Thursday One-Eyed Edition

I poked myself in the eye -- just carelessness -- and I have a major corneal abrasion.  I have to go back to the doctor today to make sure it's healing okay -- otherwise, I have to go to an eye doctor for more extensive treatment.  There are major nerve endings in the eye, so when I tell you this is painful, it's REALLY painful. 

But still, your trusty reporter, gladiator for the chronically ill, lets no small injury interfere with her duties!!!  If I can work from a hospital bed, I can work with one eye closed!  So here you go:

The Connecticut General Assembly has now passed a bill repealing the death penalty, and the Governor is expected to sign it.  This is a proud and historic day for our state; a step in the direction of human rights.

Health care reform in Massachusetts turned 6 yesterday. It's been a pretty good success, which bodes well for the federal health reform law.

Meanwhile, the struggle to get accurate information about health reform presses forward, with this latest detailed defense of the law by a Kentucky Congressman.  And there's also some second-guessing about the arguments made in the Supreme Court.

Here's the next installment in the NY Times series written by a young woman who is undergoing a bone marrow transplant for leukemia.  What a brave woman, to share this journey with all of us.

Vital signs by phones?  Doctor appointments scheduled using an app on your smartphone?  Is this the future of medicine?  I actually think this is very exciting.  Tools for monitoring chronic illnesses can only help us.

Johnson & Johnson has been fined $1.2 billion -- that's billion with a B -- for understating the risks associated with an antipsychotic medication, Risperdol. 

A link between quality sleep and diabetes.  Yet another indication that sleep is really critical to good health.

The World Health Organization says dementia cases are predicted to triple by 2050.

And that's it for today.  I apologize if I missed something -- the best I can do with only one eye open!  Have a great day!  Jennifer