Over the past month or so I have received several chain
e-mails regarding health issues. I thought I would share these
pearls of wisdom with you, and add my own comments.
Trusty water bottle not so trusty
“ Many are unaware of poisoning caused by re-using plastic
bottles. Some of you may be in the habit of using and re-using
your disposable mineral water bottles (eg. Evian, Aqua, Ice
Mountain, Vita, etc), keeping them in your car or at work.
Not a good idea. In a nutshell, the plastic (called polyethylene
terephthalate or PET) used in these bottles contains a potentially
carcinogenic element (something called diethylhydroxylamine
or DEHA). The bottles are safe for one-time use only; if you
must keep them longer, it should be for no more than a few
days, a week max, and keep them away from heat as well. Repeated
washing and rinsing can cause the plastic to break down and
the carcinogens (cancer-causing chemical agents) can leach
into the water that YOU are
drinking. Better to invest in water bottles that are really
meant for multiple uses. This is not something we should be
scrimping on. Those of you with family - please advise them,
especially children.”
Kim’s comment: This seems like wise advice that should
be well heeded.
How to survive a heart attack alone.
“ If everyone who gets this sends it to 10 people, you
can bet that we’ll save at least one life. Let’s
say it’s 6:15 p. m. and you’re driving home (alone
of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. You’re
really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing
severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into
your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles
from the hospital nearest your home; unfortunately you don’t
know if you’ll be able to make it that far. WHAT CAN
YOU DO?
You’ve been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the
course neglected to tell you how to perform it on yourself.
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack,
this article seemed to be in order. Without help, the person
whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel
faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly
and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before
each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when
producing sputum from deep inside the chest, and a cough must
be repeated about every 2 seconds without let up until help
arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally
again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing
movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating.
The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal
rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.
Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could
save their lives!”
Kim’s comment: Hmm, don’t know about this one.
I would doubt that enough controlled studies have been done
to prove or disprove this theory! If I had 10 seconds left
I would probably try to summon some assistance rather than
start barking. One point that this article does not consider,
is that given the amount of pain that heart attack victims
experience (“like a truck driving over your chest”),
I would doubt that coughing would be an easy thing to do.
Better hope that you never need to try this theory out as
I doubt very much that it would be of much use.
An eye opener on ovarian cancer.
“ I hope you all take the time to read this and pass
it on to all you can. Send this to the women in your life
that you care about. This is the story of Kathy West. I have
Primary Peritoneal Cancer. This cancer has only recently been
identified as its OWN type of cancer, but it is essentially
Ovarian Cancer. Both types of cancer are diagnosed in the
same way, with the “tumor marker” CA-125 BLOOD
TEST, and they are treated in the same way - surgery to remove
the primary tumor and then chemotherapy with Taxol and Carboplatin.
Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others from
the same fate. That is why I am sending this message to you
and hope you will print it and give it or send it via E-mail
to everybody you know. One thing I have learned is that each
of us must take TOTAL responsibility for our own health care.
I thought I had done that because I always had an annual physical
and PAP smear, did a monthly Self-Breast Exam, went to the
dentist at least twice a year, etc. I even insisted on a sigmoidoscopy
and a bone density test last year. When I had a total hysterectomy
in 1993, I thought that
I did not have to worry about getting any of the female reproductive
organ cancers. LITTLE DID I KNOW. I don’t have ovaries
(and they were HEALTHY when they were removed), but I have
what is essentially ovarian cancer. Strange, isn’t it?
These are just SOME of the things our doctors never tell us:
- ONE out of every 55 women will get OVARIAN or PRIMARY
PERITONEAL CANCER.
- The “CLASSIC” symptoms are an ABDOMEN
that rather SUDDENLY ENLARGES and CONSTIPATION and/or DIARRHEA.
- had these classic symptoms and went to the doctor. Because
these symptoms seemed to be “abdominal “, I went
to a gastroenterologist. He ran tests that were designed to
determine whether there was a bacteria infection; these tests
were
negative, and I was diagnosed with “Irritable Bowel
Syndrome “. I guess I would have accepted this diagnosis
had it not been for my enlarged abdomen. I swear to you, it
looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant! I therefore insisted
on more tests. They took an X-ray of my abdomen; it was negative.
I was again assured that I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and
was encouraged to go on my scheduled month-long trip to Europe.
I couldn’t wear any of my slacks or shorts because I
couldn’t get them buttoned, and I KNEW something was
radically wrong. I INSISTED on more tests, and they reluctantly
scheduled me for a CT-Scan (just to shut me up, I think).
This is what I mean by “taking charge of our own health
care.. “
The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my abdomen (NOT normal).
Needless to say, I had to cancel my trip, but NOTHING compared
to what was ahead of me. Tests revealed cancer cells in the
fluid. Finally, finally, finally, the doctor ran a CA-125
blood test, and I was properly diagnosed. I HAD THE CLASSIC
SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER, AND YET THIS SIMPLE CA-125 BLOOD
TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME, not as part of my annual physical
exam and not when I was symptomatic. This is an inexpensive
and simple blood test! PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE
FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO INSIST ON A CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY
YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS. Be forewarned
that their doctors might try to talk them out of it, saying,
IT ISN’T NECESSARY.” Believe me, had I known then
what I know now, we would have caught my cancer much earlier
(before it was a stage 3 cancer). Insist on the CA-125 BLOOD
TEST; DO NOT take “NO” for an answer! The normal
range for a CA-125 BLOOD TEST is between zero and 35. MINE
WAS 754. (That’s right, 754!). If the number is slightly
above 35, you can have another done in three or six months
and keep a close eye on it, just as women do when they have
fibroid tumors or when men have a slightly elevated PSA test
(Prostatic Specific Antigens) that helps diagnose prostate
cancer. Having the CA-125 test done annually can alert you
early, and that’s the goal in diagnosing any type of
cancer - catching it early. Do you know 55 women? If so, at
least one of them will have this VERY AGGRESSIVE cancer. Please,
go to your doctor and insist on a CA-125 test and have one
EVERY YEAR for the rest of your life. Gene Wilder and Pierce
Bronsan both lost their wives to it and are lobbying for women’s
health issues, saying that this test should be required in
our physicals, just like the PAP and the mammogram”.
Kims comment: Do I need to say any more than this? The CA-125
test is available at Prodia Laboratories. The cost of the
test is Rp220,000 and results are available within 5
days. It would be wise to have this test annually along with
PAP and breast examinations; then have your results interpreted
by a health professional.
Kim Patra is a qualified Registered Nurse / Midwife, and mother
of three, who has been living and working in Bali for past
15 years. She has assisted many traveller (...
and others) either as a flying medical escort
or just a voice on the end of the phone! Kim is happy
to discuss any health concerns that your may have. Her
e-mail contact is info@chcbali.com
