Hospital official speaks to 36 Club members

Ginger Henderson, director of special projects at Metroplex Hospital, was guest speaker for the GFWC/TFWC 36 Club at the Feb. 14 meeting at the Hancock Springs Hostess House.

Mrs. Henderson was recently transferred to the Killeen hospital after a number of years as administrative director at Rollins Brook Community Hospital in Lampasas.

She spoke on shingles in humans. Shingles is the same virus as the chicken pox virus. When a person has chicken pox, the virus will stay in the body until some time later in life it can come out as shingles.

Shingles will usually appear initially as a small place that burns and itches; then it spreads. Usually it appears on one side of the body and lasts several weeks.

The severity of the case depends on a number of things, including the person's condition, age and other factors.

Medications available now are more effective if they are applied early in the case. A shingles vaccine also is available.

Mrs. Henderson then discussed heart disease and strokes, the number one killer of women.

Stroke occurs in the brain as either a clot or bleeding. The sooner medical attention is given, the better the prognosis.

The two different types of strokes are treated differently, and a CAT scan can determine which course of treatment is needed. Symptoms include speech impairment, weakness in limbs, memory problems and others.

President Crystal Hammett presided at the business meeting.

Nominating committee chairman Bea Hohman read the approved slate of officers for the next two years to include Amy McDaniel, president; Gladys Dickison, vice president; Martha Green, recording secretary; Dorothy Duncan, corresponding secretary; Suzanne Tooley, treasurer; June Davis, reporter; Linda Hutcherson, parliamentarian; Crystal Hammett, federation counselor; and Ann Johnson, historian.

Twenty members and hostesses Crystal Hammett, June Davis and Marion Hammett were on hand.

The president thanked members for bringing items to be donated to Lampasas Mission.

She also announced the Capitol District Spring Convention to be in Giddings March 11, where she will be installed as second vice president of the district.

The club has been asked to cohost the March 18, 2009, spring convention with the Pierian Club.

Next meeting is March 13 in the home of Mrs. Hohman. Co-hostesses will be Nada Thogmartin and Edith McCandless.

Lampasas Middle School Texas history teacher James Best will give a program on Texas.