High Country
COMPLIMENTARY
Magazine Vol. 5, Iss. 1
Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center Page 38-39
Left to right: Paul Young, Monika Dotson, Melanie Childers & Angie Shoemake
In this issue: Our Spiritual Health Series: A Super Bowl Champ on Faith sponsored by Mack Brown, Inc. Pages 18-21
Alberta Miller: Healthcare Hero! Appalachian District Health Department See our Special Edition inside!
See our Special Insert…
(828) 264.1100 • www.orthocarolina.com/boone 194 Doctors Drive • Boone, NC
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In this issue:
Welcome!
Appalachain Summer Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 ARHS: AppUrgent Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ARHS: Behavioral Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 ARHS: Best Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ARHS: Blowing Rock Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 ARHS: Dr. Burgart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 ARHS: Dr. Krakovitz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 ARHS: Inpatient Pysicians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Tim Baxter
Partner/Publisher
Janice Baxter Partner/Publisher
Page Sauder
Director of Marketing & Development
Katherine Golini Contributing Writer
ARHS: Orthopaedics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 ARHS: Patient Navigators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39 ARHS: Short Term Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
To advertise please call:
ARHS: Silver Sneakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
(828) 263.8853
ARHS: Sleep Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
High Country Health & Fitness Magazine is owned and operated by Better Health Media, Inc. Reproduction of photographs, artwork, design, and copy is prohibited without permission by Better Health Media, Inc. Articles are advertorial in nature. In most cases, information has been provided and approved by the advertisers. The advertisers, publishers, and Better Health Media, Inc. are not responsible for misprints, typographical errors or misinformation. ©Copyright 2014.
If you are interested in publishing a similar magazine in your area, please call us at (828) 263-8853.
Baxter Marketing, Inc./Better Health Media, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Baxter Mountain Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40, 48 Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 24-26 Boone Coin and Silverworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Boone Drug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Caldwell Hospice/AIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7, 36, 52
Before you list your property... …talk with
Baxter Mountain Properties.
FastMed Urgent Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Frye Regional Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 49 Gentiva Home Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mack Brown, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
No one will work harder to get your property sold quickly.
OP Smiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28, 44-45 Piedmont Federal’s Healthcare Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12 Piedmont Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
See why our innovative marketing helps us give you a Fresh Approach To Buying & Selling Real Estate!
Randy’s Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Spiritual Health Series: A Super Bowl Champ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-21 Stepping Stone of Boone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 47 TriSeasons Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Total Vein Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 34-35
Office:
828-263-8924 TOll free: 1-800-680-1135 equal HOusing OppOrTuniTy
www.BaxterMountainProperties.com 4
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Tweetsie Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 The United Way of the High Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Watauga Medics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Western Carolina Eye Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31
High Country Health & Fitness Magazine is available online anytime at
www.HighCountryHealth.net Cover photo by Tim Baxter
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Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care P
eople who haven’t had a “hospice experience” sometimes have mistaken ideas about what hospice is, what hospice providers do, when hospice is appropriate, and so forth. On more than one occasion, families have said they wish they had called Caldwell Hospice sooner, but they just didn’t know. Sometimes, they say they were “afraid of hospice” before they learned what Caldwell Hospice is and how our private, non-profit hospice works. Let’s take a few minutes to look at some of the questions people have:
What is hospice care? It serves the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients with a terminal illness or condition. Our focus is always on the patient’s quality of life to ensure that the final months are as positive as possible. It is treating each patient and family “like family.”
What does Caldwell Hospice in the High Country offer? To serve physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, Caldwell Hospice offers residents of Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties a direct-care team located in Boone to each patient; the nurse and certified nursing assistant attend to physical needs, such as pain and symptoms of the illness, keeping the patient clean and comfortable; the medical social worker helps with legal documents, community resources to handle financial issues, and emotional issues within the family; the volunteer, if chosen, visits to relieve the primary caregiver, provide company for the patient, and help with light chores, if needed; the chaplain, when called upon, visits to listen and provide spiritual support.
People who apply to work at Caldwell Hospice very often tell us they were “called to this job.” Then we train them carefully to provide the highest quality of care, with compassion and respect for every patient and family they serve, always asking what best serves the patient’s needs and desires.
How does Caldwell Hospice know whether patients are hospice-appropriate? The Caldwell Hospice admission team will assess each individual who is referred to us. If the person’s prognosis is six months or fewer (if the terminal illness runs its usual course) and if the person has stopped seeking curative treatment; seeks relief from pain and other symptoms related to the terminal illness; desires to spend those final months focusing on family, friends, memories, peace, and comfort; can benefit from having 24-hour a day, seven days a week access to our team; wants regular visits from a nurse, a medical social worker, certified nursing assistant, chaplain, and volunteer, as desired—the person is hospice-appropriate. We will re-evaluate periodically to know whether the person remains appropriate for hospice care.
Where are Caldwell Hospice patients? Most patients are living at home because that’s their preference, but we make patient visits “wherever they call home,” including hospitals, longterm-care facilities, or our inpatient units located in Lenoir and Hudson.
Why does Caldwell Hospice provide hospice care? Many times, people will say, “I don’t know how you do this. It must be so sad.” We believe that every person has the right to live as fully as possible and to die with dignity. As a private, non-profit hospice provider, Caldwell Hospice’s mission statement is followed throughout the organization. People who apply to work at Caldwell Hospice very often tell us they were “called to this job.” Then we train them carefully to provide the highest quality of care, with compassion and respect for every patient and family they serve, always asking what best serves the patient’s needs and desires.
How are people introduced to Caldwell Hospice in the High Country? They need to be referred to us—they can make the referral themselves or a family member, a clergy member, a friend or relative can call. The prospective patient’s primary physician needs to approve this, also.
Caldwell Hospice & Palliative Care Watauga & Avery Counties: (828) 754.0101 • Ashe County: 1.844.MYJOURNEY • www.caldwellhospice.org
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Who pays for the services? Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance companies pay for hospice care. Caldwell Hospice provides hospice care for anyone who needs it, regardless of ability to pay.
What does non-profit hospice care mean? Caldwell Hospice is the only non-profit hospice care provider located in the High Country. We are not focused on earning a profit; we don’t answer to stockholders; we have a mission—to provide compassionate, respectful, highest-quality end-of-life care—to serve the “greater good”; we must use our income to serve our mission.
Doesn’t a hospice patient have to be diagnosed with cancer? Only about 35% of hospice patients nationally have some form of cancer. Other terminal illnesses or conditions include ALS, congestive heart failure, liver disease, pulmonary disease, renal failure, Alzheimer’s and other dementias, etc.
Aren’t all hospice patients elderly? Not at all. Anyone, of any age, who has a terminal illness or condition with a life expectancy of six months or fewer can receive hospice care; that includes infants, teenagers, young adults, Baby Boomers, and so on. This is who Caldwell Hospice in the High Country is, and this is what we do—for the patient and family and for the community.
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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Inpatient Physicians Focus on You, the Patient A
hospital stay can be a scary, stressful time. Questions like… What tests or treatments will be needed? What will they cost? Will insurance cover the cost? Why isn’t my doctor overseeing my care?.... flood the minds of patients and families alike. You’re not alone. Each year thousands of people in our community will need to be hospitalized for one reason or another. Sometimes it is just a short visit for a minor medical issue or simple surgery, but other times it can be much more serious and require a longer stay in the hospital and a higher level of treatment and diagnostic tests.
Hospital Physicians If admitted to Watauga Medical Center, you may be served by the Inpatient Physician Group. These physicians work as a team in conjunction with your primary or specialty care physician and from time to time during your hospital stay you may see a different Inpatient Physician. When a new doctor is assigned to you, the details related to your care are discussed between the two physicians to ensure your care plan and personal expectations are met. The physicians are Board Certified in family medicine or internal medicine and specialize in the medical care of hospitalized patients. Inpatient physicians are highly skilled physicians who work and practice only in the hospital and therefore are readily available to answer questions, meet with family members, order follow-up tests and address patient needs quickly. They also work closely with your primary care provider and specialty physicians to ensure a customized patient-centered approach to treatment during your hospital stay.
Care Coordination When under the care of the Inpatient Physician Group, Care Coordinators step in to bridge the communication between you, your inpatient physician and your primary or specialty care provider. When hospitalized at Watauga Medical Center, a highly specialized nurse will be assigned to you or your loved one to be your personal “Care Coordinator”. The role of your Care Coordinator is to be the one person that will help you bring all the information together in a meaningful and understandable way. Think of your Care Coordinator as the one central person who understands you and your needs or concerns and works with every member of your care team to ensure everyone is on the same path to reach your goals. Your care team is made up of numerous, highly trained and skilled individuals who provide top quality care and service within their fields. This includes registration specialists, case managers, social workers, nursing, physical therapists, nurse aids, pharmacy, dieticians, finance and insurance, doctors and specialist physicians, housekeeping, radiology and so on. Your care team involves dozens of people from many areas of the hospital, many of whom are working behind the scenes, but they are as involved in your care as anyone else you will see at your bedside. Your Care Coordinator is your main contact for all of these services and will be available to you and to the rest of your care team to ensure your stay exceeds your expectations. Your Care Coordinator will introduce his/herself early in the hospitalization and sit down with you and your family to discuss your needs and concerns. This is also an excellent opportunity to express your personal and unique concerns and your goals of care. You will find that they will be an invaluable resource for you and your family during an often stressful time such as illness of yourself or a loved one. Making sense of all the information you are given or you have heard can be a little overwhelming at times, especially when you are ill or concerned about your loved one’s health. We understand that because we have all been there. The staff who work at our local hospitals are just like you, they live in your community, and they are your neighbors, friends and possibly even in your own family. They truly care about you and want to make sure you or your loved one does well and can get back to the lifestyle they have enjoyed to the best of their ability. The Inpatient Physician Group and Care Coordinators will collaborate with you and your loved ones to make life better during your inpatient hospital stay. For more information about the Inpatient Physician Group, visit apprhs.org/inpatientphysicians.
Inpatient Physician Group 336 Deerfield Road • Boone, NC • (828) 262.4100 • www.apprhs.org/inpatientphysicians
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Healthcare Hero: Alberta Miller, BSN, RN Providing the Highest Standards of End-of-Life Care
H
ealthcare heroes go above and beyond to make a positive difference in the lives of others. It takes an amazingly compassionate and caring person to be a hospice nurse who strives to make the terminally ill patient as comfortable as possible, while helping to maintain the patient’s quality of life and offer support to the family members, as well. For that reason, Alberta Miller has been selected as Piedmont Federal’s Healthcare Hero. Born and raised in Watauga County, Alberta loves the mountains. Growing up, she was a hard worker, helping her father, Wade Miller, with farming, along with her 3 brothers, JW, Robert, and Roger. “My mother, Cornelia, passed away my senior year in high school,” Alberta says, “but I was blessed with a wonderful stepmother, Charlotte Miller.” When Alberta was 19 years old, she began working at Watauga Medical Center as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and stayed there for 13 years. During that time, Alberta pursued her registered nursing degree from Caldwell Community College. “I always wanted to be a nurse. When I was a little girl, I would be a nurse to my family when they were sick. I wanted to take care of people.”
Our latest Healthcare Hero, Alberta Miller
“I always wanted to be a nurse. When I was a little girl, I would be a nurse to my family when they were sick. I wanted to take care of people.”
Alberta has worked two jobs most of her life. While working at the hospital during the day, Alberta began working in crisis care for High Country Hospice, a non-profit organization, in 1999. Alberta says, “I would relieve the family members at night so they could get some sleep. I fell in love with hospice.” After 28 years at Watauga Medical Center, Alberta left to work full-time for High Country Hospice in 2007. Hospice nurses are special people. They provide bedside nursing care under the guidelines of the Medicare Benefit Act of 1983, a federally funded program, which focuses on providing care to improve the quality of life and medical condition of terminally ill patients. Hospice nurses are highly skilled professionals who, along with other interdisciplinary team members such as medical social workers, chaplains, nursing assistants, and volunteers, provide
comprehensive emotional, psychosocial, spiritual, and physical care in a patient’s home or a hospice inpatient facility . Hospice nurses provide in-home care instruction and support for family members. A hospice nurse performs a variety of tasks, relying on education and experience. Hospice nurses work under the directions of the attending physician and assist with examinations and treatments.
– Alberta Miller
The goal of hospice care is to help patients achieve the best possible quality of life by relieving suffering, controlling symptoms, and restoring functional capacity, always respecting personal, cultural, and religious values, beliefs, and practices. Alberta received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2009. Then, “when High Country Hospice was sold, I went to work for Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care,” Alberta says. “I started full-time at the patient care unit in Lenoir and was so excited when I found out that Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care was expanding to the High Country, as I now work in Boone.” When asked what her single biggest reason was for wanting to work in hospice care, Alberta says, “My heart gets a hug and I get a blessing. Hospice is not a job to me; I still have to be paid to make a living, but at the same time, I don’t do hospice for the money.” In her spare time, Alberta likes gardening, planting flowers, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Alberta has one daughter, Amber Yates, a pre-K school teacher at Parkway Elementary, and an eight-year old granddaughter, Ayla, who is in second grade at Parkway School. “I like to travel. I went to Europe for three-and-ahalf weeks when my daughter was a Girl Scout. One day, I would love to go to Alberta, Canada, to Alaska, to Italy…just see the world.”
Congratulating Ms. Miller are Susan Norris, Business Development Manager, High Country, pictured left, and Diana Proffit, Boone Branch Manager
Piedmont Federal Savings Bank
1399 Blowing Rock Road • Boone, NC • (828) 264.5244 • www.PiedmontFederal.com
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You Can Nominate A Healthcare Hero!
High Country
K
now someone that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in a health-related field and in serving their High Country community? Why not nominate them for our Piedmont Federal High Country Health care Hero Award to be presented in the next edition? Just fill out the form below and drop it off at Piedmont Federal in Boone. You may also visit www.HighCountryHealth.net or just click on the QR and nominate someone from your Smartphone!
Previous Healthcare Hero, John Stacy
By submitting a nomination, you’ll be eligible to win a 6-month membership to the Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center in Boone. All entries must be received no later than June 30, 2014, in order to give the selection committee ample time to select the recipient.
althcare Hero, Last issue’s He ice Salthouse Al
Winner of the Wellness Membership will be notified by mail and our next Piedmont Federal High Country Healthcare Hero will be featured in our Summer issue. In the event more than one person nominates the same person, a drawing will be held to decide the winner of the Wellness Center Membership. This issue’s Healthcare Her o, Alberta Miller
High Country Healthcare Hero Nomination Form Nominee’s name: Health-related work: Phone: E-mail: Anything else you’d like us to know about the nominee? Just click on the QR code above with your Smartphone and nominate someone for our next Piedmont Federal High Country Healthcare Hero!
Your name: Phone: E-mail: 12
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Are You as Healthy as You Think You Are? I
t is the norm in our culture to openly talk about medical health. What was your most recent cholesterol report? What diet have you tried lately? What fitness craze have you joined? Unfortunately, we are not typically as open about those illnesses or issues that fall outside of the traditional medical arena. Mental health is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with challenges. Mental health is essential to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and the ability to contribute to community or society. Mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, and/or behavior that are associated with distress and/or impaired functioning. Mental disorders contribute to a host of problems that may include disability, pain, or death. Mental illness is the term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders.
Why Is Your Mental Health Important? Mental disorders are among the most common causes of disability. The resulting disease burden of mental illness is among the highest of all diseases. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in any given year, an estimated 13 million American adults (approximately 1 in 17) have a seriously debilitating mental illness. Mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada, accounting for 25 percent of all years of life lost to disability and premature mortality. Moreover, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for the deaths of approximately 30,000 Americans each year. Mental health and physical health are closely connected. Mental health plays a major role in people’s ability to maintain good physical health. Mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, affect people’s ability to participate in health-promoting behaviors. In turn, problems with physical health, such as chronic diseases, can have a serious impact on mental health and decrease a person’s ability to participate in treatment and recovery.
Understanding Mental Health and Mental Disorders Over the past 20 years, research on the prevention of mental disorders has progressed. The understanding of how the brain functions under normal conditions and in response to stressors, combined with knowledge of how the brain develops over time, has been essential to that progress. The major areas of progress include evidence that: • The greatest opportunity for prevention is among young people. • There are multi-year effects of multiple preventive interventions on reducing substance abuse, conduct disorder, anti-social behavior, aggression, and child maltreatment. • The incidence of depression among pregnant women and adolescents can be reduced. • School-based violence prevention can reduce the base rate of aggressive problems in an average school by 25 to 33 percent. • Improving family functioning and positive parenting can have positive outcomes on mental health and can reduce poverty-related risk. • School-based preventive interventions aimed at improving social and emotional outcomes can also improve academic outcomes. • Interventions targeting families dealing with adversities, such as parental depression or divorce, can be effective in reducing risk for depression among children and increasing effective parenting. • Some preventive interventions have benefits that exceed costs, with the available evidence strongest for early childhood interventions. • Implementation is complex, and it is important that interventions be relevant to the target audiences.
ARHS Behavioral Health Services Boone, NC: (828) 268.9454 • Linville, NC: (828) 737.7889 • www.apprhs.org/behavioral-health
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Appalachian Regional Healthcare System is dedicated to the overall health of the High Country and is pleased to announce the newest psychiatrist with the Behavioral Healthcare team! Dr. Alycia Brown is boardcertified in both adult and child psychiatry and sees patients age 5 and older. She trained at UNC Chapel Hill and has particular interests in treating autism spectrum disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD and eating disorders. Outpatient behavioral health services are available to the community in two locations: Watauga Medical Center in Boone (828) 268-9454 and Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville (828) 737-7888. The Outpatient Behavioral Health program provides assessment, medication management, individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy and behavioral planning based on individual client need. Our treatment programs are for adults, children and families experiencing a variety of problematic behaviors and life patterns. Our program works to improve emotional stability and increase general functioning, as well as help clients identify, develop and increase the use of effective coping skills by emphasizing the existing strengths of the individual or family system. To be referred for treatment, we require a referral from a health care provider and we accept most major types of insurance. For More Information on ARHS Behavioral Health Services please contact them in their Boone office at 828-268-9454 or their Linville office at 828-737-7889 or visit www.apprhs.org/behavioral-health.
Alycia Brown, MD Dr. Brown is board-certified in both adult and child psychiatry and sees patients age 5 and older. She trained at UNC Chapel Hill and has particular interests in treating autism spectrum disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD and eating disorders.
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Boone Coin & Silverworks A full service coin shop buying, selling and appraising coins, silver and gold. Discreet & Professional Downtown Boone We work with one client at a time. Please call for an appointment
(828) 355-9311
Boonesilverworks.com 16
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Meet the Medics… Y
ou may not think about Watauga Medics on a regular basis, but you sure are glad they are there when you call. For more than 15 years, the Watauga Medics team has been responding to emergencies, arriving quickly with the most advanced tools and training available. They administer emergency medicine and deliver world-class pre-hospital care. Mary Beth Carter, Jacob Houck and Jason Powell are a few of the newest full-time members of the growing Watauga Medics team.
Mary Beth Carter A few years ago, Mary Beth Carter was there when several of her close friends were injured pretty badly. She was amazed at how calm she was and how she was able to help keep them calm in the midst of a medical emergency. It was those incidences that made her start to think about what it would be like to be a paramedic, so she began to look into it. She took the Basic EMT class at Caldwell Community College and really began to develop a passion for helping others in medical need. Mary Beth continued her training and has been full-time with Watauga Medics since New Year’s Eve. Her favorite thing about working with Watauga Medics is the camaraderie between all of the emergency personnel in the county. “All the fire fighters, 1st responders, law enforcement and others share a common bond and it just feels like a big extended family,” shared Carter. She also shared that Watauga Medics is a lot like working with family as well, “When we are not out on calls we are training together, eating together, doing daily chores and all the other day-to-day tasks needed to make sure we are always ready for any call.”
Mary Beth Carter
Jacob Houck
Jacob Houck began his Basic EMT training in 2011 and had never thought about going into emergency service full-time until he fell in love with it from that training. After completing his basic training he became a volunteer with Meat Camp Fire Department and was part-time with Watauga Medics until he was eventually brought on full-time in early 2014. When Jacob was part-time he was typically the driver while the more seasoned full-time medics treated the patients in the back in route. Now that he is in the back he is able to be more involved with the patients, which is his passion. Jacob was born and raised in the area and truly enjoys being able to care for so many people he has grown up with. Jacob explained how, “Every call is different, and I can see how this job is not for everyone. I always remember people telling me when I was growing up that the best job is one that you don’t feel like you are going to work, and this is definitely it for me.”
Jason Powell
Jacob Houck
Jason Powell is on his second career after being a Golf Pro as his first. In 2007 he met a girl that would one day be his wife, and until then he had been spending his summers as a Golf Pro at Beech Mountain and his winters in Florida. She was on National Ski Patrol and lived in the area year round. He decided he needed to pursue a career that would also sustain him being in the area year round, and that’s when it all started. He started out training to be on Ski Patrol and his love of the emergency medical field and passion for helping others grew as his training continued. Powell shared, “The passion grew within me and while I’ve always enjoyed helping others with their golf swing, helping them when they have a medical emergency just puts things on a whole different level. I truly love this work and I couldn’t have gotten where I am in this field without my wife.” As seen from their stories, the Paramedics and EMT’s at Watauga Medics are a group that are truly passionate about their work and their love of helping others in a time of crisis. It’s good to know that they are always ready for any emergency and care so much about the people in this community.
Jason Powell
Watauga Medics
921 West King Street • Boone, NC • (828) 264.9486 • www.wataugamedics.com
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A Super Bowl Champion and a Life with Faith
Meet Dave Rowe
Editor’s Note: I had the pleasure to sit down with one of the High Country’s more famous residents, Dave Rowe, and talk about his legendary football career and his faith along the way. A 1967 graduate of Penn State who played for Coach Joe Paterno, Rowe was a member of the Raiders’ first Super Bowl championship team in 1976. Rowe also played for the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Colts during his 13-year NFL career. Dave retired from football in 1980 moving into the broadcast booth for the next 30 years. After retiring in 2009 from Randolph Electric Membership Cooperative, Dave and his wife Faith moved to the beautiful mountains of Boone, North Carolina. Dave is a dynamic and captivating speaker with interesting and heartfelt stories that span his entire football career and throughout his life.
— Tim Baxter, Editor
Tim: To start, where are you from? Dave: I was born June 20, 1945, in New Jersey. I was raised in a small town, Almonesson, in Southern New Jersey 15 minutes outside Philadelphia.
Tim: I know you and your wife, Faith, are coming up on 48 years of marriage this year. Tell me about Faith. Dave: I met my wife, Faith, in high school. We attended Deptford Township High
Dave and Faith Rowe
School and started dating when she was in 9th grade. We never dated anyone else and got married right out of high school. To this day, we even celebrate the first date we had, February 8, 1963. I remember that date so well, because I took Faith on our first date to a Basketball game, in which I played. I scored 42 points and that was it, I was hooked on my good luck charm! I will say that it might have been the ice cream on the way home that won her over, but whatever, our marriage has been a wonderful journey with my best friend! I am totally sold on marriage with her. It has been everything I thought it would be. She has been there for me all the way. With an athlete you have mountain top experiences and you have death valley and my wife has ridden through all those monumental moments and all those other kind of moments and she is incredible, always steady – a woman of faith – a perfect name for her.
was always so supportive. In my last year while playing with the Baltimore Colts, I remember walking out on the porch and I said to Faith, “They just called me up and said they were going to put me on waivers. It’s over.” And Faith said, “Well, it’s been great.” I said, “What am I going to do now?” And she said, “You just need to have a little faith. God will open a door.” Sure enough God did. That’s the way Faith has looked at life; she’s been a real rock in my life.
What is really neat is when you look back on your life and see how life situations strengthened your faith when you had nothing else to turn to.”
Tim: Tell me how your football career began. Dave: After high school when I went to Penn State, I had sev-
– Dave Rowe
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Tim: I understand you moved quite a lot when you played football. Dave: We moved 33 times. Faith never once complained. She
“I ask people if they ever had their faith really tested. I’m talking about a situation where the only thing you have to turn to is your faith. That’s the real test of faith. It’s easy to be on the outside of a situation and tell people what you would do from the inside of the situation. The hardest thing I find is what do you say to someone who has had a faith struggling situation?
Volume 5 • Issue 1
eral scholarship offers, roughly 70 football, 40 basketball and a few track scholarships. Every week I was being flown to a different school. I got drafted by New Orleans first. I spent 4 years there
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but we didn’t have a good team, lost a lot of games. It was a new expansion team and was trying to grow. I was traded and went to New England for 3 years. New England wanted to play a 3-4 defense, which is named because it involves 3 down linemen and 4 linebackers. There are usually 4 defensive backs. I was a nose tackle but the coach didn’t think I was quick enough. I had the strength but he wanted someone who was quicker than I was. So Coach Fairbanks traded me. The reason why I laugh at that is because I ended up going to Oakland where we started playing a 3-4 defense and I was the nose tackle. We went 16-1; won every game and went to the Super Bowl and won 32-14 against the Minnesota Vikings. It was interesting because we played a playoff game against New England and Coach Fairbanks was still there. When the game was over – a really close game – I went running across the field and there was Fairbanks coming across the field and I said, “Hey coach, make sure you watch me in the Super Bowl.” I went on to win a lot of games with the Raiders.
Tim: Growing up, who had a major influence on you? Dave: My mother and father had a tough time raising four
children so my older sister and I would be farmed out and go live with our grandparents sometimes a year or two at a time so they had a lot of influence on me. I remember I grew 10-11 inches in one year. I was living in Florida with my grandparents and I shot up like a weed. The next year, I gained 60 lbs. The coach in school walked down the hall and said, “Where have you been? You need to be playing football.” I can’t imagine where I’d be without the influence of Coach (Jim) Hawkins and Coach (Roy) Pickens, my two high school coaches when I played for the Deptford Spartans had the greatest influence on me; very strong Christian men. The way both of them lived their lives you wanted to be like them. They told me I could go to college (no one in my family had gone before me) and that I could do anything I wanted to do. They touched so many lives. I wanted to have what they had and I later found out it was faith.
Tim: When did faith come into your life? Dave: When Faith and I were dating, we went to church
at Almonesson Methodist. In the first year in New Orleans (1968), second year of pro football, a minister came in with his son at a chapel service and he turned around and said, “I want you to consider this. Jesus Christ is the greatest person that ever lived or the biggest liar that ever came down the pike.” This, of course, got my attention. The minister walked us through the life of Christ and asked us to put ourselves in Christ’s position as he told the Bible story of Jesus’ crucifixion. I always had carried faith with me and had no doubt I had a head knowledge of Jesus Christ. I believed, but that day it went from my brain to my heart when I heard that story and
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I realized Christ had to be real. After the chapel service, I prayed to receive Christ. I always had a strong building block of faith from my church, my wife and having children and had all the foundations, but this was the concreteness of it. That minister put it all into perspective...so you never know who you are going to touch.
Tim: What are some of your favorite memories from your football career? Dave: I had a marvelous 13-year pro football
career. People recognize me to this day as being a part of the Raiders 76 deemed as the greatest NFL team of all time. The Oakland Raiders were voted the best ever professional football team and on the Internet voted the best ever Super Bowl team. This is something you take great pride in. I have met some of the most incredible people you could ever imagine. We’re talking about a country boy meeting celebrities and presidents. In 1980 when I was in Asheboro, I received a call from President Gerald Ford. He said my wife Betty and I would like to have you and your wife Faith, come over for lunch. Do you think you can make it? I said, “YES, we can.” We drove to Washington, DC, and had lunch in the Blue room. President Ford was an old football player from Michigan and he wanted to have a prayer breakfast with some athletes so he invited about a dozen or so. When you are out in the celebrity world you meet a lot of people. I met Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Garner and John Wayne, just to name a few. I was in a 1969 movie, Number One, in New Orleans with Charlton Heston. But I keep those moments in their proper prospective.
Tim: Tell me about the NFL chapel services you started on Sunday morning. Dave: Every time I would get traded
a friend of mine, Dave Swanson, who used to do the chapel services would call me and say, “Oh man, praise the Lord you got traded again.” And I’m saying, “Oh yeah, right.” I would start a chapel service in different cities every time I was traded: San Diego, New England, I was with the first one they started in New Orleans, and I started the one in Oakland. It was really neat and a blessing to be a part of that.
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Super Bowl Champ, con’t Tim: You told me awhile back that your friend Norm Evans, a former Miami Dolphins’ player, went to Miami Dolphins Coach Don Shula and wanted a chapel service? Dave: That’s right. Coaches are very superstitious and Shula said, “Yeah, that might help us
win.” So he OK’d it 30 minutes before a pre-game meal.
Tim: What is PAO? Dave: PAO is Pro Athletes Outreach which is a training ministry for athletes to share their
faith. It trains you how to take a deep breath, share your faith, and be a witness for Christ. It started out small, but today every team has a chapel service and every team has a Bible study during the week.
Tim: Your faith has been tested a few times, hasn’t it? Dave: Faith has taken me through a lot and has been my strong point. Our son, Mark, was
run over by a car when he was 3 years old for a second time. When he was 18 months old, he fell out of a car. I’ll never forget that day. Faith was coming to meet me at the field, take me to the airport and we were going to play Denver - and she was late. My wife is never late. I’m looking around and John Madden came out and said, “What’s the matter, big guy?” and I said, “My wife’s late.” And John said she probably got tied up in traffic and I said you don’t know her; she is never late. And all of a sudden a police car drove in the parking lot. John walked down to the police car and I saw him turn and point to me. The officer told me about Mark’s accident. He had fallen between the car and the curb and Faith went to reach for him and when she did she felt the car moving. She had accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake and it crushed his hip and fractured his skull. At the hospital, I was hugging Faith and we’re both crying and I looked and there’s John Madden standing right there. He said, “Big guy, you do whatever you need to do. Stay with family and don’t worry about the game.” John had actually beaten the cop car to the hospital. It just meant so much to me that John was there. Mark was in ICU and after 4 days there, he was fine. Then in 1977 in Asheboro when Mark was 3 years old, he was run over by a motorist in the neighborhood. I remember it was a week or two after I received my Super Bowl ring. It flashed into my mind, if I had that ring and if you would tell me it would make my son better, I would throw it in the trash – that’s how much my son meant to me. I would have done anything to make him better. I remember walking into his hospital room and the doctor couldn’t get any response out of him and the doctor said, “Dave, see if you can get a response. We think he’s awake.” I put my two fingers in his hand and I said, “Mark, this is daddy. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me”, and I felt those little fingers around mine and Oh man! That was the most incredible and greatest feeling that I’ve ever had. Today Mark has a family of four and lives in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Tim: What would you say to someone who is struggling with their faith? Dave: I have struggled with faith. I have asked why did this happen
twice to our child? I ask people if they ever had their faith really tested. I’m talking about a situation where the only thing you have to turn to is your faith. That’s the real test of faith. It’s easy to be on the outside of a situation and tell people what you would do from the inside of the situation. The hardest thing I find is what do you say to someone who has had a faith struggling situation? I just try to encourage them and I don’t use catch phrases. What is really neat is when you look back on your life and see how life situations strengthened your faith when you had nothing else to turn to.
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Tim: You had some routine surgery done and had some severe problems. Tell me about it. Dave: If you play football long enough, you’re going to have a lot of opera-
tions. In April 2007, I tore my rotator cuff. It’s a pretty simple operation but I developed a staph infection/MRSA. I was on antibiotics and was operated on five times in nine days trying to flush out the infection. I lost 30 pounds in those nine days, I was near death. It’s another one of those moments that you look back and go Wow! There was even a prayer chain that went out about me. My wife told me one day that she had changed her prayer from make him better to Lord help me to accept your will with his life. That was when I started getting better. The doctors were amazed. I said, “It had to be prayer.” The doctor said, “I believe you because nothing else we were doing was working.” Thank goodness for prayer!
Tim: Take me back, you retired from football, so how did you get into the electric co-op business? Dave: I played another six years after calling Asheboro, North Carolina, home.
Faith and I bought a farm that we loved. Our farm was served by an electric co-op like Blue Ridge Electric and you had to read your own meter. One day, I took my electric bill to their office and was complaining to the woman about having to read my own meter. Out walked the GM and said, “Do you have a better idea?” I said, “I sure do”. We talked for an hour and he asked me to come to work for him. It’s a drop from NFL pay to co-op pay. I went to work for Randolph Electric and really enjoyed it. After two years, A US Congressman came and offered me a job to run a manufacturing plant. I stayed nine months and hated every day of it. I went back to Randolph Electric and the GM hired me again. My position was Manager of Member and Public Relations so I did all media. I spoke all over the country for co-ops everywhere and really enjoyed my job for the next 30 years.
Tim: When did you start doing TV? Dave: I was a broadcaster since retiring from the NFL in 1980 spending 10
years as an NFL analyst on NBC before shifting to the college game. In all, I’ve called about 200 SEC games in my time with Lincoln Financial Sports, Jefferson Pilot and Raycom Sports.
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flowered shirt. He has a tiny camera on me and on him and he’s making a demo tape to take up to New York. Tom said I can’t pay you anything, but if I get a chance I’ll mention you; I’ll tell them who you are and I’ll be happy to see if I can try and get you in, too. I said, “No problem, Tom.” He takes the tape up to New York and he goes into NBC and Ted Nathanson who was the head producer of NBC Sports turned around and looked at the tape and said, “Tom you need to work on this but who is that other guy?” Tom said, “That’s Dave Rowe,” and Ted said, “Where can I get in touch with him?” That was my start and I was in broadcasting 30 years. I currently do a radio morning talk show in Greensboro, North Carolina, called Rock 92 and it’s a riot.
Tim: What’s the one highlight from everything you have done that comes to mind? Dave: The thing that gives me the most satisfaction – I can pick out playing
moments where we won games and you’re on top of the world, but I think the one thing that gave me real comfort is helping form the PAO (Pro Athletes Outreach) and today there are hundreds of athletes that are trained how to share their faith and moments and they have Bible studies and conferences every year where players come in and have great Christian speakers.
Tim: What is still on your bucket list? Dave: I actually came up with a bucket list before ‘the bucket list’. I’ve been able
to mark some of them off.
Still on my bucket list, I want to go to Alaska, Australia and through the Panama Canal. I would like to go to the Holy lands and walk the paths that these great spiritual leaders led and walked. I would like to take the 5000 mile trip by boat leaving out of North Carolina called The Great Circle. My life has been wonderful from pro football, to what I did for a living to my retirement, and now I’m in the 4th quarter of my life. I wouldn’t ask for anything different. I have 3 wonderful kids, all strong in their faith; they have 3 wonderful spouses. I have 8 grandchildren. Gosh, each one is special. I have a wife that still loves me as much as she did when we went to high school together. My friend, I have been blessed!
I would work my regular job at the co-op and work on TV on the weekends. I had no formal training so this is an interesting story: When I was in Baltimore, a radio guy by the name of Tom Davis came up to me and asked if I would mind helping him. He was trying to make an audition tape as he wanted to break in to calling play by play. I said “Ok, what do I do?” Tom said just sit up there and talk to me about the game. So I’m sitting up there in blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a
Dave and Faith with their grandchildren in 2012. Front row, left to right: Lydon Faith, Jack Rowe & Anna Hope Back row, left to right: Riley Laurence, Gabriella Peace, Faith, Dave, Madilyn Grace & Peyton Marie Inset: The latest addition to the Rowe grandchildren, Jacob Micah
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Getting Well to Get Back Home… I
t is not uncommon to come across a scenario in life in which you do not need the level of care offered in the hospital, but recovery will be more successful if you have some additional care until you can return home. When recovering from a joint replacement, stroke, fall or surgery, or are weakened by an illness, assistance preparing meals, household chores and personal hygiene can be a tremendous asset. To assist patients and their families, a short-term rehabilitation facility can be a valuable option. Blowing Rock Rehabilitation & Davant Extended Care Center (BRR) is a 72 bed Post Acute Care Facility providing all the services needed to help you, or a loved one succeed in making the fullest recovery. Being able to sit in your room or have lunch looking out at Cone Manor is as therapeutic for some patients as the treatment they receive. While receiving rehabilitation therapy, patients at BRR enjoy planned entertainment and activities, a gazebo and garden area to soak up the fresh mountain air and amazing views. Many patients share that their time at BRR seems short because there were so many things to do. Full-time Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists work with patients daily to improve balance, strength and functionality. In addition, Speech Therapists and Lymphedema services area available, 7 days a week, as necessary. Patients can chose a private or semi-private room and have access to a private rehabilitation floor and a therapy gym if they want to continue to build strength and stamina. Transportation to local physician appointments is also available. “We often hear from family members commenting on what great care their loved one is receiving in every aspect of their care and recovery,” shared Liz Hayes, Blowing Rock Rehabilitation & Davant Extended Care Center Administrator. “We want people to know that Blowing Rock Rehabilitation Center is just that, a rehabilitation center, not a nursing home. Our goal is to provide the care needed for our patients to return home as soon as possible, and that is what they want, too.”
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Ready for a New You This Summer? T
he face is our primary means of presentation to other people and to some degree to ourselves. It is also a primary indicator of aging and overall health. However, especially in the summer season, many people also seek answers to questions about how to address concerns other than the face. The arms, the trunk, abdominal wall, back and legs are all significant concerns and sources of complaints. This article is a broad discussion of options and approaches to some of these concerns. There are a wide range of options--exciting options. In the end, that panoply of options is good for patients, but confusing. We are aiming to guide the inquisitive patient through this confusion. In the end, you have to trust the person from whom you are seeking advice. For an interesting perspective, and to ensure most that their concerns are not unusual, a look at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ (ASPS) statistics is warranted. Interesting statistics for non-face procedures: • breast augmentation is still the most common major procedure — 290,000 a year, followed by liposuction at 200,000 per year • tummy tuck/abdominoplasty is next, common in both women and men • all breast procedures (augmentation, lift and reduction) account for the majority of non-face surgery and procedures • after massive weight loss, tummy tuck and breast lift are by far the most common procedures followed by arm lift and thigh lift • growing the fastest last year were concerns about the arms/brachioplasty – the procedure for the arms that removes skin hanging down from the back of the arm • multiple other issues are commonly addressed… almost any issue that bothers a person Source: www.plasticsurgery.org/news/plastic/surgery/statistics
In any event, all of the above procedures are increasing every year except for liposuction which is slightly decreasing. However, liposuction is a procedure often combined with other procedures such as tummy tuck, breast reshaping and other body contouring.
Why are the breasts and abdomen such concerns for patients? It has been said that the hands are the most revealing site of aging other than the face. However the trunk can be revealing as well an indicator of fitness and overall health as well as aging. Unless a person is wearing a full-length smock, particularly important is the balance of the chest and abdomen--in both males and females. Inevitably, the overall shape of the torso is readily apparent through clothes.
What is it about the abdomen that draws so much attention? What do people ask for? Flatness—or possibly interpreted as lack of a bulge. In other areas, curves may be more sought after but ‘flat curves’ nevertheless. A desirable feature of healthy appearing abdomen is a ‘flat front.’ Such a flat appearance is gained by 1) not having intra-abdominal adiposity that pushes the muscle and skin forward, 2) application of the muscular abdominal wall, 3) removing and re-contouring skin. Good results from surgery are less common without contouring of the underlying muscle anatomy. Similar to modern face lifts, the underlying musculo-fascial layer is the key to shaping.
How is the abdomen surgically flattened? Most people realize a n d p u t g r e at emphasis on the keys to a satisfying and natural result: overall shape and contour. Such shape shows through all but the heaviest winter clothes. Trust your surgeon to help you sort through the maze of treatments. Improving shape and contour is rarely explicitly noticeable to others. Rather is it subtle and almost subconscious to others, and real at the same time. Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery
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Plication is a musculo-tendinous repair of the abdominal muscle in the midline that tightens the front, flattening out the muscle from sternum to pubic bone. This part of surgery particularly addresses the post-pregnancy stretching of the abdominal muscles that is irreversible. To follow, the skin is elevated, stretched and the excess removed. Often, the amount of skin removed can be the size of 2 sheets of paper so that what is left is tightened, smoothed and flattened. As you can imagine, such improvements can be an endless topic unto themselves. Stretch marks are improved by removing some off them and smoothing out the remaining by “re-draping” the skin on the trunk. In summary, stretch marks, bulges, hernias, excess skin and lack of shape can all be addressed successfully.
Surgical options that can be used to customize the procedure to an individual’s complaints include liposuction alone, simple skin excision for example above a Caesarean section scar, liposculpture, tummy tuck below the belly button only, full tummy tuck/abdominoplasty from the ribs to the low incision, full tummy tuck with liposuction around the trunk. One can see that a seemingly simple operation can become complex once it is carefully customized. The good news is that those procedures can be done under local anesthesia with the possible exception of full abdominoplasty. Full abdominplasty can be done as well under local anesthesia but only in the determined, awake patient. In summary, abdominal rejuvenation can be tailored in many technical variations to the individual anatomy and the area(s) that a person wants addressed.
Arms For the arms (elbow to shoulder), people often have at least one of 3 complaints: loose skin hanging down from the arms/legs, bulky arms without definition or a combination of both. Very loose, non-elastic skin — as on the abdomen — is best removed by surgery leaving a long scar. Brachioplasty can be done under local anesthesia very effectively. The price for removing the excess is the scar but carefully placed and neatly sewn, the scar is usually viewed by patients as an improvement over the misshapen, distorted skin. Liposuction is also successfully used in the arms to reduce bulk. However it relies on contraction of the skin, meaning it works better when the skin is thick and elastic. Liposuction can still be used in the older arm but has to be used more carefully and conservatively. Two other options need mention: partial skin removal for those who have excess skin only part of the length of the arm. The arm can benefit from using both liposuction and skin excision to gain the best overall shape. Experience is required to mix the techniques successfully to the most natural result. Of importance, more definition of the arm can be gained by liposuction in a very careful distribution. Reflecting the underlying muscle anatomy that we are all so familiar with on the muscular arm can not only reduce the bulk in the upper arm but also shape it to reflect a fitter arm. Think about the shape of the deltoid, bicep and triceps muscles. Imagine how adiposity in certain locations can be used to advantage. Combinations of the two techniques can be the best solution, depending on what you want.
The Thigh and Leg The lower extremities can be divided into the thigh and the leg below the knee. The thigh is treated analogously to the arm with the options of skin excision and liposuction, sometimes in combination. The most satisfying skin excision is for excess skin in the upper medial thigh. The most frequent complaint is that thighs rub together when walking. Liposuction of the thigh is similar in that it works the best when directed at fatty bulges and with attention to the undying muscular anatomy. Flattening of the lateral thigh and enhancement of the quadriceps muscles is the hallmark of satisfying treatment for patients. For full disclosure, cellulite-like changes cannot be improved with liposuction and can even be worsened. However bulging cellulite may be made flatter and the thigh overall shapelier.
Before
Liposuction of the bulge inside the knees is commonly addressed as well. Even though it is a small area, it can lead to high satisfaction as it speaks to the balance and fitness of the legs and thighs. The area is treated with local anesthesia and truly minimal downtime. Such liposuction is a common procedure alone as well as in conduction with treatment of the bulging of the thigh. That people address it by itself is testament to the satisfaction that addressing even a small problem can bring. In the calf, muscular shaping of the calf can be done as it can be in the arm, thigh and on the trunk. The person who complains of a bulky calf without definition can also be addressed with liposuction. Think of the gastrocnemius muscle and the natural shape of the calf, gradually leaner towards the ankle. As with modern facial procedures, shape and contour are essential to the natural appearance of the result.
The Back Yet another area of concern for people is the back, particularly how it collects adiposity, thus losing its shape. Fatty bulges under the brassiere are a common compliant but less common than adiposity in the lower flanks above the buttock. Body shape varies from person to person but nearly everyone accumulates extra fat here. Although excision of skin or ‘belt lipectomy’ can be used successfully in the patient with massive weight loss, carefully undertaken liposuction is the most common treatment for those with only moderate adiposity. Even a little slimming of the middle can be a big improvement. Fortunately the skin on the back is thick and readily contracts when the fatty tissue underneath it is removed. Another common complaint that responds well to liposuction is the fatty bulge under the bra on the back, again done in the office under local anesthesia. Such problems respond better to power-assisted liposuction available in our office. The trunk can also be shaped successfully with suction. In the male, focus on the ‘V’ shape of the back is a common request. In women a more feminine ‘hourglass’ shape can be often achieved. Gaining that feminine shape is, however, a larger undertaking and usually requires general anesthesia as the whole trunk is usually addressed. Flatness in the front can be improved with liposuction as well though not quite as flat as with tummy tuck. Here is where the term liposculpture really takes shape. Outlining the rectus abdominis muscles on their sides and the washboards can significantly enhance the satisfaction of the result. Most people realize and put great emphasis on the keys to a satisfying and natural result: overall shape and contour. Such shape shows through all but the heaviest winter clothes. Trust your surgeon to help you sort through the maze of treatments. Improving shape and contour is rarely explicitly noticeable to others. Rather is it subtle and almost subconscious to others, and real at the same time.
After
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Ready for a New You This Summer? con’t Excess skin can be a feature that requires a different approach. Skin can appear to be loose as it loses its elasticity over time and with fluctuating size of the subcutaneous tissue/adiposity. Liposuction can help minimize such fluctuations and minimize changes of the skin. This feature of liposuction can help keep skin firm over time, within some limits. The most common area of excess skin are in the front, over the sit-up muscles, and just above a C-section or hysterectomy scar. If skin is too loose, with stretch marks in the abdomen, it could be time to consider skin excision. Techniques of skin excision in the abdomen have been refined as well. The term ‘tummy tuck’ (abdominoplasty) includes a range of options. Simple excision of a small amount of tissue above a C-section scar, excision of tissue below the belly button, tightening of the muscular abdominal wall, full abdominoplasty the entire length of the abdomen represent the range of options. With refinement of techniques, all of those procedures can be done under local anesthesia, clearly minimizing the life-threatening risks of general anesthesia.
Before
Can full tummy tuck/abdominoplasty really be done under local anesthesia? After
After
Can weight loss be maintained? Even so, can it regain shape? Weight loss is a difficult subject and very difficult to accomplish however some mention here is responsible. If a person’s anatomy is such that one accumulates inside the abdomen (the ‘apple body’), whether we like it or not, flatness cannot be gained without weight loss prior to surgery. It is becoming clearer that the best ways to address those holiday pounds include: not eating anything after 6pm, smaller portions and slower eating, exercise in the evening, making a permanent change and detailed consultation with a nutritionist. Focusing on one permanent change in lifestyle, for instance giving up soda, can carry long term benefits. ‘Exercise’ in the larger sense can include just being active around the house rather than being sedentary. Most important is to know what you are eating. Learning about the nutritional content of foods allows use to concentrate on what we are eating rather that what we are not.
Liposuction has been used for years to help with those bulges but is it really just for those bulges? How has the technique evolved over time? Power assisted liposuction not only helps with removal of fat with the least trauma to the tissue, but it also helps with ‘liposculpture’ of the tissue. Furthermore local anesthesia allows safer removal in limited areas. Shaping of an area is key and not weight loss. Liposuction can help make weight loss smoother. Careful attention to anatomy leads to the best result. Probably the guideline that leads to the best result is to design the suction to reflect the underlying muscular anatomy. Such emphasis is essential in the arms and legs but also can aid in shaping the trunk to the most natural result. One key development is the ability to do such liposuction (except large volume liposuction) under local anesthesia.
Blue Ridge Plastic Surgery
141 Doctors Dr. • Boone, NC • (828) 268.0082 • www.blueridgeplasticsurgery.net
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The answer is yes but... only with a person who doesn’t mind experiencing the sounds of the operating room while awake and/or sedated. Such an approach adds safety and probably a quicker recovery to a better result. Whatever a person chooses, the procedure can be done in our AAAASF(American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities) approved surgical suite to optimize privacy and quality.
What works the best? Knowing that all patients are individuals, a plan has to be crafted with each person according to their needs and capabilities. It is clear that the combination of weight control, liposuction and excision of excess skin yields the best results. Capability to shape the trunk, with emphasis on the muscular anatomy of the trunk, narrower for both men and women, yields the most lasting and best overall results. An interesting finding from the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery shows that people who have a tummy tuck are more successful keeping weigh off after surgery. Why is not entirely known but the possibility has been raised that the fatty tissue has some hormonal/metabolic effect on the remaining trunk. Further research is needed. Possibly a person just finds the improvement in contour a long term encouragement. Multiple approaches seem more effective than just one. The good news is that as the options have become more complicated, the results get better. Consultation with Dr. Anagnos can help sort out the details and develop an truly customized plan that suits the individual’s needs.
Concierge Physician for Seasonal Residents Limited number of Memberships Available Portable Health Record (PHR) allows global access to your records Full Spectrum of Primary Care including health maintenance and acute care Same Day Care is available in multiple contexts: in the office, the ER, one’s home or the hospital No wait for scheduled visits Unrushed office visits (no back-to-back scheduling)
Dr. Clay Skarda
Board Certified family PhysiCian
24-Hour access to your physician by phone, pager, email or video calls
(828)733-8998 • triseasons.com L o cat e d I n L I n v I L L e v I L L ag e
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Dr. Mayhew & Dr. Scheffler
Dr. Conn & Dr. Hardaway
Orthodontic Braces for Children, Teens & Adults
The ONLY Board Certified Pediatric Dentists in Boone
It’s never too late to create a beautiful smile!
We start little ones out with pleasant visits to the dentist creating trust and confidence that will last a lifetime!
Orthodontic treatment options we offer:
Damon® Braces Damon® Clear Braces Invisalign®
828.264.0110 1.800.476.6058 373 Boone Heights Dr. Boone, NC BLOG
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Volume 5 • Issue 1
FastMed Urgent Care in Boone Providing Convenient, Affordable and Personal Health Care for Over 4 Years F
astMed Urgent Care, at the time Boone Urgent Care, opened its doors in October 2009 with one focus, to provide convenient, affordable and personal care to local residents and visitors of Watauga, Ash and Avery County. Today that mission has not changed.
We live and work where our patients live and work. That’s why our highly qualified, licensed, local health care providers deliver “personal care in your neighborhood.” We actually are neighbors. We understand the hustle and bustle of life and we know that you and your families have a lot on your plate. You don’t have a lot of down time to dedicate to sick time. We created FastMed Urgent Care over 4 years ago to provide quality, convenient, personal care designed to get you back into the game of life, fast.
“Because we are open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, you can always count on us to be available when you need us.” — Toni Hemp, PAC Practice Manager
As our Watauga, Ash and Avery communities continue to grow, FastMed Urgent Care in Boone has grown to serve you, so much so that FastMed is now the largest urgent care group in North Carolina, with local clinics serving our neighborhoods throughout North Carolina. That is important not because bigger is better, but because we like to be where our patients need us, right in their neighborhoods. If we’re bigger, it’s because you keep coming back for affordable, personal convenient care. FastMed delivers a special kind of health care, addressing non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries 365 days a year, including holidays, with late hours to accommodate the work and personal schedules of our patients and their families. This makes FastMed faster, more convenient and less expensive than an emergency room and the right choice on weekends and evenings when the family doctor is closed. Equipped with onsite labs, digital X-rays, and EKG equipment, FastMed clinics are state-of-theart, modern and designed to be a welcoming place for patients. FastMed strives for a positive personal experience with each patient, with friendly providers and staff willing to answer any questions during treatment to ensure our patients understand the care they are receiving.
FastMed Urgent Care clinics hold The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for accreditation in ambulatory health care. This compliance with The Joint Commission’s standards of care means our patients can count on FastMed for the highest commitment to health care quality and safety. “Being able to treat minor emergencies quickly on a walk-in basis makes FastMed more efficient than the emergency room, and we work closely with your family doctor to make sure you get the care you need when you need immediate treatment,” says Toni Hemp, PAC and Practice Manager of FastMed Urgent Care in Boone. “Because we are open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, you can always count on us to be available when you need us.” As Boone continues to grow, FastMed remains committed to providing convenient, quality personal care, one patient at a time. For more information on FastMed Urgent Care, its mission, values, services, locations and community outreach please visit www.fastmed.com. FastMed can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and many other social media sites with health tips and community involvement.
Pictured left to right: Toni Hemp, MPAS, PAC; Tim Holcomb; and Con nie Simoneau
FastMed Urgent Care 178 Highway 105 Ext. • Boone, NC • (828) 265.7146 • www.fastmed.com
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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Relief for Chronic Migraines M
igraines affect over 36 million people in the United States with 14 million suffering from Chronic Migraine, defined as occurring more than 15 days per month. These migraines are often debilitating and can last for up to 4 days. Imagine trying to work, take care of your family, or just function with nausea, visual disturbances, dizziness and many other impairing effects of migraines. As a result, Chronic Migraines are one of the top 20 medically disabling illnesses. Dr. Dan Krontz at Western Carolina Eye Associates is trained in the therapeutic administration of Botox® to help patients prevent their migraines. The treatment plan for prevention of migraines with Botox® is a specific dose and pattern approved by the FDA. The Botox® is injected into 10 key areas of the head and neck with the injections reportedly feeling like tiny pin-pricks. The treatment is repeated every 12 weeks and prevents up to 9 headaches per month, creating a life-changing result for many sufferers. Dr. Krontz has been practicing ophthalmology in the High Country since 1987, and has been voted “Best of the Best Ophthalmologist” in the area. Western Carolina Eye Associates continues to provide the best and most comprehensive care possible. They have continued to add offerings to the practice to enhance the services provided to their patients beyond ophthalmologic care. Botox for migraines is one of those offerings. “We see a lot of patients that are suffering and trying to manage their lives while struggling with the debilitating effects of migraines. Not just a headache here and there… but severe pain, nausea, dizziness and other symptoms that cause them to retreat from daily function. People with Chronic Daily Migraines suffering from these symptoms 15 or more days a month now have an option to help prevent the Migraines and gain the hope of being able to maintain a better quality of life,” shared Dr. Krontz. Western Carolina Eye Associates has been offering Botox for cosmetic purposes for a long time now, but recently has added Botox for the treatment of Chronic Migraines. In addition to Botox, WCEA offers Permanent Make-up for their patients. Permanent Make-Up is becoming more and more sought out for many types of patients. From those that cannot see well enough without their glasses to apply make-up to those that are very active and want to save time and to those that do not care for the smudging of daily applied cosmetics. Permanent Make-up is the perfect solution. Western Carolina Eye Associates offers a free consultation to discuss and evaluate if permanent make-up is a route you want to choose. Before and after photos of patients can be seen on their web site.
Please check out our website: WCEAPA.com Also visit our Facebook pages: Western Carolina Eye Associates and Western Carolina Eye Permanent Make Up and Botox Services
Western Carolina Eye Associates 610 State Farm Road, Suite A, Boone, NC (828) 264.0042 • 257 Medical Park Drive, West Jefferson, NC (336) 246.3937
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WCEA continues to offer a full spectrum of ophthalmic services including routine eye exams along with the following more specific exams, services and treatments: Permanent Make-Up (eyebrows, eyeliner and lipliner & color) Cataract Removal (using a no-stitch, no patch procedure) Corneal Transplants Glaucoma- treatment and surgery Lid Lesions Plastic Surgery Diabetic Eye Disease Infections Macular Degeneration Lasik Evaluations and Follow-Up Driver’s License Exams Botox® (migraines and cosmetic purposes)
WCEA is pleased to announce that we are now carrying Focus Select® eye vitamins at each of our office locations. The vitamins contain a combination of essential antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids. They are gluten and soy free with no artificial preservatives. Made in USA. Developed by a group of over 400 retina specialists (medical doctors who specialize in treating Macular Degeneration) to provide a trusted, high-quality macular health eye vitamin. Focus Select® eye vitamins are based on the AREDS-2 formula studied by the National Eye Institute. Extensive testing has been performed to assure the premium quality of Focus Select vitamins.
www.WCEAPA.com 610 State Farm Road • Suite A • Boone, NC • (828) 264.0042 257 Medical Park Drive • West Jefferson, NC • (336) 246.3937
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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Recipes from the Gonzalez Kitchen R
andy Gonzalez is a passionate cook who enjoys experimenting with ethnic cuisine and healthy eating alternatives. Randy’s Latin American heritage offers a spice and flavor palate that livens up old recipes and contributes to the creation of new ones. We hope you will enjoy this month’s recipes from the Gonzalez kitchen.
Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon This recipe has become one of our family’s favorites as it offers the opportunity for multiple variations and modifications to please a variety of flavor palates or to reduce calories. Most grocery stores or markets now carry fresh salmon (suggest asking the market attendant about the freshness of the salmon before buying). We prefer “wild caught” salmon and it is available in most locations including the High Country. This recipe is paired with a unique treatment of squash which will soon be plentiful in local farmer’s markets.
Ingredients
Directions
1 Large water soaked cedar plank
1 Teaspoon of brown sugar
1 Large salmon filet (16 oz)
4 Tablespoons of vinaigrette (Use your favorite vinaigrette but suggest a mild flavor to not overpower the flavor of the salmon.)
1 Teaspoon of seasoning (Use your favorite seafood seasoning blend but suggest one with citrus and pepper notes and may include sugar, if so eliminate additional sugar as a separate ingredient.)
¼ Cup of white wine 6 Tablespoons of melted butter
Soak the cedar plank for about an hour in a cookie sheet prior to cooking. I prefer to grill the salmon filet whole but you might want to cut into serving portions (16 oz filet should provide two servings). After cedar is soaked, place salmon filet on the board and distribute seasoning evenly over fish. Pour the vinaigrette evenly over the salmon followed by the melted butter. The final step before grilling is to pour the white wine over the buttered and seasoned salmon. Grill the salmon on a covered gas grill on medium flame and directly on the cedar plank until it has reached desired doneness (approximately twenty minutes). Watch the grill closely to ensure that the cedar plank does not catch fire. Remove and serve immediately.
Zucchini and Yellow Squash “Pasta” As a kitchen geek, giving me a kitchen gadget as a present is a safe bet. One such gift from my wife and son was a mandolin. This is a handy and useful tool for any kitchen and allows you to prepare vegetables in non-standard ways. One setting on my mandolin allows you to “shred” vegetables into long strips resembling pasta. This recipe takes advantage of this technique to create a light side dish that is a great compliment to any entreé.
Ingredients
Directions
2 Medium zucchini squash
Prepare your squash on the Mandolin or cut into long thin strips by hand. Heat a non-stick sauté pan on a medium heat and add olive oil and garlic. After oil is flavored, gently cook the squash in the oil tossing gently and cooking for approximately 1 minute. Add seasoning including the oregano and cook for an additional minute. Add half of the basil just before removing from the sauté pan and give a final toss in pan. Remove squash from the pan and garnish with remaining basil. You can also garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.
2 Medium yellow squash 1 Garlic clove, finely chopped 3 Tablespoons of olive oil Pinch of sea salt Pinch of black pepper Pinch of red pepper flakes ½ Teaspoon of dried oregano 1 Tablespoon of fresh, chopped basil leaves
Randy Gonzalez in his kitchen where he experiments with foods and flavors
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Are Your Legs Ready For Summer? A
t Total Vein Care, the environment is a warm and caring, one where patients receive individualized care from honest, knowledgeable, up-to-date health care professionals.
All of the medical professionals at Total Vein Care offer a level of personalized and compassionate professionalism that has made them the leader in vein care, not only in the High Country, but also drawing heavily from surrounding counties. While venous issues can present themselves in other parts of the body, the most common location of vein disease is in the legs. Total Vein Care specializes in venous problems in the legs. Varicose veins are the larger, bulgy, ropey veins in the legs and spider veins are the smaller, usually red, blue, purple colored veins. When the larger veins in the legs stop functioning normally and the blood they carry is not flowing back up toward the heart properly, they become enlarged and varicose. Varicose veins worsen over time, especially in patients who sit or stand prolonged in their occupations. Aside from the varicose veins causing progressive pain and swelling of the legs, serious life/limb threatening problems occur in some, causing skin infections, skin breakdown to non-healing ulcers, and/or blood clots that are very painful. Dr. Bell says, “The newer laser and other minimally invasive in-office varicose vein techniques used at Total Vein Care negate the risks involved with the now outdated hospital-based vein stripping procedure, and allow me to care for vein sufferers who otherwise would have been deemed too high risk for the prior major surgical, hospital-based procedures based on their age. The laser and other ancillary minor procedures are much safer and require only local numbing, and healing time and risks associated are vastly superior to the very long recovery (6 weeks) and risk of general anesthesia and hospitalization required with stripping.”
Varicose patient before
We’re happy to relay our recent office move to share space with Boone Podiatry. Total Vein Care is now located at 610 State Farm Road, Suite C, Boone. Same patient 3 weeks after
Total Vein Care, PLLC • Joseph Ty Bell, M.D. Diplomate, American Board Venous & Lymphatic Medicine and Member, American College of Phlebology We’ve moved to our new office location with Boone Podiatry: 610 State Farm Rd, Boone, NC 28607 • (828) 265.1345 • www.TVCBoone.net
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What our patients are saying: “The doctor and staff were very nice. I’m very happy with my new leg.” —B. Cullum “I could not ask for better treatment. Dr. Ty Bell is a professional in every way. He is knowledgeable about what he can do to help your condition. He is a compassionate doctor and that is one of the things I loved about him. During the laser treatment, he would tell me everything he was doing and made the experience nothing like I expected. I would highly recommend TVC to anyone who suffers from varicose vein problems. Dr. Bell has been a blessing in my life. He took away my varicose vein pain. I am back to walking six miles a day and I’m still climbing that mountain.”
Joseph Ty Bell, MD Diplomate, American Board Venous & Lymphatic Medicine
—R. Golds
“I have only positive comments…A caring and a thoroughly professional atmosphere.”— F. Thomas “You and your staff made me feel very comfortable during the vein treatment procedure. You went out of your way to make sure I was relaxed by talking me through each part of the procedure. I have had no problems and feel great!” —L. Trexler
“From the moment I walked in the door, I was treated great. The staff was attentive and professional. The procedure was flawless!” —A. Winkelmann
“Your expertise, care, and compassion have affected my life in a very positive way. I thank God for you! “ —D. Shumate
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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AIM: Advanced Illness Management C
aldwell Hospice in the High Country and Appalachian Regional Healthcare System are targeting a higher quality of life with AIM: Advanced Illness Management. This palliative care consultative service, focused on better quality of life for patients living with chronic, debilitating illness, is now available to residents of Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties.
What is palliative care? Palliative care (“comfort care”) is specialized medical care for people affected by serious illness at any point in the illness and alongside treatments meant to cure. It focuses on relieving symptoms and stress of serious illness.
What does AIM do? AIM uses a team approach to treat physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients, at any age and at any point in their illness. AIM offers relief from such symptoms as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping, but that is not all the palliative program offers. With the combined support of their physician and Caldwell Hospice’s AIM team, patients can improve their ability to tolerate medical treatments and participate in choosing their plans of care.
How is AIM different from hospice care? AIM is not hospice care, which serves the more intensive end-of-life care needs of people with a very limited life expectancy.
Who are the AIM providers? Caldwell Hospice’s AIM team—physician, nurse practitioner, and palliative care nurse, with medical social worker and chaplain support, when needed—plus the patient’s primary care physician.
Where are AIM services provided? The AIM team provides services in patients’ homes, in long-term-care facilities, or in hospitals.
Who pays for AIM services? Medicare and most private insurance will cover the cost for AIM services. It’s important to know that services will be provided for all eligible patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
Who can receive AIM services? A physician’s order is required before a person can receive AIM services. However, individuals diagnosed with serious, chronic illnesses or conditions, such as COPD, congestive heart failure, neurological disease, kidney or liver failure, etc. can refer themselves or be referred by their physician, family member, clergy or friend. To learn more, talk to your doctor, call us at 828.754.0101 or 1.844.MY.JOURNEY, or visit www.caldwellhospice.org. AIM is a clinical collaboration between Appalachian Regional Healthcare System and Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care.
Caldwell Hospice & Palliative Care Watauga & Avery Counties: (828) 754.0101 • Ashe County: 1.844.MYJOURNEY • www.caldwellhospice.org
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Mack Brown, Inc. Your Chevrolet, BuiCk & GMC headquarters
in
Boone
A Family Tradition‌
Here Today and Here To Stay!
L to R: Jason Brown, Kent Brown, Josh Brown Front: Mack Brown
People you know, People you Trust.
(828) 264-9051 www.mackbrowninc.com
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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A Diagnosis of Cancer… I
t all starts with a visit to your doctor, either for an annual check-up or an issue you are having. Your doctor is suspicious because he sees something abnormal. Tests, x-rays and/or a biopsy are ordered, and the diagnosis comes back positive for cancer.
This is a life changing time for anyone, and moving through the phases of care and treatment can be overwhelming. The Patient Navigators at Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center specialize in helping patients manage and adjust to all aspects of life with cancer. Patients at Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center receive care focused on the whole person. While conquering cancer is the primary focus, patients and their families feel the affects of cancer well beyond battling the cancer itself. Fear, anxiety, financial burdens of treatment, as well as daily household responsibilities, are a few of the challenges patients and families face. When a person begins treatment at Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, they meet with the 4 patient navigators to learn about the Center and the services available to assist them. The navigators not only provide information, but also partner with the patient and their family so that they are not alone moving through the treatment process.
While conquering cancer is the primary focus, patients and their families feel the affects of cancer well beyond battling the cancer itself. Fear, anxiety, financial burdens of treatment, as well as daily household responsibilities, are a few of the challenges patients and families face… The navigators not only provide information, but also partner with the patient and their family so that they are not alone moving through the treatment process.
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Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center cares for patients medically, psychologically, socially, economically and spiritually. They also offer help with self-image, family issues and comprehensive coordinated care. Paul Young, RN, OCN, the Oncology Nurse Navigator, manages care between the patient’s referring physician, oncology physician, primary care physician and any other physicians or medical professional involved in their care. It is not uncommon for a cancer patient to receive care from a variety of medical professionals because of the complex way cancer and cancer treatments can affect the body. Endocrinologists, pulmonologists, orthopedists and other specialist may be involved, depending on each individual case. Keeping all medical providers involved informed about the patient’s treatment is critical to its success. Paul shoulders the burden for patients and ensures that all the patient’s physicians are keep in the loop.
Paul also educates patients about all aspects of their specific cancer and helps them understand complex medical jargon. He empowers and encourages patients to be an active, knowledgeable participant in their treatment. Angie Shoemake, MSW, the Social Resource Navigator, helps arrange in-home care and transportation for patients, so that their spouses and loved ones work schedules and daily activities are not compromised. She assists patients with coordinating their appointments and finding community resources. Patients may require assistance with groceries, medical equipment such as prosthetics or home assistance devices such as shower chairs or walkers. Things most people consider simple can be daunting when undergoing cancer treatment, so Angie works with patients to alleviate the stress. Monika Dotson, the Financial Navigator, reviews insurance policies to help patients understand which treatments will be covered and which will be an out of pocket expense. She ensures that the patient’s financial resources are utilized in a way that is most beneficial for the patient. Monika also assists patients with little or no financial resources. Finding the right programs and completing the paperwork to qualify can be tedious. Monika knows what resources are available and how to apply for them and can guide patients and their families through the process. Cancer Center patients and their family members are eligible for therapy through ARHS’s Behavioral Health department. Melanie Childers, MA, MDIV, the Couseling Navigator, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Director of the Pastoral Care department for ARHS. Melanie partners with patients and their families to manage the emotional roller coaster that is cancer. Managing emotions such as fear, anger and confusion, as well as the stress associated, is a vital part of the treatment process. For patients seeking spiritual guidance and understanding during treatment, Melanie is a comforting and trusted professional in which patients can confide. The Patient Navigators at Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center play a crucial role in helping patients, caregivers and family members navigate through all of the ins and outs of a cancer diagnosis, treatment, recovery and survivorship. The High Country is fortunate to have a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility, but more importantly, the knowledgeable, caring and compassionate medical professionals who stand by your side on the cancer journey. For more information about the Seby B. Jones Cancer Center, visit www.apprhs.org/cancer-center or call 828-262-4332.
Pictured left to right: Angie Shoemake, Melanie Childers , Monika Dotso
n and Paul Young
Seby B. Jones Cancer Center Boone, NC • (828) 262.4332 • www.apprhs.org/cancer-center
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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Jay’s Journey A
ugust 24, 2013 is a day that forever changed Blue Ridge Electric Senior Member Services Representative, Jay Erwin. Jay will be the first to tell you that he doesn’t just work there, he is part of the Blue Ridge Electric “Family”, and the people he works with are ALL a part of that family. Jay was injured cutting a tree that ultimately fell on him, crushing his left shoulder and crushing his spine. He had no pulse before the medics came and was resuscitated by his son, Samuel Erwin, who never had any CPR training. He then “died” two more times while being airlifted to Johnson City. Surgery was performed to repair his shoulder and stabilize his spine, but 16 days later when he came to… the real journey began. Jay’s journey has taken him on a ride that has not only tested his mental and physical strength, but has strengthened his faith in God, as God has been his rock throughout the journey. Jay learned after he came to that he was paralyzed from the chest down and would have to learn how to live in a wheel chair. After recuperation in Johnson City he was transported to The Shepherd Center in Atlanta for rehabilitation and learning how to function day-to-day from a wheel chair. While Jay was in rehab at the Shepherd Center, some of his Blue Ridge Electric family even drove all the way to Atlanta to check up on their colleague to see how he was doing. It was a great boost to Jay and meant so much that some of his Blue Ridge Electric family were willing to travel so far to see him.
Jay was able to return home in December and eventually came back to a limited work schedule with Blue Ridge Electric a little less than 6 months after his accident. He is now working 3-4 days a week working up to being back on a full-time schedule. Jay is not only an asset to the Blue Ridge Electric family, but to those who encounter him on any given day. Since his accident, he has formed support groups that help others suffering from paralyses and a Faith Page on Facebook to provide prayer support for those in need. To continue his love of running and fitness Jay, along with Valerie Mazza from All Out Fitness and Kinney Baughman, started Blue Ridge Runners, a group that mixes those who will be rolling, walking and running meeting Saturday’s at 9:00am on the Greenway Trail in Boone. This group has been established for those who want to run to get in shape, to create relationships and to have fun, and as Jay says, “running is supposed to be fun!” The Blue Ridge Electric family has stood by Jay and is thrilled that he has been able to return to their family. Jay has just recently received his 15 years of service award and is always a smiling face when you visit Blue Ridge Electric. His is a great example of someone who has had to overcome adversity and has done just that. He dedicates his daily life to God and knows that God has been with him, and even carried him through this journey at times.
Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp. 2491 US Hwy 421 S. • Boone, NC • (828) 264.8894 • www.BlueRidgeEMC.com
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Jay’s journey has taken him on a ride that has not only tested his mental and physical strength, but has strengthened his faith in God…
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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Is a Home Sleep Study Right for You? A
ppalachian Regional Healthcare System’s Sleep Center, located at Watauga Medical Center, provides an amazingly “home like” environment for the patients spending the night in the sleep center. As a sleep center patient, you would come to the hospital the evening of your sleep study and get checked in. Prior to going to bed, tiny electrodes are attached to various parts of your body to monitor brain waves, muscle movements, eye movements, breathing through mouth and nose, snoring, heart rate and leg movements. Additionally, an elastic band is placed around your chest and abdomen to measure breathing and a clip is placed on your finger to measure your heart rate and oxygen levels through the night. A camera is used to videotape your sleep and also detects movement abnormalities. Most who have experienced the sleep center studies comment that they truly are able to fall asleep and that the environment is very cozy and comfortable. The studies conducted in the sleep center provide physicians with a tremendous amount of information allowing for a thorough and complete diagnosis and treatment plan. However, many patients with a high probability of moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea are hesitant to attempt an overnight stay in the sleep center, and may be candidates for a Home Sleep Study. A Home Sleep Study is a simple and cost effective way to test for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The test monitors your heart rate, blood oxygen level, breathing patterns and airflow and is performed in your own home. Patients pick up the portable monitoring device from the sleep center and are instructed on how to work the device. Patients then return the device the next day where the results are interpreted and forwarded to your physician. Not all symptomatic patients are candidates for the home study and it is best to discuss this option with your physician.
Do You Have a Sleep Disorder? Answer these questions and check your results: Epworth Sleepiness Scale How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations? Rate each description according to your normal way of life in recent times. Even if you have not been in some of these situations recently, try to determine how sleepy you would have been. Use the following scale to chose the best answer for each situation: 0 = Would never doze 1 = Slight chance of dozing
To determine if you are in need of a sleep study, completing the scale to the right may be helpful. Additionally you should discuss any and all concerns with your physician.
2 = Moderate chance of dozing
For more information about The Sleep Center of ARHS, visit apprhs.org/sleepcenter or call 828-266-1179.
Situation
3 = High chance of dozing
Chance of Dozing
Sitting and reading Watching TV Sitting inactive in a public place (e.g., a theater or meeting) Sitting as a passenger in a car for an hour without a break Lying down to rest in the afternoon when your schedule permits Sitting and talking to someone Sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol Sitting in a car while stopped for a few minutes in traffic
Results: 1-6 Congratulations! You are getting enough sleep! 7-8 Your score is average. 9 & Up Seek the advise of a sleep specialist without delay.
This scale and other indicators, such as snoring and cessation of breathing while sleeping are signs that you may have a sleep disorder that can cause serious health issues and even lead to death. If you are concerned that you may have a sleep disorder, see your doctor to determine whether a sleep study is needed.
The Sleep Center of ARHS Boone, NC • (828) 266.1179 • www.arhs.org/sleepcenter
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GIVE.
BE PART OF THE CHANGE. United Way brings together people and organizations from all across the community who have passion, expertise and the resources required to address local needs.
Everyone should have an opportunity for a good life: access to a good education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family and good health.
JOIN US.
Help make our community stronger, safer and healthier.
Serving Avery & Watauga Counties
campaign co-chairs
Tim Baxter & Lori Gonzalez
Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor Appalachian State University
media partners
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Meet Dr. Mayhew & Dr. Scheffler OP
Smiles, established in1981, combines the highest quality orthodontic care and state-of-the-art technology to give their patients the best smiles faster with fewer office visits, shorter treatment times and affordable, flexible payment options. Drs. Michael Mayhew and Nicole Scheffler are Boone’s only Board Certified orthodontists and their teams’ integrity and commitment to excellence through continuing education ensures that you will receive the very best in orthodontic care! They strive to make your orthodontic treatment a positive experience from the moment you call their office.
Why should you get braces? The reasons for straightening teeth with braces go far beyond just having straight teeth. Smiles are a big part of our identity and impact how we feel about ourselves and how others perceive us. A beautiful smile provides the self-confidence to excel in school, work and personal life. Also, crooked teeth can be very hard, if not impossible, to clean properly and foster bacterial growth that causes tooth decay, infections that lead to gum disease, tooth loss, and poor overall health. But what if your child’s teeth are “not that crooked?” Frequently, a child’s bite is misaligned, and what many don’t realize is that an improper bite can lead to headaches, wearing and fracturing of teeth, and TMJ (jaw joint) symptoms. While some of these issues may not be present in the teenage years, your child’s improper bite and symptoms continue to get worse with age. Having teeth that are properly positioned is the best way to promote a healthy mouth and smile and boost self-esteem. Preventative orthodontic treatment is often less costly than the additional dental care required to treat more serious problems that can develop in later years.
At what age should you first see an orthodontist? The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child visit an orthodontist by the age of 7 for an initial evaluation. It is best to correct an underbite, open bite, stop thumb-sucking habits, reduce the likelihood of fracturing protruded front teeth, and guide jaw growth and regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches before the teen years. Erupting permanent teeth can be monitored and, if necessary, space made for them to avoid impacted teeth or the need for permanent tooth extractions. Early treatment can often simplify later orthodontic treatment and/ or prevent surgery or tooth extractions. Whether your child is ready to start treatment or not, your child’s growth and tooth development can be monitored by Drs. Mayhew and Scheffler. They can be involved in the OP Smiles Cool Kids Orthodontic Club and receive a free t-shirt, tooth bank, and coins to be used toward great prizes.
Can adults get braces? Yes! Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age! Although, treatment during the teenage years allows the orthodontist to favorably influence the facial profile and correct bite problems before jaw growth has stopped, adults also appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile! Also, many seek braces for functional reasons. Headaches, jaw tension and damage to teeth from grinding are many of the symptoms that bring adults in for an orthodontic evaluation. They realize that improving oral health and the attractiveness of their smiles and facial appearances can result in changes for the better in their personal, social and professional lives. Technical advances have also had an impact on adult therapy, as orthodontic treatment is much easier with Damon braces and is more esthetic using Damon Clear braces and Invisalign than with traditional metal braces.
Are all braces and orthodontic treatment the same? No! Orthodontic treatment is an investment that will last a lifetime if done correctly the first time. Choosing the right orthodontist and type of braces are important parts of that decision. Drs. Mayhew and Scheffler are board-certified, graduated from and are part-time professors at UNC-Chapel Hill, known as one of the best orthodontic programs in the country, and both lecture nationally and internationally on the latest orthodontic techniques. They are committed to delivering personalized quality treatment that will result in a beautiful smile and good dental health. Orthodontic treatment has also drastically changed over the years and involves more than just using any bracket to straighten teeth. At OP Smiles, each individual’s face and profile are assessed to create the best smile for that individual and one that looks good for a lifetime. They use Damon braces that are smaller and use gentler, more biologically sensible forces than conventional braces. The low-friction nature of the system assures improved tooth position and facial harmony with less discomfort. Added perks include fewer office appointments and shorter visits. They also use a scanner, rather than gooey impressions, to create a virtual model of your teeth. The brackets are virtually placed on your teeth and then indirectly bonded to your teeth all at once, which ensures exceptional accuracy when placing the brackets. This means less time spent in the dental chair putting on brackets, shorter total treatment time, and less time spent wearing braces! With fewer office visits, treatment is more affordable than you might think. Although fees vary according to the complexity and time involved with each individual case, a personalized, no-interest payment plan can be arranged so there’s no reason you can’t achieve the smile you deserve! The best way to determine if you or your child would benefit from orthodontics is to schedule a FREE consultation in which x-rays and photographs are taken and reviewed one-on-one with you and Dr. Mayhew or Dr. Scheffler. At the consultation, they will assess if there is a need and clearly outline treatment benefits.
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Volume 5 • Issue 1
Meet Dr. Conn & Dr. Hardaway D
rs. Stacy Conn and Martha Hardaway are the only Board Certified pediatric dentists in Boone. Pediatric dentistry is the specialty of dentistry that focuses on the oral health of young people. After completing a 4 year dental school curriculum, 2-3 years additional years of training are required to become a pediatric dentist. This specialized program of study and hands-on experience prepares pediatric dentists to meet the needs of infants, children and adolescents, including people with special health care needs. Their desire to practice at the highest level led them to become certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry as Diplomates. Certification provides assurance to their patients that they have completed a voluntary examination process designed to continually validate the knowledge, skills and experience requisite to quality patient care.
When should I bring my child to the dentist? Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry agree that the dental home should be established by age 1. Getting an early start in regular dental care is an important step on the road to teaching your child healthy lifetime habits. We want to share with you the latest available methods for keeping your child healthy and safe, teach parents how to care for the child’s teeth, what to do in the case of injury or concerns, and establish a familiarity with going to the dentist. The first dental visit should occur shortly after the first tooth erupts and no later than the child’s first birthday. Beginning tooth and mouth examinations early may lead to detection of early stages of tooth decay that can easily be treated. Ideally, by starting regular visits at age 1, the child will have multiple visits to the dentist for cleanings prior to needing any other types of treatment. This pattern establishes an environment of trust between the child and their doctor.
Why are baby teeth important? A child’s first set of teeth, also known as baby teeth or primary teeth really do matter! It is very important that primary teeth are kept in place and healthy until they are lost naturally. These teeth serve a number of crucial functions. They are the foundation of the development and placement of permanent teeth, allow for proper nutrition with chewing, give shape to the formation of the jaws and face and provide the needed tools for proper speech development. A missing or diseased primary tooth can cause the permanent tooth to come in sideways, protrude beyond the other teeth or not develop properly.
What makes their office so appealing to kids? Coming to see Dr. Stacy Conn or Dr. Martha Hardaway for a dental visit is a great experience for most children because there are so many “kid things” to see and do. “We let the kids touch all the instruments, explore the area, and the younger ones even brush the puppets’ teeth so they will get a feel for what is happening. We have TVs on the ceiling for distraction along with games, prizes and a ‘No Cavity Club’. Our staff and doctors talk to the kids on their level and do whatever we can to help children feel comfortable. We also have many ways to accomplish dental procedures without patients seeing the numbing procedure in process which helps reduce their fear,” shared Dr. Hardaway. Pleasant visits to the dental office promote the establishment of trust and confidence in your child that will last a lifetime. The goal is to help all children feel good about visiting the dentist and teach them how to care for their teeth. From the special office designs to their communications style, their main concern is what is best for your child.
Why is having a pediatric dental practice and an orthodontic practice together beneficial? One of the great assets to the Mayhew, Conn, Scheffler and Hardaway practice is having a team approach to a patient’s oral health care. Having both pediatric dentists and orthodontists in the same building allows for convenience of appointment scheduling for families and also for easy collaboration on cases. The team approach allows the doctor to easily get a second opinion on a treatment plan, radiograph or diagnosis. Certain procedures can even be combined into one appointment time, eliminating multiple to trips to offices to accomplish one goal. When helping children, Dr. Conn and Hardaway often work with pediatricians, other physicians, and dental specialists. All people are best served by this team approach. The pediatric dentist is an important part of your child’s health care team.
OP Smiles 373 Boone Heights Drive • Boone, NC • (828) 264.0110 • www.opsmiles.com
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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Baxter Marketing, Inc. Better Health Media, Inc. Specializing in Medical Marketing
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here was a time when physicians who promoted themselves were looked upon negatively, but in today’s competitive market, physicians and practices have to market successfully to succeed. Practices are constantly struggling with how to professionally promote themselves and get the message out to potential patients about what their office has to offer for practice growth and to share new offerings to existing patients. Physicians and practice managers are often saying, “if people only knew what we offer.” Practices and physicians are experts in their fields and we are experts in marketing. Most practices do not need a full-time person dedicated to marketing; they need a resource to create and manage their marketing. With over 17 years experience creating multi-media marketing campaigns, this is where our companies, Baxter Marketing, Inc. and Better Health Media, Inc. come in. We’ll help you develop your practice image and focus and communicate to your patient base through multiple media marketing resources. Full Service Creative Photography Video Production Website development Social Media Management Print Design Business Identity Media Negotiation & Buys
Page Sauder 828-265-9593
Tim Baxter 828-265-9010
Janice Baxter 828-266-1399
Continue to do what you do best, and let us help with what we do best! Baxter Marketing, Inc. | Better Health Media, Inc. 146 O
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Helping the Community… One Person at a Time Addiction Treatment At Stepping Stone of Boone “The mission of Stepping Stone of Boone is to be a positive, supportive presence in our community, and in the lives of the people we serve, in our collective pursuit to successfully cope with the disease of addiction.” “The second I entered Stepping Stone I knew this was it! I have never felt so positive and strong – the staff goes above and beyond to ensure my health and well-being.” These are the words of a patient undergoing addiction treatment with Stepping Stone of Boone, a small, private, locally owned outpatient center that helps those struggling with an addiction to opiates, such as Oxycontin, oxycodone, heroin or morphine. At Stepping Stone, we understand that the disease of addiction requires a great deal of medical and therapeutic support. Like other chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, addiction is treatable and can be managed successfully. Stepping Stone seeks to treat the whole person, not just the addiction, through a non-judgmental, health and wellness focused approach, and our outpatient structure allows our patients to continue to work, go to school, and care for their families. Seeking help for an addiction can be overwhelming: that’s why the staff of Stepping Stone works so hard to create a warm, family-friendly atmosphere for our patients. Our therapists, medical staff, and administrators work collaboratively as a “treatment team” so that each patient receives as much individual attention as possible. As another patient says, “The staff focuses on (our) strengths and progress… I feel very safe, and I can be totally honest without feeling judged.” Upon acceptance into our program, a new patient begins a carefully monitored daily dosage of medication to assist with the withdrawal symptoms that come with the treatment of addiction. Additionally, the patient undergoes intensive individual counseling on site, and may receive referrals to outside community agencies if needed to address any additional issues that the patient may need assistance with. As David Brumfield, CEO and founder says, “When the addicted individual improves, the benefit has a ‘ripple’ effect that extends far beyond that person – for every person that stops using drugs, there will be fewer cases of communicable disease in our community, less criminal activity, they will be able to maintain employment, care for their families, and be productive members of our society rather than a burden upon it.” If you or a loved one is struggling with the disease of addiction to opiates, please call us today. Our trained staff can answer questions about addiction and its treatment, and help you begin to take the first steps on a path toward, health, wellness, and peace of mind. Stepping Stone of Boone conducts intake assessments for new patients every Tuesday. To schedule an appointment, please call 828-265-7078. To learn more about Stepping Stone, you can visit our web site at steppingstoneofboone.org.
Picktured left to right: Jeffrey
Scott, CFO, Christa Capua, COO & Clinical Director and David Brumfield, CEO and Program Director
Stepping Stone of Boone Boone, NC • (828) 265-7078 • www.steppingstoneofboone.org
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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Volume 5 • Issue 1
Hospitality House M
any people who need to have surgery performed by a surgeon out of town often do not follow through with it because of the additional expense incurred with having to stay in a hotel, meals and gas. Family members just not having a comfortable place to rest when not in the room of their recovering patient can also be a barrier. The E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation Hospitality House has resolved this with an amazingly cozy and comfortable “home away from home” located across the street from Frye Regional Medical Center’s Same Day Surgery Center. The Hospitality House was established in 1992 as a project of the Frye Volunteer Auxiliary and is a beautiful, historic home with overnight accommodations for 18 guests. It is available for out-of-town family members of patients admitted to area hospitals. Patients coming in from out-of-town to have surgery the next day can also stay so they can be closer the morning of their surgery. This helps create a comfort to those that would otherwise have to travel early in the morning and may be worried about a potential traffic delay or weather related issues. The Hospitality House is also a great refuge for those needing rest during the day, giving them a cozy place away from the hospital to relax for a short time. Families wishing to use the Hospitality House request a referral from the nursing unit. Once this is obtained they can make reservations to hold their spot and stay as long as their loved one is admitted. There is no fee for staying at the Hospitality House, but families are encouraged to make a taxdeductible donation.
“We, as the Hospitality House family, feel so blessed to be able to offer our home to our families in their time of need.”
The families are cared for by volunteers and managed by the director and resident manager. “We, as the Hospitality House family, feel so blessed to be able to offer our home to our families in their time of need,” shared Carolyn Moretz, Executive Director. “Their faces tell us how blessed we all are by this lovely home and the comfort it gives to those we welcome here.” The goal of The Hospitality House is to serve those with loved ones in hospital care with a comfortable and cozy environment without regard to financial resources.
—Carolyn Moretz, Executive Director
Hospitality House 121 5th Avenue NE • Hickory, NC • (828) 324.4544
www.HighCountryHealth.net
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High Country
Health&Fitness Magazine
Pictured left to right, back row: Christopher Bensen, MD; James Califf, MD; Thomas Gocke, PA. Middle row: Matt Howard, PA. Front row: Stephen Fleming, MD; John Sloboda, MD; and John Newell, MD.
194 Doctors Drive • Boone, NC 28607 | 828.264.1100 | orthocarolina.com/boone
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he physicians at OrthoCarolina in Boone, Ashe County and Wilkesboro are all Board Certified and have areas of interest they have sub-specialized in. This is one of the great aspects of OrthoCarolina, not only will you receive top-notch treatment, but when surgery is the answer, you will be referred to the surgeon with specialty in your area of need insuring treatment from a surgeon with a vast background in your specific surgery. It’s just not a one-size-fits all approach. The OrthoCarolina orthopaedic surgeons understand bone and joint health problems are among the most common and debilitating health challenges people face. The phsyicians at OrthoCarolina dedicate their lives to helping people maintain and regain their mobility, reduce their pain, and reclaim the freedom to do what they love throughout their lives.
John Newell, MD Dr. Harriette Buchanan, retired Interdisciplinary Studies Professor from Appalachian State University had been struggling with soreness and pain for more than 5 years when she went to see Dr. John Newell about a resolution. She had been managing the pain as best she could with daily doses of Ibuprofen, but she knew this was not a healthy long-term fix. She thought she was doing a pretty good job of managing, though going down steps was quite a challenge, and she wasn’t going to let the pain and stiffness stop her. It was when her husband told her that she was limping when she walked that she finally decided to check out her options. She went to see Dr. Newell and the x-ray showed truly visible signs of deterioration of her right knee and she could even see that her knee joint was bone-on-bone. She worked with Dr. Newell to establish the best plan of care, which was to have her knee replaced. Dr. Buchanan went through the Joint Replacement Seminar developed by Dr. Newell and a multidisciplinary team offered by the hospital prior to her surgery. Her husband was shown how to best care for her after her surgery as he would be her “coach.” Dr. Buchanan is now doing quite well and is pain-free after her surgery and rehab. She is thrilled with the range-of-motion she now has that she didn’t even realize had been compromised prior to her surgery. She even commented that coming down the steps at Elk Knob, “was a breeze now.” Dr. Newell received his Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of South, in Sewanee Tennessee. He Earned his Medical Degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson Mississippi. He completed his internship in General Surgery at Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia and his orthopaedic surgery residency at State University of New York, Stony Brook University Medical Center in 1990. He has been the team physician for Watauga High School for the past 20 years. He enjoys an interest in sports medicine, total joint replacement, and general orthopaedics.
James Califf, MD Jason Byassee, Senoir Minister at Boone United Methodist Church, has been dealing with back pain for over 20 years. For most of that time he was able to work through and manage the pain. However, a couple of months ago he was returning home on a plane and all of the sudden he was in excruciating pain. When finally made it back to Boone he immediately went to the hospital, it was that bad. Jason was having numbness and shooting pain shooting down his leg to the point that it was incapacitating. He had been diagnosed with 2 ruptured discs in the past, but it now looked as if he was going to have to address them more intently to gain relief from his pain and numbness. Jason scheduled an appointment to see Dr. Califf at OrthoCarolina in Boone, as he is the area’s only spine specialist. As Jason suspected, surgery to relieve the pressure on the nerves from the disc rupture would be needed. It was suggested to Jason by some acquaintances that he should consider going off the mountain for spine surgery, but Jason was aware of Dr. Califf’s expertise and years of experience as a spine specialist and was more than confident with Dr. Califf. When Jason woke up after surgery, he was pain free. It was such a relief to be free of the pain he had been living with for so many years. The nerve damage from the pressure of the ruptured discs will continue to resolve eliminating the numbness and returning him to running and playing basketball with time. Jason is thrilled with his outcome and was thrilled that such a competent spins surgeon is here, allowing him to have this surgery in Boone. Jason shared, I love a small town hospital. I know so many people that work there and the care I received was amazing. I was definitely a person and not just a “patient” throughout the entire process.” Dr. Califf is Board Certified and practices general orthopaedics with a specialty in spine surgery. He enjoys all of orthopaedics including arthroscopy, joint replacement and fracture care. Dr. Califf trained at Duke Medical Center and practiced in Burlington, NC for 25 years prior to moving to Boone and sees patients in the OrthoCarolina offices in Boone and Wilkesboro.
Proud to be THE Destination for Orthopaedic Care in the High Country Stephen Fleming, MD Pam Meyer began waking up at night several years ago, with pain and numbness in her right hand. She was unable to get back to sleep, until the feeling returned. She also complained of easy fatigue and weakness in her hand. She scheduled an appointment with Dr. Newell, who had previously performed her joint replacement surgery and was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. She was initially given a steroid injection, which temporarily relieved her symptoms. When the symptoms returned, she was told that the cortisone injections were typically of only temporary benefit and could only be administered a few times. She knew it was a matter of time before something more permanent would be needed. If left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to permanent nerve damage with decreased sensation and muscle weakness. Her care was transferred to Dr. Fleming, a specialist in hand surgery. She proceeded to have a carpal tunnel release performed and obtained good relief of her symptoms. According to Mrs. Meyer, “He did an amazing job and, I was so pleased. The surgery was so professional and you can’t even see a scar.” Mrs. Meyer shared that the development of her carpal tunnel syndrome most likely came from a career as a kindergarten teacher. Repetitive motion often causes the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome. It is more frequent in women than in men, but can occur in men who use vibrating tools. It is also associated with diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, injuries to the hand, et cetera. Dr. Stephen Fleming grew up in Eastern North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina and subsequently attended the Wake Forest School of Medicine. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. He then proceeded with an additional year of hand surgical training in Louisville. Kentucky. He has been in private practice in Boone, North Carolina since 1986. He is Board Certified in both Orthopaedic and Hand Surgery.
Chris Bensen, MD “Kudos to Dr. Bensen,” are the exact words from Betty Upchurch, the organist at Jefferson Methodist Church. Ms. Upchurch has had several joint replacements through the years, but she says her best experience was with Dr. Chris Bensen. Dr. Bensen replaced Ms. Upchurch’s left shoulder about 2 years ago and she couldn’t say enough about how delighted she is with the result compared to her previous shoulder replacement done elsewhere. Mrs. Upchurch is a musician and having pain-free, full range use of her shoulders is crucial to her livelihood. Dr. Bensen told her to anticipate being away from the organ for about 6 weeks for recovery. But Ms. Upchurch shared that she was back to playing the organ at church again in just 3 weeks and had only minimal pain after the procedure. While not everyone recovers at the same pace, Ms. Upchurch was thrilled with the results from her surgery with Dr. Bensen. She was most impressed with his thorough evaluation of her specific needs and how precisely he tailored her surgical procedure to address exactly what she needed to get back to her activities. Ms. Upchurch also commented that Dr. Bensen has, “Great people skills,” and she would, “recommend him 100%, and if your issue is not his area of expertise, he will refer you to whom you need to see. He is just AWESOME!” Ms. Upchurch is still playing the organ at church and able to take on additional music gigs with the Arts Council since she is no longer in pain. She also shared that prior to her surgery she wasn’t able to smile much because of the pain, but now she is back to smiling all the time! Dr. Chris Bensen is Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He was among the first surgeons in the nation to become subspecialty-certified in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. His clinical interests include arthroscopic surgery, sports medicine, minimally invasive reconstructive knee and shoulder surgery, and partial and total joint replacement.
John Sloboda, MD Glenda Wagoner, from Ashe County, at age 50 felt as though her hip was coming out of place. She struggled to take care of her day to day activities for two years and was told she was too young for a hip replacement. Glenda has a milk cow that she milks twice daily, a horse she tends, ducks, chickens and a quilting barn where she quilts regularly. The terrain at her home is, like most places in the high country, uneven and walking on hillsides; taking care of her daily responsibilities continued to get more and more difficult and painful. She went to see Dr. Sloboda to have him assess her hip condition. X-rays were taken and showed that the advanced arthritis or degenerative joint disease. At this point, her only relief would come from a hip replacement and Dr. Sloboda discussed this option with her. Glenda shared, “Dr. Sloboda took the time to explain to me everything involved with my hip replacement. He was very personable and didn’t look down his nose at me when I asked questions. He spent a great deal of time with me and made sure that I understood everything.” After her anterior hip replacement and rehab, Glenda says she can, “go in a frenzy all the time, because she can.” Dr. John Sloboda obtained his BS degree from West Point, NY and completed his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, where he was an honor graduate (Alpha Omega Alpha). As an Army physician, he finished his orthopaedic training at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. He served a 14 year tour in the Army including assignments in Germany and Iraq. Dr. Sloboda holds a subspecialty degree board certification in sports medicine and is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon. Dr. Sloboda offers comprehensive orthopaedic care including general orthopaedics, fracture care, arthroscopic surgery (including knee, shoulder, and ankle), rotator cuff treatment and sports medicine. He performs joint replacement including total and partial knee replacement (certified for Oxford Mobile Bearing partial knee replacement) and total hip replacement, including the minimally invasive direct anterior approach (DAA), also known as anterior supine intramuscular approach (ASI).
The OrthoCarolina Boone orthopaedic doctors have served as team physicians for five area universities and high schools in the High Country. Contact us today to schedule an appointment; we look forward to providing you with the best orthopaedic care possible.
Also seeing patients in Ashe County & Wilkesboro: 200 Hospital Ave Jefferson, NC 28640
1914 W Park Dr Wilkesboro, NC 28659
OrthoCarolina Physician Assistants are available to assess your needs with same day appointments.
Thomas Gocke PA
Matt Howard MD
Physical Therapy can be scheduled with Dan Robertson, Lou Ann Kernodle or Jessica Nelsen through the LOGOS Physical Therapy office on State Farm Road in Boone by calling 828-264-0501. Lower cost Extremity and Contrast MRI is available for anyone, not just OrthoCarolina patients, by calling 828-264-1100.
From diagnosing and treating your injury to recovery and rehabilitation, our physicians will stay by your side when you come to us with an orthopaedic injury.
194 Doctors Drive • Boone, NC 28607 | 828.264.1100 | orthocarolina.com/boone
High Country
Health&Fitness Magazine
In this issue: 3 Steps to Better Health ‌ Plus the Best Kept Secret in Creating a Healthier Community
Public Health Means Better Health: P
for You and Your Community
ublic health is an often forgotten piece of better community health. Through promotion, prevention, protection, and empowerment, the public health services in your community offer support for healthy people, healthy environments, and a better quality of life. Appalachian District Health Department offers a unique opportunity for improvement in community health by caring for individuals, families, and communities in a variety of ways. Your public health system may be the best kept secret in creating a healthier community because the services offered are far reaching, affect all people, and may only be truly visible to you during a crisis.
Better Health Key #2 Be active
Promote Appalachian District Health Department promotes healthy communities. They assure a healthcare safety net and champion proven practices to foster better health for everyone. Prevention and access to healthcare services helps reduce costs for everyone. Health departments in Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga Counties promote better health throughout life while assuring access to quality healthcare services for all people by:
Physical activity and exercise is important for health and wellbeing. Adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day. Kids need at least an hour. Most of us do not achieve recommended levels and we miss a chance at better health. Here’s how: • Plan your physical activity like any other appointment you must participate in and find someone else to hold you accountable and be active with you. Consider a family or workplace walking club to make it fun.
• Assuring individual healthcare services are available in each county. You may not have realized that just like any other medical practice, each health department offers valuable services for individuals to maintain and improve their personal health like wellness visits, nutrition counseling, sick appointments, and even individual guidance when traveling to maintain your health wherever you go.
• Do an activity you love. The High Country offers many free, fun activities such as a walking track after school hours, a running or cycling club, a walking area at a local park or greenway.
• Routine and walk-in appointments are accepted for a variety of health needs for your family. Each health department office accepts your insurance as well as Medicaid and Medicare.
• Set a specific goal. Make it meaningful to you and measurable.
• Partnering with community members to promote solutions to key community health problems like obesity, child abuse prevention through positive parenting, and safer streets to support active transportation and economic development.
• Support more opportunities for active living and recreation in your community like sidewalks, greenways, bike lanes, parks, and facilities that are open to community use.
• Make it part of your mental health regimen. Substitute walking to relieve stress at the end of a long day for a week and see how much it can help. • Tell someone, or better yet, tell everyone about your goal to be more active.
Better Health Key #1 Choose to be tobacco free
Living tobacco free is a key health decision for you and your family as it remains the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. Here’s how: • Never start smoking and if you do, quit now. Talk to a trained quit coach who can help for free at 1-800-QUIT-NOW and reach out to your healthcare provider. • Adopt a tobacco free pledge for your home and car to avoid placing your family at risk. Help others who are ready to quit by encouraging them to talk to their healthcare provider. • Support tobacco-free policies in your community and ask others to abide by existing policies
Protect Appalachian District Health Department protects community health and supports economic vitality through public health projects, policies, and community partnerships. Health departments in Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga Counties work to protect the public’s health by upholding policies that we know improve the community’s health while conducting ongoing assessments to drive continued improvement for better individual and community health. • Providing education and monitoring for safe, healthy food in public establishments • Upholding applicable laws in permitting and inspecting establishments • Investigating public complaints about health risks • Partnering with community organizations, businesses, and collaborative groups to adopt policies that support tobacco-free environments
Prevent Appalachian District Health Department helps prevent the start and spread of disease outbreaks like salmonella and E. coli, and promotes healthy living to prevent the growing rate of chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lower respiratory disease. Health departments in Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga Counties work to:
Better Health Key #3
• Keep our food and water safe by conducting routine inspections of food and lodging establishments. • Support a healthy start for pregnant women and young children through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) • Partner with families by providing extra support to families in our community most at-risk for adverse health outcomes during pregnancy and early childhood • Promote healthy living with collaborative efforts based on key community health needs • Garner additional resources through collaboration, competitive grant projects, and community work grounded in local needs • Continually assess community health needs to understand the unique needs of each community and work with the community solve community health problems together
Eat Right
Good nutrition is a critical element to wellness. One area that often lacks in our diet is fruits and vegetables. Did you fill half your plate with vegetables last night at dinner? Here’s how: • Plan ahead. Shop the sale items and plan your menus while keeping in mind that healthy foods like fruits and vegetables should fill half your plate. • Create a healthy supper club — featuring healthy meals and recipe swaps can be a fun way to incorporate healthy living in your social life. • Write it down. On paper, online, or use a smartphone app. Tracking food helps you see how many calories you have spent. Do this for a week and evaluate your eating. • Don’t drink your calories. Consider calorie free beverages like water, unsweetened black, green, or herbal teas. Remember coffee drinks that have sugar and cream as well as drinks with alcohol add up too. • Consider professional support. A Registered Dietitian, like those at your local health department, can help you achieve your wellness goals and work with your healthcare provider to help manage any existing health conditions. • Measure and weigh your food to avoid portion distortion with our larger than life American diet. • Be balanced. Remember that every decision you make to eat better is a good one and balance is important to support a healthy lifestyle long term. • Support more opportunities for healthy food in your community. Visit your farmer’s market and consider participating in a community supported agriculture (CSA) program. • Ask your workplace, church, or community group to adopt their own healthy food practices that limit less healthy foods and make nutritious foods and drinks more available.
Some information adapted from Invest in Strong Communities (NCALHD).
Appalachian District Health Department Watauga, Ashe & Alleghany Counties, NC • www.apphealth.com
Appalachian District Health Department Promoting safe & healthy living, preventing disease, and protecting the environment
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Call Us Today!
Compassionate Service Quality Care Accepting most insurance plans
www.apphealth.com 157 Health Services Road Sparta, NC 28675 (336) 372-5641
246 McConnell Street
126 Poplar Grove Connector Boone, NC 28607
(336) 246-9449
(828) 264-6635