Gimpy Mumpy

Getting Busy with the Recalls

I believe I recall that this was recalled, or perhaps it was that that was recalled?  Trying to make sense of all the recent recalls?  Here are some of this month's highlights:
Medtronic is voluntarily recalling 1,900 external difibrillators (manufactured in 1997).  Reason? 
(Feb.25) Do not analyze the heart rythm that you are trying to shock back to normal.
Murray Int'l issues allergy alert that there are undeclared peanuts in the Heng Tai Shi Crunch Snack. (Feb.25) Since many people have potentially fatal nut allergies, this is actually quite serious.
Fay's Foods recalls sandwiches and salads.  Packages 05003-05049. (Feb.19) Why?  Listeria monocytogene contamination, which can cause abdominal pain, miscarriages, and death.
The FDA and Cephalon, Inc. announced new warning labels to be added to Gabitril because it can cause seizures in patients without epilepsy.  (Feb.18)
Salton Inc. recalls 2,700 Russell Hobbs Mona Cordless Jug Kettles. (Feb.18) Due to possible leaching of lead from the kettles.
Boy's Farmer Market brand Smoked Nova Salmon with use by date 4/24/05 recalled. (Feb.16) Also for listeria monocytogene contamination.
Medtronic issued recall of some implantable defibrillators. (Feb.11)  Potential battery shorting. (Looks like February was a bad month for Medtronic).
Schwan's egg rolls and spring rolls recalled. (Feb.8) May contain bits of glass.
Similac Advance infant formula with Iron Powder 12.9 oz cans.  (Feb.2)  Voluntarily recalled due to multiple reports of black plastic particles in cans.
Emmpak Foods recalls 123,000 pounds of ground beef.  (Feb.14) Possible hydraulic fluid contamination.
Pizza Express brand dough balls. (Feb.2) Voluntary recall of some dough due to findings of plastic and metal bits.

And of course this conversation would not be complete without discussing the over 400 products contaminated by illegal Sudan 1 dye.  Latest reports show distribution of contaminated products throughout Europe, the Carribean and into North America.  For an updated list of Sudan 1 contaminated products, please visit the Food Standards Agency website listing at: http://www.food.gov.uk/

*The above list is meant to highlight and bring awareness to recent recalls.  This list is not comprehensive.  For a comprehensive listing please visit the food.gov.uk or the fda.gov websites.

"The deadliest bullshit is odorless and transparent."
           -William Gibson

Global Anti-Tobacco Treaty to Take Effect Today

The world's first treaty to control tobacco, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, has gone into effect today.   Nations that have ratified the treaty must begin to impose bans on tobacco advertising,  implement strong warnings on cigarette packages,  protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke, prevent sales to children and create cost increases for tobacco products. 
These initiatives have become law today for those nations that have ratified the treaty (57 countries) however 111 nations, including the United States, have signed the treaty without ratifying it.  The Bush administration should take a stand and send a clear message that the US is committed to protecting it's people and the world from big tobacco.   We know that tobacco kills.  Tobacco kills over 5 million people each year!  It is time to get out of the back pocket of the tobacco companies and do what is right for the people, for the children.  The time has come for action. 

"It's better to help people
than garden gnomes."
           -Amelie

Inspired.........

I've added some new Mumpy Merchandise over at CafePress.com.  These "Hip Crip" items were inspired by my earlier post today (below). 
                                     

       

-Enjoy!

How are you?: A Loaded Question

On the rare occasions that I do make it out of the house I am faced with the dreaded question, "How are you? " or "Getting better then?" or "Looks like your making progress". 

These folks (most of whom I don't even know) seem to be looking for the simple "oh yes, doing much better" or "I'm fabulous, how about you" answer to the question.  They can then go home and pat themselves on the back for noticing and remarking on how great the local cripple is doing.  Well, I'm not doing better.  In the grand scheme of things I am doing much worse.  Getting out of the house is a lengthly, painful ordeal that does not declare that I am better or cured! 
Well, I am sick of it.  I wonder what they will say when I come back with "doing much worse and your drawing attention to my injury everytime we meet only makes it more difficult for me to ignore that I am in excrutiating pain."  Hmm, not very nice I suppose but direct and to the point.  Saying that I am doing better is not only misleading but dishonest.  I am tired of the little white lies to make everyone else feel better about the situation. 
My injury is not getting better and that is something that I struggle to accept.  I am completely unprepared to help complete strangers accept it.  Perhaps I need to wear a t-shirt declaring "I am a Cripple and I am proud" or "I'm a Cripple.  It doesn't bother me, so why does it bother you?" perhaps that will put an end to the dreaded question.

Gimpy Survival Tip# 001

Gimpy Survival Tip# 001: Tennis Balls + Walker = Happy Mumpy
I could never get the hang of my "wheelie walker" (wheels on the front) and lifting the "no wheels walker" was too much for me.  This left Mumpy feeling very inadequate about herself........how hard could it be to use a walker??  The following tip changed all that.  For a "wheelie walker" take 2 Tennis Balls, for the "no wheels walker" you will need 4, and cut a slit at the top wide enough for the bottom of the walker leg to push into.  (You may need someone to help with this.  I end up in the hospital just thinking of cutting a bagel, so my brother helped me with this one.)  Tip the walker upside down and push the tennis balls onto the leg ends.  Turn walker upright and you can now sail along easily.  The tennis balls are covered in a fabric that allows the walker to slide across the floor, but not so much that it is slippery.
warning: If you have a family pet that enjoys a good game of catch or tug with a ball, he/she may attack your newly customized walker.  My dog spent the first week trying to attack the balls jumping out from behind every piece of furniture and when that didn't work he settled for gnawing on them when I wasn't using the walker.

Where There's Smoke......

The NHS is considering imposing a smoking ban that would include mental health facilities.  This has sparked concern and controversy especially amongst direct care staff.

I experienced this not too many years ago at a mental health hospital that I was working at (prior to my injury)  here in the US.  There was a great deal of grumbling, especially from nursing staff (of which about 80% were smokers themselves).  There was much talk of worries that patients would undergo too much stress from the inability to smoke and that behaviors would escalate and may become more violent.  This was all speculation however the  smoking ban initiative was unpopular and did not garner much staff support.  Well, the initiative WAS successful.  Regardless of staff resistance the initiative was approved and implemented.  The end result was healthier staff, healthier patients, and increased safety (reduced risk of burns and fires) for all.

As a former smoker I understand the initial resistance to quitting and to greater restrictions for smokers, however if you have not yet quit please consider doing so.  For a wealth of information that the tobacco companies do not want you to have visit Truth.com.

Mumpy Trophy

One doctor to another.....................

Let There Be Light

A study published in this month's medical journal Psychosomatic Medicine article The Effect of Light on Postoperative Analgesic Medication Use: A Prospective Study of Patients Undergoing Spinal Surgery reports that postoperative patients in hospital rooms with more sunlight required less pain medications. 

I was intrigued by this report in part because the patients in the study had undergone the same surgery that I recently had.  Would this report reveal something that could have helped me?  I was a bit concerned however that the name of the journal was Psychosomatic Medicine and worried that even positive information gleaned from this study may become misconstrued by popular media as another way to insinuate that most of our pain is in our head. After seeing the results of the study though I am compelled to spread the information that increased sunlight can help postoperative patients.  This seems like a relatively simple addition to standard treatment.  Open our curtains!  Let there be light! 

I experienced this myself when leaving the hospital and upon returning home.  As I was wheeled out, face skyward, to the waiting ambulance I was suddenly blinded by the sun above me.  I had been in hospital for a full week and even with curtains open had seen nothing like this.  That is because the windows of the hospital were heavily tinted, something I had not realized until this sudden blinding upon my exit.  Once my eyes adjusted and I arrived home I continually commented on how much happier and better I felt being home with real sights and sounds.  The sound of a bird brought tears to my eyes and I lay in bed staring at tree leaves for days (perhaps it was the morphine, but those trees were SO fascinating!).  In part it may be the association with what we individually consider normalcy that aids us in our recovery.  For me watching sunlight on a leaf was calming (and o.k., o.k there were all of those faces in the branches too) but this may be different for different people, especially if another patient were not sighted (and they would not have to look at those other faces in the trees) so the boundaries of this research has not been tested yet but I do find it promising. 

Ultimately I would love to someday see healthcare revolutionized to the point where there is no longer institutional care of any kind.  When a person is in an inpatient setting it should mimic a comfortable home setting in every way possible.  Perhaps part of the problem is that we view the two as mutually exclusive.  We assume that a standard home does not have accessability and safety features.  Why?  Why is it not standard to have such basic things as safety rails?  If we were to take the positives from both the hospital and the home environment we may finally find a habitable environment for all.