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Gratitude to Pastor Robert Stone
I came across a couple of items that prompted my renewed gratitude. One of them was an article in Bloomberg on the web, “US Medical Schools Grapple With First Admissions Since End of Affirmative Action” by Richard Abbey, Ilena Peng, and Marie Patino, published on December 14, 2023. It’s about how hard it is for…
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Time for Another Blast from the Past
I found an interesting blog post from my previous blog, The Practical Psychosomaticist. I wrote it in 2011 and it’s about the patient experience of delirium. I was delirious briefly after a colonoscopy many years ago. I don’t remember much about it. But from what Sena tells me about it, it was similar to other…
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Whirlpool Care Counts Laundry Program Cleans Up!
Sena and I just recently saw the TV commercial about the Whirlpool Care CountsTM Laundry Program, which has been providing washers and dryers for schools. It was launched to address school absenteeism, one cause of which is bullying of kids who don’t have clean clothes. They are also more likely to drop out of school.…
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Rearranging My Books
The other day, I finally rearranged my bookshelf. I’ve put it off for a long time. While I was doing it, I remembered where I spend the most time in my thoughts. I don’t have a very broad library, which probably illustrates where my mind wanders. It has changed very little over the years. Retirement…
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CDC Weekly Update on Viral Respiratory Illness
As of December 8, 2023, the CDC reports: “National test positivity, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations for influenza continue to increase. Influenza A(H1N1) is the predominant influenza virus circulating although influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B viruses are also being reported. RSV-associated hospitalization rates remain elevated among young children and are increasing among older adults; of…
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Spoonbills and Bald Eagles at Sand Lake!
The other day it was about 60 degrees and the sun shone brilliantly—not a day to stay indoors! We went out to Terry Trueblood Recreation Area and did some bird-watching. Out on a sand bar on Sand Lake, we caught sight of two bald eagles. They seemed to be a mated pair. They actually courted…
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This is National Influenza Vaccination Week!
This is National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 4-8, 2023) and the CDC word is: “National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a critical opportunity to remind everyone 6 months and older that there’s still time to protect themselves and their loved ones from flu this flu season by getting their annual flu vaccine if they have…
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Moderate Respiratory Illness Activity in Iowa
The CDC tracks respiratory illness and there is moderate activity in Iowa according the data tracker. The weekly snapshot as of December 1, 2023 shows highlights including: “COVID-19 test positivity (percentage of tests conducted that were positive), emergency department visits, and hospitalizations have increased nationally. A group of Omicron variants (XBB and its sublineages) are the…
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Update on CDC Recommendation for Adult RSV Vaccination
I just checked to see if the Iowa Board of Pharmacy rules had changed about the recommendation that a physician and patient shared decision-making discussion should help clarify whether and why a prescription would be necessary to enable a patient over the age of 60 years to get the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine. I…
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Early Snowbird Gets the Berry
We got our first snowfall that stuck around yesterday. We didn’t have to shovel because it melted off our sidewalk and driveway shortly past noon. On the other hand, the snow drew the birds out for the berries in the trees. Cedar Waxwings and other small birds feasted in the early morning. Whether they got…
