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22- bloody bandages

Spooky Cookie month continues on Cookie Thursday is a Thing. Today’s make is bloody bandages.

These are operating room folks, and it is hard to gross them out.

No ick matter here!

Bloody Bandages

Sugar wafer cookies, the ones with the cream filling between thin crispy wafers.

white chocolate Candiquik. This is meltable chocolate that comes in a variety of flavors and colors and here in the United States it goes by that unfortunately spelled name, or some craft stores carry it for candy making. It melts fast in the microwave and smoothly.

toppings- for effect I used a combination of green sprinkles, and freeze-dried raspberries

I had to experiment a bit with technique. The first tray I laid the wafers out, melted the chocolate, tried to make a square of chocolate with a spoon, put the toppings on

This works but it gets messy as the chocolate begins to dry.

The second tray I had the wafer cookies in a stack, picked them up, spread the chocolate using a knife, added toppings. This worked much better and I was able to get a more uniform square of chocolate

What makes these bloody bandages is the rectangular shape of the wafer cookies, and the hopefully white square of chocolate. And the raspberry “blood”.

On some I added green sprinkles to simulate infection.

I think they are adorable, and they were very fast to make. I barely got through NPR morning edition podcast, which is about 15 minutes long. Seriously one of the fastest makes yet.

Cyclosporiasis is spreading soon to a state near you

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection that is caused by a parasite. It has been reported in 32 states as of July 10, 2026.

This is not infectious. This means it does not spread person to person. The oocytes have to be injested.

This is caused by a teeny tiny oocyte (egg) that has been found on fruit and vegetables. Kind of like e. coli in bagged lettuce but so much worse.

Like e. coli it is spread through food or water that has been contaminated with fecal matter.

You know, poop.

The products on the hot seat this time is various types of imported fresh produce. According to the CDC includes raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce, and cilantro.

Never has there been a better time to avoid cilantro because it tastes like soap. But that just be me.

Washing your produce with chlorine is not enough. Washing your produce period is not enough.

Cooking your vegetables to 60-70 degrees Celsius is recommended. That means 140-158 degrees Fahrenheit. For at least 15 minutes.

There is an antibiotic available that the infection is susceptible to but you have to be diagnosed to treat it.

And a whole lot of people are suffering in silence at home.

That brings me to how wide is this infection?
No one knows for sure.

How many people have gotten sick?
No one knows for sure because people suffer at home without telling anyone.

In all probability it is vastly underreported.

The most common symptom is watery diarrhea with frequent and possibly explosive bowel movements. Leading to embarrassment and the not seeking help.

Drink your fluids.

But the real question is why.

Did the DOGE cuts/RFK gutting of the public health infrastructure of last year cause this?
I and all the scientists who have been warning of an outbreak like this give a deafening YES. And they certainly stopped monitoring the infection in 2025.

Hands up if you knew this would happen.

And say it with me “You dumb fucks!”

FFS Friday 7/10/26- Fortress

Have you ever not had the means to get testing for STIs? Have you ever not had the means to go to a doctor and get birth control? Have you ever not had the means to get simple healthcare, such as a mammogram?

For millions of Americans this is their everyday life.

And millions of Americans turn to Planned Parenthood.

For sex ed.

For birth control pills.

For mammograms.

Because health care in this country has failed them.

I’ve written about this at length.

Planned Parenthood is the Fortress that shelters and protects these everyday Americans from disease and unplanned pregnancies and basic sexual education has been eaten away at in our schools by religious zealots who believe that sex should only be undertaken to produce a child.

Planned Parenthood protects them all.

And has been protecting them all.

Even after they were defunded from Medicaid in last year’s Big Bullshit Bill.

Millions of us donated so that women didn’t have to go without.

But now the defunding provision of the BBB has expired.

Yeah, last weekend. This means that the Medicaid funds are restored to Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health providers.

But be wary.

This particular battle is subsiding but they think they can shout us down.

By they I mean the anti-choice crowd who are very much not happy with this development and are making plans to steal the money back.

We have to be smarter than them.

We have to be louder than them.

We have to be strong for those who need us.

FFS Friday 07/03/2026- Fealty

Fealty can be to the wrong person or thing. And it is dangerous when it is so.

Fealty was defined by Francis Bacon in his 1629 book The Use of Law as “to take an oath upon a book, that he will be a faithful Tenant to the King”.

We’ve been shouting and protesting and shouting that there are NO KINGS in America.

The problem with fealty or fidelity is when the masses swear it to an incorrect thing.

However, an Air Force officer demonstrated his fealty to his Oath of Office in this past week.

6 sitting members of Congress warned us against blindly following orders. Even when those orders were unlawful. They got excoriated for it.

But some of us praised their bravery and their strength and echoed the message.

On July 1st Major Jason Watson criticized the administration’s actions in Iran and Venezuela and the draconian immigration policies. He called for impeachment and removal of the president. He is an active-duty Air Force officer and did this in full uniform. He had a poster that read “Impeach, Convict, Remove”.

He was speaking specifically about the American deaths and American injuries tied to an illegal war.

Of course he was immediately arrested. He had been escorted to the House Steps by Representative Al Green.

This should shock us all.

This should chill us all.

I know people are going to bleat about The Uniform Code of Military Justice not allowing his actions.

This was established last year because of a fucking memo.

I believe he had had enough and protested the way that he did to grab the attention of the world. I also believe that he believed that this was his way of honoring his Air Force Officer Oath. So that someone would finally fucking pay attention and listen.

Cookie Thursday 7/2/26- Out of season Chex Mix

The July theme is Favorites.

I have done Chex Mix out of December before. But it has been VERY rarely. But I thought this would be a great way to kick off the 4th of July weekend.

And, besides people have been asking for it.

And besides besides I wanted to test out Stove #3’s bottom oven.

The test went swimmingly.

I was initially unsure if the bottom oven would accommodate the turkey roaster I use for Chex Mix. And it did.

Even if I couldn’t get the bottom grate out to move it down. I will have to look into that and check the manual.

I have a list of favorites that people gave me when I was creating the Cookie Thursday is a Thing poster for the North Carolina Nursing Association and the AORN EXPO. I will be working my way through them.

Call Secrets of the OR 7/1/26- Holiday weeks are weird

Holiday weeks are weird. They just are.

It is either too many cases or not many cases at all.

There is no middle ground.

And if the holiday is on the weekend, as is the case with 4th of July, it goes double.

Add in the summer travel season, it might even go platinum.

The normal surgeons are out for vacation. Sometimes out of the country. Don’t worry, the ones that are left and taking the calls are bitter about it.

My notes indicate that the weirdest summer we ever had in the OR was in 2010. No lie, we did 5 laparoscopic appendectomies a night. Every night. For a month. From the middle of June to the middle of July.

It has yet to be topped.

Not that that is a challenge to the universe.

However, we have WAY more instruments and I would not have to do the equivalent of running the 1 laparoscopic scope in the Steris scope sterilizer that lived between ORs 2 and 4.

It was better than Cidex.

Or flash sterilizing the laparoscopic instruments because we only had 2 sets.

Good times. I don’t want to go back there but thinking on my feet kept me sharp.

This holiday week has just begun. Since the full moon is over, I have hope that the universe will be kind to us night shift folk.

Fingers crossed.

Tuesday Top of Mind 6/30/26- It’s hot! Damn hot!

To quote Adrian Cronauer “Fool, it’s hot! I told you again! Were you born on the sun! It’s damn hot! So damn hot!”

That is, of course, taken from Good Morning, Vietnam. And is in fact the scene that Robin Williams riffed off the temperature in Vietnam and set the audience screaming with laughter.

Hot is no laughing matter. Hot and humid is another step down the ladder into hell.

The World Health Organization attributes 1300 deaths in Europe due to this most recent heat wave. Most of the deaths are over 65.

We were just in Virginia, on vacation, and the hottest dang day of the ENTIRE trip was the day we have all bought tickets to Williamsburg. It was going to be 95 with at least 70% humidity. I had warned everyone the week before that the temperature was not going to be what they were used to. As the nurse on the trip, I recommended lots and lots of fluids, reflecting hats, getting out of the sun in the middle of the day, and lot of breaks.

The day we went to amusement park I backpacked in 12 bottles of water.

Right now, half of the US is under a heat dome. Here in North Carolina, we are expecting highs to crest over 100 degrees. For several days in a row. Including over the 4th of July.

Stay inside in the middle of the day.

Drink lots of fluids. And eat fluid containing foods like watermelon.

Do not mow the grass in the middle of the day. Your HOA will probably care about that but I certainly do not.

Wear loose fitting clothing, including a hat, in lighter colors.

Cover your windows that are sun facing.

Fans are your friends.

Speaking of friends, don’t forget to take care of the pets. The asphalt will be really freaking hot on your dog’s paws. It can be as hot as 140 degrees. Stick to the grass.

I’ve already set up the wildlife watering station for the birds, squirrels, etc. that come into our neighborhood. They are hot too. And thirsty.

Heat stroke is no joke. Nether is hot exhaustion.

Monitor yourself and your loved ones.

You should drink enough fluids to counter the fluid loss from sweat.

Humid hot is sneaky and will overwhelm you before you know it.

Have some water. Your kidneys will thank you.

Stay inside where it is cooler. Watch Good Morning Vietnam. Or cue up No Where to Run To by Martha and the Vandellas.

If you know, you know.

Cookie Thursday is a Thing 6/25/26- Blueberry chip and the July theme announcement

Chipapalooza was very successful. I say that knowing that a bunch of the baking chips I had in the baking pantry got used. Over two months. Well, 1 month and 3 weeks because I was on vacation.

The last chip of this theme is the blueberry chip. I tried to make it blueberry lemon but the blueberry chip overpowered the lemon. A lot.

Odd.

These were still good and edible and I would not kick them out of the cookie jar. In fact I kind of want to add the cherry chip and the blueberry chip together to see what will happen.

I still have a few different types of chips. I didn’t even use the caramel chips or the cinnamon chips. Those will have to wait.

The Cookie Thursday is a Thing theme for July is going to be CTIAT Favorites, No Holds Barred. This is going to be wild.

I am going to take the CTIAT favorite cookies that I used for a conference poster way back in 2023 and pick and choose. A little Favorites and a little bit Baker’s Choice.

The number one requested cookie isn’t really a cookie. It’s more of a vibe. The first cookie of CTIAT Favorites, No Holds Barred is going to be Chex Mix. This is something that I traditionally only make in December. There are 2 reasons for the selection- 1) it has been requested a lot and I’m tired of seeing people’s face falls when I explain the December rule and 2) I want to see how Stove #3 handles it. Because I haven’t made anything in the lower oven yet.

Just in time for the 4th of July.

I did tell someone at work the theme and also what the first cookies was going to be. I said they could tell people if they wanted, or not. I might tell more people myself.

Or not.

The bake might just have to be an explosive surprise. Like fireworks.

Dobbs decision anniversary and the fall of Roe

Are we not going to talk about the three recently confirmed justices that all but lied to the Senate?

Each of them stated that they were not interested in overturning settled law.

Right.

Only if it serves their god and their god-king and whose who bask in the despair and disinfranchisement of women.

The textbook definition of disenfranchisement is a “feeling in a person or group of having no power or opportunities, or of not being represented in the political system”.

Sound familiar because it should.

The problem is that these weak sniveling worms of men seek to control women by any means necessary.

And the means they have chosen is holding the output of a uterus above all else.

Many, many, many women have been harmed by this decision.

Many women have lost their fertility.

Many women have been killed.

All women have been told that they are worth less than the content of the output of their uterus.

Full stop.

Why?

It is all about their reaction to the loss of control of women. Women were making great strides in the 1960s and 1970s. Bras were being burned all over the place, women were beginning to take control of their financial life.

Gasp, women could live separate from a MAN!

So they scapegoated the right to abortion.

To get their property back.

I am no one’s property.

I am no one’s scapegoat.

And men cannot control me.

Tuesday Top of Mind 6/23/2026- The HPV vaccine- not just for girls!

I wrote about the effectiveness of the HPV vaccines for girls.

Spoiler alert.

It is very freaking effective in decreasing certain HPV related cancers.

But I neglected to write about boys.

Because boys can be HPV carriers. And boys can develop HPV cancers.

Spoiler alert the HPV vaccine decreased cancer in boys as well. Not as dramatically as in girls but it decreased cancers related to HPV by FIFTY FREAKING PERCENT!

That is a huge number of boys and men not getting HPV related cancers.

These include cancers of the throat, the anus, and the head and neck.

The n of this data base was 615,000 males, ages 9-26, who received the vaccine and 2 million males who did not.

But, Kate, those do not look like equal numbers.

Oh, they’re not.

But statistics can make them be comparable.

Power of math!

Those who were vaccinated between 9 and 14 had a 42% lower risk and those who were vaccinated between 15-26 had a 50% lower risk.

Those are not small, insignificant numbers.

If you have any child/teenage/young adult between the ages of 9 and 26, pretty please with sugar on top get them vaccinated for the HPV virus.

The life you save might be your kid’s.

FFS Friday 6/12/26- Freaking Finally! AMA says no thank you to DHHS

There have been 2 factions within the AMA. One wants to call out the absolute shit show that that a non-doctor is doing to the health and security and safety of Americans. The other wants to continue to be conciliatory and non-confrontational with the same DHHS secretary.

Guess which one they’ve been doing?

Guess which one got voted the new head of the AMA?

Dr. Sandra Fryhofer is the one that just got elected to be the head of the AMA.

She beat Dr. Michael Sulk who had been an AMA board chair who prioritized reimbursement rates over pushing back on the dismantling of research and Medicaid and the damage to the CDC and the vaccine schedule. And so much more. I’ve been writing about it since RFK Jr. was confirmed.

This is exceptional news.

The AMA’s doctors finally put their foot down and said, with one voice, “Enough!”

I am so pleased.

But I have to acknowledge that there is a Medicaid cliff that is looming. Millions of low-income Americans will lose their Medicaid which will have a chilling effect on healthcare.

But those of us in the trenches know that means 1 of 2 things, 1) people will go into debt to afford care, or 2) will go without screenings and care and medication and Dr.’s visits. Most people will choose the second option. This means their chronic conditions will get more and more debilitating until they seek care. Often when it is too late.

This election does not mean that the AMA is a blameless association.

But it is a start.

Dr. Fryhofer’s term will start next summer.