Drug deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in U.S., data show

Fueling the surge are prescription pain and anxiety drugs that are potent, highly addictive and especially dangerous when combined with one another or with other drugs or alcohol.


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-drugs-epidemic-20110918,0,5517691.story

Pneumonia

Severe pneumonia in an 88 year old ICU patient.

Note the diffuse haziness in all lung fields. This is easily one of the worst cases of pneumonia I've seen on x-ray.
Unfortunately, the pt died 12 hours later. He had chosen a few years ago not to be placed on a ventillator if he was seriously ill, so we followed his wishes and provided comfort-care with all of his family at the bedside.


Have you ever thought about making an advanced directive to let others know about how you wish to be treated if something catastrophic were to happen?


http://www.caringinfo.org/stateaddownload/

Pilots vs Physicians

"I really dont believe in doctors. I dont get flu shots. I believe in Jesus, and that He will keep everything of harm away."
-My new patient who came to see me for management of his blood pressure medicine. She has a blood pressure of 187/98. (healthy goal blood pressure for an adult=130/80). I guess Jesus doesn't protect against hypertension? I didn't bother to ask.

Collapsed lung

I was called by the ICU nurse and told that this patient's oxygen had dropped suddenly. I ordered a STAT Chest X-Ray and it came back with a collapsed Left lung (actual X-ray below. Notice the arrows that are pointing to the outline of the lung. It's shriveled up and much smaller than it should be.)

Infant walkers

From the American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;108/3/790

" In 1999, an estimated 8800 children younger than 15 months were treated in hospital emergency departments in the United States for injuries associated with infant walkers. Thirty-four infant walker-related deaths were reported from 1973 through 1998. 

The vast majority of injuries occur from falls down stairs, and head injuries are common. Walkers do not help a child learn to walk; indeed, they can delay normal motor and mental development."

HIV

HIV infecting a cell. The small blue dots are the HIV viruses attaching to the receptors on the cell (the cell is not really orange, but is colored that way for the picture).

Looking for things to do this summer?

The state of Alabama is promoting its small towns this year.
This website has clickable towns and their festivities (almost all of which are free) for people to discover.
(Another pretty cool aspect of the website is that it has copies of every historical marker in Alabama).
Try looking up your hometown! - The Great Alabama Homecoming