Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Jim was looking at his computer one afternoon in his Northern Kentucky home, when he just fell off the chair. “I didn’t feel like I had any symptoms or anything. I just thought I leaned forward and fell out of the chair,” Jim said. “I was lying there and I thought, ‘Why am I not getting up?'” That’s where Jim’s Apple Watch kicked in, sending an automatic fall alert to EMS and to his brother (the fall alert is automatic for people who register a birth date showing they are older than 55). In only a matter of minutes, emergency…

Heartburn, acid reflux, regurgitation — do these symptoms bother you? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of people experience the discomfort of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). It happens when stomach acids take an unwelcome trip back up the esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. GERD occurs because the valve at the bottom of the esophagus is weak or defective. Over time, this acid irritation can lead to those bothersome symptoms. And truly disrupt your daily life. But treatments are available. Over the last ten years, Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation with a device called LINX™, has proven highly…

Winter Richards’ heart was failing in May 2023, but she didn’t know it. In fact, at age 27, the thought had never crossed her mind. “My chest was congested, and my nose was stuffy,” Winter remembers. “For weeks, I couldn’t lie down without coughing and spitting. I remember thinking it must be allergies, even though I’d never had allergies before.” Winter went to an urgent care for help twice. Each time, the provider prescribed antibiotics. When those didn’t help, Winter went to her primary care provider, nurse practitioner Laura Jacobs, APRN. “I told Laura about my symptoms, and she said,…

Eric Callaway celebrated his 40th birthday at St. Elizabeth Edgewood, where he was recovering from surgery to insert his new left ventricular assist device (LVAD). He felt lucky to be there. Callaway was only 26 years old when he had his first heart attack – on his birthday. He credits St. Elizabeth with seeing that he continues celebrating birthdays, going to church, fishing with his nephews and walking about his Moores Hill, Ind., neighborhood. “Since I had my LVAD, I have a better life again,” he said. “I haven’t felt this good in a long, long time. I have more…

Heart specialists at St. Elizabeth Healthcare had been treating Mark Grigsby for months, but his symptoms were worsening. After extensive testing and discussion, they recommended surgery to implant a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). An LVAD is a mechanical heart pump for people like Mark with advanced heart failure. It helps the heart pump blood from the lower left heart chamber to the rest of the body. “One of the doctors said that if I wanted to live, I needed the LVAD surgery,” says Mark, 55, who lives in Milan, Ind. “What I heard was, ‘Do it, or you’re going…

People who’ve had head and neck cancer often face challenges with talking, eating or swallowing. These challenges can arise due to the cancer itself or as a result of treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Thankfully, there is help available to significantly improve outcomes. Our Approach to Recovery and Survivorship for Head and Neck Cancer “Our main goal is to focus on survivorship – working with you to return to a full life after you’ve defeated cancer,” says Stephen Buechel-Rieger, Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and Voice and Swallow Specialist at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. As the only healthcare system in…

Dave Brown noticed that his speech was becoming increasingly quiet and that he was starting to slur his words due to Parkinson’s disease. Dave also sang in his church choir and found himself out of breath. He decided to do something about it. After hearing about LSVT Loud (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) from a family friend, Dave asked his neurologist for a referral. Dave was referred to Paige Hester, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Paige is one of the few providers in Northern Kentucky who offers this treatment for voice-related changes in people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.…

Blood pressure kiosks are a fast, easy and cost-free way to monitor your blood pressure. But are they accurate? As with many things in life, the answer is, “It depends.” But before we expand on that, let’s talk about why people use these convenient devices and how they can be helpful. Why Do Blood Pressure Monitoring Kiosks Exist? If you have a risk of high blood pressure or have this condition, you probably already know it is important to monitor it. After all, many people refer to high blood pressure as the “silent killer” because it has no noticeable symptoms.…

Firefighters frequently face exposure to the sun and hazardous conditions. Research shows these conditions put them at an increased risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, underlining the need for targeted prevention and early detection efforts. Thus, St. Elizabeth Healthcare and Melanoma Know More are partnering to provide screenings for firefighters in our region. This special event will raise awareness about melanoma and other skin cancers. Firefighters can receive a FREE skin check. Regular checks are a key component for early intervention and successful treatment. The saying “early detection saves…

The facility will provide quality care close to home for cancer patients in Southeastern Indiana all under one roof On Monday, April 29, the highly anticipated St. Elizabeth Dearborn Cancer Center will officially open its doors, providing cutting-edge cancer care and easier access to cancer screenings, prevention and treatment for patients in Southeastern Indiana.  “The opening of the St. Elizabeth Dearborn Cancer Center is a significant milestone in our goal to provide compassionate, top-tier cancer care,” said Garren Colvin, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “We believe everyone in our community deserves world-class care close to home,…