T-storms and Tornado Alert in Hugoton, Kansas

Today is a scary day.  We are on thunderstorms and tornado alert until 10 pm tonight.  After work, I went home to collect my essentials and went back to the hospital for shelter.  My apartment has no basement.  Fortunately, the hospital where I work is just 2 blocks away.  It does not take me 5 minutes to walk and less than 3 minutes to drive. 

Outside the hospital, I saw scary cloud formation.  I saw clouds moved pretty fast.  Somehow we are blessed today.  The winds changed direction.  It moved away from our county.  We have to be on alert though - not only until tonight, but on the coming days.  Tornado season has started. 

ROADTRIP: When Ms. Dumb Meets Mrs. Dumber - Part I

Going on a road trip is exciting.  There are many beautiful scenarios and memorable experiences. Early this year, I have been traveling to different states particularly in Midwest.  I usually travel with my friends.  Just a couple of months ago, my friend and I went to Oklahoma and Dallas to shop.  The trip was nice and fun.  It was like an adventure. Never a day in our three days trip that we missed a moment of fun.  Actually, it was funny after surviving a disaster but going through it was quite scary and stupid. 

The first mishap that we had been through happened in Wichita Falls, where I booked two nights for sleep over.  We did not know exactly where our motel was located, so we relied on our GPS.  I must admit that somehow GPS is like a necessity for travelers like us. It was not dark yet when we drove to find our motel.  I had been driving the whole day so my friend volunteered to drive.  While driving, she noticed the driver of the truck in my right side of the passenger seat opened his car window and  forcefully shove his arm downwards.  He was trying to tell us something by his hand gesture.  When I saw him, I got scared.  Just few days before our road trip, my colleagues and I had conversation regarding people who mislead other drivers by giving warning or distress signs.  When the driver stops, these people hold-up or do inhumane things to their poor victims.  At that time, I remembered all that we had talked about so I got scared and told my friend not to mind the driver at my side.  I told her our gas tank is full and I had my car serviced before the trip so there should be nothing wrong with my car.  The driver who looked like Hulk Hogan, my favorite wrestler, persistently changed lane to my friend's side and tried to tell her something.  Our windows were closed, so we can not hear anything.   We became more scared.  I told my friend to pull-over in a restaurant since we were driving in a busy high way.   She told me to better drive straight to our destination so that we could rest.

Our GPS led us to several turns.  We felt relieved when the truck driver stopped  following us.  While nearing a secluded intersection a few miles away from the city center, I noticed a police car following us.  My friend stopped our car and told me to take out my registration and license.  I did.  A young policeman went out of his patrol car and looked inside our car using his  flash light.  We were totally scared to the bones and tried to think of the possible violation we had committed.  We can not think of anything.   My friend opened her window to show her license to the police. The police asked us where we came from and what we were doing there.  We told him we came from Kansas and we had been driving the whole day.  He then asked us if we knew we were driving without overhead beam lights on.  What?  Lights?  My friend simply forgotten to turn on our lights.  It was night time.  Although it was not very dark but we were supposed to have lights on.  The cars and post lights in  the busy street lighted our way so we did not noticed we had no lights.  Considering we were kind of "lost tourists,"  the young policeman showed us mercy.  We were warned not to do it again though.  We were so thankful we did not get a ticket.

When the policeman was gone, we realized the intention of the truck driver.  He was trying to tell us that we did not have our overhead beam lights on.  Personally, I think I was too paranoid then.  I simply lost my commonsense. I think too much.  I was kind of Dumb and my friend was Dumber.  I consider her dumber because she should know better.  She has been driving since the day I was born.  That was almost three decades ago.  Or I could be the dumber.  Since I am the writer, I will take up the dumb and she is the dumber.  We continued driving and laughed our way until we reach our lodging safe and sound.  It was a very memorable night.

From my Patient's View

I got a patient today who was very interested to know more about body functions.  While I was doing phlebotomy, we talked on how perfect our body is.  He told me how he wonder why other people does not believe in God.  Only God could create entities like us.  Our body is like a perfect machine.  Later, he asked me if I know that each side of our brain controls the opposite side of our body. I said yes...  It's true that our left brain controls the movements, feeling and everything in our right part of the body and the right brain controls everything in our left body part.  Then, he said while smiling sheepishly that only those who are left handed got the RIGHT BRAIN!  

Here Comes the New Year

Today is the first day of the month of January 2011.  Wow!  I can not help to think that time flies so fast.  I remember I was just a young kid who wanted to become a teenager to do a lot of girl's stuff. I can not wait to finish school to go out of our house, find a work and live on my own.  Now, I sometimes think father Time should move a little bit slower so that I can enjoy more.  At fun times, I think slow mo is good, but at bad times, it makes suffering worst.

Last year, everything is a thing of the past.  What ever happened are experiences that were meant to teach lessons.  I learned a lot to get by.  The harder it was the more effective for me.  I do not wish to learn in a hard way, yet there are instances that are beyond the control of an ordinary person. If it is not due to one's stupidity, then, I call it fate.  Sometimes, fate plays a trick in the life of a person.  There are many twists and turns in life.  A life-staggering encounter can be experienced yesterday and a great joy the following day. 

I look forward for this year.  I do not know what lays  ahead.  I am quite sure though that human as I am, I am bound to commit wrong moves.  I will just charge it to experience.  A person can never know the limits of his potential unless he tries things.  The future holds surprises.  If one exerts effort to achieve something, most likely, he will reap the fruit of his labor.  There are many things the mind can think of doing.  However, actual application of perceived things are hard to do.  There are many factors that serve as obstacles.  I think one's self is the biggest hindrance to overcome.  I think each person thinks of many reasons why his idea will not work out.

It's new year - a new beginning... Life will stay the same as yesterday or last year if a person will not try new things.  As years move on, life should move on too.  After all, life is short and people should live it to the fullest.

Thoughts of the Moment

People-wise, I used to think overcrowded places are not good.  I have lived and walked in places where I rubbed shoulders with others...  When I went out to buy things, I can't even seem to move forward.  I exerted a lot of energy and ounces of sweat to do certain things.  That was then...

Now, I live in a very spacious county.  I have come to think that human indeed is gregarious in nature.  We need socialization to get by.  Yet with over-abundance of acquaintance, one may not notice it.  One may feel annoyed with the presence of another person.  At this point, I realized that more people is better than few.  In a place where I live, considering the population, I wish I got the power to do things.  I wish to bring in a lot of people - people who has nowhere to go, no place to call home, much more,  no means to make one.  This place needs people to tend acres of land.

What a contradicting balance! In other parts of the globe, some cities and nations struggle with over-population and simply over-crowding.  In this place though, some neighborhood is a mile or half away.  Without a company, many suffer depression.  In crowded places, depression is an unlikely disorder to have.  How can one have it, when it can be remedied by ever-constant gossiping with neighbors?   For sufferers, depression can be remedied by going to psychiatrist and undergoing treatment.  This means shelling out hard-earned money.

I can not help to reminisce my past journey.  I used to be very annoyed with traffic, smell of my seatmate, fast-paced life of big cities and a lot more.  But then, these things only affirmed the fact that there are people everywhere and  I need to cope up.  I used to feel the challenging urge of the situation.  I think I can do something. 

I believe big cities are good training ground for harnessing one's ability and attitude. The presence of a healthy competition will make people do their best.  Of course, if there is good, there would always be bad effects.  Big cities attracts all sorts of personalities.  It is always on the go.  One may long for peace and serenity once in a while.  But if still able, it is best to keep up with the dealings of this worldly world.  When one retires, it is the time when one can live in tranquility if he so desired.

Should I Get A Flu Shot?

Retrospect

Less than a century ago, many people around the world had died of influenza (simply called as Flu) caused by Spanish Influenza Virus. Flu is a contagious disease caused by influenza virus and spread through sneezing, coughing, or nasal secretions.  When Influenza Virus afflicted many people in Mexico last year, neighbouring countries and those affected

had been on alert.  This kind of Flu has never been ordinary.  It caused a high rate of mortality for people in all ages.  With such virulence, the virus which caused the illness was identified in quite a short time.  Not short enough though for those who had met his demise. 

The strain was identified as H1N1 also known as Swine Flu Virus.   The name was given due to similarity of the viral genes that afflict swine or pigs.  There were few cases of swine flu here in Kansas, but other states had more.  Health authorities of the country had recognized the presence of an epidemic and tried to work fast and hard to create a vaccine against it.

Getting to know Flu Vaccine

Flu vaccines at present are usually grown from fertilized chicken eggs.  Some people are allergic to eggs, as such other sources for vaccine growth are being explored and tried.  The current (2010-2011) vaccine has 3 strains present – A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and Influenza B. 

There are two types of vaccines available for use.  One is used as a nasal spray, while the other is given through shots.  Nasal Spray makes use of live, weakened influenza virus.  It is sprayed into the nostrils.  Since it is live, the body tends to produce more antibodies (a protective mechanism of the body against flu or other infecting agents), thereby making it primed and ready for the flu virus whenever it will attack the body.  It is recommended for healthy people from 2 years old up to 49 years of age, not pregnant and without serious health problems. 

The other is commonly known as Flu Shot, which is made up of inactivated or killed influenza virus. Since it made used of a killed virus, the body has little chance of getting infected.  However, it is contraindicated for people suffering from Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Getting these vaccines does not necessarily mean a person will not get sick of influenza.  Scientists have long found out that viruses mutate all the time.  Flu virus is considered to be rapidly changing.  This is the main reason why it is given to people each year.  Every year, the strain of influenza virus varies from one country to another.  As such, strains present in the vaccine differ too depending upon the virus present in that place.

For an easy understanding of the mechanism of Flu vaccine, try to consider a door lock.   Flu vaccine works like lock and key.  There is only one set of keys for each lock.  It is quite specific.  The body after 2 weeks of vaccination produce antibodies that prevent the person from suffering flu.  But then, these antibodies are specific to the exact strain present in the vaccine.  Given that there are many strains of influenza virus, these vaccines could not totally prevent the onslaught of illness.  However, scientists claimed that it still could lessen the effect of other flu causing viruses.   It is recommended by health authorities worldwide most especially to elderly and children more than 6 months.

Side Effects

According to CDC website, side-effects for Nasal Spray Vaccine include: runny nose or nasal congestion, headache and muscle ache, fever, wheezing, cough, chills, tiredness/weakness, sore throat, abdominal pain or occasional vomiting or diarrhoea.  Flu Shot side-effects include: puncture site soreness, redness or swelling, hoarseness, sore, red or itchy eyes, cough, fever, aches and in a very rare case, life-threatening allergic reaction.

Controversy

In order to keep the vaccine sterile, a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal, has been widely used since 1930s.  Mercury is considered toxic in large doses and had been studied and linked to various conditions such as autism, seizures, mental retardation, hyperactivity, dyslexia, etc. A famous TV personality had once come out in a popular show to speak against vaccine.  She claimed that the thimerosal in the vaccine had caused her son to be autistic. 

Well, multitude of studies had never affirmed the linked of mercury much more trace amount of it to autisms.  Today though, thimerosal is not extensively used as before in vaccines. Even so, recent researches on thimerosal had not yield deleterious effects.  It does not pose a serious threat to the health status of a person.  It is wise to remember that most of our teeth fillings used to be made of mercury-based amalgam, yet many of those who had amalgam tooth filling lived up to old age.   As for children, vaccines have proven to be useful since the dawn of plague.  Consider polio.  If not for the use of vaccines, many babies and children would have died like what happened long ago.  If there is any way we can prevent a disease to occur, why put our health much more our life at risk? 

Lastly, the big question, “Should I get a Flu Shot?”  Only the owner of the body can decide.  Just take heed that Prevention has always been better than Cure.

 

Youths Our Hope

In today’s epoch of global industrialization, it is a must to be equipped with knowledge and skills to survive and to live a comfortable life.

The world today is ruled by literate people and the trend of enrichment upon one’s social status is mostly attained by intelligence and hard-work.  People can see the proof of man’s desire to create something more.  Look round!  There are skyscrapers everywhere.

Along with the advancement in civilization is the increase of the crime rates in each nation.  It certainly does not bid a good environment for our young generation.  These innocent creatures are simply unsophisticated to understand and to differentiate between good and evil.

Young generation has no experience of harsh realities of life.  As such, it is important that they should be educated and be given enough attention particularly those who are impoverished.

Let’s give emphasis on the development of our children.  Let our society as a whole provides a conducive place for developing good citizens of the country.  Let education reach all children and the opportunity to lead a good life.  Let’s work hard so that it will not be disillusionment for parents who wanted to give a bright future for their children despite the pitiful circumstance some people exist.

For a nation to become successful, to grow in power and to reach its desired goals, investing and capitalizing in the young minds of today’s children is a great tool to achieve this ends.  The youth of today will certainly be the front runners of the future.

What should become a society run by child abuse and unhealthy surroundings for the future inhabitants of our land?  Surely, all bad things will sow seeds of hatred and contempt upon the youth and this could be a straight way to creating a society run by anarchy.  Chaos will rule.  No one will care upon another.

We do not want these things to happen.  We want something more – something productive and one that can be proud of.  Let’s join hands in the taking care of our children.  Let’s give them the chance to exercise their rights and make sure that they deserve it.  This world evolves fast.   We will never notice the passage of time.  After quite awhile, we may not be around to see and oversee the next generation.  What is important though, is that, we made our legacy. After all, the youths are the hope of the future.