The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 41 COVID patients today, 48 yesterday. Other significant numbers:
- 19 with the active virus today, 22 yesterday
- 1 in ICU, 2 yesterday
- 0 on a ventilator, 0 yesterday
- 22 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 26 yesterday
Key points from today’s guests:
Tiffany Schweigert, RN, behavioral health nurse
- Her play, “Next to Normal” helps normalize mental health. The play centers on a suburban mother dealing with her worsening bipolar disorder and the effects it has on her family. It also examines the tough topics of suicide, drug abuse and depression.
- It is alarming how many people need mental health support.
- The pandemic has helped many people realize that they may have some issues related to mental health.
- It is important for people to start normalizing mental health and feel comfortable about talking through the struggles they are encountering.
- We need to hone in with our young people about depression and anxiety. This doesn't just happen once you get old, it can happen at any age.
- The “Next to Normal Show” info is available at www.TheBarnPlayers.org.
Lauren Lucht, director of the Behavioral Health Program, The University of Kansas Health System
- A big part of the stigma around mental and behavioral health and reaching out for help has been that it's kind of an “invisible illness.”
- The more we have conversations about mental health struggles, the more it helps us realize there is no “perfect world.”
- Discussing these issues early on with your children can help them better understand and identify mental health issues and that is it OK to discuss it and seek help.
- Mental health is one important aspect of our healthcare, and it impacts all other elements of healthcare.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System
- The nasal vaccine for COVID, based on technology developed at Washington University in St. Louis, is on the path to becoming available in the US, Europe, and Japan.
- The nasal vaccine is another tool for prevention of serious illness with COVID, especially for people who have issues with needles and injections.
- We’ll need to continue to watch specific variants to see how they interact with our immune systems.
- All variants so far have been proven to be clinically similar since the beginning of the pandemic.
Friday, October 14 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. More than two-thirds of women diagnosed with breast cancer will undergo breast reconstruction. While there are many options for reconstruction, we learn the benefits of using a woman's own tissue from her tummy. It's microsurgery and hours long, and you’ll meet one patient who says it's worth it.
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