Posts Tagged ‘Marie Corbo’

The first day of winter was officially December 21st. This has been a particularly icy December, so I thought it would be a good idea to talk about de-icing. This is an important concept for people interested in preventing falls and emergency room visits.

Falls on icy days can be prevented by proper footwear, de-icing pathways, walking very slowly, and drying shoes well enough to prevent accidents.

Proper footwear can prevent slipping. On the bottom of winter boots, there should be a non-slip surface to reduce the amount of friction. It is also wise to avoid shoes with a heel.

De-icing pathways will help clear the footpath, but remember to be careful! Pushing a snow blower, shoveling, salting, and cold temperatures can put extra work on your heart and increase your blood pressure. It would be a good idea to warm up your muscles before starting, shovel many light loads instead of fewer heavy ones, take breaks, and always stay hydrated.

If you think you are experiencing any sign of a heart attack, stop and call 911 or your local emergency number.

Signs of a heart attack include but are not limited to:

1. A squeezing pain in the chest

2. Shortness of breath

3. Pain that radiates up to the left shoulder and down the left arm

4. Cold sweats

5. Jaw pain

6. Lower back pain

7. Unexplained fatigue or nausea

8. Anxiety

If you have a prescription for sublingual nitroglycerin, it is always a good idea to check to make sure it has not expired. Make sure that when you are shoveling, you have someone standing by in case there is an accident.

It is also always a good idea to take it slow when it’s icy. Take small and slow steps. Limit the things you may have to carry, which can alter your ability to balance. If you are on medications termed “blood thinners” like warfarin or coumadin, you should be extra careful to prevent a fall on the ice. Once you start bleeding, it is hard to stop when your blood is thin from the medication. If you know someone on these medications make sure to warn them about taking extra precautions to avoid falling.

Once you’ve made your way back inside, take a few seconds to wipe the snow off your shoes. Puddles in the house increase fall risks. Any salt stuck on your shoe may damage the floors, as well.

Lastly, as marvelous as dangling icicles appear, they can be extremely dangerous.  Do not attempt to knock them down without the proper equipment and precaution. The ice is heavy and sharp!

It is the middle of December and since I have started my rotation here at Plain City Druggist, we have been celebrating this season with Christmas Music. Our radio dial has been tuned to Sunny 95’s continuous Christmas music.

It is amazing that any single holiday season has a musical catalog extensive enough to be continuously played with few repeats. This is because Christmas is timeless. The hymns of Silent Night, O Holy Night, and Joy to the World have been sung since the 19th century. White Christmas, which is the best-selling single of all time, was written in the 1940’s and still gets an enormous amount of airplay today. Listening to these classic holiday sounds can put you in a good mood, take you down memory lane, and give strength to your Christmas Spirit.

Growing up in Cleveland, my family and I listened to the beautiful sounds of Luciano Pavarotti’s album O Holy Night every Christmas morning. This record is a collection of recordings from some of his best performances in the 70’s. As one fan puts it, these are some of Pavarotti’s greatest expressions of religious feeling. If you enjoy classical, opera, choir, and orchestra, I think you’ll enjoy this collection.

This is an exciting time of year and I hope you enjoy all the unique sensations of this season!

It’s almost the end of the year! Let’s get your medications organized for the New Year with an MTM (Medication Therapy Management)!

At Plain City Druggist, we take pride in knowing all of our patients to ensure that they are getting the best medicines. Every prescription is checked by a trained pharmacist to make sure it has the correct dose, indication, and place in therapy. After the patient receives the medication, we would still like to make sure the patient is taking the medications at the right time of the day, with the right foods or liquids, and with the right administration method. Studies show that 50% of patients are considered to be non-adherent to their medications and very few patients take their mediations correctly. This is why some patients may benefit from a more comprehensive patient/pharmacist session called a MTM or Medication Therapy Management.

A “MTM” is a patient scheduled meeting with a pharmacist. Patients can bring in all of their medicine bottles, over-the-counter products, vitamins/herbal medications, and any questions they may have about their drugs.

Common questions:

What is this medication for?

Is there a cheaper medication than this one?

Do I still need to be on this medication?

Am I taking this medication correctly?

The pharmacist can go over the answers with you and help your understanding of the medications or have a conversation with your primary heath care provider to make things right for you.

I, a pharmacy student at The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy, would like to invite you to come and speak with me to review your medications with you one by one!  I am only here until December 31, however!  To meet with me, you can call Plain City Druggist and make an appointment that fits both our schedules. This is one additional way Plain City Druggist takes time to care for you.

We have a new student pharmacist from The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy for the month of December. Please make Marie feel welcome when you stop in the drugstore.

Here is what Marie has to say about herself:

“Hi! My name is Marie Corbo. I am from northeast Ohio. I grew up loving guitars, dogs, music, mathematics, and spending time with friends and family. I love to tell jokes and make people laugh. I also enjoy peace and quiet from time to time, but I like to work really hard, as well.

“I became interested in pharmacy after a shadowing experience at Hillcrest Hospital when I was 16. My great aunt suggested that I continue to pursue my interest in pharmacy and apply to Ohio State’s pharmacy program. As a student, I became even more interested in hospital pharmacy, but I also would like to know more about compounding, MTMs (Medication Therapy Management), and community pharmacy–that is why my advisor suggested a rotation at Plain City Druggist!

“Next year I hope to do a general one-year hospital residency and then I plan to move to Cleveland once I’m done with school.”