The Press-Dispatch
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C-4 Wednesday, October 10, 2018 The Press-Dispatch HOME LIFE TO ADVERTISE: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: ads@pressdispatch.net Visit: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg Deadline: 5 p.m. on Monday Youth First Today by Salita Brown, Youth First, Inc. Opioids and Rx awareness Katiedid vs... by Katiedid Langrock When in Oz Addiction…overdose…death…all of these serious consequences have be- come synonymous with opioid use. Opioids are very powerful drugs that have received a lot of news coverage lately. However, through all of the cov- erage the reason opioids have become so addictive has gotten lost. So, what exactly is an opioid? Why are people addicted to them? Accord- ing to the Mayo Clinic website, mayoc- linic.org, an opioid is a broad group of pain-relieving drugs that work by in- teracting with the opioid receptors in your brain cells, meaning an opioid can temporarily control your brain. Opioids trigger the brain to release a signal that lessons your perception of pain and increases your feeling of plea- sure. This feeling of pleasure, though temporary, has led to repeated over- doses. The Center for Disease Con- trol (CDC) currently reports 46 peo- ple die every day from opioid-related overdoses. This crisis is one that everyone can help combat, even if you think it does not affect you directly. One of the eas- iest methods to combat this problem is proper disposal of unused medica- tions. All unused/expired medications become quite dangerous when found by the wrong person. This is especially dangerous when medications find their way into the hands of a child. In order to help prevent this issue it's best to get those medications out of your home. You might think you need to go to your medicine cabinet and flush those unused pills down the toi- let or maybe throw them directly into the trash. You are not entirely wrong, but both of those disposal methods re- quire a couple more steps in order to be effective. So, what exactly is the proper means for disposing of your expired or unused prescriptions? One option is to bring the unwanted medications to an autho- rized collector. An authorized collec- tor will simply take the medications, with no questions asked, and proper- ly dispose of them for you. To find an authorized collector near you, please call the DEA Office of Diversion Con- trol at 1-800 -882-9539. Another option is to flush your un- used medications down the toilet. How- ever, before you rush to flush all of your medications, please be advised that not all medicines are recommend- ed for flushing. The Food and Drug Ad- ministration (FDA) has a list of med- icines approved for flushing that can be found by checking their website at www.fda.gov. If your medication is not on the approved list, you can always take it to an authorized collector or uti- lize the next option. The final disposal option is to throw the medications in the trash. Proper trash disposal requires that the medi- cation be mixed, not crushed, with an inedible substance and closed firm- ly in a container or plastic bag. If you choose to dispose of the medication in its original pill bottle, it is recommend- ed to scratch off or remove any identi- fying labels. Now that you know the proper meth- od for disposing those unused pre- scriptions, take time to rid your home of them in a safe manner. Proper pre- scription medication disposal may not solve the opioid crisis, but it cer- tainly will not worsen it. If anything, safe-proofing your home for your loved ones is an excellent reason to proper- ly dispose of unused/expired medica- tions. This column is written by Sali- ta Brown, project manager for Youth First, Inc., a local nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families. This fall, Youth First will provide 53 Mas- ter's level social workers to 75 schools in 10 Indiana counties. Over 38,000 youth and families per year have access to Youth First's school social work and after-school programs that prevent sub- stance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maximize student success. When in Rome — or Australia, as it were. My family and I spent the past few weeks traipsing around Down Under, where a children's show pilot I wrote is being turned into a T V series. A fter a few work meetings, we were off to visit three old Aussie friends I'd kept from when I lived across the world many moons ago. Not to brag, but I consider myself a bit of an expert when it comes to the creepy-crawlies that will kill you on the Red Continent — which really just means all of them. I have had my fair share of run-ins and know the drill: You should avoid, stomp, kill or run — all perfectly suitable options (depend- ing on the creature) and none of which leaves me with any shame. "Avoid" tends to be my favorite approach, but it's often coupled with "run" — which is why I kicked myself when I was bit- ten by multiple green ants soon after we landed. Completely unacceptable. Oh, no, not this visit, death-wielding creepy-crawlies. I brought my kids along this time, and there will be no more bites or stings. Is that quite understood? I'd like to give you the impression that this was said in my head with a clenched jaw of determination. But in reality, it was said out loud, to the ether, with the high pitch of insanity. Judge all you like; we had no more run- ins with the six- or eight- or zero-leg- ged harbingers of doom for the rest of the trip. I'm pretty sure they got the message when I screamed my threats like a crazy person. Unfortunately, not everything in Australia got the message. Perhaps I was too specific in my condemnation. There is an interesting phenome- non that takes hold when one is traveling abroad. Everything is so foreign, so uncomfortably differ- ent, that inner peace tends to come from taking guid- ance from the locals. When in Rome, eat pasta and drink warm water. See? Simple. When in Australia, allow your children to nearly die, and laugh it off as life les- sons. Less simple. First there was the beach with the shark alarm. Didn't know that's a thing? Neither did I. Here, at this lovely cove filled with holiday swimmers and surfers, a yellow motorized raft zips back and forth a few feet beyond where the waves crest and the distance swim- mers practice. Two lifeguards aboard look for sharks within striking dis- tance of the vacationers. When they see one, they sound an alarm. It was quite loud. Everyone quickly cleared the water — except, of course, for my son. A fter my Aussie friend told me what the noise was for, I said, "My boy is still in the water! " "That's all right," my friend replied. "It'll be good for him." Most Australian thing said ever. Losing an arm to a shark attack might teach him empathy, but I'd rather teach it to him myself through some serious reading material and a few timeouts for bad behavior. Then there was the electric fence that my friends' kids and my own de- cided to grab. Then they screamed and proceeded to repeat the process. Gr- ab and scream, grab and scream. All well and good in crazy Aus- sie land — that is, until my 2-year-old decided to test the fence on her bare belly. "She'll be all right," my friend said. "Good lesson, though, eh? " Of course, there were the prickers that ensnared our children's feet. They'd come hobbling over with verita- ble cactuses attached to their souls. Moms and dads picked out the nee- dles and sent them off barefoot, only to have it happen again moments lat- er. There was the jellyfish that had washed ashore. When my friend's child asked whether she could touch it, she received an "I wouldn't, but you can let me know how that goes." Her finger stung for days. I gave different guidance, and my son cried for a half- hour because it wasn't fair he couldn't get stung. Parentingwise, I seriously question which of us made the right choice. Last but not least, there was the wild echidna my mate tracked down. He invited his own kids to come over and pet the spiny anteater. They were more than eager to allow their hands to be pierced by the quills. My kids quick- ly followed. When in Rome. I pet the wild echidna, too. It was probably the highlight of my trip. Maybe acting a tad crazy and letting go a bit is good for us. Like Katiedid Langrock on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/katiedidhumor. NO BAKE PUMPKIN OATMEAL COOKIES MEALS IN Monica's MINUTES Share your favorite recipe! www.facebook.com/mealsinminutes Monica's Meals in Minutes PO Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567 mealsinminutes@pressdispatch.net FACEBOOK MAIL EMAIL By Monica Sinclair With our son being in the mil- itary now, I've been looking for recipes that I could make that would travel well in a care pack- age. This week, I found a recipe for no-bake cookies that I'm go- ing to try this weekend. Instead of chocolate, they are made with pumpkin, a fall staple. Since they take less than 15 minutes to prepare, I should be able to get a couple of batch- es made and shipped off to him in no time. Enjoy! INGREDIENTS • 1 ½ cups sugar • ½ cups brown sugar • ¾ cups butter • 2/3 cups milk • 3 1/3 oz. pumpkin spice instant pudding mix • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 3 ½ cups quick-cooking oats DIRECTIONS 1. In a saucepan, combine sugars, butter and milk. 2. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. 3. Remove from heat and add in the pudding mix, stirring to combine completely. 4. Add in pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and oats. Stir to combine and let stand 5 minutes. 5. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto waxed pa- per and allow to cool completely. Source: onceamonthmeals.com 21st OFFERS FINANCING FOR: HOME ONLY LAND HOME LAND IN LIEU BUY-FOR USED HOME FINANCING SECONDARY HOUSING VISIT: Apply.21stMortgage.com FAX: 1.877.312.2100 *Certain loan conditions must be met. NO APPLICATION FEES OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS TO APPLY. WE FINANCE CREDIT SCORES ALL * 814 Niblack Blvd., Vincennes • 1-800-743-7004 www.bairdvincennes.com HOMES Reorder the home for $64,900 LOT HOME starting at $62,900 Wouldn't I look even more adorable in front of a Baird Home? Wouldn't you love the savings if you buy right now? MIDWEST REALTY 1704 E. 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