When
you’re sick or feeling some kind of physical discomfort, do you ask yourself,
Should I make a doctor’s appointment? Should I wait and see if it gets worse?
Or is it serious enough that I should go to ER right now?
After
I broke my hip, I waited a day thinking and hoping I had just bruised my muscle
or bone. But the next day, when suddenly in the middle of the Center’s parking
lot I couldn’t put any weight on my leg, I knew it was time to drive myself to
the hospital – after I figured out how to get to the car.
But
there are situations when you should be less optimistic and a little more
expeditious than I was. In an article for UC San Diego Health, an academic
medical center in San Diego, Scott LaFee identifies the following ten medical symptoms
that you shouldn’t ignore.
1. Chest
pain: Extreme discomfort that feels like squeezing, pressure or tightness. May
be accompanied by pain radiating down an arm, nausea, vomiting, sweating or
difficulty breathing.
2. Shortness
of breath: A sudden feeling that you’re breathing faster than usual, without
obvious explanation, and without good effect. Worsens when you lie flat or
exert yourself. Wheezing or gasping.
3. Sudden
intense headache: This is head pain unlike anything you’ve felt before, peaking
in seconds or minutes.
4. Unexplained
weight loss: Losing more than 5 percent of your body weight without trying in
less than six months.
5. Unusual
bleeding: For example, rectal bleeding or black or tarry stools. Or bloody
vomit.
6. High
or persistent fever: Anything 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher warrants an
immediate trip to the doctor, without exception. A low-grade fever (somewhere
around 100 degrees) for several weeks with no obvious cause should also be
checked out.
7. Sudden
confusion: Or inexplicable changes in personality, aggression or an inability
to concentrate.
8. Swelling
in the legs: Persistent, accumulated fluid (edema) in the extremities.
9. Sudden
or severe abdominal pain: Centralized around the belly button. Sharp and
unexpected.
10. Flashes
of light: Bright spots, flashes or other visual disturbances.
There
can be many reasons for these symptoms – some life threatening and others more
benign. If you want to learn more, I have posted the entire article on the
Center’s website, www.midcolumbiaseniorcentr.com, under the HEALTH tab.
When
the snow arrived last Wednesday, followed by rain that decided to come early dressed
as ice, it made it difficult to get around town. And so not to encourage folks
to take unnecessary chances, the Center was closed on Wednesday and Thursday
causing several events at the Center to be postponed to this week.
One
was the presentation by John Brenne, Project Director for the Foster
Grandparent Program, who decided driving from Pendleton wasn’t the best idea. But
he has been rescheduled to speak at the Center at 1:00 on Wednesday, December 8th.
As a quick reminder, the Foster Grandparent program places adults age 55 or
over in schools to help young children become better readers. A unique benefit
of being a Foster Grandparent is you receive a non-taxable stipend of $2.65 to
cover volunteer expenses.
Also Thursday
Night Bingo was canceled which means this coming Thursday you still have a
chance to win $1000 if you blackout on the last game in 60 numbers or less. I’ll
bet you someone goes home with an extra $1000 for Christmas shopping. And for
those who want a bite to eat, they’ll be serving Johnny’s special Hamburgers
with Potato Salad.
For
the Tuesday Night Music and Dance on December 15th, the Simcoe Boys will be
performing. Music starts at 6:30, everyone is welcome and donations are always
appreciated.
The
name of the 1960’s television series featuring special agents 86 (Don Adams) and
99 (Barbara Feldon) was Get Smart. (The
winner of a free quilt raffle ticket is Don McAllister.)
This
week’s “Remember When” question is from one of my favorite holiday movies. In
the 1942 film Holiday Inn starring
Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby sang what became the best-selling
single of all time. What was the name of the song? Email your answer to
mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with the
1942, 78 rpm release of the song on Decca records.
Well,
it’s been another week trying not to slip and slide away. Until we meet again, don’t
let fear spoil the season of peace.
“Christmas,
my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's
Christmas.” Dale Evans
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