all kinds of labels about the meat in it and how shiny your coat will be, but it may still contain a lot of corn meal. Select wisely based on experience of others.

13. If a dog in your pack is barking loudly, you should go see what all the fuss is about. There is obviously something they want to you to see yourself. Never ignore a nurse that says a patient doesn’t look right.

14. If you are having a bad day, don’t kick the dog, even if the dog ate your new shoes. Correct them and then move ahead. We all make mistakes; we learn from mistakes. Keep moving ahead.

15. If the dog has a closed mouth, wrinkled forehead, and tense posture you better be quiet, stand still and act like a tree. Same applies to attendings and those in psychosis.

16. Correlation does not equal causation. Having a dog is often correlated with having hair on the couch; however, the dog is pointing a paw at the cat.

17. Get vaccinated. You can’t go to the kennel if you don’t have your shots. Same should go for kids.

18. You are the leader. I depend on you to make good decisions in my best interest when I can’t talk to tell you what is wrong.

19. Sometimes when you fill a hole that has been dug, a new one shows up soon after. Watch for small changes early.

20. Be curious. Sniff around and find out what is new. Be a lifelong learner; even old dogs can learn new tricks.

21. If you want to be the alpha dog, be confident and strategic.

Stretch and own the whole bed you have laid down in.

22. Just because the dog is “satisfied” doesn’t mean he is healthy.

Satisfaction ratings don’t improve patient health either.

23. My dog pants heavily and gets really anxious in the truck.

What is worse than deciding something is pathology when it is normal? Missing pathology thinking it is normal.

24. If it smells like poo everywhere you go, check the bottom of your own shoes first.

25. If you stepped in it, clean it up. +

If it’s barking, go see what the fuss is about.

Keri Crewson is a physician.

A compendium of excerpts from reviews of this book:

The outstanding feature of Do No Harm is the author’s completely candid description of the highs and lows of a neurosurgical career. ... For its unusual and admirable candor, wisdom and humor, Do No Harm is a smashing good read from which the most experienced and the most junior neurosurgeons have much to learn. (AANS Neurosurgeon) This thoughtful doctor provides a highly personal and fascinating look inside the elite world of neurosurgery, appraising both its amazing successes as well as its sobering failures.

(Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)) One of the best books ever about a life in medicine, Do No Harm boldly and gracefully exposes the vulnerability and painful privilege of being a physician.

(Booklist (starred review)) When a book opens like

Henry Marsh describes the soaring triumphs and the shattering tragedies that are part of every surgeon’s life.

A remarkable achievement.

(Michael J. Collins, author of Hot Lights, Cold Steel)

this - “I often have to cut into the brain and it is something I hate doing” - you can’t let it go, you have to read on, don’t you? (Karl Ove Knausgaard, Financial Times) Marsh, one of our leading neurosurgeons, is an eloquent and poetic writer. Do No Harm offers a rare behindthe-scenes look at the most mysterious part of human life. His descriptions of neurosurgery are at once fascinating and illuminating; a gripping memoir of an extraordinary career. (Daniel J. Levitin, PhD, author of The Organized Mind and This Is Your Brain On Music)

A soul-baring account of a practical-minded neurosurgeon who admits that a surgeon’s ultimate achievement is marked by patients who ‘recover completely and forget us completely.’ Readers, however, will not soon forget Dr. Marsh. (Katrina Firlik, author of Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside) Each story invites readers into the private thoughts of a neurosurgeon and astonishes them with the counterintuitive compassion required in the operating room. (Michael Paul Mason, author of Head Cases) + Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery, by Henry Marsh, M.D., 288 pages, published in May 2015 by Thomas Dunne Books

Research News Do you nap?

If you can, you should.

At least that’s what the study by a Greek cardiologist published on Aug. 30 says.

Participants in the study were invited take a midday nap at the Athens study location.

Their sleep time was recorded and they were measured for both their in-office and 24hour BP levels, pulse wave velocity, BMI, lifestyle habits, and were given a complete echocardiographic evaluation.

After adjusting for factors that could influence blood pressure (such as smoking, caffeine consumption, age, gender, BMI, salt intake, exercise levels, etc), one of the study’s findings was that nappers had a 5 percent (or 6 mmHg) lower average 24hour ambulatory systolic BP compared with patients who don’t take a midday nap.

That may not sound like a lot, says Dr. Manolis Kallistratos, but “reductions in systolic BP as small as 2 mmHg can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by up to 10 percent.”

The perfect appetizer Beginning every meal with one essentially free appetizer could have a large health payoff, according to University of Birmingham (UK) research published August 26 in the journal Obesity.

The appetizer? Water.

Obese adult study participants were asked to drink a tall glass of water (500ml, about 16 oz.) half an hour before eating.

Those who reported doing this before all three main meals of the day lost an average of 9.48 lbs during the 12-week study.

Researchers say the beauty of the strategy is its simplicity.

It doesn’t take a lot of work or money or planning to integrate it into busy lives, yet it yields significant results, and at a moderate and healthy rate.

The antidote to the above If water helps to suppress, appetite, what helps to build it?

Surpisingly enough, a lack of sleep. Especially is this true for children, but studies indicate it’s true for adults too.

According to British research published Aug. 28 in the International Journal of Obesity, 5year-olds who slept less than 11 hours a night were more eager to eat at the very sight of — or even just a reminder of — a favorite snack. (FYI: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 11 to 12 hours of sleep per night for pre-school children.)

While the study may offer further proof of the longestablished link between sleep deprivation and being overweight, there is another possibility, say researchers.

Perhaps the link is reversed: it might be that instead of sleep loss being a cause of overeating, it’s overeating that contributes to sleep loss.

While further research takes place (as always), in the meantime researchers say the study highlights the importance of sufficient sleep for children and suggests that for children who don’t get enough sleep, limiting exposure to food and food cues in the home might help curb spontaneous eating. +

+ 12

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS

THE MYSTERY WORD

+

by Dan Pearson

It was fantastic!

How was your I spent the entire summer vacation? summer in Europe!

The whole summer?

You must feel like a foreigner visiting the It’s true! I still feel like US after that.

I’m incontinent.

Almost three whole months.

The Mystery Word for this issue: YAHLETH

© 2015 Daniel Pearson All rights reserved.

Simply unscramble the letters, then begin exploring our ads. When you find the correctly spelled word hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Resell Masters tickets at a high price 6. Acts like a dog in (the) heat?

11. Augusta commissioner Harris 14. Type of bean or butter 15. Preceding, to a poet 16. Sick 17. Month when 1-A is likely 18. Officer’s tool 19. Growing Ft. Gordon presence 20. Harris follower 22. Cancellation 24. Finishes 26. Type of aerobics 27. Falls back 31. Line on a weather map 35. Vast chasm 36. Reflected sound 38. Type of list 39. Cut off 40. Highest singing voice 43. Try to influence romantically 44. Dash; flair 46. Son of Isaac and Rebekah 47. Consumers 49. Italian sausage 51. Blood element 53. Voting location 55. Three-year-old salmon 56. Place something beneath 60. Loathsome type of bug?

64. Perceive visually 65. They may be hourly 67. Open space in a forest 68. Nashville awards prog.

69. Standard of perfection 70. Hunt in Hollywood 71. Popular ISP 72. Crowd together (archaic) 73. Former Mississippi Senator Lott

BY

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QUOTATION PUZZLE

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Click on “READER CONTESTS”

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VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM

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W S T D T Y ’ T R Y M U S I H A O I T H U I D V E E E H W N O O O O W U N O Y

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by Daniel R. Pearson © 2015 All rights reserved

— Jewish proverb

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.

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2015 All rights reserved. Built in part with software from www.crauswords.com

DOWN 1. Ella Fitzgerald’s style 2. Deal with a difficult situation 3. Common land measure 4. Lingers aimlessly 5. Pallor 6. 3, 4 or 5 7. From a distance 8. Lymph _____ (pl.)

9. Prolonged pulling on a body part or muscle to correct dislocation 10. The Braves might have a weekend one 11. Swine flu, in brief 12. Too 13. Scheme 21. Nutritional abbrev.

23. Small blemish 25. Staircase 27. Breath sound 28. African plague 29. Representative; typical 30. Discard as useless 32. The intestine

U T H Y N ’ E E N T R T

33. Worship 34. Perch 37. Stems or stalks 41. An amorous glance 42. Completely; totally 45. Neck back 48. Homesteader 50. _________ Museum 52. Popular ISP (again!)

54. Afterward; coming after 56. Pacers’ school 57. “Finding ______” 58. Perdue successor 59. Type of book 61. Story 62. Paradise 63. Pay to use temporarily 66. Wily

E

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by Daniel R. Pearson © 2015 All rights reserved. Built with software from www.crauswords.com

U D O K U

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

Solution p. 14

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

N 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

W 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 O 1 2 3 1 2 3 4

4

5

6

1

1 2

2

— Socrates

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1.TTNIKIKOWY 2.NNNNOORISH 3.UUSTOOLE 4.WWHEYD 5.IIO 6.NMN 7.GG

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

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2015 All rights reserved

WORDS NUMBER

1

All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing.

We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE In golf, follow through ha... ha...

What happens if you put your wrists in front of your eyes?

You get carpal tunnel vision.

What did the Mexican fireman name his two sons?

Hose A and Hose B. How many Mexicans does it take to change a lightbulb?

Just Juan.

A

skeleton walks into a bar.

The bartender asks, “what’ll you have?”

The skeleton says, “A beer. And you better bring me a mop, too.”

Why did the chicken cross the road halfway?

She wanted to lay it on the line.

Did you hear about the skeleton who couldn’t go to the prom?

He had no body to go with.

Why did the aardvark cross the road?

It couldn’t help it. Someone glued it to the chicken.

A student visits the principal’s office on the first day of school. The principal asks him, “What is your name, son?”

The student replies: “D-d-d-da-da-da-david, sir.”

The principal observes: “Oh, you have a stuttering problem?”

Student answers, “No sir, not at all. My dad stutters, though.”

Confused, the principal asks, “What did you say your name is again?”

“D-d-d-da-da-da-david, sir,” repeats the boy.

“And yet you don’t stutter,” says the principal.

“Correct. My dad does. And the nurse who registered my name when I was born was a complete jerk.”

Why did the bacteria cross the microscope?

To get to the other slide.

A man in a restaurant says to the waitress, ”Hi, can I have a quickie?”

The waitress gives him a dirty look and walks off. She later comes back to give the man another chance, but again he asks, “Can I please have a quickie?”

The waitress responds, “Sir, if you ask me that one more time, I’m going to have to call my manager over,” and angrily walks off.

The man is completely confused until the lady at the next table turns and says to him, “I think it’s pronounced ‘keesh.’” +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner?

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

makes the difference

by Vicki Greene, guest columnist

Did you know that playing golf can provide ramps and other assistive equipment to help make life more independent for those with disabilities in our area?

For the past 23 years, the Phil S. Harison Memorial Golf Classic has been a fixture on Augusta’s fall calendar, bringing together business leaders just like Mr. Harison who are passionate about filling this vital need in our community. Our vibrant medical community cares for the health of a significant number of families affected by a physical disability, and this SAVE THE DATE annual event by the Walton Foundation for SEPTEMBER Independence can help with those everyday needs not covered by insurance.

MONDAY Mr. Harison felt very strongly that accessible housing and community support for people with disabilities needed to be a priority for our community. As our former board chair (1998-2007), his legacy can still be seen in our Hope and Independence Fund, which provides support after discharge from a rehabilitation facility, including durable medical equipment and assistive technologies after a catastrophic injury or long-term illness. It can also be seen in our sports programs, such as adaptive golf and wheelchair tennis, providing much needed exercise and social interaction. All of these programs are supported by the Harison Memorial Golf Classic in Mr. Harison’s memory.

This year, our annual event will be held on Monday, September 21 at West Lake Country Club. I invite our business leaders to be a part of this wonderful event—our major fundraiser each year. Enjoy a beautiful day of golf, wonderful gifts, sponsor recognition, and most importantly, the opportunity to help those with disabilities in our local community, who many times need just a helping hand to live their lives independently and successfully.

That’s the goal of the Walton Foundation for Independence and fundraisers like the Harison Memorial Golf Classic. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, signing up as a team, volunteering to help in other ways, or making a donation, don’t wait. It’s been said, “In golf as in life, it is the follow through that makes the difference.” Visit us at www.waltonfoundation.net—and together let’s follow through on making the lives of people with disabilities better in the CSRA. +

21

Vicki Greene is the Vice President/Development of the Walton Foundation for Independence.

+ +

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers.

If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house!

NAME ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP

Choose ____ six months for $20; or ____ one year for $36. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

TO OUR READERS AND OUR ADVERTISERS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

+ 14

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

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

...cleverly hidden (by the upstairs window) in the p. 2 ad for GEORGIA DERMATOLOGY Congratulations to KANDICE HITT, who scores a coveted Scrubs of Evans gift card, 2 movie passes courtesy of Health Center Credit Union, and a $20 Wild Wing Cafe gift certificate. Want to find your name here next issue? The new Mystery Word is on page 12.

Start looking!

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then 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.

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC. HOUSE FOR RENT IN N AUGUSTA For Rent: House: two bedroom, one bath, kitchen with stove and refrigerator, bonus room, laundry closet with washer/dryer hook ups, basement, screened porch, handicap ramp. New carpet in bedrooms and living room. Nearly new vinyl floor in kitchen, double pane windows. Near North Augusta Public Safety and NA Community Center. Within walking distance of Greeneway. Ideal for students, a couple or single person. Handicapped ramp entrance. $650.00 per month, a security deposit of $650.00 is required with first month’s rent. No pets! Rental Application required. Prefer 1 year lease.

Call 803-599-0781 for appointment to see.

ONE BDRM COTTAGE FOR RENT with off-street parking/carport in Hill area 2 blocks from college. Washer/dryer. We furnish water, you pay electric. $675/$500 dep. No pets. (706) 736-7168; email: ronst79@gmail.com Pictures avail.

AUGUSTAGAHOMESEARCH.COM Foreclosures • MLS • Rentals • Builders 706-564-5885 FOR SALE: GORGEOUS, immaculate, never occupied townhome located mins from Medical District. 2 bed, 2 bath,

master en suite, walk-in closets, office.

1450 sq ft. hardwood floors throughout, fabulous upgrades, custom kitchen and baths. Floor to ceiling windows, fenced yard. Partially furnished! 120k OBO. 803-507-6621.

SERVICES HOUSE CLEANING Your house, apartment, rental move-outs. Thorough, dependable.

Weekly, or whatever schedule you prefer.

References. 706.267.9947 BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) F. E. GILLIARD, MD FAMILY MEDICINE Acute & Chronic Illnesses Occupational Medicine PROMPT APPOINTMENTS 706-823-5250

MISCELLANEOUS ANTIQUE maple dinette set with buffet corner cabinet table with pull-out leaves.

Four chairs with two captain’s chairs. Excellent condition. $300. Double bed early 1930s with mattress spring coverlet shams

$150. Call (706) 860-2170 WANT TO BE HEALTHY? (Energy, weight loss, mental clarity) Go to gethealthyat.le-vel.com See video and Facebook. Sign free as customer.

BEING PAID WHAT YOU ARE WORTH? Then make more money! Watch movie all out interview: ExtraMoneyInterview.net CEMETERY SPACES (2) Sunset Memorial Gardens, Graniteville SC adjacent to lighted military flagstaff, includes granite bench with urn space, installation and inscription.

All $4700 ($8600 value). Spaces only: $2700. Call (803) 295-3033 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 706-829-1729 CEMETERY PLOTS Side-by-side cemetery plots for sale located at the Heart Section of Hillcrest Cemetery. $3600 for BOTH. (706) 798-8495

Thanks for reading the Medical Examiner!

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED?

THE PUZZLE SOLVED

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The Sudoku Solution

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE

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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY DERMATOLOGY

ALLERGY

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

CHIROPRACTIC

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

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

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

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

FAMILY MEDICINE F. E. Gilliard, MD Family Medicine 639 13th Street Augusta 30901 706-823-5250 Industrial Medicine • Prompt appts.

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

CALLING ALL M.D.S!

MEDICAL MASSAGE Medical Massage Stuart Farnell L.M.T. 803-646-1846 jsfarnell@att.net www.FarnellClinic.com

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

Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd.

Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

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

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

Ideal Image 339 Furys Ferry Rd Martinez 30907 1-800-BE-IDEAL • www.idealimage.com Schedule a FREE Consultation

OPHTHALMOLOGY

DRUG REHAB

COUNSELING

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

DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS

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

DENTISTRY

LASER SERVICES

PHARMACY Medical Center West Pharmacy 465 North Belair Road Evans 30809 706-854-2424 www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com Parks Pharmacy 437 Georgia Ave. N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

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

...SENIOR LIVING

Cornerstone Compassion Center 420 Warren Road Augusta 30907 706-228-5359 or 706-394-6518 Assisted Living • Personal Care

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

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE Centered in Georgia Diane Young L.M.T. 4488 Columbia Rd Martinez 30907 706-251-2244

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

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

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

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