Tag: health

Head Trauma: Finding The Silver Lining

Is there a silver lining to traumatic brain injury? Does head trauma come with benefits? I didn’t think so until my youngest shared his wisdom.
I was lamenting the loss of my photogenic memory when my youngest son said, “Mom, you’re lucky. You can choose to remember only the good times and forget the bad times.” Until then I never thought about my annoying memory loss in that way. There was a silver lining in losing my memory.

Once I came clean on the memory loss issue, I slowly regained control of many aspects of my life. I was no longer afraid to socialize in public. My mind was no longer focused on recalling noise or things I wasn’t interested or  passionate about. Today, the head trauma comes in handy. It gives me an out when I don’t feel like being bothered. I can just say I forget and most of the times it’s the truth. To think of the suffering I endured in trying to hide the injury. Honesty is best the policy when it comes to your health.

Some people are passionate about recalling names. Unless it’s someone who’ll become part of my life, I quickly forget names. Learning to manage my limited and vanishing memory cells is no small feat. It enabled me to function at a higher level, and I hope that will preserve and protect my memory cells.

I freed my mind to focus on things I love to do, when I accepted the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. No longer did I sit in a corner worrying about the things I couldn’t remember or the humiliation at losing my train of thought in the middle of making a point, a very important one.

Ironically, all my working life I slaved away to someday enjoy the luxury of a middle-class American family. Today making markedly less, I am finally beginning to live the life of my  dreams.   Now it could be that I don’t remember the life I dreamed about, but who cares I am at peace.

The past is fuzzy!  With triggers and reminders, recalling events from the distant past become easier.  The terrible memories of failures and rejections muted,  and current shortcomings quickly overlooked.  The silver lining is that I forget the impossibility of an outcome and focus on its possibilities, meaning I have a can do attitude until I start to do and fatigue or brain fog sets in.

With fewer connections, less money and less power, I am making the best of the situation.  Today, I use a shopping service to get groceries. I get a manicure and pedicure regularly (I am now overdue). I go to Boston to get my hair done at least twice a month.  I pamper myself.   When I worked full-time, I didn’t have the time to do so.   Having to make money prevented me from enjoying it.

Head injury sure  knocked some sense into me, isn’t that a silver lining?

Are Hospitals Deadly For Your Health?

MEDICAL ERRORS

Going to the doctor may be deadly for your health!

Recently published findings show medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the USA.

Rising medical errors are symptomatic of our ageing community. A culture where health care providers are chronically overworked and understaffed. A culture where working while ill is a sign of strength, responsibility and dedication. A culture where most of the work done for patients is not reimbursable.

Such is the culture of health care that contributes to medical error despite advances in technology and knowledge.

In 2013 medical errors caused 440,000 deaths in the USA: [ http://www.hospitalsafetyscore.org/newsroom/display/hospitalerrors-thirdleading-causeofdeathinus-improvementstooslow ] Medical error, defined as [ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_error ],  appears to be on the rise.

In 1999, the publication ‘First Do No Harm’ [ https://www.healthdesign.org/chd/research/first-do-no-harm ] did much shine a light on fundamental problems in medicine. Each year, medication errors alone harm 1.5 million American patients.

Tired, overworked health care providers often dismiss patient’s problems and  become magnets for medical errors. The problem of fatigue contributes to high burn out and suicide rates among doctors: [ http://www.thehappymd.com/blog/physician-burnout-rates-top-50-percent-in-usa / http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24448053 / http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838437 ]

Also, with the billing for services rendered, health care providers perform many services that are not renumerated. Many of these services are essential to the patient and require much time. Services such as communication with other providers involved in that patient’s care.

Reviewing of old records, lab tests and X-rays are not billable. Even the refill of medications, or advocating for patients to insurance companies, are not reimbursing, despite their necessity and the fact that these are done daily. Often several times throughout the day.

Unlike lawyers, doctors do not bill on an hourly rate. They are compensated only for the time spent directly face-to-face in patient care. This underestimates the numbers of hours physicians and nurses spend caring for their patients.

Finding coverage for sick healthcare providers is difficult and often results in rescheduling of patients.  That means fitting patients in already booked and hectic physician schedules. Other contributors to medical errors  include lack of communication and access to information. Another is incompetence, plus poorly supervised residents and interns performing the work of senior doctors.

Many reprimanded physicians continue in practice. Eighty percent of malpractice, and adverse or sentinel events, are committed by 20% of physicians. 80/20. Yet only a fraction ever lose their license, and if they do, they simply go next door.

Medical personnel are treated as super humans, expected to go without sleep plus care for patients with complex medical problems. Medical errors are the end result of this. This finding is no surprise and nothing new since the publication of ‘First Do No Harm’.

A medical team is responsible for your care. An error by one person can cause catastrophic problems.

Lack of communication, and lack of access to information, are two. And lack of coordination makes three elements that contribute greatly to medical errors.

Errors will always occur, of course, but they will be much more likely when one is tired and there are no mechanisms in place to intercept errors.

Again unlike lawyers, doctors are not paid to call patients or to do research on patient problems. That needs to change.  We need to stop discounting the time doctors spend doing non-direct care.  Doctors should be compensated for all work done caring.

Just changes in the above will go a long way in reducing medical error.

To close, a very sad read of six physicians who felt so overwhelmed they took their own lives:

https://www.idealmedicalcare.org/blog/physician-suicide-letters-answered-a-sneak-peek-inside-my-new-book/

&nb

Could Mutated Zika Cause Microcephaly?

Part 1 of 3:

Could Mutated Zika Cause Microcephaly?

Could the transmission of GMM (genetically-modified) mosquitoes cause mutations in the Zika Virus, resulting in microcephaly?

Despite assurance from agencies (like the WHO and the FDA) that GMM is completely safe and without harmful effects, the evidence is not strong enough to substantiate safe distribution of GMMs.

That kind of assurance was said of the Monsanto herbicide Round-up. Which is now reportedly linked to cancer! It was also said of GMO foods that are now linked to numerous cases of autoimmune disease.

Yet GMO labels are still not mandatory on food products and there is legislation to ensure it stays that way.  Without labels we will be unaware of GMOs in our foods and not know why we are afflicted with certain common cancers.

The hidden or non-use of GMO labels will certainly delay any future links of GMOs with illnesses, prevent parties from taking responsibility and impede on the public’s’ right to safe dietary consumption. This kind of carelessness or disregard leaves the public ignorant and open to hazards.

Has Zika been genetically modified?

Zika, which was first discovered in Uganda in 1947, has suddenly and without reason went from an asymptomatic infection to a global public health emergency. How did that happen?

In Brazil a Zika outbreak was associated with an outbreak of microcephaly. Strong evidence suggests the Zika Virus caused microcephaly and other birth defects in human offsprings. Based on news reports, it appears the link between Zika and microcephaly is isolated to Brazil. In the past, French Polynesia had a similar link.

While the Zika outbreak continues to wreak havoc in Latin America and the Caribbean, microcephaly appears only in Brazil. The areas where GMM were released are the ones where this link is strongest. This is a fact that is currently buried in the hysteria caused by Zika being linked to microcephaly. Panic that seems bent on leaving certain stones unturned and untouched.

Instead, mosquitoes are now viewed as dangerous to the survival of humans and slated for eradication, using the most expensive and high-tech approaches afforded the military and Big Pharma. But isn’t it the virus that caused the disease, not the mosquitoes?

Outbreaks in Brazil started in areas where GMM were released. Could there be now a new mutation, a new viral strain?

Will the war on mosquitoes prevent certain viral infections? Or will the viruses mutate and find new hosts?

Can we eradicate mosquitoes without adversely impacting on our ecosystem?

Basic questions yet again unanswered and unexplored, the smokescreen, red flags paving the path for further investigation.

Zika virus in Brazil may be mutated strain
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/zika-virus-in-brazil-may-be-mutated-strain/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Chan-Twitter-General

Part 2 of 3:  The Problem Is NOT Mosquitos But Viruses

Part 3 of 3:  Approaches To Reduce Future Viral Infections 

 

Oxitec GM Mosquitos Linked To Zika Outbreak 

Back in September 2010, a scientific report voiced concerns about the 3-4 % that would survive. The scientists wanted to do further investigations before releasing GM mosquitoes.

The report warned that transgenes (transferred genes) can lead to changes that are unintended, unpredictable and unrelated to the nature of the gene inserted.

In July 2012, praised British company Oxitec introduced its genetically-modified mosquito farm. Reportedly, the goal was to decrease the incidence of dengue fever.

In July 2015, shortly after releasing the 18 million GM mosquitoes into the wild in Brazil, Oxitec announced their success in controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes without much data on the impact to the ecosystem.  Please note this is the same area of the recent outbreak of Zika infection.

Oxitec GM insects (designated OX513A),  were genetically altered male Aedes aegypti that mated with non-modified female Aedes mosquitoes in the wild.

 

Oxitec GM Mosquitos At The Epicenter Zika Outbreak.

Brazil started deploying GM mosquitoes to reduce the natural Aedes mosquito population that transmit dengue fever.

The production of offsprings triggered transcription in the modified part to kill the larvae before breeding age, provided no tetracycline (antibiotics) exposure during development.

Brazil is third in the World for using tetracycline with farmed animals. This is not well absorbed and over 75% is excreted into the soil. GM mosquitos looking for food can ingest this tetracycline as part of their blood meal. Even small amounts will suppress the modified development, allowing the altered mosquitoes to survive.

Tetracycline represses the GM-designed development. Small amounts of tetracycline can result in a survival rate as high as 15%.

It turned out that cat food was used to feed the larvae in at least one lab. This cat food contained factory-farmed chicken which also contains tetracycline. This was discovered when a disparity was noted in survival rate testing results, with one lab testing at 15% survival rate (the one with cat food fed larvae) and another testing in at just 3%.

Scientist Dr Ricarda Steinbrecher voiced concern regarding the release of GM mosquitoes without field cage studies.  She raised many questions, that required answers, to reduce the risk to mankind and other animals.

Earlier this year, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Germany examined information regarding the release of modified insects into the environment in Malaysia and Grand Cayman, which were carried out by Oxitec. The scientists’ findings suggest that there are “deficits in the scientific quality of regulatory documents and a general absence of accurate experimental descriptions available before releases start”. (3)

The Zika outbreak in Brazil followed Oxitec’s release of GM mosquitos.  The release location is the epicenter of the outbreak where a surge in babies with microcephaly was noted.

Recall GM mosquitoes act to produce abnormal offsprings in the natural Aedes mosquitoes, so they die before breeding.  Interesting  the Zika virus in pregnant women causes abnormal human offspring with reduced life expectancy.

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Questions For Oxitec  Before Release Of More GM Mosquitos

Here are questions that should be considered and answered before Oxitec is allowed to release more GM mosquitoes into the wild.  Most of the following questions were asked by Dr Steinbrecher in a letter to the National Biosafety Board (NBB.  World Health Organization scheduled an emergency meeting about Zika on Monday, February 1, 2016.

Let’s make sure Oxitec does not release more GM mosquitos before responding to the following questions and other questions that link GM mosquitos to the recent Zika  virus outbreak in Brazil.

When released into the wild:

  • Will the bite of the female LMO mosquito change?
  • How is the life cycle of the male mosquitos changed after genetic modification?
  • Will the reaction of humans or animals to the mosquito bite change?
  • Are there different immune reactions due to compositional changes in the saliva of the mosquito?
  • Will the pathogen vector interaction change in female mosquitoes?
  • Did the level of dengue virus present in the saliva change?
  • Did the affinity to dengue virus change?
  • Are there new interactions with other viruses?
  • Do different environments result in different altered phenotypic and behavioral characteristics?
  • Do different condition, biotic and abiotic stresses result in different survival rates?
  • What is the emergency response should GM mosquitos  harm humans or other animals?

 

Referenced links:

  1.  Zika Outbreak Epicenter in Same Area Where GM Mosquitoes Were Released in 2015:

http://www.activistpost.com/2016/01/zika-outbreak-epicenter-in-same-area-where-gm-mosquitoes-were-released-in-2015.html

 

2.  Release of GM mosquito Aedes aegypti OX513A (NRE(S)609-2/1/3) | EcoNexus

http://www.econexus.info/publication/release-gm-mosquito-aedes-aegypti-ox513a

 

3.  Can GM mosquitoes rid the world of a major killer? | Environment | The Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jul/15/gm-mosquitoes-dengue-fever-feature?cat=environment&type=article

 

 

Zika Virus May Have Crossed Over to Common Mosquitos 

The Zika Virus may have already crossed over to the common mosquito. Scientists in Brazil are about a month away of confirming whether the Zeka Virus is also carried and transmitted by the more common Culex Mosquito.

Culex mosquitoes are 20 times the population of Aedes aegypti, and more widespread in most of America, parts of Africa and Asia.

Little is known of the Zika Virus that is linked to over 3,000 babies born with microcephaly. Zika was first isolated in African monkeys in 1947. It is a flavivirus (a genus of viruses), in the same family as dengue and chikungunya.

The Zika Virus is linked to the startling outbreak in Brazil, with 3-4 million people infected in fewer than 12 months. Plus a 20 to 30 fold surge in the birth of children with microcephaly.

In many of these cases, the RNA (acid) from the virus was isolated both in mother and child. Currently, there are no cures, antivirals or vaccines available. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommend serial ultrasounds of high risk pregnant women.

The risk of microcephaly in women infected during pregnancy is up to 1%. The pregnancy is usually normal and newborns may appear like uninfected babies. However, in the first year, the baby will develop the features of microcephaly. Also part of the clinical picture are hearing and visual impairments, mental retardation and diminished life expectancy.

To-date 22 countries are currently affected and that number is increasing. The virus crossing over to the Common Mosquito will see an explosion in those infected, once the warmer weather gets here.

What is Microcephaly?



Simply stated, microcephaly is a small head. The head circumference is abnormally low (in the bottom 3% for age and sex). A small head means a small brain! Children with microcephaly have cognitive dysfunction and are at risk of seizures. In addition to the very unpleasant symptoms mentioned already.

According to the CDC, normally 2 to 12 out of 10,000 live births develop microcephaly. It is an extremely rare disease.

The possibility of this virus crossing over to other, more widespread mosquitoes, presents a global public health emergency.

With regards to North America, the colder weather in Canada makes the virus less likely to spread that far north. However climate change may change all that.

Why now?

In 2014 Brazil, Tdap (Tetenus-Diphtheria-Pertussis) was recommended for all pregnant women in Brazil. Further details are scant.

Of note for the conspiracy theorists, Tdap was used in pregnant women throughout the world for a number of years withOUT a surge in children born with microcephaly.

Brazil started deploying GMO mosquitos to reduce the natural mosquitoe population. Scientists in Brazil have focused on the Zika virus as being linked to microcephaly.  If so, then the cross over to the common mosquito puts the rest of the World at risk.

Until we know more, exercise caution.

Any readers with more information are most welcomed to share…

Zika Virus May Have Spread To Common Mosquito:

http://news.sky.com/story/1631065/zika-virus-may-have-spread-to-common-mosquito

Zika virus in Brazil may be mutated strain:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/zika-virus-in-brazil-may-be-mutated-strain/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Chan-Twitter-General

UN health agency convenes emergency meeting to address ‘dramatic’ spread of Zika virus:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=53112#.VqtpRvA8KrX

The Conspiracy Theory:

https://brazilianshrunkenheadbabies.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/the-story/

A Mosquito Net Descends Across the Americas:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-mckibben/a-mosquito-net-descends-across-the-americas_b_9102864.html

 

Is Zika Virus A Genetically Modified Virus? 

Is the Zika virus now a bio-weapon?

Using genetically-modified mosquitoes?

Imagine the weaponry.

Demographically Zika is unusual. While originating as a known virus after WWII (where scientists worked on eugenics and other forms of warfare), isolated in Africa and Asia, it has suddenly shifted continent. Since last year its changed its pattern of distribution. The countries now affected are in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

Is Zika already a weapon? An environmental weapon to wage biowarfare. A mosquito-borne virus that damages the brain of unborn fetuses, possibly producing brain-damaged children.

Why?  

UTMB’s Scott Weaver On the Zika Outbreak

Please tell me your opinions…

 

Zika Virus Targets The Fetus

The virus known as Zika was first isolated shortly after World War II, in 1947 Uganda. The first human case was reported in Nigeria in 1954.

Since, the virus spread across Africa and into the Pacific. It was detected in Malaysia in 1966. In 2007 the virus spread to the Island of Yap in Micronesia, with the first reported outbreak:  73% of the population aged 3 and above being infected.

In 2009, after a field trip to Senegal in Africa, American scientist Brian Foy may have transmitted the infection to his wife (the first known suspected case of sexually transmitted Zika).

In 2013 French Polynesia there were 28,000 infections in one outbreak. In 2015 the first reported local transmissions of the virus were seen in South America, Central America and the Caribbean.  Presently, there are reports of 3 cases involving New Yorkers.

Since 2015 there has been a Zika outbreak in Brazil. It is believed the virus was spread during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Now there is serious concern with the pending Rio 2016 Olympic Games! The American CDC authority estimates there were 1.3 million suspected cases in Brazil in 2015.

Transmission Methods

The primary mode of transmission is from mosquitoes, the Aedes aegypti, to humans. These are the same insects known to transmit other viral infections such as Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever and West Nile Virus.   With many infected, concerns of humans transmitting the  Zika virus to local mosquitoes is mounting.

Several reports of secondary transmission, from human males, via sexually transmitted infections opens the possibility of Zika becoming a sexually transmitted virus.   In affected areas in Brazil, a 20-30 fold surge in babies born with microcephaly is  linked to Zika virus.   The virus isolated in amniotic fluid, breast milk and semen, raised concerns that it could be transmitted by blood transfusions, laboratory exposure, sex and intrauterine (uterus), prompting  more investigation into its mode of transmission.

Symptoms

Zeka has an incubation period of about 10 days. Travelers returning from infected areas may develop the infection after an incubation period of about 10 days.

Symptoms  are usually none at all in 80% of those infected or at most a very mild headache, fever, maculopapular rash, conjunctivitis and joint pains. Symptoms are self-limited and there are presently no antibiotic or antiviral treatments available.

Infection in the first trimester of pregnancy is linked to microcephaly (tiny heads) and other brain damage in newborns.

Brazil:
In 2013 there were 167 cases of microcephaly; in 2014 there were 147 cases; and in 2015 there were  at least 2,782 cases.

RNA (an acid) from the Zika virus was isolated in mothers and babies with microcephaly. In addition, some patients have developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome (muscle weakness), which caused transient paralysis following infection.

Prevention


Protection from mosquitoes is the best prevention.   Use mosquito repellent and cover up exposed skin. These mosquitoes bite during the daytime. There are no vaccines available.

Currently the CDC-issued travel guidance advises pregnant women not to travel to affected countries.  Some South American and Caribbean countries advised women to postpone pregnancy until 2018. 

Healthcare providers should report Zeka cases to their state or local health departments.

Why now?

There are reports of genetically-modified mosquitoes being used in Brazil to reduce the mosquito population. Such produces deformed mosquitoes. These may be eaten by birds, other insects and humans. The long-term effect unknown.

Imagine the weaponry of GMO mosquitos.  Zika???  It targets our future generation and may reduce birth rates in affected countries.


 

Links to referenced material below…

http://microbepost.org/2016/01/13/what-is-zika-virus/

Zika Virus Spreads to New Areas — Region of the Americas, May 2015–January 2016 | MMWR
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6503e1er.htm?s_cid=mm6503e1er.htm_w

Zika virus: Outbreak ‘likely to spread across Americas’ says WHO – BBC News

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35399403

Brazilian City Tries Fighting Viruses With GMO Mosquitoes
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/gmo-mosquitoes-may-battle-zika-dengue-brazil-n499576