Health

You never know when life will call you to unexpected duty. For my family, that call came in the form of a desperate pregnant dog at our front gate one evening. Her frantic pacing and heavy panting suggested she was in early labor – right around that 63-day mark when most dogs give birth. Having no experience with animal birth, we scrambled to research what to do. We learned to watch for key signs: temperature drops, loss of appetite, and that characteristic nesting behavior. We set up a cardboard box with old blankets in our quietest room, trying to create a safe den-like environment. When her water broke, we timed contractions and kept emergency vet numbers handy. The actual delivery was messy, miraculous, and profoundly moving. Each squirming puppy’s arrival felt like a small m...

The artificial heart uses magnets to circulate blood smoothly instead of pumping it. Australia has marked a historic moment in medical innovation with the successful implantation of the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart. A man who received the device in a six-hour surgery last November has become the first patient in the world to be discharged from the hospital with it. He lived with the high-tech heart for over 100 days before receiving a donor transplant. The procedure was performed at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, where cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Paul Jansz led the surgery. The BiVACOR heart, made from titanium, was implanted as a temporary solution until a donor heart became available. However, doctors believe it has the potential to serve as a permanent replacement for failin...