Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital will sponsor a Babysitting Seminar Saturday, April 9. This class will be broken down into two different sessions to allow for better spacing of the students. The morning session will be held from 9 a.m. to Noon and the afternoon session from 1-4 p.m. The same information will be taught at both sessions, so students can sign- up for one session or the other.  A total of 20 students will be allowed in each session.

Both classes will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital. The entrance for the class will be the hospital shipping/receiving entrance located on the east side of the building near the MRI truck, across from the golf course. Signs will be posted.

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

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Gloria Jacobson by Betty White, in memory of Greg Thiele by Chuck and Lois Votsmier, in memory of Tanya Benda Schnuelle by Greg and Rosie Piggott, and in memory of Doris Walsh by Chuck and Lois Votsmier and Norb and Nola Palmer.

Memorials were also received in memory of Shirley Elliott by Leonard and Mary Althouse, Mary Ann Burke, Mary Cunningham, John and Denise Hager, Lollie Hirth, Gil and Sharon Hunstad, Clint and Dacia Johnson, Ardie Kuhse, Joyce Kuhse, Russ and Mary Jo Meyer, Maurice Mooney, Sigurd and Barb Ness, Ernie and Donnalee Osland, George Pickett, Dr. Dave and Joan Schwartz, Bill and Beth Shafer, Donelle Sherman, Linda Siegrist, Virgil and Debbie Thorstenson, Betty White, Arlen and Karlene Wonderlich, and John and Shelly Elliott.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions will be offering an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in Waukon beginning at the end of March. This 138-hour course will conclude near the end of July.

This will be an in-person class held right here locally in Waukon, which is a huge advantage to students attending in comparison to taking an online class.  NICC has received a grant to cover 70% of the tuition for this course, so generous tuition assistance is available, keeping the class costs under $400.

by Amy Rolfs, RN, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Veterans Memorial Hospital

Stress is a natural part of life. Short-term stress is useful for accomplishing difficult tasks, meeting deadlines, dealing with major life events, and is necessary for survival in life-threatening situations.

Chronic stress is not healthy. This kind of stress is the underlying level of stress that we feel throughout our day. Chronic stress can be caused by work pressures, family issues, financial difficulties, overextending ourselves, and the pressures of our fast-paced lives.

In a state of stress, our bodies release hormones that increase blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels. These hormones disrupt our immune system, digestion and reproductive system. They alter our mood, motivation and put us in a constant state of high alert.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health will continue to offer walk-in clinics for all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, each Friday afternoon, continuing through the entire month of March, from 1:30-3:45 p.m. in the ICN Conference Room located on the southeast side of the hospital. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available.

Parking is available by the orange cones along the golf course for easy access to the vaccine location. Flu shots will also be available and can be safely administered at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.   Be sure to wear a mask and bring your insurance card and vaccination card if you are coming for your second or booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Both Hartig Drug and Nightingale Pharmacy in Waukon have vaccine available for ages 12 and older. Parental/guardian consent is required. Call them ahead of time to schedule an appointment.

How many people know just how much blood is needed by certain patients? Here are some facts from the LifeServe Blood Center on the need for blood:

• 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 up to one to four units.
• Burn victims can use up to 20 units of platelets.
• Heart surgery patients can use up to three to eight units of red cells and one to 10 units of platelets.
• Organ transplant patients can use 10-30 units of blood.

Numerous memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Jerry Siegrist by Jim Klenske, Randy and Karen Loeb, Dave and Laurie Martin, JoAnn Peake, Jim and Linda Ryan, Angeline Schulte, Tom and Lynn Thomson, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Ron and Nancy Adam, Marilyn Anderson, Audrey Angel, Keith and Carol Bakkum, Brad and Erin Berns, Chuck and Maxine Bloxham, Ron and Nancy Brandt, Sandra Bresnahan, Gary and Karen Bristle, Wayne and Joan Burk, Jane Butler, Carl and Betty Christianson, Sheila Clair, Dave Davies, Betty Decker, Gayle and Carol Decker, Dave and Cheryl Duncklee, John and Shelly Elliott, Matt and Amy Garrett, Mike and Cindy Gibbs, Nan Grangaard, Lee and Gran Gruenhaupt, Jon and Amy Hagen, Dr.

Chest pain is a common complaint presented 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 in Waukon recently hired a new massage therapist who is working full-time hours at the hospital, allowing for massage times to be expanded and more readily available.

Shannon Bernatz, Licensed Massage Therapist, has joined the rehabilitation team at the hospital, working with Vicki Klepper, Licensed Massage Therapist and Reflexologist. Now massage therapy and reflexology services are again available five days a week at the hospital, including evening hours.

“I am so happy and honored to join the team here because of our patient-centered culture and reputation for excellence,” states massage therapist Bernatz. “We have such a wide reaching and important impact on our community and I am excited to bring my massage therapy skills to the community we serve.”