Family members often share many common traits, such as the same language, the same genealogy and the same last name. What many families don’t realize is that they also share a health history.
Making the decision to move a loved one to a long-term care facility is never easy. Finding the right place is even tougher. Almost 70 percent of people turning age 65 will need long-term care at some point in their lives. How do you decide what level of care is appropriate? What is the difference between Adult Foster Care Homes (assisted living), Independent Senior Living, and Skilled Nursing Homes? The biggest difference is the level of care that is provided. The general rule follows the natural progression of aging or disease.
Dr. Mark Mattingly is the only colon and rectal surgeon in town. He owns his own practice in Flint and is affiliated with Genesys Regional Medical Center and McLaren Medical Center. Dr. Mattingly attended medical school in Kentucky at the University of Louisville and has been in practice since 2002. “Time flies when you’re having fun,” he says with a smile. He completed his residency at Michigan State University, and completed some of his clinical rotations at McLaren.
When it comes to healthcare, “choice” can be seen as an odd word. Many of us grew up in an era that when your doctor ordered additional tests, you went where he or she told you to go to have them done. The focus was on choosing a good provider who could address treatment needs.
Individuals with an addiction often lose control over what they are taking, using or doing. Without help in the early stages, an addiction can turn into a debilitating and life-threatening condition.
Oral cancer kills one American every hour of every day. Previously a concern of only tobacco users and those with poor oral health, the characteristics of oral cancer have dramatically changed over the years, leaving everyone a potential candidate. Its early stage is often painless and goes undetected.
A few months ago, I was visiting my family during a reunion and came face-to-face with what I now refer to as the “e-cigarette dilemma.” A family member in his mid-50s who has smoked since his teens, was using an e-cigarette, and has been doing so for the last year. I certainly was glad to see the “vaping” (the term used for e-cigarette use) family member cutting down on tobacco (in fact, he has not smoked a regular cigarette in a long time), and congratulated him on his efforts.
Around the country, headlines and statistics tell us that heroin use and its devastating impact on families is climbing. At first glance, one might wonder why heroin has made such resurgence, because the path to heroin use isn’t fully understood by communities.
Dr. Tommy Stevens has been a physician in the Flint area for over three decades, specializing in family medicine. After receiving his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine, Dr. Stevens came to Flint to complete his residency at the former St. Joseph Hospital. He then had a solo practice for many years. For the last three years, he has been affiliated with the Michigan Health Specialists physician group.
The future was full of promise for 17-year-old Thomas Smith, an honor student at Flushing High School. He was a star football player, a champion power-lifter and had recently received a scholarship to attend Hope College. But on January 29, 2011, everything changed. Thomas came home from practice on that snowy, wintry evening and told his parents, Mary and Jon Smith, that he wasn’t feeling well and that his heart was racing. His mom thought he was just tired after a long day and told him a shower would probably make him feel better. And those were the last words she ever said to him. Instead of taking a nice, warm shower and getting ready for bed, he keeled over. Thomas passed away that evening after suffering Sudden Cardiac Arrest, leaving a deep hole in the hearts of his parents and his brother, Jacob – and a wound in the hearts of the entire Flushing community.
