Enzaime Health Stories

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5TdEwYmIqU Steve Winick was diagnosed with noninvasive  bladder cancer , a slow-growing but tenacious form of cancer. He had tumors removed twice, each time the cancer returned. His third tumor removal surgery was followed by chemotherapy and radiation. He and his doctors believed at this point that he had beaten the cancer. Three and a half years later, his tumor returned. It was at that point that his doctor referred him to Mark Schoenberg, M.D. at Johns Hopkins, the best in the field. Dr. Schoenberg removed Winick’s bladder, successfully removing all traces of cancer as well. Winick has been cancer-free for almost eight years now and is able to do everything he was able to do prior to his diagnosis. About the Johns Hopkins James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute The Johns Hopkins James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute offers comprehensive treatment options for all urological conditions, including bladder cancer. There are new treatment approache

On a typical day at  Johns Hopkins Medical Imaging at Green Spring Station , patients coming in for imaging tests such as  MRIs ,  ultrasounds  and  mammograms have a comforting advocate available in the waiting room. Kate Pisano is a patient liaison — there to meet the needs of the patients by providing resources and support. With Kate’s smile and cheerful attitude, it’s not obvious that recently she too was a patient sitting in the waiting room confronting her own major health challenges. Two years ago Kate was fighting breast cancer and facing it alone as a single working mother of two teenaged sons. Months after a painful divorce, Kate noticed a lump in her breast while getting undressed. “I was afraid of what the lump might mean, so I waited several weeks before finally making an appointment with my doctor,” she said. That appointment led to a mammogram followed by a  biopsy . In April of 2012, Kate’s greatest fear was confirmed: She had breast cancer. “The diagnosis was a complet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbnFmqxbi5Q Jim Watkins closely monitored his health after learning that he had a heart murmur and a leaky heart valve. After exploring his options at several hospitals, he chose to come to Johns Hopkins for a robotic mitral valve repair with  Kaushik Mandal, M.D. , a cardiac surgeon. He tells his story about the procedure, recovery and experience with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. About the Johns Hopkins Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program Minimally invasive robotic surgery may be used to treat many cardiac conditions with increased precision and safety. Our advanced robotic system allows us to perform complex operations through incisions that are much smaller than those used with traditional surgical approaches. Mandal and his team are dedicated to offering robotic cardiac to patients that are approved candidates for these procedures. Original Published Link A heart murmur and a leaky heart valve #CardiacConditionsWithIncreasedPrecision, #KaushikMandalM.D.,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=15&v=QDwctWY-DOQ Joseph “Cook” Edens III doesn’t let pancreatic cancer get in the way of living a full life. Edens was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent a Whipple procedure at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Unfortunately, a bout of pancreatitis returned, and in 2015, surgeon Christopher Wolfgang and his team performed a total pancreatectomy on Edens, removing his entire pancreas and spleen. The Arlington, Virginia, resident is now cancer-free and back to a busy lifestyle of work, sports and family time. About Johns Hopkins Pancreatic Cancer Care Having pancreatic cancer — or a suspicious tumor on your pancreas — is a frightening diagnosis. Johns Hopkins experts, some of the most experienced pancreatic specialists in the country, are working to dispel fear and create hope in patients with pancreatic disease. Pancreatic cancer, tumors and cysts are being treated with dramatic success at Johns Hopkins. The first step when dealing w

The way  commercial airline pilot Terry Broderick describes it, his life was at cruising altitude when he learned he had stage III  colorectal cancer . Terry, 52, was on the verge of buying an airplane so he and his wife could fly to visit their five grown children. But before getting a chance to sign the paperwork, he had a routine colonoscopy. Then came the diagnosis that grounded his plans. After receiving his diagnosis of colorectal cancer, Terry remembered that he had been impressed with the treatment his daughter received at The Johns Hopkins Hospital for a lower gastrointestinal ailment a few years earlier. That was when he had first met colorectal surgeon   Jonathan Efron, M.D. As a professional pilot, Terry was trained to deal with changing circumstances and to react in a way that achieves the best outcome. Terry decided that his best chance to beat colorectal cancer meant making the three-hour round-trip drive from his home in Virginia to be treated at Johns Hopkins. “There w

Everything was going right for Laurie Jean Cannady in June 2015. An English professor at Lock Haven University in central Pennsylvania, Laurie Jean was planning a party to celebrate the publication of her new memoir,  Crave: Sojourn of a Hungry Soul . Then, something odd happened: She noticed an unusual lump on her left cheek, below the cheekbone. Although it wasn’t painful, her primary care physician referred her to a local specialist for more tests. Brain Aneurysm Diagnosed A  CT scan  at an outpatient clinic confirmed that the lump wasn’t serious. However, the scan revealed another issue that was very concerning: Laurie Jean had an unruptured  brain aneurysm , a weak and ballooning area in the wall of a brain artery that required immediate care. If left untreated, a life-threatening rupture of the brain aneurysm may occur. Laurie Jean says she had trouble getting needed follow-up appointments and tests scheduled, which lulled her into a false sense of security about the urgency of h

Life was busy for 17-year-old Brianna Atkins. In January 2015, the Apple Valley, California, high school senior was ready to start her final season of soccer, focused on maintaining her spot in the top 10 of her class and working part time. But it all came to a sudden halt when she learned the headaches that she’d been having during the past month were caused by a  brain aneurysm. Instead of taking the field at the season’s first soccer game, Brianna was in the emergency room at the local hospital with her parents, Angel and Santos Adams. The headache pain was so bad that Brianna couldn’t play. “I was on my way to her game when she called me crying,” recalls Angel. “She’s not one to complain about anything. We knew something wasn’t normal.” A  CT scan  showed a mass on Brianna’s brain. After further testing by her primary care physician and a referral to a local neurologist, they learned the mass was a giant brain aneurysm, a weak and ballooning area in an artery wall. Brianna’s aneury

In September 2015, Mike Douglas checked into a hospital near his Virginia home for what he thought was going to be routine hernia surgery. As things turned out, the doctor performing the procedure instead did a biopsy when he discovered something unusual inside the abdomen of the then 54-year-old software engineer, husband and father of two. After an agonizing week of waiting for results, Mike got a call from his doctor with bad news. The tests indicated he had a very rare and potentially deadly tumorous condition in and around his appendix. Called pseudomyxoma peritonei or PMP, the condition is not curable, but it is treatable, Mike recalls the doctor telling him. “It was quite a surprise,” he says of the diagnosis. Treating Appendix Cancer A series of referrals from local doctors brought Mike to The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he met with an experienced surgical oncologist specializing in the treatment of appendix cancer. Of the six subtypes of appendix cancer, PMP is one of the mo

November 4 th  was Susan’s wedding anniversary, and she and her husband Tim were in the car on their way to The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Just two weeks earlier, Susan had been diagnosed with a  chordoma , a tumor that was growing at the base of her spine. “As an active, lifelong health, nutrition and fitness practitioner who has never been hospitalized, I was in shock.” says Susan. “For the first time in my life, my world suddenly felt like it had spun out of control.” On the way to Baltimore, Tim asked one more time: “Do you want to keep going, or do you want to just go to the airport and fly someplace wonderful?” Susan, thinking of future trips and adventures she wanted to share with him, said, “Keep going.” Chordoma: A Rare Diagnosis Chordoma is a rare tumor. In Susan’s case, the doctors had caught it early. But she says the diagnosis sent her reeling. Her general practitioner recommended a specialist in surgery for chordoma tumors:  Dan Sciubba, M.D.  After the consultation, Sciubba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=sZ1ZmGQ2irI At age 9, Jaliyah was diagnosed with an osteosarcoma. After swelling from an ankle sprain did not subside, a visit to Jaliyah’s primary care physician revealed that her ankle pain was caused by a tumor. When local specialists recommended amputation, Jaliyah’s mother, Joyce, searched for a second opinion to save her daughter’s leg. Joyce found Carol Morris, M.D., M.S., chief of orthopaedic oncology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, who offered an alternative. Morris and her team performed a complex limb-sparing surgery, allowing Jaliyah to keep her leg. Learn more about Jaliyah’s story and the care team that gave her the chance to continue dancing. Original Published Link Osteosarcoma: Jaliyah's Story #CarolMorrisM.D, #ContinueDancing #Cancer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=RkrR0opalwQ   Original Published Link Parotid Salivary Gland Tumor: Jubenal's Story #Others

After leaving her doctor’s office in Taiwan, Esther Wong knew she needed a second opinion. At a routine physical in September, Esther’s doctor noticed something concerning under her tongue and sent her to see a specialist. The otolaryngologist she saw attempted a biopsy but had difficulty gaining access to the affected area. She was diagnosed with salivary gland cancer, and her doctor recommended surgery. Esther was told to expect a very invasive procedure that would leave scars on her face. She might even need to have some of her teeth removed for the surgeon to access the tumor. The last straw for Esther was the news that the surgery could damage her voice box and leave her without the ability to speak. This was unacceptable to the middle school teacher at Taipei American School, who wasn’t willing to risk ending her teaching career, her true passion. Traveling to Johns Hopkins Knowing Esther spent 15 years living in Maryland, the principal of her school asked why she didn’t go to Jo

I was always the 'tough as nails, nothing can hurt me', kind of guy,” Steve recalls. But stress at work had taken its toll and his weight ballooned from what he calls his “fighting and playing weight.” Steve often didn’t feel well. In November of 2007 he developed a sore throat. “I didn’t pay much attention to it because it seemed like I always caught a cold or lost my voice around that time of year,” the life-long northern Virginia resident says. A week later, he not only experienced a sore throat but felt like something like a piece of food was stuck in his throat. After several trips to his primary care physician, he was referred to an otolaryngologist (also known as an ENT). Using a scope (a small thin camera) to see down his throat, they discovered a golf ball-sized tumor at the base of his tongue. Biopsy results a week later confirmed the worst — Steve had cancer. Stifling Cancer’s Stronghold It took a while for that to sink in. My first thought was, ‘Holy crap, I’m going

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=_a33x5XgznI After a fall, 9-year-old Danica was left with metal rods, which had been implanted years before to stabilize her spine and had broken in the accident, floating dangerously close to her brain stem. Danica and her family traveled from Ohio to Johns Hopkins to receive life-altering, complex reconstruction surgery from Neurosurgical Spine Center Director  Nicholas Theodore, M.D.  Danica is now able to ride a bike for the first time ever. The first sign of something wrong with Danica Snyder’s spine came at age 13 months, when she cried out in pain when turning her head a certain way during diaper changes. Then, while posing for a family portrait at 18 months old, Danica’s head kept falling to one side. Danica and her mother share a special moment. “Everyone said she had torticollis,” says Danica’s mother, Monica Kaye Snyder. Torticollis, or “twisted neck” in Latin, which can occur due to positioning in the womb, can be correcte

Ryan Bigelow’s parents were concerned when at age 3, his right leg began to shake a bit for a day or two. What Ryan jokingly called his “wiggly leg” showed up again a month later, a pattern that would repeat itself over Ryan’s early years. Then, at age 10, Ryan’s wiggly leg spread to his entire right side in a violent, minute-long seizure. The Pasadena, Maryland, family called 911. “He was given Ativan at the emergency room to ‘break the episode,’ a term we would become very familiar with over the next five years,” says Ryan’s dad, Sonny Bigelow. Ryan was diagnosed with epilepsy—the idiopathic form, in which the cause is not known. Like many children with epilepsy, he would be managed with anti-seizure medicines that reduced the frequency and severity of his partial seizures but did not eliminate them. For Ryan’s parents, life became a continuous cycle of adjusting and changing medications, giving him multiple drug cocktails. However, no matter what combination doctors tried, Ryan’s se

As part of a 16-patient kidney exchange, Pamela Paulk's kidney donation ensured her friend would receive a life-saving transplant. Pamela Paulk, vice president of human resources at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Health System, took her work to the next level June 22 when she joined an elite group of humanitarians and donated a kidney to a needy recipient. Paulk was part of the four-state; 16-patient kidney exchange orchestrated by Robert Montgomery, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the transplant division at Johns Hopkins.  It was the largest such multiple donor-recipient exchange to date. These exchanges—so-called domino kidney paired donation—enable multiple donors and recipients to interchange kidneys so that each recipient can receive the kidney that best matches his or her blood and tissue type, thus helping to ensure that the kidney will have the very best chance of long-term survival. The ultimate beneficiary of Paulk's generosity is Robert Imes, who received someone

Within five weeks, Dan Lineberger went from being to completely healthy to being told he had one week left to live. A drug toxicity from a dietary supplement caused fulminant hepatic (liver) failure, which lead to fulminant  renal (kidney) failure . When his health began to deteriorate, Dan was spending Thanksgiving with family in Maryland. He was taken to Johns Hopkins where he met with a hepatologist and, eventually, the transplant team. “I was scared, confused, quite irritable at times, but only in relation to the sheer torture of the effects of the liver and kidney failure,” Dan says. “I probably remained in denial until the night I got a call in my hospital room telling me they had a donor…I was glad to have a chance to live, but upset another young person had to pass away and her family changed forever.” Within roughly five weeks I literally went from being 100% healthy and never having been to a hospital to being told I had a week to live. -Dan, on learning he needed a transplan

Antara Desai had more than a decade’s experience with lung problems. When she was 17, she was diagnosed with  Ewing sarcoma  in her spine, and a metastasis in her right lung. The tumor in her lung was surgically removed while the tumor on her spine required chemotherapy. As she was going through chemotherapy, Antara developed a life threatening fungal infection in her lungs and sinuses. Four years later, she contracted  tuberculosis  (TB), and suffered a relapse of TB two years after that. Antara’s lungs were heavily scarred and she had progressive fibrosis. When she was 26, Antara visited her pulmonologist and discovered that her lung capacity was only at 20% of what it should have been. She was told she needed a lung transplant. Needing a Transplant and Other Problems With the support of oxygen, Antara was able to continue working as a physical therapist. She wanted to delay transplant for as long as possible, since she knew there was a risk of rejection. However, she had also heard

For eight years, Bill Cooke battled  emphysema . His doctor began to speak about lung transplants, and referred Bill to the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center. In 2001, Bill had lung reduction and heart bypass surgery to extend the length of time before he would need the transplant. Bill knew a transplant was inevitable. “Pre-transplant, there was no quality of life,” says Bill. “I was at that point where anything would be better than the state of health that I was in at that time in my life.” It wasn’t long after Bill was added to the transplant waiting list when a new set of lungs became available. Fortunately, the very first time he got called into the hospital, the lungs were a match for him. Bill received his transplant in 2008. He went through the pre-transplant process expecting to receive two lungs, however, immediately prior to surgery was informed he would get one lung due to complications from his previous lung reduction surgery. Since his transplant, Bill is able

In 2016, Dylan Matthews became one of the 5,633 people in the U.S. who donated a kidney that year. The 27-year-old Washington, D.C., resident was a non-directed (also called altruistic) kidney donor, meaning that Dylan chose to donate his kidney to a stranger. For Dylan, his inspiration for donating a kidney was simple: it was the opportunity to help someone else. His journey to become a living kidney donor began a few years earlier when he read an article about people donating kidneys to strangers. His studies of ethics and moral philosophy as a student at Harvard University further fueled his interest. "I took a lot of classes about how to think about morality and how to see your obligations to other people," explains Dylan. "In class, I kept coming back again to the concept that if you have the opportunity to help someone at a low cost for yourself, you should go for it." Being a living kidney donor has a low impact on the donor. For a healthy donor, living day t

How do you thank the people who saved your life? Liver transplant survivor Clyde Beard thanks by giving. A former patient in the Comprehensive Transplant Center, Beard returned to the hospital unit for the fifth year in a row to serve a sumptuous holiday feast to 150 staff, patients and their families. Long Road to Transplant Decades, ago, a blood transfusion after a motorcycle accident exposed the young Beard to hepatitis C, but he was unaware of the infection attacking his liver until he attempted to donate blood in 1992. Despite the available treatments at the time, Beard grew increasingly sicker. He finally received a new liver in October 2008 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital after being on the transplant list for 20 months. “I thought I was on death’s door,” he says. “They saved my life.” Holiday Thanks Beard spent roughly a month on the Comprehensive Transplant Center hospital unit and was discharged just before the holiday season. Grateful to be alive, he and his wife, Wendy, hatch