9 PM Routine Checklist

In both my Ring doorbell app and my Nextdoor app neighbors are always posting about car break-ins.  It is a big problem in the surrounding neighborhoods. In nearly every post the person confesses to leaving at least one car door unlocked usually by accident.

It makes you think what if all the doors were locked all the time.  Would the thieves move on to another location? Someone else must have had the same thought because this is now being circulated on the apps.

I did have my garage door opener hooked onto my visor and have now moved it to where it cannot be seen from looking into the car. 

Oven safety device

I'm posting this because I didn't know these existing until I happened upon them recently.  These rack protectors purchases at Adli grocery just slip on to the front edge of the oven rack to provide a little extra protection for hands and wrists. 

Battling highway hypnosis

Today I took the Smith System Driving Drowsy course. The course contained a lot of statistics about who is most susceptible to being drowsy while driving, peak times that drivers may be drowsy while driving, and how inadequate sleep compares to alcohol impairment. Their main point was to make sure you get enough sleep. And finally, they reiterated their 5 Keys of safe driving.

Smith System 5 Keys

Aim High in Steering®

Get the Big Picture®

Keep your eyes moving®

Leave yourself an out®

Make sure they see you®

I was really looking for more.  I don’t enjoy long drives because I am susceptible to Highway Hypnosis, a term I remember from drivers education in high school. Here is what I found.

From Wheelzine https://wheelzine.com/how-to-prevent-highway-hypnosis

Don’t eat heavy meals before driving long distances

Do eat a light meal to help you remain alert

Shift your gaze

Get an adequate amount of sleep.  Both sites recommended 6-7 hours for adults

Take breaks approximately every 2 hours for 5-10 minutes and stretch during your break

Listen to your favorite music as long as it is not too soft

Drive with a buddy as this allows you to take turns if necessary

Drive with proper posture, don’t recline

Get fresh air by rolling the down windows or turning on the AC

And if needed take a power nap in a safe place for approximately 15 minutes

They concluded with the need to be honest with yourself if you are too tired to drive you shouldn’t be on the road.

My personal tips

               Pick music you like to sing to (if you are a car singer)

               Get your car buddy to talk to you and pick an interesting topic (boring topics don’t help)

               Have a snack that you can eat in small portions over a long period of time (ex. jerky)

               And if need be change your environment to make yourself uncomfortable for a while

Being Perpared: Bicycle Edition

Some years back I received a small first aid kit from the company (it's branded as iLevel if that gives you an idea how old) and while the supplies have been replaced (mostly due to age), the container remains the perfect size to sit in my bike bag.  It's the single most used first aid kid I've set up and I end up using it around once a year.  I rarely ride alone so more often it's been for someone else.  A couple of weeks ago, though, I had to use it on me.

I was riding with my father the day after a powerful storm.  We were on a heavily tree lined bike path near a creek.  Wind and hail left lots of debris and I didn't quite avoid a 1/2" thick stick on the path.  I clipped the end of it with my front wheel trying to steer around. It spun perfectly so it came up endwise right below my right knee.  I'll say it definitely could have been way worse.  The stick was a bit over a foot long and seemed to be braced against something (ground?  front wheel? not sure) as my right leg made impact on the downstroke. 

Now bleeding, I stopped, had my dad stop while I tended to my wound.  Had all the right equipment right there with me which is good because it would have been a bit of a trip to find something.  It was not a severe cut.  I was able to patch up and continue riding.  But had I not had the first aid kit, it would have cut the day short. 

Like many things I carry with me when I ride, the spare tubes, patch kit and so forth, I hope to never use the first aid kit but feel vulnerable without it.

Burned - "Let it cool" is no joke PART 2

On 12-21-15 I created a blog post called Burned - "Let it Cool" is no joke.  In the entry, I described burning my hand with gravy that spilled out of the container when pulling it from a microwave higher than my normal reach. Last night my son Avery spilled boiling water on his lip and chin when pulling a similar container from the microwave which is also higher than his normal reach.

So I am posting this of a reminder of the danger of not letting things cool in the microwave or being cautious when removing hot items especially when they contain liquids or steam. Avery immediately put a gel bag from the freezer on the area and came to get me.  With all the first-aid kits in the house, I could not locate any with a burn ointment even in my larger kits that contain their original inventory. I went to the pharmacy and bought some emergency burn gel and found I product I didn't know existed Moist Burn Pads (see photo below).

Avery is okay after spending a couple of hours with cold gel bags and the other items on the burn.

1. I'd say the lessons learned are to instruct Avery to let things cool in the microwave and be extra careful when liquids are involved. 
2. Make sure I have burn ointment on hand and know where it is. 

Vegas Road Trip

Over Memorial Day weekend my oldest son had a basketball tournament in Las Vegas. So, a few days before we left, I took my truck to the local dealership to have the seat-belt recall fixed. I also asked them to rotate and balance my tires. I also asked they the inspect the tires for any type of funny wearing. After I got the truck back, they said they all four tires and spare were good. The morning we left I did the visual inspections of the lights, turn signals, wipers, I also walked around and just looked at my tires. All seemed good

.

So, Saturday night we played in a late game that didn’t get over until 10:00 PM and we were a 30-minute drive back to the hotel. As we exited the interstate for hotel my tire pressure Gage went of saying that my driver side rear tire was losing air pressure and fast. Because this exit we used to get back to the hotel to avoid driving down the strip we had to turn right then drive down about a half a mile then make a U-turn and come back to the hotel. I knew as fast as I was losing air pressure that I would never make it back to the hotel Parking garage. I pulled into a Shell gas station. (where there was plenty of lights and a nice flat spot to park away from the gas pumps.) Granted this wasn’t probably the safest part of town but I had to get off the road and change the tire. While still in the truck I come up with a plan that my wife and youngest are going to stay in the truck until I get the lug nuts busted loose and ready to jack the truck up. The other part of the plan was that my oldest was going to get out and just watch my back and alert me if anyone is walking over to us.

We get out of the truck I did a quick walk around my truck, so I am aware of my surroundings. I get the jack and tire iron out. I drop my spare tire, then I quickly go to work busting the lug nuts loose. As I start on the last lug nut my factory tire iron doesn’t fit on it. The lug nuts look as if something has chewed on it messing it all up. By this point I am frustrated and mad as hell because of where we are at the tire iron isn’t fitting on the lug nut and 3 days earlier the dealership just rotated and balanced my tires. My wife sees that I am quickly getting frustrated and wants me to call Triple A or Roadside Assistance.  Long story short, I wasn’t going to quick that easy.  I jacked the truck up so there was no pressure on the wheel, grabbed my tire iron and a large crescent wrench and hammed the side of the tire iron with the wrench until it smashed itself onto the bad lug nut. I was able to get the tires switched out, and on our way.  The next day I had the tire patched and bought a new lug nut.

Moral of my story is, I will always take my tire iron and walk around and make sure each lug nut fits into the tire iron and are as tight before I travel anywhere.

For some, 4th of July isnt fun

We tend to think of this holiday in terms of family BBQs, fun on the water and of course fireworks. For some though, the sound of fireworks can be disturbing and prolonged exposure to it can be a nightmare. Idahoans are BIG on fireworks despite the fact that we live in an area prone to wilderness and range fires every summer. There are laws on the books about certain types of fireworks and where and when they can and cannot be used, but they're rarely enforced in town unless there is a very obvious danger. It's not uncommon here to start hearing them occasionally a week in advance and for a couple days after. The night of, they can last until midnight depending on where you live and who you're neighbors are.

When we hear the word "PTSD" we tend to think of veterans but in an age where violence is every where (domestic violence, bullying, school shootings, suicides, natural disasters, and other forms too many to number), PTSD is becoming more widespread. It's not just for adults anymore. This holiday normally finds my daughter under her covers with headphones on, binge watching Netflix until she falls asleep and my dog quivering in my lap despite my best efforts to drown out the noise. We are not fans of it.

Maybe it's not coincidence then that we're focusing on wellness for our safety topics. This year Annie and I decided to start a new tradition of getting away for this holiday. The worst of the fireworks tend to be in residential areas in town. We're getting a hotel room for the night in a business section of downtown with an indoor pool that allows pets. We can hunker down and escape the worst of it and focus on our family making it something the kids look forward to instead of fearing or be anxious about. There was a noticeable relief on my daughter's face when we told her our plans which quickly turned to excitement. In the future we want to plan family vacations around the holiday by renting cabin in the mountains where we can hike, fish, swim and relax in relative silence.

We're expecting our Parents of the Year award any day now.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/ptsd.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1414752/

Gas Can Safety

I need to hire a lawn service. 

I cannot understand these new-fangled nozzles or get them to work:

So every stinking time I need to mow the lawn, I need to do this:

Now, I know this isn't safe.  I spill gas all over the place.  I'd get another gas can except:

They are ALL like that.  Except for one on the left side - but it's empty.  I suppose I could fill it with one of the other cans, but then I'm back to using a funnel which is what I was trying to avoid.

Maybe I just order me some of these off Amazon or Ebay:

Thank you. End Rant.

Spiral Stairs Will Be the Death of Me

As many of you already know, my husband and I just bought and are in the process of moving into a new home.  One of the cons of this house was that it came with a spiral staircase as the only way of getting to the second floor, the level that holds my office space.  Going up the stairs is never an issue but going down always makes me afraid that I’m about to take a header. Well, I was right to be afraid as I managed to fall down them last week.  Luckily, I was most of the way down already when I slipped.  I was also lucky to stop only a couple steps down rather than continuing another full level down to the basement.  There were a few contributors to my fall but the top of the list is definitely negligence – I simply wasn’t paying enough attention.

Things that contributed to my fall:

• Not paying attention
• Did not have 3 full points of contact – railing is so close to wall that you can't hold onto it in that section
• Stairs are fairly narrow
• Shoes did not have slip-resistant soles

Things that kept my fall from being worse:

• Each tread is individually carpeted for better traction
• Railing and stairs themselves are sturdy and don’t sway
• My hands were empty
• I managed to keep my head from making contact with any surface

Overall, I survived with nothing more than minor bumps and bruises but I will definitely do my best to be more conscientious when descending down our stairs in the future.

Remember this post from 1.5 years ago?

Remember this post from 1.5 years ago?  Where I brought Dorothea to participate in our 1st Aid/CPR training because school was on a 2-hour delay for some silly reason?  Of COURSE you do - it was so memorable.  Well, yesterday at dinner she started choking on a piece of steak.  We were at a friend's house (the same friends where my husband got the poison ivy from my last article!  I'm sensing a disturbing trend...) 
Anyhow, my husband was outside, I was at the fridge looking for the shredded cheese with the friend's dad.  Dorothea immediately recognizes choking, runs over to the fridge, pushes the dad out of the way, makes the sign for choking, turns her back to me, and I begin doing the Heimlich.  After a couple thrusts, the blockage becomes dislodged, and she starts gagging, coughing and finger sweeps HERSELF to get it out.  Afterwards, she was pretty scared and was shaking from all the adrenaline, The other dad said "It was over before it started!  It's like you all practiced that or something!"  I guess at Weyerhaeuser, we kinda do...

Tis the season - Poison Ivy, Oak, and other itchy plants

  "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" so says the old adage.  It is spring once again, and we're already dealing with our first exposures to poison ivy at the Condon household.  After helping a friend clear a bit of their property of overgrown vines, my husband knew he'd been exposed.  It was finally not raining, and warm, so of course he had worn short sleeves! 

After finishing work, he immediately showered and changed. But alas, our friends didn't have the super-secret all-powerful poison ivy soap onhand.  Tecnu is our brand of choice, and we were remiss not to bring it.


In the end, the rash is bad enough to need prescription steroid cream.  The moral of the story - if you can't avoid it - pack a bottle of tecnu along with your brush-clearing gloves and equipment!

Flu and Allergy home remedies...Fact or Fiction

Both of these crossed my path yesterday.  The first on a news segment which I quickly recorded so I could make notes and the second via email.  I figured it was a sign to share.

Elderberry Syrup can reduce flu symptoms

There have been report of people taking it for 100 years, but it has recently become popular.

Fact or Fiction? (Local TV News segment - WBTV)

Fact - They interviewed a local pediatrician and she reported that studies showed is does reduce flu symptoms in ADULTS. She warned that it is not FDA approved and therefore you can’t be sure of ingredients or dosage.

Elderberry Syrup is safe for everyone

Fact or Fiction?

Fiction – It is not deemed safe for children.  If there were any raw berries, stems, or seeds in the syrup it could cause GI problems and lead to cyanide poisoning.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Can LOCAL honey help with allergies? The answer is …Maybe

By Greg Sullivan 3/21/2019

It’s one of the most common folk remedies that people swear by – eating local honey to ease seasonal allergies that affect so many of us. The thinking has been that consuming local honey produced by bees acts as a natural allergy shot of sorts by exposing you to local allergens.

"Is a very nice, neat theory, but there’s very little research to suggest that it actually works,” said Russell Greenfield, MD, with Novant Health Integrative Medicine. 

Aside from the lack of supporting research, Greenfield said there’s another big reason he’s not a proponent of the local-honey theory: Most people who get seasonal allergies are actually reacting to tree and grass pollen, not flower pollen collected by bees.

Still, Greenfield said trying local honey should be reasonably safe, and he encourages anyone inclined to try any natural remedies to discuss it with their provider. Note: Children under 1 year of age should never be given honey due to the risk of botulism, Greenfield said.

Allergies aside, Greenfield said honey does have its benefits. For children over 1, honey is considered as an effective cough suppressant, he said.

Wear your PPE

When I had vision correction surgery back in 2002, it'd been after basically a lifetime of wearing glasses. Even when a kid my parents at least got the safety lenses for my otherwise standard glasses.  It's not a substitute for proper PPE, but for things like mowing, using a saw and other activities where particulates might get stirred up, it was good enough we thought.  When I didn't need glasses anymore, I realized how many things I did where eye protection was a good thing. 

This article is someone that had to go to the eye doctor when just using normal glasses when goggles were needed. 

Don't Be Like Me: Wear Protective Gear When You Wrench

As a note, I see that proper prescription eyewear that is appropriate PPE does exist if you wear glasses and don't want to have goggles over glasses.

Espy Lumber - ergo

I paid a visit to Terence Daly at Espy Lumber earlier this week, and got a couple pictures of what seemed to me to be a very good ergonomic situation.  It's evolved over time, as Terence has had 2-3 carpal tunnel/trigger finger surgeries in the past.  So he's adjusted his ergonomic situation, and can definitely tell a difference!

First, the chair: Lumbar and neck supports, as well as a mouse platform attached to the armrest! 

He is doing very little reaching, and his back is very straight - no hunching over to reach mouse/keyboards.  His legs look not quite horizontal in the picture - but there is a footrest at the bottom of his desk (not shown).

I just thought it was a good example of proper ergonomics and wanted to share.

2019 Resolution: Less Sugar/Starch, more H20, more Fish (Wellness)

That's my goal.  I'm not one to want to diet, as they all seem pretty complicated.  But I'm going to try to be mindful of sugar, water intake, and eating more fish in an effort to (one day) be pretty close to the Mediterranean model.  Vince did it once before (pre-kids), and was able to shed many pounds. 
I think we do OK with eating enough fruits/veggies already, so I don't feel like I need to focus there.  And if we're being honest here, no additional exercise is gonna make it into my routine unless I sleep less, and I'm cranky when I'm tired.  Eventually, we may need to limit dairy and cheese - but I love that too much, so I'm not going to focus there this year.  So I'm thinking these 3 things are realistically achievable with minimal additional effort.

My strategy for less sugar/starch = sub pasta for whole grain substitutes, white for brown rice and other fun grains.  Have you heard of this Quinoa stuff?  Last year we ate ALOT of white rice as my husband got this HUGE bag (on sale) that we had to use up.  But we're almost through it now.  We already stick to whole grain bread products, so no change needed there.  We also really try to watch added sugars - no soda, and juices are usually diluted with water.  Santa brought us a mess of peanuts this year instead of tons of candy (YAY). One toughie will be chips - man, we can eat some chips.  Gonna sub the multi-grain variety there, too, but we tend to consume mass quantities.  Popcorn is a good substitute for that, right?

Adding more water should be easy, as long as I remember to refill my cup.  It's now living in front of my monitor when I shut down every day.

I've never included enough fish in our diets.  Mom never cooked it growing up except frozen fish sticks (yuck), it stinks up the kitchen, and I'm kinda scared about what fish to cook for mercury and heavy metal concerns.  And, my husband is from FL, so he is very particular that the fish be fresh.  We got half a cow last year, so we prolly ate too much beef (we getting a quarter this time around), so "more" is a pretty low bar.  But, I found a "healthy" grocer that I trust (and they deliver with INSTACART), and I'm gonna shoot for fish once a week, but it will more likely be 2-3 times a month.

Wish me luck!  Any tips, suggestions, recipes are welcomed and encouraged!

TC

Prep work for our March Safety meeting

In March, we are going to discuss controlling high blood pressure.  At lunch today, I spotted a blood pressure machine in my local grocery store. (Harris Teeter) The machine was run by higi and the machine itself had a lot of useful information. I was able to create an account which I could use with the machine, an app, and my PC to keep a record of my personal stats.

higi machines are all over the US. Locations
My location even had a January challenge to win gift cards. Challenge

In preparation for our March safety meeting, I'd like us all to get our blood pressure checked (anywhere) once before we meet.

...to be continued in March

Don't Let Fatigue Get You Down

Fatigue. We’ve all experienced it.  There are different types of fatigue: mental, emotional, and physical.  Most are temporary but continual fatigue takes its toll.  It can also be a sign that something is wrong. 

Mental exhaustion is fairly common and is often a temporary state.  It appears as fogginess (when you just need that second cup of coffee to get going), tension headaches, and confusion or memory issues.  It is often caused by overwhelming responsibility (work, home, school, etc.) and stress, too many hours without a break, or sleep deprivation.  Emotional fatigue often has similar symptoms as mental exhaustion, but it also commonly causes bouts of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Extended periods of high emotion are the biggest trigger, though hormonal factors also contribute to it.

Physical fatigue results in muscle weakness, spasms, or shaking, lethargy or sluggishness, soreness, and the feeling of weighted limbs.  Underuse of your muscles can lead to atrophy so that when you do use those muscles, they become tired more quickly.  This is why it’s important for sedentary workers to get up and stretch regularly.  Overuse of any body part leads to excess stress on that muscle group which causes pain and could lead to injury.  So if you’ve been on your feet for hours on end, you might want to consider resting for a bit to take some of the stress off of your legs and feet.  The onset of viruses can also cause sluggishness so if you start to get that dragging feeling, start pumping yourself full of Vitamin C and Zinc (or whatever your preference of cold-fighting remedies might be).

Some things you can do to reduce your overall fatigue:

•          The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep for adults under 65.  That said, fewer hours may work better for you depending on your lifestyle and biological makeup.
•          Well-balanced and well-proportioned meals at regular intervals.  Also consider keeping high-protein snacks on hand to tide you over until your main meals.  Higher protein foods will give you more energy for extended periods of time than high carb (aka sugar) foods.
•          Add taking multi-vitamins to your daily routine.
•          Take regular breaks to stretch and walk.  Adding any cardio activities to your day will help boost your adrenaline while stretching will ensure your muscles don’t tighten up too much. Just make sure not to overdo it – if your muscles start to feel strained, stop.
•         Research the side effects of all medication you are taking and ask your doctor/pharmacist about how it reacts with other medications (prescription or OTC) you are taking.  Some meds increase fatigue but taking them at different times of day can reduce the intensity of it.
•          Reduce your mental or emotional stress by getting organized (lists, lists, lists!) or sharing your burden with others (either verbally or literally). Keeping it all in tends to increase anxiety and depressive moods.
•          Pain takes its toll on you so be sure to see a doctor and treat both the pain and the root cause of it.
•          Keep track of your energy levels by keeping a diary and including your sleeping, eating, and activity habits for each day.  This can help you (and your doctor) find potential triggers.

If you’ve made changes but still aren’t feeling the results, definitely check in with your doctor.  Fatigue, when combined with other symptoms, could equate a more serious issue.  Don’t be afraid of sounding paranoid – you know yourself enough to know when something is off.  Your doctor’s first step will most likely be to order blood-work, something that isn’t a bad idea to get every year or so anyhow.  The solution might be as simple as adding specific vitamins/minerals to your diet but at least it will help verify that it isn’t anything auto-immune, viral, or cancerous in nature.

• National Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times
• USDA – Food and Nutrition: https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic
• CDC Physical Activity Guidelines (PDF): https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/

EASY RECIPES THAT LEAVE THE ER OUT OF YOUR HOLIDAY PLANS

Another good email from BCBS of NC with a bit of humor.

DECORATING

Start with one regular home. Add yards of lights, boxes of decorations and several extra amps of AC power. Season with open candle flames, roaring fireplaces and flammable greenery.

To keep this soufflé from falling, add a healthy dash of caution:

• Don’t leave candles or the fireplace unattended.
• When you’re climbing a ladder, always follow instructions and rely on a spotter.
• Don’t carry anything too heavy. Grab a family member!

COOKING

For every dish destined for the table, place one extra cook in the kitchen – plus multiple hot burners, open oven doors and razor-sharp knives. Sprinkle liberally with time pressure.

To keep this concoction at the proper simmer, dial in these settings:

• Schedule cooking times for different dishes to have only one or two literal cooks in the kitchen at a time.
• Use caution with carving tools and knives – and keep them away from children.
• Be mindful of cleanliness and bacteria when handling cutting boards and dishes that have contained uncooked food.
• Be careful when you’re taking things out of the oven. Keep oven mitts and potholders where guests can easily see and use them.
• Be sure to remind kids that stoves can be hot. Never leave children alone in the kitchen and make sure pot handles are out of reach. 

FOOD SAFETY

To a mixture of personal allergies and preferences, gently fold in dishes from other people’s kitchens, uncertain heating times due to shared oven space and a lack of refrigerator space for safe food storage.

Throw a pinch of caution into the mix:

• Avoid serving leftovers that are too old or were left out for too long at room temperature.
• Make sure to cook all food thoroughly to meet the recommended temperature for each item.
• Ask your guests about food allergies and restrictions so your holiday table doesn’t hold hidden dangers. 

COCKTAIL HOUR

Does the spirit move you? Popping corks and clinking glasses can be a recipe for cheer – as long as people know their limits and respect the house rules.

To make sure a “wet” celebration doesn’t dampen the season, follow these careful steps:

• Have fun, but avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach.
• Respect the decisions of people who prefer not to drink.
• Store alcoholic beverages out of reach of those who are not old enough to drink.
• And never ever drink and drive.

FAMILY FEUDS

There’s one ingredient in family harmony that can run short around the holidays: elbow room.

Follow these kitchen-tested tips to make sure things don’t get too close for comfort and joy:

• Remember why you’ve gathered – and leave hot-button issues and personal grudges at the door.
• Do at least as much listening as talking!
• Give yourself some alone time. If you’re hosting, make sure guests have quiet places where they can retreat for a breather.
• If the temperature in the room (or between your ears) starts rising, recognize the signs. Find an activity that calms you down – or change the subject.

DISRUPTED HEALTH ROUTINES OR DELAYED CARE

The holidays take us out of almost every routine: work, diet, even exercise. But your body doesn’t take a vacation from needing care.

Set yourself a mental egg timer to make sure nothing important falls by the wayside:

• Set calendar or phone reminders to help you maintain any prescribed treatment regimens.
• If you’re traveling, make sure to pack any medications you take regularly or may need in an emergency.
• Remember that heart attacks, depression and other conditions often peak this time of year. Watch for signs you may need help.
• If you feel something is wrong, get checked out!

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET HURT.

These recipes can help turn stressful holidays into happy ones. But recipes don’t always turn out the way we hope. If you do get injured or hurt over the holidays, here’s what to do:

• Know where the nearest emergency room is located – but don’t treat the Emergency Room as the first option for care.
• Urgent care centers and retail clinics can often provide the care you need with less wait and expense. Make sure to locate ones near your holiday location in case an accident or injury occurs. 
• BCBSNC’s 24/7 nurse hotline, Health Line Blue (1-877-477-2424), can be an especially valuable resource on holidays when other care locations may be closed. The hotline is here to answer questions if you want to discuss your options for care.
• Before you seek medical care, visit our Know Where to Go page to determine whether you need to go to an urgent care or the ER, and to find the location closest to you. Our Find a Doctor tool is also useful when locating in-network providers.

If your family decides to take an international trip and an emergency occurs, go to an ER. However, in all other cases, coordinate your care through BlueCard Worldwide.

http://blog.bcbsnc.com/2017/12/easy-recipes-leave-er-holiday-plans/?cmpid=EM_U13800E_2

Snowplow Safety

It is not a good idea to drive through what plows push off of bridges.

I happen to think based on the dashcam audio picking up the engine revving that it wasn't just the driver accelerating with the merge, but actively trying to beat the plow to the bridge but failing.  I think the smarter strategy would be to slow down until it has passed by.

What to do with all this CANDY? (Wellness)

There's no way we could possibly eat all this without rotting all the teeth out of our head or getting really sick.  Not terribly safety-related, but certainly wellness-related.

So this year, we are going to pick out our favorite 20 pieces each, and donate the rest to the troops!  Below is a link to a Charlotte news channel, but a quick Google search might direct you to participating dentist offices in your area.

WCNC Charlotte News Great Candy Giveaway