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6342. Bill Russell - 10/24/2004 10:30:04 AM
Pain Patient's Bill of Rights
You have a right to:
-Have your pain prevented or controlled adequately
-Have your pain and pain medication history taken
-Ask how much pain to expect and how long it might last
-Have your pain questions answered freely
-Develop a pain plan with your doctor
-Know what medication, treatment, or anesthesia will be given
-Know the risks, benefits, and side effects of treatment
-Know what alternative pain treatments may be available
-Sign a statement of informed consent before any treatment
-Be believed when you say you have pain
-Have your pain assessed on an individual basis
-Have your pain assessed using the 0=no pain/10=worst pain scale
-Ask for changes in treatments if your pain persists
-Compassionate and sympathetic care
-Receive pain medication on a timely basis
-Refuse treatment without prejudice from your doctor
-Seek a second opinion or request a pain care specialist
-Your records upon request
-Include family in decision making
Remind those who care for you that pain management is part of your diagnostic, medical, or surgical care.
- 1992 Jane Cowles, Ph.D.
6343. Bill Russell - 10/24/2004 11:35:56 AM ABCD is excited about certain provisions of the Conquering Pain Act, especially the creation of centers for excellence in pain management, examination of reimbursement barriers, and authorization of demonstration projects in end of life care.
To read details and full text for these bills, go to: www.thomas.loc.gov and type in the bill number.
From Thomas, it is very simple to find your own representatives' e-mail addresses, go to www.senate.gov (for Senators) and to clerkweb.house.gov (for Representatives).
Be sure to voice your support for including people with serious and complex conditions in all versions of the Patient Bill of Rights. And let your own representative know that you want support for the Conquering Pain Act of 2001.
This content is provided by Americans for Better Care of the Dying. For more information, visit www.abcd-caring.org.
6344. Bill Russell - 10/24/2004 2:15:56 PM How can you keep a lid on germs?
Make sure the toilet LID is down before you flush. The urban myth is true. Flushing does indeed send a cloud of nasty microbes into your bathroom.
By using gauze pads to catch fallout, microbiologists determined that a significant number of bacteria and viruses fly around your bathroom for up to two hours after a flush with the lid up.
Cleaning with bleach will help combat this airborne assault, but you may want to consider keeping your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet.
6345. Bill Russell - 10/24/2004 2:20:37 PM So .... why are most public toilets without lids ??
Even in many hospitals the toilets have no lids ... !!!
Is our society insane, and where are our government health departments when we need them to spread the word about toilet lids ??? 6346. Magoseph - 10/24/2004 3:39:48 PM Bill, I am assuming that you're taking care of an invalid in your home. Am I correct? 6347. Jenerator - 10/25/2004 7:33:30 PM Rick,
How's the health regiment going? 6348. wonkers2 - 10/25/2004 8:35:18 PM Anybody had experience with cellulitis? I've apparently got it in my left ankle. My prescription: Levaquin (antibiotic), Bactroban cream and twice daily baths in boric acid solution. So far, after 3 days, no noticeable improvement. I wonder how long the cure will take. 6349. thoughtful - 10/25/2004 8:40:20 PM wonks, from a web site, "Over 90% of all cellulitis cases are cured after 7-10 days of antibiotic treatment. " 6350. judithathome - 10/25/2004 8:41:03 PM Looks like you are doing waht you should:
Treatment
Cellulitis treatment may require hospitalization if it is severe enough to warrant intravenous antibiotics and close observation. At other times, oral antibiotics and close outpatient follow-up suffice. Treatment is focused on control of the infection and prevention of complications.
Antibiotics are given to control infection, and analgesics may be needed to control pain.
Elevate the infected area, usually higher than the heart, to minimize swelling. Apply warm, moist compresses to the site to aid the body in fighting infection by increasing blood supply to the tissues. Rest until symptoms improve.
Expectations (prognosis)
Cure is possible with 7 to 10 days of treatment. Cellulitis may be more severe in people with chronic diseases and people who are susceptible to infection (immunosuppressed). 6351. judithathome - 10/25/2004 8:41:44 PM x post, as usual. 6352. wonkers2 - 10/25/2004 9:11:24 PM Thanks, judith. I had a fairly severe case of shingles last year which I recall may be a sign of being immuno-suppressed. And I had bursitis of my right elbow which finally subsided while I was waiting two weeks for a doctor's appointment. My current cellulitis is more painful and, I gather, potentially more serious than bursitis. I lucked out and got a quick appointment with what I hope is a competent dermatologist. 6353. wonkers2 - 10/25/2004 9:12:21 PM I think I caught it from the water in San Francisco Bay! Jexter didn't warn me about that. 6354. thoughtful - 10/25/2004 9:43:45 PM absolutely...don't screw around with it. Do as you're told.
zinc helps enhance the immune system, so if you don't already take it, you might want to add it to your daily regimen, at least while you're battling the infection. 6355. wonkers2 - 10/25/2004 10:22:56 PM Thanks! I was advised some time ago (several years) to take multi-vitamins but never followed through. I'm off to the drugstore! 6356. concerned - 10/28/2004 1:31:30 AM I really learned somthing about coronary bypass operations, as a result of following a thread in another forum discussing Xlowntoon joining the Kerry Kampaign. The idea that half or more of bypass patients suffer some possibly permanent mental impairment due to foreign object damage to blood vessels in the brain from the artificial heart machine used during surgery certainly makes me look at all those Heartcheck radio commercials I keep hearing in a different light. I'll go with an angioplasty or just do without if I possibly can, assuming the possibility ever comes up for me. 6357. wonkers2 - 10/28/2004 2:12:39 AM If Clinton lost 90 percent of his brain cells, he'd still be smarter than Bush. 6358. judithathome - 10/28/2004 3:00:56 AM AMEN!! 6359. judithathome - 10/28/2004 3:02:12 AM He certainly hasn't seemed to miss a step, mentally, since the bypass. 6360. SnowOwl - 11/8/2004 11:52:57 AM I'm not sure where I should put this but I guess this is as good a thread as any.
A Cancer drug's journey from Cuba
Cuba has developed a promising new treatment for lung cancer, which a biotech company in the US is keen on importing. They had something of a struggle to get permission to import the drug though, because of the embargo.
Cuban scientists were willing to help Americans gain access to the drug.
"There is no reason why scientists here and there cannot cooperate," said Dr. Augustin Lage, director of the Center of Molecular Immunology in Havana, which developed the drug.
But in order for the drug to come to the United States, the State Department had to recommend that an exception be made to the 44-year-old U.S.-Cuban trade embargo. The Treasury Department later approved that request. The deal came together just as the Bush administration was getting tougher on Cuban trade.
"The Bush administration doesn't want to do anything to validate the [Cuban] revolution, whether it be public relations terms or financial terms, and that was the quandary with CancerVax," said John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council.
...
The U.S. government did not want the Cuban government to benefit from the sale of the drug. So instead of paying $6 million in cash for the drug, CancerVax was told to pay in food and medical supplies.
It's pleasing to see that in the end sense prevailed and the drug was allowed in. It's hoped that it may also prove effective in combatting breast cancer and other cancers. 6361. RickNelson - 11/8/2004 4:22:36 PM Amen SnowOwl!!
Upthread, Jen,
Well, there's a lot to discuss here about any one of us. I'll keep reading.
Concerned,
You and I both took an interest in Clinton's surgery. However, both my g'father and father have had bypass surgery. My g'father lived well into his 80's. My dad isn't doing his best, weight being a big problem, but he's survived for 6+ yrs so far, into his 60's. I'm sure I have the genetic track to follow suit. It bothers me, but there's not much I can do know. I've made a mess of my 30's and it's still affecting me.
But, I will never----- surrender!
(add appropriate accents to make Chruchill proud)
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