CARINGFOR YOU Spring 2020

MEN: Is prostate cancer screening right for you? Pages 4-5

How to cope with year-round allergies Page 2

Patient Testimonial Page 3

Grand Itasca Volunteer Services gives backPage 6

Donate LifePage 7

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL Katie Thunshelle, blood transfusion recipient

MEN’S HEALTH Is prostate cancer screening right for you?

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4

6

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VOLUNTEER SERVICES Grand Itasca Volunteer Services gives back

GIVE BACK Donate Life

2 CONTENTS

Pictured on the front cover: Dr. Ryan Novak, Urologist at Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital.

For every season, there is a sneezeHOW TO COPE WITH YEAR-ROUND ALLERGIES

Springtime may be justly famous for allergies, but for many people the misery of sniffles, sneezing and watery eyes doesn’t end with the summer solstice. If you suffer from allergy symptoms throughout the year, chances are you have multiple allergies to irritants both indoors and out.

Take these steps to help you cope:

Consider the culprits. You may need a doctor to pinpoint and treat your allergies, but first try some detective work to see whether you can manage mild or occasional symptoms by using over-the-counter medications and avoiding environmental triggers. Dust, pets and mold are the biggest indoor offenders. If your symptoms are seasonal, however, you may be allergic to certain pollens. In the spring, the prevalent allergen is tree pollen. Summer brings grasses, and in the fall, weeds abound.

Explore over-the-counter treatments. Nonprescription antihistamines curb the body’s actual allergic response and

work best when you take them routinely. Decongestants may improve breathing. Nose drops and sprays, however, are for occasional use only. Don’t use them for more than three days because longer use may cause more harm. Eye drops can provide some temporary symptom relief.

Is it a vicious allergen or a virus? Determine whether you have an allergy or a cold. While both can cause a runny nose, coughing and sneezing, allergies usually have a clear discharge and don’t cause aches, pains or fever. Allergies may come on suddenly, but symptoms tend to linger through a season or more. Colds usually run their course within a week.

When to see your doctor. See your health care provider for an evaluation and prescription medications if over-the-counter remedies and self-care measures don’t offer enough relief, your symptoms worsen or you develop asthma-like reactions such as wheezing. You may need to see an allergist for skin testing or further treatment.

CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGERSReducing your contact with indoor and outdoor allergens may help make your symptoms more manageable. Try these measures:

Limit contact with pets.

Avoid carpets, which can trap dust and

animal dander.

Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high-

efficiency particulate air) filter.

Run a HEPA cleaner in your bedroom.

Make sure basements, bathrooms and

kitchens are well ventilated and cleaned

frequently to prevent mold and mildew.

Use a dehumidifier in damp basements.

Keep windows closed and use air

conditioning during peak pollen months.

Stay indoors during peak pollen hours

from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Make your home a smoke-free

environment.

Avoid aerosols, paint, perfumes and

cleaning products with strong fumes.

VOLUNTEER SERVICES Grand Itasca Volunteer Services gives back

GIVE BACK Donate Life

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL 3

In your words

To protect staff and donors, pre-donation screening procedures are in place to prevent donations from people

with symptoms of respiratory illness. There is no evidence that coronaviruses are transmissible by blood transfusion.

BECOME A LIFE-SAVER: DONATE BLOOD NOWMany local blood drives have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak leading to a serious blood shortage. If you are feeling healthy, Memorial Blood Centers encourage donors to schedule an appointment at one of their donor centers.

“I arrived at Grand Itasca for a scheduled induction after a very normal and healthy pregnancy. Nurse Hillary Johnson was on staff that night, who is the best thing on the planet, and Dr. Youngdahl completed a smooth delivery of my son Ty. However, after he was born my uterus wasn’t contracting and I began to hemorrhage. I spent the next four hours in the OR undergoing two emergency surgeries.

“In total I received 23 units of blood, more than twice what the average body holds! I am grateful to the excellent doctors who saved my life by making the right choices at the right time. And for the blood given so generously from others, because of them I survived to be a mother, a wife, a teacher and a blood drive coordinator.”

— Katie Thunshelle, Blood Transfusion Recipient

Katie is now the coordinator of five blood drives each year at the Grand Rapids High School.

“My message to others is that blood donors truly save lives. They saved mine. And I encourage others to become life-savers too.”

To schedule a blood donation appointment, visit mbc.org or call 888.448.3253.

4 MEN’S HEALTH

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men, behind skin cancer. About 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. But screening for prostate cancer may not be right for all men. “It’s important to have a conversation with your doctor about whether prostate cancer screening is right for you,” said Ryan Novak, MD, Urologist at Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital.

Men: Is prostate cancer screening right for you?

Dr. Ryan Novak Urologist

CHANGES TO SCREENING GUIDELINESThe guidelines for prostate cancer screening have evolved in recent years, creating some confusion about whether men should be tested or not. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for routine prostate cancer screening in 2012. Then in 2018, the USPSTF released updated recommendations advising that each man should discuss the potential benefits and harms of screening with his doctor.

“Medical organizations, such as the American Urological Association and National Comprehensive Cancer Network, mostly agree that men should make informed decisions about prostate cancer screening around 55, or earlier if there is a family history,” Dr. Novak said. “Men should talk to their doctor about the risks and benefits of screening and make a decision based on their values and preferences.”

Dr. Novak recommends screening for men with risk factors such as those with a family history of prostate cancer (father or brother with a history of prostate cancer). For men age 55

Men should talk to their doctor about the risks and benefits of screening and make a decision based on their values and preferences.

“”

MEN’S HEALTH 5

To decide whether prostate cancer screening is right for you, call 218.326.7344 to schedule

an appointment to discuss it with your doctor.

New elliptical machine and Gerry Wyland, Director of Rehabilitation Services.

Thanks to a grant from the Grand Itasca Foundation the physical therapy department was able to purchase a new elliptical training machine for the rehab gym. This machine is multi-motion offering the versatility of stepping, striding and elliptical motions. It offers a higher level of fitness to accommodate our ambulatory and sports injury patients.

Use the attached envelope to make a contribution to Grand Itasca Foundation and help bring new equipment and technology to Grand Itasca, such as the new rehabilitation elliptical trainer.

and older who don’t have a family history of prostate cancer, having a conversation regarding risks and benefits can be very helpful to make a shared decision with your physician.

PSA TESTING PROS AND CONSThe prostate is a walnut-size gland that produces fluid for semen. It also produces PSA (a protein), which the PSA blood test measures. If PSA levels in the blood are elevated, it could indicate a prostate problem. “The higher the level, the more likely that cancer is present. But many other factors, including age and race, as well as other prostate problems, can affect PSA levels,” Dr. Novak explained.

On its own, without further testing, a PSA test is not enough to diagnose cancer. A biopsy — removing a small amount of tissue with a needle — is usually done to diagnose prostate cancer. Tiny samples of the prostate are examined under a microscope to see if cancer cells are present. However, less than half of men who have a prostate biopsy due to elevated PSA levels are found to have prostate cancer when a biopsy is done. These results, called false positives, may lead to unnecessary biopsies.

“The risks include the side effects and cost of undergoing prostate biopsy or other testing,” Dr. Novak explained. “For some patients, biopsies are not necessary, and for other patients diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer, active surveillance is a safe option.”

Another consideration is that prostate cancer often grows so slowly that many men who have it detected by screening might never need treatment. There are additional ancillary tests, such as genetic

testing, which help determine which patients do need treatment, such as radiation therapy or surgery. The problem is that in some patients, treatment can have unpleasant and sometimes long-lasting side effects, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTORSome men value the peace of mind that can come from being screened and found to have a normal PSA level. If testing reveals the presence of prostate cancer, some men would prefer to be treated early, when treatments may be more effective, rather than take the risk that the

cancer will cause problems in the future. Ultimately the decision is yours and best made after discussing the pros and cons with your doctor.

READY TO VOLUNTEER

FOR GIVS? Call Hannah Chesness,

Volunteer Coordinator, at

218.999.1016 or email her

at hchesne1@fairview.org.

6 VOLUNTEER SERVICES

Grand Itasca Volunteer Services gives back April is Volunteer Appreciation Month and we want to take time to celebrate the dedicated volunteers at Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital and the impact they make every day to enhance patient care.

In 2019, over 95 volunteers gave more than 11,555 hours of their time, talents and treasures to Grand Itasca. That equates to over $293,000 in wages and benefits to the clinic and hospital.

Grand Itasca Volunteer Services also raises money through income generated from Grand Itasca’s gift shop, the coffee bar, fundraising events, tips and donations resulting in more than $50,000 in grants invested back into the clinic and hospital.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Why should I volunteer? Volunteering reduces stress, increases energy, improves health and boosts self-esteem.

Who can volunteer? Men, women and students ages 14 and older.

How much time do I need to volunteer? Most opportunities are weekdays, once a week for 3 to 4 hours per shift. A commitment of 3 months of service is requested. We also have opportunities to volunteer casually as a substitute or just for a particular time of year. Other options include special projects such as tying fleece blankets or administrative work.

2,256 books were distributed to children ages

6 months to 5 years of age at Well-Child visits.

480 fleece blankets were cut and tied to be distributed

to pediatric patients.

97 hats were knit for newborns.

25 babies born in December were sent home in a

handmade Christmas stocking.

132 toiletry bags were provided to caregivers staying

with patients in the hospital.

4 blood drives resulted in the collection of 80 units

of blood which will benefit over 240 patients.

2019 STATS AND FACTS

7COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Donate Life is the national symbol for the cause of organ, eye and tissue donation.

22

More than 100,000 men, women and children await lifesaving organ transplants.

Every

10

minutes another person is added to the waiting list.

The Need is Great

NATIONAL MONTH

National Donate Life Month is celebrated every April. It features local and national activities to educate and encourage Americans to register as donors and consider living donation, as well as to celebrate those who have saved and healed lives through the gift of donation.

? Top 4 Frequently Asked Questions

Why register to be a donor? You can save up to 8 lives and heal the lives of more than 75 people. Your registration also relieves your family of the burden of making the decision at a time of sadness and grief.

Does my social or financial status play any part in whether or not I will receive an organ? A national system matches available organs from the donor with people on the waiting list based on many factors, including: blood type, body size, how sick they are, distance from donor hospital and time on the list. Race, income, gender, celebrity and social status are never considered.

Does registering as a donor change my patient care? No, doctors work hard to save every patient’s life, but sometimes there is a complete and irreversible loss of brain function. The patient is declared clinically and legally dead. Only then is donation an option.

Will I be able to have an open casket funeral if I donate? An open casket funeral is possible for organ, eye and tissue donors.

What can I do to increase organ, eye and tissue donation?

1 2 3 Visit DonateLife.net to discover ways you can be a champion of the cause.

Register yourdecision to be a donor at RegisterMe.org.

4 Ask others to visit DonateLife.net to learn more and register.

Tell your family and friends about your decision to Donate Life.

Donate Life is a registered service mark of Donate Life America. © 2020 Donate Life America

people die each day because the organs they need are not donated in time.

Connect with your partner

in Health

Virtual care visits are completed securely online, by video, or over the telephone with your Grand Itasca provider.

Learn more at granditasca.org/virtual

Get medical care from the comfort of your home

1601 Golf Course RoadGrand Rapids, MN 55744

GRAND ITASCA CLINIC & HOSPITALPhone: 218.326.3401Appointments: 218.326.7344 Email: granditasca@fairview.orgWeb: granditasca.org

Main Clinic Hours:Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Rapid Clinic Hours:7 days a week, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Grand Itasca Pharmacy Hours:Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.Email: gip@fairview.org, Phone: 218.999.4479

Grand Itasca Home CareMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.218.999.HOME (4663)

Emergency Room:Open 24 hours a day

OTHER IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATIONBusiness Office: 218.999.1710

Financial Advocates:Patient Last Name A-L: 218.999.1715Patient Last Name K-Z: 218.999.1036

Medical Records: 218.999.1517

This publication does not constitute professional medical advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. Websites not belonging to this organization are provided for information only. No endorsement is implied. If you have a medical question, consult your medical professional. Images may be from ©iStock. ©2020 Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital.