Freeman Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine

Having highly trained and educated nurses is a priority at Freeman Health System. The Nursing Education Fund is available to eligible Freeman nurses who want to further their nursing education. Money from the fund can be used for advancing a degree, a specialty certification (which can help an RN achieve a higher level in TAPP), healthcare projects or conferences that may be too expensive to attend without assistance. 

In 2017, I received funds to assist with my pursuit of a Master's Degree in Nursing – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. I used the funds to help pay for tuition and reduce the amount of student loans I needed – and I could use the funds as I saw fit. 

Donating to the fund helps promote the profession of nursing. Nursing has developed from a technical trade to a body of science that is based in research, theory and the art of healing. Nurses are a vital piece in the healthcare system, providing quality, safe care with skills in bedside care, informatics, quality improvement, administration, education and community health services –  just to name a few. For the profession to grow, we as nurses need to invest in ourselves, and the Nursing Education Fund helps us do that. We hope you consider making a contribution today.

To learn more about giving options, visit freemanhealth.com/give-to-freeman.

Varicose veins are the seemingly unsightly, swollen, twisted and bulging veins found on the legs. They are caused by blood pooling up in the vein when a defective or damaged valve no longer pushes blood back up to the heart. Developing these veins may be more than just a cosmetic issue.

Here's why. Pain, swelling and leg fatigue can readily discourage an active lifestyle. Severe cases can even cause chronic infections and skin ulcerations. Gender, family history, age, pregnancy, obesity and prolonged standing all contribute to this condition.

For many seniors, varicose veins are an unfortunate rite of passage. Nearly 50% of all Americans over the age of 50 and 2 in 3 women over 60 suffer from them, but it’s a common problem at any age. I have treated patients younger than 20 and older than 90.

Hippocrates and the ancient Egyptians wrote about the condition, and until the 21st century, the only surgical treatment was stripping the greater saphenous vein (the primary leg vein). This was a painful, even barbaric procedure requiring a general anesthetic and weeks of recovery. Understandably, most patients avoided this treatment. I still see many patients who have suffered for decades, believing that vein stripping was their only alternative. These same patients are delighted to discover that medical technology has finally caught up with the treatment of varicose veins. Now, we are able to offer a minimally-invasive procedure that treats the condition in minutes.

Breakthroughs in catheter technology, the same type as used for heart interventions, provide physicians with a safe and effective solution in treating varicose veins. Using a local anesthetic, the doctor threads a catheter, about the thickness of a spaghetti noodle, into the vein, heating it from within and sealing it off. The catheter is pulled through the vein using radiofrequency energy (RFE) or laser to heat the vein walls, causing them to collapse inward. Once the vein is sealed, the body automatically re-routes blood through healthier vessels, thus restoring normal circulation. Varicosity symptoms quickly dissipate and the sealed vein is absorbed by the body.

Considered a medical necessity, not cosmetic surgery, this procedure is generally covered by Medicare and most insurers, thus clearing away the final barrier to longtime varicose vein sufferers seeking treatment. We are seeing many new patients.

No longer considered unmanly, we are treating more men than ever before. We’ve seen a rush of interest from active seniors well into their 80s. Many of these have middle-aged children who’ve undergone the treatment, and upon seeing the results, want the treatment for themselves. I’ve had patients tell me they are wearing shorts for the first time in 40 years!

In the United States, approximately 6.5 million people are affected by chronic wounds (wounds that fail to heal) each year. As a wound healing expert I am often asked, “Why do some wounds heal without any trouble and others not heal?”

Several factors determine whether a wound will heal or not:

• The wound must get adequate blood supply
• The wound must be free of dead tissue
• The wound must not have any active infection
• The wound should be managed with moist healing techniques

If all of the above criteria are met, then the wound should eventually heal. If you have a wound that has not healed completely in 2-4 weeks, we would consider it a chronic – or problem – wound that needs specialized care.

If you have a problem wound, I encourage you to call and make an appointment at Freeman Wound Care. No referrals are needed. To make an appointment, call 417.347.4800 or request an appointment online.