A few days ago, I ended up with this bright red imprint of her leg right across my face... now I'm wondering what I should put on it to make it fade faster?
Calendula, chamomile ointment, or maybe something else altogether?
Justin Fox said:I'm just not that excited about a field where technological progress moves at a snail's pace,
I have to disagree with that one. In the medical sciences, you're constantly having to keep up with new research and stay on top of your game through continuous learning. Technology is actually moving at lightning speed...
I was just relieved to finally toss all my Tramadol out of the house. I feel like it’s a little too "risky" to have lying around, call me crazy if you want...
It’s not really about being "brave." I don't take them myself, and I never have. My GP gave me a supply once when I was heading out on a six-week trip through Asia where medical facilities are pretty hard to come by. But look, if you end up breaking your leg in a ravine hundreds of feet underground and you're waiting half a day for rescue, having something on hand to help someone else can be a lifesaver...
I keep a full medicine cabinet at home, plus a dedicated little first aid kit I carry whenever I’m heading out to explore caves or trekking through remote, rugged terrain. I actually kept a lot of my heavy-duty supplies from my time traveling through Vietnam, where I had to be prepared for just about anything—everything from Tramal and antibiotics to sterile needles and syringes.
For the house, I usually just stick to the basics: aspirin, Voltaren, and all my usual allergy pills and sprays. When I'm out in the mountains, though, things get more serious. I pack the essentials: Voltaren, Tramal (just in case someone gets stuck in a cave and help is hours away), Ventolin, antihistamines, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic spray, and even emergency contraception 😁 (you know, just in case things go sideways in the middle of nowhere 😁 )...
I wouldn't say it's anything too crazy, you probably just overstretched some ligaments. There's a tiny, tiny chance you might have cracked or fractured a rib, but honestly...
dustycanyon6 said:It’s like people stopped driving altogether just because they can't go without having a single beer.😉
You sure did a great job using the past perfect there! Seriously, who even talks about a 0.0% BAC anymore?
Well, they actually have. At least most of my friends do—anyone who can manage without a car just walks or bikes everywhere. It’s not that they're drinking less, they're just avoiding getting behind the wheel if they've had a drink...
restlessmarlin6 Scott Smith said:Of course they aren't. For Italians, grabbing a coffee actually means... grabbing a coffee. 😁 Grab a coffee and let's get moving...
Around here, grabbing a coffee really just means settling in for a marathon smoking session. Honestly, we’re more like the Turks than the Italians when it comes to that... 😁
Exactly! They just take one quick sip and they're already heading for the exit. And when it comes to drinks... they'll have one, maybe two, and call it a day. We'll still be working our way through half a crate of beer while they're long gone...
I can't even remember the last time I was there—it was probably a few years ago—but back then, smoking wasn't even banned. Honestly, though, we just have a different mindset over here in the States. And let's be real, we have way more dive bars... though you don't exactly find one on every single corner like you might elsewhere.
Based on what I've heard from plenty of people I know—the type who feel like coffee or a beer just isn't complete without a cigarette—a lot of local spots are probably going to end up closing their doors...
Personally, I don't really care either way. I'm not much of a cafe person anyway, whether the air is fresh or filled with smoke.
Man, imagine when coffee shops start shutting down because smokers just stop showing up... Once the tax revenue from all those drinks dries up and those local spots start failing, you'll see people losing jobs too. It’s honestly not going to be worth it for the government to push smokers out of public spaces like this. Remember how much restaurant owners were complaining about >, well, this is going to be a way bigger blow. Either they'll have to rely on outdoor patios even in the dead of winter 😁.
If smoke-free cafes were actually profitable, we'd see them everywhere in Washington, D.C., instead of just a couple here and there . So, what's really going to happen? People will just host private parties at home. Everyone will hang out in houses and apartments instead... at least we'll save some money on booze 😁
I didn't go the medical school route myself—just didn't have the financial backing to make it happen.
By the way, did you guys know that in some state-run facilities, there’s a real chance you'll end up being handled by an intern who isn't even under consistent professional supervision? And you're actually paying for that service. So you're essentially being treated by someone who isn't even sure of what they're doing... It's the same story with vacation time, too... where an intern has to fight just to get their allotted annual leave approved (even though everyone is entitled to 18 days)—it's definitely not just granted by default...
Justin Fox said:Don't want to let Susan Martin24 down here, but... Pfft! Please!
Honestly, women have every right to be outraged. He needs to be punished properly just to separate the wheat from the chaff. Not every doctor is out there looking for bribes to do their actual job, but this guy clearly is. I’m honestly worried there's a slim chance he'll actually get convicted. They really ought to fix the laws so he could be charged with extortion or abuse of power. If they hit him with abuse of office, they could strip his medical license and throw him in jail for stealing resources from the public healthcare system—selling them off for kickbacks—which ultimately hurts patients and causes real suffering.
In your dreams, baby..... At worst, he'll probably just get some slap on the wrist or a reprimand from the American Medical Association...
Exercises aren't going to fix the structural issues, and they won't even slow down how much things shift over time. They really just help manage the pain and keep your muscles in better shape...
I honestly find this whole social safety net system just beautiful. I’ve been grinding away as a volunteer for ten months now, currently covering the shifts for two people out on medical leave who are still collecting full paychecks while I pull double the workload. Then, after my actual shift is over, I’m hustling for at least four more hours a day doing side gigs just to cover my rent and groceries. All of this just so I can get the official credit needed to qualify for the state certification exam, and then—fingers crossed—get kicked to the curb after twelve months of working for free. To top it all off, the permanent positions left behind by those on leave will probably just go to someone through some "special connections." Actually, I already have a pretty good idea of who that is.
On the flip side, I dutifully shell out about $133 every month for a prescription I need from time to time, because apparently... that's not covered for free.
Of course nothing catastrophic is going to happen to him. At worst, he’ll just get the boot from Salad, head out on his own, and start raking in the cash privately. If anyone tries to sue him, he’ll just pull a few strings, hire a top-tier lawyer, and the whole thing will drag on in court forever...
But hey, that's just how things work around here. Connections really do work wonders.
Unfortunately, all three of the best exercises for this specific issue require a little bit of equipment.
The first one is walking barefoot on a thick rope (maybe about 10 feet long). You walk forward, then backward. The whole point is trying to maintain your balance so you don't have to step out to the side. You can also walk along the rope, stepping with just the forefoot first, and then just the heel. Try to improvise something that works like a rope...
The second and third involve specific physical therapy tools. You can pick these up at most decent medical supply stores—for instance, UnitedHealth Group near downtown Chicago. The second exercise uses balance pads, which are basically like very flattened rubber balls, partially inflated, that you stand on to work on stability. An easier version is standing with one foot on a pad at a time, while a harder version is standing with both feet on a single pad. While doing this, you perform movements by pressing the forefoot into the pad, then the heel, then the left edge, and then the right. You can also do squats (which are aaa-mazing for the knees) and lift one foot slightly off the pad, then the other. It’s tough, but sooo good for your ankles.
The third exercise uses a balance board. This is a practical circular piece of wood or plastic with a ball underneath it, making it extremely unstable to stand on while maintaining balance. You perform all the same moves described for the pads, but the goal is to make sure the edges of the round board don't touch the floor.
Additionally, to strengthen the muscles in your feet (which is great for preventing bunions and flat feet), you can practice moving small pieces of sponge from point A to point B using your toes, or scrunching up a towel with your toes. Beyond those, you can do any kind of foot movement imaginable—walking on your toes, your heels, or the outer and inner edges of your feet.
Of course, the first three are the absolute best and most effective because they really target the proprioceptors in your feet (those little sensory receptors that send information about where your body parts are in space).
Jamie Clark74 said:Geez, you seem pretty fed up. How many years have you even been working? From what I can tell, you’re basically a rookie... and you're already looking toward retirement?
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It's enough for me to realize I won't be getting a pension from this government because the whole system is headed for a total collapse. At best, I might get enough for a loaf of bread and some milk. Honestly, it hurts to keep paying into it; God knows we don't have money to spare, so why sink it into Social Security and Medicare? I'd much rather save privately than pour my money into such an inefficient state system.
Besides, my generation is probably going straight from the office to the cemetery, unlike yours. Women will likely be working until they're 68...
Anyway, if you're dealing with recurring ankle sprains, the real key is working on dynamic foot stabilization. It basically boils down to some straightforward exercises designed to build up muscle strength, improve balance, and get those proprioceptors in your foot firing properly again.
A physiotherapist is the best person to walk you through a specific plan for this.
Scott Allen10, just keep icing that ankle. A couple of minutes, a few times a day. Use an elastic wrap, keep your leg elevated, and please—don't go being a hero until this acute phase passes...
Arslan said:Scott Allen10, if you can't show any empathy for poor people caught in a terrifying psychological crisis who are attempting suicide, it really shows when you talk so heartlessly—like it's just "I'm the hero saving them, and they're just losers."
We're talking about people who need mental health treatment just as much as anyone else needs surgery; both groups are sick or injured, and both deserve help equally.
And we all foot the bill for it. But when someone young and productive—someone actually paying for the treatment of these suicidal individuals—suddenly needs an urgent MRI or, say, their kids need something critical... then suddenly there's nothing available. You have to cough up the cash or go to a private clinic. Meanwhile, money just keeps disappearing from our paychecks...
Forgive me, I guess the healthcare system has jaded me too. I've become a little numb, I guess...
Dammit, our healthcare system is just fundamentally unfair. If someone wants to take their own life, they should probably pay for it themselves. Or better yet, be efficient about it so they don't leave their family and society picking up the tab...