Thursday, March 23, 2017

Desert Trail Column, March 23, 2017

A special meeting organized by Teresa Sitz will be held at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road at Blower Road, on Saturday, March 25 at 10am. Speaker Lanny Swerdlow, RN will cover the topic “Legal Access to Medical Marijuana for Seniors.” Lanny has advocated for the health and medical uses of marijuana since 1995. He founded the Inland Empire’s first medical marijuana doctor’s office and one of the first medical marijuana dispensaries. He also worked on Proposition 64. He will discuss how marijuana may provide safe and effective relief for pain, insomnia and depression. Also, information will be provided on marijuana’s current legal status, how to become a medical marijuana patient, where to obtain medical marijuana and how to grow your own. There will be a question and answer session following the presentation. For further information, contact Teresa at 760-865-9550 or teresa.sitz@gmail.com.

We send out Rainbows-of-Aquamarines-and-Jonquils to Serenity Justicanne Root who turns seven this week. Happy birthday, Serenity!

Karen’s Commentary: The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program helps people remain in their homes with services aimed at health and safety. It’s designed to help individuals who are aged, blind or disabled; limited in their ability to care for themselves; experiencing functional limitations; AND low income. Services may include shopping, laundry, necessary housekeeping, meal preparation, bathing, ambulation and some paramedical services. All services are based on individual need, not medical diagnosis. The recipient must need the assistance for at least one year, and must have MediCal. For further information, call the Department of Aging and Adult Services in Yucca Valley at 760-228-5390.

Darlene’s Commentary: Here comes another great little book entitled “Five Good Minutes in Your Body” by Jeffrey Brantley, M.D. and Wendy Millstine, N.C. You can find this book at www.newharbinger.com. It’s packed with simple things you can do that make you feel better. For cold hands and feet, take a deep breath, blow it into your cupped hands, then vigorously rub your hands together. From a sitting or standing position, reach for the sky, then drop your hands to rest on your head, then shoulders, then belly, then hips, then thighs, then calves, then feet. Repeat four or five times. This really does work.

If you’re interested in Wonder Valley’s goings-on, both past and present, go to www.wondervalley.org. Ken and Teresa Sitz do a bang-up job keeping us all entertained and informed.

Handy Hint: Coca-Cola fizzes away corrosion from car battery terminals.

Thought for Today: Your kitchen sink is one of the germiest places in your home. It has about 20 times the concentration of bacteria on your kitchen floor!

Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.