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TODAY - May 4, 2012Loma Linda University

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43

Friday, May 4, 2012 Volume 25, Number 6

LLUSN opens its doors to alumni during reunion weekend

LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY BEHAVIORAL MEDICINECENTER | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER – EAST CAMPUS | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH CARE | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY HEART & SURGICAL HOSPITALFACULTY MEDICAL GROUP OF LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | FACULTY PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS OF LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

CAMPUS UPGRADES

LLU nutrition researcher featured on ‘NBC Latino’ show

LLUSPH alumna recognized for ‘Good Morning America’ appearances7

By James Ponder

Parts of the Loma Linda University campuslook a lot like a giant construction yard

these days.

In the space behind the Del E. Webb MemorialLibrary, an armada of backhoes, steamrollers,bulldozers, tractors, tanker trucks, and skiploaders digs, claws, and pummels the bare earthin preparation for an enlarged parking lot.That’s good news, of course, for everyone who’sever tried to find a place to park on campus.

A few feet away, workmen sculpt a sea of wetconcrete into the new Founders Plaza in thespace between the library and Magan Hall.

Meanwhile, over on Prospect Street, workmenare getting ready to tear down buildings anderect a giant new parking structure.

At the north entrance to Loma Linda Univer-sity Medical Center, construction continues ona variety of projects. In the near future, anexpansion project designed to help the cancercenter keep pace with increasing demand, aswell as meet recommendations by the NationalCancer Institute, part of the National Institutesof Health, will soon get underway.

The City of Loma Linda and LLU Board ofTrustees recently approved plans to erect apedestrian overpass in the middle of the block

Construction projects impact LLU and LLUMC campuseson Stewart Street, and drop the street to subter-ranean levels in an effort to enhance traffic flowand guarantee the safety of the thousands ofstudents, faculty members, and employees whocross the street en route to the CentennialComplex on a daily basis.

The net effect of all these projects—and toomany others to mention—is that the entirecampus appears to be in a state of transitionthese days.

According to Eric Schilt, director of construc-tion management services at Loma LindaUniversity Medical Center, the heavy equip-ment isn’t likely to go away any time soon. Mr.Schilt says his department—which assists exec-utive leadership in strategic planning andcompliant implementation of constructionprojects—has an unprecedented number of newtasks on the docket.

“Right now, we have 150 projects going,” henotes, “but that’s actually a little misleadingsince some of those are almost finished andothers are still awaiting funding approvaland/or permits. We probably have 50 activeprojects, which are either in the design orconstruction stages.”

Mr. Schilt and his team just installed a massiveair handler on the roof of medical centerbuilding C. The unit conditions the tempera-ture and quality of the air circulating

throughout the building via a sophisticatednetwork of computer-guided air conditioning,heating, and filtration systems.

On the university side, Ken Breyer, MS, assis-tant vice president for construction at LomaLinda University Adventist Health SciencesCenter, has also been busy. Mr. Breyer and histeam in the department of construction andarchitectural services recently:

• Completed the “Big Box” conversion of the LaMesa RV Center into a large office buildingfor LLU Shared Services and LLUMC;

• Renovated the top floor of Evans Hall;

• Erected the new monument sign near theintersection of Anderson and Stewart Streets;

• Installed the Mission Globe as a focal point ofthe new Centennial Pathway;

• Initiated construction of the new FoundersPlaza in the breezeway between the Del E.Webb Memorial Library and Magan Hall;

• Demolished the Block Building and parkinglot adjacent to the campus library and BurdenHall; and

• Initiated construction of a new, enlargedparking lot on the site of the Block Building.

“There’s more to do,” Mr. Breyer acknowledges.“We’re remodeling the University Arts building,creating the new Welcome Center where the oldPost Office was, putting in a new curb and side-walk on Mound Street so people can walk onboth sides of the street, finishing the new phys-ical therapy classrooms in the old risk manage-ment offices above the Campus Store,refurbishing portions of West Hall formerlyoccupied by the School of Pharmacy into ashared use area with the School of Allied HealthProfessions, preparing to relocate a number oforganizations away from their current locationson Campus Street, and tearing out the adjoiningsection of Prospect Street in order to build a newparking structure there.

“Plus,” he adds, “we just receieved the bids toconvert Shryock Hall into the new home of theSchool of Pharmacy.”

According to Mr. Breyer, there are three steps inthe construction of most new campus projects:

• Discovery and feasibility to produce a scope,budget, and schedule for the work;

• Design—preparing documents necessary toimplement the project; and

• Construction—obtaining permits, solicitingbids, hiring a contractor, and the actualconstruction improvements.

The parking lot behind the Del E. Webb Memorial Library is in the final stages ofpreparation and will soon be paved. With the demolition of the old Block Housebuilding, which contained a number of research laboratories, there is now roomfor a much-needed and much larger parking lot.

The new Founders Plaza, slated to be finished soon—weather permitting—willcommemorate the visionary leaders who foresaw Loma Linda University’sdevelopment into a premier academic and medical health sciences campus acentury later. The new plaza is located between Magan Hall and the library. Please turn to page 2

TODAY 2 Friday, May 4, 2012

“When we are faced with very large projects, orwhen we general contract the work internally,we often assign more than one person tomanage the project,” Mr. Breyer details.

Meanwhile, back at LLU Medical Center, theconstruction management crew is in the finalstages of preparing for the multi-faceted restruc-turing of the cancer center near the medicalstudent lounge on “A” level.

He says the project, which will expand thecenter by 9,000 square feet, encompasses awomen’s cancer care suite, a surgical oncologycare suite, a multidisciplinary treatment plan-ning suite, and an appearance center.

“We both operate much the same way, generalcontracting for most of our services,” Mr. Schiltexplains. “We don’t self-perform anything. Onsome projects we engage subcontractors directlyin a multi-prime contract structure, but we don’tperform any construction in-house.”

Even so, the tasks of planning upcomingprojects, obtaining permits, getting bids,selecting contractors and subcontractors, super-vising construction, and making sure everythingis done according to code requires continual dili-gence. The department oversees projects rangingfrom $5,000 to several million dollars.

“We just got the permit for the remodel of theangiography room on the second level ofSchuman Pavilion,” Mr. Schilt says. “The offi-cial name is the interventional radiology roomupgrade. We’ll start moving soon on it.”

LLU Medical Center’s construction manage-ment team will also oversee construction of thenew cardiovascular lab room 4 on the secondfloor of the medical center, as well as the new

critical decision unit—a place where patientsseen in the emergency department can be keptand observed for up to 24 hours while the staffdetermines whether they need to be admittedor not.

In noting the ongoing need for construction,Rodney Neal, MBA, senior vice president forfinancial affairs at LLU, focuses on the chal-lenges and accomplishments of the constructiondepartment. However, his words echo the verysimilar situation facing Mr. Schilt and his team.

“Educational, clinical, and research facilitiesmust provide for the efficient delivery of service,as well as accommodate university growth

opportunities,” Mr. Neal observes. “Construc-tion and architectural services is a key partner inthis process by providing professional manage-ment of infrastructure re-development andgrowth through project delivery, code compli-ance, and hazardous abatement.  

“Due to steadily increasing enrollment and arenewed focus on wellness and research, thenext five to ten years will be a time of infrastruc-ture build-out to accommodate these strategicpriorities,” he concludes. “I fully anticipate thatour project management people will continue toprovide excellent service to the university byensuring projects are competitively bid, incompliance, and managed well.”

Construction projects impact LLU and LLUMC campuses …Continued from page 1

With a docket of 50 active phaseconstruction projects demanding histime and attention, Eric Schilt, directorof construction management servicesat Loma Linda University MedicalCenter, spends a lot of time checkingthe computer to ensure that progressproceeds according to schedule.

Ken Bryer, MS, assistant vice presi-dent for construction for LLUAHSC,and his team have been unusuallybusy of late attending to a variety ofprojects at the university.

By Brian Weed, MA

It may seem counterproductive at first, butthe best option for mothers—especially

those who are HIV positive—is to exclusivelybreastfeed their babies for six months.

Kate Reinsma, MS, is a Loma Linda UniversitySchool of Public Health doctoral student whosedissertation project focused on developing anaudio program to promote exclusive breast-feeding in Kumbo, Cameroon.

“It’s important for all women to exclusivelybreastfeed in this region because when theyintroduce other foods, infant mortality ratesincrease,” Ms. Reinsma states, “and due tounhygienic food preparation practices, the riskincreases for diarrheal diseases.”

Ms. Reinsma explained that the gut mucosa getsdamaged in babies when they are exposed toother foods and contaminated water.

This creates microscopic tears in the intestinesthat allow for infections and viruses to be trans-mitted to the infant’s bloodstream. If themother is HIV positive, and provides water,food, and breast milk, the child has a highchance of becoming infected with HIV.

However, if the mother exclusively feeds thechild with breast milk, the chances of the babybecoming infected are dramatically reducedbecause those microscopic passages are notpresent and the gut mucosa is not damaged.

“The gold standard for infants born to HIVpositive mothers is providing them with onlyformula milk,” Ms. Reinsma says. “But inresource-poor areas and where water is contam-inated, the recommendation is for infants to

Public health doctoral nutrition student launchesbreastfeeding education program in Cameroon

STUDENT OUTREACH AND RESEARCH

receive only breast milk for six months.”

After spending six months in Cameroonworking on the qualitative phase of her project,she collected enough data about local practicesand learned that women were typically onlyproviding breast milk for three to four months.

Ms. Reinsma (right) poses for a photo with her research team in Kumbo,Cameroon.

She used the information collected to design anaudio program that is composed of four 15-minute episodes.

The participants came once a week for fourweeks to listen to the programs. They had agroup discussion after each episode.

“We used an entertainment-education model,”Ms. Reinsma explains. “There were actors whoemphasized the benefits of exclusive breast-feeding, corrected misconceptions, and providedideas for overcoming obstacles, as well asimproving their self-efficacy.”

Those who were exposed to the audioprogram statistically improved in knowledge,benefits, self-efficacy, and intention to exclu-sively breastfeed.

Ms. Reinsma is returning to Cameroon in Juneto collect six-month post data. She is hoping tosee the women who were recruited when theywere pregnant continuing to only provide breastmilk to their babies.

The project was originally funded by theNestle Foundation, and it recently receivedadditional funding from the Hulda Crooksgrant to translate the audio programming intotwo local languages: Lamso and Oku.

Ms. Reinsma will be graduating this year with adoctor of public health in nutrition. She will goback to Africa having just accepted a positionwith Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organiza-tion in Niger.

She will work in that West African country asthe nutrition and health manager. Her primaryobjective will be to reduce malnutrition in thatcountry by distributing Plumpy’nut, a fortifiedpeanut butter product.

anapolis, the urban medical campus of IndianaUniversity.

Dr. Schultz will discuss “Words Like Bullets:Citizens, Soldiers, and Surgical Staff in the CivilWar” in Randall Amphitheater on Thursday,May 31, at 6:00 p.m. The event is also free ofcharge and open to the public.

“The library is excited to partner with theSchool of Nursing, class of 1967, in sponsoringthis event, which will enhance our under-standing of current medical practices by givingus a glimpse into the lives of those who cared forthe injured during the time of the Civil War,”states Carlene Drake, MSLS, director ofUniversity Libraries.

According to the National Institutes of Health,more than three million soldiers fought in thewar from 1861 to 1865. More than half amillion died, and almost as many werewounded, but survived.

Hundreds of thousands were permanentlydisabled by battlefield injuries or surgery, whichsaved lives by sacrificing limbs. “Life and Limb:The Toll of the Civil War” explores the experi-ences of these veterans, who served as a starkreminder of the costs of the conflict.

Civil War medicine …Continued from page 7

TODAY3Friday, May 4, 2012

By Heather Reifsnyder

Loma Linda University researchers haveidentified a non-invasive way to detect

exercise-induced muscle damage in its earlystages using thermal infrared imaging. In asports setting, early detection of this conditioncould prevent more serious injuries from occur-ring. The research was published January 22 inthe Journal of Visualized Experiments.

Muscle damage, also known as delayed onsetmuscle soreness, is one of the most commonrecurring forms of sports injury. While previousresearch has detailed the mechanism of damage,treatment options, and preventive strategies, ithas remained difficult to quantify the condition.

This study—conducted by Hani Al-Nakhli;Jerrold Petrofsky, PhD; and Lee Berk, DrPH,of Loma Linda University School of AlliedHealth Professions; along with LLU alumnusMichael Laymon, DSc, now of Azusa PacificUniversity—revealed that thermal infraredimaging accurately detects levels of muscle sore-ness 24 hours after exercise.

The experienced pain of muscle soreness maynot peak until up to 72 hours after exercise,meaning this heat-imaging technique may reveal

Loma Linda researchers have found anon-invasive way to measure musclesoreness and possible injury.

Loma Linda researchers detail methodto quantify muscle damage

the location and extent of injury before a personcan fully feel it.

“The higher the skin temperature readings 24hours post exercise, the sorer the subject wouldbe later on,” the researchers note.

In this study, participants used weights to exer-

cise the elbow flexor muscles (biceps brachii) ofone arm, while the other arm remained at rest.Researchers used an infrared camera to detectheat in each arm before the exercise and thenagain at 24 and 48 hours post-exercise. Asubjective scale in which participants estimatedtheir own level of pain was administered on thesame timing.

The results revealed that 24 hours after exer-cising, pain in the exercised arm was correlatedwith a rise in arm temperature. While it isnormal for increased blood flow to elevate skintemperature during exercise, the fact that it wasstill elevated 24 hours later indicates muscledamage. This was further confirmed bymeasuring blood myoglobin three days post-exercise, revealing elevated levels.

“Hence, infrared thermal imaging would be ofgreat value in detecting delayed onset musclesoreness in its early stages,” the researchers say.“It would also be an interesting and painless wayof looking at muscles that have been exercisedand are sore, hours after the exercise is over.

“In a sports setting, early detection could help inlowering the incidence of injuries from over-exercising sore muscles on days following theinitial exercise,” they conclude.

By 48 hours, arm temperature returned tonormal while pain slightly increased. Thisindicates that thermal imaging is most usefulwithin 24 hours.

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

By Dustin R. Jones

School of Nursing classmates that hadn’tseen each other for more than 50 years, in

some cases, were reunited during the School ofNursing alumni weekend, held April 13 and 14.

The weekend began with events on Friday thatincluded tours of West Hall and the CentennialComplex. The highlight for most alumnioccurred Saturday afternoon during lunch,where the classes separated into groups andreconnected with each other. Memories wereshared, along with some tears.

“I want to thank all of the alumni who came foralumni weekend,” says Zelne Zamora, DNP,president of the School of Nursing Alumni

School of Nursing opens its doors toalumni during reunion weekend

NURSING ALUMNI HOMECOMING

Association. “We had many compliments abouthow enjoyable the weekend was and howwonderful everyone looked after 25, 30, 40, 50,or 60 years later!

“Laughter rang out in the School of Nursingduring the Sabbath luncheon as alumnirecounted many fond memories and anticswhile in school,” Dr. Zamora continues.

The banquet on Saturday evening started witha roll call by Dr. Zamora, who read off the yearsas classmates stood to be recognized.

Marilyn Herrmann, PhD, dean of the Schoolof Nursing, gave a brief report on the state ofthe school, along with the success that hasbeen reached over the past year and the chal-lenges as well.

“Welcome to all of you who have returned forour alumni banquet,” said Dr. Herrmann. “It is105 years ago this spring since we graduated ourfirst class.

“Since that time, we have graduated more than8,400 nurses at Loma Linda. They have workedall over this globe, so that the name ‘Loma Lindanurse’ is well recognized. It is a great honor forthose of us who teach here to be able to helpcontinue the tradition of graduating nurses whocombine the teaching and healing ministry ofJesus Christ in the practice of their profession.”

Dr. Herrmann noted that in this past year, 114students received more than $250,000 in schol-arship assistance.

“On behalf of those students and faculty, Iwould like to thank you for sharing your finan-

cial resources with them,” Dr. Herrmanncontinued.

Four Merit Scholarship Awards werepresented. Receiving the undergraduate awardswere Courtney Hayward and Cassandra Mort.The graduate awards were presented to MeganSchatzschneider and Lili Yang.

In addition, two Alumni of the Year Awardswere presented during the alumni banquet. JuliePearce, PhD, MSN, class of 1962, and ZelneZamora, DNP, class of 1987, were the recipi-ents of the coveted awards presented by thealumni association.

Dr. Pearce was born on November 11, 1940, inSeattle, Washington. Her parents moved toRedlands in 1960 where she attended LomaLinda University School of Nursing. Shereceived her bachelor’s degree from Loma Linda

in 1962 and went on to earn a master’s degree innursing in 1965. She would continue her educa-tion at Columbia Pacific University, where shereceived her PhD.

Dr. Pearce worked as a medical-surgical nurseand psychiatric nurse in her clinical practice.Her advanced degree gave her opportunity toteach for one year at Atlantic Union College,South Lancaster, Massachusetts; three years atLa Sierra University, Riverside, California; acommunity college in Florida; and 12 years atPacific Union College, Angwin, California.

In her 12 years at PUC, she chaired the nursingprogram, with responsibilities including tendingto four different on-site and off-site campuses,overseeing an LVN-to-BS program for medicalairmen, organizing the nursing core courses, andcoordinating clinical placement for students.

Dr. Pearce’s work at PUC gave her many expe-riences, such as working with the medicalairmen from the Air Force. Even deployed, theservicemen brought their notes and, upon grad-uation, received not only a promotion to anofficer, but also standing ovations from thegraduation audience for their service to theircountry. Dr. Pearce was made an honorarycolonel at one of the pinning ceremonies for herpart in helping servicemen become registerednurses so they would have a degree once theirmilitary experience was complete.

While at PUC, she traveled regularly to off-site

Three generations of School of Nursing graduates attended the reunion. EvelynShearer (middle right), graduated in 1941; her daughter, LoRita Larsen (middleleft), graduated in 1972; her granddaughter, Lydia Larsen (right), graduates in2012. Evelyn’s other granddaughter, Emily Larsen (left), will graduate from theSchool of Allied Health Professions in 2014.

Zelne Zamora, DNP (right), proudlydisplays her Alumna of the Yearaward with Marilyn Herrmann, PhD,dean of the School of Nursing.

Julie Pearce, PhD (right), addressesthe audience prior to receiving theAlumna of the Year award from KathieIngram, MSN, associate professor,School of Nursing.

Please turn to page 6

ALUMNI EXCELLENCE

TODAY 4 Friday, May 4, 2012

created or rewrote whole courses, and helpedbegin the weekend tradition of an Evensongservice for the university church.

If that didn’t keep him busy enough, he startedhis own business, Comm Consultants, in 1983,through which he offers seminars and work-shops on interpersonal, group, and presenta-tional communication.

Dr. Dickinson earned his PhD in rhetoric andpublic address from the University of Denver,and his master’s degree in the same subject fromthe University of Nebraska.

The Dickinsons have two adult children: TerriNeil, who lives with her husband and two chil-dren in Maine; and Greg, who followed in hisfather’s footsteps and is a communicationsprofessor at Colorado State University. He andhis wife live in Fort Collins, Colorado.

On the side, Dr. Dickinson constructs and sellselaborate children’s playhouses and doghouses,a hobby that earned him a feature in the WallaWalla Union-Bulletin newspaper. He alsocollects antique cars, of which his favorites arethe mid-60s Cadillacs.

In 2003, Dr. Dickinson was diagnosed withbladder cancer and came to Loma LindaUniversity for treatment. He is now cancer free.Here is what he wrote about the experience atthe time.

Miracles in MotionA Monologue by Loren Dickinson January 2004

Every guy faces it. Eventually, he has to checkwith his urologist. These guys work with one’splumbing, male and female. I, of course, wouldnot need the plumber.

Not the case. So I checked in.

Dave was personable, responsive, competent, aLoma Linda grad in the 80s. Did that help?Certainly. But what he found in a routineprocedure brought me bolt upright. “I’m afraidit’s cancer,” Dave said. “It’s a tumor near the topof the bladder about the size of a pencil eraser.”

I went into a freeze, chilled to the bone. Canceris a word many of us fear the most. And I had it.Within seconds I wanted desperately to disbe-lieve it. “The lab made a mistake,” I said.

Miracles in motion: reflections of a patient …Continued from page 8

Continued next page

School of Public Health MBA students (from left) Joel Hughes, Melanie Raffle,Samuel Nwosu, and Hannah Kemick competed in the April 20 college bowl ofthe Health Care Executives of Southern California, accompanied by facultyadvisor Brian Weed, MA (far right). The students presented a growth strategy forCentral California’s Tulare Regional Medical Center. “The team’s creativestrategy represented the MBA program and Loma Linda University well,” Mr.Weed says. By Heather Reifsnyder

MBA students compete in SouthernCalifornia college bowl

STUDENT EXCELLENCE

By Heather Reifsnyder

School of Public Health alumna WendyBazilian, DrPH, MA, received the inau-

gural K. Dun Gifford Journalism Award in2011 for her guest segment on “Good MorningAmerica” about boosting brain health with theMediterranean diet.

The award is given by Oldways, a Bostonnonprofit that aims to change the way peopleeat to achieve better health. Dr. Bazilian wasgiven the award by a jury including food writersand journalists Mimi Sheraton, Judith Wein-raub, and David Rosengarten.

Additionally, Apple Gifford, daughter ofOldways founder K. Dun Gifford, for whomthe award is named, was on the jury, as well ascurrent Oldways president Sara Baer-Sinnott.

Brain-saving wisdom can be found in the staplesof the traditional diet of Mediterranean peoples,according to Dr. Bazilian.

“If we look to the crystal-clear blue sapphirewaters of the Mediterranean region, we’ve seenfor a long time that they’ve had lower risk ofheart disease, lower mortality risk, lowerdiabetes,” she said to health host Tanya Rivero.“But also what’s good for the heart is turningout in a lot of new research … [to] be good forthe brain and helping prepare and preserve ourbrain as we live longer and longer.”

The staples that may help do this include wholegrains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables,berries, fish, olive oil, and light amounts ofcheese, according to Dr. Bazilian. Berries, forexample, contain antioxidants that may improvenerve cell communication, as well as flavonoidsthat may stimulate the hippocampus, which isresponsible for memory and thinking.

But nutrients picked here and there from such alist are not the key to brain health, Dr. Baziliannotes. The total package is key.

“It’s not just about single nutrients; it’s about

Public health alumna recognized for‘Good Morning America’ appearances

foods that come together on the table,” she said.“So it’s about being in touch with food and thelove of food.”

The theme of this year’s award was a celebra-tion of the Mediterranean diet, which Oldwayspromotes in its effort to change the way peopleeat through science, tradition, and good-tastingnutrition. Founder and award namesake K.

Dun Gifford died in 2010, at which time TheWashington Post called him “a longtime advo-cate of healthful eating and particularly of theMediterranean diet.”

The Mediterranean diet stems from long foodtraditions in areas bordering the sea to theirsouth such as southern Italy, Greece, and Crete.

Continued next page

TODAY5Friday, May 4, 2012

Dr. Loren Dickinson speaks with students at the time of his retirement fromWalla Walla University in 2000. He chaired the communications department formany years.

Using salvaged materials, Dr. Dickinson designs and builds elaborate children’splayhouses, such as the one this little girl is enjoying.

“Another test would show it is benign,” I said. Iprayed hard that way, in fact.

But the lab was right—cancer.

I can tell you that there’s hardly any of ithanging from my family tree: I’ve never been acoffee drinker, breathed industrial toxins, norbeen a smoker. (Well, I did puff on a discardedcigar once when I was 12 and nearly implodedmyself.) But there it was, a nasty, active malig-nancy in the bladder.

You can know where I headed—the closet,figuratively. Nearly incoherent, I spilled out myanguish to the Great Maker. (Now multipleprayers and weeks later, I’ve learned somethings. I’ll return to that.)

So, we headed to Loma Linda. There I musthave gotten preferential treatment. I prefer tocall it miraculous treatment. A niece, vice presi-dent for patient care, handpicked the surgeon,opened up surgery rooms, and scheduled mesooner than later.

They wheeled me that afternoon into the oper-ating room under those blazing lights. Thehand-picked surgeon and his team emerged andwent to work—well into the evening. They

eradicated the bladder, sent it to the spare partsrepository and, of all things, fashioned a newbladder from intestinal materials nearby. Theycall it a “cystectomy.”

They then hooked me up, sewed and stapledme up, and seven hours later awakened me tosedated pleasantness. No pain. “They haven’tstarted yet,” I mused to the nurse standing overme in the recovery area. “No,” she said, “thesurgery is over.” I was incredulous. Miraculous,that’s what it was.

They wheeled me to near the top of thosemedical center towers where other plumbingpatients lay. The staff now had me in a privateroom and a semi-private gown.

I could see the helicopter pad at my level.Around the clock, victims even worse than Iflew in. The cases that arrived in the middle ofthose dark nights seemed especially ominous tome. I prayed hard for victims I never knew, norwould ever see, as they rolled in.

Soon the bouquets and mail poured in, some ofit from people I’d never met. Carolyn and I werevain enough, I admit, to count the mail. Onehundred and fifty cards and letters in about twoweeks. I now know why. The university presi-dent arranged an e-mail blitz.

They released me to our motel nearly twoweeks later. But then it happened late one night.I took a nasty downturn with elevated tempsand serious vomiting. An infection. Carolyncalled the resident on duty.

“I’ll meet you at the front of the medical center,”he said. “Don’t go to the ER. I’ll pry open thefront doors and get you in.” He arrived beforewe did and proceeded to wheel my fragile frameand ill body back to the tower, and then saw methrough—an act of sheer compassion andunspeakable assurance. Another miracle.

And so I promised to return what I’ve learned.It’s a mixed picture.

1. I’m a miracle in motion. No moment passeswithout direct infusion from the GreatHealer. Nothing mixed about that.

2. I’m unclear that God permits these traumasbecause we have lessons to learn. But to miss amoral in this process is even more naïve. So Ithink about patience. My recuperation isanother year. I must be patient; and as surelyas I expect the Great Healer to do His work inHis time, I must extend patience to you andothers over matters lesser and greater.

3. I’ve considered empathy as a lesson. I’munclear. I want to identify with your woesand your joys and have told myself that I’vedone that for decades. I shall keep at it, andabout some things I do understand them

better than before.4. And about trust: Is it trust I need? Probably.

I cannot heal myself. The journey back to thispoint is with full credit to the Great Healer,and I have resolved to be clear and honestabout it to whomever. It is He in whom I havefull faith, even in the downturns.

5. And finally prayer. It has intensified tenfold,it seems. Does that make a difference? It doesto me. Whether or not what we talk aboutchanges Him, it does me. And have you your-self been in a spot where you hardly evenknow what to say? John Knox was. “Ourneeds go far beyond the power of our speechto express them,” he said. So are we stuck?No. Romans 8: “The Spirit intercedes for uswith groans that words cannot express.” I’llaccept that.

I’m convinced The Great Maker is not obliv-ious to (and honors) the prayers and thegroanings, however incoherent, that ascendfrom each of us for each other. And I’munspeakably grateful for yours.

And so, a final word. My journey, whichyou’ve patiently heard out, is little differentfrom those of many of you. We are notheroes, just mortals subject to nasty, evilpowers, but saved and made whole by One yetgreater, the Great Healer.

We all are miracles in motion.

Miracles in motion: reflections of a patient …Continued from previous page

Alumna Dr. Wendy Bazilian (right) explains the Mediterranean diet to “GoodMorning America” health host Tanya Rivero.

When following the traditional diet, the peoplein these regions experienced some of the lowestrates of chronic disease in the world, and someof the highest life expectancies, according toOldways.

“Dr. Wendy Bazilian is an important healthadvocate and supporter of the Mediterraneandiet and presents information in her ‘GoodMorning America’ segment that is approachableand eloquent,” says Ms. Baer-Sinnott, presidentof Oldways.

Dr. Bazilian found herself amazed to be nomi-nated alongside individuals who published inprestigious media outlets such as The WallStreet Journal.

“I was beyond honored, quite surprised, andhumbled,” she says. “I really attribute so muchof what I’ve learned and put into practice to my

education from Loma Linda University and toall my academic and life mentors.”

Dr. Bazilian graduated from Loma LindaUniversity in 2003 with her doctoral degree inpublic health nutrition. Since then, she haseducated, lectured, written, and consulted. Sheand her husband, Jason, run Bazilian’s HealthClinic in San Diego, where he offers traditionalChinese medicine, and she provides nutritionand fitness counseling.

In 2008, she published her book The Super-FoodsRx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power ofSuperNutrients. She also contributed to thebestselling original SuperFoodsRx book and tothe James-Beard nominated Golden Door Cooksat Home, which is about the nutrition andcuisine offered at the Golden Door spa inEscondido, California. Dr. Bazilian has alsowritten more than 200 articles for corporate andother media.

Public health alumna recognized for ‘GoodMorning America’ appearances …

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TODAY 6 Friday, May 4, 2012

A graduate of the University of Nevada Schoolof Medicine, Dr. Mangus is married to Cori-anne. They have two sons and a daughter—Ezekiel, age 5; Alistair, age 3; and Brighton, 11months. The family lives in nearby Highland,California.

“Incidentally, my fellow chief resident and Irecently created two catastrophic scenariosfor the simulation center,” Dr. Manguscontinues. “The very next week—on thesame day—both scenarios actually happenedin the Loma Linda University MedicalCenter operating suite.”

The value of medical simulations has certainlybecome clear to him. “I only hope we cancreate as many catastrophic simulationscenarios as possible before we have to face thereal situations with actual patients,” heemphasizes. “Simulation has certainly made adifference for me.”

Saving lives withmedical simulation …

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campuses. Her love of traveling opened up anopportunity to go to Braila, Romania, to visit anAdventist nursing school. In 1998, Romaniahad been liberated from communism for lessthan 10 years, so Dr. Pearce was able to assistwith setting up the school even through theirlimited resources at the time.

In 2002, she went to Sri Lanka withcurriculum materials based off of PUC’s basicnursing format to start a new nursing school.The government approved the format andPUC became a sister school, providing text-books and many resources to the Sri Lankanschool library.

The Sri Lankan nursing school that she helpedstart became the first non-government school tooffer the government exams to receive an RNlicense. Dr. Pearce was there when the govern-ment evaluated the graduates and the schoolcurriculum. The lowest score on the govern-ment exams by the students was 91 percent.She was there for the first graduation andcontinues to get help from the PUC faculty formore books and up-to-date resources.

Dr. Pearce has been married to Chuck Pearcefor 45 years, and they have lived in California,Florida, and Maine.

Twenty-five years ago, Zelne Zamora gradu-ated from the School of Nursing, following inher older brother’s footsteps. As a student, shedemonstrated leadership skills that are presentin her current position as assistant professor ofnursing. She was active in student governmentand served as president of her senior class. Inrecognition of her academic and leadershipskills, she was nominated to the honor society innursing, Sigma Theta Tau.

While still in school, Dr. Zamora beganworking as a staff nurse at Corona RegionalMedical Center and has been in the clinicalsetting ever since. From 1987 to 2005, sheworked at Parkview Community Hospitaland Medical Center, moving up the ladder tosupervisory positions. From 2005 until now,she has continued to keep her clinical skills

current by working at Loma Linda UniversityMedical Center.

Beginning in 1994, she started her teachingcareer at the School of Nursing—first as aclinical instructor and then as assistantprofessor, when she completed her MS degreeat Azusa Pacific University in 1997. Whileteaching full time and keeping current byworking weekly at the LLU Medical Center,Dr. Zamora went on to complete her DNP in2010 at the University of San Diego.

School of Nursing opens its doors to alumni duringreunion weekend …

Since joining the School of Nursing as a facultymember, Dr. Zamora has given her time assponsor to the association of student nurses.For many years she has helped plan studentactivities including the yearly retreat, while atthe same time serving the School of NursingAlumni Association, most recently as president.She has worked to increase the participation ofyounger alumni on the alumni board and hasencouraged students to develop an awareness ofthe alumni activities. Alumni weekend activitieshave been expanded to include a vespers beforethe banquet, and a Friday registration and tourof the facilities.

Dr. Zamora is recognized by students and grad-uates alike for her excellence in teaching and herclinical skills; but most of all, students andalumni honor her for the love and care she hasfor each of them.

“We are blessed to have the School ofNursing and proud of the accomplishmentsof our alumni,” says Dr. Zamora. “I wish thealumni continued blessings wherever theymay be. We hope you continue to keep intouch with the alumni association and hopeto see you again at a future alumniweekend.”

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TODAY7Friday, May 4, 2012

By Heather Reifsnyder

W ith obesity rates remaining dispropor-tionately high in the Latino community,

it is imperative for this population to improvediet and exercise regularly, according to the

recent “NBC Latino” interview with ZaidaCordero-MacIntyre, PhD, associate professorof nutrition in the School of Public Health.

Dr. Cordero-MacIntyre has spent years of hercareer researching community nutrition among

LLU nutrition researcher featured on ‘NBC Latino’ show

Dr. Cordero-MacIntyre

FACULTY EXCELLENCE

By Dustin R. Jones

W ithout friends and supporters of theSchool of Nursing, the preparation of

qualified nurses could not continue. The impor-tance of these individuals is celebrated each yearwith a special recognition brunch. This year, theKathryn Jensen Nelson Society Brunch washeld Sunday, April 15.

“This was my first brunch for the society,” saysAaron J. Laudenslager, development officer forLoma Linda University Health System’sadvancement team. “It was great connectingwith our supporters individually and learningmore about what their interests are.”

The brunch, named after one of the School ofNursing founders, honors those who give $250or more to the School of Nursing during theprevious year. It is held annually on the Sundayfollowing the school’s alumni weekend.

The Sunday brunch began with a welcome fromMarilyn Herrmann, PhD, dean of the School ofNursing, along with an introduction of Mr.Laudenslager, who recently joined the team.

Elizabeth Bossert, DNS, associate dean of the

School of Nursing brunch celebrates friends and donors

Jan Nick, PhD (left), associate professor, School of Nursing, shares a momentwith Anita Schultz, a 1965 graduate, and Helen King, PhD, dean emeritus of theSchool of Nursing and a 1959 graduate, during the Kathryn Jensen NelsonSociety Brunch.

minorities with the LLU Center for HealthDisparities and Molecular Medicine. Thesestudies have been funded by the National Insti-tutes of Health.

“The cheapest food in the world is in thiscountry, but the problem is that we have accessto so many foods that don’t contribute to ourhealth,” she said in the NBC article. “Eat prod-ucts of nature, less of what’s manufactured, andmake sure to schedule time to exercise.”

Dr. Cordero-MacIntyre has also contributed toanother “NBC Latino” article about weight lossin members of this community. The only lastingsolution for managing weight is physical activityand a healthy diet, she said.

“At the end of the day, weight loss only comesthrough lifestyle change,” she told NBC. “AsLatinos, we need to educate ourselves and makenutrition a priority.”

graduate program, offered prayer, and theguests were dismissed for brunch.

Dr. Herrmann gave a report of how the schoolhas performed over the past year. She indicatedthat enrollment has increased for the school.

A special video, titled “Making it Real,” wasshown to the brunch attendees. The videowas prepared by students from the Schoolof Nursing and documented a recent elec-tive that they had taken in Botswana withDolores Wright, PhD, associate professorof nursing.

Dr. Bossert then took the stage and intervieweda graduate student, Shanthi Solomon.

Ms. Solomon shared her personal story of howshe ended up at Loma Linda University andhow her life has changed since she has attended.

“I could not have done it without your support,”Ms. Solomon shared with the audience.

For information on how to become amember of the Kathryn Jensen NelsonSociety, please contact the School of Nursingat (909) 558-9101.

PHILANTHROPY

By James Ponder

A ll nurses are invited to stop by a boothcelebrating the first 10 years of the RN

pediatric nurse residency program at LomaLinda University Children’s Hospital onThursday, May 10.

The booth will be located in the hallway of theWong Kerlee International Conference Centerduring the upcoming Nursing Research Confer-ence, timed to coincide with Nursing Weekfestivities, and open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

According to Sherri Eskew, MSN, manager ofthe RN residency program in pediatrics andmanager of quality at Loma Linda UniversityChildren’s Hospital, the purpose of the booth isto recognize all nurses who have either served asparticipants in the program, or worked aspreceptors or mentors to the participants.

“We can’t forget the preceptors,” she observes.“They are our frontline leaders in developingand nurturing new nurses. It is their expertiseand willingness to spend the extra time it takesto make new nurses feel welcome and valued

Nurses invited to visit booth celebratingRN pediatric residency program

PEDIATRIC NURSING MILESTONE

that has contributed most to the success of ourprogram. It is these highly skilled nurses andpreceptors that we want to recognize the most.”

She says the nurses who graduate from theprogram inject new life into the units wherethey serve patients. “New nurses bring aspecial expertise to Loma Linda as well, andwe don’t want to overlook that,” shecontinues. “Health care is in a constant stateof change, and new nurses bring with themsome best practices they have learned in

school, as well as an abundance of technolog-ical expertise that seasoned nurses can learnfrom. So we have created a win-win team.

“The program has really been validated byretention,” she says. “Of the 671 graduates, 96percent of them are still working at LLU Chil-dren’s Hospital after one year, and 87 percent ofthem are still there after two years. We are veryhappy with the success of this program!”

There are plans to increase the scope and effec-tiveness of the residency. “We’re taking the resi-dency a step further to focus on successionplanning,” Ms Eskew adds. “We want tocontinue to develop these nurses into LomaLinda’s future nurse leaders.” Sherri Eskew, MSN

EXHIBIT AND LECTURE

By Dustin R. Jones

Aspecial exhibit on Civil War medicine isheaded to Loma Linda University. The

exhibit, featuring six banners, each seven feettall, will be on campus from May 14 to June 22in the Del E. Webb Memorial Library. Titled“Life and Limb: The Toll of the American Civil

Civil War medicine exhibit headlined with May lectureship

War,” the exhibit was developed and producedby the National Library of Medicine, NationalInstitutes of Health. It is free of charge andopen to the public.

The perspectives of surgeons, physicians, andnurses are richly documented in the history ofCivil War medicine, which highlights the

heroism and brutality of battlefield operationsand the challenges of caring for the woundedduring wartime. Yet the experiences of injuredsoldiers during the conflict and in the yearsafterwards are less well known. This exhibitfocuses on disabled veterans and their role assymbols of the fractured nation.

Highlighting this special exhibit will be alectureship featuring Jane E. Schultz, PhD,professor of English and director of literature atIndiana University/Purdue University/Indi-

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TODAY 8 Friday, May 4, 2012

Volume 25, No. 6 | Friday, May 4, 2012

CORRESPONDENTS

Doug Hackleman, MAdhackleman@llu.edu

James Ponderjlponder@llu.edu

Heather Reifsnyder, MAhreifsnyder@llu.edu

TODAY is a nonprofit news publication of Loma Linda University, operated under the auspices of the General Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists.

Internal campus-based advertising accepted for publication in TODAY is intended to be a service to the students, staff,employees, and faculty of all Loma Linda University entities. No outside advertising is included in this publication. The manage-ment, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to refuse, without explanation, any advertisement. The acceptance of advertising inthis publication does not represent an endorsement or guarantee of any kind by Loma Linda University, Loma Linda UniversityMedical Center, or Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center.

Questions about content, campus-related advertising, and circulation should be directed to TODAY, Burden Hall, Loma LindaUniversity, Loma Linda, California 92350. Phone (909) 558-7000. © 2012. All rights reserved.

www.llu.edu | www.facebook.com/lomalindauniversity

Stephen Vodhanel, PhDsvodhanel@llu.edu

Nancy Yuen, MPWnyuen@llu.edu

Editor · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Dustin R. Jones, MAdjones@llu.edu

Managing editor/layout · · · · · · · Larry Kidder, MAlkidder@llu.edu

MEDICAL SIMULATION TRAINING

Have a story that’s noteworthy? Send it to news@llu.edu

By Larry Kidder

Dustin Mangus, MD, sits in his customaryspot at the head of the patient. As anes-

thesiologist for the case, his job is to keep hispatient sedated at just the right level, carefullymonitoring vital signs and equipment, whilesurgeons work quickly just a few feet away.

At the appropriate moment, Dr. Mangus beginsto administer protamine sulfate, a drug thatreverses the effects of heparin, the primary drugused to reduce the body’s ability to create bloodclots. He empties the syringe into an intra-venous line.

Protamine binds with heparin, restoring theblood’s ability to clot and reduce bleeding. Thisis a routine part of many cardiothoracic andvascular surgeries.

Suddenly multiple alarms sound. The heartmonitor drones a single tone as the heart ratedrops to nothing. The patient has stoppedbreathing.

Dr. Mangus and his health care colleagues workfeverishly to right the situation. His patient isexperiencing catastrophic cardiopulmonarycollapse, where both the heart and lungs simul-taneously fail. After a few minutes, their effortsprove futile. The patient has died.

Rather than wheeling the patient to themorgue, as would be the next step in a literalhospital operating room, Dr. Mangus and afellow anesthesia resident retire to a secondroom with desks and a television monitor.The colleagues who were in the simulatedoperating room with Dr. Mangus—as well asothers who were watching from a controlroom—assemble to view and critique hisactions in the simulation scenario of just a fewminutes ago.

Saving lives with medical simulationFast forward less than a week. Dr. Mangus isonce again at the head of his patient, carefullymonitoring the levels of sedation, as well as amultitude of vital signs and equipment. Thistime, it’s a real patient—a 29-year-old hearttransplant recipient.

At the age of 6, this young man received a newheart and a new lease on life. On this day, acardiothoracic surgeon performs open-heartsurgery to repair a faulty valve.

Once again, the monitors sound. The patientgoes into catastrophic cardiopulmonary collapsejust after Dr. Mangus administers protamine.But this time, Dr. Mangus knows exactly whatto do. Both he and the surgeon push massivedoses of epinephrine, reversing the reaction andsaving the young man’s life.

A small percentage of patients experience a reac-tion to protamine sulfate during surgery.Without prompt and proper action, thesepatients may die on the operating table.Knowing this, attending physicians in the anes-thesiology residency program created a simula-tion scenario to test—and teach—anesthesiaresidents. During their time at Loma Linda,anesthesiology residents will be tested in avariety of scenarios to prepare them for emer-gencies just like cardiopulmonary collapse.

This is but one example of just how the LomaLinda University Medical Simulation Center(MSC) can impact the lives of patients. Prac-ticing health care providers and those intraining take part in numerous scenariosdesigned to not only prepare them for the real-life scenarios they may face, but to also teachthem to successfully work as part of an inter-disciplinary health care team.

Debriefing sessions following the simulationscenarios provide critical opportunities for self-

evaluation, as well as learning from the observa-tions of peers and clinical educators.

The MSC, along with the Clinical Skills Educa-tion Center, became one of only 19 programsworldwide to receive accreditation by the Societyfor Simulation in Healthcare <ssih.org> inJanuary of this year. The organization, “a broad-based, multi-disciplinary, multi-specialty, inter-national society with ties to all medicalspecialties, nursing, allied health paramedicalpersonnel, and industry,” was founded in 2004.

Medical simulations take place in roomsdesigned to look and feel like actual healthcare settings.

A health care team, composed of health profes-sionals and members of the medical simulationcenter staff playing various roles, works withlifelike computerized manikins that mimicpatients in amazing ways. In fact, MSC staffmembers have affectionately named the

Dustin Mangus, MD, a medical resident in the department of anesthesiology,experienced firsthand the benefits of medical simulation training. Just a fewdays after going through a simulated catastrophic cardiopulmonary collapse inLoma Linda University’s Medical Simulation Center, Dr. Mangus was faced withthe identical situation during an actual surgery case. He applied what he hadlearned in simulation, and his quick actions helped to save a life.

manikins and refer to them by name. Behindthe glass in a control room overlooking thesimulation rooms sit technical specialists whorun the computerized medical simulations. InDr. Mangus’ case, his attending (teaching)physician was also behind the glass.

“In our first month of anesthesia residency,” Dr.Mangus explains, “each resident takes part inthree simulation sessions. After that, we have anaverage of three sessions per year.”

The department of anesthesiology is only one ofan increasing number of entities at Loma Lindawho utilize the services of MSC.

Dr. Mangus is in his fourth and final year ofanesthesia residency. He is one of two chief resi-dents in the program. In May of this year, hewill finish residency and begin a fellowship incardiothoracic anesthesiolgy at Loma LindaUniversity Medical Center.

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By Heather Reifsnyder

Loren Dickinson spent his life teachingcollege students to better relate and

communicate with others. Now, in his retire-ment, he’s learned his own lessons aboutrelating—to both God and other people.

His teacher was the one most feared of all:cancer. The following reminiscence, written in2004 shortly after his life-saving surgery atLoma Linda University, describes the fears heexperienced and the lessons he learned. Butfirst, some background.

For 38 years, Dr. Dickinson dedicated his life asa professor of communications to the studentsof Walla Walla University in WashingtonState. Despite seven temptations to leave forposts at other colleges—including the presi-dency at one—he and his wife, Carolyn, feltthey had found their fit and they stayed there.He retired in the year 2000.

While at Walla Walla, Dr. Dickinson made hismark on the college through both classroomteaching and extracurricular projects—allstudent focused.

“Teachers’ best work may well transpire not in

A PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Miracles in motion: reflections of a patientthe classroom, but in the sanctuary of theiroffices,” he wrote in the Walla Walla magazine,Westwind, at the time of his retirement.

Dr. Dickinson chaired the communicationsdepartment for many years, led students ninetimes on study tours to England and Scotland,started and managed KGTS college radio,

Dr. Dickinson

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