Matters of the heart matter

Although February is designated as Heart Health Awareness Month, it should be every month. Coronary disease claims twice as many lives each year as all forms of cancer combined. Heart attack symptoms can be subtle, especially for women.

On Jan. 17, 2008, I was emceeing the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet at Templin's Resort. During the evening, I felt a bit clammy and muddleheaded, but I finished the event.       

I told Bert that I was feeling "odd" and didn't want to go home; I wanted to go to the emergency room at Kootenai Health. That decision likely saved my life. 

At the ER, within minutes, the cardiologist on duty told me the bad news was that I was having a heart attack, but the good news was that I was at the hospital. Within 30 minutes, I was receiving two coronary arterial stents. I was 55 years old and just two weeks into my first term on the Post Falls City Council. 

Today I'm 73, having served 16 years on the council, over 60 pounds lighter, and around to celebrate the birth of my first great-grandchild in 2024.     

Since 2008, I've thoroughly enjoyed 6,579 bonus days. Every day is a blessing for real.   

Listen to your body!

Heart.org 

• • • 

So far this winter, there haven’t been many days when both the high and low temperatures have been below freezing and into the teens, optimum colored ice ball weather.

That’s good news for many, but what I know from years of living here is that Mother Nature is just getting started with winter weather curveballs.

Here’s the colored ice ball information in advance for the inevitable Polar Express of Winter 2026.

Fill a balloon about two-thirds full of water, then add several drops of food coloring before tying it and shaking it to mix. Set outdoors on a flat surface, not touching each other. Exhibit patience for about 48 hours before removing the balloon from the frozen ball.

Enjoy!

• • •

Happy birthday today to Ryan Davis, Chelsea Camarata, Nicole Jones, Carrie Beals and Mary Crosby. Tomorrow, Eric English, Analisa Raynor, Nora Horn, Larry Spencer, Angie Phillips, Glen Abbott and Peggy Brothers open their gifts. On Friday, Gordon Conger, Chelsea Dickinson, Sadie Lynn Fisher, Daryl Gankema, Joy Lynch, Paul Lash and Jamie Crawford have their cake and eat it, too. On Saturday, Connie Arthur, Sue Myers, Marion Richardson, Jody Azevedo, Tina Nowoj, Kylie Frank, Josh Adams, Cindy Shepperd, May Lynn Hammon, Danelle Reagan, Jillian-Kate Scott and Acaja-Lyn Scot blow out the candles. Rod Heitstuman, Jerrilou Shofner, Shauna Moore, Jonathan Madrid, Marlene Waddell, Lizzie Nowoj, Jadrian Hammon, Pearl Robertson, Athena Kinsry, Michaelle Sande, Mike Earin, Sherry Farmer and Rick Demmig mark their special day on Sunday. On Monday, Christa Hazel, Alex Jimenez, Rosemary Goodlander, Kali Snider Johnson, Jeff Hall, Linda Hall, Austin Chadderdon, Nicholle Sheppard, David Townsend, Julie Kirking, Russell Larson and Jeff and Candace Smith do the birthday dance. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have no excuse for missing each other’s birthdays since they share the date. Mike Hendricks and Khloe Peacock will celebrate on Jan. 27.

• • •

Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email [email protected].