March Scoop: How I Survived a Traumatic Brain Injury

Issue 108 March 2024

Featured Stories

In This Issue

"How I Survived a Traumatic

Brain Injury"

By Bill Moniz

Playing tennis, I fell backwards hitting my head and everything went black. I couldn't move or talk for several minutes.

"Putting My Money Where

My Mouth Is"

By Karen Zamel

From the moment I got married and had a house, we adopted cats from rescues. I went to an animal welfare conference to learn how

I could help save lives.

"Shooting For 100"

By Evelyn Preston

My doctor says I'll live to 100 and I'm not about to argue. Why am I so optimistic?

Ask Larry: "Senior Bank Scam?"

While standing in line at a local bank, I witnessed first hand how older adults could be scammed of their money.

Movie Review: Cabrini

Besides facing discrimination as both an Italian immigrant and as a woman, sister Francesca Cabrini used her entrepreneurial mind and energy to build an empire of hope for the poor. Scoop Review: 5.

Be Kind To Each Other

Let me know what kind of stories you like to read in the Scoop, the leading digital publication and website for boomers and seniors in the San Francisco Bay Area. Feel free to share the Scoop with your family and friends. It's FREE.

For more stories and news about boomers and seniors, visit ActiveOver50.com Larry@ActiveOver50.com.

"How I Survived a

Traumatic Brain Injury"

By Bill Moniz

Publisher's Note: Bill Moniz, 77, has played on my USTA tennis teams for over 10 years. While playing tennis in January, he fell and suffered a traumatic brain injury resulting in "brain bleed,"

a life-threatening condition. This is his story about his remarkable comeback.

My injury came on a Thursday in January at our last team practice at the Sunnyvale Tennis Center before heading to Surprise, AZ to play in the USTA National Invitational for 65+ men the following Sunday.

On the last play of our match before calling it quits, I went for a ball hit to my left and while chasing it down I was told I kicked my left leg with my right foot and fell backward, landing first on my rear end and then the back of my head hitting the pavement.

Everything went black and while I could hear people talking, I couldn't move for a few minutes and then when I tried to get up, I could not.

For what seemed like a long time, I couldn't raise my arm or get

my head much off the pavement. Someone brought a basket for me in case I threw up but it had water in it that started leaking and coming toward me.

I remember trying in vain to push the oncoming flow but just as it was upon me someone used a towel to dry it up. Someone called an ambulance and people from other courts and the club house came to help and make suggestions.

Two paramedics from the fire department helped me to stay awake and alert and then the ambulance came and put me on a cart and placed me into the ambulance for what seemed like a forever two mile ride to El Camino Hospital in Mountain View.

"Long Term Care Insurance:

Dealing With The Claims Process

& Rate Increases"

By Hans Hug

Long Term Care Insurance is a unique product with a claims process unlike any other Insurance. In addition to that, due to often extreme premium volatility, keeping what you bought can certainly be a problem as double-digit rate increases have been the norm for quite some time.

To help consumers effectively understand and navigate both of these topics, I have committed my 26 years of LTC Insurance experience to paper and have written comprehensive guides both available through my website for one price--$48 for 7 documents.

“Filing & Managing a Long Term Care Insurance Claim”

You will receive 4 additional documents to help launch and manage

your claim.

"Dealing with Premium Rate Increases”

Solid advice on what to do and not to do when evaluating a rate increase notice.

Please visit my website where you will see details about all you will receive that will be of great help with both Claims and Rate Increases. LTCInsuranceClaimsHelp.com Email: Info@LTCInsuranceClaimsHelp.com

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"Putting My Money

Where My Mouth Is"

By Karen Zamel

I’ve always considered myself a rescue person–formally or informally. From a young age, I brought home stray kittens to an allergic mom. From the moment I got married and had a house, we adopted cats from rescues.

When my crazy career made way for a personal life, I went to an animal welfare conference to learn how I could help save lives and connect with a local organization. As a result, I became involved with San Jose Animal Advocates and Silicon Valley Pet Project (SVPP).

In addition to adopting from SVPP, I chose to support marketing efforts and staff events. It’s what I called, “the easy stuff”—helpful

but not stressful. Flexible in that I could “work” when I had time and honestly, not too emotionally taxing.

“Shooting For 100!"

By Evelyn Preston, Money Lady

Writing a column each month, it occurs to me that I’m an avid word person. However, 25 years in the financial world massaged both sides of my brain. A little more mental digging and I realize the weight and influence of numbers can enhance our lives along with our bank balances.

I found a new doctor recently who gave me check-up and a warranty—good to age 100. That’s a vote of confidence in my health regimen (and genes) and a spur to do even better as I age. I plan to go the distance. The power of possibility driven home by a magic number!

Some other numbers may be tongue in cheek but still contain a lot of positive reinforcement for seniors.

80 is the new 60; age is just a number! And even the government has raised our “Productive Age” in setting the Required Minimum Distribution from 2024 retirement accounts to 73. And this may go up as seniors break the ageism barrier so pervasive in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bank Scams

ASK LARRY

By Larry Hayes, A050 Publisher

While waiting in line at a local bank, I couldn't help but overhear the elderly woman in front of me.

"I want to withdraw $18,000 in cash. Going on vacation."

Immediately, "red flags" arose from the banker. And me. Was this woman a victim of a senior scam?

The good news is that bankers receive training about spotting and stopping elder bank scams. They are told to look for signs of coercion. In this incident, the banker immediately started asking questions in a nice manner about the withdrawal.

By law, the bank must give the woman the cash. However, at this bank, the maximum cash she could withdraw was $10,000.

P.S. When I left the bank, the woman was on the phone. Hopefully,

it wasn't a scam.

Got a question or comment? Ask me anything. If I don't know the answer, I'll ask someone who does. Ask Larry is written by Larry Hayes, A050 publisher. Email: Larry@activeover50.com. Visit:

ActiveOver50.com.

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Health Tips for Your Feet

April is National Foot Health Month

This month is a reminder that taking care of our feet is crucial. There are several problems that may impact our feet throughout our life. It is important to try to protect our feet and keep them healthy. It is also important to check our feet regularly to ensure they have no injuries. This month is a reminder to take care of the skin on our feet and make an effort to keep our feet healthy.

Shoes

Shoes can significantly impact your feet so, it is important to choose which shoes you will wear carefully. It is important to wear the right shoes for each activity to avoid injuries. For example, if you are going to be running, make sure you invest in good quality running shoes.

It is also a good idea to minimize how often you wear heels because they can cause extra foot pain. Finally, don’t forget to make sure you are wearing the correct size shoe. If a shoe is too tight, it can cause pain in the foot but a shoe that is too big can increase injury risk.

Sun Safety

Many people may forget this but it is important to wear sunscreen on your feet when exposed to the sun. Wearing sunscreen is very important to prevent skin cancer. It is also important to avoid walking barefoot on hot surfaces to avoid burning your feet. Bringing flip-flops or similar shoes to the beach is a good idea so, you don’t have to walk on hot sand.

Take Care of Your Feet

Regularly trim your nails when your feet are clean and dry to prevent the nails from breaking. Also, take some time to examine your nails to make sure there are no health problems such as nail fungus. If you get pedicures, ensure the salon is clean and certified to lower your risk of fungus.

Foot Problems

Finally, watch for common foot problems that may require extra care or a doctor’s visit. For example, athlete’s foot is a fungal infection of the feet. Bunions, a bump that forms on the outside of the big toe or hammertoes, are bends at the middle joint of the second, third or fourth toes.

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia tissue in the foot used during walking and foot movement. Plantar fasciitis can be caused by a number of factors including type of shoes, foot structure, overuse and types of walking surfaces.

All these issues may cause pain and may be something to discuss with your doctor. Finally, it is also important to check your feet regularly for any injuries which may cause infections and pain.

Physicians Medical Group of San Jose is the largest independent physician’s association in Santa Clara County. We have been part of the community for 40 years with more than 1,000 doctors in 460 offices plus we speak 30+ languages. Call 888.988.8682 or visit pmgmd.com for more information.

Home Improvement

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Movie Review

By Larry Hayes

"Cabrini"

Our daughter was baptized at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in San Jose, CA so, Cabrini was a "must see" movie.

What an incredible, inspiring movie featuring religious sister Francesca Cabrini arriving in New York City in 1899. Besides facing discrimination as both an Italian immigrant and as a woman, Cabrini used her entrepreneurial mind and energy to build an empire of hope for the poor and oppressed.

Italian immigrants at that time were shunned and discriminated against and callously called dagoes, wops and guineas. Women were treated as second class citizens.

In 1946, Cabrini was canonized a saint by Pope Pius X11 in recognition of her holiness and service to mankind. She was the first U.S. citizen to be canonized a saint by the Catholic Church.

Scoop Rating: 5 out of 5

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