Health

from the American Cancer Society

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s 22nd annual Three Person Best-Shot Golf Tournament will be held Monday, June 22 at the Waukon Golf and Country Club beginning with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.
Thanks to Wade Bucknell and Andy Moore, agents of Farm Bureau Financial Services, Waukon, the first person to hit a hole in one during the first round at the tournament will win a new Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Also, thanks to Waukon Implement, anyone hitting a hole in one during the second round of the tournament will win a new John Deere riding lawn mower. As always, many other gifts and prizes will be awarded to all the golfers participating.
Teams of three will play 18 holes of golf. Breakfast rolls, lunch and dinner and prizes for everyone are all provided. All those interested are asked to pre-register their team by calling the Waukon Golf and Country Club at 563-568-9939.

Parents can do more to ensure that accidents don’t become a part of their children’s childhood memories.  One way to start is by having 6 to 14 year-old children attend the Veterans Memorial Hospital Safety Day Camp to be held Thursday, June 11 at the Allamakee Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The day camp is designed to increase children’s awareness of a wide variety of safety and farm hazards, as well as providing them with hands-on first aid training to help themselves or someone else survive an accident should one occur.

Individual topics covered at this year’s safety camp will include the following:
• ATV and motorcycle safety
• Farm equipment safety
• Grain bin safety
• Electrical safety
• Lawnmower, chainsaw and pinch point safety
• Internet and social networking safety
• First aid
• Healthy food and food safety
• Large and small animal safety
• Bike rodeo.

 The 18th annual Family Wellness Fair was held Wednesday, May 13 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Over 425 individuals attended the wellness fair and enjoyed all the information and activities provided by over 45 agencies and businesses that serve Allamakee and northern Clayton counties.  

Pictured is Mrs. Kelly’s Kindergarten class from St. Patrick School in Waukon and Mrs. Welsh’s Kindergarten class from West Elementary in Waukon in the X-ray room at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Each year, Machelle Bulman, RN, Education Coordinator at VMH, gives every Kindergarten class in the area a tour of the hospital. During these tours, the students become familiar with many hospital services. The tours include the Emergency Rooms, viewing films in the X-ray rooms, viewing the newborn babies in the Maternity Services Nursery, visiting the Rehabilitation Department and taking a short ride in the ambulance. Submitted photo.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be hosting the Safety Day Camp for children ages 6 to 14 Thursday, June 11 at the Allamakee Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The camp is open to all children in the area. This safety camp will offer instruction in many areas that effect a child’s life.
According to Jeff Mitchell, EMS Coordinator, and coordinator of this event, children often see the outdoors as an exciting playground providing endless hours of fun and adventure. But the great outdoors can set the stage for tragedy.

It is the right of the patient to choose the medical care they wish in any situation, even when the patient is too sick or hurt to tell their family members or their physician. The way to ensure the correct healthcare wishes are carried out is to complete an Advance Directive. Advance Directives include: Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare and/or a Living Will.
1. In order to have an Advance Directive the patient will need to discuss their wishes with their family and physician. An Advance Directive can be made in writing or orally, but putting the plan in writing will help the family and physician understand patient’s wishes.

The 18th annual Family Wellness Fair will be held Wednesday, May 13 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Free health testing, exhibits and healthy snacks will provide a complete evening of entertainment and education for families of all ages. Everyone in the area communities is welcome to attend this free event, sponsored by Veterans Memorial Hospital.

by Tami Gebel, OTR/L, Veterans Memorial Hospital Occupational Therapist
 
Lymphedema is the chronic or persistent swelling of a body part due to an obstruction of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system lies underneath the skin and works closely with the blood circulation system as it transports fluids throughout the body to lymph nodes. While in the lymph nodes, the fluid is “cleaned” of bacteria, viruses, and other unwanted materials. The “clean” fluid is then sent to the blood and re-circulated throughout the body. Lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic system is damaged and unable to move the fluid, therefore the fluid collects in the body part and swelling develops. Damage to the lymphatic systems occurs when there is surgery, mastectomy, lymph node removal, radiation, or injury to skin tissue (such as a burn).

The Rehabilitation Department at Veterans Memorial Hospital is providing Astym treatment technique for patients who have experienced a traumatic or overuse injury resulting in chronic pain, weakness, and limited motion. Astym is an evidence-based treatment technique  developed by physicians and therapists at Ball Memorial Hospital, Ball State University, Purdue University and Central Indiana Orthopedics and Sports Medicine.
Tami Gebel, Occupational Therapist at Veterans Memorial Hospital, is certified to perform Astym treatments on individuals who have experienced an injury in the past and had minimal success at getting rid of the pain, had a lingering achiness, weakness, or limited ability to complete daily activities and sports.