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Craig Elsner, PA-C
Emergency Room
Physician Assistant |
by Craig Elsner, PA-C
LCCH Emergency Room
Some ground rule basics: each of us is bombarded with viruses and bacteria every day. Our immune systems are constantly on the lookout for enemy invaders. The vast majority is easily taken care of by our defense system, without us even recognizing it.
Some viruses make a valiant attack, causing a scratchy throat or runny nose, only to be defeated. This is a testament to the strength of your immune system.
Then along comes a virus that your body has never seen before, in a large enough supply that it overwhelms your system. Here come the sore throat, fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose, tired feeling, low appetite cruds. A week from now you will be mostly better, but today you are only thinking about how to survive and keep this from happening again.
Rest assured, it will happen again. But we can fight it. We can modify how frequently it happens and with what severity.You know the answers already, but let’s go through them.
Don’t touch your face.
When you put your hand on a virus-infested counter or desk or shake hands then wipe your eye, lips or nose, you don’t think twice. Most “colds” we acquire get into our system through these moist portals. You can wash your hands frequently (something we do before and after we see patients), but you should also get in the habit of keeping those filthy hands off of your face.
Easy on the caffeine.
Most of us love the high we get from our morning cup of mud. But if we focus our efforts on going to bed at a reasonable time, so we can get plenty of sleep, our immune systems will be able to do what they need. Then we can have a cup a joe because we want it, not because we need it.
Make a goal of having soft stool.
Drink enough water to keep your mouth and lips moist. Vegetables and fruits should dominate your diet. Make vegetables a priority, and there’ll be less room in your tummy for the high fat and calorie foods that dominate the American diet.
Sweat.
Exercise for the sake of exercise. Everyone is doing it. Life is more enjoyable when you are fit. Your immune system will love you. Your heart and brain will love you, and you will be happier than if you didn’t exercise. My rule of thumb is: if I am going to eat today, I am going to exercise.
Mind your mother.
Making the most important people in your life happy reduces your stress and makes life more enjoyable. We all know how beneficial a low-stress life can be, right? The saying, “A happy wife means a happy life” applies to your folks and kids too.
If you get ill and can’t seem to shake it, give us a holler. Call your doctor or the Emergency Department. We are all here to help.
Did You Know?
The emergency room (ER) at Lake Chelan Community Hospital (LCCH) is staffed by a specially trained emergency medical care team 24 hours a day and offers full radiology and lab ancillary services.
Our physician assistants (PAs), who specialize in emergency medicine, are an integral part of the ER care team. They are members of one of the nation’s fastest-growing healthcare fields, and their intensive training and experience enables them to deliver high quality emergency medical care at your community hospital.
Physician assistants already have healthcare experience and undergraduate or graduate degrees before entering rigorous two-year PA programs at accredited medical schools. Cumulatively, our ER PAs have more than 60 years experience in healthcare.
Our emergency team, which includes PAs, physicians, nurses and a surgeon, is trained in advanced cardiac life support, pediatric life support and neo-natal resuscitation, as well as advanced care of the trauma patient.
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