By: Robert Remler
Children are attracted to the bright colors and smells of plants, and often do not realize they might be toxic. The most effective method of prevention is to keep plants out of the reach of infants, inquisitive toddlers and even pets. In the backyard, this is not always possible. For this reason, the Poison Center recommends teaching children not to put twigs, stems, flowers, leaves or berries from any plant in their mouths. Plants that contain toxins can even harm the family pet, causing symptoms ranging from vomiting to death in worst-case scenarios. Therefore, the Poison Center experts say, it is very important to keep a close eye on your animals in the backyard. If your pet shows any signs of a stomach ache, or not wanting to eat, take them to the veterinarian right away. Tom Caraccio, Pharm. D., manager of Winthrop's Poison Center, recommends identifying plants before you purchase them. "It is very important to be knowledgeable about the plants you buy, and even those already existing in your backyard. Being aware of poisonous plants is the first step to preventing a problem."Plant poisonings can cause a variety of ailments from a simple stomach ache to heart and kidney failure. That is why knowing which plants are toxic ahead of time is so important. Some common outdoor plants that can be poisonous are azaleas, daffodils, gladiolas, holly and water hemlock. More commonly recognized are poison ivy and poison oak. Vegetable garden plants like the tomato leaf and potato sprout can also be harmful, experts say. Dr. Caraccio adds, "When gardening, be sure to wear gloves and clean your gardening equipment. If you suspect that any of your tools came in contact with a toxic plant, rinse them off for several minutes." If plant ingestion does occur, remove any plant material remaining in the mouth and make sure the victim is breathing. Call the Poison Center immediately at (516) 663-2650 or 1 (800) 222-1222.
Breast Cancer Support for Latinas
South Nassau Communities Hospital and the Coordinating Agency for Spanish Americans (CASA) have teamed up with the American Cancer Society and Bloomingdales to offer Latinas in Nassau a breast cancer support group.Translated "Women of Hope," the Spanish-speaking support group, which is sponsored by Bloomingdales, helps Latina women cope with breast cancer by allowing them to express their feelings and verbalize fears and concerns about the disease, their medical treatment and personal relationships."We are thrilled to be coordinating this effort together with the various agencies," said Shiela D'Nodal, M.D., director of the Women's Health Center and assistant vice president of Practice Management at South Nassau Communities Hospital. "While there are many support groups offered to women with breast cancer in Nassau, there are few for Spanish-speaking women." The leaders of the support group can also provide information, when appropriate, on prosthetic devices, counseling or other services in the community. "We are available to Latina women who had breast cancer years ago or who are going through it now," said Joyce Smolkin, director of Community Health Initiatives at the American Cancer Society, which will help coordinate the effort.The free 90-minute sessions, which will be held at CASA located at 40 Main St., Hempstead, will be led by a bilingual social worker. A bilingual registered nurse who specializes in cancer will attend the sessions to answer any health-related questions. The group will meet twice monthly on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. or Saturdays at 10 a.m. for eight sessions. The date of the first session will be announced. For more information or to register for the breast cancer support group, call Maria Fonte at CASA at (516) 572-0750.
Overcoming fear of donating blood
Lori Rosado always steered clear of donating blood. The lead caterer in dietary at South Nassau Communities Hospital had always feared the jab of the needle. What's more, she sometimes suffered from a low blood count, so donating blood, she thought, seemed out of the question. But after her sister, Celeste, was nearly killed by a speeding car while crossing a street in Melbourne, Fla., Rosado began to feel differently about blood donation. "My sister had multiple broken bones and was seriously injured. She needed seven pints of blood," said Rosado, a Freeport resident. Since her sister's accident, Rosado has been donating blood at every South Nassau blood drive and takes vitamins and iron supplements every day to fortify her blood. In fact, two of her three children, Tamara, 23, and Juan, 22 (Raquel is only 15), regularly donate blood along with their grandparents."My sister had a second chance," she said. "I donate because I want to say 'thank you' for the blood she got from a total stranger. She would have died without the transfusions."It has been three years since the accident and although Celeste still receives physical therapy, she no longer requires a wheelchair. In fact, she has even attended cosmetology school and is now a licensed beautician.Rosado said she is a true believer that "blood saves lives," an oft- repeated phrase on signs advertising blood drives. "You never know what could happen to someone you love and you never know when you might need it," she said. "It's nice to know that the blood is actually there."South Nassau's next blood drives are June 20 and Oct. 24. The apheresis drives for the remainder of 2003 are: June 26, July 31, Aug. 28 and Sept. 25. Apheresis is a procedure in which a small volume of whole blood is removed from the donor and a component (such as plasma, white cells or platelets) is separated out.
