The First

I would like to welcome you to this reading experience. There are many interesting moments occurring all around us, and I hope to capture some of them. This is a selfish blog, I want to note these facts for my own knowledge. Perhaps by typing them here, I will remember them up there.

The date rape drug is back in business. Xyrem, sodium oxybate , is one of the most effective sleep medications for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (currently in phase III trial). The medical practitioner has to discuss its dirty association with creepy old men before prescribing.

I was appalled by an article in the Wall Street Journal on August 20th describing the decrease in Medicare coverage for “reasonably preventable conditions acquired" during a hospital visit. Medicare will no longer provide compensation for the corrective surgery required when a sponge is left in a patient's stomach. The idea being that the hospital should not commit those errors in the first place. Other mistakes include, but are not limited to, post surgical infection and patient falls. I applaud the government's commitment to increased hospital standards, but it is absurd for this to come at the mistreated patient's expense. Imagine waking up with an avoidable infection or injury and hear that your insurance will not help you because they are protesting the hospital's ineptitude. On second thought, don't.

A joke at every end:

Q: What's the difference between an asshole and a rectum?
A: You can hug an asshole.

(Hug friend while making joke)