Category: MUSCLES

ALL POSTS, HEART, MUSCLES, Posts, POTPURRI, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“And the beat goes on…”

Annie

We rarely think about our hearts, but minute after minute, day after day, year after year… you get the picture: our hearts rarely miss a beat. Unless we are athletes who monitor our heart rate or our heart is ‘broken’ in romance, we usually don’t give it a second thought. That we aren’t aware of our heart isn’t because we don’t appreciate it; it’s because we don’t feel it work so we rarely think about it. But we become much more focused on our heart when it doesn’t work right. When it works right, the heart is the hub of … Continue reading “And the beat goes on…”

ALL POSTS, Cancers, HEART, Immune, MUSCLES, Posts, POTPURRI, SKINLeave a comment

What is a port-a-cath?

Annie

What is that bump on that man’ chest? It is a port-a-cath. Basically, a port-a-cath is an implanted device to receive intravenous solutions.Ā  Usually, when you have blood drawn or need an IV the nurse has no difficulty slipping an IV in. This isn’t always the case. Some people don’t have such an easy time with IV insertion. The nurse digs and digs, trying to ‘find a vein’. This can cause pain, bruising; and too often the result still is: NO IV šŸ˜¦ One solution to this problem is a port-a-cath. Implanted in a special surgical suite, a port-a-cath is … Continue reading What is a port-a-cath?

ALL POSTS, Immune, MUSCLES, Orthopedics, Posts, POTPURRI, Uncategorized2 Comments

Increased Insurance Footprint? Exagen Diagnostics

Annie

You ache and it feels like your whole body has a nasty case of the flu. This has been your life for too long, so your doctor orders a blood test, an ANA: it is positive. Because the ANA is positive she would like you to have AVISEĀ® CTDĀ testing-Where CTD=Connective Tissue Disease-for connective tissue disease). AVISEĀ® is highly specific testing which can give your doctor valuable information that can lead to a diagnosis much more quickly; However, you find out that your insurance company does not cover AVISEĀ® testing. That was then: several days ago, CareFirst/Blue Cross Blue Shield announced … Continue reading Increased Insurance Footprint? Exagen Diagnostics

ALL POSTS, MUSCLES, Orthopedics, Posts, POTPURRI, SKIN, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The use of the buzzsaw in orthopedics

Annie

Gazing at the cast cutter as a child, I saw an ominous thing that looked like it was going to eat me alive. Guess what? It did! The cast cutter (possibly a buzz saw in a former life) cut my cast off all right; it also cut my skin.Ā It was a tiny cut, but my 12-year-old saucers-eyes sawĀ a huge crater which became infected and left a large scar. AĀ  bit of history so you can understand my apprehension about having this cast removed. I could only hope that in 50 years there have been advancements in cast removal! “Joy to … Continue reading The use of the buzzsaw in orthopedics

ALL POSTS, MUSCLES, NERVES, Orthopedics, Posts, POTPURRI, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Nurses Need Care, Too

Annie

When my leg gave way, the natural reflex kicked in: I held out my hands to break the fall and my wrists took the brunt. OUCH, big ‘owie! ‘ Much to my dismay, I’ll be in the cast for @ 10 weeks, but, I manage with the ‘pick and peck’ method of typing. Slow, slower, slowest! With that, a little ‘primer’ on bones. Held together by strong ligaments and tendons, bones form our skeleton. Bones are living tissue, made of collagen and calcium. Collagen is the protein in bones and calcium in bones provides the hardness and strength of bones. … Continue reading Nurses Need Care, Too