THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 15, 2022 Page 11 THE SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 10 Buy a brick to honor a Saugus veteran The Saugus War Monument Committee once again is sponsoring the Buy A Brick Program to honor all those who have served their country. If you would like to purchase one in the name of someone who is presently serving or has served, in the memory of a loved one, or just someone from your family, school, etc., the general pricing is $ 100 for a 4” × 8” brick ( three lines ) and $ 200 for an 8” × 8” brick ( five lines ). Each line is a maximum of 15 characters. The improvement and upkeep of the monument on the corner of Winter and Central Streets rely on the generosity of donors through fundraising. The brick application must be in by Sept. 15 to ensure the bricks will be ready for Veterans Day. Please contact Corinne Riley (781-231-7995 ) for more information and applications. SHS Class of 1962 plans 60th reunion Leaders of The Saugus High School Class of 1962 would like you to “ SAVE THE DATE. ” Their 60th Class Reunion will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, from 1 to 5 p. m. at Prince Pizzeria in Saugus. They are reaching out to contact fellow classmates as well as other alumni who would like to join them. The well-known 50’s and 60’s music group of Howie Conley will be there for musical enjoyment. Those of you who have heard them know what a performance they put on. There will be pizza and salad combinations plus soft drinks. The price includes all you can eat, tax and gratuities — plus Howie Conley’s group — and is $ 29 per person. There is a bar available for wine, beer and mixed drinks. There is no need to purchase tickets at this time. Please let one of the following people know of your interest either by a phone call or a text message so that you can be easily reached when the time draws near. No commitment is necessary. They are just exploring the number of interested classmates. Donna “ Cann ” Olivera — 781-987-4308 Jonni “ Giantonio ” Matrona — 781-439-4200 Janice “ Cristiano ” Pomeroy — 617-512-2097 Larry Seavers — 704-906-2606 SAVE announces 2022 Environmental Scholarship Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment ( SAVE ) is very pleased to announce that it is offering a $ 1,000 Environmental Scholarship to Saugus residents of the Class of 2022. This is a scholarship for students who will be attending a two/ four-year college or other educational institution and pursuing a degree in an area that would positively impact the environment. Applicants can download the SAVE 2022 Environmental Scholarship Application Form found at www.saugusSAVE.org. Together with the completed application form, please include a separate sheet ( identified with your initials only ) that provides a summary of any of your activities relating to the environment and describe how you feel your career choice will positively impact the environment. Please mail your application ( postmarked by April 22, 2022 ) to : SAVE, P. O. Box 908, Saugus, MA 01906 or email your application ( no later than midnight on April 22, 2022 ) to : SAVE Co-President Ann Devlin at adevlin@aisle10. net. Again, the deadline to submit your application is April 22, 2022. A rabies vaccination clinic in May Town Clerk Ellen Schena wants cat and dog owners to know about an upcoming rabies vaccination clinic that is set for Wednesday, May 4 from 4 to 6 p. m. This is for cats and dogs only. This will take place at the Animal Shelter ( at the rear of the DPW Building, 515 Rear Main St. in Saugus ). The vaccination costs $ 10 and can be paid by cash or check only. THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 15 Everett Aluminum 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 Owned & operated by the Conti family since 1958 • 57 Years! family since 1958 • 64 “Same name, phone number & address for over half a century. We must be doing something right!” •Vinyl Siding •Free Estimates •Carpentry Work •Fully Licensed •Decks •Roof ng • Fully Insured • Replacement Windows www.everettaluminum.com Now’s the time to schedule those home improvement projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter! Spring is Here! Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about atrial fibrillation ? Every so often, I’ve noticed my heart starts beating rapidly for no particular reason. Is this something I should be worried about ? Anxious Annie Dear Annie, Heart palpitations can be harmless if they are brief and infrequent. But if you’re experiencing an erratic heart rhy thm, you need to get checked out by a doctor for atrial fibrillation, or AFib. AFib — which is marked by rapid, fluttering beats — can lead to serious complications such as stroke and heart failure, when the weakened heart can’t pump enough blood to the rest of the body. Normally, your heartbeat follows a steady rhythm as your heart contracts and relaxes. But when you have AFib, the upper chambers of your heart ( atria ) beat rapidly and irregularly, sending blood to the lower chambers ( ventricles ) less efficiently. These episodes can last for minutes to hours or longer, and can cause palpitations, lightheadedness, fatigue, and/ or shortness of breath. Over time, AFib tends to become chronic. Age is a common risk factor for AFib, which affects roughly 10 percent of people older than 75. Other factors include genetics, obesity, diaSavvy Senior BY JIM MILLER A Common Heart Problem That’s Often Ignored betes, high blood pressure, and alcohol and tobacco use. The condition has also been linked to viral infections, including COVID-19. DIAGNOSING AFIB If you’re experiencing AFiblike symptoms you need to see your doctor who will listen to your heart and likely recommend an electrocardiogram ( EKG ) or a treadmill heart test, or you may wear a portable monitor for several weeks to look for abnormal heart rhythms to confirm a diagnosis of AFib. Such tests can help distinguish AFib from less serious conditions that may cause the heart to flutter, like anxiety and stress. AFib affects some three million adults in the United States, a number that is expected to quadruple in the coming decade as the population ages and risk factors like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure become even more common. The lifetime risk of developing AFib is greater than 20 percent, yet many people don’t even know they have it. TREATMENT OPTIONS A growing body of research underscores the importance of lifestyle steps such as exercise, a healthy diet, and limiting alcohol for treating AFib. Depending on your age and symptoms, your doctor may prescribe drugs to help control your heart rate, like beta blockers such as metoprolol ( Toprol XL ); and/or rhythm, such as antiarrhythmics like flecainide ( Tambocor ). You may also need an electrical cardioversion, an outpatient procedure that delivers an electrical shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm. You will be sedated for this brief procedure and not feel the shocks. Catheter ablation is another outpatient treatment for AFib that scars a small area of heart tissue that causes irregular heartbeats. This procedure is becoming more common based on evidence of its safety and ability to normalize the heart rhythm and ease symptoms. Ablations can be effective in people 75 and older, but medication may still be required afterward. If you’re at higher risk for stroke, you may be prescribed a blood thinner, too. In the past, Coumadin ( war farin ) was the only such drug widely available, but it requires monitoring with regular blood tests. Newer anticoagulants, like apixaban ( Eliquis ) and rivaroxaban ( Xarelto ), don’t have that requirement and have been shown to be just as effective at preventing strokes. Send your senior ques t ions to : Savvy Senior, P. O. Box 5443, No rman, OK 73070, or vi s i t SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “ The Savvy Senior” book.
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