May 17, 4:00-9:00 p.m. Preakness® Celebration Hot Air Balloon Festival. Come to an exciting, family-friendly celebration with enchanting balloon glows, tethered rides and balloon flights, walk-thru balloons, arts and crafts and great local food. Located at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center. For more information- click on the link!

May 17 or May 22. Living With Diabetes.  Have you recently been diagnosed with diabetes or have you been living with diabetes and would like to improve your health? Our diabetes specialists will teach you how to change your habits, give you practical, attainable solutions for staying healthy and design a diabetes management plan to fit your lifestyle. Living with Diabetes is a two-day, interactive, group course taught by an endocrinologist, diabetes nurse educator, dietitian, psychologist, podiatrist, and exercise specialist. Choose a day program or a condensed evening program. Day classes are held Friday and the following Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Evening classes are held Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 -9:00 p.m. Most insurance plans cover all or part of this program.  The Bolduc Family Outpatient Center at Howard County General Hospital. For more information or to register, please call 443-718-3000

May 18, 10:30 a.m. Caregiver’s Support Group. Meets on the third Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m.- noon or the first Tuesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. FREE. Registration is required.  Call the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center at 410 740-5858 for more information.

May 18. 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Springing Up Healthy. Howard County General Hospital (HCGH) hosts a free family health event at The Mall in Columbia, featuring community experts, topics and activities to help kids stay healthy, active and safe. Sample a selection of healthy food from Panera Bread and Williams-Sonoma. Enter drawings for an iPad courtesy of HCGH, a bicycle and helmet from Sears and a gift certificate from SA Elite.

May 18, 2:00 p.m. Math Circle. Are you good at math? Do you love numbers? Join the HCLS Math Circle at the East Columbia Branch to learn about patterns and intricacies in the world of mathematics. Use logic and problem solving skills to solve brain teasing problems. Ages 11-14. Register online or by calling 410.313.7700.

May 18, 4:00 p.m. Calling All Volunteers. Volunteering is good for you, so be sure to sign up at the Miller Branch to make reading fun for kids and earn service learning hours. Volunteers assist HCLS instructors with the summer reading club and other tasks. To register for this orientation session, submit a volunteer application to the teen instructor at the branch where you would like to volunteer. Accepted applicants will be contacted to confirm registration. Ages 13-17. Register by calling 410.313.1950. Offered again 5/22 at 7:00 p.m. Also offered on 5/24 at 4:00 p.m. at the East Columbia Branch; register by calling 410.313.7700.

May 20, 10:15 & 11:15 a.m. Twist and Shout. Music and movement for little ones with an adult at the Elkridge Branch. 30 min. Ages infant-5. No registration required.

May 20, 10:30- 12:00 p.m. HCGH Benefit Golf Classic The premiere golf fundraising event in Howard County. Winner of hole-in-one challenge will win a car from title sponsor, Apple Ford Lincoln. 10:30 a.m. – registration/putting contest. 12:00 p.m. – tee off at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center

May 20, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Blood Pressure Screening. Free, walk-in blood pressure screening and monitoring at the Glenwood Branch offered by Howard County General Hospital. 1st & 3rd Mondays. A Well & Wise event. No registration required.

May 20, 4:30 p.m. Baseball Twist & Shout. Grand slam music and movement activities at the Glenwood Branch that are sure to hit a home run! Ages 2-5 with adult; 30 min.  Register online or by calling 410.313.5579. Offered again at 7:00 p.m.;  register online or by calling 410.313.5579. Offered again 5/21 at 10:30 a.m.;  register online or by calling 410.313.5579. Offered one more time on 5/21 at 11:30 a.m.;  register online or by calling 410.313.5579

May 20, 6:30 p.m. Good Decision Making: A Lifelong Skill for All of Us. Two-part series at the Miller Branch; register for each session separately. Our quality of life depends on decisions we make. Learning how to make good decisions is fundamental to our physical, psychological, professional, financial, and spiritual well-being. Dr. Gopal Dorai–author, economist, financial consultant, and Professor Emeritus at William Paterson University, New Jersey–explores the basic principles governing decision-making techniques. Part 2 will be presented May 21, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Register online or by calling 410.313.1950.

May 20, 7-8:30 p.m. Common Gastrointestinal Conditions. Learn about common gastrointestinal issues, screening recommendations, and treatment approaches to conditions that can be a sign of something more serious. Presented by gastroenterologist Preston Kim, M.D. Free. HCGH Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Drive, Columbia. Click on the link to register, or call 410 740-7601 for more information.

May 20, 7:00 p.m. What’s in Season? Eating seasonally and locally can benefit you and our community. John Dove of Love Dove Farms and Chef Paul Dongarra of Dionysus Kitchen join forces at the Miller Branch to teach you about making delicious, seasonally fresh meals.  Register online or by calling 410.313.1950.

May 21, 10;15 & 11:30 a.m. Baby Sign & Play. Learn basic signs in American Sign Language at the Central Branch. Ages 6-23 months with adult; 30 min. Six-week series. Ticket s available at Children’s Desk 15-30 minutes before class.

May 21, 10:15 & 11:30 a.m. The World Around Me: Me And My Family. A class at the East Columbia Branch exploring simple social studies concepts inspired by children’s literature. Focus on different family members each week through stories and crafts. Multi-week series. Ages 3-5; 45 min. Tickets available at Children’s Desk 15-30 minutes before class.

May 21, 4:30 & 7:00 p.m. Bike Safety. Celebrate American Bike Month at the Miller Branch by learning about bike safety with staff from Race Pace Bicycles. Ages 6 & up; 45 min. A Well & Wise event. Tickets available at Children’s Desk 15-30 minutes before class.

May 21, 6:30 p.m. Good Decision Making: A Lifelong Skill for All of Us. Two-part series at the Miller Branch; register for each session separately. Different stages in the life cycle require appropriate, age-specific decisions. While it is impossible to avoid all mistakes, careful planning can minimize regrets and losses. Dr. Dorai explores strategies to achieve the best possible outcomes. Register online or by calling 410.313.1950.

May 21, 7-8:30 p.m. Rewiring Your Neural Pathways of Emotion. Did you know that emotions affect our health, outlook, and well-being?  Participants will examine their own current emotional response patterns and learn how to use the tools of imagery, visualization, and meditation to promote positive change and optimal ways of being. HCGH Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Drive, Columbia. Click on the link to register, or call 410 740-7601 for more information.

May 22, 2:00 p.m. Just for Me. A class at the Miller Branch for children ages 3-5 who are ready for an independent class that includes creative expression, listening comprehension, and early reading skills. 30 min. Tickets available at Children’s Desk 15-30 minutes before class.

May 22, 7:00 p.m. Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden. Pat Greenwald comes to the Miller Branch to reveal which plants and physical environment best attract nature’s loveliest insects to your backyard. University of Maryland Extension – Howard County Master Gardeners. Register online or by calling 410.313.1950.

May 22, 7:00 p.m. Are You Covered? Sue Rogan, Director of Financial Education at Maryland CASH Campaign, presents an interactive seminar at the Savage Branch on homeowners, car, and other types of property insurance. Determine if you are properly insured. In partnership with Howard County Financial Education Alliance and Maryland CASH Campaign. A “Your Money” event. Register online or by calling 410.880.5980.

May 23, 4:30 p.m. Enchanted Garden Club. Discover the joys of gardening at the Miller Branch. Learn gardening basics, grow flowers and vegetables from seeds, and help plan and maintain beds in our Enchanted Garden. Ages 9-11; 90 min. Registration and signed release form required.Click here for the May 23 Let’s Plant a Pizza Garden release form. Register online or by calling 410.313.1950.

May 23, 6:00 p.m. Engineering Club. Tinker with springs, pulleys, Lego® bricks, and duct tape while creating rockets, roller coasters, and other gadgets in a team environment at the East Columbia Branch. Ages 11-17. Register online or by calling 410.313.7700.

May 23, 7-8:30 p.m.  Living with Breast Cancer. This group is designed to meet the needs of breast cancer patients with a Stage IV diagnosis. This safe, welcoming group provides encouragement, support and education and meets on the 4^th Thursday of each month. FREE. HCGH Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center. Call 410 964-9100 x5 for more information and to register.

May 23, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Smoke-Free Lungs. Want to give up smoking but don’t know where to begin? Learn tips for quitting your tobacco habit and mastering long-term success. This program provides support and education for those wanting to quit as well as support for those who have already quit. Choose to attend one or all of the sessions. HCGH Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Drive, Columbia. Click on the link to register, or call 410 740-7601 for more information.

May 25, 10-11:30. Together We Thrive. Patient support group offered for men and women diagnosed with cancer, where participants can share, explore, and be encouraged in a safe environment. This group meets the 4^th Saturday of each month. FREE. HCGH Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center.  Call 410 740-5858 for more information and to register.

May 31, Relay for Life. Want to have some fun while doing something meaningful for the Howard County community. Join the HCGH Healing Angels on May 31 for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. This fun filled event will be held at Long Reach High School at 6:30 p.m. and will be complete with entertainment, food, walking and hope. This event gives our community an opportunity to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those who have lost those who have lost their lives to cancer and fight back against this disease.  Would you like a chance at a winning a new car? We are selling raffle tickets for $5 for a chance to win a new Mazda6. Call Maia Alloy at 410. 740-7601 for more information on the relay and the raffle tickets.

Cancer is a word heard far too often in our community.

That is why we are fighting back against this disease with our longtime friend and partner – the American Cancer Society – by encouraging you to consider taking part in one of their biggest research projects to date made possible in partnership with Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT), Howard County Wellness Center, Roger Carter Recreation Center, St. Agnes Hospital and UnitedHealthcare.

During the week of June 9-15, 2013, the Howard County community will have the opportunity to enroll in Cancer Prevention Study (CPS-3), a nationwide effort of the American Cancer Society to help researchers better understand the lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors that may cause or prevent cancer. The study’s goal is to recruit a diverse group of 300,000 Americans across the U.S.

County Executive Ken Ulman is encouraging Howard County residents to set a record and enroll 1,000 participants in CPS-3.

If you are between 30 and 65 years old, are willing to make the commitment to the study, and have never been diagnosed with cancer (with the exception of basal and squamous cell skin cancer), you are eligible to enroll. If you don’t meet the eligibility requirements, your significant participation comes from telling everyone you know about the opportunity to help prevent cancer.

Enrollment takes place June 9-15 at these Howard County locations.

St. Agnes Hospital 
900 South Caton Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21229: In Maryland Metabolic Institute (MMI) Conference Room
Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 8:30 am -12:00 pm

UnitedHealthcare
 6095 Marshalee Drive, Suite 200, Elkridge, MD 21075: In Oriole Park/Ravens Roost Room
Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT)
6711 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD 21046: In Sustainability Suite, 1st Floor
Wednesday, June 12, 2013, 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

Howard County General Hospital’s Wellness Center 
10710 Charter Drive, Columbia, MD 21044: In Suite 100, Ellicott Mills Room
Wednesday, June 12, 2013, 4:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Roger Carter Recreation Center 
3676 Fels Lane, Ellicott City, MD 21043: In Multipurpose Room
Thursday, June 13, 2013, 4:00 pm – 7:30 pm

If you are interested in enrolling, please follow these simple steps:

1. Visit www.CPS3HowardCounty.org or call 1-888-604-5888 to schedule an enrollment appointment. The appointment should take 20-30 minutes. You will be emailed a confirmation with instructions to complete your first, most comprehensive survey regarding medications you are taking, family history of cancer, etc.

2. At your appointment, you will sign an informed consent form, complete a brief survey, provide a waist circumference measurement, and give a small blood sample.

3. Once enrolled, you will be asked to complete mailed surveys from the American Cancer Society every few years over the next 20-30 years to update lifestyle, medical and behavioral information.

This is our chance to fight back against a disease that takes too much. We sincerely hope you will take part in this historic study and share this message with all those you know who want to join this fight and make cancer history in Howard County.

Learn more at cancer.org/cps3 or visit www.CPS3HowardCounty.org to join today.

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Nick with his Mom, Dad and two older sisters.

William Nicholas Koutrelakos (Nick) was a sophomore and a standout varsity soccer player at Marriotts Ridge High School, when an ordinary soccer game took a life-threatening turn. His father Nick Koutrelakos, M.D., an HCGH medical oncologist, describes what happened: “It was late in the game against Oakland Mills, and my son took a shot to the belly and went down. Nick never goes down, so I knew he had been hit hard. Marriotts Ridge won the match shortly thereafter, but my son did not run out with his teammates.” Dr. Koutrelakos knew something was wrong, and, when he approached his son, his fears were confirmed. “He said, ‘Dad, something is wrong. I was hit hard, and I have this bad pain in my left shoulder.’ I told him right then he must’ve ruptured his spleen.”

Immediately, Nick’s mother, Susan Lancelotta, also a physician, called 9-1-1 and he was taken to the HCGH Pediatric Emergency Department. Although Nick didn’t appear very sick on the ride over, within minutes of arrival, his condition quickly deteriorated. He was faint and losing blood, his blood pressure dropped, and his hematocrit was low. The staff gave him blood transfusions. When they realized he wasn’t stable enough to transport to a trauma center, they made plans to operate. “He was fading,” Koutrelakos says. “I told him, ‘You have to hold on, I promise you will survive this.’” Surgeon Susan Behen, M.D. was called in and she called Deepak Merchant, M.D. to assist in the surgery.

Nick continued to receive blood transfusions as surgeons worked to save his spleen. They realized that Nick’s spleen was “boggy,” and tests were ordered to determine if he had mononucleosis – a disease that primarily affects adolescents and young adults and leaves the spleen susceptible to injuries. The surgeons worked quickly to repair the lacerations and, despite complications, were able to save it. “The surgery was a work of art between the two of them,” Dr. Koutrelakos says. “They got the work done, they saved his life.”

After the surgery, Nick spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – one of the first kids his age to stay there. His parents took turns sleeping in Nick’s room, and, after he was stable, he was moved to the pediatric inpatient unit for two days, where Nurse Eva Von Bernstorff took great care of him. Test results confirmed mononucleosis, and Nick faced three more weeks of recovery at home.

Dr. Koutrelakos knows they were lucky. “He would’ve died if someone hadn’t recognized the symptoms so quickly. Sometimes, parents aren’t sure with that kind of injury and they take their child home and put them to bed and that’s it. The child doesn’t wake up.”

Today, Nick is a junior at the University of Maryland majoring in supply chain management and marketing. His parents have made adjustments. Now at least one of them is in town for every high school game for their youngest child. And, while they realize they can’t control every situation, they know that they can count on HCGH in an emergency. “The hospital does a great job recognizing the emergency and mobilizing the resources needed. Resources were immediately available when we needed them. There is not another community hospital around that can do what this hospital can do. The people here are really well trained; they live in the community, and they work in the community.”

Today, Howard County General Hospital’s new pediatric general surgery service enables children and their families to be treated closer to home for most routine surgeries in children, such as inguinal hernias, minor trauma, appendicitis, gallbladder disease and removal of masses. Additionally, our surgical specialists can perform the latest minimally invasive procedures.  For more information about our pediatric general surgery service, as well as questions about common childhood surgeries such as appendicitis, visit our website. 

Dear Well & Wise,

You’ve tried to sell us on the health benefits of gardening and poetry and even love stories, but what’s with all the math and science classes in your Friday’s events listings?

Sincerely,

Skeptical Reader

Dear SR (who is in no way imaginary),

One lesson many of us have learned from working on the blog is that there are a surprising number of things that can benefit your health if done right (the flipside, of course, being that even things that are supposed to be healthy, like exercise and sunshine, can hurt you if done wrong). But it is almost as if humans, at our basic core, are meant to engage in activities that are ultimately beneficial: little slakes thirst better than water; as kids we like to run and be active; most people do crave companionship and time spent in nature, etc.

That’s not to say many people are chomping at the bit to solve quadratic equations or bust out some quantum physics theories. Although, we have seen an increase in the interest in S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), especially since the White House’s call to Educate to Innovate, through everything from Howard County Public School System’s increased focus on it to events such as the STEMtech Conference. And, of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention HiTech, HCLS’ STEM Digital Media Lab for teens and classes.

So yes, this new focus on S.T.E.M. is good for us as a nation, but what about as individuals. Well, we know that doctors and nurses depend very strongly on math and science for their jobs, which benefits us, and that innovations in S.T.E.M. have lead to everything from new medicines, to ergonomically designed tools and furniture, to robots that can do some of our more dangerous jobs for us, and many more life-saving and life-enhancing contributions. BUT that’s not all. There is evidence of  links between good mental health and academic excellence (of which math and science play an important part). And many feel that studying math and science can improve critical/analytical-thinking skills and can also improve confidence, literacy, and overall levels of achievement. So S.T.E.M. studies are good for us; that’s our story, and we’re sticking with it.

Sincerely,

Well & Wise

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May 11, 11:00 a.m. Seeds to Sunflowers. Sunflowers add beauty to our garden and provide food for wildlife. Listen to stories, learn interesting sunflower facts, and help plant a sunflower patch in our Enchanted Garden at the Miller Branch. Take home sunflower seeds to plant at home and return in the fall for a sunflower show and tell! Ages 7-9; 45 min. Registration and signed release form required.Click here for the release form.  Register online or by calling 410.313.1950

May 11, 3:00 p.m. Calling All Volunteers. Volunteering is good for you. Make reading fun for kids and earn service learning hours. Volunteers assist HCLS instructors with the summer reading club and other tasks. To register for this orientation session at the Elkridge Branch, submit a volunteer application to the teen instructor at the branch where you would like to volunteer. Accepted applicants will be contacted to confirm registration. Ages 13-17. Offered again 5/13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Elkridge and Central Branches.Register by calling 410.313.5088, or 410.313.7800.

May 13, 7-8:30 p.m. Healthy Weight, Healthy You, Part 2 –Kitchen Wisdom. They say that variety is the spice of life! In part two of our Healthy Weight, Healthy You series, sample foods and learn how to spice up healthy meals with herbs and spices for a variety of taste. Free. Register for one or both parts. HCGH Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Drive, Columbia. Click on the link to register, or call 410 740-7601 for more information.

May 13, 10:15 & 11:15 a.m. Twist and Shout. Music and movement for little ones with an adultat the Elkridge Branch. 30 min. Ages infant-5. No registration required.

May 13, 12:30-3:00 p.m. Blood Pressure Screening. Free, walk-in blood pressure screening and monitoring at the Savage Branch offered by Howard County General Hospital. 2nd Mondays. A Well & Wise event. No registration required.

May 13, 6:30 p.m. Invitation to the Ballet. Students of Misako Ballet perform classical ballet and contemporary dances at the Central Branch. Children from the audience may learn a quick piece and perform it. Register online or by calling 410.313.7880.

May 13, 7:00 p.m. Day Trippin’. Do a little armchair traveling at the Glenwood Branch and learn about public gardens & natural spaces an easy drive from Howard County. Presented by Master Gardeners. Register online or by calling 410.313.5577.

May 16-17, 4:00-9:00 p.m. Preakness® Celebration Hot Air Balloon Festival. Come to an exciting, family-friendly celebration with enchanting balloon glows, tethered rides and balloon flights, walk-thru balloons, arts and crafts and great local food. Located at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center. For more information- click on the link!

May 16, 6:00 p.m. Engineering Club. Tinker with springs, pulleys, Lego® bricks, and duct tape while creating rockets, roller coasters, and other gadgets in a team environment at the East Columbia Branch. Ages 11-17. Register online or by calling 410.313.7700

May 16, 7:00 p.m. Ready, Set, Grow! Through hands-on activities at the Savage Branch learn to plant your own garden, either in your backyard or in a container. Then make a craft. Ages 6 & up; 45 – 60 min. Register online or by calling 410.880.5978.

May 17, 2:00 p.m. Meet Authors with Girl Power. Come to the Central Branch and celebrate the wonder of being a girl and having the freedom to follow your dreams. Meet authors Elisabeth Dahl, Erica S. Perl, Shawn K. Stout, and Elissa Brent Weissman, whose dynamic characters stand up for their beliefs, and learn valuable lessons about growing up. Books available for purchase and signing. Refreshments. Ages 8-12; 60 min. A Meet the Author event. Register online or by calling 410.313.7880.

May 17, 2:00 & 2:45 p.m. Dig: Discovery in Gardening. Join members of the Split Rail Garden Club at the Miller Branch to discover the magic of seeds. Ages 5-7; 30 min. (Ho. Co. schools closed.) Register online or by calling 410.313.1950.

May 17, 3:30 p.m. Be A Mad Scientist. Use everyday household items at the Savage Branch to create slime, flubber, and gunk, and learn the science behind how they are made. Ages 9-13; 90 min. No registration required.

May 17 or May 22. Living With Diabetes.  Have you recently been diagnosed with diabetes or have you been living with diabetes and would like to improve your health? Our diabetes specialists will teach you how to change your habits, give you practical, attainable solutions for staying healthy and design a diabetes management plan to fit your lifestyle. Living with Diabetes is a two-day, interactive, group course taught by an endocrinologist, diabetes nurse educator, dietitian, psychologist, podiatrist, and exercise specialist. Choose a day program or a condensed evening program. Day classes are held Friday and the following Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Evening classes are held Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 -9:00 p.m. Most insurance plans cover all or part of this program.  The Bolduc Family Outpatient Center at Howard County General Hospital. For more information or to register, please call 443-718-3000

May 18, 10:30 a.m. Caregiver’s Support Group. Meets on the third Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m.- noon or the first Tuesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. FREE. Registration is required.  Call the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center at 410 740-5858 for more information.

May 18. 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Springing Up Healthy. Howard County General Hospital (HCGH) hosts a free family health event at The Mall in Columbia, featuring community experts, topics and activities to help kids stay healthy, active and safe. Sample a selection of healthy food from Panera Bread and Williams-Sonoma. Enter drawings for an iPad courtesy of HCGH, a bicycle and helmet from Sears and a gift certificate from SA Elite.

May 20, 10:30- 12:00 p.m. HCGH Benefit Golf Classic The premiere golf fundraising event in Howard County. Winner of hole-in-one challenge will win a car from title sponsor, Apple Ford Lincoln. 10:30 a.m. – registration/putting contest. 12:00 p.m. – tee off at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center

May 20, 7-8:30 p.m. Common Gastrointestinal Conditions. Learn about common gastrointestinal issues, screening recommendations, and treatment approaches to conditions that can be a sign of something more serious. Presented by gastroenterologist Preston Kim, M.D. Free. HCGH Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Drive, Columbia. Click on the link to register, or call 410 740-7601 for more information.

A good resource, but not the only resource.

The other day, a mom-to-be approached the Research Desk in a bit of a panic. “All of your copies of What to Expect When You’re Expecting are checked out!” Now it is true that What to Expect When You’re Expecting is one of the most requested titles by future moms, and with good reason. According to the book description it “is a perennial New York Times bestseller and one of USA Today’s 25 most influential books of the past 25 years. It’s read by more than 90% of pregnant women who read a pregnancy book–the most iconic, must-have book for parents-to-be, with over 14.5 million copies in print.”

High praise, indeed, but if it’s not on the shelf and you want it that day, there are other fish in the sea. Take, for example, the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Health Pregnancy. Publishers Weekly stated, “Would-be mothers looking for precise, accurate information from a reputable source will appreciate this mammoth pregnancy guide…most readers will find great reassurance this volume’s carefully vetted facts.” And The Joy of Pregnancy: The Complete, Candid, and Reassuring Guide for Parents to Be is another popular and trusted source.

There’s also The Pregnancy Bible: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Early Parenthood and Your Pregnancy Week By Week. Both of which not only give you tips on a health pregnancy, but also gives you a weekly progress report on what’s going on in there.

Of course if you want a little humor to go with your advice, there’s always The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy or The Mother of All Pregnancy Books. And you can always put the future papa to work with The Expectant Father: Facts,Tips, and Advice for Dads-To-Be. But that’s just a small sampling. There are many more good pregnancy guides as well as many that deal with very specific areas of pregnancy such as diet or high-risk pregnancies. Be sure to stop by any branch of HCLS for even more options.

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National Nurses Week 2013

The art and science of nursing:  then and now

When Judy Siegelman started working at HCGH in 1979, the field of nursing was very different from what it is today. “Back then, you could easily move to a different hospital, even in a different state, and orientation was not an issue. Now we have to learn a whole new system of technology,” remarked Siegelman. While new practices make nursing more complicated and require a much higher learning curve, in the end, the art of nursing is still about caring for patients, being their advocates and looking out for their safety.

Admiration for her mother, who was also a nurse, convinced Siegelman to go into the same profession. She received her diploma from Albany Medical Center School of Nursing in 1966 and began her career there as a pediatric nurse. After that, she worked in several different states in both community and teaching hospitals as well as in public health. “When I came to HCGH in 1979, I found the best of all worlds. The nursing care and doctors here were on the leading edge and HCGH was a very progressive community hospital – right in my own backyard. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”

Siegelman was assigned to work at “Unit A” in Lorien Nursing Home where HCGH rented space for Medical/Surgical and Psychiatric units. “At that time, the units were not self-contained, so patients could go from one unit to the other. Things could get pretty interesting,” she noted. After several moves and renovations, in 1997 the unit moved to 4 South, which is Medical/Surgical and Oncology.

Originally, there were 30 beds on the unit with a ratio of one nurse and assistant for every 15 patients. “It was manageable then,” said Siegelman. “Patients were not as acutely ill as they are today; they stayed longer to convalesce.”  In 1985, Siegelman became nurse manager of the unit and Jon Minford, M.D., brought his oncology practice to Columbia and started admitting patients for chemotherapy.   “Back then, patients were almost always sick after treatment.” Chemotherapy today is vastly different because of wonderful advances in preventing and managing side effects, and newer drugs are better tolerated. This allows most chemotherapy to be outpatient.

Asked if certain patients stand out in memory, Siegelman mentioned a 36-year-old man who was getting chemo for colon cancer. “He pulled all the stops to get what he wanted, but he was funny, unique and had a great attitude. He asked for me as his nurse every time he was admitted. He had very aggressive disease and did not do well, but we never talked about death.  One day near the end, he asked me if I would please come to his funeral.  Of course, I did. He died at 37. I learned a valuable lesson about crucial conversations from him.”

In 2003 Siegelman experienced the other side of patient care at HCGH when she needed a hemicolectomy for colon cancer. “Dr. Parikh saved my life,” she said. “I was here for a week and everyone took excellent care of me and looked out for my privacy.” In 2012, she needed a knee replacement after an injury during “Snowmagaeddon.” “I’d heard horror stories about knee replacements and tried to put it off, but it was the right thing to do. The JAS staff was wonderful, and I highly recommend the care at HCGH. I could be the poster child for knee replacements!” she added.

Judy Siegelman, today.

In closing, Siegelman said, “There is both art and science in the practice of nursing. The science is what you bring out of nursing school; the art is what you develop through experience. Now we have to add technology as a critical element for nursing. The monitors, IV pumps – even the beds— are all computerized.”   Siegelman noted that, years ago, only one or two types of nursing were considered specialties, but now all types of nursing are specialties. “I am happy to see Medical/Surgical now recognized as such, because these nurses deserve that recognition.”

While nursing technology, theories and practices continue to evolve and change, the essential care that nurses provide does not. They are still truly the care givers.

(photo of Judy from 83-84 Annual Report and photo of her now as nurse manager in her office)