AWARE project

For my off day, I decided to sign up and volunteer for the Oregon Alliance Workshop Resistance Education (AWARE) project at OMSI. Day off... check. Motivating myself to go out and work with the community... check. CSI crime scene exhibit... check. This partnership is provided by the Department of Human Services and I see literally tons of prescriptions in outpatient for antibiotics

What's the purpose? There's a difference between getting a viral infection and bacterial infection. Viral infections are your average cold or flu symptoms which could be a stuffy/runny nose. Antibiotics are not effective for viral infections and more importantly when taken unnecessarily, there is greater risk for developing resistance.

We had two booths today, one with a giant nose that would spray water when you push a button and a brain/bicycle/helmet table. I wasn't stationed at the antibiotic table but was placed in for bicycle helmet safety. It's pretty funny since the last time I rode a bike was maybe 10 years ago. What I learned:

1. Kids under age 16 are required to wear a helmet by law (there's a $25 fine)
   
2. Most helmets are good for about 5 years, otherwise the heat canbreak down that foam pad and alter it's protection
3. Helmets actually have an expiration date, who knew?
4. Replace a helmet after a crash. The foam inside could be damaged from impact and be less protective.
5. Kids looove gross things and they will touch anything!
   

There is a 30% chance that at some point of a person's life, their lumbar disks may degenerate

Inside the skull there are jagged edges. When there's trauma, your brain can hit the sides and cause knock out

A sugarless gelatinous brain demonstrating the potential injury of not wearing a helmet. This was very popular with the kids but unfortunately got walked on by a volunteer

To be, or not to be.

Farm animals affected by pollution

Able to get into free to the CSI exhibit.... I wasn't interested :)