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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 2017)
Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, January 4, 2017 A9 Community HEALTH BEAT Quality Healthcare Close To Home 170 Ford Road, John Day • 541-575-1311 • www.bluemountainhospital.org Of course, good health is about more than just diet and exercise. If you’re going to set New Year’s resolutions, how about setting goals to screen for diseases such as cancer? Here are some suggestions from the experts: A letter from Dr. Hall William Francis Eden was a hard-working rancher, a loving husband and father of 8 children, and a well-respected citizen who was active in his small, rural community. One day, he noticed blood in his stool, and over time, the once strong rancher grew ever more feeble. On September 14, 1964, William died at the age of 70. He was my grandfather, but I never knew him. He died of colon cancer—5 years before the invention of the colonoscopy. The colonoscopy didn’t become a standard screening procedure until the 1980’s, but I wonder what would have happened if my grandfather had had a colonoscopy. Because of our family history of colon cancer, my family gets early screening colonoscopies, and I had my first colonoscopy on June 1, 2015. As we look forward to the prospects of 2017, you may be thinking of joining—as I am—the 130 million other Americans who will set New Year’s resolutions this year. And not surprisingly, according to a recent Nielsen survey, the New Year’s resolutions we are most likely to set are: 1. Stay fit and healthy 2. Lose weight Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan 2 - Dr. Rushton - Baker Podiatrist 4 - Dr. Takla - Bend Urology 11 - Dr. McLellan - Bend Cardio 16 - Dr. Rushton - Baker Podiatrist 25 - Dr. McLellan - Bend Cardio 30 - Dr. Rushton - Baker Podiatrist 1. Colon cancer: If you’re over 50 and have not been screened for colon cancer, ask your health care provider about screening options. Assuming normal results, your options include a colonoscopy every 10 years, a genetic stool test such as Cologuard every 3 years, or other stool testing (e.g. FIT or Hemoccult) every year. 2. Cervical cancer: If you’re a woman between the age of 21 and 65, ask your health care provider if you are due for a Pap smear. 3. Breast cancer: If you’re a woman over 40, ask your health care provider if you need a screening mammogram. 4. Hepatitis C: If you’re a baby boomer (born between 1945 and 1965), get screened for hepatitis C with a simple blood test. These are just some of the recommended screening tests that are covered by your insurance plan. Unfortunately, research also shows that only about 8% of us will achieve our goals for the New Year. So, how can you be one of those 8%? How can you increase your chances of keeping your resolutions? According to experts, New Year’s resolutions are more likely to be achieved if they are simple and tangible. For example, rather than a resolution to lose 50 pounds, set a goal to cut out the soda and alcohol and lose 10 pounds in 3 months. Or rather than a goal to “exercise more”, how about starting a routine of walking around the 7th Street Complex twice every morning? If you haven’t done so recently, schedule an appointment with your health care provider to develop a comprehensive health plan to make 2017 your healthiest year yet! Happy New Year, Grant County! Myrtha Fields Myrtha was born January 22, 1921 on a farm/ranch in Imbler, Oregon. She was one of eleven children. Life during the depression era was difficult on everyone, but because her family lived on a farm they did not go without something to eat. She remembers men coming by the farm looking for work or some food and her father always finding something for them. She was kept busy working at home, baby sitting, and tending animals. One of the things she enjoyed doing was playing outside and watching critters. Once she watched a mouse family at play and said that it as like watching any family take care of their home and children. Myrtha graduated from Imbler High School, attended BYU for a year but got homesick and returned to Imbler. She graduated from Eastern Oregon Normal School, which is now known as Eastern Oregon University. She taught school in Portland for a year and was informed by Vern Fields that he was the one she was going to marry. It seems that there were several young men that were vying for her attention. They were married in her family home in Imbler. They made their home in several towns as Vern had various jobs and finally they settled in John Day. They had three children - Meredith, Bill and Stuart. After her older children were in school, she resumed her teaching career. She taught third, fourth and fifth grades. Her favorite position was teaching the fifth grade. Myrtha has many different hobbies. She likes bowling, fishing and shooting trap. But most of all she loves to work in her flower beds. She especially likes roses and irises. When asked what flower she likes best, she just says she likes them all. Myrtha has never been one to be left behind in any adventure. There was no way she was going to be left behind if Vern planned to head out on an adventure. 04903