@affinity magazine - spring 2013 - in good hands

Spr ing 2013

y o u r g u i d e t o h e a l t h & w e l l n e s s

Personalized Care

Did you know the average person takes anywhere from 1,000-3,000 steps a day? Now, take a moment to consider what it might be like to not have the ability to place one foot in front of the other? Imagine having to relearn the function of your legs, how to tie your shoes or get up from a chair.

In this issue, we turn our attention to rehabilitation. The youngsters featured in our uplifting cover stories (pages 10 and 15) both experienced an event in their lives that required months of rehabilitation – physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy – with Affinity Pediatric Rehabilitation staff.

Not only do we focus on the physical recovery of our patients, but we also care for the emotional, social and spiritual sides. Read about our rehabilitation psychology programs on page 9, which set out to improve the mind-body connection in those who live with chronic pain.

Our Foundations contribute to getting patients back on their feet by funding therapy devices and programs, such as Fitness for the Physically Challenged, which helps people

with permanent physical disabilities improve their health. And we can’t forget to “rehab” our diets, which we suggest doing with a flavorful fish recipe packed with the good fat on page 7.

Rehabilitation does not reverse or undo damage, but rather helps restore the individual to optimal health and well-being. Regardless of the nature of his or her condition, we believe each person has inherent worth and possesses physical, emotional, social and spiritual resources that can be mobilized to regain the highest possible level of function, independence and quality of life. Make each step count. Sincerely,

Bill CalhounPresident, Mercy Medical CenterVice President, Eastern Region, Ministry Health Care

AFFINITY HEALTH SYSTEM IS... • St. Elizabeth Hospital - Appleton• Mercy Medical Center - Oshkosh• Calumet Medical Center - Chilton• Affinity Medical Group Clinics• Affinity Occupational Health

For a complete list of Affinity clinic locations or to find a physician, go to our website at www.affinityhealth.org or call Affinity NurseDirect at 1-800-362-9900.

Bill Calhoun

Last August, we shook things up with our fall cover, which was created by Appleton artist

Chad Brady. The week that issue mailed, Wayne Winistorfer, director of rehabilitation services with St. Elizabeth Hospital, approached our team about exhibiting one of the prints at the East College Avenue outpatient rehabilitation facility, which offers hand therapy for patients who need evaluation and treatment for fractures, nerve injuries, cumulative trauma disorders

like carpal tunnel and tennis elbow, and chronic problems, such as inflammatory and degenerative arthritis.

On January 31, we invited Chad and Affinity staff to an unveiling of the newly-mounted artwork. Breathtakingly filling an entire wall in the main therapy quarters, patients can take a moment to imagine what the birds (made from handprints) rising up from the bottom of the print might symbolize in their recovery.

– The @Affinity Team

Remember when...Left to right: Brian Borchardt, physical therapist at East College Avenue; Jenny Harkness, graphic designer at Affinity Health System; Alison Fiebig, publications coordinator at Affinity Health System; Chad Brady, artist; Wayne Winistorfer, director of rehabilitation services at St. Elizabeth Hospital; Linda Adams, administrative assistant for rehabilitation services at St. Elizabeth Hospital; Trevor Nebel, manager of rehabilitation services at East College Avenue.

Our blog: www.affinityhealth.org/blog

Follow us:

w w w. af f i n i t y h e a l t h . o rg / b l o g S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 • @Affinity | 3

Mission, Promise and Values

At Affinity Health System, our mission guides our actions.

MissionThe mission of Affinity Health System is to live out the healing ministry of Christ by providing services that promote the health and well-being of the communities we serve, especially the poor.

PromiseWe promise to provide personalized care by listening, treating you with respect and putting your needs and interests first.

ValuesThe way we accomplish our mission is as important as the mission itself. These values of our sponsor, Ministry Health Care, guide our actions.

SERVICE

TEAMWORKJUSTICE

INTEGRITYCREATIVITY

STEW

ARDS

HIP

Affinity Health SystemMenasha, WIwww.affinityhealth.org

President, Mercy Medical CenterVice President, Eastern Region, Ministry Health CareBill Calhoun, FACHE

Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Planning, Ministry Health CareVince Gallucci

Editorial ManagementJennifer Wagner MaukJohn EganAlison Fiebig

Volume 2, Number 4The material in @Affinity is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines.

@Affinity is published four times annually by Affinity Health System.

For permission to reprint any portion of this magazine, change your address, discontinue multiple copies or stop receiving @Affinity, please contact us at [email protected].

© 2013 Affinity Health System. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from Affinity Health System.

F E AT U R E S 10 EYES ON THE BALL The courageous comeback of an Appleton boy who suffered a stroke at the age of four.Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios

15 GROWING PAINS After having a heart attack when he was 13 years old, an Oshkosh teen found the determination to push on with the help of St. Elizabeth Hospital’s rehabilitation staff and the slogan “chicks dig scars.”Photographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios

Cover illustration by The Heads of State

SHOrT ClIPS 4 Around-the-Clock Care The arrival of telemedicine at

Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh

By THE NuMBErS 5 Soda truths, stroke

awareness, volunteer achievements and an athletic Appleton ranking

In SeASon SPrING 6 Get Psyched to Bike Appleton pedaled into the number

two spot nationally for most miles logged by city residents

GOOd EAT’N

7 Go Fish! Cast your eyes on this heart-healthy salmon recipe

GET GrEEN 8 Organized Chaos Sorting, setting, shining,

standardizing and sustaining tips for your home

BE WEll 9 Minding Your Pain Caring for the psychological side

of rehabilitation

S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

D E PA RT M E N T S

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AFTEr CArE

18 Class Act dr. Michael Hetzner, family

physician at Affinity Medical Group’s Kiel clinic, gears up for a theatrical production this April

GIVING BACK20 Through Thick and Thin An Affinity employee reflects on

her volunteer position with Harbor House domestic Abuse Programs and the organization’s first-go at a charity mud run

lEArN & lIVE22 Classes to Come A handful of spring and summer

educational opportunities offered at Affinity

KIdS@AFFINITy23 Fun with fish! did you know

Wisconsin has a Free Fishing day?

4 | @Affinity • S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 w w w. a f f i n i t y h e a l t h . o rg / b l o g

S H O R T C L I P S

As the age of baby boomers increase and the number of intensivists decrease, hospitals across the country have turned to telemedicine in intensive care units (ICU) to complement the

care provided by their staff. “There is a nationwide shortage of

intensivists,” says Lisa Truman, vice president of patient care services at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh. “Reports show that there are fewer than 10,000 actively practicing intensivists in the United States, which means that less than 15% of ICUs are receiving dedicated intensivist care.”

To improve patient care and meet the best practice standard of 24/7 intensivist oversight in the ICU, Mercy Medical Center implemented a tele-ICU program in February.

Using a two-way video monitor, microphone and the Internet, the tele-ICU allows patients to be monitored by highly-trained intensivist physicians and critical care specialists 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We know that the mortality goes down when a board-certified intensivist treats a patient,” says Truman. “The tele-ICU allows us to provide that expertise around-the-clock.”

Truman cited a study by Modern Medicine and VISICU Inc. that took place over a two-year period when 186,000 patients were treated in ICUs at 156 hospitals. The severity-adjusted hospital mortality rate was 9.6 percent compared to a 13.5 percent mortality rate in hospitals that did not have a tele-ICU program.

“Hospital ICU patients are nearly one-third less likely to die, on average, when treated

at hospitals using the tele-ICU care delivery model than they are at hospitals without this technology,” Truman explains.

The technology provides intensivists who are off-site access to patient data and allows face-to-face consultations to happen inside the ICU unit.

“We chose the technology where the patient can see the doctor and the doctor can see the patient,” she says. “This allows us to keep our promise of personalized care by allowing the

Around-the-Clock Care

patient and caregiver to engage with each other.”Instead of paging a physician in the middle

of the night, the tele-ICU connects hospital

staff to a critical care specialist who can treat the patient immediately.

“The tele-ICU solution and equipment provides another layer of monitoring and supervision that historically wasn’t possible,” says Dr. Francisco Zornosa, nephrologist and medical director of the ICU at Mercy Medical Center. “The technology allows us to see a trend before it becomes an emergency so we can be alerted and react.”

The program also continuously monitors vital signs, prescriptions and lab results. For example, if a patient’s blood pressure was stable but at some point goes down, but not low enough to set off a monitor, the software will track the trend allowing hospital staff to be proactive.

Other ICU benefits include improved efficiency, reduced staff turnover, increased capacity and improved documentation.

Mercy Medical Center has partnered with Advanced ICU Care®, the nation’s largest provider of tele-ICU services, which has successfully implemented and managed more programs than any other organization.

“Tele-ICUs are operating in 28 states, in more than 200 hospitals and at 40 health care systems,” says Truman, who realizes there may be many people unfamiliar with the tele-ICU concept. “Nearly 300,000 health care patients are being cared for by a tele-ICU. It is a well-published practice.”

Remote monitoring technology enhances patient care at Mercy Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit By DANA BAUMgART

An intensivist is a doctor who is concerned with the diagnosis and management of life-threatening conditions, not to be confused with an internist, a doctor of internal medicine.

Clockwise from left to right: what an ICU patient sees on the video monitor; what a critical care specialist sees on their monitor; an off-site intensivist reviews a patient’s vital signs and lab results.


B Y T H E N U M B E R S

The approximate number of Americans 20 years old or greater who have survived a stroke according to the National Stroke Association. May is National Stroke Awareness Month, so take time to learn the symptoms.

More than 125 applicationsfrom WWll and Koreanveterans, as well as volunteermedical guardians, poured into Appleton’s Old Glory HonorFlight chapter after the “WeSalute You” article ran in thewinter issue of @Affinity. For the story and more information, visit www.oldgloryhonorflight.org.

7,000,000

125 124,440

According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, the average American consumes 44.7 gallons of soda every year, about what you’d need to fill a small kiddie pool. That’s 42 pounds of sugar, about as much as a five-year-old child weighs! Does that have you thinking twice about your beverage choices?

The total number of hours logged by Affinity Health System volunteers in 2012. Get in on the action! St. Elizabeth Hospital, Mercy Medical Center and Calumet Medical Center are currently looking for new volunteers! To download an application, visit www.affinityhealth.org and click ”Volunteers” or call the volunteer office at 920-738-2425.

Appleton ranked second place nationally for the number of miles biked by folks in the Fox Valley in 2012. Turn the page for more on this tour de force and ways you can get involved!

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If the National Bike Challenge was an annual check-up on a community’s well-being, it’s safe to say we sped away this past year with a clean bill of health. In 2012,

Appleton placed second out of more than 650 metro areas nationwide. Oshkosh/Neenah placed sixth.

According to Rob Gusky, engineering technical leader and ambassador of cycling at Kimberly-Clark Corporation in Neenah, this challenge began in July 2008 as gas prices soared and he and his coworkers tracked their bike commutes on a whiteboard.

The company program grew rapidly, eventually turning into the Kimberly-Clark Get Up & Ride Wisconsin Challenge in 2011, and again transforming into the National Bike Challenge in 2012, when over 30,000 people from all 50 states improved their health and fitness by pedaling more than 12 million miles.

“It is free and easy for all ages,” Gusky notes. “You can participate with family, friends,

coworkers or go solo. This is something everyone can do, even if it’s been awhile since you’ve been on a bike. Ride anywhere—down the street, to work, to school, to the store.”

An avid biker and manager of rehabilitation services for St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton, Janine Boldra has seen the good of biking from both a personal and professional angle. As a participant in the Bike Challenge, she enjoyed the benefits first-hand.

“It is a great experience because it’s a way to motivate people to get on their bikes,” she says. “It adds just a little reward, a little recognition and a little competition.”

Boldra notes that the combination of trail systems in the Fox Valley and the growing number of city bike lanes make cycling an excellent mode of transportation to and from work. And it’s another reason for area residents to get outdoors and take in some fresh air, sunshine and scenery.

“When you’re on the back roads you just

see so many beautiful areas, which enlightens your spirit and puts you in a very good place,” she adds.

In preparation for the Bike Challenge, Boldra emphasizes the importance of taking a few extra steps to ensure a safe, enjoyable ride.

“Wear a helmet first and foremost!” she adds. “It’s such a small investment to protect your head.”

In addition, if you experience knee, back or other forms of pain while riding, it may be due to how you are positioned on your bike. It’s worthwhile to get a proper bike fit. Contact your local bike shop for this service.

The 2013 Bike Challenge will begin on May 1 and run through September 30. Log your rides on www.nationalbikechallenge.org, or using the free Smartphone app called Endomondo.

“Overall, we hope this program will inspire many people to improve the quality of life for themselves and their communities through biking,” Gusky says.

Get Psyched to BikeThe Fox Valley sets its sights on the nation’s top spot in the National Bike Challenge By Paul NiColaus

springin season

Start your dedication to a healthier lifestyle off on the right foot with a walking and running

program offered by Fleet Feet Sports of the Fox Valley. Intended for anyone who could benefit from the support and motivation of a coach-led group format, Make-It-A-Mile offers four weeks of guided training designed to allow you to work at your own pace within a welcoming environment.

“Our goal as a business is to educate, empower and motivate,” says Leah Schapiro, co-owner of Fleet Feet Sports Fox Valley in Appleton. “We’ve seen running change people’s lives and we want to make sure, regardless of where an individual’s journey begins, they know the feeling of success.”

The summer program will begin on June 18. To learn more, attend an in-store information session on Tuesday, June 4. Interested individuals can register on site or online at www.fleetfeetfoxvalley.com.

“If participants walk away with knowledge, confidence and a series of small wins, there is no telling how many other things they will be able to accomplish,” adds Schapiro.

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Make-It-A-Mile

spring 6 • good eat’n 7 • get green 8 • be well 9

Along with the support of a broad partnership, the Fox Cities Cycling Association has taken the lead in creating a local challenge to help residents get involved. More information, including details on local kickoff events and encouragement rides, is available at www.foxcitiescycling.org/challenge.


Go fish!Salmon PattiesRecipe by Lori Deering • Serves 5

Ingredients14.75 oz. wild Alaskan salmon (fresh, frozen or canned)1/2 fresh lemon (juice and zest)3/4 cup oatmeal1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped2 green onions, finely sliced2 eggs, beaten1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1/4 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons olive oil

InstructionsPut salmon in mixing bowl. Squeeze lemon over salmon. Add lemon zest and remaining ingredients except olive oil. Mix well with fork. Shape into five palm-sized flat patties. Heat oil in skillet and cook 3-4 minutes per side turning only once until golden brown.

By DANA BAUMgART

good eat’n

Holding all the right cards for heart health

T he words “good” and “fat” don’t usually appear in the same sentence.

But when talking about omega-3 fatty acids, dietitians agree that foods rich in polyunsaturated fats are necessary for good heart health. Research shows they are essential in making the human body work normally and omega-3 fatty acids can lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of abnormal heartbeats and triglyceride levels.

“Whether you are healthy or have heart disease, your heart will benefit from a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids,” says Lori Deering, registered dietitian and lifespan educator for Affinity Health System.

Because the body can’t make omega-3s, individuals have to get them through diet. The most obvious heart benefit comes from the

forms found in fatty fish, such as salmon, lake trout, herring, sardines and albacore tuna. They can also be found in walnuts, flaxseed, soybeans and canola oil.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times a week. A serving is considered 3.5 ounces cooked or about ¾ cup of flaked fish.

Deering suggests easing fish into a diet in creative ways such as seafood kebobs, fish tacos or maybe salmon patties served with your favorite hamburger condiments, something she cooks for her family regularly.

“It’s a comfort food factor for me,” she says. “I suggest watching grocery store sales and stocking up on fresh and frozen seafood specials.”

While dietary sources of omega-3s are preferred, fish oil supplements are available. Deering advises speaking with a doctor first as heart health and other medications may affect the recommendations.


organized Chaos

It isn’t that housework isn’t a top priority for Kaukauna mom, Kelly Caflisch-Arnoldussen. But when it comes to keeping her children happy and keeping a clean house, something has to give. Chasing after her two sons – five-year-old Carson and 20-month-old Crosby – is a

full-time job. Now with baby number three on the way, she is beginning to rethink how her family lives day-to-day. She admits it’s not always in the most efficient of ways.

Teaching the methods of 5S to a family of (soon-to-be) five By ALISON FIEBIg

get green

Affinity Health System applies “5S” in its hospitals and facilities with the help of its performance excellence team. The surgery

department staff at Calumet Medical Center (CMC) in Chilton recently completed a 5S project. While employees were pleased to sort, set and shine, they realized that by doing so, they also were able to improve patient care!

• By implementing surgical case carts, staff reduced the number of times they needed to leave the operating room for supplies. This now allows the surgery to flow better with fewer disruptions.

• Increased efficiencies has allowed more time for staff to spend with the patient during pre-surgery before their sedation, which has decreased patient anxiety.

• By increasing surgical capacity, patients no longer have to wait as long to have the surgery. This is time they are not waiting in pain or risking further injury or deterioration of their condition.

• The staff came up with new ways to operate by creating surgical case carts to decrease turnover and start-up times. The lead time needed for an emergency surgical case to start has been reduced by 65 percent.

Standing in the middle of Kelly’s kitchen, Lisa Van Remortel, owner of LeanKlean, LLC, is taking in the chaos. As a professional organizer, she educates people on a methodolgy called “5S,” which stands for:

• Sort: remove all unnecessary items from the space.• Set in order: find a place for things by using efficient storage and labeling. • Shine: deep-clean after the clutter and junk has been removed.• Standardize: determine how to keep the new organizational process going forward.• Sustain: sticking to the new process (often the most difficult step).

“It’s important that the system works for your lifestyle,” Van Remortel says. “Organizing is a daily, ever-evolving process.”

Walking from corner to corner in the kitchen (the busiest room in their home), Kelly and her husband, Brad, answered a series of Van Remortel’s questions: Do you have ample counter space? How do you move from the microwave to the fridge to the sink? Are your cupboards organized in a way that makes sense (i.e. are your coffee mugs near the coffee maker)? Where is your “problem” area?

The couple identified three areas to work on: a small, island-like cupboard that collects car keys, mail and other miscellany; a cluttered area of the kitchen counter; and the closet by the back door.

Van Remortel implemented a new storage system using bins on top of the stand-alone cupboard. She suggested each family member gets their own bin to put their belongings in. Then she adjusted a few shelves inside the cupboards to allow tall containers on the bottom (when they originally sat out on an area of the kitchen counter) and identified a “working area” of the counter in order to free up space where dishes would normally pile up.

Kelly’s biggest takeaway was realizing that not everything has a purpose.

“I put stuff where there is room, not where it needed to be,” she says. “I’ll have to remember to ask myself, ‘When was the last time you looked at or used that?’”

Luckily, the couple has about two months to sort and sustain before Carson and Crosby’s baby sister arrives in July!

How Affinity Applies 5S

Brad and Kelly caught in a toy tornado created by their two young boys (above); Lisa Van Remortel, owner of LeanKlean, LLC, educates individuals and families on the values of 5S (right).

“Organizing is a daily, ever-evolving process.”


Minding Your Pain

Rehabilitate comes from the Latin word habilitas, which means “to make able again,” or the process of helping an individual achieve the

highest level of independence and quality of life possible.

Independence is what Dr. Jeff Willems, a clinical psychologist at Mercy Medical Center/Oakwood Outpatient Rehabilitation Center in Oshkosh, aims to rebuild for patients living with chronic pain through rehabilitation psychology as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program.

Programs like this are designed to help patients work toward a “redefinition of self,” allowing them to live more consistently with their values and goals. By shifting focus to the mind-body connection, patients are able to better cope with the emotional component associated with chronic pain.

Patients often enter rehabilitation psychology after exhausting other options that focus on eliminating the pain, which impacts a number of areas of a person’s life – physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, cultural and spiritual.

Willems works to equip patients with the skills necessary in navigating the spectrum of areas of living impacted by pain and aids patients in modifying their beliefs and behavioral responses to pain. Physicians, nurses and physical and occupational therapists work together to guide patients through a variety of methods that improve their ability to manage pain and stress. This offers them a way to regain control by engaging

Controlling chronic pain with mind-body connection By SHARON VERBETEN

be well

in a self-management treatment approach.After an initial screening by a registered

nurse and extensive work-ups by a physician, psychologist, occupational therapist and physical therapist, a care plan is developed for each patient. The duration of the program is usually two to three months.

The psychologist also assists the patient in identifying unhelpful patterns of thinking and replacing them with more adaptive, helpful

alternatives. Relaxation training, strategies for adopting healthy attitudes and managing flare-ups in pain are just some of the educational components.

“As patients struggle in learning to manage the pain, the psychologist examines how their beliefs and management of activities can help improve their mood and decrease their anxiety,” Willems explains. “The focus is on the fact that yes, the pain may be chronic, but a person can do a lot to reduce the emotional suffering.”

While the programs do not promise to eliminate the pain, the goal is to help patients recapture a sense of control and satisfaction in their lives. Often times, the most difficult part of the process is learning to fully accept the chronic nature of the pain. When patients are able, they experience a greater sense of confidence in their ability to move forward in living with the pain.

The hope is to give patients a more optimistic way to look at their situation.

Being proactive is almost always better than being reactive. That’s why staying healthy and

promoting wellness are such big deals these days. But “health” and “wellness” aren’t just

buzzwords. They’re the goal of a new initiative by Ministry door County Medical Center (MdCMC). In response to many changes in health care – including the Affordable Care Act, insurance costs and management of chronic disease – Ministry believes that wellness is the answer.

“We have a newfound and very strong commitment to community-wide wellness,” says Matt luders, account executive at MdCMC. “We realize that we need to use more resources to keep people well and help prevent the onset of chronic disease.”

To that end, MdCMC has teamed up with local schools and employers to promote the cause. last year, for example, MdCMC

partnered with the yMCA and Sturgeon Bay schools to create the Keeping It real program, which provides nutrition education and physical activity programs.

Working to improve key health indicators and develop plans to maintain healthy habits, the initiative has now expanded to serve all five school districts in door County.

MdCMC also provides onsite nursing and physical therapy services in schools. Southern door’s new school nurse was brought in through Ministry, which also provided funds to help build a hiking trail around the school forest, and supported the development of concussion management and strength and conditioning programs for student athletes.

Based on these successes, MdCMC will soon be offering a similar wellness program to the business community.

Keeping it Real

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For more information on Affinity Medical Group’s rehab psychology program, visit www.affinityhealth.org, and click “Services” ➞ “By Specialty” ➞ “Rehabilitation Services” ➞ “Rehabilitation Psychology.”


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S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 • @Affinity | 11

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After suffering a stroke at the age

of four, one Appleton boy braved rigorous

rehabilitation with the help of

his Affinity Pediatric Rehabilitation

team, the support of his family, and a hustle

to suit up again with his soccer team.

B y A l i s o n F i e b i g P h o t o g ra p h s by S h a n e Va n B o x t e l , I m a g e S t u d i o s

COVER STORY

Karie and Lance Hagenbeck

are like so many other parents. When the weather is nice, they send their

children outside to play. and on October 24, 2011, karie did just that. ✾ Her youngest, calvin,

who was four years old at the time, joined his sister, kendyl, to play in the front yard. While running about,

calvin tripped over a landscape rock and hit his head (the area under his right ear near his neck), which knocked him unconscious. Startled by the incident, calvin’s older brother, Tyler, scooped him up and carried him into the

house. ✾ “Once we got him on the couch and put some ice on his head, he came to,” karie says. “He wasn’t

perking up like he usually does. Then i noticed one pupil was huge and the other was

normal.” ✾ Having only lived in appleton for about


a sense of urgency quickly filled the room. before they knew it, a helicopter was called to take calvin to american Family children's Hospital in Madison. Lance hit the road to be at the hospital when calvin arrived while karie stayed with the little boy as they waited for the chopper.

“They had a full trauma unit there waiting for him,” says Lance, a worship pastor at Pathways church in appleton. “i knew it was serious because of having to be flown to children’s, but when they have eight to 10 doctors, all garbed up and waiting for him, that’s when it hit me. i had spent the entire car ride trying to rationalize the whole thing. did he pinch a nerve? is that why he couldn’t move his left side?”

The hands on the clock turned and turned while the team ran test after test. They took calvin in for an Mri around 7 p.m. and the Hagenbecks were told it would take about an hour. So they waited.

Several hours later, a man approached them with startling news: calvin had suffered a stroke.

Miracles in Movement That man was dr. bermans iskandar, pediatric neurosurgeon at american Family children's Hospital.

When calvin fell, the force to the right side his head caused a dissection of the innermost layer of the carotid artery, produced a blood clot in the artery and resulted in a stroke.

dr. iskandar explains that the arteries of the brain are all linked together – a system referred to as cerebral arterial circle. Over time, the other arteries (left carotid and posterior circulation) in calvin’s brain took over the supply of the right brain. because of this, calvin didn’t need surgery.

“Most children have enough plasticity in their brain to take over the supply of the damaged side,” he says. “it can react to injuries and try to repair or move certain functions to other areas in the brain. a child's brain is still able to form new connections because it hasn’t lost the ability to grow, regenerate and heal. The older you are, the less likely it happens.”

calvin spent one week in the Pediatric intensive care Unit and

six months, karie called their insurance company to find the nearest urgent care clinic. after explaining the incident, they advised the

Hagenbecks to take calvin to St. elizabeth Hospital’s emergency department (ed). While en route, he started to throw up.

after getting settled in the ed, calvin was examined and had a cT scan of his head, which revealed he had a

concussion. not even able to keep ice chips down, the doctors admitted him overnight for observation.

“He didn’t complain much,” karie remembers. “He’d doze off, they’d wake him… he seemed fine.”

With four kids, karie and Lance are the first to say they’re accustomed to playful roughhousing. nothing a band-aid and a hug can’t fix. although a little more serious than times past, the Hagenbecks were optimistic that they’d be back to the normal routine after a good night’s rest.

A Bad Dreamafter getting his wife and calvin situated in their room on the pediatric floor, Lance went home to be

with the other kids. The next morning, karie was awakened to a

high-pitch scream. it was calvin. “i asked him what was wrong but he couldn’t talk,”

karie says. “The nurse was in there so fast, asking him to squeeze her hand, but he couldn’t follow her commands.”

The nurse paged the doctors on call. When they arrived, karie recalls them asking calvin to smile. The right

side of his mouth turned up, but the left didn’t move. They asked calvin to puff his cheeks; he couldn’t. They lifted his arms

up and his left arm just flopped. at that moment, Lance returned to the hospital.“i walked into a room of all sorts of people,” he says. “i picked calvin

up and helped him to stand, but he just keeled over.”


The Hagenbecks take a break from a pick-up game at Soccer Heaven in Appleton. Left to right: Tyler, Kendyl, Lance, Calvin, Karie and Lauren.

almost two weeks on the pediatric floor to undergo diagnostics studies, receive anticoagulation medication (a substance that prevents clotting of the blood) and begin rehabilitation.

“dr. iskandar told Lance that when this happens to adults, they often do not walk again,” karie says. “Then he said he wouldn’t be surprised if calvin walked out of the hospital.”

The stroke centralized on calvin’s left arm, but it affected his speech, chewing and left leg. despite knowing dr. iskandar’s positive outlook, Lance decided he and karie would not use the word “paralyzed.”

“Faith plays a big part in our lives and we’re very thankful for what doctors can do,” he says. “We were praying that he’d be healed, but we agreed not to use that word. We settled on ‘left-sided weakness.’”

Lance remembers feeling tested the eve they learned calvin had a stroke.

“as a pastor, i stand up in front of people every week and tell them to trust god and how he’s in control of our lives and circumstances,” he says. “Healthy four year olds don’t have strokes. i told god we were going to trust Him and asked Him to give us the strength to do that and get through it. We weren’t going to give in; we had to believe that he was going to get better.”

Three days into his stay and still not feeling like himself, calvin managed to surprise his dad with one of his usual tricks. He asked Lance to lean in close so he could tell him something. When he had Lance where he wanted him, calvin slyly licked his finger and gave his dad a "wet willy."

“it was a turning point,” Lance remembers. “Later on, he even did it to one of his doctors! He is always trying to make people laugh.”

after a week in the hospital, calvin still couldn’t sit up. Lance explains what it was like to watch their son struggle to regain feeling on his left side.

“You could see the emotion on his face as he’d try to move his leg,” the father says. “Then suddenly he was able to pick it up and let it flop down.”

His left arm was the biggest test of all. concern mounted that he might not ever be able to move it again. Then one day, the nurses came in to change the dressing on his arterial line (a thin catheter inserted in his left arm to administer medicine). calvin began to cry as the nurses were taking it off, and his arm jerked as he reacted to the discomfort.

karie, Lance and the nursing staff broke out in happy tears. The little boy had exceeded all odds.

Stroke of Luck Just as dr. iskandar predicted, calvin walked out of the hospital three weeks after arriving in Madison. The neurosurgeon referred the boy to St. elizabeth Hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation for both physical and occupational therapy.

Tanya Fuller, pediatric physical therapist at affinity Health System, sat down with mom, dad and calvin to see and hear about the progress calvin was making, as well as the struggles he was facing.

“i learned quickly that he was motivated by making a game out of everything,” Fuller remembers. “He came in with huge deficits, and he was heavily relying on and favoring his good (right) side while not paying any attention to his left side.”

Physical therapy focuses mostly on the lower extremities and trunk, while occupational therapy targets upper extremities. Fuller noticed immediately that calvin’s balance was greatly affected by the stroke, and there was significant tightness and tone issues in his legs. calvin found it difficult to stand.

Fuller tailored a regimen to calvin’s personal recovery.

“We did a lot of squatting, jumping and other things to encourage him to shift his weight to his left side and use those muscles,” she explains. “We used a treadmill to work on the normal walking motion, and then we started to incorporate soccer.”

by increasing the challenge, yet keeping it relevant and interesting for calvin, Fuller had the boy going from simple kicking motions to rolling the soccer ball, and before she knew it, he was stopping the ball with his foot, stepping down on it, and then kicking it away.

“i didn’t know what physical therapy was before this,” karie admits. “i thought it was just the therapist helping them move something, but it’s so much more. Once calvin’s brain made the connection, he was able to learn how to use those muscles again.”

at the same time calvin saw Fuller, he also saw dawn Pieper, pediatric occupational therapist, whose work revolves around activities

of daily living (adL), such as how to button a shirt or brush teeth.“When he first came to us, he was still very rigid,” Pieper

explains. “He was unbelievably tired and listless. He was missing that spark in his eyes.”

Pieper implemented constraint-induced therapy, which means to constrain the good, working limb (in this case, calvin’s right arm) by wearing a cast. This encourages movement and strength in the limb that needs improving. This was done three to four hours a day – sometimes more – and in such a way that does not psychologically harm the child. it also required the cooperation of karie and Lance.

“Mom and dad looked at it like it was just part of getting better,” says Pieper, adding how involved they were

when it came to keeping up with therapy at home. “They worked their tails off, both helping and motivating him.

When parents give that sort of attention, that’s when you see the most rapid recoveries.”The Hagenbecks never left calvin’s side. To build his

endurance, therapy took place every day – physical therapy three times a week and occupational therapy twice a week.

“There were parts of it he didn’t like,” Lance says, “but he was genuinely okay seeing [dawn and Tanya]. They made it fun for him.”

The “big treat” for calvin was using a swing rope in the middle of the rehab area. Pieper also crafted exercises using a platform swing (square board suspended), and had calvin push himself into a swinging motion and hang on with one arm while bending down to pick up bean bags on the floor.

eventually, sports came into the equation for Pieper, too; this time it was baseball. With the help of Lance, calvin was able to put the glove on himself and pick up balls rolled to him on the ground in two weeks.

“This is a recovery that we did not imagine," Pieper adds. "every time i think about calvin, his sweet smile and persistent attitude, it sparks hope and drives me to be the best therapist i can be."

neurologically, calvin is the same as other kids his age according to dr. iskandar, who sees calvin at St. elizabeth Hospital once a year for a check-up and Mri.

a year ago this spring, calvin was working hard on the rehab floor to reestablish certain motor skills. Today, he has no problem pounding the turf between his two sisters during a game of monkey in the middle.

Unlike so many other parents who would consider lecturing their children to “play nice,” karie and Lance look on in joy.

“This is a testament of god’s faithfulness to our family,” Lance says. “Our family is healthy. calvin is healthy.”

Affinity Pediatric Rehabilitation specialists, left to right: Tanya Fuller, physical therapist; Dawn Pieper, occupational therapist; Amber Heinz, speech therapist.

“We did a lot of squatting, jumping and other things to encourage him to shift his weight to his left side and use those muscles … then we started to incorporate soccer.”

— Tanya Fuller, pediatric physical

therapist

To keep friends and family updated on Calvin’s recovery, the Hagenbecks created a Facebook page, “Thoughts and Prayers for Calvin Hagenbeck,” where they shared photos and videos and followers could post prayers and encouragement. Type the page name in the search bar on Facebook’s home page and have a look back in time at Calvin’s courageous comeback.


Kyle MaKurat has a knack for cracking jokes. his

twin brother, andy, and younger brother, Ryan, roll their eyes (they’ve heard this one

before), but his dad, tom, guffaws loudly, and in the next breath, tells one of his own. like father, like son. ✾

The laughter trails off as the conversation turns to Kyle’s accident nearly five years ago. On september 11, 2009, the

teenager’s heart unexpectedly gave out. Thirteen years old at the time, Kyle collapsed while running the outdoor track during gym class. From a distance, Brad Clark, physical education teacher at Perry tipler Middle school in Oshkosh, thought Kyle had sprained an ankle; but as soon as Clark saw the boy up close,

he knew something was seriously wrong. ✾ “he seemed to get worse and worse and worse as each second passed,”

Clark remembers. ✾ Both Clark and the dean of students (who arrived on the scene after other

students in Kyle’s class went to find help) were able to remain level-headed

and respond to the

GROWINGCOVER STORY

pAiNs B y Pa u l N i c o l a u s P h o t o g ra p h s by S h a n e Va n B o x t e l , I m a g e S t u d i o s

After having a heart attack at the age of 13, one Oshkosh boy went from getting the hang of life as a teenager to learning howto walk again.


emergency quickly by performing chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth.

“The calmness that we both had during the whole situation helped us help him,” Clark adds.

Once Kyle stopped breathing, the two did everything they could to keep him alive until the paramedics arrived.

Next Chapter When Kyle made it to Children’s hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, it was discovered that an unknown birth defect in his coronary artery had caused the incident. a surgical repair was performed on his heart, but due to a lack of oxygen during the cardiac arrest, he suffered permanent brain damage.

as their son remained motionless and unresponsive in a hospital bed, Dawn, his mom, and tom were taken aside and prepared for the possibility that Kyle could be severely disabled.

“Those two words go through your head and your heart sinks,” Dawn recalls, “so that was the lowest point, I think, in all we went through.”

after experiencing the initial panic, the joy of realizing Kyle had survived, and the difficult news that followed, the Makurat family was left with the uncertainty of the road that lay ahead.

so, in the meantime, they read to Kyle. Before they knew it, the night stand at his bedside was covered with

three or four books at a time, allowing any visitor to pick up right where the previous reader had left off.

“That was the beginning of one of the greatest things we did,” Dawn says. “I would talk to Kyle, too, and tell him I loved him, but sometimes you can’t think of everything you want to say or what you should say. sometimes one of the easiest things was just to pick up a book and read the next chapter.”

Work Hard, Play Hardas the days passed during his three-month stay at Children’s hospital, Kyle slowly, but steadily, showed signs of improvement. he blinked and nodded

to communicate “yes” and “no,” he laughed at jokes, and even though he was unable to speak, Kyle mouthed along with bedtime prayers.

upon returning home to the Fox Valley, Kyle continued his physical, occupational and speech therapy with the affinity Pediatric Rehabilitation team at the Midway Road Clinic in Menasha – a process that lasted about 20 months.

“I had to relearn how to stand, relearn how to walk, relearn how to run, relearn how to talk —everything,” Kyle says.

The thing about Kyle, though, as the rehab specialists all remember, is that he never lost his sense of humor, and it was this joking and laughter that helped make a difficult situation more tolerable and get him over some of the most difficult hurdles.

amber heinz, pediatric speech therapist, found ways to move beyond the potential monotony of intensive rehabilitation. she recalls using a game to help Kyle develop better respiratory support and improve muscle function in his mouth, while also reassuring him that he always had the option of getting rid of food he couldn’t swallow.

heinz put Cheerios in Kyle’s mouth and encouraged him to find where they were with his tongue, bring them to his lips, and spit them out.

“We let him shoot them at me and Dad,” heinz recalls. “he actually got to launch them like they were spit wads across the therapy room.”

Creativity came through on another occasion when Dawn Pieper, pediatric occupational therapist, noticed that Kyle seemed to be feeling defeated.

“We have to consider laughter and play and that part of their life,” says Pieper. “We cannot forget that.”

at the time, Kyle was still not able to move as fluidly as hoped. Knowing she would need to incorporate some fun to engage Kyle and boost his spirits, Pieper turned to the platform swing, which is designed to help kids improve balance. With the help of Kyle’s parents, Pieper found a way to connect with Kyle while continuing to work on balance and strength. Once he was lying down, he would have to keep his legs up in the air while they pushed him on the swing. The breakthrough was significant.


“he laughed and laughed and laughed,” Pieper remembers. “It was the best. I felt like that moment helped spur him on to the next part of his treatment.”

as Kyle progressed, the specialists worked diligently in cooperation with the Oshkosh area school District to carefully plan Kyle’s reintegration into the school system – a process that involved gradually scaling back on therapy and increasing time spent back at school.

Network of Care By the end of his rehabilitation, Kyle could once again handle daily living skills, such as showering, eating and brushing his teeth. he had also regained the ability to sit up, walk, run and climb.

In addition to Kyle’s hard work, determination and ability to find ways to laugh through it all, each rehab specialist credits much of his progress to the family support he received every step of the way.

“Part of the remarkable improvements that he did make and how he’s probably coping with things now just has to do with the family, how supportive they were, and how they attended all of the therapy appointments,” says tanya Fuller, pediatric physical therapist.

“Mom and Dad came to every visit and cheered him on with us,” heinz adds. “They knew what we were working on, and they tried things at home.”

although Kyle has made great strides, his struggles aren’t over. his impaired vision and damaged fine motor skills continue to affect daily living. even so, he and his family have found ways to see the good that can come out of such an unexpected and traumatic event.

“The therapists were there for us in more ways than just teaching Kyle how to accomplish his tasks of daily living,” Dawn says. “They were there for support, laughs, hugs. They also answered questions tom and I had about what to expect in the future. That whole network of individuals has made our lives better.”

Chicks Dig Scarsyou could say Kyle is your typical teenager. Getting him to hand over his laundry - especially his favorite t-shirt that reads “chicks dig scars” - is tough business. The Oshkosh West high school junior enjoys Jeff Dunham’s stand-up, playing video games, cheering for the Philadelphia eagles, hunting, and lately, The hunger Games series.

In fact, when he thinks back on the days following his cardiac arrest, his earliest memories are the storylines from the books read to him in the hospital.

Now, though, it’s his story that is creating a lasting effect on others. Pieper keeps a coffee mug she received from Kyle and his family. On it are the words “anything is possible” and a picture of Kyle walking away from his wheelchair towards the bus waiting in the distance, ready to take him back to school (photo on the right).

Pieper says it serves as a reminder of life’s challenges and how they are often conquered one step at a time. and jokes apart, it’s a proud moment that even Kyle takes seriously.

“The therapists were there for us in more ways than just teaching Kyle how to accomplish his tasks of daily living.”

— Dawn Makurat, Kyle’s mom

after care Get to know your care provider By Samantha Zinth

Dr. Michael Hetzner has come to love the theater scene in Calumet County, and rehearsals have started for a dinner theater production he’s starring in this April. The family physician has a passion for performance arts, but don’t worry – you won’t hear him running lines at the clinic!

“You don’t have to travel for great talent and great productions… we have it right here in our own backyard.” —Dr. michael hetZner

“It’s fun to be someone else for a bit… to play a part,” Dr. Hetzner says. “I especially enjoy characters that are quite a bit different from me.”

Although he hesitates to cite his favorite role or favorite production, he cherishes the unique challenges and opportunities each part has provided. Whether it was mastering a new accent or acting alongside one of his patients, every part invokes special memories.

“Looking back, I can name something new or interesting I had to learn or do for virtually every role,” he reflects. “There’s something significant or unique that stands out in my mind and sets each performance apart. It’s the variety that keeps it fun.”

His willingness to fully engage and commit to a role is one of the things that make Dr. Hetzner stand out as a performer. Time and again, he’s demonstrated his willingness to be bold and take chances on stage, yet some patrons are still surprised to see this buttoned-up doctor let loose.

Arguably, his most infamous role occurred in 2008, when Dr. Hetzner assumed the role of “Jarvis” in the Bauer

Community Player’s production of The Pink Panther Strikes Again. His performance

remains a topic of local theater lore, as he played a butler who moonlights

as a female impersonator. Dr. Hetzner committed 100 percent to the role by not only shaving his trademark beard

and mustache for the part, but also donning a dress.

“It was probably my most notorious role ever,” Dr. Hetzner says. “But I really looked good in that gown!”

Not every role has been the talk of

the town, but Dr. Hetzner treasures every part he’s had the pleasure to play over the years. He’s

thankful; not only for the opportunity

to act, but also for the relationships he’s cultivated

within the community.“Above all else, I enjoy the

people and the camaraderie,” Dr. Hetzner says. “We’re a

tight group with a very loyal audience. Theater people live for the applause, but sharing the experience with others is what makes it so rewarding.”

Dr. Hetzner will perform “You Can’t Get There from Here” by Pat Cook

with the Gloria Dei Not Yet Ready for Divine Time Players for their annual

dinner theater on April 19, 20 and 26 at 6:30 p.m. and April 27 at 4 p.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in New

Holstein. Call 920- 268-1367 for tickets.

r. Michael Hetzner believes laughter is the best medicine.“I often remind my patients how important it is to laugh,”

says Dr. Hetzner, a Kiel-based family practice physician with Affinity Medical Group. “To be light, to have fun, to escape the every day pressures for a bit. That’s why I personally love

the theater… it’s a window to another world.”Dr. Hetzner has been practicing medicine for more than 26 years.

He’s an accomplished, well-respected, local doctor who also harbors an unexpected hobby: community theater.

“I’m normally a pretty straight and serious guy,” he says. “So I think my interest in performing initially took some people by surprise.”

Dr. Hetzner dabbled in acting as a high school and college student, but left the stage behind for several decades as he attended medical school and built his professional practice. He thought he’d given his final curtain call years ago, but when the opportunity arose to join the cast of a new local dinner theater production at his church, Dr. Hetzner jumped at the chance.

“It started small, just a fun idea among friends,” he says. “We did one show, then two, then three. Now we’ve been doing it for over a decade!”

Dr. Hetzner has performed with several small theater troupes in Calumet County, including the Calumet County Community Theater (Chilton) and Bauer Community Players (New Holstein). He’s also a founding member of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Dinner Theater, which will present its 12th annual production, a two-act comedy, this April.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Dr. Hetzner says. “I’m not giving up my day job, but it’s something I really enjoy being a part of.”

The robust community theater scene in Calumet County may surprise non-residents, but locals have developed a genuine fervor and enthusiasm for the performing arts.

“There’s a real love for the theater right here in [Calumet County]” Dr. Hetzner explains. “People really value and appreciate it. You don’t have to travel for great talent and great productions… we have it right here in our own

backyard.”Community

theater relies on its performers and

patrons to succeed, making it a collaborative, community effort. As a local physician with more than 26 years in Calumet County, Dr. Hetzner has developed strong relationships with theater enthusiasts both on-stage and off. Many patrons and performers are also his patients, who enjoy seeing their doctor out of the clinic and up in the limelight.

“It’s a bit of a novelty, I guess,” he says. “I’ve become known for my acting over the years, so it’s not uncommon for patients to come in and ask me what performances we have coming up next. They’re genuinely interested and want to be supportive, which I really appreciate.”

The doctor has had ample opportunity to showcase his skills in different roles. He’s participated in productions ranging from two-act comedies to full-scale musicals, portraying a wide variety of colorful characters.

S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 • @Affinity | 19

“It’s not uncommon for patients to come in and ask me what performances we

have coming up next.”


By KimBerly loos, senior administrative assistant to Gary Kusnierz, vice president of performance excellencePhotographs by Shane Van Boxtel, Image Studios

Kimberly Loos, Affinity Health System employee, royally styled in mud for a good cause!

I’M NoT A MorNING PerSoN, BuT one Saturday last october, I found myself standing in the brisk daybreak among a group of volunteers. We were preparing to welcome 1,300 people to Harbor House Domestic Abuse Program’s first-ever Warrior Princess Mud run – a non-competitive 5K run and obstacle course – at Mosquito Hill Nature Center in New London.

Two years of planning had come to an end. As I watched participants file in and find their groups, I experienced an adrenaline rush similar to what competitors must feel prior to the sound of a starting pistol.

I was assigned to oversee rapunzel’s revenge, an eight-foot wooden wall that runners had to scale using a braided rope and jump over to the other side. Having formed connections with folks at The Boldt Company in my role at Affinity Health System, I was able to recruit a small crew of workers from St. elizabeth Hospital’s construction project to donate time and materials for the walls. They went above and beyond to not only build the obstacle, but set it up at Mosquito Hill and take it down after the event.

In staying with the princess theme, a few of the other obstacles included: Queen of the Hill (the infamous Mosquito Hill); Kiss a Toad Swamp Stomp; Cinderella’s Muddy Slippers, which involved running through buckets of mud like a tire run; and What a Tangled Web We Weave, which had participants crawl through mud under a tangled web of ropes.

The event raised approximately $118,000, all of which went to support Harbor House.

I learned of the organization through a friend in 2006. Because of personal experiences, I felt it was my duty to help grow the awareness of Harbor House in the community. From 2007-

Registration is open! Start fluffing your tutus and flexing your muscles! the 2nd annual Warrior Princess mud run is scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2013. Sign up now:www.warriorprincessmudrun.org.

Each issue, we’ll share the story of an Affinity Health System team member who volunteers at a local nonprofit organization. Affinity is committed to supporting local organizations and charitable events aligned with our mission of providing services that promote the health and well-being of the communities we serve.

Through Thick and Thingiving back


SNAPSHOTServing Outagamie and Winnebago counties since 1984, harbor house is an integrated and supportive community, surrounding victims and survivors of domestic abuse with a comprehensive range of program options. in 1998, the organization opened an outreach office in chilton to better serve the needs of calumet county families.

the 59,000-square-foot program center in appleton has 55 beds and is committed to offering safety and supporting diverse families in crisis while leading a community-wide partnership in the awareness and prevention of domestic violence. they also offer emergency transportation and a 24-hour crisis helpline at 1-800-970-1171.

harbor house provides training and

education to various groups, workplaces, faith communities and organizations. By working within the schools, harbor house brings an anti-violence message to more than 10,000 students and educators annually through our Prevention education initiative. to learn more about programs and volunteer opportunities, visit www.harborhouseonline.org.

Harbor House Statistics In 2012 ... 257 women and 307 children found safety at harbor house • 865 women and 44 children participated in one-on-one counseling sessions • 507 volunteers donated 17,067 hours of services to harbor house activities • the average length of stay was 31 days • 10,690 crisis calls were taken through the 24-hour telephone helpline – an average of 29 crisis calls a day

Sarah Springborn has gone from being paraplegic to wandering the campus at UW-madison with the limited assistance of crutches. the unthinkable happened to her when she suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury and two broken hips during a skiing accident in 2010. after two months in the hospital, she was discharged to physical therapy at affinity health System.

Due to fractured hips, she was confined to a wheelchair for three months. after weeks of working on strength in the pool at the milky Way rehab facility in appleton, she was finally able to put weight on her legs again.

Springborn relearned to walk with the help of the lite Gait – a therapy device that is positioned over a treadmill allowing the therapist to move her legs without fear of falling. Because of a grant from St. elizabeth hospital Foundation (SehF), the lite Gait was gifted to the

pediatric rehabilitation department. “Patients come to us with many needs,”

says tonya Dedering, executive director of SehF. “through charitably giving, our goal is to contribute to all aspects of their care, and rehabilitation is what gets patients back to their optimal health.”

also contributing to patients’ rehabilitation, mercy health Foundation (mhF) has supported a free, rehab-focused program called Fitness for the Physically challenged (FPc), which is designed to help people with permanent physical disabilities improve their health, fitness and confidence.

a physical therapy assistant helps each person identify achievable goals, design a personal fitness strategy and learn how to use the equipment and services offered in the program. the fitness facility and equipment is available at designated times in the outpatient rehabilitation department at mercy medical

center’s Oakwood clinic in Oshkosh.“FPc is a program that grew from one

person’s patient experience, a physician champion and a shared desire to make life better for other people with physical challenges,” says Vicki Schorse, executive director of mhF. “this is what it means to ‘make a difference’ through charitable actions and gifts.”

mhF donors fully support the program, meaning it costs patients nothing to participate; some participants are able to support the program and do so. Foundation donors also bought all of the original wheelchair-adapted exercise equipment and has replaced, repaired or added to it in the last 20 years.

To make a tax-deductible charitable donation to support these and other projects at St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation and Mercy Health Foundation, please visit www.affinityhealth.org and under ‘About Us’ click on ‘Foundations.’

Gifts for Healing By aliSOn FieBiG

Through Thick and Thin2010, I was the fundraising committee chair and organized Harbor House’s annual events, such as A Time to Laugh and Scrap Family Violence (a weekend scrapbooking event). I also served on the board of directors from 2009-2011.

It’s important to be an advocate for women looking for independence and confidence in themselves and their abilities – exactly what Harbor House sets out to do. Not only does it serve as a safe shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence, but it offers a wide range of services, such as legal advice and support groups for both children and women. It works closely with local law enforcement agencies in crisis situations.

No one coming to Harbor House is refused help. There are times when every room in the facility is occupied and the team has to transform conference rooms and social spaces into bedrooms. I have such a tremendous amount of respect for the amazing staff who dedicate their time to providing unconditional support for women and children.

We decided to start a mud run based on the recent popularity of these types of events and were searching for a new event to help raise money for the shelter and its programs. By including both men and women of all ages, we

feel this event promotes the empowerment of the women we serve.

I spent the Friday morning before the event setting up the course. During a “test run,” I told myself I could climb the eight-foot wall, but once at the top, I couldn’t find the

courage to swing my legs over and go down. By the time the last participant completed the obstacle, I had gathered enough motivation and inspiration to attempt it again – this time sticking my landing on the other side.

I am proud of my volunteer work at Harbor House. It has given me the opportunity to be a resource to some of our employees at Affinity who have reached out to me in confidence for help. I’m grateful for the relationships I have formed through my work and am truly inspired by the women and children who overcome their obstacles and work to end domestic violence.


learn & live Education happening at Affinity

Here Comes Baby

Each week of pregnancy brings change in both mom and baby’s development. In week four, baby is about the size of a poppy seed, but by week 12 (the end of your first trimester), baby is the size of a plum.

Affinity Health System now offers a new class called early Pregnancy taught by a registered dietitian and registered nurse. From nutrition recommendations and ways to be active throughout the pregnancy to common prenatal tests and hazards to avoid and tips on easing common discomforts, this class will detail the journey of expecting moms and their partner. Being as healthy as you can be gives your baby the best possible start in life. This program is for pregnant women and their support person. Classes are offered in Appleton, with the next occurring on May 14, and oshkosh throughout the rest of the year.

Learning to Exhale The rhythm and the depth of your breath directly

affect the state of your mind and the health of your body. A six-week course at Affinity Health

System called Mindfulness Meditation explores a variety of meditation practices, including body scans and mindfulness of emotions, and includes a copy of Sharon Salzberg’s CD and book, Real Happiness – The Power of Meditation. Defined as giving purposeful, non-judgmental attention to the present moment, mindfulness begins with concentrating on the breath and how to cultivate focus. This class will give you the tools and skills to establish a home meditation practice. Mindfulness Meditation will run June 10 through July 15 at Affinity Medical Group’s Koeller Street Clinic in oshkosh. Babysitting Basics

Do you have a pre-teen considering a summer job in babysitting? register them for one of Affinity’s most popular classes, Safe Sitter Babysitting, available for both girls and boys ages 11 and older

interested in learning child care essentials, infant and child choking rescue, first-aid, behavior management, and safety and injury prevention. Classes are offered at both St. elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in oshkosh.

To review all Affinity Health System classes and seminars, visit www.affinityhealth.org, click on “health resources” and then “class registration,” or contact NurseDirect by calling 1-800-362-9900.

baby is about the size of a poppy seed

baby is about the size of a plum


i sk d

1. Which fish can perform operations? S T _____ _____ G _____ _____ _____

2. Which fish is the most famous? _____ T A _____ F I S H

3. Where do fish keep their money? in a R _____ _____ E _____ bank

4. What kind of fish chases mice? C _____ T _____ _____ S _____

5. What’s the difference between a fish and a piano? you can’t _____U_____ A fish

6. Why are fish so smart? Because they live in _____ C _____ O O _____ S

7. Which fish is most valuable? G _____ _____ D _____ _____ _____ H

bloop

bloop

bloop

bloop

Dust off your tackle box! Opening day for fishing in Wisconsin is traditionally the first Saturday in may. each

year, the Department of natural resources invites people to participate in free fishing days. mark your calendars for Free Fishing Days on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2! Visit http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing for more information.

freefishing days

something,s fishy!

Joke fill-in-the-blanks.

Answers: 1. sturgeon, 2. star, 3. river, 4. catfish 5. tuna, 6. schools, 7. goldfish

FUN FISH FACT: Did you know that fish were well established long before dinosaurs roamed the earth? Fish have been around for more

than 450 million years!

what tookyou so long?

from start to FINish

Affinity Health System1570 Midway Pl.Menasha, WI 54952

On March 12, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and Celebrating Abilities project committee co-presented a concert featuring Justin Hines,

a Canadian singer/songwriter who has Larsen Syndrome – a joint dislocation condition that

requires him to permanently use a wheelchair. As one of the sponsors, Affinity Health System Rehab Services participated in

the “Celebrating Abilities Awards” to recognize those who help make a difference in the community by enhancing the way people with

disabilities can develop and celebrate their abilities.

On February 8, the Oshkosh Ice Hawks and Community for

Hope hosted its second annual Bright Stars Face Off event,

an amateur talent competition for youth in grades 6-12.

Celebrity judges – Steve March Torme, Pat Cerroni (head

coach of UWO football team), Herb Berendsen, Alison

Fett and Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson – awarded

first place to Matt Beecher, the son of Dr. Susan Szabo,

pediatrician at Affinity Medical Group’s Koeller Street clinic.

Last fall, teens participating in Calumet Medical Center’s Medical Explorers program got a sneak peek of the surgical suite. The program, which will start up again this April, gives students interested in the medical field a feel for the profession through tours and health-related discussions.

sn@psWe don’t just care for the community,

we’re proud to be an active part of it.

Here is a glimpse of some of our recent

activities in the communities we serve.

A handful of Affinity Health System employees brought their game faces to compete in the Oshkosh YMCA’s Corporate Challenge on February 23. The fun fitness event involves a series of competitive games, such as dodgeball, corn hole, archery, tug-of-war and more. Affinity tied for fourth place with 4-Imprint!

On March 14, Xavier High School science students visited St. Elizabeth Hospital for a glimpse of the latest surgical techniques. Dr. Chris Wagner, general surgeon with Affinity Medical Group, demonstrated the capabilities of the da Vinci surgical robot and allowed students to give it a go. They also received an overview of the emergency department and a career in nursing.

@affinity magazine - spring 2013 - in good hands

Documents

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