November 14, 2016 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Maj. (Ret.) James “Jamie” Donald of West Grove

Maj. (Ret.) James “Jamie” Donald, 54, of West Grove,died Friday, Nov. 11, while hiking in French Creek State Park.

He was the son of the late Edward Donald and Mary Coe.

He is survived by his wife, Kari T. Donald, and his children: son Bryan J. Donald and wife Christianna, of Corpus Christi, Texas, son Paul J. Donald and wife Samantha of Middletown, R.I.; daughter Renae Gigon and husband Michael of Mont Clare, Pa., and daughter Andreah L. Donald and her son Charles. Other family members include M. Kathleen Donald, Sara Schuster, Patricia Parrelly, Heather Hammitte, Thomas Donald, Michael Donald, and Todd Coe.

Jamie served our country courageously as a pilot in the United States Air Force for 23 years. He is a veteran of the First Gulf War, Operation Provide Comfort, and Operation Enduring Freedom. Following retirement from the Air Force he became an engineer at the Boeing Corporation in Philadelphia.

He was an active member of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in West Grove, and was a Diaconate Candidate in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia where he studied at the St. Charles Boromeo Seminary in Overbrook.

Jamie shared in God’s creation through woodworking, making cheese, computer programming, and faith formation. A charitable and giving man, he always opened his heart and the doors of his home to anyone in need, asking only that after receiving his help that they move on to help others. He loved spending time with his family and friends.

You are invited to visit with his family and friends for a viewing from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 300 State Road in West Grove. His funeral mass will follow at 1 p.m. Burial will be in Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, Mich.

In memory of Jamie, a contribution may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecocares.com

Arrangements by the Foulk & Grieco Funeral Home, West Grove.

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2-vehicle crash closes northbound Rt. 202

Local News

On Monday, Nov. 14, the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department responded at 9:19 a.m. to a two-vehicle auto accident at the intersection of Route 202 and Stanton Avenue in Westtown Township.

Police arrived on location to find the driver of a 2000 Honda Accord trapped inside the vehicle, which suffered extensive passenger’s-side damage. The driver of the second vehicle, a 2005 Ford F-150 pickup truck, was out of the vehicle and reported no injuries. The driver of the Honda, once extricated, was transported to Paoli Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, a police press release said.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the Honda Accord was southbound on Route 202, also known as Wilmington Pike, and made a left turn toward Stanton Avenue into the path of the northbound Ford pickup, the release said.

Police did not identify either driver but said a 45-year-old male from Philadelphia operated the Honda while a 22-year-old male from Malvern was driving the pickup.

The accident, which remains under investigation, disrupted northbound traffic on Route 202 for about an hour, the release said. Police said that once the fire companies arrived, both northbound lanes of Route 202 had to be closed.

The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department was assisted by the West Goshen Township Police Department, First West Chester Fire Company, Fame Fire Company, Good Fellowship Ambulance, Concordville Ambulance and West Chester Fire Police, the release said.

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Phila. police seeking public’s help to ID woman

Police

Philadelphia Police are looking for the public’s help to identify a woman who was wandering near Pennypack Park in the early hours of Monday, Nov. 14, without a coat.

Police said officers responded at 1:55 a.m. to the 8700 block of Pine Road for a call about a woman who appeared to be confused and inadequately dressed for the weather. When officers attempted to communicate with her, they said she was uncooperative. She was transported to Jeanes Hospital for a medical evaluation, according to a police press release.

In order to reunite her with her family, police are hoping someone will have information on her identity. Police said she appeared to be in her late 60s or early 70s, six-feet-tall, and 175 pounds with gray hair; she was wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue scrub pants, and white sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Northeast Detective Division at 215-686-3153 or call 911.

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Op/ed: Color 5K a bright spot in opioid fight

Opinion

On an early November Saturday morning, the Borough of West Chester was filled with county residents of all ages, who were there for a single purpose: to shine a light – or in this case, splash some brightly colored powder – on the opioid and heroin addiction epidemic that is affecting us all.

Chester County commissioner expresses thanks for support for inaugural Color 5K. — Chester County commissioner expresses thanks to those who supported the inaugural Color 5K.

The facts are terrifying. According to the Centers for Disease Control/National Center for Health Statistics, there were nearly 44,000 deaths from drug poisoning in 2013, 81 percent of which were accidental overdoses. Just last month, JAMA Pediatrics published information that showed the rate of U.S. children hospitalized for prescription-opioid overdoses more than doubled over a 16-year period ending in 2012, and hospitalizations for heroin overdoses among teens 15 to 19 nearly tripled over the same period.

The atmosphere in Everhart Park on the Saturday morning of the Chester County Color 5K was charged with a range of emotions that reflected the purpose of the event. For many, it was an occasion to remember and honor loved ones who lost their lives to opioids or heroin, or those who continue to fight the effects of addiction to opioids or heroin every day. For others, it was an opportunity to contribute to awareness-raising and fundraising for a disease that is affecting our community, our state, and our nation. But for everyone, it was a morning that was bright and fun, and that allowed us to come together and show that Chester County will continue to find practical and effective ways to address and combat this epidemic.

The final figures aren’t in yet, but we know that tens of thousands of dollars have been raised by the Chester County Color 5K, which will be used to establish a warm hand-off program in Chester County’s five hospitals. This warm hand-off program will ensure that those who have been physically saved from an overdose can and will be directed from the hospital to the right program to bring physical, mental and emotional healing through treatment and counseling.

On behalf of my fellow County Commissioners, Terence Farrell and Kathi Cozzone, and Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan, I thank everyone who participated in Chester County’s inaugural Color 5K. From sponsors, education and counseling organizations and volunteers, to the 770-plus people who ran or walked through West Chester, I congratulate each and every one of you for making the decision to join in the collaborative work that Chester County is undertaking to address the drug abuse and overdose problem. We will continue to work at it until the problem is eliminated.

Michelle Kichline

Chester County Commissioner

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Kennett Library welcomes new board member

Local News, Local News Kennett, Local News Pennsbury, Local News Pocopson

As the Kennett Library Board of Trustees moves forward on plans for a new facility, it has welcomed a new board member,

The Kennett Library Board of Trustees is increasing its numbers while working on expanding its facility.

Margaret R. Egli was inducted as a trustee appointed by East Marlborough Township last month, bringing the board back up to 15. Stan Allen of East Marlborough Township resigned from the board in September for personal reasons.

Egli retired in 2012 after serving almost 40 years in the retail banking industry in Connecticut and Chester County. She has served on a number of nonprofit boards, including the Kennett Area YMCA, the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, and the Willowdale Steeplechase Tailgate organization. She is also a retired Rotarian from the Kennett Rotary Club of Longwood, said a library press release.

The board has been busy in recent months garnering feedback from area residents about what they’d like to see in a new library. A majority of residents in Kennett Square Borough and East Marlborough, Kennett, Newlin, New Garden, Pennsbury, Pocopson, and West Marlborough townships agree that the library has outgrown its present location in the 200 block of East State Street in Kennett Square.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the library is hosting a presentation to update residents on the project’s progress at 7 p.m. in the Monroe Nute room of the Kennett Fire Company at 301 Dalmatian Street in Kennett Square. The public will learn the preliminary results of community input.

In addition, the architects will discuss initial space planning concepts for the new library and illustrate how the new building fits on the proposed site, a borough-owned property known as the Weinstein lot, located at the intersection of East State and South Willow streets. Finally, they will open the discussion for questions and comments from the public.

Anyone who hasn’t yet accessed the survey is urged to do so by visiting the library website at http://www.KennettLibrary.org.

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PennDOT: ‘Tis season to think of safety

Health

PennDOT is inviting parents and caregivers to make this holiday season a safer one by taking advantage of free car seat checks across the state that will complement the nationwide Click It or Ticket “Operation Safe Holiday” enforcement effort occurring from Nov. 20 through Dec. 4.

State police will beef up safety enforcement during the holidays. — State police will beef up seatbelt, DUI enforcement during the holidays.

Troopers and other department members certified as child passenger safety technicians will conduct no-cost car seat fittings, at various locations through Nov. 27, no appointment necessary. Car seats will be checked for suitability, and participants will receive instruction on proper installation and child restraint. For a complete list of child passenger seat fitting stations, visit www.psp.pa.gov, said a PennDOT press release.

“Seat-belts and child passenger safety seats save lives when used properly,” Maj. Edward Hoke, director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Patrol, said in the release. “Troopers will be issuing citations for seat-belt and child seat violations as part of the enforcement effort, but other focuses of ‘Operation Safe Holiday’ are education and prevention.”

Under Pennsylvania law, children under the age of 4 must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat. A new provision, signed into law this summer, mandates that children under 2 be secured in a rear-facing car seat. Children from age 4 to 8 must use an appropriate booster seat.

Children ages 8 to 18 must wear a seat-belt when riding anywhere in a vehicle, and all drivers and front-seat passengers 18 and older are required to buckle up.

“Part of PennDOT’s mission is to educate the public on safety concerns and encourage them to do the right thing to protect themselves and their families, PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said in the release. “This holiday season we’ll work with law enforcement to urge travelers to always buckle up and never drive impaired by drugs or alcohol.”

During enforcement operations, law enforcement will conduct seat belt and impaired driving enforcement simultaneously because unbelted and impaired driving crashes are shown to be significant contributors to traffic injuries and deaths, especially during nighttime hours

According to PennDOT data, during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period in 2015, including the weekend before and after the holiday as well as the day itself, 4,029 crashes and 45 fatalities in those crashes occurred statewide. The Christmas and New Year’s travel periods, including the weekend before Christmas, New Year’s and the weekend after, saw 4,985 crashes and 46 fatalities.

Additionally, during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays last year, 1,209 of the statewide crashes involved a driver impaired by drugs or alcohol, with 38 fatalities in those crashes. In that same period, there were 1,076 crashes with unbuckled occupants, with 48 fatalities in those crashes.

Officials also encouraged travelers to use the SaferRide app. The app, developed in 2014 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in an effort to curb drunk driving, is available for free on Android and Apple devices and is a great option to facilitate a safe ride home after you’ve been drinking. Once the app is downloaded, you can use it to call a taxi or a friend by identifying your location so you can be picked up.

The holiday seat-belt and DUI enforcement are funded by part of PennDOT’s statewide distribution of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration enforcement monies this federal fiscal year. For more information on PennDOT’s highway safety efforts visit, www.penndot.gov/safety.

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What you need to know about knee replacement surgery

Health

Woman-Jogging-on-Pier — Here’s what you should know about recovering fully from knee replacement surgery.

The good news: Even though you’re into middle age, you’re still very active physically.

The bad news: All that activity places a lot of wear and tear on your joints, especially your knees. Oh, your aching knees! That deep, grinding pain will not go away. In fact, it seems to be getting worse. And now your doctor is recommending knee replacement surgery.

And now more good news: Knee replacement surgery has come a long way over the last couple decades.

Yes, it’s still considered major surgery and it will take some time before you’re back to your old self. However, with hard work, persistence and patience, you can get back to taking those weekend runs or playing pick-up hoops at the gym. And now you’ll be pain-free!

Here’s what you should know about recovering fully from knee replacement surgery.

As soon as you wake up from surgery, rehab begins. The physical therapists and occupational therapist will have you out of bed, standing and even walking, using a walker or crutches, the day of surgery. They will then see you every day during your inpatient hospital stay.

The usual hospital stay is two to three days. You should expect to have pain at the onset; this is normal. The doctor will prescribe pain medicine to help you manage your way through this period. Early mobilization has been shown to produce the best results. By the time you’re ready to be discharged, you will have taken longer walks and even gone up and down stairs. You should be able to bend your knee to about 90 degrees.

When you go home, a physical therapist will visit you there to work with you within 24 to 48 hours after discharge. With the home therapist, you’ll work on a series of exercises to strengthen the knee, and perfect your walking pattern and stamina. If for some reason, you are unable to go directly home there are options. Hospital staff will discuss these with you during your inpatient stay if needed. This early rehab phase usually lasts about a week.

When you’re home, be smart about your activities. Don’t overdo it. Stair climbing should be kept to a minimum, especially in the early days. You should sit in a chair with armrests; this will be easier to get in and out of than something without armrests. Also, take precautions with your environment – temporarily remove throw rugs that can be easy to trip or slip on, and keep pets away while you are walking. In their excitement, your furry friends can jump and knock you off balance, or simply get underfoot and trip you up.

After about two weeks, your knee should feel substantially stronger, and you should be able to walk further distances with considerably less pain. Your doctor will prescribe outpatient physical therapy at your follow-up visit. This is a crucial part of the rehabilitative process and will aid in regaining a bulk of your knee’s strength and range of motion for optimal results.

Your knee is still fragile – it’s important that you don’t pivot on it or twist it for the first six weeks after surgery. At six weeks, you might be ready to drive again – but always ask your doctor first before you jump behind the wheel.

In the weeks that follow, you’ll begin to do more advanced and aggressive exercises, such as riding a stationary bike. By the end of three months, if you’ve been diligent about physical therapy, you should be back to everyday activities.

Recovery from knee replacement surgery isn’t necessarily easy and it takes some hard work, but the results – becoming pain-free and active – are worth it. However, with patience, it doesn’t take too long before you’ll be back and better than ever.

About Crozer Keystone Staff

Crozer-Keystone Health System’s physicians, specialists and advanced practitioners are committed to improving the health of our community through patient-centered, quality care across a full continuum of health services. Crozer Brinton Lake is Crozer-Keystone’s comprehensive outpatient care facility in western Delaware County, offering primary care, specialty services, outpatient surgery and advanced cancer treatment. Contact us: 300 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342 http://www.crozerkeystone.org/Brinton-Lake 1-855-254-7425

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