Canswerist

One of the consequences of 16 months of chemotherapy following my March 2006 diagnosis with mantle cell lymphoma (now in remission a second time) is that my immune system is challenged. This new reality makes me far more susceptible to infections and illness, so we are guarded about exposures. That's why we were back to City of Hope Wednesday for the second of a series of seven monthly IVIG infusions (gama globulin), a class of blood plasma proteins, most notably including the antibodies that help fight infections and disease. MORE | http://wisegeek.twi.bz/a The gama globulin infusion process is not unlike chemotherapy, taking 5-6 hours to complete the dose of about a liter of fluid that looks like pink lemonade. But unlike chemo, this substance has few side-effects other than its main purpose (boosting the immune system). ___ SOURCE | http://webmd.twi.bz/e ___ SEARCH | http://google.twi.bz/aA ___ iWeb Blog | MYJ MyJournal | http://me.twi.bz/y ___ ALTACITIES | http:/ clipped fr...

It has long been common knowledge that the Canadian, British, and other western societies that have government-run health care have a rationing system for advanced critical services like open-heart surgery. Hence, stories like this one surface from time to time about high-profile citizens of these nations who choose to come to the U.S. for advanced medicine, where they probably usually pay out of pocket. All of this gives much fodder to those on the side of stopping any attempts in the USA to implement a similar system here for government-run health care. Quotable BLOGGER BEN SMITH | http://politico.twi.bz/g | "Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams is set to undergo heart surgery this week in the United States. | CBC News confirmed Monday that Williams, 60, left the province earlier in the day and will have surgery later in the week. | The premier's office provided few details, beyond confirming that he would have heart surgery and saying that it was not necessar...

Epidemiologist Lawrence Garfinkel, MA, a legendary researcher for the American Cancer Society whose work helped establish a link between cancer and smoking and other activities, died of cardiovascular disease Thursday in Seattle, Washington at 88. "The American Cancer Society today mourns the loss of one of its most important historical figures," said John R. Seffrin, PhD, the society's chief executive officer. ___ SOURCE | http://latimes.twi.bz/Z ___ SEARCH | http://google.twi.bz/Wz clipped from www.latimes.com Lawrence Garfinkel dies at 88; statistician helped link smoking to lung cancer Garfinkel had a key role in two massive studies with the American Cancer Society, one of which helped pave the way for the landmark 1964 surgeon general's report on smoking and health. Lawrence Garfinkel, the statistician who overcame his lack of a doctoral degree and training in oncology to become one of the driving forces in demonstrating that smoking causes lung cancer, died Ja...