Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care, formerly Allamakee County Public Health, would like to invite anyone in the Allamakee County community to take a survey for Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and Health Improvement Plan (HIP) assessment.  This plan is a report documenting a community-wide effort to assess Allamakee County’s health needs and decide how to meet them.

Christmas Fantasy decorators are needed to decorate trees, miniature trees, doors, gift baskets, centerpieces and tables at the 2015 Christmas Fantasy in Waukon. This year’s theme is “Ring In The Holidays” and will be held  Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 13, 14, 15 and 16 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon.
The event will be organized by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation members including Kevin Hanson, President; Wayne Burk, Vice President; Amy Coté-Hill, Secretary; Nancy Schoh, Treasurer; Sue Blagsvedt, Jane Dietrich, Gloria Krambeer, Jackie Halverson, Ardie Kuhse, Craig Lensing, Dennis Lyons, Ann Roed, Nona Sawyer, Randy Hesse and Bill Shafer, with additional assistance from Pat Pettingill, Kim Sylvester, Julie Thompson and Karen Swenson.

The Radiology Department at Veterans Memorial Hospital now has extended hours into the evening to allow for more mammogram appointments to be scheduled after work, making the option of mammography more accessible.
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 can be seen or felt. Early detection, followed by up-to-date treatment, provides women with better chances for long-term freedom from the disease. But mammography screening must be done routinely.

The 2015 Christmas Fantasy theme is “Ring In the Holidays” and will be held  Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 13, 14, 15 and 16 at the Allamakee Fairgrounds Pavilionin Waukon. Decorators are asked to begin thinking about this year’s event. Many decorators are needed to decorate trees, miniature trees, doors and tables, centerpieces and gift baskets, as well as donate quilted items, for the 2015 Christmas Fantasy.
Christmas tree decorators decorate an artificial tree for display during the Fantasy and are able to take their items back home with them after the event. Many other decorated, crafted or quilted items are offered for sale by silent auction and may also include gift baskets.
This event is planned and sponsored by the Veterans Memorial Hospital Health Care Foundation. Anyone interested in being a part of the 2015 Christmas Fantasy may call Gloria Krambeer at 563-568-3182.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital together with Elliott Jewelers of Waukon will be hosting the 11th annual Women’s Health Day wellness event and luncheon  Tuesday, September 29 at the Waukon Banquet Center. All ages are invited to attend any part of this educational event, beginning at 11 a.m. with a wellness fair offering a variety of free health tests and information and a salad luncheon and program held from noon to 1 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will again be holding its regular weekend clinics over the Labor Day holiday weekend. The special Labor Day weekend clinics will be held Saturday, Sunday and Monday, September 5, 6 and 7 from 1 to 5 p.m. each day for all non-emergencies.
Weekend Clinics are held every Saturday and Sunday at Veterans Memorial Hospital, all year round, from 1-5 p.m. each day for non-emergencies. Non-emergencies are considered ailments that could be seen by a physician in a clinic and do not require an emergency room visit, such as minor injuries, sore throats and/or ear aches that cannot wait until regular clinic business hours. These weekend clinics save families the cost of regular emergency room fees on the weekends when the other local clinics are closed.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital 5K Cardiac Classic Run/Walk was held Saturday, August 15 in conjunction with Waukon’s Corn Days festivities. Pictured above are the overall winning males from Saturday’s race, including, front row, left to right: Cory Stika (23:34), Zach McCann (18:51), Brock Berns (21:43), Isaac Fink (20:01), Nate Helgerson (20:34), Austin Day (overall male winner in 18:42), Ben Stenseth (34:03) and Matt Stenseth (25:59). Back row, left to right: Tony Vondra (27:25), Kim Wander (23:35), Dan Byrnes (24:50), Mike Regan (29:06), Scott Houg (22:31), James Stenseth (24:37), Jeremy Stenseth (24:35) and Ryan Guyer (30:33).

 Veterans Memorial Hospital Administrator Mike Myers, RN, was informed recently that the Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare has made the decision to discontinue water births. This decision also affects Veterans Memorial Hospital locally as the Waukon Mayo Clinic physicians are the ones who deliver babies in the birthing tub at the hospital.
In an August 12 news release, Mayo stated this decision follows a joint opinion issued by the American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which, in brief, indicates underwater deliveries should only be done in the context of a clinical trial.  

Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Radiology Department has announced the hospital is now offering appointments for MRI testing every Monday through Friday. Formerly, the service was available just two days per week, but as of July 1, these services are  available every weekday by appointment and for emergencies as available.
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a way of obtaining very detailed images of organs and tissues throughout the body without the need for x-rays or “ionizing” radiation. Instead, MRI uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves, rapidly changing magnetic fields, and a computer to create images that show whether or not there is an injury, disease process or abnormal condition present.

There never seems to be enough hours in a day, but in those few hours we are loaded with deadlines, responsibilities, errands and expectations. With stress weighing us down, our daily tasks get harder and harder to handle. Like a heavy backpack weighing us down, getting heavier as the day goes on. Fortunately, there are four steps to help reduce stress and help to cope with the inevitable stressors of everyday life.
Avoid: Believe it or not, it is possible to escape some of the minor stressors that tend to trouble us.
• Take control of the stress that fills your day.
• If the drive home is stressful, try buying a new CD to make the commute more enjoyable.
• If a coworker is constantly irritating you, create physical distance between the two of you.
• Say no when necessary.
Alter: Communication and letting people know where you stand can make a world of difference.