Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Friday, April 26, 1991
3
Service exults life of student
Friends say he encouraged them to work hard
By Michael Christie
Kansan staff writer
Friends of Brian Meilahn gathered last night to share their favorite memories and celebrate the life of an acute asthma attack.
His friends had a memorial service for him at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center, 1631 Crescent Road.
Susan Dwyer, Mr. Meilahn's girlfriend for the past seven years, said he had been a big person who opened his life to all those around him.
"Brian is just huge. He was overpowering," said Dwyer, Greecley, Colo., graduate student, to the group he helped with, what quality he added to your life.
David Platt, director of Joseph R. Pearson Hall, said Mr. Meilahn had been an objective person.
"I have documentation to prove it," he said, holding up a green form. Platt related a story in which Mr. Meilhan turned in a self-critique, as was required of all resident assistants.
"Brian Meilah wrote his self- appraisal in the third person." Platt said as laughter erupted through the crowd.
One by one, friends walked to the podium to share stories of Mr. Meilah. They painted a picture of a person who was interested in people
Brad Stuhlsatz, Derby junior, said that Mr. Meilahn had always believed in people.
and who always encouraged them to try their hardest.
people.
"I don't know how many times I heard him say, 'I think you can do it.' " he said.
Melisa Moore, Mr. Meilhan's sister, said yesterday from Greeley, Colo, that he had been dedicated to his job as a resident assistant.
"He absolutely loved being an RA." Moore said.
She said that he had been scared at first when he became an RA but that he worked hard at it like he did at everything else.
"He always did things perfectly," she said.
Mr. Meilian was born July 20, 1968, in Newapolis, Minn. He grew up in Greeks.
He was a fifth-year senior major in architecture. Moore said he had come to the University of Kansas specifically to study architecture.
He studied at the University of Colorado before transferring to KU.
He graduated from West High School in Greeley and attended University High School.
His hobbies included bike riding, rock climbing, sailing, tennis and volleyball.
that a sand volleyball court was placed behind JRP, his friends said.
myebun.
Mr. Meilahn was the sole reason.
He was described by Jeff Hickman, Overland Park sophomore, as a determined volleyball player who had a lack of physical prowess with guts.
"Anything he did, he put everything into it." he said.
Mr. Meilhan was a member of the KU Sailing Club, the National Honor Society, Key Club and the Golden Key National Honor Society.
He belonged to the American Institute of Architectural Students and the Association of General Contractors.
He worked as an intern in Chicago at Destefano Goetsch Ltd. during breaks from college. He was awarded an internship for the sum
He had won two scholarships, the George Beal scholarship and the Gold Win and Gold Smith scholarship.
Brian Meilahn
Mr. Meilian had just be induced into the National Residence Hall honorarium, an honor society for the top 1 percent of residence hall resi-
He leaves his parents, Marcus and Nancy Meilahn; two sisters, Melisa Moore and Paige Meilahn; and a
niece, Alexandra Moore, all of Greeley.
He leaves four grandparents:
Alvin and Hilda Frantz, and Raymond and Edythe Meilahn, all of Plymouth, Wis.
Funeral services for Mr. Meilhan will be at the First Congregational Church of Greeley at 11 a.m. Monday
The family has not yet selected a memorial to which friends may contribute.
Asthma fatalities can be prevented
By Nedra Beth Randolph Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
The asthma-related death Wednesday of a 22-year-old KU student was one of thousands of U.S. deaths caused by asthma each week. The Yockey, chief of staff at Walkins Memorial Health Center.
Brian Mellahn, Greeley, Colo,
senior, was pronounced dead at
9:39 p.m. Wednesday at Lawrence
in the hospital, a hospital rep-
resented said.
Carol Moddrell, Douglas County coroner, said Meliah died of an acute asthma attack.
Pat Pringle, a family friend, said Meliadh had asthma since he was one year old and had taken asthma medication since he was 10. He was treated for a severe asthma attack at Lawrence Memorial Hospital last year after a bicycle ride.
Yockey said Watkins was treating several hundred KU students for asthma. But this has not been a particularly bad year for her. He said Meliah had not been treated for asthma at Watkins.
Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory condition in people under 40, he said.
Yockey said that if a person died from a severe asthma attack, it was probably because the victim ignored the asthma symptoms or did not seek proper treatment in time.
"Anytime someone so young dies from an asthma attack, it almost always was preventable," he said.
Yockey said students with asthma were afraid of letting others know about the asthma for fear of stigma.
"Asthma is a very treatable condition with proper education, treatment and intervention," he said.
Early intervention is the key to minimizing asthma attacks, Yockey said.
Causes of asthma attacks include respiratory infections and breathing irritating and noxious air, he said. Once an acute attack occurs, the victim becomes oxygen-generated and goes into cardiac arrest.
Mike Turner/KANSAN
John G. Sayler, president of the Charles Robinson chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, presents the Sons of the American Revolution award to cadet Alexander Hill, Wichita freshman. The Army ROTC Spring Awards Ceremony, honoring students for academic excellence and outstanding leadership, was yesterday in the Military Science Building. About 40 students received awards.
CLAS plans alum weekend activities
Kansan staff writer
By Sarah Davis Kenyon staff writer
In conjunction with Alumni Weekend, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has several activities planned.
Tought, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alumni Club will host a reception to honor three college groups.
Lowya Gilbert, associate dean of liberal arts and sciences, said this was the first time the college was conducting its activities separate from graduation ceremonies. TraditioI column Weekend is at the same time.
"It will be nice to have it away
from commencement so alumni that combs are the coming back for them.
College graduates of the class of 1941 and college faculty and staff who are retiring will be honored tonight. CLASAC also will present the first student award, a academic adruer award for one of the seven college candidates.
A tour of the new college undergraduate center in the west wing of Strong Hall will be given tomorrow. Although the complex is not completely finished, alumni will have a room to do, Gilbert said.
"It would be good for the alumni and active faculty to get acquainted with us and to feel more like they're there," Ms. Browne said. "It's just an informal get-together."
CLASAC board member Betty Lesenden said she was looking forward to the event.
together but also will recognize some people."
College alumni also will have the chance to talk with officials who work in various college offices to learn what they do to help students.
A reception will be given from 9 to 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at 208 Strong. All college alumni are welcome to attend.
Misdiagnosed infections can cause complications
By Amy Francis
Kansan staff writer
Women may be getting what they pay for when they buy an over-the-counter medication to treat yeast infections.
Patsy Denning, a physician at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said she had seen women who had bought Gye-Lotrimin, a treatment for yeast infection, when they actually had a sexually transmitted disease.
"It will not hurt them, but it isn't treating them properly," she said. "They are mistaking their symptoms for yeast infection. I think there is a great potential for this problem to flourish."
The problem is that the women do not get the treatment they really need, she said. If an STD is not treated, it can lead to chronic infections.
Melissa Lowenstein, a pharmacist at Dillons, 3000 W. Sixth St., said Gyne-Lotrimin had become available about a month and a half ago and had been selling well.
"The reason it's selling so well is because it's such a common infection for women," she said.
A second product for yeast infection, Monistat, also is available without a prescription. Both are available in cream and suppository form, Michels said.
Larry Michels, a pharmacist at Wal-Mart, 2727 Iowa St., said, "we've sold a substantial amount."
Denning said that the problems that were occurring now may be caused by the treatment that was available to anyone and that some women might be trying to themselves, when in the past a prescription was necessary.
"The average person and even physicians can't tell by the discharge if this is yeast or something more serious," she said. "Any female student who is sexually active who has noticed a change in her discharge should have an examination," she said. "It's money that is very well spent."
If the student health fee has been paid, medication for a yeast infection is about $13 at the Watkins pharmacy, she said.
Gyne-Lotrimin costs $17.99 at Dillons.
Housing may fill spare space
By Jonathan Plummer
Kansan staff writer
The department of student housing has proposed temporarily to increase space in residence halls to KKK hotels for those needy.
Ken Stoner, director of student housing, said he had made an informal offer to the University space committee at its meeting yesterday.
Linda Mullens, a member of the space committee, said the committee was still in the process of finding out what information was needed.
"We get a lot of space requests," she said. "It is just a matter of making recommendations and seeing if the team needs it."
Stoner said residence hall occupancy had decreased, partly because the number of high school seniors had decreased across the state.
"We experience a flux," he said. "The scholarship halls and married student housing are always strong."
"But five years ago the residence halls were packed, and the Javahawk Towers were a little low. Now it's
packed in Jayhawker Towers, and there is room in the residence halls."
Stoner said that because this normal fluctuation has left the department with unused rooms, the space could be used by departments that did not need to dramatically alter the rooms.
Stoner said the department tried to keep all the unused rooms in a hall on one wing in order to shut off utilities
"We temporarily remove wings from service just to maximize space," he said.
In the past, Stoner said, requests for use of these wings by other departments has been informal.
"We get a variety of inquiries every year, but the discussions fall apart," he said. "Usually they want more than we can provide. Sometimes they have a function that is not directly related to the lobby, or they want a five- to ten year guarantee."
"The University has a critical shortage of all kinds of space," he said. "We just want to make a cooperative
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