Health

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Tuesday, February 12 at 5 p.m. in the Education Conference Room.

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 meets the second Tuesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, February 21 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room 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 next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, February 4 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held every month in Waukon. The LifeServe Blood Center of Iowa supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

The LifeServe Blood Center of Iowa 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. Many Iowans are encouraged to make donating blood on a regular basis their New Year’s resolution this year.

The local Caregiver Support Group meets monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  The meetings take place the third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The next meeting will be held Monday, February 18 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the ICN 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 meets the third Monday of each month at VMH.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will again be offering a pain control presentation for the public January 23 and 24. Dr. Dave Schwartz will be hosting these informative pain control presentations which will both detail the two new pain control options he offers at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Both presentations will include the same information but are being offered on two different days at different times to try to suit more schedules.

The Wednesday, January 23 presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital. The Thursday, January 24 presentation will begin at 10 a.m. and will also be held in the hospital’s Large Conference Room.

Individuals can make a difference by making a life-saving blood donation at the next Waukon Community Blood Drive. The next blood drive will take place Monday, February 4 from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Donating blood is safe, simple and it saves lives.  Blood donors have a unique opportunity to contribute to their community by making a life-saving blood donation.  Everyone who registers to donate blood goes through four simple steps during the donation process: registration, donor history and mini-physical, blood donation and snacks.

New blood donors who are not familiar with the blood donation process are encouraged to ask questions before, during and after their blood donation. Below are a few tips for ensuring a successful donation:

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Mary McCabe by Mary Waters and Cori Waters and in memory of Herb Schmidt by Gladwin and Darlene Anderson, Dean and Juanita Thorstenson, Roy and Vicki Shurtleff, Dennis and Sandy Deal, Jan Pfiffner, Trish Holt, Roger and Vicki Gamm and Torrie and Jessie Moses.

Memorials were also received in memory of Clara Ebner by Leotia Flage, Robert and Linda Lawrence, Lyle and Cindy Leikvold, Marlys Leiran, Betty White, Marcella Selbert and Jane Dietrich.

In addition, a donation was received from Gary and Connie Tilleros in honor of David and Suzanne Hahn’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Memorials are 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 Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.
 

The dry air experienced during the winter months is an integral factor in creating dry skin problems. Heating systems to warm homes and offices, most commonly forced-air heat, wrings even more moisture out of the already dry air. This dry air can take moisture right out of the skin and causes the top layer, which is made up of dead skin cells, to flake.

What can a person do?

1. Use a cool mist vaporizer or humidifier to replace the moisture in the air. Fewer static electricity shocks will be given off of light switches, and clothes, especially sweaters, won’t crackle or stick to the body.

Exercising is important to do all year around. One should not feel that they need to stay indoors to exercise during cold weather. A good workout outdoors in the winter can be very exhilarating. Just follow the steps below for keeping it a safe outdoor winter work-out:

- Warm up longer than usual before heading outdoors in cold weather.
- Keep skin dry. This in turn will keep the exerciser warmer.
- Dress accordingly using many layers. Be sure that the outer layer will break the wind. Add a fluffy layer, like fleece or wool, to trap heat in. And long underwear is good to keep the skin dry.
- Always wear a hat to prevent heat loss through the top of the head.
- Wear mittens instead of gloves to allow air to circulate better between the fingers, keeping the hands warmer.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will again be offering a pain control presentation for the public January 23 and 24. Dr. Dave Schwartz will be hosting these informative pain control presentations which will both detail the two new pain control options he offers at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Both presentations will include the same information, but are being offered on two different days at different times to try to suit more schedules.

The Wednesday, January 23 presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital. The Thursday, January 24 presentation will begin at 10 a.m. and will also be held in the hospital’s Large Conference Room.