My 20-Week Ultrasound at GRMC

Guest blog – Ashley Grundler, Graphic Designer, GRMC


Last week I had my 20-week ultrasound. My husband held my hand as the ultrasound technician, Cassie, began to look at images of our baby. She carefully examined each body part and organ of the baby, and took lots of photos to send to our family physician (plus we were able to get a few).

The entire process took just under one hour. Baby Grundler made it a bit difficult by trying to hide some of the time. Cassie was great, and answered all of our silly questions… my husband’s main concern was making sure the baby had the right amount of fingers and toes. Then we asked Cassie to try to determine the gender of the baby. And while ultrasound is not 100 percent, she felt confident in saying we are having a baby girl!

At the very end of the ultrasound Cassie did some calculations to determine the size of the baby, and to see if my due date was accurate. As of last week, our baby girl is about four days ahead of schedule, and about an ounce and a half heavier than the average 20-week old fetus.

Overall this experience was amazing! We were able to see beautiful images of our little girl. We could see her move, wiggle, and hide her face behind her right hand. I am so happy I was able to experience this miracle at GRMC!

-Ashley Grundler

A Wider Audience with Hospital Impact

Recently, I was invited by the editors of Hospital Impact to submit posts from time to time for their blog. Here's a link to my first post!

GRMC Keeps Me Healthy During My Pregnancy

Guest blog - Ashley Grundler, Graphic Designer, GRMC
I feel very fortunate to be having my first child with the care and support of Grinnell Regional Medical Center. Not only will my family physician deliver my baby at GRMC, I'm also taking advantage of all the hospital has to offer expecting moms.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I began yoga classes at Fly High Fitness Studio. We joined the basic class offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The instructor, Jen Ness, has walked us through the poses, and is always so sweet and encouraging. She assures us that with practice we will be able to do the moves like she does...though I have my doubts.

So far, the yoga class has been wonderful for my back and I feel so refreshed and relaxed. And while my husband originally joined me for moral support, he now loves the class, too.

I want to stay healthy during my pregnancy, so taking advantage of gentle classes at Fly High Fitness Studio has been great. And with our wellness membership, we can also use the PWA Fitness Center. I can use the treadmills to walk at my own pace or do a little strength training.

GRMC gives the me the ability to receive all my prenatal care right here in Grinnell.

The radiology department will give me my first ultrasound in a few weeks. Hopefully the baby cooperates so the ultrasound technician can determine whether we're having a boy or a girl! I will share a post on what we find out.

The Kintzinger Women's Health Center offers prenatal and childbirth classes for expecting parents and we will begin attending this summer. The wonderful staff will help my husband and me through all our questions and concerns. As first-time parents, I know we'll have a list for them!

I am so excited to have the knowledgable staff at GRMC help me through my pregnancy. And as we experience new services at the hospital, I will be sure to share it with all of you.

~ Ashley Grundler

482 People Head to the Desert

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of serving as moderator for the Health Forum’s National Rural Health Leadership Conference in Phoenix. With a record attendance and stellar presentations, the meeting was a smashing success. Laura Woodburn, executive director of education for Health Forum, and her team hit another one out of the park this year.
We started with an amazing keynote from Dr. David Auerbach regarding his experience in Haiti immediately following the devastating earthquake. His courage, resilience, skill, and compassion saved thousands of lives as he led the effort to re-establish the hospital in Port-au-Prince. It set the tone for the conference by reminding us all what a privilege it is to serve others, even in the most trying of times.

We ended the conference with Robert and Rebecca Bluestone. Their wonderful story, “Woven Harmony,” tells how the arts can help to create an optimal healing environment. Her truly extraordinary silk weaving and his masterful classical guitar playing left us all with a sense of renewed passion and creativity in returning to our hospitals to advance our mission of service. Tom Atchison, Dr. Clint McKinney, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, Tom Morris, Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, Jamie Orlikoff, and Dr. David Blumenthal rounded out our keynote speakers

During the conference, participants did a lot of heavy lifting. We discussed what healthcare reform really means for rural hospitals. What is an Accountable Care Organization and will it work in our rural communities? What about physician integration? What’s new in Washington, D.C., and what does the National Advisory Committee for Rural Health and Human Services do to support our activities back home? We also heard several presentations about “meaningful use.” Sessions on governance were also popular since more than half of the conference participants were hospital trustees.

Although the weather in Phoenix was unseasonably cold, the high temps for the day were actually record-setting it was that cold for Phoenix, it beat the extreme cold and blizzard-like weather elsewhere. Check out the ice on the fountain in the courtyard of the hotel… icicles should not be in the desert! One of the largest winter storms in history disrupted travel home for many of the participants, and a few even got an extra day or two in the desert.


Despite the chilly temperatures, the speakers and the conference were a great educational opportunity. We headed home with new information and ideas to meet the challenges ahead for our mission to healthcare for rural communities.

If you are a rural healthcare trustee, administrator, physician, or vendor and have not yet experienced this conference, I highly recommend it. The venue, sponsors, speakers, and interaction with others make this a worthwhile and great event. It would be fun to have over 500 next year. Save the dates, February 5-8, 2012, on your calendars and plan to join us!

The Magnet is in The House!

Everyone is welcome to an open house this coming Monday, Feb. 7, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. to view our new Magnetic Resonance Imaging unit. Join us in the Tomasek Conference Center at GRMC. Staff will take guests on tours of the new MRI suite, answer questions, and provide information about this incredible diagnostic imaging equipment. Please come help us celebrate. More than 430 people donated $322,000 to help make this possible and that's pretty cool. Magic happens when a community makes an investment like this for the greater good. My thanks to all those who supported the effort to make this MRI available for GRMC patients.

As you might imagine, I have been watching the installation of our new 1.5 tesla magnet with great interest. This wonderful new piece of technology is already being used by our patients.

With the extreme winter weather we've had lately, it is especially wonderful to have the MRI inside. Patients have had to be taken outdoors in all kinds of weather to get to the mobile MRI unit and now, they can stay indoors.

A few weeks ago, our MRI technicians were learning the new equipment and needed a volunteer to work with. I've had an MRI on my back, so we had a previous scan to compare with from several years before. Not only was the scan itself a piece of cake, the difference between the images was impressive. Even to my untrained eyes, the difference was unbelievable.

It's great to have the magnet in the house!

Training is Overrated

If you read this blog somewhat regularly, you know I am a major supporter of fitness and wellness activities. Our hospital has developed a very intensive wellness program as part of our self-funded health insurance program. Over the past three years we have truly bent the cost-curve of our health plan with an average increase of 2.5 percent or less annually. That compares very favorably to the national average of about 11 to 13 percent annually for hospital health plans. At its core, I believe our success has been our incentives for our employees to improve their health. Exercise, stress management, screenings, tobacco reduction, and diet management are but a few of the things that makes our plan a winning combination for not only reducing cost, but improving health. This, in turn, improves morale, productivity, and a greater sense of wellbeing.

As the leader of GRMC, I really believe I need to try my best to be a role model of these behaviors. The more I have engaged in the wellness program, the better I have felt and the healthier I am getting. So much so that I recently participated in a half-marathon.

(Pause for laughter...)

Why the pause? Because those of you who know me personally may know that I am not much of a runner. Although I was a cross country and long-distance track runner in my youth, my knees simply ache too much to run these days. My daily exercises consist of walking and using my elliptical machine. But a half-marathon?

My girlfriend Angie has participated in the PF Chang Rock and Roll Charity Marathon in Phoenix for the past two years and wanted to do it again this year. Since my parents winter in Phoenix, we decided to make it a long weekend and I signed up for the half-marathon. I have learned that a person really ought to train a little bit before taking on 13.1 miles!

I did survive - and bless her heart - Angie hung back with me as I mostly walked the course along with thousands of others who walked and jogged the trek from Phoenix to Tempe. In all, 30,000 people participated in the two events and it was really a lot of fun. I was glad to have participated and look forward to my next attempt, perhaps with a little more training and some Glucosamine and Chondroitin for my joints!

If you have set yourself a goal this year to become more active, I encourage you to visit with one of our wellness professionals at GRMC to help you develop a plan to reach your goals.

It’s About Wellness

Guest blogger, Cory Jackson, director, GRMC Wellness Services

We’re one full week into the New Year! How are you doing with your resolutions? It may have seemed easier to make a resolution around personal health last weekend when most of us were enjoying the holiday, seeing friends and family, watching football, and having fun. But as Monday morning rolls along and the first week after the holiday season is over, reality starts to do a number on our good intentions.

If your resolution has started to wane a little, don’t worry. You are not alone! GRMC offers a variety of fitness and wellness options for you. Check out our website to find what appeals to you.

Maybe you like to dance? Aerobic dance is one of the hottest fitness trends out there and we offer Cardio Party at Fly High Fitness Studio in downtown Grinnell. Check out the schedule of classes here.

Spinning is hugely popular and we have several classes that can work into your busy schedule. Spinning takes you on a virtual bike ride via a stationary spinning cycle.

Boot Camp, yoga, core fusion… there are many choices. Invite a friend to join you! Studies show that we can be more successful when we have a buddy. And, by coming regularly, you will meet new friends through your classes who will miss you when you don’t attend.

The Paul W. Ahrens Fitness Center at GRMC has treadmills, elliptical machines, treadclimbers, recumbent bikes, and a full complement of weight equipment for your use. The PWA Fitness Center is always staffed by a wellness specialist to answer your questions.

If you need a little more motivation, ask about our It Pays to Attend program. When you attend 60 times within a six-month time period, we will reward you with a certificate for a 60-minute massage. How’s that for motivation?

Of course, we all know that eating less and doing more sit ups will help us drop a few pounds and feel better physically. So, why is that so hard to do? We think stress plays a huge role. Exercise is a wonderful stress reliever, but so is massage therapy. During these cold winter months, make it a point to get a massage regularly at Postels Community Health Park. Work out those stress-filled winter muscles with a warming hot stone massage. A full menu of wellness services can be found at our website.

We’d love to visit with you about your personal wellness, body, mind, and spirit. When we focus on our health, we are better able to meet the challenges of our everyday. Make your resolution about your overall wellness and it will help you in ways that go beyond diet and exercise to really enriching your life in all areas.