Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Last spring, I was at home washing my hands and as I glanced up into the mirror, I noticed something unusual. My bathroom light hit my neck just right as I swallowed and there it was: a prominent lump. I diagnosed myself with a thyroid nodule and wondered how I, a physician, had failed to notice this large protuberance before that moment. Thyroid nodules are quite common. In some cases, they are noticed by the patient (like me) or are found on exam. In many cases, they are found on accident...
One of my favorite parables describes the difference between heaven and hell. In both places, hungry people sit at tables laden with delicious food. In hell, people suffer and starve because they cannot eat with the long utensils provided. In heaven, people are happy and thrive because they use the utensils to feed each other. Many cultures and religions have some variation of this story. It illustrates a universal truth: we depend on each other. The current pandemic has starkly illustrated...
Aaron White, 47, of Coleridge faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Wednesday, Jan. 5, in two cases. A pretrial hearing in the first case, on a charge of second-degree trespassing, was continued to Feb. 2. Bond, in the amount of $10,000, 10% cash, is continued as well. A preliminary hearing was held in the second case. White is accused of a Class 3A felony, alleged Nov. 19, making terroristic threats. Testimony was heard by Antelope County sheriff Robert Moore and, in an unusual situation, by the...
Imagine a condition with symptoms that present differently in each person who has it and no currently-approved lab test can definitively confirm the diagnosis. Imagine that the symptoms can flare up and then mysteriously disappear, including fatigue, low-grade fevers, joint pain and mouth sores. All these symptoms overlap with multiple other conditions, further complicating a diagnosis. Imagine the best available method for diagnosing this ailment is a manual checklist of 11 criteria and, if...
What does it mean to practice humanity in medicine? The phrase is used as a tagline and in book titles. Humanity and compassion in medicine is touted as something to aspire to, a noble accomplishment. But in reality, the biomedical model of health, the business model for healthcare, is not set up to support it. Algorithms and best practices set forth by insurance companies and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid do not account for the time required to establish meaningful human interaction...
With 2022 nearly upon us, so, too, is the tradition of the New Year’s resolution. Merriam-Webster defines the New Year’s resolution as “a promise to do something differently in the new year.” I would argue that, in practice, the resolution is less of a promise and more of a hope or intention. My resolution for 2021 was to read 20 books by year’s end. I failed. I could blame my kids, work, other hobbies, but honestly, I blame my phone. In my defense, I was in good company as a flopped resolver; l...
The Honorable Donna Taylor continued two cases in the Antelope County court in Neligh last Wednesday, due to a health-related lockdown at the county jail. A pretrial hearing for Jonathyn M. Gunderson, 32, of Neligh, on seven counts alleged Nov. 9, is continued to Jan. 5. Gunderson, who was in custody, did not appear personally. The Antelope County Jail was “in lockdown due to Covid issues,” according to a court document. Bond in the amount of $3,000, 10% cash, is continued as well. Additionally, Taylor ordered that Gunderson be released fro...
Food intolerance and food allergy are common these days. When I was a kid, no one asked about nut allergies or gluten sensitivities when inviting you to a birthday party. You could bring homemade snacks to school. Peanuts were served to everyone on airplanes. Today, we are constantly reminded to be aware and take precautions to help prevent exposure for those who are intolerant or allergic. Understanding the difference between allergy and intolerance is important. Allergies can result in life...
Nebraska is more than cows and corn — and really may be for everyone after all. The state will get its Discovery Channel debut Jan. 8 when “RV There Yet?” airs episode two, “Not just Cows and Corn,” featuring Arbor Lodge State Historical Park, Platte River State Park and Chadron State Park. The new reality show comes just at the right time. State and national parks saw record levels of visitors in the past few years, with more people investing in recreational vehicles and campers to travel and explore nature, according to the RV Industry...
Emergency medical services in rural America are in a state of crisis. Difficulty recruiting emergency medical technicians and the financial constraints of EMS agencies are the major causes of this crisis. Many rural areas are considered medically underserved, indicating too few primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty or a high elderly population. Most of the MUAs are also designated as rural or frontier, increasing the likelihood of prolonged transport times to...
An 18-year-old O’Neill woman, who appeared in the Holt County court Dec. 7 on eight counts, will be tried in juvenile court. A motion to transfer the case was made by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly, who amended the complaint, dropping four counts – zero tolerance violation, possession of open alcohol container, possession of marijuana and obstructing government operations. Counts approved for transfer by the Honorable Kale Burdick include false reporting, littering, tampering with evidence and speeding, all alleged June 19. Kelly asked tha...
Forgive George Barnes if he looks a little grim. That day in 1887, ol’ George had ample reason to mean-mug photographer Solomon Butcher, and homesteader life in general. The night before the family photo, it had rained. Hard. The rain had soaked the roof of their soddie. The decaying pole holding the roof had snapped. The whole thing had come down on itself, like a bad metaphor, ruining everything the family owned. The year before, George Barnes’ wife had died of an unknown illness. Barnes was raising three children by himself while he tri...
As a family physician living on the upper Great Plains, I have many patients of Norwegian and German descent. Thus, I am familiar with some diseases that are prone to affect people of northern European ancestry. One such example is Dupuytren’s contracture. Dupuytren’s contracture is a gradual thickening of the connective tissue of the palm of the hand. It may begin innocently as a nodule in the palm or joint stiffness, which are common for anyone. However, with Dupuytren’s contracture, over...
Richard C. Jelich Jr., 27, of Neligh, appeared in the Antelope County court in Neligh last week for arraignment on two counts alleged Nov. 29 at 405 N Street in Neligh, disturbing the peace, a Class 3 misdemeanor, and criminal mischief, a Class 2 misdemeanor. Jelich’s request for continuance to consult an attorney was granted by the Honorable Donna Taylor, with further arraignment set Dec. 15. A bond hearing was held. Taylor reduced bond, from $10,000, 10% cash, to $5,000, 10%, with conditions including no contact with victim. Jelich r...
Brooklynn Chipps, a Wayne State College track and field team member, surpassed the National Collegiate Athletic Association's provisional mark of 17.08 meters in the weight throw, Friday, at the South Dakota State University Holiday Invitational in Brookings, South Dakota. Chipps is a 2018 Clearwater Public Schools graduate. She is the daughter of Corey and Amy Chipps, of rural Clearwater. Chipps finished fourth in a field of 50 throwers, with a toss of 60' 1 1/4" or 18.31975 meters. Teammate,...
JILL KRUSE, D.O. The holiday season is here, and many wonderful activities are happening. As you hustle and bustle, be aware that accidents and injuries can occur. When you see a doctor, they record a diagnosis code explaining the purpose of the appointment. Some codes describe the actual injury and others describe what happened during the injury. For example, Y93.2 is the code for “activities involving snow and ice”. So, if you went sledding, crashed into a tree and broke your left femur or thigh bone, your medical chart would show these codes...
Kevin M. Socha, 33, of Elgin faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom Wednesday, Nov. 17, for a pretrial hearing on a count of second-offense driving under the influence of alcohol, .15 grams or more, a Class 1 misdemeanor. A plea agreement with Antelope County prosecutor Joe Abler was announced. Abler amended the charge to second-offense non-aggravated DUI and agreed to recommend a minimum sentence. Socha pleaded guilty to the amended charge. An enhancement hearing was held, with Taylor finding one previous conviction...
A South Dakota man was given probation for his angry behavior at two Atkinson businesses in August. Joseph W. Reiser, 20, of Gregory faced the Honorable Kale Burdick for sentencing in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Burdick sentenced Resier to a six-month term of probation for three Class 3 misdemeanors committed Aug. 25, Count I, reckless driving and counts II and III, criminal mischief, 0 to $500. Reiser’s probation includes probation fees of $210 and he was assessed $60 costs of prosecution. According to a pro...
I love Thanksgiving. I love preparing the food all day and enjoying it while sitting around a table with some of the people I love most. And, there is one holiday tradition I have grown to adore. As we sit down to eat, we share one thing we feel grateful for this year. Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve aspects of mental health and our sense of well-being and it isn't hard to understand why. Saying or thinking "I am grateful for..." feels really good and doing so regularly can help...
The Honorable Donna Taylor cleared three cases from the Antelope County court docket when she presided over the Nov. 17 court session in Neligh, including one dating back to 2014. Joe Wylie, 66, of Cozad, formerly of Ewing, was charged in April 2015 with two felony counts of issuing insufficient-fund or no-account checks (second offense) to Mr. S’s in Oakdale one year earlier. A warrant for Wylie’s arrest, issued in May 2015, was served in Hall County on Nov. 3 of this year. Pursuant to a plea agreement with Antelope County attorney Joe Abl...
Obesity affects approximately 40% of American adults and I've been one of them for nearly as long as I can remember. There are innumerable schemes that promise effortless, or nearly effortless, weight loss, and many diets that claim to be the best approach. Most of us recognize that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. It's much simpler to identify the miracle potion advertised on our social media feed as snake oil, than it is to sort through all the conflicting and seemingly...
Daylight savings time has just ended and now everyone has had the chance to "fall back" to standard time. While many people enjoy that extra hour of sleep that comes each fall, 63 percent of Americans say that they would support the elimination of seasonal time changes and there are some health issues to consider. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine also supports this stance due to the sleep disruption that occurs related to this biannual change. Our body has its own internal clock called...
A woman had been feeling short of breath for several weeks. Physical activities which had previously been easy for her were becoming a chore. In fact, simply laying down resulted in difficulty breathing. She had gained some weight and her legs were swollen. This woman was a patient of mine and she was in heart failure. This doesn’t necessarily mean her heart was going to completely stop, but it was having trouble keeping up. For whatever reason, her heart struggled to pump and fluid was b...
When we think of Henry VIII, most of us envision an oversized man with multiple wives, a bitter personality and a propensity for beheading his enemies. A lesser-known fact is that he suffered with chronic leg sores the last twenty years of his life. Living in a time before antibiotics, anesthesia and proper wound care, this king endured excruciating ulcers with no cure available. Would history have been different if his sores could have been treated with today's advanced wound care? As a young...
In medicine, we routinely ask people about their family health history. Knowing that your mother had diabetes, or that your grandfather battled alcoholism, helps us be alert for health conditions to which you may be predisposed. Sometimes, though, what is revealed by those histories isn't a medical problem, but a family tragedy. Earlier in my career, my older patients commonly told me that their grandmother, or even their mother, died in childbirth. Today, it is all too easy to forget just how p...
