The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Health News 05/10/2017

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(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Volunteers elect board members
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s Volunteer Association has elected its new board of directors. From left: Diane Ricca, president; Colleen D’Amario, vice president; Debbie Hennessy, secretary; Shirley Dunn, treasurer; Vikki Neftleberg, assistant treasurer; and, Elliot Lorenzi, Otto Ottaviano, Dixie Cagle, Joe D’Amario and Tom Runnions as directors at large.

American Stroke Month
During May, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association encourages people of all ages to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke, and to take healthy steps to reduce stroke risk.

Stroke claims an average of nearly 900 lives every year in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and is a leading cause nationally of serious, long-term disability. Stroke is largely preventable and treatable.

Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg. Nearly one in six American adults with high blood pressure does not know it.

AHA/ASA teaches the acronym F.A.S.T., to help people recognize the most common stroke warnings signs and what to do if one occurs:

  • F – Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
  • A – Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • S – Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred, is the person unable to speak, or is the person hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like, “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
  • T – Time to call 911: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get them to the hospital immediately.

For information, visit StrokeAssociation.org/strokemonth.

Health care gala
Guiding Star Tampa hosted its annual Light of Hope Benefits Gala benefit attended by more than 300 community partners, contributors, friends and residents.

Guiding Star is a comprehensive women’s health care practice that offers medical services, education and ongoing support to women and their children, from puberty through menopause, in the Tampa Bay area. The center offers natural, holistic and whole-life medical health care.

Located in north Hillsborough County, the facility has medical examination rooms, classroom/meeting rooms for English and Spanish Mommy Support Groups, and consulting rooms for one-on-one educational sessions.

Guests can schedule a facility tour by calling (813) 948-7734.

For information, visit GuidingStarTampa.org.

 

Raising awareness about child abuse

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Learning to recognize the signs of child abuse is a critical first step in knowing when to report suspected abuse.

Pasco-Hernando State College and Pasco Kids First Inc., hosted a child abuse awareness seminar on April 20 for about 30 people. The seminar was free and open to the community, students, faculty and staff.

Pasco-Hernando State College and Pasco Kids First., hosted a child abuse awareness seminar at the college. Among those attending were students, faculty and seminar presenters.
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

The “Stop the Abuse” seminar was part of the Summer 2017 Community Awareness Series. The next seminar will be on skin cancer awareness on May 24 from 11 a.m. to noon at PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, at 2727 Mansfield Blvd, in Building B, Room 203.

Staff members from Pasco Kids First child protection team and trauma therapy team discussed tools and resources to help victims of child abuse and how to recognize when child abuse is happening.

There’s no doubt that child abuse is an issue in Florida. A hotline to report suspected child abuse gets thousands of calls every year in the state.

Many of those attending the seminar are nursing students at the college.

“You’ll be faced with a lot of different scenarios,” said Natalie Epo, associate dean for academic affairs and retention services at the Porter Campus.

Data shows that children from birth to age 5 are at the highest risk of death from child abuse. Across the country, five children die every day from child abuse.

Telltale signs of abuse can be as obvious as a pattern of cigarette burns, or less so, such as bruising that is less noticeable and harder to categorize as abuse.

“If you see bruises on a child under age 5, those are the most concerning,” said Jon Wisenbaker, program manager for Pasco Kids First child protection team.

Pasco Kids First’s child protection and trauma teams work with the protection investigators at the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. They do assessments on physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and high-risk cases. Referrals are made by child protective investigators or law enforcement, but can’t be made directly by the general public.

Not every reported injury is due to child abuse, however.

“Kids do get accidental injuries all the time,” Wisenbaker said.  “That’s where we come into the picture to make that decision.”

The location and pattern of bruises can be telling, said Julie Nadkarni, pediatric nurse practitioner with Pasco Kids First’s child protection team.

Bruising, especially pattern bruising, on the inner thigh, upper arms, buttocks and sides of the face, ears and neck can be signs of abuse, Nadkarni said.

Bruises behind a child’s ear generally aren’t seen.

“When they fall, their ears don’t typically hit the ground,” she added.

Nadkarni showed slides of children with clear signs of abuse, including ligature marks, cigarette burns and scalded feet.

Bite marks, particularly by adults, are often associated with sexual abuse, she said.

Pasco Kids First also sees children suffering from neglect and malnutrition.

The mission of Pasco Kids First, however, is to keep families together, if possible.

“The goal is always to strengthen the family because overall that is where a child is going to do the best,” Nadkarni said.

Studies support that view, said Wisenbaker.

When children are removed, they are more likely to live with a relative or family friend than in a foster home, he said.

Helping victims and their families deal with abuse, and recover from trauma, is part of the mission at Pasco Kids.

Miranda Hager, trauma therapist with Pasco Kids First, counseled more than 280 clients last year. About 80 percent were victims of sexual abuse; 10 percent physical abuse; and 10 percent other types of trauma.

Children who have been abused can react to abuse by becoming aggressive or withdrawn. They make have difficulty sleeping, problems at school, increasing stomachaches and headaches and lack motivation.

Lexy, a survivor of child sex abuse, is one of Hager’s clients. She spoke at the seminar about her yearlong experience of abuse at age 15 by an older male friend of the family.

What happened over many months was a pattern of grooming, typical of sex offenders, Hager said.

Children are targeted over many months as the sexual predator tries to create a special friendship, giving them gifts and being available to them. “It’s a slow process of pulling the child away from friends and family,” Hager said.

For information, visit PascoKidsFirst.org.

To report suspected child abuse, neglect or abandonment, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-(800)-962-2873, or fax to (800) 914-0004.

Revised May 5, 2017

Health News 05/03/2017

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Buster’s job is pet therapy
Buster works for Canines for Christ as a therapy dog, and even has his own business card. He ministers to patients at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, as well as other places. When Buster is not helping to ‘heal,’ his favorite pastimes are chasing squirrels and playing with squeaky toys. Buster’s proud owner is Pat Metcalf of Lutz.

 

Hospital promotions
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has announced these promotions:

  • Jessica DeMauro, director of wound care. DeMauro was promoted from her position as director of patient experience. She has a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Purdue University.
  • Dina D. Credo, director of critical care unit. Credo has been serving as interim director of the critical care unit since last September, and has been serving in nurse management since her employment at the hospital in April 2009.
  • Sherry Pressner, vice president of human resources. Pressner comes from Citrus Memorial Hospital where she had the same position, and has been in various human resource positions within the HCA system since 2009.

Cup of Compassion
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay hosted the 14th annual Cup of Compassion fundraising breakfast at the Tampa Convention Center.

More than 500 guests gathered to support the center’s mission: To ensure that no one in our community has to face crisis alone.

The event raised $360,000 through donations, pledges and sponsorships.

For information about the Crisis Center, visit CrisisCenter.com.

Symposium spotlights mental health, well-being

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College life can be exciting, but also can be challenging.

Besides searching for independence, there comes a new level of responsibilities — academically and socially.

That’s why administrators and student leaders at Pasco-Hernando State College organized a Community Resource Fair and Symposium on mental health and well-being, at the college’s East Campus in Dade City.

Research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness on mental health on college campuses shows:

  • 25 percent of students have a diagnosable illness
  • 40 percent do not seek help
  • 80 percent feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities
  • 50 percent have been so anxious they struggled in school

About a dozen organizations were present during the April 19 event — part of the college’s ongoing community awareness series.
Several local mental health and wellness agencies were on hand, including BayCare Behavioral Health, and Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic and Sexual Violence Center.

Pasco-Hernando State College organized a Community Resource Fair and Symposium on April 19 at its East Campus in Dade City.
(Courtesy of PHSC)

Representatives from those groups, along with a college staff member, led a panel discussion on mental fitness among college students.

One of the panelists was Jacqui Turner, a liaison for BayCare Health System’s Student Assistance Program (SAP), which provides support to students in dealing with personal, academic, or relationship problems via referral services through managed care benefits and other community resources.

According to Turner, most college students utilize the SAP service because they struggle balancing school, work and general life obligations.

Those stresses, Turner said, can translate to poor classroom performance.

“When your mind is focused elsewhere,” she said, “you’re not performing to your fullest potential…and your grades go down pretty fast.”

Aside from stress, feelings of anxiety and depression can also be prevalent among college students, Turner noted.

Another panelist, Chuck Wilson— the college’s executive director of the President’s Institute for College Preparation, Completion, Certification, Leadership Development — suggested financial decisions—good and bad—can impact mental well-being.

He said most debt is created right out of college.

“As you’re preparing for life, don’t mess up your money,” he said.

That includes incorporating preventative measures, such as saving and smart spending habits. 
“If you don’t do that,” Wilson said, “now you’re dealing with depression, and fear and anxiety.”

Later on, Wilson advised those with financial struggles to seek help from elder family members and dabble with financial literacy programs.

“Often there’s value in age and experience,” he said.

He also advocated performing a self-assessment “when something is weighing you.”

“Have courageous conversation with yourself. When you tell yourself the truth, I think that’s the baseline for rising above whatever the situation is.”

With April being National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a portion of the symposium centered on ways to support victims and survivors of sexual assault, dating and violence domestic and stalking.
The topic was led by Aubrey Hall, Green Dot coordinator for Sunrise of Pasco. The Green Dot Bystander aims to end or reduce the amount of violence found on university campuses.

According to Hall, one in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and one in six men will be stalked.

“These numbers rise when college is in session,” Hall explained. “When you’re in college, you’re four times more likely to be assaulted than when you’re not in college.”

She pointed out survivors of violence “sometimes feel guilty or shameful, because they feel like they should have acted.”

Empowering those victims, Hall said, starts with utilizing proper interaction techniques.

One such technique, called trauma-informed care, is an approach that aims to engage people with histories of trauma, recognize the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledge the role that trauma has played in their lives.

“When you go and you interact with somebody, you don’t really know what they’ve been through. And, it’s really not right to ask somebody about it,” Hall said.

“I never go into a room assuming no one’s experienced violence.”

She, too, never asks ‘why,’ when dealing with trauma victims, due to its presumptive tone.

“If you’re asking somebody why something happened to them, you’re putting the blame on them. You’re putting the onus on them,” Hall said.

She added: “Language is extremely important. Not only how you’re asking the questions, but then following up.”

Published April 26, 2017

Health News 04/26/2017

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(Courtesy of Keth Luke)

Music festival lends a hand to Gulfside
The Paulie Palooza Music Festival, at the new Zephyrhills Community Event Venue, raised more than $10,000 to support Gulfside Hospice. The event featured local bands, vendors and a car show. All proceeds from the event go to supporting hospice patient care in Pasco County. A second festival is slated for May. The Jase Randall Band was one of seven bands to perform at the March event.

 

JC Audiology expands
Dr. Judith L. Reese, audiologist with JC Audiology in Lutz, has expanded her practice of nearly 12 years.

The larger facility at the North Fork Professional Center, 1519 Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 105, has a larger waiting room and a suite she created called the Tampa Bay Hearing Aid Hospital, where she and technicians will focus on repairing and servicing hearing aids, along with the everyday business of dispensing new hearing aids.

The new office will be capable of demonstrating real world sound environments to help hearing aid users with hearing adjustments.

During the month of May, JC Audiology will offer free hearing screenings, along with free demos of hearing aids.

To make an appointment, call (813) 949-1331.

Neuropathy clinic
CARE Tampa Bay provides education and support for coping with neuropathy, dealing with physical limitations, home safety, and symptom management.

The free volunteer-run clinic is taking appointments for May and June. Space is limited

For information, contact Cindy Tofthagen at (813) 396-9441 or .

Morton Plant Mease needs volunteers
Morton Plant Mease is looking for volunteers at its Morton Plant North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey.

Current opportunities include van drivers, aides and schedulers for the free van transportation service; dispatchers; patient companions (inpatient bedside support); information desk assistants; patient and visitor escorts; and gift shop and resale shop assistance.

Positions are available seven days a week for ages 14 and older. Hours are flexible and can be scheduled during the day, evenings or weekends. Volunteers should be able to work one four-hour shift a week.

Information sessions take place at the hospital on a regular basis.

To find out more, call (727) 734-6262.

Donate to NAMI
The Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office has designated NAMI of Pasco (National Alliance on Mental Illness) as its featured charitable organization for the month of April.

Funds raised will stay in the community and be used to offer free classes, including materials and support groups, as well as maintaining a website, brochures and manuals, a small administrative office, and on-going training for new volunteer teachers and facilitators to conduct programs.

For information, call Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179.

Health News 04/19/2017

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(Courtesy of Griswold Home Care)

Foundation gives back to Volunteer Way
The Jean Griswold Foundation, a private charity established in 2010, was created by Griswold Home Care to raise awareness that care for the elderly and disabled should be available to all. The foundation presented $1,000 to The Volunteer Way for its efforts in assisting more than 23,000 families each month in Pasco, Hernando and surrounding counties. From left: Arthur Moseley, certified senior advisor and co-owner of Griswold; Martha O’ Brien, assistant CEO, The Volunteer Way; and Frieda Moseley, co-owner of Griswold.

Volunteers needed
Florida Hospital at Connerton Long Term Acute Care is looking for enthusiastic, committed individuals to join its volunteer team. The hospital’s mission is to extend the healing ministry of Christ.

As a volunteer, there are opportunities to apply your skills and talents to create a positive experience for patients, visitors and staff.

For information, contact Anthony Cappellini at (813) 615-7286 or .

Hospital announces new chief operating officer
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s CEO Shayne George announced the appointment of Joe Rudisill as its new chief operating officer.

Rudisill comes from Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, where he served in HCA’s Chief Operating Officer Development Program.

Prior to joining HCA, Rudisill was the director of operations at Virginia Urology.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Rudisill is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Emergency medical help coming to Central Pasco

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Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is again expanding its services, this time setting up a freestanding emergency department in Land O’ Lakes.

This is what Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel’s new emergency facility, being built off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, will look like.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

The facility, which is expected to be completed by January of 2018, will bring emergency medical assistance closer to residents of Central Pasco County. The new 18,000-square-foot center will be near the entrance to Bexley, a new community being built off of State Road 54, just east of the Suncoast Parkway in Pasco County.

The facility will offer full-service emergency care, 24 hours a day, and will be staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians and nurses that are highly trained in emergency care.

The 24-bed facility also will have state-of-the-art on-site imaging services such as X-ray, ultrasound, CT scans and laboratory services.

Dignitaries gathered at the site for an April 6 formal groundbreaking ceremony.

Speakers included Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and CEO of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore and Pasco County Fire Chief Timothy Reardon.

From left, Timothy Reardon, Mike Moore and Mike Schultz, were among the speakers at the formal groundbreaking ceremony for a new freestanding emergency room being built in Land O’ Lakes.

“Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is committed to our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ,” Bales-Chubb said. “With that mission, we need to make sure that we have emergency services that are convenient to where our community lives and works.

“This facility will provide the same quality care that our patients receive at our main campus,” she said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore enthusiastically welcomed the addition of the new facility to Central Pasco.

“It seems like yesterday that we were just breaking ground at the expansion of the Wesley Chapel Florida Hospital facility,” Moore said. “Here we grow again.”

He called Florida Hospital an extraordinary community partner for residents of Pasco County, a true leader in health and wellness, and a great job creator for the county.

Dignitaries prepare to throw a shovel of dirt to signify the beginning of construction for a new freestanding emergency room for Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, expected to open in Land O’ Lakes in January 2018.

“We’re happy that you decided on Central Pasco at this location,” Moore said. “These off-site emergency rooms, they’re the future. We’re seeing them pop up around the nation.”

The location of the facility allows quality medical care to be within better reach of residents, Moore added.

“I’m excited about the freestanding ERs. It’s something that’s been working throughout the country,” Reardon said.

The new facility gives first responders another avenue of help for patients requiring emergency care.

He also noted the county’s growing needs, as its population increases in general, and there are more Baby Boomers, in particular.

The freestanding emergency room is being constructed by Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, which is off of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, north of State Road 56.

That hospital, which opened in October 2012, recently completed a massive expansion which involved 111, 993 square feet of new construction and 10,834 square feet of renovation.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is part of the Adventist Health System, a not-for-profit health network comprised of 26 hospitals throughout the state.

To find out more about the hospital, visit FHWesleyChapel.org.

Published April 12, 2017

Spa using new medical device

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belle ame Day Spa & Salon, 21758 State Road 54 in Lutz, is offering one complimentary session on its new FDA-registered medical device.

Electromagnetic sessions are used to improve blood flow and circulation, cardiac function, and nutrient and oxygen supply to cells.

Other benefits could include sleep management, stress reduction and relaxation, energy, strength and endurance, and concentration and mental acuity.

For information, call (813) 949-8400.

Tour a $1.9 million home, enjoy a party, raise money for charity

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You don’t have to be among the rich and famous to dip into the lifestyle during the Party at Bella Lago, a charity event set for this weekend.

Waterford Designs is hosting a benefit for the American Cancer Society and breast cancer research on April 8, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The party will be at the Bella Largo Model Home, 18707 Cypress Shores Drive in Lutz.

A poolside view, looking back to Lake Cooper.
(B.C. Manion)

Party-goers will see distinct features wherever they look, in the $1.9 million house designed and built by Toliver Payne, on Lake Cooper in Lutz.

During a preview tour for The Laker/Lutz News, Payne pointed out some of the unique features in the Tuscan-style home, which has 7,720 square feet of space under roof, including 5,405 square feet of living space.

For instance, when party-goers walk through the front door, they will be greeted by a soaring 23-foot ceiling in the foyer and a faux-stone vault, which leads to the rear of the home and a beautiful view of the lake.

As they walk through the vault, they’ll discover a massive room that stretches across the entire rear of the house.

Talk about being spacious — there’s certainly plenty of room in the master bath’s shower at Bella Lago.

Though it’s one single room, he uses beams to create a sense of separation between the gathering spaces on both ends, and kitchen outfitted with high quality equipment, in the middle, Payne said.

On one side of the house, there’s a transition zone leading to a study, a huge walk-in closet, a master bedroom, and a master bath, which includes a giant walk-in shower, a soaker bath and other special features.

The first floor also has a formal dining room and a wine room. And, on the other side of the house, for privacy, a guest bedroom.

A single staircase leads to a second-floor landing, where separate staircases split off leading to bedrooms on both sides of the house. There’s also a room that seems to offer an ideal place for kids to play.

Outdoors, there’s a swimming pool, a baby pool and a Jacuzzi, as well as steps leading down to a fire pit area, closer to Lake Cooper.

There are plenty of spaces where people can have quiet conversations, or gather in larger groups all over the property, indoors and out.

This soaker tub will offer future residents a nice place to relax.

And, those are just a few of the highlights awaiting those attending the Party of Bella Lago, or checking out the house during the 2017 Parade of Homes, presented by the Tampa Bay Builders Association.

Beyond touring the home, those attending the Party at Bella Lago will be able to partake of an open bar, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, live music and dancing, a fashion show, a live auction, a 50/50 raffle and valet parking. Tickets for the soiree are $75 each.

Waterford Designs Inc., owned by Payne, is a luxury homebuilder with more than 200 custom homes in communities, including Eagle Crest in Lutz, Sanctuary on Livingston in Lutz, Brookside in Wesley Chapel, Saddlewood Estates in Wesley Chapel, Turnbury Tampa Palms and Stone Lake Ranch in Thonotosassa.

Other sponsors for Party at Bella Lago include Stone Saver Inc., Scarboro Design, Olde Town Pavers, Total Design Source, Belgium Diamonds Inc., Meares Plumbing, Beaute Savage, SaltBlock Catering Co., and Princess Boutique.

Party at Bella Lago
What: Benefit for American Cancer Society and Breast Cancer Research
Where: Bella Lago Model Home, 18707 Cypress Shores Drive in Lutz
When: April 8, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: $75 per person
Details: Event-goers can explore a Tuscan-style $1.9 million home on Lake Cooper, featuring 7,720 square feet under roof and unique design details. The party includes an open bar, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, live music and dancing, a fashion show, a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and valet parking. RSVP: (813) 948-4160. For more information, bit.ly/partyatbellalago.

Published April 5, 2017

The amazing attitude of my sister, Karen

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My younger sister, Karen, and I are three years apart. We typically see each other just two or three times a year, because Karen lives in my home state of Minnesota and I live in Florida — more than 1,300 miles away.

While there’s a great distance between us, Karen and I have always been close.

We share many common interests — traveling, gardening, dogs, cooking, outdoor activities, history and our faith. We have often talked of spending more time together when we retire.

Just a few years ago, we began seeing more of each other after Karen and her husband, John, starting wintering outside Thomasville, Georgia. They wanted to get away from Minnesota’s snow and cold, and they needed a warm climate where they could train their dogs to compete in AKC Retriever Hunt Tests.

Diane Kortus, left, and her sister, Karen, during a kayaking trip at a spring close to Tallahassee.
(Courtesy of Diane Kortus)

Thomasville, which is just north of Tallahassee, is a four-hour drive from my home in Land O’ Lakes — making it close enough for weekend visits.

The rest of the year, Karen is back in Minnesota.

She has a fulfilling and happy life there with John, their sons, three grandchildren and, of course, their beautiful dogs.

As we all know, though, unexpected things can happen that turn your life upside down.

In my sister’s case, that happened three years ago when she began having trouble with her vision and spatial awareness. When she was dressing, for example, she often put her tops on backwards. When she drove, she found it increasingly difficult to stay inside the proper lane and would sometimes drift onto the shoulder.

Karen assumed that a change in her vision was causing the problems.

So, she had her eyes examined and bought the best pair of lenses available.

The new glasses didn’t help, and Karen’s vision problems persisted. So, she went to another eye doctor for a second opinion.

The second optometrist told her the new glasses were right on the mark, and couldn’t explain why she was still having trouble with her sight.

Karen’s visual spatial and perception problems grew worse, and they became apparent to her husband and other family members.

In October, she saw her family physician and told her about these problems. The doctor referred Karen to a neurologist.

After a series of test to rule out everything from cancer to blood disorders, she underwent a CAT scan.

She was diagnosed in 2015 with Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), described as a variant of Alzheimer’s and also known as Benson’s syndrome. The disease causes shrinkage of the back part of the brain, causing a decline in vision.

The disease usually affects people at an earlier age than typical Alzheimer’s cases, with initial symptoms often experienced in people in their mid-50s or early 60s.

Karen was 56 when she was diagnosed. Most cases of Alzheimer’s disease occur in people age 65 or older.

She was very surprised to learn that her vision was not the source of her problems after all.

Because her disability was getting worse, shortly after her diagnosis she gave up driving and resigned from her position as a registered nurse.

The disease is a progressive disease. Early symptoms include difficulty writing, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and problems with depth perception and navigating through space.

Additional symptoms include apraxia, a disorder of movement planning; alexia, an impaired ability to read; and, visual agnosia, an object recognition disorder.

Some studies have found that about 5 percent of all Alzheimer’s cases are diagnosed with PCA.

Like all Alzheimer’s diseases, there is no cure for PCA.

Medications are available to slow down the degeneration of the brain tissue, and studies show that such drugs can give Karen and other PCA patients 10 years or longer to live.

Instead of being distraught with her terminal diagnosis, Karen is excited about life.

She’s grateful her disease is progressive. She tells me it gives her great peace to be able to plan for the future, knowing how much longer she has to live.

Since her diagnosis, John and Karen have done many things that they had planned to do someday. But now, they do these things today.

It is the rest of the family that worries and mourns about what’s ahead for Karen and John. We marvel at how positive this couple of 33 years is about their future, and admire their attitude of “why wait — let’s do it today.”

It’s a philosophy we all should adopt —whether it’s estate planning and completing your will, buying new carpet and furniture, traveling to someplace you’ve always wanted to visit or reading Moby Dick.

It’s an attitude of living every day as if it was your last, and making sure the people you care about know how much you love them.

When I asked Karen about writing this column, she wanted to make sure I reported that PCA often goes undiagnosed for years, because many eye doctors are not aware of the disease.

Most people diagnosed with PCA first go to their optometrist because they believe they needed stronger glasses. When new glasses or contacts don’t eliminate their visual problems, they often visit other eye doctors — who often are unfamiliar with the symptoms of PCA.

If a PCA patient sees a neurologist sooner, it can be diagnosed and treated earlier, with the potential of slowing down the disease, and saving themselves and their family years of stress and anxiety.

So, next time you see your eye doctor, please ask him or her if he or she is aware of PCA, and if not, to please research the disease to understand how to respond if a patient complains about problems with driving, penmanship and spatial awareness.

Do this for yourself and those you care about.

And, do it for me, and my sister, Karen.

Published April 5, 2017