•     Sadness
•     Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
•     Change in weight
•     Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
•     Energy loss
•     Feelings of worthlessness
•     Thoughts of death or suicide

• Avoid contact with corded phones.
• Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords.  Unplug electronic equipment well before the storm arrives because power surges from lightning can cause serious damage.
• Avoid contact with plumbing and bathroom fixtures because they can conduct electricity: do not wash hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes or do laundry.
• Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
• Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls.
• If you're caught outside during a storm, stay away from tall trees. Avoid open fields, beaches, and boats on the water. If possible, seek shelter in a thick growth of small trees or in a low lying area.  Also avoid anything metal such as golf clubs/carts, tractors, bicycles, etc. Seek shelter in a car if possible, but avoid touching any of its metal parts. 

• Breathing - if breathing has stopped, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
  
• Heartbeat - if the heart has stopped, administer CPR.
  
• Pulse - if the victim has a pulse and is breathing, look for other possible injuries. Check for burns where the lightning entered and left the body. Also be alert for nervous system damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing and eyesight.

• Use sunscreens with broad spectrum SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed.
• Limit time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are most intense.
• Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun; for example, long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses, and broad-brimmed hats.
• Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours, more often if you’re sweating or jumping in and out of the water.

• Refueling your car after dusk
• Limiting engine idling
• Avoiding using gas powered lawn equipment
• Conserving electricity and set your air conditioner at a higher temperature
• Combining trips or using public transportation

• Get a durable power of attorney for medical care so that you can make health care decisions and review medical records.
  
• Request a complete facility profile from the State Health Department, Licensing and Certification Department for the facility you intend to use. Note the number of complaints, the fines assessed and whether the fines have been paid.
  
• Notice how many people in the facility seem to be in stupors or in bed or unable to walk or talk. If many patients fall into this category, be wary of over medication at the facility, especially with the psychotropic drugs Haldol, Thorazine, Mellaril and Prolixin.
  
• Visit at different times during the day, including meal times. Take notice of the types of food and nutritional balance. Dehydration is a problem, so make sure water is available at all times and that it is easily accessible to the patient.
  
• Be sure the patient is actually seen by the doctor and talk with the doctor personally. If the doctor is difficult to contact, bring in another doctor to examine the patient.
  
• Take seriously any complaints the patient has about mistreatment by the staff. Don't accept the facilities statement that the patient is old and doesn't know what's going on.
  
• Check the patient's body for bedsores, particularly the tailbone, feet and hips. Stage 4, the most serious stage of bedsores, causes death in many cases.
  
• Report any signs of bad care to the state licensing office in your state that licenses and regulates nursing homes. Be sure to follow up on the complaint to insure accountability.

• Diabetes kills more Americans every year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
• It is the #1 cause of blindness in adults.
• It doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• 1 in 13 of all Americans have diabetes.
• 1 in 4 of those don't know it yet.
• 1 in 5 are on their way to getting it. Having a condition called prediabetes means you are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next three to six years. People with prediabetes have blood glucose (sugar) levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

• Change your diet. People at high risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight, or about 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. You can do that by eating healthier and being physically active for 30 minutes, five days a week.
• Increase your level of physical activity. Physical activity can help you control your weight, blood glucose, and blood pressure, as well as raise your "good" cholesterol and lower your "bad" cholesterol.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese raises your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
  
  Diabetes care begins with informed patients.
• Talk to your health care provider about how to manage your blood glucose (A1C), blood pressure, and cholesterol.
• Get a flu vaccine. For those with diabetes, it is important to ask for the "shot" version. Talk to your health care provider about a pneumonia (pneumococcal) shot. People with diabetes are more likely to die from pneumonia or influenza than people who do not have diabetes.

Enjoy the benefits of a healthy weight

• Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI )

• Be Active Your Way:  The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans describe the major research findings about the health benefits of physical activity:

• Track Your Food and Exercise with MyPyramid Tracker, an online dietary and physical activity assessment tool that provides information on your diet quality and physical activity status.  You can also find links to:

Do you or a loved one have a medical condition that may require immediate medical assistance but don't possess a phone?  There may be a solution for you.

SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program that provides a free cell phone and airtime each month to income eligible customers.

To Qualify:
The process to qualify depends on the State you live in. In general, you may qualify if...You already participate in another State or Federal assistance program such as Federal Public Housing Assistance, Food Stamps, and Medicaid.  Or your total household income is at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines set by your State and/or the Federal Government. And no one in your household currently receives service from another phone carrier. And you have a valid United States Postal Address. In order to receive your free phone you must live at a residence that can receive mail from the US Post Office. Sorry, but P.O. Boxes cannot be accepted.  In addition to meeting the guidelines above you will also be required to provide proof of your participation in an assistance program, or proof of your income level.

You can enroll online at www.safelink.com . To apply you will need your address and social security number. If you exceed the free airtime (68 minutes in Florida), you can purchase additional minutes.

SAFELINK WIRELESS® service is a U.S. government supported program for income eligible households provided by TracFone Wireless, Inc. TracFone Wireless is America’s largest and number one prepaid cell phone provider in the U.S.