COMMUNITY

HEALTH &
WELLNESS
2018

• SUPPORT SYSTEM KEY IN O’NEILL

a t ’s CANCER FIGHT

Wh ide
• AREA FAMILIES SHARE THEIR
EXPERIENCES WITH JUVENILE DIABETES

Ins
• REACH YOUR GOAL WEIGHT
• COPD IS MANAGEABLE
• TELL YOUR DOCTOR THE TRUTH

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF THE STANDARD NEWSPAPER, WAUKON, IA

Page 2 Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Joe O’Neill family of Waukon battles through his cancer

diagnosis and treatment with support of family, friends and community
by Lissa Blake
Dealing with cancer is some-
thing no family should ever
have to endure.
But for the Joe and Michelle
O’Neill family of rural Waukon,
the support of the community
has made Joe’s ongoing battle
with the disease a little more
bearable.
Joe O’Neill, a 1992 graduate
of Waukon High School, was a
fifth grade teacher at East El-
ementary, a coach of a couple
different sports and a sports
announcer for the local radio
station in Waukon in late Feb-
ruary of 2016, when he devel-
oped a persistent cough.
“It just started out as a cough
I couldn’t get rid of. It was ini-
tially diagnosed as pneumonia,
but it just wasn’t going away,”
said Joe.
Joe was doctoring with Dr.
Steven Perkins at Mayo Clinic
in Waukon at the time.
“Dr. Perkins gave me a
stronger dose of antibiotics and
recommended a chest x-ray.
When I went in, they found a
mass in my upper right lung
and they scheduled me for a
CT scan the following week,”
Joe explained.
Following the scan, in April of
2016 Joe went to see a pulmo-
nologist in La Crosse, WI and
was given a variety of tests.
“They weren’t sure if it was
an infection or possibly cancer.
They did a variety of tests, in-
cluding a biopsy somewhere
along the way. They took flu-
id off my lungs - a procedure
called thoracentesis - and test-
ed it,” Joe said. “At first they
couldn’t determine exactly
what type of cancer it was, but
they new it was squamous cell,
stage 4, which had spread into
the lining of my lung.”
Joe’s initial diagnosis was
non-small cell squamous,
which is considered a non-cur-
able type of cancer.
In early May, Joe suffered
from a blood clot in his leg and
lung and was put on blood thin-
ner. By the middle of May, he
took a leave of absence from
teaching and started chemo-
therapy, which meant taking a
chemo pill every day for eight
weeks.
“It was hard on him. He lost
40 pounds,” said Michelle.
STILL GROWING
After that first round of che-
mo in the summer of 2016, a
CT scan showed Joe’s cancer
was still growing.
“They put me on an IV che-
mo. I had a port, and I was on
a three-week cycle of treat-
O’Neill
Continued on page 8

THE The family of Joe O’Neill has learned to appreciate its time

RIGHT CARE,
together even more as Joe has been battling cancer over the
past year and a half. Pictured above at a recent family outing
are, left to right, Megan, Michelle, Joe and Tyler O’Neill.
Helping bolster that support within their own family has been
at the RIGHT TIME, what the O’Neills have called “incredible” support from their
extended family, friends and the community as a whole.

in the RIGHT PLACE.

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 Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Page 3

Pair of area families share their experiences

with juvenile diabetes after having a child diagnosed this past year
by Brianne Eilers
 
Diabetes is becoming more
prevalent in today’s society.
When it does strike, it can be
a little scary, especially when
it develops in children. Type
1 Diabetes (T1D), also known
as juvenile diabetes, can affect
children or adults.
Statistics from the JDRF
website (formerly Juvenile Di-
abetes Research Foundation)
say that by 2050, five million
people in the United States will
be diagnosed with T1D, with
nearly 600,000 of those peo-
ple being under the age of 20.
Every year, 40,000 in America
are diagnosed with T1D, which
is an autoimmune disease in
which the body attacks the in-
sulin-producing pancreatic beta
cells. Insulin is a hormone that
controls blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes can
include drowsiness or leth-
argy, extreme thirst, frequent
urination, increased appetite,
sudden weight loss and stupor
or unconsciousness, among
others. Scientists are still not
entirely sure what causes the
onset of T1D, and there is
currently no cure. Those who
live with diabetes control it by
watching what they eat, exer-
shots. house that night and she got
Breckan says she didn’t re- very thirsty. She also blacked
ally have a lot of symptoms out that night and just wasn’t
prior to the day she got very feeling well. She couldn’t sleep
sick, the realization kind of just and was feeling quite ill, so she
happened all at once for her. told her friend’s parents. Tracy
Tracy recalled that her daugh- and Chris were out of town in
ter had seemed like she was Des Moines. Tracy called her
“dragging” a little bit at a bas- sister and had Breckan go with
ketball tournament a week be- her aunt, who tested her blood
fore and looked like she might sugar.
have been losing weight. It was “It was super high,” Tracy
cold and flu season, so they all said.
thought Breckan might have Breckan made a trip to the
been fighting off some kind of emergency room and eventu-
bug that was going around. ally fell asleep. “I woke up in a
Breckan remembers playing in hospital room,” Breckan said.
the basketball tournament and
being very tired. Diabetes
Breckan stayed at a friend’s Continued on page 6
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Breckan Stewart (left), is pictured with her cousin, Cayla
Nolting (right), who is also diabetic and has been a very
good resource for her younger cousin. Breckan received her
diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes in January 2017 and has a very
Easy, Affordable, Reliable, Life Changing
positive outlook on things, saying that her life hasn’t changed
drastically since she found out she’s diabetic. TOLL FREE

cising and insulin.
Two area families have been
gracious enough to share their
experiences of having a child
diagnosed with T1D in the past
year. The families of Breckan
Stewart and Jeremiah Weigh-
ner have share the following
stories:
Breckan Stewart
Twelve-year-old Breckan
Stewart, daughter of Chris and
Tracy Stewart of Waukon, was
diagnosed with T1D in January
of 2017. The Stewarts aren’t
strangers to what it is like to live
1-866-382-4259
with diabetes. Tracy has a sis-
EARL Operated under Northeast Iowa Community Action Corp.
ter and a niece that both have
diabetes. She says her niece,
Cayla Nolting, was diagnosed
when she was pretty little. Tra-
cy remembers babysitting Cay-
la and having to give her insulin

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Page 4 Wednesday, January 10, 2018

COPD may not be curable,

but it is manageable, especially if diagnosed and treated early
by David M. Johnson
There is an interesting tele-
vision commercial where an
elephant is sitting on the chest
of an individual lying down, an
obvious visual exaggeration at-
tempting to convey the difficulty
to breathe when an individual is
experiencing COPD.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmo-
nary Disease (COPD) is the
descriptive medical term for
a number of progressive lung
diseases, an affliction where
individuals struggle with a pro-
gressive breathlessness. Em-
physema, some forms of bron-
chiectasis, chronic bronchitis
and refractory (non-reversible)
asthma are some of the differ-
ent elements that fall within the
COPD net.
As men and women grow
older, one of the many factors
of reaching those ‘golden years’
is the nagging annoyance of
shortness of breath. “Well, that
is old age,” is the usual refrain
heard in response to that ex-
perience, but that shortness of
breath may be something a lit-
tle bit more serious.
It takes years for COPD to
develop and that shortness of
breath will eventually escalate
into more and more of a no-
ticeable pattern of something
that requires medical attention.
With shortness of breath, one
may also have the frequent
coughing, wheezing and tight-
ness in the chest; further symp-
toms that signal the concern
that medical attention might be
advisable.
Anybody worried that these
symptoms might not alert them
to a more significant issue will
discover that there is a consid-
erable number of Americans
that are also going through the
same difficulties breathing. Sta-
tistics show that there are 15
million Americans diagnosed
with COPD and another 15 mil-
lion who have the symptoms
and do not know it.
Scheduling an appointment
with a family doctor could great-
Stacie Radloff
Respiratory Therapist
Veterans Memorial Hospital
ly help in discovering what may
be the cause of any breathing
ailments and directing the in-
dividual to appropriate treat-
ments to ease one’s life when
dealing with this lung disease.
Early screening is highly rec-
ommended to avoid major loss
of lung function.
A spirometry test is just one
of the tools used by doctors
to see what is going on in the
chest area. This is a common
office test that is used to as-
sess how well a person’s lungs
are functioning by measuring
how much air they inhale, how
much air they exhale and how
fast they exhale that air.
The bottom line is, if anyone
is worried that their health is
compromised with COPD, an
appointment in the near future
with their family doctor or a re-
spiratory therapist will answer
any concerning questions they
might have.
Stacie Radloff is a Respirato-
ry Therapist at Veterans Memo-
rial Hospital in Waukon. Work-
ing at critical access hospitals
for over 12 years, including in
Waukon for a little over a year
and prior to that at Crossing
Rivers Hospital in Prairie du
Chien, WI, Radloff has experi-
enced the gauntlet of respira-
tory health issues in patients
during her professional career.
To schedule an appointment
with Radloff, an order/referral
from a doctor is desired, espe-
cially after having an appoint-
ment with a doctor that involves
an evaluation and examination
of a patient’s respiratory health.
What does Radloff say she
normally sees in the initial ex-
amination with her new pa-
tients? “Increased inflamma-
tion in the airways and mucus
production,” observes Radloff,
plus, “many will come in with
a congested cough and diffi-
culty breathing, wheezing and
feeling fatigue.” Also, she says
many of these patients will
have lower than normal oxygen
saturations.
If diagnosed with COPD,
there is a series of recommen-
dations by Radloff that she en-
courages to be implemented
by the patient. COPD is not
curable, so any lifestyle chang-
es will help ease any difficulty
experienced by the patient.
COPD
Continued on page 10

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Page 5

Create one new daily habit to reach your goal weight

submitted by
Veterans Memorial Hospital
Anyone who has ever tried to
lose weight, especially a large
amount of weight, probably
went on a restrictive diet. Most
of those attempts were likely
met with frustration, as statis-
tics show that restrictive diets
have a 98% failure rate, mean-
ing that any weight which is lost
will likely be regained.
In January 2017, Veterans
Memorial Hospital (VMH) in
Waukon started a year-long
weight loss program, using a
calendar with three daily goals
each month. These goals in-
cluded one healthy nutrition
choice, one daily exercise goal
and “mirror-work” for positive
self-talk.
The calendars were to be
hung in the participant’s bath-
room, along with a red marker.
When the person completed
(one, two or all three of) the
goals, they would put a star,
heart or triangle on that day’s
square. The participants met
once a month, bringing their
calendars with them, for a
weight loss support class.
Participants stated that they
enjoyed having a new nutrition
and mirror-work goal to focus
on each month. They could do
any exercise of their choos-
ing, although most engaged in
walking.
Those who had the most red
shapes on their calendars each
month tended to lose the great-
est amount of weight, month
after month. A few of the partic-
ipants did not take the class for
weight loss, but just to establish
healthier eating goals. At the
end of the first year of the pro-
gram, weight loss ranged from
five up to 30 pounds.
“This was very exciting to
watch, especially when the par-
ticipants started to enjoy taking
walks and doing their daily mir-
ror-work,” said Veterans Me-
morial Hospital Registered Di-
etitian Jill Fleming, who led the
monthly classes. An important
fact to note is that many peo-
ple continue to gain five to 10
pounds every year as a regular
part of living everyday life.
Jill Roffman, a Waukon pre-
school and early childhood
special education teacher, was
a participant in the program
who lost 30 pounds over the
course of the year and a to-
tal of 50 pounds in two years.
Roffman reports that the most
important habit contributing to
her success is her morning ex-
ercise, which she has made a
priority in her life, performing it
six to seven days per week.
“My morning exercise time is
a little ‘me-time’ or healthy-self-
ishness, and this seems to
ground me for the whole day,”
she shared. “Yes, I am waking
up an hour earlier, but the pay-
off is that my whole life feels
calmer and less chaotic. I feel
like I am more centered and
present in my life.”
She walks outside with a
friend during the spring, sum-
mer and fall months. Once the
weather turns cold, she moves
her daily walking indoors to the
Waukon Wellness Center. She
did mention that as she contin-
Goal weight
Continued on page 11

Pictured left to right, Jill Roffman and Jill Fleming show the
strength each of them has devoted to the Veterans Memorial
Hospital weight loss program. Roffman is a preschool and
early childhood special education teacher at West Elementary
School in Waukon who has been a successful participant in the
class and Fleming is a registered dietitian at Veterans Memorial
Hospital in Waukon who organizes and leads the class.
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Page 6 Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Diabetes
Continued from page 3
Breckan had to spend about While in the hospital, Breck- Breckan said that was also a
a week in the hospital to get her an did receive some diabe- good resource for her.
blood sugar straightened out, tes education, and did have Breckan is still in what they
as it was extremely high. They to complete so many hours of call the “honeymoon phase” of
were able to get it under con- that kind of education. She also her diabetes diagnosis, which
trol and she eventually returned learned how to give herself in- means her pancreas is still
home. The family initially re- sulin shots. Tracy noted that producing some insulin. She’s
ceived some information from they didn’t push her to learn been in the honeymoon phase
the doctors about diabetes, but that and let her go at her own for about 10 months, and is
they had to do some research pace so she would get com- watching her diet and exercis-
on their own. It also helped that fortable doing it. Breckan also ing to try and stay in that phase
they have a valuable resource attended a camp for kids with for as long as she can.
with Breckan’s aunt and cous- diabetes this past summer in “The eating part isn’t hard,”
in. Boone, Camp Hertko Hollow. Breckan says. She has always
tried to eat a healthy diet and
says she likes fruits and veg-
etables. She is also pretty ac-
Wellness Therapies for a Healthier Life tive, so she gets plenty of exer-
SPECIALIZING IN: cise. She counts her carbs and
watches what she eats.
• Therapeutic Massage • Orthopedic Injury Massage Tracy noted that the family
• Oncology Massage • Relaxation Massage counts carbs together and it re-
• Sports & Chair Massage • Craniosacral Therapy ally is healthier for all of them.
108 Rossville Rd. “We try to keep it fair,” says Tra- The family of Steve and Brooke Weighner discovered this past
Waukon, IA cy about snacks and things like summer that their youngest member, Jeremiah (pictured in the
(563) 568-4179 that. Breckan’s siblings don’t center of the front row above), was diabetic. Jeremiah’s older
www.greggjonesmtc.com get a snack unless Breckan siblings, Gabriel (11), Isaac (10), Elijah (8) and Laila (7), all help
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE! needs one, or unless Breckan their parents monitor Jeremiah’s blood sugar readings.
says that she doesn’t mind if
they have a snack without her.
Breckan is also working to her any different and if some- who use them, insulin pumps

Garden View get more in tune with her body.

If she feels like she might be
one is sharing something sweet
or sugary, she can always just
are getting more sensitive and
advanced. Scientists are also

Senior Community getting sick, she lets herself

rest and makes sure to get
plenty of fluids. She tests her
Because the Journey Matters blood sugar a couple times a
day and only has to take one
Y Independent Living long-acting insulin shot daily.
While she does have ups
Y Assisted Living and downs, Breckan says her
life isn’t that much different than
Y Memory Care it was before she got her diag-
nosis. Her friends don’t treat
pass on it and they don’t think
anything of it. She still plays
sports and is active.
working on an artificial pancre-
as and there are developments
in stem cell research as well.
“This is not going to stop us Getting a diagnosis of diabe-
from doing anything in life,” Tra- tes can be a pretty scary thing,
cy said. “It won’t stop her.”
Even though there is no cure
but Breckan gives this advice.
“Don’t worry too much about it,”
for T1D, Tracy and Breckan
both noted that there are a lot
she says. “I am doing the same
things as before, but I have to
of technological advancements
that are exciting. For those
be more aware.”

Apartments available to rent. We provide Jeremiah Weighner

Steve and Brooke Weighner
health services, wellness programming,

Get Healthy
and their family have also been
housekeeping, laundry services and meals. adjusting to life with a child with
T1D. Their son, Jeremiah, was
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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Page 7

Diabetes
Continued from page 7

ambulance to Iowa City, where
Jeremiah “bottomed out.”
Brooke explained that they
gave him some intravenous
(IV) sugar, and things turned
around before they got to Iowa
City. He spent a few days in
the hospital there, and did very
well.
The family received some
information from the medical
staff attending to Jeremiah, but
they also have had to figure
out a lot of things on their own.
One of the scarier things they
learned was that often in young
children, one of the first ways
a parent might find out there is
something wrong is that they
will find their child unconscious.
The Weighners explained
that there isn’t really a formula
to follow for how much insu-
lin to give Jeremiah, and with
him being younger, it can be
hard to know what exactly is
going on. Brooke explained
that he is on a carb:insulin ra-
tio, but it is always changing
because his diabetes is also
in the “honeymoon” phase. He
takes long-acting insulin in the
morning and shorter-acting in-
sulin with meals, if he has extra
cause it can indicate when they
get to have a snack. Jeremiah
has three older brothers, Ga-
briel, Isaac and Elijah, and an
older sister, Laila, to help keep
an eye on him.
It was an adjustment for Jer-
emiah to get used to his meter,
but it doesn’t prevent him from
doing things that a kid does.
“He can still go swimming and
stuff like that,” Brooke said. Pri-
or to Jeremiah being sick, the
family had made reservations
to spend some time in the Wis-
consin Dells. After his diagno-
sis, they decided to keep with
the original plan and took their
vacation.
With the diabetes diagno-
sis, there have had to be a few
changes in how the family eats.
“We are trying to change our
habits and not have tons of sug-
ar,” Brooke said. She explained
that they used to always have
orange juice in the morning, but
that was a practice that they
had to change. It took some ad-
justing, but the kids have gotten
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used to not having juice in the
morning.
Steve and Brooke both felt
that in the beginning it was a
pretty scary experience, and
that neither of them knew a
lot about diabetes. “I always
thought it was a diet thing,”
Steve said. Brooke noted that
while she has been a nurse for
over 15 years, she never had
to study diabetes in depth, so
she just had very basic knowl-
edge about it. She spent a lot
of sleepless nights in the be-
ginning, worrying about Jere-
miah’s numbers and things like
that.
They do go to an outreach
clinic in Cedar Rapids and
Brooke says she has also
found support through groups
on Facebook. Parents and
children with diabetes share
their stories and information
and can give insight on the dis-
ease. She also said that phy-
sicians have recommended
books to her. One that she has
found valuable as a resource
is “Think Like a Pancreas: A
Guide to Managing Diabetes
with Insulin” by Gary Scheiner.
They have also talked with oth-
er families that have been deal-
ing with diabetes.
Jeremiah, who turned five in
December, continues to be in
the “honeymoon” phase. While
he still does have the meter,
Jeremiah also knows how to
poke his own finger for blood
readings. Brother Gabriel is
also learning how to do insulin
shots. The family has to carry
around a glucagon kit, just in
case something drastic hap-
pens with Jeremiah’s blood
sugar levels and they go ex-
tremely low. They also carry
around juice. They noted that
his blood sugars are continually
getting better.
“Maybe when he gets older
we’ll look at a pump,” Brooke
said.
While it was a frightening
diagnosis to receive in the be-
ginning, the Weighner family
is getting used to things. “The
kids have really come togeth-
er,” Steve said. He noted that
when they were in the hospital
in Iowa City, there were oth-
er children who were in worse
shape than Jeremiah and the
whole family is thankful that this
is something they can deal with
and live with.
Jeremiah’s parents say he is
handling this better than they
are. “He’s really good about
asking for snacks and things,”
Brooke said. Steve noted that
sometimes with young chil-
dren, parents are forced to lock
up food so the little ones aren’t
sneaking things they shouldn’t
be.
“He looks at labels even
though he can’t really read
much yet,” Brooke noted. “He
sees the ‘c’ for the word carb
and asks how many carbs are
in something.”
The family has a positive
outlook for the future, and they
are also hopeful for the tech-
nology being developed on the
diabetes front.

HAVE A HEART DAY

carbs, or if he has ketones in
his urine.
At first, they were doing the
finger pokes to take multiple
blood sugar readings daily. Af-
ter doing some research, Steve
and Brooke decided that they
would give the Dexcom me-
ter a try. This meter constantly
monitors Jeremiah’s blood sug-
ar. A sensor stays on Jeremi-
ah’s belly and constantly takes
readings. There is a very small
catheter, a thread-like filament,
left in his skin. The readings are
transmitted to a receiver that
digitally displays Jeremiah’s
readings.
“We leave it on the counter
and the older kids check it,” Waukon Dental
Steve said. “It’s nice to have a
lot of eyes.”
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Page 8 Wednesday, January 10, 2018

O’Neill
Continued from page 2

ment… I had two different kinds
of chemo on Wednesdays, then
I’d skip a week, and then repeat
it,” he said. “I didn’t eat and was
still sick to my stomach. I would
go a whole week without leav-
ing the house.”
Michelle added, “It made him
really tired.”
After three cycles of the che-
mo, doctors were still regularly
having to remove fluid from his
lungs. It was at that point he
was forced to make a difficult
decision.
“I was scheduled to be the
head softball coach for the
summer, but I had to give that
up,” he said.
When August came and
Joe’s prognosis wasn’t any bet-
ter, he also had to cancel his
plans to teach in the fall.
Doctors worked with Joe,
switching him to another IV
form of chemo. But by Novem-
ber, he had developed another
bad cough, which was accom-
panied by frequent fevers.
“I spent 10 days in the hos-
pital shortly before Thanksgiv-
ing (of 2016). They finally found
an infection. It was just a virus
that normal people have, but
my body couldn’t fight it,” Joe
shared.
He was able to return home,
and with Michelle’s help, they
administered the antibiotics ev-
ery day. “It was delivered from
La Crosse every day,” he said.
By early 2017, Joe was on
his fourth type of chemother-
apy, and went in frequently
for MRIs. “I was having vision
problems in early February, so I
knew something was up there.
I went in for an MRI and two
spots showed up,” he said.
One spot was big enough
that it had to be surgically re-

Thornton Manor Nursing Center

1329 Main St., Lansing • (563) 538-4236 Joe O’Neill and his son, Tyler, shared an opportunity to do a
sports broadcast for the local radio station within this past year.
Thornton Manor Nursing Home in scenic Lansing is committed to Radio sports broadcasting is one thing that Joe has been able to
continue to take part in during his ongoing cancer treatment, as
enriching the quality of life of each resident we serve. he has had to resign from both his fifth grade teaching position
Our 60 bed nursing facility and his varsity head softball coaching position.
provides the following services:
• Medicare Part A and Part B moved. The other spot was MRI scans every two months.
• Licensed Therapy in our Therapy Clinic
• Post Operative Rehab • Wound Care removed via gamma knife ra- “In August, they found two
• Antibiotic IVs, Enteral Nutrition, Peritoneal Dialysis diosurgery, where they shoot a more spots on my brain again.
• MRSA Care • Hospice Services • Respite Services focused beam of radiation into They were able to do just the
• Restorative Program maintaining highest level of functioning the affected area. gamma knife procedure on
• Medicare and Medicaid Certified “Both were successful,” Joe those two,” he said.
We take great pride in creating a safe, clean and comfortable environment for our residents. Our monthly said. At his most recent check-up
calendar is filled with a variety of opportunities planned by activity staff, residents, family members and In addition, doctors were December 19, they found an-
volunteers. All rooms are newly redecorated and residents are encouraged to make them as personal as
able to complete additional other tumor, which will be mon-
possible. Our resident council plans special activities and events and even helps in menu planning.
testing on the tissue that had itored until the middle of Janu-
been surgically removed. ary, when doctors will decide if
Thornton Manor Outpatient “After the surgery, they had
a better sample. They ended
it will have to be surgically re-
moved.
Therapy Clinic up changing the name (of his
cancer) from squamous to ad- AMAZING SUPPORT
1329 Main St., Lansing • (563) 538-4236 enocarcinoma. There are more But in spite of everything the
chemos to fight it, so it ended O’Neills have been through,
Thornton Manor Outpatient Therapy Clinic offers Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy services up being a good thing for me,” they maintain a positive atti-
from Rehab Visions TM. Licensed staff will schedule appointments to meet your needs. Medicare and
Joe explained. tude with the help of family and
Medicaid certified. Private Insurance and Workers Compensation are welcomed.
“We think that’s why his cur- friends.
rent treatment is working a little “The school has been fabu-

Thornton Heights Assisted Living better,” added Michelle.

“They were able to DNA-type
the biopsy to pick out different
1329 Main St., Lansing • (563) 538-4335 types of cancer cells they can
target, so they’re fighting dif-
ferent mutations. Unlike the
Thornton Heights offers chemo I was on before, which
3 two-bedroom and fights all of your fast-growing
10 one-bedroom units with cells in your body, this pill tar-
courtyard patios or scenic views gets just the cancer cells and
of the surrounding bluffs. the side effects are less se-
At Thornton Heights, enjoy nutritious vere,” shared Joe.
meals, nursing services, activities, secure
surroundings including an emergency response CONTINUED TREATMENT
pendant system, respect for privacy, and an environment which fosters your independence and freedom. You will Following Joe’s more exact
also have access to skilled nursing services from Thornton Manor Nursing Center. Enjoy access to Outpatient diagnosis, he has continued
Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapy services in our therapy clinic adjacent to Thornton Heights. going for check-ups, including
Thornton Heights is a state certified Assisted Living facility. Financial Assistance is available.
lous. They still are. It’s amazing
how well they’ve treated us,”
said Joe.
Michelle said her employer,
Hacker and Nelson Co., has
also been extremely support-
ive. “When Joe spent 10 days
in the hospital, I was there for
almost all of it. When he had
his surgery, it was a really busy
time. They let me work from the
hospital or they had someone
come in and cover for me,” said
Michelle.
O’Neill
Continued on page 9
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Page 9

O’Neill
Continued from page 8
Joe said he appreciates all
The

Standard
that Dr. Perkins has done for
him as well. “He checks in at
least once a week and always
shares the results of the scans
right away,” said Joe.
The O’Neills have two chil-
dren: Megan, a junior at Wau-
kon High School, and Tyler, a
freshman at the University of
YEARLY
Iowa. SUBSCRIPTION
Megan said people at school
are always asking about her RATES
dad. “Certain teachers ask me Local Mailed $42
every day,” she said. Office Pickup $33
She said dealing with her Out of area rates available
father’s cancer has been a lit- call 563-568-3431 for more info.
tle easier because she can
talk about it with Madi Palmer,
Family, friends and community members have shown sup-
a freshman at Waukon High
port for the family of Joe O’Neill in a variety of ways during
School whose dad Eric was not
only Joe’s good friend in high
the past year and a half of Joe’s cancer treatment. One of Natural • Safe
the most recent efforts that has helped raise funds to help
school, but previously went
through cancer surgery himself
the family with medical and other expenses was a raffle for • Effective
a diamond pendant donated by Elliott Jewelers of Waukon.
with the same doctor Joe has.
Pictured above, left to right, at the drawing of the raffle win-
Tyler added although it has
• Low force adjustments • Cold laser
ner are John and Shelly Elliott of Elliott Jewelers and Joe,
been a tough experience for his
• Acupuncture • Custom orthotics
Michelle and Megan O’Neill.
family, it definitely has brought • Nutritional guidance & supplements
them closer together.
“The community support has
been incredible. That is my fa-
SCHWEITZER CHIROPRACTIC
vorite thing about living in a 459 MAIN STREET, LANSING • 563-538-4204
small community like Waukon -
everyone cares for each other,”
said Tyler.

HELPING HANDS
The O’Neills added it is hard
to express their gratitude for
BIEBER
all that everyone has done for Insurance & Real Estate
them.
“The cross-country team and
(563) 568-3435 • biebinre@qwestoffice.net
softball team had a fundraiser,
Elliott Jewelers had a drawing
for a diamond pendant, Lee
James H. Bieber
Insurance Agent/Real Estate Broker
Stegen did a raffle, the cooks
at school made homemade Farm, Home, Commercial, Life & Health
buns that they sold at school,
the schools have collected
money, Wexford Church had a
fundraiser for us with the help
of the Catholic Order of For- JANUARY 2018 SPECIALS
esters, Isaac Fink made brace-
lets and sold them and Mandy
O’Neill did a T-shirt fundraiser,”
Joe said.
Living Here is 18% OFF
THE FIRST MONTH
“There are so many amazing
people who have sent us cards
Rewarding (IF PAYING MONTHLY) OR
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and well wishes,” Michelle add-
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Page 10
Why you should tell your doctor the truth
How even little white lies can compromise your health
courtesy of
Gundersen Health System
It seems harmless enough.
You’re at the doctor’s office
and you decide to make up a
few white lies about your daily
habits.
Maybe it’s easier to say you
head to the gym three times a
week rather than hearing a lec-
ture about why you shouldn’t sit
on the couch after work. Or you
might be embarrassed to talk
about how many drinks you
have with dinner each night or
that your go-to “snack” is a pint
of Ben and Jerry’s.
“If you’re not being complete-
ly honest with your doctor, the
only one you’re hurting is you -
and if you’re choosing to exag-
gerate or avoid the truth, you’re
certainly not alone,” says Jenny
Stegen, PA-C, physician assis-
tant at the Gundersen Wau-
kon Clinic. “It’s estimated that
at least one-quarter of people
aren’t completely honest with
their healthcare providers. But
being straightforward about
your habits is not something to
be embarrassed about. It’s an
important component of staying
healthy.”
Stegen suggests a few things
you should speak about openly
and honestly with your doctor:
Your lifestyle. Don’t make
it seem like you’re a kale lover
when you’re gobbling up cook-
ies every chance you get. Or
that you work out religiously
when you don’t like to move. Or
that you quit smoking when you
didn’t. Telling your doctor what
he or she wants to hear won’t
make you any healthier. But
discussing what may be stop-
ping you from leading a health-
ier lifestyle can result in helpful
advice that may get you started
on the right track.
How you feel. Whether
you’re noticing you have more
aches and pains than you used
to, are feeling unusually slug-
gish when you’re active or are
feeling down in the dumps and
don’t know why, it’s important
to tell your doctor. Some symp-
COPD
Continued from page 4
The number-one documented
cause of COPD is smoking, so
the patient is strongly encour-
aged to quit, along with avoid-
ing environments that aggra-
vate the condition.
Individuals are to avoid plac-
es where second- and third-
hand smoke may exist, crowds
during cold and flu season, and
family members who are sick.
These situations may exacer-
bate the illness and possibly
stimulate a negative reaction.
Radloff recommends that her
patients address their negative
health condition by recognizing
what can inhibit a more com-
fortable environment. The risk
of COPD is related to the total
burden of inhaled particles a
person encounters over their
lifetime. To continue to smoke
or remain where those encoun-
ters are more frequent, instead
of less frequent, will burden the
patient with more struggles in
breathing.
Air pollutions, dust, fumes
and chemicals can be contrib-
uting factors for COPD, in addi-
tion to smoking. All of these are
environmental factors where
there has been long-term con-
tact with harmful pollutants in
the workplace.
Radloff was asked if Farm-
er’s Lung is a COPD issue.
She answered that Farmer’s
Lung is hypersensitivity pneu-
monitis, which may have simi-
lar symptoms but is caused by
other issues. Therefore, it is not
considered to be the same as
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
toms, even minor, may be a
sign that something is wrong.
Sharing this information is the
first step to keeping you health-
ier.
Your meds. If you’re pre-
scribed medication, it’s im-
portant to take it. If there’s a
reason you don’t want to take
it - whether you don’t like the
way it makes you feel, you’re
experiencing side effects or
you can’t afford it - talk to your
doctor to see if there is another
option that may suit you better.
Also let your doctor know about
supplements, over-the-counter
meds or recreational drugs you
use.
COPD.
Radloff says she is witness-
ing a surge in COPD, more
often occurring in people 40
years old or older with a history
of smoking. But she says she
has also seen much younger
patients who have been diag-
nosed with COPD. It has been
documented that 90% of the
individuals who have COPD
have smoked or are smoking.
Genetics may also play a role
in who has COPD, even if there
is no history of smoking. Stud-
ies have shown that COPD af-
fects 30 million Americans, half
of them not even knowing they
have the disease.
Although COPD is not cur-
able, it is manageable. The ear-
lier it is diagnosed, the better,
as the disease will progress as
the individual ages. That is why
it is imperative that attention is
given early to this disease, so
that the patient’s life is more
livable.
Contacting a doctor and, lat-
er, a respiratory therapist will
give better insight into how one
might tackle this disease and
how they may live a more pro-
ductive life. Difficulty breathing
might not be a sign of COPD,
but if there has been a history
of smoking or the concern that
an individual worked in an envi-
ronment that was conducive to
COPD, it is highly recommend-
ed to contact medical profes-
sionals to find some answers to
confront this possible medical
problem.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Goal weight
Continued from page 5
ues to lose weight, she keeps
trying new activities or increas-
ing the pace of her walks to
continue feeling challenged.
Roffman stated, “I was no
longer breathing as heavy, and
hardly sweating with my usual
walks. The Wellness Center is
great, because I can also hop
on the elliptical or lift some
weights.”
Getting up early also has ad-
ditional benefits, as Roffman
says she takes a few minutes
to get organized and plan her
day. She reports eating three
meals and two planned snacks
daily, making sure to include
plenty of fruit and vegetables
in her diet. She said she keeps
breakfast simple by drinking a
large green smoothie daily. She
also reports keeping a pack-
et of oatmeal, some nuts and
dark chocolate chips available
too for when she gets hungry in
between meals.
“I loved the monthly support
classes at VMH because I feel
they helped build my confi-
dence. Jill Fleming always told
us she was proud of us and
that showing up was the key to
our success, even if we didn’t
feel like we had a good month.
Sharing challenges and ac-
complishments with other class
members helped me feel sup-
ported and important,” shared
Roffman.
Roffman feels that the big-
gest benefit to her weight loss
is that she feels happier, but
states her cholesterol panel
has improved too. She is also
no longer experiencing pain in
Tell your healthcare provider
you choose
for your skilled Rehabilitation
or Long Term Care
5-Star Rated - Nonprofit
563-873-3527
www.GreatRiver Care.com
1400 West Main, McGregor, IA
Affordable Assisted Living
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her feet, ankles and legs.
She continues, “I also love
that I am being a great role
model for my daughter, Lilly.
She sees me exercise, drink
water instead of soda, and talk
Keep your
children healthy at school
courtesy of
Mayo Clinic Health System
Do you know why school
kids get sick so often? In the
early school years, your child’s
immune system is put to the
test. Young children in large
groups tend to easily spread
organisms that cause illness.
“Many childhood illnesses
are caused by viruses,” says
Benjamin Nesseim, family
physician at Mayo Clinic Health
System Franciscan Healthcare
in Waukon. “All it takes is a
single child to bring a virus to
school for the spread to begin.”
What’s the best way to keep
your child healthy in school?
Frequent hand washing is the
simplest and most effective way
to stay healthy. Remind your
child to wash his or her hands
before eating and after going
to the bathroom, blowing his
or her nose, or playing outside.
Kids should soap up for as long
as it takes to sing the “Happy
Birthday” song twice.
Dr. Nesseim suggests these
other tips for keeping kids
healthy in school.
· Give your child alcohol-
Private Roo
nice to myself daily. We do the
positive mirror-work together in
the morning and make it fun!”
Registered Dietitian Jill
Fleming says the key to re-
leasing excess weight for good
based hand sanitizer to keep
in his or her desk or backpack.
Kids should use hand-sanitizer
before snacks or lunch and after
using shared objects such as a
computer, pencil sharpener or
water fountain.
· Give your child a package
of tissues to keep in his or her
desk or backpack. Encourage
your child to sneeze into
a tissue. If a tissue is not
available, he or she should
cough or sneeze into the crook
of his or her elbow.
· Remind children to keep
their hands away from their
eyes and out of their mouths
because hands are often
covered in germs.
· Remind children to not
share water bottles, food or
other personal items. Use this
simple rule - if you put the
item in your mouth, keep it to
yourself.
Last, but not least, it’s also
important for your child to eat
a healthy diet, get plenty of
sleep and stay current on his
or her vaccinations in order to
help fend off illness-causing
organisms, says Dr. Nesseim.
ms
Page 11
is to establish one or two new ed to improving self-image and
daily choices that become hab- mindset.
its. Those who can do that will The hospital’s 2018 weight
be living as a leaner version loss class begins in January
of themselves and the excess and will be taught over nine
body fat will not return. Flem- weeks. The classes include
ing says they also need to ad- some gentle exercise, intro-
dress mindset, as what people ductory meditation sessions,
think about can help or hinder
their success. She said a large
cooking demonstrations, new
recipes and a 32-ounce sports
portion of the weight loss and
support classes at Veterans
bottle. Contact Veterans Me-
morial Hospital at 563-568-
Memorial Hospital are devot- 3431 for more information.
PTC Physical
Therapy Clinic
Dennis C. Montet, P.T.
Post Office Box 499, 1650 Allamakee, Waukon, Iowa 52172
Edna Wyninger, LMT, Reflexologist
Phone: (563) 568-2176 • Toll Free: 877-457-4541
Fax: (563) 568-2184
Allamakee Substance Abuse Prevention
Wishing
you a happy
& healthy
new year!
For more information call (563) 568-2204
HOME SAFETY Keep healthy & avoid
accidents with...
• Smoke Detectors • Humidifiers
• Carbon Monoxide • Ice Melt &
Detectors Floor Dry
• Radon Gas • Automatic
Detectors Motion & Night
• Furnace Filters Lights
• Tread Strips for • Reflectors &
Steps, Ramps, Markers for
Tub & Shower Safe Passage
• Hand Rails & • Energy Efficient
Grab Handles Light Bulbs
• Lighted Switches
CUNNINGHAM
HARDWARE & RENTAL
43 W. Main St., Waukon • (563) 568-4553
www.cunningham.doitbest.com
Page 12 Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Thank You for Allowing Us to Care

for Our Friends and Neighbors.

Veterans
Memorial Hospital

We look
war d t o
for y ou
Monona Clinic
g f
carin 18. or
in 20
We Are
Thankful
for...

... the First 3D

Mammography
... New Dry Needling ... New Lab Equipment Machine in
Pain Therapy for More Local Testing ... the Many Successful Outcomes ... New Bone Densitometry Machine ... Water Labor and Many, Many New Arrivals
Northeast Iowa

... In-House ER Providers

... an Iowa
Hospital
Hero

... a Supportive Community ... a New Surgery Microscope & Dedicated Surgeons

Veterans Memorial Hospital WAUKON, IOWA • (563) 568-3411

“Exceptional Care by Exceptional People... Right Here at Home”