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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-03-27, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008.Continued from page 1however, Katie decided thatpondering the ‘whys’ was awaste of energy. “This is thelife we were given and wewill make it through.” Mikayla started four, three- week cycles of chemotherapy at Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital on Feb. 5. These, according to her mom, will be followed by laser treatment over the next few years in the hopes of saving her life and hopefully her vision. “To see your perfect little angel go through something so terrible is the worst thing imaginable,” said Katie. However, she said, she and Mike have made a promise that they will never let Mikayla see their pain. “We are always playing, even at the hospital. Mikayla is always laughing having the time of her life. We are blessed that she has such a fun, happy spirit.” The family stays at Ronald McDonald House during the treatments. Katie has quit her job to be with Mikayla. Mike, too, has cut back on hours. With income decreased, plus the cost of travel from their Waterloo home to Toronto, there is obviously additional stress on the family, which is the reason for the April 25 benefit in Blyth. Bev Blair, who is related to Mikayla’s grandmother Debbie Ansley, came up with the idea which was soon picked up by the Lions, of which she’s a member. “We are the Knights of the Blindand as Lions members we feltwe could do something,” saidBlair.The night begins at 7 p.m.with the silent auction, followed by a dance. Tickets are available by calling Blair at 523-4964, Scott Bromley at 523-9716, Mark Nesbit at 523-4324 or by contacting any Lions member. Blair said that while there may be tickets at the door, they would prefer to sell them in advance. The Ansleys are already grateful for the support. “We are blessed to have such wonderful family and friends.” And the horizon is looking a little brighter as well. As of March 22, Mikayla’s tumours have shrunk to one third the size they were. Retinoblastoma can however flare up until she is about four, said Katie. “So at any point between now and then she could lose an eye or have to go through more chemo. We are hoping and praying for the best.” “I ask that people keep Mikayla in their hearts and prayers. She has a long road ahead of her. She is a very strong happy little girl and over the next few weeks she will have gone through more than most in their entire life,” said Katie. Tickets available for benefit from Lions AgriInvest - $600 Million Kickstart A New Business Risk Management Program: Growing Forward AgriInvest is a farmer account designed to help farmers manage small margin declines. It replaces coverage previously provided under the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization (CAIS) program for margin declines of less than 15%. Federal, provincial and territorial governments are launching AgriInvest as part of the new Business Risk Management program suite. The federal government is contributing $600 million to kickstart farmer accounts. The New Business Risk Management suite also includes: AgriStability – Support for farmers when they have large margin declines. AgriInsurance – Coverage for insurable production losses. AgriRecovery – The disaster relief framework. If you have not yet received a notice for AgriInvest Kickstart call 1-866-367-8506 or visit www.agr.gc.ca/agriinvest to apply. The deadline to participate in the AgriInvest - $600 million Kickstart is April 14, 2008 Growing Forward A vision for a profitable, innovative, competitive, market-oriented agriculture, agri-foods and agri-based products industry. Little trouper Mikayla Ansley of Waterloo, here with mom and dad, Katie and Mike, is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto for retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer. Mikayla is the granddaughter of Rod and Deb Ansley of Blyth. (Courtesy photo) When should you go to the hospital emergency room? Only go when your situation is an emergency that is a threat to life and/or limb – a severe illness or injury. If an emergency exists, you need to go to the closest emergency room (ER) or call 911. Following are examples of emergency situations when you should definitely go to the ER: • difficulty breathing • difficulty moving or speaking or sudden onset of dizziness • unexplained drowsiness, disorientation, loss of consciousness • chest pain • abdominal pain • uncontrollable bleeding • poisoning • drug overdose • broken bones (the necessity for an xray will be determined by the ER physician) • any accidents resulting in severe traumatic injuries • when you are in labor during pregnancy • severe or worsening reaction to bee stings, medications, bug bites, etc. • lacerations (cuts) requiring sutures (stitches) • sudden, severe headache • abuse/assault • psychiatric disorders such as ideas of suicide, hallucinations, etc. If you are not sure if your illness or injury is an emergency, call your doctor’s office and speak with the on-call physician where possible or access Telehealth (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week) at 1-866- 797-0000 or 1-866-797-0007 for those with hearing and speech difficulties. Some examples of illnesses/injuries that can wait until you can speak/or see your doctor are: • head colds, chest colds, sore throats, earaches • not appropriate for ‘second’opinion visits • menstrual and muscle cramps • bruises, small minor cuts (not requiring sutures/stitches) or minor burns • rashes, dental pain, minor swelling around joints When you see an emergency room physician, he/she will only treat the symptom you have come to ER with and will not give refills on prescription medications, narcotics, etc. All emergency room patients are assessed on arrival by a registered nurse who will use a very specific process called ‘triage’. This nurse will determine, based on your assessment, the urgency you require to be assessed by the ER physician. If patients more acutely ill arrive by ambulance or on their own (from car accidents, with chest pain, etc.) they could be/will be triaged at a higher level and be seen first – this may very well cause your wait time for the ER physician to be delayed. Please be advised, being seen by a physician in ER is not on a “first come, first served” basis. When you go to the emergency room, please bring with you your health card, a list of all medications (all prescription, over the counter and herbal medicines) you are currently taking including a record of allergies, immunizations and other medical conditions. This very important information greatly assists the nurses and physicians in assessing and treating you. Caring For You When to use the emergency room Submitted by the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Emergency Room Nurses BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED