ChanomiTalk

ハロウィンが近づき、至るところでその飾り付けを目にするようになってきました。

ですが、ハロウィンにあまり馴染みがない私にとっては、お店に並ぶスイーツにばかり目がいってしまいます。中でも、パンプキンパイが私のお気に入りです。食欲の秋、楽しみたいと思います。:)

In the last few months My Wife and I decided to make Movie going a little more adventurous. So instead of just going to the movie theaters close to home here in Kapolei. We started going to all of the different theaters around the island. And so far I must say the one in Hawaii Kai at the Koko Marina is tops. It has a small but clean lobby. Inside the theater is a large screen and a sound system so good you feel it. But the best thing is the seating is spacious, lots of room between you and the row and front of you. So you don’t have to worry about that really tall person sitting in front of you. And if you have your significant other with you and the pesky drink holder is in the way. No problem. You can just lift it up and cuddle away. 🙂 Definitely heading there again.

Since it’s close to Halloween and the pumpkins we bought at the store are going bad, Aleria and I decided to go to a local pumpkin patch to pick out another pumpkin. I figured Aleria might like walking around outside. It was her first time at a pumpkin patch. She enjoyed pulling the wagon behind her and tried to pick up pumpkins but some were very heavy. We walked around a bit before we decided on a small pumpkin that was just her size. Strangely enough we also had a chance to see some geese, ducks, and chicken. And of course, a scarecrow.

９月３日のこの欄でUmiOdaさんが「医療費」との題で日本の医療費制度を解り易く説明されました。そこで、それでは米国の医療費制度について書いてみようと思い立ちました。

ところが、簡単に済むとの予想は全くはずれ、結局、１月以上費やす羽目になりました。なんとか、まとめに漕ぎ着けた今、何故そんなに時間がかかったのかと考える余裕もでてきました。主たる原因はなんと「米国にはいわゆる国民健康保険制度がない！」でした。

２００８年、オバマ氏が大統領選挙に勝利し、国民健康保険制度を導入する意志を表明しました。以来、国中が右往左往したわけですが、種々のニュースが流れる中、先進国で、国民健康保険制度が無いのは米国だけと知りました。

道理でオンラインで米国医療費制度を検索しても、良い答が得られなかったはずです。個人は健康保険は勤務先のグループの一員として民間の保険会社から買うのですが、仕事を失えば、当然、健康保険を失います。持っていても、医療費が高くなるにつれ、保険料も高くなり、維持するのが困難になり取り消したりします。結果、米国民の１５％、３千２百万人が、健康保険無しです。

新しい健康保険制度はこの３千２百万人が健康保険を持つようにと考えられました。と書けば、事はいたって明白で、なぜ共和党が反対するのか理解に苦しみます。

ニュースを断片的に集めてみますと、国家予算の赤字の限界がからんでいるようですが、健康保険制度無しでは国庫が破錠するのも明らかですから、選択の余地はないように思われます。現実には、この制度は、Affordable Care Actとして２０１０年３月２３日に立法化し、１０月１日、３千２百万の人がオンライン（healthcare.gov）で個々の状況に会った保険を買えるシステムが発動しました。言うまでもなく、収入の額によって経費補助も出ます。

新しい制度が導入されると、初めはどうしてもギクシャクしがちですが、新健康保険制度の滑り出しは、まずますといったところです。


UmiOdaさんの列挙された関連用語を内よく使う英語やその他の用語を書き出してみました。。

医療保険　いりょうほけん health insurance
医療費　いりょうひ medical cost, cost of medical care
医療費保障　いりょうひほしょう health insurance benefits
健康保険制度　けんこうほけんせいど　health insurance system
総額　そうがく total cost
３割負担　さんわりふたん the consumer paying 30 percent out of pocket
自己負担額　じこふたんがく out-of pocket cost

医院受診　いいんじゅしん doctor visits
救急受診　きゅうきゅうじゅしん emergency services
検査　けんさ lab services
予防医療　よぼういりょう preventive services
入院　にゅういん hospital stays
処方箋　しょほうせん drug prescription

Its been a while since my last post. Nothing much has been going on. Just wanted to share a picture of the Martin Luther King Statue that I visited while I was in Washington DC for a work related conference. The statue measures 30 feet high. It made its debut in Oct 2011.

I have a patient that has had Alzheimer’s for almost twelve years. His wife thought that his disease should have taken his life by now making her a widow. When I began working with him he did look like his life was fading. He was weak, didn’t eat much and didn’t respond when addressed. He couldn’t do anything for himself. He had forgotten where the bedroom was, where the bathroom was. He couldn’t speak clear words or carry on any sort of conversation at all. His hair had turned completely white. I had begun to believe that he had only a year left in him at the most.

But working with him for the past two years, I’ve found positive changes in him. I can throw a small ball anywhere in his vicinity and he catches it. I call his name and he answers. He even speaks a complete sentence at times. He know’s where every room is and how to get to them. His hair is regaining color. He’s strong and can greet anyone with a healthy handshake. These days when he goes for a checkup, doctors can’t believe how healthy he is and how good he looks. When my patient is out with his wife she is complemented on how well her husband looks after battling Alzheimer’s for so long. Anyone that know’s about the disease says he’s a walking miracle.

I think there are a few keys to slowing the process of Alzheimer’s. I think if a person with the disease know’s that they are loved, they fight harder to stay in their right mind. I also believe that if that person is helped to stay active and using motor skills the decline in mental aptitude is slowed. It is said that reading and studying helps to keep Alzheimer’s away. I believe there is some truth in that. I also believe that a healthy appetite and drinking lots of water helps to counteract the disease. I’ve read studies that claim certain soft drinks to be linked to Alzheimer’s.

I guess what I’m trying to say here is, if there is anyone that know’s someone with Alzheimer’s, help them by loving them. Let them know that you care for them. Do as many activities as you can with them. Make them use their brain. Feed them well and hydrate them with lots of water. Don’t let them get stuck in a defeated attitude. Be a friend.

Unfortunately, after returning from Japan, I caught a cold. The cause was probably the fatigue caused by jet lag. Jet leg is really stressful on the body because of rapid changes that are required in the body’s natural sleeping and eating cycles. This abnormal stress reduces the performance of the body’s immune system which makes the body more susceptible to illness. The first symptom that indicated something was wrong was a sore throat. Then, my nose began to run and my sinuses became congested. Finally, I just felt really tired. After about five days my condition began to improve. Although not fully healed yet, I now feel much better and life is gradually returning to normal.