Pink Noise is Better

 

If you work shifts or just have trouble falling asleep, you may have been using some kind of noise producing device for years. I had tried three over the decades before I purchased a Google Home Assistant and began using that exclusively for the many and varied sounds it can produce. Somewhere along the way, I had settled on "rain sounds" as my favorite. Now I've found something better.

Pink noise - what is it? From Yogasleep: In white noise, the power is constant, but in pink noise, as the numbers get bigger, the difference in power becomes smaller, so the higher-pitched sounds are softer. Because the lower frequencies are louder than the higher frequencies in pink noise, it sounds less abrasive and leads to a better night's sleep.

So the next time you can't sleep, give pink noise a try. There's no subscription, which makes it a win-win for a good night.

Nurse Nan

Blue Light for Pruritus (an Itch)?

 

You frequently hear that some men are chick magnets. Have you ever heard that some women are insect magnets? I imagine cologne and scented soap play a large part, but studies show that many insects prefer women, especially Caucasian women. Unfortunately, I'm one of them.

I hadn't intended to do any yard work last Saturday without some repellent on my legs, but I never expected the huge bite I received while outside only a few minutes without it. I soon saw a dime size red mark that managed to enlarge to almost quarter size by the end of the day.

Then the pruritus (itching) set in. By early Monday, it was intense. I had tried ice, hydrocortisone cream (usually OTC formulas don't work), and benzocaine marketed for oral health. I even considered a trip to the emergency department, not caring how much anyone laughed.

Out of desperation and pain, I decided to try my LED device. I usually set the light to red, but I knew that the blue light treated some skin problems. Would it work for the extreme discomfort I was then feeling?

Yes, it did and it took less than 90 seconds. So far the symptoms haven't returned, and I've ordered a new bottle of Ben's to keep by my door. Stay bite free this summer, but if attacked by some of the little buggars, have a blue light handy.

Rubeola (Red Measles) Is Comig!

 

Florida currently has the largest number of measles cases in the United States. The CDC has predicted the once-eradicated disease will work its way west via the panhandle to New Orleans. If so, Alabama's coastal area will be in the path of the highly contagious virus.

Will the virus spread north to the Shoals? We can't predict that. What we can positively say is that the vaccine is 99.9% effective against the disease.

It's been only two or so years since a political activist in the Shoals stated he wished his toddler son would contract the disease. We sincerely hope this man knew nothing about the effects of the disease or what he was wishing on his son.

If you care about your children, have them vaccinated against Rubeola!

Nurse Nan

Did 4D Sonograms Change Views on Abortion?

 

This is the second article of a three part series:

At one time, it was basically only the Catholic Church that saw induced abortion as immoral. The Southern Baptist Church in the 1970s called opposition to such abortion a "Catholic issue" and proclaimed in its early 1980s' handbooks that it was a personal decision for each woman to make. By the end of the 1980s, a decade before the advent of 4D ultrasound, official Baptist doctrine stridently opposed the common procedure. What changed?

The u-turn in viewpoint was mainly political, and pundits differ on the exact cause; however, many in all denominations will tell you today that the advent of 4D sonograms (available commercially in 1997) changed the views of many. If you find that confusing, you're not alone.

If asked to explain, the anti-abortionist will further relate that until 4D technology, no one really knew how a fetus looked. Apparently, these individuals are merely spouting an idea some misguided church leader has proclaimed.

Unfortunate women who have had spontaneous abortions (miscarriages) over the years have often done so in emergency rooms and similar medical facilities. Physicians and other medical personnel have often seen firsthand what fetuses look like in every stage of pregnancy. Fetuses have been preserved, drawn, and photographed for decades. These images have then been widely publicized in various media from medical texts to pamphlets on pregnancy.

While a personal belief is that induced abortion should not be used for purposes of birth control, the trope that 4D images first changed the politics on this issue is completely false.

Nurse Nan

Rape, Pregnancy, & Abortion

 

In the various homes I've gone into over the years I've spent in home health, I've often been asked for advice on terminating a pregnancy. Oddly enough, I've never been asked about preventing pregnancy to start with.

Alabama obviously needs more funding for sex education, but what about when sex is forced? What about when the sex is an act of violence called rape? What can a woman in Alabama do if she's raped and this heinous act results in a pregnancy? Not very much thanks to our misguided state legislature.

We don't support induced abortion as a form of birth control. We do support it when the pregnancy is the result of a violent crime against a woman's body. Currently we frequently see two very specious arguments against induced abortion - one seemingly Biblical and one reportedly scientific. We'll be looking at the fallacy in these two arguments in our next blogs.

Nurse Nan

Heads Up If You Have United Healthcare!

 

If you are insured with United Healthcare, mark Tuesday, September 12th, on your calendars. United and Walgreens have come together to offer United customers a 20% discount on most store items.

Prescription drugs are not included, and you will be charged tax on the original price. Just remember to present your United card when you check out!

Got Cataracts?

 

The following is an account of what one might expect during surgery to remove cataracts and insert intraocular lenses; it is not an endorsement of any specific clinic or physician/surgeon.

If you google statistics on who has or will have cataracts, you'll get conflicting numbers. Here's the best case scenario for the U.S.: Cataracts affect more than 24.4 million Americans age 40 and older. By age 75, approximately half of all Americans have cataracts.

I found it disturbing when, around five or so years ago, I noticed the vision in one eye becoming blurred. It wasn't that off-putting at first, but then I realized it wasn't going away and that it was almost certainly a cataract. 

I finally asked a friend about her ophthalmologist and was referred to Florence Ophthalmology on Cox Creek Parkway. When I called, someone human answered the phone immediately, and I was told that, for cataract treatment, I could choose between Dr. Gray and Dr. Thompson. Dr. Keith Thompson (pictured) had the earliest available appointment, so I chose him on that basis only. I certainly was not disappointed in his care.

After an official diagnosis of cataracts (my other eye had one much less noticeable), I scheduled a second visit to be measured for my new lenses. There was absolutely no pain and only the slightest inconvenience of the standard eye dilation, etc. Dr. Thompson recommended monofocal lenses which are covered by most insurance policies. Since I had worn reading glasses from the age of 29, these were perfect for my lifestyle. 

If you would like to read about the types of IOLs available, here's a basic article: Types of Lenses. My monofocal lenses were manufactured by Johnson and Johnson and have their own serial numbers (just on the packaging and patient handout, so you can't use them as a device in a murder mystery).

It's standard to have each eye done separately, so that involved two visits to the Shoals Outpatient Surgery just off Helton Drive. The wait time was short until I was taken back to a pre-op area. A nurse started an IV, and I briefly spoke with an anesthesiologist. I asked for the least amount of anesthesia, so I was able to interact during the brief surgery.

Yes, both surgeries were quick and totally painless. Topical drops numb the eye, but you can expect to feel some pressure. I was then taken to a type of PACU where I was monitored for several minutes. It was basically pleasant chitchat with the nurses before I was escorted to my friend's vehicle for an uneventful ride home. 

I was told to remove the eye patch upon arrival at home. There were bending and weight lifting restrictions to follow for 28 days after each surgery, as well as medicated eye drops three times a day. 

Your insurance may not cover these drops, and there will be a deductible at the surgery center. My total out of pocket expenses were under $700.00. Before you say "ouch," isn't that a small price to pay for almost perfect vision?

A friend said that I would have one profound regret and I did: I wish that I had had the surgeries much, much sooner.

Nurse Nan