ANAD, the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, will presenting “This Is My Brave – The Show” on Feb. 27 in Evanston.

“We get to celebrate these 21 stories through song through dance through poetry and essay. And we get to just make it a night of community of hope and of healing,” said Jason Wood, director of community engagement for ANAD.

Wood is not just organizing the event. He is participating, sharing a poem about his journey after his husband, Matt, encouraged Wood to get help.

“I like to say that eating disorders are not about food. Food is just the tangible evidence that something’s going on inside,” said Wood.

Wood said his eating disorder was a manifestation of other mental health issues.

“It was anxiety. It was this need for perfection. I also battled OCD and PTSD from losing my parents at a young age, all of those different factors were contributing to my eating disorder,” Wood said.

Also, participating is Joce Leo, an art student who is bisexual. Leo said their eating disorder was delayed, because they didn’t fit the typical stereotype.

“There’s no race that eating disorder takes the form of. It’s not just teenage girls, it’s not just straight women. Anyone can have an eating disorder,” Leo said.

Makailah Dowell started showing symptoms at age 10 while living on public assistance with her grandmother, but her diagnosis took years.

“It was actually my dentist who ended up diagnosing me when I was around 17, because my oral decay was so bad, that couldn’t ignore it anymore,” Dowell said.

Dowell will join Leo, Wood and 18 others at the upcoming production of “This Is My Brave,” a non-profit that uses performance art to end stigma around mental health.

The first-ever event focused on eating disorders is planned at the McCormick Auditorium at Northwestern University. Tickets are available to attend in person, but the event will also be streamed online.

“We also wanted to have that virtual element because that’s what ANAD is all about. We have virtual support groups, we have our helpline where we can answer calls from people all across the country,” Wood said.

For warning signs of eating disorders, other resources to help and ticket information, click here.

According to a recent report, plans are in the works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update its isolation guidance, and the new recommendations could mean the removal of the five-day isolation period.

But is that the best move?

A new report from The Washington Post, citing “four agency officials and an expert familiar with the discussions,” states that the U.S. health agency is preparing to loosen its COVID isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021.

According to the report, multiple sources said the CDC plans to recommend that those who test positive for the virus can base their isolation time on symptoms, with the new guidance allowing those who have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication and who have mild symptoms that are improving to end isolation. Some exceptions could still see longer isolation requirements, however, particularly for those in health care settings or who work with vulnerable populations.

The CDC told NBC Chicago there were “no updates to COVID guidelines to announce at this time.”

“We will continue to make decisions based on the best evidence and science to keep communities healthy and safe,” spokesperson Dave Daigle said.

But some experts say the move wouldn’t be unexpected.

“I think this is expected because they’re trying to give guidelines that are going to be reasonable that people will follow,” Dr. Jonathan Pinsky, the director of infection control at Edward Hospital, told NBC Chicago. “We already have guidelines for other viruses like influenza about how long people need to stay at home, so they wanted to kind of get in line with those guidelines and give people a reasonable instructions about how to behave.”

The Washington Post report notes that the new guidance is not yet finalized and changes could still be made. Initial timing was expected to see the new protocols released for public feedback in April, though that timing could also change.

“My reaction was, ‘It’s about time,’ you know? We’re going to have some changes in terms of these quarantines as we get year to year to year into our COVID pandemic because it is becoming, for many people, a more mild illness and it’s time we sort of treat it and approach it like other respiratory viruses that we commonly see in the fall- influenza RSV – more typical durations of contagiousness and durations of isolation,” said Dr. Mia Taormina, infectious disease chair at Duly Health & Care.

The current guidance has been in place since 2021, though reports of potential updates had surfaced last fall before respiratory viruses began surging in the colder months.

Last month, California announced new isolation guidelines similar to the potential update from the CDC.

There, a person who tests positive for COVID and has no symptoms does not need to isolate, according to new state health guidelines. People who test positive and have mild symptoms, meanwhile, can end isolation once their symptoms improve and they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without medication — even if that point arrives in less than five days.

“We are now at a different point in time with reduced impacts from COVID-19 compared to prior years due to broad immunity from vaccination and/or natural infection, and readily available treatments available for infected people,” the California Health Department said in a news release.

“Our policies and priorities for intervention are now focused on protecting those most at risk for serious illness, while reducing social disruption that is disproportionate to recommendations for prevention of other endemic respiratory viral infections,” it added.

Experts predict the potential CDC changes that could come out this spring will likely mirror those changes seen in California and Oregon.

“We’re sort of anticipating that what may come down – again, not until April or later – from the CDC, after the viral season is over, is going to be in line with states like California and Oregon who have already reduced that quarantine time but encourage 10 days of mask wearing … The important part here is that nothing has changed in terms of the science of this virus,” Taormina said. “We still know that folks are contagious for five, six, seven days, they may still be testing positive on home tests for quite a while.”

In Illinois, however, state health officials said they are “aware of the CDC’s consideration of new COVID-19 guidelines and are continuing to evaluate our own statewide guidelines.”

“As we work with our federal partners to provide the most appropriate recommendations to our residents moving forward, IDPH continues to emphasize the importance of using all preventative tools to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19,” the Illinois Department of Public Health said in a statement. “Especially for those with certain underlying conditions, COVID-19 even today poses a more serious risk of severe health outcomes than RSV or flu. The lessons we learned during the pandemic continue to remain valuable for COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.  This means washing your hands frequently if you have a cough/cold/respiratory symptoms and even considering wearing a mask to prevent the transmission of those germs to others. You should also get tested if you are experiencing symptoms, as it can help you access time sensitive treatments for Flu and Covid-19.  And, let’s not forget vaccinations. Vaccinations continues to remain the most effective tool to protect you from serious illness from these respiratory infections.”

Nationally, COVID-19 illnesses seem to have peaked alongside flu, data showed, though experts cautioned that things could change on a regional level. CDC data indicates coronavirus-caused hospitalizations haven’t hit the same levels they did at the same point during the last three winters, but COVID-19 is putting more people in the hospital than flu.

That’s why some experts say while changes may be in the works, it won’t mean abandoning guidance to stay home if you’re ill and masking will be more important than before.

“It’s important to know that once you have COVID or another virus, you can still spread it especially in those first few days. And so it’ll still be important to wear a mask to protect other people,” Pinsky said. “If you’re going leaving your home, especially if it’s only after a day or two of infection, you’re still going to be infectious. So it’s important to wear the mask to protect other people for full 10 days.”

“We’re not saying that this is any less contagious, that we can go out and about – it’s just for people that are having improvement in their symptoms. otherwise healthy hosts, they are less likely to be meaningfully contagious once those fevers are gone and their symptoms are getting better,” Taormina said. “So with some mask wearing and picking and choosing your activities, we should be in a better place … the messaging stays the same. If you’re not feeling, well stay home.”

Taormina even added that it could make things safer in some cases.

“I’d rather have folks staying home for a day or two, going back to work or to their usual activities on day three or four if they’re feeling better, as opposed to not testing at all because they don’t want to be hung up on this mandatory five days away from work away from their activities,” she said.

Here’s a look at the current guidelines and where things stand:

What are the current COVID protocols?

The guidelines for isolating have not changed since May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here are the protocols listed by the agency:

Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19, the CDC reports.

You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are negative, you can end that isolation.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should stay home for at least five days and isolate from others in your home. The CDC notes that people are “likely most infectious during these first five days.”

When you have COVID-19, isolation is counted in days, as follows:

If you had no symptoms:

• Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)
• Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested
• If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset

If you had symptoms:

• Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive
• Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started

Other guidance for those who test positive:

• Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public.
• Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask.
• Stay home and separate from others as much as possible.
• Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
• Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.

If you had no symptoms, you can end your isolation after day five, but for those who experience symptoms, that line might be different, the CDC notes.

Those who have mild symptoms can end isolation after day five if they are fever-free for 24 hours, without using fever-reducing medication, but those with more moderate or severe illnesses will need to wait until day 10.

Those who have mild symptoms that are not improving should also wait until those symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for 24 hours.

Those with more severe illness may also want to consult with their doctor before ending isolation and could need a viral test to end their isolation period.

Despite ending isolation, those who test positive should continue to avoid people and mask through at least day 11, according to the CDC guidelines.

What to know about testing?

Those who have symptoms are urged to take a COVID test as soon as possible, though officials continue to caution that a negative at-home test may not be as reliable as a positive one.

“If your antigen test is negative, take another antigen test after 48 hours or take a PCR test as soon as you can,” the CDC states.

Those who don’t have symptoms but may have been exposed should wait five days after exposure to take a test, according to the CDC guidance.

While many Americans may have unused tests in their homes, it’s important to check the expiration dates, experts say.

The Food and Drug Administration has extended the expiration dates of many popular at-home test products, which means some such kits may still be safe to use, CNBC reports. You can check expiration dates for each brand using a page on the FDA’s website.

Public health experts have continued to urge people to test, particularly as numbers rise.

But beyond the at-home test kits, lab PCR tests have become more challenging to access – and in some cases more expensive – since the national public health emergency ended in May.

Antigen and PCR testing is still available at major pharmacies, like Walgreens, for example, but out of pocket costs could apply, depending on your insurance provider.

The proposed legislation, SB3499, would create end-of-life options for the Terminally Ill Patients Act in Illinois.

Under the bill, which was introduced last week, a qualified patient with a terminal disease would be allowed to request that a physician prescribe them “aid-in-dying medication that will allow the patient to end the patient’s life in a peaceful manner,” the legislation states.

Requirements would include a patient needing to make two verbal requests to a qualified physician within five days of each other, along with one written request. Such requests can only be made by the patient, not by a surrogate decision-maker or health care proxy, according to the bill.

Patients will need to be informed of other options beyond “end of life” medications, such as hospice and palliative care, and no health care professional will be required to participate in “aid-in-dying care.”

There would also be a series of qualifications for a patient to be considered eligible for the prescription, including being 18 years or older, an Illinois resident with a terminal diagnosis and six-month-or-less prognosis, and what a physician deems to be the mental capacity to make such a decision.

The bill was introduced Friday by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes.

“Terminally ill Illinois residents should be able to opt for a gentle death with medical aid in dying and they should have the legal right to make this personal decision in consultation with their doctors and loved ones,” Holmes said in a release. “I am proud to sponsor the bill, and hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting this compassionate legislation.”

The legislation has been praised by several advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union.

“Terminally ill Illinoisans and advocacy groups praised lawmakers for introducing compassionate legislation Friday that would allow mentally capable, terminally ill adults to have the option to get prescription medication to peacefully end unbearable suffering,” the ACLU said in a statement. “Illinois residents who support the End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act are urging the Legislature to pass it during the Spring 2024 session.”

If passed, Illinois would become the 11th so-called “right to die” state in the U.S., with 10 others already having similar legislation. Those states include California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington — as well as Washington, D.C.

“I’ve done everything I can to cure my cancer, including multiple cycles of chemotherapy, but the bottom line is I’m already dying,” Lombard resident Deb Robertson, a retired social worker with incurable, high-grade, stage four neuroendocrine carcinoma, an extremely rare and aggressive cancer, told the ACLU. “If I had the option of medical aid in dying here in Illinois, it would mean I could make a decision for myself about when it’s time to go. It would allow me to die peacefully. It would allow my wife and family to say goodbye, and to know that it’s okay to let go.”

Groups like the Archdiocese of Chicago have expressed opposition to what it calls “assisted suicide.” Disability advocacy groups like Access Living also criticized the legislation, saying it could disproportionately impact people with disabilities.

“Assisted suicide will only enable further healthcare discrimination against disabled people and other minorities,” the group stated. “Our healthcare system has too many leaks to assume that people who are NOT physicians won’t urge assisted suicide on people with disabilities. Instead, what we people with disabilities need is life-saving services and support to improve our ability to manage pain and our ability to be part of our communities.”

“It’s like animal-assisted therapy combined with yoga, whether it’s a goat or a puppy,” said Danielle Kerr, owner of Goat Yoga Chicago in South Barrington.

Kerr started offering goat yoga classes in 2015 and expanded to puppy yoga after she got a call from the founder of Second City Canine Rescue, which has an adoption center in Palatine.

“These are brand new babies. They don’t know anything. They’ve never seen a human get down on the floor and play with them and so this is exposing them to all the things that they’re going to need for when they join a forever family,” said Christina Morrison, Development Director for Second City Canine Rescue.

All of the puppies that participate in the yoga classes are rescues up for adoption, which is why puppy yoga classes don’t have a regular weekly schedule.

“It is all over the place because we wait for a transport of puppies to come in. And to be honest, sometimes those puppies are suffering from, you know, different things that they need to be treated for before they come into puppy yoga,” Kerr said.

Once they are cleared for adoption, the yoga studio sends out a newsletter with the puppy yoga class times and dates. You can sign up for the updates here.

“You can do the yoga and pet a puppy or you can just sit there and pet a puppy. We don’t care. It just brightens everyone’s day. I never see anyone leaving here still stressed out or unhappy,” Morrison said.

The American Heart Association cites research that shows just playing with a dog can raise feel-good chemicals in the brain and lower blood pressure.

“And just to know that you’re doing something good, so the puppies get socialized, and they get to go to good homes after that. And then you know that you played a part in that which is pretty cool too,” Kerr too.

In fact, a new study seems to have found a connection between the two, particularly in milder cases of COVID-19, that experts say isn’t entirely unexpected.

New research from Vietnam published in Frontiers in Public Health showed that of 1,056 COVID patients who were not hospitalized, 76.1% reported experiencing insomnia. Of those, 2.8% reported severe cases.

“One third of participants reported worse sleep quality, shorter sleep duration, and harder to fall asleep, half reported more awaken nights after COVID-19 infection,” the findings showed.

Some experts say the findings are in line with some of what has already been noted about long COVID symptoms.

“So after SARS-CoV-2 infection, there’s certainly a lot of neurocognitive issues that come about. So specifically, people tend to have symptoms of what we call brain fog, or issues with memory and their attention span, and a lot of these are linked to primary neurological brain issues and ailments from whatever COVID has done to their body in terms of inflammation, or other biological patterns to it. And so it’s not really surprising that actually, given that your brain also manages your circadian rhythms, that people might have issues with either sleep disordered breathing on the aspect of insomnia, fractured sleep, or even sleep apnea in many individuals,” Marc Sala, the co-director of the Comprehensive COVID Center at Northwestern Medicine. “So I think that’s still being fleshed out in the research, but that actually isn’t very surprising to me that people who have long COVID might also have a detriment to some form in their sleeping patterns, knowing what it can do to people’s processing speeds, memory, attention, and all other aspects that relate to the brain to begin with.”

Dr. Mark Loafman, chairman of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Cook County Health in Chicago, noted that one of the enlightening parts of the study was that such symptoms appeared in those who did not have severe COVID infections.

“I think what was unique about that study is it showed how common insomnia is even among people who didn’t have long COVID,” he told NBC Chicago. “That it was somewhat more prevalent in people who just had routine COVID and they developed insomnia as part of that. So I think that’s what’s unique about that.”

Loafman noted that sleep issues in connection with the virus have been documented since early on the pandemic, though it was not always related to diagnoses of the virus itself.

“There’s even a term called coronasomnia or COVID-somnia that was really related to the pandemic itself, not necessarily the infection, but the risk of an infection and what was going on with society, and all of our lives during that time,” he said. “So this concept of COVID-related insomnia has been there since day one or early on in this in the pandemic. And then later, it became clear that part of the symptoms of having a COVID infection was sleep disorder.”

The idea that a virus could lead to sleeping issues isn’t uncommon in the medical world, according to Loafman. “Think about having a flu or a cold or a viral illness and stuffiness and body aches and this stress over recovery and missing out on functions and all those things. And we’ve always known that that can affect sleep. So that was, again, not so surprising. I think again, the frequency of it, and the fact that it’s both in normal COVID and long COVID … adds further to what what we’ve already been observing.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that “some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as long COVID or post-COVID conditions (PCC).”

The conditions and symptoms include a wide range of health problems, which can last “weeks, months, or years,” according to the agency.

Among those symptoms listed by the CDC, sleep problems are among the potential neurological impacts.

But what differs in the study results, as Loafman noted, is that milder COVID cases are also seeing sleep problems as a longer-lasting symptom.

Previously, it was believed that more severe cases of COVID-19 were more likely to experience long COVID symptoms.

Other symptoms of long COVID, according to the CDC, could include:

General symptoms (Not a Comprehensive List)

• Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life
• Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort (also known as “post-exertional malaise”)
• Fever

Respiratory and heart symptoms

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)

Neurological symptoms

• Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)
• Headache
• Sleep problems
• Dizziness when you stand up (lightheadedness)
• Pins-and-needles feelings
• Change in smell or taste
• Depression or anxiety

Digestive symptoms

• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain

Other symptoms

• Joint or muscle pain
• Rash
• Changes in menstrual cycles

“I struggled with my own issues, struggles, anxiety,” said Gale, 27.

That’s why the special education teacher created a community during the coronavirus pandemic called “Me2We.”

“It’s a message. It’s a mindset. It’s a lifestyle. But what I’ve grown to see throughout the few years we’ve been doing this, that it’s a community of driven individuals who want to make a positive impact on this world,” Gale said.

Post-COVID, that community has expanded to include in-person meetings every two weeks, called “WeTalk.”

“We create a safe space for people. But more than that, we call up a brave space,” Gale said.

NBC Chicago promotions producer Ryan Glatzhofer attends the “WeTalk” meetings.

“For folks that may need help, but don’t know where to go, it’s not therapy, but it’s therapeutic for you,” Glatzhofer said.

To be clear, the meetings are not led by mental health professionals. Gale leads them himself, putting his teaching skills to use with structured activities and goals.

“We have two activities, usually that kind of help us self-reflect. And the big thing I always say is like, my goal here is for you to self-reflect. If you want to share, awesome. If you don’t, we’ll continue to build towards that,” Gale said.

If you can’t make it to the support group meetings, which are held every other Sunday morning in an office space at 1014 Bonaventure Dr. in Elk Grove Village, Gale also created an Instagram profile for men to follow along for daily tips and motivation.

The feed includes “Monday Mindset” posts, a “Workout of the Week” and “Saturday Spark” videos to inspire positivity.

“The consistency with this group and with what Me2We stands for is outstanding,” Glatzhofer said.

The age range of participants varies from age 16 to 30. Gale also created merchandise to help promote “Me2We” and share the mission with more men who may be silently struggling.

“No matter who you are, you’re either going through something, you’ve gone through something or you will go through something, but no one’s going to know until we connect on it,” Gale said.

Bittle put her kids to bed and went to sleep, but ended up waking up a few hours later with nausea. So, she went to the bathroom and tried to vomit.

But that never happened.

“I laid down on the bathroom floor and progressively felt more nauseous and then a little sweaty,” she said, recalling the 90 minutes or so she sat down in the bathroom. Bittle tried to get up to take a shower — but realized she didn’t have the strength to get off the floor.

Suddenly, she started to panic.

Bittle managed to get up, which caused discomfort in her chest and shortness of breath. Somehow, she made it over to her mother, who by chance, was visiting at the time. Then, out of nowhere, the single mother of two became unconscious for five minutes.

Paramedics arrived and rushed Bittle to an area hospital, where doctors revealed startling news – she was having a heart attack.

“The last thing I remember — I don’t recommend it — was being defibrillated,” she recalled in an interview with TODAY.com. “I remember being electrocuted alive.”

Bittle wasn’t even 50 years old, had no known health conditions and exercised regularly.

She had even climbed Mount Kilamanjaro, and just months prior underwent an annual physical, which included an EKG. Doctors treating the mother determined she had a 100% blockage in the main artery of the heart, which is often referred to as a widow-maker heart attack.

The single mother of two was clinging to life.

Doctors intubated her, installed a stent and temporary heart pump and placed her on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, also called ECMO, which is “the most intense form of life support that somebody can receive,” according to Dr. Bow (Ben) Chung, a cardiologist with the University of Chicago Medicine who treated Bittle.

“This was basically about as sick as a person can be, from a heart perspective,” he said.

Bittle’s family was told to say goodbye and that a heart transplant seemed to be the only option. After experiencing multiple cardiac arrests while hospitalized, doctors were concerned about how much of Bittle’s brain function remained intact.

She was put on an emergency transplant list and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in hope that a heart would become available.

“Very miraculously, after what I understand to be a lot of craziness, my heart recovered to an extent where (they) thought, ‘OK, maybe we don’t need a transplant right now. Let’s wake her up,'” Bittle said.

Within a few days, she was taken off ECMO and had the heart pump removed, but hit another hurdle: Bittle developed blood clots in both her right and left femoral arteries, which cut off circulation in her leg. She was quickly moved into surgery, where surgeons saved her leg and repaired the arteries.

From there, things got a little quieter as she focused on recovery.

Bittle spent about two weeks in the hospital, followed by six weeks of outpatient rehabilitation and another 18 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation. She also wore a LifeVest, a wearable defibrillator, for 90 days.

In February 2023, she had a noticeably tough day in outpatient rehab.

“It was just a tickle in my chest,” she said. “And I went to cardiac rehab and I was walking on the treadmill, and it felt more difficult than it did the day before.”

Out of an abundance of caution, her doctor sent her for a stress test. The results were “not overly concerning, but just a little funny,” Bittle explained. So, again, out of an abundance of caution, her doctor ordered further testing, which revealed she had a 70% blockage in the main artery.

If not caught, that could have caused another heart attack.

It’s not uncommon for people to have a second heart attack after surviving their first, Chung said, but it was unusual for another blockage to develop under these circumstances.

“At that point, she was on all of the right medications … to prevent another heart attack,” he explained.

Instead of having open-heart surgery, doctors offered Bittle the option of robotic cardiac surgery. Unlike open-heart surgery, doctors don’t actually have to stop the heart with this approach. Plus, patients can go home within a day or two and resume their normal lives.

Almost a year after her robotic surgery, Bittle is doing “fantastic,” she said. “Most days, I would never know.” 

She still has residual heart damage, takes medication every day and there are some days when she gets winded and needs to take it easy.

“I will be a heart failure patient for the rest of my life, but my recovery is nothing short of remarkable,” she said.

One of the biggest reminders of her health journey is the scars that she’s left with, but even those have become a source of connection.

Sometimes she compares scars with her son, who had heart surgery at 10 months for a congenital condition.

“We’re both heart warriors,” she stated.

In a previous interview with the University of Chicago Medicine, Bittle acknowledged she “survived the unsurvivable.”

“…I survived the unsurvivable, right?” she stated. “I have access to extraordinary medical and rehabilitative care. That’s a privilege, and I’m so extremely lucky. And now I’m going to go live a long life.”

Looking back, Bittle wishes she had known just how common heart attacks are in women and that women can present with subtler symptoms than men. Regardless of gender, the most common symptom is chest pain.

According to Chung, a lot of people are hesitant to call something pain. It may present as discomfort, pressure or tightness or appear as a nagging feeling that just won’t go away.

“Many women think it has to be, ‘I’m clutching my chest and falling down on the ground like you see in the movies,’ and it can be much more subtle,” Dr. Tara Narula, NBC medical contributor, explained on a Feb. 1, 2024, TODAY show segment.

Other subtle signs that can indicate a heart attack include the unusual indigestion and sudden nausea Bittle experienced, as well as shortness of breath and shooting pain in the jaw, back, arm or shoulder. Women are more likely to develop these easily-missed symptoms than men, Chung explained.

Heart attack symptoms in women can include:

• Chest pain, discomfort, heaviness, tightness or pressure
• Jaw, neck, shoulder or upper back pain
• Nausea, vomiting or indigestion
• Shortness of breath
• Extreme fatigue or fainting

Research shows that women are also significantly more likely than men to die after a heart attack, potentially due to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

The bottom line is that if you’re having a symptom that’s unusual for you, particularly if it doesn’t go away, you should get medical attention, Chung explained.

“You don’t have to go to the emergency department, but talking to your primary care doctor or going to an urgent care would probably be the best just to have an evaluation,” he said.

As Bittle puts it, “Don’t think you’re being silly. Get help right away.” 

Knowing everything she survived, Bittle said she feels a sense of “gratitude and amazement,” and doesn’t let herself get dragged down by negativity around her.

“It’s not worth me spending my energy in a negative place,” she explained, “because I’ve spent all my energy on staying alive.”

“I had a cold, and it went from the lungs to my heart and damaged my heart,” said Morris-Walton, 74.

Seven years ago, the WVON radio host spent 57 days in the hospital suffering from congestive heart failure. It was a heart transplant that saved her life.

“I’m here because someone donated their heart to me now I can help somebody else,” Morris-Walton said.

She proudly wears a pin with a red dress on it. It’s the symbol of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign, which started in 2004.

“We’ve been emphasizing for 20 years now the importance of heart disease in women, because for a long time it fell under the radar and we thought of heart attacks and heart disease as a man’s disease. Unfortunately as women we have to take ownership as well,” said Dr. Mercedes Carnethon, vice chair of Preventative Medicine for the Northwestern University School of Medicine and American Heart Association of Metropolitan Chicago Board Chair.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and that includes heart attacks and strokes. Symptoms can be different for women compared to men, which is why Dr. Carnethon says they can’t be ignored.

“Women often don’t look like they’re at risk for heart disease, but it is completely erroneous to assume that just because one looks healthy, and they’re physically active, that radiating arm pain isn’t a sign,” Carnethon said.

As a cardiologist, Dr. Carnethon wants women to take their heart health seriously. It’s a lesson Morris-Walton shares with women after her 57 days in the hospital, which is also the title of a book she authored, detailing the experience.

“You cannot take care of somebody else until you take care of yourself and, of course. Go Red For Women Day, lets you know — you are first,” Morris-Walton said.

The American Heart Association encourages women to wear red on Friday, Feb. 2 to highlight the importance of raising awareness about women’s heart health.

“Red is a bright color,” Carnethon said. “It really stands as a beacon for people to say ‘Hey, why are you wearing red today?'”

When it comes to ways that women, and men as well, can improve their heart health, the American Heart Association has a list of factors to consider. They call it Life’s Essential 8.

“There was no advance warning. The only thing I can tell you was I was carrying my granddaughter and three days later I woke up in the hospital,” said Malach, 70, who lives in Michigan.

Malach would later learn he was in sudden cardiac arrest. His son, Jeff, ran to check on his dad, who had collapsed on a neighbor’s lawn.

“I just didn’t know what to do, right? I attempted to put my hands on his chest. And I couldn’t tell you if I got one compression, two compressions or zero compressions,” Jeff Malach said. “Luckily a neighbor walked out. And then very quickly, Ashley and Claire showed up.”

“Someone pulled me aside and said there’s an emergency over here. There’s a man down. They can probably use your help,” said Ashley Kelly, who lives near where Malach had collapsed.

Kelly is a nurse anesthetist at Endeavor Health Highland Park Hospital.

Her friend and fellow nurse anesthetist, Claire Farren, also got a phone call from a neighbor, asking for help. Both women arrived just as another neighbor started CPR and then Kelly jumped in.

“And I just said to Ashley just let me know when you’re tired and I’ll take over CPR for you,” Farren said.

“It’s exhausting to do high-quality CPR, if you’re going fast and you’re pushing hard. And with Steve, we did end up breaking a rib and he did end up having a punctured lung and did need a chest tube, but in the end, he’s alive,” said Dr. David Davidson, a cardiologist with Endeavor Health.

Davidson is friends with Jeff Malach and was up the street trick-or-treating with his own children when Steve Malach collapsed. He too got a frantic phone call to help.

“The important thing is stay calm, perform high-quality CPR and early defibrillation — those are keys for success,” Davidson said.

Less than 10% of people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive. So the Malach family knows Steve is lucky to not only be alive, but also to have no lingering effects.

“We were incredibly lucky, but most people can also be incredibly lucky because we’re talking about CPR. This isn’t surgery. Anybody can do it,” Jeff Malach said.

That’s why Steve, Jeff and the Malach family will reunite with those who performed CPR at a special community CPR training event on Feb. 3 at Highland Park Hospital.

Steve Malach is traveling in from Michigan for the event, with immense gratitude in this heart.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That’s all I can say,” he said, getting emotional as he shared what he plans to tell those who helped saved his life.

“My husband said, you know, he was super proud, and he was like, ‘You know, you guys went from ‘Mom mode’ to lifesavers,’” Farren said.

While they have medical training, becoming a life saver is something Farren, Kelly and Davidson all say anyone can do, if they learn CPR basics.

“Don’t be afraid to go fast and push hard,” Davidson said.

While Saturday’s community event in Highland Park is full, here are other resources to help you learn CPR basics:

American Heart Association Hands-Only CPR video:

Find an American Red Cross CPR/AED training courses near you here.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

“Although it’s not a mental health disorder, it is definitely a condition that is affected by the weather and us just being in like indoors for long periods of time,” said Logan Spicer, a licensed clinical professional counselor with Thriveworks in Chicago.

According to experts, symptoms of cabin fever can include:

• Irritability
• Moodiness
• Restlessness
• Insomnia
• Anxiety Over Small Things
• Difficulty Focusing

“Many, many people are going through this at this very same time,” Spicer said.

Who’s at risk for cabin fever? Theoretically, anyone can be, but mental health experts say some people are more susceptible, including people who live alone, those who have stressful jobs, or people who are simply extroverts and who need interaction with other individuals.

“They’re going to feel the effects more because of their isolation and being cooped up. And I’d also say people who already have anxiety and depression, those are just going to worsen,” Spicer said.

Missing out on sunshine could also be a medical reason for your moodiness.

Humans get a lot of our Vitamin D from the sun and spending time outside, so ask your doctor about getting a blood test to get your levels checked.

Spicer has a few more tips to help ward off the effects of that stuck inside feeling, including reframing your thinking.

“Instead of saying, ‘I have to stay in,’ say, ‘I get to stay in’ and maybe you get to finally do all those projects that you’ve never got to do inside your home,” Spicer said.

She also recommends using your creative side to help relieve stress through activities like painting, music or arts & crafts and sticking to routines whenever possible.

“Morning and nightly routines are the biggest ones. Those are the times where people get the most sad or depressed during those times, so significantly focusing on those routines will definitely help your health and your mental health,” Spicer said.

You can also use the tech skills gained during the pandemic to make virtual connections, as we wait for the warmer temperatures of spring time.

Every Tuesday at noon, rain or snow or shine, two dozen women don their bathing suits and clip on their flotation belts, getting ready to hit the indoor pool at Superior Training in Willowbrook for a Fluid Running class.

“It’s a deepwater exercise program or class. You’re running to different intervals of length and speed and the classes are about an hour,” said Jennifer Conroyd, founder of the Fluid Running program.

The instructor, Conroyd leads the class that has become more than a workout for some of these women.

“We came together because of the class, but more importantly, we started doing breakfast,” said Carol Bobo, who has been taking classes for eight years.

Bobo’s first class was in 2015, shortly after she retired after 38 years in education.

“I knew I needed to do something and find people,” Bobo said.

Through Fluid Running, Bobo found her crew. She’s one of 12 women who regularly attend classes together.

“A lot of people are lonely. And I’m blessed that I’m not. Running has done that for me,” said Ana Sisson, 73, who lives in Oak Brook and takes classes three days a week.

The women socialize outside of the pool as well, some even vacationing together.

“Some of us have formed a Fluid golfing group. And we celebrate, we have parties, we have coffees after,” said Carla Peer, who has been taking Fluid Running classes for 10 years.

Studies have found social isolation has a huge correlation with negative health outcomes, but health experts believe classes like this can change that.

“The more that you put yourself out there and be vulnerable and want to have these experiences with people, it really does have great return on investment for just you as a human being,” said Dr. Julie Bruene, a sports medicine physician at Midwest Orthopedics at RUSH.

The group of women who have bonded at Fluid Running classes says they get the best of both worlds.

“You can get this amazing exercise and workout without any impact on your body,” Conroyd said.

They have also formed friendships that go far beyond the water.

“Just constantly sharing things. How can we lift each other up, support each other,” Bobo said.

“We grieve with people when there are losses. We celebrate when there are, you know, victories,” Peer said.

It’s more than the Fluid Running founder could have hoped for.

“They’ve just formed this really neat friendship and they support each other for good times and bad and it’s just it’s just been really neat to witness this community that’s formed from this exercise class,” Conroyd said.

“We find around one-third of cases to be a predominantly male factor infertility,” said Dr. Michelle Catenacci, an infertility specialist with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.

Now research published in the journal, “Food Science” found following a Mediterranean diet improved the condition for study participants.

“It looked like sperm function improved and hormonal function improved for the men that follow that diet,” Catenacci said.

Researchers looked specifically at sperm DNA fragmentation and the impacts it can have on conception.

“Men who have more breaks tend to have less quality sperm and can be at risk for infertility,” Catenacci said.

They found a low-carb, mostly organic Mediterranean diet made a difference.

“It did look at, basically, the quality of the sperm, which did seem to have a good improvement. The next step is to look at how does that improvement help with pregnancy outcomes,” Catenacci said.

Christine Palumbo is a Naperville-based registered dietitian and nutritionist. She says it’s not just men struggling with infertility who can benefit from a Mediterranean diet — everyone can.

“It reduces your risk of heart disease, cancer. It reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, reduces your risk of diabetes,” Palumbo said. “It reduces your blood pressure and, you know, maybe this is the biggest one of all, it  increases your lifespan and your vitality.”

A Mediterranean diet focuses on consuming:

Vegetables
Fruits
Whole grains
Beans
Nuts and seeds
Olive oil
Seasoning with herbs and spices
In order to follow the diet:

Each day: eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains.
Each week: have fish, poultry, legumes and eggs
Enjoy some dairy products
Limit red meat and added sugars

“I think it has a huge impact on our overall health,” Catenacci said.

That’s why Catenacci is sharing the study findings with her male infertility patients.

“For couples who are on the fence on how much they want to change their lifestyle, we can see that there is evidence to show that sometimes these things can benefit them,” Catenacci said.

“Every woman will be effected by menopause yet there is a stunning lack of information on how to manage and treat its symptoms,” the first lady said.

Berry’s experience with menopause led the actress to take action.

“I am no different than any of other woman right now who reaches their menopausal years and perimenopausal years and felt like, ‘What the heck is happening to me?” she said.

That’s why she became a women’s health advocate, teaming up with the first lady for a White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, including menopause, which was first announced in Nov. 2023.

“I think money needs to be raised and allocated so that doctors can be reschooled and we can have experts so, so that every woman has the opportunity to get quality premium care and not just told you have to white knuckle it,” Berry said.

One of the reasons for the visit to the UIC campus is because of groundbreaking research underway that has to do with menopause and the brain.

“My graduate research so far has shown that levels of estrogen experienced in postmenopausal women can effect these memory networks in the brain,” said Rachel Schroeder, a UIC graduate student.

Dr. Pauline Maki, Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Obstetrics & Gynecology at UIC, is leading the research.

“Half of the population goes through this. Shouldn’t we have a firm scientific understanding of what happens to women’s bodies, what happens to their brains?” Maki said, during a roundtable discussion.

Also included in the discussion and tour of the research laboratory were several elected officials, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Reps. Lauren Underwood (D-14) and Robin Kelly (D-2).

Studies underway now including examining how hot flashes impact sleep. This is the kind of research that will continue, now with White House support.

“This initiative will transform women’s health research and what that means is we will transform women’s lives,” Maki said.

RSV, COVID and flu activity were already on the rise for the state heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, leading health experts to urge caution. But things have only heightened from there.

But now, as of the week ending Dec. 9, nearly half of Illinois’ 102 counties were at an elevated level of COVID-19 hospital admissions, according to CDC data.

Of the 48 counties at an elevated level, 10 are considered to be at a “high-level,” meaning that they have recorded 20 or more COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people in the preceding week.

“As we celebrate this joyous time of year with our loved ones, it is important to know your personal risk factors for severe health outcomes and learn how to protect those around you, especially those most vulnerable to severe disease. COVID-19, flu, and RSV continue to circulate across Illinois, and I encourage all Illinoisans to use the many tools available to stay healthy and safe,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said.

The CDC last week took the unusual step of sending a health alert to U.S. doctors urging them to immunize their patients against the trio of viruses.

So, what if you are sick? How long are you contagious and what can you do?

Here’s a look at what to know this holiday season:

COVID

Health officials are keeping an eye on a version of the ever-evolving coronavirus, known as JN.1. The omicron variant was first detected in the U.S. in September and now accounts for an estimated 20% of cases. The CDC expects it to reach 50% in the next two weeks, the CDC’s Dr. Manisha Patel said.

It may spread easier or be better at evading our immune systems, but there is no evidence that the strain causes more severe disease than other recent variants, health officials say. And current evidence indicates vaccines and antiviral medications work against it.

Symptoms

If you do suspect you’ve contracted COVID, here are some symptoms you might experience:

• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Altered sense of smell

Recently, a Chicago-area doctor said she’s noticed shifts in the most common symptoms her patients have reported when contracting the COVID-19 virus this fall.

Dr. Chantel Tinfang, a family medicine physician with Sengstacke Health Center at Provident Hospital of Cook County, noted that many of the recent cases she’s seen have reported less of the fever, body aches and chills, and more presented with sore throat, fatigue and coughing.

“We still see some patients experiencing decreased appetite, a loss of taste or smell. So it kind of depends,” she said. “One patient was just very, very tired. Like she couldn’t really do much. And that’s when you know … it’s different. It’s not just coughing and shortness of breath. We still see that though.”

She suggested consulting with your doctor if your symptoms don’t begin to improve outside of the recommended isolation period.

As for timing, symptoms can last for several days, but in some cases, even longer.

“Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC),” according to the CDC.

Such symptoms can last for weeks and possibly even years.

Testing

In the lead-up to the holidays, the federal government has increased the number of free tests available for U.S. households.

That means all households are eligible to order up to four free at-home COVID tests, but those households that did not order them earlier this fall can receive up to eight, according to the government.

But when should you test and how often?

Those who have symptoms are urged to take a COVID test as soon as possible, though officials continue to caution that a negative at-home test may not be as reliable as a positive one.

“If your antigen test is negative, take another antigen test after 48 hours or take a PCR test as soon as you can,” the CDC states.

Those who don’t have symptoms but may have been exposed should wait five days after exposure to take a test, according to the CDC guidance.

Some experts say you could test even earlier, but most recommend to continue testing through day five if those tests are negative.

“I would say the best rule of thumb is to start testing three days after exposure, and if you’re negative, test again on day four or five,” Dr. Michael Mina, a COVID testing expert and former professor of epidemiology and of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told NBC News.

PCR tests can also pick up lower levels of the virus and would offer a more accurate determination for those looking for one.

The steps for what to do if you test negative can depend on symptoms, however.

The FDA recommends symptomatic “people who get an initial negative result on an antigen test, take at least one more test 48 hours later.”

“Take a third test, 48 hours after the second, if the second test was negative and you don’t have symptoms. Self-tests are more likely to detect the virus if you have symptoms,” the guidance states.

You may also want to consider contacting a healthcare provider to check for additional tests for other illnesses.

The CDC recommends if you don’t have symptoms and test negative at least five days from your exposure that you repeat the test again 48 hours after your first test.

“If both tests are negative, then repeat testing after another 48 hours for a total of three tests,” the guidance states.

For those taking at-home tests, however, it’s important to ensure your test hasn’t expired.

The Food and Drug Administration has extended the expiration dates of many popular at-home test products, which means some such kits may still be safe to use, CNBC reports. You can check expiration dates for each brand using a page on the FDA’s website.

Guidelines and Protocols

How long are you contagious?

The answer depends on several factors.

Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19, the CDC reports. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. 

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should stay home for at least five days and isolate from others in your home. The CDC notes that people are “likely most infectious during these first five days.”

When you have COVID-19, isolation is counted in days, as follows:

If you had no symptoms:

• Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)
• Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested
• If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset

If you had symptoms:

• Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive
• Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started

If you had no symptoms, you can end your isolation after day five, but for those who experience symptoms, that line might be different, the CDC notes.

Those who have mild symptoms can end isolation after day five if they are fever-free for 24 hours, without using fever-reducing medication, but those with more moderate or severe illnesses will need to wait until day 10.

Those who have mild symptoms that are not improving should also wait until those symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for 24 hours.

Those with more severe illness may also want to consult with their doctor before ending isolation and could need a viral test to end their isolation period.

Despite ending isolation, those who test positive should continue to avoid people and mask through at least day 11, according to the CDC guidelines.

Vaccines

In late summer, officials approved updated shots that have a single target, an omicron descendant named XBB.1.5. They replaced vaccines that targeted the original coronavirus strain and a much earlier omicron version. In September, the CDC recommended the new shots for everyone 6 months and older.

Americans have been urged to get different iterations of the vaccines for more than 2 and 1/2 years. This year, COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations fell to lower levels than seen in the previous three years.

“Studies have consistently shown that COVID-19 vaccines lower the risk of getting symptomatic COVID-19 and improve protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death,” IDPH said in a release. “New evidence is also emerging that it can protect you from long COVID and flu vaccines are also protective against heart disease.”

RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus levels are on the rise in Illinois, but have not reached similar levels to those seen in 2022.

“This year we’re starting to see an RSV surge,” Dr. Julie Holland, the vice president for pediatric primary care with the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance and the head of general pediatrics for Advocate Children’s Hospital and Northshore University Health Systems, told NBC Chicago. “Now, this is a fairly typical time of year for us to start seeing RSV. Last year was a very unusual year in which we had a tremendous surge that started in about September. So it was early. It went much higher than normal, meaning a lot more cases. Our hospitals were full, our ICUs were full. So this year, we’re really hoping that doesn’t happen. But we are kind of in the beginning of what we would expect to see in a normal year with a normal surge. So fingers crossed that it doesn’t get much worse.”

Symptoms

Symptoms of RSV typically appear within 4-to-6 days after infection, according to the CDC. Those symptoms can include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, fever and decrease in appetite.

Infants typically experience different symptoms, including irritability, decreased activity and breathing difficulties. Symptoms appear in stages, rather than all at once.

How Long Are You Contagious?

According to the CDC, “people infected with RSV are usually contagious for three to eight days and may become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness.”

The agency notes, however, that some infants or people with weakened immune systems can spread the virus even after their symptoms end, for as long as four weeks.

Vaccines and Treatment

Specifically, RSV vaccines are recommended for individuals who are 60 years of age or older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vaccine is also recommended for pregnant women between weeks 32 and 36 of their pregnancy.

Finally, for children who contract RSV, a monoclonal antibody shot called nirsevimab is being recommended for infants under eight months and toddlers at high risk for serious side effects from the virus. Studies cited by the IDPH show a reduction in hospitalizations of up to 77% for those who are given the treatment.

And only 17% of adults 60 and older had received new shots against another respiratory virus. RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, is a common cause of mild coldlike symptoms but it can be dangerous for infants and older people.

Flu

Traditionally, the winter flu season ramps up in December or January. But it took off in October last year, and is making a November entrance this year.

Tracking during flu season relies in part on reports of people with flu-like symptoms who go to doctor’s offices or hospitals; many people with the flu are not tested, so their infections aren’t lab-confirmed. COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses can sometimes muddy the picture.

Alicia Budd, who leads the CDC’s flu surveillance team, said several indicators are showing “continued increases” in flu.

There are different kinds of flu viruses, and the version that’s been spreading the most so far this year usually leads to a lesser amount of hospitalizations and deaths in the elderly — the group on whom flu tends to take the largest toll.

So far this fall, the CDC estimates at least 780,000 flu illnesses, at least 8,000 hospitalizations and at least 490 flu-related deaths — including at least one child.

Symptoms

According to the CDC, symptoms of flu include:

• fever* or feeling feverish/chills (not everyone will experience a fever)
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• muscle or body aches
• headaches
• fatigue (tiredness)
• some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

In addition to the most common symptoms, the CDC also lists “warning signs” to watch for in both adults and children.

Those include:

In children

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish lips or face
• Ribs pulling in with each breath
• Chest pain
• Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
• Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
• Not alert or interacting when awake
• Seizures
• Fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit that is not controlled by fever-reducing medicine
• In children younger than 12 weeks, any fever
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

In adults

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse
• Seizures
• Not urinating
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

How Long Are You Contagious?

“People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins,” the CDC states. “Some otherwise healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick.”

Vaccines

As for flu, early signs suggest current vaccines are well-matched to the strain that is causing the most illnesses, and that strain usually doesn’t cause as many deaths and hospitalizations as some other versions.

But the bad news is vaccinations are down this year, officials say. About 42% of U.S. adults had gotten flu shots by the first week of December, down from about 45% at the same time last year, according to the CDC.

“We’d like to think of arthritis as a grandma’s disease, but it’s not. It’s affecting all of us,” Berger said.

While it’s not clear why arthritis is affecting some people earlier, Berger says it’s leading to joint replacement surgery earlier in life.

“I operate on patients now in their 50s, 40s, 30s, 20s and even teens,” Berger said. “People are wearing out there joints quicker for lots of reasons. One is the increased activity level that we’re doing now.”

Many Americans are engaging in organized sports at an earlier age and continuing to play sports and exercise regularly into their 40s, 50s and 60s.

Berger says the good news is joint replacement surgery has evolved too. He uses a minimally invasive technique with replacement parts that can last for decades.

That’s one of the reasons that Pete Sturm, 35, opted to have his left hip replaced earlier this month.

“Shock is usually the initial reaction that I get out of everyone. I’m still dealing with the shock, so it makes sense,” Sturm said.

A two-sport athlete in high school, Sturm has completed two marathons, despite intense pain caused by degenerative arthritis.

“It’s bone on bone, pain I’ve been dealing with the last couple of years, so I had to pull the trigger and finally give in and get it done,” he said.

With a baby on the way this spring, Pete and his wife, Mallory, are glad he acted now.

“It’s not as daunting as maybe you might think,” Sturm said.

“Patients simply wait too long to have surgery. They’re either afraid, they don’t know what’s available or they think it’s going to be a long downtime,” Berger added.

Sturm went home from the surgery the very same day and is already seeing improvement less than two weeks later.

“It’s far beyond what I would have expected. I don’t feel any pain. I feel a lot more flexibility and mobility,” Sturm said.

“Once you recover from the surgery, you can really do anything you want, get back to anything,” Berger added.

Tracie Blackwell is a professional school counselor with an additional certification in “Youth Mental Health First Aid.”

“Anything that can enhance the help or the support that I can offer our students, that’s why I did it,” Blackwell said.

The certification is offered by the non-profit, Communities In Schools of Chicago.

“The CDC just came out with a new study recently and they said 90% of Americans think that the United States is in a mental health crisis. So you can’t get more stark than that,” said Bart St. John, chief innovation officer for Communities In Schools of Chicago.

Kids are in crisis too, according to Blackwell, who sees it in the children who attend Herzl.

“The trauma that they’re experiencing, the deaths and things of that nature, depression, suicide, so we are seeing a lot of it,” Blackwell said.

That’s why Blackwell completed the Youth Mental Health First Aid training this fall, along with several school deans and security staff.

“They have eyes on our students all day, at all times. So they can see when students are maybe experiencing or changing from one extreme to the next,” Blackwell said.

The half-day training program gives adults the tools to take action.

“They have like an initial set of steps, just like somebody who knows CPR does, to get the initial aid that the young person needs, to help them along in their recovery,” St. John said.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is part of a broad range of tailored supports that CIS of Chicago and its network of community partners provides to students and families from 238 Chicago Public Schools, but the Youth Mental Health First Aid training isn’t just for schools.

Any adult can sign up for public sessions offered monthly by Communities in Schools of Chicago. You can find upcoming sessions here.

Special sessions can be arranged for other organizations as well.

“Companies can come to us, organizations, if they want to do a special training for Youth Mental Health First Aid, we can accommodate them that way,” St. John said.

In addition to training staff, Herzl works with community partners to offer additional support services including individualized check in sessions and brings in facilitators to hold talking circles for referred students.

“We want to offer anything that could support our students when they’re having a mental health challenge,” Blackwell said. “You don’t really want somebody to slip through the cracks. So the more eyes and ears, the more people that we have trained and able to give that first level, that level of support because they’re certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid, the better.”

However the professional Santa Claus from suburban Park Ridge wasn’t sure he would be able to this year, after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke in October.

“He never got headaches before that or anything and all of a sudden, he’s like, you know, I feel like I blew a gasket,” said Paula Biggio, Gottschlich’s wife, who also works by his side as a professional Mrs. Claus.

Gottschlich headed to Advocate Lutheran General’s Emergency Department, and Dr. Marion Oliver, an interventional neurologist, was called in.

“It was very evident that he had a brain bleed, and brain bleeds are something that we specialize in. So they called us, and we ordered additional imaging,” Oliver said.

It was determined that Gottschlich needed a procedure that involved threading a catheter from his groin to his brain, to stop the bleeding.

“We did not have to do an open brain surgery. It’s a minimally-invasive brain surgery,” Oliver said.

The minimally-invasive procedure was a huge relief for Biggio.

“It was really a lifesaver because we were worried, you know, he has beautiful hair and a beautiful beard. And we want it to be that way for December,” Biggio said.

It wasn’t until Gottschlich woke up from the procedure that doctors found out what he does for a living.

“I said, ‘Wow, reaally?’ And then he of course he showed me all have his accolades, where he does all the Santa appearances and all the cool things he does for the community,” Oliver said. “It’s fantastic. I mean, I didn’t wake up that day thinking I was going to help Santa Claus.”

Dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Gottschlich and his wife returned to Advocate Lutheran General on Friday, to say thank you and spread cheer at the hospital that saved his life.

Gottschlich spent less than a week in the hospital. Fully recovered, he’s been able to honor all of his holiday commitments, which start before Thanksgiving and continue through Christmas Day.

“Being Santa, there’s a lot of joy in delivering happiness to the children and to the families,” Gottschlich said.

Many of the laws will impact services insurance companies that will be required to cover, and others will provide additional methods for patients to help afford medications and procedures.

In recent years, the state has pushed for increased access to mental health care, and another step will be taken in 2024, as the state’s Department of Human Resources and the Board of Education will provide “technical assistance” in increasing availability of mental health resources for students in Illinois schools.

Those resources will be available during the school day, according to officials.

Under the provisions of HB 2719, hospitals will be legally required to screen patients for eligibility for public assistance before sending their accounts to collection agencies.

Here are 64 new laws hitting the books in Illinois

If immigration status concerns arise during that process, hospitals are also required to refer patients to free, unbiased resources for assistance, according to the law.

There are even laws that pertain to pioneering new therapies for patients, including the “Outdoor Rx Program Act,” which will enable grants from the state to support outdoor, environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will be required by SB 1563 to “have information available on microplastics, and their effects on aquatic life and human health.

They must provide information on regulatory action as well, and will submit a report to the governor by October on the issue.  

Here is a breakdown of changes coming to the health care system in 2024 in Illinois.

Prescription Drug Changes:

HB 2077: Healthcare providers will be required to send prescriptions electronically for specific controlled substances. The bill also allows patients to obtain medical records from dentists who are closing their practices, among other changes.

HB 3203: Pharmacists may sell fentanyl test stripes over the counter. Test strips may also be distributed by county health departments.

HB 3957: Manufacturers and wholesale drug distributors will be required to abstain from price gouging in the sale of essential off-patent and generic drugs.

SB 1889: When a pharmacist is not present in a pharmacy, a registered pharmacy tech, a registered certified pharmacy technician, a student pharmacist and other support staff are able to dispense prescriptions that have been verified by the pharmacist.

Insurance Changes:

HB 1384: Insurance may not deny coverage for medically necessary reconstructive services that are intended to restore physical appearance.

HB 1565: Insurance must provide coverage for medically necessary vaginal estrogen, and must do so without a deductible, coinsurance, copay or any other cost-sharing that exceeds such payment amounts for treatment of erectile dysfunction.

HB 2130: The Insurance Data Security Law sets parameters for security around information obtained by insurance companies, and allows the state to take remedial action against companies that fail to comply with provisions of the law. The bill also makes changes to notification procedures in the event of a cybersecurity breach.

HB 2799: Insurance providers cannot have a higher standard of clinical evidence for the coverage of proton beam therapy than other types of radiation therapy treatments for cancer.

HB 3202: Insurance policies must cover medically necessary home saliva cancer screenings every 24 months if the patient is asymptomatic and at high risk for the disease.

HB 3955: Patients at University of Illinois Hospitals will not be unduly delayed provisions of their care, whether emergency or screening, to inquire about payment methods or insurance status.

SB 1665: Patients eligible for the Uninsured Patient Discount Act do not need to report guaranteed basic income payments as part of their eligibility check.

Children’s Health:

HB 2519: Hospitals must provide information and materials to voluntarily donate milk to nonprofit milk banks. Those materials must be provided to parents of newborn children upon discharge from the hospital.

HB 3428: Schools shall maintain a supply of opioid antagonists.

HB 3698: IDPH must establish family centers to provide counseling and mental health services to families who are indigent based on behavior or mental health conditions, as determined by IDPH rules.

HB 3809: Insurance shall provide coverage for therapy, diagnostic testing and equipment necessary to increase quality of life for children who have been clinically or genetically diagnosed with any disease, syndrome or disorder that includes low-tone neuromuscular impairment, neurological impairment, or cognitive impairment.

HB 3924: Schools shall provide instruction on the dangers of fentanyl to students in grades 9-12.

HB 3932: Students in grades 9-through-12 shall be educated on allergen safety, including ways of recognizing symptoms and signs of an allergic reaction, and steps to take to prevent exposure to allergens, and how to safely administer epinephrine.

SB 0067: Hospitals will be reimbursed for newborn screening tests for the presence of metachromatic leukodystrophy. The genetic disorder causes fatty substances to build up, particularly in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves, and eventually causes the brain and nervous system to lose function because the myelin, which protects those nerves, is damaged.

SB 0188: Parents who consent to the performance upon their child of a health care service are allowed to inspect and copy the child’s records, so long as it is related to the service the parent consented to.

SB 0380: Individuals can bring action against any health care provider who knowingly or intentionally uses non-approved human reproductive material without the patient’s informed written consent.

Senior Citizen Health:

HB 2076: IDPH must adopt criteria to identify distressed nursing home facilities quarterly.

HB 2858: Any person may report information about the suspicious death of an adult to an agency affiliated with the Department on Aging. Employers will not be allowed to discriminate against any employee who makes a good faith oral or written report concerning information about the suspicious death of an eligible adult.

HB 3172: This bill eliminates a law that prevented a person from being accepted for residency in assisted living facilities if the person required sliding scale insulin administration.

SB 0069: Every hospital must adopt an influenza and pneumococcal immunization policy that includes procedures for identifying patients age 50 or older for influenza vaccination and 65 and older for pneumococcal immunization. Previously the law only applied to those 65 and older.

SB 0216: Any guardian responsible for the care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is required to complete a one-hour course within six months of appointment, and then once yearly thereafter.

Public Health:

HB 2039: IDPH and DCFS shall, at the request of local health departments, make any and all public health data related to residents of that jurisdiction available for purposes of preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability.

HB 2756: Those seeking licensing for massage therapy will be required to obtain one hour of continuing education related to domestic violence and sexual assault awareness each time they seek a new license or a renewal.

HB 3087: The Director of Agriculture may declare a temporary halt on the sale, movement or exhibition of certain types of animals to prevent the spread of disease in the state. Such declarations can be made in increments of 30 days.

HB 3849: The Department of Agriculture should encourage food manufacturers to use uniform terms to communicate quality dates and safety dates on food packaging.

SB 0836: Each manufacturer of architectural paint must submit a plan for the establishment of a postconsumer paint stewardship program.

SB 0759: Podiatrists may provide vaccinations to individuals age 18 or older after receiving proper training. That can include influenza, tetanus, and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Coughing is among the symptoms that could appear with a number of respiratory viruses — and could also last longer, continuing even after other symptoms clear up.

Dr. Juanbosco Ayala, a pulmonologist in the intensive care unit at OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, said the reason a cough may linger is often “due to the local inflammation that persists.”

So what can you do to help it?

According to Ayala, not much.

“There’s not much to do for it,” Ayala said. “We typically recommend antihistamines, and sometimes you’ll have to cycle those. It’s usually something that subsides with time. But if it doesn’t, then obviously that may need to be looked at.”

Antihistamines can include over-the-counter medications like Claritin-D, Benadryl, Allegra and more.

For those with mucus symptoms, Ayala said Mucinex could be a better choice.

It’s important to keep an eye on your symptoms, though, and seek medical care if they persist. But Ayala said in some cases it can be worth it to try to treat symptoms at home first.

“As long as you don’t have some of the red flags, like a persistent fever, high-grade fever that lasts more than one to three days. Something that won’t go away, despite using temporary measures like Tylenol or Motrin. If this persists more than two or three days, this might be something that needs to be looked at,” Ayala said.

Like other doctors in the Chicago area have noted, Ayala has see a recent uptick in COVID-19 patients.

“There’s been a noticeable increase. Some of the recent strains may not be as lethal or severe, yet they continue to spread easily from person to person,” Ayala said.

As of Friday, 44 counties in Illinois were at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. In all, 39 counties were at a medium level and five were under the “high” alert as the state saw a 20% increase in hospitalizations within the last week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meanwhile, data also showed that “broad acute respiratory hospitalizations” were increasing for COVID, flu and RSV, and officials said they were particularly concerned about pediatric ICU capacity, which is already limited in some areas of the state.

“As we anticipated, we are seeing an increase in respiratory viruses – including COVID-19, flu and RSV – both in Illinois and across the nation,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement last week. “IDPH is closely working with our health partners to educate the public, monitor our hospital capacity, and develop effective mitigation strategies as we experience this surge.”

So when should you seek medical care?

According to Ayala, those with symptoms that aren’t improving after 10 days, or anyone with difficult breathing should seek medical attention. Those with preexisting conditions like diabetes, asthma or COPD should also visit their doctor.

“If you have white spots on the back of your throat, this is a clear sign of an infection and will need medical intervention prescribed by a licensed medical provider,” Ayala said.

As of Friday, 44 counties in Illinois were at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. In all, 39 counties were at a medium level and five were under the “high” alert as the state saw a 20% increase in hospitalizations within the last week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“As we anticipated, we are seeing an increase in respiratory viruses – including COVID-19, flu and RSV – both in Illinois and across the nation,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement last week. “IDPH is closely working with our health partners to educate the public, monitor our hospital capacity, and develop effective mitigation strategies as we experience this surge.”

But with so many overlapping symptoms between the currently active respiratory viruses, how can you tell the difference?

NBC Chicago spoke to multiple doctors to get an idea of what to look for with recent COVID infections, and if symptoms are changing as of December.

Here’s what they said.

COVID Symptoms

If you suspect you’ve contracted COVID, here are some symptoms you might experience:

• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Altered sense of smell

In October, a Chicago-area doctor said she’s noticed shifts in the most common symptoms her patients have reported when contracting the COVID-19 virus this fall.

Dr. Chantel Tinfang, a family medicine physician with Sengstacke Health Center at Provident Hospital of Cook County, noted that many of the recent cases she’s seen have reported less of the fever, body aches and chills, and more presented with sore throat, fatigue and coughing.

“We still see some patients experiencing decreased appetite, a loss of taste or smell. So it kind of depends,” she said. “One patient was just very, very tired. Like she couldn’t really do much. And that’s when you know … it’s different. It’s not just coughing and shortness of breath. We still see that though.”

She suggested consulting with your doctor if your symptoms don’t begin to improve outside of the recommended isolation period.

As for timing, symptoms can last for several days, but in some cases, even longer.

“Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC),” according to the CDC.

covid Dec 11, 2023

‘COVID toes:' Is the mysterious skin condition actually connected to the virus? Here's what doctors say

coronavirus illinois Dec 10, 2023

How long are you contagious with COVID? Here's what to know if you test positive

news Nov 30, 2023

How major retailers and Covid-era nostalgia helped revive the vinyl records industry

Such symptoms can last for weeks and possibly even years.

In Chicago, Dr. Brian Borah, medical director for vaccine-preventable diseases surveillance with the Chicago Department of Public Health, said while a number of newer variants are currently circulating in the area, they may not be behind shifting symptoms.

“We have not noticed a shift in symptoms necessarily due to different variants. That’s certainly something that we keep a close eye on and the CDC as well, you know. If a new variant causes a completely different syndrome, or a different set of symptoms, you know, we will absolutely let the public know,” he said. “Right now, I think the shift in in people’s symptoms and the way that they experience COVID-19, that illness, that may be changing in large part because of the fact that they’ve had previous infections, perhaps, or they’ve been previously vaccinated against the disease. So the type of symptoms somebody gets when they are first exposed to the virus can look quite a bit different from the set of symptoms someone gets, you know, after they’ve built up some level of immunity. So well, we can’t say for sure, you know, if if there is a pattern of of different symptoms that are emerging, I think it’s fair to say that … lots of the changes of symptoms that people might be noticing are likely due to the fact that there is widespread community immunologic protection against this virus as opposed to in years past.”

Dr. Nimmi Rajagoal, associate chair of family and community medicine at Cook County Health, shared a similar sentiment, though she noted that even those who are healthy may still experience seemingly severe symptoms.

“People that are at high risk or … that have underlying conditions that make them at high risk, it’s more concerning for them to end up in the hospital …The people that are otherwise healthy, the symptoms may feel a little bit more severe, but they’re not necessarily ending up in the hospital,” she said. “And then we do know, again, the vaccine keeps the severity at bay. So even if someone gets it, if they’ve been vaccinated, it’s usually less severe.”

Doctors acknowledged that symptoms alone aren’t always enough to determine which illness someone has.

“Sometimes, especially in kids, it’s very hard to differentiate between the COVID and flu. And it depends on what underlying conditions they may have,” Rajagoal said. “But you might have the cough, congestion, body ache, all with the flu as well as with COVID. So there’s a lot of overlap in those and again, particularly in kids, the symptoms can be much more nebulous and we’re not able to necessarily differentiate them. That is, of course, the value in the home testing for a COVID — to not take that risk and not take that chance and to to go ahead and test. But the other is that if somebody’s experiencing any of these symptoms, take the precautions to avoid passing anything that you have on. So, you know, avoid gatherings if you’re not feeling well stay home rest. Try and kind of isolate yourself as you recuperate to avoid passing anything on to other people.”

Borah agreed.

“We do recommend, you know, if you if you’re feeling sick, a few things, you know. Number one, we, as hard as it is, we recommend people to stay home, or at least avoid gatherings where they know there’ll be around other people who are vulnerable. You know, people who are advanced in age, or very young babies, or people that may have immunocompromising conditions. So that’s number one,” he said. “Number two, we do recommend to get tested … it’s not uncommon, if you test yourself for COVID for that first test to be negative. Doing a second test 48 hours after a first negative test increases the chances that you’ll catch a COVID diagnosis with those home tests. But of course, there are also tests for flu, and if necessary for RSV. Those are more accessible through your primary care doctors. So if you’re feeling sick, and want to get tested, you know we encourage people to go out and get tested.”

“It had started just like a cough or any sinus infection or cold,” Warford said.

When Warford’s cough persisted for a year, she went to see her primary care doctor last November and was diagnosed with acid reflux. When medication didn’t work, Warford went for a chest x-ray.

“That’s when the fluids started showing up. So that’s when they switched from the acid reflux meds to the pneumonia antibiotics,” Warford said.

Those didn’t clear her cough either. Eventually a PET scan found the source, lung cancer.

“The primary was lung cancer, and they call it stage four, because it had spread,” Warford said.

“So the cancer has gone to the liver, other lung, some of the lymph nodes as well as the bone,” said Dr. Dennis Chan, Warford’s radiation oncologist at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

Further testing through an MRI found the cancer had also spread to her brain.

“The MRI showed that there was five spots growing in the brain. That was the shock,” Warford said.

Age 41 at the time and a non-smoker, Warford was stunned, but Chan said new research showed Warford is not alone.

“There’s a higher incidence of young woman in the age 35 to 55 group who are being more and more diagnosed compared to their male counterparts,” Chan said.

Dr. Chan recommended a targeted therapy that involves Warford taking eight pills a day.

“This therapy is absolutely working. She’s had a blockbuster response,” Chan said.

Six months into treatment, a new PET scan showed the amazing results.

“The cancer that spread to the liver, to the other parts of the lung and the bone that activity is no longer present. The liver looks normal,” Chan said.

While the targeted therapy worked on most of the tumors, one brain tumor needed another tactic, called the CyberKnife.

“It’s a type of radiation. And it’s so different from the traditional radiation because,

for Mandy, we were able to just give them one treatment over 20 minutes,” Chan said.

“We’ll find that if that worked in about mid-December,” Warford said.

A frequent traveler, Warford tries to remain hopeful she has many more trips in her future.

“Stage four doesn’t go away. You hope for this, no evidence of disease. And hopefully I will have that for years,” Warford said.

“The intervention is the first of its kind,” said Dr. Kathryn Gamble, director of veterinary  medicine at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Dr. Gamble first noticed the tumor in Zhang’s mouth, a type of cancer that had historically only been detected after a monkey succumbs to the disease.

“Lincoln Park identified several years ago that this is a problem for the species with these tumors. And up to this point, it had never been identified at an early enough stage to do something,” Gamble said.

With its early detection, Gamble developed a treatment plan that involved surgery and reached out to RUSH University Medical Center’s director of head and neck surgical oncology Dr. Kerstin Stenson.

“They emailed me and first it was, this is very cool. I want to help,” Stenson said.

After weeks of coordination, Dr. Stenson moved her entire operating room team to the zoo in May 2022 to remove the cancer on the roof of Zhang’s mouth.

Stenson said the surgery was similar to operating on a human, but on a smaller scale.

“His head is the size of a baby’s head. The teeth are much sharper. I guess we worked our way around that,” Stenson said.

Zhang did great in surgery and post-op, but the zoo’s veterinary team realized he needed another surgery one year later.

“And so we brought Dr. Kerstin in for a second procedure to help us move things around a little bit to try to cover a little bit more of the exposed bone and he’s done really well with that,” Gamble said.

Zhang recovered from the surgeries by watching cartoons, but Dr. Gamble only allowed him a couple of hours each day.

As he munched on snacks and swung around the primate house, Zhang doesn’t appear to mind. After one more checkup on Dec. 1, he can officially be declared cancer-free.

“We’re at 18 months and we don’t have tumor back, so we’re very pleased with that,” Gamble said.

“It is amazing and just very, very, very humbling,” Stenson said.

Dr. Gamble won’t take credit for saving Zhang’s life.

“I think Dr. Kerstin certainly did and we were able to work together to make sure that he got back with his group and now I think we can say we’ve saved the whole species line,” Gamble said.

Zhang is the only male with three females in his family group, so there’s high hopes for future langur babies. And now there’s a cancer-fighting process for fellow Francois langurs and potentially other animals as well.

“We have developed a really sound plan that allows us to do what we need to do and make them comfortable,” Gamble said.

“Just how it all came together was, was short of amazing,” Stenson said.

RSV, COVID and flu activity were already on the rise for the state heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, leading health experts to urge caution.

So what should you be watching for ahead of holiday gatherings and what can you do to protect yourself and loved ones?

Here’s a look at what to know this holiday season:

COVID

As of Nov. 21, COVID levels were elevated in nearly two dozen Illinois counties, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms

If you do suspect you’ve contracted COVID, here are some symptoms you might experience:

• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Altered sense of smell

Recently, a Chicago-area doctor said she’s noticed shifts in the most common symptoms her patients have reported when contracting the COVID-19 virus this fall.

Dr. Chantel Tinfang, a family medicine physician with Sengstacke Health Center at Provident Hospital of Cook County, noted that many of the recent cases she’s seen have reported less of the fever, body aches and chills, and more presented with sore throat, fatigue and coughing.

“We still see some patients experiencing decreased appetite, a loss of taste or smell. So it kind of depends,” she said. “One patient was just very, very tired. Like she couldn’t really do much. And that’s when you know … it’s different. It’s not just coughing and shortness of breath. We still see that though.”

She suggested consulting with your doctor if your symptoms don’t begin to improve outside of the recommended isolation period.

As for timing, symptoms can last for several days, but in some cases, even longer.

“Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC),” according to the CDC.

Such symptoms can last for weeks and possibly even years.

Testing

In the lead-up to the holidays, the federal government has increased the number of free tests available for U.S. households.

That means all households are eligible to order up to four free at-home COVID tests, but those households that did not order them earlier this fall can receive up to eight, according to the government.

But when should you test and how often?

Those who have symptoms are urged to take a COVID test as soon as possible, though officials continue to caution that a negative at-home test may not be as reliable as a positive one.

“If your antigen test is negative, take another antigen test after 48 hours or take a PCR test as soon as you can,” the CDC states.

Those who don’t have symptoms but may have been exposed should wait five days after exposure to take a test, according to the CDC guidance.

Some experts say you could test even earlier, but most recommend to continue testing through day five if those tests are negative.

“I would say the best rule of thumb is to start testing three days after exposure, and if you’re negative, test again on day four or five,” Dr. Michael Mina, a COVID testing expert and former professor of epidemiology and of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told NBC News.

PCR tests can also pick up lower levels of the virus and would offer a more accurate determination for those looking for one.

The steps for what to do if you test negative can depend on symptoms, however.

The FDA recommends symptomatic “people who get an initial negative result on an antigen test, take at least one more test 48 hours later.”

“Take a third test, 48 hours after the second, if the second test was negative and you don’t have symptoms. Self-tests are more likely to detect the virus if you have symptoms,” the guidance states.

You may also want to consider contacting a healthcare provider to check for additional tests for other illnesses.

The CDC recommends if you don’t have symptoms and test negative at least five days from your exposure that you repeat the test again 48 hours after your first test.

“If both tests are negative, then repeat testing after another 48 hours for a total of three tests,” the guidance states.

For those taking at-home tests, however, it’s important to ensure your test hasn’t expired.

The Food and Drug Administration has extended the expiration dates of many popular at-home test products, which means some such kits may still be safe to use, CNBC reports. You can check expiration dates for each brand using a page on the FDA’s website.

Guidelines

Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19, the CDC reports. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. 

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should stay home for at least five days and isolate from others in your home. The CDC notes that people are “likely most infectious during these first five days.”

When you have COVID-19, isolation is counted in days, as follows:

If you had no symptoms:

• Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)
• Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested
• If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset

If you had symptoms:

• Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive
• Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started

If you had no symptoms, you can end your isolation after day five, but for those who experience symptoms, that line might be different, the CDC notes.

Those who have mild symptoms can end isolation after day five if they are fever-free for 24 hours, without using fever-reducing medication, but those with more moderate or severe illnesses will need to wait until day 10.

Those who have mild symptoms that are not improving should also wait until those symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for 24 hours.

Those with more severe illness may also want to consult with their doctor before ending isolation and could need a viral test to end their isolation period.

Despite ending isolation, those who test positive should continue to avoid people and mask through at least day 11, according to the CDC guidelines.

Vaccines

In late summer, officials approved updated shots that have a single target, an omicron descendant named XBB.1.5. They replaced vaccines that targeted the original coronavirus strain and a much earlier omicron version. In September, the CDC recommended the new shots for everyone 6 months and older.

Americans have been urged to get different iterations of the vaccines for more than 2 and 1/2 years. This year, COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations fell to lower levels than seen in the previous three years.

“Studies have consistently shown that COVID-19 vaccines lower the risk of getting symptomatic COVID-19 and improve protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death,” IDPH said in a release. “New evidence is also emerging that it can protect you from long COVID and flu vaccines are also protective against heart disease.”

RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus levels are on the rise in Illinois, but have not reached similar levels to those seen in 2022.

“This year we’re starting to see an RSV surge,” Dr. Julie Holland, the vice president for pediatric primary care with the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance and the head of general pediatrics for Advocate Children’s Hospital and Northshore University Health Systems, told NBC Chicago. “Now, this is a fairly typical time of year for us to start seeing RSV. Last year was a very unusual year in which we had a tremendous surge that started in about September. So it was early. It went much higher than normal, meaning a lot more cases. Our hospitals were full, our ICUs were full. So this year, we’re really hoping that doesn’t happen. But we are kind of in the beginning of what we would expect to see in a normal year with a normal surge. So fingers crossed that it doesn’t get much worse.”

Symptoms

Symptoms of RSV typically appear within 4-to-6 days after infection, according to the CDC. Those symptoms can include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, fever and decrease in appetite.

Infants typically experience different symptoms, including irritability, decreased activity and breathing difficulties. Symptoms appear in stages, rather than all at once.

Vaccines and Treatment

Specifically, RSV vaccines are recommended for individuals who are 60 years of age or older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vaccine is also recommended for pregnant women between weeks 32 and 36 of their pregnancy.

Finally, for children who contract RSV, a monoclonal antibody shot called nirsevimab is being recommended for infants under eight months and toddlers at high risk for serious side effects from the virus. Studies cited by the IDPH show a reduction in hospitalizations of up to 77% for those who are given the treatment.

Last week, the CDC expedited the release of more than 77,000 additional doses of a new drug designed to protect infants from RSV as experts warned of an ongoing shortage in the U.S.

Flu

Traditionally, the winter flu season ramps up in December or January. But it took off in October last year, and is making a November entrance this year.

Tracking during flu season relies in part on reports of people with flu-like symptoms who go to doctor’s offices or hospitals; many people with the flu are not tested, so their infections aren’t lab-confirmed. COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses can sometimes muddy the picture.

Alicia Budd, who leads the CDC’s flu surveillance team, said several indicators are showing “continued increases” in flu.

There are different kinds of flu viruses, and the version that’s been spreading the most so far this year usually leads to a lesser amount of hospitalizations and deaths in the elderly — the group on whom flu tends to take the largest toll.

So far this fall, the CDC estimates at least 780,000 flu illnesses, at least 8,000 hospitalizations and at least 490 flu-related deaths — including at least one child.

Symptoms

According to the CDC, symptoms of flu include:

• fever* or feeling feverish/chills (not everyone will experience a fever)
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• muscle or body aches
• headaches
• fatigue (tiredness)
• some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

In addition to the most common symptoms, the CDC also lists “warning signs” to watch for in both adults and children.

Those include:

In children

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish lips or face
• Ribs pulling in with each breath
• Chest pain
• Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
• Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
• Not alert or interacting when awake
• Seizures
• Fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit that is not controlled by fever-reducing medicine
• In children younger than 12 weeks, any fever
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

In adults

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse
• Seizures
• Not urinating
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

Vaccines

Budd said that it’s not yet clear exactly how effective the current flu vaccines are, but the shots are well-matched to the flu strains that are showing up. In the U.S., about 35% of U.S. adults and 33% of children have been vaccinated against flu, current CDC data indicates. That’s down compared to last year in both categories.

Flu vaccination rates are better than rates for the other two main respiratory viruses — COVID-19 and RSV. About 14% of adults and 5% of children have gotten the currently recommended COVID-19 shot, and about 13.5% of adults 60 and older have gotten one of the RSV shots that became available earlier this year.

Matt Moser takes Vyvanse to help manage his ADHD.

“It helps me focus. I mean, I work long hours and long days and it really gets me focused on tasks at hand,” Moser said.

Getting his daily pill has proved challenging for the past several months.

“It got to the point where calling was such a pain in the butt. I went to the pharmacist, I went to Mariano’s, I went to Walgreens and they’re like, ‘Oh, no, we don’t have it,’” Moser said.

Moser’s situation is playing out for many of Dr. Michael Feld’s patients.

“Oh, I’ve had three out of my last four emails were people who have had to switch different medicines to different pharmacies,” Feld, a psychiatrist in Northbrook, said.

The issues are all due to the ongoing shortage of prescription drugs treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

“You’re seeing shortages, not just of Adderall, and you’re seeing shortages of some of the generic extended release medications,” Feld said.

The FDA announced the Adderall shortage in October 2022 and that has had a domino effect on other stimulants, also in part due to unprecedented demand.

Prescriptions surged during the pandemic and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sets strict production quotas because of potential abuse and misuse of the drugs.

“I think there’s less being produced, there’s a greater control of what’s going to pharmacies, and then a lot has to do with the prescribing tendencies of providers,” Feld said.

Feld said he’s turning to newer, lesser-known stimulants from smaller pharmaceutical companies that are FDA-approved.

“This is an opportunity for people to learn about what’s been developed and what’s out there that there are no shortages,” Feld said.

Non-stimulants may also be an option for some patients.

“Stimulants are still considered first line medication because their efficacy is probably overall a little better than non-stimulants. But there are patients that do well on non-stimulants,” Feld said.

The Child Mind Institute, an independent non-profit, has more information about both stimulant and non-stimulant alternatives available here.

Nootropics, or over the counter supplements, are a hot topic as an alternative to prescription medications.

Feld describes them as “vitamins and minerals.”

Also called “smart drugs” or “cognitive enhancers,” nootropics are not FDA approved and vary greatly, which is why health experts say a patient should consult their doctor before use.

“They often take, like, at least 60 to 90 days to really get working. Non-stimulants can take one week up to four weeks, but stimulants work immediately,” Feld said.

That explains why stimulants are in such high demand.

Feld said his patients have had success getting their medication at grocery store pharmacies or smaller, independent pharmacies.

“I went out to Lindenhurst. I live in Mount Prospect, which is a 45-minute drive, because he said they might have it and I called them. They actually had it,” Moser said.

“We know that if you super specialize in the sport, particularly early on, that the risk of injury goes up anywhere by 30-50%,” said Dr. Nik Verma, director of sports medicine at Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH.

Verma is also the head team physician for the Chicago White Sox and he said baseball is a prime example.

“We’re starting to see Tommy John procedures, which we would be typically be doing in college players, mostly minor league and professional athletes, now happening in kids as young as 12 or 13 years of age and, in fact, the majority of Tommy John’s are now done in patients under 18, versus patients over 18,” Verma said.

Overuse injuries are one concern, but there’s mental health risks as well.

“Mentally, there can be some factors of burn out, perfectionism,” said Dr. Kathy Weber, director of women’s sports medicine at Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH.

Weber said more research is now centered on the impact of focusing on one sport.

“There’s this whole drive, thinking that if you specialize early, you’re gonna make it to the big leagues. And the reality is, is that’s not being shown,” Weber said.

“There’s zero scientific data or data if you look at progression of athletes over time, to suggest that early specialization in a single sport makes you any better later in life in that sport,” Verma said.

With participation in travel and club teams booming, Verma said parents need to remember those teams are part of a business.

“You need to have the participation in order to fund that service,” Verma said.

He also said it is important to leave peer pressure out of the decision-making process.

“You see every other kid in your neighborhood playing on all these different leagues. The kids are getting pressured to do it. And they really feel like they either have to commit or just not play and I don’t think that’s the right answer for the 95% of our kids,” Verma said.

“I’ve taken care of professional pitchers and they said they didn’t start pitching until they were in college. So specialization later, after puberty, seems to be more where we should be going,” Weber said.

After puberty could vary, depending on the child, but ages 15 to 17 are what Weber recommended.

Both doctors pointed out that sports for kids should be fun, a place where they can learn to be good teammates, a lesson they can carry throughout their lives.

Their mother, Maria Magdelena Andarra, said the trip to the U.S. was not easy.

“They really haven’t suffered a medical situation, thank God for that, she said,” stated Yolanda Peña, founder of Life Impacters Foundation, who helped translate NBC Chicago’s conversation with Andarra.

“Both of the kids, they suffer from asthma so they wanted to get some sort of treatment for the asthma,” Pena said, explaining why Andarra brought her boys to Near North Health Center at 1520 N. Kostner Ave.

“Outside of work and housing, the greatest need is health care,” said Harry Peña, Yolanda’s husband and co-founder of Life Impacters Foundation.

The organization helped arrange for Andarra’s family and four dozen other migrants to get treated at Near North Health Center on Thursday.

“I’m an immigrant myself. I came to this country with my family and I understand you know, everyone’s unique needs coming in. A lot of our staff members are children of immigrants,” said Dr. Dan Vicencio, chief interim medical officer at Near North Health, which has multiple locations in Chicago.

Arriving from the Philippines at age three, Vicencio is now treating families arriving in Chicago with a variety of conditions.

“From trench foot and musculoskeletal issues, to colds, to flus, to depression, to all sorts of issues of possible sexual violence and what comes up from sexual violence, so those are the things that we’re seeing now, on top of our present workload,” he said.

Seeing an average of 60 migrants a day at its multiple locations, Near North Health is a federally-qualified health center.

“That is our sole purpose for being here, for the community. We have certain resources that are available to us, but we also have very charitable community partners in our healthcare community that are able to take on some more burden,” Vicencio said.

The influx of patients has led to a need for more bilingual health care workers.

“We welcome any staff members who do have skills to help us in all of our sites throughout the city,” said Vicencio.

“What causes me anxiety is thinking about what I have to do tomorrow or in a few hours, so I forget about all those things when I am walking around, exploring nature,” said Igleski, the executive director of the Chicago Bird Alliance.

Marc Berman, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Chicago and director of the university’s Environmental Neuroscience Lab, said conditions don’t even have to be ideal to get the benefits that nature can provide when it comes to helping your memory and mood.

“You don’t even have to like the nature interactions to get these memory and attention benefits, which we think is really important,” he said.

When people interact with more natural environments, they can improve their memory and attention by about 20%, according to Berman.

If you are the type who needs a goal to get out into nature, birding, or bird watching, is an option.

“I would say for birding you can make it as easy or as hard as you want it to be,” Igleski said.

Often seen as an activity for older people, Igleski said birding is truly for all ages.

“It can be fairly challenging and I think a lot of younger people are discovering that and feeling like, oh you can create, in a sense, games around it,” Igleski said.

And it doesn’t take much to get started.

“Most basic things that people would want are maybe at least a pair of binoculars and a field guide is great. There are now a lot of apps available on your phone,” Igleski said.

He suggests these apps and websites:

• Two free apps to refer to for bird identification: Merlin and the Audubon Bird Guide App.
• The eBird app is useful to track the species you encounter.
• The eBird website is a plethora of information about where and when people have seen certain species in the whole world. It also has species profiles, pictures, and even a self-quiz option to help people learn their birds.

You may be wondering just how many minutes you have to spend out in nature to get these mental health benefits.

“Anything helps. More is probably better. Some people have suggested if you can do it two hours a week,” Berman said.

Igleski said you shouldn’t let the colder weather deter you, especially when it comes to birding.

“We often get different species every winter that you only see winter time,” Igleski said.

According to Dr. Meena Seshamani, director of the Center for Medicare, more than 300 advertisements have already been rejected from airwaves because they contain “misleading” information about the enrollment process, and on options available to Americans.

“We just rejected 300 TV ads for being potentially misleading,” Seshamani said. “So it’s very important that everybody knows that Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE are the official sources of information.”

Open enrollment open for Medicare started on Sunday, and runs through Dec. 7, with those eligible urged to visit the official federal Medicare website, which can be found HERE.

Americans over the age of 65 can compare options, and can opt to enroll in traditional Medicare or in a Medicare Advantage Plan, with the latter offered by private insurance companies.

Medicare has three parts. Part A is a premium-free program that helps provide hospital insurance for eligible Americans age 62 or older.

Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient procedures and other parts of medical insurance, requires a monthly premium contribution. Enrollment is required for members who are retired or who have lost their employment status and are eligible for Medicare.

Finally, Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs. Monthly premiums are often required unless participants qualify for assistance. Coverage is not required for plan participants enrolled through CIP, TRIP or other state-based programs.

More information can also be found on the state of Illinois’ website, as well as through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program’s website.

“We know that mood and food are definitely linked and people use food and drinks to manipulate their feelings,” said Dr. Naomi Parella, chief of lifestyle medicine at RUSH University Medical Center.

We often reach for comfort foods when we’re feeling stressed or sad, but Parella said sugary foods can do more harm than good. To combat unhealthy swings in blood sugar, the human body will pump out insulin.

“What insulin does is it helps bring the sugars down, so that your blood sugars will stay stable. But when insulin is very high, it turns off your body’s ability to burn fat,” Parella said. “It means you don’t have access to your fat cells, which means you’re going to be on this roller coaster ride, because you don’t have enough fuel. And that can cause feelings of anxiety, depression, mental fog and fatigue.”

Sugar can also be addictive, creating the same dopamine surge you’d find with other addictive substances.

“Once you have that sugar addiction, you’re going to constantly be seeking more sugar, but it can never be satisfied. So that roller coaster creates a lot of mental instability, as well as fatigue because you’ve got that crash,” Parella said.

In addition to limiting sugary foods, Dr. Parella recommends you also watch what you drink. She says what your body and mind really need is water.

“The brain sits in water. It is made of protein and fats, and it uses salts and proteins to communicate with itself and the rest of the body,” Parella said. “So if you know that’s what your brain needs and is made up of, you have to make sure you supply that.”

 In addition to drinking water, Parella recommends eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and proteins, including the amino acids from animal proteins or the supplemental equivalent, to fuel our mental health.

“Protein, vegetables, drinking enough water, those would be all important because your body needs those things, as well as omega-3 fatty acids,” Parella said.

Parella says a low carb diet may work for some people. Another option is intermittent fasting, when you limit your daily eating to a specific window of the day. For example, fasting for 16 hours and only eating within an 8-hour window.

“If there’s a period of time that you don’t eat, then your insulin can come down. And again, that allows your body to just kind of sort of self-regulate,” Parella said.

When you’re grocery shopping, you may not be thinking about your mental health, but Parella says we should.

“A lot of people feel that mental health happens to them, and it’s out of control,” Parella said. “We can actually positively impact mental health by making really great choices with our food and drink.”

The suspected case was reported on Oct. 10 by the Cook County Department of Public Health and confirmed the next day by IDPH. The case involved an unvaccinated person with exposure internationally, according to IDPH.

“The case’s rash onset was identified as Oct. 9; therefore, the infectious period would be between Oct. 5 through Oct. 13,” IDPH said in a statement. “Prior to this case, the last measles case in Illinois was identified in 2019.”

The department noted that most people are routinely vaccinated in childhood and are not at high risk. Those who have not been vaccinated and think they were exposed should check with their doctor about vaccination.

“This first reported case of measles in Illinois since 2019 is a reminder that this disease can be prevented with up-to-date vaccination,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra in a statement. “Two doses of measles vaccine are 97% effective in preventing measles. However, as we saw this week, it still can affect those who are unvaccinated. I urge everyone to make sure they and their family members are up-to-date on measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations.”

Symptoms of measles, according to IDPH, include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes and can take seven to 21 days to show up. Anyone who develops symptoms of measles should call or email their doctor before going to a doctor’s office or hospital to prevent spread.

“This is a good reminder to everyone to talk to their healthcare providers to make sure they and their loved ones are up to date on their vaccinations,” said CCDPH Chief Operating Officer Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck in a statement. “According to the CDC, one dose of MMR vaccine is 93% effective against measles and two doses are 97% percent effective, if exposed.”

IDPH noted measles can “cause serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Measles is easily spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes. People can also get sick when they come in contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person.”

More information about measles can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s webpage on measles or the CDC’s measles site.

“We will open our doors to youth from difficult circumstances that will enter our state of the art facility and learning environment,” said Lezlie Fuhr, the director of programming for the new school, which is set to be called “West40 at St. Joseph.”

The alternative school is part of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan, announced earlier this year, to expand behavioral and mental health services to children in need.

“I believe he came to West 40 because we have had a great success rate for the last 25 years and serving students with complex needs,” Fuhr said.

State-funded, the classrooms will have a new purpose serving foster children and other youth in need.

“Right now, we have kids that are sleeping in conference rooms and hospital wings. They are incorrectly placed because there’s no place for them to go. So there’s just a great, great need,” Fuhr said.

West40 purchased the Westchester campus for $8 million. Originally two Catholic schools sat on the property. Immaculate Heart of Mary was an all-girls school and St. Joseph High School was an all-boys school. That school was also well-known as a basketball powerhouse, made famous by the 1994 documentary “Hoop Dreams.”

In 2005, IHM closed its doors due to declining enrollment. St. Joseph High School moved into the former IHM buildings and welcomed girls and boys into the school. Then in 2021, amid the pandemic, the decision was made to close St. Joseph as well.

As for the new plans for the site, a former convent will become a dormitory for no more than 40 students at a time.

“We’re finding now with our research that adolescent boys are our target population,” Fuhr said.

Demolition is slated for two buildings at the north end of the property, the original St. Joseph High School buildings, which are dilapidated and have been hit repeatedly by vandals. The proposal for that end of the property includes a community garden and a walking trail.

“In all reality, you want to see something good happen with the property in general and I think West40’s is the perfect adaptation for that,” said Jimmy Milas, a former student who was a junior at St. Joseph when the school closed in 2021. He finished his senior year at Montini Catholic High School in Lombard.

For an Eagle Scout project, Milas created a “cancer awareness garden” in a courtyard on the east side of the campus. He planted a tree for the community to tie ribbons to its branches and installed a bench where people could reflect and pray.

When Milas learned West40 had purchased the property, he reached out to inquire about the garden’s future.

“I did this for the community. I was hoping it could stay on the property. And they honored that and it seems like it’s going to stay,” Milas said.

Renovations to other areas of the property are planned, including repairs to windows broken by vandals. Those plans are making their way through the zoning process.

“The village of Westchester is wanting us to go through a formal zoning process and so our lawyers are working together to work out those details to make that happen,” Fuhr said. “We want to expedite it as quickly as possible. We’re hoping to be open in the next 18 to 24 months.”

While saying goodbye to the 61 years of tradition at St. Joseph was difficult, Milas believes West40’s plans for the campus are a continuation of the Catholic school’s mission.

“It fits the morals of what St. Joe’s was and, at this point, St. Joe’s is no longer a place. It’s an idea of education for everybody, especially the people who have been dealt a really bad hand,” Milas said.

West40 has held three town halls to discuss the project with the community and plans to hold an open house in the future.

The agency has also created a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the project on its website, found here

Jen Parsio came to Second Act Cancer Recovery Boutique for a reason.

“This past February, I was diagnosed with a brand new tumor that was actually in my same breast as my initial breast cancer,” Parsio said.

The wife and mother from Portage Park has been battling breast cancer since 2015. After a new tumor was discovered, she underwent a mastectomy on her right side several months ago.

“Unfortunately, I was not a candidate for reconstruction due to some other underlying health issues,” Parsio said.

That’s why Parsio sought out Pattie Cagney Sheehan’s boutique at 2768 N. Lincoln Avenue. Sheehan is a mastectomy fitter, certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics.

“Well, it’s not a sock in your bra. That’s the first thing,” Sheehan said.

The boutique carries various types of prostheses, including a silicon prosthesis that is covered by most insurance companies.

There’s also a balance shaper, which is helpful to even out shaping for women who had a lumpectomy. In addition, there is a sport-style prosthesis that is made of mesh and is breathable and washable, which is good for exercise and swimming.

Parsio just picked up a black tankini bathing suit that she can now wear at the gym and on trips with her husband and two kids.

“They actually want, you know, like me to sit on the beach with them and do that kind of stuff. So now I can,” Parsio said.

In addition to the bathing suits, Sheehan also carries a wide array of tank tops and bras, made with special pockets.

“So whether it’s a swimsuit or a tank top or a blouse, or a sports bra, or a strapless bra, they all have pockets and they all carry a prosthesis,” Sheehan said.

And many women may not realize that most insurance companies will cover specific types of prostheses and bras.

“A standard off the shelf prosthesis is covered by almost every insurance company. In fact, the Women’s Health Care Act of 1999 said if you’ve had breast surgery, you have to be provided a prosthesis,” Sheehan said.

Women don’t have to be newly-diagnosed to qualify for a prosthesis. Sheehan said all insurance companies offer lifetime coverage of the standard silicone prosthesis, even if your surgery and treatment was years earlier.

There are also custom prostheses, which are only covered by some insurance companies, although Sheehan is working to change that.

“A woman’s breast is the only body part for which Medicare does not provide a custom prosthesis and we are currently working on an act in Congress to get that changed,” Sheehan said.

Parsio says having access to a wide variety of bras and tank tops has truly helped her look and feel better.

“I had, you know, just something stuffed in my bra, nothing fit right. And I came in here and I just I was floored with the chant the choices that I had,” Parsio said.

Second Act Recovery Boutique is open by appointment only, Monday through Friday. You can find more information on their website.

“The key thing with sepsis is you have to have an infection and then it’s your body’s overwhelming response to the infection,” said Dr. Karin Molander, an emergency department physician working with the Sepsis Alliance to raise awareness about the potentially-deadly condition.

“About 50% of patients who get septic shock will die, so it’s a big deal. And that’s part of the reason why we’re trying to increase awareness. We don’t want it to get to that point,” Molander said.

When sepsis sets in, time is of the essence and “TIME” is the acronym the Sepsis Alliance and other health officials use to help the public remember the warning signs of the condition:

T = Temperature (higher or lower than normal)

I = Infection (may have signs or symptoms of an infection)

M = Mental Decline (acting confused, sleepy, difficult to rouse)

E = Extremely Ill (severe pain, discomfort, shortness of breath)

Molander says sepsis can happen at any time, but is more common in the winter.

“Typically the winter season is when we have an increase in the amount of sepsis because that’s when we also have more cases of the flu,” Molander said.

That’s why Molander and other emergency room physicians are urging flu shots, COVID vaccines and other precautionary measures, especially for those at the highest risk.

“The very young, the very old, those with chronic illnesses like diabetes or emphysema are at the highest risk,” Molander said.

Peter Guglietta knows how deadly sepsis can be. He lost his wife of 30 years, Gail, to septic shock in 2020.

“With Gail unfortunately, we got there too late,” Gugletta said.

Guglietta said his wife thought she had a case of the influenza, but her symptoms worsened.

“I could tell something wasn’t there. Her sharpness wasn’t there and she was always very with everything. And she was sleeping a lot. So we decided that there was something more at work here than just a simple flu,” Guglietta said.

When they got to the emergency room, they learned Gail had suffered a ruptured colon after experiencing diverticulitis and sepsis had set in.

“48 hours after she was admitted to the hospital, she passed,” Guglietta said.

He is sharing her story to help people remember the acronym, “TIME,” something he lost with his wife, due to sepsis.

“Time is of the essence, and in this case, unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of time for Gail,” Guglietta said.

Dr. Joe Frasca, a gastroenterologist, and his team at RUSH University Medical Center now have additional support in their brand new endoscopy suites, in the form of a computer system called “GI Genius.”

“It’s actually evaluating the very same image that we’re seeing on the screen. And it’s been programmed in a way where it can actually detect polyps that we are also looking for,” Frasca said.

Powered by artificial intelligence, the computer system flashes a green box on the monitor when it detects something the surgeon should look at closely.

“I see it as an additional tool for us to make sure that we’re not missing something,” Frasca said, saying he sees few drawbacks, if any, to the AI aide. “The technology is only seeing what you’re seeing. So you still need to do a good job. You still need to be, you know, the eyes on the screen, but it’s there to help you.”

The “GI Genius” in an endoscopy suite is one practical AI application, but algorithms dictate much more in medicine.

Global data platform, Statista, valued the artificial intelligence healthcare market at $11 billion in 2021 and estimated it to be worth $187 billion in the year 2030.

“Artificial intelligence, it can be a great friend, but it also can be something that can harm us,” said Dr. Marshall Chin, Richard Parrillo Family Professor of Healthcare Ethics in the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago.

Chin is an expert in healthcare ethics, and says one danger with AI is the risk of exacerbating racial disparities that already exist in medicine.

Chin refers to a hallmark study, done several years ago, that found a flawed formula prevented Black people from getting additional services offered by some hospitals.

“One of the major algorithms that commercial companies use was biased. And so that, again, if you’re African American, you had to be sicker to qualify for the case management program than if you were white person,” Chin said.

That’s why Chin is pushing for transparency.

“So we know how these algorithms were developed. Were the data biased or not? Are the algorithms biased or not?” Chin said.

When it comes to oversight, Chin admits that’s one of the challenges right now.

“It’s like the wild west where there aren’t clear standards,” Chin said. “We need to have all the partners to get together, private industry, the government, patients, communities need to be a table in a big way. Health professionals, the people who make these algorithms, so whole variety of folks need to be the table come up with the best solutions.”

In the meantime, Chin urges everyone to ask questions about their care, including if AI is part of the provider’s decision-making process.

“If it doesn’t make sense to you, you don’t understand it, you need to speak up,” Chin said.

A middle school teacher from Libertyville is speaking out about her ovarian cancer diagnosis at age 36 to help inform other young women about what symptoms to look out for.

“There are like 32-plus types of ovarian cancer, and the one that I have is one of the more rare types. I had not heard of it at all,” said Kerstin Cholewin, now 38.

That stunning diagnosis, stage 3c low-grade serous ovarian cancer, came after Cholewin experienced symptoms that triggered a check-up.

In addition to intense bloating and an irregular menstrual cycle, Cholewin said she would feel full when she hadn’t even eaten much.

“I knew my body well enough to know that something was wrong,” Cholewin said.

Those symptoms can often be misdiagnosed, especially in younger women, according to Dr. Alok Pant, a gynecological oncologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital.

“Bloating, changes in appetite, changes in bowel function are pretty vague, pretty nonspecific symptoms that everybody has from time to time,” Pant said. “It’s usually persistent symptoms that go on for a while that ultimately result in some kind of imaging study where we usually discover findings that are concerning for a cancer.”

Unlike a mammogram for breast cancer, there is no early screening test for ovarian cancer.

“As of right now, unfortunately, there is no good screening test. There are protocols being devised where an annual ultrasound along with bloodwork, but the exact specific combination has not been nailed down,” Pant said.

That’s why Cholewin is glad she followed her instinct and got checked.

“Don’t ignore your body. It’s so important to know how your body works, what it feels like normally, and then don’t wait,” Cholewin said.

“From a risk reduction standpoint, knowing your family history is extremely important,” Pant added.

As first responders, Mary Kreiner and Christine Brzoska know that sometimes taking that first step is the hardest.

“Reaching out is not easy, and especially when you’re a first responder or active military, you’re the helper,” said Christine Brzoska, a paramedic with the Aurora Township Fire Department.

But even the helpers need help, something Mary Kreiner, a firefighter and EMT with the Aurora Township Fire Department, knows firsthand.

“I worked a cardiac arrest on our department’s chaplain, and we lost him. And after that, I heard the sirens. I saw the lights, and I can smell everything that happened in that room, and I didn’t think that it was okay to hurt or to cry about it,” Kreiner said.

But Kreiner got the help she needed.

That’s one of the reasons why Kreiner and her partner, Brzoska, are preparing for the “Steps of Strength Stair Climb” hosted by the non-profit Support Over Stigma on Saturday, Sept. 16 in Downers Grove.

“The important thing is just to start somewhere, reach out to someone, take that first step,” said Zoeie Kreiner, founder of Support Over Stigma.

Zoeie Kreiner chose to host a stair climb because of the symbolism of taking that first step. And she chose the location – the Esplanade at Locust Point, 2001 Butterfield Rd. in Downers Grove, for a specific reason as well.

The office tower is the home of Detail Kings, a car wash and detail shop, started by Paul Kludac, while the Downers Grove native was in high school.

“Paul was larger than life. He really was, he was always telling people, ‘Anything day or night, call me, call me, call me,'” Zoeie Kreiner said.

In addition to being a business owner, Kludac was a husband and father to a young son. He was also a Marine veteran, having served in Iraq. In April 2023, Kludac lost his battle with PTSD and tragically took his own life.

“We don’t want anybody to ever suffer alone. And we don’t ever want anybody else to have to go through that, or like Paul’s widow, Jenny, or his son, Karter. You don’t want anybody to have to suffer that loss,” Kreiner said.

But it’s happening daily.

Since 9/11, the number of US service members who have died by suicide is four times higher than those who have died in combat.

“More and more our medical technology has improved. So we’re more and more able to save people who suffer such severe traumatic brain injuries, which can kind of go hand in hand with PTSD. But our mental health has not kept pace with our medicine,” said Kreiner.”

That’s why Support Over Stigma has sent care packages and hosted trainings aimed at getting resources to military members, veterans and first responders in need. The “Steps For Strength Stair Climb” is another way to fight the uphill battle.

For more information about the stair climb, click here.

“My patients ask me questions about the things they’re seeing online, ‘like should I do this?'” Whitney DiFoggio, a Registered Dental Hygienist told NBC Chicago. “There’s so many wild things, the weirdest things you’d ever think of.”

DiFoggio also hosts a YouTube channel called “Teeth Talk Girl,” to help decipher fact from fiction when it comes to myths and rumors around oral hygiene, teeth whitening and more.

“There’s so many things that could damage your teeth and you wouldn’t even know until it’s too late,” DiFoggio said, adding that some trends can lead to irreversible consequences, like damaged enamel.

“Once it’s damaged, it’s damaged,” DiFoggio said. “Enamel doesn’t grow back.”

So what works, and what doesn’t? When it comes to hacks seen on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, here’s a breakdown.

Teeth whitening hacks: which ones work, which ones don’t?

Brushing with charcoal toothpaste: According to DiFoggio, brushing with charcoal is “too abrasive.”

“Although charcoal might work, it might actually whiten your teeth a little, it’s actually removing layers of your enamel,” DiFoggio said, adding that worn down enamel can be “painful and sensitive.”

Purple toothpaste: “It’s a gimmick,” DiFoggio said, adding that its marketed as a “purple shampoo” that can chemically bond to teeth to remove stains.

“That’s not what’s happening, because there’s no binding happening,” DiFoggio said. “It washes right off your teeth.”

Spices like turmeric: “The American Dental Association has it on their website that spices do not have any evidence of teeth whitening,” DiFoggio said.

Apple Cider Vinegar: According to DiFoggio, the acidity in apple cider vinegar can do more harm than good.

“You don’t want your mouth to be acidic. You want your mouth to be neutral, and a neutral mouth reduces cavities, reduces enamel erosion,” DiFoggio said.

Whitening strips: According to DiFoggio, whitening strips do work, “especially if they contain peroxide.”

“Even better if they’re approved by the American Dental Association,” DiFoggio said. “You can find on the box of whitening if there’s the ADA seal of acceptance on there. Then you know it has been tested for safety and efficacy.”

“I also tell my patients it’s the best option because they’re affordable. And the only negative is they might take some time. They might take a couple of weeks to two or three weeks,” DiFoggio added.

Other health hacks making the rounds on social media

Pimple patches to treat mosquito bites

Can pimple patches help heal mosquito bites faster? NBC Chicago health reporter Lauren Petty asked Megha Trivedi, a dermatologist at RUSH University Medical Center.

“Overall, not a bad idea, if it’s a mosquito bump and you want it to kind of heal faster, you can absolutely use a hydrocolloid patch,” Trivedi said.

“We use it for wound care, and hydrocolloid has the property of moisture wicking,” Trivedi said, explaining how she uses hydrocolloid patches in her practice all the time. But she said there’s one thing the pimple patches can’t do.

“Some of these claims that hydrocolloid patches help with itching are actually not true,” Trivedi said. “You want to make sure you use something like a hydrocortisone over the counter to help with that.”

Drinking liquid chlorophyll for better digestion

Michael Brown, a gastroenterologist at RUSH, said he’s seen a lot of “buzz” around drinking liquid chlorophyll to aid in digestion. But can it?

“It might,” Brown said.

However, more human research is needed, Brown added.

“There’s animal data that suggested it’s a strong antioxidant. It may alter that gut microbiome in a way that’s favorable, that could perhaps help with bloating, which is a really difficult symptom to deal with,” Brown said.

Side effects include nausea and diarrhea, but Brown said liquid chlorophyll may work for some people.

“If a patient gets better with it, there’s no harm. This can be taken forever. It’s very safe stuff. You can get it when you eat kale and lettuce too, but you can get a more concentrated here,” Brown said.

But safe isn’t always the case for all the health hacks that fill social media feeds.

“The problem with social media is it’s testimonials,” Brown said. “You’ve got to be a little bit careful because sometimes the things that they’re pushing aren’t exactly safe. This one happens to be safe.”

“I just realized people need to know what’s right and wrong,” DiFoggio said.

DiFoggio started her own YouTube channel and social media accounts under the name, “Teeth Talk Girl,” to take on some of the crazy teeth trends she saw online

“There’s so many wild things, the weird the weirdest things you’d ever think of,” DiFoggio said.

When it comes to teeth whitening, some trends can actually be dangerous, so she sets the record straight here:

She says brushing with charcoal toothpaste is a no-no.

“Charcoal can too abrasive for tooth enamel,” DiFoggio said.

Brushing with purple toothpaste has racked up millions of views on TikTok, but DiFoggio said, “It’s a gimmick.”

Another trick with millions of views is brushing with turmeric, the spice, but DiFoggio said, “The American Dental Association has it on their website that says spices do not have any evidence for teeth whitening.”

And some trends, like swishing your mouth with apple cider vinegar, can actually harm your teeth.

“An acidic mouth increases cavities, increases enamel erosion,” DiFoggio said.

What does DiFoggio recommend to whiten teeth?

“White strips are your first option. They really do work especially if they contain peroxide. Even better if they’re approved by the American Dental Association. You can find on the box of whitening if there’s the ADA seal of acceptance on there. Then you know it has been tested for safety and efficacy.” DiFoggio said.

“I also tell my patients it’s the best option because they’re affordable. And the only negative is they might take some time. They might take a couple of weeks to two or three weeks,” DiFoggio said.

Here are two more health trends making the rounds on social media:

Pimple patches to treat mosquito bites

We wanted to know if pimple patches really work, so we asked Dr. Megha Trivedi, a dermatologist at RUSH University Medical Center.

“Overall, not a bad idea, if it’s a mosquito bump and you want it to kind of heal faster, you can absolutely use a hydrocolloid patch,” Trivedi said.

“We use it for wound care, and hydrocolloid has the property of moisture wicking,” Trivedi explained how she uses hydrocolloid patches in her practice all the time. But she said there’s one thing the pimple patches can’t do.

“Some of these claims that hydrocolloid patches help with itching are actually not true,” Trivedi said. “You want to make sure you use something like a hydrocortisone over the counter to help with that.”

Drinking liquid chlorophyll for better digestion

Dr. Michael Brown, a gastroenterologist at RUSH, says he’s had patients ask about and his answer may surprise you.

“It might,” Brown said.

Dr. Brown said more human research is needed, however, “There’s animal data that suggested it’s a strong antioxidant. It may alter that gut microbiome in a way that’s favorable, that could perhaps help with bloating, which is a really difficult symptom to deal with.”

Side effects include nausea and diarrhea, but Dr. Brown said liquid chlorophyll may work for some people.

“If a patient gets better with it, there’s no harm. This can be taken forever. It’s very safe stuff. You can get it when you eat kale and lettuce too, but you can get a more concentrated here,” Brown said, holding a bottle of liquid chlorophyll that you can find online or in some grocery stores.

Dr. Brown said safe isn’t always the case for all the health hacks that fill your feed.

“The problem with social media is it’s testimonials,” Brown said. “You’ve got to be a little bit careful because sometimes the things that they’re pushing aren’t exactly safe. This one happens to be safe.”

Health experts say you should always talk to your doctor before trying any health trends you see online.

“The mistake people make is they aren’t aware of their symptoms,” said Dr. Trevor Lewis, the chair of Emergency Medicine at Cook County Health.

Lewis said beyond prevention, the key to detecting potential heat exhaustion or heat stroke is knowing what to look for before the symptoms grow too intense to ignore.

Aug 21, 2023

How is the ‘heat index' calculated, and how do weather officials use it?

Chicago Weather Aug 22, 2023

Map: Here's where it will feel the hottest in the Chicago area this week

“The biggest problem is, once again, the way that our body usually dissipates heat to keep our temperature where it should be is through sweating and then evaporation of that sweat off the bod,” Lewis said, adding that with high temperatures and high humidity, “what happens is, it’s very hard for our body to evaporate that heat or that perspiration.”

“So we really can’t cool ourselves. And that’s where we get into trouble during these weather conditions,” he said.

So what should you watch for?

Learn the signs (and differences) of heat-related illnesses

Heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps can all occur during periods of extreme heat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. However, all three may present different symptoms.

For example, those with heat stroke often exhibit red, hot and dry skin, with no sweat, the CDC says. Symptoms of heat exhaustion, the CDC says, includes heavy sweating.

Heat Stroke Symptoms

The most serious heat-related illness, heat stroke, can cause permanent disability or death if not treated. According to the CDC, heat stroke occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature. If heat stroke does occur, a person’s body temperature can rise to 106 degrees or higher within 15 minutes.

The following are symptoms of heat stroke:

• Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech
• Loss of consciousness (coma)
• Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
• Seizures
• Very high body temperature

If you think heat stroke is a possibility and you notice symptoms — call 911 immediately.

Heat Exhaustion Symptoms

Less dangerous than heat stroke, heat exhaustion occurs when your body can’t cool itself through sweating, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It often presents with symptoms such as:

• muscle cramps
• headaches
• dizziness
• weakness
• fatigue
• nausea
• vomiting

Certain factors make one more susceptible to contracting heat-related illnesses, such as dehydration, activity level and age. According to Dr. Thomas Waters, an emergency medicine physician with the Cleveland Clinic, babies, children and older adults are at greatest risk for both heat exhaustion and heat exhaust.

If you suspect heat exhaustion, it’s crucial that you get out of the elements as quickly as possible.

You should take steps to bring down your body temperature, such as rehydrating, immersing yourself in a tub of cold water and applying ice packs to the neck, armpits and groin. For the best chance of avoiding illness, drink plenty of water, take breaks if you’ll be outside for a long time and get to a cool area immediately if you notice signs of heat exhaustion, according to the article.

“We’re also concerned that we were seeing younger population, especially in the in the colorectal area,” said Susan Oyetunde, the chief medical director for Chicago Family Health Center

The community health center started pushing to get at-home colorectal cancer screening kits, called FIT tests, into more hands and that effort just got a big financial boost from Bank of America, in the form of a four-year initiative called “Collaboration for Equitable Health.”

Chicago-based community relations manager Julie Chavez said the initiative will distribute $25 million to community-based organizations in 11 cities, including Chicago.

“There’s a lot of people that that really are trying to reduce the various aspects of health inequities for our communities of color, Black and Latino communities in Chicago,” Chavez said.

In Chicago, the focus is on cancer and the American Cancer Society is working with Sinai Chicago, Lawndale Christian Health Center and Chicago Family Health Center to fight colorectal cancer.

“They’ve been working for many years on these various issues, but how can we elevate the work that they’re doing to bring education, awareness, prevention,” Chavez said.

The collaboration aims to meet people where they live and work, removing barriers that would prevent someone from not just getting screened, but getting the proper follow-up care as well.

“We don’t want these patients waiting if they don’t have to. Fortunately, Sinai Chicago has a new facility that we can refer the patients to, they can turn them around and get them appointments within a couple of weeks,” said Loraine Moreno,  director of women’s health for Chicago Family Health Center.

 A breast cancer survivor herself, Moreno knows timely access to care and regular screenings can make all the difference.

Since the launch of the colorectal screening initiative, Chicago Family Health Center has seen colorectal cancer screening rates go from 17% of the population to 25% and it continues to trend upward.

“We’re very happy to see that. And we are fully committed to continue to do this, because we’ve seen that the early diagnosis actually improves the outcome for the patients,” Oyetunde said.

The patients met for the first time on Northwestern’s Streeterville campus in recent days to share how the surgery has helped them.

51-year-old Dennis Deer and 27-year-old Yahiara Vega both said the transplants have transformed their lives, allowing them to easily do things that were previously very difficult or impossible.

“It is certainly and honor and a blessing to be here today — and to be able to breathe,” said Deer, before taking a deep breath.

Deer and Vega were both born with situs inversus, a genetic condition where the organs in the chest and abdomen develop in a reversed or mirrored image from their normal positions, according to Northwestern.

“The right lung is where the left lung should be, and the left lung is on the right side, and then the heart is flipped,” said Dr. Ankit Bharat, chief of thoracic surgery.

Most people with situs inversus lead normal lives, with many not knowing they have the condition until they have to seek unrelated medical attention, according to Northwestern. It affects about one in every 10,000 people.

According to Northwestern, Deer’s interstitial lung disease was caused by polymyositis, which is muscle inflammation and weakness.

Deer also said he was overweight, and lost over 100 pounds ahead of the surgery.

“I spent a lot of time not being able to breathe, I was on supplemental oxygen and it was terrible, said Deer. “I would walk ten steps and I was gasping for air.”

Northwestern doctors said that Vega’s lung problems were caused by a rare disorder called primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Vega said it caused her lungs to produce excess mucus, enough to fill 32-ounce cup each day. Vega said her lung issues even made laughing difficult, causing her to feel “inadequate and hopeless.”

“Before [the transplant], I felt like a prisoner, that’s the best way to describe it,” said Vega, who received the transplant on April 28. “Like a bird in a cage. You can still hear the bird sing and it’s a beautiful song, but the song is very sad.”

On Monday, Vega said her body feels “great.” She spoke at length about the optimism she feels after the procedure.

“Now I can actually achieve things,” said Vega. “Now I can actually strive to be something more than just some sick, disabled girl that can barely get off the couch. Now I can almost feel the potential of me becoming the person I want to become rather than wishing it and never being able to achieve it.”

Deer, a Cook County Commissioner, celebrated his 51st birthday on Monday. He was also moved by the progress he has made, after being sworn in as commissioner in 2022 in a hospital bed.

“This is a very special birthday,” said Deer, who received new lungs in May. “There was a time that it was looking real gloomy, that I would not see my birthday on August 7th, 2023.”

Northwestern Medicine is a pioneer in double-lung transplants. It performed the procedure for COVID-19 patients who were severely ill, and more recently started giving double-lung transplants to people who have advanced lung cancer.

“COVID transplants were some of the most difficult surgeries we performed in our program and certainly that helps us gain valuable lessons to take on more difficult challenging cases,” said Bharat.

Bharat also shared a birthday with Deer.

“Our goal is to help as many patients as we can reach as many birthdays as they can,” Dr. Bharat said.

Bharat and pulmonologist Dr. Catherine Myers also encouraged more people to donate their organs, so more lives like Vega’s and Deer’s can be saved.

Bharat said fewer than 10% of all organs eligible for donation end up being donated.

‘It really is this amazing gift,” said Myers. “As you can see, [it] completely changes people’s lives.”

With a dangerous heat wave hitting the Chicago area, proper sun care will be even more important.

But while you might think you know the answers to some of the most-asked questions, there’s still plenty of advice that might surprise you.

We asked area dermatologists to break down some of the biggest questions:

Does sunscreen expire?

That sunscreen you’ve had sitting in your cabinet for multiple summers does in fact have an expiration date.

But how long is too long to go without swapping it out?

According to Megha Trivedi, assistant professor of dermatology at RUSH Medical College, sunscreen should be replaced at least every three years.

“Now, that being said, if you are using your sunscreen correctly, you should be going through a bottle much sooner than three years,” she told NBC Chicago. “But typically, if something is sitting there and you’re not sure that’s kind of the timeframe you want to use.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires sunscreen to maintain their original strength for that time frame.

Trivedi said using expired sunscreen can lead to decreased protection and increased risks of UV damage, including the potential to lead to skin cancer.

Signs your sunscreen is expired

What if you don’t know how old your sunscreen is or you suspect it may be going bad sooner than expected?

Trivedi said it depends on the type of sunscreen.

“Mineral sunscreens are typically more photo stable … usually you want to store sunscreen in a cool, dark place, and that helps it to become a little bit more stable, lasting a bit longer,” she said.

Trivedi said she uses three major indicators:

1. Color

“So, you know, if you had a sunscreen that has certain color when you bought it, but now it’s a little bit more brown or it’s just off,” Trivedi said.

2. Consistency

“So if you have a sunscreen that was perhaps a little thicker when you first bought it and now it’s more watery or it’s grittier, you know, it’s clumping together, that’s another sign that it might not be as good,” Trivedi added.

3. Odor

“So, I know sunscreen sometimes does not smell good, but typically you can tell when you first bought the sunscreen versus, you know, a few years later, that sunscreen does have, quote unquote, a funky odor,” she said. “And that’s the one that you want to, you know, say, ‘OK, maybe I’ll invest the new sunscreen at this time.”

Ways to preserve your sunscreen

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are steps you can take to preserve your sunscreen too.

1. Avoid exposing the container to excessive heat or direct sun
2. Place sunscreen containers in the shade or wrap them in a towel
3. Discard sunscreen that has any obvious changes in color or consistency

What is the best sunscreen?

“The best sunscreen is the one that you are going to use,” Trivedi said.

But here’s what she looks for as a dermatologist:

• SPF 30: “That’s going to be very important.”
• Mineral vs. chemical: “A lot of people don’t prefer a mineral sunscreen just because it does go on a little bit more white; however, I actually say if you can tolerate it now – there’s many different formulations out there that go on a little bit more sheer- I would pick a mineral sunscreen and the reason is mineral sunscreens are more broad spectrum, so they make sure it covers you from UVA, UVB and for two other reasons.”

Trivedi said using expired sunscreen can lead to decreased protection and increased risks of UV damage, including the potential to lead to skin cancer.

What about spray sunscreen?

Tossing a can of spray sunscreen in your beach bag may feel convenient, or may even be less messy than carrying around a bottle of white, goopy lotion. But that’s only as long as you apply it correctly.

“Most often times that I see a sunburn, I ask the person, did they use sunscreen? And it is almost always ‘I used a spray sunscreen,'” said Dermatologist and Chicago Derm Institute founder Dr. Jordan Carqueville. “I think the biggest challenge is using it correctly. I don’t think everyone uses it correctly.”

According to Carqueville, “adequate coverage” when applying sunscreen is key. But coverage and application looks different when it comes to sunscreen in a spray can — and so does how much you should be putting on.

“Typically, when you’re using a lotion, you’re using about a shot glass amount for the whole body,” Carqueville said. When applying a spray however, it’s much more challenging to get the amount correct.

How much sunscreen should you be using?

“For spray sunscreen, it’s really hard to get that accurate quantity,” Carqueville said. “So most people are not using enough. And that’s when we see the burns.”

So, what exactly is “enough” when it comes to spraying the sunscreen on? It depends, Carqueville said.

Some sprays are thicker and need to be rubbed in. Others are thinner, with an alcohol or chemical-base, making the amount harder to see, Carqueville said, adding that the the thicker products are preferred as they usually contain a mineral component.

“You should see a sheen on you,” Carqueville said. “But it’s hard to quantify.”

The other challenge spray sunscreen can present, Carqueville said, is the chance of it being ingested, especially as parents attempt to apply it to their perhaps wiggly children.

“When the parents are putting them on, there’s a greater chance of breathing with these products and these chemicals that we don’t really intend for them to be internal,” Carqueville said.

Where and how you apply it matters

Spray sunscreen is best applied outdoors, Carqueville said, or in “well-ventilated areas.”

“Our main goal is use these correctly,” Carqueville said. “Don’t inhale them, don’t spray your face. Put them on in an adequately ventilated room.”

Another factor that can come into play when applying spray sunscreen, especially outdoors, is the wind.

“There was an article that came out of Australia in 2021 that said just a typical low windy day on the beach, 79% of the sunscreen was lost to the air when applied in a normal fashion,” Carqueville said. “So we know that even in a mildly windy area…you lose a lot of product.”

According to Carqueville, a can of spray sunscreen should be held about one to two inches away from the skin when applying, “so that you are not losing it to the wind.”

Sunscreen alternatives

For those who don’t tote cans and containers of sunscreen around, Carqueville’s “biggest suggestion” — especially for families with young children — is sun-protective clothing that includes SPF and rash guard.

“I think it’s ideal for families and children because you don’t have to wrestle getting them on sunscreen on them and reapplying every two hours,” Carqueville said. “So this is the most effective way, is getting good shade, some protective clothing and also just really broad spectrum hats.”

What SPF number is best?

According to Carqueville, the SPF — or sun protection factor — number in sunscreen to look for should be 30 or above.

“When you look for 30 and above, you know that you have 97% of the sun’s rays filtered out,” Carqueville said. “If go for the higher ones, that’s fine. You’re not getting that much more benefit. But 30 and above is usually a recommendation.”

Ingredients to look for — and to watch out for

Mineral sunscreens that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can help with sensitive skin, Carqueville said, adding that many mineral sunscreen come in a tinted form, creating a smoother look.

Certain ingredients found in chemical sunscreens, like Oxybenzone and Octinoxate, are banned in certain states as they have been known to damage coral. Additionally, in 2021, many spray sunscreens were recalled due to a contaminant called Benzene, a chemical known to be harmful to humans.

Mineral or not, the best course of action to take is to apply sunscreen correctly, experts say.

“My biggest advice is to find a product that you like, use it correctly and use it often,” Carqueville said.

Dr. Markeita Moore said she sees the need for mental health help in her patients daily.

“Kids right now are anxious. They are sad and there’s various reasons for that,” said Moore, a pediatrician with Advocate Children’s Hospital.

With months-long waitlists for many pediatric psychological services, Moore wanted to do more than just write referrals. She was one of the first pediatricians to sign up for the Collaborative Behavioral Health Program, through the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA).

“With the increasing numbers of anxiety and depression before the pandemic, and then really soared during the pandemic, we knew that kids needed treatment,” said Dr. Julie Holland, VP of pediatric primary care for the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance.

Through this Collaborative Behavioral Health Program, pediatricians are now intervening immediately in their offices.

“The goal is to teach our pediatricians how to diagnose and treat depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other common pediatric mental health illnesses,” Holland said.

Ninety CCHA pediatricians have participated in the training, and pre-and post-training surveys found:

• pediatricians’ levels of confidence rose from 60% pre-training to 90% post
• pediatricians’ comfort level with prescribing and monitoring medications also rose from 30% to 86% 

“We know a lot of our doctors did not have that training in residency. And so they came into practice without a great deal of knowledge and skill on how to treat that,” Holland said.

“We took a group of people who weren’t comfortable doing something, educated them gave them the skills, and now they can do it. And again, every kid that gets treated is another kid that doesn’t have to wait six or 12 months, or not see a mental health professional at all,” Holland said.

Moore said she has used what she learned in the training program to help dozens of kids.

“I feel more confident and more empowered in diagnosing anxiety and depression,” Moore said.

“Any pediatrician in the Chicagoland area that wants to participate is welcome, they just need to get in touch with us. And we’ll get them on the list,” Holland said.

“It’s a very safe, effective and efficient way that’s sort of a sweet spot in spine surgery right now,” said Phillips, Director of Spine Surgery at Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH.

Created by Arlington Heights-based Augmedics, the headset is part of the “xvision Spine System,” which the company says allows surgeons to see a patient’s anatomy as if they have “x-ray vision” in the operating room.

“The ability to see the spine in three dimension through the skin with sort of precision anatomy just sort of blew me away,” Phillips said.

Using the headset, the 3D visualization is superimposed over the patient during surgery.

“The real-time anatomy makes the placement of the screws more accurate. It’s also incredibly-efficient, because it’s a headset and offers a heads-up view of the spine. You never have to look away from the surgical field at the monitors,” Phillips said.

Kathy Sefton from Arlington Heights is one of Dr. Phillips’ patients.

“Before my surgery, I could not take my garbage to the end of the driveway without my pain going to a nine or a 10,” she said.

Dr. Phillips recommended a spinal fusion for Sefton and described how he would use the “x-vision Spine System” during her surgery. Then it was Sefton’s turn to be impressed.

“It’s like a video game,” she said.

Ten months after surgery, Sefton is now able to hold her grandson, Logan, and is planning a family trip to Disney World, things she she says she never could have done before surgery.

“If he can do that, and make things go quicker, make the surgery shorter, make the recovery shorter. It’s a win-win,” Sefton said.

“It makes me a better surgeon and I think it translates into better patient outcomes,” Phillips said.

After using the headset for hundreds of surgeries, Dr. Phillips believes spines could be just the beginning.

“Ultimately, we’ll be able to look at not just bone anatomy, but soft tissue anatomy through the augmented reality headset. See where nerves are in real time,” Phillips said.

Approved by the FDA in 2019, studies are being done to expand its use in the future.

The Medical Examiner’s Office recorded nearly 2,000 overdose deaths in 2022, marking a record high. Of those, 1,824 involved fentanyl.

The numbers reflect a sharp increase since 2015, when 676 deaths were recorded.

According to the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), in 2022, there were more opioid-related overdose deaths in Chicago than homicides and traffic crash fatalities combined.

“Only two milligrams of Fentanyl can be enough to be a potentially fatal dose,” said Luis Agostini, the public information officer for the Chicago Field Division of the DEA. “Fentanyl is responsible for a majority of the thousands of drug overdose deaths we are experiencing here.”

Melissa Ledesma’s daughter is one of the many lives lost to the epidemic.

“Angel had a laugh that could fill up a room,” said Ledesma. “She was a fun kid. She loved animals.”

Angel was 20 years old and died of a heroin overdose in June. Ledesma says her daughter was on a path to recovery and had visited several rehab facilities.

She believes her daughter relapsed and took drugs that were laced with Fentanyl.

“This is way more prevalent than people realize. Addiction doesn’t discriminate,” said Ledesma. “The majority of these people are not intending to use Fentanyl. They’re literally putting drugs in your drugs.”

Agostini says young people are especially susceptible to unknowingly consuming substances contaminated with synthetic drugs, including Fentanyl and Xylazine, a non-opioid animal tranquilizer.

“They’re not really going out with the intention of taking Fentanyl. They may be taking a pill whether it’s to help them study or at a party, and they think it’s safe. They procured the pill online, but they don’t know this pill has been laced with Fentanyl,” he said. “The only safe medication to take is that which has been prescribed by your doctor and dispensed at a registered pharmacy.”

From 2019 to 2020, Chicago saw a 52% increase in opioid-related overdose deaths.

“That’s the sharpest increase we’ve seen in Chicago,” said Sarah Richardson, a grant research specialist with CDPH.

Public health officials say the crisis was exacerbated by the pandemic and an increasingly potent drug supply.

To combat the growing problem, the city and state partnered to launch an opioid hotline to offer immediately available medication to Chicagoans to treat opioid use disorder. Medication-assisted recovery (MAR) involves the use of FDA-approved medications for the treatment.

The Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances is a free statewide resource available 24/7 through the Illinois Department of Human Services.

“You call this number: (833) 233-6343, 24/7, whenever you feel ready, ask for opioid treatment and you will be connected to a provider and a care manager who are going to talk to you about your opioid use, what you are looking for, and on the phone, right there in that conversation, you will be prescribed medication to treat opioid disorder,” said Richardson.

The city has also made NARCAN more widely available in public places, including at more than two dozen public libraries.

For the first time, mental health professionals have also been embedded into the 911 system through the city’s Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) program.

In January, the newest model of the program was launched. The Opioid Response team consists of a CFD Community Paramedic and a Peer Recovery Specialist from a community agency.

There are also groups like the Chicago Recovery Alliance (CRA), dedicated to addiction treatment and support.

CRA is a harm reduction organization that focuses on outreach, HIV testing and overdose prevention.

Jenny Andel is an overdose prevention manager and survived multiple overdoses. She’s now 13 years into recovery from a Heroin dependency. She relied on CRA during her drug use.

“It was really a place I could go and people would talk to me and treat me as if I was a person.”

“That’s part of the problem,” said Andel. “A lot of the spaces people who use drugs go into, medical, law enforcement, things like that, they’re not treated great. We just want to talk to people and let them tell us what they need.”

The group works with the city on overdose training programs and to reduce the stigma.

“We really need to start focusing on people and treating them as human beings because that’s what they are.”

Connor Stoll from Chicago was the first patient in the nation to receive the infusion as part of a clinical trial at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in January 2018.

“He’s doing amazing. Boys his age, typically, with Duchenne are on their way to being wheelchair bound,” said Kathryn Edison, Connor’s mother.

Connor’s parents first noticed he was struggling with movement in preschool.

“He had a hard time getting up off the ground. He was not keeping up with his peers on the playground. We noticed he had difficulties climbing stairs and just he had a very big waddle to his gait,” Edison said.

The eventual diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy was shocking.

“It’s nothing that you ever want your child to be diagnosed with,” Edison said.

Found mostly in boys, the genetic disorder leads to progressive muscle degeneration, including the heart muscle.

“They are in wheelchairs by their early teenage years and the heart muscle is then affected and that really leads to their demise,” said Dr. Jerry Mendell, Director of the Center for Gene Therapy at The Research Institute of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Connor’s family traveled to Columbus to meet with Dr. Mendell in 2017, just as he was starting a clinical trial for gene therapy treatment.

Through the use of a disabled virus, the intravenous treatment delivers a replacement gene for the one that is mutated.

“We put in the gene that makes the muscles work and then we make millions of copies of that with the gene in place inside the virus and we inject it into their vein. It takes about an hour and a half. Gene therapy is a one-time treatment,” Mendell said.

In January 2018, Connor Stoll became the first patient in the country to get the gene therapy infusion. Now five and a half years later, Connor is still mobile, able to run and jump and play with his younger brother, Keegan.

“The gene therapy child definitely gave him his childhood back,” Edison said. “If you look at him, you can’t really tell that he has Duchenne. He is able to run around and play sports with his friends and he loves swimming and playing baseball and he loves doing all the things that 11 year old boys do.”

The treatment received FDA approval in June to treat boys ages four and five with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

“It’s the most gratifying experience that I personally have ever had to see the life changes of these boys,” Mendell said.

There are concerns about availability though, as the treatment comes with a $3 million price tag.

“You look at how well this medicine has helped Connor and other boys who have been in the trial and to see insurances not wanting to approve the medicine as a therapy and how expensive it is just to even get dosed. It’s, it is jaw dropping,” Edison said.

While the treatment may not help all families with a loved one diagnosed with DMD, Connor’s family believes it’s a reason for hope.

“This is really historic and it’s life changing and it’s really going to change the trajectory of this disease,” Edison said.

Tossing a can of spray sunscreen in your beach bag may feel convenient, or may even be less messy than carrying around a bottle of white, goopy lotion. But that’s only as long as you apply it correctly.

“Most often times that I see a sunburn, I ask the person, did they use sunscreen? And it is almost always ‘I used a spray sunscreen,'” said Dermatologist and Chicago Derm Institute founder Dr. Jordan Carqueville. “I think the biggest challenge is using it correctly. I don’t think everyone uses it correctly.”

According to Carqueville, “adequate coverage” when applying sunscreen is key. But coverage and application looks different when it comes to sunscreen in a spray can — and so does how much you should be putting on.

“Typically, when you’re using a lotion, you’re using about a shot glass amount for the whole body,” Carqueville said. When applying a spray however, it’s much more challenging to get the amount correct.

How much sunscreen should you be using?

“For spray sunscreen, it’s really hard to get that accurate quantity,” Carqueville said. “So most people are not using enough. And that’s when we see the burns.”

So, what exactly is “enough” when it comes to spraying the sunscreen on? It depends, Carqueville said.

Some sprays are thicker and need to be rubbed in. Others are thinner, with an alcohol or chemical-base, making the amount harder to see, Carqueville said, adding that the the thicker products are preferred as they usually contain a mineral component.

“You should see a sheen on you,” Carqueville said. “But it’s hard to quantify.”

The other challenge spray sunscreen can present, Carqueville said, is the chance of it being ingested, especially as parents attempt to apply it to their perhaps wiggly children.

“When the parents are putting them on, there’s a greater chance of breathing with these products and these chemicals that we don’t really intend for them to be internal,” Carqueville said.

Where and how you apply it matters

Spray sunscreen is best applied outdoors, Carqueville said, or in “well-ventilated areas.”

“Our main goal is use these correctly,” Carqueville said. “Don’t inhale them, don’t spray your face. Put them on in an adequately ventilated room.”

Another factor that can come into play when applying spray sunscreen, especially outdoors, is the wind.

“There was an article that came out of Australia in 2021 that said just a typical low windy day on the beach, 79% of the sunscreen was lost to the air when applied in a normal fashion,” Carqueville said. “So we know that even in a mildly windy area…you lose a lot of product.”

According to Carqueville, a can of spray sunscreen should be held about one to two inches away from the skin when applying, “so that you are not losing it to the wind.”

Sunscreen alternatives

For those who don’t tote cans and containers of sunscreen around, Carqueville’s “biggest suggestion” — especially for families with young children — is sun-protective clothing that includes SPF and rash guard.

“I think it’s ideal for families and children because you don’t have to wrestle getting them on sunscreen on them and reapplying every two hours,” Carqueville said. “So this is the most effective way, is getting good shade, some protective clothing and also just really broad spectrum hats.”

What SPF number is best?

According to Carqueville, the SPF — or sun protection factor — number in sunscreen to look for should be 30 or above.

“When you look for 30 and above, you know that you have 97% of the sun’s rays filtered out,” Carqueville said. “If go for the higher ones, that’s fine. You’re not getting that much more benefit. But 30 and above is usually a recommendation.”

Ingredients to look for — and to watch out for

Mineral sunscreens that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can help with sensitive skin, Carqueville said, adding that many mineral sunscreen come in a tinted form, creating a smoother look.

Certain ingredients found in chemical sunscreens, like Oxybenzone and Octinoxate, are banned in certain states as they have been known to damage coral. Additionally, in 2021, many spray sunscreens were recalled due to a contaminant called Benzene, a chemical known to be harmful to humans.

Mineral or not, the best course of action to take is to apply sunscreen correctly, experts say.

“My biggest advice is to find a product that you like, use it correctly and use it often,” Carqueville said.

“It is hot. We went through the parade and everyone is moving kind of slow, but it was pretty hot,” partygoer Kevin Chan said, as he urged his two sons to drink water.

Health experts insist it’s essential to monitor kids closely for heat stroke, with the temperature near 90 degrees and high humidity. 

“If they just seem off to you, if they are complaining of a headache or nausea, things like that, then it’s time to get them some extra water or bring them in,” said Dr. Deanna Behrens, a pediatric critical care physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital.

If fireworks are in your future, safety also has to be a property.

“There’s about 1,300 admissions to the hospital, or at least trips to the ER, every year for firework-related injuries and about 600 of those are related to sparklers,” Behrens said.

She recommends that families leave the fireworks displays to the experts.

“You wouldn’t give your kid a match or say here play with this flaming candle. So you know it shouldn’t be different during the fourth of July season,” Behrens said.

Dawn Secco, a mother of two young girls, agrees.

“We prefer to watch a professional display to make sure we don’t encounter anything unsafe. We do wander around the neighborhood and just keep a safe distance and usually things work out,” Secco said.

Pools parties are another popular festivity on the Fourth of July.

It’s perfect way to celebrate and cool off, but make sure you have rules in place, like those one family has for the pool in their backyard.

“We have three rules. One, no dunking ever. Two, nobody can be in the pool by themselves and three, always be buddies. If there’s two of you or four of you, you’ve got to be looking out for your buddy at all times,” said Brian Jensen.

Dr. Behrens said having a dedicated water watcher is key, not just for the Fourth of July, but for the entire summer season.

“It’s important to have them be free from other distractions, so not on their cell phones or grilling or checking in even for a minute. A minute can cause a tragedy in some of these children,” Behrens said.

“This is new ground for NASCAR and it’s new ground for Chicago as well,” Stanton said.

Medical director for GMR Motorsports including NASCAR, Stanton leads the team response for an on-track response.

“Our goal is to be on at the incident within about 15 to 20 seconds or faster,” said Stanton.

He wears a fire suit to ensure he can reach a driver, if it is a fiery incident. But helping the drivers is not his only concern.

“The drivers know they’re taking on risk. Our fans, our spectators, we want to make sure that they’re as safe as possible,” Stanton said.

He pointed to the concrete barriers lining the street course as part of the safety plan.

“We’re dealing with 3,600 pound cars. And so these barriers are very heavy on their own, but we actually build strength by connecting them all together,” Stanton said.

There’s also a catch fence bolted on top of each of the barriers, designed to keep any debris inside the track.

“The construction of the fences and how everything links together, it’s all designed to keep the vehicles on the track and away from fans to keep them safe,” said Dr. Derek Robinson, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a sponsor of the Chicago Street Course.

Normally if there’s an emergency on the track at a speedway, drivers are treated at an in-field care center. That isn’t an option on the streets of Chicago, so a medical facility will be built at Turn 12, at Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard.

“That’s going to come in serve as our infield care center, also supported by local fire, EMS, as well as local hospital staff,” Stanton said.

Two potential issues Stanton said he’s watching for during race weekend?

Number one: the tight turns on the Chicago Street Course.

“We’re gonna have significant changes in speeds, a lot of braking. You’re going to see a lot of backups and potentially bumper to bumper action going into these turns,” Stanton said.

Number two: even hotter temperatures inside the race cars than what the NASCAR drives are used to.

“When we have street courses and road courses, the temperatures inside these vehicles gets warmer because we don’t have that high speed air movements,” Stanton said.

The race cars don’t have air conditioning. Temperatures can reach upwards of 120 degrees on a speedway, and Stanton is expecting the in-car temps in Chicago will be even higher.

The Western Springs Little League was granted a defibrillator through Jenny’s Mission, a foundation started by Bob and Michele Snyder, in their daughter’s name.

“Jenny was on an outdoor field when she collapsed with a sudden cardiac arrest, and there was no AED available,” said Michele Synder, Jenny’s mom.

Jenny, a 17-year-old Glenbrook North High School student, passed away in 2008. Her parents started the Jennifer Lynn Snyder Teen Heart Foundation to help prevent sudden cardiac death in children.

“Our mission is to fundraise in order to place AEDs, particularly in fields or on fields where youth participate,” said Bob Snyder, Jenny’s father.

Dr. Jim Sur has seen how a defibrillator can make all the difference.

“As a cardiologist, I’ve seen firsthand the saving power of a well-placed shock to the heart,” Sur said.

Sur is also the safety commissioner for the Western Springs Little League (WSLL). When Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player, collapsed in January from a sudden cardiac event, Sur spoke to the Western Springs Little League board and the Western Springs Park District board of commissioners about the need to have defibrillators in village parks.

WSLL immediately reached out to Jenny’s Mission and filled out an application for a defibrillator.

“We have over 850 boys and girls who play baseball and softball in WSLL. We thought it was important to have the resources here, in case an accident ever occurred,” said Jeff Thiede, president of Western Springs Little League.

Jenny’s Mission recently fulfilled the league’s request and WSLL received an AED to install at Spring Rock Park, the league’s home field.

“Baseball being the most common sport for an episode, where a ball can hit a chest at the right time during the heart cycle and put a patient into an arrhythmia that can be life threatening,” Sur said.

But Sur points out it’s not just baseball and softball players that use the park, there are also soccer fields, basketball courts, tennis courts and more.

“We see that with every sport that kids play these days, and the more contact the more risk,” Sur said.

“We don’t want that to happen to any of the users of our parks,” said Matt Krull, a commissioner on the Western Springs Park District Board.

That’s why the Western Springs Park District purchased two additional defibrillators, in addition to the one WSLL received. Three AEDs will now be available at the village’s two busiest parks, Spring Rock and Springdale, accessible to the entire community.

“It’s more than just the kids in the park. It’s the residents and a resource that will hopefully just sit on a wall and we’ll never have to use,” Krull said.

What matters to Bob and Michele Snyder is that the AEDs are available and easy to use. That’s what they believe their daughter would want.

“I think it would make her smile a lot that that we were able to do this and make a difference for other families so that this doesn’t happen,” Michele Snyder said.