Issuu

AUGUSTA

FREE T AKE-H OME C OPY!

recipe feature PAGE 7

FEEL GOOD

HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

ABOUT YOURSELF

edical science has made amazing progress in just the past few decades. What further exciting advances may lie ahead is anyone’s guess. But medicine has its limits. Not everything that ruins or shortens lives can be prevented or repaired with a pill or a scalpel. A person can be perfectly healthy and perfectly miserable at the same time. Health and happiness are often used in the same sentence, but only one of those is truly within the realm of a doctor’s expertise — and you know which one that is. The other one is up to you and me.

might be something that will take some time and quiet meditation to discover. Our life is missing something, but we can’t quite put our finger on exactly what. Usually, though, the cause of unhappiness is staring us right in the face. Judging from divorce rates, many marriages are unhappy. If your is, there’s a classic case for using the change button. But how? Don’t be too quick to jettison that seriously flawed mate of yours. The next one will be flawed too. People who get divorced commonly experience a feeling of failure, even when

Taking stock There are a million and one things that can rob us of contentment, joy, happiness, and inner peace. Our personal robber might be a nagging concern that is never far from our consciousness all day every day, and many nights. Or it

COOL SCRUBS ARE HOT!

they escape from a terrible marriage. It can do a lot more for your self-esteem and future happiness to fix the marriage you’ve got than to dissolve the union and start over. After all, that next person will have flaws and annoying habits too. It’s useful to learn how to fix things rather than throw them away. And if kids are involved, divorce can rock the very foundations of their world. More reasons to try repairing before replacing. (Note: we’re not talking about marriages where physical or emotional abuse puts your life and health in regular jeopardy. There are other major life and lifestyle issues that weigh on us and steal happiness and inner contentment. Perhaps alcohol use is a point of contention in your household. Hit the button! Do something about it instead of letting the constant friction erode relationships with the most important people in your life. Please see FEEL GOOD page 2

JULY 11, 2014

es, it’s true: this issue marks the 8th anniversary of the Augusta Medical Examiner! And that can only mean one thing: if you bought a new mattress around the first week of July 2006 when Examiner No. 1 came out, it’s time to get a new mattress, right? According to the ads, in eight years’ time a mattress will double its weight as it fills up with dead skin cells we shed, billions of bed bugs and their excrement, billions more dust mites, and a massive accumulation of skin oils and solidified sweat. The very thought of it all is enough to induce instant insomnia. Cue the horror movie soundtrack. It’s just plain gross — if it’s true. So. Is there anything behind the 7-year itch, or even worse, the 8-year itch? Probably not. The Research Department here at Augusta Medical Examiner world headquarters did a little digging. Here are two relevant facts: • A king-sized mattress weighs about 90 pounds. • A single gram of dust (about what a paper clip weighs) can be home to as many as 19,000 dust mites, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), but a more typical number would be 100 to 500. Common sense would suggest anything that small would require a colony of many trillions to amount to 90 pounds’ worth. As for bed bugs, if you have them you’d know it: they feed on blood, so you’ve got bites. And you’d have Advanced Services for Pest Control on speed dial. The eight-year mattress curse is a combination of urban legend and advertising hyperbole. A mattress can gain weight, just like the people who lie on one. Maybe 20 pounds over time, not 90. But if you’re concerned, encase your mattress and pillows in “mite-proof” covers. Shake baking soda on your mattress and pillows and thoroughly and regularly vacuum them (with a HEPA-filtered vac). Keep humidity levels in your home low, 55% or lower. Don’t have wall-to-wall carpeting in your bedroom. And continue reading the Medical Examiner for the next 8 years. (Tips from acaai.org - except that last one) +

WE GOT ‘EM!

(706) 364.1163 • WWW.SCRUBSOFEVANS.COM • 4158 WASHINGTON RD • ACROSS FROM CLUB CAR • M-F: 10-6:30; SAT: 10-4

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

FEEL GOOD… from page 1 The changes you make can result in dramatic improvement at home and at work in ways you might not even be able to imagine now. Studies show most smokers want to quit. Many have tried repeatedly. Others frequently say they want to quit without taking any real action. Why not set a date and a goal and actively pursue it? In a similar vein, most of us feel we should get more exercise, but few of us do anything about it, and when we do it often fizzles in a short time. Hey, at least we have the desire to do what’s right and healthful. Let’s resolve to keep trying. Maybe this time schedule it in our day planner or set a recurring alert on

our phone on certain days as a reminder. Even if we start slow and infrequent, we’re still beating everyone on the couch. Maybe what’s nagging you is something that, to others at least, might seem trivial. It isn’t to you. Maybe it’s nothing more than frustration that for decades you’ve wanted to learn French or take guitar lessons. The years keep ticking by and you keep telling yourself, “Next month. Or maybe next year.” You’ve said it long enough. It’s time to hit the change button. Do it! There are many aspects of life that, for all their ordinariness, can result in major improvements in our life and our mental outlook when we make changes. For example,

a person might want to cut down on their TV viewing. They spend hours upon hours every evening trapped by inertia. Making this change offers more than a sense of accomplishment: it opens up hours upon hours to pursue everything from those French lessons to merely cutting the grass or getting caught up on the laundry. Yes, a neat house or apartment can dramatically improve a person’s mood and outlook. A sloppy place can silently but endlessly nag and berate us. Augusta’s most famous citizen was famous for saying, “I feel good!” How did he do it? He also said, “Get On Up!” + And he did. So can we.

University leads the way in patient care quality in the CSRA.

Why work anywhere else?

Healthgrades.com Five-Star Ratings University Hospital

The most Five-Star Ratings earned by any other area hospital.

NOW HIRING. Visit www.UniversityHealth.org/jobs to apply.

STUDENT ALERT

BEST UNIFORM PRICES IN TOWN!

D E E T N A GUAR HARTLEY’S UNIFORMS 1010 DRUID PARK AVENUE 706.739.0700 • MON-FRI: 9:30-6, SAT: 9:30-3

JULY 11, 2014

HEALTHCARE REFORM & YOU by Russell T. Head, CBC, CSA

2015 COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST

he Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made a number of significant changes to group health plans since the law was enacted over four years ago. Many of these key reforms became effective in 2014, including health plan design changes, increased wellness program incentives and reinsurance fees. Additional reforms become effective in 2015 for employers sponsoring group health plans. For 2015, the most significant ACA development impacting employers is the shared responsibility penalty for applicable large employers and related reporting requirements. To prepare for 2015, employers should review upcoming requirements and develop a compliance strategy. This is part 1 in a new series for 2015 ACA compliance. Cost-sharing Limits Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, non-grandfathered health plans are subject to limits on cost-sharing for essential health benefits (EHB). As enacted, the ACA included an overall annual limit (or an out-of-pocket maximum) for all health plans and an annual deductible limit for small insured health plans. On April 1, 2014, the ACA’s annual deductible limit was repealed. This repeal is effective as of the date that the ACA was enacted, back on March 23, 2010. The out-of-pocket maximum, however, continues to apply to all nongrandfathered group health plans, including self-insured health plans and insured plans. Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2015, a health plan’s out-ofpocket maximum for EHB may not exceed • $6,600 for self-only coverage; and • $13,200 for family coverage.

Special transition relief for the out-of-pocket maximum was provided for plans that use more than one service provider to administer benefits. This transition relief only applies for the first plan year beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014. It does not apply for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2015. For 2015 plan years, health plans with more than one service provider may divide the out-of-pocket maximum across multiple categories of benefits, rather than reconcile claims across multiple service providers. Thus, health plans and issuers may structure a benefit design using separate out-of-pocket maximums for EHB, provided that the combined amount does not exceed the annual out-ofpocket maximum limit for that year. For example, a health plan’s self-only coverage may have an out-of-pocket maximum of $5,000 for major medical coverage and $1,600 for pharmaceutical coverage, for a combined out-of-pocket maximum of $6,600. + For further explanation of the ACA/PPACA provisions outlined in this article, please refer to the following resources: www.hhs.gov www.irs.gov www.healthcare.gov www.cms.gov Russell T. Head is a Partner and Chief Visionary Architect with Group & Benefits Consultants, Inc., Augusta’s largest, privately held, locally owned employee Russell Head benefits consulting firm. He can be reached at 706-7333459 or rthead@gandbc.com. Visit Group & Benefits Consultants at www.groupandbenefits.com.

VISIT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BLOG DAILY • www.AugustaRx.com/news •

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

SEE PAGE SIX

What’s your story?

Nearly all of us — even doctors and nurses — are sometimes patients. Perhaps you were recently injured playing your favorite sport, or years ago you somehow got hurt without even leaving your favorite recliner. Maybe you were diagnosed with a dreaded disease, mugged in a dark and lonely parking lot, or you stubbed your toe in the safety of your own bedroom. On the other hand, perhaps you needed medical attention 5,000 miles from home. Whatever your medical experience, we’d like to hear your story for our Medicine in the First Person feature. It can be frightening or funny, ordinary or extraordinary, just a few paragraphs long or quite a lengthy tale, bylined or anonymous. We’ll publish your encounters with the medical profession as often as we receive them. +

Everything you need.

AUGUSTA

One family of providers.

Send your submissions for Medicine in the First Person to the Augusta Medical Examiner via e-mail: info@AugustaRx.com or to PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397. (The Medical Examiner reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission at its sole discretion.)

MEDICAL EXAMINER

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

www.AugustaRx.com

• • • • • • • •

2541 Milledgeville Road, Augusta, GA • (706) 738-2581

The Medical Examiner’s mission: to provide information on topics of health and wellness of interest to general readers, to offer information to assist readers in wisely choosing their healthcare providers, and to serve as a central source of news within every part of the Augusta medical community.

Services oﬀered in the Augusta area:

Submit editorial content to graphicadv@knology.net Direct editorial and advertising inquiries to:

Short-Term Rehabilitation • Physical Therapy Long-Term Care • Occupational Therapy Inpatient Rehabilitation • Speech Therapy IV Therapy • Private, Semi-Private Wound Care Rooms Pain Management • Trach Care Provided 24 Hour Nursing Services • VA Contract Facility Oxygen Therapy pruitthealth.com

Daniel R. Pearson, Publisher & Editor E-mail: Dan@AugustaRx.com Augusta Medical Examiner photography: H + D Photography www.handdphoto.com AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER P.O. Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903-0397

(706) 860-5455 www.AugustaRx.com • E-mail: graphicadv@knology.net Opinions expressed by the writers herein are their own and their respective institutions. Neither the Augusta Medical Examiner, Pearson Graphic 365 Inc., or its agents or employees take any responsibility for the accuracy of submitted information, which is presented for informational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. © 2014 PEARSON GRAPHIC 365 INC.

Cool down with

HOT SUMMER SAVINGS! INTERNATIONAL UNIFORM

★★★★★

SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! ★★★★★

25% OFF

1216 BROAD ST • 706-722-4653 HOURS: MON - FRI 9 - 6, SAT. 10 - 4.

WWW.IUISCRUBS.COM HOME OF THE WORLD FAMOUS $19.95 SCRUB SET

ANY ONE REGULARLY PRICED ITEM Must present this ad. Expires 8-06-14. May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Not valid with $19.95 scrub set or on sale or clearance merchandise or prior purchases. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

FACEBOOK.COM/INTERNATIONALUNIFORM

The Short White Coat “We need never be ashamed of our tears.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations “Those who do not weep, do not see.” – Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

hy do we cry? Is h that a weird thing to th ask? But I am serious as how many times –h has it happened, ha when suddenly our wh emotions become so strong that tears just well up and flow down our cheeks in streams of salty, sticky streaks? Maybe it’s during the railroad scene at the beginning of Fried Green Tomatoes, or in the hospital room of a loved one. Sometimes I cry when I am feeling tired and worried about upcoming exams. I will come home from tests feeling completely distraught. All the questions I answered run endlessly through my head and I break down and just cry. Sometimes it’s “the ugly cry” too. My face and eyes get red and a strange, wailing squeak is the only audible sound I can muster. My pillow gets all wrinkled and wet as I curl up into a ball on my bed. It’s as if all of my emotions are exploding out of my body, gushing from my eyes, uncontrolled and furious, like a water dam breaking down under pressure.

And guess what? It turns out that, physiologically, that is exactly what is actually happening! I Googled this question the other day: “Why do we cry?” I wanted to know. Because once the onslaught of tears and emotional havoc being wrought upon my inner Caroline had stopped and peace takes its place, I feel better. MUCH BETTER. The waters from the dam settle down and a placid lake is left in its wake. My mind is clearheaded, and catastrophe no longer threatens me. I realize then that maybe the test went better than I thought. After I narrowed the multiplechoice options down to two, maybe I picked the right one. And despite the sticky, snotty feeling on my face, I feel like smiling again. My Google search yielded an assortment of interesting reads. It turns out that other people have been just as curious as me about the reason behind crying and have actually done studies on it. These researchers analyzed tears that were cried during periods of intense emotional experiences (i.e.

A med student’s notebook weeping tears) versus those “cried” when onions were chopped (i.e. not weeping tears). The two types of tears are vastly different! Like koolaid versus tap water. High levels of stress hormones, including cortisol, were found in stress tears but not so much in the onion tears. In fact, the onion tears were mostly just a protective response against the caustic fumes emitted from onions that irritate the eyes. But the stress tears contain a substantial amount of stress hormones. This makes sense, does it not? When we are really sad or anxious or angry, our stress levels rise, as do our levels of stress hormones. It’s a vicious cycle. We feel worse and worse, until people like me break down and just bawl. And the stress hormones leak out in our tears! It is as if the tears themselves were products of pressure valves being released. Other substances, like

manganese (which in high levels can worsen feelings of anxiety or depression) are also found in stress tears. Some studies even suggest that crying could stimulate the release of “feel-good” hormones like endorphins (which are produced during exercise as well) as natural pain medicine! So crying is actually good for us. Crying is healthy. Crying is therapeutic. It is our body’s natural coping mechanism for stress and emotional upset. It helps us reset our balance when our hormones get out of whack. And honestly, at least for me, it is a time when literally nothing else can be done. So crying is automatically “me” time. Emotions are important and at some point must be acknowledged. And some of the studies I read actually concluded that, overall, people who allowed themselves to cry actually coped much better with stress or hardship in their lives. They acknowledge their emotions and allow their bodies to actually respond and address the issues at hand. When someone feels the urge to cry but actively represses it, their ability to handle stress diminishes over time. Consequently, alternate methods of coping may develop that may in the end be less productive or less satisfying. And I do understand that some people are just not criers – there are indeed stoics among us. I also realize that many

situations require stoicism. Doctors must be strong and composed in front of patients so that the patients may feel safe and secure in the hands of their medical care providers. But that does not mean that postponing a good cry until a more private, more appropriate setting can be found is a bad thing. I may feel sad or exhausted during my test, but I can delay my cry until afterwards when I am home and have no audience. Composure can then be regained, and a renewed Caroline may venture again out into the world. It really does help, and I will not be ashamed of it. I believe it actually helps me to readjust my perspective and improve my ability to handle life’s ups and downs. If I must constantly stifle my emotions, then I become more preoccupied with the emotions themselves than any tasks at hand. I found all of this to be quite interesting, and felt I should share my Google learnings and introspective journey. For all the criers out there, let your tears flow! And for all you stoics, armed with this knowledge perhaps you can feel justified in shedding a few tears here and there (and no one will ever even have to know). + by Caroline Colden 3rd-year medical student at MCG

Advertise in the +

I WONDER IF I CAN TAKE UP TO 24 MONTHS TO PAY?*

MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Reach Augusta’s multi-billion dollar medical community — and thousand of patients — twice each month.

*YES YOU CAN! (with apologies to the Weinbergers)

To take 24 months to pay, simply advertise for 24 months! Shorter and longer terms available!

For info, call 706.860.5455 or visit AugustaRx.com

VISIT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BLOG — WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM/NEWS — THIS WEEK AND EVERY WEEK, THERE’S SOMETHING NEW & INTERESTING EVERY DAY

JULY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

“CHURCH CHAT”

I LOVE MONDAY

PSA OF THE WEEK

THE HUMP DAY HIATUS

MUSIC THERAPY

THE ONLINE ISSUE DROPS ETC.

PET THERAPY

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT FATHER’S DAY REMEMBERED

AUGUSTA

ather’s Day has come and gone for 2014, but it comes around every year and means different things to different people. Different strokes for different folks. (Everyday People; Sly & the Family Stone, 1968) My Father’s Day was special. We picnicked at the lake with our granddaughter. Fried chicken, potato salad, sliced tomatoes, pineapple chunks, Spicy Doritos, oatmeal cookies, and assorted appropriate beverages. (That means no alcohol in the presence of a 12-year-old, not that I drink: I don’t. It’s a father thing.) We put on globs of sunscreen and played games. Threw Frisbees. Tossed footballs. Watched minnows. Counted sail boats. I helped out by taking a nap on an unused picnic table. I asked my granddaughter if I snored. She said, “No.” And giggled. What more does a grandfather need to assure himself that he is loved? That is good medicine for a grandfather.

In idle time, I thought about Father’s Days gone by and things I have heard said. My father once said, “It gets to where a year goes by every 3 or 4 months now.” I did not understand that back then because I was only about 8, and a year seemed to last forever to me. What is the longest year in boy’s life? His 15th year ... the painfully long year he has to wait to get his driver’s license so he can get the family car to cruise and impress his heartthrob while his immature hormones rage. I remember my 16th birthday and getting my driver license and getting the use of our old blue ‘53 Ford pickup. It had a bent fender and a half tank of gas and I nearly washed the paint off it in preparation for my Sunday afternoon drive. (I was home before dark to take care of the hogs and chickens and cows. It was my responsibility.) That old ‘53 Ford didn’t score many panty points for me, which mattered not because I had no idea what that meant at FREE T AKE-H OME C OPY!

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

This newspaper is delivered to more than

t s e B the time. But my first day of freedom seemed like I was at the command of a Cadillac Coupe Deville. I was a boy headed toward manhood and later fatherhood not knowing what either meant. A decade later my OB-GYN professor observed, “It is nice when a child looks like the father. Everybody knows who the mother is, and at that crucial time when she has sweated thought her makeup and her bottom feels like it is on fire or has suffered some other cruel act of nature, she does not need her integrity questioned.” Nowadays, they have a cooler way of saying it: “Momma’s baby. Daddy’s, maybe.” Genetics makes most men turn out resembling their father. It behooves most women, when they start dating hubby-to-be at sweet 16, to not think about what their boyfriend’s father looks like. None of them

500 M.E. + I

would ever get married if they thought 40 years later they would wake up every morning with someone who looked like that old troll of a father-in-law. The same can be said, I guess, for a potential wife and her mother, but thank the good Lord, women weather much, much better than men. A tired and impatient wife once said, “Fathers are nice things to have around the house. They’re good for taking out the trash, mowing the grass, and paying bills ... but why do they have to leave the toilet seat up and leave their undies on the floor and watch football all the time?” But all that derisive uncertainty aside, Father’s Day is a wonderful time. But do we actually need a directive from the government to remind us to appreciate fathers and to remind fathers to be fathers?

•

We’re Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper

Clinically proven. Doctor recommended. VISIT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BLOG DAILY • www.AugustaRx.com/news •

Bad Billy Laveau is a retired MD with a pointed sense of humor. Bad Billy speaks and entertains at public and private events for audiences not subject to cardiac seizure secondary to overwhelming laughter and glee BadBilly@knology. net or 706-306-9397

NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY?

•

HOUSE CALL PHYSICIANS YOUR HOME OR HOTEL • 24/7

private practice doctor’s offices and to 14 area hospitals.

THE AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER

e n i c i d ME

We shouldn’t. We need men who are real fathers ... not males who think being ceremonial fathers or sperm donors is an accomplishment. Congress should pass a new law forcing “sperm donor” fathers to spend Father’s Day picking up trash on the side of the road in prison uniforms. I know that sounds harsh, but I don’t apologize for it. That is one of the perks of being a father as long as I have been. I get to say what I think without going to jail. Or being shot by ever-bearing militants. Or being picketed on national TV. I think there is something about that in the Constitution. When I say things like that my granddaughter says, “Poppy, you’re so old fashioned.” Such compliments warm a grandfather’s heart, whether on Father’s Day or not. +

706-294-3691 •

MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

Like this newspaper? The best way to support the Medical Examiner is by supporting our advertisers.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

•

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER M E DIC I N E

I N

T H E

F I R ST

P E R S ON

This is serious F

READ THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BLOG EVERY DAY

AugustaRx.com/news

or anyone who believes that diabetes is not a serious disease, or who has it and doesn’t test regularly or follow doctor’s orders, please read my story. My husband, Terry, was an undiagnosed diabetic. He had all the symptoms but refused to go to a doctor. We own our own business and his excuse was always that he didn’t have time for doctors. He also refused to take better care of himself. Instead of getting medical attention he would self-medicate with over the counter medications. For someone with diabetes, his diet consisted of lots of what diabetics shouldn’t eat

Please learn from our sad story. lots of: processed & refined carbs. Well, around February 1 of this year he started feeling achy and feverish. Thinking he might have the flu, he took some ibuprofen and went to bed. For about a week he was in and out of bed. He drank plenty of fluids, but wouldn’t eat much. On Sunday, February 9, he seemed to feel a little better and even regained a little bit of an appetite. We went to sleep that evening and when

I awoke the next morning he was almost completely unresponsive. I called 9-1-1 and he was rushed to the ER by ambulance. Upon examination, the doctors determined that he had a severe infection which had caused him to develop sepsis. But that’s not even half the story. Terry had developed a sore on his foot. To this day I don’t know how long he had it before I became aware of it. Since he refused to go to the doctor, we treated it at home and it appeared to be getting better. Unbeknownst to us, this infection was serious and it was spreading inside.

On February 10, 2014, my husband, best friend and coworker passed away. My life will never be the same. It hurts especially to know that, although diabetes is a progressive disease, it is manageable when treated — and when patients cooperate. It’s tragic to die needlessly from what could have been and should have been an insignificant little sore on his foot. So, for those who believe that diabetes is not serious, please learn from our experience. Learn the symptoms and risks. If you are at risk, please get tested regularly. And if you are diagnosed, use your monitor. Test regularly, several times daily. That’s what it’s for. There are people who love you and depend on you. You can live with this disease. But not if you ignore it. + — by Donna Johnikin

WE’RE BEGGING YOU We’re never too proud to beg. What we’re begging for is Medicine in the First Person stories. With your help, we’d like to make this a feature in every issue of the Medical Examiner. After all, everybody has a story of something health- or medicine-related, and lots of people have many stories. Send your interesting (or even semi-interesting) stories to the Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta, GA 30903 or e-mail to Dan@AugustaRx.com. Thanks!

“The cause was a mystery for a long time.” “And that’s when I fell.” nearest hospital “He doesn’t remember a thing.” “The was 30 miles away.” “I was a battlefield medic.” “He was just two when he died.”

“OUCH!”

“It was a terrible tragedy.” “She saved “I sure learned my lesson.” “I retired from medicine my life.” “It seemed like a miracle.” seven years ago.” “We had triplets.” “It was my first year “I thought, ‘Well, this is it’.” NOTHING SEEMED of medical school.” “They took me to the hospital by helicopter.” TO HELP, UNTIL. . “It took 48 stitches.”

ambulance crashed.” “Now THAT hurt!” “The “My leg was broken “I’m not supposed to be alive.”

“This was on my third day in Afghanistan.” in three places.” “I lost 23 pounds.” “Turned out it was just indigestion.” “At first I thought it was something I ate.” “The smoke detector woke me up.”

Everybody has a story. Tell us yours. Here’s our “No Rules Rules.” We’ll publish your name and city, or keep you anonymous. Your choice. Length? Up to you. Subject? It can be a monumental medical event or just a stubbed toe. It can make us laugh or make us cry. One thing we’re not interested in, however: please, no tirades against a certain doctor or hospital. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

“

Don’t go on discussing what a good person should be. Just be one. — Marcus Aurelius

“

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Looking for Likes in all the right places.

ULT

R AS

O UN

Southern Girl Eats Clean

Greek Tuna Salad - A Mediterranean Twist on a Classic

Tuna Salad is a favorite lunchtime meal. It is especially delicious in the summer months when we look for quick meals to accommodate our busy schedules. Here in the south, tuna salad is almost always made with celery, onion.... sometimes sweet pickles and some “wild” southern women might even add a chopped boiled egg, but no matter how you make tuna salad.....Duke’s mayonnaise is must here in the South. This tuna salad is a healthier alternative to the classic lunchtime favorite. No matter whether you serve it on a bed of greens or on toasted sprouted grain bread.... It is amazing. This recipe has a Mediterranean twist. The Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and capers give this salad a punched up amount of flavor. It is not only flavorful..... it’s healthy and nutritious due to the wild caught albacore tuna and Cannellini beans. The dressing is light and lemony and a perfect compliment for the tuna. The tuna that I use for this recipe is Wild Planet brand tuna. Wild Plant albacore tuna is sustainably caught using only tuna sourced from “Pole and Troll” catch fisheries, which is the best method for sustainability. This canned tuna has more than the typical amount of Omega 3’s due to the method in which they pack the tuna. Wild Planet cooks their tuna only once and packs it in it’s own juices rather than water or oil. I love this tuna, as well as their wild caught sockeye salmon. You can find this brand of tuna at most natural food markets, but they also have it at Costco for a great price. This tuna salad is such a delicious, nutritious, flavorful and unique recipe that I’m certain your family and friends will enjoy. Give it a try and bring a little Mediterranean to your lunchtime meal. What you’ll need: • 2 - 5 oz. cans of Wild Planet tuna • 1- 15 oz. can of Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used Eden Organic brand) • 1/3 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped • 1/3 cup of celery, finely chopped • 1/3 cup of red onion, finely chopped • 1/3 cup of high quality feta cheese crumbles • 1-2 Tbsp. of capers, drained • Sea Salt or Real Salt Brand salt and cracked black pepper The dressing: • Juice of 1 lemon • 1 Tbsp. of lemon-infused balsamic vinegar (alternately you may use white balsamic vinegar with 1 tsp. of lemon

zest) • 1 Tbsp. of Dijon Mustard • 3 Tbsp. of olive oil • 1 Tbsp. of fresh oregano, finely chopped Directions: Remove the tuna from the cans and place into a large mixing bowl. Break tuna apart and add the drained Cannellini beans. Finely chop the celery and onion and add to the bowl. Coarsely chop the Kalamata olives and place into the bowl as well. Add the drained capers and feta cheese crumbles to the bowl and stir to mix all ingredients well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

ROLLED SANDWICHES • SOUPS • SALADS

Whenever they yell

“ROLL CALL!” at Ft. Gordon,

they’re getting ready to place an order with us. 3626 Walton Way Extension (Walton’s Corner) Phone: 706.736.1099 Fax: 706.736.4401 Please Like us at facebook.com/AugustaRx

OrderRolyPoly.com

For the dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon white balsamic, (Or plain white balsamic and lemon zest) Juice of 1 lemon and fresh chopped oregano. Pour the dressing over the tuna mixture and stir to coat all ingredients with the dressing. Serve immediately on a bed of arugula, mixed spring greens or toasted sprouted grain bread. + Alisa Rhinehart writes the blog www. southerngirleatsclean. com She is a working wife and mother living in Evans, Georgia. Visit her blog for more recipes and information on clean eating.

Need help selling or finding a home STAT?

Call the Real Estate Nurse today! Special listing rate for all medical staff • Market your home to other medical professionals

Call Julie Weldon, RN Realtor® Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners Search home listings at

theRealEstateNurse.com OFFICE: 706-868-3772 • MOBILE: 706-339-1058 Email:homesaugusta@gmail.com

Overhead Door Company of Augusta-Aiken 706-736-8478 803-642-7269

OUR SUMMER SCHEDULE: JULY

AUGUST

FRIDAY

We’ll return to our usual 1st and 3rd Fridays in September.

P harmacy 411

OUR NEWSSTANDS Medical locations: • Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr, 15th St., Main Entrance • Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Uptown Div., Wrightsboro Rd., main lobby • Doctors Hospital, 3651 Wheeler Rd, ER Lobby Entrance • Eisenhower Hospital, Main Lobby, Fort Gordon • George C. Wilson Drive (by medical center Waffle House and mail boxes) • GHSU Hospital, 1120 15th Street, South & West Entrances • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Medical Office Building, Harper Street, Parking Deck entrance • GHSU Hospital, Emergency Room, Harper Street, Main Entrance • GHSU Children’s Medical Center, Harper Street, Main Lobby • GHSU, Laney-Walker Boulevard transit stop, Augusta • Select Specialty Hospital, Walton Way, Main entrance lobby • Trinity Hospital, Wrightsboro Road, main lobby by elevators • Trinity Hospital Home Health, Daniel Village, main lobby • University Health Federal Credit Union/ University Hospital Human Resources, 1402 Walton Way, Main Lobby • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Emergency Room lobby area • University Hospital, 1350 Walton Way, Outside Brown & Radiology/Day Surgery • University Hospital - Columbia County, 465 N. Belair Road, Main Lobby • University Hospital Prompt Care, 3121 Peach Orchard Road, Augusta

Around town: • Barney’s Pharmacy, 2604 Peach Orchard Rd. • Birth Control Source, 1944 Walton Way • GRU Summerville Student Bookstore • Blue Sky Kitchen, 990 Broad Street • Columbia County Library, main branch lobby, Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans • Enterprise Mill (North Tower), 1450 Greene Street, Augusta • Daniel Village Barber Shop, Wrightsboro Road at Ohio Ave. • Hartley’s Uniforms, 1010 Druid Park Ave, Augusta • International Uniforms, 1216 Broad Street, Augusta • Marshall Family Y, Belair Rd, Evans • Mellow Mushroom, 12th and Broad Streets, Augusta • Parks Pharmacy, Georgia Avenue, North Augusta • Southside Family Y, Tobacco Road, Augusta • Surrey Center, Surrey Center Pharmacy, Highland Avenue, Augusta • Top-Notch Car Wash, 512 N. Belair Road, Evans • Wild Wing Cafe, 3035 Washington Road, Augusta

Plus... 500+ doctors offices throughout the area for staff and waiting rooms, as well as many nurses stations and waiting rooms of area hospitals.

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Very little if anything about healthcare is inexpensive, and that includes medicine. Tiny pills can command large prices. Over-the-counter medications may be less expensive, but are they also less effective? Find the answers to lots of your drug store questions in this column written by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson exclusively for the Medical Examiner.

HOME BLOOD SUGAR MONITORS: WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR ME?

here are a multitude of monitors available to keep meters, so you load the drum and you have six finger tabs on your blood sugar, and each one may sticks ready to go. Go online and investigate the be a little different in the readings you get. different statistical calculations available on testing So which one is most accurate or is the best for machines and the different features that are you? The answer is a complicated process to currently available. Keep in mind that if you FOR MORE INFO navigate through. Sometimes it all comes down choose a brand that is not on your insurance to money, so a prime factor might be your company’s formulary you may be paying out of insurance plan: it may cover only certain brands pocket. That can be expensive. of meters. Beyond that you must look for ease Before closing this article I want to touch on a of operation and features that are included with topic that may seem perplexing. That is the the specific meter you are considering. Meters these differences between various brands of blood days can do anything from testing and storing a basic glucose monitors. I have tested them in the pharmacy blood sugar reading to downloading it into your phone through by using a single blood sample and using two different an app. You can mark it as fasting or mark its relation to food blood sugar monitors to get what should be comparable you’ve recently eatn. Some meters can store up to 20,000 results. That is not always the case. I have seen fifteen point readings, although the average is 500+. There are many brand differences between two otherwise reputable meters. A possible name meters as well as many store brands that all function with explanation might be outside factors such as over-the-counter good accuracy. medicines present in the blood sample. The best solution is to Let’s look at some of the many differences in meters that may try a meter and, assuming your readings look similar to what make a difference to you. For people on the go, a small meter your doctor is reporting at office visits, go with that one. Use might be best. The One Touch UltraMini is a pocket-sized meter the same meter for all your readings. Do not switch back and with a compact profile. It offers the normal range of features forth and use one meter here and another meter at there. This and is an accurate meter. The Ultra strip is known for running can lead to false readings and therefore unnecessary changes to the test twice to prevent false readings. A techie may your therapy. want a meter that will use wireless technology I hope this information is helpful. But remember to sync with your phone and send blood sugar one very important thing: the best and most information to your provider. A brittle diabetic may accurate monitor in the world is of no value if you want an ultrafast monitor that can test blood sugar don’t use it, and use it regularly. + in just a few seconds. Most monitors these days can test in five to ten seconds. If you think an extra Questions about this article or suggestions for future second is critical, Google the new 3-second meter by columns can be sent to us at cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net EntraHealth. Some of you may not want to fool with a new strip Written for the Medical Examiner by Augusta pharmacists Chris and Lee Davidson every test. We all know you can’t reuse test strips, so (cjdlpdrph@bellsouth.net ) what is the solution? A disc with ten test strips that you insert and you are good for ten tests is available to make your life easier. The same can be said for lancets to stick your finger. They make drums of six lancets with certain

SEE PAGE SIX

Medicine in the First Person

Hot enough for you? If not, we carry a nice selection of thermal wraps.

ARKS

HARMACY

Hometown. Not big box.

437 Georgia Avenue, North Augusta, SC

803-279-7450 parkspharmacy.com

William E. Durrett, Jr., M.D. Pain Management, Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine www.aikenpain.com / email: thepaincenter@aikenneuro.com

P / 803.642.6500 F / 803.649.7551 410 University Parkway, Suite 2360 Aiken, SC 29801

440 Society Hill Drive Suite 201 Aiken, SC 29803

Boardwalk to Bark Place Kennnel & Daycare welcoming dogs 40 lbs and under 5873 Huntington Drive Grovetown, Georgia (706) 840-3141 (706) 556-8127 www.boardwalktobarkplace.com

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

Ask a Dietitian

10% OFF WITH THIS AD NOW THRU JULY 31 DOWNTOWN AIKEN 125 LAURENS STREET or LA PAVILION 110 PLEASANT HOME RD

Q: Dear Dietitian- I am a lover of ice cream! I know it is fattening but it is hard to resist on these hot summer days. How can I have my favorite dessert and not feel guilty? Signed: screaming for ice cream!

You must have seen the notice that July is National Ice Cream Month! Eating ice cream in moderation should not make you feel guilty. Any food that you enjoy can usually be consumed in modest portions unless you have been instructed by your physician to be on a very restrictive diet. There are many frozen treats that might be a better fit for you if you are trying to adhere to a specific dietary restriction. The table below may help you compare facts about ice cream and other icy sweet treats to consider in satisfying that craving on a hot summer eve. The numbers below are from wellknown brands available in local grocery stores and are not being endorsed based on taste, price or other factors. You should always read the nutrition label if you have any dietary concerns. Product

Portion size

Calories

Grams of fat

Grams of sugar

Nutrition comments

Ice cream

1⁄2 cup **

140 kcal

7 grams

14 grams *

Fat- free Ice cream

1⁄2 cup

93 kcal

1 gram

14 grams

Nuts, chocolate, caramel etc will increase the calories low fat ice cream and no added sugar ice cream and lactose-free also available

Frozen yogurt Sherbet Italian ice

1⁄2 cup 1⁄2 cup 6 oz. single serve

117 kcal 107 kcal 100 kcal

4 grams 1.5 grams 0 grams

17 grams 18 grams 20 grams

Sorbet

1⁄2 cup

100 kcal

0 grams

19 grams

Frozen fruit bar

3 ounce bar

70 kcal

0 grams

15 grams

(Next to the Antique Market)

A Little or a Lot... Comfort Keepers® In-Home or Transitional Care Services can meet your clients needs. Call to see how Comfort Keepers® can help your clients’ transition to home or live independently. Companionship • Private Duty Nursing Personal Care • Home Safety Solultions tions Serving the CSRA since 2002, Covering Columbia, Richmond, Aiken and Edgefield Counties.

(803) 279-7100

Lowest in sodium, but higher in sugar; lactose free Made with real fruit puree; lactose free Low sodium and fat free

* every 4 grams of sugar is equivalent to approximately 1 teaspoon, so if you ate 1 cup of this product then you would also be eating 9 teaspoons of sugar (based on vanilla ice cream) ** most serving sizes on the package will be in grams and will equal about one half cup. Most consumers will eat about a one cup serving or more if we are serving ourselves, so you should probably double the figures listed above when trying to select your favorite frozen dessert.

ComfortKeepers.com

Daniel Village Barber Shop 2522 Wrightsboro Road

736-7230

TUE - FRI: 9:00 - 6:00; SATURDAY: 9:00 - 3:00

Written by Jeanne Lee, MS, RD, LD- Program coordinator for the Augusta Area Dietetic Internship and registered dietitian with Morrison Health Care at University Hospital.

DANIEL VILLAGE BARBER SHOP

Medical Complex

76 Circle K former Smile Gas

Highland Ave.

we can all agree that a frozen sweet treat is an enjoyable indulgence on a hot summer day. However, unless you plan to swim laps or take a long bike ride later, burning off between 500-600 calories per hour, remember this quote: “a moment on the lips, forever on the hips!” As a registered dietitian, I would not recommend a hot fudge sundae (which will easily contribute over 500 calories) as a smart choice for dessert. Instead, I would recommend that you buy a pint of your favorite frozen treat. When your heart is screaming for ice cream, carve out one scoop and top it with a large portion of fresh peaches or fresh berries. Or add a low-fat frozen whipped topping and a cherry. Another alternative is to freeze some grapes, berries or melon balls and enjoy a frozen treat rich in fiber and other nutrients without added sugar or fat. Either of these sweets will certainly make your tummy and your brain happy! +

Wrightsboro Road

Daniel Field

Augusta Mall

We’re on Wrightsboro Rd. at Ohio Avenue. t ha n Less

a million people can’t be wron g.

Advertise here Call 706.860.5455

s of companies who already support us ! the ten Join

Putting the focus on fruit while going light on the frozen dessert cuts way down on calories without sacrificing any cool refreshment.

Over the years we have bought many promotional advertising items to give to our loyal customers. Why? This true story will explain. Several years ago we received an order of combs imprinted with “Daniel Village Barber Shop.” On that very day one of our regulars, a bald gentleman with just a fringe of silver hair remaining, came in for a haircut. We gave him a comb too. He took it gratefully and said, “Thank you. I will never part with it.” Ohio Ave.

To answer your question now that we’re armed with the information above, if you have a tendency to dish up a large portion (more than a cup) then one suggestion I have is not to purchase a half gallon tub where your ice cream scoop may get greedy. Instead, treat yourself by going to the local ice cream shop and ask for one scoop of your favorite flavor. This way your craving is satisfied and you aren’t tempted to eat more. Keep in mind that the ingredients added to ice cream will change not only the taste but the nutrition content. Just one cup of premium peanut butter chocolate ice cream has more than 600 calories! Does it matter if you get it in a cone or cup? That small wafer-thin cone is only about 25 calories so if you prefer that, go ahead. But a waffle cone adds 160 calories! Have you ever wondered who invented the ice cream cone? Legend says it was introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair when an ice cream vendor ran out of paper cups and a nearby waffle vendor offered to help out by rolling his waffles into a cone shape to hold the sweet treat. As a result of that kind gesture, ice cream cones have been popular for the past 100 years. If you are interested in trivia and the history of ice cream there are lots of clever web sites devoted to its lore. Did you know that over her lifetime one dairy cow produces enough milk to make 9,000 gallons of ice cream? I found it interesting that Thomas Jefferson was served a version of fried ice cream, a frozen ball of ice cream surrounded by a baked pastry. There are a variety of speculations offering explanations of ice cream’s origin, but

+ 10

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

EIGHT is no t enough

Eight is a big number in these parts this week: the Medical Examiner was launched on July 1, 2006, so this issue marks issue number 193 as well as the beginning of our 8th year. Thank you to every single reader and advertiser who has made this newspaper possible, and thanks also to the hundreds of places that have allowed us to place newsstands and individual copies at their establishments during the past eight years. But eight isn’t the only big number on our mind this week. There are others. This one for example:

THREE

Can you believe it? Three? That’s the approximate number of weeks until the first day of school in Columbia County (on August 6). The first day of school in Richmond County is in one month: Aug. 11. Aiken County, showing just a little more sanity, begins classes on August 18. +

JULY 11, 2014

Drug addiction: at any age An elderly man has a minor surgery. A year later he’s doctorshopping for pain medication. This type of drug abuse is on the rise and more is being done to prevent it, but many slip through the cracks, particularly senior citizens who may see several physicians. Seniors who abuse drugs often don’t admit to their addiction. Since they don’t share the behaviors of younger addicts and they have a prescription, they feel like it’s ok. Abuse and misuse of any controlled substance – legally obtained or not — can result in addiction. Your 70-year-old mother may have just as big a drug problem as your 17 year old son. Addiction is very democratic. Don’t think because your kid is raised in a “good home,” or because you’re financially comfortable, or your retired husband is a church deacon thst it can’t happen to them. Once drug use becomes a habit, medical intervention is required. Drug use is a living hell, not only for the user but for the whole family. Attempting to convince the

user to stop is futile. They have to save themselves. Trying to rescue them will wear you out, ruin your health, and empty your wallet. It’s devastating to go through first hand and just as heartbreaking to watch. Observing a loved one go through this experience won’t make you an expert. What you may get good at is being able to discern the difference between drunk or high, and which substance is being abused. It’s a sad skill set to acquire, but necessary for a parent, spouse, adult child or caregiver to have in order to survive the daily drama that surrounds the addict. Obvious signs of drug use: empty/hidden pill bottles, cough syrup or liquor bottles, very small re-closeable baggies, bent spoons, broken belts, powder residue on counters, packaging from slender cigars, disposable lighters and syringes. Be on the lookout for missing money or valuables, sleeping all day, lack of hygiene, filthy and rotting teeth, bad complexion, staying out all night, mood swings, out of

control anger, new or shady friends, being secretive, weight loss, too much junk food (candy), pulling away from previously enjoyed activities, work, family and friends. Any dramatic behavior change should be noted with suspicion. Even if the addict refuses help, get some for yourself. The Augusta area has many support groups. There is a 24/7 hotline at: 800-654-0987. If you want to set up an intervention, that number is: 800-559-9503. If a rehab facility is the best fit and your loved one is on Medicare/Medicaid, check with a Medicare counselor to find out what is covered and for how long. If you have private insurance, it typically covers 50%. Be sure to ask what that includes and be prepared to hear all that it doesn’t. A year-long or even 6-month residential stay at a facility will cost you thousands out-of-pocket even with good insurance. Is it worth it? You bet. + Trisha Whisenhunt Senior Citizens Council

AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 8TH ANNIVERSARY

Looking back through the years with a few photos from the Medical Examiner scrapbook

In the Medical Examiner’s early years, we employed cheerleaders to create interest in the publication and get readers excited about its message to live a healthy life (1933, above; 1954, below).

In this 1927 photograph, a stylish flapper in downtown Augusta stops traffic to read the latest issue of the Medical Examiner.

JULY 11, 2014

11 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

From the Bookshelf The blog spot – Posted June 16, 2014 by Pamela Wible MD at idealmedicalcare.org

WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE YOUR DOCTOR Doctors spend their 20s and 30s studying while most of their friends are at parties and enjoying their youth. Doctors may amass up to $500,000 in debt for the honor of one day caring for you and your family. Doctors delay childbearing and starting their own families so they can care for your family. Doctors miss their own kids’ ballet recitals and baseball games so they can care for your kids and family.

The life you save...

Doctors get out of bed and leave their husbands and wives in the middle of the night to care for your sick husband or wife. Doctors—while “off-duty” and “on vacation”–may save your life on an airplane, in a swimming pool, shopping mall, or car accident. Doctor suffer with you. They carry your pain home with them. Doctors may be hazed, bullied, and abused by professors, patients, employers, insurance companies, politicians, and the media, but they keep caring for you and your family. Doctors are commonly sleep deprived and exhausted. They skip meals and bathroom breaks so they can keep caring for all the people like you and your family who need them. Doctoring is not a 9 to 5 job. Your doctor may still be thinking about you and your illness while trying to fall asleep at night. Doctors have PTSD from decades of witnessing trauma.

Unlike most of the books we have reviewed lately, this is one that is still untouched on the shelf in the vast Medical Examiner research library. But it looks fascinating. It explores the seamy and sordid beginnings of the practice of transfusing blood, a practice that is frowned upon in some medical circles and, famously, among Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you have seen the documentary film Primum Non Nocere, you know about the modern day medical objections to transfused blood. This book, however, begins more than 300 years before Primum. The review that follows is from the publisher. “A fast-paced and fascinating ride through a dark and devious period in science, Blood Work is a witty, insightful, and skillfully written book that sheds light on the mysterious story of blood transfusion.” --Wendy Moore, author of The Knife Man On a cold day in 1667, a renegade physician named Jean Denis transfused calf’s blood into one of Paris’s most notorious madmen. In doing

so, Denis angered not only the elite scientists who had hoped to perform the first animal-to-human transfusions themselves, but also a host of powerful conservatives who believed that the doctor was toying with forces of nature that he did not understand. Just days after the experiment, the madman was dead, and Denis was framed for murder. A riveting account of the first blood transfusion experiments in 17th-century Paris and London, Blood Work gives us a vivid glimpse of a particularly fraught period in history--a time of fire and plague, empire building and international distrust, when

monsters were believed to inhabit the seas and the boundary between science and superstition was still in flux. Amid this atmosphere of uncertainty, transfusionists like Denis became embroiled in the hottest cultural debates and fiercest political rivalries of their day. As historian and Vanderbilt University associate professor Holly Tucker reveals, transfusion’s detractors would stop at nothing--not even murdering Denis’s patient--to outlaw a practice that might jeopardize human souls, pave the way for monstrous hybrid creatures, or even provoke divine retribution. Taking us from the highest ranks of society to the lowest, from dissection rooms in palaces to the filth-clogged streets of Paris, Blood Work sheds light on an era that wrestled with the same questions about morality and experimentation that haunt medical science to this day. + Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution, by Holly Tucker, 304 pages, published in 2011 by W.W. Norton & Company.

Research News

Doctors have the highest rate of suicide of any profession. Today, tell your doctor, “I love you.” The life you save may save you. +

AUGUSTA

PAPER OR PLASTIC? +

FREE TAK E-HOME COP

recipe feature PAGE 7

Y! TM

AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006

APRIL 18, 2014

It’s almost swimsuit season!

Who cares?

Swimsuit season... Is that the annual drive to lose weight and firm up so we can look good enough in swimwear to go bake in the sun on a beach or poolside and thereby raise our risk for skin cancer? Uh, can we rethink that? Here are some much better reasons to celebrate “swimsuit season.” • Live longer We might as well start off on a high note: the same kind of stuff that would offer the trivial benefit of looking better in a bikini or — perish the thought, a Speedo — is the same kind of activity that lengthens life. And the good news is that a mere 15 minutes a day can make a big difference. • Lower your diabetes risk. Not that diabetes rates are skyrocketing or anything, but one study found that people who walk just 3,500 steps a day (there are roughly 2,000 steps in a mile) had a lower risk of developing diabetes than the people who walked the least in the study. • Have fewer migraine headaches. Anyone familiar with migraines knows that relief can be hard to come by. But a small 2011 study found that regular exercise worked just as well as medication or relaxation therapy at stopping debilitating migraine headaches before they start.

Spring! INTO SAVINGS

INTERNATIONAL UNIFORM

SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! SAVE!

25% 25% OFF OFF

ANY ONE PAIR REGULARLY PRICED SHOES

ANY ONE REGULARLY PRICED ITEM

Must present this ad. Expires 4-30-14.

May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Not valid with sale or clearance merchandise or prior purchases. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Not valid with $19.95 scrub set or on sale or clearance merchandise or prior purchases. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

• Strengthen your bones Regular, weight-bearing activity has been shown to build up bone strength, which prevents some of the natural decline in bone health often seen as we age. Weight-bearing activity — like walking — does the trick. • Get sick less Thank your walking shoes next time you’re the only one at the office who hasn’t caught that bug going around. Regular exercise seems to boost the immune system. Translation: fewer colds and bouts of the flu. • Decrease your cancer risk Let’s see... look good in a bathing suit or have a lower cancer risk... That is a certifiable no-brainer. The risk for certain types of cancer — colon cancer for one — seems to be significantly affected by regular physical activity. Other studies suggest that teenage and early adulthood exercise may protect against breast cancer down road. • Reduce your risk of stroke According to the National Stroke Association, up to 80 percent of all strokes are preventable. Lowering blood pressure and losing excess pounds help, but just moving more makes a big difference too. In a 2013 study, inactivity was linked with a 20 percent increase in risk of stroke. Experts say a moderate-intensity workout at least five days a week has the most benefit, but any and all exercise is a step in the right direction. • Sleep better A 2013 poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that people who self-identify as regular, vigorous exercisers got better sleep than their sedentary peers. Of the vigorous exercisers, just 17 percent said they got fairly or very bad sleep, while nearly half of the non+ exercisers reported the same. +

1216 BROAD ST • 706-722-4653 HOURS: MON - FRI 9 - 6, SAT. 10 - 4.

WWW.IUISCRUBS.COM

LIKE US FOR A FREE GIFT!

HOME OF THE WORLD FAMOUS $19.95 SCRUB SET

If you prefer paper, we’re all over town. If you like our digital version, it’s always available on your favorite device at the Medical Examiner blog (www.AugustaRx. com/news) or online at www.issuu.com/medicalexaminer. You can easily view back issues, too. +

It’s nap time If you’re one of those people who hits the wall at some point in mid-afternoon, a nap might be just the ticket to give you a boost of energy and alertness to finish the day in high gear. But there are so many questions: • How long to sleep? • Lie on the floor and risk tripping co-workers, or attempt to nap in your chair? • Ask others to hold down the noise, or let them be? • Turn out the lights, or wear an eye mask? • Brush up your resume now, or wait until you’re fired for sleeping on the job? That last one could be the thorniest question of them all. Not every boss or company is enlightened enough to embrace the overall benefits of napping or, put another way, not working at all for a brief period in order to work better for a longer period. Let’s get back to our list of questions, most of which are

failed attempts at humor. The one vital question is how long to nap —if you can nap, that is. The experts say a 10 to 20 minute “power nap” is the best bet for recharging your mental batteries and increasing energy. You’re also most likely to wake up really refreshed and ready to dive back into it as soon as you wake up with a short nap. Beyond that — at 30 minutes, for instance — most people are likely to experience a period of grogginess. Once that’s past they may feel refreshed, but it will take some time to emerge from the grog. Sleeping for an hour or more can interrupt your sleep that night (and for the record, we’re no longer talking about an on-the-job refresher... this is Saturday or Sunday on the couch stuff), but it can be useful and beneficial if you did not get a good night’s sleep the night before. Naps are definitely good for you, physically and mentally. But they need to be kept in their place, both time-wise and

geographically, and ideally they should be a brief addition to a good night’s sleep, not a bandaid for poor sleep habits. Limits provide benefits A new study released recently in JAMA Pediatrics says that when parents limit their children’s screen time — both computers and television — the benefits are numerous. The study found that children do better in school, sleep more, behave better, and have a lower risk of obesity when their screen time is limited. How much? The study found that children average more than 40 hours of screen time per week, plus whatever time they may be on computers at school. Given that abundance of time, even small percentages of reduction can be significant. Researchers cautioned that parents may not see dramatic or immediate changes in their children, but the time cuts are more powerful than they realize, and should be maintained. +

+ 12

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE EXAMiNERS

THE MYSTERY WORD

by Dan Pearson

I see you’re reading over the patient insert for your new medication. Yes, doctor.

That’s commendable. I wish more people I try to be a were like you. compliant patient.

Are you comfortable To be honest, with my diagnosis it doesn’t sit too of hemorrhoids? well with me.

The Mystery Word for this issue: LUNADROUST

Simply unscramble the letters, then begin exploring our ads. When you find the correctly spelled word hidden in one of our ads — enter at AugustaRx.com

EXAMINER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Letters before GRU 5. Downtown backstreet 10. It comes before a scar 14. Harvest 15. Bloodsucking worm 16. Scandinavian capital 17. Eyeglass holder? 18. Bondage 20. Worthless piece of cloth 21. Sparkle 23. Food related 25. -Invasive 26. At a great distance 27. Defile 31. Grooved or ridged 35. Charlottesville univ. 36. Poison 38. More recent 39. Type of lamp 41. Rechargeable battery, for short 43. Native of Denmark 44. Surgical _____ 46. ________ substitute 48. Bird of Arabian Nights 49. Weirdest 51. _______ loan 53. Apple 54. Large flightless bird 55. Winged horse 59. Eastern US Algonquian tribe 63. Consumed 64. Dr Lois of GRU 66. _____ Squad 67. _____ job 69. Dental prefix 70. French clergyman 71. Masters runner-up to Ballesteros in ‘83, to Nicklaus in ‘86, and to Woods in ‘97 72. Adjust, informally

25 28

30 36

43 47

T S F E M S V H P I I M I T O T F R R I E P O T E E S H U A

52 54

58 64

QUOTATION PUZZLE

Click on “READER CONTESTS”

VISIT WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM

DOWN 1. Hall-of-Famer Maddox 2. Paine bldg. 3. Loose Indian wrap 4. ___-front 5. New city in SC 6. Incline 7. Third book of the Pentateuch 8. Tea type 9. It may be short 10. Therefore 11. Area abbrev. 12. Having wings 13. Enemy aircraft in military slang 18. Somewhat heavy 19. Long 22. NBC show 24. True partner 27. Rhythm 28. Egg-shaped 29. Rod in tennis

— Jean de La Bruyére (1645—1695)

DIRECTIONS: Recreate a timeless nugget of wisdom by using the letters in each vertical column to fill the boxes above them. Once any letter is used, cross it out in the lower half of the puzzle. Letters may be used only once. Black squares indicate spaces between words, and words may extend onto a second line. Solution on page 14.

73. Takes someone to court

T D E F Y C R Y I T S T H O I I R

30. Be 31. Obstacles 32. Conscious of 33. Mortise insert 34. Put up 37. Special hosp. dept. 40. Soul (Latin) 42. Appointment journal 45. Tantalize 47. Cud of a ruminant 50. Carve 52. The “D” of D&B 55. Brick Pond follower 56. Sewing case 57. (Liza) Minnelli’s ex 58. Killed 59. Largest continent 60. Lance beginning at times 61. Mr. Bryant 62. Ancient Roman mid-month days 65. Anger 68. Masculine pronoun 70. While Solution p. 14

5 2

1 8 2 9 6 1 3 6 8 5 1 8 9 7 9 7 4 6 1 2 5 7 5 4 6 3

X A M I N E R

U D O K U

DIRECTIONS: Every line, vertical and horizontal, and all nine 9-square boxes must each contain the numbers 1 though 9. Solution on page 14.

Use the letters provided at bottom to create words to solve the puzzle. All the listed letters following 1 are the 1st letters of each word; the letters following 2 are 2nd letters of each word, and so on. Try solving words with letter clues or numbers with minimal choices listed. A sample is shown. Solution on page 14.

U 1 1 2 3 4 5 S 1 1 2 3 4 5

’ 1 2 3 4 5 H 2 3 1 2

D 1 2 3 4 3

W 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

B 1 2 3

U 2 3

I 1 2 3 4 5 6 I 3 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 . W LT T T T I B I C A B A Y 2 . N N A A R I O I O E H H L 3 . L L U D A N A V U T T E E 4 . T T T E E D S H 5 . N S N S H 6 . T T

SAMPLE:

1. ILB 2. SLO 3. VI 4. NE 5. D =

L 1

O 2

V 3

E 4

I 1

S 2

B 1

L 2

I 3

N 4

D 5

WORDS NUMBER

All Mystery Word finders will be eligible to win by random drawing. We’ll announce the winner in our next issue!

JULY 11, 2014

13 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE BEST MEDICINE ha... ha...

little boy was sitting in the chair at his dentist’s office when the dentist told him that he had a cavity that would have to be filled. “Now, young man,” asked the dentist cheerfully, “what kind of filling would you like for that tooth?” “Chocolate, please,” replied the boy.

A man walked into a doctor’s office and approached the receptionist. “Can I help you?” she asked. He replied, “I’ve got shingles.” She said, “Have a seat, and please fill out this form with your name, address, and insurance number.” Fifteen minutes later, a nurse’s aide came out, took him to the examining room and asked him the reason for his visit. He said, “I got shingles.” So she took down his height, weight, and complete medical history, then said, “Change into this gown.” Half an hour later, the registered nurse came in and asked him what he had. He said, “I got shingles.” She took his blood pressure and temperature and told him the doctor would see him shortly. An hour later, the doctor came in and asked him what he had. He said, “I got shingles, Doc.” The doctor gave him a complete examination

and said, “I’ve checked you thoroughly. I don’t think you have shingles.” The man replied, “They’re outside in my truck. Where do you want them?” A construction worker goes to the doctor and says, “Doc, I’m constipated.” The doctor questions him for a few moments and then says, “I think I can help you. Lean over the table.” When the construction worker does, the doctor whacks him on his behind with a baseball bat — CRACK! — and then sends him into the bathroom. He comes out a few minutes later and says, “Doc, that worked like a charm. What should I do to prevent constipation in the future?” The doctor says, “Stop wiping with cement bags.” A man took his wife to a psychiatrist for an evaluation. After his examination, the doctor took the husband aside and said, “I have bad news. There is nothing I can do to help her. Your wife has lost her mind completely.” “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” the man responded calmly. “After all, she has been giving me a piece of it every day for the last thirty-five years.” A psychiatrist began his first session with a new patient. “I’m not aware of your history,” the doctor said, “so perhaps you should take me all the way back to the start.” “Of course.” replied the patient. “Well, in the beginning I created the Heavens and the Earth...” +

Why subscribe to the Medical Examiner? Because no one should have to make a trip to the doctor or the hospital just to read Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper.

+ +

The Patient’s Perspective by Marcia Ribble

ell, the spring weather was nice while it lasted, but this time of year 90°+ days with afternoon thunderstorms are the norm. For many of us that means an ever-present water bottle to ensure adequate hydration. Freezing half a bottle of water and then adding fresh water to it will keep the water cooler, longer. All water is not created equal, and the cooler water is, the more we will feel refreshed by it. Even the Bible notes that lukewarm water is yucky. So the benefits of cooler water have been known for millennia. Older people who are losing some of their ability to sense hot and cold conditions are particularly at risk in weather extremes whether they are hot or cold. In addition, we often misread our bodies’ signals, and may misinterpret our sense as hunger when we are actually thirsty. This hampers our ability to maintain normal levels of hydration, and dehydration can result. Even young people who are very fit can miss the signals that their bodies need to drink more water. Active people who engage in sports are advised to assume they are need hydration and to drink fluids before they notice that they are thirsty. That same advice also applies to people as we age. When we stay hydrated we even look better, because dehydrated skin tends to form additional wrinkles. In fact, a test for dehydration is to gently pinch a bit of skin on the back of our hands. When we let go, the skin should promptly return to its pre-pinch state. If the skin stays elevated, the wrinkle persists, it is likely that we are dehydrated and need to consume additional liquids. Water is a great replenisher of water in our bodies, but it

Talk is cheap. Not talking can be deadly.

is not the only source. Some people are averse to the taste of water. Cold water tastes better than lukewarm water, but if that won’t work for you, there are now many flavor-added waters on the market. My personal favorites are waters with enhanced real flavors, but no additional sugars or sugar substitutes. For example, the juice from a small wedge of lemon will give a large glass of water a delightful and very refreshing taste. Coffee and tea are the top choices of millions. Ironically, they can worsen dehydration since they tend to activate our kidneys and send us to the bathroom more often, but drinking more will take care of that problem. Many fruits and vegetables are also great sources of additional liquids. A big slice of watermelon, for instance, adds few calories, but lots of excellent water. Celery is another good source of water. So drink plenty of water in this hot weather! Your skin will love it. Your kidneys will stay happy. And your doctor won’t have to hospitalize you for dehydration! That’s a win from all directions! + Marcia Ribble received her PhD in English at Michigan State and retired from the University of Cincinnati. She taught writing at the college level and loves giving voice to people who have been silenced. She is now teaching again at Virginia College in Augusta. She can be reached with comments, suggestions, etc., at marciaribble@hotmail.com.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER By popular demand we’re making at-cost subscriptions available for the convenience of our readers. If you live beyond the Aiken-Augusta area or miss issues between doctor’s appointments — don’t you hate it when that happens? — we’ll command your mail carrier to bring every issue to your house! NAME ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP

Choose ____ six months for $20; or ____ one year for $36. Mail this completed form with payment to Augusta Medical Examiner, PO Box 397, Augusta GA 30903-0397

TO OUR READERS AND OUR ADVERTISERS

+ 14

JULY 11, 2014

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

THE MYSTERY SOLVED The Mystery Word in our last issue was: SUNSCREEN

EXAMINER CLASSIFIEDS HOMES, APARTMENTS, ROOMMATES, LAND, ETC.

Sterling Road, located off Stevens Creek at Riverwatch Pkwy. $850/mo. Call 678467-7187.

WEST AUGUSTA Luxury 3 bdrm, 2 bath townhouse. Garage, quiet neighborhood off Pleasant Home Road. $795/mo. Call 706228-4655.

FOR SALE: GORGEOUS, immaculate, never occupied townhome located mins from Medical District. 2 bed, 2 bath, master en suite, walk-in closets, office. 1450 sq ft. hardwood floors throughout, fabulous upgrades, custom kitchen and baths. Floor to ceiling windows, fenced yard. Partially furnished! 120k OBO. 803-507-6621.

6.7.8

...cleverly hidden in the p. 10 ad for OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY OF AUGUSTA-AIKEN Congratulations to BRITTANY OSBORNE, who scores a coveted Scrubs of Evans gift card, 2 movie passes courtesy of Health Center Credit Union, and a $20 Wild Wing Cafe gift certificate. Want to find your name here next issue? The new Mystery Word is on page 12. Start looking!

The Celebrated MYSTERY WORD CONTEST ...wherein we hide (with fiendish cleverness) a simple word. All you have to do is unscramble the word (found on page 12), then be the first to find it concealed within one of our ads. Click in to the contest link at www.AugustaRx.com and enter. If we pick you in our random drawing of correct entries you’ll score our goodie package! SEVEN SIMPLE RULES: 1. Unscramble and find the designated word hidden within one of the ads in this issue. 2. Visit the Reader Contests page at www.AugustaRx.com. 3. Tell us what you found and where you found it. 4. If you’re right and you’re the one we pick at random, you win. (Winners within the past six months are ineligible.) 5. Prizes awarded to winners may vary from issue to issue. 6. A photo ID may be required to claim some prizes. 7. Other entrants may win a lesser prize at the sole discretion of the publisher.

The new scrambled Mystery Word is found on page 12

1BR/1BA FURNISHED CONDO Pristine. Quiet. Historic. Across from GRU-Summerville. Includes w/d and more. $950. 706-738-5606. Photos at www.coolcondoforrent.wordpress.com GOOD LOCATION 2 bedroom 1 bath home, with office for rent. Close to Summerville and medical complex of GRU. Recently renovated, hardwood floors, fenced yard, washer/dryer hookups, and new central heat and air. Pet friendly. $575 per month. Lease plus negotiable deposit. Call 706 -733-1591 9 am to 9 pm.

7x2

ROOMMATE WANTED! 3 bdrm, 2.5 bath house with pool, 2 minutes from colleges. Perfect for medical or grad students. $425+share utils. 706.993.6082 WEST AUGUSTA House for rent. 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1500 sqft, 1-car garage, 3024

Augustagahomesearch.com Foreclosures • Rentals • MLS Roman Realty 706-564-5885

SERVICES BIBLE BY PHONE - Free daily Bible readings; for Spiritual Encouragement and Growth. Call 706-855-WORD (9673) FULL-SERVICE MOVER Anthony’s Professional Moving, 28 years serving the CSRA moving hospital equipment, offices, homes, apartments, etc. Estimates are FREE. Call 706.860.3726 or 706.814.8141

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE Ridiculously affordable and highly visible advertising available through the pages of Augusta’s Most Salubrious Newspaper, aka the Augusta Medical Examiner. Have you heard of it or seen a copy? Rates can be reviewed at AugustaRx.com. Questions? Send an e from the site, or call the publisher directly: Dan Pearson at 706.860.5455. E: Dan@AugustaRx.com

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER!

SENDING US A CLASSIFIED? WHAT’S YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE? USE THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL IT IN, OR GO TO WWW.AUGUSTARX.COM AND PLACE & PAY CONVENIENTLY AND SAFELY ONLINE. THANKS!

(OURS IS COFFEE)

Augusta Medical Examiner Classifieds

NOTICE! ATTENTION! If any current or past employer has failed to pay you min. wage or time and a half overtime pay, you may be entitled to an order from US Federal Court awarding you twice the amount of your unpaid wages plus atty. fees. For info, call Arthur H. Shealy, Attorney at Law, 803-278-5149, 1010 Plantation Rd, North Augusta SC 29841. You may be entitled to a similar award for unpaid wages if your employer required you to perform duties during your lunch hour, before clocking in, or after clocking out.

THE PUZZLE SOLVED G

.75

1.00

1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.25

3.50

3.75

4.00

4.25

4.50

4.75

5.00

5.25

5.50

5.75

6.25

6.50

M A

M U

M O

I D

QUOTATION QUOTATION PUZZLE SOLUTION: Page 12: “If poverty is the mother of crime stupidity is its father.” — Jean de La Bruyére

AD COPY (one word per line; phone numbers MUST include the area code): .50

SEE PAGE 12

In case we need to contact you. These numbers will not appear in the ad.

.25

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FORM Name Address Work number (if applicable) ( ) Home phone ( ) Category of ad (leave blank if unsure):

S S

The Sudoku Solution 3

6.00

6.75

7.00

7.25

7.50

7.75

8.00

8.25

8.50

8.75

9.00

COFFEE IS GOOD MEDICINE

(Copy this form or continue on additional sheet if more space needed.)

Send this form with payment to:

AUGUSTA MEDICAL EXAMINER, PO BOX 397, AUGUSTA, GA 30903-0397 Total ad cost by number of words as shown above: $

VISIT DRUGOFCHOICECOFFEE.COM

WORDS BY NUMBER “A truth that’s told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.” — William Blake (1757-1827)

Multiply by number of times ad to run: x Total submitted: $

The Augusta Medical Examiner publishes on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. Your ad should reach us no later than 7 days prior to our publication date.

Thanks for reading!

www.AugustaRx.com

JULY 11, 2014

15 +

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

The most despised man in America? Unless you’ve been living in a vacuum for the past week or two, the face you see staring back at you here needs no introduction. His name doesn’t come to mind, but his unofficial title gave us this article’s headline. The jury isn’t out on this man and his wife; it hasn’t gotten the case yet. Before we convict him any further than the media already has, it’s worth noting that this kind of tragedy is far from uncommon SafeKids.org says survey results show that: • 14% of parents have left a child in a car intentionally • 11% of parent surveyed have done so unintentionally • By age 3, the number of parents who have forgotten a child in a car rises to 1 in 4.

• Dads are three times more likely to forget a child in a parked car than are mothers Since 1998, 621 children left in cars have died from heatstroke in the US, a figure that includes children playing in unattended vehicles. (All figures in this article from the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State University) One of the ironies of this phenomenon is that it is an unintended result of efforts to increase child safety. Statistics show only 11 child heatstroke

deaths in the three years before airbags became standard equipment in cars. The average since is 38 per year. So far this year the death toll is 15. Last year it was 44. The difference: in cars with airbags children are now placed in the back seat. Solutions? • When you place a child in the backseat, also place your purse, wallet or briefcase there. • Take off your left shoe and place it in the backseat floorboard. • Keep a stuffed animal in the carseat at all times; when the child is in the carseat, place the animal in the front seat as a reminder. • Get in the habit of always looking in your back seat every time you exit your car. +

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICS

ALLERGY Tesneem K. Chaudhary, MD Allergy & Asthma Center 3685 Wheeler Road, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

DRUG REHAB

CHIROPRACTIC Poppell Chiropractic Clinic 1106-A Furys Lane Martinez 30907 706-210-2875 Most insurance plans accepted

DENTISTRY Dr. Judson S. Hickey Periodontist 2315-B Central Ave Augusta 30904 706-739-0071

Karen L. Carter, MD 1303 D’Antignac St, Suite 2100 Augusta 30901 706-396-0600 www.augustadevelopmentalspecialists.com

Steven L. Wilson, DMD Family Dentistry 4059 Columbia Road Martinez 30907 706-863-9445

DERMATOLOGY Georgia Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center 2283 Wrightsboro Rd. (at Johns Road) Augusta 30904 706-733-3373 www.GaDerm.com

Ideal Image 339 Fury’s Ferry Rd Martinez 30907 1-800-BE-IDEAL • www.idealimage.com Schedule a FREE Consultation

MEDICAL MASSAGE

Steppingstones to Recovery 2610 Commons Blvd. Augusta 30909 706-733-1935

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Group & Benefits Consultants Inc. 3515 Wheeler Rd, Bldg. C Augusta 30909 706-733-3459 Floss ‘em or lose ‘em! www.groupandbenefits.com

Jason H. Lee, DMD 116 Davis Road Augusta 30907 706-860-4048

LASER SERVICES

FAMILY MEDICINE Urgent MD Augusta: 706-922-6300 Grovetown: 706-434-3500 Thomson: 706-595-7825 Primary Care Rates

HOSPICE Alliance Hospice 3685 Old Petersburg Rd. Suite 145 Augusta 30907 706-447-2461

Medical Massage Stuart Farnell L.M.T. 803-646-1846 jsfarnell@att.net www.FarnellClinic.com

OPHTHALMOLOGY Roger M. Smith, M.D. 820 St. Sebastian Way Suite 5-A Augusta 30901 706-724-3339

OPTICIAN

PHARMACY

Parks Pharmacy 437 Georgia Ave. N. Augusta 29841 803-279-7450 www.parkspharmacy.com

SENIOR LIVING Augusta Gardens Senior Living Community 3725 Wheeler Road Augusta 30909 SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 706-868-6500 www.augustagardenscommunity.com

SLEEP MEDICINE Sleep Institute of Augusta Bashir Chaudhary, MD 3685 Wheeler Rd, Suite 101 Augusta 30909 706-868-8555

VEIN CARE

Murphy & Robinson Phil Harris 1571 Walton Way Augusta 30904 706-737-2020

...PHARMACY

O P T I C I A N S

Vein Specialists of Augusta G. Lionel Zumbro, Jr., MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI 501 Blackburn Dr, Martinez 30907 706-854-8340 www.VeinsAugusta.com

WEIGHT LOSS

PHC Weight Loss & Wellness Centers Medical Center West Pharmacy 246B Bobby Jones Expwy 465 North Belair Road Martinez: 706-868-5332 Evans 30809 Thomson: 706-597-8667 706-854-2424 Medical Services of America www.medicalcenterwestpharmacy.com www.phcweightloss.com Hospice 4314-E Belair Frontage Rd. If you’d like your medical practice listed in the Professional Directory, Augusta 30909 call the Medical Examiner at 706.860.5455 706-447-2626

+ 16

AUGUSTA MEDiCAL EXAMINER

JULY 11, 2014

Lost in the maze? Why enter in the first place?

We know the way. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS • COMPLIANCE • WELLNESS • CONSULTING • EXCHANGES • PARTNERSHIPS • TECHNOLOGY

RUSSELL T. HEAD, CBC, CSA-PARTNER • 706-733-3459 • E: RTHEAD@GANDBC.COM • WWW.GROUPANDBENEFITS.COM