January 2022: Oaklawn's first birth of 2022

During January 2022, MysteryVisits Communications provided the following press release on behalf of Oaklawn. ...

~ Marshall couple’s second child is Oaklawn's first birth of 2022 ~ 

MARSHALL, Michigan  – Oaklawn's first baby of 2022 is Kailani Zoe Rodriguez, born at 2:48 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, in the Oaklawn Birth Center. The child is the daughter of Lyann Vega-Santiago and Kevin Rodriguez, both of Marshall. 

Little Kailani weighed 7 pounds and 3 ounces at birth, and measured 18½ inches long, Oaklawn’s nursing staff reported. 

The child is the second baby for the couple, who learned of Oaklawn’s reputation for newborn care while researching the subject on the internet.

“Everything was good” about the experience at the Birth Center, according to Kailani’s mother. “We appreciated the nurses and the staff, who helped us so much.” 

The hospital staff presented the family with a gift basket containing items for the child and family. Included were a baby blanket and swaddle blankets, outfits and shoes for the baby, a crib sheet, a candle, a package of teething items, wipes, books, a musical toy and items to help the parents mark their child’s milestones. 

Oaklawn's renovated Birth Center opened in 2012. Based on the number of deliveries since then, staff expect to welcome about 650 newborns during 2022.

At Oaklawn, a new mother remains in one comfortable, homelike room from labor through the time she takes her baby home. Each of the 11 private rooms for labor, delivery, recovery and post-partum care is decorated in soft colors and features a private bathroom and shower, a rocking chair and other amenities to make the mother and baby feel at ease. 

Oaklawn's infant security system allows the nursing team to monitor the location of each baby in the Birth Center, which is a locked unit monitored by staff members. 

Experienced obstetrical nurses are always prepared to answer questions or respond to any need, and can provide information about natural relaxation, breathing techniques and pain medication. The Birth Center also offers pre-natal and childbirth education classes.

For additional information about the Oaklawn Birth Center and its services, go to www.oaklawnhospital.org or call (269) 789-3929.

December 2021: Dr. Neidlinger to retire

During December 2021, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn ... 

~ Thomas Neidlinger, M.D., to retire after more than 43 years of medical practice ~ 

MARSHALL, Michigan — After more than four decades of service to patients throughout the region, Thomas Neidlinger, M.D., is to retire from his family medical practice at the end of December, Neidlinger and Oaklawn officials have announced.  

Appointments scheduled with Neidlinger after Dec. 31 will be cancelled. Patients may call Dr. Erin Rockwell, D.O., at Oaklawn Medical Group – Marshall Primary Care, or another Oaklawn Medical Group provider, to establish care as a new patient.

Dr. Jamie Longhurst, D.O., Neidlinger’s associate at Neidlinger Family Practice since early 2019, is transitioning into private practice. Appointments scheduled with Longhurst after Dec. 31 also are being cancelled and may be rescheduled after her practice opens in 2022. 

Patients with walk-in needs are being directed to Oaklawn After Hours Express at 1174 W. Michigan Ave. during that facility’s regular hours — 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

“Dr. Neidlinger’s service to Oaklawn and the Marshall community is legendary,” said Gregg Beeg, Oaklawn’s president and CEO. “We’ve long been proud of our professional association and we wish him well in his retirement.”

Neidlinger, the senior member of Oaklawn’s medical staff, has been long recognized for his focus on professional medical excellence. In 2012, Neidlinger was designated Oaklawn’s Physician of the Year, the second physician so honored. He has served on the Oaklawn Board of Directors and on the Marshall Board of Education while remaining active as a community volunteer. 

In the years since Neidlinger joined Oaklawn in mid-1978, he has delivered an estimated 3,000 babies — sometimes in the hospital’s emergency room, once in a hospital elevator and once in an automobile in the hospital’s parking lot, he said. 

“They just come when they want,” Neidlinger said with a chuckle, admitting that living just three blocks from the hospital made it easier at times to be on the scene when needed.

“Often I wouldn’t even drive down there,” he said. “It was almost quicker to run.”

Neidlinger completed undergraduate studies at Michigan State University and earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan. He completed his family-practice residency at the Grand Rapids Medical Education Center and is certified by the American Board of Family Practice. In recent years, Neidlinger Family Practice has occupied Suite 2A in the Wright Medical Building. 

Neidlinger and his wife, Darlene — a nurse trained in her native Muskegon — met in 1975 as medical professionals in a Grand Rapids emergency room. When they married in early 1978, one of the wedding guests was Rob Covert, Oaklawn’s former chief executive officer and president, who was actively seeking physicians to come to Marshall. 

“Rob was energetic, persuasive and very helpful,” Neidlinger recalled. “We had looked at several locations but Marshall really seemed to want us.” 

Neidlinger credited Covert for convincing the young physician and his wife of two months to make the move, adding that the community’s own attributes played a significant role. 

Neidlinger was born in Tecumseh, raised in Onsted and had been a resident of rural Jackson. As a result, he said, Marshall felt familiar and a good fit.

“I liked the size of the community — the friendliness and wholesomeness. And, of course, the historical background was appealing,” Neidlinger said.

“The hospital was in need of a family-practice base,” Covert recalled. “Fortunately, (the Neidlingers) liked the environment of Marshall — the beautiful downtown and the small-town atmosphere, and they saw an opportunity here.”

“I’d been hesitant, not knowing anyone” in the town, Darlene Neidlinger said. “But we got an amazing welcome from the community and the hospital had a lot to do with that. Along with my work with (Calhoun County) Visiting Nurse Service, that made it a lot easier and helped me to acclimate to the move.”

Forty-three years after the Neidlingers settled in Marshall, Covert expressed his personal congratulations to the physician on his retirement.

“He has had a wonderful career that benefited his patients, the town and the hospital,” Covert said. “He helped us establish a high standard of quality — out of the gate and over time. He demonstrated that quality himself and insisted on it from other physicians, and he and his family have been a wonderful addition to the community.”

Such assessments as Beeg’s and Covert’s stem from the Neidlingers’ range of effort —as individuals and as a couple — extending beyond their professional work to their volunteer service.

Darlene Neidlinger became an active member of the Oaklawn Auxiliary and served as its president. She said the couple’s focus on their children — all now grown — led them toward involvement in varied activities beyond the hospital.

“We put down roots,” Tom Neidlinger said. “This is where our four children were born and educated. It’s been a great town to raise kids. They had a good education and they were safe.” 

Those activities included service on the Marshall Public Schools Board of Education — which each served as president — as well as leadership with local Cub Scouts, coordinating travel for local sports teams, helping with blood drives and board and committee service with the Marshall Community Foundation and Marshall Historical Society. 

“What I did was for my family and for my kids,” Darlene Neidlinger said. “The hospital was vital for the health of the community, but my biggest joy was serving on the school board, where I felt I could make a real difference. Whatever our kids were doing, that’s what Tom and I wanted to be a part of.”

Tom Neidlinger said he’ll learn eventually what’s in store for him in retirement.

“I’ll go to the gym, I hope,” he said. “We also hope to travel and see our children and grandchildren. I’d like to see the beautiful country out West and see what’s out East, too. Once things settle, maybe I can find a volunteer gig.” 

Darlene Neidlinger won’t disclose all of the plans she has for her husband in retirement, but suggested there might be some chores for him around their house and garden.

“We’ll be doing some things together,” she said. “And we’ll always consider ourselves part of the Marshall community.” 

November 2021: Renewed anti-virus effort urged

During November 2021, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn ... 

~ Overwhelmed by pandemic, Oaklawn officials urge renewed community effort ~ 

MARSHALL, Michigan – Medical staff at Oaklawn and nearby hospitals are facing burnout and insufficient patient beds even as they strive to provide care to afflicted COVID-19 patients while the pandemic continues in Michigan.

"Our emergency department and nursing supervision teams have been sounding the alarm the past few weeks," said J. Summer Liston-Crandall, M.D., Oaklawn's chief medical officer. "It has been incredibly difficult to transfer patients requiring higher levels of care to other hospitals in the region."

"We are pulling staff from other departments when able to help assist with the emergencies and COVID-19 patients at the hospital," said Theresa Dawson, Oaklawn's chief nursing officer. "Our hospitalists are rounding in the emergency department when they can to help care for patients being boarded because of a lack of available beds. Other hospitals are not accepting transfers because of the volume at their own facility."

Liston-Crandall and Dawson expect to meet with leaders of other regional hospitals to develop a coordinated plan for such transfers.

In recent days, regional healthcare coalitions have renewed a statewide effort to urge Michigan residents to join the fight against the virus.

Members of Oaklawn's senior leadership team, including President and CEO Gregg Beeg, have been working with Region 5 representatives to shape a regional strategy focusing on the COVID-19 surge. Calhoun is one of nine southwestern counties that make up the Michigan trauma network designated as Region 5; the others are Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch.

"The largest and most distressing challenge we are experiencing is getting patients appropriate care," said Allison Field, D.O., who serves as medical director of Oaklawn's emergency department and after-hours clinics.

"Our volume is at record high rates and we are doing our best to provide everyone with the best care possible," she added.

Just prior to Thanksgiving, Oaklawn's medical staff admitted record high numbers of COVID-19 patients to the hospital. The highest number of such patients – 20 – was recorded Nov. 22, Dawson said.

"The week before in Calhoun County, there was an average of 129 new positive cases each day," she said.

"All surrounding hospitals are full, so if a patient has needs that exceed the resources Oaklawn can provide, we have difficulty getting them transferred to a higher level of care," Field said. "This leads to extended patient stays in the emergency department as well as longer wait times, as we have only so many beds in the emergency department."

Oaklawn officials are further alarmed by the prospect that the pandemic's scope could lead to a reduction in medical staff.

"Our staff are exhausted and burned out," Beeg said. "We need the community's help to alleviate the current surge and to prevent future surges. Some staff are choosing to leave the industry altogether and vacant job openings are proving difficult to fill. Less staff and higher patient volume leads to stress on the system."

Oaklawn medical staff stressed that community members can assist the effort. Calhoun County's vaccination rate was reported as 48.4 percent on Nov. 22, Beeg said – a figure he described as extremely low.

"Our community needs to educate themselves on the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine," he said. "The majority of COVID-19 patients needing hospitalization or dying are unvaccinated individuals. Many of these hospitalizations and deaths could be avoided had the patients been vaccinated."

"Even though we have seen breakthrough cases, vaccinated individuals are much less symptomatic and less likely to require hospitalization than those who are not," Field said.

Proper masking of the nose and mouth also helps prevent the transmission of disease, she said.

About a dozen medical staff members comprise Oaklawn's incident-command group, which meets twice weekly to focus on COVID-related challenges, and a vaccine committee meets weekly to discuss community-education issues, Beeg said.

"There are so many ongoing efforts to combat this virus and everyone is working diligently in their respective role to aid in efforts," he said. "The lesson is that getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, washing hands and social distancing can help alleviate the stress on the hospitals regionally."

Additional information is available online at oaklawnhospital.org/covid-dashboard.

October 2021: A life and legacy celebrated

~ Celebrating the life and legacy of William Gillette in a new way ~ 

Since moving to Connecticut from Michigan in early 2020, an opportunity arose to lend some time volunteering on behalf of one of the state's more fascinating destinations -- Gillette Castle State Park.

The popular tourist destination at 67 River Road is nestled atop the “Seventh Sister” hill and is situated in the towns of East Haddam and Lyme along the Connecticut River. 

Its centerpiece is the retirement home of William H. Gillette, the first actor to become internationally famous for his performances as Sherlock Holmes.

Therein lies our connection -- and fascination -- with the subject, because we've been responsible for bringing the master detective to life ourselves. In fact, Gillette is the only actor to surpass the number of years -- as well as performance hours -- that we've spent in that particular role. 

Gillette, a Hartford native, died in 1937 after a lengthy theatrical career. The state eventually took over ownership of his home and surrounding estate. 

The goal of the timeline project was to create a chronological timeline that would be easy to read and yet provide as much insight as possible into Gillette's life and extraordinarily long career.

If you'd like to look at the project, it's now online at the website of the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park, and may be viewed here: "A Gillette Timeline"

We proposed the project in late 2020 and, over several months of negotiations and research regarding what should be included, we worked with several volunteers connected with the Friends to finalize the text and place it online for others to see.

We also proposed a secondary project that we hope will come to fruition during 2022. When we visited Riverside Cemetery near Farmington, Connecticut, to visit the graves of Gillette and his wife Helen, we discovered that their headstones had grown stained and discolored over time. With the assistance of other Friends volunteers, and with permission already granted by the cemetery supervisors, our small band of Gillette fans intends to clean the headstones during the coming spring, and it's hoped that the headstones eventually will look almost like new. 

October 2021: Lynette Robinson joins Oaklawn

During October 2021, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn ... 

~ Lynette Robinson returns to Oaklawn in new role as a family nurse practitioner ~

MARSHALL – Perhaps it's not too surprising that some of the young students in the Union City middle-school biology class were reluctant to dissect a cow's heart.

Not Lynette Robinson. The teen-ager – then known as Lynette Weeks – went right to work, mesmerized by what she saw as the “magic” of how the heart functioned.

“A lot of my classmates were afraid to touch it, but I found it absolutely amazing and interesting,” she recalled. “I never shied away from anything like that.”

In time, the young woman's self-igniting fascination with all things scientific led to an interest in the healing arts.

Now, with more than two decades of experience, she returns to Oaklawn, where she began her medical career as a nurse but now as a family nurse practitioner. Primarily, Robinson will be seeing patients at Oaklawn Medical Group – Obstetrics & Gynecology, in Suite 3D of the Wright Medical Building at 215 E. Mansion St. Appointments may be made by calling (269) 558-0702.

Robinson also will provide services at Oaklawn Medical Group's After Hours Express – Marshall, 1174 W. Michigan Ave. No appointments are necessary at this walk-in location. Additional information for this office are available by calling (269) 789-4390.

Robinson grew up on a couple of rural acres near Union City as part of a family where factory work was the norm. Encouraged in her studies by her paternal grandmother, an avid reader, the young woman developed a respect for books and the knowledge they contained.

Her curiosity and drive led her to excel in such high-school classes as chemistry, biology and the physical sciences, and she was inducted into the National Honor Society.

“Originally, I thought about becoming a physician,” she said, “but as I grew older I realized that I wanted to have a family, and the time involved in study would be a challenge if I wanted to have time with them. I decided that I still could make a difference in people's lives as a nurse.”

After graduation from Union City High School, Robinson enrolled at Battle Creek-based Kellogg Community College, from which she received an associate's degree in nursing in 1998.

As a new registered nurse, Robinson launched her medical career in Battle Creek, after which she came to Oaklawn's intensive-care unit, where she worked with patients until late 2001. Her later professional experience included work at Battle Creek Health System, Brookside Surgery Center, The Oaks and The Legacy, all based in Battle Creek.

Robinson returned to school to earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Chicago-based Chamberlain University in 2019. She went on to earn a master of science degree in nursing with a speciality as a family nurse practitioner from the same university in 2020. Since then, she has worked as a nurse practitioner for PACE of Southwest Michigan and Albion-based STG International Inc.

Robinson is certified as a registered nurse by the state of Michigan and as a family nurse practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She also is certified in basic life support and advanced cardiac life support.

Robinson and her husband of 22 years, Steve, have three children – Hunter, 21; Cole, 19, and Skylar, 18. The family reside near Battle Creek.

“Family is important to me,” she said. “I was very close to my grandparents, who were my babysitters, so I like to do things together with my children and husband, such as family vacations.” She also likes to read psychological thrillers and mysteries, as well as walk four miles daily whenever possible.

Robinson added that she's eager to return to Oaklawn, where she had started her nursing career 19 years ago.

“I had three rotations while I was first with Oaklawn, and I had great experiences at every single site,” she said. “Everyone was wonderful and it was a great environment. So, I really wanted to end up at Oaklawn because I had been so happy there, and everyone had been so supportive.”

When hospitalization was required for her grandparents, they received “great care” at Oaklawn, she added.

“That's another reason I have faith in Oaklawn as a health facility,” she said. “It just feels like coming home.”

October 2021: Marcia French joins Oaklawn

During October 2021, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn ... 

~ Marcia French joins Oaklawn's Marshall Primary Care as a family nurse practitioner ~ 

MARSHALL – Marcia French doesn't hesitate when asked what inspired her to pursue a medical career.

“My mother is a registered nurse who got her bachelor's degree at Michigan State University,” she says. “That's the track I took, too. She worked part-time when I was growing up and she loved her career. That drove me to want to follow in her footsteps.”

Taking that example to heart, French launched her own career as a nurse several years ago. She recently earned her degree as a family nurse practitioner and, in that capacity, now is working alongside other Oaklawn Medical Group staff at Marshall Primary Care in Suite 1E of the Wright Medical Building, 215 E. Mansion St. Appointments may be made by calling (269) 781-3938.

As a girl growing up in Charlotte, the former Marcia Matwiejczyk could witness firsthand how much her mother enjoyed her work as a nurse at the Barry-Eaton District Health Department, based in Charlotte.

“My brother and I would go in multiple times to see my mom, and we saw the positive work environment,” she said, adding that she can't recall a time in her life when she didn't believe she would pursue a similar career in promoting good health.

“From middle school on, health and wellness have been important to me – exercise, eating healthy and so on,” she said, crediting her mother for encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

“She lived that lifestyle herself and that's always been my mentality,” French said. “So, to work in a field where I could encourage other people in the lifestyle also was a drawing factor.”

Her high school studies – particularly a course in anatomy and pathophysiology – allowed her to prove to herself that she found the biological sciences enjoyable and that she had an aptitude for pursuing them.

After graduation from Charlotte High School, French followed her mother's path and enrolled at Michigan State University, from which she graduated with a bachelor of science degree in nursing in 2007.

“As I grew older, I realized that was attractive to me about nursing was that there are so many specialties and so many different places to work,” she said. “I liked the variety that it could offer.”

French's professional career provided her with nursing experience at Carson City (Michigan) Hospital, Charlotte-based Barry-Eaton District Health Department and McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital.

Then, in 2017, the tragic loss of her husband of 12 years in an accident created a sudden new situation.

“There was a huge change in my life, along with the grief,” she said, “and it's what brought me to nurse-practitioner school when it wasn't something that I'd actually been planning.”

French joined Oaklawn as a registered nurse earlier this year while completing those studies at from Spring Arbor University, and recently earned her master of science in nursing degree as a family nurse practitioner. She is licensed in Michigan as a family nurse practitioner, is certified in basic life support and is a member of the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners

Now married to Marty French, the couple live near Charlotte with a combined family of six children. They include Ethan, 13, Lola, 11, Weston, 9, and Mason, 7, who are her children from her first marriage, and Marty's children Jacob, 18, and McKenzie, 14.

When she's not at her medical work, Marcia French now finds herself involved in plenty of enjoyable activity with her family.

“I love to run and do cross-fit every day.” she said. “We have a cottage in Lake City, where we do boating and water sports. In winter, it's snowmobiling.”

French added that she's looking forward to her new work at Oaklawn.

“I was fortunate enough to get a clinical rotation there while in nurse-practitioner school,” she said. “I saw the teamwork and how well people work together. That team aspect really drew me to want to find out more – and it all fell into place.

“I know a lot of people who have had babies here, and they all had a good experience,” she added. “The patient population that Oaklawn Medical Group serves is another drawing factor. Plus, I like being with a small local hospital.”

October 2021: Help sought for Oaklawn Hospice

During October 2021, MysteryVisits Communications provided this press release on behalf of Oaklawn ... 

~ ‘Tour of Tables’ alternative fundraiser to seek financial assistance for Oaklawn Hospice ~ 

MARSHALL – Over the years, an autumn evening of fanciful fun and conviviality has been the best way to describe Oaklawn's annual Tour of Tables fundraiser – although the cause was a serious one.

This year, the ongoing pandemic has challenged organizers to be creative and find an alternative way to seek financial assistance for Oaklawn Hospice Services and the families that have relied on its compassionate care.

“Because of the continuous rise in COVID cases, we will not be holding our typical 'Tour of Tables' event this year,” said Jenna Ellis, Oaklawn's development manager. “Instead, we've invited our community to participate in a 'non-event' fundraiser intended to help people celebrate their lost loved ones while still doing something enjoyable.”

The substitute event, called “Stay Home for Hospice,” is to be observed Nov. 18 and Ellis said participants actually are being advised to do just that – stay at home.

“We encourage you to utilize your free evening to celebrate a lost loved one doing something they enjoyed,” she said. “Maybe you put together their favorite puzzle, watch their beloved movie or dine on a meal you shared together.”

As part of the fundraiser, participants are being encouraged to share their activities via Twitter and other social-media programs, using the Oaklawn designation @oaklawncares, she said.

Tax-deductible donations also are being accepted through Dec. 1, she said, adding that they may be made by credit card or check payable to “Oaklawn Hospital” with a notation designating Oaklawn Hospice as the recipient. Such donations may be delivered to Oaklawn's development office at 116 E. Prospect St., Marshall, MI 49068.

“We'd like to encourage participants to donate in the amount they'd typically spend during a normal 'Tour of Tables' event,” Ellis said.

Additional information is available by contacting Ellis at jlellis@oaklawnhospital.com or (269) 789-7494.

Funds raised during the event will go directly to support Oaklawn Hospice’s comprehensive healthcare program, which works to meet the physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of persons with life-limiting conditions and their families, Ellis said.