Grab-bag

US media tells us that America will be stronger if we let in more Haitians and people from other "Developing" nations. Prorated for population, if Haiti had the population of the United States then 198 Journalists would be assassinated every year.

Most of the problems we see would be easily remedied if we addressed the miscreant's CHD (Chronic Hickory Deficiency). Ask your grandpa for a demonstration if you are unfamiliar with the term. In a pinch, peach is an acceptable substitute for hickory.

Hated names

Daily Mail ran a post on the years' most hated baby names.

Baby names have become aspirational and are seen as billboards to trumpet what "cool parents" the lucky baby has.

I am relieved that the trend to name babies random, dramatic words seems to be dying down. Imagine going through life with a name like Sepsis or Mersa, Death, Destruction, twins Sturm and Drang.

Blood work

So if Vitamin D is important for resisting viral diseases and if diabetes is a critical co-morbidity for respiratory viruses...then why aren't Vitamin D and A1C panels included as a matter-of-course for blood-work at Wellness Checks?

I believe that many doctors now include Vitamin D panels in their annual script for blood-work for African-Americans.

At one point it made sense to NOT include A1C panels because insurance companies could exclude new members based on preexisting conditions. At that point there were economic incentives on the part of the patient to NOT have A1C numbers until after there were symptoms (i.e. damage). Denying coverage for preexisting conditions is no longer allowed.

Mental Health

Belladonna informed me that she personally sat in Psychology classes where the Professors informing the entire class that mental/emotional health was totally fictitious and had been invented to enrich Big Pharma.

The implication was that all those people needed was a little bit of counseling to straighten them out.

Let's test the hypothesis. This one should be easy.

Every professor who teaches Psychology at a college level shall house a single, homeless, male in his mid-twenties for one entire week every year they are an instructor. The subject must be given keys to the house and vehicle and shall accompany the Professor everywhere they go during that week.

The Professor must submit to having their vehicle searched by a canine four days after the extended counseling session and will be legally accountable for any illegal drugs found during the search.

The point is that the demographic described (homeless, male, mid-20s, single) often have "issues". The Professors must supply the University with video to document  the effectiveness of your counseling.

VA

Healthcare so good that it has become the model for Canada.

"Oh dear! An abscessed tooth. Would you like a sedative and mumble-mumble 50ml of potassium chloride IV for that?"

Training for the 5k

Training hit a hiccup. Ice and slush to be precise. I have a treadmill but it is not my favorite thing.

I have been walking with 45 pounds in a pack and today I walked steps.

My left calf is still very, very weak.

I encountered another runner who had been hit by a vehicle. In his case it was while he was running. The Emergency Room declined to administer opioids even though his flesh had been road-rashed down-to, and ground a flattened facet on the bulge at the top of his humerus. He lost an inch of height because they had to fuse several of his lower vertebrae together. He has been very supportive and quite the cheer-leader.

I gained 6 pounds over the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday. Goes on easily and comes off hard.