Health

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, July 6 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 products.

Blood centers across the United States see a decrease in blood donations during the busy summer months. During the summer, people become more active, have busier schedules, spend more time outdoors and take vacations. While donations decline, hospitals see an increase in the need for blood. More driving can mean more automobile accidents. A person who has suffered severe injuries from an automobile accident can need up to 50 units of blood.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, July 10, and will continue those classes 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 will be offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc.) Monday, July 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required. For more information and to register for the “Health Care Provider” CPR Course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Calvin Shindoll by Al and Jeanne Stein, Tom and Karen Regan, Dale and Virginia Kurth, Leotia Flage, Patsy Kerndt, Mary Fink, Mary Ann Hager, Dr. Bill and Libby Withers, Nona Hansmeier, Rick and Cathy Larson, Connie Hansmeier, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Charlotte Reeder, Jim and Eli Klenske, and Brad and Erin Berns.

Memorials were also received in memory of Fred Miller by Dianne Rissman, Marcella Selberg, Larry and Jane Lamborn, Larry and Nancy Straate, Gayle Larkin, and Dan and Traci Byrnes.
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.

In lieu of exchanging gifts at Christmas time this past holiday, the students at St. Patrick School all chose to donate an item for a new family in honor of Jesus’ birthday. Many packages of diapers, infant clothing, toys and supplies were all collected and divided into the family baby bundles pictured above. The school then donated these goods to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon for families who may have quickly arrived at the hospital without everything they need or other families who could benefit from these items. Pictured above, left to right, is Amy Bowden, RN, Maternity Services Supervisor, with the St. Patrick School students who delivered the special, generous gift, including Claire Schulte, Eva Whalen and Garner Lange. Submitted photo.
 

For those who may not know how much blood is needed by certain patients, here are some facts from the LifeServe Blood Center:

• Cancer patients can use up to eight units of blood a month.
• Bone Marrow Transplant patients can use up to two units a day.
• Cardiovascular Surgery patient can use between two and 25 units.
• Liver Transplant patients can use up to 100 units.
• Auto/Trauma Accident patients can use from five to 100 units.
• Premature infants can use from one to four units.
• Burn victims can use up to 20 units of platelets.
• Heart surgery patients can use up to four to eight units of red cells and one to 10 units of platelets.
• Organ transplant patients can use 10-30 units of blood.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, July 6 from 12:30-5 p.m. The blood drive will be held at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. 

from the American Institute for Cancer Research and Veterans Memorial Hospital

Most skin cancers are linked to sun exposure, a risk factor that almost everyone can control by heeding a few common-sense precautions. While many have seen or heard these “sun safety” tips before, the fact remains that there will be approximately one million new cases of  skin cancer this year in America. This means that not everyone’s listening yet.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, July 10, and will continue those classes 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 will be offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc.) Monday, July 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required. For more information and to register for the “Health Care Provider” CPR Course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Helen Storbeck by family and friends of Helen Storbeck; in memory of Dan Otting by Carl and Betty Christianson and Dave and Laurie Martin, and in memory of Erma Williams by Carl and Betty Christianson, Rick and Cathy Larson, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Jim and Patty Clarke, Brian and Denise Wullner, Bob and Marilyn Bulman, Mary Schulte, Dave and Laurie Martin, and the family of Erma Williams.

Memorials were also received in memory of Don Leppert by Randy and Janice Ellis, Bob and Marilyn Bulman and Dave and Laurie Martin; in memory of Rosie Smith by Kevin and Kathy Stanford; and in memory of Ellen Thiele by Betty White.

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Remington (Remi) Whalen by Kennedee Pearson and Brad and Erin Berns and in memory of Margaret Eaton by Bob and Marilyn Bulman.