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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

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FEBRUARY 7, 2014AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

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(706) 364.1163 • WWW.SCRUBSOFEVANS.COM • 4158 WASHINGTON RD • ACROSS FROM CLUB CAR • M-F: 10-6:30; SAT: 10-4

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I heart heart Doesn’t everybody? But could you pass a pop quiz on the basics of lub-dub? Perhaps not. But that will change in the next few minutes.

Cardiac Function in Seven Easy Steps Here’s everything you need to know to, if not become a heart surgeon, at least to understand what’s going on inside your chest at this precise moment.• 1. Oxygen-depleted blood returns from its latest trip through the body, entering (upper left in the diagram) the superior vena cava. Blood goes through it into the heart’s right atrium.• 2. From there it goes through the tricuspid valve down into the right ventricle. When the ventricle contracts, it forces the blood out through the pulmonary valve.• 3. As blood is pumped out of the right ventricle and through the pulmonary valve it enters the pulmonary artery and a separate pulmonary circuit where the lungs (#4, not shown) almost instantaneously exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen.• 5. Freshly oxygenated blood reenters the heart into the left atrium, kind of a staging area for the left ventricle.• 6. Mitral valves release the oxygenated blood into the powerful left ventricle.• 7. From there it is pumped (or dubbed, as in the dub of lub dub) up into the aorta and off to points throughout the body, near and far. Repeat. Elapsed time for all of this: about 0.8 seconds. The valves are all one-way, permitting blood fl ow in one direction only (unless something disastrous happens). The valves and the heart’s four chambers all operate (in a healthy heart) in precise coordination, although not simultaneously: at exactly the moment one valve opens, another will close; when one chamber contracts, another will wait about a tenth of a second before it contracts. It’s one amazing piece of machinery.

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• Amazing heart facts

• Practical tips to avoid heartbreak

Heart diagram credit: Greetings from Toronto

+ AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER FEBRUARY 7, 20142

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Amazing Heart Facts Sure, you know how to steal hearts, win hearts, and break hearts. But how much do you really know about your heart and how it works? Read on to your heart’s content.

• Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.

• The aorta, the largest artery in the

body, is almost the diameter of a garden hose. Capillaries, on the other hand, are so small that it takes ten of them to equal the thickness of a human hair.

• The heart pumps over 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime, enough to fi ll more than 3 super tankers or 200 train tank cars.

• A kitchen faucet would need to be turned on all the way for at least 45 years to equal the amount of blood

pumped by the heart in an average lifetime.

• The volume of blood pumped by the heart can vary over a wide range, from fi ve to 30 liters per minute.

• Every day, the heart creates enough energy to drive a truck 20 miles. In a lifetime, that is equivalent to driving to the moon and back.

• Because the heart has its own electrical impulse, it can continue to beat even when separated from the body, as long as it has an adequate supply of oxygen.

• The fetal heart rate is approximately twice as fast as an adult’s, at about 150 beats per minute. By the time a fetus is 12 weeks old, its heart pumps an amazing 60 pints of blood a day.

• The heart pumps blood to almost all of the body’s 75 trillion cells. Only the corneas receive no blood supply.

• A healthy heart pumps approximately 2,000 gallons of blood a day.

• Five percent of blood supplies the heart, 15-20% goes to the brain and central nervous system, and 22% goes to the kidneys.

• The “thump-thump” of a heartbeat is the sound made by the four valves of the heart closing.

• The heart does the most physical work of any muscle during a lifetime. The power output of the heart ranges from 1 to 5 watts. While the quadriceps can produce 100 watts for a few minutes, an output of one watt for 80 years is equal to 2.5 gigajoules.

• The heart begins beating at four weeks after conception and does not stop until death.

• A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in circulation. An adult human has about four to fi ve quarts which the heart pumps to all the tissues and to and from the lungs in about one minute while beating 72 times.

• The heart pumps oxygenated blood through the aorta (the largest artery) at about 1 mile (1.6 km) per hour. By the time blood reaches the capillaries, it is moving at around 43 inches (109 cm) per hour.

• Early Egyptians believed that the heart and other major organs had wills of their own and would move around inside the body.

• Plato theorized that reasoning originated with the brain, but that passions originated in the “fi ery” heart.

• The term “heartfelt” originated from Aristotle’s philosophy that the heart collected sensory input from the

peripheral organs through the blood vessels. It was from those perceptions that thought and emotions arose.

• Cocaine affects the heart’s electrical activity and causes spasms of the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke, even in healthy people.

• Galen agreed with Aristotle that the heart was the body’s source of heat, a type of “lamp” fueled by blood from the liver and fanned into spirituous fl ame by air from the lungs. The brain merely served to cool the blood.

• In 1929, German surgeon Werner Forssmann (1904-1979) examined the inside of his own heart by threading a catheter into his arm vein and pushing it 20 inches and into his heart, inventing cardiac catheterization, a now common procedure.

• On December 3, 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard (1922-2001) of South Africa transplanted a human heart into the body of Louis Washansky. Although the recipient lived only 18 days, it is considered the fi rst successful heart transplant.

• “Atrium” is Latin for “entrance hall,” and “ventricle” is Latin for “little belly.”

• Blood is actually a tissue. When the body is at rest, it takes only six seconds for the blood to go from the heart to the lungs and back, only eight seconds for it to go to the brain and back, and only 16 seconds for it to reach the toes and travel all the way back to the heart.

• Galen argued that the heart constantly produced blood. However, William Harvey’s (1578-1657) discovery of the circulation system in 1616 revealed that there was a fi nite amount of blood in the body and that it circulated in one direction.

• The right atrium holds about 3.5 tablespoons of blood. The right ventricle holds slightly more than a quarter cup of blood. The left atrium holds the same amount of blood as the right, but its walls are three times thicker.

• Your body has about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of blood. This 5.6 liters of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)—that’s four times the distance across the US from coast to coast.

• Heartbeats in various creatures range from fewer than 20 beats per minute in codfi sh to about 600 per minute in hummingbirds. A healthy human heart at rest beats a little more than once per second.

• French physician Rene Laennec (1781-1826) invented the stethoscope when he felt it was inappropriate to place his ear on the chests of his female patients.

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER 3 +FEBRUARY 7, 2014

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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 specifi c 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.

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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.

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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.

Send your submissions for Medicine in the First Person to the Augusta Medical Examiner via e-mail: [email protected] 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.)

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SEE PAGE SIX!

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IThe Short White Coat

A med student’s notebook

“The mind in its own place and in itself can make a

heaven of hell and a hell of heaven.

— John Milton, Paradise Lost

just fi nished my neurology rotation, and am now a

few days into psychiatry. It has been a whirlwind examination of the mind as I dipped my toes just deep enough into the waters of the head to see what it was like, without really getting immersed in it. And some of the more intricate details went over my own head completely… What is actually very interesting to me is how closely neurology and psychiatry are intertwined in some respects. People suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases are frequently depressed as well. Anti-psychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia can also cause Parkinsonian-like symptoms, and a few of the drugs used to treat epilepsy can also help stabilize the moods of those suffering from bipolar disorder. In a way, it is as if some of the manic symptoms in bipolar disorder, like racing thoughts or speech, are seizures of the mind. Just as in epileptic seizures, where waves of excessive neuronal fi ring overtake the brain’s normal signaling processes, an episode of mania can cause patients to feel so hyper-stimulated that they literally cannot keep up with their own thoughts. It would make sense then why the two conditions can sometimes be treated with the same medication. What I also fi nd interesting is how psychiatric illnesses

can impact the outcome and recovery from other illnesses. For example, patients who experience a cardiovascular event, like a heart attack, frequently develop depression on top of it. Doctors now will usually aim to prevent or treat the depression in addition to heart issues as untreated depression can make recovery more diffi cult and increase the chances that a second heart attack will occur. Depressive disorders are in fact very serious to address, as increasingly more people today are affected by them. It is important to realize, too, that many other medical conditions will present with the initial symptom of depression, or depression may be the only symptom presenting at all. Patients or their family members who complain about their loved ones being more “down in the dumps” than usual should not underestimate the possible need for further work up. Even in the absence of other conditions, the quality of a person’s life can be severely impacted by depression. And so much can be done nowadays to help people

suffering from various mental health conditions, that I am amazed. Many people think that prescriptions for drugs are the only solutions a psychiatrist can offer to a patient, but in fact an evolving practice known as “cognitive behavior therapy” can help even more, either by itself or adjunctive to medications. In CBT, patients work with therapists and their doctors to literally learn how to restructure and reorganize their ways of thinking and handling life situations or stressors, eliminating the faulty thought processes that lead them down slippery slopes of anxiety and depression. I am very impressed with everything I have learned so far and all of the progress that has been made in medicine today. Now, more than ever, do we recognize how important the health of the mind and brain is to the body and soul.

— Author Caroline Colden is a 3rd year medical student from Atlanta, GA. You may contact her at [email protected]

by Caroline Colden

THE MONEY DOCTOR: FISCAL HEALTH IN OUR FEB. 21 ISSUE FEBRUARY

21FRIDAY

Our next issue date.

e just experienced a pretty signifi cant

snow storm here in Augusta and surrounding areas. Well, at least it was signifi cant for us here in the South. I remember last Tuesday the expectation all day long was snow, the Richmond County Board of Education was proactive and canceled school for Tuesday and Wednesday. Facebook was all abuzz during the day with people expecting the snow to no avail. Others complained that there was no snow and felt the kids were out of school for no reason, and the list

goes on. Expectations can be disappointing. But often they are unrealistic. As people watched the despair and hopelessness of thousands of people in Atlanta who were literally stranded on the highways, another level of expectation took place. It was the expectation of hope, safety and warmth for those who didn’t have the luxury of being in the comfort of their homes. We live in an age of instant gratifi cation. We want it now — right now. We lack the vision of thinking about the future. We prefer to live in the moment. I do believe in living in and for the moment, because that is all we have. But our expectations are broken, probably more than they ought to be, because we focus on the wrong thing. Have you noticed when you focus on someone else or someone else’s situation, you fi nd your particular concerns not as signifi cant as you thought? Our children wake up in the morning angry, afraid to go to school for fear of being bullied and/or lack self-

esteem because they are not getting positive motivation from family and peers. I don’t ever recall waking up angry and afraid of going to school. Do you? But it’s happening around us everyday. We adults have a responsibility to give our children hope. We have to act like we haven’t given up hope ourselves. Broken expectations are happening in our lives, but there are some things we can do to minimize them. First, let’s be realistic and recognize that we will make mistakes, but we have to accept responsibility for them. Lord knows I have made many mistakes, personally and professionally. I’ve lost money on projects and I’ve made costly decisions I now regret. I have also disappointed people, though it wasn’t done on purpose. With all that, it’s important for us to know that even though we make mistakes, we can get back up and either try again or start over. Second, focus on your why and not the how. We allow ourselves to get bogged down on how we are going to get something done. Step

out on faith and ask God for direction, seek wise advice, and take one day at a time to accomplish your goals. Third, write down your game plan. Put your ideas on paper and allow it to be a fl uid document that can be updated on a regular basis. Your game plan, vision board or business plan is like a road map. If you were to travel across country, you would either use a map or a GPS to take you where you want to go. Broken expectations can ruin professional and personal relationships when we set goals and standards that are unachievable or unrealistic. Step back, take a deep breath and exhale. Give yourself some room to consider the pros and cons of whatever you are dealing with and then go for it. Make it a great day and create more positive expectations in your life.

Helen Blocker-Adams is Executive Director of the Southeast Enterprise Institute; mental health advocate; and youth advocate. You can email her at [email protected] or visit her website at www.helenblockeradams.com

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Hope IS Possible

Helen Blocker-Adams

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Broken dreams and expectations

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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FEBRUARY 7, 2014AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

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You brought loveLike I have never knownYou gave life To our childrenAnd to me …A reason to go on.You’re my breadWhen I am hungryYou are my shelterFrom troubled windsYou are my anchorIn life’s oceanBut most of allYou are my best friend.When I need inspirationYou are always strongWhen I am tired and weakI could searchThe whole world overYou would still beAll I would ever need — Reverently stolen from Don Williams

With such reverence for family values, womanhood, and fi delity, why isn’t Don Williams Head of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare? Why don’t they play his songs every day in every school in the nation? It could do no harm. If we lived his lyrics and dedications, would there be rape? Spouse abuse? Domestic

violence? Guns in school? Street drugs? Murder? Fights and shootings after concerts? Political scandal? I think not. When I left the Imperial that night, I don’t believe anyone had even dropped a gum wrapper on the fl oor. And imagine this: nothing in the morning paper about a shooting or stabbing in the parking lot afterwards. Neither good ole boy Don Williams nor my mother would have approved of such dastardly behavior. But is Don Williams really all that caring about others? Or am I fl owering him over because he is good at what he does? Consider this and then you tell me. In 1978, rock icon Eric Clapton (a fan of Williams), was scheduled to play a concert in Nashville. He invited Williams to open the show for him. “Eric contacted me and asked me to open his show in Nashville, which I agreed to do,” Williams said. “Before the show, we got together and I played him ‘Tulsa Time,’ which Danny Flowers had just

written. He loved it and we ended up recording the song.” “Tulsa Time” was a major hit for Clapton on the pop charts and Williams’ version topped the Country Music charts. And what did Clapton do? Forget about Don Williams? Relish his new found success and good fortune at Don’s expense? No. He made Don his opening act and made him famous in Europe. Decades later, Don still tours England and Europe incessantly. He is bigger there than here. I left that concert wondering why our County Commissioners and School Board was not there to absorb wholesomeness to pass along to our troubled kids and declining society. I confi dently prescribe Don Williams’ music and comfortable style as a healing medicine for a troubled mind and a misguided society. Use it frequently. Benefi ts are monumental. Negative side effects are nonexistent.

Bad Billy Laveau is a retired MD with a pointed sense of humor. Bad Billy speaks and entertains at public and private events for audiences not subject to cardiac seizure secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee [email protected] or 706-306-9397

on Williams, The Gentle Giant, played

the Imperial Theater. There were more gray hairs there than at a Worldwide Poodle dog show. Don’s sculptured beard stood out with the grandeur of the Snows of Kilimanjaro. Many of us shared his seniority. My son took me as my Father’s Day present. We ate quickie burgers before the concert. It was a wild Saturday night for us. We were home by 10:30. The distinctly middle-aged crowd bordered on advanced maturity. Security guards had the easiest night ever. These law abiding citizens clearly relished in the family values that Don champions in his lyrics. No cutting in line. No loud talking. No profanity. No drunks. No druggies. No shouting. No gang signs. No pat-downs at the door. When Don sang, they shut up. When Don paused, they applauded. When Don bowed, they gave a standing ovation of reverence. There was reason: Don Williams projected good ole boy family values the way a WWII search light put a knowing beam in a troubled sky. Clear. Pointed. Unashamed. Faithful. His deep baritone voice fl owed with the smoothness of

oil on still water. His manner and persona could still troubled waters in a raging storm. His still quietness had the reassurance of a safe island in the Sea of Despair. Don is real. He knows the secrets of life. Take these lyrics into your soul and be the better for it:I don’t believe in super starsOrganic foods & foreign carsI don’t believe in the price of goldThe certainty of growing oldThat right is right & left is wrongThat north & south can’t get alongThat east is east & west is west& that being fi rst is always bestBut I believe in love

I believe in babiesI believe in mom and dadAnd I believe in you.

I believe in loveI believe in old folksI believe in childrenAnd I believe in you

I believe in old folksI believe in babiesI believe in mom and dadAnd I believe in you. — Reverently stolen from Don Williams

Or this one:You placed goldOn my fi nger

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WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOWABOUT GOOD OL’ BOYS

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINERFEBRUARY 7, 2014 5

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D THE

Best MEdicine

Who: CSRA Parkinson Support Group What: Bad Billy Laveau, a retired doctor who writes for the Augusta Medical Examiner, will be the speaker. He will regale the group with

entertaining and educational stories.

When: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 6:00pm

Where: St. John Towers dining room 724 Greene Street Augusta, GA

Contact: Mary Ann Navarro (706) 364-1662

Note: This event is free and open to the public.

JANUARY

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THANKS FOR READING THE MEDICAL EXAMINER

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER FEBRUARY 7, 20146+

WE’RE BEGGING YOUWe’re never too proud to beg. What we’re begging for is Medicine in the First Person stories. With your help, we’d like to make this a feature in every issue of the Medical Examiner. After all, everybody has a story of something health- or medicine-related, and lots of people have many stories. Send your interesting (or even semi-interesting) stories to the Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903 or e-mail to [email protected]. Thanks!

“I lost 23 pounds.”

“I was a battlefi eld medic.”

“We had triplets.”

“My leg was broken in three places.”

“The cause was a mystery for a long time.”

“The ambulance crashed.”

“I sure learned my lesson.”“It was a terrible tragedy.”

“And that’s when I fell.”

“Now THAT hurt!”

“It seemed like a miracle.”

“He doesn’t remember a thing.”

“She saved my life.”

“It took 48 stitches.”

“The nearest hospital was 30 miles away.”

“I thought, ‘Well, this is it’.”

“I retired from medicine seven years ago.” “It was my fi rst year

of medical school.”

“OUCH!”

NOTHING SEEMED TO HELP, UNTIL...

“I’m not supposed to be alive.”“This was on my third day in Afghanistan.”

“He was just two when he died.”

“They took me to the hospital by helicopter.”

“The smoke detector woke me up.”

Everybody has a story. Tell us yours.“Turned out it was just indigestion.”

Here’s our “No Rules Rules.” We’ll publish your name and city, or keep you anonymous. Your choice. Length? Up to you. Subject? It can be a monumental medical event or just a stubbed toe. It can make us laugh or make us cry. One thing we’re not interested in, however: please, no tirades against a certain doctor or hospital. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

“At fi rst I thought it was something I ate.”

M E D I C I N E I N T H E F I R S T P E R S O N

I really got tickedI’ve been pretty healthy all of my life. Not that I’m a health nut or

anything. Most of my exercise comes from walking down to the street to get my mail. (That’s where my mailman throws it.) I was even betting that I could beat my father’s record of not having to stay overnight in the hospital. His fi rst stay didn’t happen until he was in his late 60’s. Unfortunately, I lost. On my way to that ill-fated day, I learned a few lessons. See if you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios. I was looking out my window one sultry July afternoon, staring at how ugly the bushes were getting with overgrowth and some wild vines weaving their way

through the branches. On a sudden whim I rushed out in shorts and a t-shirt and did battle with those vines. They put up a valiant fi ght, but in the end I came out the victor. Or so I thought. Lesson 1: Never do yard work unless you’re clothed over most of your body. Why? Keep reading. About a week later I’m out of town attending a convention. It’s a Saturday morning and I’m feeling fi ne. I was even feeling chipper. But not for long. In a matter of a couple of hours a funky feeling steals my cheerfulness. I’m feeling some

aches. Now I’m getting cold. (A rare thing for me as I’m always the hot one). Now I’m getting the shakes. I know I’m toast. Unable to drive, my concerned wife takes over and we make the 45 minute trip back to my in-laws where we’re staying while out of town. At fi rst we treat it like the fl u and I try to get some rest. But my shivering increases and I feel as if I’m freezing to death. I wrap myself in an electric blanket trying to get warm and I take my temperature. It’s nearing 105°. In my fevered brain I’m thinking that I got that warm as a kid a time or two, so there’s nothing much to worry about, right? Lesson 2: If a kid gets a temperature that high, it’s bad but not typically fatal. But I learned that if

an adult’s temperature gets anywhere near that high, head to a doctor or hospital immediately. It’s a symptom of a serious illness. I was fortunate enough to have a sister-in-law visiting at the time who works in a pharmacy. Although not a doctor, she knows a heck of a lot more than your average Joe. When she realizes I’m wrapped up in an electric blanket, she rips it off me, concerned that it would contribute to elevating my fever. She also insists that I go to the emergency room. I would end up thanking her many times for that advice. In the ER I’m given test after test, but they can’t fi gure out what’s causing the fever. They fi nally decide that I need to check-in, kick my shoes off and stay a while, which bums me out because, you know, there goes my record. For the next two days I’m doing my best imitation of a lab rat as they poke and pour drugs into me. After fi nally checking off everything they fi gure it isn’t, they fi nally

arrive at the educated guess that what I’m suffering from is a tick bite. (Please see Lesson 1). Lesson 3: Most tick bites are harmless. But diseases that do result from tick bites can be diffi cult for physicians to diagnose. If you’ve contracted Lyme disease and it’s not treated, more severe symptoms and complications can occur. These include arthritis, neurologic symptoms, or heart problems. However, early recognition and treatment of the infection decreases the risk of serious complications. So there’s my story. I’d hate to think that my health could have been ruined by some tiny speck of a creature that I can barely see, but it could have happened. Of course, I could also get run over by a bus, something that’s easy to see and would have the same results, just messier. So don’t get paranoid over every little thing or you’ll end up miserable, and what fun is that? — submitted by Mark Gibson Hendersonville, Tennessee

...and lost a bet in the process.II

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINERFEBRUARY 7, 2014 7 +

Overnight Oats in a Jar, A Quick & Nutritious BreakfastI absolutely love oatmeal, but I never seem to have time to make oatmeal in

the mornings before work. My breakfast foods must be on-the-go choices. For the last six months or so I have been seeing these “Overnight Oats in a Jar” on Facebook and Pinterest and I thought, “Wow... what a great idea and that could possibly fi t into my morning schedule.” This breakfast was super simple to put together and I made four jars at once last Sunday afternoon. TAH-DAH.....we had breakfast for Monday and Tuesday mornings last week. My husband took a jar to work both days. He loved the oats and fruit and said that his breakfast kept him full until lunchtime. I managed to squeeze in some time to have a jar both days also.

I will defi nitely be making these oats on a regular basis because they were delicious, but also very fi lling. I felt very good about the fact that I was able to get my oatmeal in for a change on a week day/work day. I’m equally as happy about the nutrients and fi ber that I added to my diet. In addition to that, chia seeds are a great source of Omega-3’s and loaded with antioxidants and fi ber. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats for this recipe, keeping this recipe gluten free.

Southern Girl Eats Clean

What you’ll need:• 1/2 cup of organic steel cut oats, gluten free• 1 cup of organic almond milk, unfl avored, unsweetened• 1 Tbsp. of organic chia seeds• 1/2 ripe organic banana• 1/2 tsp. of organic vanilla fl avoring• 1 pinch of ground cinnamon• 1/2 Tbsp. - 1 Tbsp. of organic pure maple syrup• 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped peaches, strawberries or blueberries. (Or your fruit of choice)

Making the dish:Place oats and chia seeds into

a 16 oz. Mason or Ball canning jar. Mash the banana and place into the jar with the oats and chia seeds and incorporate the banana together with the oats

and chia seeds using a spoon

or fork. Add the almond milk, vanilla fl avoring, cinnamon and maple syrup to the jar. Close the lid tightly and

shake well. Add chopped fruit to the jar and stir with a spoon to mix well through the mixture. Close lid and place jar into the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight. In the morning, remove from fridge enjoy straight from the jar. You may add additional chopped fruit to the top if you would like. The oats last approximately 4 days in the refrigerator.

Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog www.southerngirleatsclean.

com She is a working wife and mother living in Evans, Georgia. Visit her blog for more recipes and information on clean eating.

Oatmeal in a Jar

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Boardwalk to Bark Place

5873 Huntington Drive

Grovetown, Georgia

(706) 840-3141

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FOUNDINGSFormer Trinity Hospital CEO Bill Atkinson’s

book on the behind-the-scenes tales of twelve Augusta healthcare institutions.

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HOW MANY DISCOUNT CARDS DO YOU HAVE?e all have the abundance of pharmacy discount cards being sent to us in the mail and through our

email. Numerous groups have contracted with a company to provide them to their members. If you do an internet search for pharmacy discount cards you’ll see an abundance of these cards. But do these cards really help you at the pharmacy? It depends on the card and the pharmacy. These cards are basically for patients with no insurance, since your insurance will not pay secondary to the discount card. All the discount card does is send back a discounted cash price for you to pay. This means that you pay the full cost of the drug. You will save the pharmacy markup on that particular medicine, which at some pharmacies can be signifi cant. Other pharmacies fi nd that their cash price is almost as good as the discount card price. So how do these companies offer free cards and great discounts? They charge the pharmacies a negative reimbursement, which means that when a regular insurance card would normally be paying, these discount cards are charging the pharmacy for processing the claim. I have seen these fees be more than a standard pharmacy markup on a given drug. So the cash price could be the better way to go. But that is how the card companies pay to send out all these unrequested cards. At the same time the pharmacy is taking a payment that results in mere pennies of profi t at best. Obviously pharmacies cannot stay in business on a profi t margin of pennies per prescription. That leaves the pharmacy in a situation where they have to decide whether or not to accept these discount cards or not. Look at this typical situation: You are a commercially insured patient with a high-priced brand-name medication prescription. Commercial insurance is insurance through a private employer, not a government insurance program such as Medicare or Medicaid. If you search online for a copay

savings card there will be dozens of hits on discount cards, but as we said earlier, these do not help if you already have insurance that covers the particular drug. There still may be discounts available. Look for the drug’s website, which will normally be found by typing a web address of “www.” followed by the drug name and then “.com”. On the drug’s website there is often a link to a savings card or program. These cards will work as a secondary insurance, and pay after your insurance card pays. This will allow you lower copay on your higher-priced medications. So when you see cards online or in your mail that promote supposedly seventy-fi ve percent savings (or more) there is ample reason to read the fi ne print. There will be an “up to” before the percent savings. That is a key statement, because on some drugs there is next to nothing saved. Next time we will try to talk about types of insurance plans being seen this year.

Questions about this article or suggestions for future columns can be sent to us at [email protected]

Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson ([email protected] )


Pharmacy 411Pharmacy 411Very 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.

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OUR NEWSSTANDSMedical 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 Waffl e House and mail boxes)• GHSU Hospital, 1120 15th Street, South & West Entrances• GHSU Medical Offi ce Building, Harper Street, Main Entrance• GHSU Medical Offi ce 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... 500+ doctors offi ces throughout the area for staff and waiting rooms, as well as many

nurses stations and waiting rooms of area hospitals.

W

parkspharmacy.com

437 Georgia Avenue, North Augusta, SC803-279-7450

ARKS HARMACYPP

These three randomly found pharmacy discount cards all show the same toll-free help line phone number.

Daniel Village Barber ShopTUE - FRI: 9:00 - 6:00; SATURDAY: 9:00 - 3:00

We’re on Wrightsboro Rd. at Ohio Avenue.

2522 Wrightsboro Road 736-7230

Medical Complex Wrightsboro Road Augusta Mall

Highland Ave.

Daniel Field76 Circle Kformer

Smile Gas

Ohio Ave.

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DANIEL VILLAGEBARBER SHOP

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One of our customers told

us he’s lost quite a bit of

his hair.

We’re combing the area.

Are you tired of impersonal chain

pharmacies run by huge corporations?

This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

“

“

Men have become the tools of their tools.

- Henry David ThoreauVisit the Medical Examiner blog: www.AugustaRx.com/news


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DON’T LICK THE BEATERS

Useful food facts from dietetic interns with University Hospital’s Augusta Area Dietetic Internship Program

They say the camera adds ten pounds. What if instead

it added ten patients?

When you grow your website you

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Well it’s that time of year again when our New Year’s resolutions are tested with the lure of all things chocolate. Valentine’s Day candy has hit the shelves in stores everywhere. Before you fl y past that aisle full of candy, remind yourself that a little dark chocolate may be benefi cial for your heart. Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean which is rich in a class of plant nutrients called fl avonoids. These fl avonoids act as antioxidants in our bodies, helping our body’s cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes such as breathing, and environmental toxins such as cigarette smoke. If our bodies do not have enough

antioxidants to combat the free radicals, then damage to our cells occurs. In addition to having antioxidant qualities, research has demonstrated that fl avonoids may have other potential infl uences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood fl ow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets more effi cient for clotting. Now, before you go and grab all the chocolate candy in the stores or eat a tall piece of chocolate cake at your Valentine’s Day dinner, remember that not all chocolate is created equal. Cocoa naturally has a strong, pungent taste which comes

from the fl avonoids. Most people turn their noses up to this bitter taste and prefer sweeter milk chocolate. However, the more the cocoa is processed to remove this bitter taste, the more fl avonoids are lost, limiting its antioxidant properties. Unfortunately, most chocolate in stores today is highly processed. The good news is that manufacturers are always looking for ways to keep the fl avonoids in their chocolates. Your best choices are to choose dark over milk chocolate and cocoa powder that has not undergone Dutch processing. One other thing to consider before you devour that heart-shaped box of chocolates is the fat content of chocolate. Chocolate that is fi lled with caramel or marshmallows or covered with nuts is not a heart healthy option. These additional ingredients can add a lot of extra sugar, fat, and calories. However, you may be surprised to learn that the fat in chocolate comes from cocoa butter and is made up of oleic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. Oleic acid is a heart healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil. Stearic acid is a saturated fat, and research has shown that it has a neutral effect on cholesterol, neither raising nor lowering it. Palmitic acid does affect cholesterol levels, but it only makes up one-third of the fat calories in chocolate. So this doesn’t give you free rein to enjoy all the dark chocolate you want, but the next time you have the opportunity to indulge your sweet tooth, enjoy a moderate portion (i.e. 1 ounce) of dark chocolate and don’t feel too guilty for treating your heart, soul, and mind.

- by Amber HotzUniversity Hospital Dietetic Intern

DARK CHOCOLATE AND HEART HEALTH

The American Heart Association says just a handful of simple actions that all of us can take would reduce heart disease tremendously. In our two February issues and online at AugustaRx.com/news, the Medical Examiner blog, we’ll give you the scoop, promise. Cross our hearts.

Get Moving: Easy Tips to Get Active!

The fi rst step: walking! Why? It’s easy, it works and it pays.• Walking is the simplest way to start and continue a fi tness plan.• Walking costs nothing to get started.• Walking has the lowest dropout rate of any type of exercise.• Walking is easy and safe.

It Works• Studies show that for every hour of walking, life expectancy may increase by two hours.• Walking for as few as 30 minutes a day provides heart health benefi ts.• Walking is the single most effective form of exercise to achieve heart health.

It Pays• Physically active people save $500 a year in healthcare costs.• Employers can save $16 for every $1 they spend on health and wellness.• Fitness programs can reduce employer healthcare costs 20 - 55%.• Reducing just one health risk in the workplace increases productivity by 9%.• Reducing one health risk decreases absenteeism by 2%.

Visit StartWalkingNow.org for all kinds of additional info.

Non-Walking Tips for Increasing Physical ActivityAt Home It’s convenient, comfortable and safe to work out at home. It allows your children to see you being active, which sets a good example for them. You can combine exercise with other activities, such as watching TV. If you buy exercise equipment, it’s a one-time expense and other family members can use it. It’s easy to have short bouts of activity several times a day. Try these tips:• Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.• Work in the garden or mow the grass. Using a riding mower doesn’t count! Rake leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash.• Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both. Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes.• When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa. Or stretch. Better yet, spend a few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV, or at least during commercials. Keep your remote control across the room. Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.• Stand up while talking on the telephone.• Park farther away at the grocery store or mall and walk the extra distance. Wear your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall.• Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to look at items at fl oor level.• Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it.

At Work Most of us have sedentary jobs, and work takes up a signifi cant part of our day. What can you do to increase your physical activity during the work day?• Brainstorm project ideas with a coworker while taking a walk.• Create an exercise partnership.• Walk during business calls when you don’t need to reference important documents.• Stand while talking on the telephone.• Walk down the hall to speak with someone rather than using the telephone or sending an e-mail.• Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or get off a few fl oors early and take the stairs the rest of the way.• Walk while waiting for the plane at the airport.• Stay at hotels with fi tness centers or swimming pools and use them while on business trips.• Work out before or after work to avoid rush-hour traffi c.

Heartbreakers


ADVERTISE HEREThe Medical Examiner is perhaps the most well-read

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GUEST COLUMN/EDITORIAL

Thoughts on Medicare The debate over the use of the word “entitlement” in connection with Medicare is becoming popular. It is true that most of our elderly of today have paid into the program. I say most because there is a segment who have not. Many ask the question why those individuals are receiving the benefi t. It is a sound question. It is also a question that breeds other questions, one of which is the subject of the disability benefi t. What are the criteria for a disability? There are some appropriate rules in place, such as a two-year wait from the time the U.S. government deems a person disabled to when they begin receiving a monetary benefi t. But there are many receiving disability checks who are able to work. A 55 year-old woman receiving a disability check, Medicare coverage and full Medicaid, paying only a token amount out of pocket for any prescription she may need, wants to know what other

programs are available to her. She states her disability is depression. There are those with multiple mental diagnosis that include severe depression that will preclude them from holding a job. However, this woman reveals she takes several vacations yearly, is able to drive a car, walks daily and is engaged in both family and church activities. Medicaid is the other hot button for taxpayers. No one wants babies to go hungry or put our elderly out in the snow, but it is not the responsibility of our government to take care of everyone. There must be some personal responsibility. One way to reinstate it is to tighten the system from the bottom up by stopping the vast abuse of the safety nets we have in place for our neediest citizens. A healthy, unemployed, 38-year-old, married couple claim zero income. Their four children are on Peachcare. They want to fi le for “Family Medicaid” in order to receive health care for themselves. While I certainly don’t have access to the qualifying circumstances for such a benefi t, I do wonder why such help is available to people who can work. If they were

to be approved for the benefi t, where is the incentive to go to work and give up free health care for a family of six? The entitlement mind-set is rampant in the United States. A married couple with a long list of pain medications for both spouses want help with their drug expenses. They have a joint income of $55,000.00. While this is clearly a case of fi nancial mismanagement, their argument is that Medicaid should be based on what a person’s bills are, not their income. There are a lot of people who believe they should be allowed to spend their income on what they want and the taxpayers should pay for what they need. These examples are a sampling of the true problem with the entitlement programs. It is why Governor Deal wants drug testing for unemployment benefi ts, and cut-backs in other programs. If there is stringent accountability, our truly needy will be cared for and our nation can recover not only fi nancial stability but our dignity and pride as well.

— Robert B. Ashton


– Posted May 28, 2012 by Gregory Shumer at thedoctorweighsin.com

The privilege of being a 3rd-yr med student I am four months into my third year of medical school. The third year is the fi rst clinical year, when students spend most of their time in the hospital, interacting with patients and working as part of the medical team. Our deans told us at the beginning of the year that we are the lucky ones: we would be talking with patients more than anyone else on the medical team; we would serve as advocates for our patients’ wants and needs. They told us patients often remember students before anyone else. It comes down to time. While our resident is busy managing more than a dozen patients – most of whom have multi-systemic, complex problems – we are beginners, entrusted to manage a handful of patients at a time. As beginners it takes us more time to think through algorithms of management and treatment options. A handful of patients is plenty, and allows us to really get to know our patients as people – to sit at their bedsides and hear their stories, beyond the details that affect their care. This morning, I was assigned to a middle-aged man, Jack, who presented during the night with worsening back and hip pain. My job was to read what other doctors had written in their notes, then to talk to the patient and perform a history and physical exam. I would then present my fi ndings to one of the residents. Jack was diagnosed a year ago with liver cancer that rapidly spread to his pelvis and spine. An MRI performed last night revealed a new mass in Jack’s spinal cord. On the hospital computer and scrolled through the images until I noticed an unusual round mass in the lower portion of the spinal cord. The medical student part of me noted the size and location of the mass and thought about what body structures might be affected. The human part of me felt hopelessness and compassion for this poor man, who I knew had a very poor prognosis. I had no other patients to see that morning, and I had three hours before I had to meet with my team for rounds. I reminded myself of the message from my deans: I am the lucky one. I spent the next three hours sitting and talking with Jack. As a medical student, I gathered a detailed past medical history and history of his current illness. As a human being, I formed a bond with a dying man, getting to know him and listening to his story as he wanted to tell it. I learned about his childhood. I learned how he traveled to different countries as a medical assistant, birthing babies and giving medicine to those in need. I learned how he eventually moved to the US to receive higher education. I learned about his wife and three children. And now he was here, a man of great accomplishments, now reduced to a sick patient in a hospital gown, eating hospital food, totally dependent on his doctors and nurses. A man who had defi ned himself in so many ways was now being defi ned as a 53 year old man with liver cancer metastasized to his pelvis and spine. Other details faded to gray to the busy doctors with too many patients. But not to me. I am the lucky one. With question after question and time to spare, I was able to learn about his upbringing, his fi ght with cancer during the past year, and the lessons he learned in life and how they applied to his current situation. “But it seems I still have much to learn,” he said. I tucked away my pen and paper and continued to listen to his story and absorb his wisdom. I am the lucky one, to have the time to stop and listen. To bring that background information back from the gray and into the light, to invite Jack to tell his story. I can only hope that by doing my part, I am helping him in some way through his diffi cult struggle. And for that, I am thankful to play my part, and eager to fulfi ll this important role as we take care of patients on our medical team. As I progress through my medical career, I must continue to make time to listen, not only as a physician gathering information from patients, but as a human being listening and learning as I hear other people’s stories.

The blog spot

“We are the lucky ones.”

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Research News

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From the Bookshelf In ancient times — a few decades ago, that is to say — tattoo owners were largely of two main categories: convicts (and ex-cons) and veterans (sailors seem to be the stereotypical inked service members of yore). In the intervening years, a third group was added: motorcycle gangs. And then members of any old gang were added to the list. Other than veterans, inked skin was not so long ago found nearly always on various characters best described as slightly beyond the boundaries of polite society, if not downright nefarious characters. Of course, we’ve already established that state of affairs as ancient times. Today, tattoos are found on secretaries, grandmothers, nurses, schoolteachers and, as this handsome volume illustrates in words and many pictures, on science geeks of every stripe: math geeks, chemistry and physics geeks, astronomers, and so on. It has a certain logic: while the drunken masses are getting Hello Kitty tatts or having random words permanently inked into their skin in Old

English lettering (in all caps, to complete the travesty), lab rats are getting E=mc2 tattooed onto their biceps. While giggling girls get a Chinese character that they’ve been told means courage (but which actually means tramp) emblazoned on their ankles, some scientist somewhere is having the double helix of DNA strands permanently memorialized in a place of honor on his or her skin. At the very moment a med student, biology major or practicing archaeologist is having a Fibonacci spiral, a caffeine molecule, or perhaps some classic fossil inked in,

someone else somewhere is getting a tattoo of this year’s hottest rock & roll band which, unknown to the tattooee, has already broken up. The list of erudite symbolisms for the tattoo-inclined range from meteorological symbols to favorite chemical formulas. Or maybe a mnemonic to help remember some particularly diffi cult and obscure landmarks of microscopic anatomy — nerve bundles or tiny named veins or something. Somehow science ink seems a lot safer than the name of your latest girlfriend. After all, even wives and husbands seem to be temporary commodities these days. And there’s no shortage of ideas, as the hundreds of photos — cataloged alphabetical thumbnails — in this book prove. Not a tattoo fan? There’s a lot of logic on your side. Even science tattoos can be the subject of buyer’s remorse. Someone somewhere surely has a “Pluto is my favorite planet” tattoo.

Science Ink by Carl Zimmer; foreword by Mary Roach 288 pages, published in November 2011 by Sterling.

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A strategy that backfi res That’s the conclusion of one study, anyway. The strategy: drink diet beverages to cut calories or lose weight. The unintended effect: eating more calories to compensate. That surprising fi nding was made by researchers at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. In a nutshell, the study compared two groups of overweight and/or obese people: one group drank sugary beverages, the other drank diet sodas. As you already know (see above), the diet soda drinkers ate more food than the other group. The reason, say researchers, is that artifi cial sweeteners are thought to disrupt the brain’s sensors. They make the brain think you are less full or less satiated. The “stop eating” switch is not thrown as quickly as it is in the brains of non-diet drink drinkers. Oddly enough, the study also measured the same parameters

among normal-weight adults, with opposite fi ndings: in that group, those who drank diet drinks ate fewer food calories than their equals who drink sugary beverages. Researchers cannot explain that difference.

HPV shot and sexual activity The vaccine that protects against cervical cancer – HPV (human papillomavirus) — has been opposed by some parents due to fears that it would encourage sexual activity or give girls a false sense of security about potentially risky sexual behaviors. A new study by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has found nothing to suggest the vaccine affects girls’ sexual activity or their attitudes about it. 300 girls between the ages of 13 and 21 were surveyed when they got their fi rst dose of the vaccine, and then at two and six month intervals thereafter. Clinicians asked about their level of sexual activity and

their attitudes and practices concerning safe sex. The key factor, say researchers, were the core principles and beliefs each girl had at the outset. The vaccine did not change the moral principles of the study participants. Public health professionals say the HPV vaccine, which protects against about 70 percent of cervical cancers, has been a tough sell due to moral concerns by parents.

Ignoring the wake-up call A Canadian study has found that many heart attack and stroke survivors are not making the changes necessary to prevent future attacks. That is a disturbing fi nding, since attacks are likely to occur again. Sixty percent said surviving a stroke or heart attack was like getting a second chance on life, but after the initial scare survivors tend to revert over time to the same habits which led to the original episode.

The Mystery Word for this issue:PROSIMETTOT

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


PUZZLE

THE MYSTERY WORD

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

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM TO ENTER!Click on “Reader Contests”

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

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by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved. Built in part with software from www.crauswords.com

Solution p. 14

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

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved. Built with software from www.crauswords.com

QUOTATION PUZZLE

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fi ll 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 © 2014 All rights reserved

by Daniel R

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THE EXAMiNERS+

by Dan Pearson+

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This article is about a military bigshot run over

by a steamroller.

I read that. He was smuggling priceless

classical music scores.

Exactly. He swallowed them. It was discovered

during his autopsy.

A symphony in a flat major.

What did they find?You mean old stuff like Bach and Beethoven?

© 2014 Daniel Pearson All rights reserved.

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DOWN 1. Initials of resort hotel in Asheville, NC 2. Floyd County seat 3. Related 4. Devices for fi shing 5. Serious injury (physically or emotionally) 6. Center prefi x at times 7. Grant temporary use of 8. Capital of Rwanda 9. Disease 10. Silly 11. Think 12. Minerals 13. Leader of The Untouchables 18. Groups of players 22. Tear down 24. Yes, casually 26. Chocolate substitute 27. Synonym for 17-A 28. City in W Nevada 29. Not being truthful 30. ________ Rose

31. Unambiguous 32. Push, as a button (in the South) 33. Journal for MDs 36. Monetary unit of Burma 38. Acrimony 40. Biden or Gore, generically 43. Ireland 45. Pungent bulb 49. Mountain spinach 50. Contaminate 51. Aids 53. Wire screen 54. Legal rights org. 55. Lower digits 56. Quantity of rye 58. Run away 59. Exclamation of woe 60. For fear that 63. The N of NIMBY 64. Affi rmative vote

ACROSS 1. Heart in Motion singer (and Augusta native) 6. Antlered animal 9. Paul ______ Theater 14. Card game 15. Noted architect 16. Accustom 17. Copying 19. Instances of disease 20. Follow 21. Absence of light 23. Word before I? 25. Road division 26. Brown sugar using heat 30. ATL movie station 33. Practical joke 34. Speak 35. George of WJBF 37. Philips follower 39. Immune syst. disorder 41. Rick, formerly of WJBF 42. Sullen, ill-humored 44. Classical intro, sometimes 46. Indian nursemaid 47. To endure (obsolete) 48. Precursor, predecessor 51. Benefi ciary 52. Immobilize (in wrestling) 53. Motherly 57. Garbage, esp. from a butcher 61. Digestive bacterium, for short 62. Jennifer of A Beautiful Mind 65. Snoozed 66. Research facility on Mauna Loa 67. Discontinue 68. Impudent girl 69. Juvenile newt 70. Outer coat of a seed

1 2

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— Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

ON SICK LEAVE


The Patient’s Perspectiveby Marcia Ribble

f I were in Michigan today,

I’d be watching for snow, and hoping that it didn’t stretch all the way from Lake Michigan across to where I’ve lived in the past, Saginaw, Bay City, and East Lansing. Grand Rapids would already be a lost cause, and my sister up in Charlevoix is likely snowed in already. While I feel for my relatives and friends up north who have had to deal again and again this winter with shoveling snow, I am also grateful for our southern winters where, last week’s snowfall notwithstanding, snow is so rare that many of us, even us northern born, do not have a snow shovel to our names, nor do we know anyone who does own a snow shovel. They are rare as hen’s teeth around here. A lot of heart attacks occur up north every year when out of shape elders go out and replicate the snow shoveling they did when they were younger. The sound of the shovel scraping against the sidewalk or the driveway stops, and someone is found lying in a pile of snow they just shoveled. The saddest thing is that it could be prevented by knowing our limits and respecting the need our bodies have for regular exercise. Looking at me one might guess that I am one of those at-risk elders. But whether it is sweat-inducing chores or physician-induced drugs making my heart work overtime, my heart rate and pulse stay well within the normal range. So exercise, even fairly strenuous exercise, is fi ne for me, even good for me. I am allowed to sweat all I’d like, maybe even more than I’d like, to the point that my shirt is so sweaty I need to shower and change into fresh clothes. In their speeches, my students talk about relatives they love who allow themselves to become so out of shape that adding just a little exercise load to their everyday routines results in heart attacks and strokes with devastating consequences. People who love us care and feel profound hurt when we die too early. And we miss so much ourselves. Although the probability of us southerners dying from shoveling snow is very small, there are lots of

other physical demands on our bodies. Raking pine straw on a large lot with fi ve or six pine trees can do it. Digging the soil for our spring gardening could also be harmful to those who are out of shape. Engaging in outdoor sports after a winter spent indoors can be risky as well, even though it may seem that it’s the right thing to do. This is the point of winter where indoor exercises can push our bodies to become stronger and more fi t so we can enjoy outdoor exercise when it warms up just a little bit. As I write this, temperatures above 60 are in the forecast, signaling that the 70s are not far behind. Walking is great, as is heading to the nice warm gyms around us. But even the home-bound can simply increase the number of steps taken each day, the number of times they get up from their chairs and sit back down again, the number of times they bend down to pick up a piece of paper, or any number of simple exercises that make use of our bodies regularly. Washing dishes by hand, folding the laundry, reaching up to dust the tops of doors or bookshelves, all of these help, even when we can no longer do some household tasks. For example, my balance is out of sorts, so I have a hard time vacuuming or washing fl oors holding on to my walker, but walking in the grocery store hanging on to the cart is easy breezy. Just pick something relatively easy for you and do lots of it. Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and retired from the University of Cincinnati. She taught writing at the college level and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She is now teaching again at Virginia College in Augusta. She can be reached with comments, suggestions, etc., at [email protected].

Talk is cheap.Not talking can be deadly.

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ha... ha...

THE BEST MEDICINE

grandmother is at the beach with her grandson, watching him play in the water

when suddenly a huge wave washes over the boy and takes him out to sea. He vanishes without a trace. With no one else in sight and being unable to swim, there’s nothing for her to do but fall to her knees. She looks heavenward and pleads, “God, please save that little boy. He’s my only grandson. My life would have no meaning without him. I beg of you, please bring him back.” Just then another big wave breaks, this time washing the boy back onto the beach without a scratch on him, good as new. The grandmother looks up to heaven again and says, “He was wearing a hat!”

A man opened a dry cleaning shop and visited everyone nearby to introduce his services. One of his calls was to a convent down the street. He knocked on the door and waited. When a nun came to the door he asked her, “Do you have any dirty habits?”

A dyslexic man walked into a bra.

A baby seal walks into a bar. “What’ll you have?” asks the bartender. “Anything but a Canadian Club,” answers the seal.

A noun and a verb were dating, but it just didn’t work out. The noun was too possessive.

A butcher is fi ve feet ten inches tall with a 36-inch waist. What does he weigh? Meat, obviously.

A notorious criminal in Olde England was charged with treason against the king and sentenced to die. The criminal begged for mercy but the king said, “The sentence shall be carried out.” “Will you at least let me choose the manner of my death?” begged the condemmed man. “Very well,” said the king. “I’ll allow that.” “Thank you, kind sire,” said the man. “I wish to die of old age.”

Did you hear about the man who was convicted of spousal abuse? She was diabetic, and every night he wished her sweet dreams.

Years ago food scientists developed artifi cial sugars. Then they invented artifi cial fat, Olestra. Now they have found a way to create artifi cial spaghetti noodles, called Impasta.

Husband: Why do you spend so much on food?Wife: It’s the only thing the kids will eat. +

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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!

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THE MYSTERY SOLVED...cleverly hidden (upper left) in the p. 16 ad for

GROUP & BUSINESS CONSULTANTS Unfortunately, due to a glitch at AugustaRx.com, we were again unable to receive and view

Mystery Word Contest entries for the Jan. 24 issue. We hope to have that problem fi xed soon. We’re putting The Mystery Word on sick leave until we can get this repaired. Our apologies.

...wherein we hide (with fi endish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then be the fi rst to fi nd 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: gift certifi cates from Wild Wing Cafe, Top Notch Car Wash, and movie passes from Health Center Credit Union! SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and fi nd 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 CelebratedMYSTERY WORD CONTEST

HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC.

FOR RENT 2 bdrm 1 bath unfurn up-stairs condo. Carport, pool, outside laun-dry. Country Club Hills condos, Milledge Road near GRU/ASU. $700/mo + $500 dep. We furn water, you pay electric. 706-736-7167 Email: [email protected]

ROOMMATE WANTED! 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath house with pool, 2 minutes from colleges. Perfect for medical or grad stu-dents. $425+share utils. 706.993.6082

WEST AUGUSTA House for rent. 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1500 sqft, 1-car garage, 3024 Sterling Road, located off Stevens Creek at Riverwatch Pkwy. $850/mo. Call 678-467-7187.

FOR SALE: GORGEOUS, immaculate, never occupied townhome located mins from Medical District. 2 bed, 2 bath, master en suite, walk-in closets, offi ce. 1450 sq ft. hardwood fl oors throughout, fabulous upgrades, custom kitchen and baths. Floor to ceiling windows, fenced yard. Partially furnished! 120k OBO.

803-507-6621.

Augustagahomesearch.com

Foreclosures • Rentals • MLSRoman Realty 706-564-5885

SERVICES

VIDEOS-FOR-THE-WEB SERVICE

Documentary style interview or demonstra-tion shot HD with pro audio and basic ed-its, 3-min. fi nished video uploaded to your account. Complete package $250. Please call David: 803-645-8370. Documentary Video Productions, LLC – Aiken, SC.

BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673)

FULL-SERVICE MOVER

Anthony’s Professional Moving, 28 years serving the CSRA moving hospital equip-ment, offi ces, homes, apartments, etc. Estimates are FREE. Call 706.860.3726 or 706.814.8141

NOTICE! ATTENTION! If any current or past employer has failed to pay you min. wage or time and a half overtime

pay, you may be entitled to an order from US Federal Court awarding you twice the amount of your unpaid wages plus atty. fees. For info, call Arthur H. Shealy, Attorney at Law, 803-278-5149, 1010 Plantation Rd, North Augusta SC 29841. You may be entitled to a similar award for unpaid wages if your employer required you to perform duties during your lunch hour, before clocking in, or after clocking out.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Ridiculously affordable and highly visible advertising available through the pages of Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper, aka the Augusta Medical Examiner. Have you heard of it or seen a copy? Rates can be reviewed at AugustaRx.com. Questions? Send an e from the site, or call the publisher directly: Dan Pearson at 706.860.5455. E: [email protected]

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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.

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE

VISIT DRUGOFCHOICECOFFEE.COM

WHAT’S YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE?

(OURS IS COFFEE)

THE PUZZLE SOLVED

The Mystery Word in our last issue was:OPTOMETRIST

QUOTATIONSEE PAGE 12

The Sudoku Solution� � � � � � ��

Thanks for reading!

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER

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QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: Page 12: “I simply want to live, to cause no evil to anyone but myself.” — Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace

WORDS BY NUMBER“Wealth is not his who has it

but his who enjoys it.” — Author unknown

� � � � � � � � � � � �� ! ! �� ! � � � � �


DENTISTRY

Poppell Chiropractic Clinic1106-A Furys LaneMartinez 30907706-210-2875Most insurance plans accepted

CHIROPRACTIC SENIOR LIVING

SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY

Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community3725 Wheeler RoadAugusta 30909706-868-6500www.augustagardenscommunity.com

HOSPICEAlliance Hospice3685 Old Petersburg Rd.Suite 145Augusta 30907706-447-2461

OPHTHALMOLOGYRoger M. Smith, M.D.820 St. Sebastian Way Suite 5-AAugusta 30901706-724-3339

DERMATOLOGYGeorgia Dermatology &Skin Cancer Center2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road)Augusta 30904706-733-3373www.GaDerm.com

DRUG REHABSteppingstones to Recovery2610 Commons Blvd.Augusta 30909706-733-1935

EMPLOYEE BENEFITSGroup & Benefi ts Consultants Inc.3515 Wheeler Rd, Bldg. CAugusta 30909706-733-3459www.groupandbenefi ts.com

Floss ‘emor lose ‘em!

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

FAMILY MEDICINE

Sleep Institute of AugustaBashir Chaudhary, MD3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101Augusta 30909706-868-8555

SLEEP MEDICINE

Tesneem K. Chaudhary, MDAllergy & Asthma Center3685 Wheeler Road, Suite 101Augusta 30909706-868-8555

ALLERGY

Vein Specialists of AugustaG. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907706-854-8340www.VeinsAugusta.com

VEIN CARE

...PHARMACYParks Pharmacy437 Georgia Ave.N. Augusta 29841803-279-7450www.parkspharmacy.com

Dr. Judson S. HickeyPeriodontist2315-B Central AveAugusta 30904706-739-0071

Jason H. Lee, DMD116 Davis RoadAugusta 30907706-860-4048

Evans Dental Group4250-2 Washington RdEvans 30809706-860-3200www.evansdentalgroup.com

Steven L. Wilson, DMDFamily Dentistry4059 Columbia RoadMartinez 30907706-863-9445

LASER SERVICESIdeal Image339 Fury’s Ferry RdMartinez 309071-800-BE-IDEAL • www.idealimage.comSchedule a FREE Consultation

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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

OPTICIAN

Phil Harris1571 Walton Way Augusta 30904706-737-2020

Murphy & RobinsonO P T I C I A N S

Karen L. Carter, MD1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100Augusta 30901706-396-0600www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com

DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS

PHARMACYMedical Center West Pharmacy

465 North Belair RoadEvans 30809706-854-2424

www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com

PHC Weight Loss & Wellness Centers246B Bobby Jones ExpwyMartinez: 706-868-5332Thomson: 706-597-8667www.phcweightloss.com

WEIGHT LOSS

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If you’re in the medical fi eld, market to the healthcare community, or want to reach people interested in health

and wellness — like new patients — why advertise anywhere else?

The Medical Examiner is the Augusta area’s most highly visible and well-read health and wellness publication.

FOCUSWE ARE AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

REACH 30,000+ READERS EVERY MONTHCALL 706.860.5455 FOR INFORMATION

OR TO GET STARTED

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February 2-8, 2014 is

National Burn Awareness Week Scalds are the leading cause of burns among children. And burns caused by hot water are some of the most painful and devastating injuries treated by the medical professionals at Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Ga. “Children are far more susceptible to burns than adults,” said Dr. Fred Mullins, the medical director for the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Ga., and the president of the Joseph M. Still Burn Centers, Inc. “For example, if bath water is 130 degrees (F), an adult can be burned within fi ve minutes. It takes only seconds for a child to be burned at the same temperature. And a child’s burns will often be far worse.” “We see scald burns to children every day,” said Dr. Mullins. “But we also see similar burns to elderly adults, since their skin is also thinner than a normal adult and therefore easily burned.” One easy way to avoid scald burns is to start at the hot water heater. Setting the

thermostat to 120 degrees (or “warm” if there is no detailed thermostat) will keep the water at a safe temperature before it touches skin. “That does not mean you should automatically trust the temperature of the water,” Dr. Mullins said. “Always test the water temperature before you use it.” Other tips to avoid scalds, especially those that can occur in the kitchen, include:• Create a three-foot “safe zone” around appliances in the kitchen. • Never leave any unattended items on the stove top, and make sure all handles are out of the reach of children.• Never drink or carry hot liquids while carrying or holding a child.• Keep all hot items away from the sides of the table.• Remember, items heated in the microwave can be exceptionally hot and cause internal burns.• Try to avoid using tablecloths which could allow a child to pull hot liquids off a table.

feb7 14

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