Linda Rakett and her fellow Blue Star Mothers of Chapter 6 love supporting the military and veterans. Rakett is a volunteer with Blue Star Mothers through RSVP of Central Oklahoma. The national organization, made up of mothers who have children serving in the military or who have served and have been honorably discharged, started in 1942 during World War II.
“Our mission is to serve and help active duty military and veterans,” said Rakett, who became a Blue Star Mother when her son joined the Army right out of high school in 2003. “We send deployment boxes to the ones serving around the world, and we try to help the veterans who are at the Veterans Administration hospital or VA Centers.”
During the Christmas season, Linda and the other mothers contact nursing homes in the area and find out how many veterans are residents. They prepare gift bags that contain socks, candy, tissues, personal greeting cards, and snacks for each veteran to share with them for Christmas. They also participate in the Marines Toys for Tots drive, help out at the Military Welcome Center at Will Rogers World Airport, and participate in Veterans Day parades.
“We do whatever we can do to help,” Rakett said. “We love helping our military and our veterans.”
To learn more about Blue Star Mothers and volunteering with RSVP of Central Oklahoma, call Laura McPheeters at 405-605-3110 or email lmcpheeters@rsvpokc.org.
Since 1973, RSVP of Central Oklahoma has helped senior adults continue to live with purpose and meaning by connecting them with rewarding community volunteer opportunities, including RSVP’s Provide-A-Ride Senior Transportation Program. RSVP is a partner of Senior Corps and the United Way of Central Oklahoma. To learn more about becoming a volunteer, call Laura McPheeters at 405.605.3110 or visit rsvpokc.org. You can also follow RSVP on Facebook at facebook.com/RSVPokc.

By MC1 Jeffrey Hanshaw, SurgeMain Public Affairs

Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Greg Slavonic visited Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, to speak personally with shipyard workers at an all-hands call and make public remarks at the USS Oklahoma Memorial on the anniversary of the World War II bombing.
Slavonic’s visit is in the wake of the deaths of two Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility workers Dec. 5.
“The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard proved its tremendous spirit and resilience in the second World War when it responded to the tragic bombing,” Slavonic said. “In a mighty and skillful effort, USS Oklahoma was righted and refloated. Sadly, tragedy is upon us again—and we are here to remember the fallen from the past and from the recent present.”
Slavonic is responsible for the overall supervision and oversight of manpower and reserve component affairs of the department of the Navy including the development of programs and policy related to active, reserve, retired military personnel, their family members, and the civilian workforce; the tracking of the contractor workforce, and, the oversight of human resources systems within the department.
With the recent deaths fresh in everyone’s mind, Secretary Slavonic addressed a crowd of USS Oklahoma family members, World War II veterans and others, speaking on how the heroes of Pearl Harbor, both past and present, have always showed great resolve in the face of trials. “It’s hard to imagine what that day was like,” he said, referring to the attack on Pearl Harbor, an event that thrust the United States into World War II.
A retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and Oklahoma native, Slavonic enlisted as a signalman, eventually entered the Navy Reserve, and then retired after serving 34 years. He acknowledged the presence of another Sailor and World War II veteran in attendance at the ceremony: Signalman 2nd Class Burke Waldron. “I met a young man who is 96 years young and we have something in common,” Slavonic said, denoting their shared rating of signalman. “It was the bright spot of a difficult day.”
The memorial he stood before contains the names of those lost on the USS Oklahoma with each Sailor and Marine who perished represented by a marble pillar. Slavonic served on the committee that led the effort to build the memorial. He went on to describe how it is a visual representation of Sailors manning the rails, referring to how the erect marble pillars mirror sailors lining the deck of a ship to salute and render honors. “The greatest generation is recognized by this memorial,” he said, gesturing to the pillars.
“The men and women today, in uniform and out,” he said in closing, “embody the proud heritage and fighting spirit of the crew of Oklahoma and those who were determined to make her stand upright again. Their legacy lives on, their story will not die.”

Laura Lynn’s Home Care Named as Provider and Employer of Choice

Laura Lynn’s Home Care announced today that it has received both the 2019 Best of Home Care® – Provider of Choice and Employer of Choice Awards from Home Care Pulse. These awards are granted only to the top-ranking home care providers, based on client and caregiver satisfaction scores gathered by Home Care Pulse.
Laura Lynn’s Home Care is now ranked among a small handful of home care providers across the country who have proven their ability to provide an exceptional working experience to employees and the highest quality care to clients.
“We want to congratulate Laura Lynn’s Home Care on receiving both the Best of Home Care – Provider of Choice Award and the Best of Home Care – Employer of Choice Award,” says Erik Madsen, CEO of Home Care Pulse.
“Since these awards are based on real, unfiltered feedback from clients and caregivers, Laura Lynn’s Home Care has proven their dedication to providing a great work environment and solid training to employees, while maintaining their focus on client satisfaction. We are pleased to recognize their dedication to quality professionalism and expertise in home care.”
Best of Home Care providers have contracted with Home Care Pulse to gather feedback from their clients and caregivers via live phone interviews each month. Because Home Care Pulse is an independent company, it is able to collect honest and unbiased feedback.
“These awards confirm what we have always believed. Our team of caregivers is the absolute best you can get. We’re so proud of their hard work, their compassion and the care they provide to the families we serve,” says Laura Hicks, CEO and founder of Laura Lynn’s Home Care.
“Our goal at Home Care Pulse is to empower home care businesses to deliver the best home care possible,” says Erik Madsen, CEO of Home Care Pulse. “We are happy to recognize Laura Lynn’s Home Care as a Best of Home Care award-winning provider and celebrate their accomplishments in building a team of happy, qualified caregivers who provide outstanding care for their clients.”
For more information about Laura Lynn’s Home Care, visit LauraLynnsHomeCare.com or call (405) 418-2961.
Established in 2002 by Laura Lynn Hicks, Laura Lynn’s Home Care is a licensed home care agency and has become Oklahoma’s premier provider of private-duty services. Laura Lynn’s Home Care provides in-home assistance delivered by a team of Certified Home Health Aides. Laura Lynn’s Home Care clients are able to remain in the comfort of their homes, while receiving long-term care or post-operative assistance.

by Greg Schwem

Excuse me, random female, may I borrow your purse?
I will return it momentarily; I just want to know how it feels to carry whatever you want throughout the day and evening without an unsightly protrusion in your back pocket; one that could easily cause your pants to drift south at inopportune moments.
It’s what we men face when we carry a wallet.
I know, ladies, you look at wallets with jealousy. “Imagine,” you say to yourselves, “being able to fit everything in that 5-by-4-inch bi-folded area and then hide it. No need to worry about whether the exterior matches our outfit and which hand feels more comfortable to carry it everywhere we go.”
It’s similar to my wife lamenting that I can be ready for an evening out in the time it takes to run a comb through my hair, while she spends an hour in front of the bathroom mirror surrounded by an army of tubes, brushes and powders.
“Men have it so easy,” she’ll say, while I tap my foot and look at my watch, signaling we are already 15 minutes late.
But when it comes to the purse versus wallet choice, girls, YOU have it easy. You don’t have to prioritize. Need to carry an extra credit card? The purse has room. A secondary form of identification? You could shove a passport into its inner confines, and nobody would know. If I’m asked to show anything other than a driver’s license to the bank teller, the airport security employee or the hotel front desk clerk, I’m screwed.
Internet retailers seem well aware of my dilemma; each year around the holidays, I get bombarded with online ads from companies determined to solve my space issue. This year the winner was the Ridge, makers of a wallet it claims holds up to 12 cards and oodles of bills. The website also touts the most puzzling feature I’ve ever heard: “Expands to remain slim.”
I fail to see how anything can expand yet remain slim. It certainly didn’t happen to my body following Thanksgiving dinner, and I see little hope during the season of Christmas eating.
Still I excitedly forwarded the Ridge link to my wife, telling her I would like it under the tree this Christmas.
“I finished shopping for you months ago,” she replied. “And haven’t you tried these things before? You always go back to a regular wallet.”
She’s right. As I peer in my wallet now, I see 15 cards — three over the “expands to remain slim” Ridge wallet limit — and wonder how I could part with any of them. Sure, I could carry one credit card; but what if it gets declined while I’m Christmas shopping? That has already happened once, but an angry call to my credit card issuer proved the error was theirs, not mine.
My ATM card? It’s a must, for I’m of the generation that occasionally prefers cash, as opposed to whipping out a credit card for a 99-cent cup of coffee. Then there’s my transit card and my health insurance card. Sure, I could forego the latter but what if, while taking the subway, I get mugged and require medical attention? See the dilemma?
Before long, I’ve convinced myself I’m not an ideal candidate for anything other than an old-fashioned wallet that includes plastic sleeves for inserting pictures of children. I’m proud to say all those photos have been moved to my iPhone. Just give me a minute while I feverishly swipe through my photos app to find a decent shot of my kids.
So, women, hand me your purses. Unlike wallets, they come in all shapes, sizes, colors and patterns. I’ll pick one and will spend my time wondering what to carry, as opposed to what not to carry, when I leave the house each morning. I’ll confidently march down the subway stairs knowing I have everything for the ride, including a transit card, my phone and maybe even a hard cover book to pass the time.
Plus, if need be, I’ll have a weapon to swing at a subway mugger.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s weekly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com.

The trauma center at OU Medicine has been re-verified as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons.
In 2001, the Trauma One Center, at both OU Medical Center and The Children’s Hospital, was designated as Oklahoma’s only Level 1 Trauma Center, the highest national ranking a trauma center can receive. The verification process by the American College of Surgeons validates that trauma centers have all resources necessary for any type of trauma care.
“Earning verification from the American College of Surgeons is gratifying because it reflects the commitment and hard work that our healthcare professionals deliver day in and day out,” said OU Medical Center President Kris Gose. “The process validates that we have all resources in place to provide optimal trauma care at any time.”
As a Level 1 Trauma Center, Trauma One offers comprehensive care that can handle the most critical emergencies. Trauma One provides 24-hour coverage by general surgeons, and quick availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery and more.
Operating rooms and trauma surgeons are available 365 days a year, and the air ambulance Medi Flight can be dispatched in minutes to airlift patients to Trauma One. A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, specialists and other health care professionals are always on site, using advanced technology to treat the most severe and critical injuries. Level 1 Trauma Centers provide total care for every aspect of injury, from prevention through rehabilitation.
In addition to serving people across Oklahoma, Trauma One, because of its location in the geographic center of the state, is ideally positioned for regional access as well. An injured person’s best chance for survival is when treatment occurs within an hour of the event. Paramedics, ambulance systems and other hospitals across the state play key roles in transporting patients to Trauma One within an hour.
“The Trauma One Center has been able to save countless lives in its nearly 20-year existence,” said Roxie Albrecht, M.D., medical director of Trauma One. “As part of a tertiary care center, it is important that we participate in continuous assessment of our program. Our aim is to always provide the highest level of care to people when they need it the most.”
The verification of Trauma One was conducted by the Verification Review Committee, a subcommittee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons. Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma in its manual Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. There are five categories of verification in the program. In addition to submitting documentation, Trauma One had an on-site review by a team of experienced site reviewers.
Level 1 Trauma Centers like OU’s Trauma One also provide public education and prevention information to people across the state. OU’s primary areas of advocacy are: ATV Ride Safe Oklahoma, which provides classes to increase awareness of ATV safety guidelines; Stop the Bleed, a course that teaches how to save someone’s life by controlling bleeding; and concussion education for coaches, game officials, athletes and parents about the nature of concussion and head injury.

Ensemble performs woman composer Libby Larsen with Mozart, Weber, Schoenberg

Guest pianist Stephen Buck joins the Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble in this season’s third concert, “Rustic Gardens,” Tuesday, January 21, 7:30 p.m at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Brightmusic continues the season featuring female composers with “Barn Dances” by Grammy Award winner Libby Larsen, in addition to works by Weber, Mozart, and Schoenberg. Buck serves on the academic faculty of State University of New York (SUNY) Purchase Conservatory of Music and champions new music.
Cowboy dances inspired American Libby Larsen (b. 1950) to write “Barn Dances” for flute, clarinet, and piano. Larsen named each movement for a dance step “to take a flight of fancy in each movement and to create the musical equivalent of a calendar drawing.” The second movement, Divide the Ring, pays homage to country singer Gene Autry.
“Rustic Gardens” continues with the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in B-flat major (Op. 34) by German composer Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) and the Quartet No. 1 for Flute and Strings in D major (K. 285) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Weber had his friend, clarinet virtuoso Heinrich Baermann, in mind, with rich technical and melodic passages for the soloist. Mozart likewise wrote his quartet for Dutch surgeon and flutist Ferdinand Dejean. The quartet charms with clear form and texture.
In contrast is the harmonically complex Chamber Symphony No. 1 by Austrian Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). The piece marks the end of his conventional (post-Romantic) period and anticipates his evolution to a twelve-tone technique, giving equal emphasis to all notes.
Musicians appearing in this concert are: Stephen Buck (piano), Gregory Lee and Katrin Stamatis (violin), Mark Neumann (viola), Jonathan Ruck (cello), Parthena Owens, (flute), and Chad Burrow (clarinet).
Admission is $20 at the door and free for children, active-duty military, and students with ID.
Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble, Oklahoma City’s own chamber ensemble, presents fine classical chamber music in acoustically-rich St. Paul’s Cathedral at NW 7th and Robinson near downtown Oklahoma City. Free parking is available south of the cathedral. For more information about the ensemble and upcoming concerts, visit www.brightmusic.org

by Dr. C.V Ramana

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. These risk factors include high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, excess body fat (particularly around the waist), high triglyceride levels and low levels of good cholesterol. Having only one of these risk factors does not mean that you have metabolic syndrome, however, having one will increase the possibly of developing cardiovascular disease. Having three or more will likely result in a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. The two critical risk factors for diagnosing metabolic syndrome is excess central body fat and insulin resistance.
The American Heart Association reports that approximately 25 percent of the American population has metabolic syndrome. To diagnose metabolic syndrome your primary care provider will perform tests to look for signs of the disorder. These tests may include a baseline blood pressure measurement, waist circumference measurement, a fasting lipid panel, and a fasting glucose level. Complications of metabolic syndrome include hardening of the arteries, peripheral artery disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, heart attack, kidney disease and stroke.
If you think you are at risk for metabolic syndrome, see your primary care provider for an examination and screening. Metabolic syndrome is treatable and the poor outcomes related to living with the disorder for many years are avoidable. Your primary care provider can provide support and encouragement for decreasing your overall body fat by making lifestyle changes. He or she can prescribe medications to reduce high blood pressure, high blood sugar and even high cholesterol. Preventing poor outcomes from metabolic syndrome is certainly possible. Establishing a primary care provider and having regular check ups is the first step in taking control of your health and leading a healthier lifestyle.
You are also welcome to call our Vascular Center to schedule a prompt and free consultation. You can contact us at 405-608-8884. We are a specialized center staffed with highly experienced professionals, including a Vascular/Interventional physician, dedicated to treating vascular disease on an outpatient basis using the latest proven technology to combat this epidemic.
Dr. C.V Ramana is a vascular and interventional radiologist with more than 20 years of practice experience. He has expertise in all areas of vascular and interventional radiology. Dr. Ramana has a Ph.D from Yale University and MD from CWRU in Cleveland, Ohio where he subsequently completed his fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology at the Cleveland Clinic.
Visit Naadi Health at 1 NW 64th Street in Oklahoma City or call (405)-608-8884. www.naadihealthcare.com

Game Warden Nathan Erdman has been promoted to Chief of the Law Enforcement Division. Erdman previously served as Assistant Chief of the division since 2016.
The Law Enforcement Division is responsible for upholding the laws and regulations that protect Oklahoma’s wildlife resources. Game wardens are public servants sworn to protect wildlife and the public’s interests in the outdoors. These certified peace officers have statewide jurisdiction to act on any law violation. They check licenses and bag limits of hunters and anglers. Oftentimes wardens may have to wait, day or night, for long periods in concealed locations to nab the poachers who are stealing fish and game.
As Chief, Erdman oversees the division of about 120 people, the largest of the Department’s five divisions. Employees consist of Game Wardens, Game Warden Supervisors and eight District Chiefs. Headquarters staff includes an Assistant Chief, an Operations Manager and Training Supervisor, and a secretary.
“I’m just lucky I’ve got 117 of the finest employees that I could ever want,” he said. “I’m up here to work for them; trying to make sure that they have everything that they need to get their job done and get it done more efficiently.”
Erdman said he knew early in his life that he wanted to work as a game warden. “I grew up in the country, hunting and fishing.” He recalls asking his college adviser what classes would be required to become a game warden.
Erdman earned a fish and wildlife management degree at Northeastern State University, and was hired as a game warden shortly after he graduated. His first assignment was in Beaver County in the Panhandle, where he spent 13 years. He then transferred to his home Okfuskee County in 2007. A year later, he was promoted to Supervisor in District 4, where he worked until becoming assistant chief in 2016. He has worked for the Wildlife Department for 24 years.
He said becoming Chief has been somewhat surreal. “I grew up in the small town of Okemah, and graduated with 43 kids. To go from small town to being Chief of enforcement for all of Oklahoma’s Game Wardens is something you would never imagine.”
Game wardens must do their job well, as they are constantly in the public eye. They are expected to know all there is to know about hunting, fishing, wildlife laws, wildlife management, camping and other outdoor activities as well as general information about their county.
Game wardens often spend time visiting landowners in their county, encouraging them to allow ethical hunters and anglers on their land to harvest the surplus wildlife. They may assist the landowner with poaching problems or give them information about stocking fish in a pond.
Game wardens frequently help teach hunter education courses and fishing clinics. And they often help operate events for students involved in the Department’s Archery in the Schools and Shooting Sports programs. They occasionally visit with sportsmen’s clubs, schools, Scout groups and civic groups. They may speak about new laws and regulations, or about some topic directly related to hunting or fishing. They may also pass along printed information published by the Wildlife Department.