Health

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation 2024 Christmas Fantasy will be themed, “Gnome for the Holidays!” Christmas Fantasy decorators are needed to decorate the numerous trees for display, and donors are needed as well for silent auction items.

The 2024 event will be held Friday through Monday, November 15-18. Plans will again include the usual Friday night happy hour event, Saturday night wine, cheese and dessert event and general admission Sunday and Monday afternoons. A luncheon will be held Monday only this year. Christmas tree decorators are invited to call Erin Berns at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) at 563-568-3411 Ext. 443 to reserve a spot.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, October 7, 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.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Anyone struggling with any type of cancer, not just breast cancer, should review the following helpful nutrition information. Brandy Strub, Registered Dietitian at Veterans Memorial Hospital, recommends the following cancer diet tips and recommendations by Oncology Registered Dietitian Paige Welsh, RD/LD of Cleveland Clinic.

If you’re having trouble with eating, start with lean protein rich foods first (chicken, turkey, soy or dairy products, nuts and seeds, eggs, salmon, dried beans, legumes and lentils, or nutritional shakes/protein powders if needed) and then move on to the other food groups. If you choose to have a nutritional supplement instead of a meal, choose one with at least 350 calories. Protein helps maintain muscle mass and increases white blood cells, which can help fight infection, and people undergoing cancer treatments have higher needs.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation has announced the 2024 Christmas Fantasy will be held once again at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion. This will be the 33rd annual Fantasy event the Foundation has hosted.

The theme will be “Gnome for the Holidays!”  Christmas Fantasy decorators are needed to decorate the numerous trees for display as well as donors needed for the silent auction items such as miniature trees, wall hangings, quilted items, gift baskets, toys, centerpieces and more.

The 2024 event will be held Friday through Monday, November 15-18.  Plans will again include the usual Friday night happy hour event, Saturday night wine, cheese and dessert event and general admission Sunday and Monday afternoons. A luncheon will be held Monday only this year.

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) will begin offering a Pain Management Clinic to the area starting in October. Shawn Blake, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, originally of Dorchester, will begin offering his services to provide relief for patients with chronic pain. The Pain Clinic will be managed by the hospital’s Infusion and Outpatient Treatment Center.

“The goal of our new Pain Management Clinic is to focus on the diagnosis and management of chronic pain using a variety of methods,” explains Abby Dornath, Infusion and Outpatient Clinic Manager at Veterans Memorial Hospital. “Our staff will work with you and your primary care provider to manage your pain. Those who have attempted other therapies such as massage, chiropractic care, physical/occupational therapy without long-term relief can be referred to this clinic. Shawn will help you explore alternative, advanced methods to managing your pain to get you the relief you need.”

By 2025, over 25% of Iowa’s population is expected to be 60 years of age or older, according to the Iowa Department on Aging1. The health and wellbeing of older adults is a priority in the state.

September is National Healthy Aging Month and Allamakee Public Health (Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care) and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services are reminding Iowans to make sure they are up to date on key vaccines.

“As people grow older, they may be more susceptible to infectious diseases. Vaccination plays a vital role in preventing illnesses and protecting older adults from potentially severe complications,” said Sheryl Darling-Mooney, RN. “Staying up to date on immunizations is one of the easiest, safest ways to protect yourself.”

Did you know one in seven people entering the hospital will need blood?

Attend the next LifeServe Blood Center Blood Drive to be held Monday, October 7,  from 12-5 p.m., at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held once per month in Waukon, the first Monday of the month. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

The LifeServe Blood Center is seeking donors to ensure a safe and plentiful blood supply in Iowa. Because there is no substitute for human blood, the need for donors is continuous.

Tickets are on sale now for the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) and Elliott Jewelers of Waukon 19th annual Women’s Health Day wellness event Tuesday, September 24, at the Waukon Event 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 luncheon and program held from Noon to 1 p.m.

September is Newborn Screening Awareness and Baby Safety Month. Being sure to schedule  newborn well-child visits following the baby’s birth is very important, according to Nurse Midwife and Nurse Practitioner Katy Maker at Veterans Memorial Hospital Clinics.

“Well-child exams create an environment where the parents can develop a relationship with a primary care provider who will be there for them and their child throughout their child’s growth and development,” states Maker. “It’s important to feel that you can trust the medical advice that you get from your child’s healthcare provider because these days we get bombarded with a lot of information through the Internet and it is hard to filter.”

Well-baby check-ups are encouraged at the following visits: 1-month, 2-month, 4-month, 6-month, 9-month, 12-month, 15-month, 18-month, 2-year, 30-month and at three years.

by Brandy Strub, RD/LD,  Dietitian, Veterans Memorial Hospital

September is National Cholesterol Education Month. Per the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is recommended that cholesterol be checked for kids once between ages 9-11 and again between ages 17-21. Children with obesity or diabetes may need to be screened more often.

For healthy adults, it is recommended that they be checked every four to six years. Those with heart disease, diabetes, or a family history of high cholesterol should be checked more frequently.

Risk factors for high cholesterol include: family history, diet high in saturated and trans fats, low physical activity, smoking, age, sex, type II diabetes, and obesity.