Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Nothing tastes better on a chilly fall day than a big bowl of homemade vegetable beef stew. Add a slice or two of home-baked bread and you've achieved perfection. Nothing controversial about that, right? Well, it depends on your definition of stew. Growing up, my mom made her delicious vegetable beef stew at least once or twice every fall/winter. I remember it simmering on the stove for hours in her big blue-speckled GraniteWare pot she used for canning every summer. We counted down the hours...
Sometimes I need to look out my front door rather than out my kitchen window. Today was one of those moments. What a show I was gifted with. The sunrise was a ribbon of colors that would be very hard to duplicate. I snapped a photo of the sky, streaked with golds, oranges and blues. There were little puffs of clouds that looked like very stiff whipped egg whites spread across the sunrise. Perfect! There isn’t any more that can be said to describe it. I’ve said goodbye to my colorful view out my...
DANIEL G. PETEREIT MD, FABS, FASTRO Over my 30-year career as a cancer physician I have witnessed the tremendous progress in treating cancer patients. There continues to be controversy in the screening and treatment of prostate cancer, for which I am grateful to have the opportunity to share with you more information. Screening consists of obtaining a prostate-specific antigen test and rectal exam, followed by a biopsy, if indicated. In 2012, the United States Preventive Task Force recommended...
Wonder what the hype is all about when it comes to charcuterie boards? Interested in knowing how to pair food items and stage a board? A class, sponsored by the Clearwater Public Library, can help. On Nov. 29, at 6:30 p.m., attendees will meet at The Office, at 522 Main Street, in Clearwater, to learn how to pair foods, layout items and taste a cheese board. A hot cocoa board will also be available for sampling. Gain hands-on experience as each participant makes an individual-sized board to...
A hug when I come home after a long day. A smile that melts my heart. A song and a dance that are spontaneous and carefree. Those are some of the blessings that come to mind when I think about my daughter. Daughters can be a blessing in so many ways, as can sons of course. However, when it comes to taking care of families, women often play a vital role. Whether it is a young mom with her baby, a concerned wife encouraging her husband to go to the doctor or a loving daughter preparing her...
As a lover of the history of science and medicine, one of my favorite topics to read and learn about is the discovery of germ theory. Up until the mid- to late-1800’s, diseases had numerous other theories, and the theory of miasma – meaning “bad air” – dominated as an explanation for cholera, plague and other infectious outbreaks. Bacteria themselves were seen and discovered with the development of the first microscopes in the 1600s. Dutch scientist Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek is credited as the fa...
Every day in the clinic or hospital I meet extraordinary caregivers. They are the ones who have gone above and beyond the call of duty; sometimes for years at a time. When you ask them how they do it, they shrug and smile. I am not talking about any doctor, nurse or therapist. I am referring to those who care for and look after their elderly friends and family members. This can be a spouse, adult child, adult grandchild, neighbor or even a good friend. There are many reasons that people...
It’s tempting to blame the pandemic for the dizzying rates of mental health concerns among American teens. We are all familiar with the impact Covid is having on our lives and the disruption it continues to cause in the lives of young people. Kids witnessed vehement disagreements between neighbors, friends and family over the decisions that had to be made in response to the pandemic, and felt the stress at home as parents faced economic and work changes, all without many of their usual s...
When your nose runs, although it may not slow you down, it can be annoying. This time of year, it's difficult to know if your runny nose is from a cold, allergies or another reason. Rhinitis can be broadly defined as inflammation of the nasal membrane. Sometimes a runny nose is from allergies, caused by allergens in the air, such as trees, grass, weeds, molds, dust mites or pet dander. Allergy symptoms often include sneezing, an itchy or runny nose and itchy, watery or red eyes. A runny nose...
“It’s that time of year again when kids are back in school, football is back on the TV and ragweed pollen is in the air,” said Dr. Josh Thoendel of Antelope Memorial Hospital. “Here in Nebraska, we are blessed with an abundance of allergens. I’ve talked to patients who have moved from Montana, North Carolina, Texas and California and they’ve all told me they never had allergies before they moved to Nebraska. Tree pollen in the spring, grass in early summer and the King Kong of allergens, ragweed, is in the air from late July until frost. This...
Looking out the kitchen window, there is still a lot of color in the flower garden. Flowers just aren't as vigorous as they were a few months ago. I was fortunate to recently view some wonderful flowers that were still in their prime as I traveled on a bus trip to Mackinac Island in Michigan. Located in Lake Huron, the trip didn't disappoint with eye candy for flower lovers. I'm thinking the waves of humidity from the water is a breath of moisture each day for the flowering plants. Never have I...
I love sports. I have enjoyed playing and watching sports for as long as I can remember. And as someone who participated in a sport year-round in high school and continued in athletics (golf) in college, I am constantly grateful for the large impact being able to play competitive sports has had in my life. Now I am a parent, a proud coach of a young girls' soccer team and a more casual observer of youth athletics. I see youth sports through the lens of how they can impact our kids....
One summer during my college years, I had a roommate who suffered from suicidal thoughts. She’d attempted suicide before we met, and been hospitalized, but continued to struggle. Back in the late 80s, there was very little public understanding of mental health issues and the stigma was even stronger than it is today. Our other roommate and I didn’t know what to do or where to turn. Not surprisingly, we didn’t handle it well. However, we did one thing right: we restricted access to lethal means....
People often talk about having a "gut feeling" when they know something is wrong. What feelings come when there is something wrong with the digestive system itself and how do you differentiate between "butterflies" acting up and a serious gastrointestinal problem? There are many different organs that can cause GI problems and may include the esophagus, stomach, the small intestine and the large intestine. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. The most common issue...
After a visit about aches, pains and various medical issues, a patient was commenting on getting older. Similar to other patients, I expected him to say something like, “It’s no fun getting older.” To my surprise, the patient said, “I’m 85. That means I have a lot to be thankful for.” Some people are almost always positive, and some are usually negative. Those who are positive have been found to have better outcomes and seem to enjoy themselves more while unfortunately, those who tend to be...
Are you ready for the State Fair? It's set to start Friday, Aug. 26, in Grand Island and runs through Labor Day. I've been able to make it the past two years - not sure about this year, although I'm going to make it work. The 2020 fair was unlike any other I'd previously attended thanks to the pandemic. No carnival, no concerts, a reduced number of vendors, and everything spread out, made the fairgrounds seem a little empty. Last year was better although I still couldn't find my favorite food...
Looking out my kitchen window I see there is a change in the August garden. It's rather gradual but it's there. The first noticeable visual is the green tones. Don't get me wrong, the flowers are still blooming brightly, with hydrangeas showing off their stately white blooms. The zinnias are sporting round pallets of color and alyssum is setting on new purple and white blooms. Petunias seem to have reached their peek bloom and vincas, oh I can't brag enough about the vincas that are bursting...
For students with allergies and asthma, back to school means more than getting their backpacks filled with paper, pencils and any needed odds and ends. Keeping your child safe and healthy involves creating a proactive plan to be implemented both at home and at school. Allergy doctors refer to these plans as control programs because the goal is prevention and control. Food allergies can cause anaphylaxis, the total body allergic reaction with shortness of breath, hives, low blood pressure,...
The annual wellness exam is one of my favorite things to do as a doctor. It’s a chance to talk about one of my passions: health promotion. As most patients expect, our health-promotion discussion includes smoking cessation, diet and exercise. Perhaps more surprising is our conversation regarding personal safety. We talk about sunscreen, seatbelts, helmets, distracted driving or driving under the influence. And I ask if their guns are locked up. I grew up in Iowa and I live in South Dakota. B...
As a practicing urologist who is double board certified in urology and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, I see a lot of patients with urinary incontinence. And while it is extremely common, many myths surround the topic. Sadly, even though more patients in the U.S. suffer from overactive bladder than diabetes, there is very little education surrounding incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders. One common misconception I hear is "you have to drink eight glasses of water."...
ANDREW ELLSWORTH, M.D. One late summer day, fresh out of residency and seeing patients for the first time as a full-fledged family physician, I examined a young man who had a fever, fatigue and a bad headache. Considering the time of year, influenza was low on the list of possibilities, and COVID-19 did not yet exist. After a physical exam and listening to his story, I ordered some tests, which resulted in a diagnosis of West Nile virus. Now that we are entering the later half of the summer, the weather and environment are prime for West Nile...
As a physician with 45 years of practice, I've seen my share of diseases. I have usually been on the physician side of the diagnosis- treatment paradigm. However, knowing the rationale for diagnostic screening tests, I fortunately did not shirk my own. Testing too much or too frequently leads to insignificant findings that may have no long-term consequences, yet create worry and further testing. Too often, this can lead to surgery that does not save lives but carries pain, disability,...
Lantanas are blooming their little hearts out. They love the hot, humid days of July in Nebraska. Humidity occasionally fogs over the view out my kitchen window but, as it slides off, we are delighted to again see mama turkey by the flower garden. She was standing as if on guard this wet morning. On guard she was, as to our delight, we spotted a young turkey nearby, busily pecking away for bugs in the grass. Summer out the kitchen window includes, not only the turkeys, but also bright bursts of...
As a clinical professor at my state’s medical school, I frequently have medical students seeing patients with me in clinic. While the majority of patients are happy to allow student involvement, some decline. This makes me wonder what misconceptions lead patients to be averse to trainees participating at clinic visits or hospital bedsides. In my experience, the presence of learners has a positive influence on our work in the clinic and hospital. Medical education is a complex, highly i...
Summertime. For most, this signals thoughts of warm weather and good times with family and friends. Sadly, what brings happiness for some can trigger stress and sorrow for others. In the words of a Vietnam War veteran, "The fourth of July was once my favorite holiday with friends and family ... but now it is a day I wish never existed." Now ask, what could this veteran, a victim of a farming accident, a female sexual-abuse victim, a child who lost his mother to domestic violence and a survivor o...
