Marshfield Clinic News Blog

From left: Katie, Spencer and Eau Claire Administrator Miriam Gehler

Four years ago, the Rhoten family started their trip to Florida to enjoy a Disney family vacation. The trip ended after four days in a Florida children’s hospital where they learned their daughter, Katie, had type 1 diabetes.

“It was scary for all of us,” explained Kristin Everett, Katie’s mom. “In all of the tests, and worry, and missing home, one of the nurses gave Katie a stuffed animal…it really meant something to us.”

Katie and family returned home knowing Katie’s illness not only changed their life…but in some way defined it. “I wanted to help make things better for other kids,” explained Katie. “I asked my family for toys I could give to sick kids instead of Christmas gifts for myself.”

The generosity and thoughtfulness of a little girl has grown into “Katie Cares” a program that now involves Katie’s family, her classmates, friends and neighbors.

This year, “Katie Cares” was able to donate more than 600 toys to benefit kids being cared for at Marshfield Clinic and other area health care providers.

“Katie is a real inspiration…not just the toys, but how she has taken what life has handed her, and made something so remarkably positive,” explained Miriam Gehler, administrator of the Marshfield Clinic Eau Claire Center. “Thank you Katie!”

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Martina Ziegenbein, M.D.

Q: I’ve seen a lot of advertising for gout medication recently. What is gout and what causes it?

A: Martina Ziegenbein, M.D.:  Gout is a form of arthritis caused by deposits of uric acid crystals in the joints and other tissues, such as the skin or kidney. Uric acid is produced when the body breaks down purines. Purines are found in certain foods and drinks including liver, mackerel, dried peas and beans, beer and wine.

Gout can be chronic if left untreated. A diet low in purines is recommended for gout sufferers. Healthy lifestyle choices such as maintaining healthy body weight and limiting alcohol consumption can help in its prevention.

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Marshfield Clinic Eau Claire Center Infectious Disease Nurse Kathy Kivlin has been going to Haiti on annual medical relief missions since long before Haiti was in the international spotlight.

This is her seventh trip to Haiti as part of a Marshfield Clinic team that spends a week each winter bringing much-needed medical supplies and expertise to the Caribbean nation.

She and five or six Marshfield Clinic employees in the Chippewa Valley will be in Haiti from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1. She and a larger contingent of Marshfield Clinic staff were in Haiti for several weeks in 2010 when the earthquake struck.

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You’ve heard the old says that goes something like: “You can choose your friends and you can choose your job, but you can’t choose your family.”

Of course most of us would gladly choose our family if that were an option (with the possible exception of that weird cousin). However, no matter how great your family is, there may be unintended consequences of those connections.

One consequence may be a genetic predisposition to a chronic disease such as Type 2 diabetes. The good news is your Marshfield Clinic health professional can help you reduce the risk for complications as Ronda Mueller, Mondovi, Wisconsin discovered.

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Academics and sports are usually central to a young man’s high school career. For 15-year-old Gabe Miesbauer, Butternut, his focus includes one more area: his health. Earlier this year, Miesbauer was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

The first warning sign affected his eyesight. “One weekend everything got blurry,” said Miesbauer. He normally had 20/20 vision. “I couldn’t watch the television or work on my schoolwork.”

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