Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) is pleased to announce its January 2019 Employee of the Month, Amy Beesley, and its January 2019 Volunteer of the Month, Marge McGill. LHMC is honored to have a strong team of staff and volunteers working hard to deliver high-quality care to the Blue Water Area.  Amy works in the Gift Shop and has been with LHMC since 2012. She was nominated by a visitor who wrote, “Amy was so kind and helpful during our stay at Lake Huron Medical Center.  She not only was very helpful at recommending products for us, but she also took the time to comfort us.”  Marge volunteers in the Radiation Therapy department and has been volunteering since 2014.  An employee commented, “Marge always makes patients feel comfortable in our department.  She is always helpful when patients need assistance in a wheelchair or finding department in the hospital.  While working the greeters desk, she maintains the waiting room by caring for the plants and re-organizing the magazines.  But most of all, Marge should be recognized for always lending an ear to a patient who just needs to talk to someone.”  Lake Huron Medical Center is proud of each of its employees and volunteers; and extends a special thank you and congratulations to all our team members, especially Amy and Marge as we celebrate their accomplishments.  To learn more about the programs and services offered at Lake Huron Medical Center, visit www.mylakehuron.com.

Flu season varies from year to year, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2017-2018 flu season was the worst in at least 40 years, resulting in 960,000 hospitalizations and 79,000 deaths. Influenza, or “flu,” is one of the most common yet serious infectious diseases, with up to 49 million Americans getting the virus each year.  The flu is highly contagious and is transmitted when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. Because it can spread easily from person to person, the flu can result in localized outbreaks, seasonal epidemics and global pandemics – representing a serious threat to public health. While flu viruses can be detected year-round in the U.S., they are most common during the fall and winter, with activity increasing in October and peaking between December and February.  As flu activity ramps up nationwide, it’s a critical time to raise awareness of how to best prepare for the flu and what the latest treatment options are for those who do get sick.   The local Health Department officials say the single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu.

On February 19, City of Port Huron Mayor Pauline Repp and Council will meet to explore the City’s goals and priorities to be carried out by the City Manager and his administration during the Fiscal Year 2019-2020.
The Mayor and Council are inviting all citizens of the City of Port Huron to be part of this process. Any suggestions or ideas for the benefit and advancement of the City may be emailed to the City Clerk at CommunityComments@porthuron.org.  According to Mayor Repp, responses will be shared with the entire City Council for consideration during the goal-setting session.

On Wednesday of this week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released the final report detailing the findings from the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) deer testing in Michigan. The recommendations issued in October 2018 based on the initial data review remain the same, with only one ‘Do Not Eat’ advisory in place for deer taken within approximately five miles of Clark’s Marsh in Oscoda Township.  As part of the state’s effort to identify and address PFAS issues in Michigan, MDHHS and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) took samples from 128 deer across Michigan to test for PFAS. Only one of those deer came back with elevated levels of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) in muscle tissue. That deer was taken near Clark’s Marsh, which resulted in the ‘Do Not Eat’ deer advisory. The advisory encircles the five-mile radius around the Wurtsmith base property and covers what the DNR has estimated to be the expected travel range of deer living in or near the marsh. The area covered by the deer consumption advisory issued can be described as: From Lake Huron west along Aster Street, west on Davison Road, north on Brooks Road, east on Esmond Road, north on Old US 23, north on Wells Road, west on River Road, north on Federal Forest Road 2240, north on Lenard Road, north on Indian Road, and East on E. Kings Corner Road (along the county line) toward Lake to Lake Road, to Lake Huron.  Residents should not eat deer that came from within five miles of Clark’s Marsh. In addition to the Clark’s Marsh deer advisory, MDHHS continues to recommend not eating kidneys or liver from any deer because many chemicals including PFAS can accumulate in their organs. The advisory does not apply to cattle, chickens, or other livestock raised in the area.  The report released this week includes all of the finalized deer muscle, kidney, and liver data collected for the 128 deer sampled as part of this effort. DNR and MDHHS developed this investigation in response to questions from hunters concerned about harvesting deer in contaminated areas. This is believed to be first study of its kind and very little scientific information exists on white-tailed deer and PFAS chemicals.  It is unknown how PFAS could accumulate in deer. The State of Michigan is investigating the circumstances of the one deer with elevated levels and doing further analysis to learn more about PFAS in deer and other wildlife. In addition, the state will be doing further testing on deer from the Clark’s Marsh region and performing modeling studies to learn about PFAS consumption in wildlife. Michigan also regularly monitors fish in Michigan for PFAS, including PFOS.   A deer that has been exposed to PFAS may not show any signs or symptoms of being sick. If you see a deer that appears to be sick, contact the DNR hotline at 800-292-7800. If you have health related questions, contact MDHHS at 1-800-648-6942.   While PFAS testing is not possible locally, the State of Michigan did confirm three labs that will analyze PFAS samples from deer tissue. The State does not endorse or recommend any lab. Contact the following labs for information on the cost and how to send deer tissue:

• Vista Analytical Laboratory, 916-673-1520, www.vista-analytical.com
• Battelle, 781-681-5565, www.battelle.org
• GEL Laboratories, LLC, 843-556-8171, www.gel.com

PFAS are chemicals that are in Class B fire-fighting foam that was used at the air force base near Wurtsmith and other sites in Michigan. These chemicals are also found in stain and water repellants, personal care products, and many other consumer goods. Some health studies have linked PFAS to health issues such as thyroid disease, increased cholesterol levels, impaired immune system function, reproductive issues, high blood pressure in pregnant women, and increased chance of kidney and testicular cancers.  For more information about PFAS in wild game and fish, visit Michigan.gov/pfasresponse and go to the Fish and Wildlife button. For more information about wild game consumption in general, visitMichigan.gov/eatsafegame and go to the Eat Safe Wild Game button.