Employee Spotlight: Melissa Coombs

The top CircAid® Sales Representative for 2010 was, Melissa Coombs. Melissa, a former occupational therapist, services the New England area of the United States and has been working with CircAid® for five years.

When asked how she feels about working as an independent sales rep she stated, “I love the flexibility and variety of my job. It’s never the same day twice! On any given day, I could be in one of six states, talking about anything from compression to wheelchairs.” Melissa is a real asset to the CircAid® team. Her enthusiasm is her one of her signature trademarks, especially in the field. “I love telling people how giraffe skin inspired the CircAid® product line. If they forget everything else I say, they will remember the giraffe skin!”

Melissa exemplifies the caring attitude that is a common thread throughout CircAid®, ” It’s amazing how well people respond to the products. They are so simple and eliminate the obstacles that frustrate the consumers (getting them on) and the medical professionals (compliance). I’ve seen so many dramatic examples of healing and size reduction, it’s hard not to get excited about CircAid®. Rarely does a week go by that I don’t get a call from a therapist, nurse, doctor or fitter telling me about the amazing results their patient had with one of our products! It is fun to promote CircAid® because it can change people’s lives for the better.”

All at CircAid® invite you in congratulating Melissa Coombs for a job well done in 2010 as we look forward to seeing her accomplishments in the coming year.

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A Letter from Dr. Steven Reeder, MD, FACS

“I recently returned from my second trip to Nicaragua in the past year, primarily to treat patients with severe venous disease. Our trip was facilitated by a group, Austin Samaritans, based in Austin Texas, and our efforts were all in Matagalpa, which is a city of about a half a million people northeast of Managua. For this trip, my wife, son and I along with three volunteers from Medical City Dallas were on the trip. We tried to see only people with the most severe disease, while those with milder disease were fitted with compression stockings. Continue reading →

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Are you at risk for developing a blood clot when you travel by plane?

A recent article in Phlebology stated that there is a risk of developing blood clots when travelling by air for extended periods of time. In addition to this risk, airlines (just over 25%) are not providing travelers with adequate information regarding the risks. As part of DVT Awareness month, CircAid® is taking part in raising awareness to you safe while you travel.

Risky Business

According to the WHO Research Into Global Hazards of Travel (WRIGHT) report, approximately 1 in every 6000 travelers will develop a blood clot. To put that figure in perspective, that would mean as many as 11,000 incidents a year for an airport the size of Heathrow in London.

Immobility associated with long flight durations is a recognized risk factor for developing blood clots, but there are additional risk factors to be aware: previous venous thromboembolism (blood clots); thrombophilia; family history; malignancy; recent surgery; hormone therapy (birth control or estrogen replacement); pregnancy and obesity.

Reduce Your Risk

What can be done to reduce your risks when traveling?

• In-flight Exercise: Walk around as much as possible; do knee bends or rise up on your toes when standing. Additionally flexing your feet periodically when sitting will help increase the blood flow through your legs.
• Hydration: the environment in an airplane will result in dehydration during long flights so be sure to drink plenty of water during your trip. Avoid excessive alcohol as this will also cause dehydration
• Compresion: Graduated compression garments, such as Juxta-Lite™, help promote blood flow in your legs
• In addition if you are at high-risk consult your physician prior to travel and suitable pharmaceuticals may be prescribed to reduce the risk of clotting.

So before your next transatlantic or transcontinental flight take time to think about your risk of developing a blood clot and how you might prepare to prevent it from occurring.

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March is DVT Awareness Month

When most think about the month of March, they think about St. Patrick’s Day or the first day of Spring. However, here at CircAid® we are thinking about DVT Awareness Month.

What is DVT?

DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis is a condition in which a thrombus, or a blood clot, forms in one of the large veins. This clot generally will take place in the leg. This blockage in circulation can cause further health complications such as pulmonary embolisms or even death if not diagnosed and treated effectively. It may seem like an obscure disease; however it may surprise you to know that this condition affects over 2 million Americans each year.

Generating DVT Awareness

If you’re not familiar with the symptoms of DVT, visit www.preventDVT.org to download helpful literature and view a comprehensive symptoms list. Some of the symptoms may include pain, tenderness, edema and/or skin discoloration of the affected limb. Compression therapy plays a major role in both DVT prevention and treatment. Check in with CircAid’s blog this month for more information and helpful tips on DVT.

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