SPRING 2018
SPRING 2018
The Joy of Pain Relief
HEALTHLife SPRING 2018
In this Issue: Sports Safety for Kids New Treatment for Hepatitis C Can a Knee Scan Save Your Life?
Are Your Arteries Trying to Tell You Something? - p. 6
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CONTENTS:
THE SPRING ISSUE
HealthLife is published by the AMITA Health Communications Department for the educational benefit of individuals and families in our community. Consult your physician before undertaking any medical treatment or beginning any new exercise program or dietary guidelines.
COVER STORY The Joy of Pain Relief Patient Profile
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What Are Your Arteries Telling You?
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From Heart Attack to Half Marathon: One Man’s Amazing Story
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New Treatment for Hepatitis C
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About AMITA Health: AMITA Health (AMITAhealth.org) is an integrated health system serving communities in northern, western, and southwestern suburbs of Chicago. AMITA Health is a joint operating company by Adventist Midwest Health, based in Hinsdale, IL., and Alexian Brothers Health System, based in Arlington Heights, IL., encompassing nine hospitals and an extensive physician provider network of more than 3,500 physicians, including a 500+ member AMITA Health Medical Group practice. AMITA Health is committed to delivering the most efficient, highest quality, faith-based care possible and respecting the faith traditions of all people.
Pelvic Floor Prolapse: What You Need to Know
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New Outreach Program Serves Local Athletes
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AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook
AMITA Health Opens More Immediate Care Centers
AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks
How a Knee Scan Saved a Life
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Meal Replacement Helps Woman Lose 80 Pounds
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2018’s “Fittest Loser” Is…
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AMITA Health Hospitals:
AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Hinsdale AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center La Grange AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital Hoffman Estates AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center Elk Grove Village AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Women & Children’s Hospital Hoffman Estates AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Rehabilitation Hospital Elk Grove Village, in partnership with Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago AMITA Health St. Alexius Medical Center Hoffman Estates © 2018 AMITA Health 180018
The Joy of Pain Relief Rosemarie Wyler Rosemarie replaced numerous medications with a hand-held device to alleviate pain in her foot. The new technology has put her in total control of her pain.
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When someone lives with pain day after day, it’s easy to lose hope that it will ever resolve. Plainfield resident Rosemarie Wyler, 51, knew such frustration. Despite 10 foot surgeries and 10 years of frequent pain medication, Rosemarie suffered life-altering chronic discomfort. “I was so uncomfortable that just having a blanket on my foot at night required a pain pill to sleep,” she said. Rosemarie’s experience is not unique — the National Academy of Medicine reports that chronic pain affects more than 100 million Americans. Even more alarming? Two million of these individuals struggle with opioid dependence disorder from prescribed pain medications, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Fortunately, innovative options are available to significantly reduce or eliminate pain, allowing patients to avoid or wean off opioids, said Goran Tubic, MD, Medical Director for pain management at AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook. These options include high-frequency neurostimulation technology such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRG). “We can selectively target nerves that cause pain, and offer a variety of procedures to give long-term relief.” It’s one such DRG implant, the Axium™ Neurostimulator System, that finally gave Rosemarie hope. The pacemaker-like device implants electrical leads near the spine that block transmission of pain signals to the brain. Along with Dr. Tubic,
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“Opioid dependency is being physically unable to stop taking the medication without experiencing short-term withdrawal symptoms,” said Dr. Teas. To avoid dependence, Dr. Teas suggests using these medications for 72 hours or less for acute pain syndromes such as postsurgical pain.
Dr. Tubic, MD, with Neurostimulator the two Medical Directors of the AMITA Health Comprehensive Pain Management Program — Ankur Dave, MD, and Keith Schmidt, MD — perform similar SCS treatments at AMITA Health hospitals in Bolingbrook, Elk Grove Village, Glendale Heights, Hinsdale and Hoffman Estates. “SCS and DRG are practically designed for patients like Rosemarie because it can ‘turn off’ complex pain in specific areas of the lower extremities by as much as 90 to 100 percent,” said Dr. Dave. DRG and SCS technology can also be supplemented with other pain management treatments. “From headaches to foot pain, we can customize treatment that returns quality of life to patients and helps wean them off medication,” added Dr. Schmidt.
Avoiding Addiction
According to Gregory Teas, MD, addiction specialist with the AMITA Health Behavioral Medicine Institute, all FDA-approved opioids — such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and fentanyl — are prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain by stimulating the µ-opioid receptors in the brain. While helpful for short-term use, the medications can create dependence over a longer period.
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Medication assistance and a tapering schedule can be very beneficial if someone has become dependent and is concerned about withdrawal symptoms. “We successfully help people discontinue use of opioids with buprenorphine (Suboxone®), which is believed to make withdrawal less intense,” said Dr. Teas.
Dr. Teas, MD, addiction specialist AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital Hoffman Estates also offers a rapid oral opioid detox on an inpatient and outpatient basis that allows patients on moderate to high doses to safely become free of the opioid within four days. “Our program compresses the withdrawal processes,” said Dr. Teas. “Symptoms may be more pronounced, but we medically monitor patients to ensure they can successfully withdraw.” Relief from pain is available. For more information on pain management, call 877.596.7360 or visit AMITAhealth.org/PainHelp. For more information on addiction treatment, call 877.262.5048.
What Are Your Arteries Telling You? It’s time to forget the old adage that “what you don’t know can’t hurt you.” Quite the opposite is true, according to Edgar Carell, MD, medical director, cardiac catheterization labs, AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Hinsdale. Specifically, what you don’t know about your arteries can definitely hurt you. In fact, ignorance can be deadly. One of Dr. Carell’s greatest concerns for his patients is a condition that often shows no symptoms, but can have devastating consequences. Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, is most commonly caused by a narrowing of the arteries to the legs, as well as the arms and stomach, due to plaque buildup. People with PAD have higher rates of blockage of vessels to the heart and brain, which compromises the vital flow of blood and puts individuals at greater risk for heart attack and stroke.
Although they can mimic diabetic symptoms, conditions such as an aching heaviness or weakness in legs, burning or pain in toes while at rest, and foot ulcers or gangrene can be red flags that you are dealing with PAD. Once symptoms begin to arise in legs and feet, “individuals, especially the elderly, sometimes believe these are simply signs of aging,” said Dr. Carell. Fortunately, being tested for PAD is easy and painless. A primary care doctor can obtain an ankle-brachial index, which compares blood pressure in the arm to blood pressure in the leg. A Doppler ultrasound also can measure the amount of blood flow through the arteries. If results show that blood flow is compromised, a doctor can order a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the extent of disease. “Immediately upon diagnosis, we look for plaque buildup, begin medication therapy and encourage lifestyle changes because PAD needs to be treated aggressively to avoid further complications,” said Dr. Carell.
If symptoms begin to interfere with activities of daily living, or if there is a risk of amputation of a toe or foot, minimally invasive procedures are available. “Cardiologists have access to a lot of new technologies, so we can open blood vessels and restore good blood flow even in cases of severe disease,” said Dr. Carell. “These newer devices are often without the need for a stent, and offer great long-term results.” Patients return home the same day as the procedure and are back to normal activity within days. “The key is to minimize risk factors — smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a physically inactive lifestyle,” said Dr. Carell. If you have a family history of PAD, be sure to mention it to your doctor as well. “We know that if we diagnose it early and introduce medical therapy and lifestyle changes, we can help people live longer and better.” For more information about heart and vascular care, call 877.596.7275 or visit AMITAhealth.org/heart.
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS!
Keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in a healthy range means lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
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From Widowmaker to Marathon Runner As an interventional cardiologist who has been treating heart disease patients for more than 20 years, Meechai Tessalee, MD, thought he had seen it all. That was, until he met Robert de Falkenberg.
showed that his heart function had returned to normal,” said Dr. Tessalee. “It was so fulfilling for me to be able to give him this news and see the joy on his face. Usually, heart function returns within six months of surgery or it’s not going to happen.” Around that time, Robert approached Dr. Tessalee for approval to enter a half marathon. “He was already running three-to-five miles without pushing himself, so I gave him the okay,” said Dr. Tessalee. “As a marathoner myself, I also told him that if he did the half marathon in the spring, I would do it with him.”
Robert, a busy executive, came into AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Hinsdale in February 2005 suffering from an acute heart attack. When Dr. Tessalee was brought in to perform emergency surgery, he found one of the patient’s arteries to be completely blocked. “We caught it just in time to save his life by placing a stent that allowed blood flow to return to the artery,” said Dr. Tessalee. Two years after his initial heart attack, Robert returned with significant blockage in his left anterior descending (LAD) artery, and Dr. Tessalee had to put in another stent. “The LAD artery is known as ‘the widowmaker’ for a reason,” said Dr. Tessalee. “Many people with this type of blockage suffer fatal heart attacks. Thankfully, we caught it early.”
Last May, Dr. Tessalee was searching for Robert among the almost 7,000 entrants for the 2017 Chicago Spring Half Marathon when he heard an announcement over the loudspeaker. “And, a special welcome to our oldest participant, Mr. Robert de Falkenberg, 75 years old!”
Robert de Falkenberg (left) with Meechai Tessalee, MD (right) at the 2017 Chicago Spring Half Marathon
“I was screaming with excitement, but still hadn’t seen him,” said Dr. Tessalee. “Finally, at mile seven, we high-fived as we passed each other. When Robert got to the finish line, we hugged and celebrated his tremendous achievement. He even made good time on his run!”
“Crossing the finish line was exhilarating,” said Robert. “It was not just that I had accomplished my goal, it was that my wife, my friends and my doctor were there with me. I was excited and thankful for the experience.”
After this second surgery, Robert began working out regularly — monitoring his heart rate and staying within Dr. Tessalee’s recommended guidelines. “Amazingly, about a year after beginning his workout regimen, Robert’s readouts
AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook will host the second St. Paddy’s Half Marathon & 5K on Sunday, March 18.
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Are You at Risk?
1. Were you born between 1945 and 1965? 2. Were you treated for a blood clot prior to 1987? 3. Have you ever used injection drugs? 4. Have you recently experienced any of these symptoms? • Fever • Fatigue • Loss of appetite • Nausea • Vomiting • Abdominal pain If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are at risk of Hepatitis C.
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Patient Receives Life-Saving Treatment for Hepatitis C Richard Noble was in his early 20s when he tried to donate blood and was told it would not be accepted. “I don’t remember if they told me why — I was in my 20s,” said Richard, 68 from Inverness. But his doctor noticed that Richard’s liver enzyme levels were high and rising. About 20 years ago, he had a liver biopsy that identified his illness: hepatitis C.
fluid retention in the abdomen and legs — they probably have developed serious complications such as cirrhosis of the liver.
consisted of taking a pill a day for three months. “I never felt fatigued, no nausea — nothing at all. And now, I’m cured.”
After his doctor retired, Richard went to see David Kim, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Hepatitis C Clinic at AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks.
Along with the Hepatitis C Clinic at AMITA Health GlenOaks, a second clinic has opened at AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook, under the direction of gastroenterologist Rockford Yapp, MD.
At the time, the treatment for hep C was a lengthy course of Interferon, “like having the flu for six months. And the success rate back then was like 30 percent,” Richard said. “At the time, I was trying to operate my business, get through with my life, and I had a brand-new baby. So I elected not to do it.” Richard is a baby boomer, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.5 million baby boomers have hepatitis C. The virus was not identified until the late 1980s, and blood products patients received were not screened for it until the early 1990s. Many people with the disease don’t know how or when they were infected, or even that they have the disease at all, because it usually does not produce symptoms for 20 to 30 years. By the time a patient has symptoms — which can include fatigue, jaundice, itching and
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David Kim, MD
“Dr. Kim is absolutely terrific,” Richard said. “He told me about a new treatment coming out that had success rates in the 90th percentile, with very few side effects. He did some testing, and it turned out that I was a good candidate for this treatment.” New treatments can be costly, although costs are coming down. Dr. Kim negotiated with Richard’s insurance company to allow coverage for the medications. In December 2015 he began treatment, which
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Dr. Yapp said AMITA Health’s effort is “a compassionate, important and productive way” to fight the disease. Almost 20,000 people died of the disease in 2014, according to the CDC. And, in 2013, more people died from hepatitis C than from the next 60 infectious diseases combined, including tuberculosis, pneumonia and HIV. The CDC and the World Health Organization hope to eliminate the disease by 2030. “This is the best time in the history of the world to have this disease, because this is now a curable disease,” Dr. Yapp said. “These treatment options will change people’s lives. They will live longer, and they will live better.” For more information or to make an appointment, call 855.MyAMITA (855.692.6482).
Pelvic Floor Prolapse What You Need to Know Our bodies are in a constant battle against gravity. That’s why heads fall forward, shoulders droop and legs give out after standing too long. Throughout our lives, bones, muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons are working together to fight this downward force – and hold our organs in place. Unfortunately, the body’s system doesn’t always work optimally. The pelvic floor, or the group of muscles and supporting tissues that act like a hammock over the pelvic opening in women, can become injured and weakened over time. As a result, the bladder, uterus, small bowel and rectum can start to “prolapse” or slip down into the vagina. According to German Calonje, MD, a urogynecologist at AMITA Health Medical Group Urogynecology Hoffman Estate, this pelvic floor prolapse (PFP) is not uncommon — it occurs in approximately 40 percent of women after age 40. “Generally, prolapse occurs due to injury to these supporting tissues while giving birth that can further weaken as women age,” said Dr. Calonje. “But other factors can cause overstretching of these
muscles, ligaments and fascia such as obesity, chronic coughing and pressure from chronic constipation.” Menopause also can contribute as the estrogen that keeps tissues strong and stimulated begins to decline.
German Calonje, MD Urogynecologist
Is pelvic floor prolapse a cause for concern? According to Dr. Calonje, while it can be uncomfortable, it’s a benign condition. “If a woman senses a protrusion into the vagina, her physician can do a routine pelvic examination to diagnose prolapse,” he said. “But many times, there are no symptoms or discomfort. That’s why only 3 to 6 percent of the women who are diagnosed require treatment.” The form of treatment is up to a woman and her doctor. Non-surgical options consist primarily of the placement of a pessary — a rubber or silicone insertable device that provides support within the vagina. “This is a great option for patients as the procedure requires no anesthesia, and a pessary can be
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used as long as the patient desires,” said Dr. Calonje. “The physician will see the patient approximately every three months to clean and confirm that the device continues to help the patient.” Minimally invasive outpatient surgical procedures can be considered if a woman chooses this option upon consultation with her doctor. A specialist such as Dr. Calonje can surgically create a support mechanism using native tissue or mesh repair. Recovery can be relatively quick; however, a slower return to vigorous activity should take place over a couple months. “The peak incidence of symptoms occurs from 70 to 80 years of age. However, most patients who undergo surgery are in their 60s,” said Dr. Calonje. Dr. Calonje named several factors that are key to avoid further weakening of the pelvic floor: • Staying active and physically fit • Continuing a regular practice of pelvic floor exercises • Maintaining a healthy weight • Addressing conditions that aggravate muscles such as chronic coughing or constipation For more information or to be connected with a doctor, call 844.366.0620.
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Helping Athletes Stay in the Game If you’re a parent, you probably know that youth sports are great for improving physical fitness, learning teamwork and developing physical skill. Whether you’re on the team or in the stands, athletic competition can be incredibly exciting and rewarding. But do you ever chat with other parents and coaches about the chance of your child getting injured? And if so, do you know what to do, where to go or who to see? If not, you aren’t the only one. With so much media attention given to the long-term effects of concussion, it makes sense to be prepared, whether your child is participating in soccer, softball, football, field hockey, running or wrestling.
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That’s why the AMITA Health Orthopedics Institute created a Sports Medicine Outreach Program. The mission: to help athletes of all ages achieve a higher level of performance on and off the field. How does that happen? By sending sports medicine outreach liaisons out into the community to work directly with schools, teams, clubs, park districts — anywhere people are engaging in physical activity. Athletic trainers Michelle Knizner, ATC, who has a master’s degree in education, and Brittany Palomar, ATC, are board-certified and state-licensed medical professionals who specialize in sports-related injury prevention and treatment. Both are available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you, your athlete or your child — free of charge. Say your high schooler plays volleyball and at her last match, she landed incorrectly and is experiencing pain. One call to Knizner or Palomar, and you can learn what to do immediately. Both ask thorough questions about symptoms and can view injuries through an app such as FaceTime or Skype. They might make suggestions about at-home care, but their concierge service also can expedite access to an AMITA Health immediate care center, Emergency Room or physician specialist.
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Although they are specialists in sports medicine, “we are available to help the whole family,” said Palomar. “For instance, if we have a relationship with an organization and someone within that organization needs a cardiologist, we will facilitate that connection as well.” It’s a comprehensive service that links the community with the specialties available to serve them. “We’re your ‘easy’ button, the bridge between your need and the health care services that can assist you,” said Knizner. You might see Knizner and Palomar at sporting events as they help to support coaches and trainers. Or you might hear them speak at an event on topics related to sports injury prevention and treatment. You also can learn from their experience and expertise by going to AMITAhealth.org/ SportsMedicine and learn tips for athletes of all ages. For more information, contact Michelle Knizner at 847.385.7120 (northwestern suburbs) or Brittany Palomar, 708.245.6051 (southwestern suburbs) or email sportsmedicine@AMITAhealth.org.
New Immediate Care Centers Provides Easy Access to Comprehensive Care AMITA Health has kicked off an outpatient care expansion plan to provide convenient access to comprehensive outpatient services for residents of Chicago’s western and northwestern suburbs. Under the plan, AMITA Health intends to open 16 outpatient facilities in retail-like locations during the next three to five years to give consumers faster access to care, said Patricia Cassidy, AMITA Health senior vice president and chief strategy officer. “Our goal is to have services spread throughout the community so that patients have more access to care where they live, work and play.”
“We want our services to be conveniently available in a pull-up, park and walk-in kind of setting like people are used to in retail,” Cassidy said. “Unlike drugstore clinics, AMITA Health outpatient sites offer on-site diagnostics such as X-ray and laboratory tests, as well as quick access to specialty doctors and other higher-level care, should the patient need it. This approach allows patients to receive a faster and more complete diagnosis and treatment. “Also, this type of coordinated care ensures better continuity of care for the patient, a ‘connect-the-dots’ process, since the patient’s medical records are accessible to the entire clinical team at every level of care — immediate care, specialty care, emergency care, hospital care and home care. Thus, we are able to coordinate and tailor care to the patient.” The first of the new facilities opened last October in Carol Stream with physician practices and immediate care. A Lake Zurich facility opened in January with primary care and will add immediate care in March. Other sites are expected to open in Bartlett, Oak Brook and Woodridge in the fall, as well as another site in the La Grange area. Yet another site is slated to open during 2019 in the northwestern suburbs. For a complete listing of AMITA Health sites, please visit AMITAhealth.org/locations or call 855.MyAMITA (855.692.6482) for assistance.
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Saved by a Scan Some of life’s greatest gifts come when you are in the right place at the right time. That’s how Martha Swierczewski feels. She knows that if she had not been getting therapy for her knee, she might never have learned that she had lung cancer. It sounds like a large leap from physical therapy to a lung cancer diagnosis, but as Martha tells it, divine intervention was in play in the summer of 2006. At that time, she was receiving treatment for a knee injury at an AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center Elk Grove Village outpatient facility. While there, she noticed a poster that advertised a non-invasive lung cancer screening computed tomography (CT) scan that was being offered by the hospital. “I didn’t have any symptoms, but I had been a smoker in the past so I met the testing criteria,” said Martha. “Since I had an appointment with my primary care physician the next day, I asked if he would write me an order. He said, ‘What have you got to lose?’” The scan showed a small nodule in her lung, but her doctor suggested she do another CT scan in three
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months to see if there were any changes. During those three months, the lung cancer program’s nurse navigator contacted her several times to see how she was doing. When a second scan showed some growth, Martha spoke with a thoracic surgeon who suggested removing the tumor through video-assisted thoracoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure.
Health nurse navigator, encourages individuals to speak with their doctor about testing if: • They are between 55 and 77 years of age. • Have at least a 30-pack year smoking history (a pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years). • Are active smokers, or quit less than 15 years ago. Medicare and many insurance plans cover the cost of the scan.
Martha Swierczewski Lung Cancer Survivor
To her surprise, a pathologist discovered that the tumor was cancerous. The surgeon then removed the lower left lobe of Martha’s lung where the tumor resided, and following surgery her cancer was staged at 1A — meaning the cancer had not spread. Because the cancer was caught so early, chemotherapy and radiation were not necessary. The Early Detection CT Lung Scan at the AMITA Health Cancer Institute is perfect for people such as Martha who meet specific criteria for testing. This quick, painless screening uses low-dose CT imaging that can reveal even small lung cancers that chest X-rays cannot detect. Lucy Ziccardi, RN, AMITA
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Martha was the hospital’s first patient to be tested with this technology and to follow through with treatment. She returns each year for the scan and learns each time that she has added another cancer-free year to her total. Now she volunteers with the American Lung Association, encouraging others to have a CT for early detection of lung cancer. She knows that five year survival rates for individuals with lung cancer diagnosed at later stages are lower than many other forms of cancer. “With no symptoms, I had no knowledge that I had cancer,” Martha said. “A scan can definitely save lives — it saved mine.” For more information, call 855.MyAMITA (855.692.6482) or visit AMITAHealth.org/lungs.
80 Pounds Lighter = New Life The cabbage soup diet. Weight-loss and exercise programs. Even bariatric surgery. Marsha Ackerman, 47, tried anything and everything to lose weight, but nothing worked. Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as uterine cancer in 2014, Marsha knew she needed to make significant diet and lifestyle changes to lose weight, become healthy and enjoy life with her family and friends. In July 2016, Marsha enrolled in the AMITA Health Medical Weight Management Solutions program, which offers non-surgical options under the supervision of medical professionals. The program uses a multidisciplinary approach — focusing on medical, nutritional and behavioral changes — that is needed to lose weight and keep it off. The Streamwood resident, who initially weighed in at 284 pounds, has lost approximately 80 pounds in 15 months. One key reason Marsha enrolled in the program was her diagnosis and treatment for uterine cancer. She learned that uterine cancer can be linked to obesity. Marsha, who has been heavy her entire life, knew she had to act. In 2002, Marsha tried bariatric surgery, which worked for a time. But with no support system in place after surgery, the weight didn’t stay off. “My mother and father had passed away,” she said. “I’m an emotional eater and gained the weight back after surgery.”
Since starting the Medical Weight Management Solutions program, she has made significant diet and lifestyle changes resulting in weight loss, along with improvements in blood sugars and blood pressure. She is no longer on any medications for high blood pressure or diabetes. Marsha was motivated to start the program following an initial assessment with Anthony Auriemma, MD, JD, program medical director who is board-certified in obesity medicine, and Mary Hayen, RD, LDN, dietitian and program coordinator. “Dr. Auriemma and Mary were so welcoming,” she said. “They said, ‘We can help you.’ They are so positive, warm and encouraging. I can’t say enough about them.” For the first six months, Marsha opted for a full-meal replacement — consuming five to six OPTIFAST bars, shakes and soups every three hours. She is now on the partial meal replacement plan, where she prepares one nutritious meal per day and supplements it with replacement foods. The program offers weekly lifestyle education classes on different topics featuring a nutritionist, personal trainer and behavioral therapist to help patients succeed. At the sessions, patients weigh in, ask experts questions and talk with other participants. Patients meet regularly with a doctor, registered dietitian, behavioral counselor and fitness specialist.
Through this program, Marsha said she learned the “science” behind nutritious eating and is now a label reader. She gained knowledge about fats and carbohydrates that helped her make key dietary changes. She works out six days a week for 30 minutes — often at the gym conveniently located at her job. “The big key to this program is we treat obesity as a chronic disease,” said Dr. Auriemma. “We provide patients with the tools to help manage the disease. It’s a two-year commitment but, realistically, it is lifelong.” Dr. Auriemma said the advantage of this program is medical supervision. There are weekly weigh-ins and educational classes. Patients may be prescribed weight-loss medications, if appropriate. “Patients in the program have reversed chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension,” Dr. Auriemma said. “We are dealing with obesity from all angles — nutrition, medical, behavioral and exercise.” Marsha hopes to lose another 25 pounds in the second year of the program and keep the weight off. “I’m happy now — I feel good about myself,” she said. “I really like me.” For more information, visit AMITAhealth.org/WeightLoss or call 844.366.2737.
“My success at losing weight is solely from attending these classes,” Marsha said. “There was somebody at the classes I could talk to and bounce ideas off of.” Marsha initially saw Dr. Auriemma once a week, then every two to four weeks. Today she sees Dr. Auriemma every six weeks.
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A New Year & A New Fittest Loser February 2018 marked the launch of the 10th annual Daily Herald Fittest Loser Competition. The contest brings together seven individuals for 12 weeks in a competition to see who can make the greatest strides in weight loss and fitness goals. Once again this year, AMITA Health will be the medical sponsor, with Anthony Auriemma, MD, providing initial health assessments for the seven contestants.
Beyond these competitors, hundreds participate in a similar Community and Workplace Challenge. AMITA Health community health nurses support their efforts by conducting free health screenings throughout the event. “We provide registered nurses who do weigh-ins and conduct health screenings such as blood pressure, cholesterol, body fat, osteoporosis and a stroke risk assessment at the beginning,” said Sara Odland-Beyna, director of community relations at AMITA Health. At the halfway point, nurses check weight and blood pressure again as contestants gather at the Daily Herald office in Arlington Heights. Throughout the contest, AMITA Health offers classes, seminars and other opportunities to learn more about getting and staying healthy. “When folks come in for their initial screening, we give them a calendar of upcoming offerings and send email reminders to keep them motivated,” said Odland-Beyna. More information on the competition can be found at events.dailyherald.com.
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At the AMITA Health Heart & Vascular Institute, we know how precious your heart is. That’s why we do everything possible to help keep it beating strong. We utilize the very latest in cardiovascular imaging technology, such as 256-slice cardiac computed tomography (CT) scans, to ensure precise diagnosis. Advanced treatment options include: no-radiation ablation to treat arrhythmias, stroke-preventing WATCHMAN™ device, and repair or replacement of heart valves through the innovative and less invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or MitraClip® procedures. We care for your heart. In sickness and in health.™ For appointments, visit or call:
AMITAhealth.org/heart 844.366.0614 Bolingbrook • Elk Grove Village • GlenOaks • Hinsdale • Hoffman Estates • La Grange