Fool me once....
I ain't so productive today. I started mapping out this post hours ago, and while I've found the resources I need for it, can't remember exactly what it was I wanted to say. Anyway.
I went to the dentist yesterday. I hadn't been since 2003. Yeah, that's a bitch. But I was ok with two major cavities and one minor cavity. I had two wisdom teeth rupture the skin so I had the upper taken out yesterday and the lower will need to be taken out via surgery. Youch.
All has been fine aside from not being able to open my mouth very far. I mean, I get it; I had tooth removed from BONE yesterday. I wanted to keep the tooth but was a bit too embarrassed to ask.
Somewhere in this story about my dental escapades is a story about medicine. I can't remember what it was, or whether it had anything to do with my having to buy an entire bottle of Ibuprofen because Von scared me into thinking that I would bleed to death if I took the Excedrin I already had. BUT, either which way, I wanted to work my way into a discussion about the lies that Americans are told about our health.
Or, slightly less dramatic- the belief that medicines "expire" is almost completely untrue. See, I rememebr WHAT I needed to look up, just not WHY.
So, a few articles about it: Ask a pharmacist, Do medicines really expire?, which says "The testing, conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ultimately covered more than 100 drugs, prescription and over-the-counter. The results showed that about 90% of them were safe and effective as far as 15 years past their original expiration date.", and Do antibiotics go bad after 10 days?
All of this does lead me to another point, though. WHY DO MEN THINK THEY ARE INVINCIBLE???? From Jeff to my Dad, just about every man I've ever known seems to think that he can't get sick, if he is sick he can just wait it out, and if he DOES go to the doctor, the doctor is dispensing advice and that what instructions they give are optional.
I hate it. I hate worrying about how loved ones are doing because they will not seek healthcare and ESPECIALLY when they have health insurance! Yes, Jeff, I am still upset with you about your last doctor's visit.
This morning, a friend had an emergency with her boyfriend who apparently has a heart murmur which fluctuates so much that he can feel it in his chest. I asked if this was new because he is a runner and she said NO. He just chose to ignore it.
My heart goes out to her right now because he, her father AND her mother have health issues that they are choosing to ignore. Yet, IGNORING HEALTH PROBLEMS DOES NOT MAKE THEM GO AWAY. They simply lower the chances you have of correcting them.
So while I may gripe about the money I spend on pulling teeth or visiting a doctor that I SWEAR spends no time truly figuring out what's wrong, at least I know I'm doing my best to keep from keeling over at a young age. And with my family history, it is a real possibility.
Tell someone today that you love them. Sometimes it is just enough of a motivator :)
ETA: While I'm on a roll, I'll throw in an article about DHA and spray on tanners. Just to make Hollie feel paranoid ;)
I went to the dentist yesterday. I hadn't been since 2003. Yeah, that's a bitch. But I was ok with two major cavities and one minor cavity. I had two wisdom teeth rupture the skin so I had the upper taken out yesterday and the lower will need to be taken out via surgery. Youch.
All has been fine aside from not being able to open my mouth very far. I mean, I get it; I had tooth removed from BONE yesterday. I wanted to keep the tooth but was a bit too embarrassed to ask.
Somewhere in this story about my dental escapades is a story about medicine. I can't remember what it was, or whether it had anything to do with my having to buy an entire bottle of Ibuprofen because Von scared me into thinking that I would bleed to death if I took the Excedrin I already had. BUT, either which way, I wanted to work my way into a discussion about the lies that Americans are told about our health.
Or, slightly less dramatic- the belief that medicines "expire" is almost completely untrue. See, I rememebr WHAT I needed to look up, just not WHY.
So, a few articles about it: Ask a pharmacist, Do medicines really expire?, which says "The testing, conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ultimately covered more than 100 drugs, prescription and over-the-counter. The results showed that about 90% of them were safe and effective as far as 15 years past their original expiration date.", and Do antibiotics go bad after 10 days?
All of this does lead me to another point, though. WHY DO MEN THINK THEY ARE INVINCIBLE???? From Jeff to my Dad, just about every man I've ever known seems to think that he can't get sick, if he is sick he can just wait it out, and if he DOES go to the doctor, the doctor is dispensing advice and that what instructions they give are optional.
I hate it. I hate worrying about how loved ones are doing because they will not seek healthcare and ESPECIALLY when they have health insurance! Yes, Jeff, I am still upset with you about your last doctor's visit.
This morning, a friend had an emergency with her boyfriend who apparently has a heart murmur which fluctuates so much that he can feel it in his chest. I asked if this was new because he is a runner and she said NO. He just chose to ignore it.
My heart goes out to her right now because he, her father AND her mother have health issues that they are choosing to ignore. Yet, IGNORING HEALTH PROBLEMS DOES NOT MAKE THEM GO AWAY. They simply lower the chances you have of correcting them.
So while I may gripe about the money I spend on pulling teeth or visiting a doctor that I SWEAR spends no time truly figuring out what's wrong, at least I know I'm doing my best to keep from keeling over at a young age. And with my family history, it is a real possibility.
Tell someone today that you love them. Sometimes it is just enough of a motivator :)
ETA: While I'm on a roll, I'll throw in an article about DHA and spray on tanners. Just to make Hollie feel paranoid ;)