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Last Updated: Feb 19, 2010 - 9:20 AM |
Every year as spring approaches, area farmers begin gearing up by having their farm machinery inspected before planting season gets into “full swing.” Both the John Deere and AGCO facilities see a flurry of activity just after the first of the year. Area farmers know the importance of getting a good start on planting and how a well running machine can make all the difference.
As farmers get their machinery ready, it is important they don’t forget about routine maintenance on themselves. On March 4th, Annie Jeffrey Health Center will be offering a mini-Spring Health Fair to allow farmers and anyone else who missed the October health fair the opportunity to get blood work and other health screens. This smaller fair will offer many of the beneficial lab screenings as the larger October health fair, but will be held at a time which is more convenient for the area farmers who could not attend the fall fair.
“Routine maintenance on yourself is just as important as routine maintenance on your machinery,” states Joe Lohrman, Annie Jeffrey Health Center Administrator. “As a rural ag community, our area farmers play an important role in all our lives. Annie Jeffrey wants to be a vital part of their maintenance program.” John Girard, Hospital Board member stated, “As the average age of the farmer increases, preventative maintenance for the operator becomes even more valuable than the routine maintenance checks of our equipment.”
The annual Spring Health Fair will be on Thursday, March 4th from 7:00 am until Noon at the health center with a free continental breakfast. A comprehensive blood screening, which normally costs over $275, will be offered for only $40. This test includes: general blood chemistry, cholesterol profile and a complete blood cell count. Thyroid screening (TSH), prostate specific antigen (PSA), and diabetes screening (Hemoglobin A1C) will also be available for $20 per each additional test requested.
All participants who want a blood test are asked to not eat or drink 8-12 hours before the test. You are encouraged to drink as much water as possible to keep hydrated and to take your medications as you usually do. Please bring a self-addressed, stamped legal sized envelope for us to mail your lab results to you.
Additional tests offered at the Spring Health Fair are Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Ultrasound Screening for $40, Carotid Artery Vascular Screening for strokes for $40, Echocardiogram Heart Screening for $40, and Peripheral Arterial Disease Screening for $20 through Bryan LGH East from 9:00 am until 2:30 pm by appointment. All tests will be read by a Bryan LGH Cardiologist or Vascular Surgeon.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is caused by a weakened area in the main vessel of the body that supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the body and is called the “silent killer” because there are usually no obvious symptoms. The Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening is a painless ultrasound screen that takes pictures of the aorta to detect the presence of an AAA.
A Carotid Artery Vascular screening will help determine if you are at risk for Carotid Artery Disease which typically has no warning signs, but can cause strokes due to narrowing or blocked arteries. This non-invasive screening detects plaque deposits in the carotid arteries.
An Echocardiogram screening is a non-invasive ultrasound of the heart that will tell your ejection fraction score. If you have had a heart attack, have heart disease, a family history of sudden cardiac arrest, a diagnosis of heart failure, or abnormal heart rhythm, you need to know your ejection fraction score.
Peripheral Arterial Disease affects about 8 million Americans and is caused by a narrowing or blockage in the blood vessels feeding the pelvis and legs. A non-invasive measurement of the Ankle –Brachial Index will compare the blood pressure in the ankles to the blood pressure in the arms to determine how well the blood is flowing.
Please call Annie Jeffrey Health Center at 747-2031 to make an appointment for any of these four screenings.
All participants who are competing in the Snowman Marathon will also need to attend the Spring Health Fair to see how they benefitted from the 6-week program.
Be sure to attend the Spring Health Fair on March 4th. Call Annie Jeffrey Health Center at 402-747-2031 to set up an appointment and receive your pre-diagnostic screening instructions for the vascular screenings available from 9:00 am until 2:30 pm. Walk-ins welcome for lab work from 7:00 am until Noon. The Polk County Health Department will be giving seasonal flu shots for $25 or H1N1 shots for no charge. Four Corners Health Department will have its Skin Scope available to provide free evaluations of cancer causing sun damage. We hope you choose to take control of your health by practicing preventative maintenance.
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