The Sun /Sunday, June 8,2014 feelingfit.com www.sunnewspapers.net Page 17 NEWS FROM PAGE 16 groups are for family members, caregivers, and others interested in learning more about Alzheimer's disease. Local meetings are held at the following locations: *Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 1100 S. McCall Road, Port Charlotte, meets at 1 p.m. on the third Friday of the month. Living Waters Lutheran Church, 12475 Chancellor Blvd., Port Charlotte, meets at 10:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Friday of the month. Respite provided at location. Village Place Assisted Living, 18400 Cochran Blvd., Port Charlotte, meets at 10 a.m. on the third Thursday of the month. Royal Palm Retirement Center, 2500 Aaron St., Port Charlotte, meets at 10 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. South Port Square (Harbour Terrace), 23033 Westchester Blvd, Port Charlotte, meets at 3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. Saint Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, 1441 Spear St., Port Charlotte, meets at 2:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month. Port Charlotte United Methodist Church, 21075 Quesada Ave., Port Charlotte, meets at 3 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month. Life Care Center, 450 Shreve St., Punta Gorda, meets at 3 p.m. on the third Monday of the month. Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association, 2001 Shreve St., Punta Gorda, meets at 3 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month. Desoto County Public Library, 125 N. Hillsborough Ave., Arcadia, meets at 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. First Alliance Church, 20444 Midway Blvd., Port Charlotte, meets STROKE FROM PAGE 4 "I'd always eaten whatever I wanted. Fried food, McDonald's, you name it." Over the years, the 5-foot, 10-inch Maeyens' weight gradually climbed from 195 to 215. Oh, he could still fit into his 1970s era jumpsuits and belt out The King's greatest hits (his favorite: "Suspicious at 3 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month (The meeting at the First Alliance Church is a Younger Onset diagnosis support group. This group is for individuals with a diagnosis before the age of 65 the person with a diagnosis and caregiver are both welcome. The person who has been diagnosed needs to be younger than 65 and needs to be able to engage in a conversation with others). Please contact Linda Howard with any questions concerning this group, 941-235-7470. For information concerning sup- port groups, or for more information on services provided through the Alzheimer's Association, call 800-272- 3900 or 941-235-7470. Parkinson's support The Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's in North Port offers free support for families dealing with the challenges of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's Wellness Clubs take place at 1:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month. A Care Partner Support Group with simultaneous Parkinson's Empowerment Hour takes place every at 1:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month. All meetings take place at Neuro Challenge Foundation's office at 5600 Peace River Road, North Port. For more information, call 941- 928-5886 or to make a care advising appointment, or email at carisa@ neurochallenge.org. Tidewell Hospice volunteers Tidewell Hospice serves patients and families dealing with life-limiting illness in our four-county service area: Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. These patients are eligible for several different services, including: nurse, social worker, CNA, chaplain, bereavement counselor, and volunteer. The volunteers may provide respite Minds"). But internally, things began going awry. By late 2012, Maeyens said, "I was experiencing vertigo and vision problems." His doctor prescribed medications to combat the dizziness, and he was scheduled to see an otolaryngologist when disaster struck. "I answered a phone call from my daughter-in-law and began speaking total gibberish," Maeyens explains. "My wife heard me and immediately in a patient's home, visit patients who live in nursing homes or as- sisted living facilities, assist at our local Hospice House, work in the administration office, or even take an approved pet to visit our patients. Volunteers are needed every day of the week, both daytime and evening. Contact Nancy Vollmer (941-979- 4304), nvollmer@tidewell.org, or Kim Hartshorne (941-979-4324), kharts- horne@tidewell.org for more details. Tobacco cessation program Do you want to quit tobacco but you're concerned about weight gain? The Florida Department of Health's Tobacco Free Florida program's new expanded resources can help. Participants who enroll in the Florida Quitline phone counseling may access the Weight Management Program, a pilot program designed to help tobacco users quit while limiting possible weight gain associated with quitting. Those enrolled will receive up to three tobacco cessation calls in addition to up to three weight man- agement coaching calls. Participants with Type 2 diabetes will receive up to three calls with registered dietitians trained in the weight loss needs of people with Type 2 diabetes. The Weight Management Program is available to Florida Quitline participants, age 18 and older, who speak English, currently use tobacco, and have a body mass index (BMI) of 23 or higher. Participants cannot be pregnant, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, or have had weight loss surgery in the past 12 months. Tobacco Free Florida has also ex- panded its free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) offering. Any participant who smokes more than nine cigarettes per day or chews more than two tins per week is eligi- ble for combination NRT, including a knew something was very wrong." Face numb, arms weak and fading in and out of consciousness, Maeyens was rushed by paramedics to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. There, emergency room doctors de- termined Maeyens had a massive clot in his basilar artery, which prevented blood from reaching his brain. "The artery was totally occluded," Maeyens said. Only a comprehensive stroke center the nearest of which was St. Mary's Medical Center would be equipped to treat him. Interventional neurologist Dr. Ali Malek, the head of St. Mary's stroke program, notes, "There's a nearly 100 percent mortality rate with this kind of condition." And that's if you're lucky, said Malek. "Those who survive basilar artery occlusion are usually left forever with 'locked-in syndrome' (LIS). You're fully aware, but cannot move, speak or in any way communicate." There was only one hope to save the neurocritical patient: a state- of-the-art "endovascular rescue" in which the clot is pulled out via a clot-retrieval device that's inserted through a stent and attached to a guidewire. Not only did the delicate supply of both nicotine patches and gum, free of charge. Florida residents who want to quit tobacco and qualify for the Weight Management Program and/or com- bination NRT can take advantage by calling 877-U-CAN-NOW Senior services offered Senior Friendship Centers' dining programs offer local residents, age 60 and older, nutritious lunches, healthy aging activities, educational speakers and a chance to meet new people. The centers are open from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. A donation of $2 to $4 is appreciated to help cover the cost of meals. Dining sites in Charlotte County include New Operation Cooper Street, 650 Mary St., Punta Gorda, 941-373-5819; Rebecca Neal Owens Center, 27420 Voyageur Drive, Harbor Heights, 941-255-0723; 100 Rotonda Lakes Circle, Rotonda West, 941-373- 5080); Christian City of Florida, 6433 Gasparilla Pines Blvd., Grove City, 941-373-5080; and 2295 Aaron St., Port Charlotte, 941-373-5027. For menus or more information, visit www.friendshipcenters.org Home-delivered meals are also available by calling the Elder Helpline at 866-413-5337. Vision & hearing assistance The Punta Gorda Lions Foundation offers eyeglasses and surgeries to help prevent blindness in individuals with vision impairment. The foun- dation also offers hearing aids and examinations for those who are hard of hearing. These services are offered to those who otherwise would not be able to get help. In Punta Gorda, contact Bill Ringelstein at 941-637- 9979. In Port Charlotte, contact Teri Parson at 941-624-5705. In North Port, contact Penny Gregrich at 941- 740-2860. In Englewood, contact Jeri Zomes at 941-460-9993. emergency procedure save Maeyens' life, but he also came through with nary a side effect. "The next morning, the rehab specialist assessed me and couldn't believe it. She said it was like the stroke never happened," Maeyens said. The combination of a quick re- sponse, expert care and plain good fortune spared Maeyens. That's why he is now a passionate stroke awareness advocate. Having lost 20 pounds with his reformed his diet ("Lots of grilled chicken, fish and salad," he promises), Maeyens often speaks, in full Elvis regalia, at senior-centric venues, where his har- rowing tale might make a difference. What he and Malek can't stress enough: If you think you, or someone else, is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately. "As one paramedic told me, they'd much rather respond to a false alarm than a fatality," said Maeyens. At an event Friday, Maeyens will promote his stroke awareness advo- cacy in the most entertaining way possible: as a trim, jumpsuit-clad Elvis tribute artist. Doing so is just another chance for him to say to the folks at St. Mary's Medical Center: Thank you, thank you very much. IV Sedation o Gum Disease Laser Surgery Cosmetic Surgery Implants o Ex&ractions -oEmergences Cal t~ytoSohodule a oo0nSUlta~o 941-629-3443 4Tiw. DrWE oa McKen; i.com 3443 Ibmlami fWail, Stafte 06 Locatbed i adn Like Your Weekly Feeling Fit? F Enjoy It DAILY On The Web!j Fi t FEELINGFIT.COM oThe Sun /Sunday, June 8, 2014 www.sunnewspapers.net Page 17 feelingfit.com