Spokane CDA Woman July/August 2015 by Spokane Coeur d'Alene Living

July/August 2015 | Issue 22

spokanecdawoman.com

Wedding Trends for a Hot Summer

Battle Back McKenzie Capka

compassionate women's healthcare

Jody M. Hechtman, M.D. F.M. McCaffree, M.D. Robin Messinger, M.D. Steven J. Richards, M.D. TraciÂ A. Satterfield, M.D. Lori S. Smetana, M.D. Allison Sayre, A.R.N.P. L. Jan Wills, A.R.N.P BrieAnne Gray, A.R.N.P. Sally Delger A.R.N.P

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Inside

July/August 2015

contents

features

Day in the Life: Becky Wortman has a sweet job. As a buttercream artist, Becky creates stunning, edible masterpieces and has been zipped all over the country to show off her talents.

Role Model: Suzy Dix is a successful real estate agent but she’s also part of a family that has a unique legacy. As this issue’s Role Model, Suzy share the story of her commitment to building a better Spokane and her family's work to help those who need it the most.

The Battle Back from a Stroke: McKenzie Capka was a care-free college student before her life was altered by a stroke. For a girl who wasn't expected to survive, she broke all odds and is slowly getting back into life as a young woman facing a future of possibility.

Derm Health: Loving the skin we’re in can be a challenge, no matter what shape it is in. We check in with a couple of local experts on topics that are on the forefront of concern.

on the

cover

McKenzie Capka

Photography:

Kelly Tareski Photography

Find Spokane CDA Woman magazine on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SpokaneCDAWoman

July_August 2015

Vol. 4 Issue 4

July/August 2015

Editorial

Editor | Stephanie Regalado editor@spokanecdawoman.com

Art Direction | Graphics Art Director/Lead Graphic Designer Kristi Somday | kristi@spokanecda.com Traffic Manager/Graphic Designer Camille Martin | camille@spokanecda.com

Contributors

Kate Armstrong, Dr. Cameron Chesnut, Sarah Hamilton, Tiffany Harms, Dennis Held, Julie Humphreys, Jennifer LaRue, Diane Maehl, Kathryn Miles, Cheryl-Anne Millsap, Judith Spitzer, Kelly Tareski

Operations Director of Operations Kim Morin | kim@spokanecda.com Accounts Receivable and Distribution Theresa Berglund | theresa@spokanecda.com

Nurture Body, Mind & Spirit through Healing Arts

Events Hot Summer Nights, Best of the City, B2B Jennifer Evans | j@allfortheencore.com Release Parties: events@bozzimedia.com

Publisher & CEO | Vincent Bozzi vince@spokanecda.com

Co-Publisher | Emily Guevarra Bozzi emily@spokanecda.com

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St. Joseph Family Center is an outpatient counseling, spirituality and healing arts center located near the U District.

(509) 483-6495 | www.sjfconline.org 1016 N. Superior St. Spokane, WA 99202

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Spokane CDA Woman is published bi-monthly by Bozzi Media. 104 S Freya | Ste 209 | Spokane WA 99202-4866 Phone: 509.533.5350 | Fax: 509.535.3542 All contents ÂŠ 2015. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Neither Bozzi Media nor Spokane CDA Woman assumes responsibility for errors in content, photos or advertisements.

Editor's letter

Standing in Possibility

My Best,

photo by Kelly Tareksi

he interpersonal growth and communication conference was slowly losing me until the female facilitator challenged each one of the 140 participants to reach out to our parents, regardless of the state of the relationship, to thank them for their childhood. The little hairs rose up on the back of my neck as I elongated my posture, breathed in the insane recommendation, and looked around to see if I could make eyes with anyone thinking what I was thinking: she is one whackadoodle woman. I had blocked my dad on Facebook earlier in the week and had poured concrete blocks of resolve around my feet to keep my distance from the promise of the sting associated with loving him. We were released on break and sent off to make those calls. I did not pass “go” as I carried myself straight out of the conference room and into the sunshine. I needed to scramble into the fresh, warm air to fill my lungs, head and heart with something other than the crazy gas she was emitting in that room. I strolled over to a patch of grass and sprawled out onto my back, letting the weight of my body press me to the ground. “Just breathe,” I coaxed. I focused on the sun’s soft fingertips dancing on my skin. I breathed her words out of my head. And then swirled in her previous talk about integrity. Mother of Pearl, you have to be kidding me. I knew there must be reasons for her insanity, although I didn’t care to drink the juice. I knew I had to at least go back in and plead my case as to why I wouldn’t participate. Keith, one of the coaches, greeted me at the door. I could see my reflection in his kind eyes. I could see that I had pulled on my mad pants. He could see it, too. “I just want to let you know there is no way I’m participating in this exercise,” I explained. “And there is nothing you can say to convince me otherwise.” “Can you let the past be the past?” he asked. I explained it wasn’t my first rodeo, and that reaching out only resulted in being stung. “But that was in the past, even if it was just five minutes ago,” he said. There are things that occur, and then the resulting stories we develop based on meanings we associate with those actions. The facilitator, and her coaches, shared the fact that the reality is we only really know what occurred. The stories are our own mechanisms, none of which would be a bad thing if they weren’t contributing to our pain, hurt and animosity . . . which aren’t hindrances to others the way they are to us. We carry around all of these stories, all of this baggage, taking the heavy words into every new relationship. “What if you cleared out a new space of possibility,” said Keith. “Where you envision your relationship to be exactly as you prefer it, full of love, kindness, respect . . . however that may look. Step into that space, call from that space.” I continued hearing the melody of the facilitator’s words: “I’m not recommending this for your parents, I’m recommending this for you so you can set yourself free,” she had said. I dialed my dad’s number as I walked back out into the sunshine, sparing no time to reconsider. The message machine picked up. “I’m just calling to let you know I love you, Dad.” The rush of tears turned my voice into a small child’s. “I’m sorry for ever hurting you. I wish we could have a relationship, I wish I could have you in my life. Thank you for giving me life and for all of the wonderful qualities within me that I gleaned from you over the years.” I called back three times to pour out all of the love I felt from that new space of possibility. And then I stood still on the bridge in the middle of Riverfront Park, staring down at the rush of the Spokane River as tears streamed down my face and people made their way around me. I wanted to crawl under one of the big shady trees and stay there a while. But I stood on the bridge while the concrete blocks of angry resolve melted away from my feet. I stood on the bridge with blurred vision as I felt all of the weighty, emotional moths take flight from my shoulders, and head to the heavens as butterflies. It was heartbreaking and beautiful and brutal and I knew I would be okay even if he never returned the call or the love or the possibility, because I now held enough for the two of us.

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photo by Joni Kabana

Achievement

Medication

Cheryl Strayed

Exercise

Sweet

Art

Role

Model

Up Front

to keynote YWCA Women of Achievement Luncheon

heryl Strayed is the author of the number one New York Times bestselling memoir Wild. At age 22, Cheryl thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she hiked 1,000 miles along he Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she did it alone. The book is peppered with the colorful characters she encountered along the way, as she struggled to find inner peace and stability. Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her. Cheryl’s personal struggles and story of survival motivate and inspire crowds. She is a dynamic speaker, and her moving rhetoric resonates with audiences of all sizes. Wild was featured as Oprah Winfrey’s first selection for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0. The story also inspired producer and actress Reese Witherspoon to bring Wild to the big screen in 2014. The movie adaptation of Wild was directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, with a screenplay by Nick Hornby, and stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl and Laura Dern as Cheryl’s mother, Bobbi. Both Dern and Witherspoon were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances in the film. She is also the author of The New York Times bestselling advice essay collection Tiny Beautiful Things, a collection of her widely popular Dear Sugar columns for TheRumpus.net, and the critically acclaimed novel Torch, which was a finalist for the Great Lakes Book Award. She is also author of the forthcoming quotes collection, Brave Enough. Her books have been translated into almost 30 languages around the world. The Women of Achievement Luncheon is scheduled for October 1, at the Spokane Convention Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Ticket information can be found at www.ywcaspokane.com or by calling (509) 326-1190.

July_August 2015

Move that body

EXERCISE IS OFTEN GOOD MEDICINE, BUT IS MEDICINE GOOD FOR EXERCISING? Five over the counter medications and their impacts on your workout

By Kate Armstrong

“Working out”

or any form of physical activity, for that matter, has been accepted as a form of pain and disease management in the medical community for decades. But, we must understand the role of the medications that we take when it comes to our daily exercise routines. “Pain Relievers” Many of us are guilty of popping an ibuprofen before we work out, as either a preventative measure, or to help us get through an existing pain. But recent studies have shown repeated use of ibuprofen, or NSAIDs, can cause inflammation of the digestive tract. Try acetaminophen as an alternative, which is proven to cause less intestinal injury.

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“Sleep Aids” If you take an OTC sleep aid and don’t get seven to eight hours of sleep immediately following, chances are you’ll probably be drowsy the first hours you are awake. So, try planning your workout later in the day. While having the remnants of sleep medication in your

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“Antihistamines” Allergy season can be in the spring for one person, and the fall for another. However, when combining this type of medication with your “workout season,” consider taking a non-sedating antihistamine, such as fexofenadine (Allegra), lloratadine (Claritin), or cetirizine (Zyrtec). Other antihistamines do contain sedatives, which mean you shouldn’t be operating a can opener, let alone lifting weights above your head.

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“Decongestants” You’ve seen it time and time before . . . that person at the gym who obviously has a cold and they’re trying to just “work through it.” On behalf of all gym staff members, please stay home. Take a few days off. Don’t worry, the gym will still be standing when you come back. And, if you’re on your third or fourth day of taking a decongestant used to treat cold and flu symptoms, chances are your heart rate and blood pressure are already heightened due to the medicine. Adding additional strain to your heart could increase your risk for a stroke. “Cough Medicine” Easy rule of thumb to follow when considering exercising while taking cough medicine: don't. Most cough medicines contain either pseudoephedrine or dextromethorphine, sometimes even both. These elements can make you drowsy, which makes you more susceptible to injury, and dramatically reduces your workout’s effectiveness. It is important to take all prescribed medications as instructed, and don’t discontinue any medication without consulting your doctor. Discuss any side effects or other concerns you have so you can continue to exercise for a healthy body, mind and soul.

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In addition to her full-time job in Corporate America, Kate Armstrong is a licensed fitness instructor, producing annual Zumba Fitness events. www.ZMeDance.com.

July_August 2015

A Day in the life

photos by Diane Maehl Photography

with Becky Wortman, Buttercream Sculptor Extraordinaire

Gifted Hands By Jennifer LaRue

Literally

& Edible Wonders

and figuratively, Becky Wortman has a sweet job, one that might cause Chef Gordon Ramsey to replace his typical departing phrase “piss off” with “lovely,” “stunning” or even leave him speechless. Looking at the fruits of her labor, you cannot help but be at a loss for words as your head tilts one way and then the other. Really? That’s buttercream? Becky grew up in Spokane. She attended Rogers High School where she knew she wanted to be an artist of some kind. “I painted and drew but I just didn’t know my place,” she says. She joined the Navy after high school so she could afford college. For the next four years, she was a Master-at-arms (military police) in San Diego. She then returned to Spokane, met her husband, and became a stay-at-home mom. Time passed. She didn’t have much more time to use her GI Bill and she liked to bake so she enrolled in the professional baking program at Spokane Community College. And that was it. No, seriously, that was it; she found her place and she found that she had talent; smashing the cookie cutters and doing it her way. “I knew I was a little different,” she says. “When we started making cakes, I got very irritated because they were all done the same way. I was stubborn; I wanted color and texture and I wanted to do it my way.” In the baking program, students were required to participate in the annual Washington State Sugar Artists (WSSA) cake show competition. “We were given a list of options and told not to expect to win,” Becky explains. “I took that as a challenge.” She didn’t want to do a sculpted cake (how cliché) but she did want to sculpt so she got busy on a 50 pound block of cooking lard, meticulously (and messily) creating a Greek pillar with a head on top of it and her work was voted the Best Sugar Sculpture for 2012. “It blew up from there,” she says.

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Since then, her work has been televised on ABC and the Food Network and she has sculpted live at high-profile events including Chicago Fine Chocolate Show, Spokane Decadence, Las Vegas Catersource, ICES Convention, and American Culinary Federation national convention. In 2014, she was named as a Top Ten Cake Artists in North America by Dessert Professional Magazine and soon, a lot more people will know her name. She also teaches classes, recently at WSSA’s last show and at Inland Northwest Culinary Academy’s after dark classes at Spokane Community College. She travels to clients all over to sculpt buttercream, and even cheese, on-site for memorable occasions. The question is a simple one: how does she do it? Without any formal training in art or sculpting, Becky sculpts like a pro, turning edibles into stunning museum worthy masterpieces. “I am blessed with a gift,” she says. “It’s kind of hard to explain but I can see what I want to sculpt and I just pull away what doesn’t belong.” Her explanation is a lot like Michelangelo’s who said, “In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.” And, she does not mind that her work (unlike marble) doesn’t last. “I like that it doesn’t last forever,” she says. “It’s more of an artistic experience.” A wife and mother to two girls, Becky can often be found getting her hands messy in her own kitchen, practicing her art while little hands look for buttercream on the counter. She does not eat her art supplies; she has lost 60 pounds in the last eight months by making healthier choices. “I am learning something new every day,” says Becky, who loves her job and the reactions she gets from others, including freaking them out (seriously? I can eat that?) or leaving them speechless. www.creamjewel.com

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Suzy Dix is a successful real estate agent but sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also part of a family that has a unique legacy. As this issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Role Model, Suzy shares the story of her commitment to building a better Spokane and their work to help families who need it the most. SCW: Your family has a strong connection with polo in Spokane. How did this start?

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My dad developed an interest in polo in Southern California. He came to Spokane in the 1940s. Polo had been in Spokane since 1908 but did not have a good facility, so he bought the land and built the current fields in 1968 and he died doing what he loved in 1982. The Spokane Polo Club is currently owned by a corporation of polo players from around the Northwest, with a majority interest held by my brothers Pat and Pete.

SCW: When did polo join forces with the Ronald McDonald House Charity?

The inaugural event was held in 2004. We starting working on the logistics and forming the planning committees in the spring of 2003. I had just returned from playing in Ambassador Cups in Australia and New Zealand which is where many of the ideas came from.

SCW: The annual polo event is one of Spokane’s premier events. What is the secret of its success?

The Ronald McDonald House is such a wonderful charity that I think it makes it easy for people to support it. The event is so well planned and executed, a large percentage of people look forward to attending year after year. The committee members, RMHC employees along with the dedicated help from the employees of Cobra Corporation, the title sponsor, work all year long investing a great deal of time and energy to make it the best event in Spokane.

SCW: What kind of support has the event provided for RMHC?

The event has raised just under $3,000,000 for Ronald McDonald House since its inception. This money helps provide a “home-away-from-home” for hundreds of out-of-town families with children seeking medical services in Spokane each year. Funds raised ensure we’re able to offer high-quality services at no cost to families.

SCW: If someone has never attended the annual polo event what would you say to encourage them?

The Cobra/RMHC Polo Classic is such a unique event, it’s hard to explain the ambience if you haven’t been. It throws you back in time to a polo field on Long Island in the 1920s, The Great Gatsby or onto the set of Pretty Woman. It’s tons of fun and the place to be Sunday after Labor Day. You get a chance to experience a great polo match, dress up in a fancy hat if you like, and best of all support the Ronald McDonald House and all of the families they help in our area. There are many facets of the event including skydivers, a dramatic flat-out gallop carrying the American flag, silent auction, a whiskey and cigar tent, wine tasting, martini bars, extraordinary food, hat parade and contest, and oh yes, a polo game with players from Argentina. The people watching is eyepopping.

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Community

A propensity for simplicity Photo and story by Judith Spitzer

uliet Sinisterra applies sustainable practices and green-building know-how to shape both her personal life and community. Juliet is a Spokane-based architect, a small-business owner, a writer and an advocate for green living and sustainable lifestyles. She also is mother to two teenagers—16-year-old Lewis and 14-year-old Audrey. If that weren’t enough to keep one woman incredibly busy, Juliet holds the title of project manager for the complex, full-body makeover of Spokane’s Riverfront Park—a roughly $60 million project approved by voters in November 2014. On this sunny day in mid-June, Juliet seems to be taking it all in stride. Relaxed and at ease, the petite brunette sits atop an undressed bed showing off a sublimely soft organic mattress from Savvy Rest Mattresses at Sun People Bed & Bath Co., inside Saranac Commons. The Commons building, at 19 W. Main downtown, also houses Mediterrano Restaurant, Caffe Affogato, Common Crumb Bakery and Black Label Brewing

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Company in a space designed with an open European feel and shared seating. From 2011 to 2014, Sinisterra owned and operated Sun People Dry Goods, in the former Spokane Public Market at Second and Browne Street. She says that first foray into retail nearly killed her. Although that’s an exaggeration, she says she developed an ulcer before all was said and done. She doesn’t want to repeat that mistake this time around. Open since June 5, the retail store idea came out of Juliet’s passionate ideas about

The Ballet School where students get the highest level of training (Ballet, Modern, Pilates) with her then-husband Matt Melcher at shared community and sustainable living their company called IDR Studios. in the home, in building design and in Juliet has been on board with the community. Spokane Park Department since early She says she’s been a devotee of simple, 2013, as project manager for the sustainable, green living since her son Riverfront Park project. After the local was a baby. As an infant, he developed bond passed in November, it’s been a a plethora of allergies, which in turn more-than full time job, she says. caused stomach problems and even temper Sound overwhelming? tantrums and aggressive behavior as a Not for Juliet. She says she enjoys toddler. doing all the things she’s doing. He was ultimately diagnosed with “The way my brain works I do like to a bacterial overgrowth in the stomach, juggle and organize and which was emitting coordinate,” she adds. toxins inside his body “It’s been very rewarding and damaging the to have a job where I do lining of his stomach, “I’ve grown a lot that. There are a lot of she says. professionally from components to this Park Those issues turned this job. Any time you project … probably even the family’s eating throw in public process more than I realized … habits upside down more than a lot of us and fueled Sinisterra’s it complicates things. realized.” basic beliefs in That’s the beauty of Juliet says she likes returning to a more government when it doing everything from simple way of life. works like it should.” crafting requests for Today he no longer proposal writing, to has issues from food making presentations to allergies. the park board and getting their feedback, to working with staff and public outreach. The road to success “I like all the facets of the job. It After graduating from Spokane’s keeps me on my toes. I’ve grown a lot Gonzaga Prepatory School, and then professionally from this job. Any time Washington State University, where she you throw in public process it complicates earned a five-year professional degree things. That’s the beauty of government in architecture in 1993, Juliet moved to when it works like it should,” she says. Seattle and joined a low-income housing “It’s such a complex project and there organization. A year later she was are so many systems that need to be put working with a private architectural firm, into place. But if we can get all the pieces developing public projects for the next in place early I think the whole thing will five years. run very smoothly,” she adds. Back in Spokane by 2005, she worked “If we don’t get it right there’s going to for a year with Integrus Architects to be headache after headache over the next design the Barbieri Student Center at three to four years,” she says. Gonzaga Prep, which created spaces for Later this fall, she wants to whittle students to gather and build community. down her time to spend more time at Sun Later she became involved with the People, as well as spend more time with Ecobuilding Guild and began writing her two teenagers. She says the next six a column on sustainable living for Out months will determine if the store will There Monthly. thrive. In 2007, Sinisterra joined Community“When I first started working with Minded Enterprises—a nonprofit the city I thought city politics is nothing dedicated to strengthening neighborhoods compared to running a retail store,” she and local economies. says with a quick laugh. “I don’t want to She worked at home when her children let myself get in that position again.” were young on architectural projects and

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July_August 2015

photo by Kelly Tareski Photography

with McKenzie

Capka 18

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By Julie Humphreys

ometimes in life someone pushes for you and you don’t really understand why. Sometimes, you never find out the “why” and accept that it doesn’t matter. It’s enough that their effort helped change the course of your life for the better. Dr. Beth Thompson was that person for 18-year-old McKenzie Capka of Spokane, four months ago in Missoula, Montana. Mckenzie was in her first year of college at the University of Montana. A healthy, vibrant young woman, she wasn’t feeling well one February morning. She emailed her boss at 7:45 a.m. that she needed to go to urgent care and couldn’t come in for work. That was the last anyone heard from McKenzie that day. Her college friends hadn’t seen her in class or in the dining hall and had texted her and knocked on her dorm door. They thought it was odd that she didn’t respond. Her father, Mike Capka, had transferred some “pizza money” for his college daughter on that Friday, wishing her a great weekend, and never received a thank you. It was unlike the girl who would normally reply instantly with a “love you dad, you’re the best!” So by 5 p.m. when no one had heard from McKenzie, panic started to set it. Her father and her sister Kailee contacted McKenzie’s friends at the university who asked a resident dorm assistant to open McKenzie’s room. It was 7 p.m., almost 12 hours since McKenzie had been heard from. What they found shocked them. McKenzie was on her bed, conscious with her eyes open, but she could not move or speak. She was rushed to St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula where doctors determined she had a major stroke. Family from Spokane raced to Missoula, an excruciating three and a half hour drive, still without word about what had happened to McKenzie. “All I could think was she was attacked or drugged; no one thinks of a stroke with their healthy, 18 year old daughter,” says Mike, who vividly remembers the scene when he arrived at the hospital. “I could tell immediately that Kenzie had suffered a stroke. She seemed to recognize me but was scared and couldn’t speak.” Then came the words from the doctor. “Your daughter has suffered a massive stroke. It was on the left side of her brain that affects her speech and movement on her right side. This is a very large and very serious stroke, and it’s possible it’s going to end her life.” The words were floating around the McKenzie, post-surgery to re-attach a large room, Mike thought, like in a dream: part of her skull. garbled sounds from another conversation, not involving his little girl. But there was McKenzie, unresponsive in a hospital bed. It started to sink in and Mike broke down among family members and McKenzie’s friends who had gathered at the hospital. They were told that if McKenzie survived the next few days, she would be transferred to Spokane for further treatment and likely a lengthy rehabilitation. Everyone felt powerless. Until Mike drew on a power he has claimed all of his life: the power of prayer. “We are Christians and we believe in the power of God to heal.” So this distraught dad took action and delivered a message in the mode his daughter would have used, Facebook. He alerted friends and family that McKenzie’s situation was dire and asked for prayer and for a miracle. “The response from people not only in Spokane, but around the world, blew us away. All around the world people hit their knees for Kenzie. At last check we know of people in more than 250 cities around the globe praying for Kenzie’s recovery; in Israel, the Philippines, Korea, England, Pakistan, France, more than 30 countries, the list goes on. And we know there are thousands more prayer warriors that we can’t account for,” says Mike.

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The outpouring of love and support from all over the world, and right at home, was incredible. McKenzie recieving a big hug from sister, Kailee.

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Someone might just have prayed internist Dr. Beth Thompson into the picture. The Capka family believes the doctor was indeed an answer to prayer. She didn’t feel right about the decision to keep McKenzie at St. Patrick’s Hospital and allow her to stabilize before moving her to Spokane. McKenzie’s brain was swelling rapidly and Dr. Thompson knew that swelling usually peaks at about four to five days after a stroke. In her mind, there wasn’t time to wait. Dr. Thompson consulted with doctors in Spokane and learned about a procedure not done at Missoula, which would dramatically reduce the pressure on McKenzie’s brain and decrease further damage. “Part of the reason I felt so strongly about moving McKenzie to Spokane for the treatment is she was young, healthy, and had a very committed family so she had the support she needed,” explains Dr. Thompson. The procedure, called a hemicraniectomy, has been shown to decrease the risk of death from the type of stroke McKenzie suffered from 30 percent to 70 percent. “That’s a huge increase in the chance that McKenzie would survive.” Dr. Thompson quickly worked through the medical and legal concerns over moving McKenzie. It was her last day on the job; Dr. Thompson was retiring after 34 years of practice. On Sunday morning, McKenzie was flown to Spokane by air ambulance and rushed into surgery.

Top: McKenzie holding baby brother, Jake, post surgery with the helmet she wore for three months to protect her brain. Right: McKenzie walking with her companion pooch, Ginger the Wonder Dog.

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Spokane neurosurgeon Dr. David Gruber, who performed the surgery, believed McKenzie was a good candidate for the procedure in part because of her age. He says a young person’s ability to recover from the effects of a stroke may be better than that of an older person. Dr. Gruber says the brain is encased in a rigid box, so when swelling occurs it has nowhere to go and the brain experiences severe dysfunction. A hemicraniectomy provides relief to the brain by allowing pressure to vent through the scalp. It’s accomplished by a seemingly drastic measure. “It sounds crude, but we remove large segments of the skull to minimize the pressure on the brain and prevent further damage. The procedure is very effective in the right cases, like McKenzie’s,” he says. With so much of her skull removed, McKenzie had to wear a protective helmet as the swelling in her brain subsided and the brain attempted to regain its functionality. McKenzie’s skull was preserved and kept sterile for three months. This second stage of the procedure returns the shape of the head to normal and eliminates the need for a helmet. “McKenzie has already made an amazing recovery,” says Dr. Gruber. “Every stroke is different. We can look at two brain scans that are exactly the same and the outcome of the stroke can vary greatly.” While the procedure that saved her life was successful, the journey has been challenging and frustrating for McKenzie. She has undergone extensive rehabilitation at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute with ongoing speech, occupational, and physical therapy. The function most severely impacted by the stroke is McKenzie’s speech. She has trouble expressing herself and understanding what others are saying. In interviewing McKenzie for this story she was able to say, after considerable time and effort, “It’s hard to get it out (her words). I get tired.” On her goals and desires McKenzie smiles and says, “I want to go to school.” Asked what God has taught her through this, she tears up and says, “God is life. He has touched me. I feel his touch.” She finds joy in walking, just taking a few steps. And she’s texting again, which is truly

remarkable considering the fine motor skills and mental processing required. Her new companion, a dachshund/Chihuahua mix named Ginger, brings on McKenzie’s big, bright smile. And she is forever grateful for her friends who have been there for her since her stroke. One of them reached out with social media and created an account to raise money for McKenzie and her family. The friend’s post reads: “Hi everyone, it’s Jessica Nichols. I created this Go Fund Me Account to support McKenzie Capka. Let’s help her get through this together!” And, “wow,” have friends and strangers alike rallied, says McKenzie’s dad. People have donated $30,000, much-needed help after the family experienced another painful blow. Mike was laid off from his job just days after McKenzie’s stroke. McKenzie has recovered well enough to travel with a friend to Detroit to see her boyfriend in July. She will get to be a regular 19 year old again and giggles at the thought of the fun ahead. The Lewis and Clark High School graduate will return to the University of Montana in September, but not for school. She will receive treatment in a stroke recovery program, ironically, where she worked her freshman year of college. If all goes well, McKenzie will start school again in January. Doctors don’t know why McKenzie suffered a stroke. Dr. Gruber says it’s not rare, but is fairly unusual in a young person. McKenzie does have a family history of stroke and there’s some question as to if it was caused by pills she was on that have a possible side effect of blood clots. Dr. Thompson says McKenzie will always have some form of disability from the stroke but is awed at her recovery so far. “I’m very excited about it. We often wait a year to see how much people gain. Her progress has been remarkable. I’ll never forget, even when she was in the hospital right after the stroke, she had this beautiful smile that spoke to her inner strength.” As to why she was on duty that evening in February, why her last day of work wasn’t the day before, Dr. Thompson says, “I believe that things happen for a reason. I was grateful to intervene and help.” An intervention that McKenzie’s dad has no doubt, was divine.

“God is life. He has touched me. I feel his touch.”

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July_August 2015

Health skin

Reversing the

aging process aging the

Reversing Dr. Cameron Chesnut, Dermatology Specialists of Spokane

ver the past 20 and even 10 years there has been a significant paradigm shift in our understanding of the process of facial aging and the approach to correcting it. Filling wrinkles and just pulling on the skin to tighten it are things of the past. Modern approaches tend to take a more three-dimensional approach, focusing on skin, soft tissue, and even bony changes to the facial skeleton. Paralleling our evolving understanding of the aging process has been the globalization of beauty. Increased access, both photographically and physically, to other parts of the globe has shaped the world’s assessment of beauty. This is especially true in places like the United States, where beauty had typically been based off of Caucasian anatomy. Currently, influences from other cultures in Asia, India, Africa and elsewhere have caused a significant shift in what the global standard of a beautiful face constitutes for both men and women. Celebrities such as Beyoncé and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are excellent examples of modern, globally beautiful figures. Interestingly, as the global assessment of beauty has come into focus, we have become

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Subtle & Natural Enhancement Facial procedures:

more aware of the role that mathematics plays in creating beautiful anatomy. The golden ratio is a mathematic ratio expressed all over nature, and is especially prevalent in proportions of beautiful human faces, across all races. Modern approaches to aesthetics tend to maximize the golden ratio’s presence in facial proportions. With all of this increased knowledge and understanding, how does the modern aesthetic physician apply this to reversing the aging process? Thankfully, the breadth and number of tools in the cosmetic toolbox are expanding at a rapid pace. There are many new, safe, and effective noninvasive options, and these capabilities continue to expand. Many of our formerly invasive options for correction have become much less invasive. For example, many facelifts and cosmetic eyelid surgeries can be performed with only local anesthesia, making the surgical process and recovery significantly more simple, all while eliminating the most dangerous portion of the procedure – general anesthesia. As a consumer, the number of options can seem overwhelming. This is true not only with the procedures available, but with the physicians who perform them. The “core four” cosmetic specialties consist of dermatologic surgery/dermatology, oculoplastic surgery, facial plastic surgery and plastic surgery. Fellowship training is especially important, as a physician’s training really depends on these extra years to gain significant cosmetic experience. To ensure that you are receiving the highest level of care, make sure that your physician is fellowship trained in one of these cosmetic specialties. The Inland Northwest is especially different from larger cosmetic markets such as Los Angeles or New York when it comes to the physicians who are performing cosmetic procedures. Fortunately, there are several well-trained, fellowship trained “core four” physicians in the Inland Northwest. Stay informed, do your research, and seek out these physicians to take advantage of the modern understanding of facial aging and the cutting edge, noninvasive and minimally invasive aesthetic innovations that exist to address the aging process.

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July_August 2015

Health skin

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By Sarah Hamilton, Sarah Hamilton FACE

aybe you are starting to reconsider the Anti-Botox and Anti-Filler stance you once had in your 20s or are just curious about what all the hype is about with injectables—what they can do, how they work, and why they have been the number one non-surgical procedure for the past 15 years. Understanding Fillers Unlike topical creams, dermal fillers, such as the Juvederm and Restylane, can actually restore volume and replace fullness in the face that has slipped away with time, which leaves you looking sunken with folds and wrinkles. If done correctly, fillers can enhance your cheeks, lips, and jawlines, lift the corners of your mouth and lower face, soften vertical lip lines, and fill fines lines and folds. Made up of Hyaluronic acids (substances naturally occurring in our skin, tissues, and joints), fillers are extremely safe and effective in softening an aging face. Specific fillers are used for specific areas of the face. With little or no down time, Juverderm and Restylane injections take less than 30 minutes and give you immediate results lasting for a year or longer. Understanding Botox While dermal fillers are starting to replace or delay surgery, they are not replacing Botox and Dysport treatments. These medications work differently but are often administered at the same appointment. Botox and Dysport work similarly to one another but are made by different companies. They work by relaxing the muscles that cause the skin to fold, which creates wrinkles and folds. It’s a very effective treatment for expression lines such as frown, forehead, and crow’s feet around the eyes. It’s also an effective treatment for “turkey neck” and vertical lip and nose lines, and can help tighten skin under the eyes. A favorite treatment is the “brow-lift” which is accomplished by using either of these two products. Botox is also used to treat excessive underarm sweating which is a very

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Want a natural & fresh look? Trust Your Face

popular summertime treatment that can last six months. Migraines, depression and overactive bladder are also treated with Botox. Botox procedures can take under 10 minutes and the effects are noticed within three to seven days and require no downtime. There is minimal discomfort and are very safe and can easily be done on a lunch break. Getting Started If you are a newbie and a little nervous, start out treating just one area of the face. Usually you will start with your “frown” or “scowl” lines, which are the most popular areas of treatment and concern and are treated with Botox or Dysport. After you realize how quick, easy, and effective the treatment is, at your next appointment you may venture out and restore volume and fullness with fillers like Juverderm or Restylane.

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Experience Matters If administered correctly by a medical professional with the proper training and experience in cosmetic injectables, you can achieve age-appropriate softening of the face with a natural result. It’s not about being over-filled or over-frozen, unless that’s what you want. Sometimes less is more. Contrary to many misconceptions, you can have Botox and still have natural movement and expression. Most important, find an injector you trust, who is warm and comforting because you will want to have a long relationship, so you can always know what to expect.

July_August 2015

Family planning

Birth Control Helped Me Where we are 50 years after the pill became legal

By Tiffany Harms

In the early 1960s, two Connecticut women got together and decided that they needed to break the law. They knew they’d get arrested, face a lengthy legal battle, and have to pay an extensive amount of money. They also knew that it was the only way to make birth control – which was illegal in their state and unavailable in 20 states total – accessible to all women. So they opened up a birth control clinic, started prescribing the pill, and waited for the police. Once arrested, Estelle Griswold, then executive director of Planned Parenthood of Connecticut, and Dr. C. Lee Buxton, who was chair of the Department of Obstetrics at Yale University’s medical school, took their case all the way to the Supreme Court and won. This past June brought the 50-year anniversary of the case, known as Griswold vs. Connecticut. Here’s what women have accomplished since then thanks to the ability to plan for their families and futures. Women are cashing in

Fully one-third of the wage gains women have made since the 1960s are the result of access to oral contraceptives – Bloomberg Businessweek even recently listed contraception as one of the most transformational developments in the business sector in the last 85 years. A 2012 University of Michigan study looked into this economic impact further, and found that women who had early access to birth control in the 1960s earned more on average than women without early access. Researcher Martha J. Bailey, who authored the study, also found that when teens were given access to the birth control (previously you had to be 21 years old) more women were able to finish college because they didn’t face an unplanned pregnancy. Their mindsets changed as well. “As the pill provided younger women the expectation of greater control over child-

bearing, women invested more in their human capital and careers,” said Bailey, adding that this resulted in “remarkable wage gains over their lifetimes.” Women are able to pursue their dreams

Around 1970 – five years after Griswold – there was a significant shift in women entering professional programs. Researchers from Harvard University and the National Bureau of Economic Research looked into this shift, and found a key factor in these changes. “We ask whether birth control and the legal environment that enabled young, unmarried women to obtain ‘the pill’ altered women’s career plans and their age at first marriage,” authors of the study wrote. “Our answer is that they did.” The ripple effects of access to birth control are substantial – researchers from Florida State University determined that

access to birth control before age 21 is the most influential factor in enabling women in college to stay there. Now, the number of women who complete four or more years of college is six times what it was before birth control became legal. This has paved the way for women to earn half of all doctorate, medical and law degrees today. Children are less likely to live in poverty

Federally funded family planning programs, like Title X, are associated with significant reductions in child poverty rates and poverty in adulthood. A 2014 study published in Economic Studies, which looked into the long-term effects of access to contraception, found that individuals born in the years immediately after the federal family planning programs started were less likely to live in poverty in childhood and as adults. Teens have a better shot at planning their futures

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Access to birth control accounts for 86 percent of the recent decline in teenage pregnancy, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. This is a big deal, because just 38 percent of teen girls who have a had a child before age 18 get a high school diploma, says the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Making the progress continue

This is just the first 50 years. If we continue to work to make birth control more accessible to all women – especially highly effective methods like IUDs and implants – then we will continue to see progress. Supporting access to health care, especially through programs like Title X, ensures that our teen pregnancy rate continues to drop, women get closer to earning an equal wage as men, and that women are able to take on more leadership roles. Women having the ability to achieve their dreams and plan their futures is good for everyone, and perhaps South African leader Desmond Tutu put it best: “If we are going to see real development in the world, then our best investment is in women.” Want to contribute to the story? Women (and men!) all over the globe are sharing how birth control has impacted their lives. You can join in too, by using #BirthControlHelpedMe on social media.

July_August 2015

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Personalized Menus You can say goodbye to the standard buffet wedding meal and say hello to completely personalized menus! More and more couples are deciding to work with their caterer to come up with ways to serve food they will love at their wedding. This will look different for every wedding, but some fun ideas are a taco or sushi bar, a pizza oven or even a food truck. It doesn’t stop there either! For desserts, many couples are veering away from the traditional tiered wedding cake and choosing to serve five or six mini-cakes in different flavors or something completely new like donuts, cheesecake or popsicles. Winery Weddings The wine industry in the Pacific Northwest is huge, and we’re starting to see this trickle down to the wedding industry. Wineries all over the region are opening their doors to

weddings. The great thing about this trend is there is an option for all types of couples. If you love the urban vibe, you can get married in a tasting room downtown; if you’re more comfortable in a country setting you can get married in the middle of a vineyard with breathtaking views. Apple Brides has a whole section of the site devoted to winery weddings; log on and check out all the gorgeous options. Classic Style For the last several years it’s been all about mason jars, cowboy boots and all things rustic. This year, brides are choosing to go with a more timeless style. The runways are full of lace, classic silhouettes and beautiful long veils. For decor, we’re seeing gold accents paired with black and white and beautiful earth tones. Rachel Sandall is the owner and editor of AppleBrides.com, the premier wedding resource for the Inland Northwest.

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If they only knew

DIVORCE. While never planned or expected after saying those three magic words, “I love you,” followed by two additional words “I do!” a divorce is something that plays a part in your being for the rest of your life. While you feel “free” in some ways--to be yourself, to live life as you choose, to make your own decisions, to grow philosophically and spiritually--it isn’t truly a freedom in every aspect of your life. Freedom, like independence, must be earned. After having dated the same man since I was 15 years old, I married young, at age 18. My parents and grandparents tried to convince me to go on to college and marry later, but I was “young and in love” and paid no attention to their concerns. Over time, we had two wonderful children and began the process of building our home on the outskirts of town. Our parents were actively a part of our lives and those of our children. We enjoyed many friendships. But, slowly, after 14 years of marriage, life (for me) became frustrating and demanding. While I did the gardening, cooking, cleaning and enjoyed the kids, the relationship between my husband and myself dwindled. He worked (and played) out of town, and when he was home he spent time with neighbors and friends instead of his family. Eventually, the kids and I moved out. Going through the divorce was a time of tears and regrets and wondering—about myself and life in general. I was faced with where to live, finding work and steady babysitters after school hours. Eventually, I found work I enjoyed, made new friendships, and the kids saw their dad quite often. I was comfortable being me. And so, I remarried. It was a rebound marriage for both of us that lasted eight years, which cast me into another divorce. The kids and I moved again, and met new friends who were into “jam” sessions frequently. They had kids, too, so we got together on weekends and played music and sang and had potlucks. And,

once again, I remarried. I knew when I married “love #3” that he was an alcoholic, but I’d never been exposed to that type of life and I was sure I could fix him with love and attention. We had many fun times albeit all focused around his bottle and other alcoholic friends. He wouldn’t/ couldn’t change and I wouldn’t/couldn’t continue in a lifestyle that was against anything I’d ever known. Before long, both of my kids were on their own and doing well. Three years later I went through divorce number three. And now, let me explain how damaging divorce is to the individuals involved, to the families and the friends, both old and new. My children had to split all birthdays, holidays and vacation times between their father (and his family) and me (and my family). When they were younger, the choices were difficult—and it wasn’t their choice, but the courts’. Now that they are older and have their own children, they choose to stay home for the holidays. Inviting me (or their dad) to come over puts pressure on them that they shouldn’t have to make. We are a split-family and I blame myself for that. I worked as an administrative secretary for almost 20 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. I actively attend a church nearby and have made good friends. But no one, not even closest friends, knows how many times I’ve been married. I may make references to “in my previous marriage” but have never divulged the actual number. I’m ashamed that I made poor choices when it comes to men, to marriage. I’m so sorry that I put my children through those choices (although they are now strong, upright, respected individuals with many friends). I regret that I didn’t listen to the suggestions of my parents and grandparents when I was so young and inexperienced with life. Once divorce becomes a part of a person’s life, it touches all interaction with families, friends and acquaintances. It influences many decisions I now make. It has changed my perspective on life. Divorce is life-changing . . . If They Only Knew . . .

“If They Only Knew” is an anonymous guest column featuring essays from the “snapshot” life moments of courage and perseverance in Spokane Coeur d’Alene women. If you would like to share a moment of your life when you thought, “If They Only Knew,” please send an email to editor@spokanecdawoman.com or mail a hard copy to our editor, Stephanie Regalado, at 104 S. Freya, Ste. 209, Spokane, WA 99202.

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