Health

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, May 5, from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with blood and blood products. Here are some interesting blood facts:
• Every three seconds someone needs blood.
• Blood makes up about eight percent of a person’s body weight.
• Blood is needed every minute of every day; summer, winter, spring and fall.
• Scheduled surgeries are not canceled in Iowa because of a lack of blood, but it is a problem in other parts of the nation.
• Donating blood includes a health check for the donor (checking blood pressure, pulse, temperature and hemoglobin) prior to donating.
• There is absolutely no way to contract any disease from giving blood.
• Blood can be split into different components (red cells, platelets, plasma, and cryoprecipitate) and used to help different types of patients.

The Iowa Vaccines for Adults (VFA) Program offers zero-cost vaccines to eligible adults 19 years of age and older through a network of providers across the state. The VFA Program aims to remove cost as a barrier to access vaccines and increase adult vaccine coverage in Iowa.

The following vaccines are available through the program: COVID-19, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Human papillomavirus (HPV), Influenza, Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), Meningococcal, Polio, Pneumococcal, RSV, Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Tdap) and Varicella.

Eligible adults include those 19 years of age and older who are uninsured or underinsured; those who have insurance that does not cover vaccines, caps prevention services or does not provide first-dollar coverage for vaccines.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Iona Farley by Mary Cunningham, Sandy and Dennis Deal, Steve and Sheryl Evanson, Ann Fossum, Gary and Marlene Houg, Gil and Shari Hunstad, Dave and Gail Prestemon, Greg and Kim Schaller, Jerry and Marilyn Troendle,  Chuck and Lois Votsmier and Brian and Denise Wullner.

Memorials were also received in memory of Lollie Hirth by Joan Bieber, Mary Cunningham, Elden Dahl, Mary Fink, Gil and Shari Hunstad, JC and Natalie Kelly, Pat and Deb McGeough, Dennis and Carn Murphy, Nola Palmer, Dave and Gail Prestemon, John and Sheryl Prestemon, Meg Schaller, Linda Siegrist,  Beth and Bill Shafer, Betty Troendle, Chuck and Lois Votsmier and Brad and Erin Berns.

For a third year, Bandmates, Brothers and Friends (BBF) will reunite in Waukon for another night of musical entertainment to benefit the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation. Three members of the BBF band began this benefit three years ago to raise funds for the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in honor of their father, Dr. Bill Withers, who worked for 50 years as a local physician in this community.

Dr. Withers himself truly enjoyed these musical events the last two years as it allowed him to reconnect with so many of his former patients and their families.  Sadly, Dr. Withers passed away this past September at the age of 90, but his sons, Bill Jr., Jim and John, and the other band members all agreed to return this year to again benefit the hospital foundation, but also to celebrate the memory of their late father with the community.

by Caty Bruening, Laboratory Manager

April 21-25 is National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Lab is truly on the cutting edge of technology. The Lab recently purchased a new Hematology analyzer. Hematology is the study of blood cells and components. The most common Hematology test is the Complete Blood Count (CBC).

The CBC measures total white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and RBC indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW). RBC indices are used to indicate RBC average size, variation in size, and hemoglobin capacity/concentration. A WBC differential, often referred to as a “Diff” is also commonly ordered. A Diff provides a count of each of the five different white blood cells: neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, basophil and eosinophil.

by Tami Gebel, OTR/L

Have you ever sprained your ankle, hurt your back, or bumped your elbow, and months later you think, “Why does that still hurt?”   Over 130 million Americans report chronic pain, which means that chronic pain is more prevalent than cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

The definition of chronic pain is a continuous or recurrent unpleasant sensory and emotional experience that lasts three to six months beyond an injury or damage to body tissue. Chronic pain can cause decreased strength and coordination.  Chronic pain can also cause depressed mood, sleep disturbance, decreased activity level, family and spouse issues, and increased financial burdens. A person with chronic pain may experience a slow deterioration in ability to function at home and work, may no longer seek out social activities, and rely more on the health care system. Overall, the quality of life of a person with chronic pain diminishes over time.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, May 5, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the First Baptist Church located in south Waukon. Blood drives are held the first Monday of each month in Waukon. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and 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.

by Carol Gaunitz, RN, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
 
April is Sexual Asssault Awareness Month. Every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.

At Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH), we have specially trained nurses who can provide confidential, compassionate, holistic care and support after a sexual assault. Exams are free of charge and can include a head-to-toe exam to look for injuries, medication to treat and prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy and forensic evidence collection. Patients can participate in as much or as little of the exam as they choose.

Every three years, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) is required to survey the residents of Allamakee County and the surrounding area served by the hospital to collect a list of the health needs the residents feel are most important or unmet.  Community Health Needs Assessments gather information to help guide and direct health planning activities.  Information from this survey is compiled and used to update and improve the health plan for this entire service area of the hospital.

Veterans Memorial Hospital is conducting this survey from now through May 15. The hospital encourages everyone to take a few minutes to complete this important survey so the results can be used to develop a plan to address the outlined health needs.

National Infant Immunization Week is observed April 21-28 this year, highlighting the importance of protecting children two years of age and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases.  The Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations. On-time vaccination is critical to provide protection against potentially life-threatening diseases.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community & Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health and Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Waukon and Postville Clinics remind parents of the importance of ensuring children - including those age two years and under - stay up to date on checkups and routine vaccinations.