I'm sick. I do not have a lot of energy for writing today. Also, I feel like I need to catch up some more on the Relief Society letters.
When this particular blog started, it was specifically for storing the emergency preparedness newsletters somewhere. I had started out as a ward preparedness specialist, then for the stake, then on the ward level again, and in each of those roles I did a monthly newsletter.
When I started doing the Relief Society newsletter, it was not specifically for preparedness at all, at least not at first. For the first year there would be one piece by different women in the ward, and then a section from the Fly Lady. (Those were home tips from a web site. She drove me nuts, but a lot of people like her.)
The Fly Lady section was replaced by a preparedness section, and I did write that, but a lot of it was based on things I had written before, so there never seemed to be a need to capture them here. Now I keep feeling drawn back to the material. It isn't even necessarily my own.
I think there are two things going on. One is that I am currently in between project phases, and I will start having new things to write soon, but I am not really there yet. I could force the issue, or I could take a break from this blog, but neither feels quite right. I suspect this is because of the other thing, in that many of the women shared really good information, and maybe it is meant to reach additional people. So, we will do some catching up, with credit where credit is due.
Thoughts on Dealing with Health Challenges by Sandy Christensen
I’ve been asked to share a few thoughts about caring for family members with health challenges. While this isn’t a particularly exciting topic, it is something that most, if not all of us, will face at some point in our lives. While I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, I hope that the insights that I have gained over the past year caring for my husband and son during their extended illnesses can be of some benefit to you in dealing with not only health challenges, but other types of “stretch assignments” as well.
1. Trials are part of life. They are part of the plan and part of the reason we chose to come to earth. Try to accept them and not fight them too much. Although unpleasant, our trials can be our greatest teachers as illustrated by this quote by Elder Orson F. Whitney.
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God…and it is through sorrow and suffering toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.” (as quoted in Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 98)
2. Prepare temporally as much as possible. You never can tell what is around the corner in life. There is no way to prepare for some events, but for other challenges we can prepare. Obtain health insurance if at all possible. Save $ for unexpected emergencies. Establish a relationship with a good primary care physician. Keep basic health supplies on hand : fever reducer and OTC pain medicine, pedialyte, chicken broth, crackers, cold remedies, Benadryl, toilet paper, peptol bismol, etc. This will save you a late night trip to the store.
3. Prepare spiritually for the unexpected. If we add “spiritual oil to our lamps” each and every day, we will be prepared to face the challenges that come to us. It doesn’t mean that it won’t be difficult, or that we won’t suffer, but we will be able to turn to our Savior and feel his love and support, and that will strengthen us and carry us through. With His help we can become a better person, not a bitter person.
4. Seek spiritual power during the trial. Pray for guidance and strength. Listen to the Spirit. Read the scriptures, and a conference talk every day. Pray for your Doctor and other medical providers that they will be inspired. Fast. Attend the temple. Put the patient’s name on the prayer roll of one or more temples. Obtain priesthood blessings as needed. Both the patient and the long-term caregiver may need a blessing. Priesthood blessings do not need to be our last resort. Heavenly Father loves us and desires to bless us. He is pleased when we exercise our faith in Him.
5. Have an attitude of gratitude. Learn to recognize and express gratitude for the many tender mercies Heavenly Father blesses you with each day. Record these in your journal to provide you with strength later on.
6. Be a good patient/caregiver. You will get better medical care if you prepare in advance for your Doctor’s appointments. Do your research on reputable sites. Knowledge is power, but don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Bring written questions (and your written logs of symptoms, and other pertinent info) to your Doctor’s appointments. Discuss them. Bring another adult—two heads are better than one. Take notes at the appointment so you can remember everything. Find an excellent Doctor and then follow their advice.
7. Take steps to minimize the stress of having a chronic illness, or of being a long-term caregiver. Exercise as vigorously as possible, spend time in nature, listen to uplifting music, record your thoughts in your journal, practice relaxing, (progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery are two useful techniques). Find joy in small and simple things. Get adequate sleep and good nutrition. If you can’t sleep because of excessive worrying get up and do a “brain dump” – write down all of your thoughts, then go back to sleep. Spend time with the people that encourage and uplift you. Embrace opportunities to serve others. Serving others will lift your own spirits. Send out e-mail/Facebook updates so you can benefit from the love and support of those that care about you, and so you don’t use all of your precious energy giving updates about your patient. This is especially important if things aren’t going so well--it is just too emotionally draining to have to talk about the same distressing news over, and over, again.
Minimize/avoid things that cause you stress: watching/ listening to the news, doing too much internet research on potentially deadly health conditions etc.
I’d like to close with this encouraging, and uplifting quote by Elder Bruce R. McConkie.
“…anything that befalls us here in mortality is but for a small moment, and if we are true and faithful God will eventually exalt us on high. All our losses and sufferings will be made up to us in the resurrection…and God shall wipe away all tears.” ELDER BRUCE R. MCCONKIE, The Dead Who Die in the Lord, November 1976 Ensign
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Things to think about
Two things have had me thinking recently, and I am going to try and put them into a unified whole.
One was a report on Oregon's readiness for a major quake, as we are expecting, and the plan they have for getting things ready would take fifty years to implement. Well, it could be fifty years before the next major quake hits, or it could be sooner, and also, I don't think they are actually starting the plan, which could be another concern.
As dismal as that may sound, that wasn't what struck me. They did mention wanting people to have two weeks worth of supplies rather than three days, and the liquefaction of the soil, and we have talked about all that, but the other thing that was really interesting to me was the estimation that it would take three months to restore the power grid. That's a long time in the dark.
And we have talked about dealing without electricity before, but with such an extended time period, new factors are introduced. Batteries may run out that would have been sufficient for two weeks or even a month. You may get really sick of eating uncooked food. Everything in your freezer will thaw.
The other thing that got me thinking was the storm moving in on the East Coast, and a sister was asking me if a blizzard is a big deal now, compared to what it once would have been. Of course, we have all read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and I am sure Nemo will be nothing like the Hard Winter, but still, how difficult can it make things?
There are a few concerns. If you are caught traveling in it, there is definite danger. You can still get lost and freeze, though in a densely settled area it should be a little harder. You can still see property damage from heavy winds, heavy snow accumulation can cave in a roof, and there is concern that flooding will be a problem, so there are all of those things, and while people are still recovering from Sandy.
However, there is another aspect that I had not thought of before, relating to the economy. We have so many people living on the edge. If there are people who have lost their heating due to being unable to pay bills, that makes it more dangerous. If there are people living paycheck to paycheck who can't stock up on food, and then cannot get out to buy more food, that is dangerous. There are people for whom a few extra days off of work can be disastrous.
I don't have any easy solutions for these things, but the blog is generally standard practices, and these might require some very individual solutions. Raising the questions, and thinking about the issues, can lead us to the information we need.
I want an additional cooking option. There was a folding stove that used Sterno that I intend to pick up soon. I probably will not get enough fuel to cook three months worth of meals, but if I can cook more often than I would be able otherwise, that gives us some flexibility, and I will take it.
A few weeks ago our freezer was getting really empty, and I was concerned. With some sale scouting and coupons, it is pretty full again, and and we have more cans. That makes me feel better.
We are not living on the edge with our heating bills yet, but at some point I may feel like I want to stock up on blankets, and then I will find a way to do it. I am a strong believer in thinking.
In the earthquake discussion, this group was mentioned: http://www.preporegon.org/
I haven't had a chance to look around much, but I will, because I am always looking for ideas.
One was a report on Oregon's readiness for a major quake, as we are expecting, and the plan they have for getting things ready would take fifty years to implement. Well, it could be fifty years before the next major quake hits, or it could be sooner, and also, I don't think they are actually starting the plan, which could be another concern.
As dismal as that may sound, that wasn't what struck me. They did mention wanting people to have two weeks worth of supplies rather than three days, and the liquefaction of the soil, and we have talked about all that, but the other thing that was really interesting to me was the estimation that it would take three months to restore the power grid. That's a long time in the dark.
And we have talked about dealing without electricity before, but with such an extended time period, new factors are introduced. Batteries may run out that would have been sufficient for two weeks or even a month. You may get really sick of eating uncooked food. Everything in your freezer will thaw.
The other thing that got me thinking was the storm moving in on the East Coast, and a sister was asking me if a blizzard is a big deal now, compared to what it once would have been. Of course, we have all read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and I am sure Nemo will be nothing like the Hard Winter, but still, how difficult can it make things?
There are a few concerns. If you are caught traveling in it, there is definite danger. You can still get lost and freeze, though in a densely settled area it should be a little harder. You can still see property damage from heavy winds, heavy snow accumulation can cave in a roof, and there is concern that flooding will be a problem, so there are all of those things, and while people are still recovering from Sandy.
However, there is another aspect that I had not thought of before, relating to the economy. We have so many people living on the edge. If there are people who have lost their heating due to being unable to pay bills, that makes it more dangerous. If there are people living paycheck to paycheck who can't stock up on food, and then cannot get out to buy more food, that is dangerous. There are people for whom a few extra days off of work can be disastrous.
I don't have any easy solutions for these things, but the blog is generally standard practices, and these might require some very individual solutions. Raising the questions, and thinking about the issues, can lead us to the information we need.
I want an additional cooking option. There was a folding stove that used Sterno that I intend to pick up soon. I probably will not get enough fuel to cook three months worth of meals, but if I can cook more often than I would be able otherwise, that gives us some flexibility, and I will take it.
A few weeks ago our freezer was getting really empty, and I was concerned. With some sale scouting and coupons, it is pretty full again, and and we have more cans. That makes me feel better.
We are not living on the edge with our heating bills yet, but at some point I may feel like I want to stock up on blankets, and then I will find a way to do it. I am a strong believer in thinking.
In the earthquake discussion, this group was mentioned: http://www.preporegon.org/
I haven't had a chance to look around much, but I will, because I am always looking for ideas.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
When to seek help for mental and emotional issues
I have been more aware lately of those who struggle with depression and suicidal tendencies, and I wanted to post something that I had collected for a Relief Society newsletter about a year ago. This was written by Emily Alder, and is a good starting point. As the year progresses I am going to be reading a lot more on the topic, and I may have other things to say, but this is written by someone with some expertise, and with compassion:
As Latter-day Saints we are taught to be self-sufficient
and, as a result, we sometimes mistakenly believe that we must do everything on
our own. There are many members of the church who will only seek help from
their bishop, home teachers or visiting teachers, and only in the most extreme
situations. Sometimes we can feel embarrassed when circumstances and emotions
seem to be beyond our ability to cope. God has promised us that he will not
give us burdens and temptation beyond our ability to bear them (1 Cor. 10:13);
however, the scriptures do not say that we have to do everything for ourselves
without assistance. In fact, this is unhealthy thinking that can result in a
lot of physical and emotional pain.
Mental health professionals exist to help those in need, and
it is important to recognize when we would benefit from their services.
Striving toward perfection can often feel discouraging. Discouragement can
quickly turn to depression, a feeling from which it is very difficult to break
free. Signs of depression include loss of interest in things that you normally
enjoy, difficulty getting out of bed, problems falling or staying asleep,
increased crying, an increase or decrease of appetite, feelings of
hopelessness, and sometimes even thoughts of harming oneself or others. These
are very serious feelings that should not be taken lightly and do not need to
be confronted on your own.
There are also some issues that may be too complicated or
too time consuming for the bishop or other leaders to handle. It is also
appropriate to seek mental health counseling in these circumstances, such as
struggles with substance abuse or other addictions, general or social anxiety,
relationship or marital problems, behavioral problems with kids, experiences
with trauma or abuse, identity problems, and anything else that prevents you
from enjoying life and/or feeling normal. It is very important to remember that
you are not weird or strange, and you should never be embarrassed if you are
struggling with any issues that impede your happiness. We all have experiences
that are difficult and we all need help sometimes. We are daughters of God, who
loves us, and He wants us to be safe and successful.
The last thing to remember is that there are countless
therapeutic techniques and many theories about what type of treatment works
best. We are lucky to live in an area where there are so many mental health
professionals, but sometimes it can feel like trying to find the right sock in
a stuffed drawer —you may not always find the best match at first. It is
appropriate to ask a therapist or counselor about their treatment style and
then decide for yourself what works best. Just because you didn’t like one
particular counselor or felt that one person wasn’t very helpful, it does not
mean that you will never benefit from professional counseling.
For more information about seeking help, talk to the bishop,
the Relief Society President, your doctor, or go to www.providentliving.org.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Preparing to love
I have started writing this post a few times, and I keep stopping, thinking that I'm not ready yet, and I can't do it justice yet. Probably if I do post this, I will still not have done it justice, but I will have come sufficiently closer that I can live with it as a placeholder until next time.
In the past few months, I have ended up connected to several young people through Twitter, and learning about their lives. In many cases it is heartbreaking, and I want to be helpful, and my powers are severely limited. It is really shaping me, and I feel like that is just starting. More of that will probably come out on the main blog.
For now, though, I want to focus on it from the preparedness side. First of all, regarding provident living, the whole point of this life is to acquire charity. I almost feel like I should say to become charity. So any goals that we have that don't line up with that may need to be re-examined. Maybe there won't appear to be a direct relation, but it better not detract. Also, if the point of provident living is to be able to get through hard times, then love is essential for that too.
So love is absolutely vital, but it can be tricky too. We don't pick it up all at once. With some people it comes much more easily then others. Nonetheless, there are a couple of things that may not be obvious that I may be able to shed some light on.
One is that other people's behavior does not have as much to do with you as you might think. Yes, there are people that we like more, and are more drawn to, and we probably treat them better, or we enjoy it more when we are being nice to them, but for the most part, the way I behave is because of the person I am.
What this means is that people may treat you absolutely horribly, and it doesn't mean that you are a bad person, or that you deserve it, and it doesn't even necessarily mean that they don't love you. People can love you but be selfish, or damaged, or unskilled in interpersonal communications, and so that love does not appear to be reflected in that behavior.
This can be depressing. In fact, it is this very concept that has often tipped me over into my bouts of depression as there are just some ways in which I do deserve better and it simply doesn't matter. At the same time, it is liberating once you accept it. They are them and you are you, and so you just be a good you - a kind and loving you.
Some people will respond and some won't, but that does not affect your actions. It's not that you're not doing it for them; in a way you are. But you are not doing it to win them over. You are not doing it for popularity or thanks or what you can get out of it, you are doing it because it is right.
The other way in which that is liberating, but this one is harder, is that you are accepting your own limitations. You can't fix someone else. You can help, if they are willing to be helped, but you are one voice out of many. I can only try and be a good voice, and I am thankful that I am not the only one.
There is a lot of balance to be found, and I am still learning and I have a lot to learn, but basically, you have to take the ego out of it. It just messes everything up anyway. And then we don't even understand what ego is, and we feel guilty feeling good about ourselves, and that's not right either, so what I will tell you is that the ego is the opposite of love. I may not be able to practice humility, but I can practice love.
In the past few months, I have ended up connected to several young people through Twitter, and learning about their lives. In many cases it is heartbreaking, and I want to be helpful, and my powers are severely limited. It is really shaping me, and I feel like that is just starting. More of that will probably come out on the main blog.
For now, though, I want to focus on it from the preparedness side. First of all, regarding provident living, the whole point of this life is to acquire charity. I almost feel like I should say to become charity. So any goals that we have that don't line up with that may need to be re-examined. Maybe there won't appear to be a direct relation, but it better not detract. Also, if the point of provident living is to be able to get through hard times, then love is essential for that too.
So love is absolutely vital, but it can be tricky too. We don't pick it up all at once. With some people it comes much more easily then others. Nonetheless, there are a couple of things that may not be obvious that I may be able to shed some light on.
One is that other people's behavior does not have as much to do with you as you might think. Yes, there are people that we like more, and are more drawn to, and we probably treat them better, or we enjoy it more when we are being nice to them, but for the most part, the way I behave is because of the person I am.
What this means is that people may treat you absolutely horribly, and it doesn't mean that you are a bad person, or that you deserve it, and it doesn't even necessarily mean that they don't love you. People can love you but be selfish, or damaged, or unskilled in interpersonal communications, and so that love does not appear to be reflected in that behavior.
This can be depressing. In fact, it is this very concept that has often tipped me over into my bouts of depression as there are just some ways in which I do deserve better and it simply doesn't matter. At the same time, it is liberating once you accept it. They are them and you are you, and so you just be a good you - a kind and loving you.
Some people will respond and some won't, but that does not affect your actions. It's not that you're not doing it for them; in a way you are. But you are not doing it to win them over. You are not doing it for popularity or thanks or what you can get out of it, you are doing it because it is right.
The other way in which that is liberating, but this one is harder, is that you are accepting your own limitations. You can't fix someone else. You can help, if they are willing to be helped, but you are one voice out of many. I can only try and be a good voice, and I am thankful that I am not the only one.
There is a lot of balance to be found, and I am still learning and I have a lot to learn, but basically, you have to take the ego out of it. It just messes everything up anyway. And then we don't even understand what ego is, and we feel guilty feeling good about ourselves, and that's not right either, so what I will tell you is that the ego is the opposite of love. I may not be able to practice humility, but I can practice love.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Food safety
One thing that I was thinking about, but did not really explore last week, was that one possible issue with people looking down on flu shots is that we use the word "flu" a lot, for things that are not influenza, and maybe it dilutes the brand.
There are varieties of the influenza that cause digestive issues, but what we frequently refer to as flu, or stomach flu, is more likely to be some form of gastroenteritis. It can come from viruses like norovirus and rotavirus, bacteria like salmonella and e. coli, or parasites like Giardia.
Much like influenza, no one really needs gastroenteritis. It is lost time, lost money, and gained suffering. Also similar to influenza, there are reasonable things one can do for prevention.
I am going to focus on food safety, which I realize I have not written about in a while. It was hinted at in the post on using Thanksgiving leftovers, but not really covered, and this is as good a time as any.
First of all, let me say that one of the things I really appreciated from my Master Food Preserver training was that there are a lot of things that can kill us that don't. I am grateful for this. We have stomach acid and white blood cells and things that work together to protect us that are often successful.
There is still no need to push our luck, and it is almost impossible to push our own luck without pushing on the luck of others. So, out of concern for yourself, and others, these are reasonable steps to take for health.
It is essential to cook meat thoroughly. Follow recommended times and temperatures. The juice running clear is not a reliable sign. Most meat thermometers will not only measure the temperature but show you the recommended temperature for the item you are cooking.
Foods must also be stored at proper temperatures. Your refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and your freezer should be set at 0. Prepared food should not remain at room temperature longer than two hours. When moving to refrigeration, use shallow containers, as food in deep ones could take too long to cool throughout.
Beware of cross-contamination. Cooking will kill the bacteria in the meat, but that bacteria can be transmitted to other foods that will not be cooked (like breads or fruits). Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards after handling raw meat, eggs, or un-pasteurized milk. Wipe or spray with diluted bleach (1 tsp bleach in 1 qt water).
Fruits and vegetables can pick up contamination in the fields, not just through cross-contamination. One of the recent salmonella outbreaks started with cantaloupe. Although only the outside was contaminated, when the knife sliced through the rind it brought the outside contaminants in. Cleaning and drying the fruit before cutting could have prevented infection.
Food poisoning will not usually kill a healthy adult (though they may briefly wish they were dead), but it is more dangerous for the elderly, children, pregnant women, or those who already have a compromised immune system through other medical conditions. Special care should be taken with them. Special areas of concern could be deli meats (including hot dogs), soft cheeses, and foods containing raw eggs, as they may not be cooked at a high enough heat.
It can also be helpful to know where your food is coming from. A package of ground beef from a factory farm has more opportunities for infection than a side of beef raised by a 4-H kid (though you will still want to properly cook it).
If in doubt, throw it out. Groceries can be replaced much more easily than your health.
For more information see http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/.
Regular hand washing is always going to be important, along with an awareness of what you are touching, and the order in which you are touching it.
I admit, I still eat raw cookie dough, and I guess I just hope that I do enough other things right that it works out. You can pick your battles when you know what they are.
There are varieties of the influenza that cause digestive issues, but what we frequently refer to as flu, or stomach flu, is more likely to be some form of gastroenteritis. It can come from viruses like norovirus and rotavirus, bacteria like salmonella and e. coli, or parasites like Giardia.
Much like influenza, no one really needs gastroenteritis. It is lost time, lost money, and gained suffering. Also similar to influenza, there are reasonable things one can do for prevention.
I am going to focus on food safety, which I realize I have not written about in a while. It was hinted at in the post on using Thanksgiving leftovers, but not really covered, and this is as good a time as any.
First of all, let me say that one of the things I really appreciated from my Master Food Preserver training was that there are a lot of things that can kill us that don't. I am grateful for this. We have stomach acid and white blood cells and things that work together to protect us that are often successful.
There is still no need to push our luck, and it is almost impossible to push our own luck without pushing on the luck of others. So, out of concern for yourself, and others, these are reasonable steps to take for health.
It is essential to cook meat thoroughly. Follow recommended times and temperatures. The juice running clear is not a reliable sign. Most meat thermometers will not only measure the temperature but show you the recommended temperature for the item you are cooking.
Foods must also be stored at proper temperatures. Your refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and your freezer should be set at 0. Prepared food should not remain at room temperature longer than two hours. When moving to refrigeration, use shallow containers, as food in deep ones could take too long to cool throughout.
Beware of cross-contamination. Cooking will kill the bacteria in the meat, but that bacteria can be transmitted to other foods that will not be cooked (like breads or fruits). Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards after handling raw meat, eggs, or un-pasteurized milk. Wipe or spray with diluted bleach (1 tsp bleach in 1 qt water).
Fruits and vegetables can pick up contamination in the fields, not just through cross-contamination. One of the recent salmonella outbreaks started with cantaloupe. Although only the outside was contaminated, when the knife sliced through the rind it brought the outside contaminants in. Cleaning and drying the fruit before cutting could have prevented infection.
Food poisoning will not usually kill a healthy adult (though they may briefly wish they were dead), but it is more dangerous for the elderly, children, pregnant women, or those who already have a compromised immune system through other medical conditions. Special care should be taken with them. Special areas of concern could be deli meats (including hot dogs), soft cheeses, and foods containing raw eggs, as they may not be cooked at a high enough heat.
It can also be helpful to know where your food is coming from. A package of ground beef from a factory farm has more opportunities for infection than a side of beef raised by a 4-H kid (though you will still want to properly cook it).
If in doubt, throw it out. Groceries can be replaced much more easily than your health.
For more information see http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/.
Regular hand washing is always going to be important, along with an awareness of what you are touching, and the order in which you are touching it.
I admit, I still eat raw cookie dough, and I guess I just hope that I do enough other things right that it works out. You can pick your battles when you know what they are.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Flu season
Just as a warning, I am starting this post feeling mad and a little smug. It's because of new stories on the unusually bad flu season and the shortage of flu shots. Why is there a shortage of flu shots? Because people wait until we are in the middle of an unusually bad season, and then they want it.
Obviously the reason for my smugness is that I had my shot months ago. The anger is because I can't help but wonder whether more people getting their shots early may have kept this from being an unusually bad flu season.
I am more sensitive on the issue right now because I recently read about a measles outbreak in Pakistan. There is no reason for there to be measles outbreaks in this day and age, and now there are hundreds of children dead because of it.
Now, in this particular case, a big part of the problem was government inefficiency in program administration. A common problem in the region is popular resistance to immunization programs because they are viewed as Western plots. It's unfortunate, but there are cultural and educational issues that are hard to get around. You would think that we should not have this kind of issue in the United States, leader of the free world, but there is strong anti-vaccination sentiment, and a lot of stupidity defending it.
I don't know if there were earlier issues - as far as I know, everyone was thrilled to have smallpox and polio out of the picture - but a lot of the concerns started with a 1998 study linking autism to the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine. This is the part that kills me; the study was a fraud:
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20110105/bmj-wakefield-autism-faq
The testing pool was not assembled well, it was not an exhaustive sample, data was changed and falsified, co-authors repudiated the study, and The Lancet formally retracted it. How did all this happen? Well, the person behind the study, Andrew Wakefield (who has lost his medical license!), was acting as a paid consultant to lawyer who was suing vaccine makers.
The result was a great deal of fear, and measles once again became endemic in the UK and other parts of Europe, because someone lied for money. I know, my issues with greed usually go in the main blog. Actually, so do my issues with ignorance. However, there seems to be a point about preparedness here.
So, what about the flu shot? Well, people have raised concerns about that, especially regarding links to Epstein Barr Virus. I remember a lot of noise about it during the big H1N1 year, and I read a lot, and the anit-vaccination crowd never had very good backup.
One case got a lot of publicity, and then she recovered, and even if her symptoms had been a close match to EBV, which they were not, her quick recovery (even before her blood was chelated) clearly indicated that was not it. And that should be great, except that at one point Jenny McCarthy and the "doctors" on that side were all being her friends, and suddenly they stopped, which I am sure was very hurtful.
Okay, yes, the flu shot is not the success story of polio, because the flu is an ever-changing diverse creature, and it is not even possible to provide a blanket immunity to all flu. At the same time, it saves lives. It saves time lost due to sickness. It saves heartache. That isn't just for those who get sick; it is also for those around them.
With the MMR vaccine, you have a 98% chance of becoming a immune. With the flu show, your odds go down to 68%. It is still worthwhile. It is worthwhile getting it early, before people start getting panicky and scared and supplies run out. People were scared with H1N1, and supplies were low, but nonetheless things were not as bad as they could have been, and that was due largely to efforts on the part of the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Let's not make their jobs harder.
And yes, by all means, wash your hands frequently, cough into your arm instead of your hands, and do things to prevent the transmission of germs. Live a healthy lifestyle with a good diet, and adequate rest, fluids, and exercise - that has benefits far beyond flu prevention.
But don't give in to ignorance that was started by greed and perpetuated by self-righteousness and magical thinking and distrust of science. Yes, modern medicine is not perfect, but it's done a lot of good things and the flu shot is one of them.
For more on influenza in general, I strongly recommend The Monster at Our Door: The Global Threat of Avian Flu by Mike Davis.
Obviously the reason for my smugness is that I had my shot months ago. The anger is because I can't help but wonder whether more people getting their shots early may have kept this from being an unusually bad flu season.
I am more sensitive on the issue right now because I recently read about a measles outbreak in Pakistan. There is no reason for there to be measles outbreaks in this day and age, and now there are hundreds of children dead because of it.
Now, in this particular case, a big part of the problem was government inefficiency in program administration. A common problem in the region is popular resistance to immunization programs because they are viewed as Western plots. It's unfortunate, but there are cultural and educational issues that are hard to get around. You would think that we should not have this kind of issue in the United States, leader of the free world, but there is strong anti-vaccination sentiment, and a lot of stupidity defending it.
I don't know if there were earlier issues - as far as I know, everyone was thrilled to have smallpox and polio out of the picture - but a lot of the concerns started with a 1998 study linking autism to the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine. This is the part that kills me; the study was a fraud:
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20110105/bmj-wakefield-autism-faq
The testing pool was not assembled well, it was not an exhaustive sample, data was changed and falsified, co-authors repudiated the study, and The Lancet formally retracted it. How did all this happen? Well, the person behind the study, Andrew Wakefield (who has lost his medical license!), was acting as a paid consultant to lawyer who was suing vaccine makers.
The result was a great deal of fear, and measles once again became endemic in the UK and other parts of Europe, because someone lied for money. I know, my issues with greed usually go in the main blog. Actually, so do my issues with ignorance. However, there seems to be a point about preparedness here.
So, what about the flu shot? Well, people have raised concerns about that, especially regarding links to Epstein Barr Virus. I remember a lot of noise about it during the big H1N1 year, and I read a lot, and the anit-vaccination crowd never had very good backup.
One case got a lot of publicity, and then she recovered, and even if her symptoms had been a close match to EBV, which they were not, her quick recovery (even before her blood was chelated) clearly indicated that was not it. And that should be great, except that at one point Jenny McCarthy and the "doctors" on that side were all being her friends, and suddenly they stopped, which I am sure was very hurtful.
Okay, yes, the flu shot is not the success story of polio, because the flu is an ever-changing diverse creature, and it is not even possible to provide a blanket immunity to all flu. At the same time, it saves lives. It saves time lost due to sickness. It saves heartache. That isn't just for those who get sick; it is also for those around them.
With the MMR vaccine, you have a 98% chance of becoming a immune. With the flu show, your odds go down to 68%. It is still worthwhile. It is worthwhile getting it early, before people start getting panicky and scared and supplies run out. People were scared with H1N1, and supplies were low, but nonetheless things were not as bad as they could have been, and that was due largely to efforts on the part of the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Let's not make their jobs harder.
And yes, by all means, wash your hands frequently, cough into your arm instead of your hands, and do things to prevent the transmission of germs. Live a healthy lifestyle with a good diet, and adequate rest, fluids, and exercise - that has benefits far beyond flu prevention.
But don't give in to ignorance that was started by greed and perpetuated by self-righteousness and magical thinking and distrust of science. Yes, modern medicine is not perfect, but it's done a lot of good things and the flu shot is one of them.
For more on influenza in general, I strongly recommend The Monster at Our Door: The Global Threat of Avian Flu by Mike Davis.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Emergency Planning for Pets
http://animaltracks.today.com/_news/2013/01/04/16347531-136-pets-left-unclaimed-after-sandy-face-uncertain-future?lite
I've been seeing stories about this now, and it has me thinking again about pet preparedness. This is in no way intended to be a slam on the owners. In many cases, they have identified the owners, but the owners are still homeless, their neighbors are homeless, and the issue is not negligence.
I mention it because I hope that it is a reminder that things that affect you also affect your pets, and you need to be prepared. They depend on you. If you are preparing for yourself, and not for them, you do not deserve to have them. You owe your pets better than that.
If you are not preparing at all, for them or you, consider the things that can happen, and let it be an added inducement to you to take some preparedness steps. A lot of the programs that are in place that may end up saving you despite your lack of preparation will not cover your pets as well, so don't leave it to chance. Plan and prepare now.Fortunately, going through the steps of preparing for your pets is very similar to preparing for yourself, and the easiest place to start is with the 72-hour kit.
First you need to consider the needs for 72 hours. Let's start with dogs. They will need food, water, and warmth. I recommend measuring kibble into plastic baggies for each portion, based on their eating habits. If your dog eats twice a day, maintaining that pattern could help soothe a stressful situation. That is also a good reason to include treats with the kit, and maybe a favorite toy. Again, I like plastic bottles with screw on caps for water.
With our dogs, we feed them twice a day, but we leave water out, and so it may be harder to gauge how much water you should have, but a good rule of thumb (and this works for cats as well) is that they need 2.5 times the amount of food consumed. For example, for 4 ounces of dry food, 10 ounces of water. And yes, that is liquid ounces for one and not for the other, but that seems to be okay. Obviously your animals will not do well with drinking out of the bottle or bag, but there are collapsible bowls that transport well.
For warmth and shelter, I actually ended up getting some thermal pet pads, but I think they would do just as well with a blanket, which would still not be particularly heavy.
If your dog takes any medications regularly, obviously you either need to keep some in the kit, or have part of the plan be grabbing them on the way out. What I also strongly recommend is having instructions written down, not just for the medication but for food. That way, if there is a separate animal shelter set up, or a friend can take the dog, the information is written down. It will not hurt to include medical history, and vet and family numbers. Sandy may have routed entire communities, but not every disaster works that way so it might be possible to call the vet.
A small first aid kit geared towards their needs can also be good.
Obviously you will need leashes. I have seen some people travel with construction fencing (it's a kind of plastic mesh, usually orange), which could be good, but maybe less convenient. Perhaps how necessary that is will depend on your dog's leash behavior and movement needs. You should have waste bags as well.
There may be other things to think about, like coats or paw pads, where it will not be possible to predict, but if you ever find yourself thinking you should include something, you go with that.
I use a regular tote bag for the kit. I have seen dog packs where they can carry their own gear, and that is great, but do at least make sure that your kits, the pets' kits, and all family members including pets can move with everything getting transported as needed.
Let's say it's a cat. All of this is pretty similar, but you also need a carrier, and probably a harness. It may not be practical to carry a litterbox and litter, but if you can walk the cat on a harness, and give them a chance to dig a little, it can still work out. Your cat will probably be less cooperative than your dog (with ours for sure), but you still love them and need to be ready for them.
I don't know a lot about other types of pets, but there is some good information at OCEM that can get you started thinking:
http://www.ocem.org/pdf_resources/Pet_Preparedness_Take5.pdf
The kit is a good start, but there are other aspects to preparedness. I don't feel it is practical to have a year's supply of pet food, partly because we have nowhere to put it, and partly because they will be happier sharing our food than we would be sharing theirs, even though the latter may be healthier. However, I also don't believe in letter the food supplies get really low for them, and it is certainly possible to include them in the two week water supply.
Also, have them as part of the plan. Creating the kit and writing down instructions is a good start, but think about who might be able to take them, and where you might go if you needed to evacuate, and potential problems and solutions.
No one likes doing this, but have a plan for if you die. Where will they go? Usually it's family, but maybe there are friends who love them too. If it is family, but the family is not local, have you arranged interim care.
Consider training as well. Yes, sometimes there are pet first aid classes, and that can be good, but sometimes you can train animals so they can respond to things better. Obedience training can help them be more secure, and pay off in unusual circumstances. Does your dog know how to swim? One of my favorite stories from my CERT training was that one woman trained her dog to exit via the pet door when the smoke alarm went off, and she drilled with her dog. I hope her house never catches fire, but if it does, the dog will get itself out, and that is wonderful.
They need you. Don't let them down.
I've been seeing stories about this now, and it has me thinking again about pet preparedness. This is in no way intended to be a slam on the owners. In many cases, they have identified the owners, but the owners are still homeless, their neighbors are homeless, and the issue is not negligence.
I mention it because I hope that it is a reminder that things that affect you also affect your pets, and you need to be prepared. They depend on you. If you are preparing for yourself, and not for them, you do not deserve to have them. You owe your pets better than that.
If you are not preparing at all, for them or you, consider the things that can happen, and let it be an added inducement to you to take some preparedness steps. A lot of the programs that are in place that may end up saving you despite your lack of preparation will not cover your pets as well, so don't leave it to chance. Plan and prepare now.Fortunately, going through the steps of preparing for your pets is very similar to preparing for yourself, and the easiest place to start is with the 72-hour kit.
First you need to consider the needs for 72 hours. Let's start with dogs. They will need food, water, and warmth. I recommend measuring kibble into plastic baggies for each portion, based on their eating habits. If your dog eats twice a day, maintaining that pattern could help soothe a stressful situation. That is also a good reason to include treats with the kit, and maybe a favorite toy. Again, I like plastic bottles with screw on caps for water.
With our dogs, we feed them twice a day, but we leave water out, and so it may be harder to gauge how much water you should have, but a good rule of thumb (and this works for cats as well) is that they need 2.5 times the amount of food consumed. For example, for 4 ounces of dry food, 10 ounces of water. And yes, that is liquid ounces for one and not for the other, but that seems to be okay. Obviously your animals will not do well with drinking out of the bottle or bag, but there are collapsible bowls that transport well.
For warmth and shelter, I actually ended up getting some thermal pet pads, but I think they would do just as well with a blanket, which would still not be particularly heavy.
If your dog takes any medications regularly, obviously you either need to keep some in the kit, or have part of the plan be grabbing them on the way out. What I also strongly recommend is having instructions written down, not just for the medication but for food. That way, if there is a separate animal shelter set up, or a friend can take the dog, the information is written down. It will not hurt to include medical history, and vet and family numbers. Sandy may have routed entire communities, but not every disaster works that way so it might be possible to call the vet.
A small first aid kit geared towards their needs can also be good.
Obviously you will need leashes. I have seen some people travel with construction fencing (it's a kind of plastic mesh, usually orange), which could be good, but maybe less convenient. Perhaps how necessary that is will depend on your dog's leash behavior and movement needs. You should have waste bags as well.
There may be other things to think about, like coats or paw pads, where it will not be possible to predict, but if you ever find yourself thinking you should include something, you go with that.
I use a regular tote bag for the kit. I have seen dog packs where they can carry their own gear, and that is great, but do at least make sure that your kits, the pets' kits, and all family members including pets can move with everything getting transported as needed.
Let's say it's a cat. All of this is pretty similar, but you also need a carrier, and probably a harness. It may not be practical to carry a litterbox and litter, but if you can walk the cat on a harness, and give them a chance to dig a little, it can still work out. Your cat will probably be less cooperative than your dog (with ours for sure), but you still love them and need to be ready for them.
I don't know a lot about other types of pets, but there is some good information at OCEM that can get you started thinking:
http://www.ocem.org/pdf_resources/Pet_Preparedness_Take5.pdf
The kit is a good start, but there are other aspects to preparedness. I don't feel it is practical to have a year's supply of pet food, partly because we have nowhere to put it, and partly because they will be happier sharing our food than we would be sharing theirs, even though the latter may be healthier. However, I also don't believe in letter the food supplies get really low for them, and it is certainly possible to include them in the two week water supply.
Also, have them as part of the plan. Creating the kit and writing down instructions is a good start, but think about who might be able to take them, and where you might go if you needed to evacuate, and potential problems and solutions.
No one likes doing this, but have a plan for if you die. Where will they go? Usually it's family, but maybe there are friends who love them too. If it is family, but the family is not local, have you arranged interim care.
Consider training as well. Yes, sometimes there are pet first aid classes, and that can be good, but sometimes you can train animals so they can respond to things better. Obedience training can help them be more secure, and pay off in unusual circumstances. Does your dog know how to swim? One of my favorite stories from my CERT training was that one woman trained her dog to exit via the pet door when the smoke alarm went off, and she drilled with her dog. I hope her house never catches fire, but if it does, the dog will get itself out, and that is wonderful.
They need you. Don't let them down.
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