I had to stay overnight at a hospital for a emergency surgery as a teenager. Although my mom worked as a ER/ICU nurse, I really had no idea what to expect.

I nearly jumped out of my bed when a nurse came to check on me in the middle of the night. And again the second time. And the third…(They don’t really leave you alone for very long!)

So, before you take a loved one (or yourself) to the hospital for surgery or other medical procedures, have a listen to this short podcast (below).

I spoke with Judy Pechacek, the vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, MN. She offers some great tips on what to bring with you to the hospital, the admittance and discharge process and general caregiver advice:

• Preparing for a Hospital Stay.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More tips…

Tell us what you think of the podcast. E-mail me or write your thoughts in the comments section below!

Nothing is harder to clean than water, smoke and soot damage after a fire.

Most hire professionals to do this dirty work but in case you need to do some cleaning on your own, here are some water damage and soot cleanup tips from Greg Kistler, a Servpro cleanup and restoration specialist for South Washington County in MN.

• Cleaning Up Soot and Fire Damage.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• Dealing with Water Damage.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More tips…
  

Tell us what you think of the podcast. E-mail me or write your thoughts in the comments section below!

Homeowners are 26 times more likely to experience a flood than a fire, according to the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America.

So, in the instance that your home experiences some water damage (which it probably will!), here are some water damage and mold tips from Greg Kistler, a Servpro cleanup and restoration specialist for South Washington County in MN.

• Dealing with Water Damage.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More tips…
  

Tell us what you think of the podcast. E-mail me or write your thoughts in the comments section below!

Once again, here’s our brilliant expert, Minneapolis Police Dept.’s Officer Ron Reier, with steps on preventing car break-ins:

• Car Break-in Prevention Tips.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More tips…

Check back each week for the latest podcast. Want to link directly to the podcast page? Click here and copy the URL.

Tell us what you think of the podcast. E-mail me or write your thoughts in the comments section below!

UPDATE: Can’t listen to the podcast? Read the full transcript…

Every Thursday, I’ll be posting the next podcast in our WhatHappensNow.com podcast series. Have a question you’d like to see answered? E-mail me or post your question in the comments!

The last podcast covered tips on preventing car theft…but what should you do if your car’s been stolen?! Minneapolis Police Dept.’s Officer Ron Reier has the answer:

• What to do if your car has been stolen.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More car theft recovery tips…

Check back each week for the latest podcast. Want to link directly to the podcast page? Click here and copy the URL.

Tell us what you think of the podcast. Write your thoughts in the comments section below!

UPDATE: Can’t listen to the podcast? Read the full transcript…

Introducing our first WhatHappensNow.com podcast!

Our first podcast is from an interview I did with the Minneapolis Police Department’s Public Information Officer, Officer Ron Reier:

• 4 Fast Tips on Deterring Car Theft.mp3 (click on the link to listen)

Check back each week for the latest podcast. Want to link directly to the podcast page? Click here and copy the URL.

Tell us what you think of the podcast. Write your thoughts in the comments section below!

UPDATE: Can’t listen to the podcast? Read the written transcript…