May 2020 Issue

4 Lessons I Learned From an Unexpected Diagnosis

“Mrs. Hudock, you have a number of heart abnormalities.” The cardiologist was speaking to me after he had viewed my first echocardiogram. “The right side of your heart is severely enlarged. You have several valves that are leaking. You may have pulmonary hypertension. You may have atrial fibrillation and you may have a hole in your heart.” WHAT? I could not believe I was hearing this. I am a nutritionist and eat an almost perfect whole foods diet. I have low blood pressure and low cholesterol. I exercise all the time. I can’t be having heart problems. But I was. I had begun having heart palpitations that were increasing in

CatTales | The Red Flannel Saga

Misty was the Start of it All I had the most wonderful rescue cat for years and years. Her name was Misty. I picked her because she had my personality. I played with several different kittens on the counter at Bedford Animal Rescue, and none of them struck me until Misty. When I placed her on the counter, she immediately ran to the edge and fell off. I knew she was the one. I had chosen a kitten at a time when I would be home for an entire week, but after several days I had to return to work. I always packed my briefcase on the dining table just

How to Keep Your Dog-GONE Sense of Humor

Motivational humorist Roger Rabbit once said, “A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Sometimes in life it’s the only weapon we have.” “Thomas,” I asked. “Did you put Bo in the pen?” I knew that our yellow lab, Bo, had an interest in another dog, his first girlfriend. And we all remember the feeling associated with our first love: he had a spring in his step, a twinkle in his eye, and a smile on his face. After every romantic encounter, Bo would lounge in the yard. It reminded me of a love scene from an old romantic movie from the 1940s — a lit cigarette — a Martini

Is Your Immune System Ready For Corona (Covid-19)?

What is Cytokine Storm? There are many coronaviruses but only seven or so are known to infect people. The first one that raised serious international concern was the SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2002. This new, very close relative to SARS called SARS-CoV2 has caused a worldwide pandemic and is a far more aggressive pathogen than its original cousin. An analysis of the first 75,000 who were infected found that it has a mortality rate of 2.3%, making it 23 times more fatal than seasonal flu infections. There is rapid deterioration of the lungs in some COVID-19 patients, and no one is safe. Even young patients who don’t have

Beyond the Barricade | SRS Ties That Shaped Our Community | Part 3

While some women would be put off if they learned that the man they had been dating for three weeks had fibbed about his last name, Peggy Ford just took his prank in stride. Four years after they met, she became Mrs. Rick Ford in lieu of being Mrs. Rick Chevrolet and his dry wit has been making her laugh ever since. Rick grew up in the Washington DC area and Peggy is a native Virginian. He was a literature major at the University of Richmond and she majored in social work at Longwood College. They started their family in Virginia and were expecting to stay there until Rick came

Hopelands for a Garden Wedding

A mother of the bride shares her outdoor wedding plan worries My third time planning a wedding should have been easy, but our daughter had her heart set on an outdoor wedding at Hopelands Gardens. Grandma would take the girls to “Story Time in the Gardens” whenever we visited Aiken, and her fantasy was formed. We all love the charm of Aiken and the dazzling dogwoods and azaleas, but the worry woman inside me visualized storms, bugs, mud, freezing temperatures, and the back-breaking labor of hauling all the necessaries to the venue. My final plea was that people would not be comfortable wearing their finery outside. I did not finish

Has the World Really Changed?

Yes. Never before in our lifetimes have we experienced the shutdown of businesses across the globe that we have seen in recent weeks. Never before have schools closed across our nation. Never before have sports events of all types been cancelled. Never before have we as a nation been confined to our homes and experienced this type of isolation. No. As long as our hearts are beating and our brains are working, change is as constant as life itself. The financial world has never been static and will always react to the perceived analysis and emotions of both domestic and global conditions. Throughout history, the market has recovered and grown

Cabinet of Curiosities | Aiken Bella Magazine

May Cabinet of Curiosities: Weddings – Glitzy and Unique

Weddings in the Aiken County area have historically run the gamut from simple and traditional to over-the-top glamorous. In this article we’re going to feature three weddings that all took place in the city of Aiken in the mid-20th century. When the Winter Colonists made their annual trek to Aiken, they eagerly anticipated a season of relaxed recreation and an opportunity to escape the more formal demands of northern society. Aiken was not the place to host elegant soirees or debut eligible daughters, so it is understandable that the majority of Winter Colony weddings were held in northern cities. When a Winter Colonist did marry here, it was usually a

Reflect, Learn, and Plan

I know we are all getting tired and frustrated when hearing about COVID-19 in all facets of our lives. Several horse owners who board their horses cannot even visit their horses due to barn closures. Folks usually travel to South Carolina from all over the country for the show season, which has unfortunately taken a back seat. I choose to find the golden horseshoe. We can use this unfortunate downtime in a positive manner for our horses as well as for ourselves. We can use this time to reflect, learn, and plan for the rest of our year or even our future. Today, I will step away from a purely