Healthy Policy

Foray into adulthood continues

Because I'm still fairly young, my gradual progression to Real Adulthood is still comprised of obvious markers: graduating from college, moving into my own place, getting a Real Job (still working on that one -- hopefully in the next few weeks).

Now I'm entering that world that my parents and grandparents (and the British) know all too well: a close financial relationship with your dentist.

I'm part of that generation where fluoridated water  was touted as a cure-all for dental problems.  And it was.  Sure, I still go to the dentist every six months, but I've been able to reap all the benefits of my cohort's shiny, white, natural teeth. 

I only have one filling, and might I add, it was not my fault.  The grooves in my molar were exceedingly deep, and regardless of my brushing intensity, a cavity was inevitable.  Fine -- I can live with one filling; I hardly remember the experience anyway.

Well, it was fine until that molar, my one less-than perfect tooth, cracked in half Saturday night.  Now I feel myself joining my parent's version of adulthood -- my dad confessed to me last night that he probably only has six teeth without crowns or that aren't downright false.  My mom is slightly better, though she's popped a few crowns recently and had a several root canals.  Ouch.

So now I journey to the dentist chair, which goes without saying, is one of my least favorite places to be.  My parents think it will cost $400.  Geez!  Let's hope the rest of my perfect teeth stay that way, and this is as far as I go into that part of adulthood for awhile. 

Schtuff

HPites, I have a major check-in with my orthopedic doc this afternoon where I'm hoping to be pared down from one crutch to zero.  (X-rays, etc, to follow later today).

While I'm busy having my bone x-rayed, you should go read some stuff.  First, refer to QandO's post rebutting my Canada post from yesterday, then head over to Ezra's, where he's kindly done the re-rebutting for me. 

Also, stop by Adrienne's for her take-down of the new anti-obesity drug Xenical and the efforts to take it OTC. 

I'll be back in the afternoon!

Weird America

This man commutes seven hours a day.  And while he claims that it helps him achieve the perfect work/life balance, I'm convinced he's crazy.

Chef Blogging

Chef Kate was busy Easter morning, so I figured I'd pass on my recipe for my centerpiece, Egg Souffle with Fresh Herbs.  The recipe basis comes from a delicious meal at this bed and breakfast I stayed at in California.  I got the recipe from the owner but lost it, so I recreated it from memory and added a few ingredients.  Below the fold.

New York Times Ugh

Sorry for the delay on this pronouncement, I'd been trying to get used to it, but

I HATE THE NY TIMES REDESIGN!!!!!!!

It used to be my favorite site because I thought the layout was the most user-friendly.  You could glance at the page, see all the various headlines, and get a good idea of the news in 20 seconds.  No more, and they have a stupid flowery font (and I'm usually a fan of flowery fonts!) that doesn't befit the NYT.  Now I'm forced to head elsewhere.

Can we change it back, please?

Twenty three years ago on this day...

I was born! 

This year has been particularly transformative, as I discovered my endless well of interest in all things health policy, started this blog to help explore my knowledge, and applied for my first real Adult Jobs. 

I also graduated from college, had major surgery, and lived in three different cities (Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, and Kansas City.  I narrowly missed my fourth, Washington D.C., but I'm hoping to get there in about a month).

It's truly a charmed, blessed life I live, and I'm so glad that you continue to come by and read my insignificant thoughts in this little corner of the internets.  The positive feedback I've received here and at TPM Cafe is a fabulous birthday present.

So here's to another year; I hope it brings lots of learning, and I hope we all keep working toward our ultimate goal in our often short-sighted blogging endeavors -- quality, affordable, and accessible health care for all.  Now that would be a great birthday present...

And now for everyone's favorite subject!

Booze!

A new study on drinking Red Bull with alcohol finds that.....you're still just as drunk!  You just don't feel like it!

Well, duh.  Obviously if we'd discovered a substance that makes you sober up to the point that your BAC slips back below 0.08, it'd be all over the place.

Since I am party to this trend, a few observations:

• I kinda like the taste of Red Bull, so every once and awhile I'll get one for that reason

• I'll get Red Bull/vodka when I go out if I'm really tired (and don't tell me I should just stay home in that case -- that's just silly sensical thinking)

• No one I know drinks RB/V and believes this makes their BAC go down and therefore enables them to drive home.  Really, people, you'd have to be pretty stupid to believe that. 

• Also, RB/V is a very expensive mixed drink (usually $3 more than standard vodka tonic)

Why do you need a study when you've got me, huh?

Hat tip to Medpundit

Out and About

HPites, I've had a hectic morning and I'm heading off to the orthopedic doc this afternoon, so I apologize for the lack of content.  I'll try to put something up later today.

New York, are you ready?

Trader Joes, my favorite store in the world is coming to New York.  Now, I don't live in New York, but I know some readers of this blog do, and they should be wetting their pants with excitement.

So why is this store so unbelievably excellent?  I think this sums up one of my favorite qualities:

Trader Joe's has also guided its customers into the world of prepared food and precut vegetables — what Mr. Rauch, the president, calls "speed scratch" cooking. "Trader Joe's customers are people who really care about cooking," he said, "but like everyone else in America, they don't feel like they have time to chop all the vegetables, cook the chicken and make the dessert — but they want to be in the kitchen." The stores stock lots of things like precut butternut squash and beets, "simmer sauces" that make quick stews, and marinated salmon fillets packaged with fresh herbs in oven-ready cooking bags.

It's packed full of home cooked, delicious meals that take a fraction of the time to prepare.  A perfect example: Trader Joes sells fresh veggies, bags of mozzarella (and other cheese blends), and prepared dough in little plastic bags.  You go home, roll out the dough, put as many (or  as few) vegetables on your pizza, toss on the cheese, bake for 20 mins and -- voila!  Possibly the best pizza ever, a hundred times better than frozen pizza, and you get the therapeutic chopping/preparing experience.

It's all genius and delicious.  Another great thing -- it's affordable.  Much more so than Whole Foods. 

Alright, enough gushing.  Go buy some good, healthy food folks.

I'm Back!

(read that title with the appropriate James Brown voice in mind)

So my flu was actually strep.  It was pretty bad, sending my normal low-temperature self soaring above 101 degrees.  I'm quite sure I picked it up when I was down at the children's hospital here, which reminds me:

Can we attribute medical injury to practitioners answering their cell phones during procedures?  Cuz I'm no licensing board, but I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea to answer your cell phone when taking someone's blood.  I'm sitting there with my arm splayed out, rubber tourniquet attached, needle in vein, and I hear a buzzing.  It's my tech's phone vibrating in her scrub pocket. 

And she proceeded to answer it. 

The needle was still in my arm at this point, and she asked me to assist her in removing it while she held her phone in her other hand and chatted.  And I have a lovely bruise.

This is now acceptable behavior?