Neurology & Neurosurgery
July 5, 2021 · Leave a Comment
‘Every day you don’t lose, you are winning’
Jennifer Summers, 35, is an optimistic, articulate woman. She enjoys crafting, spending time with her close-knit family, and leading small groups and organizing volunteers at her church. And she is excited that she can carry a 32-ounce water bottle. This may not feel like an important feat to some people, but it’s momentous for Jennifer […]
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Tags: Dr. Daniel Anderson, Jennifer Summers, Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, Spinal muscular atrophy
July 2, 2021 · Leave a Comment
Despite memory concerns, hiker reaches new heights on the Arizona Trail
The famed Arizona Trail is 800 miles of desert, canyons, valleys and vistas that dissects the state north and south. It is a test of true grit. For his journey on the demanding trail, a Mayo Clinic patient who was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment discovered that positive attitude was his best compass. Watch: Despite […]
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Tags: Alzheimer's disease, Arizona Trail, Dr. Richard Caselli, living with Alzheimer's
June 22, 2021 · Leave a Comment
Back from the brink and looking forward: Karen Detweiler overcomes rare neurologic disorder
In February 2020, as COVID-19 began its spread across the world, Karen Detweiler of DeLand, Florida, and her two adult children, Jonathan Detweiler and Susan Reeve, were facing their own crisis: Karen Detweiler’s pending passing from an incurable neurologic disorder. A retired community college professor and English teacher, Karen started having seizures in the summer […]
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Tags: Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Dr. Gregory Day, Karen Detweiler, LGI 1-antibody encephalitis, MayoClinicFL, neuroimmunology lab
May 30, 2021 · Leave a Comment
Speaking out for stroke awareness
Ilah Breen was visiting her daughter in early April this year when she realized something was amiss. “I was knitting, and everything was fine. The next thing I knew, my knitting made no sense. The needles didn’t completely disappear, but they got blurry. And I couldn’t figure out what the yarn was,” recalls the 72-year-old […]
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Tags: cerebrovascular disease, Ilah Breen, MayoClinicFL, stroke, Thrombectomy
May 20, 2021 · Leave a Comment
Medication, surgery help Lloyd Heubner quickly recover after stroke
Lloyd Huebner of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, believes in giving back to the community. For 17 years, he has been involved with Little League Baseball, ranging from coaching to building fields at local schools. He also builds temporary wheelchair ramps for families in need as part of Interfaith Caregivers in Burnett County, Wisconsin. “Over my lifetime, […]
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Tags: Angela Oldenberg, Dr. Samuel Evers, Lloyd Heubner, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, stroke, Telestroke
May 13, 2021 · Leave a Comment
Unique neurologic symptoms lead to surprising cancer diagnosis
A team of scientists from Mayo Clinic and two other institutions published a study in 2019 that showed the existence of an autoimmune disorder that affects men. The disorder causes the immune system to attack the brain, causing severe neurologic symptoms. That’s what happened to a Florida man, and his search for answers led him […]
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Tags: Dr. Sebastian Lopez, Gregor Heinrich, Testicular Cancer
May 3, 2021 · Leave a Comment
The beat goes on, thanks to deep brain stimulation
When drummer Patrick Bautz is performing, he’s in the zone. He says he doesn’t even think about what he’s doing, it’s just natural. It’s what he calls “the nothingness of drumming.” But not that long-ago, Pat started getting distracted. Physical symptoms were turning that nothingness into something. And it was something that worried him enough […]
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Tags: Deep Brain Stimulation, Dr. Ryan Uitti, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Parkinson's Disease, Pat Bautz, Three Dog Night
April 4, 2021 · Leave a Comment
Now seizure free, epilepsy patient shares her music as a blessing to others
Destiny Rhodes finds solace in music. Diagnosed with temporal-lobe epilepsy when she was 17 months old, Destiny says when she started playing guitar as a teenager, it became a constant source of comfort during her uncertain health. Despite medication, Destiny’s seizures continued for more than 20 years, often occurring several times a week. The medication […]
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Tags: Destiny Rhodes, Dr. Anteneh Feyissa, Epilepsy, MayoClinicFL, responsive neurostimulation, RNS, seizures
January 29, 2021 · Leave a Comment
After years with hundreds of seizures each day, patient finds relief with innovative treatment
When Eric Berg’s seizures increased to the point they took over his life despite medications to control them, he sought help from Mayo Clinic. A new treatment gave him hope and a chance to live his life again. Since he was a child, Eric Berg, has had seizures due to epilepsy. This past year, his seizures […]
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Tags: Dr. Brian Lundstrom, Dr. Jeffrey Britton, Epilepsy, Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
January 12, 2021 · Leave a Comment
With her dance career in the balance, patient finds that brain surgery can wait
A cavernous malformation threatened to upend Allison Nilsen’s dance career. Surgery was an option, but at what cost? Her team at Mayo created a plan to monitor Allison’s condition and let her pursue her dreams. At Mayo Clinic, patient care plans are not one-size-fits-all. Allison Nilsen’s story is a prime example of that. When she […]