A MAGAZINE FOR SENIOR ADULTS DISTRIBUTED BY COOKEVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER N FROM OUR KITCHEf ee B ge n ra O Stir-Fry Volume 8 | Issue 4 | Winter 2015 CRMC Recognized As One of America's 100 Best for Cardiac and Orthopedic Care CRMC FIXES BROKEN HEARTS Surgeon Repairs Aortic Aneurysm and Replaces Valve in Single Surgery Vicki Foster (and her dog, Eliza) are STAYING BUSY Thyroid Surgery For Cancerous and Noncancerous Thyroid Issues Watch Out! Tips to Help You Prevent Falls TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 3 ACTIVE AFTER 50 4 NEW AT CRMC 6 FOUNDATION NEWS Vicki Foster "Just jump in and do it." CRMC named among nation's 100 Best for Cardiac and Orthopedic Care Carings Hands Fund helps patients who are struggling financially 8 CRMC SURGEON REPAIRS ANEURYSM, REPLACES AORTIC VALVE IN SAME SURGERY Patient Dwight Henry says he feels better than he has in 20 years 15 ALIVE AND WELL DEPARTMENTS Women’s W E D N E S D AY Dealing with dry skin Active After 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Body in Motion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Club 50 Plus News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Did You Know?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Foundation News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 From Our Kitchen to Yours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Healthy Eating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 New at CRMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Physician News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Puzzles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Puzzle Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Surgery Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Train Your Brain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Women’s Wednesday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Paul Korth Chief Executive Officer Melahn Finley Director, Marketing & Public Relations Hannah Davis Marketing/Public Relations Coordinator Seasons© is published quarterly as a service of Cookeville Regional Medical Center by (931) 525-6020 • wdstone.com DISCLAIMER: This publication in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness, or to serve as a substitute for professional medical care. Please see your physician if you have a health problem. INFORMATION: Call (931) 525-6020 for permission to reprint any portion of this magazine, to correct your address, to let us know that you are receiving more than one copy, or to have your name removed from our mailing list. Volume 8, Issue 4 © 2015 Cookeville Regional Medical Center. All rights reserved. Cookeville Regional Medical Center One Medical Center Blvd. • Cookeville, TN 38501 931-528-2541 • crmchealth.org Time: Place: Lunch: RSVP: Noon to 1 p.m. Room 3, Education Center Catered meal $6, or bring your own By Monday prior to luncheon (931) 783-2743 JANUARY 13 — “Women's Safety Awareness” Join guest speakers Michael Burnette, CRMC’s director of security with 25 years in law enforcement, and Steve Randall, CRMC’s security supervisor with 30 years in law enforcement, as they discuss how to stay safe. Luncheon: Chef salad, breadstick, dessert and beverage available for $6. Club 50 Plus COOKEVILLE REGIONAL Cookeville Regional Medical Center is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all residents in the communities we serve. Information on Club 50 Plus events (unless otherwise noted) Time: Noon to 1 p.m. Place: Rooms 2, 3 and 4, Education Center MARCH 17 — Sam Hawkins and Lora Looper with Mortgage Investors Group will discuss “Myths and Misunderstandings of Reverse Mortgages.” MAY 17 — Tony Phillips of Custom Fitness Solutions will present “Fitness at Any Age.” Registration is required. Contact Lisa Eldridge at (931) 783-2660. CLUB 50 PLUS AT COOKEVILLE REGIONAL was developed for adults age 50 and beyond to encourage healthy lifestyles. Members enjoy preventive health screenings, educational programs, referral services, activities, discounts and more! For more information or to learn how you can join Club 50 Plus, call (931) 783-2660 or visit crmchealth.org/club-50-plus/about. Active After 50 Vicki Foster Enjoys Learning New Things By Vicki Foster I 'm 60 now, soon to be 61. I’ve never considered myself "old" or "senior" yet. I believe being active should be mental as well as physical. I usually walk my dog every day — one mile in the morning, one in the afternoon. Over the last 20-something years, I have been a Sunday school teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas. The children keep your heart young. I have actually taught the child of one of my students. It's amazing to watch them grow into caring, loving adults. For about the last five years, I've been volunteering at Manna's Hana Riding Center on Brotherton Mountain as a side walker or leader. This center helps children with disabilities learn to ride horses. They learn to bond with their horses through grooming and riding. Riding helps them strengthen their core. It helps them cognitively by taking direction from the instructor and giving direction to the horse. It gives them a sense of control instead of helplessness. I've been a member of the Goal Diggers Investment Club for several years. I've been either assistant financial partner or financial partner for quite a while. I have always wanted to understand and learn about investments. I believe ours is the only investment club left in Cookeville. → Above, Vicki Foster takes a break from walking with her dog, Eliza. Below, Foster enjoys one of her favorite hobbies, oil painting. Sandi Bos has been my art teacher over the last several years. She has been teaching me about oils. Learning to see colors and shapes is more challenging than you might think. She is an excellent teacher. I want to paint just like her. Helen Hennessee has been teaching me to play the piano. She is an amazing player. I have been taking lessons from her for two or three years now. I took lessons for a short time as a child but couldn't play a lick. My goal is to be able to sit down, pick up a piece and just play it. I’m far from getting there, but I'm thankful for her encouragement and patience with me. Over this last winter, I studied and earned my realtor’s license. I affiliated with Crye-Leike this spring. Since joining, I've been attending the Crye-Leike college to learn as much as I can about real estate. I'm pleased to say I am gaining sales experience and enjoying this new career at 60. I enjoy doing it, and I enjoy helping people take their time and look without pressure. I want them to find what they want rather than trying to sell them something they don't want. I still have energy, and I want to use it before I have to stay home and crochet all day. I want to be able to do something while I still have the energy. If you've got the energy, do it now. You're gonna run out! I don't know what's coming next, but I can say this: I'm ready. If there is something you've always wanted to do, just jump in and do it. Somebody once told me, "Age is mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Stay busy; it's healthy. Are you over 50 and active? Tell us all about it! If you would like to share what you do to stay active, why, and how it has helped you and/or others, we just might feature you in an upcoming edition of Seasons©. Please email your information to mfinley@crmchealth.org or write CRMC Marketing Department, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Cookeville, TN 38501. CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 3 New at Physician News The Latest Updates on Cookeville Regional's Physicians and Staff CRMC Receives National Recognition for Meritorious Outcomes T he American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) has recognized Cookeville Regional Medical Center as one of 52 ACS NSQIP participating hospitals that have achieved meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care. As a participant in ACS NSQIP, Cookeville Regional is required to track the outcomes of inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures and collect data that directs patient safety and the quality of surgical care improvements. “Having been a participant in this initiative for more than seven years, we have identified areas for Copeland improvement and acted upon them,” said Scott Copeland, M.D., a CRMC general and vascular surgeon as well as surgeon champion for the CRMC NSQIP initiative. “As a result, patients are receiving better care. Our number one goal is to provide highquality patient care, and initiatives like this one allow us to continue improving upon that care.” The ACS NSQIP recognition program commends a select group of hospitals for achieving meritorious outcome performances related to patient CRMC management in eight clinical areas: mortality, unplanned intubation, ventilator > 48 hours, renal failure, cardiac incidents (cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction), respiratory (pneumonia), SSI (surgical site infections-superficial and deep incisional and organ-space SSIs) or urinary tract infection. The 52 hospitals commended achieved the distinction based on their outstanding composite quality scores in the eight areas listed above. Riskadjusted data from the July 2015 ACS NSQIP Semiannual Report, which presents data from the 2014 calendar year, were used to determine which hospitals demonstrated meritorious outcomes. ACS NSQIP is the only nationally validated quality improvement program that measures and enhances the care of surgical patients. This program measures the actual surgical results 30 days postoperatively as well as risk adjusts patient characteristics to compensate for differences among patient populations and acuity levels. The goal of ACS NSQIP is to reduce surgical morbidity (infection or illness related to a surgical procedure) and surgical mortality (death related to a surgical procedure) and to provide a firm foundation for surgeons to apply what is known as the “best scientific evidence” to the practice of surgery. American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Congratulates Cookeville Regional Medical Center For achieving “Meritorious” status with regard to their composite quality score in the outcome areas of: Mortality, Cardiac, Respiratory (pneumonia), Unplanned Intubation, Ventilator > 48 hours, Renal Failure, SSI, and UTI for All Surgery cases for the Performance Period of January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014. Visit CRMCHEALTH.ORG/FIND-PHYSICIAN/BROWSE-DEPARTMENT to find the physician ready to serve your health needs at CRMC. 4 CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 National Study: CRMC Named Among America's 100 Best for Cardiac and Orthopedic Care C ookeville Regional Medical Center recently announced that it has been recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 100 Best™ hospitals for coronary intervention and orthopedic surgery care for 2016. Healthgrades, the leading online resource helping consumers make informed decisions in order to find the right doctor, the right hospital and the right care, evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 33 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions and identified the 100 best-performing hospitals across all conditions or procedures within these service lines. The achievement is part of findings recently released online and in the Healthgrades 2016 Report to the Nation. Cookeville Regional received a 5-star rating, which indicates that the hospital’s clinical outcomes are statistically significantly better than expected when treating the condition or conducting the procedure being evaluated. Cookeville Regional not only performs at a 5-star level – it outperforms other hospitals in the nation in several conditions and, as a result, has been recognized with the 2016 Healthgrades Specialty Excellence Award in four categories: Cardiac Surgery, Coronary Intervention, Orthopedic Surgery and Pulmonary Care. “I am proud of the strides made by our physicians and staff to continually improve the quality of care we provide our patients,” stated Paul Korth, CEO of Cookeville Regional. “Having a third party recognize us for those efforts is further validation that our services are among the highest quality found anywhere. Now, even more than before, there is very little reason for our Upper Cumberland residents to have to travel out of our region for health care.” → Proud of the recognition of The Women’s Center as a Pink Ribbon Facility are, from left, Dr. Jason Hardin, M.D., board-certified radiologist; Elizabeth Dycus, RT(R)(M)(BD), staff mammographer; Stephanie Jennings, RT(R)(M) (BD), chief mammographer; Ann Downs, RT(R)(M) (BD), lead mammographer; and Amanda Brannon, manager of The Outpatient Imaging Center. Cookeville Regional Recognized As a Pink Ribbon Facility CRMC Expands Nurse Navigator Program T L he Women’s Center at Cookeville Regional Medical Center has been recognized as a Pink Ribbon Facility by Hologic, Inc. for providing excellent breast health and showing exceptional commitment and support to the women in our community. Pink Ribbon facilities offer on-site 3-D breast tomosynthesis imaging, the latest in breast screening technology. “Being a Pink Ribbon Facility is a great way to show patients that we continue to provide them with the highest quality of care, and by offering the 3-D tomosynthesis, we give them that. The Women’s Center offers the latest 3-D tomosynthesis model and technology so women know that they are receiving excellent breast care when they come to us,” said Stephanie Jennings, chief mammographer at The Women’s Center. To schedule a mammogram or for any questions about 3-D mammography, please contact The Women’s Center at (931) 783-2222. Patients with Lung Cancer Now Have Additional Support ung cancer is the number one cancer killer for both men and women in the United States, and the Upper Cumberland is no exception. To help patients diagnosed with lung cancer, Cookeville Regional Medical Center now provides the services of a nurse navigator who will be a personal resource for both the patient and the family. With eight years’ experience working with oncology patients, Beth Slatten, RN, is Cookeville Regional’s new lung nurse Slatten navigator. She graduated with her nursing degree in 1997 and came to Cookeville Regional in 2001 to work in the intensive care unit. She then transitioned to The Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center, where she spent four years before going to work in The Cancer Center for the past eight years. “A diagnosis of lung cancer can be overwhelming,” said Slatten. “In my new role, I’m available to help patients who have been recently diagnosed, are already living with lung cancer or have had a recurrence of the disease. I want to help make their journey as easy as possible.” A lung nurse navigator helps patients cope with the anxiety associated with lung cancer, decreases barriers to services, helps to expedite access to care and provides information and available resources to help the patient and their family. Cookeville Regional began its nurse navigator program eight years ago with breast cancer patients. “The nurse navigator program has been so successful with our breast cancer patients,” stated Lisa Bagci, director of The Cancer Center at Cookeville Regional. “It was a natural progression for us to expand the program to our lung cancer patients. Lung cancer is a complex disease with so many treatment options available, and it’s often confusing for our patients. It just makes sense to have a navigator to help them and their families through the process.” The Cancer Center at Cookeville Regional is accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer and has brought an advanced level of cancer care to patients in the region. The center offers medical and radiation oncology services as well as clinical trials research and various supportive services for cancer patients and their families — all in one convenient location at Cookeville Regional. CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 5 Foundation News Caring Hands Fund Helps Patients Who Are Struggling Financially By John Bell Executive Director of The Foundation at CRMC P atients and caregivers have a special relationship. Sometimes it’s Bell a small act that sticks with you or a simple question that leads to profound change. Carl was a cardiac patient at the hospital who had been struggling with heart disease and health complications. A proud man, Carl had been a hard worker his entire life and hoped to spend his retirement years living a simple, good life. But over the last several years, he found himself in and out of the hospital for different cardiacrelated problems. Carl was about to be released from the hospital and was talking to his case manager when it happened. The case manager explained to Carl about medication options for his condition and recommended a generic medication that would be more affordable than some name brands. The monthly expense for the generic medication would be $50. Carl paused for a moment, then reached into his pocket to pull out a few dollar bills and some change. “How many pills can I buy for this,” Carl asked his case manager. That moment had a lasting effect on Carl’s caregiver, and she went on to help start the Caring Hands Fund at Cookeville Regional Charitable Foundation. The Caring Hands Fund may be used to help any patient with a charitable need, including purchasing generic medications for patients who cannot afford it. For hundreds of patients at Cookeville Regional, the Caring Hands Fund is their only resource for things like medication, equipment, screenings, procedures or simple things like groceries, utilities or transportation. Without this fund, many patients simply do not have financial resources or a support network of friends or family to make ends meet. Often, a whole family is impacted by a patient’s diagnosis, treatment and recovery, so we give family members special attention, as well. Cardiac rehabilitation is a threephase rehabilitation program for patients recovering from heart problems. A nurse or exercise physiologist is available at all times to provide monitoring and education, along with emotional support to help further the rehabilitation process. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program for people who have long-term breathing problems. This program was created to give patients and their families the information and skills they need to cope with breathing problems in the most effective ways possible. Programs are created based on each patient’s needs. Be a blessing to a local patient in need — please give today. The Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center at Cookeville Regional is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). (931) 783-2003 • CookevilleRegionalCharity.org 1 Medical Center Blvd. • Cookeville, TN 38501 Our foundation is compassionate care. Your gift helps us heal. CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 The Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center at Cookeville Regional utilizes the most up-to-date equipment, methods and counsel to help patients with cardiac and pulmonary needs. With even a modest gift, you can help patients like Carl. Your compassionate gift will offer hope and healing to individuals and families struggling with sickness, disease or injury this winter season. Just enclose your generous taxdeductible gift in the return envelope of this issue of Seasons, and we will put it to use helping patients in our community. COOKEVILLE REGIONAL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION 6 Did You Know? We’re conveniently located one block from CRMC at 228 West Fourth Street, Suite 100. For more information, call us at (931) 7832689. Surgery Spotlight CRMC Offers Thyroid Surgery for Cancer and Goiter Procedure requires minimal recovery time C ookeville Regional is proud to offer thyroid surgery to patients in the Upper Cumberland region who are dealing with thyroid issues. “We might perform surgery if the thyroid has become enlarged enough to cause local symptoms from enlargement Rohman of the gland, things like difficulty swallowing or a sensation of choking or tightness of the throat. When that's a benign, noncancerous disease, it’s referred to as a goiter,” said Dr. Grant Rohman, an otolaryngologist with Upper Cumberland Ear, Nose & Throat. “Also, when there is a lump, or nodule, in the thyroid gland, we will often do surgery to perform a workup to rule out thyroid cancer and also to treat thyroid cancer if it is found.” More than 95 percent of patients experience relief of symptoms following surgery to remove a goiter. While many people have thyroid nodules, fewer than 5 percent of them prove to be cancerous. For those that are cancerous, surgery is sometimes the only treatment that is needed. Typically, either half or all of the thyroid gland is removed during surgery, which is done traditionally with an incision made low on the neck and measuring from 2 to 6 inches. “When you remove only half of the thyroid gland, it is typically done as an outpatient surgery,” said Dr. Rohman. “However, even some of our total thyroidectomies are now done on an outpatient basis. Those who do stay in the hospital typically only stay for one night.” Patients who undergo thyroid surgery can expect moderate soreness in the neck for one to two weeks following surgery. They are able to resume routine daily activities within a few days, with restrictions placed on heavy lifting or straining. Fortunately, over the last decades, the complication rate has become very low. DR. GRANT ROHMAN, OTOLARYNGOLOGIST with an experienced surgeon, this risk is usually 1 percent or lower. “Thyroid surgery is a serious surgery in that you're operating on an organ in the neck that has a rich blood supply, but fortunately, over the last several decades, the complication rate has become very low,” said Dr. Rohman. “Studies have shown that the surgeon who's doing a good volume of thyroid surgeries is less likely to have complications,” said Dr. Rohman. “Fortunately, the surgeons at Upper Cumberland Ear, Nose & Throat are very experienced in thyroid surgery.” The primary risk involved in thyroid surgery is injury to the nerve that supplies the vocal cords. When that happens, it can leave the patient with a weak or hoarse voice. However, For more information about the thyroid and thyroid surgery, visit the American Thyroid Association at www.thyroid.org. CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 7 CRMC DOUBLES DOWN CRMC Surgeon Repairs Aneurysm, Replaces Aortic Valve in Same Surgery Patient Dwight Henry says he feels better than he has in 20 years D wight Henry of Cookeville has always been active and energetic. A Cookeville city councilman who’s also a radio personality, Cookeville Senior Center board member and hospice chaplain — as well as a former Cookeville mayor, Tennessee state representative and state gubernatorial candidate — Henry doesn’t let much slow him down. When he started experiencing dizziness about a year ago, he went to the Cookeville Regional ER. While doctors were searching for the cause, they found an aortic aneurysm. Complicating matters, Henry had a mechanical aortic valve that he had received at age 22 because of a congenital heart problem, and now that the valve was nearly 40 years old, it was beginning to work less efficiently. “Mr. Henry had had a small neurological event, a ministroke so to speak, and he had developed an aneurysm near his heart, right above the valve, which is common for the kind of valve problem he had,” said Dr. R. Lewis Wilson Jr., a cardiac, vascular and thoracic surgeon at CRMC. “So his cardiologist, Dr. Timothy Fournet, took care of him and kept track of his valve and his heart function and his aneurysm. His aneurysm got big enough and his valve was dysfunctional enough that they thought it 8 CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 was time to have them replaced, so Mr. Henry was referred to my practice for that.” So, in February 2015, Dr. Wilson successfully repaired the aneurysm and replaced the aging mechanical valve with one made from bovine pericardial tissue. “If we had given him another mechanical valve, theoretically, it would last the rest of his life, but he would have had to take Coumadin the rest of his life,” said Dr. Wilson. “As we age, the potential complications of Coumadin are greater, so as people age, we tend to move more toward a bioprosthetic, or tissue, valve instead of a mechanical valve.” Henry was up walking the second day after surgery and left the hospital after a seven-day stay. He’s also been successful in stopping the Coumadin. “If heart surgery can be a great experience, this one was,” said Henry. “I like to tell people that Dr. Wilson fixed my aneurysm and threw in a free valve job.” A few weeks after his surgery, Henry began rehab at The Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center at Cookeville Regional. He goes there three days a week for about an hour each visit. In addition to that program, he walks at Cane Creek Park several days each week. “Those nurses in the rehab center create an individualized program for you, then they Honestly, both in terms of the surgery and the care received at the hospital, I couldn't have been taken better care of anywhere. DWIGHT HENRY, CRMC HEART PATIENT monitor you and turn it up or down a notch based on how you’re progressing,” said Henry. “They're so encouraging, and they make you want to do the best you can. It has been so helpful in building my strength and stamina. I’m 62, and I feel better than I've felt in 20 years.” Dr. Wilson is pleased with the outcome of → Dwight Henry continues to benefit from regular workouts at The Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center at Cookeville Regional. the surgery and with Henry’s recovery, and he says the valve should last for the rest of Henry’s life. “In the event that it doesn't, thankfully we have new technology coming down the road, where the next generation of valve replacements for him would be a catheterbased valve where he probably wouldn’t even have to have open-chest surgery the next time,” said Dr. Wilson. Dr. Wilson added that, while it’s uncommon for a complex surgery like this to be available in a small town like Cookeville, CRMC actually serves a regional population of around 300,000 people. “Because of that, we don't have a small hospital or a small program, so it's not uncommon for people like Mr. Henry to have that operation in a hospital like ours,” he said. “There just aren’t many hospitals like ours in a town the size of Cookeville.” Henry says that he feels very blessed and fortunate to have a hospital like Cookeville Regional in our community. “Honestly, both in terms of the surgery and the care received at the hospital, I couldn't have been taken better care of anywhere,” he said. “Once you figure out you can have all of this done at home, to me it's a complete no-brainer. I mean, why would you even think about going anywhere else?” CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 9 Healthy Eating How to Handle Leftovers M ake sure you store and prepare leftovers properly to avoid foodborne illness. Hot foods should be refrigerated within two hours after cooking. Food that has been standing out for more than two hours will develop harmful levels of bacteria and should be discarded. When reheating leftovers, make sure that they are completely reheated, not just warmed. Heat kills bacteria, so it is important that you bring leftovers to a boil or heat them to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. When reheating food in a microwave oven, cover food and rotate the dish so the food heats evenly. Focus on Fruit – Pomegranate A pomegranate is a fruit the size of a large orange. The leathery reddishpink skin shelters the membranous walls and bitter tissue that house compartments or sacs filled with hundreds of seeds. A translucent red pulp that has a slightly sweet and tart taste surrounds these seeds. Pomegranates are grown in California and throughout Asia and the Mediterranean countries. Selection and Storage Pomegranates are available in the United States from September through December. Select fruit that is heavy for its size with bright, fresh color and blemish-free skin. You can refrigerate whole pomegranates for up to two months or store them in a cool, dark place for up to a month. Pomegranate seeds packed in an airtight container and stored in the freezer will keep for up to three months. Uses and Preparation Pomegranates are a versatile fruit and can be used as a garnish on sweet and savory dishes or pressed to extract the juice. To use a pomegranate, cut it in half and pry out the pulp-encased seeds, removing any of the light-colored membrane that adheres. The juice can stain your clothes so be sure to wear an apron or clothing that you don’t mind getting stained. 10 CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 From Our Kitchen to Yours – Orange Beef Stir-Fry Ingredients • 1 bag (12 oz.) frozen vegetable stir-fry • 1 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil • 1 tbsp. onion, minced (or ½ tsp. dried) • 1 tbsp. garlic, minced (about 2 to 3 cloves) • 1 tbsp. ginger, minced • 1 egg, lightly beaten (or substitute liquid egg white) • 2 tbsp. cornstarch • 12 oz. beef flank steak, sliced into thin strips • 3 tbsp. hoisin sauce • 1 tbsp. lite soy sauce • ½ cup orange juice Directions Thaw frozen vegetables in the microwave (or place entire bag in bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes). Set aside. Heat oil in large wok or sauté pan. Add onion, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until tender, but not brown (30 seconds to 1 minute). Put egg white in one bowl and cornstarch in another. Dip steak strips into egg white and then coat with cornstarch. Add steak strips to pan and continue to stir-fry until steak strips are lightly browned (5 to 8 minutes). Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce and orange juice, and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately lower temperature to a gentle simmer. Add the thawed vegetables and mix gently. Simmer until vegetables are heated through (3 to 4 minutes). Serve over rice or noodles. Nutrition Information (per serving) • Calories 261 • Total fat 9g • Saturated fat 2g • Cholesterol 28mg • Sodium 418mg • Total fiber 3g • Protein 23g • Carbohydrates 23g • Potassium 648mg CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 11 Body in Motion Tips to Help Prevent Falls E ach year, about half of all adults 65 and older experience falls that result in serious injury. Falls are the most common cause of injury in older adults, and most falls occur in the home. Below are some helpful tips on how to improve your home safety and prevent falls: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Wear nonskid shoes instead of socks. Never stand on wet floors barefoot. Avoid loose-fitting, backless slippers or open-toed shoes. Never stand on a chair. Use a sturdy stool with handrails to reach high objects. If you climb on a ladder, have someone hold it steady. Place frequently used items on lower shelves. Do not stack items high on shelves; store items securely. Install safety rails in bathtubs. Put a nonskid mat in front of bathtubs, showers and toilets. Use nonskid abrasive strips in bathtubs and showers. Keep stairways well-lighted. Install secure handrails on all stairways. Apply a nonslip surface to stairs without carpeting. Put a light switch at the door to prevent accidents in dark rooms. Avoid hazardous placement of furniture. Reduce clutter in walkways and stairways. ← Watch for small pets that tend to get under your feet. • 12 Elevate seat heights with a firm cushion to assist in rising to a standing position. CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 ← Keep electrical cords out of walkways to avoid tripping. → Remove throw rugs from vinyl, tile and wood floors. Train Your Brain Crossword Clues Crossword 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 14 15 16 18 17 20 27 28 30 36 31 32 35 37 42 12 26 29 34 11 23 25 33 10 19 22 21 24 9 38 39 40 41 44 43 45 46 49 50 51 52 47 48 Sudoku 5 7 3 8 6 1 3 8 5 9 9 1 6 9 6 3 8 7 8 4 2 6 Look for the solutions to the puzzles on page 15. 3 1. Floors of the deep 8. Blood carrier 13. Incomplete organ development 14. Mixes up 15. Fridge feature 16. Cone-shaped dwellings 17. After-bath wear 18. The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word 20. Kind of group, in chemistry 22. When it's broken, that's good 23. "My boy" 24. Dixie drink 26. "For shame!" 27. To be stuck in mud 30. Angers 33. "Aladdin" prince 34. Mojave plant 36. Bother 37. "Walking on Thin Ice" singer 38. Have a cow 42. Fugue endings 44. "General Hospital," e.g. 45. Coward's lack 46. Goo 49. "It's a Wonderful Life" role 50. To take one's freedom 51. Banana oil, e.g. 52. Some snakes have them Down 8 6 4 2 7 7 Across 3 1. Pelvic bones 2. A memory chip that maintains its data without a power supply 3. Accused's need 4. Hunting dog of African origin 5. Clairvoyance, e.g. 6. Conk out 7. A blanket-like shawl 8. Mary of "The Maltese Falcon" 9. Auditory 10. Comeback 11. Circuit disconnect (2 wds.) 12. Acceptances 19. ___ New Guinea 21. "___ Gang" 25. Inclined 27. Wailer 28. Cells that morph with moisture 29. Wandering 31. Plumbing mainstay 32. Ocean evaporation leave-behind (2 wds.) 35. Enlargement of the thyroid 37. Aquatic mammal 39. Nearby 40. Used to control flow 41. Dueling swords 43. Ashtabula's lake 47. Biochemistry abbr. 48. "C'___ la vie!" Keep Your Brain Active Remembering a List of Items Here's a simple technique to help commit a list of items to memory, called the journey method: 1. You need a journey you know well. Each step of the journey will be associated with an item on your list. The journey could be something simple like your routine on waking in the morning: look at the alarm clock, go to the bathroom, go downstairs, make a cup of coffee, feed the dog and so forth. 2. Now associate each list item with a journey step. Use a bold, colorful image to make each association memorable. If your list starts with chewing gum and bananas, you could imagine looking at the alarm clock on waking and reaching out an arm to turn it off, only to have your arm stuck in a huge wad of sticky, chewing gum that the alarm clock is inexplicably covered in. Then on going to the bathroom, imagine your surprise on slipping on a banana skin on entering, then turning on the shower and a huge flood of bananas comes out of the shower instead of hot water! 3. Continue the process for each item on your list, and once done, use the steps of your journey to recall each item on your list. With a clear journey and vivid images, you'll be able to commit a list to memory accurately and, if required, by rehearsing it daily on an ongoing basis, keep it in your memory indefinitely. CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 13 Calendar of Events Cookeville Regional Medical Center welcomes you to these fun and educational health screenings and events where you have the opportunity to ask questions about health issues. DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH 28, 29 21 18 17 Blood Drive What: Blood Assurance, the supplier of blood and blood products at CRMC, will be on site on these dates for anyone wishing to give blood. When: Monday, Dec. 28, 1-8 p.m. and Tuesday, Dec. 29, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: CRMC Education Rooms 1 & 2 DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH 29 26 23 29 Breast Cancer Support Group What: An emotional and educational support group for women with breast cancer When: Tuesdays, Dec. 29, Jan. 26, Feb. 23 and March 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Where: Education Room 3 in The CRMC Education Center For more information or to sign up: (931) 783-2026 Mended Hearts Support Group When: Jan. 21, Feb. 18 and March 17, 6 p.m. Where: Education Center, Rooms 2, 3 and 4 For information: pharaoh-blanche@hotmail.com FEBRUARY 4 A Woman’s Heart What: A gala event that includes a silent auction, fashion show and presentations by cardiologists and heart patients to raise awareness of heart disease among women and to raise funds for local heart patients in need When: Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 Where: Leslie Town Centre Cost: $35 per person Visit CookevilleRegionalCharity.org FEBRUARY 11 JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH 6 3 2 Circle of Hope What: A support group for patients who are diagnosed with any type of cancer, and their families When: Wednesdays, Jan. 6, Feb. 3 and March 2, at 10 a.m. Where: The CRMC Cancer Center For more information or to sign up: (931) 783-2026 Look Good Feel Better What: A program sponsored by the American Cancer Society and other agencies that focuses on appearance-related changes due to cancer treatment When: Thursday, Feb. 11, 1-3 p.m. Where: The CRMC Cancer Center For more information: American Cancer Society, 800-227-2345 JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH FEBRUARY 13 10 9 13 Prostate Cancer Support Group What: A support group for men who have experienced prostate cancer When: Wednesdays, Jan. 13, Feb. 10 and March 9, at 10 a.m. Where: The CRMC Cancer Center For more information or to sign up: (931) 783-2026 Community Health and Fitness Fair When: Saturday, Feb. 13, 7-10 a.m. Where: The CRMC Education Center – East Entrance Cost: Free and low-cost screenings For information or to register online: (931) 783-2743 or crmchealth.org/healthfair MARCH JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH 11 8 14 Weight-Loss Surgery Seminars When: Mondays, Jan. 11, Feb. 8 and March 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. Where: The CRMC Education Center To reserve seats or for more information: (931) 783-2587 Where: Participating local restaurants Cost: $15 and $25 menu options Visit CookevilleRegionalCharity.org. 6-12 Cookeville Regional Restaurant Week What: Fourteen of the best local restaurants will offer special menu options. $5 from each purchase will support local patients. When: March 6-12, 2016, normal business operating hours for each restaurant MARCH 9 Fairfield Glade Health Fair When: Wednesday, March 9, 7-10 a.m. Where: Fairfield Glade Conference Center, 128 Stonehenge Drive, Fairfield Glade, TN Cost: Free and low-cost screenings, free breakfast For information or to register online: (931) 783-2743 or crmchealth.org/healthfair MARCH 12 or 19 Turkey Shoot and Sporting Clay competition What: A “turkey” shoot competition with special round prizes, a silent auction, sporting clay shoot and archery shoot When: TBA — March 12 or March 19 Where: Ebenezer Acres (near Hidden Hollow) Cost: $20 gate admission, $20 per round for competition rounds. Visit CookevilleRegionalCharity.org. Go Pink at YMCA What: Go Pink is a 16-week program that provides comprehensive nutrition, exercise and wellness services free of charge to breast cancer patients and survivors. To register: Contact Jenny Thacker, (931) 528-1133, jthacker@ymcamidtn.org. Lung Cancer Screenings CRMC is proud to offer low-cost lung cancer screenings. The screening is quick and easy and results in a minimal amount of radiation exposure. The exam takes less than 10 seconds; no medications are given and no needles are used. The cost of the screening is $99. To see if you qualify for a lung screening at Cookeville Regional, visit crmchealth.org/lungscreening for a questionnaire to determine if you meet the criteria. If you think you meet the criteria, call the CRMC Lung Navigator office at (931) 783-4996 for more information or to schedule a lung screening. Visit CRMCHEALTH.ORG/ABOUT-CRMC/EVENTS for more information about coming CRMC events. 14 CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 Solutions FOR TRAIN YOUR BRAIN Crossword Solution 1 S 13 2 E Source: National Institute on Aging (NIA) Information Center, www.nia.nih.gov. D C R I S P E R O B E A M I 28 29 L I N A G S T R H E E E 42 45 49 7 N O R 18 J U I R L E 34 A 37 P E G E T A R T R N I E S T E R T 46 I T 50 10 O R 11 T 12 A T I R S T I P I S P O C O P E A R S O N T U T E T S 19 P 30 A O N O 43 9 S 16 U 35 A 14 A 22 25 8 S A 21 24 E M A 36 51 Dry skin and itching can affect your sleep, cause irritability or be a symptom of a disease. For example, diabetes and kidney disease can cause itching. Some medicines make the itchiness worse. If your skin is very dry and itchy, see a doctor. 6 I B The most common treatment for dry skin is the use of moisturizers to reduce water loss and soothe the skin. A humidifier can add moisture to the air. Bathing less often and using milder soaps also can help relieve dry skin. Warm water is less irritating to dry skin than hot water. E S 33 The loss of sweat and oil glands as you age also may worsen dry skin. Anything that further dries your skin — such as overuse of soaps, antiperspirants, perfumes or hot baths — will make the problem worse. Dehydration, sun exposure, smoking and stress also may cause dry skin. 5 A 27 M B L 20 any older people suffer from dry skin, particularly on their lower legs, elbows and forearms. The skin feels rough and scaly and often is accompanied by a distressing, intense itchiness. Low humidity — caused by overheating during the winter and air conditioning during the summer — contributes to dryness and itching. 4 P 17 Dealing with Dry Skin A A 15 Alive and Well 3 47 R 31 P 23 26 32 S V E C A 38 44 39 L 40 V 41 E S O A P E A C L E 48 E N S L A V E R A T T L E S 52 Sudoku Solution 6 5 9 7 3 2 1 8 4 4 2 7 5 8 1 3 6 9 8 3 1 9 4 6 2 5 7 9 7 2 6 5 4 8 1 3 1 6 8 3 9 7 5 4 2 5 4 3 2 1 8 9 7 6 7 9 5 8 6 3 4 2 1 3 1 6 4 2 5 7 9 8 2 8 4 1 7 9 6 3 5 Look for the puzzles on page 13. CRMC Seasons© Winter 2015 15 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 94 Cookeville, TN Cookeville Regional Medical Center One Medical Center Blvd. Cookeville, TN 38501 (931) 528-2541 crmchealth.org “ I CHOSE CRMC.” —D WIGHT HENRY, Cookeville City Councilman B ecause it’s your heart, it’s your decision. That’s why CRMC offers state-of-the-art, award-winning care, with the accolades to prove it. So when Dwight Henry needed aortic valve replacement and aneurysm repair, the choice was simple. 1 Medical Center Boulevard • Cookeville, TN 38501 931.528.2541 • crmchealth.org