Hello and welcome to Living in the Lehigh Valley, a health and wellness show for everyone.

I'm your host, Brittany Sweeney, Coming up on this episode, call it a return to the mat, a gym where former wrestlers can dust off the cobwebs and get back in shape, practicing the sport they love.

Plus, one woman's story of how 3D printing helped save a limb, a piece of technology that she now carries with her every day.

And kids and Covid-19 shots.

Overcoming fear and hesitancy isn't just an adult issue: what some vaccine providers are doing about it.

But first, a Lehigh Valley gym is offering a program for veteran wrestlers.

The sport has long been very popular here in the Valley, mainly at the high school and collegiate levels, but there's not really a lot of opportunity for people to get back into it as an adult.

Megan Frank joins us now to tell us about a new workout program.

Megan, it's great to see you.

- You too.

Hi, Brittany.

- This sounds really neat.

Tell us a little bit about it.

- So this is a group of recent college graduates who decided that they really miss wrestling and they wanted to get back into it.

Hence they started this program.

- So what's the goal of the program?

- So it's about the nostalgia of getting people back into the sport, but it's also about getting in really good shape.

- I haven't heard about anything else like this in the area.

It sounds pretty unique.

Is there anything like it?

- It's really one of a kind.

So a lot of people that love wrestling, they turn to mixed martial arts or jujitsu.

But people that wrestle say it's really not the same.

So this program is called Mat Return.

And organizers say the beauty of wrestling is that it's a challenge where participants have to use their body and mind to tackle their opponent.

And they say it's fun.

I spent some time checking out the newly formed fitness program to learn more.

- Wrestle!

- 36-year-old John Graeffe just joined Mat Return, a fitness program for adult wrestlers.

Some are experienced and some are new to the sport.

- My kid is in youth wrestling in the Lehigh Valley.

I heard there was an old man's wrestling club that was coming about.

It's great that there's a club for old men!

- Graeffe says he's shaking off a few years of dust since wrestling in college but he's thrilled to be back at it.

- Coming out and wrestling again after 12, 15 years of not wrestling, it's pretty awesome having a place for older guys who come, age group guys, seniors, veterans, they call them, guys who really aren't trying to compete, guys who are looking to work out, have fun, remember what it was like to wrestle back in the day.

- Program organizer Ryan Cardy says he's seen a good turnout of people in the first few sessions, their ages ranging from 22 to 40.

He says he wants to fill a void for the area's wrestling community.

- You know, wrestling, it's a generational thing.

So it's kind of a way of life here in the Lehigh Valley.

It's a part of who we are and how we grew up.

I think there's a big draw for people of all ages to get in the wrestling room.

- Each session starts with a warm-up routine.

- We usually start by, like, running around the mat here, just doing a few laps, maybe like some karaoke, like get our feet loose.

We do have some structure to the practise.

But, you know, everyone has different limits.

Some people have only been off the mat for a year.

Some people like myself have been off the mat for seven years.

So, you know, we'll definitely ease you back into things and, you know, let you get, you know, some oil on your bones before, you know, before we push you too hard.

- Sessions are held twice - a week at Matryx Performance Center in Allentown.

Ty Marx owns the center and helps plan the workouts.

- For a good cardio base, there's nothing like wrestling.

You know, as soon as that whistle blows and it's live, your adrenaline's going and it's something that you just can't match with anything else.

- He says one challenge for older participants is going up against opponents who are fresh out of Division One wrestling programs.

- Us older guys, I guess I'll consider myself, you know, really get to challenge ourselves and see what we got against athletes that were just competing at the D1 level.

- Organizer Brandon Diaz says the group shares techniques and advice so that everyone can up their game each session.

- After college wrestling, most of the wrestling is super high, world-class, like the best of the best.

And there's not really something open for people that are just slightly under that or just trying to learn.

- He says wrestling isn't like martial arts, but he says learning how to wrestle complements those skills.

- One of the things that we're hoping to accomplish is also attract people that have like just judo or jujitsu backgrounds who are looking to get into MMA but don't know wrestling, but know that it's important.

And they could come here and we could kind of activate that wrestling that's in them.

- 22-year-old Luke Carty says he didn't think he'd get a shot at wrestling again.

The last time he wrestled was when he was on Bethlehem Catholic's team.

- A lot of wrestling is feel and finesse.

And once you get back on the mat, it kind of kind of comes back to your muscle memory.

A little easier for me to come in and roll around and wrestle than to get myself to go to the gym and be on a workout plan and stuff like that.

- Organizers say people are traveling from all over the Valley, even driving up from Philly to try the wrestling program.

- I would say wrestling is one of the biggest sports Lehigh Valley is known for and there's no adult wrestling clubs.

We wanted to start it for ourselves personally and then also as an idea to help others get back involved in the sport that we think is so great.

From the past, they're coming back and trying to relive their youth, as well, through the sport of wrestling to achieve their fitness goals, too, because, me personally, when I was in my best shape, I would say that wrestling had a lot to do with it at that point in time.

So trying to always get back to that high level of fitness is a goal for myself.

- There's no other cardio, no other full body exercise like wrestling.

You get beat up a little bit, but it kind of builds character.

A little bit of Fight Club, but we can't really talk about that!

- It's just important to take care of yourself physically, mentally.

And that's what this does.

- Participants tell me that it's great to return to the mat and get back to a sport they love.

Organizers say they'll help students continue to improve their skills and techniques, as classes continue through the winter.

- Megan, for those interested, is there still time to sign up?

Is there still an opportunity to get involved?

- Yes.

They say people can come at any time and that they will meet each participant wherever they are.

- It seems kind of challenging, though.

Is it difficult for these people?

Should there be experience or do they work up to it?

- So they say you can come at any skill level and they will help you.

But the workouts are tough.

Sometimes there's burpees, squats, push-ups, all that good stuff.

- And what's next for Mat Return?

- Well, they're hoping that if they get enough interest, eventually down the road they could start possibly a local competition for adult wrestlers.

- Wow!

It sounds really fun and a great opportunity for those who love the sport but really didn't have an opportunity to get back into it.

- Definitely.

- Awesome!

Megan Frank, thank you so much for joining us.

And now on to what some would call a medical miracle.

A car accident almost cost a Pocono woman her leg, but a medical breakthrough was able to save her from amputation and help her walk again.

Walking with a limp a little slower than she used to but not taking one step for granted.

Rebecca Chopek is thankful to be on her feet, as she was almost stripped of these strides.

- I still have a little bit of a limp.

I still have some tightness, numbness in the ankle, but, for the most part, I still have my foot and it still works quite well.

- A car wreck in June of 2020 almost cost the Kresgeville woman her leg.

- I sustained a open fracture of my ankle and a dislocated hip, and because I was bleeding quite badly, they airlifted me from the scene.

I don't remember much of the helicopter ride or arriving at the hospital.

- When she finally came to, Chopek was told her talus bone, which connects the ankle to the shin, popped out and was lost at the scene.

The doctors you initially see tell you you might have to have your leg amputated.

- I burst into tears.

I'd worked in the medical industry for 20 years.

I knew what the talus was, I knew how important it was.

And it hit me hard, because I had always been a very active person.

I was an EMT, I was on my feet constantly and running around, and I knew from right there that my future was going to be different.

- Doctors told her a below the knee amputation was going to be her best bet.

With a surgery date scheduled and hardware holding her foot to her leg, she spent the next few days frantically looking for a different solution.

- I started making appointments for second, third and, by the time I saw Dr Lachman, fourth opinion.

- She came across Dr James Lachman at St Luke's University Health Network, who said he could create a talus bone made of titanium through 3D printing.

- I started getting exposed to this development five or six years ago.

And so you can just take a CT scan of the opposite side, the intact side, and you can basically mirror-image it.

They call it printing the obverse.

- Although the orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon at St Luke's had never created a bone for this particular injury, he felt he had enough experience to try.

- To print a talus, that's going to be exactly size matched to this patient, so it's a custom implant, and you can just basically put it into the void where the bone popped out.

- Surgery was successful.

Recovery included six weeks off of her feet then intense physical therapy.

- Dr Lach man actually gave me a very strict schedule of I can walk for ten minutes this day without the boot on, I can walk for 20 minutes the next week without the boot on.

It was very regimen oriented.

- Pain free walking is usually the goal with any type of salvage surgery like this.

And that's typically what we hope for.

Now, she did very well.

Her wounds healed which is the most important thing.

She didn't get an infection, which is the second most important thing.

And then she was able to return to her lifestyle.

- A year and a half later, the 43-year-old is grateful to stand on her own two feet.

Rebecca, how do you feel today?

- Pretty amazing.

I can walk.

I can do my daily activities.

I play outside with the dogs.

I still garden some.

Getting into winter weather, I've been able to rake my leaves and such without a problem.

- Dr Lachman says the use of 3-D printing technology in everyday medical practices is becoming more common.

- 3D printing technology is just at the beginning.

I think the applications for this, you know, surgeons are kind of figuring out.

And we've made a lot of strides over the last five years, which are distal tibia replacements, bone void fillers.

We're doing wedges to kind of correct osteotomies in foot and ankle surgery.

And that's what I do.

The applications for this technology are growing every single day.

- But on this day, Chopek continues to take strides on the path to recovery.

- I'm thankful every day to Dr Lachman and St Luke's for giving me back my pretty much normal activity level.

There's things I'll never do again, but the things that I know I would have lost if I would have lost my leg far outweigh the small losses I have now.

- Dr Lachman says Chopek will most likely need to have that 3-D bone replaced in about ten years.

Chopek says she's hoping advances in medicine will offer an even more permanent solution by then.

Up next, going to the doctor's office for a shot isn't usually a kid's idea of fun.

Or is it?

Our own Grover Silcox is here and is taking us to a local health center to find out what's making it a little bit better to get a shot.

- That's right.

That's right.

Now that kids five to 11 can get vaccinated, thousands of parents across the Lehigh Valley are bringing their children to get the shot.

But, yes, it is scary for many of them.

- And even for adults, it's a little bit nerve-racking.

It hurts.

So how are they making it a little bit easy for these kids?

- Well, this is why some clinics are trying to make the experience fun.

Lots of surprises help to warm up the kids who roll up their sleeves to get their Covid vaccine at LVHN's Trexlertown Health Center in Upper Macungie Township.

Turns out the kids, their parents and the medical caregivers themselves enjoy the experience.

- ♪ From over the hill ♪ ♪ My bonnie Irish lass... ♪ - Sometimes a guitar does more than a stethoscope in the hands of a talented physician.

- ♪ Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea ♪ ♪ And frolicked in the autumn mist ♪ ♪ In a land called Honah Lee... ♪ Dr Nathan Hagstrom, chair of pediatrics at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital practices both the art and the science of medicine in helping youngsters overcome their fear of medical procedures and conditions.

- One day I was talking with a patient's family and they found out I play the guitar and they wanted me to play for them.

So I did, and they loved it.

It was fun.

And so I've been trying to do it every once in a while ever since.

- There's no cover charge or copay for a Doctor Hagstrom concert.

He'll even perform for an audience of one.

- For children and even for adults, it can be distracting.

It can take you away from what's going on around you and help you escape.

It's a wonderful thing, music.

- Child life specialist Vanessa Gramm and her colleagues also think it's wonderful.

- Dr Hagstrom and his music is just a great tool that we're able to use.

He's a gifted singer and guitar player, and he brings a sense of calm with his music and his singing with children in the clinic.

- Dr Angstrom's playlist includes Pooh Corner by Kenny Loggins, Celtic songs, songs that tell stories, Tom Petty tunes and even a little Simon and Garfunkel.

His gentle melodies calm the kids.

Mostly!

- Some just love music.

Wherever they hear it, they just go to it and just sit there.

Others, you know, you ask, you know, can I play for you?

And they'll go, No.

Is there a song you like?

And they'll go, No.

But I think, you know, children probably connect with music just like we do and enjoy it but they may not just express it outwardly as much as you and I would.

- Since early November, Dr Hagstrom has discovered a new venue, the LVPG Health Center at Trexlertown, where kids ages five to 11 come for their Covid vaccinations.

- I play basically in the lobby and so that's where they come in to get in line for the vaccine and then where they wait for the 15 minutes after the vaccine.

And so I'm distracting them as they're coming in afraid.

And then I'm giving them something to listen to while they're waiting.

So it works out quite well.

- The first night at the health center, 500 kids showed up for the vaccine.

- Probably the number one question from children regarding the Covid vaccine is, does it hurt?

And I think the answer always is it's going to hurt for a second and then it's going to go away.

- I think most children, even adolescents especially, sometimes, and certainly adults, the majority of us are a little nervous about getting a needle.

♪ I don't know if you can see ♪ ♪ The changes that have come over me... ♪ - But never fear when Dr Hagstrom's near With guitar in hand, he'll play away those fears.

At least, that's his goal.

On this evening, he's joined by his daughter Kelsey in a tour de force performance to relax the kids going in and to entertain them afterwards while they wait in the lobby for 15 minutes before leaving.

The LVPG Health Center also invites other fan favorites, such as meLVin, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms mascot, and Nory, the therapy dog.

- The best way really to help children through a procedure or a shot is distraction, whether it's, you know, playing, whether it's having, you know, a celebrity or some kind of character showing up and engaging them and connecting with them.

Everybody loves the dogs.

The dogs are friendly, and especially our pet therapy dogs, and, you know, petting them, it's soothing.

Children are so resilient and, really, their default is to be happy and playful.

- According to Dr Hagstrom, most children know that their parents want them to get vaccinated because they care about them.

Many of the youngsters seemed undeterred by the prospect of getting a needle.

- One, two, three.

Good girl.

- I got the Covid vaccine.

It was really the best.

I just got the shot and went out of the door.

- Yeah, it didn't even hurt.

Couldn't even feel it.

- Now that I have the vaccine, I can do a lot more things.

- And I'm excited to go back to other special things.

- So proud of you!

Good job!

- Vaccinations are part of normal childhood.

And if parents and families can find a way to be able to reduce that stress, it will have better outcomes in the future for when their children have to get other vaccinations.

- Dr Hagstrom adds his voice to that mission as well especially right now, when the goal is to vaccinate as many of these little ones as possible against Covid.

- The vaccine is very effective in the five to 11-year-olds.

Vaccines are the best way to protect us from it spreading and to protect those who are most at risk for getting complications and serious disease.

It is the best weapon we have.

♪ How long will I love you?

♪ As long as stars are above you.

♪ - Pediatric docs at LVHN say they've given more than 8,000 kids the Covid vaccine and hope to vaccinate more than 10,000 altogether.

- Grover, it's so important to make them feel comfortable, have a little bit of fun, because if this becomes something they have to do every year or get a booster, then maybe it won't be so scary.

- It really is.

According to Dr Hagstrom and another experts that we've heard, although children are less likely to get Covid than adults, it's still one of the ten leading causes of death in children.

- And one child death is just one too many.

- And that's what the pediatricians and caregivers say, which is why they want all eligible children, all eligible adults to get the vaccine and thus the protection.

- Great.

It's great that they're making it just a little bit easier.

Grover, as always, thank you so much.

- You're welcome.

- And of course, the vaccines have been used through the years to control all sorts of infectious diseases.

Immunization is one of modern medicine's great success stories.

Did you know that in the US, by the time children turn two years old, nearly 91% have been immunized for measles, mumps and rubella and nearly 93% have received the polio vaccine?

That's all according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Allentown Health Bureau has been giving Covid-19 vaccines to adults since they were made available early this year.

They're also vaccinating children in the five to 11 and 12 to 18 age groups.

With us now for an update as Allentown health director Vicky Kistler.

Vicky, thank you so much for joining us.

- Thank you for having me.

- Vicky, kids and vaccines, let's start there.

Are you seeing a lot of kids come in for shots at this point?

What's the volume like right now?

- We are seeing children come in to be vaccinated.

Unfortunately, we're not seeing tons of children come in to be vaccinated.

So we're really hoping that parents are waiting for the holiday break so that they can make time to bring their kids in to get them caught up with their vaccine.

We are working with the school district and we're offering on site in the schools, at select schools on certain days, Covid vaccination clinics.

Here in the Health Bureau, we're offering walk-in hours for parents with children for flu shots and/or Covid vaccinations.

We do things a little differently with kids in the schools.

Oftentimes the school mascot, sometimes they will have giveaways that we can give kids here.

We always have a little item that we give a child.

There's always a sticker that says the child has received a vaccine, any type of vaccine.

We have some inflatable balloons that kids can take their pictures with to say that they got vaccinated.

So we try to make it a pleasant experience.

We also have quiet areas set aside for kids who are overstimulated by noise.

So if a child has autism or is on a spectrum and needs a more quiet, private area, we can certainly accommodate that, as well.

- Sure, it seems like you're making a more comfortable environment for the kids.

- Some people have a vaccination anxiety and we're well aware of that.

And we'll do everything we can to make someone feel comfortable.

- Now, along the line with kids, of course, throughout the community, it seems like there's a surge in cases.

Kids are included in that surge.

Are you seeing that in Allentown, and what's kind of the process here?

We've been through it before.

Do you know what to do now because this is a repeat of kind of last year?

- It's extremely alarming.

We're way back to where we were before we had the vaccine readily available.

Our case count is absolutely through the roof in this state.

Here in Allentown, we're seeing the cases come in right and left.

So we're still stressing the message of social distancing, wear your mask.

Even though it isn't required, it is definitely highly suggested, encouraged to keep you safe and to avoid those large crowds unless you can social distance and keep your mask on.

- Vicky, are you seeing these cases pop up in the unvaccinated, or are these breakthrough cases or a little bit of both?

- We are definitely seeing higher hospitalizations and higher death rates among the unvaccinated.

- So moving forward, of course, the state just threw out the masking mandate for kids in schools.

How do you handle this as a health director, how do you move forward?

Does this concern you at all or do you think that cases are going to go up no matter what?

- It's incredibly concerning.

It's reassuring that the Allentown school district has kept the mask order in place, they've chosen to require masking.

But I know that other districts around us have dropped their mask order, and I do believe that the dropping of the mask order at the same time that the holiday gatherings are occurring, we're going to see a huge spike and we're going to see even more transmission, and I am genuinely concerned for the overwhelming of our hospitals and our ERs with folks who exhibit symptoms that need to be treated.

- Now, you throw in this new variant, the omicron variant.

What do people need to know about that in our area locally here?

What should they be doing to make sure that they're staying safe and Covid free?

- The same thing that they've been doing all along will protect you against Omicron.

What's concerning is that as people remain unvaccinated, viruses are smart and they mutate.

So omicron is only the beginning and we don't yet have enough longitudinal studies to determine how effective all of the different vaccines are with omicron.

We also don't have enough information.

We know that the vaccines will help, but we don't know where omicron is making its mark hardest.

We're sure that those people who are immune suppressed or who are unvaccinated are more susceptible.

But this is the beginning of variants unless we can get a higher percentage of folks vaccinated.

- And let's talk more about vaccine.

What's the demand right now between kids and adults, not just the children, who are now eligible?

Would you like to see a higher demand?

- We would love to see a higher demand for vaccine.

We'd love to be overwhelmed every day.

But that isn't the case.

We're here at the health department every day, Monday through Friday, except for Good Friday and New Year's Eve.

We'll be vaccinating from 9am to 3:30 p.m. And we also take appointments outside of those hours.

And we also still have the homebound hotline available, where our paramedics will go out to Allentown's city residents.

The county has a similar program for Lehigh County residents, where they can get their homebound shot if they truly cannot leave the home to be vaccinated.

We have Pfizer, we have Moderna, we have J&J and we have the boosters.

We also have flu shots and we have high dose senior flu shots available.

You can take both vaccines at the same time, if you would like, or you can take one today and come back for the other one.

- And, Vicky, is an appointment needed?

- An appointment is not needed.

If you come in on your lunch hour and you want to make sure you'll be in and out, you can certainly make an appointment.

However, we have had no longer than ten to 15 minutes' wait even if we have 100 that are walking in.

- And the homebound hotline, what was that number?

- That's the homebound hotline in Allentown.

- So those who need a vaccine or can't get there and need one can call that number and they can get that vaccine provided to them.

Vicky, this has been just a lot of pressure on the Health Bureau.

How is your staff holding up?

- I have a fantastic health bureau staff.

They have been motivated and energetic and willing to help anyone in any capacity.

Anyone that can't make our normal hours, they're willing to schedule outside those hours.

They've worked weekends, they've worked through holiday weekends, and we'll continue to work through these holiday weekends, investigating cases and doing contact tracing.

But it is incredibly draining.

As much as we are optimistic and we love the holiday season, it's very, very concerning where we're heading unless folks choose to protect themselves.

- Well, Vicky, thank you so much to you and your staff for all of the hard work that you've put in to try to protect this community.

We really appreciate it.

Vicky Kistler from the Allentown Health Bureau, as always, thank you so much for speaking with us.

- Thank you.

- And that will do it for this episode.

Join us next time on Living in the Lehigh Valley.

I'm Brittany Sweeney, hoping you stay happy and healthy.