Kansas City Community Matters August 2015

Commun ty Matters Kansas City Presbyterian Manor

What everyone 50+ should know about their thyroid

By Gayle Golden Catherine Horvath, 51, was feeling no symptoms five years ago when her doctor ordered a routine blood test to check, among other things, how her thyroid was doing. (Your thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland low in your neck that influences metabolism, growth and development and body temperature.)

The results showed astoundingly low levels of thyroid hormone — a sign her thyroid function was, as she puts it, “pretty close to being nonexistent.”

If untreated, she was at risk not only for bothersome symptoms but for other serious diseases as well.

The fix was simple: One pill a day to replace the thyroid hormone she wasn’t making. Within a year, Horvath’s levels were back to normal.

Horvath is one of the estimated 24 to 28 million Americans who likely have some form of thyroid disease, many of whom develop the disorder later in life.Yet according to American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, nearly half of those with thyroid disease don’t know they have it or are misdiagnosed.

That’s because thyroid disease — particularly among older adults, when the disorders can become more A common disease

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August 2015

Longtime staff member gains new perspective through education

Kandie Stewart is a familiar face at Presbyterian Manor. She’s been employed here for 15 years, as an LPN and Charge Nurse and is now in Medical Records. And even though she’s very happy with her position, she wants more.

“I’m pursuing my RN through Brown Mackie College, and I’ve got six months of clinical work before I graduate,” said Kandie. “For me, it’s not about the pay. It’s about caring for people and wanting to help them more.”

Kandie Stewart is pursuing her RN Kandie has excelled in her course degree. work, even making the dean’s list.

She’s grateful to be able to pursue this opportunity now, as family obligations kept her too busy before.

“I wanted to wait until my kids were grown some. I have six children, ages 34 down to 15. I also have five grandchildren,” said Kandie.

Kandie’s children are very proud of her, and are even pursuing degrees of their own.

“My oldest daughter is getting her business degree, and my 18-year-old is getting ready to start dental hygiene school in the fall,” said Kandie.

While it hasn’t always been easy, Kandie’s husband has been very supportive of her journey.

“We were married at 17. I had a scholarship offer to attend KU, but I chose to raise my daughters instead. I didn’t want to wait any longer to get this degree,” said Kandie.

Kandie is most looking forward to using her extra knowledge to care for residents at a deeper level, something she attributes to a difficult time with her own mother.

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Summer Satisfaction

By Diane Gunsolley, Chaplain Oh, how I love sun-ripened tomatoes and peaches and creamed sweet corn! This time of year is the absolute best for mouth-watering fruits and vegetables fresh off the vine. I grew up on a small farm in northern Iowa. Back then, “fresh corn” met Mom starting a huge pot of water on the stove and us kids picking/shucking a dozen ears before the water came to a boil. We grew enough corn for our family of six to enjoy at both dinner and supper during corn season and throughout the year, thanks to

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Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Kansas City Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org Peatric Gates, executive director Charley Lewis, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Charley at clewis@pmma.org.

Telephone: 913-334-3666 Fax: 913-334-2904 Address: 7850 Freeman, Kansas City, KS 66112-2133 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

KansasCityPresbyterianManor.org

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Mom’s deep-chest freezer.

Dad planted plenty of Earl May sweetcorn, not only for our family, but for also those pesky raccoons and a good number of town folk to enjoy. We often filled up the huge trunk of our white 1966 Dodge Polara and headed to Storm Lake. There, we peddled our sweet corn from one end of town to the other. Corn sold for 60-cents a dozen or a dollar for two. Dad taught us to always give a baker’s dozen, “Just in case one is bad.”

I have many positive memories of those years. Dad showed us how to work hard and work together to get the job done.

When the trunk was empty, we’d occasionally stop at the A&W for a root beer or the Dairy Queen for a Dilly Bar. One particular day, Dad asked us which restaurant we’d like to visit. World War III broke out in the car as we battled for our choice. Dad listened to our debate for a while then just headed home. Try as we might, we couldn’t persuade him to turn around. We learned a powerful lesson that day.

My brothers and I learned to handle money by peddling corn. If someone gave me a $10 I’d count out four ones saying, “Here’s two, three, four and five.” Then I’d add a five saying, “And five makes ten.” Has anyone besides me noticed that the world doesn’t count back change anymore? I’m usually standing at the counter, with a handful of bills and coins thrust in my hand, forced to count it for myself.

Peddling corn exposed me to the good and bad of human nature. One day, my brothers and I were selling on Erie Street when my oldest brother warned us to skip the corner house. He

reminded us that the woman living there thought that country kids should stay in the country. She had made her feelings perfectly clear the previous Halloween. The four of us rang her doorbell with a chorus of, “Trick or Treat.” Instead of treating us, she sent us away empty-handed stating that she only bought enough candy for the town kids. She seemed to believe that we should go to other farms for candy. Even at age 10, I knew that wouldn’t work because of the distance between farms and the fact that most farmers had a dog or two guarding their property. I also knew that her words had ruined Halloween.

So, we passed by her house with our sweet corn to avoid her wrath. She soon came running down the street after us. She was waving her money, thanking us profusely for coming and proclaiming that sweet corn was, “Just like candy.” We were dumbfounded. Apparently, country kids are welcome in town if their arms are full of sweet corn.

The old adage says, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me.” When I was young, I tried to act tough and pretend that adage was true. Today, I know the truth for the Bible teaches that both

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metabolism goes into overdrive.

Symptoms can include hand tremors and rapid or irregular heartbeat, leading to serious cardiac problems. Too much thyroid hormone can also leech away calcium in bones, leading to osteoporosis.

THYROID continued from page 1

common — often masquerades as other ailments such as symptoms of fatigue, constipation, dizziness or weight gain as simply the price of getting older.

An overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, can look like heart rhythm problems, muscle weakness, anxiety or age-related osteoporosis.

Thyroid lumps are much more common among older people, yet often can’t be detected without a neck exam. While most lumps are benign, some are cancerous and require treatment.

A simple blood test will reveal whether your thyroid is doing its job.

But if a blood test shows TSH levels are too high or too low, that might mean the thyroid is having trouble.

For older adults, this often means a sluggish thyroid, or hypothyroidism, with symptoms that include impaired cognitive function, fatigue, intolerance to cold, weight gain or itchy skin.

Get tested

Women are particularly vulnerable.

“Women get more thyroid disease of every variety than men,” Harrell says.

Women at risk

Your thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland low in your neck.

“They outdo men 3- or 4-to-1 for everything.”

About five years after her hypothyroidism diagnosis, Horvath developed scleroderma, another autoimmune disease causing a buildup of collagen that painfully stiffens and swells her hands, feet and arms. The condition has disabled her significantly, she says.

“Autoimmune diseases do tend to run in clusters,” Harrell says, “and thyroid disease is the most common autoimmune disease.”

The opposite of a sluggish thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, is less common among older adults. But Harrell and others say it’s a particularly dangerous condition because it targets key vulnerabilities in aging bodies.

When your thyroid produces more hormone than the body needs, your Lumpy thyroids

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life and death come from the tongue. In the book of James, it says, “With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.”

Well, I’ve kept my best story about peddling sweet corn until last. One special day after school, the bus dropped us off at the end of the lane and we discovered a brand new Zenith in the living room. We saw the NBC peacock in RCA color! Our dad had surprised us by using the corn profits to purchase our first color television. As I watched Lawrence Welk’s musical family in their beautiful blue and yellow outfits, I remember thinking that no modern invention could possibly top color television!

Lumpy thyroids carry an increased risk of cancer. While the vast majority of lumps are benign, about 6 percent are not.

The good news is that, once detected, the vast majority of thyroid cancers are very treatable with surgery, with a high survival rate over years.

Wondering how to boost your thyroid health?

Don’t dismiss symptoms as just aging.

Be sure your doctor checks for thyroid health.

Ask questions about your care.

Do your own “neck check” exam.

Stay consistent with your medications, particularly thyroid hormone.

Don’t panic. If diagnosed with thyroid disease, realize it’s quite treatable in all its forms. The important thing is to take action.

Cancer a possibility

Copyright© 2015 Next Avenue, a division of Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

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“I went into the medical field because I want to help people not go through what my mother did. After my father died, eight months later my mother died at home. I think she grieved herself to death. I wish I would have known the signs of depression,” said Kandie. “Maybe now I can give the doctors the information that they need and we can save someone from going through that.”

KANSAS CITY PRESBYTERIAN MANOR 3

Residents shine “Under the Stars”

Staff and residents enjoyed the sights and sounds of Senior Prom, as Sharon & Ray Andrews entertained with a 1920s theme, “Under the Stars.” Central United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Mo. provided the dresses.

Ann Davis and housekeeping staff member, Raquel cut a rug.

Ann Davis and Hope Reyes enjoyed a lovely evening.

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Kansas City Presbyterian Manor 7850 Freeman Kansas City, KS 66112-2133 Return Service Requested

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Coming up in Community Matters:

How has music been important to you? In an upcoming issue of Community Matters we will be focusing on music and its role in making our lives better. If you’ve got a story about what music has meant to you, contact Charley Lewis to share your idea.Your story may be selected for the next issue of your community newsletter.

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Ethel Patterson and Donna Ashley got all dolled up.