Palo Alto Jo

On 1/16/2018 at 9:49 AM, Bonnie said:

I have Amazon Prime. It doesn't help with books and movies that aren't free, and I'm picky about what I read and watch.

Bonnie, I've recently learned to loan books and movies I buy off of Amazon.  I've got a few friends I check with before I buy, to see if they'll loan to me.  The only catch is you can't read a book you own while you have it loaned out, but that's the same as the old print books.  Don't know if your reading tastes are same as mine, but feel free to check with me.  I read a lot of historical novels, WW2 mostly.   

On 2/7/2017 at 12:18 PM, JudyS said:

I have seen a couple of moonbows.  They were silver with some very pale rainbow coloring..  Really amazing!  I never saw one before I moved here.

I too have seen my first moonbows since living here.  Amazing.  But, I'm starting to be a grouch when seeing the morning rainbows at my house.  I often see rainbows that rise and fall across the valley for 4 hours or more.  Now, they are beautiful, but..... 4 hour rainbows for us up in Palo Alto means 4 hours or more of drizzle.  Enough of the rainbows!!  Who knew l'd become the old lady who yells stuff like "tell the kids to keep off my grass!!! "?   haha

21 hours ago, Mary T said:

Greetings,

My family and I are moving to Boquete this spring.  Can anyone recommend, based on current conditions, a reliable ISP and cell phone carrier?  Cost, speed, reliability, etc.  It seems that things change in this area often, so I'm asking for current recommendations.

With gratitude,  Mary

 

 

It definitely depends on where you plan to live.  Planet Telecom is about the only ISP if you are in the "sticks", and it is much slower and more expensive than Cable Onda.  I can't get Cable Onda,  but, in my area we have great water, security and it's quiet.  Make a list of  your priorities, and then talk to everyone in the neighborhood for the "real story" on  any problems in a particular area with services.  There are lots of rumors, but things change here all the time, so get the latest from actually residents in an area. I use Cable and Wireless phone, the $20/month plan, and it has been pretty good, rarely out (once in 6 months for a few hours?).  Cable and Wireless are advertising some new package of internet and phone, you might want to see if that works for you, and if it's available in the areas you are looking.  

7 hours ago, MarieElaine said:

Maybe you should also consider a veggie burger for those who do not eat meat Leslie.  While I do not eat red meat, I have to admit your pics look extra yummy!

Yes!!   I want a veggie burger too.  A spicy black bean one!   The meat ones do look great, and nothing is better than a veggie burger that's been grilled on the same grill as real meat!!

13 hours ago, Pantah said:

This explains some stuff: Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time, by Michael Shermer, available on amazon.

That book looks interesting.  I'm going to get it.  Just today I had a friend in California text me that we can't get any shots because she is reading so many "articles" on the Internet about a government conspiracy to get rid of "undesirables" by getting them to take (or "forced to take" as she said)  flu shots and vaccines.  I cannot for the life of me figure out how people can get these goofy ideas.  She wrote this from her sick bed where she has the flu....     Perhaps the book will help me see where this is coming from.  I hate to blame the "Internet" when it seems like it's people who are not willing to put in the time to learn about the science, and find it easier to believe superstitions and pseudoscience.  Thanks for the suggested reading!

Just now, Jim and Judi said:

The FDA doesn't have control over what hits the world market. FDA approval does not mean approval worldwide at all. Quite the opposite, companies apply to individual countries for approval of their product.

You're probably right.  I need to correct my American-centric mind. I continue to think that most research and development goes on in the U.S., but other countries are doing it too, and often with better trial regulations, quicker to market, and making lots of progress.  Thanks for reminding me, I need to shake that impression for good!  Sometimes I think the FDA is more a hindrance than a help.  They will approve something and then be the first to yell later that it is dangerous and needs to be taken off the market.  I used to wonder if they took bribes from drug companies AND personal injury lawyers.  NO, JUST KIDDING!!

13 hours ago, Uncle Doug said:

I wonder why tracheotomies are apparently commonplace in Panama. I thought this was an emergency procedure only.

Uncle Doug, a bit of an update on the answer.  Dr. Gozaine wrote me again to say I didn't exactly convey what the problem is, my error not his!!  

I'll try again.  The children are put on ventilators, with tubes down the throat, on presenting at the hospital in critical condition with pneumonia.  After their pneumonia is treated, about 10 days, they are taken off the ventilator, and airtube down the throat is removed as it causes scarring to the inner airway.  At that time he is asked to place a tracheotomy,  not remove it.  It helps them wean off the the ventilator.  He later removes the tracheotomy and any scar tissues that have been caused by both, to return the children to a normal life, and this they try to do before the child leaves the hospital.  

12 hours ago, Bonnie said:

I am delighted to see that he has made time to come to Boquete to see those of us who no longer relish going to David except in an emergency situation. Thank you, Jo, for this thorough report.

I’m a bit curious about the treatment for skin cancer and rhinoplasty. Aren’t these usually handled by dermatologists and plastic surgeons?

Good question Bonnie.  I forwarded your question to Dr. Gozaine who wrote me back in a timely manner.  He says he treats skin cancers surgically, and actually did much more of it in Louisiana than he does here, due to the darker pigmented skin in most patients here.    Rhinoplasty he does for both functional and cosmetic reasons.  Again this was true in his practice in Louisiana.   It's the same basic procedure, but obviously adjusted for the needs of the individual. 

Makes sense to me once he explained it.  It's easy to forget that plastic surgeons also do rhinoplasty for function, not always cosmetics, and they are not as specialized on the functionality of the  ear, nose and throat area as an ENT .  I can see how the two over-lap.

Dr. Gozaine agreed to answer reader questions that arise from his profile here.  I'm telling you, he is a jewel!!

Excellent question Uncle Doug, and one I should have asked in my initial interview with him.  Here is his answer:

Quote

In the U. S. pediatric tracheotomies are often associated with emergency procedures such as a child choking on a hot dog, etc.  Here it is a bit different.  The tracheotomies are still performed as emergency procedures but not for the same reason as in the U. S.  The most common reason is a poor child, often indigenous (Ngobe) child,  who was taken in critical condition to a hospital in David.  Often the government hospital Obaldia.  The children are barely able  to breathe due to pneumonia.  To save them, the doctors have no option but to ventilate them, and then the tracheotomy is left in place when they are discharged, as they don't stay long enough to be "weaned off" ventilation like they might be in the U. S. or somewhere else.  Even if the care is free, the people want their children out of the hospital, and the government cannot afford the extra cost of a long-term stay either.  So they are discharged with indwelling tracheotomies.  Dr. Gozaine says in he has seen this more here, in 2 years,  than in his 5 years of residency that included a rotation at Oklahoma Children's hospital.  

Again, thanks for the question and interest.  Dr. Gozaine will be heading to Louisiana for a few days, but says he is quite willing to take more questions as he travels, via whatsapp.  Ever try to get that kind of service in the U. S?.!!  Thanks Dr. Gozaine!

36 minutes ago, Bonnie said:

I regularly look up a drug online to find out whether or not it has been approved by the FDA. Many drugs prescribed and sold here in Panama are not. That doesn't mean they're necessarily bad, but it does call for further investigation about why it has not been approved by the FDA.

Interesting story. This past fall, on a trip to Spain, I suffered a fall that put me in the emergency room. Upon leaving, I was handed two types of painkillers. On a cruise home to Panama, a British woman who shared out table asked what I had been given. She advised me that one was potentially dangerous for persons of northern European descent and that I should look it up before continuing to take it. I went to the computer and googled Nolotil, the name of the drug. What I found was startling. One news article related the story of an Irishman vacationing in Spain who had been prescribed the drug and died of septic shock. The article related, " While the drug is available and dispensed in countries like Spain, it’s banned in Ireland, the UK, the US, Australia and several other EU countries." Moreover, the man's son reported, “This is a known side-effect of the drug which the hospital doctors said is particularly a problem for people of British and Irish decent." And, “The second GP who sent him to hospital afterwards also stated it was ‘common knowledge’ not to prescribe English or Irish people this drug.” I quit taking it.

Wow, Bonnie that is amazing.  If the drug were available here, I wonder how many of us European descent types would take it without a thought.  Thanks, for the info, I'm going to be checking better if I get prescribed anything new down here.  We do need to be responsible for ourselves.  Lesson learned!

1 hour ago, Penny said:

Palo Alto Jo talks about the FDA but remember, we're in Panama and the FDA has no power here.

The FDA approves drugs that eventually make it onto the world market.  They can also keep promising drugs out of the market, if the producer is an American producer.  The FDAs decisions often have world-wide consequences.  

13 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Don't get me started. I lost a good friend here several years ago who was convinced by others to take this route and he died instead of being successfully treated at Punta Pacifica.

That is so sad Keith, and  when one sees it you feel helpless!!   It's worse than watching someone feed their cat a vegetarian diet and watching their cat starve to death.  Very painful!   I'm so sorry.

2 hours ago, Penny said:

I'm always reminded of Steve Jobs who, just before he died, said he wished he hadn't wasted a year on alternative treatments. My humble opinion is that one can pursue both alternative and traditional medical treatments at the same time. What's wrong with covering all the bases?

I think that is a good idea.  I only fear those who turn their nose up at the treatments with proven statistics and ONLY take the "holistic" or alternative approach.  Laetril was basically ground apricot pits, and yet people poured into Mexico to get it, versus surgery/chemo/radiation/pharmaceuticals.  I'm sure the apricot pits didn't hurt anyone, but ignoring cancer specialists probably did. I do wish the FDA would start testing some of these "cures" and make these people adhere to real peer review before they can claim any successes.  But, as they are "natural treatments", I can see the FDA refusing to get involved with judging the benefits of "eating dehydrated grapefruit" or some such.  They already know grapefruit to be safe.   Funny thing is, most people don't realize that often big pharmaceuticals get the basic chemical structure of some medicine from plants and are always looking at rare plants for possible treatments of ailments, much as the old medicine men have for thousands of years.  They should do a better job of getting that message out.  People love to hear a product came from "natural sources" for some reason.

On 12/30/2017 at 4:10 PM, Keith Woolford said:

My point was probably inspired by stats from a few years ago that showed about $100 billion being spent annually on cancer treatment in the U.S. as opposed to only about $5 billion on research.

Keith, the sheer number of people getting treated for cancer, by the huge number of professionals, and expensive diagnostic equipment VS. even the most gung-ho, no holes barred, spending spree research would easily explain those numbers.  There aren't that many smart scientists working on this, but still that's a lot of money on research.    There are so many more diseases than cancer, like Alzheimer's and Aids, that even the few researchers that are working on cures are getting a lot of grant money, compared to the huge number of sick people.   Again, these scientists are not getting the big bucks to research, they aren't in it to be rewarded financially, although I'm sure they still make a very good living, and they should based on their knowledge and education.  A ratio of 1 dollar in research for every 20 dollars in treatments (that came from research) seems like a lot of research money on one class of disease.  It also shows how complicated it is, and that there is not going to be "one cure" but hopefully each variety of cancer can be "cured" over time.  

It seems like a daily occurrence that someone is being investigated for corruption here.  Maybe I'm naive, but won't that help bring down the corruption?  Whether they go to jail or not?  Just being investigated can ruin one's life and wipe out one's money paying for lawyers.  

8 hours ago, Bonnie said:

I'm not sure who are the foxes and who are the chickens here, but please understand that I am not defending the practices of the pharmaceutical industry; there's lots to criticize there. Nor am I denying that there are effective medical treatments other than drugs. The kickoff for this discussion was about alternative therapies that claim to be cures for cancer and the underlying claim that their work has been suppressed by an unholy collusion of doctors and drug companies for financial profit. Any alternative practitioner with the hubris to claim he can cure cancer has forgotten the example of Steve Jobs, who had the wherewithal to try all the alternative therapies but didn't live to tell about it. And the broad charge of collusion is disrespectful to the many scientists who labor tirelessly in search of cures.

One other thing. All these conspiracy theories--whether they be government cover ups of UFOs or of U.S. involvement in the events of 9/11 or in President Kennedy's assassination or doctors and drug companies covering up promising research for profit--demand that an awful lot of folks keep an awful lot of secrets. Very few people are capable of keeping a secret for any length of time. It's unreasonable to believe that hundreds, or even thousands, could do so about issues of this magnitude.

What good arguments there Bonnie!!  Yes, there is no way "governments" can keep secrets, nor pharmaceuticals.  Way too many people "know", there is always a leaker.  And Steve Jobs is a perfect example of how far off away we still are from a  "cure".  I'm sure he tried everything, with his resources and his desperate situation.  There is money to be made in cures!!   

Doug, I too used to argue with a guy who "knew" all about the conspiracy to keep the 100 mpg carburetor off the market.  Maybe Keith knows this, but haven't cars been "carburetor-less" for 25 years now?

1 hour ago, Moderator_02 said:

If either of you learn something of general interest about water supplies in this area based on your microscopic laboratory work, would you post here for the benefit of all?

Sure!  I think we're  just waiting to see if there is enough interest.  I am available to look at samples,  assuming microscope is functioning, anytime after Jan. 7.

Is it possible to sell a non-digital TV?  I'd think they couldn't give them away!  But, kudos to Panama for continuing to modernize.  It was traumatic for some in the U.S. a few years ago.

1 hour ago, BD said:

Dear PAJ,

There is a lot of food for thought in your reply. Thank you.

Several year’s ago I finally absorbed the FACT that there are many, many different kinds of cancers. My conclusion from that awakening included awareness that lumping all cancers into one bucket is doing everyone a disservice, maybe even damaging them.

Is the American Cancer Society really working on a cure for all cancers? I hope so, but have my doubts. Read what Wikipedia says about the ACS:

The ACS is organized geographically. Huh??? Shouldn’t it be organized based on biophysics or cytopathologies?

Your last sentence was something that I never considered before. I need time to think about that statement. Wow!

Not sure what the the real solution will be, but I do hope it comes soon.

I think they ACS is more into collecting money and then deciding who gets grant money if they are working on something promising.  Not sure the ACS does any of its own research at all.  Perhaps they also have a few facilities, but mostly they work with universities and other institutions.  That would explain why it is divided geographically.  They are looking for institutions all over the U. S. (even world?) that may be deserving of the money they raise.  Some money goes to paying patients to participate in studies, which again could come out of regional offices instead of say, Washington, DC.  I kind of like spreading it around versus too centralized in some place.

26 minutes ago, Siempre Soluciones said:

 

 

 

But, a cure would be even more profitable, no?   Look how much money is made off of treatments.  No one should think a cure would be free.  It would be a godsend to so many families, for those with childhood cancers alone it would be a huge blessing.  But real, professional cancer specialists are working on this, and they aren't getting rich working on solutions.  They are simply working on leading edge treatments or cures.   And are very successful in many types of cancer now.   All treatments are costly, but people would sure be willing to pay more for a cure than a treatment.  A prevention?  Even more.  But, it will be several "cures", as you can't possibly treat brain tumors the same way as melanoma or leukemia.  Different type of cells are involved, and I'm betting they need different types of cures.

20 hours ago, Bonnie said:

Wikipedia reports the following:

"In 1994, the American Cancer Society reported that Rife machines were being sold in a "pyramid-like, multilevel marketing scheme". A key component in the marketing of Rife devices has been the claim, initially put forward by Rife himself, that the devices were being suppressed by an establishment conspiracy against cancer "cures".^[5] Although 'Rife devices' are not registered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and have been linked to deaths among cancer sufferers, the Seattle Times reported that over 300 people attended the 2006 Rife International Health Conference in Seattle, where dozens of unregistered devices were sold".^[8]

While no one in this forum has said this, I've always had to grimace at people who think there is a cure for "cancer", as if one thing will cure all kinds of different cancers.  But, I know they're nuts when they think governments or pharmaceutical companies try to suppress the "cure", for sinister or financial reasons.  There's frankly more money to be made in cures than in suppressing cures!  

On 12/23/2017 at 6:36 PM, Brundageba said:

Palo Alto Jo.     I have a microscope.  Maybe you could put it to good use.  Wow a resident CL parasitologist .  You can give us the news on the gut bug in the news of late.  You are welcome to put it to use if you so desire.  That might be fun for you.  .  (I have some dyes as well and slides I do believe.) Let me know.  Private message me.

I'll private message you.  I think it would be fun to  give a day to accept river water samples around the area and just see what we could find.  We might not see all organisms without centrifuges and specialty dyes, but it would be interesting just to see what we could discover, if anything.  It would certainly be fun for me to just look through a microscope again.  

My father, a physician, died from Alzheimer's, as did many of his elders.  I am constantly looking for the next cure so my son never has to see me in that horrible state.  There are millions of snake oil salesmen, and some promising but slow-moving medical research and trials.  The lowering of cholesterol and arterial improvement in general seems to be something I can easily do, even if it's not a cure.  I hate taking my Crestor, but if I don't take it, I've seen my cholesterol rise 100 mg/dl in 2 weeks.  My father never took a cholesterol reducer, but I'm sure his cholesterol was too high.  He was a strict vegetarian, so it much be some genetic something we have.  Anyway, good to hear that there may be additional reasons to keep taking my pills.  Do wish someone comes up with an Alzheimer's cure in my lifetime.   One that reverses the damage would be even better.  But for now, I'll keep doing a few things that seem to delay the disease, like diet and exercise, and my pills.

2 hours ago, JohnF13 said:

Just seems to me the word was appropriate for the circumstances.  This constant nuancing and parsing of the language needs to stop.  

There is no shortage of people who get more upset over the words used than the actions of the fools who put their own lives and the lives, money and time of the rescuers on Christmas Eve at risk.  Much easier to disagree with a word than a group of people who aren't very thoughtful of the rest of Panama.

On 12/16/2017 at 7:06 AM, Bonnie said:

Does anyone know what days and hours it is open? The Chopsticks FB page doesn't contain this information.

Also, from the looks of the only photo I've seen, there are booths. Are there also tables that will accommodate a larger group?

Bonnie,

The back booth on the right side works for larger groups, it is sort of joined all along the back wall, and a table for 2 can be brought in the connect all maybe.  I think that area would hold about 10 people. I haven't even looked at the other side of the restaurant, because I liked the little patio area off the right side.  Sunshine, etc.