A doctor’s word is not law
I have a dear friend who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s nearly five years ago. The diagnosis was based on a conversation in the doctor’s office about memory problems. He put her on Aracept and she’s had no follow-up since.
Folks…that is NOT acceptable doctoring….either the guy was a moron or he just didn’t care enough to actually do a few tests. Alzheimer’s CANNOT be definitively diagnosed just by asking a few questions. GET A SECOND OPINION. If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the Alzheimer’s Association has a wealth of information. There are many other health problems, some reversible, that can have symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s.
I recently took her to a neurologist for a seemingly unrelated health problem, but he was very thorough and took two hours to question her about her medical history and do a series of tests on her reflexes and mobility. He recognized a pattern of seemingly unrelated health issues–difficulty walking, memory problems, incontinence to name a few. They all pointed to an often overlooked ailment called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus…and she may not have Alzheimer’s at all. We still have a lot of testing to do before a final diagnosis can be made, but thank God for doctor’s who care.
The moral of this story is….don’t accept a doctor’s word as gospel. If you have any doubts, get a second opinion. Be an educated and assertive consumer, especially where your health is concerned.
Gluten-free Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
I’ve been on a quest for some time now to get my husband to start eating breakfast. I am a firm believer in the benefits of eating breakfast and I think I have most of the medical profession on my side in that regard. He finally relented and said that he would eat oatmeal, because of its heart healthy benefits, if I could find a way to make it look like something else. He is also a stickler about muffins and anything that looks or tastes like cake is NOT a muffin (according to Jim). So I have been on a quest for a good muffin recipe and this one is pretty good. It is gluten-free (for me, because I have celiac disease) and tasty enough for him.
Breast Cancer Awareness video from St. Vincents
You gotta see this. All the staff at St Vincent’s participated in this video, “The Pink Glove Dance“, to promote breast cancer awareness.
Eating wisely
I have been on a gluten free diet for the past 25 years, so naturally I probably read labels and pay more attention to what is in food than the average person does. When I start reading labels and see a list of things that look like they came from the chemical shelf in a lab, I cringe. Gluten-free may not be easy, but I think it may be healthier in the long run.
Life lessons
My little dog, Bashful, passed on very quietly last week. His health was declining due to congestive heart failure and then he got an infection in his mouth on top of that. We had been to the vet to see what could be done to help him, but I think the medications on top of the added infection were just too much for his little system. It was difficult to clean his teeth because the vet was leery of sedating him with his heart condition. I was leery of brushing because he hated it and I did not want to stress him because of his heart. We buried him on the hill below the house with a beautiful view of the valley below. He was a sweet, kind little dog and we miss him terribly.
Disposing of old prescription drugs-don’t flush!
This is one of those things that I really hadn’t thought about until it popped up in my reader. Don’t assume that the best way to dispose of old medications is to flush them. Municipal water systems are not equipped to handle drugs in the water–a scary thought, particularly if someone was up to no good. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has issued guidelines for disposing of medications instead of flushing them. The United States Geologic Survey has additional publications on drug, hormone and other contaminants that are in our waterways.
