WOMEN’S JOuRNALJuNE/JuLy 2007 1�

You Can’t be Two Places at OnceBut Sitters and More CanWho is Sitters and More, Inc? We are a service agency owned locally by Registered Nurses Sherry Hunt

and Betty Peevyhouse. Both have extensive backgrounds in home care. Started in 1999, the agency provides personal assistants in the home for the elderly and disabled, as well as sitters in hospitals and other facilities. We also do limited childcare.

Our office is located at 125A Stonebridge Boulevard. We also have a branch office in Brentwood out of which we serve Middle Tennessee. We provide care from six hours to twenty-four hours per day. The care can consist of bathing, feeding, dressing, meal preparation and light housekeeping. We assess the individual needs and design a package to meet specific needs. Often we are able to bridge the gap between an independent living situation to a totally dependent one.

Currently, we employ approximately 150 individuals and are always eager to find competent, compassionate caregivers. We can be reached 24 hours a day to set up services or assist with planning the care for your loved ones. “Let us help!”

Health & Fitnesscontinued from page 11of knee problems. Certified trainers and physical therapists can also be extremely helpful if necessary. In the cases of PFJ and ACL injury prevention, quadriceps and especially hamstring stretching as well as both quadriceps and hamstring strengthening are very important. The muscles can be effectively trained to function much more efficiently with less risk of injury to the knee. Other methods of treatment, or modalities, such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and heat and cold therapy can be helpful in the right setting.

Secondly, plyometrics should not be overlooked. These are specific exercises commonly known as agility training, where nerve pathways in addition to specific muscle groups are trained. Plyometrics are specific, repetitive actions that help with balance and reaction to changes in force or direction. They can help the athlete to react quickly enough to avoid many situations and forces hazardous to structures like the ACL.

Third, there are in some cases braces which can help to offset some of the injurious forces around the knee. This is especially true with the PFJ and chondromalacia. In the individual who develops CMP, an appropriate patellar brace can effectively counteract the tendency of the patella to drift laterally. This can significantly help with both prevention and treatment of the problem in an individual prone to CMP, patellar dislocation, and anterior knee pain.

Lastly, education cannot be overemphasized. When a woman understands her body well enough - in this case, her knee - she can take the steps necessary to avoid injuring herself while at the same time enjoying sports at the highest level, be it recreational or professional.

Occasionally, in spite of every precaution, injuries still occur. Fortunately, the advance of minimally invasive surgical techniques and the use of revolutionary tools such as the arthroscope have allowed us to correct serious knee injuries in an outpatient setting, with less negative impact on the knee and the patient. The goal is now not just to repair the problem, but to return the athlete or individual to the sports and activities they most enjoy.

While no one can ever guarantee that injury to the knee is completely avoidable, the risk of injury can still be minimized, enhancing the enjoyment and fun inherent to sports. Take time to get to know your body, the marvelous things it can do as well as the great satisfaction

it can bring you. Appreciate and respect what an incredible and wonderful structure your knee is, and protect it while you push it in sports and in life. If treated right, it will take you places you may have never dreamed of.

Dr. Wright received his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and is Board Certified with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He also completed his Residency at Lakeland AFB, Texas, and Fellowships with the American Academic of Orthopedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Association of North America.

Jackson Women’s Connection Meets June 14, July 12Join us for our “Great Getaways” luncheon! “Pack your bags” as

Charlotte Roberts gives us tips on travel. “Travelin’ Tunes” will be sung by Carol Sims. “Making the Right Connection” will be presented by our speaker, experienced computer specialist, Carol Morris, of Lauden, Tennessee who learned how to solve the ‘glitches’ in her own life.

The event will be held at Premier Place at 2644 North Highland from 11:30-1pm. The cost is $12.50. The buffet line begins at 11:15. It is sponsored by the Jackson Tennessee Women’s Connection, formerly known as Jackson Christian Women’s Club, affiliated with Stonecroft Ministries, (www.stonecroft.org). Christian Women’s Connection is an interdenominational club open to everyone. There are no dues or memberships.

For luncheon and complimentary childcare (birth-6th grade) reservations, please call Melba at 422.1620 or email jaxtnwc@yahoo.com by noon on Monday, June 11. Reservations for luncheon and childcare are essential. Cancellations after the 11th must be honored, paid for, or used by a friend.

Mark your calendars for our next luncheon on July 12th, 2007!

WOMEN’S JOuRNAL1� JuNE/JuLy 2007

Family

It’s Boy!a

Please Tell our Advertisers

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the Women’s Journal

Happy 4th of July!

IT’S PRICELESS...TAKE ONE

Educational & Fun Ideas for

Summer Vacation

Home Decorating—Be a

Rule Breaker

Protect Your Property the

“Safe” Way

Examining & Setting Priorities

Leg Discomfort—A Warning Sign

of Disease?

A Woman’s Guide to Dental Health

JuNE/JuLy 2007

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Celebrating with Butterflies

Page 18

Miles Andrew MandrellBorn May 22, 4:09 PMJackson Madison County General HospitalWt: 7 lbs. 6 oz., Length 20 in.

Proud parents: Ben and Lynley MandrellBig Sister Ava, 3

Big Brother Max, 20 months

WOMEN’S JOuRNALJuNE/JuLy 2007 17

Health & Fitness

Leg Discomfort Frequently a Warning Sign of DiseaseDr. Joseph Blankenship and Joyce Gremmels, R.NCST

Leg pain is a common complaint. Consistent or recurrent intermittent leg

problems can be responsible for unbearable discomfort. Without accurate diagnosis and treatment, improvement cannot be expected.

Treatment begins with an evaluation of the blood flow related causes of leg pain. Frequently, however, symptoms and abnormalities turn out to be related not to blood flow or blocked arteries but rather to damage to or disease of the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is a specialized vast network of nerves. The peripheral nerves are located in the arms and legs. When these nerves are diseased, we call it peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy can cause an array of symptoms which are often confused with symptoms of vascular disease—numbness, tingling, burning, itching, and pain. Symptoms are usually limited to the areas below the knee in the legs and below the elbows in the arms but the symptoms may vary for different people. When patients experience any of these symptoms, it can lead to loss of normal use of the affected area or even an inability to walk normally or use the hands normally.

As a physician with many years in practice, I have learned that every patient is different and may have different symptoms. Symptoms and abnormalities of the lower extremities can evolve over days, weeks, or years and include cold, discolored feet, burning, stinging, a “pins and needles” feeling, temporary numbness and tingling, sensitivity to touch, muscle weakness, restless legs with an uncontrollable urge to move them, and sensations like “crawling insects”. Burning or aching in the feet and toes at rest and particularly when lying flat may indicate more severe problems.

If you suffer with continued symptoms without treatment relief, you should have a comprehensive specialized series of tests to determine the correct diagnosis and treatment. Many patients we treat achieve significant relief once the correct diagnosis and treatment is accomplished. Be assured that at MedNorth Clinic, we will concentrate on your total health. Your quality of life is very important to us.

Dr. Joseph Blankenship received his M.D. at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences in Memphis and completed his Residency in neurology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. He was Chief Resident of Internal Medicine at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana; completed a Fellowship in cardiology at the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston, Texas as well as Tulane University Medical Center in New Orleans. He started his practice in 1984 on Roland Avenue in Jackson and later moved to 1203 Vann Drive.Joyce Gremmels is Director of the Neuropathy and Vascular Clinic.

1203 Vann Drive • Jackson, Tennessee 38305731-664-5150

Yada Sisterhood Meets June 21Yada Sisterhood will meet Thursday, June 21 at 6:30 pm at

Northside United Methodist Church in Jackson. Englewood’s new senior pastor, Ben Mandrell, will turn attendee hearts toward God in “Can You Hear Me Now?”, a teaching based on Ruth 2 to help us better know God’s will.

Colors for June are summer’s brightest... yellow, orange, and lime!

The Yada Motto is “Bring a dish and bring a friend”. The food is plentiful; the messages do satisfy the soul! Yada Sisterhood is open to any woman of any age, race, or denomination who desires a deeper relationship with God.

Yada Sisterhood does not meet in July. Check the upcoming speaker schedule at www.yadasisterhood.com