Columns

Dear Savvy Senior, 

I’m a 62-year-old woman and have had a bunion on my big toe for years, but lately it’s be­come more painful and is making it hard to find comfortable shoes. I’d like to avoid surgery if pos­sible. What can I do to ease the discomfort and keep it from getting worse? 

--Sore Toe Susan   

Dear Susan, 

You’re not alone. Bunions are very common, especially among women, and they often become more painful with age as the joint shifts out of alignment and inflammation sets in. What may have started as a minor nuisance can turn into on­going discomfort, making it difficult to find shoes that fit comfortably. 

A bunion, known medically as hallux valgus, is a bony bump that forms at the base of the big toe when the joint moves out of place, causing the toe to angle inward. Over time, this pushes the joint outward, creating the noticeable bump. 

Why it happens 

While tight or narrow shoes can make bunions worse, they’re usually not the root cause. Genetics plays a major role, which is why bunions often run in families. Other factors like flat feet, arthritis, and past foot injuries can also contribute. Women tend to be more prone to them, partly due to years of wearing high heels or shoes with narrow toe boxes. 

The good news is that most bunions can be managed without surgery, especially if your goal is to ease symptoms and slow their progression. 

Simple relief 

The first place to start is with your shoes. Switching to footwear with a wide toe box, soft materials, and good arch support can make a big difference, while high heels and tight shoes that crowd your toes should be avoided. It can also help to shop later in the day, when your feet are slightly swollen, for a more realistic fit. 

Beyond footwear, a few simple steps can help ease the pressure. Padding the area with over-the­counter bunion cushions can reduce friction, and if the joint becomes sore or swollen, icing it for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day may bring relief. Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can also help, if your doctor says they are appropriate for you. 

To further reduce strain, orthotic inserts, either store-bought or custom, can improve how your foot distributes weight. Toe spacers can also help by keeping the toes in a more natural position, while a night splint, such as Dr. Scholl’s Bunion Relief & Toe Corrector (about $20), can gently guide the big toe into better alignment while you sleep. 

It may also help to rotate your shoes rather than wearing the same pair every day, reducing repeat­ed pressure. In addition, gentle exercises, such as stretching your toes, picking up small objects, or rolling your foot over a tennis ball, can help main­tain flexibility. 

It is important to keep expectations realistic. These steps will not eliminate a bunion, but they can make it more manageable. 

When to get help 

If your bunion pain interferes with daily activi­ties, or if you are developing corns, calluses or on­going inflammation, it is wise to see a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist. They can evaluate the sever­ity and recommend additional treatments. 

Also seek care if you notice redness, warmth or significant swelling, which could signal irritation or infection around the joint. 

Surgery is typically advised only when conser­vative measures no longer provide relief. Today’s procedures are more advanced than in the past and are often done on an outpatient basis, though re­covery can up to six months and bunions can sometimes recur. 

In the meantime, taking steps to protect your feet can go a long way. With the right care, many people are able to manage bunions effectively and stay comfortable, active and on their feet.  

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySe­nior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 

After many summer days without rain, I found myself having mixed feelings regarding the drought

After many summer days without rain, I found myself having mixed feelings regarding the drought. Hailing from an agricultural fami­ly, I understood the implications of an overly dry growing season. But speaking as someone who, out of necessity, had to start mowing lawn three weeks earlier this year than last, I was happy to get to lay off for a few days and leave the old John Deere basic riding mower out in the barn. That may have been the only break I’ll get over this summer break – or what used to be summer break for me growing up. 

As an adult, I’ve learned to save up my va­cation days (aka “paid time off”) for not-so-ex­citing adventures, such as attending continuing education trainings to maintain professional li­censure, surgeries and recovery from them, vet­erinary appointments for the dog or cat, the fu­nerals of friends, times when the car is in the shop for repairs or the roads are too icy to tra­verse, and helping out friends or family mem­bers caught in a bind. 

Talk about fun, exciting and exotic, and made even more so when the rain finally cuts loose in all its wrathful beauty. You find your­self hauling out a protective raincoat, which in addition to keeping you dry, retains 110% of your body heat, plus all the summer humidity. By the time you get to work, your outfit under the raincoat is sweat-saturated instead of sim­ply water-splattered. Can I get a collective “Yuck?!” 

Despite my love-hate relationship with my raincoat, when this summer hit its driest point (which I’m going to assume and pray it already has), I was wishing I knew someone who could, through rain-dancing, successfully coax some sky water to fall down. When that didn’t work, I went back to the drawing board and decided that maybe I was coming at the problem the wrong way: perhaps I should use an alternative art form and maybe serenade the rain into exis­tence. I went online and Googled several songs that have “Rain” in the title with the intention of creating a singalong playlist. 

On the rock side of things, a favorite is “Who’ll Stop the Rain” (1970) by Creedence Clearwater Revival:  “Long as I remember, the rain been comin’ down. Clouds of mystery pourin’ confusion on the ground. Good men through the ages tryin’ to find the sun. And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain?” 

(Although I want it started) 

Country singer Eddie Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night”, was number one on the charts in 1980, to represent that division: “I love a rainy night. I love a rainy night. I love to hear the thunder, watch the lightning when it lights up the sky. You know it makes me feel good. Well, I love a rainy night. It’s such a beautiful sight. I love to feel the rain on my face, taste the rain on my lips, in the moonlight shadow.” 

That at least sounds inviting to the rain. Too bad it ended up mentioning lips and moonlight shadow, which bleeds over into romanticizing rain. I personally find nothing romantic about being pelted with bone-piercing droplets of water or being at work when predicted delicate showers get upgraded to a full-bore downpours and you realize you’ve left windows open on the side of your nome most likely to be penetrated. 

But relatable? Yes. Think I’ll let Luke Bryan bat cleanup against the raindrops with the lyrics to his 2009 song, “Rain is a Good Thing,” that goes like this: “My daddy spent his life lookin’ up at the sky. He’d cuss, kick the dust, sayin’, ‘Son, it’s way too dry.’ It clouds up in the city, the weather man complains. But where I come from, rain is a good thing.” 

More fun is Bryant’s string of logic that fol­lows, “Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey. Whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky. Back roads are boggin’ up, my buddies pile up in my truck. We hunt our hunnies down, we take ‘em into town. Start washin’ all our worries down the drain. Rain is a good thing.” 

I agree. Regardless of how you sing it, rain is a good thing! 

Kristy Smith’s Different Drum humor columns are archived on her blog: diffdrum.wordpress.com.

“Celebrate National Thrift Shop Day this Sat 8/15 and Sun 8/16 with 50% off the entire store! Important: No Discovery Rewards points can be earned/redeemed and no additional discounts can be combined with offer. See you this weekend!” 

“Celebrate National Thrift Shop Day this Sat 8/15 and Sun 8/16 with 50% off the entire store! Important: No Discovery Rewards points can be earned/redeemed and no additional discounts can be combined with offer. See you this weekend!” 

That was the text that popped up on my phone one mid-afternoon this past week from one of my longtime favorites among thrift shops: American Cancer Society Discovery Shop at 4432 W. Main Street in Kalamazoo. As you may have guessed, pro­ceeds from the sale of their mainly high-quality donat­ed items go to support the mission of the American Cancer Society. 

An upscale thrift establishment, Discovery Shop had been open only for a couple of years when I moved to Kalamazoo to work and live. Its contents held broad appeal, as they outfitted me with some very nice pro­fessional dress clothing, nearly-new shoes and all kinds of accoutrements for my (then) new (to me) home. I’ve scored curtains, classy tablecloths, sturdy picture frames and many scarves (the kind you wear around your neck) and several pair of earrings – all at bargain prices to begin with and as much as 50% off during end-of-the-month clearance days and other special sales. Great finds! 

As the digital notification I received about the half­off sale indicates, this is not your typical grandmother­style thrift shop venue – where the “haves” donate clothing in all sorts of conditions and the “have-nots” forage through the racks, shelves and bins in hope of finding something they can safely wear in public. No, this is the kind of store where people from all walks of life shop side-by-side looking for needful secondhand things. 

For those who are coming in late to the game of thrifting, I should slow down and take a timeout to ex­plain: thrifting is shopping for pre-owned (although sometimes you find new) items at thrift stores, garage sales, consignment shops, social media marketplaces, flea markets, bazaars, swap meets, auctions and at the ends of driveways to find low-cost and unique items rather than buying new stuff. 

Now that I hopefully have your attention, are you any more interested in trying your luck on August 17 – aka National Thrift Day? A blurb on the facebook page of Goodwill of Northern New England states, “It’s a great chance to celebrate all the ways thrifting can make a difference.” 

How, exactly, can thrift stores and thrifting make a difference to the world? Four common ways are: 1. Saving consumers money over traditional retail pur­chasing; 2. Supporting causes; 3. Reducing waste (which helps save the environment) through re-using items; and 4. Offering an alternative to those who ap­preciate vintage, rare or one-of-a-kind pieces that aren’t available in modern retail stores. 

The facebook post that followed featured a thrift guide for multiple types of thrifters, identified as Little Trinket Collectors, Nostalgia Chasers, Moodboard Buddies, Grandmillennial Curators and Trust-the­Process Upcyclers, plus offered examples of the kinds of items for each category of bargain-hunters.   

Which classification do you fall under? I am defi­nitely not interested in little trinkets; I can’t pull off the funky vibe required of moodboard buddies; and I’m too textile-altering untalented to be a full-fledged trust­the-process-upcycler. However, I not only chase but brake for nostalgia – as evidenced by my delight at finding an excellent-condition early 1900s Universal grinder for only ten bucks at an out-of-state antique store on July 4th. Fireworks come and go, but a useable blast from the past is a gift to myself that keeps on giv­ing! 

I must also plead guilty to the title of grandmillen­nial curator because I have always been drawn to well­preserved sets of vintage and antique items, from books to tableware. 

Where will I be on National Thrift Day? Probably staying the heck out of thrift stores. You see, once one’s life is stuffed with stuff, there’s no point in acquiring more (although I could always use as an excuse to go thrifting the fact I’m searching for a gently-used, vin­tage10-pound capacity enamelware roaster for my son. 

That said, I just walked into my bathroom to replace the roll of toilet paper and the springy end of the antique wooden spindle it goes on broke off. Oh, crap! Guess I will be thrifting, afterall, on August 17th! 

Kristy Smith’s Different Drum humor columns are archived at her blog: diffdrum.wordpress.com 

It has been nearly 17 years since Michigan legal­ized the use of crossbows during the regular archery season. Before that change only hunters with disabil­ities were allowed to use them to harvest deer. Initially it was projected that only a small portion of Michigan archers would migrate over, and make the change to crossbows. They were greatly mistaken.  

It has been nearly 17 years since Michigan legal­ized the use of crossbows during the regular archery season. Before that change only hunters with disabil­ities were allowed to use them to harvest deer. Initially it was projected that only a small portion of Michigan archers would migrate over, and make the change to crossbows. They were greatly mistaken.  

Today, crossbows account for nearly 70 percent of the annual archery season deer harvest. It didn’t start quite that fast, but it didn't take long to get there. When the law first went into effect,  it was aimed mainly at older hunters who may not be able to handle the pullback of a traditional bow. During this same pe­riod of time, the number of archery hunters in Michi­gan was greatly decreasing. State officials were look­ing for a way to get more people involved and out in the woods.  

They were greatly successful in this, but it went much differently than expected. The crossbows at­tracted several different categories of hunters that had been overlooked in previous years. Being in outdoor sales most of my life, I saw this right away. The first group to jump on the crossbow bandwagon was the working class. Those individuals were working six or seven days a week and did not feel like they had the time to put in the practice that regular archery re­quires. A majority of this group was previously only participating in the firearm deer season, but cross­bows were so similar that it was an easy transition. 

Crossbows are shouldered like a firearm, and the majority come with scopes, so it is quite easy to sight them in. They don’t require the amount of practice that a regular bow does, and most people feel confi­dent taking a crossbow to the hunting stand after a few shooting sessions. New crossbow owners quickly discovered how accurate these new weapons were and how successful they could be. They also realized that the fall can be a very special time to be out in the woods, and were excited to be seeing more deer than they normally did in the firearm season.  

I don’t think the DNR expected as many younger hunters to get involved with crossbows either. With kids being able to hunt in Michigan at any age, there was a surging interest in archery season, but the ma­jority of kids could not pull back enough pounds to be successful with a regular bow. Crossbows can be cocked with a crank, or a parent can help, so they are much easier for a younger hunter to use. They also have adjustable stocks and low recoil, so they make a perfect choice.  

For families, crossbows are often the better invest­ment. Compound bows have to be fitted to the indi­vidual, and each person normally has to have their own bow. Crossbows are sighted in with a scope or red dot and normally shoot the same for everyone who is using it; therefore, a family might only have to own one or two and everyone can use them.   

Just like anything else, some models are better than others, and some, conversely, have a greater price tag. But the majority of crossbows are less to purchase than regular bows. Compound bows are normally purchased bare and a hunter has to purchase all the accessories separately that go on the bow, which can be quite expensive. Many crossbow pack­ages range under $500 and come in a complete pack­age with scope, bolts and quiver. This savings alone is a reason that a lot of hunters make the switch. 

Crossbows, of course, are not for everyone. There are still many who enjoy the purities of regular bow and arrow hunting. Such as being able to compete or customize their equipment. You don't always get that same sense of satisfaction as you do with a bow be­cause crossbows do not require as much practice. Also, shooting an abundance of practice shots can be hard on your crossbow, whereas a compound is built to take many more shots without having to change strings and cables.  

Even after 17 years, crossbows can still be a con­troversial topic amongst local hunters. However, at the end of the day, one is shooting a bolt, and the other an arrow. Both are archery projectiles that can be suc­cessful in harvesting deer and, best of all, everyone has a choice to select which is best for them. Cross­bows have been instrumental in bringing more Michi­gan hunters to the woods each archery season and will be here for many more years to come. 

Dave Tefft, a lifelong resident of Hillsdale County,