Story and photos by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

Despite uncertainty at the Major League Baseball level, the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark will host 75 Oklahoma City Dodgers games during the 2022 season, adding three Salt Lake Bees games to close out the season.
Opening Night is Tuesday, April 5, against the Albuquerque Isotopes, with the first of 14 fireworks nights this season, including after each Friday home game. The rest of the season will see Tuesday through Sunday home stands, as the schedule is designed for Mondays off.
“After two years, we are looking forward to things finally getting back to normal at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark,” said OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes. “We thank all of our fans who have been patient during that time, having no baseball season in 2020 and reduced-capacity crowds for most of 2021. This year is shaping up to be as exciting as ever, both on the field as well as getting to unveil several new amenities at the ballpark.”
For the first time since 1995, MLB spring training will not start on schedule as MLB, and the MLB Player’s Association are embroiled in baseball’s ninth work stoppage.
The ongoing MLB lockout will not interrupt the OKC Dodgers’ upcoming season or impact the Minor League Baseball schedule. Players on minor league contracts are still eligible to appear in games regardless of a work stoppage in MLB.
LA Dodgers prospects and minor league players — those not represented by the MLB Players’ Association, will play for the OKC Dodgers.
Seniors with an appreciation for the game and Minor League Baseball can invest in the only sure crack of the bat and roar of the crowd to start the season by securing season and single-game tickets before they are gone.
For seniors who played the game in their youth or those who attend this fan-favorite with the youth in their family.
Otherwise, it is Internet/radio where award-winning Dodgers’ sportscaster Alex Freedman delivers the play-by-play on AM 1340 “The Game” or through the iHeartRadio mobile app.
The Dodgers start their second season in the Triple-A West. Most of the games will be against teams in the East Division, including Albuquerque (Colorado Rockies), El Paso (San Diego Padres), Round Rock (Texas Rangers) and Sugar Land (Houston Astros). In addition to Salt Lake (Los Angeles Angels), the Dodgers will also host four other members of the West Division: Las Vegas (Oakland A’s), Reno (Arizona Diamondbacks), Sacramento (San Francisco Giants) and Tacoma (Seattle Mariners).
Fan-friendly surroundings at the ballpark are a complete recipe for family fun. The venue offers amenities designed to entertain children of all ages.
There is plenty of room for kids to play on playground structures and the grassy hillside, and kids can run the bases after each Sunday home game.
The ballpark features an outdoor picnic area on the large concourse surrounding the outfield. It is wide and runs around the entire facility. This allows fans to walk around the park to see every angle of play from all the venue’s dimensions. Parents can attend to their restless little ones and still watch the game by showing them the pitchers warming up in both bullpens from the outfield concourse.
Many fans enjoy looking at the history of baseball in Oklahoma portrayed on murals around the concourse. The ballpark boasts bronze busts of Oklahoma stars and three larger-than-life bronze statues of Oklahoma’s National Baseball Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench and Warren Spahn.
Single-game tickets go on sale on March 1 and can be purchased through okcdodgers.com. Prices range from $12-32. Group outings and season ticket plans are also available. Call (405) 218-1000 for more information.
In local LA Dodgers news in the offseason, Oklahoma City’s humble MLB World Series Winner, Don Demeter, died in November at 86.
With the LA Dodgers, Demeter’s 18 home runs and stellar outfield play helped in the run to the Championship in1959. Later, in seasons split by playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers, he roamed center field for 266 consecutive errorless outfield games to set the MLB league record at the time.
Many Oklahomans remember him as the pastor of the Southern Baptist Grace Community Baptist Church in south Oklahoma City. He founded the church and pastored it for 16 years. He and Bobby Morgan, 95, were the only Oklahoman City residents to star on the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to Los Angeles.

Long COVID is a challenging problem for both patients and clinicians. Like much of this pandemic, our understanding about the long-term effects of COVID-19 is evolving and incomplete. Unfortunately, a number of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 will continue with symptoms that last more than two months after recovery.
Typical symptoms of long COVID include fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough. About one third of patients will experience more than one of these symptoms, and between 10 and 70-percent of patients recovering from COVID will experience multiple symptoms.
Jon Blaschke, M.D., a cardiologist with the INTEGRIS Heart Hospital, says it is common for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 to have clotting issues including clotting in the lungs, heart attacks, strokes and rhythm disturbances. He says inflammation of the heart is seen as well. “However, after the acute phase of COVID, longer-term, serious cardiovascular problems seem to be infrequent.”
He adds, “We do not have information on risk for vascular events long-term, but most patients who have recovered from COVID have no heart issues or residual vascular problems from the virus even though they may have persistent symptoms.”
But he warns certain symptoms should never be ignored. Patients who are experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath (especially with activity), new or severe fatigue, or swelling should be evaluated by a physician. Red flags to look for include episodes of passing out, or symptoms that are worse with activity.
* In general, patients who are still having symptoms after recovery from COVID should start with an evaluation with a primary care provider. Initial evaluation often includes an EKG and a chest x-ray. In many instances this is enough to provide reassurance.
* Most patients with known cardiac injury (atrial fibrillation, abnormal heart enzymes, inflammation of the heart) from COVID warrant subspecialty evaluation and follow-up. These are generally seen in patients with severe illness (requiring hospitalization), and in general, these patients are already established with a cardiologist.
* Patients who had abnormal chest x-rays or were hospitalized warrant follow-up at a minimum with their primary provider, and most need follow-up x-rays or CT scans. Lung function testing may also be indicated.
In conclusion, Blaschke has this advice, “The single thing I tell all of my patients is the best way to prevent both serious illness including hospitalization and death from COVID, and effects from long-haul COVID is to get immunized and boosted. This applies to both the acute illness and to long COVID. We know that fully vaccinated patients are 23 times less likely to be hospitalized or to die from COVID when compared to those who are not immunized.”
He continues, “The health care community is united and the data is clear, we are counting on our patients to do their part to protect themselves, their families and us, so that we can be there for them, if the need arises.”

Robyn Sunday-Allen of Edmond was selected as the 2022 Oklahoma Mother of the Year®. She is the 76th woman in Oklahoma history to hold this honor. She (Cherokee) currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. She has been recognized for her work and leadership with the Indian Health Service’s Lifetime Achievement Award; Luana Reyes Leadership Award; The Journal Record’s 50 Making a Difference Woman of the Year Honoree 2009, 2010, and 2012; The Journal Record’s Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO Honoree 2009-2011; and was inducted as the first-ever CEO in Oklahoma’s Circle of Excellence. An Oklahoma proclamation from Gov. Brad Henry declares November 14 Robyn Sunday-Allen Day.
Sunday-Allen, along with honorees from states across the United States, will be recognized during the 87th National Convention of American Mothers, Inc. this April. One honoree will be named the National Mother of the Year® during the convention.
Since 1935, American Mothers, Inc. has had the honor of searching for and selecting the Mother of the Year® in every state, district and territory in the country. “Now more than ever, people are seeing the work that goes into motherhood and truly recognizing the resiliency of mothers. It is an honor to be an organization that has built a legacy network of moms across the nation while sharing their stories of strength and inspiration,” said Joyce Stevens, President of American Mothers, Inc.
For a full list of Mother of the Year® honorees please visit AmericanMothers.org. Nominations for Mother of the Year® are accepted annually, Mothers Day – September 15. For general media inquiries or to set up an interview with the 2022 Oklahoma Mother of the Year®, contact Sabrina Wisher-DeWitt at [email protected].
Robyn Sunday-Allen (Cherokee) currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. She attended the University of Oklahoma, where she received her BA in Psychology, BSN in Nursing, and MPH. She is currently on the Board of Advisors for Greater OKC Chamber of Commerce; State of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce; New View Oklahoma; Oklahoma Quality Foundation. She is also a Graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City Class XXIX and Leadership Oklahoma Class XXVI. She has been recognized for her work and leadership with the Indian Health Service’s Lifetime Achievement Award; Luana Reyes Leadership Award; The Journal Record’s 50 Making a Difference Woman of the Year Honoree 2009, 2010, and 2012; The Journal Record’s Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO Honoree 2009-2011; and was inducted as the first-ever CEO in Oklahoma’s Circle of Excellence. An Oklahoma proclamation from Gov. Brad Henry declares November 14 Robyn Sunday-Allen Day. She is married to Russell and they have one son, Eli.

*As of 2022-02-26 at 7:00 a.m.

INTEGRIS Hospice and Palliative Care Services is hosting a free Grief Support Group facilitated by Chaplain Kelly Russell.
The next series will be on Thursdays from 6:30 – 8 p.m., from March 3 through April 7, 2022. The meetings will be held in the INTEGRIS Health Hospice Administration Building, located at 5710 N.W. 130th Street in Oklahoma City.
If you have lost a loved one, grief is a normal and natural response. Sharing your grief with others and listening to the experiences of others can help you to be heard and know you are not alone in your grief. The program is free of charge, but space is limited. To enroll, please call 405-609-4578 or register online.
To register online, click here: Grief Support Group | INTEGRIS Health (coursestorm.com)
To learn more about our grief support program, click here: https://integrisok.com/locations/hospice-and-home-care/integris-hospice-in-okc/grief-recovery-resources

HarborChase of South Oklahoma City

An OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center colorectal cancer surgeon will discuss treatment options for all stages of colon and rectal cancers from noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, March 24.
During the virtual presentation, Steven Carter, M.D., will talk about surgical interventions and clinical trials. After a brief talk, attendees will be able to engage in a question and answer session with the doctor.
Carter is part of the colon and rectal cancer surgery program at Stephenson Cancer Center, which is run by a multidisciplinary team of experts who focus on the full spectrum of care, including prevention, detection, treatment and survivorship.
The presentation is offered at no cost to participants. Advance registration is required by going to: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_a4qrWxuCQpW8dDtV8MOVWQ. Registrants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, the workforce challenges in the U.S. long term care industry, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, remains at a crisis level. Unless Congress acts, nursing homes and assisted living communities will increasingly have to take drastic measures, furthering limiting access to care for vulnerable seniors.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nursing homes have lost 238,000 caregivers since the beginning of the pandemic. A report from the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) summarizing BLS data with new January numbers showed that overall long term care workforce levels are the lowest they have been in 15 years.
While a labor shortage exists across many health care settings, BLS data illustrates the dramatic scope of the challenge facing the long term care industry in particular. For instance, hospitals have lost two percent of their workforce, compared to a 15 percent workforce decline among nursing homes and a seven percent decline among assisted living communities.
As pandemic burnout worsens, skilled caregivers are looking elsewhere for work. While many long term care providers have dedicated extensive resources to honor frontline heroes’ extraordinary efforts, current government reimbursement rates limit their ability to make additional investments and compete against other employers for workers. Without action from policymakers, our nation’s most vulnerable seniors risk reduced access to care as facilities are forced to limit admissions or even close down altogether.
On Thursday morning, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety will hold a hearing to examine the pandemic-related workforce shortage in health care settings. As this historic crisis continues, the hearing reinforces the need for lawmakers to take new action to ensure long term care providers have the resources and recruitment tools they need to provide the high-quality care our nation’s seniors deserve. This is the time for lawmakers to make a commitment to investing in our health care heroes and building up the next generation of caregivers.
Before any more long term care facilities have to limit admissions or close their doors, lawmakers should provide our frontline caregivers with the resources they need.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation a five-year, $3.1 million grant for research aimed at reducing the main cause of death from infection.
OMRF scientist Florea Lupu, Ph.D., hopes his research leads to a new therapeutic treatment for sepsis, which kills about 270,000 people per year in the United States — more than lung cancer, breast cancer and drug overdoses combined.
“We are targeting a specific part of the immune system called the ‘complement system,’ which helps clear away bacteria in early sepsis but then becomes detrimental and contributes to organ failure,” Lupu said.
Sepsis occurs when the immune system overcompensates for an underlying infection, most commonly in the lungs, urinary tract, skin or gastrointestinal tract. If not treated early, this overcompensation causes widespread blood clotting and ultimately septic shock, which is characterized by severe loss of blood pressure leading to multiple organ failure.
According to the World Health Organization, globally, sepsis accounted for 11 million or 20% of all deaths in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available.
Lupu’s lab will build upon his prior research of the complement system’s role in sepsis. The work will focus on two infections that often trigger the condition: E. coli and staph.
The complement system is a large protein network in plasma. Those proteins are activated to form a cascade response to fight infection. However, one of these proteins, known as C5, morphs from friend into foe during sepsis by killing healthy cells and causing inflammation.
Lupu hopes to pinpoint the moment when C5 turns traitor and then target it with a drug that inhibits activation.
“The timing for an inhibitor is crucial,” Lupu said. “If you try to block C5 too early, you also block the clearance of bacteria. If you go in too late, it’s probably not helpful because the damage is already done.”
Lupu also hopes to determine the value of treating sepsis early with a blood thinner before shifting to a C5 inhibitor. Both drugs would be used in tandem with antibiotics, Lupu said.
“Sepsis progresses very quickly,” Lupu said. “Once it reaches the point of septic shock, the odds of survival decrease by 8% for each hour of delay in treatment. So that’s the biggest challenge – finding that narrow window to a successful outcome.”
The grant, 1R01AI168355-01, is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Scholarship applications are being sought for the 2022 Oklahoma Chapter Hearing Loss Association scholarships. Oklahomans with hearing loss who plan to attend higher education in the fall of 2022 are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is April 4, 2022. This will be the 7th year scholarships have been offered. The local chapter has given away $16,000 to Oklahoma students and this year there will be 3 awards of $1,500 each. The Scholarship Application and Rules are available on our website: oklahomahearingloss.org
The Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Our chapter is run entirely by volunteers. There are no paid positions. [HLAA hopes to open the world of communication to people who have a hearing loss by providing information, education, support, and advocacy.]