Today's Globe: Cambridge struggle, changing forests, TB pillbox, sinus surgery, crossword solver
Cambridge Health Alliance, a key part of the Boston area's healthcare network, is facing a potentially "catastrophic" loss this year and is looking to eliminate up to 300 jobs, or about 9 percent of its workforce, in an effort to stabilize finances.
Scientists have long thought it would take generations if not centuries for tree populations to shift in response to a warming world. But Brian Beckage (left, with Carrie Pucko) and his colleagues' work on Camels Hump and two other nearby mountains suggests that climate change might affect New England forests far sooner than scientists thought.
A team of MIT students and alumni has designed an inexpensive plastic pillbox to help patients keep track of their drug regimens for tuberculosis, a disease most common in the developing world.
"After years of suffering from chronically inflamed and infected sinuses, I finally decided I'd had enough," Judy Foreman writes in her Health Sense column. "I chose to do what 500,000 other Americans do every year - have sinus surgery."
The hallowed halls of MIT's math department might seem an unlikely place to find a star in game that is about words and trivia, but Kiran Kedlaya (left) doesn't think it's that far-fetched. He views crosswords as a blend of language and math skills, a logic puzzle of intersections.
Also in Health/Science, are those new thermometers for the forehead more accurate and are there any animals that don't need to drink water?
Contributors
blogger
Elizabeth Cooney covers health for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. She
previously reported on business and was an editor at the paper. Earlier in
her career, she edited medical books and journals at Little, Brown, and
worked for Boston magazine.Boston Globe Health and Science staff:
- Karen Weintraub, Deputy Health and Science Editor
- Gideon Gil, Health and Science Editor
- Ishani Ganguli, Short White Coat blogger
- Joshua U. Klein, M.D., Short White Coat blogger
I have had 4 sinus surgeries over a span of 15 years. Each time I needed another surgery the nasal polyps had grown back so densely that I was having regular sinus infections and more difficulty drawing air through my nose. I had also completely lost my sense of smell. Having your breathing and sense of smell compromised in any way is frightening. But the surgeries have become safer and less bloody with new surgical advances. My last one a year ago was done with the image guided system. One year beyond the surgery I am breathing incredibly well, have my sense of smell back and am using the neti pot lavage each day to prevent regrowth of polyps. Previous surgeons never fully explained to me the absolute necessity of daily lavage to prevent regrowths. they merely prescribed Flonase or Nasonex. The surgeon for the last surgery made it clear that, unless I was scrupulous and vigilant about prevention, further surgeries would be necessary-with each additional one perhaps diminshing in benefit. For everyone on the fence deciding about sinus surgery, please understand that it liberates you from fear and alot of unnecessary suffering.
I had sinus surgery about seven years ago. It has been a new life for me since then. No more sinus infections. No more having trouble breathing. No more sickening smells in my nose. No more constant nasal discharge. Etc.
Common colds just run their course and end without turning into long infections that required antibiotics and trips to the doctor.
The surgery was painless but my recovery was slow with lots of bleeding and swelling. It was all worth it.
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