Blood Sugar

WILLIAMSPORT - Alan Artz II celebrated one year without diabetes on Thanksgiving with a piece of white cake with chocolate icing. The 21-year-old autistic man - a diabetic since he was 4 years old - underwent a pancreas transplant Nov. 23, 2005, at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Va. "You can't help but say a prayer of Thanksgiving," said his stepmother, Diane Artz. "What happened to him is nothing short of a miracle. " When Alan was diagnosed with diabetes at age 4, his blood sugar level was measured at more than 1,000, said Diane Artz, who also is a nurse.

Nine-year-old Tate Hopkins said he was "ticked off, annoyed and upset" when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes two years ago. "Now it's an average day - part of my life," he said. Tate, the son of Chip and Nancy Hopkins of Williamsport, was diagnosed about two years ago after a doctor's visit to remove a splinter. Nancy Hopkins shared her concerns with the doctor about Tate using the bathroom a lot during the night, one of the symptoms of diabetes. That led to testing, a diagnosis and the upheaval of the family's flexible lifestyle.

 The 29th annual Waynesboro Hospital Health Fair is from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Waynesboro Area Senior High School. The health fair will offer free health screenings for cholesterol, blood sugar, bone density, asthma, blood pressure, vision and more. The fair also offers healthy tips and kids' activities. Adults older than 18 who plan on having their blood tested should not eat for 12 hours prior to their screening. For more information, go to www.SummitHealth.org or call 717-267-7136.

The Walnut Street Community Health Center will host its eighth annual Health Fair from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Aug. 13, at the center, 24 N. Walnut St., Hagerstown. Staff and providers will join other local agencies to provide free health information, screenings such as HIV testing, blood pressure, blood sugar, carpal tunnel, vascular, skin and breast exams and more. There will also be children's activities. Snacks will be provided. The event is free. For more information, call Cherie Clippinger at 301-393-3436. 

There are several risks of being overweight, according to the Weightcontrol Information Network (WIN) of the National Institutes of Health. Overweight individuals are more likely to develop health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, uncontrolled blood sugar and joint problems. "These conditions can lead to major health problems," noted registered dietician Tim Higgins, clinical manager of Nutrition Services at Washington County Hospital. "The more overweight a person is, the more likely these issues will appear and worsen over time.

War Memorial Hospital and Valley Health Heart & Vascular Services will offer the Heart Attack Risk Program from 8 to 11 a.m. Thursday, May 23, in Education Room A at War Memorial Hospital located at 1 Healthy Way in Berkeley Springs.    Test results from a finger stick blood draw will provide participants with information on their total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, blood sugar, blood...

HAGERSTOWN When 5-year-old Camden Casey heard his baby brother crying, he knew it was because their diabetic mother couldn't respond to him. So, the Potomac Heights Elementary School kindergartner, after determining that his mother's blood sugar was low, did exactly what she had told him: He called 911. Camden's call brought paramedics to his North End home, where they helped his mother, Melissa Casey, regain consciousness. Last month, the Hagerstown Police Department issued to Camden a certificate of honor for his "heroic assistance" to police, who also responded to the Feb. 10 call.

There still seems to be a lot of confusion about carbohydrates. What's good, what's bad, what do I need, and what do I leave alone? Let me make it simple for you. Hopefully you know that carbs are not the enemy. You just need to choose the right kinds at the right times in specific amounts suited to your individual needs. My new clients are often surprised at my simple rule of thumb: Choose natural carbs over man-made carbs. What do I mean by natural? Anything picked from the ground or the tree, such as fruits and veggies, potatoes, yams, beans, brown rice, whole grains - you get the idea.

There still seems to be a lot of confusion about carbohydrates. What’s good, what’s bad, what do I need, what do I leave alone?  Let me make it simple for you.  Hopefully you know that carbs are not the enemy. You just need to choose the right kinds at the right times in the right amounts specific to your individual needs. My new clients are often surprised at how simple it is: Just eat more natural carbs instead of processed (man-made) carbs. That is, anything picked from the ground or the tree is natural, such as fruits and veggies, potatoes and yams, beans, brown rice, oats, etc. And anything overly processed should be limited or avoided, such as white bread and pasta, chips and crackers, pretzels, etc. But, one of the first questions I always get from new clients goes something like this, “What about the Glycemic Index, why don’t you use it?

By KAREN MASTERSON Staff Writer Two local men rode 184.5 miles along the C&O Canal from Cumberland, Md., to Georgetown. They began the trip well before dawn on Friday and finished at 10 Saturday night. "It took us 19 hours exactly," said Randy Leatherman, 36, of Fairplay. He and Dave Long, 32, of Williamsport, were joined by two friends, Pete Casazza of Hopedale, Pa., and Mike Edmondson of New Jersey. "We finished it, but it got ugly," Leatherman said, explaining that Casazza experienced blood sugar problems, forcing him off the trail at White's Ferry, 36 miles from Georgetown.

War Memorial Hospital and Valley Health Heart & Vascular Services will offer the Heart Attack Risk Program from 8 to 11 a.m. Thursday, May 23, in Education Room A at War Memorial Hospital located at 1 Healthy Way in Berkeley Springs.    Test results from a finger stick blood draw will provide participants with information on their total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, blood sugar, blood...

The 1,600 people who attended a health fair Saturday morning might not have walked out any healthier, but they could have learned how to live a healthier lifestyle. They also had a chance to check out their cholesterol level, blood sugar, bone density, lung function, eyesight, hearing and, at one booth, how much body fat they're carrying. It was the 30th annual Waynesboro Hospital Health Fair at Waynesboro Area Senior High School. It ran from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Attendance at the fair for the last two years hovered around 1,400 visitors, said Melissa Dubrow, chief operations officer at Waynesboro Hospital, an affiliate of Summit Health.

War Memorial Hospital and Valley Health Heart & Vascular Services will offer the Heart Attack Risk Program from 8 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in Education Room A at War Memorial Hospital, 1 Healthy Way in Berkeley Springs.  Test results from a finger stick blood draw will provide participants with information on their total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, blood sugar, blood pressure and...

War Memorial Hospital's Center for Rehab & Wellness and Valley Health Heart & Vascular Services will offer a heart attack risk screening  from 8 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17,  at The Center for Rehab & Wellness at 261 Berkmore Place in Berkeley Springs.  Test results from a finger stick blood draw will provide participants with information on their total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, triglycerides, blood...

Elizabeth Farmer saw the rain clouds rolling into Hagerstown early Friday evening, but it wasn't going to dampen her night. Her running shoes got a little wet, though. “I love running in the rain, actually, so I don't mind it,” said the Blue Ridge Summit, Pa., native, who works in Hagerstown. “I run in the rain all the time.” Farmer and 580 other participants from around the area braved intermittent showers to take part in the second annual Krumpe's Do-Nut Alley Rally 5K, a benefit event for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Commissioners' decision demeans kids, nurses To the editor: I'm writing as the parent of two children in our county school system, concerning our County Commissioners recent decision to cut the school nurse budget entirely. One of my daughters has Type 1 diabetes and must regularly monitor her blood sugar and inject insulin to stay healthy and avoid life-threatening, long-term complications. If she does not keep her blood sugar under tight control, she can go into a coma now that requires immediate medical attention.

 The 29th annual Waynesboro Hospital Health Fair is from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Waynesboro Area Senior High School. The health fair will offer free health screenings for cholesterol, blood sugar, bone density, asthma, blood pressure, vision and more. The fair also offers healthy tips and kids' activities. Adults older than 18 who plan on having their blood tested should not eat for 12 hours prior to their screening. For more information, go to www.SummitHealth.org or call 717-267-7136.

The Walnut Street Community Health Center will host its eighth annual Health Fair from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Aug. 13, at the center, 24 N. Walnut St., Hagerstown. Staff and providers will join other local agencies to provide free health information, screenings such as HIV testing, blood pressure, blood sugar, carpal tunnel, vascular, skin and breast exams and more. There will also be children's activities. Snacks will be provided. The event is free. For more information, call Cherie Clippinger at 301-393-3436. 

There still seems to be a lot of confusion about carbohydrates. What’s good, what’s bad, what do I need, what do I leave alone?  Let me make it simple for you.  Hopefully you know that carbs are not the enemy. You just need to choose the right kinds at the right times in the right amounts specific to your individual needs. My new clients are often surprised at how simple it is: Just eat more natural carbs instead of processed (man-made) carbs. That is, anything picked from the ground or the tree is natural, such as fruits and veggies, potatoes and yams, beans, brown rice, oats, etc. And anything overly processed should be limited or avoided, such as white bread and pasta, chips and crackers, pretzels, etc. But, one of the first questions I always get from new clients goes something like this, “What about the Glycemic Index, why don’t you use it?