June 2006

Too much work is coming in, so I have to select parts which I can do and which I can not do. Also a high profile case takes much of my time, and my complete planning has been destroyed. It is good to look forward to the summertime, where in general not many cases come in and the backlogs can be worked away.

In June I have to prepare the steering committee meeting of the Forensic IT group of ENFSI, and give presentations at several workshops. This is in fact the relaxed part. At my work I have to spread my attention to many things, and here I can focus more on the topics. Unfortunately at the same time that week there is also a review meeting of FIDIS planned, and I can not combine the things. Luckily a colleague of me would like to go there, so this is partly solved.

Also we have organized a digital video workshop at our institute, which also takes some planning, however it should work now. The next time I do not plan all these things after each other, since there is not enough time for preparation.

Another problem that appears that I have heel pain in both of my feet, which makes it harder to walk. With all kinds of medical tests and treatments, as the regular blood tests, night spalks, cortizone injections, X-RAYs and even nuclear imaging, the spots where visible but the pain was not solved. For that reason I am now looking into shockwave therapie (ESWT), which might cure this. I read several journal articles with blind tests, and thought this is worth a try, since it is not destructive. What is very strange, is that the insurance does not pay this treatment, so I have to find some other ways of funding. The surgeon told me that he thought that the method did not work.

When reviewing all methods in literature, I thought it would be good to file a complaint at my insurance not paying for this method. They fund alternative treatment, and even this method has more publications with blind tests see http://heelspurs.com/eswt/index.html behind it, where it appeared to work in a larger population, whereas there are also publications that suggest that it does not work. Of course not that I think that it works. The cortizone injections are even more questionable than this method, and they are funded by the standard health care plan. However I think it is a question of time before they will refund this treatment.

Oh, and BTW the eye surgery with LASIK, I do not have to use any additional fluids anymore, and do not see any side effects. I see sharper then ever before with glasses or contact lenses. T