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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 2022)
The Columbia Press February 25, 2022 7 www.corkeycomics.com ZED by Duane M. Abel Senior Moments with Emma Edwards Old hand at the old idioms I suspect most of us have said many of these “old” idi- oms at various stages of our lives. How old does one need to be to be called old is a ques- tion some of us have pon- dered over the years. Maybe we’re very old, but still sharp as a tack? When does old be- gin? Some of us may remember this quote attributed to Ag- atha Christie: “An archaeol- ogist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets, the more interested he is in her.” Recently, someone heard me remark about the age I hope to achieve this year and, right away, came the stan- dard response: “Oh, my. You don’t look that old!” Oh, yes. We love to hear those words! But are they simply flattery and meaning- less? A few old idioms that come to mind are Old as Adam Old saw Old shoe Old stomping grounds Old wives’ tale Chip off the old block Comfortable as an old shoe No fool like an old fool Ripe old age Same old story Teach an old dog new tricks Up to one’s old tricks I have a friend who is prone to fall more frequently as she ages. She says she has to call “the lifters” at the fire department, who are so kind to her when she does fall. It reminds me of a cute quip I read recently by a woman who said “When I get old, I’m not going to be sitting around knitting. I’m going to be clicking my Life Alert button to see how many firefighters show up!” Oh, yes, we love our firefighters! When I was a child, liv- ing quarters were designed with a door facing the street, which we called the front door, and a door facing the alley and the garage, which was the back door. The garbage cans were just inside the gate that led to the alley. The gate to the alley was an important place where people liked to lean over the fence and talk to the neighbor on the other side, across the alley. There was always the friendly sheeny man, who would come by to pick up our junk and, occasionally, some pretty good stuff. Most sheeny men had a one-horse carriage (at least in Detroit, Mich., where I was raised). OK, when you think about it, most people who lived about seven decades ago called the outside door that enters into the living room the front door and some called the door that leads to the kitchen, bedrooms and bath the back door. Also, sometimes the back door led to the basement stairway. I guess times have changed. Except in movie mysteries. Or maybe we have changed. Another thing I wonder about as I age: Why am I get- ting older and wider instead of older and wiser? There’s so much to learn and so little time! Here’s to Your Health by Dr. Adam Bingham, CMH podiatrist Sprain your ankle? Don’t just limp away Your ankle bones and joints are held together with tough, stretchy bands called liga- ments. Although they support your ankle as it moves, bends and twists, ligaments do have limits. And when they’re stretched past those lim- its -- such as when you step awkwardly and twist your an- kle -- you may end up with a sprain. Sprains can range from mild, with a slight amount of tenderness and swelling, to severe, where the ligaments tear completely, and swelling and pain are significant. Play it safe. The worse the sprain, the longer it will take to heal. Mild sprains might feel bet- ter after just a few days. For severe sprains with torn lig- aments, healing could take months, and surgery could be needed to repair the lig- ament, though even a com- plete tear may heal without surgery. If you suspect you’ve sprained your ankle and it’s very swollen and painful or you can barely put any weight on it, it’s best to have a doctor check it out. These symptoms could also be signs of a bro- ken ankle. A doctor can determine what is wrong with your an- kle and the best way to treat it. He or she will also let you know when it’s OK to return to your usual activities, in- cluding playing sports. If you try to do too much too soon, you could reinjure the ankle. RICE method For mild or moderate sprains, treatment is pretty much the same. Apply the Special columns in The Columbia Press Every week: Senior Moments with Emma Edwards Week 1: Mayor’s Message by Henry Balensifer Week 2: Financial Focus with Adam Miller Week 3: Spotlight on the City Week 4: Here’s to Your Health from CMH tried-and-true RICE method, which helps reduce pain and swelling. Rest the ankle. Don’t walk on it. Ice keeps swelling down. Apply ice to the injured an- kle for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, three or four times a day for about three days. Compression bandages or elastic bandages can help immobilize and support the ankle. Elevate your ankle above heart level as much as possi- ble for the first 48 hours. Over-the-counter pain reliev- ers, such as naproxen or ibu- profen, can help ease the ache. Here’s to Your Health is sponsored by Columbia Me- morial Hospital. Bingham is a podiatrist at CMH- OHSU Health Foot & Ankle Clinic in Seaside.