As background: Our 6-year-old grandson lives with us. He has a learning disability and attends special education. His early testing, at age two, was done by a regional center for the handicapped that serves three counties in the state. The regional center still oversees his needs. I received an urgent call today from his case worker, who is a new employee of the center. He asked if I was aware of Y2K, and I said yes. He said that the state has requested that they contact the family of each handicapped child immediately and ask if the child is dependent on any medical devices such as hearing aids, pace-makers, dialisis (kidney machine),etc. I said "No", and asked why. He said there might be some problems with medical devices, and they needed to know. Of course, I'm aware of the lack of compliance in the health care industry, but I was surprised that the state is having case workers call and find out how many children are dependent on medical devices.

-- Linda Hitchings (lindasue1@earthlink.net), December 06, 1999

Answers

Linda - little late huh? I run a respite program for Regional Center clients and notices have gone out in the last few months alerting parents and vendors that they should report any medical devices to the Regional Center and they would check them against a list of compliant devices. A couple of weeks ago I went to a workshop put on by the Reg. Center on Y2K preparations for people with disabilities. I asked the person in charge of the device list if there was any testing being done of the devices, or were they just taking the company's word for it on compliance claims (given that the GAO did one study that found self-claims to be wrong about 50% of the time). The poor lady was clueless and was a recent hire. You are fortunate that your son is not dependent on such devices, as I'm not too confident of the compliance list.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), December 06, 1999.

Linda, I worked for a dialisis center, and unless they have all new machines the old ones will not work. Without hemodialisis a paitent will go into a coma and die with in a week. The good new is they will not suffer. Working in the health care business it makes you aware of how many peopel are dependent on medical technology in one way or another. For instant, my mother had ephysema, she was dependent on oxygen 24 hrs a day along with more medications than I care to remember. With out todays technology there is a large population that have had the blessing of a prolonged life span. With y2k glooming over our shoulders I hate to think of the possibilities but at the same time I know the truth. Thank God your child is healthy and is not dependent on medications. If you have any friends or loved ones who are dependent on meds, you would be doing them a great favor by telling them about y2k. Bite the bullet, take the ridicule, at least you will know you did your part. Best to you and yours...M

-- Mary T. (marytower@webtv.net), December 06, 1999.

These people have had a longer if not perfectly wonderful life thanks to modern technology. In my post back on 11-27, I posed the question, who would die the most horrible deaths if our systems failed? I picked transplant recipients. Without anti-rejection drugs, their body will fight their new parts and literally tear itself apart.

I do agree that death by kidney failure is a "good" peaceful death, that's what got my dad.

If you are responsible for anyone who is chemically or mechanicly dependent be prepared to kill them quickly and painlessly if things go sour.

Even today, thanks to busy-bodies and religious nuts we make people go through tortures we would not inflict on a dog or cat.

Do you think the National Guard is going to waste a Humvee and limited fuel to bring Grandpa an oxygen tank when they could be bringing 200 rations on the same amount of fuel?

-- death (grim@reaper.com), December 06, 1999.

Death-

you're a fairly sick bastard, aren't ya?

-- (cavscout@fix.net), December 06, 1999.

This is a cold-blooded thought. With the noncompliance of medical devices a reality and a nightmare for those dependent on same, the federal governments inattention to this problem is either stupid or downright deliberate. You don't suppose that the fed is using y2k to practice social Darwinism on the public, do you? I would love to think that this is just general incompetence. the alternative is just too chilling. However, after being on the 'short end' while in the military, I can see where a select few leaders could 'justify' cutting expenses for the government by letting 'nature take it's course'.

Before you turn on the blowtorch, I am a RN and absolutely abhor the idea listed above. It all just seem so damned convienent for TPTB, that's all.

-- Lobo (atthelair@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

"given that the GAO did one study that found self-claims to be wrong about 50% of the time"

Sorry if I'm going OT here, but I remember that GAO report, and asked this question back then. Why only medical devices? What is so special about embedded systems in medical devices? Why isn't the same true for ALL manufacturer claims??? <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

I assume it IS true of all self-claims that are not independently varified. Not much incentive to tell the truth (if it is bad) and no punishment that I can see for fudging a bit on compliance claims.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), December 06, 1999.

Listen up people,

I feel that it is my duty as a Nephrologist (kidney Dr.) to inform you that "dialisis" is spelled DIALYSIS. The one who worked for a dialysis clinic should be especially ashamed.

Happy Day Kids!

-- Jack (mercer@usa.net), December 06, 1999.

Yea, that's what I figure too Linda. I understand how critical this area is, so I can see why the GAO deceided to mention it here. But it doesn't give me a very warm feeling, when it comes to all other areas. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

dialectic obfuscation: Y2K fleece

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), December 06, 1999.

No CAVSCOUT, I am not sick, just realistic.

Based on your login, were you ever in-country 'Nam? What did you do with a badly wounded grunt with no chance of a dust-off (med-evac helo)? The medic would dose him down with lots of morphine and he would die in a nice rosy cloud. Sure you were "trying to ease his pain", but he was just as dead as if you had put a M-16 in his ear and pulled the trigger.

In a long letter I sent out to friends and relatives over a year ago about Y2K, I wrote:

What can you do???

Do anything you can to upgrade your status.

STUDY ALTERNATIVES, PLAN AND THINK.

It is a lot easier to stop smoking now, while we have hypnosis, support groups and nicotine gum, than it will be to stop cold turkey when the tobacco runs out.

If you or yours are contact wearers, get glasses made. Contacts will be dangerous if you can not get cleaning solution, steamers don't work, or disposables are not available.

If you or yours are dependant on drugs, look into alternative medicine. Can changing your diet be just as effective? If your kid is having an asthma attack can steam from some kind of herb tea do the same job as a prescription inhaler?

If Grandpa is taking 14 pills a day, find out which of them are "really" necessary.

Get a 90 day supply of any drug that is absolutely necessary. If your doctor won't help with the prescription, shout "Y2K malpractice lawsuit".

All of the above was written over a year ago, so don't call me "sick".

Unfortunatly hardly anyone took that advice, so they are left with the last paragraph of my letter, Here it is:

Strengthen your spirit for tough times. You may have to watch someone you care about die for lack of a couple of shots or a 30-minute medical procedure.

If Y2K goes higher than 5, I expect a minimum of 2% fatalities in the USA. maybe 15% world wide. .

-- death (grim@reaper.com), December 07, 1999.

Lobo...I've wondered the same thing. Expendable? Acceptable loss of life?

Dr. Kidney...:0)

I realize this is not your specialty, but what is your take on preparing for biowarfare? Should I start a new thread on the prep forum?

-- Mumsie (shezdremn@aol.com), December 07, 1999.

jack, don't let the spelling get to you. remember, this is a generation that was not raised on reading grammar and phonics and always had spell checkers!!!!

About the medical devices: blows my mind. a letter was RECENTLY sent out to healthcare providers (from the White House and HHS) that told them to get ready. one of the suggestions was checking their medical devices. i would be this is what he is responding to. Gee, they could have done this a bit earlier don't you think?

Remember though that of those medical devices, that aren't compliant, it is a much smaller number that will actually present a risk to the patient.

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), December 07, 1999.

Thanks for the spelling test from the caring Dr nephrologist (hey did I get that right). I would flame truly severe but you get one pass because a couple of caring nephrologists saved a child of mine. It would be of greater benefit to enlighten the masses as to any knowledge you have as to the status of DIALYSIS machines and any testing that you are aware of (yes I do indeed understand that the last sentence ended with a preposition).

Sincerely Squidly

-- Squid (Itsdarker@down.here), December 07, 1999.

If Y2K goes higher than 5, I expect a minimum of 2% fatalities in the USA. maybe 15% world wide.
no surprises here.

-- Dan G (earth_changes@hotmail.com), December 07, 1999.

Death:

"If Y2K goes higher than 5, I expect a minimum of 2% fatalities in the USA. maybe 15% world wide."

Man, you are truly an optimist! If it is just a 5, the domino effect will soon escalate it to a 8-10. We will then be looking at a death rate of 50% to 90%.

Despite negativism from the athiests and agnostics, the Bible prophets haven't been wrong yet . . . Isa 24:5-6 "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left."

That's in our future; it's just a matter of when.

-- elskon (elskon@bigfoot.com), December 07, 1999.

Last summer in Cincinnati, 14 people died because of lack of air conditioning.

Cincinnati has special designated "cool centers" all over the city. A system set up where you can ride the bus for free to get to a cool center. There are also special services for handicap and elderly, regarding this matter.

My point being, with all this help available, Cincinnati still had 14 deaths attributed to extreme summer temperatures. There will not be this kind of assistance for anyone during y2k. I have no doubt that we will see a high mortality rate due to y2k.

-- Barney Fife (nohelp@mayberry.none), December 07, 1999.

Barney, you're s'posed to be on duty patrolin' the town! Now, get away from that keyboard, and go earn your keep! And give me those bullets before you hurt yourself or someone else!

-- Andy Taylor (Sherriff's@His Off.ice), December 07, 1999.

im have one kidney im want one peopel im give one kidne but im want money myblood 0 pozitif im wait kidney sick peopel now 10/10/2004

-- ankaram (ankaram1@msn.com), October 12, 2004.