MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center

Our MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center family wishes you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season.

It’s time for #BabyOfTheWeek, holiday edition! The adorable bundles of joy were born at Saddleback Medical Center throughout the month of December. Special thanks to our thoughtful volunteers who handmade these festive stockings and hats!

Through the generosity of our employees and physician group partners, we are able to make the holiday season a little brighter for families in our community through our Adopt-A-Family/Senior event! This year, we adopted a record number of 46 families and 53 seniors. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to give back to our community in such as special way.

This holiday season we are here for you when you need emergent medical care. Please be ever mindful of protecting yourself and your loved ones, as well as our staff, as you make your holiday plans. Throughout the next two weeks we will share tips for celebrating the holidays safely while still having fun. Our first tip to celebrate responsibly is gather virtually! This type of gathering poses the least amount of risk to you and those you love. Plan virtual activities based around your favorite holiday traditions. Sit down to a meal while chatting on FaceTime, decorate your tree while using Skype or play a trivia game on Zoom. Share your favorite holiday traditions below! #StopTheSpread #COVID19 #SafetyFirst #InThisTogether #MaskUp

MemorialCare President and CEO, Barry Arbuckle shares a critical holiday message and an offer of assistance for those experiencing stress or anxiety during this holiday season. Learn more>> MemorialCare.org/CoronaVirus

It is a very special week at Saddleback Medical Center, as we began distributing COVID-19 vaccines to our frontline workers! James Watkins, RN, was our first staff member to receive the vaccination, administered by Jeffrey Riedel, RN, manager of Emergency Services. Outgoing Chief of Staff, Dr. Thomas Vovan, was our first physician to receive the vaccination, administered by Darren Carns, RN, ICU manager. Our first staff members to be vaccinated have all been caring for COVID-...19 patients throughout the pandemic. After the first vaccines were administered, a beautiful rainbow was spotted over the hospital, a very fitting symbol of hope and relief as we head into the final chapter of this pandemic. While the vaccine is a promising step toward controlling the spread of COVID-19, we still need to do our part by wearing a mask, adhering to physical distancing and social gathering guidelines, and practicing good hand hygiene.

Today, we honor all who served in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you to all the brave men and women who courageously served our country. #VeteransDay Check out the video below dedicated to our very own veterans at Saddleback Medical Center: https://youtu.be/rTh7NZNlxHU

I wrote down as many of your names as I could remember because I knew I would want to thank you by name when it was all over. personally kept me afloat all this time. I always felt better after one of her regular phone calls. I could always hear her concern for us in her voice; the way she spoke; the way she listened; the many, many ways she offered and gave help. was a much welcome visitor to our house for over a year. She got to meet most members of the fa...mily and reached out toward the end to say goodbye and inquire about the rest of us. We all loved ’ cheerfulness and looked forward to seeing him every week. He kept my father happy. And last but not least, was the right person at the right time, and will always have a special place in our hearts. We were in awe my mother and I of the expert and gentle way she handled my father and will never forget how she insisted on brushing his hair during her last two visits, they wrote. Know that we are all deeply grateful to you for what you have done for us: keeping my father at home, allowing him to be comfortable and without pain, and making it possible for him to slip away peacefully in his bed, with his favorite music playing in the background while holding my mother’s hand. -A note from a grateful family member #November #HospiceAndPalliativeCareMonth #EndOfLifeCare

This flu season, it’s important to protect yourself and others by getting your flu shot! The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year. It’s especially important for those who are at high risk of complications from the flu to get their vaccine. Speak with your doctor if you have any questions about the flu vaccine. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Kubaska recently spoke with Laguna Woods TV 6 about the importance of #BreastCancerAwareness and what you should know when it comes to breast health. Check out her interview to learn more! https://youtu.be/_tfZRKCnPAk

Find out if fertility treatment is an option for you and your partner by checking out Dr. Jane Frederick’s recent talk on fertility. Dr. Frederick discusses causes of infertility and miscarriage, and effective treatments. https://youtu.be/XsaaWqSgKKE

My roommate had no family or friends. She was very much alone and afraid of dying. Your staff became her ‘family’ and friends and made her feel safe and at ease. They laughed with her, gave her hugs, and made her room and bed cozy and comfortable. She told me she was ‘lucky.’ They really were angels and I admire all that Hospice does. -A note from a grateful roommate #November #HospiceMonth #EndOfLifeCare

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of long-term disability. However, stroke is largely preventable. Knowing your individual risk factors is essential. Join neurosurgeon, Vikas Y. Rao, M.D., as he discusses causes, risk factors, prevention, treatment, how to recognize a stroke and what to do when stroke happens. This virtual event takes place via Zoom on Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 5:30 to 6 p.m. To register, visit www.memorialcare.org/SBStrokeAwareness #Stroke #StrokeAwareness

The OC Health Care Agency is conducting a survey of attitudes toward vaccination for #OCCOVID19, which will be of great assistance in planning for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. It will take less than five minutes to fill out a simple questionnaire regarding your attitude about being vaccinated against COVID-19. Details at: https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-vaccine-survey

In honor of #BreastCancerAwareness, Licensed Genetic Counselor, Molly Lehman, shares how genetics can play a role in breast cancer. Check out her video to learn more. https://youtu.be/9cLQBQ36nMk

Today is #WorldStrokeDay. With stroke, time lost is brain lost. Every minute counts when you or someone you know is having a stroke. Learn how you can prevent and treat stroke and remember to act F.A.S.T. and call 9-1-1 right away if you spot any signs of stroke. MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is a stroke receiving center. To learn more visit www.memorialcare.org/SBStroke. Content Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-CDC, American Stroke Association and Silk Road Medical

Join us in celebrating and recognizing our Respiratory Care Team this week! We are honored to have a team of respiratory professionals who have been on the front line of care during the pandemic. Their hard work and dedication to patient care is Simply Better!

This #NationalFirstRespondersDay we are grateful for all the brave first responders that have displayed an unbelievable amount of selflessness, not only during these challenging times, but every day. Special thanks to all the firefighters who have worked tirelessly to keep our patients, employees and communities safe during the California wildfires. #SilveradoFire #BlueRidgeFire

This week we’re celebrating two special departments at Saddleback Medical Center. Please join us in recognizing Healthcare Facilities and Engineering Week and Spiritual Care Week. In their different roles these teams work toward the same goal of providing the highest quality care to our patients!