Senior Connections SeniorConnections July/Aug 2019 | Page 3

ANEURYSM from Pg 1 That was especially hard for the avid horse rider. “I’m 68,” she said. “I still want to get in a few good years of riding.” Kayan assured her that everything would be okay. “I really felt confi dent he knew what he was doing,” she said. “I trusted him.” Kayan was confi dent, too. “We were part of the trial to get FDA approv- al,” Kayan said. “Eight cases were done at Abbott as part of the trial back in 2014 and 2015. There were multiple center nationwide trials that in- volved 150 patients . . . I had experience with the device with that trial.” Kayan noted that European surgeons had been using the device for years. One of the benefi ts of it is that the surgeon can customize it to the size of the aneurysm. “It hugs the walls of the aneurysm,” Kayan said. “You can be much more certain it will stay in place. You plug up the aneurysm while keep- ing the branches open.” Other benefi ts of the WEB procedure are that it takes a fraction of the time to complete and recovery time is quicker. “I recovered from the second faster than the fi rst,” Skoog-Edholm said. “It took a shorter amount of time. It was only 26 minutes. The oth- er was 3.5 hours.” “With coiling, you have to pass many coils to fi ll one space,” Kayan said. “This is one and done. With coiling, you may have to use additional de- vices like a stent to keep the coils in the aneu- rysm. This is much more streamlined.” The WEB device has changed the game when it comes to treating aneurysms. “The main message is that this device gives us the ability to expand the toolkit we have to treat aneurysms,” Kayan said. “It enables us to treat an- eurysms that were previously much higher risk to treat and allows us to treat them more safely and quickly. There is less risk of stroke and bleeding in the brain, it’s a quicker procedure, and it en- ables us to treat a broader spectrum of aneurysms from inside the blood vessels.” The main message for Skoog-Edholm is that she is alive. “It would have been fatal,” she said. “I’m very, very lucky.” Trail highlighting the past is planned for the future GABE LICHT Editor For 22 years, Debbie DeBeer has had a vision of a Delano Heritage Trail featuring the history of the city. This year, it is beginning to come to fruition. Nine people attended an organizational meeting in May, and a second meeting took place Monday, June 10, at The 221 Common House, located at 2 “It’s going to take people who have a passion for history, particularly Delano history, even if you don’t live in Delano,” DeBeer said. Her interest in the history of Delano began when she moved to the community in 1997. “When I moved here, they were talking about historic Delano,” DeBeer said. “What is the his- tory?” Not only did she want to learn the history, but she wanted to showcase it. One way to do so would be a heritage trail, similar to a trail she was famil- iar with during her time living in Singapore. She is a member of the Delano Franklin Town- ship Area Historical Society, and previously served on a local historic preservation committee, helping her get more familiar with the town’s his- tory. “I’ve heard all sorts of wonderful stories, but they’re not written down,” DeBeer said. “I have a science background. I’m not going to write the stories, but I love the stories . . . We need a lot of people to make this happen.” One of the people who has shown interest is Yvonne Lazaretti. “She, at Old-Fashioned Christ- mas, talked to Sarah Hellmich and said, ‘Can we do a map of the downtown area like they have in Jordan?’” DeBeer said. “I’ve seen it in various places. We go to little towns, that’s the fi rst thing I do is see if they have a walking tour or signage that tells about the town.” Theresa Jacobs, of the Delano Public Library, also came forward with the idea of hosting a historic walk in September. DeBeer’s vision is to have a trail of sorts so “people can access signage at the different buildings This postcard shows a historic look at River Street south of the bridge. A lo- and sites that have perhaps a little cal group is working to showcase such history with a “Heritage Trail.” PHOTO FROM THE COLLECTION OF BILL EPPLE information, perhaps a photo, we’ll “One fellow is working on maps and signs,” have to see . . . . With a QR code you can go directly to that site, or have the URL DeBeer said. “Some are working on fi nding in- formation about buildings. We need the storytell- on the sign, as well.” The site DeBeer is referencing would have an ers and people who can record those stories. We need funding to transcribe the stories and make archive of photos, stories, and information. “If we have a site that is more accessible to more the signs and that type of thing. I’m looking at people, then maybe that information can come to- what grants might be available.” gether,” DeBeer said. “That’s why we want it on a More are welcome to join the cause. site and not just a printed book, so it can be con- “This is open to anybody,” DeBeer said. “If anybody has other ideas, I’m not dictating how it stantly updated.” As the group DeBeer is organizing comes to- should be done. We need to fi gure out how to re- gether, everyone has something different to bring cord these stories and how to frame them.” to the table. Senior Connections HJ.COM Senior Connections July/August 2019 3