God of our weary years

"God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by Thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land."

James Weldon Johnson, 1871-1938, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (third stanza)

I could never understand how some think this poem/hymn could be controversial or that it belongs to only one group. It is universal, past, present and future, autobiographical from womb to tomb. From struggle to hope to victory.

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Operation Christmas Child

Message from UALC: We pray for each shoebox that will be brought to Mill Run this week, from our church and other churches in the area. We pray for the journey of the shoeboxes and the individuals involved in getting them to the children. May the contents of these boxes bring necessities, as well as items of joy and fun to each recipient. We pray for the children and families whose lives will be impacted by the contents, and the message of God and his love.

There will be many more, but this was the stack on November 16, 2024.

The only time Democrats care about women

The same people who didn't care about 

300,000 children missing in the U.S. and possibly trafficked because of Biden's policies,

 
men in women's locker rooms and playing against them in physical sports,

 
who think normal people are Nazis if they don't list pronouns,

find 34 felonies in a bookkeeping error

 
can't tell us what a woman is but can serve as judges or professors

those same people will believe an anonymous woman (yes, for this they will say she's a woman) quoted in a leftist newspaper or social media site about any charges about a male Republican in line for an important corporate or political office.

The problem is left over cookie icing

 RFK Jr can't do it all alone. MAHA can do some things, but it's up to us to exercise, eat fewer calories, drink less and stop smoking. And I could stop cleaning up the bowl of icing after I make the cookies (like I just did).

Melt half a stick of butter, a few drops of vanilla, a dash of salt, and a few scoops of Hersey's cocoa (dark). Mix in enough powdered sugar to make it stiff. If it's too stiff to spread on the cookies, add a little half and half. Spread on cookies. Chocolate makes everything better.

What happened to Title IX?

I asked Google(?) who changed the original meaning of Title IX.

 
Sen. Birch Bayh wrote the original 37 words to insert in an education bill in 1972. It was signed by President Nixon. That still doesn't explain to me how President Biden was allowed to change the law in 2022 to add "Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity," in an Executive Order, creating chaos for females in all areas of education. That alone should have been reason enough for all women not to vote for him (or his stand-in, Harris). Let's see if this new case gives women justice. Eventually, women will win in the Supreme Court. There are now biological men competing in women's sports (and other endeavors) who are "women" on their word and nothing else--not drugs, not surgery, long past puberty, just a pure violation of Title IX and with the media as the handmaiden of the violence.

Gaslighters in the sciences

Laura Helmut, editor-in-chief of America’s oldest magazine, Scientific American, resigns after calling Trump voters fascists. She's the fascist. They always accuse others of what they are doing.

If that's what she thinks of us, she should stick by it, and not grovel to get her job back. If she can't handle an election, she needs the rest from a high pressure job and try coal mining, or working the window at McDonald's.

"Helmuth had apologized in a separate post, calling them “offensive and inappropriate” and that they don’t “reflect the position” of Scientific American.

“I respect and value people across the political spectrum,” Helmuth wrote. “These posts, which I have deleted, do not reflect my beliefs; they were a mistaken expression of shock and confusion about the election results.” "

A Bible verse to memorize

I've heard my whole life that memorizing text (poetry, Bible verses, instructions, math solutions, etc. is good), and I wish I could, but I struggle with memorizing. But I've found a Bible verse that's easy to remember, and it's a theme that appears throughout the Bible in many ways and in parables, commands, stories, songs, and history. It fits any period of history and doesn't violate anyone's culture or ethnicity. Psalm 37:3 "Trust in the Lord and do good." It's the same in any translation. Then I'll work on the next part which contains the promise that follows the command, and it is a command.

Men in women's sports

There's an easy way to solve this.   https://www.theblaze.com/fearless/trans-athlete-heckled-womens-sports?   See story below.  There can be a third league. The only reasons not to are 1) an agenda to destroy women's sports, 2) dismantle and destabilize women's sense of purpose and identity, and 3) to make unsafe for women those arenas of society that are set aside to protect or promote them. This will have no effect on Lesbians and Gays; they are women or men. Unlike the acronym, they are not natural allies.

 
We need to start at the universities with medical schools that "affirm" the nonsense at the taxpayers expense, like The Ohio State University, and the various children's hospitals. If men want to play "dress up" and wear mascara or women want to deform their bodies and be sterile, allow them to grow up first. These clinics are not kind, understanding or affirming.

"San Jose State University's women's volleyball was defeated by San Diego State University on Saturday, but the score was not what caused the most commotion.

The game saw around triple the usual attendance; however, much of the crowd was not happy to see SJSU's transgender athlete Blaire Fleming. Born Brayden, Fleming is a 6'1'' male whose inclusion on the team has sparked five separate forfeits from opposing teams and even caused his own teammate to speak out against him."

Billions spent on our election

Every election I think how the huge amounts of money could have been spent for better causes. But not this year. The money spent, both by Democrats and Republicans saved our nation to be a blessing to others. It secured our borders, it attacked waste and frivolous spending that would have been far more expensive if not reduced, it slowed down the wars, and perhaps it was the funeral for wokeism in our military, the bureaucracy and academe. It is the new Jim Crow. Is that too much to hope for?

 
The Democrats' money too helped just by showing us how ridiculous and divisive their policies and goals are. While trying to destroy us, they paid millions to show us the opposite of the values they touted with Americans held hostage for a Jan 6 riot, for Americans and allies killed in August 2021, for the coup that was the opposite of democracy, and their killing of babies and maiming of children.

According to Wall St. Journal today: "Kamala Harris raised more than $1 billion and spent more than $900 million [I don't know where the money Biden raised before he withdrew went], while the Trump campaign raised around $380 million and spent more than $350 million. In swing states Democrats had the edge in campaign spending across the board.

The margin was closest in Pennsylvania, where Democrats spent $109 million to Republicans’ $102 million. In Michigan Democrats spent $81 million to Republicans’ $18 million. In Wisconsin it was $49 million to $15 million, according to AdImpact. Mr. Trump won those states, but more narrowly than his advantage on the issues and the national turn to the right suggest he might have."

We Bruces contributed nothing except indirectly. Our money continued to support pro-life causes, religious freedom causes, conservative non-profits and our church. All those organizations have staff, volunteers and communication systems that speak the truths of the Bible and our Constitution. I hope they spent wisely and prayed about it.

Trump election protests

If you totaled all the protesters against the November 5, 2024, election and the pink hat ladies on Trump's first inauguration in 2017 who destroyed cars and set fires, would they add up to the January 6, 2021, protests? Is it an insurrection? Who will keep track?  https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-protests-cities-1981841?

 
From Wikipedia: "By the end of the month [Jan. 2021], the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had opened more than 400 case files and issued more than 500 subpoenas and search warrants related to the riot.[2] The FBI also created a website to solicit tips from the public specifically related to the riot,[3] and were especially assisted by the crowdsourced sleuthing group Sedition Hunters.[4] By the end of 2021, 725 people had been charged with federal crimes.[5][6] That number rose to 1,000 by the second anniversary of the attack,[5] and to 1,200 by the third anniversary, at which point over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes.[7][8] These federal cases are handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (D.C.).[9] State cases, of which there are fewer, are handled in the D.C. Superior Court.[10]"

TV series reviews

Recently we got Paramount+ with a renewal of our Spectrum subscription, so I've been watching 3 (new to me) series about female lawyers. All are well done with great supporting casts--"So help me Todd," "Matlock," and "Elsbeth."  All are on demand, so I can watch any time. I have no idea where they are in the regular CBS line up.

1. In So Help Me Todd, the titular Todd (Skylar Astin) is a private investigator whose license was revoked. He’s working in his fastidious attorney mother’s (Marcia Gay Hardin) law firm and the two must navigate both the nature of the job and their relationship. This is my favorite, but it's been cancelled. Lots of family conflicts in this story line, since Todd has siblings, each one with mama issues. One is a doctor and one is assistant to the governor of Oregon. Obligatory LGBTQ sub text.

2. Matlock follows Madeline Matlock as she rejoins the work force at a prestigious law firm, where she uses her wily tactics to win cases and expose wrongdoing. She and her husband have custody of the grandson after their daughter died of a drug overdose. He helps her solve crimes. It's OK, but the writers have her lying a lot to her colleagues and also use the ruse of work hostilities to get the cast to bond. Obligatory LGBTQ sub text. This sounds a little tired, but so far, I've enjoyed most of them before falling asleep.

3. Elsbeth. "Carrie Preston is Elsbeth Tascioni, the astute but unconventional consent decree attorney working with the NYPD to catch New York’s most well-heeled murderers utilizing her unique point of view." I've only watched one episode. It's a comedy-drama so I don't know if there is a sub plot about marriage, divorce, siblings or lesbians.

So, I've OD'd on crime and post middle-age women attorneys. Brenda in "The Closer" got us started on this genre about 20 years ago and she was the trail blazer. Bob still watches the reruns. But none are that good. Marcia Hardin has a fabulous wardrobe, and Elsbeth looks like she shops at my favorite resale shop. Matlock is seen mostly in a gray pants suit or her bathrobe for her home scenes.

What's the future for Trump supporters now?

We attended a small gathering of shell shocked but jubilant voters last evening--pizza, wine, spice cake, and a lot of discussion about the future. I heard many fantastical but hopeful ideas--woke is dead, education department will disappear, border will be safe, the wars will wind down, Musk will be amazing, etc. etc. I'm happy Trump won, but he's just a man full of common sense and old fashioned American idealism. (This was called fascism by his opponents and set him up for assassination attempts.) He's not the return of Jesus.

And for all of us who were ridiculed or cancelled (in job, in family, in friendships or in church) for speaking the truth about the 2020 election, the vaccine or George Floyd, let's hope there can be the purifying effect of sunlight on those issues too. Have you seen the graph of the 20,000,000 Democrats who were in the 2020 data, but not in the 2016 or 2024? Did Biden really get more votes than Obama? When and if Trump gets some of the "cancelled" science professors--biology, medicine, virology, etc.--back on the job and in the CDC and FDA, let's hope we never again let "public health departments and politicians" take away our freedom of religion and right to speak or have opinions.

The new meme that even Don Jr. is espousing is that losing in 2020 was a good thing because he would have been continually harassed and blocked, and now he will have a much stronger team, more knowledge about who he can trust, the backing of his party (which has also been changed) and the Senate (and we hope the House) to get his appointments through to make substantive changes. Of course, he'll never have the media, academe or Hollywood, but that's not a bad thing as the new media is drawing millions away to new sources.

We'll see. Most of us won't be here for the next one, or will be too befuddled to care.

And I'm still a one-issue voter--still voting for the babies. Join me!

Honestly, Bari?

Today I turned off one of my favorite podcasts, "Honestly" with Bari Weiss. She was "cancelled" (aka fired) by NYT and started a very successful news service, "The Free Press." She began her analysis of the Trump sweep and comeback by stating, not opining, that Trump was the most flawed candidate in our history, and said it again in slightly different terms before she got to her first guest, a trans woman, Brianna Wu.

In the introduction Bari stated, in my opinion, many errors about the 2020 election. She didn't even use the journalistic weasel words like "allegedly" or "it is said." And then she reminded the audience, with no doubt in her voice, about the completely phony impeachments, the lawfare cases brought by Soros funded goons, and the dreamed up sexual assaults.

 
Then Brianna, one of the 3 guests, begins listing his fears about attacks on Trans people that Republicans funded in their pro-Trump ads. Whoa! The only ads I saw were about the sexual mutilation of children, cross sex hormones for adolescents and men in women's locker rooms. If Brianna who is an adult wants to pretend to be a woman that's his business, but he should at least have the concerns that women have. Women are safer in a Trump presidency.

 
So, I switched to Will Cain's podcast. He was interviewing a Jewish Lebanese Canadian immigrant, Dr. Gad Saad, who is thrilled that Trump is president and has his own evaluation of the Trump victory, who is at fault and how it will affect Canadian and U.S. citizens.

IT'S ALL OVER! How Trump won the Presidency | Will Cain Show

Why the Left is worried about Trump

Here's a list of what Kamala and the Democrats call a threat to democracy from a fascist, i.e., anyone who tells the truth about the Democrat party. Compiled and posted by Dr. Anna Loska Meenan, one of the smartest women I know.

"Here is a list of the things President Trump accomplished in his 1st term:
Energy independence
Border security
Judicial appointments of constitutionalists
Got NATO countries to increase their payments
Best economic progress for Blacks in 50 years
Freedom from Obamacare mandate
African-American unemployment lowest rate ever recorded.
Hispanic-American unemployment lowest rate ever recorded.
Asian-American unemployment lowest rate ever recorded.
Women’s unemployment the lowest rate in 65 years.
Record low unemployment for veterans
Unemployment down to 3.5% (it’s 4.1% now)
4 million off food stamps
Record-low poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans
African-American home ownership increased
Invested $1.3 billion to bring internet to rural America
Dow record high above 30K
Doubled standard deduction
Doubled child tax credit
Biggest tax cuts and reforms in our history
Net natural gas exporter
Right to try medical procedure
Rebuilt the military
Got us out of the Iran nuclear deal
Hospitals to disclose costs
Animal cruelty a felony
Transparency and Competition for insurance companies
Bringing American companies home
Reductions of regulations strangling businesses—eliminated 8 for every one imposed
Reduced approval times for major infrastructure projects to 2 years or less
Eliminated ”Waters of the United States” rule
Replaced NAFTA with the USMCA
Ended Japan’s ban on importing American potatoes and lamb
Renegotiated the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement
Imposed tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods
Imposed tariffs on foreign aluminum and steel
Eliminated China’s ban on importing American pork
Signed the Women Peace and Security Act
Launched the American AI Initiative
Abraham Accords
Criminal justice reform
Record funding for historically black colleges
9,000 Opportunity Zones
Middle class income increased almost $6K
No new wars
In the spirit of fairness, I invite any Kamala supporters to post the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration."

Harris' concession speech

Kamala Harris gave a stirring and passionate concession speech today saying she would continue to fight for our democracy--for her principles--open borders, packing the court, gun confiscation, arresting people who use their first amendment rights like religion and speech, promising inflationary policies like price controls and government give aways to some home buyers, funding foreign wars, and destroying the unborn while our birth rate plummets. And the people cheered.

Message from Frank Pavone on the pro-life movement

 Priests for Life National Director Frank Pavone issued the following statement on the morning after the 2024 elections:

“The pro-life movement, and America herself, have been given a reprieve from the onslaught of a Democrat regime that would have tried to erase every protection for unborn children across America, and to take away the very tools we need to protect them. But another term of President Trump will strengthen our freedom of speech, of religion and of protest, and will set free the peaceful prolife prisoners. Moreover, with Republicans reclaiming the US Senate, we can look forward to hundreds of new pro-life judges who will serve in the federal courts for decades to come.

“As for the abortion ballot measures, six of the 10 that were voted on will go into effect: AZ, CO, MD, MO, MT, and NY. In Nevada, a second vote in the 2026 elections is required for passage. In FL, SD and NE the pro-life movement defeated the radical pro-abortion amendments, and secured an amendment in NE protecting babies in the second and third trimesters. In the states where these amendments passed, we will immediately begin the work of repealing them.

“Priests for Life worked intensely with all 10 states that had these ballot measures, including our home state of Florida. We convened meetings of the state and national pro-life leaders to maximize collaboration.

“Moreover, we are proud of our nationwide voter education and mobilization project, headquartered at ProLifeVote.com. The comeback of Donald J. Trump, the most pro-life president ever, is a moment in history that we are privileged to live through.”

“Now it is crucially important to continue our prayers and outspoken advocacy for President Trump, because his enemies will try to do everything possible to interfere with the next two phases of this transition, namely, the vote of the electors and the certification by Congress. His victory in the popular vote takes away a key tool that the Democrats would have used to undermine this election. So let us all be loud and clear and vigilant in our support over these next three months.”
 

Former Illinois governor spills the beans on Democrats, Rod Blagojevich talks to Tucker

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a lifelong Democrat, did eight years in federal prison. By the time he got out in 2020, his party had gone completely insane. He’s now all in for Donald Trump.

https://youtu.be/NDP6St8p7dk?si=ktawKifNh07kvW4m

Election prayer in our church newsletter

This prayer appeared in our church newsletter.

"Almighty God, we pray for peace on this upcoming Election Day. Protect our polling places and election workers, and make them places and people of peace.

We pray that the voting process will be straightforward, safe, and fair for everyone.

We pray, God, that you would bless each candidate with wisdom and grace as they seek positions of power and authority. Grant our leaders humble and virtuous hearts. We pray for our nation. May we come together for the common good and do as you require - to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen."

OK. It's nice. Who couldn't pray that--either party, even the non-voters, even immigrants and foreigners, tourists and children. But. . . here's the thing. Jesus is coming back--he said so. He described it in the words of Matthew 25. Scary stuff for a voter. He will come in his glory, and all the angels with him . . . now that's something to see! And it just doesn't sound like a Kum by ya (come by here) moment. All the nations will be gathered and Jesus is going to separate the sheep from the goats with the blessed inheriting the kingdom that has been prepared from the foundation of the world (see Genesis for details). 

Then the shocker. Jesus says "Come" to those who have already been hanging out with him--even without knowing it--those who gave him food, water, clothing and welcomed him!

 
That's where I'm finding welcoming the unborn and caring for them in the Bible if your church tradition says abortion isn't addressed in the Bible. I think it's clear. There's no one more vulnerable and helpless and in need of a visit from a friend than those in the womb. The King of the Universe accompanied by the hosts of heaven came as a humble, naked, hungry baby, he came as your neighbor, so why would you the voter deny him for a political ideology of a woman's right to choose?

 
National elections come around every 4 years. I may not be here for the next one, and it's quite possible this issue won't be either. Another 4 years of abortion on demand and to term and beyond and this nation may culturally and morally be a very different place. This may be my last chance to be visiting with Jesus and the angels before he comes back.

John Wesley's advice on voting

Wesley had three points to keep in mind, which he recorded in his journal from October 6, 1774. He wrote:

“I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them,
1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy:
2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: And,
3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side."

from https://juicyecumenism.com/2018/11/06/john-wesley-voting-american-politics/? and the Church News of Mt. Morris Church of the Brethren, October 27, 2024.

Dumbarton, Scotland painting

This is Bob's latest painting, and I think one of his best. I always see more in it than he does! It's from a photo taken from a train at the Central Railway station in Dumbarton, Scotland. I love the roof peaks repeated in one of the hats, the exit sign, and the expressive figures of the women as possibly they rush to another connection. This is from a photograph taken by a friend, so I can't tell you much about the location since she took it from the train window. I believe it is a 19th century municipal building seen through the arch. We visited Scotland in 2017 but were not on the train.

The painting nearest his right hand is our friend and former Lakeside neighbor Jack Prior racing a 420 at Webb Institute on Long Island. That's going into a show at Mill Run Church soon. The painting over his right shoulder is the Tolbooth in Edinburgh, but the glare on the glass blocks the clock.

Trash talking

Our vigilant useless media were more than delighted to jump on an unknown comic for comments he made about Puerto Rico and trash. Then Biden got in the game and called Trump supporters garbage, then had to walk that back. But the fact remains, Puerto Rico has a terrible trash problem and that's what the comic was referring to. It's a bi-partisan problem, but who has been in office the last 4 years? Kamala Harris.

 
"The Puerto Rico trash problem has been growing for decades. With a population of around 3.2 million, the island generates about 3.7 million tons of waste yearly. Despite being small, the island’s landfills are full and there’s no proper recycling infrastructure. This trash crisis affects everything from health to the economy so solutions are crucial for Puerto Rico’s future."

 
Someone should have investigated before they pointed fingers. At least this year, it's her problem, and the comic did the island a favor by bringing it to the public's attention, like nothing else would (i.e., blaming Trump)

https://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2024/10/puerto-rico-trash-problem/?

Kamala stirs up more misinformation and hate in "closing" the campaign of joy

The people (person) calling Trump a Fascist are revisiting J-6, the people they jailed for a political protest, even murdering one of them with government police, and hounding political enemies for 4 years. Even though the building guards opened for the protestors. People are still on probation or are being investigated who weren't even there but were in town. Sure sounds like fascism to me, but they own it. "Kamala Harris to remind voters of Jan. 6 attack in 'closing argument' at Ellipse" USA Today.

J6 Unmasked: Security footage confirms Capitol door opened, allowing 300 to enter building freely | Just The News

Kamala's last stand--Hitler

So Kamala's last trick is. . . wait for it. . . Hitler. Trump is a fascist. Hitler in an apron being taught how to use a deep fryer. That's all she's got. If he were a fascist, I don't know how Big Tech and Big Pharma shut him up and shut him out while he was the president. Kicked off twitter and not allowed to say Ivermectin.

 
He pretty much let the governors do their job, and each state acted accordingly. He didn't take over. That's the constitution. (Ohio's Republican governor was just wishy washy, and I'm not sure what he did.) For abortion, he returned it to the states--and don't think that turned out well and there are now more abortions than before! He appointed 3 originalists (follow the constitution) to the Supreme Court. How is that fascist, Kamala? Even the late great Ruth Bader Ginsberg who was pro-abortion said it was never a good decision (no law was ever passed)--it was too far-reaching and too sweeping, and it gave pro-life activists fodder for the fight.

Tim Walz was more a fascist during the George Floyd riots than Trump was. He just let the brown shirts go crazy and burn down the cities. Kamala Harris when a DA confiscated guns and threatened in 2007 to have random police checks of private homes--a clear constitutional violation. She's the fascist in fact--not in theory.

 
There are about 8,000 minor females (aka children) who've had their breasts removed just for the political advocacy of an insane, demented group. It's an act of sexual violence worse than any child sex ring an Epstein or Weinstein could dream up. They don't really fit as Marxists, tribal gurus or populists. Unless you'd factor in the anti-family, anti-God people on the left. And again, that would be Harris, not Trump. There again, this is a local issue, and I'm not sure under which administration that particular viral movement had the most influence. I don't remember Trump appointing men pretending to be women to high government positions, but he could have. We know which party is LGBTQ occupied, although I can't figure out how the T figures in on that. It really makes no sense to say Gay is natural and good and then try to mutilate the body of a child who is confused about biology.

But politics isn't always about common sense. Common sense does tell you based on Trump's experience and the laws Kamala's already violated, that she fits her own narrative.

Kamala's Karrot--$25,000

Is that $25,000 wealth transfer for first time home buyers making any traction for Democrats to choose Harris instead of Trump? Only if they know nothing about real estate. Of course, the entire housing industry has a stake in that, from the land developer to the builder to the home furnishing industry. The best down payment break is a thriving economy instead of raging inflation, and Harris' plan is inflationary. It just inflates the cost of a low end house $25,000 and moves up from there. The original first-time home buyer tax credit was created by Congress in 2008 during the burst housing bubble and ended in 2010. And that bubble too was created by government money. Remember the bundled sub-prime mortgages for people who were a poor credit risk? Your government did that.

Does it make sense to offer $25,000 for a first home credit if there aren't any being built in your price range? It's local and "green" regulations that are driving up the cost of acreage and building--and for that we can thank Harris' party and the scare tactics about global weather cycles. Where we live used to be under a glacier, so we know about that warming stuff in Ohio.

 
We bought our first home (of 5) when we were 22 and 23. We haven't had a home mortgage since our 40s. If you talk to other people our age (80s) most bought homes in our 20s instead of 35 because we married younger in those days, and parents are more willing to chip in if the couple isn't just living together. We also didn't have college loans to pay off. We also didn't have nice cars, didn't live in apartment buildings with "amenities," didn't have manicures, didn't have vacations, we didn't even have shopping malls. We all had parents who had lived through the Great Depression and WWII, knew a few things about saving money and were more than willing to tell us about it!!

That Kamala-carrot on the stick is rotten to the core. She'd better come up with something other than spending money the government first has to take from someone else.

Updated Guidance from Florida

 https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDOH/bulletins/3b56786?

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health (Department) is reminding health care providers of the importance of remaining up to date with current literature related to COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, and the importance of providing patients with informed consent. 

On August 22, 2024, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and authorized updated versions of mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna. The FDA approved the vaccine for people 12 and older and provided emergency use authorization for children 6 months to 11 years old. The stated target of these boosters is the Omicron variant which is not causing a significant number of infections. 

The most recent booster approval was granted in the absence of booster-specific clinical trial data performed in humans. Furthermore, this booster does not protect against the currently dominant strain, accounting for approximately 37% of infections in the United States. There are currently limited data to inform whether these boosters offer any substantial protection against the virus and subsequent circulating variants. Although randomized clinical trials are normally used to approve therapeutics, the federal government has not required COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to demonstrate their boosters prevent hospitalizations or death from COVID-19 illness. 

Read the entire message.

When politics divide families

I remember this election.  My parents were split on politics, and for 60 years crossed out each other's votes, but I don't remember them talking about it. I also remember the day after the election when the newspapers printed the information wrong--they printed as late as they could and it looked like Dewey won, but it was Truman. Remember the day when we all voted on the same day?

  

Saturday Evening Post cover, October 30, 1948

Irregular Heart Rhythms and Seizures

I'm going to drop this into my blog so I can find it. Last week I had a continuous heart monitor implanted to see if the heart rhythm was causing seizures or the other way around. Here's what I found although there is no good way to cite the source, as it has none but several articles, which actually includes one about dogs, another about epilepsy. That's why I don't like AI.

Irregular Heart Rhythms and Seizures

Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and focal seizures are two distinct medical conditions that can occur independently or in conjunction with each other. Here’s a summary of their relationship and key points:

Arrhythmias: Abnormal heart rhythms that can be too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregular (atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, etc.)

Can be caused by various factors, including heart disease, electrolyte imbalances, medications, and genetic conditions 

May lead to symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, fainting, or chest pain

Focal Seizures: Type of seizure characterized by abnormal electrical activity in a specific part of the brain (focal onset)

Typically involves involuntary motor movements or sensory disturbances limited to one side of the body or a specific area

Can be caused by various factors, including brain lesions, infections, or genetic conditions

May be accompanied by symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or weakness

Connection between Arrhythmias and Focal Seizures: Seizures can increase the risk of arrhythmias, particularly in individuals with underlying heart conditions

Seizure medications may also contribute to arrhythmias as a side effect

In some cases, arrhythmias can precede or coincide with seizures, making it challenging to distinguish between the two conditions

The autonomic nervous system (ANS), which regulates heart rate and blood pressure, can be affected by both arrhythmias and seizures

Clinical Significance: Accurate diagnosis and treatment of both arrhythmias and focal seizures are crucial to prevent complications and improve patient outcomes

Monitoring of heart rhythm and electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings can help identify the presence of arrhythmias and seizures

Treatment may involve medications, implantable devices (e.g., pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators), or surgical interventions, depending on the underlying causes and severity of the conditions

Key Takeaways: Irregular heart rhythms and focal seizures can occur independently or in conjunction with each other

Seizures can increase the risk of arrhythmias, and seizure medications may contribute to arrhythmias as a side effect

Accurate diagnosis and treatment of both conditions are essential to prevent complications and improve patient outcomes

Monitoring of heart rhythm and EEG recordings can help identify the presence of arrhythmias and seizures [This is the Medtronic device I have now.  It is NOT a pacemaker.]

The good old days of medicine

Although I'm old enough to remember when the doctor came to the house, I also remember when I could call the doctor and he would get back to me at the end of the day. I also remember when he would write a personal note at the end of the lab report that was mailed to me. I don't remember how many years ago it was, but if I were in the hospital, the doctor visited me there instead of a "hospitalist" I'd never see again.

The Fox interview with Kamala Harris

It seems I'm the only one who thought Kamala talked louder than Bret on Fox last night. I've heard that charge so often about how Donald Trump stopped the so called bi-partisan Senate border bill of 2024 even I could argue the sides. I've yet to hear the interviewer drill down and ask about the numbers of illegals allowed in. The bill gave authority to shut down the border, which wouldn’t kick in until the seven-day average number of cumulative encounters with INADMISSIBLE migrants was between 4,000 and 5,000 per day. And even that would be discretionary unless the seven-day average was above 5,000 per day. What Democrat president wouldn't love codifying the number of illegals at 5,000 a day? Then they would call them legal and sign them up to vote, live in hotels, flood the local schools, use welfare intended for citizens, and emergency funding for hurricane victims. All while rich Democrats like Obama and Pelosi live in gated communities!

And there were billions for Ukraine in that "border bill" too, although leftist media loves to split hairs on that in the old shell game.

And speaking of rich. That old saw Kamala trots out in each speech about Trump's tax breaks for the rich is right out of the 80s. Why can't interviewers ever ask her about that? The wealthiest, most powerful donors to elections in the U.S. are Democrats using illegal migrants as gardeners and house cleaners. Just a few months ago we saw a coup and the president was deposed by a few mega-rich corporate magnates and Hollywood PACs.

But Bret just let that fly on by and continued to let her lie, lie, lie, and obfuscate about her role as border czar and a "middle class" kid who didn't show up for work in California. She blames Trump who held no office in the Senate and gave a tax break to the middle class in his four years.

Bret . . . I think you failed.

Frustration with electronic devices

 Last week I was in the hospital again and this time received an implantable cardiac electronic device for cardiac arrhythmia management made by Medtronic. It's called a loop recorder. It's supposed to be way more accurate than those clunky monitors that they stick on the outside and give you a little transmitter to push. Sounds like a terrific piece of technology, doesn't it? Just try to get anyone on the phone (low tech) to report a problem, or even at my own cardiologist's office here in Columbus. I looked at the patient information page on-line which is worthless so then looked at the professional page which had a lot of sexy numbers and percentages and AI stuff, but still no information on how to find a real person to talk to who hasn't left a recorded message and will call back in 48 hours.

So I did get a call back at about 24 hours later from the "clinic," but the staff member was from the pacemaker group and not the loop device. This then involved her calling the company with an explanation from a non-native speaker of English about how it was set up to record. None of this made sense because I was receiving their messages just fine, but there was no way for me to contact them (a feature explained to me at the hospital). Then the staffer at the local clinic told me her supervisor was not in today, so she'd have to call me back.

Update: It was "fixed," and I suspect someone in the company asked their grandchild, and it appears that the app was removed and reloaded. It works with your TV, why not the implanted heart device? I still think there is too much high tech and not enough high touch (people).

Are you voting Progressive in 2024?

You are voting progressive in 2024. These are the issues you wish to impose on me.

socialism
intersectionality
The national religion of woke
gender surgery for minors
abortion into the 9th month
freedom of speech restricted
religious rights restricted
2nd amendment destroyed
larger and more powerful government at all levels
inflationary income tax increases
taxes on unrealized gains
lawfare--weaponization of the law
laws and regulations based on skin color and ethnicity
males stealing athletic scholarships from females
sexually explicit books required for young readers
drag queen parades, shows and story hours
no national borders
destruction of democratic process for election of officials
packing Supreme Court
dismantling the electoral college so only largest metro areas vote

Transient Ischemic attack

 Excerpt from StatPearls, 2024

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a medical emergency. It is defined as a transient episode of neurologic dysfunction due to the focal brain, spinal cord, or retinal ischemia without acute infarction or tissue injury. The definition of a TIA has moved from time-based to tissue-based. A TIA typically lasts less than an hour, more often minutes. TIA can be considered a serious warning of an impending ischemic stroke; the risk is highest in the first 48 hours following a transient ischemic attack. Differentiating transient ischemic attack from other mimicking conditions is important. Transient ischemic attacks are usually associated with a focal neurologic deficit and/or speech disturbance in a vascular territory due to underlying cerebrovascular disease. It is always sudden in onset. Evaluation of TIA should be done urgently with imaging and laboratory studies to decrease the risk of subsequent strokes. The subsequent risk of TIA or ischemic stroke can be stratified with a simple clinical measure. Immediate multimodality therapeutic interventions should be initiated. These will include aggressive treatment of blood pressure, high-dose statin, antiplatelet therapy, blood sugar control, diet, and exercises. Specific underlying etiology needs to be managed accordingly. This treatment scheme may substantially reduce the risk of recurrent strokes or future TIA by at least 80%.

StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)

Transient Ischemic Attack - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)

"The ABCD2 score is very important for predicting subsequent risks of TIA or stroke. The ABCD2 score was derived from providing a more robust prediction standard. The ABCD2 score includes age, blood pressure, clinical symptoms, duration, and diabetes.

Age: older than 60 years (1 point)
Blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg on first evaluation (1 point)
Clinical symptoms: a focal weakness with the spell (2 points) or speech impairment without weakness (1 point)
Duration greater than 60 min (2 points) or 10 min to 59 min (1 point)
Diabetes mellitus (1 point).

The 2-day risk of stroke was 0% for scores of 0 or 1, 1.3% for 2 or 3, 4.1% for 4 or 5, and 8.1% for 6 or 7. Most stroke centers will admit patients with TIA to the hospital for expedited management and observation if the score is 4, 5, or higher. For patients with a lower score, expedited evaluation and management are still warranted. This expedited approach has been proven to improve the outcome.[9]"

Remarkable similarities in the four candidates

Have you ever thought about how much the 4 candidates actually do have in common? 

Vance's wife, Usha, and Kamala Harris are daughters of Indian immigrants who were well educated California academics. Say what you will about class and race in America, but Asian Indians are near the top in education, income and entrepreneurship. (Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley were also candidates and also ethnically Indian.) As an immigrant group they have an advantage since most have a college degree and English as a 2nd language when they immigrate. 

And Donald Trump's mother and wives Ivana and Melania were immigrants (Czech and Slovenian).

Vance and Obama were both raised by their grandparents (Obama technically isn't running, but that's not true in reality). 

Vance and Walz have strong rural backgrounds, Vance with his heart home in rural Kentucky, and Walz in several rural communities in Nebraska and working on a farm as a teen. 

For all they say about the importance of family values (and all candidates say that), fathers don't seem to be on the scene much. Walz's father died when he was young, Vance's father was completely out of the picture and his Papaw was his male influence, Harris's parents were divorced, and other than her father being a Marxist professor, we don't know much about him. Trumps' father is mentioned as a real estate mogul, but I don't see evidence that it was a warm relationship. 

Both Vance and Walz have experience in the military and attribute much of their success and leadership skills to that. 

Both Trump and Harris, children of privilege, attended private schools--Trump's was a military school and Harris' was in Montreal, Canada. 

In stories and rumors of sexual escapades, Trump and Harris match up well.

Can you think of other similarities?

More on my TIA

Because of my TIA two weeks ago, I've had some speech therapy (no one but me could hear the problem). This morning I did one of my vocal exercises and my husband put his hands over his ears (he wears hearing aids). He said, "I think you've passed."

If you're ever in need of an MRI or a CAT let me mention a side effect most people don't have. After questioning "Dr. Google" thoroughly I've decided I had a reaction to the contrast medium dye which is injected so they can see the blood vessels better and determine the problem.

 
I've now had 14 days of what feels like a sunburn on my face, but no rash, no fever and no one can see it. This is very hard to explain to my doctor. What you are told at the time is the heat you feel from the contrast medium will be gone after a few minutes. I'm suspicious I had a reaction to the iodine in the medium because I have thyroid disease. In rare cases for some people it lasts for months. It's not fatal and it is rare, and you still need the test. It seems to be lessening--or maybe I'm just used to it.

North Carolina on my mind

It's hard to know how this trifecta of tragedies will impact the 2024 election. On the surface a dock strike putting us in another inflationary period, another war in the Middle East because USA looks weak under Biden, and a Hurricane where FEMA can't get drinking water to some trapped in 5 days looks seriously bad for Harris/Walz.

But look how many people won't be able to get to the polls in NC? That's the silver lining. Americans will forget Helene in a week or so, while those unfortunate people will still be scrambling for the basics for months or longer. Hang on, my shirttail relatives in NC. 

Hurricanes are not a result of climate change, but they are fodder for politics. Remember how Democrats screamed at Bush for Katrina even though the governor of LA and the mayor of NOLA were Democrats unprepared at the local and state levels? Much of the hold up there was LA regulations preventing outsiders from coming in to help. And Trump had hurricane Maria and the complaints about bottled water not getting there on time. But FEMA had delivered; it was found out after he was demonized by the media that the local government had not delivered it.

 
Republicans blamed Obama for not getting emergency supplies to or visiting the flooded upper midwest in 2009. But he addressed the nation from Camp David, said he was monitoring it, and praised the volunteers. Didn't Kamala cut and paste that one for Helene?

 
And kudos to Tim Walz, governor of MN, who was out there filling sandbags in 2019 when there was serious Mississippi River flooding in Minnesota!

https://youtu.be/Kcld2vYXfWU?si=uvolc-PSaUiVacsT

September 30 news on Hurricane Helene | CNN

On the debate between the Vice Presidential candidates

I didn't stay up for the whole debate on Tuesday, October 1--I just don't like seeing the moderators make themselves part of the story. Not as bad as ABC, but CBS, you should be embarrassed.

JD Vance was Mr. Smooth--kind, deliberate, thoughtful, incisive, and super prepared to bring the story back to Harris, the economy and the border, and why isn't she doing something NOW. The media have done a bang-up job of demonizing and lying about Vance, so people must have been stunned to see a smart, civil, talented, articulate and compassionate family man. Vice Presidents don't win elections, but they can soften or puff up the image. I don't know that I could've voted for McCain if Palin hadn't made him tolerable. The media tried to ruin her too; it's just what they do. They see themselves as commissioned to get Democrats into office.

Of course, the stars didn't align for Tim Walz. The news that came out yesterday that he lied about Tiananmen Square, that Iraq was bombing Israel, and the Biden/Harris team had done nothing to prevent a crippling dock strike that will send prices soaring, was all bad news not just for Harris/Walz, but for our leaderless country.

 
Oh, and the silly moderators decided to make the tragedy playing out before our eyes called Hurrican Helene was tossed in as a climate change issue, something on almost no one's list of concerns. Someone ought to fly them to NC to scoop mud out of homes.

The "facts" Walz blurted out were never fact checked by the moderators, and some were blatantly false (not misinformation or misspoke, either). It looks as though the legacy media doesn't cover anything that could make Democrats look bad, so they just don't have the information to explain that awful, terrible, ridiculous border bill that failed, the one that would have codified an enormous number of illegals allowed in. Harris lied about it too in her debate with Trump.

Letter to Ronnie the Republican

 I don't know if Ronnie @ rollingover is a man or woman, but we're in an e-mail discussion group.  Ronnie seems to be a 20th century loyal Republican and a Never Trumper. I wasn't a Republican in the 20th century and even now, don't like much about the "old timers" with whom I'm associated. The Democrats walked (or ran) away from me, and Ronnie is in the same boat with Republicans--"What happened to my rich old guys who never made a fuss? Who are these blue collar and pro-life people?"  I know I gritted my teeth in 2016 to vote for Trump because he just didn't play the game like the other parties/candidates.  So I have some sympathy for Ronnie.  But I do have questions.

• Is Ronnie OK with a possible 8 years of Harris/Walz (or more if he runs for another 8) who are the most far left of any president or vice president candidate we've ever had--and he more so than she on first and second amendment and Title IX"
• Can Ronnie tell the group what policies during the 2017-2021 Trump years showed he was a threat to Democracy and would kill or jail his opponents? I can see he is a threat to the Uniparty, Good old Boys Club of DC, but that's hardly Democracy. 
• Although we live in a Republic, we use the "democracy" word to mean our voting system and a representative form of government. Does Ronnie want to end the electoral system and have only the city voters on the coasts running things? That's what Hillary and many other Democrats call "democracy."  
•  The electoral system has served us well, and now Harris/Walz and other Democrats think it's bad. They also believe in packing the SCOTUS, ending the filibuster in order to pass a national law on abortion, ending free speech as we know it (see John Kerry's recent comments) , gun ownership and the fourth amendment protecting citizens from search and seizure (see the 2007 video of Harris' threats as DA, and the bill passed)?
• Ronnie may be past the hormonal urges and angst age, but should be reminded that Walz is the most liberal/leftist governor in the nation on both transgender surgery for children and for allowing a new born alive baby to die (8 that we know of) after an unsuccessful abortion.  Comfort care I think he calls it. That's not a huge number you say?  What is an acceptable number, Ronnie?  He was a soldier--is that what it's called on the battlefield?  Leave the injured behind to die, but make them comfortable (maybe a military example isn't appropriate with Walz)
•  but you can see the plan).
•  Biden/Harris now has us involved in 3 very critical wars--2 are Iran proxy wars, and one is a U.S. proxy war. What does Ronnie believe about the wisdom of the U.S. funding 3 wars? Does Ronnie want that for the next 8 or 16 years?  Or does Ronnie think there might be a better option with 4 years of a man he doesn't like, will never like, but has never abandoned our troops, funded the enemy or enabled totalitarians to fight wars for us?
• Recently this group discussed (or was warned about) the coming Longshoremen's strike. Does Ronnie have any questions about why Biden hasn't done anything? Is it that prices won't skyrocket until after the election and then it will be too late to choose Trump, or is it that Biden might be trying to stab Harris in the back the way she did him?
• Ronnie doesn't seem to care about the border issue, but from a values point, does Ronnie believe in borders? When I lived in Mt. Morris we didn't lock our homes and left the keys in the car. It's a new day, Ronnie.  There's quite a difference between the 2.3 million of Trump's years and the 10.4 million of Biden/Harris (and she was border czar!) Ronnie, you can quibble about Trump not be truthful about the numbers, but how many million do you approve of?
• Leon Panetta, former Secretary of Defense, former head of CIA, former WH chief of staff, former head of OMB, former Representative from California, and forever Democrat, a person of 20th century power in his party (except Obama's first term which was 21st c), has called the targeted killing and injuring of Hezbollah terrorists and taking out their highest command level, an act of terror on the part of Israel (although it hasn't been proven, I think everyone knows no one else could pull it off). Far fewer were killed or injured with this 30 year old technology than if this were the battlefield or lobbing bombs with modern weapons. So Ronnie, do you believe it was against international law and an act of terrorism as Panetta and a few Democrats say? The Democrat Squad believes that 1948 (the existence of Israel) is the problem, not Hezbollah or Hamas this past year.  Tell me Ronnie, will Harris/Walz team side with Panetta and the Squad once in office?   

I'm not looking for "what abouts."  I want a few answers to understand a "Never Trumper" who would support two Leftists with long records proving their values and policies.

Gotta go.  Just got a text from Kamala. She wants money. Democrats always want money.

St. Turibius, protector of Indians

It's the first day of October and the cover of Magnificat, the monthly magazine I use for morning devotions, shows an angel and a small child. Except it's not like anything I've seen before. So here's the story:

"In 1580, Saint Turibius became Archbishop of Lima (Peru), at that time the largest archdiocese in history, extending from Nicaragua to Tierra del Fuego. First he set out to reform the clergy; then, equipped by the king of Spain, Philip II, with the title and full powers of “Protector of the Indians,” he liberated them from the mercantile trafficking that victimized them, and created for their benefit an effective system of social security. Furthermore he did not hesitate to order that the property of those suspected of having accumulated wealth at their expense be seized and redistributed to the Indians. To console those who had been expropriated by his zeal, he told them: “You will thank me in the next world, because the poor Indians are banks; through their intervention your treasures are now capital invested for you in heaven.”

His great work, however, would be to promote, again for the benefit of the Indians, the establishment of little autonomous Christian republics in which the citizens would be able to live under the direct protection of the royal crown. Governed by democratically elected Indian chiefs and organized by the Franciscans, then also by the Jesuits, these republics—later called Reducciones (“organizations”)—were centered on a group of institutional buildings: a church, a school, a hospital, a residence for the elderly, and several centers for professional and artistic training. [by this point in my reading I'm beginning to think it sounds like, "Northwest Ordinance" which preceded our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights]. The native Incas showed little aptitude for commerce and industry, but a real genius for arts and crafts, and so priority was given to developing those talents. Hence the founding of admirable schools of art, such as Cusco’s school for painting. Music, dance, and the liturgy flourished, too, giving rise to a festive civilization that expressed its genius and joy of living on every Christian feast day.

The painting that adorns the cover of this issue of Magnificat bears witness to the final lights of this Christian epic in which, in the spirit of Mary’s Magnificat, the humble were blessed to be so. For unfortunately, in the 18th century, in the name of “Enlightenment” philosophy, the “enlightened despots” who were reigning in Spain and Portugal abolished the Reducciones and left their citizens at the mercy of ruthless men who looted and profaned their institutions; then, these were exploited, and irreparable sufferings were inflicted on these native populations of South America."
And there's more at the website: https://us.magnificat.net/magnificat_content/angel-of-god-my-guardian-dear/

That's what I like about Magnificat. Because it's outside my church experience (Anabaptist, UCC which is a merger of many protestant groups, Lutheran), and my public school education. I learn so many things about history, art and philosophy.

About Springfield, Ohio and a popular hymn

Complaints by the locals about imported migrant labor is not new to the U.S. Native born Californians were very hostile to the dust bowl agricultural workers (remember the Joads in Grapes of Wrath book?). In those days, and even when my family lived in Alameda in 1944, they were called Oakies and Arkies, pejorative terms then. Even my mom who was from Illinois didn't like them as she tried to stretch Dad's military pay while they bought what they wanted with government vouchers (or so she thought). In 1942, the Farm Security Administration (part of FDR's "New Deal") operated ninety-five camps with housing for seventy-five thousand people in California. The Library of Congress has an archive of photographs and books about those years and one photographer claimed in 1940 that the FSA camp at Visalia, CA had miserable weather and the local residents were grifters and corrupted. "I like it the least of the western states. My impression is that everything is commercialized, the police & city officials are corrupt grafters, there is little of that gracious western hospitality & most of the people are of that reactionary, super-patriotic, fascist-minded type. Practically every newspaper features a daily red-baiting article with 2 inch headlines that condemn [Democratic] Gov. [Culbert L.] Olson, the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board], or Pres. Roosevelt."

Sounds like a true 2024 Democrat journalist, doesn't he? California and Minnesota even then had very active Socialist and Communist parties.

I know little about California's history or migrant labor. It's just one of those serendipitous things you find in the amazing LC collection while researching a hymn, and find it had been recorded in a migrant labor camp in Visalia in 1940, "Just a closer walk with thee." No one knows who wrote it, but it was the most popular and most recorded hymn of the 20th century.

https://genius.com/Patsy-cline-just-a-closer-walk-with-thee-lyrics  Patsy Cline

https://www.loc.gov/item/toddbib000132/  Library of Congress FSA recording

https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/just-a-closer-walk-with-thee    Details of publishing history

What to do if you have a TIA, or suspect a TIA

 Don't do what I did.  Don't second guess the strange sensation you don't recognize.  You aren't a  doctor.  Just call the squad and let them take you to the Emergency Room at the nearest hospital.  It's sure better than waiting in line with all the other sick or injured people for 2 hours. After I made it through the ER (and had a second episode while waiting for a room) I was put in a room and was asked my name and birthday maybe 10 times and looked at fingers, touched my nose and pressed against hands to see my strength.  Since it was the day after my birthday,  I got many birthday wishes.

I had 2 CT of head/brain without contrast; a CT Angiogram; MRI brain without contrast; MRI brain with Contrast; echocardiogram complete with bubble study and an EKG 12-lead.

TIA Recovery, Tests & Diagnosis | What to Expect After Transient Ischemic Attack (healthgrades.com)

Imaging tests allow your doctor to look for blockages or damage to your brain, carotid arteries (the arteries in your neck that bring blood to your brain), and your heart.

• CT (computed tomography or CAT scan) uses special X-ray equipment and a computer program for a more detailed look at your brain and carotid arteries than an X-ray alone would show.

• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) provides a more specialized view of the brain using magnetic waves rather than radiation like X-rays.

• Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is similar to an MRI, but first the doctor injects a dye through an intravenous (IV) line. The doctor watches the dye’s movement on a screen as the dye moves through the blood vessels throughout your body including the brain. .  .  . 

TIA Prognosis and Outcome

A TIA is a medical emergency not because if its symptoms, but because of what a TIA means. Having a TIA is a warning that something is wrong with your vascular system and you are at risk for stroke. Doctors use a risk score—the ABCD2 score—to determine your risk for stroke after TIA. The score takes into account the following: 

• A: Age: 1 point if you are older than 60 years

• B: Blood pressure: 1 point if the systolic (upper) number is higher than 140 or the diastolic (lower) number is higher than 90

• C: Clinical features: 1 point if your speech was affected but you don’t have any weakness; 2 points if you have weakness, with or without speech difficulties

• D: Duration: 1 point if the duration of the TIA was between 10 to 59 minutes; 2 points if it has been 60 minutes or longer

• D: Diabetes: 1 point if you have diabetes 

If you score a 6 or 7, there is an 8% risk of a stroke within 48 hours after the TIA. If you have a score of 4 or less, the risk is 1%. It’s important to keep in mind these percentages don’t mean you will have a stroke. They indicate your risk without treatment.

The definition of a TIA emphasizes that it is a transient, or temporary event. Therefore, TIA recovery occurs when the symptoms have gone away completely. If the symptoms do not go away, this is not a TIA, but a stroke.

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