Veterans Day on November 11 is a day for the people of the United States to honor those men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. For aging and elderly veterans, the holiday is an important time to reflect on their experiences and receive recognition for their deeds, and in senior living communities, it’s likely that there are several residents who have served.
Whether you’d like to take some time this Veterans Day to honor the veterans around you, or you are a veteran yourself, here are some meaningful ways to observe the holiday:
1. Plan an Oral History Interview or Discussion
Oral history projects such as the Veterans History Project are reaching out to veterans across the country to preserve their memories and experiences for future generations. The interviews are informal and meant to be comfortable and companionable to make it as easy as possible for veterans to talk about experiences that may be troubling. Most oral history projects recommend one-on-one interviews, but a group discussion with several veterans can make it easier to exchange stories and memories. The most important part of any oral history project, after all, is preserving authentic first-hand accounts. The Veterans History Project has a list of suggested interview questions to get the conversation started, but from there, let it wander. The most interesting stories can come from unexpected places.
2. Pack Care Packages
While Veterans Day is for honoring those who have already finished serving honorably in the armed forces, it’s also a good day to show support to those who are currently serving. Organizations such as Operation Gratitude help people connect with deployed troops to send care packages, which typically include little comforts from home that are difficult to get on deployment. This is a great social activity for veterans to engage in, as they can recall what they would have appreciated, the sort of rations they received, and more details about their service as they continue to support the armed forces.
3. Attend Local Celebrations
Local governments and schools often organize parades or assemblies to honor Veterans Day. If you are a veteran, consider talking to school groups about your service, or attend a school event. Putting a face to history helps kids understand the reality of what they learn. Local parades celebrate the service of our veterans, and local businesses and organizations may offer discounts or donate proceeds to services that help veterans.
4. Thank the Veterans Around You
This is one of the simplest, but most meaningful things you can do to celebrate Veterans Day. Take a moment to shake the hand of the veterans around you and thank them for their service. A small gesture can mean a lot, and for veterans in senior living communities, gratitude from peers, caretakers, family, and friends can have more significance than large events and speeches.
However you choose to celebrate Veterans Day, we hope you have some time to support the aging and elderly veterans who have done so much for our country. From all of us at Vista Springs, happy Veterans Day and thank you for your service!
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is controlled in its home region of Asia by samurai wasps. The wasps are now found in the United States and could help control BMSB in Michigan.
The samurai wasp with the scientific name of Trissolcus japonicus was found in Michigan for the first time in 2018. This tiny parasitic wasp has great potential to provide effective biological control of brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) that have invaded Michigan orchards, crops and homes.
In 2019, Michigan State University researchers started a rearing and release program of samurai wasps at Michigan State University. We are boosting population sizes and increasing its distribution across Michigan to speed up control of BMSB. This program has generated a lot of interest in the media and online recently, and with that there are some common misconceptions about what these developments mean. I wanted to answer some frequently asked questions about the samurai wasp and the brown marmorated stink bug.
1. How did these wasps get to Michigan? Where else can they be found?
The samurai wasp is native to northeast Asia where BMSB comes from. It was not intentionally released in North America, but got introduced accidentally, likely the same way as BMSB by being stowed away in shipping containers, planes or any other means of transportation. It was first found in Maryland in 2014, and in 2015 in Washington in the western United States. Based on its patterns of discovery, the wasp appears to follow BMSB distribution and has been moving west from Maryland.
In 2017, it was found in Ohio and the following year we found it in Michigan. Now, BMSB has been found in 12 states (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, California, Michigan, Utah and Washington), the District of Columbia and in British Columbia, Canada. The densities of samurai wasps are very low in most places and this is why several states, for example, New York, Ohio and Washington, have started similar rearing and redistribution programs of samurai wasps as is Michigan.
2. What is an invasive species and is the samurai wasp invasive?
The samurai wasp is a non-native species and not considered an invasive species. Invasive species are those that reach high densities locally or regionally and result in economic damage or other harm to the environment.
3. Are they going to attack any species other than BMSB?
The samurai wasp is adapted to parasitize stink bugs only. It cannot attack any other species. However, there is a concern it might attack stink bugs native to Michigan. In the laboratory, it was able to attack native stink bugs when given no other choice, however, it shows a strong preference for BMSB.
Right now, BMSB is the most prolific stink bug species in most habitats, so it will likely be the primary target of the wasp. It is well-known that no-choice laboratory tests often overestimate impact that will actually occur in the field. In nature, the behavior of parasitoids is influenced by many things that cannot be replicated in a laboratory setting including climatic, biological and environmental factors.
Wasps use many different cues to locate hosts, such as chemicals emitted by stink bugs and the plants the stink bugs feed on. A recent study found when the wasps were exposed to these types of chemical cues, in every single case they chose to attack BMSB and not the native stink bug species. So, when given a choice in the field, it is likely they will attack BMSB, their primary host that they are adapted to and which is our most common stink bug.
4. Can I find samurai wasps in my orchard or garden? Will they sting people?
Brown marmorated stink bug feeds on an apple. BMSB are pests of many crops and are a nuisance in people’s homes. Photo by Bill Shane, MSU Extension.
These wasps are tiny, only 1/8 of an inch, about the size of a sesame seed. They cannot sting people and most people will never see them in nature. They track BMSB eggs flying around in tree canopies, hiding among leaves of crops or taking shelter under barks of trees. They are hard to find and see with the naked eye. Scientists use so-called sentinel eggs to capture them.
The sentinel BMSB eggs are usually laid in lab colonies and then affixed to leaves and left for a few days in habitats where BMSB and thus the wasps likely reside. If samurai wasps find these sentinel eggs, they can parasitize them by laying their own eggs inside the stink bug eggs. The sentinel eggs are taken back to the lab and monitored to see if wasps emerge. This is how samurai wasps were detected in Michigan and elsewhere.
5. Why do we think the samurai wasp will be effective at controlling the brown marmorated stink bug?
The samurai wasp is the parasitoid that keeps BMSB populations down in Asia in its native range. There are other parasitoids attacking BMSB in Asia, but the samurai wasp is the one with the highest attack rates, parasitizing 60-90% of BMSB egg masses. Because of its effectiveness in Asia, we assume it will be a good biocontrol agent here. It is adapted to BMSB so it will respond to the cues and chemical signatures that the stink bug leaves on the trees and crops and can find BMSB in many different habitats.
Another trait that usually characterizes successful biocontrol agents is the ability to have several generations during a growing season. BMSB has only one generation in Michigan, but lays eggs over an extended period of time, probably from June to August. Wasps can complete one generation in two weeks so they can keep attacking BMSB during the entire season as the new generations emerge.
Finally, because BMSB is a season-long pest and can feed on hundreds of plant species including many adjacent to crop fields, it is difficult to control with pesticides. Samurai wasps can follow stink bugs across the landscape into all the different habitats where they may feed and reproduce so they can be effective at suppressing their numbers over large areas.
6. Are there efforts to monitor impacts on native stink bugs?
My lab is taking steps to better understand the host choice of samurai wasps and their potential impact on native stink bugs. As part of our release and monitoring program, we placed over 180 sentinel egg masses of native stink bugs in BMSB habitats and in places where wasps were released and so far, none of them were attacked by samurai wasps.
7. Have we seen any results yet of the wasps controlling BMSB?
No. It is too early to see any impact samurai wasps may have on BMSB. Like with most biological control programs, it will take probably years until a newly arrived natural enemy such as the Samurai wasp builds up large enough populations to have a measurable impact on its target. This is the process we are trying to speed up a bit with our augmentative releases.
Also, the samurai wasp will not eradicate BMSB—that is not how biological control works. What is expected of a successful biocontrol agent is to bring down pest densities and reach a low equilibrium density where the wasps and BMSB co-exist, but BMSB would no longer create enough damage to be considered a pest.
There’s no definitive proof coffee drinking lowers the risk of gallstones, but there is an association that merits further study. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
To the many ways in which coffee seems to confer unexpected health benefits, add a lowered risk of painful gallstones.
After tracking nearly 105,000 Danes for an average of eight years, researchers found that those who downed more than six cups per day of the world’s most popular beverage saw their gallstone risk drop by 23%.
“High coffee intake is associated with a lower risk of gallstone disease,” said study author Dr. A. Tybjaerg-Hansen. She’s chief physician of Rigshospitalet’s department of clinical biochemistry at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.
That’s good news for Danes, 6% of whom drink six or more cups of coffee every day, she said.
But what about the average Dane, who knocks back just two cups a day? Or the average American or Brit who consumes between one to two cups daily? The study has good news for them, too. It turns out that even small amounts of coffee appeared to lower gallstone risk.
Compared to those who abstained from coffee, participants who drank just one cup of Joe a day saw the risk of gallstones dip by about 3%. Meanwhile, those who consumed three to six cups per day saw their risk lide by 17%.
The findings were published recently in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Gallstones are hard pebble-like pieces that can accumulate in the gallbladder, where they can sometimes block bile ducts. When that extremely painful condition develops, surgery to remove them is often the treatment of choice.
So what is it about coffee that seems to diminish risk? Tybjaerg-Hansen said that, for now, “we can only speculate on that.”
But she noted that because caffeine is excreted via the bile, it’s possible that it reduces the amount of cholesterol found in the bile. That could reduce gallstone risk, given that “the development of gallstones depends on a balance largely between cholesterol and bile acids,” Tybjaerg-Hansen explained.
Coffee also stimulates the muscle contractions that move contents though the gastrointestinal tract.
As to whether it’s the caffeine content that serves as coffee’s silver bullet, Tybjaerg-Hansen said, “yes, that is a possibility.” That raises the prospect that tea or chocolate might also lower gallstone risk.
But whatever’s behind coffee’s power, she believes that the team’s subsequent genetic analyses indicate that it’s coffee itself—rather than lifestyle factors common to coffee drinkers—that is at play.
Another expert is not so sure.
Dr. Anthony Bleyer is a professor of nephrology at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. He was not involved in the Danish study and was not previously aware of any link between coffee and gallstone risk.
“(But) it seems every week there is a new story about how coffee may or may not be associated with some benefit,” he cautioned. “Information on coffee is collected in many big databases. It is easy to do a comparison with just about any factor: osteoporosis, weight gain, weight loss, sleep, ulcers, cancer, mortality. You get the picture.”
And Bleyer acknowledged that many people will find studies like this interesting, given that coffee drinking is such a common habit.
“But from a scientific standpoint, I am not a big fan,” he added.
“For one thing, consuming six cups of coffee is quite a lot,” he said, “and the (high level of) caffeine could have big effects on sleep, gastric reflux and on arrhythmias.”
But most importantly, said Bleyer, the things that drive people to drink a lot of coffee in the first place “may also cause other changes in diet.” And it could very well be those dietary changes, rather than coffee itself, that end up affecting gallstone risk.
His bottom line: don’t place too much stock in the power of coffee to reduce gallstone risk.
For now, he said, “these studies show only an association, that is not causative.”
This holiday season, the Holland Area Arts Council is reprising their partnership with Grand Rapids Ballet in two special performances for children ages 4 to 10 and their adult guests on Sunday, Nov. 17th. The gallery will be filled with the enchanting giggles of children as they experience the magic of music, dance and storytelling. Performances will be held at 12:30 and 2:30pm.
The Nutcracker Ballet Tea is a story-time brunch in a winter fairy-tale land of ballerinas, nutcrackers and toy soldiers. Members of Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company will dance vignettes from The Nutcracker as Attila Mosolygo, Junior Company Artistic Director reads The Nutcracker story. The performance includes tea, delicious snacks and a box of treats for each child to enjoy.
Children live in a world of imagination and play. The line between reality and pretend has not yet been drawn. They involve themselves in performance physically, mentally and emotionally, and so the Arts Council is excited to expose the very young to live performance featuring other young performers.
Partnership with Grand Rapids Ballet, who provides the dancers in costume, makes this event truly special.
Tickets for the Nutcracker Ballet Tea are on sale now. Admission is $35 per ticket. Children 10 and under get in for $15 each.
Tickets to Grand Rapids Ballet’s The Nutcracker Dec. 13-15 and 20-22 performances at DeVos Performance Hall may be purchased online at grballet.com or by calling (616) 454-4771 x10.
Although the slopes might not be ready just yet, it’s never too early to begin preparing your body for ski season.
Here’s a look at the most common injuries and the best ways to prevent them:
Head injuries
Falls account for 75 to 85 percent of ski injuries, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, and nearly all ski-related head injuries are the result of falling.
The best way not to fall is “making sure you’re in shape,” said Jason Lazor, DO, who specializes in sports medicine for Spectrum Health Medical Group Orthopedics. To do that, start preparing weeks or months before you actually get on the slopes.
The time to start prepping for skiing is yesterday. Prepare your core, muscles and joints for the rigors of skiing and you’re less likely to injure yourself. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
“You don’t really want to ski yourself into shape,” Dr. Lazor suggested. “When you’re skiing, you’re putting a lot of forces on the body. …The body can best handle those forces when you’ve done some prepping.”
Dr. Lazor recommends a combination of stretching, cardiovascular training like running, cycling and/or swimming, and resistance training focused on the lower extremities to best prepare for ski season. In terms of weight and resistance training, he suggests focusing on quads, hamstrings, abdomen and pelvic stabilizers.
Strong muscles and flexibility increase stability and muscle control, as well as decrease muscle fatigue, which all help to prevent serious falls.
“The more in-shape you are and the more body control you have, the better you can avoid accidents, and when accidents do happen, the better you can protect yourself,” Dr. Lazor said.
The other key for protecting your head is wearing a properly-fitted helmet. You’ll look great.
Sprains and fractures
Two other common injuries when skiing are sprains and fractures.
Collisions with objects and other skiers account for between 11 and 20
percent of ski injuries, according to the American College of Sports
Medicine, and are the primary cause of fractures.
Skiing “in control” is the best way to avoid those collisions, says Dr. Lazor. Almost every resort posts a Responsibility Code, which reminds skiers to keep an eye on the skiers in front of them, stop in safe and visible places, always look uphill while stopped, and other basic tips for avoiding collisions and ensuring safety.
It’s also important to know your limits, says Dr. Lazor, and not to ski on trails that are above your ability level.
Thumb and wrist injuries
About 30 to 40 percent of skiing injuries are to the upper extremities, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, and “the most vulnerable joint of the upper body is the thumb.”
Skier’s thumb, which is a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb, happens when skiers fall on an outstretched hand while still gripping their ski poles.
The best way to avoid this injury—which can lead to pain and weakness when grasping objects—is to avoid falling (see above advice). A second helpful tip is to use ski poles with straps rather than fitted grips.
“(Straps) are associated with fewer injuries,” the American College of Sports Medicine reports.
When to see a doctor
“In general, if you’re questioning an injury, go seek out help,” Dr. Lazor advised.
Signs of serious head injuries are people acting outside their normal character, behaving more emotionally than normal, a sudden sensitivity to light and lingering headaches.
Another advantage to working out before winter arrives, Dr. Lazor said, is people who work out can tell the difference between general soreness following physical activity and pain from an injury. He frequently reminds people that the Orthopedic Urgent Care clinic stands at the ready to assist them as they encounter any sort of orthopedic injuries—on or off the slopes.
Dr. Lazor has a simple mantra for those wondering when to see a doctor: “When in doubt, get checked out.”
True heroism is remarkable sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.
American Tennis Player Arthur Ashe
We Salute
Veterans Day is Monday, Nov. 11, with several local events schedule. The City of Wyoming will host its annual Veterans Day Breakfast at the Wyoming Senior Center and the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce will be at Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23. On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the Mr. Sid’s Afternoon Video Series will be hosting a program honoring local vets. For more information, click here.
Become Civic Minded
This Sunday, Nov. 10, City of Kentwood Commissioner Emily Bridson will host a Community Conversation on Homelessness from 2 – 4 p.m. at Broad Leaf Local Beer, 2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE. Keynote speaker will be Judge William G. Kelly, the chief judge for Kentwood’s 62B District Court. For more information, click here.
The Grand Rapids Symphony performs the music of “Home Alone” as the film is shown on Nov. 12.
Stay ‘Home Alone’ or hit some craft shows
The weekend will be full of craft shows such as the one at the Byron Center High School, 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW. The show runs form 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Kentwood’s St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 1253 52nd St. SE, also will be hosting its craft show from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, get into the holiday spirit as the Grand Rapids Symphony presents the movie classic “Home Alone.” The symphony will perform the John Williams’ score as the film is shown.
Fun Fact: I’m not heavy, I’m a bridge
The world’s largest and heaviest vertical-lift bridge is the Houghton Hancock Bridge, also called the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, located in Houghton, Michigan, the home of Michigan Technology University. About 35,000 tons of concrete and about 7,000 tons of steel was used in the bridge’s construction. The double-decker bridge is the major connection across Portage Lake which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula with a canal that links to Lake Superior. And for the beer fans, Houghton is also home to the Keweenaw Brewing Company.
Home Alone, a moderately budgeted film by a little-known director, was expected to be a minor hit for the Christmas season when it was released in November 1990. Instead, the film starring Macaulay Culkin became a holiday sensation, holding the No. 1 spot at the North American box office for 12 consecutive weekends, remaining in theaters until the following June, and spending 27 years at the top of the all-time, highest-grossing, live-action comedies in the United States.
Back by popular demand, the modern classic starring Macaulay Culkin returns to the Grand Rapids Popsstage for one night only at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, in DeVos Performance Hall.
Associate Conductor John Varineau will conduct the concert that’s part of the Gerber SymphonicBoomseries, which continues in December with the Old National Bank Cirque de Noelon Dec. 18-19. Gerber is the series sponsor for both programs.
For the second year in a row, the Grand Rapids Pops performs John Williams’ score with its hummable melodies that evoke a child’s view of family and Christmas in the Midwest.
Screenwriter John Hughes had the idea for Home Alone while writing and directing the 1989 film, Uncle Buck. Culkin, who had a starring role in the film, inspired Hughes to create the precocious protagonist, Kevin McCallister.
Lukas Kendall, founder and editor of Film Score Monthly, told NPR, “[John Williams] has a breadth and depth of talent and career that really started before there were The Beatles; [today he is] essentially the dean of American composers. His themes sound inevitable. They sound like they fell out of his sleeves; they sound like they’ve always existed.”
Williams sets Home Alone apart from other live-action, comedies meant for the entire family with music that’s imaginative and memorable, capturing both the rambunctious nature of the film and the essence of the holiday spirit.
Tickets
Tickets for Home Alone start at $18, available by calling the GRS ticket office at (616) 454-9451 ext. 4. Phone orders will be charged a $3 per ticket handling fee ($18 maximum per order). There are no fees for tickets purchased in person at the GRS ticket office at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
What happens at the federal, state, county and city government levels are of importance to everybody, including veterans, so the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Committee’s monthly forum will be fittingly held at Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23.
“We thought there was no better time to take our Government Matters forum on the road than Veterans Day,” Bob O’Callaghan, president of the chamber, said to WKTV. “We wanted to honor our veterans, and the AMVETS in Kentwood stepped up.”
O’Callaghan also thanked Harold Mast, longtime local public servant and veterans advocate, for arranging the visit to the AMVETS post.
AMVETS Post 23 is located at 98 52nd St. SE. The Government Matters meeting runs from 8-9:15 a.m.
The Government Matters meeting is rebroadcast on WKTV’s channels and on-demand website (wktvlive.com).
The Government Matters meeting brings together representatives from the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, Kent County commissioners, local Michigan state senators and representatives, as well as often representatives of Michigan’s U.S. senators and U.S. congressman who represent the Wyoming and Kentwood area.
The intergovernmental discussion hosted by the chamber focuses on issues that effect residents, businesses — and veterans and their families — in the two cities.
For more information about the chamber and Government Matters visit southkent.org.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the latest meeting on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., as well as on select Saturdays, on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. For a highlight schedule of WKTV cable programs visit wktvjournal.org.
Anyone who has travelled north to Cooper Harbor would recognize this sight, the Houghton Hancock Bridge, also referred to as the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. Built in 1959, the bridge is the only type in Michigan and is the world’s heaviest and largest vertical-lift bridge ever built. More than 35,000 tons of concrete and 7,000 tons of steel went into its construction. This photo was sent in by reader Nancy Welsch, who said she recently visited the bridge for the first time in October. For more about the Houghton Hancock Bridge, click here.
Do you have a picture you would like to be considered for Photo of the Week? Email it to joanne@wktv.org.
The holidays bring joy to many of us, but they aren’t always so kind to our overall health.
We may feel stressed from trying to do too much, working to please everyone, getting less sleep, exercising less and constantly trying to avoid all the unhealthy food that comes with the holidays.
To make matters worse, all that stress combined with less sleep makes our bodies crave sugar and then store it as belly fat. Yikes! Add alcohol to the mixture, and hot flashes and night sweats can occur, making the holiday roller coaster even worse.
You may think you are destined to gain extra weight during this time of year, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
You can either read this blog and feel depressed when you are done, or you can take the information and use it as a guide for how to enjoy the holidays the healthy way. All it takes is a little planning and some self control.
Let’s use a patient I’ll call Lisa as an example of how to enjoy the holidays and end up with better health.
Lisa is 51 and just starting menopause. She is taking a low dose of hormones, and she still experiences an occasional hot flash if she forgets to change her patch, gains a few extra pounds, drinks too much wine, is sleep deprived, or forgets to drink enough water.
When Lisa came to see me for her annual check up, she was very worried about the holidays—specifically weight gain.
Like many people, Lisa had several stressors she knew she would be tackling. She was trying to coordinate extended family events to be sure certain family members wouldn’t be together at the same time.
Lisa was also preparing herself mentally for the arrival of her college-age kids. She was excited to see them, of course, but she knew it would be an adjustment for everyone after settling in to their new routines. In addition, Lisa worked full time and was barely able to stick to her exercise routine because of frequent late meetings.
Adding the stress of the holidays could challenge her exercise and eating habits even more. She had just settled into a solid sleep routine and didn’t want holiday to-do lists and night sweats to upset that routine. It was time to make a plan.
Lisa had already outlined her goals, and when she came to see me, she shared them with me. She wanted to:
Not have hot flashes.
Continue her solid sleeping pattern.
Not gain weight.
Be happy and enjoy her family in the midst of potential conflicts and overload.
Lisa had already learned her symptom triggers (inadequate sleep,
wine, sugar, stress and excitement), and she knew her barriers
(full-time work schedule, extra events on her calendar, and holiday
baking and shopping for everyone). Her next step was figuring out how to
accomplish everything while avoiding triggers.
I was confident Lisa could attain her goals with planning, preparation and a few simple rules.
Lisa was aware that if she took care of herself she would be happier, healthier, able to accomplish more, and just more fun to be around. So she committed to planning out each week during the month of December.
Every Sunday afternoon she would make a prioritized list of things she needed to accomplish and break it down by daily tasks. Lisa included meal plans, exercise, work events, family time, changing her patch, taking her vitamins and sleep on her daily list. This would ensure she wouldn’t forget anything or have any excuses for not getting these things done.
Next, Lisa outlined a few rules for herself. She knew certain foods triggered issues like night sweats, weight gain and frustration, so she committed to the following rules:
No carbs after 3pm (unless one glass of wine was the sugar treat for the day).
Limit simple carbs to one serving per day.
Drink eight glasses of water per day.
Watch what she ate at holiday parties (choose lean meats, veggies and salad over carbs when available).
Exercise vigorously, even if it meant shorter workouts, to accommodate other obligations.
Make sleep a priority and stick to her pre-bedtime ritual: Five minutes of gratitude and metered breathing and no screen time. She also vowed to get up immediately in the middle of the night if she awoke (instead of tossing and turning, worrying about things she needed to get done).
As you can see, Lisa made a plan designed to help her make it through
the holidays in good health. She set goals and made some rules to help
her plan become a reality.
You can achieve success as well by setting your own goals, knowing your symptom triggers, listing your barriers and outlining the rules that will help you realize those goals.
Thanksgiving is coming up Nov. 28th, and whether you are looking for a turkey dinner, a special holiday weekend getaway, or some unique events to celebrate the day, West Michigan has you covered. You’ll find special shopping events, festivals, Thanksgiving Day races, buffets, ready-made dinner options, Small Business Saturday deals, light shows, and more throughout the month to help make your holiday one to remember.
Thanksgiving brunch, dinner, and buffets
If there’s one holiday you would associate withCrane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant and Winery in Fennville, it’s Thanksgiving. Their famous homemade fruit pies are a perfect addition to any gathering around your family table. Crane’s will take orders for baked pies for your Thanksgiving feast up until Tuesday, Nov. 26th for a Wednesday pick-up. This year, in addition to the traditional pumpkin and apple pies, they are offering an extremely limited new Pumpkin Praline Pie, featuring layers of house-made cream cheese and pumpkin filling in their famous pie crust topped with a praline crumble. If you’re thinking of adding it to your Thanksgiving order, call Crane’s at 269.561.2297 to place your order before they run out.
Let Muskegon’s SE4SONS Gastropub create your Thanksgiving dinner. Chef Jeremy and his staff will prepare a wonderful meal, complete with all the fixings, cooking and reheating instructions, and a food thermometer. Choose your menu and place your order by Nov. 22nd and pick up your Thanksgiving meal Wednesday, Nov. 27th between 2-4pm.
Let RedWater Restaurant Group handle the cooking this Thanksgiving. Enjoy salads, roasted turkey, carved ham, prime rib or sirloin, other entrees, side dishes, desserts, and more at one of six available Thanksgiving buffets throughout Grand Rapids and Holland. Reservations are limited with seating every half hour. Visit www.redwaterrestaurantgroup.com/ for more information, or call the restaurant of your choice to reserve your spot. RedWater Restaurant locations include Cork Wine & Grille in Cascade, FireRock Grille in Caledonia, Reds at Thousand Oaks in Grand Rapids, Rush Creek Bistro in Grandville, RedRock Grille in Holland, and Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant in Holland.
Thanksgiving weekend events
The Zeeland Turkey Trot 8K will begin at 8am Thanksgiving morning. The race begins in the middle of downtown Zeeland and will take runners through the downtown streets. This year’s event will be capped at 1,500 runners, so be sure to sign up in advance.
Muskegon’s 10th Annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot takes place on the Lakeshore Bike Trail and the Muskegon Community College Fitness Center beginning at 9am. This family friendly 5K is the perfect way to jump-start Thanksgiving morning. Get festive, wear a turkey hat, and earn that extra helping at Thanksgiving dinner.
Join the Grand Rapids Public Museum for the Planetarium Double Feature showing of The Queen Light Show and Dark Side: The Light Show in the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium on Friday, Nov. 29th at 7pm. Music enthusiasts will rock out to the music of Queen and Pink Floyd paired with stunning visuals on the planetarium dome. A cash bar will be available before the first show and during a short intermission. Tickets to the Planetarium Double Features will include both light shows, and are $8 for non-members, $4 for members.
Courtesy City of Zeeland
Light up the season during the official lighting of the South Haven community holiday tree at Holiday in the Park, Nov. 29th in Dyckman Park. Ice skating, karaoke, Santa Paws Pet Parade, luminaries, holiday treats, and more will jump-start the holiday spirit and make memories you can reminisce on for years to come.
This Small Business Saturday, the Downtown Holland merchants want to thank the entire community for supporting small business all year round! On Saturday, Nov. 30th, head to Downtown Holland to enjoy a day full of shopping small, fun giveaways, amazing contests, and free Small Business Saturday swag from American Express!
November events to kick off the holiday season
Shop till you drop along Grand Haven Main Street. Stay up late, shop the night away, and save big on all of your holiday gifts Friday,Nov. 8th, 7-10pm. Get your holiday shopping off to an early start and take advantage of the progressive discounts offered by participating merchants. Up to 20% off from 7-8pm, up to 25% off from 8-9pm, and up to 30% off from 9-10pm. Check with participating stores for details.
Get an early start to your holiday shopping… by staying up late. On Friday,Nov. 8th, participating Downtown Holland businesses will stay open late with amazing saving deals from 7-10pm. Make a night of it with dinner and drinks at one of Downtown Holland’s local restaurants or breweries and then get ready to shop and save big with discounts up to 30% for one night only.
Just because summer’s over doesn’t mean that you can’t fill your table with fresh, local and healthy food. The Holland Farmers Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 8am-3pm through Saturday, Dec. 21. Stop by to pick up everything you need to make your family’s favorite Thanksgiving dishes or to decorate your home for the holidays. You’ll find apples, squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts, cheeses, meats, baked goods, and more at the Market, along with pumpkins, hay bales, corn shocks, wreaths, and greenery.
Nov. 9that 11am is Family Day at Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph. Family Days give adults and children time to learn and create side-by-side in these mini art activities at Krasl Art Center. Practice the art of decorating sugar cookies, while also getting to enjoy your delicious and ephemeral work of art.
The holiday season officially begins in Downtown Holland during the annual Holiday Open House on Saturday,Nov. 16 from 5-8pm. Stroll the decorated streets, enjoy the sounds of carolers singing, pose for a photograph with Santa and his favorite elf, visit the reindeer at the petting corral, and even sample a roasted chestnut. Participating businesses will have holiday merchandise on display and will be offering complimentary holiday refreshments while you shop. And don’t miss the official lighting of the Downtown Holland Christmas tree and the Christmas carol sing-along at the end of the night.
Yuletide classics trumpet the crisp air, welcoming families to holiday activities held during Dowagiac’s Christmas Open House in Southwest MichiganSaturday,Nov. 16th, from 10am to 2pm. Jolly Ole St. Nick greets children within the elegant indoor setting of Wood Fire Italian Trattoria. Enjoy the warm surroundings of the Pompeii Room, where children receive a gift from St. Nick.
Kick off the holiday season right by heading to Lansing on Friday Nov. 22 (the week before Thanksgiving) for Silver Bells in the City. The city will glow with thousands of lights, bringing together family and friends from across Michigan and beyond. The Electric Light Parade, Silver Bells Village, lighting of the State Christmas Tree, fireworks over the Capitol dome, and musical entertainment are all part of this Lansing tradition.
Courtesy St. Joseph Today
The Muskegon Museum of Art Festival of Trees returns Nov. 20th through Dec. 1st for its 15th year as a community holiday tradition. Professionally-designed themed trees and décor will be available for purchase through silent auction over the 11 days of the Festival. Raffles, music, holiday shopping, and special events will add to the fun. Special events include the popular Teddy Bear Breakfast, visits with Santa, Deck Your Halls decorating demo workshop, a holiday concert with Max & Ruth Bloomquist and Julia and the Greensides, Family Day, and Senior Day. Festival admission is $10 for adults, $5 for Museum members, $3 for children 3-17 years old, and free for children under 3. An All-Festival Pass is available for $15. The Muskegon Museum of Art Festival of Trees is open daily 10am-5pm, Sundays noon-5pm. MMA will be closed Thanksgiving day.
Experience an authentic European open-air Christmas market filled with handcrafted holiday items, delicious food, and artisan demonstrations at Holland’s Kerstmarkt 8th Street Marketplace. Open Fridays and Saturdays Nov. 23rd-Dec. 14th.
Keyed to the music of the holiday season, Let It Snow light show at Grand Rapids Public Museum features a variety of festive classics from Frank Sinatra and Chuck Berry to Burl Ives and Brenda Lee. It includes a stunning multimedia finale by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The soundtrack is visually enhanced with thematic animation, laser imagery, and special effects. Great for all ages, especially families, the show runs Nov. 29th through Jan. 5th.
The Zeeland City Christmas tree and Magical Christmas Parade bring the holiday season downtown on Dec. 2nd beginning at 6:15pm.
The City of Kentwood has its cheesecake and is eating it too with the opening of The Cheesecake Factory at Woodland Mall.
The popular restaurant, which features more than 30 cheesecakes along with 250 menu items, officially opened this week, however; several West Michigan residents were able to check out the restaurant during a special preview to help staff prepare and work out the kinks.
The Brick Chicken at The Cheesecake Factory. (Photo by WKTV)
My daughter, Maggie, and I were among those dinners. Both of us have been to The Cheesecake Factory in Chicago, so we knew what to expect. And while we did not go in, we did drive past the first Cheesecake Factory in Beverly Hills, California. According to the company’s Senior Director of Public Relations Alethea Rowe, David Overton opened the first Cheesecake Factory in 1978 to highlight his mother’s cheesecake.
“Our story started back in Detroit, Michigan in the 1940s,” Rowe said. “(Overton’s mother) Everlyn Overton found a cheesecake recipe in a Detroit newspaper. She changed it a little bit to make her own and started making delicious cheesecakes for friends and family.”
Our server, Nia Duncan, of Kentwood, told us her cheesecakes are the current seasonal specialities, a Pumpkin Cheesecake and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake, which is a layer of pumpkin cheesecake on top of a pecan pie. She also said she liked another seasonal favorite, the Upside Down Pineapple Cheesecake which is cheesecake between two layers of pineapple upside down cake.
California Guacamole Salad (Photo by WKTV)
Rowe noted the company has a number of seasonal specialties with its Peppermint Bark Cheese being released on Black Friday.
And while Maggie and I are known for having our dessert first, both my daughter and I decided it might be better for each of us to order some lunch. Maggie ordered a new item called the Brick Chicken. This entrée had roasted chicken with crisp potatoes and sauteed onions and green peppers. I ordered from the “Super Foods” Menu getting the California Guacamole Salad that had mixed greens, avocado, tomato, corn, black beans, onion, radish, crispy tortillas, feta cheese and cilantro with a mildy spicy avocado dressing.
We were both extremely happy with our choices with neither one of us able to finish our meals as we had eaten a good portion of two appetizers, one of which was the guacamole and chips. If you like fresh guacamole, then The Cheesecake Factory is definitely the place to visit. It was fresh, with large pieces of avocado.
So with our appetizers and meals bagged, we had a piece of cheesecake. Being the chocolate lovers we are, we went with the Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake, a Hershey’s chocolate cheesecake between two layers of chocolate cake with chocolate chips. We are true dessert lovers to the end because while we could not finish our entrées, we made sure to polish off the cheesecake.
The guacamole and chips appetizer. (Photo by WKTV)
The Kentwood location is only the second Cheesecake Factory in the state of Michigan. The other is located in Novi at the Twelve Oaks Mall. So why, put one in Kentwood’s Woodland Mall? According to Rowe, there were a number of factors.
“Everything from the local amount of foot traffic, local demographics, population density and of course all the wonderful renovations they have done here at the Woodland Mall made for the perfect formula of what we think will make a perfect restaurant for us,” she said.
The Cheesecake Factory is open from 11:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – midnight Friday, 10 a.m. – midnight Saturday, and 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Take out is available from the restaurant and the cheesecake counter is located at the front for those who just want to snag a slice to go.
Trevor Noah is traveling the globe and expanding his Loud & Clear Tourto 2020 due to popular demand! With over 75 sold-out North American shows this year, including his sold-out show at Madison Square Garden with an expected 14,000 in attendance, Trevor is bringing his wildly successful tour to new cities, including Grand Rapids on Friday, May 8, 2020, at 8pm at Van Andel Arena.
The 2020 shows kick off January 10th in Buffalo New York, and will now visit arenas across the U.S., Europe, Ireland, Germany, India, and many more. With already one sold out show at the iconic O2 Arena in London selling over 15,000 tickets, this announcement includes a newly added second show on April 3rd.
The Emmy-winning The Daily Show host and celebrated comedian is known around the world for his insightful and authentic take on politics and current events. Trevor has written, produced, and starred in 8 comedy specials, most recently including Son of Patricia on Netflix.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 8 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Once in awhile, we have the extreme pleasure of taking in a cat who is so instantaneously comfortable with his new surroundings, it is as though he has lived among us his entire life. Here’s a cat who is downright ebullient and gleeful at the mere prospect of coming into contact with a human that it elevates his emotions to another level of happiness—pure, unadulterated bliss!
Such is the case with Theon Greyjoy, a 2-year-old, beautiful boy (born in the summer of 2017) who has been simply bursting at the seams since his arrival in late August of 2019. How did we happen across such greatness? Somehow this gorgeous gray guy (sporting a little white locket) ended up at the Kent County Animal Shelter as a homeless stray, and when he tested positive for Feline Leukemia Virus four weeks after his arrival there, they called us to ask for help with placement.
From the get-go, Theon has delighted all of us with his charming personality and people-pleasing antics, bringing unrivaled joy into our lives:
“Theon is not only gorgeous, but he has proven to be an absolute doll. From the minute he arrived, he’s enjoyed all the luxuries of indoor life, including endless bowls of wet food, comfy beds, and ALL of the attention from the volunteers. He gets along great with the other residents, enjoys playing with the many toys scattered around the shelter, and is known to be a “helper” at the kitchen sink. Considering his young, playful age, he will definitely need a home with kids willing to spend plenty of time playing with him.”
“Theon is a bundle of joy and energy. He’s the type of cat that thrives in our chaotic shelter environment. He loves all of his friends, both feline and human. He is constantly in the middle of everything. He will do awesome in any action-packed home, maybe even one with a dog.”
So, there ya have it: aside from the fact he has the Feleuk virus, Theon Greyjoy is absolute purr-fection. And since positive kitties CAN live long and healthy lives, he is absolutely a fabulous candidate for adoption. A word of advice: don’t let this guy slip on by!
More about Theon Lovejoy:
Domestic Short Hair
Gray & White, Gray/Blue/Silver
Adult
Female
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Theon? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
The sixth season of the Jazz in the Sanctuary concert series will begin on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 3pm. The series combines contemporary jazz performance with the neo-Romanesque beauty and acoustic splendor of Fountain Street Church in downtown Grand Rapids.
For each concert in the series, guest performers join Robin Connell, series host and an accomplished jazz musician herself, onstage for more than an hour of music and light conversation. A large projection screen displays the performers in detail, and Connell often invites audience members to ask questions.
The Nov. 17 concert will feature vocalist Ashley Daneman and her husband, trumpeter Benje Daneman.
Ashley Daneman, originally from Ohio, honed her singing voice in Washington, D.C., and New York City, earning her master’s degree from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. Her original music, which can be heard on Bandcamp and other online platforms, has drawn comparisons to Becca Stevens, Laura Nyro, and even Stephen Sondheim.
Benje Daneman got his professional start in 2007 with the Doc Severinsen Big Band and now performs and records with his band SearchParty. He has co-founded and directed multiple educational programs including the Jazz & Creative Institute (JCI), Kalamazoo Youth Jazz Orchestra, Kalamazoo Trumpet Workshop, and JazzStart Summer Jazz Workshop.
Connell received West Michigan Jazz Society’s 2017 “Musician of the Year” award for her widespread collaboration with area jazz artists and her work on this series. She performs regularly throughout West Michigan, often with her husband, trombonist and educator Paul Brewer. She is currently planning this season’s second Jazz in the Sanctuary event, which will feature pianist Lisa Sung.
General admission to each Jazz in the Sanctuary concert is $15 online or at the door. Students admission is $5 with a valid school ID. Please visit fountainstreet.org/jazz.
Familial hypercholesterolemia can be diagnosed with a simple blood test and a look at family history. Genetic testing can confirm the diagnosis. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, but not all forms of it are the same.
An underdiagnosed genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolemia can cause dangerously high levels of cholesterol at an early age.
While scientists have determined familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by genetic mutations that affect the body’s ability to remove LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, they haven’t pinned down all the genes involved for nearly 1 in 3 people who have it.
But that may be beginning to change.
Scientists presented preliminary research at the American Heart Association’s Vascular Discovery conference in Boston this week showing more clues to the genetic roots of familial hypercholesterolemia.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute researchers screened 19,114 genes and identified transgelin as one of the genes of interest. Previous studies have found this gene could be associated in LDL metabolism.
When researchers disabled the gene in cells, some cells tried to compensate.
“The cell tries to make more cholesterol because cholesterol is vital for the cell to survive,” said Diego Lucero, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral fellow at the institute. “Understanding this is important because it might have impacts on the magnitude of the clinical presentation of the disease.”
People with familial hypercholesterolemia are exposed to chronically high levels of LDL from an early age and their risk for premature heart disease is 20 times greater than the general population, according to the Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation.
Over time, the condition can lead to atherosclerosis—the buildup of plaque and narrowing of artery walls. As a result, signs of heart disease can show up decades earlier in people with familial hypercholesterolemia compared to the general population.
The condition affects approximately 1 in 250 U.S. adults. Yet, it remains largely underdiagnosed and undertreated.
“Less than 10 percent of those who have (familial hypercholesterolemia) have actually been diagnosed, which leads to a lot of premature morbidity and mortality,” said Dr. Samuel Gidding, chief medical officer for the foundation.
Someone who carries the altered gene has a 50% chance of passing it on to their children.
Yet, the challenge is diagnosing familial hypercholesterolemia.
Health care providers may not understand the difference between general high cholesterol and familial hypercholesterolemia and may not screen high-risk people, said Gidding, who was not involved in the new study.
Familial hypercholesterolemia can be diagnosed with a simple blood test and a reported family history of cardiovascular disease. Doctors look for LDL levels over 190 in adults and over 160 in children, and onset of heart disease before age 60 in men and before 50 in women. Genetic testing can confirm the diagnosis.
Once identified, there are effective ways to treat the condition, Gidding said. Early treatment with medications, as well as maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle, can lower the risk of premature heart attacks and strokes.
The new research and further work identifying new genes involved in the development of familial hypercholesterolemia could lead to better diagnosis and treatment, Gidding said.
“Anytime an individual gene like this could help explain variations in lipid level, it could be a drug target.”
According to the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau and American Fact Finder, there were approximately 2,582,410 grandparents providing primary care to their grandkids under the age of 18. While this number has held steady in recent years, it is considerably lower than 2,687,216 in 2011 and 2,733,807 in 2013. When a parent is not able to care for their child, grandparents will fill this role to keep the family together.
The parent has a mental illness or is incarcerated.
The grandchild is suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of their biological parents.
The parent is in the military.
Tips for grandparents
AARP offers suggestions for grandparents that are welcoming grandchildren into their home. Due to the nature of addiction, incarceration and the sudden deployment of military, grandparents are typically thrust into the role of the primary caregiver with very little notice. Keeping good notes and staying organized is key to success. Keep birth certificates, social security cards, medical and dental records, attorney or custody papers, as well as other important documents, in a file folder or file cabinet.
Courtesy Michigan State University Extension
AARP recommends making lists of small tasks that could be helpful and sharing with well-minded neighbors, extended family and others. They will want to help. Another suggestion is to divide up tasks and make daily plans of what needs to be accomplished.
Michigan State University Extension recommends beginning conversations with the child’s teacher, building principal, pediatricians, counselor, school social worker and lawyers (if needed) about changes that are occurring in the child’s life. According to “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” from HelpGuide, grandparents need to acknowledge their feelings. Anger, resentment, stress, worry, guilt and grief are typical feelings that will be triggered when grandparents take on their new role as parent. They can, however, expect to feel joy, love and peace in seeing the child in a stable environment learning, growing, making friends and more.
Grandparents absolutely must find moments to take care of their own spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health. It is difficult to be a caregiver when we are out of energy. They may be financially burdened by this new situation as well. Seeking help from support groups is very beneficial and highly recommended. It is not something that needs to be done alone.
Finally, while this may be difficult for grandparents, children will have mixed feelings as well in their new living arrangements. This is especially true for children who have lost their parents to death. In any situation, they may express feelings of abandonment, sadness, mistrust, confusion, anxiety and may act aggressively or exhibit other inappropriate behavior. Over time, children will begin to settle into the new situation and feel safe to express their feelings. Support the child as they work through the roller coaster of emotions they are experiencing.
MSU Extension recommends supporting children by establishing predictable routines, accepting input on house rules, how they would like to decorate their room, providing private space and offering consistent, unconditional love and attention to help them feel secure.
Have you seen my heart somewhere in your castle of yellow leaves?
A Waltz for Zizi, written by Yoko Kanno
Now Serving
Today’s the day! The Cheesecake Factory at Woodland Mall officially opens today. Started in 1978 in Beverly Hills, the popular restaurant, which has more than 30 different types of cheesecake, has its roots in Michigan. While living in Detroit, Everlyn Overton found a cheesecake recipe in a local newspaper. She made some tweaks and well, you can taste the results at the new restaurant, which also has 250 different entrées on its menu.
Just a ‘Goofus’
It was a single duck that brought a group of Wyoming residents together this summer. Freelance writer Estelle Slootmaker shared the story of Goofus, a Pekin duck, who along with another was left at Wyoming’s Lamar Park. Goofus proved, as Slootmaker put it, “different birds of a feather could flock together.”
Santa is Coming! Order Tickets Now!
The Grand Rapids Public Museum announced its popular Breakfast with Santa will return this year with the event taking place Dec. 14. There will be two sessions, 8:30 a.m. and 10: 30 a.m. with about 100 spots available for each. Tickets are expected to sell fast, so if you are interested make sure to snap them up quickly! For more, click here.
Fun Fact: On the Move
Anyone who has every visited the Niagara Falls probably have seen a boat lodged near the top of the Canadian falls. The boat, called a scow, has been lodged on the falls since 1918 and for more than a hundred years has rested against an outcrop of rock. That is until Halloween night, Oct. 31, when winds from a severe storm caused the scow to “flip on its side and spin around” bringing it closer to the falls. For more about the scow’s movement, click here. For more on the history of the scow, click here.
David Stults stood in front of a packed auditorium at Lowell High School, sharing his medical journey with students.
Even though the cause of his irreversible lung damage is, of all things, microwave popcorn, Stults has learned that vaping can cause similar damage. And he wants students to know it. Before they suffer a similar fate.
Stults, now 59, started feeling short of breath about 10 years ago when he’d go up and down the stairs at his house.
“Your initial thought is, OK, it’s time to push away from snacks and do some exercise, which I began to do,” the Walker, Michigan, resident said. “The symptoms only became worse. I went to my PCP. He listened to my lungs and said, ‘Something doesn’t sound right.’”
The doctor referred him to Michael Harrison, MD, a Spectrum Health pulmonology disease specialist.
In late 2009, lung function tests put Stults in the 70% to 80% range.
“For a healthy 49-year-old man, that was alarming,” Stults said. “Imaging showed some very ugly air trapping. He did all the breathing testing and put me on a pretty aggressive regimen of prednisone and inhalers.”
But time would not be a healer.
By February 2010, his lung function had worsened, dipping to the 60% range.
“It’s heading south quickly,” he said. “I was taking 60 to 80 milligrams of prednisone a day, as well as other inhalers. I started doing breathing treatments a couple of times a day.
Photo by Taylor Ballek, Spectrum Health Beat
“By March or April, I was down to 30%,” he said. “I couldn’t walk up half a flight of stairs without stopping to catch my breath. Any kind of incline was a challenge. Even the gentle incline of the drive walking from the mailbox to my home, I’d have to catch my breath.”
By May, he continued to slide downhill, requiring weekly pulmonology appointments.
Medical mystery
Dr. Harrison suspected Stults may be suffering from an autoimmune issue. A rheumatologist started aggressive treatment with Rituxan, a drug normally used to fight cancer.
“I felt great afterwards,” he said. “I had more energy. I didn’t feel as short of breath.”
The diagnosis came in May 2010: bronchiolitis obiliterans, a severe lung inflammation that is both progressive and irreversible.
Doctors confirmed the diagnosis after three days of intense testing.
He returned home on oxygen.
“They said, ‘You need to go home and get your affairs in order,’” Stults said. “My wife (Barb) and I are both very committed and devoted Christians. We reached out to our family and friends and let them know we were asking for prayer. I can tell you from that day forward, my lung capacity has increased from 41% to 43% and has never gotten worse.”
Still, Stults wondered how he could have contracted this untreatable condition.
Dr. Harrison asked if he had been exposed to insulation, factory or foundry chemicals.
No. Stults had always worked white collar jobs.
He launched a massive internet search on his condition.
“Up popped this article on popcorn lung,” Stults said. “It told the story of these plant workers at various microwave butter-flavored popcorn manufacturers who were dying at this incredibly crazy rate. It was only the employees in these cities, working at these plants. A dozen employees died over six months. It was ridiculous.”
Federal agencies such as OSHA and NIOSH launched an investigation and learned the chemical used to create the butter flavoring, diacetyl, when it’s heated, creates a potentially toxic vapor.
Photo by Taylor Ballek
“My wife and I loved microwave butter-flavored popcorn,” he said. “My secretary at the office would make me a bag every day. I really enjoyed it, almost to an addictive level—opening the bag and sniffing in the fumes. I was breathing in the diacetyl on a daily basis. We had done that for 30 years.”
Stults’ condition may be irreversible and incurable, but he’s trying his best to reverse the actions of students who vape.
“We were talking with some friends of ours who are 20 years younger than we are and they have high school age boys,” Stults said. “She’s kind of the cool mom of Hudsonville. They have a nice home with an indoor basketball court. All of the guys in her son’s class hang out there.
“Because she’s so cool and engaging, the boys started to confess to her that a lot of them were vaping and couldn’t stop,” he said. “They were reaching out to an adult that they trust.”
She did some research and found that diacetyl is one of the many chemicals used to create different flavors in vaping pods.
“She knew my story and called me,” Stults said. “Besides nicotine, which is incredibly addictive, there’s asbestos and formaldehyde. You wouldn’t live with it in the attic and you’re going to suck it into your lungs?”
Snuffing out vaping
According to a series of national surveys recently released by the federal government, about 40% of high school seniors have vaped, double from the year prior.
Stults teamed up with Spectrum Health Medical Group pulmonologist Shelley Schmidt, MD, to set up talks at schools, with the goal of shining a light on the dangers of vaping pod chemicals and nicotine addiction.
“I get at least a phone call a week from a principal saying, We don’t know what to do. It’s out of control,’” Stults said. “Students are addicted. They don’t know how to stop.”
Stults aims to portray the real-life picture of what the chemicals do.
“I tell them, ‘Here’s what you’re setting yourself up for—40% lung capacity,’” he said. “Dr. Schmidt explains addiction and what’s going on in your lungs.”
Stults said they’ve only done a handful of presentations so far, but as principals talk to each other, engagement requests are growing.
“These kids do it walking down the hall in the school,” Stults said. “They do it in the classroom. They sneak it. Other than kind of a fruity smell, there are no fumes.”
Glenn VanOtteren, MD, a Spectrum Health Medical Group pulmonary disease specialist, said popcorn lung is rare but it could become more of an issue as vaping data becomes available.
“With the removal of diacetyl from heated food, we saw it rarely,” Dr. VanOtteren said. “We don’t have data on the rates of vaping-induced lung disease because the use of vaping has accelerated in the last two to three years.”
Dr. VanOtteren said Stults is doing well, despite limitations.
Photo by Taylor Ballek, Spectrum Health Beat
“His lung disease is stable,” Dr. VanOtteren said. “He is short of breath with stairs. He requires daily medicine and has flares of his disease about two times a year when he gets worse and needs additional medications. His lungs can continue to decline because of these flares.”
Dr. VanOtteren said he’s impressed Stults and Dr. Schmidt are sharing lung lessons with students.
“This is such a contemporary and important topic,” he said. “Providing education at this early age is super impactful.”
In 2017, more than 85,000 people were treated in U.S. emergency rooms, doctors’ offices and clinics for injuries related to luggage. Know your limits before you pack that suitcase. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
With holiday travel comes the risk of injury from toting heavy luggage.
In 2017, more than 85,000 people were treated in U.S. emergency rooms, doctors’ offices and clinics for injuries related to luggage, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Hurting your neck, back, or shoulders can put you out of commission for a long time,” Dr. Charla Fischer, an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons spokesperson and orthopedic spine surgeon, said in an academy news release.
“You can prevent that by packing lightly, using sturdy luggage with wheels and handles, and using good form when carrying or lifting bags,” she suggested.
Here are some luggage safety tips, courtesy of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Don’t buy luggage that’s too heavy or bulky when empty. Try to place items in a few smaller bags instead of one large one. When lifting luggage, stand alongside it and bend at the knees, lifting the luggage with your leg muscles. Once lifted, hold luggage close to your body.
Don’t twist when lifting and carrying luggage. Point your toes in the direction you’re going and turn your entire body in that direction. Don’t carry bulky luggage for long periods of time. When possible, use the airline’s baggage service when you have heavy luggage.
Carry luggage in both hands, rather than one hand off to the side. This can decrease stress to the spine and reduce the risk of developing elbow problems.
Carry, don’t drag, rolling luggage when climbing stairs.
If you’re using a backpack, it should have two padded and adjustable shoulder straps to equally balance the weight. Pack heavier items low and towards the center.
When using a duffel or shoulder bag, switch sides often.
Many people who visited the former Grand Rapids Public Museum’s home on Jefferson may remember the Moorland Mastodon.
The almost complete mastodon was found on a farm in Moorland, Michigan in 1904. The Kent Scientific Museum of Grand Rapids (now the Grand Rapids Public Museum) acquired the mastodon for $75 with the goal of putting it on display at the museum. According to a 1940 Grand Rapids Herald article, the skeleton measured “18 feet long, 10 feet high and 6 feet wide, with the tusks themselves being nearly 6 feet in length.”
This photo from the Ravenna Times shows what the Moorland Mastodon looked like on display at the former home of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Ravenna Area Historical Society)
When the museum moved to its current location, the mastodon was not moved over as it was starting to deteriorate, said GRPM Science Curator Dr. Cory Redman.
Instead, the bones were transferred to the museum’s collections, where it was dismantled so as it could be preserved for future generations to look at and study.
In this segment about the museum’s collections, Redman discusses the importance of the preservation work being done, some of which is to correct past-museum practices, and the techniques being used.
Only about 10 percent of the museum’s collection is on display with the rest housed in the museum’s collections facility. The museum has about 250,000 items in its collection. To see some of those items or to learn more, visit grpmcollections.org.
Lamar Park’s lake has been my family’s happy place a long time. My dad caught turtles there in the 1930s and was the lifeguard in the 1940s. My parents began taking me there in the late 1950s. I remember seeing African American children for the first time at its beach, specifically a little girl my age with rich dark skin and lovely pink palms. My mom simply stated, “We are all the same on the inside.”
In the 1960s, I learned to swim in that lake on chilly 7 a.m. summer mornings and, during even chillier winters, raced and beat the boys ice skating. I found out about kissing there in 1970s. In the 1980s, I brought my own kids there to swim. The last time we went, my son Andy dove underwater and came up with a ten-dollar bill. So many good times!
Lamar Park neighbors were able to capture Goofus’ buddy, Sir Lancelot. (Photo by Daniela Georgescu)
These days, I love walking around the lake that’s now home to so many interesting wildlife creatures. Huge, rust-colored carp, silver trout, quick diving turtles, and the flocks of geese and ducks. This past summer, one duck in particular caught my eye — a huge, white, domestic Pekin duck who was quite at home with a flock of much smaller, wild, brown mallards. I named him Goofus, though later I found out “he” was probably a “she.” Other friends of this little lake we’re enamored with Goofus, as well. One called her “Goofy,” another “Donald.” Donna Batdorf called her “Guinevere.” No doubt others had their own name for this somewhat laughable, but fabulous femme fatale.
Why do I say fatale? Well, for one, Goofus and another Pekin duck did not come to Lamar Lake on their own accord. Some cruel human ditched the ducks, even though they couldn’t fly (wings clipped) and would no doubt die of cold as soon as the next winter blew in. Humans with a more compassionate nature were able to rescue Goofus’ partner. But Goofus was too smart for them.
Goofus and Sir Lancelot (Photo by Daniela Georgescu)
Batdorf posted about the duck’s plight on Facebook. She shares, “… a girl named Rachel stepped forward to help. Rachel has other ducks in a pond on her property and feeds them and makes sure that they’re healthy all winter long by providing shelter. She lives over Allendale way, but came over to Lamar Park and was able immediately to capture the first duck, a male. I hadn’t named him yet, but now I’m going to, and let’s say he was Sir Lancelot, since she was Guinevere. Rachel took Lancelot home and he immediately blended in with her flock. She came back several times alone and sometimes we’d meet and tried to capture Guinevere. We tried various food techniques, and we tried even putting a large pen on the shore to lead her into and then we were going to shut the door real fast. We tried luring her with the previous duck that she knew, but nothing worked.”
Many other folks tried on many other occasions. Each time, Goofus escaped. Lamar neighbor, Marcy Kale, had plans to winter Goofus at her house, if caught. As the attempts continued to fail, another Lamar neighbor, Renee Kooiman posted on Nextdoor, “She’s very wary now and her girl squad of mallards flank her!”
Ah yes, her Mallard family. Goofus taught me that birds of different feathers flock together. These ducks of color welcomed Goofus into their family with open wings. She swam with the flock, slept with the flock, and squawked with flock — although her goofy, loud duck honk was a good deal louder. We humans think we are the superior species. Ha!
I cried the day I learned that Goofus died. I’m not sure how this big, silly bird got a hold of my heart, but she sure did. Unaware that Lamar neighbors were trying to rescue her, I had put in my own message to Wildlife Rehab Center. But before any of us had a chance to spare Goofus from life alone after the mallards migrated and the sure death a cold winter would bring, a not-so-woke human ran her down and killed her in the road. Goofus and her friends were on their way to eat some seed at a neighbor’s feeder. Honestly, who would not see a bright white duck the size of a toddler child crossing the residential, park-side street (speed limit 25)?
That’s when I found out about Goofus’ human admirers on Nextdoor. Somehow, I felt comforted knowing that they shared my grief. In that brief online encounter, I had a flock. I hope one of these days, as I walk around the lake, I might run into one or two of them. Who knows, even if we aren’t of the same feather, we could have a very nice chat about a very impressive Pekin duck named Goofus, er … uh … Guinevere — no, Donald. Or was it Goofy?
For people recently diagnosed with dementia, or caretakers, friends, and loved ones of someone with dementia, changes in behavior can be frightening and difficult to deal with. Yet it’s important to understand that the person with dementia is not any less themselves because of their condition. Being able to recognize responsive behaviors and realize what causes them to occur can help bridge the gap between someone with dementia and those around them.
What is Dementia?
Dementia refers to a number of different causes of loss of cognitive functioning, including Alzheimer’s, frontotemporal disorders, Lewy body dementia, and vascular dementia. It is characterized by loss of capacity to remember and reason such that it interferes with a person’s life. Functions such as memory, language skills, hearing, visual perception, focus, and problem solving may gradually become impaired. In some cases, people may lose control of their emotions or display seeming changes in personality.
Despite common perceptions, dementia is not a normal part of aging, and it can be managed with proper memory care. Part of this care is ensuring a secure, stable support network for the diagnosed person, but this can be hard when many dementia behaviors are misunderstood or misinterpreted.
Responsive Behaviors
People with dementia will often display responsive behaviors to stimuli — or lack thereof — for which they do not have a response that is considered “normal” or “acceptable” for others. Yet these behaviors are not intended to upset others, and may be the best way the diagnosed person can convey an idea, wish, or concern. Unfortunately, some common responsive behaviors are misread as rude or inappropriate, creating further communication barriers and potentially, more emotional distress for the person with dementia.
Some common responsive behaviors include screaming, babbling, making strange noises, restlessness, grabbing people, and aimless wandering. It’s important to note that some responsive behaviors, such as swearing, violent contact, and sexual impulses can be distressing to others, and should not be dismissed as normal behavior. However, you should always be mindful of the possible causes of such behavior, and attempt to reach a solution that prevents further harm to either party.
There are a number of factors that could contribute to causing responsive behavior. These include:
Physical:
Is the person hurt, sore, or uncomfortable? Is she hungry or thirsty? What visible changes can you see that could indicate physical distress? Someone who is physically uncomfortable may have less control over her reactions, and resolving the discomfort could help with addressing the behavior.
Emotional:
Have you noticed the person becoming more anxious, teary, or melancholy? Does he seem to be lonely? Has he become suspicious of others, or fearful of something? While shifts in emotion are harder to address than physical needs, distracting the person with dementia could help them regulate negative emotions. Try reminiscing about happy times in earlier life, as long-term memories are more likely to remain readily accessible to those with dementia.
Intellectual:
Have you noticed that the person has had more trouble forming sentences, or loses her train of thought halfway through a conversation? Has she had recent issues with memory, or with performing activities of daily living? In many cases, the person with dementia may be aware of their loss of cognitive functioning, an experience that is frightening, frustrating, and embarrassing. Try not to point out areas of difficulty, and use clear instructions and visual cues to help them perform tasks.
Environment:
Environmental factors can play a large part in the comfort of a person with dementia. For example, if the lights are too bright or too dim, the person may be overwhelmed or unable to see clearly, causing distress. Is the area too noisy? Is there enough stimulation to give him something to focus on? Small changes in environment can ensure the person is comfortable with their surroundings.
Social:
Are there hints from the person’s background that may give insight into their responsive behaviors? Because long-term memories are often more accessible than short-term, people with dementia may draw upon scenarios and behaviors that they learned growing up, routines they learned at school or during their professional life, or cultural or religious practices.
Capabilities:
A natural reaction for caretakers of loved ones with dementia is to attempt to do everything for them, but loss of control and self-management can be distressing and even hurtful to the diagnosed person. As a result, responsive behaviors may be a reaction to underestimating (or overestimating) a person’s ability to perform certain activities of daily living. Enabling them to perform self-care tasks for themselves may help slow loss of function and manage responsive behaviors.
Actions of Others:
Is there anything that you or others are doing that could upset the person with dementia? While asking them to remember something or explaining why a behavior is inappropriate may seem harmless, and indeed necessary to a caregiver or friend, the person may interpret such statements as disappointment, anger, or frustration. Be understanding, offer an apology, and distract them with a new topic of conversation or something to do with their hands.
The most important thing to remember when working towards understanding dementia behaviors is that responsive behaviors are purposeful. While it may seem that the diagnosed person is lashing out or performing behaviors unconsciously, they are actually reacting to a circumstance in a way that seems natural to them. Part of providing memory care — whether formal or informal — is the ability to recognize and work through these responsive behaviors, creating better communication between the person with dementia and their caregivers.
With more than 11 million U.S. children living gin food insecure homes, hunger is no longer just a city concern.
“People don’t understand or realize that poverty does not have a zip code anymore,” said Cheryl Hondred, founder and CEO of Hand2Hand, a local organization that partners with area churches and schools to provide weekend food to area children. “Actually urbanization has caused people to move into the rural areas, suburbs, so every single school now has students who go home over the weekend, that 68-hour gap in the week, with limited food resources.”
Cheryl Hondred, founder and executive director of Hand2Hand
The need for food resources continues to grow, according to Hondred. Hand2Hand works with 111 area churches to help about 6,356 children in 192 schools. Through the program, there are about 5,200 volunteers.
“We are in the places you wouldn’t expect, Rockford, Caledonia, Jenison, Grandville, Hudsonville, Wyoming, Byron Center,” Hondred said, adding that more schools wish to have Hand2Hand in their school.
Hand2Hand’s model is to partner with a local school to provide the weekend food to the students. Hondred said. Hand2Hand works with the church to train members, set up food pantries and organizer foods.
So the biggest challenge for Hand2Hand has been to find churches to partner with to provide the nutritious food to students for the weekends.
Currently the organization is hosting an initiative in school districts of Kentwood, Godwin Heights, and Godfrey-Lee where Hand2Hand is offering seed money to churches to purchase pantry items, shelving, bins and additional food items if the church would be willing to help with a school in one of those districts.
For more about the Hand2Hand program, click on the link above featuring WKTV’s Donna Kidner-Smith talking to Hondred about the program or visit h2hkids.org.
A Harvard University scholar and narrative historian, who presents accounts from a time in American history and gives context to today, will give the lecture for the Grand Valley State University Fall Arts Celebration.
Jill Lepore, described as the preeminent narrative historian of her generation, will deliver her talk, “American History from Beginning to End,” November 5 at 6 p.m. at the Eberhard Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. A 5 p.m. public reception will precede the lecture.
Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her most recent book is “This America: The Case for the Nation.”
She asserts that the United States is an experiment founded on three “truths”: political equality, natural rights and the sovereignty of the people. Nora Salas, assistant professor of history, said Lepore compels audiences to question if America’s mission has succeeded or failed in the past and what the resulting effect on the present day has been.
“Lepore’s work speaks to the significance of history for the health of our democracy and political institutions,” Salas said. “We hope the audience will gain an appreciation for the complexity of American history. As Lepore writes, “A good history should raise questions.”
All Fall Arts Celebration events are free and open to the public. For more information visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.
Wyoming resident Beth Kiurski at her second marathon in Germany. It was during training for this marathon that Kiuski was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. (Supplied)
This weekend more than 50,000 runners from around the world will be converging on New York City for the largest marathon in the world, the New York City Marathon. On Friday, Wyoming resident Beth Kiurski will be heading out to join the crowd.
Kiurski is part of a group of 30 runners who make up the estimated 9,000 charity runners attending this year’s race. She will be running for the Beyond Type 1, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those live with Type 1 diabetes, a condition that Kiurski herself was diagnosed with about 16 months ago. Type 1 Diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, which the body needs to allow sugar to enter cells to produce energy.
“I remember the exact spot on the freeway when I got the call,” she said about when she received the news on June 4, 2018. “The nurse called and she said my blood sugar is 800. I said ‘Is this bad?’ and she responded, ‘Oh honey, you are diabetic.’”
Looking back, Kiurski said she noticed signs such as running had become “so much harder,” the excessive amount of water she was drinking (more than 100 ounces outside of other beverages), and her fiancé noticed she was losing weight.
“I kept saying it was because I was running so hard,” she said.
None of it was due to the running, but to the Type 1 diabetes.
“That night [of the diagnosis] I learned how hard it was going to be right away as they gave us a prescription for insulin and when we stopped to get it filled. It was $700,” Kiurski said. “They don’t ease you into diabetes.”
As Kiurski learned how to manage her Type 1 diagnosis she found herself becoming restrictive on her diet, reducing it to certain items such as lettuce, spinach, cheese, and sunflower seeds.
“I just decided to eat certain items because that would mean I would not have to have insulin and I just was not comfortable with stopping everything so I could give myself a shot,” said Kiurski, who is a teacher at Holland’s Black River Public School.
Beth Kiurski on a recent hiking trip. (Supplied)
A scheduled backpacking trip had Kiurski researching how people with Type 1 diabetes handle these types of adventures. She discovered the Dexcom CGM System, which provides continuous glucose monitoring systems for diabetes management. The Dexcom CGM System consists of three parts: a small sensor that measure glucose levels just underneath the skin, a transmitter that fits onto the sensor and sends data wirelessly to a display device, and a small receiver or compatible smart device that displays real-time glucose information.
“No one wants to stop and check their sugar in front of everybody” said Kiurski, who has a Dexcom G6. “It tells me when I going low so I know to eat something. In fact, I have an Applewatch, so I can just look at my watch and no one knows that I am checking my sugar.”
Within months after being diagnosed, Kiurski was asking for a Dexcom and an insulin pump.
“It’s a little unusual in that most people get those in a year,” she said. “There are number of reasons why, such as insurance, but they also want you to know how to do it by hand in case the technology does not work.”
About a year and half later, Kiurski has discovered she does not have to stop running — or living — because she has Type 1 diabetes, something she hopes others will learn from her story.
“People with diabetes don’t have to be limited because of the disease,” Kiurski said. “As a teacher, you don’t want anyone to be based on their ability or their disability. You see everyday that there are different challenges and different struggles and people can do what they want to do.
“In the end, it’s what you bring to the table.”
Or in Kiurski’s case, to the road. As she prepares to take to the New York City streets for the 26.22-mile marathon on Nov. 3, Kiurski revealed that along with demonstrating that people can live with Type 1 diabetes and raising money for Beyond Type 1, she does have a personal marathon goal as well.
“For my first marathon, my goal was between 4 and 4:20 [hours] and I did it in 4:24,” she said. “My second one, which during training I was diagnosed, I did it in 4:40. I am hoping to do this one in 4 or 4:20,” and with a laugh, “but I heard the hills in New York can be tough.”
Odds are you know the feeling: You wake up from a nap and your arm is asleep. Or your foot’s gone numb.
As you move it around, it starts to prickle and tingle. Gradually it wakes up, and a minute or two later you’re back to normal.
What’s this uncanny sensation all about? Is it normal or something to be concerned about?
The short answer is: It depends.
If it’s fleeting and infrequent
The medical term for this feeling of numbness or tingling is paresthesia, and its cause is the compression of a nerve, according to Paul Twydell, DO, a fellowship-trained neuromuscular medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group.
Paresthesia typically happens if you lie on a nerve while asleep or hold the same position for too long while sitting—like when you’re driving or reading.
If the feeling goes away quickly, this phenomenon is called transient paresthesia, and it’s typically nothing to worry about.
People will wake up with tingling in their hands and think they have a circulation problem, Dr. Twydell said, but that’s not the case.
“It’s just that a nerve is being compressed in the wrist or elbow. And the reason it happens at night is we often sleep with our wrist or elbow flexed or underneath us, or in a strange position.”
A nerve is a bundle of “wires” surrounded by a layer of insulation called myelin, Dr. Twydell explained. Myelin helps speed the movement of electricity along the nerve.
“When that myelin is compressed, that means the messages aren’t getting through very well,” he said. “A lot of times it’s when the compression is released that (the tingling) happens”—as communication is being restored along the nerve.
The nerves most prone to compression are found in the wrist, elbow, knee and upper arm.
If it’s persistent or abnormal
So when might numbness or tingling be a cause for concern? Dr.
Twydell recommends that people talk to their doctor if they experience
any of the following:
Persistent numbness or tingling in the hands. This is often a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is treatable—the sooner the better to avoid severe damage and the need for surgery.
Tingling in the feet, especially at night. This might be an early sign of a degenerative nerve disease called peripheral neuropathy,
which is most often caused by diabetes or heredity. Neuropathy isn’t
reversible, but it can sometimes be slowed down, Dr. Twydell said.
Weakness of a limb in conjunction with numbness. This can be a sign of more severe damage to a nerve.
Numbness or tingling that ascends up the legs or into the abdomen.
This can be a sign of spinal cord inflammation or compression.
Numbness involving half of the body or face. This can be an indicator of stroke, which requires emergency care. Call 911.
If you have persistent symptoms of numbness or tingling, your doctor may order a test of the nerves called electromyography, or EMG. This nerve study can help pinpoint the source of a problem and help guide treatment.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common problem investigated by Spectrum Health Medical Group Neurology in the EMG lab, Dr. Twydell said.
Tips for good nerve health
Your best bet is to avoid activities that cause prolonged nerve
compression, Dr. Twydell said. Change positions frequently. Get up and
walk around throughout your workday.
“If nerves are compressed over and over again, you can have more persistent symptoms that can eventually lead to weakness or disability,” he said.
Here are Dr. Twydell’s tips for preventing that numb or tingling feeling in your extremities:
Wear wrist splints at night to ease problems with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Avoid lying on your elbow while sleeping, and try wearing an elbow pad to bed to keep the elbow straight.
Don’t cross your legs, with one knee draped over the other. That can compress the fibular nerve, which can lead to foot drop, a cause of tripping.
Avoid the habit of sleeping with your arm stretched out or
underneath your partner. Over time this can damage the radial nerve,
leading to wrist drop.
Avoid leaning on your elbows for extended periods. Try adding gel pads to the armrests of chairs, wheelchairs or cars.
If you do a lot of computer work, use a gel wrist rest. Avoid
holding the wrists in either a flexed or an extended position, which can
damage the median nerve.
Eat a well-balanced, low-carb diet. This is especially important for people with diabetes, who are more prone to neuropathies.
Avoid alcohol in excess, which can cause neuropathy.
Avoid taking zinc and vitamin B6 in excess, which can cause nerve problems.
Dr. Twydell admits that some of these tips are easier said than done.
For example, it’s hard to change the way you sleep, he said. Yet,
people who sleep in a way that compresses the ulnar nerve in their elbow
“can cause some pretty significant weakness in the hand.”
And if you’re one of those people who rarely experiences numb or prickly limbs, consider yourself lucky. Some people are more prone to nerve compression than others, Dr. Twydell said.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Drop-dead gorgeous Devereaux (ooh, so fancy!) came to us back in the summer of 2016 laden with intestinal parasites and looking for indoor housing. She quickly earned the title of ‘diva’, demanding constant attention and affection (the volunteers were happy to accommodate), and made her presence known to all who came to gaze upon her.
In January of the following year a love-connection was made, and Dev was adopted and taken into a home she could claim all for her own, which could not have been more perfect for this pretty princess. Jan and Dev lived quite harmoniously together for about a year and a half, but then our gorgeous girl developed some unbecoming litter box habits.
Over the next year, she was a frequent clinic visitor, Dr. Jen had many conversations about how to try to curb Miss Piddlepuss’s behavioral urination issues. Sadly everything we tried was ineffective in the long run, although multiple, hopeful respites were seen in between, Dev simply could not get her act together permanently.
So, three years after her initial arrival into our program, darling Devereaux (born in late 2013) once again graced us with her presence. Let’s just say that her return was anything but simple and serene; in fact, she had to spend several days at the clinic simply chilling in her cage in order for she and Dr. Jen to come to an agreement about handling her. With the help of a pheromone calming collar, Dev and Dr. Jen were soon seeing eye to eye, and then it was make-or-break time—to head on down to Crash’s and get acquainted and immersed into a multi-cat lifestyle once again.
As you can imagine she has had quite a bit to say about things, and we have made the following observations:
“Devereaux definitely thinks she is a princess. She hates the other cats with a passion but is doing okay since she has learned to avoid them. She likes attention, but only on her terms. As long as she has a cozy bed to snuggle down into she is very content. She needs to be an only cat—no dogs or kids. Don’t get me wrong, as she’s a very nice girl who deserves another chance, but with someone who understands she is a wee bit temperamental and is patient with her.
“There have been no reports of inappropriate litter box habits since she has been back (her bio was written about 2 months after her re-arrival).”
We completely understand that finding the perfect home for her is going to be a tall order to fill, as Jan was single, it was just the two of them and Dev still couldn’t behave. We’ve considered making her a permanent resident, but she hasn’t had a single accident outside of the box since she returned, so she deserves a second chance.
Why her manners have surfaced now is beyond us—maybe it is the fact we have boxes in every room, or perhaps she is being diligent in the hopes of being sprung from this ‘prison’ of sorts—but whatever the case is, we are happy that she is following the rules.
We are working on her entitled attitude, so we honestly do see a great deal of untapped potential waiting to emerge.
More about Devereaux:
Domestic Medium Hair
Tortoiseshell
Adult
Female
Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Prefers a home without other cats, dogs, children
Want to adopt Devereaux? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
For the sake of illustration, let’s pretend a man’s picture of good health falls someplace on a horizontal line.
On one end, you’ve got the late John Candy; on the other, you’ve got the very much alive Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
For the average guy, there’s probably going to be a comfortable middle somewhere along that vast spectrum.
You may, for instance, be content with a body type more akin to the one Leonardo DiCaprio had on display one recent summer when he was photographed vacationing someplace warm and expensive.
Always the picture of prepossessing boyishness, the Oscar winner looked, in this instance, more like a cuddly dad from Des Moines and less like a toned Titan of Tinseltown.
And if the Internet’s collective brilliance has the last word on the matter, that’s perfectly OK.
Sometime in recent years, folks began dubbing this look the “dad bod.”
Countless celebrities have been photographed unabashedly displaying their dad bods—an online search bears infinite entertaining results—and millions of fathers have been consigned to this body type ever since the developed world became less agrarian and more sedentary.
One college newspaper writer gained some notoriety for suggesting that the dad bod maintains, perhaps, a certain kind of appeal.
It’s a fleshy-but-not-obese physique that suggests, “Let’s skip the gym this weekend, because I’m down for DiGiorno and a Game of Thrones binge.”
Who could say no to that?
But here on the cusp of another summer, an important question lingers: Apart from the cringe-worthy moniker, is the dad bod an acceptable standard of health? Not aesthetically, but medically?
It all depends on you.
If you’ve got a body like Leo, Seth Rogan or Adam Sandler, a discerning doctor is likely to be less concerned with how you look today and more concerned with how you looked five years ago.
To assess a guy’s overall level of fitness, you have to account for
how his body has changed from past to present, Dr. Holman said.
“You can’t just assume from one single picture what their lifestyle is,” he said.
You need context.
Explained Holman: “So, if Leonardo had a six pack and all of a sudden he’s looking like that?”
Not so good.
“But somebody who looks like that—who had a BMI that was 50, and obviously over the last year they’ve made some pretty big changes?”
Pretty good.
Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a decent indicator of a person’s fitness.
“First thing is, we’d see where your BMI is,” Dr. Holman said. “We shoot for a BMI of between 20 and 25.”
Many online sites will calculate your BMI, which is your weight, in kilograms, divided by the square of height in meters. (A 6-foot-1 man who weighs 215 pounds, for instance, has a BMI of about 29—slightly over the recommended cutoff of 25.)
But BMI is not the Holy Grail.
“Depending on your BMI, another indicator could be your waist circumference,” Dr. Holman said.
A man of average height should have a waist circumference of less than 40 inches. Anything over that, Dr. Holman said, and it’s an indication of a possible risk for metabolic syndrome.
You could make the argument that a dad bod that’s heavy in the middle is simply cuddlier and more lovable, but that’d be the only argument you’ve got.
Excess fat around the waist indicates a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, Dr. Holman said.
“Obviously that extra fat around the abdomen … if celebrities or media are promoting that, that’s a little concerning,” he said.
Genetics, circumstance
Substantial physical change may prove frustratingly elusive for some fellas, but that’s only because their genes are tight—so tight, they’re never letting go.
“To be honest with you, there are genetics behind weight,” Dr. Holman said.
“You don’t really have control over that,” he said. “Focus on what you have control over. What do you put in your mouth every day? What do you do every day?”
If you’re eating healthy and you’re exercising, there’s a fair chance, bad genes or good, your body will reap the benefits.
And, dad bod or not, be leery of any message that says beer and pizza are acceptable regular components of any diet.
“When people start saying that’s cool, maybe we’ve gone too much the other way,” Dr. Holman said.
Here he’s alluding to those opposing ends on that John Candy-Dwayne Johnson spectrum. There really is a happy middle. (You can have a piece of pizza and a beer once in a while; just don’t make them fixtures of your diet.)
“When everyone needed a six-pack, some people gave up trying for that,” he said. “Hopefully they would, in the media, kind of promote more healthy living instead of focusing on what the picture of the abs looks like.”
Write your history—and your child’s
There’s a good reason they call it the “dad bod.”
Once men and women procreate, those little people called children commandeer every aspect of their lives, leaving precious few moments for time-intensive exercise regimens.
“There is that weight gain that dads get,” Dr. Holman said. “It often goes along with moms gaining weight, too. You become more focused on caring for your kids than yourself sometimes.”
Dr. Holman’s advice to patients, and parents: Focus less on looks and more on healthy activities and healthy meals.
And promote the same things in your kids.
Because apart from genetics, how you look today has something to do with how you grew up.
“A lot of weight depends on what you were early on,” Dr. Holman said. “Your body kind of sets a standard weight by the time you’re a teenager.”
If a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle were hallmarks of your childhood, your journey to health in adulthood may be fraught with more pain and slower gains.
If, however, you were active as a kid—youth sports, a love of outdoors and the like—you may find it easier to bounce back as an adult, even in your later years.
“Some people feel like it’s always going to be hard work to get under that weight that your body has set as its baseline weight,” Dr. Holman said. “It’s not that you can’t overcome it. It’s just that it gets a little bit harder to overcome.”
Mind your body
So, really, do looks matter? To a degree, yes. More accurately, what matters is the measurement of your looks. Your BMI and waist circumference will play roles in what your doctor has to say about your health and fitness needs.
But your health history—your weight today versus a year ago, or two years ago—is just as important. You should celebrate steps toward better health, no matter how small, and also recognize when your health is slipping.
“If the BMI is above 30, usually I will order a blood test,” Dr. Holman said. “A common blood test checks cholesterol, diabetes and thyroid.”
That’s the introductory assessment.
“That shows how urgent it is for them to make some lifestyle changes,” he said.
If your BMI is 30 but your cholesterol level is great and you’re not diabetic, “it’s not nearly as urgent as someone whose BMI is 30 but they’re starting to get pre-diabetes,” he said.
A normal blood sugar level is typically lower than 100. Anything greater than 125 is considered diabetes. Pre-diabetes is the range in the middle.
“There’s that gray zone between 100 and 125,” Dr. Holman said, “when people can make a huge lifestyle change and prevent getting diabetes.”
And who knows—you might also prevent the complete onset of a dad bod.
A blood test may seem like a simple thing, but it can do so much.
It can diagnose disease, reveal how well your organs work and whether a course of treatment is effective or not, experts say.
Some blood tests require patients to fast before the blood is drawn. It’s crucial that you avoid eating before such tests, which require blood that is clear of nutrients, such as fats and sugars.
Glucose and lipid testing are the most common types of fasting blood tests, said Carole Andrews of Penn State Health in Hershey, Pa., where she’s a supervisor in the department of pathology and laboratory medicine.
“The amount of fats and glucose (sugars) will increase in the blood if a person has recently eaten,” Andrews explained in a Penn State news release. “This will affect the results of these specific tests.”
You may also wonder why technicians take so many blood samples.
Vials used to collect samples may contain additives that keep blood from clotting before the lab can test it. Tubes are color-coded according to the type of test. For example, a purple-colored vial is used for a blood count and a green-colored vial may be used for a chemistry profile, Andrews said.
How much blood is collected depends on the number and type of tests ordered by your doctor.
And there’s no need for concern if multiple vials of blood are taken. Most people have between 4,500 to 5,700 milliliters of blood.
“Even if you had 10 tubes of blood taken, that’s less than 60 milliliters,” Andrews said. “It’s not going to make an impact because your body is designed to replace what is lost.”
You can make the process easier by drinking plenty of fluids beforehand, she suggested. This will make it easier for the technician to poke into a vein.
“Also, it is easier if the patient is relaxed and comes in with a good attitude,” Andrews said. “If they tense up too much, it can make the venipuncture difficult.”
Michigan truck driver Charles Hogan happened to snap this photo while traveling through Holland last week. The picture was taken Oct. 22 in the morning as the thunderstorms moved through West Michigan.
Do you have a picture you would like to be considered for Photo of the Week? Email it to joanne@wktv.org.
It wasn’t until artist Leyna Luttrull researched and then painted ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) that she fully understood what her daughter was going through.
“I didn’t think she really had it,” Luttrull said as she stood next to a series of paintings that depict mental health diagnosis — bipolar disorder, ADHD, substance abuse disorder, and borderline personality. The paintings were part of Luttrull’s 2018 ArtPrize installation “Disease Does Not Discriminate (Work in Progress)”. “I thought she was just acting out. I had to research it and learn about it. That’s when I truly understood that my daughter really did have ADHD. She was struggling. It wasn’t just acting it out. She wasn’t making it up. She was really suffering from this.”
It was through that 2018 ArtPrize series that Luttrull said she has found art creates a platform for people to openly discuss the disorders and diseases they have personally faced or have faced with loved ones. It is the reason Luttrull decided to partner with the non-profit mental health organization i understand and the local art group Experience Live Art to create the 2020 ArtPrize piece “We UnderSTAND Together.”
Unveiled at the Sept. 10 Pink Heart Day — a family-friendly event that raises awareness about suicide and prevention along with working to erase the stigma of depression and other mental health disorders — the ArtPrize piece brings together the community to paint tiles that Luttrull will then assemble into a giant butterfly.”
“With this piece we are trying to bring awareness of what people face in mental health and the stigmas that are attached to them,” Luttrull said. “So we are hoping by allowing people to express themselves through these tiles we can create a greater picture of how working together as a collective can overcome the stigmas of mental health.”
The goal is to collect about 2,000 tiles with organizers planning to attend various events throughout Grand Rapids to provide opportunities for community members to paint a tile or two. The community also will be invited to help break objects that will be used in the piece as well.
A rending of what the “We UnderSTAND Together” piece will look like when completed. (Supplied)
Vonnie Woodrick, founder of i understand, said the butterfly was chosen because it is a symbol of change.
“That we can be in a dark place but through time and transformation, we can have the ability to emerge into something beautiful,” she said.
Artist Leyna Luttrull at the Sept. 10 Pink Heart Day. (Photo by WKTV)
Along with hosting support groups and providing educational materials about suicide, i understand is working to eliminate the stigma of suicide by changing the definition of the word from “intentionally taking one’s own life” to “suicide’s role as a terminal side effect of mental illness and wanting one’s physical or emotional pain to end.”
Woodrick said she hopes that the 2020 ArtPrize project will help the public understand that everyone has some sort of pain.
“We want to be able to support each other through that pain no matter what it is, whether it is a mental health illness, whether it is cancer, whether it’s physical, whether it’s bullying,” she said.
The “We UnderSTAND Together” project will be visiting various local events to give the public an opportunity to paint tiles. (Photo by WKTV)
Steve Tibbe, one of the founders of Experience Live Art, said his organization looks to host platforms that help to promote local artists and increase exposure for healthy ways for creative outlets. The “We UnderSTAND Together” project fit those goals.
“This particular project focuses on bringing the community together and letting people connect with each other more than they think,” Tibbe said. “I think there is a lot of stuff through social media and just the technology today that we just feel connected but we are actually less connected. So people struggle with expressing themselves and their true feelings and just the ups and downs of life.”
Tibbe said he hopes the piece will be displayed in a prominent Grand Rapids location for ArtPrize 2020 so people can take selfies with the piece and use it let others know that they are not alone and they do understand what that person is experiencing.
Named one of Yahoo Music’s “Top ten bands to watch,” The Accidentals, a Michigan-based band with a unique style of music, will play in concert on the Tibbits stage on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 7pm.
Traverse City’s female-fronted, multi-instrumentalist power trio The Accidentals (Sav Buist, Katie Larson, and Michael Dause) have been called “Defiant, young-powerful, and undaunted,” by Texas Lifestyle Magazine. Quickly growing regional attention, The Accidentals bring an eclectic blend of Indie, folk, pop, and rock that melds their orchestral roots with classical, jazz, bluegrass, country, and alt-rock influences. This genre-hopping trio puts on an interactive show that has been wowing audiences across the globe.
This regional phenomenon is rising in popularity with a just-released self-titled LIVE album and tour of the UK. They are currently scoring an indie film, teaching workshops across the country, playing with symphonies, and recording their much anticipated Vessel Album to be released in 2020.
Savannah Buist (Sav) was born in Nashville, TN and her love of music began on a tour bus with her multi-instrumentalist father and R&B vocalist mother when she was three months old. At 11, she picked up violin and dove headfirst into improvisational folk and jazz, reggae, funk, and rock. By sixteen, she’d become a versatile session player, composer, arranger, and performer. Later she followed in her father’s footsteps by becoming proficient in a wide range of instruments. Sav has been described by IPR as “one of the most compelling songwriters of our day.
Katie Larson grew up in Northern Michigan. Her musical family encouraged a range of eclectic influences, and in 2006 she started playing cello in her elementary school’s music program. Now she is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer, who participates in film, design, art, and culinary adventures. Katie graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2014, and has since been a full-time studio session player, songwriter, and touring musician. In 2017 she started cataloging her stories about the food she finds on the road in a visual food blog.
Hailing from the suburb of Northville, in Detroit, Michael Dause banged on pots and pans at the early age of one. At the age of four, Dause’s grandfather got him a full-sized drum set and at seven, he began his first lessons. In middle school, Dause taught himself how to play the guitar, and began writing his own songs. Dause joined the Accidentals in 2014 after they met at a Michigan music festival. “They’re fantastic musicians, and I love being able to lock in with them on stage,” Dause said about playing with Larson and Buist.
This one-night engagement will be at Tibbits Opera House, 14 S. Hanchett St. in Coldwater, MI. Tickets range from $15-28 including fees, with a discount for Tibbits members. There is also an “on your feet” section for those who want a livelier concert experience. Tickets are currently on sale and are available at Tibbits.org, at Tibbits administrative offices at 93 W. Chicago St. in Coldwater, or by calling 517.278.6029. This event also features a cash bar.
Editor’s Note: Opera Grand Rapids production “The Mikado” is almost sold out.
Opera Grand Rapids will present Gilbert and Sullivan comedic opera “The Mikado” Nov. 1 and 2 at St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ranson Ave. NE. The performances are at 7:30 p.m. both days.
Bass Andrew Potter is in the role of Pooh-Bah, who holds numerous exalted offices, including “First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral … Archbishop … Lord Mayor” and “Lord High Everything Else”.
Where are you originally from? Lynchburg, VA
Who has inspired you/been your greatest influence professionally? Why? Professionally, there are truly too many to mention… so many have been a huge and integral part of my journey. So, the greatest? Not to be cheesy, but I’d have to say my mother. Back when I was first starting and there was no shortage of people telling me to get a “real job.” She was the one that encouraged me to stay the course, and pursue my dream. She taught me to dream, love, be kind, work harder than anyone, and to never quit; and that’s why I’m here.
Who/what brought you into the world of Opera? When I was 9, my father had us all watch the entirety of the Wagner’s Ring Cycle, and I loved it. Many years later, after having gone on to be an instrumentalist, a wonderful voice teacher—Dr. Wayne Kompelien—talked me into “trying out singing.” After a semester of voice, I was officially hooked.
Where do you live now? Lynchburg, VA
What are your hobbies when not performing? I love spending time in the gym, and I also love rock climbing and mountaineering.
What is your favorite Role/Opera/Piece? It’s impossible to choose just one! Wotan in the Ring Cycle; Mefistofele in Boito’s Mefistofele; Blitch in Susannah; John Claggart in Billy Budd, to name a few. My favorite performed role to date has been Mephostpheles in Gounod’s Faust.
What are your favorite things about being a professional musician? Getting to be a part of bringing something timeless and magical to life, and giving that as a gift to others.
Least favorite? Missing things/people due to being on the road (Birthdays, Holidays, etc.).
Where is your favorite place to travel/perform? Why? This is REALLY tough. I’ve been able to visit so many wonderful places. I think, however, I’d have to say Alaska (shoutout to Anchorage Opera). I loved being there in the Spring and being around the mountains, but also a block or two away from the water.
What performances/plans do you have in the next year?: Outside of singing, I’m working on knocking off the highest peaks in each state, so I’d like to bag 3 new ones this year. Career-wise, it’s a busy season ahead, with several exciting role debuts!
Deer hunters aren’t the only ones geared up for action, however.
Michigan hospital emergency staff sees hundreds of hunting-related injuries every year.
While some injuries are minor, Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital averages about 14 hunting-related hospitalizations a year.
The 2018-19 season landed 20 patients in the hospital due to injuries sustained from falling out of tree stands. One of those had a spinal cord injury, 11 had vertebral fractures, and one suffered a pelvic fracture.
2009-18 hunting accident statistics
Total of 128 admissions due to fall from a tree stand
No deaths
11 spinal cord injuries
Multiple vertebral, pelvic, arm and leg fractures
These stats don’t include all the people who go to the emergency room for injuries that aren’t serious enough for overnight—or much longer—stays in the hospital or in rehabilitation units.
Alistair Chapman, MD, a Spectrum Health Medical Group critical care surgeon, helped lead a study into falls from tree stands and their impact on trauma centers. He knows first-hand how dangerous the season can be for hunters, especially for those who are overweight or fall from a height of 20 feet or more.
“Tree stand falls cause significant injury,” he said.
Emergency department doctors and trauma surgeons are particularly concerned about the increase in life-changing traumas such as spine fractures, brain injuries and paralysis from these falls.
“The infrequent use of safety harnesses is alarming,” Dr. Chapman said, sharing that less than 3% of the injured hunters in their study used a harness. In a couple of cases, the harnesses broke.
What gives? In 1997, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources changed hunting rules to allow firearm hunters to hunt from raised platforms. Since that time, the accident rate has climbed.
“The majority of deer hunters in Michigan are firearm hunters, so an increase in injuries was expected,” said Bruce Murray, MD, a Spectrum Health emergency medicine specialist.
An avid hunter himself, Dr. Murray added: “What’s unfortunate is that these are injuries that, in most cases, could be prevented.”
Records show that fall victims with arm and leg fractures account for the most injuries. Spine injuries comes in at a close second. Chest wall trauma is the third-leading cause of injury.
A broken limb may not sound like a big deal—unless you experience one. And Dr. Murray also quickly pointed out that the severity of these injuries is sometimes shocking.
“We see life-altering injuries every year,” he said.
So what can hunters do to avoid injury? Drs. Murray, Chapman and other safety experts have many suggestions.
Hunting safety tips you need to know:
Tree stand safety is as important as gun safety. Follow that same approach to the tree stand as you do your gun.
Never use drugs, alcohol or sedatives while hunting.
Check permanent tree stands each time before use. Replace any worn or weak lumber before it breaks.
Always wear a safety harness or belt while checking or using a stand.
Read, understand and follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing a ready-made tree stand.
Inspect portable stands for loose nuts and bolts before every single use.
Know what you should do if you slip while using a safety device. Make a plan.
Use a haul line to raise or lower equipment.
Keep firearms unloaded and arrows in a covered quiver when going up or down.
Choose a tree large enough to support your weight.
Never hurry to set up your stand. Take your time to check it over.
Make sure someone knows the location of your tree stand and when you will be there, every time.
Stay awake and alert. Always be aware of your position on the tree stand platform.
Use a short tether between you and the tree when attaching your fall restraint device. This is to keep you in the stand if you slip or fall, not to catch you after you have fallen.
Always carry a cell phone or other device to call for help if you need it. Keep it easily accessible.
