The Saturday Evening Post articles from November 2002

The Saturday Evening Post archives from November 2002

Wanted: defibrillator cars. (Letters).
November 1, 2002... I read an article in the Post last summer about attaching defibrillators to automobile computers. I thought it was a good idea at the time. This summer my father died while driving. He collapsed suddenly while with my mother on vacation in...

The Post heaven bound? (Letters).
November 1, 2002... Your magazine is the only magazine worth the subscription price. I turn to "Medical Mailbox" the minute my Post comes. Do you have enough clout to deliver the Post to me when I go to heaven? Hazel Shaw Presque Isle, Michigan

Organ donors: some old body parts still ok. (Letters).
November 1, 2002... I have just recently read the article regarding your interview with Dr. Mehmet Oz in the Sept./Oct. issue of the Post and wish to query you about my feelings. I have long been opposed to organ donations after my death, but your article has...

Folate benefits far outweigh any risks. (Letters).
November 1, 2002... Regarding your Sept./Oct. article "Outsmarting Cancer With Folate," my question is: If cancer cells' favorite food is folate, couldn't it mean that consuming folate would cause undetected cancer cells to grow faster in unsuspecting victims--or...

Rich DeVos' "Power of Faith". (Letters).
November 1, 2002... I want to tell you how much I enjoy the Post, and especially how refreshing it has been to read the article by Rich DeVos, "The Power of Faith," in the July/August issue. I could hardly put it down until I had finished it. Mr. DeVos spoke...

Likes health and religion. (Letters).
November 1, 2002... I just wanted you to know that I subscribed to the Post a few months ago, and it was better than I expected. I love the health and medicine stories you have and the religious articles. Keep up the good work. Susan Turley e-mail

Thornton Utz. (Letters).
November 1, 2002... I want to know if you could please print some of Thornton Utz's illustrations. I know he had some years ago, as he is a cousin of mine. I noticed when you had cover illustrations recently, you didn't have any of his--wonder why? A. V. Wagy...

Ben in spin? (Letters).
November 1, 2002... I was thrilled when I found you on the Web, as your magazine is not available in New Zealand magazine stores and I had not seen a recent copy since I was a child in the 1950s. I managed to buy two or three late 1960s copies from a...

Antidote for the blues! (Letters).
November 1, 2002... I really enjoy Maynard Good Stoddard's (tongue-in-cheek) style. I save his article to read when I'm in a "down mood." Betty Andrews Highland, Illinois

Saving souls--and hearts: what is happening in one Oceanside, California, church community can happen throughout the nation. (Open Forum).
November 1, 2002... When the 63-year-old pastor of a Catholic church in New York City collapsed from a heart attack during midday services, his congregation froze, momentarily bewildered. Seconds later, cell phones emerged from pockets and purses, their owners...

Leave it to "The Beaver," Jerry Mathers, to step forward to discuss a condition more irritating than his sitcom nemesis Eddie Haskell. (Post People).
November 1, 2002... Leave it to "The Beaver," Jerry Mathers, to step forward to discuss a condition more irritating than his sitcom nemesis Eddie Haskell. After living with the skin disease psoriasis for a decade, funnyman Mathers knows the physical and emotional...

Olympic champion Mary Lou Retton is flipping out--on television, that is. (Post People).
November 1, 2002... Olympic champion Mary Lou Retton is flipping out--on television, that is. As host of the new children's TV series "Mary Lou's Flip Flop Shop," Retton scores a perfect "10" for heroic effort in educating and motivating young children to adopt...

"When my father died and I looked at his death certificate," says award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad, "I was shocked to see that it read `cardiac arrest. (Post People).
November 1, 2002... "When my father died and I looked at his death certificate," says award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad, "I was shocked to see that it read `cardiac arrest due to hypertension from diabetes.'" As the well-grounded center of the Huxtable...

Anyone familiar with the diversity of her work knows that two-time Oscar winner Sally Field welcomes a challenge. (Post People).
November 1, 2002... Anyone familiar with the diversity of her work knows that two-time Oscar winner Sally Field welcomes a challenge. What other actress can claim fame as a flying nun, beach blanket bimbo, bereaved mother, distraught psychiatric patient, comedic...

Outsmarting cancer with folate: scientists are closing in on a cure for potentially one third of all cancers.
November 1, 2002... Researchers at Purdue University and Endocyte, an Indiana-based biotechnology company, believe that folate may hold the key to tapping into our body's natural defenses and to developing more effective therapies against certain forms of cancer....

Tips for vibrant health and beauty at every age. (Look Good, Feel Good).
November 1, 2002... Take Care of Your Cold Frequent handwashing protects people from many diseases, including the common cold. But sometimes the best efforts can fail. Symptoms of the common cold usually last about seven days. In the meantime, the following...

Aging wisdom for the ages: if life begins at 40, what happens after 60? A new book gives answers from people who have been there, done that.
November 1, 2002... "Age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese." by Kathryn and Ross Petras 409 pages, Workman Publishing, $8.95 "Old age is like a plane flying through a storm," Golda Meir once observed. "Once you are aboard, there is nothing you can do."...

Covenant.
November 1, 2002... Covenant for John The mule man, talking to the poet, says he doesn't like poetry. A straight-spoken man, She admits, as she ambles off to write a poem about a mule-loving, poetry hating man on the...

A stitch in time: making heart caths easier: a new device allows patients literally to walk away from the table following a heart catheterization without requiring prolonged and painful care of the hole in the artery.
November 1, 2002... The old saying "a stitch in time saves nine" might easily apply in the field of cardiology. A new device described as "a smart, miniaturized sewing machine" is sewing up what once was a critical hole in one of modern medicine's most important...

Breaking the sound barrier: new electronic devices called cochlear implants are providing a sense of sound to children and adults with profound hearing loss.
November 1, 2002... In October 2001, radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh momentarily silenced the airwaves by announcing to his nearly 20 million listeners, "I cannot hear radio. I cannot hear television. I cannot hear music. I am, for all practical purposes, deaf,...

Yule need it. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Yule Need It Department store contracts With ole Santa Claus Need to include "jolly" In Santa's first clause. --Dick Hayman

A historic occasion. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Two men were discussing their wives. One said that every time he and his spouse got into an argument, she became historical. "You mean hysterical, don't you?" his pal inquired. "No, historical," the man replied. "She keeps bringing up...

Truth decay. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Truth Decay We don't always tell the truth When talking about ourselves, But it's always easy to tell the truth When we're talking about someone else. --Richard Woodard

The one! the only! (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... My husband, Jim, and I are both "only children." Throughout our lives, almost every time someone found out that we had no brothers or sisters, the next response would be, "Oh, then you must be spoiled." (We aren't.) Like other only children, we...

Maid to order. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Maid to Order Quick! Change the sheets, dust under the beds, Fluff up the pillows and smooth the spreads, Scrub down the stairs and hoover the hall. You'd think the queen was coming to call. What...

Color commentary. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... My seven-year-old granddaughter Elizabeth was visiting me. She hurt herself on her elbow and soon noticed a mark. Without pause, she said with a sniffle, "Look, Grandma. I have a black and boo-boo!"

... I earn it! (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... I married for money, and I'm earning every dollar of it.

Do not pass--go! (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... One reason the government might be running a little short of money: it has passed more bills than it has paid.

Faulter ego. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Faulter Ego "I am what I am," he'd defy, "And so I shall be 'til I die. Should my total perfection Elude your detection, The blame rests on you, not on I." --Arlene Friedman

Just plane aggravating. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Overheard in line for the security check at a metropolitan airport: "Flying has finally become as much of a hassle as I always thought it was."

Too many holes. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Visiting the coast for the first time, a little girl was intrigued to see seals frolicking in the waves. "Granddad, why are there seals in the ocean?" she asked. Ever the engineer, but with his mind more on the map he was studying, her...

Mother knows best. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... When a family returned from a camping vacation, the parents and their three children began unloading their gear and suitcases from their car in the driveway. Just then a neighbor came over and asked the mother, "How long were you gone?" ...

In good standing. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... A woman was giving her pretty young daughter some advice: "When you are as young and beautiful as you are, it is very important to let men know what you stand for." Then she added thoughtfully, "But even more importantly, you must let them know...

I'd like that "to go," please! (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... I'd Like That "To Go," Please! The toughest challenge I know, As the years move on, Is keeping my "on-the-go" From being gone. --S. H. Dewhurst

Future perfect. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Successful time travelers are really those who survive everything to reach retirement age.

Willful endeavors. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... Every morning when my husband and I are making our early, two-mile walk, we meet the neighborhood jogger, Karl, going in the opposite direction. This morning as we met, I asked, "Don't you ever run out of steam?" His answer: "I already...

The "happy" couple. (Post Scripts).
November 1, 2002... The "Happy" Couple An idealist and a realist are we. A dreamer and a schemer, We come to agree when things coincide: My prejudice and your pride. --Regina Riley

Aprons throughout history: these unsung heroes of the wardrobe are resurfacing as art.
November 1, 2002... Aprons. At one time in America, no grandmother, mother or daughter would be found working in the kitchen without one. Each house had a special drawer set aside for aprons with plenty to spare and hand out in case relatives arrived and joined in...

Pancreatic cancer--the promise of a vaccine: Johns Hopkins researchers are enthusiastic about a promising new weapon in the battle against pancreatic cancer.
November 1, 2002... Johns Hopkins University researcher Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee has spent the past decade developing a vaccine that offers hope for people facing pancreatic cancer. Employing a strategy known as immunotherapy, Dr. Jaffee and colleagues are using a...

Stolen hearts: a murder mystery: will the desperate donor heart shortage result in murder for money?
November 1, 2002... FROM LAST ISSUE: Slowly dying from heart failure, the gruff and imperious federal court judge, Harcourt Purcell, is desperate to receive a donor heart. But with six months to live, he is still far down on the donor list. Incensed at his...

Let's require our kids to study George Washington: it is not possible to study the father of our country without also studying the concepts of morality, liberty, virtue, and the Creator. (Speaking Out).
November 1, 2002... Forget the Pledge. When it comes right down to it, there's nothing in the Pledge of Allegiance that teaches children the value of our incredible country. A better requirement would be to study George Washington. I challenge any federal judge to...

Losing weight the sub-way: as a 22-year-old college student, Jared Fogle took an unusual approach to losing weight; he went out for a sandwich.
November 1, 2002... Not often does a person achieve superstar status by becoming a world-class loser. But Jared Fogle rocketed to stardom by doing just that--losing 245 pounds in a most unusual way, eating fast-food sandwiches. Known around the world as the...

Hope: "whatever the wind blows my way, hope is constant." (Religion).
November 1, 2002... No human life is without problems, and I have certainly seen my share. But I have always done my best to view problems as challenges and to never lose hope. I've always believed that a good challenge presents new opportunities --opportunities...

Women risk: recent findings on hormone replacement therapy bring clarity to a long-standing debate, but for the millions of women on hormone therapy, questions remain. (Heart beat: the healthy heart report).
November 1, 2002... For the six million women in the United States on hormone replacement therapy, the news sent a proverbial "hot flash" throughout the country. Last July, researchers released long-awaited results from the federally funded Women's Health...

Spots & stains: how to lead a stainless life.
November 1, 2002... We hope you will find these hints helpful when needed in an emergency, but always remember to test a small hidden area of fabric first with the cleaning product to make sure fabric or material will not be permanently stained or damaged. ...

Well, duh ...
November 1, 2002... "My dad says that I'm so good, I don't need to practice anymore." "I'd like a home that's easy to give directions to." "All right, but what if you don't win the lottery?" "May I suggest we take those speed bumps a little slower?"...

Where do you think yon are?
November 1, 2002... East or West, North or South, each of the distinctive areas above appears on the map of a single city, state, or province. In terms of routes, state parks, mountains, and memorials, there is, as the saying goes, "no place like it." Can you...

Can you name this picture?
November 1, 2002... ... contest: The Saturday Evening Post will award $100 to the author of the winning limerick for this picture. Your limerick must contain exactly five lines. Send your entry on a postcard. Entries will not be returned. Enter as many times...

The perfect squelch.
November 1, 2002... Harry operated one of those tiny but perfect restaurants which have everything except space. He started the place on credit and barely scraped up the rent at first. Soon he prospered by being a gracious host who served fine food at reasonable...

You be the judge.
November 1, 2002... Morton Oldtymer sank his lifetime savings into a house which he and his wife bought in her name. Soon after he retired, they became estranged. The wife ordered him out of her house. Desperately he sued to reclaim his savings. "I put every...

AEDs: simple and safe. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Dear Dr. SerVaas: In reviewing the National Center for Early Defibrillation Web site, it looks like the intended users of AEDs in Indiana need to be "certified" in the use of the devices and in CPR. Can you imagine--standing by while a...

Cell phones and pacemakers. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Dear Dr. SerVaas: We need information on cell phones that are compatible with my pacemaker. We have an older phone and use it less than 30 minutes a month. I try to use it on the side opposite the pacemaker, but my better ear is on the...

National defibrillation program launched.
November 1, 2002... More than a hundred neighbors and community leaders--including the mayor of Indianapolis, Bart Peterson--celebrated the launch of the first Neighborhood Heart Watch program in the country. Residents of the Wynnedale village in Indianapolis...

Heartburn drug cured his swallowing problem. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Dear Dr. SerVaas: For several years, I experienced occasional trouble swallowing. It felt as though food would get "stuck" about halfway down my esophagus. The uncomfortable feeling persisted for about 20 minutes. When I began having more...

Flu shots may prevent strokes and help hearts, too. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Getting a flu shot might reduce your risk of having a stroke, say investigators in France. Recently published data show that people who had a flu shot during the year of the study and those vaccinated over the previous five years were 40...

Making progress on Alzheimer's disease. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... In an experiment reported in the journal Nature Neuroscience, a single dose of an antibody appears to reverse memory loss in mice, providing a stepping stone toward an Alzheimer's disease vaccine. A team at Lilly Research Laboratories in...

Relieving symptoms of menopause. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Nearly everyone has heard the surprising news that the health risks of combined hormone replacement therapy may outweigh its benefits. For over 30 years, millions of women and their doctors assumed that HRT promoted cardiovascular health in...

Dr. Tao's red tea diet. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Dear Dr. SerVaas: Could you help me get a copy of the article on the red tea diet I have read about in your column? From the letters, it was some kind of tea diet that was working extremely well. Any help you can give would be much...

Reader needs advice about diabetes. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Dear Dr. SerVaas: I am 78 years old and have had type 2 diabetes for ten years. Recently, it was discovered that I also have hypertension. I read that there is a good chance of mental deterioration in people with the two conditions. My...

Medical progress. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Swiss researchers say that kidneys transplanted from donors without a heartbeat keep working just as long as those taken from brain-dead patients whose hearts were beating. Data from the first study comparing the two approaches show that...

Magnesium helps her migraines. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Dear Dr. SerVaas: Thank you for your article about migraines in the May/June 2001 "Medical Mailbox." I had migraines for 19 years. Yes, I had been to many kinds of doctors--general practitioners, internists, and neurologists--and taken...

Still awaiting diabetes cure. (Medical Mailbox).
November 1, 2002... Dear Dr. SerVaas: I have been a known diabetic since I was a very active, 15-year-old farm boy. After trying diet therapy, doctors in Kansas City, Kansas, started me on 40 units of insulin. As I left the hospital, they told me that I was...