One minute, you are fine. The next minute, you open your eyes and you are lying on the floor with no idea how you got there. What happened?
Unexplained fainting can be frightening and may be caused by a seizure. Many people experience this frightening occurrence. But how do you know if it is a seizure? And if it is a seizure, what is causing it? In an effort to more effectively answer these questions, Dr. Ikram Khan, Neurologist at Batesville Neurology, now offers a diagnostic test called Ambulatory Electroencephalogram (EEG).
An EEG measures and records both normal and abnormal brain activity. Abnormal brain activity may be a symptom of neurological disorders such as Epilepsy or Psychogenic Seizures. With EEG, long wires, called leads, are attached to a patients scalp. These leads record brain activity which is viewed by a doctor on a monitor. A standard EEG test takes a few hours and takes place in a hospital or clinic setting.
The Ambulatory EEG works the same way as a regular EEG, but it allows patients more freedom. Patients are still required to wear the leads, but the wires are connected to a portable light-weight recorder, which is stored in a case easily carried by the patient. When the leads sense brain activity, it is recorded by the machine. The machine records brain activity for up to 72 hours. Information from the recorder is downloaded for interpretation by the Neurologist. With Ambulatory EEG, patients are able to carry out their daily living activities. Patients’ brain activity can be recorded for up to 72 hours instead of just a few hours, providing significantly more information to physicians.
“With a regular EEG, abnormal activity is detected in about 30% of exams. Longer monitoring increases the chance of finding abnormal activity to 50 to 75% depending on how long the patient is monitored,” says Dr. Khan.
The new procedure is beneficial to patients in many ways. Besides allowing them to leave the office and increasing the chance of finding abnormal activity, patients can be more accurately diagnosed. Approximately 200,000 new cases of seizures are reported in America each year. Epileptic Seizures and Psychogenic Seizures have similar traits, making accurate diagnosis difficult. The increased effectiveness of the Ambulatory EEG, along with a thorough family history and physical examination allows physicians to make a more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatment plan for their patients.
Another substantial benefit of Ambulatory EEG is its availability locally.
“Before we offered this service in Batesville, patients were required to travel out of the area for care,” says Dr. Khan. “Providing this service in Batesville allows patients greater convenience and less travel time.”
Ambulatory EEG patient Stanley Moreland says the procedure is quite convenient. The machine doesn’t even seem to bother him at all. He covers the leads with a cap and functions like normal. The first day he had the machine, he went to McDonalds.
“It’s much better than lying in a hospital bed,” he says.
To find out more about ambulatory EEG, or to make an appointment with Dr. Khan at Batesville Neurology, call (870) 307-0488.
Phyllis Barnett from Accounting is White River Medical Center’s July Employee of the Month. She was recognized for her honesty and integrity. In Accounting, Phyllis maintains the employee time keeping system and is responsible for calculating, recording payroll deductions, reporting payroll taxes, as well as assisting supervisors and directors with payroll. She also balances and prints W-2s for WRMC’s 1,251 employees. Phyllis has been with WRMC for 12 ½ years.
She says the things she likes most about WRMC are the people and the growth of the organization.
Phyllis is married with two daughters, two stepdaughters, and four granddaughters. In her spare time, she loves to read. She also enjoys spending time with her granddaughters and plans on taking them camping.
Forty-four teams teed off for a good time and a good cause at the 16th Annual White River Health System Foundation (WRHSF) Golf Classic Saturday, June 19th. The event raised more than $163,000 for facility development and clinical services within White River Health System.
Event sponsors Abbott Vascular, AFLAC – Randy Reichardt Insurance Agency, Consumer Collection Management, Inc., Cromwell Architects Engineers, The Course at Eagle Mountain, Liberty Bank, Medtronic, Nabholz Construction Corporation, and Wade’s Heating, Air Conditioning and Electrical, joined with more than 100 sponsors to support this year’s Golf Classic.
“The generosity of our donors and corporate sponsors allows the Foundation to support expanding and improving the healthcare services provided by White River Health System,” said WRHS Foundation President Dick Bernard.
For the seventh consecutive year, the event was held at The Course at Eagle Mountain in Batesville. The premier 18-hole golf course features Empire Zoyia Fairways, Bent Grass Greens, and water hazards that present players with a challenging, but fun, game of golf.
Players dined on BBQ hamburgers, hot dogs, and ribs prepared by the 2009 Memphis in May Whole Hog Champions, Party-Q, and enjoyed music provided by The Danny Dozier Band.
More than 50 Volunteers gave more than 400 hours of their time in preparing and executing the event.
“I appreciate the willingness, enthusiasm, and hard work of the volunteers. Their outstanding attitude played a vital role in the success of the tournament,” said Gary Bebow, WRHS Administrator/CEO.
The winners of the four person scramble were Gary McDonald, Matt McDonald, Rodney Griffin, and Chip Rayford. The Putting Contest Winner was Charlie Jarrett. The Ladies’ Longest Drive Winner was Cecelia Vinson while the winner of the Men’s Longest Drive was Brett Swenson. Danny Kelley was the Straightest Drive winner. The Closest to the Pin winners were players Gary Bebow, Ronnie Hutchinson, Garth Branstetter, and Matt McDonald. The Skins game winners were Jim Wann, Gary Bebow, Tony Rushing, Gerald Meacham, Dick Bernard, Steve Bell, Buddy Vinson, and Tommy Ford. The consolation winners were Blake Beardsley, Caleb Brewington, Gary Horness, and Mike Hunnicut.
Established in 1992, the WRHS Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to meet the present and future needs of White River Health System. The Golf Classic has raised $1.25 million for vital programs and projects such as nursing scholarships, community health programs, the WRMC Cancer Care Center, and the Josephine Raye Rogers Center for Women and Imaging.
For more information about the White River Health System Foundation and opportunities for giving, please call Amber Neal, Foundation Coordinator at 870-262-1225 or via email at aneal@wrmc.com.
February 2008 is a month Samantha Bower can barely remember, but will never forget.
While driving her son’s truck near her hometown of Newellton, Louisiana, she swerved to miss a car in her lane. The truck then jumped two culverts and slammed into a tree, propelling its loose speakers into Samantha, which caused significant damage to her face, head, neck, and back.
When she woke up in the hospital weeks later, Samantha knew she was in bad shape. Worst of all—she could not feel her legs.
"Even though I don't remember a lot about what happened, I'll never forget the doctor coming in my room and telling me I would never be able to walk again," she said.
After spending months in the hospital, Samantha, a single mother of three, was finally released into her family’s care. They did the best they could to care for her, but it was very difficult, so she was taken to a nursing home.
"There I was, just in my 30's, and I'm sitting helpless in a nursing home," said Samantha. "I felt like a shell. I just sat there all day and cried."
However, Samantha was far from helpless. In April of 2009, Samantha’s boyfriend, Robbie, and her friend, Jenni, moved her and her family from Louisiana to Batesville, Arkansas. In a period of months, her physician, Dr. Davidson, recommended her for Occupational Therapy (OT) at White River Medical Center Physical Rehab Outpatient Services (WRMC PROS).
Occupational Therapists (OTs) help patients develop the skills to carry out everyday tasks such as grooming, working, or playing. OTs work with patients who have an illness, injury, or disability that prevents them from doing day to day activities.
Now, there's no limit to what Samantha can achieve. With the help of her OT Janet Wood, Samantha does many exercises that help her build upper body strength, improve stability, and perform activities of daily living. Samantha has learned to sit up on her own, bend over to put her shoes on, and do housework. She has also learned to dress herself.
"I’m proud of learning to get myself dressed," said Samantha. "My daughter was dressing me before. She said she didn't mind, but I could tell it was hard for her. I didn't tell anyone that I was learning to dress myself. Then one night, I told her I was going to get ready for bed. She said,'Well, don’t you need my help?' I said with a smile, 'Nope, I can do it.' And I did! It was a great moment."
Samantha credits all her success to WRMC and WRMC PROS services.
"Ms. Janet, my OT, has been great. Everyone here has been wonderful. I've gotten so much help from all the doctors at WRMC and the staff at PROS. They have helped me get an excellent wheelchair and any other medical necessities I need. I’ve come such a long way and I owe it all to them," said Samantha.
Occupational therapists work with patients in outpatient rehabilitation, like Samantha, but they also help Inpatient Rehabilitation patients, or those whose illness or injury requires hospital stay. In Inpatient Rehabilitation, overnight hospital patients that need therapy to recuperate are required to work with therapists for a minimum of at least three hours a day, depending on the physician's recommendations.
The OT staff in Acute Inpatient Rehab at WRMC helped patient Linda Phares get back something that she thought that she had lost forever.
Landscape painting was an activity Linda Phares took great pleasure in.
"I have always enjoyed painting scenes," she said with a faraway look in her eyes and a smile on her face. "One year, I won grand sweepstakes in the Imboden County fair. I was so proud of that."
Linda had all intentions of entering another painting in the fair. Sadly, in 2008, Linda was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a disease of the nerves that causes uncontrollable shaking. Linda’s hands were no longer steady enough to paint the beautiful scenes that she always enjoyed.
"Learning that I was never going to paint again was a hard pill to swallow," she said, as her smile began to fade.
Although she worked with OT’s to learn how to function with Parkinson’s disease, it wasn’t until recently when she returned to the Inpatient Rehabilitation for a fractured arm, that she discovered that her passion was not forever lost. During a session with Jessica Krug, a University of Conway Arkansas student doing OT clinical training at WRMC, a "fire was re-lit."
While attending Occupational Therapy during Inpatient Rehab, she told Jessica about her love of painting. Jessica mentioned something Linda had never thought about—abstract art.
Jessica found some paints, some paper, and a brush. Although hesitant at first, Linda started painting. It wasn’t long before a familiar sensation came over her. She was back to doing what she loved, just in a different way.
"Now I have my passion back. I developed a new ability to delve into a different medium and I have OT to thank for that," said Linda, with the smile returning to her face. "Abstract art is definitely something that I am going to pursue."
Linda has visited the Inpatient Rehab several times since her discharge, each time with a smile and an example of her most recent painting demonstrating how an old hobby brings her renewed joy.
Therapists, whether occupational therapists, physical therapists, or speech therapists, give patients a quality of life that they thought they had lost forever. Through therapy, patients such as Samantha and Linda, get back their independence by learning to do everyday tasks as well as things they enjoy.
Kathy Tilley is the Stone County Medical Center Support Services June Employee of the Month. Kathy has been with SCMC for 13 years and works the Medical Records Department.
Kathy’s job duties include examining and scanning all the charts into the electronic medical records system. She works closely with Physician’s to make sure the charts are processed in a timely order. Kathy helps in other areas with filing, coping, faxing and answering phones as needed.
Kathy enjoys the family environment at SCMC. “When a need arises, the SCMC family comes together and takes all steps necessary to help in any way they can,” she said.
Kathy was chosen by her co-workers in the Patient Registration Department for her willingness to help others and for always going above and beyond her customers’ expectations.
Kathy and her husband Danny live in the Onia area. They have two grown children and three grandchildren. Kathy enjoys playing with her grandchildren and being active in her church. She also enjoys canning the produce from her husband’s garden.