Category Archives: patient story

Back on the pitch – after back surgery

Posted on April 22, 2019 by

BY AMBER SMITH For weeks, Kendall Discenza didn’t know what was wrong. The pain in her lower back became crippling, and she was left sobbing.  Surgery brought relief. Discenza underwent a microdiscectomy at Upstate University Hospital. Lawrence Chin, MD, who leads the … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/spine/neurosurgery, health care, patient story, surgery | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Making the most of her rehabilitation: After a stroke, she’s motivated to live a healthier life

Posted on April 17, 2019 by

BY AMBER SMITH Melissa Meloling can walk, if she keeps an eye on her feet, so she doesn’t trip. She learned how to tell time again. She’s relearning how to fix her hair, although assembling a ponytail is still tricky. … Continue reading →

Posted in health care, patient story, physical therapy/rehabilitation, stroke | Leave a comment

‘Look Now’: Breast cancer survivors share their stories for artistic project

Posted on March 4, 2019 by

BY SUSAN KEETER Breast cancer led Tula Goenka to re-evaluate her life. “I realized I could use my experience, and my body, to say something about breast cancer. All of us can use our experiences to advocate for others,” she … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, health care, patient story, women's health/gynecology | Tagged , ,

He chose radiation treatment for his prostate cancer

Posted on February 27, 2019 by

BY JIM HOWE Jan Roberts wasn’t sure what to expect when he received radiation treatments for prostate cancer at the Upstate Cancer Center. A disabled Vietnam veteran, he receives primary care at the Syracuse VA Medical Center, where he was … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, health care, medical imaging/radiology, patient story, technology, urology | Tagged , , , ,

In her own words: Stroke survivor JoAnn Wickman recalls the morning of Feb. 9, 2018

Posted on December 3, 2018 by

“I woke up at 5:20 in the morning. I woke up and thought, ‘What the heck is going on? Something’s not right,’” recalls JoAnn Wickman of Cortland. “I had this weird sensation. It felt like the tip of my tongue … Continue reading →

Posted in emergency medicine/trauma, health care, medical imaging/radiology, patient story, stroke

Getting back on her feet — and deeply humbled during recovery

Posted on November 29, 2018 by

BY JACKIE WARREN-MOORE It was surreal. I remember the dark, almost slow-motion fall. The scream, mine. Then the confusion, pain, red lights, movement and assurances that I would “be fine.” I was in Upstate University Hospital downtown. I had tripped … Continue reading →

Posted in bones/joints/orthopedics, health care, patient story, physical therapy/rehabilitation, surgery

‘A perfect example of why we became doctors’: Survival depended on a medical team, skillful surgery and a patient’s will to live

Posted on November 20, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH Pat Graham of Lansing wasn’t feeling well the evening of Aug. 31, 2017. A self-described borderline diabetic, he asked his wife to bring a glucose test kit when she came home from her job at Rite-Aid. By … Continue reading →

Posted in health care, infectious disease, patient story, surgery, urology, weight loss | Tagged

A dad’s perspective on his child’s cancer

Posted on October 1, 2018 by

Theron Blair’s elder son, Trey, 7, has leukemia. In the two years since his son’s diagnosis, Blair has learned what it takes to be the parent of a kid with cancer. He shares his insights: Answer the phone when your wife … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, health care, mental health/emotional health, patient story, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged , , , ,

National media featuring Lola Muñoz raise attention for deadly brain cancer

Posted on September 28, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH Photographs of a 12-year-old patient of Melanie Comito, MD, accompanied recent stories in the Washington Post and National Geographic magazine. Lola Muñoz lived for 19 months after her diagnosis with a deadly brain cancer called DIPG, diffuse intrinsic … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, cancer, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, patient story, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged ,