Don't be a Donor-cyclist!

What's a "donor-cyclist"? Anyone who rides a bike- motorcycle or 10-speed- WITHOUT a helmet. Everyone in medicine, especially ER staff, all refer to these as "donor-cycles" because without a helmet to protect their heads, these folks become organ donors after major accidents. Last week, there were two serious auto-bicycle accidents in my Austin neighborhood. Yesterday, while driving in Houston, I saw a man sprawled on the ground in front of a car, his motorcycle tossed to the side (and ambulance fast-approaching.) The most recent statistics (from 2008) showed that there were over 52,000 traffic accidents involving pedaling cyclists, and 716 deaths. Add motorized bikes and the numbers skyrocket.

I am not writing to discourage people from riding- quite the contrary. I simply want to reiterate that HELMETS save BRAINS and save LIVES. PLEASE WEAR THEM! Bikers- wear reflective or at least brightly colored shirts. Be aware that drivers have more distractions than ever as they zip down the road. If you are driving, put away that cell phone and watch out for our fellow travelers on two wheels. They can easily slip in and out of our blind spots, especially at dawn and dusk.

BOTTOM LINE: If you're riding on two wheels, make sure a helmet is protecting your head!

An App for Everything- PERIOD.

Gotta love our modern technology, right? Ladies, this one's for you. Every time you go to the doctor, the medical assistant asks you "what is the first day of your last period"? And who can remember? From the doctor's standpoint, I'll tell you that more often than not, the date entered into our form is followed with a question mark, if a date is put in at all. And, for the record, this is actually useful information for us- we're not just being nosy. Beyond simply implying whether or not you might be pregnant, timing of periods can give us clues to your hormonal cycles and may suggest causes for symptoms (such as pelvic pain during ovulation).
In the course of seeing a patient this week, I had occasion to ask if her periods were regular. She whipped out her iphone, and said, "Did you know I've got an app for that?" After we both cracked up, she showed me her "P. Tracker", complete with cute flower icons. It was so helpful! I've seen everything from day planners, to laptops, to stray pieces of paper stuffed in purses with dates scribbled upon them, and while all of these can be helpful, my hat is off to the "P. Tracker" for it's ease/convenience.
BOTTOM LINE: Who knew there'd be an app for periods? Check it out at http://app-store.appspot.com/?url=viewSoftware%3Fid%3D289084315%26mt%3D8