DePuy Hip Replacement: Past Article

Google not only helps you perform searches about current news, it also helps you read up on news before a news story broke. We've searched out the Google Archives before on this blog with the history of backlogs associated with Social Security disability. Today, let's look back at an article about the DePuy Hip Replacement system before the recent recall was announced. The article is from June of 2006 and sheds light on the alleged problems with the DePuy Hip Replacement products.

Article: Johnson & Johnson Hip Attracts Anxiety
Date: June 5th, 2006


Summary:Beth Soltero is a medical researcher who under went a hip replacement surgery. Due to it's metal design and its longer life, she picked the DePuy product. After four years, Soletro formed cysts in her abdomen and a bulge so big, you could see it through her pants in her thigh. After this, she had the painful revision surgery. Soltero goes on to say in the article, "I don't know if the other cases ever got reported to the manufacturer. I don't think I'm going to be one in a million. ... I think the number is going to be higher than they know -- especially if nobody's reporting any of these cases."

* Photo courtesey of Simon Davison by way of Flickr Creative Commons.

Fibromyalgia and Yoga

A recent article from the USA Today cited a small study of 53 women who suffered from fibromyalgia and the effects of yoga. In the study, 25 of the women enrolled in a two-hour yoga class that met once a week for eights weeks. The other 28 women in the study were asked to continue their personal routine of dealing with the chronic pain condition.

When the study was completed, the women who took the yoga class reported improvement in both their physical and psychological aspects of the condition. As the USA Today article states, these improvements included:

• decreased pain
• fatigue
• tenderness
• anxiety
• better sleep
• better mood

Quote from the USA Today article:
"The women were somewhat apprehensive when we started, but once they got into the rhythm of it they found it to be very helpful. They came back after the first week reporting less pain, better sleep and feeling encouraged for the first time in years. That type of change continued to build over the course of the program."

- James Carson, a clinical psychologist and pain specialist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland

It is worth noting that the yoga classes the women took in the study were tailored to their needs and the usual yoga class may be too intense for those suffering from the condition. The study's yoga class consisted of the following:
• 40 minutes of gentle stretching and poses
• 25 minutes of meditation
• 10 minutes of breathing techniques
• 20-minute lesson on applying yoga principals to daily life and coping with fibromyalgia
• 25 minutes of group discussion.


The findings of this study were published in the Pain Journal. View the press release from the study by clicking here.

*Photo courtesy of lululemon athletica via Flickr Creative Commons.

Happy Thanksgiving from Hardison & Cochran

From everyone here at Hardison & Cochran, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving full of friends, family and great times. We'll see everyone back here on November 29th.

* Photo courtesy of garlandcannon via Flickr Creative Commons.  

Thanksgiving Safety Videos and Links

Thanksgiving is Thursday. No doubt, there will be some people deep frying turkeys around North Carolina. If safety measures are not followed, deep frying a turkey can turn into a disaster very quickly. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that approximately 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires occur in U.S. homes each year resulting in five deaths, 25 injuries and $21 million in property loss.

Check out these videos and links below to make sure you have everything in order for a safe Thanksgiving.





Links:
Deep Frying Your Thanksgiving Turkey: What You Need to Know (MyFox Atlanta)
Turkey Fryer Safety Tips (GrillsDirect.com)
Don't turn a Butterball into a fireball (Austin News)

Friday Feed #65

Get ready for UNC vs. Michigan State on an aircraft carrier
The first college basketball game not held on land appears to be closer to reality.

What's your Turkey Day IQ?
Woman's Day tests out what you know about Thanksgiving.

The Greatest Cities on Earth Shining into Space
Shots from the sky.

Are humans psychic?
Can you see into the future?

Brain Games at Yahoo!
If you have the time, workout your brain a little bit today.

Traumatic Brain Injury Information and Q&A

While looking around the Internet this morning we stumbled upon a great Q&A article on The Washington Post's website with Dr. David Williamson. Dr. Williamson is the director of the Inpatient Traumatic Brain Injury unit at National Naval Medical Center. Being a personal injury law firm, we see a wide range of injuries. Brain injuries are without a doubt among some of the most complex injuries we see. As the Brain Injury Association of America states:

• No two brain injuries are exactly the same
• The effects of a brain injury are complex and vary greatly from person to person
• The effects of a brain injury depend on such factors as cause, location, and severity

The brain is not always able to get back to where it was before an accident occurred. Again, from the Brain Injury Association of America:

When a brain injury occurs, the functions of the neurons, nerve tracts, or sections of the brain can be affected. If the neurons and nerve tracts are affected, they can be unable or have difficulty carrying the messages that tell the brain what to do. This can change the way a person thinks, acts, feels, and moves the body. Brain injury can also change the complex internal functions of the body, such as regulating body temperature; blood pressure; bowel and bladder control. These changes can be temporary or permanent. They may cause impairment or a complete inability to perform a function.

Following are statistics on Traumatic Brain Injuries in the United States from 2002-06:

• An estimated 1.7 million people sustain Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) annually
• 0-4 years old, 15-19 years old and 65 and older are the age groups most likely to sustain a TBI.
• Males are more likely to sustain TBI than females.
• Falls (35.3%), Motor Vehicle Accident (17.3%) and Struck by/ against (16.5) are the leading external causes of TBI

All Stats taken from the Center for Disease Control Prevention.

* Pictures courtsey of BlatantNews.com by way of Flickr Creative Commons.

3 Questions About North Carolina Nursing Home Negligence Answered

1. What do I do if I suspect nursing home abuse?
You should immediately notify the head of the nursing home and document it in writing. Ask them to investigate and call you. Make more frequent visits unexpectedly. Keep a close eye on the abused person. Follow up on your request. If it is something that is causing serious medical problems, request a doctor be consulted immediately. Follow up with the doctor. Start a journal of your visits to the home, what you observe, what you are told, and the problems you are seeing.

2. What if I believe the abused person is in jeopardy or nothing is being done?
If you believe the matter is serious enough and you are not satisfied with the care being given or the follow up on any of your requests, you should immediately notify the North Carolina Division of Facilities. They have an investigation division that follows up on all complaints regarding nursing homes. The phone number is 919-733-8499. Follow up with this call and ask for a written report on their investigation. You can also make arrangements to have the abused person moved if need be.

3. How can I protect someone I know in a nursing home?
We cannot stress enough that people who visit daily or weekly are the front-line defense for the elderly. Make unexpected visits to the home. Walk around the home and observe the conditions existing. Make sure you know the names of the people who care for the person you are interested in. When you see something wrong, report it! Do not assume if you make a fuss they will “get mad and not care for the person”. The truth of the matter is they become more watchful and careful and provide better care.

Social Security Unveils New Website

The following is a press release from the Social Security Administration about their newly redesigned website. You can check out the website by clicking the following link: Social Security Website

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today unveiled the agency’s newly redesigned home page at www.socialsecurity.gov that will help visitors more quickly and easily find the information and services they need. One of the key features of the redesigned home page is a service channeling guide, which appears in the left hand column of the page. The guide links users directly to the most popular pages on Social Security’s web site -- the services visitors are most likely to want to use.


“We set out to make Social Security’s new home page even easier for visitors to find the services and information they need,” Commissioner Astrue said, "and our new look reflects the useful feedback we received from the public during testing. Almost everyone either needs the information on our site or can use it to help a relative or neighbor. See for yourself at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/.”

Other features of the new home page include a rotating “showcase” that provides high visibility for significant agency initiatives that benefit the American public. Redesigned subpages for the major Social Security benefit programs -- Retirement, Disability, Survivors, SSI, and Medicare -- are easily accessed by clicking on the row of horizontal blue buttons at the top of the home page. An additional button -- Business Services -- links to a portal with information and services Social Security offers to businesses. A news section keeps readers up-to-date on important Social Security announcements, and a large question mark on the right side of the page takes visitors to frequently asked questions. While the look of the website may have changed, the bookmarked links to users' favorite pages have not.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Social Security has the three highest rated online services in all of government – the Retirement Estimator, online benefit application, and the Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs application. The customer satisfaction scores for these online services exceed the top-rated commercial site, Netflix.

To visit Social Security’s redesigned home page go to www.socialsecurity.gov.

###

Veterans Day 2010

On this Veterans Day, everyone in the Hardison & Cochran office would like to say Thank You to the men and women who have served and are currently serving our country in the military.

Check out some great stories from across the state of North Carolina on this Veterans Day:
Veterans Day: Tributes honor those who served - Fayetteville Observer
A Hero's Homecoming - Raleigh News & Observer
A veteran of two wars, Bill Causey is able to leave the past behind - High Point Enterprise
For veterans, medals tell story of service to nation - Jacksonville Daily News
One Soldier’s Story - The Durham Herald Sun
Counties select vets to lend a hand for new memorial - Wilmington Star News
A World War II Vet's Untold Story - Southern Pines Pilot
Ceremony at West celebrates selfless acts of our veterans - Statesville Record & Landmark
"I answered the call of my country" - local veteran looks back - Burlington Times-News
Local veteran recalls fighting in World War II - Kinston Free Press
Ex-sailor, 89, reflects on his role in the war - Winston-Salem Journal
A lasting tribute once we are gone - Charlotte Observer

* Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Tips to Avoid Hitting Deer and Wildlife With Your Vehicle

While deer/ wildlife and vehicle collisions can happen at any time of the year, the majority of the accidents happen between the months of October and December. The main reasons for this include mating season and hunting season says the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The NC DOT also states that the majority of deer/ wildlife collisions happen between 5:00 p.m and 7:00 a.m. due to limited lighting.

Along with offering stats, the NC DOT offers the following tips to avoid having an accident with a deer this fall:

1. Slow down in posted deer crossing areas and heavily wooded areas, especially during the dark hours of fall;
2. Drive with high beams on, when possible, and watch out for eyes reflecting in the headlights;
3. Remember that deer often travel in groups, so do not assume that all is clear if one deer has already passed; and
4. Do not swerve to avoid contact with deer. This could cause the vehicle to flip or veer into oncoming traffic, causing a more serious crash.

In addition to the above safety tips, SmartMotorist.com offers the following tips on avoiding hitting a deer:

1. Be vigilant in early morning and evening hours, the most active time for deer.
2. Use your high-beam headlights, which reflect in the deer's eyes, to see the deer better.
3. Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
4. Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path. Do not swerve. It can confuse the deer as to where to run. It can also cause you to lose control and hit a tree or another car.
5. Be alert and drive with caution when you are moving through a deer crossing zone.
6. Always wear your seat belt. Most people injured in car/deer crashes were not wearing their seat belt.
7. Look for other deer after one has crossed the road. Deer seldom run alone.

According to this map by State Farm Mutual, North Carolina is a "high-risk state" when it comes to a vehicle colliding with a deer. State Farm Mutual has also published a state-by-state spreadsheet of how they determined the numbers viewed in the aforementioned map.

Bottom line, like it is with any aspect of driving a vehicle safely, keep your speed safe and be on the look out.

* Photo courtsey of Mark Robinson via Flickr Creative Commons.

Scenes From the 2010 Cotton Festival in Dunn, North Carolina

It was cold and it sprinkled a majority of the day, but it didn't stop the great folks of Harnett County and the surrounding counties from getting out to the 2010 North Carolina Cotton Festival. If you dropped by our tent, we hope you enjoyed yourself. Below is a video and some pictures of our time at the Cotton Festival.

Please watch your volume when you play the video. The band was jamming out, so the video camera didn't have a problem picking up the sound. Enjoy! 

Friday Feed #64

It's been sometime since we have posted the Friday Feed. If you don't know about the Friday Feed, it's a post of links to interesting things around the Internet to lead you into the weekend. So, let's say hello to an old friend:

Want A Camaro Personal Computer? Chevy Has You Covered
You like the Chevy Camaro. You may drive a Chevy Camaro. Now you can surf the Internet with, yes, a Chevy Camaro.

Guinness Record Setting Animals of 2011
Ever seen a 245 pound dog that has to sleep on a queen sized mattress?

2010 North Carolina Cotton Festival in Dunn, North Carolina
Check out everything that is happening in Downtown Dunn, NC tomorrow. We will be there all day long. Come by and meet the attorney and staff of the firm.

The Secrets Behind Black Friday Leaks
Thanksgiving is close. That means Holiday shopping game plans are being formed. Here's some info on the way the Black Friday Sales are leaked to consumers.

Nicest Canadian couple in world dole out lottery winnings
"What you've never had, you never miss" Great story. Great people.

2010 Cotton Festival in Dunn, North Carolina

We're going back on the road this weekend, well not exactly on the road as this festival is within a stone's throw of our Dunn office, but we're getting back out and meeting folks in the street. Once again, we will be at the Cotton Festival in Dunn, North Carolina. If you're going to be around, stop by and see us. 

This year's festival will be the 12th annual and as always the schedule is jam packed with fun for the whole family. Click here to check out what they have in store.

In addition to the scheduled events, there will be a karaoke contest, Car Show (put on by the Dunn Shirne Club) and Kiddie Land for all the kids in attendance.

We expect to have a great time and we'll have plenty of pictures and video when we come back Monday. If you want to see what the Cotton Festival is all about, check out all our pictures from the 2009 Cotton Festival or just check out the one below of Ben Cochran and Barney Fife. Great Times!!!

Heavy Metal Toxicity (DePuy Hip Replacement)

If you're a frequent reader of our blog, you may have seen a previous blog post on the lawsuits associated with the Johnson & Johnson Depuy Hip Replacement. As an overview, lawsuits are being filed alleging that the hip replacement was designed with a flaw. This flaw, which stems from a metal-on-metal design, has caused the product to fail at an alarmingly high rate of 12%-15%. This failure usually means pain for the patient and also a second surgery to rectify the first failed attempt.

In addition to the pain and second surgery, the Depuy Hip Replacement may expose patients to "heavy metal toxicity". Since our blog is aimed at keeping the public informed and providing education, let's take a look at "Heavy Metal Toxicity."

What are "heavy metals"?"
Heavy metals" are chemical elements with a specific gravity that is at least 5 times the specific gravity of water. (http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-156.shtml) Click link to see specific "heavy metals."

Are all heavy metals bad for you?
No, many offer benefits and are in your daily diet of fruits and vegetables.

When do they become bad for you?When your body has so much heavy metal in it that it cannot metabolize and it accumulates in your soft tissues, is when a person will start feeling the adverse symptoms of heavy metal toxicity.

What are the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity?
- Chronic pain throughout the muscles and tendons or any soft tissues of the body
- Chronic malaise – general feeling of discomfort, fatigue, and illness
- Brain fog – state of forgetfulness and confusion
- Chronic infections such as Candida
- Gastrointestinal complaints, such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, heartburn, and indigestion
- Food allergies
- Dizziness
- Migraines and/or headaches
- Visual disturbances
- Mood swings, depression, and/or anxiety
- Nervous system malfunctions – burning extremities, numbness, tingling, paralysis, and/or an electrifying feeling throughout the body
(http://www.jigsawhealth.com/resources/heavy-metal-toxicity-symptoms)


Additional Resources:Life Extension
Diagnose Me
E-Medicine

* Photo courtesey of Simon Davison by way of Flickr Creative Commons.

Distracted Driving Technology

As we covered in a recent blog post, injuries and deaths due to distracted driving are on the rise. The news isn't getting any better as Jacob Lammers from The News-Herald serving Northern Ohio reports in an article yesterday:

According to a study from the American Journal of Public Health, distracted driving fatalities increased 28 percent after 2005, rising from 4,572 fatalities to 5,870 in 2008. Distracted driving fatalities had dropped from 1999 to 2005.
The main cause, as you may have guessed, is the boom in technology. Cell phones not only let you talk while on the road, but allow people to also text, check their Twitter accounts, Facebook accounts and even log onto the Internet at speeds as fast as desktop computers.

With all this being said, where there is technology to distract, there is technology to help people get their eyes on the road. One company leading the way is CellControl. The company offers products for family use that when applied, will notice when a family member is in a vehicle and will disable all communication devices (texting, internet use, etc) when in motion.

CellControll also offers products for vehicle fleets and will participate in this week’s 36th Annual National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) Summit in Portland, Oregon.

Until these types of disabling technologies are used in the mainstream, please keep your eyes on the road. The text or phone call can wait till you reach your destination.

* Cell Phone picture courtesy of samantha celera via Flickr Creative Commons