The Mercy Touch® Magazine
Winter 2014
The Mercy Touch magazine features insightful and practical medical information, warm human interest stories, medical triumphs, medical breakthroughs and new technologies at Mercy Medical Center. Sign up to get it in the mail.
Homing in on Better Health
Moving from Marion to a new home in Cedar Rapids led Howard and Ilene Simanek also to move their medical home to the more conveniently located MercyCare Edgewood, under the care of Greg W. Hayes, MD. That decision led to a big improvement in Howard’s overall health – the most immediately recognizable one being his weight loss, from 319 to 188 pounds. Read more.
Worth the Wait
Morgan Kimbrough is ready to get on with his life – after dialysis. He’s been making the trip to Mercy Dialysis Center in northeast Cedar Rapids three times a week, four hours at a time, for the past 3½ years. If you do the math, that’s a total of more than 2,000 hours spent connected to a dialysis machine. Read more.
"I Am Not Alone."
The realization that she wasn’t alone was a lifechanging moment for Deborah Woock, a participant in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) offered through Mercy Medical Center at Geneva Tower, located in downtown Cedar Rapids. The free, six-week CDSMP workshop is held periodically at Geneva Tower to help improve the health of the elderly and/or disabled adults living there. Read more.
Treating Mind, Body & Spirit
Mercy’s new Integrative Medicine Center combines conventional medicine with evidence-based, complementary and alternative approaches to healing under the direction of Suzanne Bartlett, MD, FACOG. “Mercy’s vision is to be a place where patients come to improve their health, not just a place to come when they’re sick. This mindset sets Mercy apart and I’m thrilled to join them in providing a new type of service to patients,” says Dr. Bartlett. Read more.
She's Got Spirit (Yes, She Does)
Their eyes say it all. Tiffany Kuehl’s are tear-filled, flooded with concern for her daughter. Crystal Kuehl’s are steely, reflecting determination and a tenacious spirit. Crystal, 21, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2013 at age 20. She spent the past summer fighting for her life. Read part 1 and part 2.
Life-Saving Teamwork
One minute Chris Ward was unloading camping gear; the next minute, an aortic aneurysm stopped him in his tracks. Today, the 30-year-old Anamosa man is thankful for the remarkable collaboration of highly skilled cardiologists, led by Mercy Medical Center, who saved his life. Read more.
A Step Ahead of Diabetes
Changing lifestyle habits can be difficult, especially when it comes to your health. But Allen and Sheryl Tjelmeland of Ely did just that – and enjoyed it. By learning to eat healthy foods in appropriate portions and exercise regularly, they may be able to prevent developing type 2 diabetes. This spring, Allen Tjelmeland, 67, decided to get a health check-up. Read more.
Get Covered
Act now: All U.S. citizens must have health insurance beginning January 1, 2014. If you don’t have insurance now, shop the new Iowa Health Insurance Marketplace. It has Qualified Health Plans that meet the federal government’s standards — and your needs. Find the Marketplace online at: www.healthcare.gov. Read more.
Custom-Built Care
A “medical home” is a team-based approach to providing coordinated healthcare from a relational view, beginning with your primary care provider and extending to affiliated hospitals and specialists. It puts you at the center of all of your points of care, starting at birth and continuing throughout your entire life. Read more.
Traveling Light
Mary Tredway used to dread going to the doctor, especially when it came to being weighed. She was embarrassed about her weight, but the ultimate humiliation occurred when she stepped on the doctor’s scale and realized it didn’t even go high enough to weigh her anymore. Read more.
Positive Results Delivered
As Ericka Johnson’s excitement about the impending birth of her baby girl grew, so did her nagging cough. About two weeks from her delivery date, the North Liberty resident went to MercyCare North Liberty Urgent Care for some relief from her cough. Read more.
