Appendectomy and tonsillectomy, very common in the past

When I was a child, it seemed as if everyone was having at least one of the surgeries, if not both. Both, the appendix and the tonsils were seen as superfluous, not necessary, so if they were causing problems, just “take ‘em out.” Now, however, we're learning that the appendix may not be so useless after all: Scientists figure out what the appendix is doing.

Of course, we don’t really always know what is going on in the body and what different parts of the body are for. Tonsils, for example, are now known to be the first defence against infection. According to EHealth.MD, in early childhood, the tonsils and adenoids help make antibodies against infection. Of course, if they become infected on a regular basis, they should be removed if the doctors feel that this is the best course of action.

With an appendix, if infection or inflammation occurs, removal is more urgent. If someone has appendicitis and it is left untreated, it can be fatal.

The symptoms of appendicitis include:
- Pain in the abdomen, starting in the middle and then moving to the right
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Fever

If the appendix becomes so inflamed (swollen), it can burst, causing an infection in the abdomen, called peritonitis. This is life-threatening.

When someone is diagnosed with appendicitis, surgery is generally the treatment. Historically done by an incision a few inches long, it can now be done with a laparoscope in most uncomplicated cases, leaving just a small scar after healing.

If the surgeons suspect that the appendix may burst, or if it has already, the traditional larger incision is usually needed.

Recovery after an appendectomy, without bursting, is usually straight forward. The most important issue is dealing with the after-surgery pain and making sure that the bowels begin to move properly. If the appendix did burst, then antibiotics are usually ordered to be sure that an infection doesn’t set in.

I think my husband and I are very unusual for our generation. Both of us have our appendix, our tonsils, and our wisdom teeth!

News for Today:

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Limiting refined carbohydrates may stall AMD progression
New Prescription Allergy Treatment XYZAL® (levocetirizine Dihydrochloride) Now Available For Fall Allergy Season In The USA
Nutrition labels lead to calcium confusion, underconsumption: study
Scientists figure out what the appendix is doing
Paramedics can provide an effective alternative to standard ambulance service in the community
No strong evidence linking amateur boxing with long-term brain injury
Warm weather prolongs West Nile threat

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians

I had an amusing exchange with an American collegue. I mentioned that I was preparing Thanksgiving dinner and she was shocked, thinking that she had missed something somehow. :-)

Nope, we just celebrate our Thanksgiving a bit earlier, to say thanks for our harvest, our bounty, our food.

So, to those of you celebrating this weekend, I hope you have a healthy, happy and peaceful Thanksgiving. For those of you in the US who have to wait a whole month, let me tell you how delicious my turkey was. {grin}

Good marriage = good health?

Are people who are married healthier than those who aren’t? Some studies claim that they are. In this article at WebMD, Married People Are Healthiest, Except for Weight, Says CDC, the author reviews a study of 127,000 adults between 1999 and 2002 published by the Centers of Disease Control in the United States. It says, “Across the board, married people were healthiest. "’Married persons were healthier for nearly every measure of health,’ says the CDC. That was true for all ages, ethnicities, and levels of income and education. The connection between marriage and health was strongest in the youngest group, aged 18-44.”

The article goes on to say, “Married people were also less likely to smoke, drink heavily, and be physically inactive.” What is interesting is that the study goes on to say that living together didn’t have the same effect as marriage.

Ok, that’s one article/study – but the MayoClinic.com has another one: Healthy Marriage: Why Love is Good for You. In this article the authors used a study from Harvard: “According to one Harvard University study, married women are 20 percent less likely than are single women to die of a variety of causes, including heart disease, suicide and cirrhosis of the liver. Married men enjoy an even greater benefit — they're two to three times less likely to die of such causes than are single men. Statistics have also shown married people are less likely to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other violent crimes.”

Of course, an unhealthy marriage isn’t going to have the same effect, so we can’t say that all marriages will produce healthier people, that’s for sure.

So, what’s with all this marriage talk today? Twenty-two years ago, my husband and I joined the marriage club. Two sons and a daughter, and 22 years later, we’re still married and still moving ahead. He’s a good man and a wonderful father to our kids. I couldn’t have picked better.

News for Today:

Health Canada pulls osteoarthritis drug Prexige
ATV hospitalizations vastly outnumber last decade
Pregnant women not eating enough fish, U.S. group says
Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Men with chronic heart failure can have active sex lives
Screening: Testing Early for Cholesterol
Studies Endorse 'Virtual Colonoscopy'
Kids' use of heartburn drugs jumps: study

Saturday, October 6, 2007: World Hospice & Palliative Care Day.

What is World Hospice & Palliative Care Day? According to their website, “World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day will take place on October 6th 2007 with Voices for Hospices, the global musical marathon event which has over 500 concerts around the world and is the official fundraising event for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2007."

Among the people who know me, it’s no secret that I have a strong interest in death and dying, and the end-of-life stages. I recall taking a humanities class in college called Death and Dying, although truth be told, I can’t recall anything of what I learned. But it must be that the class sparked my interest because even when I was working in the acute care hospitals, I felt like I could make a difference with my patients who we knew were going to die.

To that end, I’ve started my own site on Palliative Care. I invite people to look at it and use it for the resource that I hope it will be. It’s definitely in its infancy and I’m hoping that it becomes as useful a tool as I think it could be. If it does, I’ll move it to its own domain and see how large it can grow.


News for Today:

New device helps repair meniscus tears in knee
Drug-coated stents safe, Canadian study finds
How pitching changes little leaguers' shoulders
FDA explores behind-the-counter drug sales
American College of Physicians recommends flu vaccination for health-care workers
Left main coronary artery disease can double or treble heart risk in siblings
New guide aims to help parents ensure their children get best available ADHD treatments
Taste and anorexia