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Patient Stories
Heart Stories
LVAD extends life for local heart patients
These devices can be an excellent alternative for people with end stage heart failure who aren't candidates for a heart transplant.
Ignoring symptoms can mean heartache for loved ones
Mike Wojnowski came close to dying last summer after several months of ignoring mild cardiac symptoms.
Edward Hospital first in Illinois to implant MRI-safe pacemaker
Edward became the first hospital in the state to implant and Mata became the first patient in the state to receive a new MRI-safe pacemaker.
Treatment options help heart failure patients live better longer
Patty O'Mara-Croft had surgery to insert an elastic netting around her enlarged heart to keep it from further expansion.
"It was getting harder to breathe the last six months or so"
The former tank commander, Battle of the Bulge veteran and prisoner of war wasn't fazed before or after undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), a new, lifesaving procedure at Edward Hospital to correct a condition called severe aortic stenosis.
Kenneth needed a new heart but didn't want to take the place of a younger person on a transplant list
Clowers was given a left ventricle assist device (LVAD), which takes over the pumping function of the heart's left ventricle.
Pete's scan strongly suggested the presence of an aneurysm, a dangerous bulge in the aorta
"We learned that his thoracic aneurysm was at 5.3 centimeters – at this point the risk of rupture increases," says Dr. Ramanathan.
Testing available at Edward for kids with heart problems
Light's right coronary artery was growing from the left side, instead of the right, a misplacement that could reduce the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart, and even lead to death.
Taking action to get diabetes under control
Judy's A1C scores had been going up, even though she was taking insulin. The Edward Diabetes Center helped Judy get her diabetes under control and reduce heart and stroke problems.
"It's 8:58. Runners, take your places."
That's the last thing Cheri Kalas remembers before collapsing 100 yards into a 5K race last April. Here's her story...
Find out your risk before it's too late!
Michael McGovern, a 57-year old Naperville resident, looked forward to his daily workout at the Edward Health & Fitness Center. And, he felt fortunate that heart disease didn't run in his family. That's why he was shocked to learn he needed triple bypass surgery.
He said, "You need bypass surgery".
In just one week, Pat Bradley went from taking the HeartAware online screening to having triple bypass surgery.
I had to take charge of my own health
Barbara Hunt, a 61-year old wife, mother of two and grandmother of four saw an Ultra Fast Heart Scan as an opportunity to be in control of her healthcare and her future. Her take-charge approach paid off.
A life-saving decision
After the death of a fellow Joliet police officer, Bert Badertscher felt it was time to check out his own health situation. It turned out to be a life-saving decision.
He said, "We just gave you back 10-15 years".
Michael Mosko had quadruple bypass surgery performed on February 14, 2008, Valentine's Day, the date recommended by his primary care physician, Scott Love, MD, of DuPage Medical Group.
HeartAware provides nudge for those at risk
In early 2009 Naperville resident Richard Kotowski, 51, had been experiencing chest discomfort whenever he used his snowblower or walked on his treadmill. He visited Edward Hospital's Web site where he found the HeartAware risk assessment.
On the 15th hole I started to feel a lot of pain in my back
Tom Siok, of South Barrington is thankful for "...another chance to embrace life" following complex and lengthy surgery at Edward Hospital to repair a dissected aorta.
Putting the squeeze on heart failure
Thomas Casper, a 67-year old St. Charles resident, didn't meet the criteria for a heart transplant. But, neither were there any HearNet netting traditional surgical or medication alternatives to treat his enlarged heart.
Here comes that heartache again
Doctors at Edward Heart Hospital treated Eric AuCoin's recurring coronary artery blockage with brachytherapy, a procedure that uses sophisticated radiation
equipment.
This doctor saved my life
What should have been a short flight home from Las Vegas turned into five consecutive hours and a long airline delay for Jim Durkin. When the Woodridge resident finally stood up to exit the airplane, he had excruciating pain in one leg.
Friends honor fallen ISU classmate, get scans
Julie Losasso (white lab coat), Edward Hospital manager of cardoivascular prevention, education and outreach services, is joined by (from left) Lynne Weber, Marilyn Bottoff, Kathy Pfeiffer, Malene Norris and Nancy Kuglin, all of whom had heart scans following the death of their college classmate.
Neurology Stories
"I now have my life back," says Tony after treatment for cluster headaches at Edward
When he saw Dr. Sajed at the Headache Clinic in May 2012, Elder says, "He could see I was at the end of my rope and he began treatments immediately."
"I couldn't bend over to pick things up and I couldn't sleep lying down"
Her doctor sent her to the Edward Spine Center where CT scans revealed she had two fractured vertebrae. The doctor told Linda she could continue a conservative approach, using pain medications and adding a back brace, or she could have surgery.
"The pain was so severe I let out a small cry"
Dr. Michael Caron, a neurosurgeon with the Edward Neurosciences Institute, diagnosed Fijolek with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) on his spinal cord and admitted him to the hospital for surgery.
The dull ache would be punctuated by a sharp, stabbing pain in the back of her head
In June, when she’d had a migraine for 14 days straight, she finally saw Mohammad Sajed, MD, head of the Headache Clinic at the Edward Neurosciences Institute and Edward Hospital’s Medical Director of Neurocritical Care.
Edward Hospital patients have a new option in managing chronic pain
"It's made a big difference in my outlook," Hilgenberg says. "My family said, ‘Dad, we can tell you're not in the pain you were in.’"
"I eventually had a severe headache for two weeks..."
Naperville resident Mary Lantz, 27, is one of about 28 million Americans who suffer from migraine headaches, a process that begins in the brainstem when overactive nerve cells send signals to the blood vessels causing them to constrict.
Everything turns out right on upside down day
"While getting ready to drive my wife to the hospital, I suffered a stroke," says Brandon, 31 years old, of Romeoville.
Stroke strikes the young, too
Amanda Schauer, aspiring pastry chef, was saved by a thin wire and a corkscrew-like retrieval device from an artery in her hip up to the brain to pull out a stroke-causing clot.
The doctor and I knew immediately that it was something else...
Peter Clarke didn't think much of the tiny bump on his head until he decided to have it removed several years ago.
Quick work by neurosciences team saves life
29-year old Elin Inorio, following treatment at the Edward Neurosciences Institute for a ruptured aneurysm. The doctors went from saying 'unusual' to 'remarkable' to 'this is a miracle'.
Cancer Stories
ACS Wig Boutique on Edward Plainfield campus open to all cancer patients
"The idea of losing my hair was one of the things that bothered me most"
Pediatric cancer care more convenient due to Edward-Comer partnership
The collaboration offers the latest technology and protocols available from an academic medical center, with the convenience of receiving some treatment close to home.
Some cancer patients find hope in HIPEC, an innovative cancer treatment
An ultrasound revealed a rare type of tumor the size of a softball on her right ovary. The pathology study indicated it was a metastatic tumor from an unknown primary origin.
Patients get help fighting cancer and accompanying stress in support groups
In early 2010, Aurora resident Mike Stamm learned his prostate cancer had returned after a 25-year remission. The Stage 4 disease was now attacking his gastrointestinal tract.
Study offers hope for patient with rare cancer
In spring of 2008 Dean Nickens, 60, of St. John, Missouri, learned the bump on his leg he thought was a routine injury was actually a type of sarcoma, called chondrosarcoma.
"This therapy uses 100 percent oxygen at pressure that is two to three times the pressure we normally experience"
When Lisle resident Gretchen Arnott was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2006, she didn't know her upcoming battle would give her a common experience with some deep sea divers and astronauts: a stint in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
"I've been concerned about my lung cancer risk for years"
If you have a history of smoking and worry about the consequences, you may be a candidate for Edward Hospital's new lung cancer screening program.
In Annabelle's case, the tumor was a soft tissue cancer
Three-year old Annabelle Threadgill of Ottawa, Illinois was born with a lump in her arm caused by a condition called aggressive fibromatosis, which can be a difficult disorder to diagnose.
Genetic counseling helps family fight cancer risk
Thirty-nine year old Sheri Reed's family health history includes breast cancer that took the lives of her grandmother and three of her grandmother's four sisters at an early age.
Rapid Arc Means Rapid Return to Active Lifestyle
Pat Keane had never heard of photon radiation before his cancer diagnosis. In fact, he hadn't given much thought to cancer treatment at all. That changed three years ago when the lump Pat noticed in his neck turned out to be cancer in his right tonsil.
They know their cancer stuff!
Lynnette Dattomo, with her dog Mater, says doctors, nurses and staff at the Edward Plainfield Cancer Center helped her deal with the emotional impact of breast cancer as well as the physical side effects.
You have to be in charge of your own health
Early in her second pregnancy, Elizabeth Burdett, of Naperville, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer – a disease so aggressive that it's usually in the latest stages before being discovered. Her prognosis was five years – at the most. That was 12 years ago.
It was time for Susan to consult a surgeon
The tests showed that Susan had stage III breast cancer, meaning the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. When Susan later needed a biopsy for a lump in her armpit, she went directly to Dr. Zimmermann.
The care made everything more tolerable
Time stood still for Judy Johnson when micro-calcifications were detected in her breast during a routine mammogram. She was told that she needed a biopsy. The results of the biopsy showed that she needed a lumpectomy, which determined it was breast cancer.
Edward truly is a place for people who don't like hospitals
Solka, a 28-year-old Plainfield resident, received chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma from August through November. Twice a week, she visited the Edward Plainfield Cancer Center for treatment.
Surgery Stories
With anterior hip replacement, patients benefit from a smaller incision
Before anterior hip replacement surgery, Naperville resident Vicky Joseph was challenged every day to do things about which most people wouldn’t think twice.
Endoscopic ultrasound: Another tool for early cancer detection
"My doctor said, 'Let's get an MRI to rule out kidney stones,'" recalls Samonte. "There were no stones, but the MRI showed that the pancreatic cyst had tripled in size."
Edward Hospital patients have a new option in managing chronic pain
"It's made a big difference in my outlook," Hilgenberg says. "My family said, ‘Dad, we can tell you're not in the pain you were in.’"
da Vinci Surgical System treats prostate cancer
According to Peter Lewis, 65, of Lisle there's no doubt he made the right decision choosing da Vinci as the way to remove his prostate gland because of prostate cancer.
The (XLIF) procedure is wonderful
Mary Bonda, a 62-year old Winfield resident, is once again taking her regular two-mile walks following a new minimally invasive procedure to relieve certain types of back pain.
Minimally Invasive Surgery means less is more
If John Benz's belly aches had occurred a dozen years ago, the 67-year-old Naperville man may have faced a more difficult choice about his treatment. His pain was a result of diverticulitis, an inflammation in the tiny pouches, called diverticula, which develop in the colons of most people over 60.
Women & Children's Stories
Patients learn to manage painful bladder syndrome
Symptoms vary, and urine tests for infection come up negative. Many of these women have gone months, even years, without the correct diagnosis.
Mom of preemie finds comfort in Edward's Ronald McDonald Family Room
It was comforting to know there was someplace to go for a breather or a snack where I could still get back to the baby in almost no time.
"Most nights I was only able to sleep about three hours"
Kathy Pasco is starting to sleep longer after being treated for a sleep disorder following a horrible car accident.
Between 14-23 percent of women will experience depression during pregnancy
Twenty-four weeks pregnant with triplets and trying to keep up with a one year old son at home, Lemont resident Elizabeth Rose, 31, was feeling overwhelmed and struggling.
Helping hands reach out to high-risk moms
Marissa spent 47 days in Edward's Antepartum Unit. "I don't think the pregnancy would have lasted that long if it weren't for the staff at Edward,” says Marissa.
Against the odds - a baby's story
Bella was born with a giant omphalocele, a 1-in-10,000 condition in which the body's abdominal organs are outside of the body - intestines, liver, spleen and stomach in Bella's case.
We felt 100 percent comfortable in having her in Dr. Smith's hands
In spring of 2004, Dawn Batchelor went in for a prenatal ultrasound. The then mother of three had sailed through these screenings before. But this time was different. The images showed a condition in the fetus called antenatal hydronephrosis.
The pediatric ER is exceptional
Michael experienced bleeding on the brain, one of the serious complications associated with afibrinogenemia, a rare, inherited blood disorder in which the blood does not clot normally.
Elgin mother delivers natural quadruplets
The Medrano family grew by four on October 4, 2006, at Edward Hospital in Naperville when Anissa Medrano, 30, of Elgin, delivered quadruplets.
Tiny fighter has experts in his corner
At the ripe, old age of 16 months Michael Gillespie has been through more medical procedures, treatments and trauma than most adults.
I was like, "Oh my god, this is my girl".
Yorkville resident Jessica Ellinger, 29, had just learned she was having a girl. She was about five months pregnant when her OB/GYN discovered Ellinger was already dilated 2 centimeters. The perinatologist, Donald Taylor, DO, told her she could go on bed rest and undergo a cerclage, a surgical procedure to close the cervix - or risk losing the baby.
Born with only a sliver of the left heart
Robert and Kimberley Weaver of Plainfield learned their three-day-old son, Logan, had a life-threatening condition known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital condition that can include a variety of problems with the left side of the heart.
Emergency Stories
Pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you
58-year old Kris Chrzan of Naperville knew something wasn't right. Because she heeded her body's warning signs, she received the proper assessment and treatment in Edward Hospital's emergency department and, three days later, underwent life-saving heart surgery.
I know you don't deliver babies often in the ER...
Dominic Frigo entered the world on September 9, 2008 in a way his parents won't forget nor will the doctors, nurses and staff on duty in Edward Hospital's emergency department that very early morning.
Diabetes Stories
"When you have a long-term disease you really need education and support to keep on track"
Visits to the doctor revealed Stephanie Stadtherr had a tumor and a cyst in her kidney. In January of 2012 she had surgery to remove the growths and part of her right kidney. Then, her vision started to blur as a result of diabetic retinopathy.
Managing Diabetes Easier Thanks to New Technologies
Donald DeJohn, 58, has had difficulty managing his glucose levels. He was beginning to have diabetes complications, including neuropathy – numbness in his hands and feet.
Taking action to get diabetes under control
Judy's A1C scores had been going up, even though she was taking insulin. The Edward Diabetes Center helped Judy get her diabetes under control and reduce heart and stroke problems.
Other Stories
Edward's community benefit nearly $100 million
"The program is really great. It helped ease my mind about the financial situation," says Stan. "I didn't have to go to the doctor's office worrying about how to pay."
New rehab equipment gets patients back on track
We're one of the few area hospitals with a partial body weight support system to help patients re-learn to walk.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps heal stubborn wounds
Pat Wujcik is finished with HBOT, but regularly visits the Wound Healing Center. And the best news is that the therapy has saved Wujcik's foot.
Rascoe's sleep study showed that he stopped breathing an average of 22 times per hour
In sleep apnea, the throat becomes at least partially blocked during sleep. This causes the person to stop breathing for short periods.
"The (PAK) program was life-changing, and I'm so grateful that it was free"
ProActive Kids (PAK) is a free program that puts 8 to 14-year old DuPage County kids on the path to achieving their goal weight and a healthier lifestyle.
"This therapy uses 100 percent oxygen at pressure that is two to three times the pressure we normally experience"
When Lisle resident Gretchen Arnott was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2006, she didn't know her upcoming battle would give her a common experience with some deep sea divers and astronauts: a stint in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
"The biggest benefit of the group is being with people who understand our feelings"
On Friday, October 13, 2008, Naperville resident Irv Scherman and his wife Natalie celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first date. Leukemia claimed Natalie's life later that month.
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Cheri's Story
