Category Archives: Health

A Constructive Contrarian’s Thoughts on Medicare for All

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Don Philips for sending this article for us to ponder. I agree that costs in health care are unchecked and a major problem. But the fixes are fraught with all kinds of difficult issues. I don’t think the … Continue reading →

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Ways to prevent falls – in addition to Skyline’s evidence based SAIL program

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Margarete B for sending this along from the NYT

Posted in Fitness, Health | Comments Off on Ways to prevent falls – in addition to Skyline’s evidence based SAIL program

The Ethical Mess of Our Health Care System

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Jim deMaine

When dialysis was invented in the 1960’s Congress decided that it would be too expensive for insurance companies, so they decided to cover the care of chronic renal disease for any age – basically the government became a single payer … Continue reading →

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The story of Medic 1 – Skyline presentation

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Dr. Rick Rapport, UW Harborview Neurosurgeon, has written the story of Medic One (Seattle’s Medic One: How We Don’t Die). How fortunate we are to have Dr. Leonard Cobb here at Skyline and to now have this history documented. Nick … Continue reading →

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Putting Health back into healthcare – Skyline Presentation

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Jim deMaine
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Remembering Tom Gibbs, a Titan of Seattle Infrastructure

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Jim deMaine

By Doug Macdonald published in Post Alley Ed note: A good friend and colleague of Tom’s has written more of his story and sent this along to Skyline. What a marvelous legacy he has left. Do we all understand that … Continue reading →

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Thoughts on living to 100

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Gordon G for finding this

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Obituary of a Seattle icon

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From the Seattle Times: Anybody who swims, paddles or water-skis in Lake Washington this summer might spare a thought for Charles V. “Tom” Gibbs, the King County Metro engineer whose projects in the 1960s ended the constant flow of raw … Continue reading →

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National Talk in an Elevator Day!

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Lorraine Woods for this note. It seems to me that the elevator talk a Skyline is a real plus in socialization. Are we a national model? It’s National Talk in an Elevator Day. Why do you need to know … Continue reading →

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One plus one can give different answers

Posted on July 21, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed note: One of the issues that Geriatricians face sorting through the number of medications we take – for BP, heart, clotting, cholesterol, depression, etc. This interesting TED talks about how data analysis might help to sort out bad combinations … Continue reading →

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Cookies, calories and longevity

Posted on July 19, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From the NYT: Calorie restriction led to weight loss, lower cholesterol and less inflammation. Whether it extends life span and wards off disease long-term remains unproven. Scientists have long known a fairly reliable way to extend life span in rodents … Continue reading →

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Smart911.com – a personalized connection when/if you ever call

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Wouldn’t it be nice if when you called 911, that they knew a lot about you including your medical problems, medications, advance directives, allergies, contacts and even your pets! With Smart911, you can provide 9-1-1 call takers and first responders … Continue reading →

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10 Findings That Contradict Medical Wisdom. Doctors, Take Note.

Posted on July 5, 2019 by Jim deMaine

By Gina Kolata in the NYT Ed note: I was taught in Med School that the questions in medicine never change, but the answers frequently do. So true. You might assume that standard medical advice was supported by mounds of scientific research. But researchers recently … Continue reading →

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‘Very Smart People,’ but a Keyless Car’s Downside Killed Them

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed Note: I had a similar tragic case where a car was inadvertently left running in a garage as a young mother had to rush into the house with a crying baby. Unfortunately the furnace was in the garage and … Continue reading →

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How Do You Treat Positional Vertigo?

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Jim deMaine

By Richard Klasco, M.D. in the NYT Q. Please explain positional vertigo. Two of my siblings have woken up in the morning with it. What do you do if you experience it? A. Positional vertigo is a common type of dizziness that … Continue reading →

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“What almost dying taught me about living”

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Jim deMaine
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A visitor in the operating room

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Jim deMaine

It was Trevor’s first weekend to relax since moving to Seattle.  He was out in a park walking Bailey, his year old lab, when his pager unexpectedly beeped.  He called in to the operating room office, where the frantic head … Continue reading →

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Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Without Drugs

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed note: This article by Jane Brody in the NYT reminds us that sleep medications can be problematic. Almost all over the counter “sleep aids” contain diphenhydramine better known at Benadryl. This antihistamine is metabolized more slowly as we age … Continue reading →

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“Insomnia can kill you” – from the NYT

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed Note: We spend a third of our lives sleeping, or at least trying to sleep. It’s mysterious just why, but dangerous if we don’t sleep well. The second part of this article will be put on the blog tomorrow. … Continue reading →

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Supplements for Weight Loss, Sexual Function and Muscle Building May Be Deadly

Posted on June 11, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed Note: Dietary supplements are truly scary. By law they cannot be regulated by the FDA. At times they don’t even have the ingredients listed in the supplement! At times the side effects go unreported. Dr. Oz with his unscientific … Continue reading →

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Making a house call

Posted on May 26, 2019 by Jim deMaine

In order to be with my Dad, after dinner I’d go on house calls with him.  We’d drive to parts of town I’d never seen, and using the car’s spotlight we’d search out the right house number, often with no … Continue reading →

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Making ears out of apples

Posted on May 25, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Gordon G for finding this interesting TED talk. Andrew Pelling is a biohacker, and nature is his hardware. His favorite materials are the simplest ones (and oftentimes he finds them in the garbage). Building on the cellulose structure … Continue reading →

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Biggest World Problems

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Here’s a list made up by my favorite 8th grader. What’s your list? It’s a little shy on the “what can I do to help” but she’s still got time – especially when she becomes President!

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Health Care Guide for Seniors in Seattle

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Below is a guide to health care in Seattle which was presented today by Dr. Lee Burnside. This effort was sponsored by the SRA and the Health Care Committee.

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Was It an Invisible Attack on U.S. Diplomats, or Something Stranger?

Posted on May 18, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed note: The article below from the New York Times raises the possibility, even probability, that those diplomats in Cuba were affected by a “functional” psychogenic type of disorder. It’s a real, treatable and widely misunderstood – a neurologic phenomenon … Continue reading →

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