Today's Opinions

I don’t know where this story came from, but I love the way an unsuspecting traveler finds himself in the middle of a miracle. Jerry is on his way to Chicago on business and prays, “Please God, do me a favor. Let there be an empty seat next to mine, I don’t need any distractions.” Instead, he is seated next to a young boy named Michael, who is traveling unattended and he is scared. As the jet prepares for takeoff Jerry says to Michael, “Right about now, I usually say a prayer. I ask God to keep the plane safe and to send angels to protect us.”

My goal in life with my work at Hosparus and in my ministry projects is to care for others with great conviction and passion. But sometimes I have to be reminded by my dear wife to take care of myself. Sometimes I have to tell other hospice workers and ministers to take care of themselves.

Many of us who are care providers are far more anxious about having to confront whatever will come up in the empty space, when we are quiet and alone. Who knows what terror lurks in the anonymous solitude? What voices will arise in the silence?

Ed. note: Ask the Expert is a column submitted by the Oldham County Chamber. The question and answers are solicited by them.

QUESTION: My arthritis is worse in cold-weather months. Tips on how I can manage this?

ANSWER: “Many people experience a worsening of arthritis symptoms in cold, wet months during the fall and winter,” shared Jeremy Statton, MD, who is with Baptist Northeast Orthopedics, part of Baptist Health La Grange. “The arthritis itself isn’t worse but the pain associated with arthritis is often more intense.