Long time Othello resident Olivia Salas made her first visit to the Othello
Clinic recently. “A navigator (patient service representative) met
me as I entered and helped direct me to where I needed to go,” she
said. “The new clinic is really pretty and I felt very comfortable
being here.”
CBHA has always served Olivia’s health care needs –
medical,
dental,
vision and
behavioral health.
Dr. Randy Bunch is her medical provider and
Dr. Callin Passey is her optometrist. Olivia also receives her dental care at CBHA.
Olivia was diagnosed with diabetes 24 years ago during her first
pregnancy. Blood sugar levels returned to normal readings after the pregnancy only
to rise to higher levels later. She gave birth to twins six years later.
“Dr. Bunch delivered my babies and has cared for us all ever since,”
Olivia said.
Dr. Bunch stressed the importance, when caring for diabetic patients, of
keeping careful watch over their medical, vision, dental and mental health
at the same time. “That is the beauty of having all these services
available at CBHA,” he said.
Olivia said she learns so much when she meets with CBHA registered dieticians
Karlee Kerr and Gabriela Araico. “I meet with the counselors in
behavioral health when the stress of living with diabetes starts to bother
me emotionally.”
Olivia pays careful attention to her health. She regularly checks her blood
levels and has learned to recognize the warning signs when the sugar levels
in her blood become dangerously low. Symptoms include blurry vision, dizziness
and episodes of sweating. Olivia takes oral medication during the day
and an injection of insulin at bedtime.
Olivia gets regular exercise and enjoys walking when the weather permits.
She is on a mission to educate her children and teach them to eat properly.
“My son goes to the gym and his sister is picking apples as we speak,” she said.
Olivia’s father was diagnosed with diabetes four years ago; her brother
died from diabetes one year ago.
“I want to do everything in my power to keep my children from going
through what my father, brother and I have gone through.”