Mary Ann’s Story: Cervical Dystonia
Mary Ann, a registered nurse, was the first to notice that her head was tilting ever so slightly to the left. She was able to ignore it for a while, but over time the tilt became more obvious and disfiguring. Friends began to ask what was wrong with her neck. “It affected my job,” Mary […]
Paula’s Story: Clot-Retriever Success
No one ever wants to suffer a stroke. But when Paula suffered a major, life-threatening stroke in September 2013 while working at a local deli, one might say that her timing was perfect. First and foremost, Paula got to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center quickly and in time for effective treatment. Paula’s manager realized […]
Scott’s Story: The Epilepsy Ambassador
Scott was working his dream job as a commercial airline pilot 10 years ago when his life was forever changed by epilepsy. After coming home from a long run, he complained of nausea and then collapsed with a grand mal seizure. The preliminary diagnosis was a brain tumor. But when a brain biopsy came back […]
Brian’s Story: Saving His Voice
One by one, the symptoms of a throat problem tapped on the pastor’s door. Pastor Brian Tome, leader of Crossroads Church and speaker of five weekly sermons to a following of 15,000, acknowledged the symptoms and tried to dismiss them. He was frequently clearing his throat and coughing, but of course he used his voice […]
Rick’s Story
For 45 years Rick coped with his epilepsy. As a young man he experienced undiagnosed “spells,” sensations of muscle tension and déjà vu. Later, as a theme park project manager who traveled the world, he suffered his first “grand mal,” or tonic clonic, seizure. An MRI at a hospital in Australia revealed a small tumor, […]
Deanna’s Story – Hope
Deanna was averaging three seizures a week when she arrived at the UC Neuroscience Institute. Sometimes her seizures caused her to pass out, and sometimes they left her blinking and wondering where the time had gone. Complicating her situation, Deanna suffered from a mood disorder, had been victimized by crime and had a history of […]
Dick’s Story: Memory
Dick was enjoying his retirement as a full-time volunteer at Crayons to Computers when his memory began to go awry. He told his granddaughter that his car was due for an oil change, when he had just had the oil changed a few weeks earlier. After a neighbor borrowed his car, he had no recollection […]
Doug’s Story: Stroke Survivor
It was a weekday evening like any other when a friendly customer service representative named Doug became the ultimate customer. His need? Stroke services, A to Z. Doug, a self-described overweight former smoker with high blood pressure and diabetes, was trying out a new exercise routine in his living room when, at 5:25 p.m., his […]
Lynne’s Story
Semiretired and working part-time at a restaurant, Lynne knew something was amiss when she looked at the cash register and then struggled to make her hands produce the correct amount of change. Could she have suffered a stroke? Lynne pushed the thought aside until one of her daughters insisted on taking her to a hospital, […]
Frank’s Story: Welcome to ‘the Club’
Some people have vacation homes. Frank has the UC Neuroscience Institute. This is where he comes for comprehensive, compassionate medical care for Parkinson’s disease, which he has lived with for 15 years. “They make us feel safe,” says Frank’s wife, Sandy. “It’s an illness where you want to feel safe, because you don’t know what’s […]