Page 20 • June 2016 • Golden Gazette
A scary but amusing experience By Margaret Merrell This is a true story, but I am withholding the names of the characters. After so many years, we seniors feel we have lived through just about every accident or incident ever known. We usually do not mind sharing our “adventures,” but there are times some prefer to remain nameless. This is one of those times. The senior lady lives a happy life with her two dogs and one cat. All are good companions. They make a fine family picture, snuggled together on a double recliner. Late one evening, the lady and her oldest and largest dog had been enjoying watching television from the depths of the oversized chair. When the movie was over, she pushed the button along the side of the chair to lower the footrest and raise the back side into upright position. Nothing happened, not a thing moved as she pushed and jiggled the control.
She made a slight move forward, but immediately discovered the foot rest moved downward with very little pressure, and the back of the chair also started moving up and over. Terrified, the lady moved all of her weight back onto the seat area. Luckily her phone was right by the chair, so she called her son for help. He realized she was scared and told her to sit still, and he would be right over. All this time, her dog had kept her place at the other end of the seat. She too sat still -until she heard someone at the front door. That was when the dog jumped up and came down on the footrest, slamming it to the floor. Poor thing did not know what to do when her mistress went flying out of the chair to the center of the room. The son and his wife entered the room and rushed to the woman lying twist-
ed on the floor. She was stunned, but not unconscious. They gently worked and talked with the lady until she was clear in mind, and they checked for injuries. She kept telling them she was fine; shook up, but no horrible pains or signs of broken bones. She agreed to go to the neighborhood walk-in clinic with her son to get examined. Her poor dog sat to one side and looked totally confused about what had just happened. At the clinic, after many
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tell her story, over and over. They showed concern for her wellbeing but showed their amusement over how it all came about. She soon began to see the funny side of what had happened to her. Now she can tell her story with laughter and dare anyone to top her tale of how her dog catapulted her out of her chair. Do you have a similar story? Share it with someone and enjoy the laughter. Laughter is the best medicine, right?
The prune is making a comeback By Sameer Islam, M.D. Sometimes the prune can have a bad reputation, but let’s set all that aside in light of new research from Texas A&M University. According to a study in which rats were fed either a controlled diet or a diet containing prunes, the rats eating prunes had significant-
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X-rays, the lady checked out with only soreness and a few bruises. The doctor told her she was a very lucky lady and seemingly had strong bones. The good doctor had trouble holding back a smile and little laughter when the lady told him how her dog had tossed her out of her chair. The dog and the lady recovered, her son installed a new motor for the recliner, and their household returned to a happy, peaceful place. The only exceptions were when friends and family came to visit, and the woman had to
ly reduced numbers of precancerous lesions. How does this work? The dried plums Sameer Islam, help our gut M.D. bacteria stay healthy, which leads to less inflammation and risk of colon cancer. “Through our research, we were able to show that dried plums promote retention of beneficial bacteria throughout the colon, and by doing so they may reduce the risk of colon cancer,” said Dr. Nancy Turner, Texas A&M AgriLife research professor. Since colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., maybe consider adding a couple of high fiber prunes to your breakfast. Screening for colon cancer is the most important step for colon cancer prevention. If you are 50 or older, it’s time to schedule your colonoscopy.
A colonoscopy is a procedure in which a gastroenterologist is able to view the entire length of your colon through a camera on the end of a thin screening tool. You will be given medicine to make the procedure comfortable, and most patients tolerate it very well. A screening colonoscopy can save your life. If found early, colorectal cancer is over 90% curable. The procedure is covered by most insurance policies with no out-of-pocket expense to you. Most people have heard horror stories of the “prep” day and refuse to have the procedure. You should know that the available preps have come a long way and a typical response is, “It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.” Sameer Islam, M.D., is a board-certified gastroenterologist and hepatologist. His office number is 806761-0747, www.sameerislam. com.