Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital dietitians will be offering a new eight-week weight loss class beginning in January that will teach the healthy lifestyle choices needed to lose the weight for good.  The key to permanent weight loss is to adopt new daily choices that, with consistent repetition, become habits. That is why the hospital offers the Healthy Lifestyles Weight Loss Class, which is open to anyone in the area communities of any age. The class will be offered Mondays from 5:30-6:45 p.m. starting January 15 running through March 5.

A free, introductory class will be held Monday, January 8 starting at 5:30 p.m. Anyone can hear more about the program and see if they wish to sign up for the eight-week program, beginning the following Monday.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, January 8. The classes will continue for two more consecutive Monday evenings, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in three sessions that allow the expectant parents to choose which topics they wish to learn more about. They may choose to attend one, two or all three sessions.  Session 1 covers labor, delivery and the postpartum period following delivery; Session 2 includes relaxation, breathing and pain management; and Session 3 covers infant care. Tours of the OB Department are available with each session as well.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Diana Ward by Dave and Laurie Martin, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Scott and Jill Manning, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Penny Wheeler, Steve and Becky Welper, Karen Kerndt, Bernard Welsh, Mike and Linda Ferring, Ken and Diane Butikofer, Ken and Shirley O’Hara, Brad and Erin Berns, Dan and Sharon Cunningham, Russ and Mary Jo Meyer, Mary Kay Anderson and Mae Jean Bakke.

Memorials were also received in memory of Deloris Topel by Gladwin and Darlene Anderson and Dave and Laurie Martin, in memory of Cindy Ward Skags by Dr. Bill and Libby Withers, in memory of Clark Snitker by Jim and Bev Larson-Needham and Robert and Kristi Campbell, and in memory of Lisa Schreiber by Mary Anne Otting.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Monona Clinic opened its doors in mid September with Dr. Andrea Venteicher as the sole medical provider. The Monona Clinic has now announced that Krista Begalske, ARNP, Nurse Practitioner, has joined the practice and has begun seeing patients at the clinic as well.

Krista is originally from the St. Olaf area and attended Central Community High School in Elkader. She went on to study nursing at Allen College in Waterloo. She continued on and achieved her nurse practitioner degree and license and has been working at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo for the last few years. Krista, her husband, Eric, and their young son recently moved back to northeast Iowa so Krista could begin practicing family medicine at the Monona Clinic.

The holidays, usually a time of celebration with family and friends, can be an especially difficult time after the loss of a loved one. “If you’ve lost someone close to you, recognize that the holidays can intensify your feelings of grief and loss,” says Erica Krause-Wagner, FNP, nurse practitioner at the Gundersen Lansing Clinic. “Grief is a natural process, but don’t let it isolate you, especially during the holidays. Instead of avoiding celebrations, surround yourself with family and friends, and continue holiday traditions or begin new traditions.”

Grief is different for everyone and for every situation. According to Krause-Wagner, “There is no set timeline for grief or set stages. It is more like a roller coaster of emotions including shock, disbelief, denial, anger, sadness and guilt.”

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, January 8, continuing for two more consecutive Monday evenings beginning at 6 p.m. in the Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in three sessions that allow the expectant parents to choose which topics they wish to learn more on. They may choose to attend one, two or all three sessions.  Session 1 covers labor, delivery and the postpartum period following delivery; Session 2 includes relaxation, breathing and pain management; and Session 3 covers infant care.  Tours of the OB Department are available with each session as well.

Veterans Memorial Hospital, in cooperation with Northeast Iowa Community College Business and Community Solutions, will be offering an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in Waukon through video conferencing being broadcast from Calmar. This 138-hour course will begin Thursday, January 4 at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW.

Areas of study include an introduction to emergency medical services systems, roles and responsibilities of EMTs, anatomy and physiology, medical emergencies, trauma, special considerations for working in the pre-hospital setting, and providing patient transportation.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reminds Iowans that an annual flu vaccination is the best way to protect them and their loved ones from the flu. As people gather together for holiday meals and parties, they’re more likely to spread illness around. Receiving the flu vaccine will help everyone stay healthy to enjoy all the festivities.

This is especially important during family gatherings that infants, those with chronic diseases, or elderly individuals might attend. Infants younger than six months of age are not old enough to receive the influenza vaccine, so they are at a higher risk of catching the flu from someone else and they have the highest chance of being hospitalized if they get ill. Anyone with flu-like symptoms during the holidays must stay home and away from others.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Curtis Kruger by Duane and Sue Vorseth and Mary Fink, in memory of Gene Wilder by Hannah and Brandon Teslow and in memory of Earl and Vivian Iverson by Dave and Laurie Martin, Robert and Kristi Campbell and Dan and Sharon Iverson.

Memorials were also received in memory of Gary Nolting by the Bernard Welsh Family, in memory of Loren Bulman by Jerry and Linda Siegrist, in memory of Tom Duggan by Mae Jean Bakke, and in memory of Verdon “Bud” Swenson by Larry and Jane Lamborn, Mary Ann Hager and Larry and Nancy Straate.

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.
 

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Wednesday, December 13 at 2 p.m.

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 meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.