Wellspring

In This Issue

• Good Health is a Blessing at Any Age
• Straight from the Heart
• Yoga Key to Her Flexibility
• Off the Disabled List, Back on the Court
• Rehab Becomes Regime
• Rocky the Recovery Dog, Doctor Team Up, Save the Day
• Friendship After Loss
• Picture Perfect Weight Loss...
• Diabetes Diagnosis
• Trick was Replacing Trick Knee
• A Second Opinion Leads to Second Chance at Life
• Masters of the Stairs
• Despite Many Challenges, Victor is... The Boy Who Lived
• Education is Focus for Chest Pain Center
• Trauma Team Thrives at Hectic Pace
• Welcome New Physicians (Spring 2012)
• Hospitals Earn Full Accreditation
• Run for Good is April 7
• Walk of Life Even for Chairman of the Board
• Holiday Parties Bring Cheer
• Genentech Brings Santa to ABC Party
• Another Season for Strike Out Cancer
• In Their Final Days... Making Dreams Come True
• Silver Celebration for 2012 Solano Wine & Food Jubilee

Entries Tagged as Lifestyle & Wellness

What’s in Your First Aid Kit?

You can purchase well-stocked first aid kits at your local drug store or online at www.redcrossshop.org.

Every home should have at least one first aid kit to help you take care of common injuries and emergencies. Keep your first aid supplies in an easy-to-carry case and make sure everyone in the family knows where it is. You can buy a totally stocked kit or create your own from the list of supplies below.

Once you have a first aid kit, be sure to check your supplies every three months. Replace any supplies that have reached their expiration dates or are no longer usable.

basic supplies

• Adhesive tape
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antiseptic wipe packets
• Aspirin
• Bandages:
• Roll of elastic tape
• Bandage strips (Bandaids)
• Gauze pads and roller gauze in assorted sizes
• Instant cold pack
• Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
• Duct tape
• Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
• Plastic bags for disposal of contaminated materials
• Safety pins
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• A needle
• Soap or instant hand sanitizer
• Saline solution
• Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
• First aid instruction book

Create an Emergency File

Every family member should have an emergency file that includes their medical history, insurance cards, and current medications. This is especially important for senior citizens, who may be hospitalized and relying on a son or daughter to be their spokesperson.

“I have no idea what medications my mom is taking,” is a common reply heard in the Emergency Department.

Having this information ready to grab in an emergency can make your ED visit go smoothly.

Fall Prevention Can Save Your Life

Falls are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma. And while women fall more than men, men are more likely to die from a fall. The chances of falling and of being seriously injured in a fall increase with age. And, sadly for seniors, falls can also lead to the loss of independence. Falls that cause hip fractures or head trauma can make it hard to get around and even increase the risk of death.

According to the Fall Prevention Partnership of Solano County, a fall that requires hospitalization costs approximately $37,000. In a two-year span (2005-2006) 1,343 individuals over the age of 55 were hospitalized due to injuries from a fall. That translated into nearly $50 million in hospital-related costs in this county alone.

Fortunately most falls can be prevented, according to NorthBay Health at Home Occupational Therapist Carol Daum. “Most falls occur because of safety issues in the home or because the senior was trying to perform tasks beyond their limits,” Daum says. She works with seniors on preventing falls by using assistive devices correctly. For example, if you use a wheelchair, learn how to use the locking brakes. If you need a walker, keep it with you and slow down when you use it.

“Then if you fall, you can call for help.” Grab bars, devices that help you reach for objects and night lights are relatively inexpensive and available through home improvement stores.

She has assembled this list of tips to help keep your home a safe zone.

Bedroom and other living areas

• Turn on the light by the door before entering a dark room (install a light switch by the door if one isn’t easily reached).
• Keep pathways clear of furniture and clutter.
• Keep a lamp at the bedside or next to your favorite chair within easy reach.
• Keep a phone within easy reach of your bed or favorite chair. Program emergency numbers into the phone or write them down near your phone.
• Avoid throw rugs or make sure they have non-skid backing.

Bathrooms

• Install grab bars in the shower, tub and by the toilet.
• Use a non-skid mat in and outside the tub and shower.
• Wipe up any water on the floor immediately.
• Use a raised toilet seat or three-in-one commode
  on the toilet.
• Use a night light.

Closets

• Never stack items on high shelves.
• Make sure items are stored securely and won’t fall when you’re trying to move them.
• Store large or heavy boxes on the floor.
• Install lights in the closet.

Stairways

• Make sure the stairway is well lit.
• Make sure handrails are installed and secure.
• Keep stairs clear of any clutter.
• Make sure carpeting is secure.
• Apply bright tape to the last and first steps if you have a vision deficit.

Garage and Outdoors

• Keep pathways free from clutter.
• Make sure work areas are well-lit.
• Wear non-skid shoes.
• Ask for help before using a ladder.

Kitchen

• Never use a chair as a ladder.
• Keep frequently used items stored on
  lower shelves for safer access.
• Always wipe up spills immediately.
• Never walk on a wet floor.
• Never carry too many dishes at once.

Other useful tips

• Wear lace-up shoes for better support.
• Keep electrical cords out of high traffic areas.
• Keep your furniture in good repair.
• Mark sliding glass doors with stickers
  to avoid walking in to them.
• Elevate your seat height with a firm cushion to make it easier to rise from a low surface.
• Sit down to put on or take off underwear, pants, socks and shoes.
• Put weaker leg into clothing first.
• Get a “Life Line” or other alarm system.
• Carry a portable phone or cell phone with you.
• Keep active.
• Exercise regularly.

Diabetes Soars in Solano

It’s a dubious distinction. More adults in Solano County have diabetes than in any other county in the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). The latest study found that 9.5 percent of Solano County adults have the disease, with Humboldt and Fresno counties coming in close behind, at 9 and 8.9 percent, respectively.

The number of adults with diabetes is high and climbing, and the increase can be attributed to a number of factors. “It could be a combination of risk factors such as age, family history, ethnicity, lack of exercise or being overweight,” according to Collette DaCruz, R.N., certified diabetes educator for NorthBay Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes.

The NorthBay Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes and the NorthBay Diabetes Self Management Education Program offers patients a team approach to diabetes care. The team includes Deborah Murray, M.D., medical director and endocrinologist, an inpatient and outpatient nurse practitioner, a dietitian, and DaCruz.

“No single provider of care has the expertise and skill set that covers all the complicated needs of the diabetes patient,” says Dr. Murray. “We need many types of medical professionals to cover all the bases. I rely very heavily on my team to help me provide for all the varied issues that arise in the total care for the diabetic. With such a highly skilled team, we can help with almost any diabetic problem and get our patients on the road to their best health.”

During the past three years the center has ramped up its efforts to educate patients on ways to better manage their disease, and statistics indicate the NorthBay approach is paying off. The NorthBay Center’s Diabetes Self Management Education program has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Association of Diabetes Education (AADE) by demonstrating it provides high quality self-management education services to the diabetes community.

“I admire patients who ask questions and take an active role in managing their diabetes,” DaCruz says. “Diabetes can be scary but it is very treatable.

“To ensure we are providing a quality education, we measure two things: the goals our patients set for lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, and their hemoglobin A1-C levels, which is the average blood sugar level over three months,” DaCruz says. “Our education and support provides patients with self-care skills essential to diabetes management. The outcome measurements show a high percentage of the patients in our program see their numbers improve.”

The team works to help diabetics understand how a low-carbohydrate diet, increased exercise, regular monitoring of blood sugar and even a combination of cutting-edge diabetes medications can help them regain control of the disease and their quality of life.

“I admire patients who ask questions and take an active role in managing their diabetes,” DaCruz says. “Diabetes can be scary but it is very treatable.

“Oftentimes patients can identify what they need to do to bring their blood glucose values to a target range and it’s just a matter of helping them make a plan to accomplish that.”

The NorthBay Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes not only helps educate its NorthBay patients, but is part of a broader outreach to prevent diabetes and its complications in Solano County and beyond. It is a partner with the California Diabetes Program, sponsored by the California Department of Public Health and the University of California, San Francisco.

These organizations vow to share valuable information in the hopes their efforts will help reduce the disease throughout the state. For more information, check out the California Diabetes Program at www.caldiabetes.org.

To make an appointment with Dr. Murray, call the NorthBay Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes in Vacaville at (707) 624-7999.

The Scoop on Snoring

If you stop breathing, choke or gasp during sleep, you may have sleep apnea, which can be serious…

It has been described as the cacophony of sleep, or sawing logs. Snoring can be a mild annoyance or it can signal a health hazard. Either way, snoring can prevent you or your partner from getting a good night’s sleep.

Snoring is caused when you breathe in from your nose or mouth during sleep, and it causes a vibration in the back of the throat, according to Donald Doyle, M.D., FCCP, with NorthBay Healthcare’s pulmonary medicine. The loud, raspy noise that results can be blamed on those sleep-relaxed muscles of the mouth, throat and tongue, and the more they narrow the airway, the louder the vibration. “It is usually worse on inspiration, but can occur on expiration, as well.”

There is no typical snorer, but it occurs more frequently among men than women, Dr. Doyle says, and although there are many causes for snoring in children, it may represent enlarged tonsils.

You may be able to improve simple snoring by losing weight, sleeping on your side and not your back, and avoiding the use of alcohol or sedative medicines before you go to bed. Nasal congestion can also make snoring worse, and appropriate therapy can improve symptoms.

But, if you stop breathing, choke or gasp during sleep, you may have sleep apnea, which can be serious.

“Sleep apnea means your airway collapses when you fall asleep, and the decrease in oxygen causes you to arouse,” Dr. Doyle explains. “Because of frequent arousals, you may not get all the normal stages of sleep, such as REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, which can lead to daytime sleepiness.”

People with sleep apnea may not feel rested after a night’s sleep, may feel sleepy during the day and wake up with a headache. Your partner may comment that you seem to stop breathing during sleep, snore loudly, make gasping or choking sounds or toss and turn.

People with sleep apnea are not only sleeping poorly, but having this condition may also increase the chances of getting high blood pressure, an abnormal heart rhythm, heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, depression or diabetes.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

You may be asked to take part in a special test called a sleep study. Conducted in a lab, this study monitors your night’s slumber for such things as oxygen saturation, nasal air flow, EEGs, and the movement of your chest and abdomen, Dr. Doyle notes.

Depending on the diagnosis, your doctor may recommend either the use of a machine, called a CPAP (or continuous positive airway pressure device), a dental device or, in some cases, even surgery, to help improve your sleep.

To learn more about snoring, sleep apnea or the sleep study, you can make an appointment with Dr. Doyle by calling Pulmonary Medicine at (707) 646-4180.

Shot vs. Shingles

Don’t Let Chicken Pox Come Back to Haunt You

If you remember having chicken pox as a child, as
most people did in the days before a vaccine was available, you are at risk of developing shingles as an adult. That’s because the virus that causes chicken pox— herpes zoster—remains in your nerve roots for the rest of your life. In most people, the virus lies dormant. But for others, the virus reactivates as shingles, causing a rash and intense pain.

This spring, new guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration have expanded the approval of the shingles vaccine Zostavax for use in individuals age 50 to 59. The vaccine was introduced in 2006 for use in people age 60 and older. Because the older a person is, the more severe the effects of shingles typically are, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends seniors get the shingles vaccination. The vaccination is effective for at least six years, but may last much longer.

In clinical trials, the vaccine was shown to reduce the risk of shingles by 50 percent and help prevent long-term pain after shingles heals by 67 percent, according to the CDC. “Shingles is most common in older adults,” according to Dr. Kulbir Bajwa, an internal medicine physician with the NorthBay Center for Primary Care in Vacaville.

“Although it’s not clear what causes a shingles outbreak, we believe a stressful situation or a weakened immune system can activate it.”

Shingles often starts with a headache or flu-like symptoms. Later, itching or pain will develop in one area of your body. A few days later a rash appears and turns into clusters of blisters. The blisters can last for
a month or more and may leave scars.

“The shingles rash follows one nerve root, so the rash may be a long thin line,” Dr. Bajwa explains. “The rash commonly starts at the spine and moves to one side of the chest or belly. But it can also involve the face or eyes, where it becomes a much more vicious disease.”

There is no cure for shingles, although treatment with an anti-viral medicine may shorten the span of the disease and help prevent other problems. While shingles is not contagious, a person with an active case can transmit chicken pox to someone not vaccinated.

Dr. Bajwa is located at the NorthBay Center for Primary Care in Vacaville. For an appointment, call (707) 624-7500.

A Luscious Luau Celebrates Heritage, Spirit of Frances

Frances Demerin came under the care of NorthBay Hospice & Bereavement just a few months before her 90th birthday. As the matriarch of a large extended family, Frances’ loved ones held out hope that she would live to see this milestone, and that they could celebrate it with her. “We were told her time was very limited, and that she may not reach 90,” recalls her son, Ron. “But then she stabilized and we thought, let’s go for it. Let’s have a nice reunion, a celebration of life while she is still with us.”

Plans for Frances’ special party swung into high gear, with the help of NorthBay Hospice & Bereavement’s Dream of a Lifetime program. The biggest challenge was finding a venue large enough to accommodate the entire clan, as the guest list soon swelled to more than 100 people, says Veronica Wertz, Dream of a Lifetime coordinator for NorthBay Hospice & Bereavement.

After securing the Joseph Nelson Community Center in Suisun, the Dream Team prepared invitations and mailed them out. The Dream Team ordered a special cake and also made transportation arrangements to have Frances brought to the community center, as she was bedridden and unable to speak or communicate clearly.

“People came from all over—from Hawaii, Georgia, Florida,” as well as from all parts of California, Ron says. “All five of her children were there, her grandchildren, her brother, first cousins, second cousins.” In all, more than 120 people were able to gather that day. To honor Frances’ filipino and Hawaiian roots, the family chose a luau theme—complete with roasted pig and leis for the guest of honor—and planned to make it a surprise for her.

On the day of the event, Frances’ granddaughter served as escort. As she was brought into the room by wheelchair, she greeted her guests with “Aloha!” and the crowd cheered and shouted with excitement, while Frances reacted with joy. “She remembered a lot of the people,” Ron says.

During the party, Frances’ younger brother serenaded her with a traditional Hawaiian song. “You could see his affection for her, so sweet and tender,” Veronica recalls. And, for a moment, “Frances was able to sing back.”

“It was tremendous for her,” Ron says of the day. “She couldn’t speak, but just cry. It was a good day for our family, a bonding moment for everybody. What a wonderful send off.”

A ‘Beary’ Unique Gift

Nina Gaston, 54, was losing her eight-year battle with cancer but felt it was important to leave a special memory for her only grandchild, Jack. She and the three-year-old were close, says Nina’s husband, Jim.

Nina and Thrieza Zapanta, medical social worker for NorthBay Hospice & Bereavement, came up with an idea: a special teddy bear made just for Jack.

Veronica Wertz, Dream of a Lifetime coordinator for NorthBay Hospice & Bereavement, brought Nina pictures of various teddy bears available from Build a Bear in Fairfield, and she selected one. Nina, a native of Kentucky and an Air Force veteran, helped out by giving Veronica some of her clothes from which a special outfit would be fashioned by Hospice nurse Donna Lee. Donna is an expert seamstress and she volunteered to recreate a Kentucky T-shirt and hat for the tiny bear. An anonymous Dream Maker donated funds to purchase the bear and extra clothing, which included an Air Force uniform in honor of Nina’s service, and Build a Bear donated gift certificates so that Nina’s grandson could pick out other outfits, as well.

The bear was also equipped with a recording device so that Nina could leave a message for her grandson, but she was not able to record it before her health took a turn for the worse. “At first I was a bit upset about that,” says Jim, “but then I realized, what would you say?”

The special bear, dressed in its Air Force uniform, was delivered to Nina just hours before she passed away, and then the bear was given to Jack. “The Kentucky outfit is awesome,” Jim says. “They were really able to take the shirt and hat and size it down so that it fit the bear.”

Jack has asked about his grandmother in the months since, Jim notes, “and we tell him, ‘remember the bear? Remember the story about the bear?’”

A Second Chance to Enjoy Life, Thanks to Palliative Care Team

In the fall of 2009, Dorothy Byrd was so sick, so delirious, and so unaware of her surroundings, her desperate family was losing hope. Today, things are very different for this lively and expressive 80-year-old Fairfield resident. Not only is she now up and out of bed, but she is walking, has rejoined her various club activities and is even driving again.

Dorothy’s medical misery began about two weeks after hip replacement surgery in August 2009. She seemed to be healing well at a Fairfield rehabilitation facility until she developed a staph infection. Before long, “she was bed-ridden, withdrawn, unable to eat and didn’t know where she was,” reports her daughter, Charlene Rushing. “Everything went completely sour; it was a pretty scary time. We thought we were going to lose her.”

“I don’t remember anything and that is out of character for me. I became discouraged and thought I might just go join my husband, who passed away four years ago,” Dorothy says.

The infection and other complications had worsened her condition, and she was readmitted to the Vallejo hospital where her surgery had been performed. For several weeks, Dorothy would be treated there and then released to the Fairfield rehabilitation center, only to be rushed back to Vallejo when another complication arose. “After six weeks of going back and forth,” Charlene says, “I asked her doctor, why can’t we just go around the corner (to NorthBay)?” That’s when Dorothy came under the care of Hospitalist Andrea Ngo, M.D., and Terrell VanAken, M.D., medical director for NorthBay Bridges, a palliative care program designed for patients who have chronic and difficult-to-manage health issues. “A lot of whatwe do is to communicate—between the patient, the medical staff, the family and care facilities,” Dr. VanAken explains.

Dorothy with her daughters, Elizabeth Byrd (left), and Charlene Rushing.

Palliative care uses an interdisciplinary team approach—with a clinical social worker, program administrator, chaplain and medical director—to work with the patient’s physician to provide treatment that not only addresses pain and symptom relief, but also addresses any emotional, social, cultural and spiritual needs these patients and their families may have.

“She really turned a corner once Dr. VanAken got involved,” Charlene recalls. “He actually listened to us. He’s a real people person, just wonderful. He comforted our family.”

A conference with family members and attending physicians helped create a plan of treatment. Dorothy’s hip replacement device would be removed and an antibiotic spacer would replace it. In November, after her infections and complications were brought under control at NorthBay Medical Center, Dr. VanAken arranged for her to be transferred to a Vacaville rehabilitation facility. She spent two months “regaining strength and her appetite, and going through rehabilitation,” Charlene says. “She really responded there, because there were activities for people to do; they actually expected her to get up and get out of bed for rehabilitation! She was able to come home on the weekends, and then was discharged in January.”

Eventually, Dorothy opted to undergo a second hip replacement surgery, and Dr. VanAken helped the family find a surgeon who could handle her extremely complicated case. The surgery, performed in San Francisco, also came under the watchful eye of the NorthBay Bridges team. “My daughter introduced my surgeon there to Dr. VanAken as a ‘person of interest,’” Dorothy recalls. “After that surgery, I feel so much better. I have a better diet, I am rehabilitating. Having all these people take an interest in me has helped a lot.”

Nurse Only Disappointed That She Waited So Long to Have Surgery

Catherine Svetz, R.N.

A new hip joint at age 44? NorthBay VacaValley Hospital’s Catherine Svetz, R.N., wonders what took her so long.

“The spring is back in my step and I’m always smiling, literally!” she says. “I had been suffering for several years with hip pain, though I had no idea the pain I was experiencing was related to my hip. Unfortunately, I ignored the pain for quite a while and only mentioned it at a routine check-up and an x-ray revealed my right hip needed replacing.”

She didn’t immediately schedule surgery, but by the end of 2009 she was in so much pain she was limping as she worked. “I’m a nurse and when your patients start asking you if you’re OK you know it’s time to do something,” she says.

 And for Svetz, the NorthBay Joint Replacement Program was just a walk downstairs from her nursing unit. From the moment she saw orthopedic surgeon Andrew Brooks, M.D., and scheduled her hip replacement surgery, the joint replacement team took her under their wing. “Everyone on the team helps make the journey as pleasant as possible,” Svetz adds. “Even though I’m a nurse, my area of expertise is not orthopedics and I have to admit I was scared to death to go through this major surgery.”

The team eased her worries and had her looking forward to being pain-free. “They assured me the hip pain would be gone when I took my first steps after surgery—something that was so hard to believe—but they were 100 percent right! The hip pain I’d been living with was completely gone, just as promised.”

 Every step of the journey is carefully planned out and executed perfectly, Svetz explains. After leaving the hospital, a NorthBay Health at Home nurse visited her for dressing changes and follow-up care and NorthBay’s physical therapy team kept her exercising. When she was ready, she attended outpatient physical therapy.

“My post-surgical care was just as fantastic as my in-hospital care. I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with the entire joint replacement experience,” she adds. “And, I’m happy to report I returned to work only four short months after my hip replacement surgery. I feel wonderful and the pain is becoming a distant memory.”

Looking back, she wishes she had done this a lot sooner. “I’m often asked how I knew it was time to have my hip replaced. My answer is this: When I realized I was missing out on many of the things I love doing, I knew it was time. My quality of life and happiness were being compromised by my hip pain. Dr. Brooks offered a solution and NorthBay’s Joint Replacement Program made it possible. I’m glad to have the surgery behind me, but I would do it again in a heartbeat!”

Driven to Get Diabetes Under Control

Jessie Salsman is a truck driver by trade. Throughout his career, he has been behind the wheel of big-rigs, heavy equipment and garbage trucks. “I’ve been in a cab since Day 1,” he says. “My life depends on being able to drive.”

Commercial drivers in good health are required to pass a physical exam every two years to have their licenses renewed. A few years ago, Jessie was thrown a curve when he did not pass that crucial exam.

The physical revealed he had high blood pressure and a blood test indicated diabetes. The diagnosis was shocking, Jessie says, but the results did help explain some things. “I had been feeling sluggish, not sleeping well, drinking a lot of water and going to the bathroom a lot. But, I had been feeling that way for so long, I guess I was accustomed to it.”

His physician, through another health care provider, put him on blood pressure and diabetes medicine, but it didn’t help get either under control. “It didn’t seem like the medicines were doing anything and I still wasn’t feeling well.” Frustrated with the lack of progress, Jessie started bringing his wife of 28 years, Deanne, with him to all medical appointments for moral support. “They just kept giving me different prescriptions.”

At his next physical exam, his blood pressure was still high and an A1C hemoglobin test was even higher —charting a stratospheric 12. Normal is below six. The test indicated that his average blood glucose level for the past three months was in the 300s.

Jessie knew his career was on the line. “I was in danger of having my license suspended if I couldn’t get those numbers straight.”

By this time he had changed medical providers and came under the care of Douglas Freeman, M.D., of the NorthBay Center for Primary Care in Fairfield in June. Dr. Freeman referred Jessie to Deborah Murray, M.D., director of the NorthBay Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes in Vacaville. “They are two of the best doctors I’ve had my whole life. They actually have beating hearts, actually care about their patients,” Jessie says. “Dr. Murray got me straightened out and helped me get my life back together.”

Jessie was put on a strict, low-carbohydrate diet, instructed to start exercising and taught how to check his blood sugar two or three times a day. He was also given the newest class of diabetes medicines to help regulate blood glucose.

He says he gladly stepped up to the plate because “Dr. Murray made me realize that if I didn’t do this, I would be facing a big career change and a shorter life. She really woke me up.”

In addition to Dr. Murray, Jessie says his team includes Collette DaCruz, R.N., certified diabetes educator; Terry Stowell, registered dietitian; and his wife, Deanne. He has been working with his team on nutrition education, goal-setting and support since July. “I was a big rice eater and loved noodles. Collette and Terry showed me how it was important to eat brown rice and special low-carb bread. My wife is my coach, my biggest supporter, and she helps out by making my meals.” He also now finds a way to exercise every day, either by riding a bike, walking or playing with his children.

All the hard work has paid off, as Jessie was able to get his blood pressure and diabetes under control. His commercial license was renewed this fall and he is back on the road again.