Balance, October 2018

Balance The health magazine for Body, Mind & Motivation

Volume 10 – Issue 4 – Fall 2018 Published quarterly by the Lewiston Tribune and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News

ADVERTISER INDEX

Allen, Dr. Richard................................................................................................................................. 7 Compassionate Care, Inc.................................................................................................................... 15 Electrolysis - Permanent Hair Removal.................................................................................................. 2 Huckleberry’s at Rosauers.................................................................................................................... 9 Leavitt DMD, Erin............................................................................................................................... 15 Maplewood Dental............................................................................................................................ 19 Ozeran MD, Steven............................................................................................................................. 21 Snake River Community Clinic............................................................................................................ 11 St. Joseph Regional Medical Center..................................................................................................... 24 Tri-State Memorial Hospital................................................................................................................. 5 Whitman Hospital & Medical Center................................................................................................... 19 Balance is published quarterly by the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News and printed at the Tribune Publishing Co. Inc.’s printing facility at 505 Capital St. in Lewiston. To advertise in Balance, contact the Lewiston Tribune advertising department at (208) 848.2216 or the Moscow-Pullman Daily News advertising department at (208) 882.5561. Editorial suggestions and ideas can be sent to Tribune City Editor Mary Stone at mstone@lmtribune.com or Daily News City Editor Josh Babcock at jbabcock@dnews.com.

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Contents Balance – volume 10, issue 4 – Fall 2018

COVER STORY

12

TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT

RELIEF FROM ECZEMA

Remedies that actually work: a commentary

6

KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF

Making Halloween safe for allergy sufferers

HEALTH

WELLNESS

Even during the holidays

8

DISEASE

10

BOXING WITH PARKINSONS DISEASE

How a session in the ring can help

PLUS KEEPING PETS SAFE 4 | A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR 16 | THE FLU 20 | MIGRAINES 22 Fall 2018 -

3

Halloween can be ruff for furry friends Experts offer advice on making holiday safe for cats and dogs

By Joel Mills

of the Lewiston Tribune

While most humans can laugh off the fake horrors of Halloween, the holiday can be anything but a treat for their pets.

The abundance of chocolate is one of the main dangers cited by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The nonprofit organization’s guide for Halloween pet safety indicates any chocolate — especially dark or baking chocolate — is highly toxic for dogs and cats. The society recommends keeping all candy out of reach since chocolate toxicity can be fatal.

Pet food company Purina said owners can take an extra measure of safety by keeping a stash of pet-safe treats on hand to keep their furry friends occupied and disinterested in the candy bowl. Candy other than chocolate can also cause discomfort, including diarrhea and vomiting. And sugar-free candy that contains the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause serious gastrointestinal problems for pets, according to the society.

If a pet does ingest something dangerous, owners should immediately call their vet or the society’s poison control center at (888) 4264435.

Lewiston Tribune/Barry Kough Chocolate is a no-no for dogs and cats, so pet owners should be mindful of bowls of treats left out on Halloween.

- Balance

Candy isn’t the only fright dog and cat owners face on Halloween. Pets can inadvertently cause problems when they tangle with decorations like jack-o’-lanterns that have candles inside.

They can knock them over and cause a fire, or exploring kittens could get burned by an open flame.

Other common decorative plants like corn are

nontoxic, but can still give pets a tummyache, according to the society. And decorations that use electricity should also be placed so kittens and puppies can’t chew on the wires.

recommended easy-on, easy-off costumes that stay away from pets’ heads and necks.

Posting pictures of costumed pets on social media is popular, but the society cautioned against the practice unless owners are sure their pet likes getting dressed up.

“If you do dress your pet up for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit his or her movement, sight or ability to breathe, bark or meow,” according to society information. “Check the costume carefully for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that could present a choking hazard.”

Costumes that don’t fit well can also get twisted on objects or the pet, leading to injury.

The society said owners should test costumes on pets in advance and not force the issue if they show any discomfort or anxiety. Purina

The constant ring of the doorbell and an endless stream of visitors can also be stressful, so the society said all but the most social dogs and cats should be kept away from the front door. And pets should always have proper identification, including tags and chips, in case one does manage to slip out the door.

Pets with a fear of fireworks or storms might get an extra dose of anxiety from all the strange sights and sounds that accompany the holiday, so Purina suggested leaving pets at home for trick-or-treating or other walks around the neighborhood. Snug-fitting “calming” wraps are also available to comfort overwrought cats and dogs, and veterinarians can prescribe sedatives to help them make it through the night.

——— Mills may be contacted at jmills@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266.

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Fall 2018 -

Avoiding seasonal weight gain Having a plan, being active and saying ‘no’ to unhealthy options are good ways to keep added poundage away over the holidays

By Justyna Tomtas

of the Lewiston Tribune

With the string of holidays right around the corner comes a plethora of food indulgences as Halloween candy, loaded mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie become plentiful.

The endless food options may be appealing, but they come with the possibility of seasonal weight gain.

The estimated average weight gain for most Americans through the holiday season is only 1 to 2 pounds, according to Jennifer Raykovich at Clarkston’s TriState Memorial Hospital. But Raykovich, who focuses on outpatient nutrition services and community education, said that can lead to fat stacking up over time.

To avoid the extra pounds, Raykovich said it’s important to “take control” and have a plan.

“Give a polite ‘no, thank you’ to seconds or foods you are trying to avoid. Have a plan for food situations and remember that you are in control of what you eat,” she said.

“Anticipate those special events, social gatherings or the neighbor’s cookie tray that may be tempting.”

Another piece of advice is to inquire about what’s being served ahead of time, so a person can bring a healthy side dish.

Eating a healthy snack before heading to an event will make it easier to opt for something more nutritious, Raykovich said, because it’s harder to say no when a person is excessively hungry.

Lewiston Tribune/Barry Kough Halloween is the first in a string of holidays that threaten to add extra pounds and derail healthy eating habits. Entering the season with a game plan can help prevent seasonal weight gain.

“Individuals may feel like they gain more or notice their clothes fit tighter due to bloating and swelling from an increase in sugary foods and high sodium foods,” she said.

“Unfortunately, if one doesn’t make changes to lose the 2 pounds gained each holiday season, it can result in a 20-pound weight gain over the years.”

- Balance

With the double whammy of colder weather and the holiday rush, most people are less active during the holiday season, which in turn promotes weight gain.

Socializing away from the food, participating in activities not centered on food and maintaining a balanced eating pattern should also help.

And if you’re planning on skipping a meal to save room for one that’s more calorie-laden, Raykovich said don’t. “This will likely lead to overeating,� she said. “Pay attention to your body, honoring feelings of hunger and fullness.�

If a few extra pounds do get added on, she said that can be addressed by having a plan to combat the weight gain.

Mental Fitness Solution

Recognizing unhealthy habits that need to change is a step in the right direction. And having a way to track or monitor one’s success with the help of a visual reminder of the goals in place can also be beneďŹ cial. “Come up with a plan to make the change and set goals,â€? Raykovich said. “Be realistic at what you need to do to reach your goal. Focus on it for at least two weeks so it can start to become a new habit.â€? ——— Tomtas may be contacted at jtomtas@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2294. Follow her on Twitter @jtomtas.

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Fall 2018 -

7

Bleach bath isn’t as bad as it sounds Surprising eczema treatment shows we’ll do just about anything to help a little one Giving a baby a bleach bath sounds like a scene from a horror movie, right? Not so fast.

Turns out, a dip in a tub of highly-diluted bleach water is one in a long list of options for Commentary combatting eczema, which I

By Mary Stone learned when my sweet, spunky of the Lewiston Tribune niece developed a screaming case of the skin condition this past summer.

When my sister and I raised a crop of boys, now in their teens, we dealt with a mild rash or two over the years between the five of them — nothing like what erupted on poor Clara’s knees and elbows, then spread to her previously porcelain legs and arms.

is next to impossible.

Her pediatrician diagnosed her with eczema, and sent my brother-in-law home with instructions to bathe her every other day with the mildest of soaps and apply an emollient cream immediately afterward.

Simple enough, but what cream? A visit to the drugstore revealed a shelf full of choices. Then ads started popping up on social media after I googled eczema. Infinitely more choices.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is common among children, according to mayoclinic.org, and is characterized by red, itchy skin. Worsening symptoms can lead to loss of sleep from discomfort and to infection where the skin is broken. No cure exists, but a variety of treatments have proven helpful for sufferers.

The dry, scaly patches of skin clearly Lewiston Tribune/Mary Stone itched, and scratching A scaly patch of dry skin on my niece’s leg is all that remains from a aggravated the outbreak, recent flare up of eczema after her parents finally found a cream that We soon discovered brought relief from the itchy condition. causing broken skin October is Eczema and open sores. But Awareness Month, convincing a not-quite-2-year-old not to scratch according to the nonprofit National Eczema - Balance

Association — cue more advertisements from more retailers for more remedies.

What sounded to me like a sure-fire soother, Eczema Honey, proved sticky and harmless but no silver bullet. Various other ointments and creams and salves and balms later, my brotherin-law found a tube of “skin protectant” sent home from the hospital when Clara was born, meant for diaper rash. In her particular case, it was the answer. The angry red rash we could never seem to tame faded to a few scaly patches.

In the quest to end the itching, we also discovered the bleach bath. As horrific as it sounds, it’s recommended by everyone from the American Academy of Dermatology to purveyors of “all-natural” skin remedies. It wasn’t a cureall for Clara, but it didn’t seem to cause any harm. It’s amazing what you’ll try when a little one you love is suffering.

——— Stone is the Lewiston Tribune’s city editor and a proud auntie. She can be contacted at (208) 848-2244 or mstone@lmtribune.com

The following tips may help prevent bouts of dermatitis (flares) and minimize the drying effects of bathing: Moisturize at least twice a day. Creams, ointments and lotions seal in moisture. Choose a product or products that work well for you. Using petroleum jelly on your baby’s skin may help prevent eczema from developing.

standard-sized tub filled to the overflow drainage holes.

Try to identify and avoid triggers that worsen the condition. This includes sweat, stress, obesity, soaps, detergents, dust and pollen.

Use only gentle soaps. Choose mild soaps. Deodorant soaps and antibacterial soaps can remove more natural oils and dry your skin.

Infants and children may experience flares from eating certain foods, including eggs, milk, soy and wheat. Talk with your child’s doctor about identifying potential food allergies.

Dry yourself carefully. After bathing, gently pat your skin dry with a soft towel and apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp. (Source: the Mayo Clinic via mayoclinic.org.)

Take shorter baths or showers. Limit baths and showers to 10 to 15 minutes, and use warm, rather than hot, water.

Take a bleach bath. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends considering a bleach bath to help prevent flares. A diluted-bleach bath decreases bacteria on the skin and related infections. Add 1/2 cup of household bleach, not concentrated bleach, to a 40-gallon bathtub filled with warm water. Measures are for a U.S.-

Soak from the neck down or just the affected areas of skin for about 10 minutes. Do not submerge the head. Take a bleach bath no more than twice a week.

Another tip comes from a nurse practitioner friend whose son battles eczema: After the mild bath and application of thick cream (including a steroid cream, if prescribed), dress child in a damp cotton one-piece pajama, topped with a dry fleece pajama, for warmth. Sleeping in the full-body “wet-bandage,” along with prescription medication, helped clear her son’s flare-ups.

There is no shortage of creams, ointments, balms and other remedies advertised to calm eczema.

Doctors recommend an emollient cream, but discovering which one works best might require a lot of trial and error.

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Giving Parkinson’s Disease the old one-two Boxing proves therapeutic for individuals battling debilitating illness

By Elaine Williams

of the Lewiston Tribune

Sweat glistened from Adair Becker’s forehead as she checked her Fitbit.

Becker’s hand was shaking so much after she completed a boxing workout, she couldn’t read her statistics. It didn’t matter.

The data that’s critical to Becker, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, isn’t measured by the device.

It involves her ability to move her body in ways other people take for granted, such as turning her head and picking up her feet when she walks.

Becker is certain those skills are better after just four weeks of participating in Rock Steady Boxing LC Valley.

“I just love this program,” said Becker, 51, of Genesee. “This is the greatest thing in the world.”

Becker is one of about 20 Parkinson’s boxers who take the classes, which were introduced this fall through a not-for-profit group operated by volunteers.

The classes are offered throughout the nation, and research has found the exercise routine stops, reverses or reduces symptoms of the illness, said Karen Zielinski, one of the volunteer instructors.

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder many know because actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with it. The illness isn’t fatal on its own, but complications from it are the 14th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the 10 - Balance

Parkinson’s Foundation. Common symptoms involve tremors and issues with balance.

Preventing the progression of Parkinson’s is Becker’s goal. A former optician, she suspected something was wrong about three years ago when she lost the coordination to make more complicated adjustments to glasses.

Sympathetic co-workers performed the tasks for her before a friend hired her for the job she has now as sales and marketing director for Brookdale assisted living in Lewiston, Becker said. “(My friend) just knew I could sell anything.”

Instead of helping people with their vision, she finds safe places for seniors to live.

She enjoys the residents and has a special empathy for those suffering from Parkinson’s, who also give her motivation to battle the disease.

“It makes me see what I don’t want to happen to me,” she said.

The medical advice she received identified exercise as being among the best remedies.

She heeded the recommendation and made walking and gardening priorities, Becker said.

But the intensity of the boxing classes has produced results that eluded her on her own.

“My neck and shoulders feel good when I’m done working out,” she said.

It also helps with a lesser-known symptom of Parkinson’s, anxiety, Becker said.

Lewiston Tribune/Steve Hanks Adair Becker, left, participates in a boxing class at Rock Steady Boxing LC Valley in Lewiston. The activity is meant to help combat the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.

“It helps us burn that up a little bit.”

Becker’s experience reflects that of other students, Zielinski said.

Her group is comprised of individuals in the earlier stages of Parkinson’s. Some, like Becker, are still working. Yet they were precarious on their feet when they started.

In barely a month, their walking has improved, and they are starting to run in between exercise stations, said Zielinski, an occupational therapist at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.

She teaches another class with patients who are in later stages of the disease, moving with the help of canes and walkers.

That group, too, is seeing measurable gains. They have moved from sitting to standing when they box with bags, Zielinski said.

The workouts are tailored to the ability of the students. The students always punch bags, not each other.

They do pushups from the side of the boxing ring or the wall, not from the floor. They sometimes hold onto family members or volunteers to avoid falling.

The key is motivating the students to go a little beyond where they are without going too far, Zielinski said.

“My philosophy is I’m going to push you until you don’t think you can’t stand it anymore, and then I’m going to have you do it again,” she said.

——— Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.

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Fall 2018 - 11

Boo! Food allergies are not the fun kind of scary Teal Pumpkin Project encourages households to offer nonfood treats on Halloween

By ERIC BARKER

of the Lewiston Tribune

Halloween and trick-or-treating is cherished by most American children, but for kids with severe food allergies the holiday can be a time of stress and anxiety.

While most youngsters relish a night of collecting candy and other goodies, kids with nut, dairy and other allergies often feel excluded from the fun.

Michaela Owens of Clarkston skips trick-ortreating with her 6-year-old son Wade Owens and instead takes him to Halloween-themed events where the focus is not on candy. Owen is allergic to dairy and peanuts and has celiac disease — an autoimmune disorder that makes people sick when they eat gluten. That makes treats with chocolate, nuts or any kind of cookies or wafers off limits. His sister, Madeline, is also allergic to dairy.

“He pretty much doesn’t eat any of the candy he gets,” Michaela Owens said. “I buy his candy, and we trade. We usually try to go to church harvest fairs with other things to do.”

Stephanie Bodden of Lewiston uses a similar strategy to make Halloween fun for her 5-year-old daughter Rogue Ruggiero-Bodden, who is allergic 12 - Balance

to dairy and gluten. They look for events such as harvest festivals that include non-candy activities such as pumpkin picking or hay rides.

But no matter the event, candy distribution is usually a strong component of it. So the parents work to make sure they have alternative treats.

“Anything she can’t have we will trade with other kids for candy she can have, and we have a little stockpile at home that we can switch out for hers,” Bodden said. “She is getting to the age where it’s disappointing, and she is realizing things are different for her, so it’s not always fun because she knows she is going to have to switch things out.”

Owens said her son is also becoming more aware that Halloween is different for him.

“He has his moments (of disappointment),” she said. “I try really hard to make up for that. I buy special candy for him.”

Both Bodden and Owens are proponents of a movement that is attempting to make Halloween more inclusive for children with food allergies.

Known as the Teal Pumpkin Project, it asks people to keep a stash of nonfood treats, such as small toys or stickers, to hand out to trick-or-treaters with food allergies. Homes participating in the movement

Lewiston Tribune/Pete Caster Wade Owens, 6, his sister Madeline, 4, and Rogue Ruggiero-Bodden, 5, pick out toys instead of candy from a teal pumpkin basket. The trio of young trick-or-treaters all have food allergies that prevent them from eating traditional Halloween candy.

place a teal-colored pumpkin on their front stoops to signal they have nonfood items available.

“It’s up and coming,” said Owens of the movement that is still little-known to much of the public but may be catching on. “At Walmart they had some packets of nontreat toys with teal pumpkins on it. That is nice there is an organization to build some awareness.”

Bodden said she hasn’t seen any teal pumpkins on

porches yet but hopes it will catch on.

“That would be awesome,” she said. “There are some great places to go (trick-or-treating) in the (Lewiston-Clarkston) Valley like down by the (Lewiston) High School and (Jenifer) Junior High School, but I have not seen that in the valley at all.”

——— Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.

Fall 2018 - 13

Sugar-powered detection WSU researchers develop sugar-powered sensor to detect, prevent disease

By Siddharth Vodnala

of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture

PULLMAN — Researchers at Washington State University have developed an implantable, biofuelpowered sensor that runs on sugar and can monitor a body’s biological signals to detect, prevent and diagnose diseases.

A cross-disciplinary research team led by Subhanshu Gupta, assistant professor in WSU’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, developed the unique sensor, which, enabled by the biofuel cell, harvests glucose from body fluids to run.

The research team has demonstrated a unique integration of the biofuel cell with electronics to process physiological and biochemical signals with high sensitivity.

Their work recently was published in the IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems journal.

Professors Su Ha and Alla Kostyukova from the Gene and Linda School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, led design of the biofuel cell.

Many popular sensors for disease detection are either watches, which need to be recharged, or patches that are worn on the skin, which are superficial and can’t be embedded. The sensor developed by the WSU team could also remove the need to prick a finger for testing of certain diseases, such as diabetes.

“The human body carries a lot of fuel in its bodily fluids through blood glucose or lactate around the skin and mouth,” said Gupta. “Using a biofuel cell opens the door to using the body as potential fuel.”

14 - Balance

The electronics in the sensor use state-of-theart design and fabrication to consume only a few microwatts of power while being highly sensitive.

Coupling these electronics with the biofuel cell makes it more efficient than traditional batterypowered devices, said Gupta. Since it relies on body glucose, the sensor’s electronics can be powered indefinitely. So, for instance, the sensor could run on sugar produced just under the skin.

Unlike commonly used lithium-ion batteries, the biofuel cell is also completely nontoxic, making it more promising as an implant for people, he said. It is also more stable and sensitive than conventional biofuel cells.

The researchers say their sensor could be manufactured cheaply through mass production, by leveraging economies of scale.

While the sensors have been tested in the lab, the researchers are hoping to test and demonstrate them in blood capillaries, which will require regulatory approval. The researchers are also working on further improving and increasing the power output of their biofuel cell.

“This brings together the technology for making a biofuel cell with our sophisticated electronics,” said Gupta. “It’s a very good marriage that could work for many future applications.”

The research team also included Yuehe Lin, Annie Du from the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and Martin Schiavenato, formerly with WSU’s College of Nursing and now with Walden University.

The project to develop the sensor was funded by a WSU Grand Challenges seed grant.

Courtesy of Washington State University Researchers Su Ha and Subhanshu Gupta hold a biofuel cell up to examine.

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Fall 2018 - 15

Heather Jablonowski was 32 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She posed for these photos in 2015, before her double mastectomy. She said persistence and trusting her gut might have saved her life.

Robert Bruce Photography

Michigan cancer survivor’s life-saving advice: know your body Kristen Jordan Shamus of the Detroit Free Press

Breast cancer survivor Heather Jablonowski of Berkley has this message for women — and men, too: Perform monthly breast self-exams and know your body. If something feels amiss, push doctors for answers.

That approach just might have saved her life.

There was no lump, often a telltale sign for women with breast cancer. But Jablonowski felt a troubling pain in her right breast in the fall of 2014.

If her bra rubbed it the wrong way or if she 16 - Balance

bumped the sore spot, Jablonowski said it “stopped me dead in my tracks because it was painful.”

A registered nurse and lactation consultant, Jablonowski, then 32, knew what was normal for her, and this was definitely not normal.

Her family history of cancer was also worrisome.

Her grandmother died of breast cancer when she was in her 30s; her great grandmother died of breast cancer, too.

She mentioned the pain to her obstetriciangynecologist in early 2015; he suggested a mammogram and ultrasound.

He also offered this advice, which has remained

with Jablonowski years later: “ ‘No matter what happens at the imaging center, I want you to try to get into the breast care center to see the specialist.’ ” The mammogram and ultrasound revealed nothing suspicious.

A radiologist told Jablonowski that the pain she was feeling was “probably related to the breastfeeding and the lactating. It could be dense breast tissue,’ “ Jablonowski recalled. She had breastfed all three of her daughters — Charlotte and twins Audrey and Ashlyn. The twins had been weaned for about a year when she started feeling the pain.

She suggested Jablonowski come back in six months to be re-evaluated. She was told: ‘Breast cancer is not painful.’ ” Except for when it is.

“In a medical world that does have a lot of definites, a lot of black and white, there still remains this gray area, and that’s where I fell,” Jablonowski said. “I had to be my own advocate and had to push for things a bit.”

PRESSING FOR ANSWERS Jablonowski asked to see a breast surgeon.

The radiologist wouldn’t give her a referral, so Jablonowski instead made an appointment at the breast care center with a specialist.

There, she met resistance again.

The breast specialist, Jablonowski said, “was positive that things were OK,” and mentioned that the pain in her right breast was most likely linked to lactating.

Jablonowski was emphatic. “I don’t know what to do, but something about this doesn’t feel normal,” she said.

She was given three options: Come back for a recheck in three months, have a fine-needle aspiration of the tissue to check for cancer cells or schedule an MRI of the breast.

Jablonowski chose the fine-needle aspiration.

A couple weeks later, an email message loaded

with warnings and alerts about abnormal test results appeared in Jablonowski’s inbox.

“My heart just sunk,” she said. “I knew, not even having to read it.” She called her husband, Adam Jablonowski, who also is a registered nurse, with the news.

“I just blurted out, ‘It’s cancer,’ ” she said, “and he was like, ‘I will be right home.’ He came home about 20 minutes later, and I hadn’t moved. I was sitting on the floor, crying in the bathroom. The shower was running. He comes in, sits down next to me and just holds me. We’re both sobbing.”

Soon after, Jablonowski met with a surgeon and again was met with skepticism.

“The surgeon comes in and she pretty much said to me, ‘I don’t believe these results.

I don’t feel like this is cancer. … I feel like lactating cells can look abnormal,’ ” Jablonowski said.

But when the surgeon did a breast exam, Jablonowski said, the conversation abruptly changed.

“I could just see it on her face, and I was just like, ‘OK. I know she feels this. There it is,’ ” she said.

Although there was no lump, the tissue on the lower part of her breast was firm and felt more dense than the rest of her breast.

Jablonowski later learned that she had ductal carcinoma in situ in her right breast, at the earliest possible stage “0” but it was grade 3, which means it was fast-growing and aggressive.

The cancer had spread across a large section of her breast and included her right nipple. A multidisciplinary team of doctors recommended a mastectomy followed by radiation.

Jablonowski had both breasts removed in May 2015.

“When we got those pathology results back, I just remember sitting there thinking, had I listened to that radiologist, where would I have been six months Fall 2018 - 17

from then? Technically, it was stage 0, but it was grade 3, so fast growing.

“Who knows what would have happened? I kept thinking … the whole time I was having to be my own advocate. A layperson, who doesn’t have a medical background, who maybe doesn’t do breast exams” would be in trouble, she said, adding that a lot of people put blind trust in their doctors.

“My gut was telling me it was cancer, and I felt like I had to push through those roadblocks. It makes me think, man, there are people who don’t advocate for themselves.”

She hopes that by telling her story, it might help someone else whose symptoms are nagging or suspicious to keep pushing for answers even when doctors insist nothing is wrong.

shock and what to expect,” she said. Eating well and exercising became more important than ever before.

She found catharsis in journaling and yoga.

But it took years for Jablonowski to come to terms with the thoughts about what might have happened if she hadn’t pushed for answers. And she still worries that there could be a recurrence.

“I am three years out, and I am just now to the point where I can go to a follow-up appointment, and I’m not in a dark place anymore,” she said.

“Your treatment might be done, and you’ve been given the all clear, but I think emotionally, and mentally, it’s still a struggle. Like I was telling Adam, it’s three years out, and I’m finally not thinking about it every single day.”

Last year, Jablonowski took the stage to Robert Bruce Photography SUPPORT IN model a Wonder Heather Jablonowski of Berkley cuddles with her husband, Adam Jablonowski, RECOVERY Woman art bra in before breast surgery. She was 32 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She the annual Bras had a double mastectomy, radiation and later, reconstructive surgery.

Jablonowski for a Cause fundunderwent two raiser for Gilda’s months of radiation treatment to her right chest wall, Club Metro Detroit.

Her song was Eminem’s “Not and also had breast reconstruction surgery. She is Afraid.” now three years cancer-free.

Getting through that time was challenging.

“When I was diagnosed, I remember feeling … very alone, and not knowing what was going to be happening,” Jablonowski said.

She reached out to a high school classmate who’d had breast cancer in her 20s, and a woman whose daughter attended the same preschool as hers who also was a breast cancer survivor.

“Those two helped me get through the initial 18 - Balance

“There are some pretty powerful lyrics on that one,” she said.

It took courage, she said, and she was nervous, but getting up there felt great.

“I remember standing backstage, and it was so loud, and I was so nervous. I walked out, my nerves were gone. That crowd was so inspiring, she said. “I remember being like, ‘oh my gosh, this is amazing.’”

Jablonowski loved it so much, she’ll do it again

this year when Bras for a Cause returns for its 10th anniversary event Saturday at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. It’ll feature the survivor runway show along with live and silent auctions, and more.

In a few days, Jablonowski will be on that stage again, hoping with every step she shows others facing similar diagnoses that they, too, can be brave in the face of a cancer diagnosis.

“How incredible each of these survivors are, in that each of them have a different story, a different journey,” said Kevin Watson, a member of the Gilda’s Club board of directors. His wife, Shannon Iezzi Watson, founded Bras for a Cause in 2009; she died of breast cancer a few months after the first event.

That, she thinks, is one of her life’s missions.

She recalls an appointment with her plastic surgeon about two months after her mastectomy surgery.

“They get up there and … they’re vulnerable.

They’re wearing an art bra and some of them have walked the catwalk bald or going through treatments and some of them are in pain when they’re up there.

But they check all of that baggage at the door and they’re up there and they are so awe-inspiring.

The people that attend the event get more out of it than the survivors do, even though it’s intended to showcase the bravery and the strength and the resolve that each of them have.”

“He was like, ‘Heather, I just can’t figure out why this happened to you. I can’t figure it out.’ ” she said.

“And I said, ‘You know what, the only silver lining I can think of right now … is I’ve been out of mastectomy maybe eight weeks, and I’ve had three people reach out to me already because they’ve needed help. I’ve given them information and tips and tricks to get through things that physicians aren’t going to tell them. …

“He looks at me, and he was like, ‘That’s it. That has to be why this happened to you.’

“I held it together, but when I was done, I got into the car and I sobbed.”

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A leading killer: the flu Flu killed more Americans last season than car crashes and drug overdoses

By Ese Olumhense

of the Chicago Tribune

Last flu season was the most deadly in years and Chicago public health advocates are urging residents to get vaccinated.

More than 80,000 people died from the flu last season in the United States, according to early estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although it’s far lower than the almost 700,000 people who died in the U.S. during the so-called Spanish flu pandemic that hit worldwide 100 years ago, last season was a “recordbreaking” death toll, the highest since at least the late 1970s, according to the CDC.

during the 2017-18 season as the season before, with 38 of those admitted to intensive care dying in Chicago, versus 17 the year before.

Area emergency rooms, including Stroger Hospital’s, were inundated with sick patients. A little fewer than 700 visited Stroger with flu-like illness last season, more than three times the number who went there the year before.

A sizable portion of the patients who went to Stroger Hospital’s emergency room with flu-like symptoms were not those doctors would expect to see, said Dr. Jenny Lu, an emergency physician at the West Side hospital.

Generally, the very old, the very young or those with major medical problems like diabetes, heart disease or immune AP The flu deaths last In this October 1918 photo made available by the Library of conditions would make Congress, St. Louis Red Cross Motor Corps personnel wear masks season were nearly 10,000 up the overwhelming as they hold stretchers next to ambulances in preparation for higher than the estimated portion of those severely victims of the influenza epidemic. number who died from ill with flu. But last drug overdoses and almost season was different, Lu said. The patients who came double the number of those estimated to have died through were not elderly, and often were quite healthy in motor vehicle crashes. An estimated 900,000 plus otherwise — “People you wouldn’t think would have were hospitalized, the public health agency said. In the flu,” she said.

Illinois, more than 2,300 were admitted to intensive It’s too early to say how bad this flu season is going care units for flu-related illness. to be — the CDC won’t even start tracking flu cases Chicago was not spared. Between October and for the season until later this month — but it’s better May, more than 580 were admitted to ICUs for fluto take precautions as soon as possible, experts say. related illness. That’s more than double the previous Although many might balk at getting a flu shot season, during which 275 were admitted. The flu — more than 60 percent of adults in Chicago did killed more than twice as many people in Chicago 20 - Balance

not get one by November last year, according to the Chicago health department — getting it sooner may prevent serious illness, hospitalization or death. “Only 29 percent of those hospitalized in ICUs received a flu shot,� said Dr. Marielle Fricchione, medical director of the city’s immunizations program. “About 18 percent of those who died received a flu shot.�

Children especially can be helped by the flu vaccine. Last season, 172 children died from flurelated illnesses in the United States — a record for a flu season, according to the CDC. About 80 percent of those who died had not received a shot. Nine children in Illinois died.

The vaccine, available now, may make the flu less severe if someone does catch it. That may be the difference between a weeklong stay in intensive care and a few days spent in bed with aches and sniffles.

The needle-fearing don’t have an excuse either — after advising the public to avoid the nasal spray version of the flu vaccine for the last two years, the CDC has given it the green light this season. “Now is a good time to get it,� said Lu. “There are a lot of places the general public can go to get vaccinated.� This may be the ideal time to get the vaccine, Lu and other experts say, as it takes two weeks to become fully effective. Immunity from flu is expected to last through January for those who get vaccinated now, Fricchione said.

The number of those who died of flu or related complications last season is small in comparison to the number who died during 1918.

Again, Chicago was not spared; in a period of just over 30 hours in early October 1918, close to 800 new cases of flu were reported. “The records of deaths were more startling,� said an Oct. 4, 1918, report in the Chicago Daily Tribune. “Seventy-six deaths were ascribed to influenza and forty-three to pneumonia during the thirty hour period.�

There was no flu shot then, and city health officials appeared to struggle with how to contain the contagion. “Virtual quarantine� was declared, with each sick citizen “commanded to go to his home and stay there,� announced the city health department. No visitors were to be allowed.

Days later, another report notes, the city health commissioner asked the police chief to order the arrest of “all persistent coughers and sneezers who fail to cover their faces with handkerchiefs.�

Schools were also briefly closed. Even theater managers made announcements before shows, asking the owners of “persistent coughs� to exit. Church pastors did the same before their services.

A century later, public health experts have simpler advice, made easier by the development of the flu vaccine. “If you want to protect those in our communities who are most at risk of getting sick, get a flu shot,� said Fricchione.

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Migraine patients can now try three new drugs for prevention

By Stacey Burling

of the The Philadelphia Inquirer

Until this year, migraine sufferers had to make do with drugs originally developed for other medical conditions, such as high blood pressure or depression.

Now, there are three new drugs that were developed just for preventing the horrible headaches.

Erenumab (Aimovig) was approved by the FDA in May. Fremanezumab (Ajovy) was approved in September and is now available. Galcanezumab (Emgality) was approved late in September and recently began arriving in doctors’ offices.

“They have a lot of promise and are potentially very important,” said Katherine Hamilton, a headache specialist at Penn Medicine. The drugs, which are injected under the skin, offer hope for patients who have not responded to other treatments, but Hamilton said that what is “potentially even more clinically relevant is they have a lower side-effect profile” than other medications commonly used for migraine. She added, though, that it remains to be seen how patients who take them for long periods will fare. As new drugs, their long-term impact is not yet known.

Stephen Silberstein, director of the Jefferson Headache Center, said about 800 of his migraine patients are on a list to start taking the drugs. He was involved in testing erenumab and helped design and run the trial for fremanezumab, so many of his patients were involved in the clinical trials and have already tried the medicines.

Silberstein said insurance is expected to offset erenumab’s price tag, about $600 a month, but 22 - Balance

patients will be eligible only if they have tried other drugs first and found they didn’t help. He and Hamilton said some other migraine drugs have similar costs.

Louis Colburn, 71, a retired police officer and security manager who gets migraines most days of the week, was among the first of Silberstein’s patients to try fremanezumab. His headaches, he said, are “just like somebody’s got a drill inside your brain.” He watched calmly last week as nurse practitioner Rachel Seligman emptied three syringes under the skin of his left thigh.

The shots should last three months. Silberstein said Colburn should see results in a week. He expects that patients with frequent headaches won’t mind getting three shots at once. “If you realized how bad a migraine headache is, the shots don’t matter,” he said.

Migraines affect 40 million people in the United States. These drugs were tested in people with chronic migraines, defined as 15 or more headaches a month.

One to 2 percent of the population falls into that category.

The new drugs are monoclonal antibodies aimed at CGRP (calcium-gene-related peptide), a string of amino acids that play a role in how people experience pain, and must be injected. All can be taken monthly, but fremanezumab has the advantage of also having the option of quarterly shots. The drugs have different mechanisms, but they prevent CGRP from working normally. Another drug that targets CGRP and will be given intravenously is in development, Silberstein said.

Competition may bring costs down, he said.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Superhigh frequency 4. Sinatra’s ex-wife 7. Unity 12. Not useful 15. One who mocks 16. Teachers 18. ‘Pollock’ actor Harris 19. Fifth note of a major scale 20. A type of coalition 21. Aircraft transmitters 24. Where golfers begin 27. We all have them 30. Monetary unit 31. Calendar month 33. Pouch-like structure 34. Winter sport tool 35. Minneapolis suburb 37. __ student, learns healing 39. Keyboard key 41. Brief proposal 42. Gasteyer and Ivanovic are two 44. Lunatic 47. Cool!

48. Japanese musician 49. Successor to League of Nations 50. Actor Diesel 52. The Constitution State 53. Go back over 56. One long or stressed syllable followed by unstressed syllable 61. All of it 63. Seriousness 64. Adds color east 65. __kosh, near Lake Winnebago 12. Prizes for victory 13. Great amount 14. Goodwill (archaic) 17. Suspicion of having committed 1. Turfs a crime 2. Handle 22.

Signed one’s name 3. Floating ice 23.

Quake 4. Railways 24. Exercise system __-bo 5. Breathe in 25. Round Dutch cheese 6. Neutralizes alkalis 26. Ready to go 7. Coenzyme A 28. Khoikhoi peoples 8. Make a mistake 29. Opera scene 9. Tin 32. Husband of Sita (Hindu) 10. Parts of a machine 11. Midway between northeast and 36. A sign of assent 38. Cut a rug

CLUES DOWN

40. An army unit mounted on horseback 43. Satisfies 44. Austrian river 45. In a more positive way 46. Religious creed 51. Brazilian NBA star 54. One and only 55. Street 56. Explosive 57. Gambling town 58. Public crier calls 59. Hard money 60. Time units (abbr.)

62. Exists

Crossword

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Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Solutions on page 7 Fall 2018 -

23