Stitches
I submitted the scrap afghan article to Associated Content. It's being processed. I'll post a link as soon as it's posted.
As much as I love designing crochet patterns, I don't know how much I'll be doing in the near future. It just takes too much time. But I think I can still contribute to the crochet world by writing reviews of crochet books. I've checked, and there aren't many detailed reviews written out there.
Scripts
I volunteered at an h1n1 vaccine clinic today. I gave about 25 pregnant women shots, and I was able to get a look at the package insert for the vaccine. The clinical trials cited in the manufacturers info had about 9,000 people in the test group, and side effects similar to the seasonal flu vaccine. Why this info isn't available anywhere online, I don't know.
I was happy to help out at the clinic, but honestly, I'm hoping I don't have to give any h1n1 shots at work until the restrictions have lifted. I think all the extra questions people have about it are better directed to their doctor or health dept.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
39,000 Chinese Can't Be Wrong
Scripts (sort of)
After several weeks of hand wringing over the decision to get my 9 year-old vaccinated for h1n1, I have made up my mind. Roll up your sleeve, Princess.
You see, as a pharmacist, I'm a big fan of the clinical trial process. Prior to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, drug manufacturers didn't have to prove their products were safe and effective before they were released for public use. The passage of the Act was prompted by 107 deaths due a toxic inactive ingredient in a liquid antibiotic that had been released in 1937.
The approval process for drugs has gotten more complicated, time-consuming and expensive (as in 100's of millions of dollars expensive) over the years. Big Pharma can grumble all it wants, but I find this reassuring. Every once in a while some new drug product, like h1n1 vaccine, will come along that will get "fast tracked" because of an urgent need. The idea of my one-and-only-light-of-my-life being injected with something that's been "fast tracked" makes me nervous.
What do I do when I'm nervous? I turn to Google, of course. For a couple of weeks now I've been searching the internet for results of clinical trials of h1n1 vaccine. I found that most of the trials that have ended had 25 people in the test group. 25??!! I don't care how many government agencies want to say that safety is expected to be the same or immune response should be the same as the seasonal flu vaccine that I get myself every year without a second thought. No flippin' way was my kid getting this shot without some cold, hard, big numbers.
Yesterday I decided to try again. I'm afraid to admit my enthnocentricity is showing, because it hadn't occurred to me to search for results from any countries other than the US and the UK, countries that don't have laws like the the Federal Food, Drug, Cosmetic Act of 1938. I stumbled across a report from Associated Press about the low incidence of adverse effects in China where 39,000 people have already been vaccinated for h1n1. My mind is now eased as far as my own immediate family is concerned, and I'll be getting my child vaccinated as soon as possible. Bribery will probably be involved. Bribery of my kid, that is, not someone at the Health Department.
But I have to wonder: How big were the test groups in China? How much choice did these 39,000 people get? Did they know they were being the Guinea pigs for the rest of us? I never thought I'd say this but...Thank Heavens for China and its speedy drug approval process.
After several weeks of hand wringing over the decision to get my 9 year-old vaccinated for h1n1, I have made up my mind. Roll up your sleeve, Princess.
You see, as a pharmacist, I'm a big fan of the clinical trial process. Prior to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, drug manufacturers didn't have to prove their products were safe and effective before they were released for public use. The passage of the Act was prompted by 107 deaths due a toxic inactive ingredient in a liquid antibiotic that had been released in 1937.
The approval process for drugs has gotten more complicated, time-consuming and expensive (as in 100's of millions of dollars expensive) over the years. Big Pharma can grumble all it wants, but I find this reassuring. Every once in a while some new drug product, like h1n1 vaccine, will come along that will get "fast tracked" because of an urgent need. The idea of my one-and-only-light-of-my-life being injected with something that's been "fast tracked" makes me nervous.
What do I do when I'm nervous? I turn to Google, of course. For a couple of weeks now I've been searching the internet for results of clinical trials of h1n1 vaccine. I found that most of the trials that have ended had 25 people in the test group. 25??!! I don't care how many government agencies want to say that safety is expected to be the same or immune response should be the same as the seasonal flu vaccine that I get myself every year without a second thought. No flippin' way was my kid getting this shot without some cold, hard, big numbers.
Yesterday I decided to try again. I'm afraid to admit my enthnocentricity is showing, because it hadn't occurred to me to search for results from any countries other than the US and the UK, countries that don't have laws like the the Federal Food, Drug, Cosmetic Act of 1938. I stumbled across a report from Associated Press about the low incidence of adverse effects in China where 39,000 people have already been vaccinated for h1n1. My mind is now eased as far as my own immediate family is concerned, and I'll be getting my child vaccinated as soon as possible. Bribery will probably be involved. Bribery of my kid, that is, not someone at the Health Department.
But I have to wonder: How big were the test groups in China? How much choice did these 39,000 people get? Did they know they were being the Guinea pigs for the rest of us? I never thought I'd say this but...Thank Heavens for China and its speedy drug approval process.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Miscellaneous Cheering and Griping
Stitches
Yay! I found my crochet hook stash. It was right where I left it, of course. I was sure I looked in the big bag with the...mmmm... maybe 1/5 finished scrap afghan. But do I want to work on that now? Of course not! I've started a small swatch of a crazy stitch scrap afghan. I've been wanting to write an article for Associated Content about making scrap afghans, but I felt I needed more pictures of different stitches and color combo's. I hope to get the swatch and article both done tomorrow while I'm waiting for my eyes to recover from the eye doctor dilating my pupils.
Scripts
I know I said I wasn't going to complain, but I have to vent a little here. Flu shots are driving me out of my flipping mind! Someone at our main office got a bright idea to run a big ad campaign saying how we were Your Neighborhood Flu Shot Headquarters. But did they give us any extra support at the store level? Are you kidding me? I understand that this year is different, and everyone should get their seasonal flu shot early so they can get the h1n1 vaccine when it's available. But why do they have to get it from me on a Monday night when I have a backlog of 100 scripts to fill? And I can't stay very late tonight, because, guess what, I do have a life outside of pharmacy, and I'm meeting a friend for a drink because it's her birthday. I'm sure the pharmacy manager will complain tomorrow about what I didn't get done, but at this point, I really don't care.
Yay! I found my crochet hook stash. It was right where I left it, of course. I was sure I looked in the big bag with the...mmmm... maybe 1/5 finished scrap afghan. But do I want to work on that now? Of course not! I've started a small swatch of a crazy stitch scrap afghan. I've been wanting to write an article for Associated Content about making scrap afghans, but I felt I needed more pictures of different stitches and color combo's. I hope to get the swatch and article both done tomorrow while I'm waiting for my eyes to recover from the eye doctor dilating my pupils.
Scripts
I know I said I wasn't going to complain, but I have to vent a little here. Flu shots are driving me out of my flipping mind! Someone at our main office got a bright idea to run a big ad campaign saying how we were Your Neighborhood Flu Shot Headquarters. But did they give us any extra support at the store level? Are you kidding me? I understand that this year is different, and everyone should get their seasonal flu shot early so they can get the h1n1 vaccine when it's available. But why do they have to get it from me on a Monday night when I have a backlog of 100 scripts to fill? And I can't stay very late tonight, because, guess what, I do have a life outside of pharmacy, and I'm meeting a friend for a drink because it's her birthday. I'm sure the pharmacy manager will complain tomorrow about what I didn't get done, but at this point, I really don't care.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Wilson With A Mohawk
October 1st, 2009
The flowers are underneath a new layer of stickers. My philosophy for Wilson is that nothing should ever be removed. All of Wilson's phases will stay with him forever. I know...I can be pretty deep when talking about a big ball of stickers, eh?
I got some bad news from someone at corporate recently. We're in the process of changing to a new computer system, and the new system will have a different label format meaning no more IOU stickers. I haven't been able to get a hold of my corporate contact to ask if there will be different stickers to feed to Wilson. I don't want to call to the main office and get someone on the phone who might not appreciate my new friend.
August 20th, 2009
August 28th, 2009
September 4th, 2009
Sorry that these picture posts are kind of awkward. Blogger is apparently meant more for words than pictures. The pictures appear in the opposite order that you enter them, and the text seems to go wherever it feels like going. As a result, I've taken awhile to introduce you to Wilson. I've been posting pictures on facebook, and was pleasantly surprised when my non-pharmacy friends didn't have me committed; at least, not yet.
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