New IU Health Methodist Hospital nurse Rachel Ketelaar takes on discharges, transfusion and patient updates.
Tuesday
Lots to talk about today! I was on my own again for a few hours in the morning, but I realized I am never really on my own. One patient needed me to feed her because she was at risk of choking. The doctor ordered medication by capsule but I wasn’t confident this patient could safely swallow a capsule. So I went to the charge nurse and she advised me to ask the doctor. The doctor changed the medication to a liquid form and everything worked out.
Free appreciation lunch today for IU Health employees, served in a huge tent on the front lawn. We were so busy that they brought boxed lunches up to us and I didn’t get to eat mine until 3:30. It was delicious! (Though I only ate a little because I packed my own lunch today.)
I was/am a little intimidated giving patient updates to doctors. But I realize much of what doctors ask about are things I observed or charted and I actually know more about the patient than I thought I did. Most of the time the doctors just want to know if the patient is eating, walking, going to the bathroom, feeling less pain, improving in vitals, or if I have any concerns about the patient.
Thursday
I had the opportunity to discharge 3 patients. This is great practice. Discharges involve getting the patient’s discharge paperwork and belongings together, removing their IVs, educating them on their medications or lifestyle changes and making sure they safely get to their vehicle and have a ride home. For one of my discharges I had to give a report on the patient to the rehab facility and the ambulance staff that was transporting her.
Friday
Today I did a blood transfusion with Ty’s help. It is a process! We had to make sure the patient consented, send a blood sample to the lab to verify the patient’s blood type, double-check the donor’s and the patient’s blood type and IDs, then monitor the patient during the transfusion. The first 15 minutes are most crucial since this is when many adverse reactions occur. During these 15 minutes, I assessed the patient, took his vitals, and he taught me a fun card game.
I so appreciate working on A2N. The nurses are so willing to lend a hand, whether it’s when a patient must be turned or medications administered. I love the willingness on A2N to lighten each other’s loads!
Read more:
New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 1 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 2 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 3 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 4 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 5 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 6 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 7 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 8 New Nurse: Rachel’s Story – Week 9
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The timing couldn’t have been better, said certified nurse midwife Darla Berry, who helped deliver little Isla Mae Nelson, the first child of Rachel and Josh Nelson, at IU Health Methodist Hospital last week.
By Maureen Gilmer, IU Health senior journalist, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org
She is 7 pounds, 13 ounces of cuteness and she is now the poster child for IU Health’s new midwifery practice.
After all, what better way to mark the recent opening of the hospital system’s first midwifery practice than with the arrival of its first baby.
The timing couldn’t have been better, said certified nurse midwife Darla Berry, who helped deliver little Isla Mae Nelson, the first child of Rachel and Josh Nelson, at IU Health Methodist Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
It was a speedy delivery for sure. Rachel had been texting with Berry that morning as her labor began, but by the time she arrived at the hospital at 2:30 p.m. she was fully dilated, Berry said. “We had a baby at 4:04.”
She, Josh and Rachel were beaming Thursday morning while Isla Mae squirmed and squealed, shortly before mom and daughter were discharged from the hospital.
“The stars aligned perfectly,” said Berry, manager of Nurse Midwifery Services for IU Health. “I am over the moon.”
She is the lone midwife in the practice at this point, but three others have been hired and will start in March and April. The practice is housed at the Artistry Building, 404 E. Washington St.
2020 IS YEAR OF THE MIDWIFE
The World Health Organization has declared 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, Berry said, because it understands globally “what we don’t get nationally – that midwives are crucial to health.”
A midwife for 20 years, Berry said she has long thought that IU Health and its female patients would benefit from a midwifery practice. After much discussion and collaboration between IU Health and the IU School of Medicine, it’s finally happening, she said.
“If you speak it into existence, sometimes the universe follows through for you,” she laughed.
Berry said midwifery is garnering a lot of attention nationwide at this point “simply because our outcomes are stellar.”
“I think the relationships we can create with women, the opportunities we can create for women to have midwifery care … we just catapulted ourselves ahead of the game.”
Rachel Nelson, whose husband is manager of Methodist’s wound care center, knew she wanted a midwife for her delivery, but she had to wait for IU Health’s new practice to open its doors. She was already 36 weeks pregnant before her first appointment with Berry, though she had been under the care of a physician and had done her homework when it comes to understanding pregnancy.
“I’ve done a ton of reading and research already and knew I wanted to find a midwifery practice to be able to partner with in this,” Rachel said before she gave birth. “I wanted someone who was an expert in a ‘normal’ birth. Having that partnership and that communication was super important.”
The two women connected instantly, Berry telling her patient that she would be “the guardian of all things normal” and would help navigate what Rachel wants with what the medical world says needs to be done.
Ironically, Josh met his wife’s midwife before she did, when both he and Berry attended an IU Health leadership conference in November.
“She waited very patiently,” Berry said of Rachel during their last appointment before Isla Mae made her grand entrance. “In terms of getting to know her, I feel like we’ve done some speed dating.”
But her medical care had been good, and Rachel was self-motivated to learn all she could.
“She is an ideal first patient, exceptionally prepared,” Berry said. “She is very low-key, so not a lot ruffles her, and I would include labor in that.”
The timing could not have been better for the practice, she said, “with a birth right out of the gate.”
METHODIST IS A LEADER IN CARE
For now, Berry will deliver babies at Methodist, which has established itself as a leader with regard to midwifery care, she said. Eventually, labor and delivery will move to the new mother-baby unit under construction at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health.
While having a midwife is not necessarily about un-medicated birth, the hospital staff must support the option, she said. And the staff at Methodist does.
“The hardest work is already done for me in terms of building this practice and providing this service because I already have the nursing staff, management and administrators that are totally on board and supportive,” Berry said.
Physicians are on board as well, she said, noting that more and more medical interns and residents are gaining experience with midwifery in their education.
Berry said midwives offer a more personal birth experience for pregnant women.
“It’s my job as a midwife to help reconcile this often idealized picture of what birth looks like for women, especially those who’ve never had a baby, and talk through what your options are in terms of medication, intervention, monitoring and how to balance it.”
Having a midwife doesn’t mean a woman has decided to have an un-medicated birth, Berry said, but it is certainly an option. Rachel chose to forgo medication and has no regrets. The labor and birth were pretty much what she hoped for, she said, and her baby girl came out healthy and strong. Had there been complications, however, Methodist staff were prepared to step in.
“We work very closely with physicians,” Berry said. “If there are any questions prenatally, then we consult. If questions or concerns come up once labor starts and you’re in the hospital, we’ve got staff in house 24/7. So someone is there to offer a second set of eyes, consult or to transfer care if that’s what needs to happen.
“We’re not out here doing wacky, wild, unsupported stuff,” Berry said. “Our care philosophy is research-based, and my job is to help women walk that path and know what their options are and know why they’re choosing to do or not to do something.”
MIDWIVES CAN TREAT WOMEN FOR LIFETIME
The new midwifery practice presents opportunities for women of all ages to seek care from practitioners who have a passion for supporting women. While midwives are most associated with delivering babies, they can treat women at any time, Berry said.
“As midwives, we are ‘with women’ and we are with women for a lifetime, so I can see you as a teenager and help you through irregular periods and birth control, through the child-bearing years, and I can stay with you through menopause.”
Berry, a mother of four herself, had an obstetrician deliver her first two children, then delivered her next two at home with a midwife. She describes the moment when a woman meets her child for the first time as “sacred,” and believes everything should be done to protect that moment.
“We are here to ensure that every woman knows they have one person on this side of the fence in the medical arena who will listen to them and help them navigate the system, which is often so ridiculously complicated.”
Berry believes IU Health’s new midwifery practice is one more piece in the puzzle that will help address Indiana’s high maternal mortality rate – 41.4 women die for every 100,000 births – which is more than twice the national average.
“What this practice and an endorsement by the School of Medicine can do is solidify our place at the table as midwives and as owners of that midwifery body of knowledge that acknowledges we are a piece of the solution to this problem.”
To schedule an appointment with IU Health’s new midwifery practice, call (317) 944-8231.
Photos by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org
She had tried various diets with some success. But in the end, Amy Magan knew her weight loss came down to this: Changing her mindset.
By IU Health Senior Journalist T.J. Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org
She thinks she was about nine when she realized she was overweight. Amy Magan was never really happy about that realization. At that young age, her family had just moved to Ohio. She was the first-born in a family of four siblings and considered herself very much a leader in the family hierarchy.
“When we moved, I remember all my siblings had a match in the neighborhood – someone to hang with. There was no match for me so I read and I ate. Mostly I ate while I read,” said Magan, who works as a communications manager for UINDY. After high school she attended Butler University and she remembers periods throughout her life when she tried various diets – often losing up to 40 pounds. At 5’2 her highest weight was 229. She was considered morbidly obese.
“I’d feel good when I lost weight but it was more about calories in and calories out. What I’ve come to realize is my weight is a part of my physical, emotional and spiritual self – it’s about what I’m really avoiding when I’m eating,” said Magan.
Twenty-six years ago she married another Butler communications student – Mike Magan. They have three children – Annie, 23; Charlie, 20; and Robbie, 16. It was when she was pregnant with Annie that Magan was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. She controlled it with diet and exercise. When Robbie came along she was dependent on insulin – giving herself injections three times daily.
“If you have gestational diabetes you are more prone to Type II diabetes. I also have a family history of diabetes,” said Magan. Her father was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. “I can’t tell you when exactly I was diagnosed because I’d get information and I’d ignore it,” said Magan. Eventually she couldn’t ignore it. She began medication to control the diabetes and at one point was on half a dozen prescriptions.
“I just thought I was going to be diabetic and that was the way it would be,” said Magan. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases lists the following health risks for being overweight: (in addition to diabetes), stroke, cancer, heart disease, liver and kidney disease, and high blood pressure.
“I’d go to my physician and it was like a wheel of meds,” said Magan. “I’d get blood work every three months because my health was so iffy and my doctor would spin her wheel of meds and I’d leave and go on – I wasn’t comfortable with that.”
In March of 2016 Magan had a wake up call. Her weight resulted in complications during an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) – to examine the lining of her esophagus. The gastroenterologist told her she needed to lose weight. Her health was in danger.
“I didn’t go home right away and make changes. I was in a pattern where I’d eat breakfast, have a snack, eat lunch have a snack and repeat. I was sedentary and I was in a food fog. I could be physically present but not emotionally and spiritually present with people because I was thinking about what I was going to eat next or ashamed of what I’d just eaten,” said Magan.
Within a few months, she began to seriously think about how she could change the pattern, the lifestyle. She also became a patient of IU Health Dr. Debra Balos.
“She’s an osteopathic doctor which makes a huge difference for me. She wants to know beyond the basic health – other things going on in my life like family issues,” said Magan. “She never once said ‘you need to lose weight.’ She wasn’t shaming me.” But Magan had reached a point where even with medication; her hemoglobin was so high that she was close to requiring insulin to control her diabetes.
“I had a sense I wasn’t living the life God had called me to live. It was a total awakening,” said Magan. She joined a support group and learned to change her focus, to find her way out of the food fog. Over time she has lost 65 pounds and is no longer considered diabetic. Her medications have been reduced to two.
“Before I was frequently losing weight for something – a wedding, a reunion – and when I hit the finish line I was done. Now I realize I’ll never hit the finish line because I’m working toward a better physical, spiritual and emotional life,” said Magan.
What’s changed in her day-to-day living?
“I think culturally we still celebrate with food; we still grieve with food. I had to change my mindset,” said Magan. She remembers the first Christmas she began changing her habits and she wanted to eat a cookie that reminded her of her grandmother. Instead, she kept a picture of her grandmother in her pocket, using that to feel connected and loved. She doesn’t believe in putting others out by her decision to eat healthy, so if she needs to, she’ll pack her own foods. One of the biggest things she has cut from her diet is sugar. If there’s sugar in the first three ingredients, she won’t buy it. She has also given up Diet Coke because the drink’s aspartame tricked her body into thinking it was processing sugar, resulting in increased insulin production.
“I have an action plan that I try to do every day and part of that involves purposeful movement. It may be going to a different floor at my office for a bathroom break, it may even include a walk around the building,” said Magan. “It’s about discipline and the surrendering of my own will and I’ve seen how impactful it has been to make the change.”
As a result of her improved health Magan says she has become more carefree and less controlling. She has also developed more confidence – returning to school for her master’s degree.
Magan’s advice to others struggling with weight loss: “Figure out what foods set you off the rails – what you can’t stop eating once you start and then change the way you look at food. Find people who support your efforts and don’t get discouraged if you don’t do it perfectly. Just keep trying to make the next right choice.”
You can make 2020 your year to join the ranks of former smokers. Laying some groundwork first will boost your chances of successfully quitting smoking, said Patricia Colon, MPH, IU Health Bloomington Community Health tobacco prevention coordinator. START your non-smoking lifestyle!
S: Set a quit date
Quitting smoking is a process. It begins before you quit and ends sometime after your last cigarette. Pick a date that gives you time to develop your plan and get ready to quit, ideally within 2-3 weeks.
T: Tell family, friends and coworkers you’re quitting
Quitting smoking isn’t easy for most people. Ask for their understanding and support when cravings and stress hit.
A: Anticipate challenges
You’re going to hit challenges that test your resolve to quit—they’re part of kicking an addictive habit. Make a plan for how to get around them.
R: Remove tobacco products from your environment
Before quitting, clean up and clean out — cigarettes and old butts, ashtrays, lighters — anything that’s part of your smoking habit. Make your home smoke-free and avoid smoking in other places where you spend a lot of time, like your car or work.
T: Talk to your doctor
Quitting smoking cold turkey isn’t for everyone. Talk with your doctor about nicotine patches or gum and other medications that can help you quit.
Get the one-on-one coaching and resources you need to finally kick your smoking habit—for FREE! Go to QuitNowIndiana.com and get started today!
The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation to Indiana University Health Arnett Cancer Center. To achieve voluntary NAPBC accreditation, a breast center demonstrates compliance with the NAPBC standards that look at a center’s leadership, clinical services, research, community outreach, professional education and quality improvement. Breast centers seeking NAPBC accreditation undergo a site visit every three years.
As a NAPBC-accredited center, IU Health Arnett Cancer Center is committed to maintaining levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive, patient-centered, multidisciplinary care resulting in high-quality care for patients with breast disease. Patients receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling and patient centered services including psycho-social support and a survivorship care plan that documents the care each patient receives and seeks to improve cancer survivor’s quality of life.
“We are proud to achieve this prestigious accreditation. Our staff has worked tirelessly to achieve this certification and it reflects our dedication to excellent patient care and services,” said Phyllis Martin-Simmerman, MD, radiologist with IU Health Arnett. “In awarding us NAPBC Accreditation, ACS has provided us with the opportunity to celebrate the exceptional care we provide to our patients and our commitment to the well-being of our community.”
Receiving care at IU Health Arnett Cancer Center ensures that patients have access to:
Comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art services
A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options
Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
As we all know that in recent times, many people are going through various health problems, and they all are finding different ways to cure their illnesses. But a lot of time it happens that taking lots of medicines also does not provide a solution to diseases. But not everything ends here. There are still many ways after this. One of which is acupuncture to cure your health problems. Just like any other system, acupuncture is also a medicine, with its own applications and theories. Which has the ability to cure diseases without using drugs?
What is acupuncture?
Basically acupuncture is marketed mostly for pain treatment in the west, but the reality is that it’s a complete medicine that can be used for treating a wide variety of illnesses. Which include fertility issues, allergies, hormone imbalances, flue or cold, digestive problems and serious disorders like ALS.
It’s a form of treatment in which acupuncturists insert very thin needles to some specific acupuncture points all over your body to restore the flow of energy by clearing energy blockages, balance the energy of the body, and also boost healing. This works because acupuncture stimulates the release of Endorphins. It’s a chemical that is also known as neurotransmitters which help to get relief from stress and pain.
Some top benefits of acupuncture
Acupuncture reduces pain
Stress is a measure of the reason why people choose chiropractor and acupuncture. Because acupuncture reduces stress hormones and moderates our mood to reduce anxiety and enhance the feeling of happiness.
Reduces the pain of joints, neck, back, arms, and hands
Our regular poor posture and heavy bag pack are the few of the main reasons that create these types of pain. So with the help of OKC acupuncture, you will see the results on your pain without taking any drug, and acupuncture will also reduce your inflammation and swelling.
Acupuncture gives you relief from headache
Acupuncture has been used for the treatment of headaches for a long time. Acupuncture reduces your migraine pain and its effect lasts for a long time. It’s a drug-free option of treatment and gives you relaxation.
Helps in improving your immune system
Acupuncture enhance your immune system by fighting with all the microorganisms that can cause diseases and also helps to cure a cold and all the symptom which makes you feel lazy and keep you away from your work.
Acupuncture also enhance your energy and mental clarity
Acupuncture increases your mental clarity and fills energy inside you as well as it also treats some sleep disorders like insomnia and gives you better sleep.
How effective is acupuncture treatment
Sometimes it also depends on what reason you are using acupuncture. Because acupuncture has good results in many diseases and its effect is also slightly less in many other diseases. But it is confirmed that it shows very good effects for all the health issues that are mentioned above because it has been going on for a long time. If it had no effect then by now this would have disappeared.
Elledge Chiropractic & Acupuncture Offers Following Services :
Lots of expectant mothers have the tendency of neglecting the role played by a chiropractor during their birth preparation procedure. A prenatal chiropractor is defined to be a chiropractor who helps to get rid of pain, minimize the delivery time and also restore the pelvic balance when it comes to a pregnant woman.
What does a prenatal chiropractor do?
A wide range of benefits is provided by these types of chiropractors right now which can enhance the overall health of pregnant women significantly. Below, we have mentioned a few of those astounding benefits in detail:
Helps to restore pelvic balance
Many physical modifications take place at the time of pregnancy, and one of them is the pelvic shift. Lots of women encounter pelvic changes which can develop problems with their pelvic balance. Apart from causing tremendous discomfort to the pregnant woman, it likewise confines the developing infant within a tight space, thus restricting its ability to develop as well as move. However, the pelvic balance can be restored by a prenatal chiropractor which will help to ease the discomfort of the mother and also reduce the possibility of conceiving a breeched infant or requiring a cesarean delivery.
Aids in relieving neck and lower back pain
Neck pain and lower back pain are the most common prenatal problems during pregnancy. The pain is usually caused by shifts in the center of gravity of the mother because of the extra weight carried by her, poor posture, bad alignment, or weakened abdominal muscles. Proper chiropractic care during pregnancy will help to get rid of this problem by restoring appropriate alignment and posture while likewise avoiding any long-term discomfort which might be caused by postural problems during pregnancy. Correcting the posture of the expectant mother and alignment will help to relieve the unwanted pressure which is placed on the spinal cord, significantly reducing any neck or lower back pain.
Helps to relieve pain linked to sciatica
Sciatica is usually characterized by a sharp pain that usually starts in the buttock or the lower back and then travels below the knee cartilage around the rear part of the hamstring. This occurrence is quite common at the time of pregnancy as the lower back discomfort is already prevalent in itself. This pain can be alleviated with the help of a Plano chiropractor simply by adjusting the muscles and the alignment within the afflicted region so as to minimize the unwanted pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Reduces delivery time
As mentioned previously, the majority of expectant mothers go through a pelvic shift because of fluctuating hormones and the adjustment of their bodies for accommodating the infant. Nevertheless, any misaligned pelvis will be able to confine the infant while preventing the national birth process. In this way, it will be difficult for the infant to get into the most appropriate position for delivery. Having proper alignment in the pelvis area can help to get rid of any possible complication and it will also help to encourage an uncomplicated birth by making sure that the infant is capable of moving freely.
Contact Us:
Taylor Family Chiropractic
Address: 8501 Wade Blvd, Suite 240 Frisco, TX 75034
Phone:(214) 387-7883
Cynthia Thompson tried other recovery programs. She said they didn’t make as much of an impact as her participation in the Addiction Treatment Recovery Center at IU Hospital West.
By IU Health Senior Journalist T.J. Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org
She’s an active mother and grandmother. She’s involved in the community. She is someone’s neighbor, someone’s friend. She is also a recovering alcoholic.
The first time Cynthia Thompson went through the Addiction Treatment Recovery Center at IU Health West was in July of 2019. She returned to the program the end of September.
“The second time I entered the program it was raw, emotional,” said Thompson. “I’ve always had a sense of humor but this was nothing to laugh about. I felt like I would be missing something in my life if I couldn’t get this right.”
In the past, she went into recovery knowing it was the right thing and eventually decided she didn’t need it anymore.
Now she wakes up each day and writes down at least one thing she is grateful for. She works out on a mini trampoline, participates in yoga exercises, designs clothing and makes jewelry. She also attends regular AA meetings.
“Sobriety and recovery are my number one focus because without it nothing else in my life will work out,” said Thompson.
What changed this time?
Thompson said she started binge drinking around the age of 48. She didn’t really think it was a problem until her 23-year marriage ended. The binge drinking continued – she faced legal issues; hospital stays; and court appearances. She had a sponsor for 15 years.
“There were so many times I thought ‘I’ve got this. I can do this on my own,’” said Thompson, 69. “It’s tough at my age to connect with younger people going through this. This time I realized this disease isn’t going away and there’s nothing glamorous about being an alcoholic.”
Through the Addiction Treatment Recovery Center at IU West Thompson said she began to see that her disease is physical, spiritual and emotional. “If I hadn’t accepted that this is a disease and it is all encompassing, I may never have found my road to recovery,” said Thompson.
She also found people in her group that held her accountable. She connected with those people on a deep level.
“I grew up in a household that forced me to be stoic, to hide my feelings. When I got into this group I had to dig deep. I had to open up and be honest and authentic and when I didn’t, there were people there who would call me out,” said Thompson, the mother of two adult children. For a long time, she used her family as an excuse to get sober. “Through this program I learned you don’t get sober for someone else; you do it for yourself,” said Thompson.
Through the IU Health Addiction Treatment Recovery Center physicians, nurse practitioners, therapists, peer recovery coaches and nurses work together to help break the cycle of addiction.
“The focus of treatment here is to let people know that they are important and welcome and that recovery is possible. We offer a joint medical and therapeutic approach that allows us to treat the whole person when they’re ready – even same day appointments,” said Trisha Palencer, a therapist and director of the program.
The program includes group psychotherapy and education, and individual and family therapy. The goal is to help individuals improve their relationships with others as they work toward recovery.
“I’ve tried to rewrite my past so many times,” said Thompson. “I’ve felt guilty for the relationships that I’ve damaged and yet I’ve learned that I can’t help anyone until I can say, ‘Cynthia, you’re OK.”
She’s dedicated her life to teaching and now Lisa Fankhauser is using the same determination in fighting cancer.
By IU Health Senior Journalist T.J. Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org
The young lives of second through fifth graders have been touched by her devotion. Her own three children have learned about her abundant love, and her husband of 33 years supports her determination.
At 55, Lisa Fankhauser is bringing on her “A game” – giving it her “All” to face a second bout of cancer. The timing is bad; but she knows that’s how life works sometimes. As an elementary teacher she is accustomed to expecting the unexpected.
It was 2004 when she was first diagnosed with Synovial sarcoma (SS), a rare type of cancer that affects the soft tissues supporting the bones and organs in her body. Under the care of IU Health Dr. Daniel Wurtz she underwent surgery on her left leg. The procedure included removal of the sarcoma in her hamstring and a benign bone tumor in her femur – replacing it with a cadaver bone and steel rod.
Three years later the cancer began to spread to her lungs. She became a patient of IU Health oncologist Dr. Daniel Rushing and began a chemotherapy regime. After a clear scan, Fankhauser thought she’d beat the enemy.
A native of Munster, Fankhauser was number four of five children who grew up to become a diehard Purdue fan. Her father is a Boilermaker and four of his five children attended Purdue. She met her husband Jerry at the West Lafayette campus and they were married 33 years ago. Together they have three children – a daughter, Jordan Keen who lives in Michigan, and sons Trey, who lives in Crown Point, and Luke who lives in in Gainesville, Fla. The family lived most of their life in Lafayette where Fankhauser’s husband taught at Purdue and she was an elementary teacher at Wyandotte Elementary.
“I think my favorite thing about teaching is I love the smiles I get from kids from kids and every day is a new day,” said Fankhauser. “When you see something clicks with them, it just makes my day. I love serving others and children have always had a place in my heart.” For Christmas this year she bought ginger bread house kits for all 20 students in her second grade class. She also sent a note home to parents letting them know her cancer had returned. In addition to teaching she loves Cubs baseball and once decorated her classroom in a Cubs theme.
She also loves Purdue sports. Her favorite games are the first ones of the season when she can tailgate with friends and family.
She was in the stands of Mackey Arena the first week in December when Purdue faced off against second-ranked Virginia. Purdue dominated and the game ended in a 69-40 victory over the defending national champions. It was a moment that would come back to offer inspiration to Fankhauser later as she again faced her cancer treatments.
Her husband accepted a job at the University of Florida and Fankhauser was preparing to retire and enjoy the southern sunshine. But in November as she was helping her daughter move, Fankhauser was rubbing her sore shoulders when she noticed a fullness. A large mass was discovered on her right side. The cancer had returned.
“I have thought many times about that amazing Purdue win over Virginia. Purdue dominated and I thought ‘we’re back; we can do this,’” said Fankhauser. “That’s how I feel now. No one wants to hear they have cancer again. My kids are older and I feel like I’m in a good place and want to get rid of it once and for all.”
Under the care of Dr. Rushing she began 18 weeks of chemotherapy and faces surgery to remove the mass.
“Even as I was preparing to move to Florida we still feel comfortable sticking with our plan to have chemo and surgery here. I have such confidence in the expertise at IU Health that goes back 2004. I feel like I’m in the best possible place I can be.”
The best way to break a bad habit is to replace it with something else. Quickly coming up with an alternative to smoking can feel near impossible. After all, craving a cigarette pecks at you like an insistent toddler in the candy aisle. Here’s an at-the-ready list to help you say no.
Just reading through this list can help strengthen your resolve. Try a few and track what helps. Keep the list growing by adding your own.
Right This Moment
Eat crunchy, fresh vegetables
Eat a piece of candy.
Chew on a toothpick.
Chew gum.
Take deep breaths
Drink a cold glass of water.
Eat a popsicle.
Brush and floss your teeth.
Get the mail.
Think about your reasons for quitting smoking.
Take a shower.
March in place.
Get Out & About
Take a drive.
Walk the dog.
Read a book.
Go to the library.
Go to a museum.
Take photographs.
Go fishing.
Watch the sunrise.
Play in the snow or rain.
Go hiking.
Go to an amusement park.
Take a walk in the woods or park.
Enjoy a sunset.
Stay Inside
Call a friend.
Play with your cat.
Write a friend an email.
Do a crossword puzzle.
Keep your hands busy with knitting, crocheting or needlepoint.
Take a relaxing bath.
Give yourself a manicure and pedicure.
Take a nap.
Read a magazine.
Call someone.
Sing.
Explore your genealogy.
Make a scrapbook.
Write a letter.
Make a healthy snack.
Write a poem.
Drink a cup of tea.
Make a card for someone.
Write a list of things you’re grateful for.
Feeling Productive?
Scrub the floor.
Organize a drawer or closet.
Pull weeds.
Go grocery shopping.
Wash your car.
Organize your computer files.
Do the dishes.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Volunteer time to an organization that needs help.
Balance your checkbook.
Learn to play a musical instrument.
Visit a retirement home.
Paint a room.
Organize photos.
Do laundry.
Work on your car.
Learn something new.
Pick up litter.
Wax the car.
Cut the grass.
Plant a tree.
With Your Loved Ones
Play a game with a friend.
Read a story to your kids.
Hug someone.
Toss a ball with your kids.
Play a card game.
Share a kiss with someone you love.
On Your Own … Or With Others!
Watch a movie.
Take a walk.
Go on a bike ride.
Bake someone cookies.
Practice doing a new hair style.
Walk around the mall.
Do a jigsaw puzzle.
Exercise.
Make a dinner reservation.
Play a video game.
Go bowling.
Go antique shopping.
Play mini golf.
Treat yourself to a massage.
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Additional Resources
Is 2020 your year to quit smoking? Join the ranks of former smokers who’ve quit for life.
