Health

The LifeServe Blood Center reported yet another very successful blood drive held in Waukon Monday, August 3. Every blood drive held in Waukon since the start of COVID-19  has successfully recruited many first-time donors who are all encouraged to continue giving blood regularly. A total of 38 units were collected and seven new donors joined the donor list. The 43 units of collected blood will save 129 lives.

The local blood drives will continue during COVID-19 since the need for blood does not stop. Life Serve team members only report to work if they are healthy and only healthy donors are eligible to give blood. Blood drives are essential medical services and not considered mass gatherings. The number of donors is limited to ensure donor separation and staff has strict cleaning and disinfection schedules. Other measures are also in place to ensure the safety of the blood supply so these lifesaving donations can continue during COVID-19.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation annual Three Person Best-Shot Golf Tournament that was scheduled for June 22 has been restructured for this unprecedented year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Foundation has partnered with the Waukon Golf and Country Club to offer an alternative “COVID-Classic” tournament which includes a round of 18 holes of golf and a $10 drink voucher to use anytime between now and October 15 of this year, 2020.

Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer and often celebrated with barbecues and road trips. Motorists should be aware as they hit the highways that the Labor Day holiday weekend is one of the deadliest times of the year in terms of drunk-driving fatalities.

During the 2018 Labor Day holiday period (August 31-September 4), there were 439 traffic fatalities nationwide. Forty-three percent of those fatalities involved drivers who had been drinking and more than one-third (38%) of the fatalities involved drivers who were over the legal limit. Ultimately, drinking and driving is a choice that puts all road users at risk.

It is imperative that everyone does their part to end drunk and drugged driving. Remember that it is never okay to drink/drug and drive. Even if planning to have only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or use a ride serve to get home safely.

Three Veterans Memorial Hospital staff members studying nursing have each been awarded a $3,500 scholarship from the Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation (IHERF), which is supported by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). These three staff members, who are also current students, include Morgan Van Ruler, a nursing student at Viterbo University; Tyler O’Neill, a nursing student at the University of Iowa; and Jayne McCormick,  who is already an RN and is now achieving her bachelor’s degree from Mt. Mercy University.

These three staff members are among 62 outstanding students from all over Iowa who have received assistance this year from the IHERF Health Care Careers Scholarship Program.

The children of Harold and Margaret Halverson recently donated an automatic defibrillator to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Margaret’s memory. Margaret utilized the hospital facility and services numerous times over the years. This defibrillator is located on the lower level of the hospital for easy accessibility to all the meeting rooms and the dining area located in the hospital. Pictured, left to right, are Mark Halverson, Mary Jo Meyer, Margie Sommers, Cindy Butikofer and Greg Halverson. Submitted photo.
 

Due to COVID-19 and the postponement of Waukon Corn Days, Veterans Memorial Hospital will not be holding its 27th annual 5K Walk/Run this year. But the hospital staff has marked the route that curves around the city for anyone in the community to enjoy at any time.

The first distance offered on the route is a 1.5-mile loop around the hospital campus and golf course.  Participants may choose to return to the hospital at that point, or go the entire distance of the 5K or 3.1 miles that will continue around the city streets of Waukon before returning to the hospital campus.

Maps of the 5K route and the alternative 1.5-mile route are available at the main entrance of the hospital along with participant goodie bags. The routes start and end at the south side of the hospital along the Gundersen Clinic parking lot. The entire route is clearly marked with arrows and the word “5K” all in brightly colored paint.

Veterans Memorial Hospital continues to be appreciative of the outpouring of community support  in making and donating face masks for patients and staff. With the reopening of some elective procedures, the hospital is requesting more donations, if possible.

Face masks are required for all patients and visitors at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Everyone is asked to wear a mask when they enter the facility. If they do not have a mask already, they are given one of these reusable masks to wear each time they return to the hospital. With the limited supply of masks, it is requested the patients and visitors take their masks home and launder them in hot water and dry them in a hot dryer, then wear them over and over again.

The regular Caregiver Support Group meetings held monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital have been canceled due to the COVID-19 virus.  However, this support group is now being held through conference calls. Northeast Iowa Agency on Aging is offering weekly Caregiver Support Group conference calls every Monday from 10-11 a.m.

To join a call, just dial 1-800-264-8432. Then enter the participant code 961847# to then be connected to the support group conference call, joining other caregivers.

Memorials were received by Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Ele Klenske by Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Carl and Betty Christianson, Dave and Laurie Martin, Marv and Marge Strike, Gwenn Bray, Mary Ann Hager, David and Suzanne Hahn, DVM, Bill Withers, MD, Bob and Marilyn Bulman, Arlen and Karlene Wonderlich, DVM, Jim and Helen Johnson, Jane Dietrich, Jim and Jill Kiesau, Bev Shafer, Bob and Joy Hansmeier, Jack and Denise Hager, Viv Andregg, family and friends of Ele Klenske.

Memorials were also received in memory of Pat  Sander by Dave and Laurie Martin, Mary Ann Hager, Bev Shafer and Jerry and Linda Siegrist.

Memorials and donations are appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, which 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.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care has availabilities for immunizations which are now held on an appointment-only basis.  The walk-in immunization clinics remain on hold during COVID-19, but for those who want to call ahead and make an appointment, they can do so by calling 563-568-5660. When the appointment is made, instructions are given for the private location the immunizations will be administered.

With school right around the corner, the Community and Home Care public health office advises families to make their appointments now to be sure all needed immunizations are received before school begins. Immunizations are extremely important. They have eradicated Small Pox, eliminated polio from the Americas, and they have almost eliminated Tetanus, Diphtheria and Rubella.  Immunizations have also greatly reduced the occurrence of Measles, Pertussis and Meningitis.  Millions of deaths and other tragedies have also been prevented by vaccines.