Undergoing a vaginal birth after a cesarean delivery (VBAC) is a difficult and sometimes controversial decision for pregnant women who have had a previous cesarean section.

Every woman's experience of labor and delivery is unique. Cesarean childbirth, it turns out, is no different. In the 1970s, when the cesarean section rate tripled, the medical mantra was "once a cesarean, always a cesarean."

These days, most women who have had at least one child delivered by C-section will have to decide whether to try to deliver a subsequent child vaginally. This is a decision colored by a complex set of factors, including:

• A woman's own experience
• The reason for the original C-section
• Her subsequent recovery
• Her overall health
• Her personal preference
• The opinion and philosophy of her physician

What makes the decision more complex is the fact that obstetrics professionals are struggling with the issue themselves.

Why a C-section?

Cesarean section may be “scheduled” or “unscheduled.” A scheduled section is planned in advance.

The reasons for scheduled cesareans can include:

• Baby in breech position: Though some physicians will allow women to deliver breech babies vaginally, the rate is low, especially for first-time mothers. A subsequent baby is unlikely to also be breech.
• Placenta previa: The placenta blocks the cervix and is at risk of detaching before the baby is born; this condition is unlikely to repeat itself in a subsequent pregnancy.
• Cephalopelvic disproportion: A baby's head is too large for the mother's pelvis. This is considered a controversial reason for C-section, because the proportion is difficult to measure and because small pelvises do often accommodate large babies during labor.
• Fetal or maternal illness: This could make labor risky for mother and/or child.
• Previous cesarean: The mother has delivered a previous child via C-section.

Reasons for unplanned or emergency cesareans include:

• Labor that "fails to progress" (dystocia): Fetus is in distress despite prolonged active labor, or labor doesn't progress normally. This, too, is controversial because fetal monitors can be misread and because "normal" is subjective.
• Fetal distress
• Infection in the mother

For more information about Cesareans or VBAC deliveries, please contact Carol Gilles, MD, board certified OB/GYN physician at Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center: (262) 245-0535.

Dr. Carol Gilles

Mercy Health System is once again a proud sponsor of the Walworth County Fair, September 1-6, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.  In recognition of Senior Day on Thursday from 9am - 5pm, we will be offering free blood pressure screenings. So if you’re planning to visit the fair this year, don’t forget to stop at our booth for screenings, giveaways and to meet our physicians.

UPDATE: Dr. Craig Lyon, an orthopaedic surgeon, will be there on Thursday from 10am - 3pm. Stop by Saturday to say hello to Dr. Nicholas Gianitsos, a board-certified urologist, who will be there from 4pm - 7pm.  Dr. Mark Pfeifer, a board-certified podiatrist, will be there Sunday from 12:30-4 pm.


     
Dr. Craig Lyon        Dr. Nicholas Gianitsos     Dr. Mark Pfeifer

If you are a Mercy Health System patient, you can also register for Mychart, a free service that offers personalized and secure on-line access to portions of your medical records. It enables you to securely use the Internet to help manage and receive information about your health.

With MyChart, you can use the Internet to:

• Request medical appointments.
• View your health summary from the MyChart electronic health record.
• View test results.
• Request prescription renewals.
• Access trusted health information resources.
• Communicate electronically and securely with your medical care team.

So be sure to register when you stop by. For more information about MyChart, call 888-39-MERCY.

What’s the difference between being dedicated to your career and being addicted to it? Use this check-list to help you decide who’s in charge of your life: you or your career. Do you...

• feel a sense of being driven when working?
• feel empty, depressed or panicky when you’re not working?
• often miss dinner or family celebrations because of work?
• feel you’ll never get your work done, no matter how hard you try?
• have to always be “on call”?
• feel you must keep driving yourself to avoid disaster?
• stay awake nights thinking about work?
• often work more than 10 hours a day?
• find yourself preoccupied at home with work-related concerns?
• feel successful but not happy?
• overschedule appointments?
• have chronic physical problems, such as headaches, neck pain or colitis?
• have family and friends who complain that you are obsessed with work?

If you answered yes to several of these questions, you may be more than just a hard worker. You may be on your way to full-blown workaholism. If so, it’s time to take a long hard look at your work life. Ask your family and close friends for help in assessing whether you are addicted to work. Recognizing a problem is the first step toward resolving it.

Workaholics have lost control of their lives. There are three ways to get back in control:

First, manage Stress: stress and work addiction reinforce each other in a vicious circle. You can break the pattern by learning tactics for managing stress. Yoga, exercise, meditation or walking are all helpful. Or try these simple activities:

• Do deep breathing—inhale slowly through your nose, mentally count to two, then exhale for a count of four. Repeat five times.
• Stand up and stretch for one minute every hour.
• Massage your neck and shoulders to relieve tension.
• Cut down on alcohol and caffeine.
• Each day, find time for a non-work activity you enjoy.

Second, talk yourself up: Low self-esteem is often behind work addiction. Try repeating these affirmations to yourself several times a day. Believe it or not, they really work.

• “I’m relaxed, peaceful and happy.”
• “I’m successful and will achieve my dreams.”
• “I have a right to a balanced life.”

Third, Reach out.

It may not be easy, but recovering from work addiction depends on your asking for help. Ask those close to you to help you recover by giving you feedback and positive reinforcement on your progress. If you can’t reach out to those around you, get professional help from a psychotherapist, pastoral counselor, outpatient treatment group or Workaholics Anonymous. You’ll be glad you did. And so will your loved ones.

To schedule an appointment with one of our mental health experts, call the Mercy Options Behavioral Health Clinic at (262)245-5608.

One million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer each year.  Mercy Health System wants you to be cautious and reduce your chances of getting skin cancer this summer.

The American Academy of Dermatology offers the following sun safety tips:

• Use a water-resistant sunscreen with (SPF) of at least 15, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.

• Wear protective clothing (long-sleeved shirt, pants, wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, where possible).

• Seek shade when appropriate.

• Get vitamin D.

• Avoid tanning beds.

• Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist.

As with most cancers, skin cancer can be successfully treated if caught early. If you have a suspicious spot or mole you’d like to get checked, we invite you to make an appointment with a Mercy Health System dermatologist by calling Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center at (262) 245-0535.

For more information about our dermatologists please visit www.mercyhealthsystem.org

To schedule your appointment today at one of Mercy’s participating locations, please contact the location nearest you.

Physicals will be offered at:

Mercy Whitewater Medical Center

507 W. Main St.

Whitewater, WI

August 11, 4 – 7 pm

(262) 473-0410

Mercy Lake Geneva Medical Center

350 Peller Rd.

Lake Geneva, WI

August 11, 8:30 am - noon

(262) 249-0221

Depending on the amount of body fat you have, your body is from one-half to four-fifths water. Your brain is nearly 85% water. Besides being an important component of your body, water also:

• Regulates body temperature;

• Removes waste;

• Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells;

• Cushions joints;

• Helps prevent constipation;

• Lessens the burden on the kidneys and liver by removing toxins;

• Helps dissolve minerals, vitamins and other nutrients to make them usable.

There is also some evidence that water can help prevent certain diseases. For those who have had kidney stones, drinking plenty of fluids can help prevent further formation of stones. Drinking six or more glasses of water a day can also significantly decrease your risk of colon cancer. As you can see, every system in your body depends on water. At the very least, not getting enough water can lead to dehydration, which poses a particular health risk to the very young and very old. Even slight dehydration can make you feel lethargic and zap your energy.

Every day, we lose approximately 10 cups of water through sweating, exhaling and eliminating liquid and solid waste. Those who exercise lose even more. Climate and high altitude also affect our body’s fluid output. Remember that caffeine and alcohol are dehydrating, so either avoid these in your beverages, or drink more water to compensate.

Getting enough water is crucial to your good health. If you’re thirsty, you may already be dehydrated, so make drinking fluids a conscious habit. Have a glass of water when you awake and before bed. Drink with every meal and keep a bottle with you. Avoid soda to provide your fluid needs. If you’re drowning in excuses not to drink enough water— you don’t like the taste, it’s not convenient, you never remember— remember that proper fluid intake will buoy your health. So drink up!

Geneva National Foundation is hosting its first annual “Steps of Possibility” 1K Push/Walk/Ride at 2 pm, on Sunday, June 27, on the grounds of Geneva National Golf Club. Clients and their families will either be pushing someone in a wheelchair, walking on their own or with a walker, or riding in a wheelchair, along a designated route that is approximately one mile long.
 
To make this event even more special, this year, GNF is bringing in DJ Gregory, a man with cerebral palsy whose parents were told at birth that he would never walk. Gregory will be participating in the “Steps of Possibility” Push/Walk/Ride and will be the featured speaker at the Foundation’s annual Ice Cream Social at 4 pm. Mercy Health System is proud to be a sponsor.

The Ice Cream Social is complimentary and open to the public, but reservations are required. Call (262) 245-7046 to reserve your seat. 

Not only did Gregory prove the doctors wrong, he walked every hole of every course on the 2008 PGA tour. He has become an inspiration to thousands of individuals living with special needs. Gregory now tours the country, speaking to crowds of thousands. He appears regularly on the PGA tour and is often featured on ESPN and the Golf Channel.

GNF's annual Lifelong Empowerment Open (L.E.O.) brings together nearly 400 golfers and 500 for dinner in order to raise money for Walworth County charitable organizations.GNF, founded in 2005, is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of those living with disabilities. For the past five years, GNF’s fundraising efforts have revolved around one annual event: The Lifelong Empowerment Open (The L.E.O.). On the last Monday of June each year, Geneva National Golf Club closes all three of its courses for this event.

The four organizations participating in this year’s Push/Walk/Ride are Lakeland School, VIP Services, Inspiration Ministries and SMILES (Special Methods in Learning Equine Skills). If you would like to support a client from any of these four organizations, please call the organization directly.

Tired of eating light, diet, fat-free and sugar-free foods? Join Supermarket Savvy and learn how to decipher nutrition facts for a healthier and more enjoyable diet. Cathy Nemerovski, a Fitness Ambassador for Lifelong Fitness Alliance and certified Stepping Strong teacher, has created a program to help you eat healthy without breaking your budget. She will discuss what to look for on nutrition labels as well as useful tips for healthier eating.

Be supermarket savvy!

When: Monday, June 21

Time:10:30-11:30 am

Location: Green Grocer, 24 W. Geneva St. (Bay Centre Building), Williams Bay
 

This program is free and open to the public. Supermarket Savvy is sponsored by Mercy Walworth Hospital and Medical Center and the Williams Bay Recreation Department. To register for this free program, please visit, www.wbreccenter.org and click on “registration sheet.” Space is limited to 15 participants.



     Cathy Nemerovski