Haydn Michael Tijerina joined UT Health East Texas EMS|AIR1 on Dec. 3, 2018, and is already making a difference in his patients’ lives. On Jan. 21, Haydn and his partner responded to an individual living alone. The house was not in good living condition; no doors, windows, heat or air conditioning, the refrigerator was not working and there was no toilet. This individual only ate canned goods out of a can. The patient had water, but electricity was through an extension cord that...
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Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects 1.5 million people in the United States. It affects more women than men and it’s commonly seen from ages 30 to 60. This type of arthritis can start with seemingly small symptoms such as tenderness, swelling and/or redness in the joints, but can lead to deforming and shifting of joints.
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When the conversation of weight is brought up, it’s not always as straightforward as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18-25 kg/m2. Instead, it’s more important to find a point where a person’s weight isn’t having a negative impact on his or her health. “Studies have shown that a 5-10 percent weight reduction can reduce the chance of developing diabetes by as much as 50 percent,” says Dr. Katherine Root, internal and obesity medicine physician at UT Health East Texas. “With this in mind, a goal of losing 5 percent body weight is a good place to start.”
Dr. James Menard,...
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Cancer of the uterine cervix is the third most common gynecologic cancer diagnosis in the United States. The good news is that the rate of cervical cancer has declined significantly due to widespread use of Pap smear screenings, HPV vaccines and the availability of treatment of precancer.
The cervix is the neck of the uterus, or the lowest part of the uterus, sitting on top of the vagina. Due to cancer, cells of the cervix become abnormal and grow out of control and invade surrounding organs. The average age of diagnosis of cervical cancer in the United States was around 48 years...
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Influenza seems like it hits around autumn and winter every year, but this virus can be found year-round. Flu season refers to the time between December and February when flu activity is at its peak. The unpredictability and complications that can arise from catching the flu make it essential to protect yourself from the virus. “Flu can be deadly even for healthy adults, and you can catch it even from one exposure to a stranger,” says Dr. Philip Pippin, family medicine physician at UT Health...
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If you smoke, you hear certain things on repeat: how you need to quit, how expensive the habit is and how bad it is for your health. All of these things are true, but it’s also true that quitting can be exceptionally hard and may take several attempts. Thirty-eight million adults smoke in the United States, and rural areas in East Texas have the highest numbers of smokers in the state. If you are considering...
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New Year’s Eve brings plenty of celebrations, and with that can come drunken-driving accidents.
“Nationwide, crashes involving alcohol have become the single largest single source of preventable death and injury,” says Dr. Austin Eagleton, trauma surgeon at UT Health East Texas. “Twenty-five percent of all fatal crashes involve alcohol.”
Beyond worrying about getting in an accident, drivers in East Texas have another factor that could make things even riskier. “As the majority of East Texas is...
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It’s right around the corner - the time when everyone makes a New Year’s resolution, usually to lose weight and be healthier. Even though this is never a bad promise to make to yourself, your plans often fall apart for a number of reasons. However, the Olympic Center’s Lite-4-Life program offers a better way to reach your goals that will result in lasting changes. This 13-week program shows participants how to properly eat and work out. Fritz Fryer and his wife joined the program after realizing their weight had creeped up on them.
Fritz is retired, but he has continued to stay...
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Athens resident Meagan Sims remembers what it felt like as a young girl to be hospitalized and scared at Christmas, but she recalls it fondly because of the generosity of others.
“While I was there it was so wonderful because these different people would come in at different times and drop off gifts. One time, I woke up and looked down and there was a stuffed animal tucked under my arm, another time it was a coloring book,” Sims said. “It meant so much to me then that someone thought about me at Christmas when I couldn’t be home with my own tree.”
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Christmas stockings are being stuffed with the most precious gift of all this season – bundles of baby joy.
UT Health East Texas is presenting all new mothers with hand-sewn stockings embroidered with the UT Health East Texas logo.
“We are so pleased our labor and delivery departments can offer these hand-sewn special keepsakes during the holiday season,” said Moody Chisholm, UT Health East Texas President and CEO. “These parents already are taking home the best gift possible this season, and we hope this stocking is a fun reminder for years to come of how small their...
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