Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv encourages us to practice the 3 C’s during the holiday season: Choose, Communicate, Compromise. Choose what you want to do this holiday, where you want to be. With a pandemic around us, choosing is even more important. Saying no to larger family gatherings can be painful and is a loss we also grieve. How will we choose to celebrate, keep distance and remain safe? (more…)
COVID-19 is hitting many specialties at Hennepin Healthcare. Physical therapists, especially those who specialize in neuro-therapy, are seeing a lot of patients who are recovering from this new and foul virus. Megan Meyer, a physical therapist who practices in our Clinic & Specialty Center, is one of those providers.
One assumption could be that most of Megan’s patients are elderly with pre-existing conditions, but that is not the case. Explains Megan, “Most of my patients are between the ages of 40 and 70, and yes, some do have pre-existing conditions, but many do not”. (more…)
The friendliest barber in town is also one of the nicest transplant patients you’ll ever meet. He’s Robert A. Nabors, owner of Nabors Cuts in Maplewood. His journey with end-stage renal disease and going through two kidney transplant surgeries may have made anyone else discouraged, but he remains grateful – and his positive attitude is infectious, even as he recovers from a COVID-19 infection.
“I try to stay positive on my health outlook because I know what the other side looks like,” he said.
As part of his post-transplant care, Nabors takes anti-rejection medication daily and has labs drawn monthly at Hennepin Healthcare’s Kidney Transplant Center to monitor his kidney function. (more…)
November 20, 2020 is the 61st anniversary of the World’s Children’s Day, which commemorates the Declaration of the Rights of the Child that passed by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on November 20, 1959. The rights of children have evolved and transformed since that historic day. In 1989, the UN put in place the Convention on the Rights of the Child to expand upon the Declaration and formulate a series of specific provisions further define these rights. They fall into three pillars: (more…)
Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability to U.S. children from 1 to 18 years old. Every day, 20 children die from preventable injuries, resulting in more deaths than all other diseases combined. Hennepin Healthcare is one of 40 Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Centers in the nation that comprise the Injury Free Coalition for Kids® (IFCK). IFCK is among the country’s most effective injury prevention programs. The hospital-based, community-oriented injury prevention efforts are anchored in research, education, and advocacy. Each site has independent, physician-led programs driven by the coalition’s mission: preventing injury to children. Coalition members work to empower the diverse populations who live there, and then address the injuries most prevalent in their areas. (more…)
A woman’s body goes through so many changes during pregnancy. Quality and restful sleep become more difficult to obtain. Back and hip pain become a regular struggle. Moods can be joyful and exciting one day, then irritable and weepy the next. For many women, the inevitable common symptoms arise as well, such as nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and fatigue. While most women have regular appointments with their OB/Gyn or midwife to address these concerns, few are aware that there is another avenue of care that can be a great compliment to standard medical care – acupuncture and Chinese medicine. (more…)
November is National Home Health Care Month, a time to celebrate the practice of home care and all of the individuals who make it possible, from the patients who inspire us to the caregivers who serve them. Once such caregiver is Pam Ruis.
Pam provides health care to our patients wherever they call home. Home health care includes a range of medical, social, assistive and other services when patients need follow-up care after a hospital visit or requires long-term care. (more…)
Sexual development is a natural part of adolescence. Beyond the physical changes in their bodies, adolescents begin to feel “crushes” and sexual attraction, and many engage in sexual behaviors. In 2019, more than one in every three eleventh graders in Minnesota reported having had sex before. In today’s increasingly digital world, adolescents hear and see messages all the time about what relationships and sex should look like. As parents, you can help your adolescents make sense of these messages, understand their bodies, and make decisions that align with their goals and values.
For “Let’s Talk” month, we will share ten tips for conversations with teens about sexual health: (more…)
