Explore YOUR MSU Resource in Fergus County

 

Norwalk Virus

Norwalk Virus and Norwalk-like Viruses

What is it?  And How Do We Prevent It?

 A member of the well-known group of gastrointestinal viruses, this newest version has attracted the attention of the U.S. Center of Disease Control because of the severity of its symptoms.    The virus is very hardy and remains infectious for hours outside of the body.  It is no surprise that nursing homes, schools and facilities such as military installations and cruise ships are primary targets for these outbreaks.  Sufferers of this virus quickly begin to shed high viral loads in their watery stools and vomit.  Failure to thoroughly wash hands with warm soapy water after using the toilette leads to contamination.

Door knobs, stair rails, telephone and computer keypads, as well as other common everyday surfaces, become repositories of the virus.  Casual contact followed by hand-to-face activity, such as chewing gum or eating without hand-washing inoculates the virus into the mouth.  Hours later victims become very sick with nausea, vomiting, high fever and abdominal cramps. Symptoms may be so sever that fluid losses exceed intake leading to dehydration.  This illness often lasts much longer than three days. 

Note: If everyone disciplines themselves to keep their hands away from their mouths and faces unless they are washed in hot or warm soapy water first,

the virus would not spread.  It is that simple!!  Food Handlers need to practice careful hand-washing always before handling food, especially when handling food that will not be cooked!

Unfortunately, hand-washing is hard to enforce even when compulsory, as it is for restaurant workers and in hospitals.  Surfaces susceptible to contamination should be cleansed with solutions containing bleach.

What is a Living Will?

 

A living will is, technically, not a will at all since it takes affect during your lifetime. A living will is a document that states your preferences for treatment in cases of severe illness or injury when the procedures in question are only going to delay the process of dying. A living will provides direction to medical providers and health care facilities and can be used by a person named as a power of attorney for health care as an indication of support to, in layman's terms, "pull the plug."

 

Living wills allow you to make the decision of whether life-prolonging medical or surgical procedures are to be continued, or withheld or withdrawn. They also contain your preferences with regard to when artificial feeding and fluids are to be used and whether pain-killing drugs, such as morphine, should be administered.

 

A living will allows you to express your wishes prior to being incapacitated. Your physicians or health care providers are directed by the living will to follow your instructions. Note that a living will can only be used to indicated refusal of medical procedures and/or feeding/fluids/drugs. A health care proxy, or durable power of attorney for health care, is used to appoint someone to make health care decisions for you if you become incapacitated.

 

 

For more information on this subject, Monteguide MT 9292, Montana Rights of the Terminally is available at the MSU Fergus County Extension Office or on the Web at http://extn.msu.montana.edu/

“Kickin’ Cancer”

 

On Tuesday, April 17 from 4-7, everyone is invited to a special reception for “Kickin’ Cancer” sponsored by the Montana Breast & Cervical Health Program.  Shoes created and decorated by local artist to honor great women positive female role models and female loved ones will be on exhibit at the Lewistown Art Center and  will be displayed through April 28^th at the Art Center.  The shoes will be auctioned, beginning on April 17^th.  This fund raiser, to help support the Montana Breast & Cervical Cancer Health Program,  is sponsored in part by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.