Hospital Acquired Infections: It Could Happen To You

Hospitals.  The word alone makes some of us cringe while others see it as the next best thing to a stay at a resort or spa.  For the group that falls into the latter view, write me…I’ll help you find a good shrink.

Recently I have found myself a reluctant guest in several hospitals.  I say reluctant because I will wait until whatever condition I have has escalated to an intolerable stage before I trot myself to a doctor.  By that time, the doctor needs a whole team to put this body back together again!  My poor family and friends!  I’d be a millionaire several times over if I was paid for every, “I told you so!” they yelled at me.

My numerous stays, especially this last one, has caused me to take a closer look at the care received within the last six months.  I’m sad to say, even with the best of care (and I use the term best rather loosely!) a lot of hospitals are terrible!

Filthy emergency and hospital rooms; dirty, dusty equipment; staff shortages due to budget cuts; patients being ignored by hospital staff and incompetence are just a few of the transgressions I witnessed during my stays.

Another issue I had (and I mean that literally!) was a nosocomial infection or you may know it better as hospital-acquired infection (HAI).  In my case, I had acquired pneumonia.  Did you know that according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in the United States there are over one million hospital acquired infections to which a patient may become vulnerable?  If that’s not enough to make your hair stand on end, think about this…approximately 100,000 people die from hospital-acquired infections each year.  Who needs the Boogeyman when we have real horrors such as HAI?

While there are no guarantees that the following suggestions will safeguard you or your loved ones from acquiring HAI, it might help to shore up the odds in your favor.

1.)  Make sure that doctors and healthcare workers either sanitize or wash their hands before touching you, your medications or anything else that may come in contact with you.

2.)  If you notice that your doctor or healthcare attendant is ill, ask them it they wouldn’t mind wearing a mask while in your presence.

3.)  When going for a test or being examined, make sure that the paper sheeting or cloth sheet are changed after the last patient.  This may seem like an obvious task, but I have actually been in an examining room, the paper creased and marked from the last patient and the medical assistant caught an attitude when I asked her for fresh paper.  Her reasoning: the earlier patient only sat there for five minutes.

4.)  Last, but far from least, are your visitors or if you share a semi-private room their visitors as well.  Restrooms are provided for guests visiting patients in the hospital.  If you feel uncomfortable asking visitors to not use the restroom provided in your room.  Have one of the staff post a sign requiring the guest to use the facilities specifically appointed for them.

These are only a few tips but hopefully they will help you have a healthier and safer stay if you ever find yourself in the hospital or even the doctor’s office.  Below are other articles you might be interested in regarding hospital acquired infections.

Related articles

• Report on Hospital Acquired Infection in CA Released (thielst.typepad.com)
• Hospital Acquired Infections cost $45 Billion Annually; 9 of every 200 Hospital Patients Will Become Infected in the Hospital (prweb.com)
• What Hospitals Won’t Tell You – Vital Strategies that Could Save Your Life (blogginghounds.wordpress.com)
• How hospitals are implementing lean healthcare practices (medcitynews.com)
• Degmor Health Inc. Positioned to Reduce Healthcare Acquired Infections (prweb.com)
• Zakaria: Every year, 100k Americans die from hospital-acquired infections (globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com)
• Number of patients picking up life-threatening infections has doubled in just two years (dailymail.co.uk)
• Alcohol-Based Wipes Significantly More Effective than Rubs in Reducing Bacteria; Findings Could Impact Hospital-Acquired Infections (prweb.com)
• Vancouver Company Tackles Canada’s 4th Largest Killer (prweb.com)
• The Patient’s Checklist by Elizabeth Bailey (asourparentsage.net)
• Positive Deviance Research Continues to Impact Health Care System (rwjfblogs.typepad.com)

 

Raindrops

Raindrops by Bella Czar

Close your eyes.  Breathe.  Listen.  Raindrops…tears…pain.  The anguish and confusion echo through the chambers of your heart.  Her mesmerizing voice, filled with agony and uncertainty pleads for an answer to an age-old question, “Where did we go wrong.”

The recording artists, Bella Czar are far from the first to sing of love gone wrong, but the haunting lyrics and music of their latest release, Raindrops, from their CD titled, Don’t Forget, will leave those of you caught up in a less than perfect relationship, pondering the outcome.

I find Bella Czar’s debut CD, Don’t Forget to be full of surprises, but Raindrops was a little gem.  I felt a little voyeuristic as I listened over and over to Bella Lamora belt out the torture laden lyrics of a love in its death throes.  Having been in that situation more than once, sad to say, I could relate to the suffering.  I became Bella with Czar Dain’s composed melody making it all the more poignant.

BellaCzar.us

If you haven’t heard the songs from the CD, Don’t Forget, you really should.  Bella Czar’s lyrics strike a chord in the world as we know it and in the lives that we lead.  Their CD, Don’t Forget is also number one on the San Francisco Indie Charts.

 

 

 

 

Related articles

• Meeting Bella Czar (notwiredthatway.wordpress.com)
• Bella Czar Is Undefinable (notwiredthatway.wordpress.com)
• Raindrops. (darienmarie.wordpress.com)
• An Unsolved Mystery (mentalbender.wordpress.com)

 

Meeting Bella Czar

Image via Wikipedia

An Interview With The Recording Artists, Bella Czar

I was scheduled to meet the recording artists, Bella Czar, at noon.  Upon my arrival the day before, I noticed my hotel was within walking distance of Bella Czar’s recording studio. The building was three-stories adorned with art-deco angles and fresh colors, nestled in downtown Sacramento, CA.  Originally, we had planned to meet at their studio in San Francisco, but the renovations being done had not been completed by the time I was scheduled to visit.

My first challenge of the day was the elevator.  It was a wide metal cage with a door you pulled down by pulling on a rope attached to the door.  I had seen these kinds of elevators on television but had never used one.  I was at a loss when, pull or tug as I might, the elevator doors would not come down.  At one point, I even swung on the rope hoping my weight would help.  Hi.  Me Jane!  I felt more than silly when another passenger entered the elevator, flipped a switch, tugged on the rope and the doors slid together like butter on a hot plate.  How did I know there was a safety switch?

Czar Dain of Bella Czar

As we climbed, I noted that the building housed 6 recording studios, two on each floor, in various stages of operation.  On one floor I noticed a long line of people, all with sheet music in their hands, some humming notes under their breath.  As we passed the second floor, the soft strains of a lone violin wafted out.  Finally I came to the third floor.  I knocked and a dark-haired man with a very annoyed expression opened the door.  It was Czar Dain.   As soon as he realized it was I, he broke into a smile of greeting and opened the door wider to allow me entrance.  I had always thought Czar a handsome man, a cross between Santana and Chuck Norris, but once I saw him, up close and personal, I knew none of his photographs had done him justice.  The man was… excuse me…have to fan myself…gorgeous!  If I had to narrow it down to one detail that struck me more than most about Czar, I would say it was his eyes.  They were as blue and frosty as an Arctic sky; yet they held all the heat of a Sahara sun.  Sorry, wandering off the track a little but you can bet Czar will be a character in one of my romance books that’s for sure!

Bella Lamora of Bella Czar

Czar called out to the back rooms and a moment later Bella appeared.  What can I say about Bella?  Her name speaks for itself.  I live in New York, and see tons of beautiful women on a daily basis, but Bella was different.  She was wearing jeans and a flowing blouse but the way she entered into the room said tiara and gown.  There was an air of warmth and regality about her that was not pretentious.  Her eyes were the blue-green swirl of a Caribbean sea kissed with a touch of humor.  What put me at ease with Bella was her hair.  I have seen it in a multitude of pictures so I knew her reddish-chestnut locks ended past her waist.  That day, the glorious mass was piled haphazardly on top of her head and held in place by a plethora of pencils.  You could tell she didn’t care.  As if reading my mind Czar confirmed, “She always looks like that.”  I had to laugh.  “What?” Bella asked, and Czar laughed too.  It was refreshing to see a woman with looks like Bella’s who was real.  I would not say she was unconscious of her beauty or the affect it had on people, but you could tell it wasn’t what made her world go ‘round.

I Asked Bella Czar and They Answered

After a few pleasantries we got down to the interview.

NWTW:  Are you both originally from California?

Bella: Laughing. Is anyone really from California?  It seems to collect people with dreams.  Having heard Bella’s voice in many ranges on their songs and narrating the video they made for me, I am slightly taken aback by the rich soothing tones of her speaking voice.

NWTW:  How long have you two been recording together?

Czar:  We have been together about five years?  He looks over at Bella who nods in agreement.

NWTW:  At Bella.  You’re dreamy.  Czar’s dreamy.  Is there anything romantic going on between you?

Bella:  Laughing.  We get asked that a lot.  No.  Czar and I share the same passion and vision in our music.  His music speaks to me, calls to me to give it life with words, but when the music stops, I go back to my planet.

NWTW:  And where is that?

Bella:  Laughs.  That would be telling.  She laughs again and we all join in.  Her laugh is contagious.

NWTW:  How long have you both been in the music industry?

Czar:  Since I was in diapers.  He gives me a deadpan look.

NWTW:  Seriously…

Czar:  I am serious.  He rises from his seat, walks over to a desk across the room and returns with a picture in a frame, which he hands to me.  In the picture, a baby of no more than two, wearing a diaper, is picking at a bass guitar bigger than he is.

NWTW:  No way!

Czar:  Grinning broadly.  Way.

NWTW:  Uh, so you’re saying there might to some truth to you being spawned by a bass guitar and a piano?  Czar shrugs.

I turn to Bella.  What about you Bella?

Bella:  I can’t lay claim to as far back as diapers, but on and off most of my life.

NWTW:  I’m assuming it’s obvious, but why the name Bella Czar?

Bella:  We incorporated both our first names into one name.  Bella from Bella Lamora and Czar from Czar Dain.

NWTW:  Who is Bella Czar?  What do you want to tell the world about your music?

Czar:  Bella Czar is about the ‘heart and soul’ of music.  Bella Czar is not just about what the artists go through; a vocal purging of their own personal highs and lows in life.  Our songs are echoes of what everyone experiences at one time or another in their life.

NWTW:  What do you think your strengths are?

Bella: Czar has a strong ability to express his inner thoughts through a myriad of instruments.  It’s astonishing.  Each time I see him pick up an instrument I haven’t seen him play before, and play it well, I’m always amazed.

Czar:  I’d swear Bella was an empathic.  She seems to know what people are feeling and goes right to the heart of it.  Sometimes we’re talking to people and she’ll reach out and grasp that person’s hand in both of hers and if she really knows them, she’ll hug them.  Bella does not say a word but sometimes the person will tear up and say “Thank You.”  Leaves me in the dark, but with her, I have grown used to that.  He smirks.

NWTW:   Are there any musicians who inspire you.  If so, who are they and why?

Bella and Czar:  Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush.  They have some of the most intimate duets we have ever heard.  Sade.  She has a distinctive voice and style.  Sting.  The man is brilliant!  Santana.  No one plays like him.  We could sit here all day with this question.  We admire so many artists.

NWTW:  Do you have any parting words for my blog readers?

Bella:  Believe that good wins over evil more times than you know.  We all make mistakes and bad choices.  Love yourself.  Forgive yourself.

Czar:  People will tell you no all your life.  It’s up to you whether you accept that answer or not.

The Rio City Cafe

We went out to dinner at the Rio City Cafe that evening and had a great time. For my remaining two days in California, Bella and Czar took time out of their busy schedules to show me the sites.  I loved that Bella and Czar were so down to earth and considerate.

Be sure to visit YouTube and check out Bella Czar’s Videos for their recently released CD, Don’t Forget.  You can also hear samples of their music by going to bellaczar.us or by clicking “Like” on their Facebook page.

Bella Czar, Recording Artists

I want to thank Bella Czar for inviting me to visit them in California and being such gracious hosts.  Hopefully one day they will visit New York and I can reciprocate.  Maybe when they come to collect a Grammy perhaps?

 

The Dummy Down Syndrome

Can you read beyond an 8th grade level?

Recently I purchased grammar check software created especially for writers.  Why not the regular software?  The writer‘s version has a few extra bells and whistles.  One of which I find very insulting unless you’re writing children’s books for the very young.  It’s a feature that tells you when you’re using words your reader may not understand.   Get this, the program says the average reading level is 8th grade or lower.  What?!

Do you remember, as a child, reading and you came upon a word you didn’t understand?  You asked your parents and what was the most common reply? Look it up!

When was it decided the only practical solution to comprehending books and other reading material was for the writer or publisher to use the simplest words possible.  More important, who decided that we are all beings whose reading comprehension froze between the 4th and 8th grade? This assumption is farcical!

The grammar check software did beg a valid question.  Why aren’t we broadening our vocabulary?  What’s wrong with an intelligent conversation consisting of words your elementary school aged child does not know how to say or spell better than you…yet?

Did you ever wonder what happens to all those babies and tots using the “Your Baby Can Read” program?  Since we seem to be in the age of Dummy Down, how do those children fare once they have matriculated into the school system with peers who cannot read or count?  Somehow, I don’t see the teachers rushing to bring the other children up to speed, with their pre-educated classmates, do you?

Today we have more books and technology available to us than any other generation or century that has preceded us, and yet, I wouldn’t call this the most intelligent generation or century, by any means.  According to OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), the US ranks 18th out of 36 industrialized countries.  Only 75% of US high school students receive diplomas.  Talk about dismal numbers!

A lot of us would do well to turn off the televisions and video games and even computers.  Pick up a book.  They don’t bite and who knows, you just might learn something.

Ah, now that I’ve had my rant for the day, I feel much better.  The room seems to have cleared from the steam that was coming out of my ears.

Related articles

• The Precise Word (newauthors.wordpress.com)
• The crushing impact of illiteracy (antioppressive.wordpress.com)
• On Teaching (crissforshay.wordpress.com)
• Public Schools Funding Cuts, Teachers out of Work, While Charter Schools Are Expanding on Tax Payer’s Money(fredericacade.wordpress.com)
• Google’s Reading Level Search Feature (teacherleaders.typepad.com)
• Reading On Grade Level in 3rd Grade: How is it related to high School performance and College Enrollments(skypingreadingtutor.wordpress.com)
• Study Shows Nearly Half Of Detroit Residents Are Illiterate(newsone.com)
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• The owners and the owned (brobrubel.wordpress.com)

• The Achievement Gap: Why Hispanic Students Are Still Behind (time.com)

 

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Respect

Yesterday afternoon as I was heading home I stepped into the corner grocery store to pick up a few odds and ends. I was in the dairy section reaching way back into the refrigerator to grab the freshest milk. I mean, we all know they put the stuff that is due to expire soon in the front right?

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a young man come down the aisle but I thought nothing of him.  I finally had my hand on a carton of milk that was not due to expire for weeks when WHAM!  The glass door of the refrigerator was shoved harshly into my back and I stumbled further into the refrigerator against the shelving and cut my arm.

Guess I don’t have to tell you who the culprit was.  He strolled past me as if nothing had happened.  But it had.  And I was incensed.  Not a good thing for me to feel, but it forewarned of worse things for the stranger.  Not thinking, I leaped after the stranger and my hand snagged and grasped the back of the collar of his tee-shirt.  Caught by surprise, he gave a strangled gurgle when his tee-shirt dug into his neck as I yanked him toward me.  Why did I do that?  I don’t know.  My brain was on automatic and something inside me said, “Not today buddy!”

He was taller than I and his muscle ton was well-defined by his tee-shirt.  If he had chosen to swing at me, even blindly, since I was behind him, I probably would have slid down the glass doors like the birds in the Windex commercials.

He started to curse and squirm so I let him go and stepped in front of him.  A Finger wagging lecture at the ready, I noticed his eyes go wide as if he was afraid.  Mentally I’m telling myself.  “Yeah I showed him!  He should be afraid!”  That feeling of overcoming the bully lasted a few seconds.  By then, one of the store owners stood beside me; in his hand was a wooden bat.  That was what caused my assailant’s alarm.  The store owner had seen the whole incident from the mirrors placed in the corners of the ceiling in the store and had come to my “rescue”.

Though big in size, it turns out the stranger was only sixteen.  I asked him way he had done that to me.  His explanation?  You’re going to love this…  He thought I was old.  He saw the white hair from behind and thought I was a senior citizen.   There were so many things wrong with the whole situation, but the most glaring to me was not that he had shoved a person or even a woman into a refrigerator.  No the most unsettling issue was that he thought it was okay to shove an elderly woman into a refrigerator.  Even his apology started off with “I thought you were way older….”

What the heck are we teaching our children?  This is tomorrows future?  What a scary thought!

Now I have an errand boy for the next 6 months.  He had a choice, either do my bidding for six months or I call the police and he gets arrested for assault.  He may not know anything about respect but he will by the time I get finished with him!

Any suggestions?

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