Stephen Makin
@stephenmakin.bsky.social
Most northerly geriatrician on the UK mainland. Has a Newfoundland dog. Lives in a lighthouse.
My dogs can’t really understand why I can turn the wind off in the car but not the garden.
You think you’re camping in the middle of nowhere. Meanwhile the neighbourhood WhatsApp group is talking about who is going to have a word.
Anticholinergic Burden & CKD www.kireports.org/article/S246... Conclusion: Anticholinergic burden was associated with greater risk of CKD progression. Suggests it could contribute to a decline in renal function & highlights importance of medication review in CKD management
Anticholinergic Burden and Progression to Kidney Replacement Therapy
The cholinergic system exerts nephroprotective effects through antiinflammatory and vasoregulatory pathways. However, the impact of anticholinergic medications on chronic kidney disease (CKD) progress...
kireports.org
Big floof meets little floof. Millie is our newest lodger. We let her keep a pet human too.
You know you’ve been talking to much about your job plan when your phone autocorrects you to say ‘Going to the GIM for a workout’
Took Bonnie to vote yesterday. Shout out to the polling team who let her in, petted her, and held her whilst I voted. She’d vote for EVERYONE
Today I have discovered that anyone can go to the dog lounge on the ferry You don’t need a dog. You can just go in and make friends
I wish I wasn’t so easily distracted by pretty expensive things that go up in the air. Fireworks. Lunar missions. They just cheer me up and distract me from wars.
Watching the whole ‘no kings’ protest with interest. Can’t help thinking King Charles isn’t that bad really.
Why are we building complex AI systems to detect delirium from casenotes when we could just... do a 2-minute bedside test? The 4AT exists. It's well-validated (33 studies). It's free. Sometimes clinical medicine doesn't need machine learning. #delirium
Incredible substance here from @chrischirp.bsky.social. The 2nd wave of COVID-19 in the UK was a) devastating and b) avoidable. Take time to play the clip of Prof Kevin Fong who breaks down when describing the scale of death and its impact on ICU staff. christinapagel.substack.com/p/the-uk-cov...
The UK Covid Inquiry has laid bare the avoidable horror of the second Covid wave
It is becoming ever clearer both how devastating the second wave of winter 2020/21 was, and how much of that devastation could have been avoided.
christinapagel.substack.com
The news seems to be the US’s ‘duck about and find out moment’
A successful weekend in the walled garden. Onion sets and broad beans are planted, some daffodils are out. First veg has germinated. Not sure what as I forgot to label! Either spinach or radish. Mini Cabbages transplanted into cold frame.
Thought, I am lazy. I have no reason to be tired! Oh it’s day 12.
I love trials that disprove pointless dogma
Eric Topol@erictopol.bsky.social · 6mo agoIf you've had a kidney stone, you've been advised that the most important thing to prevent another bout is to increase hydration. Now a randomized trial of hydration in over 1600 participants showed no benefit, despite evidence of increase during volume. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Have discovered @iszi.com ‘s new podcast on Egypt! Thats going to keep me going whilst I transplant my plants brassica seedlings
This week we learnt that in the far north the AA won’t come out for a ‘petrol in diesel incident. We also learnt that Campbell, who fixes cars behind the black stairs can.
The Orkney Women Doctors Research Group will be holding an event at Orkney Library & Archive THIS Saturday (21st March). There will be a display of artefacts and archival material relating to early women doctors and their lives. It's FREE to attend so drop in any time between 11am and 3pm.
Orkney Library & Archive@orkneylibrary.bsky.social · 7mo agoRight now in the Archive you'll find a fascinating display all about early women doctors in #Orkney, with a selection of documents, photographs and other items. You can visit the display during normal Archive opening hours and you can read more about it on our Blog at: orkneyarchive.blogspot.com
Dogs are amazing. Another species who will love you in a way you would never have thought possible!
On Mothers Day, I often think about all the trainees, young doctors and medical & nursing students that I’ve known over the years. I’m not their biological mother, but that doesn’t stop me from being very proud of what they’ve achieved. Supporting the next generation is about much more than genes.
a woman in a yellow jacket with the words you guys are amazing
ALT: a woman in a yellow jacket with the words you guys are amazing
media.tenor.com
You know, the best decision I ever made was a 10 year fix rate mortgage in 2023. Right up there with getting married.
This is the destination of every company that tries to replace creative human workers with AI slop. futurism.com/artificial-i...
BuzzFeed Nearing Bankruptcy After Disastrous Turn Toward AI
Three years after its pivot to AI, the writing is on the wall for BuzzFeed. The company said there's "substantial doubt" it can keep going.
futurism.com
First on call since July. Had a brief pause whilst my body tried to kill me. It’s got bored now so…
Family members: You are the expert on your loved one's baseline. If staff say "just having a bad day," respectfully insist: "This is not normal for them. I need a delirium assessment."
Families know the patient best. "This isn't like her normal self" is very commonly the first sign of #delirium. Staff: take this observation seriously & assess immediately for delirium with a tool like the 4AT.
“Ma’am, my partner and I have done a thorough inspection of your property, and I’m afraid you’re going to need a new flowerbed, several bushes, and you will most likely need to reseed the lawn. If you want, we can work up an estimate and get back to you.”
