SHOULDER SAFETYROTATOR CUFF EXERCISES HELP PREVENT INJURY – PAGE 4

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24,

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1 THE EXAMINER• TRACEYSHAFFERStrawberry time | Page 6

• WELLNESS 2-4 • NUTRITION 6 • CALENDAR 7-8 • LARRY JONES

Heat warning | Page 2

HealtH

Page 2 Tuesday, May 24, 2011 wellness

The time is near. You can look down the interstate and see the heat radiating off the pavement, the sun is baking down on the hood of your car, and it is not cool in the shade.

The Independence Health Department wants you to be prepared for the heat this sum-mer.

Unlike severe weather alerts such as torna-dos or thunderstorms, heat often is ignored. A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity. Most people can tolerate one or two days of high heat, but summer can bring prolonged periods of heat without relief. Now is the time to prepare for the heat waves that will be here before we know it.

Extreme heat is a risk in many ways. Heat, in combination with high humidity, causes the human body to overheat because of the slow-down of water evaporation due to sweat-ing. When humidity is high, evaporation is the cooling mechanism for the body. The process of evaporation allows heat to escape from the body. Ironically, as we get older, we perspire less and take medications that change our response to heat.

There are different types of heat-related illnesses with signs and symptoms that range from mild to fatal. Recognizing those signs and symptoms can save your life or the life of someone you know.

n Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during hot humid weather. Most common in children, heat rash looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters.

n Heat cramps occur when exercising or working in heat. You can get heat cramps in the arms, legs, or abdomen. The body tempera-

ture will be normal, but the skin will feel moist and cool despite being sweaty.

n Heat syncope is when someone faints or experiences a sudden onset of dizziness. Heart rate speeds up and the pulse becomes weak.

n Heat exhaustion is a warning that the body is getting too hot. The elderly, people with high blood pressure, and people working in extreme heat are more likely to develop heat exhaustion. People with heat exhaustion may experience vomiting, thirst, light-headedness, nausea and heavy sweating. The skin is usu-ally cool, pale or flushed.

n Heat stroke is a life-threatening emer-gency. The body at this point loses control of temperature. The body temperature will be over 105° and can rise even higher. Combative-ness, confusion, bizarre behavior, dry flushed skin and lack of sweating are symptoms accompanying heat stroke. Left untreated, the result is fatal.

The best defense against heat-related illness is prevention. It is important that if you work or exercise in the heat, you acclimatize your-self to the heat. That means you need to gradu-ally be in the heat for short periods of time

and increase your time gradually. Many people work and survive the heat, but your body does make adjustments to the weather. Know the symptoms.

Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol and caffeine. Don’t wait until you are thirsty. It is usually too late. Fans will not prevent heat-related illness if the temperature is in the high 90s. Take a cool bath or shower and move to the lower level of the home. Wear light weight, light colored, and loose-fitting clothing when it is hot. NEVER leave anyone of any age in a hot car. Being prepared for the heat takes planning ahead. Take time to check on neighbors and relatives often during heat waves.

The smaller the person, the more quickly the heat can raise their temperature causing death. During the summer months, the tem-perature inside a parked car can reach more than 120 degrees in as little as 10 minutes. Direct sunlight and a dark-colored car further speed the process. On average, 30 children die every year in the United States trapped in their car seats sitting and waiting in a hot car. Live like your life depends on it, and live like your children’s life depends on it.

Larry Jones is director of the Indepen-dence Health Department.

Larry Jones

Don’t let summer heat get the best of you

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 Page 3wellness

Has it been a while since your teeth have been cleaned?

New Patient Examination, Bitewing X-Rays &

Basic Dental Cleaning $79Valued at $174 (Savings of $95)

Dental Centers of MissouriDr. Dianne Caprio DDS

16641 E. 23rd St. • Independence, MO 64055816.833.2700 • www.modentistry.com

LET US HELP.

Paul F. Nassab, M.D.Paul F. Nassab, M.D., comes to DFP Orthopedics as a fellowship trained surgeon specializing in trauma, reconstructions, and disorders of the hand, elbow, and shoulder. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his graduate degree at the Boston University School of Medi-cine. He completed his post Doctoral Fellowship in Combined Hand at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

816.561.3003North Kansas City Hospital Campus

2790 Clay Edwards Drive, Suite 600Kansas City, MO 64116

816.303.2400Centerpoint Medical

Center Campus19550 E. 39th Street, Suite 410

Independence, MO 64057

Office Hours: Monday - Friday

8:30-5:00

MedicareMade Easy

816.254.6100

CallTravis

Gensler

“I had talked to several other agents who were either not knowledgeable or did not take the time to explain my options to me. We told Travis what we wanted to accomplish and he brought us several options to choose from, one of them was a solution we had not even thought about. Travis was thorough and exceeded my ex-pectations. He did an excellent job.”

~ Corey Bott, Lee’s Summit, MO

816-373-7900The ScoTTSdale cenTer17020 e. 40 hwy., SuiTe 9independence, Mo 64055

www.JacksonCountyAudiology.com

Please call TODAY for your appointment!

May is NationalBetter Hearing Month

Take This Simple Test- Do you often ask people to repeat themselves?- Do you feel you can hear people but some times can’t understand them?- Are you missing key words while having conversation in a crowded restaurant or at a family gathering?- Does your spouse/family think the TV volume is too loud?- Do you have trouble hearing on the phone?

If you answeredyes to anyof these

questions,call us

TODAY!

Coumadin, the generic warfarin, is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in America.

On May 2, pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb issued a voluntary recall of one lot of Coumadin, citing their discovery that one pill in a returned bottle exhibited “higher potency than expected.” This recall has the potential to affect millions and has caused widespread concern.

True or false1. Coumadin is a blood thinner.2. Coumarin has been added to perfume to

enhance scent. 3. Coumadin can cause blood clots.

Coumadin, widely described as a “blood

thinner,” actually does not thin blood at all. Rather, it interferes with the function of spe-cific proteins necessary for clot formation. For those with a history of stroke, heart attack or heart rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibril-lation, Coumadin can be a lifesaver.

Coumadin is prescribed very carefully with strict dosing and its effect is monitored regularly. If overly potent, bleeding can result,

which may be fatal – hence, the voluntary recall.

Plant-based coumarin, a natural anti-coagu-lant, has been used for centuries to poison ene-mies. After the Civil War, it was reported that Confederate state tobacco farmers added plants containing coumarin to cigarettes shipped to northerners. Sore losers.

Coumarin has a sweet odor described as freshly cut hay or grass and was added to per-fumes in the late 1880s. The specific anti-coagu-lant compound was discovered in the 1920s following the deaths of many Wisconsin cattle from hemorrhage. Their deaths were traced to eating moldy sweet clover. It seems that the mold basically activated coumarin in the sweet clover.

This led to the eureka moment when a researcher thought, “If I can put this anti-coag-ulant in rat food … ” Coumadin is the synthetic version of coumarin and was patented in 1948 as rodent killer.

Coumadin is the most widely prescribed anticoagulant in North America with more than 300,000 new prescriptions written annu-

ally. Between 1999 and 2004 the number of prescriptions written for it jumped 45 percent. More than 1.8 million tablets are being recalled in what Bristol-Myers Squibb describes as a “precautionary measure.”

The recall is for 1,854 bottles of 1,000-count 5mg tablets with lot number 9H4937YA and expiration date 9/30/12. About one-third of this large lot of bottles was delivered to Ecuador and Argentina. Bristol-Myers Squibb advises patients to contact their pharmacists for ques-tions.

There is no recall or cause for concern for any other dosage or lot number.

The Food and Drug Administration is over-seeing this recall, and notices have been sent to pharmacies and physicians. For more informa-tion on this recall, access the FDA MedWatch Program at www.fda.gov or write MedWatch HF-2 FDA, 5600 Fisher’s Lane Rockville, Md. 20852. Bristol-Myers Squibb can be contacted at www.bristolmyerssquibb.com. To date, there have been no reports of adverse effects on patients. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Answers: 1. T 2. T 3. F

Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill can be contacted at lori.boyajian-oneill@hcahealthcare.com.

Lori

Boyajian

O'Neill

SPORTS AND WELLNESS

Coumadin recall affects manyBristol-Myers Squibb

issues voluntary recall of generic drug

Page 4 Tuesday, May 24, 2011cover

This is the time of year when sports enthusiasts need to perform injury-prevention exercises for their shoulder rotator cuff muscles. These are the relatively small internal muscles that essentially hold the shoulder joint together

and enable rotary movements of your upper arms.

By WAYNE L. WESTCOTTGateHouse News Service

Some sports that use rotator cuff muscles include swim-ming, baseball and tennis.

There are many resistance-training tools that you can use to condition the rotator cuff muscles, but you can also use a simple set of elastic bands.

You will need a lower-re-sistance band for working the weaker external rotator muscles and a higher-resis-tance elastic band for working the stronger internal rotator muscles.

Begin with one exercise each for the internal and external rotator muscles, and progress to two exercises each as these mus-cles become better conditioned.

When you can comfort-ably complete 10 repetitions

of these exercises, switch to a higher-resistance elastic band for progressive strengthen-ing of the shoulder rotator muscles.

Although one set of each exercise is sufficient, you may do two or more sets with a one-minute recovery period between successive sets, if you desire. Perform these exercises two non-consecutive days a week.

Ideally, you should perform the shoulder rotation exercises at the conclusion of your stan-dard strength training session.

Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., teaches exercise science at Quin-cy College in Massachusetts. He has written 24 books on strength training and fitness.

Internal rotation – arm vertical: start with your forearm turned outward, and pull the band to slowly bring it across your waist, while keeping your upper arm still. WIKIMEDIA PHOTO

Avoiding shoulder injurystarts with right exercises

Internal rotation – arm verticalAttach one end of the elastic band to a door at waist level. Stand with your right side to-ward the door, your right upper arm against your side (verti-cal), your right forearm turned outward toward the door, with your hand grasping the other end of the taut elastic band.

Keeping your upper arm verti-cal, slowly move your forearm in a semicircle across your waist as you pull the elastic band to your left hip. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Reverse your stance and repeat with your left arm.

External rotation – arm verticalAttach one end of the elastic band to a door at waist level. Stand with your left side to-ward the door, your right arm against your side (vertical), your right forearm across your waist with your hand grasping the other end of the taut elastic band by your left hip.

Keeping your upper arm verti-cal, slowly move your forearm in a semicircle until your right forearm is as far away from your body as comfortable. Return slowly to the starting position, and repeat for 10 rep-etitions. Reverse your stance and repeat the procedures with your left arm.

Internal rotation – arm horizontal This is a more stressful exer-cise for the internal rotators, which begins by attaching one end of the elastic band to a door above shoulder level.

Stand with your back toward the door, your right upper arm away from your body and parallel to the floor, your right forearm vertical with your hand grasping the other end of the taut elastic band. Keeping your upper arm horizontal, slowly move your hand forward and downward through a 90-de-gree arc. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Repeat the procedures with your left arm.

External rotation – arm horizontalThis is a more stressful exer-cise for the external rotators, which begins by attaching one end of the elastic band to a door above shoulder level.

Stand facing the door, your right upper arm away from your body and parallel to the floor, your right elbow flexed 90 degrees, your right forearm parallel to the floor to the front, with your hand gasping the other end of the taut elastic band. Keeping your right upper arm horizontal, slowly move your hand upward and back-ward through a 90-degree arc. Return slowly to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Repeat the procedures with your left arm.

Amputee Coalition to hold conference in KC June 2

The Amputee Coalition will be hold-ing its 2011 National Conference June 2 through 4 at the Weston Crown Center, Kansas City.

The event includes an exhibit hall featuring the latest in technology and bionics, motivational stories of recov-ery and resilience, Bob Gailey’s Mobil-ity Clinic, technology sessions, educa-tional sessions and much more

You’ll be able see the greatest num-ber of limb loss products in one loca-tion, the newest technological advance-ments and bionics, and a chance to compare products and services.

To register, contact Melanie Staten at mstaten@amputee-coalition.org or call 888-267-5669.

To download a brochure, visit www.amputee-coalition.org/conference/aca_attendee_brochure_2011.pdf.

Tonia Carroll named director of Golden Living Center

Golden Living Center of Indepen-dence announces the appointment of Tonia Carroll, RN, BSN, to the position of executive director.

Tonia began her career with Golden Liv-ing Center in May 2008 as the director of nurs-ing services.

During her ten-ure the facility has undergone a major renovation, opened private rehab-to-home suites and significantly improved state inspection results.

She entered a Golden Living execu-tive director training program in Janu-ary of this year and has now completed this training.

Tonia recently earned her nursing home administrator’s license and will return in her new role in June.

A reception honor Tonia’s return, as well as her new position, will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., June 2, at the facil-ity, 17451 E. Medical Center Parkway, Independence.

The public is invited stop in and help celebrate this homecoming. For more information, call Melissa Bau-man, Director of Admissions, at 816-373-7795.

– Jillayne Ritchie

CARROLL

Page 6 Tuesday, May 24, 2011 health

Golden Living Center Independence will hold a reception honoring Tonia’s return as well as her new position on June 2, 2011 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the facility at 1451 E. Medical Center Parker, Independence, Missouri. The public is invited to stop in and help celebrate this homecoming.Questions can be directed to Melissa Bauman, Director of Admissions at (816) 373-7795Tonia Carroll, RN, BSN

Golden Living Center Independence is pleased to announce the appointment of Tonia Carroll, RN, BSN to the position of Executive Director. Tonia began her career with Golden Living Center Independence in May 2008 as the Director of Nursing Services. During her tenure, the facility has undergone a major renovation, opened private rehab to home suites and significantly improved state inspection results. She entered a Golden Living Executive Director training program in January of this year and has now com-pleted this training. Tonia recently earned her Nursing Home Administrator’s License and will return in her new role in June.

Something Old, Something New...

It’s strawberry timeAlthough strawberries are in season all

year round, the sweet aroma and brilliant red color of these flavorsome berries set the tone for spring and summer. If you are headed to a springtime party or a graduation celebration, take some strawberries with you.

They are a sweet and nutritious snack you can take anywhere.

Strawberries are packed with nutrition and taste. One serving of 8 medium-sized straw-berries has only 80 calories and provides 160 percent of the recommended daily Vitamin C. That is more than oranges and apples com-bined.

Strawberries are also rich in folate, fiber and potassium.

Strawberry eaters listen up. National sur-veys revealed that, compared to non-strawber-ry eaters, strawberry eaters tend to have lower blood pressure, higher blood folate levels, lower body weight, higher potassium, higher vitamin C and dietary fiber intake and lower levels of homocysteine.

For best flavor, select strawberries that are plump and firm with a bright red color and natural shine. Avoid strawberries with green

or white color or if they appear to be mushy or shriveled. Do not wash berries until you are ready to eat them. They will get mushy if washed and stored.

Strawberries can be eaten alone for a light dessert, or they can be used as a topping for sal-

ads, desserts, cakes or pancakes. They are great in fruit smoothies or mixed and matched with other fruits to make a fruit kabob. If you need a sweet, refreshing drink to cool off during a springtime picnic, try this spring sipper:

Spring SipperServes 5

ALL YOU NEED1 large banana 1 c. fresh strawberries, hulled 1 medium orange, peeled and sectioned 1 c. lemonade 1 c. ice cubes ALL YOU DOCombine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth.

Daily Values: Calories 80, Fiber 3 g, 2 percent vitamin A, 80 percent vitamin C, 2 percent cal-cium, 2 percent iron.

Tracey Shaffer, RD, LD, is a Hy-Vee dietitian at the Blue Springs location The infor-mation provided should not be construed as professional medical advice. Email her at1033dietitian@hy-vee.com.

Tracey

Shaffer

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Briefly l Health

Blood drive June 19 planned aspart of Eagle Scout project

As his Eagle Scout leadership project for Troop 161, Matthew Rosebrough is coordinat-ing a blood drive for the Community Blood Center. The drive will be Sunday, June 19, in the fellowship hall at East Alton Community of Christ, 16999 E. 23rd St. South, Indepen-dence.

Matthew, 14, is a four year member of Troop 161, sponsored by the East Alton church. He said he selected a blood drive for his Eagle Scout project because, having spent time as a patient at Children’s Mercy Hospi-tal, he wants to help the many people in the community who need blood transfusions.

The blood drive is being held on Father’s Day, so Matthew said he hopes people will take a little of their time that day to make a blood donation.

The drive is from 1 to 6 p.m. To make an appointment online go to www.savvealifenow.org and use Sponsor Code MATTRESP. You may also contact Matthew at 816-795-6785.

Just one donation can help as many as two local hospital patients. Community Blood Center must collect at least 580 pints of blood every day to meet the needs of our area.

– Staff reports

Items for the Health Calendar may be e-mailed to jill.ritchie@examiner.net or mailed to: The Examiner, P.O. Box 459, Independence, Mo. 64051, attention Jill Ritchie. The following items are for May 25 through 31, unless otherwise stated.

SpotlightsIndependenceCENTERPOINT AUXILIARY FUNDRAISER, 8 a.m.

to 4 p.m. Wednesday; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, out-side the hospital’s cafeteria, 39th Street and Jackson Drive. They will be holding a book fair and an assort-ment of other merchandise will be available, including jewelry. Proceeds will be used to provide scholarships to students pursuing a medical career, charities in Eastern Jackson County and supplies for patients (especially children).

DIABETES STORE TOUR, 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, or 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Noland Road Hy-Vee. Dietitian Jamie will walk through the aisles and show you which foods help manage your blood sugars. No registration required, meet at customer service desk.

KID’S COOKING CLUB, 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, or 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, 23rd Street Hy-Vee. Kids will be preparing strawberry muffins, nut butterflies and baked asparagus with Parmesan cheese. Registra-tion required today. Cost, $3 per child. Call Amanda at 500-6778 to register.

DIABETES STORE TOUR, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thurs-day, 23rd Street Hy-Vee. Tour the store aisles with Dieti-tian Amanda and learn about healthy eating, carbohy-drates, label reading and portion sizes. No registration required, meet at customer service desk.

Blue SpringsFREE HYPNOSIS SEMINARS – Stop Smoking from

6:30 to 8 p.m. tonight; Weight Loss Management from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, A Healthy Change Hypno-therapy, 1133 W. Main St., Suite 203. To register, call Mike at 816-560-6903.

STRETCH-N-GROW: Fitness fun for kids 2 to 5 years, 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Wednesdays, June 1-July 6, Vesper Hall, 400 N.W. Vesper St. Cost, $38. Call 228-0137 to register.

Lee’s SummitHEALTHCARE PROVIDER CPR, 6 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation in City Hall, 220 S.E. Green St. This is an American Heart Asso-ciation credentialed course for those with a health care background. Fee, $35. To register, call 969-1500.

Addiction groupsIndependenceSTRAIGHT TALK, NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS,

7 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, First Baptist Church. Narcotics Anonymous Help Line: 531-2250.

LIVING FREE – AL ANON meeting, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 1723 Appleton Ave. 461-0039.

Blue SpringsALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, meetings available

daily, most sessions are closed, and there are beginner meetings also, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner). There is a total of 29 meetings per week. For times, call 228-7921.

CHAPEL HILL AL-ANON, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday; 9 a.m. Saturday, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner).

BLUE SPRINGS ALATEEN, 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, 1428-B W. U.S. 40 (behind Betty’s Diner).

RaytownNEW DAY AL-ANON, 10 a.m. Wednesday, Blue

Ridge Trinity Lutheran Church. 353-5446.

Bereavement groupsBlue SpringsINDEPENDENTS SINGLES MINISTRY grief sup-

port group, 7 p.m. Tuesday, First United Methodist Church. 228-3788.

ADULT BEREAVEMENT support group, spon-sored by St. Mary’s Medical Center, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. several times throughout the year, Vesper Hall. To reg-ister, 655-5490.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP for children, 7 p.m. Thursday, St. Mary’s Home Care Services office.

OtherINFANT LOSS GROUP, sponsored by Carondelet

Health. 655-5582.

FitnessIndependenceLOW IMPACT EXERCISE, 9 a.m. Monday, Wednes-

day, Friday, Fairmount Community Center. 254-8334.WAKE UP WORKOUT, 9 a.m. Wednesday, Friday,

The Palmer Center. 325-6200.WALK TO THE BEAT, 8 a.m., Tuesday-Friday, Fair-

mount Community Center. 254-8334.PEPPI exercise classes, 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, Fri-

day, The Palmer Center. Free. To register, 325-6200.PAVEMENT POUNDERS 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. Tuesday,

Friday, The Palmer Center. 325-6200.SITTIN’ FIT chair exercises class, 10:30 a.m. Tues-

day, Thursday, The Palmer Center. Free. 325-6200.STRETCH AND TONE, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday,

The Palmer Center. Cost, $1. 325-6200.

ZUMBA GOLD, dynamic workout to Latin and international rhythms, 10 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Palmer Center. Cost, $2. 325-6200.

TAI CHI by the Three Dragons Way, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sermon Center. Cost, $35 for a four-week session; $40 for a 5-week session. 325-7370.

WALK TO THE BEAT, 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, The Palmer Center. Free. 325-6200.

Blue SpringsSWIMNASTICS, 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Friday; 8

to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Centennial Pool-Plex. Cost, $3.75 per visit. 228-0137.

THERAPEUTIC SWIM, 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., Wednes-day, Friday, Centennial Pool-Plex. Cost, $3.75 per visit. 228-0137.

CROSSTRAINER AEROBICS, 9 to 10 a.m. Wednes-day, Vesper Hall. 228-0181.

PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL EXERCISE classes, 9:45 a.m., Wednesday, Friday, 300 N.W. Mock Ave. 655-5400.

YOGA — For beginners and beyond, 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Vesper Hall. Cost, $2.50 per class. 228-0181.

YOGA-GENTLE FLOW, 6:45 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Ves-per Hall. Cost, $8 per visit, $48 for six classes. 228-0181.

TAI CHI, 8:30 to 10 a.m. Tuesday, Vesper Hall. Cost, $2.50. 228-0181.

STRETCHING EXERCISE, 10 to 11 a.m., Tuesday, Thursday, Vesper Hall. Cost, $1.50. 228-0181.

ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION EXERCISE PROGRAM for older adults, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday and Friday, Vesper Hall. Cost, $1 per session. 228-0181.

health Tuesday, May 24, 2011 Page 7

healthCALENDAR YOURTAKE Do you pay attention to calories on restaurant menus when ordering?

CINDY MERRIOTTIndependence“I do because there is a lot of hidden fat. When I go out to eat, I get a plain baked potato, a broiled flounder and steamed broccoli with nothing on it.”

JEFF WILSON Kansas City “Not really. I just don’t.”

MARY MORRISIndependence“Yes – I’m on Slim4Life. I do watch food content, but the number of calories isn’t as important to me as the food content.”

– Adrianne DeWeese

Certified nurse midwives have been provid-ing care to women across America since the early 1900s, yet they remain a mystery to many. Many believe midwives work on their own and deliver babies in the homes of their patients.

In my cases, that’s not true. I’ve delivered more than 850 babies as a certified nurse mid-wife – none were home deliveries. In fact, most certified nurse midwives today work within a physician practice, with delivery in hospitals.

Certified nurse midwives are highly edu-cated graduates of accredited programs and are required to pass exams for certification. We care for women through all stages of life. Midwifery is a philosophy of care – another option provided to women. We provide social, emotional and physical support to women and encourage them to have a voice in their health-care decisions. We build life-long relationships with our patients.

It is that continued connection with patients that drew me to midwifery. I worked in the Birthing Center at St. Mary’s as a labor and delivery nurse for nine years before I decided to return to school and earn certification as a nurse midwife. I loved being with the families during this miraculous time in their lives. But, after discharge, unless the family had more children, you never saw them again. I longed for a continuing relationship with my patients, and that’s one advantage to being a certi-fied nurse midwife. You care for the woman throughout her pregnancy and delivery and then continue the care throughout her life.

Women choose to be under the care of a midwife for a variety of reasons, but most do so because they want a more personal birth expe-rience. Midwives generally have fewer patients than physicians and consequently more time to spend to spend with them. We monitor your progress, order blood tests and other tests the same way an obstetrician would, but we spend equal time on educating the patient and her family so they will have the tools they need to make the best decisions about their own health

care. I develop friendships with my patients, and because I have fewer patients, they know that I am available to them 24/7 and that I will be the one delivering their babies, which is dif-ferent from the physicians.

Women choosing the care of a midwife usually want less intervention during the de-livery, and studies show that midwifery clients experience lower rates of forceps and vacuum extractions. While that may be partly due to the fact that midwives only provide for “low-risk” pregnancies, midwives’ philosophy calls for less intervention.

One of the foundations of midwifery is that the woman makes the decisions about the birth experience. If a woman wants a pain medica-tion or an epidural she can have it, if she doesn’t, that’s fine, too. My job is to help women have the kind of delivery they want, whatever that may be.

Certified nurse midwives complement phy-sician’s practices. My patients have the peace of mind that I always have physician back up should she require more intensive treatment and that the physician and I work together in her care. Physicians I practice with welcome the opportunity to provide women choices for their obstetric care.

Page 8 Tuesday, May 24, 2011 health

“Dedicated to Caring for Our Community”

The Facility• Spacious Private and Semi-Private Rooms Available• Nestled In A Beautiful Hillside• Handicap Accessible Single Level Floor Plan• Beautifully Landscaped and Enclosed Courtyard• Family Oriented and Managed

Care & Medical Services• Licensed Nurses on Duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week• RN Weekend Manager on Duty• Medication Management• On Site Physicians• On Site Dental, Podiatry, Optometry and Psychiatry Support Services Services provided on a Non-Discriminatory Basis

Skilled Nursing Facility• Exceptional Therapy Department• Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapies Provided by Aegis, Inc. Featuring “Freedom through Functionality” Exercise Equipment• Restorative Nursing Care• All Beds Dually Certified and Licensed by Medicare & Medicaid• Blue Cross/Blue Shield/Coventry Insurance Accepted• Federal VA Inpatient Contract• Beauty/Barber Services On Site

Meals & Activities• Selective Meal Services Including Ala Carte Items• Meals Planned by Registered Dieticians and Director of Nutrition• Large and Small Dining Areas Providing a Comfortable and Social Dining Experience Chapel and religious services

Beautiful Landscaped Enclosed Courtyard Offering Skilled Nursing & Long-Term Care

4600 Little Blue Pkwy • Independence, MO 64057816-795-7888

The City of Independence Environmental Health Division conducts inspections anywhere food is handled, prepared and served to the public within city limits. Critical violations must be handled within 72 hours.

n EL MAGUEY Mexican Restaurant, 19700 E. Valley View Parkway – On May 11, inspectors noted the soap dispenser was empty at the hand washing sink in the bar, they changed to a new type in the kitchen and they missed the bar hand sink, corrected.

n HARDEES, 16800 E. Gudgell – On May 11, inspectors found the walk in freezer not working properly, no product was inside and a repair person was called. Hand washing sink located across from the chicken station was not draining the water; the sink was not level, caulking around the sink was dirty and the wall in this area was not clean. A bottle of glass cleaner was sitting on top of the french fry bin, cor-rected.

– Jillayne Ritchie

Food inspections l Independence

KimberlyNegrete

GUEST COLUMNKimberly Negrete, certified nurse midwife,

practices at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Blue Springs.

Dispelling mythssurrounding midwifery