Oklahoma man battling rare disease inspires others

For many families, COVID-19 has changed the way we celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Still, a young father of four in Elgin, Oklahoma shows others that gratitude can exist even in the face of adversity.
Tyler Fikes is not one in a million, but he is one in about 100,000 people each year who develop a rare condition known as Guillain Barre Syndrome, a disorder in which the body’s own immune system attacks its nerves. The cause of GBS is not clear, but it is preceded by a viral infection in some people. Fikes recalls he had just gotten over a cold when he first noticed symptoms.
“It was Thursday about noon. I’d been working at my computer. It had kind of the same sensation as if your arm or something went to sleep and it was waking up, that little pins and needles feeling. I thought well maybe I’m holding my hands against the side of the desk or something and I didn’t really give it much thought,” he said.
Within days, though, he was in the hospital, paralyzed from the neck down.
“So, from Thursday at noon to early Monday morning, that’s how long it took. I went from being able to do whatever I want to literally not being able to scratch my own nose,” Fikes remarked.
Doctors prepared Fikes and his wife Savannah for the worst. The disease was progressing fast and there was a very real possibility that Fikes would lose the ability to breathe without the help of a ventilator. Still, Fikes did not lose his faith or his determination.
“You do what you do. This is the hand that I was dealt, and God said, ‘Do it.’ and we said, ‘Okay.’ I had a lot of prayers. I actually had people praying for me from the Philippines, India, you know all over the world. By the next morning, they said, ‘it looks like it has stopped progressing. It should be all recovery from here. And here we are two years later still recovering,” he said with a smile.
That was two years ago. Today, at Valir Physical Therapy in Elgin, Fikes continues to do the hard work of recovery. Physical therapist Stephani Chambers has been at his side month after month, witnessing firsthand his true grit in action.
“He doesn’t have that give up factor. He’s like, ‘No, let’s try it again even when he is purely exhausted,” Chambers said. “He would always be like, ‘No, let’s give it one more, come on we can try it again.’ I’m like, ‘OK, let’s try it again.’ You could throw a lot at him and he’s going to give it every ounce of effort he’s got. He’s going to give it everything plus some.”
Steadily, Fikes made progress. He experienced wins. First, getting out of the wheelchair, then the ability to dress and feed himself. The road to recovery was not without setbacks, but those never phased Fikes. For him, it was just part of the process.
“You’re working, you’re making progress, leaps and bounds and then it just stops for a while; and then all of the sudden, it’s like, I haven’t tried that in a while. And you try it, and it just works. It’s like, hey, that’s motivation to get to the next plateau,” he explained. Chambers says Fikes has always had the right combination of commitment and belief.
“I always tell patients therapy is 50 percent what you put into it and 50 percent what you believe about it. He’s got both components. He’s got the mind component and the effort component. So, his process is 100 percent his to gain,” she said.
Fikes has definitely seen gains over the past two years at Valir. He regained not only the ability to walk, but the ability to drive again too. He struggles still to regain full use of his hand; but when his fourth child was born, he cut the cord himself – another meaningful victory for Fikes. His newest goal is to regain the ability to pick up his children.
“Right now, I can kind of cradle them in my arms and use my shoulders and my core to kind of pick them up, but being able to pick them up with my hands and do stuff would be really nice. But we work around what we got,” he said.
Fikes’s never-say-never attitude is inspiring to all who know and meet him.
“To see the different milestones he’s hit each time is really rewarding. We’ve all cried with him when he’s cried and Savannah’s cried, and we all have those happy tears when we hit those other milestones,” Chambers said. Through it all, both the ups and the downs, Fikes and his wife Savannah stay rooted in faith, always looking to the future with optimism. Although it is not the path he would have chosen to take over the past two years, Fikes believes there is always light even in dark times. He explained that were it not for the tests done when he developed GBS, a nodule on his thyroid might have been missed.
“You know, if I hadn’t had this, I would be walking around with potentially deadly cancer and I wouldn’t know it. So, you know, it’s all going to work out and my job is to just keep working,” he said.
And in a year that has pulled the rug out from under many people everywhere due to COVID-19, Fikes shared this perspective:
“You with deal with what life gives you. You keep on going and the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west. That’s what you do.”

Dear Savvy Senior,

Writing a will has never been a high priority to me but this lingering coronavirus crisis has changed my thinking. Can you recommend some good do-it-yourself resources to help me write a simple will?

Getting Older

Dear Getting,
The coronavirus crisis has changed the way a lot of people look at things, including wills. Currently, fewer than half of American adults have prepared a will. But having a last will and testament is important because it ensures that your money and property will be distributed to the people you want to receive it after your death.
If you die without a will, your estate will be settled in accordance with state law. Details vary by state, but assets typically are distributed using a hierarchy of survivors. Assets go to first to a spouse, then to children, then your siblings, and so on.
You also need to be aware that certain accounts take precedence over a will. If you jointly own a home or a bank account, for example, the house, and the funds in the account, will go to the joint holder, even if your will directs otherwise. Similarly, retirement accounts and life insurance policies are distributed to the beneficiaries you designate, so it is important to keep them up to date too.
Online Will Makers
If you have a simple, straightforward estate and an uncomplicated family situation, writing your own will – with the help of a good online will making program – is a viable alternative to hiring an attorney and much cheaper. Like tax software, these online tools will guide you through a series of questions and will insert your answers into a will for you, and it usually takes less that 20 minutes from start to finish.
Three top-rated do-it-yourself options include the Quicken WillMaker & Trust 2021 downloadable software (available at nolo.com) that costs $100 and works with Windows and Macs and is valid in every state except Louisiana; LegalZoom (legalzoom.com), which offers basic wills for $89 or $99 if you’d like assistance from an independent attorney; and Trust & Will (trustandwill.com) which charges $89 for a basic will.
If that’s more than you’re willing to pay, consider FreeWill (freewill.com), which is a completely free will making resource made possible with the support of nonprofit organizations.
When to Hire a Lawyer
If you have considerable financial assets or a complex family situation, like a blended family or child with special needs, it would be smart for you to seek professional advice. An experienced lawyer can make sure you cover all your bases, which can help avoid family confusion and squabbles after you’re gone.
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) and the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (naepc.org) websites are good resources that have directories to help you find someone in your area.
Costs will vary depending on your location and the complexity of your situation, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $1,000 to get your will made. To help you save, shop around and get price quotes from several different firms. And before you meet with an attorney, make a detailed list of your assets and accounts to help make your visit more efficient.
Make it Valid
Be aware that to make your will valid, you must sign and date it and have it witnessed according to the laws of your state. Most states require two witnesses who are not listed as beneficiaries in your will to watch you sign it. Some states also require that a notary witness the signing as well. Nationalnotary.org can tell you if a notary is needed to legalize a will in your state, if remote notary services are available, and how to access such online services to execute your will if you are sheltering at home during the pandemic.

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.

COVID cases are on the uptick and our healthcare community is exhausted. What a great way to give back to those that have done so much for our community while supporting small business! It’s a two-fer!
Many in our communities are looking for ways to give back to our frontline healthcare professionals and, while food deliveries are great, we have an idea that will last long after the next meal is served. How about pre-paying for the required training of a healthcare professional? These professionals have to recertify every two years at a minimum in CPR (known as BLS Provider); many, depending on specialty or area of expertise, also have to take ACLS and/or PALS as well. Heartland CPR presents the “pay it forward” frontline fighter scholarship that allows appreciative community members to pre-pay for a healthcare professional’s training – either by assigning that payment to a particular individual – or by letting us apply it on a first donated-first requested basis. We’ll let you know how your $100 training “scholarship” was used and who the recipient was (if you haven’t pre-selected); likewise, we’ll let the recipient know who funded their training (unless they prefer to remain anonymous, of course).
Heartland CPR wants to help be part of the solution to keep our healthcare professionals trained and working on the front lines and let them know how very appreciated they are in their communities! Reach out to us if this program is of interest to you or your place of business. Thanks for choosing Heartland CPR! Call 405-603-6666 or email [email protected].

OU Health, Mercy and SSM Health St. Anthony are teaming up with 100 of the nation’s top hospitals and healthcare systems to deliver an urgent plea for all Americans: Mask up, because wearing a facemask is the best chance at slowing the surging COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 11 million Americans have tested positive for the virus – including an additional 1 million in just the past week – leading to 245,000 deaths. In Oklahoma, nearly 160,000 people have been infected by the virus and more than 1,500 people have died. Last week, Oklahoma saw a 74.8% increase in cases over the week before, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

“We’re seeing more COVID-19 patients than ever coming into our emergency departments in desperate need of care but we are running out of room,” said Jim Gebhart, Community President of Mercy Oklahoma Communities. “We have to reduce the exponential increase of community spread before it’s too late.”
“The nation’s top hospitals and healthcare systems are partnering at this crucial time to deliver a unified message: Wear a mask to slow the surge of COVID-19,” said Chuck Spicer, President and CEO of OU Medicine, which is part of OU Health. “We urge people across Oklahoma and the nation to do their part to decrease the spread of COVID-19. This is a time when we must all join together to defeat a virus that is taking far too many lives.”
“As caregivers, our mission is to care for all patients with all conditions at all levels of care, but our hospitals are at maximum capacity,” stated Joe Hodges, Regional President, SSM Health Oklahoma. “We coordinate daily to create capacity where we can, but we are running out of ways to do that. We need the community’s help to support our valued physicians and nurses on the frontlines by wearing a mask to stay safe and reduce the infection rates.”

In this joint campaign, OU Health, Mercy and SSM Health and the nation’s top healthcare systems emphasize that current trends in the pandemic are daunting and frightening. If the nation stays on its current course, hospital leaders are increasingly concerned that more healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed as shortages of healthy caregivers make it difficult to handle a rapidly increasing number of patients. Unfortunately, this is already happening in parts of the country.
“The next several months will be critical,” Spicer said on behalf of the campaign. “Although there has been positive news about vaccine development, no one knows when those vaccines will be ready for widespread use. In the meantime, everyone must remain vigilant, take precautions and follow public health orders. The country has reached a tipping point. The power to do what is right is now in the hands of everyone everywhere.”
Beginning today, OU Health, Mercy and SSM Health St. Anthony join their national partners in sharing public service messages for the #MaskUp Campaign. In addition to messaging across Oklahoma, the #MaskUp campaign will be featured in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times.
The message reads:
“As the top nationally ranked hospitals, we know it’s tough that we all need to do our part and keep wearing masks. But, here’s what we also know: The science has not changed. Masks slow the spread of COVID-19. So, please join us as we all embrace this simple ask: Wear. Care. Share with #MaskUp. Together, wearing is caring. And together, we are saving lives.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points to recent studies that have shown facemasks successfully limit spread of the COVID-19 virus. Wearing facemasks protect in two key ways: by protecting the wearer against inhalation of harmful pathogens and particulates and by preventing exposure of those around the wearer.
In addition to masking, the CDC suggests that everyone minimize the number of non-household contacts, maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet, and limit the amount of time around others, especially while indoors and in poorly ventilated areas.
For further information about masking guidelines and the #MaskUp campaign, visit EveryMaskUp.com.

INTEGRIS General Surgery Yukon is proud to welcome Jason Brown, M.D., to the team.
Brown received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and completed his General Surgery Residency at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. He finished his Fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at the University of Hawaii, Queens Medical Center. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Medical Association.
“The most gratifying part of what I do is having the opportunity to offer a surgical solution to a person with a surgical need and having the privilege of witnessing the positive impact on their life.”
His areas of interest include: Laparoscopic surgery, endocrine surgery, hernia surgery, colorectal surgery, breast surgery and gallbladder surgery. Brown offices at INTEGRIS General Surgery Yukon, 1205 Health Center Parkway, Suite 100, in Yukon. Call 405-717-5400 for more information or to make an appointment.

story and photos by Darl Devault

Now 75 and living in Edmond, Okla., U.S. Air Force Colonel (ret.) Charles B. “Chuck” DeBellevue became America’s only ace with six MiG kills to his credit over the skies of North Vietnam as an Air Force weapons systems officer (WSO) in 1972. (story continues below)

This Veterans Day he will talk about flying the supersonic F4 Phantom at the rededication of the Midwest City High School Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 1 p.m. November 11 at the high school at 213 West Elm. America’s top ace of the Vietnam War, he is also the last ace to serve on active duty.
“It is an honor to speak at this rededication as I salute the men and women who have served,” DeBellevue said recently, “especially those who served in the Vietnam War, and those who currently serve and now sacrifice daily to keep our proud country free.”
This Veterans Day he was scheduled to be the grand marshal at the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans! themed-parade at 10 a.m. Nov. 11 in Midwest City. Although the parade has been cancelled due to health precautions, DeBellevue will be featured at other veterans-related events. America’s top ace of the Vietnam War, he is also the last ace to serve on active duty.
“It was to have been an honor to be grand marshal at this parade as I saluted the men and women who have served,” DeBellevue said recently, “especially those who served in the Vietnam War, and those who currently serve and now sacrifice daily to keep our proud country free.”
An ace is defined as an aviator who has shot down at least five enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat. The Air Force and the Navy awarded equal credit to both the pilot and WSO in the F-4D Phantom II since they worked in tandem in two different cockpits.
Between May and September of 1972, DeBellevue shot down six enemy MiGs while flying with two different pilots in four separate engagements.
DeBellevue remembers the excellent ground support when he flew his F-4 from Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base during the Vietnam War. The maintenance and munitions crews and the support from other base personnel helped him survive many dangerous missions.
“I knew that I had the best support in the world,” he says. “Anytime I can repay that support, I’m there.”
He was raised in Crowley, La., a small town in the middle of rice-growing country in the southwest section of the state. In 1968 he was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (the Ragin Cajuns).
Getting commissioned and graduating at the same time, DeBellevue skipped graduation. The colonel who spoke at his commissioning ceremony left the new officers with an ominous statement: “May you serve in interesting times!” How true those words proved for the future ace.
Area residents in and around Tinker Air Force Base have some understanding of DeBellevue’s role in the air war over Vietnam. Near the 552nd Air Control Wing area on the base is an EC-121 aircraft, the model that supported DeBellevue on his missions into North Vietnam. The EC-121, call sign “Disco,” is an earlier version of the Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft used today.
The crews on the AWACS planes give crucial support for today’s fighters, providing surveillance, command and control, and communications. They feed data to fighters electronically and communicate by voice. Most of the AWACS aircraft are based at Tinker.
The USS Chicago, a U.S. Navy heavy cruiser, also provided radar support to the Air Force crews flying MiG Combat Air Patrol (MIGCAP) missions into North Vietnam. Additionally, the Navy aided in tracking and targeting the enemy during bombing missions.
By 1972, air combat over Vietnam had changed with newly sophisticated air-to-air missiles. High technology sensors provided U.S. fighters with remote targeting and data on enemy aircraft.
The pilots and WSOs of the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) had an advantage over U.S. aircrews at other locations. Ten of the wing’s F-4D Phantoms had the new, top-secret APX-80 electronics set, known by its code-name “Combat Tree.” This highly classified system could read the “friend or foe” signals of the transponders built into the MiGs.
This was the same system that North Vietnamese ground-control intercept radar used to discriminate its aircraft from those of the Americans. Displayed on a scope in the WSO’s cockpit, Combat Tree gave the Phantoms the ability to find, identify, and fire at MiGs beyond visual range.
The North Vietnamese air defense system had more than 200 radar facilities that supplied warning and guidance for the MiGs. Combat Tree helped even out the odds for the American aircrews, who in 1972 flew into North Vietnam daily.
In the early years of the war during Operation Rolling Thunder, when the F-105 fighters were going into North Vietnam continuously, it took 100 combat missions to complete a tour. In 1972, it took a year to complete a full combat tour.
Initially, the Air Force put two pilots in the F-4, which is why there was a control stick in the back cockpit. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corp never put pilots in the rear cockpit of their F-4s except in their training squadrons. DeBellevue was well-versed in all the different systems in the F-4 and could fly the jet and refuel if needed.
His aircraft carried two electronic-warfare jamming pods on missions into North Vietnam. This gave the fighter a system of electronic counter measures that helped defeat the surface to air missiles (SAMs) fired at them. “When a SAM was fired at your aircraft, you had only one chance to react,” DeBellevue said. “If you did not see the SAM or panicked, your aircraft was destroyed.”
While there were other two-seat fighters in the Air Force, the F-4 was the first two-seat combat aircraft that employed the talents of a WSO in a multi-role environment. The fighter had a solid air-to-ground capability and when modified with Combat Tree gave the airmen air-to-air mission superiority in a dogfight. The F-4 was also used as a photo reconnaissance aircraft and as a “Wild Weasel” plane that hunted SAMs.
After graduating from navigator training, DeBellevue went to F-4 upgrade training, where he learned about flying the “Rhino.” Following F-4 training he spent 18 months in the 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, where he honed his flying skills. When DeBellevue was assigned to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, he was very experienced in the F-4.
He reported to the “Triple Nickel Squadron,” the 555th TFS, on Nov. 30, 1971, a time when operations over North Vietnam were halted during negotiations attempting to end the war. In late 1971 and early 1972, Americans were flying missions mostly in Laos and South Vietnam.
In spring 1972, the mission of the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Udorn changed to include missions into North Vietnam. The Laredo High Speed Forward Air Control (Fast FAC) mission, which had been cancelled due to high losses, was restarted. DeBellevue was in the first group of three pilots and three WSOs in the resurrected program.
The Laredo Fast FAC missions were only flown in North Vietnam in an attempt to stop the flow of munitions and supplies to the Viet Cong in South Vietnam. It became obvious to DeBellevue that only those who were very sure of themselves volunteered to join the Fast FAC program, since the missions spent long hours above North Vietnam.
“If you were shot down, the possibility of being rescued was slim,” DeBellevue said. “In combat it is the decisions you make in the blink of an eye that determines whether you live or die.” An average Fast FAC mission was four to six hours long and the planes would cycle to the tanker for refueling once or twice.
DeBellevue was flying MIGCAP missions when he was not flying Fast FAC missions. On May 10, DeBellevue and pilot Steve Ritchie were number three in a formation of four F-4s, call sign Oyster Flight. One and three were flying aircraft equipped with Combat Tree. Oyster Flight was northwest of Hanoi when they picked up MiG indications.
Since they were the first flight into North Vietnam, they started shooting. Three of the four MiG-21s went down. This was 26-year-old DeBellevue’s first kill. DeBellevue’s roommate was a backseater shot down in Oyster 01.
DeBellevue did not see any parachutes prior to the F-4 hitting the side of a hill. “We did not know it, but he ejected just prior to impact,” DeBellevue said. “In three weeks, my roommate managed to evaded capture and walk far enough south so that the rescue helicopters could get to him.”
By this time, DeBellevue, who had over 15 Laredo Fast FAC missions, was selected to be the lead WSO for the Triple Nickel’s MIGCAP formations and started transitioning out of the Fast FAC program. The average MIGCAP mission was about three hours long if it went into North Vietnam by land from the west. It was about five hours long if over the Gulf of Tonkin from the east.
When asked how much time he spent monitoring his instruments during a MIGCAP mission he replied, “85 percent of the time.” When asked how much time he spent looking outside the aircraft, he had the same reply. “You had to do everything all the time,” DeBellevue said.
When the air war resumed with the bombing in 1972, the enemy MiG total was up to 206, an all-time high. The principal matchup was between the two-seat McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and North Vietnam’s best fighter, the single pilot Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. These air duels occurred during U.S. efforts to protect B-52 bomber strike forces during their time in the target area.
The MiG-21 was a close match in capability with the F-4. The latest, extremely fast MiG-21s had a gun but relied mainly on their Atoll heat-seeking missiles.
The enemy pilots usually employed hit-and-run tactics. Air Force results against the MiGs improved markedly in the last six months of America’s involvement in Vietnam. In 1972, a fusion center (call sign “Teaball”) to pull together intelligence information from all reconnaissance sources was set up at Nakhon Phanom air base in Thailand.
The main Air Force air-to-air missiles were the radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow and the heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinder. The Sparrow had an effective range of more than 10 miles, compared to about two miles for the Sidewinder.
Fighters escorting the bomb-carrying aircraft never knew where the threat would come from. They normally stayed close to the planes they were protecting so as not be caught out of position during an attack.
DeBellevue’s MIGCAP missions, however, were not escorting any flight loaded with bombs. Instead, they were the blocking force preventing the MiGs from getting close to the F-4s with bombs. The MIGCAP missions had the ability to go after the MiGs wherever they were flying.
“You always had to know exactly where you were flying,” DeBellevue said. “This was especially true when the targets were in the buffer zone just south of China. You had to be on you’re A-game from the time you walked out to the jet until you landed back at Udorn.”
In September 1972, Olds Flight was sent to orbit Phuc Yen airfield, located just north of Hanoi. “This was not a very safe or sane thing to do,” DeBellevue said.
Flying with Capt. John Madden, they intercepted a MiG-21 on final for landing at Phuc Yen. While they prevented him from landing, they were not in a position to destroy the enemy fighter. Olds 03 shot down the MiG with the F-4E’s 20mm gatling gun.
As they crossed the Red River 15 miles west of Hanoi 10 minutes later, DeBellevue picked up a radar target eight miles in front of them. A few seconds later they intercepted two MiG-19s. They had to make short work of these two MiGs because they were low on fuel.
It was a hard turning close-in dog fight. They hit the first MiG with an AIM-9J, and it crashed. “The second MiG-19 was aggressive and a real threat,” DeBellevue said. “We only had a few seconds to spare when we fired the number three AIM-9J. It came off our F-4 and pulled lead on the MiG-19. The missile ended up in the MiG’s engine, causing him to crash.”
That was DeBellevue’s fifth and sixth kills making him America’s top ace in the war. He was no longer allowed to fly combat. He returned to the United States for a seven-week tour of military bases.
DeBellevue returned to Udorn and in the ensuing three weeks flew his last seven missions, none in North Vietnam. He also spent time around the base thanking everyone for supporting the war effort.
His flying record in Vietnam included 617 hours of combat and a total of 220 combat missions, 96 of which were over North Vietnam. At the end of the Vietnam War, his Triple Nickel Squadron had the highest number of MiG kills in the war.
After his combat tour, DeBellevue went to pilot training and then to the front seat of the F-4. “You had to know the rules of flying” DeBellevue said of his new status. “You didn’t always have to follow them. If you had to break a rule to save the jet, break the rule. Have your story ready when you land.”
DeBellevue says he used this same tenet while he was flying, when he had non-flying jobs, and when he worked in civilian jobs after his retirement.
He went on to accumulate more than 3,000 flight hours, including 550 combat hours. His military decorations include the Air Force Cross (making ace), three Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 18 Air Medals.
He went on to serve as base commander at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and the air base wing commander at Edwards AFB, Calif. One of his duties at Edwards was to recover NASA space shuttles returning from orbit. His final assignment was at the University of Missouri-Columbia as the commander of the Air Force ROTC detachment. DeBellevue retired in February 1998 with 30 years of service and as the last American ace on active duty.
Following retirement DeBellevue and his wife, Sally, moved their family to Edmond when he accepted a job as a program manager with Frontier Electronic Systems in Stillwater. After turning around the program that he was responsible for, he moved on to other jobs, including one with Oklahoma State University. He now works for Performance Aircraft Services Inc., based in Grapevine, Texas. DeBellevue was inducted into the Louisiana Military Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2012. He, along with other American aces, was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014.

by Cristina Sibley, Sibley Insures Medicare Specialist

Now that Halloween is behind us and visions of Thanksgiving are ahead, there’s still one ghoul left to deal with, Medicare Annual Enrollment. As if anyone who is Medicare age or reaching it could ever forget; the reminders are everywhere! There are so many options that people can feel a bit overwhelmed or don’t know where to start. In order to help bring a little clarity to the chaos, here’s few important things to know or consider this season:

Why all the fuss and hype?
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) lasts only 7 weeks. It opens October 15th and the last day to enroll is December 7th. In other words, it’s here and gone before you can say pass the pumpkin pie and agent/broker schedules can be filled a week or two in advance.
Changes made during this period take effect January 1st and generally last the entire plan year.
This is the only time of the year that most people can make a change in their prescription drug plan (part D).
This is the only time of year that most people on original Medicare can choose to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (part C). This is also the time of year most people on a Medicare Advantage choose another Medicare Advantage plan.

What if I like my plan and my needs haven’t changed?
Your existing plan may not be exactly the same from year to year (Really? Yes, really).
When reviewing your plan each year, will all your medications continue to be covered next year? At the same tier level? Are there any increases or decreases in premiums, copays, co-insurance, or deductibles?
Will your advantage plan change or add new benefits/services? Look for documents in the mail from your plan, starting October 1st, that highlight any upcoming plan changes.

Quality takes time, start early!
Have a list of your needs and medications ready and available. Enter and save your medication list to Medicare.gov for easier comparison between plans.
Make an appointment with your agent or broker right away for a face to face, virtual, or a phone meeting. Enrollments can be completed either way in 2020, but schedules can fill up quickly.
A thorough explanation and understanding of your options is important. You will want time to ask questions, get clear answers, decide, and enroll.
You may change your mind about your plan selection later. Now that Halloween is behind us and visions of Thanksgiving are ahead, there’s still one ghoul left to deal with, Medicare Annual Enrollment. As if anyone who is Medicare age or reaching it could ever forget; the reminders are everywhere! There are so many options that people can feel a bit overwhelmed or don’t know where to start. In order to help bring a little clarity to the chaos, here’s few important things to know or consider this season:
Why all the fuss
and hype?

*Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) lasts only 7 weeks. It opens October 15th and the last day to enroll is December 7th. In other words, it’s here and gone before you can say pass the pumpkin pie and agent/broker schedules can be filled a week or two in advance.
*Changes made during this period take effect January 1st and generally last the entire plan year.
*This is the only time of the year that most people can make a change in their prescription drug plan (part D).
*This is the only time of year that most people on original Medicare can choose to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (part C). This is also the time of year most people on a Medicare Advantage choose another Medicare Advantage plan. (story continues below)

What if I like my plan and my needs
haven’t changed?

*Your existing plan may not be exactly the same from year to year (Really? Yes, really).
*When reviewing your plan each year, will all your medications continue to be covered next year? At the same tier level? Are there any increases or decreases in premiums, copays, co-insurance, or deductibles?
*Will your advantage plan change or add new benefits/services? Look for documents in the mail from your plan, starting October 1st, that highlight any upcoming plan changes.
Quality takes time, start early!

*Have a list of your needs and medications ready and available. Enter and save your medication list to Medicare.gov for easier comparison between plans.
*Make an appointment with your agent or broker right away for a face to face, virtual, or a phone meeting. Enrollments can be completed either way in 2020, but schedules can fill up quickly.
*A thorough explanation and understanding of your options is important. You will want time to ask questions, get clear answers, decide, and enroll.
*You may change your mind about your plan selection later. Meeting early in the season gives you the opportunity and time to make changes before the December 7th deadline.
Know your agent or broker and put
them to work!

*If you work with an agent or broker let them do the hard stuff, that’s what you have them for. Let them do the research and bring several choices, that fit your situation, back to you. Once your decision is made, they fill out the paperwork or do the computer work, so you can relax. Many will also serve as your advisor and liaison with your plan through the year. They’ll help you handle questions on the phone or even in person, whenever you need them.
*An agent/broker has a state license and specialized Medicare training and testing over regulations and products, updated annually. They are professionals who are there to help you make sense of it all. If you have an agent/broker, ask for several cards and/or ask them to program their phone number into your cell phone.
*A broker is contracted with multiple insurance companies. They service their client across companies and can directly compare companies for the client. If their client decides to change insurance companies or have a drug plan with one company and a supplement with another, for example, they can stay with the same broker.
Last, but not least, protect your interests and information!

*Be wary of unsolicited Medicare phone calls.
*Don’t give sensitive personal information, such as your social security number, over the phone. Social security numbers are not required or allowed for Medicare drug plan or Advantage plan enrollments.
*It is perfectly fine and should be welcomed to have a trusted friend or family member at your appointment with an agent/broker. If you don’t have an agent/broker, ask a friend or family member to refer you to one they know and trust.
*Remember, ethical and regulation compliant agents/brokers will NOT use high pressure or scare tactics.

https://www.sibleyinsures.com/

Still Going Strong

photo by Vickie Jenkins

It all began in San Coulee, Montana when a precious baby girl was born on October 21, 1920 and was given her first gift, the name June Rose. At age four, June’s family moved to St. Louis, Missouri and lived there until June’s marriage to Robert Lee Ranney in 1942. A beautiful woman, inside and out, June turned one hundred years old on October 21, 2020. A friendly individual that always has a smile, the love she has for others shines bright!
Staying active keeps June feeling young and staying healthy. She is a member of Central Presbyterian Church where she has been an active member since 1957, serving as trustee and literalist. A charter member of Metro Camera Club since 1977, and still going strong, June was honored with the June Ranney Gallery in the Will Rogers Rose Center, highlighting outstanding Metro Camera Club photographs. June is also a member of SeniorNet Computer Club, which she joined in the mid eighties. Her volunteer work includes: Girl Scout leader, serving at the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner, helping with the archives of the Oklahoma City National Monument where she received an award in her name plus serving as past president of the American Business Women’s Association. (story continues below)

The mother of five children and widowed in 1967, June still lives in the house where she captured heartfelt memories with her family. “I think the one thing that surprises most people is the fact that I have lived in this house since 1957 and I still take care of everything myself,” June said. “That includes house-pick-up on a weekly room by room schedule, washing, ironing and mending when needed,” she added. “Plus, I have plenty of desk work; mail and email to keep me busy in my office,” she said with a smile.
Asking June what she contributes her good health to, she replied, “Proper diet, dwelling on the positives and never the negatives. I have never been one to smoke or drink and I can say that is over a lifetime. My number one hobby is flower gardening which I have been doing since fourth grade. My gardening gets excessive in season but I do it all myself and I love every minute of it. The garden is full of beautiful flowers in the spring.” I could tell she was very proud of her garden when she spoke of it. ”I also enjoy crossword puzzles, and I have done knitting and sewing in the past,” June added. June is a very talented horticulturist as well and an avid railroad enthusiast and collector.
June attended Beaumont High School. “My first job in St. Louis after college was at a community center teaching crafts to youngsters In the summertime. I taught games, crafts and dancing to youngsters in a summer program setup on the school grounds,” June said. “There was always a pageant with acting and dancing at the end of summer. I was so fortunate to be assigned to the school across the street from my home. It was a fun time working with them.”
“Shortly after my marriage, my husband and I moved to Davenport, Iowa. After Beaumont, I attended Harris Teacher’s College and graduated from there in 1942. I never did teach there. However, it was during war times, and I found a well paying job working for the War Department in the inspection office of a tank factory,” June commented.
“I lived here in Oklahoma City and was working for Dr. Jack Hough of the Otological Medical Center where I worked for fourteen years. I assisted the doctor in the examining rooms, did X-rays, counseled with patients about their particular hearing problems and did Electronystagmography, which was an extensive two hour test.”
“For several years I had an in-home candy making business for the Christmas trade only, working several months only to produce June Ranney’s Brown Pecan Fudge. I hired two women working in the mornings only. There were many local orders and they shipped to twenty-three states and Puerto Rico. I once was told that an order had been parachute dropped in Vietnam,” June commented.
June Rose Ranney, born on October 21, 1920, is an outstanding individual of Oklahoma City, OK. Whereas, it is fitting and proper that the Oklahoma House of Representatives, acting on behalf of the citizens of the Great State of Oklahoma, does hereby send best wishes to June Ranney upon the auspicious occasion of her 100th birthday.

Shirley McKinney, a long-time volunteer at the Harrah Senior Citizens Center, answers phone calls while the kitchen full of fellow RSVP of Central Oklahoma volunteers moves in a swift, almost rhythmic, motion.
Since the pandemic, the Center’s five volunteers, all seniors themselves, and four staff members have not skipped a beat. When COVID-19 hit, the Center closed for gatherings, but the small but mighty team shifted into high gear, meeting a big need in their community for seniors now stuck at home—meals.
“We went from serving 60 meals a day before COVID to preparing 100 meals a day for delivery and drive-by pickup,” said Harrah Senior Citizens Center Director Kim Reynolds. “And our volunteers have showed up every day.”
In August, the Center served more than 3,200 meals. The ability to meet this continuing need is possible only with the help of the volunteers, staff, and the financial support of the Oklahoma County Nutrition Program, the City of Harrah and Areawide Aging Agency, said Reynolds
Prior to COVID-19, seniors came to the center five days a week for exercise classes, card games, snacks, conversation, and lunch. The Center also offers medical appointment and shopping services, which had to be put on hold for a few weeks. Volunteers make phone calls to check in with the homebound seniors. Some of the programs have recently opened back up—medical appointments and shopping trips, and patio bingo just started. Reynolds hopes that the Center will be completely reopened by early November.
“It is a very important social connection for our seniors,” said Reynolds. “If we weren’t here during this time, I’m concerned we would have lost some of our seniors.”
Shirley McKinney has volunteered with the Center for 25 years. In fact, she says, she started volunteering before she was even a senior herself. She has done a little bit of everything over the years from serving on the board and filling out daily Nutrition Program reports to preparing meals, selling dinner and auction tickets.
“Being here for me and for a lot of the seniors is like having another family,” she said. “It helps people to have a place to go to and get out among people. That’s why it’s been so important to stay connected with our seniors during COVID. The Center helps people to not be so lonely.”