Battle of the BandAt 24, Danvers resident Erin James’ life after college was on track, but, she said, "I just knew my weight was holding me back.” Surviving Sudden DeathTheresa Stablewski, 60, enjoyed playing tennis and was often spotted on long bike rides with her husband. She was fit and had no history of cardiac disease; cardiac problems were the last thing on her mind. “My son always joked that I was healthier than he was.” Crisis for KristaNo little girl dreams of spending her birthday in the hospital.
Certainly, Krista Dariotis of Swampscott didn't as she looked forward to
turning 7 on December 2. A few days prior, however, she developed a
cough and low fever. Her mother, Emily, grew concerned when Krista began
having trouble breathing. The Beat Goes On for Gordon Hall and NSMCThe next time you reach for the snooze button, think of Gordon Hall. While you are dozing off, the 79-year-old Marblehead dynamo is likely to be downhill or cross-country skiing, canoeing, swimming, playing tennis, sailboat racing or attending a board meeting for one of the many community, cultural and environmental organizations with which he is involved. Marisa ....walking for her grandmother and auntAs a competitive dancer and high honors student, Marisa Paul’s days were already full when she began the year-long preparation for her bat mitzvah, a ceremony marking the beginning of religious responsibility for Jewish girls. Making MiraclesAfter 18 months of trying to conceive, Melissa Meehan and her husband Matt, of Swampscott, turned to NSMC reproductive endocrinologist Mitchell Rein, M.D., for help. Striking Out Cancer Through TeamworkJennifer Flanagan, a vibrant 55-year-old from Marblehead, is one of thousands of NSMC patients who have benefited from the NSMC Cancer Center close collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center. Winding Road to RecoveryCookie Melanson received excellent continuity of care at several Partners hospitals last summer, thanks to a new form of electronic medical record (EMR). More than IndigestionGastroesophageal reflux disease can often be treated with medication; surgery is no longer as necessary as it once was. Lessons From the HeartWatching what he eats has never been easy for 61-year-old James Elsaesser of Salem, a professional chef and culinary arts teacher at North Shore Community College. The Newest Standard of Care70-year-old Barbara Schapero of Peabody was bothered by a nagging dry cough, so she went to see her primary care physician to have it checked out. X-rays and a CT scan showed an abnormality in her left lung that turned out to be cancer. It Takes a Team to Heal a ChildManuel Carrillo – "Manny," to his friends and family– started life like any other infant – happy, healthy, and always smiling. But at about four months, he developed a 103-degree fever. Aim for SuccessWhen Roger Lambert of Winthrop was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he turned immediately to NSMC Cancer Center, which has a unique partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. "I never even thought about going to another facility," he recalls. A New StartAt 64 years old, Charles Medeiros was in great shape. He had both strength and stamina. But over the course of two years he began to notice himself slowing down. Religious about riding his exercise bike, he would be out of breath after only a few minutes on the pedals. Leading-Edge Technology Yields Powerful ResultsDick Bailey, at the age of 70, is at his desk by 6:30 a.m. and goes "non-stop," as he says, for the rest of the day. When he's not working, the longtime Nahant resident enjoys an active social life with his wife, Suzanne. Given his vigorous lifestyle, Bailey was surprised to learn in April 2005 that he had prostate cancer. For State-of-the-Art Care, There's No Place Like HomeMary Conlon had her first child at NSMC Union Hospital in 1953, and she and her family have been receiving care at the 150-bed community hospital in Lynn ever since. Recently, the great-grandmother came to NSMC Salem Hospital because of chronic lower back pain. Comprehensive Treatment Transforms a LifeSometimes, when they're out shopping together, Elaine Brown's husband walks right by without recognizing her. That's because the 61-year-old Methuen resident has lost 118 pounds since having laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery at NSMC Salem Hospital last April. Keeping Pace With a Busy LifeRacing from his job as a bar manager at Salem AOH to manage his son's Babe Ruth baseball team, then back home to spend time with his wife and three children, Tom Tardiff, a 48-year old Peabody (and former Salem) resident leads a very full life. But three years ago, while giving a presentation at work, he felt lightheaded and dizzy, his color paled and he needed to sit down. A Perfect StormBob Matthias, 55, of Lynn, arrived at NSMC's Emergency Department on a cold February night, all but unconscious. When he awoke in the NSMC Heart Center two days later, he learned how close he had come to dying. The Right Choice at the Right TimeFor half her life, 28-year-old Stacey Floyd, a first-grade teacher from Lynn, tried various methods for treating her excessively long, painful menstrual periods. Over the years, birth control pills and hormone shots had provided some relief, but constant doctors' visits and debilitating discomfort left Floyd feeling "older than [her] time." Michael McFarland (throat cancer survivor)Peabody resident Michael McFarland understands a thing or two about challenges -- he served in Vietnam and was exposed to Agent Orange. But neither of these experiences prepared him for a diagnosis of throat cancer. Charles Leveroni (non-Hodgkins lymphoma survivor)Charles Leveroni, a senior vice president at Lehman Brothers in Boston, came to work one morning and discovered that all of his male colleagues had shaved their heads the night before -- in a show of support for his struggle with cancer. Winning the Battle Against Cancer--TwiceMarcia Wolinski recently won her second battle against cancer. The spirited 74-year-old Swampscott resident first beat bladder cancer 25 years ago when she was treated successfully for rectal cancer at NSMC Salem Hospital. The second battle took place just this past spring Breathing Easy AgainIntricate thoracic surgery helps Beverly resident Cynthia McPherson breathe easy again.
An End to Knee PainNow with a full range of motion in her knees, Carol Wadsworth is looking forward to returning to her love of horseback riding.
Cynthia McPherson (lung cancer survivor)For Beverly resident Cynthia McPherson, the coming of winter guaranteed not only slush and snow but also her yearly battle with pneumonia and breathing trouble. In 2005, it also brought a diagnosis of a cancerous tumor in her lungs. Treating Peripheral Vascular DiseaseStephen Sawtell of Nahant was diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease; physicians at the NSMC Vascular Center inserted a stent in his leg artery in order to restore blood flow.
Susan Grillo Vitale (breast cancer survivor)Susan Grillo Vitale, 48, is a five-year breast cancer survivor. “I’m a powerhouse now. I’m closer with my family and am a stronger person mentally and physically; I love the person I’ve become.” James Steen (esophageal cancer survivor)James Steen of Danvers is thrilled with his new doctor, Dr. Jeff Odiet, of Lynnfield Medical Associates. But the diagnosis he received after their first few meetings was quite unexpected—esophageal cancer. Barbara Rubano (lung cancer survivor)When 73-year-old Peabody native Barbara Rubano’s voice got low and grumbly, the last thing she thought the doctor would tell her is that she had lung cancer. Harriet Gowell (lung cancer survivor)Harriett Gowell of Marblehead is active and healthy, but she suffered from a mild but persistent cough that plagued her for years, even though she stopped smoking in the early 1990s after decades of being a self-described “heavy smoker.” She was lucky: a Spiral CT, or computed tomography, scan, enabled early detection of lung cancer. Nancy May (colorectal cancer survivor)It’s been over a decade since Nancy May and her husband moved to Salem—a move she considers fortuitous not just because she loves living in the small waterfront city, but because it’s within easy reach of the North Shore Medical Center (NSMC) Cancer Center in Peabody. In 2003, after she received a diagnosis of Stage 3 colorectal cancer, she discovered just how relevant that proximity was. Kim Kimball (breast cancer survivor)Kim Kimball's breast cancer treatment included a high quality of care and state-of-the-art technology -- and was just minutes from her home in Wenham. Injecting Hope into a Lifetime of PainJill Joyce, 36-year-old Lynn science teacher, lived with back pain for fifteen years. Then an NSMC neurosurgeon and spine specialist, in conjunction with two pain management specialists from NSMC, finally brought her relief from pain.
Difference Between Life and DeathBeing taken to the right hospital at the right time was the difference between life and death for Lynn police officer Dave Fitzgerald.
Diabetes Management Changes a LifeWhen Kim Briere-Lewis was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2007 she realized she needed to change her lifestyle. Briere-Lewis’ primary care physician suggested that she attend the Diabetes Management Program through North Shore Medical Center. Lauren Ferrari (breast cancer survivor)Lauren Ferrari, a 46-year-old working mother of two from Danvers, found her strength tested last February when she discovered a lump in her breast that turned out to be cancer.
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