Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month

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By Nurse Diane

This past February an acquaintance of my son's wife became ill.  He has been experiencing stomach pains, and they didn't go away.  He went to the emergency room at his local hospital, where he was diagnosed with strep throat.  The pain didn't go away, and he returned to be diagnosed with mononucleosis, and possible flu.  This would not be the case either, and his urine turned a dark orange color.  After more testing he was again treated for Mono, but this time the scan was read by another doctor who discovered a mass in his pancreas.  Two days later he was diagnosed with liver cancer after the results from a biopsy were obtained, and within 5 months he had passed away - shortly before his 16th birthday.

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On the 8th of August, a classmate of a friend of mine started her first day of kindergarten.  She had been having some headaches, and throwing up in the mornings before school.  Her mom just concluded that it was nerves because of starting school.  A trip to her doctor resulted in a brain scan that found a brain tumor.  She was transported to a children's hospital in Jackson, where the tumor was removed, biopsy showed the tumor was cancerous.

Cancer can find its way into anybody at any age and for any reason.  September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month.  Below is a portion of the Presidential Proclamation declaring this awareness:

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NATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, 2012

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Every year, thousands of children across America are diagnosed with cancer an often life threatening illness that remains the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 15. The causes of pediatric cancer are still largely unknown, and though new discoveries are resulting in new treatments, this heartbreaking disease continues to scar families and communities in ways that may never fully heal. This month, we remember the young lives taken too soon, stand with the families facing childhood cancer today, and rededicate ourselves to combating this terrible illness. While much remains to be done, our Nation has come far in the fight to understand, treat, and control childhood cancer. Thanks to ongoing advances in research and treatment, the 5 year survival rate for all childhood cancers has climbed from less than 50 percent to 80 percent over the past several decades. Researchers around the world continue to pioneer new therapies and explore the root causes of the disease, driving progress that could reveal cures or improved outcomes for patients. But despite the gains we have made, help still does not come soon enough for many of our sons and daughters, and too many families suffer pain and devastating loss. My Administration will continue to support families battling pediatric cancer and work to ease the burdens they face. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer deny health coverage to children because of preexisting conditions, including cancer, nor can they drop coverage because a child is diagnosed with cancer. The law also bans insurers from placing a lifetime dollar limit on the amount of coverage they provide, giving families peace of mind that their coverage will be there when they need it most. And as we work to ensure all Americans have access to affordable health care, my Administration will continue to invest in the cutting edge cancer research that paves the way for tomorrow's breakthroughs. This month, we pay tribute to the families, friends, professionals, and communities who lend their strength to children fighting pediatric cancer. May their courage and commitment continue to move us toward new cures, healthier outcomes, and a brighter future for America's youth.

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To learn more about ways you can help, please visit this site and keep those who are affected in your thoughts and prayers.

http://www.curesearch.org/ArticleView2.aspx?id=7750&l=&c= 

National Self-Improvement Month

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By Terry Orr

Self-Improvement - improvement of one's status, mind, abilities, etc. by one's own efforts.

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There is always something we would like to change about ourselves—job satisfaction, health, physical fitness level, intellectual development, eating habits, or relationships—The hardest part isn’t figuring out what to change…it’s making that change stick!  Most people fail to reach goals because of one of three reasons.

1. Unrealistic expectations
2. Environment is not conducive to change
3. We give up too soon

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Each morning while preparing for the day and cleaning up – I spend some time reviewing yesterday’s activities and how I handle things in general. If there are things needing work, I put those into my list of things to day and improve on.  I also smile and am thankful for another day.

We all know someone like this.
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You will find that the mere resolve not to be useless, and the honest desire to help other people, will, in the quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself. ~ John Ruskin

On Google search on self-improvement books with 297 million hits – I have read many books on this topic over the past five decades – but nowhere near that many.  I have mentioned in the past articles that the one author who influenced my life was Dr. Stephen R. Covey who passed recently.

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Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

It was the sacred rule among the Pythagoreans that they should every evening thrice run over the actions and affairs of the day. ~ Dr. L. Watts

Never neglect an opportunity for improvement. ~ Sir William Jones

The safest principle through life, instead of reforming others, is to set about perfecting yourself. ~ B. R. Haydon 

Look within, for within is the wellspring of virtue, which will not cease flowing, if you cease not from digging. ~ Marcus Aurelius

Everyone has naturally the power of excelling in some one thing. ~ Proverb

Perfection does not exist - you can always do better and you can always grow. ~ Les Brown

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. ~ Zig Ziglar

Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself. ~ Willam Faulkner

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Top 10 Tips for Self-Improvement

10. Get off to a Good Start.  Getting up early and eating breakfast! You will have much more energy throughout the day to follow the rest of these tips if you do!

9. Keep a Schedule.  It is a very good idea to write down the tasks you need to achieve in each day. As you complete them, tick them off. You should not, however, feel like you are bound to your list.

8.  Take a Break and have Fun.  If you spend too much time in front of the computer, at your desk, or doing whatever it is that your occupation requires, you should take a break.

7.  Be Generous.  Generosity has a tendency to come back. You can be generous with your smiles, your advice, and many other things. Always try to find a way to help others.

6.  Accept the things you can’t Change.  When something bad happens in our lives, we try to fix them or change them. But sometimes we can’t. Often this leads us to spend hours moping and falling in to depression.

5.  Learn a New Language.  Learning another language is one of the best ways to improve your grasp on English.

4.  Brake the Chain.  If you have a lot of patterns in your life, try breaking them – do something different every day.

3.  Face the Fear.  Every day you should do something you don’t want to do – or feel uncomfortable doing. This varies in degrees for everyone, but we all have little things we can start out with.

2.  Forget Goals.  I still have goal and things in life to be accomplish – but since retiring, they no longer drive my daily routine.

1. Don’t Procrastinate.  This is a hard one for most folks – something we need to work on (sometimes daily for me).

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Whatever area of your life that you are looking to improve – jot is down, think about how to do it and then “Make it Happen”.

Good Luck!!

National Cholesterol Education Month

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By Nurse Diane

This past May, my cousin and her family took a weekend cruise.  This was a celebration anniversary trip for her husband’s family.  They were celebrating 20 years since his father suffered from a heart attack and nearly lost his life.  Since that time, he and the rest of the family have learned about cholesterol and things to do to control it and ways to prevent a recurrence in heart problems.

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When my cousin's husband reached the age that his father was when he suffered a heart attack he really started to take notice of his heath.  He started exercising, losing weight, eating better and taking care of his heart.  He didn't want to put his family through the horrifying experience that he went through watching his father's attack.

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More than 102 million American Adults (20 years or older) have total cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL, which is above healthy levels. More than 35 million of these people have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for heart disease.

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Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and many foods. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally and makes all that you need. Too much cholesterol can build up in your arteries.  After a while, these deposits narrow your arteries, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

LDL “BAD” Cholesterol (mg/dl)

<100	Optimal
100-129	Near Optimal
130-159	Borderline High
160-189	High
> 190	Very High

Total Cholesterol (mg/dl)

<200	Desirable
200-239	Borderline
>240	High risk

HDL “GOOD” Cholesterol (mg/dl)

<40	Low (undesirable)
>60	High (desirable)

Triglycerides (mg/dl)

<150	Normal
150-199	Borderline High
200-499	High
>500	Very High

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A simple blood test can determine your cholesterol levels, and it is recommended that adults have one every 5 years. When too much low-density lipoprotein LDL (bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery - heart attack or stroke can result.

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About one-fourth to one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol, because high levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attack. Low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) also increase the risk of heart disease. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe that HDL removes excess cholesterol from arterial plaque, slowing its buildup.

Triglycerides are a type of lipid found in your blood.  When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use right away into triglycerides.  The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells.  Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals.  If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, particularly “easy” calories like carbohydrates and fats, you may have high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).

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Your diet, weight, physical activity and exposure to tobacco smoke all affect your cholesterol level — and these factors may be controlled by:

• Eating a heart-healthy diet;
• Enjoying regular physical activity; and
• Avoiding tobacco smoke.

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Below is a list of things to eat, and things to avoid:

• Focus on low-saturated-fat, trans fat-free, low-cholesterol;
• foods such as these: A variety of deeply colored fruits and vegetables (4 to 5 servings of each per day);
• A variety of fiber-rich grain products like whole grain bread, cereal, pasta and brown rice. (6 to 8 servings per day with at least half of the serving’s whole grains);
• Fat-free, 1 percent and low-fat milk products (2 to 3 servings per day);
• Lean meats and poultry without skin (choose up to 5to 6 total ounces per day);
• Fatty fish (enjoy at least 2 servings baked or grilled each week); and
• Nuts, seeds, and legumes (dried beans or peas) in limited amounts (4 to 5 servings per week).

Avoid:

• Whole milk
• Butter, egg yolks, cheese
• Organ meats
• High fat processed meats
• Duck and goose
• Bakery goods high in fat

For more information about cholesterol, check this site:  http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/Cholesterol_UCM_001089_SubHomePage.jsp

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Labor Day 2012

By Terry Orr

Labor Day is an American federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September (September 3 in 2012) that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.

Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, and is celebrated with parties, parades and athletic events.

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

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By Nurse Diane

Being a nurse is a very tempting job when it comes to drug addiction.  Every few months I get a newsletter from the Board of Nursing and in the back it lists all the nurses who have had their licenses suspended or removed, and lists their violation.  Most of those listed are because of drug abuse.

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I went to school with a woman whose daughter also became a nurse.  She was a victim of drug abuse.  When she had reached the end of her rope, I helped my friend over the weekend sober up her child.  It was not a pretty sight.  We stayed locked in a room while her daughter screamed, cried, threatened and became violently ill.  In the end, she was able to remove the toxins from her body and with the help of her family has been able to stay off drugs.

I believe addiction to certain things are encoded in our DNA.  Some people are just immune to it, while others are not.  The same can be said for other addictions such as gambling, overeating, as well as drugs and alcohol.

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September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Below is part of the Presidential Proclamation:

Presidential Proclamation--National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

NATIONAL ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION RECOVERY MONTH, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Recovering from addiction to alcohol and other drugs takes strength, faith, and commitment. Men and women in recovery showcase the power each of us holds to transform ourselves, our families, and our communities. As people share their stories and celebrate the transformative power of recovery, they also help dispel myths and stigmas surrounding substance abuse and offer hope for lifestyles free from alcohol and other drugs. This month and throughout the year, we must promote recovery and support the growth of healthy, resilient individuals and families in the United States. Today, alcohol and other drugs threaten the future of millions of Americans. Abuse of prescription medication has reached epidemic levels, drunk and drugged driving pose significant threats to public safety, and individuals in recovery continue to confront barriers to full participation in our society. My Administration is committed to reducing substance abuse, and this year we released our 2011 National Drug Control Strategy, which supports successful, long term recoveries through research, education, increased access to treatment, and community-based recovery support. As a Nation, we must strive to promote second chances and recognize each individual's ability to overcome adversity. We laud and support the millions of Americans in recovery from substance abuse, their loved ones, and the communities that help them sustain recovery, while encouraging those in need to seek help. As we celebrate National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, we pay tribute to the transforming power of recovery, which will continue to heal individuals and communities across our country.

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Recovery from any substance is a long and difficult process and requires assistance from many.  For more information in ways you can help, click this site: http://www.recoverymonth.gov/ and encourage anyone you know who suffers from an addiction to seek help before it’s too late.

VJ Day – 67 Years Later

"The Kiss"
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By Terry Orr

Victory over Japan Day marks the end of combat in the Second World War (WWII) and the surrender of Japanese troops. The initial surrender was announced on August 14, 1945 - in Japan it was August 15, 1945. The formal surrender came a short time later on September 2, 1945.

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President Harry S. Truman declared September 2 - VJ Day - on the same day that Japan formally signed the surrender agreement. The signing took place in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri battleship.

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Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, US Navy signs the Instrument of Surrender as United States Representative, on board USS Missouri for Japan's surrender.

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USS MISSOURI
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National Cherry Popover Day

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By Nurse Diane

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Long before George Washington could not tell a lie and confessed to chopping down the famed cherry tree, cherries were a wildly popular fruit. Not only were they eaten right off the stem, but they were also baked in pies, cakes and popovers.  I love cherries, but I don’t eat that many of them, they are very good for you and full of melatonin, a substance that aids in sleeping.  In fact the only time I eat a cherry is when it is in a bowl of fruit cocktail, or on the top of some cheesecake.  My husband loved them, and would take a jar of them, stab them with toothpicks and devour the whole jar.

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I am talking about cherries today because today is National Cherry Popover Day.  A popover is similar to a muffin.  It is light and airy, and filled with cherries.  It may seem like a difficult dish to make, however there is a simple recipe from foodnetwork.com that will help you celebrate this day.  So if you have never tried a cherry popover, what are you waiting for?  Make a batch today and celebrate!

Cherry Popovers

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 teaspoon room temperature for pan
• 4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Grease a 6-cup popover pan with the 1 teaspoon of butter.
3. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and process for 30 seconds. Divide the batter evenly between the cups of the popover pan, each should be about 1/3 to 1/2 full. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the popovers to a cooling rack and pierce each in the top with a knife to allow steam to escape. Serve warm.