Clear Lake Shores News

Register and join us at noon Dec. 1 for a chat with Dr. Joan Mastrobattista, a specialist in the care of mothers and babies during high-risk pregnancies. She can answer your questions about supporting a healthy pregnancy and managing factors that may put you and your baby at risk for complications. There is nothing more exciting than the birth of a baby. However, for women whose pregnancies are considered high risk, there can be additional emotions such as anxiety or uncertainty. Pregnancies may be considered high risk because of a number of conditions and complications such as diabetes, hypertension, advanced maternal age, congenital anomalies, and pre-term labor.

Hello Cupcake: For some, the word 'cupcake,' is attention-grabbing enough. But toss in the word 'naked,' and it's sure to cause a buzz.

Worried about your child's health? Get answers directly from the director of emergency services at the Children’s Emergency Centers at Memorial Hermann Memorial City. Dr. Michelle McKane has special knowledge and training in treatment and medications for infants, children and adolescents who are critically ill because of injury or disease.

Bariatric Medicine: Part 1 At 535 pounds, Rex Adams felt like a prisoner, not just because of his weight, but because he was taking as many as a dozen pills a day to help manage complications of obesity. “When I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and had to go on oral medication, that’s when it really hit me,” Adams says. “I had done this to myself. I knew I had to do something to lose the weight and free myself from all the pills I was taking.” Adams sought a surgical solution – a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass – to control the weight and his blood sugar. He took one last pill the day before the surgery. Since then, he hasn’t required any medication to manage type 2 diabetes. He is no longer considered diabetic. “It was like a complete release,” Adams says. “I had the surgery, and I never looked back.” Weight-loss surgery, including gastric bypass and the lap band, can have a dramatic impact on morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetes, a condition characterized by high levels of blood sugar as a result of defects in insulin production and resistance to insulin’s actions. Some are able to go off diabetes medications entirely. Others may be able to significantly reduce the amount of insulin or other medication they require to keep their blood sugar in check. Patients who are classified as “pre-diabetic” may be able to avoid the disease all together.

http://www.uthealthleader.org/archive/SURGERY/2007/bariatrics_part2-0725.htm When Abby Erias had gastric bypass surgery, she remembered the physicians telling her that one of the side effects to her rapid weight loss could be increased fertility. She already had two daughters and wasn’t planning to have any more children, so she went on birth control. She didn’t want to take any chances. “I couldn’t find the right birth control for me, so my plan was to go off birth control for 30 days and then go a different route with something new,” Erias says. “In less than 30 days, I didn’t think I could get pregnant, but I went a different route all right. I had a baby!” When bariatric surgeons at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston host informational sessions about gastric bypass and lap-band procedures, they emphasize that as the unwanted pounds come off, pregnancy may become a very real possibility. This discussion often produces some chuckles and a few “yeah, right” comments from women in the audience.

STORY BY Camille Webb Few patients look forward to going under the knife. For Ouida Gernentz, however, abdominal surgery turned out to be a much better experience than she ever could have imagined. Abdominal surgeries typically require large incisions that leave physical—and sometimes emotional marks—including scars at the wound site, pain, lengthy recoveries and a delayed return to normal, everyday activities. Gernentz did not experience the usual, postoperative pain, thanks to a pioneering surgical technique performed by The University of Texas Medical School at Houston’s Minimally Invasive Surgeons of Texas (MIST).

Saturday, November 21, 2009 9 a.m. – Noon Cullen’s Upscale American Grille 11500 Space Center Blvd., Houston, TX 77059 Information, inspiration and insights for teen girls and their moms

Register using the link to chat at noon on Nov. 24 with Stacy Lewis and pediatric orthopedic surgeon Gary T. Brock, M.D., the physician who treated her when she was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11. Lewis went on to become the 2007 NCAA champion and the 2008 LPGA qualifying tournament winner. Earlier this year she became the celebrity spokesperson for the Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Brock has special interest and training in the treatment of pediatric spinal disorders, including scoliosis, and in pediatric Sports Medicine.Dr. Brock is affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, as well as other hospitals in the Houston area.

Children's Memorial Hermann presents LEGO MANIA! WHO: Kids of all ages! WHAT: FREE EVENT! Children's Memorial Hermann and Women's Memorial Hermann are expanding! Children and adults are invited to a day of fun children’s activities and attractions to celebrate! Professional Lego artists will display their unique Lego creations - from incredible ships to cool trains! They will even build a one-of-a-kind Lego replica of the new Memorial Hermann Tower that stands more than four feet tall! Kids will have an opportunity to build their own fun creations in the Lego build area! We'll even take a picture with you and your cool creation and display it on Flickr.com, where friends and family can vote for the best project. Parents will get a chance to visit with medical experts from Children’s Memorial Hermann Memorial City at our “Ask the Pediatrician” and our “Ask the Ob/Gyn” tables. There will also be an area for kids to color cardboard versions of the Memorial Hermann Tower. Free stuffed animal versions of the Children’s Memorial Hermann mascot, Topper will also be given out while supplies last. There will also be a Teddy Bear ER for your Topper dolls to visit. WHEN: Saturday, November 14th , 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. WHERE: Memorial City Mall, near the skating rink

Electrophysiology is used to diagnose, treat and often cure heart rhythm abnormality, known as arrhythmia. It has also been shown to dramatically improve the quality of life for patients with heart failure. This innovative program is just one aspect of the cardiovascular care available at Memorial Hermann. Arrhythmia may indicate a serious problem and lead to heart disease, stroke or sudden cardiac death. An arrhythmia can be silent and may not cause any symptoms. Register today for a potentially life-saving screening to look for atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, at Memorial Hermann Hear t & Vascular Institute-Texas Medical Center. The cost for this test, combined with three other screenings for dif ferent hear t and vascular conditions, is $139. The complete package will screen for: Atrial fibrillation • (arrhythmia) • Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) • Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) • Carotid artery disease Screenings are available December 8th To schedule your appointment, call 1.800.690.0289. For a referral to an electrophysiologist affiliated with Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute-Texas Medical Center, call 713.7CARDIO (722.7346). Screenings performed by Life Line Screening.

: Memorial Hermann Memorial City Mall. If you are familiar with the mall, the event will be in the area between the skating rink and the fireplace/seating area. FYI - the Pictures with Santa area will be right next to us so hopefully we will have high kid/parent traffic. The event is very kid/family oriented so there will be several activities/attractions: 1. the Lego models display area (including the Lego model of the MH Tower model) 2. an area for kids to build-their-own creations using foam Lego-style bricks. 3. an area for kids to take pictures with their "Lego" creations. Pictures will be posted on Flickr.

Register and join us Nov. 6 from noon to 1 p.m. for a live chat about this season's flu outbreak. Bring your questions and concerns about the flu vaccine and the spread of the new swine flu virus (H1N1) to board-certified pediatrician and family practitioner Dr. Subodh Bhuchar. Whether you are healthy and aren't sure if you should get the vaccine, or if you just want to be prepared for how to treat an illness in your family, this event can help you decide on a plan of action.

It is estimated that Heart Disease kills one person every 34 seconds. To better educate the public about our country’s number one killer, prevent the disease in those who don’t have it and better treat those who do, Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital has renewed its commitment to make Heart Disease education, prevention and treatment a top priority by taking a leadership role in heart-related community education events and expanding the heart services available at the hospital. The hospital’s renewed Heart Health campaign commenced with the 2009 Bay Area Start! Heart Walk on October 17, where Memorial Hermann Southeast donated $25,000 and raised an additional $17,000 in donations from physicians, employees and their friends and families. According to the American Heart Association, the proceeds from the walk, totaling approximately $170,000 and counting, will fund lifesaving research, as well as public and professional education programs in the community and across America. Memorial Hermann Southeast not only utilized its presence at the Bay Area Start! Heart Walk to educate participants and their families about heart disease from A to Z, but Memorial Hermann Southeast volunteers also shared the exciting news about the hospital’s expanded heart program and new treatments available for patients. This fall, the cardiac catheterization lab at Memorial Hermann Southeast is expanding and will offer additional services to meet heart patients’ needs, whether it is treatment for a blocked artery, an irregular heartbeat or heart attack. For more information about Memorial Hermann Southeast’s heart program, as well as upcoming heart-related events, visit www.memorialhermann.org or call 281.929.6100.

It's a bad time for a tax increase, but city officials have made a convincing case that Santa Fe residents should invest in public buildings.

The city's economic development corporation announced plans to borrow $1.4 million to develop a town center after residents successfully killed the city's plan to take on debt - without voter approval - for the same project.

– The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has designated Memorial Hermann’s Memorial Family Medicine Residency and its medical office, the Physicians at Sugar Creek, as a Recognized Medical Home. They are the only residency program and medical practice in Texas to receive this designation. The NCQA’s Medical Home Recognition Program identifies medical facilities that deliver superior care using measurable standards. The official designation is given to those facilities that provide the elements of a “medical home.” “The award is given to those practices that can show that they provide the elements of a medical home that result in outstanding care,” said Dr. David Bauer, Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program Director. “Our utilization of electronic health records, implementation of secure messaging, and chronic disease management were just some of the components that captured the attention of the judges and influenced our overall score.”

Annual Family Fall Festival Join the fun from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Activities include: * Radio Disney * Health & wellness information for kids and adults * Doll/Teddy bear hospital - bring your broken doll or teddy bear for a checkup * H-E-B fun and activities * Petting zoo * Pumpkin decorating* * Face painting * Lots of games and activities* * Complimentary Subway® lunch* * American Heart Association and Habitat for Humanity information booths * Bring a new, unwrapped gift to donate to Toys for Tots * while supplies last

This year, hundreds of thousands of people will hear the words "You have cancer," and there's a good chance that some of them will be people we know and love. To help make sure those with cancer see another birthday, we are getting "Pinked For A Cause" for our 90th birthday. Help us celebrate Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.’s 90th Anniversary by helping raise $90,000 for the American Cancer Society through “Pinked For A Cause” on Oct. 30, 2009! During this one day, firm-wide event, Fulbright will accept donations and raise cancer awareness. Join Fulbright and Memorial Hermann on October 30, 2009 from 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at any of these locations: Fulbright Tower - 1301 McKinney 1 Houston Center - 1221 McKinney 2 Houston Center - 909 Fannin The Shops at Houston Center - 1200 McKinney Memorial Hermann - 6411 Fannin

The Roberta & Riley Show Presented by Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute airs on 790 AM The Sports Animal every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Join Roberta Anding, RD and Dan Riley as they discuss hot topics and answer listeners’ questions in the areas of nutrition, fitness, and wellness. Roberta and Dan provide science based information in an educational and entertaining format.

Join KPRC Local 2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy for an interactive forum with special guest Acting LPGA Commissioner Marty Evans. The LPGA Tour Championship presented by Rolex, being held at The Houstonian Golf & Country Club in Richmond, Texas, features the world’s top 120 LPGA players competing for their share of the $1.5 million purse. Doors open at 7 a.m. and breakfast is served at 7:30 a.m. Program starts promptly at 8 a.m. Tickets for this Friday Sports Forum are $125 per person and include breakfast, McIlvoy’s interactive forum and two weekly grounds passes to the LPGA Tour Championship presented by Rolex, valued at $120. These passes are good for admission to the tournament grounds every day of play, Nov. 18 to 22, and will be available before the tournament begins. An official commemorative tournament poster, a parking pass and a goodie bag are also included. Space is limited to 100 so register early at fridaysportsforum.org or by calling 281.725.LOGO (5646). Deadline to register is Monday, Nov. 9.