Category: health care

  • Extreme Heat Warning for I-80 Corridor

    Extreme Heat Warning for I-80 Corridor

    There’s an extreme heat warning from the National Weather Service for much of the I-80 corridor today and tomorrow. Heat indices of 95-110+ are expected. Cooling Centers in Iowa City, IA Cooling Centers in Coralville, IA Consider donating to the Iowa City Shelter House Beat the Heat drive!

  • Shout Out to Dr. George Dawson for Post “The Autocratic Approach to Homelessness”

    Shout Out to Dr. George Dawson for Post “The Autocratic Approach to Homelessness”

    I want to give a shout out to Dr. George Dawson for his post today “The Autocratic Approach to Homelessness” in reference to President Trump’s most recent executive order, “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.” As a retired psychiatrist, I look back and remember seeing the problem of the homeless mentally ill a lot.…

  • A Small Update to a Pseudo-Rap YouTube Video and a Big Tribute to Dr. Robert G. Robinson

    A Small Update to a Pseudo-Rap YouTube Video and a Big Tribute to Dr. Robert G. Robinson

    I just noticed something about one of my YouTube videos that I made sort of as a combination gag and educational piece about pseudobulbar affect. It needed a couple of updates—one of which is minor and which I should have noticed 10 years ago when I made it. It’s a pseudo-rap performance (badly done, I…

  • Extreme Heat Watch This Week in Eastern Iowa!

    Extreme Heat Watch This Week in Eastern Iowa!

    There’s an extreme heat watch starting tomorrow through Thursday in eastern Iowa. Heat indices of 95 to 105+ are expected. There is a list available of cooling centers published by KCRG although that was published on June 20, 2025, so it is not current. Heat safety tips are at this link.

  • How Will I Get to Heaven? Rounding at Iowa Podcast: End of life Doulas

    How Will I Get to Heaven? Rounding at Iowa Podcast: End of life Doulas

    I listened to the Rounding@Iowa podcast “End-of-Life Doulas” twice because I’m at that difficult age when I think about my personal death. I don’t think about it at great length, mind you, but when I think about it, I feel afraid. Early mornings tend to be the time I wonder how much time now until…?…

  • Thoughts on Long Covid

    Thoughts on Long Covid

    I read Dr. Ron Pies, MD’s essay today, “What Long COVID Can Teach Psychiatry—and Its Critics.” As usual, he made thought- provoking points about the disease concept in psychiatry. What I also found interesting was the connection he made with Long Covid, a debilitating illness. He cited someone else I know who was involved with…

  • Sena + Prune Juice = Space Trip?

    Sena + Prune Juice = Space Trip?

    Sena has been drinking her prune juice and I presume she’s regular. Besides that, she could be an excellent astronaut.  There was a small study by scientists that seemed to show that mice who ate prunes could be protected from space radiation. I think you’d have to eat a lot of prunes for that. Being…

  • Svengoolie Movie Next Saturday “Invaders from Mars” Triggers Memories!

    Svengoolie Movie Next Saturday “Invaders from Mars” Triggers Memories!

    The Svengoolie TV show movie next Saturday will be “Invaders from Mars” released in 1953 and it triggered some memories. One of them is when I was a little kid. I think I saw parts of it on TV while I was supposed to be down for a nap. I recall seeing these burly guys…

  • CDC ACIP Meeting Today on Covid-19 Vaccine

    CDC ACIP Meeting Today on Covid-19 Vaccine

    We watched the Covid-19 vaccine part of today’s meeting this morning. I thought it got off to sort of a rough start, mainly with technical difficulties. I can’t recall any other meetings in which the camera flipped back and forth oddly between speakers and their slides. I thought that was distracting. The question-and-answer periods ran…

  • Sena Gets her Measles Vaccine-and Will Not Be Defeated!

    Sena Gets her Measles Vaccine-and Will Not Be Defeated!

    Sena got a measles vaccine booster today just to be on the safe side given the increase in the number of measles cases all over the country, including Iowa. The history of the measles vaccine is fascinating by the way. It can make it challenging to figure out who might need a booster. Despite the…