AUGUST 2013 OVERVIEW

By Terry Orr

As summer is coming to a close and autumn on the horizon – lots of folks are getting ready for school.  Some for the first time – how exciting and scary as well – meeting new friends and looking forward to seeing old friends.

In July, we posted “Back to School Checklist” [ http://kisbyto.blogspot.com/2013/07/back-to-school-checklist.html to assist you in preparation for the upcoming challenges of getting everything in order and into the ‘school routine’.

This months article will focus on education and related topics – will a couple articles to assist the students and parents.  In addition, as Diane is taking time off to work on another project during August and perhaps some or all of September – there will fewer articles written and posted this month.  I will also use this time to recharge my batteries and do some new research on topics for the fall.

Many thanks for your continued readership and comments and please feel free to make comments, recommendations, and fresh ideas for future articles.

 [Photos from Google]

CHOKING

By Nurse Diane

Two hillbillies walk into a restaurant. While having a bite to eat, they talk about their moonshine operation.

Suddenly, a woman at a nearby table, who is eating a sandwich, begins to cough. After a minute or so, it becomes apparent that she is in real distress.

One of the hillbillies looks at her and says, 'Kin ya swallar?'

The woman shakes her head no. Then he asks, 'Kin ya breathe?'

The woman begins to turn blue and shakes her head no.

The hillbilly walks over to the woman, lifts up her dress, yanks down her drawers and quickly gives her right butt cheek a lick with his tongue.

The woman is so shocked that she has a violent spasm and the obstruction flies out of her mouth. As she begins to breathe again, the Hillbilly walks slowly back to his table.

His partner says, 'Ya know, I'd heerd of that there 'Hind Lick Maneuver' but I ain't niver seed nobody do it!'

I was watching a movie recently, Groundhog Day, and there was a scene where Bill Murray goes to a restaurant and someone is choking, and he performs the Heimlich Maneuver, and out pops the food that was blocking the person's airway and the person quickly recovers.

Choking can happen at any time. Choking prevents breathing, and can be partial or complete, with partial choking allowing some, although inadequate, flow of air into the lungs. Prolonged or complete choking results in asphyxia, which leads to anoxia and is potentially fatal. Oxygen stored in the blood and lungs keep the victim alive for several minutes after breathing is stopped completely.  One of the most common causes of choking is a foreign object blocking the airway, such as food or small toys.

If you see a person start to choke, they will typically use the universal sign of choking, which are the hands across the throat.  If a person is coughing forcefully, there is no need to take any action.  Encourage coughing, or even slapping them on the back.  Sometimes when I drink water it will go "down the wrong way" and my mother will tell me to raise my arms.  This has never helped me, but it may help you.  Keep watching closely, and if they stop coughing, that is the time to go into action.  Ask if they are ok – then follow these steps:

From behind, wrap your arms around the victim's waist.

Make a fist and place the thumb side of your fist against the victim's upper abdomen, below the ribcage and above the navel.

Grasp your fist with your other hand and press into their upper abdomen with a quick upward thrust. Do not squeeze the ribcage; confine the force of the thrust to your hands.

Repeat until object is expelled.

If choking occurs with a small child or infant, there are other procedures to take to prevent causing injury to them.  With a baby you will want to place them on your lap so that their head is lower than their body, have them on their stomach, so that you will be able to slap their backs.  This is the proper technique, however, in most actual cases the rescuer will become excited, and hang the child upside down and shake.  Caution must be taken to prevent injury to the child.

If you find yourself alone and become choked, a person may also perform abdominal thrusts on themselves by using a fixed object such as a railing or the back of a chair to apply pressure where a rescuer's hands would normally do so. As with other forms of the procedure, it is possible that internal injuries may result.

Taking time to chew your food properly, or keeping small objects away from children is the key for prevention of choking.  Taking small bites and proper chewing will help what you swallow to go down efficiently.  Make sure to review the Heimlich Maneuver, and ask those around you if they know the procedure. 

It’s never too later to learn, and you could save a life.

[Photos from Google) 

OPPORTUNITY

By Diane Forrest

My life has certainly not been a very easy one.  In 1985 I dropped out of nursing school because I "fell in love" got married and got pregnant a month later.  At the time I was young stupid and thought that was the life I wanted.  8 months later I was separated, jobless and about to give birth. Alone.  I thought that was the worst time in my life.   I moved home with my mother and father, and my baby boy, returned to school, became involved in many activities, ended up being the class president at my college, class president in my nursing class, started writing on my college paper, even won an award.  Life was good.  I finished school and got one of the few jobs available at the local hospital.  I moved out on my on, I met a new man, I worked two jobs I was very blessed.  Until five months after I was married, my husband got hurt on the job, ending up being paralyzed.  A year later, I lost my job due to downsizing.  I quickly found another job, but had to resign when my husband could no longer be left at home on his own.  We had no money, no jobs, and bills piling up.

Then.  My husband got a settlement from his injury, we were able to put a down payment on our own home, and the worker's comp insurance company began paying me to take care of him every day.  Things were good again.  My husbands condition deteriorated, he could not get the medical and equipment he needed, was forced to stay in the bed for three years – then sepsis took his life in 2010.  There I was again, no job, no money, alone.  I began writing on this blog to occupy my mind, and fill my days with knowledge and in the process I had hoped to educate others as well.  I met some new friends online, and rekindled some old friendships.  Things began to improve again until I lost another friend.  We had many conversations about his life and experiences that I found very fascinating and interesting.  I had mentioned several times to him that I would like to put his story on paper.  He laughed at me, didn’t think it would hold any interest to anyone.  I don't know if it will or won't, but I’m at least gonna give it a try.  Like they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I hope that this difficult time in my life will produce another opportunity, so I will be spending some time working on that, but I won't be far away from you guys.

What opportunities have you had during difficult times?  Let us know in the comment section below, and leave a comment if you have any other questions for me.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

By Diane Forrest

Today is a day that has been set aside to support public education.  It is not an official day as of yet, but plans are in the works to make it a national day.  According to http://www.change.org/petitions/officially-declare-july-30th-national-support-public-education-day, the reason this day was picked was because Christopher Janotta, petition organizer, wanted to explain the choice of July 30th for this day, a date that may seem unusual to some because it falls in the summer when most schools are not in attendance. However, part of the problem with our public education system is just that: out of sight, out of mind. If students aren't in school, there is no point worrying about it, right? This is a mindset we must fight to overcome. The fight to improve public education shouldn't take a summer break, just as, contrary to popular belief; many teachers don't take a summer break. In fact, lawmakers often use the times when teachers and the public aren't focusing on education (holiday breaks, for example) to slide legislation by while nobody is paying attention.

The petition states that our education system is mired in a national crisis. The only solutions offered thus far by those making the decisions have penalized teachers, students, and society. Firing teachers, cutting school budgets, creating larger class sizes for students, and putting other punitive measures into effect is not the answer. Instead, success must be based on making education the number one priority, creating a culture of respect for education and teachers, and by realizing that as society has evolved, so must the education system.

If appropriate funding for our schools is not provided, if reforms are based on political sound bites rather than on solid research, and if teachers are left out of the decision making process while their careers are held hostage by factors over which they have little control, our public education system will surely fail. On the other hand, through the use of American ingenuity--upon which our nation was built--we can create a nation of future leaders that will bring this country to levels of prosperity never seen before.

Much as our founding fathers did when the time was right, we must come together as Americans--not Democrats or Republicans, unionized workers or non-unionized workers, those in office or those seeking office--but as Americans to do what is right for America. If our founding fathers had merely accepted things as they were and tried living under the tyranny of a king while expecting society to adjust, the great American experiment of democracy would never have come to fruition. Had those who started the civil rights movement simply shrugged their shoulders and said, "The government says this is the right way to do things, so what can we do?" President Obama would not currently be sitting at the helm in a position to lead our country back to prosperity.

America can no longer accept what is happening with its education system. When something is inherently wrong, it must be corrected by allowing all parties to come together to do what is right. Please help us make this happen by declaring July 30th National Support Public Education Day and by supporting our efforts to make America's public education system meet the real needs of every child no matter where he or she might live or what his or her circumstances might be.

To help make this day a reality, and show your support for public education, click on this site, and sign the petition. 

 http://www.change.org/petitions/officially-declare-july-30th-national-support-public-education-day

[Photos from Google]