Health

The mural in the photo at right was recently donated and installed at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Clinic-Waukon by Steel Cow Gallery in Waukon, thanks to owners Val and Josh Miller. This mural now decorates the children’s corner of the clinic and highlights a large section of the “Sweet 16” canvas print sold by Steel Cow Gallery which includes almost 100 of Val’s paintings of local farm animals. Pictured in the photo, left to right, with the mural are Waukon Clinic Director Laura Baxter and Josh Miller of Steel Cow Gallery. Submitted photo.
 

How many people know that one pint of whole blood can save up to three lives? The next local LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, March 2 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held every month in Waukon, allowing for more donors to give. LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon with its blood and blood products.

Anyone who lives to the age of 72 will have a 95% probability of needing blood or blood products at sometime in their life, so blood donors are greatly needed to meet that need.

The local Grief Support Group will be holding its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon Tuesday, March 14 at 5 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital.

This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss, whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief.

Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This grief support group meets the second Tuesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Darrel Koozer by Chuck and Lois Votsmier, the Herman Family, Jim and Jill Kiesau, Mark Klingeman, Mike and Sue McMillan, Ron and Kim Winters and Waukon Feed Ranch.

Additionally, memorials were also received in memory of Esther Walleser by John and Lorna Kerndt, Betty Troendle, Maury Mooney and Brad and Erin Berns.

Memorials were also received in memory of Juanita Engan, Bruce Thorsten, Larry Magner and Leone McKee, all by Chuck and Lois Votsmier.

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 Health Care Foundation at 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.

Veterans Memorial Hospital began its own Cardiac Rehabilitation unit over three decades ago to help fulfill a need in the community - a need that has been and continues to be well utilized.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Half a million people die each year due to this disease. Many people develop symptoms of heart disease when they are in their 40s or 50s, interrupting a most productive time of life. Cardiac Rehabilitation is an important tool in the fight against heart disease. Rehabilitation involves monitored exercise, nutritional counseling, emotional support and education about lifestyle changes to reduce risks of heart problems.

Over 950,000 Americans die each year from cardiovascular disease. Since February is National Heart Month, Veterans Memorial Hospital provides the following facts and tips on heart health:
• 250,000 people die within one hour of onset of a heart attack.
• 60-70% of those individuals are male.
• Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women and men.
• 75-80% of arrests happen in the home.
• Bystander CPR does improve the outcome once someone has arrested.
• Traditional CPR courses are not reaching those who live with high-risk populations.
• Rapid defibrillation is the most important treatment for victims.
• For every minute delay in defibrillation there is a 10% loss for chance of survival.
• In the case of heart attack, “Time is Muscle.”
• In the case of stroke, “Time is Brain Tissue.”

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, together with Helping Services of Northeast Iowa, will begin offering the ‘Baby and Me - The Basics’ class Tuesday evening, March 14, from 5-8:30 p.m. in the hospital’s Large Conference Room.

Helping Services’ Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians Barb Fjelstul and Rachel Weber will teach the basics of how to correctly secure children in their car seat and getting the seat secured in the vehicle. Barb Fjelstul, also a breast-feeding educator, will guide participants through the challenges and rewards of breast-feeding and provide techniques to ensure baby is getting the most benefit from nursing.

Rachel Stone, RN, a labor and delivery nurse, will give expecting mothers education on breathing techniques and coping with pain during labor.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, February 16 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 who has a friend or loved one with diabetes.  For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call  coordinator Angie Mettille, RN, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon at 563-568-3411.
 

Chest pain is a common presenting complaint in any emergency room, including the emergency room at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH). There is always the possibility of heart disease in every complaint of chest pain or upper abdominal pain, and it must be taken very seriously.

The common signs and symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction, commonly called a heart attack, are;

1. Chest pain (crushing, squeezing or heaviness).
2. Sudden onset of weakness, nausea, fainting and sweating without an obvious cause.
3. Pain that radiates to the shoulders, neck or arms.

These symptoms occur when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, often by a blood clot. This happens because coronary arteries that supply the heart with blood slowly become clogged from a build-up of cells, fat and cholesterol called plaque.

Veterans Memorial Hospital recently received a large donation of hand-made baby blankets from Cindy Hertrampf of rural Monona. Many of the blankets are pictured above with Cindy and will be given to young patients in ER, surgery and inpatient areas of the hospital. Many will also be offered for sale in the hospital gift case which is managed by the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Submitted photo.