Dr. Sanjay Gupta has returned to Haiti on assignment. In this piece, he reports on a quake survivor who may have been trapped in debris for four weeks.

By Dr. Sanjay Gupta
CNN Medical Chief Correspondent

When I told my wife I wanted to go back to Haiti, she had the reaction I expected. “The girls really missed you when you were gone last time,” she said. “I am worried that you lost too much weight down there,” she added. And, “what about your safety, physical and mental well being?” she concluded. They were all the reactions I expected. The car was then silent as we were driving through our neighborhood on a rainy Saturday morning. In that quiet, we both realized something essential. I knew she was right, on all counts. And, still, she knew it was the right thing to do. She was the first to speak and break the silence. “Truth is, I would go with you,” she whispered. “I would like to help as well.”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Port-Au-Prince hospital.

I thought about that conversation a lot on the middle-of-the-night flight to Florida, a connection to Santo Domingo at 3 a.m. and then finally the early morning arrival in Port-au-Prince. She has seen the images on television of the unfathomable suffering over the last month, and she was affected by it in more ways that I realized. Over the few days I was home, we hardly talked about what I had seen in Haiti. I felt the need to protect her from those stories, some of which I may never share with anyone - and she was cognizant of the desire to not re open the emotional images. She also knew that while I was physically home, my mind never left Haiti.

Most of the time I was in Haiti, I was a doctor. With the cameras off, I saw patient after patient, most of them with head injuries and with no access to a neurosurgeon. Many of them needed reassurance, and a few needed emergent operations. As a reporter, I was able to help highlight the stark difference between most international aid, and medical aid. In short, the requirement for medical aid was immediate –measured literally in minutes and hours. If action wasn’t taken, and quickly, people would die that could’ve been saved. As a father, I held a lot of small hands and offered a soothing voice, to children whose parents had been lost.

So many times over the past month, I had my faith completely trashed as I saw unjustified loss of life and suffering. I saw amputations being performed without adequate anesthesia as nurses and doctors held down a patient while performing brutal operations. I saw the tears running down those same nurses and doctors cheeks while their faces were steeled with desperation, determination and a little anger at the awful position they were all in together.

But, I also had moments where my faith was restored. Small improvements in water distribution, a slow trickle of supplies turning into a river of good will, a rush of health care providers and private citizens with sleeves rolled up and grit on their skin. Like my wife, they all wanted to help, in any way possible.

If you look throughout the history of our own lives, there are a few occasions when we see something that galvanizes the entire world. In a world where there is too much bickering about politics, and too much fascination with pop culture, every now and then people simply come together. I returned to Haiti because I wanted to show the slow but inevitable medical recovery happening here. People should not forget what has happened and what will be necessary for a long time to come. I returned because I wanted to remind people of the relentless and extraordinary resolve of the beautiful Haitian people. I came back because the story I am telling is of the scales of faith being tipped here, just a little bit.

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

By Laura Cozik
Athletic Director, CNN Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge
CEO, Team Lipstick Triathlon

Cycling is the second of three sports in a triathlon, and it can often be the most difficult for people with little experience on a bike. Here are my tips for getting started! This is the first of two articles.

The Basic Skills

• Clipping in – Yes, you must clip in. That means wearing shoes that clip into the pedals. Straddle your bike and squeeze your brakes for stability. Practice clipping in and out with the left, then the right foot, all while standing still.

• Taking off – Clip one foot in and pull that pedal to the 12 o’clock position. Push down hard to take off. Sit in the saddle and clip in with the opposite foot while you still have some momentum. Continue pedaling until you’re ready to stop.

• Braking – Softly squeeze both brakes simultaneously.

• Feathering your brakes – Try pedaling and softly braking at the same time. This slows you down, while allowing you to move forward with the greatest amount of control.

• Clipping out – The heel of your foot should move away from the bike when clipping out.

• Stopping – Squeeze your brakes, then with one foot at the top of the pedal stroke, and one at the bottom, clip the top one out. Come off of the saddle while leaning your inner thigh (of the still clipped in foot) to the top tube for support, then gently put your free foot down. Rule No. 1 = If you clip out LEFT, lean LEFT (or you will most likely fall).

• Falling – The bad news is, you’re going to fall. The good news is, you’ll be going zero miles per hour when you do. So just get it over with! And maybe dress for it – long sleeves, long/tight pants. There are less scrapes that way.

• Body position – It’s very important to be in a position that won’t cause any discomfort or pain. A proper fitting by a professional is definitely recommended. Then relax your upper body, elbows bent, shoulders down, and draw smooth, steady circles with your legs.

• Hydrate – Learn how to take a sip from your water bottle while riding or you will most likely dehydrate. Don’t look down (but for a split second glance), just reach down, retrieve your bottle, take a sip, and replace it carefully. Keep pedaling so you don’t tip over.

• No coasting – Always pedal, never coast. This is a road bike, it’s meant for speed. So pedal!

Stay tuned for Part II next week, Advanced Beginner Skills

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

By Miriam Falco
CNN Medical Managing Editor

At 9:01am on Tuesday, journalists around the world got the news: The British medical journal Lancet had decided to "fully retract" a study it had published in 1998. The study was conducted by Dr. Andrew Wakefield and suggested that the combination vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (aka German measles), also known as the MMR vaccine, triggers gastrointestinal problems, which may trigger autism.

It was a very small study – only 12 children were in it. But it was the study that was heard around world because it triggered a fear in parents that vaccines may cause autism. Consequently, many parents stopped vaccinating their children.

Wakefield has said his study didn't say vaccines cause autism. He wouldn't talk to the news media Tuesday, but in a written statement sent to CNN, Wakefield said "the Lancet paper does not claim to confirm a link between the MMR vaccine and autism."

Technically he is correct. In the 1998 study, Wakefield and his 12 co-authors write "We did not prove an association between measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the syndrome described." But the conclusion of his study says "We have identified a chronic enterocolitis [infection of the intestines] in children that may be related to neuropsychiatric dysfunction. In most cases, onset of symptoms was after measles, mumps, and rubella immunization. Further investigations are needed to examine this syndrome and its possible relation to this vaccine."

So the study suggested that the MMR vaccine causes gut problems and these gut problems cause autism.

Suddenly many pediatricians and public health officials had to convince parents about the importance of utilizing the means to prevent some very deadly diseases.

Over the past decade, the repercussions of parents refusing to vaccinate their children because of the 1998 Wakefield study were big.

– In the United States, more cases of measles were reported in 2008 than 1997. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says "more than 90 percent of those infected had not been vaccinated, or their vaccination status was unknown."

– In Britain, where the study was conducted, the Health Protection Agency says 177 cases of measles were reported in 1997- in 2008 the nation had 1,370 cases.

– In Germany, the incidence among children under the age of 1 year was higher in 2006 than in 2001, according to the World Health Organization.

The latest CDC statistics tell us that an alarming 1 in 91 children in this country have some form of autism.

However, WHO statistics remind us that children are dying from the illnesses that vaccines are meant to prevent. For example, measles kills 164,000 children annually, noting that "measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available."

As a journalist who has covered autism stories for the past 10 years, I was surprised that it took so long for the Lancet to retract the study. That's because this particular study had been under fire for a long time.

Wakefield's suggested link between has been scrutinized many times in the past 12 years. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine reviewed existing research and found no evidence that the vaccine causes autism. But it wasn't the alleged link between vaccines and autism that lead to the retraction of the study this week.

Also in 2004, 10 of the 13 co-authors had their names removed from the study, when it became known that Wakefield hadn't disclosed information about a serious conflict of interest he had while running the study. He didn't disclose that he had had been paid by a law firm that intended to sue vaccine manufacturers.

Last week, a long investigation by the Britain's General Medical Council, the body that disciplines doctors, concluded that the way this study was conducted was "unethical," "dishonest" and "misleading." The board found that some of the children were given colonoscopies, MRIs and spinal taps that weren't needed from a medical standpoint. All these procedures come with some serious risks and should be done only when absolutely necessary.

Dr. Richard Horton, the editor-in-chief of the Lancet, told me that the journal had been waiting for the GMC's investigation to conclude and that after reading the 140-page report, he thought it was "the most appalling catalog and litany of some the most terrible behavior in any research" and is therefore very clear that it has to be retracted." The decision to retract the study was made the soon afterwards.

In his statement to CNN, Wakefield said, "The allegations against me and against my colleagues are both unfounded and unjust and I invite anyone to examine the contents of these proceedings and come to their own conclusion."

Does the removal of this study from the public record change your mind about a possible link between vaccines and autism?

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

By Val Willingham
CNN Medical Producer

A month ago, I blogged that I was going to make some changes in my life: Eat better and exercise more. And for the most part, January has been 30 days of trial and error. My biggest accomplishment was to cut my calories by 500 or more a day, and I've done that. I dropped sodas, those so-called power water drinks I used to guzzle and fatty foods. Not that I ate that many fatty foods, but watching my fat intake has helped a lot. And I eat more fruits and veggies, which I've grown to like.

There have been some setbacks. I came down with a cold two weeks ago, and I still can't kick it. I very rarely take a day off but I was out for two days from work with a miserable stuffy head. It left me exhausted, which means I didn't hit the gym at 6 a.m.

Also as a medical producer, I travel from time to time. I spent three days in New York City and one day in Nashville. And although both hotels I stayed in had gyms, as a fellow spinner and friend of mine said, "No matter how great the hotel gym, it's just not the same." So I found myself sleeping in the nice warm (and may I say huge) beds, instead of getting up and hitting the Stairmaster. Not good and no excuses.

I have also found writing down everything I eat a challenge. Why, I am not sure. I spoke to a nutritionist who I work with and she said, jot down what you are going to eat before you eat it. That way it helps you visualize how many calories you are consuming. So I started that this month and it seems to be working. I am writing the items down before I gobble them up and that has helped because it does give me an idea, what I ate, when I ate it and most importantly, how I feel after I ate it. So this is a good change.

As for my curfew, I am also sticking to my bedtime. Sure, I don't hit the sack every night at 10, but five out of seven nights, I do.

I originally stated in my first blog on January 7, I wanted to see how much I could achieve in one month, because February 7 is my birthday. And although I can't claim a lot of success, I have made these small changes and I plan to stick with them. And I plan to make more. Doctors and nutrition experts say it's better to take baby steps when changing your lifestyle than to jump off the cliff and not survive.

So I am surviving and in the process I have lost 6 pounds, which my physician says is a "very positive weight loss." And minus the bout with the cold, I feel more rested. Now it's back to the gym as I march on to March.

Have you made changes in your life for the better? Quit smoking? Taken up yoga? Going out for a daily walk? We'd like to hear how you’re doing.

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

By Linda Fisher-Lewis
CNN Fit Nation Challenge Participant

My name is Linda Fisher-Lewis and I am very excited about the Fit Nation Challenge. I want to tell everyone how I got to the challenge but my real goal is to inspire others to change their lives. The end of the story is a phone call from CNN telling me congratulations and I was ecstatic. This was quickly followed with an “Oh crap! What did I get myself into?” Here is my story…

Linda Fisher-Lewis is a participant in the CNN Fit Nation Challenge.

In 2006 I medically retired from law enforcement as a lieutenant after nearly 20 years. Law enforcement had been a lifelong dream that I knew would be my career since the age of 12.

After a motor vehicle accident forced my medical retirement from law enforcement, I had no idea what struggles were to follow. My retirement was very emotional; I packed my stuff in the middle of the night and never returned to the police department. I couldn’t face the people I worked with and I could not face the reality that my career had ended, a career that was really my life.

Shortly after my retirement my brother, a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force was killed tragically in an accident leaving the Air Force base. My father later had a massive heart attack on the anniversary of my brother’s death, passing a few days later. Over the five years preceding my accident my husband and I lost six immediate family members. The impact on my life and the lives of my family members was unimaginable. I felt like I had lost my health and my family in a very short period of time.

I felt like I was in a hole with no way out, no career, lost family members and I myself was lost. I gained weight from not being able to exercise, and lost confidence and self-esteem not to mention the daily physical pain I had to endure. About six months ago I came to the conclusion that I was the only one who could change my life and overcome the obstacles that had been thrown my way. I needed to take control of my life and instead of being handed my path, return to the person that always developed her own path.

To make a long story short, after six months and 35 pounds lost and a lot of sit-ups, my doctor said he would release me to go back to work. He felt my recovery was nothing short of amazing. I saw Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s challenge and thought this is something I need to do. I needed to do the triathlon to prove to myself I was ready to pursue the next chapters of my life. I needed to take the challenge to show others that anyone can change her life and accomplish her goals.

Going to New York was an intimidating proposition. I come from a small town of about 3,500 people that is very rural. Neighbors are miles not blocks away. Meeting five strangers was also a bit intimidating, never mind the whole live TV thing. Pleasantly, I met five amazing people in New York that are inspiring and sincere about changing their lives and changing a nation. I left New York with five lifetime friends that I know have the ability to accomplish anything and everything as well as encourage a nation to get fit. So that is how I got here and I am excited and appreciative of the opportunity. See you at the finish line!

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

By Caitlin Hagan
CNN Medical Associate Producer

I'm ashamed to admit that I laughed out loud when one of my co-workers encouraged me to race in the 2010 Nautica New York City Triathlon. Me? Swimming, biking, and running Olympic distances? Surely she was kidding.

But now I'm sharing seven words I never thought I would say: I am going to become a triathlete. Really!

It's been an inspiring journey from "no way" to "I can't wait to cross the finish line." If you're not already familiar with CNN's Fit Nation Challenge, here's the skinny: This summer, our Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is competing in his first-ever triathlon, and six motivated CNN viewers will be racing with him.

How did I change my mind? It started early in the process of planning this challenge, when our team met to decide how to select the people who would race with Sanjay. At some point, someone shared her personal experience with competing in triathlons and from there, the whole conversation shifted. Slowly, more and more people talked about races they had competed in (who knew so many of my co-workers were triathletes?) and by the end of the meeting, I was convinced I had been missing out on something special.

But like all serious endeavors, just because you want to accomplish something doesn't mean you will. You need physical and mental strength to race a “tri,” and those things take time and training. As much as I now wanted to do the race, would that motivation last for seven months? Could I make the time?

Talking with our challenge participants is what pushed me to register. These six men and women are some of the most inspiring individuals you could ever hope to meet. If they were willing to make fitness a priority and change their life for the better, all while overcoming their own obstacles, how could I not join them? I remembered my initial argument that I didn't think I could complete a triathlon. I felt so embarrassed that I hadn't believed in myself more.

Last week, I knew I made the right decision when I walked the course we'll be racing. A few years ago I lived in New York City for a summer during college. My apartment was on the Upper West Side and I fell in love with that neighborhood. So it was quite the serendipitous moment when I realized that is exactly where our triathlon is being held. I'll be running past some of my favorite spots in the city, places where I already have so many cherished memories. Suddenly it all became clear: I was meant to be in this. And now I can't wait to cross the finish line.

I'll see you there.

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta was on assignment in Haiti. On Thursday he reported on the challenges facing newborns in earthquake-devastated Haiti.

By Laura Cozik
Athletic Director, CNN Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge
CEO, Team Lipstick Triathlon

1. Sign up for a sprint distance triathlon! I put this first as you will then have no option but to complete steps 2, 3 and 4, listed below.
* A good Web site for locating races is www.trifind.com.
* Give yourself at least 2 weeks to purchase equipment and find a local team, then give yourself about 12 weeks to train.
* Read about the race course and know what to expect (hills, flat, etc.).
* Check the water temperature for your swim. Low-to-mid 60s can be cold but doable, low-to-mid 70s is very comfortable.
* Find out how many participants there will be. A more intimate race, roughly around 300-500 racers, is better for your first experience. Save the 5,000-participant race for later.

2. Go shopping! This is the fun part. If cost is an issue, lots of stuff can be bought online, often at a discount. Remember that whatever you buy will last for years to come.
* Road bike – No mountain or hybrid. And no tri bike til you’re ready for your second bike.
* Helmet.
* Cycling Shoes – You must clip in! In order to pedal efficiently, you must connect to your pedal crank. No buts, just do it.
* Clipless pedals and cleats.
* Spare tube, CO2 cartridge/dispensor, tire lever – You will have to change a tire someday. Don’t get stranded 10 miles from home with a flat and no way to fix it.
* Floor pump – You should pump your tires before every ride.
* Sneakers and speed laces – You’ll never want to tie your shoes again!
* Swim cap and goggles.
* Wetsuit – So NOT fun trying these on as they are much more comfortable in the water.
* Extras that can wait, unless you decide to go for broke: Sunglasses, carry bag to attach to your bike, allen keys for bike adjustments, front and rear bike lights (if riding at dusk or dawn), water bottles for your bike, heartrate monitor, cadence/mph monitor for your bike (when your ready for the “gadget phase”), tri shorts (padded bottoms are nice), water-wicking clothes for training, hat or visor for sunny runs.
* Good Web sites for discounts: www.craigslist.org, www.nashbar.com, www.performancebike.com.

3. Find a local tri club that accomodates first timers. Most tri clubs will have beginner programs as they’re always trying to grow this sport. And the annual fees can be very affordable, anywhere from $50-$300 per year. Some good questions to ask:
* How many coached sessions do they offer weekly?
* Are there other beginners for you to train with?
* Do they have a pool facility?
* Do they offer open water swim clinics?
* Will they offer lectures such as “how to change a tire,” “nutrition,” “transition practice,” etc.?
* Do they receive discounts at any local swim/bike/run shops?

4. Show up and have fun! That’s all you have to do. Just show up to your training sessions and let the games begin!! See you at the finish line!

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been on assignment in Haiti, covering the earthquake aftermath. He talks about the girl pulled from the rubble after 15 days and answers other questions.