NursesNotes

I was going to steal the two cartoons of my boss from the Kazedone's blog. However, I have recently downloaded Mozilla and it won't let me do that. Oh well, small price for getting rid of the annoying pop-ups, and spam. Instead, I want to leave everyone with a variation of one of my favorite poems called Success. Depending on whom you believe, it was written by Emmerson, Stevenson or Bessie Malone. (I think it was Stevenson) I wish each and every one of you success in 2005.
A person has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of women, the respect of men, and the love of little children; who has left the world better than it was found, either by an improved flower, a beautiful poem, a surprise gift or a selfless deed; who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it; who always looked for the best in others and who has always given them the best; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction.

My day at work was mucho horrible today. I'm glad this year is nearly over because a lot has transpired in the past twelve months. I, at least, have not murdered my boss!! She was next to impossible today. She was flouncing everywhere, with her clipboard, and followed me around. When I finally asked if there was anything else she needed, she looked at me and asked about something we had been discussing. I told her my thoughts and ideas and within one hour, she sent an email directive to the staff with my idea, word for word. BEEEYATCH!!!! She is the worst scum bag type of boss, the type who steals your ideas and then claims credit for it. She also expects the managers to work late. I pointed out that I have a house full of kids at home over the holidays and would not be putting in any overtime. She pointed out that I came in on my day off when my favorite patient died, so obviously I can use my holiday pay for that day. I can't believe how low she will go.
Then, she asked me for a report on something that happened back in October. Thank goodness I keep excellent notes. I have a note book and write everything in it. Otherwise, It's my word against hers. Actually, it's a trick I learned from her. She carries her clipboard around and writes everything down. That's because she is such a liar, and needs to see what she said to whom and when.
I guess it's been Fight Night USA in the BEEYATCH household, over the holidays. She is like the ice queen , frozen over. You could skate on this woman, I swear!!
I wonder if her hubbie ran out of his little "bluemen"!! LOL :)
Time to chill out a bit, drink a glass of wine and relax!! Tomorrow is the last day to work in this week, then I get three days off!!

We usually leave Christmas up for a few days after the new year. However, this year with people coming and going in different directions, I think I'll * murder* Christmas earlier. Maybe on NY's day!! I like getting the house back in order after Christmas. (':lol:')

(':cry:')

It was a pretty sad day at work today. People were coming in after the holiday and can't believe that our patient died. I mean, patients die all the time, what was so special about this guy? He was just so sweet. He was so accomplished, an interesting conversationalist, a well travelled, intelligent individual who always had time to chat even when he was feeling rotten. He would always ask how our kids and husbands were, was engaged and engaging. He was special. To die of such a dreadful disease in this day and age is unthinkable. It is a disease that is so tragic. And preventable for the most part. Sure, we get all the druggies who shoot up with their dirty needles and get HIV.They all get infected with Hepatitis B, too. Most of them also fall victim to a nasty form of TB that is quickly becoming drug resistant. The homeless problem contributes to this.
But to see an intelligent, professional, well educated person get HIV/AIDs is pretty hard to take. He would talk about how he thinks he got infected, and is always amazed that it happened so easily. He blames himself, when in reality it was probably not something he had a lot of control over.
There were about five other deaths over the holiday in my units. This death was a hard one. However, we focus on our living patients and life in the unit went on as it always has. His memorial service is going to be on Sunday. I will (hopefully) be going.
Tomorrow, I will go back to work to care for the patients that are still there and those that will be arriving. Life goes on.

I went in to work to see my favorite patient. He had gone home for Christmas and on his return had problems breathing, so the doctor on duty intubated him. In our hospital we use a colored arm band to indicate that someone is a DNR or NO CODE patient. However, this fellow had removed his arm bands when he went home and the DNR band was never replaced when he returned. When I got there today, it wasn't looking good, so I talked to his mom and his partner and they decided to have the tubes taken out, so that if he was able to speak he could. They did the extubation and he struggled for a while but ended up passing away peacefully in his partner's arms with his mom and dad sitting beside him. I was there and some other staff who have been close, tears streaming down our faces. I selfishly wanted to see him live, I was so fond of him, but would not wish him back the way he was. He was in a lot of pain, and suffered from a lot of illness including hepatitis, liver failure, renal failure and repeated bouts of pneumonia.
The hardest people to see die are the ones in my age range. I've had an easier time watching a little child die of leukemia, then a young mom or young guy. Go figure. Not that any death is easy, don't get me wrong, it's hard as anything. A lot of emotion goes into our palliative and our AIDs patients. We know them well because they are in the hospital so frequently. I just know that there is no knowing when that day may come. For some it comes sooner than for others. God has his reasons for this, and we will know them in the fullness of time. Go. Hug your spouse/partner and kiss your kids. call your mom. Tell her you love her. Your day may not end up the way it started out.

I am going in to work for a little while today. I've blogged before about a favorite patient of mine, someone who has been living with HIV/AIDs for years. I've become quite fond of this fine gentleman and his partner over the years.He has been more frequently admitted to our unit over the past few months and I asked him if it was OK to blog about him,in a general sort of way. He was more than willing to allow me to do so and for that I feel very privledged. Understandibly, in healthcare, one needs to be very careful about what is said outside of the hospital. I have always been quite general in referring to my patients. ( not so about my boss, but that is a different topic)
However,I really do not know why this fellow is different. Somehow he has struck a cord in me that goes beyond what I do for a living, and brings me down to the basic level of caring that I have always hoped to take with me to my work. I have laughed and cried with this friend many times and have always left feeling  richer for the experience. One of the reasons that I lobbied so long and hard for the dedicated AIDS beds in my unit was because of this person. He was readmitted prior to Christmas, he was able to go  out on Christmas for a couple of hours. It has been quite cold and we had a storm, so his family were concerned about being stuck with bad roads.
I had a call from a colleague yesterday that he is now intubated. I was a little upset that this had happened when I wasn't there because on one of his last admissions he had told me that he was ready for palliative care. One of the premises of palliation is that we generally do not use invasive life sustaining methods. I documented our conversation and had his partner witness it. This apparently happened when his partner left for a short period. He began having trouble and the doctor on duty did what he felt best. So, now he is in the IC unit and I am going in to see if I can advocate for him. Selfishly, I don't want him to die because of the great admiration I have for him. I want to be able to do everything I can to prevent that, but his explicit wish was that he be kept comfortable and that we provide the best comfort measures that we can. He did not want anything invasive.
This gentleman is a very well qualified professional person, who has had professional and personal success in his life. He has lived a full life and  I wonder if he wants to go? I will see.

A little old lady was going up and down the halls in a nursing home. as she walked, she would flip up the hem of her nightie and say "supersex."

She walked up to an elderly gentleman in a wheelchair. Flipping her gown at him, she said, "supersex."

He sat silently for a moment or two and finally answered, "I'll take the soup."

Top ten reasons to become a nurse:

1) Pays better then fast food, though the hours aren't as good.

2) Fashionable shoes and sexy white uniforms.

3) Needles: "Tis better to give then receive"

4) Reassure your patients that all bleeding stops...eventually.

5) Expose yourself to rare, exciting and new diseases.

6) Interesting aromas.

7) Courteous and infallible doctors who always leave clear orders in perfectly legible handwriting.

8) Do enough charting to navigate around the world.

9) Celebrate all the holidays with your friends- at work.

10) Take comfort that most of your patients survive no matter what you do to them.

After being hit with a huge snow storm, it's time to dig out!! :(
Rather akin to those folks in the midwest last week!!

We here on the east coast are now digging out!

And for all of you going  ( or living) down south? please accept this big rasberry!! phlatttt!!
Just Kidding!!

We love our snow, right? Right?? :)

Finally, some time to ourselves. After the maelstrom that is the MrNurse relatives who descended upon us yesterday and today, it is now just the nurse family, alone.

MrNurse's family puts the FUN  back in dysFUNctional family !!

 LOL :)

So much screaming and yelling, yeeshkabeesh!! I can't stand it!!
We actually had a nice Christmas, very hectic but despite all the yelling and commotion I tried to enjoy it!! Now I have a huge mess and lots of dishes to clean up, but, heck, isn't that what teenagers are for? If I can get them away from the playstation  X rated game, that is.
I have a couple of days off, so I plan to just sleep in tomorrow and relax!! I hope everyone else is having a great holiday, and if you are one of many folks having to work over the holidays, hope you get a little time off to relax as well.

What's with this annoying spyware type thing going on around the blog sites?

There are a few words that seem to be linked to websites. It's as annoying as heck!!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

May you have a blessed and peaceful holiday, may the day bring peace, joy and warm feelings to you all.
We should all be grateful for the reason for the season!

Blessings,

 from NurseNancy, the disappeared!

I was number 18, now I'm not. Now you see NurseNancy, now you don't. Don't worry, NurseNancy is lurking here and is looking to see if you have washed your hands!!!
Have a nice Christmas, hopefully it will be quiet, relaxing and peaceful. May all our men and women in uniform be safe and healthy this Christmas. May you and your loved ones have a Blessed Holiday.

You Might Be an ER Nurse if . . .

Discussing dismemberment over a gourmet meal seems perfectly normal to you...

You believe a good tape job will fix anything...

You have the bladder capacity of five people...

You can identify the positive teeth to tattoo ratio...

You disbelieve 90% of what you are told and 75% of what you see...

You have your weekends off planned for a year in advance...

When a patient presents with a list of 30 allergies to meds and you automatically assume they are a drug seeker and that their doctor is from out of town...

You believe in the power of the full moon...

You encourage an obnoxious patient to sign out AMA...

You have discovered a new condition that you call "hypo-xanax-emia"...

You plan what you are going to have for dinner while performing gastric lavage...

You believe that "ask-a-nurse" is an evil plot thought up by Satan...

You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if the phrase "Wow, it's really quiet" is uttered...

You refer to Friday as NH Dump Day and you don't mean New Hampshire...

Your diet consists of food that has gone through more processing than most computers...

You believe chocolate is a food group...

You take it as a compliment when someone calls you a dirty name...

You are prone to complimenting complete strangers on their great veins when you are out in public...

You have ever answered a "lost condom" phone call...

You refer to someone in severe respiratory distress as a "smurf"...

Your idea of a good time is dueling shock rooms...

You have ever had to leave a patient's room before you begin to laugh uncontrollably...

You have ever wanted to reply "Yes" when someone calls and asks "Is my (husband, wife, mother, brother, friend, etc.) there?"...

Your favorite hallucinogenic is exhaustion...

You think that caffeine should be available in I.V. form...

You have ever restrained someone and it was not a sexual experience...

Your most common assessment question is "what changed tonight to make it an emergency after 6 (hours, days, weeks, months, years)?"...

You believe the waiting room should be equipped with a Valium fountain...

You believe a "supreme being consult" is your patient's only hope...

You are totally astounded when someone from a NH is understandable...

You have been exposed to so many x-rays that you consider radiation a form of birth control...

You believe your patient is demonically possessed...

You have ever had a patient look you straight in the eye and say, "I have no idea how that got stuck in there"...

You have ever bet on blood alcohol levels...

You believe that waiting room time should be proportional to length of time from symptom onset ("You've had the pain for three weeks...Well, have a seat in the waiting room and we'll get to you in three days")...

AND FINALLY....

YOU MIGHT BE AN E.R. NURSE IF...YOU FIND HUMOR IN ANY OF THIS!!!

 

‘Tis the season for fond memories, gift giving, and hosting parties and family gatherings with good food! As you prepare your festive holiday spreads, remember to keep foods fresh and safe to eat. If food containing harmful bacteria is consumed, it could cause foodborne illness. So, when planning the big feast, follow this food safety checklist.

Put Food Safety First!

Did You Know?

The average used kitchen sponge harbors 7.2 billion bacteria!

Consider using paper towels or clean cloth  towels.

 

Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood on a plate or tray, so raw juices don’t drip onto other foods.

Use one cutting board for raw meat products and another one for salads

and other ready-to-eat foods, or wash cutting boards in between each use.

Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood unless the plate has been washed.

Don’t spread bacteria with dirty sponges, dishcloths, or towels. Bacteria

often thrive in the moist areas of these items where bits of food may also

exist. Use paper towels or freshly-cleaned sponges or cloths and soap and hot water to clean food preparation surfaces.

Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for a full 20 seconds before and after handling raw products.

Use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards. Cutting boards should be run through the dishwasher — or washed with soap and hot water — after each use.

Make sure the refrigerator temperature is 40 ºF or below and 0 ºF or below in the freezer. Occasionally verify these temperatures using an appliance thermometer.

Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours.

Never defrost or marinate food at room temperature. Use the refrigerator. You can also thaw foods in airtight packaging in cold water (change the water every 30 minutes, so the food continues to thaw). Or, thaw in the microwave, if you’ll be cooking the food immediately.

Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.

Don’t over-stuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe.

For meat, poultry, and other dishes, use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm or reach 160 ºF on a food thermometer.

Don’t use recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked. Cook egg dishes until they reach 160 ºF.

Cook fish until it’s opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

When microwaving, make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can survive). For best results, cover, stir, and rotate food for even cooking. If there’s no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking.

When reheating sauces, soups, and gravies, bring them to a boil. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165 ºF.

If you have questions or concerns about food safety, contact:

• The Fight BAC!® Web site at: www.fightbac.org 

 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555

or (202) 720-3333 (Washington, DC area). The TTY number for the hearing impaired is (800) 256-7072.

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Information Line at (888) SAFE FOOD.

Partnership for Food Safety Education • 611 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, #140 • Washington, DC 20003

®

NurseNancy worked very late today. Her favorite patient, buddy is in hospital and not feeling well, so I spent a bit of time with him after my shift was over. His partner was there with him and he had brought some holiday baking in to the staff. He brought snickerdoodles. I came home and got this recipe from the 'net. It sounds almost like what he brought in. Man, were they good.
 

1 c Butter or margarine 3/4 c + 1 Tbs Sugar 1 3/4 c Flour; all-purpose 2 ts Cinnamon 1/2 ts Salt; (optional)

3/4 c Brown sugar; packed 2 Eggs 2 c Uncooked oats 1 ts Baking soda

Heat oven to 375f.
Grease cookie sheet.
In large bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs; mix well.
In medium bowl, combine flour, oats, 1 t cinnamon, soda and salt.
Add to sugar mixture; mix well.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.
In small bowl, combine remaining 1 T sugar and 1 t cinnamon;
sprinkle lightly over each cookie.
Bake 8-10 minutes.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet;
remove to wire cooling rack.

WASH YOUR HANDS!!!!

The Night After Christmas!!!  & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;=http://www.radkolinks.org/vis...;h=554&w=406&sz=7 1&tbnid=iv_tUzsMCQ0J: &tbnh=129&tbnw=95 &start=30&prev=/i mages%3Fq%3Dchristmas%2Bt ree%26start%3D20%26hl%3De n%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN"    

Thought you would like this food safety poem that was posted to the Foodsafe list serve. It may be a little graphic, but gets the message across with a different twist. Clean hands, food safety practices in the kitchen = a safe healthy Christmas.

‘Twas the night after Christmas and all through the kitchen

Little creatures were stirring up potions bewitching.

Salmonellae were working in gravy and soup,

In hopes they could turn it to poisonous goop!

Clostridia were nestled all snug in the ham,

While Hepatitis A viruses danced in the yam.

Little John with his new toys and Mary in her cap,

Had just settled down for a long overdue nap.

When down in their guts there arose such a clatter,

They sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.

They ran to the bathroom, threw open the door.

Too late! Now  mother is cleaning the floor!

Wash your hands before cooking!

Put your food away quick!

Or that grinchy food germ we know as Saint Sick

With his many tiny microbes will ruin the feast!

As they make their toxins, he calls out to each beast:

“Now Hepatitis! Now Staph and Perfringens!

We’ll punish those humans for holiday binges!

On Botulinum! E. coli! Shigella!

Go get ‘em Listeria! Work fast Salmonella!

If those humans can’t learn to handle food right,

A Merry Christmas they’ll have, then a long sleepless

night!”

Anonymous

The U.S. Surgeon General reported that cigarette smoking is the most significant risk factor for the development of cancer and heart disease. Likewise, cigarette smoking increases your risk of emphysema and chronic lung disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, macular degeneration, hypertension and other conditions as well. There is new data in recent years to indicate that even second hand smoke can have fatal consequences. In general, the average smoker usually dies about seven or eight years before a non-smoker.

Unfortunately, cigarette smoking is extremely addictive and, in many cases, is difficult to eliminate. Often many smokers can be in some level of denial and do not feel that their life will necessarily be shortened by this addiction. There are others that have made the comment that if they die prematurely, so be it. What they don't recognize is that if one develops a stroke or chronic lung disease, one may not die from this but be chronically disabled.
To all you tbloggers out there who can't live without those cigarettes, please give yourself a BIG Christmas gift. The gift of health. Quit smoking. Just give them up one cig. at a time.....the next one....... 

If it isn't looking like Christmas, it sure feels like it here in this neck of the woods, its only about 28 degrees now. It snowed a bit and then freezing rain......."So much fun to laugh and shout...." not when you have to drive in it!!! Plus, the DUI checkpoints are all out in full force. We were stopped three different times last night. :(
Thank goodness it's being done, though.
College kids home now for holidays, :) finished their exams, and we are awaiting the oldest boy to come home with his lady in waiting, on Friday. We are so totally not overly organized yet for Christmas, there's still more baking and tree trimming to do.........where's my glass of wine!! (later, Nancy, later!!!)
We are going to church shortly and then to a gift Sunday get together after church to organize and distribute the gifts of food, toys and clothing that our congregation has gathered for a couple of needy families. We'll sing carols, have hot cocoa and just enjoy the spirit of the season.
All the best to everyone on this last Sunday before Christmas.
Hope you are having better weather where you are!!

If everyone were invited to put their problems in the middle of a room and were told to take someone's problems home with them, most people would pick up their own troubles and take them, over anyone else's.

Would you?

wishing you all a relatively problem free day!!! :) :) :)

The will to live. 

I often wonder what role it has in surviving a serious  illness. I look after people all the time who die, regardless of the tretment or the prognosis, yet, other people live through seemingly unsurvivable situations. When I was diagnosed with Cancer, I was devastated and was told the prognosis wasa 50% survival rate. My will to live was very high and I hope I beat the odds.

 I found this article on my desk the other day, and thought it was good enough to share. I am thinking a lot about life lately. My best buddy patient, a patient with HIV/AIDs, is back in and is not too well. I had a long chat with him last admission about palliation vs. active treatment and he's ready to quit trying for the cure and is going for the comfort. I was so hoping he would see Christmas this year. I took a few days off to use up some extra time, so I'm hoping he'll be there Monday. It's a purely selfish wish. He has  the strongest will to live of anyone I've ever met. Maybe he's just ready, now.

Attitude - The Will to Live
Ernest H. Rosenbaum, MD, and Isadora R. Rosenbaum, MA

Attitude! When Winning is Everything: The Will to Live
Reprinted with Permission from Coping with Cancer-Published March/April 1999

How often do you use the expression the will to live? Does it have any meaning? Can it prolong your life? Can it bolster your immune system? In our oncology practice, we can unequivocally affirm that the expression does have meaning and that it can vastly improve the quality of life and may even prolong the life of a cancer survivor. However, it will be many years before we know the answer to the third question.

As medical professionals, we have always been fascinated by the power of the will to live. Like all creatures in the animal world, human beings have a fierce instinct for survival. The will to live is a force within all of us to fight for survival when our lives are threatened by a disease such as cancer. Yet this force is stronger in some people than in others..

Sometimes the biology of a cancer will dictate the course of events regardless of the patient's attitude and fighting spirit. These events are often beyond our control. But patients with positive attitudes are better able to cope with disease-related problems and may respond better to therapy. Many physicians have seen how two patients of similar ages and with the same diagnosis, degree of illness and treatment program experience vastly different results. One of the few apparent differences was that one patient was pessimistic and the other optimistic.

We have known for over 2,000 years--from the writings of Plato and Galen--that there is a direct correlation between the mind, the body and one's health. "The cure of many diseases is unknown to physicians,'' Plato concluded, "because they are ignorant of the whole. For the part can never be well unless the whole is well.''

Recently, there has been a shift in health care toward recognizing this wisdom, namely that the psychological and the physical elements of a body are not separate, isolated and unrelated, but are vitally linked elements of a total system. Health is increasingly being recognized as a balance of many inputs, including physical and environmental factors, emotional and psychological states, nutritional habits and exercise patterns.

Researchers are now experimenting with methods of actively enlisting the mind in the body's combat with cancer, using techniques such as meditation, biofeedback and visualization (creating in the mind positive images about what is occurring in the body). Some doctors and psychologists now believe that the proper attitude may even have a direct effect on cell function and consequently may be used to arrest, if not cure, cancer. This new field of scientific study, called psychoneuroimmunology, focuses on the effect that mental and emotional activity has on physical well-being, indicating that patients can play a much larger role in their recovery.

It will be many years before we know whether it is possible for the mind to control the immune defense system. Experiments with biofeedback and visualization are helpful in that they encourage positive thinking and provide relaxation, thereby increasing the will to live. But they can also be damaging if a patient puts all of his or her faith in them and ignores conventional therapy.

DEATH BY VIAGRA!!!!
One of my colleagues at work just emailed this to me, it's the super-B boss's husband!!! ROFLMAO

What a way to go!!

 

 

 

God Bless our Toops overseas.

Article published Dec 16, 2004  http://www.wilmingtonstar.com" title="http://www.wilmingtonstar.com" target="_blank"http://www.wilmingtonstar.com...
A Flood of Troubled Soldiers Is in the Offing, Experts Predict

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 - The nation's hard-pressed health care system for veterans is facing a potential deluge of tens of thousands of soldiers returning from Iraq with serious mental health problems brought on by the stress and carnage of war, veterans' advocates and military doctors say.
An Army study shows that about one in six soldiers in Iraq report symptoms of major depression, serious anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, a proportion that some experts believe could eventually climb to one in three, the rate ultimately found in Vietnam veterans. Because about one million American troops have served so far in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Pentagon figures, some experts predict that the number eventually requiring mental health treatment could exceed 100,000.
"There's a train coming that's packed with people who are going to need help for the next 35 years," said Stephen L. Robinson, a 20-year Army veteran who is now the executive director of the National Gulf War Resource Center, an advocacy group. Mr. Robinson wrote a report in September on the psychological toll of the war for the Center for American Progress, a Washington research group.
"I have a very strong sense that the mental health consequences are going to be the medical story of this war," said Dr. Stephen C. Joseph, who served as the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs from 1994 to 1997.
What was planned as a short and decisive intervention in Iraq has become a grueling counterinsurgency that has put American troops into sustained close-quarters combat on a scale not seen since the Vietnam War. Psychiatrists say the kind of fighting seen in the recent retaking of Falluja - spooky urban settings with unlimited hiding places; the impossibility of telling Iraqi friend from Iraqi foe; the knowledge that every stretch of road may conceal an explosive device - is tailored to produce the adrenaline-gone-haywire reactions that leave lasting emotional scars.
And in no recent conflict have so many soldiers faced such uncertainty about how long they will be deployed. Veterans say the repeated extensions of duty in Iraq are emotionally battering, even for the most stoical of warriors.
Military and Department of Veterans Affairs officials say most military personnel will survive the war without serious mental issues and note that the one million troops include many who have not participated in ground combat, including sailors on ships. By comparison with troops in Vietnam, the officials said, soldiers in Iraq get far more mental health support and are likely to return to a more understanding public.
But the duration and intensity of the war have doctors at veterans hospitals across the country worried about the coming caseload.
"We're seeing an increasing number of guys with classic post-traumatic stress symptoms," said Dr. Evan Kanter, a psychiatrist at the Puget Sound veterans hospital in Seattle. "We're all anxiously waiting for a flood that we expect is coming. And I feel stretched right now."
A September report by the Government Accountability Office found that officials at six of seven Veterans Affairs medical facilities surveyed said they "may not be able to meet" increased demand for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Officers who served in Iraq say the unrelenting tension of the counterinsurgency will produce that demand.
"In the urban terrain, the enemy is everywhere, across the street, in that window, up that alley," said Paul Rieckhoff, who served as a platoon leader with the Florida Army National Guard for 10 months, going on hundreds of combat patrols around Baghdad. "It's a fishbowl. You never feel safe. You never relax."
In his platoon of 38 people, 8 were divorced while in Iraq or since they returned in February, Mr. Rieckhoff said. One man in his 120-person company killed himself after coming home.
"Too many guys are drinking," said Mr. Rieckhoff, who started the group Operation Truth to support the troops. "A lot have a hard time finding a job. I think the system is vastly under-prepared for the flood of mental health problems."
Capt. Tim Wilson, an Army chaplain serving outside Mosul, said he counseled 8 to 10 soldiers a week for combat stress. Captain Wilson said he was impressed with the resilience of his 700-strong battalion but added that fierce battles have produced turbulent emotions.
"There are usually two things they are dealing with," said Captain Wilson, a Southern Baptist from South Carolina. "Either being shot at and not wanting to get shot at again, or after shooting someone, asking, 'Did I commit murder?' or 'Is God going to forgive me?' or 'How am I going to be when I get home?' "
When all goes as it should, the life-saving medical services available to combat units like Captain Wilson's may actually swell the ranks of psychological casualties. Of wounded soldiers who are alive when medics arrive, 98 percent now survive, said Dr. Michael E. Kilpatrick, the Pentagon's deputy director of deployment health support. But they must come to terms not only with emotional scars but the literal scars of amputated limbs and disfiguring injuries.
Through the end of September, the Army had evacuated 885 troops from Iraq for psychiatric reasons, including some who had threatened or tried suicide. But those are only the most extreme cases. Often, the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder do not emerge until months after discharge.
"During the war, they don't have the leisure to focus on how they're feeling," said Sonja Batten, a psychologist at the Baltimore veterans hospital. "It's when they get back and find that their relationships are suffering and they can't hold down a job that they realize they have a problem."
Robert E. Brown was proud to be in the first wave of Marines invading Iraq last year. But Mr. Brown has also found himself in the first ranks of returning soldiers to be unhinged by what they experienced.
He served for six months as a Marine chaplain's assistant, counseling wounded soldiers, organizing makeshift memorial services and filling in on raids. He knew he was in trouble by the time he was on a ship home, when the sound of a hatch slamming would send him diving to the floor.
After he came home, he began drinking heavily and saw his marriage fall apart, Mr. Brown said. He was discharged and returned to his hometown, Peru, Ind., where he slept for two weeks in his Ford Explorer, surrounded by mementos of the war.
"I just couldn't stand to be with anybody," said Mr. Brown, 35, sitting at his father's kitchen table.
Dr. Batten started him on the road to recovery by giving his torment a name, an explanation and a treatment plan. But 18 months after leaving Iraq, he takes medication for depression and anxiety and returns in dreams to the horrors of his war nearly every night.
The scenes repeat in ghastly alternation, he says: the Iraqi girl, 3 or 4 years old, her skull torn open by a stray round; the Kuwaiti man imprisoned for 13 years by Saddam Hussein, cowering in madness and covered in waste; the young American soldier, desperate to escape the fighting, who sat in the latrine and fired his M-16 through his arm; the Iraqi missile speeding in as troops scramble in the dark for cover.
"That's the one that just stops my heart," said Mr. Brown. "I'm in my rack sleeping and there's a school bus full of explosives coming down at me and there's nowhere to go."
Such costs of war, personal and financial, are not revealed by official casualty counts. "People see the figure of 1,200 dead," said Dr. Kanter, of Seattle, referring to the number of Americans killed in Iraq. "Much more rarely do they see the number of seriously wounded. And almost never do they hear anything at all about the psychiatric casualties."
As of Wednesday 5,229 Americans have been seriously wounded in Iraq. Through July, nearly 31,000 veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom had applied for disability benefits for injuries or psychological ailments, according to the Department Veterans Affairs.
Every war produces its medical signature, said Dr. Kenneth Craig Hyams, a former Navy physician now at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Soldiers came back from the Civil War with "irritable heart." In World War I there was "shell shock." World War II vets had "battle fatigue." The troubles of Vietnam veterans led to the codification of post-traumatic stress disorder.
In combat, the fight-or-flight reflex floods the body with adrenaline, permitting impressive feats of speed and endurance. But after spending weeks or months in this altered state, some soldiers cannot adjust to a peaceful setting. Like Mr. Brown, for whom a visit to a crowded bank at lunch became an ordeal, they display what doctors call "hypervigilance." They sit in restaurants with their backs to a wall; a car's backfire can transport them back to Baghdad.
To prevent such damage, the Army has deployed "combat stress control units" in Iraq to provide treatment quickly to soldiers suffering from emotional overload, keeping them close to the healing camaraderie of their unit.
"We've found through long experience that this is best treated with sleep, rest, food, showers and a clean uniform, if that is possible," said Dr. Thomas J. Burke, an Army psychiatrist who oversees mental health policy at the Department of Defense. "If they get counseling to tell them they are not crazy, they will often get better rapidly."
To detect signs of trouble, the Department of Defense gives soldiers pre-deployment and post-deployment health questionnaires. Seven of 17 questions to soldiers leaving Iraq seek signs of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
But some reports suggest that such well-intentioned policies falter in the field. During his time as a platoon leader in Iraq, Mr. Rieckhoff said, he never saw a combat stress control unit. "I never heard of them until I came back," he said.
And the health screens have run up against an old enemy of military medicine: soldiers who cover up their symptoms. In July 2003, as Jeffrey Lucey, a Marine reservist from Belchertown, Mass., prepared to leave Iraq after six months as a truck driver, he at first intended to report traumatic memories of seeing corpses, his parents, Kevin and Joyce Lucey, said. But when a supervisor suggested that such candor might delay his return home, Mr. Lucey played down his problems.
At home, he spiraled downhill, haunted by what he had seen and began to have delusions about having killed unarmed Iraqis. In June, at 23, he hanged himself with a hose in the basement of the family home.
"Other marines have verified to us that it is a subtle understanding which exists that if you want to go home you do not report any problems," Mr. Lucey's parents wrote in an e-mail message. "Jeff's perception, which is shared by others, is that to seek help is to admit that you are weak."
Dr. Kilpatrick, of the Pentagon, acknowledges the problem, saying that National Guardsmen and Reservists in particular have shown an "abysmal" level of candor in the screenings. "We still have a long ways to go," he said. "The warrior ethos is that there are no imperfections."

---

I want to publicly thank Krazedone for so artistically displaying my boobies on her blog!! Everyone drop over and give her a few words of encouragement. And tell her how nice my perky little breasts look!!

Went to NYC to see my girlfriend. Had loads of laughs, drank wine went to Bloomies, had a blast. I feel so great to have gone, but am glad to be home again. Stayed with my friend in her 575 sq. ft. apartment in Manhatten, for which she pays $1900 a month!!
But, there were Cockroaches. EWWWWWW!!

We had our unit staff party last night. I had a very good time, while I was there. However. now that it is time to get up and go to work, bleh!

Upon opening my email this morning, I found this from a friend. I don't normally go for these types of things, but thought this was worthy of sharing:  :)

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Walmart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Walmart.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Let 's run through the rain!" She repeated.

"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,"

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?
e "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.

Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

A friend sent this to me to remind me of life. Hope you enjoy it.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Take the time to live!!!

Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when
you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in the rain!

The bitchissma was in full form today. I can't figure it out. Today, she came to the cafeteria and ate a homemade lunch. She complained all the way through about how BIG the sandwich was that her husband had made for her. ( oh, poor baby)
The rest of us were eating cafeteria meatloaf ( actually quite good, our hospital has a *real* chef)   &n bsp;  :) 
After lunch, I had to meet with the wife of one of my long term care patients. She is 95 and wants to come into the long term care area to be with her husband. The trouble is, our continuing care beds are all full! I told her that there were no beds open, at this time. I don't think she gets that there is usually only one way to get a bed in continuing or long term care!! Yes, folks, someone needs to  ahem, *vacate* the bed! if you get my drift. Right before I was to go to meet this old dear, Ms. Beech said she wanted to speak to me later. After my meeting, I went to her office and she told me this entirely sordid tale of how she's had an affair and her life is completely a mess. I thought to myself " why me, Lord, Why now?" Back in September, we attended a conference together and I know that she was flirting heavily with someone at the cocktail party, disappeared, and didn't resurface at the talks the next morning! I guess what happened in "Vegas" didn't stay in "Vegas" !!! She told me that this man has called her, wants ot resume their fling, and now she doesn't know what to do!!
She said she could a) tell her husband and take what ever falls her way b) tell the guy to back off and don't call and don't tell her hubby, or c) leave her hubby and go with the dude! ( please,God, let it be C!!)
I tried to look sympathetic/empathetic but inside I was really irked. Now she has shared her dirty secret with me, and I am now a part of her little game. And I never even asked if I could play. Let's hope she picks door number "C" !!
Maybe she will leave and go work for him!!!
Please, Santa, please let the Bitchissma Csarina quit, for my Christmas present, pretty please!!!!   :)  

Christmas countdown......7 presents wrapped tonight !! Last parcel ready to send. Suitcase packed for trip to NYC!!!   & nbsp;     :)  :)

Here's something to think about while you are getting your holiday pedicure, folks!!

Better ask how they clean out the foot basins!!

More skin infections linked to pedicures reported:
The number of women believed to have developed serious skin infections after receiving pedicures in San Jose, CA has risen, and there are new ideas about how bacteria is spreading despite attempts by many nail salon owners at following state cleanliness guidelines. Santa Clara County Public
Health Department spokeswoman Joy Alexiou said there are now 40 cases being investigated, a jump of 10 cases reported in a single day.

Health officials began receiving reports from local doctors as early as May 2004 regarding an influx of patients with boils and skin ulcers on their feet and lower legs.

It was determined that the women received pedicures prior to the infections, which likely stemmed from using a whirlpool foot bath, which
are notorious breeding grounds for bacteria.

"We assume that things will continue for some time," Alexiou said.  "There have been 13 calls from different doctors."

The infection stems from the spread of a nontuberculous mycobacterium, a microbe that causes painful open sores that have forced some women in years past to undergo reconstructive surgery to hide the scars. In 2001, the state cosmetology board adopted new regulations to ensure that foot spa equipment is properly maintained.

Between each customer, the foot spa must be drained and cleaned with approved disinfectant as well as soap, according to state cosmetology board
spokeswoman Patti Roberts.

Roberts said at the end of each day the foot spa screen, along with any debris, must be removed before cleaning the basin with soap and water.
Every other week, the basin must be cleaned and soaked with a bleach solution for at least 6 hours.

Deedee Carlson, president of the San Francisco Institute of Aesthetics and Cosmetology, said bacteria could hide in the foot spa's jets. Even if properly scrubbed out, once the spa is turned back on the bacteria will be re-introduced into the water.  To ensure no bacteria are trapped in the jets, each foot spa should be run for 10 minutes while being soaked in
approved disinfectant, eliminating the hiding bacteria.

Carlson said many operators believe it's adequate to just scrub the spas, but more preventive maintenance is required. "It's like a mini hot tub," Carslon said. "Bacteria like dark, dirty, damp and warm places. The jets are a perfect environment."

 

 

 

Our family is off to church this morning. Driving, not walking. It's about 33 degrees out. Brrrrr!!
We, as a family, are lighting the advent candles during the service and reading the verse for this Sunday. (GTG and rehearse it!!)
In our church, different members of the congregation are asked to participate in the Advent services. Usually, a young person, a single person, an older person and a family. The nurse family was asked this year to represent the families.
After church, we are having a coffee meet n' greet. I love these times of fellowship at church. It makes me feel all warm n' fuzzy!
:)   Hope you all have a warm and fuzzy day, too!

I finally got the rest of the Christmas shopping done.
:) I have a few parcels to send off and the rest are for friends and family who are in our area. We usually have Christmas dinner here. MrNurse and his siblings and parents will likely join us for Christmas day, this year, and then we will go and see my folks and family on boxing day. We normally switch it around each year.  You have to have the organizational skills of a five star general to orchestrate MrNurse's family. He is from a family of "yellers" His dad was captain in the navy. Actually,  he was a rear admiral. ( I used to say he was a real "rear" admiral" !!) He yelled and barked orders at all the kids as they grew up. It's more of the same whenever we get together. My family is more the quiet and mellow type. My dad was an Episcopalian  ; minister and is very gentle in his approach. Too very diverse families. I used to try and have everyone over. It was too confusing!! His dad would be yelling (and drinking!) and yelling (and drinking! hoo ha!),  and his mom is pretty loud, too. All his sisters and brother are trying to out yell one another and my folks are sitting there smiling and trying to engage in refined conversation. My sister is getting drunk, my brother is playing the piano, the kids are yelling and OY Vey!! enough all ready!! That's why we split it up over two days. Too many people, too much noise and too much stress! I want the holidays to be peaceful, stress free and relaxing! I look forward to all of our kids being home and for us to have a time to reconnect, and all be together. :)
I am going to NYC next weekend!! I'm going to see a cousin I haven't seen for awhile and we're going to have a real "girls night out." hoo-ha! :) :) :)

One blogger com mented that the preceding post was too long to read.
Even though the info is from the State Dept. of Public Health, and I hand it out in a brochure format, I think the message is important enough to try and condense it. So here goes. How's this?

"Prevent AIDs.
Don't stick needles in your arms and keep your package wrapped, dudes!!"

Today I am going to a high school to speak about AIDS and HIV infection. This is part of the handout that our state's public health department uses for FAQs. I include it in my speaker's package.
I do not go  to work today, I do not need to see Ms. Beech who was really nasty to everyone yesterday. After today, I have the weekend to Christmas shop, wrap pressies and start planning for the holidays. Busy weekend coming up. I hope everyone has a deluxe, safe day. Please pass these FAQs on to a young person in your life. We all need to make folks aware of the risks of HIV/AIDs - a disease that hasn't decreased at all since the 1980's.
Hello? is any one listening?? Yes, it could happen to you. And you . And you. Listen to the Nurse. Play it safe!

HIV and AIDS... Frequently Asked Questions 

What is HIV and what is AIDS?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a chronic infectious disease that can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV causes a breakdown of the immune system resulting in a loss in the ability to resist infections and disease. As HIV progresses, the body's immune system weakens and infections and/or diseases appear until the infected person's condition satisfies the case definition of AIDS.

How do people get infected with HIV?

What you do can put you at risk for HIV infection. HIV can be transmitted by contact with the blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and mother's milk of an HIV-infected person.

    & nbsp;   &n bsp; Transmission most commonly occurs by:

• Blood-to-Blood contact, such as sharing HIV contaminated drug injection equipment, razors, or piercing and tattoo equipment; or by "blood brothering" ;
  
• Unprotected sexual contacts such as anal, vaginal or oral intercourse with an infected individual; 
  
• Infected mother to baby, during pregnancy, delivery, or in breastfeeding

Once infected with HIV, the infected person can transmit HIV to others. The time between exposure to HIV and the onset of opportunistic diseases can range from as little as six months to 15 years or more. Without treatment, a high percentage of HIV infected people will go on to develop AIDS. 

Although there is no cure or known effective vaccine for HIV, many new drugs have been developed in recent years that have been shown to be effective in treating and managing the health of those infected with HIV.     & nbsp;   

HIV is not transmitted by:

• Sharing eating utensils;
  
• Sharing toilets or bathrooms;
  
• Mosquitoes or other biting insects;
  
• Drinking fountains;
  
• Swimming pools; 
  
• Routine activities at work or school; or
  
• Donating blood or organs

Blood and organ banks and other human tissue or fluid donation centers use sterile disposable equipment and needles. Since 1985, all blood, plasma and other human tissue or organs have been screened for HIV before they are used. The chance of contracting HIV by receiving human blood products or tissue is very rare. There is no risk of contracting HIV when you donate blood. 

  What are the signs and symptoms of HIV Infection?

Most people do not initially experience a set of symptoms immediately after HIV  infection. Some individuals have described a mild flu-like period and body rash. Signs become common at later stages of the viral infection. These may include severe tiredness, fever, loss of appetite and weight, diarrhea, persistent dry cough, repeated drenching night sweats, swollen glands (lymph nodes) and a malaise. Since these may be signs and symptoms of other diseases, consult your health care provider if you are concerned.

Is there a test for HIV and how accurate is the test?

There are reliable tests that tell if an individual is infected with HIV. If you get infected, in most cases your body will react by making special proteins called antibodies to fight HIV. A positive test means that a person has been exposed to HIV and that their body has developed antibodies in the blood to fight the virus. A person who has been infected with  HIV but who does not yet have antibodies to HIV can still infect others. A positive HIV test does not mean that a person has AIDS. AIDS is the late stage  of HIV infection. Current tests for HIV are very accurate. Positive HIV tests are confirmed (double checked) with a second HIV test.

Who should consider testing?

• Injection drug users including injection steroid users, particularly those who have shared injection equipment. 
  
• Individuals who have had sexual contact with injection drug users .
  
• Men who have had sex with other men (gay, transgender, or bisexual males).
  
• Sex and drug using partners of HIV infected persons.
  
• The sex partners of persons at risk for HIV.
  
• Children born to a women with HIV/AIDS. 
  
• People seeking diagnosis or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease.
  
• People who have had sex for drugs or money.
  
• People who have patronized prostitutes or sex industry workers after the mid 1970's.
  
• People with hemophilia who received blood products before 1986, and their sexual partners.
  
• Victims of a sexual assault.
  
• People who have had a health care exposure to blood or other body fluids known to be capable of transmitting HIV.
  
• Women who are pregnant. Recent studies indicate that early intervention using Zidovudine (also known as AZT) with pregnant HIV-positive women can lessen the chance of HIV transmission to the child.

Can HIV/AIDS be prevented?

You can reduce your risk of becoming HIV infected by following these Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations:

• Do not  share needles or syringes with another person; 
  
• Obtain clean needles and syringes from a pharmacy or Needle Exchange Program;
  
• Seek treatment for drug addiction;
  
• Do not have unsafe or unprotected sexual intercourse with individuals if you are not certain of their HIV negative status, or abstain from all sexual contact;
  
• Avoid sexual activities or practices that may injure body tissues and result in direct blood contact;
  
• Do not use illegal injection drugs or share injection equipment. Avoid unprotected sexual contact with people who use illegal drugs; 
  
• Avoid unprotected or unsafe activities with multiple partners or sex industry workers;.
  
• Avoid having sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs that may alter your ability to make safer sexual decisions;
  
• Use a latex condom correctly and consistently every time. When using latex condoms, always use a water soluble personal lubricant like glycerine or lubricating jellies . Never use petroleum based lubricants, hand lotions or organic oils. These products may cause the condom to break or leak;
  
• Do not share acupuncture, piercing or tattoo equipment. If you want to have an acupuncture, piercing or tattoo procedure done seek out a reputable licensed professional who uses proper sterilization techniques and equipment;
  
• Do not participate in rituals or activities that allow the physical mingling of two individuals blood such as "blood brothering"; 
  
• Avoid all illicit drugs such as heroin, speed/met-amphetamine, cocaine and steroids. These substances can damage your immune system making you more susceptible to viral infections like HIV. 
  
• Please note: the spermicide nonoxynol-9 is not recommended to prevent HIV transmission.

If I test HIV positive what should I do?

• Seek regular medical evaluation and follow-up;
  
• Find a counseling/support group to help you with your HIV/AIDS questions;
  
• Develop an ongoing and open relationship with a health care provider. Do not be afraid to ask questions;
  
• Never share injection equipment or personal hygiene items like razors or toothbrushes that may result in blood to blood contact with another person;
  
• Always practice safe sexual procedures and activities to avoid spreading the virus; 
  
• DO NOT DONATE BLOOD, SEMEN (SPERM) or OTHER BODY FLUIDS or ORGANS!

Calling All Fockers For Family Reunion

ORLANDO, Fla. (Wireless Flash) -- A theme park in Orlando, Florida, is looking for a few good Fockers.

In honor of the upcoming comedy, "Meet The Fockers," representatives from Universal Orlando are combing the country for families with the last name "Focker" to participate in a Focker family reunion from Dec. 17 to Dec. 19.

A Universal Orlando spokeswoman estimates there are up to 100 Focker families in the U.S. and says 25 of them -- including mother Fockers, daddy Fockers and baby Fockers -- will be invited to the park to see an advance screening of "Meet The Fockers" a week before the film's official release date, Dec. 24.

Although the Focker family reunion is meant to be a publicity stunt, reps for the theme park also feel they're doing a good thing by bringing together lots of Fockers who might not otherwise meet.

Fockers interested in reuniting can apply at

 www.callingallfockers.com

December 1 is World AIDS Day

This annual global event is dedicated to remembering the victims of AIDS, learning more about the devastating effects of the disease around the world, and reaffirming the commitment to fight it. 

AIDS has killed more than 20 million people since the first cases were diagnosed in 1981, including 2.9 million in 2003 alone.  It is estimated that 37.8 million people were infected with HIV at the end of 2003, with 4.8 million new cases that year.  Sub-Saharan Africa is the worst-hit region, with 70 percent of all people living with HIV.

This year’s theme is “Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS,” which reflects a focus on how the effects of HIV/AIDS have significantly increased among women.  Women now make up half of all people living with HIV worldwide, and 57 percent of these women live in sub-Saharan Africa.  In that region, women are infected at an earlier age than men, and the ratio of new infections among women compared to men is even higher within the 15–24 age group.  Poverty, instability, violence, lack of access to adequate health care, and ignorance all contribute to the problem.

In the United States, up to 950,000 Americans are estimated to have HIV, with 40,000 new infections every year.  Among women, minorities—particularly African Americans—are hit by the vast majority of AIDS cases.  Rates of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in African-American women are 19 times higher than those of white women and 5 times higher than those of Hispanic women in the 32 states with stable HIV/AIDS reporting. AIDS is one of the leading causes of death among all women aged 25-44 years.

In support of World AIDS Day, the Department of Health and Human Services is hosting the Awareness Day Web site, which offers information on prevention, testing, treatment, and vaccine research.  Information about finding testing locations, planning local events, how to craft public-awareness messages, and working with your local media can be found here.  You will also find resources and answers to questions about obtaining educational materials such as posters, public service announcements, and fact sheets.

go to:

www.omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances

 

 

It's World AIDs Day today! Wear your red ribbon proudly, folks!!