Amiodarone side effects

My husband was diagnosed in January with acute heart failure and was first assigned to an a-fib clinic, and then heart management then to surgery for a pacemaker with defibrillator. Along with a clutch of other drugs including Lasix he was prescribed Amiodarone on January 24.  After that he just got sicker and sicker to the point he can do little other than sleep in a chair and open an eye to watch football. If we have 2 good days in a row, we call it good, but today his vomiting was as bad as I can remember, but mostly dry heaves since he hadn't eaten yet. 

So, let's look at Amiodarone side effects, which seems to be the primary culprit and is for abnormal heart rhythms. He was removed from it about 2 weeks ago. Because he was on it for months, who knows if we can get out of his system. BTW, no one has suggested staying out of the sun or that he might have skin or eye problems from this.

This is AI generated from about 3 sources--something any of the many doctors, RNs or Nurse Practitioners could have looked up or used talk to text. Words like "monitoring" or "immediate attention" are a joke. We could walk to the clinic faster than getting a call back. . .except he can't walk.

"Amiodarone is a potent antiarrhythmic medication known for causing a wide range of side effects that affect multiple organ systems, ranging from common, mild issues to rare, life-threatening toxicities.

Common Side Effects
Most patients experience mild gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, dizziness, tremors, and fatigue. Dermatological effects are also frequent, specifically photosensitivity (sun sensitivity) and a reversible blue-gray discoloration of exposed skin. Corneal microdeposits occur in nearly all long-term users, often causing blurred vision or halos around lights, though permanent vision loss is rare.

Serious Adverse Reactions
The most critical risks involve pulmonary toxicity (lung inflammation or fibrosis), hepatotoxicity (liver damage), and thyroid dysfunction (both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism). Cardiac complications may include bradycardia (slow heart rate), heart block, and QT prolongation, which can paradoxically worsen arrhythmias. Other severe reactions include optic neuropathy (potential blindness), peripheral neuropathy, and severe allergic reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Precautions
Patients must avoid grapefruit and sun exposure while taking this medication. Regular monitoring of lung function, liver enzymes, thyroid levels, and eye exams is required to detect toxicity early. Symptoms such as persistent cough, shortness of breath, yellowing of the skin, or unexplained swelling require immediate medical attention.

The End of Aging articles in National Geographic

When we say/write "media" does that include National Geographic? Yes. I've been trying to read "End of Aging" series in the Sept. 2026 issue. (It's a bit late for me, but never mind.) Here's the quote: "Scientists needed immature stem cells--cells that exist in humans before they begin to differentiate into our organs, nerves, and blood--for much of their research work. BUT THE NATURALLY OCCURRING SOURES, DISCARDED EMBRYOS FROM ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE EFFORTS, were tricky to obtain. The U.S. government, for instance, had all but prohibited their use since 2001."

That's not true. President Bush had stopped government funding for buying fetal material, much of it from abortions and IVF, with our tax money except for lines already in use. Private funding continued. There is no prohibition for venture capital or foundations. "On August 9, 2001, President George W. Bush announced a policy limiting federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research to certain lines already in existence as of that date, subject to ethical conditions described by the administration (including derivation from surplus IVF embryos with consent and without financial inducement). The White House fact sheet preserved in the George W. Bush Presidential Archives captures the official framing of that decision."

This was a good decision because without that, many women could have become cell line producers for money (and there are women who would have done it, too, just as some women are using other women's wombs to bear their kids so they don't have to stop careers or mess up their figures.)

Of course, President Obama who also loved abortion on demand and partial birth abortion, reversed that act in 2009. (I think he announced it at a Catholic university.) Meanwhile, Induced pluripotent stem cells (reprogrammed from adult tissue) and adult stem cells are generally less regulated federally, with fewer ethical hurdles than embryonic stem cells. They still require compliance with human subjects protections if classified as research involving humans.


https://stemcellhistory.com/us-embryonic-stem-cell-policy-dickey-wicker-bush-obama/ (although this link shows its bias toward "progressive" ethics of using human stem cells, it's the best I could find in a few minutes)

Jerusalem, My Happy Home

The morning reading today included the hymn "Jerusalem, my happy home," and I was not familiar with it, so I flipped to the bibliography and found even more I didn't know. The author was listed as FBP, 1583, meter CM (8686) and it's in the public domain (you don't have to have permission to use it). Who is FPB? I asked self. My three little hymn story paperbacks were silent that such a hymn was in use, but I did find the hymn in "Lutheran Book of Worship" which we use in our traditional services (from mid-1970s). It added the tune name American, Land of Rest. So I turned to the internet and after 2 tries with AI which was really out to lunch, I found: "F.B.P. These initials appear over the text of ‘Hierusalem my happie home’ (‘Jerusalem, my happy home’*) in a manuscript book in the British Library (Add. 15,225). The hymn is of 26 4-line stanzas, entitled ‘A Song Mad (i.e. ‘made’) by F:B:P. To the tune of Diana.’ The text is based on a passage from St. Augustine’s Meditations beginning ‘Mater Hierusalem, Civitas sancta Dei’. In the version ascribed to ‘F.B.P.’ the text suggests a Roman Catholic origin (as opposed to a Protestant text by W. Prid, for which see JJ, p. 581). There are references to ‘Our Ladie’ who ‘singes magnificat’, to Saints Augustine and Ambrose, and to Mary Magdalene: ‘There Magdalene hath left her mone’. The initials..." I don't have a subscription to that source, so it's all I got.

Another full source (see link below) added some verses (different than what I was reading) and possible 2nd author. Both Catholics and Protestants use this hymn and there's no doubt that the author was in some danger for writing it.

Jerusalem, My Happy Home: Lyrics, Meaning & Story - Happy Sabbath

Happy Guardian Angel Day, October 2

Guardian Angel Day is today, October 2, when we thank spiritual beings believed to watch over us. This day, also known as the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, is a time to reflect on divine protection and express gratitude for guidance. Give thanks for the blessings in your life, share stories of miraculous protection, and honor your spiritual companions. Our UALC study group spent about 6 weeks on this a few years back--more than 100 verses. Jews, Muslims and Christians all acknowledge these beings in their sacred scriptures.

ABRACADABRA actually means Father, Son and Holy Spirit using Hebrew words to summon an angel. I think it's being used as a superstition, but that's a fact.

I'm suspicious that my Guardian Angel has been napping or on strike.

There are 9 orders of angels, from highest to lowest, in groups of three. I could only remember 6 so I asked AI. And angels are the bottom rung.

Seraphim – The highest order, closest to God’s presence. They worship Him with burning love and purity, often depicted with six wings (two covering the face, two covering the feet, two for flying)

Cherubim – Beings of great wisdom and knowledge, guardians of sacred spaces (e.g., Eden) and divine mysteries

Thrones – Symbolize God’s justice and power; they serve as intermediaries between the divine and lower orders

Dominions – Oversee cosmic order and divine authority; they govern the lower orders

Virtues – Associated with divine strength and the ability to resist evil; they maintain the harmony of creation

Powers – Guardians of the spiritual realm; they protect the world from chaos and evil

Principalities – Leaders over nations, communities, and major spiritual matters

Archangels – Prominent messengers and leaders (e.g., Michael, Gabriel) who deliver divine messages and guide humanity

Angels – The general class of messengers, sent to guide, protect, and serve individuals and communities

So, Happy Guardian Angel Day.

How the Biden administration became human traffickers.

Easy peasy. Lure immigrants to make the dangerous trek to the U.S. border with help of American NGOs. As you look ahead to whom will receive your donations at Thanksgiving and Christmas, look closely at the NGOs, The so-called non-profits. Even the Christians. Killers with compassion. You may be destroying the cultures and way of life of the subsistence farmers who were able to buy all sorts of modern goodies with the little villages which rose up overnight and responded with housing, clothing and feeding them. A few nights in their new encampments and send them on their way to Arizona or Texas or flights to New England resort towns.

When Trump shut down the illegal trafficking, the abuse and rape of women and children and labor slaves, the money spigot was shut off. The new way of life for the ethnics and locals was shut down. Well paid U.S. CEOs suddenly lost their paycheck. Graduate students in Columbus and Chicago studying on grants had no stipend. So of course, Trump and not Biden-Harris was blamed.

Chinese, Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans, most young military age men, many women with children, some children "borrowed" to create the look of a family only to be lost and sold in the U,S., sometimes came through in the thousands. I doubt if you saw them if you watched the main stream media, but Fox showed well dressed, clean shaven and well fed immigrants--all taken care of by NGOs' and their thriving businesses run by the locals.

What were the locals to do? Let them starve? We've got wealthy American teens who will kill for fancy shoes or the latest i-phone or do smash and grab just for fun. So, we should expect higher standards from indigenous people living in the Darien Gap?

Then the illegals were dumped in rural areas of the U.S. where they sopped up scarce resources for schools and hospitals and housing--again helped by churches and NGOs preaching pious Bible verses, but with no thought for abortions or poor schools or dropping birth rates.

Wake up Americans. Especially Republicans. Democrats are probably beyond hope.

https://www.fairus.org/issue/panamas-darien-gap

The Long Journey North: How the U.S. Manages Migration through the Darién Gap — International Relations Review

Poverty appeals to Christians

In the past 2 days I've seen the same appeal for money from organizations that should know better--the Salvation Army and a local Catholic congregation. It reads something like this, "Inflation is forcing Columbus families to turn to food pantries . . ." and you know the rest. . . please give what you can for our annual appeal.

Poverty in the USA is at its lowest level in my lifetime. In 2025, approximately 10.2 percent of the population was living below the national poverty line in the United States. This reflected a 0.5 percentage point decrease from the previous year. Most recently, poverty levels in the country peaked during the Obama years in 2010 at just over 15 percent. Inflation following the Biden administration has been cut in half. Median household income (2025): $87,460, up 2.6% from 2024 — the highest on record. Removing illegals has also lowered the cost of housing. Let's have a gratitude, God is good, collection!

Except for gasoline, inflation and prices are at an all-time low. Gasoline remains expensive because the greenies wanted it high so people would turn to "alternative and sustainable fuel," and wouldn't let refineries be built. The wars--which always seem to be with us--Russia and Ukraine, the Middle-east, proxies for Iran, Africa, etc. need more than one side to agree. Every plan Trump came up with worked, but the Demedia raged and lied.

Feeding the poor (giving alms) is actually a command, not a suggestion, from Jesus. If your pension or investment plan have been good to you, then share your blessings--don't lie about it!

Food pantries used to be the domain of the churches with special appeals at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I recall in 1968 attending neighborhood meetings that were urging we all work together and create large food storage areas (food banks) that all the pantries could use and large campaigns like "feeding America" were organized. It was going to solve the food shortage. It was compassion--and lucrative for some. They became massive non-profits with highly paid staff and CEOs. Someone (surprise!) learned to make a generous living helping the poor and taught the poor how to manipulate the system. They learned to make do on 27 days on their food stamps and use the pantry for the short days. The government changed the word "hunger" to "food insecurity" 20 years ago which meant access was not what you want for the fullest life.

Even during the Clinton administration decades ago, it was shown that to avoid poverty 3 things are required.

1) Finish high school,
2) be over 21 and married before having children, and
3) have a full time job.

So, from FDR's food surplus program during the Depression to the most recent $70,000 appeal my church had because some people in the media terrorized local leaders about tariffs and stopping fraud in government grants (which cut off some poverty funding) we've had about a century to "feed America."

In the worst days of Jim Crow, Blacks had a higher marriage rate and lower unemployment than whites. And now the poorest cities have the lowest marriage rates, and surprise, most have Democrats in charge of the wallet,

https://www.statista.com/statistics/200463/us-poverty-rate-since-1990/

Airplanes made of latex

I had been reading some of my old blogs written during the Covid era (2022) and was stunned at how stupid the experts were (who listened to Fauci), and switched over to OSU Gabbe Health and Wellness Center a few miles down the road from where I live. What is called "wellness" these days on college campuses is beyond bizarre. Scrolling, I discovered there is a wellness condom club for students that with a membership offers 25 condoms a day for only $5. So, I googled that one. Against STIs, condoms offer 80-95% REDUCED transmission risk, if applied absolutely 100% correctly. Would you fly in an airplane with stats like that? Would you fly in an airplane made of thin latex?

Democrats have become the anti-progress party just as they were in the 19th century with slavery

The party that calls itself "progressive" (and then moved on to socialist and then Communist) is now the "anti-progress" party. Bernie and AOC want to put a fence around AI (artificial intelligence) and drive it out of the country. President Xi of China wants to invite 100,000 of our brightest and best young people to China for a look-see at what China is doing with AI. What could possibly go wrong? What, another 100,000 Tim Walzes to run for president with a huge fraud base? 

Xi’s 100K invitation to America’s youth sets off alarm bells over what could follow them home

David Sacks tells of an emperor in the Ming Dynasty (1300s) who forbid maritime commerce just as Europe was expanding its horizons. Until then the Chinese culture and wealth was ahead of Europe. It never caught up. 

But it can do it now with AI. Democrats want to stop US expansion in AI for 2 reasons: 1) because they are desperate to stop anything that Trump does. If it brings down Western Civilization, so be it. It's then Trump's fault. 2) Also, most of the corporations now leaders in AI in the US are left leaning--big donors to Democrats. They want to control the market and can do that more easily with Democrats controlling everything and make it illegal to compete with them. No matter if it cures cancer or dementia, or if it goes beyond the moon. They must stop Trump and take over the country.

 Ming Dynasty Establishes Maritime Prohibition