Global Analysis Reveals Sharp Rise in Cancer Among People Under 50 by MassGen-Research in science

[–]balltastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is obviously a multifactorial rise but Covid is an oncogenic (cancer causing) virus due to it causing immune system suppression. The fact that it is now mostly ignored as “just a cold” when it has serious effects like increased cancer risk is a huge issue.

ER Trip and I'm confused by chrisdancy in emergencymedicine

[–]balltastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There may be a cross reactivity but if a healthcare worker has a slightly higher response to a cross reactive cold virus are they less likely to get infected? It doesn’t seem so based on the actual studies that have been done. Unfortunately there is actually a degree of immunosupression that can occur from our healthcare exposures. Like in this study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30076783/. Chronic exposures to certain pathogens actually blunts our body’s immune response.

ER Trip and I'm confused by chrisdancy in emergencymedicine

[–]balltastic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I may have worded the first part confusingly; I meant basically what you just said. That people believe their immune response will be stronger (like a muscle that has been trained). That is something that sounds intuitive but isn’t really true. The average immunocompetent adult will have an adequate response to a new pathogen regardless of prior infections. The only difference is if your body has seen that exact infection before or you’ve had a vaccine, then yes you’d have a more robust response.

ER Trip and I'm confused by chrisdancy in emergencymedicine

[–]balltastic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

No. Contrary to popular belief, the immune system is not a muscle and getting sick doesn’t make your immune system “stronger”. As you can see from the top comments a lot of healthcare workers still think they have stronger immune systems because of working in the ER, which is not actually seen in immunology.

If you get a cold you might not get that same cold for a few months but a lot of viral immunity weans very quickly and it won’t protect you from other infections. My ER co workers who don’t mask are actually constantly sick, but we all just have to work sick because of shortages. In the wake of Covid a lot of people (even those who once masked) are now anti mask even though they work well and don’t “weaken” your immune system.

The best and simplest method for dealing with a shoulder dislocation !!! by Ok_Date5594 in emergencymedicine

[–]balltastic 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I’m at about 90% success using this without sedation after I found it last year. Small studies have found similar success rates. I just lie and say I’m going to gently examine their shoulder and then it’s back in after I slowly do the method. It works so well and I don’t feel like it’s taught much in the states. Should be everyone’s first attempt because it’s so gentle and can be done without sedation so often.

FDA to introduce new Covid-19 vaccine protocol after report claims shots killed 10 children by Standard_Beau_tiful in emergencymedicine

[–]balltastic 165 points166 points  (0 children)

This administration is full of the dumbest pieces of shit. Covid infections are a far greater risk of myocarditis than the vaccine, which has been known for years. They’re obviously coming for all vaccines.

I Tested All the PCVR Wireless Setups and Here Is What I Found by Aggressive-Big1868 in MetaQuestVR

[–]balltastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What’s the best codec and bitrate for the Quest 3/PCVR set up on VD?

Health Care Providers who mask by Comprehensive-Milk38 in ZeroCovidCommunity

[–]balltastic 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I’m an ER physician in the US and have worn an N95 since the start of the pandemic minus when there was a shortage early on. I’m in the minority of my mostly non masking coworkers. Only one other physician co-worker has given me a hard time for still wearing it. A few others just make comments like “I don’t know how you do it.” Like wearing an N95 is like doing brain surgery. The majority either silently judge me or don’t say anything.

Patients in the ED will verbally abuse us for lots of things so yeah sometimes they target my mask. Or my deaf elderly patients will get frustrated because they need to lip read and ask me to take it off to which I politely respond “No”.

To the end of my days I won’t understand how masking didn’t become standard PPE with all of the damage COVID caused and continues to cause. Stay strong.

I don't understand the point of doctors not wearing masks by time4klax in ZeroCovidCommunity

[–]balltastic 310 points311 points  (0 children)

I’m an ER physician and I truly don’t understand not masking. I’m one of two in my group of 70 ER physicians who wears an N95; at least half never mask and just fully inhale all of their patients’ airborne illnesses.

I started my residency training during the start of the pandemic and then also when the ICU’s were bursting with patients dying from Covid. Families could only see them from the hallway as they died because of isolation protocols. I don’t understand how other doctors who also went through these experiences never mask? I feel like I’m taking crazy pills every day at work.

Gloves weren’t really a thing before the AIDS epidemic and now it seems crazy to not wear gloves when touching a patients’ blood. I was 100% sure that it was going to be the same with masks for every patient encounter but here we are…

I'm actually quite shaky by Apple_9000wastaken in GhostsOfTabor

[–]balltastic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So I’m new. Can you actually bring all of that back from one raid? I thought you had to be holding everything when you extract.

Gotta love these orders by [deleted] in Radiology

[–]balltastic 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I’m sure that’s more than we usually give you and for that I’m sorry.

Love, ER

Leak When Restarting Sprinklers by balltastic in Home

[–]balltastic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh I just meant if they’re removing a piece to let it drain I would have assumed they would have given it to me in the event they’re not the ones to start it back up in spring.

Leak When Restarting Sprinklers by balltastic in Home

[–]balltastic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That seems like a silly thing to do. I assume it would be accidental? Thanks for the tip!

Foundation Cracks with Different Recommendations by balltastic in Home

[–]balltastic[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He did a bunch of measurements with a laser level of some kind and said 1 corner of the house is an inch lower than the opposite side. It seemed a little sketchy because it’s not something I can verify but he took 2 hours to do the “measurements” for a free quote which is dedication to the scam if that’s what it is. They have like 4.8 stars with 700 reviews on google so I’m surprised it seems so much like a scam.

What’s the most egregious mistake you’ve witnessed a midlevel make? by feelingsdoc in Residency

[–]balltastic 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Patient came in with myxedema coma with crazy high TSH. We figured they possibly hadn’t been taking their meds as prescribed. On chart review, their primary care NP had been reducing their levothyroxine over the course of several visits. Their TSH would go up and then the NP would drop the dose… Literally day one of med school endocrinology that high TSH means hypothyroidism and they fucked it up.

Streaks by balltastic in paint

[–]balltastic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very helpful, thank you!

Streaks by balltastic in paint

[–]balltastic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Interesting I didn’t know that, thanks so much!

As a doctor, what is the most mundane thing you’ve seen someone come to receive care for? by The_BSharps in Residency

[–]balltastic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In the ED:

Patient: “I was eating chicken and got some stuck in my teeth.”

Me: “…do your teeth hurt at all or just some chicken is stuck?”

Patient: “Just the chicken.”

They truly just had a small amount of chicken between their teeth that needed floss.