Health

Ness Pumping and Porta Potty Rentals hosted its second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk Saturday, October 6 in the Waukon City Park to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and detection. An even larger crowd turned out for this event than in its inaugural year last fall. Breast Cancer survivors were asked to sign a pink porta-potty sporting the breast cancer ribbon, t-shirts were distributed and refreshments served.

The Ness family awarded the proceeds raised from that walk to the hospital to be used towards the 3D mammography machine recently installed at the hospital. The nearly $1,600 donation helps Veterans Memorial Hospital finance this 3D mammography machine. This was the first 3D mammography machine in northeast Iowa when it was installed last fall. This machine is clinically proven to significantly increase the detection of breast cancers, while simultaneously decreasing the number of women asked to return for additional testing.

There never seems to be enough hours in a day, but those few hours can be loaded with deadlines, responsibilities, errands and expectations. With stress weighing people down, daily tasks get harder to handle. Like a heavy backpack, getting heavier as the day goes on.

Sara Winters, physician assistant at Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare in Waukon, recommends four steps to reduce stress and cope with the inevitable stressors of everyday life.

Avoid: Believe it or not, it is possible to escape some of the minor stressors that tend to trouble us.
- Take control of the stress that fills your day.
- If the drive home is stressful, try buying a new CD to make the commute more enjoyable.
- If a coworker is constantly irritating you, create physical distance between the two of you.
- Say no when necessary.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, January 7, and they will continue for two more consecutive Monday evenings beginning at 6 p.m. in the hospital’s Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in three sessions that allow the expectant parents to choose which topics they wish to learn more on. They may choose to attend one, two or all three sessions. Session 1 covers labor, delivery and the postpartum period following delivery; Session 2 includes relaxation, breathing and pain management; and Session 3 covers infant care. Tours of the OB Department are available with each session as well.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will be offering the next course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc.) Wednesday, December 19, 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.

The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The online certificate received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required. For more information and to register for the “Health Care Provider” CPR Course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

The local Caregiver Support Group meets monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital. The meetings take place on the third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The next meeting will be held Monday, December 17 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the ICN Conference Room, located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

This informal meeting is open to anyone who provides care and support for a family member or friend. Feel free to attend and bring a friend.  This new Caregiver Support Group meets the third Monday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Curt Brandsmeier by Randy and Karen Loeb, Jeff Moe, Dan and Sue Schlitter, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Cyril and Shirley Larkin, Bob and Karen Fossum and Mae Jean Bakke.

Memorials were also received in memory of Faith Ericson by Eric and Stephanie Palmer, in memory of Loretta Snitker by Greg and Jan Gordon and Kay Carter, and in memory of Maloy Johanningmeier by Tom and Sheila Neuhaus.

In addition, a donation was made to the Foundation in honor of Bob and Sherri Erickson’s 50th Wedding Anniversary by Jane Dietrich.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation.  The Foundation is a 501C3 organization. All donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. Memorials and donations can be sent to the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.
 

Wednesday evening, December 5, Dr. Dave Schwartz will be hosting an informative pain control presentation detailing the two new pain control options he offers at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  This presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

These two new options for pain control that are now offered locally at Veterans Memorial Hospital help people with chronic joint pain or soft tissue/musculoskeletal pain. These new procedures provide patients with another option for pain control instead of only traditional means, such as surgery or pain pills.

LifeServe Blood Center is urging eligible blood donors to roll up a sleeve and give the ultimate gift this holiday season: the gift of life. Blood cannot be manufactured in a lab and there is no substitute for it. In order to ensure blood will be available for local hospital patients in their critical time of need depends on generous donors to make that lifesaving gift.

The standard blood donation process only takes an hour start to finish, with the actual blood collection procedure only lasting about ten minutes. One donation can save the lives of up to three local hospital patients. Be a holiday hero, schedule an appointment at an upcoming blood drive in the local community.

The Waukon Community Blood Drive is scheduled for Monday, December 10 from 12-5 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 614 Rossville Road. Schedule a blood donation appointment online at lifeservebloodcenter.org or call 800-287-4903.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, January 7, and they will continue for two more consecutive Monday evenings beginning at 6 p.m. in the hospital’s Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in three sessions that allow the expectant parents to choose which topics they wish to learn more on. They may choose to attend one, two or all three sessions. Session 1 covers labor, delivery and the postpartum period following delivery; Session 2 includes relaxation, breathing and pain management; and Session 3 covers infant care. Tours of the OB Department are available with each session as well.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will be offering the next course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc.) Wednesday, December 19, 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.

The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The online certificate received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required. For more information and to register for the “Health Care Provider” CPR Course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.