The last earthquake caused such a BOOM that I thought part of the house collapsed ! We had some damage, a mile away from the epicenter. The last big one before (last summer) the earthquake caused a gas pipe leak in the basement. Both earthquakes followed a diagonal route through the ground. Since we've supposedly got old abandoned coal mines here, I worry the quakes are jarring insafe structures in the old mines---which did not have safety measures in the past when coal companies withdrew from mines. The above concerns are in addition to the waste well issues. Just stop the frakking--- there HAS to be a better way AND increased accountability on these companies!
Problem 6 (which relates to Problem 5): Patients have no choice when a doctor won't listen; If a doctor wants to switch me to Drug Abc, I must at "comply" (because the doc could refuse to continue seeing me) -- even if I know I've tried that drug before. Docs also don't listen when asked to prescribe a trial amount-- say, 15 days on a new narcotic. Yes, it would mean an extra appointment, but it would cut down on wasteful spending. If a script is filled for 4x a day, that's 120 pills. If a medication reaction or allergy occurs after 1 or 2 pills, that's a waste of 118-119 pills. Most patients know (or should know) to not flush unneeded pills down the toilet. So these situations cause patients to have meds they can't use, can't dispose of easily, and that if a patient is not very careful these extras could be taken/stolen (especially if you need Home Care workers in your house). So, there should be a database for "known drug allergies/failures" and doctors should be allowed to write a dual prescription on one pad: one for a "trial amount" with the balance to be filled IF the patient tolerates the trial number of days. The key to controlling the trial amount/balance is that if the patient tries to get a NEW narcotic med filled during that time (because they can't take the first drug), that should trigger the computer to tell the pharmacist to verify with the doctor that the first med has been cancelled. If the patient tried to get the balance of the first med (for illegal purposes), then they can't get the replacement.
The bottom line, the Legislature can't put decent and honest patients in the same category as people who are only getting drugs to sell them. Legitimate patients are so thankful to have even SOME pain control, that we ARE willing to work within the laws and guidelines. Just don't make legitimate patients 'jump through hoops" because many of us are just physically unable to "jump" due to severe pain.
Problem 4: I don't mind having the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System or any other automated way to detect "doctor shopping" or "doctor hopping". BUT, do Legislators realize how often that computer-software prohibits continuing care? A prescription is written on a pill-count basis, for example, 1 pill a day equals 30 pills a month. BUT, insurances including State Medicaid fail to realize many months have 31 days! BUT if your script reads 30 pills, by golly, you get 30 pills to be used for 31 days. Most docs do not write for 31 pills. IF you try to re-fill to get that 31st day, the computer will reject it. The pharmacist can count; they know patients are receiving less medication per calendar month, but pharmacists can do nothing to change the laws. The Legislators and Medical Board need to fix this oversight.
Problem 5: Since every doctor has a different idea of what meds can or should be used, a new physician to a case often tries to change everything. Example: Change morphine to an antidepressant. But, if a patient has previously shown allergies or another drug has been ineffective, patients should not have to bear suffering just because someone wants to change everything. What about a data-base where a Patient's history of known drug allergies--or drugs previously tried--must be consulted? AND if a person has been stable on their narcotic regime, leave that patient alone!
There are many, many patients in legitimate pain. But other patients who abuse or sell their drugs makes it much harder for the rest of us who use our meds responsibly.
Problem 1: If the government requires doctors to be certified in pain management, how many docs will go get certified?
Problem 2: If all docs must be certified to prescribe, most of the certifed docs are in "Pain Management" clinics. That means patients will be re-directed to the clinics. Since these clinics are the "pill mills" that are, in part, prompting the legislation, HOW will forcing all patients to go to these clinics (certified docs) help?
Problem 3: Doctors and the Medical Board act "schizophrenic" - on the one hand, Ohio passed a Pain Law (ex. Representative Thomas) to ensure all patients experiencing pain are adequately treated. BUT too many Drs view "adequate" (or barely adequate) as "too much narcotics". Some patients do require long(er) term high doses but it does not mean overprescribing. Add the fear of the DEA, it's amazing that physicians are even sane about narcotics. The Medical Board needs to REQUIRE some CEUs on pain management AND work to dispel the myth that all patients are "drug seekers" or "drug users"!
My condolences to Dr. DePizzo's family and friends. I never saw the Doctor as a patient but any loss is tragic; sudden loss is even more difficult to bear. And he was so young... very sad situation.
As technology has advanced, allowing us to drop body temperature to allow surgeons to fix blood vessels filled with plaque, or to slowly raise the body temp of hypothermia victims, or allow doctors to deliver babies who weigh just a pound or two, science and medicine has raised expectations of patients and families.
People forget that 1. it's always been called the "art of medicine" because patient status is always changing and despite best efforts, doctors are not "God", and 2. nature would have decided fates far more often than doctors even 25 to 50 years ago. There were just as many babies born with disabilities. Just as many young and middle-aged adults prayed against hope to live-- but "heart-lung" transplants weren't even on the horizon yet.
Despite the blissful blessings that technology has given, there is always the risk that simple nature will win. nature doesn't take its case to a court of law, and in reality, few cases truly belong in our courts. People may cry out to judges today; in the past, they railed to God about the "injustices" of disability and death.
And still, each family still found a way to go on, without a million dollar judgement.
Perhaps people need to start volunteering in hospitals, as they used to do, to understand the truth about "life and death".
Why isn't the Vindicator questioning the Humane Agents about why those cats (in carriers) were put in the back of an OPEN truck bed? How UNSAFE can you be?!! I saw the video of them loading the carriers into the truck and I gasped. One pothole, one quick braking action, one accident and ALL those animals could have been in danger! The carriers were not tied down, blocked in, or made safe before transport. If a citizen was shown traveling with their cat/s in an unrestrained carrier in the back of an open pick-up truck, we'd be cited for sure!
I just want to yell, "What's wrong with you idiots? Those cats aren't bags of flour that you're putting in an open truck bed. What stupidity!"
1. "Strong odors" can be from any male cat for several weeks after neutering. The odor comes from the anal glands, which improves once the gland is expressed prior to neutering and the neutering done.
2. Viruses DO go through cats in close contact. BUT that is absolutely NO REASON to remove the cats! The exact same thing can happen in ANY shelter. In fact, most county shelters have rampant upper respiratory infections and eye infections in their cats too.
3. On all my vists to CLS, it was clean, well-staffed, and the cats appeared to be "cared for". "Cared for" is an ongoing effort. Volunteers were holding, petting, and cleaning up after the animals.
4. The cats at CLS were friendly-- many jumped into my lap for scritches and hugs. For a shelter, very few acted shy or skittish. They all, of course, wanted a "forever home" and the cats were keen to let visitors know "I want to go home!"
I think Animal Charity needs to put their noses into the word "charity" (ha--they aren't very charitable there), and get out of the "Humane Warden" role. Animal Charity will KILL animals simply because "we have too many" as I was told once when I called there.
Clean up the fracking waste
The last earthquake caused such a BOOM that I thought part of the house collapsed ! We had some damage, a mile away from the epicenter. The last big one before (last summer) the earthquake caused a gas pipe leak in the basement. Both earthquakes followed a diagonal route through the ground. Since we've supposedly got old abandoned coal mines here, I worry the quakes are jarring insafe structures in the old mines---which did not have safety measures in the past when coal companies withdrew from mines. The above concerns are in addition to the waste well issues. Just stop the frakking--- there HAS to be a better way AND increased accountability on these companies!
January 18, 2012 at 12:40 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Ohio Senate bill targets ‘pill mills,’ painkiller abuse
Problem 6 (which relates to Problem 5): Patients have no choice when a doctor won't listen; If a doctor wants to switch me to Drug Abc, I must at "comply" (because the doc could refuse to continue seeing me) -- even if I know I've tried that drug before. Docs also don't listen when asked to prescribe a trial amount-- say, 15 days on a new narcotic. Yes, it would mean an extra appointment, but it would cut down on wasteful spending. If a script is filled for 4x a day, that's 120 pills. If a medication reaction or allergy occurs after 1 or 2 pills, that's a waste of 118-119 pills. Most patients know (or should know) to not flush unneeded pills down the toilet. So these situations cause patients to have meds they can't use, can't dispose of easily, and that if a patient is not very careful these extras could be taken/stolen (especially if you need Home Care workers in your house). So, there should be a database for "known drug allergies/failures" and doctors should be allowed to write a dual prescription on one pad: one for a "trial amount" with the balance to be filled IF the patient tolerates the trial number of days. The key to controlling the trial amount/balance is that if the patient tries to get a NEW narcotic med filled during that time (because they can't take the first drug), that should trigger the computer to tell the pharmacist to verify with the doctor that the first med has been cancelled. If the patient tried to get the balance of the first med (for illegal purposes), then they can't get the replacement.
The bottom line, the Legislature can't put decent and honest patients in the same category as people who are only getting drugs to sell them. Legitimate patients are so thankful to have even SOME pain control, that we ARE willing to work within the laws and guidelines. Just don't make legitimate patients 'jump through hoops" because many of us are just physically unable to "jump" due to severe pain.
May 19, 2011 at 4:18 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Ohio Senate bill targets ‘pill mills,’ painkiller abuse
Problem 4: I don't mind having the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System or any other automated way to detect "doctor shopping" or "doctor hopping". BUT, do Legislators realize how often that computer-software prohibits continuing care? A prescription is written on a pill-count basis, for example, 1 pill a day equals 30 pills a month. BUT, insurances including State Medicaid fail to realize many months have 31 days! BUT if your script reads 30 pills, by golly, you get 30 pills to be used for 31 days. Most docs do not write for 31 pills. IF you try to re-fill to get that 31st day, the computer will reject it. The pharmacist can count; they know patients are receiving less medication per calendar month, but pharmacists can do nothing to change the laws. The Legislators and Medical Board need to fix this oversight.
Problem 5: Since every doctor has a different idea of what meds can or should be used, a new physician to a case often tries to change everything. Example: Change morphine to an antidepressant. But, if a patient has previously shown allergies or another drug has been ineffective, patients should not have to bear suffering just because someone wants to change everything. What about a data-base where a Patient's history of known drug allergies--or drugs previously tried--must be consulted? AND if a person has been stable on their narcotic regime, leave that patient alone!
May 19, 2011 at 4:01 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Ohio Senate bill targets ‘pill mills,’ painkiller abuse
I agree with LtMac.
There are many, many patients in legitimate pain. But other patients who abuse or sell their drugs makes it much harder for the rest of us who use our meds responsibly.
Problem 1: If the government requires doctors to be certified in pain management, how many docs will go get certified?
Problem 2: If all docs must be certified to prescribe, most of the certifed docs are in "Pain Management" clinics. That means patients will be re-directed to the clinics. Since these clinics are the "pill mills" that are, in part, prompting the legislation, HOW will forcing all patients to go to these clinics (certified docs) help?
Problem 3: Doctors and the Medical Board act "schizophrenic" - on the one hand, Ohio passed a Pain Law (ex. Representative Thomas) to ensure all patients experiencing pain are adequately treated. BUT too many Drs view "adequate" (or barely adequate) as "too much narcotics". Some patients do require long(er) term high doses but it does not mean overprescribing. Add the fear of the DEA, it's amazing that physicians are even sane about narcotics. The Medical Board needs to REQUIRE some CEUs on pain management AND work to dispel the myth that all patients are "drug seekers" or "drug users"!
May 19, 2011 at 3:48 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Liberty doctor’s death ruled suicide
My condolences to Dr. DePizzo's family and friends. I never saw the Doctor as a patient but any loss is tragic; sudden loss is even more difficult to bear. And he was so young... very sad situation.
April 22, 2011 at 3:42 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Man gets 4 years in case involving 8-year-old girl
Ditto-- 4 years is not enough.
However, maybe he'll have 4 years of being groped-- we can always hope, can't we?
November 18, 2010 at 8:29 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Malpractice suit seeks $15M-$20M from doctor
As technology has advanced, allowing us to drop body temperature to allow surgeons to fix blood vessels filled with plaque, or to slowly raise the body temp of hypothermia victims, or allow doctors to deliver babies who weigh just a pound or two, science and medicine has raised expectations of patients and families.
People forget that 1. it's always been called the "art of medicine" because patient status is always changing and despite best efforts, doctors are not "God", and 2. nature would have decided fates far more often than doctors even 25 to 50 years ago. There were just as many babies born with disabilities. Just as many young and middle-aged adults prayed against hope to live-- but "heart-lung" transplants weren't even on the horizon yet.
Despite the blissful blessings that technology has given, there is always the risk that simple nature will win. nature doesn't take its case to a court of law, and in reality, few cases truly belong in our courts. People may cry out to judges today; in the past, they railed to God about the "injustices" of disability and death.
And still, each family still found a way to go on, without a million dollar judgement.
Perhaps people need to start volunteering in hospitals, as they used to do, to understand the truth about "life and death".
October 16, 2010 at 4:16 a.m. permalink suggest removal
LOUIE TODAY: Cat Ladies, Chief Justice Brown
The Louie B. links to the show are dead links! I wanted to listen to it.
September 17, 2010 at 8:38 p.m. permalink suggest removal
More than 70 cats taken from Cat Ladies Society
One more thing......
Why isn't the Vindicator questioning the Humane Agents about why those cats (in carriers) were put in the back of an OPEN truck bed? How UNSAFE can you be?!! I saw the video of them loading the carriers into the truck and I gasped. One pothole, one quick braking action, one accident and ALL those animals could have been in danger! The carriers were not tied down, blocked in, or made safe before transport. If a citizen was shown traveling with their cat/s in an unrestrained carrier in the back of an open pick-up truck, we'd be cited for sure!
I just want to yell, "What's wrong with you idiots? Those cats aren't bags of flour that you're putting in an open truck bed. What stupidity!"
September 16, 2010 at 7:11 a.m. permalink suggest removal
More than 70 cats taken from Cat Ladies Society
1. "Strong odors" can be from any male cat for several weeks after neutering. The odor comes from the anal glands, which improves once the gland is expressed prior to neutering and the neutering done.
2. Viruses DO go through cats in close contact. BUT that is absolutely NO REASON to remove the cats! The exact same thing can happen in ANY shelter. In fact, most county shelters have rampant upper respiratory infections and eye infections in their cats too.
3. On all my vists to CLS, it was clean, well-staffed, and the cats appeared to be "cared for". "Cared for" is an ongoing effort. Volunteers were holding, petting, and cleaning up after the animals.
4. The cats at CLS were friendly-- many jumped into my lap for scritches and hugs. For a shelter, very few acted shy or skittish. They all, of course, wanted a "forever home" and the cats were keen to let visitors know "I want to go home!"
I think Animal Charity needs to put their noses into the word "charity" (ha--they aren't very charitable there), and get out of the "Humane Warden" role. Animal Charity will KILL animals simply because "we have too many" as I was told once when I called there.
I'd rather see cats at CLS than at AC anytime!
September 16, 2010 at 7:03 a.m. permalink suggest removal