January 20, 2010

 It was the impossible dream. Or at least the highly improbable dream. Yet, in a seismic shift in the political landscape that figuratively dwarfed the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that decimated Haiti, Republican Scott Brown won the special election, in bluer than blue state, Massachusetts, for the United States Senate Seat, formerly held for over 40 years by the late Liberal Lion, Ted Kennedy. 
 
His appeal was to independent voters, who are quite properly alarmed by this Administration’s hard leftist, fascist-socialist, statist policies. Mind you, I’m not calling anyone names. But, if it looks like a duck and quacks…
 
The unthinkable has happened. And a message has been delivered to Washington: “Hey! Cut the leftist, statist crap! This is America, not the Soviet Union!”
 
The only question is…will anyone listen to the People? This crowd has proven to be arrogant, high-handed and tone deaf and over- played their hand, as I knew they would.
 
Now, I really do try to restrain myself. This isn’t a poltical website and you don’t want to hear me raving about my own political views. You have your own. I get that. But when it comes to health care, I owe it to you to tell you what I know and how what the pols are up to will affect you. So, please indulge me.
 
Senator-elect Brown has broken the fillibuster proof super majority of 60 votes that allowed the Democratic Leadership to pass their version of the Bill, against the clearly expressed will of the majority of the American People, who are now against this bill and how it has been crafted.  Mr. Brown has promised to be the 41st vote AGAINST the monstrous Health Care Bill. 
 
This is all good news. Let me explain why.
 
The Health Care Bill has never been about people’s health care. That is simply a vehicle to the real goal. It is all about expanding the role and size of government and its intrusion and control over every aspect of your life. And as the Party of Big Government, this move was designed to keep Democrats in power, in perpetuity.
 
This is painfully obvious to anyone who looks objectively at its proposed provisions. Now, you may think this is a worthy goal. I don’t. 

Nor do I want Republicans in charge, in perpetuity. My attitude is, these guys work for US. They are the public SERVANTS, not our masters. If anyone in office is not doing the People’s Will, I say, throw ‘em out! 
 
I submit to you that if a system (ie. a representative republic) has worked for over two and a half centuries, and resulted in a standard of living, wealth and power, unrivaled in human history, it is the height of arrogance to assume that YOU know better and can remake it better than those geniuses of the Enlightenment, who were our Founding Fathers. Especially when the majority of the People want no part of it. This is still a center-right country.
 
How do I know that the Health Care Bill isn’t what its name suggests? Because, as one who has really been in health care for decades, I KNOW what is needed. There is NOTHING wrong with our health care system. It simply costs too much. And some people need insurance coverage, who don’t have it, now.
 
Please don’t bore me with that canard that the government should guarantee health care for all. One, that’s already the law, everywhere in the USA. Anyone who shows up at an ER GETS treated, insurance or not. Two, that’s really not the government’s job(at least according to the Constitution).
 
You want to extend insurance coverage to every citizen? Great. You can buy everyone who wants one a policy for a few thousand a year. Do this for the 12 million, who actually need insurance. 12 million X 3000 equals 36 billion a year. NOT well over ONE TRILLION, which we don’t have and must borrow (from China, among others). And it’s NOT constitutional to mandate that citizens BUY anything, insurance policies included.
 
You want to cover indigent people with no money? Great. Offer doctors dollar for dollar tax credits and malpractice immunity (or at least caps on awards) for treating the poor.  Problem solved.
 
Want to save more money? How about Tort Reform? That’s a few hundred billion saved, every year, in unnecessary tests, and defensive medicine practices, not to mention saved court costs, etc. Of course, ambulance chasers would have to find honest work, but, hey, no plan is perfect.
 
How about enabling people to buy insurance across state lines? That competition would drive costs down and the greatly increased pool of patients would protect insurance companies, while still allowing them to insure those with pre-existing conditions.
 
What about the Medical Savings Plans? They are very popular with people who have them. And catastophic policies for real medical disasters are very inexpensive, especially when you’re young.
 
These are all real solutions, which I assure you would work. And anyone who has studied the problems knows that these would work. Yet NONE are in either the House or the Senate versions of the current Health Care Bill. 
 
Instead, you have a Bill so complex, so arcane, so convoluted, that each bill is over 2000 pages. That’s absurd. You have coverage and “savings” attained by 500 billion in Medicare CUTS, which will restrict access to care for the most vulnerable among us. You have a bill so terrific that Congress has voted to exempt itself from its provisions. If THAT doesn’t tell you all you need to know, I can’t help you–you’re beyond help.
 
But now, in the State of Lexington and Concord, the Scott heard ’round the world has delivered the message. 
 
Will they retreat and begin again, this time with bipartisanship, and the true interests of the American People and their health care at heart, or will they try some chicanery, to ram the current monstrosity through, “for our own good?” I guess we’ll see.
 
Meanwhile, be thankful we now have a fighting chance to stop this horror. We all want health insurance reform, not the status quo. Just not THIS “reform.” 
 
Still, if you’re smart, you’ll prepare for the very worst, by getting and staying in shape, losing the bad habits, losing extra fat, getting those lab tests and that physical exam you’ve been putting off, while you still can.
 
In this way, you can stay OUT of the system, and maintain your health, too. While you’re at it, get started on my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA  http://www.favoriteformulas.com  an ultra pure, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, with heart and brain healthy properties, which can lower your risk of sudden death, heart attacks and strokes, lower triglycerides and (with garlic) lower cholesterol, improve your mood, relieve inflammation and joint pain, improve your skin condition and reverse aging.
 
And exercise daily. My Pain-Free Program & DVD is a great set of knee pain exercises, which will not only help get you in shape, but will relieve your knee pain, as well.
 
Well, tomorrow is another day. But for today, I’m glad that Senator-Elect Brown won. And you should be, too. We’ll see if Washington learns anything…but I wouldn’t bet on it. Just remember. They work for YOU. Don’t hesitate to let them know it. Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness Warrior”      TM
 
(Sign up for my Podcasts at:  http://www.thewellnesswarrior.mypodcastworld.com )
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

January 4, 2010

Finally, the Holidays are over. The confetti and tinsel are over for another year. And here we are in the beginning of a new year, of a new decade. Here’s hoping it’s a good one….
 
As for me, I’m recovering from my recent herniorrhaphy (inguinal hernia repair), which I had done last Thursday morning, New Year’s Eve Day. The idea was to get this problem fixed, while in the old year, so I could begin the New Year with the surgery behind me and start a new chapter of my life, with healing. 
 
Now, my wife has a dim view of all things Floridian and would have preferred that I have my surgery in New York, with one of my old compadres. But my attitude was that, if I’m living down here, I’d better learn who’s good, on an elective basis, before any emergency occurs.
 
I was referred to Dr. Possada, a general surgeon recommended by my cardiologist, of whom I think very highly. I asked the correct question of him: “Who would YOU use, for this procedure, for YOU or YOUR FAMILY?” 
 
Very important point and the best teaching, with which to start the New Year: Never just ask for a referral. Depending on the doctor (or nurse) and the relationship they have with the specialist, you may get lucky, or you may get referred because of business reasons. I saw this many times in my years in private practice.
 
I got many a back-handed compliment: these guys would send all their referrals to other docs, for business reasons, but when it was someone from their own family, why then, they wanted them to come to me.
 
It’s considered “unethical” for nurses or docs in the ER, for example, to refer to the docs who they KNOW are the best. Instead, if asked for a referral, they are required to refer to the person on the ER call roster, who may or may NOT be the best choice for you.
 
The case for this is that they can otherwise “steer” referrals to their favorites and away from those not so favored. However, what they are NOT doing is looking out for YOU. They don’t know you. They have to live with all these guys, long after you’re gone and forgotten.
 
So, be smart. Ask instead who THEY use, personally. Different question. And not unethical to answer. Repeat this a few times, with different health professionals and the same two or three names are going to keep coming up. THAT’S who you pick from.
 
In Medicine, as in Life, “birds of a feather DO flock together.” The best hang around with the best. Always did. Always will.
 
Anyway, I met this guy and was immediately impressed with his manner, his confidence, his over 20 years of experience in doing this procedure. I trust my gut. And I like and trust my cardiologist. So that’s how I made my choice. I didn’t look up his credentials, or whether he had any malpractice suits, or any of that other crap that people think matters. It doesn’t. I know a good man when I meet him.
 
So we scheduled the surgery, in accordance with my wishes that it be done in 2009. And he accomodated me, despite a solidly booked schedule (another indicator that he has a good reputation and a busy practice–which he wouldn’t, if he was leaving dead bodies all over).
 
So, Tuesday, I went to the Florida Hospital, Orlando, for presurgical testing–simple blood work, interviews and collection of my medical history. Early…and I mean EARLY…Thursday morning, I got up at a little after 4AM, showered, dressed and drove with my wife to the FLORIDA HOSPITAL outpatient surgery unit, what they call their RIO, an acronym for Rapid In and Out. 
 
When you think about it, that’s a sort of unfortunate name they’ve chosen, with echoes of “A Clockwork Orange.”
 
Contrary to my usual tardiness, we were precisely on time, at 5:30AM. A nurse picked me up and took me, with my wife, to a patient station in the preop staging area. I undressed, put on thigh-high TED (thromboembolic disease) stockings, a prophylactic measure to minimize the risk of blood clots, during the immobility of surgery, a pair of socks with rubber treads, to provide non-slip surfaces, and a johnnie (those ridiculous patient gowns that tie up in the back, leaving your naked butt exposed).
 
Then, I was visited in turn by the preop nurse, who started an IV, gave me some preop antibiotics and worked through her checklist, then the OR circulator nurse, the nurse anesthetist and the anesthesiologist. The plan was for LMA anesthesia–laryngeal mask airway.  This is used for light general anesthesia, which my surgeon prefers, as it provides maximal muscle relaxation, a must for a good hernia repair.
 
I advised the anesthesiologist to forget that I was a surgeon, myself, treat me like any other guy off the street and do whatever he thought was necessary, at any time, even if that meant full intubation, with an endotracheal tube. That’s always the best way to survive. It’s when they think they’re doing you a “favor” and treat you different from the standard of care that you get into trouble.
 
Then, they slipped a little Versed (a very short acting hypnotic agent and relaxant, that causes retrograde amnesia, as one of its little benefits) into my IV, started wheeling me out to the OR and….
 
When they roused me, a little later, I thought I had just dozed off and was now in the OR, ready to begin. But the procedure had already been done. I felt no pain, at all. My surgeon had infiltrated the repair and all the tissues with a long acting local anesthetic, with epinephrine (adrenaline, which constricts blood vessels, minimizing bleeding and allowing the local anesthetic to stay much longer in the tissues, keeping them stone numb).
 
Thanks to the short acting anesthetic agents, like Propofol (Deprivan, the same stuff that killed Michael Jackson, used incorrectly, but a great drug, when used by pros and monitored correctly), I was wide awake in a very short time. Very chatty, according to my wife, but hopefully, not too obnoxious to the nurses, who I’m sure are used to this. 
 
Hey, it’s like the old movie title–”Blame it on RIO.”  The residual anesthesia inhibits your inhibitions, like you were a little high. Well, that was my “drink” for the night….
 
A few hours later, once I was able to walk, urinate on my own and appeared to be stable, I was ready to leave. And so we did. All in all, everyone involved, start to finish, in the RIO did a simply an exemplary job. I was very favorably impressed. And comfortable, the entire time.
 
And that’s how I spent my New Year’s Eve, this year.
 
Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about the early recovery process and the new things I learned from this experience, that I didn’t know before. I still can’t start my fish oil, which I really do miss,   http://www.favoriteformulas.com   but for reasons I’ll explain, I can’t suppress my inflammatory response, just yet. Neither can I start my isometric exercises, as yet, for fear of stirring up bleeding. But soon, I’ll begin with these fundamentals from my newly expanded, completely redone PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & brand new DVD:
 http://www.drbillsclinic.com/execise_eliminate.html 
 
2010: This will be a different year, a new chance to get healthy, get fit and leave your bad habits and health care problems behind. And despite the wretched economy and the forces arrayed against us, from ignorant & arrogant fools in our own government, who would dare to use your life, your health and that of your family, as a political means to power, to Big Pharma plots to make statin drugs “preventive care” for everyone, to internationalist efforts to interfere in our personal rights, to use supplements as we see fit (Codex Alimentarius), against all these and more, we will join together and fight back, with the truth and with actions. 
 
This year, we will explore, together, the best ways to relieve pain, restore function, prevent disease and disability, lose weight; to be better, stronger, leaner, fitter, happier, healthier; to live as we ought to live, in optimal health, for as long as we may….plus many new surprises, new products, new features and more emails, to educate, entertain and amuse you.
 
And if you will stick with me, this year, continue to be part of our extended family of friends, one of “Dr. Bill’s Wellness Warriors,”TM and DO what I teach you to do, together we can all enjoy a brighter, happier, healthier future. So stick around and I’ll promise to do my very best to make you glad you did. Til next time, my friend, be well….
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow, with optimal health & wellness,
 
DR. BILL
“The Wellness Warrior” TM
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved