Dickerson Oxton - October 2021

Dickerson Oxton - October 2021

816-268-1960 | 913-428-8220 www.dickersonoxton.com

OCT 2021

ANIMAL BITES

CAR ACCIDENTS

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

A Fighting Spirit REFLECTING ON MY GRANDMOTHER’S BREAST CANCER BATTLE

BICYCLE/ MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS

BRAIN & SPINAL CORD INJURIES

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I wanted to take a moment to remember my paternal grandmother, who was a survivor of both breast and ovarian cancer. My grandmother, Leikney Oxton, grew up in Minnesota. Her parents immigrated from Norway and worked hard to maintain their heritage, so they gave all of their 10 children traditional Norwegian names. (My grandmother’s name meant “little chicken!”) The family supported themselves by farming, and my grandmother worked hard as a child. In the late 1970s, before I was born, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She survived with the help of some aggressive and experimental treatments but later suffered from early onset dementia. We always suspected that the radical therapies she was given contributed to her later health issues, but I’m grateful that she lived long enough for us to form a relationship. I was born in the early ‘80s and had about six or seven years to get to know her before she had to move to a nursing home for full-time care. My grandma was a very sweet and tiny lady. She was 5-foot- 2 and only weighed about 90 pounds. I remember that when I was 3 or 4 years old, she used to keep a doll for me at her house. I loved dolls at that age, and this one was special because I only got to see it at Grandma’s. I still remember her giving me that doll, with its pink frilly hat. I was always excited to go over to her house because, of course, she spoiled me rotten. Not only did I get to play with the doll, but I also got to eat oatmeal cream pies — the special treat she kept on hand just for the grandchildren. Considering my family history of breast cancer, I’m aware that I have an increased risk of developing the disease myself. Statistically, only about 10% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history, but I am still in a higher risk

BURN INJURIES

group. I’ve been tested and thankfully do not have a harmful mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes that can cause breast cancer, but I will always remain extra vigilant. Women should begin having mammograms at age 40. If you have a family history of breast cancer, it’s important to let your doctor know; they may recommend that you start breast cancer screenings at an earlier age. Mammograms may be uncomfortable, but early detection can save lives. You should also conduct monthly breast self-exams. While less thorough than mammograms, at-home exams can be conducted frequently and only take a few minutes. Forty percent of breast cancer cases are detected due to a lump noticed during a self-exam, and earlier detection means higher survival rates. If you have questions about how to conduct your own breast self-examination, you can find more information at NationalBreastCancer.org/Breast-Self-Exam . One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes, so make sure you know your risks and collaborate with your doctor on prevention and screenings. Death rates among women with breast cancer dropped 40% between 1989 and 2017, but our work is not done. Together, I’m hopeful that we can reduce those numbers even further — for all of the women like my amazing grandmother. –Chelsea Dickerson

CONSTRUCTION INJURIES

NURSING HOME ABUSE

SLIP & FALL ACCIDENTS

BOATING ACCIDENTS

TRUCK ACCIDENTS

PHARMACEUTICAL & DRUG INJURIES

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Halloween is too much fun to limit to only one day. With so many activities available, it’s also a great excuse to spend time outdoors with the kids before winter starts to set in. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Halloween beyond trick-or-treating, here are a few local activities to get you started. SCARECROW FESTIVAL The 16th annual Scarecrow Festival is scheduled for the morning of Oct. 2, and it’s bound to be lots of fun for the whole family. Downtown Shawnee will be transformed as various businesses compete in the Scarecrow Competition. There’s more fun to be had with a baking contest, a farmers market, and opportunities to make scarecrows and decorate pumpkins. Admission and art supplies are free, and the festival will take place rain or shine. Visit Facebook.com/Events/173732374748958 for more information. FAULKNER’S RANCH Pumpkin Season at Faulkner’s Ranch is an autumn wonderland for families. Each year, the ranch is transformed throughout October into a fall festival with over 20 attractions, including wagon rides, a petting farm, giant Jenga, and a cow-milking contest. Pumpkin Season tickets are $10–$15 (kids 3 and under get in free). Due to COVID-19 A Frighteningly Go LOCAL HALLOWEEN HAP

Exploring a corn maze is a great way to get outside and enjoy the fall season with friends and family — but who came up with the idea of wandering around a corn field for fun? As it turns out, outdoor mazes are an ancient tradition, and the American corn maze of the ‘90s sprouted from the mazes of 17th-century European gardens. Don’t believe it? Here’s a quick tour of corn maze history. THE MINOTAUR AND THE MAZE A Historical Look at This Wacky Fall Tradition Corn Mazes Date Back to Ancient Greece?

Have you heard of Theseus and the Minotaur? This ancient Greek legend tells the story of the hero Theseus, who ventured into an

elaborate maze to kill the half- man, half-bull imprisoned there. The monstrous Minotaur was known to eat heroes, and the labyrinth was known to trap them, but Theseus managed to slay the Minotaur and find his way home with the help of a string that he unspooled as he walked.

This story isn’t the first recorded example of a maze or labyrinth — according to the World History encyclopedia, “[L]abyrinths and labyrinthine symbols have been dated to the Neolithic Age in regions as diverse as modern-day Turkey, Ireland, Greece, and India, among others” — but it’s perhaps the most famous ancient tale. If you’ve ever navigated a Halloween corn maze staffed by ghouls and ghosts, you can see the parallels! GARDEN ART TO GET LOST IN Mazes formed from bushes began popping up European gardens in the 17th century. They were a popular artistic feature of upper-class gardens in England, more for looking at than solving. One famous example is the half-mile-long Hampton Maze, which was planted in 1690 and still stands today. THE CORN MAZE: AN AMERICAN INVENTION Garden mazes eventually hopped the pond to America but didn’t become interactive puzzles until Don Frantz, Creative Director of the American Maze Company, came on the scene. In 1993, Frantz created the “first ever cornfield maze for private and public entertainment” to attract college kids in Pennsylvania. Today, every small-town corn maze is a descendant of his “Amazing Maize Maze.” To learn more about that wacky history, visit AmericanMaze.com.

SMALL CHANGES FOR BIG FUN TRICK-OR-TREATING SAFETY TIPS

Halloween is one of the most exciting days of the year for children, but celebrations have changed. The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over, and it’s unclear when children under 12 will be able to be vaccinated. You naturally want your little ones to have a good time, but it’s also important to keep them in good health. We’ve compiled some tips to tweak your Halloween plans for maximum fun and safety. KEEP IT SMALL If you tend to go trick-or-treating with big groups, this year is a good time to make a change. The more people who crowd together, the more likely someone will be infected. If possible, keep your trick-or- treating party to just the people in your household. If you can’t bear

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ood Time PPENINGS

precautions, tickets must be purchased in advance to guarantee admission. Get yours today at FaulknersRanch.com/ Pumpkin-Season . HISTORICAL HAUNTINGS

Shawnee Town 1929 is always a great time for those interested in local history, and those who are creeped out by old houses might always find the museum a little scary. But one evening a year, things get extra

TAKE A BREAK

spooky during Halloween Hauntings. Put on your costumes and head over for trick-or-treating, tours, hayrides, and contests with lots of prizes. The annual event takes place on Oct. 26 this year, and admission is free with a suggested donation of $1. More details will be available soon at ShawneeTown.org . In our age of COVID-19, it can be hard to take precautions and have fun at the same time, so it’s helpful that these events all take place mostly outside. This fall, round up the kids and head out for some wholesome Halloween fun — you might make some memories to last a lifetime. to keep your kids away from their friends, make sure they stick to their best buddies only. A socially distanced group of three 10-year- olds is probably okay — a crowd of 20 is not. WEAR AMASK No, Halloween masks don’t count. Even if your child is wearing a plastic or rubber mask, they should still wear a well-fitting cloth or surgical face mask underneath to stop the spread of aerosolized germs. There are tons of mask options available for kids, and you can likely find one to coordinate with your child’s costume. If they’re dressing up as something more obscure than Spider-Man or Elsa, help them decorate their mask with markers or stickers (just make sure you don’t create any holes!). SET UP A CANDY TABLE While it’s now known that COVID-19 is not primarily spread through surfaces, it’s still not a great idea to have small children’s hands digging through a bowl for their favorite treat. If you’re handing out candy this year, try setting up a table outdoors with carefully spaced, pre-packaged goody bags. This will stop crowds from forming on your doorstep and make it easy for kids to grab and go. If you don’t want to miss out on the fun, stand or sit a reasonable distance from the table and compliment some costumes! With a few simple modifications, it’s easy to have a blast this Halloween. The festivities might look a little different than in years past, but that doesn’t mean they have to be any less fun. Happy trick-or-treating!

Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels

Inspired by Tasty.co

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups warm water • 1 tbsp salt • 1 tbsp sugar • 1 packet active dry yeast

• 4 1/2 cups flour • 3 tbsp oil, divided • 2/3 cup baking soda • 2 eggs, beaten • Coarse salt, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, combine water, salt, and sugar. Add yeast and let rest for 5 minutes. Add flour and 2 tbsp oil, then mix thoroughly into a dough. 2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat bowl with remaining oil, then return the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside in a warm place for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 450 F. 4. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll them into thin ropes, then twist ropes into pretzel shapes. 5. In a large pot, boil water. Add baking soda, then boil each pretzel for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. 6. Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet. Brush them with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10–15 minutes. Enjoy!

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816-268-1960 | 913-428-8220 www.dickersonoxton.com

INSIDE

THIS ISSUE

Chelsea Remembers Her Grandmother

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Corn Mazes Date Back to Ancient Greece?

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Local Halloween Happenings

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Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips

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Take a Break

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Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels

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The Unique Benefits of Reading Fiction

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How Reading Fiction Can Benefit You Many CEOs and other successful individuals continually espouse the benefits of regular reading. Many times, leaders read self-help books to improve their leadership skills and become more successful. thinking or feeling a certain way, we tend to think or feel that way with them. LESS STRESS AND BETTER SLEEP Self-Help Books Can’t Do It All

When we read fiction specifically, we tend to disengage from the world — and that’s a good thing! Our brains can’t always be functioning at their peak capacity. We need breaks, or else we’ll stress ourselves out and negatively affect other areas of our lives. Stress tends to keep us from sound sleep, but reading fiction before bed engages the imagination, taking us away from the stresses of everyday life before we drift off. MORE COMFORTWITHUNCERTAINTY Even though many stories (particularly those portrayed in popular movies) have nice happy endings, most people would agree that life

sometimes leaves things a little more open- ended. While this fact might stress out some people, researchers have discovered that fiction readers don’t need “cognitive closure” as much as nonfiction readers. GREATER HAPPINESS Even if none of the benefits of fiction interest you, everyone wants to find ways to make themselves happy — and for many, that is reading fiction. According to one survey, 76% of participants said that reading makes them feel good and improves their lives. So, what are you waiting for? Dust off that novel you’ve been meaning to read and crack it open!

This is all well and good, but even the most successful people in the world could be missing out on the unique benefits that come specifically from reading fiction. But what are those benefits exactly? GREATER EMPATHY When a psychologist analyzed 86 functioning MRI (fMRI) studies, he found that the same parts of the brain that fire up when reading fictional stories also fire up when we’re seeking to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. That’s because when the characters in the book we’re reading are

ADVERTISING MATERIAL: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. This newsletter is provided to former clients, individuals who have contacted the firm regarding representation, and individuals who have requested to be on the newsletter mailing list. This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or direct solicitation for employment of the firm on any particular legal matter.

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