"It's a Bird! It's a Plane!"

I was positively ecstatic, this past weekend! Rare bird sightings in town were responsible for this elation. But as much as I would have loved to have seen them closer to home, they would have been quite difficult to attract to our yard, as they have a rather peculiar diet and don't perch too well. And just as ducks look ridiculously odd sitting up on rooftops, so would one of these birds sitting on our acre lot. Yes, I'm talking about the seven Blue Angel military jets that came to put on a spectacular airshow at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in spite of cloudy conditions.

We started hearing them Thursday afternoon as strange sounding thunder permeating through the walls of our home. Outside, from a distance, they sounded more like the cars on a roller coaster zooming along on tracks. But it was all music to my ears!

My fascination with aviation began when I was a toddler. Living a mile from La Guardia Airport's runway brought ample opportunities to hear, see, and even feel the presence of planes. Later in life, driving along the NJ Turnpike, as well as various roads in Chicago and Minneapolis, gave many chances for us to ride along side as they taxied down the runways. And it was always thrilling to have them roar above us as they came in for landing as we waited in long lines to pay the tolls.

I wasn't the only one in my family who found airplanes fascinating. My dog Shep would intently watch them high in the sky when I lived in a valley not too far from Newark International Airport. And while living in the Chicagoland area, my dog Charlie would gleefully chase them across our yard as they flew overhead. A former neighbor mused at the idea of him actually catching one! One thing is certain: these canines would have applauded our attempts to chase the the Blue Angels clear across town. And had they been with my youngest daughter and me, they, too, would have been elated as one flew a few hundred feet directly above our van!

Saturday's show was rained out, but we got to see the Blue Angels (Navy) on Sunday, along with a C-130 affectionately dubbed "Fat Albert" (Marine), a few acrobatic planes, and the Golden Knight (Army) parachuters.

I had seen the Golden Knights perform years ago during my senior year in high school when a classmate scheduled them to come land on our football field. I was delighted my children were now able to see them. Clouds prevented them from doing their whole show, but it was still awesome!

We had one last exciting moment after the performance when a jet flew over our house on its way out of town. My children all joyfully pointed it out and asked when we could see them, again. They're not alone. According to many comments heard from others and the media, these military aircrafts were very welcomed guests to the Chippewa Valley. --LKR

Thermograms in the Chippewa Valley!

Breast Awareness

(You have been warned!  :-))

I'm *soooooo* excited! I've been trying to find some place that does thermograms in the Chippewa Valley since we moved up here three years ago, and now I'll be having one done on Tuesday here in Eau Claire!!! 

Last spring, My doc ordered a mammogram as a follow-up to a breast exam after I complained of a "whining", aching breast. I later asked a nurse where I could have a thermogram done. Apparently no where around here since she seemed so totally unfamiliar with it, as many people, including healthcare workers seem to be, now.  It's really strange, especially since thermograms have been used since the 1950's.  

This nurse tried to scare me into going for the mammogram even after reminding her that a) it's not always accurate, b) cancer doesn't show up on these x-rays until it's been in your body for at least 4-5 years, and c) mammograms don't show Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC), the deadliest form. Deadliest because it spreads quickly, is sometimes symptomless, and is often misdiagnosed as a bug bite or rash (that doesn't respond to treatments).  Thermograms do pick up on IBC loud and clear!

Being hypersensitive to light, sound, taste, etc, I can hear and feel radiation which makes my head feel really odd. (Yes, I have to leave the room when using a microwave, too.)  When I *did* go for that x-ray, afterward I wanted to remove my head, throw it as far as I could, and run away in the opposite direction. Not too many people react this way or would even understand, but as my sister reminded me, florescent lights in large stores like Two Guys years ago used to leave me with a headache, nausea, and disorientation. So, how I reacted to radiation was of no surprise to her. (It's so nice to be validated!) 

Once again, I'm a little unnerved because my cystic breasts are hurting, and of course I'm thinking the worst. Reports on mammograms, at least mine, are evasive, reporting that, "it's in the 'normal' range"--whatever that means! I'd been praying for a near-by place to have a thermogram done after recently finding that the closest ones listed were 3 and 4 hours away. Then, my ever resourceful chiropractor (Dr. Dan of Tenold Chiropractic) heard of a lady who travels the midwest doing them!

Pam Ryerse, a clinical thermographer, will be in Eau Claire starting this Monday, and I've scheduled an appointment for Tuesday am! Thermograms can detect cancer very early on, and because no radiation is used, you can have them done as often as you like or need. I need that peace of mind! 

Breast awareness events free to the public will also be taking place at these times and places:

*  Wholistic Healing and Arts  119 Regis Ct.  Mon, Oct 29, 6:30pm, Tues, Oct 30, 12:00pm

*  Gaia Massage & Yoga 112 East Grand Ave.  Tues, Oct 30, 6:30pm

*  Path to Health Massage 310 South Barstow  Wed, Oct 31, 11:30am

To schedule a thermogram with Pam, call Joyce Sobotta at:  715-828-0117

If you miss this opportunity, Pam plans to be back in our area in about three months. A thermogram is an impressive tool that can also be used to help diagnose many other diseases and conditions all over the body. 

For more information on thermograms, please visit Pam's website:

http://radianthealthimaging.com/index.php?key_id=2

--LKR

The Race Is On!

The sun was shining, birds were sweetly singing, and bicyclists were whizzing by. The third annual Chippewa Valley Firecracker Bicycle Race, which took place in lovely Lowes Creek County Park, was on! A part of the Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS), it was the fifth of twelve races taking place in the state, this summer.

The evening before, my youngest and I headed to the park to check which trails would be used. We also watched and greeted cyclists both young and old as they pre-rode the trails, becoming familiar with them. Several narrow, twisting, hilly trails had been chosen, along with some wider paths for passing. The Youth category rode a shorter lap of six miles. Citizen and Sport participants cycled 12 and 18 miles, while the the Comp and Elite Women rode three laps of longer trails, putting in 24 miles of mountain biking. The Elite Men rode four laps, totaling 30 miles.

One rider had a flat tire that he quickly fixed. Another had his handlebars suddenly loosen up and had to borrow tools to adjust it, loosing his place as the lead. Towards the end of the race, another man cheerfully walked past us with his bike. Having dislocated his shoulder, he was using his bike to help support his arm. These guys were real troopers!

Participants and spectators came from all over Wisconsin, but we were told that many more were from Minnesota and Illinois, as well.

The next of these races is scheduled for July 15^th in Suamico, WI. For more information on these events, check out their website at: http://www.wors.org/schedule/

--LKR