Today's Feature

A Merry Olde Christmas.

News release

Stone’s Throw Theatre in Carthage will be performing A Merry Olde Christmas by Bruce Kunkle, Ruth Nagy and Susie Kunkle, and produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Company.

The box office opens Monday Dec. 6th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. through December 19th.

The play is directed by Linda Bailey with a cast from Joplin, Neosho, Lamar, Carl Junction and Carthage.

Missouri Arts Council, a state agency and Schmidt & Associates, PC, of Carthage, have provided financial assistance for this project. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday the Theatre doors open at 6:00 p.m. with dinner being served at 6:30 and the performance starting at 7:30. On Sundays the doors open at 12:30 p.m., dinner is at 1:00 p.m. and the performance starts at 2:00.

Performances will be held December 9,10,11,12 and December 16,17,18 and 19. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Stone’s Throw Theatre at 417-358-9665 or Betty Bell at 417-358-7268.

I’ve heard that turkey has some chemical in it that makes ya sleepy. I suppose I’m not one to argue with experts, but I’ve never noticed it bein’ any different than a good helpin’ of roast beef. Eatin’ a good portion of anything seems ta make most folks wanna take a little nap.

Learned that in the first grade (they didn’t have kindergarten where I went to school). We all brought our nap mats and laid ‘em out on the floor. Mostly we just made faces at other kids under the desks, but on occasion I’d actually snooze a little.

It’s amazin’ how few first graders snore. Must be learned at a higher grade level.

They say us Americans don’t get enough sleep. Nappin’ still sounds good.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

To Your Good Health

By Paul Donohue, M.D.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My daughter lives in another city, and I just learned she has a problem with swollen ankles. She was told to get plenty of rest. No additional treatment was given. Can you give me any ideas to pass to her? — C.K.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: For two years my mother has had swelling in one ankle that improves after a night’s rest. Her health is otherwise good. — A.Q.

ANSWER: Ankle swelling can be traced to a number of reasons, and treatment hinges on finding the exact one.

One-sided ankle swelling can be due to a clot in the main vein of that leg. After resolution of the clot, blood return through the vein can be impeded, and that leads to fluid leakage and swelling. Or it can be due to a previous infection of the lymph channels of that leg. Lymph channels are miniature hoses that suction tissue fluid and return it to the circulation. Elevating the leg, compression stockings and leg massage by an expert can often drain the fluid from the tissues around the ankle.

Both-sided ankle swelling can come from fluid and salt retention that occurs in heart and kidney failure. It also happens with liver cirrhosis. Medicines like ibuprofen, cortisone and verapamil can bring on ankle swelling. Simply letting the legs dangle downward while sitting in a chair for protracted periods of time can swell ankles.