Inter-governmental leaders met Monday, July 9, at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Committee’s monthly forum at Wyoming City Hall. (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org
A representative of U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-2nd District) and local State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R-28th District) each played a key part in discussion of possible federal changes to the internet taxation rules as part of a wide-ranging inter-governmental leaders meeting Monday, July 9, at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Committee’s monthly forum at Wyoming City Hall.
The monthly forum is free and open to the public, and allows public questions. Other topics discussed were the State Secretary of State’s office gaining $11.2 million to beef up cybersecurity and other election security measures, as well as an update on the problems and possible solutions to the issues of how the Kent County’s mental health services are funded.
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 next meeting will be Aug.13 will be at the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW, from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
The intergovernmental discussion hosted by the chamber focuses on issues that effect residents and businesses 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 Monday meetings on the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26.
By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat, photos by Chris Clark
Cuddling her favorite stuffed dog as she tucked down into a hospital bed, Acacia Walter-Rooks dreamed of life with a healthy kidney.
“I’m excited to eat more foods and go to school and see my friends,” she said.
At the top of the list for this 14-year-old: French fries and macaroni and cheese.
The busy life of a teenage athlete seemed within reach—if her body accepted the donated kidney, and if disease did not attack the new organ.
Two big ifs.
Acacia had already surmounted one big hurdle: She had a living kidney donor who was a good match.
The next day, she would undergo surgery at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital to receive a kidney from Beth Hill, a 46-year-old mother of four young children.
And Hill was not the only one who offered.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Acacia’s parents, Brie Walter-Rooks and Ryan Rooks, marveled as dozens of friends, neighbors and co-workers volunteered as donors when they learned a rare disease destroyed Acacia’s kidneys. Some potential donors didn’t even know the family well.
Transplant coordinators halted the application list at 30, just so they could process the offers on hand.
The generosity buoyed the family at a difficult time.
“My hope is that Acacia will always remember how loved and cared for she was by her community, and people’s desire to love and care for her so her life can be full and whole,” Ryan said.
For Hill, a friend from church, being chosen as the best match was an honor.
“I feel very blessed to be able to do that,” she said.
‘Always in motion’
Before kidney disease struck, Acacia exuded good health. She played soccer, made the cut on a select volleyball team, and did gymnastics for fun. She and friends from East Grand Rapids Middle School rode bikes, hung out in Gaslight Village and went to movies.
It became clear we needed to take the next big step.
Brie Walter-Rooks Acacia’s mom
“She was just a really active kid,” Brie said. “Always in motion.”
Brie and Ryan adopted Acacia when she was 3 weeks old. They also have a 15-year-old daughter, Mica. The two girls, just a year apart in age, “are totally different and extremely close,” Brie said.
Acacia showed the first signs of kidney disease in July 2013, at age 11. She had puffy eyes, swollen ankles and a bloated stomach. Her face and neck swelled.
They learned she had a rare kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which scars and damages the kidney’s filtering units.
Genetic testing showed Acacia has a genetic mutation in the APOL1 gene that is sometimes found in people of African descent. The mutation boosts protection from African sleeping sickness, but also carries a sevenfold risk of kidney disease.
Acacia had an exceptionally aggressive form of the disease, one that can rapidly lead to end-stage kidney failure. Doctors said she would likely need a transplant in two to six months.
But she went 30 months before she reached that point. Even with kidneys functioning at 30 percent, Acacia played sports full-speed and hiked in the mountains on family backpacking trips.
In January, however, her kidney function dropped below 20 percent, and her blood pressure rose. Her doctor said she should stop playing sports.
“It became clear we needed to take the next big step,” Brie said.
On Feb. 11, a surgeon removed Acacia’s failing kidneys.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
She began receiving dialysis three times a week. The treatments did the blood-cleaning work of her kidneys, but they left her nauseated and tired. She had to stay home from school.
As Acacia underwent final tests before the transplant, her parents also faced the possibility that the new kidney would not be the fix they sought. Thirty percent of those with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis get the disease back within minutes to hours after transplant.
Before the operation, Brie said she and Ryan were concerned, but they chose not to dwell on possible downsides.
“You realize there is a higher probability that she will be healthy,” Ryan said. “And you go with that.”
‘Called to do this’
Hill remembers the day at Genesis Methodist Church when Brie talked about her daughter’s kidney disease and how she would need a transplant one day.
“It was heart-wrenching,” she said.
Over the next few weeks, Hill thought several times about donating a kidney. She thought about what she would want for her four young children if they were sick. She ultimately decided she could, and should, offer to help.
“I felt called to do this,” she said. “I believe in following those urges.”
Talking with her oldest daughter, 6-year-old Emersyn, Hill explained that she had two kidneys but only needed one.
“We have to help where we can,” she told her.
And Emersyn said, “It’s like having two chances.”
At first, Hill wanted to keep a low profile about her decision to donate. She eventually agreed to discuss it publicly to raise awareness about those waiting for kidney transplants.
“So many people are suffering,” she said.
All those who volunteered to give a kidney to Acacia “are just regular people,” she said. “We all have our own lives and jobs and things that need to be taken care of. Other regular people can help, too.”
Transplant day
The morning of the transplant, the festive crowd gathered in the pre-op area. Acacia curled up under a blue fleece blanket, clutching her stuffed dog, while Mom and Dad talked, smiled and hugged her.
I’m very glad I did it. A little bit of pain is worth it.
Beth Hill Kidney donor
Julia Steinke, MD, Acacia’s pediatric nephrologist, appeared at Acacia’s bedside.
“This is the best day ever,” Dr. Steinke said.
Nearby, Beth Hill lay in another bed, while her spouse, Lisa, held her hand. Their pastor, the Rev. DeAnn Dobbs, moved from bed to bed, leading them all in prayer.
Hill went to the operating room first. As her bed rolled by, she and Acacia raised their hands to each other―a long-distance high five.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
In side-by-side operating rooms, one team worked to detach Hill’s left kidney while another team prepared Acacia for the transplant. Surgeon Stanley Sherman, MD, carried the kidney from one room to the other in a basin filled with a slushy saline mixture.
Acacia’s parents sat in a waiting room, hoping for updates.
Clinical transplant coordinator Eric Beuker soon entered with good news: The kidney was in place and already working.
“We have liquid gold,” he said.
In the hours and days following transplant, the news got even better. Acacia’s new kidney continued to function well, and her kidney disease did not reappear.
“From a well-being standpoint, she is really doing better than expected,” Dr. Steinke said.
Acacia will need medication for the rest of her life to prevent rejection of the new organ. But she will no longer have restrictions on her diet. And she will be able to spike volleyballs over the net again.
Two days after transplant, Acacia took her first walk. With baby steps, she covered 80 feet down the hall at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. She sunk back into the recliner in her room, and her parents and therapists applauded.
Acacia, exhausted, had a request: French fries and an Oreo-vanilla milkshake.
Live-saving
In Hill’s room at Butterworth Hospital, her four kids clustered around her. Kathryn, 2, sat on her lap, and Brendan, 3, asked when she would come home.
Caught off guard by the pain on the second night post-transplant, she’d pulled through with adjustments in medication.
“I’m very glad I did it,” she said. “A little bit of pain is worth it.”
Donors go through extensive medical evaluations to make sure patients will function well with one kidney, Dr. Steinke said. Surgery is done laparoscopically, so recovery is quicker than it was in the past. Still, it can take four to six weeks for a donor to recover, as the body adjusts to a 50 percent drop in kidney function.
A living donor benefits more than just the recipient. Thirteen children are waiting for kidney transplants at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. When a living donor volunteers, it means the line shortens for those waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Dr. Steinke marvels at the commitment of donors like Hill. While some know the recipient well, others volunteer to give to a stranger.
“That is just an amazing, selfless act that I always am so humbled by,” she said.
For kids like Acacia, a functioning kidney means a chance at a full life and a healthy childhood and teen years.
“It’s a life-saving procedure,” Dr. Steinke said. “She will be able to follow whatever dream she wants.”
If you are considering becoming a living kidney donor, call the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital pediatric kidney transplant team at 616.391.2802.
There were two stories of people diagnosed with brown recluse bites in the media recently, “Muskegon woman hospitalized after brown recluse spider bite” from Detroit Free Press and “Rising temps may mean more brown recluse spiders” from Wood TV. One person was reported to have been bitten up in Leelanau County, the other in Nunica, Michigan, in Ottawa County. Both bites were reported to have occurred outside. The offending spider was not collected and identified in either case. The attending physicians based their diagnosis on the appearance of the bite.
Last year, a woman sent me a spider she captured in the act of biting her. The bite festered and she went to the emergency room at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The attending physician diagnosed the bite as that of a brown recluse spider. The spider the lady sent me was a yellow sac spider, Cheiracanthium spp.and (Miturgidae).
It is very difficult to diagnose the perpetrator of a bite based on the appearance of a bite. I am not saying it’s impossible that both of these people were bitten by a brown recluse spider, but it is very unlikely.
Even though Michigan is not in the accepted native range of the brown recluse, it has been found in 10 Michigan counties. Prior to 2017, it had been found in Genesee, Hillsdale, Lenawee, Ingham and Kent counties. The Kent County find came from a home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where the residents had just returned from a trip to Missouri, where the spider is common. Recluse spiders are known to hitchhike in boxes, suitcases and articles of commerce.
In the spring of 2017, a brown recluse spider was found in an unheated garage in Genesee County and in a building on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor (see the 2017 Michigan State University Extension article, “Update on brown recluse spiders in Michigan”). The owner of the garage indicated she had not traveled out of Michigan prior to finding the spiders. Large universities like Michigan have large transient populations of students and visitors from all over the country, so it is not too surprising for a recluse or two to show up there.
In the past 14 months, over 700 Michiganders have sent me photographs of spiders thought to be recluse spiders they had encountered in their homes and yards. Some people just sent stories about bites thought to be recluse bites. Some of these stories were profoundly heart-wrenching.
Of these 700 spider photos, only seven turned out to be of brown recluse spiders. Five of these represented new county records for the recluse in Michigan. The new county records were for Livingston, Oakland, Shiawassee and Wayne counties. There have been multiple finds in Genesee, Washtenaw and Lenawee counties.
Here is a map of Michigan showing the counties where the recluse spider has been found. The counties shown in blue are where the brown recluse had been found prior to 2017. Red counties are where it was found in 2017.
One of these recluse populations, located in a single family residence in Tecumseh, Michigan, in Lenawee County, has been eradicated. This was a true reproducing population of brown recluse spiders consisting of numerous individuals of all life stages including eggs, juveniles and adults. After several attempts using conventional insecticide sprays failed to rid the spiders from their home, the homeowners took out a second mortgage and hired a crew to encase the home in plastic sheeting and pump it full of Vikane gas. They felt they had no other choice to protect their small children.
Photo courtesy Michigan State University Extension
No one in this family was ever bitten by the spiders over the several years they had shared their home with them. They sent me this photo of their home while it was prepped for the fumigation.
So what does this all mean? It means there are rare, isolated populations of brown recluse spiders living in Michigan. It means that the vast majority of Michiganders will never come within a half-mile of a brown recluse spider. None of the brown recluse spiders that have been found in Michigan walked here from Arkansas or even southern Ohio for that matter; they were brought or carried here in suitcases, boxes or some other cartage.
I think it is too early to suggest they represent the beginning of a great northern migration of the brown recluse. There has been only one report of a recluse spider from Wisconsin and that was in 2016. There have been no reports of recluse spiders marauding through the northern parts of Ohio, Indiana or Illinois, so try to relax and enjoy your summer. Please. If you think you found a recluse, send me the spider or a photo of the spider to bugman@msu.edu. I will either put your mind to ease or ruin your summer.
There are about 37,000 species of spiders worldwide with about 3,800 species in North America. Michigan is home to just 500 or so native species of spiders, only three of these native species (not including the brown recluse) are medically important. These are the northern black widow, yellow sac spider and, to a lesser degree, the northern cobweb spider. Yellow sac spiders are very common in and around homes. All Michigan spiders are predators that use venom to subdue their prey. Most will try to bite if threatened. None will aggressively chase you down the hall to bite you, although some consider the yellow sac spider to be a recreational biter—that is, they will bite you just for the hang of it.
Michigan spiders range in size from under 1/8 inch in the Linyphiidae (sheetweb and dwarf spiders) to almost an inch long in the Lycosidae (wolf spiders). Though tiny, researchers have estimated there are 25 metric million tons of spiders on the earth right now.
Spiders do possess a super power too. The silk spiders spin to build their webs and dangle from your ceiling is one of the strongest materials known. Not all spiders construct webs of silk to capture their prey. Some simply run their prey down and overwhelm it. Others are ambush hunters that lie in wait for their prey to walk by then pounce on it.
More than 90 percent of the spider’s diet is made up of insects and they chow through as much as 800 million tons of prey every year. In doing so, spiders play an essential role in keeping natural ecosystems in balance. However, for many, the very word “spider” conjures terrifying or repulsive images, and I’m now going to share with you some of those images (at the end of this article).
Back to Michigan spiders. The 700 photos or specimens of spiders sent to me last year that were not recluse spiders include most, if not all, of the common spiders found around Michigan homes. The nursery web spider and the dark fishing spiders are most likely to be confused with a brown recluse.
This table is a list of spiders Michiganders think might be a brown recluse, ordered by rank in terms of the number of photographs sent to me last year. It is not surprising that most of these are nomadic hunting spiders that do not spin webs to capture their prey.
Riders enjoying their time horseback riding at the 2017 State 4-H Trail Ride & Family Camp Weekend. All photos by Taylor Fabus, MSU Extension.
ByTaylor Fabus, Michigan State University Extension
If you’re spending time with your horse on the trail, it’s important to do so responsibly. Read on to discover many ways in which you can be sure you ride responsibly.
Travel responsibly
Stay on designated roads, trails and other areas open to horses.
Ride single file to reduce trail damage. Spread out in open country where there are no trails. Spreading out, rather than following each other’s footsteps, disperses impact and avoids creating a new trail.
Be prepared to let other trail enthusiasts know what needs to be done to keep you, the horse and other passersby safe when you meet on the trail.
Be alert and aware of the presence of other trail enthusiasts. If possible, pull to the side of the trail when you hear oncoming off-highway vehicles or bicycles.
Leave gates as you find them. If crossing private property, be sure to ask permission from the landowner.
Do not disturb historical, archeological or paleontological sites.
Avoid “spooking” livestock and wildlife you encounter and keep your distance.
Water animals in areas where stream banks and water access can withstand hard use and are downstream from campsites.
Photo by Taylor Fabus, MSU Extension
Educate yourself
Obtain a map of your destination and determine which areas are open to your type of pack animals.
Make a realistic plan and stick to it. Always tell someone of your travel plans.
Contact the land manager for area restrictions, closures and permit requirements.
Check the weather forecast for your destination. Plan clothing, equipment and supplies accordingly.
Runners are among the high-intensity athletes who should be especially cognizant of their exposure to heat on summer days. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Jolene Bennett, Spectrum Health Beat
Early last summer, incoming Kent State University freshman Tyler Heintz, 19, fell severely ill during an early-morning football practice.
His breathing grew labored and he began to slip in and out of consciousness. An ambulance rushed him to a hospital, but he later died.
The cause: exertional heat stroke.
This dangerous condition can strike an athlete of any stature, even those who have reached the pinnacle of their sport. In August 2001, 6-foot-4, 335-pound offensive tackle Korey Stringer, of the Minnesota Vikings, died shortly after collapsing during drills on a hot, humid day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies groups most at risk of heat stroke, including the very young, the very old, the chronically ill, people who work outdoors and people in low-income households.
It is not uncommon for an athlete to sweat 1 to 2 liters per hour on a hot day. A large football player can lose up to 15 pounds of water in a single practice session.
The problem is most athletes drink far less than they sweat, simply because they underestimate the extent of their sweat loss.
Limitations
With summer underway, athletes young and old are more often found outdoors. It’s an essential time to impress the importance of proper hydration and rest.
Summer training camps for runners, soccer players and football players are proving grounds for excellence, but they can be ground zero for heat stroke trouble.
When athletes—especially runners and football players—participate in vigorous exercise in the warm months, dehydration can turn fatal.
Almost all heat-related deaths occur from May to September, according to the CDC, which also identifies exertional heatstroke as a leading cause of preventable, non-traumatic exertional sudden death for young athletes in the U.S.
Two-a-days, those notoriously difficult practices common to football, can often lead to trouble. Last year, the NCAA Division I Council banned two-a-days in preseason practices.
A 2016 study in the Journal of Athletic Training found that exertional heat exhaustion occurs at an increased rate in the first 14 days of practice, and especially in the first seven days.
About a decade ago, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association issued guidelines for preseason heat acclimatization. The guidelines establish a 14-day plan that helps athletes acclimatize to the heat. It zeroes in on the first three to five days of summer practice as the most important for progressive acclimatization.
On Day 1, for example, athletes shouldn’t participate in more than one practice and they should wear limited gear, as well as limiting the level of exertion and physical contact. For full-contact sports, “100 percent live contact drills should begin no earlier than Day 6.”
Coaches and training staff must carefully consider their approaches to summer practices, scrutinizing duration, intensity, time and place.
On especially hot days, for instance, the practice may need to be limited in length or simply rescheduled to a cooler part of the day.
Keeping watch
Athletes and parents need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of dehydration and heat stroke.
Keep in mind that thirst is not always the best indicator of dehydration. By the time a person senses thirst, the body may have already lost more than 1 percent of its total water. Athletes, coaches and parents should emphasize the importance of proper hydration before, during and after sporting activities—and then keep watch for any signs of trouble.
Not urinating, or very dark yellow or amber-colored urine
Dry, shriveled skin
Irritability or confusion
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Rapid heartbeat
Rapid breathing
Sunken eyes
Listlessness
Shock (not enough blood flow through the body)
Unconsciousness or delirium
When dehydration goes untreated, the body can no longer maintain homeostasis, which leads to heat stroke. This can cause impaired cardiovascular function and neurological failure.
An athlete experiencing heat stroke may become agitated, confused or unable to maintain balance.
The signs of heat stroke:
High body temperature
Hot, red, dry, or damp skin
Fast, strong pulse
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Losing consciousness
Heat stroke, also referred to as heatstroke or sun stroke, is a true medical emergency that is often fatal if not properly and promptly treated. Call 911 or go to the emergency room if heat illness is causing vomiting, seizures, or unconsciousness. Locate an urgent care facility near you.
By Amy Hoogstra, MSN, FNP-BC, Nurse Practitioner at Ottawa Hills High School Health Center
Your child’s first vehicle is often a bicycle. Riding a bicycle is an opportunity for your child to develop a sense of accomplishment and balance, but if not ridden safely, it can also pose a risk to your child’s health. Each year “more children ages 5 to 14 are seen in emergency rooms for injuries related to biking than any other sport.”1 Here are some bicycling dos and don’ts to consider the next time your child asks to ride his or her bike:
Dos:
Do teach your child to ride their bike on the right side of the road, with traffic and not against it. Remind them to ride as far to the right as possible.1
Do teach your child to make eye contact with drivers. Before crossing the street, your child should know that approaching drivers are paying attention.1
Do make sure that your child’s helmet fits and that your child knows how to put it on correctly. Use these tips to make sure that your child’s helmet is protecting him or her as it should:1,2
Helmets should sit on top of the head in a level position
Helmets should not rock forward, backward, or side to side
Helmets should always have straps buckled
Your child should be able to see the bottom rim of the helmet when looking up
Straps should form a “V” under your child’s ears when buckled
Your child should feel the helmet hug their head when they open their mouth
Do a safety check before a bike ride. Ensure the reflectors are secure, brakes work properly, gears shift smoothly, and tires are appropriately inflated.1
Do teach your child how to use proper hand signals before allowing them to ride on the street. Hand signaling allows for important communication between cyclists and motorists.1
Do encourage your child to ride predictably by riding in a straight line and avoiding swerving between cars.1
Don’ts:
Don’t allow your child to ride on their own until you have ridden together and you are confident in his/her bicycling skills. 1
Don’t allow your child to wear a helmet designated for another sport (such as football). Bike helmets are made specifically to protect your child from biking-related injuries.3
Don’t purchase your child a bigger bicycle with the hope that your child will grow into it. When sitting on the bicycle seat, your child should be able to put the balls of both feet on the ground while holding the handlebars.3
Don’t allow your child to ride their bike at dusk or after dark. Riding at night requires specific skills and equipment that few young children have.3
Don’t allow your child to wear long or loose clothing while riding their bike.1
If your child is in need of a properly fitting helmet, please call 616.391.7233 to schedule an appointment for a $10 bike helmet. Location: Injury Prevention Program Office, Masonic Center, 233 E. Fulton, Suite 103.
To celebrate her 11th birthday, Lily Brouwer and her family planned a mini-vacation at a beachfront cabin in Grand Haven, Michigan.
She had been battling an upset stomach and intermittent abdominal pain, but determined to have fun, the birthday girl insisted on going.
Frigid Lake Michigan waves rolled in when they arrived that dreary Sunday. They still remember the date: Dec. 30, 2012.
A more chilling fear would sweep over the family.
After loading up with Motrin and going sledding, Lily’s condition worsened. She thought she was seeing blood in her frequent diarrhea.
“I tried to tuck her into bed and prayed for her, but she was up 15 minutes later,” said Michelle Brouwer, Lily’s mom.
Lily’s dad, David, said they knew something wasn’t right, that this was no ordinary stomach virus.
Michelle drove Lily to Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids.
When the clock rolled to midnight on New Year’s Eve, ushering in Lily’s birthday, they were in the emergency room.
“She was lying on my lap, writhing in pain,” Michelle said. “She was in complete misery.”
Doctors told Michelle they were going to observe Lily for six hours. If she could keep fluids down, they could release her.
Instead, they admitted her. She remained there for 21 days.
Tainted food
Michelle’s parents dropped off a birthday gift to Lily at the hospital and then tended to Lily’s siblings—Madeline, Jorja and Liza—so Michelle and David could watch over their daughter.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
For four days, Lily went to the bathroom every 15 minutes. Bloody diarrhea. She vomited frequently. She took morphine every two hours for pain. A steady stream of IV fluids dripped into her young veins.
With doctors trying to pinpoint a cause, anyone who visited the room had to don gowns and gloves.
That Thursday afternoon, a pediatric nephrologist delivered the soul-shaking news: Lily had hemolytic uremic syndrome. The doctor said Lily could lose her kidneys. And her life.
Lily fell into acute kidney failure. She was rushed to the intensive care unit and put on a huge dialysis machine.
According to Alejandro Quiroga, MD, section chief of pediatric nephrology at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, something Lily ate caused this life-threatening condition.
“(Hemolytic uremic syndrome) is a condition where there is a toxin produced by a bacteria in your gut that causes your red blood cells to be destroyed and form small clots in your blood vessels, creating multiple organ damage, but particularly to the kidney,” Dr. Quiroga said.
Lily either ingested undercooked or poorly handled food, Dr. Quiroga said.
“We don’t know from where,” he said. “The health department was notified and they performed an investigation without any yield.”
David and Michelle prayed. And they cried. But they had faith. In God, and in the doctors who cared for their precious daughter.
“There were countless times I feared the loss of Lily’s life and how that would forever change the course of our family,” David said. “But we continued to pray, believe, and put our faith in the amazing team of doctors and nurses responsible for her care.”
Incomprehensible horror
Lily remained in the ICU until Sunday afternoon. While there, she began suffering from hallucinations.
“They had to rush her down for a CT scan,” Michelle said. “It can attack your brain. Every organ can be affected. She saw pretty much every specialist there is. Her heart rhythm was off. She developed pancreatitis. She had a pleural effusion.”
How could this be? Their precious daughter, who had just celebrated her birthday, appeared to be nearing her death day.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“We had thousands of people from around the world praying for Lily,” Michelle said.
As if life couldn’t get any more terrifying, another dagger struck.
“We got a text from grandma that our baby, Liza, who was 5 at the time, was having vomiting and bloody diarrhea,” Michelle said.
David and Michelle swallowed hard as they reread the text message in disbelief.
“I was horrified,” David said. “After watching Lily for 10 days and knowing what she was going through, it was incomprehensible to think that Liza was going to have to go through that pain as well.”
Michelle returned home to check on Liza.
“I got a call from my husband,” she said. “He didn’t know what to say other than, ‘You need to get down here to the hospital right away.’ The way he said it, I didn’t know if Lily was still going to be there when I got there.”
Lily had difficulty breathing. She was upside down in bed, gasping for air.
The grandparents took Liza to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital emergency department.
“They were going to transfer Liza to the seventh floor to be right next to Lily,” Michelle said. “But at the same time, Lily was getting worse and they had to transfer her back up to ICU.”
‘I’m afraid I’m going to see Jesus’
Lily told David she couldn’t breathe.
“She said, ‘Daddy, I can’t breathe, I’m afraid I’m going to see Jesus,’” Michelle said. “She told him, ‘I don’t want to see Jesus today.’”
They intubated Lily. She remained on a ventilator for four days.
Meanwhile, the nightmare continued. Liza’s numbers trended in the wrong direction. She also tested positive for hemolytic uremic syndrome, and transferred to the intensive care unit.
“This could be lethal in some cases and Lily and Liza were critically ill and at risk of death or permanent organ damage,” Dr. Quiroga said.
Slowly, the medicine—and the prayers—began to work.
“We tried an off-label medication on them that in our experience and other centers’ case reports have shown improvement in severe cases like them,” Dr. Quiroga said.
A community responds
Michelle and David’s emotions crawled from the valley of death to the mountaintop of hope.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Lily came home from the hospital on Jan. 18. Liza followed three days later.
Hundreds of people lined the Brouwers’ street, clapping and cheering.
“Lily is a miracle that she’s here and that her kidneys started to turn back on,” Michelle said. “Our God is a big God and he did a miracle. Lily and Liza are amazing. They’re miracles. They’re perfectly healed.”
The girls went home on a special diet and required outpatient dialysis.
Now, they’re both off medication and only need to do urine checks once a year with their pediatrician.
“They are doing great now,” Dr. Quiroga said. “They have normal lives and the prognosis is excellent.”
Michelle said no one would even know the girls were sick if it weren’t for the testimony the family has to share.
The illness may be gone, but the lessons remain for the Brouwers and all who know them.
“This story affected so many people,” David said. “Lily and Liza became symbols in our community for hope, faith and healing. We were shown so much support, love and care. During that time and ever since, we have tried to do the same for others going through horrible times as well. We witnessed a profound miracle and everyone near and far realized it, too.”
By Tracie Abram, Michigan State University Extension
Summertime is depicted as a laid-back joyful season, when in fact for many, it is the opposite. Summertime for families of small children means added expenses of childcare or having to pay for additional meals that normally were less expensive due to school meal plans. Summertime generally means an interruption in routine. Children may be up later and therefore not getting enough sleep and possibly skipping meals or not eating as well due to busier schedules. Having a basic understanding of what triggers children to misbehave will help keep homes happy and safe.
One basic understanding is that children (and adults too) will misbehave when they are hungry, angry, lonely/bored or tired (HALT). People will not have as much tolerance and be more irritable when they are hungry, angry or not feeling well. If you or your children are experiencing any of these emotions or feelings halt what you are doing and tend to that need before moving on.
Another reason why children misbehave is that they may not fully understand the request. For an example, if you ask the child to calm down they may not understand that you mean and how to actually calm themselves. This is also an example of a lack of experience. Children do not have the experiences that adults have. It takes time for a child to fully develop problem solving and communication skills.
The practice of mindfulness can teach children and adults how to calm their minds and bodies to find a feeling of balance or confidence. Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention to your senses in the current moment without judgement. It is about being present and acknowledging the moment to moment experiences. Mindfulness helps develop focus and self regulation. When practiced regularly, the events that require acute attention will be less stressful because your body and mind have been conditioned to work together in paying attention.
Another reason children may misbehave is because their behaviors are accidently rewarded by adults. An example is when children wait to do something an adult asks of them until the adults tone of voice increases or that crying and whining gets a parents attention. Children also copy what they see others doing.
Sometimes children do things they know are wrong such as testing the rules, and showing independence. Nobody likes to be told what to do all the time and not have any choices. Children are learning how to do many things at a fast rate and they need to be able to show off what they have learned or can do.
When you or your children are showing one or more of these seven triggers, be mindful and acknowledge what you notice in a tone that will teach, guide and train your children.
Hunger, anger, lonely/bored, tired or sickness
Don’t understand the rules
Lack of experience
Misbehavior was accidentally rewarded
Testing the rules
Copying others
Showing independence
If you are struggling with understanding your children’s behavior, Michigan State University Extension has programming that can help. Nurturing Families, RELAX: Alternatives to Anger, and Stress Less with Mindfulness are programming series that have been successful in helping many parent-child and family relationships. Peruse their website for programming near you.
Welcoming a new sibling can be a big transition for everyone in the family and can be especially tough on children. All of a sudden, a young child’s world shifts dramatically. They have to share their home, their things and the attention of their parents and other special adults. This can lead to behavior outbursts, regression and even tantrums.
Talk about it. Talk about the new baby and what things will be like. “Your little brother will come home and live here with us. Here is where he will sleep. He will cry a lot in the beginning because that is how he tells us what he needs. When he gets bigger you will be able to play with him.”
Get them involved. If possible, include your child in helping prepare for the baby before they arrive. Let them pick out special items for the baby or decorate the nursery.
Plan some special time. One of the hardest parts of welcoming a new sibling can be sharing time with Mom and Dad. Try planning some special time with your older child where they can have your undivided attention at least for a little while. This will help them feel important and special, even if they have to share your attention.
Read books. You can also read books about new siblings like, “The New Baby” by Mercer Mayer, “Peter’s Chair” by Ezra Jack Keates, “There’s Going to Be a Baby” by John Burningham or “Martha Doesn’t Share” by Samantha Berger.
Be understanding. If your child struggles to adjust to their new sibling, be understanding. Remember that it’s a big adjustment and will take time and practice. They may regress, have more tantrums or outbursts than normal or be extra clingy—this is all normal. The best thing you can do is to be empathetic instead of punishing your child. Reassure them with words, “It can be hard to share your time with Mommy, or share your toys. That makes you feel really sad. I understand. It’s OK to be sad.”
Show them love. Load your child up with lots of love and support to reassure them they are loved and supported no matter what changes are taking place at home. Give them physical affection with hugs and snuggles, verbal affection with praise and encouragement and lots of quality time together.
For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.
To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2017 impact report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2017, can be downloaded from the MSU Extension website.
ByKaren Fifield, Michigan State University Extension
This is the season for food, family, picnics and barbecues. It is important to stay food safe by using a food thermometer when barbecuing. Before you begin the grilling season, explore some tips provided by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to keep you and your family’s food safe.
When purchasing foods for grilling, be careful to transport them safely from the store to your home, keeping meats separate from other foods, particularly poultry. Transport cold foods in coolers or thermal containers, keeping them at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, refrigerate until it is time to cook.
Keep all cooking utensils and equipment cleaned and sanitized to prevent cross contamination from raw food touching cooked food. Never place cooked foods on platters that have contained raw meats. If you feel you need to precook foods for the grill, the USDA recommends partially cooking foods in a microwave, oven or on a stove to help reduce the time it takes to cook on a grill.
To prevent charring, cook foods with low flame or charcoal, also by removing any visible fat that may cause grease to flare. Other safe practices to follow according to USDA guidelines, pertain to cooking foods to proper internal temperatures.
Whole poultry: 165 degrees F
Poultry breasts: 165 degrees F
Ground poultry: 165 degrees F
Ground meats: 160 degrees F
Beef, pork, lamb and veal (steaks, roasts and chops): 145 degrees F and allow to rest at least three minutes
Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperatures; this is a minimal temperature as the meat can be cooked to a higher temperature if you choose to do so. Always keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, and remember to package leftovers in small amounts and keep in a refrigerator. When reheating any food items it is recommended to reheat leftovers to a temperature of 165 degrees F.
Just back from a run with her husband, Laura Metro faced a parent’s worst nightmare: Her 6-year-old daughter, Maison, ran to her screaming, “I think Clay died! I think Clay died!”
Metro’s 3-year-old son, who was swimming with family friends, was found at the bottom of the pool with his towel. One friend started CPR—or the closest thing he knew based on what he’d seen on TV—on Clay’s blue, lifeless body.
Paramedics arrived and got Clay’s heart beating again. He was taken by helicopter to the hospital and spent two days in a coma before making what Metro calls “nothing short of a miraculous recovery.”
“The doctors said, ‘We don’t know why he’s alive,’ ” Metro said. “The only thing—the only thing—we can attribute it to is the bystander CPR. … He didn’t see the inside of a hospital for an hour and a half [after almost drowning]. That was really what did it.”
Drowning is the third-leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7 percent of all injury-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization. The agency estimates there are 360,000 annual drowning deaths worldwide.
The Metros’ good fortune is anecdotal evidence of the findings from a study, published in the June 2017 edition of the journal Resuscitation, which found that chances for neurological recovery from a near-drowning increase when the victim receives CPR from a bystander.
“We would advocate for parents knowing CPR, and particularly if they have a pool, they should become familiar and get trained in mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing,” said Dr. Michael Sayre, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. “Whereas hands-only CPR is typically focused on someone who is not in the water and collapses suddenly for other reasons, people underwater die because of lack of oxygen.”
After Clay’s recovery, Metro founded a nonprofit called CPR Party, using the model of at-home shopping parties to encourage people to teach and learn CPR. The lessons aren’t equal to official CPR certification, Metro said, but “they will know what to do and hopefully, we create a bridge to certification. We just give them that basic knowledge to empower them.”
About one in five people who die from drowning are 14 years old or younger, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And for every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal injuries, often including brain damage. The numbers are particularly discouraging, experts say, because in many cases, drowning is preventable.
“The biggest thing we try to get through to people is you need to maintain constant, active supervision when people are in the water,” said Adam Katchmarchi, executive director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. “Regardless of age and swimming ability, you should never swim alone. You should always swim around someone who’s keeping that vigilant watch over the water, whether that be a parent in a backyard pool or whether you’re swimming in a lifeguarded area.”
Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat
On its website, the NDPA stresses what it calls “layers of protection,” including swimmer training, facility safety and parental responsibilities designed to prevent drowning. Drowning can happen quickly and silently, without warning, Katchmarchi said.
“We’re used to the Baywatch drowning, where people see on TV that someone’s going to be waving their arms and screaming for help,” he said.
“An actual drowning victim, when they’re in that 20- to 60-second fight for survival, they’re unable to call for help because all of their energy is being used to keep their head above water. A lot of times they’re bobbing up and down, going under and re-emerging and trying to get air, so it’s really difficult for them to call out for help,” Katchmarchi said.
“It’s really easy to say, ‘Oh, I’m watching my kids,’ but you’re scrolling through Facebook or your Twitter feed. … Even if you’re distracted for just a short period of time, it can happen really quickly and really silently.”
Microbeads can evade filtration at water treatment plants and end up in the Great Lakes, and can be mistaken as food to marine life.
WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org
The federal Microbead-Free Waters Act took effect on July 1. The new law, which was passed in 2015, prohibits the sale and manufacturing use of microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics.
Although the bill was passed in 2015, the three-year period allowed cosmetic companies to phase out the production and sale of microbeads in their products.
Research from the State University of New York in Fredonia found anywhere from 1,500 to 1.1 million microbeads per square mile in the Great Lakes.
The legislation had bi-partisan support, including Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI).
“Microbeads pose a very real danger to our Great Lakes and threaten our fish and wildlife populations,” Sen. Stabenow said in 2015, at the time of the bill passing. “This bipartisan bill is an important step in keeping our wildlife protected and our waters safe.”
Microbeads are used in body wash, facial scrubs, and shampoo to aid in exfoliation. Once microbeads are washed down drain, they may evade filtration at water treatment plants and end up in the Great Lakes, according to supplied material. These plastic particles add to the plastic pollution in the lakes and can be mistaken as food to marine life.
“This is an important step to ensure that our Great Lakes are protected for generations to come,” Sen. Peters said in supplied material at the time the ban went into effect this week. “Pollution from microbeads is a serious threat to the health of the Great Lakes, and our ban will help keep our wildlife and waterways safe from further harm.”
More information may be found on the Federal Drug Administration’s website here.
Just when you’re in the throes of enjoying the lush tree canopy in city, it stops being lush. One day, the shade is gone. The leaves are decimated. The mess is significant.
We can thank our nemesis, the gypsy moth, for that. Despite the June 5th spray in Wyoming, these buggers are back in force. (To learn how gypsy moths came to be such a menace in America in the first place, go here. Warning: Not for the faint of heart.)
The City of Wyoming shares your frustration. The spray has not been as effective as in years past. A gypsy moth consultant says that there are several reasons for this.
According to the City’s website, under ideal spray conditions, 80% mitigation is expected. The consultant believes that extreme cold in April combined with extreme heat in May disrupted many of the gypsy moths’ normal patterns and resulted in fewer gypsy moth larva ingesting the spray product.
The City of Wyoming is documenting calls and conveying that information to the City Council and the consultant. Residents’ calls and emails are valuable and will help determine where treatment is needed in the future.
Thuricide (sold under various brand names) — read the label to ensure it contains Btk
Tanglefoot — this is a wrap that goes around the tree trunk and it prevents the caterpillars from going up to the tree canopy to eat
Pheromone traps are another option, though they are not as effective
Another option is to hire a private contractor to treat smaller trees and ornamentals. Use caution when using other products as some can affect bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Refer to the City of Wyoming’s Facebook page or website for more information. There’s a form you can fill out on the website to alert the City to gypsy moths in your area. Use it.
Michigan State University Extension has more information on what to do about gypsy moth infestations. Go here.
Have a dog or few? If so, you may be dreading the impending fireworks. By now, you’ve probably already gotten a taste of how your pet reacts to loud noises — neighborhood kids like to set off fireworks a few days early.
Fireworks displays are an inevitability, but there are some things you can do to help keep your pup calm. Here are some tips for surviving the loud booms.
Exercise your dog earlier in the day to release pent-up energy.
Keep your canine indoors during fireworks and keep him company, if possible. Run the air conditioner to keep him cool.
Don’t take your dog with you to a fireworks display. (That’s just nuts.)
Make sure your dog has a safe place inside to retreat to. Dogs often feel safer in small, enclosed places if they’re scared of loud sounds. Consider crating your pup, if he’s comfortable there. Covering the crate will help.
Keep windows and curtains closed, if possible. Removing visual stimulation can really help.
Ensure that your dog wears ID tags with a collar that fits properly. That way, if he somehow escapes, there is a better chance that he’ll be returned to you.
Leave Fido a frozen Kong toy filled with his favorite morsels. It’s a good distraction.
After the success of creating a transitional house for youth in 2017, Mel Trotter Ministries recently opened a transitional house for women who are experiencing homelessness. The MTM “Melanie House” was established to provide additional housing opportunities for women who have gone through a program at the Mel Trotter Ministries downtown shelter but still face challenging barriers to having a home of their own.
This housing opportunity fosters a supportive community environment and does not exclude women based on physical or mental disabilities, prior criminal history, addiction, bad credit or other barriers.
“The home will offer the tenants stable, affordable housing which they have been unable to secure in our city’s tight rental market,” said Dennis Van Kampen, CEO of Mel Trotter Ministries. “This experience will help these ladies build the foundation for independent living in the future and we believe this experience will help keep them from returning to homelessness.”
The Melanie House is located in an undisclosed location in Grand Rapids. It features two bathrooms, a community kitchen and dining area, and three private rooms for the three tenants who were formerly in an MTM program. One of the tenants serves as an on-site resident assistant and provides encouragement and guidance. Tenants pay $300-$400 a month for rent and also pay for their own utilities.
MTM will also offer aftercare services with a staff case manager who walks alongside the tenants as they connect with their new neighborhood, build credit history, navigate transportation, continue a savings plan and set goals for long-term housing.
Some items for furnishing the home are still needed by donors. To help, please go to www.meltrotter.org/needs to help out.
How can mutations in one supposedly single-function protein result in four unique diseases with symptoms ranging from strangely textured hair to early death?
That’s the question that biochemistry professor Rachael Baker and biology professor Amy Wilstermann are seeking to answer through three linked research projects this summer. Working with three student researchers to conduct experiments on the mitochondria of yeast and zebrafish, the professors are examining the effects of mutations in the protein’s gene to determine its other roles within the cell.
By discovering how each mutation results in each disease, Baker says they hope to more fully understand the mitochondrial system, leading to both “better treatments for people affected by rare diseases and a better understanding about health and wellness in general that could lead to treatments for things like cancer and other disorders.”
Beyond the lab
Baker and Wilstermann, however, view these direct applications as only one step in the larger process of improving the lives of those with rare diseases.
“There’s just a lot of uncertainty [around rare disease]; even when you get a diagnosis, you might not know what the prognosis is,” said Wilstermann. She and Baker aim to help remedy this through two key routes: improving the readability of scholarly work on rare disease and providing a website to collect information for patients and their families.
During the summer, Wilstermann says, the students will work toward both goals by reviewing the literature around a specific rare disease and writing a condensed summary for the website, giving them practice in “taking really complicated ideas and mak[ing] them accessible but still completely accurate.” Wilstermann says that the students will most likely start by covering the diseases which were represented at the rare disease symposium (in March 2018) and are present in the local community.
The website is broadly intended to function as a network for members of the rare disease community, including patients, families, clinicians, and researchers. “We want it to be a place where we can connect people with resources; we want it to be a place where people can connect with one another,” Wilstermann said. “There’s opportunity to bring people together and help build a supportive community around common experiences, and the common experience of being rare.”
A faith-driven approach
“This project, for me, encapsulates why I came to be a professor at Calvin college,” said Baker. “The way we do science looks different here,” she added. “We eat together each week, we value each other, and we [work] in a body of Christ model where different people have different strengths and interests [which we] bring together to be a functioning whole. We’ve employed various practices that are really rooted in Christian principles, and we’ve used those to shape how we run our research team.
“To me,” Baker said, “it’s really exciting that I get to do that and think about it explicitly.”
Becoming a caregiver for your spouse or partner can have a profound effect on your relationship.
Traditional marriage vows tenderly express commitment to love each other through the best that life brings as well as well as through the worst of times. As the journey of life continues, spouses and partners confidently face a barrage of changes and transitions together. Over time and through partnership efforts routines, roles and expectations naturally become established.
Identifying role changes and challenges
Changes in the physical, mental or emotional health of a spouse or partner can have a profound effect on relationships. This can include one partner taking on the role of caregiver of the other.
Regardless if the caregiving role developed gradually or if circumstances occurred that changed life instantly, navigating daily life and assuming and accepting the role of caregiver includes navigating both good and bad days. Grief, loneliness, anxiety and exhaustion are all natural feelings that spousal caregivers can experience as they tirelessly try to meet the needs of their loved one. Assuming unfamiliar tasks that their spouse usually completed previously and adding daily care responsibilities, often while still employed, is stressful and can take a toll on a caregivers’ health.
The isolation associated with caregiving
Spouse and partner caregiving is a labor of love. Loyalty is a significant factor that drives caregivers. Spouses often believe they should tackle caregiving single-handedly and do not readily accept offers of assistance from family and friends. Caregivers may feel they can provide the best care for their spouse and do not ask for additional help even when they are feeling overwhelmed. Most care recipients prefer their spouse to be their care provider. Yet care recipients are often dealing with multiple and ongoing health changes that make their own behaviors and needs unpredictable and sometimes challenging. Care recipients may experience a wide array of feelings like anger, grief and depression that spousal caregivers have to attempt to navigate on a daily basis.
Caregivers may experience varying degrees of guilt as they navigate and mourn the loss of what once was normal, and grapple with life as it is now. Pouring oneself into the daily care of another can also lead to isolation as caregivers slowly pull away from social engagements to spend most of their time at home. As a spouse or partner attempts to care solely for their loved one the risk of injury and other negative health factors can begin to appear in the caregiver, which can be amplified by age. It is typical for a spousal caregiver to neglect their own self-care in pursuit of immersing themselves in caring for their spouse.
Caregivers benefit from community resources and support
Every spousal or partner caregiver should be aware that they can equip themselves with new skills and knowledge through education and community support. This can help caregivers confidently provide care with sufficient help and also maintain their own self-care.
Most caregivers and care recipients experience continual transitions in their relationship and Michigan State University Extension highly encourages caregivers to seek support and help to find systems that benefit both individuals. There are evidence-based community programs designed to assist caregivers, including spousal caregivers, to maintain their own mental, emotional and physical health. The Powerful Tools for Caregivers program designed specifically for caregivers will increase self-care habits; build confidence in handling numerous caregiver responsibilities like making difficult decisions, dealing with challenging emotions and finding local community resources. To learn about the Powerful Tools for Caregivers program in Michigan contact your local MSU Extension office.
When the fear of falling fills your mind with negative thoughts and prevents you from participating fully take action to renew your confidence and strength.
The fear of falling is a common and prevalent concern for many older adults whether they have experienced a previous fall or not. Factors such as stamina, mobility, chronic illness, balance and strength can affect how a person thinks and feels about their ability to be active. When the fear of falling causes a person to restrict their daily activities and unplug from things they enjoy, it is important to recognize and evaluate the situation to regain the confidence to be as mobile as possible.
Do not let a fear of falling stop you from getting outside and doing the things you enjoy. Courtesy Michigan State University Extension
Recognize your fears and concerns about falling
First be honest with yourself and identify your thoughts, concerns, and fears about falling. Try to name the feelings you experience. Do you often worry about falling? Are you overly concerned if you fall, someone else will have to take care of you? Has a previous fall shattered your confidence? Have you bought into the belief that falling is inevitable? Are you thinking self-defeating thoughts or feeling hopeless believing you can do nothing about the situation? Do you feel you have lost the power to control your life? Are you concerned that you just have to accept this is how you feel? Are you afraid to tell anyone about your fear of falling?
Recognize the effects these fears and beliefs have on you
After you have identified your specific fears and concerns pause and recognize how these fears may be affecting you. Are you experiencing stress or anxiety, if so how often? Are you experiencing negative thought patterns because of your fear of falling? Are you making different decisions and changing your routine? Have you stopped getting out of your home and declined to attend activities you enjoy? Do your fears interfere with doing daily basic activities around your home? Do you feel you should just do less so you do not fall? Are you sitting down often and noticing changes in your strength or feeling fatigued? Are you cautious about sharing your fears with family, friends and your health care provider as they might not understand and believe they will not be able to help?
Challenge your negative thoughts and replace with positive thoughts
After you pinpoint your specific thoughts and emotions and discern how these potentially negative thought patterns have crept into your life, pause and look at the situation differently. You need to face the truth that being sedentary is not the answer — it only leads to continued loss of balance, strength and flexibility and increases the potential for falling. You have the ability within yourself to make positive changes. Fears, especially non-rational fears, need not rob you of a full life. Our minds are powerful and reframing our thoughts can significantly improve our beliefs and self-confidence. Turn your negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Stop buying into negative self-defeating thoughts, which are harmful. Positive constructive ideas can transform you. Look for simple solutions so you can re-engage in activities you enjoy. Do not hesitate to ask for accommodations to make getting out of the house a comfortable and safe experience. Advocate for assistance and enjoy the things you love to do.
Enroll in a community program to find support and tools to overcome the fear of falling
By Maram Hekhuis, LMSW, Outpatient Therapist at Heart of the City Counseling Center
You probably opened this blog for a reason: you are tired of feeling sad, angry, anxious, hurt, hopeless and helpless, and you want to feel happy in your life. You are probably asking yourself “why me?” “why does everyone have it all, but not me?” “why can’t I be happy?”
You may feel victimized by questions that don’t seem to have the answers. As a result, you may feel your life is narrowing in around you, you may feel darkness surrounding you, and you may want to just find a way out. Happiness is not something you inherit or just find. Happiness is something that you need to build up. Building happiness is a process that requires time, patience, effort, hope, and commitment.
If you fail once in building happiness, don’t give up but rather try it again and again. Remember that life is not easy. There is the good, and there is the bad. Just believe that there are better days ahead of you.
So, what is happiness then? According to this article, research suggests that happiness is related to life satisfaction, appreciation of life, moments of pleasure, and the experience of positive emotions. But, how could we experience these factors to build our happiness? The answer is: what we think (thoughts/cognitions) and what we do (behaviors) influence our feelings.
Now that you have learned that our thoughts and behaviors affect how we feel, let’s learn how to make changes in our thoughts and behaviors to build our happiness.
Changes in Cognition:
Positive affirmations: Positive affirmations encourage us to believe in ourselves. These types of statements empower us and motivates us to self-change. You need to begin your statements with “I” or “I am”. For example, “I can do it”. You could write down a list of positive affirmation statements in your diary, on a piece of paper, or on your smart phone apps. Read or/and repeat them daily to yourself.
Be aware of your self-defeating thoughts. “If I’m not successful, then I’m a failure”. Stop and challenge them. What are the evidences that support and don’t support your thoughts? Remember thoughts are just ideas, they are not facts or necessary true. Sometimes our thoughts happen so quickly that we fail to notice them, but they can still affect our mood. These are called automatic thoughts. Remember positive thoughts lead us to feel good and negative thoughts can put us down.
Be aware of and challenge your perspectives about yourself, people and the world. We all give different meanings to situations and see things from our point of view. Therefore, broaden your perspective and see the bigger picture. Ask yourself: “is there another way of looking at this?”
Acceptance. Be comfortable with who you are. “it is as it is”. We tend to fight against distressing thoughts and feelings as if our mind is in a war zone. Learn to just notice them and don’t fight the war. Some situations we just cannot change. We can surf the waves rather try to stop them.
Be appreciative and mindful. Notice what you have rather than what you don’t have. Live in the present rather the past or future.
Behavioral Changes:
Do things for others. This will help you connect with others. Helping and giving to others make us feel valued, appreciated, needed, and happier. We could give our time, attention, and ideas, not necessary money and gifts. You may want to volunteer somewhere.
Connecting with others. Strong social relationships lead to happier and healthier life, give us meaning, and sense of belonging, improve our self-esteem, and make us feel loved, and valued.
Do what you enjoy doing. You could engage in exercise if you enjoy it as being active makes us happier and healthier as our body and mind are connected.
Learn new things or skills. Increase your interest and confidence as this will give you a sense of achievement and success. Find a job, meet new people, try out something new.
Have goals to look forward to and never stop dreaming and believing in yourself and abilities. Feeling good about the future is important for our happiness. Goals motivate us to move forward in life. Make your goals achievable.
While the end of the school year may provide a respite for some young people who are the targets of these bullying behaviors, others continue to be targeted year-round through electronic forms of bullying. According to the CDC report, 16 percent of students indicated they had been electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey through venues including e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites or texting. Cyberbullying also is an issue in online, cooperative game platforms, according to a Pew Research Center study. 16 percent of respondents stated that they have experienced being bullied in such games.
While the CDC report focuses on young people in grades nine to 12, electronic bullying, also referred to as cyberbullying, is an issue that affects a significant number of younger kids as well. Results of a 2016 study conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center showed that nearly 17 percent of students ages 12 to 17 said they had been targets of cyberbullying. Conversely, 26 percent of those students admitted to participating in cyberbullying behaviors, including posting mean or hurtful comments, spreading rumors, posting inappropriate comments with sexual meaning, threatening harm, posting hurtful pictures or videos or impersonating someone else online.
As kids have increased access to mobile technology at younger ages (73 percent of teens have or have access to a smartphone), there are also more opportunities for kids to stay connected in positive and negative ways after the school year ends.
While many schools have incorporated programs designed to prevent bullying behaviors, it is important for parents and other adults to keep these conversations going with kids throughout the summer months. These discussions are enhanced when adults have a good understanding of what cyberbullying is and how children are using technology, followed up with discussions with young people about responsible use of technology and guidelines for positive online behaviors. See the article, “Cyberbullying: What it is and how parents can respond,” to learn more.
It is also helpful for adults and young people to recognize that, while online bullying and other forms of electronic aggression might be common, a lot can be learned from those young people who report using their voices to interrupt these negative behaviors. See the article, “Kids, kindness and cruelty – and lots of time online,” to learn more.
Experts also stress the importance of providing young people with a menu of strategies they can use for responding to cyberbullying situations. When adults share these strategies with kids, as well as help them use their voices to practice what these strategies might sound like in various scenarios, kids will be better prepared for real-life situations in whatever season or setting in which they occur.
If you are looking for more information or community support on improving your social-emotional health and well-being, Michigan State University Extension offers numerous programs that can assist in this process.
ByLinda Cronk, Michigan State University Extension
Why is it so important for people with type 2 diabetes to maintain day-to-day normal blood sugar levels?As we have often been told, the complications of diabetes caused by high blood sugar levels can, over time, do permanent damage to many parts of our bodies. According to the book Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, by Dr. Kate Lorig, et al, the number one complication of diabetes over time is heart disease.
Other complications include:
nerve damage or neuropathy, which might mean burning, tingling, numbness or loss of feeling in our hands and feet
liver and kidney damage
vision problems such as cataracts, glaucoma or even blindness
infections that persist
gum disease
skin and foot problems from poor wound healing
sexual problems for men and women — erectile dysfunction, yeast infections, vaginal dryness or loss of desire.
What are the best ways to maintain healthy blood sugar levels day-to-day?Michigan State University Extension says that the most basic ways to prevent or delay complications of diabetes are to choose elements of a healthy lifestyle:
Keep yourself physically active
Pick healthy food options in portion sizes that are right for you
Don’t smoke
Be proactive to manage your stress levels
Take any medications as directed by your health care provider
Monitor your blood sugar levels as directed by your health care provider
Have regular tests to determine how your health strategies are working and to modify strategies, in consultation with your health care provider, if tests show you need to make changes
What are the tests and procedures that people with diabetes need to determine whether their health strategies are working? If you are not familiar with tests that all people with diabetes need on a regular basis, the book Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions explains:
Blood pressure: should be measured at every doctor visit
Feet: should be checked for unhealed sores at every visit, and have a complete foot exam at least once a year
A1c: should be tested at least twice a year, A1c is a blood test to determine what your average blood glucose level was for the past 2-3 months. Most people should aim for an A1c below 7, or as recommended by your healthcare team
Kidney function: should be tested once a year by means of a blood or urine test or both
Blood lipids (fats): total cholesterol; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; and triglycerides should be tested at least once a yea
Eyes: should be tested once a year with a dilated eye exam, in which your eye care professional uses eye drops to dilate the pupils
Teeth and gums: should be checked by a dentist twice a year
Pneumonia shot: People with diabetes should receive a shot no matter what age. Even if you have had one shot and are over 65, ask your doctor about having another shot
Flu shot: recommended once a year for people with diabetes
As with all chronic diseases, active managing of Type 2 diabetes is an ongoing necessity to prevent or delay complications of the disease. Ensuring that your blood sugar levels remain within a healthy range is crucial.
Besides the medication management, the other requirements to manage diabetes are very similar to living a healthy lifestyle under all conditions: be physically active, choose a healthy eating plan, manage stress levels, don’t smoke and visit your health care provider regularly. For more information about managing Type 2 diabetes, visit the National Diabetes Education Program website. To find disease prevention programs available in your area please visit the MSU Extension website.
By Ronald Christian Rivera, LMSW, Outpatient Therapist, Leonard Street Counseling Center
Summer is here, which means the weather is nicer, the days are longer and there always seems to be more fun things to do. Here are some tips from a popular Psychology Today blogger to make the most of your summer.
Reconnect with nature. Don’t love the gym? Head outside to get in your daily exercise. Also, who can resist the awesome farmer’s markets and those healthy fresh fruits and veggies?
Summer reading. Yes, it’s fun to see those summer blockbuster movies, but when was the last time you went to the beach and just relaxed and enjoyed a good book?
Vacation. Need we say more?
Be spontaneous. There are so many activities happening throughout the summer – enjoy them! Jet off to the beach, see that outdoor concert, take a bike ride. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy those non-planned outings.
Be in the moment. Summer is a great time for making memories. It always seems to be the season that passes the most quickly, so take the time to enjoy it while it’s here.
To read the entire Psychology Today blog, please click here.
She ordered remedies off the internet. She used over-the-counter medications that worked for friends. She visited multiple doctors in Northern Michigan near her Onaway home not far from the Mackinac Bridge.
But nothing could stop the hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness, weight gain and lack of energy she suffered during menopause.
“I started menopause three-and-a-half years ago,” Peterman said.
Life hasn’t been the same since.
She averaged 25 hot flashes or night sweats a day. Scalding. Miserable.
“All my friends in menopause said, ‘Try estrogen,’” Peterman said. “When I went on estrogen, the hot flashes disappeared.”
But another issue surfaced: migraine headaches.
She tried cutting the estrogen patch in half for a lower dosage. Migraines continued. She tried a quarter of a patch. Same result.
Peterman, who has worked for over three decades as a school superintendent’s administrative assistant, said the condition messed with her daily life.
“I saw a neurologist,” she said. “He checked for a brain tumor because I had visual migraines, with auras and pressure. They call it vascular migraines. They affect your vision and ability to drive.”
The neurologist ran multiple scans before finally discovering the culprit.
“He asked, ‘Are you by chance on an estrogen patch?’” Peterman said. “I took it off and threw it away. That was no longer an option for me.”
But what was? She needed to find someone who understood her symptoms and could assist.
“I tried cutting all caffeine out and exercising more,” she said. “I have no energy and just don’t feel good. No matter what you do or where you go, you are uncomfortable. I’ve never had anything like this and was so frustrated.”
She increased her exercise. Decreased her calories. Weight loss remained elusive.
“I wear a Fitbit to keep track of my steps, but it also keeps track of how many times you are up in the night and I averaged eight times a night. It gets to the point where I am just exhausted. I just pray my daughters don’t go through this.”
Frustrating. Tiring. But always warm.
“Some days I just hate the way I feel because I’m so sick of burning up and being sweaty,” she said.
Staying cool
In the winter, she keeps her bedroom thermostat at 50 degrees because of night sweats. Her husband piles on the blankets to keep warm.
“My husband (Tom) can look at me and tell,” Peterman said. “You can’t even disguise them. I use cool washcloths on my neck, dress in layers and drink a lot of ice water. I have bought a cooling mattress, cooling mattress pad and cooling pillows. If it said ‘cool,’ I bought it.”
She has spent more than $1,000 in search of a solution. But nothing worked. She knew it. Her husband knew it.
“When a hot flash starts, I go out on the porch in the winter and you can see the steam come off my body,” she said.
Perhaps not only physical steam, but emotional and spiritual steam.
With hope evaporating, and options dwindling, frustration built.
Peterman’s daughter, who lives near Grand Rapids and works at Spectrum Health was aware of unique services in Women’s Health and recommended the Midlife, Menopause and Sexual Health practice.
Peterman made an appointment with Natasha Peoples, NP-C, NCMP, a Spectrum Health Medical Group advanced practice provider who is specialty trained and nationally certified in caring for patients with menopause concerns.
“My daughter said you need to see a menopause specialist, your symptoms are extreme and beyond normal,” Peterman said. “My glasses were steaming up my hot flashes were so bad.”
Peterman had her first appointment with Peoples in late December.
Peoples took her off the medication another doctor had prescribed and put her on a new medication that other menopausal women found helpful.
Peterman said her hot flashes have dropped to about half of what she used to have, and she has also lost some weight.
For the first time in a long time, she feels hope.
“I keep a gratitude journal,” Peterman said. “I’ve always been a very positive person, happy and busy. It’s not that I’m depressed. I just don’t have the energy I used to have.”
Her seven grandchildren, with whom she spends as much time as possible, spur her on.
“I want to have energy to keep up with the seven grandchildren without struggling,” she said.
She credits Peoples for leading her on the first steps to improvement. Finally she felt “heard.” After three and a half years of chasing remedies, she’s experiencing her first symptom relief under People’s care.
“She’s a very sweet, compassionate person who is also very knowledgeable,” Peterman said. “Since she is a menopause specialist, this is what she does all day long and she sees every situation. She has already helped me and I’m hopeful she will continue to help me improve so I can get back the quality of life I had before.”
Complicated journeys
Menopause is different for every woman, according to Peoples, but Peterman’s journey has been particularly challenging.
“Diane’s symptoms are somewhat complicated due to the fact that she has hormone-mediated migraines, so hormone therapy is not an option for her,” Peoples said. “It’s not uncommon to experience the most severe and disruptive symptoms in the years just before or after the final menstrual period, as is the case for Diane.”
Making lifestyle changes and switching medications helped Peterman.
“Learning her triggers and patterns for hot flashes has been helpful,” Peoples said. “Being aware of how her daily habits can make a difference is a motivating factor. Her hot flashes have improved.”
Peoples said menopause transition symptoms—hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, mood changes, vaginal dryness, decreased libido and irregular bleeding—are like an out-of-control roller coaster ride, “one that we hope to help them navigate.”
While some menopausal symptoms are genetic—think, “How was menopause for my mother?”—other symptoms can be related to lifestyle, according to Peoples.
“They are more severe for women who drink caffeine or don’t drink enough water, for those who don’t exercise and those who smoke,” Peoples said. “Weight gain and poor sleep can both be caused by menopause but also contribute to worsening symptoms.”
For women suffering from severe symptoms, it’s important for them to realize they are not alone.
“We all do it differently, but we all do it,” Peoples said. “Talk to your peers, talk to your provider and come and talk with us. We hope to help empower women to make the transition in a way that maximizes health and minimizes distress and discomfort.”
Take a hard look at your daily habits.
“Drink water, keep a good sleep schedule, exercise regularly, make healthy diet choices—watch out for sugar—and practice meditation or mindfulness,” Peoples said. “All of these choices will make a difference.”
Hunting households often have hunting rifles, if not other guns, in the house. Care needs to be taken with all guns.
By Michigan State Police
Withthirty-three percent of U.S. households having a gun in the house, and half of the gun owning households not properly securing their guns, the Michigan State Police is seeking to educate parents, guardians and gun owners about the simple precautions you can take to keep children safe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,337 American children under age 18 died as the result of a gunshot in 2010.
Incidents such as this may be prevented if gun owners take more precautions and parents and guardians talk to children about gun safety.
“Parents and guardians need to educate their children about what to do if they see a gun,” said Community Service Trooper Martin Miller, Rockford Post. “If a child finds a gun they must stop what they’re doing, do not touch the gun, leave the area and tell an adult.”
All parents should talk to their children about the dangers of guns. Children should be told not to touch guns, and to tell an adult if they find a gun. Parents should also ask if guns are safely stored at places their children visit or play.
Additional safety tips for gun owners:
Store firearms in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case when not in use, ensuring the gun(s) is in a location inaccessible by children and cannot be handled by anyone without your permission.
Remove ammunition from the firearm and store the ammunition in a locked location separate from the firearm.
Store the key for the firearm case/cabinet and the ammunition in a different area from where you store household keys. Keep the keys out of the reach of children.
Use a gun-locking device that renders the firearm inoperable when not in use. A gun lock should be used as an additional safety precaution and not as a substitute for secure storage.
Gun-cleaning supplies are often poisonous, and should also be locked up to prevent access by children.
Educate everyone in your household about firearms safety.
Kent County Department of Public Works is reminding people that propane tanks should not be placed in trash or recycling carts once empty.
The arrival of summer marks the start of grilling and camping season when people will be using small, portable propane tanks often. Whether using the larger style for barbecue grills, or the small style used for camping lanterns, empty 1-pound and 20-pound propane tanks should never be disposed of in trash or recycling carts.
“For the safety of our facilities and our staff and those of others in the waste and recycling industry, it’s critically important that empty propane tanks be transported directly to an appropriate propane handler,” said Kent County DPW Communications Manager Kristen Wieland. “Even though the propane tanks seem empty, there are always some vapors left inside that can cause an explosion at our facilities or in waste collection vehicles.”
Kent County’s Recycling & Education Center has experienced two explosions in the last two years, both in June, from propane tanks. One staff person was sent for evaluation but no injuries resulted from the explosions. Propane tanks also pose risks to waste collection drivers and vehicles when the waste is collected and then compacted inside the truck.
Empty propane tanks should be taken to a local drop-off center for safe disposal since they still contain explosive vapors. Kent County DPW lists participating locations on their website, www.reimaginetrash.org. Locations include Alto, Wyoming, Grand Rapids, Cedar Springs, Rockford and Byron Center.
City of Kentwood Veterans Memorial Park, at 331 48th St. SE, will be the location of the first of a series of community gatherings on the future of the city’s parks. (WKTV)
By City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood is seeking public input for improving its Parks and Recreation Department programming through a series of Parks Master Planning events, which will kick off with an ice cream social on Wednesday, June 27.
Hosted by the city, the first event will be held at Veterans Memorial Park, 331 48th St. SE, from 6 to 8 p.m., and include complimentary ice cream for participants.
Residents of all ages will have the opportunity to help shape the future of Kentwood’s parks by sharing their ideas which will be used as a basis for future parks and recreation development.
“We recently celebrated Kentwood’s 50th anniversary as a City,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “Now, we are eager to engage the community to help guide the future of our parks and recreation for the next 50 years.”
Following the event at Veterans Park, other opportunities for input will be offered during other upcoming community events including The Moxie Strings concert at Kentwood City Hall on July 19, an ice cream social at Northeast Park from 6 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 1, the Celebrate Kentwood gathering on Aug. 11, and the End of Summer Food Truck Festival on Sept. 15.
“We welcome all residents and park users to join us at these events to help plan our parks,” Romeo said. “We want to know what improvements the community wants to see. These events offer the perfect platform to share stories and insights as we begin to transform our parks.”
Information on how to sign up for MiChildSupport is one of the services of the Kent County Friend of the Court (Kent County Website)
By Kent County
The Kent County Friend of the Court recently announced the opening of the Responsible Parent Program Center, located on the second floor at 82 Ionia Avenue NW, Grand Rapids. This new center makes it easier for participants in the program to meet with their case manager, see updated job postings, and apply for jobs on-line.
Launched in 2016, the Responsible Parent Program has established partnerships with over 30 agencies and employers to assist those who are having difficulties paying their court-ordered child support. Once in the program, a Friend of the Court case manager will meet with the participant to identify any barriers the person may be facing, make appropriate referrals for job placements and searches, determine whether a case qualifies for a support review to ensure the current order is based on ability to pay, and provide information about parenting time issues and services.
The goal of the Responsible Parent Program is to place 75 percent of those who complete the program into jobs. The Responsible Parent Program started in 2016 with 10 partner agencies and employers and has grown to 34 current partners. In its first two years, 53 percent of those accepted into the program reported employment following their initial appointment with the case manager; 41percent met their court-ordered obligation and 67.5 percent made some payment.
“These are cases where little to no payment was being made. Our primary goal is to make sure the children of Kent County are receiving court-ordered support,” said Friend of the Court Director Dan Fojtik. “We are here to help anyone who is sincerely interested in improving their financial position and getting their Friend of the Court case back on track.”
To qualify for the program, a participant must have a Friend of the Court case, no gainful employment, be able to work, have no pending child support related felony warrant, and be interested in participating. Enforcement actions such as show-cause hearings, bench warrants, and license suspensions will be deferred while the participant is in the program. The Responsible Parent Program Center has three designated computer terminals where payers can search for jobs, and the Center holds drop-in times when no appointment is needed on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.
Anyone who is interested in this special 90-day program may contact the Friend of the Court for more information at 616-632-6888. Case managers are also available to meet in person without an appointment at Michigan Works, Urban Family Ministries, Strong Fathers, Hispanic Center, and Guiding Light Mission; call 616-632-6825 for days and times.
Often the level of discomfort of understanding and owning our biases stems from the shortsighted belief that the issue of bias is simply about good and bad people.
Simply put, we all have biases and the issue is not the thought or bias, the issue is if we act on the bias to exclude or discriminate against others different from us.
Implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions and decisions in an unconscious manner. These biases, which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, are activated involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness or intentional control. Residing deep in the subconscious, these biases are different from known biases that individuals may choose to conceal for the purposes of social and/or political correctness. (Kirwan Institute, Ohio State University).
Affinity Bias – the tendency to warm up to people like ourselves.
Halo Effect – the tendency to think everything about a person is good because you like that person.
Perception Bias – the tendency to form stereotypes and assumptions about certain groups that make it impossible to make an objective judgement about members of those groups.
Confirmation Bias – the tendency for people to seek information that confirms pre-existing beliefs and assumptions.
These biases can influence decisions at all levels of the organization and help to support an organizational culture that becomes supportive to some while excluding others. Interestingly if you are in the organization and are a member of an underrepresented or excluded group — across race, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities or other differences – these so-called unconscious (implicit) biases are often quite conscious and visible.
‘Diversity Mask’ by Spiva Arts
Here are a few suggestions that individuals or organizations that want to address unconscious (implicit) biases can do:
Unconscious bias does not in and of itself make us bad people.
Be aware that we all have unconscious bias. These biases can be addressed through intentionally making them visible when they appear, not acting on those biases or replacing the biases with new or alternative information.
Be aware of the strong connections between unconscious bias, prejudice and discrimination.
Be aware of the role that media plays in directly or indirectly perpetuating bias about differences. Even if we don’t agree with these portrayals, we are impacted by them.
Many of our unconscious biases are formed from no, limited or negative experiences with people who are different from us. Build authentic and connected relationships with individuals who are different from you. Building and nurturing these relationships can help to build a reservoir of hopefully new and positive information about these individuals or groups that can replace negative or harmful information.
When a bias appears within us, make it conscious to yourself and question whether this bias is something that will inform your actions in the situation or if the bias is something that is contrary to who you are and how you want to interact with that individual or group.
Create intentional organizational structures and policies that account for and address biases that may occur or be present in the existing organizational culture.
Slow down processes and invite the opportunity to discuss biases that may be present within the organization and its employees and take corrective action.
If we work for organizations that support and nurture an organizational culture where fairness and equity is directly or indirectly linked to the organizational goals, when biases appear, it can create the right conditions for a “moment of disconnect” or dissonance which can trigger your bias control.
Teens with type 1 diabetes are twice as likely to experience an eating disorder, so it’s important to watch out for symptoms.
By Pam Daniels, Michigan State University Extension and Emily Marr, Mecosta County Student Intern
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, surveys estimate that 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. For teens with type 1 diabetes (T1D) eating disorders can be characterized by actions of both manipulating food and manipulating medications.
Characteristics & symptoms of eating disorders
Studies from the Journal of Diabetes Science &Technology have shown that girls and women with T1D are about 2.5 times more likely to develop eating disorders than those who do not have diabetes.
When referring to an eating disorder involving insulin restriction, a common term used is diabulimia: (di meaning diabetes/ bulimia meaning to purge) The American Association of Diabetes Educators explains common characteristics of diabulimia, which include:
Obsession – Constantly focus on eating and counting food
Poor self-image – The result T1D has on self-image
Comparing oneself to others – Due to the increased average weight associated with T1D compared to teens without.
Insulin restrictions or purging – T1D often include insulin restriction as a way of calorie “purging” (getting rid of calories) this can lead to severe medical consequences.
Insulin manipulation – Skipping or under-dosed insulin regimes.
Being underweight and weight loss – Fast and drastic weight loss also increases the risk of both acute and long-term T1D complications and increased risk of death.
Poor adherence to one or more treatment regimens.
Poor metabolic control with elevated glycated hemoglobin (A1C) – The A1C percentage measures how much sugar is attached to the blood’s hemoglobin protein.
Recurrent symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) & recurrent episodes of ketoacidosis (a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones).
There is treatment, help and support for those struggling with eating disorders. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, please seek help. Contact your primary care doctor, a registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders.
If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, please seek help. Contact your primary care doctor, a registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders or the National Eating Disorder Association. For more information on nutrition, health and diabetes self-management visit Michigan State University Extension.
By Lori Nieboer, PA-C, MPH, Physician Assistant at Union High School Health Center
Today’s injury focus is on the head (i.e. concussions or traumatic brain injuries). Concussions are important to know about, so we can prevent them and keep our kids safe from further harm if they do get injured. The sports we usually see the most head injuries are typically football, soccer, and basketball.
What is a concussion?
A type of traumatic brain injury that changes the way the brain usually works. It can be caused by a hit, blow, bump, or any movement that causes the brain and head to move quickly back and forth.
What are the symptoms?
Headache
Nausea and/or vomiting
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to noise
Confusion
Not feeling “right”
Memory problems
Irritability/mood changes
What are concussion danger signs?
One pupil larger than the other
Repeated vomiting or nausea
Becomes increasingly confused, agitated, or drowsy
Slurred speech
Seizures
Loses consciousness
What do I do if I think my child has a concussion?
Stop activity and seek medical attention
Rest is key:
Avoid all exercise, screen time, and mental activity (i.e. school, reading, homework)
Gradual return to mental and physical activity should take place over days and under the supervision of a health care provider
Inform your child’s school, so they can lighten coursework as needed upon your child’s return
Concussion myths:
I need to keep my child awake after a concussion.
MYTH! Rest is important to healing after a concussion. Seek emergency care if your child is overly drowsy or you are concerned they are acting odd.
I don’t have a concussion because the CT scan was normal.
MYTH! A CT scan will show any damage to the brain structures, but may not show a mild traumatic brain injury.
You can recover from a concussion in 24 hours.
MYTH! In fact, even if symptoms are gone, it typically takes the brain around seven days to fully recover from a concussion.
You can only diagnose a concussion if consciousness is lost.
MYTH! Many times, a person with a concussion does not lose consciousness; they still need to be monitored and returned to activity gradually.
By Maria Millett, Michigan State University Extension
Navigating through teenage years presents many personal challenges as youth are striving for peer-acceptance. Today’s youth also face the hardship of bullying, particularly youth who are in the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning sexual identities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a nationwide study on middle and high school students found that lesbian, gay and bisexual youth were more than two times as likely to have attempted suicide when compared to heterosexual students.
There are many ways to support LGBTQ youth to reduce the risks of discrimination, bullying, substance use and suicide. The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides resources and strategies for foster families, which can be applied in any home. The following are just a few suggestions that can be implemented right away:
Respond in an affirming and supportive way
Respect your youth’s privacy
Welcome your youth’s friends or partner to family gatherings
Connect the youth to community supports and events
Stand up for your youth when they are mistreated
It can be challenging to support youth in ways that we might not identify with personally. However, the Family Process Journal shares positive outcomes parents experience when supporting their child who identifies as LGBTQ. This research reports on five positive themes:
Personal growth
Positive emotions
Activism
Social connection
Closer relationships
Though it may stretch us out of our comfort zone, supporting our youth can be a win/win for all involved. Know your community resources, utilize positive mentors and listen to your child with love. As you support your child, you may find you need support too. Michigan State University Extension offers workshops on healthy relationships and other social-emotional health programming. Be sure to explore the MSU Extension Bullying Prevention Programs in your area to strengthen you and your family.
ByPaige Filice, and Tara Eavy, Michigan State University Extension
Some of the most memorable moments in the classroom are the ones shared with the class hamster, fish, gecko or other animal. Pets enrich classroom learning by teaching responsibility and sensitivity towards living things. A student exposed to animals in the classroom may have higher self-esteem, nurturing skills, social skills and interest in attending class. Integrating animals into the curriculum also encourages a greater appreciation for the complexity of life. Use of live animals helps students develop observation and comparison skills as they study the shared and unique traits of specific organisms.
Classroom pets enable educators to teach responsibility towards not only living creatures, but also their habitats and Michigan’s ecosystems. To demonstrate that responsible behavior, teachers should take steps to prevent the release of classroom fish, plants or other animals into the wild. As the National Science Teachers Association recommends, teachers should “refrain from releasing animals into a non-indigenous environment.” Many non-native plants and animals are used in the classroom, and some can become invasive in the wild. Once introduced, they can disrupt the food chain and out-compete native species for food and habitat. Even those that are ill-equipped to survive our Michigan winters can cause harm while alive, and can introduce disease to our native flora and fauna.
Some of Michigan’s notorious invaders, such as rusty and red swamp crayfish, have been kept as learning aids in classrooms. Crayfish are fun to watch and are easy to feed and care for, making them ideal additions to an aquarium. They play an important role in aquatic food chains as scavengers, cleaning up dead plants and animals for their food. However, both red swamp and rusty crayfish are now illegal to possess in Michigan and unfortunately are difficult to identify when young and can be accidentally sold by biological supply companies and pet stores by mistake to teachers. These crayfish compete aggressively with native species for food and habitat and can even reduce shoreline habitat and decrease water quality due to their aggressive burrowing. Both species have been found in the wild in Michigan and were likely introduced from an aquarium that was released into a river or stream.
Therefore, as we come to the end of the school year, it is important to be aware of alternatives to releasing classroom animals and plants into the wild. Even native species of crayfish, fish and birds that are caught in the wild and brought into the classroom for learning, should never be re-released into the wild because of their potential as vectors for disease. Investigate loaning or giving them to dedicated hobbyists, environmental learning centers, aquariums or zoos. Unwanted fish, plants and animals can often be returned to local, independent retailers, but be sure to inquire before arriving with a bucket full of fish! If unable to find a home for your classroom pets, contact a veterinarian or pet retailer for guidance on humane disposal.
Michigan’s invasive species education initiative, RIPPLE (Reduce Invasive Pet and Plant Escapes) was developed by Michigan State University Extension and adopted by the Michigan Departments of Natural Resources, Environmental Quality and Agriculture and Rural Development. Through RIPPLE, educators can request free materials on invasive species that can be used in the classroom. More information about invasive species, regulations and prevention can be found on the State of Michigan invasive species website.
Sparklers may be a favorite for families with kids, but care needs to be used with any fireworks.
By Michigan State Police
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 240 people nationwide go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the Fourth of July holiday. Due to these injuries, the Michigan State Police is reminding citizens to take extra safety precautions if your July Fourth celebration includes fireworks.
“Fireworks pose a serious fire and burn hazard because they are unpredictable,” said Community Service Trooper Martin Miller, Rockford Post. “Even supervised use of legal fireworks can result in devastating injuries.”
If you choose to use fireworks at home, follow these safety precautions:
Read and follow all warnings and instructions included on the packaging.
Never allow children to play with fireworks of any kind.
Only use fireworks outdoors.
Wear protective clothing, including eyewear.
Only ignite devices on smooth, flat surfaces away from residential areas, dry leaves and flammable materials.
Always keep a hose or bucket of water nearby in case of malfunction.
Never try to re-light fireworks that have not fully functioned.
The sale and use of consumer fireworks became legal on Jan. 1, 2012, when the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act, Public Act 256 of 2011, went into effect. Low impact fireworks and ground-based items, such as sparkers, toy snakes, snaps and poppers remain legal for sale and use.
A list of legal consumer fireworks, legal low impact fireworks and novelties is outlined here.
To learn more about fireworks safety, the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act or state-certified fireworks retailers, go to the Bureau of Fire Services website here.
While society has taken great strides toward acceptance of LGBT citizens, what remains invisible are the issues and challenges that LGBT adults face as they begin to age. Too often, LGBT seniors have felt the need to go back ‘into the closet’ in order to receive services or deny themselves much need care in order to avoid having to do so. The LGBT Initiative, funded by the Michigan Health Endowment grant, is seeking to change that for LGBT seniors throughout the state of Michigan, by creating safe channels for LGBT older adults to seek services.
West Michigan is one of the three regions where this effort is taking place. Kendrick Heinlein, AAAWM Contract Administrator, is heading up this project for Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan.
“Right now, the LGBT initiative is looking at different outreach strategies to reach members of the LGBT community” Heinlein states. Working with the other two regions: the Upper Peninsula and the Bay City/Saginaw region of the state, committee members recognize what works for Grand Rapids doesn’t necessarily work for the U.P., so finding the best methods for each region is the current focus.
Heinlein says, “We want to provide resources and reduce isolation for LGBT seniors and we’re working on the best strategies to go about that.”
There are currently about 1.5 million people age 65+ who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. There are also many aging LGBT people who live alone, without family to help with the aging process. This puts many LGBT seniors in the position of requiring income-based aging services available in their communities. Needing to ask for help though is often a difficult experience for these seniors.
Older adults who are LGBT don’t often find a warm welcome when they begin to participate in aging services. Sometimes this is due to the discrimination they encounter when seeking services; most times though, it is not hostility but cultural assumptions that can cause LGBT seniors to be reluctant to ask for help. An intake form might ask questions about marriage and children, but not about same-sex partnerships. A senior might be asked about their racial identification or religion, but not gender or sexual orientation.
Many older LGBT seniors carry with them memories of a time when they lost jobs, homes and family for being gay and could be jailed or committed to an asylum for being different. Because many seniors don’t want to “go back into the closet” but fear discrimination, they will avoid asking for help, which can result in a health crisis. This is what the LGBT initiative is working to alleviate. Through outreach to community service providers, AAAWM in partnership with the Grand Rapids Pride Center is in the process of creating a resource guide of senior service providers in West Michigan who are LGBT-friendly.
Anyone can call themselves LGBT-friendly, but what this means in terms of the LGBT initiative is that each provider in the LGBT Senior Resource Guide will be vetted to insure they will provide equal services to LGBT older adults that they would to any other seniors,
“A majority of providers are open to serving LGBT clients,” Heinlein highlights. “A lot of providers have been serving the LGBT community and consider being part of the guide recognition for services they have been providing all along.” By creating this resource guide, the committee hopes to provide safe avenues for LGBT older adults to find the services they need to age gracefully like their peers.
The debut of the LGBT Senior Resource Guide will occur at the Grand Rapids Pride Festival on June 16, 2018, beginning at 12 pm. AAAWM will have the guides available at their vendor table and they encourage people to stop by and take a look.
If you’d like to learn more about this project, contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at (888) 456-5664 or email aaainfo@aaawm.org. To learn about their services, you can visit their website: http://www.aaawm.org.
As parents, we want to believe that our children will always do what we ask of them, but we quickly learn that is not the case. Especially as our kids grow older and assert their independence, what we ask of them and what they do are often in conflict. If you are a parent of a teen with type 1 diabetes, the choices they make can have serious health consequences when what they do and what you ask of them are in conflict. One common choice teens are faced with is whether or not to drink alcohol.
According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, almost one-third of 9th – 12th graders report having at least one drink in the past 30 days. Again, we like to think our children will do what we ask and not drink, but how can we prepare our teens with type 1 diabetes to be safe when they decide to drink?
Bottom line: underage drinking is illegal, and underage drinking can have legal consequences if your teen is caught. For best results, you should talk to your teen about drinking before they decide to drink and when you both are calm. Having a talk after your child has come home drunk is not the best time. If you are having difficulty talking to your teen, ask a family member or friend that your teen trusts for help. Your teen’s healthcare provider is another place to turn. Their advice and guidance on diabetes care for your teen should always be followed.
If your teen decides to drink, they should understand how alcohol affects their blood sugar. Though there might be a temporary spike in blood sugar levels, drinking alcohol usually causes blood sugar to go down. Hypoglycemia (or low blood sugar) occurs because the liver kicks in and works on ridding the body of the alcohol first, and is slower to release glucose into the system causing low blood sugar. According to the Diabetes Teaching Center at the University of California, San Francisco, it takes approximately 1 – 1 ½ hours for the liver to process one drink. It’s during that processing time when people with diabetes are at risk for low blood sugar. If you have two drinks, you would be at risk for 2 – 3 hours. The more drinks you have, the length of time you are at risk for low blood sugar is longer.
An article from Diabetes UK provides additional information that parents can share with their teen to help keep them safe if they decide to drink:
Eat before drinking alcohol, and eat some carbohydrate-containing snacks such as a sandwich or chips while drinking.
Tell a trusted friend that they have diabetes and how to treat low blood sugar if it occurs.
Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or other sugar-free drinks to avoid dehydration.
Wear a diabetes ID bracelet or necklace, because low blood sugar can be mistaken for drunkenness.
Eat before going to bed after a night of drinking. Alcohol stays in the system for a while, so low blood sugar can occur after going to sleep. Eat something with fat and protein, such as chips with dip, cheese, nuts, etc.
Test frequently when drinking. If your teen vomits, the College Diabetes Network suggests that he or she should test at least once an hour for several hours while drinking non-alcoholic beverages and eating some crackers, cereal, bread, etc. If your teen is not able to keep food down and hypoglycemia occurs, they should follow their diabetes care plan to raise blood sugar. If nothing is working, someone should call 911.
Be aware of contraindications of pain relievers while taking diabetes medication or using a continuous glucose monitor. Acetaminophen can cause monitors to read inaccurately for several hours.
We hope our kids make the right decisions. But when they don’t, we can help them by making sure they know what to do to stay safe.
