Reflections of a Grady Doctor: Jeremiah's Eyes

    Wow! This post was very touching. It exposed a young man's greatest fear of acknowledging that he was "gay" and potentially "HIV" positive. The "Grady Doctor" was the first one who he divulged his gender identity to. He admitted that he engaged in unprotected sex with strangers. Although this is a very touching story, we all know someone who have had such struggles. Homosexuality is not accepted in many families. This results in people hiding who they think they are. I am spiritual and I don't believe that same sex relationships are the way we were intended to be, but God loves us all. It is just hard to embrace this lifestyle when you don't understand it. We all know that God makes no mistakes, so how do we accept this mistake? The Bible, the word of God as we believe it, states that God made woman for man. I guess it is obvious that I don't understand these desires nor do I believe that this behavior will ever be truly accepted by many people. 
     I am glad that the "Grady Doctor" helped him to be truthful to himself. He obviously needs counseling. It appears that he was missing something very important in his life because he was not seeking companionship from his sexual partners. He was just going through the motions. He admitted to not even knowing his partners. He stated that he let them have their way with him. It seems that he did not love himself . This goes far beyond an "identity crisis".  At least now he can get the medical help that he needs. I hope someone has seen the need to refer him for psychological help as well.

Sleep Apnea / CPAP Machine Users

     Sleep Apnea is a respiratory condition that millions of people suffer from each night. This condition results in the person having episodes of  "no breathing" while they sleep. People who suffer from this condition have to wear CPAP masks that ofter appear and feel uncomfortable. The article eluded to patients who are non-compliant with this form of treatment because of its embarrasing appearance and uncomfortable design. I chose to comment on this blog because my father suffers from this condition. He has to wear this large face mask which provides the oxygen that he needs. When he first began this form of treatment, he would seldom wear the mask. He said that it was too bulky and it affected my parents ability to "cuddle". I thought that was cute, but I expressed to him that he has to be alive to cuddle (smile). The blogger wanted to stress that there are a variety of mask options for CPAP users. This knowledge is very useful because I can pass it on to my parents. My father is doing much better now with this equipment . My parents have learned to function around it and my father feels less embarrassed. I am sure there are many others who can benefit from knowing that they have design options that may fit their needs better than what they currently have.
   

Health Affairs Blog: Do Republicans have a mandate?

     Wow! This mid-term election has been a big upset for the Democrats. But, has it truly been a victory for the Republicans? The big strategy of the GOP has been to "Repeal and Replace" Obamacare. Many of Republicans believe that this is the message that the nation has sent by putting the Republicans back in charge of the House of Representatives. Surprisingly, the exit polls have a different story. 49% of the nation voted to repeal and replace healthcare while 48% wanted to keep and expand it. This does not appear to be a obvious objection to the new healthcare reform bill that passed earlier this year. However, we know that it is not perfect, but it has given us a great jump start. I don't believe many people will object to the great provisions in the bill like 1) no pre-existing condition clauses , 2) tax credits for small businesses, 3) extending coverage for dependents until the age of 26, etc. The blog that I read suggested that Republicans are not interested in compromising to modify the existing bill because it will still give credit to the Democrats for reforming 1/6 of our entire economy. 
     The GOP need to re-evaluate their interpretaion of the message sent by the nation. The "economy" is where the stress lies. People need relief and they need it now. Unemployment is running out and even the well-educated have found themselves settling for jobs that they would not have even considered 10 years ago. But, the unemployment rate was announced to be at a record low of 9.6% from the past several years. Recovery is happening! It seems to be too slow if you are the one who's hurting. The nation is calling out, but to some, it appears to be in a foreign  language.