Grand Rounds 6:24. Pain and Suffering edition

Welcome to Grand Rounds 6:24. Regular readers know I provide a mix of health care wonkery, cheerleading of entrepreneurs, and light-hearted, humorous Grand Rounds. But this week's batch of submissions is mostly in the pain and suffering category.If you think I'm joking, read on.Pain and sufferingOther Things Amanzi is profoundly affected by the death of a kidney transplant patient. The fellow walked into the hospital with the realistic hope of life without dialysis and departed on a cold morgue slate. Can't win 'em all, but that's not much comfort in this case.Dr. J's HouseCalls was tempted to "employ extreme physical violence" when a minister said at a memorial service that her cousin was going to hell after his suicide. Twenty years later she's not completely over it.We don't really know why the SeaWorld whale killed its dedicated trainer last month or why it wasn't euthanized after that. ICSI Health Care Blog ties that observation to the public's feelings about health reform.Infertility is tragic. Using a branding iron to imprint pictures of sperm on someone's skin don't generally make things better, reports Dr. J's Surgical Adventures.If serious illness weren't trouble enough, how about the guilt it brings to a marriage? The sick spouse feels guilty for ruining things by being sick while the healthy person feels guilty for being healthy and able to live a normal life. In Sickness and In Health explains.Pain and its (possible) reliefThe Game of Life (especially the Rite Aid version) is tedious. After collecting lots of tiny tokens, somehow there's always just one missing for a fabulous prize. At least for Fibro World, that's what fibromyalgia is like. Yet hope remains.College rejection letters are coming, and Teen Health 411 has suggestions for coping. Hint: the magic word is empathy.Got back pain? Exercise is the only thing that seems to work. From the Fitness Fixer.How to Cope with Pain has a basic relaxation exercise for you.Is that just a twisted ankle or does your kid need a trip to the ER for an x-ray? Ottawa Ankle rules were the most sensitive test in a recent study, according to Ankle Rules for Children.Psychiatric problemsPsychiatry is floundering, reports the Cockroach Catcher. Diagnoses are becoming foggier, drugs less effective.Perhaps one of these pills or pecans from the Examining Room of Dr. Charles will do the job.Lockup Doc discusses the conditions under which a psychiatrist might discuss his private life. Example fitting our theme: when a psychiatrist and patient are both mourning the loss of a child.Ready for the Freeze Phase change model? If so, Will Meek PhD is your man.Is lack of time really the problem in doctor/patient communications? Mind The Gap has an opinion on that one.Happy 5th birthdayIt's not all doom and gloom, folks.Diabetes Mine reminisces about a Dr. Seuss "Fun With Diabetes" book she wrote back in March 2005.That also happens to be when I launched the Health Business Blog, which I celebrated with a 5th anniversary edition last week.This that and the otherA word of advice: don't mess with EMS success. From Everyday EMS Tips.InsureBlog pokes fun at a New York Times article that claims 22,000 people died in 2006 due to lack of health insurance. Clever satire --but honestly I would have preferred a critique of the IOM, Urban Institute and Families USA research the Times cited.ACP Internist advises that the quality chasm is being crossed -albeit slowly.Sniff test: device sniffs employees' hands for soap residue to make sure they're washing up in the hospital. Bedside monitor will light up if employee is good to go. From ACP Hospitalist.The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (part of HHS) has launched the National Health Observances Toolkit, to be used to help engage the public in health promotion activities. Learn more at Highlight Health.And now for something somewhat differentHospitals and doctors are using social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Medicine and Technology reports on the topic from HIMSS. He's hosting next week, so do him a favor and send submissions that are a little more chipper!