Friday, May 29, 2009

Martin Memorial Ready to Celebrate Its 10th-Annual Cancer Survivors Day June 6

Martin Memorial will celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day with an event on June 5 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Robert and Carol Weissman Cancer Center.

Cancer survivors, their families and friends are invited to the 10th-annual event at Martin Memorial, where they can share inspirational stories, enjoy lunch and hear musical entertainment. This year’s event will have a ’50s Sock Hop theme, with entertainment by Pat and Gigi of the Jukebox Band. There will also be a contest for the individual best-dressed in ’50s attire.

The Robert and Carol Weissman Cancer Center is located at 501 E. Osceola Street in Stuart. The event will be held in the resource library on the second floor of the cancer center. Space is limited, so please RSVP for the celebration by calling (772) 223-5945, ext. 3736. Event parking is available in the garage next to the cancer center.

Now in its 22nd year, National Cancer Survivors Day is a world-wide celebration of those who have fought cancer. A survivor is considered anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life. The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation estimates there are approximately 12 million Americans who fit that description.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

When School’s Out for Summer, Don’t Let Kids’ Healthy Eating Habits Take a Break

With school almost out and the lazy, hazy days of summer here, our kids are eager for freedom to begin. Ah, those good ol’ days of fun: sleeping late, cool summer treats and being homework free. But with no routines and hot summer days, the novelty of freedom soon turns to boredom and leaves our kids with the ultimate question of, “what can we do now?”

Some kids may think they are hungry and head straight to the fridge or wait for the ice cream man to do his daily rounds. That’s when the vicious cycle of poor eating habits begins with regular ice cream stops, hot dogs at the ballpark and cotton candy at the fair.

So as our kids kick back this summer, think of what you can do to keep your child active and his or her eating up to par. Sure it’s hotter than heck and all our kids want to do is lounge. But find ways to keep them active. Play games in the pool, take a bike ride, have an evening of hide and seek, or a day of Wii in the AC.

Sweets are part of the summer fun, but make it a special affair – a cool summer treat to have once a week. In turn, have healthy snacks on hand that give kids the nutrients they need, such as creamy non-fat yogurt, fresh summer fruit, trail mix, or garden veggies and a low fat dip.

Make breakfast a routine. Always have healthy options like whole-grain cereal, oatmeal pancakes, fruit smoothies or their choice of eggs. Try to include protein at each meal – it will help fill them up and keep their energy levels soaring.

Take a break from fast food and see how easy grilling can be. Make eating a family affair by insisting on eating home-prepared dinners together. You can even get the kids involved by giving them something to do and making it a little easier on you.

As the days heat up, have plenty of cold water or low-calorie beverages around. For a twist on water add your favorite fruit, such as strawberry or kiwi, ice and voila! Be careful with juices and sport drinks, which are filled with sugar and empty calories that go straight to the waist.

Whatever you do this summer, enjoy the time with the kids and remember that you are the best role model that can shape your kids!

--Beth St.Louis, MS, RD, LDN
Program Dietitian
Martin Memorial Center for Health and Healing

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Leo’s Not Lyin’: Speech Therapy Has Patient Roaring Again Soon After Stroke

Put two or three marshmallows in your mouth and try to have a conversation with a friend, and at once you would realize that difficulty speaking impacts even the simplest aspects of your daily life. This is exactly what happened to Leo. He woke up one morning “not feeling quite right” and when he went to tell his wife, the sounds coming out of his mouth were not words. Could this be a stroke? The answer was yes!

Leo came to Martin Memorial, where he was evaluated by a team of rehabilitation specialists. Although the physical therapist found no difficulty with walking and the occupational therapist found no problems with Leo using his hands to perform daily tasks, the speech pathologist discovered Leo had severe apraxia of speech.

Apraxia is a general term that refers to difficulty sequencing movement with any part of the body, including the arms and legs. Apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder. It is caused by damage to the parts of the brain related to speaking. People with apraxia of speech have trouble sequencing the sounds in syllables and words. They know the words they want to say, but their brains have difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words. This can become quite frustrating because it is very difficult or even impossible to understand a person with apraxia of speech.

Leo’s speech had been severely affected. He was unable to even state his first name, or make his basic needs known. Leo felt very frustrated because he had always been a “talker.” Leo was the kind of guy that would strike up a conversation at the market, while waiting in a waiting room, or just enjoyed socializing with friends and family. Now he could not even introduce himself because he could not say his first name. Leo needed the help of a speech pathologist.

Leo started outpatient speech therapy as soon as he was discharged from the hospital. Leo needed to be retrained to produce each sound with correct lip and tongue placements, and the sounds then needed to be sequenced into words. Leo was an excellent “student.” He practiced his homework daily, repeating the sounds over and over until the sounds became words. With additional training Leo was able to sequence these words into sentences. Leo also learned to slow his speech so he could coordinate all the necessary sounds to keep his speech clear.

These days you will find Leo continuing to work hard in outpatient speech therapy or participating in a stroke support group. He’s the one introducing himself, saying his name clearly, and striking up that friendly casual conversation.

Speech-language pathologists are trained professionals who diagnose and treat speech, language, voice and swallowing problems. If you are experiencing any of these difficulties, talk to your physician about whether you may benefit from treatment and should be referred to a speech pathologist for an evaluation.

--Patti Larghi
Speech Language Pathologist

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Even on Vacation, Staying Fit a Priority

Let’s face it, we live in paradise. Why would you want to take a vacation away from paradise?

I just needed to decompress and spend a week at home. Since I spend 40-plus hours a week at Martin Memorial South Health and Fitness and I am fortunate that my job requirement is to stay in shape, I did ponder how to keep up with my fitness regimen without visiting my work environment.

So I took it to the streets! I followed my own advice and started a walking program. (Thanks for all the shout outs on US 1 and Seabranch!)

Walking is great way to maintain the fitness level but does not replace visits to the gym. Boy was I sore after a week of just maintaining. The old muscles had forgotten what it was like to really work. It’s important to take a break from your fitness program but it’s just as important to resume your strength-training workouts at the gym. It goes back to the old expression: “Use it or lose it.”

The desire to maintain a fitness program while on vacation or getting away from a routine is tricky especially when you toss into the mix a lot of baking bread and baking at the beach.
When I returned to the fitness center I was refreshed and ready to get back to the business of helping members reach their fitness goals.

And speaking of goals, the highlight of my spring vacation was watching my daughter, Abby, walk across the stage to receive her college degree from Florida State University. Instead of me walking, I watched with pride as my daughter walked.

--Jane Reynolds
Health and Fitness Technician
Hospital South Health and Fitness

Friday, May 15, 2009

With Patients Recovering, Heart Team Prepares for the Long Journey Home

For two weeks in May, two members of the Ocala Heart Institute – which partners with Martin Memorial to provide open-heart surgery at the Frances Langford Heart Center – will be taking their life-saving skills to India.

Dr. Michael Crouch, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Dale Ruby, who operates the heart-lung bypass machine at the heart center, will be part of a team providing heart surgery for patients who might not otherwise have access to the proper care.

During their trip, Dale and Dr. Crouch will periodically post blogs discussing their adventures.

May 15, 2009

Last e-mail from India, as we leave today. All four patients we operated on are doing well. We examined the patients in the ICU and looked at X-rays and lab results. The patients’ families are so grateful for our help.

It has been very rewarding but I am now excited to return home. Miraje is so isolated and far from any other major city. It will take us a long time to get back to Florida. The people here have few options for medical care outside of this town since the terrain is rugged. It would very difficult to transfer a patient to another medical center. That makes our time here even more valuable to the local community.

I look forward to being back at Martin Memorial next week.

Regards,
Dale Ruby

Thursday, May 14, 2009

As Time in India Nears Its End, Members of Heart Team Reflect on Time There

For two weeks in May, two members of the Ocala Heart Institute – which partners with Martin Memorial to provide open-heart surgery at the Frances Langford Heart Center – will be taking their life-saving skills to India.

Dr. Michael Crouch, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Dale Ruby, who operates the heart-lung bypass machine at the heart center, will be part of a team providing heart surgery for patients who might not otherwise have access to the proper care.

During their trip, Dale and Dr. Crouch will periodically post blogs discussing their adventures.

May 14, 2009

Hello again from India!

Surgery went great today again. We operated on a woman who is the mother of the police chief here in town ( no pressure there, huh!). There were numerous family members present so as Dr. Crouch and I left it was great to be able to smile to them so they were aware that the surgery went well. In any language the love of family is so beautiful. It was such a privilege to be a part of the OR team that helped this family through a tough time.

We are now finished with surgery for the week. Tomorrow morning we will round in the ICU on the patients we operated on and make sure they are well and there are no complications before we head back to Mumbai.

It will be a big travel day as we have a six-hour car ride to Mumbai, then a 15-hour flight to New York. I am happy to be coming home but sad in a way also. I have made some good friends with the medical staff here. I know that next week I will again have many luxury items around me (like air conditioning and reliable electricity!) but they will have to make due with what they have here. I hope that we have made patient care better for them and that the work we did here this week will continue after we leave.

I will post pictures next week after we return.

Regards,
Dale Ruby

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

In India, Lending a Hand to Those in Need

For two weeks in May, two members of the Ocala Heart Institute – which partners with Martin Memorial to provide open-heart surgery at the Frances Langford Heart Center – will be taking their life-saving skills to India.

Dr. Michael Crouch, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Dale Ruby, who operates the heart-lung bypass machine at the heart center, will be part of a team providing heart surgery for patients who might not otherwise have access to the proper care.

During their trip, Dale and Dr. Crouch will periodically post blogs discussing their adventures.

May 13, 2009

Hello again from India!

Surgery went well again today. We operated on a woman who had advanced-stage heart disease and had no money or insurance. She was refused surgery earlier due to lack of money, but we were able to operate on her at no charge.

We brought many supplies with us, including heart valves, and the hospital accepted this as payment for her stay. Tomorrow we have one more cardiac surgery scheduled, then return to Florida.

It has been incredible to see the poverty here in this part of India. I will post pictures when I get back since I cannot download them on this computer. I am at an Internet cafe and it is so hot and dirty here. I am really lucky to find any computer at all. It is such a blessing to be able to share our love to these people who are so far removed from modern life.

Most people here have never seen people from other countries in their life. I get many curious stares from people every morning as I walk to the hospital, but I enjoy helping here where it is truly needed.

Regards,
Dale Ruby

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Saving Lives Crosses Cultural Boundaries for Martin Memorial Heart Team in India

For two weeks in May, two members of the Ocala Heart Institute – which partners with Martin Memorial to provide open-heart surgery at the Frances Langford Heart Center – will be taking their life-saving skills to India.

Dr. Michael Crouch, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Dale Ruby, who operates the heart-lung bypass machine at the heart center, will be part of a team providing heart surgery for patients who might not otherwise have access to the proper care.

During their trip, Dale and Dr. Crouch will periodically post blogs discussing their adventures.

May 12, 2009

Greetings from India again!!

Today was a great day here in India as Dr. Crouch and I operated on a woman with advanced-stage heart disease. We performed a coronary artery triple bypass surgery. The surgery went great considering the power shut down twice during the surgery while we were on cardiopulmonary bypass!

The power supply here is not reliable and the hospital backup takes several minutes to kick in. The OR got very hot (it is about 35 degrees centigrade outside) when the air conditioner lost power. The loss of power during open-heart surgery is not something you can really prepare for!

When we finished the surgery, as I was leaving, the patient’s family came over to me. They did not know any English but when I smiled and gave a thumbs up they knew that the surgery went well. It was great to see the love of a child for their mother in any language. I feel so blessed for the opportunity to bring happiness to this family.

After surgery we visited a leprosy hospital nearby to cheer up the patients. Leprosy is rarely seen in America but is seen in India. Many of the patients were recovering from surgery to rehabilitate and integrate back into society.

Tomorrow we have another young mother on the OR schedule for bypass surgery. The week is going by fast as we only have two more days of surgery remaining. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Dale Ruby

Monday, May 11, 2009

Greetings From India! Martin Memorial Duo Saving Lives With Heart Surgeries

For two weeks in May, two members of the Ocala Heart Institute – which partners with Martin Memorial to provide open-heart surgery at the Frances Langford Heart Center – will be taking their life-saving skills to India.

Dr. Michael Crouch, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and Dale Ruby, who operates the heart-lung bypass machine at the heart center, will be part of a team providing heart surgery for patients who might not otherwise have access to the proper care.

During their trip, Dale and Dr. Crouch will periodically post blogs discussing their adventures.


May 11, 2009

Greetings from India!

I have been in India for five days now. I first arrived in Bombay (now called Mumbai) Thursday night. We stayed in Bombay for two nights and then took a train 12 hours to Miraj, where I am now.

Today was our first day of surgery. Dr. Crouch and I operated on a 55-year-old man who had severe coronary artery disease. He was diagnosed in January but had been refused treatment due to lack of money. We did a triple coronary artery bypass for him and he did great.

We donated our time and brought the supplies we needed to do this operation for him at no charge. It was very rewarding to walk into the waiting area with Dr. Crouch and smile to his family to let them know he was doing well.

The hospital staff is very friendly and is very grateful toward us. We have anther bypass procedure scheduled for Tuesday on a young mother who has been in the hospital for almost a week now. Dr. Crouch and I feel very fortunate to be here sharing our medical skills and love for God here in India.

Regards,
Dale!

Friday, May 8, 2009

At Risk for a Stroke? Find Out at Screening That Could Provide Life-Saving Info

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of serious, long-term disability. But stroke often can be prevented by learning the risk factors, consulting with a physician and making the necessary lifestyle modifications.

To help identify individuals who might be at risk for a stroke, Martin Memorial is holding a screening event that can provide valuable information about their chances of being affected. There will also be information from Martin Memorial’s clinical experts about ways to reduce risks, as well as how to detect the signs and symptoms of stroke. Because having rapid access to treatment is critical to surviving stroke, knowing what to look for when one occurs can help save a life.

The event will take place Saturday, May 30 from 7-11 a.m. at Martin Memorial Medical Center, located at 200 S.E. Hospital Ave. in Stuart.

The screening package is $49 for an individual, $84 for a couple, and will include an EKG, lipid blood test, blood sugar test, body mass index calculation and a blood pressure test. A carotid artery ultrasound may be included with the other tests for $75 for individuals, $127 for couples.

To register for the event, call (866) 361-HOPE (4673). Register by May 26 to guarantee your screening time.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Read All About It: Tips That Can Help Men Prevent Heart Disease and Heart Attacks

Father’s Day is still several weeks away, but last April Martin Memorial partnered with the Palm Beach Post to provide information that can help dads – and all men – lead healthier lifestyles.

Martin Memorial submitted four articles to the Palm Beach Post’s “Ask a Local Doctor” segment on the health page of its Web site. The focus was on men’s health – common illnesses that men face, tips on preventing disease and important screenings for guys of all ages.

Follow this link to read the third article, this one from Larry Mufson, MD, a cardiologist on staff at Martin Memorial, who discusses the prevalence of heart disease in men as well as steps they can take to reduce their risks. Thanks to the Palm Beach Post for working with us on helping provide information that can help men stay healthy.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Get Ready to Dodge for the Cure in Annual Tom Vadas Dodgeball Tournament

The second-annual Tom Vadas Memorial “Dodge for the Cure” – which benefits the Martin Memorial inpatient oncology unit – takes place May 9 and gives rusty dodgeball warriors the chance to practice their skills in the sport’s four D’s: dodge, duck, dip and dive.

The tournament will be held Saturday, May 9 in the Jensen Beach High School gymnasium. The youth division (fifth through eighth graders) will kick things off at 3 p.m., with the adult division (ninth grade on up) beginning at 6:30 p.m. Each team includes six to eight players. Because team reservations for last year’s inaugural tournament went so quickly, this year event organizers doubled the size of the field. The registration fee for each team is $100.

The “old school dodgeball tournament” is expected to feature approximately 60 teams in two divisions, squaring off to beat each other – and cancer. Funds from the tournament go to the inpatient cancer unit at Martin Memorial. For many cancer patients and their families, the unit becomes a home away from home as they battle the disease. The goal of the tournament is to raise funds to purchase amenities that will help their sometimes lengthy stays more comfortable. Last year’s event raised more than $11,000.

The tournament was created in memory of Tom Vadas, who fought Hodgkin’s lymphoma for 16 years before passing away in 2007. Tom spent most of the last year of his life in the cancer unit at Martin Memorial, and he wanted to create a place where patients and their families could feel upbeat and motivated to continue their fight against cancer each day.

For more information on the event, visit dodgeforthecure.blogspot.com or call (772) 528-3204.

Read All About It: Learn Ways That Men Can Reduce Their Risk of Having a Stroke

Father’s Day is still several weeks away, but last April Martin Memorial partnered with the Palm Beach Post to provide information that can help dads – and all men – lead healthier lifestyles.

Martin Memorial submitted four articles to the Palm Beach Post’s “Ask a Local Doctor” segment on the health page of its Web site. The focus was on men’s health – common illnesses that men face, tips on preventing disease and important screenings for guys of all ages.

Follow this link to read the second article, this one from Jason Stabley, DO, a neurologist with Martin Memorial, who discusses the importance of stroke prevention as well as steps men take take to reduce their risks. Thanks to the Palm Beach Post for working with us on helping provide information that can help men stay healthy.