Health

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, October 5, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. 

The local Grief Support Group will again be holding their monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Thursday, October 1, from 5-6 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital. Nancy Haberichter will be facilitating the meeting.

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 will continue meeting the first Thursday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

An open house will be hosted Thursday, September 24, for all area communities to attend at the new Postville Medical Clinic. The clinic will then open for patients the following Monday, September 28. Postville Clinic staff will host the open house from 4:30-6:30 p.m.  The new Postville Clinic is located in the former Upper Explorerland building at 134 West Greene Street, right next door to the current clinic location.   

Postville Clinic Trivia and giveaways will be offered throughout the night, along with complimentary blood pressure checks, blood sugar/diabetes tests and hemoglobin tests, all with immediate results. In addition, flu shots will also be offered for all adults attending the open house which is planned during the final Postville Farmer’s Market event for the season.

Tours of the new facility will be given by the clinic staff including Medical Assistants Selena Perez and Sandy Lopez, and Alisha Henderson, RN. 

September is Pain Awareness Month. Many individuals suffer from ongoing pain, thinking it will eventually go away, or that there are no options other than surgery.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) began offering a Pain Management Clinic to the area communities nearly two years ago, which continues to be a successful option in treating ongoing pain.

Shawn Blake, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, originally of Dorchester, began offering his services to provide relief for patients with chronic pain, in October 2024, just one day per month. That demand quickly grew to two days per month and now will be offered three days per month.

The local Grief Support Group will again be holding their monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Thursday, October 1, from 5-6 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital. Nancy Haberichter will be facilitating the meeting.

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 will continue meeting the first Thursday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital’s annual Pillow Perk will return Monday, October 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Lower Level of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH). Kraft Pillow Service will be on site to make old pillows look like new.

Everyone is encouraged to bring in their feather pillows to the Pillow Perk to be cleaned, sanitized and given new ticking. Foam and Dacron pillows may also be renovated by this process. People are also encouraged to bring in their feather beds and have them made into new pillows. The pillows are cleaned and renovated the same day and ready for pick up by 3 p.m. 

For more information, feel free to call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, October 5, from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Connection supports emotional well-being throughout life. Social support may help protect against suicide by reducing isolation and strengthening a person’s sense of belonging, value and resilience during difficult times.

Changes in health, mobility, hearing, vision, relationships and daily routines can make it harder for some older adults to maintain regular social contact. Consistent, thoughtful outreach can help them remain involved in family and community life.

Consider one way to connect this week:
• Call an older relative, friend or neighbor.
• Share a meal or cup of coffee.
• Offer transportation to an appointment or activity.
• Extend an invitation to a community event.
• Help someone find a senior center, volunteer opportunity, faith community or support group.

This Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, choose one person and make a plan to stay connected.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Louise Ellingson by Marsha Bergan, Karen Bergan and Dennis Norden, Jim and Patty Clarke, Dave and Jan Cronin, Gordon Ellingson Family, Robert and Jan Ellingson, Kathy and Rick Gloede, Shawn and Cindy Hayme, Travis and Linda Hughes, John and Charlene Loven, Mike and Sue McMillan, Tim and Vicky Phipps, Daryl and Pam Steiber, Linda Thompson and Gary and Connie Tilleros.

Memorials were also received in memory of Richard “Dick” Christianson by Ron and Nancy Adam, Carl and Betty Christianson and Pat Pettingill; in memory of Colonel Jean Gray by Cherie White; in memory of Marian Hesla by an anonymous donor, Carl and Betty Christianson, Diane Regan and Joann Spear; in memory of Floyd Ingles by Jim and Jill Kiesau; and in memory of Merrill and Marlys Jacobs by Joan and Scott Schmidt.

The new Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Medical Clinic-Postville will be opening Monday, September 28.  An open house will be hosted by the clinic staff Thursday, September 24, just a few days before opening day.  All area communities are invited to attend the open house from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The new Postville Clinic is located in the former Upper Explorerland building at 134 West Green Street, next door to the current clinic location.

Veterans Memorial Hospital credits the numerous donors to this project, surpassing the goal of $200,000, which made this dream a reality.