Blog – Here for Life

East Lake Clinic opened October 4, joining many clinic October birthdays

October 25, 2021

After the devastating destruction of the original East Lake Clinic last summer, we welcome the new re-opened clinic located in the Hennepin County Service Center on East Lake Street. The new clinic is beautiful with stunning views of downtown Minneapolis and the East Lake neighborhood, lovely colors, and lots of natural light. Clinic staff are excited to re-welcome their patients to the new location, even though they were temporarily seeing them at the Whittier Clinic. (more…)

What’s a parent/guardian to do when their student “hates school”?

October 18, 2021

It’s that time of year when the leaves are falling, the kids are back in school, and they love it. Right? Well, this may not be your experience and you are not alone. It is common for children to not like school at certain times in their lives. You may have even heard the dreaded words, “I hate school!”

Now it’s your job to do some detective work and find out why. What is at the root of not liking school? (more…)

Hennepin EMS Paramedics reunite with a grateful patient

October 14, 2021

When Jerry Martin got on his bike for his usual morning ride from Victoria to Shorewood this past June, it seemed like another routine bike ride to the South Shore Senior Center for a morning filled with coffee and laughter with his friends. But it soon became clear to the retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and Vietnam Veteran that something was very wrong. (more…)

50 years later and 14 midwives strong, our first-of-its-kind Nurse Midwife Service continues to empower expectant mothers

September 14, 20211

In the late 60’s, Dr. Donald Freeman, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at then Minneapolis General Hospital, and a nurse named Margaret Hewitt conducted forums asking women what they wanted their birth experience to look like.

In 1971, Margaret used what she learned at these forums and her knowledge as a Certified Nurse Midwife to develop the first hospital nurse midwife practice in Minnesota at HCMC. This new and innovative model directly involved women in decisions about their care and birth experience and was remarkably successful.

Now 50 years later and 14 midwives strong, our Hennepin Healthcare nurse midwives continue to nurture the philosophy of care that Margaret instilled, ensuring all expectant mothers have the right to care that meets their spiritual and cultural beliefs, values and traditions. Join us in celebrating 50 years of caring for women and welcoming babies on Saturday, September 25 from 1-4 pm in the Blue Building Courtyard. There you can connect with our team and enjoy photos and memorabilia from the past five decades.

Read on to learn more about the history of our Nurse Midwife Service and the important milestones we’ve made along the way. (more…)

Back to school and back to extracurricular activities

September 8, 2021

It’s early September and that means it’s time for back to school and also back to extracurricular activities. Many parents often wonder – which activities are the best for my child? How many activities are enough? Or too many? This year, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is the added concern of how to stay safe both at school and at after-school activities. After so much social isolation and disruption of routines during this past school year, we may be eager to return to “normal” busy schedules. Our forced downtime of the past year offers an opportunity to be thoughtful about how to incorporate activities for our children and teenagers. (more…)

What is lifestyle medicine?

September 7, 2021

Your behavior and lifestyle (how one lives), play a very important role in your health. Sometimes, changes in behavior and lifestyle can have a great impact on how your body deals with diseases and your health. Whether your goal is to prevent health problems and harness your body’s true potential for wellbeing, or learning how to live with and even reverse some of the problems that come with diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, stroke, cancer or heart disease, you will benefit from taking action. (more…)

Worry monsters

September 3, 2021

When the COVID pandemic began, volunteers began making masks. And more masks. And more masks. They were in high demand and gratefully accepted. They were used by staff, patients, and visitors in all areas as the system began to adjust to pandemic rules and restrictions. But, as vaccines rolled out and mask mandates lifted (outside of healthcare facilities), there was no longer a need for more masks. Our mask makers, who love to sew and love to help others, were approached with a new idea for their creativity outlets – worry monsters.

What is a worry monster? (more…)

Young, healthy – and at risk for a heart attack?

August 27, 2021

John Grudnowski is a 44-year-old marketing executive who works out 3-4 times a week. He had no apparent risk factors for a heart attack, but on May 22, 2021, that’s exactly what he experienced while living for a short time in Costa Rica.

“I had just completed one of my workouts with a personal trainer and afterward felt like I couldn’t do anything,” he explains. “I could barely even do a push-up, and I began to feel nauseous so I went home. My wife said that everyone was heading to the beach, but I just wasn’t feeling well and wanted to lie down for a while. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I was going to have a heart attack.” (more…)

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