My Boone Health Spring 2012

Get OutdOOrs: Boone staff shares favorite spots for springtime recreation

Our LifeWithQuadsColumbia’sEastmanFamily

BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER spring 2012 3

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Boone Hospital Center’s mission is

to improve the health of the people

and communities we serve.

Dan Rothery

President

Angy Littrell

Director

Ben Cornelius

Communications

and Marketing Manager

Jacob Luecke

Media Relations Manager

Shannon Whitney

Communications Coordinator

Photos By:

Dave Hoffmaster

L.G. Patterson

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or feedback to [email protected]

or call 573.815.3392

1600 East BroadwayColumbia, Mo 65201

573-815-8000

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click on the subscription linkon the right side of the page.

table Of Contents

5 ................................................ A Note From Boone Hospital President Dan Rothery

6 ..................................................................................................... myBoone Health Stories

8 ................................................................................................................ Hospital Headlines

10.................................................................................................. Our Life With Quadruplets

14................................................................... ICN Care Attracts Nurse To Work At Boone

15................................................................................................Going Green For LEED Gold

16........................................................................................................................ Karla, Restored

18.....................................................................................................Put A Spring In Your Step

20 ......................................................... Custom Artwork Brightens Hospital Laboratory

21 ............................................................................................. Family Gives Back To Nurses

22 ................................................................................................................... Flavors Of Spring

24 .............................................................................................................. Celebrating Service

26 ............................................................................................... Boone Hospital Gets Social

28 .................................................................................................. Life Pivots On New Ankle

30 ................................................................................................................... Boone In Bloom


Living in mid-missouri, we are blessed to be able to witness the change of seasons amid the annual cycle of nature. every season has a unique beauty, even the cold dormant landscapes of winter, but spring is when we witness our region’s greatest natural show.

the change happens suddenly. as temperatures begin to warm, the perennials in our yards and parks emerge and bloom. fresh rains wash away the muck of winter and add movement to our streams, creeks and rivers. our wooded hills burst with green, purple and white.

it is a time of new energy and life. and nature’s blossoming stimulates a new energy inside many of us as well.

We begin our outdoor hobbies such as gardening or sports. We also visit our many local parks and conservation areas for hiking, fishing, boating and even edible mushroom hunting.

many of us soak up nature’s energy and use it motivate us during this season.

i like to become engrossed in the outdoors when i run each day. i never use headphones or listen to music. instead, i listen for the pure sounds of nature, even the quiet, and use those as my inspiration.

this spring, i encourage you to enjoy the outdoors and find inspiration for your life. if you are able, please get on your feet and let nature’s new life inspire you to improve your personal health.

if you need any ideas about places to go and things to do, read our staff’s suggestions on pages 18-19. and if you find any edible mushrooms on your journey, first double check them with an expert, but then see pages 22-23 for some recipes.

as always, i wish you good health. enjoy your spring!

Daniel J. rothery

Note From danspring inspires outdoor recreation

dan rotherypresident

Boone hospital center

6 spring 2012 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER

myBoone Health storiesvisit myBoonehealth.com to read more — and share Your own story

My name is Alberta, and I am here at the hospital for a repeat sleep study. The staff here is so helpful and caring. When my mom had to be here, she was treated with care and respect as a person, not as a burden. Thank you, staff, for all your support and understanding.By Alberta Riley, Clark

I just wanted to thank you and your staff. Cheryl Rowland and Tami Held delivered all three of our children and each time did such a wonderful job.

In November, I delivered our third child, a boy, and my husband watched via Skype.

Cheryl and Tami were so awesome. Of course, I knew them from my time there at Boone, but it wouldn’t have mattered. They helped me and made my delivery wonderful, even in the absence of my husband’s physical state.

I’m so thankful for modern technology; Skype worked great. I want to give Tami a special thanks for taking all the pictures.

She did a fantastic job. We couldn’t have taken better ones ourselves.

I would also like to thank Cheryl for being so compassionate and understanding with me. She eased my pain and was there for me when my husband couldn’t be.

I would like to share a very special picture with her and Cheryl. I’ve enclosed the first picture of our first son and his dad. Tami took this picture, and I am so grateful for her.

This picture is still my husband’s Facebook photo! It is very dear to us.

Please give Cheryl and Tami copies. You have two amazing team members.

While Serving In Qatar, My Husband WitnessesThe Birth Of First Son By Leia Asbury, Centralia

Visitor Thanks StaffWho Helped Her Navigate HospitalBy Lisa Barnum, Gilbert, Ariz.

This is merely a compliment to the Boone Hospital staff who are focused on making everyone’s time

at Boone as pleasant as can be. I am simply a visitor today. I am here to be with my father as he is recovering from surgery.

Upon my entry to the hospital, my stepmom gave me basic directions to his room. Even with those directions, I guess I got turned around and found myself studying the directional signage. A random employee saw me looking lost and asked if he could assist. Instead of giving me more directions, he went out of his way to walk me to a point where he was comfortable that I would get to my destination.

After sitting with my father for a few hours, before I knew it, lunchtime had arrived. Upon my return from the cafe, I decided to once again study the directional signs to ensure I was moving in the right direction. Once again, a random staff member noticed me reading the signage. This time, the staff member was on a cell phone, told the person to hold on as he needed to help a client. He then proceeded to ask me if I needed assistance. Just like the other staff member, this individual also walked with me until we were both comfortable that I would get to my final destination.

So, here I now am. I am at my final destination — my father’s recovery room. I am now enjoying your free WiFi so that I can get some of my professional work done while watching my father sleep as he recovers.

Please extend this thank you to the many Boone Hospital Center staff who go out of their way to ensure that even the visitors have a pleasant experience while at Boone County’s best hospital!


Share your story,myBooneHealth.com

Iwas facing my 55th birthday and something much worse — my weight! I badly needed total knee replacement in both knees, but I was told it was pointless until I lost at

least 80 pounds because my weight was crushing what was left of the cartilage in my knees.

I had tried Weight Watchers, Atkins, diets of all sorts, and as a last resort, attended a weight loss seminar at Boone Hospital. It literally changed my life!

My husband, who has been my strongest support through everything (literally through thick and thin!) attended with me, and we lost a combined 40 pounds before I even met with Dr. Pitt to discuss surgery.

I continued to lose some weight with the pre-surgery liquid diet, and I have never looked back.

By January, I had lost the necessary 80 pounds and had my right knee and my

Thanks To “Two Amazing Ladies”Who Helped Dad During Stroke TreatmentBy Alice Rieves, Columbia

Iwould like to extend a special thank you to social worker Lynnette Huddleston.

My father recently had a stroke, and while he was in the hospital, I

still continued to work. I was able to call and receive updates from my mother.

Unfortunately, my mother’s cell phone battery died just after we received the news that my father was going to require surgery. Lynnette called and made sure I knew when the surgery was scheduled so I could leave work and spend some time with my father before surgery. I was also able to then spend the rest of the day with my mother

while he was in surgery.My father came through the surgery,

and all went well. However at his age and with his multiple medical issues, there is always a huge risk that it won’t.

Lynnette has always been so very helpful and caring. I hope Boone realizes just what a valuable employee they have in her.

I also want to thank patient care tech Holly who did an incredible job with dad.

My father is just an old country boy, so being in the hospital is very traumatic for him. These two amazing ladies went out of their way to make him feel comfortable. Thank you, ladies!

I wanted to have a Boone Baby because my baby’s godfather is a patient care tech at Boone, and it felt like a familiar place being right next to the Women’s

Wellness center where I got my prenatal care.When I finally got to 40 weeks, I was

elated when my doctor told me to go over to Labor and Delivery because it was time for the baby to come!

The best thing about Boone Hospital is the nursing staff. There were several nurses who went above and beyond to make my experience memorable and as smooth as possible.

Yet, what most touched my heart was how the staff treated people of whom they were not even taking care. My mother and brother came to see me. My mother needed a wheelchair in order to make the long trip to Labor and Delivery. Before they even had to ask for a wheelchair, someone saw them and brought out a chair automatically. They then took the time to deliver my family to my room.

The fact that they anticipated the needs of patients and guests shows what a wonderful staff you all have.

If I ever have any reason to come to the hospital, it will be to Boone. On a good day, you want to avoid the hospital at all, but if I do need medical attention, I want it to be at a place that makes me feel like a patient who matters versus a number on a bracelet.

My mother was so impressed with Boone Hospital that she joked about moving from Jefferson City to Columbia. Not only would she be closer to her grandson, she could get health care from a place that has cutting edge technology and a top notch support staff.

Thank you Boone!

left knee replaced in June, both at Boone Hospital, where I could not have been in better hands.

I had my surgery on the Friday before Labor Day and actually went back to work on Labor Day — just three short days!

It has now been over two years, and I’ve lost over 200 pounds — I’m not just half the woman I once was, I’m a third.

Thank you, Dr. Pitt and Tina. You are awesome!

Weight Loss Patient Loses More Than 200 Pounds:“I’m Not Just Half The Woman I Once Was, I’m A Third”By Linda Stevenson, Moberly

Boone Makes Me “Feel Like A Patient Who Matters Versus A Number On A Bracelet”By Victoria Weaver, Columbia


Courtney Jo Sandidge performed as famous Columbian Annie Fisher during Boone’s Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 7. She prepared Fisher’s award-winning biscuit recipe from the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. While watching, the audience learned about Fisher’s rise from domestic house worker to successful caterer.

Sandidge also entertained the crowd with her mime performance to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech for MLK Day. Rev. Linda Dodd sang during the program, which also included a prayer and remarks.

Dr. JerryKennett Earns ‘Master’ Honor

Hospital Headlinesnews from Boone hospital center

Annie Fisher VisitsFor Black History Month

Jerry Kennett, MD, recently was named

Master of the American College of Cardiology, a national honor given

to a maximum of four cardiologists each year.Dr. Kennett is vice president and chief

medical officer at Boone Hospital Center and is a cardiologist at the Missouri Heart Center. He is now one of 102 cardiologists nationwide who have earned the title of Master.

Boone Hospital Has Heart

On Feb. 16, 624 community members came to Boone Hospital Center for the 12th Annual Boone Hospital Center Heart Fair. Visitors learned their numbers,

including cholesterol, BMI, glucose and blood pressure. Dieticians consulted with each attendee to strategize on ways to improve his or her heart health. After talking to a dietician, visitors enjoyed an oatmeal bar with healthy fixings.

“With the new patient tower construction taking place over the past three years, it was a pleasure being able to bring the Heart Fair back to Boone’s campus, hosting it in our brand new Conference Center,” says Jeff Zimmermann, health promotions manager.


Julie Ramsey of Salisbury, Mo., was due to have a baby girl in early March. Her doctor told her she would need a Caesarean section, so she scheduled it for her 30th birthday. Julie continued

the tradition her mom, Lorie Hayden of Platte City, Mo., started when she gave birth to Julie on her own 25th birthday.

“I knew it was going to be close,” said Ramsey, referring to her birthday. “So I went ahead and scheduled it for today.”

Now grandma, mom and baby Annie all share a special bond and a birthday — March 1. They said they try to get together to share a birthday celebration if they are able. Ramsey’s cousin (Hayden’s niece) also went into labor on March 1.

Hayden’s husband, who is also Ramsey’s dad and Annie’s grandpa, joked that sharing birthdays is genetic; he was born on his father’s birthday as well.

Ramsey is excited to welcome her second baby to the family and said, “Having the baby today distracted me from turning 30.”

Leap Day Baby

Birthday Baby

The latest news,boone.org

Grace Westfall, 10, of Higbee, has made a generous donation to help the infants in Boone Hospital Center’s Intensive Care Nursery.

Grace created a cover that fits the isolettes used in the Intensive Care Nursery. The cover will help keep the isolette warm for the infant while blocking out light and noise. The isolette cover has a Winnie the Pooh theme.

Grace said her grandma, Audrey Westfall of Huntsville, helped her with the project.

Grace, a fifth grader at Higbee R-VIII, has her black belt in tae kwon do. She loves

Just hours after delivering her son, Sarah Mease already had an idea for his first birthday party. He’ll just have to wait until 2016 to see what his mom has planned. Sarah and husband Bill

Mease welcomed Jameson at 3:48 a.m. on Feb. 29 — Leap Day.The next time a Feb. 29 rolls around, Sarah said she envisions a

frog-themed party, emphasizing her son’s special “Leap” Day status.Sarah’s original due date was Feb. 29, so the couple was prepared

for what it meant to have a Leap Day baby.“He won’t be able to drive until he’s 64 years old,” Bill said

with a laugh.Sarah and Bill, who live in Camdenton, said Jameson weighed

6 pounds and 13.7 ounces. He was 19.25 inches long.They said the care at the Boone Family Birthplace was great and

praised the work of Sarah’s obstetrician, Karen Thies, D.O.

Future Nurse Donates Isolette Cover To Boone Intensive Care Nursery

reading and taking care of her pets. Her parents are BJ and Lisa Westfall.

A Boone Baby herself, Grace has a goal of attending college, going to nursing

school and then becoming a nurse at Boone Hospital Center.

Her grandmother, LeAn Smith, is a nurse at the Boone Family Birthplace.

Our Life WithQuadruplets

intensive care nurserygives eastman Kidsa healthy startBy Jacob Luecke


Th e couple married in 2004. Stuart is an Edward Jones fi nancial advisor, and Kristin worked as an elementary school teacher.

When the time came to have children, the couple had diffi culty conceiving. Th ey sought out fertility help, and Kristin soon learned she was pregnant.

Blood tests revealed she was likely pregnant with multiple children. Because twins run in Kristin’s family, that fact in itself was not surprising.

Reality began to dawn on the couple when an early ultrasound showed several developing embryo sacs. Before long, four defi nite heartbeats were showing up during Kristin’s visits to the doctor.

“He started counting, ‘Well there’s one, and that’s two,’ and he kept counting,” Stuart said. “It was then I kind of started realizing, wow, this is real.”

After sharing the good news with family and friends — to a unanimously stunned reaction, “Th e look on their faces was like, what? What did you say again?” recalled Stuart — the couple began making preparations.

Not only did the Eastmans need all the standard baby items — times four — they also needed a bigger house, which prompted a move to a four-bedroom house on the west side of Columbia.

Th ey spent time counseling with physicians and caregivers at Boone Hospital who walked them through every stage of the process. Th e doctors even discussed how society would react to seeing a family with quadruplets.

“‘You don’t realize what this is going to mean,’” Kristin and Stuart remember being

told by the doctors. “‘Back in the day, twins were the big thing. Th en triplets. But now, it’s quadruplets. Be prepared, because there are going to be a lot of people who are going to want to talk to you and help.’”

At 22 weeks, Kristin went on bed rest, a common step taken to prolong a pregnancy, especially when multiple children are involved. Fortunately, that ended up being the only step needed to sustain the pregnancy for several more weeks.

“For having quads, it was really a fairly smooth pregnancy,” Kristin said.

But by 29 weeks, Kristin didn’t feel right and went to the hospital. Her blood pressure was elevated, indicating she may have preeclampsia, a potentially dangerous problem.

Physicians also determined the babies had stopped gaining weight in her womb.

Th e time came to schedule Kristin’s delivery. Th ey picked the morning of April 18 for a planned Caesarean section. Th e children would be born at 30 weeks and three days, which is very premature but not unusual for quadruplets. Normal gestation is about 40 weeks.

On the morning of the 18th, Kristin and Stuart arrived at the hospital at 7 a.m. as a

W hen you’re planning a birthday party for quadruplets, choosing a cake can be tricky.

Just ask Kristin and Stuart Eastman of Columbia. Th eir quadruplets shared a variety of opinions as their 5th birthday approached.

“I like chocolate cake,” Wilson said.His sister Ellie agreed, “I want

chocolate.”But then Caroline chimed in, “I want

pink cake.”“Actually, I want pink too,” said Ellie, in

a change of heart.“But I really like vanilla,” Luke said.Kristin and Stuart just smiled.

p Five years ago, Kristin gave birth to the

quads at Boone Hospital Center. It was a delivery like few can imagine.

Multiple births involve risks and can sometimes contribute to developmental problems. Like many multiple births, the Eastman quads arrived premature and had to spend several weeks in the Boone Hospital Intensive Care Nursery. But with good fortune and excellent care at the nursery, the quads developed into strong, healthy children with no major health issues.

Today, at 5 years old, the Eastman kids are still on the small side, but they are developmentally on par with their peers. Th ey’re also extremely active.

Luke goes to tae kwon do class and Wilson does gymnastics. Caroline and Ellie both take ballet lessons.

Kristin and Stuart say the staff and physicians at the Boone Family Birthplace Intensive Care Nursery played a major role in getting their kids off to a good start.

“Th ey were just incredible. I got to know the nurses quite well; they became part of our extended family,” Kristin said. “We attribute a lot of their early success to the physicians and staff at Boone.”

A Special DeliveryLike her four children, Kristin is a

Boone Baby.As a child she moved around the

Midwest with her family. In 1994, she returned to Columbia to join the University of Missouri swim team. She met Stuart on a blind date. He’s a Joplin native who attended Westminster College.


large team of caregivers assembled for the delivery. About an hour later, Kristin received an IV. Before long, she was being wheeled into the operating room for the delivery.

Stuart vividly remembers the busy scene inside the room. Kristin’s doctors were working with her as 12 additional staff and physicians including neonatologists, respiratory therapists and other caregivers waited in the room for the infants to arrive.

“It was like a well-organized orchestra in there,” Stuart said. “There were at least three medical professionals per child.”

Then, at 9:14 a.m., Wilson Eastman was born. He was followed closely by his siblings Ellie, Luke and Caroline. They were all born within three minutes of each other.

Ellie and Caroline weighed 1 pound, 12 ounces. Luke was 2 pounds, 10 ounces and Wilson weighed 3 pounds, 4 ounces.

The Eastmans went from having no children to having four in three short minutes.

Now the task fell to the physicians and caregivers at the Intensive Care Nursery to help the four children grow and eventually go home with their parents.

The ICNBoone Hospital physicians worked

closely with Kristin and Stuart as they cared for their quadruplets inside Boone Hospital’s Intensive Care Nursery.

For any child born around 30 weeks the main concerns are lung and brain maturity. Wilson, Ellie and Luke were quickly put on oxygen after being born to help them breathe with their immature lungs. Doctors also spotted a potential intestinal problem with Caroline, which tests revealed to be nothing more than a gassy bubble.

“Overall, there were no major things wrong with any of them,” Stuart said.

Their preparation before the delivery helped Kristin and Stuart become familiar with the sight of children with wires and cords attached to their bodies.

“The real shock was when you saw how small they were,” Stuart said. “When you went and saw the well babies in the other nursery they seemed like giants compared to our kids.”

Kristin was discharged from the hospital just days after her delivery, but she returned

each day to be with her four babies in the Intensive Care Nursery. She would come to the hospital in the morning, leave in the afternoon to rest and then return in the evening with Stuart.

During this time, Kristin became close to the team of the nurses who were caring for her children. It was helpful that every child had the same nurse providing care each day.

“They were amazing, outstanding. We cannot gloat enough about them,” she said. “They cared for our quads as if they were their own children. It made me feel so confident about leaving my children with them and knowing that they had top-notch care.”

The Eastmans said hospital staff also guarded their privacy and helped them avoid an unwanted celebrity status.

“No one knew about the quads. It wasn’t publicized, and that was a good thing,” Stuart said. “You could go to the cafeteria without people coming up to you. We felt like we were commoners like everyone else.”

After six weeks in the Intensive Care Nursery, Wilson and Luke were ready to go home. This was another major learning moment for the Eastmans, who relied on hospital nurses to teach them how to care for their still fragile infants.

“They really helped us prepare to be parents and bring them home,” Kristin said. “They showed us how to change their diapers. We hadn’t really done much of that, especially with such little guys.”

At 8 weeks old, Ellie came home. Then, one week later, Caroline was discharged from the hospital.

The family was finally united at home.

Many Helping HandsDuring the first two weeks when just

Luke and Wilson were home, Kristin and Stuart had no problem caring for the babies. They each simply held one child. But when Ellie came home, that was no longer possible. And when Caroline arrived, things became even more difficult.

“There were times we kind of wished they were back in the NICU,” Stuart joked.

But friends and well-wishers soon rallied around the family to help. Every day, three shifts of volunteers arrived at their house to help rock and feed the children as well as do laundry and other chores.

Raising the young Eastman quads became a community effort.

“It takes a village,” Kristin said. “We learned that people are really willing to help. So we opened up and allowed them to come in and help us. There is no way we would have been able to survive otherwise.”

One of the family’s first goals was to get the kids all on the same routine of eating and sleeping together. And when the kids slept, Kristin and Stuart were sleeping as well. But that wasn’t nearly enough. Stuart found himself having to occasionally catch a quick nap at work. He’d put his head down on his desk for five or 10 minutes just to make it through the day.

“It’s just one of the things where I had to do that or else I was exhausted,” he said.

At home, baby items consumed their entire house. There were four swings, four play mats, four bouncy seats and four of everything else needed for a baby.

Watch our interview with the Quads as well as outtakes,

myBooneHealth.com

Wilson eastman plays basketball in his basement with his brothers and sisters. they love cheering on the mU tigers and their favorite player, michael Dixon.


“It literally looked like Toys ‘R’ Us at our house,” Stuart said.

One of their fond memories from this time was actually being able to sit down to dinner together in the evening after a long day. Th ey would put all four kids in their swings, rocking peacefully in dining room as Kristin and Stuart ate, everyone together.

Team EastmanAs the quads grew from babies to

toddlers and then into pre-school age children, the family needed less and less outside help.

Today, they have just a handful of volunteers who come to help two or three days a week.

“We are lucky enough to still have a few helpers who love the kids and want to be a part of the village,” Kristin said.

As preemies, the quads benefi ted from some special therapy and language development help, but now they’re on par with their peers and ready to begin kindergarten soon.

“It’s been amazing just watching them develop from stage to stage,” Kristin said. “From just holding the bottle on their own, to then walking and now running and swimming.”

As they’ve grown, they’ve also assumed four very diff erent personalities with their own tastes and interests. Ellie and Luke are high-energy children who thrive in environments where they can be around other kids. On the other hand, Caroline and Wilson are more independent and enjoy having time alone to entertain themselves.

But even with their diff erent personalities, the four siblings are very close.

“Th ey have a very strong bond,” Kristin said. “Th ey stick up for each other, look out for each other, and they are very protective of each other.”

Kristin and Stuart often refer to their family as a team: Team Eastman.

Th is summer, they’ll be teammates in a new way as all four will be playing together on a tee ball team.

Looking back, the Eastmans are thankful for the care and education they received at Boone Hospital Center. Th ey have four healthy kids, which is really all they can ask for.

“Every day is diff erent. No two days are alike,” Kristin said. “But I don’t think we can ever imagine not having all four of them together; it’s been a true blessing.”

Every year, approximately 2,000 babies are born at the Boone

family Birthplace. While the majority of Boone Babies arrive healthy and strong, some need the extra care available at the hospital’s intensive care nursery.

the 21-bed intensive care nursery is designated as a Level iii nursery offering the highest level of neonatal care for the most acutely ill and premature infants. the nursery is staffed by three neonatologists and specialized nurses who care for the infants and teach parents about their newborns’ special needs.

certain factors during pregnancy can help determine when a family needs to consider delivering at a hospital with an intensive care nursery.

for example, the mother may have a condition such as hypertension or diabetes, or a history of pre-term birth, any of which would make it more likely her child may come premature and need specialized care at the intensive care nursery.

there are also times when a birth defect is found before delivery and it becomes benefi cial to deliver at a hospital with a Level iii intensive care nursery, where specialized care is close at hand.

in addition, the intensive care nursery is prepared for multiple births such as twins, triplets and quadruplets.

When expecting multiple children, parents get the benefi t of education from Boone hospital physicians before

Choosing theIntensive Care NurseryBoone caregivers have Big hearts for the tiniest infants

the delivery. the physicians also help expectant parents make connections with other families of multiple children.

for diffi cult deliveries, Boone hospital physicians and caregivers work collaboratively during pregnancy, birth and as the infant develops to ensure the child is getting off to a strong start.

for children born before 30 weeks gestation, Boone hospital neonatologists and therapists will check the child’s progress through school age during regular visits to the hospital’s pediatric Development clinic. addressing a problem in the child’s developmental progress early on usually makes it easier to resolve.

the caregivers at Boone hospital’s intensive care nursery put their hearts into their work and it shows in how they interact with the families they serve.

for high-risk deliveries, patients come from all across mid-missouri to deliver at the Boone family Birthplace because they’ve heard from a friend or loved one about the amazing care provided at the hospital’s intensive care nursery.


Emily Roberts was a nurse for four years at her previous job, but when she delivered her twin daughters at 29 weeks, her perspective changed.

Roberts’ twins spent nine weeks in the Boone Hospital Center Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) and the care impacted her family in more ways than one.

“The physicians were really good. The nurses were all really knowledgeable,” Roberts recalls. “We felt like we got really good care when our girls were born here.”

For a short time, her twins were sent to St. Louis Children’s Hospital for special care.

“Dr. O’Connor, one of the neonatologists, really fought for the girls to come back here when we didn’t need to be in St. Louis, so we could be close to home. I thought that was going above and beyond,” Roberts said.

The Roberts enjoyed all of the space the unit provided for their family to bond during the tough time. The recliners were perfect for holding her daughters. During her stay at Boone with her daughters and husband, Roberts talked to the nurses. She learned about their experience and was impressed by the staff.

“The biggest part was seeing a place where you could tell people like to work here,” Roberts said. “People had worked here for a long time and there’s always a reason for people to stay.”

When Roberts’ maternity leave ended, she realized she wasn’t excited to go back to work. Instead, she applied at Boone Hospital and got a job in the ICN.

“It was a pretty easy transition because we had gotten to know a lot of the nurses when we were here with the girls as patients,”

Joining the Familyicn care attracts nurseto Work at Boone

Roberts explained. “It’s nice to be able to update them on how the girls are doing.”

Since December, Roberts has been taking care of Boone Babies in addition to her own. She has a family picture taken in Boone’s ICN on the back of her badge to show parents that she understands their struggle.

“I can talk to the parents now who are in the ICN and tell to them about our

experience. I have a different perspective than most of the nurses in the unit because I’ve been there,” Roberts said.

Roberts is happy that her daughters are healthy, and she is satisfied with her new job at Boone Hospital. She says the change was the right thing to do and she’s excited to learn new things every day at work. By Shannon Whitney

“People had worked here for a long time and there’salways a reason for people to stay.” ~Emily Roberts

emily and nick roberts

with their twin daughters at Boone’s icn.


Going Green For Leed Golda healthy community needs a healthy environment

This spring, Boone Hospital Center’s new patient tower was awarded LEED Gold status by the U.S. Green Building Council for environmentally

friendly construction and design. All Boone staff members received green

shirts that said “My hospital is green” on the front. Staff were asked to wear them to an Irish-themed breakfast the day before St. Patrick’s Day.

About 200 people attended, including Lawrence Lile, chairman of the mid-Missouri branch of the Gateway U.S. Green Building Council; Llona Weiss, director of the Missouri Division of Energy; contractors who worked on the tower and staff members.

Lile said that, to his knowledge, Boone’s new tower is the fi rst LEED Gold hospital in Missouri.

“In recognition of the diffi culty of certifying a hospital, USGBC put out a standard called ‘LEED for Healthcare’ which recognized the diffi culty of doing this in a hospital,” Lile said. “Th e patient tower was started before that standard came out, so you did it the hard way.”

Weiss also made remarks about the extraordinary achievement.

“As the second highest energy-intensive industry, hospitals and healthcare facilities have a signifi cant opportunity to positively impact the environment through sustainable actions and goals, which we have done here today,” said Weiss during the short program.

Th e tower’s green features include: rooftop solar panels for heating water, a 30,000 gallon rainwater harvesting tank, triple pane windows, natural lighting, native landscaping and occupancy lighting sensors.

Th e tower was also built with more than 10 percent recycled materials and, during construction, greater than 95 percent of construction waste was recycled. By Shannon Whitney

Th e tower was also built with more than


The basement of her shop is where Karla Winchester keeps her broken and discarded things.

She calls the space her dungeon. It’s filled with

castaway doors, windows, chairs and other ornamental items. Karla has retrieved many of these items from dumpsters and home demolition sites.

“If they’re tearing down a house, I’m there at 5 a.m. looking through the piles and asking the contractor, ‘Are you just going to throw these away?’” she said. “And then pretty soon, I’m hauling them off.”

To her, these things aren’t trash; they are gems waiting to be restored. She gives them a fresh coat of paint, new upholstery and conceives novel ways to reuse the used.

In her hands, an old window becomes a headboard for a bed. A splintery ladder finds a second life as a hanging ceiling decoration. She sells the items on the main

floor of her business, Grace: A Place of Restoration.

“I have always been enamored by broken things that people are ready to throw away,” she said.

Last summer, Winchester faced the possibility that her own body was an end-of-life item. She blacked out while driving and had a minor crash in downtown Columbia. The crash led to the discovery of a long-hidden, life-threatening heart condition.

But a collaborative group of Boone Hospital Center caregivers and physicians found a way to restore Winchester, allowing her to continue her work, bringing grace to her community.

Everything Went DarkIt was a Saturday morning, July 31,

2011, and Winchester was getting ready to leave town. She felt good. Later that day, she planned to drive to St. Louis

where she would help her daughter move to Tulsa for school.

Before leaving town, she wanted to stop by her Grace store one last time. It was an exciting time for her small business. National cable network HGTV was considering featuring Grace in an upcoming program. Sales at the store were also starting to pick up following its recent move to Broadway in downtown Columbia.

As she drove down College Avenue, Winchester knew she needed to make sure her staff was prepared for weekend shoppers, and there was enough cash in the register. As she made her usual turn from College Avenue to Walnut Street, everything suddenly went dark.

The next thing she remembers is a man and his wife looking over her. They had been walking by, saw what happened and rushed over to help.

Karla, restoredWith a fixed heart, storeowner Brings grace to castaway items


“They opened my door, and I was just kind of sitting there, dazed,” she said.

She realized her Jeep Grand Cherokee was now in the grass off to the side of the road. She had crashed into a business sign, but not badly. The airbags didn’t deploy. She wasn’t hurt.

Someone called 911, and soon an ambulance arrived. The paramedics checked her vital signs, which were normal.

“But when they asked, ‘Do you feel like you need to go to the hospital?’ I replied, ‘Yeah, I probably should,” she said.

She was taken to Boone Hospital and admitted for neurological testing. Days of tests came back negative, so doctors decided to discharge her. But as she was preparing to walk out the door, she was called back for one last exam — a treadmill stress test.

While Winchester was on the treadmill, the problem soon became apparent. Her heart went into a fast ventricular tachycardia rhythm, also called V-tach, which can be life-threatening and sometimes leads to sudden death.

Even with her heart in V-tach, Winchester felt fine as she walked the treadmill, but she could tell something wasn’t right.

“The next thing I knew, there were four people in the room,” she said. “That was my clue there was something going on.”

A heart catheterization was scheduled for the next day to further investigate the problem. When the cardiologist tried to perform the cath, his progress was blocked. He discovered that Winchester’s heart problems were caused by a congenital anomaly. Her heart had been malformed since birth.

The discovery caused conflicting emotions. She was shocked by the diagnosis and scared about what it meant for her future. But she also felt fortunate the problem had been discovered before it caused her harm or death.

“I was really, really lucky,” she said. “I never had any indication this was wrong.”

On Aug. 4, Winchester had successful open-heart surgery. A vein from her leg

A RestorationAfter she was discharged from

the hospital, Winchester tried to take it slow as she got back to running her business. Following a doctor’s suggestion, she created a private place in her store where she could lie down and get some rest when she became tired.

But as time went by, she wasn’t feeling better. Her health was actually beginning to deteriorate. Five weeks after her open-heart surgery, she was back in the hospital. It was the first of three returns trips needed to diagnose and treat a new ailment: rheumatoid pericardial disease.

The sac covering her heart had become inflamed, but once diagnosed, Winchester and her physicians have been able to successfully treat it with medication.

She’s now been away from the hospital for four months. She says

she’s finally back to being her old self. “I’m just now feeling like I am me

again,” she said.Although she doesn’t do as much

heavy lifting anymore, she still spends hours working in her shop. The process of transforming items from trashcan-worthy to showroom-ready is tough work, but it’s her passion and vocation.

“I’m happiest when my hands are dirty,” she said.

It also looks like her work might soon be in the national spotlight. HGTV is coming back at the end of April for more taping — Winchester isn’t allowed to reveal much more.

When the cameras arrive, they’ll find a woman who shares a commonality with the things she sells in her shop. Her surgical scars mirror the marks and dings on the old items she restores. They aren’t blemishes, but signs of character and strength.

In that way, Winchester and her store are reminders of the grace of rebirth and the gift of being able to live again.

“It’s a place to come and be surrounded by things that were broken and then fixed,” Winchester said. “I guess I’m a living example.” By Jacob Luecke

was used to bypass the anomaly. She then spent the next eight days in the hospital recovering from the surgery.

While she recuperated, she did miss a major development at her store. An HGTV camera crew had visited. They filmed a show pilot at Grace, something Winchester had been working on for months.

“I could not believe that when they finally came, I was in the hospital,” she said.

But being in the hospital wasn’t so bad. Winchester said she was impressed with her room and the care she received.

“I describe it as the Ritz,” she said. “If you are going to be in the hospital, you want to be in a room like I was in.”

She also remembers having many warm, personal interactions with the caregivers, dieticians, transporters and cleaners she met with during her stay.

“They really got to know me; everyone was so wonderful,” she said. “I just felt so nurtured. I felt like a guest versus a patient.”

Grace: A Place Of Restoration,graceplace.biz

“It’s a place to come andbe surrounded by things that were broken and then fixed. I guess I’m a living example.”

~Karla Winchester


Put A spring In Your step

try out these Boone staff picks for outdoor recreation

We asked the Boone Hospital Center staff to share some of their favorite places to exercise outdoors in mid-Missouri. Th e response was overwhelming; it’s clear our employees are looking forward to enjoying the nice weather this spring and summer. Check out some of these local gems with your family.

Phil Neel, Security Offi cerI have been a cyclist for many years, competitively when I was

a bit younger. I still love to ride, and my favorite for any day is to ride gravel roads not far from my house. I ride my cyclo-cross bike three miles to Hinkson Creek Road (off Mexico Gravel Road just east of 63), and from there it is mostly gravel with great farm scenery and some very challenging climbing. If it is warm enough, I can get a short loop of 24 miles in before work (about 90 minutes), but the great thing is that when I have more time I can easily extend the loop to 40 or 60 miles without leaving the country roads.

Theresa McDonald, Spiritual Care ServicesMy family’s favorite outdoor exercise spot is the Pinnacles Youth Park in northern Boone County. We like to hike the trails, explore the small cave, splash through the creeks and skip rocks on the water, play in the sand on the banks, and of course climb the Pinnacle limestone cliff s!

Kathy Leuckel, RN, MSN, Clinical Practice Educator, Training & DevelopmentMost people don’t know that I thoroughly enjoy fi shing. My son and I often go to Montauk State Park for trout fi shing. It is about 10 miles west of Salem, Mo. My grandparents fi rst took me when I was 10

years old. It is so beautiful there. It is an excellent place to hike as well. Th e river is the headwaters of the Current River, which is not only good for fi shing but canoeing as well. My family used to have a liquor store and rented canoes in Van Buren, Mo. Th e Current River is in the Ozark Scenic Riverways. Big Spring bubbles out of this river and it’s the third largest spring in the United States.

Visit mostateparks.com for information about Montauk and all of Missouri’s State Parks.


Ann Bene, RN, Surgical SpecialtiesOne of my favorite places

is right here in Columbia. I like to ride my bike on the MKT trail, accessing it from South Glenwood Avenue near my house. Th en I get on to the Hinkson Trail and ride over to Capen Park. I love to walk up the hill that overlooks the river. Th ere is a bench up there where I park my bike and just relax and watch the river. Sometimes there are other hikers around also, or dogs swimming in the river while their owners watch them. It is a very peaceful place.

Robin Bell, RN, PediatricsI like to walk around the lake at

Lakeview Park in Mexico, Mo. It is a paved 1.3-mile walk that I can do year round, and I really enjoy the birds in the park and the geese on the lake! I have achieved the “100 Mile Club” twice, and now am working on the “500 Mile Club” for walkers and runners through the YMCA.

Visit mexicomo.net for information about Lakeview Park.

Jeff Zimmermann, WELLAWAREOur favorite place to enjoy outdoor exercise is Stephen’s Lake Park. Whether we are walking, running or pushing our twin sons on the swings, whenever there is an opportunity we are there taking in the fresh air and getting some well-deserved exercise.

Katherine Barrett, RN, GI LabI am a casual runner and am training for the

Nashville Country Music half marathon this spring. Th e running I do is from my door and I live close to the MKT trail, so often I do at least some of my running on the trail.

Several of my coworkers are casual bike riders, and throughout the year we will meet at various locations on the Katy Trail and ride for 1 to 3 hours, depending on our schedule. Kimberly Smith,

L.C.S.W., Counselor, E.A.P. Program

I really enjoy Rudolph Bennett Conservation Area for my recharge time. It is located about 20 miles north of Columbia and provides something for everyone. In the summer I love to take my dogs hiking on the horse and people trail. Afterwards, when we are all hot and our muscles tired we literally jump in the nearby lake and have a cooling swim. In the fall we like to camp at the wooded campsites. Th e woods also create a lovely winter wonderland for brisk walks that shake away cabin fever. Wildlife watching is a treat all year round. We mid-Missourians are fortunate to have this great outdoor resource.

swings, whenever there is an opportunity we are there taking in the

the mKt traiL


The artwork near Boone Hospital Center’s laboratory is a fine specimen of how everyday objects can be transformed into thought-

provoking artwork. The multiple installations use typical

lab equipment — test tubes, petri dishes, syringes, urine cups — to create large collages full of color and texture.

Local artists Josie Sullivan and Candace Martin created the pieces. Each of the individual panels was inspired by different forms of laboratory work such as hematology, histology, microbiology and chemistry. The panels were painted and arranged to depict various diseases specific to these different lab specialties.

“Actually, these diseases are beautiful under a microscope,” Sullivan said.

The laboratory professionals who pass by the art each day appreciate the artists’ attention to detail.

“It’s very lab-specific and very well thought out,” said Brenda Dolan, laboratory

director. “We use these items every day. We don’t think of them as artwork. So for someone to put them together and make these amazing collages, we all thought it was very neat.”

The pieces were originally made for the YouZeum and were sponsored by Boyce and Bynum Pathology Laboratories. When the YouZeum closed, the art was donated to the hospital, which had them restored

and reframed with backlighting.Sullivan said she is glad to have her

work displayed at Boone Hospital where she once had brain surgery to remove a tumor.

“All the nurses were just wonderful,” she said. “Boone Hospital has been great to me. I love Boone Hospital.” By Jacob Luecke

A Fine specimencustom artwork Brightens hospital Laboratory


chosen from the Surgical Intensive Care Unit as winner and also the recipient of the scholarship because she was a cardiac nurse. She was the fi rst nurse Rheyma saw when she came out of surgery last spring. Wright also cared for Kenneth after his heart surgeries.

Benson and Wright recently sat together for an interview. Th ey spoke about their past interactions and how amazing it is that this scholarship is bringing them together again.

“He was in Room 6; I remember when I took care of him,” Wright said with a smile.

“I get teary eyed. We are thrilled you are the fi rst recipient! Mom is just thrilled!” Benson exclaimed.

Th e two went on to hug and chat like old friends. Benson asked about all of the other nurses who took care of her parents,

Despite a family history of cardiac-related problems, Connie Benson and her parents Kenneth and Rheyma Carroll all have big hearts.

Benson will be the fi rst to tell you she is part of the Boone Hospital Center family. She spent time here with her father, who passed away in September 2008. Benson was also back last year when her mother had a few heart-related procedures done, and again when both of her in-laws had open-heart surgery.

“My family has always been big on giving back,” said Benson with a huge smile. “I was just raised to give. God places us here; we’re just managing his money, it’s not ours, so I wanted to do something that will enhance the profession.”

As her parents taught her, Benson found a way to give back in their honor to the people who made a diff erence during their time at Boone: the nurses. Working with the Boone Hospital Foundation, she established a scholarship in her parents’ honor to pay for a nurse to attend a cardiac conference.

Benson and her mother Rheyma remember so many of the Boone Hospital staff by name. Th e had such a positive experience being cared for by Dr. John Boyer and Dr. Michael Cupp that both men became family friends and hunted on the Carroll’s farm.

Each time a family member came back for another procedure, Benson felt confi dent in the care provided at Boone. She talks about nurse Lisa Byrd and Dr. Richard Mellitt as two old friends of the family.

“I just can’t say enough; everyone at the Missouri Heart Center and Boone, you guys are all wonderful,” Benson said emotionally. “Everyone was just so nice to me. Everyone became family.”

Each year, Director Monica Smith holds an awards banquet for the staff in the ICU. She asks the nurses to nominate and vote for their peers for a Nursing Excellence Award.

Registered Nurse Mary Wright was

Family Gives Back to NursesDaughter of two heart patients creates scholarship

mary Wright, rn, left, with connie Benson. Below,

rheyma and Kenneth carroll.

and Wright asked after Benson’s family. Clearly the women shared a special bond.

“I know the nurses are really going to benefi t from this scholarship,” Wright said. “I’m going to come back hopefully a more informed person and be able to put it out there for everyone. I’m really excited, and I really appreciate what you’re doing.”

“My pleasure,” answered Benson. “My husband and I are excited that we can give back. We just wanted to do something.”

Wright is going to Orlando, May 19-24, for the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition. It is her fi rst conference and she could not be more thrilled.

When Benson heard the date, she gasped. “Did you know May 19 is my dad’s birthday?” she asked Wright.

“Th at’s giving me shivers,” Wright said. “It makes it all the more special because I took care of both of them.”

It would be easy to say it was a coincidence that the nurses voted on Wright, one of Kenneth and Rheyma’s primary caregivers, to receive the scholarship, but Benson knows it was meant to be.

Benson said, “It’s just amazing how God places everyone at the right time. I don’t believe in coincidence.” By Shannon Whitney

Donate to the Boone Hospital Foundation,boone.org/foundation


One of the greatest delights of springtime is the new crop of seasonal produce that begins appearing at our farmers’ markets and local grocers. One of the earliest to appear in Missouri is the great morel mushroom, which can actually be hunted locally in

parks, forests and conservation areas. For more information about morel hunting, check out mdc.mo.gov.

But if you’re not an avid mushroom hunter lying in wait for the spring harvest, you still have plenty to look forward to! This month’s recipes feature not only morel mushrooms, but easy-to-find portobello mushrooms, and the springtime favorite, asparagus. Boone wishes you happy hunting, whether it be around the nearest forest or in the produce aisle. By Kristy Lang, RD, LD

Flavors Of springmushrooms add Woodsy Zest to healthy Dishes

More health information,boone.org/wellaware

Ingredients:morel mushrooms

1 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp butter

salt to taste

directions:

halve morels and let soak in saltwater for 1 hour (to remove any dirt and bugs). Dry well before cooking or else morels will steam rather than saute.

heat a large pan or skillet over high heat.

add canola oil and butter and allow butter to melt. once the butter is melted, add the morels to the pan in one even layer without crowding the pan. if there are more morels than can fit in the pan, do multiple batches.

cook, stirring as needed, until morels release their liquid, 3 to 5 minutes sprinkle with salt, just to taste.

Ingredients:2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 large portobello mushrooms, destemmed

1 cup fresh sweet corn

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions:preheat broiler.in a small bowl, combine

vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Brush mushrooms liberally with sauce and place on baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes, turn mushrooms over and brush with additional sauce. Broil another 2 minutes, or until softened. remove and cool.

meanwhile, combine corn, tomato, and basil in a medium bowl. pour remaining sauce over and toss to coat. spoon over mushroom caps and top with grated cheese.

Sauteed Morels

Broiled Portobellos with Corn Relish

Serving suggestion: Try along side a grilled sirloin (or other lean cut) steak with a salad of spring greens and balsamic vinaigrette.

serving suggestion: have as an appetizer or serve along with white fish (such as tilapia or halibut) and sauteed asparagus.

(from mushroomrecipes.org)


Leader of the Year:Bethany Abeln, CPAfinance

Bethany Abeln’s look of surprise was priceless as Dan Rothery read her introduction as Leader of

the Year. She was even more shocked when her family joined her on stage to congratulate her.

Abeln is originally from Salisbury, Mo., but now lives in Columbia with her husband and two children. She has worked at Boone for the past 17 years.

“I like Boone because of the people I work with and the learning opportunities it has to offer,” Abeln said.

She said she loves seeing the impact of her work on patients and being able to work with others on a daily basis. Abeln hand-created tools for the hospital to better manage labor on the floors. She regularly sits down with nurses and other health care professionals to explain the budget.

Celebrating service2012 service awards recognize outstanding Work, employee milestones

Watch the award presentations,myBooneHealth.com

Betty Hughes:45 Years of Servicepatient accounts

A s Boone Hospital Center celebrated its 90th birthday, Betty Hughes celebrated her 45th

anniversary of working at Boone. She started when she was 15-and-a-half and has worked all over the hospital since. She now works in Patient Accounts, helping people settle their bills with the hospital.

“A good collector is a good listener,” Hughes said. “You have to put yourself in their position so you really understand their problems.”

Originally from Fayette, Hughes and her husband of 45 years live in Columbia. They love spending time with their five grandkids (and one more one the way) as well as camping at the Landing at Mark Twain Lake. She plans to retire in five years if she can. Hughes is so grateful for Boone’s caring attitude toward her and her family.

Boone Hospital Center’s annual Service Awards Banquet filled the Lela Raney Hall to capacity on Friday, March 9, 2012. Employees from every department gathered to enjoy an evening complete with an awards ceremony naming Employee of the Year and Leader of the Year. Check out Boone Hospital’s YouTube Channel for videos about each winner! By Shannon Whitney

Employee of the Year:Chuck Lennoxhouse orderly

Chuck Lennox first came to Boone Hospital Center as a visitor when his girlfriend’s dad had a stroke. After seeing the care at Boone and the

small-town feel of Columbia, he decided to move here.

He now shares his infectious smile as a house orderly, transporting patients to and from tests, treatments and procedures. As he walks all over the hospital, he makes friendly small talk with each patient. That caring attitude makes him stand out as an employee.

“The most exciting thing about my job is cheering the patients up,” Chuck said. “I like to have them laughing. They laugh a lot and I think that’s like medicine. It makes them feel at home.”

Lennox and his loving wife Kim enjoy living in Columbia and being part of the Boone family. He enjoys reading novels and you can usually find one in his back pocket, ready for his next break.

“This award is not about me, for there is no ‘I’ in team,” Lennox said. “And we at Boone are a team.”


Boone Hospital Center’s Facebook page has more than 1,800 “likes.” We’ve worked to build a community that includes parents of Boone Babies, employees, former

patients and others interested in health care. Parents love to post photos of their happy, healthy

Boone Babies. Patients praise the doctors and nurses who cared for them during their stay at Boone. We post photos from hospital events such as Wear Red Day and our Veteran’s Day ceremony.

Facebook creates a community for asking questions and sharing videos with people interested in Boone Hospital. Th is September, before fl u season, we asked our audience to post their questions about the fl u vaccination. We took those questions to pediatrician Dr. Adam Wheeler and he answered them during a fi lmed interview. After some quick edits, we were able to share them on Facebook.

Boone Hospital Gets socialLike, follow, pin, post, comment, read, share, tweet, Watch

In the past two and a half years, Boone Hospital Center has been reaching out to patients beyond the typical caregiver relationship. Our hospital has embraced social media as a way to connect with the community and share the encouraging stories happening right here at Boone.

We recently used YouTube, our blog, Facebook and Twitter to promote our 90th anniversary ad campaign. Th e commercials and ads featured Boone patients wishing the hospital a happy 90th birthday.

Because the TV commercials were so short and each patient had an incredible story to share, we used YouTube to post longer videos of each patient telling his or her story in full. It’s been a great tool for sharing patient testimonies as well as information about our varied service lines.

If you haven’t already joined our networks, check us out and share your photos, stories and feedback with us! By Shannon Whitney

On Facebook:facebook.com/boonehospitalcenter

On The Web:myBoonehealth.com

MyBooneHealth.com started as a WordPress blog called Boone Stories. It has since inspired our quarterly

magazine and many patients to share their stories of care at Boone Hospital.

Our blog boasts more than 39,000 page views since it began, and we see between 50 and 150 page views each day. It’s a great place to see all the hospital’s innovations and learn about patients who have incredible stories to share.

Our most popular story was called “Bill ’s Lessons — Cancer Patient Shares Lessons Learned from Illness that Claimed His Life.” More than 2,600 people have read about Bill Gasperson’s experience with cancer and how it aff ected his family.

We are so happy to be able to tell about the incredible patients and caregivers at Boone!


On Pinterest:pinterest.com/boonehospital

On Youtube:Youtube.com/Boonehospital

On twitter:twitter.com/boonehospitalor @boonehospital

Boone Hospital joined Pinterest this winter. Th e bookmarking site is a new way for Boone staff and friends to share neat patient stories.

So far, many of our followers have repinned and used the link back to the story on MyBoone Health.com. We love using this outlet to share some of our patient stories and photos with the Pinterest audience!

We encourage our employees to follow, like, pin and keep up with our social media outlets. It’s a great way to join the conversation and see what members of our community think of their experience at our hospital. By Shannon Whitney

Boone Hospital has posted 44 videos about an assortment of topics, people and events since we joined YouTube. Th e short videos show off a little extra personality of the patients and staff at Boone.

Our most popular videos are the Boone Baby commercials from the 2010 ad campaign and a video of one of our employees proposing to his girlfriend with a Healing Garden brick.

We’ve also added short videos from our grand opening events last June, as well as behind-the-scenes interviews with the patient stars of our 90th anniversary ad campaign.

Our Twitter feed, @BooneHospital, has more than 400 followers from the mid-Missouri community and around the world. Our tweets promote upcoming events at the hospital and share stories from our blog

and local media outlets. We’ve had a great response from hospital patients who have

tweeted about their care, as well as from employees mentioning us. Twitter is a great monitor of quality control because we can watch what’s being said about us and address concerns or recommend service lines.


M ary Blocker loves taking long walks, going out dancing and exercising several days a week.

It’s a lifestyle that would be considered active for a woman half her age of 72.

But two and a half years ago, she started feeling pain in her left ankle. Over time, the pain became more severe. Her left ankle would also occasionally give out as she walked, causing her to fall.

“I was getting pretty scared because I could walk across the room and just trip and fall,” she said.

The ankle problems put a stop to her hobbies and she only left home to do shopping and other necessary chores.

Blocker was initially hesitant to see a surgeon about fixing her ankle when she learned that the most common procedure for her problem fused the ankle bones together, limiting movement.

“What I had heard was all they could do was go in and fuse the ankle and your ankle would be stiff,” she said. “I didn’t want that. I could just see myself trying to dance with a stiff ankle.”

Yet Blocker, of Lucerne, Mo., eventually decided to travel to Columbia where she met with Brian Kleiber, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Columbia Orthopaedic Group who practices at Boone Hospital Center.

Dr. Kleiber is unique in mid-Missouri in that he can perform an advanced total ankle replacement procedure. Compared to fusion, ankle replacement provides a much wider range of ankle motion after surgery.

While not every patient is a good candidate for ankle replacement at this point, Blocker was a perfect fit. She agreed.

“He said he would give me some time to think about what I was going to do,” she said. “But by the time I walked out of his office, I knew what I was doing.”

On September 19, 2011, she came to Boone Hospital and had her left ankle successfully replaced. She still had a long road of therapy ahead of her to recover,

Life Pivots On New Ankletotal ankle replacement surgery helps patients get moving again


but the promise was there to eventually get back to doing the things she loved.

A New TechnologyTotal ankle replacement is one of many

foot and lower leg procedures performed by Dr. Kleiber. He said foot and ankle surgery is interesting, as every situation is unique and finding a good solution often requires ingenuity.

“I like the creativity that comes along with this; a lot of the time we can’t just follow a cookie cutter plan,” Dr. Kleiber said.

Dr. Kleiber was raised in St. Louis and attended the University of Missouri for undergraduate and medical school. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Nebraska and a foot and ankle fellowship at Washington University.

He and his wife Allison have two sons David, 3, and Matthew, 19 months.

Dr. Kleiber has been practicing at Boone Hospital for the last year and a half and said he has been pleased by the care provided to his patients.

“The staff is very friendly and helpful,” he said. “I’ve been impressed with the nurses on the floors and the attention to detail in caring for patients.”

In his work, Dr. Kleiber also relies on the expert staff at Columbia Orthopaedic Group, such as Amy Sanders, RN, PA-C; Savannah Sandison, LPN and Rhonda Maydwell, administrative assistant.

His practice is unique for an orthopedic surgeon as he focuses almost solely on foot and ankle disorders. Because of his specialized expertise, he sees patients who have sometimes struggled for years to find answers to very specific foot and ankle problems. Correct diagnosis and treatment can truly make a difference for these people.

“A lot of times that can be very gratifying because the patient is just looking to be better, and we’re able to help solve some of those problems,” he said.

Ankle replacement is still a relatively uncommon surgery, but it will likely become more common in the future.

Today, the most common surgery for severe ankle arthritis is a fusion. Also called arthrodesis, fusion is successful at solving pain issues but can greatly reduce ankle motion. Ankle replacement both alleviates pain and preserves motion. However,

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For Healthy FeetAnd Ankles,Find A Shoe That Fits

While there is no surefire way

to prevent foot and ankle

problems, one easy and important

preventative practice is simply

buying shoes that fit.

Many people haven’t had

their feet sized in years, or even

decades. That can be a problem

since feet tend to splay out over a

lifetime.

“You may have wore a size 9

in your 20s,” Dr. Kleiber said. “But

now that you’re in your 50s, that’s

probably changed.”

He also suggested that people

ease into exercise routines, such

as running, that place stress on

feet and ankles.

“It’s important to maintain

an overall fitness level,” he said

“Don’t just decide to do six miles

of running one day to start.”

because the current ankle replacement implants are still fairly new technology, studies of the implants’ longevity are only out to about 10 years.

This means that currently, ankle replacements are still largely offered to those patients who are healthy and typically older than 60. All patients are made aware that any joint replacement can wear out.

“As technology improves and as those results available to us, we’ll start seeing total ankles being utilized in younger patients,” Dr. Kleiber said.

Back To EverythingBack in Lucerne, Blocker said she worked

with therapists as her strength and mobility improved over the course of months.

“It’s not just wham, bam you’re back,” she said. “It takes time.”

As she recovered, she went from wheelchair, to walker, to crutches and then to a cane. Now she’s been without a cane for the last three months.

She’s also back to her active life of walking, dancing and exercising at Curves.

“Since I’ve had the surgery, I’m back to doing everything I was doing,” she said.

Dr. Kleiber said these kind of results make his job rewarding. It’s about seeing people heal and get back to their lives.

“It’s nice to be able to help fix people,” he said. By Jacob Luecke

Listen to Dr. Kleiber’s radio interview, myBooneHealth.com


If you haven’t seen the Boone Hospital campus lately, it certainly looks like spring. The flower beds in front of the buildings and walkways are bursting with color. The Healing Garden is coming alive after the winter. The fountains create a peaceful atmosphere for staff and guests to enjoy the nice

weather and see the flowers and trees. Please stop by sometime this spring, take a walk and see for yourself !

Boone In BloomWarm Weather Brings a spectrum of colors

Boone Hospital Center 1600 east Broadwaycolumbia, mo 65201573-815-8000

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PAIDCOlUmbIa, mO

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My Boone Health Spring 2012

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