- Community, Giving, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt’s not unusual to lose touch with old friends as we age and move around. Hank Libby moved around a lot after leaving his native Louisiana. He earned Ivy League degrees in law and finance, practiced law and venture capitalism in Washington, D.C., took sailboats across the Atlantic, and settled in Annapolis. But, Hank has never forgotten his rural Southern roots or his friend back home. “When I was about 20,” Hank explains, “I had a very good friend who saved my life. Quite sometime later, I found out he was dying of cancer (in rural Louisiana). He couldn’t afford a doctor and had no access to medical care.” Hank quickly got the man to a New Orleans hospital. It was too late to save him, “but I told him at the time that it isn’t right, and I’m going to take care of your family, and I’ll take care of trying to get them access to medical help.” Hank has expanded that commitment to his friend through his support of AAMC’s community clinics, and through his service as an AAMC Foundation Board Member and Founding Chair of the Community Health Philanthropy Council. Hank believes community clinics are vital. In Annapolis, like almost everywhere, he says, too many low-income and uninsured people go to the emergency room for ailments that could be treated elsewhere. It’s terribly expensive, he says, and it’s unwise medically, because the patients “don’t form a relationship with a doctor.” “With the clinics, patients are treated in a place of comfort with respect and dignity,” Hank explains. “They pay a little bit if they can, and they grow to trust the doctors and return for continued and preventative care.” Outreach to the underserved has grown from one to three clinics in the time Hank has been involved. He says, “I was on the ground floor of establishing the Forest Drive Clinic, for which I am particularly proud.” Access to medical care for the underserved is near and dear to Hank and his family. Through Hank, the Carol M. Jacobsohn Foundation, founded by his aunt, gave a matching challenge grant that provided significant support to the AAMC Community Clinics. Hank encourages potential donors to recognize the leverage of tapping into matching grants. “When you tell them it’s going to net two or three dollars for every dollar that they put in,” he says, “it has an impact. I believe in matching gifts.” With Hank’s leadership, it has certainly made a significant impact on AAMC’s community clinics. AAMC’s Community Clinic Locations AAMC Community Clinic – Forest Drive 1419 Forest DriveAnnapolis, MD 21403 AAMC Community Clinic – Morris Blum 701 Glenwood StreetAnnapolis, MD 21401Phone: 410-990-0050 For more information about how to support the hospital’s clinics, please call 443-481-4747.0
- PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogStrep throat is a throat infection caused by a bacteria called group A Streptococcus bacteria (group A strep). The bacteria live in the nose and throat. Strep throat is contagious and spreads easily from person to person through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Good hand washing is important to help prevent the spread of this illness. Children diagnosed with strep throat should not attend school or daycare until they have been taking antibiotics and had no fever for 24 hours. Strep throat mainly affects school-aged children between 5 and 15 years of age, but can affect adults too. When it isn’t treated, it can lead to serious problems including rheumatic fever (an inflammation of the joints and heart) and kidney damage. How is strep throat spread? Strep throat can be easily spread from an infected person’s saliva by: Drinking and eating after them. Sharing a straw, cup, toothbrushes, and eating utensils. When to go to the emergency room Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing or swallowing. Call your health care provider about other symptoms of strep throat, such as: Throat pain, especially when swallowing. Red, swollen tonsils. Swollen lymph glands. Stomachache; sometimes, vomiting in younger children. Pus in the back of the throat. What to expect in the ER Your child will be examined and the health care provider will ask about his or her health history. The child’s tonsils will be examined. A sample of fluid may be taken from the back of the throat using a soft swab. The sample can be checked right away for the bacteria that cause strep throat. Another sample may also be sent to a lab for testing. Your provider will usually prescribe an antibiotic to kill the bacteria. Be sure your child takes all the medicine, even if he or she starts to feel better. Antibiotics will not help a viral throat infection. If swallowing is very painful, your provider may also prescribe painkilling medicine. When to call your health care provider Call your health care provider if your otherwise healthy child has finished the treatment for strep throat and has: Joint pain or swelling. Shortness of breath. Signs of dehydration (no tears when crying and not urinating for more than 8 hours). Ear pain or pressure. Headaches. Rash. Fever (see Fever and children, below). Easing strep throat symptoms These tips can help ease your child’s symptoms: Offer easy-to-swallow foods, such as soup, applesauce, popsicles, cold drinks, milk shakes, and yogurt. Provide a soft diet and avoid spicy or acidic foods. Use a cool-mist humidifier in the child’s bedroom. Gargle with saltwater (for older children and adults only). Mix 1/4 teaspoon salt in 1 cup (8 oz) of warm water. Are you looking for a primary care doctor? Search our Find A Doc directory. Originally published Jan. 31, 2018. Last updated Jan. 10, 2020.0
- PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt’s a nightmare scenario for many parents — your child has head lice. Unfortunately, it’s also pretty common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an estimated 6 million to 12 million cases of lice each year in the U.S. among children ages 3 to 11. An average of 500 cases of head lice are found among Anne Arundel County students yearly, according to the county Department of Health. A discovery of head lice can be unsettling for children and their parents. So what do you need to know as your kids head back to the classroom? Facts about head lice Head lice are blood-sucking parasites that can usually be found on people’s heads, and sometimes on their eyebrows and eyelashes. Head lice move by crawling. They cannot hop or fly. The bugs spread through personal contact, such as head-to-head touch. They can also spread through contact with an item such as a comb, scarf, or hat used or worn by someone with head lice, though that is less common. Having lice doesn’t mean you are dirty. A lice infestation has nothing to do with personal hygiene. Symptoms can include itching, sores on the head from scratching, and difficulty sleeping because head lice are most active in the dark. And while they are a nuisance, head lice don’t spread disease. They are not a public health hazard. How to treat head lice If someone in your home has head lice, check every member of your household for lice and nits (tiny, grayish-white eggs.) Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about over-the-counter or prescription shampoos. These shampoos will kill lice, but may not kill all of the nits. You may have to treat again in seven to 10 days. Call your doctor if two rounds of lice treatment are unsuccessful. You should also consult your doctor before treating children who are younger than two years old. To remove nits, use a fine-toothed, metal comb, or pick the nits off the hair shaft with fingers or tweezers. Washing, soaking and drying items at temperatures higher than 130 degrees Fahrenheit can kill lice and nits. You only need to clean items that have been in contact with an infected person’s head in the 48 hours before treatment begins. The CDC doesn’t recommend fumigating your home or using insecticide sprays. Preventing the spread of lice In Anne Arundel County, students with have lice or nits less than a quarter of an inch from their scalp must undergo treatment before returning to school. Nits that are more than a quarter of an inch from the scalp are usually not viable and are unlikely to spread. As your children head back to school this year, remind them to avoid head-to-head contact with other children. They should also avoid sharing combs, brushes, hats and other items that touch the head. Originally published Aug. 22, 2017. Last updated Aug. 26, 2019.0
- Orthopedics, Pediatrics, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogElbow injuries in young baseball players are an increasingly common problem seen by orthopedic surgeons because the act of throwing creates substantial stress on the elbow. The elbow is protected by a combination of ligaments and muscle that help to dissipate this stress. Repetitive throwing, however, can cause significant injuries including ligament tears, cartilage loss, bone spurs, and even fractures. These injuries, whether treated conservatively or with surgery, lead to a significant amount of time spent on the sidelines. Coaches and parents must understand how to reduce the frequency of these injuries. Prevention starts with limiting the amount of throwing and allowing for proper rest. To reduce injuries, the Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends the following: Players should not throw for three consecutive months during the year. Player should not compete on more than one team during the same season. Players and coaches should follow pitch counts to prevent stress on the elbow (see chart) Players should not throw breaking balls until age 14. Resist the urge to play the same player as pitcher and catcher during the season as this can create stress on his/her elbows. Despite appropriate limits and rest, injuries can still occur. Pain, stiffness, decreased velocity, and decreased accuracy are all potential indicators of a developing elbow injury. Players should not throw through pain. Initial treatment should consist of rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication. If the symptoms do not resolve within seven days, consultation with an orthopedic specialist is recommended. Author By Cyrus Lashgari, MD, orthopedic surgeon at AAMG Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialists, a practice of Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach him, call 410-268-8862.0
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogCathy Sanders is the kind of person who rarely goes to the doctor and never expected to have to go to the hospital. But all that changed in March when her daughter came home from school and found her barely conscious. The 51-year-old Arnold resident was in critical condition and suffering from a very rare disease in which the body’s blood vessels leak fluid, causing swelling, fluid in the lungs and extremely low, unstable blood pressure. What I have is called systemic capillary leak syndrome or SCLS. It’s very rare: I’m the 151st person in the world to get this diagnosis. I was so lucky, that not only did Dr. Patel figure out what it was, but Dr. Morganti was able to do the surgery I needed. The whole team was just excellent. After about 24 hours in the hospital I’d received 34 liters of IV fluid, which was keeping me alive, but my blood pressure wouldn’t stabilize. I was getting compartment syndrome which is when fluid builds up so severely that it cuts off circulation to the muscles. I needed surgery, which involved cutting through the skin and connective tissue to allow all those fluids out and release the pressure before there was severe tissue damage. I was in very bad shape. My heart rate was dangerously low, I had metabolic acidosis, and was going into respiratory failure. In spite of all this, Dr. Morganti and the two anesthesiologists were able to intubate me and keep me alive and do the surgery. Meanwhile, no one knew what was wrong with me. There were four different critical care doctors all consulting to figure out what was going on. Dr. Patel was actually driving home after work when it hit him. He called Dr. Kirk Druey at NIH, who is one of the few people in the world studying this disease, and he confirmed the diagnosis. It’s incredible that I was able to wake up after that surgery and be told “here’s what’s been happening to you.” Of the four stories I’ve read about SCLS cases, one woman in Louisiana had attacks for ten years and had seen 70 specialists before being diagnosed. The three others were not able to get the surgery I had, and spent months in ICU, burn units, and rehab to relearn how to walk with the permanent tissue damage. That didn’t happen to me because of the incredible staff at the hospital. I spent 15 days at AAMC, and had a few weeks of physical therapy at home. About two months after it all happened I was able to work again, and now, it’s just a matter of building up my strength. I have a small massage therapy practice, and it meant a lot to me to get back to work and see my clients again.0
How can we help?
Common Searches
Common Searches
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?
Your Account
View your Dashboard
Messages
Billing Summary
Find Care
Schedule Appointment
My Care Team
My Record
Appointments
Medications
Insurance Summary
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?