by Kristi Jain | Feb 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
Hello! In case you hadn’t noticed, the weekly blogs have been missing in action for a few weeks as we have re-designed our web page We are grateful for the pure genius of our web developer, Miguel Martinez, for helping us with this new undertaking. Thanks for your patience. Now, on to our regularly scheduled blog!
REAR VIEW MIRROR
How is the world treating you now that we have 2020 in the rear-view mirror? There is a lot going on. While some have resorted to violence and division, so many of us understand that we can choose to be happy, peaceful, and hopeful.
MEMORIES
One of my childhood memories involved an American humorist by the name of Erma Bombeck. She had a syndicated column describing suburban life from 1965 to 1996. Her column appeared in the newspaper and even though I was young, I appreciated her wisdom.
NO ULTRASOUND REFERENCE TODAY
Normally try to make the blogs relate to healthcare or ultrasound in some way. Today is not one of those days. I don’t claim to be a mental health guru but thought that the inspiration for today’s blog by Ms. Bombeck was a great mental health tune up in a time when we need it. The woman who made the world laugh also had some pretty serious, profound positive thoughts to share.
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding patten if I weren’t there for a day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.” There would have been more “I love you’s” and more “I’m sorry’s.”
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it…live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what. Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
-Erma Bombeck
A REMINDER…
Although the article feels a bit antiquated, the deeper meaning holds true and I am grateful for the reminder. Live your life to its fullest which includes taking better care of yourself. If we can assist you in that endeavor, call us at 505-350-3397
by Migz Martinez | Feb 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
10/28/2020
Here we are deep in the thick of a COVID fall with All Hallows Eve just days away. Halloween will always be one of my favorite celebrations! It will be a bit different this year. Traditional trick or treating and costume parties may be on hold but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a spook-tac-ular celebration. Rather than lamenting about what you can’t do, be grateful for the things you can do. Get creative and have some serious, socially distant, safe fun!
BARE BONES
The Halloween celebration might be down to bare bones, but the fun can be ratcheted up a few notches. How about a creative spooky meal? One year John and I prepared spaghetti and eyeballs with witch finger breadsticks. Another year we started our meal with monster brain dip (guacamole inside a skull) and bat chips (tortillas cut with a bat cookie cutter.) We’ve had meatloaf shaped like a brain drizzled with blood (ketchup) and mashed potato ghosts. Gross, yes. Fun, YES!
SPEAKING OF BONES…
Yes, I have a skeleton hanging from a noose off our bedroom balcony. Mr. Bones is a challenge for me to assemble each year. The head, hands, pelvis, and feet are easy. The bones of the arms and legs take a bit more thought. Each year when I assemble him, it reminds me that our skeleton is a pretty complex piece of machinery.
DID YOU KNOW?
WWW.bidmc.org helped me with a few fun facts about the bones of a human body that might be of interest to you.
- The adult body has 206 of them.
- There are 26 bones in the foot.
- The hand including the wrist contains 54 bones.
- The femur, or thighbone, is the longest and strongest bone of the skeleton.
- The stapes, in the middle ear, is the smallest and lightest bone.
- Arms are among the most commonly broken bones accounting for almost half of all adults’ broken bones.
- The collarbone is the most commonly broken bone among children.
- The only bone not connected to another is the hyoid, a V-shaped bone located at the base of the tongue.
- Bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and collagen as well as other minerals.
HDD
You may be wondering what HDD and diagnostic ultrasound have to do with bones and skeletons. The fact is that ultrasound cannot penetrate bone. It can only see the outer surface of bony structure and not what lies beneath. It can however produce pictures of muscles, tendons ligaments, nerves, and joints through the body.
When you and your provider determine diagnostic ultrasound is indicated, we will move our bones as fast as possible to take care of you. Call us at 505-350-3397.
Have a safe and fun Halloween!
by Migz Martinez | Feb 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
10/21/2020
Today is just a regular day. Nothing has changed or happened and there is nothing of particular importance on the docket today. Wait, maybe there is after all. Today is the day we should celebrate! You may wonder what exactly we are celebrating. The answer to that question is you and that amazing body of yours. Really? Yes, really!
COVID 10
I do it too. The self-criticism when you notice the “COVID 10” that has packed on around your waistline during isolation. The grey hair that peppers your locks and the wrinkles around your eyes are multiplying. We feel the frustration when we can’t physically do what we used to do. Who doesn’t occasionally gripe about their body?
SEE WHAT HAPPENS
“You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
-Louise Hay
CELEBRATE
It is high time we stop criticizing ourselves and celebrate that amazing body. This amazing machine that houses our soul has the ability to perform myriad functions without any conscious help from us.
FUN FACTS
The factsite.com had some interesting facts about our bodies.
- Though weighing only about 11 ounces, our heart beats about 100,000 times per day and pumps about 1,900 gallons of blood.
- Every 3-4 seconds, around 50,000 cells in your body will die and be replaced by new ones.
- It requires less effort to be happy. You’ll use 17 muscles to smile vs. 43 to frown. Cheer up!
- A sneeze can potentially travel at 100 miles per hour and create upwards of 100,000 droplets while a cough can travel 50 miles per hour and expel almost 3,000 droplets. Wear your mask!
- If you weigh 150 pounds, 21 pounds of this is the weight of your skeleton.
- Exercising on an empty stomach will burn around 20% more calories.
- On average, the body takes around 12 hours to totally digest food you have already eaten.
- Eyeballs never grow while hands, ears, and the nose never stop.
- In times of fear, you are physically stronger than normal due to the release of cortisol and adrenaline.
- Babies don’t have kneecaps, rather cartilage that gradually turning into bone as ossification begins between ages 2-6.
- Your tongue is the only muscle that doesn’t join two bones.
- The cracking sound made by knuckles, necks, backs and other joints when they’re cracked is the sound of bubbles popping in the joint fluid.
TREAT IT ACCORDINGLY
I hope you enjoyed just a few reminders about what your amazing body is capable of doing! Quit griping about it and start celebrating it. Give it a break and keep it adequately hydrated, properly nourished, exercised and give it the rest it deserves. Get it checked and treated when indicated. If we can help, call us at 505-350-3397.
This is the only physical body you will ever have the privilege of using. Treat it accordingly.
by Migz Martinez | Feb 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
10/14/2020
Today’s blog has to do with appreciation. Many of us go through each day with a healthy dose of expectation and take the majority of things for granted. There are those who live in an altered state and perpetual state of gratitude. These are those folks who are appreciative for the big things as well as the little things.
DO YOUR JOB!
When we go out in the world, we expect that people should do their jobs to meet our expectation. We must be completely satisfied, or we will “notify the manager.” What if we shifted our paradigm to recognize most are doing the best they can? Rather than being quick to anger, maybe a little understanding and compassion are in order.
DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!
John and our sonography team can tell you about exasperated patients who want them to explain what they are seeing during an ultrasound exam. The fact of the matter is, it is their job to collect the images and get them to your healthcare provider. It is not their job to diagnose. The sonographer may not always know exactly what the issue is, but most have a surprisingly good idea. They are neither being rude or evasive when they can’t tell you what they see. It is simply not their place to do so, hence, don’t shoot the messenger!
A DOSE OF REALITY
“Sonographers know immediately when your baby no longer has a heartbeat, when the cancer has spread, when a clot in your vein may kill you, when drugs have affected your heart, when your baby has a horrific fetal defect, when that aneurysm looks like it will burst at any time, when your baby is growing outside of your uterus and your life is in danger etc.
…and we are not allowed to tell you any of it.
We also rejoice when you finally get pregnant after 10 years, have your rainbow baby after a terrifying loss, the mass isn’t cancer, the cancer didn’t spread, the surgery was successful, etc. No, our job isn’t “fun” or “happy” all the time because we get to look at healthy babies or healthy people. It is devasting but rewarding, stressful but wonderful, challenging but worth it.
-RS (Sonographer)
ULTRASOUND APPRECIATION
This is ultrasound appreciation month. I hope you now have a deeper understanding about the kind of responsibility the “techs” deal with each day. We prefer and I’m sure they appreciate being referred to as ultrasound technologists. They have gone through tough schooling, specialty training, rigorous board exams and countless hours of repetition and practice to become proficient in their skill.
HDD
Make no mistake, the job of a sonographer is not easy. They are subject to myriad work-related injuries including musculoskeletal disorders due to repetitive motion, transducer pressure, ergonomic challenges, and little control over their workload, to name just a very few.
The next time diagnostic ultrasound is indicated (call us at 505-350-3397), please take a minute to thank and appreciate your sonographer for all the things they are able to show you as well as the things they are not.
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