50plus Life Dauphin County – October 2023

Nurse Nancy Autumnal Herbs

It is October; the air is beginning to turn crisp, and the leaves will change from green to blazing colors of orange, red, and yellow.

And along with these wonders of fall come the smells of rosemary, thyme, and other popular autumnal herbs. In addition to their deliciousness, these herbs also boast some excellent health benefits.

Using herbs in everyday cooking is becoming more popular. Culinary herbs are aromatic, edible plants used in small amounts to flavor dishes. Chefs and home cooks use fresh and dried herbs to make sweet and savory dishes, ranging from rich sauces to light salads and herb-laced baked goods.

As well as their culinary uses, people used herbs for centuries for medicinal purposes. Many today still prefer to use natural herbal remedies to cure ailments, and more people are turning to natural foods and fresh herbs to stay healthy.

Thyme: A Truly Timeless Ancient Herb

Thyme is an evergreen herb renowned for its use as both a culinary and a medicinal herb. It should be one of the first herbs in your spice collection as

thyme is one of the most basic, versatile, and oftenused herbs in almost any cuisine.

Thyme’s flavor is earthy and sweet, with a slightly minty taste. Warm, peppery undertones add depth to the flavor profile.

Thyme contains impressive amounts of essential vitamins and nutrients: vitamins C and A, fiber, copper, iron, and manganese.

It is known to stimulate the liver, aid digestion, and enhance the appetite. Thyme effectively treats diarrhea and gum and mouth infections and fights against various digestive and respiratory diseases.

This herb relieves sufferers of asthma, dry coughs, bronchitis, laryngitis, and whooping cough. Thyme is a potent antioxidant that protects the body from many of the adverse effects of aging.

Thyme is used in almost every type of cuisine. Traditional uses include seasoning blends for poultry stuffings and marinades, fish sauces, soups and chowders, and lamb and veal.

Eggs and custards seasoned with thyme are delicious. Italian spaghetti sauces rely on thyme to add a warm and earthy flavor, and it is a standard component

Nancy J. Schaaf

of pizza sauce.

Thyme as an herbal tea is a popular health drink with a light flavor and numerous vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Of all the herbs utilized in cooking, thyme is undoubtedly one of the most versatile.

Rosemary: The Herb of Remembrance

Rosemary is a perennial herb and is incredibly fragrant, with needlelike leaves and flowers that may be white, pink, blue, or purple. It is highly aromatic and spicy and the most potent standalone herb in the kitchen.

Rosemary’s various aromas and flavors have a distinct and complex range; each aroma and taste within the herb perfectly complements the others.

This herb has a pronounced lemon-pine flavor but is also woodsy and peppery. The scent is tea-like, similar to charred wood, making it highly compatible with barbecued dishes.

A distinctive mustard-like aroma is produced when rosemary leaves are roasted with meats or vegetables. A release of aromas, including pine, menthol, and pepper, is noticed when cooking or handling the leaves of this herb.

This fantastic, unique flavor profile is something that only rosemary provides, and it blends extraordinarily well with a vast array of dishes.

Modern science indicates this herb increases memory and concentration. Its piney and energizing camphor aroma can lift one’s mood while helping to fight mental fatigue and promote alertness.

While memory improvement is rosemary’s best-known benefit, this herb can offer many others.

Rosemary is a natural insect repellent, muscle relaxant, antioxidant, and analgesic agent. It increases digestive health while decreasing fatigue and sluggishness. It softens and tones the skin when added to cosmetics and skincare products.

Rosemary is a staple in traditional Italian cuisine. Fresh or dried leaves pair beautifully with various dishes, including root vegetables, pasta, sauces, fresh cheeses, breads, poultry, and lamb.

Rosemary is used to infuse oil, sauces, and syrups. Its complex flavor combines exceptionally well with mushrooms, grains, sausage, and seafood. The wonderfully fresh taste and unique aroma of rosemary infuse a dish with its entire range of flavors, giving each culinary creation an earthiness and pungent herbal bite that no other herb can produce. Rosemary is an absolute staple with uses that can benefit anyone.

Rosemary and thyme are two herbs that should be in every kitchen. Not only are they flavorful, but they also boast remarkable health benefits. So, go into the kitchen, cut a few herbs, and care for yourself deliciously.

Nancy J. Schaaf, a retired RN, worked as a school nurse, a nurse supervisor at a men’s prison, and a health educator. She earned her BSN at Edinboro University. She is a freelance writer whose health articles appear in magazines throughout the U.S. and Canada. She can be reached at nancyjschaaf@gmail.com.

Cover Story An Unusual Arteast

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By Lynda Hudzick

Susan Marcorelle-Kroeck has loved art, all kinds of art, since she was in elementary school.

“I remember in third grade, my teacher would always ask me to design the bulletin boards at school,” she said.

“I always liked using my imagination; when I go for a walk, looking at different things like the bark on the ground … and seeing what I can paint. I just think it is important to use your imagination.”

These days, this Lancaster County mother and grandmother particularly enjoys painting on recycled materials of many kinds, including old pieces of wood, cloth, apple crates, and her personal favorite: used teabags.

Member of

It is definitely an unusual canvas, but it’s something she thought about doing back in her high school days. She decided to give it a try after meeting with a distant cousin, also an artist, who paints on teabags.

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“She asked if I ever painted on teabags … that just lit a spark, and I said, ‘I’ve always wanted to try that’ — and that is when I got started painting on teabags,” Kroeck said.

So how does one actually turn a used teabag into a canvas for a miniature work of art?

“After my husband enjoys a hot cup of tea, I let the teabag dry out,” Kroeck said. “I open it up and then just get started painting on it with acrylics or watercolors.”

She favors painting on tiny things because “I just need a tiny dab of paint … and then I can just start to paint my picture. I like to do landscapes of places I have been.”

Each painting takes about three days because “I go back to it and if I don’t like it, I’ll start over,” Kroeck said.

She starts working in mid-autumn on the handmade teabag Christmas cards she sends out each year.

“It takes a while,” she said. “My kitchen table and countertop are usually filled with teabags that are laid out all over the place so I can do one step at a time.”

Her process involves painting all of the backgrounds first and then going back and doing the chosen scene for the card that year.

“I make 35 Christmas cards each year. I enjoy seeing how many people put them out every Christmas and keep them year after year,” Kroeck said.

Putting a smile on the faces of those who are lucky enough to receive one of her creations makes all the work worth it. Her very first piece of teabag art was created to bring joy to a resident at Moravian Manor, where she worked at the time.

“She had her tea, and I said, ‘Can I have your teabag to paint on?’ She could not believe it, so I took it home … and painted a little pot of flowers and put it in a frame and gave it to her,” Kroeck said.

“She was so surprised … it makes me happy to create my art and when people tell me they still have it today.”

Although most of her artwork is created as gifts for friends and family, Kroeck recalls once being asked to create a piece with a food theme for the Taste of Lititz Art auction.

“I painted up five teabags with teacups on them and framed it. It was displayed in one of the store windows. My daughter overhead someone saying

Painted-teabag Christmas sweaters.

Kroeck sometimes branches out into other “upcycled” artwork, including this papier-mâché Halloween witch made from an empty Wesson Oil bottle and a brown bag.

they thought it was a print, and she told them it was one of my paintings. They couldn’t believe it was real because of how small the details were.”

For Kroeck, creating her pieces is a relaxing hobby, and often her subject is inspired by a holiday.

“My last one was May Day,” she said. “I imagined a little girl holding a basket, and I just went from there.”

She hand-painted flowers and cut them out, and then used the teabag strings, painted green, as the stems.

“I painted a little basket on cardboard and cut that out, and then I took the inside of the tea and I sprinkled that on the bottom to make it look like dirt,” Kroeck said.

There is a great sense of accomplishment for Kroeck when she completes a piece, “especially if it came out well,” she said. “I love to look back at my art and remember what I have made and the places I have gone that inspired my paintings.”

She has kept artwork from all the way back to her middle school years, and she treasures the fact that much of it tells the story of her life.

There are many ways people can express themselves artistically, and Kroeck truly believes that all people have a creative side just waiting to flourish.

“Whether it is painting, or sewing, or other crafts, or even just day-to-day life as people work through problems creatively. I love to see what my children

sew and create,” Kroeck said.

She enjoys finding reusable things around the house to create pieces of art with her grandchildren.

“I love seeing them using their imaginations and being creative,” she said. “My really young grandchildren love to see how the colors mix and what new colors can be made.”

Kroeck’s oldest grandson put it this way when asked how he feels about his grandmother’s artwork:

“I have always liked looking at my grandma’s art. I love the stories behind the art. I love to create my own art. My personal favorite thing to draw is houses and buildings. Someday I want to be an architect. My grandma’s creativity and art have inspired me to continue to create.”

The best art teacher, according to Kroeck, is your own imagination and creativity — you just have to be willing to take a chance and express yourself without worrying about striving for perfection.

One of her biggest inspirations is nature, with all of its beautiful imperfections.

“There is no wrong when it comes to art,” Kroeck said. “I would advise everybody to go out into nature and take inspiration from what is around them.”

Kroeck creates an annual photo book of the teabag art she made during the year.

Kroeck paints at her kitchen table using an assortment of small brushes.

Kroeck’s subjects range from flowers, landscapes, and figures to animals and even the Philly Phanatic.

Home Care ServiCeS & HoSPiCe ProviderS

Listings with a screened background have additional information about their services in a display advertisement in this edition. This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

DEDICATED NuRSINg ASSOCIATES, INC.

(570) 523-1810

www.dedicatednurses.com

Home Aides: Yes

Year Est.: 2006

Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York

RNs: Yes

LPNs: Yes

CNAs: Yes

Medicare Certified?: Yes

Other Certifications and Services: DNA is dedicated to all of your home care needs. Our services include, but are not limited to: bathing, dressing, feeding, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands, respite, community integration, socialization, recreational activities, and appointments.

HOME INSTEAD

(717) 832-2222

www.homeinstead.com/696

Year Est.: 2007

Counties Served: Lancaster

RNs: Yes

LPNs: No

CNAs: No

Home Aides: Yes

L ANDIS AT HOME (717) 509-5800 www.landisathome.org

Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: Graceful transitions – move management, downsizing; senior servant – bookkeeping; and transportation.

PATRIOT HOME CARE

(717) 798-9008 www.patriothomecare.org

Year Est.: 2008

Counties Served: Lebanon

RNs: No

LPNs: No

CNAs: No

Home Aides: Yes

Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: Respite care, companionship, light housekeeping, personal care, medicine reminders, meal prep, dress assist, transport services, community engagement.

HOMELAND AT HOME

www.homelandathome.org

Year Est.: 2018

Counties Served: Adams, Berks, Centre, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, York

RNs: No

LPNs: No

CNAs: No

Home Aides: Yes

Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services:

Act 150, aging waiver, OBRA waiver, COMMCARE waiver, independent waiver, and attendant care waiver. Meal prep, companionship, light housekeeping, laundry, medication reminders, errands, bathing, community engagement, and personal care.

PLANET HOME HEALTHCARE, LLC (717) 941-2230 www.planethhc.com

Homeland Hospice: (717) 221-7890

Year Est.: 2008

Homeland Palliative Care: (717) 857-7403

Year Est.: 2022

Homeland HomeCare: (717) 221-7892

Year Est.: 2016

Homeland HomeHealth: (717) 412-0166

Year Est.: 2017

Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland*, Dauphin*, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon*, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry*, Schuylkill, Snyder, York*

*Homeland HomeHealth currently serves five of 14 counties.

RNs: Yes

LPNs: Yes

CNAs/Home Aides: Yes

Direct Care Workers: Yes

PT/OT/Speech Therapists: Yes

Social Workers: Yes

Spiritual Counselors: Yes

Complementary Therapies: Yes

Medicare Certified: Yes

Other Certifications and Services: Homeland at Home is a community outreach of Homeland Center, a nonprofit CCRC that has served our region with excellent and benevolent care since 1867.

Our expert team is dedicated to providing a continuum of At Home services—from nonmedical personal assistance to skilled nursing and compassionate care. We are privileged to care for you and your loved ones … any place you call “home.”

We offer 13 months of bereavement support as well as community and staff educational programs. Please call for details.

Year Est.: 2016

Counties Served: Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties and beyond

RNs: Yes

LPNs: Yes

CNAs: Yes

Home Aides: Yes

Medicare Certified?: Yes

Other Certifications and Services: CHAP certified

SPIRITRuST LuTHERAN HOME CARE & HOSPICE (800) 840-9081 www.spiritrustlutheran.org

Year Est.: 1978

Counties Served: South-central through northeastern Pennsylvania and northern Maryland

RNs: Yes

LPNs: Yes

CNAs: Yes

Home Aides: Yes

Medicare Certified?: Yes

Other Certifications and Services:

Home health care, in-home support, hospice care, palliative care, grief support, Medicaid certified. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Home Care ServiCeS & HoSPiCe ProviderS

Listings with a screened background have additional information about their services in a display advertisement in this edition. This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

VISITINg ANgELS

(717) 652-8899

www.visitingangels.com/harrisburg

Year Est.: 2003

Counties Served: Cumberland, Dauphin

RNs: No

LPNs: No

CNAs: No

Home Aides: Yes

Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: Visiting Angels is a leading provider of elder care since 1998. We help older adults live independently and comfortably in their own homes. Services are customized and tailored for best outcomes.

The Beauty in Nature Antarctic Krill

Several species of krill, which are crustaceans related to shrimp, crayfish, and crabs, are abundant in all oceans on Earth.

Antarctic krill, which inhabit the southern oceans that completely surround icebound Antarctica, are 2.5 inches long — small in size, but big in their role near the bottom of numerous food chains in those waters.

Krill have several swimming legs to move forward, but they jet backward with a powerful forward flip of their rears to escape predators. They use comb-like front appendages as “baskets” to snare tiny food items from ocean water and have gills to take oxygen from that water.

Scientists estimate there are over 379 million tons of Antarctic krill, and there are over 350 trillion individual Antarctic krill living in large swarms in ocean water under the Antarctic pack ice. Some gatherings of this kind of krill are so huge they can be seen from space.

As filter feeders, Antarctic krills’ front appendages collect free-floating phytoplankton (one-cell algae), zooplankton, and diatoms from the open ocean. Those tiny bits of food are then passed by the filters to the krills’ mouths. This kind of krill also scrapes off and consumes the abundant green algae attached to the underside of the Antarctic pack ice on southern oceans. Sunlight shines through the ice, encouraging the growth of those algae.

A key species, krill are one of the largest biomasses on Earth because of their tremendously abundant food supplies. Therefore, krill are the main food of baleen whales, crab-eater seals, penguins, fish, squid, and other marine creatures around Antarctica.

Living exclusively on pack ice around beautiful and wild Antarctica, crabeater seals are the most common seals in the world because of the overwhelming abundance of krill.

Dwelling in the Southern Hemisphere, Antarctic krill spawn from January to

March. Each female produces up to 10,000 eggs, which male krill fertilize. Those eggs sink in the ocean, but the larvae swim to the surface after hatching and feed on microscopic plankton.

And like all crustaceans, krill must periodically shed their exoskeleton (outer shell) to be able to grow. They mature in two or three years and live up to six years, if not eaten.

Krill are important in the southern oceans for the number of marine creatures that ingest them. Krill annually produce one of the largest biomasses of wildlife on Earth. They turn plankton in the open ocean and algae under ice shelves into food (themselves) that larger marine creatures eat. Oceans around intriguing Antarctica would be much poorer without Antarctic krill. They are near the base of several food chains of who eats whom.

Clyde McMillan-Gamber

Photo by Professor Dr. Habil, en.wikipedia.org. Antarctic krill

if you would like to be featured on this important page, please contact your marketing consultant or call (717) 285-1350.

A nature blog by Clyde McMillan-Gamber, retired Lancaster County Parks naturalist and longtime 50 plus

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Yosemite National Park

It Was 50 Years Ago Today

‘Midnight train to Georgia’

randal Hill

For superstar Gladys Knight, recording “Midnight Train to Georgia” was probably like singing poignant lines from a diary.

“I was going through the exact same thing that I was [singing] about when recording,” she once said, “which is probably why it sounds so personal.”

The story begins with singer-songwriter Jim Weatherly. An all-star quarterback for his Mississippi high school’s football team, he also formed a band as a teenager and began writing original songs. Upon graduation, he chose music over a possible athletic career.

Weatherly moved to Los Angeles to try his songwriting luck. One evening in 1970, he phoned Lee Majors, an actor friend who had just started dating model Farrah Fawcett.

“Lee and I were in a flag football league together,” Weatherly explained. “Farrah answered the phone. She said Lee wasn’t home and that she was packing to take a midnight plane to Houston to visit her folks. I thought, ‘What a great line for a song.’”

After Weatherly hung up the phone, he grabbed his guitar and wrote “Midnight Plane to Houston” in 45 minutes.

By Gladys Knight and the Pips October 1973

The next year, Weatherly recorded an album of original songs, including “Midnight Plane to Houston.” When RCA Records released Weatherly’s LP in 1972, gospel icon Cissy Houston — Whitney’s mother — envisioned a popcountry tune and wanted first crack at the track.

“I loved it right away,” Houston said. “But I wanted to change the title. My people are from Georgia, and they didn’t take planes to Houston or anywhere else. They took trains. We recorded ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ in Memphis in 1972, but my label didn’t do much to promote it.”

Weatherly’s tune was then offered to fellow Georgian Gladys Knight. She had been an R&B and Top 40 sensation since 1961, when, at 17, she scored her first hit single — “Every Beat of My Heart” — with the Pips, her family-oriented backup group. (One cousin was nicknamed “Pip.”)

Knight recalled, “I listened to Cissy’s version, and I loved it, but I wanted to do something moody — horns, keyboards, and other instruments to create texture and to spark something in me.”

Knight thus recorded her signature song, which told of a man relinquishing his dreams of Hollywood stardom to return home, with the love of his life choosing to follow him:

L.A. proved too much for the man

He’s leaving the life he’s come to know

He said he’s going back to find what’s left of his world

The world he left behind not so long ago

He’s leaving on that midnight train to Georgia

Said he’s going back to a simpler place and time

“While recording that single, I was thinking about my own situation,” Knight admitted later when discussing her chart-topping, Grammy-winning smash release on Buddah Records.

“My husband at the time was unhappy that we didn’t have a more traditional marriage, because I was often on the road or recording. Ultimately, it all proved too much for him, like the song said, and we divorced later.”

Randal C. Hill is a rock ’n’ roll historian who lives at the Oregon coast. He may be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Support the Troops This Holiday Season!

Our troops deserve our help and to know they aren’t forgotten!

Keystone Military Families, a PA-based nonprofit, encourages you to brighten the holidays for our troops overseas by sponsoring a care package! Thousands of essential items have been received for veterans, but monetary donations to defray shipping costs are desperately needed.

Photo of Gladys Knight from 1974.

is Create a Great Funeral Day

Savvy Senior How to Plan a Green funeral

Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about green funeral options? At age 80, I would like to preplan my funeral and make it as natural as possible.

– Old Environmentalist

Dear Environmentalist, Great question! Green funeral options are becoming increasingly popular in the United States as more and more Americans are looking for environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional funerals. Here’s what you should know about “green burial” and “green cremation” options, along with some tips to help you locate services in your area.

Green Burial

If you wish to be buried, a green/natural burial will minimize the environmental impact by forgoing the embalming chemicals (which are not required by law), traditional casket, and concrete vault.

Instead, you’ll be buried in either a biodegradable container or shroud with no vault, and you won’t be embalmed. This allows the body to decompose naturally and become part of the earth.

If you want to temporarily preserve the body for viewing or a memorial service, instead of embalming, you can request dry ice or Techni ice, a refrigeration unit, or a nontoxic embalming agent.

You’ll also be happy to know that green burials are much cheaper than traditional funerals, which average

please see GrEEN on facing page

OctOBer 30 TH is Create a Great Funeral Day

Buying a Cemetery Site

When you buy a cemetery plot, the cost is not the only consideration. The location of the cemetery and whether it meets the requirements of your family’s religion are important, as well.

Specific Considerations

Additional considerations include what, if any, restrictions the cemetery places on burial vaults purchased elsewhere, the type of monuments or memorials it allows, and whether flowers or other remembrances may be placed on graves.

And then there’s cost. Cemetery plots can be expensive, especially in metropolitan areas. Most, but not all, cemeteries require you to purchase a grave liner, which will cost several hundred dollars.

Note that there are charges — usually hundreds of dollars — to open a grave for interment and additional charges to fill it in.

Perpetual care on a cemetery plot sometimes is included in the purchase price, but it’s important to clarify that point before you buy the site or service. If it’s not included, look for a separate endowment care fee for maintenance and groundskeeping.

If you plan to bury your loved one’s cremated remains in a mausoleum or columbarium, you can expect to purchase a crypt and pay opening and closing fees, as well as charges for endowment care and other services.

The FTC’s Funeral Rule (consumer.ftc.gov/articles/ftc-funeral-rule) does not cover cemeteries and mausoleums unless they sell both funeral goods and funeral services.

Veterans Cemeteries

All veterans are entitled to a free burial in a national cemetery and a grave marker.

This eligibility also extends to some civilians who have provided military-related service and some Public Health Service personnel.

Spouses and dependent children also are entitled to a lot and marker when buried in a national cemetery. There are no charges for opening or closing the grave, for a vault or liner, or for setting the marker in a national cemetery. The family generally is responsible for other expenses, including transportation to the cemetery. For more information, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs (va.gov). To reach the regional Veterans Affairs office in this area, the Lebanon VA Medical Center, call (717) 272-6621.

In addition, many states have established veterans cemeteries. Eligibility requirements and other details vary. Contact your state for more information.

You may see ads for so-called “veterans’ specials” by commercial cemeteries. These cemeteries sometimes offer a free plot for the veteran but charge exorbitant rates for an adjoining plot for the spouse, as well as high fees for opening and closing each grave.

Evaluate the bottom-line cost to be sure the special is as special as you may be led to believe.

Source: Federal Trade Commission

around $8,000 in 2023. By scrapping the coffin, vault, and embalming, which are expensive, you’ll save yourself several thousand dollars on your funeral costs.

To find green burial services in your area, a good first step is to see if there’s a certified green funeral home in your area and contact them. The Green Burial Council offers an online directory of providers and other resources at greenburialcouncil.org.

If there isn’t one nearby, your next step is to contact several traditional funeral homes to see if they offer green funeral service options — many do. You’ll also need to find a green cemetery. There are nearly 100 green cemeteries throughout the U.S., along with more than 300 traditional (hybrid) cemeteries that offer green burials too. To find them, the New Hampshire Funeral Resources, Education and Advocacy website has a list at nhfuneral.org. Or, if you own rural property, you may be able to have a home burial there, if your state and county allow it.

If, however, there are no green cemeteries nearby, you can still make your burial more environmentally friendly by not being embalmed and, if the cemetery allows, not using a biodegradable casket or shroud and skipping the vault.

If a vault is required, ask to have holes drilled in the bottom, or use a concrete grave box with an open bottom so the body can return to the earth.

Green Cremation

If you would rather be cremated, you have some green choices here too. While cremation has always been touted as being more eco-friendly than a typical burial, a traditional cremation, which uses high heat to incinerate the body, does emit greenhouse gases into the air.

A green cremation, however, uses water and potassium hydroxide to reduce a deceased body to its basic element of bone ash within a few hours.

This green technique, which is known as alkaline hydrolysis, is a little more expensive than traditional cremation but, unfortunately, it’s not legal in every state.

Contact some local funeral providers to find out if this is available in your area, or search for “alkaline hydrolysis cremation” online, followed by your city and state.

Another green consideration is deciding what to do with the remains. Instead of scattering, which can be harmful to the environment, there are a wide variety of biodegradable urns that dissolve into the earth or water over time, and memorial urns that will grow a plant or tree in combination with your ashes.

GrEEN from facing page

Depression is far More Sinister than Sadness

But with treatment, there is Hope

By Kimberly Blaker

I was first diagnosed with major depression at the age of 31. I was married, had two beautiful kids ages 7 and 3, and owned a thriving business.

Yet, despite having so much to live for, my mood plummeted into despair. I lost all motivation to do anything. The simplest everyday tasks suddenly required an extraordinary effort.

At night, I’d lie awake ruminating over every minor thing I had ever said or done wrong — or less than perfect. My life felt utterly worthless, despite all evidence to the contrary, and I became engulfed in sorrow and hopelessness.

As days turned into weeks, I continued to spiral downward. I became increasingly focused on death. I wasn’t suicidal, per se — though thoughts of the least painful methods of ending my suffering swirled around in my mind. I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and never wake up again.

Unable to endure the pain and emptiness any longer and terrified by my thoughts, I finally sought help. My doctor prescribed an antidepressant, and within a few weeks, the darkness lifted. I was once again, my usual happy, energetic self.

But this was only the beginning of a lifelong battle with depression. Over the past couple of decades, I’ve had far too many bouts of depression to even count.

Some are mild and short-lived, having minimal impact on my functioning, despite the bleak and gloomy outlook that looms over me. Other episodes are major and impact all areas of my life.

Women are Particularly at Risk for Depression

Depression does affect both women and men, but women are twice as likely to experience major depression, according to Harvard Medical School. Women also experience higher rates of dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and the depressive side of bipolar disorder.

Depression, unlike the normal sadness everyone experiences from time to time, is a soul-sucking darkness that’s debilitating. It causes feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness. Depression can affect every aspect of life, from work and school to parenting, friendships, and the very basics of living.

For most women who’ve been diagnosed with depression in the past, the feeling is unmistakable when it begins to set in. But those who suffer from milder forms of depression, and sometimes even those suffering from a first major depressive episode, don’t immediately connect all the dots.

So, some people can experience depression and not realize they’re suffering from a treatable illness.

Signs of Depression

Symptoms of depression can range from mild to severe. Not everyone experiences every symptom. But several symptoms must be present for at least two weeks to receive a diagnosis of depression. The exact criteria for specific types of depression vary slightly. But the following are all indicators.

• Feeling depressed (sad, empty, or hopeless) nearly every day for at least a couple of weeks

• Unusual irritability or difficulty controlling anger

• Ongoing trouble sleeping or sleeping more than usual

• An increase or decrease in appetite or significant unexplained weight loss or gain

• Loss of interest or pleasure in all or most activities

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Feelings of fatigue or loss of energy

• Excessive or inappropriate feelings of guilt or worthlessness

• Visible psychomotor slowing down or agitation

• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, with or without a plan, or attempted suicide

Types of Depression

There are quite a few classifications, or types, of depression. The following are a few of the more common.

In any given year, major depressive disorder affects nearly 7% of the U.S. population, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH). During a major depressive episode, almost all aspects of a person’s life are affected. Someone suffering from major depression may lack the motivation to do anything, including such necessities as taking a shower. Because of the impairment, both work and personal life suffer. In addition to the symptoms noted above, 20% of those with major depression will also experience psychosis (hallucinations or delusions).

Dysthymia is diagnosed when someone experiences depression for most of each day and on most days for at least two years. It’s often a lower-level yet enduring depression. But those with major depression who are treatmentresistant can also meet the diagnosis of dysthymia. So, impairment from dysthymia can range from mild to severe.

Women, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, are twice as likely as men to suffer from dysthymia.

Those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) become depressed only or primarily during a particular season. For most with SAD, it’s during the fall and winter months resulting from the shorter days and reduced sunshine. But some people experience SAD during the summer months instead.

The onset of SAD is typically around the age of 20 and affects 10 million Americans each year.

Bipolar disorder affects 2.6% of American adults, according to the NIMH. This treatable but lifelong disease typically develops in women in their mid- to late 20s. For men, the onset is usually in the teens to the early 20s.

Bipolar is signified by its bouts of both mania (or hypomania) and its opposite extreme, depression. Though an individual with bipolar will experience both sides of the spectrum, in women, depression is often the most problematic. For men, it’s the mania. Those with bipolar often experience psychosis during bouts of mania and sometimes with depression.

Postpartum depression will affect 10% to 15% of women, according to the NIMH. Postpartum depression shouldn’t be confused with the “baby blues,” which is milder, short-lived, and related to the worry and fatigue of parenting a new baby.

Instead, postpartum depression results from hormonal changes. During pregnancy, a woman’s hormone levels increase. Then immediately following childbirth, hormone levels rapidly drop to normal levels. This ultimately results in depression in some women. Like other forms of depression, it can be mildly to severely debilitating.

Causes

The exact cause of depression is unknown, but several factors likely contribute to the condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, those with depression have physical changes in their brains. These changes in the brain may eventually help researchers determine the exact cause of depression.

Depression is also genetic. A higher incidence of depression has been found in those with blood relatives who suffer from the condition.

Brain chemicals called neurotransmitters play a role in depression. The Mayo Clinic explains that the way neurotransmitters function and their effect on the neurocircuits involved in mood stability play significant roles both in depression and its treatment.

Hormonal changes can also play a role in depression, particularly for women. During pregnancy and for several months following pregnancy, women are especially vulnerable. Menstruation cycles and menopause can also trigger depression.

Treatment

In some cases, depression results from an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid problems or low vitamin B levels. For this reason, it’s essential to visit your primary care physician for blood work to rule out other causes. If medical causes have been ruled out, then it’s best to consult with a psychiatrist, who has specialized training in diagnosing the various forms of depression and experience in treating them.

Depending on the type of depression and the specific set of symptoms, some people with depression require a combination of antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and mood stabilizers. Psychiatrists know how to tailor treatment to each individual for optimal results.

For those who are treatment-resistant, look for a psychiatrist with the special “psychopharmacologist” designation. Psychopharmacologists have gone through additional specialized training in how drugs affect the mind and behavior.

In addition to medication, many psychiatrists recommend cognitive therapy with a psychologist or behavioral therapist in conjunction. This can help people cope with the effects of depression as well as dealing with any underlying trauma or events fueling the depression.

Finally, for those with SAD, sitting under a light-therapy box is often recommended and can be helpful. You can order one online, and depending on your doctor’s recommendations, you can sit under it for 20-40 minutes each day.

Kimberly Blaker is a freelance writer. She also owns an online bookshop, Sage Rare & Collectible Books, specializing in out-of-print, scarce, signed, and first editions; fine bindings; ephemera; and more at sagerarebooks.com

The History of Ordinary Things Writing tools over time

In the Western world from the sixth to 19th centuries, most writing instruments were “quills” made from the large wing feathers of geese, swans, and later turkeys.

The hollow shaft of the feather held the ink, which flowed to the tip by capillary action — the process of liquid flowing through a narrow space without help from gravity.

The quill’s era ended in the 1820s with the mass-produced “dip pen,” which used a metal point called a “nib” attached to a round stick. The pen was dipped directly into ink and only held enough ink to write a few words. It was re-dipped to get more ink, and it skipped and was messy if the writer was not careful.

In 1827, Petrache Poenaru received a French patent for the first “fountain pen,” a nib-tipped writing tool with a refillable internal ink reservoir.

The pen draws ink from the reservoir through a feed to the nib. The ink is then deposited on paper via a combination of gravity and capillary action. Filling the reservoir with ink was done manually, often with an eyedropper or syringe.

What is ink? It is an organic or inorganic pigment or dye dissolved or suspended in a solvent. Older-style writing inks use a water-based dye. Ballpoint pens use a thicker, pastelike, oil-based dye that better allows capillary action to keep the ink flowing. These inks generally are non-smearing and dry more quickly than water-based ones.

To address the mess of refilling the ink reservoir, a New York salesman, Lewis E. Waterman, developed the first practical fountain pen with a built-in ink supply. He introduced an efficient feed system that effectively exchanged ink and air.

The success of Waterman’s fountain pen, patented in 1884, was aided by three key inventions: iridium-tipped gold nibs, a hardrubber pen barrel, and the free-flowing ink of the 1850s.

In 1892, George S. Parker started the Parker Pen Company. He patented a simplified “selffilling” mechanism (1911), followed by a leak-

proof safety cap (1912). He introduced the “Lucky Curve” in 1911, which used a bent tube connecting the nib to the side wall of the ink reservoir.

Parker Pen Company manufactured pens in Janesville, Wisconsin. By the 1950s, Parker had introduced the “51” model, whose streamlined barrel was made of durable Lucite. Its cap and trademark arrow-shaped clip were fashioned from stainless steel. The hooded nib eliminated the leaking ink, and it never skipped.

Walter A. Sheaffer incorporated as Sheaffer Pen Company in 1913, producing ink as well as fountain pens in Fort Madison, Iowa. During the 1950s, Sheaffer produced “Snorkels.”

These pens were filled by turning a knob at the back of the barrel, which extended a tube from the nib. It used a vacuum pump to draw ink from a bottle. It is considered the most complicated filling mechanism ever invented.

In the 1960s, disposable-plastic ink cartridges were introduced, but the decline of the American fountain pen had already begun with the ballpoint pen in the 1950s. Parker and Sheaffer were bought by big corporations that shifted to manufacturing ballpoint pens.

The factories were shuttered in both Janesville and Fort Madison. Today, the current lines of Parker and Sheaffer pens are made overseas.

The pen industry’s downturn worsened in the 1980s and 1990s with the arrival of personal computers for writing our letters and documents. The handheld computing devices in the 2000s dealt the final blow to the industry.

Today, the fountain pen is the preferred tool for calligraphy and is sought by collectors, but basically, its lifecycle is over — along, perhaps, with penmanship.

Doris Montag is a homespun historian and an exhibit curator who researches and displays historical collections of ordinary things, such as can openers, crochet, toy sewing machines, hand corn planters, powder compacts, egg cartons, and more. Contact or follow her on Facebook, HistoryofOrdinaryThings.

An 1890 advertisement for Perry & Co. dip pens.

Advertisement for Waterman fountain pens, 1919.

Skrip water-based ink by Sheaffers, fort Madison, iowa, with miscellaneous retail ink bottles and inkwells.

Doris Montag

“ fountain pen writing (literacy),” by Petar Milošević, licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0.

A traditional fountain pen with iridium nib.

the Dark Side of Medicine

Suzy Cohen

This month, I will explore the dark and disturbing history of medical treatments. While these methods may seem shocking and gruesome by today’s standards, they were once considered cutting-edge solutions.

As we delve into the past, it’s important to appreciate the progress we’ve made in medicine. Additionally, I’ll briefly speculate on current treatments we do today that may be viewed as primitive in the future. It’s scary to think about it.

Right now, let’s explore 10 fascinating and bizarre historical remedies and reflect on medicine’s hall of shame:

1. Bloodletting: Bloodletting, a widespread medical treatment in ancient and medieval times, aimed to restore balance by draining blood to rectify an imbalance of the four “humors.” Despite its popularity, bloodletting often led to infection and death.

2. Trepanation: Trepanation involved drilling holes into the skull to release evil spirits or pressure, with the intent of treating conditions like headaches and epilepsy. This risky procedure persisted until the 18th century.

3. Mercury: Mercury was once considered a universal remedy for various ailments, including syphilis and toothaches. However, its toxic nature caused severe side effects and contributed to neurological damage, as seen in hatters during the 19th century. “Mad hatter disease” resulted from the use of mercury to stiffen animal fur to make hats.

4. tobacco smoke enemas: In the 18th century, tobacco smoke enemas were used to treat respiratory issues and even revive drowning victims. This practice, based on the belief that tobacco smoke could warm the body and stimulate respiration, proved ineffective and dangerous.

5. Lobotomies: Lobotomy, a procedure that severed connections in the brain’s prefrontal cortex, gained popularity in the 20th century as a treatment for severe mental illnesses. Despite its initial promise, it often resulted in severe side effects and has since fallen out of favor.

6. Animal-dung ointments: In ancient Egypt, animal dung was believed to possess healing properties and was used to treat various ailments. However, this unsanitary practice introduced harmful bacteria and worsened infections!

7. Mummy powder: Powdered mummies were used as a medical treatment in the belief that they possessed curative properties. This practice, which persisted for centuries, was not only ineffective, but also contributed to the destruction of historical artifacts.

8. Hemiglossectomy: During the 18th and 19th centuries, doctors believed that stuttering resulted from an unusually thick or long tongue. Hemiglossectomy, the removal of a portion of the tongue, was thought to cure the condition but often led to severe complications.

9. Strychnine: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, strychnine, a highly toxic alkaloid, was used as a stimulant and performanceenhancing substance. However, its poisonous effects posed significant risks to health.

10. c ocaine: Cocaine was once hailed as a miracle cure for various ailments and was widely used in medicine and everyday products. However, its addictive and dangerous nature eventually led to its decline and regulation.

While we can’t predict the future, some current medical practices might be considered primitive in years to come.

Chemotherapy’s nonselective nature, electroconvulsive therapy’s side effects, organ transplantation’s risks, and the necessity of amputations may one day be replaced by more targeted and advanced alternatives. We can only hope!

Reflecting on the past, it’s evident that our understanding of health and medicine has come a long way. These historical treatments serve as a reminder of the progress we’ve made and the importance of evolving our therapies so that they are less invasive and more effective.

This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit suzycohen.com.

Physician letting blood from a patient. france, late 13th century.

Photo credit: “Brown glass bottle of phosphorus, zinc and strychnine pills, Wellcome L0058219,” by Wellcome images, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Strychnine is a stimulant for the central nervous system and may have been used to treat nerve disorders. the pills are coated with gelatin for easy swallowing.

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Willing to Wander Cruising the History of the Lower Mississippi

Our room was spacious and comfortable. The food was delicious. The list of activities in our temporary homeaway-from-home covered a diversity of interests.

There also were opportunities to explore inviting towns that provide deep dives into Civil War and other history and visit magnificent antebellum plantations.

Adding to the allure of our Lower Mississippi River Cruise was the chance to explore museums that bring to life prehistoric times, Native American and African American stories, and numerous aspects of life in that corner of the country.

My wife, Fyllis, and I were sailing along the Lower Mississippi River with American Cruise Lines. Even if we had been confined to the ship, we could have found diversions enough to fill many an hour. Speakers led enlightening discussions, and there was nightly entertainment, among other offerings.

After spending time on our stateroom deck watching the river and towboats moving long lines of barges, we were enthralled by opportunities to set our feet

Puzzle Solutions

on land and explore the historic and other gems at towns along our route.

The brick streets of Vicksburg, Mississippi, lead to a Civil War Museum, Vicksburg Military Park, and other highlights.

We were equally enthralled by a home that served as hospital during the Civil War, with Union and Confederate soldiers separated on different floors. Large wall murals along the waterfront depict various stories from the town’s past.

The next stop in Mississippi was Natchez, which was established by French colonists in 1716 and became part of the United States in 1783. Planters used slave labor to grow cotton and sugarcane and built expansive mansions to demonstrate their wealth.

Many of these stately homes survive to relate part of this story, while the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture tells another side.

Baton Rouge has a number of interesting stories to relate, beginning with

Puzzles shown on page 8.

Victor Block

Stone alligators prowl the front lawn of Louisiana’s circa-1775 Houmas House plantation.

Musicians performing outside the rural Life Museum, which highlights the daily lives of Louisianans in the 1700s and 1800s.

A sign at Houmas House invites visitors to embark on the Plantation Parade, a tour of four restored sugar plantations along a stretch of the Mississippi river in Southern Louisiana.

One of 32 riverfront murals on the flood wall in Vicksburg, Miss., painted by robert Dafford.

the derivation of its name. In 1698, French explorers sailing up the Mississippi River spotted a red pole along the shoreline. After learning that it marked the boundary between hunting grounds of two Native American tribes, they called it le baton rouge (the red stick) — and the name stuck.

The town was ruled by seven different governments before becoming the second largest city in Louisiana and, in 1846, being designated the state capital to replace “sinful” New Orleans. Not surprisingly, it has its share of history-rich sites.

The Capitol Park Museum traces contributions of Native Americans, early European colonists, enslaved people, and others to the area’s development and accomplishments.

Exhibits at the LSU Rural Life Museum, housed in a complex of 32 historic buildings, focus on the way of life of 18th- and 19th-century Louisianans.

Our voyage ended in New Orleans, where passengers had an opportunity for one last guided excursion. This tour leads to a number of highlights in the self-proclaimed “City that Care Forgot.”

They include the famous French Quarter, lovely Garden District, and imposing mansions. While some of these homes equal the most beautiful plantation houses encountered during the cruise, not all of those farmstead properties are so grand. Many are relatively modest, far from the idealized portrayals in movies and Southern lore.

On the other hand, my personal favorite lived up to the romanticized image of plantations and then some. That’s why Houmas (pronounced “hummus”) House, located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, has appeared in a variety of motion pictures and TV series.

The plantation was established in the late 1700s on land inhabited by Houma Native Americans. The French Colonial-style house, built about 1775, served as the focal point of what became a very successful sugar cane operation.

An oak tree alley leads the eye to the front of the graceful house, and resident geese and ducks act as noisy sentries.

The tour of the lovingly restored antebellum mansion recalls those heady days, and rare period furnishings, art, and artifacts reflect the home’s former opulence.

Then there are the gardens. The 38 acres of colorful native and exotic plantings serve as backdrop to a museum-quality collection of sculptures. This treasure is but one gem among many that await discovery, and enjoyment, during a Mississippi River voyage.

After gallivanting around the world, Victor Block still retains the travel bug. He believes that travel is the best possible education. A member of the Society of American Travel Writers, Victor loves to explore new destinations and cultures, and his stories about them have won a number of writing awards.

A plaque at the Vicksburg waterfront highlights the Mississippi river’s role in the shape and development of the city.

New Orleans’ colorful french Quarter is the oldest neighborhood in the city.

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