Nurse June talks about health

Statisticians have it that African-American people have not had access to a health care system that provides quality care in a timely fashion. If we are to reverse current trends associated with the care we receive, we need to participate in our own health care.  Hospitals, the Department of Health, Insurance Providers, your pharmacy, and others related to the health care system, distribute pamplets that discuss your health in a language lay persons can understand. There are free health fares and festivals one can attend to get information on prevention of the disease process. Check with your health care providers in your neighborhood; in Chicago  call 311 to obtain information on contacts listing health related functions and topics throughout our great city.

Here are some simple procedures you can follow to help you to monitor your own health care needs, before they require crisis interventions:

• Learn to take your vital signs, (TPR).. temperature, pulse, and respirations.  When you began to feel sick, monitor them. Keep a record of the changes, just in case you have to go to the doctor.
• Learn to monitor your (B/P)..Blood Pressure

You may or may not have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, however, many medical conditions and diagnosis are discovered during an occasional doctors office visit, and/or as incidental findings during routine testing procedures.

(The Health Care Industry has many health monitoring devices on sell for patient's, and their care givers to use while assisting with their care.  Every member of the health care team has the responsibility to health teach their patient's to perform routine test monitoring at home, learn about their diets as they relate to control of the disease process, to take breathing treatments at home, blood sugars - using glucose monitoring devices, and  other treatment tasks according to their individual professional area of expertise).

• When you are feeling sick to your stomach and unable to eat or drink, especially if you are on a special diet or taking medication to control symptoms of diseases, seek a professional opinion. You can easily become dehydrated, and render your medication ineffective. This condition requires a doctor's assessment and treatment (ASAP) as soon as possible.
• Children, toddlers, and babies, require special care and attention because they don't understand that they must try to retain food and fluids during bouts of illnesses. Do not try to force them to eat or drink when they are irritable and crying. Many times they suck food and fluid into their lungs, causing an aspiration pneumonia.
• Adults may have a swallowing disorder due to the aging process. When the swallowing reflex is absent, do not try to force feed. They may need feeding tubes. If you notice them choaking, while they are drinking fluids, seek a doctors opinion.

Just recently, my three year old grandson became listless. He is generally very active. He complained of having a sore throat. His fever was over 101 degrees F; he was throwing up, and had very fine bumps over his body. They were mostly seen on his neck, in his arm pits, skinfolds, and seen on his face. He also had chills which accompanied his fever, along with weepy eyes and thick grayish mucous draining from his nose. He refused to eat, but he wanted to drink ice water and juices.

His doctor diagnosed him with a little known childhood disease called "Scarlet fever".

• note: Please do not remove well children from their houses and take them to other relatives houses thinking that you can prevent them from catching the disease. If you do that, you have just spreaded diseases throughout our community. Chances are, they have already been infected with respiratory viruses and bacterior that caused their sibbling to develop the disease. 
• You can know your child is ill by looking at his/her tongue. When it looks like a strawberry, or have a thick coat on the surface, and/or you can see white patches on the membranes in their mouth, or reddend areas and patches on the back of the throat, please take the child to the doctor. You may have to go to an emergency room. Be prepared to wait for a long time. Have your family members come and relieve you. I know how our tempers can flare. During our activities of average daily living, every thing we do is a waiting game. I can't blame you for getting pissed off... but, don't leave. Your child needs to be seen and treated.

-A