MAY • 2014 • 21

MAY • 2014 • 21
Safe Today / page 13
adults 65+. So be aware of how
your medications interact with
other prescription and over-thecounter drugs, certain foods,
alcohol, and other medical conditions. Learn how medications
may make you confused or
unsteady on your feet or impact
your ability to operate a motor
vehicle. Create a medication
schedule or use a scheduler box
to make sure you take no less or
more than prescribed. Lifeline
has a great Personal Medication
Dispenser that alerts you verbally and visually to take your
medications at the prescribed
times. In addition, ask your
pharmacist, especially a “certified geriatric pharmacist” for
help and a review of all your
medications.
A third preventable issue of
safety is driving. In 2008 more
than 5,500 older adults were
killed and more than 183,000
were injured in vehicle crashes.
22 • 2014 • May
This amounts to 15 older adults
killed and 500 injured in crashes on average every day. Older
adults can take several steps to
stay safe on the road, including:
Exercising regularly to increase
strength and flexibility; Asking
your doctor or pharmacist to
review medicines–both prescription and over-the counter–to reduce side effects and
interactions; Having your eyes
checked by an eye doctor at
least once a year; Wear glasses
and corrective lenses as
required; Driving during daylight and in good weather;
Finding the safest route with
well-lit streets, intersections
with left turn arrows, and easy
parking; Planning your route
before you drive; Leaving a
large following distance behind
the car in front of you;
Avoiding distractions in your
car, such as listening to a loud
radio, talking on your cell
phone, texting, and eating;
Finally, considering potential
alternatives to driving, such as
riding with a friend or using
public transit.
The final health and safety
issue is preventing fires and
burns. More than 1,200
Americans 65+ die each year as
a result of fire, with more than
25 percent of all fire deaths and
one-third of all residential fire
deaths occurring in this population. While the leading cause of
fire death is careless smoking,
the leading cause of injuries is
cooking related. Scalds, electrical and chemical injuries also
result in serious injuries to older
adults. Approximately 3,000
older adults are injured during
residential fires each year. Older
adults living alone have a 30
percent or greater risk of unintentional injury. This all can be
prevented with accurate and
adequate education of potential
victims. Many fire and burn
safety programs implemented
by local, state and national
organizations have focused on
the use of smoke alarms as an
early warning device to prevent
burn injury. In addition, develop an escape plan with two
ways out of every room and
practice the plan. Keep all exits
clear; keep glasses, medicines, a
telephone, flashlight and walking aids close to your bed, and
know your emergency contact
phone number (911 or other).
Educate yourself on these
safety issues, your attention may
improve your health or even
save your life, but certainly they
will “add life to your years.”
Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. is
CEO of the Center for Healthy
Aging. Dr. Weiss welcomes your
comments on this column.
Write to him at
larry@addinglifetoyears.com or
c/o Center for Healthy Aging,
11 Fillmore Way, Reno, NV
89519.
May 11 & 25 - Reno Senior Dance Club,
Neil Rd. Rec. Center, 2 - 5 p.m., $5,
(775) 689-8484.
May 22 - Senior Line Dancing, 1:30 - 4
p.m., Washoe County Senior Services
Multipurpose Rm., (775) 328-2575.
May 27 - Medicare 101, Access to
Health Care, 1:30 p.m., Sun Valley
Neighborhood Center, (775) 673-9417.
May 27 - Candidates Forum, Sparks
Senior Center, 10 - 11:15 a.m., (775)
353-3110.
May 27 - Cozy Chat with Columnist
Anne Pershing, 10 a.m., Neil Rd. Rec.
Center, (775) 689-8484.
May 28 - Ace’s Day Game, $10, 11:30 4:30 p.m., (775) 334-2262.
May 29 - Incline Village/Crystal Bay
Vets Club, 12 - 2 p.m., Aspen Grove,
$25, (775) 832-1310.
May 30 - Senior Outreach Services,
Musical Fantasy, 10 - 11 am., Laxalt
Proclamation for Older Amerians Month at the Board of Washoe County Commissioners: Senior Services Advisory
Board with Commissioners: (left) Karen Davis; Com. Berkbigler; Dennis Chin; Reno Rec. Supervisor Darryl Feemster;
Com. Weber; Donna Clontz; Dir. Grady Tarbutton; Connie McMullen; Com. Humke; Com. Jung; Victoria Edmondson;
Gary Whitfield; Wayne Alexander; RSVP, Scott Trevithick; Senior Coalition, Senior Spectrum, Chris McMullen.
Aud., (775) 784-7506.
May 31 - Closing Ceremonies, Colin
Ross, Neil Rd. Rec. Center, 11:30 - 4
p.m., (775) 344-2262.
May • 2014 • 23
Five Star Premier
Residences of Reno
$4.4 Million New Look
ive Star Premier
Residences, one of southwest Reno’s oldest senior
living communities, has just
completed the first phase of a
$4.4 million renovation that
features a Grab and Go Café,
22-seat Theater Room, Vitality
Center, and full service bar.
Five Star Executive
Director Jim Cox said what
started as a $100,000 refresh
turned into a significant redecoration that has a modern,
lodge atmosphere. The first
floor of the 26-year-old senior
living community has been
reconfigured and redesigned
to provide better use of space,
making area’s more comfortable to accommodate indoor
F
and outside activities and
gatherings. Among the
changes is the removal of the
water display in the lobby
that will now feature an
ornate stone structure where
residents can sit and relax.
There will be a renovated
Concierge area and front
desk, new lighting fixtures
and furniture throughout.
The library has been
moved from the front
entrance to the second floor
to provide quiet access to
reading materials, with a
pool and game table room
located down the hall.
A full service bar will be
constructed where the current Piano Lounge is locat-
Water display in the entrance lobby is being removed in the renovation.
An ornate stone structure will be the central focus of the entrance.
ed, and a nearby 22-seat
Theater Room will offer multiple uses for meetings, special
events, and church functions.
The full service bar will extend
to an open patio that will feature a stone fireplace and barbecue where residents can
order meals, socialize and
watch their favorite football
games.
“There will be substantial
changes,” said Cox. “More and
better use of space for residents to gather around and
enjoy.”
Five Star Premier Senior
Living has 260 senior living
communities nationwide and
is the fourth largest senior living and care provider in the
U.S.
People employed at the
Reno location have worked an
average four to ten years for
24 • 2014 • May
the property. “We have one
employee who has been with
the community over 20-years,”
Cox said. “There is very little
turnover.”
Much of the high moral has
to do with management and
the property itself which has a
warm and welcoming atmosphere. The property has played
host to many
nonprofit functions and community events
throughout the
years, where visitors dine on signature recipes
featured in the
chefs own cookbook.
Cox, who has
a 25-year career
in nursing, surgery, imaging,
and occupational
health, says he
has enjoyed
proving seniors a
Pool table, card table (background) in game area.
The Vitality Center offers services and activities on-site.
place to live. “Five Star is an
amazing company and has
been really good to work for.”
Five Star Premier
Residences offer active independent and assisted living
that include wellness programs and activities broadcast
daily on an in-house channel.
Activities range from off-site
trips to shopping, workouts,
arts and crafts, and education-
al programs.
Cox says he looks forward
to the grand opening tentatively scheduled in mid
November. A special preview
of the first phase is being held
May 29, 4-6 p.m.; RSVP to
(775) 829-6324 by May 26.
Five Star Premier
Residences of Reno is located
at 3201 Plumas Street, Reno,
89509/((775) 829-1050.
May • 2014 • 25
BIGGEST
little City
any years ago the
first question that
you were asked
when you arrived at the
University of Nevada to play
on the basketball or football
team was, “Where are you
from?” That question was
posed to me by my first roommate at the U, George
Vucanovich. I replied,
“Florida, how about you?” He
informed me that he was from
Tonopah, Nevada and that he
was on a basketball scholarship the same as I was.
I had received the scholarship in January of 1945 as a
result of attending a Christmas
beach party in Florida. At that
gathering I bumped into a
high school friend named
Harold Hayes. Since we had
not seen each other since our
M
26 • 2014 • May
Where Are You From?
by Harry Spencer
graduation in May of ’44, we
had some catching up to do. I
noted that I had spent the
summer in an Army specialized training program at
Alabama Polytechnic Institute
(now Auburn University) and
that I was currently an ice man
in Lauderdale. He noted that
he had received a football
scholarship to Nevada along
with two or three other
Floridians. He said he had
returned home to enter the
Navy prior to turning 18 in a
couple of weeks. He asked me
when I would hit 18, and I
informed him I would hit the
mark in May ’45. He said that
since I had played on a championship basketball team in
high school, he was going to
get in touch with Jim Aiken
who was the coach at Nevada
and get me a full-ride scholarship.
I dismissed the idea as fantasy but to my surprise two
days later I received a telegram
from Aiken offering me a fullride scholarship, with my
Greyhound bus ticket to follow. Since that day I have had
an inordinate interest in the
round ball game on all levels.
With the NBA Playoffs now in
session, basketball has reached
its zenith for TV viewers.
Interestingly enough there are
two California teams that have
risen to enough prominence to
make the Playoffs this year.
They are the Golden State
Warriors from San Francisco
and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Two of the perennial top
teams, the LA Lakers and the
Boston Celtics, have fallen out
of the Playoffs scene.
Currently it looks like the
defending champions, the
Miami Heat, and the
Oklahoma City Thunder are
the favorites to advance to the
finals.
Watching the super athletes
compete on the court these
days leads me to a comparison
with top athletes of yesteryear.
For the University of Nevada
in the middle of the last century we had great individual
stars like Alf Sorenson, Hal
Fischer, Bob O’Shaughnessy
and Jim Melarkey. Since those
halcyon days the University
has also featured excellent
players in the form of Edgar
Jones, Johnny High, Olek
Cyzy, Luke Babbitt, Ramon
Sessions and Deonte Burton.
Even Reno High School has
produced such outstanding
players as David Padgett and
Darrell Pastrell to name just
two.
For me the most famous
basketball player that I interfaced with was the legendary
Rick Barry, the All-Star Pro
from the Golden State
Warriors decades ago. I first
met Rick when we invited him
to participate in the annual
Mapes Invitational Golf
Tournament many years ago.
During that first meeting he
said, “How come you invited
me? I’m not a very good
golfer.” I answered him by saying, “Well, you are a big
celebrity in the Bay Area
which is a location in which
many of our golfers reside.
Besides, you graduated from
Andrew Jackson High in
Miama, didn’t you?” He
(Biggest Little page 32)
May • 2014 • 27
THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER
by Janet Ross
W
hen it comes to
house plants
there’s only one
variety that loves me and
thrives despite my benign
neglect, a Philodendron. In
fact, I have four of these
hardy specimens, two more
than ten-years-old. Every
year I buy a Poinsettia for the
holidays and move it outside
in early summer, only to
bring it back in the house
before the first frost. If I’m
lucky a Poinsettia lasts a second year, but never blooms
again. Imagine my joy then a
two-year Poinsettia (still
inside in April) began to
bloom. If that isn’t miraculous enough, a tiny orchid in
a 4-inch pot has also decided
to bloom a second time. I
wish I knew what was going
on; could it be that climate
change works inside, too?
noon in Sparks. The operation reminded me of Los
Angeles’ Landmark chain,
where seats are reserved and
there are for-real ushers on
duty. The Galaxy Luxury +
IMAX is so new it still has
that slightly chemical odor,
once you’re past the fragrance of movie popcorn that
fills the lobby. In addition to
a lengthy snack bar there’s a
station for beer and wine,
plus a sausage concession.
Those fancy lounge-style
seats are almost too comfortable, but the sound system is
so loud snoozing isn’t likely.
Each seat comes with a
reclining control plus a tray
table with beverage holder.
Prices are a little higher than
other area movie theaters,
but many would say the additional amenities make it
worthwhile. I’ll definitely
Sparks
new theater complex, the
Galaxy
Luxury +
IMAX,
had been
open a
month
before I
ventured
to check it
Le Crepe Café turns out perfect crepes.
out. (Will
admit I’m a snob about
return ... when they show
movies, preferring independ- another of my kind of movie.
ent and foreign films while
(For more information visit
avoiding those considered to
www.GalaxyTheatres.com.)
be blockbusters, so I do most
of my movie-going at the
Friends invited me to join
Riverside CineArts in Reno.)
them for a performance at
It was “The Grand Budapest
the Pioneer and we fretted a
Hotel” that prompted my
little about eating before the
attendance one Sunday after(Eclectic page 30)
28 • 2014 • May
May • 2014 • 29
Eclectic / page 28
entertainment without
reservations. Le Crepe Café
turned out to be the perfect
solution. Tucked between
La Famiglia and Fuego on S.
Virginia, this small, casual
eatery has taken over the
spot of a former coffee
house. The food was delicious, service cheerful and
efficient, and prices were
more than reasonable.
You’ll find sweet and savory
French crepes on the menu,
plus salads, sandwiches and
paninis. Coffee and
Espresso are the featured
beverages, but there are also
twenty flavors of Italian
sodas. Le Crepe Café is
open daily and you can
check their hours and
detailed menu at
www.lecrepecafereno.com.
Another discovery I can
recommend is Dorinda’s
Chocolates at 727 Riverside
Drive. If you remember
Dorado Artisan Chocolates
from the Costco Center several years ago, Dorinda’s has
30 • 2014 • May
a similar vibe. All the
chocolates are handmade
and beautifully packaged.
The small shop is also open
daily, beginning at 10 a.m.
These are special occasion
treats and priced accordingly, but if you’re in the mood
to indulge take a stroll along
the Truckee, stop in for coffee next door at The Hub,
and take home a luscious
chocolate covered cherry or
sea salt caramel.
(www.DorindasChocolates.c
om)
Finally, if you haven’t
grabbed your personal copy
of the 2014 edition of
Golden Pages published by
Senior Spectrum, get out
and find one on a newstand
today. This 86-page booklet
may be the best resource
available for seniors,
whether you’re searching
for legal advice, medical
care, affordable housing,
transportation, or hundreds
of other services. Oh, did I
mention it’s FREE?
RESOURCES
• NEVADA INFORMATION.....................211
• Aging and Disability
Services ........................................................688-2964
• ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
1301 Cordone Ave, Suite 180, Reno........786-8061
• CARE CHEST
7910 N. Virginia Street, Reno.....................829-2273
• COMMUNITY SERVICES AGENCY,
1090 East 8th, Reno.........................................786-6023
• ELDER PROTECTIVE SERVICES
ADSD.…................................................................688-2964
• FOOD BANK (TRUCK)....................331-3663
• FOSTER GRANDPARENt........358-2768
• HAWC CLINIC, 1055 S. Wells,
Reno........................................................................329-6300
• MEDICATION MANAGEMENt,
Sanford Center for Aging.............................784-1612
• NV STATE WELFARE.....................684-7200
• CENTER FOR INDEPendent
LIVING, 999 Pyramid Way, Sparks......353-3599
• RTC ACCESS TRANSPORTATION
Information.........................................................348-0477
• RENOWN MED. LOW INCOME
CLINIC, 21 Locust, Reno..........................982-5270
• RSVP, Reno...................................................784-1807
• RSVP, Rural Counties
Carson City..........................................................687-4680
• SANFORD CENTER FOR AGING,
UNR........................................................................784-4774
• SENIOR COMPANION.................358-2322
• SENIOR Community Services
Employment, AARP, 1135 Terminal Way,
Reno........................................................................323-2243
Job Connect, Reno...........................................284-9600
Sparks....................................................................284-9520
• SENIOR LAW PROJECT....334-3050
• SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES
.........................................................................784-7506
• SENIOR SAMPLER (Assist. League)
1701 Vassar St., Reno...........................324-2003
• SHIP (State Health Ins. Adv. PGM)
...............................................................800-307-4444
• SilVER COLLEGE, 5270 Neil Rd.,
Reno…….....................................................829-9010
• Social Security
1170 Harvard Way, Reno..........888-808-5481
• Veteran’s REsource
Center, 419 Plumb, Reno...........284-8387
• Veteran’s Benefits
5460 Corporate Drive, Reno....688-1653, X1
May • 2014 • 31
Rosewood Lakes Golf Course open
Rosewood Lakes Golf
Course is open for the season, a result of a public-private partnership with the
nonprofit The First Tee of
Northern Nevada.
The Reno City Council
approved short-term and
long-term contract agreements with The First Tee
regarding the management,
operations and development
of Rosewood Lakes Golf
Course. The driving range,
golf shop and 18-hole, par-72
championship course will be
open daily from 8 a.m. to 6
p.m.
The First Tee of Northern
Nevada is a nonprofit youth
development organization
that advances children by
teaching life skills such as
self-management, interpersonal communication, goal
setting, mentoring and
resiliency. The number of
youth engaged in the local
chapter was 7,500 in 2013.
2014 Seasonal
Membership
Individual: $1,000
Family: $1,500
Individual *Monthly: $200
Memberships include unlimited green fees and cart.
2014 Rates
Adult 9 Holes: $25
Adult 18 Holes: $30
Senior 9 Holes: $20
Senior 18 Holes: $25
Junior 9/18 Holes: $10
Biggest Little / page 26
replied, “Yes, but what’s that
got to do with it?” I told him
that I graduated from St.
Anthony’s in Fort Lauderdale
and we used to kick
the daylights out of Andrew
Jackson. He laughed and said,
“We might be able to turn the
tables on you now.”
A few nights ago on one of
the cable stations there was a
screening of the most iconic
basketball motion picture made
to date. It was the story entitled
“Hoosiers” which starred a good
friend, Gene Hackman, as a
down-on-his-luck coach who
ends up taking a small, undersized high school basketball
team to a prestigious win in the
Indiana state tournament.
The reason that I could identify with the film was that my
high school basketball coach
faced similar challenges. His
name was Joe Gusweiler. He
came onto the scene at St.
Anthony’s during my junior
year when he took us to a nearly perfect season. St. Anthony’s
was a very small school at that
time with a total enrollment of
60 students, 45 girls and 15
boys. Gusweiler was a previous
All-American at the University
of Kentucky and was able
through his expertise to take us
to the state championship my
senior year.
32 • 2014 • May
Eydie’s Excerpts
The Greatest Generation
by Eydie & David Scher
You are going to love this story. David took the trip of a lifetime. He had company. He was the oldest “Guardian” as
they were called. Our grandson, at 16 was the youngest and our son, who just finished a very successful St. Baldrick’s
campaign, is somewhere in the middle. You can recognize Eric by the almost baldhead he is sporting.
hat is the Greatest
Generation? It is
made up of young
people who were ages 16 to 24
in 1941 who without any hesitation, signed up for the armed
forces to defend our nation.
Because of their dedication and
patriotism, we live and enjoy
the freedoms that they fought
and died for. America would
not be what it is today, a free
nation, if it were not for the
Greatest Generation
During the weekend of April
5th, 2014, I had the privilege
and honor to be a volunteer
guardian with my son and
grandson on an Honor Flight.
W
The Honor Flight takes WW ll
veterans to Washington, DC at
no cost to the surviving WW ll
veterans. The Guardians pay
their own way. I was doubly
honored because my son Eric,
who initiated our involvement,
but also that my grandson
Jordon joined us on the flight.
We had 10 guardians and 30
veterans ranging in age from 87
to 98. We had to reassure the
family members of the vets that
they would be well taken care
of. The vets were made up of
Navy, Air Force, Army, Coast
guard, Merchant Marines,
Marines and Sea Bees.
At the San Francisco airport
I had inkling of what was to
come. In the staging area, people from all walks of life and
every age and denomination
would come up to the vets and
thank them for their service. A
lot of hugging ensued. Eydie
(Generati on page 34)
May • 2014 • 33
Generation / page 33
would have loved that. When we proceeded
to the gate there was an honor guard, but
when the plane arrived at Dulles airport, I
34 • 2014 • May
realized how big this was and how it was
affecting me. Before the plane pulled up to
the gate two fire engines sprayed the plane
as a welcome with high-powered water
hoses. Going into the terminal, 20 of
the vets were in wheel chairs. The reception was indescribable. At least 200 people waved flags to welcome us, shook
hands and again
lots of hugging
took place.
Representatives
of Virgin
America, the
USO and the
Military were
on hand. Also,
airport personnel directed us
through the airport to our
waiting bus.
Everywhere we
went, people
would stop and
thank the Vets
of the Bulge, Battle of Leyte Gulf and the
individual stories that many of them did
not want to talk about. Some are still
painful after all these years, which is very
understandable. These guys are tough even
to us guardians. Getting hit with a cane
because I wanted one of them to sit in a
wheelchair was not what I had in mind. He
for their service.
We arrived at the
hotel and outside
waiting for a tour
were approximately
40 people. They
told me what I could do with the chair, and
I loved the attitude. The standard line from
a lot of them was, “Don’t tell me what to do
or I ‘ll put this cane where the sun doesn’t
shine.” Hey, at their ages, they can say whatever they please.
were all over the
Vets.
The stories the
vets tell are astonishing. Kamikaze
attacks, Battan
death march, Battle
The next morning we boarded the bus
for the WW ll Memorial escorted by a veterans motorcycle club through the streets of
DC. I was overwhelmed by the reception at
the memorial. There were at least one thousand people, 3 bands, and representatives of
all the military branches. I saw generals and
admirals shake every vets hand
thanking them. I think I am a
tough guy but I can’t tell you
how many times my eyes teared
up. We had a ceremony and
then free time to check out the
memorial. Next stop was Iwo
Jima memorial then Korean and
Vietnam memorial and the
Lincoln memorial. It was something with all the adults and
children coming up to the vets.
Next stop was Arlington
National Cemetery where it was
arranged for us to be placed up
front for the changing of the
guard at the Unknown Soldier.
Tears flooded the eyes of these
tough guys. Next on tap were
the Air Force and Navy
Memorial. What a day, both
physically and emotionally!
Dinner is served at a local
restaurant. Sunday morning
breakfast is consumed and it’s
back to the airport and more
crowds are there to send us off
including entire classes of
school kids. Arriving in San
Francisco led to a tremendous
welcome from the relatives. No
one wants to leave our new life
long friends. It’s an emotional
time.
Thank God for The Greatest
Generation. Without any hesitation they signed up in droves
to the armed forces to defend
our nation following Pearl
Harbor. Due to their dedication
and patriotism, we live and
enjoy the freedoms that they
fought and died for. America
would not be what it is today, a
free nation, if it were not for the
Greatest Generation. We are
losing many of them daily so it’s
more important than ever that
they be honored now. Can you
possibly imagine what it would
be like to live in America if they
lost WW ll. For one thing, we’d
all might be speaking German
and or Japanese! On the back
of our shirts were 2 sayings. 1.)
If you can read this, thanks a
teacher. 2.) If you can read this
in English, thank a Vet!
P.S. - Virgin America
Airways was named number
one on the list of excellent airlines! They proved themselves
worthy of this award. Box
lunches fed us but there were
no complaints from either the
Vets or us.
David, my son and grandson
were awesome. Rest was not in
their vocabulary as they helped
out 24/7. Yes, they are invited
back. Do you think I might tag
along? I’ll just get a huge backpack! That’s the only luggage
they were allowed to bring, Plus,
I’d need a large size box of tissues.
May • 2014 • 35
Seniors4Travel
Robert Boyd & Carolyn Prusa
Staying Home...
Just like clockwork, it seems,
with the changing of the seasons and warmer weather
come higher gasoline prices.
As we write this, it is up to
$3.99 a gallon, which factors
in to a decision we made to
stay reasonably close to
home this summer. Many
friends have indicated likewise. On the bright side,
there are plenty of summer
events and activities to enjoy
right here, in and about
Reno.
And, when we’re not out
there ‘doing it’, we’ll be popping a DVD or VHS into the
video box, making some
microwave popcorn and settling back to enjoy a vacation-themed film.
Our viewing list:
National Lampoon’s
Vacation (1983) - This is an
oldie but goodie staring
Chevy Chase as Clark
Griswold, a guy who decides
to take the family on a crosscountry trip from the
Chicago area to a Los
Angeles amusement park
called Walley World, billed
as "America's Favorite Family
Fun Park. The road trip is
one hilarious misadventure
after another.
(1999) - features a stellar
cast, including Matt Damon,
Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law,
Cate Blanchett, and Philip
Seymour Hoffman. It's hard
to imagine that a holiday on
the Italian coast could be
anything but wonderful for
anybody as rich and attractive as Dickie (Law) and his
girlfriend (Paltrow), but even
wealth has its limitations.
Ripley (Damon) has been
hired by Dickie’s father to
bring him home. But as
Ripley becomes immersed in
Dickie's life, he no longer
wants to retrieve Dickey, he
wants to assume his identity,
and is crafty enough to successfully do so.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Little Miss Sunshine
(2006) - stars Greg Kinnear,
Toni Collette, Abigail Breslin,
Steve Carell, Paul Dano, and
Alan Arkin. Imagine a dysfunctional family wasting
their summer vacation traveling in a mechanically
unstable, yellow Volkswagen
to a "Little Miss Sunshine"
beauty contest in Redondo
Beach and there you have the
Hoovers. Incredibly, after
800 miles of blazing heat and
comical catastrophe, the clan
that includes a son on a vow
of silence, a gay uncle on the
verge of suicide, and a profanity-inclined, heroin-riddled grandfather, manages to
become the most endearing
family you’d ever want to
meet.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
(2008) - Vicky (Rebecca
Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett
Johansson) get the vacation
opportunity of a lifetime
36 • 2014 • May
when they’re invited to stay
with relatives in Barcelona
for the summer. They
encounter a handsome foreigner (Javier Bardem) who
takes them on a tour of the
country and successfully
seduces them into a longterm wine and sex fueled
threesome with an emotionally unstable Penelope Cruz.
Roman Holiday (1953) Audrey Hepburn stars as
Princess Anne and Gregory
Peck stars as American journalist Joe Bradley. Princess
Ann decides to sneak away
from her diplomatic chores
to have some fun on her
own. Journalist Bradley
meets up with Hepburn’s
caricature and together they
see the sites of Rome. This
happens without Peck telling
the princess he knows who
she is. Although they fall in
love their fictitious roles
eventually keep them apart.
Hepburn won the Academy
Award as Princess Anne.
The scenes of Rome are
spectacular.
The Seven Year Itch (1955)
- Richard (Tom Ewell) sends
his wife and kids away from
their home in New York City
to Maine on vacation, but his
intentions are less admirable.
Richard is smack in the middle of a mid-life crisis when
he meets his new neighbor
(Marilyn Monroe) in all of
her full-bodied glory. The
film contains one of the most
iconic images of the 20th
century – Monroe standing
on a subway grate as her
white dress is blown by a
passing train.
A scary Tuesday morning
this ‘n that
by Anne Vargas
annevargas3@gmail.com
“Why didn’t you go to the Emergency Room?”
Everyone asked me that question later on, even
one of the doctors. A second doctor told me I
should have replied: “if I had been in my right
mind, I would have.”
I recently
experienced a
TGA. Not to
be confused with PGA, as in golf
tournament, TGA stands for
Trans Global Amnesia. There are
a wide variety of definitions but
it basically means a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss
where your recall of recent events
simply vanishes. It is common to
be unable to remember where
you are or how you got there and
you experience an impaired ability to retain new information. A
common feature includes repetitive questioning, usually of the
same question.
In my case I don’t know how I
got to the gym that morning, nor
do I remember anything that
took place in the following few
hours. However, I was completely unaware that anything was
happening to me so I would
hardly have been cognizant
enough to take myself to the ER.
I had left home around 3:30
a.m., which is admittedly absurd,
but it’s also normal for me, something I have been doing every day
for years. Fortunately there were
Anne Vargas
no cars on the road with me (not
many people are foolish enough
to get up that early) since the
only memory I have of the trip is
of totally missing the very wide
entrance to the parking lot and
hitting a large stone but it wasn’t
of any concern to me, even
though I had damaged the car.
Who knows what else I might
have hit had there been any traffic.
Everything that transpired
after that I subsequently learned
about from other people, with
one or two exceptions. I do
remember being asked by the
friend I share the pool with
whether I needed any help; she
thought I seemed disoriented. I
do not remember getting into the
pool, whether I exercised or not,
even whether I showered and
dressed. It’s as if my mind was
mesh, with the holes becoming
bigger until only a few events
remained to be retrieved.
The next memory I possess is
of sitting down in the locker
room, fully clothed. I do not
remember leaving the locker
(Scary morning page 38)
May • 2014 • 37
38 • 2014 • May
room but I do remember the
front desk attendant suggesting
I sit down and have some orange
juice. Someone in the locker
room had called the front desk
to report that my behavior was
unusual, that I wasn’t speaking
rationally; I would later learn
more about my bizarre behavior.
I remember several people
trying to convince me to allow
them to call my still sleeping
spouse. Since I didn’t realize
there was something wrong with
me, I stubbornly refused and
drove myself home, although I
don’t remember doing so.
Thankfully, I made it without
mishap.
My husband’s gym routine is
as habitual as mine; he leaves the
house just about the time I get
home. That morning we passed
on the road so he was unaware
there was cause for concern and
when I got home I lay down and
went to sleep.
It wasn’t until a friend called
me a few hours later that I somewhat surfaced. She asked me
repeatedly whether I was all
right, saying I sounded strange.
Somehow that registered and I
was sufficiently aware by then to
understand something wasn’t
right. I was able to call both my
husband and my doctor. By the
time we got to his office I was
able to relate much of what I
have written here. MRI results
were good, my memory
returned (except for those gaps)
and I am back to normal, whatever normal is for me.
But it could have been far
more serious which is why people asked whether I had gone
immediately to the ER. Most of
my symptoms pointed to the
TGA but I also displayed symptoms of a TIA (Trans Ischemic
Attack) so there is a slight difference of opinion between doctors as to which I had. Both are
alarming and potentially serious,
especially a TIA, so if anyone is
exhibiting symptoms of a either
they should be seen immediately
in order to rule out possibility of
hemorrhage in the brain.
According to the
MAYO Clinic website:
Although TIAs (Transient
Ischemic Attacks) and TGAs
(Transient Global Amnesia) are
related, a TIA is considered to
be a serious warning sign of
stroke and should not be
ignored. TGA is slightly different in that TIAs are very brief
while TGAs often usually last
several hours.
IN A TIA: Blood clots that
temporarily block blood flow to
the brain are the most common
cause of TIAs. Blood clots may
develop for a variety of reasons.
TIAs can occur at all ages but
are more frequent among the
elderly. TIAs are associated
with other neurological signs
such as motor or sensory dysfunction. A TIA may be accompanied by more global disorientation and confusion.
IN A TGA: The underlying
cause of (TGA) is unknown.
The patient cannot acquire new
memories but otherwise is able
to function normally; personal
identity is usually retained.
TGA most frequently strike
between ages of 40-80. TGA is
an isolated memory disorder
and there are no other neurological signs. TGAs are usually isolated and seldom reoccur. I am
the exception to that, having suffered another sixteen years ago.
Although transient global amnesia isn't harmful, there's no easy
way to distinguish the condition
from the life threatening illnesses that can also cause sudden
memory loss.
Awareness of these two conditions and recognition of their
symptoms could be crucial.
Seek immediate medical attention for anyone who quickly
goes from normal awareness of
present reality to confusion
about what just happened. If
the person experiencing memory
loss is too disoriented to call an
ambulance, call one yourself.
It happened to me; it could
happen to you.