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Jennie Edmundson Hospital, 933 East Pierce Street, Council Bluffs, (712) 396-6000, is a 255-bed regional health center, serving residents in southwest Iowa.

The hospital has a full range of inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and rehabilitation services with physicians who represent more than 20 medical specialties.

Medical technology at the hospital includes CT scanning, open MRI, new cardiac cath lab, stereotactic breast-imaging monitor and linear accelerator for radiation treatment of cancer.

The hospital is a provider of maternal/child health services Other specialty services include cardiology, orthopedics and sports medicine, rehabilitative services, occupational health and behavioral health.

Southwest Iowa Medical Center, 800 Mercy Drive, Council Bluffs, (7] 2) 328-5000, is a part of Alegent Health and includes the Center for Mental Health, Mercy Hospital and a physician's office.

The medical center strives to meet the healthcares needs of the Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie region. Patient care services include genera] medical and surgical care, pediatrics, orthopedics, maternity services, critical care, mental health, and skilled care. Many healthcare facilities are available in Omaha and vicinity, too.

Medical

There is no question that moving a household from one1ocation to another is stressful, time-consuming and expensive.. Regardless of whether you are an old hand at picking up roots and re-establishing in a strange new setting, as many military families are, or, this is your first big move from your home to anew location, it pays to be physically and mentally prepared.

Modern medical research has made it clear that a little stress in one's life can be a healthy 'and exhilarating experience. Putting for an eagle with your, so-called buddies snickering in the background is one example. Going for a three-pointer to win the league basketball championship by one point with two seconds left on the game clock is another. Changing the first diaper on your first-born child is another very different type of exhilarating stress. Changing diaper number one thousand on the fourth or fifth or sixth born child, is a less exhilarating kind of stress, but stressful, nevertheless. ~

There is always stress, and it is not always a bad thing, but too much of the non-exhilarating kind of stress can take a tremendous toll in energy and ability to focus on the tasks at hand. One of the negatives associated with too much stress, including "exhilarating" stress, is that. the body uses a lot of energy and needs lots of rest to recover. Overly tired bodies have increased vulnerability to illness. Stress also contributes to tired minds. When very tired, minds tend to make more mistakes than usual, feel more guilt than necessary, use shaky judgment and become short-tempered and grouchy.

One of the simplest things everyone can do to reduce the toll of stress involved in moving is to acknowledge that it is a potential problem and make plans to deal with it. Talk about it when the symptoms show up and deal with it, don't pretend it isn't there.

There are several steps one can take. First, assess the whole family's general medical condition. Make a list of concerns and go over them with your family physician. Below is a generic list of things to do that you can customize to fit your specific situation.

dvise your family physician, ophthalmologist, veterinarian and dentist that you will be moving and when. Ask them for specific referrals in your new location. If there are any medical conditions that require special care during and/ or after the move, make sure you have the detailed instructions for the care in a safe place but available during the trip and after arrival. Also, it may be wise to have documents describing the medical condition and its treatment handy in case an emergency arises en route.

Ask your physician's advice regarding the need for any special medical attention prior to and during the move. For example, are there any health conditions in your family that would benefit from a general physical examination prior to the trip? Are all medical prescriptions up-to-date and filled? Prescription blood pressure medicine is one medication that one would not want to run out of when moving with the family from one state to another. Be sure to properly: dispose of out-dated or no longer needed prescription medications prior to the move.

Make sure that all arrangements are made for a place to stay upon arrival at your final destination. Just getting there all in one piece doesn't mean the move is over; in many ways the hardest part of the move is just beginning. Try to arrive early enough in the day that you can get oriented to the city and possibly visit something like a park or museum. Do what you need to do to let your hair down, have fun, and get a good night's sleep before tackling the list of tasks that are part of relocating.

If your family has a tendency to use a trip as an excuse to pig-out on junk food more than usual, beware the risks. The staples of too many American diets -salt, grease, sugar and caffeine, all have been identified as contributors to elevations in blood pressure. Alcohol, caffeine, and salt all tend to accelerate dehydration. Decreases in bodily fluids make it harder for all the body's systems, and its main pump -the heart, to do their jobs. If you are traveling by automobile, it will be easier to make a pact to not get caught up in a junk food feeding frenzy. Make a list of favorite fruits and carry them along. If they are messier to eat than a bag of chips, meaning there's something like an apple or pear core to throwaway, stop at a rest area for a fruit snack break.

Remind yourself to drink extra water. Carry bike water bottles in the car and use them. Use every rest stop possible as an opportunity to walk briskly, stretch, even jog a few yards. There are a few "heart-smart" food franchise firms that offer decent salad bars that are far healthier than the usual burger and fries variations; make visits to these a part of your travel "pact."

Upon arrival, make sure that near the top of your list of things to do, is to follow-up on getting acquainted with the people on your list of physicians, ophthalmologists, veterinarians and dentists to whom you have been referred. Check on prescriptions for medications and make sure there will be no interruptions in medication schedules.