By CAREY HEAD

News Lifestyles Editor

A tip of the teacup to Cathy Cole and her Healthy Woman advisory board for a terrific event Thursday night. The occasion was the third anniversary celebration dinner of Ponca City Medical Center's Healthy Woman program. It took place April 8 at Northeast Baptist Church Family Life Center. During the course of the sold-out, two-and-a-half hour event, the 426 guests cheered, clapped, sang and laughed — a lot. And, most certainly left feeling healthier and happier for the wonderful experience.

The theme, "Roses and Teacups," was carried out to the smallest detail. Great bouquets of huge rose-patterned balloons reached to the vaulted ceiling. Oversized teacups brimming with silk roses and ribbons lined the stage and banquet tables. On stage, a charming turn-of-the-century parlor was recreated. At centerstage, a table set for a tea party awaited the arrival of friends. Along with a weighty bag of goodies for guests, at each place setting, guests were gifted with a rose-patterned china cup and saucer, gold spoon, and beautifully presented recipes for hot raspberry tea mix and English crumpets.

Kelli Northcutt, Healthy Woman Advisory Council member, served as mistress of ceremonies. Sandy Nigh led the invocation and Andy Wachtel, CEO of PCMC, welcomed the standing room only crowd. Following dinner, PCMC staff and volunteers assisted in distributing more than 100 door prizes donated by area businesses and individuals — a testament to the enthusiasm felt for the Healthy Woman program and its goals.

If anyone could create an atmosphere of an intimate tea party with 400 of your closest friends, it's Cathy Cole. And as featured speaker, Linda Larsen, addressed her delighted audience, the bonds of friendship were drawn even tighter.

Northcutt introduced Larsen as a "delightfully bizarre cross between Carol Burnett and Dr. Phil" who travels the world to help people improve communication, upgrade thinking and get better quality results in life, both personally and professionally.

As a woman growing up in the 1960's, Larsen stated the common message women were given was "take care of everyone and everything" — except herself. Trying to be the superhero always led to super exhaustion.

Among the tools she presented were these suggestions:

Stop any Habit that Doesn't Serve You.

The habit of not eating well, not exercising, saying yes to everything or apologizing all the time were examples she shared.

"Get a feedback buddy who will give you a sign when this behavior happens," she said.

For Larsen, that buddy is her husband, John Scalzi, a meteorologist for west coast Florida's ABC7 television station. Larsen calls him "my weather muffin," and warns when you ask someone to be your feedback buddy, be prepared for the feedback.

"The truth will set you free, but first, it will (tick) you off."

Eating the recommended five servings of vegetables a day is an impossibility with most American's eating habits. To break the habit? She had the audience chanting, "Yummy Fruits and Vegetables — Eat Five, Stay Alive," with instructions to repeat the chant every time the refrigerator door is opened.

Find the Humor in Things.

After a pair of rather expensive tweezers were confiscated during an airport security check, Larsen admitted it took several moments for her to deal with the annoyance of the situation. But, after takeoff, Larsen was struck by the mental image of her leaping from her seat, brandishing the tiny tweezers and taking over the plane with the threat, "or else, I'll tweeze your nose hairs!"

Make Up Better Stories.

According to Larsen, stress is based not just on external events, it's also based upon how each of us imagine the stress. One person excited about flying will have much less stress than the person who is convinced the plane will crash. Both will experience the same event — air travel. But which person feels stress? The one who is worked himself up over the thought of crashing.

Make up a better story — a better interpretation — of events.

On Dec. 7, 1969, Larsen was a 21-year old divorced mother of a two-year old working as a law firm receptionist for $55 a week. Tragically, she suffered such debilitating panic and anxiety attacks, that summoning the will to live was a struggle. On the morning of Dec. 7, Larsen clearly remembers thinking, "I can't make it — not one more minute." Then the four-word sentence played like a loop over and over, "I'm ready to die. I'm ready to die."

Only the sound of her son whimpering in the next room pulled her feet to the floor and pushed her into starting another day. She dressed, got her son to daycare and herself to work.

At 11:57 a.m. that morning, a convict escaped from a road gang, stole a .357 magnum from a guard and ducked into the building where the law firm was located. The first office he saw was Larsen's. As he brandished the huge pistol at the attorneys, he demanded keys, money and Larsen. Just four hours after wanting to take her own life, Larsen was now at the mercy of an escaped convict who held her for five hours in a vacant house before she escaped.

"He sat me down in a chair and pulled a chair up opposite me," she said. "He stared at me for hours without saying a word. Then he slowly raised the pistol, cocked the hammer, aimed it at my face and asked, 'Are you ready to die?'"

"Seven hours earlier I was ready to die and ready to take my own life. But, I chose instead to look at this as the single greatest gift I have ever, ever been given in my lifetime. God had a plan for me, had work for me to do. He put the crazy, escaped convict in my path to teach me the preciousness of life. Without that, I know I would have succumbed to my illness and you would have someone else up here speaking to you tonight."

Acknowledge Yourself And the Work You Do.

Throw your arms open wide, give the world a big smile, and say a rousing 'ta-da!' "Because you are accomplishing great things every day and we all need ta-da's," she said.