Intrathecal Morphine Pain Pump!
in Health ·
Mobile TENS units!
Where should I put the electrodes?
TENS UNIT
ELECTRODES!
Where should I put the electrodes?
TENS UNIT
ELECTRODES!
Home ›
Jamie Clark74 › Posts
Posts by Jamie Clark74
576 posts shown.
Intrathecal Morphine Pain Pump!
in Health ·
A neurostimulator is essentially like a Mobile TENS unit used externally,
relying on electrical pulses to function.
When a neurostimulator is surgically implanted, the electronic connector sends signals directly to the target area via electrical impulses, which interrupt pain signals before they can reach the brain where you actually feel them.
Since it doesn't rely on medication like Intrathecal Morphine, it won't produce the same effects as drugs.
That said, it isn't a universal fix for every type of injury, surgery, or pain.
Neurostimulator implanted device.
Neurostimulant.
Patient programmer
Electronic connector.
relying on electrical pulses to function.
When a neurostimulator is surgically implanted, the electronic connector sends signals directly to the target area via electrical impulses, which interrupt pain signals before they can reach the brain where you actually feel them.
Since it doesn't rely on medication like Intrathecal Morphine, it won't produce the same effects as drugs.
That said, it isn't a universal fix for every type of injury, surgery, or pain.
Neurostimulator implanted device.
Neurostimulant.
Patient programmer
Electronic connector.
Intrathecal Morphine Pain Pump!
in Health ·
Pain levels are rated on a scale of 1 to 10.
Most chronic patients report pain levels between 6 and 10.
Typically, patients go through a specialized pain clinic... they undergo all the tests and screenings, including
a trial involving four different medications or narcotics, one of which is just a placebo.
It varies by individual, but some rely on CNS tablets or capsules used for
depression... though they work for pain too. Gabapentin and Tricycle antidepressants are common; there are others, but those are the most effective.
A TENS unit using electrical impulses is also an option, or alternatively, a neurostimulator can be implanted during surgery.
Many people react to narcotic morphine, but over time they require much higher doses and often end up combining it with other drugs.
The clinic runs a three-month program, offering lectures and rehabilitation 6 days a week,
for 8 hours a day.
About 30% of patients don't see any results or get any relief... those poor souls are stuck dealing with pain for the rest of their lives.
An Intrathecal Morphine pump is only an option for certain people who respond well to morphine... but they need large amounts, and they often end up in the hospital facing complications from excessive narcotic use.
=============
An intrathecal catheter delivers morphine from a programmable implanted pump into the intrathecal space (see image 1)—the area containing the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. Because the sensors are right at the spinal cord, you only need a tiny amount of medication.
The catheter is usually inserted through the abdomen toward the back. This means there is one opening for the pump and another on the back, where a small 10 cm incision is made to clear a bit of bone and slide in about
12 cm of catheter (see image 2) into the intrathecal space.
Candidates are carefully selected. They undergo testing to ensure the pump and this method will actually reduce their pain by 50%, to confirm they aren't allergic to morphine, and to make sure there are no other options left.
The patient has a programmable pump implanted in the abdomen, just below the waistline (see image 3). The dosage and timing can always be reprogrammed or adjusted. The latest pump models hold 40ml, which lasts about 2-3 weeks before it needs a refill.
The pump sits just under the skin and is easily refilled via an injection through the skin.
Once everything heals, you wouldn't even know the patient has a pump.
The titanium pump battery lasts about 5 to 7 years, meaning the pump itself eventually has to be replaced.
The cost is roughly $40,000 for the pump and catheter, plus about $30,000
for the remaining surgical costs, anesthesia, and a 3-week hospital stay to transition from oral morphine to the pump. So, we're looking at $70,000... a lot of money.
Position of the pump and the intrathecal space (image 1).
Pump and catheter (image 2).
Intrathecal pump (image 3).
Most chronic patients report pain levels between 6 and 10.
Typically, patients go through a specialized pain clinic... they undergo all the tests and screenings, including
a trial involving four different medications or narcotics, one of which is just a placebo.
It varies by individual, but some rely on CNS tablets or capsules used for
depression... though they work for pain too. Gabapentin and Tricycle antidepressants are common; there are others, but those are the most effective.
A TENS unit using electrical impulses is also an option, or alternatively, a neurostimulator can be implanted during surgery.
Many people react to narcotic morphine, but over time they require much higher doses and often end up combining it with other drugs.
The clinic runs a three-month program, offering lectures and rehabilitation 6 days a week,
for 8 hours a day.
About 30% of patients don't see any results or get any relief... those poor souls are stuck dealing with pain for the rest of their lives.
An Intrathecal Morphine pump is only an option for certain people who respond well to morphine... but they need large amounts, and they often end up in the hospital facing complications from excessive narcotic use.
=============
An intrathecal catheter delivers morphine from a programmable implanted pump into the intrathecal space (see image 1)—the area containing the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. Because the sensors are right at the spinal cord, you only need a tiny amount of medication.
The catheter is usually inserted through the abdomen toward the back. This means there is one opening for the pump and another on the back, where a small 10 cm incision is made to clear a bit of bone and slide in about
12 cm of catheter (see image 2) into the intrathecal space.
Candidates are carefully selected. They undergo testing to ensure the pump and this method will actually reduce their pain by 50%, to confirm they aren't allergic to morphine, and to make sure there are no other options left.
The patient has a programmable pump implanted in the abdomen, just below the waistline (see image 3). The dosage and timing can always be reprogrammed or adjusted. The latest pump models hold 40ml, which lasts about 2-3 weeks before it needs a refill.
The pump sits just under the skin and is easily refilled via an injection through the skin.
Once everything heals, you wouldn't even know the patient has a pump.
The titanium pump battery lasts about 5 to 7 years, meaning the pump itself eventually has to be replaced.
The cost is roughly $40,000 for the pump and catheter, plus about $30,000
for the remaining surgical costs, anesthesia, and a 3-week hospital stay to transition from oral morphine to the pump. So, we're looking at $70,000... a lot of money.
Position of the pump and the intrathecal space (image 1).
Pump and catheter (image 2).
Intrathecal pump (image 3).
I can't stand the winter
in Health ·
boldeagle3 said:I’m planning on "throwing" myself into some sports just so my spine doesn't snap from being so sedentary, but maybe after New Year's. 😁
You don't need to join a gym to lift weights or do gymnastics. You don't even need to spend money; it's really just about staying active every day.
Regardless of age, everyone should be moving for 30 to 45 minutes a day. All you really need is consistent walking—just pick up the pace a little.
If it's raining or if the weather is too cold, that shouldn't be an excuse. You can always walk the stairs in your apartment building. That's standard advice from top cardiologists and medical specialists everywhere.
So, nobody has any excuses... no lack of time, no cold weather, no heat, nothing.
There's an old saying: use it or lose it, and that applies to seniors too. Nowadays, we don't assume older people just sit around all day; everyone needs to stay mobile.
My wife is 67 and deals with knee and back pain, but she has made it a point to walk for 35 to 40 minutes every single day for years, regardless of whether she was busy working in the garden or not.
Now, she goes at least three times a week for 30 minutes, or several times for 15 minutes, or just as far as she can manage.
Unless you are physically unable to move due to a disability, there's really no reason not to do it.
👋 👋
The Twilight of Cardiac Surgery in America
in Health ·
Scott Allen10,
There’s nothing wrong with what you’re saying regarding the state of medicine; it really does make up the bulk of
"HEALTHCARE." It’s also not a bad idea to write about the bad experiences too,
Elizabeth Ruiz2. ....
It’s pathetic, honestly... but believe me, that's how it works all over the world for folks who don't have private insurance...
We might be a bit luckier when it comes to heart surgeries—those happen when they're actually needed... but? I mean, obviously, anyone with private insurance gets to pick a better doctor... and the saddest part for me is that if you don't have private insurance, you can't just go to a private hospital and pay the difference between the public and private rates... instead, you have to cough up the full price of a private surgery upfront.
Keep writing when you get the chance; you write very thoughtfully and professionally.
👍Best regards,
Jamie Clark74
🙂 😉 😎
There’s nothing wrong with what you’re saying regarding the state of medicine; it really does make up the bulk of
"HEALTHCARE." It’s also not a bad idea to write about the bad experiences too,
Elizabeth Ruiz2. ....
It’s pathetic, honestly... but believe me, that's how it works all over the world for folks who don't have private insurance...
We might be a bit luckier when it comes to heart surgeries—those happen when they're actually needed... but? I mean, obviously, anyone with private insurance gets to pick a better doctor... and the saddest part for me is that if you don't have private insurance, you can't just go to a private hospital and pay the difference between the public and private rates... instead, you have to cough up the full price of a private surgery upfront.
Keep writing when you get the chance; you write very thoughtfully and professionally.
👍Best regards,
Jamie Clark74
🙂 😉 😎
Harmful radiation risks
in Health ·
briskraven51 said:That bio-dispositiv I’m familiar with (essentially a mattress pad 😁) costs somewhere between $5,000 and $1833, depending on how big the bed is. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how to prove it actually works. I did see them test the radiation levels on the bed before and after installing the pad, though. Before they put the device on, the machine kept beeping whenever it detected that Hartmann node, but once the pad was in place, the beeping stopped. Like I mentioned, my parents bought this protection, and for the first three days, my mom was struggling with insomnia—she said it felt like she was sleeping in a completely different bed. After a few days, she adjusted, and now she sleeps like a baby. It seems like there might be something to it 🤔 but whether it’s worth the price is another story $1667....
Many people suffer from psychosomatic illnesses involving physical
changes, but those stem from mental or emotional
factors.
Such individuals can experience changes that aren't actually
physically present, even if they feel them intensely.
People with psychosomatic issues aren't imagining their problems; they are truly experiencing them.
🙂 😉 😎
Asbestosis
in Health ·
Edward Green said:Hey Jamie Clark74, you're still hanging in there.🙂
Come on, man, take it easy with all those illnesses. Gudi told us long ago you'd outlive the rest of us, and seeing how you started out, he might actually be right.😁 😉
Look, this is a "HEALTH" forum... not some motel that you guys managed to wreck and clear out of 50 to 70 people.
Best,
🙂 😉 😎
Asbestosis
in Health ·
Asbestos victims left short
26nov04
More than 700 people suffering from asbestos-related illnesses are looking at smaller payouts now that the James Hardie compensation fund filed for provisional liquidation yesterday.
The fund is looking at a massive potential shortfall of over $1 billion. Naturally, asbestos victims have turned their fury toward James Hardie, demanding they provide a "no strings attached" cash injection to keep the foundation afloat.
Dennis Cooper, the managing director of the Medical research and Compensation Foundation, mentioned he regretted the decision to file for provisional liquidation.
But his point was that there simply wasn't any other way to go about it, given that the fund's balance sheet was looking pretty grim.
"The hardest part for the foundation during this entire process has been deciding whether to keep up the payments to those currently receiving them. That's been agonising for US," Mr Cooper Said.
"When it comes down to our responsibilities as directors, we simply had to make the choices we made."
On paper, the foundation has enough capital to hold things over until next April. However, if the directors keep paying out compensation in full and drain the entire pool to zero, they might actually be breaching their fiduciary duties.
Once the foundation's funds dry up, they’re going to be staring down a massive shortfall of well over $1 billion.
The ongoing struggle over long-term funding is currently being hashed out in negotiations between James Hardie and the unions.
Yesterday, the foundation filed papers with the US Supreme Court to apply for provisional liquidation.
Now, the ball is in the court's court. They have to decide if they’ll appoint a provisional liquidator. If they go that route, it might mean smaller payouts for some claimants, but the goal would be to stretch the remaining funds so they actually last.
A hearing has been scheduled for next Thursday.
Mr Cooper Said that we might still dodge this mess if James Hardie just handed over clear, unrestricted funds to ensure the foundation stays up and running.
In a desperate move to keep the foundation afloat, a former James Hardie subsidiary identified as ABN 60 moved $31.5 million into its account on Wednesday night.
James Hardie and ABN 60 both claimed the funds were handed over unconditionally—basically, the money was just dropped into the bank account without the foundation needing to sign off on any prior agreements.
Mr Cooper Said the foundation would return the funds.
Mr Cooper said the legal advice given to the foundation was pretty clear: if they took the money, they’d essentially forfeit their right to sue James Hardie down the road. The problem was that everything was still tied up under the original terms from that document signed back when the funds were first set aside in 2001.
James Hardie chairwoman Meredith Hellicar noted that settling this immediate crisis isn't as simple as just cutting a check. According to MS Hellicar, any move like that would need to get the green light from shareholders first.
"I believe we've taken a massive hit from certain specific statements," MS Hellicar said. — AAP
==========================================
James Hardie made a smart move shifting its product focus toward the USA and the Netherlands!
Nateze is heading to court to figure out where all that compensation money for the victims actually went.
From asbestosis... over the next 20 to 40 years, we're looking at more than 25,000 deaths right here in the US alone. And that doesn't even account for everyone else suffering from asbestosis-related illnesses—conditions that are incredibly painful and can drag on for 20 or 25 years.
With mesothelioma, you’re looking at a window of only six to nine months.
People suffering from asbestosis struggle just to breathe. It gets to the point where you can barely walk. This can drag on for twenty years or more before it finally takes you.
From Pleural plaque... the plaque calcifies and hardens, which prevents the lungs from breathing normally. It’s that same plaque, but it can often turn into mesothelioma.
I go for breathing tests twice a year and get a CT scan, since that’s really the best way to see any Asbestos plaque with high resolution.
It’s a bit frustrating—there aren't any specialists available right now. But it's been confirmed that the pain I'm feeling behind my lungs is due to Asbestos plaque.
A little prediction with a side of bad luck: that Asbestos plaque is going to stay right where it is and likely calcify even further... unless things open up and move toward the abdomen?
I used to write about how many people were dying... but I had to stop. My friends—most of whom I know have passed away from mesothelioma—are gone. There are still plenty of us left who know we're living with the consequences of asbestosis... but how many others have no clue? They probably just assume their health issues are from smoking or some other lifestyle choice.
Usually, the diagnosis happens by accident. Someone gets an MRI or a CT scan for something else entirely, and then they find something wrong with the lungs. Then comes the lung X-ray, followed by a CT scan, and suddenly you have your answer.
It’s heartbreaking. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year from the effects of asbestosis... and so many of them never even realize why.
🙂 😉 😎
26nov04
More than 700 people suffering from asbestos-related illnesses are looking at smaller payouts now that the James Hardie compensation fund filed for provisional liquidation yesterday.
The fund is looking at a massive potential shortfall of over $1 billion. Naturally, asbestos victims have turned their fury toward James Hardie, demanding they provide a "no strings attached" cash injection to keep the foundation afloat.
Dennis Cooper, the managing director of the Medical research and Compensation Foundation, mentioned he regretted the decision to file for provisional liquidation.
But his point was that there simply wasn't any other way to go about it, given that the fund's balance sheet was looking pretty grim.
"The hardest part for the foundation during this entire process has been deciding whether to keep up the payments to those currently receiving them. That's been agonising for US," Mr Cooper Said.
"When it comes down to our responsibilities as directors, we simply had to make the choices we made."
On paper, the foundation has enough capital to hold things over until next April. However, if the directors keep paying out compensation in full and drain the entire pool to zero, they might actually be breaching their fiduciary duties.
Once the foundation's funds dry up, they’re going to be staring down a massive shortfall of well over $1 billion.
The ongoing struggle over long-term funding is currently being hashed out in negotiations between James Hardie and the unions.
Yesterday, the foundation filed papers with the US Supreme Court to apply for provisional liquidation.
Now, the ball is in the court's court. They have to decide if they’ll appoint a provisional liquidator. If they go that route, it might mean smaller payouts for some claimants, but the goal would be to stretch the remaining funds so they actually last.
A hearing has been scheduled for next Thursday.
Mr Cooper Said that we might still dodge this mess if James Hardie just handed over clear, unrestricted funds to ensure the foundation stays up and running.
In a desperate move to keep the foundation afloat, a former James Hardie subsidiary identified as ABN 60 moved $31.5 million into its account on Wednesday night.
James Hardie and ABN 60 both claimed the funds were handed over unconditionally—basically, the money was just dropped into the bank account without the foundation needing to sign off on any prior agreements.
Mr Cooper Said the foundation would return the funds.
Mr Cooper said the legal advice given to the foundation was pretty clear: if they took the money, they’d essentially forfeit their right to sue James Hardie down the road. The problem was that everything was still tied up under the original terms from that document signed back when the funds were first set aside in 2001.
James Hardie chairwoman Meredith Hellicar noted that settling this immediate crisis isn't as simple as just cutting a check. According to MS Hellicar, any move like that would need to get the green light from shareholders first.
"I believe we've taken a massive hit from certain specific statements," MS Hellicar said. — AAP
==========================================
James Hardie made a smart move shifting its product focus toward the USA and the Netherlands!
Nateze is heading to court to figure out where all that compensation money for the victims actually went.
From asbestosis... over the next 20 to 40 years, we're looking at more than 25,000 deaths right here in the US alone. And that doesn't even account for everyone else suffering from asbestosis-related illnesses—conditions that are incredibly painful and can drag on for 20 or 25 years.
With mesothelioma, you’re looking at a window of only six to nine months.
People suffering from asbestosis struggle just to breathe. It gets to the point where you can barely walk. This can drag on for twenty years or more before it finally takes you.
From Pleural plaque... the plaque calcifies and hardens, which prevents the lungs from breathing normally. It’s that same plaque, but it can often turn into mesothelioma.
I go for breathing tests twice a year and get a CT scan, since that’s really the best way to see any Asbestos plaque with high resolution.
It’s a bit frustrating—there aren't any specialists available right now. But it's been confirmed that the pain I'm feeling behind my lungs is due to Asbestos plaque.
A little prediction with a side of bad luck: that Asbestos plaque is going to stay right where it is and likely calcify even further... unless things open up and move toward the abdomen?
I used to write about how many people were dying... but I had to stop. My friends—most of whom I know have passed away from mesothelioma—are gone. There are still plenty of us left who know we're living with the consequences of asbestosis... but how many others have no clue? They probably just assume their health issues are from smoking or some other lifestyle choice.
Usually, the diagnosis happens by accident. Someone gets an MRI or a CT scan for something else entirely, and then they find something wrong with the lungs. Then comes the lung X-ray, followed by a CT scan, and suddenly you have your answer.
It’s heartbreaking. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year from the effects of asbestosis... and so many of them never even realize why.
🙂 😉 😎
Healthcare, Doctors, and... Money?
in Health ·
Is there anything worse than losing an entire post?😁
To recap:
A quick update on my health struggles, specifically regarding my recent surgery.
Before the procedure, I was warned not to get my hopes up. They told me there might be little to no improvement, or that I could even end up in a wheelchair. This was my second attempt at this, following a failed L5 / S1 Laminectomy back in 1972 that left a 30 cm incision.
After the surgery, I was actually quite pleased. The incision was only about 15 cm for two levels. In my case, it wasn't a disc issue, but rather spinal stenosis narrowing the canal and compressing the nerves through the foramina.
So, I had a laminectomy at L5/L4 and L4/L3. I started walking
with minimal pain for over a kilometer... and then, nothing. It just stopped. I'm right back to my pre-surgery symptoms and limited mobility.
I went back to a new Neurologist—my old one isn't practicing anymore. I told him something had gone drastically wrong, but he seemed more concerned with saving money. He insisted on a standard X-ray first. I argued that since it's serious, an X-ray wouldn't show much, but
I had to go through with the X-ray. Because he was so busy, I couldn't see him again for eight weeks. Looking at the X-ray myself, I could already see changes at the L5 level, though it doesn't show the nerves.
During the visit, we bumped heads a bit over the X-ray. I stood my ground and gave my usual opinion: I needed an MRI order immediately.
It’s been ten weeks now. My appointment is on December 6th, and I already know the MRI results: the L5 foramina are pinching the nerve.
I don't believe I'll go in for more surgeries unless I start losing bladder or bowel control.
I'm having a very hard time managing all the pills I've been taking for decades. My stomach issues and dizziness are getting worse. I'm looking at about 25 pills a day, and that's without any Narcotics.
I actually quit all Narcotics about two months ago. I'm in pain, but honestly, they weren't helping anyway.
I ran all my medications through an American program. There isn't a single pill that doesn't interact with another, creating a chain reaction of side effects—mostly constant dizziness, stomach problems, and allergies. It took me a long time to compile a list of all the medication names used here in the US. I know a fair amount about pharmacology, and I know the same drug can have 50 different names depending on the manufacturer. For example, a company like Pfizer might have their own brand for what is essentially Diazepam.
Once I entered everything, I ended up with a 15-page report detailing every single interaction between every drug. Every combination is accounted for.
Each individual drug report is only about ten lines long.
I'll leave the link here if anyone is interested:
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Best, Jamie Clark74,
🙂 😉 😎
To recap:
A quick update on my health struggles, specifically regarding my recent surgery.
Before the procedure, I was warned not to get my hopes up. They told me there might be little to no improvement, or that I could even end up in a wheelchair. This was my second attempt at this, following a failed L5 / S1 Laminectomy back in 1972 that left a 30 cm incision.
After the surgery, I was actually quite pleased. The incision was only about 15 cm for two levels. In my case, it wasn't a disc issue, but rather spinal stenosis narrowing the canal and compressing the nerves through the foramina.
So, I had a laminectomy at L5/L4 and L4/L3. I started walking
with minimal pain for over a kilometer... and then, nothing. It just stopped. I'm right back to my pre-surgery symptoms and limited mobility.
I went back to a new Neurologist—my old one isn't practicing anymore. I told him something had gone drastically wrong, but he seemed more concerned with saving money. He insisted on a standard X-ray first. I argued that since it's serious, an X-ray wouldn't show much, but
I had to go through with the X-ray. Because he was so busy, I couldn't see him again for eight weeks. Looking at the X-ray myself, I could already see changes at the L5 level, though it doesn't show the nerves.
During the visit, we bumped heads a bit over the X-ray. I stood my ground and gave my usual opinion: I needed an MRI order immediately.
It’s been ten weeks now. My appointment is on December 6th, and I already know the MRI results: the L5 foramina are pinching the nerve.
I don't believe I'll go in for more surgeries unless I start losing bladder or bowel control.
I'm having a very hard time managing all the pills I've been taking for decades. My stomach issues and dizziness are getting worse. I'm looking at about 25 pills a day, and that's without any Narcotics.
I actually quit all Narcotics about two months ago. I'm in pain, but honestly, they weren't helping anyway.
I ran all my medications through an American program. There isn't a single pill that doesn't interact with another, creating a chain reaction of side effects—mostly constant dizziness, stomach problems, and allergies. It took me a long time to compile a list of all the medication names used here in the US. I know a fair amount about pharmacology, and I know the same drug can have 50 different names depending on the manufacturer. For example, a company like Pfizer might have their own brand for what is essentially Diazepam.
Once I entered everything, I ended up with a 15-page report detailing every single interaction between every drug. Every combination is accounted for.
Each individual drug report is only about ten lines long.
I'll leave the link here if anyone is interested:
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Best, Jamie Clark74,
🙂 😉 😎
I hope everyone who was busy criticizing the Russian liberation efforts actually watched THE VIDEO RECORDED BY THE CHECHEN GOONS THEMSELVES... It’s honestly a miracle anyone survived, considering how much of it was "captured" by bombs and the sheer willingness of those Chechens to target children.
It's shameful. What kind of animals are these? There’s no excuse here—this isn't about politics between Russia and Chechnya.
How long are we going to keep being targeted by terrorists all over the world?
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
It's shameful. What kind of animals are these? There’s no excuse here—this isn't about politics between Russia and Chechnya.
How long are we going to keep being targeted by terrorists all over the world?
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
The entire world is reeling from what just happened!
Sixty-two hours went by without these kids eating a single thing, let alone getting a sip of water... and there wasn't much else they could do. Just imagine being held by people who clearly don't value a single human life. I honestly wonder how someone like that even becomes a person, or what kind of excuse could ever justify such a "terrorist act."
Around 1,200 people were caught up in this... mostly children, along with teachers and parents.
They were subjected to violence by nothing less than animals—that's the only word for these terrorists.
Things aren't fully cleared up yet, but according to the latest reports, 322 are dead... including 155 children. There are 500 injured in hospitals, and 92 are in critical condition.
Ten special Russian forces members were killed, while 18 were wounded.
Twenty-seven terrorists died, ten of whom were of "Arab origin."
We all know how quickly things can spiral out of control.
Back in 1995, Chechen terrorists seized a hospital in Budyonnovsk... 2,000 people were held for six days, and it was finally resolved after 100 deaths.
Now, as always, experts are coming out to claim that the Russian way of handling it wasn't planned well or wasn't good enough.
I have to ask, what would they have done? You've got a hall packed with 1,200 children and adults,
and the terrorists were actually mocking the parents when they begged for water for the kids...
with bombs hanging everywhere in the hall. It’s easy to talk, but much harder to actually free those hostages... especially when the "terrorists were shooting at them"... and when things got intense, they started shooting at the children. Whoever they represent, and everyone who supports them, must truly be proud of this.
Why do some people refuse to remember that all terrorists are the same? It's sad, but it's the truth.
It doesn't matter if it's Israel, Russia, the USA, or Bali... anywhere in the world, we just aren't safe from terrorists anymore.
I'm not defending any of these countries, and they probably made mistakes too... but terrorism has become a "source of pride for Islam." It's gone so far that even Islamic leaders have to apologize and say it has spiraled out of their control... it's gone too far.
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
Sixty-two hours went by without these kids eating a single thing, let alone getting a sip of water... and there wasn't much else they could do. Just imagine being held by people who clearly don't value a single human life. I honestly wonder how someone like that even becomes a person, or what kind of excuse could ever justify such a "terrorist act."
Around 1,200 people were caught up in this... mostly children, along with teachers and parents.
They were subjected to violence by nothing less than animals—that's the only word for these terrorists.
Things aren't fully cleared up yet, but according to the latest reports, 322 are dead... including 155 children. There are 500 injured in hospitals, and 92 are in critical condition.
Ten special Russian forces members were killed, while 18 were wounded.
Twenty-seven terrorists died, ten of whom were of "Arab origin."
We all know how quickly things can spiral out of control.
Back in 1995, Chechen terrorists seized a hospital in Budyonnovsk... 2,000 people were held for six days, and it was finally resolved after 100 deaths.
Now, as always, experts are coming out to claim that the Russian way of handling it wasn't planned well or wasn't good enough.
I have to ask, what would they have done? You've got a hall packed with 1,200 children and adults,
and the terrorists were actually mocking the parents when they begged for water for the kids...
with bombs hanging everywhere in the hall. It’s easy to talk, but much harder to actually free those hostages... especially when the "terrorists were shooting at them"... and when things got intense, they started shooting at the children. Whoever they represent, and everyone who supports them, must truly be proud of this.
Why do some people refuse to remember that all terrorists are the same? It's sad, but it's the truth.
It doesn't matter if it's Israel, Russia, the USA, or Bali... anywhere in the world, we just aren't safe from terrorists anymore.
I'm not defending any of these countries, and they probably made mistakes too... but terrorism has become a "source of pride for Islam." It's gone so far that even Islamic leaders have to apologize and say it has spiraled out of their control... it's gone too far.
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
Siege Prompts Self-Criticism
Maggie Michael
Associated Press
CAIRO, Egypt — A prominent Arab writer and television executive wrote this Saturday that the painful, humiliating truth is that Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism. This comes as Middle East media outlets and officials expressed sheer horror regarding the bloody rebel siege of a Russian school.
After the hostage crisis wrapped up, there was some surprisingly blunt self-reflection going on. People were warning that these kinds of attacks actually do more to wreck the reputation of Islam than any of its enemies ever could. Arab leaders and Muslim clerics condemned the seizure of the school as completely unjustifiable and shared their sympathy for those affected.
Russian commandos stormed the school Friday in Beslan, Russia; it had been taken over by rebels demanding independence for Chechnya. Russian officials said Saturday that the death toll was at least 250, with twice as many wounded. Many of the casualties were children.
Footage of terrified young survivors being carried away from the site played on loop across Arab TV stations. On Saturday, pictures of dead and wounded children dominated the front pages of Arab newspapers.
"Holy warriors" from the Middle East have provided support to fellow Muslims fighting in Chechnya for quite some time, and Russian officials noted that nine or ten Arabs were among the militants killed.
"Our terrorist sons are the inevitable result of our own corrupt culture," wrote Abdulrahman al-Rashed, the general manager of Al-Arabiya television, in his daily column for the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. He published it under the headline, "The Painful Truth: All the world's terrorists are Muslims!"
Al-Rashed provided a rundown of recent strikes carried out by Islamic extremist groups across Russia, Iraq, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. A significant number of these attacks are fueled by the ideology of Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born leader of the al-Qaida terror network.
"Most perpetrators of suicide operations in buses, schools, and residential buildings around the world for the last decade have been Muslims," he noted. He argued that the community won't be able to fix its reputation unless there's an honest admission of these "scandalous facts," instead of just relying on endless condemnations or excuses.
"It’s a picture that feels both humiliating and incredibly painful for everyone involved," al-Rashed wrote.
People who write for Islamic websites notorious for extremist views didn't exactly agree on how to feel about the hostage crisis. Some went as far as to praise the separatists. On the other hand, others suggested we ought to hold off on blaming Arabs for the whole drama until the militants are actually identified.
Ahmed Bahgat, an Egyptian Islamist, wrote in his column for Egypt's top pro-government newspaper, Al-Ahram, that the hostage-takers in Russia and Iraq are actually doing nothing but harming Islam.
"If all the enemies of Islam actually teamed up to go after it... they still wouldn't have done as much damage to its reputation as the sons of Islam themselves. Honestly, between the sheer stupidity, the massive miscalculations, and just totally failing to grasp how the modern world works, they've done more harm than any outside force ever could," Bahgat wrote.
The horrifying images of the dead and wounded Russian students showed Muslims as monsters.
An editorial in the Saudi-based, English-language Arab News suggested that Putin’s refusal to back down was driven by a need to protect his "tough-man" reputation. However, the piece also noted that by choosing such horrific targets, the Chechens essentially ensured there would be no sympathy when the hammer finally dropped. They hit rock bottom when they started using toddlers as pawns in their negotiations.
On Friday, heads of state from Egypt, Lebanon, and Kuwait reached out to offer their sympathies to officials in Russia and to the families devastated by the hostage crisis. A well-known Muslim cleric also spoke out, condemning the entire situation.
"What did those kids do to deserve this? Why should they pay the price for your fight with the government?" That’s how Egypt's leading Muslim cleric, Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, put it during a Friday sermon in Banha, just about 30 miles north of Cairo.
"You're just using Islam as a smokescreen, and it’s a dishonest one. The people behind these kidnappings are nothing more than criminals, not Muslims," stated Tantawi, the head of Al-Azhar University—the ultimate authority in the Sunni Islamic world—according to a report by Egypt's Middle East News agency.
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
Maggie Michael
Associated Press
CAIRO, Egypt — A prominent Arab writer and television executive wrote this Saturday that the painful, humiliating truth is that Muslims worldwide are the main perpetrators of terrorism. This comes as Middle East media outlets and officials expressed sheer horror regarding the bloody rebel siege of a Russian school.
After the hostage crisis wrapped up, there was some surprisingly blunt self-reflection going on. People were warning that these kinds of attacks actually do more to wreck the reputation of Islam than any of its enemies ever could. Arab leaders and Muslim clerics condemned the seizure of the school as completely unjustifiable and shared their sympathy for those affected.
Russian commandos stormed the school Friday in Beslan, Russia; it had been taken over by rebels demanding independence for Chechnya. Russian officials said Saturday that the death toll was at least 250, with twice as many wounded. Many of the casualties were children.
Footage of terrified young survivors being carried away from the site played on loop across Arab TV stations. On Saturday, pictures of dead and wounded children dominated the front pages of Arab newspapers.
"Holy warriors" from the Middle East have provided support to fellow Muslims fighting in Chechnya for quite some time, and Russian officials noted that nine or ten Arabs were among the militants killed.
"Our terrorist sons are the inevitable result of our own corrupt culture," wrote Abdulrahman al-Rashed, the general manager of Al-Arabiya television, in his daily column for the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. He published it under the headline, "The Painful Truth: All the world's terrorists are Muslims!"
Al-Rashed provided a rundown of recent strikes carried out by Islamic extremist groups across Russia, Iraq, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. A significant number of these attacks are fueled by the ideology of Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born leader of the al-Qaida terror network.
"Most perpetrators of suicide operations in buses, schools, and residential buildings around the world for the last decade have been Muslims," he noted. He argued that the community won't be able to fix its reputation unless there's an honest admission of these "scandalous facts," instead of just relying on endless condemnations or excuses.
"It’s a picture that feels both humiliating and incredibly painful for everyone involved," al-Rashed wrote.
People who write for Islamic websites notorious for extremist views didn't exactly agree on how to feel about the hostage crisis. Some went as far as to praise the separatists. On the other hand, others suggested we ought to hold off on blaming Arabs for the whole drama until the militants are actually identified.
Ahmed Bahgat, an Egyptian Islamist, wrote in his column for Egypt's top pro-government newspaper, Al-Ahram, that the hostage-takers in Russia and Iraq are actually doing nothing but harming Islam.
"If all the enemies of Islam actually teamed up to go after it... they still wouldn't have done as much damage to its reputation as the sons of Islam themselves. Honestly, between the sheer stupidity, the massive miscalculations, and just totally failing to grasp how the modern world works, they've done more harm than any outside force ever could," Bahgat wrote.
The horrifying images of the dead and wounded Russian students showed Muslims as monsters.
An editorial in the Saudi-based, English-language Arab News suggested that Putin’s refusal to back down was driven by a need to protect his "tough-man" reputation. However, the piece also noted that by choosing such horrific targets, the Chechens essentially ensured there would be no sympathy when the hammer finally dropped. They hit rock bottom when they started using toddlers as pawns in their negotiations.
On Friday, heads of state from Egypt, Lebanon, and Kuwait reached out to offer their sympathies to officials in Russia and to the families devastated by the hostage crisis. A well-known Muslim cleric also spoke out, condemning the entire situation.
"What did those kids do to deserve this? Why should they pay the price for your fight with the government?" That’s how Egypt's leading Muslim cleric, Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, put it during a Friday sermon in Banha, just about 30 miles north of Cairo.
"You're just using Islam as a smokescreen, and it’s a dishonest one. The people behind these kidnappings are nothing more than criminals, not Muslims," stated Tantawi, the head of Al-Azhar University—the ultimate authority in the Sunni Islamic world—according to a report by Egypt's Middle East News agency.
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
Vicious terrorists—let’s just go ahead and help them out, shall we? From the IRA...
to the latest ones. It's funny how quickly everyone forgets what they actually take.
Take the Bali bombings where 200 people died, as an example for the world... one guy was sentenced to life, yet just yesterday he was caught on camera chilling at a cafe outside prison, sipping coffee.
Justice? Not when it comes to Russia being the victim. Let's just lie about it then. What about those two planes just a week ago?
Terrorist acts always claim innocent lives—people who have absolutely nothing to do with, or against, these "terrorists."
Everyone sees things through their own lens, right up until it hits them personally and they change their tune. I was actually in Bali when it happened.
For me, enough is enough. They are called TERRORISTS for a reason, regardless of what they claim to be fighting for.
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
to the latest ones. It's funny how quickly everyone forgets what they actually take.
Take the Bali bombings where 200 people died, as an example for the world... one guy was sentenced to life, yet just yesterday he was caught on camera chilling at a cafe outside prison, sipping coffee.
Justice? Not when it comes to Russia being the victim. Let's just lie about it then. What about those two planes just a week ago?
Terrorist acts always claim innocent lives—people who have absolutely nothing to do with, or against, these "terrorists."
Everyone sees things through their own lens, right up until it hits them personally and they change their tune. I was actually in Bali when it happened.
For me, enough is enough. They are called TERRORISTS for a reason, regardless of what they claim to be fighting for.
http://www.theodora.com/flags/as-t.gif 🙂 😉 😎
http://www.photius.com/flags/thumbnails/hr-t.gif
Under 30
in Women's Health ·
Amanda Stewart71 said:Spot on.
I think I'll stay away from these threads; topics like this just weigh on me.
stormylynx14, would it actually be good for your child—or you and your wife—to have had one at 20 just because someone told you fertility rates were high? Imagine having a baby while living in a tiny studio apartment as renters, struggling to eat, maybe even dealing with unemployment. It’s a lot to ask.
Honestly, you'd probably end up having that kid ten years later anyway, hoping things finally fall into place.
It gets complicated once you start bringing "economic circumstances" into the mix.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and their own lived experiences.
stormylynx14 was simply sharing his perspective based on what he's been through; he isn't claiming his experience is the universal rule for everyone.
As for living in poverty, I grew up in a big city and back in '63, we had a baby in a single room. We were renters, so that one room was our kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom all in one. We made it through.
Our second child was planned in '74 under different circumstances. For us, fertility wasn't the issue, but I know how much of a struggle it remains for many women. Many men deal with low counts or poor quality too... and our lifestyle choices—diet, drinking, smoking, drugs, stress—all play a huge role.
stormylynx14 makes a fair point when he says you women tend to have these discussions and talk about your struggles, which is great. But what about the men? Nobody seems interested. It’s always been that way, and frankly, people just shrug and say everything will work out.
Thousands of people would still be here if they just went to the doctor twice a year and actually took care of themselves.
Sad, but true.
👋 👋
Under 30
in Women's Health ·
Frequent ejaculation lowers sperm counts.
NEW YORK - A recent medical study suggests that the more often a man ejaculates during the week, the lower his sperm count tends to be. However, frequency alone doesn't fully explain why sperm levels fluctuate so much from one test to the next.
The findings, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, came from a 16-month study involving 27 healthy men. Participants provided monthly samples and completed questionnaires regarding their ejaculation frequency, abstinence periods, and health history. Lead researcher Elizabeth Carlson and her colleagues at the Mayo Clinic in Copenhagen noted that seasonal changes played a role—specifically, ejaculation frequency tended to peak in the spring compared to winter. Interestingly, they found no significant impact on sperm motility or morphology based on the season.
The data showed a clear drop in concentration as frequency increased. Compared to a single ejaculation, the count dropped by 29 percent with two, and by 41 percent with three. On the bright side, how often someone ejaculates doesn't seem to affect the movement or shape of the sperm itself.
👋
Hypnosis: Yay or Nay?
in Health ·
malisan said:I tried using Hypnosis to deal with depression. My takeaway? Most people out there are just winging it without any real training, and at best, you just end up broke.
I’ve spent about 30 years exploring Hypnosis through three very different attempts to help myself.
First off, you can't actually "hypnotize" someone; it's more about being "suggestible." If we're willing to accept that and are truly ready, it can work, but the individual has to be open to it—I've seen psychologists and hypnotherapists try this firsthand.
I once tried to quit smoking over a five-year span. The last attempt actually worked, thanks to my own willpower paired with a little help from hypnotherapy.
The second case was an unsuccessful attempt involving multiple visits to try and "calm down anxiety."
Thirdly—and I've tried this many times—was weight loss via "childhood therapy," which only worked when I went twice a week for about two months... ultimately, a failure.
In those 30 years, I’ve encountered about five different psychologists and hypnotists.
But my situation is complicated. I’m on 25 to 30 pills a day and dealing with chronic pain, which creates its own set of issues.
For someone healthy with just one specific issue, suggestion... well,
it's basically just self-suggestion. It can work.
👋 👋
Hypnosis: Yay or Nay?
in Health ·
Everything you need to know about medical hypnosis can be found here;
Medical hypnosis
👋 👋
Medical hypnosis
👋 👋
Waking up gasping for air
in Health ·
Rachel Walker56 said:What "machine" are you talking about? Which article? Where can I find this? I'm totally lost. 😕
I actually started this thread myself since we're in the Health section, specifically regarding whether anyone knows about Aetna.
Here is the link:UnitedHealth Group
Good luck again!
👋 👋
Under 30
in Women's Health ·
stormylynx14, I’ve seen similar data myself, but I hesitate to speak up. There’s always someone jumping in to say "everything will be just fine." Honestly, the way Americans view their health is pretty tragic. Every time I try to share actual facts or more detailed information—the kind of stuff people claim they want—I end up getting told not to post links or being criticized for sharing them.
You can offer so many warnings and try to educate people... but you just can't
force them. People just don't want to hear the truth or take a warning from someone who has actually been through it or understands what comes with aging.
Anyway, why am I even bothering with this nonsense?
👋 👋
You can offer so many warnings and try to educate people... but you just can't
force them. People just don't want to hear the truth or take a warning from someone who has actually been through it or understands what comes with aging.
Anyway, why am I even bothering with this nonsense?
👋 👋