Monday, November 2, 2015

Earthquake--Part 15: Preemies, Part 1

Earthquake--Part 15:  Preemies Part 1

What did preemies have to do with the earthquake?
Plenty!
Read here to find out more:
http://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/fears-grow-for-nepals-pregnant-women-after-quake/

and here:
http://blogs.biomedcentral.com/on-health/2015/05/15/pregnant-women-newborns-greatest-risk-nepal-following-earthquake/

and here:
http://www.myrepublica.com/the-week/story/20947/dealing-with-reproductive-health-during-the-post-disaster-phase.html

Yes, these problems existed for months after the earthquake and for each couple and their families involved, it was a very big issue to deal with as you can imagine.

Here is a little darling baby girl born recently and her parents.

She was born at 33 weeks.

To find out more about premature babies and their births, read here:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_preterm-labor-and-birth_1055.bc

Back to our story:  This precious tiny baby was not only a preemie, she was born in an ambulance!

After the trauma of the earthquake, the family carried on as best as they could.

To see a picture post of how people still are coping, head on over to
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-25/six-months-after-the-nepal-earthquake/6878770
where you will find an ABC Australia news article from CARE International's
Brian Sokol in which he shows you life in a village in Dhading District,
which is typical of many places in Nepal.  You can imagine how life is for pregnant women.

Two times this young mother came in for prenatal checkups.  We commend her for that.  Not all pregnant women make it to a prenatal visit.  In 1991, 15.4% of pregnant women had prenatal care.  In 2011, it was 58.3%!  Great news, but still a ways to go!  This information came from
http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/nepal/pregnant-women-receiving-prenatal-care.

Click below to read this interesting and informative article from The Atlantic.
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/07/what-pregnancy-is-like-in-nepal/277287/

"Our" preemie you see above was the second baby for her young mother, named Maya, who as you
know by now, found herself traumatized in her early pregnancy.  One day, after her second prenatal visit, she started having quite a bit of pain that did not let up, and then she started bleeding.  Her husband called for a taxi and his mother joined them for the ride.  It was a very difficult moment for the young family.  You can only imagine their distress.  The taxi driver stepped up to the plate and drove as quickly as he could while keeping the car as steady as possible.

Along the way, Maya screamed, "The baby is coming!"  Her husband screamed, "Stop the taxi!"  The driver immediately pulled over.  Grandma took over and delivered the baby.  She had eight children, six of whom lived.  She had helped at other births, like many Nepali women do.

This interesting story from National Public Radio has lots of pictures:
(Hold your cursor on the picture to read about each one.)
http://www.npr.org/sections/babyproject/2011/08/01/138825328/birth-in-rural-nepal-the-most-dangerous-day  

As soon as Maya's daughter was born, with the placenta still inside, Grandma wrapped the baby in her shawl and the driver took off as quickly and carefully as he could.  Upon arrival at our hospital, Maya was quickly taken care of

 and Little Nanu (baby girl) was put under pediatrician Dr. Arun Gupta's care.

Dr. Arun made the following statement,  "Nanu weighed 1.4 kg. (3.09 lbs.) and had RDS--Respiratory Distress Syndrome."  You can read about this condition in this Medicine Plus article:
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001563.htm

Dr. Arun continued, "She had no energy to breastfeed and was on tube feeding until she weighed
1.5 kg.  She continued to progress, much to the delight of her family, and those of us taking care of her.  We are happy to report that she is now at home and enjoying a happy babyhood!"

Thanks to the generous support of those who make donations, we were able to provide medical service to Little Nanu and are able to provide medical service to all of our patients,
most of whom need financial assistance.

If you have helped, we thank you again!

If you would like to help, here is the link to the donation page on our website:
http://scheermemhosp.org/Donate.asp

Of course, the best help anyone could give us is to keep us in your prayers!

Stay tuned for Premmies, Part 2

Now...

(photo credit:  clipartbest.com)




Friday, October 30, 2015

October 2015 Health Calendar

Did you have a healthy October?
If so, you are lucky!



However, many people around the world did not have a healthy October, or in fact a healthy year.
Next year is promising to be a difficult too for those suffering with health problems.


(photo credit:  npo.io)

Did you know...

(photo credit:  cookcountyhhs.org)


One in eight???  Those are pretty serious odds.

Here is an interesting article from the Journal of Chitwan Medical College 
about cancer prevalence in Nepal.  

This Journal of the Nepal Medical Association discusses the management of 
breast cancer in Nepal, which is Nepal's second most common malignancy.
This is a very important article.

Ladies, when was the last time you had a female check-up?
Men, when was the last time the ladies in your life had a female check-up?
(photo credit:  pinkribbon.org)

Mammograms are one way to detect breast cancer.
Are you or your loved ones up-to-date?

(photo credit:  tohelpeveryone.org)

Breast self-exam is extremely important!!!
Do you know about this?

Here's an ADULTS ONLY please section of http://www.breastcancer.org/
which explains this.

We recommend browsing this whole website for all the important information there.

Have questions?
Come in for a Question & Answer session with one of our gynecologists.
No question is too small!


Do you know what Rett Syndrome is?  
If not, you can learn about it now.
(photo credit:  natioaldaycalendar.com)



Read the above photo credit link to find out more.

Here is an informative fact sheet from The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:

Would you like to read about Rett Syndrome in Nepal?
Check out this article from The Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society.



(photo credit:  pinterest.com)

What is SIDS?
It's a devastating occurrence.
The acronym stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
It's too awful to think about, but we must and everyone should be aware of this because it does occur.

Read about it here:

This "Safe to Sleep" article from The National Institute of Health has lots of information 
as well as links to more information.

Have questions?
Our pediatricians are happy to answer them.  
Come in for a Q & A (Question and Answer) session.


Have a nice day and stay happy and healthy!
(photo credit:  lifestylerezolutions.com)

See you in November!

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

September 2015 Health Calendar


Welcome to our September Health Calendar.

It´s very serious and very important. 



Photo Credit...

Click on the above link to read about these devastating diseases.


Here are some of the symptoms of leukemia...



Photo Credit...
http://www.lloydhealthcare.org/leukemia-types-causes-symptoms-treatment-prevention/

Click the above link to read more about symptoms, types, and causes.
These are not things you want to ignore.

Don´t hesitate to come in for a question and answer session for any questions you have.

The following webmd article is also very informative.
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/leukemia-symptoms


Yes, there is a Nepal Cancer Relief Society.
 


Visit their website here...http://www.ncrs.org.np/


Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
has a very interesting article about leukemia and also lymphona that you can read here.
http://www.cinj.org/sites/cinj/files/documents/Sept15LeukemiaLymphoma.pdf

If you want to learn more about lymphoma, you can read these Wikipedia articles...
The following three photo credits are the Wikipedia article above each photo.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphoma

Lymphoma macro.jpg

You will note that there are two main cateries of lymphomas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodgkin%27s_lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma cytology large.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Hodgkin_lymphoma
Mantle cell lymphoma - intermed mag.jpg


These are not something you want to mess around with.

Please be vigilant with your health!

Are you eating any cancer fighting foods...
Cancer-Fighting
Photo Credit...http://rimehealth.com/cancer-fighting-fruits-and-vegetables-576

Have a happy and healthy day!

Stay tuned for more news!


Thursday, August 27, 2015

August 2015 Health Calendar--Part 2

Do you know what this is?

(photo credit:  http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/ss/slideshow-psor-overview  --Thanks!)

It's psoriasis--not a fun condition as you can imagine.
Click on the photo credit link above for information and more pictures.

August is World Psoriasis Awareness Month.


(photo credit:  http://saresearch.com/news/psoriasis-awareness-month-has-arrived/  Thanks!)

This disease not only takes its toll physically, it also takes its toll emotionally and financially.
 
 This link:
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/best-psoriasis-blogs#1

gives you links to blogs by real people living with psoriasis.
Reading their stories can give you insight about how it is to live with disease and how they cope.

Do people in Nepal suffer with psoriasis?  Of course.
This case study from the Kathmandu University Medical Journal is interesting:
http://www.kumj.com.np/issue/37/83-84.pdf

The following link is to an article from Gulf News which explains the emotional impact of psoriasis. 
If we understand this emotional impact, and accompanying depression and social stigma
some people are living with, we can be a help and support to them.
http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/health/people-with-psoriasis-suffer-social-stigma-1.1171652


Guselkumab was more effective than adalimumab for psoriasis.
(photo credit:  http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/mood-disorders/psoriasis-autoimmune-depression-stigma/article/434336/  Thanks!)

Click the above photo credit link to find out even more information about the depression that can occur for psoriasis sufferers.  (You will also find many other interesting articles there.)

Your friends and loved ones who may be suffering with any medical problem will appreciate
all of your care, concern, and support!  Kindness is never overrated!


(photo credit:  2catsandchloe.com--Thanks!)


(photo credit:  brainyquote.com--Thanks!)


To end with, we leave this link:
http://www.supportindia.com/category/health-tips-2/
which is FULL of many interesting health tips!  At the bottom, there's a link to Page 2!
Quiz yourself and see how many you already knew!

 Have a safe and healthy day, week, month, year, and life!





Monday, August 17, 2015

Earthquake--Part 14: Banepa in August 2015

Here we are in August--almost four months after the earthquake.
How are we?  Are we back to normal?  Well, yes and no!

However, we can find many, many blessings!
We certainly are blessed by the kind donations of so many people.
If you were able to help, please know that you are making a real difference.
THANK YOU!
If you prayed for us and still are praying, please know that we are very appreciative.

We have lots of patients...

We're sorry people are sick, but glad we can  help them.
That's what we're here for!

Many people here in Nepal are still struggling.  Here is an article from ABC Australia 
that can help you to understand, which also has links to other stories:

The best way to show you how our town is coping is to present to those of you who are interested
 the following pictures called  "Banepa in August 2015."  You will see that there is still much to do.

People are working and doing the best they can with what they have...















Bye!  Thanks for your continued support.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

August 2015 Health Calendar--Part 1

Happy August!

This first week of August is World Breastfeeding Week.

(photo credit:  lactationmatters.org)

This year's theme is:
Breastfeeding and Work--Let's Make it Work!

Read more about it here:
http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/index.shtml

Sometimes breastfeeding is not smooth sailing.

This Medical News Today article explains that 2/3 of all new mothers have trouble--
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/246187.php

Here is an article about thrush and it's difficulties:
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a8486/breastfeeding-and-thrush

Here is a picture:

(photo credit:  http://www.baby-safety-concerns.com/breastfeeding-difficulties.html )
Read the above photo credit link for lots of information on thrush and other problems!

To read the story of one woman's fight with breastfeeding and thrush:
Click the photo credit link for the post.
Thank you Emily for sharing your journey with us!

There are many other interesting posts on this blog for you mothers out there,
such as this post about plugged ducts:
http://www.journeyofparenthood.com/2014/09/breastfeeding-issue-plugged-ducts.html

That doesn't sound fun, does it?

Did you see this link?
http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/
Thank you kellymom.com!
You will find out how to distinguish between plugged ducts and mastitis,
plus find out lots of other useful information.

This blog:
gives more information!  Thank you Kirsten!  
preventmastitis

(photo credit:  cheerfullyimperfect.com)

What about here in Nepal?  Check out this article from
Health Renaissance:
Knowledge and practice of mothers regarding breast feeding: a hospital based study 
RN Chaudhary1 , T Shah2 , S Raja3 1Department of Child health Nursing, 2Department of Community Health Nursing, 3Department of Pediatrics, BPKIHS Dharan 

and this one from Public Health Perspective Nepal:
http://phpnepal.org/index.php?listId=490#.VcM-TflViko

Did you catch this interesting and important article in ekantipur.com by
Dr.Rajbhandari from Save the Children's Saving Newborn Lives Program?
http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/07/31/health-and-style/nothing-beats-breastfeeding/392953.html
Thank you Dr. Rajbhandari.

For more facts, check this out:
10 Facts About Breastfeeding
photo credit:

Click on the above photo credit link for 10 breastfeeding facts.

If anyone you know is having trouble in this area, of if you simply have questions,
please come in for a consultation with one of our OB/GYNs.

Have a nice day and stay tuned for more August Health issues!

Have a safe and healthy day!

Ending with the Pregnancy Food Pyramid...
pregnancy-diet-chart-pdfyour-healthy-pregnancy-diet-hdifttnl
(photo credit:  https://selfimprovedaily.wordpress.com/2014/08/23/healthy-foods-to-eat-during-pregnancy/

(Click the link to find out more!)








Sunday, August 2, 2015

July 2015 Health Calendar

It's August already!  How did that happen?  

We trust your July was safe and healthy and we wish all of you the best for August!

Before we get too much farther into August, let's take a look at the two worldwide health problems that were emphasized in July.  If you stay updated, you can help yourself and your loved ones.

What is this disgusting thing?
groupB_strep
(photo credit:  babyq.com)

It's Group B Strep bacteria.  Read about it here at babyq.com:

July was International Group B Awareness Month.

It's important to know about this bacteria which can cause serious illness and even death in newborns, the elderly, and those with compromised immune symptoms.

Read more here if you so desire:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_B_streptococcal_infection  

Here's a sad, but true story of a family affected by this illness.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-health/10392503/Group-B-Strep-For-months-I-believed-Id-killed-my-baby.html

Please make sure your pregnant friends and loved ones talk to their obstetrician about this!


Worldwide Hepatitis Day was in July.

Here is the World Health Organization's Fact Sheet on Hepatitis, which is full of information plus numberous important links.:
http://who.int/topics/hepatitis/en/


(photo credit:  slideshare.net)

If you'd like to learn more via the slide show  where this photo is from, click here:
http://www.slideshare.net/drashokrattan/laboratory-diagnosis-of-viral-hepatitis-b-c

Thank you for this information Dr. Ashok Rattan.

This article, http://mayanepal.org.np/hepatitis-the-silent-scourge,
by Dr. Santosh Man Shrestha, the president of Liver Foundation Nepal.
explains many important details about hepatitis here in Nepal.
It's worth reading.

As always, please come in if you have questions about these, or any health issue.

This August, remember this:

(photo credit:  pinterest.com)

and this:



Be good to yourself and your loved ones by living healthfully.

(photo credit:  pinterest.com)

...and see your doctor when you need to!

Have a nice day!