Dalton Northway loves to water ski. Ending his 4th grade year this past May, his family was up at their lake home when a boat propeller accident turned a great day sour.
Dalton fell under a running boat propeller and suffered serious injuries. Quick thinking, teamwork and emergency and police response expertise fell into motion, and Dalton was airlifted to Hennepin Healthcare’s Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. (more…)
Do you remember when you used to drive to work and then home again? You would get back on the road to do errands or meet friends for a meal? Life was normal and most driving was somewhat predictable. Well, slam on those breaks for the pandemic. (more…)
Much of what we hear about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact comes from the hospital perspective with particular attention paid to intensive care units. I’d like to share our clinic perspective.
Brandon during his hospitalization at HCMC.
Flying airplanes at heights some people can’t fathom came naturally to Brandon Johnson, but it was a fall from a golf cart that landed the fearless 34-year-old pilot and flight instructor in the hospital – fighting for his life – with a life-changing head injury.
On April 27, 2019 his parents, Mary and Paul, were awakened by police at their home in Ramsey with news every parent dreads.
“They told us Brandon was taken to the hospital after an accident,” said Paul. “We immediately drove to Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids. That drive seemed like it took forever – like everything was going in slow motion.” (more…)
Hennepin Healthcare staff delivers exceptional care without exception, and this has remained true even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early in the pandemic, families were understandably fearful of coming to the clinics for preventative healthcare services such as immunizations. Over the next months, childhood immunization rates began to plummet nationally and in Minnesota, and there was looming risk of not just COVID-19 but vaccine preventable diseases.
A team led by pediatrician, Dr. Dawn Martin, pediatric nurse practitioner, Sheyanga Beecher, and community paramedic/EMS, Amber Brown, recognized the importance of protecting children as the most vulnerable among us. Dr. Martin and her team wanted to make sure that if children could not come to Hennepin Healthcare for essential vaccines, we would go to them. (more…)
The United States is seeing more young adults testing positive for COVID-19 as cities and states re-open bars, restaurants, salons, gyms, and other businesses where people can congregate. When infected, many healthy young adults have mild symptoms or may even be asymptomatic. When people aren’t very sick, they worry less about spreading it to others, but they can still carry the virus and transmit it to people who may be at higher risk for severe disease. (more…)
The Niblett family has a lot to be thankful for. Living on beautiful Lake Geneva in Alexandria, MN, they spend a lot of time on the water. Michaela Niblett, mom of five young Nibletts, calls her kids ‘little fishes’. Their surf boat is like a second home and the kids and their friends often swim behind the boat. The swim platform is easy to hang on to and you can sit and rest on the platform to take a little break. (more…)
For his first two years of medical school at the University of Minnesota, Mitchell Moe spent most of his time sitting through lectures day after day and studying hour and hour afterwards. Now this year is a pivotal one for Mitchell as he prepares to start his clinical rotations, gain hands-on experience, and see healthcare first-hand.
Pivotal, too, because of this moment in history, the larger environment surrounding his learning experience, and the forces that will influence his practice for the rest of his life. Mitchell is joining healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a period of social unrest and growing focus on equity and justice.
Although he is nervous for the next step, Mitchell sees this time as a unique and unparalleled opportunity for learning. His perspectives are shaped in part by growing up as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The pandemic has shown a spotlight on the various disparities and inequities in our society, better informing me of how I can advocate for future patients in addressing these issues,” said Mitchell.
