What is the easiest way you can save a life?

Did you know?

• One donation of whole blood can affect up to three different people?
• Every two seconds, someone needs blood products.
• Nine of ten people who live to the age of 70 or older will use blood products at some point in their lives.
• Our area needs 3,000 units of blood per week to maintain an adequate supply

Life Serve Blood Center of Iowa headquartered in Des Moines provides the blood and blood products we use at GRMC.

Uses for blood products:

Coronary artery bypass surgery - one to five units

Hip/joint replacement - two to five units

Cardiovascular surgery - two to 25 units

Bleeding ulcer - three to 30 units

Auto accidents/gunshot wounds - up to 50 units

Bone marrow transplant - up to two units per day

Sickle cell/aplastic anemia - up to four units per month

Has it been a while since you donated? Thinking about donating for the first time?

The GRMC Auxiliary sponsors a blood drive with Life Serve Blood Center three times a year at St. Mary's Education Center in Grinnell. The next drive is coming up on Tuesday, April 15. To sign up for an appointment at this drive or any other, you can go the the Life Serve Blood Center web site and make an appointment. Even though the actual donation time itself is about eight to ten minutes, you should plan on being at the drive for an hour or so. 

Not sure if you can donate? The Life Serve Blood Center web site  has eligibility information as well as other interesting facts about blood donation and services.

We all know someone who has needed blood products at some point. There is no substitute for human blood and it must come from generous donors who take a little time out of their day to make a donation. One hour of your day and one unit of your whole blood can have a positive effect on so many lives. It's worth the time.

For more information, go to:

www.lifeservebloodcenter.org

www.redcrossblood.org

Another great example of “Here For You When You Need Us”

Medical staff who helped deliver the twins at GRMC returned for a photo with the babies. From left: Laura Ferguson, MD; Andrew Graham, Ph.D., holding Benjamin; Monica Brito, MD; Lauren Graham, MD, holding Noah; and Ryan Dahlby Albright, MD. The team-behind-the-scene were the many Kintzinger Women’s Health Center staff who helped care for the babies and Graham. 

Ask any healthcare provider who delivers babies and they will tell you that babies are born on their own schedule, around the clock, weekends, whenever the moment is right for them. They aren’t concerned that it’s January and that the weather is making for hazardous travel conditions.

Such was the story for Lauren and Andrew Graham a couple of months ago.

Because they were expecting twins, the Grahams had planned to deliver at a hospital with a neonatal unit. GRMC does not typically deliver twins due to higher risks for the babies and often a need for neonatal intensive care. However, the babies were ready to come and the weather was not conducive for safe travel, especially for parents ready to deliver twins.

Lauren Graham, MD, and Andrew Graham, PhD, stayed in Grinnell and had their twins delivered by the GRMC medical team of Monica Brito, MD; Alex Anderson, CRNA; Laura Ferguson, MD; Ryan Dahlby Albright, MD; and the obstetrical staff of Kintzinger Women’s Health Center.  Dr. Brito has experience delivering many sets of twins. Family care physicians Dahlby Albright and Ferguson, who both have delivered many babies at GRMC, provided care for the twins as they arrived. This team successfully welcomed Noah James and Benjamin Daniel Graham.

We have used this motto and mantra for years: GRMC is here for you when you need us. And that is true in difficult times and joyful times and all the moments of life in between.

Adding to your family? We invite you to consider the patient-centered and very personal approach at GRMC. From prenatal care, to delivery, to caring for you, your baby, and your entire family, GRMC is here for you when you need us.

Staying Healthy During Spring Break

It's time for a spring break and many families are taking advantage of the time off for a little getaway.

Whether you are traveling during the upcoming break or taking a "staycation" we have a few tips to help you stay healthy and avoid illness. 

You could also follow these tips during the holidays, and anytime, really.

Eat healthy and balanced meals. It's tempting to load up on carbs and sweets because, we are on vacation. Do stay away from sketchy-looking restaurants. Yes, you may enjoy hole-in-the-wall kinds of places off the beaten tourist path, but be smart about it. Food poisoning is a sure-fire way to kill your vacation.

Don't overindulge in alcohol. You don't really want to have a hangover on your vacation. Too much alcohol can lead to bad decisions.

And while we're on the subject...

It's important to note that if you have college students going on a spring break trip with friends, they will need a few more things to think about for their packing list and ways in which to be safe while traveling. Some good weblinks for this are found here and here.

Keep your hands washed. Good hand hygiene is important at all times, but when you really need to stay well, it's even more important. If you are flying to a great destination or simply taking a day off to head out of town, remember that germs do not take a vacation. Ever.

Sleep. For many of us, taking time off means catching up on sleep or rest. If you are traveling by car, this is especially important. Driving while drowsy is every bit as dangerous as driving drunk. Take frequent breaks to get out of the car. It is tempting to push yourself to keep going but you could end up sick or in the ER on your vacation.

Be flexible. Don't stress about little things that don't go as planned. Sometimes those detours provide us with the best experiences and stories to tell. 

Use sunscreen liberally. After the winter we've had, the idea of basking in warm sunshine sounds simply glorious. Just be sure to use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 50 and do limit the time you spend under the sun. Your skin will thank you for it and you won't spend your vacation nursing a nasty sunburn.

Above all, have fun, be smart about what you do and where you are, and relax. Take the time to unplug from your daily life at work and home as much as you possibly can. A vacation should be a break from the everyday, even if you are staying at home. 

For more tips, go to:

http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm049047.htm

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/keeping-healthy-while-flying

The Best Nap Ever

by Laura Nelson Lof

Marketing Specialist/Grantwriter

Once we turn 50, our healthcare provider mentions the word, “colonoscopy.” A procedure added to the growing list of preventive screenings needed as we march through middle age.

Getting a colonoscopy is not on anyone’s “List of Fun Things to Do,” but neither is having colorectal cancer. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Over one’s lifetime, we have a one in twenty chance in developing colorectal cancer. It’s projected that 50,310 people will die from the disease in 2014. This is the real tragedy of colorectal cancer. It is highly curable if it is caught early. And catching it early means getting a colonoscopy. By the time other symptoms appear, the cancer has spread and it is much more difficult to treat.

The American Cancer Society says that the death rate for colorectal cancer is on the decrease and has been for about 20 years. People are getting screened and getting polyps removed before they turn into cancer. And the screening tests are also finding cancer at a much earlier stage, giving treatment a greater chance at a cure.

Anyone who has had a colonoscopy will tell you, “It’s not the procedure, it’s the prep.”

The colon must be clean in order to get a good look. The preparation requires using a strong laxative with a liquid cleansing agent and sometimes an enema.

My father had colorectal cancer that was contained and cured with surgery. At 46, I had my first colonoscopy. As a hospital employee, I had a moment of squeamishness knowing that my co-workers would be conducting this procedure. Let’s face it, we’re all a little sensitive about this sort of thing, aren’t we?

However, it didn’t take me long to turn that around. Who would I trust to take good care of me more than them? No one. They were amazing. By the time I arrived for my procedure, I had not eaten anything but chicken broth and lime popsicles. I was thirsty, cold, and weak. The GRMC surgery staff made me so comfortable. I remember talking with the anesthesiologist and his last words, “Why don’t you just close your eyes?”

What seemed like moments later, I opened my eyes and found myself in the recovery area. I felt like I’d slept for hours. I had been sound asleep during the entire procedure and totally unaware. The procedure itself took only 20-25 minutes.

What was the best part? Finding out that I was just fine and that I could wait another ten years or so to have it done again.

The mild discomfort I experienced was nothing compared to being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy isn’t a fun thing to do, but it is definitely worth it for the peace of mind to know that I am okay.

Has the doctor mentioned the word, “colonoscopy” to you? Don’t wait to schedule yours at GRMC.

Links:

www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/ColorectalAwareness/