Historical Highlight

The Lady with the Lamp

“The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.”

~Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing

            It would be easy to fill this blog and many others with the inspiration quotes and saying of this remarkable woman who stood against the stigmas and the establishments of the male dominated medical world of the 1850’s.  Born to a well to do family on May 12, 1820, her parents expected her to grow up with the classical education of the time and then marry a suiter of good upbringing and means then have her own family.  When she first approached her parents at age 16 with the notion of becoming a nurse, her parents were horrified and forbade her from becoming a nurse.  The nursing profession was looked upon as a lowly profession and was considered greatly beneath her stature and station by her parents.  At age 17, Florence refused to marry a suiter who was presented to her even though she found him intellectually and romantically stimulating, so strong was her desire to help those in need.  In 1844 Florence entered nursing school and upon returning to London she found employment in a Middlesex hospital for ailing governesses.  After just one year of working in the hospital she was recognized for her hard work, compassion and care of the patients that she was promoted to head nurse.  While at this post, Florence focused her attention on the cleanliness and sanitary conditions of the hospital and greatly reduced the number of lost lives in the process.

            The events that launched Ms. Nightingale into the history books was her courage and methods that she documented during her time as a nurse for the British army during the Crimean War.  Leading a team of 34 other nurses, Florence entered into the army base hospital in Constantinople to find wretched conditions were more wounded were dying of illness than from their wounds.  Conditions of raw sewage in the halls, rodents and pestilence, contaminated water, and a shortage of sterile bandages was the battle that faced the nurses when they arrived and this was the first thing Florence tackled when she settled in.  Enlisting the service of the least infirmed, she set about to scrub the hospital clean top to bottom improving the cleanliness of the hospital throughout.  Florence worked tirelessly night and day, as she walked the halls at night carrying a lamp to check on the condition of the patients, she earned the moniker of The Lady with the Lamp.  In additional to improving the sanitary conditions a great deal for the patients of the hospital, Ms. Nightingale developed a number of guidelines and services that contributed to improving the quality of care for the wounded during their hospital stay.  By her efforts and new methodologies employed in the care of the wounded, she was able to reduce the deaths of the soldiers from illness by two thirds.  While serving for the army, Florence wrote an 830-page report analyzing her experience and proposing reforms for other military hospitals which prompted sweeping changes by the British War Office’s administrative department, including the establishment of a Royal Commission for the Health of the Army in 1857.

            Returning home after a year and a half, she was welcomed as a national hero and was awarded an engraved brooch by the Queen (known as the Nightingale Jewel) and a gift of £250,000 from the British government.  Florence took the money and helped establish a hospital that had the Nightingale Training School for Nurses within.  Florence Nightingale passes away on August 13, 1910 and will always be best known for her tireless efforts of preventing disease and ensuring safe and compassionate treatment for the poor and the suffering.  The mother of modern nursing laid the groundwork for elevating the profession of nursing to a highly esteemed position it has today.  We all need to give thanks to Florence and the those who followed who’s main goal was the improved care of those in need of medical service.  We celebrate International Nurses Day every May 12th in honor of Florence Nightingale, but take time today to thank a nurse for their hard work and compassion.  I hope everyone has a great week and please, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Safety Highlight

Do It Right

“Exercising in the heat can be as dangerous as wrestling a famished lion!” ~Unknown

            As we move into the heart of summer, I just wanted to take a moment to point out the importance of taking care of yourself in the heat (sometimes oppressive) of summer.  There are all manner of summertime activities that take us out doors and into the heat of the day and there are a few simple things to be aware of as you venture out be it to do yardwork or to take that daily run.  In the heat of summer, heat related illness like heat exhaustion and heat stroke are all too common among those who exercise or work outside for any period of time.  It is important to know the symptoms and signs of this summertime risk and what steps can be taken to avoid it.

            Symptoms of heat related illness can be but are not limited to an abnormally elevated body temperature (104 degrees or higher), dizziness or light headedness, nausea, fatigue, confusion, seizure, rapid pulse and the absence of sweating.  If you are feeling any of these symptoms you should stop the activity you are engaged in and take the following steps.  Drink fluids and plenty of them…as you ingest liquids make sure they are not soda or alcohol, now is not the time for that icy cold beer, but cool water (not ice water) or better yet a sports drink that has plenty of electrolytes and sodium.  As our body gets overheated, we sweat to try and stay cool, what we sweat out of our body depletes our body of not only water but these same electrolytes and salt.  If you are wearing tight or restrictive clothing, loosen it or take it off to allow air to get to your skin to help with the evaporation of sweat (a cooling action).  And, if possible, a cool shower or better yet, a cool bath to help bring the body temperature back down.  Sit down with a cool damp cloth and place it or an ice pack on the back of the neck and sit in front of a fan.  These measure should help the body cool down but if for some reason your temperature stays elevated, seek medical attention right away as you may have a heat stroke.

            Some ways to do the things you need to do on days when the temperature is going to be high is to try and do them in the early morning or in the evening, not in the heat of the middle of the day.  Some things to remember are that it is not just the temperature on the thermometer that is the telling tale of heat, it is also the relative humidity combined with the temperature that can make the outside feel so hot and uncomfortable.  The most important thing to remember is that when you are expecting to be out in hot weather is to hydrate, drink plenty of water, not just when you’re outside in the heat, but drink plenty of water before you go out and then continue to hydrate while you’re outside.  If you’re already dehydrated when you go out, you’re starting out way behind the eight ball and it is an uphill battle to fight off heat related illnesses.  Other tips to help fight off heat related illness are to wear light colored clothing that is loose fitting if possible, wear sunscreen, try and work/exercise in shady areas, and listen to your body.  If you’re feeling lightheaded then stop what you’re doing and rest.  Hot weather flare ups are only becoming more and more common so be aware of what the weather is going to be before you head out.  Be smart and use your head to make safe, common sense choices and you should be able to enjoy the hot summer days without incident.

            I hope everyone has a good weekend and I hope allergies don’t go too crazy as I see the corn is starting to tassel out, who would have thought that a week after the 4th of July I would be talking about corn tasseling out!  Don’t forget to share this post for a chance to win a $10 Kroger gift card.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

A New Frontier

To Boldly Go…

“It is human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand.  Exploration is not a choice really, it is an imperative.”  ~Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot Apollo 11

            Happy Birthday America!    Today, history has been made yet again by our friends from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratories as the Juno Space Probe has reached its destination of orbit around the largest planet in our solar system, the giant planet of Jupiter.  Launched almost five years ago on August 5, 2011, the Juno Spacecraft traveled over 1,700,000,000 miles to a point in space that would put it in an orbit around the massive planet in order to study the planet in order to give better understanding of our own solar system.  For space geeks like me this is yet another great milestone in space exploration but there are many who ask the question of why?  Why do we spend billions of dollars on space exploration when we as a nation struggle with basic human needs here on this planet?

            For all the debate that occurs over the necessity of needing a national space agency or not, that fact remains that the technologies developed for space travel and exploration have had and continue to have an impact on our daily lives.  These “spinoffs” from the space program are items created by NASA or for NASA that have been released to manufactures to be reproduced or improved upon for the welfare of the general public.  There are literally hundreds of spinoffs that have made it from NASA to the general public through creative and innovative companies that strive to develop solutions to common everyday problem.  In the field of healthcare alone, spinoffs have helped millions of Americans by enabling providers to give better care through technological advancements like ventricular assist devices for patients waiting for a heart transplant, materials for artificial hips, infrared ear thermometers, automatic insulin pumps, and advanced materials and design for artificial limbs.  These are just a few of the long list of spinoffs that are contributing to better health care industry. Athletic shoes like the Nike Air would not be as comfortable or as lightweight without the former NASA engineer who used technologies used in the manufacture of the moon shoes to help design and create the soft and springy shoes we know and covet today.  Without the technology from the space program, the Converse “Chuck Taylors” style shoe might be the only game in town today, who knows?

            The point being that technologies from the space program permeate our everyday life at home, at work, in our hospitals, on the athletic field; everywhere.  These technologies like computing software or telecommunication applications (cellphones) affect us every day and had we stopped exploring the universe after we reached the moon or had we stopped pushing the scientific bounds of our understanding, then we would all suffer as a society.  So take a moment today and say thank you to the innovative women and men who keep pushing the understanding and the boundaries of space exploration.  Who knows what new and exciting developments and new spinoffs will come of our study of the planet Jupiter over the next two years?  One thing is for certain, as exploration continues, new and innovative ideas will trickle forward from NASA to continue to create a better world in which all can live a more comfortable, safer and healthier life.

            I hope everyone enjoyed the 4th of July weekend festivities this past weekend with friends and family.  As we move forward into the short week, I encourage everyone to try and think of what might or might not be a spinoff from NASA that you use in your daily existence.  For more information on spinoffs and where you can find them, check out https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html or click the link to their interactive look at the home of the city, it’s pretty cool.  If you have any questions, please drop me a line and don’t be afraid of sharing the good news.  Have a great week everyone, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this thing together!

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

Big Bang Theory

“I hate getting flashbacks from things I don’t want to remember”    ~Unknown

            According to popular scientific understanding, our universe sprang into existence as "singularity" around 13.7 billion years ago.  There was a moment when the universe wasn’t and then it was…and it is still expanding outwards towards the edge of who knows where.  There was a moment that changed the physical universe and no one quite knows or really understands, all we have is the now and the distant clues to help us understand.   Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has its own “Big Bang” effect on people as PSTD is the result of a sudden traumatic experience that can change our mental landscape.  These traumatic experiences cover a wide range of experiences from combat operations for members of the armed services, a car accident, witnessing a death of a friend or loved one, sexual assault, and many other sharp experiences that leave us deeply and forever changed.   

            Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was first recognized as a diagnostic category in the 1980 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM III) and initially was created to describe the dramatically altered functioning of traumatized American soldiers who had served in combat zones.  During the First World War, PTSD was referred to as Shell Shock, during WW II it was referred to a Battle Fatigue, it wasn’t until the Vietnam War it was first called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  The strain of service is also felt beyond the bounds of the military, PTSD cases are also extremely high among those who serve our community in the capacity of police officers, fire/rescue departments, and emergency ambulance squads (EMT’s) as they are at the sharp end of responding to many tragic and traumatic events that occur in our communities every day.  Symptoms of PSTD may include flashbacks of the event, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about reliving the event and this all leads to loss of sleep and feelings of withdrawal and isolation.

When I first started to write this piece today, I was under the misconception that the bulk of people who suffer from PTSD originate from the armed services.  As the data shows however, PTSD effects those from all walks of life.  When looking at the data, I was surprised by the fact that women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD as men but then taking into account the different forms trauma takes, it all sadly makes sense.  According to PTSDUnited.org, roughly 70% of the US adult population has experienced some form of traumatic experience in their life (about 223 million Americans) and of that number, about 20% are likely to develop PTSD (about 44 million Americans).  On any given day here in the United States, 25 million Americans are actively suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, that’s a staggering 8% or 1 out of every 12 people suffer from this illness every day. 

            The hardest part about all of this is that in order to receive help, people who suffer from PTSD must be willing to talk about the events that have traumatized them.  Mental health counseling with professionals who know how to help patients navigate the stormy seas of their minds can help bring people into a safe harbor where they may find peace from their personal storm.  There are people all around us who are fearful and struggling with the traumatic events of their past but in order to try and feel like a regular person, they try and hide it all behind a facade of normalcy.  As you move forward into the holiday weekend celebrating the 4th of July, think on the lingering aftereffects of those who have served our country as well as the men and women who serve our communities.  So, Happy 240th Birthday America, I hope you all have a safe and happy weekend surrounded by friends and family!  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

Relay for Hope, Relay for Life

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in your soul that sings the tune without words and never stops at all.” 

~Emily Dickinson

            In May of 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt took it upon himself to make a difference in the world by running and walking for 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.  Friends and family paid $25.00 to walk or run for 30 minutes with Dr. Klatt…after 24 hours and 83 miles later he raised over $27,000.00 dollars to help fight cancer that day and the concept of Relay For Life was born.  Today, Relay For life raises over five billion dollars each year to help fight cancer, that’s $5,000,000,000.00 and counting!  As many of you know, cancer is a major health issue in this country as well as around the world and it has stretched out its ugly, gnarled hand to touch us all in some way or another and it is our duty to stand up and fight back.  Relay For Life has grown to become one of the largest fundraisers to fight against cancer ever and it all started with one man who had a vision of a world without cancer.

            What is Relay For Life?  The American Cancer Society explains it like this, “Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.”  While every event has its own unique characteristics, there are several traditions that take place at each event.  There is the Survivors Lap Ceremony that starts the event in order to celebrate those who have fought cancer and live to share their stories. When the evening comes and darkness settles on the event, there is the lighting of the luminaries in the Luminaria Ceremony to remember those who have passed from or who have been touched by cancer.  Finally there is the Fight Back Ceremony where people make a personal commitment to save lives by taking up the fight against cancer in personal ways like making better health and lifestyle changes or working to promote other ways in which to fight against the disease.

            Why Relay?  Each of us has our own story and our own unique reason to join in this fight against cancer, we all have our own story to tell and to share.  Relay is more than just a fundraiser, it is fellowship with our family, friends, neighbors and community.  When we come together it offers a chance for healing from the grief filled emotional scars and the physical scars left by cancer as we all have a chance to cry and laugh together.  As I get older I feel the loss brought on by cancer more and more every year, every month and every week.  As the late Stuart Scott said, “So live.  Fight like hell, and when you get too tired to fight, lay down and rest and let someone else fight for you.”  We must be the ones who will take up the fight for our family and friends when they grow too wary to fight for themselves, we must take up that mantel and carry on till the fight is won.

            Please visit the Relay For Life website and find out what events are going on near you and see how you can make a difference.   www.relayforlife.org  As always thanks for reading and as we head into July I am planning a promotion to help promote the readership of this blog so please read Friday’s blog for the promotion details.  Have a great week, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Safety Highlight

Lightning Strikes

“Lightning makes no sound until it strikes.”  ~Martin Luther King Jr.

            This week is National Lightning Awareness Week 2016 and if anyone was awake early Thursday morning and witnessed the powerful tempest that raked through the Midwest you would have seen the mighty power of Mother Nature as she unleased her wrath upon us all.  Ok, that might be a little dramatic but the storm certainly was very powerful and impressive.  To date here in the United States, there have been six deaths attributed people being struck by lightning (1 woman & 5 men and none of them were playing golf!).  This past Tuesday (June 21, 2016) in India, with the start of the Monsoon season, over 120 people were killed by lightning (over 2,800 hundred people die last year in lightning strikes in India).  So, it really does happen, people really do get killed by being out in a storm where lightning is produced.

            There are some common misnomers about lightning and safe places to be…

Myth: If you're caught outside during a thunderstorm, you should crouch down to reduce your risk of being struck.

Fact: Crouching doesn't make you any safer outdoors. Run to a substantial building or hard topped vehicle. If you are too far to run to one of these options, you have no good alternative. You are NOT safe anywhere outdoors. See our safety page for tips that may slightly reduce your risk.

Myth: If it’s not raining or there aren’t clouds overhead, you’re safe from lightning.

Fact: Lightning often strikes more than three miles from the center of the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or thunderstorm cloud. “Bolts from the blue” can strike 10-15 miles from the thunderstorm.

Myth: If outside in a thunderstorm, you should seek shelter under a tree to stay dry.

Fact: Being underneath a tree is the second leading cause of lightning casualties. Better to get wet than fried!

Myth: If trapped outside and lightning is about to strike, I should lie flat on the ground.

Fact: Lying flat increases your chance of being affected by potentially deadly ground current. If you are caught outside in a thunderstorm, you keep moving toward a safe shelter.                                 Check out NOAA for more myths and facts.  (http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/myths.shtml)

                There have been over three hundred deaths in the US over the past 10 years and most of those have been when people have been doing everyday things like hiking, working in the yard, participating in outdoor sporting events and family gatherings.  Due to the nature of how lightning forms, there is no telling where the lightning may or may not strike.  Because of this uncertainty, it is imperative that when you hear thunder or see lightning that you make for safe shelter immediately and wait out the storm.  I can say from personal experience, twenty five years ago when I was a young man, friends and I were watching storms out on the Lake Michigan when a storm came up from behind us and we were trapped under a massive storm.  We ran for shelter (we were all on bikes at the time) which consisted of a small storage barn with a small overhang.  Lightning was striking all around us (the barn was situated in a wooded area) and it was one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever been in.  Several trees near us where hit and blown apart and as fast as the storm came over us it was gone but for about 10 intense minutes we weren’t sure if we were going to make it.  I have always had a much better respect for the power of Mother Nature and the effects of lightning since then.

            As we move into the weekend and as thunder storms continue to ramble about please be alert and safe, don’t become a statistic in a column where it could have been prevented.  As always, I thank you for reading and please pass this on to share with others, you never know who it might save.  I hope everyone has a good weekend, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlite

I Plead Against the Fifth

“My mother once told me that a butterfly is the spirit of a loved one who is no longer with us”

~Patricia F. Flaherty, Founder of Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer

            Ovarian Cancer is the fifth leading cause of death of all women who suffer from cancer.  Of those who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, roughly 2 out of 3 will pass from this form of cancer and that is because it is not usually caught soon enough.  I wanted to talk to you today about this form of cancer today because it just came to my attention that a family friend was diagnosed a few months ago and it came as a complete surprise.  What made this revelation so surprising is that my friend is not even thirty yet and is a very active and in excellent health, or so we all thought. The average age of women being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is 63 and the reason this illness is usually caught so late is that the symptoms are very subtle and are often confused with other illnesses. 

            So what is ovarian cancer?  Ovarian cancer is an illness that attacks the ovaries of the female reproductive system and is diagnosed in over 22,000 women every year and over 14,000 women a year die from it.  There is no known singular cause for this type of cancer and as I mentioned before, the symptoms are very subtle.  Some of the more common symptoms are bloating, abdominal pain, difficult eating or feeling full quickly and urinary urgency or frequency.  All these symptoms can easily be confused with a parade of other illnesses and sometimes come on slowly rather than all at once.  Even though there is no known cause, there are several risk factors that can increase the likelihood of ovarian cancer and these are; age (more than 50% of all cases are diagnosed after the age 60), Weight (obese women have a much higher risk than those with normal body weight), Women who used fertility drugs without getting pregnant, use of hormone treatments like Androgens (male hormones) & Estrogen (female hormone), and of course if there is a family history of ovarian cancer then genetically a woman is at a higher risk and needs to have checkups regularly.  Whether it is because women are taking better care of themselves or because there are fewer toxins in our environment, the number of cases of ovarian cancer has gradually been declining over the past twenty years (according to the American Cancer Society).  Like risk factors there are also steps one can take that can reduce the likelihood of getting this type of cancer as well.  Women who eat a healthy balanced diet and get plenty of exercise, women who are on birth control pills, women who have had tubal ligations or hysterectomy, and women who have had children before he age of 26 all have lower chances of getting ovarian cancer.  These different factors all seem rather random but there is evidence out there that support these claims.  Ovarian cancer will afflict one out of every seventy-five women and that ratio is getting bigger, a few years ago that number was one out of seventy-three.

            In the big scheme of things, ovarian cancer affects is not the largest cancer issue for women, breast cancer is the biggest killer of women suffering from cancer every year but that does not diminish the importance of getting regular checkups in order to try and catch this disease early.  For more information you can check out https://www.ovationsforthecure.org/ or http://ovariancancerawareness.org/ in order to see how you can help or support those in need.  As always, I thank you for reading, if you have any comments or questions please feel free to drop me a line at wmreid@bhcshealth.com.  I hope everyone has a good week, welcome to summer and remember to take care of yourself and each other, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Lady Liberty

Liberty Enlightening the World

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”   ~Emma Lazarus, 1883

            In keeping with the Americana theme this week, it was on this date, June 17, 1885 when the Statue of Liberty arrived from France to stand as a beacon of welcome for millions of immigrants who sailed into New York Harbor.  The quote above is from a sonnet written by Emma Lazarus as part of the fund raising efforts to pay for the pedestal base of the statue and her words were immortalized when a bronze plaque engraved with her poem was mounted at the statue in 1903.  During the great immigration period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the Statue of Liberty became a symbol of hope and of a new beginning for millions fleeing their European homelands.

            The Statue of Liberty was originally titled “Liberty Enlightening the World” and was sculpted by a French artist named Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and who was assisted by Gustave Eiffel (you know, the engineer who built the neat little tower in Paris).  The statue was shipped in over 300 separate pieces aboard the French steamer “Isere” who nearly sank in the early goings of her voyage.  The ship took longer than expected to arrive when she ran out of coal and had to make the rest of the voyage under sail.  The statue is comprised of a steel and wrought iron framework with an outer “skin” consisting of 300 pieces of copper sheeting less than an eighth of an inch thick.  As many know, the statue was designed as a gift from France to help the United States celebrate our centennial celebration in 1876 but the efforts in raising funds both in the US and in France took much longer than expected and it was well after the centennial when the statue arrived.  Even though the statue was delivered in June of 1885, it wasn’t until 1886 before the assembly process could begin because the base and pedestal were not ready until then.  President Grover Cleveland officially accepted the Statue of Liberty on behalf of the United States on October 28th 1886 in a dedication ceremony where the last rivet was installed in the newly reassembled statue. 

            Some tasty tidbits for you folks who love random fact:

1.      The statue is 305’ 6” tall from Base to the tip of the torch

2.      She is 111’ 6” from the top of her head to the soles of her feet

3.      Lady Liberty’s torch is overlaid in 24k gold (1986 renovation)

4.      There are seven rays on the crown of Lady Liberty representing the seven continents

5.      The tablet held in her left hand measures 23' 7" tall and 13' 7" wide and is inscribed with the date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776)

6.      Total weight of the Statue of Liberty is 225 tons (or 450,000 pounds)

7.      There are 154 steps from the pedestal to the head of the Statue of Liberty

There is no doubt that the Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable images of the United States that is known around the world.  She is known for accepting people of all walks of life from all over the globe, anyone wishing to find a safe haven for a new beginning, this is what she represents.  I hope everyone has an awesome weekend and as always, I thank you for reading.  If you have any comments or just want to chat, please drop me an email at wmreid@bhcshealth.com and I will be glad to get back to you.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Stars and Stripes

Our Nation’s Flag

“When we honor our flag, we honor what we stand for as a nation; Freedom, Equality, Justice and Hope.”

~President Ronald Reagan

            Tomorrow, June 14th is National Flag Day and I would like to take a moment to share some information about our country’s flag.  In these tumultuous times in our country as we head towards a hotly contested presidential election this fall I believe that no matter which side of the political spectrum you’re on, it is important to understand the history of the flag we raise as a nation.  When we thing of our nation’s first flag, many of us think of Betsy Ross and her hand sewn handy work but the reality is that there were several different flags that represented the different colonies before the brand new United States settled on a standard flag to represent the fledgling country.  In May of 1776, Betsy Ross reveals a flag of thirteen stripes (seven red and six white) with a square patch of a blue field in the upper left hand side and within that blue field a circle of thirteen white stars.  Even though there were several other flag designs at the time, the Continental Congress of 1777 resolved on June 14th that a national flag would be adopted, “Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”  On that day the Betsy Ross style flag was adopted as our national standard and this is why we celebrate Flag Day every year on June 14th.

            The Pledge of Allegiance was first published in a magazine called "The Youth's Companion," written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and the phrase “Under God” are inserted into the pledge by an act of congress in 1954.  In the late 1890’s the country has a growing movement to protect the flag from desecration born in reaction to perceived commercial and political misuse of the flag and though no federal regulations were in place, several states took it upon themselves to create desecration legislation to protect the flag.  It wasn’t until 1942 when President Roosevelt signed into law the Federal Flag Code which outlines unifying customs and manners in which to fly the United States Flag.  The Flag Code does not prescribe any penalties for non-compliance nor does it include any enforcement provisions, rather it functions simply as a guide for voluntary civilian compliance.  In 1968 the federal government finally steps forward with a federal law forbidding the desecration of the United States Flag after a much publicized flag burning took place in Central Park (New York, New York) in protest to the US armed involvement in Vietnam.  Over the past forty years, there have been several legal cases and lawsuits brought against different persons who have knowingly violated the US flag in protest against the federal government and over the years the flag desecration laws have been amended and shaped to reflect people’s rights under free speech. 

            Despite all the craziness…ups and downs…ins and outs…I always get a feeling of pride when I see the flag waving from atop a flag pole.  I know our country is far from perfect and I don’t pretend otherwise but it is my country and I will never stop working and wishing for it to be the best and represent the best for all of us who live here.  Thus ends my flag waiving for today, thank you all for reading and as the week moves forward, I hope you all have a good week.  Remember to take care of yourself and each other, after all, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

The Malady of Males

“Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue.  Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.”

~Bill Richardson

            This week is the week that is nationally recognized as Men’s Health Awareness Week 2016.  I know this is one of those weeks that doesn’t seem to garner a lot of attention but it is important all the same.  In doing some reading as to what the greatest health threat to men might be it came as almost no surprise that the greatest threat to men’s health are the men themselves.  You’ll understand what I mean in a few moments.  Of the fifteen leading causes of death of men and women in the United States males lead in fourteen of the fifteen categories.  The only category that women lead is death caused by or related to by Alzheimer’s and it is believed that as a category, males usually don’t live long enough to develop this disease.  Before anyone gets into an uproar, I am talking about national stats here, not something written in stone for the future…my grandfather lived to be ninety-five years old and would have lived longer if he hadn’t had a bad fall.  According to the national stats, the gaps between men and women are getting smaller but in general, males still pass before women of the same age.

            The top five health issues for men are some that can be preventable or treated if caught early enough.  The problem is that for the majority of men, their health is not a top priority in the grand scheme of things until it is too late in some cases.  Like I said earlier, the greatest threat to men’s health are men themselves.  As a boy back in the 1970’s I was taught that men were supposed to be tough and that you only went to the doctors if you bleeding heavily or if your family needed help.  As I grow older, this sense of machismo is gradually fading from societal expectations and more and more males are tackling the responsibilities of taking better care of their health.  Going back to the top five health issues for men, they are;

1.      Cardiovascular Disease

2.      Lung Cancer

3.      Prostate Cancer

4.      Diabetes

5.      Depression / Suicide

            Cardiovascular disease covers such a wide gauntlet of illnesses it does not surprise me that this is the leading cause of health issues of males.  What did surprise me with this list was that lung cancer and depression/suicide made the list.  I don’t know why lung cancer surprised me but it makes sense with all the jobs that involve caustic chemicals used in so many industries that have been male dominate for so many years.  I always associate lung cancer with smoking (Indiana has one of the highest percentage of smokers in the United States) but the reality is that industrial work can cause just as much long term damage to the lungs as smoking so it makes sense that lung cancer is on the list.  Depression/suicide was another health issue that surprised me, even though more women are reported as to suffer from depression, it is believed that men don’t reach out for help as often as women and that they suppress these emotions or cover them up with anger and often heavy drinking and aggression. 

            All these ailments are issues that are preventable or treatable if caught early enough.  All these issues affect millions of men (and women) every year but the key to any successful treatment is early detection no matter what the health issue is.  Being Men’s Health Week, it is important for men to be brave enough to stand up and go to the doctor for a check-up and to not hide behind the fallacy of ego and machismo.  It takes a real man to face his fears instead of turn away from them like they don’t exist.  Go to the doctor, get check out, chances are you’re healthy but don’t take it for granted.  Thanks for reading as always, share this with a man you know who is afraid of the doctor, it may save his life.  I hope everyone has a good weekend, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com