Emergency Poetry

Taketoyo POETRY BY DRJPWINTER

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TO SEASONS OF COEUR

drjpwinter

As young love brilliance faded,
Storms of passion now jaded –
As friendship salvage tenets stated,
Love and the spirit must be traded.

*****

“TO FAMILIES OF EMERGENCIES”

drjpwwinter

Harmony or storms

Riding life’s ocean waves –

With dangerous sneaker forms

Which always, love saves.

*****

“TO EMERGENCIES BONDING”

jpwinter

Nature’s bucky balls fly

In cosmos carbon flight –

Not to any naked eye

Bonds of absolute might.

*****

“TO THE CALL – STAT, STAT, STAT”

drjpwinter

ER team looks for life’s sign

DOA, Trauma Red and Code Blue –

Emergency calls define

As malpractice and lawyers ensue.

*****

TO FAVORITE DAUGHTERS

drjpwinter

One never knows of  love

As depth of breaths recede –

And graceful prayer rains from above,

A newborn rainbow when dark clouds preceed.

*****

“TO THE SEASONALLY EMERGENT”

drjpwinter

Winter wonderland

Spring wildflower in hand –

Summer parade band

Fall colors in ocean sand.

*****

“TO MY MENTOR MRYUK”

drjpwinter

Wizard to honor

Comrade to hail –

Physician of poisons

Career sunset sail.

HOMELAND FOUND IN IRELAND Farmland of County Cork – OWENS

Having travelled from Coeur d’ Alene through London, to Ireland, we found the land of green…and my ethnic and my heritage.  In County Cork, 20 or so miles from City Cork, a few miles south of the small area of Mallow, near the Mourne Parrish, whe the Bishop was coming to confirm the next generation, was a small farm…after we found an ol’ Irish gal pushing a stroller, a great-granddaughter perhaps, then to an ol’ gentleman who had heard and met some Owens in the past…”not many around now…” and then a young lad…5-7 years who said, he didn’t know, but, “was it important!”  And he added, the yound lady with him was “Polish” and she wouldn’t know…to the old possibly bachealor dairy farmer, pushing a wheelbarrow full of cow manure with a three prong pitchfork laid across, working so hard to see us through the coke-bottom thickened glasses with nails of a working farmer…skeptical to come close perhaps firstly, then, offering the Gealic version of Gealic or a mix, sure to confuse a traveler.  But, he knew the name, lahakaneen or lakahaneen, and knew the farm and the name.  And he knew just down the hill and the most two important turns of the travel.  For this was my homeland, Ireland, through County Cork, across the ocean, the Ellis Isle and New York, and later, MinnEsOtaH.  Kiss the ol’ farmhouse for all the Owens, alive and passed, for this was THE homeland, in Ireland, on this day.  God bless all Irish!

Dr. Jim Winter (Owens of County Cork)

music is not soul…it is the soul

Music is the soul.  Music is the release of life.  Music is the now.  Do not wonder how the musician can create but wonder why.  Music is not the future, nor the past.  Music is the now.  Be bold musicians.  Be brave musicians.  Wonder only beyond the noise, create only beyond the universe.    drjpw

EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS – ILLICIT DRUG ABUSE TOP TEN

poppy.gifAccording to D.A.W.N. which stands for Drug Abuse Warning Network the top ten Emergency Department visits were surprising. Although this list is published openly, it does run about 1-2 years behind.

COCAINE………………………..OVER 448,000

MARIJUANA……………………..OVER 242,000

HEROIN………………………….OVER 164,000

meth-1.pngMETHAMPHETAMINE…………..ALMOST 109,000

ECSTASY (mdma)……………..ALMOST 11,000

PCP………………………………OVER 7500

INHALANTS……………………..OVER 4300

HALLUCINOGENS……………….OVER 3700

LSD………………………………OVER 1800

GHB………………………………OVER 1800

This data is from a reporting system in the United States. Many times, GHB for instance, is gone from detection upon arrival to an Emergency Room. Many inhalants cause death, therefore do not show up in the Emergency Room, but rather the Coroner’s venue. Many times the data is also regionally directed, for instance, in high methamphetamine areas, illicit use might be seen higher in the corresponding Emergency Departments.

To round out this medical commentary today, the United States still has these top ten killers. ecg_evol1.gif

This data is from the 2004 National Center for Health Statistics, the latest full database.  Prevention is the key in almost all of these killers.  With the severe childhood obesity concern in the United States, these data may get thrown in the air, with new issues on top.  For instance, diabetes and asthma may replace the first and second positions due to the issues of childhood health management in general.

HEART DISEASE……………………………………………………………………………27.2%

CANCER…………………………………………………………………………………23.1

CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES…………………………..6.3%

CHRONIC LOWER RESPIRATORY DISEASES…………5.1%

UNINTENTIONAL INJURY…………………………..4.7%

DIABETES MELLITUS……………………………..3.1%

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE………………………2.8%

INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA……2.5%

KIDNEY DISEASES……………….1.8%

SEPTIC CONDITIONS……….1.4%

SQUIRREL ATTACK DURING HIDE N’ GO SEEK FATHER-DAUGHTER’S BONDING STORY

All my daughter’s friends were over for their little party.
These eight or so girls, all about 7 years old were playing crazily. You see wintertime had broken in Minnesota, and the summer was near.  But it was one of those days you live for there, vibrant blue sky, gentle breeze, and life’s passions greening up.
Well, the little girls had played on the playground equipment for quite awhile, and in the sand making “things.”   They were drawing chalk style hopscotch boards on the sidewalks, and had jumped rope without any bruises.   Such a great day, such harmony in family and friends with nature watching.
My daughter and her little friends decided it was time to play “hide n’ go seek."   No one better to hide than dad.   Their collective eyes leaked with sincerity of request.   How could any father turn such princesses and angels down for this next fun event, on such a great day, in such prime weather, in Minnesota ?
The "search and rescue" group of small girls began to count.  
ONE. TWO.
Meanwhile, my scurrying about reminded me to tell them to, “Count Loud” and “NO peeking."    They, in unison, guaranteed this with giggles and laughter.
THREE.   FOUR.
My eye scanned the topography.   Where to hide?   How long would it be to hide quickly, yet stealth like?   Scanning the local yard’s horizon, a brilliant idea now could become reality.   Ha ha ha.   Those little ones will never see me there.
FIVE.
Quickly, quietly, and with ease my legs jumped up into the tree.   This tree was strong.   It could hold an adult, even a hidden stealthy adult.   Lots of those huge Minnesota leaves that would cover all the color of the “hide n’ go seek” secret agent.   So covert.
SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT.
Hurriedly my arms pulled my body into location, in the tree.   Knowing how to quickly judge and climb a tree was like riding a bicycle or swimming to me.   All those hours building huge tree houses in the skies of tall ash or elm trees now would pay off.   All those limb evaluations of size versus strength and caliber were emblazoned in this climber.   This was a confident spot.
NINE.
As my arms lifted me into position, with my sitting spot almost prepared, the little girls were starting to rustle.   Shifting my seat gently as not to be heard by doing a pull-up on the branch above, suddenly my stealthy world changed.
TEN.
As my pull-up ended, my line of sight was slightly diagonally upward.   A loud noise, a squeal.   Then heard of buffalo, a covey of quail, and a wild horse stampede came right at me! My ears were frozen on the word, “TEN” that the little princesses had yelled.   My eyes were beyond frozen to see eye to eye with it.

Squirrel attack !!!   

Yes, man to female animal, face to face, and eye to eye there it was.  No time for a counterattack.   It was cold.   It was heartless.   The attack of the mother squirrel was like no other.   Brutally shown teeth, larger than a shark – claws drawn, sharper than the griz.   Lightening speed, out of no where.   An ICBM loaded and launched at the intruder.   No early warning system for the unprepared “hide n’ go seeker.”   BAM.   The war was on.   Knowing my face had been hit, a cover was needed.  No where to hide now.   Too far up to jump, as a youth might attempt.   Age and wisdom prevented that action quickly.   Swiping away the blood, my fight was limitless but so ill directed.   Not once was there a hit on the enemy despite readjusting my coordinates while in the leaves.   Retreat was the only option.   Cut the losses.   Sooner, not later.   This mother wasn’t retreating from the nest she had so preciously prepared for the family.

The gaggle of girls was coming down the sidewalk.   They too had heard the noisy breach of the stealthy sacred safe place.   It was over…almost.

The “hide n’ go seeker” now did what all attacked, retreating, and severely mentally and physically injured “hide n’ go seekers” do.   Swing out of the tree.   With two great leaps of caliber-calculating swings, my feet hit terra firma.   Solid.   Looking around quickly, the attack was over.  

All the faithful players of the “hide n’ go seek” family game came running. My position was still of a prepared martial arts stance, ready to counter strike as if a secondary push might occur.

“We see you,” they all yelled.   The girls approached quickly to prove they had seen me.   But as they received their victory in game, they realized what was different.   Suddenly, they all began screaming at the top of their choral lungs, high pitched in fear, yelling and running away faster and faster.  My daughter said, "Daddy, you have blood,” and she ran away too, to the safety of the flock.   Reaching up to my face, it was warm, and slippery.   Looking at my hand, realizing my sweat from the environmental battle was not red – it was blood.   Wiping away the blood from my hand to my pants, the flow of blood continued.   A painted warrior of sorts.

My wife came outside to see how things were going with the “hide n’ go seek” game.   She had come around a corner just as the girls were approaching. “My goodness,” she said, “Why did you fly out of that tree…to scare the girls…They were yelling so loud…And YOU looked like a gorilla flying out of the tree… AND you are bleeding!”   “What happened?”  
Re-living it…worse….
 

As my eyes close yet to this day, that mother squirrel is in my view forever.   Everyone survived. A family moment. A father-daughter memory forever.  And now you know why my 20 something daughter sends reminders once in a while, and why she sent me a shirt with a squirrel on it that states the rules:  “ADVICE FROM A SQUIRREL.”  

YELLOW BELLIED MARMOTS AND CASTMD BATTLES OF EPIC PROPORTIONS

 

Manage albums

 

Those darn "yellow-bellied" marmots.  Yes, my wife and I did talk with the Minister of the Blog-O-Sphere last Saturday at the Shabby sale.  I was telling him, while my wife laughed WITH me, not AT me the infamous tales of the marmot wars going on at our home.

 

 

Manage albums

We live up on a hill.  It has always been peaceful.  Then one day, while playing my guitar sitting on the deck…I see what??  This big flowered plant in my wife’s garden area is shaking back and forth.  What??  Did my eyes deceive me??  Looking around the lawn and into the aspen trees, no wind was noted.  Then suddenly, like someone had yelled, “TIMBER” in my ears, the plant fell over..crashing into the lawn.  Now one might think I was crazy.  But, I carefully placed my guitar on the stool…walked over to the now fallen beautiful comrade.  Yup…eaten flat across…sharp dissection as with a scalpel blade…less bloody in vision, but more bloody in revengeful feelings.  Let the war begin! 

Manage albums

We had been having trouble with some of our plants and flowers.  It continued randomly until more lakeside building below us happened.  These marmots, cute, furry, and cuddly, are quite the resistant critter.  What to do.  One of the local varmint guys said, “All’s you can do is shoot ‘em.”  In the neighborhood I thought?  Hardly.  Plus, they’re stealthy and quick.  They watch for you.  A squeak from a door alone will alarm their defensive dive into the ground.

 

We saw an ad or product about keeping the varmints away.  They were these submarine-torpedo looking aluminum rods.  Standing about 20 inches tall and 2 inches in diameter, with batteries loaded, you push them into the ground.  At random times, a signal is sent shaking the earth…maybe similar to the new movie, Ocean’s 13.  Well, anyway, we had these avenger rods throughout our garden and greenery.  Day after day…the plants were felled like a clear-cut in the woods.  What were we to do…?

 

We thought there was a rather large family reunion of these varmints, marmots now called of the squirrel family…near one of our home-grown rock planters.  I paid my son and his buddies years ago, a dime for every rock bigger than their hands, to build these planters.  This area became ground zero.  So, the water hose it was, "water boarding," I thought.  We waited and stalked the critters.  Flushed for hours, trying to make their life miserable.  What did I see?  I swear to the Almighty, one of them sliding down the hillside, like kids on a Slip n’ Slide®!

 

Now knowing that my enemy was strong and well fortressed, it was time to talk with more professionals.  Well, my attention was directed to the smoke bombs.  These things are more powerful than Superman, more web entangling than Spiderman, and more dangerous than CatWoman.  So I purchased a sleeve of these poisonous smoke producing rods.  Well, off to the planning stage again, securing a savagely strategic plot against those critters.  No more buying flowers and plants redundantly.  Think of the money to be saved.  Early retirement I thought.

 

So, I carefully inspected the hillside.  Monitoring each and every move by these unwelcome visitors, THIS plan would become the "Mission Accomplished.” 

 

While holding my breath literally, I lit one of these smoke bombs and slid it into the hole.  Then number two into another, then number three, and lastly number four…like torpedoes being called from the master.

 

I thought this will be it.  Victory so close to grasp. 

 

After about three to four minutes, happily watching from my perched binocular position, an amazing universal, near existential experience was witnessed.  My whole hillside now smoked, not the four holes…but hundreds.  Like the exhausting sulfur gas fields of Yellowstone and Glacier, the property was steaming with this poisonous smoke. 

  

Within a few minutes, I thought, someone is going to call the Fire Department due to all the smoke.  Outlet after outlet, the rising smoke then diminished.  It was over.  The offensive was over.  My observation keen.  Success.

 

Call me crazy, but thinking back, I swear the smell of cigar smoke was amongst the gas-smoke smell.  Could those little furry varmints have been sittin’ back with a cold one, smokin’ a cigar in their cozy dens, watching the doctor’s next strategic play? 

 

The next morning, about three more plants had been felled…But soon, new construction left huge rocks and boulders about a block away.         

It seemed they found a new territory.

Manage albums

 

 BREAKING TV NEWS AFTER MY BLOGPOST: MARMOT INVASION

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POISON CENTERS AND TOXINS AND POISONINGS METH to METHANOL to MUSHROOMS – One Call 1-800-222-1222

This is the time of year when lawn chemicals, yard cleanups, and neighborhood events start to be exposed and available to little hands.  Certainly many chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides, fuels, and cleaning agents are ubiquitous in homes and garages.  But beware.  Many of these chemicals are poisonous and dangerous with regard to flammability, explosiveness, and chemical burns.

Each dollar invested in poison centers saves about seven dollars in expenses not needed if the patients go into their doctor, their clinics, or their hospitals.  This is a great public health service.

Over the years since the early 60's, the poison centers have become an integral part of the healthcare network.  Now with the terrorism issues, the poison centers have become an integral monitoring source of information, as many times calls come to the poison centers early and often, thereby making a grid of what is happening and where it is happening.

For instance, when the bad botulism toxin product that was being used by spas and clinics that were trying to save money by not buying and using the approved botulinum toxin brand, the poison centers were seeing a problem early.  Patients across the country, in pockets, were being paralyzed – not just the muscles of the eyebrow, forehead, and other smaller muscles.

The poison centers across the USA now have a single number.  Depending on your area code, your call will be forwarded to the center in your area, or the one contracted by your state officials.  For instance, Idaho calls go to Denver's poison center.  Alaska's poison calls go to Oregon.  Washington's poison center gets all of Washington State's calls.  This year that number will be around 150,000 calls!   Poison calls are answered by an expert group of pharmacists, nurses, Pharm Ds and have backup by physicians specializing in toxicology and poisonings.  It is the number that the experts in all fields, from dermatologists to kidney specialists, call when the patient has been poisoned, or is toxic from unknown sources, or when the patient doesn't act or change based upon "normal" disease states.

The goal of Poison Prevention Week is to reduce illnesses, injuries, and deaths due to poisonings; build safer communities; and reduce unnecessary health care costs for everyone.

 

Here are some ways to be poison cautious:

Obtain syrup of ipecac and keep it in your home – but use it ONLY if instructed to do so by a poison center or physician

Use child-resistant containers and remember, they are not childproof

Keep products in their original containers

Never call medicine candy or take it in the dark

Return products to storage areas immediately after use

Teach children about Mr. Yuk

Put Mr. Yuk stickers on all poisonous products  

Call the Poison Center for a free information packet and Mr. Yuk stickers  

Keep emergency numbers next to your phone:

1-800-222-1222

 

What is National Poison Prevention Week?

Public Law 87-319 authorizes the President to designate annually the third week in March as National Poison Prevention Week. This act of Congress was signed into law on September 16, 1961, by President Kennedy, after which the Poison Prevention Week Council was organized to coordinate this annual event. Congress intended this event as a means for local communities to raise awareness of the dangers of unintentional poisonings and to take such preventive measures as the dangers warrant.

(PC week and listing adapted from WAPC.org website with commentary from castMD.com)