When you travel, you don't need to be checking out the hospitals or clinics all over the world.  Seen one, seen them all, and most are not as nice as at home.  And trying to find a doctor who speaks English can be challenging.  Staying healthy when you travel is #1 to having a good vacation.  My husband doesn't have a spleen and can go into pneumonia at the drop of a hat.  So, here are some tips that I have found to work. 

• Brookstone has this little filter that you wear around your neck or in your pocket.  I know it works because since we have been using it on planes, we haven't gotten sick.  Proof enough.
• Spray your nose with nasal spray before boarding the plane.  Acts as a block to germs.
• Take hand wipes to wipe down the food tray.  Must be the dirtiest thing on the plane.
• Take hand sanitizer and use it frequestly.  The one that does the most good is Soapopular.  Doesn't dry out your skin or have an offensive odor. Take your own pillow for sleeping on red eye flights.  I cut an old down pillow in half and roll it up into a plastic vacuum bag putting it in my carryon.
• Wash your hands in warm soap and water often.
• When going to 3rd World Countries, take your own syringes incase you need to get a shot.  Carry them in a paper towel tube with the ends taped shut.
• Get as much rest as you possibly can.   When you are tired you pick up stuff more easily.
• I wouldn't even have a problem wearing a mask if I am in a motorcoach and people are coughing and sneezing.  That can spread very fast.

Now to address the Norovirus.  There is a lot in the papers about this on cruise ships.  Well, it has to be reported because those ships are registered in foreign ports and the cruise lines have to report sicknesses when they come into the US.  HOWEVER, it is not just on ships.  It is in hotels, schools and any public places.  I have had clients get it BEFORE they even got to the cruise.  Sometimes people are sick when they board and they think they will get well in a day or so and in the meantime they have infected 50 people.  The cruise lines are watching people very close and if they suspect the passengers are sick, they will quarantine them. 

My last point is the MOST IMPORTANT.  BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!.  The cost is small, but the benefits are HUGE.  Buy it on my web site www.cruiseandtourplanners.com or call me.  Just this past week we heard of a lady who fell down in Italy and cracked her head.  Her family is trying to raise $100,000 to bring her home.  How sad.  I have another client who has cancelled 3 trips because of medical issues and got her money back - she is young.  Then there is the young college studen surfing in Costa Rica who broke his neck and needed $500,000 to come home.  Age has nothing to do with it.  I could tell lots of stories.  DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT INSURANCE!!!

So, mathematically, you're far safer eating tomatoes than camping!

New Zealand: KEEP OUT!

An outbreak of norovirus in New Plymouth, New zealand, has killed at least one person in a rest home. More than 100 cases of noroviros infection have been reported recetly, a medical health officer said.

Norovirus affects people of all ages. The viruses are transmitted by faecally contaminated food or water and by person-to-person contact.

The disease is characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. General lethargy, weakness, muscle aches, headache, and fever. Symptoms may persist for several days and may become life-threatening in the young, the elderly, and the immune-compromised. (Read more).

News Links:

• Rest home resident dies after bug outbreak

• High levels of dangerous bacterium in Kaikohe
• Baby died after infection breakout
• Stuff New Zealand

BACKGROUND: Noroviruses are the leading cause of viral acute gastroenteritis in humans, noted for causing epidemic outbreaks in communities, the military, cruise ships, hospitals, and assisted living communities (Lindesmith et al., 2008). The noroviruses most commonly associated with outbreaks of gastroenteritis are genogroup II genotype 4 (GII-4) strains (Allen et al., 2008). The evolutionary mechanisms governing the persistence and emergence of new norovirus strains in human populations are unknown (Lindesmith et al., 2008). Many national, state, and local health departments are launching disease surveillance systems with daily analyses of hospital emergency department visits, ambulance dispatch calls, or pharmacy sales for which population-at-risk information is unavailable or irrelevant (Kulldorf et al., 2005).

RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the surface-exposed carbohydrate ligand binding domain in the norovirus capsid is under heavy immune selection and likely evolves by antigenic drift in the face of human herd immunity (Lindesmith et al., 2008). Our data identifies two sites in this region, which show significant amino acid substitutions associated with the appearance of variant strains responsible for epidemics with major public health impact (Allen et al., 2008). Variation in the capsid carbohydrate-binding domain is tolerated because of the large repertoire of similar, yet distinct HBGA carbohydrate receptors available on mucosal surfaces that could interface with the remodeled architecture of the capsid ligand-binding pocket (Lindesmith et al., 2008). Homology modelling studies revealed the exposed nature of these sites on the capsid surface, providing supportive structural data that these two sites are likely to be associated with putative variant-specific epitopes (Allen et al., 2008). The continuing evolution of new replacement strains suggests that, as with influenza viruses, vaccines could be targeted that protect against norovirus infections, and that continued epidemiologic surveillance and reformulations of norovirus vaccines will be essential in the control of future outbreaks (Lindesmith et al., 2008). ((instead of vaccines)) We propose a prospective space-time permutation scan statistic for the early detection of disease outbreaks that uses only case numbers, with no need for population-at-risk data (Kulldorf et al., 2005). It makes minimal assumptions about the time, geographical location, or size of the outbreak, and it adjusts for natural purely spatial and purely temporal variation. The new method was evaluated using daily analyses of hospital emergency department visits in New York City (Kulldorf et al., 2005). Four of the five strongest signals were likely local precursors to citywide outbreaks due to rotavirus, norovirus, and influenza (Kulldorf et al., 2005).

[material reproduced following the PLoS Creative Commons license]

Lindesmith LC, Donaldson EF, Lobue AD, Cannon JL, Zheng DP, Vinje J, Baric RS. Mechanisms of GII.4 norovirus persistence in human populations. PLoS Med. 2008 Feb;5(2):e31. (article; response)

Allen DJ, Gray JJ, Gallimore CI, Xerry J, Iturriza-Gómara M. Analysis of amino acid variation in the P2 domain of the GII-4 norovirus VP1 protein reveals putative variant-specific epitopes. PLoS ONE. 2008 Jan 23;3(1):e1485. (article; response)

Kulldorff M, Heffernan R, Hartman J, Assunção R, Mostashari F. A space-time permutation scan statistic for disease outbreak detection. PLoS Med. 2005 Mar;2(3):e59. (article; response)

for more on this topic:

• Marler Clark attorney (blog)
• CDC norovirus outbreaks 2006-2007 (link)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (link)
• Wikipedia on Noroviruses (link)
• International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) (link)

Let’s start with the two most obvious foods: Ginger and Peppermint.

Ginger is an ancient remedy for nausea, gas and indigestion. Scientific studies have shown its effective for motion sickness, morning sickness, chemotherapy, and following surgery. A big plus about ginger is that it’s easy to get and inexpensive.

I keep ginger tea in my pantry, ginger capsules in my medicine cabinet, ginger chews in the candy canister, and fresh ginger in my kitchen for cooking. Ginger chews are available in major health food stores or at this web site www.gingerpeople.com.

Ginger is also said to help inflammation and have anti-cancer effects.

Links to sites about the medicinal qualities of ginger:

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Ginger.asp?sitearea=ETO

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/REM00012

Peppermint relieves indigestion by calming the muscles of the stomach and improves the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats. As a result, food passes through the stomach more quickly. It relaxes the muscles that allow the body to relieve gas and enteric-coated peppermint capsules help with irritable bowel syndrome.

Scientific evidence shows peppermint was found to treat nausea after surgery and relieve menstrual cramps. But here’s the best part, Peppermint oil has exhibited antiviral properties against a number of infectious agents, including herpes. I’m not sure if norovirus is one of these viruses but it still sounds encouraging. In addition, peppermint helps chest congestion from that nasty cold and headaches.

Peppermint oil is the most effective for nausea but peppermint tea, and mint candy are suitable for a small stomach upset due to overeating or bloating.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peppermint-000269.htm

If you're one of the emetophobic readers of this blog, you're probably shaking your head in agreement because you can relate to what I'm feeling. For those lucky readers who never have had phobias, I hope to open myself up a bit so you will understand how devastating this phobia can be.

What caused my panic attack? Would you believe a simple case of bloating caused by gas? Emetophobics are controled by fear. We are so scared of vomiting and the symptoms that lead to it, we can no longer differentiate certain stomach conditions with actual nausea. A simple rumble of gas in my intestines sometimes sets off my panic button especially if it's accompanied by diarrhea.

Tonight it was that bloated, gassy, acidy feeling that did it. What makes even more irrational is that these feelings started after I drank a glass of pineapple juice - an acid rich fruit which always causes me to feel this way everytime I eat it or drink the juice from it. It's not from a stomach virus or food poisoning, merely a high acid juice.

The bottom line is, I know what caused me to feel physically rotten and I know it won't make me vomit - yet I still get panic attacks. That's the nature of phobias.

fearsandphobias.blogspot.com

Ce virus fortement contagieux provoque déjà des problèmes à certains moments dans quelques régions de la Suède. L'Institut suédois pour le contrôle des maladies infectieuses (Smittskyddsinstitutet) avertit que la maladie, hautement transmissible, s'étend dans tout le pays et semble avoir augmenté sa résistance, ce qui fait qu'elle pourrait être présente toute l'année

I have to know the details of what kind of sick they are and what the symptoms were. Is it just a cold? Do they have a headache? Fever? Stomach ailments? If they even hint there's a stomach problem, there are more questions. Was there diarrhea? Stomach pain? Heartburn? And of course the worst illness related symptom in the world - VOMITING accompanied with nausea.

The next round of questions would be to determine if it was something they ate, food poisoning, a hangover, or {GULP} a stomach virus. I don't know why I do this. It's probably the paranoia that a stomach virus may be going around.

For www.fearsandphobias.blogspot.com

You wouldn’t wish norovirus on anyone but your fiercest enemy. It can cause diarrhoea and vomiting so impressive Linda Blair would turn green with envy (just ask Fran), leaves victims feeling like empty shells and spreads easily on the air or through contact. When an epidemic hit the UK last winter, sufferers were advised to lock themselves away from the rest of humanity for five days to ensure a full recovery.

Nonetheless, when it hit me shortly after we touched down in Hong Kong on the first leg of our emigration to trip Australia, I was delighted.

The eager anticipation at moving to Oz had been tempered by the fact that, according to what I’d read in the papers and seen on telly, all Aussie males were buff surfers who’d spent their entire lives outdoors winning at sport, wrestling crocodiles and wild cattle with their bare hands and perfecting the long, streaked blonde hair / rippling torso combo. The women were also tall, no nonsense physical specimens to be admired.

My weak will and fondness for alcohol, fat and sugary goodness (as well as a non-existent fitness regime) meant I could only dream forlornly of such things. Good old noro offered a shortcut to success.

The virus-inspired glory of a slender waistline proved short-lived, the tempting foodstalls and cafes of SE Asia soon seeing to that.

What a relief to learn that Australia has one of the fastest growing rates of obesity in the world. And that Melbourne has more than its fair share of porkers.

So thanks Aussies. Keep eating those pies and I can keep heading to the beach.

Yolgnu leaders want to take control of community health

A number of senior Yolgnu leaders say they've united to present a stronger voice on Indigenous health policies and to reduce the unsatisfactory level of deaths by disease and suicide in the region.

Yolgnu law man Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Northern Land Council chairman Wali Wanungmurra and Miwatj Health chairman John Morgan are some of the group who say they're continually frustrated by the way health services are delivered in north-east Arnhem Land.

The CEO of the Miwatj Health Service Eddie Mulholland says the Territory and Federal Governments they must better consult Yolgnu people if they want to deliver improved health outcomes in the region.

"They want the way that the health services are delivered determined by them ... and the end results should be the desires of the local people. That's what local control is all about. So I guess in some sense this is sending a message.

"It's time they were given the opportunity to take responsibility for things they have always been blamed for failing in but had no responsibility for such."

In my introductory post (the one I just re-posted) I mentioned that emetophobics either won't eat or have a hard time eating foods they associate with vomiting, regardless of whether we actually vomited from that particular food or not. This characteristic doesn't only apply to food. There are places and events emetophobics won't go to because of a traumatic vomit experience either by them or someone else.

There's a 7-11 within a short walking distance to my office. It's convenient to walk over there and grab a quick bite, an unhealthy snack, or just something to drink. It's also a hangout for rebellious teens who enjoy illegal substances and underage drinking. When I saw the vomit on the pavement around the entrance of the store, I calmly walked away...fast.

That day stands out in my mind. I wouldn't go anywhere near that 7-11 for a very long time because I associated it with vomit. And now that I do go back, I only buy food that is from a sealed bottle or package. Never will I buy any food that was prepared inside that building.

I'll never know what made the person vomit. They could have been drunk or just ate something that didn't agree with them. It really doesn't matter though because to me, it is guilt by association.

www.fearsandphobias.blogspot.com

www.emetophobia.org

I wrote this article so the public will understand what it’s like to have this.  And some of you reading this may even know a person with emetophobia but don’t realize they have this.  So sit back, grab a cup of coffee or tea and learn.

The thought of vomiting is terrifying for us emetophobes. We know it can’t kill us and that no one likes to vomit, but we are scared to death of this act anyway. So scared that I won’t eat for a period of time, or I’ll eat very little, if someone near me has recently had a bout of a stomach virus.  

As far as I can remember, I always had a fear of vomiting, however, it didn’t occupy my thoughts 24/7 or disrupt my daily life until a few years ago. I enjoyed living a normal life that included dining out and social activities without a lingering fear that I would ‘get sick’.

Drastic changes were made in my lifestyle to accommodate this fear. Some positive and some bad.  After a few months of panic attacks, I searched the internet and found out what I was experiencing was a real condition with a real name and a classification in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. I was also surprised to learn that well known celebrities such as folk singer Joan Baez, actress Denise Richards, and NBC Today show host Matt Lauer have publicly acknowledged their emetophobia.

So why am I’m terrified of something I know isn’t dangerous? That’s the nature of anxiety disorders. They are irrational fears possibly caused by stress. Some emetophobics suffer constantly. I run mild to moderate with emetophobia. Certain times of the year or during stressful times in my life it seems worse.  A bad day consists of non-stop fear bundled with a loss of appetite and panic attacks. During my mild periods I’m able to function normally but the fear never goes away.  There are certain situations that totally freak me out.  They are:

* Gastrointestinal feelings such as heartburn, gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and acid reflux. Emetophobics equate these as symptoms of a stomach virus or food poisoning and after a while we no longer can tell the difference between normal digestive feelings and nausea. A simple case of intestinal gas may cause uncontrollable panic.

*Being in the same room or close enough to hear or see someone vomiting. Some emetophobics can’t bear to watch a vomit scene on TV or in the movies even when it’s fake. Severe sufferers can’t bear to say, hear or write the word “vomit” or any other words and euphemisms to describe it.

* If someone near me is sick with a contagious stomach virus. When I hear about local and nationwide outbreaks of this dreadful virus I tend to panic and will minimize going to crowded places for fear of catching it. “Norwalk Virus” or “Norovirus” are the worst English language words that you can say to any Emetophobic person.

*Finding out that food was past the expiration date or contaminated AFTER I ate it.

*Medications and medical procedures that may cause vomiting. I pleaded with the anesthesiologist to add an anti-emetic into the IV during a recent medical procedure because I heard that anesthesia makes people sick. I refuse to take pain killers unless the pain is intolerable because nausea and vomiting are listed as possible side effects.

*Touching an object that may have been touched or handled by someone who is sick with a stomach virus.

*Screwing around with me. I’ve had people jokingly describe vomit, pretend they were going to be sick, or tell me something I just ate was bad. This may be funny to them but it’s traumatic for me.

These situations often trigger panic attacks. If you have never had a panic attack then let me tell you, they are about as frightening as it can get. Panic attacks are more than just having that fear of something dire happening. They are physical as well causing chills, sweating, shortness of breath, trembling, nausea or those butterflies in your stomach, hot flashes, dizziness, numbness, and difficulty breathing. I usually end up crying afterwards because I hate feeling this way. Before I realized I had a phobia, I thought these panic attacks were heart attacks and that I was going to die. That’s how bad they are.

Since panic attacks often give us that nauseous “butterflies in your stomach” feeling, the fear of feeling nauseous makes us nauseous.

You might have emetophobia if…
There are habits that are unique to emetophobics. Some of them are irrational habits and some are actually good habits to live with but us emetophobes tend to go to extremes.

*Obsessive hand washing and sanitizing. I probably can tell you every brand of disinfectant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral soap out there. Better yet, I probably own every brand out there. Dry hands are common among us. Washing hands frequently is the best protection against Norwalk virus.

*Dietary restrictions. This is one of those irrational habits that emetophobes have. I have certain foods I won’t eat or won’t eat often because they could be carriers of food poisoning or I associate them with an incident of vomiting, whether it be my own incident or someone else’s. It’s not uncommon for emetophobes to have malnutrition because we are afraid to eat and therefore do not consume enough food.

Emetophobics are very fussy about how their meat, poultry or seafood is prepared and served. I became a vegetarian long before my emetophobia so that is one less worry for me. The portions of my meals have dwindled so I don’t feel bloated from overeating.

* Avoid drinking and hangovers. I drink occasionally but won’t have more than one drink or consume hard liquor. Emetophobes will do anything to avoid vomiting even if that means to give up drinking.

*Surplus of anti-emetic remedies. Pepto Bismol tablets, Alka Seltzer, Rolaids, Bonine, Unisom, ginger caplets, peppermint oil, and Gas X fill a shelf in my medicine cabinet. I even carry a travel size anti-emetic kit containing the above remedies in addition to altoids, ginger candy, hand sanitizer and a small plastic bag just in case IT happens. I never leave home without it. Strong mints, mint tea, ginger tea, and ginger chews are in my pantry and desk drawer in my office.

*Shy away from banquets, eating out, family gatherings. This is where my life has changed the most. I always enjoyed eating out - going to nice restaurants but now I fear it. Eating outside of my home is minimal. This is because I have no control over the preparation of the food or cleanliness of the kitchen and the food handlers when eating in a restaurant or someone else’s house. If a restaurant has a funny smell, is shabby or looks dirty, I won’t eat there regardless of how great the food may be.

I usually order something light and won’t eat much of it. The overeating, bloated feeling is reminds me of feeling nausea. This will not just make me panic, but it will make me panic in public which is very embarrassing.

*Amusement rides. Emetophobes will avoid activities that can cause motion sickness such as roller coasters, freefalls, rides that go upside down or spin in a circular fashion. I’m not prone to motion sickness but I won’t go on those rides because the ride itself, scares me. But really, I’m not a bore in theme parks. Actually I love them and will go on most rides that are not listed above.

*Travel Restrictions.  I work in the travel industry which requires me to go to far away places using various forms of transportation.  Having been on over 20 cruises, I have never been sick and I found that cruise ships are more sanitized than some of the developing countries I’ve been to.  Many emetophobes will not cruise because of publicized norovirus outbreaks and have strong restrictions on other forms of travel due to this fear.

Why not seek therapy? It may not make sense but I’m afraid to be cured. What if being cured makes me less attentive of being clean and more vulnerable to vomiting? Also, I’ve heard horror stories from other emetophobics with terrible therapists. It’s been said that emetophobia is one of the harder phobias to treat.

On the bright side, I’m not a complainer and very few people that know me are aware I’m emetophobic. If you are emetophobic or know someone that is, the following physical and mental activities help me get through the days.

Following a healthy diet. I don’t eat much so I try to eat as healthy as possible by consuming a high fiber, low sugar diet. Being vegetarian means I incorporate fruits, vegetables and grains into my diet. I also include foods high in anti-oxidants and those that support my immune system. A healthy immune system makes me feel I’m less likely to catch an illness that could make me vomit.

Immune Boosting Herbal supplements:  Ginger, cinnamon, astragalus, and any other supplement that reduces my risk of getting sick is in my daily routine.

Physical activity. It’s very important for me to keep busy. Not only do I feel better after a good workout, but it keeps my mind off of my phobia. In addition to working out, I enjoy tennis, karate, walking in the park, and many other activities and hobbies.

Meditation. Meditation helps me calm down from a panic attack, keeps me focused, and builds a positive attitude.

Mental activities. Any free time I have, which isn’t much, I take online classes. I don’t profess to be a good writer or even a descent one, but the writing classes have helped immensely.

So there you have it. It’s not easy living with emetophobia in a society fixated on food and drinking. If you have emetophobia or know someone who does and would like further information, check out the below web sites.

http://www.emetophobia.org   

http://fearsandphobias.blogspot.com 

"No-no-what?" I asked Jason in a groggy scratch-throat whisper.

"The Norovirus. That's what you had. It's a type of stomach flu, worse than the plain ole flu, babe. You're a trooper."

I tried to crack a smile, but it made me nauseas, so I sighed bravely instead.

Even today, 72 solid hours removed from my 24-hour episode prostrate before the porcelain throne, I'm still a tad queasy, still too weak to stand completely straight.

Thankfully, I only get this sick about once every 29 years, so my recent battle against aforementioned Norovirus has given me something to think about. Namely immunity.

"You feel like you're never gonna get sick again, don't you?" my dad asked as we laughed about our common and recent viruses.

"I do. I feel stronger than ever," I replied.

After I hung up, I got to thinking and I decided it's good to get the Norovirus every once in a while. Because without Norovirus, that wicked bastard child of the stomach flu, we walk around with weak, untested, pansy-ass immune systems that can't stand up to the sniffles or a little cough. It's good to have a daunting fight, a demanding challenge, a doubtful battle.

Because it's the virus that makes us strong.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/2008/02/15/stomach_flu_vaccine_becoming_possible/6522/

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A vaccine for norovirus -- highly contagious stomach flu -- may soon be possible, U.S. researchers say.

The study, published in the online medical journal PLoS Medicine, found the virus mutates genetically, similar to the virus that causes influenza, therefore, as with flu, a vaccine could be possible.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers analyzed the relationships among the gene sequences of the norovirus strains that have been isolated over the past 20 years.

"What we've found is that the GII.4 arm -- of the noroviruses -- keeps changing," one of the study's authors, Lisa Lindesmith, said in a statement. "Whenever we're seeing big outbreaks of norovirus, we're also seeing genetic changes in the virus."

Noroviruses are very contagious -- it may only take one or two viral particles to become infected, Lindesmith said."

A vaccine may have an important role, too, especially among the elderly and other people particularly vulnerable to the effects of the illness," Lindesmith said.

In the meantime, good hand washing is critical to prevent the spread of the virus, Lindesmith advised.

Diese Liste erhebt keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit.

View: Norovirus: Was tun im Fall einer Erkrankung bzw. Infektion?
Warum Homöopathie?

Uns erreichen immer wieder Fragen wie die, was man bei Symptomen wie Durchfall mit der Homöopathie bewirken könne. Um es gleich vorwegzunehmen: Wenn Durchfall mit Fieber drei Tage und länger anhält oder bei blutigem Durchfall sollten Sie unbedingt Ihren Arzt aufsuchen.
Es gibt kein spezielles homöopathisches Mittel gegen einen speziellen Virus – z.B. für den Norovirus –, sondern die Symptomatik ist entscheidend.

Veratrum album: Brechdurchfall mit großem Schwächegefühl, kalter Schweiß, Kältegefühl des Körpers
Okoubaka: Magendarmbeschwerden nach dem Genuss verdorbener Speisen; Durchfall nach Änderung der Ernährungsgewohnheiten, z.B. Reisedurchfall
Colocynthis: plötzlich auftretende heftige, kolikartige Schmerzen, die zum Zusammenkrümmen zwingen, besser durch Wärme und festen Druck
Magnesium carbonicum: wässriger Durchfall, schlimmer 3-5 Uhr morgens, saures Aufstoßen
Arsenicum album: Durchfall mit starkem Durst, kann nur in kleinen Schlucken trinken; auch bei Lebensmittelintoxikation
Nux vomica: Schwerpunkt liegt auf Magenbeschwerden mit Sodbrennen, Übelkeit v.a. nach Genussmitteln (Kaffee, Alkohol); schlimmer morgens
Podophyllum: akute Diarrhoe, gefolgt von großem Schwächegefühl, galliges Erbrechen
Komplexmittel: Bolus alba comp

Diese Liste erhebt keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit!

View: Norovirus: Was tun im Fall einer Erkrankung bzw. Infektion?
Erbrechen und Brechreiz homöopathisch behandeln

Health officials confirmed 83 cases and three people who were hospitalized, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Because a norovirus is highly contagious it is virtually impossible to determine the source.

Mental patients at the Oregon State Hospital, the setting for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," were exposed to threats ranging from infectious outbreaks to patient-on-patient assaults, according to a Justice Department report released Wednesday.

The report, based on an investigation in 2006, found several horror stories from Oregon's primary adult psychiatric facility. A patient with a disorder that causes excessive thirst was left at the water fountain and gained 13 pounds in water weight in one day. Another patient was kept in seclusion for a year with no other treatment when investigators arrived.

There were nearly 400 cases of patient-against-patient assault over a year and cases of patients injuring themselves, including multiple suicide attempts, while under staff observation.

Mice were found in rooms, and outbreaks of norovirus and scabies were reported, according to the report.

Officials found the violations at the main hospital in Salem and at its smaller Portland campus, which is used for psychiatric rehabilitation. The crumbling, century-old facility in Salem was the setting for the 1975 film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" starring Jack Nicholson.

State health officials say many improvements have been made since the investigation took place, but they acknowledged problems still exist.

"The conditions reported on ... are completely unacceptable," said Dr. Bruce Goldberg, director of Oregon's Department of Human Services. "It's unacceptable as a state, and it's unacceptable for us as a state hospital for the health and well-being of our patients."

But, he added, "It's not the same hospital today that it was in 2006."

The report makes recommendations but does not set timelines to complete them. State-commissioned reports also have found major health and safety dangers at the hospital.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Ted Kulongoski said the governor takes the findings seriously but is pleased with progress made since the 2006 investigation.

The Oregon Legislature last year authorized $458 million to build two new state-operated hospitals by 2013: a 620-bed hospital in Salem and 360-bed facility in Junction City. The hospital also hired a new chief medical officer and additional staff.

Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney said he will create a legislative oversight committee to monitor progress toward compliance with the Department of Justice's recommendations.

"In my opinion, this is the No. 1 issue for Oregonians today," he said.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Oregon said it wants a comprehensive review of the entire mental health system so the 2009 Legislature will know how to respond.

The state Department of Human Services will request additional positions from the to improve patient care and safety.

"This is a symptom of years of neglect to our entire mental health system," Goldberg said.

If I'd comment, I'd need someone to resuscitate me.

I couldn't send Tilly to school, despite the fact that she appeared remarkably chipper this morning because of all the worry over this norovirus thing.  I think she ate too many sausages for tea last night, and the fact that she has been as bright as a button all day and has wolfed down huge amounts of food at every opportunity leads me to think that my initial diagnosis of a bad case of gluttony is indeed right.  It's easily done when you're dealing with sausages.  Along with cake, they are a fatal weakness of mine.  I'd do a lot for a plate of sausage and mash, but only if it had proper onion gravy.

In the meantime it has been one of those days for random child weirdness that comes upon us every now and again.  On the way back from the solicitor's office this morning we stopped off and did some errands. We were sailing past some shelves of Christmas sale products when Tilly suddenly asked me:

Tilly: 'Mama?'

Me: 'Yes.'

Tilly: 'If I buy a Christmas card and plant it, will it grow into a tree?'

Me: 'No.  Why would it?  Just because it's got the name Christmas in the title perhaps?'

Tilly: Very patiently, as if talking to a long suffering mental patient: 'No.  Because paper is made of wood.'

Me: 'Lots of things are made of wood but you wouldn't plant a kitchen chair to grow a tree would you?'

Tilly: In a sarcastic, 'well it's not that obvious,' tone of voice; 'Well, sometimes furniture can be plastic too you know.'

It really startles me sometimes the way their brains work.  Last night Tallulah was chatting to her father in Canada on the phone.  When she had finished she said:

Tallulah: 'When you're talking to someone on the phone you can smell them through the receiver you know?'

Me: 'Really?'

Tallulah: 'Yes.  I could smell Daddy Jamie just now.  It was delicious!'

Me: 'How does that work then?'

Tallulah: Hands on hips, preparing to leave the room in dramatic fashion: 'That's what the holes in the receiver are for mama, of course.'

Of course.  How is it that I don't know these things?  My children veer between thinking that I know the answer to absolutely everything in the known universe, and thinking that I am totally, totally dumb to the point of eye raising insanity.  Either way, it's a big burden to bear.  I try to tell them that I am just of average intelligence/stupidity, but they won't have it. 

Apparently the only person in the world who knows more things than me is their maternal grandmother, who according to Tilly, knows everything there ever is to know and should be consulted in all areas of ignorance and during all moments of crisis.  I told my mum this and she too found it worrying.  She has bought some proper teabags now, so she went to have a cup of tea and a think about her elevation to the status of grandma guru.  She rang me back and said that she didn't mind if I tried to burst that particular bubble.  I did try, but they weren't having it.  She is like Yoda with red slippers in our house.

The solicitor this morning was lovely, and very helpful, but he too thought I was a total idiot.  He tried to be kind about the fact that I wasn't sure how to spell my husband's middle name (how often do you have to spell your husband's middle name?), I didn't know my own home phone number (we never use it), and Tilly had to help me remember Jamie's address (he's never given it to me).  He just put it down to my 'hippy' lifestyle! 

He was very sweet about it, but it did give me a foretaste of what life will be like when I am a dithering old age pensioner.  I did point out to him that I wasn't in fact a hippy and that I fully endorsed a consumer lifestyle despite my recycling bin.  I mentioned the fact that people in my house have been vomiting since October, and that's a long time to live with no sleep and a lot of digestive juices.  He just looked at me kindly and murmured: 'Of course, of course!'  Thinking: 'Nope! You're just absolutely barking and clearly shouldn't be allowed to be in charge of three children.'

I used to run a company, in fact I have run two companies, quite successfully I might add.  You'd be hard pushed to think it now, what with my new passport photograph and the string of snotty children following me about hither and yon, but it is true.  It's amazing what eighteen months of accumulated tiredness will do to you.  My mum tells me that I will look back in years to come and marvel at how far I've come.  This is of course on the understanding that I won't be either dead, or in an insane asylum, both of which seem likely possibilities at the moment.

Oscar is being a tantrum king at the moment.  Usually he and Tallulah are thick as thieves and aid and abet each other in their life of crime.  At the moment he only wants to be cuddled by me, or preferably his father.  I will do at a pinch.  He is currently sitting on my knee as I type, tapping the occasional key and trying to insert his dummy sideways into my mouth as a gesture of undying affection.  He has recently taken to sticking his finger up your nose, which is new, provocative and very exciting.  As you can imagine, I am a huge fan.  The other thing is that lugging him about is proving problematic. As he weighs about as much as a three year old, this deep devotion is causing me serious issues with my back, and if he doesn't chill out and stop turning into an evil terrorist shortly I will have to go and see an osteopath.

If one of the girls comes near him he screams and tries to gouge their eye out.  It's proving a little tricky, because they both love him dearly and generally like including him in their games.  Mainly I suspect because it means they get away with more evil doings, and they have someone to blame. It's why I always used to let my little brother play with me.  Poor Tallulah persists in trying to involve him in her crazy schemes and is baffled that he just wants to kill her.  She has been trying to entice him into her game by using her special pet names for him.  She either calls him Mi Mi Zay Zay or Baby Waydream.  Normally this makes him smile.  Today it makes him roar with rage.

Tallulah has always had a thing about giving people special names.  Most kids are very unimaginative when it comes to naming dolls and stuff.  Tilly's bear for example, the most precious and treasured being on the planet (next to Granny Yoda of course), is simply called 'Bear'.  Bear has accumulated many relatives over the years whose names are all startlingly original.  We have; Grandma Bear, Small Bear, Baby Bear, Aunt Bear etc.  Tallulah on the other hand rarely names any of her dolls, but when she does it's always an event. 

She and Zoe (our old nanny) were once in the library and Tallulah was telling her a story.  Tallulah doesn't often approve of the real stories in books, she much prefers to extrapolate wildly.  She went through a phase of demanding to go to the library every day.  She would then put a book in front of you and shout: 'Read!' You would obediently bend your head to the task when she would watch you with utter disgust on her face.  She would then shout: 'No! Let me do it!' and snatch the book off you, sit down and tell you the story in a very fierce voice, constantly looking up to make sure you weren't drifting off or slacking. 

On this particular day with Zoe she started the story: 'Once, Zobo, Listen! There was a girl.  Her name was Corned Beef...' At this point, a load of girls who were listening fell about laughing and Tallulah got really, really mad, shut the book and shouted: 'BOFEAYEW!' at the top of her voice.  This naturally made them laugh even more, as they had no idea of the gravity of such words.  When Tallulah and Tilly were being evil together I used to shout: 'Stop it! Both of you!' and Tallulah had worked out that 'BOFEAYEW!' was a terrible and deadly thing to say.

Today the girls are playing at being Hawaiian (I don't know how to spell it) Hula Dancers.  Their aunt and uncle in Canada have recently been on holiday to Hawaaii (different, yet not somehow better.  I am too lazy to look it up), and decided to send them Hula outfits for Christmas.  They arrived this morning and Tallulah had to be forcibly discouraged from wearing her outfit to school over her uniform.  The kit consists of a grass skirt, a bikini top, a shell necklace and a flower to stick behind their ear.  We are having terrible problems with it all.

The skirts are really made of grass and as the girls move around the house it sounds like elephants crossing the savannah to reach the watering hole.  Graceful it aint.  Big clumps keep falling off, and we now look like we've been doing some amateur hay making, which Jason will be thrilled with when he gets home.  Tallulah is bemoaning the fact that she hasn't got boobs to fill out her bikini top.  I have yet to suggest that she branches into soft fruit or rolled up socks because we'll never hear the end of it and she'll be the only girl in infants with a 44DD chest.  She has just pulled a small vanity mirror out of one of the cups though, so I feel that it's only a matter of time before she makes the connection for herself.  I must put my bras in a higher draw in the bedroom as a matter of urgency.

Tilly has just come in to ask me how people play football in such a ridiculous outfit!  I can just picture the Hawaiian national football team,  Brilliant!  They are now convinced that all Hawaiian people wear this outfit from morning till night, seven days a week.  Tallulah is also absolutely sure that Hawaii is a part of Canada and she can't understand why the grass skirts keep them warm when she knows that Canada is a cold place, which is full of snow and bears.  I have tried giving them a brief anthropology lesson but they never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

I've been trying to teach them the Hula dance, but Tallulah is going for something that looks more like the mashed potato, and her grass skirt keeps ending up round her ankles.  They're both posing in front of the mirror at the moment, checking out their beauty.  Tilly is sick of the fact that her skirt keeps falling off, so she's wearing it as a kind of poncho and doing chicken impressions.  Despite the fact that it is a very noisy present, I am very impressed that it has kept them entertained for a good half an hour now, and despite jostling for position in the mirror they have hardly fought each other at all.  I must let aunty Lisa know it is a hit, but that next time could she get Oscar one as well.  He can wear his grass skirt like a lion's mane.  It will go with the snarling and biting beautifully.