Shout Outs

Updated 3/2017-- photos/video and all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active. and it was easier than checking each one. 

Robin, Survive the Journey, is this week's host of Grand Rounds. Her theme is “Participatory Medicine”. You can read this week’s edition here.

When I chose the theme for this week's Grand Rounds, I chose it because it is near and dear to my heart. Before I knew what it was called, I was looking for a "participatory medicine" model. Long before I heard the term "ePatient", I was one.

………………………….

Geripal is the host of the  October's edition of Palliative Care Grand Rounds, the monthly best of the Palliative Care blogs.

Welcome to Palliative Care Grand Rounds! This monthly blog carnival highlights some of the best and most interesting blog posts related to palliative care. Grand Rounds are published on the first Wednesday of every month. As this month's host of Palliative Care Grand Rounds, we will give our own "GeriPal spin," incorporating posts that feature the intersection between geriatrics and palliative care. Topics are sorted by heading. Thanks to our readers for suggesting posts. Have fun reading!

…………………………………..

Congratulations to pediatric surgeon Dr Chris Coppola, Made a Difference, who made the following announcement this past week (photo credit):

I got some very exciting news this week; our book is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

I anticipate it will be released 1 NOV, and after that it should also be available at our publisher, NTI Upstream.

………………………………

There is a very nice article on proper care of surgical instruments in the “throw-away” publication Surgical Products, September 2009 issue, p 8-10: “In For the Long Haul by Derek Lashua.” This is just an example of the information in the article:

This trouble-shooting guide below will help determine the cause(s) of instrument staining problems.

• Brown/Orange Stains: Most brown/orange stains are not rust. This stain color is the result of high use of chlorhexidine, improper soaps and detergents, baked-on blood or soaking in saline.
• Dark Brown/Black Stains: Low pH (less than 6) acid stain. May be caused by improper detergents and soaps and /or dried on blood.
• Bluish-Black Stains: Reverse plating may occur when two different types of metals are ultrasonically processed together. For example, stainless steel instruments processed with chrome instruments may cause a stain color reaction. Exposure to saline, blood or potassium chloride can also cause this bluish-black stain to occur.
• Multi-Color Stains: Excessive heat caused by a localized “hot spot” in the autoclave.
• Light and Dark Spots: Water spots from allowing instruments to air-dry. With slow evaporation, minerals from water are left on the instrument’s surface.
• Black Stains: Possible exposure to ammonia.

……………………

I very much enjoyed this inspirational article by Matt Damon in this past Sunday’s Parade Magazine:  “We Can Move Mountains” (photo credit)

When I was a boy, my mom had a magnet on the refrigerator with a little picture of Gandhi along with a quote from him. It said: “No matter how insignificant what you do may seem, it is important that you do it.” As a child, I was raised to believe that, and to this day I do my best to live it.

The above article is part of the Make Your Giving Count! Join America's Giving Challenge 2009.  Every little bit counts, like Intueri’s raising money for the MS Society or my small part in helping her or Dr Rob & Zippy raising money to “Stamp out Children’s Brain Cancer!”

……………………….

H/T to @murzee for the link (via twitter) to this absolutely wonderful essay on Joy! I hope you’ll read the entire essay.

What does it mean to be commanded to be joyful?…….It seems to me that joy is something different. Joy can be cultivated. And joy can coexist with sorrow……..Joy is deeper than happiness.

………………………

Thanks to @Geek2Nurse

Smart mama--she knew just what to do! RT @dreamingspires: WOW video footage of Elephant giving birth http://bit.ly/46smpU

……………………..

Tonight Dr Anonymous will have a pre-BlogWorld Expo Show. Come join us. The show starts at 10 pm EST.

Upcoming Dr. A Shows

10/16: Live from BlogWorldExpo (5 pm ET)
10/17: Dr. A Show: Sat Nite (9 pm ET)
10/22: Dr. A Show: Post BlogWorld Expo