Category: Health

Spreading The Rot

Health

There was an 80s movie once in which a high-school girl “passed” as a boy (no details, they’re unnecessary), and in getting ready for the role, she was asking her younger brother for advice on acting like a boy, leading to this classic exchange:

“You’ll need to scratch your balls every so often.”
“Why?”
“Because they itch, and you gotta scratch them.”
“Maybe I’ll just be a guy whose balls don’t itch.”
“All men’s balls itch.”

…and it’s true.  Now, thanks to some doctor bloke, we can perhaps see the reason why this is so:

Putting underpants on with bare feet could put millions at risk of a gruesome and embarrassing groin infection, a top doctor has warned. 

So-called ‘crotch rot’ is caused by the fungus, tinea corporis, commonly known as ringworm, and appears as scaly, itchy and sometimes red skin.

And according to Dr Samuel Choudhury, a GP who specialises in skincare, the infection often spreads to the genital area via the feet.  Dr Choudhury explained that underwear comes into contact with the fungal spores on the feet, and carries them up to the groin.

‘So this is what you need to do to avoid jock itch [crotch infection],’ he added.

‘Not wearing underwear is not the solution, but wearing your socks first is. It acts as a barrier so you contain the infection.’

I hate to say it, but this sounds quite plausible.  I mean sure, it may not be true — just as any article in the Daily Mail  generally isn’t — but it seems to be as good a reason for the Dreaded Itch as any other.  It doesn’t seem to matter even if I’ve just had a shower;  the old ‘nads always start itching at some point or another.

So are socks the solution?  Even when I used to wear a suit as a working man, my balls still itched, for reasons best known to themselves.

The only problem, as I see it, comes for men who are like me:  we only ever wear socks on high holy days and holidays, or when we put on winter- or cowboy boots.  Most of the time I’m either going barefoot around the house, or wearing moccasins without socks when I’m going out.  (Sheesh, I’m retired and I live in Texas — socks are just not part of the daily clothing requirements.)

For us Sockless Ones, is the answer then a lifetime doomed to frequent applications of Gold Bond powder?  Gawd, I hope not:  that stuff is horrible.

Readers of the Leech-Application persuasion may feel free to debate this in Comments, of course.

Weak Neethe

Health

Back when Longtime Buddy Trevor and I were doing our first trip around the U.S. (1985), we stopped in a little store somewhere in New Hampshire — don’t remember which town, and probably a convenience store.

The cashier was a young guy in his late teens or early 20s, and he was a giant — I mean, well over 6’5″ and 300lbs.

Trevor (who has no problem with asking total strangers personal questions):  “Wow, you’re a big dude.  Did you ever play football at school?”
Kid: [headshake]
Trevor:  “Why not?”
Kid:  [in a high, childlike squeak]:  “I got weak neethe.”

We collapsed with laughter when we got outside, because the high voice and lisp coming from this man-mountain was just too incongruous.

I thought of this story the other day at the Sooper-Seekrit Mailbox Place.  You see, whereas it used to be quite close to my Plano apartment, now it’s a long drive over from Allen, and a long drive causes me all sorts of problems.

Many years ago, I was having problems with my knees.  In retrospect, this condition was probably being caused by my being grossly overweight.  Anyway, I complained to the doctor about it, who agreed with my diagnosis — the first time he ever used the immortal words:  “If you don’t lose some weight, you’re going to die, you fat bastard.”  Anyway, he sent me to get X-rays done, just to see what was going on in there.

The X-ray doc looked at the pics, and asked:  “Are you in the flooring business?  No?  That’s interesting, because I normally see knees like this in older men who’ve been installing carpeting for years.”

As a result, my doctor gave me the letter to show the licensing folks that I qualified for cripple (okay, disabled) plates on my car, which I’ve had ever since.

When New Wife came over for the first time, she called me out as a fraud because I appeared in perfect health, belying my “cripple” status.

Well, maybe not.

You see, while my knees are a lot better now that I have lost some weight and am no longer a “Fat Bastard”, they still give me trouble if I’m immobile for longer than a few minutes.

So when I pull up and park in my Disabled parking spot, she always worries that people are going to think, “What’s wrong with him?  He looks perfectly healthy!”

…until I get out of the car with my weak neethe, and hobble around like a bona fide cripple for those first few dozen steps (then they loosen up, and I can walk more or less normally).  Which is what happens when I make the 30-minute drive to the Sooper-Seekrit Mail place and park outside.  Those first steps… bloody hell.

By the way, my left knee is particularly troublesome because I tore it up while hunting in the Highlands of Scotland with Mr. Free Market back in 2017, and while it did get better, it occasionally locks up worse than the other one.

So I can’t play football either.

Hooray– Oh, Wait

Bureaucracy, Corporate Fuckery, Gummint, Health

Here’s some good news:

Drugs used to treat cancer, diabetes and other chronic conditions are among 15 picked for negotiations that could result in lower prices for patients, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Friday.

The 15 drugs selected by HHS are all covered under Medicare Part D and represent the second round of negotiations between drug companies and the department, with a goal of lowering costs for Medicare patients.

And the good news:

Popular diabetes drugs Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, which are also used for weight loss are among the 15 announced Friday.

Hooray!  Let me tell you, as one who has to take Ozempic for diabetes (at $60 per shot per week), this is welcome.

But wait!  There’s more!

Negotiations between the government agency and drug companies will take place this year with any agreed upon price changes taking effect in 2027.

…by which time I could be dead.  How nice.  Even better:

Drug manufacturers can choose whether or not to enter negotiations with the government for a collective price for Medicare patients.

Any bets as to who will decline the offer?

Feelin’ Groovy

Health, Old Age, Old Fartism

This is one of those boffins’ studies which ordinarily make my eyes glaze over (MEGO):

Drawing on data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging, the findings reveal that today’s older adults demonstrate better physical and mental functioning than their counterparts of earlier generations at the same age.

…but in my case, I have to say that I agree with the thing’s conclusion, just by comparing myself now to myself back then.

I not only feel the same as I did when I was 60, a decade ago, but I actually feel better.

In no small degree, I think this is because I’ve lost so much weight (thank you, Ozempic) and my health stats seem to have massively improved.

My mood has improved since November 2024 too (for obvious reasons) but beyond that, I feel as though I haven’t aged at all.  Hell, sometimes I think I’m better off now than I was at fifty.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the range.  (No, not to the gym;  the hell with that shit.)

Seasonally Appropriate

Health

Seeing as health insurance companies are in focus all of a sudden, this seems appropriate:

And (from Sarah):

More on this topic later in the week.  I see that they’ve apparently caught the asshole who shot that CEO in NYfC, so there’s that.  But there’s a deeper issue, which I want to explore.