Dr. Thompson's Blog

More Guns=More Deaths and Injuries

I am so proud of our U.S. teenagers and those that marched with them. With Trump and the Republicans indebted to the NRA how wonderful that others decided "MO MORE". I loved the little boy standing on a barrel with a sign saying "I can't even take a peanut butter sandwich to school." And yet Trump wants guns in the classrooms for teachers!

There have been 200 school shootings since the tragedies at Sandy Hook. 96 individuals are killed every day in the U.S. by gun violence and we have 350 million guns in the United States. In Chicago alone, there have been 5000 kids killed since 2006 and 16,000 injured. I do not understand how Republicans, who are parents, can sleep at night. Of course, their children probably go to expensive private schools. 

The teens say they are going to keep the pressure up on their members of Congress. Another march is scheduled for April 20th and they plan to hold Town Halls and invite their members of Congress to these. It is great that as many as 25% of the teens will be 18 in time to vote in the mid-terms. They plan to vote the NRA recipients out of office. It is a sad day when children and teens  have to lead the way. Yes, many parents are involved, but Trump was playing golf during the march. I also didn't see any Republicans marching with the group.

Senator Feinstein was with them in San Francisco. She keeps trying to get an assault weapon ban passed. There was one from 1994 to 2004 and then none since. The NRA spends tremendous amounts of money to keep members of Congress in line. It is embarrassing and immoral. 

 

Patients May Have to be Assertive to get Good Medical care

An appliance repair man came to my house the other day to fix a problem with my washing machine. The man was coughing  a lot and clearing his throat. I asked him if he had had the flu bug and he said that he just seemed to have an on-going cough and a lot of mucus. I asked him about his medical care which he said was at an HMO. When I asked him about the date of his last chest X-ray, he couldn't remember a recent one. In asking what doctors he had seen, I found out that his G.P. or internist had not ordered, a chest X-ray, sinus X-rays, an ENT consult, or an allergy work-up. 

I made a list of the tests he should have and said he might have to be quite assertive to get them done.  He didn't realize that HMOs prefer not to order tests or X-rays because it costs them extra money. They want to care for just very healthy patients. I told the man of a friend who coughed a lot but refused to ask for a chest X-ray. He said he was Irish and indestructible. Sadly, he was dead from lung cancer six months later.

As I tell medical students, a chest X-ray can save an adult or child's life. I have seen this to be true several times. It is a very important test, particularly  during the flu season. A doctor may not hear anything when he or she listens ta patient's chest. Pneumonia can be very silent or so-called walking pneumonia. So if you are not getting better and coughing or feeling ill, I would insist on a chest X-ray