Anyone who knows me or has read my blog with any kind of regularity knows that I have a kidney disease called hypocitraturia.  Mostly, that means that I make kidney stones.  Big, honkin kidney stones.  I've been doing a lot of research into how I can medically prevent these stones, and I found some interesting things.

So, I went to my urologist -- who's an ass, by the way -- last week to discuss treatment options.  I told him what I've been doing already as far as prevention: magnesium citrate, potassium citrate, hydrochlorothiazide, Vitamin B-6, a low-oxalate diet, and LOTS of water.  I knew things were off to a bad start when he asked me why I was taking B-6 -- I mean, I was able to find literally hundreds of references on the vitamin's reduction of oxalate production.  He'd never heard of this, and he's a doctor!  So, I had some x-rays taken, which showed growth in all of my stones since my last x-ray (2 months ago).  Obviously, the measures I've been taking are not good enough.  So I asked him about other, additional medical options.  Chelating agents, orthophosphates, cellulose supplements, increasing my potassium citrate dosage...  You know what he said?  "I think I've done about all I can for you; maybe you should start seeing a nephrologist."

Wonderful.  I live in a town that doesn't HAVE a nephrologist.  I don't have a car, and this moron is the only urologist in town.  Without totally imposing on my friends, I have no way of seeing a nephrologist.  So I basically have to choose between forgetting about treatment altogether or becoming a complete burden.  I may go to see my GP to see if she has any suggestions, but other than that, I'm totally at a loss here.

On a totally different note, I read a most-amazing book.  Bee Season, by Myla Goldberg.  The basic plot is a totally unremarkable 11-year-old Jewish girl, who's always been overshadowed by her older brother with rabbinical ambitions, completel y amazes her family by getting roped into a class spelling bee -- and winning.  She also wins two successively larger regional competitions and goes all the way to the nationals.  It ultimately ends up changing the dynamic of her whole family.  A unique and wonderful subtheme is religion: what it means, who God really is, and how a person goes about finding God.  I know, it sounds a little bizarre, but it was a really transcendent novel.  I totally recommend it.  Below is a link for a discounted copy, if you're interested.

I'm just about wetting my pants with anticipation...it's 49 long, excruciating days until Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is released.  It's funny, I didn't start reading the Harry Potter books until after the third one was released, and I didn't know anything about them.  I picked up a copy in a bookstore and just thought it sounded interesting.  Just like so many other people, I got sucked in.

You know, the people who have been rallying agains the Harry Potter books, saying that they're warping young minds, really honk me off.  The argument, of course, is that these books promote devil worship and black magic.  It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.  For one thing, there is no devil worship in the any of the books.  Religion simply does not play a part in the stories.  Secondly, while there is black magic, the protagonists (Harry et al) are valiently fighting on the side of good.  Third, they're fiction!  I don't see how any child could read these stories and think that there's anything real at all about them.  They just provide a fun, fantastic journey for young (and not-so-young) imaginations.  Fourth, I don't see how people can think that Harry Potter could even hold a candle to some of the stuff out there that's marketed towards children.  Violent video games, violent movies, MTV!  And what's more, there are a lot of books that children have read for years that are darker than the Harry books.  Take The Wizard of Oz for instance: it starts out with a house falling on a witch.  Or Alice in Wonderland.  Now don't get me wrong, I thing Alice is a wonderful book, but it's full of drugs and schizophrenia.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we live in a society where reading just doesn't have the place that it used to.  Reading stimulates the imagination, provides the early tools of good communications, and studies show that fewer and fewer people are reading now than they used to.  Amazing numbers of people in our country are illiterate, and even larger numbers are functionally illiterate.  That's what I don't understand: Harry Potter is getting kids to read!  And kids aren't just reading because they have to -- they're clammoring for more!  How any parent could deny their child a book like this is beyond me.

Well, I'll get off my soapbox for now.  However, since I've been so excited about our new installment coming out soon, I've been scouring the web for different Harry-geared sites.

My favorite is J. K. Rowlings own site.  It's got a detailed autobiography, answers to fans' questions about the characters, links to Rowling's favorite sites, and edited-out snippets. 

Another great site is the Harry Potter Lexicon.  It's got an unbelieveably complete glossary of all things Harry, along with character biographies and a timeline.  I understand that Rowling herself uses this site to double check facts and dates.

Then there's Mugglenet.  This site is run primarily by teenagers that are fans of the Harry Potter books and movies.  There's fan fiction (some of it quite good), games, trivia, and tons more.

Last but far from least is Godrics Hollow.  Named for the place where Harry's parents lived (and died), this site is full of some very cool stuff.  You can drive the Knight Bus, write a new song for the sorting hat, chat with other Potter nerds, download some cool stuff, and more.

Be warned, some of these sites contain spoilers, although how they got information on the yet-to-be-released Half Blood Prince, I'm not sure.  I avoided them all -- I want the new book to be a complete surprise.

If you haven't reserved your own copy, I recommend getting it from Amazon.  They give you 40% off, and will have it delivered to your door on the 16th (the release day).  Better than waiting in long lines at midnight, for sure!  I've provided a link below -- just click to order your own copy!

I recently read an article that really disturbed me.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Indiana officials recommended on Friday that a man facing execution next week should not get clemency, a decision that could end his attempt to donate part of his liver to his sister.

Gregory Johnson, 40, had asked for clemency for legal reasons, or a delay in his May 25 execution date so the transplant could take place.

Johnson was sentenced to death for killing an 82-year-old woman during a home break-in in 1985. His 48-year-old sister, Deborah Otis, has said she would like a partial liver transplant from her brother.

You can read the full article here.

Now, I don't want to get into a death penalty argument here.  But it seems to me that that isn't even the point.  All they would have to do is wait two months to give him his lethal injection, and in the meantime his sister would be saved.  It seems like they're punishing her for his crimes.  And exactly what is gained by keeping the execution on schedule?  I mean, his liver could save a life if they wait, but if they don't then nothing good will come out of this.  I wonder what the victim's family thinks about all of this. 

Did you know that (in the state of California, at least) a woman can be fired from her job for refusing to wear makeup?

Darlene Jesperson of San Francisco is appealing a ruling by a 3-judge panel that upheld her termination for refusing to wear makeup.  Darlene was employed as a bartender at Hurrah's Entertainment, Inc. when they instituted a new dress code that required all female bartenders to wear makeup.  Jesperson had worked for the company for 21 years before she was fired in 2000.  They called their new dress code "Beverage Department Image Transformation," and required makeup for all female bartenders among other things.

She is being represented by Jennifer Pizer of Lambda Legal, who stated that, "What makes it discriminatory is that it requires women to present themselves in a particularly feminine way."

Jesperson's case is currently being appealed.  Read the full article here.

So tell me, am I the only one who thinks this is a ridiculous requirement?  I mean, if a person is presenting themselves in a clean, professional manner, I'm not sure I understand why makeup would be required.  But I want to hear what you think?  Obviously, employers can require a uniform -- do you think that something like this falls under the category of "uniform?"  I wonder if they required all men to be clean-shaven or have a particular hair cut...

I know, I haven't posted in a very long time...sorry.  I spent this last weekend in Madison visiting one of my very best friends in the whole world, Bri, and her girlfriend Abby.  We had an absolutely amazing time.  I took the train to Portage, WI, and Bri came to pick me up.  On Saturday, we had a great time walking around, visiting their roommate Molly's sex shop (they even had a book titled "The Art of Bottoming"), and watching Margaret Cho on DVD.  Saturday night we went out first to a bar and then to a club, where we all drank ridiculous amounts of alcohol.  I'm getting to old to drink like that...I lost count of how many shots we did.  I was cruised by a very hot man with an irish accent (I love accents)...all in all, it was a fantastic evening.  Sunday we didn't really do much, mostly due to some impressive hangovers.  We just sat around and talked -- something that we don't get to do very often since we live three hours apart.  Bri saw Abby off to a conference in New Orleans, and then we went back to Portage and played on a swingset until the train was due.  Right before the train got in, we were joking about the train breaking down 10 minutes out of town (and how royally screwed I would be).  Wouldn't you know, 15 minutes into my trip, and the train ran over something on the tracks and started on fire.  Fortunately, it was a tiny fire and they just had to reconnect some hoses before we could be on our way, so we were only delayed about 30 minutes.  Scary, though.

Now, I have an entire week off from work, during which I don't plan on doing anything at all (except for a urology appointment on Thursday.  Hooray for vacations!

And, since I haven't done a book review post in a while, I figure it's time to catch up.  A few weeks ago, I read an amazing book called The Binding Chair, by Kathryn Harrison.  It's the story of an ex-prostitute in turn-of-the-century Shanghai and her neice.  In China at that time, foot binding was a very common practice for young women.  The girl would wrap her feet tightly with bandages to cause them to fold together in order to make herself more attractive to prospective husbands.  Over time, the girl's bones would break down and her feet would be completely, irrevocably crippled, and she would have to wear special slippers just to walk.  May's story is of a girl who entered into an awful, abusive arranged marriage, excaped to the city and became a prostitute to survive, and married an affluent white man.  The theme of the book centers largely on the oppression of women and a woman's escape from this confinement.  It's a fantastic read and explores a culture that many people don't know much about.  It's very good.

One of my duties at work is to write a monthly one-page newsletter on pertinent health topics.  I've decided that, since I'm writing it anyway, to post the articles on my blog as well.  My May newsletter talked about carpal tunnel syndrome:

In an office setting, workers are generally safe from many hazards; there aren’t any power tools with which to cut oneself, and there isn’t any heavy lifting that could strain a worker’s back. However, people who work in an office setting, and in fact anyone who performs repetitive movements with his or her hands may be at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is caused by compression of the median nerve. The median nerve travels down your arm and into your hand, and passes through a "tunnel" in your wrist. The carpal (wrist) bones form the bottom of the tunnel, and a strong band of connective tissue covers the top of the tunnel. The tunnel also contains nine tendons that are responsible for your ability to bend your fingers. These tendons are covered with a lubricating membrane called a synovium.

Problems can arise when, due to repetitive hand motions or other factors, the synovia swell. Since there is a limited amount of room in your carpal tunnel, these membranes end up pressing against your median nerve, causing numbness, tingling, and/or pain: carpal tunnel syndrome.

As many as 3% of adults suffer from this condition, and it’s estimated that an adult’s lifetime risk of contracting CTS is nearly 10%. It’s noted to be more prevalent in females (although men can certainly suffer from CTS) and it is most common in middle-aged people.

How can you tell if you suffer from CTS? CTS patients typically complain of a "pins-and-needles" sensation that often gets worse at night. As nerve compression worsens, the CTS patient will have a persistent ache that can radiate up into the forearm or elbow. You may have decreased feeling in your thumb and first two fingers. Flexing your wrist may cause the tingling or pain to become more pronounced.

While most people consider CTS to be caused only by repetitive motion, and while that is often the culprit, there may be other causes or contributing factors. Physical aberrations (such as a small carpal tunnel) can cause pressure on the median nerve. Certain disease conditions, like diabetes, gout or heart failure may also contribute. Even pregnancy can play a role in the development of CTS.

So you’ve been diagnosed with CTS? The mainstay of treatment is rest. Your doctor will likely provide a splint that will help immobilize your wrist, along with a recommendation for mild anti-inflammatory drugs. He or she may also provide tips on how to ergonomically position your hands and wrists when performing your everyday duties so that pressure is alleviated. More severe cases may require the injection of a steroid or lidocaine (an anesthetic) into the carpal tunnel itself. Finally, your doctor may elect to perform surgery to relieve the pressure on your median nerve. (For those with CTS in both wrists, surgery is performed first on one wrist, and the other is done when the first heals. Other therapies, some involving the use of ultrasound, are still being developed.

An old adage states that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When you work in a position that requires repetitive hand motions (such as typing), make certain to position yourself in such a way that you put as little strain as possible on your wrists. Ergonomically designed wrist pads, chairs and keyboards can all be beneficial to your median nerve. Of course, if you should start to experience the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, your best course of action is to see a physician; only a health care professional can determine whether you have this condition and how best to treat it.

• Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Viera, Anthony J., LCDR, MC, USNR (2003)

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Steele, Mark, MD

• http://orthoinfo.aaos.org" title="http://orthoinfo.aaos.org" target="_blank"http://orthoinfo.aaos.org

• Human Biology, Mader, Sylvia S. (1998)

I read a very disturbing article the other day.  The FDA has mad the decision to ban gay men from donating sperm.  Basically, any gay man who has been sexually active within the last five years is not able to donate sperm.  The FDA insists that since gay men have a higher-than-average HIV infection rate, this new policy is a safety measure.

There are so many things wrong with this, I don't know where to begin.  First of all AIDS is no longer a "gay" disease.  According to the American International Aids Foundation, the disease is most commonly transmitted via vaginal intercourse.  It's not hard to extrapolate the reasons why HIV initially spread through the gay community.  In the late seventies/early eighties, gay men did not see the need for contraceptive measures when having sex.  Think about it: obviously no one was going to get pregnant; the worst thing that men though could happen was syphillis.  (Which, while no walk in the park, is at least treatable.)  When you couple that fact with the fact that the social stigma of being in a long-term, monogomous gay relationship was prohibitive, you realize that many gay men had unprotected, short-term affairs.  What's sad is that even now, HIV is still considered by many to be a gay disease, as though it's God's way of "thinning the herd."  Let's get serious -- if God was handing out sexually transmitted diseases to punish people for sinning, most of the straight people I know would be in the free clinic all the time!

I think what really gets me, though, is that the FDA has repeatedly nixed the idea of simply having stronger controls.  (Read the following communiations to the FDA regarding this issue here, here, and here.)  I guess I don't understand that.  Why couldn't they simply test sperm for the virus?  They do it anyway!  It's the same quandary that's confused me in regards to donating blood.  The red cross is continuously short of blood, and they test blood for HIV anyway, so why aren't gay men allowed to donate?  And under these new regulations, a gaystraight man who had unprotected sex with an HIV infected prostitute could donate as early as one year later, but a gay man in a 30 year monogomous relationship, even one who still practices safe sex, could not!  Only gay men who have been celibate for the past five years would be able to donate.

Now, it's not like I'm in any particular hurry to provide a "sample," but this will pose a realy problem for the gay community.  According to the article, many lesbians in committed relationships feel more comfortable using sperm from a gay donor.  While it's not clear if women with a particular person in mind will be subject to these restrictions, it stands to reason that some of these women aren't going to know a mand that they want as a father for their children.

I think that, more than the practical problems, it's the gesture itself that sticks in my craw.  And I'm not the only one.  A quote from Kevin Cathcart with Lambda Legal: "The part I find most offensive — and a little frightening — is that it isn't based on good science," Cathcart said. "There's a steadily increasing trend of heterosexual transmission of HIV, and yet the FDA still has this notion that you protect people by putting gay men out of the pool."  Here is Lambda Legal's full article on the topic.  And HRC's.

I urge everyone who is as outraged by this as I am to contact the FDA.  Even though they've been ignoring us so far doesn't mean we shouldn't flood them with letters.  Their address is:

Food & Drug Administration
Dockets Management Branch
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD  20852