On Thanksgiving Day last year, Lee Sheppard ended up in the emergency room suffering from kidney failure. he had been diagnosed many years earlier with polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary condition that had killed his father and grandfather. he had lived with the disease for years with few symptoms until that day.

Doctors had told him his kidneys would only last about a year in 2010. but large, dark cysts caused severe pain for Sheppard and brought concern about cancer. Doctors removed both of his kidneys, which were functioning at less than 20 percent of normal.

Following the surgery, Sheppard began dialysis and his wife began to ponder giving him her kidney.

“It was amazing how many lovely people came out of the woodwork and volunteered their kidneys. It’s not something that’s easy to say ‘thank you’ to when somebody offers you such a great gift,” Pam Sheppard said. “I felt so privileged that I became the best match.”

“How overwhelmingly grateful I am for my wife for making such a sacrifice. we feel so liberated and energized for what the future holds, so, we’re deeply grateful,” Lee Sheppard said.    

“we already enjoyed a rich love together, but this last year — which has been a journey — has reinforced it in such a way that it’s hard to put a finger on it,” Lee Sheppard said. “The transplant center team is very, very profession and does everything it can to make sure nothing goes wrong … but also (shows) real concern, really compassionate.”

Dr. James Stinson recalled the first such donation — 28 years ago — when a sister gave a kidney to her brother.

“It freed him from dialysis and gave him many years of life that he would not otherwise have had,” he said.

Today, the Intermountain Transplant Program performs more than 135 heart, kidney, liver and pancreas transplants each year.

Dr. Diane Alonso, another surgeon with the Intermountain Transplant Team, recognized the courage and generosity of the human spirit.

“It cements that living donation is a vial source of organs not only in this state but in the country, but particularly in this state,” she said. “At our institution, 50 percent of our kidney donations are from live donors.”

I have done lots of research and I found out the symptoms of minor dyslexia match with my daily routine: the symptoms include things like bad handwriting, clumsiness, a good long term memory for places etc. I think I should really tell my parents about my condition because I don't think they really know about it. unfortunately, I don't think they'd believe me if I told them about it, what should I do?

If you think you have it, tell them. you need testing to confirm that you have it. one thing to do is print out a list of the symptoms and check off the ones you have to show to your parents. That may convince them if they don't believe it otherwise.

If they don't think you need testing, or don't believe you, talk to a counselor or teacher at your school. (Some places have staff in during vacation. either way, if it's not affecting your daily life too much, you can probably wait until school's back in, unless it already is).

it doesnt really matter if they do or not EVERYONE is slightly dyslexic.

my dads dyslexic and he is a cop so it doesnt actuly affect your daily routine that much.
im dyslexic and my mom wont belive me but my dad does

so realy just say im dyslexic if they believe you great if they dont then al that matters is that you know

its not serious at all lol

tell them that you want to make a test to see if you have it or not, tell them a lot of kids in your age make those tests and you want to make it too, cause you think you have it.
dyslexia it's quite common, don't make a big deal out of it.

tell them. then if they dont belive you show them all the research you did. give them examples of your life that match up with the symptoms. then ask over and over to be tested. but the worst that can happen by you telling them is they dont belive you. nothing worse.

the internet may lie, but just to be sure, go to your oarents and tell them that you want to see a doctor to see if you have a disease, dont tell them wich one, but then tell them that you havent been feeling good, and not like a normal cold.

tell them how your feeling and that you did research and that it could be a minor form of dyslexia. be mature about it, your health is very important and im sure your parents will believe you that your not making this up. you've got nothing to loose hun!

tell them either way. then if they don't believe you tell them to take you to the doctors and prove them wrong

you should tell them they are your parents they are not going to think any different of you your there flesh and blood they will love you and understand you no matter what just tell them

LOL.. tell them buddy…. just say "Dad, Mom, dyslexic am I!"

We hear it all the time … lose weight for your health. Few yet realize how far this is critical to their physical and ultimately their life expectancy.

In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association presented a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. the study showed an obese white man 20 years old, (5’10 “) 178 cm and weight (288 lbs) 130 kg was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a consequence of obesity.

It is now well research that a Western diet leading to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells. it is never too late to improve your health through healthful eating and adopting a lifestyle that gives health. here are the simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.

1. Check if you are overweight or obese.

To find your BMI is necessary to divide the weight (measured in kilos) by height (in meters) squared. if the result is greater than 25 years, their health can be improved by weight loss.

2. Match your diet to your body’s needs.

If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires putting on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. they also learn how to snack with healthful choices.

3. Color your diet with a variety of fruit, and cancer-fighting vegetables.there are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruits and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.

4. Eat lean protein at every meal.Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. Adequate supply of protein is essential to control your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit, white meat chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy substitutes for meat .

5. Speed ??up your metabolism with activity.if you want to enjoy a lifetime of well-being, exercise is a key ingredient. thirty minutes of activity every day that takes as much effort as brisk walking, is recommended for adults. Children should be active for an hour each day.

6. get support to ensure you develop a healthy eating plan and reach your ideal weight.

One study, “Effects of Internet behavioral counseling on weight loss in adults with type 2 diabetes risk,” shows that participants who had the support of weight loss coaching lost more weight than those who do not made. the study concluded that the support of a coach weight loss can significantly improve weight loss results.

Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the principal avoidable risk of cancer development. even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it’s never too late to start and never too young or too old to be concerned about their health and do something about achieving a healthier weight.

Newswise — MAYWOOD, Ill. – If you thought the regular seasonal flu has been late making its annual appearance, you might be surprised to learn that based on recent history, it’s right on time.

February is again proving to be the peak time for cases of influenza in Illinois and across the nation. according to the Illinois Department of Public Health the number of people with the flu is spiking, and many more people are likely to fall ill before the season ends.

“For the last 30 years in the United States, February has been the prime month for illness with the regular seasonal flu, though infections can occur in April and as late as may,” said internal medicine physician Dr. Michael Koller of Loyola University Health system (LUHS).

The H1N1 strain, also known as “swine flu,” is still around but it’s not as widespread. To account for its presence, this year’s flu vaccine contains the H1N1 strain as well as two others – the Perth H3N2 virus and the B Brisbane virus. Fortunately, this year’s vaccine has been a good match to the strains circulating in the United States. So getting a vaccine this late in the season can still offer protection, even if flu activity has already started in your area.

“Doctors used to advise getting a flu shot only in October and November. Now doctors vaccinate through February because it only takes about two weeks to develop an antibody response after the flu shot,” Koller said.

The flu (or influenza) is a highly contagious viral infection that attacks the respiratory system. each year in the U.S. between 5-20 percent of the population contracts the flu. the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a universal recommendation this year that children age 6 months and older should get an influenza vaccination.

The CDC also recommends vaccinations for people ages 50 and older and for anyone with a chronic illness such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease. this includes people who have weakened immune systems and those infected with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS).

Flu symptoms tend to come on abruptly and affect the entire body. Symptoms include a high fever, intense chills, body aches, exhaustion and constant, unproductive cough. In our area, flu appears almost only during the winter. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, it is best to act fast and speak to your doctor within 12 to 48 hours.

Since 2009, Loyola has required mandatory flu shot for all employees, faculty, medical and nursing students and other allied groups who work or have clinical training at the Loyola’s campus in Maywood and its suburban health centers. for the second consecutive year, more than 99 percent of those covered by the policy received vaccinations. Also, all visitors to Loyola with coughs are being asked to wear masks as are hospital employees who were medically exempt from Loyola’s mandatory flu shot policy.

“Mandating flu shots for all our employees is absolutely the right thing to do,” said Dr. Jorge Parada, director of infection prevention and control at LUHS. “The simple fact is that this is the profession that we have all chosen. the last thing we should be doing is putting our patients at risk when it is totally unnecessary. this is big safety issue.”

As well as the spike in cases of the flu, Loyola and other hospitals are seeing a spike in the number of cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an infection of the small airways of the lungs that’s also known as bronchiolitis.

“RSV is one of those respiratory viruses that can produce flu-like symptoms,” Parada said. “In adults, it’s generally mild. In young children, especially babies and children with respiratory problems, it can be life threatening and those children require immediate medical attention.”

Like the flu, RSV is highly contagious. it can be spread by physical contact with someone who is infected and through the air by coughing and sneezing. Basic hygiene like the washing your hands and covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing can help prevent the spread of both illnesses.

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If you thought the regular seasonal flu has been late making its annual appearance, you might be surprised to learn that based on recent history, it’s right on time.

February is again proving to be the peak time for cases of influenza in Illinois and across the nation. according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the number of people with the flu is spiking, and many more people are likely to fall ill before the season ends.

“for the last 30 years in the United States, February has been the prime month for illness with the regular seasonal flu, though infections can occur in April and as late as may,” said Dr. Michael Koller, an internal medicine physician at Loyola University Health System.

The H1N1 strain, also known as “swine flu,” is still around, but it’s not as widespread. this year’s flu vaccine contains the H1N1 strain as well as two others – the Perth H3N2 virus and the B Brisbane virus. Fortunately, this year’s vaccine has been a good match to the strains circulating in the United States. so getting a vaccine this late in the season can still offer protection, even if flu activity has already started.

“Doctors used to advise getting a flu shot only in October and November. Now doctors vaccinate through February because it only takes about two weeks to develop an antibody response after the flu shot,” Koller said.

The flu, or influenza, is a highly contagious viral infection that attacks the respiratory system. Each year in the U.S. between 5 to 20 percent of the population contracts the flu. the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a universal recommendation this year that children age 6 months and older get an influenza vaccination.

The CDC also recommends vaccinations for people ages 50 and older and for anyone with a chronic illness such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease. this includes people who have weakened immune systems and those infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Flu symptoms tend to come on abruptly and affect the entire body. Symptoms include a high fever, intense chills, body aches, exhaustion and a constant, unproductive cough. In our area, flu appears almost only during the winter. If you are experiencing flulike symptoms, it is best to act fast and speak to your doctor within 12 to 48 hours.

Since 2009, Loyola has required mandatory flu shot for all employees, faculty, medical and nursing students and other allied groups who work or have clinical training at Loyola’s campus in Maywood and its suburban health centers. for the second consecutive year, more than 99 percent of those covered by the policy received vaccinations. also, all visitors to Loyola with coughs are being asked to wear masks as are hospital employees who were medically exempt from Loyola’s mandatory flu shot policy.

“Mandating flu shots for all our employees is absolutely the right thing to do,” said Dr. Jorge Parada, director of infection prevention and control at LUHS. “the simple fact is that this is the profession that we have all chosen. the last thing we should be doing is putting our patients at risk when it is totally unnecessary. this is big safety issue.”

As well as the spike in flu cases, Loyola and other hospitals are seeing an increase in the number of patients with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an infection of the small airways of the lungs that is also known as bronchiolitis.

“RSV is one of those respiratory viruses that can produce flulike symptoms,” Parada said. “In adults, it’s generally mild. In young children, especially babies and children with respiratory problems, it can be life threatening and those children require immediate medical attention.”

Like the flu, RSV is highly contagious. It can be spread by physical contact with someone who is infected and through the air by coughing and sneezing. Basic hygiene like washing your hands and covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing can help prevent the spread of both illnesses.

Provided by Loyola University Health System (news : web)

THURSDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) — Patients struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome may be helped the most when standard treatment is coupled with cognitive behavior therapy or exercise therapy, new British research suggests.

The apparent promise of cognitive behavior therapy and "graded exercise therapy" offers considerable hope to patients combating the complex condition characterized by profound tiredness, impaired concentration, diminished memory, sleep difficulties and muscle and joint pain, the study authors said.

The findings also support the somewhat controversial notion that incremental adjustments in physical behavior and/or mental attitude can ultimately have a positive impact on the disorder, the authors said.

The standard intervention, known as specialist medical care, is centered around giving patients information about their condition, advice on how to manage symptoms and assistance with coping approaches.

The research team behind the new study found little appreciable benefit with a third alternate therapeutic approach that focuses on helping patients strictly structure their activity and relaxation routines to match their severely reduced energy levels. this strategy, known as "adaptive pacing therapy," assumes that chronic fatigue syndrome is not, in fact, reversible with behavioral changes.

"Patients who received either graded exercise therapy or cognitive behavior therapy reported less fatigue and better function than those who received either adaptive pacing therapy or specialist medical care alone," said study author Dr. Peter D. White, a professor of psychological medicine at Barts and the London School of Medicine, and a psychiatrist at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London.

White and his colleagues report their findings in the Feb. 18 online edition of The Lancet.

The authors noted that it is not yet understood what gives rise to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

The cognitive behavioral therapy targets the building fear and avoidance of activity that can exacerbate CFS. In effect, it seeks to break a vicious cycle in which mental inhibitions actually perpetuate and aggravate the underlying chronic fatigue.

Exercise therapy, also known as "GET," tries to reduce fatigue and disability by gradually helping patients increase their activity levels to improve their overall physical fitness.

To explore which therapies or combinations of therapies might be best, 641 chronic fatigue patients from four different rehabilitation centers in Britain were divided up into one of four groups. over the course of a year, all got standard specialist medical care, while three of the groups received one additional treatment: pacing therapy, cognitive therapy or exercise therapy.

White and his team found the greatest improvements in terms of both fatigue levels and physical function were experienced by those patients who were treated with standard therapy in combination with either cognitive therapy or exercise therapy.

What's more, patients who got a combination of standard treatment and pacing therapy fared no better than those who got standard treatment alone.

Specifically, 60 percent of the standard/cognitive or standard/GET patients experienced fatigue and function improvements, while 30 percent reported "normal levels" of fatigue and function. half as many of the standard therapy alone or standard/pacing patients reported normal fatigue and function levels.

White noted that all the treatments were equally safe, and serious reactions were rare.

"Patients now have a choice of two moderately effective and safe treatments that can help them towards a healthier life," he said.

Dr. Nancy Klimas, chief medical officer at the Chronic Fatigue Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, noted that the merits of various therapeutic approaches to chronic fatigue syndrome are still a matter of debate.

"But here Dr. White is saying that cognitive behavioral therapy and graded exercise are moderately helpful, but not curative," she said. "and I would agree with that."

"On the other hand, it's also important to note that when we talk about helping patients increase their activity levels, we're talking about people who have very limited amounts of energy," Klimas added. "and you have to work within this 'energy envelope,' because if you push beyond the threshold they will relapse. So often, what we're talking about is about five minutes of exercise before taking a rest."

"In any case, I look at this as a first step," she said, "and anticipate more effective therapies, based on a better understanding of the biology of the illness, in the future."

More information

For more on chronic fatigue syndrome, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

irishtimes.com – Last Updated: Friday, January 21, 2011, 13:09

Rugby: The injury concerns continue to mount for Ireland coach Declan Kidney with the news that the Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe has been ruled out of tomorrow’s match against Toulon with an as yet unspecified knee problem.

Kidney has already lost Rob Kearney and Geordan Murphy from his back three for the Six Nations with long-term injuries while Luke Fitzgerald has only just returned to action following a lengthy lay-off of his own.

The potential absence of Bowe, who had been touted as a possible option at fullback, would merely serve to compound matters for Kidney and his management team.

The Ospreys have yet to confirm the exact nature of Bowe’s injury with their medical team due to carry out further tests in the coming days.

“We’ve withdrawn Tommy from this weekend’s game on medical grounds, pending further investigation and specialist opinion for a knee problem,” explained physio Chris Towers.

“Due to the onset of some recent symptoms we scanned him this week, which highlighted an issue that could potentially develop into something problematic. as such, we felt that it is in Tommy’s best interest to take these precautions.

“We have notified the Irish medical team, and following further investigations next week we should be able to establish the most appropriate course of treatment for the problem, and to confirm whether it will interfere with Tommy’s involvement in the Six Nations with Ireland.”

Ireland are due to open their Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome February 5th.

By Stacey Singer

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 4:57 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010

Posted: 11:51 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010

Influenza is back, and it’s surging about two weeks earlier than usual in Florida, health officials said Wednesday.

The most common flu strain is different than last year’s H1N1 swine flu. This time, it’s the H3 strain making the local rounds, and it has contributed to the deaths of 123 people in Florida so far this season, health officials said.

In Palm Beach County, 10 residents and four staff members of a single nursing home were among those sickened by the virus, in late November. they all took Tamiflu and recovered, health officials said.

Importantly, this year’s H3 flu strain is a good match for this year’s vaccine, which is still widely available. People who were vaccinated against the H1N1 strain last year won’t be protected against this H3 strain, and need to be revaccinated, health officials said.

The H3 flu is sensitive to Tamiflu, the antiviral medicine that many people stockpiled last year amid pandemic fears.

There may be a flu-fatigue effect happening this year. Clinics are reporting light interest in the vaccine after last year’s near miss with the pandemic strain, which wasn’t as contagious or as virulent as advertised.

Interest in the shots this year has been so anemic that urgent care chain MedExpress announced it would be giving them away for free to children in kindergarden through the 12th grade until Jan. 15. It has four locations in Palm Beach County. Visit medexpress.com for addresses.

The Palm Beach County Health Department has a grant to provide flu vaccines in all elementary schools. This year about 20 percent fewer parents gave permission for their kids to be vaccinated. About 15,000 children were vaccinated.

"We can only speculate why," said Dr. Marsha Fishbane, school health director for the Health Department. "our vendors said that across the country, many areas are experiencing a drop of even more than 20 percent in vaccinations."

Perhaps it was the lack of last year’s odd summer flu spike, or the fact that this year, there’s no pandemic fear, she said.

But although the flu may be manageable for most healthy people, state health officials underscored its continued danger to pregnant women, people with chronic disease and those who are immune compromised.

"We want to urge people who have not had a flu vaccine that it’s not too late, and they should take precautions," said Julia Gill, director of the Florida Department of Health’s disease control division, during a news conference.

Gill said the news conference was called, in part, because 4.5 percent of all emergency room visits in Florida are now for flu-like symptoms. That’s more than twice what the ERs usually see at this time of year.

There have been three localized outbreaks reported in the state, including the Palm Beach County nursing home, a Brevard County long-term care facility and a school in Hendry County.

Even more widespread than the flu right now are the cold virus and respiratory synctial virus, which can be dangerous for premature infants, state figures show. Adenovirus and parainfluenza are also prevalent.

Gill underscored the importance of taking precautions against all respiratory diseases: stay home when sick; wash hands frequently; and avoid touching your mouth and nose.

Nationally, officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are keeping an eye out for yet another novel strain of swine flu that was discovered in Minnesota. It’s an H3N2 strain, and six people have been identified with it. That’s not the strain circulating in Florida right now, based on subtyping done at state labs, Gill said.

"This year this strain of influenza a is just the normal circulating strain that we usually see, and it is a very good match for the influenza vaccine that is being given this year," Gill said.