April 2015 Blogs | Catawba Valley Health System

Nurse Helps Patients Navigate Cancer

Click on the image to read this touching story about Susan Knowles, one of our cancer nurse navigators, and the role she plays during a cancer patient’s journey. As seen in the Hickory Daily Record on Thursday, September 17 2015.

Breastfeeding is Best

On average, 76.5% of mothers breastfeed their babies at some point. It is recommended that mothers who are breastfeeding do so eight to twelve times per day. Breastfeeding provides benefits for both babies and mothers. “Not only do breastfed babies have a decreased likelihood for allergies and dental problems, but they also benefit from better jaw, teeth, and speech development,” said ...

CVMC Named Among America's 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience

HICKORY, NC – Sep 15, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has been named a recipient of the Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience. This distinction is the only award that identifies the nation’s best healthcare institutions measured against the needs and preferences of women, providing her the opportunity to ...

Infant Swim Lessons: The Benefits To Learning Early

Summer is officially over. But, before you put away the swimsuits, consider these 3 reasons to enroll your baby in swim lessons this fall. Early swim lessons help build a foundation for water safety skills, overcome fear of the water and long-term enjoyment of various water activities. Maryia Johnson, USA certified swim instructor at CVMC’s Fitness Plus, believes that it is best to start ...

Commit to Early Breast Cancer Awareness Today

When breast cancer is detected early, in the localized stage, the long-term survival rate is significantly improved. Creating an Early Detection Plan enables you to be proactive about your health by reminding you to do breast self-exams and schedule clinical breast exams and mammograms. Go to http://www.earlydetectionplan.org and create personal reminders to do breast self-exams and schedule your ...

Men - Let's Talk about Overactive Bladder

Do you often have that sudden “gotta go” feeling that makes you nervous you will leak urine if you don’t get to a bathroom right away? If so, you may have Overactive Bladder (OAB). OAB is not a disease. It’s the name given to a group of troubling urinary symptoms. The most common is a sudden and unexpected urge to urinate that you can’t control. In some people, this ...

Steering Older Drivers to Safety

Seniors, getting older doesn’t make you a bad driver but there are changes that may affect driving skills over time. By becoming aware of these changes, knowing the warning signs that age is interfering with your driving safety and incorporating safe driving practices you can continue driving safely long into your senior years. Affects of aging that impact the abilities of elderly drivers: A ...

My Story - Young Breast Cancer Survivor, Candice Smith

For most young women, the thought of breast cancer rarely crosses their mind, but maybe it should. At age 34, Candice Smith, a veteran dancer of 26 years, kick-boxer and healthy-lifestyle advocate, learned that “cancer doesn’t discriminate” and “no one is immune to it”. Candice has loved to dance since before she can even remember, so much so that she dedicated 26 ...

Why Wellness in the Workplace Makes Good Business Sense

On average, the fulltime American employee spends more than one-third of every day, 5 days per week at the workplace. According to the American Heart Association, 83% of the workforce spends that time in a sedentary job. The price of inactivity has greatly contributed to the obesity rate of adult Americans. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, which doubles the risk of heart ...

CVMC Named One of America's Best Stroke Centers

HICKORY, NC – August 20, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has been named a recipient of the Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Stroke Centers. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA), stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of adult disability. Every 40 seconds, ...

CVMC Recognized by UnitedHealthcare for Improved Service to Medicare Advantage Members

HICKORY, NC – August 18, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) announces that it has recently earned the 2014 UnitedHealthcare PATH Excellence in Patient Service Award. The PATH program was developed by UnitedHealthcare to help improve outcomes for its Medicare Advantage members by encouraging greater use of preventive health care services. The PATH Excellence in Service Award is ...

Preventing Bone Loss in Women

Osteoporosis, a potentially debilitating disease that leads to weakening bones, affects over 25 million people in the U.S. It’s also a major cause of bone fractures in seniors and in post-menopausal women. The Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology (SCVIR) says that osteoporosis causes 700,000 fractures of the vertebrae each year. The National Osteoporosis Foundation says two ...

Return to Learn: Our First Priority for Student-Athletes

As the healthcare community learns more about sport-related concussions, there is a growing concern with the potential impact this injury could have on our youth. Understanding the safest approach to return an athlete to the playing field has been well documented, although with varying opinions. One aspect of greater importance would be the classroom and how we can make the best transition from ...

12 Cancer Symptoms Men Ignore

Men, just because something seems minor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it seriously – especially when in regards to your health. New research found that even common ailments could actually be your body’s first warning signs of cancer. Cancer is among the most common causes of death in male adults and recognizing the symptoms may increase your odds of finding cancer early, ...

Why Sybil Flew From Peru to CVMC Birthing Center to Deliver Baby Lucas

It’s safe to say giving birth in South America was not among Sybil Settlemyre’s original plans when she went to Peru in 2005 as a volunteer at a Christian children’s home. However, she also had not planned on meeting a handsome Peruvian law student with whom she found herself performing a duet that sparked a 5-year long distance relationship. Fernando, that law student, waited ...

CVMC Invests in Safer & More Accurate Diagnostic Technology

Doctors now have access to newer CT scanning technology at CVMC to help make accurate diagnoses even more quickly. A computed tomography scan, also called CT or CAT scan, is a medical imaging procedure that uses special X-ray equipment to obtain cross-sectional detailed images of organs, bones, and other tissues to help diagnose injuries, broken bones or early-stages of disease. Rick Bare, CVMC ...

Catawba Mothers Latch On To Global Record

HICKORY, NC – August 4, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) celebrated World Breastfeeding Week by hosting a local event called “ The Big Latch On ” during which local women joined a worldwide initiative to increase awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding. Nursing moms gathered at The POD, CVMC’s Maternal Child Education Center, on Friday, July 31 st in ...

Dr. Bools Joins Catawba Valley Vascular Surgery

HICKORY, NC – July 24, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Group (CVMG) announced today that Hickory native Lindsay Bools, MD will join the practice of Catawba Valley Vascular Surgery on August 3 rd where she will treat patients with a broad spectrum of vascular conditions including aortic aneurysm, peripheral artery disease and circulatory blockages of the arms and legs. “I am excited ...

Meet CVMC Pet Therapy's Two New Doodles

Sitting around 3-feet tall with blonde curls and wide eyes, CVMC’s two new volunteers are magnets for affection and eager to bring comfort, joy and affection while making rounds at the hospital. Bringing smiles to the faces of patients, visitors and staff, this pair of Goldendoodles (part standard poodle and part golden retriever) are trained pet therapy dogs, who, along with their ...

Safety Tips for Exercising in the Heat

Exercising in extreme heat and humidity, which are common during the high school Fall sport pre-season in the Catawba Valley,can place tremendous stress on your body, as well as expose athletes to heat-related medical conditions. The best way to avoid heat related issues is to exercise in the coolest parts of the day- the evenings or mornings, but the following tips offered by Bill Harvard, LAT, ...

Feel Better Now! 5 Useful Tips to Hydrate Your System

With summer in full swing dehydration becomes a concern for people of all ages, especially in older adults. Water makes up 70% of the human body and plays a major role in keeping the body functioning properly. It’s important to drink enough water to keep your body fluids in balance and help maintain proper temperature, otherwise, you run the risk of dehydration. Dehydration, according to the ...

Need-to-Know Farmers' Market Tips

Whether you’re new to the farmers’ market scene or you’ve been shopping locally for years, it’s always good to consider suggestions that may help improve your shopping experience. Ready to step up your game at the farmer’s market this weekend? Try these tips from Catawba County Public Health’s Farmers’ Market Manager, Tracey Paul: Know your Seasons. Buying ...

How to Play it Safe in the Sun

It’s summer and whether your family is out by the pool, playing in the back yard or hanging out at a nearby park, one thing is for certain — you’re taking advantage of this beautiful weather. Being outdoors can be a lot of fun but it puts your skin at risk of being overexposed to the sun. Here are some tips from Kayla Hefner, CVMC Child Health/Safety Specialist, on how to play it ...

Daughter's Life-Changing Experience Prompts Decision to Volunteer

CVMC volunteers choose to work here for many different reasons. Dennis Bollinger, a volunteer in our gift shop understands firsthand how overwhelming a hospital stay can be. His daughter, Amanda, was only 14 when she was seriously injured after a car accident required a 26 day stay to recover from fractures to her vertebra, arm and leg complicated by bleeding and swelling in her brain and damage ...

David's Story: "I Owe This Hospital My Life"

Theresa’s fears were confirmed – the cadiologist on call told her that her husband was having a massive heart attack. “They took me back immediately and 8 or 9 people started working on me,” said David. “That’s when my wife put her hands on Dr. Byrnes’ shoulders and pleaded with him not to let me die.” Luke Byrnes, MD with Catawba Valley Cardiology ...