News Center newsletter

Ty Koehn and Jessica Hein of McGregor announce the birth of their son, Triggyn Joe Koehn, born October 27, 2021 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 8 lbs. 6 ozs. and measured 20-1/2 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins a brother, Tate Koehn (5).

Grandparents are Teresa Olson of Mason City, Jeff and Joan Koehn of Elkader, Randy Cook and Cindy Hein of McGregor and Roger and Danielle Hein of Blooming Prairie, MN. Walt and Kathy Horsfall of Arizona are great-grandparents.
 

Kristy Kimber of Waukon and Lloyd Little of Oelwein announce the birth of their daughter, Melody May Kimber, born November 1, 2021 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 8 lbs. 9 ozs. and measured 21 inches in length at the time of her birth. Loren Kimber of Waukon is a grandparent.

by Angie Mettille, RN, BSN, CDCES

Diabetes, especially Type 2, is a diagnosis becoming exponentially more common in northeast Iowa and across the country. There are many tools to treat Type 2 Diabetes such as medications, exercise and nutrition, but the most powerful and useful tool is knowledge. Knowledge doesn’t need to be refrigerated, and never expires. Educating our patients on ways they can control their blood sugars provides them with the tools they will need to live safely and in the healthiest way possible.

Reservations are being taken now for the drive-through meals served at Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s  30th Annual Christmas Fantasy. The event this year will be held Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme is “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” which is fitting for an outdoor Fantasy.

A drive-through of lighted displays will be out in front of the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion for anyone wanting to drive-through or walk-through evenings during the event. The grounds will be open from 5-9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday nights and from 4-7 p.m. Monday night. The format of the event was changed again this year to keep the event COVID-safe.

Congratulations to the numerous students who completed the recent Veterans Memorial Hospital Babysitting classes Saturday, October 23. The classes were instructed by Corinne Cook, RN, and consisted of teaching the qualities of being a good babysitter including basic child care, accident prevention and first aid. These new babysitters learned CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and the Heimlach Maneuver thanks to many hospital staff members who taught the Baby Shark Hands Only CPR program.

The students who completed the Veterans Memorial Hospital Baby-sitting morning seminar included Evelynn Dibert, Adalyn Olson, Layla Mathis, Haylee Jeglum, Hannah Jeglum, Cael Lloyd, Maddie Baxter, Miley Baxter, Kennedy McCormick, Bently Jones, Jace Thorson, Hailey Cook, Isabella Koenig, Dakota Van Gundy, Kara Helgerson, Maddie Mauss, Norah Palmer and Naomi Palmer.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, November 18 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of the hospital. Masks will be required to be worn.

This diabetes class is open to everyone who has diabetes or has a friend or loved one with diabetes.  For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call  Angie Mettille, RN, at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health will continue offering COVID-19 immunizations each Wednesday and Friday afternoon at the main entrance of the hospital. All clinics will offer the primary dose, second dose and booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, so anyone in any stage of their vaccination series can be served.

A third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccination is now available for all those who meet the following criteria:
• 65 years and older
• Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
• Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
• Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings.

It must also be at least six months from their last dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  Hartig Drug and The Prescription Shoppe also have vaccine on hand.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon has been offering Babysitting classes for area youth for years and will now begin to offer Grandparenting classes as well.

Corinne Cook, RN, Babysitting Class instructor, is going to begin to offer Grandparenting Classes as well Saturday, December 4 a 9:30 a.m.  In these classes, new or soon-to-be grandparents will learn all the new protocols to use when caring for their new grandchild.  Free-will donations will be accepted to cover the costs of the class.

“The rules are always changing when it comes to child care,” states Corinne Cook, RN, class instructor.  “I want to help new grandparents learn the changes that have been made for safety and well-being of infants and children, explaining all the things that have changed since they raised their children.”

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering the next recertification course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMS, etc.) Thursday, December 2, beginning at 5 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

There is a small fee to attend this class and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask, if they have one. Upon successful completion of the class, the participant will receive an electronic card certifying them as a BLS Healthcare Provider for a two-year period.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required for the class to be held. All participants will be required to physically distance during the class and wear a mask. They will also be screened at the hospital main entrance when they enter the building.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Gloria Jacobson by Nancy Schoh, Mitch and Maureen Duncklee, Kappy Bristol, Jane Dietrich, Jack and Evelyn Kelly, Marlys Leiran, Wayne and Joan Burk, Herb and Ann Dehli, Chuck and Marci Fritz, Teri Hanner, Debbie Henry, Ethan Jacobson, Glenna and Pamela McCombs, Stephen Osborn, Ernie and Donnalee Osland, and Pat and Craig Willard.

Memorials were also received in memory of Robert Bulman by Dean and Lynn Sorensen, Patsy Kerndt, Jean Huffey, Leotia Flage, Kay Carter, Ken and Rose Beardmore, Jane Dietrich, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Les and Ada Marie Kerndt, Dave and Laurie Martin, and Dolores Fish.

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Paul Thompson by the Harpers Ferry American Legion Auxiliary and Shirley Rose; in memory of Alice Thompson by Patsy Kerndt; in memory of Dave Hartley by Dave and Sandy Lyons; and in memory of Curtis Kraus by Ardie Kuhse and Diane Kraus.