Health

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon Medical Clinic. The new clinic opened May 3, 2021, joining the Gundersen Waukon Clinic in providing accessible family health care so residents of northeast Iowa have the care they need when they need it. The statistics show, after just 11 months, the incredible need and impact of this new clinic.

As of March 31, 2022, over 7,211 patient visits to the clinic had been made. Scheduled adult preventative exams, such as annual physicals, Medicare annual wellness exams and new patient appointments to establish care with a provider totaled 780; well-child visits totaled 476, and 460 OB visits were made.

Those that needed to see a provider for an acute visit, for items such as sore throats, ear aches, pain, strains, stiches, etc., totaled 3,083 visits. In addition, 460 people were referred to a specialist and 118 referred to Veterans Memorial Hospital surgeons.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health are offering all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, plus the additional booster dose, at their weekly immunization clinics each Wednesday throughout the month of May. These vaccinations are by appointment only and are held each Wednesday afternoon, with extended hours available the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

These vaccinations are available at the main entrance of the hospital in the Meditation Healing Center.  To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination, in May and beyond, call Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care at 563-568-5660.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, May 19 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.
 

The local Grief Support Group will be holding its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon Tuesday, May 10, at 5 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital. Masks will be required. This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss, whether it be due to death, divorce, illness or some other grief.

Feel free to attend and bring a friend, and be sure to wear a mask. All attendees will be able to physically distance during the meeting.  This grief support meets the second Tuesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

One in seven people entering the hospital will need blood. Veterans Memorial Hospital invites the community to attend the next LifeServe Blood Center Blood Drive to be held Thursday, May 5, from 12-5 p.m., at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held once per month in Waukon. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with blood and blood products.

The LifeServe Blood Center is seeking donors to ensure a safe and plentiful blood supply in Iowa. Because there is no substitute for human blood, the need for donors is continuous.

Over half of the United States population is eligible to donate blood, yet less than four percent donate on a regular basis. A single donation of blood can be used to save up to three lives and help in treatment of cancer patients, accident victims, hemophiliacs and surgery patients. The LifeServe Blood Center is committed to serving the needs of Iowans by saving lives through volunteer blood donation.

by Caty Bruening, MT, Laboratory Supervisor

In most people’s opinion, having blood drawn is not the highlight of a doctor’s appointment, emergency room (ER) visit, or hospitalization; yet, lab results from these blood samples play a considerable role in the diagnosis and care plan of a patient’s health. It is said that 70% of a patient’s medical record is composed of lab results.

The laboratory technicians at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon consider themselves fortunate to collect blood, so that they can have that connection with patients that larger hospital laboratorians don’t experience. The lab staff at VMH ensure each blood draw is performed with care, comfort and quality in mind. However, the blood draw is only a small part in the series of the care given by a lab tech.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital’s “Family Wellness Fair” will finally return after three years and be held Wednesday, May 11, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Free health testing, exhibits and interactive activities will all be providing a complete evening of entertainment and education for families of all ages.

All those attending the fair are asked to enter through the new Veterans Memorial Hospital Medical Clinic entrance, then proceed through the various booths and displays, and exit the event at the main hospital entrance. Everyone will also be asked to wear a mask. Extra masks will be available at the main entrance, if needed.

This would be the 25th annual event sponsored by Veterans Memorial Hospital and will include many attractions for all ages. Everyone in the area communities is welcome to attend this free event.

by Tami Gebel, Occupational Therapist, Veterans Memorial Hospital

Springtime has finally arrived, and many people will be anxious to be out in the yard planting their gardens. Gardening can be a very rewarding hobby or pastime, even therapeutic to the mind and soul. However, when the physical tasks become too painful or difficult, many people find that having a garden is more of a chore.

Occupational therapists work daily with people to ensure that no matter the physical limitations, disabilities, disease, or injury that those people have, they can still participate in the activities that they love and enjoy. One of the roles of an occupational therapist is to develop strategies, compensations, or modifications so that people are not hindered by their aches, pains, or physical limitations in order to participate in their favorite activities.

Here are some tips to help make gardening less of a chore:

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health will be offering all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, plus the additional booster dose, at their weekly immunization clinics each Wednesday throughout the month of April. These vaccinations are by appointment only and are held each Wednesday afternoon, with extended hours available the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

These vaccinations will be available at the main entrance of the hospital in the Meditation Healing Center. To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination in April and beyond, call Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care at 563-568-5660.

Thanks once again to the efforts of the Christensen family, the second annual Julie Christensen Memorial Blood Drive will be held this Friday, April 29 at the Waukon Wellness Center from 1-5:30 p.m. in the Senior Center in cooperation with Life Serve Blood Center.

Julie Christensen was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia November 27, 2019 and was in the hospital until February 14, 2020. She was then able to come home for a short while before she was admitted back into the hospital March 7, 2020 for more chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor in Germany. It was a perfect match. Julie’s stem cells grafted well and she became Leukemia free. During this time, Julie received 45 units of blood and 38 units of platelets.