Sharing Mayo Clinic - August 2010 Archives

Inspiration comes in many forms - for Irma Poznecki, a 45-year-old mother of three from Anthem, Ariz., it was brownies and cupcakes. In late 2009, Irma ...

In early 2009, Josh Johnson's parents thought their 14-year-old's back was likely sore from a few falls he'd taken while snowboarding competitively. They live in ...

I was diagnosed with bone cancer in ninth grade. It was December 2006, just before the holidays. For several months, I’d had a bump just ...

As a semi-retired financier living with his wife on the Isle of Man, Andrew Ashworth is used to ...

Where do I start in my cancer journey?? I guess at the beginning!! It all started with a “bump” on the inside of my ankle that I ignored because it was the same color as my skin and didn’t hurt. But as weeks went by, it started to grow. I still didn’t think much of it until I went for my physical at Mayo Clinic. I talked to Dr. Paru David, and pointed out this “bump” to her and told her how long it had been there and how it wasn’t bothering me. First Dr. David sent me to have an x-ray done to see what it might be, and then she called the dermatologist, Dr. Susanne Connelly, to set up an appointment for me. I continued on my way, with no worries and got my tests done as were ordered. Dr. Connelly was so nice, attentive and concerned. She took a biopsy and told me it would be back in 48 hours or less. I went home and continued my life, still not worried. But then, one day later, I got the call from Dr. Connelly. She told me as gently as she could that she needed to see me as soon as possible. When I went to see her that same day with a friend, she gave me the bad news as calmly and gently as that sort of news can be delivered. I had melanoma!! I just sat there and stared in space. I could not speak and didn’t know what to ask. She immediately got on the phone to the Hematology/Oncology Department and set up an appointment for me that day to see an oncologist. Before I went to that appointment, she did an exam on me to see if she could find the original site that the cancer came from. She looked on my scalp, between my toes and even had me remove my acrylic nails to see if there was anything on my nail beds.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with a ...

Nurse publishing can significantly impact the quality of life for a patient. As registered nurses, we coordinate the care of our patients every day; however, we ...

Annenberg Plaza in Rochester, Minn., is a beautiful spot on the downtown Mayo Clinic campus. In the summer when the flowers are in bloom, it ...

Jim Reaser has had a long history with Mayo Clinic for specialty care, but it was his primary care physician in Rapid City, South Dakota, ...

Murphy the therapy dog brings smiles to Mayo Clinic patients through “Pets are Loving Support” pilot program