WOODBRIDGE — Velocity Urgent Care is pleased to announce its newest walk-in urgent center in Woodbridge, Virginia at the Intersection of Daisy Reid Avenue and Prince William Parkway, just 1 mile west of Old Bridge Road.  The center will open for business on September 3, 2018, at 4565 Daisy Reid Avenue.  Velocity is eager to serve the needs of Woodbridge and Prince William County with the first of multiple planned new centers in Northern Virginia. 
 
Velocity Urgent Care features on-site digital x-ray, EKG, a basic menu of laboratory services, and its clinicians provide a full complement of urgent care services for unexpected injury and illness.  Velocity Urgent care is focused on the delivery of fast, quality and cost-effective health care for conditions that cannot wait for a primary care appointment but are not medical emergencies.  Common conditions treated include flu symptoms, coughs, earaches, headaches, sprains, strains, fractures, minor cuts, scrapes, and rashes.  Most insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare, and there is also a “no surprises” self-pay option. 

What differentiates Velocity Urgent Care from “run-of-the-mill” urgent care centers is its focus on what’s important to the patient.  “We put patients first in everything we do,” said Alan Ayers, Chief Executive Officer. “We know today’s health care consumer is extremely busy and nobody has time to be sick, so our goal is to get you back to ‘life’ as quickly as possible.”

As a partner with Sentara Healthcare, Velocity Urgent Care works with primary care physicians, providing a copy of the patient’s chart with authorization, and maintains referral relationships with local specialists and facilities for patients who require a higher level of care.  “The partnership between Velocity Urgent Care and Sentara Healthcare improves access, coordination, and affordability of care in Prince William County,” said Kathie Johnson, President of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.

Velocity’s first Woodbridge location will be open 7-days-a-week from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.  Wi-fi and refreshments are available.  Patients seeking care can simply walk in or reserve their spot online at www.velocityuc.com. 
 
About Velocity Urgent Care 
Velocity Urgent Care currently has 13 locations across Virginia including Williamsburg, Virginia Beach (3), Carrolton, Gloucester, Newport News, Norfolk (2), South Boston, and Suffolk with additional locations planned.  Each center provides high-quality, walk-in medical for illness or injury that cannot wait for a primary care appointment but not severe enough to warrant an emergency room visit.  Licensed medical providers treat the flu, strep throat, rashes, dehydration, ear infections, concussions, sprains, strains, minor fractures and more.  For more information, visit velocityuc.com.

“I’ve seen a lot of pretty bad situations. I’ve worked explosive cases all around the world: the Embassy bombing in Africa, the Unabomber case, plane crashes in New York and Mexico. I’ve seen a lot of bad things in my 25 years as an agent, I don’t want to say I’m used to it, but that’s kind of the job I am there to do,” says FBI explosives expert, Thomas Mohnal.

Seventeen years ago when the planes hit the twin towers on September 11^th, he received orders to get to New York City as soon as possible. As Mohnal sat in traffic that morning on Interstate 395, the unthinkable happened, another plane crashed, this time into the Pentagon.

“I’m parallel with the Pentagon in stopped traffic and I watched the plane crash. I was the first one to call into FBI headquarters and notify them that a plane just hit the Pentagon,” he recalls. The series of events made the Prince William County resident the first FBI agent on the scene, as well as one of the first, first responders.

“The flames and the fire burning was tremendous. I’ve done a lot of testing with explosive and gas-enhanced explosives, but I can’t even describe to you how big the fireball was when the plane hit,” he vividly remembers. “It pretty much encompassed the majority of the Pentagon.”

For next month and a half, Mohnal spent his days working recovery and investigating the Pentagon scene.

“The jet fuel that was burning, plastics, metals, and the debris were all airborne. It was bad,” he recalls.

As the years have passed, the survivors and first responders of that day have had to deal with another challenging reminder of our nation’s tragedy. According to the World Trade Center Health Program, more than 87,000 Americans have been diagnosed with severe health conditions, including cancer, in the wake of the attacks. Thomas Mohnal is one of them.

A miracle found within a ruptured appendicitis

It started nearly two years ago. In August 2016, the now 61-year-old came to the hospital with a ruptured appendix. In the course of his care, doctors had ordered a CT scan to assess the situation. It was there Mohnal learned he was dealing with more than just appendicitis.

“Sentara’s radiologist actually noticed at the very top of the CT scan, I mean the very top! Luckily, he was able to see it. He noticed three tumors and said it was consistent with lymphoma,” explains Mohnal.

The husband and father went from requiring surgery and consulting with a General Surgeon to meeting with Dr. Farn Chan, a Triple-Board Certified Hematology and Oncology Expert and Chairman of the Cancer Committee for Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.

“Here I’m expecting a surgery for an appendix, and I was a little worried about the rupture, but now they’re telling me, ‘You also have lymphoma.’ It was a lot, but they did it in such a way that they calmed me, saying we caught it early,” remembers Mohnal.

Personalized Medicine for fighting lymphoma

Before Mohnal knew it, he was on a regimen to attack his tumors and combat his cancer. His tumors, which ranged in size from 1 ¼ to 1 ¾ inches, didn’t respond to the first combination of drugs, that’s when Dr. Chan made the decision to change his therapy to “R-CHOP,” commonly used in the treatment of lymphoma.

“I lost all my hair. It was pretty bad, but the good thing about it was all was the nurses. Dr. Kandahari and the oncology nurse, Sarah, at Cancer & Blood Specialists of NOVA, are just perfect. They make the treatment very smooth and calming. Everyone is so professional and so knowledgeable,” says Mohnal.

Even though it wasn’t always the easiest of roads, Mohnal prides himself with never having missed a day of work while on his treatments.

“I can’t say enough good things about my care,” says Mohnal pausing, thinking about the what-ifs. “The way I’m looking at it, the radiologist who caught these tumors gave me a jump on my treatment. I never had symptoms, my physical and blood work were clear, if these tumors weren’t spotted when they were, they could have grown and spread to other organs, the treatment would’ve been a lot harsher, I can tell you that.”

Today Mohnal is feeling good. He’s living with his cancer and on a maintenance regimen which involves three-hour infusions, every eight weeks. His recent scans show one of his tumors is gone and the other two have decreased in size. 

“It’s the best news I’ve gotten in two years, I’ll tell ya that!” says Mohnal smiling. “Both Dr. Chan and Dr. Kandahari were thrilled to death. That was the best they were expecting, the results we’re getting are amazing.”

While Mohnal doesn’t know what the future holds, he doesn’t second-guess the past. When asked if he would change his actions from all those years ago, if he knew what it would mean for his health, his answer is simple.

“Never crossed my mind. I never thought about it. But once again, I was an FBI agent and that’s kind of what we do. Would I do it again? Absolutely,” he said.

September is Lymphoma Awareness Month. Lymphoma is a cancer of a part of the immune system, also called the lymphatic system. Lymphoma may develop in many parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood or other organs. There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). It’s estimated nearly 75,000 people are diagnosed with NHL every year. In NHL, white blood cells, called T cells or B cells, become abnormal. There are more than 61 types of NHL.

To learn more about lymphoma, visit the Lymphoma Research Foundation website lymphoma.org

Sentara Healthcare is the first system in Virginia to be accredited as an Integrated Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, meaning connections to a network of doctors, researchers, and groundbreaking clinical expertise. To learn more or find the provider that’s right for you, call 1-800-Sentara or visit Sentara.com/cancer.

Good Morning  – Historic Manassas needs volunteers for their Steins, Wines & Spirits event on Saturday September 29^th.  They have 3 shifts available- 7:30-10am, 11am-3pm and 2-5pm so you can volunteer and then enjoy.  It’s sure to be fun so please email Melissa at [email protected] for all the specifics.

Prince William County Public Works needs volunteers on Saturday October 6^th at 8am for a clean-up event at the Neabsco Creek Wetlands. Equipment and beverages provided but please wear comfortable boots or shoes, dress for the weather, bring gloves and safety goggles. This is a very rewarding environmental project.  Please call (703) 499-9812 to register.

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It’s National Environmental Services Week. Environmental Service technicians play a critical role in the day to day operations of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.

While you may see these members of the team focused on keeping our hospital clean and free of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), there is more to this dedicated staff, filled with people like Barbara Boateng.

For the last two years, Barbara has worked at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. She’s quick to offer a smile and a helping hand, making sure the medical offices and hospital rooms are cleaned to Sentara Healthcare’s rigorous standards.  

“Barbara is truly one of our shining stars within Sentara and the Sentara Northern Virginia Environmental Services Department. She exemplifies everything wonderful about working in healthcare,” explains Barbara’s boss, Kevin Smith, Director of Environmental Services.

While Barbara is dedicated to her job, she’s motivated by her family. She and her husband, Clement, immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana to provide a better life for their three children. Earlier this summer, years of hard work paid off when the family’s eldest son, Akwasi, graduated from college with a criminal justice degree and a minor in information technology.

“We were so happy! It’s exciting to see your son striving to fulfill his dreams and then accomplishing them. We were so proud!” says Barbara, remembering the moment she saw her son crossing the stage and receiving his diploma from Radford University.

It’s a hope every parent has for their child.

“The dream I have for my children is for all of them to become successful in the future in everything they pursue,” explains Barbara.

Her son graduating from college is the culmination of that. It’s something he realizes.

“After all the hard work, I could finally say I made it across the stage. I was very grateful to have them by my side to support me throughout my college years. It was definitely a joyful moment, I felt like a proud son,” Akwasi explains.

This achievement is something Akwasi doesn’t take for granted, he realizes the immense sacrifices his parents have made for him, his brother and sister.

“They have dedicated their lives to helping us achieve, by supporting us in everything we do and making sure we get everything we need.”

Smith sees Barbara’s hard work and determination every day.

“Barbara working at Sentara to put her son through college and watching him graduate is truly a wonderful achievement and should be an inspiration to many, that anything is possible in this country.”

Smith says Barbara represents the commitment that exists within his department and the hospital.

“Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, just like the community it serves, is home to a very diverse workforce. The diversity of our staff allows the hospital team to reach our patients in some ways that many hospitals may struggle. Barbara is a perfect example of how you can come to this country, work hard, and achieve things for yourself and your family that may not be possible in your country of origin.”

This Environmental Services Week (September 9 – 15), Smith is celebrating his team and heralding their accomplishments.

Multiple service techs have earned the national healthcare accreditation, “CHEST,” or Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician.  Several others will participate in another CHEST training later this year. The certification indicates the user is skilled in the most effective and innovative technologies in infection prevention. 

“Our Environmental Service technicians are the first line of defense and have played a vital role in Sentara Healthcare initiatives. I’m just so proud of my team!” says Smith.

To learn more about joining Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center’s award-winning team, visit sentaracareers.com.

“At Thrive, we believe standards for senior living have been too low for too long,” said Les Strech, President of Thrive, in a press release. “The benchmark of ‘providing great care’ causes residents to feel like objects in need of care -- rather than individuals with a purpose and a great deal to offer others.  Thrive creates an environment where older adults can build new and meaningful relationships, and ‘great care’ follows as a natural result. Our new campaign intentionally crosses a line and illustrates our non-traditional approach. While we can grow gardenias and bake a killer cupcake with the best of them, this campaign illustrates our commitment to our residents’ greater wellbeing and sense of purpose.”

“When I first got involved with the senior living industry, I was honestly mortified, and I started looking into what our competitors were like. There was no life in the building, there was no energy, there was no excitement, you could tell there wasn’t a lot of thought put into the design. With that very first community I vowed, I’m going to do this differently,” said Jeremy Ragsdale, president and founder, in an interview on the company’s YouTube channel.

Thrive Senior Living provides assisted living and memory care communities that are disrupting the industry of elder care. Rather than simply providing a care facility, they are creating communities where seniors can thrive instead of just surviving. Seniors enjoy amenities like cocktail hours and fine dining. They promote independence and assist their members 24 hours a day.  

If you’ve ever wondered how local CEOs, top executives, and leaders really live, then you’ll enjoy this Q&A with Sam Hill, Ed.D. Hill is Provost of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Woodbridge Campus. The college, comprised of six campuses — two of which are in Prince William County — is the largest public educational institution in Virginia and the second-largest community college in the U.S.

Having more than 75,000 students and 2,600 faculty and staff members, NOVA is also one of the most internationally diverse colleges in the nation, with a student body representing more than 180 countries. Here’s an inside look at the life of one of NOVA’s key figures.

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The Virginia Tourism Corporation has released the 2017 state and local economic impact data.  It is another record year for Virginia with expenditures reaching $25 billion supporting 230,000 jobs, $5.9 billion in salaries & wages and $1.7 billion in state & local taxes. 

All Virginia localities saw an increase in travel expenditures in 2017 compared to previous year.  The travel industry in the Commonwealth has continued to grow eight years in a row.  Travel expenditures increased at a compound annual growth rate of 3.9% since 2010.  

In Manassas tourism-related expenditures rose 4.5% to $71,114,795.  Annual payroll rose 4.7% to $12,124,407.  Employment rose 1.5% to 589 and local tax receipts rose 2.7% to $1,851,267.

Tourism is an important part of the local economy in many communities and especially in the City of Manassas.  Few localities in the nation experienced such seminal events as Manassas did during the Civil War.  The First and Second Battles of Manassas helped define our City’s place in history and historical-based tourism is a key market for the City.  The Manassas National Battlefield Park, Liberia Plantation and Manassas Museum serve as key attractions for visitors.

However, the City’s appeal to visitors now also includes the charm of its Historic Downtown (a Virginia Main Street community), its specialty shopping and dining, and special events.  Special events and activities alone account for 300,000 annual visitors to Downtown.  In addition to the jobs it creates and the revenue it generates, visitors may be prospective business owners or residents who become attracted to a community because of its tourism vibrancy.  Tourism is economic development. 

As students around Prince William County head back to class, we chat with Sentara Nurse Practitioner Stephanie Schutter RN, MSN, CFNP on some tips you & your family might want to consider for the new school year.

SB: How long have you been with Sentara?

SS: I’ve been with Sentara for 7 years.

SB: What does a typical day entail?

SS: My typical day consists of many different types of visits: sick visits, well-child visits, physicals and office visits for management of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, asthma, allergies, thyroid disease, etc.

SB: What’s your favorite part of your job?

SS: My favorite part is taking care of families. I tried specialty medicine, but this is my true love, family practice. Knowing whole families of the infants, to teens, to parents and grandparents. There is nothing more rewarding, watching my kids grow and my adults move through different phases of their lives. I get to be there going through it with them, they are all like family to me.

SB: As parents get their children ready for back to school, what would you like them to know?

SS: As kids prepare for back to school stay positive for them, there is so much negativity and fear out there your kids need your positive support, the stressors they deal with are more than we had growing up. It is a different time, know your kids’ friends, know their families, always know where they are, be vigilant- trust your gut, you know your children better than anyone. Keep them involved, keep them busy, but allow time for fun too. Too many clubs, too many sports sometimes can be a challenge, find the balance so that they are getting just as much time to spend with their friends and have fun. Monitor their phones, their computer usage, and the apps they are using, stay informed!

SB: What are some of the biggest things you see that get forgotten as kids head back to class?

SS: Make sure prior to school that immunizations are up to date, make sure if your child plays sports they have an up to date sports physical and concussion training as the schools now require this prior to tryouts. Try to get back to sleep routine, the first weeks back are hard enough, sleep is so important for our kids. Reestablish routines to get them into their good organization and study habits, have a place in the house that is theirs to get work done. Parents have childcare back up plans in case of emergency or illness, working parents always need a backup. After school routines- keep them reading always, keep attitudes positive- if you stay positive, their year will be the best one, and they will go in with a positive attitude!

SB: In recent years, we’ve heard a lot about ADHD, bullying and other issues in the classroom. What advice do you give parents who are concerned about something that is affecting their child?

SS: For my parents concerned about things affecting your children, it’s best to discuss it with them, help them to come up with solutions on their own and with you to deal with stressful situations at school, especially if there is no imminent danger. Learning how to deal with bullies or conflicts will be something they need to learn in the future. If this isn’t possible, and you are worried for safety or concerned about the severity of an issue, as parents you have to step in, communicate with the teacher see if there is anything they can do in the classroom to assist the situation and if this still isn’t working, go higher and make sure your kids are safe, that’s most important. As for concerns with ADHD and learning disabilities- bring it up with your provider. If testing is needed, they’ll get you to the right places or to the correct specialists.

SB: What do you want to stress to parents going into this new school year?

SS: The most important message to my parents is: TALK to your children, and take time to LISTEN. We only get them for physicals once a year if they are healthy and we try to cover everything and educate, but they need to hear it from you, too. Talk to them about drugs, depression, anxiety, smoking, alcohol, a plan for safety if they are in a situation they are not comfortable in, etc. They need to hear the truth from their providers, their parents, and their teachers. If we aren’t talking about it with them, someone else is, and you want to make sure the information they’re receiving is accurate. My kids love to pretend they are ignoring me, but I know even if they only hear one thing each time they will get a little of all of it in the end!

If you’re looking for a primary care provider, call 1-800-Sentara or visit Sentara.com.

In a previous article, we discussed the importance of recognizing symptoms of Lyme disease in seniors. We said Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose, especially in seniors, as it can mirror dementia, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis and more. Because it is common for seniors to report joint pain, muscle aches, fatigue and dizziness, doctors often feel that the symptoms may not be that out of the ordinary and miss a diagnosis. Knowing all this and advocating for testing is the first step. Next comes treatment.

Treat Lyme disease

If you see a tick on the skin of a senior in your care, document it. Be sure to note the date of the bite. Set up an auto-reminder to check the bite site each day for any irritation or other symptoms. (Lesions typically develop 7-10 days after a tick bite.) Having this information to share with your doctor can greatly help with diagnosis, even if you are able to bring the senior you care for to the doctor right away.

If you find a tick, follow these Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for removal:

• Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
• After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
• Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Avoid folklore remedies such as “painting” the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible–not waiting for it to detach.

According to the CDC, “People treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of Lyme disease usually recover rapidly and completely. Antibiotics commonly used for oral treatment include doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime axetil. People with certain neurological or cardiac forms of illness may require intravenous treatment with antibiotics such as ceftriaxone or penicillin.”

The CDC also says, “These regimens are guidelines only and may need to be adjusted depending on a person’s age, medical history, underlying health conditions, pregnancy status, or allergies.”

It’s important to note that the immune system deteriorates as we get older. Therefore, seniors usually respond slower to treatment, which increases risk of the disease becoming worse, especially if diagnosis and timely treatment were delayed. Lyme disease not cured by antibiotics becomes increasingly difficult for doctors to counter and can become fatal. Prevention is the best defense against Lyme disease.

Prevent Lyme disease

Lyme disease cases are concentrated in the Northeast and upper Midwest, with 14 states accounting for over 96% of cases reported to CDC.

The CDC reports that more than 329,000 people are likely to contract Lyme disease every year in the U.S. alone. This estimated number of annual infections is 1.5 times the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer, and six times the number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS each year in the US. Lyme disease accounts for more than 90% of all reported cases of diseases carried by animals (vector-borne illness). But only one in ten cases of Lyme are reported, since many clinicians are not looking for Lyme disease specifically.

As ticks continue to migrate to more and more areas, we can expect cases to continue to rise. This makes prevention all the more difficult and important, especially for seniors who are more vulnerable to symptoms.

Here are some ideas to keep ticks away:

• Avoid wooded areas with high grass or brush.
• Keep grass cut in and around the yard.
• Wear long sleeves and long pants, and tuck pant legs into socks when in tick territory.
• Use bug repellent on exposed skin and clothing. Ask a medical professional for an option that is safe for the senior in your care.
• Carefully inspect yourself and the senior in your care for ticks after being out in a natural setting.
• Treat pets that can bring ticks inside. Ask a vet for safe options.

The CDC and the Lyme Disease Association offer a wealth of information about symptoms and prevention, as well as patient support resources. Learn as much as possible, and if you suspect the senior in your care has been exposed to environments that harbor ticks, consult a medical professional right away.

This post is sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care serving Prince William and Fauquier counties.