GOOD NEWS- Biden Signed into Law: Help for Health & RX costs, Climate change, Consumer Tax Breaks

Great news for so many millions of people-  President Biden (thanks to the Democratic Senate and House) signed into law a $280B research and development bill, including more than $50B to support US semiconductor chip manufacturing; AND it allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices  (more on that next week). Sadly, there were some additional great benefits that the republicans took out of it. But, focus on the good news!

What’s in, and out, of Democrats’ inflation-fighting package

By LISA MASCARO

Source: Associated Press, July 28, 2022

WHAT'S INCLUDED

LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS

Launching a long-sought goal, the bill allows the Medicare program to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, saving the federal government some $288 billion over the 10-year budget window.

Those new revenues would be put back into lower costs for seniors on medications, including a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap for older adults buying prescriptions from pharmacies.Money would also be used to provide free vaccinations for seniors, who now are among the few not guaranteed free access, according to a summary document.

HELP PAY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE

The bill extends the subsidies provided during the COVID-19 pandemic to help some Americans who buy health insurance on their own. Under earlier pandemic relief, the extra help was set to expire this year. But the bill would allow the assistance to keep going for three more years, lowering insurance premiums for people who are purchasing their own health care policies.

‘SINGLE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE CHANGE IN U.S. HISTORY’ 

The bill invests $369 billion over the decade in climate change-fighting strategies including investments in renewable energy production and tax rebates for consumers to buy new or used electric vehicles.

It’s broken down to include $60 billion for a clean energy manufacturing tax credit and $30 billion for a production tax credit for wind and solar, seen as ways to boost and support the industries that can help curb the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. 

TAX BREAKS FOR CONSUMERS

For consumers, there are tax breaks as incentives to go green. One is a 10-year consumer tax credit for renewable energy investments in wind and solar. There are tax breaks for buying electric vehicles, including a $4,000 tax credit for purchase of used electric vehicles and $7,500 for new ones. In all, Democrats believe the strategy could put the country on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030, and “would represent the single biggest climate investment in U.S. history, by far.”

HOW TO PAY FOR ALL OF THIS?

The biggest revenue-raiser in the bill is a new 15% minimum tax on corporations that earn more than $1 billion in annual profits. It’s a way to clamp down on some 200 U.S. companies that avoid paying the standard 21% corporate tax rate, including some that end up paying no taxes at all. The new corporate minimum tax would kick in after the 2022 tax year and raise some $313 billion over the decade.

Money is also raised by boosting the IRS to go after tax cheats. The bill proposes an $80 billion investment in taxpayer services, enforcement and modernization, which is projected to raise $203 billion in new revenue — a net gain of $124 billion over the decade.

The bill sticks with Biden’s original pledge not to raise taxes on families or businesses making less than $400,000 a year.

The lower drug prices for seniors are paid for with savings from Medicare’s negotiations with the drug companies.

EXTRA MONEY TO PAY DOWN DEFICITS

With $739 billion in new revenue and some $433 billion in new investments, the bill promises to put the difference toward deficit reduction.

Federal deficits have spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic when federal spending soared and tax revenues fell as the nation’s economy churned through shutdowns, closed offices and other massive changes. The nation has seen deficits rise and fall in recent years. But overall federal budgeting is on an unsustainable path, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which put out a new report this week on long-term projections.

WHAT THE REPUBLICANS REFUSED TO INCLUDE 

 Among them, a continuation of a $300 monthly child tax credit that was sending money directly to families during the pandemic and is believed to have widely reduced child poverty. Also gone, for now, are plans for free pre-kindergarten and free community college, as well as the nation’s first paid family leave program that would have provided up to $4,000 a month for births, deaths and other pivotal needs.

Coffee: A Great Fat Burner!

As a hyper-coffee drinker, I've (Rob) always suspected coffee helped me stay at the same weight I've been since I was 20. Of course, eating small meals (and not finishing everything on the plate in restaurants) and exercise has helped, too.  Now, there's another new study that reinforces my thoughts about this benefit to coffee (there are many others). 

Source/More Information: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/can-coffee-help-you-burn-fat.html 

Coffee Can Help to Mobilize Fat From The Fat Tissues

Dunkin- the best fat burner

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, which sends direct signals to the fat cells to tell them to break down fat (4, 5). Another thing that caffeine does is to increase our blood levels of the hormone Epinephrine, which is also known as Adrenaline (6, 7). Epinephrine travels through the blood, to the fat tissues and send signals to break down fats and release them into the blood. This is how caffeine helps to mobilize fat from the fat tissues, making it available for use as free fatty acids in the blood.
  

Coffee Can Increase The Metabolic Rate
How many calories we burn at rest is called the Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). The higher our metabolic rate, the easier it is for us to lose weight and the more we can allow ourselves to eat without gaining. Studies show that caffeine can increase the metabolic rate by 3-11%, with larger doses having an even bigger effect (8, 9). Interestingly, most of the increase in metabolism is caused by an increase in the burning of fat (10).
Unfortunately, the effect is less pronounced in those who are obese. In one study, the increase in fat burning in lean people is as high as 29%, while in obese individuals the increase is about 10% (11). The effect also appears to diminish with age and is more pronounced in younger individuals (12).

Coffee before a workout!

Caffeine can improve athletic performance via several mechanisms, one of those being increased mobilization of fatty acids from the fat tissues. Studies show that caffeine can improve exercise performance by 11-12%, on average (13, 14).

Coffee and Weight Loss in The Long Term
There is one major caveat here, and that is the fact that people become tolerant to the effects of caffeine (15, 16). In the short term, caffeine can boost the metabolic rate and increase fat burning, but after a while people become tolerant to the effects and it stops working. But even if coffee doesn’t make you expend more calories in the long term, there is still a possibility that it blunts appetite and helps you eat less.
In one study, caffeine had an appetite reducing effect in men, but not in women – making them eat less at a meal following caffeine consumption. However, another study showed no effect for men (17, 18). Whether coffee or caffeine can help you lose weight in the long term may depend on the individual.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/can-coffee-help-you-burn-fat.html#ixzz2v1j3dujc

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/can-coffee-help-you-burn-fat.html#ixzz2v1i6A2Cy

2 Injuries

This week brought two injuries, one each in 2 and 4 legged inhabitants of our house.

Rob's sprained wrist/Franklin's bandaged paw

 - Our Dachshund Franklin has a bad habit of digging into insect nests, and everything else he can get his paws on. So, this week something got into his paw (we don't know if it was a stinger or bite from a bug, or splinter) and caused it to swell Twice it's size. We took him to the vet twice this week where it had to be drained (a LOT in just 2 days), medicated (he's also on antibiotics and pain pills) and bandaged.
 - At the same time, Rob realized that his left wrist was sprained, so that's been wrapped up all week. It happened from putting leashes for Dolly (Weimaraner weighing 64 lbs) and Franklin (weighing 24 lbs) around the wrist, while holding Sprite's (Dachshund 22 pounds of PULL backward) in the other hand. When Dolly and Franklin saw a neighborhood bunny, they pulled so hard, Rob's wrist got sprained!

Franklin leaving the vet on Saturday

Dolly with a message for Franklin's digging

Why an $8K Medicare Voucher Plan for the Elderly Won't Work

The GOP's plan to do away with Medicare for the elderly and give them $8000 vouchers to purchase health insurance on their own is ridiculous for a couple of reasons. Just listing these Common Sense points below, you can see why the Republican plan won't work, unless we want to deny our aging Baby Boomers health care. After all, the voucher will quickly run out, leaving little for doctor visits and medication.

TOM SAYS:  The cost to my employer for my health care coverage, basic level, for one individual is $12k per year.  The difference between the voucher amount and what an actual plan would cost would have to be made up by the individual.  The GOP thinks that throwing seniors out into the open market, buying their own private health care plans, will bring down the cost of health care insurance.  This is debatable. 

  It is also unreasonable for elderly individuals, perhaps in a diminished mental capacity, to be able to shop for their own health care insurance.    We, that are still employed, have full-time human resources people that shop around for the best pricing for health care coverage.  Seniors would now be responsible for doing this themselves under the proposed GOP plan. 

Rob's Observations:

1) For anyone without a job, to buy health insurance, expect to pay out of pocket at least $300/month. That's $3,600 a year.
2) Add in dental insurance and that's another $2,000 a year.  **Now you're up to $5,600.00.**
3) Medication: Seniors often take maintenance medications for controlling diabetes, to maintain their blood pressure, and other necessary drugs due to medical procedures; even WITH a health insurance, these are expensive.
4) Add in regular doctor's visits.
5) Then the variables: Accidents/ Hospital Visits/ Tests  - things like breaking a hip (which happens VERY often), knee replacements, heart attacks, etc.  Now you're WAY over the $8,000.00  - Maybe even past $10k, $20k.** 
6) Now add in Nursing Home Care or Assisted Living Care. Who will help pay for that for our vastly aging Baby Boomers??
This GOP "plan" is no plan at all; it shows no consideration for America's seniors at all.  The things they propose amount to elder abuse. Wake up, America! The GOP doesn't care about seniors, and their children certainly don't have the money to extend coverage to cover their parents' care either.  We need real reform of Medicare, true. But doing away with Medicare altogether and providing $8,000 vouchers is not the answer.

Nailing the Healing

Dolly looking back at her sock and hurt toe

It was about 4 weeks ago that our Weimaraner Dolly was outside playing at daycare and one of her rear toenails was broken off. It was a nasty situation. Daycare got the bleeding to stop and we immediately took her to the vet. They cleaned it, put her on antibiotics and bandaged it. The bandage didn't last more than a couple of days from going outside, etc. She could still walk and even run, so the bandage wore out. Over the last couple of weeks we tried bandages, wraps, etc. and she worked them off. I finally got the idea to use a sock and a strip of Velcro around her ankle to keep it tight, but not too tight, so that she won't lick the toe. It worked.
  So, every day I bathe her foot morning and night, and apply medicated powder, then cover it. She keeps the sock on all day without problems.

Dolly and Sprite wait to get in the house

  The vet told me though that it could take another 4-6 weeks for the nail to re-grow, if it does. So, the bathing and foot wrapping has become my new springtime activity. :) As long as Dolly heals, I don't mind at all. If your dog needs a foot bandage, try a Sock and Velcro strip wrapped around their ankle. It worked!

Help for TMJ Pain and other stuff

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, when I had a tooth extracted on Feb. 3, the oral surgeon kept my mouth propped open over 30-40 minutes,  so my TMJ has been causing severe pain for the last 10 days. It's finally settled down enough so I can sleep through the night (after 8 days of waking up when the ibuprofen wore off). 
HELPING TMJ PAIN -   I learned some exercises that help, one is opening your mouth and pressing your finger against your cheek to stretch the band of muscle that works your jaw and tightens when TMJ sets off. Another exercise is raising your chin/lean your head back, and hold. That also stretches the muscle. It works. Also, try a heating pad on and off.
SOMETHING GOOD FROM SOMETHING BAD - Turns out I can't sleep on my left side anymore without the TMJ shifting the jaw and causing a headache that will wake me up. Implants are now out of the question because of the length of time you have to keep your mouth open, so I'll look into a denture or something. On the GOOD Side of things, my sense of smell has increased again. Each time I get a tooth out, I can smell better. That's because most of my upper teeth grew INTO my sinuses... which created blockages.  Something good from something bad.
EYE SAY... EVERYTHING WEARS OUT! - I just had a bi-annual visit to the eye doc, and have to get reading glasses now because of my astigmatism (I'm near sighted, but the astigmatism has increased and made close-up words look like they're glowing). So now I'll have distance and close-up glasses. I opted not to get bi-focals at this point. Ah, the joys of getting older. :)

Tooth Trouble and Some Recommendations!

EMERGENCY EXTRACTION - One of my teeth had an old and large filling in it, that has been in there for about a decade or so and I knew (as did my dentist) that it was going to come apart. It had too much filling in it to do a root canal, so it was a matter of time. Thursday morning while eating a poptart (yes, a soft poptart) it broke in half!  I was able to get into an oral surgeon by noon, who gave me nitrous oxide and removed the rest of the tooth.
MY RECOMMENDATION - They also packed in artifical bone (which as painful as it is to heal, I recommend it whenever a tooth is pulled) to maintain the integrity of the jawbone and prevent the nearby teeth from moving. It will prepare for an implant later (it takes months to heal).
ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION: Get nitrous oxide (laughing gas) when getting teeth pulled. I felt no pain and the lights just all spun around like a whirlpool. I didn't feel them packing the gum or stitching it either. It was amazing.
- Unfortunately the pain started when it started healing. Last night, despite Vicadin, I slept 3 hours. Maybe I need to have a Margarita with the Vicadin. That was Tom's recommendation! :)

Video to Watch: White House White Board: The Costs of Repealing Health Reform

Yesterday, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted on a bill to repeal the new freedoms, control over health care decisions, and cost savings the health care law---the Affordable Care Act---provides the American people. As Secretary Geithner noted this morning, repeal would be bad for business and bad for the economy.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act would also have a significant effect on families’ bank accounts. Stephanie Cutter, an Assistant to the President who has been working on implementing the health reform law, takes to the White House White Board to explain what repealing it would mean for family premium costs and American jobs:
WATCH THIS VIDEO AND LEARN: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/19/white-house-white-board-costs-repealing-health-reform?utm_source=email92&utm_medium=image&utm_campaign=healthcare

TMJ and A Cheek Muscle Knot

I finally broke down and went to a specialist about my TMJ ("slipping jaw") issue. The left side of my face/jaw has been aching for weeks. The specialist (Dr. Leo Menendez in Maryland) was awesome. He did a lot of tests on the jaw and the muscle. He concluded that the jaw is being pulled out when I open my mouth wide from the left cheek muscle. He said the muscle on the left side of my face is almost twice the size of the muscle on the right side (likely because I chew more on that side) and it was one big knot! So, he prescribed muscle relaxers (which I can only take a night because they knock me out) and another medication (which makes me lightheaded- okay, no jokes here, please)... and told me to put warm compresses on the jaw every night (which I do). **I've noticed improvement** I also wear a mouth guard when I sleep (you get get a sports one for $1.00 at Target and it works better than some the dentist will make and charge you $300 for- BEEN THERE).
- I also went to my acupuncturist, and today she treated it. The area that was giving me the most discomfort was pain free after the session. Tonight, I only have a slight pull in the bottom part of the jaw. Hopefully, it stays there or goes away overnight. Acupuncture works!!

Reminder to get a Colonoscopy

I (Rob) have to get a colonscopy in the next month, because polyps were found- and I'm having anxiety over it. Of course, my situation is "unique" but I won't go into it. After going to 3 different doctors, I had to find a specialist that can do the procedure. The worst part is waiting a month!
Several friends of ours have had this procedure, and some multiple times. If it runs in your family to have polyps, or colon cancer, get checked. I learned from this adventure that polyps run on one side of my family (of course, I didn't know that before). So, ASK your relatives. It may sound embarrassing, but your life is more important than blushing over your colon.
What is a Colonoscopy? A Colonoscopy is the endoscopic examination of the colon and the distal part of the small bowel with a CCD camera or a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus. It may provide a visual diagnosis (e.g. ulceration, polyps) and grants the opportunity for biopsy or removal of suspected lesions. Colonoscopy can remove polyps as small as one millimetre or less. Once polyps are removed, they can be studied with the aid of a microscope to determine if they are precancerous or not.

New Website Healthcare.gov Really Helps Clarify

The Federal Government launched a website this week to clarify healthcare reform and make it EASY TO UNDERSTAND for everyone. You can find it at http://www.healthcare.gov
**I went there and entered in "Pre-existing condition, state of Maryland, Over 55, can't afford it - and the site gave me FOUR OPTIONS to obtain health insurance. WOW. Where was this when I was 22, working 3 jobs without health insurance and couldn't afford to go to a doctor? TEST IT YOURSELF. I'm not just taking the White House's word for it - I investigated it!
******************************************************
ANOTHER GOOD SOURCE TO CORRECT MIS-INFORMATION:
I've heard MANY lies and misinterpretations of the health care law to scare people.
If you want the FACTS, go to the WhiteHouse.gov website to get them. The media and right-wing mouthpieces will distort and introduce fear to get people to follow them. Why not get the information from the SOURCE?
I found this great site with 8 videos about subjects that were misinterpreted. It's well-worth educating yourselves!
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/
REALITY CHECK ON 2 MISCONCEPTIONS:
*Linda Douglass of the White House Office addresses the myth of Congress being exempt from the reform. THE TRUTH: CONGRESS DID NOT EXEMPT THEMSELVES FROM THE REFORM. This is a myth: there is no exemption and there has not been any such vote. To the contrary, reform gives all Americans access to an insurance exchange much like the one Congress has enjoyed, and just like Congress, Americans will be free to make their own choices.
* MYTH: The Health Care reform would eliminate wasteful subsidies to insurance companies in the Medicare Advantage program, without hurting benefits or care and leaving the trust fund intact. THE TRUTH: It will strengthen Medicare's long-term stability and save seniors money.

We Researched these FACTS about the New Health Care Reform

(Tom Wrote:) One of the things that I find especially troubling about the acerbic exchange that has been taking place during the debate of the healthcare reform legislation is how vocal the opposition is about a law they know nothing about. I think I can speak for Rob when I say that we think this is a good law, not without its flaws of course, and not because we're flaming liberals, but because we know what the law says. Here are some of the new law's provisions:
1. If you are currently a Medicare recipient, this law will close the "doughnut hole" in the prescription drug benefit - by 2020, it goes away. The current "doughnut hole" means that Medicare STOPS paying anything for drugs after $2700, and doesn't start again until your costs reach $6,154. Now with this legislation, In 2010, if you exceed the $2700 threshold, but don't make it to the $6154 threshold (known as the "doughnut hole" or coverage gap), you will at least receive a $250 rebate. It gets better in 2011, as the cost of drugs in the coverage gap will go down by 50 percent. AND, the law will begin phasing down the coinsurance amount in the coverage gap so that by 2020, it will reach the standard 25 percent beneficiary coinsurance.
2. Copayments and deductibles for certain preventive care screenings will be eliminated. Under this new law, seniors will receive FREE preventive services.
3. The law includes a provision to improve care coordination for individuals with multiple physicians.
4. Americans 65 and older will continue to receive comprehensive health insurance. Doctors and hospitals will continue to be paid per procedure under the new law.
5. Effective immediately, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. AND, beginning in six months, insurance companies must extend coverage to adult children (up to the age of 26) if they are a full-time student.
6. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny a person's coverage when they get sick, and insurance companies cannot impose a lifetime cap on coverage. Insurance companies will not be allowed to rescind a person's coverage except in the case of fraud.
7. Companies with 50 or more employees will have to provide health insurance for their employees, or be subject to a penalty.
So how will we pay for all these new provisions? The bottom line is being offset with the elimination of waste and fraud that has been endemic in the system, and from small reductions in reimbursements to hospitals and doctors. This is where I have some doubt - but we won't know if it works until we try something. Also, in the beginning there will be no significant cuts in service to Medicare beneficiaries. However, beginning in 2019, Medicare beneficiaries earning OVER $85,000 will have to pay higher premiums. But what's the big deal with this? Every year for the last 5 years, I have watched my insurance premiums, albeit subsidized by my employer, go up consistently between 17 and 25 percent each year. Do you get those kinds of raises?
Probably the biggest opposition that we're hearing about is this: by 2014, all citizens and legal residents will be required to carry health insurance. The concept is simple: spread the risk over a larger number of people. If we don't all participate, then we all end up paying a greater amount for an individual with no insurance that needs healthcare - think gunshot victim, or a individual that suffers a heart attack that had no insurance. So, if an individual refuses to buy health insurance, under this new law, you will have to pay a penalty of $695. In the beginning, there will be subsidies to help individuals pay this "fine," and there are provisions for individuals that are living below the poverty line.
So far, we're not hearing anything that's all that bad.

Lump found on Dolly - updated

UPDATE -POST-VET VISIT: I just returned from the vet, and she confirmed that it's a fatty deposit.
She told me to watch it for "quick growth" over the next couple of weeks...So, my mind is eased. Thanks so much for your emails, facebook notes, etc. It's such a blessing to have such great friends.

PREVIOUS POST:
I was playing with our 5 year old Weimaraner, Dolly, this morning and noticed a quarter-sized fatty lump at the bottom of Dolly's chest area. It's not bleeding or oozing, so that's a good sign, however, I'm trying not to get panicked over it. Dolly already had major surgery a couple of years ago for urinary tract issues (which the surgery has fixed).
Our friends Todd and Erica's Weimaraner, Beamer recently had the same thing and it was a fatty deposit. They had it safely removed from the vet.
I don't know if Weims tend to get fatty deposits especially in that area, but it seems odd. Also, Beamer is also around the same age.
I'm hoping it's a fatty deposit, because I tend to panic. I also think it would be best to have it removed ASAP, before it can grow or become something worse. However, I'll do whatever is best for Dolly. We now have a 4pm appt. at the Vet today.
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM CATHY IN PA: All three of my previous weimaraners had fatty deposit lumps. Only one had to be removed. My vet said that most dogs get them when they get older and because of the weims short hair you see them more than in dogs with longer fur. Hope all goes well at the vets.

Foster Dog Update / Eye Healing / Bathroom Renovation

EYE SAY! - That was a bad pun, but I love to be punny. Last night we went to the gym and it looked like I was socked in the eye. This morning, the swelling went down and the eye is healing, thankfully. This morning it still ached from the puncture in it, and it was dry and irritated. By afternoon, it stopped throbbing, so "eye" am healing.
BATHROOM RENOVATION - We're still trying to get our bathroom finished. This is week #8. The contractor is dealing with a very, very ill elderly mother, who just got put in a nursing home - so he's told his employees the wrong things to do... they do it, and it has to be torn down and re-done. Oh, well. .. maybe be February it'll be finished.
(PHOTO: Lincoln/Bandit-in a blanket)
FOSTER DOG UPDATE -
1) LINCOLN (we called him "Bandit)- Is comfortably in his new home in New Jersey. Melissa from the rescue tells us that he never responded to "Lincoln" so the new foster parents renamed him "Max." That little one deserves a lot of love, and a LOT of food. When we got him we could see his ribs, so we made him and the other dog fresh chicken.
1) MADDIE (We called her Smokey) the female blue wire haired dachshund made it safely to Connecticut and her new foster home. Pat, her new foster mom is obviously taking great care of her.
Maddie is wearing a sweater since she has hardly any hair! Her foster mom in Connecticut took her to the vet already, to take care of getting her spayed, and testing her for thyroid issues. Poor thing lost her fur. (PHOTO: Maddie in her new sweater)

A Splinter in the Eye - Surgically Removed- OUCH

Remember that saying from the Bible: "Why do you look at the splinter in someone else's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Well, I WAS dealing with splinter in MY eye last night and this morning and it hurt!! Last night, when I let the dogs outside we had winds gusting to 50 mph (after the passage of a cold front) and although I was wearing my glasses, somehow the wind managed to lodge a splinter in my eye. OUCH. Yes, it was a painful as it sounds. Oddly, I couldn't see it and neither could Tom. I tried washing it out, blowing it out with a hairdryer, etc. Nothing worked. I went to the eye doc this morning, and he numbed the eye and used his magnifiers to find it. It was "shot directly into the eye" so it appeared as a microscopic speck. The doctor used tiny tweezers to remove it. Eeesh. So, next time winds are gusting and you're protecting your eyes - it may not be enough. Those tropical-storm-force wind gusts can really make some trouble, especially for your eyes.

A Strange "pain in the neck"

Since I went to the dentist for a cleaning 2 weeks ago, and had to turn my head to the right most of the time, a nerve in the back right side of my neck has been tingling on and off. It mostly happens when I put my head down, or lean forward to look at the computer. I'm unsure what it is. My chiropractor has been working on it this last week, but it's still there. Any ideas?

60% of adults can't digest milk - (me, too!)

This article was in USA Today, and I've been dealing with a Lactose intolerance since I was about 20 years old *that's 27 years of it*- and when you're 1) eating out or 2) buying pre-prepared food/frozen food, there is LOTS of milk-product in everything. It makes it difficult to enjoy a meal, because in the 20 minutes it takes to digest, the bad reactions start... and Lactaid doesn't work for me. If you have stomach upset a lot, chances are you're somewhat lactose intolerant and need to be more careful about what you're eating.
FROM USA TODAY: People who are lactose intolerant can't digest the main sugar —lactose— found in milk. In normal humans, the enzyme that does so —lactase— stops being produced when the person is between two and five years old. The undigested sugars end up in the colon, where they begin to ferment, producing gas that can cause cramping, bloating, nausea, flatulence and diarrhea.
If you're American or European it's hard to realize this, but being able to digest milk as an adult is one weird genetic adaptation.
It's not normal. Somewhat less than 40% of people in the world retain the ability to digest lactose after childhood. The numbers are often given as close to 0% of Native Americans, 5% of Asians, 25% of African and Caribbean peoples, 50% of Mediterranean peoples and 90% of northern Europeans. Sweden has one of the world's highest percentages of lactase tolerant people.
Being able to digest milk is so strange that scientists say we shouldn't really call lactose intolerance a disease, because that presumes it's abnormal. Instead, they call it lactase persistence, indicating what's really weird is the ability to continue to drink milk.

Rob Went to the Doctor (again)!

I went to the doctor yesterday, after reaching week #3 of coughing. The bronchitis is still there, and after a lung function test I learned I have a mild pulmonary obstruction... i.e. there's crap in my airways. So, armed with new medications, I've got steroids to clear 'em, Symbicort (for asthma to open airways); an antibiotic in case what clears is indeed infected, Mucinex, Nasonex for sinuses, Sudafed PE, AND I had to get Zyrtec for allergies. I think I'm keeping CVS in business when the economy is bad. Anyway, the doc wants to see me in 8-10 days, and thinks I should be able to put all the meds (except the allergy ones) away after that. We'll see.
Last night was the FIRST NIGHT in 3 weeks that I actually slept through the night without coughing. Seems the Symbicort and steroids are already working. This is very encouraging.
- The only side note is that from all the coughing yesterday, my temporary tooth filling came out, so it's back to the dentist today. Boy, March is just filled with little physical irritations. I'm SURE that April will be a healthy month (ever the optimist, I am).

Cooper Update/ Coughing Rob / Crappy Weather

Happy Saturday! It's weekend of THREE "C's": Cooper, Coughing and Crappy (weather).
UPDATE ON FOSTER DOG: COOPER
Cooper weighs 18 pounds now. He gained 1.5 pounds from all the baby food and pedigree soft food (and soft treats). He's now able to eat dry kibble mixed half with wet canned dog food (he has some back teeth). He now gets excited when we come home or ask if he wants to go for a walk. He shows it by jumping off his front feet several times (keeping his back feet on the ground). He also likes to cuddle up under our arms if we're laying on the floor watching television.
ROB'S CONSTANT COUGH: Tomorrow marks 2 weeks being sick for me. Flu and upper respir. infection are gone, but Bronchitis persists, and so does the damned cough. Learned that I need to sleep on my back to NOT cough at night. Thank goodness for "breathe right nose strips" so I don't snore (much).
MORE CRAPPY WEATHER: We've got a stalled front on top us all weekend, meaning more COLDER THAN NORMAL TEMPS again (and scattered showers). It's been since Nov. 1st that we've had "colder than normal temps" every day with the exception of MAYBE 10 days. All due to La Nina still in the eastern Pacific Ocean, causing Canadian air to dip over the east coast. The pattern is FINALLY expected to break next week, putting is NEAR or slightly over normal for high temps. That means highs of 53 next week, not 41 (like this weekend).
BONUS PICTURE: I took this photo of Dolly's profile this morning. She's such a beautiful girl and so loving. She's been with me all the time during my sickness these last 2 weeks.

If you have Bronchitis - How Do You Treat it?

I went back and re-read the Emergency Room's discharge papers, and learned that the diagnosis was acute upper respiratory infection, asthma and BRONCHITIS! I've never had Bronchitis before, so I looked it up. Apparently the coughing can last up to TWO WEEKS. I've had it 10 days and I'm worn out with it. **IF YOU HAVE BRONCHITIS, HOW DO YOU TREAT IT?**
Here's what I learned about Bronchitis:
Bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the air passages within the lungs. It occurs when the trachea (windpipe) and the large and small bronchi (airways) within the lungs become inflamed because of infection or other causes.
* The thin mucous lining of these airways can become irritated and swollen.
* The cells that make up this lining may leak fluids in response to the inflammation.
* Coughing is a reflex that works to clear secretions from the lungs. Often the discomfort of a severe cough leads you to seek medical treatment.
* Bronchitis occurs most often during the cold and flu season, usually coupled with an upper respiratory infection.
You may see symptoms such as fever with chills, muscle aches, nasal congestion, and sore throat.
SYMPTOMS: * Cough is a common symptom of bronchitis. The cough may be dry or may produce phlegm. Significant phlegm production suggests that the lower respiratory tract and the lung itself may be infected, and you may have pneumonia.
* The cough may last for more than two weeks.
* Wheezing may occur because of the inflammation of the airways. This may leave you short of breath. (Albuterol is recommended, and I NOW have it).
GETTING BETTER: Although most cases of bronchitis clear up on their own, some people may have complications that their doctor can ease.
WHAT TO TAKE:
# Acetaminophen (Feverall, Panadol, Tylenol), aspirin, or ibuprofen (Motrin, Nuprin, Advil) will help with fever and muscle aches.
# Drinking fluids is very important because fever causes the body to lose fluid faster. Lung secretions will be thinner and easier to clear when the patient is well hydrated.
# A cool mist vaporizer or humidifier can help decrease bronchial irritation.
# An over-the-counter cough suppressant may be helpful. Preparations with guaifenesin (Robitussin, Breonesin, Mucinex) will loosen secretions; dextromethorphan-the "DM" in most over the counter medications (Benylin, Pertussin, Trocal, Vicks 44) suppresses cough.
FULL ARTICLE:http://www.emedicinehealth.com/bronchitis/article_em.htm#Bronchitis%20Overview