Namvet Medical Journal
| holidays ahead by: bravo medic/docdave |
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...MedReport. welcome all medics to lz sally. Hope you all have a really nice holiday.i am aware sometimes our vets get down this time of year.Please call another vet and talk to someone.Cheer someone up.we all need it.Stay Jolly for others.Don't let this past get you down.We all have hope that things will get better. Happy holiday to one and all. docdave pfeifer |
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| flue shots by: docdave pfeifer |
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...MedReport. flu season again va is giving free shots. Either at your re3gularly scheduled outpatient provider appointment,or walk in flu clinic beginning on 9/ 12/11. many va's also have drive thru with showing of id card available service. also there is usually a flu service hotline for updated info at your local va. |
| A CORPSMAN by: docdave pfeifer |
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...MedReport. Found this old poem in my files and thought I'd enter it.By FLOYD (DOC)Moore. C/co.1st recon,1st marines 1968-69-70,copywrite 1988. I am a corpsman,true and true, fixing the the wounded, is what I do,I've got to do it ,as fast as I can, as for myself, I don't give a damn. The men I 've seen fallen,were the best, to fix'em and keep 'em alive, would be the test.I've gotta go now, can't take a break I've gotta bring'em back, for gods sake. the pain and suffering,that I let slide,now eats away ,at my insides.the blood, the guts, the pieces I find, are forever deeply ,imbeded in my mind. the screaming and crying, for a mothers hand, are not heard, in a distant and far away land,the voices at nite are so hauntingly real, the begging to god,to make it real. I came with morals and ideals to save, and the killing and brutality, to now I'm a slave.To save and to heal, was the hand I would lend,Thou shall not kill,was the rule I would bend. I feel angry and guilty,withdrawn and depressed,I'm terrified and doomed, and I pray for some rest. With nitemares and flashbacks, its impossible to sleep. With alcohol and chemicals,I'm in way to dammed deep. All the agony and despair, make my life feel so dim,and now I must live ,with all feelings with-in.The war is over,and twenty years have past,I want peace and tranquility, and the will to last. To forget Vietnam, is how I'd like to be,with goals and a future, and a mind that can be free.To be happy and peaceful, and not to be alone, to havea family, and a place to call home. I'm a corpsman, true and true, fixing the wounded, is what I do.I've got to do it, as fast as I can.as for myself Ican't give a damn. Iam a corpsman true and true,fixing me, is what I want to do. |
| babinski by: docdave pfeifer |
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...MedReport. for some reason,out of no where words come to me that I haven't used in years. ever have that happen? well as we age we expect to forget words not remember them. suddenly the other day it came to me; babinsky's reflex. Hadn't thought of that since my orthopedic days back at pomona hospital, in the 70's when I was an ortho tech there. whee--u. anyway memory lane and all---sit rep is as follows: my mother fell this past friday and broke her hip. went to hospital,hadf surgery, and is having rehab now. my sister is going to wear herself out as drives back and forth from detroit to see her.Wish I could help, but can't right now, stuck here in calif. all for now guys. |
| agent orange list by: docdave |
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...MedReport. they are adding three new disease on the list by using presumptiveproof of illness for your applications.they are 1. B cell leukemias,such as hairy cell luekemias, parkinsons disease ans ischemic heart disease(includes blocked arteries).some vets with these three diseases on submission of their application may be elligible for retroactive pay.below diseases recognized already: AL Amyloidosis Acute ans subacute transient peripheral neuropathy Chloracne or other Acneform disease consistent with chlorinacne Cronic Lymphocytic leukemia(now being expanded) Diabetes Mellitis(adult onset) Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Porphyria CUTANEA TARDA Prostate cancer Respitory Cancers(cancer of the lung,bronchus,larynx,or trachea Soft tissue Sarcoma(other than osteosarcoma,karposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma). add. info available at:www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange. |
| potassium iodide by: docdave |
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...MedReport. a salt also known as KI,has just one use shields the thyroid from radioactive iodine.it protects no other part of the body. comes with lots of side effects particulaly if you don't need to take it.no good for people over 40.stomach upset, allergic reactions,rash even inflamation of salvaryglands is possible.goiter or hypothyroidism is reported in some casaes of elderly.so, if you wern't recently exposed to radiation, and this drug only protects the thyroid gland,don't take it. |
| diabetes by: docdave |
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...MedReport. there are basically two types of diabetes.the first you are born with,is diabetes insiphilis, the second one is diabetes mellitis or adult onset diabetes.basically the sugar in our body is fuel to be burnt in a timely manner.the sugar is kept in the body by a sticky substance that surrounds the sugar and allows the sugar to be burnt by the body over time as needs be.when this sticky substance doesn't form properly or hold the sugar in our body long enough to be used properly, it comes out in urine.In order to correct this shots of insulin are given to replace this sticky substance our body is supposed to be producing but for many reasons is not working right. In a blood test you will see the blood sugar rise way above normal range. hence the pinprick of the finger for testing.this tells us when to give the insulin shot. |
| sit rep by: docdave |
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...MedReport. saw the surgeon monday, had an x-ray, blood test, EKG, an after seeing good results,doc decided to take me off all heart meds;yea---! breathing better, can walk further now all on the improve. feel lots better. doc says my lower lobes have grown to fill the space from the missing lobe they took out giving me more air to breath, and I have good lung sounds. next check up not for four months. all looking good guys. airborne! this trooper is hard to kill.like most of my brothers. carry on. |
| cancer by: docdave |
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...MedReport. docs have announced I am 100% cancer free as of now.Top part of right lung removal was a success and they got it all.healing now.starting to breathe easier and walk further.have had many va appointments for follow up.diet has changed, and I have of course quit smoking totally.sweet things taste bitter and can't stand salt.lots of fruits and soups,oatmeal,tuna,etc.fluids. am getting over the hump each day a little better.all for now |
| lung surgery by: DOCDAVE |
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...MedReport. an operation that was suppposed to take four hoursa lasted for eight.evidently had trouble with my lung collapsing every time they removed the throat tubes. then filled up with flem, had to bronchoscope me, cleared it then lungs collapse.fever,etc.leav e it to me to do it the hard way.14 in the va hosp. glad to be home finally.doing better now but slow. |
| lobes by: DOCDAVE |
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...MedReport. the right lung is made up of three lobes where the left lung is made up of two lobes.the bronchial tubes that branch off from the esophagus carrying the air into our lungs;travel behind the lungs.as they pass each lobe the is a tube like connection along with large blood vessels the travel to each lobe and branch out through out thelung.so trhe right side would have three such connecting tubes and the left would have two.during the operation of a lobectemy,they cut the tube and close off the blood vessels going to that particular lobe.after these are tied of and bleeding controlled.the lobe then is seperated and pulled out throught the hole made in the side of the ribs.the ribs have been enlarged to make the opening bigger by way of a rib spreader. small cameras are used as well.the opening then is clamped sometimes with a tube to collect any further bleeding. an airtube was inserted down the throat for this procedure and will be left in place for the first day.Morphine is usually the pain killer used.the hospital stay is usually four days. this is the operation I will be going thru on tuesday, january 18th ,at 7:30 am.Additionally they will take a lymph sample from my lower throat and send it to the lab to see if any cancer has spread to there.that part takes 1-1/2hours, then the main operation takes appproximately four hours. I have signed consent forms for my sister to make decisions for me just in case.she is coming out here from michigan for the week so I will have family member on hand.I am glad for all the time I have spent with you guys and hope to have some more in the future. AIRBORNE. |
| radiation by: docdave |
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...MedReport. we get a dose of radiation in lives bt many methods daily.first we get sun rays that give us skin cancers, squamus cells, basil cells and melanomas. then we get perodic x-rays at the docs office.the spin electrons around in a cathode tube at high speed they shoot out these invisible rads thru our body deflected by bones and large muscle mass into the lead sheild behind us. thhe silloette is the picture they read.walking under wires that are old and the rubber insulation is worn off gives us a charge. the tv emits low volumne charge. the air is full of waves all the time.everything we use gives off some typs of energy, cell phone, lap top, watch,ear wig,gps, etc. we as humans are mutants on this planet and have adapted to many different bacteria, germs and dangerous things not seen, but are there.our immune system has grown to fight them off automatically and we have developed vacines for many of the rest.as we progress we also create new diseases and dangers. that is called progress for the modern age.atomic energy is the price e pay to be modern but the cancers it causes are write off for the energy needs of the many. |
| cells by: docdave |
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...MedReport. way back in early school,we learned about cell division.that every seven years every cell in our body is replaced.miosis,mitosis,is cell division where stuff goes over to one side of the cell and a strand forms and starts to come out of the nuclei,while at the same time another strand is forming in the rings to come out and entangle itself with the first strand in a heliex.the heliex is called a polypeptide cahin.these things attracted to each other as opposites and likes do not.these mo;ecules make up the new cells that replace the old ones.sometimes the messenger, the coding of how these strands are supposed to form gets confused and don't come to gether properly and forms a tumor. because it was made in and of our own body our defence system, doesn't recognize it as dangerous so it grows on.it can also spread by way of the blood stream or the lymphatic system through out the body.it feeds on blood and other healthy cells.we call these malformed creatures cancers. cancer itself is a large or mothers name for many different kinds of things. it could be in the breast, the prostrate, the stomach, the lungs, etc. early discovery is one of the most important tolls to beat this killer. when they find these tumors in the early stage it is often possible to be cut out.when they do this they have to cut a large enough area around the tumor to know for sure they got it all and are into healthy tissue.If they don't get it all the first time it is certain to come back again. there are two basic type to watch for, single cell carcinoma; non single cell carcinoma.the first one is very fast growing. the second one is much slower growing and is hard to tell how long it take to become fatal. the first one isa squamus cell type of cancer, while the second one is adenocarcinoma.thats the one they found in my right lung.Its 2.1cmm by 1.6cmm approximately an inch in size.it is located on the out side of my right lung near the top.the risk factors for getting this kind of cancer are: smoking/ inhaling paint fumes/ asbestos/ smog /genetics/agent orange/aerosol sprays.I will be operated on 1/18/11 all for now. |
| LUNG CANCER by: DOCDAVE |
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...MedReport. WANTED TO TALK ABOUT LUNG CACER BUT AM A BIT SHOOK UP AND NEED TO WAIT FOR THE RIGHT TIMR TO DO SO. THE PAST FEW WEEKS FOR ME ME HAVE BEEN BUSY WITH TESTS AND SCANS AND RUNNING AROUND FROM CLINIC TO OTHER HOSPITALS TO OTHER DOCS AND SO FORTH,THAT MY HEAD IS STILL SPINNING AND I AM IN SHOCK. ITS A BIT OF A STORY TO TELL, AND I WILL WHEN I CAN GET UP THE MUSTER TO DO IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT FOROM TO SPEAK IN,I IMAGINE MO WILL LET ME KNOW. ALL FOR NOW. |
| diabetes by: docdave |
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...MedReport. seems to me an unusual amount of veterans lately have been diagnosed with diabetes.,more than in the population percentage .this is another disease added to the list of agent orange for claims benefits at the va. but why did so man vets suddenly come down with it?too much alcohol builds up sugar in your pancreas and liver.junk food does the same.watch your cholestrol. when your sugar goes up, you are storing too much and not burning it off like when you were young.diabetes insipidus,is childhood or born with it, where as diabetes mellitis is adult onset.there is a sticky coating manufactured to hold in the sugar in the system long enough for the body to burn it.when this substance is lost in the urine(we chck it by test tape),its called hypo- glycemia.coined by dr.carl jung.where the sugar goes out in the urine and not retained long enough to burn.opposite of diabeted. the body needs to be in balance to be in harmon.so moderation is the key. drink in moderation and eat the same way.live loger and enjoy the life we have survived.we deserve it guy and certainly weall deserve it. doc out. |
| vets benefits by: docdave |
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...MedReport. A note of info to all who ma be interested. we had a medic go for C&P interview yesterday.And today in our combat medics group in long beach,ca. he announced his experienc.he stated that the dr. told him ptsd benefits were for medics that traveled in the field with the grunts and infintry not any medics who worked in the rear hospitals,medivacs or mash units. and that he got an orderly job right after discharge and stayed employed at that for several years estalishing normal return,then he did not qualify and why did he wait so long to come in for help? any on have aproblem with that? this particular medic worked the 326 med detach. where the wounded were rushed for emergency support then stailized and moved on along the chain to better facilities.he didn't get a CMB but discharged his duties for one year and still reemembers the blood and broken bodies ne worked on along with the nitemares he has now.what say docs? |
| medics work by: docdave |
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...MedReport. was thinknig the other day of some of the duties of a field medic in the army as oppossed to medics on other stations. for instance,remember stopping the bleeding with a pressure bandage and starting an iv --in the rain? remeber having several guys yell medic at the same time only ten or so meters apart each. oo remember the screaming elling swearing when the rpgs were coming in ans all hell broke loose so you didn't know where to duck.then MEDIC UP!~ remember running down the hill at firebase kathy when the rto in the rear didn't tell anyone the op's team was coming in from being out the nite before. andthey fired claymores in to two good men;point blank. remember checking all your clothes for leeches after coming out of the water. no supply no choppers are flying no visiablity in this weather. squaaak,no radio commo either. how about only fourteen klicks to go for a pick up,get there asap? infantry had unique opportunities to see what you were made of. I wanna be an sirborne trooper live a life of danger and kill me a comie with my m-16.onlky in the nam. doc out. just musings. |
| AO at Ascom Depot by: Randy Watson |
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...MedReport. I was stationed at Ascom Depot from Dec 68 to Feb 70. I was with Company B Supply and Transportation Division. We stored,shipped and transported Agent Orange to the DMZ. We were the main supply division for all of Korea. There were times these barrels would get punctured by the forks on the forklifts and spill out causing us to get skin contact with AO. I also served in Viet Nam from April 70 to July 70. I suffer from hypertension, heart disease and other illnesses. It's documented in my military medical records that I had high blood pressure in 1975, 5 years after leaving Korea and Viet Nam. I'm getting ready to file yet another claim with the VA for Hypertension and Heart Disease. I've had open heart surgery in 1991 and since then I've had six heart attacks. Anyone with more information about Ascom Depot please email me at aboogger@swbell.net |
| Robert Zendejas by: Vet 12 |
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...MedReport. Robert, I was stationed at Ascom, South Korea in 68-69. I have a claim in for exposure to AO. I had non-hodgkins lymphoma. I would like to talk with you concerning AO being stored at Ascom. |
| nite sweats by: a.o.lancaster nz 14110 |
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...MedReport. I think you should invest in a cpap mchine for sleep apnea ,you risk stroke and or heart attack |
| flue shots by: docdave |
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...MedReport. they say older people should get there shots.well now thats us.they also say people get the flue from the shots.well that means someones immine system is so low they would have gotten the flue anyway but a lot worse. the shot is the flue germ injected under the layer of skin.then our immune system is turned on and signals are sent to send white cells to kill the germs.the build up of new white cells should keep us preety well immune to the flue bug.I nsome cases people still get the flue, but not nearly so severe due to the fact they alreay have anti-bodies in their system.we all(vets) can get them free this month (oct) at any va facility. |
| nite sweats by: docdave |
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...MedReport. I personally think the reason varies in many of us.And is more wide spread than the va admits to.I know I have it all the time, and many of my vet friends here in long beach va have it too.the only thing we have in common is ptsd.It goes away for a sort time and then it comes back.I sweat thru my pillows every nite.I usually end up buying new ones all the time.Another thing is sleep apnea, where we stop breathing for short times.Have you been told you do that too.Many of us also have that as well.Why I don't know.thats the reason they won't give me sleeping pills at nite.So I wake up every two hours or so. makes for rough dragged out am's.then the cycle repeats. |
| night sweats in men by: ray cuff |
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...MedReport. what are some causes for men sweating at night? |
| shingles by: docdave |
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...MedReport. one of my vet friends here in long beach VA came down with them.He went thru quite a depressive time,has many ptsd symptoms along my M.S. so his auto-immune system is down and very week,allowing the shingles to take hold on the right side of his body.this comes from the events I described, and stress related too,a person who has had chicken pox in his past, can happen to.the docs treated it aggresssively with both oral meds and a medicated pack to the infected areas, and in ten days he only had scarring on his leg to show for it.be careful about letting yourselves to get so far down as to allow infections to take hold. |
| vitamins by: docdave |
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...MedReport. sometimes vitamins can be a help if you are careful and don't over do it. name brands are usually safe. some that I believe in are; saw palmetto,for prostrate;vitamin E helps clean the blood,a good daily multi-vitamin,helps make up for not eating correctly? Alfalfa tablets,clears the lungs for like emphasyma pts,or fluids,a real good one now is Omegs-3,help with digestive tract and other stuff.Beta-Carotene is a good blood cleaner and thinnerfor better circulation.there are others but all I can think of right now. |
| vaso-vegal syncope by: docdave-medtech |
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...MedReport. a condition of feinting due to low blood volume to the brain perhaps, two pints or so ,in the feet.The vegas nerve accross the heart and leading to the brain is suspected to be involved here.this condition is rare.these symptoms are identical to many other conditions like low blood sugar, cardio insufficient blood volume in the chambers to pump out, before the signal the brain gives it.Most all of this is called auto-nomic; that is we don't control it , our auto -nomic or central nervous system (cns) does. syncope ,means feinting, and dizziness,from the greek word to cut off.that is cut off blood supply in this case.Vaso , meaning blood system, and vegas nerve, the largest nerve accross the heart for the return of blood to restart its return to the body again when insufficient blood volume desn't fill the chambers of the heart properly;and the signal from the brain tells it to pump,then it sets up tachtchardia,or irregular rythm, which leads to convulsions,feinting, dizziness and passing out.when the heart restarts, it is back into normal rythm again.Lasts from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.episodes are much like seizures and are treated whith anti-seizure medications. |
| hepititus by: docdave |
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...MedReport. If that is the word the below entry is looking for. there are two basic types.1.the one we were concerned about hep. from bad water.to counteract that we(medics) gave out those little rusty looking pills that were basically iodine tablets.to kill the bactria in the watr we drank. we also got those bnad ass gamma globulin shots to prevent hep c. Later after we came home we lerned of another type hepititus B.by getting bad blood products.sharing needles,bad blood transfusions,drugs, needle pricks,bad handling of blood products all brought on a scare of hep b. many of us are still struggling with the aftermath of our generations mistakes . from, agent orange to hep c, to hep b, chloroacne rashes,lymphoma,just to name a few. |
| reply to crotch rot by: docdave |
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...MedReport. many guys got both crotch and foot rot in the jungle,many things bring it back. heat and humidity and stress are two things come to mind. My MD is giving me both hydracortizone for itch and clotrimazole cream. he says to mix the two togethr and apply.the hydacorti--doesn't treat the infection only the itch, and he says we need the clotrimazole to treat the infection.It seems to help me.but it never goes away permanently. |
| Crotch Rot Korea by: Robert Zendejas |
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...MedReport. I am a 66-67 vet of Korea. We saw barrels of Agent Orange stored at a place called Ascom Depot. Spraying was done as early as the summer of 1967 according to news reports from Korea newspapers. I now have Type II Diabites. I was also exposed in Panama where Agent Orange was also sprayed on a regular basis. I first had an expisode of Crotch Rot in the summer of 1967 when we were chasing Gooks through the rice paddies, etc. I still suffed when the humidity get real high here in Tennessee. When I go to places with very low humidity it gets better and goes into remission. But when I go back home it starts acting up again. If you have never had it you cannot believe how much you want to scratch until you can bleed. I live with hydrocortisone ointment in my drawer. The VA treatments do not do very well. So I suffer in frustration. |