Rogue Valley Medical Center Health Newsletter Fall 

INTHISISSUE
Someone in Your Corner. . . . . . . . . 2
Sleep Disorders:
A Patient’s Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
New Physician Treats
High-risk Pregnancies . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Cold Laser Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Holiday Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Komen Grant
Fights Breast Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Community Health Education . . . . 11
RVMC Supports Clean Energy . . . 12

CELEBRATINGBREASTCANCERAWARENESSMONTH | page 2
 Breast Health/Oncology Nurse Navigator Someone
J
o Carrell sits on the couch and
thinks about her battle with breast
cancer and her friend Melanie.
“She has been with me every step
of the way,” Jo says, placing her hand
on Melanie’s. “I would not be alive
without her.”
She’s talking about Melanie Dines,
RN, MSN, CBCN Breast Health/
Oncology Nurse Navigator at Rogue
Valley Women’s Imaging (RVWI).
Melanie’s mission is to help guide
newly diagnosed breast cancer patients
at RVWI through the maze of cancer
care, from diagnosis to recovery.
“It’s about caring for and
advocating for patients and their
families,” Melanie explains. “And
everyone is fighting for them.”
Jo’s journey began when her annual
mammogram showed something suspi-
Melanie Dines, RN, cious. Melanie met with Jo to schedule
with Jo Carrell follow-up tests. She was with Jo when
2 | To find out more about the Breast Health/Oncology program, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: Nurse Navigator
she got her biopsy, which came back
positive. Jo needed surgery for a
cancerous lump in her breast.
“Melanie was with me at the
pre-op clinic and was there for every
decision,” Jo recalls.
Jo had surgery in January, followed
by chemotherapy and radiation
treatments in the spring. But her
recovery was hampered when, in her
weakened state, she had complications.
They rushed Jo to the hospital,
where she was taken to intensive care
and intubated. Her life was hanging in
the balance, and her family was facing
difficult decisions. “Then Dr. Lao
[Petey Laohaburanakit, MD], medical
director, Intensive Care Unit came in
and said, ‘Here is what we are going
to do,’” recalls Jo’s daughter Krystal.
“He was so passionate and confident.
And everyone in intensive care did
everything they could. I called three
in Your Corner
times a night, and they were always helpful.”
Dr. Lao’s plan worked. Within 24 hours
Jo turned the corner. She was transferred to a
“October is National Breast
Cancer Awareness Month.
The staff at Rogue Valley
Women’s Imaging encourages
all women to know
their risks and to consider
geing a mammogram.”
—Melanie Dines, RN
regular hospital room, and a few weeks
later she was moved to Rogue Valley
Medical Center’s Inpatient Rehabilitation
Center (IRC).
“I can’t say enough good things about
that place,” Jo says of the IRC. “They know
exactly what to do, and they celebrate
all your successes.”
Jo isn’t cancer-free yet, but along with
Kenneth, her husband of 46 years, and her
daughters, Kym and Krystal, she hopes to
match her identical twin sister, Jackie Smith,
a breast cancer survivor of 24 years. Jo says
she gets better every day: “I’m thankful for
everything that was done for me by everyone
at Rogue Valley Medical Center. They gave me
a second chance at life, especially Melanie. She
calls out of the blue just to see how I am.”
Have You Scheduled Your
Annual Mammogram?
Jo got her annual mammogram and caught
her cancer early, which greatly improved her
chances of success.
“Mammograms can detect very small
abnormalities in a breast that would go
unnoticed during a self-exam or even a clinical
exam,” says Melanie. The earlier breast cancer
is discovered, the more treatment options
are available and the more likely it is for a
positive outcome.
The state of Oregon has a Breast and
Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) to help low-
income, uninsured, and medically underserved
women gain access to these lifesaving screening
programs. Each year the Oregon BCCP
provides funding for approximately 7,000
eligible women in southern Oregon.
If you are an uninsured or low-income
woman over 40, you may be eligible
for assistance with the cost of a
mammogram from the Oregon BCCP.
Call (877) 255-7070 or visit www.oregon.
gov/DHS/ph/bcc/index.shtml. The staff at
Community Health Center and La Clinica
may also be of assistance.
For more information or to schedule
a mammogram, please call Rogue Valley
Women’s Imaging at (541) 789-6150.
| 3
SignsandSymptomsof
ObstructiveSleepApnea One Person’s Journey Through a Sleep Disorder

S
• Lack of energy leep apnea can have a significant effect on
• Hypertension your overall health. Edythe Westcott, 37,
• Frequent nocturnal urination knows. “I was clueless,” Edythe says. “If
• Obesity anyone hears my story and it helps them get
• Excessive daytime sleepiness better, or it better equips them to be supportive
• Gastroesophageal reflux of someone with sleep apnea, that would make it
• Morning headaches all worthwhile.”
• Diabetes When Edythe, came to Julie Bogden, nurse
• Depression practitioner, she was desperate. Edythe had suffered
• Large neck size chronic health problems all her life: immune
• Nighime gasping, choking, deficiencies, weight gain, chronic fatigue, and
or coughing muscle pain. She was on medication for pre-
• Snoring and irregular breathing diabetes and high blood pressure. She was showing
during sleep neurological and cognitive problems that were
seriously affecting her.
Obstructive sleep apnea “I really thought I was dying,” says Edythe.
increases your risk of: Julie asked a surprising question: “Do
• Hypertension you snore?”
• Cardiovascular disease “I said I was born snoring,” Edythe recalls.
• Stroke “My family used to joke about it.”
• Type 2 diabetes Julie asked Edythe to wear an oxygen sensor
• Mood disorders overnight. Her results were astonishing. The
• Obesity oxygen saturation level in her blood dropped to
77 percent while sleeping. Anything below 88 is
considered dangerous, and normal should be above
95. At Edythe’s level, tissue damage, hypertension,
cardiovascular disease, ischemia, and chronic
respiratory problems were likely. “I was literally
starving for oxygen,” Edythe says.
“I see so much light at the end
of the tunnel I want to run to it.”
—Edythe Westcott
Julie scheduled an appointment with Melodee
Badley, NP, at Pulmonary Consultants & Sleep
Specialists, LLC, in Medford. “Having Julie
and Melodee fighting in my corner gave me
encouragement and hope,” says Edythe.
Melodee immediately scheduled an overnight
sleep study for Edythe at Rogue Valley Sleep Center
in Medford.
The sleep study confirmed that Edythe had a
very severe case of sleep apnea. Apnea is defined as

4 | To find out more about obstructive sleep apnea, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: sleep center
a period of 10 seconds or more without breathing. If this happens four
or fewer times per hour, it is considered normal. In Edythe’s case, she
stopped breathing more than 30 times per hour.
“This caused her to wake repeatedly all night long,” Melodee says.
“She would not become conscious, but her body was pumping adrenalin,
telling her heart to beat faster, her kidneys to work harder, and to gasp for
air.” For the body to be healthy and repair itself, 25 percent of its sleeping
time must be in a rapid eye movement (REM) state. “Edythe was getting
zero REM,” Melodee adds.
Her apnea was so severe that staff woke her that night and started her
on a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Using CPAP
keeps the airway open, preventing the constant stops in breathing.
It worked. Edythe’s oxygen level went up more than 90 percent on
room air. She has now lost 25 pounds, has much more energy, and is able
to stay sharp and focused all day at work. Edythe feels confident about
the future. She is even riding her horse again.
“I see so much light at the end of the tunnel I want to run to it,” she
says. “It’s a long stretch. It’s going to take a while to regain my strength.
It’s been 15 years I’ve had to deal with this.”
To learn more about sleep medicine or to make an appointment, call
Rogue Valley Sleep Center at (541) 774-5750. If you are already using
a CPAP machine, Sleep Center staff strongly encourage attending a free
Melodee Badley, NP,
CPAP clinic for personalized help in getting the best possible results. with Edythe Westco

| 5
 New Perinatologist Promotes Healthy Pregnancies
T
he most dangerous, high-risk
pregnancy is the one that is not
identified. “You are not going to
know you have a complication unless you
see your doctor,” says Linda Hopkins, MD,
a fellowship-trained perinatologist. “Most
pregnancies can be a joyful time with a
positive outcome. Though complications
come up, we are working toward the same
goal: a happy, healthy family.”
Dr. Hopkins’s patients are mothers
and their unborn children who have health
or developmental complications during
pregnancy. She recently joined Bryan Sohl,
MD, at Rogue Valley Medical Center’s
Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic. With a
second perinatologist, women in the region
with high-risk pregnancies now have 24/7
access to a perinatal specialist.
Dr. Hopkins comes to southern
Oregon from the University of California,
San Francisco, where she specialized in
perinatology and participated in the fetal
6 | To read more about the Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic
surgery program. She is a welcome addition,
as the clinic serves a nine-county area with
a high incidence of at-risk pregnancies.
The infant mortality rate in southern
Oregon is one and a half times the state
average. In 2007, Jackson County was
“Most pregnancies
can be a joyful time with a
positive outcome.”
—Linda Hopkins, MD
third in Oregon in premature and low-
birth-weight babies. In addition, Douglas,
Curry, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and
Lake counties all have high incidences
of inadequate prenatal care for at-risk
pregnancies compared with the rest of
the state.
“The Rogue Valley is definitely a

place with many high-risk pregnancies,”
says Dr. Hopkins.
Dr. Hopkins’s advice for mothers-
to-be? “It certainly helps to be healthy
and a normal weight before getting
pregnant,” she says. “And take folic
acid a month before you get pregnant.
That alone decreases spina bifida and
congenital heart problems.”
She strongly recommends seeing a
doctor before pregnancy for a complete
exam and tests to identify any potential
health risks. If there are any, she
encourages seeing a perinatologist.
“If you have a chronic condition,
a family history of birth defects or
genetic disease, or are on regular
medications, you should discuss this
with a doctor prior to becoming
pregnant. That provider may then have
you see me or Bryan [Dr. Sohl]. We
can help you identify all your risks and
make a plan for a pregnancy.”
LindaHopkins﹐MD﹐
Perinatologist
Every pregnancy is different. Dr. Hopkins served in the Peace Corps in Kenya
“There is no playbook for what to and relocated to Medford from the University
do with certain conditions. I work with of California, San Francisco, where she completed a
the parents to understand what is wrong fellowship in maternal fetal medicine, perinatology,
and think through what we should do and fetal surgery.
for the pregnancy, factoring in their own
circumstances.” Most Common Factors in High-risk Pregnancies
It’s that individual approach that Dr. • Diabetes
Hopkins finds so rewarding: “I get a lot • Obesity
of letters from folks who did not think • Late or no prenatal care
there was much hope for their pregnancy.
• Smoking
Knowing that
• Alcohol consumption (especially in early pregnancy)
their child is
thriving despite • Illegal drug use
medical issues • Exposure to the medication diethylstilbestrol (DES)
and is a part • Domestic violence
of the family— • Lack of social support
that is a • Stress (including long working hours or long periods
fabulous of standing)
feeling.”
• Underweight before pregnancy
• Birth spacing of less than nine months between
birth and the beginning of the next pregnancy
Linda Hopkins, MD
| 7
Cold Laser Therapy Reduces Inflammation and Treats TMJ and Other Ailments
Patients feel no sensation from the
low level light therapy, but many
experience immediate results.
8 | To read more about RVMC’s new cold laser therapy, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: cold laser therapy
O
utpatients needing speech, physical, or
occupational therapy at Rogue Valley
Medical Center (RVMC) now have a
new option thanks to a technological breakthrough:
low-level light therapy (LLLT). Also called cold laser
or photoradiation, LLLT uses focused light energy
on a small area to stimulate circulation and reduce
inflammation. It is especially useful in hand therapy
and some types of speech therapy. Though high
tech, it is not high cost.
Considered somewhat controversial at first, cold
laser is quickly converting skeptics and is now viewed
as a therapy breakthrough. A 2006 study found cold
laser to be as effective as or better than nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen). The
researchers stated, “Results of nine trials were
significantly in favor of photoradiation.” They
concluded that cold laser therapy “significantly reduces
acute inflammatory pain in clinical settings.” Other
studies have found cold laser to promote healing in
tendons and muscle tissue as well.
Exactly how it works is still being debated, but
experts believe that the process is photochemical rather
than heat related. Inside our cells mitochondria
convert molecules of sugar, fatty acids, and amino
acids to energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate
(ATP), considered the energy “coin” of the cell. When
bathed in cold laser (wavelengths in the 600- to
1,000-nanometer range), mitochondria absorb the
light and convert it to ATP. The resulting ATP surplus
can trigger a number of beneficial effects, including
reduced inflammation, improved blood flow, protein
and enzyme synthesis, and cell replication and repair.
“We are using light energy to stimulate
regeneration of mitochondria in nerves, lymph
cells, muscles, and ligaments,” says Rich DeWitt,
speech/language pathologist in Outpatient Therapy
at RVMC.
Therapists use a penlike wand to direct cold
light laser directly to areas of inflammation to promote
healing. Because the energy is low level, it affects only
cells in a small path, making it possible to target specific
areas. Cold laser has been especially useful in treating
upper-extremity and hand injuries, temporomandibular
joint disorder (TMJ), and many other ailments. “And
we are definitely having success,” says Rich.
Your Holidays Can Be Healthy and Delicious
By Tina Kelly, Registered Dietitian, Rogue Valley Medical Center

L
eaves are turning, the days are
cooler, and ovens all over the
Rogue Valley are warming up
for fall and winter celebrations. The
challenge: how do you eat a healthy
diet with all that feasting going on?
There are many low-calorie, low-
fat, and low-sugar choices you can
make and still enjoy the celebrations.
Here are some suggestions:
• Instead of butter on your bread, use
apple butter, roasted garlic, pumpkin
butter, or baked spiced fruits.
• Make mashed potatoes low-fat with
skim milk, and instead of butter
use garlic powder, a little parmesan
cheese, and herbs.
• Cook sweet potatoes with orange
juice; it will add a wonderful, natural
sweetness and flavor.
• Parmesan cheese mixed with bread • Use silken tofu in place of some
crumbs makes a wonderful topping or all of the cream cheese in dip
for vegetable gratins. recipes. It is low in saturated fat
• Eggnog can be delicious and and adds a smooth, creamy texture
low-fat; use nonfat frozen vanilla to dips.
yogurt blended with skim milk,
nutmeg, and a little rum extract.
The Best Light Pumpkin Pie
This pumpkin pie saves 151 calories and 12 grams of fat per slice
compared with traditional versions, and it tastes identical! Serves 8
INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
1 cup ground ginger snaps Grind cookies in a food processor and pat into
a lightly oiled pie pan. Mix ingredients in a
16-ounce can pumpkin
medium mixing bowl, pour into crust, and
(or fresh pumpkin you baked)
bake at 350 degrees F until a knife inserted in
½ cup egg whites (about 4) the center comes out clean.
½ cup sugar Serve topped with fat-free whipped cream.
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or your favorite

• Chicken broth and fresh herbs are a
delicious, low-fat substitute for butter
or margarine on vegetables.
combination of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves
12-ounce can evaporated skim milk
✃
Per serving: 165 calories, 1.5 grams (g) fat, 1.5 milligrams
(mg) cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrates,
2 g fiber, and 6 g protein. Diabetic exchange: 2 bread.

For more healthy recipes, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: recipes | 9

RVMC Foundation Receives Grant to Fight Breast Cancer
T
he Asante Foundation and Rogue
Valley Medical Center (RVMC)
have earned a grant of $39,995 from
Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to help more
women get annual mammograms for earlier
diagnosis, increasing their chances of winning
the fight against breast cancer.
“This is the first time Rogue Valley
Medical Center has received a grant from
the Komen Foundation to encourage low-
income and rural women to get their annual
screening mammograms,” says Melanie
Dines, RVMC Breast Health/Oncology
Nurse Navigator. “Komen has given so much
to our community: grants for education/
outreach, transportation, lodging, and meals.
We are grateful to be partnering with them.”
Rates of breast cancer incidence and
death in Jackson County are higher than
those at the state and national levels,
presenting a significant regional health
problem. Based on national studies, a
program has been developed to reach out
10 | To read more about the Susan G. Komen grant, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: Komen
to 3,000 low-income and rural women in
need through their primary care agency.
RVMC will partner with La Clinica and
Community Health Center to increase the
number of women in need who receive
mammography screenings and to increase
the number of Latina women in Jackson
County who receive mammography screening
through a personalized program of outreach.
For example, Ana Maria Salaverry,
Outreach Advocate at La Clinica, plans to
arrange field trips for Hispanic women to
Rogue Valley Women’s Imaging. She will also
provide case management for 860 Spanish-
speaking women.
For more information about the Asante
Foundation and how you can support this
program, call (541) 789-5025.
To learn how you can get an annual
mammogram and how you may qualify
for financial assistance, call Melanie Dines
at Rogue Valley Women’s Imaging at
(541) 789-6176.
 BecomeaPart
Community Health Education ofYourCommunity

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NICU:

TAKING CARE OF THE LITTLE ONES
Holiday Nutrition
and Your Heart
A sante is a community-supported
organization. To support the work
of Rogue Valley Medical Center or
Presented by Lee Harker, MD Presented by Amy Eaton, BS, ACSM cPT
Cardiac Rehabilitation, RVMC Three Rivers Community Hospital,
Rogue Valley Medical Center
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit MEDFORD to honor someone, or to learn about
Saturday, December 5 | 10:30 a.m. to noon planned gis, contact the Foundation
YREKA
Wednesday, November 4 | 5:30 to 7 p.m. Smullin Health Education Center in Medford at (541) 789-5025, in
Yreka Community Center, Main Room 2825 East Barnett Road, Medford Grants Pass at (541) 472-7300, or
online at www.asante.org—click on
END-OF-LIFE-CARE Planning make a donation.
Presented by Michael Reynolds, MSW
Asante Hospice Visit www.rvmc.org or call (888) 688-4920
MEDFORD to request the Community Health Education
Tuesday, November 10 | 5:30 to 7 p.m. events calendar; please leave your e-mail address.
Smullin Health Education Center
2825 East Barnett Road, Medford

All classes are free. Please register. Call (888) 688-4920 or register online at www.rvmc.org/classes-events.

If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please contact Asante Communications and
Marketing at (541) 789-4241. Articles in the RVMC Your Health newsleer are intended for general information
only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. For diagnosis and treatment of specific conditions,
consult your physician.

To make a gi, go to www.rvmc.org, keyword: giving | 11

 RVMC Supports a
NONPROFITORG
Healthy Environment Too USPOSTAGE

PAID
PERMITNO
 EBARNETTRD

R
ogue Valley Medical Center is currently MEDFORD
OR
MEDFORDOR - 
developing an all-new facility plan to become
LEED-certified to significantly lower its use of
water and energy and to support green technologies. It
is also helping the community as a sponsor of the Pacific
Power Solar Pavilion at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
Since 2006 the pavilion has provided power to
the fairgrounds and fed the electric grid with a 24.75
kilowatt photovoltaic system, generating more than
37,000 kilowatt hours annually. The system also offsets
68,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year—the
equivalent of not driving a car 72,760 miles.
“It’s one thing to say, ‘I support clean energy’ and
another to actually do it and see it right in front of you,”
says Claudia Steinbroner from Pacific Power.
To learn more about how you can support clean
energy, visit www.pacificpower.net/bluesky.

©  Asante Health System.

All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced in
any form except by prior wrien
RVMC 

permission. Printed with soy ink

on recycled paper. ♼

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