Have Your Anti-Suicide Argument at Ready

 

This is Catherine. She was tall and thin and beautiful. She was so intelligent that she made even the most well adjusted among us envious. She had been raped twice and once saw her two-year old son lying dead in a pool of blood on a twisting country road where a teenage boy was driving too fast to stop. Then one day ten years ago, while having ventured only slightly into middle age, she picked up a gun, put it to her head, and pulled the trigger.

Since then, I've had my anti-suicide argument ready. Commit suicide and your enemies win. One by one, they'll venture forward with words of how they always knew you were a loser, of how they had expected your ultimate failure all along. Do you really want that?

I often rehearsed that speech in my mind, but no occasion arose for me to use it until last year. A friend came to my door to say goodbye; she couldn't take the physical and emotional pain anymore. I then presented my prepared speech as fervently and eloquently as possible. My friend began to nod her head and smile. She was to go to Birmingham for a medical appointment the next day; she would wait.

The doctors in Birmingham gave my friend three months to live. She died in three weeks. Perhaps my speech was wasted, but perhaps those extra three weeks of her life had a lasting impact on someone else out there.

I just wish someone could have been there to do as much for Catherine.

Take 81 mg. Aspirin? Try This!

 

Look closely at the aspirin bottle above. This is an idea whose time has come. "Ready in Case" brand aspirin are enteric coated (easy to swallow/digest) and come in a large bottle of 300 so that you won't quickly run out.

However, that's not the reason you'll love this brand. Notice the lid on the bottle? It features eight elevated panels to make it easy to open. Even if your hands are cold or wet or oily, you shouldn't have a problem getting to these aspirin when needed. You can find these 81 mg. aspirin at Walmart and other chain stores for around $6.00. 

We also have a prediction about these caps. Somewhere soon a crafter will come up with a great idea to reuse these attractive toppers.  Sounds like a win-win to me.

Nurse Nan

Should I Use a Vaporizer for my Child?

Several mothers have recently asked about the pros and cons of a humidifier or vaporizer for a child's room. Both systems add moisture to the air, making it easier for those small, stuffed-up noses to breathe.

As long as vaporizers are anchored safely, this is a no-brainer. Humidifiers, along with adding moisture to a room's environment, promote mold. Since vaporizers produce steam via intense heat, bacteria and fungi are kept at bay. It is a good idea to clean the system with vinegar or disinfectant once or twice a week.

The next two months should be the worst for colds and flu among the younger set, so don't hesitate to keep your child inside when necessary. We're pretty sure Santa still makes house calls.

Merry Christmas,

Nurse Nan

COVID Vaccine Won't Change DNA, but Colloidal Silver Will

 

There are two ways our DNA changes; there can be a spontaneous mutation or a foreign substance can enter the nucleus of the cell. We can't do much about those mutations, but we can be aware of chemicals that are capable of entering the cell nucleus.

Do COVID vaccines enter the nucleus? No. There is no way that these various vaccines, or any other current vaccines, are capable of changing DNA. Unfortunately, that can't be said for some chemicals.

One such chemical is colloidal silver. This product is found in unapproved so-called health products. While it does have some health benefits, it's not an element naturally found in the body as with iron or magnesium. The colloidal silver takes the form of nano-particles once in the body and can wreak havoc on health.

The most obvious side effect is Argyria, commonly called Blue Man Syndrome. The skin of those who consume too much silver first turns gray, then a striking blue. The condition is irreversible due to the changes in DNA.

Perhaps you've seen some local anti-vaxxers make false statements about the COVID vaccine, but tout colloidal silver? It gives new meaning to the expression "talking until blue in the face."


Nurse Nan

How to Stop Hiatal Hernia Pain

If you have a hiatal hernia, you may be very familiar with the pain eating hot or cold foods may bring. A sudden spasm can send your stomach through the diaphram and cause extreme discomfort. What should you do?

Forget the advice to sit back and relax until it passes. Stand up and stomp. (If you're dining out, you may want to go to the restroom to do this.)

This little maneuver works 99% of the time. If you continue to have problems, a gastroenterologist can advise you if you're a good candidate for surgery.

Nurse Nan

Why is Human Parvo Called Fifth Disease?

With so much discussion of the Coronavirus family, many have questions about the Parvovirus. This virus was not discovered until the 1960s, and is still being researched.

While there are two common forms of Parvo in canines, there is only one common form in humans. These viruses are not zoonotic. In other words, you can't catch Parvo from your dog, nor can he catch it from you.

Parvovirus B-19, the human form, is so named not due to the year it was first discovered, but identified from a label on a patient's blood sample. While many don't use the name Parvo for the human virus, most have heard of Fifth Disease.

According to the CDC, over 50% of adults in the U.S. test positive for Fifth Disease antibodies, so named due to a numerical listing in an old medical text published before the exact virus was discovered. One in five is not ever aware of the Parvo infection, and most suffer only mild respiratory symptoms as well as a face rash at worst.

So while not that serious in humans, Parvo can be devastating to dogs, especially puppies. Have them vaccinated!

Nurse Nan

Stop Using That Bar Soap!

Judging from the amount of bar soap available on store shelves, there are many Americans who still use the product. It's fine to purchase the bars in pretty wrappers to toss amid your bathroom decor, but is it healthy to use every day?

In one word, NO! Contrary to popular opinion, soap doesn't kill germs, it merely washes away the microbes from your hands. Wash your hands with a soap bar and then place the bar in a dish by the sink? When you pick it up to wash the next time, there can be more germs on the wet, slippery bar than on your hands.

God has seen fit to send us liquid soap. Use it!

Nurse Nan