Reader's Digest Canada - 01.02 2020

CELEBRATING

15YEARS

The Better Magnesium.

BETTER-ABSORBING, BETTER-TASTING, BEST LOVED.

You know by now how important magnesium is
for your family’s overall health and why it might
be hard to get your dietary requirements in your
diet alone.

Backed by thousands of 5 star reviews on Amazon,
hundreds of shining testimonials and being the
number one supplement in the U.S. for years
running, Natural Calm is North America’s favourite
way to ensure healthy magnesium levels.

Available wherever natural health products are sold.

naturalcalm.ca 100% OF PROFITS ARE DONATED
TO FIGHT EXTREME POVERTY IN
THE WORLD’S POOREST COUNTRIES.
thriveforgood.org

reader’s digest

CONTENTS

COURTESY OF SOPHIE KOHN Features 44 52

34 drama in real life society

cover story “Help. In Danger. Big Deal
Call Police.”
HOW TO LIVE TO I’d stopped feeling
100 AND LOVE IT! Michael Lythcott and shame about my size.
Stacey Eno’s scooter ran But why was I going to
LISA BENDALL off the road, leaving the gym, if I didn’t want
them broken, bleeding to lose weight?
and trapped in a Bali-
nese jungle. Worse: MEAGHAN WRAY FROM FLARE
no one knew. Then
Michael, hours from 60
death, got a signal on
his phone. life lesson

DEREK BURNETT Woulda, Coulda,
Shoulda
66
How to get past the
regret trap.

DAWN CALLEJA

66

travel

Flying Solo

My life had become a
blur of people, duties
and deadlines. I was
burnt-out, anxious,
disconnected. The cure
was right in front of me.

SOPHIE KOHN
FROM CHATELAINE

on the cover:
photo by nikki ormerod

rd.ca 1

reader’s digest

74 86 endured through their
60-year marriage.
family humour
LINDA E. CLARKE
The Missing Middle Are you too boring FROM THE GLOBE AND MAIL
for therapy?
As the average family 92
size shrinks, the middle Six tips for spicing up
child—natural diplo- the relationship. editors’ choice
mats renowned for
being patient and CASSIE BARRADAS Both Feet Forward
nice—is disappearing.
88 Dorothy Ellen Palmer
ADAM STERNBERGH spent decades trying to
FROM NEW YORK heart hide her congenital
anomalies. A story of
80 Written on the Body heartbreak and redefin-
ing what it means to
rd classic I wanted the medical live with a disability.
students who studied
My Pal Bosco my parents’ donated ADAPTED FROM FALLING FOR
corpses to know about MYSELF: A MEMOIR
While hiking in remote their determination in
British Columbia, I was the face of impossible
approached by a black challenges, about the
bear. I offered him a stories behind their
fish. He offered me his scars and crooked
friendship. spines, and most of all
about the love that
ROBERT FRANKLIN LESLIE
FROM READER’S DIGEST, 1965

80 (ILLUSTRATION) STEVEN TWIGG; (BEAR) MICHELLE VALBERG

Departments Humour

4 Editor’s Letter 43
Laughter,
6 Contributors the Best Medicine

8 Letters 51
Down to Business
22 Points to Ponder
64
59 World Wide Weird As Kids See It

do the right thing 79
Life’s Like That
10 Above and
(FINANCIAL ADVISOR) CLAYTON HANMER; (ABBY LANGER) LAUREN TAMAKI Beyond health talking to a
smart person
How executive 25 Get Your Sea Legs
coaches are help- 102 Do I really need
ing homeless A lot of us experi- to count calories?
women pull ence motion sick-
themselves out ness at some We ask Abby
of poverty. point. Here’s how Langer, registered
to keep it under dietitian.
STACY LEE KONG control.
COURTNEY SHEA
13 things ANNA SHARRATT
106 Brainteasers
14 What Financial 28 News From the
Advisors Want World of Medicine 108 Trivia
You to Know
SAMANTHA RIDEOUT 109 Word Power
ANNA-KAISA WALKER
31 What’s Wrong 111 Sudoku
With Me?
112 Crossword
A medical mystery
resolved.

LISA BENDALL

reader’s digest

EDITOR’S LETTER recipe magazine, but it was “the Read- (MARK PUPO) DANIEL EHRENWORTH
er’s,” as my grandma called it, that cap-
My Return tivated me. I could count on families
to Reader’s reuniting with their long-lost golden
retrievers, health reporting that
I grew up in Welland, Ont. It’s a man- reminded me not to eat my lunch too
ufacturing town known for a ship- fast, true-crime capers and plenty of
ping canal and growing enormous excuses to laugh. My favourite stories
roses in its clay-heavy soil. And it was were the heart-thumping adventures,
there that, in the 1930s, my grandfa- often about hapless hikers narrowly
ther and his two brothers opened a outwitting a grizzly or surviving a fall
grocery store. During high school into a crevasse. The magazine was like
weekends and summer vacation, an instant best friend—one who hap-
I would stock shelves with my pened to be connected to the national
own two brothers. Every lunch conversation, knew the answers to
break, I would race around mind-bending puzzles and could take
the block to my grandpar- me anywhere in the world.
ents’ house to wolf down
a sandwich and a glass of I didn’t realize it at the time, but
iced tea. Then I’d sink into those lunchtime reading sessions were
a recliner with the latest inspiring me to become a storyteller, a
issue of Reader’s Digest. journalist and an editor. And now that
I’ve joined the team that produces this
My grandparents also magazine, it feels like a homecoming.
subscribed to newsweek-
lies and more than one Reader’s Digest was the reason I got
into magazines then and it’s the
reason I love them now. Hopefully,
if we do our jobs right, there’ll be
more young readers who’ll fall in
love with it, too.

P.S. You can reach
me at [email protected].

4 january/february 2020

PUBLISHED BY THE READER’S DIGEST MAGAZINES CANADA LIMITED, MONTREAL, CANADA

Christopher Dornan chairman of the board
Mark Pupo editor-in-chief

executive editor, art director John Montgomery
digital Brett Walther associate art director Danielle Sayer

senior editors Megan Jones, graphic designer Pierre Loranger
Micah Toub content operations

assistant editor, manager Lisa Pigeon
digital Robert Liwanag circulation director Edward Birkett

contributing editors Susan Nerberg, contributors: Hanna Barczyk, Cassie Barradas, Lisa
Samantha Rideout Bendall, Linda Besner, Dereck Burnett, Dawn Calleja, Linda

intern Rosie Long Decter E. Clarke, Daniel Ehrenworth, Danielle Groen, Clayton
proofreader Katie Moore Hanmer, Roderick Kimball, Sophie Kohn, Susan Camilleri
senior researcher Lucy Uprichard Konar, Stacy Lee Kong, Erica Lenti, Robert Franklin Leslie,
researchers Martha Beach, Alyssa Barbara Olson, Nikki Ormerod, Christina Palassio, Dorothy
Ellen Palmer, Paul Paquet, Jennifer Roberts, Julie Saindon,
Favreau, Matthew Halliday, Anna Sharratt, Coutney Shea, Mike Shiell, Fraser Simpson,
Tessa Liem, Nicole Adam Sternberg, Lauren Tamaki, Sébastien Thibault, Tanja
Schmidt, Leslie Sponder Tiziana, Kate Traynor, May Truong, Steven Twigg, Anna-
copy editors Chad Fraser, Amy Kaisa Walker, Jeff Widderich, Meaghan Wray, Victor Wong
Harkness, Richard Johnson

THE READER’S DIGEST ASSOCIATION (CANADA) ULC

Brian Kennedy president | Barbara Robins legal | Corinne Hazan financial director

Mirella Liberatore product manager, magazine marketing

national sales director James Anderson 121 Bloor St. E.
national account executives Suzanne Farago (Montreal), Suite 430

Robert Shaw (Vancouver), Melissa Silverberg (Toronto) Toronto, ON
marketing and research director Kelly Hobson M4W 3M5

head of marketing solutions and new product development Melissa Williams
lead project manager Meri Ward
production manager Lisa Snow

TRUSTED MEDIA BRANDS

Bonnie Kintzer president and chief executive officer
Raimo Moysa editor-in-chief, international magazines

VOL. 196, NO. 1,166 Copyright © 2020 by Reader’s Digest Magazines We acknowledge
Canada Limited. Reproduction in any manner in whole or in part in with gratitude the
English or other languages prohibited. All rights reserved throughout financial support of
the world. Protection secured under International and Pan-American the Government of Canada. / Nous remercions le
copyright conventions. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40070677. Gouvernement du Canada pour son appui financier.
Postage paid at Montreal. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to
5101 Buchan St., suite 300, Montreal, QC H4P 1S4. Reader’s Digest publishes 10 issues per year and may
occasionally publish special issues (special issues
Print subscriptions, $34.50 a year, plus $8.99 postage, processing and count as two)‚ subject to change without notice.
handling. Please add applicable taxes. Outside Canada, $53.96 yearly,
including postage, processing and handling. (Prices and postage subject
to change without notice.) ISSN 0034-0413. Indexed by the Canadian
Periodical Index. Single issue: $4.95.

rd.ca 5

reader’s digest

CONTRIBUTORS

TANJA TIZIANA COURTNEY SHEA

Photographer, Toronto Writer, Toronto

“Above and Beyond” “Are Calories a
Pointless Metric?”
Tiziana was thrilled to
have the opportunity to shoot Lia While researching this piece, Shea was
Grimanis for this issue. The two last surprised to learn that calories were
saw each other in 2013, when Tiziana first used to measure energy for steam
captured Grimanis breaking the engines. A hardened diet skeptic,
world record for the heaviest vehicle she prepared for this interview by
pulled 100 feet by a woman. For this personally ignoring calorie counts
piece, Tiziana wanted something and avoiding cleanses—and found
more serene—a portrait of Grimanis it instructive to speak with an expert
smiling, with the sun on her face. on the truth behind the trends. Read
See how it turned out on page 10. the results on page 102.

NIKKI ORMEROD DAWN CALLEJA

Photographer, Toronto Writer, Toronto

“How to Live to 100 “Woulda, Coulda,
and Love It!” Shoulda”

Ormerod loves any kind of shoot Calleja is used to lying awake at night, (CALLEJA) FRED LUM
involving people. For this cover story, grappling with decisions both large
she hoped to convey how life is pre- and small. Working on this story
cious and worth celebrating. The showed her that she’s far from alone.
story has already prompted her to Speaking to friends and experts about
make some lifestyle changes—since regret taught her the importance of
every little bit helps, she’s started giving your past self a break and that
jogging up stairs as a simple way to we all do the best we can under the
get her heart rate up. Learn how circumstances. Discover ways to stop
to prolong your life on page 34. brooding on page 60.

6 january/february 2020

Discover the

potential cures from

simple everyday
items in your home!

VISIT rd.ca/homeremedies

AND ORDER TODAY!

reader’s digest CHRIS CHAPMAN

LETTERS

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Unstoppable

“Force of Nature,” your
title for a profile of Hazel
McCallion in the October
2019 issue, perfectly char-
acterizes Mississauga’s
former mayor. Her cap-
acity for work—15 hours
a day when she was in
office, and even now she
still maintains a similarly
packed schedule—is abso-
lutely mind-boggling. It seems almost magical that a 98-year-old
can live such a challenging, disciplined and active life. May this
hurricane continue to blow for many years to come.

— ALBERT DEAN, Mississauga

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Have some thoughts about one of our stories? Send us your letters!
Reader’s Digest wants to hear what you think. In every issue, one of the notes
we publish will appear as a featured letter. If your submission is selected as
our Letter of the Month, we’ll send you $50! See full contest guidelines at
rd.ca/letterofthemonth2019rules. Write to us at [email protected].
Please include your full name and address.

8 january/february 2020

BRAVING THE WATERS interesting, and consistently writes
I was reading Judith Timson’s article, some of the best articles I’ve read.
“I Aquafit,” in the October 2019 — ROB CRANG, Winnipeg
issue when a phrase describing some
PUBLISHED LETTERS ARE EDITED FOR LENGTH AND CLARITY. (PRONGHORNS) JILL COOPER/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO of the participants stopped me. Timson
described certain aquafit attendees as
“people who have poignantly decided
that despite having serious weight
issues, they will join a class and get fit.”

Poignantly? To call something poi-
gnant implies it is pitiful, sad and with
regret. I dare say that when people join
a class to get fit despite “serious weight
issues” (I’m assuming the writer is
referring to obesity), it is far from
“poignant.” It is fearless.
— LINDA HULME LEAHY, Round Hill, N.S.

ANIMAL INSTINCT CONTRIBUTE
I have to believe that Alanna Mitchell’s
father would have been truly proud to Send us your funny jokes and anecdotes, and if we publish one in
read “In Pursuit of the Pronghorn” a print edition of Reader’s Digest, we’ll send you $50. To submit,
(September 2019), an intimate article visit rd.ca/joke.
based on his life’s work with his
beloved prairie antelope. Mitchell has Original contributions (text and photos) become the property of
a knack for personalizing her writing The Reader’s Digest Magazines Canada Limited, and its affiliates,
in a way that can make any subject upon publication. Submissions may be edited for length and
clarity, and may be reproduced in all print and electronic
media. Receipt of your submission cannot be acknowledged.

CONTACT US

CUSTOMER SERVICE [email protected]
Reader’s Digest Customer Care Centre, P.O. Box 970 Station
Main, Markham, ON L3P 0K2

EDITORIAL OFFICE 5101 Buchan St., suite 300 | Montreal, QC
H4P 1S4 | [email protected], rd.ca

FOR SERVICE TO SUBSCRIBERS Pay your bill, view your
account online, change your address and browse our FAQs at
rd.ca/contact.

MAIL PREFERENCE Reader’s Digest maintains a record of your
purchase and sweepstakes participation history for Customer
Service and Marketing departments, which enables us to offer
the best service possible along with quality products we believe
will interest you. Occasionally, to allow our customers to be
aware of other products and services that may be of interest to
them, we provide this information to other companies. Should
you wish, for any reason, not to receive such offers from other
companies, please write to: Privacy Office, Reader’s Digest,
5101 Buchan St., suite 300, Montreal, QC H4P 1S4. You may
also write to this address if you no longer wish to receive offers
from Reader’s Digest or should you have any questions
regarding your record or wish to examine or correct it.

rd.ca 9

reader’s digest

DO THE RIGHT THING

How executive coaches are helping homeless
women pull themselves out of poverty

Above and Beyond

BY Stacy Lee Kong

photograph by tanja tiziana

I N 2009, WHEN Kate Smith* was in she says. As coping day to day became
her final year at the University of more difficult, she began using drugs
Toronto, she seemed like any other and alcohol.
high-achieving young woman. The
then 21-year-old got good grades, par- Smith managed to graduate, but law
ticipated in extracurricular activities school went on the back burner. Then
and planned to go to law school. But she met a man who introduced her
below the surface, she was struggling. to more addictive drugs and started
abusing her. Unable to hold down a
At 17, Smith had been raped, but job, she became homeless in 2014, and
wasn’t taken seriously by a friend when earned money as a sex worker. “I was
she confessed what had happened. “It living in hell for about a year,” she
made me feel as though it was my fault says. “I thought I was worth nothing.”
and that I deserved to be mistreated,”
She eventually escaped her abuser
*NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED. and sought treatment for addiction, but
her feelings of worthlessness persisted.

10 january/february 2020

After experiencing
homelessness, Lia
Grimanis wanted to
help women in need.

reader’s digest

Then, in 2016, she discovered Up With provide one-on-one sessions twice a
Women, a registered charity that offers month for one year. The strategy is work-
executive coaching in Ontario, Quebec ing: so far, the organization has helped
and British Columbia to women who more than 400 women. In the 2016–
are living in poverty and find them- 2017 cohort, roughly 70 per cent of
selves at risk for homelessness. them saw an increase in their income—
and, on average, they were making
COACHING HELPS $12,383 more per year than women
YOU FOCUS ON WHERE still on the organization’s waiting list.

YOU WANT TO GO Grimanis says that, while it’s harder
VERSUS WHAT YOU to measure confidence levels, she
sees an increase there, too. And those
NEED TO FIX. difficult-to-quantify results can be the
most powerful. Harmeet Toor, Up With
Founder Lia Grimanis herself experi- Women’s director of operations and
enced homelessness as a teen growing programs, was once a client herself. For
up in Toronto. She got the idea for Up Toor, one of the most impactful parts of
With Women when she received career her coaching experience was learning
coaching while working for a tech com- to shed the idea that she should limit
pany. Unlike counselling, where clients her goals. “I call it the poverty mindset.
work through issues from their pasts, ‘I deserve whatever everybody else in
coaching is about the future. “A coach- society has discarded because I am
ing conversation is all about what is someone who has been discarded,’” she
your ideal life and what do you need to says. “But my coach didn’t spend time
get there? It’s spending time focusing entertaining this idea.” Instead, she
on where you want to go versus what asked Toor, “What do you want?”
you need to fix,” Grimanis explains.
Five months into Toor’s coaching
She realized that women who really sessions, she’d found a place to live. By
needed professional-development the eight-month mark, she’d landed a
help from a coach could never actually job at a doctor’s office. And now she’s
afford it. “All of our clients are living figuring out how to help others—like
below the poverty line, but some Smith, who was finally able to start law
coaches are charging $350 to $600 an school in 2018.
hour,” she says.
“I owe it to Up With Women for help-
Up With Women matches partici- ing me get here,” Smith says. “Of course,
pants with certified career coaches who I have the drive and the determination,
but I wouldn’t be in law school if I
didn’t have that coaching.”

12 january/february 2020

Presented by

Breathless But Hopeful:

Overcoming
the Burdens
of IPF

For the 14,000 Canadians currently
living with pulmonary fibrosis, lack
of awareness about their condition is
affecting their quality of life.

F or Peter Newton, 68, a diagnosis services, as well as significant
of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis mental, physical and economic
(IPF) was shocking but explained burdens placed on the health care
a lot about how he had been feeling. system and patients.
IPF is an incurable lung disease that
causes scarring (fibrosis) of the “IPF is difficult to diagnose because
lungs; common symptoms include it presents like many other lung
breathlessness and a chronic cough. diseases,” says Dr. Martin Kolb,
Diagnosed with moderate stage IPF Professor of Medicine, Division of
in June 2018, like many Canadians Respirology at McMaster University.
with this illness, Peter went “In Canada, there is limited availability
undiagnosed for years. of interstitial lung disease (ILD) clinics
and respirologists, so patients have
‘With IPF, there are many symptoms a hard time receiving the specialized
that are common to other ailments,” care they need.”
says Peter, “But looking back, my lungs
were more likely compromised when Increased awareness and understanding
I thought it was a fitness issue. There is essential to improve care for people
is no doubt, IPF has a low awareness with IPF. The Burden of Idiopathic
level, I had zero clue about the disease.” Pulmonary Fibrosis in Canada report
offers solutions to deliver a better
Thankfully, a new report titled The quality of life and provides hope to
Burden of Idiopathic Pulmonary those living with the disease.
Fibrosis in Canada is shedding
light on major gaps in access to For the full story, visit rd.ca/ipf and go
treatments, resources and support to FightIPF.ca to learn more.

Brought to you by one of Canada’s leading research-based pharmaceutical companies.

reader’s digest 1 In some provinces,
“financial advisor” is
13 THINGS not a regulated job title.
Look for a Certified
What Financial Financial Planner (CFP)
Advisors Want or Registered Financial
You to Know Planner (RFP) designa-
tion, and if they will be
BY Anna-Kaisa Walker handling your invest-
ments, choose a reput-
illustration by clayton hanmer able Chartered Finan-
cial Analyst (CFA).
14 january/february 2020
2 If you’re grappling
with debt, or sand-
wiched between
dependent children
and elderly parents,
have a seat. “We recog-
nize that financial plan-
ning can take a back
burner,” says Vancouver
money coach and CFP
Sheila Walkington. “But
it’s like insurance—get
it before you need it.”

3 Using your bank’s
in-house financial
advisor may be conven-
ient. But while their
products might suit
your needs, they’re lim-
ited. It’s best to ask for a
referral from family and
friends, and don’t be
afraid to interview more
than one candidate.

4 One size does not fit 7 A good advisor will 11 Know how your
all. Look for some- spend at least a cou- financial advisor
one whose clients are ple of hours getting to gets paid. It’s fair to ask
roughly in the same know you before rec- whether they receive
financial situation and ommending products fees for recommending
life stage as you. or strategies. “We’ll look some products over
at your income, invest- others, and be sure
5 One-third of Cana- ments, taxes, retirement what you’re buying
dians don’t seek out savings, estate plan- meets your needs.
financial planning ning, insurance, debt
advice because they and any other issues,” 12 If you’re looking
don’t know what ques- says Thompson. Your for an unbiased
tions to ask. Good planner should check approach, a fee-for-
financial planners in with you at least service financial planner
expect they’ll need to once annually. will charge by the hour
talk you through com- or project, and isn’t
plex matters. “There’s a 8 It’s your financial motivated by commis-
lot of shame associated advisor’s responsi- sions to sell you certain
with money,” says bility to make sure they products. Similarly,
Toronto CFP Robyn clearly communicate money coaches can
Thompson. “But we concepts to you. If they help you with financial
don’t expect you to be talk down to you or behaviour, but don’t
an expert.” bewilder you with jar- sell securities.
gon, bid them adieu.
6 A survey by Cana- 13 Just because you
da’s Financial Plan- 9 Head for the door if think you can han-
ning Standards Council your advisor prom- dle your own securities
found people who have ises to “beat the mar- trades, it doesn’t mean
worked with a compre- ket”—no one can safely you should. Reading
hensive financial plan guarantee that. headlines about the lat-
felt twice as confident est market meltdown
that they will have 10 Lay out your can make even the most
enough money to retire. income and level-headed investor
As a general rule, you’ll spending, warts and all. act rashly. An experi-
need about 70 per cent “We can bring clarity enced financial planner
of your pre-retirement to your financial habits, can keep you on an even
annual income avail- and give you tools to keel through the mar-
able each year. help,” says Walkington. ket’s ups and downs.

rd.ca 15

CONNECT WITH US!

Find more great stories online at

Rd.ca

RD Classic: Charlie Otero Survived the BTK Killer—
But He Couldn’t Heal Until the Man Was Caught

Thirty years after Otero’s parents and two
siblings were brutally murdered in Wichita,
Kansas, the suspect—known as the BTK Killer—
began sending local newspapers taunting, coded
messages. Otero wrote to the producers of
America’s Most Wanted, identifying himself as
a relative of the victims. After he appeared on

the show, more reporters began calling.
Although he resisted being back in the spotlight,

Otero held out hope that the media attention
would draw the killer out of hiding.

Find out what happened next
at rd.ca/btk.

Sign up for our free e-newsletter at rd.ca/newsletter.

16 january/february 2020

HEALTHINSIGHT.CA A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

HEALTHY AGING &

CONNECTED LIVING

“You don’t slow down “ Arthritis: Not a
because you get old, Natural Part of Aging
you get old because
you slow down. ou likely know someone with arthritis. It’s
Canada’s most prevalent chronic health
— Nancy Greene Raine, Olympic condition. When the disease strikes, it often
Champion and Former Senator has a dramatic impact, bringing pain, fatigue,
and restricted mobility.
Read the full interview at But getting arthritis doesn’t have to be a fact
healthinsight.ca. of life. “Staying active, maintaining a healthy
weight, and keeping the muscles around your
joints strong can help you lower your risk of
developing arthritis,” says Dr. Siân Bevan,
Chief Science Officer at the Arthritis Society.
If you start to feel pain in one or more joint
for six months or longer, it may be time to talk
to your health care professional.
“Early diagnosis is important because it
can slow the progression of the disease and
help you maintain your quality of life,” says
Dr. Bevan. “Left untreated, arthritis can cause
permanent joint damage and other changes
in your health.”

The Arthritis Society is here to help
If you think you may be at risk, or you have
already been diagnosed with arthritis, the
Arthritis Society lifestyle tools and resources
can help you learn to manage your disease and
get the support you need. Visit arthritis.ca
for more information.

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET HEALTHINSIGHT.CA

Travel Made Easy with
Senior Discovery Tours

xploring the world by travelling can be a great lation and for health while outside of Canada, and
way to connect with other cultures and foster even transportation between your home and the
new relationships. With that said, planning a trip can airport (from most Canadian cities). Its travellers
be stressful — knowing where to go, where to stay, also rave about the Tour Managers, who go above
and what sights to see is often a time-consuming and beyond to ensure that your trip runs smoothly
and overwhelming process. and that everyone has a great time.
With Senior Discovery Tours, travelling has never
been so easy. Senior Discovery Tours takes care of all Call Senior Discovery Tours today at
your travel details, so all you have to do is enjoy our 1-800-268-3492 and speak to one of their
beautiful world. As Canada’s largest and most trusted helpful travel experts, or visit
operator of escorted tours and cruises for over 40 seniordiscoverytours.ca for more information.
years, Senior Discovery Tours’ trips are designed to
provide peace of mind for the mature traveller who Sponsored by
enjoys a carefree experience.
Senior Discovery Tours’ travellers love its tours
because, unlike most other tour operators, they
include everything: flights, carefully-selected hotels,
most meals, all tips, all taxes, insurance for cancel-

In an Emergency Situation,
Every Second Counts

magine you’re out for the evening when suddenly “MedicAlert isn’t just an ID, it’s a secure database
your blood sugar drops, you feel a sharp pain in with emergency health information our subscribers
your chest, or you can’t breathe. “It’s possible,” says share with us,” says Faverjon-Fortin. “Behind the
Françoise Faverjon-Fortin, CEO of MedicAlert Foun- data is an entire team of first responders, health
dation Canada, the country’s long-standing charity experts, and subscriber service representatives who
that helps protect Canadians during a health crisis. work together to speak for you when you cannot.”

The Public Health Agency of Canada notes that 44 To learn more about the 25/25 Pledge and become
percent of Canadians over the age of 20 have at least a MedicAlert subscriber, visit 2525pledge.ca.
one chronic health condition. That’s one reason why
when first responders arrive on scene, they’re trained Sponsored by
to look for a MedicAlert ID, which can make a critical
difference when every second counts.

Faverjon-Fortin and her team are on a mission
to protect more Canadians. “MedicAlert IDs save
lives, but not enough people wear them,” she says.
That’s why MedicAlert has started the 25/25 Pledge,
which aims to get 25 percent of the population who
need a medical ID to subscribe to the MedicAlert
service by 2025.

Publisher: Anna Sibiga Business Developer: Sarah Liderri Country Manager: Jacob Weingarten Content Strategy Manager: Margot Thomas
Production Manager: Calli Eliopoulos Lead Designer: Yeganeh Ghasemi Web Editor: Kaleigh McLelland Contributors: Tania Amardeil, Arthritis Society,
MedicAlert, Anne Papmehl, Senior Discovery Tours Cover photo: Sun Peaks Resort All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was

created by Mediaplanet and did not involve Reader’s Digest or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to [email protected].

HEALTHINSIGHT.CA A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

Pneumonia Risk Increases for
Canada’s Aging Population,
but the Infection Can Be Vaccine-Preventable

t sometimes seems like every week there is mind, it is critical older Canadians be aware that
another national awareness day or large event the risk of catching pneumonia is something that
focusing on a different form of cancer, but one ill- can be mitigated.
ness that you almost never see in the spotlight is
pneumonia. This serious lung condition, which can “Together with influenza, this has been the
arise from either viral or bacterial causes, is com- most common vaccine-preventable cause of death
monly referred to as a silent killer and is expected to in Canada between 2013 and 2017,” explains Dr.
increase as our population continues to age. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics for the Sinai
Health System and University Health Network
Bev Black of St. Catharines, Ontario, a 77-year in Toronto. “We all know about the flu shot, but
old great-grandmother and former banker, has sur- people are less aware that we also have vaccines for
vived several battles with pneumonia, including pneumococcus, the most common form of bacterial
one in 2009 that saw her admitted to the ICU and pneumonia. When there’s a vaccine to help prevent
placed on life support. “I went down to 72 pounds an infection that can hospitalize or kill you, why
and I almost completely lost my muscle tone,” Bev wouldn’t you get it?”
recalls. “In total I was in the hospital for nearly
seven weeks. It took me a good two or three months Bev now devotes a lot of time to spreading an
to get most of the way back to normal, and some important message as a lung health ambassador:
of the strength that I had before I got sick was just If you’re over 65 or have chronic health conditions,
gone for good.” talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse about the
pneumococcal vaccines, flu shot, and the preventa-
Risk increases with age tive lifestyle changes that are available to you.
Bev’s story may not be common but is certainly
remarkable. The most remarkable thing about it may D.F. McCourt
be that she recovered as well as she did. As we age,
our immune system becomes weaker and we are at Vaccination does not protect 100% of those immunized and cannot
increased risk of getting infections like pneumonia. prevent complications, hospitalization or death after the onset of
We’re also more likely to have chronic conditions disease. Side effects and allergic reactions can occur.
like COPD, diabetes, and heart disease, which can
also increase the risk of infection. With all that in This article was made possible with support from Pfizer Canada.

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET HEALTHINSIGHT.CA

Vitamin T:
Travel Improves
Quality of Life

xotic travel encompasses all Oberammergau, the German at Machu Picchu in Peru, riding
travel outside of the West- town that’s famous for its nearly a camel in Morocco, or going on
ern world and North America. 400-year tradition of performing a safari in East Africa.
It allows seniors to be active Passion Plays, which reenact the
and to enjoy connected living, passion of Christ from His entry Travel is a critical component
and it comes with some impres- into Jerusalem to the Resurrec- of healthy aging as it keeps your
sive health benefits, including tion. This exceptional cultural mind, body, and social connec-
spiritual, psychological, social, and religious event happens only tions active. Experience a new
and physical. once every 10 years — including exotic destination in 2020 with
Craig Travel, a Canadian, in 2020. Craig Travel.
family-owned travel company,
provides first-class escorted Exotic travel brings people Tania Amardeil
travel adventures (both tours together as they connect and
and cruises) to some of the bond over shared experiences. Visit craigtravel.com/mp
world’s most exciting destina- Craig Travel’s journeys are made to learn more.
tions. With 50 years of expertise up of like-minded Canadian
and an emphasis on offering the travellers, so people can build Sponsored by
highest quality experience at relationships with ease and
the best value, the company is expand their social networks.
a great option for those looking
for guided journeys. Guided vacations are also a fun
and engaging way to stay active,
Transformative whether it’s exploring the ruins
experiences
Why travel to an exotic destina-
tion? Experiencing new cultures
and ways of life is an enriching
way to expand your mind. It can
spark the imagination and nour-
ish the soul, providing spiritual
and psychological health benefits.

Consider a guided tour of

Consider Spiritual and tions, you have more time to
the Benefits psychological health engage with like-minded Can-
of Exotic Travel: Travel is good for the soul. adian travellers as well as locals.
Exploring other countries can
improve your mood, reduce Physical health
stress, and challenge your mind. Of course it’s up to you how
active you want to be, but travel
Social connection is an opportunity to take extra
With all the heavy lifting done steps, go an extra mile, and push
for you through guided vaca- your limits.

HEALTHINSIGHT.CA A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET

Taking Care of Seniors’ Ask Andrea:
Different Nutritional Needs 3 Important Tips
for Senior Nutrition
s we age, good nutrition ents, have an enjoyable meal to
becomes increasingly look forward to, and experience Andrea Olynyk
important to support the regular, positive social inter- Consultant Dietitian,
immune system, prevent illness, action — all of which enhance Heart to Home Meals
and ensure overall good health. quality of life.
However, many older Can- Seniors should aim to con-
adians find it challenging to Heart to Home Meals believes sume 1.2 to 1.5 grams of
get adequate nutritional intake that life should get easier as you protein per kilogram of body
on their own. According to Sta- age, and they make and deliver weight per day. That means if
tistics Canada, 24 percent of meals with this in mind. All you weigh 70 kgs (154 lbs), you
Canadian seniors skip meals and the nutritional information should have between 84 and105
47 percent have had an uninten- is outlined in the menu and grams of protein daily.
tional weight loss of more than there are no contracts or obli-
five pounds in the last month. gations. Their friendly delivery As we age, we metabolize
Seniors’ nutritional needs are drivers will even put meals in B vitamins differently
quite different from those of the your freezer for you if you like. — especially B12, which is
younger population. Along with You have the opportunity to responsible for red blood cell
increased protein, calcium, fibre, choose your own meals or order formation, optimal cognition,
and vitamins B6 and B12, they on behalf of a loved one, with and nervous system stability.
need extra vitamin D. “The best options available to accommo- B12 is abundant in red meat,
source of vitamin D is sunlight, date a variety of special diets. so eat up.
but because some seniors might
not go outside as much as they What could be healthier or Many community-dwell-
used to, especially in the winter- easier than ordering from Heart ing seniors aren’t getting
time, they’re often missing this to Home Meals and having a var- the calories they require for
critical vitamin,” says Andrea iety of delicious and nutritious optimal health for a variety
Olynyk, Consultant Dietitian to meals at your fingertips? of reasons. If you find you’re
Heart to Home Meals, a seniors’ losing weight, add more cal-
home delivery meal service. Anne Papmehl ories to your meals.
Having a varied menu
of delicious, healthy meals Call Heart to Home Meals
delivered to the home is an at 1-844-404-0145
easy way for seniors to ensure or order online at
they get their essential nutri- hearttohomemeals.ca.

Mealtimes just got easier.

Made for Seniors | Gift Cards Available

Get your FREE Menu
1-844-404-0145
HeartToHomeMeals.ca

reader’s digest

POINTS TO PONDER

BY Christina Palassio

I have an Academy Award, but that’s not my PHOTOS: (SAINTE-MARIE) MATT BARNES; (ABELLA) LEON STEIN/FLICKR; (YOUNG) WENN RIGHTS LTD./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO;
biggest honour. My biggest honour was to (CRONENBERG) GRAZIANO QUAGLIA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; (FRANCIS) AISHE JONELLE/TORONTO GARLIC FESTIVAL.
find out that two of my early scholarship
recipients had gone on to found tribal
colleges. Can you imagine that kind of thrill?

–Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie, TO VOGUE

I’m gay. There—I said it; or rather, IT’S TOO MUCH TO SAY
wrote it. Those two words took me I’M VICTORIOUS, BUT I DO
almost four decades to utter, but as FEEL LIKE I’M WINNING.

they say, Better late than never. –Measha Brueggergosman, ON RECOVERING

–Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, COMING FROM OPEN-HEART SURGERY, TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL

OUT IN THE OTTAWA CITIZEN

One of the psychological legacies of having a Holocaust
background like mine is that you take nothing and no
one for granted.… There is no sense of entitlement, only
of grateful relief when luck merges happily with fate.

–Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella, IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

WE’RE I’m not
VISIONARIES. content to
I THINK MOST be content.
WOMEN ARE.
–Neil Young, IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
–Tegan Quin, TO CBC MUSIC

22 january/february 2020

QUOTES: (SAINTE-MARIE) MAY 27, 2015; (WATSON) AUGUST 20, 2019; (ABELLA) AUGUST 26, 2019; (QUIN) OCT. 11, 2019; (YOUNG) AUGUST 20, 2019; (BRUEGGERGOSMAN) That’s the ultimate accolade, to become
OCT. 14, 2019; (CRONENBERG) AUGUST 26, 2019; (DOLAN) OCT. 16, 2019; (FRANCIS) AUGUST 26, 2018; (GERARD) SEPT. 1, 2019; (GUNTER) AUGUST 17, 2019. an adjective. Even if it’s misleading.

Often, “Cronenberg” means grotesque
or bloody. I think that’s modulated
now. Kafka-esque, Fellini-esque,
Cronenberg-esque....

–David Cronenberg, IN THE GLOBE AND MAIL

There’s nothing greater than writing movies when you are heartbroken,
or when you are striving to impress someone that you wish loved you.

–Xavier Dolan, TO CBC NEWS

IF YOU LOOK UNIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
AT THE WORD NECESSARY, BUT NOW THEY
RECONCILIATION,
WHAT IT MEANS IS TO ARE MORE NECESSARY
MAKE WHOLE AGAIN. THAN EVER. IT’S NOT JUST
FOR ME IT’S AN
INDIVIDUAL PROCESS, ABOUT COLLECTIVE
AND I’M CHOOSING BARGAINING. IT’S ABOUT
FOOD AS MY THE ENVIRONMENT AND
CONTRIBUTION TO THE FUTURE OF WORK, TOO.
THE PROCESS.
–Leo Gerard, retired president of the
–Indigenous chef Rich Francis, United Steelworkers, IN THE GLOBE AND MAIL

TO THE CBC I am not going to stop swinging my bat
until everyone has the tools to be an
empowered patient and until those

who seek to subjugate women through
enforced ignorance have shut up and

taken a seat in the back of class.

–Dr. Jen Gunter, AUTHOR OF THE VAGINA BIBLE,

IN THE GLOBE AND MAIL

rd.ca 23



reader’s digest

HEALTH

Get Your I F YOU’VE EVER felt nauseous at the
Sea Legs back of a bus or woozy after a boat
cruise, then you’ve experienced
A lot of us experience motion sickness. The condition’s most
motion sickness at some common symptoms are dizziness,
increased salivation, headaches, sweat-
point. Here’s how to ing, burping and vomiting.
keep it under control.
Humans haven’t always experienced
BY Anna Sharratt this reaction. According to Fred Mast,
a professor who studies multisensory
illustration by kate traynor integration at the University of Bern,
motion sickness began to affect us
when we created vehicles for getting
places faster. “Our bodies were not
prepared for it,” he says, explaining
that human-made acceleration creates
a disturbance between our vestibular
system, which is responsible for con-
trolling balance, and our vision.

While travelling on a boat or in a
car, you may not be watching the
movement of the vehicle, but your
vestibular system registers it. Since the
human brain has not evolved enough
yet to resolve that conflict, it leads to
motion sickness—and it doesn’t take
a lot of speed to cause the disruption.

rd.ca 25

reader’s digest

Motion sickness can also strike symptoms: over-the-counter antihista-
when there is simulated acceleration, mines; antimuscarinics, which relax
such as in three-dimensional video airways; and sympathomimetics, drugs
games or some movie scenes in the that act as stimulants, counteracting
theatre that make the viewer’s brain the symptoms of drowsiness caused
think it’s moving when it’s not. by other motion-sickness treatments.
Unfortunately, because these treat-
While one in three people experi- ments can impair cognition, they are
ence motion sickness at some time, inappropriate for people who operate
certain people are more susceptible to any type of machine or drive as part of
it. These include: children and young their job. “All current therapies are only
adults (according to a German survey, partially effective,” says Arshad.
half of those under the age of 30 report
being affected); those who experience Sufferers can also avoid motion sick-
migraines; and women who are mid- ness by making changes to how they
way through their menstrual cycle. travel. For instance, sitting facing for-
ward at the front of a bus allows you
50% to see the movement, while situating
yourself in the middle of a cruise liner
OF MIGRAINE SUFFERERS or next to the wing of an airplane will
ALSO EXPERIENCE reduce the amount of movement you
MOTION SICKNESS. feel. Staying away from alcohol and
heavy meals ahead of car, boat or
According to Qadeer Arshad, an hon- plane trips can also help stave off
orary clinical senior lecturer in the fac- symptoms (alcohol on its own already
ulty of medicine at London’s Imperial throws off balance).
College, the good news is that motion
sickness is not a symptom of anything Access to fresh air in a moving vehi-
more serious. Once the motion—or cle can help reduce nausea, and staring
sensation of motion—stops, it goes at the horizon through a car window
away. On the other hand, a loss of bal- can minimize the disconnect between
ance unrelated to motion—vertigo— your vestibular system and your vision.
can be a sign of an underlying disease
and should be discussed with a doctor. Mast theorizes that motion sickness
will abate as future generations adapt
There are several medications that to vehicular motion—although he
can help ease your motion-sickness admits that it could take centuries and
likely would only happen if our trans-
portation systems stay the same. If
speeds continue to increase, he says,
“It might start all over.”

26 january/february 2020

HELP IN CANADA,
PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA
PREVENT CAN STRIKE ANY TIME OF YEAR.

PNEUMOCOCCAL A SINGLE-SHOT* VACCINE

PNEUMONIA ASK YOUR DOCTOR, PHARMACIST
OR NURSE IF PREVNAR 13
IS RIGHT FOR YOU.

IT CAN PUT YOU IN THE HOSPITAL. Prevnar® 13 is not indicated to reduce complications of
pneumococcal pneumonia, such as hospitalization.
THE BACTERIA THAT CAUSES IT CAN BE
SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON. * The need for revaccination with a subsequent dose of Prevnar13 has not been
established.
50+ YOU ARE AT INCREASED RISK PP-PNA-CAN-0127-EN
IF YOU ARE 50 OR OVER. Prevnar 13 is a vaccine used for the prevention of diseases such as
pneumonia, bacteraemic pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis caused
by 13 types of the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Serious warnings and precautions: Take special care with Prevnar 13
if you have any present or past medical problems after any dose of
PREVNAR (7-valent) or Prevnar 13, if you are sick with a high fever
or if you have any bleeding problems. Prevnar 13 will only protect
against disease caused by the types of S. pneumoniae covered by
the vaccine. Prevnar 13 will not protect 100% of people who receive
the vaccine.
Prevnar 13 should not be used in anyone who is allergic
(hypersensitive) to the active substances, to any other ingredients,
or to any other vaccine that contains diphtheria toxoid.
The most common side effects (reported in at least 1 in 10 adults)
are decreased appetite, headache, diarrhea, rash, new joint pain/
aggravated joint pain, new muscle pain/aggravated muscle pain,
chills, fatigue, any pain, tenderness, redness, swelling or hardness
at the injection site, and/or limitation of arm movement. Other
common side effects (reported in less than 1 in 10  adults) were
vomiting and fever. This is not a complete list of side effects. For
any unexpected effects while taking Prevnar 13, contact your
doctor or pharmacist.

DIN: 02335204

PREVNAR.CA

PREVNAR® 13 Wyeth LLC, owner/Pfizer Canada Inc., Licensee
© 2018 Pfizer Canada Inc., Kirkland, Quebec H9J 2M5

reader’s digest

News from the Smartphone
Games for Post-
WORLD OF Work Recovery
MEDICINE

BY Samantha Rideout Casual mobile games (PILLS) THE VOORHES; (SMARTPHONE) ISTOCK.COM/LVCANDY
can help to dissipate
FLAVONOIDS MAY OFFSET job-related stress, sug-
UNHEALTHY HABITS gests a British experi-
ment. Each day for five
Although it’s abundantly clear that fruits and veg- days, participants spent
gies promote health, scientists are still unpacking 10 minutes unwinding
all the reasons why. One of them may be flavonoids, with either a shape-
anti-inflammatory compounds found widely in fitting game or a mind-
plants. In a group of over 56,000 Danes who were fulness meditation app.
followed for 23 years, those who consumed at least Their recovery from
500 mg of flavonoids per day had the lowest risk of work strain was meas-
dying. Flavonoids’ apparent positive effect was ured by how relaxed,
strongest among smokers and heavy drinkers. It detached from work,
didn’t compensate fully for these groups’ higher capable and in control
mortality risk, but if you struggle to quit poor hab- they felt. The medita-
its, consuming lots of flavonoid-rich foods such as tion app was associated
apples, tea or broccoli might offer some protection. with more relaxation
on day one, but the
game appeared to offer
increasing benefits over
time. This may have
been because players
were gradually getting
better at it, adding to
their enjoyment. So if
games are your idea of
fun, there’s no need to
feel guilty about a short
session; it might even
be good for you.

28 january/february 2020

Even Low-Level How to Retain The Dangers
Air Pollution More of the of Overtreating
Threatens Lungs Doctor’s Advice Diabetes

ISTOCK.COM/LONDONEYE It’s not only residents of It’s not unusual to feel For people with dia-
the world’s smoggiest anxious about a medi- betes, failing to control
cities who have reason cal appointment. How- high blood glucose
to advocate for cleaner ever, a negative mood raises the likelihood of
air: in Europe, three- tends to make you pay serious complications,
quarters of city dwellers poorer attention to such as nerve damage
live in areas that don’t unpleasant topics. So, or kidney failure. But
meet the World Health if you can calm yourself overmedicating is risky,
Organization’s guide- then you’ll be better too. Recent studies
line levels for fine par- equipped to take in from the United States,
ticulate matter (small important health infor- Canada and Europe
particles from sources mation. For a recent indicate that it’s not
such as car exhaust or American study, nearly uncommon to be get-
home-heating emis- 1,450 subjects learned ting more intensive
sions). In a sample of about the flu, cancer, treatment than is war-
Brits aged 40 to 69, HIV, herpes and gonor- ranted by your hemo-
chronic obstructive rhea. Those who did globin A1C level (an
pulmonary disease was a relaxation exercise average of your recent
even more prevalent beforehand absorbed blood-sugar levels).
among subjects res- more messages. There- Overtreatment ups the
iding in places exceed- fore, taking some deep risk of hypoglycemia,
ing the guideline than breaths or listening to which can result in diz-
it was among those calming music in the ziness, confusion, falls
exposed to second- waiting room might be and hospitalization.
hand tobacco smoke at worthwhile. Otherwise, Occasionally, severe
home. “Our research consider bringing a episodes lead to death.
also suggests that expo- friend along to take Elderly people are more
sure to air pollution notes, the lead vulnerable to hypo-
might contribute to the researcher suggested. glycemia, and some
lung-aging process,” could benefit from dial-
adds the study’s lead ing back their diabetes
author, Dany Doiron of therapy after discussing
Montreal’s McGill Uni- their health details
versity Health Centre. with a doctor.

rd.ca 29

reader’s digest

Improving Sleep
With Well-Timed
Bathing

Protecting Grandchildren A warm evening bath or ISTOCK.COM/CLUBFOTO
From Medications shower may enhance
shut-eye, according to
Most grandparents haven’t given much thought to an American review
the risks their medications pose to their grandkids, that associated it with
suggests the American National Poll on Healthy sleeping for a greater
Aging. More than four-fifths of grandparents said percentage of the time
that when children were visiting their homes, their spent in bed and—if
pills remained in the same place as usual, often cup- taken one to two hours
boards or countertops. “And when they travel to see before bedtime—with
grandchildren, 72 per cent reported keeping their nodding off more
medications in their bag or purse,” says Dr. Preeti quickly. It’s not merely
Malani, the poll director. Only a small minority put that soaking in the tub
them in a secure spot such as a locked cabinet. is soothing; it’s also that
your sleep-wake cycle is
Medications are a leading cause of childhood poi- intertwined with your
soning worldwide, according to the World Health body temperature,
Organization. Young kids often ingest them out of which peaks in late
a habit of putting things in their mouths. For older afternoon or early even-
kids, easy access raises the chances of abusing pain- ing and then cools as
killers and other drugs with recreational potential. you approach slumber.
The warm water may
When products come in childproof packaging, aid your natural circa-
many seniors have reasons to transfer them to dian rhythm by bring-
easier-to-open containers. Maybe you have arthri- ing blood and heat from
tis, for example, or you rely on a pill sorter to follow your body’s inner core
the right schedule. If so, it’s extra important to keep to its periphery, your
them out of the reach of little ones. hands and feet. From
there, the heat can
For most accidents, “the first step can be to call escape more easily as
a poison-control centre,” says Malani. “Their staff the day winds down.
can help with initial decision-making, including
whether the child needs to be taken to the nearest
emergency department.”

30 january/february 2020

HEALTH

WHAT’S WRONG
WITH ME?

BY Lisa Bendall

illustration by victor wong

THE PATIENT: Daniel*, they brought him to a clinic. The doctor
a three-year-old boy assured them it was likely gastroenter-
THE SYMPTOMS: Worsening belly itis from a stomach virus, and that it
pain and fever would run its course in three days. They
THE DOCTOR: Dr. Saar Hashavya, were advised to give him rest and fluids.
head of the pediatric ER at Hadassah
Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel By the morning of day four, however,
the pain was much worse. Instead of
DANIEL’S PARENTS WEREN’T sur- playing with his toys as usual, Daniel
prised at first when their little was hunched over and feverish, and
boy started complaining that his he couldn’t defecate. He was eating
tummy hurt. It was late March, 2019, almost nothing. His worried parents
not long after the Jewish holiday Purim, brought him to the pediatric emer-
and the three-year-old had over- gency room at Hadassah Medical Cen-
indulged in candy. But when Daniel ter’s Ein Kerem campus.
started refusing food and throwing up,
“For us, as pediatricians, there’s a very
*BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS HAVE BEEN CHANGED. clear line between a well-appearing
child and an ill-appearing child,” says
Dr. Saar Hashavya. “It’s a lot of small

rd.ca 31

reader’s digest

things—his colour, the way he holds his There was also no convincing reason
body, the way he speaks with you—that to run more tests. A CT scan would
make the larger picture of a child who have given doctors a better look at
is not well.” This boy had no ordinary Daniel’s abdomen, but exposing him
gastroenteritis, Hashavya intuited. to unnecessary radiation wouldn’t
change the fact that he urgently needed
Another tipoff that Daniel’s condi- surgery. “We knew something wrong
tion was serious was tenderness in the was going on, and we needed to work
right lower quadrant of his abdomen. fast,” says Hashavya.
You don’t usually see that with a simple
stomach bug, says Hashavya. Mean- SURGEONS FOUND
while, Daniel’s blood work showed a A STRANGE GROUP
high white blood cell count and inflam- OF BALL-SHAPED
matory markers, suggesting the pres- OBJECTS IN DANIEL’S
ence of an infection.
INTESTINES.
To the doctors, these symptoms and
signs all pointed to acute appendicitis, Within three hours of arriving at the
which occurs when the appendix, a hospital, Daniel was in the operating
slim pouch attached to the colon, room, and the surgical team was mak-
becomes infected from a blockage. ing a small incision in their young
This isn’t common in preschoolers, but patient’s abdomen. They inserted a
can sometimes happen. Treatment is camera to hunt for the infected appen-
surgical removal of the appendix. “We dix. As the surgeons explored the
were stunned and anxious,” says Dan- abdominal cavity and looked on their
iel’s dad, Adam. “We imagined all the monitor, they could see a great deal
worst-case scenarios.” If an infected of pus. Unexpectedly, they also saw
appendix ruptures, the bacteria can adhesions—some tissues were literally
spread throughout the gut. stuck together—and, to their surprise,
a normal-looking appendix.
An ultrasound appeared to confirm
the diagnosis. The technician couldn’t Then things got even weirder. Mov-
get a proper view of the appendix—the ing the camera around, the surgeons
tiny organ doesn’t always show up suddenly discovered a group of strange
well—but there was definitely a lot of little ball-shaped objects in the intes-
extra fluid present, which indicated tines. They were smooth and shiny,
inflammation in the intestine. and appeared in various colours—red,

“All the puzzle pieces were in place
for appendicitis,” says Hashavya. “At
the time, there was no reason to think
something else would pop up.”

32 january/february 2020

violet, blue and green. These pretty them, cutting off their blood supply
little balls, it seemed, were wreaking and eventually perforating them.
havoc inside Daniel’s abdomen.
Daniel had a version of Valentino
Unbeknownst to his parents, about syndrome, in which a rare rupture of
a week before Daniel’s symptoms the duodenum causes signs and symp-
started, one of the other boys at his pre- toms that perfectly mimic acute appen-
school had brought in a magnet game dicitis. The condition is usually due to
to show his friends. To a small child a complication from a peptic ulcer, and
who loves Purim candy, the colourful it’s named after the silent-movie star
magnetic balls looked tempting, and of the 1920s, Rudolph Valentino—the
he couldn’t resist swallowing them. infection caused his death. “Just like in
our case, doctors went to take out Val-
DANIEL SUFFERED entino’s appendix, and discovered it
FROM THE SAME CON- was normal,” Hashavya says. “Now it’s
DITION THAT KILLED a cautionary tale for medical students:
what looks like appendicitis may actu-
SILENT MOVIE STAR ally be a perforation.”
RUDOLPH VALENTINO.
The magnets were removed from
One magnet on its own would have Daniel’s abdomen, and the damaged
passed through the body harmlessly, tissue was repaired with sutures. Infec-
but Daniel had consumed 18. The tions this extensive don’t always heal
magnets had come together in two perfectly, and the patient can develop a
bunches, and had lodged in different post-surgical leak in the bowel. But for-
parts of his digestive system—the duo- tunately, the repair was successful. Dan-
denum at the top of his small intestine, iel needed antibiotics for a week, and
and lower in his bowel. The strong gradually started eating again. His par-
magnetic attraction had then pulled ents say that although it took about two
the two parts of his body together, months before he was completely him-
squeezing the delicate tissues between self again, there were no lasting effects.

“He feels great now,” says his dad,
adding: “We had no idea that magnets
were such a danger for children.”

Living in the Now

Don’t surrender all your joy for an idea you used to have
about yourself that isn’t true anymore.

CHERYL STRAYED, AUTHOR

rd.ca 33

COVER STORY

BY Lisa Bendall

photographs by nikki ormerod

34 january/february 2020

reader’s digest

reader’s digest

we’re living longer than ever before, Brush your teeth
thanks to healthier lifestyles and med-
ical advancements such as vaccines “There’s a correlation between poor oral
and antibiotics. The average life expec- health and the risk of other conditions,
tancy in Canada, currently 82 and such as cardiovascular disease and dia-
rising, has increased by 11 years since betes,” says Dr. Howard Tenenbaum, the
1960. Of course, reaching a ripe old age dentist-in-chief at Toronto’s Sinai Health
is significantly more rewarding if you System. Bacteria from the mouth can
feel fit and healthy, and your life is full. enter the bloodstream and spread.
Even the molecules involved in fight-
Researchers who study longevity ing oral infection appear to exacerbate
and health have concluded that peo- inflammation elsewhere in the body.
ple who live the longest share some
common characteristics in where and Get your eyes checked
how they live, and how proactively
they take care of themselves. “Lon- According to a 2014 study in the Jour-
gevity is useless if it means more years nal of the American Medical Associa-
incapacitated in a home,” says Benja- tion, the reduction in independence
min Zendel, a professor at Memorial from vision loss has an impact on life-
University of Newfoundland and Can- span. In the study, seniors who were
ada Research Chair in Aging and Audi- gradually losing their vision—that is,
tory Neuroscience. by one eye-chart line per year—were
16 per cent more likely to have died
Follow these 45 proven—and often eight years later. The researchers believe
surprising—habits to get the most out that correcting vision or learning strat-
of life. egies for adapting to vision loss, like
how to read a grocery list with a mag-
RULE #1: TREAT nifying tool, can reduce this risk.
YOUR BODY RIGHT
Breathe deeply
Watch your weight
Lung capacity begins to decline around
An analysis in the Annals of Internal age 35 as your airways lose elasticity,
Medicine of three long-term studies your posture changes and your dia-
found that being overweight at any phragm loses strength, making it more
time in adulthood can shorten your life difficult to take in the oxygen your body
significantly. If you’re heavy, losing just needs to stay active and healthy. Slow
five to 10 per cent of your body weight these changes by exercising your lungs
will help prevent life-threatening for five or 10 minutes a day: breathe
chronic diseases such as diabetes. deeply, concentrating on lowering
your diaphragm—the muscle under

36 january/february 2020

your lungs that allows these organs to nitrogen-bisphosphonate medications,

expand. Gradually extend the time it it lowers the rate of early death by as

takes you to inhale and exhale. much as 34 per cent.

ISTOCK.COM/BANKSPHOTOS Don’t overmedicate ...and replace worn hips

A 2015 study of over 5,000 Spanish If you’ve been advised to have hip
seniors revealed that patients on the surgery but put it off because you
most pills died the earliest. Although it don’t relish the long recovery, you
doesn’t prove that multiple prescrip- might reconsider. In Sweden, almost
tions (known as “polypharmacy”) are 132,000 patients who had a total hip
the cause of an earlier death, what’s replacement had a higher chance of
known is that we’re more vulnerable being alive 10 years later. The research-
to drug interactions and side effects as ers couldn’t pinpoint the reasons but
we age. Even common medications believe many factors are at play, not-
like ibuprofen can lead to ulcers, kid- ing that a hip replacement typically
ney disease or cardiovascular events if improves mobility and lessens pain.
taken long term. Bring a list of all your
prescriptions to your next GP appoint- Book a flu shot—every year
ment and find out if you can reduce or
eliminate anything. Over 83,000 people in North America
died last year from catching the flu, and
Tend to your tootsies about 912,000 were hospitalized due
to flu complications such as pneumo-
A potential complication of diabetes, a nia. Even if you recover, you can have
disease shared by 2.3 million Canadi- lasting scar tissue in your airways, mak-
ans, is open sores on the feet. A 2019 ing it harder for your lungs to oxygenate
Australian study linked diabetic foot your tissues.
ulcers to a death up to 15 years earlier
than the average. Check your feet reg- Reconsider HRT
ularly for redness or breaks in the skin,
and see a health-care professional if Before going on hormone replacement
you have concerns. therapy, ask your doctor about the risks.
According to authors of a 2019 study in
Strengthen your skeleton... Preventive Medicine Reports, women
who enter menopause before age 45
New research from the Garvan Insti- raise their mortality risk by 31 per cent
tute of Medical Research in
Darlinghurst, Australia, sug- if they take hormones. Previ-
gests that when we slow our ous studies linked this ther-
age-related bone loss with apy to cancer, heart attack,
stroke and bone fractures.

rd.ca 37

reader’s digest

Don’t neglect your rump Grill or bake your fish

Colorectal cancer is one of the If you’re trying to include more
most common cancers in Can- fish and seafood in your diet,
ada (the second for men, after good for you. But how you cook
lung). The new fecal immu- your meal matters—a lot. Data
nochemical test (FIT) for precancerous from the Nurses’ Health Study in the
changes is a simple diagnostic kit that U.S. shows that eating a daily serving of
can be used at home, with no special fried fish makes you 13 per cent more
preparation. Ask your doctor to help likely to die from a heart-related cause.
you order your own. The lesson: opt for less fatty cooking
techniques.

RULE #2: EAT RIGHT Stay hydrated...

Never skip breakfast Research shows that many of us under-
estimate the risk of dehydration, which
According to the Journal of the American is linked to health problems and death.
College of Cardiology, people aged 40 The right amount of fluid intake is
to 75 were 87 per cent more likely to be unique to each individual, but if your
dead of cardiovascular disease a couple urine is dark, you probably aren’t drink-
of decades later if they never ate break- ing enough.
fast—even though they had no sign of
the disease at the start of the study. ...but avoid sugary drinks

Prioritize plant protein... A 2019 report from the Harvard T.H.
Chan School of Public Health suggested
A Japanese study following over 70,000 that the more sugary drinks people
people found that the more plant have, the greater their chances of dying
protein (like beans, seeds and whole earlier, with the difference in risk being
grains) they included in their diet, the 21 per cent greater if you drink two or
longer they stayed alive. more of these beverages a day.

...and cut back on red meat Cook from scratch ISTOCK.COM/BANKSPHOTOS

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan A 2019 French study following almost
School of Public Health, eating just 45,000 middle-aged adults noted that
one extra half-serving of red meat a people who consumed ultra-processed
day increases your risk of premature foods—that is, ready-to-serve products
death by nine per cent over eight years. containing additives—had a higher
The risk is 13 per cent if the half-serving rate of dying from any cause, not just
is processed. cardiovascular disease.

38 january/february 2020

Use a smaller dish evidence that it may lower the risk of
death from cancer.
To control calories, you can trick your-
self into eating less, says Maureen Dob- Go ahead, drink more coffee
bins, a professor in the School of Nurs-
ing at McMaster University. “We tend This beverage is linked to longer life,
to overestimate portion sizes in North possibly because the caffeine content
America, and it’s partly driven by the helps our bodies fight chronic inflam-
size of the plate.” mation. Count your cups and stop at
five per day; otherwise you increase
Cut back on booze your risk of cardiovascular disease. If
you prefer decaf, you won’t get the caf-
Alcohol consumption was blamed for feine benefits, but you’ll still be taking
an estimated 14,800 deaths and 88,000 in antioxidants.
hospital visits in 2014. If you’re female,
limit yourself to 10 drinks per week, and RULE #3: KEEP ACTIVE
no more than two a day. If you’re male,
don’t exceed 15 per week, or three a day.

Add more tomatoes Embrace housework
(you’ll thank yourself!)
The lycopene in this red fruit has anti-
oxidant properties. In study findings Even light-intensity physical activity,
published on the Annals of Internal like sweeping the floor or washing
Medicine website, lycopene lowered dishes, appears to lengthen your life—
the risk of dying over a six-year period with every minute you do, your chances
by 18 per cent. For cancer-related of dying go down, according to a 2019
deaths, it was a 54 per cent reduction. report in The BMJ. “This suggests that
older people and those who are not
Go nuts able to be physically active at higher
intensities will still benefit from just
In a Harvard-led study, people who moving around,” wrote one of the
ate a few nuts every day—including report’s authors, who was from the Nor-
walnuts, almonds or cashews—were wegian School of Sport Sciences.
20 per cent less likely to die over a
30-year period. Take up a new sport

Pop a vitamin D You’ll gain more health benefits when
physical activity is combined with men-
People with low levels of this vitamin tal stimulation and social interactions.
appear to have a higher rate of death. “In my lab, we use the tag line ‘lifestyle
A supplement doesn’t guarantee you’ll cross-training,’” explains psychologist
live longer, but a study in The BMJ found

rd.ca 39

reader’s digest

Stuart MacDonald at the University of Medicine, just one hour of leisure walk- ISTOCK.COM/BANKSPHOTOS
Victoria, where he investigates the ing per week appears to reduce the
neuroscience of aging. “There’s some death rate by 18 per cent compared to
basic science suggesting that your totally inactive individuals.
memory functions better if you’re also
physical. And if you choose an activ- Jog up the stairs
ity where you get to see your friends,
you’re more likely to keep doing it.” Short on time? A 2018 study in the Jour-
nal of the American Heart Association
Stand when you talk reported that brief bursts of intense
on the phone activity have the same benefit to your
lifespan as the 10-minute bouts recom-
Even if you meet your daily physical- mended by agencies like Health Can-
activity goals, it won’t eliminate health ada, as long as you end up getting the
problems associated with sitting for same total amount of exercise.
long periods, including stroke and can-
cer—you still need to get up regularly. RULE #4: FIND TIME
Research led by the American Cancer TO RELAX
Society showed that people who sit for
at least six hours a day have a 19 per Make friends
cent greater risk of dying.
“If you’re socially isolated, you tend
Bring your earbuds for exercise to have a heightened inflammatory
response. Left unchecked, inflamma-
You’ll gain more of the health benefits tion gets manifested as disease,” says
of brisk walking, like lower blood pres- MacDonald. Research at the University
sure and protection for your bones, if of Helsinki in 2018 showed that lonely
you can increase your speed. In fact, people tracked over seven years were
walking faster reduces risk of death by much more likely to have a heart attack
almost 18 per cent over eight years. (43 per cent) or stroke (39 per cent).

Find excuses to walk Get enough sleep

Many municipalities offer themed walk- People who don’t sleep enough—seven
ing tours. Since participants can learn to eight hours is optimal for most—are
history or view gardens while being more likely to develop conditions like
physically and socially active, it also
counts as a “lifestyle cross-training”
strategy. According to research on men
and women over 40, published this
year in the British Journal of Sports

40 january/february 2020

ISTOCK.COM/BANKSPHOTOS diabetes and mental illness. If you can’t Don’t take work home
resist using your electronic devices
before bed, special glasses can mini- A 2018 study in The Lancet showed
mize the effects of artificial blue light that job stress may be leading men
on your sleep. with cardiometabolic diseases (like
insulin resistance or high blood pres-
Turn up the heat sure) to an earlier death—with a 68
per cent higher risk. The same effect
The more often middle-aged men in wasn’t seen in women. Guys, stop
Finland visited saunas—from once a checking work messages when you’re
week to daily—the lower their death off the clock.
rates over a 20-year period. Sauna use
appears to lower blood pressure and Hunt for silver linings
protect blood vessels. (It may not be
recommended if you’re recovering Boston-based researchers have just
from a heart attack or have angina.) shown that optimism increases the
odds you’ll live to 85 by 50 per cent
Manage stress if you’re female and 70 per cent for
males. Try focusing on all the things
“If you have protracted stress for a long you’re grateful for.
time, you tend to have elevated levels
of cortisol,” says MacDonald. “It’s been Take piano lessons or
shown that your hippocampus atro- join a choir
phies when you bathe it in cortisol
over a long time.” Prolonged exposure “As you get older, it becomes more dif-
to emotional stress can reduce survival ficult to socially interact in noisy envi-
rates for people with health condi- ronments,” says Memorial University’s
tions, raising their death rate over a Zendel. Research in his lab and else-
four-year period by 39 to 43 per cent. where is showing that musical training
Try seeing a problem as a challenge can improve your ability to decipher
you can tackle and learn from. speech in loud restaurants and bars.

Listen to nature Improve your listening skills

Can’t get outside? At Brighton and Focus your attention on the speaker
Sussex Medical School in the United and watch their lip movements. Being
Kingdom, MRI scans of volunteers a good listener is another strategy that
demonstrated that listening to recorded can help you stay socially engaged,
sounds of the great outdoors can pro- reducing your loneliness and isolation.
duce a brain response associated with
reduced stress.

rd.ca 41

reader’s digest

Zendel has met people with Canada report, people in
hearing issues who don’t let remote areas often have
others get a word in edgewise. poorer access to health ser-
“They know they won’t under- vices because of distance and
stand you, so their solution is wait times, and are more likely
to keep talking.” to die a preventable death.

RULE #5: FIND YOUR Share the load ISTOCK.COM/BANKSPHOTOS
HAPPY PLACE
Research led by the Johns Hopkins
Bond with nature University Center on Aging and Health
in 2013 showed that the emotional
When you’re planning a walking or rewards of caring for a family mem-
biking route in your neighbourhood, ber can extend your life by 18 per cent.
make sure it cuts through a park or The key, though, is to keep the work-
two. According to a 2017 report in The load manageable. This frees you to
Lancet, exposure to community green enjoy the health benefits of higher
spaces—which increases our sense of self-esteem and the sense that you’re
well-being—lowers death rates by eight making a difference.
to 12 per cent over 10 years.
Avoid third-hand smoke
Get a roommate
We all know about the risks of inhaling
A 2019 study that followed men over second-hand smoke, but the chemical
more than 30 years found that the risk residue that clings to clothes and builds
of dying was 23 per cent higher for up on furniture can create a type of
those living alone. Another recent study indoor pollution that may pose harm,
found a similar link in men and women too. Studies on this are still ongoing,
living by themselves, but only for those but Berkeley Lab scientists were able
who actually felt lonely. The new Sym- to show, for instance, that these chem-
biosis program at McMaster University icals react with compounds in a room’s
matches students in need of short-term air to form carcinogens.
housing with seniors who have a room
to spare. Participants report a greater Manage your temp
sense of community connection.
Heat waves and cold snaps can be life-
Live closer to amenities threatening, especially as you age. If
you live in a community that is prone
Too much isolation can reduce your to either extreme (or both—this is Can-
lifespan. According to a 2019 Statistics ada, after all), heed weather warnings
and stay indoors if you need to.

42 january/february 2020

LAUGHTER but also makes my
speeches to the people
the Best Medicine rather ineffective.

— @CHICKSRULE

A man at a restaurant Solo Snacks Pop Quiz
orders Swedish meat- I am a reasonably com- What’s Edith Piaf’s
balls. When the waiter petent adult woman, but favourite airline?
brings him the meal, he I still believe that if there
asks if they are genuine. are only two cookies left, L’avion rose.
“Yes,” says the waiter. you’ve got to eat both of
“If you look closely, you them or the one remain- — MARK FLOWERDEW,
can see the little black ing cookie will be lonely.
dots in the meatballs. — JENNIFER WRIGHT, writer Dartmouth, N.S.
Those are the umlauts.”
Canon Copy Edited I couldn’t remember the
— DAVID WONG, Writer: The Wizard of Oz word “appetizer,” so I
Editor: Oz’s Wizard said “food’s first act”
Thunder Bay and, honestly, it works.
— @BEN_ROSEN
Food for Thought — @SVERSHBOW
My thought bubble is The fact that my balcony
just filled with pictures isn’t facing the street Send us your original
of my favourite snacks. makes it nice and quiet jokes! You could earn $50
and be featured in the
— @ANNIETHENANNY1 magazine. See page 9 or
rd.ca/joke for details.

THE BEST JOKE I EVER TOLD

By Leonard Chan

I think that being an astronaut on the
way to the moon would be the worst
time to find out that you’re a werewolf.

Leonard Chan is based in Toronto and
performs regularly across North America.
Find out where he’s touring at
www.theleonardchan.com.

rd.ca 43

reader’s digest

DRAMA IN REAL LIFE

“HELP. Michael Lythcott and Stacey
Eno’s scooter ran off the road,
leaving them broken, bleeding
and trapped in a Balinese
jungle. Worse: no one knew.
Then Michael, hours from death,
got a signal on his phone.

IN DANGER.
CALL POLICE.”

BY Derek Burnett

illustration by mark smith

rd.ca 45

reader’s digest

IN AUGUST 2018, Aimee Spevak rented a cabin in Penn-
sylvania’s Pocono Mountains to get away from the New
York City heat. Like many people who can never truly
break away from work, Spevak, a freelance medical
writer, found herself stuck inside on a lovely summer
day, finishing an assignment. In a moment of procras-
tination, she checked her Facebook news feed and was
delighted to see a post from her friend Michael Lythcott.

Lythcott was an intrepid traveller. In pouch of the scooter and was using it
fact, he and Spevak had trekked through to navigate. As they climbed a hill past
Nepal together a few years earlier. Spe- the jungle, he glanced down at the GPS
vak knew he was at that moment in and back up at the road—and saw a
Bali, and she was eager to hear about curve ahead. Deciding not to try the
his experience. But then she read the bend, Lythcott hit the brakes—but his
post. Rather than beautiful travel pho- bike didn’t stop.
tos or a detailed narrative of Lythcott’s
journey, there was a stark plea: “Help. He awoke sometime later to the bab-
In danger. Call police.” ble of water nearby. He was flat on his
back on a steep slope, surrounded by
lythcott, a 40-year-old web developer vegetation. The jungle. He tried to sit
from the United States, had landed in up, but his body wouldn’t cooperate.
Bali to meet his friend Stacey Eno, 27, What happened? he wondered. Where
just the day before. Excited for their am I? Then it came to him. Bali. But
adventure, the two Americans had why am I in the jungle? He strained to
rented a scooter on the outskirts of think, but his mind was a fog.
Ubud and driven into town, where they
stayed late into the night doing what Oh man, I was in a scooter accident,
they both loved: chatting with stran- he thought. That much came back to
gers from all over the world. him, but nothing more. Nothing about
flying 18 metres through the air down
It was well past 2 a.m. and nearly a ravine, nothing that explained the
pitch-dark when they hopped back on blood he could taste and the dull pain
the scooter and headed for their hotel. he felt all through his body.
Lythcott had placed his iPhone in the
He took stock. His glasses were
gone. The scooter was gone, and with

46 january/february 2020

it his cell phone. His left wrist and a second phone, the one with his
torso were smashed up badly, as was American SIM card he used for con-
his neck. Finally he called out to his tacting people in the United States. He
companion. “Stacey! Stacey, where are searched his jacket pocket—and there
you?” His voice came out surprisingly it was! He turned off airplane mode
quiet. (He’d learn later that both his and activated international data roam-
lungs had collapsed.) ing, balancing the phone on his chest.
Battery charge: 42 per cent.
“I’m right here.”
Eno was only a few feet away. Lythcott Lythcott tried calling 911. When
dragged himself toward her through that didn’t work, he noticed a few of
the darkness until he was beside her. the apps he’d left open on the phone,
“I don’t know what’s going on,” she including Facebook. An idea struck.
said. “Why are we in the woods?” Taking great care not to let the blood-
“We were in an accident. Can you slick phone tumble down the dark
move?” ravine, he navigated to his homepage
“No.” and typed away. Less than two min-
“Stacey, I need you to get up and utes later, Spevak saw the post.
walk and get us help.”
“I can’t.” at first, spevak had no idea what to
This alarmed Lythcott. No one knew do. She didn’t even know where in
they were there. His neck was probably Bali her friend was. Then she remem-
broken. We might die here, he thought. bered that Facebook has a function
Making matters worse, he had begun that allows you to call your friends.
slowly sliding down the wet jungle She gave it a try. To her surprise, Lyth-
floor past thick-trunked trees. cott picked up.
“I’m scared,” Eno said. She sounded
farther and farther away. At last, Lyth- “Aimee,” he said, “I’m in the woods.
cott came to rest in a tiny depression I don’t know where I am. I don’t know
on the hillside, where he could grasp a what’s happening.”
tree root. There, in his nook, an eerie
calm came over him. If he was going “Okay,” Spevak said. “Can you send
to die, let it be like this, in a peaceful me your location? I’m going to call
place. Let him close his eyes and allow somebody, and then we’ll get you
it to take him over. out of there.”
No, he scolded himself. Stop think-
ing that way. You have to save Stacey. After they hung up, Lythcott sent his
If only he hadn’t lost his phone in the GPS coordinates on a map using Face-
wreck. Then he remembered he had book’s pin drop function. Now one per-
son in the world knew where he was.

Spevak wasn’t sure whom to call or
how to proceed, so she decided to

rd.ca 47

reader’s digest

enlist the help of Lythcott’s vast circle had slammed into her mouth during
of friends from around the globe. She the crash, slicing her tongue and
posted a screenshot of the pin drop to loosening teeth.
the Facebook comment thread and
watched nervously as every few sec- “Stacey,” Lythcott said. “I’m trying
onds another friend jumped into the to get help.”
conversation.
Why aren’t either of us getting up?
“Mikey!! ARE YOU OKAY???” Eno wondered. She tried to move her
“Mikey, what police do we call???” legs but her body was in shock, and
“Do you know what to do here?” she couldn’t get them underneath her.
A friend named Ricardo Mendes, in Any movement made her feel as if she
Portugal, proposed Lythcott should might fall down the steep incline to
activate Apple’s emergency SOS call. whatever dangers lay below. She dug
He wrote, “PRESS THE OFF BUTTON her fingernails into the soil to avoid
OF YOUR IPHONE 5 TIMES QUICKLY.” slipping and waited for the help that
Lythcott hoped was on the way.

ENO COULDN’T MOVE—SHE FELT AS IF SHE
MIGHT FALL DOWN THE STEEP INCLINE TO

WHATEVER DANGERS LAY BELOW.

Kaitlin Haggard, a friend in Las Vegas, among those glued to Lythcott’s rap-
Nev., found all the local police num- idly moving Facebook feed was Josh
bers by district and shared them. Hofer, a long-time friend who was at
his office in Morrisville, N.C. Like
Misty McKenzie-Hill, in Toronto: Spevak, he was stunned when he first
“Please, please let him be okay.” read Lythcott’s post, then was relieved
to see the pin drop Spevak had posted.
Emilie Stein, in Woodbridge, Va.: But his enthusiasm quickly waned:
“Dude, I will fly out tonight and come the location was frustratingly vague.
get you if you need.” He decided to fiddle with it and opened
up the pin drop on his phone instead
Meanwhile, Eno continued to strug- of on his computer. Instantly it showed
gle. She was trying to scream for help, greater detail. He took a screenshot
but she was too weak and each time and sent it to a U.S. consulate in Indo-
it came out like a whimper. She was nesia via email.
in and out of consciousness, con-
fused and numb. The bones in her
face had been shattered. Something

48 january/february 2020