Hillsborough County schools have current cases of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection being monitored by school nurses, said Warren McDougle, epidemiology program manager for the Hillsborough County Health Department. He said he could not identify the schools or the number of cases. ...more

October 19, 2007

My life was going along great. I had a full-time career teaching that I loved, plus two part-time ones that involved teaching music and leading worship at church. My kids were well and my husband was doing what he loved. We were all extremely busy and fulfilled. But, I began to feel sick — fatigue and pain that cannot be described. I had felt it a few times in the past when for months I could not get out of bed without help. No doctor could ever figure it out. Starting in eighth grade, I'd be given round after round of antibiotics and after being deathly ill for weeks, would slowly recover. It would always take a long, long time to feel my energetic, enthusiastic self again but I always would. Then, for years I could go on as if nothing had ever happened to me. This time, I reacted the same way by pushing myself more and more, hoping I could just "will" myself out of it. But, the last time it didn't work and after feeling "sick" for a year, I finally had a stroke. ...more

October 2, 2007

The Tribune, on Aug. 27, published an 'other view' written by Peter Pitts, entitled 'One Size Medicine Does Not Fit All.' What Pitts said just wasn't right, at least as far as I was concerned. In essence, he was condemning those who believe in the concept of 'evidence-based medicine.' I believe in it. ...more

September 20, 2007

ORLANDO - A third Central Florida death this summer is linked to a freshwater amoeba, the Florida Department of Health has confirmed. ...more

September 8, 2007

My 2-year-old has had four ear infections this past year. The most recent one lingered, even though we bombarded it with antibiotics. My pediatrician finally decided to send me to an otolaryngologist to see about getting tubes in her ears. ...more

September 6, 2007

TAMPA - A freshwater amoeba suspected in two Central Florida deaths within a month is largely a mystery to doctors because cases of the brain infection it causes are so rare. The Florida Department of Health is investigating the two deaths to see whether the victims died from a rare infection caused by a microscopic creature that lives in every body of freshwater in the state. ...more

September 6, 2007