Live Younger Longer - Summer 2012

www.uvmc.org | www.howardhospital.org 1

LIVEyounger | LONGER

more insidesummer 2012

Advanced Wound Center: Saving Life and LimbStroke Drug Saves Ukiah WomanFinding the Me in Menopause

Brought to you by

ADVENTIST HEALTH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NETWORK AND UKIAH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER AND HOWARD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

WHEN

SECONDS COUNT

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From the moment you walk into Howard Memorial Hospital and Ukiah Valley Medical Center, we want you to experience peace and healing.

F rom the images on our walls to the care you receive, we want your time with us to be rewarding, memorable, cherishable, unforgettable and treasured. Whether you’re at the beginning stages of life or at its end, we’re focusing more deeply on what

matters most: supporting each of you along life’s journey.

We have a passion for making life better, one caring act at a time. Beyond simply treating illness, our goal is to empower every member of our community to take an active part in achieving the best possible health. We believe health and wellness matter, for each of us, for all of us.

Live Younger Longer is a description of a life that is active, engaged and satisfying – a life lived to the fullest. It encompasses not only top quality health care, but also the best in prevention. It encompasses working together to address the interrelated needs that make up a whole person, as well as employing innovation and vision to help people create healthy lifestyles that support their dreams and ambitions.

Enjoy these pages as we support each of you toward optimal health and wellness.

SUPPORTING YOU ALONG LIFE’S JOURNEY

| In this Issue |

Live Younger Longer is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of Ukiah Valley Medical Center and Howard Memorial Hospital.

Gwen Matthews, CEO of Ukiah Valley Medical Center Rick Bockmann, CEO of Howard Memorial Hospital Keith Dobbs, Administrative Director of Marketing Nick Bejarano, Marketing Manager Kristen Meadows, Marketing Specialist Cecilia Winiger, Creative Specialist

Information in Live Younger Longer comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. If you need a doctor call 800-540-3611.

Images may be from one or more of these sources: ©Thinkstock, ©iStock, ©Fotolia. Cover images by Melissa Cramer Photography. ©2012

Live Younger Longer

The Singing Hairdresser .........................p3

Saving Life and Limbs .............................p4

Nutritional Management of High Cholesterol .................................p5 Recipe ................................................p5

When Seconds Count ...............................p6 Act F.A.S.T. ........................................p7

Finding the Me in Menopause ..................p8 Sleep and Menopause ..........................p9

A Gift of Time ...................................... p10

As she sings the well-known hymn of redemption, beautician Necole Suttles is opening eyes to the healing power of touch, while serenading WITH THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC.

Known as The Singing Hairdresser, Suttles not only provides a makeover to clean up and enhance a patient’s appearance at Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital, she creates an

environment of relaxation and pleasure for a unique healing experience.

Howard Memorial Hospital’s Orthopedic Joint Center (OJC) set out to create an all-encompassing program for patients who undergo joint replacement procedures. From the pre-operation classes to the coaches who cheer on patients during their critical post-op physical therapy, the program at HMH focuses on more than just the replaced joint; it focuses on the whole patient.

Luxuries like hair washing and neck massages may at first seem out of place in a hospital, but these services actually coincide with the well-respected Planetree model of patient-centered care. While these services started at the OJC, the hospital at large has now adopted several special services, including healing touch therapy, weekly flower deliveries and, of course, the Singing Hairdresser.

These special luxuries “leave patients bragging to friends that they felt like they were at a spa,” says Suttles. “Most people tell me how much just having their hair washed makes them feel so much better. Then the head, neck and face massage relaxes them — some so much they say they may fall asleep!”

Male patients in particular are surprised by how much they like having their hair washed and head massaged — something they may never have experienced before. Some have noted that they now understand why the ladies enjoy their trips to the spa!

As the owner and manager of her own styling salon, Suttles says, “My goal is to help every person I connect with each day feel better or look better in some way, be it through an uplifting word or a positive experience.” This approach was a natural fit for the HMH family’s objective of healing the whole patient.

Suttles believes she is part of something special in her role as the Singing Hairdresser. “I’m proud to be part of the Howard Hospital team everyone raves about!”

HAIRDRESSERTHE

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound… was blind but now I see.”

www.uvmc.org | www.howardhospital.org p3

MY GOAL IS TO HELP EVERY PERSON I CONNECT WITH

EACH DAY FEEL BETTER OR LOOK BETTER

IN SOME WAY, BE IT THROUGH AN UPLIFTING

WORD OR A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.”

-NECOLE SUTTLES

LIVE younger | longer sum12

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ADVANCED WOUND CENTER:

SAVING L✚FE AND LIMBS

The hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber.

Bertha is in good hands as she prepares to enter the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

When Bertha consulted doctors at Tribal Health in Covelo, The diagnosis was gangrene, a serious condition that can lead to amputation if left untreated.

“I really didn’t know how to tell the doctors at Tribal Health how worried I was. I was scared that I was going to lose my leg!” Bertha says. “They wanted me to wait and see the podiatrist that comes once a month, but I thought that if something wasn’t done soon I would be in big trouble. That’s when I decided to head to the Emergency Department at Ukiah Valley Medical Center.”

Once registered and in an ED bed, Bertha’s biggest fear was realized. “The doctor wanted to amputate my foot!” Bertha recalls. She was soon admitted to UVMC and was given antibiotics to help stop the infection from spreading. “There was nothing left for me to do but pray, and I prayed hard.”

A MIRACLE AFOOTAs a group of physicians gathered around her bed to determine how far the infection had spread and how high they would need to amputate, a miracle happened. “It was an answer to my prayers,” Bertha says. James O’Dorisio, MD, a cardiothoracic vascular surgeon, happened to be doing rounds that day and stopped by Bertha’s room. He said something Bertha will never forget: “I think I can save your whole leg.” And he did.

After a successful surgery, Bertha was referred to the care of Jonathan Kreger, DPM, a Ukiah podiatrist (foot doctor), to help heal the wound from the surgery. Dr. Kreger had a few treatment options that he shared with Bertha.

“I remember Dr. Kreger saying how I could have a Wound V.A.C. placed on my foot, which could take up to one year to heal, or that I might be a candidate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which is now available at the new Advanced Wound Center (AWC) at UVMC. Of course I chose the HBOT, which would only take 30 visits to the AWC versus a whole year of healing!”

HIGH-TECH HEALINGWhen Bertha first saw the HBOT chambers, she had no idea what she was getting into – literally. “I had no idea what the chambers actually looked like or how they worked,” she recalls. “When I saw the chamber for the first time I was nervous. But I was determined to see this thing through and give it a try. I am glad that I did. After my first treatment I realized it’s not so bad. In fact, it’s not bad at all and I felt better after every treatment.”

“Bertha’s reaction to seeing the chamber for the first time is common,” explains Jared Chaney, director of the AWC. “We do everything to make our HBOT patients as comfortable as possible. They can even watch their favorite TV show while in the chamber, which helps the patients relax and stay comfortable.”

According to Brian Cable, MD, orthopedic surgeon and AWC panel doctor, “HBOT is just one of several ways to treat and heal wounds. The techniques offered at the AWC are not available in a regular doctor’s office. Bertha is progressing really well. The treatments are healing her wound and we expect her to make a phenomenal recovery.”

Words that are definitely an answer to Bertha’s prayers.

If you are experiencing a wound that is not healing, talk with your doctor about the Advanced Wound Center at Ukiah Valley Medical Center to see if it’s an option for you.

Advanced Wound CenterOur expert physicians and staff are highly experienced and have been successful in treating wounds associated with an array of underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, bone infections, blood vessel disease and many others.

If your wound has not healed after four to six weeks, has become worse or has resisted healing for months or years, get the care you need and get back to enjoying life today.

Types of wounds treated:• Pressure ulcers• Diabetic wounds• Radiation damage

UKIAH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER 415 Hospital DriveUkiah, CA 95482707-467-5230uvmc.org/wound

HOWARD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PHYSICAL THERAPYOne Madrone StreetWillits, CA 95490707-459-6801www.howardhospital.org

• Burns• Infected wounds• Traumatic wounds


Kale Slaw SaladKyle Evans, Executive Chef, Howard Memorial HospitalRaw, Vegan

4 cups kale, finely chopped½ cup pine nuts½ cup red bell pepper, diced½ cup scallion, chopped

OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

P eople with high total cholesterol have approximately twice the risk of heart disease as people with optimal

levels (less than 200mg/dL). According to the CDC, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States with one American having a coronary event every 25 seconds.

What can you do? By making changes to your daily diet, you can help prevent high cholesterol or reduce your numbers. If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, here are five steps to help get your cholesterol in check:

1. Eat more plants. Plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains) play a huge role in normalizing blood choles-terol levels. Their high soluble fiber content helps remove cholesterol from the body. What’s more, plant-based foods fill you up, leaving less room for unhealthy foods such as fatty meats, fried foods and high-fat desserts.

2. Just say no to saturated and trans fats. Both saturated and trans fats increase low density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cho-lesterol. Start reading those nutrition facts labels and search for foods with zero trans fat and as little saturated fat per serving as possible. If you see the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated on the ingredients list, put it back on the supermarket shelf!

3. Avoid high cholesterol foods. As you read labels, you’ll notice that only foods that contain animal products (meat, eggs and dairy) will have cholesterol on their nutrition facts labels. By limiting how often you eat meat, eggs and dairy, and consuming smaller amounts of these foods, you’ll automatically reduce your intake of cholesterol, saturated fat and calories. Experiment with more meatless meals each week by using beans, tofu and vegetables to replace chicken, beef, pork and fish.

4. Make better choices when cooking and serving foods.

TIP: WHEN PREPARING FOODS:• Use low-fat cooking methods: Grill, bake,

roast, steam, boil, poach, lightly sauté, microwave

• Use cooking spray instead of butter or oil when cooking

• Cut off all visible fat from meat• Remove skin from chicken

before cooking• Use egg whites or egg substitute

instead of whole eggs• Reduce fat in recipes by one-third or one-half

TIP: WHEN SERVING FOODS:• Limit or avoid high-fat sauces, gravy,

dressings, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese and butter

• Season foods with spices, herbs, butter substitutes or low-fat/nonfat dressings

5. Make friends with fiber. Consume foods high in soluble fiber such as whole grain cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans and sweet potatoes. Soluble fiber forms a gel in the small intestine that binds to some

of the cholesterol in our system and removes it from our bodies. Aim for one to two high-fiber foods at each meal with a goal of 30 to 40 grams of fiber daily to keep cholesterol in check.

This summer keep an open mind to trying these tips. Even small changes can make a big impact on preventing and treating high cholesterol. Unsure of what to cook? Try Chef Kyle’s tasty cholesterol-free recipe below.

1 tablespoon lemon juice2 teaspoons garlic cloves1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONSCombine kale, lemon juice, salt and 2 tablespoons oil and massage thoroughly with hands. Whisk together miso,

¼ cup oil, agave or honey. Toss remaining ingredients together and serve as a side salad.

Yield: 6 cupsServings: 7

Per Serving: 228 calories; 17g fat (63.7% calories from fat); 5g protein; 17g carbohydrate; 2g dietary fiber; Omg cholesterol; 503mg sodium. Exchanges: 0 grain (starch); ½ lean meat; 1 vegetable; ½ fruit; 3 fat; ½ other carbohydrates.

2 tablespoons miso2 tablespoons honey, sub agave¼ cup olive oil¼ cup raisins

HOW’S THIS FOR MOTIVATION? Currently one in six U.S. adults suffer from high cholesterol (a total cholesterol value of more than 240mg/dL).

Annie Dogali, Dietitian

NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT

PLANT-BASED FOODS HELP REMOVE

CHOLESTEROL FROM THE BODY.


p6

Dorothy Gayle Haas, a baby boomer vegetarian, had been living a normal life — raising a garden, hiking

and biking, and eating her favorite organic produce. But things turned around in a hurry for Dorothy Gayle when she rolled over in bed one Tuesday evening, and noticed that she didn’t have feeling in her right arm.

Within seconds, her partner called 911 and arranged to meet the ambulance on a nearby county road. Dorothy Gayle lives in the hills on west Low Gap Road outside of Ukiah, where an ambulance wouldn’t be able to travel or locate her.

“The ambulance beat us to the meeting spot,” Dorothy Gayle says.

She was rushed to the emergency department at Ukiah Valley Medical Center where a team immediately conducted a CT angiogram of her neck and brain to examine the blood vessels in those key areas.

ROBOTS TO THE RESCUEHer emergency department physician, Gary Fausone, MD, consulted robotically with Jack Rose, MD, a neurologist at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco who specializes in strokes. Together, the physicians determined that Dorothy Gayle was a good candidate for an injection of tPA, short for tissue plasminogen activator, a strong clot-dissolving medicine.

SECONDS

WHEN

COUNT

“IT FELT LIKE MY ARM HAD

JUST DISAPPEARED. AND THEN MY VOICE WENT GARBLED. I KNEW I WAS HAVING A STROKE.”



SECONDS

TPA IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING FULL-BLOWN STROKE IF INJECTED WITHIN THREE HOURS OF THE KNOWN

ONSET OF STROKE SYMPTOMS — A VITAL REASON TO GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION IF EXPERIENCING

STROKE SYMPTOMS.

For the past four-plus years, Ukiah Valley Medical Center has been connected with robotic technology to expert physicians across the United States. This allows smaller hospitals to have access to all the latest, life-saving knowledge.

Dr. Fausone injected tPA into Dorothy Gayle’s IV drip, which prevented a full-blown stroke. A stroke is a rapid loss of brain function, usually from loss of blood flow or oxygen to the brain.

“Within half an hour of getting the tPA, I was starting to get sensation back in my arm and was able to speak some words again,” she recalls.

“Yes, minutes count,” says Roger Cheitlin, MD, the intensive care physician assigned to monitor Dorothy Gayle while at UVMC. “If she hadn’t received the injection within a critical time period following the onset of symptoms, she could have had severe and debilitating results … possibly even death.”

A STROKE-BUSTING DRUGtPA is highly effective if injected within three hours of the known onset of stroke symptoms — a vital reason to get immediate

medical attention if experiencing stroke symptoms.

Within the last five years, UVMC has been credited for saving at least 26 lives by giving tPA to patients experiencing stroke symptoms.

“That’s huge,” Dr. Cheitlin says. “Especially if it is your loved one that we are talking about.”

Dr. Cheitlin encourages individuals who are experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, numbness in the arms or legs, altered smells and tastes, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, decreased reflexes or an altered heart rate, to call 911 immediately. “These could be signs of a stroke or heart attack,” he says.

Dr. Cheitlin says that high blood pressure is the most important modifiable risk factor of a stroke.

A LIFE SAVED“I’m eternally grateful that time was on my side,” Dorothy Gayle smiles. “If UVMC, the qualified doctors and the tPA hadn’t been available, I might have had a long and slow recovery process. But instead, I’m around today to enjoy my mosaic creations, and all my family and friends.

Act F.A.S.T.If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do this simple test:

Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?

Time: If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying.

Source: National Stroke Association,

www.stroke.org.

“I credit a strong community of friends and prayer to helping me recover so quickly,” she continues. “There’s a lot of emotional fragility when dealing with something like a stroke.”

Within five weeks of her stroke and receiving the tPA medication, she was back to part-time work as facilitator for the Family Strengths Wraparound Program with Mendocino County Health and Human Services. Three months later, she’s now back to full-time work and enjoying life!

Dorothy is now back to doing the things she loves; art and gardening thanks to the quick response of her physicians at UVMC.

FROM HOT FLASHES TO HEART DISEASESymptoms of menopause vary from woman to woman. The classic menopause symptom is hot flashes, which may cause night sweats. One aspect of a hot flash is a release of adrenaline, which can contribute to a sense of anxiety. “It is important to involve an experienced women’s health provider to confirm the diagnosis,” Dr. Faucher shares.

The emotional symptoms can be harder to deal with than the physical ones. “Mood changes associated with this transition may include irritability, quickness to anger and a mildly depressed mood,” Truelsen says. “We are realizing even more the effects of estrogen on the brain. And some consider the domino effect of sleep disturbance to cascade into mood changes.”

Lower levels of estrogen combined with the effects of aging produce an increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. Since symptoms vary, Dr. Faucher says there is no universal treatment. “As a woman’s physician, I hope to work with the individual to determine a safe, effective plan that resonates with her personal needs and concerns.”

EASING THE TRANSITIONLifestyle changes also make a difference, Truelsen adds. Here are some small steps that bring big relief during the transition.

Eat less. As we age, metabolism slows down. That’s why it is important for women to continue to exercise and be conscientious about their food choices, says Truelsen. According to the Mayo Clinic, the key is eating 200 fewer calories a day than you did during your 30s or 40s. Choose more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to make sure you’re still getting enough nutrients. Truelsen also advises eating foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D, such as tofu, yogurt, kale and broccoli, to enhance bone health.

Move more. Exercise can also help maintain your weight or lose excess pounds. A recent study found that menopausal women ages 55 to 72 who started a year-long exercise program experienced significant improvement in both mental and physical health while those who didn’t exercise got worse. Exercise can also make menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and sleep disturbances milder.

Get a handle on stress. Menopause also comes with emotional baggage. Anxiety,

p8

FINDING THE IN MENOPAUSE

MET he Victorians thought it drove

women crazy, while the Greeks thought it could be cured by

applying leeches, but menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life. Some cruise through it with few problems, but for others, the road can be bumpy. Fortunately, there are things you can do so “the change” doesn’t affect your quality of life.

As most women realize early, menopause is not a pause, but rather a journey that comes with physical, mental and emotional changes. According to Kathy Truelsen, nurse practitioner at Ukiah Valley Rural Health Center, menopause is the “time of life when a woman’s ovaries stop producing hormones and menstrual periods stop. Natural menopause usually occurs around age 50. A woman is said to be in menopause when she hasn’t had a period for 12 months in a row.”

Adds Kimberly Faucher, MD, obstetrician/gynecologist from Howard Memorial Hospital, “Any change from your usual health is a signal. Changes in the pattern of your cycle or any other changes in how you feel, especially in your 40s to 50s, could be hormonally related and herald the beginning of the perimenopause phase of life.”

sadness, irritability and mood changes can take a toll. Exercise is good for overall health, and it can help improve your mood during menopause. Changes in family dynamics and relationships can amplify stress, so relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation may help. “Meditative breathing can decrease hot flashes by as much as 50%, more than many herbal therapies,” says Truelsen.

Consider hormone therapy (HT). Although a national study on hormone replacement performed a decade ago found that it poses more risks than benefits, Truelsen explains that the study was performed on older women, with more cardiovascular disease risks than those in their early 50s. Current



Kimberly Faucher, MD, OB/GYN Howard Memorial Hospital

Darlene Peck, NP

1Wear loose clothing to bed. Clothing made of natural fibers, like cotton, is

usually best.

2 Keep your bedroom cool and well-ventilated.

3 Avoid certain foods that may cause sweating (such as spicy foods, alcohol

and sugar), especially right before bedtime.

4 Maintain a regular bedtime schedule, including going to bed at the same

time every night.

5 Exercise regularly, but not right before sleep.

6 Avoid excessive caffeine.

7 Avoid naps during the day, which can prevent you from sleeping well at

night.

8 Talk to your doctor or family nurse practitioner about

prescription and non-prescription medications that can help you sleep.

Kathy Truelsenk, NP Women’s HealthUkiah Valley Medical Center

IF YOU FEEL YOU’RE EXPERIENCING MENOPAUSE, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR

OR FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS. CALL WOMEN’S

HEALTH AT UKIAH VALLEY RURAL HEALTH CENTER AT 707-462-2945 OR

HOWARD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AT 707-890-4567.

Hot flashes and insomnia during menopause can make sleeping through the night seem like an impossible dream. Here are tips to help you rest easy.

Women’s Services:

IN MENOPAUSEresearch and thinking on HT is to use it to treat problem symptoms (such as hot flashes) in the smallest dose effective for the shortest amount of time (three to five years), adds Truelsen.

A TIME OF AWAKENINGDespite the potential hassles of menopause, there’s a new way of looking at this stage in your life. In this day and age, menopause is no longer seen as a crisis, but a virtual gateway to the next 30 to 40 more years of life. It’s a time of awakening, for taking charge and doing all the things you’ve always wanted to do. After all, kids are off to college, you’re close to retirement and your financial situation is more stable.

IN THIS DAY AND AGE, MENOPAUSE IS NO LONGER

SEEN AS A CRISIS,

BUT A VIRTUAL GATEWAY TO THE NEXT

30 TO 40 OR MORE YEARS OF LIFE.

Sleep and Menopause

p10

F our years ago, Doris’ heart stopped. Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery saved her life. Only the quick

thinking of her doctors, Andreas Sakopoulos, MD, and Jeong Sik Park, MD, and her surgical team, brought her home again.

Doris’ heart had completely stopped. Her chest was opened and Dr. Sakopoulos massaged her heart. “He literally took my heart in his hand and pumped it, and started it back up. And I made it.”

OUT OF THE BLUE Just a short time before, heart disease hadn’t even been on Doris’ radar. She was active, walking daily in the hills and working in her garden. The only thing slowing her down was severe heartburn: Doris would frequently have to stop and wait for it to subside. Treatment seemed to have no effect.

“I look back and I can’t believe the way this all came together,” says Doris’ daughter-in-law, Elsa. “My daughter, Jessica, was a nursing student, just practicing her skills. Jessica heard something in Mom’s carotid artery, and thought we should get her checked out right away. Mom’s primary doctor couldn’t confirm it, but something felt just not right, so we got a referral to Dr. Park.”

DORIS WITH HER HUSBAND, OTIS. SHE SAYS,

HE NEVERLEFT MY SIDE”

Last Sunday morning, Doris Harris prepared her signa-ture Sunday breakfast for her extended family. Watching the weekly ritual, no one would realize they were witnessing a miracle.

A GIFT OF TIME


Dr. Sakopoulos now sees patients at:

www.uvmc.org | www.howardhospital.org 11

Dr. Park ordered a series of non-invasive tests. “The test results were actually not too bad,” he explains, “but the patient was still experiencing chest pain. Since tests are not always conclusive, if there are symptoms, we keep investigating.”

Because of her ongoing chest pain, Doris was scheduled for an angiogram. “We’re so grateful that Dr. Park cared enough to keep investigating,” says Elsa. “If he hadn’t, I don’t think we’d still have her with us.”

The angiogram showed severe blockages – up to 95% – in all branches of the coronary arteries. Dr. Park immediately called in a cardiac surgeon, and Doris was taken directly from the cath lab to surgery for a quintuple bypass.

FROM ROUTINE TO EMERGENCY During the dizzying transition from what they expected to be a routine test to emergency surgery, her family waited anxiously for word. “Eventually a nurse came out to tell us it was still touch and go, and too soon to tell. We spent the next hour or two pretty much on our knees,” Elsa recalls. “All we knew was that Mom’s heart had stopped, and they were working on her. Later we learned Dr. Sakopoulos had done open chest CPR, then an emergency bypass surgery.”

To Dr. Sakopoulos, it’s all just a part of what he does. “There’s no doubt that it’s very fulfilling when some of these patients who typically have a very high mortality are able to be pulled from surgery and the post-operative period and make their way back home to their loved ones.”

To Doris’ family, it’s nothing short of a gift. “We have a strong faith in God, and an

absolute faith that God guided her doctors. I thought it was incredible that everyone knew exactly what to do in that situation.”

Doris’ surgery was merely the start of a year that both tested and sustained the Harris family’s faith. Her tests also revealed a small spot on one lung, an early-stage cancer that Dr. Sakopoulos later successfully removed. And just weeks after Doris’s heart surgery, her granddaugher, Jessica, went into labor three months early. “We feel so blessed to still have Mom, and our beautiful granddaughter, but it was definitely a life-changing year for our family,” Elsa says.

GRATEFUL FOR MORE TIME TOGETHER “Doris’ was a uniquely challenging situation in many ways,” Dr. Sakopoulos adds. “She had three lethal conditions that we took care of within a single year: heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and lung cancer. Doris had three operations in that time and did wonderfully with them, and that says a lot about her.”

“I call Jessica my guardian angel. And Dr. Sakopoulos, well, I call him my adopted son,” Doris says with a smile. “St. Helena was a godsend.”

Her family agrees. “What we appreciated most is that the care isn’t just physical, it’s spiritual as well. As Christians, that’s huge for us,” Elsa explains. “The entire team was tremendous. Dr. Sakopoulos is so calm and comforting, and treats you like family. And Dr. Park has such an endearing manner, you just feel this confidence that everything’s going to be okay.”

For Doris, her life feels renewed. The pain is gone, and with lifestyle changes learned through cardiac rehab, she feels better than ever.

“She’s active, she has hobbies, she walks, loves working in her yard, and has more friends. She’s enjoying every day: the change has just been amazing,” Elsa explains. “The biggest change, though, for all of us, is that we learned you just can’t take life for granted. It made us realize how precious and fleeting it can be, and let go of all those little annoyances and appreciate each other. We’re just very grateful for the time we have with her.”

St. Helena Heart Institute has pioneered cardiac care in the region for the past 30 years, bringing a number of “firsts” to the area, including minimally invasive cardiac bypass surgery. Long known as one of the Bay Area’s best cardiac centers, its multidisciplinary teams deliver state-of-the-art heart care with the goal of helping residents live younger, longer.

“It takes an entire team to make outcomes like this possible,” Dr. Sakopoulos adds. “Our goal is to set the standard for cardiac care, and community philanthropy allows us do that, to keep the equipment up to date, and attract the best cardiologists and surgeons.”

And for one family, the gift is measured in Sunday morning breakfasts, making the most of time together.

Andreas Sakopoulos, MD

“She’s active, she has hobbies, she walks, loves

working in her yard.

SHE’S ENJOYING EVERY DAY:

the change has just been amazing.”

HOWARD MEMORIAL HOSPITALOne Madrone StreetWillits, CA 95490Call 707-963-7200 to schedule an appointment in Willits.

ST. HELENA HOSPITAL NAPA6 Woodland RoadSt. Helena, CA 94574Call 707-963-7200 to schedule an appointment in St. Helena.

UKIAH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTERGeneral Surgery246 Hospital DriveUkiah, CA 95482Call 707-963-7200 to schedule an appointment in Ukiah.

wherever you are you’re never too far from expert care

275 Hospital Drive | Ukiah | uvmc.org 1 Madrone Street | Willits | howardhospital.org

Find the right doctor for you, call today

800-540-3611

MENDOCINONATIONALFOREST

Upcoming Events

Stop Smoking ClassesUKIAH - 707-467-1467WILLITS - 707-540-4208

Diabetes Education UKIAH - 707-463-7527WILLITS - 707-456-3132

Family Birthing ClassesUKIAH - 707-463-7550

Hope for Grieving Parents and FamiliesUKIAH - 707-463-7419WILLITS - 707-456-3295

Free Children’s Health FairAlex Rorabaugh Center October 71640 S. State St. Ukiah CA Call 707-463-7328

Free Willits Health FairWillits Community Center October 7707-456-3127

Pink Ribbon PartyMassage, Manicure, Mingling and Mammogram.Call for details 707-468-9335

10 Woodland RoadSt. Helena, CA 94574

adventisthealth.org/ncn

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Live Younger Longer - Summer 2012