In July, we celebrate the independence of two great nations—the United States, on the 4th; and France, on July 14th, the day the French people stormed the Bastille prison and sparked the French revolution. What better time to consider all the reason I love all things French? In July, we celebrate the independence of two great nations—the United States, on the 4th; and France, on July 14th, the day the French people stormed the Bastille prison and sparked the French revolution. What better time to consider all the reason I love all things French? Perhaps it started during the two years I lived on Lafayette Street in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. The Marquis de Lafayette served in the colonial army with distinction, even though he was still a teenager in 1776. In high school, I was surrounded by French Canadian culture. Later, my son camped out at Shakespeare and Company, across from Notre Dame, for the short time he lived in Paris. Here are a few reasons why I love France. If I fail to mention your favorite memory of France (the wine, perhaps?), take no offense. This is a personal list that I hope will trigger happy memories for you. Fictional HeroesAlthough these characters are fictional, they taught me a lot about French history.Charles Dicken’s Paris (A Tale of Two Cities) provided one of my favorite quotes. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I’ll never forget Madame Defarge’s knitting needles and Sidney Carlton’s self-sacrifice in this tale of the French revolution. LeClerc, the spunky Frenchman on Hogan’s Heroes, introduced me to the lure of the French accent. Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise, from France, once compared our countries’ flags: “America’s flag is red, white, and blue. The French flag is, more properly, blue, white, and red.I first encountered Versailles in the pages of The Three Musketeers and swooned to Richard Chamberlain as The Count of Monte Cristo. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, movie and film, brought that magnificent cathedral—and the concept of sanctuary—to poignant life. Paris, home in exileLet’s not forget the American novelists who lived France in the 1920s—Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, Edith Wharton, Kathryn Mansfield, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, and John dos Passos, among others. Interesting how many of America’s best-known writers did their best writing away from home.Consider the books written during their exile: A Farewell to Arms (Hemingway), Ethan Frome (Wharton), The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)—my literary world would be a lot poorer without the Americans living in ParisImpressionismThe impressionist movement in art and music began in France. I’ve spent time enjoying the works of Debussy, Ravel, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, and Degas. Even Vincent Van Gogh might be considered French, since he moved there from his native Holland. It’s hard to imagine a museum without one of Degas’ ballerinas or Monet’s water lilies. I personally engage with impressionist music by performing it. My senior piano recital included two compositions from Debussy’s “Estampes”: Gardens in the Rain and Evenings in Granada. The music paints a picture without words or color. And I’m always spellbound by Ravel’s Bolero.Scientists and ThinkersA children’s book introduced me to Louis Pasteur and Madame Curie were among the celebrated scientists. Pasteur not only developed the process whereby we “pasteurize” milk but also developed the first treatment for anthrax. The Curies discovered the wonders of radium and opened the field of radiology.More recently, how about oceanographer Jacques Cousteau? He made the ocean accessible to the world. I can’t leave this section without mentioned Rene Descartes, who told us, “It is not enough to have a good mind; the main t hing is to use it well,” and “I think; therefore I am.”Food and LanguageNo homage to France would be complete without mentioning food and language. I’m not talking about fancy French cuisine. Beef “au jus” makes my mouth water. Omelet, quiche, souffle, and crepes are all improvements over scrambled eggs. What salad is complete without croutons? Acroissant is so much tastier than a slice of white bread. Sweets are my special downfall: eclairs, sorbets, petit fours, bon bons, crème brulee, macarons. Is everyone else hungry by now?The language I love would be incomplete without the French. They ruled England for several hundred years, so it’s no surprise we share a lot of words, even if we pronounce t hem differently. French continues to enrich the English language: chic, mystique, a la carte, cliché, carte blanche, bon voyage, R.S.V.P. (respondez-vous sil vou plais) Of all the reasons I love France, one stands above them all: the Statue of Liberty, their gift to America. Vive la France!Darlene Franklin continues to write from her home in a nursing home. You can find her online at www.facebook.com/Poet.Darlene.Franklin/.

Americans have a need for cleanliness, especially when it comes to our children. But mounting research suggests our quest to be clean might make children sicker, not healthier.
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation immunologist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D., said this groundswell of germophobic parenting and the tendency to create over-sterilized environments may keep children’s immune systems from developing adequate defenses.
It’s called the ‘hygiene hypothesis,’ where scientists believe early exposure to allergens actually contributes to a healthier immune system. While it isn’t a new theory, it is becoming more widely accepted.
“For your immune system to protect you, it has to know the difference in what is dangerous and should be attacked and harmless substances that can be ignored,” said Chakravarty. “And to learn that, it needs to be exposed to some of the elements we’re erasing from the environment.”
Handwashing and maintaining a clean living area are still important, Chakravarty said, as are vaccines and immunizations. “But there’s a difference between a healthy level of cleanliness and essentially living in a bubble.”
Your immune system is built to protect you, so if it sits idle, it will find something to fight. Even fairly harmless substances like pollen, peanuts or pet dander can look like foreign invaders and result in an immune system overreaction. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks your own body’s tissues as if it were a pathogen or virus.
“We need protection from serious illnesses, but kids need exposure to a wide variety of things that aren’t actually dangerous,” said Chakravarty. “Kids are going to eat dirt, and that’s generally OK.”
It’s important to note that not all bacteria are harmful. Some actually help keep us healthy. The 100 trillion microbial and bacterial cells in our bodies, called the microbiome, also needs diversity, said OMRF geneticist Patrick Gaffney, M.D., and that comes from exposure to the environment.
Gaffney said more evidence is needed, but increasing research links germ exposure, diverse environments and minor infections at a young age with a lower risk of health problems later in life.
“Exposure to low-level allergens and germs like dog hair, pollen and common pathogens when you’re young allows the immune system to fine-tune itself and learn how to function properly,” said Gaffney. “Regular hygiene is still important, but don’t fret if your little ones dig in the dirt or wrestle with the dog. They may wind up healthier for it.”

Online voting contest to help choose names of the male and female red panda cubs

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the arrival of two healthy red panda cubs, one male and one female. The cubs were born late in the evening on Sunday, June 2, at the Zoo’s red panda habitat in Sanctuary Asia to mom, Leela, 5, and father, Thomas, 6. Caretakers report that first-time mother Leela is demonstrating appropriate maternal behaviors such as a grooming and nursing her offspring and all are in good health. At birth, the male weighed 119 grams and the female 124 grams (less than a third of a pound). By June 18, both cubs had more than doubled their birth weights to 252 grams (male) and 257 grams (female).
“We are so excited to welcome these adorable red panda cubs to the Zoo’s animal family and are beyond thrilled that Leela is such a nurturing mother,” said Tyler Boyd, OKC Zoo Curator of Carnivores and Hoofstock. “While we don’t yet know when the cubs will be on public view, mom and her offspring are doing well and bonding behind-the-scenes at their habitat.”
Online Naming Contest
The carnivore caretaker team at the Zoo compiled name options for the cubs that are representative of their natural habitat in central Asia. For the male cub, the name options are: Ravi (Nepalese for sun), Tau (Nepalese for handsome) and Jetsun (Buddhist reverend from Tibet). For the female cub, the name options are: Nima (Nepalese for small), Mohu (Nepalese for cloudy) and Khyana (Nepalese for light). An online vote will determine the duo’s names. Voting is open until Friday, July 5 and the winning names will be revealed on the Zoo’s Facebook page Monday, July 8. Cast your vote at okczoo.org/redpandacubs.
About the OKC Zoo’s Red Pandas
Thomas, 6, came to the OKC Zoo from the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk and Leela, 5, was born at the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero, California, in 2014 and moved to the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium in 2015. Their relocation to the OKC Zoo in 2018 was a species survival plan (SSP) recommendation. SSP programs were developed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help oversee the husbandry and breeding management and, as a result, the sustainability of select animal species within AZA-member institutions, including the OKC Zoo. Many of these programs help enhance conservation efforts of these species in the wild as well.
Red Pandas in the Wild
Red pandas are listed as an endangered species. Only an estimated 10,000 remain in the wild, and their habitats in remote areas of the Himalayan Mountains, from Nepal to central China, are being threatened by deforestation, agriculture, cattle grazing and competition for resources. In addition to a taste for bamboo, red pandas consume many other types of food including fruits, acorns, roots and eggs. Red pandas grow to be about the size of a typical house cat and have a life expectancy between 8 and 10 years. Their bushy, ringed tails add about 18 inches to their length and serve as a type of blanket, keeping them warm in cold mountain climates. Though previously classified as a relative of the giant panda, and also of the raccoon, with which it shares a ringed tail, red pandas are currently considered members of their own unique taxonomic family—the Ailuridae.
It’s (red) panda-monium at the OKC Zoo! Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Regular admission is $11 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming Oklahoma Zoological Society members at ZOOfriends.org or in-person at the Zoo! To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.s of the male and female red panda cubs

Story and photos by Darl DeVault

Oklahoma Senior Games cycling competitors gathered Sunday, September 16 last year at the Lake Stanley Draper Marina to stage for their either one lap or two lap races starting north around the lake. Many of the 55 cyclists who started racing at 8 a.m. in a mass start travelled from out of state to qualify for the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“Oklahoma offers many of these Texas riders racing today another chance to qualify for nationals,” said Kathleen Fitzgerald, OSG state director. “It is surprising at first, how far they will travel to qualify for nationals, until you talk to them and realize these are really competitive older folks who want to stay fit year-round as cyclists.”
The 22K and 44K road races drew the most contestants last year at Draper, while the 5K and 10K time trial events that started at noon and 1 p.m. saw many of the same road racers participate.
The 22K course, one clockwise lap around Draper, saw the group stay together. They finished almost together on the long downhill that sweeps from the south to the finish near the road that leads into the marina. Many of the racers continued for another lap around Draper to contest the 44K category.
The 40 and over bicycle racers were hoping to place first through fourth place at last year’s games so they could qualify for the 2019 National Senior Games in New Mexico. Those games just took place June 14-25.
Many of the same racers, trying to qualify for Nationals, lined up again at noon or 1 p.m. to start an individual 5K or 10K time trail on an out and back loop north on the lake road. The cyclists, many riding specialty time trial bikes, began their race against the clock in one-minute intervals. Starting order was from youngest to oldest starting with males and ending with females.
The events observed U.S.A Cycling rules and went off without any wrecks or mishaps throughout the day.
In the time trial events, riders were not allowed to draft (take pace behind another rider) closer than 25 meters ahead, or two meters to the side. If anyone had broken this rule, they would have received a time penalty.
Both road race distances and the two time trail distances offered dual opportunity for qualifying for nationals. Qualifying in any event at the 2018 event earned the athletes the right to compete in either or both their respective events at Nationals.
2019’s events for 40+ cyclists will take place Saturday, September 21 at the lake with a similar schedule as last year. Entry Deadline is September 7 this year and staging will again be at the marina at 8301 SE 104th. Street.
Divisions will be contested in recumbent, Paralympic Upright, Paralympic Handbike, Paralympic Tandem and Paralympic Tricycle if enough racers enter those categories,
Racers 40+ can go online to okseniorgames.com for more information or call (405) 821-1500.
In a recent article published by the Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health online, bicycling is described as providing important physical benefits. First, it is an aerobic workout, which for seniors is the heart of any health plan, pun intended. Cycling, therefore, is good for their heart, brain and blood vessels.
Cycling is easy on joints, Dr. Safran Norton says in the article. He says that unlike walking, cycling is good for anyone with joint paint or age-related stiffness.
Bicyclists use their largest muscle group, the legs, which helps them build muscle while toning other muscles needed to keep them balanced and steer the bicycle.
These benefits carry over into everyday activities while helping cyclists build bone density, says Dr. Norton.
Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida will host the 2021 National Senior Games, the largest multi-sport championship event in the world for adults 50 and over. More than 10,000 qualified athletes, accompanied by an estimated 15,000 visitors, are expected to compete in 20 medal sports in 2021.
The National Senior Games, begun in 1987, has 54 affiliated qualifying member games in North America promoting wellness and active, healthy lifestyles for older adults.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

Dodge City has long been on this Okie’s bucket list. It took this long to get there as its really not on the way to anywhere, which is good because Dodge City has modern conveniences yet has still preserved and promoted its popular western romance of the 1870’s.
Dodge City has developed its own catch phrase: “Get Into Dodge.”
Of course that is an ironic take on the wild west phrase of a lawman to an outlaw of, “Get Out Of Dodge.” I say, referring to one of the City’s heroes, “Wyatt Earp Never Had It So Good.” This popped into my brain during my trip’s final dining experience at Prime on the Nine restaurant, while reflecting on the good experiences had in Dodge.
Overlooking a golf course, the Prime on the Nine restaurant, offers the highest of service and food to informed tourists and locals. www.primeonthenine.com
If you have followed my articles for some time, you know I like the traditional dining experience of Martini, and perfectly cooked tender local steak to medium plus. The Prime Rib, risotto, tasty goat cheese starter and the five star tiramiso, were a real treats. This elegant venue with a window table, filled my requirements to perfection and the perfect closing meal to my 3 day visit to Dodge City. Truly Wyatt Earp in his short stay in Dodge, “Never Had It So Good.”
Another outstanding dining experience is the Central Station Bar & Grill, www.centralstationdc.net where you have the option of dining in an authentic 1950 railway car. With a salute to the rails that opened up Dodge City to the cattle markets, its only proper to order a steak as well. I devoured a rib eye steak, side salad, sweet potato fries with onion rings. With four kinds of steaks to be mesquite grilled or with other choices including chicken varieties there is something to satisfy your western appetite. Despite being there on a very popular night, the service and quality of my meal did not suffer. To top off the entree the hot apple cobbler delight dripping with caramel and ice cream was an exquisite and unexpected finale. This venue also offers a dance floor and sports bar amenities as well as guest entertainers.
For a quick casual fix, the homemade pizza while you wait is offered at Dodge City Brewing, www.dodgecitybrewing.com, but closed on Monday and Tuesdays. To hear how vodka and gin is distilled, visit the Boot Hill Distillery, www.boothilldistillery.com with tours and tastings available. More interesting than the process is the building’s history and location on top of Boot Hill cemetery. The Vodka is mild and mixes well while the Gin is heavy on botanicals sold at a premium price.
You must save time to tour the Boot Hill Museum, www.boothill.org/, where a large new museum building is in progress. http://www.boothill.org/construction-update The Museum hosts an extensive gift shop with artifacts and memorabilia upstairs. The best part of admission is being able to walk into a replicate of the Old Dodge City wooden store fronts, including the Long Branch Saloon, complete with bar and piano. Other stores offer remembrance of shops that might have been in old Dodge City on front street. Walking back and forth on the wooden board walk you might feel a moment in old west time.
A walking tour of the town takes you by many of the bronze statues remembering many celebrities made famous by the Myth of Dodge city. Of course there is Wyatt Earp and even Matt Dillon.
I drove up from Oklahoma City on what is casually called the Northwest passage on state highway 270 and 183. While the online map suggested a drive time of 4 and 1/2 hours its more like about 6 hours,but worth it for the destination and a chance to see the unspoiled landscape of western Oklahoma, accented by a few wind farms. A mirage when first approaching Dodge City you see a large hill covered in black. At first you wonder what vegetation or mineral causes the blackness, and soon you see it is a massive panorama of black cattle, the prime resource of Dodge. All of this can be explained if you take the trolley tour, which also goes through the remaining inhabited buildings of Fort Dodge. Also you can learn about the founding of Dodge, the Santa Fe Trail, the cattle industry and the impact of the railroad.
I happily stayed and the conveniently located Best Western North Edge Inn, where my first story room had an exit just feet away from my parked car. Of course they offer all the amenities you expect from a Best Western including the free morning breakfast to start your sight seeing off right.
And you too may come away from Dodge never having had it so good.
So much to see and do in Dodge City so please check out more at: http://www.visitdodgecity.org

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
http://realtraveladventures.com/author/zinn/
www.okveterannews.com – www.martinitravels.com

Kathy Shaw of Oklahoma City was less than six months out from treatment for breast cancer when she learned that she had nodule on a lobe of her lungs that was cancerous.
It was more than she could bear to think about. She had just undergone a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation, and the idea of undergoing another major surgery was disheartening. She was told that lung cancer surgery would involve a large incision, the spreading of her ribs to access the lungs and a lengthy hospital stay and recovery.
“I went ahead and made the appointment for the surgery, but in my heart, I didn’t feel like I would go through with it,” she said.
Instead, she began looking for another option. That search led her to J. Matthew Reinersman, M.D., a thoracic surgeon at Stephenson Cancer Center at OU Medicine. Reinersman and his colleague Subrato J. Deb, M.D., are the only two surgeons in Oklahoma who specialize in a minimally invasive surgery for lung cancer called VATS – Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery. The surgery, which requires only three small incisions, removes the cancer while giving patients a much shorter hospital stay, less risk for complications and faster recovery.
“I had the VATS surgery, and I went home after two days,” Shaw said. “I think I took one or two pain pills, but I didn’t experience what I would call real pain. Because of the procedure and Dr. Reinersman, my recovery has been pretty remarkable.”
Reinersman has been performing VATS for patients with lung cancer since he arrived at Stephenson Cancer Center four years ago. Studies have shown VATS to result in outcomes that are just as good as those in a traditional, open surgery, but with all the benefits of a minimally invasive procedure.
In the traditional procedure for removing cancers of the lung, surgeons make a large incision on the patient’s side and push apart the ribs to reach the lungs. This results in significant pain for the patient and a hospital stay of at least five to seven days, which then leads to greater risk of pneumonia, blood clots and infections.
During VATS, Reinersman makes three small incisions to insert a tiny camera and his surgical instruments. The camera transmits images of the lungs onto a video screen to guide the surgery. Depending on the location of the cancer, he may remove a small part of the lobe, the entire lobe or more of the lung. Nearby lymph nodes also are dissected to ensure the cancer has not spread.
“The advantage is that we can get patients out of the hospital as soon as one to three days after the procedure,” Reinersman said. “They have less pain, fewer side effects and can return to their normal activities faster.”
The reduction of pain is a significant advantage of VATS. Patients having open surgery for lung cancer usually receive an epidural catheter in their backs for pain control. Pain must be managed because patients need to be able to take deep breaths and cough to lower their risk of getting pneumonia – something they won’t do as well if they are hurting. Because VATS is minimally invasive, no epidural catheter is needed and pain is greatly minimized. Surgeons also use nerve blocks to provide long-acting pain control in the nerves that run along the ribs.
“When I see my patients back in the clinic a couple of weeks after surgery, they’re usually taking little to no pain medicine and they’ve resumed doing most of the things they want to do. It’s really gratifying,” Reinersman said.
Reinersman considers VATS for any patient with lung cancer, but the best candidates are those with Stage 1 or 2 cancer, he said. VATS is also preferable for patients who have borderline lung function because the procedure is easier for them to tolerate than an open surgery.
In Shaw’s case, she has never been a smoker. About 20 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer are non-smokers, Reinersman said.
“That shows the importance of lung cancer screening and early diagnosis and treatment,” he said. “It’s not a death sentence. If we can catch it early, we can get them through it. We’ve done hundreds of VATS surgeries here.”
Many surgeons will use VATS for simple surgical procedures in the chest, but Reinersman and Deb are experts in its use for removing lung cancer, a more technically complicated surgery. The surgeons also are unique because they focus solely on surgeries of the chest and esophagus, whereas many cardiothoracic surgeons focus mostly on the heart.
OU Medicine is also the only institution in Oklahoma that submits its lung cancer surgery data to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database, where it can be viewed by the public. OU Medicine’s two-star rating is equivalent to that of larger institutions like Mayo Clinic and M.D. Anderson.

It is the distinct pleasure of the Troy and Dollie Smith Wellness Center at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute to invite you to our 25th annual art exhibit dedicated to the curative powers of creativity and to all whose lives have been affected by cancer.
The exhibit showcases all forms of art including fiber, graphics, oil, watercolor, mixed media, photography, pottery, sculpture, writing and poetry. Register art by Monday, July 8, 2019. Deliver art by Friday, July 19. Pieces will be displayed from July 25 through Sept. 6, 2019.
Artists of all ages wishing to express how their lives have been affected by cancer will have their work on display. The pieces may be by individuals or collaborative, done by professionals as well as first-time artists.
In lieu of a 10 percent sales commission, there will be a nominal $10 registration fee for each piece submitted (limited to two entries only) per artist. Registration proceeds will benefit the INTEGRIS Foundation’s Art Therapy fund to help continue the exhibit dedicated to all affected by cancer.
The registration fee will be due from the artist on the art drop-off day, Friday, July 19, 2019 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Registration fees will be accepted in cash or a check made payable to INTEGRIS. Registration of art is available at integrisok.com/celebration-of-life or by calling 405-773-6600.
OPENING RECEPTION
Artists, cancer survivors, families and friends will be recognized at the 25th annual Celebration of Life Art Show and Opening Reception on Thursday, July 25, 2019, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, 5911 W. Memorial Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73142. To RSVP for the event, please call 405-951-2277.

Free program offers help for those recovering from loss of loved ones

If you have experienced the death of a loved one, grief is the normal and natural response to loss. INTEGRIS Hospice provides on-going grief support.
Conducted by certified grief specialist, Marla Mercer Cole, MS, LPC, the six-week free evening program provides a step-by-step approach for those who wish to resolve their loss issues and move beyond their grief toward a richer quality of life.
Program Dates: June 17 – July 22 (Monday evenings) from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, 5911 W. Memorial Road in Oklahoma City in Conference rooms D and E, southwest entrance.
To enroll for the session: Call 405-603-1708. Programs are free of charge; space is limited.
Marla Cole is a licensed professional counselor specializing in the field of grief and loss. As current vice president of Mercer Adams Funeral Service in Bethany, she also directs the aftercare program for families they serve and oversees community relations.
Normal grief responses include appetite loss, difficulty sleeping, feelings of guilt or regret, lack of concentration, mood changes, numbness or crying.

Over the last 25 years, we’ve witnessed amazing advances in science and medicine. What was once thought impossible is now being accomplished. Genetic testing is one example. With a small sample of saliva, your risk for certain diseases can be predicted. Unfortunately, just as technology has evolved with these tests, so have the opportunities for scammers.
This month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General sent out an alert about fraud schemes involving genetic or DNA testing. These scams have been targeting Medicare beneficiaries through phone calls, booths at public events, health fairs and door-to-door visits.
A typical scheme might go something like this: A scammer offers free ice cream or gift cards at a retirement community, senior nutrition center or Medicare expo for anyone who listens to a pitch about free DNA testing. It’s important to know: Medicare will pay for genetic testing for patients with advanced cancer or a family history of certain types of cancer if the test is medically necessary and is ordered by a treating physician. The fraudster will usually downplay or even ignore the medical necessity criteria and the need for a doctor’s order.
The scammer may swab a person’s cheek right there to collect saliva and gather identifying information, such as a person’s name, date of birth and Medicare number. Medicare beneficiaries have also been sent genetic testing kits and asked to return the completed kit with their insurance information. This is so the scammer can bill Medicare thousands of dollars of expensive and medically unnecessary genetic testing.
How do you tell the difference between a genuine, medically-necessary genetic test and these fraud schemes? Talk to YOUR doctor about it. This is the person with whom you’ve placed your trust regarding your healthcare.
Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from this scheme:
*If a genetic testing kit is mailed to you, don’t accept it unless it was ordered by your doctor. Refuse the delivery or return it to the sender. Keep a record of the sender’s name and the date you returned the items.
*Be suspicious of anyone who offers free genetic testing and requests your Medicare number. If your personal information is compromised, it may be used in other fraud schemes.
*Look for charges on your Medicare Summary Notice statements for unnecessary tests or screenings that you did not want or were not ordered by your doctor.
If you suspect that you’ve been a victim of this scam or any Medicare fraud, report it. Call the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s Medicare Assistance Program at 800-763-2828.

Anybody else think of the 90’s space jam theme song when you read the subject line? … no? Just me? OOOkkkaaay 🙂
Anywhoo— I came to remind you that Whodunit is a PERFECT reason to gather up a group of guys & gals from work, church, hobbies, sports or… research?
(what?!–I was trying to rhyme with Church! plus.. I mean, people research sooo still fits.) LOL
YO HO HO- check it out below!!
Who is YOUR group? Car club? Sunday school sistaaas? good ole Frat House bro’s? Bridesmaids? It’s been too long. Get. Them. Together! Send a group text, facebook thread or… do it the old fashioned way- call them! Better yet- show up unannounced and knock on their door (GASP Nobody does THAT anymore!) Get your people, your tribe and bring them to the show!…Yo!
Get your tickets at whodunit.net or by calling 405-420-3222
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse – FRIDAY, June 21st, July 19th, August 16th
Teds Escondido – FRIDAY, June 28th, July 26th
whodunit.net 405-420-3222
FAQ- When we have a group coming to Whodunit-how do we make sure we sit together?
Whodunit- easy peasy! No need to show up early to ‘save seats’. Whodunit’s host team ensures that your group sits together. Just be sure to include your group name when you purchase your tickets! We prompt you with the question “If you’d like to be seated with another party, please enter the group name here” Badda-bing! badda boom- put your group name in the box and you are ready to rock!
Ask about our private corporate events & house parties, book us for your church or school fundraiser.