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January 2016 Meet Your Specialist Publisher Kent Bush Advertising Christina Walker Sales Graphic Artists Reita Easley Director, Brooke Jones & Tawny Ransom Writer Vicky O. Misa THE SHAWNEE NEWS-STAR Left to right: Salonne Carter, Cheyenne Meadows, Adam Sheets and Christina Walker JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST is a Special Publication of The Shawnee News-Star ©Copyright 2016 GateHouse Media, Inc., 215 N. Bell St., P.O. Box 1688, Shawnee, OK 74804, (405) 273-4200. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the publisher.

To be included in our next publication, contact Christina Walker 214-3933 christina.walker@news-star.com

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Sales tax distribution for schools discussed Note: An in-depth look at Pottawatomie County’s new sales tax for schools that takes effect in 2016 and how Pottawatomie County commissioners plan to oversee disbursement of those funds for each school district.

over $15,000, it has to go through the bidding process.”

By Sophia Stanley

“The only school that will be able to use it right off the bat, probably, is Shawnee,” Dennis said. Eddie Stackhouse, district 3 commissioner, said they may have a receiving and requesting officer.

sophia.stanley@news-star.com Twitter: @Sophia_NewsStar

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Pottawatomie County voters took to the polls and passed a 0.495-cent sales tax increase.

The majority of the tax, 0.49 cents will be split among 14 Pottawatomie County school districts beginning July 1, 2016.

The Pottawatomie County Commissioners explained how the distribution process will work.

“It’ll go to building maintenance – anything but salary – so technology and everything,” District 2 Commissioner Randy Thomas said. “We will be their checks and balances.”

Dale Superintendent Charlie Dickinson said the superintendents are still unclear on how the process will work.

“The things we don’t know yet are the logistics behind it,” Dickinson said. “I’ve talked to Melissa Dennis about these things and there’s not been any great need yet.”

Dr. Marc Moore, Shawnee superintendent, said he is sure the county commissioners will communicate the process once July gets closer.

Thomas said the commissioners plan on educating the superintendents.

“I’d like to see them go to the county purchasing procedure classes that we have to go to,” Thomas said.

District 1 Commissioner Melissa Dennis said the money will be distributed among the school districts based on their “daily average attendance.”

“I’m going to suggest we base the formula a year behind,” Dennis said. “So we base the 2016 on the 2015 school year; you don’t really know what your daily average attendance is until September.”

Dennis said the commissioners will appropriate the funds accordingly once a month.

“The schools will pass their requests at a school board level and give it to us in writing that it passed,” Dennis said. “I’m trying to decide if an oversight committee is needed.”

She said the sales tax accounts will differ from school bonds because the districts cannot spend what they don’t have available.

“If the money is in the account and it doesn’t need to be bid or anything, we’ll issue a purchase order,” Dennis said. “It it’s

4 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

Since the money has to be available, Dennis said it may take several months to a year for smaller districts to accumulate enough to spend.

“It’s going to work and it’s going to be nice,” he said.

Dennis said a benefit to this tax is that it is not just being paid by county residents.

“We are benefiting from everybody who comes through this county and stops and shops and spends money,” she said.

Overall, she believes in this process.

“It’ll be a lot more, in my opinion, accountable than the way a lot of state agencies spend money,” Dennis said. “At any given time, you can go to your county clerks office, come to your county commissioners, and I can show you exactly where every dime of the county’s money is going, whether it be sales tax or general fund.”

Shawnee Showcase: Wystle Note: This is one in a series of articles that focuses on local, one-ofa-kind businesses –– who they are, what they offer, and how they help Shawnee stand out as a unique and thriving city where families interact, invest their time and talent, and work together as a community.

By Vicky O. Misa vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

It all started with a divorce.

According to shopwystle.com, Rachael Monroe Melot said a few years back she was left to rethink all that she knew and believed about life, money, security and love.

The rules changed, so she did too.

Melot, the Shawnee business owner of Wystle, 1725 N. Kickapoo, said she realized there was much life to be lived, many shoes to be bought, and love to be expressed and appreciated through beautiful clothes, decor and jewelry.

“After spending the next three years exploring passions,

dreams and putting action to the little voices in my head, I was ready to love again,” she said. “And one day I walked into one of my absolute favorite boutique stores (then Expressions) in Shawnee. And I noticed the store needed some love and attention –– and since I wanted to love it –¬– the owner sold it to me.”

Melot said, to her, Wystle is not just a retail store –– it is the storefront to all the joys of her life.

“It is where I share with my friends and family all the wonderful ideas that I have seen in my travels. This is where I live out the new rules on life,” she said.

“I wanted to pick a name that reflected me, but didn’t put my name on it. Wystle came about as a tribute to my 20 years officiating basketball. A lot of people know me that way,” Melot said.

For several years, Melot has bounced back and forth between her roots in Oklahoma and her advertising job in New York.

“My day job is in New York City; my home base is Shawnee,” she said. But, through a relationship she built in New York, she said she’s been able to partner with an online boutique business –– shoptiques.com –– that showcases her store’s site next to boutiques from all over the nation, as well as London, Paris, Vancouver and Edinburgh, to name a few.

Since she’s in New York every other week for work, Melot is able to buy a lot of her merchandise there.

“I think it’s so important to have cute places like this in Shawnee, where we can offer something unique,” Melot said.

Her retail shop offers clothing, jewelry, make-up, and gift items.

“We offer free gift wrapping all year round,” she said. “Not just at Christmas.”

Building from the Expressions experience, Attitudes Salon and a Kalico Kitchen bakery are elements that enhance Melot’s business venture.

“I have 11 stylists and a nail stylist in the salon, two working in the Kalico Kitchen Bakery and seven in the store itself,” she said. “I am thankful to be able to provide jobs for more than 20 employees in the community.”

Melot said one of the benefits to owning Wystle is that through her business, she is able to mentor young women –– to help encourage them to be what they want to be.

Melot came from a small town, became a business owner, a basketball referee and works in New York City.

“Through my experience and motivation, maybe I can use things from my life to inspire other women to have the courage to follow their dreams.”

JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

5

Flu season: Slow start buys time to prepare Note: An in-depth look at how much help vaccinations offer as flu season continues. Oklahoma reported 114 flu deaths last year –– most of them senior citizens.

By Vicky O. Misa vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

According to this week’s Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) FluView report, overall seasonal influenza activity increased slightly in the United States but remains low overall.

protect against flu viruses that are the same or related to the viruses in the vaccine.”

“We are learning more and more about the benefits of influenza vaccination every year,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Terry Cline.

“You can arm yourself with an influenza shot,” says Vicki Milliken, director of infection prevention, St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital. “The data shows it’s the number one thing you can do to protect yourself against influenza.”

Though data indicates flu cases are minimal right now, the peak of the flu season is typically around January and February.

When it comes to scheduling a vaccination each year, timing is less important than actually getting the vaccine. Health care providers keep vaccine supplies stocked through the peak of the influenza season, which is generally through February.

The OSDH reported county health departments are still offering flu vaccines statewide during the flu season.

It is important to note that an updated vaccine is needed every year.

Seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It spreads between people and can cause mild to severe illness. In some cases, the flu can lead to death.

“That’s because influenza notoriously changes from year to year, and this year’s strain might have a little different composition than last year’s,” says Milliken. “So to ensure you have the best protection possible, you want to get the vaccine every year.”

So far this year, there have been minimal cases reported.

The OSDH data shows only 34 hospitalizations, an average of 3 per week –– and no deaths –– for influenza in Oklahoma since the season started ten weeks ago on Oct. 4.

In the surrounding area, as of Dec. 8, there have been no cases requiring hospitalization reported in Pottawatomie, Seminole, McClain or Pontotoc Counties. There have been two reported in Clevelend County; one each in Okfuskee and Lincoln Counties; and seven reported in Oklahoma County –– the highest in the state. The second highest report was four in Carter County and three cases in Payne County.

The OSDH reported two flu deaths in Pottawatomie County and one in Lincoln County during the last year’s flu season.

Collectively, Lincoln, Pottawatomie and Seminole counties had 59 flu hospitalizations last time.

Of the 114 flu deaths reported in Oklahoma, 86 of them were seniors over age 65. In the same age group, there were 1,354 hospitalizations in the state as a result of flu. The total of Oklahoma flu-related hospitalizations numbered 2,299 for 20142015.

In the United States, flu season generally starts in October and tapers off around May. At this time last year, 13,641 cases of influenza were reported.

This year’s figures stand at 1,495 so far.

Each year approximately 5-20 percent of U.S. residents get the flu and each year it kills more than 36,000 people and hospitalizes 200,000 more, according to nih.gov. NIAID scientists worldwide are working together to find better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat seasonal and pandemic influenza, including H1N1 flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccination, stating, “Getting a flu vaccine can

6 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

CDC conducts studies each year to determine how well the flu vaccine protects against flu illness. Recent studies show vaccine can reduce the risk of flu illness by about 50-60 percent among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are like the viruses the flu vaccine is designed to protect against.

Problem is, sometimes the vaccine doesn’t line up with what’s circulating.

How well the flu vaccine works (or its ability to prevent flu illness) can range widely from season to season. According to the CDC, at least two factors play an important role in determining the likelihood that flu vaccine will protect a person from flu illness: 1) characteristics of the person being vaccinated (such as their age and health), and 2) the similarity or “match” between the flu viruses the flu vaccine is designed to protect against and the flu viruses spreading in the community. During years when the flu vaccine is not well matched to circulating viruses, it’s possible that no benefit from flu vaccination may be observed.

Last season’s vaccine was reportedly only 19 percent effective.

Tony Sellars, OSDH director of communications, said, “The vaccine is expected to be a better match this year. We hope it will keep the numbers down.”

In general, the flu vaccine works best among healthy adults and older children. Some older people and people with certain chronic illnesses might develop less immunity after vaccination. However, even for these people, the flu vaccine still may provide some protection.

On Feb 26, 2015, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the CDC voted on its annual influenza vac-

Continued on pg. 7

Continued from pg. 6 cine recommendations for 2015-2016. ACIP voted to continue to recommend that all persons 6 months and older be vaccinated annually against influenza. However ACIP did not renew the 2014-2015 preference for using the nasal spray flu vaccine (LAIV) instead of the flu shot (IIV) in healthy children 2 through 8 years of age when immediately available. The preferential recommendation was originally approved on June 25, 2014, after a review of data from several influenza seasons suggested that the nasal spray vaccine could offer better protection than the flu shot for children in this age group. The decision not to renew the preferential recommendation was made based on new data from more recent seasons which have not confirmed superior effectiveness of LAIV observed in earlier studies.

admission to a hospital. This is just one outcome. There are other studies that look at the effects of flu vaccination on hospitalization rates as well as looking at death as on outcome.

For example, the CDC said one study concluded that one death was prevented for every 4,000 people vaccinated against the flu.

In addition to getting a flu vaccination, persons 65 years of age and older, and those with chronic health conditions, should ask their health care provider about being vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia. Pneumococcal pneumonia is a common and potentially serious complication of the flu.

Continued on pg. 8

Despite the new data findings, the CDC cites there are still many reasons why people 65 and older should be vaccinated each year: First, they are at high risk of getting seriously ill, being hospitalized and dying from the flu.

Second, while the effectiveness of the flu vaccine can be lower among older people, there are seasons when significant benefit can be observed in terms of averting illness that results in a doctor’s visit. Even if the vaccine provides less protection in older adults than it might in younger people, some protection is better than no protection at all, especially in this high-risk group.

Third, current CDC studies look at how well the vaccine works in preventing flu illness that results in a doctor’s visit or

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vent a stay in the hospital.

Continued from pg. 7 Antiviral drugs are also an important second line of defense against the flu. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines that fight against the flu in your body. Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics, which fight against bacterial infections.

Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They also can prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia.

Most otherwise-healthy people who get the flu, however, do not need to be treated with antiviral drugs.

One popular myth surrounding the influenza vaccine is that it can actually make a person sick. This is not true. The flu shot contains no live influenza viruses, so it’s impossible to contract the virus from the vaccine.

“If you do feel ill after receiving your influenza vaccine, it’s actually a case of coincidence,” says Milliken. “What happens in these cases is a person is exposed to the virus before receiving the vaccine. Because the incubation period is from one to four days, you can actually contract the virus and not experience any symptoms for a few days.”

While how well the flu vaccine works can vary, the CDC said there are still many reasons everyone (who can) should get a flu vaccine each year: • Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick from flu.

• Protecting yourself from flu also protects the people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness.

• Flu vaccination can help protect people who are at greater risk of getting seriously ill from flu, like the elderly, people with chronic health conditions, young children and infants.

• Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick.

• Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of more serious flu outcomes, like hospitalizations.

The CDC tracks flu activity in the United States year round and produces a weekly report of flu activity from October through mid-May. The CDC FluView report for the 2015-2016 season resumes Oct. 16.

To stay up-to-date with the report, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ flu/weekly/usmap.htm.

Another way to contract the virus –– despite receiving the vaccine –– is because many strains circulate and the strain might not be included in this year’s vaccine. The vaccine can still be protection from several other influenza virus strains. It can also help lessen the severity of symptoms, which can pre-

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Shawnee Showcase: Uncommon Threads Embroidery Note: This is one in a series of articles that focuses on local, one-ofa-kind businesses –– who they are, what they offer, and how they help Shawnee stand out as a unique and thriving city where families interact, invest their time and talent, and work together as a community.

love hearing the feedback I get when people have noticed my customers wearing their matching shirts and logos for an event.”

By Vicky O. Misa

“When I know they are good at what they do, I can pass that on to my customers and people I know. It’s a win-win for everyone,” she said. “I try to support businesses that support me.”

vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

Theresa Cody, owner of Uncommon Threads Embroidery –– along with her husband Rick –– said she has always been an entrepreneur at heart.

“I grew up in the business world, and I grew up loving it –– the variety, the excitement, the way everything is constantly changing,” Cody said.

And change, it has.

The Codys’ store first began as Crafter’s Showplace in March of 1992. It was a retail store offering hand-crafted items and gifts.

But five years after opening, the couple decided to expand their business market by adding embroidery to their list of services.

In 1997, Crafter’s Showplace and the embroidery operations merged into one company called Uncommon Threads, according to the store website at uncommonthreadsembroidery.com.

Keeping a watchful eye on the market for more than a couple decades, Uncommon Threads has continued to evolve, growing and expanding its operations and offerings.

A side benefit to getting to know the neighbors is that Cody can refer people to other local businesses.

Cody said it helps the community as a whole. ”One thing that gets me,” she said, “is how so many people are in the habit of just jumping in the car and heading to Oklahoma City before stopping to think about what is offered here.”

Shopping locally is a more personal experience, she said.

“I try to go through the whole process step-by-step with my customers,” she said.

That personal interaction can come in many forms.

In the age of social media, texting and Facebook are tools Cody has incorporated into her day-to-day business.

“Through things like Facebook, you can actually become closer to your customers –– getting to be friends,” she said.

“That also builds community.”

Business hours for Uncommon Threads are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.

The shop sells customizable apparel for individuals, schools and businesses.

“We use state-of-the-art embroidery computer software and equipment,” the site states. “Although we are widely known for our embroidery and screenprinting services, our store also offers unique gifts and apparel.”

Cody said that as a business owner, she has had to learn how to wear many hats.

“You have to learn it all from the ground up –– and you learn to be so many people.”

Cody said she has become everything from a display designer to a social media wiz.

One nice thing about being a small, locally-owned business, Cody said, is the opportunity for interaction –– getting to know others in the community.

“I enjoy working with the businesses. I often hear back from them,” she said. “I ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

9

Tecumseh Showcase: Local woman explains vision behind restaurant

By Sophia Stanley

fashioned farm-like things,” Praytor said.

sophia.stanley@news-star.com Twitter: @Sophia_NewsStar

It would be hard to look around and not find a specialty item.

Raised by a dairy farmer daddy and an angel of a mama, according to the dedication page of her cookbook, Tecumseh local Linda Praytor had a very specific vision for Farmer’s Daughter Market.

“In a small town, specialty shops just can’t make it,” Praytor said. “I just built a building and put a lot of areas in it.”

Praytor said people often take farmers for granted.

“This place is dedicated to the farmer,” she said.

With everything to look at, it may seem impossible to just take a quick trip around Farmer’s Daughter Market.

The building houses Kalico Kitchen, a bakery Praytor leases to; as well as a ‘takery’ featuring homemade casseroles, chicken pot pie, jams and more; the Tomato Patch Café, which serves soups, salads, sandwiches and on the weekends, barbeque; a deli box; and a store.

“We have gifts here, and most of them are related to old

“I made 23 cheese balls for Thanksgiving and my goodness, they were out of here in a day,” Praytor said.

The market has indoor and outdoor seating, along with a garden.

“I try to raise something that I hope the children can see, so they know what our food source looks like,” Praytor said.

Praytor has so much to offer that she couldn’t contain it to just one building; next door to the market is another store.

“I leased the house so we’d have extra parking and we turned it into what we call ‘The Homestead,’” she said. “It’s just like grandma’s house.”

Before Praytor opened the market in Oct. 2014, she was a registered nurse.

“I used to own the nursing home here and Rose Manor in Shawnee; I built Rose Manor,” she said. “I retired after 50 years of nursing and it just wasn’t for me.”

Praytor was born and raised in Tecumseh and said she loves

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the town.

“I wanted to give back to my community,” she said. “This town has just wrapped its arm around me and helped us do anything we needed.”

The hard work Praytor puts into her business is not out of the ordinary; she said she learned to work hard early on.

“At the time, probably, I didn’t realize the value of the farm,” she said. “It helped me prepare for what life is, because you have to have responsibility. There’s not a lot of time to play; in fact, work becomes play.”

Praytor attributes many lessons to farm life.

“I think it taught me appreciation and respect for my parents, because they worked so hard,” Linda Praytor, owner of Farmer’s Daughter Market, said everything in her store is secondhand and fits with her farm-like theme.. ED she said. “I think it brings you closer to God. Everything is made BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

by God and you see it, you learn to appreciate it.”

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JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

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Shawnee dentist retires after 48 years

By Sophia Stanley sophia.stanley@news-star.com Twitter: @Sophia_NewsStar

After 48 years and so many teeth he can’t keep track of them all, Dr. Terry Hopkins, DDS, is setting aside his magnifying mouth mirrors and retiring.

“I have some of the same feelings now as when I graduated from dental school and was going into practice,” Hopkins said.

“You just don’t know for sure what’s on the other side.”

From the time he was a sophomore in high school, Hopkins knew he wanted to be a dentist.

“I worked a couple of summers for Logan’s Dental Lab that was in the Masonic building here in Shawnee and got to meet all the dentists and enjoyed the work,” he said, “and it looked like they were enjoying theirs, so that’s when I started thinking about it.”

After graduating from dental school in 1967, Hopkins opened his first practice in Prague.

“Back then you could not advertise,” he said. “You were limited to a space in the newspaper, I think one inch high and maybe two columns wide, just simply announcing where you were located and this was your phone number. Then you just sat as you waited for patients to come in.”

Although Hopkins knew he wanted to be a dentist early on, he did not follow through with his original plan. After majoring in philosophy in college, Hopkins planned to retire from dentistry at 55, go back to get his masters and doctorate and teach philosophy at a collegiate level.

“Life got in the way and 55 got there a whole lot sooner than I thought it was going to,” Hopkins said. “Everyday you go to the office, you’re faced with different situations. Life just kind of rolls on and I really, really didn’t start thinking seriously about retirement until a couple of years ago.”

In his many years as a general dentist, Hopkins said he has seen many things, even a few instances that most dentists don’t encounter.

“I had a patient at the hospital years ago, probably five or six years old, doing full mouth reconstruction on him. A day or two before he came in, he’d stuck a bead in his ear,” Hopkins said.

“The ENT doctor said, ‘Well you’re going to have him asleep, would you mind getting that bead out?’ So I extracted a bead from a kid’s ear.”

Despite growing up in Shawnee, Hopkins knew he wanted to return to town to grow his practice.

“The conventional wisdom when I graduated dental school was don’t go back to your hometown because you’ll always be

12 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

remembered as ‘Little Terry,’” he said.

Hopkins and his wife said they are grateful to have raised their family in Shawnee.

“We have some neighbors who moved from Iowa across the street,” he said. “He told me, ‘I’ve never lived in a community that I liked as much as I like Shawnee.’”

Although Hopkins said he and his family could have lived anywhere, they are glad they chose Shawnee.

“It has just been such a great place to raise a family, and we can get anyplace we want to from Shawnee, Oklahoma,” he said. “It’s growing slow and steady and it’s just a good place to be.”

Retirement is a new journey for Hopkins, who said this is the first time in forever he hasn’t had to be somewhere at 7:30 in the morning.

“It’s just another chapter in my life,” he said. “So it feels good, it feels right, I think if I had done it five years ago, I probably would have looked back with some regrets. But I think at this point, though I’m going to miss it, I’m really looking forward to what’s out there next.”

Overall, Hopkins said he thanks the community of Shawnee for making he and his family so comfortable.

“So many good things have happened in our life here in Shawnee that it’s hard to cover them,” he said.

Through the years, Hopkins said he’s had patients grow up, move away, come back to visit and even bring in their children and grandchildren.

“I will miss the everyday contact with them, but it’ll be OK,” he said. “I’m ready to do something else now.”

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Shawnee man refurbishes, donates used medical equipment

By Sophia Stanley sophia.stanley@news-star.com Twitter: @Sophia_NewsStar

Three years ago, Jimmy Kinnamon of Shawnee saw a woman struggling to push her husband in his wheelchair.

Kinnamon contacted a friend of his who had an old electric scooter, fixed it up and donated it to the couple.

That was the beginning of Amazing Grace Medical Equipment.

“We take used, donated hospital equipment and we clean it up and refurbish it and give it to folks who can’t afford it,” Kinnamon said.

Amazing Grace helps between 70 and 80 people each month. Kinnamon said they help people of all ages.

“I gave a little girl a wheelchair today,” he said. “We give a little of everything.”

Kinnamon said he has scooters, hospital beds, shower chairs and more, but no one place to store them all. This week alone, he said he picked up 30 electric wheel chairs and 10 hospital beds.

“We need storage,” he said. “We have so much stuff it’s scat-

14 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

tered across Shawnee and it’s a logistical nightmare.”

Currently, Kinnamon is trying to raise money to put a storage shed in his backyard, estimating it will cost about $7,500.

Amazing Grace doesn’t just work with individuals; they also work with school districts, nursing homes, hospices and St. Anthony Hospital.

“We kind of make it happen with very little,” Kinnamon said.

Kinnamon said he could not manage Amazing Grace by himself.

“I appreciate the volunteers that help us,” he said.

“We have some dedicated folks that are always there when we need them.”

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15

A life saved: Patient thanks paramedics

By Kim Morava kimberly.morava@news-star.com Twitter: @Kim_NewsStar

While celebrating Thanksgiving with his family, Frank Jordan also stopped by the REACT Emergency Medical Service station to give thanks to a group of paramedics who literally saved his life just two short weeks ago.

Jordan, 84, bowls often at Shawnee Bowl.

As fate would have it, that’s where he would be when he went into sudden cardiac arrest in the lanes on Nov. 11.

But help wasn’t far and he is giving thanks for those who helped him that day.

Bowling on a nearby lane was a firefighter and a nurse who began CPR, the family said. A REACT EMS ambulance was just one minute away, with paramedics also arriving quickly to use the Lucas Frank Jordan, second from right, visits with a group of REACT EMS paramedics who were among those who helped save his device to administer CPR. life after a sudden cardiac arrest. From left are Galen Hankal, Cooper Thompson and John Oxford at far right.

John Oxford with REACT EMS said the Lucas device could continuously give CPR for 45 minutes.

During his visit to thank the paramedics, Jordan was able to see that device and how it works.

“I’m glad you’ve got one of them,” Jordan said.

Oxford, who also showed Jordan graphs of his heart rhythm that day, explained how it looked as they were giving him CPR and how it changed when they shocked him.

Those efforts enabled Jordan to be revived and transported to the hospital, where he remained for eight days.

Jordan, who really doesn’t remember much about what happened after he collapsed, said, “I am just thrilled to be up and around.”

Doctors don’t believe he had a heart attack, the family said, and aren’t sure what caused him to go into cardiac arrest.

Oxford, who said Jordan’s life being saved at the bowling alley that day was a team effort, said Jordan was in the right place at the right time to get the help he needed that day.

“That might have been what saved me,” Jordan said.

He and the family also spoke of the two people at the bowling alley who helped him, and also are appreciative to the medical staff at the hospital.

LANDSCAPES • PORTRAITS While the paramedics asked Jordan how he was feeling, STILL LIFE • FIGURE PAINTING there were many lighthearted moments during the visit. Jordan even teased paramedics about cutting his favorite shirt.

BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE Paramedics Conner Thompson and Galen Hankal were glad to see Jordan doing so well after such an ordeal.

Hankal said it was the first time he ever had a patient walk in to visit after a cardiac arrest.

Emergency Medical Technicians Sylvia Jerczynska and Tom Watkins also assisted on Jordan’s call.

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16 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

Seasonal Affective Disorder

By Karen Simmons Behavior Health Services Black Hawk Health Center

• • •

Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that involves the seasons. It is also referred to as winter depression. It usually begins in late fall or early winter and then one’s normal mood returns in summer. A less common type of SAD, known as summer depression, usually begins in late spring or early summer. While it is not proved, some believe that SAD may be related to changes in the amount of daylight you get.

Seasonal affective disorder is estimated to affect 10 million Americans. Another 10 percent to 20 percent may have mild SAD. SAD is more common in women than in men. Illness typically begins around age 20. Some people experience symptoms severe enough to affect quality of life, and 6 percent require hospitalization. Many people with SAD report at least one close relative with a psychiatric disorder, most frequently a severe depressive disorder (55 percent) or alcohol abuse (34 percent). Although some children and teenagers get SAD, it usually doesn’t start in people younger than age 20. Yet, when it does, the syndrome is first suspected by parents and teachers.

It also appears that the risk decreases with age. SAD is more common the farther north you live.

• • • • • • • • •

Symptoms Not everyone with SAD has the same symptoms, but common symptoms of winter depression include the following: •

Feelings of hopelessness and sadness

• • • •

Thoughts of suicide Hypersomnia or a tendency to oversleep A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods Weight gain A heavy feeling in the arms or legs A drop in energy level Decreased physical activity Fatigue Difficulty concentrating Irritability Increased sensitivity to social rejection Avoidance of social situations Symptoms of the summer SAD are: Poor appetite Weight loss Insomnia Agitation and anxiety

Either type of SAD may also include some of the symptoms that are present in other kinds of depression, such as feelings of guilt, a loss of interest or pleasure in activities previously enjoyed, ongoing feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, or physical problems such as headaches and stomachaches.

Symptoms of SAD tend to reoccur at about the same time every year. The changes in mood are not necessarily related to obvious seasonal stressors (like being regularly unemployed during the winter). Usually depression is mild or moderate.

However, some people experience severe symptoms and 6

Continued on pg. 18 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

17

Continued from pg. 17 percent of SAD patients need hospitalization at some time in their lives.

Seasonal Affective Disorder can be misdiagnosed as hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, or a viral infection such as mononucleosis.

Causes The cause for SAD is unknown. One theory is that it is related to the amount of melatonin in the body, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland. The body is exposed to its secretions for a shorter period of time during summer because light suppresses it production. The long nights of winter extends the amount of time melatonin is released into the body, thus increasing symptoms. It is not clear how melatonin produces the symptoms reported. One possible explanation is that melatonin causes a drop in body temperature and lower body temperature is associated with sleep. This could indicate that it is related to the sleep-wake cycle and related to the hypersomnia and fatigue reported.

Treatments Because winter depression is probably caused by a reaction to a lack of sunlight, broad-band light therapy is frequently used. This therapy requires a light box or a light visor worn on the head like a cap. The individual either sits in front of the light box or wears light visor for a certain length of time each day.

Generally, light therapy takes between 30 and 60 minutes each day throughout the fall and winter. The amount of time required varies with each individual. When light therapy is sufficient to reduce symptoms and to increase energy level, the individual continues to use it until enough daylight is available, typically in the springtime. Stopping light therapy too soon can result in a return of symptoms.

When used properly, light therapy seems to have very few side effects. Side effects include eyestrain, headache, fatigue, irritability and inability to sleep (when light therapy is used too late in the day). People with manic depressive disorders, skin that is sensitive to light, or medical conditions that make their eyes vulnerable to light damage may not be good candidates for light therapy.

When light therapy does not improve symptoms within a few days, then medication and, or, behavioral therapies should be introduced. In some cases, light therapy can be used in combination with anyone or all of these therapies.

Self-Care • • • • • •

Monitor your mood and energy level Take advantage of available sunlight Plan pleasurable activities for the winter season Plan physical activities Approach the winter season with a positive attitude When symptoms develop seek help sooner rather than later

If you or someone you know may be experiencing symptoms of SAD, please contact your physician to discuss your concerns.

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18 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

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19

Alzheimer’s Awareness: Effects on caregivers tough, also

By Vicky O. Misa vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

Many know that November is Alzheimer’s Awareness month, but many may not know that it is also National Family Caregivers Month.

Why? The two go hand-in-hand.

What directly affects one, indirectly affects the other.

The loved one with Alzheimer’s clearly needs attention, but all too often, the one charged with the caregiving may be left in the background ––with little or no support.

And with the holidays fast approaching, that struggle is now in high gear.

To offset it, Central Oklahoma Economic Development District (COEDD) Caregiver Coordinator Patti Marshall offers some tips for helping caregivers cope with the holiday season.

“For full-time caregivers of loved ones in the home, stress levels consistently run high, but with the holiday season comes an extra one-two punch of stress-related issues,” she said.

“Daily routines, meant to keep confusion at a minimum for people suffering from dementia, can turn chaotic as the hustle and bustle of the season creates more work for caregivers.”

Marshall said try not to move too much furniture for the Christmas tree and other decorations. “Extra electric cords, boxes of decorations and piles of gifts can become hazards to people with limited mobility,” she said. “Changing familiar surroundings leads to confusion for people with memory or

20 JANUARY 2016 MEET YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST

physical challenges.”

Include the loved one in holiday preparations, such as helping in the kitchen with measuring and mixing, putting up decorations, and placing holiday cards in envelopes, she said. “Not only will this make them feel useful, but it occupies their time so you can get other things done, as well,” Marshall said.

Another holiday helper is limiting the number of guests in the home.

Marshall said holiday hubbub can cause the care receiver to become agitated and confused. “Assign someone to keep an eye on your loved one’s whereabouts, especially if the care receiver tends to wander,” she said.

There are websites that specialize in dementia care and caregiver support groups available in most areas. “Other caregivers can offer ideas that may help you get through the influx of stress,” she said.

Marshall offers a reminder that there’s no shame in asking a family member, neighbor or friend to stay with the loved one for a few hours now and then.

It’s very important, she said, to take some time out; do something enjoyable like reading a book, fishing or having lunch with a friend. “Keeping expectations at a realistic level will make the season go smoother for you and your loved one,” Marshall said.

“Don’t ignore signs of caregiver stress,” Amy Padilla, community outreach coordinator for the Oklahoma Chapter of

Continued on pg. 21

Continued from pg. 20 the Alzheimer’s Association, said. “Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s can cause depression, anger and irritability –– in addition to taking a physical toll that results in exhaustion and sleeplessness.”

Care needs quickly become overwhelming and the beloved family members cease to be functional in the ways that keep them independent, Susan Ward, Heartland Hospice Shawnee administrator, said.

“The worst thing anyone can do is attempt to carry this alone.”

She said a good support system is one of the most important tools you can have to combat the emotional, physical and spiritual overload from caring for loved ones.

“Our staff is very supportive of one another, especially in highly stressful and emotionally draining situations,” she said.

There are resources available for local caregivers.

COEDD is a council of government located in Shawnee, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life in central Oklahoma.

COEDD was organized in 1967 in a joint effort by municipalities, counties and conservation districts in Hughes, Lincoln, Okfuskee, Pawnee, Payne, Pottawatomie and Seminole.

COEDD Area Agency on Aging (AAA) offers respite vouchers to full-time, in-home caregivers of a loved one who is 60 years and older. Vouchers assist caregivers so they can hire temporary help to stay with their loved one so the caregiver can get out of

the house for a little while.

COEDD AAA vouchers are available in Lincoln, Hughes, Pottawatomie, Okfuskee, Seminole, Payne and Pawnee counties.

For more information, call Patti Marshall, caregiver coordinator, at 405-273-6410, ext. 130.

Facts, statistics • About 67 percent of caregivers provide care for someone aged 75 or older.

• The percentage of caregivers who feel they are well able to cope with the aggressive behavior of the person they care for: 48 percent of males, 35 percent of females.

• About 76 percent of female caregivers report either physical or emotional exhaustion from their care-giving duties.

• Caregivers’ most common health changes as a result of behavioral and cognitive symptoms of the person they care for are: fatigue, difficulty sleeping, headaches, back pain and weight gain.

• On a positive note, sandwich care-giving (caring for a child/ children under 21 as well as someone with Alzheimer’s disease has positive aspects: 63 percent of women reported becoming stronger, according to AFA. • Females make up 66 percent of caregivers, and their average age is 48, according to the National Alliance for Care-giving and AARP, 2009.

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