PeaceHealth St. John | House call | Fall 2015

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Q How can I control my
kids’ Halloween candy
consumption?
A You don’t have to be the bad
guy! Follow these tips to let
your kids enjoy Halloween without a
candy overdose.
■ ■Fill their bellies with a wholesome
meal before they go trick-or-treating.
■ ■Plan activities that don’t focus
solely on candy. Carve a pumpkin or
create your own haunted house.
■ ■Limit the time spent going
door-to-door.
■ ■Trade non-food treats, like stickers
or temporary tattoos, for their candy.
■ ■Cash them out. Decide on the
exchange rate for each piece of
candy, and let them “sell” you
their loot.
■ ■Set a good example. Don’t pig out
on the candy that you pass out.
■ ■Keep the candy out of reach.
Having a bowl of candy on the
counter or letting kids keep it in
their room is bad news!
■ ■Ration the candy. Set limits on the
number of pieces they can eat on
Halloween night, and ration the rest
out at two pieces each day.
■ ■Experiment. Have fun with science
experiments using candy. Check out
or find ideas using your favorite
search engine.
■ ■Have your child choose his or her
favorite kinds of candy, and dump
the rest.
Q I have diabetes. When
should I be concerned
about an injury to my feet?
A When you have diabetes, the
best way to treat your feet is to
prevent wounds from happening in
the first place.
■ ■Check your feet every day.
■ ■Keep your feet dry, especially
between toes where skin can easily
become irritated.
■ ■Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes
that will help protect your feet.
NEVER GO BAREFOOT.
Do not ignore a callus—that is a
sign that there is too much pressure
at that location. Diabetic shoes and
inserts may alleviate or off-load the
pressure, which can prevent an ulcer.
Diabetic foot ulcers can become
severe and lead to amputation or
loss of life.
Any time there is a break in
the skin on your foot or you have
an ingrown nail, you need to
take action. Right away, put on
an antibiotic ointment, cover
with a large bandage, and seek
medical help.
Make sure your health care
provider checks your feet at least
once a year—more often if you have
foot problems. Remember to take off
your socks and shoes while you wait
for your physical examination.
Gretchen Potschka, MD
Internal Medicine and
Pediatrics
PeaceHealth Medical Group–
Family Medicine
1615 Delaware St.
Longview, WA
360-414-2385
Jennifer Richards
New Patient Coordinator
PeaceHealth Medical Group
Concierge
1615 Delaware St.
Longview, WA
360-414-7512
Sharon Bender, RN
Wound Care Specialist
PeaceHealth St. John
Medical Center
1615 Delaware St.
Longview, WA
360-414-7529
NUTRITION DIABETES AND FEET PROVIDER VISITS Discover
Recovery Walk
When: Saturday, Sept. 26
■ ■Registration 8:15 a.m.;
walk/run 9 a.m.
■ ■Festivities end at noon
Where: Lions Shelter, Lake
Sacajawea, Longview, WA
Info: A fun walk/run to celebrate
those in recovery from addiction
and mental illness.
■ ■There will be water, snacks, prize
drawings, resource booths, and
informative speakers.
■ ■Free T-shirts to the
first 200 participants.
Sponsored by PeaceHealth, Cowlitz
County Health and Human Services, and
Axiall Corp.
Lower
lab prices
PeaceHealth Laboratories at
St. John is now offering lower
prices on medical tests, with
payment options including
flexible installment plans
and online payments. Two
convenient walk-in locations:
■ ■Lakefront Clinic
PeaceHealth Medical Group
1718 E Kessler Ave.
Hours: Monday through
Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(closed noon to 1 p.m.)
■ ■PeaceHealth St. John
Medical Center
Physician’s Office Building,
first floor
1615 Delaware St.
Hours: Monday through
Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Call 360-414-2308
for either location.
What else is new? Our new
phone number for billing
questions: 800-826-3616
Q How do I get the most
from my preventive
exam?
A Your insurance company offers
one free preventive exam each
year, regardless of whether or not you
have a deductible.
Preventive care focuses on
evaluating your current health
status when you are symptom-
free, allowing you to obtain early
diagnosis and treatment.
The first step in ensuring that
you get the most from your exam is
to schedule your appointment well
in advance.
It is important to become
familiar with your insurance
benefits if you are not already.
Your insurance provider will have
specific wellness guidelines for your
age and gender. Most insurance
providers have websites that are
fairly easy to navigate that outline
preventive care.
When you arrive for your
appointment, remember that you
are there for your preventive care
exam only. This is a good time to
schedule a separate appointment
if any new medical concerns have
arisen since first scheduling your
preventive appointment.
Following these guidelines for
your preventive care appointment
should help ensure that you are on
the right path to managing your
health and staying well!
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