march/april be healthy

7/29/2019 March/April BE Healthy

1/16

BEHealthySETX.com | March/April 2013

March/Ap

201

Lieaterdeath

actor

Beatingthe

ear

KarateKids

up a notch

kick

ftness

No-nos

for

the nose


2/16

2 March/April 2013 | BE HealthySETX.com

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Photogaphy by

Guiseppe Baanco

Joshua Haltom, 10, works out at theTexas Karate Academy in BeaumontRead about the benets o youthmartial arts training on page 10.

Onthecover

8MEDICAL GUIDE

SIGNS OF SINUS ISSUES

POP UP WITH SPRING

Exper recmmend ep

keep prbem in ceck

B Cer P. Re

10STAYING FIT

YOUTH MARTIAL ARTS

OFFER MANY BENEFITS

Cncenrin nd repec cn

ep kid in c nd me

B Cer P. Re

13MIND MATTERS

OVERCOME PHOBIAS

HOLDING YOU BACK

N mer w inexpicbe r

debiiing, e cn be cured

B Ceen Ce

5 Innovations

6 Peeld To The News

15 Crossft puzzle

BE Healthy | March/April 2013 | Volume 4, Issue 2

Contents BEEditoial

Contributing WritersCATHLEEN COLE

MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNERCHERYL ROSE

Medical AdiseDR. GARRETT K. PEEL

PhotogaphyContributing Editor

GIUSEPPE BARRANCO

AtGraphic Design

AFFINITY EXPRESS

Gaphic Design ConsultantKRISTEN FLORES

AdetisingTo advertise in BE Healthy

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Contact UsBE Healthy

380 MAIN ST.BEAUMONT, TX 77701

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TO DISPLAY THE MAGAZINE

AT YOUR BUSINESS LOCATIONPLEASE CALL 409.838.2829

SUBMISSIONS

TO SUBMIT AN EVENT, ORGANIZATIONOR PERSON FOR CONSIDERATION

IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE, SUBMIT BYUSPS AT ADDRESS ABOVE.

A DIvISION Of HEArST NEwSPAPErS

PublisherBILL OFFILL

EDITOr

TIMOTHY M. KELLY

COPYRIGHT 2013THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE

Visit us online at BEHealthySETX.com

Be part o keepingSoutheast Texas green!Recycle this magazine.

14MIND MATTERS

COPING WITH LOSS

FAMILIES DISCOVER

HOW TO MOVE ON

Funer me ffer uppr

ep wi grieving prce

B Ceen Ce


5/16


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For Skin Cancer & Pre-CancerBaylor (Ben) Kurtis, M.D.

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SE Texas MedicaInnovations

Magnets oer a powerully attractive treatment or refux, heartburn

Edited b Dr. Garrett K. Peel, BE Health Medical Adviser

Gastresphageal Refx Disease

(GERD) is a chrnic, ten prgressive

disease reslting rm a weak Lwer

Esphageal Sphincter (LES).

The LINX Refx Management Ss-

tem, a small fexible band interlinked

titanim beads with magnetic cres,

agments the weak LES, restring

the bds natral barrier t refx.

The magnetic attractin between the

beads is intended t help the LES resist

pening t gastric pressres, prevent-

ing refx rm the stmach int the

esphags.

LINX is designed s that swallwing

rces tempraril break the magnetic

bnd, allwing d and liqid t pass

nrmall int the stmach. Magnetic

attractin the device is designed

t clse the LES immediatel ater

swallwing, restring the bds natral

barrier t refx.

The LINX Sstem is placed arnd

the esphags jst abve the stmach

sing a cmmn, minimall invasive

srgical techniqe called laparscp.

Patients are placed nder general

anesthesia dring the prcedre, which

generall lasts less than an hr.

The LINX Sstem des nt reqire

an anatmic alteratin the stmach.

Mst patients g hme the da ater

srger and resme a nrmal diet.

This prcedre is a new, innvative,

FDA apprved srgical treatment r

heartbrn and GERD. Dr. Christpher

Timmns, a laparscpic srgen at

PrevityClinic for Surgical Care, is ne

nl a ew srgens in the cntr

ering this new srgical treatment.

Esophagus

Management System

Stomach

LINX Refux


6/16


Electronic eye implant oers hope in cases o complete blindnesThe FDA recently approved the use o a bionic eye or patients suering complete blindness. The most

common type o retinal degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa (RP), is a progressive inherited disease that a-

ects nearly 1.5 million people around the world. Retinal implants provide hope or RP patients to regain

their sight. Initial studies show that patients could make out objects, see aces and colors, read letters and

perorm liestyle chores.

The electronic eye is a microchip, 3 millimeters by 3 millimeters, containing 1,500 that is implanted

under the retina, creating articial vision. Manuactured by Retina Implant AG, the chip needs electrical

power to unction, which it acquires inductively by transmitter coils surgically implanted under the skin.

The retinal implant absorbs the light entering the eye, transorming it into electrical energy and stimulatin

the intact nerves inside the retina. The stimulation is then transmitted to the brain through the optic nerve

resulting in an improved eld o vision.

The device consists o a tiny video camera, a video processing unit, a transmitter mounted on a pair o ey

glasses and an implanted retinal prosthesis. The cost o the device? About $150,000? Seeing again? Priceles

Breast cancer rates increase among young womenThere has been a small increase in the incidence o advanced stage breast cancer among women 25 to 39

years old, according to a recent study in JAMA. Breast cancer is the most common orm o malignant tumor in

women aged 15 to 39 and accounts or nearly 14 percent o all cancer cases in men and women in that age group

The risk o a woman developing breast cancer beore the age o 40 is 1 in 173, according to a 2008 study.

Researchers note that young women with breast cancer tend to experience more aggressive disease than

older women and have lower survival rates.

Over the past three to our decades, the incidence o distant breast cancer in young women aged 25 to 39

has gone up steadily, rom a rate o 1.53 per 100,000 in 1976 to 2.90 per 100,000 in 2009. This dierence

translates to an annual increase in incidence o 2.07 percent per year.

I you are a woman with a history o breast cancer in your amily, especially i your loved one developed

breast cancer beore 55, ask your doctor i you are candidate or an early screening mammogram.

High Calcium Supplement Intake Raises Male Cardiovascular risMen who have a high intake o calcium supplements appear to have a greater risk o CVD (cardiovascular

disease) death, researchers rom the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md., reported in JAMA Internal

Medicine. The authors noted that women do not appear to be aected in the same way. Researchers ound th

supplemental, but not dietary calcium intake, was linked to greater CVD mortality in men but not in women

The participants were ollowed up or an average o 12 years. During that period 3,874 CVD deaths in

women and 7,904 in men were identied. Just over 50 percent o the men and 70 percent o the women

regularly took calcium supplements.

The men on over 1,000 mg/day calcium supplementation had a 20 percent greater risk o total CVD dea

(including 19 percent higher heart disease and 14 percent higher cerebrovascular disease risk o death). It is

important to note that taking calcium supplements was not linked to CVD death, heart disease or cerebro-

vascular disease death among the women.

Einsteins brain, brilliance might be explained by anatomyPortions o Albert Einsteins brain have been ound to be unlike those o most people, and could be

related to his extraordinary cognitive abilities, according to a new study led by Florida State University evo

lutionary anthropologist Dean Falk.

The researchers describe or the rst time in the recent Brain, the entire cerebral cortex o Einsteins

brain rom an examination o 14 recently discovered photographs. The researchers compared Einsteins

brain to 85 normal human brains and, in light o current unctional imaging studies, interpreted its un-

usual eatures. The prerontal, somatosensory, primary motor, parietal, temporal and occipital cortices wer

extraordinary in size.

Each edition, BE Health

Medical Adviser Dr. Garrett K

Peel will cut through the previou

months medical and health new

and bring you the most relevan

and interesting tidbits to help yo

make informed health decision

PeelDtoMedicalNEWS


7/16


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Singer-songwriter Jewel will deliver the keynote

speech at the sixth annual Christus LiveWell

Womens Conerence, sponsored by Christus Hos-

pital St. Elizabeth & St. Mary and Christus Jasper

Memorial Hospital. The all-day event, showcasing

the latest in health and wellness, takes place Thurs-

day, May 9, at Ford Park.Jewels background and lie experiences give her

a unique perspective on wellness. Ater experienc-

ing homelessness as a teenager, Jewel built a highly

successul career that includes three Grammy

nominations and more than 27 million albums

sold. A resident o Stephenville, Texas, Jewel will

release a greatest hits album Feb. 5.

The Christus LiveWell Womens Conerence is

all about inspiring women to take charge o their

lives and their health, so Jewel is a perect choice

or this years keynote speaker, said Rebecca How-

ard, conerence lead. Jewels lie experiences have

given her a wealth o knowledge and experience onorging your own path to success.

Jewels presentation at the Christus LiveWell

Womens Conerence will ocus on overcom-

ing lies challenges and achieving success. Her

speech will also reect on her new role as a

mother and her long-time dedication to humani-

tarian causes.

Jewel and her husband, world-champion bull

riding star Ty Murray, welcomed son Kase Townes

in 2011.

Inspired by her pregnancy with Kase, Jewel re-

leased a collection o songs or children, The MerryGoes Round, which iTunes named Childrens Al-

bum o the Year in 2011. In September 2012, Jewel

released the childrens book Thats What Id Do,

a picture book that includes a CD o her singing a

gentle lullaby rom a mother to child.

She ounded a non-prot charity oundation,

Project Clean Water, to help millions o people by

providing clean water on a global scale. Since Proj-

ect Clean Water began in 1997, the oundation has

helped more than 30 communities in 13 dierent

countries on ve dierent continents.

Jewel continues the Christus LiveWell Womens

Conerence tradition o choosing inspiring, high-prole celebrities to deliver the keynote speech.

Past speakers include actresses Helen Hunt in 2012

and Hilary Swank in 2011.

Visit www.Christuslivewell.org to or

inormation.

Jewel t headline LiveWell cnerence


8/16


Ninety percent o sinus

problems start with a virus, said

Dr. E. Linn Hearteld, an otolar-

yngologist in Beaumont. Most

start with a common cold, and

then it goes into a viral sinusitis

with acial pain, discolored dis-

charge and nasal blockage. Many

people have allergic propensities

that make them more prone to

sinusitis.

When the small openings

in the sinuses become blocked,

impeding the ow o air and

drainage, it sets the stage or

pain and inammation, said Dr.

Ranjit Singh o the Allergy and

Asthma Clinic in Beaumont and

Port Arthur. You may think you

need an antibiotic immediately,

but what you need is or the

sinuses to open up so you can

breathe better, he said.

Singh described the unc-

tion o the small cavities around

the nose and eyes that orm the

sinuses. They are like small

caves, with the same lining as

the nose throat and mouth, he

said. They act as a lter obv r

the body. They lter out par-ticulate matter, kill bacteria, hu-

midiy and warm the air beore

reaches the lungs.

When the nose becomes

clogged, people begin to breath

through their mouths, which

dries up secretions, causing a

post-nasal drip that can irritate

the throat and stimulate cough

ing, he said.

Both specialists said i you a

experiencing severe pain and e

ver, visit your general physician

I symptoms are more akin to abad cold or an allergy are-up,

Treatment or painul sinuscongestion oten startswith inhaled options

By ChERyl RosE

WhenSnifes Turn

Serious

medical guide

I your sinuses are throbbing thisspring, you have plenty o company.Approximately 37 million Americanssuer rom sinusitis each year,according to the American Academy oOtolaryngologists. When experiencing

the acial pain and headaches caused by blockedsinuses, patients oten assume they have aninection and request antibiotics. However, in most

cases, the cause is either allergy-induced or viral.

SINuSITISSyMPToMS

Facialpain/pressu Nasalstufness Nasaldischarge Lossofsmell Cough/congestion Snoring Sleepproblems Badbreath


9/16


home treatments can oer relie.

Both emphasized the benets o

normal saline spray.

The rst line o treatment

is an inexpensive saline nasal

spray, using three to our pus

a day to thin mucus and open

up sinuses, Singh said. These

days, medicine is very expensive,

but something like saline spray,

you can buy or $2 at the drugstore.

I symptoms last longer than

ve to 10 days, a doctor may take

a culture to see i there is a germ

at work, Hearteld said. I the

cause has an allergic basis, a na-

sal steroid and/or nasal antihis-

tamine may be prescribed. The

steroids dont go into the body

signicantly, he said. They are

very common and very eec-

tive, primarily or allergies, but

will also help with u, cold andchemical irritants.

Repeated bouts o sinusitis

or sinus inection are considered

chronic and may require dier-

ent treatment depending on the

underlying cause. Among diag-

nostic options, Hearteld may

use cultures, CT scans or allergy

testing. I someone is having

multiple inections, the CT scan

can be done in about 10 seconds

in a diagnostic center and it

shows what is going on with the

plumbing in the patients head,

he said. Allergy testing is very

simple and sae. Allergy injec-

tions can be given to prevent

sinus problems and they really

work well.

In some recurrent cases,

particularly i polyps have

developed, surgery may be the

next step. The surgery is done

microscopically through the

nostril, enlarging the sinuses

and allowing them to drain

and unction, Hearteld said.Its an outpatient procedure.

Normally, less than three to ve

percent o the surgeries have to

be repeated.

The newest method or treat-

ing blockages is called balloon

sinoplasty, a minimally invasive

procedure that can be done in

the doctors ofce, Hearteld

said. A balloon inserted in the

sinus cavity expands the tissue

without removing any tissue.

Singh believes the keyor sinus suerers is to take

preventive measures. Most

people get symptoms and

then seek treatment, he said.

Oten, they have been sick or

so long they need medication

or immediate relie. However,

i they used something simpler,

such as the nasal saline, on a

regular basis, they might not

need as much medication. Once

they understand a long-term

management program or the

sinuses, it goes a long way in

helping them with better qual-

ity o lie.

Accrding t the Asthma and AllergFoundation,oneinveAmericansreprts sering rm allergies. Inhmid Stheast Texas, allerg-indcing irritants abnd. The height spring allerg seasn rns rmlate Febrar thrgh the end

April in Stheast Texas, Singh said.Tree pllens and mlds are the mstcmmn triggers in this seasn.

Allerg Seasn Alert

BEN192775902


10/16


11/16


Once you improve the mind and body state, its

denitely going to improve the receptivity to learn-

ing, she said.Dr. Carl Hubbell o Beaumont Pediatrics Center

also views martial arts as more than physical exer-

cise. These programs are designed to help struc-

ture the kids so that they learn when to be quiet

and how to wait their turn, he said. The major

ocus they have is on a rigorous, disciplined envi-

ron- ment where they practice, practice,

practice things until they get

good enough to advance. Its

about handling your body. Its

designed or the person achiev-

ing goals through discipline.

David Howells, owner andsensei o Beaumont Tae-

kwondo and Jiu-Jitsu, said

people oten assume the

greatest benet o martial arts

or kids is sel-deense, but he

sees much more at work.

What we dont think about is how it helps

them every single day o their lives, he said.

The numbers o times Ive had to physically

deend mysel are slim to none, but listening

and concentration are skills I use every day.

I youre having issues at school with grades

or social skills, being in a martial arts class

helps you.

Physical benefts

For tness, martial arts oer kids a

good cardiovascular workout, Hubbell

said. Also, coordination, balance, ex-

ibility its like dancing, youre teaching

them timing, he said. Its very similar

to choreographed dance, very similar

to ballet.

Lori Haltom has both a son and a

daughter who participated in dance beore be-

coming involved in martial arts classes. Her son,

Joshua, traded dance or karate, but her daughter,Natalie, does both. Karate has beneted Natalie

dance, said the Beaumont mom. They comple-

ment each other.

Mike Berryhill, owner and sensei o Texas

Karate Academy in Beaumont, believes martial ar

training enhances all other sports. Its huge on

hand-eye coordination, he said. You gain exib

ity within a ew weeks, as well as core strength an

building muscle memory in the body.

However, unlike many team sports, students a

actively participating or the entire class. They

arent in the outeld or sitting on the bench wher

no one is paying attention, Berryhill said.Goldbeck sees the major physical benet as be

ing bilateral and cross-lateral movements that wo

both sides o the body and thereore both sides o

the brain, which is not necessarily true o all trad

tional sports. When a child develops balance and

coordination, he or she achieves physical order an

body image improves, she said. Motor skills mu

be learned just like language skills.

Focused attention

Howells describes a typical youth session as 3

seconds o leader input and three minutes o hig

intensity movement, repeated again and again.

There is a moment when you have to sit downand listen, going rom high-intensity energy to

cused, listening positions just like that, he said

For Goldbeck, this is a key opportunity or

impulse control to develop. It gives kids training

to wait on directional inormation, then get it orga

nized in their minds beore acting on it, she said.

You have to process the verbal direction and then

execute it with movement.

For kids under 7, Goldbeck said the many

movement patterns in martial arts eectively

Lri Haltm was tired sitting n the bench.However,42yearsoldandnotparticularlyt,shewas skeptical abt starting smething as chal-lenging as martial arts training.

I was sitting n m backside r tw hrs ada watching the kids d this, while I was tired allthe time and had n energ, she said. I thght,

Wh cant I d this t? She jined her childrens class, learning the

techniqes and wrking t with the ther kidsand the ew adlts als in the class. Ater abta mnth, I walked dierent, I was standing taller, Istarted shedding pnds and inches, Haltm said.Ive gne dwn a pant and shirt size. What I lvedis that it jst made me eel better and gave memre fexibilit. I can bend dwn and nt ne part m bd hrts.

Berrhill believes training tgether is excellentr parents and kids, and des it with his wnelementar-age sn. It prvides ne-n-ne timeding smething dierent, he said. When parentsand kids cme in and hld a shield r each thert kick, its a ttall dierent cnnectin level.

Hwells separates children and adlt beginners,

bt he believes sharing the sprt is a valablecnnectin. At his lcatin, he has a grandatherand grandsn that reglarl train tgether. Its nething t sa, Its gd r , bt then i jmpt n the mat and d it with r child, then whata statement re making abt being health.

Haltm agrees. The kids knw Mmm wantedt be health, she said. It shws them that nmatter what age, can still d things. I eel theare ver prd me.

Blocking Family Time

The Haltom am


12/16


increase body awareness. With

older kids, she said the more

complex patterns learned as

they progress in training re-

quire more coordination o thehemispheres o the brain, which

helps with mental ocus.

The rst thing I see im-

provement in with younger

children is a decrease in impul-

sivity, she said. The next thing

is the ability to move through the

Steps to Success: listening, ol-

lowing directions, organization

o the body and mind.

Confdenceand respect

Berryhill believes the major

benets or little kids and teens

participating in martial arts are

condence and an I can at-

titude. Haltom agrees, saying she

sees more condence in both her

children.

Natalie can be shy and this

has given her the condence she

needs, Haltom said. Joshua

likes to be the center o atten-

tion, so this has taught him

about sportsmanship and how to

win and lose graceully.

Haltom also appreciates the

required respectul attitude. As a

dad, Howells has noticed how in

some o his childrens extracur-

ricular activities, hal the group is

playing or talking when the adult

leader is talking. That wouldnthappen in a martial arts class.

The class has a sense o or-

der, structure and discipline, he

said. A little guy or girl is taught

how to make a polite greeting.

Those ormalities and respectul

behavior changes the way you

think. Martial arts changes the

way they live and deal with nega-

tive inuence in society.

Hbbell said parents shld takethe same precatins the wld

bere starting their child in ancntact sprt. The shld lk ra reptable prgram and teacherswith experience training children.

The shld discss the sprt withtheir phsician i the child has

a medical cnditin, particlarlkidne r ee prblems. The childshld have the apprpriate prtec-tive gear at all times.

PARENTAL PRECAuTIoNS

Joshua, Lori and Natalie Haltom


13/16


In too deep

As a child, Amie James would

go skiing with her amily on the

Neches River and area lakes, but

she was deathly araid o what

lurked beneath her in the dark

water. She didnt swim well, and

she didnt eel sae even when

wearing a lie jacket. It was ter-

riying, she remembered. I hada ear o deep, dark water spe-

cically creatures in the water.

She also had a near-drowning

experience on a water parks

inner-tube ride when she was

young, which exacerbated her

phobia. Ive had that close en-

counter with drowning, she said.

As an adult, James wanted to

overcome her ear. I was tired o

being araid o it, she said, add-

ing that she elt she couldnt save

hersel i she had to. I I could

swim, I wouldnt be araid. She

started swimming at Christus

Health & Wellness Center to gain

more stamina and condence in

the water. Eventually, she started

practicing in lakes or the goal o

swimming in a triathlon a com-petition involving swimming,

cycling and running.

In 2012, James participated

in her rst triathlon, but a storm

had rolled in and the lake was

choppy. It was absolutely ter-

riying, she admitted. What

was neat was that I didnt panic.

Instead she hung onto a lie-

guards oat to rest a bit beore

swimming to shore. It was a

huge step or her. The No. 1

thing you need to learn to con-

trol is your mind, she explained.

Be prepared. Stay calm. Float.

Relax. Act instead o react. Its

important to learn these skills.

Dr. Carmen Kaimann o

Beaumont Psychological Ser-

vices explains that ear o the

water and other natural envi-

ronments oten have childhoodonsets. James used systematic

desensitization to overcome her

ear o the water, Kaimann said.

Explaining it another way, its

like an inoculation not a u

shot but a ear shot. The ear is

introduced a little bit at a time in

order to produce immunity to it.

As an adult, you have more cog-

nitive resources, Kaimann said.

As a kid, you dont have that. As

an adult, shes in control.

As or James deciding toovercome her ear, Kaimann un-

derstands this well. The devil

you dont know is worse than the

devil you do know, she believes.

Bridge over

troubled waterJonathan Belmar recently

developed a ear o driving on

bridges over large bodies o wa-

ter. It started in August when h

was in New Orleans ater Hur-

ricane Isaac had blown through

and the weather was still wild.

He had to travel across the Lak

Pontchartrain Causeway as the

heavy winds bueted his truck

and whipped the waters below

into a renzy. It was a new

experience, and I wasnt ready

or it, he said, adding that heeared the truck might go o th

bridge. Every time he looked at

the water, he got more nervous

and tense. I got really antsy, h

remembered. I never experi-

enced that beore.

Now when Belmar goes over

bridges, he gets anxious. He say

its not a ull-out panic attack,

but his heart does beat aster. I

he doesnt look at the water, he

OK. Instead he listens to music

and concentrates on the trafc ront o him, trying to block his

peripheral vision. While I ear

doing it, its something I have to

do, he realizes.

Situational phobias like

Belmars oten come on in child

hood or in a persons mid-20s,

Kaimann explained. Belmar,

who is 23, uses distraction as

his coping mechanism. Ac-

cording to Kaimann, its likely,

however, that his ear o bridge

over water could morph into a

ear o heights or a ear o driv-

ing. Phobias can spread, so to

speak, she said.

Conquering earThe good news is that phobi

can be cured, as James ound

out through her sel-prescribed

inoculations. One treatment is

cognitive behavioral therapy,

in which a person is taught to

change negative thoughts into

positive ones. Coping strategies

are taught that include distrac-tion and positive visualization.

Theres also relaxation training

Mental-health proessionals

recommend proessional counse

ing i the phobia intereres with

the persons daily lie. I you

spend an inordinate amount o

time thinking about it or worry-

ing about it, Kaimann says, I

think you should get some help

Phobias those illogical, exaggeratedand sometimes inexplicable earso objects or situations. Snakes,insects, airplane travel, tunnels,elevators, traic jams, crowds,heights you name it, someone

you know is probably araid o it. Sometimes itsa nonissue, especially i the perceived problem

is easily avoided. But when the ear starts tointerere with your lie, mental-health experts sayits time to ace it and overcome your phobia.

Overcome the phobias that get inthe way o your happiness

By CathlEEN ColE

FearFactor

mind matters


14/16


Getting betterIn 1998, Tom Broussard

created the continuing care

program at his amilys uneral

home business with the help o a

licensed proessional counselor.

We have always seen and talked

about the struggles o amilies

dealing with the death o some-

one they loved, he said. Thetransition is a long one.

The grie program he started

is a way the Broussard amily

gives back to the community,

he said. All we wanted was or

people to get better.

Getting Better: A road to

healing is a ree eight-week pro-

gram oered quarterly through-

out the year at Broussards

Centre in Beaumont. Open to all

members o the community, the

support group meets Tuesdays at

6 p.m. and is led by Chuck Olli,

a licensed proessional counselor

who also has a private practice.

The sessions cover grie

orientation; stress and anxiety;

depression; the cycle o grie;

the levels o need; reestablishinga oundation that includes per-

sonal development, health, social

support, nances and spiritual-

ity; a spiritual lesson; and an

honor dinner to remember

and honor the loved ones who

have died.

In my opinion, the ultimate

goal is to reclaim the strength

they already have, Olli said.

I want them to recapture that

sense o condence that God has

given them.

When counseling those who

are grieving, Olli uses the anal-

ogy o looking up a mountain

or looking down a mountain.

When you look up a mountain,

you realize you havent reached

the top and your struggle isnt

over. Look down the mountain

to see how ar youve come, he

advises.

Some group members have

trouble talking at rst. They are

not pressured to and eventually

they open up. Others never say

a word but continue to come to

each meeting and listen. Some

people have a need, Olli said.

They just dont know how to

express it. Some mourners ask

the counselor i the grie everends. Grie never ends, he

answers. You just become so

much stronger.

Road to recovery

Claybar Kelley-Watkins Fu-

neral Home oers a ree, recur-

ring our-week program called

Recovering rom the Losses o

Lie. The support group meets

at 6 p.m. or our consecutive

Monday evenings at the Clayba

Family Center in Beaumont. Al

community members, not just

clients, are welcome. The goal i

to help equip people with sever

tools or coping with grie and

help them move rom anguish t

acceptance.

The group is led by John

Brian, who is licensed as a

master o social work and is the

bereavement coordinator or

Odyssey Hospice. He acilitates

discussion on our main topics.

Week one covers understand-

ing where people are in grie

recovery. Week two helps them

identiy skills in lie that theyv

used beore to get them throug

tough times. Week three ad-

dresses applying the mourners

skills to help with their currentlosses. Week our helps them

move orward with their lives

with the question, Where do w

go rom here?

We are trying to help them

get back on the road to recov-

ery, Brian said. He emphasize

that the mourners will always

miss the people they lost. The

purpose is not to orget them.

GettingThrough the

GrieArea support groupshelp mourners move on

By CathlEEN ColE

C

oping with the death o someoneyou love can be daunting. Justbecause the uneral is over doesntmean the grie is over. Two localuneral homes are aware o theneed or grie-support services

and oer ree support groups to help mournersrecover rom their losses and move on with theirlives.

>


15/16


The goal is to get back to liv-

ing their lives. Everyone goes

through grie dierently, he

explained, adding, Theres no

set time. Theres no set way.

Why do people come to these

support groups? People oten

seek outside help because they

dont want to burden their am-

ily, Brian said. It gives them an

opportunity to talk and get a-rmation that theyre going to be

OK. It helps to tell your story,

he said.

John Everitt, director o

operations at Claybar Kelley-

Watkins, believes it makes

sense or a uneral home to oer

grie-support services. Funeral

homes are the grie and death

experts in the community, he

said. The amilies we serve are

going through such a transitional

time.Oering the support group

is a way to help people get back

into the daily routine o living,

Everitt said. It can make the tran-

sition easier, he said, adding, Its

not just the uneral and thats it.

Grief Support

Broussards Centre

1775 Calder Ave., Beaumont

(409) 832-1621

broussardsmortuary.com

Claybar Family Center

1155 N. 11th St., Beaumont

(409) 892-3456

claybaruneralhome.com

Catholic Charities ofSoutheast Texas

Elijahs Place (grie support

services or children)

2780 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont

(409) 924-4426

catholiccharitiesbmt.org

Family Services ofSoutheast Texas

3550 Fannin St., Beaumont

(409) 833-2668westrengthenamilies.org

Samaritan Counseling Centerof Southeast Texas

7980 Anchor Dr., Port Arthur

(409) 727-6400

scc.set.org

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16/16

16 March/April 2013 | BE HealthySETX com

Altus Patient Navigator ProgramHelping Patients Find their Way

Experience the Altus Difference

The possibility of a cancer diagnosis can be a frightening, confusing and overwhelming experience. But at Altus

Cancer Centers, we give our patients refuge from this uncertainty by offering personalized services that other

hospital-based cancer centers cant provide.

Our Patient Navigator can assist your patient through the complex andoften daunting health care system. Specifically, we can assist with:

Explaining abnormal test results and provide education about a diagnosis

Schedule diagnostic procedures (PET, CT, MRI), biopsy (stereolactic, needle guided or open)

Refer directly to our Board-Certified team of Medical Oncologists and Radiation Oncologists

at a location convenient for your patient

Conduct genetic testing and counseling and education

Additionally, our Patient Navigator will:

Serve as a liaison and facilitate communication between all members of the treatment team

Facilitate rapid turn-around time on scheduling of tests and diagnosis

Help patients and families set realistic expectations related to therapy Identify valuable resources for transportation, lodging and prescription assistance

The Altus Patient Navigator Program redefines the patient experience to ensure quality outcomes by combining

knowledge and skills with the support, compassion and spirituality that our patients deserve.

To refer one of your patients to our Patient Navigator, please call us at 409.981.5517.

310 N. 11th Street, Beaumont, Texas 77702

409 981 5510 Fax: 409 981 5511 www AltusHMS com

Our Patient Navigator can assist you through the complex and often

daunting health care system. Specically, we can assist with:

Explaining abnormal test results and provide

education about a diagnosis

Schedule diagnostic procedures (PET, CT, MRI),

biopsy (stereotatic, needle guided or open)

Refer directly to our Board-Certifed team of

Medical Oncologists and Radiation Oncologists

Conduct genetic testing and counseling

and education

Identify transportation, lodging and

pharmaceutical assistance programs

The possibility of a cancer diagnosis can be a frightening, confusing and overwhelming

experience. At Altus Cancer Centers, we provide refuge from this uncertainty by offering

personalized services that other hospital-based cancer centers cant provide.

Dr. Harry Smith is a member of our team

of board-certied Medical Oncologists.

Experience the Altus Difference

310 N. 11th Street, Beaumont, Texas 77702

For more information about Altus Patient Navigator Program

please call us at 409.981.5517.

A Cancer Diagnosis Can Be Frightening.

Your Journey Through Treatment Doesnt Have To B

march/april be healthy

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