Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/75594
Tuesday, July 24, 2012 – Daily News FEATURES Mother finds herself attracted to other man Dear Annie: I've been with my boyfriend for eight years and find that I'm not as happy as I used to be. But we have a child together, which makes it harder to decide what to do. For the past few years, I have been talking to another man. Nothing has happened between us, but we are very attracted to each other. We hang out occasionally, and I can't stop thinking about him. He has a child with his live-in girlfriend, so he's in the same position as I am. I don't know what to do. My rela- tionship is bumpy and stressful, but I have a hard time leaving. — Vermont Dear Vermont: You have a com- mitment not only to your boyfriend, but to your child. It means you don't behave selfishly and rashly, or in ways that will hurt them. Being attracted to someone else is not unusual, but acting on those feelings puts you in the wrong. If your current relationship is ''bumpy and stressful,'' please get counseling with your partner to see whether you can put yourselves back on track. Whatever the outcome, cheating is not the answer. Dear Annie: Our son is in a wheel- chair. The van we use for his trans- Two websites that help Americans make informed choices about hospitals and nursing homes have been redesigned and will make more information available to the public, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced recently. The two sites – Hospital Compare and Nursing Home Compare – have been enhanced to make navigation easier by users, and have added important new comparison tools like findings from nursing home inspections. give patients, their fami- lies, and caregivers the ability to make an informed decision on where to seek care by look- ing at how well hospitals and nursing homes are per- forming on important qual- ity measures, and" said Acting CMS Administra- tor Marilyn Tavenner. "Anyone looking to com- "These enhanced tools Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar no-parking zone? A few years ago, we were at a local mall at Christmastime, and parking was at a premium. We were fortunate to find a handicapped space near the entrance. When we returned to the van, a car had squeezed into the adjacent blue-striped area. It required leaving my son unattended behind the other vehicle while I pulled my car out. What made matters worse was that mall security was present and did noth- ing. It makes my blood boil to see peo- ple use the striped areas. Some of these people have handicapped placards or plates, so I guess they think that makes it OK. It does not. The striped areas are there to provide safe passage for indi- viduals using wheelchairs, walkers or Both sites contain important data on how well these facilities perform on quality measures – such as the frequency of infections that develop in the hospi- tal, how often patients have to be readmitted to the hos- pital, and the percentage of nursing residents who report having moderate to severe pain while staying in the nursing homes. Researchers will now be able to access the data on both of these sites through mobile ready applications. On both websites, nav- igation has been improved for consumers, who will find large and easy to use maps for pinpointing hos- pitals, and new search functionalities that allow the user to input the name of a hospital. Glossaries and web resources have pare hospitals or nursing homes – not just those on Medicare – can take advantage of these web- sites." All Our Mattresses Are Handmade And 2-Sided For Twice The Life & Value • All Sizes Available $5000 With This Coupon TO $15000 QUALITY 2-SIDED MATTRESSES SAVE FROM Why Pay More FACTORY MATTRESS OUTLET Serves You "Bedder" SQUARE DEAL (since 1920) 3650 Main St. in Cottonwood Here for you • Open 7 Days 347-3646 Flippable mattress • FREE Delivery • FREE Take-Out portation has a ramp that makes loading and unloading simple. But in order for us to use the ramp, we need a hand- icapped parking space that is next to a wide, striped area. Unfortunately, often someone parks next to us in the striped area before we return to the van, which then makes access to the ramp impossible. We can't decide whether it's igno- rance or arrogance that makes people do this. Are they not aware that any striped area is a crutches, and for the less able-bodied to get in and out of their vehicles. The more inclement the weather the worse this problem is. And sometimes even the local police use these areas to park. What kind of an example are they set- ting? — Seeing Red About Blue Dear Red: A poor one. We know that some people are dismissive of handicapped spaces and park wher- ever they want. But most people try to be respectful, so we assume they don't realize that these adjacent striped areas are intended to be used for ramps, wheelchairs and other necessities. Please, folks, life can be challenging enough for those with disabilities. Let's not make it hard- er. ''Free To Be Me.'' I, too, have lived in a verbally abusive marriage for more than 40 years, but in my case, I am the husband, and she is the bully. Change the pronouns, and I could have written that letter. I want to thank ''Free'' for giving me the courage to file for divorce. As a result, I, too, must walk away from everything: family, friends, church, home and most of my income. Many people sit in silent desperation waiting for their life to pass by. I did that for years, but now it is time to move on. — Being Me, Too Dear Annie: This is in response to Medicare announces updated tools for patients been enhanced to make the information easier to understand. "These new updates to the Hospital and the Nurs- ing Home Compare web- sites are the next stage of transparently sharing data to drive improvement in our health system," said Patrick Conway, chief medical officer for CMS. In addition, new infor- mation is available on each of the websites. Updates to Nursing Home Compare include: to unnecessary radia- tion; and • Updated data for existing quality mea- sures. Compare include: • Two new measures that cover potential health risks of imaging services, such as exposure TOR K: I love saunas, but my wife worries they're dangerous. Is she right? DEAR DOC- ER: Many cultures use heat for relax- ation and therapy. One of the oldest — and hottest — of these tech- niques is the sauna. The modern sauna is a simple, unpainted room with wooden walls and benches. A rock-filled electric heater keeps the temperature at about 90 degrees at floor level and boosts it to about 185 degrees at the top. Saunas are very dry; humidity lev- els are just 10 percent to 20 percent. A good sauna is also well-ventilated. The dry heat has pro- DEAR READ- Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. specific findings from inspections of nursing home facilities; • Two new measures that report a nursing home's use of antipsychotic medications; • Updated data for quality measures previously avail- able on the site; and • Information on nursing home ownership available thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Additions to Hospital • Narratives that detail These two consumer tools are highly popular with patients, their fami- lies, and caregivers. In the first half of 2012 there were over 1.2 million visits to the Hospital Compare site, and over 500,000 vis- its to Nursing Home Com- pare. The sites can be found online at www.hos- pitalcompare.hhs.gov/ and www.medicare.gov/nhcom pare/ The Eldercare Loca- tor can be found at www.eldercare.gov. This public service of the Administration on Com- munity Living is a nation- wide service that connects older adults and their care- givers with information on senior services. found effects on the body. The average person loses a pint of sweat during a brief sauna. Skin temperature soars to about 104 degrees, though internal body tem- perature usually stays below 100 degrees. Your heart responds to this dry heat as well. Your pulse rate jumps by 30 percent or more. As a result, your heart nearly doubles the amount of blood it pumps each minute. Blood pressure may rise or fall. So although a sauna may help your muscles and your attitude to relax, your heart is working hard while you sit on your bench. Is that safe? 3B Simple precautions make saunas safe sudden, you are having these symptoms when you're at rest, that's not just a reason to avoid saunas: That's a reason to call your doctor immedi- ately. symptoms, such as chest pain, breath- lessness or feeling faint when you exercise, that you never had before. And if, all of a your heart to work harder could be dangerous. Unsta- ble coronary artery disease means that you have new If you have any heart problems, the safest thing is to check with your doc- tor before using a sauna. Saunas affect other parts of the body as well, but these changes resolve quickly after you cool down. For example, ele- vated scrotal temperatures temporarily reduce sperm production. But saunas don't impair fertility. The dry air doesn't harm the skin or lungs. In fact, some patients with psoriasis report relief from itching. And asthmatics may experience less wheezing. To play it extra-safe, follow these simple pre- cautions: — Avoid alcohol before or after your sauna. — Limit your sauna to 15 to 20 minutes. — Cool down gradual- Research suggests that it is. Saunas do not increase the risk of heart attack in healthy people. And saunas even appear to be safe for patients with stable coronary artery disease — athero- sclerosis, or cholesterol- filled plaques in the arter- ies of the heart. There is one situation in which going into a sauna might not be wise. If you have unstable coronary artery disease, forcing ly afterward. — Drink two to four glasses of cool water after each sauna. — Don't take a sauna when you are ill. Above all, listen to your body. If you feel unwell during your sauna, head for the door. Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. To send questions, go to AskDoctorK.com, or write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Be prepared. 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