By: Robert Remler
Thirty million American men have erectile dysfunction. Last week, one man's condition got more coverage than Tony Soprano's final performance of the season.
During divorce proceedings between Rudolph Giuliani and Donna Honover, the effects of the mayor's treatment for prostrate cancer became public knowledge. Giuliani is experiencing temporary impotence, an attorney said. It is expected that his impotence will pass once radiation procedures end. Giuliani opted for a radiation procedure instead of prostrate surgery.
Dr. Eric Thall, a urologist at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, said he tells his patients they are not alone when experiencing impotence or erectile dysfunction. The condition is defined as the inability to obtain an adequate erection for satisfactory sexual activity, according to the Mayo Clinic Health Information Center.
Thall said that erectile dysfunction affects approximately 70 percent of men 65 years or older. Once known as impotence, the condition is no longer material for a stand-up comedian. Advertisements for treatment of erectile dysfunction can be seen in newspapers and on posters inside subway cars.
There are several options for treatment, but regardless of the mode of therapy a patient chooses, an open mind and cooperative partner is essential, Thall said. "The role of a spouse or partner is essential," he said. "Exploring other modes of participation and an open mind to therapy is vital
"The goal of those who treat and research erectile dysfunction is to devise a therapy that is non-invasive, safe and effective," Thall said. "The result should resemble the natural process." A good attitude is the essential "emotional component" toward recovery, he said.
An Oceanside High School alumna and wife of a man with erectile dysfunction talked about the impact of the condition on their relationship. "Listen," the woman said, "even though my husband is 74 years old, he is still a man." Speaking for her husband, she said the condition was another factor in the aging process. "We've been married for 54 years," she said. "Impotence is a condition. It's not a death sentence."
(B) Resources: (UB)
(N) www.alt.support.impotence.com
(N) www.wellnessweb.com/IMPOTENT/Index.htm
(N) The Impotence Source Book, 224 pages, Lowell House Publishers
[BEGIN BOLD]Don't shake baby [END BOLD]
There are many ways to calm a crying baby, according to the Medical Society of the State of New York. Violent shaking can cause traumatic brain injury, blindness, paralysis, seizures, cerebral palsy, severe learning problems and even death, according to the state Department of Health.
The state urges parents to take their baby to the nearest emergency hospital if the infant has been shaken. Immediate medical attention could save the baby's life.
Crying may be a sign that a baby is wet, hungry or sick, according to the medical society and health department. Both agencies urge parents to ask their pediatrician for information on how to calm a crying baby. Parents can also call the Cornell Cooperative Extension parenting classes on the South Shore, or the Nassau County child abuse hotline numbers.
For more information, go online at www.msny.org; click "Health Resources," then click "Domestic Violence" for useful links and references.
(B) Notes and lectures (UB)
(B) South Nassau Communities Hospital (UB) in Oceanside will host a blood drive Thursday, June 21, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the Albert Conference Room on the ground floor of the hospital. To learn more, call (516) 632-3930. ...(B) The Long Island Blood Services (UB) in Rockville Centre accepts blood donations throughout the year. The Center is at 333 Merrick Road. For further information, call (516) 763-0284. ...(B) Winthrop-University Hospital (UB) in Mineola will host five lectures in June. Infant and Child CPR is scheduled for June 9, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pre-registration is required. The program will be at 259 First St., Mineola. For further information, call (516) 663-4455. A Health Update for Seniors is at 1:45 p.m. June 13, at 155 Washington Ave., Mineola. Pre-registration required. Call (516) 663-3916. A two-day Infant & Child CPR seminar is planned for June 13-14, 7-9 p.m., at 259 First St., Mineola. Pre-registration required. For further information, call (516) 663-4455. Perspectives in Health is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. June 19. The focus of the lecture is "Totsaver Demonstration: Infant and Child CPR." The event is free and will be in the Winthrop Community Outreach Center. For further information, call (516) 663-8300. Are you Losing Your ZZZ's ? is the topic of a free lecture 7-9 p.m. June 20. The event is to take place at the Winthrop Community Outreach Center. Pre-registration required. Call 1-888-53-WOMEN. ...(B) The American Red Cross (UB) in Nassau County is providing much-needed assistance to victims of a fire in Island Park. The two parents and seven children have been left homeless since the May 8 blaze. Donations can be mailed to the American Red Cross in Nassau County, 195 Willis Ave., Mineola, NY 11501. To learn more, visit www.NassauRedCross.org. ...(B) The St. Francis Hospital (UB) in Roslyn will host six lectures between May 30 and June 11. Diagnosing Cardiac Disease is the topic May 30. The talk is to take place at The DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research & Education, Northern Boulevard, Old Brookville. To register, call (516) 629-2038. Strong Minds, Strong Bones is the topic of a free lecture also scheduled for May 30.
