Montrose Daily Press Valley Health 10/2/15

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015

VALLEY HEALTHMONTROSE PRESS

VOL. 2, ISSUE 10

Each grading period, bring a copy of your child’s most recent report card to Alpine Bank in Montrose. Visit us at

www.alpinebank.com to learn more.Montrose: 2770 Alpine Drive • 970.240.0900 | East Montrose: 1400 E. Main Street • 970.249.0400

At Alpine Bank,we want to

reward your childfor earning good grades.

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Montrose Memorial Hospital WELCOMESJoseph Adragna, M.D., Family MedicineBoard Certi� ed

Medical SchoolUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO

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MontroseHospital.com

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Breast CanCeraWarenessMonth yoU Can ProteCt yoUrselF FroM Breast CanCer. Pg 2

treatMent oPtions Can helP stoP Breast CanCer. Pg 3

deMystiFying MaMMograMs Pg 8

Page 4

LIFELINES FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

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VALLEY HEALTHPublisher

Vincent Laboy

Managing EditorPaul Wahl

Advertising DirectorDennis Anderson

For advertising information, contact Dennis Anderson at 252-7022

or via email at [email protected]

Valley Health is a publication of the Montrose Daily Press. It publishes monthly on the fi rst Friday.

If you have a health-related news tip, contact Paul Wahl, managing editor,

at [email protected].

A PUBLICATION OF THE MONTROSE DAILY PRESS

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NEED A NEW DENTURE? OR A PARTIAL DENTURE?

Dr. Michael Seip, DDS at Ouray Family Dental is now accepting Medicaid insurance and can see you

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Call for your appointment today (970) 325-4800. Located at 309 6th Avenue Ouray, Co. 81427

dear pharmacist

You Can Protect Yourself from Breast Cancer

I had a mastectomy this sum-mer and I am scared to lose my other breast too. I want more guidance, specifi cally as it per-tains to breast cancer. What else can you tell me?

–N.L. Seattle, Washington

When it comes to breast health, two important factors are your weight and your hormone bal-ance. Let’s start with weight. Studies prove that estrogen pro-motes cell proliferation in breast tumors. Those fl abby abs can increase production of cancer-causing hormones, including a dangerous form of estrogen. This could be summarized: Fat causes cancer.

Now, about the hormones. The important ones like DHEA, testos-terone, progesterone and estrogen have to remain in balance like a see-saw. Progesterone is useful to women who have excessive amounts of estrogen because it offers hormonal balance, but it has to be used with caution.

Estrogen breakdown is even more crucial than the total amount of estrogen you have. When estrogen breaks down in the human body, it can form several smaller molecules. The safest by-product is called “2-me-thoxyestradiol.” Other estrogen by-products are not as friendly in the body, and may increase your risk for cancer. I’ll call those “bad” forms 4 and 16 estrogen to keep things simple.

Your body probably makes a larger amount of the cancer-caus-ing 4 and 16 estrogens, relative to the anti-cancer 2 estrogen.

I interviewed one of the na-tion’s leading experts on natural hormone replacement, Dr. Doug-las Hall, M.D. of Ocala, Florida.

This OB/GYN is also a func-tional medicine physician, and uses his impressive educational background to treat men and women with hormone imbalances and protect them from prostate and breast cancer.

Dr. Hall explained, “Many factors affect how a hormone is altered before it enters your cells and alters the cell’s activity. For example, the estrogen levels in breast tissue may be 27 times greater than what is in the blood stream, and it may be a relatively unsafe metabolite.”

Here’s a secret: You can affect the way you break down estrogen and reduce your risk for cancer with inexpensive supplements or foods. You can increase your pro-duction of 2 estrogens with broc-coli and rosemary extract, fl ax seed, folic acid and a few others.

Testing levels of estrogen by-products (rather than total levels) may be a better indicator of cancer risk. Unfortunately, most doctors only measure total hormones, so ask for this special urine test.

Suzy Cohen has been a licensed pharmacist for 25 years and is a functional medicine practitioner for the last 15. She devotes time to educating people about the benefi ts of natural vitamins, herbs and minerals. In addition to writing a syndicated health column, “Dear Pharmacist,” Suzy Cohen is the author of many different books on natural health. l

Montrose Memorial Hospital is pleased to again be the presenting sponsor of the 23rd Annual Bosom Buddies “One Step Closer to Help and Hope” walk/run on Saturday, Oct. 10. Registration begins at the Montrose Pavilion at 8 a.m. and the event begins promptly at 9 a.m. We have tried to make it more convenient for you to register this year, so you can visit www.Bosom-buddiesswc.org or you may pick up registration forms at KUBC/KKXK, City Market, Safeway, the San Juan Cancer Center or Mon-trose Memorial Hospital. The registration fee is $30 before Oct. 10 or $35 the day of the walk.

The fee includes a long sleeve shirt that highlights all of the incredible sponsors and under-writers who give so generously to sup-port this local group. We encourage you to pre-register so we have enough shirts for everyone.

One of the most exciting things about this event is all the money raised stays in southwest Colorado. The Breast Cancer Support Group of Southwestern Colo-rado, also known as Bosom Buddies, uses the money to help women and men with mammograms, scholarships for students who have been touched by breast cancer, breast biopsies, chemotherapy, radiation treat-ments, travel to treatment and other expenses associated with breast cancer.

Last year we had 700 people

participate in the Walk/Run and we raised more than $60,000. The event planners hope to surpass that amount this year.

According to the American Can-cer Society, breast cancer is the sec-ond leading cause of cancer deaths among women, second only to lung cancer. The two most signifi cant risk factors are being female and getting older. The majority of women have no known signifi cant family history or other known risk factors, and only 5-10 percent of breast cancers are due to heredity.

Mammography is the best known method of early detection. Mam-mography has the ability to detect breast cancers before they can be

felt. However, a small percentage of breast can-cers - even lumps one can feel - don’t show up on x-rays. Therefore, it is also important for women to perform monthly breast self-examination and to have a clinical breast examination by a trained medical professional.

f you’ve never partici-pated in the Walk/Run, please consider joining us this year. If you’re not able to make it the entire 5K or 3.1 miles, you don’t have to – just walk as far as you can.

If you don’t have time, come by, pick up your shirt and walk the route another time. It’s all about being there to unite as a communi-ty to raise awareness, honor breast cancer survivors and raise money to help others.

Leann Tobin is the director of marketing and public relations for Montrose Memorial Hospital. l

Leann TobinMontrose Memorial Hospital

hospital happenings

“One Step Closer to Help and Hope”

By Katharhynn heidelBerg

Breast cancer claimed more than 40,000 wom-en and 405 men in a single year, 2012, according to the most recent government statistics.

But the most common cancer type among women is not a guaranteed death sentence. There are treatment options, specific to the stage of the disease’s progression.

“You have to cut out the cancer-ridden tissue. If the size is big, usually more than one centi-meter, or if there is spreading cancer, surgery alone cannot cure it,” said Dr. Choon-Kee Lee, an oncologist at the San Juan Cancer Center in Montrose.

“Consequently, we put people through addi-tional treatment after surgery.”

Potential treatments include chemotherapy and hormone treatment, as well as, post-surgery, Herceptin, which blocks a protein receptor on cancer cells.

In the past, and for decades, the go-to-treat-ment was radical mastectomy, or removal of the main part of the breast. It is more common now to target the area where the tumor is, Lee said.

“We try to just take out that area, which is called a partial resection, or a lumpectomy,” Lee said. “Surgery is not a complete treatment. We have to add radiation to that area.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer can present itself in breast ducts or lobes (sections of the breast containing smaller sections called lobules, which end in tiny bulbs that can produce milk.) Lobes, lobules and bulbs are linked by ducts.

There is also inflammatory carcinoma.Chemo may be applied pre-surgery in hopes of

reducing the tumor and the amount of tissue that needs removed as a result. Chemo can also follow surgery, as can radiation or hormone therapy. In chemo, drugs are used to either kill cancer cells or prevent them from dividing. Radiation uses powerful X-rays or other forms of radiation to kill cancer cells or inhibit their growth.

Clinical trials may be possible for new treat-

ments being developed.People can also take some steps to prevent

breast cancer. A key one, for women 50 and older, is regular mammograms.

Women with a family history of the disease, or who have a known breast cancer gene in the family, should begin mammograms earlier, usu-ally at about 40, Lee said, while acknowledging controversy over earlier start dates.

“The mammogram is one of the finest screen-ing tools. I do encourage women to have an annual mammogram once they cross that age threshold. If there is a family history, an early mammogram is advisable,” he said.

A family history of other types of cancer can also be a risk factor.

Women who notice a lump should have it im-mediately evaluated.

One out of 10 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the national average. The National Cancer Institute recently projected that, by 2025, the incidences will in-crease to one in six, Lee said.

“This is a serious medical issue,” he said.Although breast cancer occurs far more often

in women than in men, men should also pay at-tention, Lee said.

“Men are not an exception. People may be sur-prised by it, but that’s a well-known diagnosis. But it usually comes to people with a high risk of developing breast cancer,” he said.

The treatment regimen is similar to ones for women: remove the mass and follow surgery with radiation, chemo or blocking the hormone receptor.

Breast cancer rates in the local area are high compared with what Lee saw while working at the University of Colorado-Denver.

“Somehow, the overall instance of people with breast cancer in the Western Slope area, I think, is probably twice as high,” Lee said. “This is not a large metro region, but we see almost three to four (new) patients a month. Per year, it would be easily 60 or so patients.”

An overview and detailed information about breast cancer can be found at www.cancer.gov.

Katharhynn Heidelberg is the senior writer at the Montrose Daily Press. She can be reached at [email protected] or at 252-7032. l

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By Callie Varra

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — a time to shed light on this devastating issue that affects our communities. By increasing awareness, individuals can learn how to recognize and prevent domestic violence.

“Domestic violence is one of the most underreported crimes,” said Aimee Chavez, Adult Services Coordinator at Hilltop’s Regional Office. “This month, our focus is to help the public understand that domestic violence is a community issue.”

By holding offenders more ac-countable and involving the com-munity at large, those affected by domestic violence are more likely to speak up about this silent crime.

“Domestic violence is under-reported because it’s an intimate crime that happens within fami-lies,” Chavez said. “Those affected by domestic violence are often ashamed or afraid, because they are deeply involved in a compli-cated relationship.”

The best thing to do for someone you suspect is a victim of domestic violence is to provide them with the information to get help.

“This information could be their lifeline,” Chavez said.

Tri-County Resources provides domestic violence services in Mon-trose, Delta and Ouray counties. This program has extensive expe-rience and resources to help those affected by domestic violence find safety while providing them the support and advocacy they need to rebuild their lives.

It’s important for community members to share information about how to get help or how to recognize potentially violent relationships with children, friends, family and neighbors. Some signs of domestic violence include individuals exhibiting behaviors such as jealousy, pos-sessiveness, threats, stalking, demanding passwords to social media accounts, isolating the partner and physical violence.

“You never know who could be affected by domestic violence, but you should always know that Tri-County Resources is a safe place to turn to,” Chavez said.

Tri-County services are free

and confidential. For more infor-mation, visit www.htop.org, call (970) 244-0513 for non-emergency help, or contact a trained advo-cate at one of the 24-hour crisis lines at:

Delta: (970) 874-4941Montrose: (970) 249-2486Ouray: (970) 626-3777Callie Varra is the media and

communications director for Hilltop Community Resources. She can be reached at [email protected] or 244-0433.l

Lifelines for Those Affected by Domestic Violence

“Domestic violence is one of the most unDerreporteD crimes,” saiD aimee chavez, aDult services coorDinator at hilltop’s regional office. “this month, our focus is to help the public unDerstanD that Domestic violence is a community issue.”

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970-240-0099901 S. Townsend Ave., Montrose, CO

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By Kylynn Wilson

Low vision is a term you may hear a lot in the elderly population. What is low vision and what does it really mean?

Low vision is a reduced level of vision that cannot be completely corrected by glasses, it usually affects a person’s performance of daily living activities and it is not a natural part of aging. Low vision is different from blindness in that a person with low vision still has some useful sight. According to the Kellogg Eye Center with the University of Michigan Medical School, 17 percent of people over the age of 65 are either blind or have low vision. Because low vi-sion is not a natural part of aging, its cause is usually an eye disease such as macular degeneration or glaucoma.

Low vision is one of the reasons people move to assisted living. Re-ceiving assistance with transporta-tion and daily living activities can really increase a person’s quality of life and decrease their stress level.

Whether an individual with low vision is living at home or in an assisted living facility, there are a few ways you can easily change a persons environment to ease the burden of low vision problems.

• Increase contrast wherever possible. For example, if a person’s bathroom counter is white, purchase a dark colored soap dispenser, hair brush, tooth brush or what-ever is left on the counter. If the walls, outlet covers and light switches are all light colored, purchase dark col-ored frames and install them around the light switches and outlets. If a person has a dark colored table and dark col-ored dishes, purchase light colored placemats to help distinguish the plate from the table.

• Exchange small print for large print or talking de-

vices. Replace a small cord-less phone with a low vision phone that has amplified numbers. Change the stan-dard wristwatch for one that will speak the time with the push of a button. There are even talking kitchen gadgets to help a person get around in the kitchen better. If large print is not an option, place magnifying glasses around the house for easy access. If your low vision friend used to enjoy reading, set them up with talking books. The Colo-rado Talking Book Library is a free service to those who are unable to read standard print materials due to differ-ent disabilities, one of them being vision. Visit their web-site, www2.cde.state.co.us, for more information and to sign up for their free services.

• Alleviate changes in light. Walking from one room that is lit mostly by artificial light to one that is lit by natural light can make it really hard for a person’s eye to adjust. Put blackout curtains in the windows to minimize glare upon entering the room to avoid disorientation and dif-ficulty seeing. The blackout curtains makes adjustment when walking into a room take less time, is less painful and is smaller. It is best to use daylight, full spectrum light bulbs.

Making a few easy adjustments to a person’s living environment can make a huge difference in their ability to stay independent. Loosing your vision is hard to deal with. Any help that can alleviate a low vision problem just a little bit can greatly increase a person’s quality of life.

Kylynn Wilson is the Marketing and Admissions Director at Cross-roads Senior Living in Delta. Ky-lynn may be reached at 970-874-1421 or by email at [email protected]

Going cordless is a trend across several industries, but the move-ment in window coverings is not just about modern style and conve-nience. It is an issue of safety for homes with small children.

Some styles of traditional corded window coverings pose a tempting hazard to infants and toddlers who view dangling cords as playthings. Each year, entanglement by win-dow cords is a serious danger that can cause injury to small children or maybe even death.

While accidents have decreased with changes in industry safety standards, there is still work to be done in spreading awareness. Ac-cording to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least one child dies from window cord stran-gulation every month, and during that one-month period, at least one more child suffers a near strangula-tion.

There are simple yet critical steps parents can take to increase the safety in their homes.

Cordless treatments are recom-mended for homes where small children or pets live or frequently visit. Cordless options include:

• Shutters: Offer a classic and inherently cordless window covering option.

• Motorizedshades: Motor-ized shades can be raised and lowered with the touch of a button using a battery-operat-ed remote control.

• Cordlesscellularshades: A sleek and modern option, cordless cellular shades can be easily raised and lowered with one hand.

• Existingcordedwindow cov-erings can be retrofitted with safety features such as:

• Springassistedclutches: Can be raised and lowered without the use of cords.

• Slidingpaneltracksys-tems: For vertical products with side to side openings.

• Break-awaytassels: De-

signed to pull apart under minimal pressure.

• Cordstops: For horizontal window coverings that restrict how far the internal ladder cords can be pulled from the blind.

• Cordcleats: Safely tie danger-ous cords out of your chil-dren’s reach.

Be mindful of where furniture is placed in a child’s bedroom or playroom.

Moving furniture such as cribs, changing tables, toy chests and chairs away from the window area prevents access to window cover-ings. This also minimizes the risk of accidentally falling from the window should the child crawl up and over the wrong end. In the event that the glass breaks, posi-tioning furniture away from the window reduces the risk of injury from broken glass.

If furniture must be placed near a window, consider adding security film, which helps maintain the integrity of windowpanes during a storm or earthquake, and from the impact of flying objects such as wind-driven tree limbs or baseballs from the neighborhood game.

Window safety is just one of many considerations when decorat-ing a home with small children. For more information and tips on whole home safety, visit www.cdc.gov/healthyhomes.

Dale and Cheryl Zahniser own and operate Budget Blinds of Mon-trose. For more information, call 240-0099 or visit www.budgetblinds.com/montrose-telluride.l

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Increasing Visibility for a Person with Low Vision

Going Cordless for Child Safety

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By dan hoehne

With the football season in full swing, the topic of concussions is a normal one, especially with more and more focus on the long-term effects they have had on many pro-fessional players.

And while the NFL is often the first to be thought of when the topic comes up, concussions hap-pen in all sports, on all levels and are something to be very wary of.

Another term that is used in-terchangeably with concussion, and gives more of a description of what a concussion actually is, is “mild traumatic brain injury” (MTBI).

There are, of course, different levels of concussions, as defined by the American Academy of Neurol-ogy.

In Grade I, confusion is the main symptom and often lasts less than 15 minutes.

Grade II also sees confusion as the predominant symptom, but it lasts longer, while a loss of con-sciousness bumps the concussion to Grade III.

The human skull protects the brain from light trauma with cere-brospinal fluid, which serves as a barrier.

But more severe impacts may not be absorbed by the fluid, causing the brain to impact the skull.

Treatments for concussions include monitoring, physical rest and cognitive rest.

Those who have had one con-cussion are more susceptible to another, especially before the previous one has had the chance to fully heal.

The time frame for recovery can vary greatly based upon the individual and grade of concus-sion, which Montrose High School trainer Julia Spellman knows quite well.

“First you need to determine how serious it is,” she said. “I’ll look for a dazed look in their eyes, and ask them questions like if their head hurts, do you have blurry vision, ringing in your ears.

“I’ll ask more questions about

what day it is, what did you have for breakfast,” Spellman contin-ued. “The more serious the concus-sion, the less they will be able to re-member. I’ll also put them through balance tests, see if they’re able to touch their nose.”

Keeping up with the student-ath-lete is the next key step, as symp-toms may have eased to where they think they are able to get back on the field.

But Spellman is certain to make absolutely sure.

“A lot of kids may think they are ready to go back, but as soon as they do, the symptoms come back,” she said. “I wait until they are symptom free, regard-less, and make sure they are. We check symptoms every day, and when they seem symptom free, I have them do the Impact Test. It’s a computerized test that checks everything from memory, vision, reflexes and word recall. It tests every aspect of the brain.

“A kid might come in and say they feel fine, but I’ll make them take that test,” Spellman added. “When they are able to pass that, then we will return them to prac-tice.”

In her experience, Spellman has seen symptoms from a concus-sion last up to a year, while none have lasted any less than five days, which is why she is as careful and thorough as she can be to avoid leaving anyone susceptible to a second occurrence.

“I tell the kids, your skull is not a stretchable thing,” she said. “It’s rock hard and doesn’t move. So when you get swelling on swell-ing on swelling, which is what a concussion is, you start squishing your brain, and that’s when the re-ally bad stuff happens.”

Concussions can happen at any time, doing virtually any activity.

The key seems to be, recogniz-ing it for what it is, and taking the proper protocol to let it fully heal.

Dan Hoehne is the sports writer for the Montrose Daily Press. He can be reached at [email protected] or at 252-7037.l

How can I make my loved one’s Funeral Service more meaningful?ASK THE DIRECTOR

At Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors, we love to memorialize with a favorite theme. Our chapel is decorated for each individual with favorite photographs, � owers and keepsakes. A video tribute can be synchronized with special music and custom memorial folders are designed as a remembrance for all of your guests.� e ideas are endless. Let “Our family take care of your family” at Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors.

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October is Physical Therapy Month

This October, help us include physical therapy into the ongoing conversation about healthy aging.

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A big thank you to our wonderful team, patients and colleagues who have helped lead to his success!

Dr. Douglas L. HansenCelebrating 25 years of Dentistry in Montrose!

Congratulations from Dr. Peter B. Amundson, Dr. Jillian T. Horkan and the Dental Team

By linda stanger

Temper tantrums, talking back, refusing to listen to simple requests and aggression can sap parents of much needed energy and valu-able time. Many parents feel over-whelmed and stressed as a result of their young child’s acting out and defiant behaviors. These nega-tive behavior issues are familiar to parents everywhere and are often a normal part of development.

Unfortunately, some children develop a pattern of negative and hostile interactions with their parents/caregivers that increases in frequency, duration and intensity. These consistent interactions can cause “bad” feelings and a “power struggle” between a parent and their child that is difficult to break.

Following are some basic tech-niques that may be helpful when parenting a difficult child.

TiMEin “Time Out” is a very popular tech-nique for most parents. However, “Time In” determines the overall effectiveness of “Time Out”. Time In refers to the positive interaction children have with their parents when they are not making poor behavior choices. Children often see parents as the people who dole out punishment. It is invaluable that children also view parents as people who provide a lot of positive feedback. So catch your child doing the right thing and praise them for that. Phrases like, “I noticed you…” and “I liked the way you…” are excellent ways to shape the behav-ior you want. Praise causes your child’s good behaviors to increase. In addition to verbal praise, parents can offer physical attention like hugs, high fives and smiles. “Time In” is a critical factor to a positive parent-child relationship.

ignoringMiSBEhaviorSTalk with your child about a behav-ior you no longer wish for them to have during a peaceful interaction. Next, let them know that you will be ignoring them when they choose that behavior. Ignore the negative behavior each time the child chooses it. Try not to make eye contact, smile/frown or pay any attention to the child when they are misbehav-ing. The behavior may actually get worse before it gets better. Some parents feel bad about how their child is acting and want them to stop the behavior right away — so ignor-ing can be difficult. Stick with it and continue ignoring the behavior every time the child does it. When you ignore the negative behavior your child learns they will not get their way every time they whine, for instance. The moment the child stops the behavior — immediately praise them. This reinforces the positive behavior you expect.

SETliMiTSwiThConSEquEnCESLet children know expectations without lecturing, nagging or anger. Teach them the expectations by role modeling. Make sure your child understands the expectation and that it is developmentally appropriate. Consequences always need to be expressed to your child with empathy — so the focus stays on the expectation/problem not on the parent. When a child blames the parent for a consequence instead of seeing their part in the

problem, it becomes a punishment and a learning opportunity is missed. Provide consequences both positive and negative. Positive consequences are used when your child is following the expectations — and strengthen the positive behavior that is expected. Positive consequences can range from verbal praise to spending extra time with your child and need to be specific to what works best for each individual. Negative consequences are used to prevent or decrease a negative behavior from recurring when your child has not followed expectations. Things like doing an extra chore, taking away something the child holds dear or a natural consequence usually work.

givETwoChoiCESwiThkindnESSWhen your child is misbehaving give them two specific choices — both of which are acceptable to you. With this tool, parents always start with letting their child know they understand how they are feeling, but that the behavior is not accept-able. For example, your child is throwing a tantrum in the store because he cannot have a toy. You calmly say, “How upsetting for you to not get what you want. However, it is not ok to scream in the store. You have two choices; you can take a deep breath and calm down or we will leave the store.” Next, tell the child, “You choose or I’ll choose…” Usually a child will choose when of-fered choices. If the child chooses to take a deep breath — provide verbal praise, “Because you chose to take a deep breath and calm down, we get to keep shopping.” If the child

continues to throw a tantrum, gently grab his hand and leave the store. The most important part of using this tool is follow through.

All in all, these are just a few of my favorite and most effective parenting tools or solutions when working with a difficult child. Whatever the problem, providing choices and focusing on the parent-child relationship is usually helpful. If you are feeling

like the issue is beyond what you can manage, you might consider reaching out for professional help.

Linda Stanger is a licensed clinical social worker at Solutions Wellness Center in Montrose. She is passionate about her work with young children, teens and families.

Linda Stanger is a licensed clinical social worker at Solutions Wellness Center in Montrose. She is passionate about her work with young children, teens and families.l

Solutions to Parenting a Difficult Child

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Annual mammograms are widely recom-mended for women beginning at age 40. Some estimates suggest that more than 48 million mammography screenings are performed in the United States every year.

Whether it is a woman’s first mammography or her twentieth, preparing for the appointment can ease anxiety and make the experience go more smoothly. The following are some guidelines to consider when preparing for a mammography visit.

• Choose a reputable and certified facility. Select a radiology center that is certified by the FDA, which means it meets current standards and is safe. Many women also prefer to select a facility that is covered by their health insurance. Plans usually allow for one mammogram screening per year.

• Time your visit. Schedule the mammogram to take place one week after your menstrual period if you have not reached menopause. Breasts are less likely to be tender at this time. Also, schedule your visit for a time when you are not likely to feel rushed or stressed. Early in the day works best for many.

• Dress for the occasion. Two-piece ensem-bles enable you to only remove your shirt and bra for the examination. A blouse that opens in the front may be optimal. Some facilities require you to wear a paper gown for the exam.

• Watch your grooming practices. You’ll be advised to abstain from wearing powder,

perfume, deodorant, ointment and lotions on the chest or around the area. These sub-stances may look like an abnormalities on the mammogram image, potentially result-ing in false positive diagnoses.

• Take an OTC pain medication. Mammo-grams are not necessarily painful, but they can put pressure on the breasts, which creates discomfort. Breasts are compressed between a plastic plate and the imaging ma-chine. This spreads out the tissue and helps create a clearer picture. If your breasts are tender, medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen taken an hour before the appoint-ment may ease discomfort.

• Expect a short visit. Mammogram appoint-ments typically last around 30 minutes. The technician will mark any moles or birthmarks around the breasts so they can be ignored on the imaging. You’ll be asked to hold your breath as the images are taken. If the images are acceptable, you are free to go. But new images may be needed in some instances.

Mammograms are now a routine part of women’s preventative health care. The procedure is simple and appointments are quick and rela-tively painless.

Story courtesy of Metro Creative Connection.l

As thousands of children prepare to embark on their trick-or-treating jaunts in neighborhoods near and far, it is best to once again revisit safety tips that can help ensure this Halloween is enjoyable and injury-free.

• visibility: Visibility is key when donning a Halloween costume. Children should be dressed in highly visible costumes so drivers can

easily see them. Parents and chaperones also should be dressed in bright colors. Reflective tape and flashlights also make pedestrians more visible to oncoming cars.

• routes: Children and adults should plan their trick-or-treating routes ahead of time. This way they kids can be found quickly if they are separated from their groups,

and parents can choose safe neighborhoods. Choose neighborhoods and paths that have the least amount of automobile traffic.

• walk,don’trun. Trick-or-treaters should stick to sidewalks and only cross the street at intersection crosswalks. Make sure kids know to avoid darting out between cars or cutting across lawns and driveways. When darkness sets in, fast-moving children can be difficult to see.

• visitonlylithouses. Residents who don’t want to answer the door will typically leave their homes’ exterior lights off. Only visit homes that are decorated, bright and welcoming to trick-or-treaters.

• goingroups. Children

should go out in groups and always be accompanied by an adult chaperone.

• Costumesafety: Everyone should wear well-fitted costumes that do not drag on the floor or impede mobility. Choose face paint over masks so that vision is not obscured.

• Bewareof firehazards. Keep clear of jack-o-lanterns that are lit by real flames. Homeowners can opt for LED lights or other, safer methods of illumination rather than candles and open flames.

Halloween is an exciting day for youngsters, and following a few safety can make the day both fun and safe.

Story courtesy of Metro Creative Connectionl

Demystifying Mammograms

Safely Scaring for Trick-or-treaters