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Expanding our team of leaders in
CARDIAC SURGERY Houston Methodist Welcomes Dr. Moritz C. Wyler von Ballmoos The surgeons at Houston Methodist Cardiovascular Surgery Associates at Sugar Land provide patients with highly specialized care. Their expertise includes: • Minimally invasive valve surgery • Surgery for aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection • Surgery for coronary artery disease
• Thoracic surgery for lung diseases • Transcatheter treatment for valvular heart disease (TAVR, MitraClip, TMVR)
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Cardiothoracic Surgeon
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Our surgeons are available to safely see patients in person or virtually, as needed.
WELCOMING Moritz C. Wyler von Ballmoos, MD, PhD, MPH
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Marvin D. Atkins Jr., MD Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgeon
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16605 Southwest Fwy. Medical Office Building 3, Suite 560 Sugar Land, TX 77479 houstonmethodist.org/spg 713.352.1820
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N ovember 2020
HEALTH MATTERS IT IS SAFE TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM Most of us have been staying home as much as possible, but many kids are returning to school and activities are picking up. As life begins to speed up, it’s important to remember that it’s safe to go to the emergency room if you need to — even with COVID-19 and flu Scott Rivenes, M.D., Medical Director, Emergency Department
season. If you’re experiencing concerning
tion include: − Abdominal or stomach pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting − Bodily trauma, especially to the head or spine − Fever of 100.4 degrees or higher that persists − Headache accompanied by fever and confusion
the flu keep you from heading to the emergency room.
vision, intense headache and confusion
Hospitals are safe and ready to care for you.
− Severe burns
Here are three things to know about seeking
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms,
emergency care during this season:
seek emergency care as soon as possible.
gency Care Centers are safe. Houston Methodist Emergency Departments and Emergency Care Centers are also taking additional precautions to keep patients and staff safe, including: − Requiring all employees, patients and visitors to wear a mask − Checking temperatures and screening all employees, patients and visitors for symptoms before they walk in the door − Increasing housekeeping hours to thoroughly disinfect patient rooms, as well as surfaces in common areas and employee workspaces − Isolating suspected COVID-19 patients in a separate area − Ensuring social distancing in waiting rooms
When Baby Comes Early
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Grieving Mom Urges Parents to Promise to Get Flu Vaccinations
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weakness, difficulty talking, dizziness, blurred
Methodist Emergency Departments and Emer-
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− Severe shortness of breath
don’t let your fear of being exposed to COVID-19 or
keeping staff, you can rest assured that Houston
FEATURES
MONTHLY DEPARTMENTS
− Stroke symptoms, including face drooping, arm
the efforts of our ER doctors, nurses and house-
CONTENTS
− Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
symptoms that require immediate medical attention,
• Know that the emergency room is safe. Through
The Mom and Baby Issue
• Symptoms that require immediate medical atten-
Serious symptoms, such as chest pain and those associated with stroke, are time sensitive — and the risk of losing function or even your life increases the longer medical attention is delayed. In these events, consider calling 911 so you can receive immediate medical attention. • Know which symptoms can wait. When deciding if your symptoms warrant emergency care or are just really annoying, Rivenes recommends asking yourself the following two questions: − Did these symptoms appear suddenly? − Do these symptoms have the potential to threaten my life? If your answer is ‘no’ to these questions, you may want to consider scheduling an in-person or virtual appointment with your doctor instead of visiting the emergency room. If you don’t have a doctor, you can speak to a Virtual Urgent Care provider 24/7, or you can find a primary care physician by visiting houstonmeth-
and providing an in-car check-in process for
odist.org/find-a-doctor and calling the provider’s
certain services
number, or calling 281.205.4514.
• Know what’s considered an emergency. A med-
ical emergency is a rapid onset of serious, debilitat- Visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland to learn more ing or painful symptoms that have the potential to about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. impact your life, limbs or bodily function.
Health Matters Provided by
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital
Community Profile
Participate In Libraries’ Online Book Clubs From Home
Sienna Plantation News is a Community Magazines LLC publication.
ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact Denise R Williams, Publisher communitynews@entouch.net www.siennaplantationnews.com 281.750.2979
COMMUNITY PROFILE PARTICIPATE IN LIBRARIES’ ONLINE BOOK CLUBS FROM HOME Book lovers don’t need to let COVID-19 social distancing keep them from sharing their opinions and feelings about books with other readers. Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will offer an online option for book-club meetings this fall – all book-club meetings will take place online through Zoom/WebEx so that readers can interact with others in real time and participate from the comfort and safety of home!
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When Baby Comes Early
The Diaz Family Photo courtesy of SEEM photography
Dr. Shaeequa Dasnadi NICU Medical Director
Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at Sugar Land offers outstanding care for high-risk pregnancies and premature babies. Pregnancy is supposed to be a wonderful time for momsto-be. Planning for your baby’s arrival – and dreaming of the day your little bundle of joy is born – are the best parts of the experience. But what happens if medical challenges interfere? Sometimes, pregnancy can cause serious issues that threaten the health of both mom and baby, including hypertension (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes. In some cases, labor must be induced early to protect mom – even if baby isn’t quite ready for life outside of the womb. Fortunately for moms-to-be in Fort Bend County and surrounding areas, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is uniquely positioned to safely provide the best possible care for any birth, including those considered high risk.
The hospital’s Childbirth Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) offer unparalleled round-the-clock care – close to home. With experienced, caring nurses and a wide range of specialists, including obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, anesthesiologists, neonatologists and pediatricians, the Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at Sugar Land gives momsto-be the peace of mind and confidence they need.
“Houston Methodist Sugar Land’s NICU is on the journey to become a Level III NICU, which will be a tremendous benefit for moms-to-be in Fort Bend,, but it’s especially critical for those with high-risk pregnancies,” said boardcertified neonatologist Shaeequa Dasnadi, M.D., medical director of the Houston Methodist Sugar Land NICU. “Many times, those risks lead to labor being induced early to protect mom’s health, and that means the baby is premature. Being close to home removes a great deal of the stress, time and travel involved for parents, especially if the baby remains in the NICU for several weeks.”
The importance of a NICU
A first time mom’s experience
In years past, women with early deliveries would have their newborn transferred to Texas Medical Center while they recovered at Houston Methodist Sugar Land, primarily due to concerns for the baby. Now Houston Methodist Sugar Land’s NICU is capable of providing complex, round-the-clock care for infants born at less than 32 weeks gestational age or who weigh less than 3.3 pounds, as well as any critically ill newborn.
Like most first-time moms, Houston Methodist Sugar Land employee Taylor Diaz didn’t expect to have any issues with her pregnancy. However, after a few months, her blood pressure began rising enough to cause concern that she came to the OBED, but she felt reassured because there were board-certified OBs. And then, as her due date grew closer, it became a critical health issue.
What makes the Childbirth Center at Houston Methodist Sugar Land special? Our unique amenities include: • Tranquil, private and family-centered labor and delivery suites • Dedicated obstetrical (OB) emergency rooms for rapid maternal assessment • 24/7 access to on-site board-certified OB-GYNs with specialized training in emergency care for moms and babies
• NICU with 24/7 on-site neonatology providers to monitor high-risk and premature babies
High blood pressure is a common condition during pregnancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in every 12 pregnant women will experience serious hypertension. It is one of the leading causes of preterm delivery. When Diaz was 35 weeks pregnant, her blood pressure was high enough for her to be admitted to Houston
• Postpartum care, education and breastfeeding support
See the difference for yourself! Visit houstonmethodist.org/childbirth-sl to take a virtual tour! 4
Members of the NICU team. Photo taken July 2019.
Dr. Lauren Swords Maternal Medical Director
Methodist Sugar Land.
from COVID-19.
Medication helped get her blood pressure under control so she could go home, but it spiked again the next day. At that point, her doctor told her that she would need to be induced as soon as possible – for her safety as well as her baby’s.
“It was difficult because I had always thought my mom would be with me when I gave birth, but it just wasn’t possible due to the limit of one visitor,” she said. “And after Valor was born, David and I still couldn’t have visitors to our room. The nurses said that moms were getting more rest without visitors popping in, and they were better able to bond because their babies weren’t being passed around for everyone to hold. They helped me to see things from a different perspective.”
“I was really upset when I found out that I needed to be induced,” recalled Diaz. “I had hoped to get to at least 37 weeks. I just wasn’t mentally ready to deliver so soon.” Because she didn’t realize she would be induced that day, her husband David had not accompanied her to the doctor. She was admitted to the hospital before he could arrive, and she entered the Childbirth Center alone. But that didn’t last long. “The nurses just embraced me from the first minute and did everything they could to help me feel better,” Diaz said. “They were absolutely amazing. I shed a lot of tears because I was so worried, but they were right by my side the whole time, comforting me.” Complicated by COVID-19 Diaz was induced on Thursday, April 9 at 6 p.m., and after nearly 24 hours of labor, baby Valor was born on April 10 at 4:09 p.m. Even though she was born about five weeks early, Valor was healthy enough to go home as soon as Diaz’ hypertension was under control. And while Diaz was happy that she and Valor were safe, her experience wasn’t exactly what she expected due to safety precautions put in place to protect patients
Plus, Diaz said, staff members were extremely diligent in following safety protocols. “I always felt safe,” she said. “Everyone was always wearing the proper protective equipment.”
• Mandatory masking and social-distancing guidelines for all physicians, employees, visitors and patients • Implementing a single visitor rule • Screening all patients and visitors upon arrival with temperature checks and exposure questionnaires
The Childbirth Center at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital offers both in-person and online childbirth education classes, along with virtual and in-person tours, to help you feel more comfortable with your experience. To learn more or to schedule a class, call 281.274.7500. To view the virtual tour, visit houstonmethodist.org/childbirth-sl.
On Easter Sunday, Diaz and Valor were discharged. But at her first visit to the pediatrician two days later, Valor was diagnosed with jaundice. It was back to the hospital – this time, for Valor to be admitted to the NICU. “Having a quality NICU so close to home is a real blessing,” said Lauren Swords, M.D., OB-GYN at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “When your newborn is in the hospital, you are under so much stress. I can’t imagine having to drive to the Texas Medical Center every day to see your baby.” Happy And Healthy Fortunately, Valor’s stay in the NICU was a short one. Today – despite the rocky beginning to her life – she is healthy, happy and growing quickly. “I am so grateful to everyone in our Childbirth Center and NICU for the care we received and the compassion we were shown during such a challenging time,” said Diaz. “I saw first-hand how supportive nurses and physicians make the difference, and it makes me proud to say I’m an employee.”
You and Your Baby Are Safe! Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has taken significant steps to ensure that moms and babies are safe from COVID19 throughout their stay, including:
Learn More
• Following the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control for frequent testing of employees
Dr. Rosalyn Miller
Meet our OB-GYNs! Making your childbirth experience the best it can be requires proper care and attention. The doctors at Houston Methodist Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates at Sugar Land provide personalized, compassionate guidance and support – from that exciting first visit through the special day of delivery! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Rosalyn Miller or Dr. Elizabeth Mosier, visit houstonmethodist.org/obgyn or call 346.874.2060.
• Our staff and physicians wear recommended personal protective equipment while providing patient care • Performing extensive sanitation processes to disinfect all equipment and surfaces throughout each day Dr. Elizabeth Mosier
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Continued from pg. 03 Books can be requested by calling the libraries, or by placing them on hold in the online catalog. They can be picked up from the libraries through FBCL’s Books & More! Curbside Pick-Up service. Digital versions of some books are also available for download from FBCL’s eLibrary. In November, Sienna’s book club meetings include:
• Monday, November 9, 3:00 pm – Sienna Book Club Educated, a memoir written by Tara Westover. • Thursday, November 12, 4:00-5:00 pm – Sienna Subtext: Graphic Novel & Anime Club Last Pick, Vol. 1, created by Jason Walz. The book club meetings are free and open to the public. Registration is required for the book club meetings so
that a link to the Zoom/WebEx sessions can be emailed to all who register. To register online at the library’s website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” and find the program on the date indicated. Participants may also register by calling Fort Bend County Libraries’ Communications Office at 281-633-4734.
GRIEVING MOM URGES PARENTS TO PROMISE TO GET FLU VACCINATIONS Two-year-old Reese Pena was an energetic, healthy toddler loved dearly by her entire family when her life was tragically cut short by the flu. Now, her mom is urging other parents to make a promise to vaccinate their families this year and every year. Reese became ill with what her family assumed was a cold, but turned out to be Influenza B. She seemed like she was doing well, even getting back to eating and playing, but the flu infection attacked her heart and Reese died in her sleep. Reese’s mom RoxxAnn says, “I did not know the flu could take her from us. The flu is dangerous, especially to children - and a flu vaccine could have prevented her death. I want every parent to make the Families Fighting Flu Vaccination Promise to protect their loved ones this year.”
Unlike COVID-19, there is a vaccine to help prevent the flu. In cases when the vaccine does not completely prevent you from contracting the flu, it can make your flu symptoms much less severe, reducing the risk of hospitalization and death for those who get vaccinated. The flu vaccination helps reduce the need for ICU treatment by 82% in adults and 74% in children. How can you tell if someone has the flu or COVID-19? According to the CDC, the flu and COVID-19 have many of the same symptoms. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience these common symptoms: • Fever or chills • Cough • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Fatigue (tiredness) • Sore throat • Runny or stuffy nose
Make the Families Fighting Flu Vaccination Promise The Families Fighting Flu Vaccination Promise will help make sure annual flu vaccination doesn’t fall off your list of things to do. Go to FamiliesFightingFlu.org/promise and make the promise to get vaccinated, and you will be sent a reminder to get your flu shot. Protect yourself, your family and your community, and promise to take other family members to get vaccinated as well. Why you should get a flu vaccine - especially this year Nearly everyone 6 months of age and older should be vaccinated to help protect themselves and their community against the dangers of the flu. Making a plan to get a flu vaccine is even more crucial this year to keep everyone in your family and community healthy - and to help to prevent your local health system from becoming overburdened when both the flu and COVID-19 cases are on the rise. 6
• Muscle pain or body aches • Headache • Some may have vomiting and diarrhea, but it’s more common in children than adults What are the main differences in symptoms? The key difference in symptoms between the flu and COVID-19 is that people with COVID-19 sometimes experience a change in or a loss of taste and/or smell. The flu and COVID-19 also affect children differently. The flu is often more deadly to children, which makes it all the more important to get kids - and their family members vaccinated as early in the season as possible. To honor Reese, her entire family gets vaccinated against the flu every year. They hope Reese’s story will help other families learn how to prevent the same tragedy from happening to them. For more information on preventing the flu, visit FamiliesFightingFlu.org.
GREGG MATTE, PASTOR MALCOLM MARSHALL, CAMPUS PASTOR 4309 SIENNA PARKWAY HOUSTONSFIRST.ORG
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For our weekend schedule, visit HOUSTONSFIRST.ORG or text SIENNA to 41411.
Getting your annual mammogram is still important.
During the coronavirus pandemic, we are:
Screening all patients, ensuring only those without COVID-19 symptoms are seen in the office.
Houston Methodist can see you safely.
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Wearing masks and other personal protective equipment while providing patient care.
Implementing additional sanitation processes to disinfect all equipment and surfaces.
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Getting your annual mammogram is one of the most important steps you can take to stay healthy. That’s why our Breast Care Centers are taking every necessary precaution during the coronavirus pandemic to keep you and our staff members safe.
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Redesigning waiting rooms and check-in procedures to ensure social distancing. Visit houstonmethodist.org/breast-care or call 281.436.9513 to schedule your mammogram today.
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