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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 2015)
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2015 TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH Blood donation’s affect on athlete DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a fit 54-year-old male who bicycles a lot. My friends and I are pretty competi- tive when we do our rides, pushing hard and challenging each other in positive ways. I donate blood as often as I’m allowed. After donating, my legs feel more fatigued when I ride, and I’m not as strong, particu- larly on the climbs. How long can I use my blood donation as an “excuse” for lacking strength? — A.R. ANSWER: What ultimately deter- mines how much work your legs can do is the amount of oxygen the mus- cles are able to get, once you have achieved a high level of muscular fit- ness. The amount of red blood cells in your blood and the amount of blood your heart can pump are the limiting factors for oxygen delivery in a healthy person. So, for a given degree of cardiovascular fitness, your ability to go fast and climb hills SALOME’S STARS ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your moodier side might emerge this week. But the dark period should pass in time for the party-loving Lamb to go on a happy gambol with some very special people this weekend. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Yet again, you show your skill at being able to indulge in your love of the arts this week while still taking care of practical matters, including some still-unfinished business matters. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A potential change might appear to be what you’ve been looking for. In any event, consider both the negative as well as the positive possibilities before making any sort of decision. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Relationships continue to dominate is directly influenced by how many red blood cells you have. That’s why elite cyclists sometimes used to get blood transfusions before a race. An extra unit of blood might make only a 3 percent difference, but the differ- ence between the winner of the Tour de France and the last-place finisher is right around 3 percent. Unfortunately, too many red blood cells increases the risk for stroke and heart attack, and several amateur and professional cyclists have died as a complication of too much blood transfused or its more modern equivalent, the hormone ery- thropoietin, which causes the body to make more of its own blood. Losing blood, from bleeding or donation, consequently reduces per- formance. The plasma (fluid and proteins) is made up within 24 hours after donat- ing blood, but it takes four to six weeks to regain the blood cells. Donating a unit of blood can save up to three lives. That should give you some consolation. Maybe persuade your friends to donate blood at the same time, so you all are on a level playing field, so to speak. DEAR DR. ROACH: I am look- ing to have surgery on my cervical vertebrae at a prestigious hospital in St. Louis. Before I had even made up my mind, the hospital sent a form regarding arbitration. If anything should go wrong, they want me to agree to arbitration instead of going through the court system. They say the choice is mine. Is this normal preoperative paperwork? — T.B. ANSWER: This is increasingly common, and a brief survey of sur- geons gave me a mixed response — some felt it wasn’t a red flag at all, and others recommending double- checking the surgeon’s record, per- haps through the state medical board. Any disciplinary action must be publicly available, and in Missouri it is freely available on the website at pr.mo.gov/healingarts.asp. While I understand you might be taken aback by the question, many hospitals are moving toward arbitra- tion as a means of reducing malprac- tice coverage costs. I personally don’t see it as a reason to be con- cerned about the surgeon. However, I spoke with an attorney, who advised not agreeing to arbitration, as it isn’t germane to your medical condition and may limit your options later. your aspect this week on a mostly positive level, with just a few problem areas you can smooth over. Also, try to be flexible about travel plans. LEO (July 23 to August 22) You love being on center stage, and while you absolutely purr at the sound of all that praise, be careful not to take on too many commitments at the expense of time spent with loved ones. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) You might feel that you need to get involved in a matter concerning a friend or relative. But while the issues appear to be cut and dried, they might not be. Get more facts before you act. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A suggestion about a policy change could create heated reactions. Keep your mind open and resist join- ing in with naysayers unless they can show a real basis for their position. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) While potential career changes warrant your interest, don’t ignore current job responsibilities. A personal relationship also can benefit from more of your attention. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Don’t guess at what the facts might be if you hope to make the best decision possible. The wise course is to ask direct questions and act on the answers you get. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Your efforts involving that pesky problem should soon show positive signs of being resolved. This would allow you to shift some of your focus in another direction. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) While you enjoy well- deserved praise for getting a difficult job done, there’s no time to relax. A new challenge looms. Expect more support from a once-strong critic. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You might still have explaining to do about your decision, but support grows as you continue to make your case. You also might want to start making plans for the upcoming holi- days. 5 B Siuslaw News ! AD IT DAY E R TO www. the siuslawnews.com E -E DITION • S PORTS • T OP S TORIES • O BITUARIES • W EATHER • F ORUMS • B LOGS