Posts by Paul Alvarez97

Nothing hits quite like Manuel, so I guess that’s just how it is. Che Guevara is alright, but Open Road never really clicked for me. They give me those SkaP vibes.

I was listening to Sergeant Garcia today and I have to say, they’re actually pretty good! I caught a few tracks and they definitely hit the spot. Since I’ve been stuck on Manuel for so long and nothing else really compares to his stuff, it’s rare I find anything in this style that actually clicks...

Come on, Savannah, give me some more recommendations 🙂

Mansonism, haha... honestly, given how much I love Manuel, there was no other way that conversation was going to go...🙂

That concert at Madison Square Garden... unforgettable 😁

amberranger said:A petition would go a long way 😂😂😂

We'll see about that. 🙂 It seems you don't get that the point isn't whether they actually show up or not. For us, just signing a petition like this is enough. Real fans will understand that. 😉

Nice one, she’ll never regret that! He should probably go drop $100,000 right now, maybe then we can actually get a concert scheduled for next weekend!

Scott Allen10 said:When I mentioned "neck access," I wasn't specifically talking about the external jugular, I was more speaking figuratively about how you should basically have a line established almost the second you roll into the ER...

As for hitting up those big medical conferences, I totally agree that there's absolutely no reason not to go every now and then... but man, take it from me... in the US, you could probably count the anesthesia techs with that kind of drive on one hand, if you're lucky. Most of them just don't care. They’re just looking to wrap up their shift or finish their rotation as fast as possible so they can get home... and when you're pulling in maybe $50k or $60k a year... what else is there to motivate them? It’s just not on their radar. Sadly enough.

If we're talking about intubation, you mostly hear about it from the veteran techs; back in the day, especially during the 90s when there were way too few anesthesiologists, they were often forced to step up and manage the whole anesthesia process themselves.
The younger generation, though? For the most part, they either don't do it or don't even know how. Personally, I feel like in the way things work here in American hospitals today, where they mostly just act as assistants to the anesthesiologist... they don't really need to, and they're just asking for trouble if they try to jump in next to the doctor and end up getting chewed out for overstepping.

The real, million-dollar question is why isn't this something every single doctor knows by the time they graduate? The truth is, that fundamental resuscitation skill is mostly practiced by anesthesiologists—maybe a pediatrician working in the ICU, or someone over at a US Navy facility, or perhaps a few folks who actually bothered to practice during their residency... everyone else in the hospital just stands there like a deer in headlights during respiratory arrest, acting like they're too important to help while they wait for the anesthesia team to show up and handle the resuscitation...

Ah, sorry, I misunderstood the external jugular thing... no big deal. Anyway, I have to agree with most of what you said. Unfortunately, I've lost count of how many times I've been in the middle of a resuscitation and seen one of "my" cardiologists just standing there, hands in pockets, watching my nurses lead the code while we wait for the anesthesia team to arrive. It's sad and incredibly frustrating, but unfortunately, it's the harsh reality in our hospitals.

I’m with you guys. Mastering external access won't be the only thing on his learning curve. This job is demanding and exhausting, plain and simple. I know plenty of anesthesia techs who can handle intubation without breaking a sweat—it just comes down to grit and constant practice.
And honestly, I don't see why hitting up a major medical conference once a year with the crew is such a big deal. You've got to stay on top of the literature, too. Learning doesn't stop just because you've graduated, right?
Best,

You basically just shadow a second technician in the OR and learn on the fly. I don't think there’s actually a dedicated course for it—unless I'm mistaken, which happens more than I'd like to admit. You can probably hit up a national anesthesia tech or nursing conference once a year, though. And obviously, you're expected to do a ton of reading.

Same here. Mine flared up after a year of using some body lotion I’d never tried before. Like I mentioned in that other thread, a little bit of hydrocortisone cream cleared the swelling right up, and everything is fine now.

holloworca19 said:For me, both of my feet are almost always cold—definitely colder than the rest of my body, probably because I spend a lot of time walking around barefoot...😕
Otherwise, there isn't much of a difference in temperature.
And no, I don't have any other symptoms at all.
And look, mistyjackal842, I'm being completely serious here... just because I used a smiley face doesn't mean I'm kidding about this...

Look, assuming you aren't elderly, just keep an eye on it. It's good that you don't have any other symptoms.We were all starting to worry over here; some people even joked about amputation.🙂...All jokes aside, this points toward poor peripheral circulation. My feet turn to ice in the winter, too. But I've seen what bad circulation can do—everything from gangrene to amputations—so I take these things seriously right away. Just a professional habit.😁 Cheers!

I was thinking about it, and you might want to try using a 30% hydrocortisone cream from something like Aquaphor. It’s a mild steroid concentration that should knock down the redness and irritation almost instantly. A year ago, I had this reaction where one of my tattoos started swelling up after I used some random body lotion from Target that I hadn't tried before. That Aquaphor saved me. Look, I'm not usually a fan of using steroids, but a couple of quick applications can solve the problem.

rustyangler14 said:What’s the actual answer here? The question hit me out of nowhere, and I can't seem to wrap my head around it no matter how much I chew on it. Does anyone actually have an answer? 😁

A syndrome is just a set of symptoms that show up together during a disease. Clear enough?🙂🙂

Hmm... that's not great. I've used that stuff a few times myself and never ran into issues like this. I don't think it's an issue with the Aquaphor specifically; it's such a mild cream designed exactly to prevent rashes and redness. But hey, you never know—maybe you're just allergic to one of the ingredients. Honestly, the rash probably happened because the skin couldn't breathe under all that plastic wrap. Try switching up the cream. It doesn't have to be Aquaphor, just make sure the skin stays hydrated. Stick to a baby cream with minimal ingredients and no heavy scents. For my last tattoo, I cleaned everything with Neosporin spray—a gentle iodine-based stuff—and then just used regular Nivea. Everything turned out fine. Give the Neosporin a shot; it should help calm the redness and the rash. Once the inflammation dies down, go see your tattoo artist to fix those faded lines. My artist included touch-ups in the initial price. I always went back for a check-up after 15 days, just like I would with my doctor at 🙂

mistyjackal842 said:You could even compare them to see which foot feels warmer—one might be significantly colder than the other, or even look a bit bluish if the arterial circulation is struggling. That's usually when you start feeling that pain while walking, what they call claudication. I’ve read up on this quite a bit, though, thankfully, I haven't had to deal with any of it myself. You can find plenty of info online about it.

Paul Alvarez97 hit the nail on the head. You really need to get checked out by a doctor; these things can be pretty serious.

Finally, someone gets what I'm trying to say.🙂 This isn't a joke. Just figure out if it feels warmer or colder compared to your normal body temperature.

Look, you can literally just feel it. Use your hands to check the temperature on other parts of your body—like your thighs or hips—and compare that to how warm your feet are. See if they're colder or warmer...

Which herpes are we talking about? Probably the Herpes Simplex kind that pops up on your lip. That one’s contagious to others during the "blister" stage. The fluid inside those little blisters is loaded with the virus. Once it bursts and dries out, you don't really have to worry about spreading it through contact... but seriously, just don't kiss family members while you've got blisters.😁

fadedmarlin402 said:Don't sweat it. It’s just some minor circulation issues in the leg. Nothing to get worked up about...

It really depends on whether that foot feels colder or warmer than the other one, which I couldn't quite tell from the post... if it's colder, maybe it’d be worth getting an ultrasound on the leg arteries just to check the blood flow... you never know.

jadedriver0 said:Hey everyone 👋

I’ve been living with diabetes for about four years now. I'm 31, so I'm relatively new to this. I caught a news segment on CNN last week that really grabbed my attention. Apparently, they've developed a drug called Prochymal in the US that's designed to actually CURE type 1 diabetes 👍, Crohn's disease, and even help repair heart muscle after a heart attack. It sounds like it might reach us here within a year 👋 which would be incredible.

The drug uses stem cells from an adult's bone marrow (not embryos), and it's currently going through the FDA's accelerated approval process to get it into widespread use.
I've been browsing some American forums, and from what I can gather, people with Crohn's are undergoing Prochymal therapy in two or three stages and feeling pretty great.
From what I read, the treatment involves one or two IV sessions, with each session costing around 150 $0.00 😢.
To avoid me just misinterpreting things, I'll drop a link to an article by a doctor who actually worked on developing this drug http://http://www.vjesnik.com/html/2009/01/20/ClanakTx.asp?r=tem&c=1

If anyone knows anything or has any thoughts—though I doubt anyone here has actually taken it yet—please share. Thanks. 🙂

Hi there. I'm the mother of an 8-year-old who unfortunately was diagnosed with diabetes 2.5 years ago. Like you, this news about Prochymal has completely shaken me up and given me hope for a cure. I didn't expect the price to be reasonable, but when you're in this situation, money is the last thing on your mind. Honestly, seeing how fast medicine is advancing, this feels like it could revolutionize how we treat chronic illnesses. I'm rooting for both you and my son to finally get off insulin soon.

Could be the thyroid... either way, get your hormone levels checked and wear that Holter monitor like your doctor suggested so they can track your rhythm over a full 24 hours. Best.

If you actually had a blood clot, your leg would be incredibly swollen—likely the entire lower leg, depending on where the clot is sitting. You’d also probably see some intense redness spreading across the whole area too.