Patient of the Week – Adrianna Scott

By CDH/PIO
July 30, 2009

 

Adrianna Scott

As an infant, Adrianna Scott of Xenia struggled to eat and cried more often than other babies. Heather, Adrianna’s mother, knew something was wrong with her baby when the crying did not stop and feeding time became a hassle. Heather realized that she needed to find out why Adrianna was not feeling well, so she went to The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton.

After numerous tests came back negative, the doctors at Dayton Children’s had one more test that they could do for Adrianna. This final test came back positive and Adrianna, just 6 months old, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is a chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. The disease produces thick mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections and obstructs the pancreas from breaking down and digesting food.

Adrianna does breathing treatments twice a day to help loosen the thick mucus from her lungs. Along with the breathing treatments, Adrianna also takes up to eight different medications a day to help her live with cystic fibrosis. The medications help her digest food properly and stay healthy when even a cold can be life-threatening to her body. Adrianna also wears a special vest that helps to shake the mucus from her lungs so she can breathe better.

“Daily breathing treatments, multiple medications, and being cautious of any common cold has just become a part of our everyday routine,” says Heather.
When Adrianna was just 2 years old, her baby twin sisters were also diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. The twins were cared for in the Regional Level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Dayton Children’s.

“The nurses in the NICU were very nice and comforting during this tough time in our lives.”

All three girls are under the care of Robert Fink, MD, director of pulmonary medicine at Dayton Children’s.

“Dr. Fink accommodates our challenging family health situation by spending time with us and answering our questions,” says Heather.

Today, Adrianna is a busy 12-year-old and will not let cystic fibrosis prevent her from accomplishing her goals. She balances going to school at Warner Middle School and competitive cheerleading practices every week. She also has a great love for animals and her two favorite animals are polar bears and penguins. Adrianna dreams of becoming a zoologist one day so she can work with the animals she loves.

“I have really enjoyed getting to know the nurses at Dayton Children’s. They are always really nice and make me feel at home when I am in the hospital, it’s too hard to pick one favorite nurse because they are all great,” says Adrianna.

Source: Children Dayton Hospital

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Soldier of the Week – Maj. David Bottoms

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
August 1, 2009

Editor’s Note: Hometown: West Jefferson, OH. Awarded: The Bronze Star.
We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Army Chaplain (Maj.) David Bottoms is not only a dedicated soldier but also a man of God.  He has been in the line of fire on several occasions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during two deployments.  Bottoms and his unit, 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, saw their share of the good and the bad in 2004.  At that time, Task Force 1-7th unit was part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

“Almost seven months into our deployment in Bayji, Iraq, our Task Force 1-7th made some real headway into rebuilding the community into a safer and more secure environment,” wrote Bottoms.  “We completed key projects such as school buildings and a water plant that greatly enhanced the quality of life in Bayji and Ash Sharqat.”

His unit also ensured that the villagers had shelter while construction was underway and provided much needed medical supplies to the clinics.  Additionally, Bottoms noted that the Army non-commissioned officers trained a company of competent Iraqi National Guard soldiers.

Conversely, there were times when he – though a chaplain — faced danger.  “Life there was a mixture of joy and sorrow,” said Bottoms.  “On June 2, 2004, we suffered a car bomb at the front gate which killed 11 Iraqis and wounded 30 others along with two U.S. soldiers.  All that some of us could do was pray and keep the last moments of some men’s lives as painless as possible,” Bottoms continued.

In another incident, Bottoms was participating in one of several relationship building meetings with a local Islamic leader at the Bayji mayor’s office when they were interrupted by rocket fire.  Windows were blown out, resulting in several minor injuries to some in the meeting.

Bottoms reflects on other times while in Iraq.

“The weekend after Thanksgiving in 2004, things in town were crazy,” he said.  “I heard an explosion and went to the roof of the Operations Center (at the Forward Operations Base) …I saw fireballs rising from the city.  Our tank platoon was involved in a firefight downtown in the middle of the day.”

Thankfully, no U.S. troops were injured.  Nevertheless, Bottoms met with the unit to be a sounding board for the troops to talk about the incident.

Understanding his first mission is to minister to soldiers, Bottoms often joined fellow soldiers on the battlefield where he provided individual counseling to more than 100 weary servicemembers for marital issues, personal and family matters, grief, crisis intervention, combat stress, morale and spiritual matters.

As a chaplain, he dedicated himself to many hours of prayer to wounded and dying soldiers.  He also performed the last rites for many of the fallen.

When soldiers of the Task Force 1-7th left the combat theater, Bottoms personally planned and held a Single Soldier Spiritual Fitness retreat in Garmisch, Germany for 40 soldiers of Charlie Battery who had been in direct combat.  “The idea was to help them transition from a wartime mindset and prepare for their reintegration into their respective communities,” said Bottoms.  This retreat was designed to be spiritually and emotionally uplifting.

While deployed to Iraq, his mission was to support those soldiers who were in battle with the enemy as well as provide spiritual guidance for the lost.  For his service, Bottoms was awarded the Bronze Star.  Now out of the line of fire, Bottoms serves as a chaplain for the Clinical Pastorate Educational residency program at Walter Reed Medical Center in D.C.

• Hometown: Arlington, VA
• Awarded: The Bronze Star

Source: Our Military

Officer of the Week – Det. Alanzo

by NMPD/PIO
July 28, 2009

On The North Miami Police Department’s “Officer of the Month” is Detective Alanzo June 18, 2009, a woman was brutally attacked and robbed while she was walking to her friend’s house. She was attacked from behind, knocked to the ground and punched in the face more than 20 times by the subject. He also kicked her about her body then forcibly stole her handbag. The attack was so violent that the victim’s dentures were knocked from her mouth and an earring was ripped from her ear. She was transported to Jackson Hospital for treatment. A witness observed the crime and gave important information to Detective Rhymer. He spoke to the manager of the apartment complex the subject was seen entering with the purse an obtained the video. With the help of the Crime Analyst, he quickly identified the subject. A team of detectives responded to the subject’s residence but he refused to open the door. After 30 minutes of negotiating, he opened the door and was arrested, confessing to the whole incident.

In addition to this case, he has recently investigated three other violent felonies, which resulted in the arrest of the offenders. On May 1 2009, he responded to a bank robbery and obtained the video surveillance. The subject was identified, located and arrested within days of the robbery. On June 4, 2009, one day after an armed carjacking, he located and arrested the subject,. On June 11, 2009, he arrested a subject who was in possession of stolen property belonging to another armed robbery victim.

Due to Detective Rhymer’s tenacity and dedication, he was selected as Officer of the Month for June 2009. He was honored at the Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon, which is held monthly at the Miami Shores Country Club.

Source: North Miami Police Department

Firefighter of the Week – Lt. Gregg Arthur Atlas

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
August 1, 2009

Soldier of the Week – LTC Maria Kelly

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/YC
July 25, 2009

Editor’s Note: Hometown: West Jefferson, OH. Awarded: The Bronze Star.

We would like to know what you think? dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

Balancing the roles of soldier, parent and military spouse in a dual military family is demanding and no small feat, but LTC Maria Kelly has managed to do it before, during and after deployments for 26 years.

She enlisted in the Army on active duty for three years, transitioned to the Army Reserve and later became a commissioned officer and joined the ranks of Ohio’s Army National Guard.

Throughout her military career, Kelly has deployed on several occasions and has earned numerous accolades, including two Bronze Star Medals.

“During my deployment to Kuwait in 2003, I completed three safety investigations that involved fatalities, “Kelly said as she explained her role as a Plans Officer with the 371st Corps Support Group, 3d Corps Support Command. “Anytime we lose a soldier in combat it’s tragic, but to lose a life in an accident… it is important to come away with lessons learned so we don’t repeat those incidents.”

“The impact of that experience (as a safety investigator), taught me the importance of leadership and the responsibility of protecting the forces from loss of life,” Kelly elaborated. “It shaped things for me as a leader.”

Kelly also established the effective Convoy Live Fire Training Exercise while deployed in the austere desert environment.

This training was critical because it taught troops, particularly those in vulnerable logistics transporter convoys, how to fight back and move down the road with authority. Seventeen units went through the initial training to learn the rules of engagement and to know how to defend from everything from thieves trying to steal water and supplies to a convoy under enemy attack.

“We had to train troops to fight back from a mounted defense when insurgents attacked, “Kelly said.” Prior to 2003, most convoy live fire training involved dismounting vehicles and taking up a defensive position and returning fire rather than defending on the move.”

Soldiers in convoys have successfully applied this training as a countermeasure to the persistent danger they face while in theater.

Through her efforts, many soldiers became confident in their abilities and their right to not only self-defend but also to remove the perception of being a “soft target.”

“Soft targets are convoys who would appear unorganized and those who would not fight back. They were transporter trucks that didn’t have much maneuverability and were literally soft skinned, canvassed trucks.”

Gunners and more solid vehicles are now in the transport convoys. Soldiers have reported that the Convoy Live Fire training, now referred to as convoy logistics patrol academies, continues to save lives.

“This training gave them the skills and confidence to perform their mission effectively,” according to Kelly.

As the battalion commander for the 237th forward support battalion from 2006 – 2007, she was part of the 4th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Multi National Division-North.

Kelly noted that her biggest challenge was “the complexity of forces to support the State Department and Department of Defense at and around the Forward Operating Base Marez and Diamondback in Iraq.

“It was a steep learning curve,”she recalled. “I was used to working with soldiers and other military services. But we worked with government civilians and contractors, multi-national forces, Iraqi local nationals, and third country nationals who were non-government contractors from places like Turkey, Philippines, Pakistan, and Turkey. ”

At the FOB, Kelly was close to Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq. With a dense population of people so close to the base, enemy forces had an advantage of blending in.

“Frequent indirect fires occurred, but we had a hardened base and we were able to divert attacks with a posture of deterrence and training for catastrophic events.

“It’s easy to criticize from here about the time it takes to see progress there, but I have grown to appreciate the complexity of the entire process,” Kelly commented.

When she heard about the completion of the air terminal in Mosul on a portion of the FOB, she said that was a major milestone not only because the Army Corps of Engineers began the air tower construction during her tour, but also because it allowed the locals to travel from Mosul to Saudi Arabia via air versus bus.

Kelly has distinguished herself as a role model for other female enlisted and junior officers and is respected among her peers. Her impeccable investigative knowledge, organization and leadership skills has allowed her to consistently and efficiently serve her country and support her family.

Source: US Military

Firefighter of the Week – Sean Patrick Tallon

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
July 24, 2009

Awaiting Fresh Challenges

Sean Patrick Tallon, 26, was a reservist in the United States Marine Corps, a former emergency medical technician and a probationary firefighter with Ladder Company 10 just a few weeks away from the end of his training. He was tough, but he always wondered whether he measured up. “That’s the way he was,” said his older sister, Rosaleen DaRos. “He always thought everybody else was capable, but he was just as capable.”

Take the button accordion that Mr. Tallon loved to play. He would bring out his instrument and play Irish favorites for relatives at family gatherings, with his sister on the piano accordion. But he rarely played for friends; some of them didn’t even know he could play an instrument.

When he left for work from his home in Yonkers on Sept. 11, headed for the fire station that was among the first to respond to the trade center attack, he seemed in a buoyant mood. His probationary period was almost over and a new challenge lay ahead.

“He wanted to find Mrs. Right,” Mrs. DaRos said. “That is what he said was his next mission. He said his probie year was almost finished and he wanted to start with the rest of his life. Everything was just all ready. He had just blossomed.”

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on November 17, 2001.

Source: Legacy and FDNY Ten House

Wish of the Week – Alan

By MWF/PIO
July 23, 2009

WWE Superstar John Cena

All it took was one look at WWE Superstar John Cena in action, and Alan became a pro wrestling fan. He was visiting a friend in 2004 when he caught a glimpse of a WWE match featuring Cena. Alan saw an unyielding, unflinching quality in Cena that he couldn’t resist.

“Every time somebody challenges him, he never backs down,” Alan said.

Alan Learns from Cena – Don’t Back Down

One day, Alan felt a bump on his shoulder that worried him. A week later, doctors performed an ultrasound. He was soon diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Believe it or not, Alan considered himself lucky – his form of Hodgkin’s is considered very treatable. Doctors told him to expect six months of chemotherapy and other treatments. He was ready to pile-drive his illness into submission.

Alan must’ve channeled John Cena’s fighting spirit – he beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma in just three months.

“It makes me feel great because a lot of people at my church were praying for me,” Alan says.

Now, Alan expects his chemotherapy port to be removed in a few months.

Celebrating his Victory

Alan’s wish began with a limo ride to the airport, a short flight, dinner at Medieval Times and a visit to Six Flags. Though he had a great time on the Mr. Freeze rollercoaster, the next day is where his wish was really ready to start.

At a local Dallas mall, Alan dropped into a GameStop store and was playing video games when John Cena “walked up all casual” to greet him. The two squared off for a few rounds of Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009. (See video at bottom of page.)

“He started stretching,” Alan says, laughing. “It was really funny!”

After losing a few matches, a gracious Cena signed his hat and handed it to Alan. GameStop rewarded Alan for his victory with a backpack filled with video games, t-shirts and a GameStop hat. Then, both were off to Monday Night Raw.

Ringside at Raw

Alan took yet another limo ride, this time to arrive at Monday Night Raw. Before the action started, he met Superstars Shawn Michaels and Jeff Hardy. Cena arrived, carrying a load of signed souvenirs for Alan – dogtags, wristbands, shirts and more.

That night, Cena lost to The Big Show.

“But only because The Edge interfered,” Alan insists.

After the loss, though, Alan’s prediction that Cena would win at Wrestlemania came true. And the loss did nothing to diminish the experience or his favorite Superstar.

“He’s bigger in person,” Alan says. “His whole arm is bigger than me!”

Please make a Donation

Source: Make A Wish Foundation

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Officer of the Week – Trooper Joshua Miller

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM
July 22, 2009

YATESVILLE, Pa. (AP) – Joshua Miller was a highly committed member of the Pennsylvania state police – a trooper’s trooper obsessed with physical fitness and taking drunken drivers off the road.

But the 34-year-old Marine veteran had another side, his square-jawed intensity betrayed by glints of the mischievous schoolboy he once was. He told tall tales about his prowess as a hunter, ribbed colleagues mercilessly, sponged food. He grinned ear-to-ear whenever he spoke about his three daughters. He was so in love with his wife that he once left her a piece of tape with an imprint of his lips – a “kiss.”

That more intimate side of Miller emerged during his funeral service Friday as hundreds of police officers from 48 states gathered on a football field in northeastern Pennsylvania to mourn and honor the fallen trooper, killed in a shootout Sunday night while helping to rescue a boy who had been kidnapped by his father.

A law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press Friday that surveillance footage from a sporting goods store showed the man’s girlfriend purchasing the handgun in late May. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation into how Daniel Autenrieth, 31, got the gun is not complete.

Autenrieth, who was not permitted to have a weapon under the terms of a protection-from-abuse order, was with his girlfriend when she bought the 9 mm handgun, the official said.

After arguing with his estranged wife Sunday night, Autenrieth kidnapped his son at gunpoint and led police on a 40-mile chase into the Pocono Mountains, then opened fire as troopers rushed his car. Autenrieth and Miller died in the gunbattle and another trooper was wounded.

Miller and Trooper Robert Lombardo, 35, who was hit in the torso, were credited with distracting Autenrieth while other officers whisked the boy to safety. Autenrieth’s son was unhurt.

“On Sunday, June 7, 2009, there would be no compromise of duty,” state police commissioner Col. Frank Pawlowski said at the funeral service, held on the football field at Pittston Area High School. “Evil was met with bold courage and an unrelenting will to do what must be done.”

Pawlowski posthumously awarded Miller the state police Medal of Honor, giving the medal to his sobbing widow, Angela, a state police communications operator.

The funeral procession was led by a kilt-wearing drum and bagpipe corps, followed by a hearse bearing the emblem of the United States Marine Corps and a riderless horse. The football field was a sea of dress uniforms in various shades of blue, brown, gray and black as officers stood at attention under mostly sunny skies. At least four officers fell ill due to the heat, including a state police lieutenant taken off the football field on a stretcher.

Wyoming County Chief Detective David Ide recounted his friend’s love of hunting – and his penchant for embellishment, like the time Miller claimed to have tracked a bear 30 miles into the woods and then wrestled it to the ground.

“If you would listen to Josh tell a story about his hunting adventures … you would think you were listening to Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone,” quipped Ide, who was chief of the Tunkhannock borough police when Miller joined the force as a rookie cop in 1999. “But Josh would be the first one to tell you that his wife Angie was the better hunter of the two of them.”

An emotional Gov. Ed Rendell said all of Pennsylvania mourned the loss of Miller, the first state police trooper to die in the line of duty since 2005.

“There are 12.4 million of us who share your grief today,” he told Miller’s wife and three daughters, ages 16, 13 and 2. “We grieve because of the tragedy that has befallen you and your extended family. … We grieve for every law enforcement officer in the commonwealth because Trooper Miller’s death is a reminder of the ongoing danger that each and every one of (them) face every day, an unknown danger.”

After the funeral, Miller’s body was taken to Laceyville for a private burial.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Patient of the Week – Robert Brindle

By St. Jude/PIO
July 22, 2009

 Robert Brindle
9 years old

Diagnosis:

Robert was found to suffer from acute lymphoblastic leukemia in December 2008.

 
Robert’s Story:

When 8-year-old Robert unwrapped a new Xbox 360 on Christmas morning, his parents immediately realized something was wrong. Robert, who had long coveted the video game console, showed no excitement for the gift. That weekend, Robert developed terrible nosebleeds and was listless. By Tuesday, he wasn’t feeling any better. His doctor ordered blood work, which revealed devastating news—Robert was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer. The doctor referred him to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

 
At St. Jude:

When Robert and his parents arrived at St. Jude later that evening, they were afraid. “I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact Robert had cancer,” his mother said. But right away, they felt at ease. “Someone was waiting for us,” she said. “They knew who Robert was as soon as we arrived.”

Robert started a two-and-a-half year treatment protocol immediately. He takes oral chemotherapy every night, and visits St. Jude once a week for intravenous chemotherapy. Robert is a bright child who often asks his doctors at St. Jude very detailed questions about his treatment. “He trusts them,” said his mom. “The staff is very straight forward and they explain everything to him.”

please donate today.

Source: St. Jude

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Patient of the Week – Noelle Parziale

By CDH/PIO
May 13, 2009

 

Noelle Parziale of Springboro is an active 7-year-old, who enjoys swimming, ballet and soccer. Noelle also has type 1 diabetes. Her mother Karen Parziale remembers the time three and a half years ago when she learned 3-year-old Noelle had diabetes.

Noelle had wet the bed two nights in a row, which was highly unusual, so I thought she had a urinary tract infection. I called her pediatrician and made an appointment,” she recalls. Her pediatrician took a urine sample and performed a blood test. He came back into the room and told Karen that Noelle’s blood sugar levels were so high they did not even register on the equipment in the office. He then told Karen she needed to take Noelle to Dayton Children’s emergency department right away.

“I was in total shock,” Karen recalls. “I’ll never forget the drive to Children’s. Noelle’s elder sister, who was then 7, was in the back seat crying. Our cat had died from diabetes a month earlier and she thought the same thing would happen to Noelle.”

Noelle was hospitalized at Dayton Children’s for about five days, with two of those days spent in the pediatric intensive care unit. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. During that time, the Parziales met with Maria Urban, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist at Dayton Children’s, as well as members of the care team, who educated them about diabetes, counting carbs, checking Noelle’s blood, giving insulin and nutrition and exercise.

The Parziales have been “thrilled” with the care they have received at Dayton Children’s. “Dr. Urban and her staff are so wonderful. They are always willing to answer all our questions. They encourage me to be proactive in Noelle’s care. Dr. Urban is always willing to listen to my observations about Noelle and work with me to determine what’s best for her.”

Cynthia Cohoon, RN, is the diabetes care coordinator at Dayton Children’s. “Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes diagnosed in children,” she says. Cohoon explains that type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is on the rise in children. This type of diabetes is most likely to occur when someone is overweight.

“No one knows for sure what causes type 1 diabetes,” Cohoon says.

According to the experts, genes play some role in diabetes, but it does not always run in families. For some unknown reason, the body sees its cells as foreign and starts making antibodies against those cells. In diabetes, these antibodies attack and destroy the insulin-making cells in the pancreas so they are not able to make insulin anymore. A virus or other environmental factors may cause this to happen, which means the body will need another source of insulin to get energy from food.

This other source of insulin most often takes the form of insulin shots. According to Karen, Noelle gets four to six shots every day: two in the morning, one after lunch and dinner, and others as needed. Checking her blood sugar level and giving shots as needed has affected the family’s lifestyle.

“We are very fortunate that there is a full-time school nurse at Incarnation Catholic School in Centerville, where Noelle just finished first grade,” Karen says. “She gives Noelle her shots as needed and calls me if we need to make a judgment call. That’s been wonderful.”

Karen explains that her family is more conscientious of nutrition. “Noelle is on a regimen, but the whole family eats a lot of whole grain breads, pasta, fresh fruits and vegetables. We avoid sugary, processed foods. We also need to think long term about Noelle’s health, since diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney, liver and eye damage.”

Karen makes it a point to keep Noelle “positive and empowered. There are so many new treatments on the horizon, I want to let her know there is hope for her and others like her.”

The Parziales’ attention to Noelle’s health has paid off: The active 7-year-old competes on a swim team and soccer team and takes ballet classes. She is a youth ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) and will be attending a summer camp sponsored by the Dayton Area Diabetes Association.

At Dr. Urban’s invitation, Noelle recently spoke to a group of medical students at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine about what it’s like to have diabetes. “She loved it,” Karen says. “Afterward she told me ‘Wow, I’m actually helping these people who are going to be doctors.'”

Source: Childrens Dayton

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