With the holidays all around us, and the end of the calendar year drawing near, I've chosen a website of the week that might surprise you -- but I hope you'll rush right over to visit it - or even them.

In fact, each one of us has a different website of the week...

Mine is the Alzheimer's Association.  My husband's is the American Diabetes Association.  You might choose the American Heart Association or the National Parkinson Foundation or even the Susan G. Koman (breast cancer) Foundation or Lungevity which serves people with lung cancer.  My friend Charlotte Rose would choose the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation....

This week's WOW is whatever disease or condition organization can put a charitable donation from you to good use.

Donations are difficult to come by during a recession.  And yes, I recognize that not everyone can afford to make a donation during difficult financial times.  But for those who can, there is no better feeling than sending money to an organization that will find a cure, or a management approach to a disease or condition that you or a loved one has suffered from.

So that's this week's Website of the Week -- your favorite charity....  And if it's got the right legal status, you might even be able to take a tax write off!  So go for it.  And tell them your patient empowerment friend sent you.

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As a guide here at About.com I hear from people with many differing opinions and for the most part, I respect them.  I don't always agree!  But I realize that when it comes to something as personal as health, then we human beings will have differing points of view.  And that's as it should be.

As it should be -- UNLESS -- it begins to have a negative impact on others.  If someone develops a belief that can cause illness or death in someone else, I have no patience for it -- and I will try to expose it, too.  Others, like you, need to know about it.

Wonder what I'm talking about?  I'll give you some examples:

1. A conversation with a friend of mine - an MD for whom I have a great deal of respect.  Dr. Nicholas Bennett is a pediatric infectious diseases expert with specific interest in AIDs, including a PhD based on AIDS research.  We talked about AIDS denialism -- that is, people who pretend AIDS doesn't exist, simply so they won't have to deal with it.  Dr. Bennett maintains a blog where he writes about AIDS denialism.

Here's the problem with people who deny AIDS exists:  for them, as individuals -- that's their choice.  If they develop HIV, then AIDS, and they die from it because they didn't take care of themselves, then I'm sorry for them.  Playing ostrich, putting their heads in the sand and pretending they aren't sick, causes them to die.  Further, their loved ones suffer because they lose someone they care about.

On a grander scale, however, are those denialists who become activitists -- and they are dangerous.  When they try to spread their influence, that means someone else is choosing not to be treated, or decisions are being made that deny the treatment people need.  Dr. Bennett's describes a situation where patients in South Africa have been denied treatment because of denialists.

(I have to wonder -- if their agenda denies treatment, can they be considered murderers?)

2.  On a similar scale, I hear from people who believe all kinds of conspiracy theories about swine flu.  Some tell me it's a government conspiracy - that the government is trying to kill us with either the swine flu, or with the vaccine, so therefore we should.... what?  I'm not sure.  They just want me to know that swine flu is a government conspiracy.  I'm not even sure which government they are talking about.  And what I truly don't understand is just why they thing the government would want to do that -- there is absolutely nothing to be gained.

So I say to them -- gee -- then don't get the swine flu vaccine if you don't want to!  For me -- once it's available to me, I will most certainly get the vaccine.  Why?  Because I don't want to get sick.  I can't afford to.  And because I like the odds which, to this point are:  10,000 Americans have died from swine flu.  Zero Americans have died from getting the swine flu vaccine.  I like those odds.

3.  Here's the one that upsets me the most, because it involves innocent children whose parents are not smart enough to take advice from wise people, instead taking advice from a false prophet.

This is the one where certain people who are NOT experts, who PRETEND they are experts, tell parents not to get their children vaccinated because the vaccine causes autism.  I've written about this before, but it remains disturbing to me because children are getting sick and dying unvaccinated.  Their lives could have been saved.  And the very scary part is that their parents really thought they were doing the right thing.  I can't imagine trying to live with myself knowing I had trusted the wrong people.

When you have medical decisions to make, don't rely on wishful thinking at the expense of facing reality. Empowered patients aren't blind. They aren't ostriches. They don't follow false prophets.  And they don't ignore reality.

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I shared my review of the good, bad and ugly of the past decade and its effect on patients just a few days ago ...  So now that you've had an opportunity to digest that one, I thought I'd share some of my colleagues' reviews and top 10s.  Put together, they make us realize how far we have come, what bad shape we are in, and what we have to look forward to.

What took place during the past 10 years that weren't even on our radar in 2000?  Shereen Jegtvig, Nutrition Guide, walks us through these topics, many of which are part of our daily lexicon today, most of which we had never even considered back then.  MRSA -- it was around, but not nearly so deadly,  transfats -- who knew?, healthcare reform, and the growth of our interest in integrative medicine (CAM - complementary and alternative) are among others on her list.

The Top 10 Most Overblown Health Stories of the Past Decade is a series in process, being put together by Dr. Rich Fogoros, the About.com Guide to Heart Disease. It's a teaser!  He began with Mad Cow Disease... has worked his way through some insurance and healthcare reform stories... rationing... and vaccines and autism....  you'll have to catch up with his series to see if you agree with his choices.

Are you an exerciser?  Or better yet, an exercise fanatic?  Then check out Paige Waehner's Top 10 Health and Fitness Trends of the Decade.   Exergaming (a new word for me!), technology and "anti-shoes" -- a fun review.

How about the Biggest Medical Breakthroughs of the Decade?  The Guide to Longevity, Mark Stibich, reminds us about some that we may not think about much anymore (smoking in public places) and others that are highly futuristic sounding -- but are already here (Nanomedicine and teeth being regenerated from stem cells.)

Now for a look at the health of some of our favorite (and not so favorite) celebrities during the past decade?  Celebrity Health Turnarounds, is presented, compliments of Lisa Fayed, our About.com Guide to Cancer (although not all are related to cancer.) From Jenny McCarthy to Bob Dole to Lance Armstrong, Michael J. Fox and Dick Clark, she highlights the stories of 15 celebrities and their health challenges.  Included, too, is Fran Drescher, who we've interviewed here at Patient Empowerment.

Finally -- if you're tired of looking BACK at ten years -- why not take a look forward?  Michael Bihari, our Guide to Health Insurance, has taken a stab at health trends of the future.  Some are very disconcerting and, unfortunately, probably right on target.  With any luck, his forewarning will forearm us.

Forearming -- isn't that what patient empowerment is all about?

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A reader replied to last week's newsletter (thanks Carolyn) asking me to take my stand on healthcare reform, in particular what the US Senate has done about it.

In the past few months I've resisted writing about it because, frankly, I feel like trying to keep up with Washington is like nailing jello to a tree -- it can't be done.  But I'm going to take up Carolyn's request because I am frustrated by the discussions and (maybe by the time this posts) the vote the Senate is getting ready to make.

I have three words for senators:  DON'T DO IT!!

If you have been a longtime reader, you know I am very much in favor of reform. Too many Americans can't get any healthcare services, too many think they can, but learn the hard way that they don't have the insurance coverage they need, and no one is happy with the system except pharmaceutical companies and health insurance companies that continue to rake in the dough.

American healthcare is not about health or care;  it's about sickness and money -- using sickness to make money.

So far I've watched and waited to see how the important parts of legislation would be affected by the House or the Senate, and my conclusion?  That those Senators (in particular) have waffled, have washed out any of the worthwhile aspects of reform and ta da!!  All they are about to do is hand over even MORE of our money to private insurers!!

Wait a minute!! What's wrong with this picture?

Here are just a few of the problems:

1.  No public option, and no expanded Medicare means that costs will go up for those with private insurance, meaning -- even MORE people won't be able to afford coverage!  That's backwards!

2.  Reductions in Medicare reimbursements means fewer doctors will be willing to take Medicare patients meaning -- even MORE people won't be able to afford coverage!  That's backwards too!

3.  What these politicians are holding up is "NO MORE DENIALS for pre-existing conditions" -- and we are supposed to think they have done something good?  The problem is this -- health insurers will be happy to accept someone with a pre-existing condition.  But they will make that insurance so expensive that no one will be able to afford it anyway!  Seriously -- that makes NO sense...

An example:  Mr. Jones, age 50, who has been working for XYZ Company for 20 years and had health coverage which he and his employer paid for for 20 years, gets laid off.  A year later, he is diagnosed with diabetes. He applies for private health insurance (because he won't be old enough for Medicare for another 15 years) and the insurer says "Oh Yes, we will offer you coverage because, by law, we cannot deny that insurance to you. Here's a policy.  We will cover 50% of all your appointments and supplies, and your premium will be only $5000 a month."

The only winners in the legislation the Senate wants to pass are private insurers... yes, that's right.  NOT patients, NOT doctors -- private insurers.  This bill insists everyone be offered coverage, any possible way of making it affordable (meaning, the public option) have been removed -- and insurers continue to get cart blanche by pricing coverage any old way they wish.

Believe me.  I NEVER thought I'd be agreeing with either Howard Dean OR John McCain on healthcare reform - but they say STOP and so do I.  We American patients, our future health and our financial stability, are being sold down the river.

And I have to wonder... with any substance removed from this bill....  what DON'T we know?  What backroom deals are being made?

And why is everyone in such a hurry?  Go home, take a break through the holidays, and come back in January.  Take your time.  This is TOOO important to rush through it when it's only going to cost more heartache and frustration over time.  The unanticipated consequences will cost money and lives, too.

What can we patients do?  Right now -- this very second (unless you read this too late) contact your Senator and say NO NO NO!  Do not pass this watered down, poor excuse for legislation.  Do NOT mortgage my healthcare or anyone else's.  You have not done your job!

(OK Carolyn -- aren't you glad you asked?)

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