How much blood flows through your joints? Would you be surprised if I told you “None”? That’s right! Inside the joint there is a clear, viscous, slippery fluid that lubricates the joint surface, but no red blood flows inside the joint. Doctors do not want to see blood in a joint. When there is blood inside a joint it is usually because of trauma. That means tissue has been injured and blood vessels have been broken, bleeding into the clear cavity.

Nebraska is home to over 100,000 of our most honorable American heroes. These heroes left home and family to follow a call. They showed grit and dedication throughout taxing training. They fought hard for their homeland and made countless sacrifices. Many of them made the ultimate sacrifice — they sacrificed their own lives to protect others.

A common lament I hear from my patients as they try to discuss a real concern they have about their body: “I’m sorry; this is so disgusting!” Their cheeks burn with shame as they tell me how their bowels have betrayed them. No matter what the issue is, so many of my patients are mortified discussing their diarrhea, constipation, fecal incontinence. My response, always, is “you can’t gross me out – we talk about poop every day in this clinic!”

Despite hysteria from social media, late night comedy shows, or even presidential administrations, net neutrality is not a policy that needs to be controversial. Net neutrality is the idea that internet service providers should treat all data on their networks fairly, without favoring or disfavoring certain types of internet traffic.

This time of year brings out a lot of windshield time and that means long car rides with children in tow. Understand, you never want them all in one car.

October 15 through December 7 is the time for all Medicare Part D participants to evaluate their Part D plans for 2024. It is very important every year Part D plans are reviewed and compared. Many plans change their benefits and costs. Also, many times the prescriptions people take change.

During the pandemic, school closures and the transition to online or remote learning were no doubt challenges for our Nebraska students, teachers, and parents. As students logged on to their Zoom calls and worked on their online schooling, parents were often sitting side-by-side to work on their own online remote work.

Struggling to make meals with what you have on hand? Whether you’re wanting to make a favorite recipe but are missing some ingredients, or you’re tired of buying ingredients you only use once, these examples can help spark your imagination. Nebraska Extension Food & Health Educator Nancy Frecks based in Hitchcock County has some suggestions: Want to make sandwiches, but you’ve just eaten your last slice of bread? Use tortillas, bagels, pita breads, French bread, an English muffi n, rolls, focaccia, biscuits or a lettuce wrap instead.

If you ever played baseball, you may have been told to “keep your eye on the ball.” When batting, a baseball player is taught to watch the ball the entire time from when it leaves the pitcher’s hand to when, hopefully, their bat smacks the ball for a hit. It may sound simple, but some pitchers can throw fast and sometimes they throw a curveball. Great hitters use their vision and spot the difference, helping them get a hit. Lose focus, and in the blink of an eye the pitch has whipped past them for a strike.

On and off the court, Jaz Shelley is a star for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) basketball team. Jaz earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for her electric play. She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for her work in the classroom. She’s beloved with fans and teammates alike. Like many players, she receives requests from businesses and nonprofits to lend her name, image, and likeness (NIL) in support of a local business or work a summer camp for kids. But unlike most of her teammates, Jaz is prohibited from saying yes to these opportunities. The reason? She’s from Australia. This week, I introduced legislation to give international student-athletes like Jaz access to the same NIL opportunities her teammates have.