Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Bloomfield, Missouri – The Stoddard County Public Health Center will be offering free tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccinations to the public on Thursday, July 18, 2013 and again on Friday, July 26, 2013 according to Amy Hector BSN, RN.
The Tdap vaccinations also known as the DPT vaccination will be given between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – noon and between 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The Tdap vaccine is given to children around the age of 11 or 12 and is required for all students entering the 8th grade.
The Tdap vaccination protects you from three diseases, diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. One can get Tetanus from cuts, scratches or puncture woonds. Diphtheria is contagious and can spread from person to person. It can lead to breathing issues, heart failure, and sometimes death. The Whooping Cough is also a contagious disease that causes babies to cough so much they cannot breathe well.
Recommendations for those who need a Tdap vaccination are:
· All adults 19 years and older, including those 65 years and older, should get a dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine.
· The Tdap vaccine is now recommended for all women in the third trimester (ideally 27th through 36th week of their pregnancy), even if they have previously received Tdap vaccine.
· Tdap is especially important for anyone in close contact with infants younger than 12 months old – for example, parents, guardians, grandparents, babysitters, nannies, teachers, and those who have not previously received the Tdap vaccine.
· Other adults who are not close contacts of children younger than 12 months old, should receive a one-time dose of the Tdap vaccine. After your initial dose of Tdap, you'll need the Td (tetanus and diphtheria) booster every 10 years. You don't need to wait to get the Tdap vaccine if you have recently received the Td booster vaccine.
The Stoddard County Health Center’s mission is striving to empower individuals and families, will protect the health and promote wellness by assessing and strengthening the public healthcare system through the coordination and delivery of services, educations, and resources.
The Stoddard County Public Health Center was established for the residents of Stoddard County and is funded through the county taxes and the state of Missouri. Most services are available to anyone regardless of financial status and are free of charge. We provide services for infants and children, young and middle ages adults, and the elderly populations of Stoddard County.
The Board of Trustees include Larry Walpole, Chairperson, Debra Kiser, Vice Chairperson, Sue Tippen, Secretary/Treasurer, Linda Morgan, Member, and Jeanie Huey, Member. Board meetings are held monthly.
If you would like more information, please contact the Stoddard County Public Health Center at 573-568-4593 or your local physician to see if you have had the vaccination.
The vaccinations are FREE and both adults and children may receive the vaccine. The SCPHC is located at 1001 Missouri 25 in Bloomfield.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Missouri was recently named the “Best Trails State” by American Trails, a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting our nation’s hiking, biking and riding trails. The national award is presented every two years to the state with the most innovative and successful trail sharing efforts, programs, and systems.
“From backcountry hiking trails to urban bike paths, Missouri’s award-winning trails offer healthy outdoor activities for Missourians of all ages and interests,” Gov. Nixon said. “The First Lady and I invite all Missourians to join us on the 100 Missouri Miles Challenge as we promote Missouri’s outdoor heritage, improve our health, and have fun with family and friends.”
Missouri offers nearly 1,000 miles of trails managed by Missouri State Parks, more than 500 miles of National Recreation Trails designated by the U.S. Department of Interior, and thousands of trail miles maintained by municipalities, local park districts, schools, colleges, churches, private entities, not for profit groups, and other local groups throughout the state.
They have one mission - to get more Missourians moving in the beautiful Missouri outdoors. Whether you run, walk, bike, ride, swim, or roll, there is a trail or other outdoor venue that can help you achieve the challenge of 100 Missouri Miles. Join us today as we all strive to complete 100 Missouri Miles.
Missouri businesses and organizations have joined Governor Jay Nixon and First Lady Georganne Nixon in the effort to challenge all Missourians to complete 100 Missouri Miles of physical activity by the end of the year. And so should you! Thank you to all for helping us carry on time-honored traditions and helping more Missourians discover our proud outdoor heritage.
For more information and to take the Challenge, visit 100MissouriMiles.com. Participants can also share adventures, post photos and learn about upcoming events by connecting with 100 Missouri Miles on Facebook and Twitter.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
St. Louis, Missouri - Gov. Jay Nixon joined a Missouri Pancreatic Cancer survivor this evening to throw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals game as part of the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Night at Busch Stadium. A portion of all ticket sales from tonight’s game benefits pancreatic cancer research through the not-for-profit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
Before throwing out the pitch, Gov. Nixon was joined by cancer survivors, representatives from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Cardinals President Bill DeWitt and members of the Cardinals baseball organization, to sign House Bill 68 which designates the month of November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Missouri.
“Pancreatic Cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Missouri and the United States, and impacts families throughout Missouri,” Gov. Nixon said. “By raising awareness of this deadly disease, we hope to improve the survival rate of Missourians afflicted with Pancreatic Cancer by increasing early detection and treatment.”
HB 68 designates the month of November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Missouri to increase public understanding of the disease, including its prevalence, approaches to screening and prevention, and treatment options.
According to a recent report by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, by the year 2020, pancreatic cancer will move from the fourth leading cause of cancer death to the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
In Missouri, on average, about 700 new cases of Pancreatic Cancer are diagnosed each year. In 2012, 782 Missourians died from Pancreatic Cancer.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Dexter, Missouri – SoutheastHEALTH would like to invite all Stoddard County Middle and High School athletes to get a FREE Athletic Physical at the Dexter High School cafeteria.
The event will take place on Wednesday, May 8th and will be from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.
SoutheastHEALTH physicians and nurse practitioners will be on hand to conduct these physicals. Last year, nearly 300 students benefited from this program.
Please remember that all schools require a parent’s signature on the physical form. Also you must provide proof of insurance.
If you have questions, please contact SoutheastHEALTH at 624-5566 or your local middle school or high school.
If you would like to know more about SoutheastHEALTH and their services go to www.SEhealth.org.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Poplar Bluff, Missouri – A surgical team at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center performed their first da Vinci Single-Site Cholecystectomy on April 9, 2013. They are the only hospital in the region and one of only four hospitals in the entire state to have performed this procedure. The patient’s gallbladder was removed through one tiny incision in the belly button, making the procedure virtually scarless.
Led by David Mauterer, M.D. General Surgeon, the team removed the gallbladder using Single-Site instruments on a da Vinci System. The minimally invasive procedure is traditionally called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Using robotic assistance, surgeons removed the gallbladder through an incision of approximately one inch.
“Neither robotic surgery nor single-incision surgery is new, but combining the two to remove the gallbladder requires additional training and special equipment,” says Charles Steward, CEO of PBRMC and the Missouri Region. “To be one of the first hospitals to offer this technically advanced surgery demonstrates Poplar Bluff Regional’s commitment to providing patients with the most up-to-date minimally invasive surgical options.”
Potential benefits of Single-Site gallbladder surgery may include virtually scarless results, minimal pain, low blood loss, fast recovery, a short hospital stay and high patient satisfaction. The surgery can be performed in about one hour with a typical hospital stay of less than 24 hours.
During the procedure, the surgeon sits comfortably at a console, viewing a 3D, high-definition image of the patient’s anatomy. The surgeon uses controls below the viewer to move the instrument arms and camera. In real-time, the system translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements into more precise movements of the miniaturized instruments inside the patient.
Unlike traditional robotic surgeries requiring three to five small incisions, this new technology allows for a single incision in the belly button where instruments are placed and the diseased gallbladder is removed.
Most people who require gallbladder removal are candidates for the robotic, single-incision surgery. According to the American College of Surgeons, surgery is the recommended treatment for gallbladder pain from gallstones and non-functioning gallbladders.
More than 1 million people in the U.S. have their gallbladder removed each year. Most are performed with traditional laparoscopy using several incisions.
PBRMC offers various types of robotic-assisted surgeries. In addition to gallbladder removal, PBRMC surgeons perform robotic-assisted surgery for gynecology and various other general surgery conditions. PBRMC also offers a wide range of minimally invasive conventional laparoscopic surgeries.
For information on robotic and other minimally invasive surgeries at PBRMC, call 855-444-PBRMC (7276) or visit www.poplarbluffregional.com.
