FLORIDA EAST COAST POST-POLIO SUPPORT GROUP

Panama Canal Cruise

Improving Communication with

Our Doctors

Doctor’s Appointment?

“Goodbye, Mom!”

Apples Pack More Punch

Mystery Ride

Focus on Eyes

Heart Health: What You

Need to Know

God is Watching

Stroke Awareness Month

I Got Polio When I Was….

We Must Stop This Immediately

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FROM BARBARA

Just a quick update on the carpal tunnel surgery I had back in September. It’s coming along, but slower than I thought it would. The tips of all my fingers, with the exception of the pinky, are still somewhat numb. The middle finger is still number than the others, but not as bad as when first operated on. Hopefully, it will keep improving.

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The following article was sent to us by one of our California members. Thanks, Betty.

PANANA CANAL CRUISE

By Betty VanGieson

We live in one of Del Webb's Sun City developments in Lincoln, CA (near Sacramento). There were 81 residents going on a cruise May 13th to 18th, 2006, through the Panama Canal aboard the Coral Princess. Our buses arrived at our lodge to transport us to the Sacramento Airport. The bus that had a lift had a great deal of difficulty getting the front piece of the lift to go down. After ten minutes of banging on it, I was able to board the bus and off we went to the airport. We were not given our plane tickets until it was time to board the plane. I had advised the group leader that I needed to be in the front part of the plane as my walking is limited. My husband and I were seated in row 14 on our flight to Fort Worth, Texas. There was adequate time to get to the gate for our flight to Ft. Lauderdale. As we were about to board this leg of our flight we were handed our tickets. Whoops! This time it was row 38. With extreme effort I made it to my seat. I was the only handicapped person in our group. What happened to seating in the front part of the plane? Upon landing in Ft. Lauderdale, two buses were waiting to transport us to the Ft. Lauderdale Sheraton to spend the night. Neither bus had a lift. I asked our group leader if either bus could be lowered or if not moved to the curb as the first step was very high. I was informed by our group leader they could not be moved to the curb and neither bus could be lowered. I struggled four times to try to get on the first bus using every muscle possible and with my husband trying to give me a boost without success. The second bus looked a little lower. On the second heroic try, I finally made it, but by then all my muscles were completely shot. After sitting down, the bus driver said he could have moved over to the curb so the first step would not be so high. A few choice thoughts about our "group leader" crossed my mind. First row 38 and then the buses could not move to the curb. When arriving at the hotel our bus driver pulled up to the curb so I didn't have any problems getting off. After getting to our room my husband and I had a long discussion. If I had to go through that again, I would suffer for days. Against the protests of our "leader" that we would never be able to find our group, we took a taxi to the ship. Our taxi pulled in behind the buses and we were with our group before everyone was able to get off the buses. Going though security was a breeze. There was a quantity of manual chairs with people to push them at several places as we boarded. We found our way to the Aloha Deck (Level 12) and found our room. This was our first cruise. After going through my limitations with our group leader she assured me that I didn't need a handicapped room. I had taken my
Sporty Mini Travel scooter which is 22 1/4 inches wide. Just made it through the door with a half inch to spare on each side. I drove past the bed to a nice open area near the desk and TV to park and we went
out to sit on our deck. When our room steward came in to check if everything was OK, he was extremely surprised at seeing a scooter sitting in the room. He went over everything with us and explained about the mandatory 4:15 evacuation drill. He said my husband should go, but I should remain in our room as you had to go down the stairs as you would have to do if there was a real emergency. He said if there was a real emergency he would personally come and assist me. My only difficulty was getting up from the chair on the deck. As I have to use the arms of the chair to help me get up, the plastic chair on the deck would slide around. He bought me a towel and put it under the front legs of the chair. Problem solved! There was a two inch step up to both the bathroom and the deck which was no problem as I could hold on to the door jams to get up and down.

After two days at sea, we arrived in Aruba. No problem getting off the ship. We only took tours that were labeled handicapped accessible. My scooter went into the bins under the bus. Since I could not negotiate the step up to the bus, the bus driver put his hands around my waist and when I was ready to step, he gave me a boost and up I went with no problem.

We took a tour of the island. Aruba is beautiful, the sea ports are gorgeous, and the houses are painted in bright "south-western colors". Our tour bus driver stopped and picked a cashew from a tree.
Something in the shape of a pear grows on the tree. Later a single cashew grows from the "pear". The cashew gets all its nourishment from the "pear" not from the tree as it grows. Along the way we saw lots of what looked like small children's play houses made of what looks like granite with steep roofs with lots of vases filled with flowers in them near the churches. Our driver explained to us that although a few people are buried, most people are placed in these "houses" when they die. They do not believe in cremation or embalming their dead and everyone is "buried" standing up.

The next day were at sea. The following day we arrived at the first set of three locks at the Panama Canal. It took one hour and 45 minutes to go through these locks to raise our ship up to the level of Gatun Lake.

The Coral Princess had a clearance of two feet on each side of the ship and about seventeen feet in the front and back when we were in a lock . Eight "mules" kept our ship straight in the lock. A mule looks like a small train engine. Each is attached to the ship with ropes. The purpose of the "mules" is to keep the ship absolutely straight when going through the locks. The slightest error one way or the other would damage the locks. They are called mules because when the Panama Canal was first built they used real mules to guide the ship. Each "mule" costs two million dollars. Each lock has their own set of mules. The ship uses its own power to go forward. Gatun Lake is beautiful. There are lots of heavily forested small islands all over the lake. It is a very beautiful place with lots of birds. We also saw some alligators. Later we went through a single lock and into a manmade lake. The first hills we saw were heavily forested. Later most of the hills were being terraced. It seemed like we passed miles of areas being terraced. They have to continually dredge this area to remove the sediment that comes down from the surrounding hills. Later we went through a set of two locks to enter the Pacific Ocean. The Panama Canal is about 50 miles long. The Coral Princess is one of the largest ships to go through the locks. It costs the Coral Princess about $245,000 in fees to cross through the Panama Canal.

After another day at sea, we docked at Puntarenas, Costa Rica. There was a long ramp with horizontal lines which I thought were friction strips to keep people from slipping. A crew member said "Just drive down, lady" which I did only to discover they were a series of steps about an inch and a half high. (Massage central was needed from all that bumping.) Boarding the bus was easy using the same method as before. Scooter in the bin under the bus and bus driver's hands around my waist to give me a boost. After a half hour ride, we arrived at a wonderful botanical garden and were given a special guide. After touring the garden, we took a tram ride over a beautiful virgin forest. As our bus was about to pull out, our guide came over and asked about my scooter. He had been searching the internet for two years for something like that for his father who was paralyzed on one side. We gave him our e-mail address and have already sent information about scooters to "our friend, Carlos". This is a big purchase for them as we were told that workers earn $800 a month and professionals earn about $2,000 per month. When back on the dock, a van with a lift arrived. There was a very large man in a big power chair and his wife. They transferred him to a manual chair and it took four men to carry him up the ramp. It then took five men using all their strength to carry his power chair up.

After another day at sea we docked at Huatulco, Mexico. As my husband left to play golf, I waited until the stores near the dock opened. The ramp there was wonderful and I whizzed down a very long dock. All the stores have very high steps to get inside; so I just looked round. There was a big banner "Rotary" under a couple of nearby trees. I assumed they were just handing out literature. Someone from the ship came by and said I should go over there to look as I would like it. There was an American woman and two men standing behind two tables under the banner. She explained that the men were not Mexicans, but native Indians. The Indians were in dire straights and were not able to support their families. Last year a group of Rotarians had come down to teach them how to paint on rocks. Each group stays six months and then another group comes down for six months. They paint the animals they see in nature using very small strokes. This year they were trying to teach them how to sell their rocks. The rocks are very beautiful and unique. The American lady said her husband had just been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disease which unfortunately will be terminal. After much sole searching they decided to live life to the fullest while he could. I spent a long time talking to her about my scooter.

After another day at sea, our next port was Acapulco. This time the "handicapped" ramp had big humps down the middle and a step up or down to get on and off the ramp. Not only that but there was an extremely loose rope strung along the sides between metal rings. It was frightening as the rope was useless for stability as it swayed back and forth as you had to step over all those bumps in the center. What were they thinking?

Another day at sea and then Cabo San Lucas. This time we took a tender. They took my husband and me down one level from everyone else, in a handicapped elevator. From there I could roll right on onto the dock. The sea was calm and I was able to take the step down to sit in a seat. They then lifted pieces from near the opening top make a solid platform over the inside steps and loaded my scooter there. On coming back there were two of us in scooters. I was loaded next to last, and
then they again formed the platform. The other person in the scooter was lifted on board sitting in her scooter and then they loaded my scooter. Upon arriving at the ship, my scooter was unloaded and then
they unloaded her in her scooter and unfolded the platform. Some people sitting behind me started to push their way forward. The crew told them in no uncertain terms that they had to wait. We had two foot swells and the crew was fantastic in getting me off, including holding on to me until I was seated and had my power on. They then let my husband off. Everyone else was held until we were long gone. Unless the seas are very rough, taking a tender is a breeze. After another day at sea, we arrived in San Francisco. Going through customs was a breeze. Surprisingly they never even checked our carry on luggage. Two buses were waiting to bring us back home. The driver was on his cell phone for fifteen minutes getting instructions before he could get the lift to operate. As I finally got on the bus, someone asked what I would do if I got stuck half way up the lift. I said I'd have them call the fire department. Another person replied, "We have a retired fire chief on board the bus" at which time everyone chuckled. He said he's done lots of rescues during his career. Many people learned some helpful information.
Some things to think about when traveling. If you use power, take an extension cord as there are only two electrical outlets - one in the bathroom and one over the desk. Check if your chair
or scooter is small enough to be placed in the bins below a bus. The bus driver will not take the seat off your scooter, etc. so have someone with you who can do this. The bus driver will assist this person in lifting your equipment in and out of the bins under the bus. You must be able to get up the steps on the bus, but the driver will give you a boost. All the drivers we encountered were very strong, however we only took trips that were labeled handicapped accessible.

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Reprinted with permission of author, Dr. Henry D. Holland, reprinted from PPRG of SE Wisconsin, June 2006, reprinted from Triad PPG Newsletter, The Seagull, April 2006.

Improving Communication

with Our Doctors

by Henry D. Holland, MD

Why am I qualified to offer these suggestions? I have had the experience of being a patient many times in my life.

I have used a ventilator since I had a permanent tracheostomy in 1970. This treatment resulted from the damage initially caused by polio in 1950. I have an intensified interest in post-polio syndrome because I have experienced its effects since about 1990.

I have been a physician since 1966, and my specialty is psychiatry. I am currently a clini

cal professor at the School of Medicine of Virginia Commonwealth University (formerly the Medical College of Virginia), and each year I instruct second year medical students in the technique of interviewing patients.

Most physicians follow the medical model, which is generally based on the scientific method. The thorough physician would get a complete history from you and possibly members of your family, perform a physical examination, try to obtain copies of previous medical records from other medical sources, and would get laboratory and other objective tests. Routine tests usually include a complete blood count, blood chemistries including electrolytes, liver enzymes, kidney screening tests, cholesterol, and others. A chest X-ray and thyroid function studies might also be included.

I think it is essential and extremely important to have a doctor who will listen to you. As a patient I think it is equally important for you to present your history of polio and post-polio syndrome symptoms in a concise manner and as objectively as possible. I recommend that you answer the physician’s questions in a similar manner. If your doctor seems hurried, that is a distinct disadvantage for both you and him/her. It is a good idea to write some notes so you remember to tell the doctor about the onset of symptoms, when the symptoms seemed to progress, and what you have done that seemed to increase the symptoms or decrease the symptoms.

Most physicians will formulate a possible or differential diagnosis based on the history and the physical exam even before the objective test results are known. In some cases, treatment may be started at that time. After the results of the objective tests are known, often the diagnosis can be made.

The diagnosis of post-polio syndrome is one of exclusion. The usual symptoms – weakness, fatigue, and pain – are very similar to other conditions. Therefore, your physician must exclude these other possible disorders as an explanation for your symptoms. The most important initial factor is to make sure that your physician knows of the history of polio in your life.

My initial diagnosis in 1991 was a self-diagnosis. A neurologist and a pulmonary doctor did not think that I had post-polio syndrome, but I am not sure that they knew much about it. Fortunately my primary care (internal medicine) doctor was willing to listen to what I had to say. He was also willing to read the articles that I brought him. Admittedly, I had an advantage because, as a physician, my opinions and observations were not immediately dismissed.

As a patient, you can become frustrated early on in the diagnostic process. Hopefully your physician will be honest and not defensive and will admit if he/she knows little about the disorder. This is likely a good sign that the physician is willing to learn. If you can afford it, give your doctor either Managing Post-Polio Syndrome (1998) by Lauro Halstead, MD (www.nrhrehab.org) or Post-Polio Syn-drome: A Guide for Polio Survivors and Their Families (2000) by Julie Silver, MD, now in paperback (www.polioclinic.org.) A gesture of this type can be mutually beneficial, but I would not recommend presenting any literature with a know-it-all attitude or to a doctor with a similar attitude. A little humility is good for both the doctor and the patient.

I often hear that polio is not taught anymore in medical schools. I think that this is an inaccurate perception. Infectious diseases, including polio, are taught in accredited medical schools despite the possibility that an American physician may never see an actual case.

I have never seen a case of leprosy, bubonic plague, elephantiasis, or yellow fever. However, I studied and was quizzed on all of these diseases.

Post-Polio Syndrome is probably taught less because this disorder is a “syndrome.” A syndrome is a group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease, a psychological disorder, or another abnormal condition. The causes of some syndromes are known and others are not known. When the cause of a syndrome is not clearly known, the teaching emphasis would be on recognition. As treatment may vary or change, a precise treatment plan may be suggested but with reservation. This is the case with post-polio syndrome. For example, how much exercise is enough or how much exercise is too much? The treatment of post-polio syndrome is more individualized and less empirical than known disease processes.

The average physician may never have a case of post-polio syndrome cross his/her office threshold. If a case does, that physician may focus on other causes before considering the diagnosis, assuming that he/she knows about post-polio syndrome and assuming you told him/her your polio history.

Communicate honestly about the severity of your symptoms. Many polio survivors minimize the severity and dysfunction of their symptoms. Don’t hesitate to tell your story with complete disclosure of how bad you are feeling or hurting. It is important for you to communicate with clarity and emphasis about what has changed and what you are experiencing. You could simply complain of fatigue, pain, and weakness, but if you explain how the fatigue, etc., is limiting, then your doctor will begin to understand. For example, if you report that walking up a flight of steps is no longer possible without resting or extreme effort, you are more objective in your description than simply reporting fatigue. You, as a polio survivor, understand what you are experiencing. If the doctor has a genuine ability to emphathize, he/she may also be able to understand. However, the doctor may worry about missing something that is more treatable than post-polio syndrome, such as a malignancy, multiple sclerosis and other CNS diseases, HIV, or any other disease that might present with a complaint of fatigue, pain, or weakness.

The successful doctor/patient relationship depends in part on a feeling of comfort between the two personalities involved. The patient wants help with a problem and trusts the doctor to use his/her expertise in solving the problem. The doctor’s goal is to diagnose correctly the patient’s problem and initiate the appropriate treatment promptly.

This process will be more rewarding if the doctor and the patient have mutual respect, are not competitive, and both are capable of listening with attention and interest. IF a doctor does not seem interested, finding another doctor would be wise. If the doctor admits unfamiliarity with post-polio syndrome and is not interested in learning more, then that doctor should refer you to a colleague who is both more knowledgeable and more interested.

The best outcome is to find a doctor who knows about post-polio syndrome or is willing to learn, is a good listener, is not obviously hurried, respects all of his/her patients, and takes a genuine interest in you as a patient with a problem and as a person. You will know when you have found a doctor with whom you can relate.

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FECPPSG Editor’s Note:- After Dr. Holland’s article (above), I felt this was most apropos. It appeared in the Daytona Beach News Journal “Medical Guide” issue of June 25, 2006.

Doctor’s Appointment?

Be Prepared

By Lynda Shrager

New York Times News Service

Have you ever left your doctor’s appointment and realized you forgot to mention a symptom, ask a question or say you didn’t fully understand the instructions? If we are lucky, we get about 15 minutes of actual face time with our doctor, and remembering everything that needs to be discussed is difficult. Therefore, being well prepared for an appointment makes the office visit more productive and increases the potential for a more effective outcome. Use these tips to prepare for your doctor’s visit.

DETERMINE YOUR GOALS

· Is this a well visit or preventive checkup?

· Are you looking for a diagnosis, a name for what you have?

· Do you want to establish a treatment plan, either a modification of what you’re already doing or a new one?

· Do you want to discuss the prognosis: What will happen to you, what will the future likely bring?

· Are you looking for reassurance, help with feelings, fatigue or depression?

GATHER YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION

· Prepare a detailed medical history of your own health and that of your immediate blood relatives.

· Create a list of current medications – prescription, over-the-counter, natural and herbal – with dose and frequency.

· If the doctor orders tests to be completed prior to your appointment, call ahead to ensure the office has the results. If you need to bring the actual X-rays, MRIs or other films to your appointment, determine where they are and make plans to pick them up in advance.

LIST ALL YOUR SYMPTOMS

· Keep a diary of when symptoms start, what triggers them, how often they occur, how long they last and what seems to alleviate them.

· What do they feel like or look like (if appropriate)? For example: achy, burning, stabbing, dull, stiff, tingly, sore, annoying, crushing, red, swollen, oozing (you get the picture).

· How severe is the pain? Use a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being barely a problem and 10 feeling as if you need to go to the hospital.

Determine what referrals or pre-authorizations you may need from your health insurer.

CREATE A LIST OF CONTACT INFORMATION

· Include name and phone numbers for emergency contacts.

· List all other doctors who treat you and why, plus their phone and fax numbers, and office address.

· Include pharmacy name, phone and fax.

LIST SPECIFIC AND DIRECT QUESTIONS

· What kind of diagnostic tests do I need?

· What exactly is my disease or condition?

· What are my options for treatment?

HAVE A PLAN FOR DOCUMENTING WHAT YOU LEARN – LEAVE A SPACE AFTER YOUR QUESTIONS TO JOT DOWN NOTES:

· Bring an advocate to take notes, so you can focus on what is being said.

· If an advocate is not available, ask permission to tape record the doctor’s responses (especially if this is a second opinion or specialist).

EMPOWER YOURSELF

· Do research so you have a better understanding of some medical terms the doctor might use. If you are having hip pain, prepare by learning a little bit about the hip joint.

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The following is an e-mail sent to me by one of our members, Gary Fredericks of Horsehead, NY

“Goodbye, Mom!”

A guy shopping in a supermarket noticed a little old lady following him around. If he stopped, she stopped. Furthermore she kept staring at him.

She finally overtook him at the checkout, and she turned to him and said, "I hope I haven't made you feel ill at ease; it's just that you look so much like my late son." He answered, "That's okay."

"I know it's silly, but if you'd call out "Good bye, Mom" as I leave the store, it would make me feel so happy." She then went through the checkout, and as she was on her way out of the store, the man called out, "Goodbye, Mother." The little old lady waved and smiled back at him. Pleased that he had brought a little sunshine into someone's day, he went to pay for his groceries.

"That comes to $121.85," said the clerk. "How come so much... I only bought 5 items. "The clerk replied, "Yeah, but your Mother said you'd pay for her things, too."

Motto: Do not trust all little Old Ladies

FECPPSG Editor’s Note:- Gee, wish I had thought of that….

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Reprinted from USA Weekend, October 1, 2006, EatSmart by Jean Carper

Apples pack more punch

An apple a day also may keep away memory loss, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and tooth loss. Crisp, new details:

■ Cancer. An Italian study showed that eating at least an apple a day cut risk of cancer of the mouth and pharynx by 21%; esophagus, 25%; colon, 20%; breast, 18%; ovaries, 15%; prostate, 9%.

■ Asthma. Apples are rich in an antioxidant called apigenin that, in animal tests in Japan, suppressed responses leading to asthma and allergies. Apigenin also is found in beans, broccoli, celery, cherries, grapes, onions and parsley.

■ Diabetes. Harvard investigators found that women who ate an apple a day were 28% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who ate none.

■ Heart. Eating apples may help stifle blood clots and plaque in arteries, which lead to heart disease. Example: Eating two more apples or 1 ½ cups of 100% apple juice a day slowed changes in bad LDL cholesterol that contribute to artery-clogging plaque, says University of Califor- nia-Davis research. And European studies suggest less fatal heart disease and 40% fewer strokes in apple eaters.

■ Teeth. Harvard epidemiologists say men who stopped eating apples were more apt to lose their teeth.

TIPS:-

■ Eat the skin – it can have 6 times more antioxidants than the flesh.

■ Red Delicious is tops in antioxidants.

Contact Jean Carper at stopagingnow.com. Scientific sources are at usaweekend.com

FECPPSG Editor’s Note:- Guess I have to start eating more apples and I really prefer Granny Smith apples to Red Delicious….

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MYSTERY RIDE

By Barbara Goldstein

Many of you have said that you like when I tell you about my “adventures” so, here’s another one.

Several of my friends and I belong to a social group called “Friendship Force.” It is a worldwide organization. One of the benefits (and why we joined) is that they plan one or two day trips within reasonable rates.

Well, middle of October we went on a MYSTERY TRAIN RIDE. Of course this meant that we wouldn’t know where we were going until we got there. Actually, when we got on the bus, the “tour” leader handed out a sheet basically telling us what we would be doing and going on each day, EXCEPT where the actual Mystery Train would be taking us.

I’ll start with getting me and my scooter onto the bus. The new charter buses seem to have very little or no trouble getting the scooter into the luggage compartment. I have an Electric Mobility Rascal and the front tiller is able to be brought down to the level of the seat and the backrest can be brought forward too. This makes it extremely easy for the bus driver to get the scooter into the bus. I had more trouble getting into the bus then my scooter did. The first step was slightly higher than I could raise my good leg to get on – however, with a little bit of help from the tour leader I was able to do it. Whenever I go on one of these buses (and I’ve gone on several trips) they reserve a front row seat for me so that I don’t have to walk too far into the bus. This is appreciated by me as these front seats also have extra leg room, which we usually need.

Of course we made several stops the first day and I had to get off (and back on) the bus several times. The bus driver made sure that he took the scooter out for me and set it up as soon as he was able to once we reached our destination(s).

The first day’s long drive (from Daytona Beach to Ft Myers) ended when we reached the Hampton Inn. We did stop for lunch on the way. The tour leader had made sure that there would be a handicap room available for me and my able-bodied friend. The Hampton Inns are usually very good with their handicap facilities. The only problems with this particular one was: 1. they had a king size bed in the room. I get very frustrated with this because, as we all know, not all of us travel with spouses or significant others, and we don’t really want to sleep with our travel companions. 2. the bathtub was so high that my able-bodied friend had a problem with getting in and out of it. Oh, the tub had plenty of grab bars, but the height of the tub made it impossible for me to get into it. Many of the Hampton Inns have walk-in showers, this one didn’t.

That night we went on the Mystery Train ride and it was absolutely fantastic. My scooter was able to get onto the train but I had to get off it and walk into the actual dining car which was only a two-step walk.

The following morning, after breakfast, we once more got onto the bus and went to the Edison-Ford Museum in Ft Myers. I was very pleased to find that it was almost 100% accessible, especially the rest-rooms. After enjoying the tour, we left there and headed to our final destination – the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa.

I had been to the Hard Rock Casino in Miami and had been very disappointed with it as my scooter was not able to move around the actual casino. Here, however, there was more than ample room between the slot machines to maneuver the scooter. Their restaurant (Green Room) was also most accessible (and a delicious lunch was had), the restrooms too were no problem. The only difficulty I had was that I left them a donation – I had been hoping that they would let me take home a donation from them instead of me leaving them one.

Our bus ride back to Daytona went smoothly and I’m looking forward to doing many more of these one or two-day trips. My next “excursion” is my cruise right after Thanksgiving and I will, of course, tell you all about it in the January/February newsletter.

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Reprinted from USA Weekend, April 28-30, 2006, HealthSmart by Dr. Tedd Mitchell

Focus on eyes

Here’s why even small changes

affect your quality of sight.

Within the same week, my 15-year-old daughter was fitted for glasses, and my father underwent surgery for cataracts. Although their specific problems are quite different, the interventions both had will distinctly improve the quality of their lives. Those of us with normal eyesight may have a hard time relating, but we all know the eyes are wonderful and complex organs. In fact, a significant portion of our brain function is required just to interpret the information our eyes provide.

Even small changes in our eyes can affect how we see. Although there are many causes of vision problems, the most common one is a change in refraction, or the way light enters the eye. As light enters the eye through a round, smooth cornea, it is bent, or refracted, and sent through the clear lens and toward the back of the eye (the retina). The bent light rays focus directly on the retina, which pro-cesses and sends information to the brain, where it is interpreted as sight. If not properly bent, the light rays focus either in front of or behind the retina. As a result, the retina’s ability to process information is compromised, and the brain interprets a blurred image.

Optometrists and ophthalmologists use glasses to correct these refractive problems. When properly prescribed, eyeglasses make up for the error in refraction from the cornea to give us clear vision. Fortunately, recent surgical advances have made altering the structure of the eye (such as the cornea and the lens) possible to correct refraction problems, reducing or even eliminating the need for glasses.

3 Major Types of

Refraction Problems

■ Nearsightedness. “Myopia” occurs when the focal point of the refractive images fall in front of the retina instead of directly on it. Those with myopia can see objects that are near clearly; distant objects are blurred.

■ Farsigntedness. “Hyperopia” occurs when the focal point of the images falls behind the retina. People with hyperopia see distant objects clearly, but near objects are blurred.

■ Astigmatism. This condition occurs if the cornea’s shape is irregular, causing light rays to scatter through the lens toward the retina. Consequently, light focuses on several focal points in the eye instead of one. Astigmatism often occurs along with either farsightedness or nearsightedness. People with astigmatism have difficulty seeing fine detail close-up or at a distance. Correction requires glasses that bend light rays at various angles over the misshapen cornea.

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Reprinted from Elder Update, May/June 2006, Health and Wellness

Heart Health:

What You Need to Know

Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a “man’s disease, it is the leasing cause of death for both women and men in the United States, with women comprising 51 percent of the total heart disease deaths.

While heart disease is the number one killer of women, only 13 percent of women in a 2003 survey by the Centers for Disease Control were aware that this is their greatest health problem. Here, the term “heart disease” refers to the broadest category of “diseases of the heart,” which includes acute rheumatic fever, chronic rheumatic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, coronary heart disease, pulmonary heart disease, congestive heart failure, and any other heart condition or disease.

Studies among people with heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of dying of heart disease, having a nonfatal heart attack, and needing bypass surgery or angioplasty.

Studies among people without heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Facts About Women and Heart Disease

Heart disease is often perceived as an “older woman’s disease,” and it is the leading cause of death among women age 65 and older. However, heart disease is the third leading cause of death among women age 25-44 years of age and the second leading cause of death among women aged 45-64 years. Additionally, in 2002, death rates for heart disease were higher among black women than among white women.

There is a range of risk for heart disease depending on family and personal health history and

FLORIDA EAST COAST POST-POLIO SUPPORT GROUP - Vol. 14 #3

12 Eclipse Trail / Ormond Beach, FL 32174 / 386 676-2435

E-Mail:- bgold@iag.net -- Web Site:- home.iag.net/~bgold/polio.htm

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006

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