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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2019)
OPINION LETTERS Wallowa.com Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Catching up with a Wallowa gal M WALLOWA y eyes locked on the mountains as I rounded the curve approaching Enterprise from La Grande. “Home.” It’s been a hard year. In April 2018, I wrote my last column, informing y’all of my brain injury suffered from a hard smack on the head the previous month. My damaged vision prohibited any time on my laptop. I could not fi l- ter what came out of my mouth, with errant thoughts and then words fl ailing about like an out of control water hose at full force. Severe headaches and burning eyes left me unable to take care of myself. In June 2018, another blow to GAL Katherine Stickroth my head from falling landed me in the ER. They said once you have a concussion, it’s likely you’ll fall more often. Nurse practitioner Billie Suto and physical therapist Jerry Ivy were among my many Wallowa County angels. I cannot name the numerous members of the com- munity who gave me rides to appointments when I couldn’t drive and fi xed meals when I couldn’t cook. I thank them all. Neurologist Dr. Quinto in La Grande recommended treatment at Grande Ronde Hospital’s con- cussion rehab program. Unwill- ing to travel twice a week through the Minam during the winter, I arranged to stay in La Grande to focus on getting well. What a hard winter it was there, and even worse, I heard, over here. From my friend’s house, I would gaze across Grande Ronde Valley to the western side of the Wallowas. Veterans and other friends from the County called to check on me. I longed to be home and well. The concussion rehab treat- ment launched me forward into recovery. I’m not cured, but I am improving every day and know how to treat any symptoms that come up. I am so grateful to be home now. Better able to think, to get around, and now, to write. Five years ago, I landed in the County a stranger not knowing a soul. The welcome I received then and espe- cially your kindness from the past year have disarmed me. The brain injuries, which I thought were the worst thing to happen to me, have turned out to be the best thing ever. Those blows to my head knocked out the stubborn, self-re- liant pride that said I could make it through life on my own. G MOUNTAIN MEDICINE Miles McFall FOR MORE INFO Visit the US Department of Health and Human Services website (https://health.gov/ paguidelines/second-edition/) for current physical activity guidelines. small studies. In 2019, an edito- rial in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded, “the data have told us—over and over—that exercise is a via- ble plan to minimize the burden of mental illness. The question is how we execute against this plan.” This research does not jus- tify discontinuing prescribed anti- depressant medication or psy- chotherapy or eschewing these treatments if recommended. But initiating a medically approved exercise program may add benefi t to existing treatments and might be an acceptable alternative. Sup- porting the wisdom of combining the two approaches are fi ndings that depressed persons who took anti-depressants and exercised were more likely to benefi t than those taking anti-depressants but exercised less. A second life-style problem estimated to affect one third of our elderly Wallowa County res- idents concerns social isolation and loneliness. In general, being isolated from others is another important risk factor contribut- ing to depression, particularly for elderly people facing disabili- ties and loss of family members. Not surprisingly, greater social isolation in older people is sig- nifi cantly related to less physi- cal activity and greater sedentary behavior. Self-perceived loneliness has also proven to be an independent “causal” risk factor that promotes depression, impaired sleep, cog- nitive decline, lower quality of life and well-being, and a host of physical diseases. Some, though not all, research shows that peo- ple who perceive themselves to be lonely are less physically active than people who aren’t lonely. One plausible reason why increased physical activity improves the mood of depressed older people—as well as general quality of life of non-depressed persons—is increased social inter- action that often accompanies I give thanks and praise to the Jesus who can change a person’s heart by showing the goodness of others. When I sit at the lake and meditate with Chief Joseph Moun- tain before me, I think of the pow- erful force that pushed the molten rock to such great height. It rep- resents to me the immensity of His love, so great and all-encom- passing, that led me to Wallowa County and holds me here, still. If you see me around, be sure to say hello. You may have to re-introduce yourself, for I’m having to relearn everything and everybody. But this I will never forget, how very, very grate- ful I am to call Wallowa County “Home,” because of you. LETTERS to the EDITOR Healthy life-style habits for seniors rowing older can seem less fun than it used to be. We’ve consumed our share of vitamin supplements and magic potions in an effort to stay in the game, like millions of other Americans who spend over $40 billion annually on such products that rarely prove effective. But, in reality, the closest thing to Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth may be the time honored for- mula of regular physical activity and social engagement. Dr. Emily Sheahan’s Mountain Medicine column (Nov. 7, 2018) stressed the benefi ts of exercise and diet on physical health. Today’s col- umn focuses on mental health. Abundant scientifi c research has investigated factors driv- ing depression, including physi- cal inactivity. What’s consistently found is that the causal arrow appears bi-directional; depressed people are more physically inac- tive than non-depressed people, and people who are less physi- cally active are more likely to be depressed. A 2013 “meta-analysis” of 35 clinical trials involving 1,356 par- ticipants found physical exercise signifi cantly reduced symptoms of depression compared to control conditions. Importantly, exercise appeared equivalent in effective- ness to antidepressant medica- tion and psychotherapy in a few their activity. Accessing the multi- tude of community organizations that afford social engagement is an important strategy for lonely or socially isolated residents wanting more contact. Far more challenging for elderly individuals is fi nding ven- ues for regular exercise if they are frail or feel unsafe stroll- ing mountain trails or roadsides. As Dr. Sheahan mentioned, in 2018 only 57 percent of Wal- lowa County residents had access to adequate exercise opportu- nities, compared to 77 percent of all Oregonians. Finding ven- ues in Wallowa County that pro- mote shared physical activity may help our seniors stay hap- pier and healthier longer. Visit the US Department of Health and Human Services website (https:// health.gov/paguidelines/sec- ond-edition/) for current physi- cal activity guidelines. Consulta- tion with your medical provider is essential before embarking on a new exercise program, particu- larly for individuals with health conditions. Mountain Medicine is edited by Dr. Ron Polk and Dr. Kelsey Allen, with support from local medical practitioners. Miles McFall, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist (retired) and Professor Emeritus, Uni- versity of Washington practices. The Joseph Branch Trail is just that—a trail ! This unique opportu- nity will likely be forever lost if not approved, and the Goliath will have beaten all the Davids. John Baker Wallowa Build trails, not walls I was troubled by a few points Ms. Lathrop made in her guest editorial last week re: the Joseph Branch Trail. First, her claim that the all-volunteer group some- how had sinister, hidden motives for revising the details of their exhaustive study over a six-year period. I would kindly remind Ms. Lathrop that minds greater than ours consider change to be the key ingredient in any process and/or progress. Second, her anti-tax scare tac- tics: Who wouldn’t prefer if we could wave a magic wand and summon a fairy-billionaire to clean u our taxi superfund sites, repair our crumbling infrastruc- ture, save the same and yes ... cre- ate safe community recreation opportunities. In a state without sales tax, the ‘Kicker’ is a ridiculous waste of revenue. Cathy Sterbentz Enterprise Introducing Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Adam Heisinger • Doctor of Osteopathy, Des Moines University, Iowa • Internship and Residency completed in orthopedic surgery at Affinity Medical Center, Ohio; Fellowship in sports medicine completed at Orthopedic Research of Virginia, Richmond • Served four years as flight surgeon, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia and Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina Dr. Heisinger will be seeing patients at Wallowa Memorial Hospital regularly for clinic visits and surgery. Ask your physician for a referral today. We treat you like family 601 Medical Parkway, Enterprise, OR 97828 • 541-426-3111 • www.wchcd.org Wallowa Memorial Hospital is an equal opportunity employer and provider. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK take the first step and stop problem gambling today It's Free - It's Confidential - It Works. call 541-426-4524 or 1-877-MY-LIMIT (24 hour helpline) wallowa valley center for wellness wvcenterforwellness.org A5
