Want to stay fit?

For most people, keeping fit is very difficult and takes dedication and initiative. You find yourself making excuses as to why you can't go to the gym and little by little you eventually stop going altogether.

But when you do go, you like the rush that you get after a great workout. You like seeing the positive results that you get. For some the results may not be as great, but that may be because they are not using the right exercises.

Enter in, CrossFit.com. This website shows you how to perform exercises correctly, what the exercises are good for and lists how they are effective. There is a long list of exercises available, so you'll find various different ones for your needs.

CrossFit.com even has a section for children as well. This section will keep kids active while keeping them physically fit. Give CrossFit a try for yourself and see how well you can do!

Universal Health Care

For many Americans, it is either difficult or impossible to get health care because they either carry little insurance or none at all. A Universal Health Care system in the U.S. would fix this problem. Proponents say that it allows all to receive health care, no matter what income level or injury you have. Opponents blast that the coverage is inadequate and wait times are too long.

Many developed countries across the world have some sort of Universal Health Care. In fact, the United States is one of the few developed countries that does not offer free medical care. In the U.K., the health system is primarily funded by taxation, while conversely, Canada's health system is funded through taxes, yet at least 30% is paid through the private sector or individuals.

I know that American's don't like to be taxed, in fact, I bet you can ask pretty much any one in the world and the answer would be the same. In this instance, I believe that the U.S. could possibly reduce income taxes and basically create a Universal Health Care tax, in which all medical charges would be paid through.

Of course this would really throw the system we have in place into an upheaval. Doctors are used to making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. How would this affect their salaries? I'm sure that they would have to decline. Some of these salaries are outrageous. Although, I know a lot of this ends up as malpractice insurance and also helps to offset the costs of medical school, but past that, it is all money in their pocket.

I believe that medical care is one thing that should be given to all citizens as a protection of their government. If we can't properly care for our citizens, who will we have left?

Passing of a Generation

I found this through an email I had received. I decided to post this exactly as it is on the original web page for a couple of reasons. First, the web page is very poorly designed and has a really distracting background. Second, I believe that this generation deserves to be recognized before they are all gone. Everything you see below is an exact copy from the web page. Thank you to all who serve and have served in our Nation's Armed Forces.

FROM A MILITARY DOC

I am a doctor specializing in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level One-Trauma Centers, both in San Antonio, TX and they care for civilian Emergencies as well as military personnel. San Antonio has the largest military retiree population in the world living here. As a military doctor, I work long hours and the pay is less than glamorous. One tends to become jaded by the long hours, lack of sleep, food, family contact and the endless parade of human suffering passing before you. The arrival of another ambulance does not mean more pay, only more work.

Most often, it is a victim from a motor vehicle crash.

Often it is a person of dubious character who has been shot or stabbed. With our large military retiree population, it is often a nursing home patient. Even with my enlisted service and minimal combat experience in Panama, I have caught myself groaning when the ambulance brought in yet another sick, elderly person from one of the local retirement centers that cater to military retirees. I had not stopped to think of what citizens of this age group represented.

I saw "Saving Private Ryan." I was touched deeply. Not so much by the carnage, but by the sacrifices of so many. I was touched most by the scene of the elderly survivor at the graveside, asking his wife if he'd been a good man. I realized that I had seen these same men and women coming through my Emergency Dept. and had not realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made. The things they did for me and everyone else that has lived on this planet since the end of that conflict are priceless.

Situation permitting, I now try to ask my patients about their experiences. They would never bring up the subject without the inquiry. I have been privileged to an amazing array of experiences, recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an Emergency Dept. encounter. These experiences have revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honor of serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission to the hospital.

There was a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young enlisted medic, trying to start an IV line in her arm. She remained calm and poised, despite her illness and the multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. She was what we call a "hard stick." As the medic made another attempt, I noticed a number tattooed across her forearm. I touched it with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply said, "Auschwitz." Many of later generations would have loudly and openly berated the young medic in his many attempts. How different was the response from this person who'd seen unspeakable suffering.

Also, there was this long retired Colonel, who as a young officer had parachuted from his burning plane over a Pacific Island held by the Japanese. Now an octogenarian, he had a minor cut on his head from a fall at his home where he lived alone. His CT scan and suturing had been delayed until after midnight by the usual parade of high priority ambulance patients. Still spry for his age, he asked to use the phone to call a taxi, to take him home, then he realized his ambulance had brought him without his wallet. He asked if he could use the phone to make a long distance call to his daughter who lived 7 miles away. With great pride we told him that he could not, as he'd done enough for his country and the least we could do was get him a taxi home, even if we had to pay for it ourselves. My only regret was that my shift wouldn't end for several hours, and I couldn't drive him myself.

I was there the night MSgt Roy Benavidez came through the Emergency Dept. for the last time. He was very sick. I was not the doctor taking care of him, but I walked to his bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick, he didn't know I was there. I'd read his Congressional Medal of Honor citation and wanted to shake his hand. He died a few days later.

The gentleman who served with Merrill's Marauders, the survivor of the Bataan Death March, the survivor of Omaha Beach, the 101 year old World War I veteran, the former POW held in frozen North Korea, the former POW held in frozen North Korea, and the former Viet Nam Corps Commander.

I remember these citizens.

I may still groan when yet another ambulance comes in, but now I am much more aware of what an honor it is to serve these particular men and women.

I have seen a Congress who would turn their back on these individuals who've sacrificed so much to protect our liberty. I see later generations that seem to be totally engrossed in abusing these same liberties, won with such sacrifice.

It has become my personal endeavor to make the nurses and young enlisted medics aware of these amazing individuals when I encounter them in our Emergency Dept. Their response to these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all is not lost in the next generation.

My experiences have solidified my belief that we are losing an incredible generation, and this nation knows not what it is losing. Our uncaring government and ungrateful civilian populace should all take note. We should all remember that we must "Earn this."

Written By
CPT. Stephen R. Ellison, M.D.

15 year old girl gets new chance at life

A 15 year old Canadian girl recently got a new chance at life. Last year she became suddenly ill and required a heart transplant. Since she is still a teenager, they placed an artificial heart within her especially designed for children, named the Berlin Heart.

The artificial heart was to give her body more time to wait for a transplant heart. After 146 days, she received a surprise when she was told that her heart had repaired itself as it was able to rest and rebuild with the artificial heart in place.

"We thought the miracle was that the Berlin Heart would give us time to find the perfect donor heart for Melissa," said her mother, Sharon Mills, in a release. "We are overwhelmed that instead, the Berlin Heart gave her own heart time to rest and repair itself."

Since her heart had repaired itself, the doctors performed another surgery to remove the artificial heart.

I think this is just a wonderful story. It's nice to see good news for a change. I just hope this girl's heart is able to stay healthy. I don't know how I would feel if this were my daughter. I would be elated, but at the same time, I think I would be worried that it could happen again. Hopefully she is able to stay healthy.