Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care has availabilities for immunizations which are now held on an appointment-only basis.  The walk-in immunization clinics remain on hold during COVID-19, but for those who want to call ahead and make an appointment, they can do so by calling 563-568-5660. When the appointment is made, instructions are given for the private location the immunizations will be administered.

With school right around the corner, the Community and Home Care public health office advises families to make their appointments now to be sure all needed immunizations are received before school begins. Immunizations are extremely important. They have eradicated Small Pox, eliminated polio from the Americas, and they have almost eliminated Tetanus, Diphtheria and Rubella.  Immunizations have also greatly reduced the occurrence of Measles, Pertussis and Meningitis.  Millions of deaths and other tragedies have also been prevented by vaccines.

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD

Many people are experiencing more worry and stress in their lives as they look for ways to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and the “new normal”. Unfortunately, a lot of those people may be turning to eating to fill the time and escape from the anxiety. Healthy eating and exercise plans have been replaced by comfort-foods and being more sedentary, as we absorb the daily news feed updates. It’s hard to cope with social-distancing from our loved ones, plus being bored and not wanting to reach for a favorite snack or two each day. While an occasional treat is usually not a problem, regular consumption can quickly add extra weight, as these processed foods are loaded with calories. Processed foods and baked goods increase stomach fat, because they create a yo-yo effect on a person’s blood sugar and insulin levels.

Veterans Memorial Hospital still encourages the continued use of face masks in the community, but urges all to wear them appropriately. Masks are extremely effective against the COVID-19 virus, but must be worn correctly to ward off the virus.

The following instructions from Johns Hopkins Medical Center give simple, effective rules for mask use.  First, hands must be cleaned just prior to putting on the mask, making sure to touch only the sides or bands of the mask with the hands - the front of a mask should never be touched. Hands should always be cleaned again after removing a mask. Masks must always cover both the mouth and the nose and fit under the chin.  Reusable masks must be laundered after each use in hot water and dried in a hot dryer.  Disposable masks should be thrown when they are visibly dirty or damaged.  Masks should also never be shared with another person.  Masks should be worn whenever around others in public places away from home.

The local Grief Support Group will again begin holding its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Tuesday, August 11, at 5 p.m. in the Meditation Room, 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, and be sure to wear a mask. All attendees will be able to physically distance during the meeting.  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 Margaret Blake by  Don and DiAnne Haler, Patsy Kerndt and Carl and Betty Christianson.

Memorials were also received in memory of both David Thorstenson and Wayne Thorstenson by Virgil and Debbie Thorstenson, Roger and Gloria Thorstenson, Sandra and Dennis Deal, Jan and Greg Gordon and Dawn and Todd Muhlbauer.

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Randy Huffey by family and friends of Randy Huffey, in memory of William “Bill” Evans by Delora and Monte Dundee, in memory of Eileen Osland Doubin by Ernie and Donnalee Osland, and in memory of Richard Clauson by Jean Huffey.

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 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.

Veterans Memorial Hospital continues to reopen outpatient services such as ultrasound, cardiac stress testing and all elective colonoscopies, mammograms, physical, occupational, speech and cardiac rehabilitation, respiratory therapy, laboratory testing, massage therapy, immunizations and sleep studies.

One local patient, Donna Odegaard of Waukon, has visited Veterans Memorial Hospital for a number of tests and services since the onset of COVID-19, and states she feels safe with every visit she makes.

Veterans Memorial Hospital still encourages the continued use of face masks in the community especially now with numbers of cases again on the rise.  Since the CDC does still recommend that face masks be worn, Veterans Memorial Hospital continues to require all staff, visitors and patients to wear masks at all times within the facility.

The hospital and area community offices are also in need of child-size masks.  Many adult masks are too large on children, so smaller masks made to fit a smaller child’s face are in need.  Veterans Memorial Hospital as well as the Waukon Economic Development, Lansing City Clerk Office, Postville City Clerk Office and Monona Chamber of Commerce are all accepting these homemade masks.

Masks can be dropped off at the following locations:

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, August 3, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the First Baptist Church located in south Waukon. Blood drives are held once a month in Waukon to allow for more donors to give.    The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

The local blood drives continue to be held during COVID-19 since the need for blood is in more demand than ever. Life Serve team members only report to work if they are healthy and only healthy donors are eligible to give blood. Blood drives are essential medical services and not considered mass gatherings. The number of donors is limited to ensure donor separation and staff has strict cleaning and disinfection schedules. Other measures are also in place to ensure the safety of the blood supply so these lifesaving donations can continue during COVID-19.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care has availabilities for immunizations which are now held on an appointment-only basis. During COVID-19, the walk-in immunization clinics will remain on hold, but for those that want to call ahead and make an appointment, they can do so by calling 563-568-5660. When the appointment is made, instructions are given for the private location where the immunizations will be administered.

With school right around the corner, the Community and Home Care public health office advises families to make their appointments now to be sure all needed immunizations are received before school begins.

Immunizations are extremely important. They have eradicated Small Pox, eliminated polio from the Americas, and they have almost eliminated Tetanus, Diphtheria and Rubella.  Immunizations have greatly reduced the occurrence of Measles, Pertussis and Meningitis.  Millions of deaths and other tragedies have been prevented by vaccines.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Alice Schlacke by Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Randy and Karen Loeb and Dave and Laurie Martin.

Memorials were also received in memory of Delores Walleser by Dave and Rita Newton, Diane Regan, Tharin and Bailey Meyer-Benson and Russ and Mary Jo Meyer.

Memorials in memory of Shirley Schulte were received on behalf of Cyril and Shirley Larkin, Tim and Sue Rose, George Pickett, and family and friends of Shirley Schulte.

In addition, memorials were also received in memory of Dorothy Cunningham by Mary Axmear, David and Suzanne Hahn, DVM, and family and friends of Dorothy Cunningham.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation.  The Foundation is a 501C3 organization.