On December 5, 2022, after a long day at work, Rex Austin went home, grabbed a bite to eat and settled in for the evening, but his relaxation was short lived. Around 5:00 pm, he noticed his heart began beating incredibly fast. “My shirt seemed to bounce with the fast rhythm of my heart, and […]
Category: Personal Stories
Healing via Hyperbaric Chamber at WakeMed Wound Care: Lance Tornatore’s Story
According to the CDC, “More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90 to 95 percent of them have type 2 diabetes.” Diabetes can lead to a host of health problems, including neuropathy, a condition that reduces feeling sensations in parts of the body, such as the feet. What’s more, […]
A Supportive Space for Mom and Baby at WakeMed North Hospital: Asia’s Labor and Delivery Story
Having a baby is always an unpredictable experience, especially for first-time moms. A caring, compassionate health care team can bridge the gap between what a mom understands about labor and delivery and how she goes about making the experience memorable and positive. Unfortunately, for mom Asia Batton, this was not what happened. Asia gave birth […]
600 Ounces and Counting: Why Sarah Dugger Gives to the WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank
Giving is good for the soul. In fact, there is scientific evidence that altruistic people receive pleasure from being generous. This is certainly the case with Sarah Dugger, PhD, a wife, mother of two and clinical genomic scientist. Her life’s work is dedicated to giving help and hope to people with medical conditions to improve […]
A Will to Win: Olivia Jacob’s Story
Olivia Jacobs was born with the attributes of a winning athlete. With passion, self-confidence, self-discipline and resilience, she channeled her competitive spirit into her most beloved sport: basketball. For years, she was motivated and optimistic about her future as a high school and even collegiate athlete, but setbacks followed. A Debilitating Knee Injury In November 2020, […]
I Finally Quit! — Lonnie Wilmot’s Smoking Cessation Testimony
I started smoking at 15. Back when I was in high school, there were designated smoking areas. It wasn’t taboo like it is today. An Introduction to Quit with WakeMed Fast forward years later, and I got a hernia. During the process of trying to get it repaired, they told me I had to be […]
A Bug Bite Like No Other: Raven McCrindle’s Battle with Testicular Cancer
On an unseasonably warm North Carolina day, Raven McCrindle went outside to do some yard work. Days of sunshine and spring-like temperatures had caused the grass to awaken from dormancy. Raven says, “While I was outside mowing the lawn, a bug bit me on my inner thigh.” A Life-Saving Bug Bite Before long, the bug […]
Fighting Congestive Heart Failure with an Advocate Who Cares: Jade DeBerry’s Story
Jade DeBerry’s story began in February 2007, when at just 23 years old, she experienced a severe cough and shortness of breath. Jade visited the emergency room where a series of tests and scans were run, including one to test her ejection fraction rate. An Idiopathic Congestive Heart Failure Diagnosis An ejection fraction rate is […]
The Essence of Care: Rebecca Diane McCorkle’s Story
On April 28, 2023, Rebecca McCorkle became oddly fatigued and experienced trouble breathing. Alarmed, her dad drove her to the WakeMed Garner Healthplex. The care team ordered blood work, a computed tomography (CT) scan and X-rays, noting the seriousness of her symptoms. She was diagnosed with pneumonia. Pneumonia Signs and Symptoms Pneumonia can be due […]
Knee Replacement for Prior Military Search & Rescue Swimmer Benny Moore
Benny Moore enjoyed a rewarding career as a search and rescue swimmer for the United States military. He readily put himself in peril to save lives. Yet, his selfless service to his country eventually led to his diagnosis of osteoarthritis — in his mid-30s. Benny explains, “My knees started swelling with fluid, so I would […]
You must be logged in to post a comment.