Man Fired After Wife Gets Cancer

Man Gets Fired After Wife Gets Cancer
By Lisa Johnson Mandell

Massachusetts accountant Carl Sorabella had every reason to believe that his employer would grant his request for a more flexible schedule so that he could assist his wife, who had just been diagnosed with lung cancer and given only months to live. After all, he'd been with Haynes Management in Wellesley, for 13 years, and had just been given a raise in November.

But instead of a more accommodating schedule, he got a pink slip in response to his request, even though he had made it clear that he was willing to work nights and weekends to make up for the time he intended to spend taking his wife in for treatments and tests.

Here his wife of 23 years was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer -- she had 55 nodules on her lungs -- and after almost 14 years of service, his boss told him, "It's business. I'm running a company here, and I need to make sure the department runs." Sorabella assured her that he would make sure the company runs, working at any hour of the day or night to make up the time he spent caring for his wife, but to no avail.

Sorabella says that his boss told him they were thinking about laying him off anyway, due to "modifications in workforce requirements." He thought, "you can't do that!" he told Boston's ABC affiliate. He says that he later saw an employment ad for his old job with the same company.

Unfortunately, Sorabella has no legal recourse. Federal and state laws that protect workers from this kind of treatment only apply only to larger companies with more than 50 employees.

At the moment, Sorabella is on unemployment, and his wife is on disability. "We don't know how our bills are going to be paid. But we keep telling each other as long as we love each other -- it doesn't matter," Kathy Sorabella told the WCVB reporter.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A remarkable number of you, our generous readers, have asked how you can help the Sorebellas. We are digging into it and will add the information to this story as soon as we find out and verify it.

TV raises risk of health problems

TV watching raises risk of health problems, dying youngBy Amanda Gardner

No one ever claimed that watching TV was healthy, but doctors are only now discovering just how bad it can be.

Evidence from a spate of recent studies suggests that the more TV you watch, the more likely you are to develop a host of health problems and to die at an earlier age.

In a new analysis published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers combined data from eight such studies and found that for every additional two hours people spend glued to the tube on a typical day, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 20% and their risk of heart disease increases by 15%.

And for every additional three hours the study participants spent in front of the TV, their risk of dying from any cause during the respective studies jumped 13%, on average.


"When put together, the findings are remarkably consistent across different studies and different populations," says Frank Hu, M.D., a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, Massachusetts, who coauthored the analysis.

The increased risk of disease tied to TV watching "is similar to what you see with high cholesterol or blood pressure or smoking," says Stephen Kopecky, M.D., a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the research. The new analysis, he adds, "elevates the importance of the sedentary lifestyle" as a risk factor.

"[TV watching] is not a good behavior for you no matter where you are in life, whether you're young or old," Kopecky says.

Extended TV watching has reached epidemic proportions, especially in the U.S.

Around the world, people spend more time engaged in this pastime than in any other activity except working and sleeping, but by one estimate the average American spends no fewer than five hours a day in front of the TV -- more than Europeans and Australians.

"That's a lot," Hu says.

The connection between TV and disease isn't a mystery. TV watching eats up leisure time that could be spent walking, exercising, or even just moving around, and it has also been linked to unhealthy diets, including consuming too much sugar, soda, processed food, and snacks -- foods, perhaps not coincidentally, that are often found in television commercials.

What's more, some studies suggest that prolonged sitting, over and above its impact on eating habits and exercise, may cause metabolism changes that contribute to unhealthy cholesterol levels and obesity.

"This is really the couch-potato syndrome," Hu says. "These are extremely sedentary people who spend several hours on a couch watching TV. They're very passive and their energy expenditure is very low, even compared to other sedentary behaviors like sitting and reading, or sitting while driving."

The studies Hu and his coauthor drew upon for their analysis included more than 175,000 people around the world and generally lasted between 6 and 10 years.

Although the design of each study was slightly different, most controlled for a long list of health factors (such as body mass index, cholesterol levels, and family history of disease) in an effort to pinpoint the effect of TV watching.

Extrapolating their findings to the entire U.S. population, the researchers estimate that for every two hours Americans spend watching TV each day, there are 176 new cases of diabetes, 38 additional deaths from heart disease, and 104 additional deaths due to any cause per 100,000 people per year.

Individual physicians may not see a dramatic rise in illness and death as a result of excessive TV watching, but the cumulative effect could have a major impact on public health in the long term, Kopecky says.

"Over time, we're going to see a difference."

Are You Sure That It's Depression?

Could You Have Been Misdiagnosed With Depression?

THE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION ARE FAR FROM CLEAR-CUT — THEY VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON AND OFTEN OVERLAP WITH THOSE OF OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS. HERE ARE SOME CLUES YOU MAY NEED A SECOND OPINION ON YOUR DEPRESSION DIAGNOSIS.

By Kristen Stewart 

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Most people shop around for a new TV or computer, but how many of us actually take the time to get a second opinion about our health? Turns out, you should — especially when it comes to a depression diagnosis.

That’s because depression can be especially difficult to diagnose. “Depression may manifest with different symptoms for different people, and those symptoms often overlap with symptoms of anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, or even addictions,” says Christopher Willard, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Cambridge, Mass., and author of Child’s Mind: Mindfulness Practices to Help Our Children Be More Focused, Calm, and Relaxed.

Is It Depression — or Something Else?

The classic signs of depression include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness, but some people with depression also feel restless or irritable, have trouble concentrating, and sleep either too much or too little. Other people may experience fatigue and dramatic changes in appetite.

To complicate things even further, many of these symptoms overlap with other mental illnesses. Take bipolar disorder, for example. People in the manic phase of bipolar disorder may feel agitated or irritated, be easily distracted, and experience binge behaviors such as eating — all things that could describe depression. In the depressed period of bipolar disorder, people may experience some or all of the same symptoms as someone with depression, like feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem, sadness, and suicidal thoughts.

Anxiety disorders can also mimic depression, with symptoms ranging from trouble concentrating, restlessness and irritability to fatigue and difficulty sleeping. Even post-traumatic stress disorder can cause some symptoms that are similar to depression, including not being able to concentrate, being irritable or angry, and having sleep disturbances.

Finally, some physical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, can be mistaken for depression. The body needs the thyroid hormone to run smoothly — if the level gets too low, you may experience fatigue, forgetfulness, and even depression. Diabetes is another possibility. Many people have diabetes without realizing it, so symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, and irritability can be misdiagnosed as depression.

How Often Do Doctors Make Mistakes?

The good news? Today, misdiagnoses of depression are relatively uncommon. “Depression is diagnosed based on a cluster of symptoms, which has proven to be remarkably accurate,” says Dale Archer, MD, a clinical psychiatrist in New York City and Lake Charles, La. “It’s always possible to have a medical condition as the root cause with the exact same symptoms, but in medicine we call this ‘looking for zebras’.”

But misdiagnoses are possible — and it is generally a good idea to get a second opinion, especially if you are not feeling better with your current treatment. If you aren’t responding to your prescribed regimen, a full physical and laboratory evaluation should be performed. Fatigue can be a symptom of a medical condition and/or depression, so that should be the focus of the work-up, according to Dr. Archer. If the lab tests come back normal, then odds are very likely depression is the correct diagnosis.

Another important tip? Follow your instincts. “Rely on your gut feeling,” says Russell Hyken, PhD, EdS, a therapist in St. Louis. “Depression is having the ‘blues’ for an extended period of time. If you think it is something else, such as anxiety, then it may be.”

Other issues such as an undiagnosed learning disability or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, just to name a few, can cause frustration and also lead to depression. In situations like these, if the underlying problem is addressed, the depression may lift.

Finally, if you simply don’t feel a connection with your mental health professional, it may be time for a second opinion. There is help out there — it may just take a little effort for you to find it.

Formaldehyde added to cancer list

Formaldehyde added to cancer listFormaldehyde, a chemical used in embalming fluid and in consumer products is known to cause cancer, according to a new report from the federal government.

The 12th Report on Carcinogens, released Friday by the National Toxicology Program, officially added the chemical and several others to the list of substances known to cause cancer.

The move comes after years of delays prompted by critics, including the chemical industry, who say the studies used to establish the link to cancer are not based on science.

Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring chemical found in the environment in small amounts.  But more concerning are the levels of the chemical used in household products such as some nail polishes, hair straightening products, pressed wood products as well as industrial glues and car exhaust. Formaldehyde is the main ingredient in embalming fluid used in the funeral industry. It is also a large component of the 'new car smell' – composed of fumes emanating from carpets, upholstery, plastics and glues used in new cars.

But, Dr. Otis Brawley, Chief Medical Officer at the American Cancer Society andCNNHealth.com contributor, says he's less concerned about the amount of formaldehyde average consumers are getting from household products, and more concerned about workers exposed to the chemical.

"I worry about workers in the funeral industry, nail technicians and beauticians," he said. "It's not just one exposure. It's continuous exposure over time that increases risk."

Currently, formaldehyde is not listed on the labels of most products, so Brawley says it can be difficult to reduce exposure. He believes better labeling is on the way in light of the new report.

"Over time manufacturers will work very hard to get these things out of their products," says Brawley. "I think you'll start to see many companies labeling their products 'formaldehyde free.'"

Despite a lack of information for average consumers, Brawley says there are some small ways to reduce your risk: Keeping new cars and newly carpeted ares well ventilated, asking manufacturers if their products are formaldehyde free, and ensuring that if you work around formaldehyde, that your employer is following all OSHA regulations related to the chemical.

The report also added inhalable glass wool fibers – used in insulation, aristolochic acids – used in certain herbal remedies and teas and cobalt-tungsten carbide powders to the list of known carcinogens. It also added styrene – a liquid form of Styrofoam - to the list of substances thought to cause cancer.

New clues to autism's genetic roots

New clues to autism's genetic roots
By ALICE PARK

Random changes in genes, rather than changes handed down from parents, may be responsible for some cases of autism, say scientists who report in three new papers a major breakthrough in understanding where those genetic changes may lie.

The findings suggest that autism is a genetically complex disorder, involving perhaps hundreds of spontaneous changes in genes. The discoveries should help researchers gain a better understanding of the biology of the disorder and find targets for better treatments. It's latest in a steady stream of good news from autism researchers recently, who have reported on innovative ways to diagnose the disorder earlier (as we reported here, here and here) and on new genes that contribute to it (which we described here).

For the new studies, published in the journal Neuron, researchers focused on about 1,000 families in which only one child was affected with autism. Much of the past research on the genetic roots of autism has looked at families with at least two affected siblings; these families may represent cases in which inherited genetic mutations may play a more prominent role in the disorder, but researchers wanted to understand the genetic factors involved in children whose condition cannot be traced back to their parents. Most cases of autism involve children whose other family members remain unaffected.


Two groups of scientists, working independently, focused their attention on these families, and compared the genetic differences between autistic and non-autistic members within each. What they found was that children with autism were about four times more likely than their unaffected siblings to have copy number variants (CNVs), mutations in which a part of the genome is either duplicated or deleted. The CNVs in children with autism were also larger and contained a higher density of genes than the CNVs in unaffected siblings. These differences may account for anywhere from 5% to 10% of autism in families with only one autistic child, the researchers said.

"These genetic studies open the door to understanding the biology and pathophysiology of the disorder," says Dr. Matthew State, professor of child psychiatry, psychiatry and genetics at Yale University School of Medicine and one the study authors. "It lays an important foundation for the next step, which is to identify better treatments for folks with autism."


The CNVs involved in autism are rare. Many occurred in only one child. But some occurred more frequently: State's group found four areas of the genome in which CNVs occurred in the autistic children, but not in unaffected children; one of those regions, on chromosome 7, is of particular interest in behavioral and developmental disorders. It's known that people with deletions in this part of their genome have a condition called Williams syndrome, which causes them to be highly sociable, empathetic and excessively engaged with others. Too much DNA in this same area, however, is associated with autism spectrum disorders, in which people may be more withdrawn and antisocial and unable to interpret social cues.


In another of the three new studies, led by Dennis Vitkup at Columbia University, scientists discovered hints as to why boys are more likely to have autism than girls. The researchers found that girls with autism had more CNVs and that their CNVs involved more genes, compared with boys with autism. That suggests that girls may have a higher threshold of tolerating CNVs in their genome than boys do — in other words, that girls need a higher number of genetic changes in order to develop autism. It sheds light on why autism spectrum disorders are four times more common in boys than in girls.


Learning more about the effects of variations in that region of the genome may offer important insights to autism, says State, and "suggests that one of the relatively small number of genes in that interval is playing a critical role in the development of affiliation and social capacity. It could be a really important clue to understand what the underlying mechanisms of autism are."
The findings represent an important advance in the understanding of what drives autism spectrum disorders. And while it may be years before researchers can exploit the new information and translate it into effective therapies for the disorder, it's an important first step. "The advances and new information are coming fast and furious now," says State. And that's a good thing

HIV in 2000s: Love, betrayal and a calling

HIV in 2000s: Love, betrayal and a calling
By Madison Park

(CNN) -- Tonya Rasberry dialed her husband's number, her composure shaken and her nerves numb.
She dreaded the call, but her husband picked up immediately.
"I got my test results back," she told him.

For a brief moment, silence hung in the air.

"What'd the doctor say?" he asked.

For the first time, the words fell out of her mouth: "I'm positive, too."

Rasberry heard his telephone drop -- it clattered against the hospital's tiled floor. She could hear his muffled cry -- the painful, gut wrenching cry that shakes a person so hard they can't make a sound.

"I ruined your life," he would tell her later. "I killed my family."
Her husband had AIDS. And now, she had HIV.


Rasberry could have thrown him out of their home, gathered their three kids and left him. Instead, she chose a different route.
She forgave him.

The modern epidemic
In the 30 years of HIV/AIDS, the virus has changed the way people think about sex and has raised the stakes of unprotected intimacy.

Since the virus was first reported on June 5, 1981, the disease has killed more than 25 million people worldwide. Today, about 33 million are living with HIV/AIDS -- more than a million in the United States.
In the United States, the demographic of the HIV/AIDS epidemic has spread from gay men in the 1980s to heterosexual minority women in the 1990s and 2000s. It disproportionately affects people of color: African-Americans and Hispanics.

"Although the numbers in the decades have been stable, the rates of the disease are unacceptably high," said Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, about the toll on African-American and Hispanic women. "New diagnoses are 19-22 times of white women in the U.S. That's a startling statistic."

Rasberry, 36, embodies another challenge of a modern day epidemic. She knew about HIV/AIDS from public health campaigns, but never imagined it would touch her -- after all, she was married.

Many women believe they are in monogamous relationships and later find out they got HIV from their partners, said Ingrid Floyd, executive director of Iris House Inc., a program for HIV-positive women in Harlem.

"How do you deal with that," Floyd said, "that your partner lives with the disease and never disclosed to you?"

The virus attacks immune systems but also leaves patients with the sting of betrayal. Could they trust another person again?

There's an even more difficult question.
"For many of them, there's a fear of rejection," Floyd said. "If you're HIV-positive, there's the whole disclosure part. Is someone going to accept your HIV status?"

Young love
They met on a hot May night in 1994.

A 19-year-old Rasberry had finished a day of busing tables at a Seattle seafood restaurant. She and her girlfriends had planned a night in the city. Dolled up in miniskirt and heels, they were crossing a street when a man called out to Rasberry.

It was important that he talk to her, he said. He was with his friends and they bet that he couldn't talk to a gorgeous girl like her.

Rasberry eyed the older man. She stood an inch taller. At 5 feet 5, he had a stocky build and broad shoulders, the structure of a former football player. But what he lacked in stature, he made up for in charisma.

His name was Eric.
Right away, she noticed he was nothing like other boys she had dated. He was a gentleman, always opening doors for her. And it was easy to get swept away at 19.

He brought her to the nicest restaurants, surprised her with balloons and champagne.

"He was a sweet guy," Rasberry said. "He took me everywhere -- vacations, shopping. I thought he was the best thing since sliced bread."

A year later, Rasberry was pregnant with their first child, a boy, Seaduan. Two years later, they welcomed a girl, Erykah, and a year later, another daughter, Tionne.

In 2000, the couple married in a simple garden ceremony in California. They raised the kids and a Labrador mix named Smokey in an apartment in Kent, near Seattle.

Her husband traveled frequently. He told her he worked in construction. She suspected this wasn't the case. Later, she would learn he had a house in Ohio and a music studio in California.

She warned him promiscuous behavior would hurt her and their kids. She wanted a regular family life or she would leave.

"I felt like he was willing to make those changes," Rasberry said. "I felt like I could stick in there longer. Then, he got sick shortly after that."

Paralysis
On a summer night in 2002, Eric wasn't feeling well. After picking up pizza for dinner, he arrived home and crumpled to the floor.

Maybe it was his diabetes. Maybe he just had too much sugar.

By the time he arrived at the hospital, he couldn't move his right side. Half his face drooped and his right hand curled and froze in place.

At 32, he had a brain infection called toxoplasmosis that had caused a stroke. Doctors were perplexed about how he had gotten it.

After a slew of tests, his doctor told him: "You have AIDS."

HIV/AIDS medications, while lifesaving, aren't as effective when the disease has advanced.

In most cases, the patients who don't recover "weren't aware of their status, have co-morbid status, substance abuse, or other chronic illness that make it harder to take HIV medication," said Dr. Judith Currier, chief of the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

When patients like Eric are diagnosed in later stages, they are more vulnerable to infections.
For patients like Rasberry, who start treatment in the earliest stage of the disease, life expectan
cy is close to people without HIV.

A loss
"I didn't have enough time to be sad for myself," Rasberry said about her diagnosis. "There was no time for that."

Overnight, she became the breadwinner with four dependents: her paralyzed husband and her kids, all under 10.

There was no time for anger. But Rasberry wondered, how had she become infected when she had tested negative for HIV for each of her pregnancies, in 1995, 1997 and 1999? Her children do not have HIV.
Her gaze fell to her husband.

The businessman who took pride in caring for his family had become bedridden. He was constantly fighting new infections.

"I had to dress him and bathe him," Rasberry said. "From that moment, I was doing everything for him."
A throat infection obstructed his ability to swallow, so a feeding tube was inserted. Every day, Rasberry pulverized his pills and cleaned his feeding tube.

"There was nobody else I'd do that for," she said.
Once 300 pounds, he shrank to a third that size.

"Every time I changed him or fed him, he would apologize," Rasberry said. "He was sorry about the HIV -- that I had to do this. He just looked so sad."

She told the kids their father was sick with diabetes.

She took her HIV medication, then she went to work at a collection agency. At night, she'd get dinner for the family and try to help her husband through the night.
She was wearing out.

As his health faded, Eric went into hospice care in the Seattle area, then to a facility near his family in California. He died on October 6, 2004, from complications of AIDS related to pneumonia. He was 34.
"I loved him," Rasberry said. "We have three gorgeous children. I had more good times in the relationship. I like to remember it for those things."

A new bond
Following her doctor's suggestion, Rasberry went to a woman's group called BABES Network-YWCA. There, she found a sisterhood of women who have been through the betrayals, the grief and the physical toll of HIV/AIDS.

Tonya Rasberry sits with her children, from left, Erykah, 13, Tionne, 12, and Seaduan, 15.

"A lot of these women and mothers were in relationships, trusting somebody," Rasberry said about the patients she met. "Now their whole life is different."

She was paired with a counselor, Nicole Price, who had contracted HIV through a boyfriend.
Even though HIV was no laughing matter, "Tonya has a great sense of humor and she's always making us laugh," Price said.

Rasberry had a natural openness that put others at ease, even in difficult times, Price observed. It wasn't long before Rasberry became a peer counselor at BABES, guiding Seattle women through the health care and medication maze and the emotional minefield of HIV/AIDS disclosure.

This year, the program lost its federal funding, so several staff members, including Rasberry, may lose their jobs in July. Even with the prospect of another loss, Rasberry continues to share her personal story at health events, women's shelters and juvenile detention centers.

"HIV is not who I am," Rasberry says during her talks. "It's something I have."

Rasberry tells others about her kids, ages 15, 13 and 12, who understand what Rasberry does. They hug her and tell her they're proud of Mom for making a difference. She sticks to her medication and has had no major health problems.

Being so open about her HIV-status, Rasberry thought, would turn away love prospects. After all, her face has been plastered on Seattle buses urging residents to get tested for HIV.

But last year, Rasberry met a woman at a bar. They struck up a conversation and exchanged phone numbers. Days later, Rasberry mustered her nerve to call her.

They chatted pleasantly, until the woman asked what Rasberry did for a living.
"I work as an HIV counselor, because I am HIV-positive," Rasberry answered.
"Really?" the woman asked.

Then, Rasberry braced for the rejection. It never came.

The couple has been together nine months now.

Rasberry's girlfriend said it's true HIV does not define her, her honesty does. And it only makes her more attractive.

By Madison ParkOn June 5, 1981, the virus that would become known as HIV was mentioned for the first time in a medical publication. As we approach that anniversary, CNNHealth takes a look at 30 years of the epidemic that changed the world, through the eyes of people who have lived it.

On the Brain: When believing is healing

On the Brain: When believing is healing

If you're sick, it doesn't hurt to believe that you're getting better - in fact, it may actuallyhelp. And when it comes to many alternative medicines, such as herbal remedies and acupuncture, belief alone may be the reason that you feel a sense of comfort and healing.

The Economist has an overview of the truth behind alternative medicine and the power of the placebo effect. A placebo is basically a sham medical treatment that isn't supposed to have any effect on health. But if a doctor tells you that a particular pill is going to make you feel happier, it may not matter if the pill is made of flour; your belief in it alone may heighten your emotions.

Harvard professor Irving Kirsch says the placebo effect works best on conditions that are emotional and subjective. A recent study, reported by WebMD, suggested that the placebo effect is at work in many headache treatments. But it can also change your perception of pain as well as your heartbeat, blood pressure, digestion and other factors that you don't control, according to Karin Meissner of Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany.

And it appears that more involved fake procedures are more convincing than simple ones in healing your body and mind. Studies have found that people respond better to phony injections than pills, and a convincing pretend surgery is even better. Surprisingly, you might even see improvement from a placebo even if your doctor tells you that it's not real medicine, a 2010 study in PLoS ONE found.

Rigorous analyses of scientific studies have shown that much of what is known as alternative medicine is bunk, with a few exceptions such as St. John's wort for mild depression (Here's the low-down on this and other remedies for depression from Health.com). But the simple belief in a remedy carries a lot of weight, according to experts. And when you go to a practitioner of alternative medicine, you're likely to get someone who offers you more face time and greater sense of reassurance about a therapy than a regular doctor. The positive relationship you form with him or her may have a placebo effect in itself.

This is a point emphasized recently by CNNhealth.com's own mind and body columnist Dr. Charles Raison.  He wrote that a patient's strong emotional connection to a doctor seems to be a big factor in recovery. A recent study showed this effect in depression, and suggested that the doctor-patient bond was perhaps even a more important determinant of recovery than whether the patient received a placebo or a real drug.

Interestingly, although we have all kinds of fancy names for alternative therapies that probably act as placebos, many doctors shy away from the idea of prescribing good old fashioned sugar pills. But in some places, that may be changing. Dr. Raison mentioned also that the German Medical Association started advising doctors to give out placebos, which may make sense given the benefits described here.