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2 • NOVEMBER 2013 TRINITY HEALTH HEALTHTALKKnee Walkers: “Literally a Lifesaver”Vickie Freyhas been oncrutchesbefore, for asprained foot,but after shehad surgeryon her foot inthe beginningof August,she opted fora kneewalker.Mobility andtheindependencethe walkeroffers, as wellas the abilityto help herreturn backto work andresumenormal life ata faster rate,helped makeher decision,she said.“I went backto work after two weeks.I could never have donethat without theVickie Frey, an administrative assistant in theexecutive office at Trinity Health, used a kneewalker for eight weeks following surgery on her foot.“I couldn’t have done my job without it,” she said.scooter,” Frey said. “Icouldn’t haveaccomplished my jobwithout it. It is literallya lifesaver.”Frey added thatshe put mileage onit – about a milea day, she guessed –while at work as anoperations secretaryfor the TrinityMedical Group. Theknee walkerallowed Frey tonegotiate aroundher desk and downhallways with ease.“You can carrythings. You can puta basket or grocerybag out front, andcarry things on thehandles. Withcrutches, evenopening a door ishard.”The knee walker isa comfortablealternative forcrutches or atraditional walker,designed for those whohave gone through ankleor foot surgeries orsprains, explained RoxcyReiter, of KeyCareMedical.The only con to theknee walker, Frey said, isthat “it’s not a race car;you still have to useyour brakes, watch thearea in front of you forbumps or changes thatcan tip the walker. It’snot something youshould go at and expectto run with it. You stillhave to be careful.”Despite her opinion thatthe knee walker hashelped her tremendouslyat work, Frey still usedcrutches “in smalldistances – not here atwork, but at home,” shesaid. “I have the crutchesavailable for where ascooter can’t go. Thescooter has made mevery, very mobile andmore independent than Icould have imagined.”Frey also laudedKeyCare Medical’s quickresponse tomaintenance, citing anincidence where a brakeon her knee walkerbroke. “The very day Itold them, they replacedit with another(walker),” she said.“There was no wait; theyimmediately took careof it.”Knee walkers areavailable for rent and adoctor’s referral isn’tneeded, Reiter said.KeyCare Medical is adurable Medicalequipment storefeaturing all sorts ofwalking aids, wheelchairsand other healthproducts.KeyCare Medical islocated at 530 20thAvenue SW and is openMonday through Friday8:30 am to 5 pm. formore information call.Auxiliary’s Tailgate Golf Scramble a SuccessOn September23, sixty-fourmen andwomenassembled atthe SourisValley GolfCourse for theTrinity HealthAuxiliary’sTailgate GolfScramble. Theweatherconditionsweren’texactly ideal;however thespirit andperseverantattitudes ofthe golfers,Auxiliary andsponsorsovercame allof Mother Nature’sobstacles to makeTrinity’s first fundraiserfor Operation ELFsuccessful.Operation ELF (ExtraLoving Friend) is aprogram that providesbooks and puzzles forhospitalized patients.Proceeds from the golfThe Trinity AuxiliaryElf, aka Michelle Posey,gift shop coordinator,picks up the winninggolf ball from the GolfBall Drop.event will beused to purchasebooksand puzzles.“We just wantto do a littlesomething inhelping thepatient feel alittle betterand try tomake theirstay feel alittle shorterby receivinga littlesomething tooccupy theirtime while onthe road torecovery. “explainedSherryMaragos, VolunteerServices Coordinatorwith Trinity Health.Besides the Scramble,the Auxiliary alsoincluded a Golf BallDrop. Golf balls werepurchased for a dollar aball, which were alldropped from a bucketby the Trinity Elf ontoGolfers braved inclement weather to participatein the Trinity Health Auxiliary’s Tailgate GolfScramble.the putting green. Thebuyer of the ball closestto the hole won a $500Organized Spaces giftcertificate. This year’sGolf Ball Drop winnerwas Dennis Nordquist ofMinot.Trinity Auxiliary wouldlike to thank all thesponsors, golfersand Golf Ball Dropparticipates inmaking this year’sevent a success.But most of all,they thank you forbeing that EXTRALOVINGFRIENDto thepatientswho thesefunds willbenefit.Trinity HealthAuxiliaryOperation ElfMark your calendars for nextyear’s Tailgate Golf Scramble—September 15, 2014!Hospice Room RenovationHospice care has aspecial room at TrinityHealth. For patientsentering the final stagesof terminal illnesses,hospice provides asupportive environmentfor patients to spendfinal moments withdignity and theopportunity to havefamily and friends closeby. An interdisciplinaryteam of patient careproviders and otherhospital staff offer avariety of differentservices to patients andtheir families to ensuretheir time spent in theHospice Room iscomfortable.Total renovation, whichincluded customdecoration, of TrinityHospital’s HospiceRoom will be completedin early November. Theentire room wasoverhauled to make it ascomfortable as possiblefor patients. Renovationsincluded: new flooringand paint, customcabinetry, flat-screen TVwith cable, new sleepersofa and chairs.According to Jodi Smith,Director of TrinityHealth Foundation,the result is anextraordinarily peacefulatmosphere."We work very hard torelieve symptoms, offerdignity and control, aswell as time to deal withimportant issues," saysTerri Nelson, HospiceNurse. "What we do bestis offer peaceful,supportive education forthe family and thepatient."The renovations will costapproximately $6,000and it was all fundedthrough donations to thefoundation madespecifically for the room.“It looks drasticallydifferent and offers amuch more comfortingspace for those who aregoing through a difficultand emotional process,”Smith said of the room.“We thank our donorsfor the opportunity tocreate this environmentbecause without themthis would not havebeen possible.”Donations to The TrinityHealth Foundation canbe sent to P.O. Box5020, Minot, ND 58702.HealthTalkMarketing DepartmentTrinity Hospital – St. Joseph’s407 3rd Street SEMinot, ND 58701Toll free in ND: 1-800-247-1316Visit our website:www.trinityhealth.orgJoin us on facebook:facebook.com/TrinityHealth.ND