The Senior Voice - September 2009

The Senior

I O C V E September 2009

Local Attractions • Scenic Places • History • Money • Health • News

Cattle Ghost Town King In Northern Called Colorado ‘Mortal Ruin’

North Longs Colorado Pioneers Peak Pioneer In 1800s Climbers

Cover Outlaws Picture In Early Devil’s Tower Colorado in Wyoming

Estate Planning, Steamboat Health, Springs News

Skiing

2 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

State Legislation Medical Research? By Bob Bacon Colorado State Senator

C

olorado remains in the throes of the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression. The members of the General Assembly worked hard to pass a prudent, responsible and balanced budget and to make up for the budget shortfall of $1.454 billion. To do this, we made many difficult decisions and weighed every option. With a combination of federal dollars, state reserve funds and surgical cuts, we avoided slashing essential state services like clean water, child immunizations and K-12 education. Programs considered for cuts were breast and prostate cancer screening, full-day kindergarten, pediatric care, higher education, child welfare, nursing home services, the senior homestead exemption, mental illness programs, early childhood education, and prisons. As the recession rages on, the outlook for next year’s budget is grim. The current fiscal year budget must be reduced, and the following

fiscal year budget will again need to be cut drastically. In all, we need to reduce the state’s budget by an additional $840 million over the next year. Unfortunately, we are left with no good options. Every cut will hurt, and no one in the legislature likes what we have to do. We will be asking, “What kind of Colorado do we want?” meaning, what state services are most important? Our choices may be between funding higher education or children with disabilities. We will continue to do our best to protect Colorado’s most vulnerable, but we will be forced to cut funding for people and programs that Coloradans depend on such as: schools, water, police officers, roads and bridges, nurses and children with disabilities. As we continue making difficult budgetary decisions, most citizens will see programs they value appreciably diminished or cut. ________________ Sen. Bob Bacon represents District 14 in Fort Collins. Phone him at 221-4552, email bbacon14 @comcast.net. ■

I

s your doctor misled by reports in medical journals that could cause him to give you harmful medicines? It’s very possible, according to recent reports from the Public Library of Science and the New York Times. For years, drug companies have been paying ghost writers to publish articles in medical journals promoting their drugs, and paying university professors to put their names on the articles even though the professors did none of the research. Court cases involving hormone drugs for women show that between 1998 and 2005 Wyeth pharmaceutical paid ghost writers to produce at least 26 scientific papers recommending such hormones that have since been found to cause breast cancer, heart disease and other serious problems. The articles appeared in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and other respected journals that doctors depend on for information. Since then, over 8,000 women have sued Wyeth for problems caused by the hormone drugs. Professor Gloria Bachmann put her name on one of the articles,

though she did not do the research, said the New York Times. She is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey. This was revealed in one of the court cases against Wyeth. Investigators have learned that such practices are used by numerous drug companies and involve many medicines. “You don’t know which articles are tainted and which aren’t,” said Dr. Joseph S. Ross at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. This puts doctors in a difficult position. What medical research can they believe? Which medicines should they prescribe for their patients? After learning about the ghost writing practices, some medical journals recently began requiring authors to identify possible conflicts of interest and verify their research. But not all journals do that. Some universities ask professors to disclose money and benefits they receive from pharmaceuticals and other companies, but many universities do not actually require that, and conflicts of interest still exist. ■

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The Senior Voice • September 2009 • 3

Unusual Cattle King By Bill Lambdin

VOL. 29, NO. 10

H

e was an early uncle of Winston Churchill, a deal maker in the American West, and they called him “Mortal Ruin.” Moreton Frewen was one of the British “cattle kings” in Wyoming during the late 1800s. Like other Englishmen at that time, he saw the free use of public lands for grazing in the American West as a way to get rich. Using investors’ money, he attempted to make northeastern Wyoming his private cattle kingdom, grazing thousands of cows on unclaimed public lands. He might have become rich if his reckless blueblood spirit had not gotten the best of him. Born into a wealthy British family in 1853, Frewen thought he would inherit a fortune. As a handsome young man, he shared a mistress, the famous singer Lilly Langtry, with the man who later became England’s King Edward VII. Frewen lived a carefree life, often gambling and betting on horse races. But the family fortune went to his older brother, and Frewen was left with little inheritance. Despondent, he bet most of his money on a single horse race and lost. He later managed to convince a group of wealthy English investors to buy thousands of cattle that he could graze on free land in Wyoming. The ranch was said to be as large as the entire country of Ireland. At least, that’s how Frewen described it to investors back in England. Upon arriving in Wyoming, Frewen built a mansion for himself, with a drawing room and grand piano in it. He hired servants and gave lavish parties for his visiting English friends. In the middle of the untamed West, “Frewen’s castle” was an anachronism, like a fairy tale in the wrong setting. He knew nothing about ranching. One story said a local Wyoming cowboy selling cattle to

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Ft. Collins and Loveland (970) 229-9204 Greeley (970) 454-3789 Britisher Morten Frewen was called “Mortal Ruin” because of his failed cattle empire in early Wyoming. Colorado Historical Society. Frewen drove the herd around a hill twice to double the count and take advantage of the Englishman. That story might not be true, but another was. Frewen built a slaughter house and meat storage facility on top of Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie, near the railroad. He thought the place was cool enough to provide natural refrigeration for the beef. It wasn’t, and he suffered heavy losses when the beef spoiled. Frewen’s lavish spending and lack of experience eventually took their toll. Investors began withdrawing support when they saw no profits from the gigantic operation. Severe winter storms in 1886 wiped out much of his herd, and he became unpopular with local people when he hanged a cattle rustler. Frewen became a symbol of the wealthy cattle barons who, for

years, fought to keep farmers and small ranchers from settling the West. The barons did not want to give up their vast, free grazing areas on public lands. Frewen eventually lost his cattle empire in Wyoming. He also lost investments in a Colorado mining company at Cripple Creek and ended up back in England, gambling and fighting with creditors. He died in London in 1924 with less than 50 pounds to his name. People remembered Moreton Frewen mostly by his nickname— Mortal Ruin. ________________ COVER PICTURE. Devil’s Tower in northeastern Wyoming near where Moreton Frewen grazed his cattle in the late 1800s. Photo courtesy of the Wyoming Tourism Office; see their photo album and website at wyomingtourism.org. ■

EDITORIAL DEADLINE Announcements and stories must be received by the 10th of the month.; ads by the 20th of the month. READER INFORMATION Subscriptions $48 a year. The Senior Voice welcomes readers' letters and contributions. The Senior Voice assumes no responsibility for damaged or lost material submitted by readers.

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1471 Front Nine Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 223-9271 email [email protected] www.theseniorvoice.net No material may be reproduced by any means without permission of the publisher.

Dr. William Lambdin, Publisher

4 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

More About Probate By Ron Rutz, Attorney Legal Correspondent

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ast month, I discussed what needs to be done with probate, a simple procedure in Colorado used to settle an estate. This is the second part of that column, showing what you need to do after filling out four forms: JDF 910; JDF 911; JDF 913; and JDF 915. The forms are available at www. courts.state.co.us/Forms/Index.cfm. After filing those forms with the county clerk, the forms will be processed and returned to you, along with seven certified Letters Testamentary. At that point, the Personal Representative needs to do the Information of Appointment (Form JDF 940), which notifies interested parties that a proceeding has been started and that a Personal Representative has been appointed. The original information is filed with the Court, and the Personal Representative sends a copy to each beneficiary listed on the Application. A Notice to Creditors (Form JDF 943) needs to be published in a newspaper in the county in which the

probate is being done. This usually costs about $50. After the Notice is published, the newspaper will send an Affidavit of Publication, which is then filed with the Court. Thereafter, nothing else needs to be submitted to the Court until the estate is ready to close. Bills can be paid and assets distributed immediately. An Inventory is normally given to the beneficiaries of the Will and then a Statement of Personal Representative Closing Administration (Form JDF 965) is filed with the Court, and the Personal Representative will need to send copies of the Verified Statement to the beneficiaries listed on the Information of Appointment to alert them that the estate proceedings have ended. When done by the family, the probate cost is around $350. Thus, probate is often a desirable choice in Colorado. ________________ Attorney Ron Rutz will answer questions sent to 2625 Redwing Road, #180, Ft. Collins, CO 80526. Phone 223-8388. Email [email protected].

■

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The Senior Voice • September 2009 • 5

The History of Rist Canyon Editor’s Note: Fort Collins historian Josephine Clements wrote the following story years ago. By Josephine Clements

T

he Devil’s Chair was an unusual rock formation years ago at the entrance to Rist Canyon northwest of Fort Collins. My mother, Mildred Payson Beatty, born in 1898, told the story that, in the early days, a toll gate was erected next to the rock, and loads were charged 10 cents to go through. One day, Tim LeMoyne, a Frenchman who lived a few miles up the canyon and who was known for an irascible temperament, came along. Not having a dime to pay, he took his axe and cut the toll gate down. The Devil’s Chair was blown up long ago to widen the road up Rist Canyon, which was named for Joe

Rist. He was listed on the earliest tax rolls of Larimer County in 1866. According to Ansel Watrous in his 1911 “History of Larimer County,” Joe Rist set up a mill in Rist Canon where he cut out many hundred thousand feet of lumber, much of which was hauled to Cheyenne. In another entry, Watrous said Augustine Mason bought the Rist Canyon road from Joe Rist in 1868 for $75. Rather than keep the road in repair, Mason made a present of it to the county. On December 26, 1870, also according to Watrous, the board of county commissioners “laid out and established the Rist Canon road from the southeast corner of John B. Provost’s claim to the divide between the head of Rist Canon and the Redstone Creek. This is the road that leads over Bingham Hill.” The little town of Bellvue was

An early sawmill near Rist Canyon. Fort Collins Public Library. later platted along this road as it passed through Pleasant Valley. In 1898 my grandfather, John H. Payson, bought the Robert R. West ranch just over the divide between the Redstone Creek drainage and Rist Canyon. He set up a sawmill and cut lumber and built a big new barn that included a blacksmith shop. That same year, he furnished all the lumber for the barn built on the

W.C. Graves place in Pleasant Valley, said to be the biggest barn ever built in Larimer County. The Graves barn burned in the 1950s. My grandfather John Payson was road overseer of the Rist Canon District in 1903 and 1904 and improved the road up the canyon. A steep little hill on the route was called Payson Hill for many years. ■

6 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

Historic Stover House T he historic Frank Stover house in Fort Collins is among those featured on this year’s historic homes tour sponsored by the Poudre Landmarks Foundation. Member Susan Hoskinson provided the following information about the Stover house. For tour information, call 484-7137. Frank Stover owned the Stover Drug Store (later City Drug) in Fort Collins for 40 years beginning in 1874. He and his wife Mary built a large home near City Park that still

stands at 1320 West Oak Street. It was a Tudor Revival style home designed by Minneapolis architect Marion Alice Parker, and it was one of the finest homes in Fort Collins in its time. In 1882 Stover’s drug store and other buildings were heavily damaged by a fire. That prompted the city to build the new water works to deal with such fires. Stover was a city leader, and his name is still engraved in the stone above the water works entrance. ■

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half of the parent’s full retirement or disability benefit, or 75 percent of the deceased parent’s basic Social Security benefit. The maximum family payment can be from 150 to 180 percent of the parent’s full benefit amount. If the total amount payable to all family members exceeds this limit, each child’s benefit is reduced proportionately until the total equals the maximum allowable amount. For example, if you are retired with a minor child and your benefit payment is $1,000 a month, your minor child could get up to half of that each month, or $500. However, if you had two minor children in your care, the maximum your entire family could receive would be between $1,500 and $1,800. That’s $1,000 for you and between $250 and $400 per child. If you have minor children, you’ll want to read Social Security’s online publication “Benefits for Children” at www. socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10085.html. ■

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The Senior Voice • September 2009 • 7

Frontier Days in Greeley and Cheyenne (Editor’s Note: Greeley historian Hazel E. Johnson wrote the following story years ago.) By Hazel Johnson

Y

oung Bill Kelly of Greeley recalled the time he and a friend attended one of the first Frontier Days celebrations at Cheyenne. “It was 1902, and everyone was talking about it,” said Kelly. “We were both under 20. My friend, Dan, was enamored of the Old West because he had worked as a cowhand in the Chalk Bluffs area roundups and on the Jack Elliott ranch.” They went by train to Cheyenne and decided not to go to bed the first night. “We went out on the town.” They walked everywhere, climbed the capitol dome at sunset and viewed the wide open spaces. A tent enclosed a beer bar—ten cents for a cupful from the keg. They climbed a back fence to get into the rodeo, and they knew several of the participants. There was dancing in the streets, and they went from bar to bar to see what was going on. They got their first introduction to guitar music and singing “Oh, the moon shines bright on pretty Redwing...” Bill recalled, “We saw several spontaneous fights and plenty of plainsmen. We envied the real cowmen who were so at home at the affair. “It seemed wild and woolly to us. Many of the surging crowds

were homesteaders from frugal living. Many were camping out at the fairgrounds. “There was an air of earthy enjoyment everywhere, many reunions of ranchers.” At dusk on the second day, they were on the train platform at the Cheyenne depot, worn out by two exciting days, ready to go home. Aboard the train, they walked up the string of coaches until they found a group of Greeley men. The crowd was still playful, and many were still drinking. “Halfway from Cheyenne, We saw one young fellow, drinking heavily, asking men for their hats,” said Bill. “He was telling them he would take care of the hats. “Many of the men handed him their hat, going along with his good humor. He had no purpose in mind except to join in the fun. “But when he got up by our seat, he leaned over and looked out the window. “He stared for sometime at the prairie passing by and suddenly, on impulse aided by drink, he threw his armful of hats out the open window. They scattered across the prairie as the train flew on. “We got off the train at Eaton,” recalled Bill. “As we looked back, several cowboys had the young fellow cornered. They were all hatless in the hot sun and mad as hell. We were sure glad we were not in his shoes.” And that’s what the first Frontier Days were like. ■

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8 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

A New Generation of Nursing Care

Inaccurate Flu Tests Q

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uick and easy swine flu tests used in some doctors’ offices are not reliable, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Kits for the tests have been available for several years, and results from them can be known in a few minutes. But they are accurate only about half of the time, said researchers. The best test is a doctor’s personal evaluation of symptoms and a consid-

eration of what type of flu is in the community. “There is no substitute for the judgment of the clinician,” said Michael Shaw at the CDC. More accurate tests usually require 24 hours for results. In the meantime, a doctor will often begin treatment with an antiviral medicine. People who have the flu at this particular time in 2009 might well have swine flu, said Dr. Marc Siegel at New York University Langone Medical Center. ■

Breast Cancer Research O ne glass of wine per day might benefit women who undergo radiation therapy for breast cancer, says a report in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. The radiation often causes skin problems for women. Researchers found that a daily glass of wine reduced the problems by two-thirds— a significant amount. “If wine can prevent radiotherapyinduced (skin) toxicity without affecting anti-tumor efficacy...it also has the potential to enhance the therapeutic benefit in cancer patients

without increasing their risk of serious adverse effects,” said Dr. Vincenzo Valentini. Medicines are available to treat the skin problems, but they are expensive and often have unwanted side effects. One serious side effect is the medicines can, in some cases, protect cancer cells. Wine did not have that side effect in this study of nearly 350 women. “The possibility that particular dietary practices...can reduce radiation-induced toxicity is very intriguing,” said Dr. Valentini. ■

The Senior Voice • September 2009 • 9

Beautiful Snowy Range

Is the Front Range constraining your retirement dollars? If so, By Margaret Laybourn

Welcome to CURTIS Nebraska A GREAT PLACE TO RETIRE! What the area has to offer: • Local Senior Center • Low property taxes • Swimming pool • Community owned movie theater • Beautiful Arrowhead Meadows Golf Course • Big city internet technology • Affiliated grocery store • City park, tennis courts • Very low crime rate • Located between 7 area lakes

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Range Pass is a tradition for many residents of southeastern Wyoming and northern Colorado. When the road opens on Memorial Day every year, snow banks eight to ten feet high border the road. This gives way in the spring to borders of the lily-like yellow Johnny Jump Ups, the first flowers peeping out of the snow melt. In summer the wild flowers carpet the meadows. A picnic beside a stream like lovely Libby Creek is an experience that can only be described as sensational—the smell of cool mountain air combined with the fragrance of flowers; the sounds of gurgling water; the taste of an old fashion repast; and the sight of snowcapped peaks mirrored in sapphire lakes. Watchful eyes can occasionally catch glimpses of moose, deer and elk. A favorite hike is to the top of Medicine Bow Peak, the tallest in the range, with a spectacular view. It’s a half-day experience that is moderately difficult. A good mountain bike ride is the trail down six miles from Lake Marie through the French Creek canyon. The creek is also a fine fishing resource. Trees killed by the pine beetle put a slight blight on the landscape. But the glorious colors of fall foliage temper that. ■

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10 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

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2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. 12. 15.

17. 19. 21. 24. 25. 27. 28. 30. 31. 33. 34. 36. 38. 39. 40. 42.

_____ Ears Pass

ANSWERS

43. 45. 48. 50.

Cross inscription “Feet, don’t _____ _____ now!” (Frightened person’s mantra) Rocky Marciano still held this when he retired from the ring Greeley campus, familiarly One of Dumas’ three Alternative energy source What an electrician’s meter might indicate as the problem _____ man (athletic actor) Snapped Doo wop hit by the Cadillacs in the 1950s with the lyrics, “They often call me Speedo but my real name is “_____ _____“ This town, founded in 1860, was the site of the first steel produced west of the Mississippi _____ Rock County home to Creede and Wolf Creek Pass Generate a higher tachometer reading (2 wds) Newman/Redford film, with “The” Toscanini of the Metropolitan Opera Pindar output One of Snow White’s seven friends _____ Bran “_____ _____ _____ Rhapsody” Straight man “Bud” and others N. African expanse of some 3,500,000 sq. miles Carl _____ created the TV series “Cosmos” and authored the novel Contact African menace 2004 Oscar winner for role in “Monster:” Charlize _____. Chore prior to taking off for a long road trip Daughter of Tantalus who was turned to stone by Zeus Mattie _____ was a famous madam of early Colorado Archibald of the NBA Air conditioner meas.

Colorado Crosswords are created exclusively for The Voice by Tony Donovan, who lives in Loveland.

The Senior Voice • September 2009 • 11

Early Nurses

By Arlene Ahlbrandt

38 years and we’re still re-inventing ourselves

T

he 14th annual Cemetery Stroll is a living history presentation that will be presented September 19 at 10 am and 1:30 pm, at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins. The theme is the history of nursing in the city. Martha Rhem will discuss Ida Patterson Fairfield, the daughter of prominent pioneers. Ida was trained in 1892 and served in World War I. Carol Michie Alford will protray her early aunt Jane Michie. Born in 1887, Jane was trained at Fort Collins Hospital in 1914 and served on the board of directors for the hospital. Karen Hancock will portray Emma Vanderwark Alkire Powers, who was born in 1872 and came to Fort Collins in a covered wagon with her parents. She estimated she helped with the birth of 1,000 babies. Jennifer Nayan will portray Helen Tenney Greenamyre. Born in 1873, Helen was trained in Wyoming and became the nursing superintendent at Fort Collins Hospital. Anita Basham will portray Ethel Currie, who was born in Fort Collins in 1896. She was one of only two nurse anesthetists in Fort Collins. Jane Koeckeritz will portray Natalie

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Telehealth Nurse Jane Michie years ago. Billington, born in 1905. She died of tuberculosis at age 40 in 1946 but was a well known nurse. Reid Jacob will portray George Spaulding, born in 1907 in Salida, Colorado. Several of his family members were nurses. Tickets for either performance are $6, available at the senior center or cemetery. ■

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12 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

Research on Strokes A

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bout half of the people who have a major stroke do so soon after having a mini-stroke, often within 24 hours, according to a report in the medical journal Neurology. That means people need to get to an emergency room immediately after they experience mini-stroke symptoms that last more than ten minutes such as slurred speech, sudden weakness or a strong headache. Quick treatment in a hospital can save your life and avoid the longterm effects of a stroke, said researchers. Risk of a major stroke can be reduced by up to 80 percent with standard hospital treatment that includes aspirin, Plavix, blood pressure reduction and statin therapy with drugs such as Crestor, Lipitor and Zocor. “Don’t wait until the next day,” said study author Dr. Peter M. Rothwell at the University of Oxford in England where the research was conducted on over 1,200 people who had mini-strokes.

Another study says if you have one stroke, the risk of having another one within a few years is fairly high; and the second one will likely be more severe than the first. That’s the conclusion of a report in the Journal of Neurology, Neuro surgery and Psychiatry. Researchers studied nearly 3,000 stroke victims over a 10-year period. They found that the risk of having a second stroke within 10 years was 24.5 percent. The risk after five years was 16.2 percent; and the risk after one year was 7.1 percent. People with a history of heart trouble were more likely to have a second stroke. So were those with a history of heart rhythm disorder (atrial fibrillation). People who had high blood pressure before the first stroke were more likely to have a second stroke within five years. Being older, having heart trouble and high blood pressure increased the risk of a second stroke within 10 years. ■

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R

etired Kodak employees have formed EDRA, Ltd., a non-profit organization to advocate for the protection of retirement benefits, according to member Bob Volpe. He says, “The group plans to work directly with state and federal government agencies and elected officials, and to reach out to Kodak, to influence retiree benefit changes that could take place in the future.” The group was formed early this year after Kodak eliminated its life insurance and dental benefits for retired employees. Volpe said the

purpose of EDRA is not to fight Kodak for the reinstatement of benefits but to “reach out to Kodak management and offer to help develop solutions and alternatives to providing ongoing benefits for retirees.” EDRA will also participate in the National Retiree’s Legislative Network, a non-partisan group devoted to protecting retirement benefits. Volpe encourages Kodak retirees to join EDRA and get information at www.ekra.org, or email him at [email protected]. Phone 585-3015579. ■

Tanning Beds Cause Cancer

T

anning beds are now ranked among cigarettes and asbestos as the leading causes of cancer, says a report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In fact, tanning beds can increase the risk of developing melanoma cancer by 75 percent, especially if used by children or adults under age 30. Tanning salons are a multi-billion dollar industry; but some states are trying to regulate their use by young people, requiring teenagers to obtain permission from their parents or

doctors before using sun beds. Australia has an outright ban on them for teenagers. That occurred after 26-year-old Clare Oliver died of cancer in 2007; she said tanning beds caused her cancer. Investigations prompted the government to ban such use. Some tanning beds now have higher levels of UVB to mimic the sun’s rays, allowing users to tan quicker. The study was reported in a recent issue of the medical journal Lancet Oncology. ■

The Senior Voice • September 2009 • 13

Local Events and Exhibits Meet Local Authors Over 50 authors will sign and sell their books on adventure, hiking, cooking, fishing and many other subjects, September 12, 10 am to 2 pm, at Jax Mercantile, 1000 North Hwy 287 in Fort Collins. Call Lola Quinlan at 407-1478.

Poudre Landmarks Foundation. September 10, attend the group’s 25 anniversary Silver Soiree, 4-7 pm, at the Edwards House Bed and Breakfast with food, music and other events. Call Susan Hoskinson for tickets and information, 484-7137.

Loveland Rialto Theater Live musical performances, theater, and other events. See schedule at www.city ofloveland.org/rialto, or call 962-2120.

Red Feather Lakes Library Friends of the Library book sale, September 5, 8 am to 4 pm. 40th anniversary of the library, open house, September 9, 11 am to 4 pm. Writers’ workshop, September 19, 2 pm. For information, call 881-2664. ■

Historic Homes Tour September 12, tour nine historic Ft. Collins homes, sponsored by the

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About Birth Control Pills S

ome birth control pills are safer than others. That’s because some contain more estrogen and progestogen, which can increase the risk of dangerous blood clots in the legs and lungs, according to a report in the medical journal BMJ. You cannot tell which pills contain more of the hormones by reading information on the packages. You have to ask a doctor. The risk of blood clots from the pills is small but could be important for obese woman with a family

history of blood clots. Researchers were surprised to find that newer pills on the market contain more estrogen and progestogen than older pills. They advise women who might be concerned to take the older “second-generation” pills instead of the newer “fourth-generation” pills. None of the money for the study came from manufacturers of the pills. Researchers did that to avoid conflicts of interest that have been associated with some recent medical studies. ■

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14 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

Anti-Glare Lenses

New Migraine Treatments

“Now when I play softball, I see everything and during night games, there is NO glare!”

M

igraine sufferers might have a new treatment available before long. It’s a skin patch called Zelrix, produced by drug maker NuPathe, Inc. The company says the patch delivers a powerful migraine drug known as sumatriptan and provides relief within two hours from pain, nausea and other symptoms commonly associated with migraines. It is especially effective in treating the nausea that more than half of migraine sufferers experience, said officials. The company studied its effects on

— Bob Wiltgen Loveland

A

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s a competitive senior league softball team member, Bob Wiltgen plays shortstop and travels all over the United States. Recently his vision wasn’t what it should be, and night ball was impossible due to glare of the lights. Dr. Kirk checked the health of his eyes, calculated a new glasses prescription and recommended visiting the Optical Department for anti-glare lens. “This was the best experience I have ever had at an eye doctor. My glasses are now my secret weapon. I see everything, my game has improved and when we play night games, there is NO glare. I’m glad to tell friends my secret is Dr. Kirk and my new glasses.”

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Statins May Affect Cataracts

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tatin drugs used to lower cholesterol might also protect people from eye cataracts, according to a research report in the American Journal of Ophthalmology. Researchers examined over 3,500 mature people and followed them for a ten-year period in the Blue Mountain Eye Study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia. They concluded that the people who were taking statins such as

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Lipitor or Zocor to lower cholesterol reduced their risk of developing cataracts by nearly 50 percent. Cataracts cause a clouding of the eyes and can lead to blindness. Researchers think antioxidant properties that may be present in statins help the eyes avoid cataracts. But they say more research is needed to confirm this. On a related note, the researchers said that “oxidative stress” may be a factor in causing cataracts, and antioxidants might avoid that. ■

Inner Ear Problems Common

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d e n e p O s n i a r D

over 500 patients. Side effects were mild itching and tingling on the skin where the patch was applied. Approximately 30 million Americans suffer from migraines, according to the National Headache Foundation. Another recent treatment being developed for migraines is a drug that is inhaled, called Levadex. The maker, MAP Pharmaceuticals, says it will bring relief within 30 minutes and last 48 hours. Research on that drug involved nearly 800 people. ■

bout 70 million Americans over age 40 have inner-ear problems that can cause them to experience a serious injury from falling, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. “Vestibular imbalances need to be taken seriously because falls can be fatal and injuries can be painful, lead to long hospital stays, and result in significant loss in quality of life,” said researcher Dr. Lloyd B. Minor at Johns Hopkins University. About 85 percent of Americans

over age 80 have some kind of balance problem. Falls kill approximately 13,000 mature people a year and cause more than 1.5 million hospital emergency room admissions. The researchers surveyed more than 5,000 men and women over age 40 for the study. Participants with an inner-ear dysfunction were three times more likely to suffer a serious, possibly fatal fall. Researchers said all doctors need to do more screening for such problems. ■

Governor’s Farm Apartments 701 6th Street • Windsor, CO • (970) 352-5860 Designed for people 62 years of age and older, or disabled. Governor’s Farm is located in a pleasant rural community, offers affordable rent, one-bedroom ground level apartments, laundry facility, free maintenance and small pets are welcome. USDA-RD

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The Senior Voice • September 2009 • 15

Laughter Is the Best Medicine A

woman told her friend, “Before writing a prescription for my sixyear-old daughter, the pediatrician asked her if she was allergic to anything, and I saw her whisper something in his ear. “That night before I gave her the medicine, I read the directions on the bottle. The doctor had written, ‘Do not take with broccoli.’” A father saw a note addressed to “Dear Dad” on his 15-year-old son’s bedroom dresser. He opened it and read: “Dad, it is with regret that I have to tell you this way that Susie and I are eloping and will live in a trailer she has in the woods. I know you don’t like her piercings, tattoos and motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is ten years older than I am. But we are in love—and she is pregnant. She has a stack of wood that will get us through the winter cold in her trailer. We will get some money from marijuana we will grow in the woods, and we can trade with

neighbors who have cocaine and stuff. We plan to have many children and hope that a cure for AIDS will be found soon so Susie can get better. We’ll come back to visit some day so you can see your grandkids. Love, Johnny PS, None of this is true. I just wanted to remind you there are worse things than the bad report card in my desk drawer. A man on his Harley was riding along a California beach when suddenly lightning flashed and, in a booming voice, a genie said, “I will grant you one wish.” The biker pulled over and said, “Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want.” The genie said, “I can do it, but your request involves enormous challenges and will exhaust many of the earth’s natural resources. It is hard to justify. Take a little more time and think of something that could possibly help mankind.”

The biker thought for a while and said, “I wish that I and all men could understand women. I want to know how they really feel, what they think when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry, and how I can make a woman truly happy.” The genie said, “Do you want two lanes or four on that bridge?” From the popular radio show “Car Talk” (www.cartalk.com), here are

some of their staff titles and names: • Air traffic controller: Ulanda U. Lucky • Animal control officer: Turner Luce • Receptionist: Levon Hold • Assertiveness training coach: Lois Steem • Transportation coordinator: Orson Buggy • Defense attorney: Gil. T. Azell • Bunji jumping instructor: Hugo First

■

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Published since 1980, The Senior Voice is your locally owned newspaper serving residents age 50-plus. We thank our readers and advertisers for their support.

The Lambdin family, Senior Voice founders and owners since 1980.

16 • September 2009 • The Senior Voice

E

veryone is someone. Even if they no longer remember who they are. The Good Samaritan Society – Communities of Northern Colorado are proud to be a gold sponsor of the Alzheimer’s Association 2009 Memory Walk.

For more information or to find a community near you, call 1-888-877-1058.

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