The Pulse - ehagedorn's Blog - Bakersfield.com http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn en-us Pinpointing health alerts on global map http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/30561 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/30561 <p>I just came across a neat tool. </p> <p><a href="http://www.healthmap.org/en">HealthMap.org</a> plots global disease alerts on a worldwide map. It gets feeds from the <a href="http://www.who.int/en/">World Health Organization</a>, <a href="http://news.google.com/">Google News</a> and <a href="http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1000:">ProMED</a>, among others, and specifically tracks dozens of diseases, like <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007263.htm">avian influenza</a>, <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007186.htm">West Nile virus</a> and <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000594.htm">HIV/AIDS</a>. </p> <p>The United States has a flurry of update flags on it, but that might just be because the U.S. media tracks health more than press in other countries. </p> <p>At the moment, Bakersfield isn't pinpointed. </p> <p>Other flags in California give links to news about <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/18/content_8565124.htm">West Nile virus in Los Angeles</a>, <a href="http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2407275~title_Confusion-Over.html">salmonella</a> and <a href="http://apex.oracle.com/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:4262598880892593::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,73089">bovine tuberculosis</a> north of Fresno, <a href="http://www.kcbs.com/pages/2558929.php?">norovirus outbreak in Santa Rosa</a> and <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prison9-2008jul09,0,5893607.story">hepatitis C out of Sacramento</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> -1 -1


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Picture 2.png Bakersfield native chronicles eating disorder struggle http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/30511 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/30511 <p>Reading Lily Berger's story of battling an <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eatingdisorders.html">eating disorder</a>, I was surprised to see that the disorder began so early in her life.</p> <p>The Bakersfield native detailed her struggle on <a href="http://www.northwestvoice.com/home/Blog/lapetitemoi/30422">the Northwest Voice's Web site</a>. It's a shocking read that delves deep into why she felt compelled to purge.</p> <p>Here's an <a href="http://www.northwestvoice.com/home/Blog/lapetitemoi/30422">excerpt</a>:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">This takes us about 14 years back. At this point in time, I was Lily Berger, age 8. I was short, with blonde hair and bright green eyes...and I was hyper beyond all means. I had already become the school outcast and &quot;freak&quot; by age 5. Although my mother was sure I had ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder), she was too concerned about making me a zombie with medication to take me to be tested. So my over-excitement continued. I lost friends, irritated adults, and exasperated my parents. I quickly realized, at age 8, that I needed desperately to calm myself down in any way possible. I had noticed that when I didn't eat lunch, or didn't have a full meal, I would start to drag in energy after awhile. It made me less of an annoyance, less &quot;obnoxious,&quot; as my mother would often describe me. And so it began. Throw away a juice box here, a sandwich there. But I was hungry often, and resorted to eating other things that actually looked appetizing- plastic sporks, paper, dirt. I thought it was normal, since I had heard of other kids making &quot;mud pies.&quot;</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">&nbsp;</p> Medical school in Bakersfield? http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/30504 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/30504 <p>I had heard talk about a medical school coming to <a href="http://med.ucmerced.edu/default.asp">UC Merced</a>.</p> <p>But if one local politician has his way, that medical school would reside in Bakersfield, possibly next to Kern Medical Center.</p> <p>I just spoke to <a href="http://www.co.kern.ca.us/bos/dist5/">Supervisor Michael Rubio</a>, who said his staff will give UC officials a proposal in early August to house the facility in Kern.</p> <p>UC Merced's current plan is to create a hybrid program, with students spending the first two years at the Merced campus and the final two years in Fresno or remote clinics, Rubio said.</p> <p>He is proposing a more conventional medical school program.</p> <p>One idea is to put the school on the Mt. Vernon Avenue campus, where KMC resides, in new buildings.</p> <p><a href="http://med.ucmerced.edu/default.asp">UC Merced's Medical Education and Health Sciences site</a> lists this as their reason for a valley med school:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The San Joaquin Valley, which runs from Stockton to Bakersfield, is rich in cultural diversity and is the nation&rsquo;s leading agricultural region. However, the area is seriously medically underserved. Access to health care is 31 percent lower in the Valley than in the rest of California. A projected statewide shortage of physicians coupled with a rapidly growing population provides a daunting outlook for health care access in the Valley in the future.</p> <p>What do you think about putting a med school in Bakersfield? Is this the best place for it? What would it do for the community?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> 35.383042 -118.967379 Trespassing or protecting public health? http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/29893 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/29893 <p>Mosquito abatement employees go onto private property without permission from time to time.</p> <p>This has been done locally to treat abandon pools teeming with mosquitoes (see the photo).</p> <p>A Pennsylvania businessman, though, considers this trespassing.</p> <p>From the <a href="http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_9804191?source=email"><i>York Daily Record</i></a>:</p> <p><span id="iy_style_article"> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">James Yelton, president of Authentic Wood Floors on Seven Valleys Road, said last week he didn't want the two officials to take the tests because there was dangerous equipment on the property.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">&quot;There's just too much liability,&quot; he said.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">According to state police, Thomas Smith, coordinator of the county's <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007186.htm">West Nile virus</a> program, and Dianne Whitten, of the local Penn State Cooperative Extension, arrived on Yelton's property June 16 without his permission.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">They were looking for mosquito larvae, police said, and they took samples from pools of standing water.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Smith, whom Yelton described as polite, had asked for permission but was denied, Yelton said.</p> </span><span id="iy_style_article">The two could face fines of $2,500 and up to a year in prison. </span><span id="iy_style_article"><br /> </span></p> <p>Should abatement officials be able to go onto private property without permission to &quot;abate a public nuisance,&quot; as the county solicitor put it?</p> <p>On a related note, two more West Nile-infected birds have been found in Bakersfield.</p> <p>During the last week of June, a great-tailed grackle was found in the northeast near Highway 178 and Miramonte Drive, and a hummingbird was found in the southwest near Stine Road and Ming Avenue, said Richard Takahashi, entomologist with the Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District.</p> <p>Still, we're way below the total we had at this point last year, which was 66.</p> <p>(Read <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/hourly_news/story/494297.html">&quot;Two birds positive for W. Nile, though total way below last year's numbers&quot;</a> on Bakersfield.com)</p> <p>Mosquito abatement employees have been working nights and weekends to control and monitor the mosquito population, Takahashi said.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>


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Caption: Mosquito larvae bloom in an abandoned swimming pool in northwest Bakersfield.
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Caption: An abandoned pool behind an empty home in northwest Bakersfield is a mosquito breeding ground.
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Caption: An abandoned pool behind an empty home in northwest Bakersfield is a mosquito breeding ground.
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 mosquitolarvae.JPG Mosquito larvae bloom in an abandoned swimming pool in northwest Bakersfield. TBC mosquitopool.JPG An abandoned pool behind an empty home in northwest Bakersfield is a mosquito breeding ground. TBC Tax hikes vs. funds for health care, education http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/29804 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/29804 <p>Would you be in favor of tax increases if it meant more money for schools and health care?</p> <p>A Democrat-controlled Assembly committee approved a new state budget last night based on a $9.7 billion tax increase, <font class="columntext">the first state budget proposal based on a major tax increase since 1991.</font></p> <p>According to the <a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080709-9999-1n9budget.html"><i>San Diego Union-Tribune</i></a>, it would give schools $2.3 billion more than a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to freeze school funding and restore $1.5 billion in cuts to health and welfare programs.</p> <p>Democrats say the plan would avoid large reductions in Medi-Cal funding for low-income residents.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">(Assemblyman John) Laird (D-Santa Cruz) said the tax increase is designed to spare middle-income Californians. The big increase is a $5.6 billion income tax hike for the wealthy. Several business taxes also would be raised.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Republican legislators, who must provide a handful of votes in each house for the two-thirds approval needed to pass a budget and tax increases, have vowed to oppose tax increases.</p> <p>The tax increases include $5.6 billion from imposing a 10 percent rate for taxpayers with joint returns above $321,000 an an 11 percent rate above $642,000, along with $1.1 billion from suspending businesses' ability to carry a portion of their tax-deductible losses into the following fiscal years for three years.</p> <p>What's your opinion on this?</p> <p>The CEOs of local hospitals have come out against the cuts to Medi-Cal, saying, &quot;Our community hospitals and the lives of all Californians are in jeopardy.&quot;</p> <p>(Read the post, <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28762">&quot;'Access to vital health care is at stake for all Californian.'&quot;</a>)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Protect yourself against 'seasonal amnesia' http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/29767 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/29767 <p>It seems like every summer people freak out about the heat like they've never felt it before, like it's not an eventuality.</p> <p>Guess what, people. Bakersfield is hot. It's kind of our thing.</p> <p>This seasonal amnesia happens back East during the first snow of winter. Motorists forget that snow is slippery. People talk like they'll never dig themselves out. Meteorologists' arm movements demonstrating the oncoming fronts of pressure get even more erratic.</p> <p>But lo and behold, the months pass. The season ends. And mild temps are with us yet again.</p> <p>To help overcome this seasonal amnesia, here's some tips on protecting yourself from the heat (and the poor air quality due to the smoke), courtesy of <a href="http://bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov/EPO/BeInformed/NaturalDisasters/ExtremeHeat/TipsPrevHeatIllness.htm">the state Department of Public Health</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;Children, the elderly and people with heart, circulation or breathing problems are especially vulnerable to both heat and smoke,&rdquo; said Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health, in a release.&nbsp; &ldquo;Individuals should regularly check on neighbors, particularly elders, and seek medical help if you see or experience signs of heat-related illness, including nausea, headache, vomiting, unusual fatigue or problems breathing.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;<br /> Air conditioning provides protection in areas that are hit with both heat and smoke because it provides cool, filtered air. Residents who do not have air conditioning should visit friends or family member&rsquo;s homes, a public place such as a library or shopping mall or seek out a public cooling center. <br /> &nbsp;<br /> <a href="http://www.co.kern.ca.us/pio/coolingcenters.asp">Kern County has opened several cooling centers.</a><br /> &nbsp;<br /> If air conditioning is not available and it is not possible to relocate, some precautions against smoke and heat-related illness are:</p> <ul> <li>Lower body temperature by using cold compresses, misting and taking cool showers, baths or sponge baths.</li> <li>Drink plenty of fluids. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink. However, if your doctor has told you to limit the amount you drink or you are taking water pills, ask your doctor how much you should drink during the heat.</li> <li>Avoid drinks with alcohol or large amounts of sugar, as these can promote dehydration.</li> <li>Avoid physical exertion.</li> <li>Wear lightweight and light-colored clothing.</li> <li>If you have to be outside in a smoky area, wearing a mask called a &ldquo;particulate respirator&rdquo; can help protect your lungs from wildfire smoke. Choose a mask that has two straps and has &ldquo;NIOSH&rdquo; and either &ldquo;N95&rdquo; or &ldquo;P100&rdquo; printed on it and follow the manufacturer&rsquo;s instructions carefully. It is harder to breathe with a mask on, so take frequent breaks if you are working and check with your doctor before using a mask if you have heart or lung disease.</li> <li>Do not use bandannas (wet or dry), paper or surgical masks or tissues held over the mouth and nose. These will not protect your lungs from wildfire smoke. <br /> &nbsp;</li> </ul> Is there anything good about mosquitoes? http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28957 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28957 <p>Do mosquitoes serve any purpose besides endlessly annoying us and infecting us with <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000621.htm">malaria</a>, <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001374.htm">Dengue fever</a> and <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007186.htm">West Nile virus</a>?</p> <p>A reader posted that question in <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28911">my last blog post</a>, and because it's such a good one, I looked into it some more.</p> <p>As reader CatherineBaker wrote, &quot;They say bacteria has its charms. Ditto with ants and worms and a hundred other gross things. But HOW are mosquitoes good for the environment or ecosystems or the food chain or whatever?&quot;</p> <p>I put her question to <span class="text"><font color="#000000">Richard Takahashi, entomologist with the Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District. </font></span></p> <p>&quot;I guess philosophically one could ask worthwhile to who? I know of no study that can accurately say how much mosquitoes impact the ecosystem of the world. There's been a lot of subjective speculation about their importance, but in the complex world of animal interactions and food webs, no one can definitively say they are important in this world.</p> <p>&quot;They do have an impact in smaller ecosystems, where because of their sheer abundance, they make up a significant portion of animal diet in the system (birds that eat their larvae, bats that eat the adult mosquitoes, other invertebrates, like spiders, that prey upon them, etc).&nbsp;</p> <p>&quot;As everybody knows, mosquitoes also impact the environment by transmitting diseases and thus reducing the number of animals that they infect (population control, biologically-speaking).&quot;</p> <p>What lovely creatures.</p> <p>I remember summer camp counselors telling me and my friends <a href="http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/How_Mosquitoes_Came_To_Be-Tlingit.html">the American Indian legend</a> that mosquitoes are the remains of a man-eating giant who was killed, cut into pieces and thrown into a fire. Each particle of ash turned into a mosquito.</p> <p>At least that story gives the mosquitoes motive for being such irksome blood suckers.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>


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fightbite2.jpg West Nile problems all over the country http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28911 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28911 <p>The weather of this past week may cause <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007186.htm">West Nile virus</a> problems from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean.</p> <p>First, let's start locally.</p> <p>The hotter it gets the faster mosquitoes breed and the faster the virus replicates.</p> <p>It reached 110 degrees Saturday, according to Weather.com. And while we may be in the middle of a drought, Bakersfield has plenty of man-made water sources &mdash; abandoned swimming pools &mdash; for mosquitoes to breed in.</p> <p>We may be without rain, but the Midwest has had more than enough.</p> <p>From the <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/F4D62B5137092F088625747100137443?OpenDocument">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The health problems generally start after the water recedes, when mold enters homes and mosquitoes lurk around standing water, public health officials say.<br /> <br /> &quot;Anyplace we have flooding we're going to have mosquitoes that are going to be a big nuisance to people,&quot; said Joan Bradford, supervisor of vector control for the St. Louis County Department of Health.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Rising floodwater generally attracts breeds of mosquitoes that don't carry disease. But areas that do not drain quickly can attract mosquitoes that harbor the West Nile virus.<br /> <br /> As the standing floodwater evaporates, it gathers a higher concentration of organic material attractive to mosquitoes carrying the virus. Those mosquitoes are typically found near sources of standing water such as rain gutters, sewers, nonoperating swimming pools and birdbaths.<br /> <br /> Already, vector control workers are finding more West Nile than average. Mosquitoes carrying the virus have been found in 23 percent of the samples taken this year in St. Louis County.</p> <p>The river is expected to crest over the next few days.</p> <p>The good news: Midwest residents can start recuperating. The bad news: The water will become still, which means mosquitoes can move in.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> First Californian diagnosed with West Nile in 2008 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28768 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28768 <p>Kern isn't No. 1, and in this case, that's a good thing.</p> <p>The state Department of Public Health just announced <a href="http://www.westnile.ca.gov/news.php?id=91">the first human case of West Nile virus in the state this year</a> &mdash; in Tulare County.</p> <p>&ldquo;The first human <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007186.htm">West Nile virus</a> infection of 2008 underscores the importance of taking precautions to protect from mosquito bites,&rdquo; said Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health, in the news release. &ldquo;Californians should use insect repellent and eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;<br /> To date this year, West Nile activity has been detected in 19 of California&rsquo;s 58 counties.</p> <p>Kern has seen one infected bird and one infected mosquito sample.</p> <p>The release says the first human case in 2007 in California was reported on June 20, but Kern County sent out notice of the first case, which happened to be a Kern resident, on June 13, 2007.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> WNV is transmitted to humans and animals through a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. <br /> &nbsp;<br /> Most individuals who are infected with WNV will not experience any illness.&nbsp; Individuals 50 years of age and older have a higher chance of getting sick and are more likely to develop serious symptoms when infected with WNV.&nbsp; Recent data also indicate that those with diabetes and/or hypertension are at greatest risk for serious illness.</p> <p>Residents are urged to:</p> <ul> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Eliminate all sources of stagnant or standing water.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Wear long sleeves and pants while outdoors whenever possible.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Make sure the doors and windows in your home have tight-fitting screens with no holes or tears.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Contact the appropriate mosquito abatement district if there is a significant mosquito problem where you live or work, for a supply of mosquito fish to control larvae in troughs and ponds, or to report an abandoned swimming pool. Call the Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District at 589-2744, Westside Mosquito Abatement District at 763-3510, Delano Mosquito Abatement District at 725-3114 or South Fork Mosquito Abatement District at 760-376-4268.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Call Kern County Code Compliance at 800-552-5376, option 7, or Bakersfield Code Compliance at 326-3712 to report standing-water issues.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Avoid over-watering lawns.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Call the state's hot line at 877-WNV-BIRD (877-968-2473) upon finding a dead bird or squirrel.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Contact the county's West Nile information line at 877-81VIRUS (818-4787) or e-mail westnile@co.kern.ca.us with West Nile questions.</font></span></li> <li><span class="text"><font color="#000000">Consult veterinarians to properly vaccinate horses.<br /> <br /> </font></span></li> </ul> 'Access to vital health care is at stake for all Californians' http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28762 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28762 <p>Here's another letter to the editor forwarded to me on the budget cuts to Medi-Cal. </p> <p>This one is signed by the CEOs of <a href="http://www.bakersfieldmemorial.org/index.htm">Bakersfield Memorial Hospital</a>, <a href="http://www.kernmedicalcenter.com/default.cfm">Kern Medical Center</a>, <a href="http://www.sanjoaquinhospital.org/sjch/">San Joaquin Community Hospital</a> and <a href="http://www.mercybakersfield.org/index.htm">Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield</a>. </p> <p>What do you think? Does this spur you to action?</p> <p>This letter is particularly interesting because it gives their opinions on what will happen to everyone &mdash; Medi-Cal patient or not &mdash; because of these cuts.</p> <p>(Read the post, <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/27750">&quot;Mercy president: Budget cuts put lives at risk,&quot;</a> for another letter and the posts <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/26064">&quot;Calif. sued over Medi-Cal rate cuts&quot;</a> and <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/19635">&quot;Is health reform dead?&quot;</a> for some background.)</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><b>Deep Cuts to Medi-Cal Budget Puts all Californians at Risk</b><br /> &nbsp;<br /> Hospitals throughout California provide vital health care services and emergency care to millions of people around-the-clock. At Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, Kern Medical Center, Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield and San Joaquin Community Hospital, we&rsquo;ve delivered your babies, been there for the seriously ill and provided emergency care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. We serve as your lifeline to many of the critical health care services that are now under serious threat from budget cuts to the state&rsquo;s Medi-Cal Program. Our community hospitals and the lives of all Californians are in jeopardy.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> Medi-Cal serves the state&rsquo;s most vulnerable patients &ndash; the 6.7 million people who are uninsured, underinsured, disabled or elderly. This government program has been underfunded by the state for many years and ranks last in the nation in payments to hospitals. Rates paid to doctors and hospitals in California are almost 25 percent less than the average for Medicaid programs in other states.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> On average, California&rsquo;s community hospitals lose 22 cents for every dollar of cost they incur in providing care to Medi-Cal patients. In short, Medi-Cal covers only 78 percent of the costs that hospitals incur while caring for Medi-Cal patients. The real tragedy is the governor&rsquo;s willingness to leave federal funding on the table. The Medi-Cal program receives 50 percent matching reimbursement from the federal government which means the $1.6 billion in cuts will really equate to about $800 million. In the long run, the state isn&rsquo;t saving nearly as much as they&rsquo;d like for you to believe &mdash; for every dollar the state cuts to the Medi-Cal program, we&rsquo;re only saving 50 cents.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> In an effort to solve the unprecedented $17.2 billion state budget deficit, the governor signed into law a 10 percent cut to the Medi-Cal program in February 2007 totaling $1.2 billion. Then, in the May budget revision, the governor delivered a second hit to hospitals with another proposed budget cut of $448 million. This represents a total loss to all health care providers in California of more than $1.6 billion.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> For Bakersfield, this represents a loss of $11.5 million to local hospitals. This could result in drastic measures, including not being able to provide orthopedic physicians on-call, which means when a person breaks their arm or hip, they may have to wait until the next business day to have access to an orthopedic surgeon.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> With substantially deep cuts like these to our health care system, there will undoubtedly be reductions in critical emergency and trauma care services throughout the state. When health care services are lost, they are lost to all citizens, not just those covered by the Medi-Cal program.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> In addition, many doctors and health care providers will end their contracts and no longer see Medi-Cal patients because they can no longer accept such poor reimbursement rates. With inadequate access to doctors and health care providers, Medi-Cal patients will likely go to the nearest emergency room to get care, causing even longer wait times and stress on our already overcrowded and fragile health care system.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> During the past decade, more than 70 California hospitals and emergency rooms have closed. Nearly half of our state hospitals are operating in the red. Where will patients go when hospitals are forced to close, physicians are unable to accept Medi-Cal patients and hospital emergency rooms are backlogged? It doesn&rsquo;t matter how good your insurance coverage is when you have nowhere to get treatment.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> Access to vital health care is at stake for all Californians. We must make sure that lawmakers prioritize budget cuts. Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, Kern Medical Center, Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield and San Joaquin Community Hospital urge lawmakers to stop the cuts to hospitals and doctors and take a more balanced approach to solving our state&rsquo;s fiscal emergency. The lives of all Californians are at risk.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> Call your representative and share with them that health care should continue to be a priority for all Californians: <a href="http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/a32/index.aspx">Assemblywoman Jean Fuller</a>: 661-395-2995, <a href="http://dist16.casen.govoffice.com/">Senator Dean Florez</a>: 661-395-2620, <a href="http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a30/">Assemblywoman Nicole Parra</a>: 916-334-3745, and <a href="http://cssrc.us/web/18/">Senator Roy Ashburn</a>: 661-323-0443.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Jon Van Boening, president &amp; CEO of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital<br /> Paul J. Hensler, president &amp; CEO of Kern Medical Center<br /> Russell Judd, president &amp; CEO of Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield<br /> Robert J. Beehler, president &amp; CEO of San Joaquin Community Hospital</i></p> A yard of shoes http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28727 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28727 <p>Coming up on Ricky's Retreat, the Bakersfield AIDS Project's headquarters, I was a bit taken aback to see the lawn blanketed in shoes.</p> <p>Seven hundred eighty-four pairs to be exact.</p> <p>There were high heels, cowboy boots, slippers, flip flops &mdash; you name it.</p> <p>The &quot;visual representation of <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000602.htm">HIV</a> in Kern County&quot; that the press release boasted suddenly made sense.</p> <p>The shoes represent the number of people who are HIV-positive in Kern County, said Audrey Chavez, the organization's director.</p> <p>And the diversity of shoes &mdash; expensive-looking pumps, moccasins, dusty work boots and even baby shoes &mdash; symbolize the diversity of people infected.</p> <p>Attached to this post are some pictures Audrey provided of the shoes and today's kick-off of Kern County <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000594.htm">AIDS</a> Compassion Week.</p> <p>(Read <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/hourly_news/story/476633.html">&quot; 784 empty pairs of shoes stark illustration of local HIV cases&quot;</a> on Bakerfield.com.)</p> <p>Here is the list of events:</p> <ul> <li>noon to 6 p.m. today through June 27: hygiene drive at Ricky&rsquo;s Retreat, 910 Grace St.</li> <li>4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today: take-out deep pit dinner with all proceeds benefiting the Bakersfield AIDS Project. The food is $10 a plate and can be picked up at Martin's Meats and Deli, 801 21st St. Call in orders to 325-4262 or e-mail audrey1bap@yahoo.com.</li> <li>11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday: drop-in support group and special HIV workshop presented by Tibotec Therapeutics at Ricky&rsquo;s Retreat. To RSVP, call 325-1227 or 742-3611.</li> <li>Monday and Thursday: distribution of red ribbons in the community to promote HIV awareness.</li> <li>June 27: National HIV Testing Day. Call 325-1227 or 742-3611 to be referred to local groups that test.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> 35.388713 -118.984370


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Caption: Bakersfield AIDS Project Director Audrey Chavez stands among the yard of shoes. Each pair represents an HIV-positive person in Kern County.
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Caption: Bakersfield AIDS Project Director Audrey Chavez stands among the yard of shoes. Each pair represents an HIV-positive person in Kern County.
Credit: BAP


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Caption: The yard of shoes.
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Caption: The yard of shoes.
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Caption: Chavez and one of her volunteers in the front yard of Ricky's Retreat.
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Caption: Chavez and one of her volunteers in the front yard of Ricky's Retreat.
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Caption: Chavez shakes Mayor Harvey Hall's hand at the kick-off of Kern County AIDS Compassion Week.
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Caption: Chavez shakes Mayor Harvey Hall's hand at the kick-off of Kern County AIDS Compassion Week.
Credit: BAP


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Caption: People mill about after the press conference kicking off Kern County AIDS Compassion Week. Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan, who lost a daughter to AIDS, wears the T-shirt exclaiming, "AIDS affects everyone."
Credit: BAP


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Caption: People mill about after the press conference kicking off Kern County AIDS Compassion Week. Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan, who lost a daughter to AIDS, wears the T-shirt exclaiming, "AIDS affects everyone."
Credit: BAP

 bap1.jpg Bakersfield AIDS Project Director Audrey Chavez stands among the yard of shoes. Each pair represents an HIV-positive person in Kern County. BAP bap2.jpg The yard of shoes. BAP bap3.jpg Chavez and one of her volunteers in the front yard of Ricky's Retreat. BAP bap4.jpg Chavez shakes Mayor Harvey Hall's hand at the kick-off of Kern County AIDS Compassion Week. BAP bap5.jpg People mill about after the press conference kicking off Kern County AIDS Compassion Week. Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan, who lost a daughter to AIDS, wears the T-shirt exclaiming, "AIDS affects everyone." BAP Do you have 'spring fever'? (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge) http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28707 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28707 <p>I just got this press release. Do you have &quot;spring fever&quot;?</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Hi Emily,<br /> &nbsp;<br /> Ah, spring, when a young man&rsquo;s fancy turns to love&hellip; or just more sex.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> The notion of &ldquo;Spring Fever&rdquo; is readily associated with cold weather hermits pouring outside to once again lift their faces to the sun, but LifeStyles Condoms knows that &ldquo;Spring Fever&rdquo; may very well mean that these people are quickly bolting back inside to the bedroom.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">&ldquo;Spring fever is based on the fact that a sunny and warm environment is more conducive to socializing,&rdquo; says Carol Carrozza, vice president of marketing for LifeStyles. &ldquo;And this increased social activity, combined with an increase in hormones, leads to a flurry of summertime sex.&rdquo;<br /> <br /> &ldquo;Spring Fever&rdquo; is often associated with increased energy levels, weight loss, boosts in confidence, and an elated mood due to a hormonal response to the increase in sunlight. LifeStyles Condoms&rsquo; sales index support this notion, with a spike in sales during the mid-spring and summer months, proving that as the weather heats up, so does the action in the bedroom.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> Please let me know if you are interested in speaking with Carol Carrozza, VP of Marketing for LifeStyles, about trends in sexual activity and the &ldquo;Spring Fever&rdquo; phenomenon, as I would be delighted to assist. Thanks.</p> <p>Do you believe in &quot;spring fever&quot; or is all this just a marketing ploy? I'll let you be the judge.</p> <p>P.S. Remember that if you do have sex, please use protection. Condoms. Birth control. Spermicidal jelly. Unintended pregnancies are no fun, and STDs are bad and can kill. (Had to make sure this post had some sort of health relevance.)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Skin cancer: To screen or not to screen http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28664 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28664 <p><a href="http://www.mercybakersfield.org/index.htm">Mercy Hospitals</a> is hosting an upcoming free <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001442.htm">skin cancer</a> screening.</p> <p>This event made me think of a recent post, <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/22550">&quot;Health screenings aren't always recommended.&quot; </a>It's not that I think screenings aren't helpful, but people need to be aware of the pros and cons of screening.</p> <p>Yes, there are cons.</p> <p>Among them, the chance of false positives, which could lead to spending money on unnecessary follow-ups along with subjecting yourself to unnecessary care that carries its own risks.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstfix.htm#pocket">The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force</a> develops recommendations for preventive services. They have a somewhat easy-to-navigate <a href="http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspstopics.htm">guide</a> on screening tests.</p> <p>Here's what they had to say about <a href="http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsskca.htm">skin cancer screening</a>:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine screening for skin cancer using a total-body skin examination for the early detection of cutaneous melanoma, basal cell cancer or squamous cell skin cancer.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><em>Rationale</em>: Evidence is lacking that skin examination by clinicians is effective in reducing mortality or morbidity from skin cancer. The USPSTF could not determine the benefits and harms of periodic skin examination.</p> <p>The task force gave this screening an &quot;I&quot; rating, which means &quot;evidence that the [service] is effective is lacking, of poor quality or conflicting and the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined.&quot;</p> <p>I'm not saying all this to scare you away from the screening but to give you something to keep in mind. You and your doctor know what's best for you.</p> <p>If you want to go, the skin cancer screening will be from 9 a.m. to noon June 28 at the Florence R. Wheeler Cancer Center, 2215 Truxtun Ave. Call 632-5700 to schedule an appointment.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> &nbsp;</p> Gay marriage, or lack thereof, affects mental health http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28571 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28571 <p>Gay marriage is on a lot of people's minds today.</p> <p>And, at least for the wedding party, it will improve their minds' health, according to some psychiatrists.</p> <p>For Gay Marriage Day '08, I dug this story out of <a href="http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/51826?pageNumber=1">Psychiatric Times</a>:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><span class="article-text"><span id="10168_51826_1.0">Numerous studies exploring the relationship between mental health and marriage in the general population have suggested that on average, married individuals have better mental health, more emotional support, less psychological distress, and lower rates of psychiatric disorder than do the unmarried. He (Dr. </span></span><span class="article-text"><span id="10168_51826_1.0">Robert Kertzner, </span></span><span class="article-text"><span id="10168_51826_1.0">associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco)</span></span><span class="article-text"><span id="10168_51826_1.0"> expected that many, if not most, of the benefits of marriage also would be applicable to lesbians and gay men.</span></span></p> <p><span class="article-text"><span>Some interesting points from the 2006 article:</span></span></p> <ul> <li><span class="article-text"><span id="10168_51826_1.0">The <a href="http://www.apa.org/ppo/issues/lgbfamilybrf604.html">American Psychological Association</a> and the <a href="http://www.psych.org/Departments/EDU/Library/APAOfficialDocumentsandRelated/PositionStatements/200502a.aspx">American Psychiatric Association</a>, Kertzner said, have issued statements in favor of marriage equality for lesbians and gay men, citing the harmful effects of discrimination on mental health.</span></span></li> <li><span class="article-text"><span id="10168_51826_1.0">Because they are not being allowed to marry, same-sex couples often experience commitment ambiguity marked by uncertainty about the extent of mutual obligations in the relationship; uncertainty about the recognition of the partnership by family, friends, and others, and uncertainty about when the relationship is over. That ambiguity serves to support stereotypes that lesbians and gay men are incapable of staying together and are therefore unworthy of being married and should be denied marriage.</span></span></li> <li>From an anthropologic and historical viewpoint, Kertzner noted that in most cultures being married is the only way to legitimize one&rsquo;s sexuality. &ldquo;So if you can&rsquo;t be married, there is no legitimization of one&rsquo;s sexuality, which, in turn, creates problems for lesbians and gay men with respect to stigma, self-acceptance, and lack of support from family and communities,&rdquo; he said.</li> <li>In most societies, marriage is considered the key to being regarded as a full adult, Kertzner continued. By being denied the opportunities of marriage, &ldquo;lesbians and gay men are also denied the opportunity to be seen as full citizens and full adults participating in society.&rdquo;</li> <li><span class="article-text"><span id="10168_51826_1.0">&ldquo;Marriage provides much more stability and structure for parents raising children. It protects the rights of nonbiologic parents; it provides a process for the legal resolution of custody issues, and it provides a sense of psychological stability for children being raised by gay and lesbian parents,&rdquo; he said. </span></span></li> </ul> <p><br /> How do you feel about this?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Coffee drinkers rejoice! You may live longer due to the brew http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28523 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28523 <p>It seems like if you wait long enough a study will come out finding something healthy in your junk-food-of-choice.</p> <p>Case in point: Drinking up to six cups a day of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee won't shorten your life span, a new study shows. In fact, coffee might even help the heart, especially for women.</p> <p>Score one for Starbucks. </p> <p>From <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/16/AR2008061601794_2.html">the Washington Post</a>:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">In the study, the Spanish team looked at the relationships between coffee drinking and the risks of dying from heart disease, cancer, or any cause in almost 42,000 men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and more than 84,000 women who had participated in the Nurses' Health Study. At the study start, all participants were free of heart disease and cancer.</p> <p>It goes on to say:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The researchers found that women who drank two or three cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a 25 percent lower risk of death from <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007115.htm">heart disease</a> during the follow-up (from 1980 to 2004) than non-drinkers. Women also had an 18 percent lower death risk from a cause other than cancer or heart disease compared with non-coffee drinkers.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">For men, drinking two to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily was a &quot;wash&quot; -- not associated with either an increased or a decreased risk of death during the follow up, from 1986 to 2004.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The lower death rate was mainly due to a lower risk for heart disease deaths, the researchers found, while no link was discovered for coffee drinking and cancer deaths. The relationship did not seem to be directly related to caffeine, according to the researchers, since those who drank decaf also had a lower death rate than those who didn't drink either kind of coffee.</p> <p>But be mindful if coffee makes you jittery or unable to sleep, the story says. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Bako's first West Nile-infected mosquitoes found http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28354 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28354 <p>A year ago today, news was breaking of Kern's first human case of <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007186.htm">West Nile virus</a> of the year -- the first human case in the state.</p> <p>Today, I'm working on a story about our first infected mosquito pool.</p> <p>Positive mosquitoes often precede positive humans. Fingers crossed, maybe this year won't be quite as bad?</p> <p>Still, that doesn't mean you should stop taking precautions. Chances are someone is going to get sick.</p> <p>The trap has been found in the in 93314 ZIP code, which is west of Heath Road and south of Rosedale Highway.</p> <p>West Nile virus is a potentially fatal disease that is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds and can then spread the virus to humans and other animals.</p> <p>About 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, but symptoms can range from cold-like to high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis.</p> <p>As of today, 32 positive mosquito samples have been found in eight California counties, according to the <a href="http://www.westnile.ca.gov/">state Department of Public Health</a>.</p> <p>One hundred thirty-three infected birds have been found with one in Kern. No infected humans, horses or squirrels have been discovered in California this year.</p> <p>Eight people have been infected nationwide as of Monday, the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/surv&amp;controlCaseCount08_detailed.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> report.</p> <p>Residents are urged to:</p> <ul> <li>Eliminate all sources of stagnant or standing water.</li> <li>Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk.</li> <li>Wear long sleeves and pants while outdoors whenever possible.</li> <li>Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.</li> <li>Make sure the doors and windows in your home have tight-fitting screens with no holes or tears.</li> <li>Contact the appropriate mosquito abatement district if there is a significant mosquito problem where you live or work, for a supply of mosquito fish to control larvae in troughs and ponds, or to report an abandoned swimming pool. Call the Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District at 589-2744, Westside Mosquito Abatement District at 763-3510, Delano Mosquito Abatement District at 725-3114 or South Fork Mosquito Abatement District at 760-376-4268.</li> <li>Call Kern County Code Compliance at 800-552-5376, option 7, or Bakersfield Code Compliance at 326-3712 to report standing water issues.</li> <li>Avoid over-watering lawns.</li> <li>Call the state's hot line at 877-WNV-BIRD (877-968-2473) upon finding a dead bird or squirrel.</li> <li>Contact the county's West Nile information line at 877-81VIRUS (818-4787) or e-mail westnile@co.kern.ca.us.</li> <li>Consult veterinarians to properly vaccinate horses.</li> </ul> <p><br /> Previous West Nile stories and blog posts:<br /> Story: <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/467409.html">&quot;County: West Nile not to blame in women's death&quot;</a><br /> Story: <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/464411.html">&quot;Live interactive meeting on West Nile&quot;</a><br /> Story: <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/hourly_news/story/401098.html">&quot;We were the epicenter last year &mdash; what lies ahead?&quot;</a><br /> Story: <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/399929.html">&quot;Bird infected with West Nile found near fairgrounds&quot;</a><br /> Story: <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/305965.html">&quot;A year's lessons in fighting West Nile&quot;</a><br /> Post: <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/24033">&quot;Got a dead bird?&quot;</a><br /> Post: <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/25219">&quot;DEET in drinking water; West Nile heats up&quot;</a><br /> Post: <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/13649">&quot;West Nile virus, Mythbuster-style&quot;</a><br /> Post: <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/12982">&quot;Are swimming pools cesspools for West Nile virus?&quot;</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>


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mosquito.jpg Few health facility complaints end in state action http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28350 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/28350 <p>I've spent several hours this week weeding through inspections and complaints against local hospitals and nursing homes.</p> <p>(Read <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/468392.html">&quot;State investigating Kern Valley nursing home again,&quot;</a> which ran Wednesday in <i>The Californian</i>.)</p> <p>That is why <a href="http://www.pe.com/localnews/healthcare/stories/PE_News_Local_S_publichealthside08.e9895e.html">this recent story from the <i>Riverside Press-Enterprise</i></a> piqued my interest.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The majority of complaints lodged against California medical facilities -- hospitals, medical clinics and others regulated by the <a href="http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/default.aspx">state Department of Public Health</a> -- are dismissed without action.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">About 55 percent of the complaints filed between March 1, 2004, and Dec. 31, 2007, were dismissed. Records show that the inspectors who evaluate the state's estimated 7,000 licensed health care facilities -- including nursing homes -- received about 37,000 complaints during that period and determined that 20,634 were unfounded or could not be substantiated.</p> <p><a href="http://www.pe.com/reports/2008/casualtiesofcare/stories/PE_News_Local_S_publichealth08.e97977.html">The PE also wrote a story specifically about nursing home complaints.</a></p> <p><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"> <p>It found that from March 1, 2004, through Dec. 31, 2007, state investigators found that more than 56 percent of such complaints did not merit action. About 9 percent, some dating back as far as 2004, had yet to be resolved.</p> <p>It goes on to say:</p> </span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The California Public Health Department's nursing-home licensing arm, the office responsible for investigating complaints, has been under scrutiny by state and federal officials concerned about patient welfare. Among their criticisms:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">The licensing agency often fails to investigate a complaint promptly. Under state law, investigators are supposed to respond within 10 days, or within two days if patient well-being is at risk.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Inspectors take too long to complete investigations. Some Inland investigations have taken more than a year.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have forced the agency to finish investigations within 40 days.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><span class="vitstorybody"><span class="vitstorybody"> <p>Investigators don't adequately explain their findings to the patients or family members who complained. Some families said all they got was a phone call or a letter stating the investigation results, without explanation.</p> <p>Routine inspections are predictable, sometimes late and often too lenient.</p> <p>Fines imposed on nursing homes provide little incentive for improvement because they can be negotiated down or appealed and may not have to be paid for years. From 2004 through 2007, fined nursing homes paid the full amount in only 16 percent of cases. Some fines were reduced as much as 80 percent.</p> </span></span></p> <p>Have you ever tried to complain about the care you or a loved one received?</p> <p>If you ever feel the need to file a complaint or see what complaints, if any, have been filed, these links might help you:<br /> <a href="http://www.cmanet.org/publicdoc.cfm/14/725/GENER/689">&quot;Making a complaint against hospitals&quot; from the California Medical Association</a><br /> <a href="http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/facilities/Pages/LCDistrictOffices.aspx">California Department of Public Health Licensing and Certification district offices </a><br /> <a href="http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/facilities/Pages/Counties.aspx">CDPH: Hospital administration penalties by county</a><br /> <a href="http://www.cmanet.org/publicdoc.cfm/14/4/GENER/688">&quot;Making a complaint against physicians&quot; from the CMA</a><br /> <a href="http://www.medbd.ca.gov/complaints.html">Medical Board of California</a><br /> <a href="http://www.medbd.ca.gov/lookup.html">Med Board: Physician license lookup</a><br /> <a href="http://www.cmanet.org/publicdoc.cfm/14/4/GENER/690">&quot;Making a complaint against health plans&quot; from the CMA</a><br /> <a href="http://www.hmohelp.ca.gov/default.aspx">California Department of Managed Health Care</a><br /> <a href="http://www.canhr.org/complaint.htm">&quot;How to file a complaint against a nursing home&quot; from the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform</a><br /> <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Include/DataSection/Questions/SearchCriteria.asp?version=default&amp;browser=Firefox%7C2%7CMacOSX&amp;language=English&amp;defaultstatus=0&amp;pagelist=Home&amp;CookiesEnabledStatus=True">Nursing Home Compare from Medicare</a><br /> <a href="http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/facilities/Pages/AACounties.aspx">CDPH: Nursing home AA citations</a></p> Getting wisdom teeth removed no fun, kind of boring http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/27972 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/27972 <p>Right now I'm lying on my couch, looking like a chipmunk, watching &quot;Who Framed Roger Rabbit.&quot;</p> <p>I had no idea getting my wisdom teeth removed would be so boring. </p> <p>(And for the record, &quot;Who Framed Roger Rabbit&quot; is the only thing on besides &quot;The Princess Diaries 2.&quot; I've watched most of my movies so many times that at the moment none of them seem appealing.)</p> <p>I think my sudden period of painlessness and boredom could be due to the vicodin kicking in.</p> <p>What was it liked when you got your wisdom teeth taken out?</p> <p>I got three out today. That part wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And one tooth was rather big, growing in sideways. The surgeon had to take that one out in pieces.</p> <p>I wasn't put all the way under, just local anesthesia and a pill that made me feel groggy. The dentist's office called it &quot;the happy pill.&quot;</p> <p>My mouth is still bleeding a bit and is sore to the touch. I might try biting on a black tea bag, which is supposed to clot the blood. </p> <p>Any other tips? </p> <p>Hope your Friday night is going better than mine. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Kern needs your blood http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/27891 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/27891 <p><a href="http://www.hcbb.com/">Houchin Blood Bank</a> certainly wouldn't find a spot on VH1's &quot;Best Week Ever.&quot;</p> <p>Let's start with the dire blood shortage. The blood bank is in need of all blood types.</p> <p>Houchin strives to have 600 units of blood available daily, said Tracy Hunter, Houchin&rsquo;s community relations coordinator. The bank is down to 259 units.</p> <p>One patient can use 150 units, she added.</p> <p>&ldquo;That would wipe out about half of what we have right now,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a really dangerous situation for us to be in.&rdquo;</p> <p>June is typically slow for blood donations because high school blood drives, which represent 37 percent of Houchin&rsquo;s annual blood inventory, come to an end, she said. Many donors go on vacation.</p> <p>And don't forget -- someone recently stole Houchin's field trailer. The trailer didn't hold blood but it did contain the equipment used to get it. (Read Marylee Shrider's column on the crime, <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/opinion/columnists/marylee_shrider/story/446840.html">&quot;Thieves stole blood trailer, but you can still give blood.&quot;</a>)</p> <p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just been a tough couple of weeks for us,&rdquo; Hunter said.</p> <p>Houchin has two locations if you are interested in donating blood.</p> <p>The blood bank at 5901 Truxtun Ave. is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.</p> <p>The 2600 G St. location is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.</p> <p>For more information, call 323-4222.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> 35.363190 -119.069033


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Credit: Henry A. Barrios/The Californian

 blood 3.JPG Henry A. Barrios/The Californian Take part in an interactive West Nile virus town hall meeting http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/27826 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/27826 <p>Will Kern County be ground zero for <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007186.htm">West Nile virus</a> again this year? Are we doing anything to prepare?</p> <p>Find out for yourself.</p> <p>County directors from Public Health Services, Environmental Health Services and the Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District, among others, will talk about their West Nile plans and answer residents&rsquo; questions at a town hall meeting tomorrow.</p> <p>Kern County had the most cases of the mosquito-borne virus &mdash; 140 &mdash; of any county in the country last year. It also saw four deaths due to complications of the virus.</p> <p>(For a refresher, read the story <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/401098.html" target="_blank">&quot;West Nile: We were the epicenter last year &mdash; what lies ahead?&quot;</a> and the posts <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/24033">&quot;Got a dead bird?&quot;</a> and <a href="http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/ehagedorn/25219">&quot;DEET in drinking water; West Nile heats up.&quot;</a>)</p> <p>Supervisor Michael Rubio is hosting the meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers at 1115 Truxtun Ave.</p> <p>Residents are urged to participate by attending, calling in with questions between 6 and 8 p.m. to 868-3659 or e-mailing questions to <a href="mailto:westnile@co.kern.ca.us">westnile@co.kern.ca.us.</a></p> <p>You can also watch the meeting live on KGOV, the county&rsquo;s local cable television station. The station lists available channels at <a href="http://www.co.kern.ca.us/gsd/KGOV">www.co.kern.ca.us/gsd/KGOV</a>.</p> <p>I'll be at the meeting, writing about it for B.com and Friday's <i>Californian</i>. Along with calling in and e-mailing questions, I encourage you to comment to this post with any questions you would like answered.</p> <p>What do you want to know about West Nile?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> 35.373240 -119.014301