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FREE T AKE-H OME C OPY!

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HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

Why do you need this?

A

nd what is “this” anyway?

Many of you may be thinking it’s a first aid kit.

It is not.

Others no doubt believe it to be a commemorative Medical Examiner attaché case.

Great idea, but another no.

Depicted several inches to your right is an emergency kit, a disaster preparedness pack.

Why would we need a collection of disaster supplies to grab at a moment’s notice?

If you’re asking that question in the general vicinity of Augusta, Georgia, that can mean but one thing: you have lived here less than six months.

Veterans of the area, after all, vividly recall this past February when the area was hit by two of the following. Can you remember which two? a) an earthquake b) an asteroid c) an ice storm

If you chose answers a and c, you win! The prize? You get to pack an Emergency Supply Kit. September, after all, is National Preparedness Month Let us state for the record that this is an important activity, but it isn’t necessarily fun.

But if you lived in a freezing cold house for days on end this past February, unable to open cans of food and unable to heat or cook them if you had been able, living in pitch black conditions after sundown... well, need we go on?

For additional motivation, please direct your attention to the map shown below. It charts the relative risk of various parts of the country to four categories of natural disasters: wildfire (tan), earthquakes (horizontal stripes), tornadoes (grey), and hurricanes (dots). We just so happen to be at risk for three of the four, all of them except

wildfire. And the map doesn’t even chart ice storms and floods. So we have at least five significant (if unpredictable and irregular) risks.

The very unpredictability of these events is exactly why advance planning is so important. Grocery stores can be cleaned out in amazingly short order when the mere possibility of snow or ice looms.

Vital supplies like chain saws and generators — if you can find any — mysteriously skyrocket in cost despite laws designed to prevent price gouging.

If you happen to have a Winnebago, you’re probably all set. But for the rest of us, here are a few basic items to throw into a backpack, as recommended by FEMA and the US Department of Homeland Security: • three-day supply of nonperishable food (which can be easily prepared) • can opener (if your kit contains canned food) • Water: one gallon per person per day (as with food, three days is the recommended minimum supply) • utensils like paper plates, plastic spoons, cups • battery powered or handcrank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio • first aid kit • flashlight and extra batteries • a whistle to signal for help • duct tape and plastic sheeting to create sheltered space • dust masks

• moist towlettes, garbage bags and plastic ties • personal hygiene products (toothpaste, toothbrush, etc) • basic simple tools or a multipurpose tool • ID, documents and matches in a waterproof container • extra clothing (perhaps a few pairs of extra socks or clothes like sweatshirts for added warmth) or blankets Depending on your individual circumstances, the list could have important additions, like making sure you have your medications with you, your glasses or contact lenses and accompanying supplies, and pet food for your four-legged family members.

Many local stores, especially outfitters like Academy, Cabela’s,

Dick’s and others sell readymade first aid kits and camp food designed for long-term storage and easy preparation when a Cuisinart or microwave is not at hand.

Other considerations: establish a family plan, such as meeting by the streetlight at the corner of you have to evacuate your house suddenly.

If everyone knows the assembly point, it can avoid needless worry and delays and prevent additional risk.

Granted, putting an emergency kit together isn’t free, but there is no law that says you have to have it done by tomorrow, either. Make your checklist of needed items and buy one or two every week.

For more information, go to www.ready.gov. +

• The return of Helen Blocker-Adams • Our new Ask The Doctor feature • Our semi-new Old News and Pet Vet features

LOOKING FOR SOME COOL COLORS? Try our new summer scrubs from Grey’s Anatomy!

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

HEALTHCARE REFORM & YOU

by Russell T. Head, CBC, CSA

MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE - WHAT IS THIS?

M

inimum Essential Coverage (MEC) is what Healthcare Reform has defined as a coverage level that all American are required to have in one form or another. It includes healthcare coverage provided through an employer plan, a government plan, an individual health plan or a grandfathered health plan.

• Stand-alone vision care or dental care, workers’ compensation or accident or disability policies; • Medicaid providing only family planning services; • Medicaid providing only tuberculosis-related services; and • Medicaid providing only coverage limited to treatment of emergency medical conditions.

The following Q & A should address any concerns you may have relative to your own or your business’ coverage.

2. What are the statutory exemptions from the requirement to obtain minimum essential coverage?

• Religious conscience — You are a member of a religious sect that is recognized as conscientiously opposed to accepting any insurance benefits. The Social Security Administration administers the process for recognizing these sects according to the criteria in the law.

• Health care sharing ministry — You are a member of a recognized health care sharing ministry.

• Indian tribes — You are: (1) a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe; or (2) an individual eligible for services through an Indian care provider.

• Income below the income tax return filing requirement—Your income is below the minimum threshold for filing a tax return. The requirement to file a federal tax return depends on your filing status, age and types and amounts of income.

• Short coverage gap—You went without coverage for less than three consecutive months during the year.

• Hardship—You have suffered a hardship that makes you unable to obtain coverage, as defined in HHS final regulations.

• Unaffordable coverage options—You can’t afford coverage because the minimum amount you must pay for the premiums is more than 8 percent of your household income (adjusted to 8.05 percent for plan years beginning in 2015.

• Incarceration—You are in a jail, prison or similar penal institution or correctional facility after the disposition of charges against you.

• Not lawfully present—You are neither a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national nor an alien lawfully present in the U.S.

1. What counts as minimum essential coverage?

• Employer-sponsored coverage (including selfinsured plans, COBRA coverage and retiree coverage); • Coverage purchased in the individual market (including a qualified health plan offered by an Exchange); • Medicare Part A coverage and Medicare Advantage plans; • Most Medicaid coverage; • Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage; • Certain types of veterans health coverage administered by the Veterans Administration; • Most types of TRICARE coverage; • Coverage provided to Peace Corps volunteers; • Coverage under the Non-appropriated Fund Health Benefit Program • Refugee Medical Assistance supported by the Administration for Children and Families; • Self-funded health coverage offered to students by universities for plan or policy years that begin on or before Dec. 31, 2014.

• State high risk pools for plan or policy years that begin on or before Dec. 31, 2014. as minimum essential coverage); and • Other coverage recognized by the Secretary of HHS as minimum essential coverage.

Minimum essential coverage does not include coverage providing only limited benefits, such as the following:

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3. What do I need to do if I want to be sure I have minimum essential coverage or an exemption for 2014?

The vast majority of coverage that people have today will count as minimum essential coverage.

For those who do not have coverage, who anticipate discontinuing the coverage they have currently or who want to explore whether more affordable options are available, the Exchange is open in every state and the District of Columbia. The Exchange helps individuals compare available coverage options, assess their eligibility for financial assistance and find minimum essential coverage that fits their budget.

For those seeking an exemption from the individual responsibility provision, the Exchange is able to provide certificates of exemption for many of the exemption categories. HHS has issued final regulations on how the Exchange grants these exemptions. Individuals will also be able to claim certain exemptions for 2014 when they file their federal income tax returns in 2015. Individuals who are not required to file a federal income tax return because their gross income falls below the return filing threshold do not need to take any further action to secure an exemption. See question 21 for further information on how to claim an exemption.

For further explanation of the ACA/PPACA provisions outlined in this article, please refer to the following resources: www.hhs.gov www.irs.gov www.healthcare.gov www.cms.gov Russell T. Head is President/Managing Partner with Group & Benefits Consultants, Inc., Augusta’s largest, Russell Head privately held, locally owned employee benefits consulting firm. He can be reached at 706-7333459 or rthead@gandbc.com. Visit Group & Benefits Consultants at www.groupandbenefits.com.

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SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

SEE PAGE SIX

What’s your story?

!

Nearly all of us — even doctors and nurses — are sometimes patients. Perhaps you were recently injured playing your favorite sport, or years ago you somehow got hurt without even leaving your favorite recliner. Maybe you were diagnosed with a dreaded disease, mugged in a dark and lonely parking lot, or you stubbed your toe in the safety of your own bedroom. On the other hand, perhaps you needed medical attention 5,000 miles from home. Whatever your medical experience, we’d like to hear your story for our Medicine in the First Person feature. It can be frightening or funny, ordinary or extraordinary, just a few paragraphs long or quite a lengthy tale, bylined or anonymous. We’ll publish your encounters with the medical profession as often as we receive them. +

Everything you need.

Send your submissions for Medicine in the First Person to the Augusta Medical Examiner via e-mail: info@AugustaRx.com or to PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397. (The Medical Examiner reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission at its sole discretion.)

AUGUSTA

One family of providers.

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MEDICAL EXAMINER

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AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

www.AugustaRx.com

• • • • • • • •

2541 Milledgeville Road, Augusta, GA • (706) 738-2581

The Medical Examiner’s mission: to provide information on topics of health and wellness of interest to general readers, to offer information to assist readers in wisely choosing their healthcare providers, and to serve as a central source of news within every part of the Augusta medical community.

Services offered in the Augusta area:

Submit editorial content to graphicadv@knology.net Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to:

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Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com Augusta Medical Examiner photography: H + D Photography www.handdphoto.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor.

The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2014 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

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The Short White Coat A

s part of a pediatrics elective I just finished, the other students and I were given an assignment called a “Performance Improvement Project.” We were all to identify weaknesses or areas of our lives that need change, conceive of a strategy to implement the improvements, and then evaluate our various successes or shortcomings.

I titled my plan “Operation Sleep Well,” because for as long as I can remember, even way back during my college days, I generally do not get enough sleep. Some days, I go to bed at a good time or even early, but the trend does not last and I find myself burning the midnight oil once again.

The reasons why I don’t sleep enough are diverse and multifactorial, but I boiled them all down to one or two major root causes. The first cause is that there is often too much to do and not enough time to do it. Also, my schedule generally demands early morning and late nights, but still, I could tweak my day’s time better to facilitate more complete nights of sleep.

So the second and ultimate root cause is flawed and inconsistent time management skills.

Frequently I stay up late at night finishing work that could probably have been finished earlier in the evening or even earlier in the week. Sometimes I allow too many distractions to infiltrate my personal time when aggressive productivity

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

OLD NEWS

+

POINTS OF INTEREST TO FORMER KIDS

by Trisha Whisenhunt, Senior Citizens Council

A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM

A med student’s notebook is more important, and other times I fail to plan my evenings well enough to conquer all the tasks at hand. Occasionally, unpredictable situations out of my control interfere with my sleep or my productivity that prevent more timely bedtimes, such as fire alarms in my building or illnesses or technology malfunctions. But the majority of the time, my evenings are within my control, and so is my bedtime.

I am not trying to imply that I am neglectful of my work or fail to take good care of my health, because ultimately I get done what is needed and get enough sleep (more or less). I am just honestly admitting I could do better and be more efficient in the future if I aimed to do so. My personal Performance Improvement Plan thus is to train myself to use better time management skills to both accomplish everything on my agenda and get to bed at a more decent hour on a more regular basis.

My plan to improve myself involves making a list every night of what I need to and See SHORT WHITE COAT page 15

I

have been severely nearsighted since childhood.

I deal with it as we do such things: keep my doctor appointments and have my glasses changed every two years. I have continued to enjoy good, corrected vision.

But all this time no one ever mentioned near-sightedness is a huge risk factor for a detached retina. One Saturday last month I awoke to discover I was completely blind in my left eye. I had no pain and none of the flashing lights they warn accompanies this condition.

I went to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. I was seen quickly. A young lady took my temperature, blood pressure and my personal information.

When the doctor arrived, he asked a few questions, looked into my eyes, had me push on his hands, and excused himself. Then a different young lady gave me a basic eye exam, using the standard eye chart. The doctor returned after calling a specialist who was going to be checking on a

patient early the next morning (Sunday) and he said would meet me at his office.

The Sunday specialist confirmed a detached retina and referred me to a yet another specialist for surgery.

He charged me $131. I felt this

“I awoke to discover I was completely blind in my left eye.” was fair and reasonable.

The emergency room bill, on the other hand, was another story. The care I received was as I outlined above, no more, no less. The bill showed no explanation of services or itemization. The only things shown on the bill were the date I was at the ER, the name of the doctor who attended to me, and several mysterious numeric codes. My exam included no medical testing of any kind, no blood taken and so no accompanying lab work. No bandages or medications were

I WONDER IF I CAN TAKE UP TO 12 MONTHS TO PAY?*

administered. I was in and out in well under an hour. For this I was billed nearly a thousand dollars.

I understand and appreciate that emergency care, regardless of the nature of the individual need, is going to be billed at a higher rate. It should be. I realize doctors and nurses have spent years of study to be proficient at their vocation and must be paid for their services.

In the United States, those who are insured or can pay out of pocket pay for those who either do not or cannot pay for their medical care.

The Affordable Care Act was supposed to fix that but it hasn’t so far. The idea behind the ACA was that the young and healthy would pay into the system and their premiums would pay for the older population who are in the no man’s land of having either no insurance, are under insured, or are not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid.

The logic of the young is understandable: why pay for something they don’t need; it’s cheaper to pay the fine for not signing up, which is less than a year of healthcare premiums.

If and when the ACA is declared a failure, we may go to a one-plan system and socialized medicine.

What I don’t expect to see is a drop in the cost of providing health care for any of us. +

Advertise in the +

MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Reach Augusta’s multi-billion dollar medical community — and thousand of patients — twice each month.

*YES YOU CAN! (with apologies to the Weinbergers)

To take 24 months to pay, simply advertise for 12 months!

Shorter and longer terms available!

For info, call 706.860.5455 or visit AugustaRx.com

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READ THE EXAMINER ONLINE www.AugustaRx.com/news or visit issuu.com/medicalexaminer

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT SO-CALLED FACTS

E

very day our minds are cluttered with “facts.”

Mostly from TV and radio ads and the Internet, plus other sources of information, or maybe misinformation.

Some facts inform us. Some entertain us. Some astound us.

Here are a few “facts” purported to be accurate by various unaccredited sources.

• In the 1400s a law was set forth that a man was not allowed to beat his wife with a stick thicker than his thumb.

Hence we have “the rule of thumb.”

• Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled “Gentlemen Only...

Ladies Forbidden”...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.

• The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV was Fred and Wilma Flintstone • Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury.

AUGUSTA

• Men can read smaller print than women can. Women can hear better.

• Coca-Cola was originally green and contained cocaine.

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TH

• It is impossible to lick your elbow.

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• At any given hour, there are 61,000 people airborne over the US. • Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

• The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer

by Mark Twain.

• Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king in history.

Clubs: Alexander, the Great Diamonds: Julius Caesar Hearts: Charlemagne Spades: King David

• Q. What is the only food that doesn’t spoil?

A. Honey

• If a park statue has a person mounted on a horse and the horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

FREE T AKE-H OME C OPY!

+

• Q. If you spell out all the positive numbers in order, what is the first number to contain the letter “A”?

A. One thousand • Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?

A. All were invented by women.

• 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

paragraph because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you can read it:

• In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase, “Goodnight, sleep tight.”

• It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month following a

•

e n i c i d ME

wedding, the bride’s father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer, and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the “honeymoon.”

• In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts.

So in Olde England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them “Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.” It’s where we get the phrase “Mind your P’s and Q’s.”

• Many years ago in England, pub regulars had a whistle baked into the rim or handle, of their cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service.

This practice inspired the phrase, “Wet your whistle.”

• Don’t skip the next

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SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

This newspaper is delivered to more than

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Clinically proven. Doctor recommended.

Wow. Does that mean all those spelling drills we did in grade school were wasted?

Lord, I hope not. But maybe this helps explain why all those text messages we get with weird abbreviations actually mean something.

• One last fact: At least 75% of the people who read this will try to lick their elbow. + Bad Billy Laveau is a retired MD with a pointed sense of humor.

Bad Billy speaks and entertains at public and private events for audiences not subject to cardiac seizure secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee BadBilly@knology. net or 706-306-9397

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UMBE R!

private practice doctor’s offices and to 14 area hospitals.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

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SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER I N

T H E

F I R ST

P E R SON

The pain behind the mask

oping with chronic illnesses presents a barrage of complex challenges that affect people differently. While medical care is vital, understanding the psychological dimension of chronic illness is critical, yet all too often this facet of chronic illness is overlooked.

Depression leads the list of the overlooked.

As a career woman, this is especially problematic for me. Perhaps the most difficult aspect is the mask I feel I must wear daily in my workplace. I know I am not alone because I have read countless articles by other career women who express the same sentiments.

I did not choose this.

Although some say a chronic illness is nothing to hide or of which to be ashamed, I feel differently. The mask disguises my pain.

Privacy is a major concern because revealing my illness would be similar to stripping my clothes off for the whole world to see my most intimate parts. I would never do that. I know I should feel no shame: I did not choose this expensive chronic inconvenience. It happened. Nevertheless, that offers me no consolation.

I think privacy helps me

maintain pride. Pride is a good thing. I used to think pride was the one thing that could not be taken away from me. I now know depression can threaten even the most prideful person.

Depression is that dangerous.

Another emotional dimension to living with chronic illness is the forced adjustment of professional goals. Maintaining a good quality of life in spite of my health is paramount, as is continuing my career with as much normalcy as possible.

I admit that I mourn the loss of what might have been prior to my diagnosis and for what never will be since the diagnosis. Years ago, for instance, I set a goal of rising

to the rank of vice president of a community college. While that goal is still attainable, the stress that comes with a position of that type is not worth endangering my life.

Surgery I needed a few months ago is a painful reminder of my state. So, I have instead adjusted my goals and I have adjusted my goals to find meaning in making contributions that involve a lower level of stress, both physically and mentally.

I mourn, not because some of my goals cannot be realized.

Rather, I mourn because accomplishing them would be too detrimental. That mourning produces more emotional pain behind the mask.

The physical dimensions of chronic illness might be the easiest to address. Employees with chronic illnesses can take several short breaks. And, I can break my work into smaller portions and take a longer time to complete a task. When I don’t, my energy level is depleted more quickly. To other

employees, someone with a chronic illness might appear slothful. I am ever aware of my appearance to my colleagues because I would never want them to perceive me as lazy.

In the past I have tried to mitigate my feelings by overcompensating only to feel the physical effects afterward. But the mask hid my grimaces.

Depression has also given me erratic sleep patterns. I usually wake up three or four times in the early hours of the morning before I actually get up and start another workday.

My energy level is low, but not so low I need to miss work.

Instead, I put on the mask and muster enough determination to not only get through the day but to do a good job. Some days are more difficult than others, and on these I can find myself drifting off at my desk due to the previous night’s three or four hours of sleep.

An onlooker might think I’m a slacker. A few years ago I Please see FIRST PERSON page 7

WE’RE BEGGING YOU We’re never too proud to beg. What we’re begging for is Medicine in the First Person stories. With your help, we’d like to make this a feature in every issue of the Medical Examiner. After all, everybody has a story of something health- or medicine-related, and lots of people have many stories. Send your interesting (or even semi-interesting) stories to the Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903 or e-mail to Dan@AugustaRx.com. Thanks!

“The cause was a mystery for a long time.”

“And that’s when I fell.” nearest hospital “He doesn’t remember a thing.” “The was 30 miles away.”

“I was a battlefield medic.” “He was just two when he died.”

“OUCH!”

“It was a terrible tragedy.” “She saved “I sure learned my lesson.”

“I retired from medicine my life.” “It seemed like a miracle.” seven years ago.” “We had triplets.” “It was my first year “I thought, ‘Well, this is it’.” NOTHING SEEMED of medical school.”

“They took me to the hospital by helicopter.” TO HELP, UNTIL. . “It took 48 stitches.”

ambulance crashed.”

“Now THAT hurt!” “The “My leg was broken “I’m not supposed to be alive.”

“This was on my third day in Afghanistan.” in three places.”

“I lost 23 pounds.” “Turned out it was just indigestion.”

“At first I thought it was something I ate.” “The smoke detector woke me up.”

Everybody has a story. Tell us yours.

Here’s our “No Rules Rules.” We’ll publish your name and city, or keep you anonymous. Your choice. Length? Up to you. Subject? It can be a monumental medical event or just a stubbed toe. It can make us laugh or make us cry. One thing we’re not interested in, however: please, no tirades against a certain doctor or hospital. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

“

We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance. -Henry Ford

“

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

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AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Southern Girl Eats Clean

Sloppy Joes... A Cleaner Version

Sloppy Joes are awesome, right? Everyone likes a messy, dripping and yummy sandwich. We used to make these all the time, only they were not so healthy. Unfortunately, Manwich in a can was our choice for Sloppy Joes.

The ingredients in Manwich are: Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Less than 2% of: Salt, Sugar, Dehydrated Onions, Dehydrated Red and Green Bell Peppers, Chile Pepper, Tomato Fiber, Spices, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Dehydrated Garlic, Carob Bean Gum, Natural Flavors.

That second-biggest ingredient, “High Fructose Corn Syrup” does not make me happy. Not to mention dehydrated vegetables and natural flavors. For those of you that may not know, “Natural flavors” are not natural at all. They are manmade concoctions from a lab somewhere. “Natural flavors” are additives made by food and flavor scientists and meant to make processed foods more flavorful. Not so great, huh?

Because we love Sloppy • 1-1/2 Tbsp. of Worcestershire Joes at our house, I wanted to Worcestershire sauce and find a way to make a healthier sauce (I used Annie’s organic cayenne pepper to the skillet brand) and cleaner version. I decided and mix well with other • 2 cups of organic tomato to create my own version. I ingredients. Cook for another sauce (I used Muir Glen brand) used ground turkey instead 3-5 minutes.

• 2 Tbsp. of organic tomato of ground beef. I also used • Pour in tomato sauce, tomato paste all fresh vegetables, minimal paste and mustard, reduce • 1 tsp. of spicy brown sugar and of course....no heat to low and stir well. mustard artificial anything. For the • Simmer uncovered on low • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper toasted crusty buns..... I used for 15 minutes, stirring often. (optional) Rudi’s gluten free multigrain Toast rolls slightly under oven • 1 package of hamburger hamburger buns. broiler. rolls, toasted (I use Rudi’s I hope you’ll try this recipe.

• Spoon Sloppy Joe mixture brand, gluten free) It beats Manwich.... up one onto toasted rolls and serve side and down the other. Your immediately. + Directions: children will love it too!

• Heat olive oil in a large Information on “Natural skillet over medium heat.

Flavors” was found on • Add ground turkey to the this website: http://www. skillet. break up the meat What you will need: fearlessfatloss.com/book-reviews/ and begin to brown. Cook for • 1 Tbsp. of organic coldwhat-is-the-ingredient-naturalapproximately 5-7 minutes. pressed extra virgin olive oil flavor/ • When meat is almost • 1 to 1-1/2 lbs. of organic browned, sprinkle in brown ground turkey Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog sugar and steak seasoning.

• 1 Tbsp. of Montreal steak www.southerngirleatsclean.com seasoning (I used McCormick) • Continue to cook, stirring She is a working wife and mother often until done.

• 1 Tbsp. of organic brown living in Evans, • Once the turkey is sugar Georgia. Visit her done, add onions and red • 1 medium organic yellow blog for more recipes peppers to pan and cook for onion, chopped and information on approximately 3-5 minutes • 1 medium organic red bell clean eating. until vegetables have softened. pepper, chopped • Add red wine vinegar, • 1 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar

FIRST PERSON… from page 6 was very guarded about this perception when I shared an office with another woman.

She and I felt comfortable sharing many intimacies about our lives; therefore, I told her about my illness. Her knowing why I fell asleep for a few minutes from time to time was important to me. She was very understanding. In fact, she helped me stay healthy by working in another room when she had the sniffles or was coughing so she could avoid passing her germs to me. I could relax behind closed doors even though I was still on the job.

Although I do not believe most people would trade places with me, I continue to conduct myself as other employees do in order to avoid attracting special

attention. If the truth were revealed, some of them would probably feel sorry for me. I would resent their pity because I do not pity myself. Now and then I ask, Why me? So far I have not received an answer.

Meanwhile I keep going, mask and all. Once people learn that another person has a chronic illness, they tend to see a diseased person rather than a person with a disease. Once my workday is over, I retreat to my haven with little energy, and I take off the mask. I retire it for the night, knowing that I will put it back on tomorrow morning and start all over again. + — Anonymous Augusta, Georgia

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HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

BE FRUITFUL

JUNE 20, 2014

There’s nothing better than fresh fruit, and we’re entering peak season for all the delicious natural bounty our beautiful earth gives us. The Medical Examiner asked the members of the Augusta District Dietetic Association — they’re registered dietitians — for their favorite nuggets of fruit info. Here are a few of their tasteful thoughts: To prolong the life of ripe strawberries, rinse them in a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water and then drain and store in the refrigerator.

Kathy Belinski, RD, LD If you picked too many blueberries, make your own syrup for pancakes or to put over angel food or pound cake 2 cups of fresh blueberries 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup water 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 2 Tablespoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

To freeze blueberries for later use,, place dry berries on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the berries to a plastic bag or freezer container.

This way you can take out as many or few as desired for future use and they won’t be all frozen in one clump Jeanne B. Lee, MS, RD, LD Augusta Area Dietetic Internship University Hospital Quick fruit snack ideas: 1) Banana with peanut butter.

Bananas and apples are another delicious combination.

2) Yogurt with berries and some granola or flax seed on top 3) Sliced banana with nuts 4) Dates stuffed with almonds 5) Low-fat crackers, cheese and wedges of fresh plums 6) a mix of dry plums, apricots and nuts Pamela Brisky RD LD Clinical Dietitian Georgia Regents University “Fruit is nature’s candy. The best energy bar grows on trees; pick a fruit for hours of energy instead of the supplements aisle.”

Andy Yurechko, MS, RD, LD Dietitian Georgia Regents Medical Center & Children’s Hospital of Georgia • If you want to get a child to eat and apple, try cutting it up in slices and dipping it in dry jello. It is not only appealing to look at, but delicious to eat!

• You don’t have to peel a kiwi to eat it. Try eating with the peel on.

Your body will love the extra fiber.

Donna S. Martin, EdS, RDN, LD, SNS Director School Nutrition Program Burke County Board of Education Strawberries are the only fruit which grows seeds on the outside.

Bananas will turn black in the refrigerator. There are over 1 ,000 different kinds of apples.

Amy Culberson, MS, RD, LD + Dietitian/Private Consultant +

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If you prefer paper, we’re all over town. If you like our digital version, it’s always available on your favorite device at the Medical Examiner blog (www.AugustaRx. com/news) or online at www.issuu.com/medicalexaminer.

You can easily view back issues, too. +

+8

P harmacy 411

OUR NEWSSTANDS Medical locations:

Around town: • Barney’s Pharmacy, 2604 Peach Orchard Rd. • Birth Control Source, 1944 Walton Way • GRU Summerville Student Bookstore • Blue Sky Kitchen, 990 Broad Street • Columbia County Library, main branch lobby, Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans • Enterprise Mill (North Tower), 1450 Greene Street, Augusta • Daniel Village Barber Shop, Wrightsboro Road at Ohio Ave. • Hartley’s Uniforms, 1010 Druid Park Ave, Augusta • International Uniforms, 1216 Broad Street, Augusta • Marshall Family Y, Belair Rd, Evans • Mellow Mushroom, 12th and Broad Streets, Augusta • Parks Pharmacy, Georgia Avenue, North Augusta • Southside Family Y, Tobacco Road, Augusta • Surrey Center, Surrey Center Pharmacy, Highland Avenue, Augusta • Top-Notch Car Wash, 512 N. Belair Road, Evans • Wild Wing Cafe, 3035 Washington Road, Augusta

Plus... 500+ doctors offices throughout the area for staff and waiting rooms, as well as many nurses stations and waiting rooms of area hospitals.

Very little if anything about healthcare is inexpensive, and that includes medicine. Tiny pills can command large prices. Over-the-counter medications may be less expensive, but are they also less effective? Find the answers to lots of your drug store questions in this column written by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson exclusively for the Medical Examiner.

WHAT’S UP WITH MY HYDROCODONE?

A

month from now, all hydrocodone products will become more tightly controlled by the FDA. Effective Oct. 6, any product that contains hydrocodone will be a class II narcotic.

This will put it on equal footing with oxycodone and morphinebased products. The single-ingredient or pure hydrocodone has always been a class II narcotic, but many popular hydrocodone products have included a second ingredient such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen which allowed the product to be class III. It may not sound like a big difference going from a III to a II, but the differences can be significant.

What drugs are affected by this class change? Pain medicines such as Vicodin, Lortab, Vicoprofen and Norco are all included in both brand and generic forms. Also included are cough medicines such as Hycodan and Tussionex.

This includes both the tablet and liquid version of Hycodan and, as with the pain medicines, includes all of their generic versions.

So what changes can you expect in October? All prescriptions for hydrocodone must be written by the physician on security paper that is approved by the state. The physician cannot put any refills on a hydrocodone prescription after October sixth.

The patient must pick up the written prescription and bring it to the pharmacy to be filled. The prescription cannot be called in or faxed to your local pharmacy. Each time you need more pain or cough medicine you will have to repeat the above process. If you choose to get less than the full quantity of the amount prescribed at the time of the initial fill, the remaining quantity is forfeited.

This is the same as with all class II narcotics.

What happens to the refills on existing prescriptions? Good question. They are null and void as of October 6. The law applies to current and future prescriptions. Also, pharmacies cannot refill your current prescription any earlier than normal so you can get an extra refill in ahead of the October deadline. The DEA is very strict on fill dates versus the number of days since last dispensed. If your current supply does not run out until the middle or end of October, that is when you should get a new prescription. Trying to get ahead won’t work.

So why was this change made? For years the DEA has been looking at increasing the controls on hydrocodone to counter

William E. Durrett, Jr., M.D. Pain Management, Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine www.aikenpain.com / email: thepaincenter@aikenneuro.com

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what has been described as an epidemic of drug abuse. In 2009, the DEA formally submitted the request to the Department of Health and Human Services, and the FDA responded after much deliberation to recommend in favor of the change. The National Institute on Drug Abuse was then asked to concur or disagree, which led to the DEA officially announcing the drug’s re-classification last month.

In 2009, more than one million ER visits were for “nonmedical use” of pharmaceuticals. That is a polite way of saying drug abuse or overdose. Hydrocodone was responsible for around ten percent of all these visits. The situation has only gotten worse since 2009. Other data available shows that in 1994, over seven million units of hydrocodone were diverted for illicit purposes. Three years later that number had risen to eleven million units. So you can imagine where current numbers must be for this extremely potent and addictive drug.

As with any law change of this magnitude, pharmacies are aware there will be plenty of questions and adjustments to the law itself. With the change in classification will also come a change in the amount of time it takes to fill one of these prescriptions. There is more documentation required for a class II narcotic and extra time to count and re-count both the outgoing bottle (yours) and stock bottles (ours). Please be patient with your pharmacy as the adjustment to the new process is made, but please also understand that some of the extra time is due to the strict nature of the classification. Do not hesitate to ask your pharmacist or pharmacy staff about how the changes impact your prescription.

Although changes such as these may be frustrating, it is much better to be informed when the changes go into effect than to be blindsided. + Questions about this article or suggestions for future columns can be sent to us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net )

Have a nice autumn!

But if you have a nice fall, we will do our best to get you back on your feet soon.

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SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

803-279-7450 parkspharmacy.com

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

9+

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Ask a Dietitian

2. Make your own frozen meals to microwave at work.

Prepare a little extra food at supper time the night before and refrigerate leftovers in a microwaveable container. This can be frozen if you do not plan

t ha n Less

3. Consider a vegetarian lunch with no meat one day a week.

Pack your favorite nuts, fruit, and raw veggies.

4. If you pack a salad, store some of the toppings in separate snack size plastic bags and add right before eating.

This can help prevent wilted lettuce or soggy croutons. A salad can be a complete meal with added chopped leftover meat, chicken, or fish. Include raw vegetables that you enjoy and a few crackers or croutons.

To save calories, look for a low fat salad dressing and pack it separately in a small container.

5. Don’t forget a snack. Plan for those times you may get hungry during the workday.

A snack that combines protein and carbohydrate will be more satisfying. A few examples are: an apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter, half a sandwich, hummus with pita chips or flat pretzels, cheese with whole wheat crackers, one string cheese or a boiled egg and a half cup of grapes. If vending machines are tempting at work, consider packing a small piece of chocolate to add to your snack. One small piece of chocolate has around 50 calories compared to a regular sized candy bar at 250 calories.

Another sweet treat may be a

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to eat it the next day. Add a piece of fruit for dessert and a carton of skim milk or low fat yogurt to complete a healthy lunch.

+

6. Pack plenty of water to keep your thirst quenched. Sugarsweetened and caffeinated beverages may leave you thirsty in the long run and not replace all of the fluids your body needs. A refillable water bottle saves money and is better for the environment.

Remember that water has no calories compared to 16 ounces of sweet tea or soda that contain more than 200 calories.

Planning and packing a nutritious lunch can be cost-saving, calorie-saving, and time-saving. With some planning, you can enjoy a nutritious, inexpensive alternative to a stressful drive and long lines to get lunch. +

by Cheryl Gullickson MS, RD, LD --- Cheryl is a registered dietitian and member of the local Augusta Area Dietetic Association. She works as a clinical dietitian in the Augusta area.

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1. Keep the USDA’s “My Plate” in mind as you make choices.

“My Plate” can still apply when the meal comes from a bag, not a plate. For example, a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with mustard or low fat mayonnaise, a fresh apple, sliced cucumbers and raw carrots, carton of low fat yogurt, and a bottle of water can all fit in “My Plate.”

Choosing a variety of foods is one of the best ways to ensure you get more vitamins and minerals in the foods you eat.

homemade oatmeal raisin and nut cookie or a small morning glory muffin (contains grated carrots and chopped apples added to your favorite muffin mix) that could be made ahead and frozen in smaller portions.

Also, consider a “100 calorie snack” that can be an enjoyable treat in a limited quantity.

Ohio Ave.

ave you ever realized as noon rolls around on a workday that you have absolutely no idea what you are going to eat? Maybe you’re starving and making a healthy, inexpensive choice is not what you’re thinking.

But after eating more and spending more than you wanted to for lunch on some occasions, have you considered that packing your lunch may be a better plan? If you’ve resisted because it feels like you’d be reverting to your school days, consider that a packed lunch does not have to be boring. Packing a lunch takes some planning and time, but it can pay off in the long run by saving calories and money. And it can be tasty, too!

A healthy lunch starts with planning. Plan for variety and include your favorite foods. Make a list and plan to purchase needed items the weekend before the work week starts. Consider refrigeration and microwave availability at work. An insulated bag and/or ice packs may be needed for storage. The tips listed below may help make planning easier:

s of the ten Join

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WHAT’S IN YOUR LUNCH BOX?

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PET VET

PREVENTING DOG BITES, PART TWO In our last episode, we addressed the issue of bite prevention from the owner’s perspective. In a nutshell, choosing the right dog for your family, your schedule, and your home can go a long way toward preventing dog bites.

But here’s a news flash: dogs don’t just bite dog owners.

People who aren’t dog owners also get chomped on, and that includes children — lots of them. Even if you bought a dog for your kids, children aren’t dog owners. Even so, more than half of all those who seek medical attention for dog bite injuries are kids. Children are not just more likely to be bitten; they’re more likely than adults to be severely injured.

As was discussed in the previous edition of Pet Vet, dog bites are for the most part

preventable.

Here are some scenarios to avoid that could easily lead to a bite, for an adult or a child: • approaching or trying to pet a dog that is barking or growling • petting a dog that is in an enclosure or fenced yard • approaching or trying to pet a loose dog that is not with its owner • disturbing a dog while it is eating or sleeping • petting a dog while she is with her puppies and seems protective and wary • petting a dog without first asking its owner There are strategies that are specific to children that can prevent bites.

Never leave a baby or a small child alone with a dog without a responsible adult nearby,

NEW

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within earshot.

Teach kids to never aggravate a dog by pulling its tail or ears, by trying to ride it, or by teasing it.

Likewise, hitting a dog, yelling at it, trying to take away its food or toys, or abusing it by yanking its leash can also lead to frustration on the dog’s part — with predictable results.

Children can’t be expected to accurately read a dog’s body language, but they can be taught to stop when a dog acts like it wants to be left alone.

As above, remind them not to approach unknown and unaccompanied dogs, and to always ask for permission before approaching or trying to pet any dog.

Experts say it’s best to let a dog sniff you; that is its way of determining who and what you

HOPE Through Adversity

by Helen Blocker-Adams

DEPRESSION: THE INVISIBLE KILLER

D Ask the Doctor

Q A

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Get an opinion here. Or a second opinion. Or a third.

Years ago, why did doctors require so much bed rest?

My grandmother was still in bed 6 weeks after her appendectomy. The same was true after childbirth. Now they make you walk around within 24 hours.

Blood clots can form in the legs with inactivity, like staying in bed for days. These days, we prevent clot formation and embolic thrombosis by prompt and early ambulation, pressure stockings, and anticoagulant medications. Years ago if patients walked after a few days postop, some died instantly from stroke or pulmonary embolism. But if a clot forms and does not break loose in a couple weeks, it becomes fixed to the vessel wall, requiring long bed rest after surgery.

— by F. E. Gilliard, MD Family Medicine, 639 13th St Augusta, GA 30901 706-823-5052 If you’d like a doctor’s answer to your question, email it to news@AugustaRx.com or visit the Medical Examiner on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AugustaRX). From there, post or private message your question.

epression is killing people every day — rich, poor, black, white, and everyone in between.

You can’t see depression. At least not in the way someone who has cancer or HIV/AIDS or even someone who goes to dialysis several times a week may display outward symptoms.

I’m sure you’ve heard heart disease or diabetes called “the silent killer.” Well, depression is the invisible killer.

Like me, you were probably deeply saddened when you heard of the suicide of beloved comedian and actor Robin Williams. He was one of the funniest people on the planet.

Yes, he was a little eccentric and when interviewed always seemed like he had ants in his pants, but I always thought that was part of his gimmick.

We live in a world where people from all walks of life wear masks. Masks that try to cover frailty, anger, uncertainty, pride, insecurity, loneliness, faults and so much more. I think people also see and believe what they want to see. The world tells

are and concluding (hopefully) that you aren’t a threat.

If the worst happens and a child (or an adult) is face to face with an aggressive dog, the American Veterinary Medical Association says the best strategy is to quietly and confidently back away. Eye contact is viewed by some dogs as a direct threat, so look down or away. Running isn’t an effective defense, says the AVMA; it’s better to “be a tree” and remain motionless — which is undoubtedly easier said than done for anyone, especially a child.

If an attack worsens, hitting the ground and curling into a ball and using your arms and hands to protect your face and neck is a last-ditch line of defense.

One other important strategy

to help prevent dog bites is suggested by the picture chosen to illustrate this edition of Pet Vet. It’s an ankle-biter.

The stereotypical dangerous dog is a Pit Bull.

It’s a Rottweiler. It’s a German Shepherd. It’s a Doberman.

Those are the dogs to worry about. There’s no need to fear a bite from a Chihuahua or a cute little Yorkie.

Boys and girls, that is exactly the kind of thinking that can sink a dog’s fangs into your face, hand, arm, or leg.

That kind of thinking is the dog version of racial profiling.

Any given Yorkshire Terrier can be absolutely vicious, and any given Pit Bull might be the very one that would never hurt anyone even under the most intense provocation.

In other words, there is no such thing as a bad breed of dog, and that statement comes from veterinary experts.

Virtually any dog — even that angelic Pit Bull just mentioned — can be provoked. It is far more accurate to say there are no bad dog breeds, only bad dog owners. If you’re a good dog owner, chances are your favorite Fido will never add to dog bite statistics. +

us to put on a happy face. It’s going to be okay. Don’t worry about it. It will be okay in the morning. Be happy. Suck it up.

The response of the faithbased community to mental illness might be things like, “Maybe if you went to church more you wouldn’t be so depressed.” Or a simplistic, “Pray about it.”

It’s a little more complicated than that.

Some of the victims of depression may not be literally dead, but the despair and hopelessness they feel on the inside make them feel dead.

That is an incredibly sad place to be. I couldn’t imagine feeling so depressed, alone or hurt that I would take my life.

There has been much conversation and news coverage about Williams’ suicide and his bout with depression.

There is more to the story, but my message here is that we must become more sensitive, compassionate and aware of this “invisible” killer.

According to experts, severe depression distorts rational thinking and can lead to the idea that hopelessness and pain are permanent. Depression distorts reality and causes a risk of death.

It’s really a public health concern that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves until there is a tragic death of a high profile person.

One organization that does an excellent job of advocacy is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). I recommend you visit their website at www. nami.org. There is an Augusta chapter that does a fine job too.

Seek them out.

Before I finish my column, I want to thank my friend, the publisher of this fine magazine, for allowing me to return and do something I love ~ write. I also want to thank all of the readers who were so supportive over the past few months. Some of you sent me emails, texts and/or Facebook messages indicating you missed my columns. Thank you. Please look for them here on the first Friday of each month. I’m delighted to be able to use the gifts and talents God has given me. I am so grateful.

I pray that my columns will encourage, inspire, empower, inform, enlighten and energize you to be a part of the solution to this “invisible” public health concern. + Helen BlockerAdams is Blocker-Adams an educator, inspirational speaker, author and columnist, serial entrepreneur, events planner and mentor committed to giving people hope and transforming lives. You can reach her at hba@hbagroup-intl.com

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the Bookshelf The blog spot – Posted August 25, 2014 at commonsensemd.blogspot.com

DON’T DO STUPID SH*T The electronic medical record that my office uses features a clinical protocol button that we are encouraged to click during patient visits to remind us about potentially indicated preventive services, such as obesity and tobacco counseling and cancer screenings. I once tried it out while seeing a 90-year-old with four chronic health problems. The computer suggested breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancer screenings - three totally inappropriate tests for the patient.

At the residency program where I precept one afternoon a week, we recently held a “chart rounds” on an elderly patient with advanced dementia: when should you stop cancer screening? The answer boils down to the patient’s predicted life expectancy compared to the number of years needed for a patient to benefit from a test. Although forecasting how long someone has left to live is not a precise science, knowing averages is essential to deciding if the inconvenience, expense, and potential adverse effects of screening (and treatment, if an abnormality is discovered) can be justified by the potential benefit. Since advanced dementia is a terminal disease, with more than half of nursing home residents in a National Institutes of Health-sponsored study dying within 18 months, there is virtually zero chance that a patient with this condition would benefit from cancer screening of any type. The same statement applies to a healthy 90 year-old in the U.S., who is expected to live around 4-5 more years.

But as one might expect in our crazy health non-system, cancer screening in patients with limited life expectancies happens all the time. A study published last week in JAMA Internal Medicine found that one-third to one-half of surveyed Americans with a 9-year mortality risk of more than 75 percent reported receiving recent cancer screenings. 55% of men in this group had knowingly been screened for prostate cancer within the previous 2 years - a test that, if it works at all, requires a decade to show a mortality benefit.

(Nonetheless, my late father-in-law, who passed away at age 75 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, faithfully went in for annual PSA tests up until the year of his death.)

Aside from making me want to pull my hair out (or turning even more of it prematurely gray), reading this study’s findings brought to mind President Obama’s much-mocked second-term foreign policy doctrine: “Don’t do stupid sh*t.”

I agree with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that this pithy four-word directive ending with a four-letter word shouldn’t be an organizing principle for foreign policy, health policy, or any national policy. But as an antidote to the ubiquitous practice of too much medicine, it could be be a useful starting point: Don’t do stupid sh*t in cancer screening.

Think twice before reflexively doing things to elderly patients that can’t possibly help and, therefore, can only hurt. And keep in mind that electronic clinical decision support should never, ever substitute for a physician’s brain. +

What cannot help can only hurt.

Note: The author is a board-certified family physician and public health professional practicing in the Washington, DC area and Associate Deputy Editor of the journal American Family Physician who teaches family and preventive medicine at the Georgetown University School of Medicine Speaking of blogs, the Medical Examiner’s blog may be found at www.AugustaRx.com/news.

An archive of past Medical Examiner issues is available online at

WWW.ISSUU.COM/MEDICALEXAMINER

Medicine is full of antidotes.

Afflicted with this? Take that.

Accidentally swallowed that?

Then swallow this.

This book is 300+ pages of antidote. For what, you ask?

This book is the antidote to the doctor you barely know; the doctor who rarely spends more than five minutes with you; the doctor who doesn’t really know your name; the doctor whose fees can run into the thousands of dollars.

This book is about the only surgeon on a small island.

Timothy Lepore (which rhymes “peppery”) is that doctor, and the island is Nantucket.

Ah, you say. Nantucket.No wonder he has time for every patient. He’s probably rich. No wonder he doesn’t bill some patients, and accepts payment in oatmeal raisin cookies from some others. After all, what does he treat? Sunburn? The occasional fish hook caught in some angler’s finger?

It won’t take you many pages to discover that a lot happens on Nantucket Island that requires every skill the most capable doctor could bring to the task: “[Over time] hundreds of people would

have died if he wasn’t there, if not thousands,” asserts another doctor who knows Lepore.

Aside from his serious medical skills —you’ll get to know those both on the island and in his pre-Nantucket days — Lepore has what Belluck calls “his patient-centered approach, once much more the norm, [which] now strains to survive in towns and cities across the country as health care costs skyrocket, medicine becomes more corporatized and monetized, and extended face time with doctors is an increasingly vanishing commodity.”

So yes, there is a litle bit of

sermonizing in this book, but it’s much more a fast-reading peek into the everyday life of a busy, if somewhat eccentric doctor. Along the way you’ll get to know a number of his more noteworthy patients, from Jimmy Buffet to the titular Underground Tom, and the downright weird Billy Dexter.

Part of Lepore’s duties involve expert testimony in court cases, and being crossexamined by lawyers who know he might have to save their life one day.

There are first-hand accounts of mass casualty fires, open heart surgery, colon obstruction operations, cancer, stabbings, shootings, and ticks, one of the banes of island living.

Yes, Nantucket is just a nice quiet island where nothing ever happens — until it does.

All those times are what this book is about. + Island Practice: Cobblestone Rash, Underground Tom, and Other Adventures of a Nantucket Doctor,

by Pam Belluck, M.D., 304 pages, published in July 2013 by Public Affairs

Research News Action TV is Fat TV A study posted Sept. 1 by researchers at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab says that people snacking while watching action movies give their mouths a lot of action too.

In the study, about a hundred participants supplied with cookies, M&Ms, carrots and grapes watched one of three programs for 20 minutes: an action movie, a segment of the Charlie Rose Show, and one third watched the same segment of the same action movie as the first group, but without sound.

People watching the action movie ate almost twice as many snacks (98 percent more) than those watching the talk show. Even those watching the action film on mute ate 36 percent more than the Charlie Rose watchers.

The study demonstrates a couple of key findings: the more intense the programming, the more likely it is that viewers will be distracted from how

much they’re eating, the very opposite of “mindful” eating.

So is the answer to watch only sedate movies and TV shows?

Actually, that’s point #2: Cornell researchers say the secret is to “pre-plate” or “pre-portion” what you’ll be snacking on during screen time. Bring a whole bag of chips of box of cookies to the La-Z-Boy and that’s how much you’ll eat before you even know it. Better still: make that pre-plate grapes, carrots, or apple slices.

Sup? If you have an adolescent in the family, listen up. A study posted Sept. 1 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics offers an effective antidote to bullying, a scourge which afflicts many teens.

Among the harmful effects of bullying are a laundry list of physical, emotional, behavioral, and substance abuse problems.

Unfortunately, those effects are from 2.6 to 4.5 times more

common among victims of cyberbullying than from oldfashioned face-to-face bullying, and it’s not hard to see why: face-to-face might involve as few as two people, the bully and the bullee. Cyber attacks, on the other hand, might be seen by dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of peers and total strangers. The study (conducted

by McGill University) says one in five adolescents experience cyberbullying, and many of the harmful effects its victims suffer are unique to cyberbullyng.

Researchers discovered that how badly cyberbullying victims are affected by their experiences is directly related to communication and contact within the family. All things being equal, the victim with fewer family dinners will suffer more emotional scars and trauma than a victim where family support is lacking.

Study authors say parental involvement and supervision can make a huge difference.

Checking on teens’ online lives can be crucial to helping them. +

+ 12

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS

THE MYSTERY WORD

+

You had to see a psychiatrist? Why? I think I’m Moses.

by Dan Pearson

Oh my. What did the psychiatrist say?

Really?

Are you sure?

He agrees with me.

Well, he gave me two tablets.

The Mystery Word for this issue: SCENRYIED

© 2014 Daniel Pearson All rights reserved.

Simply unscramble the letters, then begin exploring our ads. When you find the correctly spelled word hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE

ACROSS 1. Augusta mill 5. Stage 10. Music player 14. Miscellaneous mixture 15. Glove material 16. Former Augusta commissioner Moses 17. Another name for Baal 18. Common newspaper name 20. Ocean 21. Carry out 23. Slavery 25. No (Scottish) 26. Chill, as in the air 27. Decidedly 31. A URL is one 35. Coal scuttle 36. Distributed cards 38. ____ Fare 39. Chilled 41. Fulcrum for an oar 43. Israeli round dance 44. Branch (in botany or anatomy) 46. 44th US president 48. Palme _____ (Cannes’ “Oscar”) 49. _______ effect (in medicine) 51. Mary Wilson was one 53. Part of verb to be 54. Hospital employee 55. Minnesota governor (19992003) 59. Afflicted with tremors 63. Anger 64. Arbitrate 66. Auto maker founded in 1905 67. Prehistoric burial chamber 69. Legendary Packers QB 70. Langley follower 71. ____acidosis 72. ________ mill 73. Madonna’s ___ the Groove

BY

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O D B S T T E N I I H U E O E I T

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QUOTATION PUZZLE

38 42

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Click on “READER CONTESTS”

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VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM

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by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved

31. Collection of maps 32. Naturally wear away 33. Lindsey’s predecessor 34. Divide 37. Hit or throw in a high arc 40. Gold coin 42. Model oneself on 45. Truth _________ 47. Maker of 10-A 50. Deprived of or lacking 52. Bosses of 54-A? 55. Atlanta QB, 2001-2006 56. A Great Lake 57. Tree house 58. Month of the Jewish calendar 59. Military start 60. Fe on the periodic table 61. Head doctor? (abbrev.)

62. Extinct flightless bird 65. “___ Got A Secret” 68. ___ a T 70. Martel’s Life of ___ Solution p. 14

— Marie Curie

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once.

Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line.

Solution on page 14.

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved. Built in part with software from www.crauswords.com

DOWN 1. Port in central Japan 2. Holly genus 3. ____ Delta 4. Depart 5. Blood element 6. It can be Purple 7. Consumed 8. He came after Cain and Abel 9. Postpone, as a deadline 10. Computer dept.

11. Ft. Gordon is one 12. River in central Europe 13. June 6, 1944 18. Type of rail 19. Omit in speech 22. Helper for 54-A 24. Sofia in The Color Purple 27. Bird sound 28. Like some anesthesia 29. Swelling 30. Company founded as “Jerry and Dave’s Guide to the World Wide Web”

O G B O S L L A D I D E I N F O I T R N T E O R N S Y F E N

E

2

X A M I N E R

6 5

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8 2 4 6

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9 8 7 1 3

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1 5 4 3 3 1 7 8 9

8 1

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved. Built with software from www.crauswords.com

U D O K U

DIRECTIONS: Every line, vertical and horizontal, and all nine 9-square boxes must each contain the numbers 1 though 9. Solution on page 14.

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle. All the listed letters following 1 are the 1st letters of each word; the letters following 2 are 2nd letters of each word, and so on. Try solving words with letter clues or numbers with minimal choices listed. A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

1 2 3 4

1

’

1 2 3 4 5 6

C 2 3 4

5

6

1 2 3 4

Y 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

7 A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2

8 9 10

— Irene Peter

1 2 3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1.AJCDDHEIBM 2.VNUSIEEOHA 3.FAAYSSCEE 4.TRANSFNT 5.UGHYNE 6.STTIRE 7.DEHEN 8.GIN 9.TN 10.G

SAMPLE:

1. ILB 2. SLO 3. VI 4. NE 5. D =

L 1

O 2

V 3

E 4

I 1

S 2

B 1

L 2

I 3

N 4

D 5

by Daniel R. Pearson © 2014 All rights reserved

WORDS NUMBER

1

All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing.

We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

A

s you know, Gandhi walked around barefoot most of the time, which meant that his feet were heavily calloused. He also ate very little, which made him thin and somewhat frail, and due to his odd diet he was known to have bad breath.

All of this made him a super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

An invisible man married an invisible woman.

Neither of them, to be honest, were particularly good-looking. And not to be cruel, but their kids were nothing to look at either.

A pediatrician often played a game with his young patients to put them at ease and test their knowledge of body parts.

One day, the doctor touched a little boy’s ear and asked him, “Is this your nose?”

The little boy turned to his mother and said, “Mom, we need to find a new doctor.”

A rabbi had to have surgery and as it turned out, a nearby Catholic hospital specialized in the procedure. During his stay the rabbi became friends with a nun who was a nurse there. One day, she came into his room and noticed that the

crucifix on the wall above his bed was missing.

She asked him good-naturedly, “Rabbi, what have you done with the crucifix?”

“I figured one suffering Jew in this room was enough,” he said “Tell me, what are you planning to do about that excess weight you’re carrying around?” the doctor asked his patient. “Do you have a plan?”

“Actually,” the patient said. “I think that’s your department. It’s something medical, not dietary. I’ve tried everything, and nothing works. I’m pretty sure I have an overactive thyroid.”

“I think you’re right - in part,” said the doctor. “Your thyroid is perfectly normal, but the tests show you do have an overactive fork.”

A duck walks into a bar around lunchtime, sits down and orders a beer and a sandwich.

The bartender looks at him and says, “Oh my God, a talking duck! What are you doing here?”

The duck replies, “I’m with the crew putting up drywall at the new hospital down the street. I’ll be in town for a few days.”

The next day at noon the duck returns and the bartender says, “Hey duck, I was telling someone about you last night. They’re really interested in meeting with you!”

“Is that so?”

“The circus is in town,” he explained. “The ringmaster was in here last night and he thinks you’d be a star attraction for them!”

The duck looked puzzled and said, “Why would a circus need a dry-waller?” +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner?

Because no one should have to make a trip to the doctor or the hospital just to read Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper.

The Patient’s Perspective

by Marcia Ribble

W

hat are us older folks to do when it’s just too hot to do anything? For most of what ails us, doctors recommend that we keep moving and stay active. But what am I going to do when the temperatures are in the upper 90s and it is extremely humid out? Sitting and reading or watching TV or movies doesn’t keep me moving. Doing housekeeping on a large scale no longer works for my aging body, but there is obviously housekeeping that needs to be done. That leaves me with some new options to invent.

I the floors need to be vacuumed in order to remove the dust of the ages that is always accumulating from stem to stern. But I use a walker, and the walker takes two hands to negotiate. The vacuum cleaner takes one and a half hands, one for the handle, and one for managing the cord so I don’t run over it and suck it up into spaces where cords never reemerge in their entirety. Is there some clever way to run the vacuum cleaner AND operate the walker at the same time?

I have been assuming that those tasks are mutually exclusive, but what if there is another way that might work to maintain my balance and get the machine to work at the same time?

What if I use the walker as my base of operations and work from that stabilizing center? Between the length of my arms and the length of the vacuum cleaner, I should be able to vacuum a fairly large amount of space before

Talk is cheap.

Not talking can be deadly.

I would need to move the walker and the vacuum to another centralized location.

The grand experiment should be relatively easy to operationalize, or put into action. But first coffee and orange juice and some kind of breakfast food to prepare for myself. Then there’s the news to watch and the paper to read.

A second cup of coffee and I should be ready to see if my plan will work.

Uh oh. I didn’t realize that all the news watching and reading would lead to a series of naps. While I napped, the dirt, dust, and dog hair kept accumulating and now I have twice as much to do. And there’s even more later, as I need to get the dishwasher emptied, the laundry done and folded, and something cooked for dinner. I’m just caught between the floors which need vacuuming and all the other tasks I’m behind on….My senior rock and a hard place. + Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and retired from the University of Cincinnati. She taught writing at the college level, most recently at Virginia College in Augusta, and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She can be reached with comments, suggestions, etc., at marciaribble@hotmail.com.

+ +

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers.

If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house!

NAME ADDRESS CITY

STATE

TO OUR READERS AND OUR ADVERTISERS

ZIP

Choose ____ six months for $20; or ____ one year for $36. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

www.AugustaRx.com/news

+ 14

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: STAT

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS Roman Realty 706-564-5885

HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC.

SERVICES

WEST AUGUSTA Luxury 3 bdrm, 2 bath townhouse. Garage, quiet neighborhood off Pleasant Home Road. $795/mo. Call 706228-4655.

6.7.8

...cleverly hidden (in the shrub, lower left) in the p. 9 ad for OVERHEAD DOOR Congratulations to WILLIE DORSEY, who scores a coveted Scrubs of Evans gift card, 2 movie passes courtesy of Health Center Credit Union, and a $20 Wild Wing Cafe gift certificate. Want to find your name here next issue? The new Mystery Word is on page 12.

Start looking!

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then be the first to find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries you’ll score our goodie package!

SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (Winners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED?

ROOMMATE WANTED! 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath house with pool, 2 minutes from colleges. Perfect for medical or grad students. $425+share utils. 706.993.6082 WEST AUGUSTA House for rent. 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1500 sqft, 1-car garage, 3024 Sterling Road, located off Stevens Creek at Riverwatch Pkwy. $850/mo. Call 678467-7187.

FOR SALE: GORGEOUS, immaculate, never occupied townhome located mins from Medical District. 2 bed, 2 bath, master en suite, walk-in closets, office.

1450 sq ft. hardwood floors throughout, fabulous upgrades, custom kitchen and baths. Floor to ceiling windows, fenced yard. Partially furnished! 120k OBO. 803-507-6621.

Augustagahomesearch.com Foreclosures • Rentals • MLS

F. E. GILLIARD, MD FAMILY MEDICINE Acute & Chronic Illnesses Occupational Medicine PROMPT APPOINTMENTS 706-823-5250 HEALTH CARE - CNA offering in-home care: companion/assist with daily activities, light housekeeping, meal prep, assist with ambulation, medication reminders, grocery shopping, Dr. appts, errands, etc. Since each person’s needs are different, I will consult with you one-on-one to discuss your needs. CALL 706.833.9787 BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) FULL-SERVICE MOVER Anthony’s Professional Moving, 28 years serving the CSRA moving hospital equipment, offices, homes, apartments, etc.

Estimates are FREE. Call 706.860.3726 or 706.814.8141

HOUSE CLEANING Your house, apartment, rental move-outs. Thorough, dependable.

Weekly, or whatever schedule you prefer.

References. 706.267.9947 NOTICE! ATTENTION! If any current or past employer has failed to pay you min. wage or time and a half overtime pay, you may be entitled to an order from US Federal Court awarding you twice the amount of your unpaid wages plus atty. fees. For info, call Arthur H. Shealy, Attorney at Law, 803-278-5149, 1010 Plantation Rd, North Augusta SC 29841. You may be entitled to a similar award for unpaid wages if your employer required you to perform duties during your lunch hour, before clocking in, or after clocking out.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Ridiculously affordable and highly visible advertising available through the pages of Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper, aka the Augusta Medical Examiner. Have you heard of it or seen a copy? Rates can be reviewed at AugustaRx.com. Questions? Send an e from the site, or call the publisher directly: Dan Pearson at 706.860.5455.

E: Dan@AugustaRx.com

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER! THE PUZZLE SOLVED

USE THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL IT IN, OR GO TO WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM AND PLACE & PAY CONVENIENTLY AND SAFELY ONLINE. THANKS!

WHAT’S YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE?

Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

(OURS IS COFFEE)

K O B E

I L E X

C H I R P

L O C A L

V I C K

E R I E

N G P I O L L G A E C U T N A E E A R L D D E E D T M U S A C E B A R E N T U R E M E S T F T O T

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FORM Name Address Work number (if applicable) ( ) Home phone ( ) Category of ad (leave blank if unsure):

.75

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1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

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3.25

3.50

3.75

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Send this form with payment to: Total ad cost by number of words as shown above: $

S H A R E D O D O

QUOTATION The Sudoku Solution

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE

(Copy this form or continue on additional sheet if more space needed.)

AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER, PO BOX 397, AUGUSTA, GA 30903-0397

D D A Y

QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: Page 12: “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.”

— Marie Curie

AD COPY (one word per line; phone numbers MUST include the area code): .50

I P O T O D S E O T R P R E S A R T H O R D O R E M N S I E R E P O N I N T

SEE PAGE 12

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H A S E A T E X Z E T T E E H E L N I Y A D D A L T E H O L E O B A M A O S U P L P A P A L D I A T E A V R E R E A D

2 4 6 7 9 1 5 3 8

8 1 9 6 3 5 4 2 7

5 7 3 2 4 8 9 1 6

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1 6 2 9 8 4 7 5 3

4 3 7 1 5 6 8 9 2

9 8 5 3 7 2 6 4 1

WORDS

BY NUMBER “Just because everything is different

VISIT DRUGOFCHOICECOFFEE.COM

doesn’t mean anything has changed.”

Thanks for reading!

www.AugustaRx.com

— Irene Peter

Multiply by number of times ad to run: x Total submitted: $

The Augusta Medical Examiner publishes on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.

Your ad should reach us no later than 7 days prior to our publication date.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

15 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

SHORT WHITE COAT… from page 4 would like to accomplish before I go to sleep. I will rank the list according to a “Triage” type approach: I will focus on what is most urgent or will “kill me” fastest if I don’t do it. It will be hard for me at times to not get overly ambitious and set goals that are too lofty or unreasonable to be accomplished in one evening, and on the other hand I will need to ensure I am not too lazy with my expectations.

I think setting definite goals will help me keep track of my progress and productivity because I will be able to assess immediately what there is left to do, sort of likeestablishing a set amount of weight to lose.

At the end of the week, I will evaluate the average time I went to bed, and on nights when I went to sleep later than hoped,

I will assess how much work I got done that evening.

As time goes on, I will identify more clearly the major ways I allow myself to get distracted or waste time, and thus learn to avoid those triggers. The goal is to continue to refine my time management skills by the end of medical school and before the start of residency. I will aim to train myself to become a well-oiled machine that maximizes time available and also capitalizes on sleep hours, as those will likely become even more prized once I start working. Now is better than never, right? Time to get that pad of sticky notes ready, because Operation Sleep Well commences now. +

by Caroline Colden 3rd-year medical student at MCG

APPS, SCHMAPPS.

YOU DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ APP TO READ THE MEDICAL EXAMINER ONLINE.

JUST VISIT AUGUSTARX.COM/NEWS ON ISSUE DATES OR ISSUU.COM/MEDICALEXAMINER +

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS

ALLERGY Tesneem K. Chaudhary, MD Allergy & Asthma Center 3685 Wheeler Road, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

DRUG REHAB

CHIROPRACTIC Poppell Chiropractic Clinic 1106-A Furys Lane Martinez 30907 706-210-2875 Most insurance plans accepted

DENTISTRY Dr. Judson S. Hickey Periodontist 2315-B Central Ave Augusta 30904 706-739-0071

Karen L. Carter, MD 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 Augusta 30901 706-396-0600 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com

Steven L. Wilson, DMD Family Dentistry 4059 Columbia Road Martinez 30907 706-863-9445

DERMATOLOGY Georgia Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center 2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road) Augusta 30904 706-733-3373 www.GaDerm.com

Ideal Image 339 Fury’s Ferry Rd Martinez 30907 1-800-BE-IDEAL • www.idealimage.com Schedule a FREE Consultation

MEDICAL MASSAGE

Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd.

Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Group & Benefits Consultants Inc. 3515 Wheeler Rd, Bldg. C Augusta 30909 706-733-3459 Floss ‘em or lose ‘em! www.groupandbenefits.com

Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048

LASER SERVICES

FAMILY MEDICINE Urgent MD Augusta: 706-922-6300 Grovetown: 706-434-3500 Thomson: 706-595-7825 Primary Care Rates

HOSPICE Alliance Hospice 3685 Old Petersburg Rd. Suite 145 Augusta 30907 706-447-2461

Medical Massage Stuart Farnell L.M.T. 803-646-1846 jsfarnell@att.net www.FarnellClinic.com

OPHTHALMOLOGY Roger M. Smith, M.D. 820 St. Sebastian Way Suite 5-A Augusta 30901 706-724-3339

OPTICIAN

PHARMACY

Parks Pharmacy 437 Georgia Ave. N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

SENIOR LIVING Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community 3725 Wheeler Road Augusta 30909 SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 706-868-6500 www.augustagardenscommunity.com

SLEEP MEDICINE Sleep Institute of Augusta Bashir Chaudhary, MD 3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

VEIN CARE

Murphy & Robinson Phil Harris 1571 Walton Way Augusta 30904 706-737-2020

...PHARMACY

O P T I C I A N S

Vein Specialists of Augusta G. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI 501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907 706-854-8340 www.VeinsAugusta.com

WEIGHT LOSS

PHC Weight Loss & Wellness Centers Medical Center West Pharmacy 246B Bobby Jones Expwy 465 North Belair Road Martinez: 706-868-5332 Evans 30809 Thomson: 706-597-8667 706-854-2424 Medical Services of America www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com www.phcweightloss.com Hospice 4314-E Belair Frontage Rd. If you’d like your medical practice listed in the Professional Directory, Augusta 30909 call the Medical Examiner at 706.860.5455 706-447-2626

+ 16

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

Lost in the maze?

Why enter in the first place?

We know the way.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS • COMPLIANCE • WELLNESS • CONSULTING • EXCHANGES • PARTNERSHIPS • TECHNOLOGY

RUSSELL T. HEAD, CBC, CSA-PARTNER • 706-733-3459 • E: RTHEAD@GANDBC.COM • WWW.GROUPANDBENEFITS.COM