RSS Feedhttps:// RSS Feeden{67EEB234-02B1-46FD-9390-42CE2F826228} Places in Your Home Might Surprise You: Learn How to Protect Your Family<p>Germs are everywhere. Bacteria, viruses and fungi are universal inhabitants of our environment. We are in constant contact with microbes. Even though most microbes have the <em>potential</em> to cause illness, most are bystanders. Most of the germs that can cause disease in humans usually don&rsquo;t, largely because of good hygiene practices and our amazing immune system.</p> <p>Even healthy people are colonized with hundreds of microbes. Hundreds or even thousands of bacteria and viruses are normal healthy inhabitants of the human body. Known as the human microbiome, this diverse group of microorganisms establishes a microscopic ecosystem on human skin, gastrointestinal tracts and other sites from birth. The microbiome plays an in important role in how our organs and immune system develop, our metabolism, and even protects us from invading pathogens!&nbsp; </p> <p>In fact, each person has a unique set microbial make-up, and recent research suggests that this &ldquo;bacterial fingerprint&rdquo; can even be used to identify people&hellip;and their houses or belongings. (Gilbert et al.&nbsp; Science 2014 vol 345)</p> <p>However, there are definitely locations within the home and public environments that are much more likely to harbor potential pathogens. While no single study has been able to determine which surfaces are most contaminated, findings from the 2011 National Science Foundation Germ Study are interesting.</p> <p><strong>The kitchen</strong> holds the title for &ldquo;germiest place in the house&rdquo;, where bacterial contamination is far more common than in the bathroom, for example:</p> <ul> <li>Kitchen rags, towels and sponges are notorious for bacterial contamination</li> <li>The sink drain, sink and countertops are also frequently contaminated</li> <li>Cutting boards, coffee filters, the dishwasher and fridge seals are also top locations for contamination.</li> </ul> <p>See a trend here? Areas that are frequently damp, and in contact with hands and food are much more likely to harbor bacteria. Even the faucet filter may be contaminated with films of bacteria.&nbsp; Studies show that we would do well to clean these surfaces much more often.</p> <p><strong>The bathroom</strong> is not off the hook. Up to 1/3 of toothbrush holders may harbor bacteria, and bathroom faucet handles may also be contaminated. Contamination of bathroom surfaces is far more common in public restrooms. One study recently showed that even the soap dispensers can be a perfect environment for bacteria to subsist. Some viruses, include human papilloma virus and human herpes viruses have also been identified from bathroom surfaces.</p> <p><strong>Other high-contact surfaces</strong>. While fewer bacteria colonize dry, solid surfaces, areas of the home that come into contact with people are commonly contaminated with the bacteria that also live on our skin. This includes bedding, counters, and lights.</p> <p>Don&rsquo;t forget <strong>electronics</strong>! Cell phones and other gadgets are often the most contacted item we own. Not surprisingly, multiple studies have shown that cell phones are frequently colonized with bacteria, as are TV remotes, and other items. One recent study found that cell phones belonging to women, and devices carried in a bag or purse rather than a pocket harbored more bacteria!</p> <p>How long do germs live in the environment? Not all germs are the same and some are much more hearty than others. Viruses are responsible for the majority of common household illnesses. Most viruses, including those that cause the common cold, are only able to live on dry environmental surfaces for a matter of hours. Bacteria on the other hand tend to be more unwelcome house guests, and, and in the right conditions can live for months!</p> <p><strong> What can you do?</strong><br /> The good news is that by following simple practices, we can avoid getting sick.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>First, keep your hands out of your face! Many viruses are spread from surfaces to hands to our face, and studies show that the average person touches his or her face four to 18 times&nbsp;<em>per hour!!</em>&nbsp;</li> <li>Secondly, frequent hand hygiene, with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer is an effective barrier to colonization.&nbsp;</li> <li>Cleaning kitchen, bathroom and high-contact surfaces and changing towels and sponges every 3 days is another effective step.&nbsp;</li> <li>Cleaning sink drains, coffee filters, faucets and other areas where moisture collects with disinfectant products is important, and throw those old sponges away!&nbsp;</li> <li>And don&rsquo;t forget to gently clean your mobile device with a moist, lint-free cloth or occasionally with alcohol-based disinfectant products made specifically for these devices.</li> </ul>Wed, 19 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{B1B94317-F152-4C0C-BAC8-FF662E15F49C} Happens After Drinking a Can of Coke?<p>To be clear, soda is certainly not a health food and it can have profoundly negative effects on the human body. But some of the information presented in this infographic may be more rooted in fiction than fact. Our world&mdash;both online and off&mdash;is rife with misinformation (especially related to health and nutrition!) and learning to distinguish between accurate, evidence-based information and the alternative is important. &nbsp;Let&rsquo;s compare these &ldquo;facts&rdquo; to what scientific research tells us.</p> <p><strong>Should large amounts of sugar make us throw up?</strong> The infographic states that you don&rsquo;t immediately vomit from the coke because the phosphoric acid masks the overwhelming sweetness. The truth: one 12-ounce can of coke contains 140 calories, and 39 grams of sugar (the equivalent of about 9 teaspoons). Contrast that with another very sweet treat: Nutella. Three tablespoons of the chocolate spread contains over 30 grams of sugar, and no phosphoric acid. That&rsquo;s a lot of sugar, but most of us wouldn&rsquo;t throw up from the sweetness. That certainly doesn&rsquo;t make either of these choices healthy though!</p> <p><strong>Does the liver immediately turn large amounts of sugar into fat? </strong>The body&rsquo;s metabolic processes are actually quite complex, but the short answer is&mdash;yes. In general, excess amounts of sugar from any source can trigger formation of fat in the liver. A recent study found that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with greater risk of fatty liver disease, a serious condition plaguing 30% of American adults.<sup>1</sup></p> <p><strong>Does Coca-Cola have the same effect on brain chemistry as heroin?</strong> The infographic tells us that our brains&rsquo; pleasure centers are stimulated after drinking soda, and dopamine released. While that <em>may</em> be true, it doesn&rsquo;t necessarily point to a sinister mechanism, and similar effects can be seen in other situations. For example, dopamine release is involved in bonding between mothers and babies, and believed to be the source of &ldquo;runner&rsquo;s high.&rdquo; That being said, there is developing research that large amounts of sugar can mimic addiction-like changes in brain chemistry.<sup>2</sup> We&rsquo;re still learning more about this though, and further research is needed.</p> <p><strong>Does phosphorus bind calcium, magnesium, and zinc?</strong> Phosphorus does indeed bind to calcium, magnesium, and zinc, making it difficult for your body to use these necessary nutrients. Phosphorus is found naturally in many healthy foods, including dairy and whole grains. It is concentrated in much greater amounts in soda, and if not balanced out with enough dietary calcium, this can lead to weakened bones. One study found that women who consumed cola-type soft drinks (including regular and diet versions) had lower bone mineral density than those who had less than one cola per month.<sup>3</sup> Limiting cola-type soda intake and making sure to include healthy sources of phosphorus and calcium in your diet can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture.</p>Tue, 18 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{1E8838D0-BB9A-4019-A66D-C23DA7975CD0} Mom Gives Herself the Okay to Achieve Better Health; Competes in the My Heart Challenge<p>Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep the FAITH. It will all be worth it in the end.&nbsp; This is a quote I discovered while on this 100 day My Heart Challenge: Moms Edition, sponsored by the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. It is so fitting to my life this year.&nbsp; </p> <p>On February 4, 2015, I delivered my angel baby, Heavenleigh.&nbsp; (The hard time!)&nbsp; During the pregnancy we found out that she had a nasopharyngeal terra toma, a tumor, and because of this tumor she was in heart failure. I was showing signs of mirror syndrome, where my body starts to mimic hers (i.e., heart failure).&nbsp;</p> <p>After delivery I had some complications where my staples had to be removed from the C-section and ended up being on a wound vac for about 7 weeks. At this point I was very depressed and my body was revolting against itself. My husband had to help me in ways that I never thought he would have to help me at 41. Maybe at 100; but not 41!&nbsp;</p> <p>I would get winded just walking from our front room to the kitchen. The home nurse that came to take care of me had me walking that short distance more and more as the weeks went on. I was finally able to go up and down stairs, she then had me doing 3 sets of stairs a day, gradually adding more sets.&nbsp;</p> <p>By this point I was feeling a bit adventurous and had my husband take me to Costco. You know the real test was to see if I could get around Costco without getting winded. Total FAIL!! My sweet husband had to leave the cart and walk me around to the other side where the &ldquo;caf&eacute;&rdquo; is to sit and wait. Every time my husband went to Costco I would go with him to test myself (We go to Costco a lot; we have 8 kids). I was able to get around Costco without getting winded as time went on.&nbsp; </p> <p>On Saturday May 16, 2015, I ran the Running with Angels run at Thanksgiving Point with my sweet friend, Michelle. She is actually the one that got me motivated to run it. I didn&rsquo;t want to do any runs because I could only run/walk them, mostly walk. I was so unimpressed with myself and had a lot of negative self talk about myself. It was a lovely morning, and before the race started they released doves that circled around us several times. When the race started, my friend Michelle stayed with me the whole time! I actually ran the whole thing, no walking. It was Michelle&rsquo;s positive attitude and encouragement. We finished the race! Not with spectacular times, but I just ran a 5k... the whole shebang! It was a lovely way to celebrate my sweet angel, Heavenleigh.&nbsp; </p> <p>After that race I stopped the negative self talk!&nbsp; <strong>I gave myself the okay to walk or go slow</strong>&nbsp;(Keeping the Faith). Just being kinder and more loving toward myself! I just needed to complete what I started, training for the Triathamom! The My Heart Challenge is one of the greatest moments in my life, a tribute to my angel Heavenleigh and a gift of healthy living to my family. So as we come up on the last week of the My Heart Challenge, headed to the Triathamom, I am filled with excitement, nervousness and feeling accomplished.</p>Mon, 17 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{27EFF685-18C0-4677-8495-AF5C8508514D} You Really Need a Pap Smear? Here’s How it Can Save Your Life<p>A pap smear is a procedure that tests for cervical cancer in women. Cervical cancer happens when a malignant tumor is found in the cervix of a woman, the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. </p> <p>A pap smear can detect abnormal cells in the cervix, which is the first step in halting the possible development of cervical cancer. It&rsquo;s important to remember that a positive result doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean you have cervical cancer, but it means you will need additional testing to determine the types of abnormal cells present and if you need any subsequent treatment.</p> <p>If only normal cervical cells are discovered, you won&rsquo;t need any further treatment or testing until your next Pap test and pelvic exam. </p> <p>&ldquo;A pap smear is the single best way of detecting cervical cancer early,&rdquo; says Lupe Cruz, LDS Hospital certified nurse midwife. &ldquo;If it&rsquo;s detected early, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treatable cancers. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s important to have the pap smear performed every three years for women ages 21-65.&rdquo; </p> <p>Human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus for those who are sexually active, is the main cause of cervical cancer. </p> <p>&ldquo;The HPV virus presents itself as genital warts and can lead to cervical cancer,&rdquo; says Lupe. &ldquo; If you have a positive pap smear or HPV you may need to have another pap smear done sooner for screening purposes.</p> <p><strong>All women are at risk for cervical cancer, even if you&rsquo;re not sexually active.</strong> Each year, approximately 12,000 women in the United States get cervical cancer. </p> <p><em>In this ABC4 Utah interview, Lupe explains more.</em></p> <iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0"></iframe>Thu, 13 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{5C5AB05A-E3EC-4AEE-9D35-5A0F39A62D89} Reasons to be Excited for ICD-10<p>ICD-9, our current coding system, can&rsquo;t support the vast growth in healthcare since its creation 30 years ago. &nbsp;New conditions , new treatments , and new medical devices have been placed into service, and ICD-9 code set can&rsquo;t capture all of this progress. </p> <p>ICD-10 will allow the healthcare industry to accomplish some important things because they allow us to collect more detailed information about a condition, its causes and treatments.</p> <p>The change in code sets provides an opportunity to advance healthcare. Below are some further resources and information about ICD-10:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Quality and Measurement:</strong> The new codes have the potential to provide better data for evaluating and improving the quality of patient care. That means there will be better ways to measure patient conditions, medical safety and health outcomes, which will help improve care and better manage diseases over time.</li> <li><strong>Global Information Sharing:</strong> The US is the last industrialized nation to adopt the ICD-10 codes. &nbsp;This makes it difficult to share disease data internationally at a time when such sharing is critical for public health. Adoption of ICD-10-CM also would facilitate international comparisons of quality of care and the sharing of best practices globally.</li> <li><strong>More Accurate</strong> <strong>Research: </strong>ICD-10 codes are more effective at capturing public health diseases given their specificity.&nbsp; They were developed using a logical numerical system to reduce coding errors. This will allow for more in-depth research that can lead to improved care and new opportunities in health services.</li> <li><strong>Improved Services: </strong>ICD-10&rsquo;s increased specificity means providers will be able to better evaluate the effectiveness of new medical procedures, as well as the performance of existing procedures. The new codes will also help better allocate resources to ensure patients have access to new services.</li> </ul> CMS has developed a comprehensive page, the <a href="">Roadto10</a>, which provides tools and resources to help guide physicians through the change, including an FAQ, testimonials, webcasts and a complete list of codes, which can be accessed on this <a href="">page</a>.<br /> <br /> CMS has also put together <a href="">additional guidance</a> to help providers get ready for the transition, and also allow for flexibility in the claims auditing and quality reporting process as the medical community gains experience using the new ICD-10 code set.<br /> <br /> You can also check out our last <a href="">blog</a>, which gives tips on how to prepare for ICD-10.Tue, 11 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{55426B5C-21DA-4D5B-901D-D1840713F62A} and Mental Health: What to watch for<p style="margin-bottom: 11.25pt;">For many <a target="_blank" href="">teenagers</a>, these and other pressures can lead to one or more of a variety of mental health disorders; all are matters of concern, and some are life-threatening.&nbsp;</p> <p style="page-break-after: avoid;"><strong>Key Tips for Parents</strong><strong></strong></p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li style="color: #333333;"><strong>Keep communication constant, open, and honest: </strong>Encourage from an early age that kids can come to you to talk about their worries. Share your experiences that you had at their age.</li> <li style="color: #333333;"><strong>Understand that mental health disorders are treatable:</strong>&nbsp;Become familiar with the current trends in the most common mental health disorders among adolescents.</li> <li style="color: #333333;"><strong>Be&nbsp;attentive to&nbsp;your teen&rsquo;s behavior:&nbsp;</strong>Adolescence is, indeed, a time of transition and change, but severe, dramatic, or abrupt changes in behavior can be strong indicators of serious mental health issues. Watch for changes in their usual patterns.</li> </ul> <p style="page-break-after: avoid;"><strong>Mental Health &ldquo;Red Flags&rdquo; Parents Should Be Alert For</strong><strong></strong></p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li style="color: #333333;">Excessive <a target="_blank" href="">sleeping</a> (beyond usual teenage fatigue: <a target="_blank" href="">depression</a> or <a target="_blank" href="">substance abuse</a>) </li> <li style="color: #333333;">Loss of <a target="_blank" href="">self-esteem</a></li> <li style="color: #333333;">Abandonment or loss of interest in favorite pastimes</li> <li style="color: #333333;">Unexpected and dramatic <a target="_blank" href="">decline in academic performance</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></li> <li style="color: #333333;">Weight loss and loss of appetite (could indicate <a target="_blank" href="">eating disorder</a> like anorexia/bulimia)</li> <li style="color: #333333;">Personality shifts and changes, such as aggressiveness and excess anger that are sharply out of character and could indicate psychological, drug, or sexual problems </li> <li style="color: #333333;">If you are concerned about your teen hurting themselves or taking their life say something!</li> <li style="color: #333333;">Sometimes there are no warning signs: pay attention to what your kids are doing, where they are going, who they are with. Ask questions, don&rsquo;t just be Ok with &ldquo;I&rsquo;m hanging out with friends&rdquo;. Ask who was there, what did they do, etc.</li> </ul> <p style="page-break-after: avoid;"><strong>Key Mental Health Issues: Depression, Eating disorders, and drug abuse</strong></p> <p>Resources: American Academy of Pediatrics:<a href=""></a></p> <p><a href=""></a></p> <p><a href="" target="_blank"></a></p>Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{C75056D9-5832-4D7D-80C0-FD7F110EA497} Jazz Guard Dante Exum&#39;s Knee InjuryReports say the injury occurred while Exum was playing for his native Australia in an exhibition game, but the type and extent of the injury is still unclear.<br /> <br /> <p style="margin: 0in 12.75pt 12pt 0in; vertical-align: middle;">One common injury to athletes is the tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ACL connects the front top of the tibia (the lower leg bone), to the rear bottom of the femur (the thigh bone). It typically can be successfully repaired with surgery.</p> <p>For those with questions about knee injuries, here are a few resources from Intermountain Healthcare:</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">Knee ligament injures &ndash; <a href=",P00926">,P00926</a></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">Knee pain and problems &ndash;</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><a href=",P00923">,P00923</a></p> <br />Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{7C9D2CCE-33BB-407D-8921-DFA4090DC7F4} What is it and How to Cope<p>Even though it hadn&rsquo;t even been a week, it was still difficult to accept the fact that the pregnancy was already over and I experienced an emotional roller coaster for a few weeks as I went through the process of grieving. <br /> <br /> <strong>How common is miscarriage?</strong><br /> It doesn&rsquo;t matter when you experience miscarriage&mdash;it is heart breaking. Unfortunately, miscarriages are very common. On average, one out of every five pregnancies ends in miscarriage and most happen during the first trimester, sometimes even before a woman knows she is pregnant. A small number of miscarriages&mdash;less than 1%&mdash;are called stillbirths because they happen after 20 weeks gestation.<br /> <br /> <strong>Are miscarriages preventable and what causes them?</strong><br /> It is important for women who miscarry to understand that they cannot be prevented and are usually due to a developmental problem or a chromosomal abnormality. Things like the mother&rsquo;s age, history of miscarriage, certain medical conditions, and fever increase the risk of miscarriage. These are factors outside of a woman&rsquo;s control. <br /> <br /> With this said, there are things you can do to decrease your risk of complication such as making and keeping all prenatal appointments, limiting caffeine intake, getting immunized against communicable diseases, taking a prenatal vitamin daily (one with at least 400 mug folic acid) while trying to conceive and throughout the pregnancy, starting out at and maintaining a healthy weight during pregnancy, following your doctor&rsquo;s advice given to you based on their knowledge of your situation, and avoiding all alcohol, tobacco products, illicit street drugs, and over-the-counter, prescription, and herbal remedies that haven&rsquo;t been recommended by your OB provider as being safe during pregnancy. <br /> <br /> <strong>What are the symptoms of a miscarriage?</strong><br /> Bleeding and spotting are the most common signs of miscarriage, but they don&rsquo;t accompany all miscarriages and bleeding and cramping don&rsquo;t always mean miscarriage. In fact, 20-40% of women experience vaginal bleeding during the first trimester and of these, many go on to have healthy pregnancies. If a woman ever has vaginal bleeding or cramping though, she should call her doctor who can determine if further investigation or medical attention is warranted. Other causes of these symptoms include ectopic pregnancy, pelvic organ problems, and implantation spotting, all of which your doctor would consider in addition to miscarriage if you go in with cramping and bleeding. Many women have questions about implantation bleeding. It is not threatening to the pregnancy, but is only given as the diagnosis for the bleeding after all other serious complications have been ruled out.<br /> <br /> <strong>What are the different types of miscarriage?</strong><br /> If you have a miscarriage, your doctor may use a few different terms to explain what happened. These might include blighted ovum, threatened miscarriage, inevitable miscarriage, incomplete miscarriage, complete miscarriage, and missed miscarriage. Here is a brief explanation of each:<br /> <br /> Blighted ovum: a miscarriage happens very early on because no fetal issue has formed.<br /> <br /> Threatened miscarriage: a woman is cramping and bleeding but the cervix is closed. The fetus has a heart beat and the uterus is the correct size for gestational age. In many of these cases, the bleeding subsides and the pregnancy continues to term. In other cases, the bleeding gets heavier and it progresses to an inevitable miscarriage. <br /> <br /> Inevitable miscarriage: bleeding and cramping have occurred and your cervix is opened, allowing the contents of the pregnancy to pass through.<br /> <br /> Incomplete miscarriage: a miscarriage has occurred but the woman&rsquo;s body is not spontaneously expelling all the pregnancy contents from her body.<br /> <br /> Complete miscarriage: all the contents of the pregnancy have passed spontaneously.<br /> <br /> Missed miscarriage: the fetus has died or has not developed, but the body doesn&rsquo;t initiate the discharge of the fetus or pregnancy contents from the body. An example of this is what happens when a woman experiences no symptoms and then finds out at the doctor&rsquo;s office that there isn&rsquo;t a heartbeat.<br /> <br /> <strong>What happens after a miscarriage is diagnosed?</strong><br /> A pelvic exam is performed by a doctor and an ultrasound done to confirm the miscarriage. If the woman&rsquo;s body has completely cleared all the contents of the pregnancy or it happens very early on, further treatment is rarely needed. If the uterus still contains pregnancy contents, they need to be removed. Medication can be given to help this happen and in some cases, surgery is necessary. This procedure is called dilation and curettage (also known as D&amp;C) and is where the doctor scrapes the uterine lining to clear the uterus. It is done under general anesthesia and bleeding and cramping are common afterwards.<br /> <br /> As mentioned before, most miscarriages happen in the first trimester, but if they happen later, labor and delivery is necessary. In those situations, the doctor will recommend induction of labor and it will be done in the hospital under close monitoring and care.<br /> <br /> <strong>How do I cope with the loss of a pregnancy?</strong><br /> Recovery after a miscarriage includes physical and emotional healing. There is no right or wrong way to feel afterwards. If you have had a miscarriage, it is very important for you to allow yourself to go through the grieving process. You will be in denial, feel anger, attempt to bargain in an effort to compensate for the loss of control, experience depression, and then finally accept it. It takes time though and you and your loved ones need to be allowed to go through each of these stages. If your feelings of depression and sadness are affecting your ability to function or&nbsp; are long-lasting, talk with your doctor. A referral for counseling or other treatment may help.<br /> <br /> Talk with family and friends about what happened and about what you&rsquo;re feeling. Attend support groups for women who have experienced pregnancy loss. Seek encouragement from women who have successfully overcome the heartache and grief that comes with loss. Be proactive and talk with your doctor about what happened so that you are informed and able to determine if the issues you had this time might have implications in future pregnancies. If so, request early and frequent prenatal care. Try not to compare pregnancies from your past and in the future, try not to think that all pregnancies will end in miscarriage. Stay positive and focus on the future. Talk with your doctor about how soon they feel like you should start trying again. Most doctors recommend letting 2-3 cycles pass before trying again to make sure that your body is physically capable of pregnancy and that enough time has passed for you to have healed emotionally.<br /> <br /> </p>Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{88F46047-08E9-4DCA-AC23-072C1A1EE40E};s Story<p>With the support of the Logan Regional Hospital doctors, nurses and staff, Brittany had a successful C-section and was able to hold her new baby minutes after delivery, a first for this mom. Watch their birth story and see the love this newborn brings to their family.</p> <h2>Meet Brittany </h2> <p>Brittany is a mom to one daughter and two sons including her newborn boy. Baby Everett was born at Logan Regional Hospital on May 12 at 8:14 a.m. He weighed 8 pounds and 9 ounces.</p> <p>Brittany and her family recently moved to Hyrum, Utah, because of their love for the country and the outdoors. She was nervous about finding a new doctor, but chose Dr. Brett Horsley when she heard great reviews from her friends and women in the community. Brittany and Dustin quickly grew to love and respect Dr. Horsley, and by the time their baby came, they felt more like family than patients. </p> <h2>Casarean Section</h2> <p>Brittany&rsquo;s birth plan for her first pregnancy included a vaginal delivery with no epidural. However, when labor didn&rsquo;t go as intended, their little girl came by C-section, as did their second. This time as Brittany prepared for her third C-section, she reminded herself that, &ldquo;all that really matters is getting the baby here healthy.&rdquo;</p> <h2>Video</h2> <div style="position: relative; display: block; height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"> <h2><iframe frameborder="0" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: medium none;" src="//"></iframe></h2> <iframe frameborder="0" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: medium none;" src="//"></iframe></div> <h2>Photos</h2> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="400" height="400" id="ssidx"> <param name="movie" value=""> <param name="flashVars" value="AlbumID=51409786&amp;AlbumKey=DxmKXQ&amp;transparent=true&amp;bgColor=&amp;borderThickness=&amp;borderColor=&amp;useInside=&amp;endPoint=&amp;;VersionNos=2015060701&amp;width=400&amp;height=400&amp;clickToImage=true&amp;captions=true&amp;showThumbs=true&amp;autoStart=true&amp;showButtons=true&amp;pageStyle=white&amp;randomStart=false&amp;randomize=true&amp;crossFadeSpeed=350"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <param name="allowNetworking" value="all"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="" flashvars="AlbumID=51409786&amp;AlbumKey=DxmKXQ&amp;transparent=true&amp;bgColor=&amp;borderThickness=&amp;borderColor=&amp;useInside=&amp;endPoint=&amp;;VersionNos=2015060701&amp;width=400&amp;height=400&amp;clickToImage=true&amp;captions=true&amp;showThumbs=true&amp;autoStart=true&amp;showButtons=true&amp;pageStyle=white&amp;randomStart=false&amp;randomize=true&amp;crossFadeSpeed=350" width="400" height="400" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all"></object>Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600{0184C20B-4850-4827-A97B-7137E23E8DE7} Genomics in Action: Telitha Greiner&#39;s Story<p>For many patients, the results of genetic sequencing of tumor cells can reveal a new treatment that extends life. In the case of Telitha Greiner, this type of genetic testing was able to improve her quality of life as well. Here is her story:</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><strong>In her own words</strong></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in;">&ldquo;A colonoscopy in 2013 revealed a cancer that had metastasized and spread to my liver and lungs,&rdquo; said Telitha Greiner. &ldquo;It was stage four. I live in Ogden and a friend in St. George said I should come to St. George and see Dr. Lincoln Nadauld. I&rsquo;m so glad I did. What a wonderful doctor and person he is.&rdquo; </p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Dr. Nadauld serves as the Medical Director for Intermountain Precision Genomics for Cancer. The research he is leading in St. George is extending the lives and quality of life of stage four cancer patients around the nation. &ldquo;The genetic testing done by Dr. Nadauld revealed that one of the cancer drugs I was taking that had particularly painful side effects was not genetically effective,&rdquo; Telitha said. &ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t doing me any good and caused a very painful skin condition. I am so grateful to know that I don&rsquo;t have to take it anymore and for the state-of-the-art care I am receiving at Intermountain.&rdquo;</p> <p>Patients are the driving force behind the complex work that is done in the laboratory. Telitha Greiner is no exception. Her story is an example of Precision Genomics in action. </p> <p>Intermountain Healthcare Precision Genomics personalizes treatment for cancer by testing for all types of genetic mutations. The <a href="" target="_blank">ICG 100</a> test offers genetic testing for patients who have failed traditional standard of care treatment options. </p> <p>To learn more about Intermountain Precision Genomics and this type of personalized medicine, visit: <a href="" target="_blank"></a>, connect on <a href="" target="_blank">facebook</a>, or follow <a href="" target="_blank">@precisioncancer</a> on twitter.</p>Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0600