INTEGRIS is joining other hospitals and health centers around the country in a national effort to produce a stable supply of generic drugs. The venture is designed to address the growing frustration caused by persistent shortages of simple yet vital medications.
Utah-based not-for-profit generic-drug company Civica Rx is spearheading the initiative. “Drug shortages have become a national crisis, with patient treatments and surgeries canceled, delayed or suboptimal,” says Martin VanTrieste, chief executive officer of Civica Rx. “We thank these organizations for joining us to make essential generic medicines accessible and affordable in hospitals across the country.”
The benefit of the Civica Rx initiative is expected to be two-fold. Hospitals will not only have access to generic drugs that are frequently in short supply, but they will also be able to purchase those medications at a reduced cost. A savings that can then be passed along to patients.
“We are excited to be a partnering member in this venture,” says Tommy, Ibrahim, M.D., chief physician executive at INTEGRIS. “We enjoy a proud tradition of being a leading-edge health care provider known for a pioneering spirit that has paved the way for many medical firsts and technological advancements. We believe this initiative is another example of that. It is an innovative approach to providing quality, accessible, more affordable medicine to the citizens of Oklahoma.”
Civica Rx plans to bring 14 hospital-administered generic drugs to market in 2019. The overall vision is to become a model generic drug company that provides high-quality Food and Drug Administration-approved products at affordable prices.

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you provide some tips on how to choose a good estate sale company who can sell all the leftover items in my mother’s house? Inquiring Daughter

Dear Inquiring,
The estate sale business has become a huge industry over the past decade. There are roughly 22,000 estate sale companies that currently operate in the U.S., up nearly 60 percent from just 10 years ago. But not all estate sale companies are alike.
Unlike appraisal, auction and real estate companies, estate sale operators are largely unregulated, with no licensing or standard educational requirements. That leaves the door open for inexperienced, unethical or even illegal operators. Therefore, it’s up to you to decipher a good reputable company from a bad one. Here are some tips to help you choose.
Make a list: Start by asking friends, your real estate agent or attorney for recommendations. You can also search online. Websites like EstateSales.net and EstateSales.org let you find estate sale companies in your area.
Check their reviews: After you find a few companies, check them out on the Better Business Bureau (BBB.org), Angie’s List (AngiesList.com), Yelp (Yelp.com) and other online review sites to eliminate ones with legitimately negative reviews.
Call some companies: Once you identify some estate sale companies, select a few to interview over the phone. Ask them how long they’ve been in business and how many estate sales they conduct each month. Also find out about their staff, the services they provide, if they are insured and bonded and if they charge a flat fee or commission. The national average commission for an estate sale is around 35 percent, but commissions vary by city and region.
You may also want to ask them about visiting their next sale to get a better feel for how they operate. And be sure to get a list of references of their past clients and call them.
Schedule appointments: Set up two or three face-to-face interviews with the companies you felt provided you with satisfactory answers during the phone interviews.
During their visit, show the estate liquidator through the property. Point out any items that will not be included in the sale, and if you have any items where price is a concern, discuss it with them at that time. Many estate companies will give you a quote, after a quick walk through the home.
You also need to ask about their pricing (how do they research prices and is every item priced), how they track what items sell for, what credit cards do they accept, and how and where will they promote and market your sale. EstateSales.net is a leading site used to advertise sales, so check advertising approaches there.
Additionally, ask how many days will it take them to set up for the sale, how long will the sale last, and will they take care of getting any necessary permits to have the sale.
You also need to find out how and when you will be paid, and what types of services they provide when the sale is over. Will they clean up the house and dispose of the unsold items, and is there’s an extra charge for that? Also, make sure you get a copy of their contract and review it carefully before you sign it.
For more information on choosing an estate sale company, see National Estate Sales Association online guide at NESA-USA.com, and click on “Consumer Education” then on “Find the Right Company.”
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble presents fine classical music in an intimate, family-friendly setting. All concerts will take place at 7:30 pm on Tuesday evenings at the beautiful and historic St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown Oklahoma City at 127 NW 7th Street (at Robinson). Bright Music website, www.brightmusic.org, contains more detailed information about this concert, including the musicians who will be appearing. Season passes are available online, and individual tickets are available at the door for $20. Admission is free for children and students with student ID and for active-duty military service personnel with ID.
“Reeds-A-Plenty”
Experience the Richness
Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 127 NW 7th Street (at Robinson).
Experience the exquisite richness of woodwinds as the Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble presents a diverse sampling of 18th- through 20th-century works for reeds in its fourth concert of the 2018-19 season Tuesday evening, March 19, 2019. On the program are worthy works by Saint-Saëns and Glinka, as well as three of the worthiest French composers and a Czech you’ve probably never heard of. This is a rare opportunity to hear these delightful but less frequently performed works, some by composers who are best known for their compositions for the wind ensemble. Plenty of charm! Plenty of delight! Plenty of reeds!
The works on the program are:
Francois Devienne, Trio No. 5 in B-flat Major (for flute, clarinet & bassoon), Mikhail Glinka, Trio Pathétique in D Minor (for clarinet, bassoon & piano), Florent Schmitt, A Tour d’Anches (“Reeds in Turn”) (for oboe, clarinet, bassoon & piano), Clemence de Grandval, Trio de Salon, op. 8 (for oboe, bassoon & piano), Lukasš Hurnik, Fusion Music for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon & Piano, and Camille Saint-Saens, Caprice on Danish and Russian Airs (for flute, oboe, clarinet & piano).
Musicians appearing:
Parthena Owens, Flute, Lisa Harvey-Reed, Oboe, Chad Burrow, Clarinet, Rodney Ackmann, Bassoon , Ruirui Ouyang, Piano and Sallie Pollack on the Piano.
The performance will take place at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 127 NW 7th Street (at Robinson). Individual concert admission is $20 per ticket. Children, students and active-duty military personnel are admitted free with ID. More information about this concert is available on Brightmusic’s website at http://www.brightmusic.org.

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

A new chapter is unfolding in the Tealridge retirement community history.
Oklahoma Christian University recently sold its Tealridge retirement community located at 2100 NE 140th Street in Edmond to a local group with big plans for this well-known senior living community on the university campus.
The new group owns and manages the Tealridge Assisted Living & Memory Care Community in Edmond as well as the University Village Retirement Community in Tulsa among other communities.
However, leadership is based locally in Edmond.
“With the addition of the Tealridge independent living community, we are now able to offer our residents a full care campus with housing options ranging from independent living apartments to assisted living and even memory care services – all in one location,” said Jon Paden, who leads the new group.
The sale took almost two years to complete given Oklahoma Christian’s desire to find the right buyer and ensure the community continued to be managed and owned by a group with integrity as well as shared values and beliefs.
The new owners are already starting to reinvest in the community with over $1 million funded for building improvements which will include updating all resident apartments, dining and social areas.
“We are excited to build on the great Tealridge reputation for quality in the Edmond community and we are blessed to be able to invest the money and resources needed to really create a special, yet affordable retirement option.” added Paden.
Daily operations will be managed by Melissa Mahaffey the new Executive Director at Tealridge Retirement Community.
While she has extensive senior living management experience, Mahaffey credits her success from a genuine passion for improving the lives of her senior residents.
She also serves on the Oklahoma Assisted Living Federation.
“I am so excited to be a part of the next chapter at Tealridge.” shared Mahaffey. “We have the resources and vision to really create a place that builds on Tealridge’s great reputation while updating things to be on par with the best rental communities in Edmond.”
In addition to the great residents that already call Tealridge home, Mahaffey is building a team focused on placing a strong emphasis on customer service, hospitality and convenience for retirees regardless of what phase of life they are in, Paden added.
To find out more about Tealridge you can go online at tealridge.com.

As new state leaders are sworn in today, John D. Doak reflects on his eight years as Oklahoma’s insurance commissioner. Doak was elected the state’s 12th insurance commissioner in 2010 and was re-elected for a second term in 2014.
“I’m honored that Oklahomans chose to elect me to represent them, both in terms of insurance company solvency and ensuring fair claims handling,” Doak said. “I’ve been privileged to witness the courage and resilience of Oklahomans in the face of difficult natural disasters. It’s also been a pleasure to work with our state Legislature and governor and to travel to every one of Oklahoma’s 77 counties, meeting and working with the people who live there.”
During his tenure, Doak has tirelessly worked to raise awareness of the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) and how it can help Oklahomans. He started a field representative program to reach every corner of the state. He also made it a mission to have boots on the ground as soon as possible after a disaster. Many times Doak himself would visit with storm victims to reassure them that his office was there to help, if needed.
Another issue Doak worked on during his time in office was lowering the rate of uninsured motorists. Oklahoma has one of the highest rates in the country. Just a few months ago, the OID announced it would host the Auto Insurance Verification System which allows law enforcement to verify a driver has insurance in real time.
“One of my proudest accomplishments is that, as I leave the OID, it is now being recognized as a global leader in insurance regulatory issues,” Doak said.
Doak’s recognition that government must be ready to accept new and innovative ideas and products has helped frame that thinking. His belief that the OID should not only to protect consumers but allow the free market process to bring new quality products to consumers is recognized by many leaders worldwide.
More of Doak’s accomplishments include:
*Recovering $27,675,828 for Oklahomans since 2011
*The passage of House Bill 2308 which allows the OID to construct and own an office building
*OID employees earning more than 160 professional designations
*Co-hosting the National Tornado Summit since 2011
*The passage of the Insurance Business Transfer law
*Developing an earthquake education requirement for insurance professionals
*Testifying before a U.S. Senate sub-committee about insurance fraud
*Helping launch the University of Tulsa Cyber District
“I wish the best to the new leaders of our state, Gov. Kevin Stitt, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready,” Doak said. “Commissioner Mulready has already proven that he is a dedicated public servant with expertise in the insurance industry, and he will continue that tradition in this new role.”

Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer with no cure. Even with surgery and chemotherapy, patients typically live only 12-18 months after diagnosis.
But a new discovery from Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Rheal Towner, Ph.D., offers new hope in fighting this deadly cancer, which claimed the lives of Sens. John McCain and Ted Kennedy.
In pre-clinical experiments at OMRF, Towner discovered that a protein called ELTD1 is present in the most aggressive glioblastoma tumors. Towner then tested how the tumors would react to an antibody known to counteract the effects of ELTD1.
He found that the compound slowed the process of angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, which is key to tumors’ ability to spread and kill.
“This drug seems just as promising, if not better than, what is currently considered the standard of care,” said Towner. “Few therapies exist for treating glioblastoma, but this could provide a step in the right direction.”
If proven effective in further trials, said Towner, “This could provide overall treatment with fewer side effects and better results than we see in current drugs.”
The new findings were published in the journal NeuroOncology.
Towner will continue to look for ways to use the new treatment in combination with other drugs to boost their effectiveness and better target tumors.
“One problem with drug treatments for tumors is that it’s hard to get the drug to the tumor site,” he said. “If we can regulate that process with targeting ELTD1, we might be able to use it to deliver other drugs directly to the tumor and, hopefully, eliminate it.”
If researchers succeed with this tumor-targeting method, Towner said they will begin testing it on other tumors associated with breast, pancreatic or other cancers.
Funding for this research was provided by National Institute of General Medical Sciences, grant number 5P20GM103636-02, and Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the NIGMS, grant number 5P20GM103639. The NIGMS is part of the National Institutes of Health.

By Darlene Franklin

“Why should I be afraid?” Israel’s greatest warrior king, David, asked in Psalm 27.
These past few months, I could have given him a few reasons from the “disease that stalks you in darkness” (Psalm 91:6, NLT) category. It started with a pulmonary embolism that could have taken my life and progressed to a succession of less threatening but still uncomfortable and debilitating ailments, most recently the need for cataract surgery.
Given my propensity to anxiety, I decided to proactively arm myself with encouragements not to give in to fear. When I opened my Bible, I discovered that every time it tells me to not be afraid, it also gives a reason.
If often also gives additional instruments. “Just” do this instead. As I adjust my attitude, my fear level drops.
“Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today.” (Exodus 14:13 NLT bold face mine and also in the paragraphs below)
In the words of the Desiderata by Max Ehrmann, “No doubt the universe is unfolding exactly as it should.” Given time, most issues will resolve themselves.
Yes, there are times I’m supposed to get to work or even go on the offensive. But I start by standing still. I’m not in control, and why do I want to be? God is so much more powerful than I am on every level.
“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:14 NLT) The phrase “stay calm” follows on the heels of “standing still” in the Bible, suggests the two work hand in hand. “Stand” involves physical action, to maintain an upright position while on one’s feet, without wavering. In this case, “stay” works more like “to be.” I can stand still because I am calm.
“Still” implies calm. I am undisturbed by outside forces, not showing or even feeling strong emotion, e.g., fear.
“Just open your eyes and see how the wicked are punished.” (Psalm 91:8 NLT.)
Take a look at the larger picture. When the doctor told me, I had blood clots in my lungs—not one but two—I was unaware that that I had already passed the first test to survival. I hadn’t died in a heart attack as soon as they developed.
Recently, I spent eight hours in emergency room because of chest pain which turned out to be nothing worse than gastric difficulties. Over the long hours I spent watching the ER fill, empty, and fill again with new patients, I opened my eyes to those in much worse shape than me. I could afford to wait while newborn babies sick from pneumonia cried feebly and accident victims hovered on the brink of life and death.
“Just remember what the Lord your God did.” (Deuteronomy 7:18-21 NLT)
Remember the past. Was I frightened the last time I went through a similar experience? When the doctor warned me that the surgery was very serious, implying “and you could die.” Of course! I was afraid, but at peace—and I survived.
The more often something like that happens, the easier it becomes to remember God’s in control. Whether I live or die, I can trust him. The heart and mind connect what I’m learning from my Bible study and what’s happening in my life more clearly. Past experience increases my confidence that God has a purpose behind the current trial that’s tempting me to fear.
“Just have faith.” (Mark 5:36 NLT)
This guideline feels obvious—except the person who was told to have faith had every reason to doubt. Jairus, a leader in his synagogue, had come to Jesus when his daughter was deathly ill. Before they reached the house, he received word that his child had died.
Jesus’ response to the news? “Just have faith.” Minutes later He raised the girl from the dead. But if I had been Jairus in that moment, I would have felt like screaming, “I had faith. I came to you.” Undercurrent: You failed me.
Jesus encouraged Jairus to continue in the same faith he’d started out with. To trust God even in his bleakest moment. And sometimes I’ll be called on to trust in the face of massive disappointment, impossibility, and personal pain.
The next time fear comes knocking at the door, let’s remember these five principles so we can face those challenges with courage. God is on our side, and He’s always more powerful than what’s happening.

The stabbing pains in David Key’s armpits awoke him from sleep one night in 2006. “It was excruciating,” said Key, 53, who lives in Oil Center, about 10 miles northeast of Ada.
He cycled through hospitals and clinics, his condition worsening. He developed uncontrollable tremors and neurological problems and gave up his business. After a pair of strokes, he was forced to go on disability. Years passed, yet still he had no answers.
Finally, one physician thought he recognized Key’s condition. A subsequent biopsy of lymph nodes proved the hunch: sarcoidosis, a rare disease that causes lumps of immune cells – known as granulomas – to form in organs throughout the body.
“Unless patients’ first symptoms are in the lungs, they’re usually misdiagnosed,” said Courtney Montgomery, Ph.D., who studies the disease in her lab at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
Scientists know little about what triggers sarcoidosis. It seems to start in the immune system, eliciting rampant inflammation. The tumor-like lumps can appear in the eyes, liver, heart, skin and brain and, most often, in the lungs.
The disease can strike anyone, but it disproportionately affects African Americans. And, said Montgomery, it can be fatal.
“The most common causes of death are cardiac conditions,” she said. Heart complications claimed the disease’s two most famous victims – NFL Hall of Famer Reggie White and comedian Bernie Mac – at the ages of 43 and 50, respectively.
For Key, doctors have largely managed to control his symptoms through steroids and long list of other medications for the tremors, pain, depression and neurological issues. Still, he continues to experience near-constant pain in his chest. “Sometimes, I can swear I’m having a heart attack,” he said.
Last year, in an effort to help Montgomery and her OMRF scientific team better understand the disease, Key traveled to Oklahoma City to participate in a research study of sarcoidosis at the foundation. After filling out questionnaires detailing his disease and medication history, he donated blood for the researchers to analyze.
“By studying what’s going on at a genetic level in patients with active disease, we hope to identify environmental triggers that initiate sarcoidosis,” Montgomery said. Ultimately, that work might point scientists to an effective treatment.
Key understands that volunteering in OMRF’s research study likely won’t help directly. Still, he said, “If it can help somebody down the road, it’s worth it.”
For more information about sarcoidosis or to participate in research studies of the disease at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, call (405) 271-2504 or email [email protected].

by Bryan Painter

Muskogee – A lot of people say they are thankful for what time has taught them. However, Kelly Wiedel, who ranches with husband Bart in eastern Oklahoma, has a lifetime of experiences to back that up.
There are simple things she has learned.
Take for instance haying.
“I’ll never forget the day when my father-in-law Jim Wiedel said I had tractor driving in my blood because I asked him if I could rake again,” Kelly Wiedel said.
She also won’t forget what she learned one day when she was out haying.
“When raking hay with a tractor without a cab, stay away from bumble bees,” she said.
Wiedel has painted countless feet of pipe fence and gateways.
“From that I have learned to always paint with the wind at my back,” she said.
There are also things she’s learned that weren’t so simple, such as the first time her husband was ever involved in a vehicle accident. She was a passenger.
“It caused me to get vertigo and after time with it not going away and many different tests and scans of my head,” she said, “we found out that I had a brain aneurism and had to have brain surgery. So the wreck was a blessing because it saved my life.”
Perhaps it was all those experiences and more that led her to place a sign in their dining room that reads, “It may not be the easy way, but it’s the Cowboy Way.”
On a Sunday morning
Kelly was only 6 years old when she met this lanky boy named Bart at church on a Sunday in the early 1970s. Her family had just moved to the area and as it turned out, she grew up living roughly 10 miles from his family’s cow/calf and haying operation.
Kelly and Bart married in 1984 and started out with a small cow/calf operation near Muskogee. Three years later they became partners with his parents and together the families had 400 momma cows.
In between then and now, they have purchased more land and cattle. They have taken on the management of another 1,000-acre ranch.
Beverly Delmedico has known Kelly and Bart for several years.
“I don’t know of a couple that is closer together than Bart and Kelly,” she said. “They do absolutely everything together. They are just something else. I love Bart and Kelly both.”
Very proud of their family
Wiedel has another sign hanging on the wall, “Home is where the herd is.”
While they are proud of their ranch, they are extremely proud of their family. Others have recognized the Wiedels as well.
Kelly and Bart’s family received the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee’s District Six Farm and Ranch Family Recognition during the organization’s 77th annual meeting on Nov. 17.
They have three children, James Robert Wiedel, Jared Jay Wiedel and Lacy Miller, along with six grandchildren.
So, Kelly Wiedel says this about agriculture.
“It has given me a life to work beside my husband and raise our children in a way of life that has made them want to continue to live their lives in agriculture,” she said. “Our two sons have cattle of their own and work with us in the hay field. Our daughter and her husband have their own cattle operation about 45 miles away. We hope that our children and grandchildren have learned that hard work will make them better people.”
There is that word again, “learned.”
Life on an agricultural operation provides its own forms of continuing education.
There are the enjoyable lessons.
“I am most happy on the ranch when it is spring time and all the baby calves are running around,” she said.
Then, there are the challenging lessons.
“We went through a bad drought and had to bale cornstalks to provide hay for our cattle, because we sold more hay than our fields made because of the drought,” she said.
A key part of that comment is, “We went through…” They didn’t stop, they didn’t turn back. They put on their work gloves and they “went through.”
So how does Wiedel summarize the lessons learned so far in life?
Kelly Wiedel said, “It takes a person who is willing to put in a lot of time and hard work to make a ranch successful.”