Part Two: NPR

My apologies readers, I know I promised an update-a-day until I got through all of my updates. But life and rest got in the way. Never fear, there's plenty more of me jabbering about my thoughts to come! Welcome back.

You can't be surprised that I have a whole post dedicated to NPR stories. I just love them so much!

1. 5 Simple Habits Can Help Doctors Connect with Patients: Really it's all of the things we learn in our clinical skills classes, but somehow we forget amidst all of our other training. Introduce yourself to the patient. Touch the patient: handshakes or a pat on the shoulder. Sit down. Talk to the patient. Ask open ended questions. Be respectful. 
2. Defining Death: There have been a few cases lately that have gained national attention about what the definition of death is. I'll just let you read the article (and any subsequent articles about this topic) and form your own opinions on what should have been done in each case. But we talk about the different types of death during class: lung (no breath), heart (no heart beat), brain (no brainstem activity), and neocortical (no higher level functioning...personality, etc). There is lots of crossover here with ethics and philosophy. Even religious views. It's good to be informed though, just in case (God forbid) something happens to you or a loved one. Know the medical measures your family members feel comfortable with. 
3. Talk to your Doc about Drinking: This was a surprising article to those of us in school still. They grill alcohol counseling into our education. I'm asked about alcohol consumption at every one of my doctor's appointments. So I guess I assumed that everyone got asked. But apparently not. Binge drinking (as well as alcoholism) is rampant in this country and that's why it's so important for you to know your risk! Not to mention that alcohol consumption can lead to many adverse health effects. You should all do the CAGE questions on yourself (if you answer yes to two or more questions, talk with your physician):
1. Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking?
2. Do people Annoy you when they criticize your drinking?
3. Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking?
4. Have you ever felt the need to have a drink in the morning (an Eye opener) to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?
4. Autism as an Asset: This is a NPR story about Temple Grandin (TED Talk included!). She is an autistic woman who has used her special ability to see the world in pictures to her advantage. She revolutionized the cattle industry to keep cattle calm on the way to the slaughter house. She is a huge proponent of keeping the arts in schools because often children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are wonderfully intelligent at art. Or computer design. Others are really wonderful with words and are great at acting. If your child is obsessed with legos, use that lego obsession to build different types of buildings. Or use them in math. Just because their thinking is different, does not mean that they are any less intelligent than the "normal" kids (really, is there anything such as "normal"?). Temple suggests that these children need to have a mentor to spark their interest in something. Whatever it is. Turn these kids on to learning. And the world will absolutely be changed for the better. These brains are going to revolutionize our world! 

Okay, that's all for now! Have a great week y'all :)