Total hip replacement requires total team Her Personal Best

Sweat glistening on her forehead, Anne Conway reaches over and increases the resistance on the triceps machine. She completes 20 reps, then moves to the next station. Her goal?

“Do this without perspiring,” she said laughing.

A year ago this longtime Fargo educator never imagined a total hip replacement could lead to a new lease on life.

“Exercise was never even in my vocabulary,” said Conway. “This whole experience pushed me into a totally different way of thinking…”

Overcoming fear

Conway’s need for a total hip replacement followed years of rheumatoid arthritis -- an autoimmune disease. Even when wellmanaged, RA can eventually wreak havoc with joints.

“Last spring I recognized I was walking funny -- like a duck, but I didn’t know why,” said Conway. She was referred to Dr. Andrew Hvidston, orthopedic surgeon at Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Fargo.

When Dr. Hvidston showed her an X-ray of a healthy hip joint compared to her own, she saw the problem.

“I knew surgery was the right answer, but that didn’t stop my mind from going wild,” she said. “I was 59 at the time and wondered -- is this the beginning of the end? Will all my joints need to be replaced? Is it time to write my obituary? I have a huge imagination.”

Dr. Hvidston’s experience and his explanation of the surgery reassured her life was not over. She also learned that surgical expertise sets the stage for the next important steps.

Optimal results real generally are excellent, with some complications.

Conway’s successful surgery took place last June at Sanford South University. “They get you moving right away,” she said. “It’s a little like graduating from high school and receiving luggage from your parents. It’s their way of saying, ‘Go on now, have a good life.’”

Beating the blues

For Conway, the “good life” needed a boost.

“Initially I was a little depressed and didn’t feel like exercising,” she said. “That’s where my physical therapist Jennifer Iverson really made a difference. Always professional and always kind, she wouldn’t allow me the luxury of feeling sorry for myself. She kicked my butt and motivated me!”

Twice-a-week outpatient PT led to increased strength and mobility. But Conway gained something more: inspiration to lead a more active, healthy life. She’s already lost 71 pounds.

Reaching higher

Today Conway exercises at Sanford Family Wellness Center. Iverson designed a program, then sent it to the Wellness Center trainers.

“I ask them questions, but they ask me questions, too,” said Conway. “They show me how to push harder, but safely.”

Feeling more energetic than she’s felt in years and moving better, Conway looks to the future with a new mantra: “Keep trying, keep moving, keep pushing. If it’s important to you, do it!”

Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine -- for the everyday competitor in all of us.

Online Access to Medical Records Makes for More Efficient Healthcare

Essentia first in area to launch online medical record tool

Did you know that your doctor’s office is now even more accessible? Essentia Health is pleased to offer their newly implemented Essentia MyHealth program – an online tool that allows patients the ability to view their very own medical records at their convenience. Patients can send their care team an email when they have a medical question, check the results of tests and lab work, view current medication and immunization listings, and even request an appointment.

“Our patients have been requesting a patient portal for a number of years and we will be the first health system in the area to offer this enhanced patient experience,” states Kevin Pitzer, Chief Administrative Officer. “We are optimistic MyHealth will have strong patient adoption and use, given the response we are already receiving.”

The Fargo-Moorhead and surrounding area’s population displays strong demographics who historically have been active early adopters and users of the Internet and related technologies – this seems reasonable given our region’s population has one of the highest percentages of individuals with postsecondary and advanced degrees in the Midwest. And because both young and old turn to their computers for instant access to many of their personal and business files, it only makes sense to offer this same convenience for their healthcare.

Essentia MyHealth is free to patients and the online tool connects patients directly to portions of their medical records while allowing them to freely communicate with their care team in both primary and specialty care settings. It’s one of the benefits of the electronic health record that was recently implemented at Essentia Health facilities in the area. Parents who use Essentia MyHealth can add their children to their account allowing for added convenience when referencing immunizations and well-child exams. There is also the opportunity for adults of aging parents to serve as a proxy and become actively involved by viewing and managing their mother or father’s healthcare while communicating with care providers.

“This program provides a secure portal and messaging system that will enhance patient communication,” says Dr. Joel Haugen, an Essentia Health family medicine physician who’s helping lead this initiative. “It’s going to be more timely and easy for patients to connect with their provider and to receive the results of tests.”

While it’s not for emergencies and doesn’t replace all phone calls, Dr. Haugen says MyHealth is an opportunity to eliminate the “telephone tag” that can occur between patients and their doctor’s office. Patients can also use the program to request an appointment, keep an updated medication list, and monitor health trends over time, such as weight and blood pressure.

In addition, patients are able to send email messages to their primary care providers as well as their specialists, allowing for a more personal relationship to develop between patients and their care team. It truly reiterates the importance of managing one’s healthcare right alongside his or her doctor, nurses and support providers, which are an essential piece of the patient - and family-centered care model that is offered within the Essentia Health system.

Because many of us want health information around the clock and not just during business hours, the Essentia MyHealth program truly puts the patient - in the driver’s seat of their healthcare. Registration is simple and allows immediate access to one’s medical records.

Patients can sign up for Essentia MyHealth during an appointment with their doctor or can sign up directly online. Your health history is now at your fingertips. Learn more by visiting www. EssentiaMyHealth.org.

WRITER: COURTNEY WEATHERHEAD

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAREL PAULSON

Making a Splash

MSUM Dragon Swim School has taught people to swim for 15 years

Agreat swimming instructor has patience, a positive attitude, experience working with kids, and of course, strong swimming skills and adequate training. Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Dragon Swim School swim instructors are required to meet not one but all of these qualifications.

Dragon Swim School has grown from its first year, using volunteers from the swim team to instruct swimming lessons, to employing 75 highly qualified swim instructors for year-round lessons. Instructors are college students and most are education majors or varsity college swimmers.

When head swim coach Todd Peters came to MSUM 15 years ago, he was encouraged to start a swim school. He had few resources and built the program from scratch. “I had experience running some lesson programs at the YMCA and the Fargo Park District. I used that expertise to develop our program, and it has grown every year for 15 years,” Peters said.

While the number of people enrolled in lessons grows, class sizes do not. “We have the lowest student-instructor ratio. Our beginner levels are 3:1 and upper levels are 4:1,” Peters said. “The kids get more individual attention and that’s the most important thing.”

In addition to the swim instructors, the Dragon Swim School provides a head instructor and deck supervisor at every session. “As far as I know, these are unique positions to the area,” said Katie Diiro, assistant swim coach and assistant Dragon Swim School coordinator. “The head instructor’s sole task is to help scared kids, whether they’re level six and just having a bad day, or a three-year-old who’s screaming and crying. They’re dedicated to getting them in the water.”

Peters said the focus of the Dragon Swim School is teaching kids how to swim and be safe in and around water, which meets the United States Swim School Association standards.

For Diiro, the shock of hearing that someone doesn’t know how to swim inspires her to teach others. “I’ve heard a lot of people say they had a bad experience in a lesson program when they were younger. That’s really disheartening because you want everyone to learn this life skill,” Diiro said. “We try to instill in our staff to be positive and friendly and never put anyone down. Our instructors try to help the kids learn at a level they’re comfortable with.”

Amy Roness, assistant swim coach and assistant Dragon Swim School coordinator, swam for the MSUM swim team for three years. She was an NCAA Division II All-American, three-time national meet participant and record holder for MSUM in multiple individual and relay events.

“I always knew I wanted to do something where I could help people learn,” Roness said. “Just seeing some of the kids on the first day not wanting to get in the water and by the end of the lesson they’re splashing away and having a good time with the instructor is really rewarding.”

Roness graduated from MSUM with a special education degree. “One of the things we’re planning to do with Amy’s expertise is develop an adaptive swimming lesson program and help more kids with special needs,” Peters said.

The adaptive program (in progress) along with the variety of classes offered, gives people a chance to find a class and time to fit their needs. “We serve everybody from parents and infants, to teenagers, to adults. We have a competitive youth swim club team, springboard diving classes, oneon-one lessons and a triathlon class for adults,” Peters said. “Basically anything you can think of in aquatics we offer.”

[AWM]

For more information about Dragon Swim School classes: www. mnstate.edu/swim or 218.477.2313