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This week we visit with RN Deborah Burger about the recent performance of Tell Us Where It Hurts, by Anna Deavere Smith. We share some touching stories recreated in the play by Smith of the caretakers---career RN's---who have also been hit by the failing economy and exploding healthcare costs. Their stories are told with honesty and courage---share the humanity of what is happening all across the country.

My mother believed in food. It was her remedy for everything that bothered us. If I was constipated, she'd say, "Stop complaining and eat prunes. I don't care what color they coat your tongue, they clean you out." If I had a fever, she never called the doctor. She fed me an apple and told me to watch my sister while she went to the movies. She said she had to get away from all my complaining, but I think she needed a cheap babysitter. If I was listless, she'd cook up a batch of spinach, sprinkled it with lemon juice and said, "There. That'll put hair on your chest." What she meant was, it would make me strong. But I had no ambition to lift weights. Bulging biceps can spoil the effect of a strapless dress. The cleavage is all wrong. My mother thought spinach was the answer to anything fruit didn't cure. If I gained weight, she'd boil another batch of spinach with even more lemon juice and say, "Eat that and you'll get thin." Actually, that worked really well, because I hate spinach. When she put it on my plate, the smell made me so ill, I couldn't eat anything. It certainly made me thin. I got so skinny that you couldn't see me when I stood sideways and that's why I don't have to wear a bra.

Donna Smith, our National Nurses United D.C. correspondent brings us up to speed on all things Washington. Donna also shares a bit of personal news about her own health. Donna Smith is best known as one of the documentary subjects of Michael Moore’s 2007 movie, "SiCKO." Her journalism career includes 15 regional awards from the AP Managing Editors. Donna now works as a national single-payer healthcare advocate and community organizer for National Nurses United, and co-chairs the Progressive Democrats of America’s national "Healthcare Not Warfare" campaign. She also blogs at MichaelMoore.com.

On the show this week: a salute to teachers, great advice for parents of babies, defining lollygag and other popular sayings. Donna Smith, our National Nurses United D.C. correspondent brings us up to speed on all things Washington. Donna also shares a bit of personal news about her own health. Donna Smith is best known as one of the documentary subjects of Michael Moore’s 2007 movie, "SiCKO." Her journalism career includes 15 regional awards from the AP Managing Editors. Donna now works as a national single-payer healthcare advocate and community organizer for National Nurses United, and co-chairs the Progressive Democrats of America’s national "Healthcare Not Warfare" campaign. She also blogs at MichaelMoore.com. And, it’s always a treat to have our friend RN Marsha Podd with us in the studio. A.K.A. the “baby whisperer". When Marsha comes to the studio we all go to sleep. We mean that in a good way, as Marsha has one of the most soothing voices you’ll ever hear. Marsha, is the author of Secrets of a Baby Nurse. The book is getting rave reviews and if you know of anyone that is expecting a child, has babies or toddlers already, has looked at a child or even thought of a child--you need this book! To read more about Marsha and her advice for babies and parents visit her website at www.gotosleepbaby.com.

In my day, we didn't waste our money on electric blankets or heating pads, no sir. We used the hot water bottle for everything. My momma filled it with boiling water and wrapped it in a towel to put in the bed before she gave me a bath. When I got between the covers, the sheets were toasty warm. In those days, the hot water bottle eased aching muscles and tummy aches and my momma used it on our boils and abscesses to get them to pop. And you know what else she did? She wrapped it in a towel and put it on her head when we gave her a headache, which was just about everyday. And she even used it for that most hateful, horrible procedure...the enema. Back then, everyone believed you must have a bowl movement everyday, but nice children didn't call it that. They called it number two. My momma didn't want us to advertise our functions to the whole world, so she told us to call it number four.  We foured, the dog foured and if we didn't like someone, we'd say "He's full of four!'' Every morning we would report our condition to our mother and if our answer was no, the next thing we knew we were lying on our bellies in the bathroom floor and she was administering warm soapy water from the hot water bottle into our posteriors. Today, I can't see a hot water bottle without reaching for the toilet paper and thinking of my mother. And this is Lynn Ruth Miller with another addition of "In My Day."

And we talk with one of our favorite guests RN and Co-President of National Nurses United, Jean Ross. Jean will tell us about the upcoming Nurses Assembly in Chicago next week where over 1200 nurses will gather to talk about everything from healthcare to Medicare and beyond. The nurses will also hit the streets of Chicago in a peaceful demonstration to promote a Wall Street Transaction Tax. Check out this Bill Moyers (PBS) interview with National Nurses United Executive Director Rose Ann Demoro as she talks about the "Robin Hood" tax. Peeps---no matter what your political persuasion---it makes sense! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-AWWkBk81A

Casey and Shayne check in with RN and playwright RN Alison Whitaker. Some of you may remember Alison was on the show last year introducing her one-woman play called, Vital Signs. It’s a great show and she opens in June at the Marsh Theater in San Francisco. And if you are paying attention you can win two VIP tickets to Vital Signs simply by emailing us at pattie@nursetalksite.com or calling 800-977-1863. And we talk with one of our favorite guests RN and Co-President of National Nurses United, Jean Ross. Jean will tell us about the upcoming Nurses Assembly in Chicago next week where over 1200 nurses will gather to talk about everything from healthcare to Medicare and beyond. The nurses will also hit the streets of Chicago in a peaceful demonstration to promote a Wall Street Transaction Tax. Check out this Bill Moyers (PBS) interview with National Nurses United Executive Director Rose Ann Demoro as she talks about the "Robin Hood" tax. Peeps---no matter what your political persuasion---it makes sense! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-AWWkBk81A And then..for you 60’s hippies…lets talk about Dropping Acid! That’s right...but of course, not the kind you think. Dr. Jamie Koufman will be with us to talk about Acid Reflux and what you can do to control or cure it by simply changing your diet. Dr. Koufman has written a book called Dropping Acid, The Reflux Diet Cookbook and Cure. According to the book, acid reflux affects 30-50% of the population. You won’t want to miss this. And of course, the Golden Bed Pan Award, In My Day with Lynn Ruth Miller, Phobia of the Week and more...not sure how much more...but more!

When I was a kid, my mother used vinegar for everything. If I got a bee sting she rubbed vinegar on it and if the kid next door bit me, she poured vingear on him and called his mother. There didn't seem to be anything vinegar couldn't fix in those days. If you got the hiccups you drank a tablespoon of vinegar and they were gone. After your father pounded you on the back and your sister jumped out from behind the couch and screamed "BOO!" It was magic! If I had a sinus infection, momma put vinegar in a vaporizer and made me inhale it until I started breathing again. She liked to help it along by pounding on my chest and if I turned blue, my sister jumped out from behind the couch and screamed "BOO!" Magic again! My mom taught me to give my hair a vinegar rinse after I shampooed it to get rid of dandruff and those little bugs I got from the kid next door. Sore throat, gargle with vinegar and then swallow. The germs were gone and so was your appetite. Vinegar and honey and a little cayenne pepper got rid of my cough, but if you boiled it with water, tomatoes, sour cream and peanut butter, you got soup! We got rid of warts with a mixture of vinegar and glycerine and we stayed away from toads. Vinegar may have kept us healthy, but I wanna tell ya, the whole family smelled like a tossed salad. And this is Lynn Ruth Miller with a box of croutons and another of edition of "In My Day."

Shayne and Casey have some fun with the story about the dentist who pulled all of her ex-boyfriend's teeth! At least as much fun as you can have over such a tragic loss. Dumping a girlfriend is never easy but having all 32 teeth pulled out by her is the worst that could happen to anybody. Listen and find out just how this happened. There is a moral to the story too. A fairly obvious one at that. We also visit with San Leandro Hospital RN Carol Barazi about Sutter Corp's announcement to close yet another hospital in the Bay Area—this time in San Leandro---which serves the East Bay. Of the 27,000 patients seen in the San Leandro emergency room last year, more than 60 percent came from East Oakland, patients who will now need to drive many miles over crowded freeways for care. In news reports, a registered nurse from Highland Hospital in Oakland, who lives in San Leandro said, "I'm hearing from Sutter that they think it's okay to close San Leandro, because they can send the patients to Highland. I'm here to tell you that we have a 50-bed ER and we are full." Again---closure of a hospital that serves the “underserved." Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerburg win the Golden Bed Pan Award for starting the majorly successful organ donor project. More than 100,000 new organ donors signed up during the course of a week. Congratulations and great work! Ever wonder whats behind the old face? Angil Tarach-Ritchey RN, and national expert in senior care provides us with an insightful look at the lives of the aging. With over 30 years experience in senior care and advocacy Angil passionately talks about her elder advocacy project and book, Behind The Old Face. Angil is a frequent blogger on the Nurse Talk website and comes to Nurse Talk by way of our friends at Nurse Together.

We also visit with San Leandro Hospital RN Carol Barazi about Sutter Corp's announcement to close yet another hospital in the Bay Area—this time in San Leandro---which serves the East Bay. Of the 27,000 patients seen in the San Leandro emergency room last year, more than 60 percent came from East Oakland, patients who will now need to drive many miles over crowded freeways for care. In news reports, a registered nurse from Highland Hospital in Oakland, who lives in San Leandro said, "I'm hearing from Sutter that they think it's okay to close San Leandro, because they can send the patients to Highland. I'm here to tell you that we have a 50-bed ER and we are full." Again---closure of a hospital that serves the “underserved."

With us this week is D.C. Correspondent and National Nurses United Legislative Advocate Donna Smith. Donna gives a great answer to the question--why don't we see the following headlines in the media? “For Profit Healthcare Poses Threat to Medicare, Federal Deficit, and Overall Economy in Coming Decades” “Social Security Trust Fund Even Larger Than It Was Last Year” “Growing Wealth Inequity Will Lead to Social Security Imbalance Later This Century”

On the show this week is RN, humorist, author Terri Tate. What makes all the wrong things funny? Terri Tate will tell you. Terri claims that humor saved her life. Most people wouldn't find two bouts of disfiguring oral cancer, 30 plus hours of surgery, 7 weeks of radiation, endless complications and a 2% chance of survival all that funny. Terri wasn't laughing the whole time but claims that her sense of humor never completely deserted her. Nineteen years after treatment---alive and laughing, Terri talks about her remarkable path and her new book, As Is. Wiz kid Cameron Harris is stops by for a visit. Some of you may remember Cameron, at the ripe old age of sixteen, started a podcast company (Harwood Podcast Network) that now boasts over 900 different shows. The line up includes IN RANGE Cameron's show with his advice about how to live a healthy active life with Type 1 Diabetes. Cameron himself was diagnosed at the age of eight. Also with us is D.C. Correspondent and National Nurses United Legislative Advocate Donna Smith. Donna gives a great answer to the question--why don't we see the following headlines in the media? “For Profit Healthcare Poses Threat to Medicare, Federal Deficit, and Overall Economy in Coming Decades” “Social Security Trust Fund Even Larger Than It Was Last Year” “Growing Wealth Inequity Will Lead to Social Security Imbalance Later This Century”

In 1936, when I was three years old, I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out in Dr. Steinfeld's office. I loved Dr. Steinfeld, because he was the same height I was. That man was so short, the nurse had to lift him up to reach my throat. But he sure had a way with children. The Doctor put a cloth soaked with ether over my face and the next thing I knew, I had the worst sore throat ever! But before the tears could start, he gave me a lemon drop. For those of you who have no clue what ether was or is, we use it these days for rocket fuel and to kill fleas. Dr. Steinfeld sent me home with my mother and she fed me yummy chocolate ice cream and gave me lots of kisses and I got to read all my favorite books. I felt just like a princess, until the flatulence hit. I know that modern methods of removing your tonsils are very efficient and much safer than they were in Dr. Steinfeld's office. But I sometimes wonder if the precautions they take these days are worth the emotional cost to a child. You know, back then, I got to hold my momma's hand while the doctor anesthetized me and I didn't wake up to find myself surrounded by strange smells and sounds with strangers forcing me to take medications I didn't understand. I understood chocolate ice cream. Now don't get me wrong, I'm very glad that there's been so much progress made in medicine in the last 75 years. God knows I wouldn't be alive if there hadn't been. I thank medical science for my hips, my knees, my mobile respirator and my botox. But I wonder if doctors today wouldn't be much more effective and alot less intimidating if they gave their patients lemon drops and let them hold their momma's hands. I'm Lynn Ruth Miller with a lemon drop and another edition of  In My Day.

Coming Up Casey and crew rotate different co-host finalists through the show. Talk about being thrown into the fire! They were all champions and we thank each and everyone who auditioned or sent in their letter of interest. Next week we will introduce you all to our newly selected co-host. We do manage to talk to our friend Donna Smith about the recent Supreme Court healthcare hearings, the upcoming May 18th Staff Nurse Assembly in Chicago (get ready to rumble) lets see—dancing in the streets, flash mobs and of course some serious business as well. Dr. Lesley Anderson joins us to talk about the number one cause of knee problems, the treatments and how they have advanced and a “fresh blood platelet” treatment that is used very successfully on shoulders and knees. “I’ll have a chef’s salad and some of those “fresh blood platelets.” Check it out.

We talk to our friend Donna Smith about the recent Supreme Court healthcare hearings, the upcoming May 18th Staff Nurse Assembly in Chicago (get ready to rumble) lets see—dancing in the streets, flash mobs and of course some serious business as well. A big highlight of the conference isAnna Deavere Smith. Ms. Smith, called by Newsweek “the most exciting individual in American theater” will be performing a new stage monologue (as only she can) called, Tell Me Where It Hurts, Stories from the Front Lines of Nursing.