Health

The annual “Family Wellness Fair” will be held this Wednesday, May 9, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital. The “Family Wellness Fair” is a community wide event offering families of all ages a night of entertainment and education about the local resources available to them, plus many free health testing opportunities. This fun-filled family event is free and open to all members of the community of any age.

This is the 21st annual event sponsored by Veterans Memorial Hospital. At the Fair, health testing, exhibits and refreshments will all be providing a complete evening of entertainment and education for all families of any ages.

This is National Hospital Week. Local hospital’s make a huge impact on the local economy. Veterans Memorial Hospital generates 192 jobs that add $12,534,162  to the Allamakee and northern Clayton County region’s economy, according to a study by the Iowa Hospital Association. In addition, Veterans Memorial Hospital employees by themselves spend $2,254,430 on retail sales and contribute $135,266 in state sales tax revenue.

“Working with other health care providers in our service area, we strive to meet the health needs of the people we serve,” states Mike Myers, CEO of Veterans Memorial Hospital. “Whether in the hospital or out in the communities, we want to continue to care for the people we serve as a team with other members of the health care sector.”

A new, local Caregiver Support Group has begun meeting monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. The meetings are taking place the third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m.

The next meeting of the support group will be held Monday, May 21 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the Large 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 will continue to meet the third Monday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, May 17. Men and women are welcome to attend, even if not an Auxiliary member. The Euchre marathons are held the third Thursday of each month at the Senior Citizens Room at the Waukon Wellness Center.

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner, if chosen.  Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 if choosing to eat dinner. Card playing will follow at 12:30 p.m. until approximately 2:30 p.m.  Anyone wishing to stay and play cards following the Senior Citizens meal is more than welcome to do so.

Anyone interested in attending, but preferring to play Bridge is also welcome to join in.  It is asked that they come with their own table of four players, however.

For more information, call Auxiliary President Nona Sawyer, at 563-568-3105.
 

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, May 17 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.

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.
 

With a recent confirmed case of measles in the southwest Wisconsin area and contact that patient had in La Crosse and Trempealeau County establishments, Gundersen Health System shares the following steps to take if anyone suspects they were exposed to measles and to prevent the spread of measles.

Get vaccinated. If a person, their child or family member(s) have not received the MMR vaccine (two doses for school-aged children and adults; one dose for preschool-aged children), they should strongly consider making an appointment to be vaccinated. The measles vaccine is considered one of the most effective vaccines that exists; one dose is 93 percent effective in preventing the measles and two doses is 97 percent effective.

Individuals are communicable, or contagious, with the onset of cold-like symptoms including:

by Tami Gebel, OTR/L at Veterans Memorial Hospital

Lymphedema is the chronic or persistent swelling of a body part due to an obstruction of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system lies underneath the skin and works closely with the blood circulation system as it transports fluids throughout the body to lymph nodes. While in the lymph nodes, the fluid is “cleaned” of bacteria, viruses, and other unwanted materials. The “clean” fluid is then sent to the blood and re-circulated throughout the body.

Lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic system is damaged and unable to move the fluid, therefore the fluid collects in the body part and swelling develops. Damage to the lymphatic systems occurs when there is surgery, mastectomy, lymph node removal, radiation, or injury to skin tissue, such as a burn.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, May 17 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.

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.
 

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, May 17. Men and women are welcome to attend, even if not an Auxiliary member. The Euchre marathons are held the third Thursday of each month at the Senior Citizens Room at the Waukon Wellness Center.

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner, if chosen.  Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 if choosing to eat dinner. Card playing will follow at 12:30 p.m. until approximately 2:30 p.m.  Anyone wishing to stay and play cards following the Senior Citizens meal is more than welcome to do so.

Anyone interested in attending, but preferring to play Bridge is also welcome to join in.  It is asked that they come with their own table of four players, however.

For more information, call Auxiliary President Nona Sawyer, at 563-568-3105.
 

How much blood is needed by certain patients? Here are some facts from the LifeServe Blood Center:

· Cancer patients can use up to eight units of blood a month.
· Bone Marrow Transplant patients can use up to two units a day.
· Cardiovascular Surgery patients can use between two and 25 units.
· Liver Transplant patients can use up to 100 units.
· Auto/Trauma Accident patients can use from five to 100 units.
· Premature infants can use from one to four units.
· Burn victims can use up to 20 units of platelets.
· Heart surgery patients can use up from three to eight units of red cells and one to 10 units of platelets.
· Organ transplant patients can use 10-30 units of blood.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, May 3 from 12:30-5 p.m. The blood drive will be held at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.