Irreconcilable differences

Barak Obama announced Sen. Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate Saturday. And in picking Biden and not Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama eliminated what would have been a sure thing. Obama/Clinton would not lose in November. All that was needed was a unified Democratic party and it would have been a sweep into the White House, and further gains in the Senate and the House.

But there's too much water under that bridge, too many irreconcilable differences. Too much history for an insecure novice, in over his head , like Obama to take.

So what does he do to bolster his hope and change campaign? Choose a 36-year Washington veteran. Now there's change you can count on. That's the kind of change that for the first time in one's adult life can make you proud of America. That's the person who said this about his now running mate, "I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training." Yeah what else Joe? "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." That's right Joe, articulate, bright and clean, don't forget clean.

Thanks Joe and thanks Barak. This is a gift that keeps on giving.

PEP Program Article

A new article is up at the PEP Program website. This one by someone familiar... me.

Go have a read and take a look around.

Insurance Articles and Commentary

Lack of Insurance, High Medical Costs Put More in a Bind

Free-Market Medicine

Health insurance disinformation

McCain's health insurance plan: More radical than Democrats'?

The Real Truth about Drug Companies

1st Annual Houston Hemophilia Walk

Holding out the tin cup, passing the hat...all that. We're raising money for the Lone Star Chapter of the NHF in the 1st Hemophilia Walk. Houston is one of only 5 cities hosting these inaugural hemophilia walks this year.

Hold on a minute...need to watch Michael Phelps go for gold number 8. Yes! Simply amazing! 8 gold medals, 7 world records, Unbelievable!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.

Our team is the Killer B's for Brogan and Buchanan. My Jack and his friend Brandon Buchanan.

Brandon and Jack

Here's the letter we're sending out:

Hi friends and family,

How often do you stub your toe, have a bad fall, or bite your tongue? Chances are these are common experiences in your life. Though painful, they are not life threatening. However, for someone with a bleeding disorder, these events can mean another infusion or a trip to the ER. As you know, our son Jack has severe hemophilia A. He gets three infusions a week to prevent internal bleeding. The cost of the clotting factor that he infuses is about $1.20/unit and he receives over 1900 units (3 times a week). As he grows, so does the amount he will need. He has recently started infusing himself; he learned to do this at hemophilia camp this summer.

The National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) is an organization dedicated to providing families with the education and support they need to deal with the challenges that come with bleeding disorders. We hope to one day find a cure for this condition, but in the meantime will you help us to continue the work of these organizations?

On Saturday, September 6, 2008, the Lone Star Chapter of the NHF will be participating in a nation-wide fundraising and awareness event. The 1st Annual Houston Hemophilia Walk will be held at Minute Maid Park. Registration begins at 9:00am, with the 3K walk beginning at 10:00am.

We would be honored if you would consider walking with Jack's team, "The Killer B's". You can register online at http://www.active.com/donate/hemophiliaWalkTX/PBrogan2 . There you will be able to click on 'register for this event' in the black tool bar. It costs nothing to walk. If you are not able to join us for the walk, but would like to donate instead, you can click on an amount in the yellow box on the right side of the page. There is no amount too small.

Thank you for your support and we hope to see you at the walk!

Sincerely,

Allison Pohl and Pat Brogan

Plasma provider consolidation

According to a report on Forbes.com CSL Limited announced it is buying Talecris Therapeutics Holdings. CSL, once an Australian governmental body, has been sucking up the competition and complementary businesses for much of the 2000's. In 2000 CSL acquired ZLB Bioplasma AG, then scooped up Aventis Behring in 2004.

Acquiring Talecris, formerly Bayer's plasma products division, CSL has bolstered its position in the plasma market.

Mergers and acquisitions are the nothing new in business and even for us in the bleeding disorders community. But this recent trend of consolidation for both the home health care providers and factor producers coupled with emerging trends in insurance coverage toward sole sourcing and limited choices really necessitates some attention and will require constant vigilance.

Inhibitors help combat AIDS?

The lead from the article:

Antibodies found in lupus and some hemophilia patients may prove to be a potent preventative against HIV transmission and progression, according to researchers who presented two new studies yesterday at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.

Antibodies in some hemophilia patients? Could these be inhibitors? If not what are they? What else could be unique to hemophilia patients?

Link to the article.

Swifter, Higher, Stronger

It's Olympics time once again. I've always had a deep affection for the athletic endeavors of the Olympics. And yes, an unabashed surge of national pride and spirit, rooting for our American team. From Bruce Jenner and Mark Spitz in 1976, the hockey team in 1980, everything in 1984; Carl Lewis, Edwin Moses, Mary Lou Retton, and so on and so on. I love the Olympics.

Political sub-texts aside (China is still a manifestly repressive society) I hope the games go well and do indeed lead to greater modernization and greater freedoms for this largest (1.3 billion people) of nations.

Baxter warned by FDA for misleading email

The Food and Drug Association has reviewed a "Clinical Thank You Email" in which Baxter Healthcare Corp. overstated claims about their inhibitor bypassing clotting complex FEIBA VH.

The agency ordered Baxter to stop using the e-mail and any promotions that exaggerate the drug's safety and effectiveness. "By promoting misleading safety and efficacy claims, you are potentially encouraging the unsafe use of FEIBA VH," the FDA said in the letter dated July 7.

Baxter isn't a small outfit. You'd think they would have access to their own data. Why would they exaggerate these claims? Methinks someone's in trouble.

Hemophilia friend, Skip Caray

Longtime sports broadcaster Skip Caray died Sunday at the age of 68. Much about Caray we know. He was the voice of the Atlanta Braves for 33 years. He was there when Ted Turner transformed the Atlanta television station, WTBS, into a cable superstation. He was the son of legendary Chicago Cub’s announcer Harry Caray. And his “Braves win, Braves win” rang loud and often (irritatingly so for a Pirates and Astros fan) since the late ‘80s.

Other things were not so well known. He devoted many hours to volunteer work. Much of it with Camp Twin Lakes, a Rutledge, Georgia camp for kids with special needs. And according to several news reports Caray also worked with the Hemophilia Association.

Why wasn’t this more known?

I assume by Hemophilia Association it is meant Hemophilia of Georgia. Perhaps he became associated with hemophilia through his involvement with Camp Twin Lakes, the location for the Georgia hemophilia camp. But I don’t know and would like to know more.

Many folks donate time, money and effort out of a sheer sense of purpose. They ask nothing in return preferring the anonymity of their charity. God bless them. They are dearly needed. But at the same time this bleeding disorders community is desperate for a national voice or identity. We are such a small community yet with such great needs that there has to be a better effort to make use of the connections we have and to garner more. Even though celebrities like Skip Caray are more niche (sports) or regional, when good people like him are associated with causes like hemophilia it can only reflect well on the bleeding disorders community and perhaps encourage someone else of notoriety to lend a hand.

I’m glad to know the folks of Georgia had a good friend in Skip Caray. Too bad many of us learned of it only at his passing.

Adios, Edouard. We hardly knew you.

Which is just fine. All in all, not bad. Some needed rain, a day off from work. One of those rainy days where you just don't do much.

I took the boys to the movies and saw Journey to the Center of the Earth. I almost choked on the ticket prices. Not realizing the movie was 3D, $29.00 for one adult and two kids tickets was quite a surprise. The plastic throwaway 3D glasses must be expensive. The movie was o.k. The boys liked the 3D effects although we should have sat closer to the screen so it would occupy the whole frame of vision. The story was blah but it had enough action and effects to keep a 5 and a 8 year old boy entertained.

¿Que pasa, Edouard?

Tropical Storm Edouard seems to be heading straight toward Galveston and Houston beyond. Will it really be much of anything? Who knows?

Three years ago, just weeks after Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita bore down on the Texas coast. Hundreds of thousands tried to evacuate the area only to run out of gas on the congested highways of the Houston area. Luckily for us (we stayed put) Rita veered eastward and around Houston we had ten's if not hundred's of downed leaves. Points east did not get off so lucky.

So what will happen this time? Only time will tell. But we're good. Factor, food, water, beer; all the essentials.

Self-Infusion Success !!

Jack did it! Yesterday before his baseball game Jack tried self-infusion again and got the vein. Under Allison's tutelage, Jack has been working on self-infusion since he got home from camp a week ago and yesterday was THE DAY.

We are so proud of him. This is a huge step toward full self-sufficiency and ownership of his hemophilia care.

Congratulations Jack!!

Keep it up!

Lifetime Insurance Caps

Here's a good article on lifetime insurance caps.

As medical costs have risen these cap limits have remained stagnant and they need to change.

But just as important we, as consumers of medical care, need to demand transparency in medical costs. Everything; doctors visits, procedures, tests, examination gloves, alcohol swabs, everything. There are countless instances of a provider having two prices; one charged to an insurance company, and one to the guy paying out of pocket. This cycle of provider charging insurer, charging employer, charging employee with higher premiums and higher deductibles has got to stop. It's a rigged system where costs are hidden and choices are narrowed. Like the three gas stations down the street at the corner that compete for my fuel money it's time for the medical industry to join the rest of the market system and compete my health care dollars. Let the consumer be the judge of what's best for them considering services, prices, location and everything else.

I know, I know. Universal health care. I don't buy it. Costs will continue to rise, choices will diminish as will the number of docs and other health care professionals leading to a reduction in quality of care.

D. C. Highlights

The boys and I had a great time in D. C. earlier this month. We were there for just under a week and I tried to pack in as much as the boys could handle. Being there over the 4th of July weekend made for some large crowds and some long lines so a few of our destinations had to be scratched.

We did get our fill though; The National Portrait Gallery, The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, The Marine Corps Museum at Quantico, Mt. Vernon, a Tour of the Pentagon, of course the Sunset Parade at the Marine Corps Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport and the Bull Run (Manassas) Battlefield.

Here's a few snapshots.

Still not an excuse to spend the day playing Wii

Aerobic capacity lower in boys with hemophilia

From Reuters.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Boys with hemophilia have a lower aerobic capacity than their healthy peers, according to study findings published the Journal of Pediatrics. However, the overall muscle strength of these children is comparable to that seen in the normal population.

None of the participants experienced joint or muscle bleeds or other adverse events because of participation in the study and all of them were able to perform at maximal or near-maximal levels on exercise tests.

Compared with their healthy counterparts though, the peak oxygen capacity, heart rate, and work capacity were significantly lower among the boys with hemophilia.

However, total muscle strength was normal in the patients compared with the healthy controls, and almost no joint impairment or decrease in functional ability was found.

Thanks to prophylaxis our boys can do most of the activities other boys do and it's good to see there were no joint or muscle bleeds.

The study shows that boys with hemophilia have lower aerobic capacity but doesn't explain why. Is there still a predisposition to a more sedentary lifestyle? Do they 'get away' with being less active because of hemophilia? Or is a lower aerobic capacity a by-product of hemophilia?

Off to Kamp Krusty

Well, maybe not Kamp Krusty, but Camp Ailihpomeh (hemophilia backwards). Jack is at hemophilia camp this week, he left Sunday morning. Here's hoping for some positive peer pressure and successful self-infusion.

Camp is again at the great Camp John Mark near Meridian, Texas. I'm sure it's hot as all get out but the boys will, as always, have a fantastic time. Pics from camp are updated daily at the Lone Star Chapter Website, here. Below is the first one of Jack (third from right) and his cabin-mates.

In D.C.

The boys and I are in the D.C. area for the next few days. We're here to attend a Marine Corps Sunset Parade. My brother Mike is the hosting officer on July 8th. On the 4th we opted to see fireworks at Quantico rather than deal with the crowds at the Mall in D.C.

Yesterday we did some sight seeing in D.C. Went to the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of Natural History. Pics (so far) below.

Happy Independence Day

It's been crazy around here. So we're due for a break. I'm taking the boys to D.C. for a short vacation (hopefully updates and details to follow) which will give Allison some breathing room to catch up and maybe get ahead of her nursing studies.

In keeping with the patriotic flavor of the holiday here's a few pics from our front yard and the sunflowers Carrick planted in our new front planting bed. These things are not just sunflowers or giant sunflowers but were labeled 'mammoth sunflowers.' I think they live up to their name.

The second pic is of the proud gardener and the third should give a little scale.

Happy 4th everyone!

Golf, the good and the funny

Holy Smokes! Did you see Tiger finish his fourth round to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open? Unbelievable. Playing as inconsistently as he was on the bum knee. Amazing.

We have our own little golfer around here. In the last couple of weeks Jack has gotten a taste of some real golf and is doing quite well.

Two weeks ago on June 2, the Lone Star Chapter had the Matthew Thomas Memorial Golf Classic. The tournament is one of the chapter's major fundraisers and a fun time (even if it is brutally hot). The last few years the events have included a junior tournament and the past two years Jack has played. This year he came in second overall out of 20-25 kids of all ages (into the teens) and won a junior set of clubs.

Jack has a pretty good swing, what I call an athletic swing. I've taken the boys to the driving range a few times but except for the Matt Thomas tournament Jack hadn't played on a real course. So for him to do so well gave me ample motivation to hit the links with the young guy.

So this weekend we got out twice and played on 'real' courses. First, in keeping with Father's Day weekend, Jack and I went out with my dad on Friday and Jack posted some good scores including a par on a par three. Next, on Saturday, we joined my brother Tim and his son Zach and got in another sweat-drenched 18. Again Jack played well with another par on a par three and a par on a shortened par 4. Allison says we have to get him lessons so I don't screw up his swing with my instructions.

I don't have any pics from the tournament or this weekend but here's some recent video from the driving range. Jack looks good but also pay attention to Carrick in the background. God bless him, it's hilarious.

Been awhile...

Life interferes. It's been a crazy two weeks. School's ended for the boys and summer camps have started, work has hit the hectic/stressful season but biggest of all Allison has started nursing school. She going to the UT School of Nursing at Houston accelerated program. It's two years of nursing crammed into one. Lots of reading, lots of online lectures and lots of studying. Did I mention reading and studying. It occupies the majority of her time. By the time its over the boys may feel like they have a single parent. But in the end it will be more than worth it. For her and us.