Health

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Jim Johnson by Joann Peake, Jim Klenske, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Dave and Laurie Martin, Marvin and  Marjorie Strike, Pat Pettingill, Ann Rademaker, Craig and Barb Lensing, Arlen and Karlene Wonderlich, Jane Dietrich, Wayne and Bonnie Johnson, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Mary Jo Nordheim, Ardys Kuhse, Marlys Leiran, Ed and Karen Stamper, James and Jill Kiesau, Orrin and Nan Grangaard, Patsy Kerndt, Charlotte and Lori Reeder, Charles and Marcella Fritz, Mary Ann Hager, Gwen Brainard and Don and Mary Jane McGraw.

Memorials were also received in memory of Vernis Haberichter by Audrey Angel, Brian and Denise Wullner, Dave and Laurie Martin, Marvin and Marjorie Strike and Betty White.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation recently agreed to donate nearly $8,000 to the hospital for the purchase of a new microscope for the hospital’s laboratory. The current microscope had been in use in the lab for many years and had been updated, making repairs or parts difficult to obtain.

The microscope is a crucial piece of equipment to the laboratory. This new microscope is used to observe different types of blood cells which can be counted, categorized and checked for abnormalities. The microscope also aids in detecting cells, bacteria, fungi and crystals in urine or other body fluids. The Laboratory staff performs a stain on bacteria. After the stain, the microscope is an aid to the tech for determining the type of bacteria. The antibiotic choice used by the physician will depend on the type of bacteria causing the infection.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care is still offering flu shots on an appointment-only basis. The Hi Dose flu vaccine is also still available. Appointments can be made by calling 563-568-5660.   When the appointment is made, instructions are given for the private location the immunizations will be administered.

Those with an appointment to receive their flu shot should remain in their vehicle until the nurse comes to get them and should bring along their insurance or Medicare card.

Influenza, also called “the flu”, can cause fever, chills, headache, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches to people of any age, and can lead to pneumonia and even death. Most deaths caused by influenza occur in the elderly, the very young or people who have a compromised immune system.

The Caregiver Support Group meetings that were held monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital, continue to be held through conference calls during COVID-19. Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) is offering weekly Caregiver Support Group conference calls every Monday from 10-11 a.m.

To join a call, just dial 1-800-264-8432. Then enter the participant code 961847#. You will then be connected to the support group conference call, joining other caregivers.

December 2, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines were updated once again, stating that anyone exposed to a positive COVID-19 person can have their quarantine end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring. For those who are currently in quarantine, that means your quarantine time is decreased by four days as long as you are not showing any symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone with any symptoms must remain in quarantine and should then be tested.

If you choose, you can take a test on Day 5 or after following your exposure, and if negative, you can be off quarantine after day 7 following your exposure, again if no symptoms have developed. Once learning of your exposure to a COVID-19 positive person, you can look ahead and schedule your test for Day 5;  however it does take up to 72 hours to receive test results, so again you must remain on quarantine until that negative result is received.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Jim Johnson by Joann Peake, James Klenske, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Dave and Laurie Martin, and Marvin and Marjorie Strike.

Memorials were also received in memory of Vernis Haberichter by Audrey Angel, Brian and Denise Wullner, Dave and Laurie Martin, Marvin and Marjorie Strike and Betty White.

Fred and Geralyn Smith, Russ and Mary Jo Meyer, and Chuck and  Lois Votsmier all made a memorial donation in memory Sharon Brown.

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Richard Baumgartner by Chuck and Lois Votsmier; in memory of Jean Lydon by Karen and Cletus Mathis; in memory of Ann Gallagher by Dave and Laurie Martin and in memory of Barbara Leppert by Patsy Kerndt.

Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center has implemented a Domestic Abuse survivor chat line, which can be reached at HelpingServices.org/chat. There is also the option to call a 24/7 resource phone line at 800-383-2988, but during social distancing Helping Services advocates noticed a decline in calls.

The agency responded by implementing a secure chat option for anyone in need of reaching a local advocate. Whether chatting or calling, a trained Advocate will respond 24 hours a day.

Helping Services’ Domestic Abuse Advocates work alongside survivors to achieve their best outcome. All services provided are at no cost to the survivor and are confidential. For more info about Helping Services’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center call 800-383-2988 or chat with someone at HelpingServices.org/chat to reach an advocate.
 

Quitline Iowa is a free service with a team of coaches trained to safely guide those who want to quit tobacco down a path to success. Iowa residents can take advantage of the program by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), or by visiting www.quitlineiowa.org.
 

The 29th annual Veterans Memorial Hospital Health Care Foundation Christmas Fantasy Silent Auction event will remain open only through December 7. The “Big C” Silent Auction is located within many local businesses in Waukon, all in an effort to promote ‘shopping at home’ this holiday season. These auction items not only offer a variety of Christmas gifts for sale locally, but encourage shoppers to do more local holiday shopping in safe settings, decreasing the amount of out-of-town shopping and creating more local store traffic, helping the local businesses.

The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Allamakee County has dramatically risen with over 175 new cases in the past two weeks. This, in turn, has led to increasing hospitalization numbers in our county. The number of admissions for many hospitals in northeast Iowa are at or nearing capacity. There is a desperate need to flatten the curve, slow the spread and protect our community and its vulnerable populations. Healthcare facilities throughout the tri-state area are urging their communities to step up and assist in the mitigation effort. It is going to require more than just our medical professionals to fight this fight. It will take each and every one of us doing our part to decrease these skyrocketing statistics and help lessen the immense strain on our healthcare systems.