The Columbia Press
May 27, 2022
Senior Moments
7
Here’s to Your Health
by CMH staff
with Emma Edwards
Mind not always over matter What to remember about medications
I woke up too early to get
up the other day and found
myself
pondering
deep
thoughts.
Have you ever wished
you could just turn off your
mind?
These thoughts seemed to
keep repeating themselves.
I tossed and turned and I
couldn’t fall back asleep be-
cause my mind kept talking
to me so loudly and I just
could not turn it off.
I decided maybe I should
listen to these thoughts and
that’s when this column was
born.
Have you ever thought you
would lose your mind if you
couldn’t stop thinking about
this or that? Yes, that has
happened to all of us, espe-
cially over things we can’t do
anything about.
Sometimes a friend -- or
foe, perhaps – says, “You
got a moment, Em? I need to
pick your brain about a little
situation that has come up.”
Be careful, because that per-
son then is at liberty to say
“Emma says ...”
I have learned a cure for
gossip from one of my daugh-
ters. In talking with her, if
she suspects I am crossing
a line she simply says, “I am
going to let them tell their
own story, mother.”
Anyway, her suggestion
helps turn my mind off on
such subjects. See, we se-
niors are still learning!
This week, I have learned
so much about the brain and
the mind. I always thought
they were the same thing.
They are not interchange-
able, but they can work to-
gether.
Brainy people whom I
have sought out remind me
that the brain is a physical
thing (an organ) that can
even be touched! Whereas
the mind cannot be phys-
ically touched, it can only
be stimulated mentally. (I
know, another definition for
“touched” is to be slightly
unbalanced mentally.)
Parents sometimes may re-
spond to a negative situation
with their children by saying,
“What are you doing? Are
you out of your mind?” And,
yes it usually involves some-
thing that has them worried,
unhappy or angry.
“Mind” is used in many
common phrases.
Someone is said to have
a “keen mind.” Some say
they “don’t mind the rain”
or “never mind the opinion
polls.” One I’m not fond of
is “anyone can lose weight if
they set their mind to it.”
I do believe that my cat,
Holly Lynn, has a spirit and
a mind. Well, so did my dog,
George Dolphin, when it
came to understanding me
and protecting me.
For that reason, I once
felt comfortable debating a
preacher in the Longview
area who claimed dogs and
cats do not go to Heaven.
Interestingly, many in that
Sunday school class ada-
mantly (firmly and resolute-
ly) agreed with me.
And, of course I doggedly
stuck to my belief that dogs
and cats have minds and
brains. Maybe at times they
don’t use them as often as we
would like.
But that could be said of us,
too.
When taken improperly, a
medicine meant to heal can
cause great harm.
The following are sugges-
tions on how to best take care
of your medications in order
to take care of yourself.
Q: How can I get the
most benefits from a pre-
scription medicine with
the fewest risks?
A: The first step is to ask
your doctor questions about
each new prescription. Con-
sider asking:
•What is the medicine’s
name and what is it supposed
to do?
•How and when do I take it
and for how long?
•What foods, drinks, other
medicines or activities should
I avoid while taking this med-
ication?
•Will this new medication
work safely with other pre-
scription, nonprescription or
herbal medicines I am tak-
ing?
•Are there side effects?
What should I do if they oc-
cur?
•Will the medication affect
Senior meals
No meals week of May 30
Warrenton Senior Citizens
Inc. has a new manager/cook.
Unfortunately, there will be
no meals next week. The pro-
gram begins again June 7 on
a new day: Tuesdays.
Warrenton’s eat-in senior
meal program organized by
Warrenton Senior Citizens
Inc. is at noon on Tuesdays at
Warrenton Community Cen-
ter, 170 S.W. Third St.
Suggested donation is $6.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for
socializing and coffee.
my sleep or activity cycle?
•What should I do if I miss
a dose?
•Are there any monitoring
tests required?
Write down the answers to
these questions right away so
you’ll remember the details.
Q: Is there anything I
should tell my doctor be-
fore he or she prescribes
a drug?
A: Always tell your doctor if
you are breastfeeding or may
be pregnant.
In addition, you should also
tell your doctor if you are al-
lergic to any drugs or foods,
have any illnesses or prob-
lems of which another doctor
is treating you, follow a spe-
cial diet or use dietary sup-
plements, use alcohol or to-
bacco, or are taking any other
medicine.
Q: Does my doctor need
to know about both the
prescription and over-
the-counter drugs that I
take?
A: Yes. It’s a good idea to
keep a list of all the prescrip-
tion and over-the-counter
medications you regularly
use. Write down the name of
the drug, the doctor who pre-
scribed it, how much you take
and when you take it.
It’s especially important to
alert your doctor to any new
medicines that another doc-
tor has prescribed for you
and any over-the-counter
medications that you started
taking since your last visit.
Q: What precautions
are wise once I start tak-
ing prescription medi-
cine?
A: Read the label carefully
in adequate light before tak-
ing any doses.
Contact your doctor or
pharmacist if any new or un-
expected symptoms appear.
Take the full prescription
even if your symptoms have
disappeared.
Always let your doctor know
if you are not taking your
medicine as directed.
Never share your medicine
with someone else.
Q: What’s a yearly med-
icine checkup?
A: The yearly checkup is
one of the best ways to spot
hidden medicine problems.
Every year, schedule a time
with your pharmacist or doc-
tor to review the medicines
you take. He or she can check
for duplicate medicines and
improper doses, and help you
eliminate medicines you may
no longer need.
Here’s to Your Health is
sponsored by Columbia Me-
morial Hospital.
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