Health

The number of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in this area has dwindled over the years as licensed EMTs have retired. Allamakee and northern Clayton Counties are fortunate to have many emergency response services, but nearly all of them are in need of more EMTs on their service to share the call time, ensuring local emergency services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

NICC will be offering a face-to-face EMT Class in Waukon beginning in January. This class is not offered locally each year, so the fact it will be held in Waukon is a convenience for those wishing to take the course with little travel time. This is a 138-hour course which will conclude in May. Registration for the class must be completed prior to the orientation night January 8.

November 5-11 is observed as National Radiologic Technologist Week. The Veterans Memorial Hospital Radiology Department radiologic technologists are all cross-trained in a wide variety of x-ray services.  One of them is on-call, 24 hours a day.

The department offers Mammography, CT scanning, MRI, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, Echocardiograms and Bone Densitometry, as well as all basic x-ray services. The x-ray equipment provides detailed pictures of all bones, plus fluoroscopy for pictures of organs inside the body.

X-rays taken at Veterans Memorial Hospital are able to be read by a radiologist 24 hours a day, seven days a week through Teleradiology, for quick interpretation, which can be especially helpful in the case of emergencies.

Those eligible and interested have until December 7 to enroll in or change Medicare drug plans for 2024 and are advised to not wait until the last minute. Remember, those who are on Medicare and don’t have drug coverage, or if the coverage they have is not as good as Medicare’s, they will face a penalty for each month they delay enrolling.

Those who have questions about Medicare drug coverage should call their local SHIIP counselor at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411. SHIIP volunteers are available to meet individually with anyone in the community who wishes to compare the Medicare Part D plans available for 2024.

Appointments are required. Call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411 to schedule an appointment. Anyone meeting with a SHIIP counselor will need to bring their Medicare card, current Part D plan card and a list of their medications from their pharmacy. SHIIP is a free, confidential service of the State of Iowa.

 The COVID vaccine is being offered in conjunction with flu shots at Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee Public Health. Flu shots are recommended for all those who have not yet received the vaccine, and they will be effective throughout the rest of the flu season.

According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, flu vaccines are proven to help prevent millions of illnesses and have been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor by 40-60%. COVID-19 vaccines help protect by creating an antibody response without having to experience potentially severe illness or post-COVID conditions.  Although it is still possible to get sick after being vaccinated, flu and COVID immunizations are proven to help prevent severe illness, which can be lifesaving.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy 2023 will  be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 10, 11, 12 and 13 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “Wishing You a Merry Grinchmas!”

Numerous decorated Christmas trees will be on display and this year’s event will again offer over 100 shopping opportunities on the silent auction.

The Friday evening “Tingle ‘N Mingle” will be held Friday, November 10 from 5-8 p.m. This event is a special opportunity to meet socially with friends and co-workers after work.  This year, much more hearty hors d’oeuvres, desserts, candies, breads and spirits will be served among the trees throughout the evening and will be catered by a variety of local businesses including Rhonda Stock, Tastefully Simple - Jan Baumler, Port Side in Harpers Ferry, Uptown Grill, Lid’s Restaurant and Fiesta Vallarta.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) administration staff continues to visit each Allamakee County community to offer a public forum to update the communities on hospital progress and offer a chance for public input.  

Last fall, residents of Allamakee County overwhelmingly voted to convert the hospital to a county facility. As the hospital was preparing for that county-wide vote, similar public forums were held. At those meetings, it was stated the hospital would do this every year in an effort to offer personal contact with the communities and offer an opportunity for feedback from the general public. These public forums last approximately one hour with a 45-minute presentation, then time for questions, feedback and input from those attending.

From the American Cancer Society and Veterans Memorial Hospital

Breast cancer is the leading cancer diagnosed in women in America. This year, more than 250,000 women will learn for the first time that they have this disease and more than 40,000 women will lose their lives. However, when breast cancer is detected early and treated promptly, suffering and ultimately the loss of life can be significantly reduced.

Women are encouraged to ask their doctors and other health care providers about mammography screening. Mammography (an x-ray picture of the breast) is the single most effective method to detect breast changes that may be cancer, long before physical symptoms of the disease can be seen or felt. Early detection, followed by up-to-date treatment, can provide women with better chances for long-term freedom from the disease. But mammography screening must be done routinely.

Did you know that one pint of whole blood can save up to three lives? The next blood drive will take place Thursday, November 2 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Blood drives are held every month in Waukon, allowing for more donors to give. Last month, 52 units of blood were collected in Waukon saving 156 lives.  LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) with its blood and blood products.

Anyone who lives to the age of 72 will have a 95% probability of needing blood or blood products at sometime in their life, so blood donors are greatly needed.

The local Grief Support Group will be holding its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Tuesday, November 7 at 5 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, 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. This grief support group usually meets the second Tuesday of each month at VMH in Waukon, except when they meet this first Tuesday of November.
 

Millions of people around the world are impacted by mental health issues, either directly or indirectly. For each individual living with a mental health condition there are also family members who are dealing with the challenges of support and care for these loved ones.

It can be hard to know what to do when experiencing a mental health challenge, but National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) can offer assistance to those who are in need. One function of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is to offer support for all those impacted by mental health conditions. National Alliance on Mental Illness offers support groups both for those who live with mental health conditions and the individuals who love those directly impacted.