3 babies in 36 hours, but the new years baby is a boy!
Submitted by Paula Collins
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center was rockin’ in the New Year 2022 in style this year. Three babies were born in just over 36 hours. The first of the three was born on New Years Eve and was blessed to have three of CPMC’s Clinical Managers as the bedside clinicians. As with any great story, it didn’t come without excitement or challenges.
As the holiday came in full swing, it was an all-hands-on deck situation, “Everyone involved was amazing; our Nurses, Acute Care Team, Respiratory Therapists, Charges Nurses, CRNA’s, the entire OR Team, Lab, EVS, and Dietary Teams were all active and willing to help however asked. Dr. Williams and Dr. Jarrett were part of huge the success of this whirlwind weekend” stated Kimberlee Rebo, RN, BSN, CMSRN and Manager of Acute Care Services at CPMC. “As we know, babies will come when they come and often on their own terms!” stated Rebo. The OR team graciously waited in house for any emergency, and additional OB RNs offered their assistance even though they were not scheduled to work the holiday weekend.
“Dr. Taylor Williams was the main provider for all of these patients and handled it like a pro! He gave each patient and family his undivided attention and care. He carefully listened, acted in the patient’s best interest, and went above and beyond to make sure all his patients received the best care possible. Although he spent much of the weekend fielding calls from the team and being in house caring for his patients, he didn’t seem to bat an eye. Bless him…all of this so graciously with a brand-new baby of his own at home too!” Rebo complimented. The third baby of the whirlwind weekend was born later in the evening on New Year’s Day! All three of the babies born over the weekend are healthy, and happily welcomed by their families and the team at CPMC.
The baby in the middle was officially named New Year’s Baby of 2022. Cabinet Peaks Medical Center staff and physicians welcomed Tony Johnson, son of proud parents Jeremiah and Gabby Johnson, as the first baby born in 2022. Tony made his entrance at 3:26 pm on Saturday, January 1st, weighing 7 pounds, 7ounces, and was 20 1/4 inches long. Dr. Taylor Williams was the attending physician.
Baby Tony’s family, from Moyie Springs, Mont., is excited he is here. He has a 3-year-old sister, Kiera Lee, that can’t wait to meet him! Tony’s parents stated, “We are both super grateful to Dr. Williams and all the staff at Cabinet Peaks for their patience and love during the process. They were all supportive and kind for the whole time we were there.
The New Year’s baby is traditionally celebrated throughout South Lincoln County, and many community members and businesses contribute to help make the celebration a bit more special. Along with Cabinet Peaks Medical Center, who provided the new little boy and his parents with a video baby monitor and a few necessities, other area businesses joined in the celebration. Cabinet Peaks Clinic Family Medicine donated a stroller; Cabinet Peaks Clinic OB/GYN donated a swing/bouncer; Glacier Bank provided a Rosauers Gift Card; and Northwest Community Health Center donated a baby bouncer.
The number of babies delivered annually at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center are on the rise. “We pride ourselves in our Birthing Services and in our remarkable Delivery Team here at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center,” stated Rebo, “All of our Labor and Delivery rooms are completely private, offering a warm and intimate setting in which to bring new babies into the world and individualized care for this special time.”
“At CPMC, we feel that all of our new additions deserve to be celebrated,” continued Rebo. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to provide each of our newborns with a free newborn baby photo, an ‘I was born at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center’ onesie, a hand stitched blanket made by our Hospital Auxiliary Team, and crocheted infant hats made and donated with love by hospital and community members. Many other community organizations provide items and educational materials to our new moms & infants as well. New babies & families alike are celebrated and supported in this new adventure!”
For more information about the Birthing Services at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center, please call Kimberlee Rebo at 283-7179.
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center staff and physicians welcomed Tony Johnson, son of proud parents Jeremiah and Gabby Johnson, as the first baby born in 2022. Tony made his entrance at 3:26 pm on Saturday, January 1st, weighing 7 pounds, 7ounces, and was 20 1/4 inches long. Dr. Taylor Williams was the attending physician. Photos courtesy of Paula Collins.
In the Know: Skin Cancer
A Column Karen Morrissette
The three most common types of skin cancer are known as basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma, all of which tend to have somewhat different appearances. For those who have had a significant amount of sun exposure or a family history of skin cancer, checking the skin regularly is especially important, more so as we age, but even young people can develop skin cancers. Let’s talk about the major types.
Basal cell carcinomas are cancers that form in the bottom layer of skin where cell division takes place in order to replenish the skin cells that die and slough off. They are thought to be due to damage from overexposure to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun and tend to form on exposed areas like the head, face, and neck but can occur even on unexposed parts of the body. These skin cancers tend to appear as shiny and either translucent pink or white bumps on the skin. In darker skin, they may be a glossy brown, blue, or black. It is not uncommon for a basal cell carcinoma to appear as a sore that heals over and then breaks open again. It may have a rolled, raised edge around the sore. In addition to sun exposure and advanced age, having fair skin, taking immunosuppression drugs, or having a history of radiation therapy can increase risk. They commonly recur but rarely metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body. Treatment usually involves surgery, cryotherapy, or topical chemotherapy applied directly to the lesion.
Squamous cell carcinoma also commonly occurs on sun-exposed areas of the body but can occur anywhere. Squamous cells are the flat cells in the upper layers of the skin and can be damaged by ultraviolet light. They are more likely to occur in individuals with fair skin or weak immune systems. Rough scaly patches that develop into sores, flat sores with a scaly crust, and firm red nodules can all be squamous cell carcinomas. These skin cancers can sometimes be aggressive, damaging local tissues around the original lesion, as well as spreading to lymph nodes or other organs, Treatment usually involves surgery, but cryotherapy, laser therapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy are sometimes useful.
Melanoma is a skin cancer that occurs in the pigment (melanin) producing cells of the skin. While melanoma is not as common as other skin cancers, it can be the most dangerous. These too frequently occur in areas of sun exposure, but can develop in other areas like the nailbeds, soles of the feet, and even in the eye – anywhere in the body that there are pigment cells. Warning signs may include a change in an existing mole. Normal moles are usually uniform in color with well-defined margins. Melanomas may be irregularly shaped with indistinct or scalloped boarders and have more color variations. Lesions that are larger than 5mm or which are growing or changing are more suspicious. In addition to the risk factors for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, there may be a familial subtype of melanoma that can run in families. While melanoma can spread locally to surrounding structures and lymph nodes, it is more likely than the other types of skin cancer to metastasize to the liver, lung, or brain. It can be fatal. Treatment depends on whether or not it has spread, but may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.
The first goal for any type of skin cancer is to identify it early. Examine your skin on a regular basis for new lesions or changes to old ones. Even with a mirror, some areas are hard to see. Enlist your partner, a friend, or your primary care provider to help. Any suspicious lesions should be reported to your primary care provider as soon as possible. Diagnosis depends on a tissue sample or biopsy. Sometimes this may be done by a primary care provider, but you might be referred to a general surgeon or a dermatologist, a specialist in the skin. Be good to your skin and keep watch for lesions that could be skin cancer. Early detection is key.