SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017
Mammography and early
detection saves lives
After mammogram screen-
ings became widespread in
1990, the United States saw a
37 percent decrease in breast
cancer related deaths.
Yet recently, only 65 per-
cent of women above the age
of 40 reported having a mam-
mogram within the last two
years.
PeaceHealth Peace Harbor
Medical Center is encouraging
the community to schedule
their annual mammogram
today.
“Peace Harbor offers high
quality digital imaging equip-
ment, staffed by trained and
accredited mammographers
and radiologists,” says Vickie
Hunt, radiology technolo-
gist/mammographer. “A mam-
mogram can detect cancer
early — when it’s most treat-
able and can be treated less
invasively — which not only
saves lives but helps preserve
quality of life.”
This quick medical exam
uses a noninvasive X-ray tar-
geted to each breast, produc-
ing images that a doctor can
use to detect and identify any
abnormal areas, possibly indi-
cating the presence of cancer.
Current guidelines from the
American
College
of
Radiology and the Society for
Breast Imaging recommend
that women receive annual
mammograms starting at age
40, and continue regular
exams as long as they are in
good health.
Peace Harbor’s mammogra-
phy department is open 6 days
a week, providing screening
and diagnostic breast imaging.
Most insurance companies,
including Medicare, cover
most, if not all, of the costs of
screening mammography. Call
541-997-2804 to schedule an
appointment in Florence.
Senior Center announces
new weekly cribbage group
The Florence Senior Center
has announced the start of a
new cribbage group that meets
each Wednesday at the center.
All ages are welcome to the
group, which held its first
meeting Aug. 2.
Cribbage is a card game for
two to four players, in which
the objective is to play so that
the value of a player’s cards
reaches exactly 15 or 31.
“Cribbage is very competi-
tive and it brings people
together,” said Sandra White,
an administrative assistant at
the Senior Center.
Meetings are held from 9:30
a.m. to noon., and beginners
are welcome.
The Florence Senior Center
is at 1570 Kingwood.
For more information about
this program or others, or to
volunteer, call 541-997-8844.
Fundraiser for Boy’s and Girl’s Club.
FREE LUNCH
50’s Party Car Show, Elvis & BBQ
Th ursday, August 17th • 11am-1pm
1451 Spruce Street, Florence
Raffl e to benefi t our local Boy’s and Girl’s Club.
Menu: Octoberfest Brats, Beef Burgers, BBQ
Chicken Drums, pasta salad, Corn on the cobb,
Watermelon and Chips. Eat FREE, listen to
Elvis,talk to the car owners, have your picture taken.
JOIN US AT SHOREWOOD SENIOR LIVING
FOR A 50’S FEELING!
Us TOO Flor ence
Prostate cancer journeys
B Y B OB H ORNEY
CANCER SURVIVOR
U S TOO CHAPTER LEADER
I
t was July 28 of this year
that my wife, Marianne,
(with phone in hand) found
me puttering around in the
garage. Upon finding me, she
said to the caller, “Here he is,
you can speak with him about
it.”
Oh?
My “hello” was answered by
a young lady with news from
my health care plan. She want-
ed me to know that the prior
denial of a referral for
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
(HBOT) had been reversed and
it was now approved.
She sure “made my day” and
I very clearly told her so.
Ok, a little background: This
is just another blip in my
prostate cancer journey that
began with a diagnosis in
December 2001. That was fol-
lowed in January 2002 with a
radical prostatectomy (surgical
removal of the prostate).
Everything looked super
except for one “capsular exten-
sion” listed on the pathology
report. That referenced a bump
on the prostate capsule where
the cancer had been pushing to
get out. After consultation with
my surgeon, the late Dr. Peter
Bergreen, we decided to pro-
ceed with what is now called
Active Surveillance (no imme-
diate radiation follow-up, but
regular PSA tests) to see if any
cancer cells had escaped.
When my PSA made its third
consecutive rise in late 2007,
my urologist, Dr. Bryan
Mehlhaff, recommended I take
the next step, radiation. At that
point, I chose Image Guided
Radiation Therapy (IGRT) at
the new Oregon Urology
Institute (OUI) Radiation
Center.
Treatment
started
in
December 2007 and ended on
Valentine's Day 2008. With
nearly six years between sur-
gery and radiation, my intes-
tines had moved in front of my
prostate bed, making “normal”
radiation through my abdomen
impossible.
However, by laying on my
stomach, the intestines moved
enough that they could proceed
with the treatment. It is now
nine years since completing my
IGRT and I’m dealing with a
rather insignificant, but quite
steady PSA of 0.03.
So, what’s up with this
phone call from my health care
company?
Well, the past several years I
have been visiting nearby bath-
rooms much too frequently
and, I might add, with quite an
urgent need to urinate, aka
urge incontinence. After work-
ing my way through half a
dozen or so drugs to calm blad-
der muscle spasms (with no
success), and the bathroom vis-
its becoming even more fre-
quent, Dr. Mehlhaff decided it
was time to pass me on to an
OUI expert with incontinence,
Dr. Roger McKimmy.
At my appointment on June
20 with Dr. McKimmy, we
took a short Cystoscopy trip —
up my urethra, through the uri-
nary sphincter and into my
bladder — to have a look
around. Entering the bladder
and looking forward, we saw
nothing on the monitor but
nice, normal bladder tissue.
However, when he turned
the cystoscope around and
looked back, we saw a dramat-
ic change in the landscape: red-
dish, angry looking tissue
which is are clear signs of
blood vessel damage from the
radiation.
Seeing that damage, Dr.
McKimmy wanted a 48-hour
voiding diary completed. That
was done and the results faxed
to his office. Those results con-
vinced him to promptly send a
referral to the McKenzie
Wound Center in Springfield.
Immediately, upon receiving
the referral, I was contacted
and set up with a July 6 consul-
tation at their facility on West
11th Ave. in Eugene.
That consultation was
extraordinary. Then on July 12
came a huge letdown. My
health care plan denied the
treatment, stating that the treat-
ment wasn’t covered as stated.
Well, before I could catch my
breath, the McKenzie Wound
Center appealed that decision.
Finally came my phone call on
July 28 that the denial had been
reversed and I could proceed
with scheduling my HBOT
treatment,
which
Dr.
McKimmy recommended.
Why is HBOT critical to
healing my bladder and, conse-
quently, my urge incontinence?
The damaged area of my blad-
der is lacking blood vessels
capable of supplying the oxy-
gen necessary for healing.
Only HBOT’s pressurized
chamber of 100 percent oxygen
can get oxygen to that area.
More to come on this excit-
ing adventure which began
Monday, Aug. 7.
New donor milk program provides nutrition, relief
Peace Harbor Medical
Center is launching a Donor
Breast Milk program for its
Labor and Delivery patients.
Provided and tested by
Medolac, the new donor breast
milk will be available to any
families — in the hospital or
returning home — who may
need it.
This includes new mothers
unable to produce milk the first
few days after birth, working
mothers and surrogate-born
and adopted babies.
“Providing this service to
our Florence community
ensures families don’t have to
make the journey to Eugene or
Springfield to get the right care
for their newborns,” says
EMAC TO
FRAA ART CENTER
Reneé Reiser, Registered
Nurse, Certified, Certified
Lactation Counselor (CLC)
and Maternal Newborn Nurse.
“New mothers can receive the
whole spectrum of care and
services,
from
delivery
onward, right here at Peace
Harbor.”
Peace Harbor has been pro-
viding lactation services to the
community for more than three
years.
Every delivery performed in
the hospital is automatically
referred to lactation services.
Although families may
choose to use cow’s milk for-
mula to feed their babies, The
American
Academy
of
Pediatrics recommends feeding
HOST
The
Environmental
Management
Advisory
Committee (EMAC) is hosting
its Seventh Annual Black and
White
Recycling
Event,
Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10
‘B LACK
babies human milk to help
them resist allergies and infec-
tions.
“Breast milk helps newborns
grow strong in ways that for-
mula simply can’t,” says
Reiser. “Using donor milk
doesn’t mean you’re a bad par-
ent. It’s completely normal to
have a hard time producing
milk after birth, or not being
able to produce enough milk
when you’re working 40 hours
a week.
“That’s why we provide the
service.”
MEDOLAC
extensively
tests its donors and treats its
milk.
Donors are screened and
tested for HIV 1 and 2, HTLV
AND
a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Siuslaw
High School Parking Lot at
2975 Oak St.
Acceptable items include: all
household appliances large or
small, empty propane tanks
that are five gallon size or less
and car and truck automobile
tires 22” or less.
There is a 10-tire limit per
household; no commercial
W HITE ’
II and II, HBV, HCV, Syphilis,
West Nile Virus and Chagas
Disease, and their blood is test-
ed at American Red Cross
National Testing Lab.
The donor milk is then steril-
ized in Medolac’s facilities,
killing any potential bacteria,
viruses and spores.
“As a CLC, there is one hard
and fast rule: Feed the baby,”
Reiser says. “It doesn’t matter
how. But being able to provide
donor milk is a valuable tool
that we now have available for
parents and babies.”
For more information on
Peace Harbor’s new Donor
Breast Milk program, call 541-
997-8412.
RECYCLING EVENT
vehicle tires can be accepted.
This City of Florence spon-
sored event is provided in col-
laboration
with
County
Transfer & Recycling, Central
Coast Disposal, Les Schwab
and
Shervin’s
Tire
&
Automotive.
The disposal costs are fund-
ed by Lane County’s System
Benefit Fees paid by area resi-
dents and businesses through
their garbage bills. The public
is encouraged to use this free
recycling opportunity that has
paid for through fees.
For
more
information
regarding the Black and White
Recycling Event, contact the
City of Florence at 541-997-
8237.
120 Maple Street
Phone: 541-997-4435
Hours Open: Wed-Fri noon-5pm,
Sat 10am-5pm, Sun. noon-5pm
Classes, Workshops & Events
DATE CORRECTION: Basic
Crochet Workshop & Crochet-A-
Long
Learn the basics of crocheting & have fun.
Sunday, September 10, 1-4 pm
Materials needed to complete one project
will be provided; students may being own
$15 FRAA members, $20 non-FRAA
members.
Pre-registration required at FRAA. Stop in
or call 541-997-4435
Next Art Swap Day at FRAA
Monday, August 28th, 9-11 am
Whimsical Hand Building
Ceramics w/ Alissa Clark
Wednesdays, 3-5 pm and
Thursdays, 6-8 pm
Open Lab Ceramics on Saturdays
Drop in, work at own pace. Sat 12-5 pm
All ceramics classes held at Alissa’s
Studio. 180 Laurel Street. Call Alissa with
questions: 503-857-5222
7 A
NEW! Writers on the River
Literary Salon w/ Catherine
Rourke
Saturday, September 9, 6-8 pm
Featured Author: Ned Hickson
Writers Open Mic and Door Prizes
Free public event, $5 suggested donation
Questions: contact 541-708-2120 or
CJReditor@gmail.com
Open Studio @ FRAA, Thursdays
No registration required. Drop-in, bring
your materials, and create. All artistic
mediums welcome.
Every Thursday, 1-4 pm
Painting with John Leasure
Saturdays 9 am - 12 pm
August 5, 12, 19, 26, Sept 2, 9,16, 23,30
Contact: jnleasure@hotmail.com or
541-991-2754 for details and fees.
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It’s eas
to help
Call the Siuslaw News to Join Our Senior Directory
541-997-3441
BRADLEY
BERG
ATTORNEY
Wills - Trusts
Probate
Oil Painting with Michael Wood
Wednesdays 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Contact: fmwood@msn.com for fees and
more information.
1932 Pine St.
Suite B-3
Florence, OR
997-8114
Spruce
Point
SPRUCE POINT
ASSISTED LIVING
Assisted
Living
375 9th Street • Florence
541-997-6111
997-6111
S
S IUSLAW
IUSLAW
N EWS
148 Maple St.
Florence
541-997-3441
