A u g u s t � �� �Rogue Valley Medical Center Health Newsletter

IN�THIS�ISSUEA Growing Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Strong Arm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Muscle-wise Workouts . . . . . . . . . . . 6

A Short Drive to a Healthy Prostate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Lowering Cholesterol . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Symptoms of a Heart A� ack. . . . . . 9

Carpenter Award Recipient . . . . . . 10

Healthy Harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Asante CommunityHealth Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

CHOLESTEROL��HOW�LOW�CAN�YOU�GO? see page 8

2 | Visit the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rvmcnicu

Giovanni Victor Angelo Cascamo

is a mighty name for such a little

man. Born December 12 at Rogue

Valley Medical Center (RVMC), 10 weeks

before his due date, “Gio” weighed a mere

2 pounds 8 ounces. For fi rst-time parents

Katie and John Cascamo of Klamath Falls,

it was the start of an amazing journey.

Far and WideRVMC has the only Neonatal Intensive

Care Unit (NICU) in southern Oregon

and northern California. Preemies

and sick infants from throughout the

region come to Medford to receive

specialized care from the hospital’s highly

trained team of neonatologists and nurses.

Th e Cascamos quickly put their trust in

these caring experts.

“I think I believed from the start

that my son would be okay,” says John.

“I was there when he was born. He grabbed

my fi nger and he looked at me and he

told me he was going to be okay.”

In the NICU, Giovanni showed daily

signs of progress, reaching each develop-

mental milestone and clearing every hurdle.

After two weeks he entered the “grower/

feeder” category. Th ese are the preemies

who have no critical issues but who need

to remain in the NICU until they reach

a healthy weight and can function without

medical help.

Life in LimboFor six more weeks, as Giovanni’s strength

increased, the Cascamos uprooted their

lives. Katie commuted daily to the NICU

from her parents’ home in Ashland, while

John returned to work in Klamath Falls and

joined his family on weekends.

“I was blessed that I could stay with

my parents only 30 miles from the hospital,

but when you’re an adult, married, with a

baby, it’s hard living under your parents’

roof,” Katie says.

A Growing Need Couple Advocates for NICU Expansion

“It was such a loss of autonomy for her,”

John concurs. “One of the luxuries I had was

that I could go home to normal life, come

back after fi ve days, and see growth. For Katie

seeing Gio every day, it was more subtle.”

Th e Cascamos’ spirits were kept afl oat by

constant communication with the NICU team.

“If Katie didn’t text me every couple hours with

Gio’s weight or details, I’d come unglued. It was

really easy to call the NICU nurse for regular

updates. Th at really sustained me, being 80 miles

away,” John says.

Happy HomecomingOn February 6, John and Katie brought Giovanni

home to Klamath Falls. Today he is a healthy,

eight-month-old bundle of laughs with a bright

childhood ahead.

“Th is experience has really changed our

perspective on the importance of good medical

care,” John says, adding that he recently turned

down a lucrative job off er out of state in order

to remain within the RVMC care region.

Every day more families like the Cascamos

are embarking on the long-distance trek to NICU

care, and countless more will be in need in the

coming years. RVMC is making room through

a $6 million plan to expand the NICU. Th ese

improvements will create private rooms for

“feeder/growers,” aff ording moms like Katie some

comforts of a home away from home.

“Th ere is such a desperate need for this

expansion,” Katie says. “It will serve a population

of people who live far away and need to stay with

their infant. For us it was six weeks, 10 hours a

day. A private room would’ve meant plenty of space

to be comfortable.”

| 3

Rogue Valley Medical Center NICU graduates and their

families are invited to join us for a reunion.

Miracle Baby ReunionSunday, September 19 • 1 to 3 p.m.RVMC North Lobby

Free Gi� s • Cake • Face Painting Entertainment

Register online at: www.asante.org/classes-events

For more information please call (541) 789-3502.

MiracleBabyReunion

Katie Cascamo cradles Gio at four weeks.Photo courtesy of Klamath Falls Herald and News

Georgianna Murphy remembers nothing of her

accident. She can’t recall her truck rolling into

a dirt bank beside the highway, the Jaws of Life

cutting her from a crushed vehicle, or the desperate fl ight

to Rogue Valley Medical Center (RVMC). What she does

remember is waking up several days later with a second

chance at life, thanks to RVMC’s O-arm, the latest

technology in spine surgery.

Th e O-arm Multidimensional Imaging System is

the most advanced tool available for image-guided back

and neck surgery. Th is portable CT (computerized

axial tomography) scanning device fi ts directly over

the patient (who is lying on the surgery table), creating

three-dimensional views of the spine in real time as

doctors perform surgery. Th ese images enable surgeons to

conduct delicate procedures with exact precision, such as

Georgianna’s lifesaving neck surgery.

“Th e O-arm played an integral role in her surgery

and care,” says Th omas Altstadt, MD, the RVMC neuro-

surgeon responsible for repairing two broken vertebrae

in Georgianna’s neck. Stabilizing the fracture meant

inserting screws in a small area of bone between her

spinal cord and vertebral artery, a major artery to the

4 | To fi nd out more about the O-arm, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: O-arm

Strong Arm O-arm creates 3D views in Real Time for Be� er Results

Thomas Altstadt, MD, with Jamie Spencer, RN, performs an O-arm procedure.

brain—“something I would not have done without

the O-arm,” Dr. Altstadt says. “Th e O-arm allowed

her to have a complicated surgery safely.”

Medford area residents are fortunate to have this

advanced technology and such expert practitioners

at their disposal. RVMC is the fi rst medical facility

between Seattle and San Francisco that off ers the

O-arm. “It allows patients to have spinal surgeries

that sometimes wouldn’t be done here,” Dr. Altstadt

says, adding that the O-arm’s pinpoint accuracy

enables surgeons to use more minimally invasive

techniques, which may lead to faster recovery times.

Five months after her horrifi c truck

wreck, Georgianna returned to her

active job at a plywood company.

Th e Canyonville resident is grateful

for the O-arm’s high-tech role in

her survival.

“I am just thankful that a surgeon

like Dr. Altstadt and the technology

he needed were here at RVMC to

save my life and even get me back

to a normal life,” she says. “I am just

happy to be able to work again, and

I am lucky to be alive.”

have this

itioners

facility

rs the

rgeries

Altstadt

racy

vasive

ry times.

I am lucky to be alive.”

The O-arm’s pinpoint accuracy

allows surgeons to conduct

delicate procedures with exact

precision, such as Georgianna’s

lifesaving neck surgery.

| 5

• Safer, more accurate placement of spinal instruments for improved surgical outcomes • Less time in surgery • Reduced risk of the need for repeat surgery • Less radiation exposure from imaging

Features• CT imaging without leaving the operating room • “Smart” system remembers positioning, so the

O-arm can return to preset positions for imaging • Surgeon can view implants in real time during

insertion

NeurosurgeonsUsingtheO-armatRVMCMedford Neurological and Spine Clinic • Donald A. Ross, MD• Miroslav P. Bobek, MD• David H. Walker, MD• Thomas J. Altstadt, MD

OrthopedicSurgeonUsingtheO-armatRVMCSouthern Oregon Orthopedics• Andy Kranenberg, MD

O-armPatientBenefits

6 | For information about physical therapy, visit www.rvmc.org, keyword: rehabilitation

Muscle-wise Workouts

Physical therapist Christina Wilkinson (right) recommends proper stretching to warm up.

No more excuses. You’re determined to get back into shape.

You know what you need to do: eat more salads, can the

soda, hit the gym. Nothing can stop you this time! Nothing

except a pulled muscle, that is. Ouch! Avoid injuries by slowly easing

into your workout.

Warm Up“Prior to exercising, warm up for fi ve to 10 minutes with a slow walk,

a light jog, or cycling,” advises Christina Wilkinson, physical therapist

at Rogue Valley Medical Center’s Cascade Physical Th erapy in Central

Point. “Follow this with gentle stretching of major muscle groups for

fi ve to 30 seconds each.”

Drink UpMuscles need nourishment to be on their best behavior. Drink plenty

of water or low-sugar sports beverages both during and after exercise.

Be Foot SmartYour feet are your body’s shock absorbers. Supportive

footwear, with inserts or orthotics if needed, can

help take pressure off your muscles. Replace shoes

frequently, Christina advises, generally after they’ve

clocked 400 miles, or approximately every six months.s.

| 7

Pace YourselfA couch potato can become a triathlete—but not

overnight. If you haven’t been involved in a regular

exercise routine for a while (or ever), set realistic

goals. Christina suggests gradually increasing the

intensity, frequency, and duration of your workout.

“Stop if you’re feeling too fatigued or experiencing

pronounced soreness,” she says. Exercise sessions

should end with another round of stretching,

focusing on the specifi c muscle groups used during

the workout.

Heed the SignsHow do you know if you’ve pulled a muscle?

Warning signs include swelling, spasms, muscle

weakness, and pain that increases with movement.

Give your workout a rest for a couple of days

and apply a cold pack to the injured muscle. If the

injury doesn’t seem to improve, see your doctor.

“In the event your physician deems physical

therapy benefi cial, we can help with all types of

strains,” Christina says. She encourages people who

are having such problems to call (541) 789-4032.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness

Month. Prostate cancer is the second

most common form of cancer in men

(behind skin cancer) and the second-leading

cause of cancer death (after lung cancer).

Approximately 200,000 men are diagnosed

each year—many without symptoms.

Although family history can increase the

risk, prostate cancer can strike any male,

especially those over age 60. Regular

screenings are the key to early detection.

To screen for prostate cancer, a doctor

can perform a digital rectal exam as part

of a routine physical. Th e doctor may also

order a prostate-specifi c antigen (PSA) blood

test, which measures the level of protein

produced by the prostate. PSA tests are

currently the most eff ective tool available

for detecting prostate cancer early.

Talk to your doctor about your prostate

health or visit one of the local prostate

screening events planned for Prostate Cancer

Awareness Month.

A SHORT DRIVE TO A HEALTHY PROSTATEPresented by Rogue Valley Medical Center Cancer Servicesand Eric L. Martin, MD, FACS, of Urology Associates of Southern Oregon, LLP

MEDFORD: LUNCH AND LEARNThursday, September 1611:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Smullin Health Education CenterRVMC campus, 2825 East Barne� Road

No fee. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited and registration is required. Please call (888) 688-4920 or register online at www.rvmc.org/classes-events. When calling, please specify which presentation and location you are planning to a� end.

8 | To fi nd out more about lowering cholesterol, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: heart

How Low Can You Go? Natural Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol

Do you have high cholesterol? You’re not

alone. One in every six adults has a higher-

than-healthy cholesterol level. Before

you dismiss it as no big deal, consider that high

cholesterol is a major risk factor for developing

blocked arteries that lead to heart attack and stroke.

But there is good news. With some simple lifestyle

changes, you can lower your cholesterol and boost

your chances for a longer, healthier life.

Know Your FatsIt’s no secret that a high-fat diet can lead to high

cholesterol. But not all fats are created equal.

Kent Dauterman, MD, a board-certifi ed cardiologist

at Rogue Valley Medical Center, advises cutting out

saturated and hydrogenated fats (those found in red

meat, dairy products, fried and processed foods, and

fast food) and opting instead for monounsaturated

fats like olive oil, and polyunsaturated fats that are

higher in omega-3s, such as canola oil, fi sh oil, walnut

oil, and fl axseed oil. “Th ese are the good guys,” says

Dr. Dauterman. “Diets high in these liquid fats can

decrease the risk of heart attack by up to 70 percent.”

| 9

Go MediterraneanFor a cholesterol-friendly kitchen,

Dr. Dauterman recommends the

Mediterranean diet:

• Fill up on vegetables, fi ve to

seven servings a day, and three

fruit servings per day.

• Dine on fi sh as your main

protein, with chicken and

legumes close behind. Red meat

or pork should be limited to a

3-ounce serving once a week.

• Consume plenty of whole

grains, pasta, walnuts, almonds,

and pecans (skip the peanuts).

• Cook with olive oil or canola oil,

and dip bread in it rather than

using butter or margarine.

• Take 3 grams of fi sh oil (not

cod liver oil) capsules daily as

advised by your physician.

Get MovingExercise is vital to a healthy heart.

Th e American Heart Association

recommends 45 minutes of

aerobic activity six days per week.

Dr. Dauterman says even mild

exercise such as walking or yard

work can benefi t your campaign

against high cholesterol. “More

exercise gives more benefi ts,”

he says. “Take the time.”

Kent Dauterman, MD, is a cardiologist with Southern Oregon Cardiology, the regional leader in heart care.

WhatAretheSymptomsofaHeartAttack?

I t’s not always chest pain. If you have any of the following symptoms, you may be having a heart a� ack. Dial 9-1-1.

Heart A� ack: Know the Signs• Pain or discomfort in the chest, upper back, jaw, neck, arms, or stomach

Accompanied by one or more of the following:• Deep heartburn/indigestion-like pain• Shortness of breath• Dizziness• Nausea or vomiting• Sudden abnormal sweating, or cold or clammy skin

ASSET Mission StatementTo reduce the time from heart a� ack to opened arteries, a unique partnership called ASSET (Acute ST-Segment Elevation Task Force) was established in 2003 to facilitate the accurate and rapid diagnosis, treatment, and transport of patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) from throughout the region to the Rogue Valley Medical Center Cath Lab for emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

10 | For more information about giving, visit www.asante.org, keyword: foundation

Lee Murdoch, MD, Receives Award Recognition

Lee Murdoch,

MD, wears

many hats. To

his patients he is Dr.

Murdoch, a dedicated

pediatrician for more

than four decades. To

his wife of 52 years, he

is a creative thinker and

a hard worker. To the

community he is a quiet

hero, devoting his life to improving healthcare in the

Rogue Valley. On April 30, Asante Health System

presented Dr. Murdoch with the 2010 Alfred S. V.

Carpenter Award, an annual recognition designed

to honor local health-related philanthropic leaders.

“Asante is a stronger organization and a better

community partner thanks to Dr. Murdoch’s

leadership,” says Roy Vinyard, president and chief

executive offi cer of Asante Health System.

A practicing pediatrician in Medford since

1966, Dr. Murdoch has made a diff erence in the

lives of thousands of Rogue Valley children and

their families. During his early years, he sometimes

made house calls and occasionally drove critically

ill patients to the hospital. He was among a group

of pediatricians who inspired the Rogue Valley

Medical Center (RVMC) Board of Trustees to build

a pediatric wing to include a neonatal unit. He also

served in leadership positions, such as RVMC chief

of staff and president of the Medford Clinic. But

his deepest passion was always practicing medicine.

He is the founding physician of Southern Oregon

Pediatrics, where his daughter Mary now practices.

Dr. Murdoch continues to have an impact

on local healthcare through volunteering at the

Community Health Center and through his work

as liaison to the medical staff to implement Asante’s

electronic health record system. He remains in

part-time practice at Southern Oregon Pediatrics,

tending to patients during emergencies such as the

recent fl u outbreak.

“Practice was energizing,” he says. “New vaccines

have been developed which have made a number

of dreaded diseases very rare. I worked long hours

and loved the challenges. It’s been a great life.”

Asante is a locally owned and operated, community-supported

organization. To support the work of Rogue Valley Medical Center or Three Rivers Community Hospital, to honor someone, or to learn about planned gi� s, contact the Foundation in Medford at (541) 789-5025, in Grants Pass at (541) 472-7300, or online at www.asantefoundation.org.

BecomeaPartofYourCommunity

Healthy Harvest at the Local Growers’ Market

For more healthy recipes, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: recipes | 11

Want to eat a healthy diet? Look

to your local growers’ market.

“Th e Rogue Valley markets are

bigger and better this year, with not just the

expected produce but the whole spectrum

of foods, so you can create enticing, well-

balanced meals with delicious, locally grown

foods,” says Nicole Morgan Hanks, RD,

CDE, nutrition counselor and educator

with Rogue Valley Medical Center.

Green thumbs from throughout the

valley handpick a bounty of fruits and

vegetables the day before the market,

ensuring that their produce is packed with

fresh fl avor and nutrients. Beyond the

garden fare, you’ll fi nd savory meats,

fresh cheeses, breads and pasta, jams, and

local olive oil. For extra ambience many

markets also off er live entertainment and

tasty samples.

“Buying local market goods means the

distance from farm to fridge is as short as

possible. Th is supports not only your health

but local businesses as well,” Nicole says.

For a satisfying summer supper straight

from the growers’ market, Nicole suggests

creating a “rainbow salad.” Choose a

vegetable of every color, throw some fi sh

or chicken on the grill, and add a serving of

fresh feta cheese for topping the salad.

Olive Oil Vinaigre� e ½ cup balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅔ cup olive oil

Whisk together the vinegar, salt, and

pepper, then slowly add the oil, whisking

until emulsifi ed. Drizzle on fresh salad

and grilled vegetables, chicken, or fi sh.

Makes 20 servings.

For more information about

market dates and locations, visit

www.rvgrowersmarket.com. Nicole Hanks (right) shops for organically grown vegetablesat the Rogue Valley Growers & Cra� ers Market in Medford.

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Rogue Valley Medical Center is a member of Asante Health System, a Medford-based, locally owned and governed healthcare system serving a nine-county region.

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Asante Community Health Education Series

©���� Asante Health System. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form except by prior wri� en permission. Printed with soy ink on recycled paper. ♼

If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please contact Asante Communications and Marketing at (541) 789-4241. Articles in the RVMC Your Health newsle� er are intended for general information only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. For diagnosis and treatment of specifi c conditions, consult your physician. View this newsle� er online at www.rvmc.org, keyword: newsle� er.

Come. Learn. Enjoy.Discover healthy living at our ongoing

Community Health Education series.

For a monthly calendar, visit our website:

www.rvmc.org/classes-events