healthwatch magazine winter 2015

2800-525-1033 I 218-894-1515 I lakewoodhealthsystem.com

24/7 SURGICAL COVERAGE DEDICATED CARE TEAM MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES AWARD-WINNING CARE STAPLES HOSPITAL

RIGHT HEREwhen you need us.

Meet Surgeons Jay Lenz & Craig HensonSome things in life are unpredictable, and we just don’t see them coming. That’s why the dedicated surgeons at Lakewood Health System are here to answer your questions and provide the care you need, when you need it.

Achoo or the Flu?Achoo or the Flu?KNOWING WHEN TO WAIT OUT THE SNIFFLES AND WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

Though it tends to coincide with many fall

and winter holidays, no one looks forward

to � u season. But how can you tell the dif-

ference between a case of the snif� es and

something more serious?

In� uenza, or “the � u,” and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses and have similar symptoms, but are caused by dif-ferent viruses and have a different level of severity. The common cold and the � u can often look alike, in general having a stuffy nose, sneezing and a sore throat are more indicative of a cold while symptoms like fever, headache, body aches, weakness, fatigue and extreme exhaustion are rarely signs of a cold, but are common indicators of the � u.

Both illnesses can cause chest discomfort and a cough — which is usually mild to moderate with a cold but can become quite severe with the � u. Also, with the � u symptoms tend to be worse, come on suddenly and can last as long as two weeks.

Anyone can get the � u but more serious com-plications usually affect young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic medical condi-tions, and anyone over age 65.

Complications resulting from the � u, like pneu-monia, can be very serious and even life-threaten-ing. Your physician can do a test early on to � nd out if you have the � u or something less serious.

There are three easy ways to stave off the � u this year and every year:

Get the � u shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the � u vaccine for anyone six months of age and older as soon as possible as the most important preventive measure against the � u, especially for high risk individuals.

It is also particularly important for those who care for or work closely with high risk individuals to be vaccinated to avoid spread-ing illness, particularly those who work with children under six months of age, who are

too young to be vaccinated but are at high-risk.Though there are several � u viruses, � u vaccines

can protect you against several different strains which research shows may be the most common that season. Getting vaccinated can help cut down on missed work and school, doctor’s visits, hospi-

talizations and even � u-related deaths.

Keep your hands clean. Al-ways try to avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. You can also help prevent the � u by keeping yourself and your surroundings as germ-free as pos-sible. To do this, wash your hands often with soap and water (or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer), avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes and dis-infect any surface that could become contaminated.

Stay home. If you do get the � u, make sure to lim-it close contact with others until your fever has been gone without the aid of a fever-reducing medicine for at least a full day to avoid infecting your family, friends and co-workers.

Ask your doctor if he or she recommends that you take an antiviral drug to make the illness shorter and more moderate and help to avoid serious complica-tions. Antivirals come in different forms and are only available by prescription. Though antivirals tend to work best when taken within two days of the onset of symptoms, they can still be helpful later on.

Work with your doctor to help your family stay healthy and happy this � u season. Since the � u can lead to serious and even life-threatening complica-tions, seek help immediately if you or someone you love is experiencing severe symptoms.

DR. ROBERTWESTIN

By ROBERT WESTIN, M.D. Cuyuna Regional Medical Center

Though it tends to coincide with many fall

and winter holidays, no one looks forward

to � u season. But how can you tell the dif-

ference between a case of the snif� es and

3

Table of ContentsPublisher • Tim Bogenschutz

Advertising • Susie Altersand Phil Seibel

Editor • Sarah Nelson Katzenberger

Art Direction/Design • Jan Finger

Contributing Writers

Robert Westin, M.D. • Sarah Nelson Katzen-berger • Jenny Holmes

Health Watch is a quarterly publication of the Brainerd Dispatch.

Read Health Watch online at www.brainerd dispatch.com

For advertising opportunities call Susie Alters at 218-855-5836.

Email your comments to [email protected] write to:Brainerd DispatchP.O. Box 974Brainerd, MN 56401

Achoo or the Flu? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Know when to see your doctor about respiratory illness . . . . . By Robert Westin, M.D.

Germ Busters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Essentia Health uses germ-zapping robot . . . . . . . . . By Sarah Nelson Katzenberger

Skin Deep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Local dermatologist explains skin cancer concerns. . . . . By Sarah Nelson Katzenberger

Finding support is key to dealing with cancer . . . . . . . . . . . 8Group at CRMC helps patients and survivors . . . . . . . By Sarah Nelson Katzenberger

Essentia’s Giant In� atable Lung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Model helps spread lung cancer screening awareness . . . . . . . . . . . By Jodie Tweed

CrossFit Craze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Comes to lakes area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Jenny Holmes

Do your

best to

prevent � u

this season.

See expert

advice on

PAGE 2.

Germ Busters

4

By SARAH NELSON KATZENBERGER Contributing Writer

ESSENTIA HEALTH GOES TURBO-CLEAN WITH HELP FROM GERM-ZAPPING ROBOT

Ethel

works by

casting

germ-

destroying

UVC rays

throughout

the room.

The goal of

using the

robot is to

kill germs

that could

potentially

cause com-

plications

for the hos-

pital’s most

vulnerable

patients.

Steve Kohls • [email protected]

Hospitals are dirty.

Since their main purpose is to provide a place for people to get well, it’s no doubt the concentration of germs and disease is higher in hospitals than most places. Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd is working hard to make sure patients that come in sick, go home — and stay home — healthy.

“We want to make sure when a new patient comes into a room, that it’s absolutely as clean as possible,” explained Essentia Health infection pre-ventionist Kari Russell. “We’re taking extra steps to make sure that’s the case.”

In September, the hospital added a 28th member to its house cleaning team — Ethel.

Ethel is no ordinary staff member. She’s about 3 feet tall, doesn’t say much, and she has one job: pro-tecting patient-killing deadly germs. Ethel is a Xenex germ-zapping robot. Sharing a striking resemblance to Star Wars’ R2D2, she’s the latest in disinfection technology used to eradicate dangerous mutating germs like c. dif� cile, which can cause problematic diarrhea and create serious complications for al-ready vulnerable patients.

“Our goal has always been to prevent germs from transmitting from one patient to another,” Russell said. “This gives us an added level of cleaning and

that’s a really awesome thing.”Russell said she learned about the use of the

Xenex robots from other Essentia locations and through literature she received about the new tech-nology. She said the hospital was in the right place to make some capital purchases. “We just thought it would be great to get one of these (robots) to serve our patients here,” she said. “Leadership was very supportive and we were able to make the invest-ment.”

Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s environmental service

See GERM-ZAPPER, Page 12

Ethel

works by

casting

germ-

destroying

UVC rays

5

Essentia Health’s cancer experts are here to make sure that the best care is available close to home, family and friends.

Dr. Laura Joque

EssentiaHealth.org/BrainerdCancerCenter

EssentiaHealth.org

Essentia Health’s cancer experts are deeply committed to caring for cancer patients in the Brainerd Lakes Area. From participating in community events to raise awareness about the importance of cancer screenings to raising money that directly impacts the patients we care for, we are here with you in every way.

Our team consists of oncology and hematology providers, specialized surgeons, radiologists and pathologists, dieticians, specialized nurses and therapists, a nurse navigator, social worker, clinical research nurse, and so many more. We understand that patients want personalized care and we are here to make sure that the best care is available close to home and close to family and friends.

The Essentia Health Cancer Center team continues to demonstrate a commitment to delivering the highest level of cancer care to patients and families. Our Center is certified, accredited and recognized by the following:

When it’s cancer, we’re here with you every day. Close to home.

From left to right:Missy Laposky, RN, BA, OCN;Laura Joque, MD; Barb Morris, RN, BSN, OCN; Aby Z. Philip, MBBS andJessica Nybakken, AOCNP

“I take whatever comes my way, and I stay positive.”

EssentiaHealth.org






– Ramona B., Brainerd

Early detection has helped Ramona survive not one, but two cancers. Like most people diagnosed with lung cancer, the tumor in Ramona’s left lung was discovered when she had an X-ray for another condition.

Until recently, there was no screening test for lung cancer. Low-dose CT scans are now being offered for people ages 55-77 who are long-time smokers and therefore at high risk for developing lung cancer.

To schedule a lung cancer screening, you need to first meet with your primary care physician to determine if you meet the criteria and to discuss the risks and benefits of a low-dose CT scan. To make an appointment with your primary care provider, call 218.828.2880.

Dr. Anusha Madadi Dr. Aby Philip

Missy Laposky, RN, BA, OCNClinical Patient Navigator

Jessica Nybakken, AOCNP

EssentiaHealth.org






EssentiaHealth.org






Erin Kennedy, RN,Clinical Patient Navigator

6

What is that? Should I be worried?

These are the questions Dr. Kristina Britton of Dermatology Professional in Baxter hears everyday. Britton said with the number of melanoma skin can-cer diagnoses on the rise, she never minds hearing from a patient who thinks they might have a poten-tial problem area.

“You’re never wasting my time,” she said. “Your job is to keep track of anything new or changing in your skin — it’s important to be vigilant.”

Melanoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of melanocytes — the cells that create pigment in the skin.

Melanoma is one of the most common forms of cancer diagnosed in both men and women and is the third most common cancer diagnosed in those between the ages of 15 to 39.

Britton said early detection has played a key role in the drop in melanoma mortality rates. Overall, the number of diagnoses, particularly in young people, is on the rise — 1 in 75 people born after the year

2000 will be diagnosed with skin cancer at some time in their life.

“It’s increasing at an alarming rate,” Britton said.Because melanoma staging is determined by how

deep into the skin it runs, it’s important to note even small changes in order to increase a patient’s surviv-al. Melanoma caught in Stage I comes with a 95 per-cent patient survival rate over 10 years as opposed to Stage IV detection that comes with a 19 percent patient survival rate.

“The average survival is six months at that stage,” Britton said. “We want to catch it before it ever has a chance to spread that far.”

When it comes to early detection, Britton said education is key. Things like family history, pigment tone and hair color all play a role in how susceptible a person is to developing melanoma.

“It’s important to know your risk factors, but ge-netically you can’t change those things,” she ex-plained. “You have to focus on environment.”

Individuals who are chronically exposed to the

sun like postal workers, construction workers and � sherman would be at a higher risk because of the amount of time they spend exposed over a long pe-riod of time.

Individuals who have been exposed to intense sun intermittently, like someone who repeatedly suffers sunburn while on vacation, would also be at increased risk.

“You’ll hear people say things like, ‘Well I never burn’ — well that’s not necessarily true. That expo-sure, chronic or intermittent, is still a risk factor for melanoma,” Britton said.

Britton stressed that the use and reapplication of sunscreen is vital to protecting skin from melanoma risk. “The hardest thing is remembering to reapply,” she said. “You don’t always realize when you use sunscreen before getting in the water and toweling off — you just wiped all your sunscreen off. You have to be diligent about applying and reapplying as long as you are exposed.”

Britton noted the level of sunscreen used, as well

By DR. KRISTINA BRITTON Dermatology Professionals

Skin DeepDR. KRISTINA BRITTON EXPLAINS WHAT TO WATCH FOR WHEN IT COMES TO SKIN CANCER

What is that? Should I be worried?

These are the questions Dr. Kristina Britton of Dermatology Professional in Baxter hears everyday. Britton said with the number of melanoma skin can-cer diagnoses on the rise, she never minds hearing

7

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Blue Cross offers Cost and PDP plans with Medicare contracts. Enrollment in these plans depends on contract renewal. Plans are available to residents of the service area. You can also call Blue Cross for plan information or to enroll. Call 1-877-662-2583, TTY users call 711, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Central Time daily.

Authorized independent agent/agency for Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus®, nonprofit independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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as its active ingredients, are crucial to providing appropriate levels of protec-tion. Always use sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF and has at least one of the following active ingredients:

• Zinc oxide• Titanium Dioxide• Parsol 1789 (avobenzone)• Mexoryl (ecaomusol)

In addition to sunscreen, Britton recommends � ghting the dangers of sun exposure with sunglasses, wide brimmed hats and sun-protective clothing, but not avoiding the sun completely.

“I want you to be outside. I want you to enjoy the sun,” she said. “You just have to be cognizant of how much exposure you’re getting.”

In addition to direct sunlight, Brit-ton said many people don’t realize the dangers in using tanning beds and how they increase the risk of melanoma. “Particularly in young women,” she said. “There is a reason laws and regu-lations are increasing when it comes to using tanning beds — we’re still learn-ing about their long-term effects and that they present a signi� cant danger.”

When it comes to determining if an abnormal spot on the skin is some-thing to be concerned about, Britton

said it’s always best to err to the side of caution.

She said there are many reasons a new spot or mole might show up on a person’s skin. Age, genetics and sun exposure are major factors, and while not all new spots are dangerous, they can often be signs of increased risk for melanoma.

“The most important thing is know-ing what to watch for as far as skin changes, and to catch potential prob-lems early,“ she said. Britton said any-thing new, changing, bleeding or not healing is worth having checked out. Also, new lumps or bumps on the skin or lymph node should be examined.

“The biggest risk factor is having a personal history of melanoma,” she said.

Someone who has been diagnosed with melanoma once is more likely to have recurrence and potentially a met-astatic tumor (cancer in another part of the body) so regular visits with the doctor are key.

“Be diligent about checking back (with your doctor),” she said. “It’s al-ways worth taking a look.” Britton pointed out that it is more likely for a patient to notice changes in the skin before their doctor does so regular self-exams are as important as routine

check-ups.A simple rule of thumb when it

comes to determining dangers in skin abnormalities: brown is good, red is bad.

Britton said she has always known she wanted to be doctor, but her route into medicine was not a traditional one. She married her high school sweetheart, had kids right away and worked at the Potlatch Paper Mill until it closed in 2002.

“If Potlatch hadn’t closed I probably would still be working there,” she said.

Britton went back to school and considered being a family practice doctor before realizing she was inter-ested in dermatology. “I really wanted to do surgeries, I liked different age ranges — it was a matter of � nding what I really wanted to do with medi-cine,” she said. “In (dermatology) I can mix all of that. Every day is something different.”

Risk factors for melanomaGENETIC• Family history of cutaneous melanoma• Lightly pigmented skin• Tendency to burn, inability to tan• Red hair color• DNA repairs defects

ENVIRONMENTAL• Intense intermittent sun exposure• Chronic sun exposure• Proximity in residence to equatorial latitudes• PUVA exposure (ultraviolet therapy used to treat skin disorders like

eczema and acne)• Tanning bed use, particularly in people under 35 years of age• Iatrogenic or acquired immunosuppression

DANGER ZONEDANGER ZONEDANGER ZONE

8

Oct. 18 is a date that will remain with Mary

Oliphant for as long as she lives. The date

brings both pain and a feeling of resilience

for the 74-year-old Deerwood resident. On

Oct. 18, 2014, following a routine mammo-

gram, Oliphant was diagnosed with breast

cancer.

“I didn’t know what to think,” Oliphant said. “I went in just to get a mammogram and next thing I know, I’m going back for a follow-up and an ultrasound and then a biopsy.”

A week later Oliphant underwent surgery to remove the tumor and soon started her chemotherapy treat-ment. “I thought I was going to die because I was in such pain,” she said.

“It really couldn’t have come at a worse time — I was just beside myself,” Oliphant recalled. Her hus-band had just undergone surgery and suffered some serious complications. “He’s just recovering and here I am being diagnosed with cancer,” Oliphant said. “It was a tough blow all at once.”

A year later, Oliphant carries herself like someone who has conquered cancer. Her silver hair is coming back after losing it to chemo and she said she “feels really good.”

By SARAH NELSON KATZENBERGER Contributing Writer

Finding support is KEY FOR CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS

Cuyuna Regional Medical Center

Oncology care coordinator Christine

Roy (left) meets Peggy Judnitch, Donna

Weidholz and Megan Schreimann at

the Crosby Medical Center campus as

the trio drop off care bags for breast

cancer patients at CRMC. Roy facilitates

the care for cancer patients including a

support group offered to women who

are current patients or cancer survivors.

Oct. 18 is a date that will remain with Mary

Oliphant for as long as she lives. The date

brings both pain and a feeling of resilience

for the 74-year-old Deerwood resident. On

cancer patients at CRMC. Roy facilitates

the care for cancer patients including a

support group offered to women who

are current patients or cancer survivors.

Oliphant credits her path back to wellness in part to a cancer support group for other women like her. The group, facilitated by Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, meets once a month. A dozen or so women attend faithfully and discuss everything from their treatment struggles, which oncolo-gists are their favorite, their recovery, their families and everything in between.

At the group’s most recent meeting, Oliphant couldn’t wait to share with the group that she was about to celebrate a year since her diagnosis and the fact that she was OK.

“We need to celebrate those mile-stones,” said Lisa Slepica. Slepica, a clin-ical nurse educator at CRMC, facilitates the group with Oncology Care Coordi-nator Christine Roy.

Prior to running the group, Slepica at-tended as a member. Eleven years ago, Slepica was diagnosed with breast can-cer making her one of eight women in her family to receive the diagnosis of the disease. Her mother, Sunny John-son is also a member of the group, hav-ing survived a battle with breast cancer more than three decades ago. “Lisa is my rock,” Johnson told the group, adding that her daughter calls every day just to see how she’s doing.

The two said the support group is vi-tal for many who � nd themselves facing a diagnosis. “We all want to be healthy survivors, we all want to thrive,” Slepica said. “Our paths all look different — it can feel lonely.”

The group is made up of women of all ages and stages in treatment. Some like Johnson have been cancer-free for a long time, others are still in the trenches of treatment. They discuss their doctor vis-its, their frustrations with insurance, com-pare symptoms, invite special speakers and Slepica said at some meetings they just do activities together — like planting herbs to promote healthy diet choices. “It’s different every time,” she said.

While every patient’s experience with treatment and recovery is a little differ-ent, the group � nds solace in their shared journey. Some are the � rst in their fami-lies to ever be diagnosed with cancer. Others, like Slepica, knew their diag-nosis would eventually come — it was just a matter of time. “For me it was just dumb luck,” one woman said.

As the group went around the table sharing updates on their lives, their fami-lies and their cancer, Pat Rinde awaited her turn to share. When Slepica asked Rinde how she was feeling, Rinde said she was halfway through her treatment and “feeling � ne.”

“You’ve been so brave,” Slepica said to Rinde.

Wearing a pink hooded sweatshirt with “Fighter” emblazed across the front, Rinde nodded her head.

Rinde’s battle with cancer started � ve years ago. The Ironton resident, a mother and grandmother, Rinde has been di-agnosed with cancer three times since 2010. She said she visited the doctor for a routine physical when she discov-ered something wasn’t right. “Everything checked out � ne,” she said. “It wasn’t until later that they found it on the mam-mogram.”

Rinde said she had a mastectomy shortly after her diagnosis. She started al-most seven months worth chemotherapy a couple months later. Rinde said she wasn’t scared in the process of coming to grips with the face that she had cancer. “I guess I kind of felt like God wanted me in the club,” she said. “I just thought, ‘OK I have to go through this.’”

Rinde has no history of cancer in her family. “I guess that part was kind of a surprise,” she said. Rinde’s cancer was diagnosed as triple negative, meaning radiation wouldn’t do any good. “That makes it a lot harder,” she said.

After completing her � rst round of treatment, Rinde said she noticed a rash where her mastectomy was and brought it up at a routine follow-up with her doc-tor. “I asked, ‘Can a rash be cancer,’” she said. “It turns out it can. I had no idea — you just never know.”

A positron emission tomography (PET) scan revealed a lump hidden under Rinde’s arm. “It’s so deep I would have never found it,” she said.

Rinde went through another round of chemotherapy along with a round a radiation. After the second round Rinde said her attitude toward her cancer shift-ed, “I just thought, ‘OK, what do I need to do?’”

“I had this rash, I had no idea — how many other people would know a rash means cancer?”

Rinde said if she’d known, she would have seen her doctor sooner.

In July, Rinde received news, for the third time, that her � ght against cancer would continue. “You just go — what’s going on,” she said. “That’s kind of the stage I’m in right now.”

Rinde is in the middle of her treat-ment cycle. Her treatment has not gone as planned as her body struggles with the chemo. “It will be back someplace else,”

she said. “It’s a matter of � nding it as fast as you can and getting rid of it.”

Rinde has been part of the women’s support group since her initial diagnosis � ve years ago. “It really helps,” she said. She has seen people come and go and has experienced highs and lows with other members. She said the shared in-formation, experiences, setbacks and victories have been crucial to her own journey.

Rinde is hopeful that this round of treatment is her last, but she’s bracing herself for the future. “We can all hope that this is it,” she said. “But they said it can really go any place. I’ve been fortu-nate so far.”

Rinde is also part of an alternative group for cancer patients. “I now know I have to do something (in addition to treatment),” she said. “I don’t want this to be my life.”

The alternative group provides natural

and holistic options for patients like us-ing spices, knowing what foods to avoid — like sugar, and exercising and medita-tion to help balance treatment. “I � nd a safe place — for me it’s a mountain top,” she said. “I ask God to take my cancer away.”

Christine Roy said when a patient like Rinde receives their initial pathol-ogy report diagnosing their cancer, they are provided as many resources as are available, including access to the sup-port groups. Roy acts as a kind of liaison, advocating for patient care, helping pa-tients navigate their surgical procedures, treatment follow-up care and, equally as important, coping with their diagnosis. Roy continues to follow patients through their entire process — even when it in-volves years of treatment.

“They’re not alone,” Roy said. “Our goal is to make sure they really know that.”

Oliphant credits her path back to wellness in part to a cancer support group for other women like her. The group, facilitated by Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, meets once a month. A dozen or so women attend faithfully and discuss everything from their treatment struggles, which oncolo-gists are their favorite, their recovery, their families and everything in between.

At the group’s most recent meeting, Oliphant couldn’t wait to share with the group that she was about to celebrate a year since her diagnosis and the fact that

Rinde’s battle with cancer started � ve she said. “It’s a matter of � nding it as fast and holistic options for patients like us-

The CRMC women’s cancer support

group meets monthly to talk about ev-

erything from treatment and symptoms

to ways of coping and celebrating post-

treatment milestones.

Lisa Slepica (standing) helps facilitate the

group and is a breast cancer survivor.


to ways of coping and celebrating post-

treatment milestones.

Lisa Slepica (standing) helps facilitate the

group and is a breast cancer survivor.

and holistic options for patients like us-ing spices, knowing what foods to avoid — like sugar, and exercising and medita-

Steve Kohls Steve Kohls [email protected]

10

Lung cancer screenings save

lives.

This is a dif� cult statement to ignore when you’re standing beneath a 12-foot tall, 15-feet wide massive pair of in� at-able lungs.

And that’s precisely why community members may be seeing the large pair of in� atable lungs at a local community event or in the lobby at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd or one of Essentia’s clinics. The mega lungs will be on display at the Essentia Health Brainerd Clinic open house on Oct. 29.

Essentia Health purchased the in� at-able lungs to make patients, particularly older smokers who are at high risk for lung cancer, aware of the importance and availability of lung cancer screen-ings.

Dr. Greg Davis, pulmonologist at Es-sentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Cen-ter, said that as of January, private in-surance companies were mandated to cover lung cancer screenings for at-risk patients.

The screenings have been covered for Medicare patients since July.

Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medi-cal Center recently purchased an addi-tional CT scanning machine because, in


Volunteer Arlene Fitzpatrick explores

the in� atable lung in the lobby of

Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical

Center lobby recently.

Giant, in� atable lung

By JODIE TWEED Contributing Writer

HELPS SPREAD LUNG CANCER SCREENING AWARENESS

Lung cancer screenings save

lives.

This is a dif� cult statement to ignore when you’re standing beneath a 12-foot tall, 15-feet wide massive pair of in� at-able lungs.

cal Center recently purchased an addi-tional CT scanning machine because, in

Volunteer Arlene Fitzpatrick explores

the in� atable lung in the lobby of

Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical

Center lobby recently.

11

Should YOU be screened for lung cancer?

If you have all three of the following risk factors, you should consider being screened and discuss this with your primary

care physician:

• You are 55 to 77 years old.

• You are a current smoker or a former smoker who quit less than 15 years ago.

• You have a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years. (This means one pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years, etc.) The more you smoke and the longer you smoke, the higher your risk for lung cancer.

Information provided by Essentia Health.

part, they are anticipating an in� ux of patients who will come in for these non-invasive screenings. The screen-ings involve a low-dose CT scan.

Davis said lung cancer is the most deadly type of all cancers, but if dis-covered early enough, then preven-tive screenings can reduce mortality rates by an estimated 20 percent. Un-til recently, there weren’t any effec-tive screenings for lung cancer.

“We’re hoping to ultimately cut down on lung cancer deaths. That’s our goal,” Davis said. “But to do that, we need to get people screened.”

Davis said when patients are typi-cally diagnosed in the early stages of lung cancer, it’s usually discovered by accident. People who have lung cancer typically are asymptomatic until they are in the advanced stages of the disease. This makes it more dif-� cult to treat.

Miranda Anderson, Essentia Health marketing and community re-lations manager, said Essentia Health purchased a large in� atable colon used to promote colorectal cancer screenings two years ago that is used throughout the regional healthcare system. The in� atable colon and public awareness campaign have contributed to a 10 percent increase in the number of people choosing to undergo colonoscopies, a preventive colon cancer screening.

“They’re great tools, and it really helps to engage people in conversa-tions,” Anderson said, of the in� at-able teaching tools.

The mega lungs point out the physical effects of several health conditions to people who step inside

them, including pneumonia, asthma and bronchitis.

Davis said the lung cancer screen-ings are pain-free and simple. Patients need to meet speci� c at-risk criteria (see sidebar) and be referred to ra-diology from their primary care pro-vider. The screening involves holding your breath for less than 10 seconds while undergoing a low-dose CT scan. The scan will detect health con-ditions other than the early stages of lung cancer. The exam will detect chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-ease, or COPD, an in� ammatory lung disease that causes an obstructed air-� ow from the lungs. COPD can be treated and managed. Davis said the scan will also indicate noncancerous nodules unrelated to lung cancer, in-cluding pulmonary � brosis.

One out of four screenings will � nd something within the lungs that may require more tests. Most of the time these are nodules; which are common.

Patients who meet the criteria for the lung cancer screenings will need to undergo the screening each year until they reach age 77 or until they have not smoked for 15 years.

To learn more about whether a lung cancer screening may be some-thing you should consider, discuss this option with your primary care provider. To � nd out if you are at high risk for lung cancer, visit LungCan-cerScreeningSavesLives.org.JODIE TWEED is a former Brainerd Dispatch reporter who now works as a freelance writer and editor. She and her husband, Nels, a pho-tographer, live in Pequot Lakes with their three daughters.

12

manager Kim Henson explained that Ethel’s technology is used in high vul-nerability areas like the emergency department and Intensive Care Unit where the worst germs lie in wait.

“This technology doesn’t replace cleaning,” Henson noted. “It really provides an extra level of safety for pa-tients.”

Ethel’s secret weapon comes from nature. While the sun’s UVA and UVB light cause suntan and sunburn, there is another natural form of light called UVC that acts as a powerful disinfec-tant.

“Bacteria has no defense against it,” Henson said. “When germs are ex-posed to UVC light, it kills them.”

Henson said her 27-member clean-ing team underwent a three day train-ing seminar to become certi� ed Xenex users — something Essentia house-keeping aid Brenda Waytashek said she didn’t mind. “It’s fun,” Waytashek said. “It really adds to what we are al-ready doing to make sure rooms are as clean as possible.”

Waytashek said Ethel — who was named by the staff after the character from “I Love Lucy”— is set up once a room has already undergone the rou-tine cleaning and inspection from the human team members.

Waytashek noted the rooms must be staged in order to make sure the UVC light hits as many surfaces as possible. “If the light isn’t reaching the surface it’s not possible for it to disinfect it,” she said.

Once the room is properly staged, the door is closed and Ethel is left to do

her job. The head of the robot rises in order to release a wall of UVC waves and cover the room’s entire surface area. She takes about 15 total minutes to completely disinfect the room, with two cycles run once on each side of the room and one cycle in the bathroom.

The light does not penetrate walls or windows, but Ethel will stop working if a door is opened in order to protect users from direct exposure to the radia-tion.

Ethel has only been in action at Es-sentia Health in Brainerd for about a month, and Russell said so far the hos-pital is pleased with the results.

“Kim (Henson’s) staff has done a great job working this into their pro-cess,” Russell said. “If we could have this thing running 24 hours a day that would be fabulous. We’d love to see it hitting every room in the hospital.”

In the early weeks of use, Ethel has been able to clean about three to � ve rooms each day, a number that Henson said will increase as staff members get used to working with Ethel.

Russell said there are no plans to purchase an additional robot at this time, but other Essentia locations have invested in multiple robots: Essentia Health in Duluth has three robots, while the Fargo campus has two.

“It’s a huge investment in patient safety, so we’re going to utilize that to the best of our abilities and take it from there,” she said. “Nothing has changed in the way we clean, but we are able to see a noted difference in how effec-tive we can be in eradicating danger-ous germs.”

Essential Health infection preventionist Kari Russell (left) and Brenda Waytashek dis-cuss the bene� ts of adding Ethel’s germ-zapping power to the standard cleaning rou-tine at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd.

GERM-ZAPPER, From Page 4

Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd housekeeping aid Brenda Waytashek (right) and environmental service manager, Kim Henson prepare “Ethel,” to clean an Intensive Care Unit suite. Ethel is a Xenex germ-zapping robot, the newest technology in hospital-grade sanitation.

Bacteria has no defense against it. When germs are exposed to UVC light, it kills them.

KIM HENSON, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE MANAGER

Essential Health infection preventionist Kari Russell (left) and Brenda Waytashek dis-cuss the bene� ts of adding Ethel’s germ-zapping power to the standard cleaning rou-tine at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd.

Photos by Steve Kohls • [email protected]

1313

This past June was a busy one

for Amber Smith. She � nalized

her wedding plans and had her

dream wedding. She took a trip

with her new husband to Alas-

ka for their honeymoon. And

she was diagnosed with papil-

lary thyroid cancer.

Two weeks before her wedding Smith, 29, went to a routine gynecolo-gist appointment. As part of the appoint-ment the physician typically checks the patient’s neck for any thyroid abnormali-ties. Sue Hadland, CNP at the Essentia Clinic in Baxter told Smith she felt a lump on the right side that made her sus-picious. Blood work was taken to check her thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and an ultrasound was scheduled a week later. The ultrasound report sug-gested high amounts of calci� cations and a biopsy was recommended to rule out malignancy.

During this time, Smith and her � an-ce, Tyler, made the decision to go ahead with their wedding plans and to go on their honeymoon.

“I didn’t want to know the results be-fore our trip,” she said. The biopsy was scheduled for when they returned. The couple returned from Alaska on June 22 and a biopsy was performed four days later.

“Those routine exams are so impor-tant,” said Smith, “Even for young people my age. I didn’t go into the doctor for anything regarding my thyroid or even because I thought something was wrong. I had no idea. It was just time for a check-up.”

The timing might have been good, Amber decided in retrospect. “I was re-ally worried,” she said about knowing what would have to be done when she returned home from her trip. “But with everything else going on, the wedding and packing and other things to do, I was distracted, too.”

The biopsy on Smith’s thyroid was done in radiology at the hospital in Brainerd. “They put numbing cream on my neck and an ultrasound-guided aspi-ration was performed. The aspirated tis-sue was put on 10 slides for the laborato-ry to test for malignancy. I didn’t have to wait long. They told me it could take up to three days but they did the biopsy on Friday and called me Monday morning.

“I instantly cried,” Smith said. “What else do you do? You hear the C word. I thought I was going to die. I didn’t know anything about it but (Sue) Hadland re-assured me. She was great. She said I needed to meet with a surgeon and that I should have my thyroid removed. No-body wants to hear that news — at 29 I had thyroid cancer.”

“Being a nurse helped. I knew what to expect, I knew the team working on me. I had some comfort from that,” Smith said.

The surgery took three hours. They separated Smith’s vocal cords from her thyroid. “It’s a small, intricate area, and the airway is right there too,” she said. “But everything went according to plan. They were able to save my vocal cord and my parathyroid tissue. I had to spend the night in the hospital so they could watch my airway for swelling but I went home the next day and was off work a little less than three weeks is all.”

Four lymph nodes were also checked as part of the procedure and all came back negative for cancer. Smith said the

tumor was a little over two centimeters, almost an inch, and was a Grade 2.

Smith said the fact that she was young and healthy were both positives in her fa-vor. The likelihood of it recurring is slim. She will always be on levothyroxine, a drug that replaces the hormone normally produced by the thyroid gland and regu-lates the energy and metabolism levels. Six months from the surgery she will have a checkup to make sure there is no regrowth. After that, if things are clear, she will need to be checked annually.

“Within a month I was married, I went to Alaska and I had the cancer sur-gery.” Smith said, adding that she knows she is is fortunate.

“My thyroid cancer is not genetic. You

could have had six family members with it but my chances of getting it wouldn’t be any different than anyone else’s would be. They told me up front typical-ly this kind of cancer doesn’t metastasize elsewhere and move to other areas in the body. That was important to know. And to know I wouldn’t have to have chemo-therapy or radiation afterwards made me feel better, too.”

“Having cancer was a real shock to me. Even now talking about it, it still hasn’t sunk in. I have been telling all of my friends ‘get your check-ups.’ The week I had surgery I put it on Facebook. So many people skip them because of � nancial reasons or their insurance doesn’t cover it. Make sure you go.”

By SHEILA HELMBERGER Contributing Writer

This past June was a busy one This past June was a busy one tumor was a little over two centimeters, almost an inch, and was a Grade 2.

could have had six family members with could have had six family members with could have had six family members with could have had six family members with it but my chances of getting it wouldn’t it but my chances of getting it wouldn’t it but my chances of getting it wouldn’t it but my chances of getting it wouldn’t

Contributing WriterContributing Writer

Some worry, a wedding a wonderful ending

14

Strong is the new sexy.

Throughout the world, more women are getting turned on to the growing trend of CrossFit. While many correlate the regimen to meatheads and ESPN competi-tions, the reality is it’s truly an exercise for either gender, a wide range of ages and ability levels.

Brittina Seaborg was one of the � rst clients at Cross-Fit Grow in rural Brainerd when Todd Halls opened its doors in early 2013.

Seaborg said she had initially been a runner, do-ing half-marathons. Not satis� ed with her time spent pounding the pavement, Seaborg said it was about four years ago when she checked out the CrossFit gym in St. Cloud.

“There was endurance, lifting, short bursts of high intensity workouts and my body really liked it,” she re-called. “It � t my body well. I had a baseline � tness level already, but I quickly found CrossFit made me stronger than I ever was.”

By de� nition, CrossFit is a � tness regimen of con-stantly varied functional movements performed at rela-tively high intensity. Workouts are typically in a small group setting with a trainer at the helm; and include a warm up, strength training and conditioning. A gym is typically held in an open space with mats, squat racks, barbells and weights, a pull up rig, dumbbells, kettle

bells, boxes for box jumps and sandbags.CrossFit has quickly gained a reputation for being

a community of like-minded individuals. One of Sea-borg’s favorite aspects of CrossFit is the camaraderie that comes along with being a part of the movement.

“The community aspect, as well as the support and social and family aspect, is huge,” she noted. “I’m sure that appeals to both sexes, but it’s likely a big draw for women. Coaches teach all clients to feel comfortable. They’ll hold your hand as much as they should, but they also teach you to be con� dent lifting weights or doing any other activity on your own.”

In 2007, Todd Halls marked his 18th year as a smok-er. Working full-time in the concrete construction in-dustry, he began facing serious health issues and knew something had to give.

“Traditional exercises just weren’t working for me,” he said. “I saw a blurb about CrossFit on the news one night. A lady had been training for an IRONMAN com-petition. I Googled it and found cross� t.com. A few days later, I did my � rst workout.”

Halls took workouts updated daily on the CrossFit website and worked out alone in his garage for about a year.

“It was very dif� cult, but I stuck with it. And, within weeks, I noticed a difference.”

The difference was so much so that he decided to earn a Level 1 CrossFit training certi� cate.

“All of a sudden, I was almost 40 years old and I could now do things I couldn’t do when I was 20. I realized, why shouldn’t everyone be afforded that op-portunity.”

In 2012, Halls and wife Nina moved from southern Minnesota to the Brainerd lakes area. With certi� cation in hand, Halls was determined to open a CrossFit gym in the area. In November of that same year, he signed a lease for his current location off Highway 371 North near Brainerd International Raceway.

Within months, Seaborg found him and signed on as one of Halls’ � rst clients.

“When I � rst started CrossFit,” Halls noted, “there were maybe a half-dozen gyms in the state. Since then, it has grown exponentially.”

Today, CrossFit spans a worldwide network of more than 11,000 af� liated gyms and more than 100,000 ac-credited CrossFit Level 1 trainers.

“Because it works,” Halls says. “That’s the short an-swer. For whatever reason, it’s not that CrossFit itself works; it’s the people that take a genuine interest in see-ing and helping their clients. It’s all community-based, whether it’s my gym or CrossFit Santa Cruz. It’s some-thing you just don’t � nd anywhere else.”

CrossFit Craze comes to lakes areaBy JENNY HOLMES Contributing Writer

CrossFit Nisswa members participate in a group session in Nisswa.

CrossFit has group workouts for men and women of all ages.

• Jenny Holmes photo

Strong is the new sexy.

Throughout the world, more women are getting turned on to the growing trend of CrossFit. While many correlate the regimen to meatheads and ESPN competi-tions, the reality is it’s truly an exercise for either gender,

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Currently, Halls has roughly 75 clients at his CrossFit Grow location and has had clients ranging in age from 15 to 72. Of those individuals, Halls said approxi-mately 60 percent are female.

“I think females need to be as physi-cally strong as men do,” Hall said. “Our needs, physically, we all do the same things. We all have to pick up our kids. We squat, bend, push, pull, whether we’re male or female. And as we age, if we don’t use those muscles, we lose them.”

Halls and Seaborg both believe Cross-Fit has helped to break down stereotypi-cal barriers of what constitutes exercise for men versus that for women.

“There’s a misconception about CrossFit that there’s a barrier to entry,” Halls noted. “If you Google Cross-Fit, you may end up watching clips of CrossFit Games with top level athletes. That can be intimidating. But, like anything, that’s only one side of CrossFit. That’s not what you see everyday at the gym. There are moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, doctors, nurses, � re� ght-ers, pastors, garbage men, white-collar people. It’s for everybody. You have the ability to scale it to wherever you’re at on your physical journey. We meet them there and help them get to where they want to be.”

Since opening his gym, Halls has added on four additional coaches, including Seaborg. Classes are of-fered six days a week at various times of the day to meet clients varying schedules. Workouts last approximately one hour.

In addition to varying daily workouts, CrossFit is also a strong proponent of Hero Workouts.

Since the beginning of CrossFit, there’s always been a relationship with emergency service personnel and our military, Hall said, in large part because they have taken to CrossFit as their training morality. “If, in a situ-ation where my life depended on the physical � tness of another, this would be the workout they should adhere to,” Halls explained.

In honor of these everyday heroes, CrossFit, nation-ally, hosts special Hero Workouts on holidays including Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day and Labor Day.

The “Murph” workout is named for fallen Navy Seal Michael Murphy and is practiced by CrossFit organiza-tions nationwide each Memorial Day.

Navy Lieutenant Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., was killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005, and was post-humously awarded the United States military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the war in Afghanistan. He was also the � rst member of the U.S. Navy to receive the award since the Vietnam War. His other posthumous awards include the Silver

Star Medal and the Purple Heart.The “Murph” workout consists of a

one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with an-other one-mile run.

Workouts like this allow CrossFit ath-letes to stretch and grow, as well as pay tribute to individuals who made the ul-timate sacri� ce on behalf of others — a band of brothers and sisters, if you will.

“We can all be at different levels of � tness,” Halls said, “but we’re all train-ing together, doing the same movements. You know how hard it is for the person next to you and you know that a little bit

of encouragement is going to go a long way. Whether someone has been training in the same class for a year or is visiting from Oklahoma; you get the same support from the group. No one is left out, excluded or treated like a visitor. We’re all part of the gym.”

While Seaborg readily admits she doesn’t like peo-ple watching her workout, she said the opportunity has been life-changing and has further motivated her to earn her CrossFit trainer certi� cate. She has also participated in � ve CrossFit competitions both as an individual and as part of a team.

“There’s that old school belief in � tness, especially for women, that running or aerobics will get you to the � tness level you want to be,” Seaborg said. “But, oftentimes, it still leaves you kind of � abby. You don’t get the tone or tightness you want or need. But adding weight to the bar is where you get the physique that is becoming more popular and idolized. It’s a look that’s a little more coveted in the social sense. Strong is the new sexy.”

Currently, Halls has roughly 75 clients at his CrossFit Grow location and has had clients ranging in age from 15 to 72. Of those individuals, Halls said approxi-

“I think females need to be as physi-cally strong as men do,” Hall said. “Our needs, physically, we all do the same things. We all have to pick up our kids. We squat, bend, push, pull, whether we’re male or female. And as we age, if we don’t use those muscles, we lose

Halls and Seaborg both believe Cross-Fit has helped to break down stereotypi- Since the beginning of CrossFit, there’s always been

Star Medal and the Purple Heart.

one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with an-other one-mile run.

letes to stretch and grow, as well as pay tribute to individuals who made the ul-timate sacri� ce on behalf of others — a band of brothers and sisters, if you will.

� tness,” Halls said, “but we’re all train-ing together, doing the same movements. You know how hard it is for the person next to you and you know that a little bit

Local artist Mary

Toumi squat lifts at

CrossFit in Nisswa.

• Jenny Holmes photo

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healthwatch magazine winter 2015

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