Friday, June 29, 2012

10 Heart Attack Symptoms You're Most Likely to Ignore | Yahoo! Health

10 Heart Attack Symptoms You&#8217;re Most Likely to Ignore | Yahoo! Health  <--- Click here



Heart attacks don't always strike out of the blue -- there are many symptoms we can watch for in the days and weeks leading up to an attack. But the symptoms may not be the ones we expect. And they can be different in men and women, and different still in older adults. Last year, for example, a landmark study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Institute found that 95 percent of women who'd had heart attacks reported experiencing symptoms in the weeks and months before the attack -- but the symptoms weren’t the expected chest pain, so they went unrecognized.
Don't let that happen to you. Here, 10 heart symptoms you're likely to ignore -- and shouldn't.
1. Indigestion or nausea
One of the most oft-overlooked signs of a heart attack is nausea and stomach pain. Symptoms can range from mild indigestion to severe nausea, cramping, and vomiting. Others experience a cramping-style ache in the upper belly. Women and adults over age 60 are more likely to experience this symptom and not recognize it as tied to cardiac health.
Most cases of stomach ache and nausea aren't caused by a heart attack, of course. But watch out for this sign by becoming familiar with your own digestive habits; pay attention when anything seems out of the ordinary, particularly if it comes on suddenly and you haven't been exposed to stomach flu and haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary.
2. Jaw, ear, neck, or shoulder pain
A sharp pain and numbness in the chest, shoulder, and arm is an indicator of heart attack, but many people don't experience heart attack pain this way at all. Instead, they may feel pain in the neck or shoulder area, or it may feel like it’s running along the jaw and up by the ear. Some women specifically report feeling the pain between their shoulder blades.
A telltale sign: The pain comes and goes, rather than persisting unrelieved, as a pulled muscle would. This can make the pain both easy to overlook and difficult to pinpoint. You may notice pain in your neck one day, none the next day, then after that it might have moved to your ear and jaw. If you notice pain that seems to move or radiate upwards and out, this is important to bring to your doctor’s attention.
3. Sexual dysfunction
Having trouble achieving or keeping erections is common in men with coronary artery disease, but they may not make the connection. Just as arteries around the heart can narrow and harden, so can those that supply the penis -- and because those arteries are smaller, they may show damage sooner. One survey of European men being treated for cardiovascular disease found that two out of three had suffered from erectile dysfunction before they were ever diagnosed with heart trouble.
4. Exhaustion or fatigue
A sense of crushing fatigue that lasts for several days is another sign of heart trouble that's all too often overlooked or explained away. Women, in particular, often look back after a heart attack and mention this symptom. More than 70 percent of women in last year's NIH study, for example, reported extreme fatigue in the weeks or months prior to their heart attack.
The key here is that the fatigue is unusually strong -- not the kind of tiredness you can power through but the kind that lays you flat out in bed. If you're normally a fairly energetic person and suddenly feel sidelined by fatigue, a call to your doctor is in order.
5. Breathlessness and dizziness
When your heart isn't getting enough blood, it also isn't getting enough oxygen. And when there's not enough oxygen circulating in your blood, the result is feeling unable to draw a deep, satisfying breath -- the same feeling you get when you're at high elevation. Additional symptoms can be light-headedness and dizziness. But sadly, people don't attribute this symptom to heart disease, because they associate breathing with the lungs, not the heart.
In last year's NIH study, more than 40 percent of women heart attack victims remembered experiencing this symptom. A common description of the feeling: "I couldn't catch my breath while walking up the driveway."
6. Leg swelling or pain
When the heart muscle isn't functioning properly, waste products aren't carried away from tissues by the blood, and the result can be edema, or swelling caused by fluid retention. Edema usually starts in the feet, ankles, and legs because they're furthest from the heart, where circulation is poorer. In addition, when tissues don't get enough blood, it can lead to a painful condition called ischemia. Bring swelling and pain to the attention of your doctor.
7. Sleeplessness, insomnia, and anxiety
This is an odd one doctors can't yet explain. Those who've had heart attacks often remember experiencing a sudden, unexplained inability to fall asleep or stay asleep during the month or weeks before their heart attack. (Note: If you already experience insomnia regularly, this symptom can be hard to distinguish.)
Patients often report the feeling as one of being "keyed up" and wound tight; they remember lying in bed with racing thoughts and sometimes a racing heart. In the NIH report, many of the women surveyed reported feeling a sense of "impending doom," as if a disaster were about to occur. If you don't normally have trouble sleeping and begin to experience acute insomnia and anxiety for unexplained reasons, speak with your doctor.
8. Flu-like symptoms
Clammy, sweaty skin, along with feeling light-headed, fatigued, and weak, leads some people to believe they're coming down with the flu when, in fact, they're having a heart attack. Even the feeling of heaviness or pressure in the chest -- typical of some people's experience in a heart attack -- may be confused with having a chest cold or the flu.
If you experience severe flu-like symptoms that don't quite add up to the flu (no high temperature, for example), call your doctor or advice nurse to talk it over. Watch out also for persistent wheezing or chronic coughing that doesn't resolve itself; that can be a sign of heart disease, experts say. Patients sometimes attribute these symptoms to a cold or flu, asthma, or lung disease when what's happening is that poor circulation is causing fluid to accumulate in the lungs.
9. Rapid-fire pulse or heart rate
One little-known symptom that sometimes predates a heart attack is known as ventricular tachycardia, more commonly described as rapid and irregular pulse and heart rate. During these episodes, which come on suddenly, you feel as if your heart is beating very fast and hard, like you just ran up a hill -- except you didn't. "I'd look down and I could actually see my heart pounding," one person recalled. It can last just a few seconds or longer; if longer, you may also notice dizziness and weakness.
Some patients confuse these episodes with panic attacks. Rapid pulse and heartbeat that aren't brought on by exertion always signal an issue to bring to your doctor's attention.
10. You just don't feel like yourself
Heart attacks in older adults (especially those in their 80s and beyond, or in those who have dementia or multiple health conditions), can mimic many other conditions. But an overall theme heard from those whose loved ones suffered heart attacks is that in the days leading up to and after a cardiac event, they "just didn't seem like themselves."
A good rule of thumb, experts say, is to watch for clusters of symptoms that come on all at once and aren't typical of your normal experience. For example, a normally alert, energetic person suddenly begins to have muddled thinking, memory loss, deep fatigue, and a sense of being "out of it." The underlying cause could be something as simple as a urinary tract infection, but it could also be a heart attack. If your body is doing unusual things and you just don't feel "right," don't wait. See a doctor and ask for a thorough work-up.
And if you have any risk factors for cardiac disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, or family history of heart disease, make sure the doctor knows about those issues, too.


Thursday, June 28, 2012

Heart Attack Learning Center

Heart Attack  <--- Heart attack learning center, articles and tips


Every 25 seconds, someone in the U.S. will have a heart attack or coronary event, and heart attacks are the leading cause of death among Americans, men and women alike.
By making healthy lifestyle choices, you can reduce your risk of heart attack, and recognizing warning signs of heart trouble will ensure that you minimize complications.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Newspaper Articles








I attempted to scan these but saved them as PDF's that I can't put on here.
So I did the next best thing and took pics of the articles from the Clarksburg Daily Newspaper:
The Exponent Telegram from Sunday June 17th, 2012 (Vol 148, No. 169) 
and Monday June 18th 2012.
The articles themselves do not appear to be on their website.













Printed: 6/17/12



Printed: 6/17/12







Printed: 6/18/12

6/18/12



Monday, June 25, 2012

The City of Clarksburg Suffers a Loss...



Remember Frank Scarcelli Collage

Picture and story at:
 http://www.cityofclarksburgwv.com/about-clarksburg/announcements/177-frankscarcelli

This link also takes you to a Facebook page for your comments, memories and more. **must be a FB user**

There is also an additional link to a video from the councilman, it is a FB page- but it is for public viewing.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Clarksburg Says Final Goodbye to Longtime Employee

http://www.wdtv.com/wdtv.cfm?func=view&section=Fox-10&item=Clarksburg-Says-Final-Goodbye-to-Longtime-Employee3593

****Click the link above for story and video****

It was a sad day in Clarksburg Wednesday morning where hundreds were saying their final goodbyes to the city's public works director, who passed away this weekend.

61-year-old Frank Scarcelli died in a Charleston hospital Saturday. For the past forty years, the loving dad devoted himself to not only his family but also to the city of Clarksburg. The men who worked for him led the procession from Nutter Fort to his funeral mass in Clarksburg.

The West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival board gave Scarcelli the Italian Father of the Year Award for 2012.

Saturday, June 23, 2012



Frank G. Scarcelli
NUTTER FORT — Frank G. Scarcelli, 61, of Clarksburg, WV, passed away on June 16, 2012, at the Charleston Area Medical Center.
He was born in Clarksburg, WV, on September 24, 1950, a son of the late Anthony James and Helen Marie Carpenter Scarcelli.
Frank is survived by his wife, Karen Sue Allison Scarcelli, whom he married on December 23, 1975; his daughter, Allison Marie Scarcelli Debusca and her husband Justin of Clarksburg; and his beloved grandchildren, Cameron and Mila Debusca. Also surviving are his sisters, Karen Pruski and her husband Charles of Warren, OH, and Kathy Patrick and her husband Terry of Myrtle Beach, SC; his sisters and brothers-in-law, whom he considered his family; several nephews, nieces, cousins; and Chris Pinion, whom he considered and thought of as a son.
Frank was a graduate of Notre Dame High School, Class of 1968, and was Director of Public Works for the City of Clarksburg. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and held memberships with the Sons of Italy, B.P.O. Elks Lodge 482 and the Knights of Columbus. Frank was especially proud to have been selected by the W.Va. Italian Heritage Festival Board as the Italian Father of the Year Award for 2012.
Frank was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was loved and respected by his extended family, the city of Clarksburg employees. He was a gentle man who had a giving heart and always saw his cup as being half full, rather than half empty. Frank loved his job, the city, his daughter and grandchildren, but the wind beneath his wings was the love of his life, his wife, Karen.
He was an avid fan of WVU, the Pittsburgh Steelers and NASCAR racing. Carl Edwards was his favorite driver. Frank’s favorite past time was going on long drives, especially in the rain.
Family and friends may call at the Amos Carvelli Funeral Home, 201 Edison Street, Nutter Fort, from 4-8 p.m. on Monday and 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 126 East Pike Street, Clarksburg, on Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at 10 a.m. with Father Casey Mahone as celebrant.
Entombment will follow in the Holy Cross Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family at www.amoscarvelli.com.

http://www.amoscarvelli.com/obituaries
A service of Amos Carvelli Funeral Home.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

‘We’ll never replace Frank’ - The Exponent Telegram : Local News

‘We’ll never replace Frank’ - The Exponent Telegram : Local News: CLARKSBURG — Clarksburg Public Works Superintendent Frank Scarcelli was remembered Saturday as a dedicated family man and an irreplaceable cit…



http://www.cityofclarksburgwv.com/about-clarksburg/announcements/177-frankscarcelli

Friday, June 15, 2012

31 year old rose bush

Everyone, meet 31 year old rose tree.
31 year old rose tree, meet everyone.

I love roses. I have multiple bushes and hubby cleared out more room, just in case ;)

We were talking about this particular bush at Mother's Day Dinner
and Mom told us that 2 of the rose bushes we have in our yard have been there for 31 years.
Way cool =)

This particular one is monstrous...it just gets taller and wider every year.
The blooms are very fragrant too!




Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Chicken quesadilla recipe


Chicken Quesadilla night!!



Here's the most wanted list:
Shredded Cheese, Sour cream, Tortillas

Salsa  
(Italian Rose Fresh Salsa, Sam's Club)

Meat: I use Sam's Club Beef and Chicken Fajita meat
Quick, easy, precooked and already seasoned.
It also helps the cooking go a little faster.
You might remember the Beef Fajita from his starring roll here.

Its not necessary but I also use White Cheese Mexican Style Dip from Sam's club too.
**Clearly we made a Sam's Club run recently haha and they did not pay me to endorse them**


I mix up 2 batches, one for me without a lot of the Mexican Cheese Dip
and one for the guys with a lot of it.

I mix the meat (Usually Chicken or beef separately, not mixed together), Cheeses, sour cream til combined.

Then slap it on a tortilla and smoosh it down. 
Making sure to leave some room to groove around the edge. 
A.

B.

C.



I spray my pan with cooking spray then toss the tortilla in.
Cook on Medium heat. 


Cook til golden on one side them carefully flip. Should take but a few minutes.


Since I can only cook one at a time 
I put the oven on warm and load them up in there to stay warm.

MMM I want one now...

Here's how my guy's eat theirs.
 (Clearly one had already been smashed  consumed prior to me remembering I needed a pic)
They slather on some sour cream then add some salsa on.
I eat mine plain. =)

Monday, June 11, 2012

Banana bread take 2

Check 6/9/12 for the 1st blog post about this.


Preheat oven to 350* and grease 2 bread pans.
Mix sugar (1 1/4 cups) and butter (1/2 cup softened) til fluffy.


Add 2 eggs and mix til well blended.



Add the Bananas (1.5 cups mashed), Buttermilk (1/2 cup) and Vanilla (1 teaspoon) til smooth. 




Mix in Flour (2.5 cups), salt and baking soda (1 teaspoon each) til moistened.
Then add your mix-ins

Divide batter into your bread pans evenly.
Bake@ 350* for an hour.

Once completely cool, wrap up tightly.
Store at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Riiiiight...because it is going to last 10 days?? Not in my house...


ENJOY!!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Aunt Betty's Banana bread recipe

Gotta love Aunt Betty Crocker for a quick and easy bread recipe!!

I didn't take many pics this time...
I have made this since this particular time, check back in 2 days for more pics.










1 1/4
cups sugar
1/2
cup butter or margarine, softened
2
eggs
1 1/2
cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2
cup buttermilk
1
teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2
cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1
teaspoon baking soda
1
teaspoon salt
1
cup chopped nuts, if desired
**I did not use nuts-I used chocolate chips. Next time I want to add the pack I have with Milk Chocolate and Peanut butter chips. 

  1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
  2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.
  3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.
Makes 2 loaves (12 slices each)


Thursday, June 7, 2012

Fresh Green beans with Recipe

So since there are no fresh garden green beans yet, I bought some.

Here they are all cleaned up waiting for the hot tub. ;) 


I tossed some left over ham in the dutch oven to brown.
You can use bacon, ham, panchetta or all three ha-ha.
And you don't have to use a dutch oven either, mine was just handy.
If you like onions, toss those in too now. 
If using garlic, wait until you are ready to toss in the beans, so the garlic doesn't burn. 
And keep water handy just in case, to stop the garlic from burning.


Add the Green Beans. Such a pretty green. =)


Add some water, enough to cover the majority of the beans.
We have been known to use Beef Broth instead of water.
Then season with whatever you like. We usually use Garlic and Onion powder, and I also added my new Penzy's Ruth Ann's Muskego seasoning. 
Bring to a boil, then put cover on the pan and simmer til tender, 
or not...however you like to eat your beans. 



Enjoy!!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Rhubarb jam with Recipe


It's that time again for Fresh Jam!
I made Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam again with my homegrown Rhubarb Memorial Day Weekend!
See here for last year's adventure.

First get all of your stuff together.

2 c. sliced rhubarb  (I used more)
1/2 c. water
1 box powdered pectin
5 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. crushed strawberries  (I used more)



Wash out your FREEZER SAFE jars. 
(I didn't boil them this year, didn't have to the 1st time either, but I did)



Prep your Fruit. Clearly you can see mine is all still a bit chunky.



Add your Rhubarb, Water and Pectin to the pan.



Cook for 5-6 minutes until pectin is dissolved and rhubarb is tender.
Stir occasionally.


Add sugar...
Yeah it's a lot of sugar...


After a minute this is what you get. 


Keep stirring until fully dissolved and starts to boil.
After it starts to gently boil, keep stirring for another 3 minutes.
  
Add your crushed Strawberries and mix.


Ladle into your jars.


Let stand at room temp until set.
I had mine out for a while.
Store in the freezer until ready to eat. 
Or keep in the fridge if you will be giving them to friends within the week.