JHN_Healthy Living_111222

Four Reasons why NOW is the best time to do vein treatmenT

Have you noticed tiny veins starting to spread across one or both of your legs? And have some of them become larger and more painful over time? With cold weather approaching, now is a great time to get them taken care of.

1. Winter

If you choose to do a vein treatment, now is the best time! Winter makes recovery easier for several reasons.” The cold temperatures are soothing to veins to help decrease swelling. You generally will be engaging in less physical activity, so you will have time to rest and heal. If there is a need for compression stockings they will be easier to hide and can help keep you warm during the winter cold.” said Kathe Malinowski, lead esthetician and marketing manager for Eterna MedSpa & Laser Vein Cener.

2. Less Sun

Since the weather is colder, treated areas are less likely to be exposed to the sun. Sun exposure should be avoided after treatment for at least a couple of weeks due to potential skin discoloration. “The sooner you have treatment, the more time your body will have to recover and get your legs looking great for summer,” Malinowski said.

3. Utilize your insurance

Almost all insurances are accepted at Eterna Med Spa. Scheduling a year-end surgery may help you to avoid paying a deductible in the new year, which was already met this year.

There are several effective options for combating the condition, including endovenous laser treatment, sclerotherapy, and microphlebectomy. They can be done in-office under local anesthesia.

“Sclerotherapy is usually cosmetic but if it is done to clean up spider veins after an endovenous vein treatment it will be covered under the insurance,” Malinowski said.

4. Age doesn’t matter

Varicose veins are equal opportunity offenders.

“If you are unlucky and you inherited the condition it can affect you as young as in your mid-20s,” Malinowski said.

Additionally, varicose veins can be brought on by pregnancy, standing for prolonged periods of time, and wearing high heels daily.

But don’t think the condition is limited to women.

“We have treated several men here at Eterna for the condition,” Malinowski said.

Eterna MedSpa & Laser Vein Center 217 Vertin Boulevard, Shorewood, 60404 815-254-8888 | www.eternalaser.com

Silver Cross NICU

the Best Choice for Marseilles Couple’s Baby

When she became pregnant with her first child last year, Ste fani DeBenedetti of Marseilles had a choice of hospitals where she could deliver.

“My doctor was affiliated with Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, and I had heard good things; especially that they had a NICU,” DeBenedetti said.

“And I thought that was good because you never know. My fiancé, Brett Schultz, and I were both preemies who had to spend time at a Chicago aca demic medical center after we were born. I am so glad I chose Silver Cross.”

Knowing that Silver Cross has Will County’s first and only NICU – the Amy, Matthew and Jay Vana Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Silver Cross – could be critically important to others as well.

Signs of Concern

DeBenedetti’s doctor already had been monitoring high blood pressure as she pro gressed through the latter stag es of pregnancy to make sure it didn’t turn into preeclampsia. When she visited Silver Cross for a checkup in her 37th week, on Aug. 13, there was even more concern.

“My blood pressure was really high, so they said they needed to take the baby then by Csection,” she said. “We didn’t even have anything packed. We thought we were going to leave, go home and take a nap.”

After delivery, doctors told her baby Brooke’s lungs weren’t fully developed yet, and that she’d need specialized care.

Great Timing

Thankfully, Silver Cross Hospi tal’s new NICU had opened only

We’ve Expanded Our Birthing Center with Your Comfort in Mind

When you start your family at Silver Cross, you’re in good company! In fact, more families choose our Birthing Center than any other hospital in Will County. That’s because we’ve created a unique place for special arrivals—the Women and Infant Services Birthing Center, where you and your family are at the center of everything we do.

a few weeks earlier.

If it hadn’t, Brooke would have had to be transported to a Chi cago hospital, and it could have been days before DeBenedetti could have seen her baby and how she was doing.

From the personal attention of our highly trained staff to the comfort and luxury of our private mother-baby suites, we’ve designed it with you in mind. Everything’s ready for you from the moment you arrive—even complimentary valet parking and shuttle service.

The 24-bed NICU is located on the third floor of Silver Cross’ new addition on the east side of the hospital, adjacent to the birthing center and features all single-family private rooms. Modeled after and staffed 24/7 by neonatologists from the NICU of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Silver Cross Hospital’s Level III NICU provides care for seriously ill or very premature newborns.

tling back and forth between the hospital’s NICU and his fi ancé’s room to give updates and deliver breast milk to the baby.

“It was really hard not being able to see her right away,” De Benedetti said. “I can’t imagine what it would have been like if she had to be transferred to Chicago.”

She added, “Initially, they said Brooke would have to be there two or three days. But they also found she was suffering from pulmonary hypertension, so they wanted to keep her on oxy gen. She wound up being there 17 days. The doctors and nurses at Silver Cross were so good. They answered all of our ques tions and kept us up to date on her condition.”

12 to 15. And just like our existing LDR rooms, these beautiful new rooms feature a host of amenities designed for your comfort – with an important new addition: large immersion tubs for laboring moms.

practitioners, neonatal nurses, therapists, and other caregivers and have immediate access to Lurie Children’s Hospital pediat ric medical and surgical subspe cialists.

Other amenities include:

DeBenedetti said she and Schultz could have spent more nights in Brooke’s NICU room, large enough for the three of them to rest comfortably. But after a few days, they decided to stay at her mother’s house in Minooka to make sure Brooke got enough rest.

• Private bathroom

• Sofa sleeper

• In-room refrigerators

• Flat-screen TV

Time to Go Home

• Glider chair

Blanket warmers

• And more

On the 18th day, Brooke was able to go home to Marseilles.

verything for Your Peace of Mind

“I am so glad we chose Silver Cross. They were all great, and to have a NICU right there was such a relief.”

n obstetrician/gynecologist is in-house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Upon your arrival, you’ll be “partnered” with specially trained obstetrical nurse certified in electronic fetal monitoring who’ll assist you through delivery. Our unit also features mother/baby couplet care, which means that the experienced nurse will care for both mother and baby until time to go home.

Greenwood NICU Medical Director

Each of our birthing suites has soft lighting and soothing décor designed to put you at ease with thoughtful touches you’ll appreciate. The moment you walk in, you’ll feel at home. Every private birthing suite has an easily adjustable labor bed and labor ball available.

“We have built a team of the best profes sionals in the area to provide neonatal intensive care close to home,” said Corryn Greenwood, M.D., neona tologist and Medical Director of the NICU at Silver Cross.

3 New Labor/Delivery/Recovery Rooms

Patients are safely cared for by a team of highly skilled neo natologists, neonatal nurse

To accommodate the growing number of special deliveries at Silver Cross, we’ve added 3 spacious LDR rooms to our Women and Infant Services Birthing Center, bringing our total from

For more information about the Amy, Matthew and Jay Vana Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox (Will County’s first and only NICU), visit silvercross.org

This ensures continuity in care and improved communication between the patient, family, nursing staff and physicians. At Silver Cross, we also have several certified lactation consultants available for support to new moms who choose to breastfeed their babies. They offer education and support before and delivery as well as when you return home.

DeBenedetti had to wait a few hours until her anesthesia wore off before she could see Brooke. Meanwhile, Schultz was shut

Stefani DeBenedetti and Brett Schultz bring their daughter, Brooke, home to Marseilles after she spent 17 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

Dr. Corryn

Weight-Loss Surgery at Silver Cross is Tops in Patient Outcomes and Experience

Obesity is an epidemic that affects nearly 1 out of 3 American adults. It also affects their families, the people they work with and those who will have to care for them if they become unable to care for themselves.

With a demonstrated track record of outstanding outcomes in weight-loss surgery, BMI Surgery and Silver Cross Hospital’s weight-loss surgery program has received national accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). The program has also been recognized as a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery for our demonstrated track record of outstanding outcomes in weight-loss surgery.

Our program offers the latest and safest bariatric surgical procedures including:

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Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Revisional Bariatric Surgery

What’s more, our comprehensive program includes a full screening with renowned bariatric surgeons — Dr. Brian Lahmann, Dr. Joe Northup and other medical specialists; preand post-procedure diet and exercise instruction; a monthly support group; and tools to promote an ongoing healthy lifestyle.

Certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Lahmann received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed a general surgery residency at the University of Kentucky where he was recognized with several awards. Dr. Lahmann completed a laparoscopic and bariatric surgery fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Specially trained in bariatric and minimally invasive surgical procedures, Dr. Lahmann is a past winner of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons’ Laparoscopic Skills Competition as well as the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons TOP GUN Laparoscopic Skills Competition. He lectures nationally and has published several articles on laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. Dr. Lahmann co-founded and developed BMI Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital in 2005. Dr. Lahmann has consistently been recognized as a top physician at Silver Cross Hospital for ranking in the Top 1% of physicians in the nation for outstanding patient satisfaction.

Dr. Joe Northup has nearly 20 years of experience as a renowned bariatric surgeon. Certified through the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Northup completed his residency at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo as well as an Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Fellowship at the University of Virginia.

He is a Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the American College of Surgeons and American Society of Bariatric Surgeons. Dr. Northup was featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal for outstanding patient follow-up and was elected by fellow surgeons as President of the ASMBS Ohio-Kentucky Chapter from 2013-2016.

In 2020, he received the Ohio Top Doctor and Best Bariatric Surgeon awards, and in 2021 received the ASMBS Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Northup specializes in laparoscopic bariatric procedures including laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic Roux-n-Y gastric bypass and bariatric revisional procedures. Dr. Northup is known for his personable, caring manner.

For more information, visit silvercross.org/bmi

Brian Lahmann, MD, FACS Bariatric Surgeon

Joe Northup, MD, FACS

Bariatric Surgeon

Bariatric & Minimally Invasive Surger y

Man’s Life & BodyTransformed by Weight-Loss Surgery at Silver Cross

For the most part, Chris Ratuszny was dealing with his morbid obesity. But he admits there was a lot of red flags when it came to his health.

“I had to lose some weight before it would even register on the scale,” said Ratuszny, 38, who lives in Chicago’s far south suburbs. “When it did, I weighed 527 pounds. And I’m 5 feet 9 inches.”

Oh, there were some signs: extremely high blood pressure; borderline diabetes; and even skin disorders, such as rashes and scaling from his skin being stretched so much by his weight.

“I also run a property management company, and I like to do things

myself. So, it was tough climbing ladders to check roofs and stairs to view apartments, but I did it,” said Ratuszny.

But in 2016, he had a wake-up call – the worst kind.

“My cousin, who was my best friend, died of congestive heart failure due to being morbidly obese. I said, ‘That’s enough.’”

THE RIGHT PROGRAM

He already knew diet pills weren’t for him, so Ratuszny surfed the internet for options. He came upon the BMI Surgery program at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

“I don’t know what it was, but something told me this was the program for me.”

He attended a Weight Loss Seminar hosted by Dr. Brian Lahmann, who co-founded and developed BMI Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital, which has the only program in Will County that has been named a MBSAQIP accredited center – Comprehensive and Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery.

So, he set up an appointment with Dr. Lahmann, who suggested he attend one of the hospital’s BMI support groups.

Ratuszny was moved by the stories related during the group, so much so that he not only scheduled a gastric sleeve procedure with Dr. Lahmann, he continued to attend the support groups, and still does.

Before the gastric sleeve surgery – which changes the shape and size of your stomach, reducing the amount of food you eat at one-time – Ratuszny had to go through preop testing, including cardiac, pulmonary and psychological exams. Then, there was the preop diet, which not only helps shrink the liver before surgery, but prepares the person mentally for the lifestyle changes they will need to adopt for the rest of their lives.

DETERMINED TO BE A SUCCESS

Ratuszny took the changes to heart immediately. When told he would need to do the high-protein/liquid diet for two weeks before surgery, he set his mind on four weeks. No more cheesecakes and his favorite sugary sodas.

“When he heard that, Dr. Lahmann said he wished all his patients would do that,” Ratuszny explained. “I told him, ‘I am going to be your success story.’ He said, ‘Prove it to me.’”

And Ratuszny has. At one point, he got down to 188 pounds. But he always knew there was a body builder under all that flab. So, he put on some 35 pounds of muscle and won his first competition recently.

In addition to working for a railroad and with his property management companies, he also now serves as a personal trainer and certified nutritionist. But not for the extra money.

“If I can help one person not go through what I did with obesity, it will be worth it,” he said.

LIKE FAMILY

Ratuszny admits being “afraid of food” for a while after surgery, not wanting to jump back into his previous habits. He slowly reintroduced healthy foods – nuts, chicken, fish and other high-protein offerings.

He rarely drinks alcoholic beverages, and never has carbonated drinks – even diet drinks – opting for protein shakes, a lot of water, and Quest chips and bars.

Ratuszny knows the gastric sleeve surgery was only a tool to give him the foothold needed to change his life. The rest was up to him.

He gets a lot of support from his fiancé, and, of course, from his Silver Cross family.

“Other places treat you like just another patient. Silver Cross treats you like one of their family. They care,” he said.

For more information about Weight Loss Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital, visit silvercross.org/bmi.

UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED MEDICAL SERVICES

There’s

The Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital is home to some of the most experienced robotic surgeons in the region and the nation. In fact, several are pioneers in their field, mentoring other surgeons across all 50 states and around the world in advanced colorectal, gynecological, and hernia repair and gallbladder removal robotic techniques.

With four (4) da Vinci® XI® surgical robots – we perform the most robotic surgical procedures in the Chicago-metropolitan area. And, we are one of the Top 3 robotic surgery centers in the Midwest with more than 12,000 procedures to date!

What’s more, the Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital was the first and only facility in Will County to offer Mako™ robotic-arm assisted surgery for partial knee and total hip replacement for adults living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis. This breakthrough technology helps provide more accurate placement and alignment of a patient’s implant.

And in 2022, we introduced the Ion robotic bronchoscopy system that’s able to diagnose lung cancer sooner and with greater accuracy than ever before.

Better Outcomes for Patients.

Our vast experience means better patient outcomes such as less pain and risk of complications, a shorter hospital stay, and virtually scar-less

results. Surgeons with the Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery even perform complex procedures such as Single-Site® hysterectomy and cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) through one tiny incision in the belly button for virtually scar-less results.

Our outcomes mean lower complication rates, lower conversions to open surgeries, and less surgical site infection rates that put us among the nation’s best. What’s more, our patients consistently rate us in the Top 10% in the nation for patient satisfaction. Specialties

Syed Bokhari, M.D. Erik Borncamp, M.D. Reza Gamagami, M.D. Nicole Gress, M.D. Thomas Kazmierczak, D.O.

Nita Lee, M.D. Nahla Merhi, M.D. Thai Nguyen, M.D. Gamilah Pierre, M.D. Anuj Puppala, M.D.

Laura Ragauskaite, M.D. Judy Sun, M.D. Thomas Vasdekas, M.D. Peter Vienne, D.O. Shishin Yamada, M.D.

HarborChase of Plainfield Offers a Dedicated Focus on Health and Wellness

Fall in Love

With a wealth of luxurious amenities, culinary creations in multiple restaurants, and engaging resort-style activities, HarborChase of Plainfield sets the standard for new senior living experiences. Located just an hour’s drive from Chicago, HarborChase bridges the gap between assisted living and memory care with unparalleled hospitality, classic sophistication, and a genuine emphasis on health and wellness.

HarborChase’s mission is to celebrate senior living every day, creating a community in which they themselves envision living. With exercise playing an essential role in the aging process and an individual’s overall health, their award-winning Life Enrichment Program provides a variety of Harbor Fit classes ranging from meditation and yoga to sports and cardio. These interactive classes encourage residents to enthusiastically participate with their friends and reach new fitness goals. Fun games like jeopardy, Smartini Trivia, and various board games are also offered daily to keep community residents sharp and engaged with their peers.

The Life Enrichment program at HarborChase was created to provide a variety of cultural events, learning opportunities, entertainment options, religious programs, and group events. Ensuring residents have fun and look forward to each day is paramount to the program.

In addition to luxurious amenities and resort-style living, residents enjoy a complete combination of convenience and care with associates available around the clock, seven days a week. Residents receive the appropriate level of care and support needed for their personal lifestyle to nurture and maintain independence.

HarborChase of Plainfield invites guests to discover the true taste of HarborChase hospitality with a personalized experience. For more information, call (815) 676-4445.

HarborChase of Plainfield

12446 S. Van Dyke Road Plainfield, IL 60585

HarborChase.com

BREATHE

Lung Cancer Screening

According to the American Lung Association, lung cancer is the leading cause o f cancer death in the U.S. and remains a silent epidemic.

Silver Cross offers a quick, painless, and non-invasive low-dose CT scan to screen for lung cancer, and it’s only $99! The screening can detect nodules or spots on your lung that might be early indicators of lung cancer.

A low-dose CT lung screening can reduce the lung cancer death rate by 20%. That’s why low-dose CT scans are the recommended screening tool for early lung cancers vs. a traditional chest X-ray.

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