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Community The Calvert Gazette Thursday, December 6, 2012 18 Christmas Concert by Patuxent Voices Patuxent Voices, Southern Maryland’s premiere women’s a cappella group, will perform Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols followed by a selection of holiday favorites on Friday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m., at All Saints Episcopal Church in Sunderland; Saturday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. at Middleham St. Peter’s Parish Hall in Lusby; and Sunday, Dec. 16, 3 p.m. at Trinity Church, St. Mary’s College. There is no admission charge, but donations are welcome. A Ceremony of Carols is a choral piece for treble voices and harp written in 1942. The piece consists of eleven songs or movements that tell the Christmas story. It is hauntingly ageless, using old English text and modal melodies. The second half of the performance blends beloved carols such as Once in Royal David’s City and O Holy Night, with sentimental favorites like I’ll be Home for Christmas and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Rocking ‘Round the Christmas Tree, and of course We Wish You a Merry Christmas. It’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Patuxent Voices has been in existence since 2004, started by friends who love to sing unaccompanied music. The 13 women who make up Patuxent Voices hail from Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties; the group offers concerts in December and May, and appears at local events such as the Solomons Christmas Walk and Sotterley’s Family Plantation Christmas. To learn more or see additional performance dates, visit www.patuxentvoices.org or friend us on Facebook. For additional information contact: Sherrod Sturrock, 410-474-2430 Smart Pumps Are at Forefront of Medication Safety Calvert Memorial Hospital is investing over $825,000 to fully implement new “smart” intravenous (IV) pumps throughout its facility. The advanced system features many built-in safeguards and provides superior accuracy. Coupled with existing initiatives like bar coding and electronic prescribing, the new technology puts CMH at the forefront of medication safety in the state. “We have dedicated considerable resources to this new technology because we believe it will be of great benefit to our patients,” said CMH President and CEO Jim Xinis,” and reassure them they are receiving the best possible care.” A portion of the funding was raised by the hospital’s charitable foundation. CMH plans to add the new smart IV pumps in the hospital’s infusion therapy center, operating rooms and intensive care unit along with its emergency department and family birth center for use with post-partum patients and mothers in labor. Last year, Calvert Memorial Hospital scored 96.3 percent for medication safety on an annual survey conducted by the Institute of Safe Medication Practices – surpassing the national average of 71 percent and the statewide median of 77 percent by a wide margin. “We are continually looking at ways to improve our medication safety,” said CMH Pharmacist Kara Harrer. “There is no doubt that smart pumps will significantly strengthen those efforts.” Studies at major medical centers have shown that this new technology has a critical impact in preventing potentially serious IV medication errors. So, what makes the pumps so smart? According to Harrer, the smart pump’s “brain” consists of customized software that contains a drug library. This software essentially transforms a conventional IV pump into a computer that sends an alert if an infusion is programmed outside a particular medication’s recommended limits for dose, rate or concentration based on a patient’s age, weight and medical condition. Going above or below the limit will prompt the machine to sound an alarm, notifying the clinician of the error and how to fix it. “So even if a staff person accidentally presses the wrong button,” she said, “the smart pump lets you know before you administer the medication.” According to Harrer, the pumps also log data about all such alerts, including the time, date, drug, concentration and programmed rate, thus providing valuable continuous quality improvement information. Harrer said the smart pumps have other built-in safeguards that provide an extra layer of protection. “For example, if you have a surgical patient who is on continuous pain medication and his oxygen level drops,” she said, “the smart pump will automatically shut off the medication even before the nurse reaches the patient’s bedside.” In addition, Harrer said, the pumps are programmed with specific drug dictionaries that ensure the drugs are administered according to best practices. They also have free-flow protection – a key safety feature is designed to prevent unintentional overdoses of medication or fluid. Collegiate Robotics at CSM The College of Southern Maryland’s collegiate robotics team, the Talons, challenged the Mulhlenburg College of Pennsylvania to the game “Sack Attack” Nov. 3 at the La Plata Campus. “Our first-ever college robotics tournament, with support from the Charles County Technology Council and NAVEODTECHDIV, ran smoothly with some close matches, but the Talons came through in the end with a win,” said CSM Professor Bernice Brezina, the team’s sponsor. “All their hard work is starting to pay off and I couldn’t be more proud of how well the team did and their positive attitude throughout.” The Talons team of Tiffany Lei, of La Plata; Nathan Hancock, of Bryantown; Ngan Than Ngo, of Waldorf; John Hamel and Team Captain Willy Hamel, of Mechanicsville; Stewart Smith, Chiebuka Ezekwenna and Jimmy O’Brien, of Waldorf; Jonathan Frank, of Indian Head; and Jacob Brezina (junior member), of Swan Point, along with team members not pictured, Heather Stripling, of Waldorf; Mark Mahan, of Nanjemoy; Elliott Bebee, of Owings and Christopher Williams, of Waldorf, are preparing for the collegiate VEX League ranking sessions and then the League Championship at CSM on Feb. 16 at CSM. For information on CSM’s robotics program, visit http://www.csmd.edu/istem/events_ csmroboticsVEX.html.
19 Thursday, December 6, 2012 The Calvert Gazette Sp rts Dangers of Buying for a Hunter, Angler Fur and Feathers By Keith McGuire Contributing Writer “Why on earth are you using that gun for goose? That’s a skeet gun,” I asked innocently. My friend answered in a very matter of fact way, “Karen [his wife] gave it to me for Christmas and said she wanted me to shoot a goose with it.” It happens every year. A well-meaning relative or very close friend buys hunting or fishing equipment as a Christmas gift that doesn’t quite fit the bill. This may be fine for the person who only occasionally wets a hook or takes to the field. Most of us are much more serious about the sport. If you are that well-meaning gift giver, please don’t buy hunting or fishing gear for your dedicated outdoor sports person unless they have told you exactly what to buy and, in many cases, where to buy it. A novice who buys hunting or fishing gear for the enthusiast might as well buy golf clubs from a department store for Arnold Palmer or sports-car driving gloves for a truck driver. No doubt, the recipient of your well-meaning gift will graciously accept the gift and any conditions that you might put on its use. They might also seem happy about it. Trust me, they would be much happier with a gift certificate that they can use toward the purchase of the gear best suited for the game. It is crunch time. If you haven’t gotten the Christmas gift for the outdoors person on your list, here are a few general ideas. Every angler or hunter enjoys reading a good hunting or fishing magazine. There are some good ones out there and the subscription prices are a bargain. You could try Field and Stream or Outdoor Life as a starting point. There are some great outdoor shows coming up in the New Year. Try ordering admission tickets in advance. A good show for hunters is coming up Jan. 25 – 27 at the Frederick Fairgrounds called the NRA Great American Hunting and Outdoor Show. General admission is $10. Find them online at www. nrahuntingshow.org. The largest outdoor show in the Northeast is the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show. This show runs from Feb. 2 – 10 and is held at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Penn. This show is so big that it is impossible to see everything in one day. The show is about fishing, boating, hunting, camping, and everything outdoors. General admission tickets go for $14. Look for it online at www.easternsportshow.com. The Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Sportsman Expo will happen at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro Jan. 11 – 13. This is another show that will focus on hunting, fishing and boating. Tickets will be $12 at the door, but they have an online special for advance tickets at $10. A military ID gets a 50 percent discount. www. outdoorsportsmanexpo. com. Every angler or hunter I know appreci- a t e s a gift certificate from locally owned sport- i n g goods shops in our area. Stop by The Tackle Box, or search sporting goods shops online. I also recommend Green Top Hunting and Fishing in Ashland, Va. You can find them online at www.greentophuntfish.com. Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get back in the woods to see if I can find a deer that will stand still very nearby so I can shoot it with the goose/deer/turkey/duck gun that my wife bought for me last Christmas. Keith has hunted wild game and waterfowl in Maryland and other states for more than 45 years. When the fishing season wanes, you will find him in the woods until deer season finishes. GIVE GIFT CARDS By Debra Meszaros www.MXSportsNutrition.com When Salt Is Good What would be left of your body if it was turned to ashes? What if all the water in your body was taken away? What would remain? What would be left are the basic chemical building blocks of the body known as cell salts. There are twelve biochemic tissue salts that make up the human body. They are used on the cellular level and are “root” elements of health, as they affect or control all that transpires in the body. When attempting to “get to the bottom” of foundational reasons for disease and dysfunction, we find these building blocks are often deficient. So is it possible that if we kept these salts in balance we’d maintain optimal health? Our lifestyles leave the majority of us in periods of stress. Whether this stress is from an emotional, mental, or physical cause, it is still stress, and has an adverse affect on every one of us. It is highly likely that with decades of practicing this type of lifestyle, the stress begins to affect our assimilation of nutrients. Our digestive abilities normally decline as we age, and minerals begin to be poorly absorbed. Many people regardless of age have compromised absorption due to prior antibiotic use, pharmaceuticals, and food allergies and intolerances. Are we able to trick the body into absorbing minerals? Cell salts are in ionic form, therefore very digestible. They are biochemic remedies in homogenous homeopathic form. When these tiny tablets are placed under the tongue to dissolve, they go directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system. Since they are in a form that cells already recognize, they are sucked into the cellular membrane instantly. This becomes an excellent option for those who exercise, train for a sport, or simply perform any action that results in excessive sweat. Your essential minerals can be restored instantly with the use of cell salts. This could quicken recovery and speed up cellular repair. The advantage of this nutrient being in a reduced ionic form is that once enough of a cell salt has been absorbed, the remaining balance is easily excreted without stress to your elimination system. This is different then an herb, nutritional supplement, or pharmaceutical, since the body expends no energy to dispose of the excess. What can these salts do for us? These salts known as Bioplasma cell or tissue salts are associated with: all elastic fibers of skin, vessels, bone surfaces, teeth, connective tissue, blood plasma, liver and bile fluids, muscles, brain cells, intercellular fluids, nerves, hair, and nails. Some of the actions they are involved in are: the uptake of fluids into your cells, the regulation of the excretion of excess water, transportation of oxygen, the breakdown of old red blood corpuscles, the prevention of illness, and healing processes. Hopefully I have shed some light on the fact that all “salts” are not created equally. BioPlasma cell (tissue) salts can be found on the Internet or local health food stores along with a vast amount of educational information. Happy exploring! ©2012 Debra Meszaros MXSportsNutrition.com. All rights reserved. No duplication without permission. DISCLAIMER: When you read through the diet and lifestyle information, you must know that everything within it is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. I am making no attempt to prescribe any medical treatment. You should not use the information here for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. The products and the claims made about specific products have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Confirm the safety of any supplements with your M.D., N.D. or pharmacist (healthcare professional). Some information given is solely an opinion, thought and or conclusion based on experiences, trials, tests, assessments or other available sources of information. I do not make any guarantees or promises with regard to results. I may discuss substances that have not been subject to double blind clinical studies or FDA approval or regulation. You assume the responsibility for the decision to take any natural remedy. You and only you are responsible if you choose to do anything with the information you have read. You do so at your own risk. Use your intelligence to make the decisions that are right for you. Consulting a naturopathic doctor is strongly advised especially if you have any existing disease or condition.
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