News

Q&A with Dr. Jamie Rempe: Advice for Expectant Mothers

Becoming pregnant with a new child, especially your first, is a very exciting time for expectant mothers. If you have never given birth, or you are new to the area, you may have a number of questions about what to expect when you deliver your baby. Dr. Jamie Rempe, an OB/GYN at The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus, joins us to answer a few questions from expectant mothers.

1. When expectant mothers go to their first examination with their obstetrician, what should they expect?

Dealing with the daily pains of a frozen shoulder

Perhaps one morning you wake up with soreness in your shoulder and just pass it off as “sleeping on it wrong.” Later that week, the pain increases and you try not to use that arm. By the next week, you can hardly move that arm and shoulder without pain. You have a frozen shoulder.

Strenuous overuse causes traffic jam in the Carpal Tunnel

Our bodies are wonderful examples of superb electrical engineering, but problems like carpal tunnel syndrome can cause pain.

When you press a button on your phone or type words on your keyboard, electrical signals travel from your fingertips, down the median nerve through your wrist, up your arm to your spinal cord and then to your brain and back again in the blink of an eye.

When we are active for long periods of time, our physical body may get tired. If this happens with our hands and wrists, a condition called carpal tunnel syndrome may develop.

Thumb arthritis can be a real pain for older adults

People who feel pain in their dominant hand when opening a jar or turning a doorknob may be developing thumb arthritis. If you are experiencing this pain, contact the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine team at The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus to schedule an appointment.

Cardiac Rehab Helps 4-Time Heart Incident Survivor Live a Positive, Normal Life

On the subject of heart incidents, Larry Loreman, 72, is no novice. It all began 27 years ago when Larry went to see his doctor for a routine checkup. The appointment unexpectedly resulted in triple bypass surgery.

For the next five years, Larry continued with life as he normally would, until he suddenly collapsed while refereeing a high school soccer game.

“I went down and had two stents and two balloons placed,” Larry remembered. “After that, I was fine, until October 2019.”

Cardiac Rehab Patient Praises Teams for ‘Changing my Life’

Hearing the doctor say, “I can do the surgery next week” shocked Chris Oshel, even though she’d known for years that a birth defect would eventually require open heart surgery and extensive cardiac rehab.

“11 years ago, my primary doctor detected a murmur,” Oshel said. “She sent me to a cardiologist and they found that I had an extra piece of skin – a membrane under my aortic valve. They said that if I ever showed symptoms like shortness of breath, the membrane would have to be surgically removed.”

First-time Mom Credits Doctor and Staff for ‘Super Healthy’ Baby Girl

Kayla Stroud, a 28-year-old Topeka resident and social worker for the State of Kansas, dreamt of one day having a baby girl with her husband to round out their family of 6.

Rotator Cuff Surgery is not just for Professional Athletes

Long-time Kansas City Royals fans will remember the promising career of pitcher Steve Busby. Just 23 when he threw the Royal’s first no-hitter in 1973, he was even better the next 2 years, pitching another no-hitter and appearing in 2 straight All Star Games.

But that fast start came with a price. Over his first 3 seasons, Busby threw more than 791 innings, often throwing 100 pitches a game. By 1976, he was diagnosed with a tear in his rotator cuff and became the first athlete to receive the new, revolutionary surgery.

What is pneumonia and how do we treat it?

Along with the ever-present possibilities of catching a cold, the flu or COVID-19 is the danger that these diseases may cause pneumonia to develop in our lungs.

Have you or a family member suffered through pneumonia? Jamal Akhtar, M.D., internal medicine specialist at The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus, answers questions about pneumonia and the effective ways to treat the different versions of this disease.

Preparing for Postpartum Periods with Dr. Jamie Rempe

Pregnancy is a beautiful journey, but the changes your body endures don’t stop after giving birth. It can take anywhere from three weeks if you didn’t experience vaginal tearing (perineal laceration) to six weeks or more if you experience complications such as tearing or episiotomy. Being patient and understanding the next steps in the process will make it easier to cope.