Category Archives: patient story

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 ,

Giving hope to youth affected by cancer

Posted on September 21, 2018 by

BY SUSAN KEETER Charlie Poole, 16, went hiking in Highland Forest last spring. It was an accomplishment for a young man who, 26 months earlier, was diagnosed with a brain tumor that left him with weakness in the right side … Continue reading →

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

Baseball-loving former patient, family pitch in to comfort kids with cancer

Posted on September 19, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE In a baseball movie, Jack and Jordan Sheridan’s story might sound something like this: Pitcher goes on injured list, recovers and, together with energetic manager and support staff, helps and inspires his teammates. The pitcher is Jack, … Continue reading →

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

Harnessing his immune system to fight cancer

Posted on September 10, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH The tumors near Eugene Young’s liver turned up by chance. At the age of 67, he was dealing with symptoms of acid reflux. Thinking he may have a problem with his gallbladder, Young’s doctor sent him for an … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, patient story | Tagged , , ,

Clot-busting medicine saved her from stroke: Retired physician assistant knew something wasn’t right

Posted on August 22, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE Eileen Rosecrants became alarmed during a phone call. “I couldn’t speak clearly,” she recalls of that evening last fall. It wasn’t that her speech was slurred. She couldn’t figure out what to say, so she abruptly hung up, … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, patient story, physical therapy/rehabilitation, stroke | Tagged , , , ,

A remarkable recovery: His stroke care included fast-moving, coordinated efforts by his wife, ambulance crew and specialists at Upstate

Posted on August 13, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE Dave Cartner has a remarkable story to share. The patient The 50-year-old Marcellus resident had finished breakfast on Feb. 13 and was about to leave for his job as a meat supervisor for a local food chain. … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, HealthLink on Air, medical imaging/radiology, patient story, stroke, surgery | Tagged , , , ,