
Blog


PATIENT STORY: Clival Chordoma
by Amy Eisenberg
As I approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I am eternally grateful for Dr. Daniel Kelly, Dr. Garni Barkhoudarian, Dr. Chester Griffiths and their entire team. Because of these brilliant doctors and the staff at Saint Johns Health Center (now Providence), I am alive, healthy, strong and...
The Hidden Plight of Family Caregivers
by Marlon Saria
If this is the first time you are hearing that November is National Family Caregivers Month, you are not alone. Many Americans, including professional healthcare providers, are not aware that there is a month designated to promoting national recognition of family caregivers. President Clinton signed...
When a Stroke Survivor Becomes a Leader
by Zara Jethani
Pacific Stroke & Aneurysm Center’s patient support group leader Dana Rivera, tells her story from devastation to success. In the summer of 2009 at the age of 44, Dana’s life changed forever. An active, full time mother and wife, Dana Rivera suddenly experienced startling symptoms....
Cushing’s Disease: What Happens When Your Whole Life Changes?
by Sharmyn McGraw
As I walked into my favorite health food market I noticed Laurie, one of my closest girlfriends, hurrying to catch up with me. Laurie took one look at me and gasped. My heart sank and tears welled up in my eyes. The expression on her...
Traveling the Extra Mile: International Patient Stories (Part 2 of 2)
by Daniel F. Kelly
We welcome patients from around the globe and invite you to contact us. Here are a few of our patients who tell their stories. Information for International Patients Juan from Chile – Pituitary Adenoma: Finding the diagnosis was the hardest part. It took me a year;...
Acromegaly 101: Pituitary Patient Perspectives (Part 2 of 2)
by Sharmyn McGraw
As a patient advocate I work with many pituitary patient advocate organizations around the world. Since my own pituitary surgery with Dr. Daniel Kelly over 16 years ago my passion has grown stronger. I’m still seeing too many patients showing acromegaly symptoms going far too long...
PATIENT STORY: Endocrine-Inactive Pituitary Macroadenoma
by Amy Eisenberg
All In A Day’s Work In July 2015, Brent B. noticed that he was losing his peripheral vision and made an appointment with an ophthalmologist. After a battery of tests, his doctor determined that he should see a neuro-ophthalmologist. He found that Brent had damage to a portion of his optic nerve and an MRI...
PATIENT STORY: Many Options to Treat CNS Lymphoma
by Zara Jethani
It was Winston Churchill who famously said, “Never give in—never, never never.” He could have been describing Rudolf Metzger and his Providence Saint John’s Health Center physician Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD. Metzger has confronted numerous obstacles over his 70 years. As a young immigrant from Austria,...
PATIENT STORY: Seeing Clearly After Pituitary Adenoma Surgery
by Sharmyn McGraw
There is a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain called the pituitary gland. It doesn’t look like much and it could be easy to overlook, but don’t underestimate the power of the pituitary gland. Small, yet mighty, this “master endocrine gland” is part of the...
Adapting to a Chronic Condition
by Sharmyn McGraw
by Guest Writer Dr. Patti Johnson It takes Two – You and Your Support Team A chronic condition is one that persists over time without an easily definable beginning, middle and end. After being diagnosed with a chronic condition, such as some types of brain...
Last updated: November 13th, 2019