JULY 15, 2010 HALITOSIS

Why is Clark Gable's photograph on the blog ? Read on --

"When I wake up in the morning, after saying Good morning God, 80 % of the things in my head are none of my business " - PF

Do you ever just get lost in your thoughts? Well, I do. For one, medicine is controlled not by us, the doctors who care, but by the government, insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. How sad. I used to be frozen with fear and defeated before the day began. Now I wake up with vigor, a positive mantra, and a smile. I love to smile. I love to say Good Morning to God and to my parrot, Gracie. My job is to clean myself up, dust myself off, and start the day over again --Thanks Francis Albert Sinatra. I have no control of the day and the future. I do know that I can start my day over again at any time I want to. Try ACTION not RE-ACTION. I do believe that meditation will make you start the day off with a better outlook. Try it! Start slow - Remember 4-7-8 breathing.



Let's continue with the MOUTH --
There is nothing worse than kissing a loved one with bad breath. The medical term for bad breath is halitosis. There are many causes for bad breath. The good news is that simple hygiene and natural remedies can eliminate most mouth odors.

You do know that 'aisle 8' at Duane Reade or Rite Aide has many proposed solutions. Although sometimes it can be counterproductive. It is the mouthwash aisle. There are plenty. For one they contain alcohol, and are flavored. I would suggest an alcohol free mouthwash. Look for them- they are available. It is true that some mouthwashes may kill the bacteria, but it also true that they come right back. The one point to make is that too much mouthwash can be irritating to the gums and the tongue.

The most obvious cause of halitosis is poor dental hygiene. Did you know that gum disease is the #1 oral health issue in America today? Simple brushing and flossing are not enough. You can prevent and reverse gum disease. You need to know who to see and who uses the natural remedies like lavender and calendula. Diet does play an important role in oral health. Your dietary lifestyle, the first lifestyle change that I have been discussing for months can reverse gum disease. Dentists will say to brush your teeth regularly. It is true but what is the proper way! Dentsits will say to floss regularly. I have found that flossing irritates. I have been introduced to the world of water- pik. I find this more effective with less irritation. Of course, I avoid popcorn. When the pieces of food get lodged in the teeth or gum line, the food decomposes, thus causing bad breath. Brush your tongue as well as your teeth. Do not scrub your tongue as if it is a frying pan, just gently brush it with a soft- bristled brush to wash away those microbes. Sometimes bad breath is caused by the foods you eat- like garlic, pepperoni, or salami and not your gums.

Simple things to do:
1. Regularly change your toothbrush.
2. See an integrative dental health care professional.
3. Read Reversing Gum Disease Naturally.
4. See an ENT physician. Post nasal drip from chronic sinusitis may be a cause.
5. Eat carrots, celery and apples to fight off the development of plaque.
6. One remedy: peppermint oil in 4 oz of water; Gargle. DO NOT SWALLOW
7. Eliminate offending food and drink. Keep the garlic - major health benefits

Because of a bad gum infection in 1933, Clark Gable had to have most of his teeth removed and replaced by dentures, which caused him to suffer from halitosis. During the filming of Gone with the Wind, Vivien Leigh complained about how foul the stench was… but they got along really well other than that. That would be enough for me not to kiss him..but he was manly when he was young...

William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901–November 16, 1960) was an American film actor nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Gable seventh among the greatest male stars of all time. He won an Academy Award for It Happened One Night in 1934 starring Claudette Colbert


Until tomorrow...

JULY 14, 2010 PSSSST..WANT TO HEAR SOME GOSSIP

"Gossipers turn an earful into a mouthful." - George Bernard Shaw

"Gossip is winding up your tongue and letting it go." - George Meredith

"Fire goes out for a lack of fuel, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops." Proverbs 26:20

Each and every one of us has been guilty of gossip. If you think not, think again! I am guilty, and I feel ashamed as I am writing this. Perhaps this is why I am writing this--to remind me that gossip is character assassination. When we discuss another person's issues--their short comings, failures or successes, it will eventually have a negative impact on your relationship with them. You might have a relationship with them or maybe not, but eventually that gossip will end up 'in your face'. These relationships can be with a loved one, with your parents, with your family, and with your co-workers.

The one thing that I have learned is when you hear gossip--put the cotton from your ears into your mouth and say nothing. If asked to give a comment--which is another term for 'tell me your dirt on the person', make no comment or simply say I do not know anything about that person or issue. Roy Smith said it best, "Unless you are able to overlook idle gossip you will always be busy with unnecessary trouble." At this time in my life, most of the gossip I encounter occurs when a group of people are in a small intimate community, like Fire Island. I will ask the God of my understanding to remove this character defect from me for today. Remember it is only for today.

Help yourself by striving to keep communications with others clean and free from malicous gossip. It has helped me, and it will help you deal directly as possible with those feelings . Yes, we all have feelings!

Since gossip rolls off everyone's tongue at one point or another, I decided to leave the world of metals and chelation and discuss CANKER SORES, or mouth ulcers. Imagine if every time you gossiped you would get a canker sore, just as Pinocchio's nose grew longer and longer every time he lied. Now that would surely stop you from repeating or initiating gossip.

A canker sore is a tiny red ulcer with a raised border and tiny white center. These can appear on the tongue, the gums and even on the buccal mucosa of the cheeks. They are painful when chewing, drinking or even talking. Another way to stop the gossip!? The actual causes of these ulcers are unknown. It could be a deficiency of the immune system. Some of the risk factors for developing canker sores are wearing braces, and biting the inside of your mouth by accident. Ouch!! There is also an increased risk when having oral sex without the use of a condom. Those who bite their nails or suck their thumb are also at an increased risk.

There are great remedies available. I remember as a child my mother used gentian violet. It came in a dark brown bottle and was purple. It did soothe the sores, however it stained both the gums and teeth. I have success in treating canker sores especially when they are related to food allergies. Once I stop the offending antigen (food) and rotate the diet, the sores disappear. Immediate remedies include over the counter carbamide peroxide. It is sold in most health food stores. Another remedy that provides immediate relief is zinc lozenges at 50 mg/1 oz. or applying zinc to the inside of the mouth directly on the sore. You can also gargle a 50:50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.

However I would rather you use deglycyrrhizinated licorice. Open a 200mg capsule and mix in 4-6 oz of warm water. Gargle and swallow. The DGL is also good for the stomach to prevent ulcers. Since most of us eat some form of carbohydrate, we need to build up the good bacteria, acidophilus. In the past we obtained the good bacteria from eating yogurt. That is only one species of good bacteria. I would prefer you take powdered probiotics or other high quality, multi- species forms. I like Dr. Ohira's Essential Formulas which are small pearl-sized gel caps. Take one per day before a meal.

Stressful situations stimulate an outbreak. Make a major effort to control the stress in your life. As we discuss the other lifestyle changes we need to make, I will recommend you find a hobby to relieve stress. I also recommend meditation (remember the March blog 4-7-8)

I only know Pinocchio from Walter Ellis Disney and the 1940's Disney animated feature. Rick loves Pinocchio and I love Jiminy Cricket. It also makes me think of an old cartoon, "Hoppity Goes to Town"


Original art by Enrico Mazzanti. Pinocchio (pronounced [piˈnɔkːjo] in Italian) is a fictional character that first appeared in 1883, in The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, and has since appeared in many adaptations of that story and others. Carved from a piece of pine by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a small Italian village, he was created as a wooden puppet, but dreamt of becoming a real boy. The name Pinocchio is a Tuscan word meaning "pine nut" (the standard Italian term is pinolo . The song When You Wish Upon a Star won an Oscar for Best Song. Writer: Leigh Harline; Lyrics: Ned Washington

When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you

If your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star as dreamers do

(Fate is kind, she brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing)

Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you thru
When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true


Until tomorrow...

JULY 13, 2010 -- A GENIUS

"God is subtle, but he is not malicious " Albert Einstein

I always thought of Albert Einstein as a scientist, not as a philosopher-- until recently. Like the one above, he has left us many thoughtful quotes. I know in a previous blog on a needlepoint canvas (which I haven't even begun to stitch yet) I shared this Einstein quote:
"No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew."

Both of these Einstein quotes ring loud and clear. Up until about 15 years ago I had lost my faith in God in the religious way. I was raised to believe in God as per the Catholic religion. As a child, I loved the sermons on Sunday morning. I loved them when Father Peter G. did them, especially at the 9 am mass. When he was relocated I was heart broken. He was there for most of my early religious years. He was present to renew my grandparents vows on their 50th Wedding anniversary. He was also there for me to serve at my mother's funeral mass.

Over the years, his sermons became my weekly gripping, Broadway drama performance. I wanted a musical. I imagined him going into a chorus of Gypsy or 'The Hostess with the Mostess' from Call Me Madam. It never happened but it was a great fantasy.

There is something calming about the priesthood. I love the way the priests puttered around the church from task to task. I love the pomp and circumstance- I love ritual. As I write this I think is there any ritual that I do daily that my parents or grandparents did? I couldn't think of one. I do break a dish on New Year's Eve (supposedly a Sicilian tradition). My father used to have the 7 course fish dinner every Christmas Eve-that ended in December 2004. I do not eat meat on Good Friday. If I am not consistent with these rituals or patterns from the past, what does it say about my life? I do say, "Good morning, God," each and every day I arise from bed. I have come to believe that rituals and traditions are very important, but life does move on. I have developed new rituals/patterns with Rick, my children and our friends.

In the second quote I have substituted the 'world anew' with different words or problems that need to be solved. For example, "No problem can be solved from....created it. We must learn to see Cherry Grove anew." I can also say we must learn to see a particular disease or patient anew.

God is real. My Higher Power is the God of my understanding. While it may be the same God as yours, mine is mine to me. As I say, "Good morning God," I have a sense of serenity and love. And as the day ends, I say, "Thank you God." This is my ritual! What are some of your rituals?


Back to chelation ...

There have been studies in peer review literature to show the effects of lead on cardiovascular disease. In 2007 the Environmental Health Perspective published a report stating that lead exposure is associated with an increased risk of stroke, peripheral artery disease, hypertension and arrhythmias. In the journal Circulation, (2006) data reviewed from 1988-1994 showed an association between lead and cardiovascular disease. The data is in print and available. The general public needs to know. I do know that many of my patients know, and that is why they seek medical attention. The problem is that many of the allopathic (conventional) physicians do not investigate such issues. It is either out of their specialty or ignorance is bliss.

As far as the treatment for heavy metal intoxication, EDTA or DMSA can be used. Both are chelators for lead and mercury as well as other toxic metals. The treatment protocol can be either intravenous or suppositories for lead , and capsules for mercury intoxication. The intravenous form of DMSA is not used to treat mercury toxicity. It was used in the past but caution must be taken. It is not considered the standard of care at this time.

Regardless of which metal detox treatment program you undertake, there needs to be a replacement of the good minerals. Chelation is not selective to take out all the bad, and not the good. EDTA will remove lead primarily, along with arsenic, cadmium and mercury, as well as calcium, iron, copper and other minerals.

One article I have always found intriguing discusses the association between a cardiac muscle biopsies performed in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a dilated heart). It was found that these muscle biopsies contained increased amounts of mercury, arsenic, cadmium and aluminum.

For centuries, mercury miners have done sweating/sauna baths to rid themselves of metals. This has been done in Almaden, Spain. Other detoxifiers include .... All three have been used effectively.


I personally use the latter two herbs, with an addition of 3 herbs:
curcurmin, astagalus and hops.

More chelation tomorrow...

My second hero, Albert Einstein was born 14 March 1879 and died 18 April 1955. He was a theoretical physicist, philosopher and author who is widely regarded as one of the most influential and best known scientists and intellectuals of all time. Often regarded as the father of modern physics, he received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics.

July 12, 2010 CLEAR THE TOXINS- ORANGE IN THE SUMMER

"Easy Does It"
I have lived by this phrase for a long time now. I think before I speak. I settle down before I answer. I meditate before my day begins. It has helped me immensely. For me it means the difference between LIFE and DEATH.
And I want to live...


For the last week I have been discussing heavy metals. Before I discuss the specific chelation process, let's try to get you detoxified by using an herbal program. You know I love herbs. Detoxification programs are for healthy people with a robust digestion who want to clear the body of accumulated toxins, such as these metals. Detoxification is an activity that is appropriate for spring and summer, rather than fall or winter. Your eating habits are very important. I know I have mentioned it in previous blogs, but it never hurts to mention it again and again.

Back to Basics:
1. Eat slowly, chew thoroughly
2. Do not eat while you are upset
3. Eat sitting up; no slumping on the couch while watching television (is that your addiction?)
4. Do not drink cold liquids with food
5. Always start off with a breakfast like a king
6. Do not eat anything straight from the refrigerator
7. Only eat until you are two thirds full
8. Eat a wide range of foods
9. Limit all white carb foods (actually stop eating them)
10. Eat organics if possible (check the blog on organics)
11. Lightly cook all foods, except of course salads
12. Use sea salt (not ionized salt)

ABOVE IS THE BASICS-- Want to have a superfood?
1. Use flax or hemp seeds in your salads/ I actually add fennel seeds to grow my hair
2. Add fresh garlic to your foods
3. Make sure you use stevia as a sweetener
4. There are foods to sedate the Yang
apples, asparagus, celery, cucumbers, pears
5. There are foods to tonify Yang
radish, raspberries, turnips, leeks, coriander
6. There are foods that tonify Yin
millet, mulberry,water chestnuts
7. Add ginger- ginger is a good source of magnesium
8. Cinnamon - add to the food; it is antibacterial and antifungal
9. If you like add some seaweed to your diet - Seaweed is rich in iodine and we as a society are iodine deficient. For those with thyroid disease- do not overdue. Please consult your doctor.
10. Use good oils in place of butter
11. During cooking DO not add the black pepper . Do that after the food is cooked.

All of the above seems so simple. It should be common sense. The point is what if you have heavy metals in your body? What good would it do to detoxify your body from the metals if you CANNOT get the basic dietary lifestyle into your daily routine.
EVERYONE needs a dietary lifestyle change.

I wanted to share a recipe with you:

Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup (it doesn't have to be winter to have a soup)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (fresh)
-1/2 teaspoon curry powder
-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cloves of garlic minced (fresh)
- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
-1 1/2 cups of water
- 1 can of pumpkin (or use fresh if you can find at this time)
-1 cup of soy or almond milk
-1 1/2 cups of low sodium fat free chicken broth

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium; Add onions and saute for 3 minutes, add the ginger, curry and nutmeg. Stir in the sweet potato, pumpkin, chicken broth and bring to a boil
Reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes; Add the garlic now; Stir in the milk (do not boil)


DID YOU KNOW A SWEET POTATO HAS A FLOWER? CHECK PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE.

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of Convolvulaceae, I. batatas is the only crop plant of major importance. Some others are used locally, but many are actually poisonous. The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum). The softer, orange variety is commonly marketed as a "yam" in parts of North America

JULY 10-11, 2010 WAY DOWN AMONG VIRGINIANS......

Is my Frederick Ellis Byrd, Jr. (my Rick or Rickey) related to William Byrd III? Who knows? There seems to be so many Byrds in this area. The Byrd family estate is the Westover Plantation. Throughout his life, gambling plagued his William Byrd III. He was born into a wealthy family in 1728. He became a man of great stature in his home state, Virginia. A lavish lifestyle and gambling lead him to debt. In 1777 at the age of 48 he committed suicide.

The visit to Colonial Williamsburg Virginia was an historic treat. I have never been to this area and I truly enjoyed visiting. I had to find a needlepoint store in the area which I did. It is called Haus Triol. Nestled in a unique shopping center close to Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens is where you'll find this great shop. The shopping center offers beautiful grounds and great restaurants. It's the perfect place to spend an afternoon or just enjoy a quiet stroll. The Stitching Well at Haus Tirol is the perfect needlework and gift shop for every stitcher from beginner to expert. I finally bought a beautifully painted canvas for me. This means instead of giving away , selling on etsy or at the Cherry Grove Arts Project Artsale (July 25 and 26), I am doing this for ME. We also visited other shops and Bruton Parish Church. The clergy and congregation of Bruton Parish Episcopal Church extended a warm welcome to us. Located in the heart of historic Colonial Williamsburg, Bruton Parish Church has been a spirited and dynamic parish for more than 300 years. It has a beautiful garden and adjacent old cemetery.


Now to continue with chelation... Chelation refers to the ability of certain chemicals to bind with and remove calcium, iron and other metals from the body. You do know there is a lot of calcium within the arteries. Plaque within the arteries is called arteriosclerosis. The assumption or hypothesis is that the calcium is clawed out of the vessel. This is what the greek word "chelate" refers to. It could be that the calcuium and other metals are slowly dissolved from the body. This is basically how it works.

The first physician who did work at a hospital on chelation was Norman Clarke, MD in Detroit Michigan. He used EDTA (chelation) on patients with atherosclerosis. He reported that those receiving chelation had their toes and legs saved from amputation due to the newly open blood vessels from chelation therapy. To this day there are such reports. Many patients have chosen chelation versus amputation. This can only happen if the physician involved knows anything about chelation. Patients who have considered Coronary artery bypass surgery for blocked coronary arteries could have benefited from chelation.

But do you know about chelation? Has anybody close to you had a bypass or did they have chelation? Surgery carries a risk of morbidity and mortality despite the numbers done every day. Bypass grafting and stents have been considered life saving measures. I do agree with that, but at what expense to the budget and to the patient? Those procedures are band-aid approaches. Let's find out what causes the blockage in the first place. Is it truly plaque of calcium or is it a bacteria/virus that denudes the inner lining of the artery that then starts the plaque build-up It is the dietary lifestyle about which I have been preaching since day 1 of blogging? (This Blog started March 11, 2010). From what you will read in the next week you then can determine your own opinion. At the end of blogging this week I will give you a book list on the subject as well.

Rememeber: CHELATION CAN BE THE ANSWER. HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE. EDUCATE YOURSELF AND YOUR DOCTOR. CHELATION IS NOT THE ONLY ANSWER. USE ALL DISCIPLINES OF MEDICINE BOTH ALLOPATHIC (CONVENTIONAL) AND INTEGRATIVE.

The photohgraph above is the Dogwood Flower.
The genus Cornus comprise a group of 30-50 species of mostly deciduous trees and shrubs in the family Cornaceae commonly known as dogwoods. Some are herbaceous perennials; a few of the woody species are evergreen.

Until tomorrow...

JULY 9, 2010 SEBASTIAN, THE CRAB

Shut out all of your past except that which will help you weather your tomorrows.
Sir William Osler


I find it hard to believe that Sir William Osler, astute, prominent physician would make such a statement. Perhaps it was his euthanasia speech-- recommending putting the old men out to pasture at age 60. Osler is well known in the field of gerontology for the speech he gave when leaving Hopkins to become the Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford. His speech "The Fixed Period" given on 22 February 1905, included some controversial words about old age.

Osler, who had a well-developed humorous side to his character, was in his mid-fifties when he gave the speech and in it he mentioned Anthony Trollope's The Fixed Period (1882), which envisaged a College where men retired at 67 and after a contemplative period of one year were 'peacefully extinguished' by chloroform. He claimed that, "the effective, moving, vitalizing work of the world is done between the ages of twenty-five and forty" and it was downhill from then on. Osler's speech was covered by the popular press which headlined their reports, "Osler recommends chloroform at sixty."

I do not want to put my past in a shut down mode, but I do not want to dwell on the past either. Our past lessons help us in the future. I guess if the same mistakes are made time and time again, then we should examine our past more closely. Perhaps you cannot understand why you cannot have a healthy, loving relationship. Perhaps there is a hint in the past. Perhaps you have an 'addiction' which does not allow you to move closer to another human being and to God. As Sir William Osler states, the past can help us in our future experiences. He is so right. Thanks, Sir William.

So why a photo of a crab? What does a crab have to do with medicine? Actually, most crustaceans have an increased amount of mercury in their tissues. They are bottom dwellers filtering the sand where there are heavy metals along with the remains of the Titanic, among other things. So it does keep with the flow of the blog. However, the word 'chelate' in Greek means to "grab onto" as the crab grabs onto something with its claws.

I am going to discuss the use of chelation therapy in the treatment of heavy metal intoxication, and other diseases. I could spend days discussing chelation therapy, and might do so. It is an interesting and controversial topic. I did intravenous chelation in my my first group practice, my second group practice with Robert Atkins, MD and in private practice. I am board certified with the new testing requirements by the American College of Advancement in Medicine (ACAM). I have concluded that chelation therapy is a safe, useful, and promising therapy for a wide range of diseases.

Your own conventional physician may say one of two things when you mention chelation. He will either say .."It is dangerous, and is quakery !" or "I do not know enough about it, are there studies?" More than likely he will grunt, look at you with a twisted face and say nothing. I would hope he has enough sense to say he does not know all the facts. The the National Institute of Health (NIH) is currently conducting trials to assess Chelation Therapy (TACT). Results of this work will answer many questions.

I sometimes think it is closed-mindedness that provides comfort to so many physicians who either say nothing or a sly comment. I used to be one of those physicians. However, I learned long ago, possibly through European traditions with herbs that medicine has a wide scope of treatments. I was not taught that in medical school nor in my clinical years. Remember the initial title of the blog... Anything Worth Learning is Self Taught!

Dr. Atkins once said (do not know whether this is his quote or not), "An expert with no experience in a subject is NOT an expert in that subject."

The use of chelation therapy in diseases has had an uphill battle. There are important historical facts, published scientific facts and then there is the patient's benefit from their point of view. I have seen patients benefit from its use whether to rid the body of toxins or to be preventative for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The benefit in metal toxicity is the decrease in the measured metal after chelation. The first sign of improvement in a cardiac patient undergoing chelation is the increase in exercise tolerance. I have measured the calcium score of the coronary arteries pre and post chelation treatments. I know that the allopathic doctors cannot argue the fact that chelation is still used today in the treatment of lead poisoning, especially in children. It is also effective in the removal of iron, which is an important concern today.

Over the weekend, I will discuss the history of and how chelation works. It is simple, effective and safe.


Cancer is the Fourth Sign of the Zodiac. Its name is derived from the Latin "cancer...literally the crab." Cancer individuals are "tried and true." They tend to cling to tradition as though they were a part of it, yet their moods and even their purposes may become as changeable as this Sign's ruling celestial body...the Moon. Thus, such self-contradiction is understandable, given that it is part of the Cancer person's innate nature. Much like their representative symbol, the Crab, Cancers are well protected on the outside but are prone to be soft on the inside. They are good at sustaining others and appear to have a mission to take care of not only people in and of themselves, but also their means of making a living.

The association of this Sign with water dates back to the very emergence of astrology itself and is Babylonian in origin. In Egypt, Cancer was represented by two turtles known as the "Stars of the Water" and occasionally as an obscure aquatic creature known as Allul. Perhaps more than any other sign, Cancer is symbolic of the passive, receptive but profoundly powerful and encompassing female force in nature...the all-nourishing or all-devouring mother. The Crab itself is associated with the sea...the cradle of life. Those born under the Sign of Cancer should strive to find a safe haven in which their exquisite sensitivity can bloom and flourish. If this is not achieved, then they will find themselves dominated by the prickly and grasping aspect of the Cancer personality.

I have a special fondness for those with this Zodiac sign, my mom, my second Mom Nancy, my dad, Vera, Maryanne and I like to think my Poppy, but he was born on July 30, 1901.

Who can forget Disney's Sebastian from The Little Mermaid.
Until tomorrow...

July 8 , 2010 A FOND MEMORY/ CADMIUM TOXICITY

WHAT DO YOU SEE

Dedicated to the memory of Pat Fratellone, Sr (aka Pasqualino,Patsy)

What do you see doctors, what do you see
Are you thinking when you are looking at me
A crabbit old man, not very wise
Uncertain of habit with far away eyes;
Who dribbles his food and makes no reply,
When you say in a loud voice – "I do wish you'd try"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe
Who unresisting or not, lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill;
Is that what you are thinking doctor, is that what you see.

I’ll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I daze at your bidding, as I eat at your will;
I’m a small child of ten, with a mother and father
Brothers and sisters who love one another;
A young man of sixteen with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon a lover he’ll meet;
A groom soon at thirty seven-my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep;
At forty , now that I have young of my own,
Who need me to build a secure happy home;
A man of fifty, my young now grow fast,
Round to each other with ties that should last;
At fifty, my young sons now grown will be gone,
But my wife stays beside me to see I don’t mourn;
At sixty once more babies play around my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me;


Dark days are upon me, my wife is dead,
I look to the future, I shudder with dread;
For my young are all busy rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love I have known.

I’m an old man now and nature is cruel
Tis jest to make old age look like a fool;
The body it crumbles, grace and vigor depart
There is now a stone where I once had a heart;
But inside this old carcass a young boy still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells;
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I’m loving and living life all over again;
I think of the years all too few –all too fast,
And accept the dark fact that nothing can last;

So Open Your Eyes , Doctors, Open and See
Not A Crabby Old Man, Look Closer see Me

Today is my dad's birthday. He was born July 8, 1921. he would have been 89 years old. As a child, we had two birthday dates to celebrate for my dad. He was born on July 8th but not registered until July 12th. The poem is appropriate as my dad died in a facility in November 2005. He chose not to have his leg amputated (not from diabetes) after developing a blood clot. I think he was brave to make that decision. He didn't want to leave this earth with the one leg.

I can still hear his harsh, loud, defiant voice trying to discuss, no, yelling at the doctor. There comes a time when although living, the person is in a far off place. Breathing is labored, and they are beginning to die. What does the doctor see in that patient. I have come to believe that I see and feel what the person was in his/her life. Rick later described my dad as a 'man of many words', unpredictable, reliable, brutally honest, opinionated, extremely independent, fair and respectful, flirtatious, and loving/appreciative. He was extremely caring of family and friends, a great Italian cook, and a little "Archie Bunker". He ended by saying if you disagree with the above, my father would say, "The Hell with You". Miss you Dad.

Now to medicine blogging... back to the heavy metals. In the last three days we have discussed toxicity from mercury, lead and aluminum. Today I will discuss cadmium. What is cadmium? Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. The soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other metals in group 12, zinc and mercury.

Where would one get cadmium? If you know someone who smokes or you smoke, there is cadmium in cigarettes. Each 'fag' contains a little cadmium (actually 1.4 mcg) MY DAD DID SMOKE while in the USS Navy. He stopped in the 1960's after a mild heart attack. In those years he was kept in a hospital for 3-4weeks. This was before stinting and statin drugs. Cadium will accumulate in the arteries, can produce wrinkles ( especially on the face), and left untreated has been shown to decrease your life. So the message is stop smoking. The signs and symptoms of cadmium toxicity include:
1. fatigue
2, iron deficiency
3. bone pain, especially sternum
4. pain in lower back
5. loss of sense of smell (anosmia)
6. generalized aches and muscle soreness

So, the question is --If I do not smoke how can I have cadmium in my body? There are professions that have higher exposure to cadmium. Most of these professions involve hardware as nickel-cadmium battery manufacturing, zinc ore smelting, soldering, ceramic making using cadmium, rustproof tools, marine hardware and jewelry making.

For those who do none of the above you can get cadmium from drinking water, evaporated milk, processed foods, soft drinks from a vending machine and from refined wheat flour. Both pesticides and fungicides contain cadmium. Even silver polish can contain cadmium.
So, key points:
1. Cadmium can cause toxicity
2. Do not polish your own silverware
3. Stay clear of cigarettes

The lower photograph was taken at the 51st brownstone on the night of my 40th birthday (ten years ago -yes I am now 50)
Until tomorrow...