MSI Press Blog

  They say 65 is the geriatric threshold. I say: thresholds are for doorways, not identities. I didn’t suddenly become fragile when Medicare kicked in. Yes, I have osteopenia—thanks in part to years of “normal” omeprazole doses before anyone warned me it was quietly eating my bones. But I still climb ladders, carry cats, and troubleshoot household systems faster than most twenty-somethings. My bone scan may whisper caution, but my life shouts resilience. So, if “geriatric” means I qualify for discounts and confuse algorithms—fine. But don’t expect me to sit still, wear beige, or fade quietly. This Ninja has decades of stealth left—and a few choice words for the formulary. Grandma’s Ninja Training Diary  is the inspiring true story of a septuagenarian grandmother who dares to dream big—by training for  American Ninja Warrior . Teaming up with coach and trainer Brittany Renz, she embarks on a three-year journey to build strength, resilience, flexibility, balance, and end...

  Bahrain Imagine standing at the edge of a burial mound field at dusk. Behind you, the towers of the capital city shimmer like glass lanterns. Before you, the desert breathes with ancient memory. And all around, the sea whispers the stories of traders, poets, and pilgrims who once called this island home. That is Bahrain. The name means “two seas” ( bahr = sea, ain = dual grammatical ending). Bahrain is a shimmering archipelago in the Persian Gulf, where ancient burial mounds rise from desert plains and the sleek skyline of Manama glints across the water. It’s a place where Bronze Age silence and 21st-century ambition coexist—sometimes in the same breath. It is also hot. By mid‑summer, Bahrain feels like it has been placed under a glass dome. Temperatures climb well above 40°C (104°F), and the humidity rolls in from the Gulf like a warm, wet curtain. On the hottest days, the air itself feels heavy—almost tactile. It’s the kind of heat that doesn’t just sit on the skin; ...

  This excerpt comes from  Helping the Disabled Veteran  (Joanna Romer) Drive down any major thoroughfare in a medium to large-sized city, and you’re bound to see this sign at an intersection: “Homeless Veteran. Please Help.”  The sign is usually being wielded by a man between 20 and 70 years old, bedraggled in appearance and wearing a helpless expression on his face. Sometimes the sign says, “Will work for food,” especially if the Veteran is on the younger side. Sometimes the sign bearer is disabled, with just one leg, standing on crutches or in a wheelchair. What do we do when we see such a person? The light changes and we drive on through the intersection; or, if we’re feeling charitable, we put a dollar in the outstretched cup. Sometimes if we get a look at the veteran’s face, a tear may come to our eye: there’s something very wrong about this situation. The more cynical among us may posit that the whole thing is an act—that the man with the sign is jus...

  I’ve had a heart murmur since birth. Never bothered me. Never bothered the Army docs, either. More recently, I picked up a new badge: Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB). My EKG shows it doing its thing. My annual echocardiograms? Normal. So I pay it no mind. But should I? 🫀 What Is LBBB, Really? LBBB means the electrical signal that tells your heart to beat travels a slower, roundabout path to the left ventricle. It’s not dangerous by itself—especially if your heart’s structure and function are normal, as yours are. 💨 Does It Affect Breathing or Exercise? Breathing : LBBB doesn’t directly affect lung function. But if the heart’s pumping efficiency is reduced, oxygen delivery can lag behind demand during intense exertion. Exercise : Most people with isolated LBBB and normal heart function can exercise safely. But endurance may be harder to build, and recovery might take longer. Heart murmur : If it’s benign (as yours seems to be), it’s just background music. But always worth...