March 8 is International Women’s Day

I’VE BEEN THINKING

Carol Goodman Heizer is an author who moved to Hood County from Louisville, Kentucky in 2019. She has had short stories and articles published in six editions of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. Her column for the Hood County News will appear every two weeks. She was a public school teacher for 17 years, earlier in her professional career.

Today’s woman is expected to be all things to all people, and most women seem to have the inability to say “no” to increased demands upon her time and energy. Although today is International Women’s Day, this column will focus on the American woman and the health concerns with which she must deal. Various sources list the leading causes of women’s health concerns, and some of these lists may vary. But there are four that top all listings.

Heart Disease — More than one in three women have some type of cardiovascular or heart disease. According to the Center for Disease Control, 56% of women do not recognize heart disease as the leading cause of death for them. In at least 98% of these deaths, the woman has at least one of the following major factors: smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight, physical inactivity, or diabetes.

Cancer — Three major health concerns for women fall under this category: breast, ovarian, and cervical. Breast cancer can be detected early by monthly self-exams. Symptoms can include a lump, bloody discharge, and changes in the shape or texture of the breast. Treatment depends on the stage of cancer. It may consist of chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery.

Ovarian cancer is the second gynecological concern for women. Symptoms are often subtle and may include the following: abdominal bloating or swelling, quickly feeling full when eating, weight loss, discomfort in the pelvic area, fatigue, back pain, changes in bowel habits, or frequent urination. Tests for this cancer include a pelvic exam, ultrasound, CT scan, CA-125 blood test, or biopsy. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until the cancer spreads outside the ovaries.

Cervical cancer is the third gynecological concern for women. It is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV infection is common and often goes away on its own. However, it can lead to cervical cancer. This is the most common type of cancer that affects women of all ages worldwide. This cancer develops very slowly and can take years or even decades for the abnormal changes in the cervix to become invasive cancer cells. Cervical cancer might develop faster in people with weaker immune systems, but it will still likely take at least five years. Who is most likely to get cervical cancer? The potential for high-risk HPV infection that is persistent and ultimately leads to cervical cancer is higher in people who become sexually active before age 18 and those who have had multiple sexual partners.

Stroke — Someone in the United States suffers a stroke approximately every 40 seconds, and a person dies as a result of the stroke every four minutes. Sixty percent of these deaths occur in women. Many who survive become temporarily or permanently disabled. Could you recognize the warning signs of a person having a stroke? Remember the FAST rule: Face drooping, Arm weakness or numbness, Speech problems, Time to call 911! Time is critical in treating a stroke patient because additional brain tissue is affected by each passing minute.

There are two major types of stroke. The most common is the “ischemic” stroke when flood flow through the artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain becomes blocked. The second type of stroke is “the hemorrhagic” stroke when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures and either floods the brain tissue with blood or causes bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissue covering it.

In addition to the two major types of strokes, there is another type called a “transient ischemic attack” (TIA) that is also known as a mini-stroke.  When this occurs, the blood flow to the brain is blocked for only a short time — usually five minutes or more, and this limits the damage to the brain.  

Depression — True clinical depression is quite different that the usual “blues” most of us experience from time to time for perhaps a couple of weeks. Clinical depression can last anywhere from weeks or months and, in some cases, throughout one’s life. Its severity interferes with one’s daily life. Women are affected at twice the rate of men, while men with depression are more likely to die by suicide. There are also gender differences in the way symptoms are experienced.

Clinical depression can take several forms. Some examples are: Major Depressive Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and Postpartum Depression. With the advances in mental health treatment, hope is high on the horizon. Many people in the spotlight have achieved many of their goals while living with this health concern. Such people include Dick Cavett, Sheryl Crow, Ashley Judd, Jim Carrey, Judy Collins, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Brooke Shields, Kirsten Dunst, Buzz Aldrin, and Terry Bradshaw.

cgheizer@gmail.com