Ruptured Disc Forces Man to Rob Bank?

The ABA Journal recently reported that a North Carolina man robbed a bank to get prison health care for his two ruptured discs.  According to the report, 59 year old James Verone walked into a bank, handed a note to a teller demanding $1, and then sat down and waited for the police to come arrest him.

While Mr. Verone's method of receiving health care is by a criminal act, his action highlights the seriousness of the pain of ruptured discs and the lengths someone is willing to go in order to receive medical treatment.

You can learn more about a herniated or ruptured disc form these links:

• Cedars-Sinai Hospital
• Mayo Clinic
• Web MD

Bounce House Hazards; Special Alert to Parents

A 2009 memo from the Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC") estimated that there were over 31,000 emergency department treated injuries associated with inflatable bounce houses in between 2003 and 2007 in the U.S.- that's over 17 trips to the emergency room a day.

The CPSC's memo also revealed that during that same period there were four reported deaths, most of which involved someone falling off or out of the inflatable and then hitting their head on the hard pavement nearby.

Now as summer vacations get underway parents will undoubtedly be hosting or taking their children to birthday parties or gatherings with inflatable bounce houses.  While these bounce houses look soft, safe, and fun for children of almost any age the CPSC's data tell a different story, and  a recent article in the Washington Post revealed several shocking stories of how improperly staked bounce houses have been blown across city streets, swept away by wind gusts, or toppled by excessive weight.

Before letting your child enter a bounce house or other inflatable jumping device make sure to check that:

1. The inflatable is properly secured and staked; 
2. The inflatable is not over crowded with children;
3. The inflatable is not tattered, worn or patched; 
4. Your child is never unattended and someone is always watching the inflatable; and
5. The air flow from the motor to the inflatable is not obstructed.