For years, the neurologic disorder trigeminal neuralgia dominated Ellen Whitebird's world. It caused searing pain that destroyed her ability to enjoy life. Then in 2019, a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon proposed a procedure that he believed could make a significant difference. It did. Today, Ellen's pain is gone.
The Reibels have relied on Mayo Clinic for their care for 25 years. That experience has inspired them to donate to Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine.
Without an explanation for progressive weakness in his legs, Raymond Knapp was resigned to the notion that he would be confined to a wheelchair. A collaborative effort among Mayo Clinic specialists in Radiology and Neurology, though, changed everything for Raymond, giving him the diagnosis and treatment he needed to walk on his own again.
Michelle Swosinski was beginning to think she'd never be rid of her chronic abdominal pain. Years of fruitlessly searching for medical help had left the young woman feeling ignored and frustrated. That all changed when Michelle sought care at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where her medical team was committed to finding a remedy for her pain.
When doctors in Ohio told Robyn Lana they weren't sure whether a brain aneurysm they found behind her right eye socket was causing the vision problems she'd been experiencing, Robyn turned to Mayo Clinic. Not only did her Mayo care team identify the true cause of her vision loss, they fixed it.
Difficulty with her weight and the medical problems that it caused kept Kathy Schmidt homebound and isolated. But now after bariatric surgery, Kathy is happily joining in on the fun again.
Katie Stone never had an injury in all her years as a competitive athlete. Then she tore her ACL during an alumni basketball game. But now, thanks to reconstructive surgery and physical therapy, Katie's healthy and active once again.
After eight months of unrelenting nausea, David Dean was miserable and nothing seemed to help. Then a Mayo Clinic palliative care specialist took another look and recommended a new medication. That eliminated the nausea and enabled the former triathlete to once again exercise, travel and do the things that make his life full.
Janice Breien was anxious to find a better way to manage the seizures that regularly disrupted her daily life. Enter her Mayo care team — ready to listen and provide solutions. Now, with her seizures under control, Janice has a renewed sense of optimism.
Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Maureen Jessen, always wondered why the disease affected her so differently than it did others. Doctor after doctor told her that MS was likely causing her symptoms, so she believed them. Mayo Clinic specialists, however, gave Maureen new insight into her illness — one that had nothing to do with MS.
Doris Jessesski tried a host of treatments to ease her chronic back pain, but nothing worked. Then a Mayo Clinic Pain Medicine specialist recommended a new type of spinal cord stimulator. That did the trick. Today, Doris' debilitating back pain is gone.
When Rita Krueger found out she had pancreatic cancer, the outlook seemed bleak. Then she met a Mayo Clinic physician who was willing to go beyond the standard treatment to achieve remarkable results.