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Article Category: PeopleCare

ValerieCare: Spine surgery success at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital

Published on March 08, 2021

Last updated 08:40 PM March 08, 2021

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One of Valerie Orff's favorite things is walking and hiking with her dog.

Valerie Orff was done with excruciating pain.

After suffering with severe back aches for 30 years, the Roswell resident had tried everything. Massage therapy, chiropractic care and even dry needling. But nothing provided permanent relief — until she went to Wellstar.

When Valerie’s pain, which had been steadily worsening over the past eight years, got to the point where she couldn’t play soccer with her grandchild, dance or sit on a motorcycle (one of her favorite past times), she told her primary care physician she needed a true solution. That’s when Wellstar stepped in.


Personalized Spine Care

Dr. Basheer Shakir, a neurosurgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital, carefully and thoroughly examined Valerie and discovered what had been bringing her discomfort and slowing her down — a disc in her back was degenerating, and one of her vertebrae was moving back and forth on another one, instead of staying in place.

“This was causing back and leg pain that affected her daily activities and quality of life,” Dr. Shakir said.

Dr. Shakir knew Valerie was hesitant about getting surgery. But after spending time getting to know Valerie, and learning about her busy, active lifestyle, the two decided on a minimally invasive surgery that could quickly get her back to her routine.


Minimal procedure. Maximum results.

Valerie’s Wellstar team was able to perform a fusion operation by accessing the disc through her side, without traumatizing the muscles in her back. This shortened her hospital stay, minimized her pain after surgery and accelerated her recovery.

Although she had initially been nervous about spine surgery, Valerie said Dr. Shakir listened to her concerns, presented all her options and explained everything in detail so she knew what to expect. In short, he treated her as much more than just a “neuro patient,” but as a person.

Now, 12 weeks after surgery, Valerie is pain-free for the first time in three decades.

“I put my faith and trust in him, and now I can’t even tell you how good it is to get up every day and go to bed with no back aches. I sleep through the night, go to the gym and lost 15 pounds,” she said.

If you are struggling with back pain, Wellstar’s expert neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons can help you decide if spine surgery is right for you. 

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Shakir in North Fulton today.

Call Now

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Basheer Ahmed Shakir North Fulton Hospital Neuro Care
PeopleCare
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PeopleCare

CindyCare

To say Cindy Mejia is “busy” is an understatement. 

She’s constantly crunching numbers as an accounting manager for a large research institute, trying out new recipes in her kitchen at her Roswell home, or trying to keep up with her little granddaughter (who just discovered how much fun it is to run).

But one Wednesday in September, Cindy woke up and reached for her computer, trying to get an early start to her workday. She felt a little groggy and couldn’t remember her password but didn’t immediately realize something was wrong.

Then she stood up. Her right arm and leg weren’t functioning, and that’s when Cindy knew what was happening — she was having a stroke.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘I need to get to Wellstar North Fulton right away,’” Cindy said. “I knew the hospital was nearby and has a good reputation.”

That decision ultimately saved her brain and life.

For Cindy, the critical care she needed was close to home, too — she lives four miles from Wellstar North Fulton Hospital. There, her care team sprang into action, bringing her the treatment and peace of mind in a moment of crisis.

“From then on, I felt well taken care of,” Cindy said. “I was relieved, and I knew I was going to be OK.”

 

Cindy's close-to-home 'pit crew'

When a patient has a stroke, every second matters. Each minute that ticks by could be the difference between a permanent stroke and a return to routine. So at North Fulton, Cindy’s care team assembled quickly to save her brainpower.

“We’re like the pit crew on a NASCAR team,” said Dr. Ed Malcom, a Wellstar emergency medicine physician. “We have our emergency stroke care response down to a science. Everyone knows their role and works together to act quickly.”

Cindy was one of the first patients at North Fulton to benefit from the hospital’s newest addition to its stroke program. While North Fulton has been a primary stroke center for years, the introduction of thrombectomies at the hospital gives patients a close-to-home, life-saving option for stroke care — saving them both time and brainpower.

A thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure used to unclog an artery, restoring blood flow to the brain and preventing further damage. It does not involve cutting of the brain but instead starts with the insertion of a catheter through the patient’s groin.

“Recently, we’ve developed our own capability right here in the North Fulton area to pull the clot out of the brain. That’s a giant leap forward,” Dr. Malcom explained. “It's good for the whole state because there's only a handful of hospitals that do that, and it's good for the residents that live in that North Fulton area to have a hospital so close. They don't have to take a helicopter ride somewhere to get that procedure done. It saves time.”

For Cindy, having that procedure just a few miles from her home, right when she needed it, helped save her brain function.

“If Cindy would have gone to a different hospital that didn't provide this care, then it would have been a long time before she was able to have blood flow restored to the brain,” Wellstar Neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Zussman said, explaining how critical each section was when it came to Cindy’s care. “The delay could have been 30 minutes or even an hour, and it's possible that she would have had permanent stroke, permanent damage to her brain instead of making the recovery she did.”

Offering thrombectomies at North Fulton has brought long-needed stroke services to the area north of Atlanta, so patients like Cindy don’t have to travel into the city through busy traffic to get the treatment they need.

“In a city like Chicago or New York, there are almost eight or nine stroke centers that provide thrombectomy in a city,” said Dr. Rishi Gupta, director of the stroke and neurocritical care program at Wellstar. “Here in metro Atlanta, we have only had three for a long, long time. So, being able to provide care for patients in the northeast corner of our city is crucial because almost 2 million people live in that quadrant.”

Proximity to care is especially important for critical situations like strokes, Dr. Gupta said.

“Any disease that is time-sensitive where patients need to get to the hospital quickly, get treated quickly — the geography is everything, particularly in bad weather when helicopters cannot fly,” he said, explaining how logistics can impact life-saving stroke care. “We need to be able to provide services in the communities the patients reside and the North Fulton program is uniquely positioned to do that.”

Signs of a stroke can include a loss of balance, dizziness, blurry vision or sudden vision loss, drooping in the face, arm or leg weakness, and difficulty speaking. Patients who experience any of those symptoms should call 911 and seek medical care right away. 

Cindy said she is glad she got to the hospital as soon as she could — “I am so thankful that I took quick action and that I had Wellstar so close.” At North Fulton, she not only received the highest level of stroke care. Wellstar takes a multidisciplinary approach to stroke care, including specialists such as critical care specialists, neurologists, neurointerventionalists and physical therapists on the care team. 

“When you're feeling pretty healthy, you don't think a stroke can happen to you. It happens so quickly. You don't necessarily get a warning,” Cindy said, sharing the importance of listening to your body’s signals when it comes to health. “You can feel one way one day or one minute, and the next minute, it changes.”

Read her story
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Highlights

Wellstar: PeopleCare Online

At Wellstar, people are at the center of everything we do, from compassionate medical care in hundreds of locations across Georgia to your online experience of accessing that care. That's why we've redesigned our website with you in mind.

Our new website is crafted to enhance your healthcare experience and features a clean, modern layout that will make it even easier for you to access physicians, make appointments, find services and locations nearby, and so much more.

PeopleCare at Your Fingertips

The new and improved wellstar.org is part of the ongoing evolution of the Wellstar brand and yet another example of PeopleCare. We want to make sure that you get the information and resources you need as quickly as possible.

The updated, mobile-friendly online presence will help you find critical resources in just a few taps. You can easily locate helpful features like “Find a Doctor” and “Pay Your Bill” directly on the homepage. If you are visiting another page on the website, simply click the “For Patients and Families” tab on the top left of the menu bar.

Some key resources on Wellstar's new website include:

  • Find a Doctor—Getting convenient care close to home just got easier. Click on the "Find a Doctor," search by your location, pick a specialty that best fits your personal care, and you will be paired with world-class physicians immediately.
  • Our Services—At Wellstar, we know that every health journey is different. When you use the "Our Services" button located on the homepage, it will help guide you to your personal healthcare destination. Once you're on the page, you'll be able to pick the service that best suits you and your care.
  • Find a Location—Find a convenient Wellstar location near you. Simply click on the "Find a Location" button on the homepage or click the "Book Now" button at the top of any page.
  • Pay Your Bill—View your medical bills online, safely and securely. Click the "Pay Your Bill" button on the homepage or visit your MyChart account on the top right corner of any page.

COVID-19 Resource Center

Get the most up-to-date information from our health experts by heading to the COVID-19 Resource Center. You'll receive the latest news on the COVID-19 vaccine, testing and other helpful tips like how to care for a sick loved one and managing your mental health during the pandemic.

Moving Forward & the Future of Wellstar.org

In addition to the user-friendly design and up-to-date information, our new modern platform provides enhanced stability and security. That means you can always feel safe when browsing our website or paying your bill online.

This launch is just the beginning for wellstar.org, as we continue to address the ever-changing healthcare needs of the community. We hope you like our new digital home!

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact us at online@wellstar.org.

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PeopleCare

JohnCare

John Petrick loves the simple things in life. He revels in time spent with family, reeling in a big catch and feeling the crisp wind in his face during a morning bike ride.

However, for a man that enjoys such simple pleasures, John’s heart health is quite complicated. For a long time, his well-being felt like a puzzle that no one could quite figure out.

John’s complex heart issues first began over two decades ago, when he nearly died after his heart suddenly went into an abnormal rhythm.

After the life-threatening heart episode, specialists in California diagnosed him with ventricular tachycardia (VT), a severe heart condition in which abnormal electrical signals cause the heart to beat faster. Then later, he was also diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular and rapid heart rhythm that can cause heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

From defibrillators to heart surgeries, John and his Californian care team worked hard to manage the ups and downs of his heart conditions. But after spending years in the Golden State, John was ready to take on a new adventure: moving over 2,000 miles away to Georgia.

“The decision to move to Georgia was difficult because of my heart conditions,” John shared. “I needed a doctor who would really take the time to sort everything out.”

Luckily, it wasn’t long before John was connected with an entire team of Wellstar heart experts delivering comprehensive care all within the same health system.

Finding the Right Rhythm

Before being referred for specialty care by his Wellstar primary care provider, John briefly received heart care from another health system in Georgia. However, he had some reservations about his treatment.

“Honestly, it wasn’t the level of care – especially in terms of empathy – that I was used to,” he admitted. “And that’s a scary situation when you have a condition like mine.”

That was never a problem at Wellstar. As soon as he met with Wellstar Health System Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology Dr. Narendra Kanuru, John knew the physician was in his corner.

“I could tell Dr. Kanuru really took the time to study my case,” John said, remembering his first visit with the specialist. “He recited my medical history from the last 20 years, without having to look at any papers.”

Since then, they have developed a great healthcare partnership, always keeping an open line of communication.

“I feel so comfortable expressing any fears or apprehensions about my conditions or treatment with Dr. Kanuru. He’s always very receptive,” John shared. “His level of empathy, professional expertise and ability to communicate and understand me is just as valuable as his technical, medical skills.”

Along with Dr. Kanuru’s expertise, Wellstar Cardiologist Dr. David Caras provides an essential complement to John’s cardiovascular care. While a cardiac electrophysiologist hones in on the functional and rhythmic areas of the heart, a cardiologist offers a broad spectrum of heart care.

While each focusing on their areas of expertise, the two heart specialists collaborate to create the best treatment plan for John, and adjust it along the way.

“Dr. Kanuru and Dr. Caras work together as a team,” John said. “It’s truly remarkable and beautiful. Often, I’ll go to see one of the doctors and they’ll mention a conversation they had about me with the other recently.”

Read his story
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