Passport Health in Center City, "we'd love to see you!"

I blogged a little bit about Passport Health's Pennsylvania offices, including our location in Center City Philadelphia. We're loving it here! And we've never wanted to see you more. Aside from our Philadelphia location, we also have offices in Warrington and Lawrenceville. Visit our website http://www.passporthealthphilly.com/ to pre-fill your patient intake forms and to learn more about us, as well as your travel destinations. Once again, PPH Delaware Valley/Philadelphia serves the following communities:

Ardmore, Abington, Ambler, Arcola, Aston, Audubon, Bala Cynwyd, Bedminster, Bensalem, Blooming Glen, Blue Bell, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookhaven, Broomall, Bryn Athyn, Bryn Mawr, Buckingham, Carversville, Cedars, Chadds Ford, Chalfont, Cheltenham, Chester, Chester Heights, Cheyney, Clifton Heights, Collegeville, Colmar, Concordville, Conshohocken, Coopersburg, Creamery, Croydon, Crum Lynne, Danboro, Darby, Doylestown, Dresher, Drexel Hill, Dublin, Durham, Eagleville, Earlington, East Greenville, Elkins Park, Erwinna, Essington, Fairless Hills, Fairview Village, Feasterville Trevose, Ferndale, Flourtown, Folcroft, Folsom, Forest Grove, Fort Washington, Fountainville, Franconia, Frederick, Furlong, Gardenville, Gilbertsville, Gladwyne, Glen Mills, Glen Riddle Lima, Glenolden, Glenside, Gradyville, Green Lane, Gwynedd, Gwynedd Valley, Harleysville, Hatboro, Hatfield, Haverford, Havertown, Hilltown, Holicong, Holmes, Horsham, Huntingdon Valley, Jamison, Jenkintown, King Of Prussia, Kintnersville, Kulpsville, Lafayette Hill, Lahaska, Langhorne, Lansdale, Lansdowne, Lederach, Lenni, Levittown, Line Lexington, Lumberville, Mainland, Marcus Hook, Mechanicsville, Media, Merion Station, Milford Square, Mont Clare, Montgomeryville, Morrisville, Morton, Narberth, New Hope, Newtown, Norristown, North Wales, Norwood, Oaks, Oreland, Ottsville, Penns Park, Pennsburg, Perkasie, Perkiomenville, Philadelphia, Pineville, Pipersville, Plumsteadville, Plymouth Meeting, Point Pleasant, Pottstown, Prospect Park, Quakertown, Red Hill, Revere, Richboro, Richlandtown, Ridley Park, Riegelsville, Royersford, Rushland, Salford, Salfordville, Sassamansville, Schwenksville, Sellersville, Sharon Hill, Silverdale, Skippack, Solebury, Souderton, Southampton, Spinnerstown, Spring House, Spring Mount, Springfield, Springtown, Sumneytown, Swarthmore, Telford, Thornton, Trumbauersville, Tylersport, Upper Black Eddy, Upper Darby, Valley Forge, Villanova, Wallingford, Warminster, Warrington, Washington Crossing, Wayne, West Point, Willow Grove, Woodlyn, Worcester, Woxall, Wycombe, Wyncote, Wynnewood, Zieglerville, Zionhill

Groundhog Day's Upon Us, Feel the Joy

There are more reasons than one to chose a local getaway in the Northeast or New York City than a major trip to the other side of the world. Leaving the majesty abroad out of the equation for a moment, sometimes we just need a little break from the stress of holiday cheer (that's now most assuredly rubbed off into something like a sore back and maybe some extra weight!) and winter winds.
I don't know if you know this... and why would you? but we are about to stumble onto one of the best holidays of the year. It's a shy little day, with lots of understated majesty: and that day falls on one of the most brilliant and enthusiastic days of the week (oh you didn't know the days of the week had their own moods?...) TUESDAY!!!!

Oh, okay, you're not really excited about Groundhog's Day? Well, anyway. This February 2nd is 2010's mirror into the future, if you will, the first hope for spring time. And Between this date, which unfortunately falls on a Tuesday, and Valentine's day (that other holiday that fosters more ambivalence than ignorance) on Sunday February 14th block out the perfect constraints for a festival.

And by festival, maybe we mean a weekend skiing in New York or Vermont; maybe it's a weekend in Boston (I know, these are for the lovers of snow and ice). There are buses that run to all of these locations that are cheap and convenient (most all run from NY and Phily). If you are desperate for some sun and are willing to pay slightly more, most airlines are running winter specials to either FLA or the Carolinas. Long weekend, lover, or groundhog... you should think about it.

Stay tuned, Groundhog's Day dinner festival (d.i.y. style) to come!


Worldbloc

Helping in Haiti

Doctors Without Borders is in a league of its own when it comes to helping out in times of crisis, (not to mention in times of "peace"). DWB is forwarding 100% of donated funds received to the relief efforts in Haiti. But their presence in that country is not a novel one: in fact, before the earthquake, DWB ran the only OBGYN and the only trauma ward in the capital city. While there are many volunteers on their way to Haiti, DWB and its volunteers have an established rapport with citizens and are working around the clock, as all relief and mission workers there now are.


Doctors Without Borders is first among equals in the endeavor to aid one of the world's poorest populations as they are well positioned on the ground. What they do need, however, is financial support. And that is where you, I, and everyone else who can spare even a nickel come in to play. Thank you for your support.

Please Help in Haiti: Donate to Doctors Wihout Borders

After the breaking news yesterday that Haiti suffered a massive earthquake, the reports of even greater suffering and need in Haiti continue to pour in. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those travelers but also citizens affected on this solemn day. But in an effort to help out our global neighbors, Passport Health New Jersey has added a "Support Doctors without Borders in Haiti" botton on the right hand column of our website or click the button below; please visit and help. Thank you,


Passport Health New Jersey

Why H1N1 and not "Swine Flu"?

There has been a lot of discussion about H1N1 over the last 10 months, or so. But before it was referred to by its real name, the H1N1 virus, it was commonly called the "Swine Flu" virus. Now, there are a lot of reasons why this name has been propagated, and most of the responsibility falls on the 24-hour media apparatus that so invades our vocabulary. The term "swine" flu, without a doubt increases the sense of urgency, the sense of unhygienic and latent danger that catapulted so many in our area to protect themselves against the virus.

And of course, Passport Health does provide those services and vaccines that protect the individual from the very real medical threat of the H1N1 virus. But we are asking you to think about the way "swine" flu has twisted off the base of concrete-medical concern and latches on to the average person's fear via the very disgraceful and bigoted assumptions in language that Swine flu fosters.

If the reader would, remember the panic that the out-break of H1N1 created. Now, remember that most news sources referred to it by its nickname Swine Flu, remember that it had "originated" in Mexico and made its way to North America... (of course, it did *not* originate in Mexico, but rather in Asia; we will not dwell on this fact, however).

It takes a rather large philosophical investment for a reader to argue that the connection between "swine flu" and Mexico did not already target some very sensitive (albeit unsaid, latently anticipated) connections between the word "Mexican" and the word "swine."

To make matters all the more apparent, the common belief was that travelers had brought the virus into the United States after vacationing... or was it a Mexican immigrant, himself? Anyway, the virus was originally transmitted from the pig to the person in Mexico (furthering this all but unsaid social comment on the cleanliness of the Mexican population), had incubated in the south and spread disease among the Americans in the north. See any parallels to many economic "dispositions"?

Of course, implicitly offensive terms like Swine Flu trickle down through the news sources that most of the population rely on for their information, and it is used day in and day out, just like any other term, until the public "forgets" its real content and implications, and denies any real malevolence in the phrase. This is understandable to a degree, since the average public never meant to use it as an offensive parallel;

but if the reader will notice that around late summer, the media began to alter its reference--from Swine Flu to H1N1. Now, whether this is a tactic to make the same old story (still dangerous, in fact, more likely to upsurge) sound new via a "new" name, or due to the obviously bigoted connations, Swine Flu for a large part became H1N1.

The sad thing is, this difference in terminology in the media does not mean a conversion in terminology for the general public. Now, if anything, the two words are used interchangeably, and often together.

I don't think this is a matter of being "politically correct," but to be sure we live in a politically correct time. I will leave you with twp last questions, however; is it so wrong to wish that people did not accept the offensive and bigoted terms passed down by news sources attempting to sell a permanent brand of national panic?

Is it so outlandish to think that the apparatus that most people openly acknowledge to purposefully propagate a continuous feeling of "high-drama news" that it would *not* implicitly build its story on the already-existing political tensions of national immigration and local employment by specifically linking the concept of Mexican swine and American security?

Is it really so nuts to attempt to respect everyone? If that makes Passport Health "p.c." well, then that's okay by us.

Protect Yourself Against the H1N1 Virus in 2010

In case you didn't know, the H1N1 vaccine is now available for all individuals who wish to protect themselves against the virus. Many people in our community have said things like "it's so hard to find out about clinics! I didn't even know I was eligible for vaccination..."

In fact, many people have commented on the decreased public demand for the vaccination; "I think it has a lot to do with the media's portrayal of the H1N1--at first it was all the craze to talk about, but now the news has really dropped its coverage of the issue," says one participant at one of our clinics.

But that doesn't mean risk has gone down, in reality, times of decreased awareness lead to increased exposure and a resurgence in infection.

And Passport Health makes it more accessible in 2010 for you and your family to stay safe! Aside from flu.gov (where we post our clinics) Passport Health of Shrewsbury is running walk-in clinics ever Tuesday for the next month between 1PM and 4PM. No appointment necessary!

Seasonal and FluMist vaccine also available. Make sure you plan a pit-stop to our Shrewsbury office.

Happy New Year!

I'm dreaming of a white... new year?

Hello world! It's New Year's Eve 2009. The dawn of a new year, a new decade is upon us... what better way to celebrate this new epoch and shovel snow, salt the driveway, and snuggle-up indoors? It might not be the most glamorous of get-togethers, but that's 2009 for you. There are two important factors in what we might call "everyday life" that have really made their way to the surface this year and these are fear and triumph.

It doesn't take much, I'm sure, to get you to think about what made you fearful this year. (There was quite a lot...) Not to use blanket statements that have lost meaning, but "the economy" was a huge stresser. For most people this broke down to- can we provide for our family? what will the future hold... does it matter if I make the right decisions now if they'll all be blown away in a day? Will my family be safe from disease; will they be healthy?
And then came the big questions, the questions that we don't like to ask ourselves- why did I take "the safe route" in my job, where I lived, when it all came apart anyway? Why didn't I do more of what I dreampt of and less of what I did because I was so stuck in the moment? Am I happy with  my life, with my choices, with my dreams?

That is the fear. And I don't care if you're 87 or you're 30, these questions crept into our everyday life in an unprecedented way and shook the foundations on which we lived.
Now I don't want to transition into an unbelievable pep-talk and make all the world's problems appear as rosy shadows in the summer. Because these are still *big* issues that we have to face as a collective. The only viable alternative to our consumption through fear is triumph.

Triumph means living, dreaming, fighting for a better life no matter what the consequences might be. Triumph means living in the moment and making decisions based on intellect, commitment to a fuller life, and embracing   the unknown in spite of everyday fear.
This is to say, if 2009 brought on the fear, then ring in the new decade with triumph. A triumphant life means more than pursuing emotional wisdom, travelling to the far reaches of Africa or Asia for entertainment (although these are great places to go!). A triumphant life, no matter how you cut it, boils down to your personal commitment to self-education.

If you're not happy with the messages that the media forces down your throat, find new sources of information. Read a philosophy book even if it's too difficult for you to understand. Write poetry even if it's bad, travel to the other side of the world and let yourself see what is really there... maybe it will help you understand what's really going on around here.

New Year's, no matter the cliche, is one of the rare times in life that we are invited to contemplate in our society. This year, at the conclusion of yet another decade, dare to ask yourself the real questions.

Maybe it means losing control of the everyday routine, maybe it means a mission-trip, maybe it means quitting your job and living off savings for a year in order to paint pinecones in Vermont.

I challenge you to listen to what you've really been telling yourself all along.
Maybe a night in is a good idea...
Happy New Year from all of us at Passport Health, I challenge you to make it the best one yet.

Signing off,

Worldbloc