Over Black Coffee & Gunpowder Tea
Served with
I would probably try to avoid this medical facility…. Jus’ sayin’
But, after eating that breakfast, you might want to know where the nearest Cardiac Care Center is located……
Author: Rogue Unicorn
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QUIZ: Is that Logical?
How Logical are you?
You will be shown 10 arguments and you have to determine whether they are valid or not. A valid argument is one where the conclusion follows logically from the assumptions (premises) in the argument. This means that if the assumptions of the argument are all true, then the conclusion must also be true. An argument that satisfies this condition is said to be VALID. Otherwise it is NOT VALID.
Take the quiz below and share your results!
[HDquiz quiz = “996”] -
QUIZ: Military History
How much do you know about general military history?
Take the quiz below and share your results!
[HDquiz quiz = “985”] -
Friday Music Quiz!
It has been requested that I do more music quizzes
Friday seems as good a day as any, and a great way to start the weekend!
This quiz is about Songs with a man’s name in the title
Can you identify the songs by these lyrics?
Take the quiz below and share your results!
[HDquiz quiz = “978”] -
QUIZ: Capital City Nicknames
Many of us have traveled the US as well as the wider world.
Can you match the state or country capital to its nickname?
Take the quiz below and share your results!
[HDquiz quiz = “959”] -
QUIZ: Name that Author!
I love to read the classics. Here are a selection of quotes taken from notable works of American Literature.
Can you name the Authors who penned these lines?
There are 2 fill in the blank questions. Full name or just last name is acceptable
Take the quiz below and share your results!
[HDquiz quiz = “939”] -
This Week in Health: Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless Legs Syndrome
|Overview
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, usually because of an uncomfortable sensation. It typically happens in the evening or nighttime hours when you’re sitting or lying down. Moving eases the unpleasant feeling temporarily.
Restless legs syndrome, also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, can begin at any age and generally worsens as you age. It can disrupt sleep, which interferes with daily activities.
Causes
Often, there’s no known cause for RLS. Researchers suspect the condition may be caused by an imbalance of the brain chemical dopamine, which sends messages to control muscle movement.
Heredity
Sometimes RLS runs in families, especially if the condition starts before age 40. Researchers have identified sites on the chromosomes where genes for RLS may be present.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy or hormonal changes may temporarily worsen RLS signs and symptoms. Some women get RLS for the first time during pregnancy, especially during their last trimester. However, symptoms usually disappear after delivery.
Risk factors
RLS can develop at any age, even during childhood. The disorder is more common with increasing age and more common in women than in men.
RLS usually isn’t related to a serious underlying medical problem. However, it sometimes accompanies other conditions, such as:
- Peripheral neuropathy. This damage to the nerves in your hands and feet is sometimes due to chronic diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism.
- Iron deficiency. Even without anemia, iron deficiency can cause or worsen RLS. If you have a history of bleeding from your stomach or bowels, experience heavy menstrual periods, or repeatedly donate blood, you may have iron deficiency.
- Kidney failure. If you have kidney failure, you may also have iron deficiency, often with anemia. When kidneys don’t function properly, iron stores in your blood can decrease. This and other changes in body chemistry may cause or worsen RLS.
- Spinal cord conditions. Lesions on the spinal cord as a result of damage or injury have been linked to RLS. Having had anesthesia to the spinal cord, such as a spinal block, also increases the risk of developing RLS.
Symptoms
The chief symptom is an urge to move the legs. Common accompanying characteristics of RLS include:
- Sensations that begin after rest. The sensation typically begins after you’ve been lying down or sitting for an extended time, such as in a car, airplane or movie theater.
- Relief with movement. The sensation of RLS lessens with movement, such as stretching, jiggling your legs, pacing or walking.
- Worsening of symptoms in the evening. Symptoms occur mainly at night.
- Nighttime leg twitching. RLS may be associated with another, more common condition called periodic limb movement of sleep, which causes your legs to twitch and kick, possibly throughout the night, while you sleep.
Diagnosis & Treatment
Initial Diagnosis
Your doctor will take your medical history and ask for a description of your symptoms. A diagnosis of RLS is based on the following criteria, established by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group:
- You have a strong, often irresistible urge to move your legs, usually accompanied by uncomfortable sensations.
- Your symptoms start or get worse when you’re resting, such as sitting or lying down.
- Your symptoms are partially or temporarily relieved by activity, such as walking or stretching.
- Your symptoms are worse at night.
- Symptoms can’t be explained solely by another medical or behavioral condition.
Advanced Diagnosis
Your doctor may conduct a physical and a neurological exam. Blood tests, particularly for iron deficiency, may be ordered to rule out other possible causes for your symptoms.
In addition, your doctor may refer you to a sleep specialist. This may involve an overnight stay at a sleep clinic, where doctors can study your sleep if another sleep disorder such as sleep apnea is suspected. However, a diagnosis of RLS usually doesn’t require a sleep study.
Initial Treatment
Lifestyle and home remedies
Making simple lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms of RLS:
- Try baths and massages. Soaking in a warm bath and massaging your legs can relax your muscles.
- Apply warm or cool packs. Use of heat or cold, or alternating use of the two, may lessen your limb sensations.
- Establish good sleep hygiene. Fatigue tends to worsen symptoms of RLS, so it’s important that you practice good sleep hygiene. Ideally, have a cool, quiet, comfortable sleeping environment; go to bed and rise at the same time daily; and get at least seven hours of sleep nightly.
- Exercise. Getting moderate, regular exercise may relieve symptoms of RLS, but overdoing it or working out too late in the day may intensify symptoms.
- Avoid caffeine. Sometimes cutting back on caffeine may help restless legs. Try to avoid caffeine-containing products, including chocolate, coffee, tea and soft drinks, for a few weeks to see if this helps.
- Consider using a foot wrap. A foot wrap specially designed for people with RLS puts pressure under your foot and may help relieve your symptoms.
Advanced Treatment
Sometimes, treating an underlying condition, such as iron deficiency, greatly relieves symptoms of RLS. Correcting an iron deficiency may involve receiving iron supplementation orally or intravenously. However, take iron supplements only with medical supervision and after your doctor has checked your blood-iron level.
Medications
Several prescription medications, most of which were developed to treat other diseases, are available to reduce the restlessness in your legs. These include:
Medications that increase dopamine in the brain. These medications affect levels of the chemical messenger dopamine in your brain. Ropinirole (Requip), rotigotine (Neupro) and pramipexole (Mirapex) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS.
Short-term side effects of these medications are usually mild and include nausea, lightheadedness and fatigue. However, they can also cause impulse control disorders, such as compulsive gambling, and daytime sleepiness.
- Drugs affecting calcium channels. Certain medications, such as gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise), gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica), work for some people with RLS.
- Opioids. Narcotic medications can relieve mild to severe symptoms, but they may be addicting if used in high doses. Some examples include tramadol (Ultram, ConZip), codeine, oxycodone (Oxycontin, Roxicodone, others) and hydrocodone (Hysingla ER, Zohydro ER).
- Muscle relaxants and sleep medications. These drugs help you sleep better at night, but they don’t eliminate the leg sensations, and they may cause daytime drowsiness. These medications are generally only used if no other treatment provides relief.
It may take several trials for you and your doctor to find the right medication or combination of medications that work best for you.
So tell us YOUR story!
Ask questions!
Disclaimer: This is an informational post designed to foster discussion. It should not substitute for the advice of your doctor.
Primary Source: Mayo Clinic
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Badass of the Day: Vince Speranza
Vincent “Vince” J. Speranza (born 23 March 1925 in Manhattan, New York) was a American Private in the United States Army during World War II.
Vince was born on March 23, 1925 to Frank and Frances Speranza in the Hells Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. He grew up on Staten Island in a large and extended Italian family during the depression. He also had three brothers (Rocco, Joseph, and Albert) and four sisters (Nancy, Frances, Concetta, and Rosemarie). He graduated from high school in January 1943 and enrolled at the City College of New York.
Vince went to the draft board after he had turned eighteen. He was drafted into the United States Army on October 25, 1943 and officially entered the service on November 15, 1943. He was sent to Camp Upton in New York where he stayed until he was sent to Fort Benning in Georgia where he trained for the Infantry with the 87th Infantry Division. He volunteered for the Parachute Infantry and was sent back to Fort Benning for training. He was sent overseas with Company H, 3rd Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division from Camp Shanks on board the Queen Mary. His unit arrived in France and would later fight in the Battle of the Bulge.
Not too long ago he published a book titled Nuts!: A 101st Airborne Division Machine Gunner at Bastogne
Here he gives an oral account of “Airborne Beer”, which became quite the legend
Most recently, he decided it was time to take one more Jump.
How badass is THAT! Hooah, Pvt Speranza!
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QUIZ: Name that Song!
See if you can recognize these classic songs by the lyrics
Are you smarter than the average audiophile?
Take the quiz below and share your results!
[HDquiz quiz = “922”] -
QUIZ: Presidential Debates & Candidates
I fell asleep before the debate, which also means I fell asleep before doing a quiz for today.
So Instead of an original quiz, I found two interesting quizzes from other sites you may enjoy taking.
One is about past presidential debates, up to 2012.
The other is a quiz to see which candidate your views most align with…should not be a surprise to most of us, but you never know…
Take the Quizzes below and share your results!
How Much Do You Know About Presidential Debates?
2020 Presidential Election Candidate Quiz – Find Your Match!
EDIT:
I cannot get the first link to open properly…Driving me nuts. So instead of hitting the link for the 1st one just insert this into your browser:
https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-09-2012/presidential-debates-pop-quiz.html#quest1
Norton seems to think it is a malicious site. It is AARP for heaven’s sake. Oh well, you can pass on the first quiz if you want.
