Asian inspiration: Tai chi – offered through local hospitals – focuses on gentle movements, controlled breathing, mental concentration

by Alyssa Harvey, The Daily News, originally published on 10/23/2010

Jan Crenshaw became fascinated with tai chi while in the Aloha State.

“When we were in Hawaii years ago, I saw elderly people doing these moves that I, as a 28-year-old, couldn’t do,” she said.

Some time later, the ancient exercise came up again.

“I was helping a friend’s brother in conversational English. He was Chinese. I asked him what exercises he does, and he said tai chi,” the Bowling Green woman said. “I had done a little reading through the years. I was extremely interested.”

Developed in China, tai chi uses gentle movements, controlled breathing and mental concentration. Sam Smith, who teaches tai chi classes through Greenview Regional Hospital’s H2U program and at The Medical Center Health and Wellness Center at Greenwood Mall, said he has a total of 20 students between the two locations.

“The majority of my students (through the hospital programs) are seniors. They all have better balance. They learn how to line their body up and how to move properly,” he said. “It has mental benefits. It has been shown to alleviate depression. Some people say they lose weight.”

Crenshaw, who takes classes through H2U, has done tai chi for seven years. She said the classes have been good for her.

“Within a week or so I found it easier to go up and down steps. It’s a really good way to begin the day,” she said. “I have high blood pressure, and (tai chi) is a good way to help people calm down and help with movement, relaxation and high blood pressure.”

Jessie Starkey, who is starting her fifth year with the H2U class, agreed and has noticed other benefits, too.

“It’s a way to relax completely. If you get into the movements and do them as best as you can, you’re so into the movement that all your cares and worries and concerns disappear. That’s very healthy for your mind,” the Bowling Green woman said. “The exercises or the movements also help in your physical situation. It helps balance, get your circulation going, strengthens and helps our breathing.”

Starkey found out about the classes from friends.

“I’ve always been interested in Asian exercises. A couple of my friends are in the tai chi class and told me how much they liked it, so I did it and I’m hooked,” she said, laughing. “Most of us are seniors, so Sam emphasizes that seniors need to keep moving. We do things that help their balance because many seniors fall from lack of balance.”

Tai chi helped Starkey during a hard time in her life.

“When I started, I was a caregiver for two parents. That’s very stressful,” she said. “I was looking for some way to relive stress.”

Crenshaw and Starkey said the classes have an additional benefit.

“The class has become friends. We’re all friends,” Starkey said. “Most of us have been together for at least four years. That’s just really special. We check if somebody’s not there for a while or are ill or having a problem.”

Smith is a patient and encouraging teacher, even when they don’t do every movement correctly all the time, Crenshaw said.

“I have learned all 104 movements of the long form,” she said. “I can’t do all of them.”

There is always something new to learn in tai chi, Crenshaw said.

“It’s kind of like learning to play the piano,” she said. “You’re never going to get it all down, but the process sure is fun.”

— For more information about H2U’s tai chi classes, call 783-9592. For more information about the Health and Wellness Center’s tai chi classes, call 745-0942.

Copyright 2010 News Publishing LLC (Bowling Green, KY)

Ready to Race: The Medical Center 10K Classic returns Saturday

by Alyssa Harvey, The Daily News, originally published on 10/21/2010

Distance is not much of an obstacle for Leah Bond and her husband, Bill, when it comes to racing.

For more than 20 years, the couple have driven from their home in Lexington to participate in The Medical Center 10K Classic.

“We’re always looking for places (to race) that are not too far away, and we do a mini vacation. I think Bowling Green is a beautiful city,” Bond said by phone Wednesday. “Sometimes we’ve stayed Saturday night. Sometimes we come in on Saturday and do a little sightseeing before we come back. We enjoy it.”

The couple are planning to participate in this weekend’s 31st annual 10K Classic, which will be Saturday. Activities will begin with The Medical Center Health and Fitness Expo and Southern Foods’ Pasta Party, both of which will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Sloan Convention Center.

“People will pick up their race packets and take advantage of the free screenings by The Medical Center, and various sporting vendors will provide discounts on athletic clothing, shoes and related items,” said Doris Thomas, vice president of marketing and development for Commonwealth Health Corp., the parent company of The Medical Center.

Participants can preregister online at www.themedicalcenter10kclassic.com through midnight tonight. Cost is $35 for individuals and $90 for families, which includes mother, father and children ages 6-18. Late registration will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Sloan Convention Center and from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday at McNeill Elementary School near the starting line. Late registration costs $40 for individuals and $110 for families. Registered participants receive a long-sleeved T-shirt, free admission to The Medical Center Health and Fitness Expo and the pasta party, pre-race and post-race snacks and beverages, free baby-sitting services on race day and an opportunity to participate in the $10,000 Cash Prize Giveaway drawing. Those who preregistered before Sept. 24 are entered in the $1,000 Early Bird Drawing.

“The $10,000 cash prize is given away in $2,000, $3,000 and $5,000 increments,” Thomas said. “You have to complete the event you registered for and be present to win.”

The 5K Competitive Run will be at 7:30 a.m., with the 1.5 Mile Fun Walk at 7:50 a.m., the 10K Wheelchair Race at 8:25 a.m. and The Medical Center 10K Classic at 8:30 a.m. The Children’s Classic, which is sponsored by Graves-Gilbert Clinic pediatrics, will begin at 10 a.m. with a race for children in kindergarten through third grade followed by the race for grades four through six at 10:15 a.m. Participants for the Children’s Classic will meet in front of the parking structure on Avenue of Champions. All events will be held rain or shine.

“The Children’s Classic is a fun way for children to start enjoying the benefits of exercise at an early age,” Thomas said. “Hopefully it will stick with them for a lifetime.”

So far, more than 1,500 people have signed up for the race, plus a little more than 250 children for the children’s classic, Thomas said.

“On average, we have between 2,300 and 2,500,” she said. “Usually, depending on the weather, we have a lot to come in the last few days (of registration).”

Bond said she began running when she met her husband 26 years ago. They exercise daily.

“We just go out and run and walk in the afternoons. We go to the gym in bad weather,” she said. “When we go on regular vacations, we try to fit in a race.”

They learned of the 10K Classic from friends who had run it.

“We start out together, but we separate,” she said. “He’s much faster. He finishes way before I do.”

Bond has even occasionally finished first in her age group.

“I’m not fast. There are no other old ladies out there running,” she said, laughing. “We’re just crazy runners, that’s all.”

Thomas said the 10K Classic is a great family event that brings in a variety of people, dating back to when Wendy’s first started the event years ago.

“It’s a race for everyone. It’s one we enjoy being involved with because it’s reflective of our mission to improve the care and quality of life of the people we serve,” she said. “Everyone knows the impact exercise has on your health. We hope that by participating in one of the 10K events, this will entice you to make it a lifelong habit.”

— For more information, call 796-2141 or 877-545-1696, e-mail themedicalcenter10kclassic@yahoo.com or visit www.themedicalcenter10kclassic.com.

Saturday schedule

6 a.m.-8 a.m.: Day of race registration and electronic chip pickup at McNeill Elementary School near the starting line; breakfast on WKU South Lawn near Guthrie Bell Tower

6 a.m.-11 a.m.: T-shirt pickup at the T-shirt tent near finish line

7 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Free baby-sitting service at Downing University Center, WKU

7:30 a.m.: 5K Competitive Run - No strollers, headsets, pets or walking

7:50 a.m.: 1.5 Mile Fun Walk - No running

8:25 a.m.: 10K Wheelchair Race

8:30 a.m.: The Medical Center 10K Classic - No strollers, headsets or pets

9 a.m.-11 a.m.: Entertainment at Guthrie Bell Tower

9:30 a.m.: Post-race snack on WKU South Lawn near Guthrie Bell Tower

10 a.m.: Race course closes. All runners, walkers must move to sidewalk

10 a.m.: Children’s Classic begins

11 a.m.: Overall awards and $10,000 Cash Prize Giveaway drawing at Houchens-Smith Stadium, WKU

Medical Center certified nursing assistant named Technician of the Year

by Alyssa Harvey, The Daily News, originally published on 10/9/2010

The sound of patients talking after they get off ventilators is music to Wendy Hawkins’ ears.

“I always wonder what their voices sound like,” she said.

A certified nursing assistant in The Medical Center’s intensive care unit, Hawkins cares a lot about the patients she helps.

“I love giving them a hug and letting them know that they’re going to be OK. Everybody needs a little love,” she said. “When you’re having a bad day and they look at you and smile, it makes it all worthwhile.”

Hawkins’ tasks include getting beds ready for patients, setting up rooms for nurses and bathing, feeding and changing linens for patients. Sometimes her duties go beyond taking care of patients’ physical needs.

“I’m a big listener, too,” she said, smiling. “You can learn so much by listening.”

Her skills recently earned her an award. She was named Technician of the Year at The Medical Center, where she has worked for three years.

“I was ecstatic,” she said of how she felt when she found out about the award this summer. “That was an honor, to have my nurses and staff trust me enough to give me that honor.”

Being a CNA and having an interest in medical matters is almost a tradition in Hawkins’ family.

“My grandmother was a CNA,” she said. “I have two daughters who are CNAs and one daughter who’s going to be a veterinarian.”

Hawkins has been a licensed CNA for eight years.

“I used to work in a nursing home,” she said. “A lot of them had loved ones who had passed away. You have to have a heart to be a CNA.”

Hawkins’ busy schedule includes spending time with her family, which includes five daughters, working 48 hours a week and going to school two days a week. She has finished her prerequisites for nursing school and has applied to programs at Bowling Green Technical College and Lindsey Wilson College. Hawkins and her youngest daughter are both waiting to find out if they have been accepted into nursing school.

“It’s great!” Hawkins said. “She’s a good study partner. What I don’t know, she does know.”

Even though she has a full schedule, she says it is all worth her time and has support from her family, patients and nursing staff.

“We’re like a family,” she said. “I never feel like I’m struggling because they’re there with me.”

Copyright 2010 News Publishing LLC (Bowling Green, KY)

‘A Day Just for Women’: Medical Center event’s speaker focuses on influential book

by Alyssa Harvey, The Daily News, originally published on 10/1/2010

As motivational speaker and author Donna Tyson prepared to talk to the audience at The Medical Center’s “A Day Just for Women” conference Thursday, she urged attendants to “sit up straight, smile and nod” their heads from time to time – at least to make her think they were listening.

The audience laughed, but it wasn’t long before many were wiping away tears as Tyson talked about self-esteem with the help of her children’s book, “The Red Bow.”

“Most children’s books have beautiful messages on life if we just take time to read them,” she said.

About 405 women listened to Tyson and Dr. Kerri Remmel, neurologist and Stroke Center director for the University of Louisville Hospital, talk about issues related to women’s health. Attendees also took advantage of booth exhibits, free health screenings and health information at the 13th annual conference.

“It went really well. The speakers did such a good job,” said community wellness director Linda Rush. “We have women of all ages, professionals from the job force, stay-at-home moms and retired women.”

The conference focuses not only on physical health, but emotional health as well, Rush said.

“We want to make a difference in the quality of life people will have in the future,” she said. “The conference allows women to take time away to focus on laughing and learning things they can do to improve their emotional health.”

Referencing “The Red Bow,” Tyson told of a young girl who doesn’t feel good about herself and visits her grandmother, who gives her a red bow and tells her how pretty she looks to help boost her confidence. As the child walks home, she notices people are noticing her more, and she believes the bow is magic. When she gets home, she receives a call from her grandmother telling her that she dropped her bow right outside her house.

“It was the way she carried herself. She had walked as if she was the most beautiful girl in the world,” Tyson said. “Hold your head high and greet the world with a smile. One of the saddest things I’ve seen in this country is when I see so many women who have lost their joy. It’s your responsibility to remember you are special.”

Tyson told the women to realize that each of them is unique and has purpose, to surround themselves with positive energy, to decide to make a difference, to believe in their dreams, to help others and to walk with their heads held high and greet the world with a smile.

“You were given beautiful gifts so you could make a difference in this world,” she said.

At the same time, she cautioned them to remember that happiness is not connected to material things. She spoke of a time when she left her hectic world behind to move into a small, one-room condo on a beach.

“I realized I didn’t have to be in control. I was never happier in my life because I had everything I needed. I had filled my life with material things,” she said. “I had lost that sense of what life was. I had to go back to the basics. Sometimes getting your energy back means getting out of your own way.”

Remmel talked about strokes in women. Men tend to have typical symptoms – including sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion; trouble speaking or understanding; difficulty seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; or sudden, severe headaches with no known cause. Women might experience those as well as other kinds symptoms, such as face and limb pain at the onset, odd sensations that might feel like water under the skin, lowered level of consciousness and confusion.

“We see this more in women than in men,” she said. “Forty percent of women don’t know the symptoms of a stroke.”

Women take longer to get to a hospital for help and are less likely to have evidence-based care, Remmel said.

“I think we’re the caregivers, and we put up with so much and ignore our own symptoms. We’ve heard women say, ‘I thought it would get better. I had so much to do. It got better the last six times it happened,’ ” she said. “We’ve got to get aggressive and take care of ourselves.”

Angela Sledge of Rockfield and Laura Williams of Bowling Green said they have attended all the conferences except the first two. They said this year’s event was great, and that they learned information that surprised and motivated them.

“I was shocked at (the stroke information),” Sledge said. “The motivational speaker was excellent.”

Williams said the conference speakers are always excellent.

“It’s a great day to be a woman,” she said. “We enjoy it.”

Copyright 2010 News Publishing LLC (Bowling Green, KY)

‘A Day Just for Women’ set to return on Sept. 30

by Alyssa Harvey, The Daily News, originally published on 9/12/2010

Anna Parson and nine other women from the local chapter of the AARP have made sure they are seated together at The Medical Center’s “A Day Just for Women” conference every year for at least the past five years.

“We get a table every year. We enjoy the speakers and just getting together,” Parson said. “The food and booths are really good. You get different free screenings. It’s a wonderful day out.”

Organizers are planning another “wonderful day out” with the 13th annual conference, set from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Sloan Convention Center. Tickets are $50 a person or $450 for a table for 10. The cost includes a continental breakfast and lunch, gifts and a chance to win door prizes. Preregistration is required by Friday.

“We’ll have 40 booth exhibits, free health screenings and a lot of health information. We have products from jewelry to makeup,” said community wellness director Linda Rush. “This is an opportunity for women of all ages to be able to get together and network, enjoy each other’s company and learn about our health. We need to take ownership for our own health.”

This year’s speakers are scheduled to be motivational speaker and author Donna Tyson and Dr. Kerri Remmel, neurologist and Stroke Center director for the University of Louisville Hospital. Remmel will talk about stroke prevention, awareness and treatment, while Tyson will discuss dealing with change and self-esteem.

“I think it will be a day of great empowerment,” Tyson said. “Women will be able to get a bigger perspective and reclaim their joy.”

A motivational speaker for 24 years, Tyson spoke at “A Day Just for Women” a few years ago.

“I’m delighted to get to come back,” she said.

Tyson said dealing with change is a popular topic right now in every industry.

“People have change they didn’t expect and didn’t want,” she said. “I’m going to talk about how to stay centered, how to communicate to other people, how to balance home life and health and not lose their joy.”

In the second session, Tyson will talk about self-esteem, using her book, “The Red Bow,” as a reference. The children’s book tells the story of a young girl who doesn’t feel good about herself and wishes her life to be different. While visiting her grandmother, she receives what she believes to be a magical gift. Tyson will bring copies of the book to autograph and sell. They are also available at her website, www.drtyson.com.

“I feel so blessed to be able to have that story. I feel that any age can relate to it,” she said. “No matter what you’ve gone through in the past or what you’re going through, greet the world with a smile and have a red bow day.”

Rush encourages women to take advantage of the conference.

“It has grown because of word of mouth, the women who have come and enjoyed the day, support from the community and the quality of speakers we’ve been able to bring in,” she said. “Get a little pampering, enjoy the information and just enjoy being together.”

— For more information, call 745-1010 or 800-624-2318 or e-mail info@mcbg.org.

Copyright 2010 News Publishing LLC (Bowling Green, KY)

Medical field is a calling for Ross

by Alyssa Harvey, The Daily News, originally published on 9/11/2010

Brookie Ross’ love of all things medical began with family.

“I’ve always been interested in the medical field,” she said. “My aunt is a nurse. I’ve always admired what she does for a living.”

It wasn’t a surprise that when she began working as a nurse’s assistant at The Medical Center at Scottsville, she decided to do in-house training to become a certified nurse’s assistant.

“(Commonwealth Health Corp., the parent company of The Medical Centers at Scottsville, Bowling Green and Franklin) has an in-house certification. I did on-the-job training,” she said. “You have to job shadow for a certain number of days before you can touch a patient and take the state exam to be certified.”

That was about 12 years ago. Ross is now an emergency room technician and registration clerk at The Medical Center at Scottsville. Ross said her job requires her to be a jack of all trades. Some of her duties include stocking and ordering, completing patient-related paperwork and assisting the doctors in things such as suturing and flu swabs.

“I’m their gofer,” she said, laughing. “I do whatever I can do to assist the nurses and make their jobs easier.”

Her dream is to become a nurse. Ross has been a part-time nursing student at Western Kentucky University for about four semesters while being a full-time mother and working full time.

“I’m doing general education requirements now,” she said. “I hope to get into the nursing program in the spring semester.”

Being a nontraditional student has helped her focus on goals.

“It’s different. I enjoy it,” she said. “I see where I need to be now.”

Ross said most jobs she has held have been in the medical field. She has worked in a doctor’s office as a registration person and medical assistant. At CHC alone, she has had various positions. She was a nurse’s assistant at The Medical Center at Scottsville for about two years. Next, she worked in pediatrics and dialysis at The Medical Center at Bowling Green for about a year. She returned to Scottsville to work at Urgent Care, which is now the Scottsville Rural Health Clinic, as a registration clerk for four years. She then moved to her current position, where she has been for six years.

“I have been to all the CHC hospitals except (The Medical Center at) Franklin,” she said.

Ross said there are many things she likes about her job, including the encouragement she gets from her co-workers and the fact that they are like a family and work as a team.

“It’s a wonderful place to work. The benefits are great. My co-workers are great,” she said. “I can be close to home and be near my children if they need me. It’s a fulfilling job. In the ER, you get to see all kinds of interesting things.”

Copyright 2010 News Publishing LLC (Bowling Green, KY)

Seasonal flu shot this year packs punch: Vaccine designed to fight off three viruses

by Alyssa Harvey, The Daily News, originally published on 9/10/2010

Local medical officials are preparing for the upcoming flu season with a new universal vaccine designed to protect against three different common flu strains.

“Unlike last year, when we had to get two shots to make sure everyone was covered for the regular flu and H1N1, this year’s vaccine has combined all of them,” said Melinda Joyce, corporate director of pharmacy at The Medical Center.

While past flu vaccines have been strongly suggested to certain populations – including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses and the elderly, who are at high risk for complications of the flu – this year’s vaccine is being recommended for anyone ages 6 months and older.

“Children who have never received the vaccine need two doses at least 28 days apart,” said Teresa Casey, nurse program manager for the Communicable Disease Team at the Barren River District Health Department. “Infants younger than 6 months old can’t get the shot, so it’s important that people with children get vaccinated so they won’t pass anything to them.”

People ages 65 and older might be able to get a higher dose of vaccination, said Jennifer Hunt, director of infection prevention at Greenview Regional Hospital.

“They are among a higher risk group of people who die from complications of the flu. A study shows they benefit from it because it gives four times immunity,” she said. “The other (vaccine) doesn’t give as much coverage. They should talk to their health care providers.”

A few people need to be careful about getting the flu vaccine, including those who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, anyone who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome from a previous flu vaccine and children under 6 months old, Joyce said. She has also been asked if a person should receive the vaccine if they have a fever.

“Most of the time if someone is running a fever and have other moderate to severe symptoms, they need to wait until the fever is gone,” she said. “Sometimes the fever itself can cause the flu vaccine to not be as effective.”

People can’t catch the flu from the injectable vaccine, Hunt said.

“Keep in mind that once you get the vaccine, it takes two weeks to build up immunity,” she said. “If you come in contact with someone with flu, you can still catch it.”

Medical officials have received calls about vaccine availability and don’t anticipate a shortage this year.

“We are starting to get vaccine in our eight local health departments,” Casey said. “We’re planning for early October flu clinics.”

Some places are already giving the vaccines, but Hunt cautions people to consider the timing of flu season, which is from November through May.

“You want the vaccine to protect you during the flu season,” she said. “If you get it too early, it may not protect you throughout the entire six months.”

Besides getting the vaccines, CDC and the local officials are urging people to protect themselves and others from the flu by stopping germs and using antiviral drugs.

“Influenza is a virus and not bacteria,” Hunt said. “Don’t ask for an antibiotic because they only work on bacteria.”

Covering coughs and sneezes and proper handwashing with soap and water or an alcohol cleanser is a must, Hunt said.

“Wash your hands for 15 to 20 seconds with soap and water, and try to remember not to touch the faucets after your hands are clean,” she said. “Turn them off with a paper towel or your elbow. You may come in contact with the same organisms you just flushed down the sink.”

Rest is also important, Casey said.

“If you’re sick, stay home,” she said. “If your kids are sick, keep them at home.”

— For more information about flu vaccines, contact your health care provider or pharmacy or visit the CDC website at www.flu.gov.

Symptoms of flu

According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu is a serious contagious disease that can lead to hospitalization and death. Flu-like symptoms include:

•fever

•cough

•sore throat

•runny or stuffy nose

•body aches

•headache

•chills

•fatigue

•Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu and have respiratory symptoms without the fever.

Copyright 2010 News Publishing LLC (Bowling Green, KY)