Category: health care

  • Get Free At-Home Covid-19 Tests

    Get Free At-Home Covid-19 Tests

    As of September 25, 2023, 4 free at-home Covid-19 tests are available. See this link for more information.

  • Dr. Igor Galynker and The Suicidal Crisis Syndrome

    Dr. Igor Galynker and The Suicidal Crisis Syndrome

    I was looking at my bookshelves and found the copy of the book, “The Suicidal Crisis: Clinical Guide to the Assessment of Imminent Suicide Risk.” It was written by Dr. Igor Galynker. It’s a fit topic for this month because September is National Suicide Prevention Month. This brings back memories. I still have a gift…

  • September is National Suicide Prevention Month

    September is National Suicide Prevention Month

    September is National Suicide Prevention Month. The 988lifeline website has many resources for getting the word out about the importance of not missing any opportunities to help prevent suicide. In fact, there is a recently published article entitled “Multiple Missed Opportunities for Suicide Risk Assessment in Emergency and Primary Care Settings.” A few of the…

  • RSV Vaccine Prescription Necessary for Some States

    RSV Vaccine Prescription Necessary for Some States

    Sena and I were wondering if you need a prescription to get the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine. It turns out only four states require doctor prescription to get RSV vaccine: Iowa, Georgia, Missouri, and Utah. Washington D.C. is working on making the RSV vaccine available without a prescription. The Iowa Pharmacy Association blog post…

  • A Summer Cold

    A Summer Cold

    Well, as I predicted in an earlier post, I caught Sena’s head cold. I have not had one of these in over 3 years, believe it or not. It was easy to distinguish my cold from Covid-19, influenza, bubonic plague, and abduction by extraterrestrials. I usually get a dry cough, which causes a headache, a…

  • COVID-19 in the Rearview Mirror?

    COVID-19 in the Rearview Mirror?

    One way to think about the Covid-19 pandemic can be that it’s in our rearview mirror, which is one way of saying it’s behind us now. On the other hand, another way to think about it is that COVID-19 is in our rearview mirror because it’s tailing us. So, we can’t keep staring in the…

  • Phenylephrine Spelled Backwards is Enirhpelynbehp

    Phenylephrine Spelled Backwards is Enirhpelynbehp

    News headlines are screaming about class action lawsuits being filed against drug companies selling the oral form of a nasal decongestant that the FDA says doesn’t work. It’s called phenylephrine. Phenylephrine has been around since the early 1970s and it’s a common ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) cold remedies found in grocery stores in the medicine…

  • Stop Me If You Heard This One Before

    Stop Me If You Heard This One Before

    I saw one of my favorite X-Files episodes the other night. It’s titled “Monday.” Mulder goes through the day repetitively doing the same things, including fumbling his chance to thwart a bank robber who blows up the bank and everyone in it, including Mulder. See the Wikipedia for a full spoiler alert but I’m going…

  • How to Find Covid-19 Vaccine Availability By County

    How to Find Covid-19 Vaccine Availability By County

    I’m finding out that maybe the best way to learn what the local public health issues are concerning Covid-19 infections as well as vaccine availability are through the county public health agency in my area. According to the Johnson County Public Health department, hospital admission rates in Johnson County currently low. I can search the…

  • This is National Suicide Prevention Week

    This is National Suicide Prevention Week

    Thanks to Dr. H. Steven Moffic for his Psychiatric Times article, “A Psychological Autopsy on My Only Patient Who Died by Suicide.” In it he describes his own experience with a patient who committed suicide. He also reminded us that this is National Suicide Prevention Week. It’s also National Suicide Prevention Month. The quote I’m…