Author Archives: stacytheobald

New Device Helps Man Who ‘Forgets’ to Breathe

May 18th, 2012 - 9:35 am

His whole life, David Vannausdle, 32, of Granger, Iowa, has been tethered to some type of breathing device for at least some part of the day or night.  Without external assistance, his body “forgets” to breathe. He was born with … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Rehabilitation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (10)

Patient’s Responses Help Surgeons Safely Remove Tumor

May 14th, 2012 - 11:48 am

Mary Meixner had a lot on her mind. She had a new job at a large law firm in Chicago, where the hours were long and the expectations high. Back in her home state of Minnesota, her father was dying.  … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Rehab Program Helps Texas Teen Learn to Manage Chronic Pain

May 9th, 2012 - 11:01 am

Austin Horton’s adolescence was dominated by pain. More than a dozen specialists — among them an orthopedist, rheumatologist, pain doctor, psychiatrist and acupuncturist — couldn’t offer much relief or even a definitive reason for the pain. 

By stacytheobald | Posted in Psychiatry/Psychology, Rehabilitation | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Saving Lives by Recruiting Marrow Donors

May 7th, 2012 - 11:32 am

Carolyn “Ceci” Christenson, age 18, of Gilbert, Ariz., has already survived a rare, life-threatening blood disorder and become a high-powered recruiter for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).  Her experience inspires Christenson to speak out for patients whose hope for … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Cancer, Transplant, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pancreatic Cancer Removed via Laparoscopic Surgery

May 3rd, 2012 - 1:37 pm

Mindy Cahn is living proof that pancreatic cancer can be beat.  The odds can be daunting. According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rate for localized pancreatic cancer is 21 percent. For cancer that has spread, the survival … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Cancer, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (8)

Quadruple Bypass at Age 24

May 1st, 2012 - 10:29 am

Last spring, Ravuth Thorng, then just 24, noticed it was increasingly difficult to do ordinary tasks, such as walking to his car.  “I felt out of breath walking from my parking spot to work,” says Thorng, who worked at a … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery | Tagged , | Comments (2)

Still Diving Deep: Heart Repair Keeps Bends at Bay

April 26th, 2012 - 9:59 am

Veteran scuba diver Scott Martin, 46, and his girlfriend left Florida in July 2011 to celebrate his birthday in Cozumel, Mexico. His experience there changed the way he thinks about his heart and his favorite pastime.  The couple had been … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Clot-Busting Drug Study Aims to Help Stroke Patients With no Options

April 23rd, 2012 - 12:02 pm

Coughing. That is the sound that awoke Jennifer McDougal on the morning on Dec. 28, 2010. Her husband, Rodney, was in the bathroom preparing for work, and coughing. Suddenly, he collapsed. Rodney, then 42, had a history of hypertension, so … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Neurology & Neurosurgery | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Doubly Rewarding: Weight Loss and Liver Transplant for Rare Disorder

March 21st, 2012 - 8:37 am

In 2007, Kimmy Lockwood decided to be screened for weight-loss surgery to address a longtime weight problem. Little did she know that decision would be lifesaving and eventually lead to a liver transplant at Mayo Clinic. Tests indicated Lockwood had … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Transplant, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Thumbs-Up After Successful Thumb Reattachment

March 15th, 2012 - 11:40 am

Anistasia Smith and her mother, Bridgette Grunewald, give a big thumbs-up to Brian Carlsen, M.D., and the team at Mayo Clinic who cared for the then 4-year-old in February 2011. Anistasia’s left thumb had been severed in a recliner chair. … Continue reading →

By stacytheobald | Posted in Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment