When Isabella celebrates her birthday in March, she probably won’t remember how she spent her first birthday. But her grandmother, Grace Donoho, will. Grace was at UAMS undergoing a procedure to treat a brain aneurysm, and Isabella was by her side.

One afternoon Grace was gardening in her backyard in Springdale, Arkansas. While digging up a plant to give to a co-worker, she felt a fierce pain. “It felt like my head exploded,” she said. “At first, I couldn’t imagine what it was. I was really scared.”

The pain started going down her neck, so Grace thought she could be having a stroke. Grace knew she wasn’t able to drive, so she walked to her neighbor’s house to ask for help. Her speech was slurred, and right away the neighbor knew something was terribly wrong. Grace’s neighbor drove her to the local hospital, and a CT scan revealed a brain aneurysm. Since her local hospital was unable to treat a condition of this nature, Grace was airlifted to UAMS.

Grace was in intensive care until the procedure was performed. She was not allowed to watch TV or do other simple activities that might stimulate her brain and cause further bleeding. But Grace’s family could be there to comfort her, and that included her granddaughter, Isabella. “Everybody was so kind. They allowed my grandbaby to sleep in my arms,” Grace said.

Grace was comforted by the high quality of medical care she received from her UAMS physician, Dr. Eren Erdem. “He had a kind and gentle voice, and he explained all the pros and the cons,” Grace said.

“All my questions were answered. I never thought I wasn’t going to make it. They were confident of the procedure, and I was confident in their abilities.”

Since her aneurysm was already ruptured, the best course of action was to undergo endovascular coiling. This involved a catheter going through her groin area, and then being navigated through blood vessels up to the aneurysm. The coils, which are made of soft, platinum based hair-thin wires, are then wound into the aneurysm like a ball of yarn. Over time, the coils become a dense mass that prevents blood from going to that area and causing more damage. Eventually the coils turn into scar tissue.

The procedure has only been actively performing for about 15 years, Dr. Erdem explained. He has been performed the procedure for 10 years at UAMS. “Studies have shown that there is a better outcome with this minimally invasive surgery,” he said. “The patient recovery time is much faster.” Without the minimally invasive techniques, Grace’s quality of life would have been affected for months. Now this surgery is being used more frequently to treat brain aneurysms and has become the preferred method of treatment for ruptured aneuryms.

Grace’s procedure was performed on Isabella’s first birthday. “Everybody at UAMS was sensitive to that and let me be with my granddaughter,” she said. She spent a week in the hospital following the surgery, and she was grateful that the staff allowed Isabella to be there and help in the recovery process. “I couldn’t have asked for a nicer environment to have this done. It meant so much to be treated with such kindness, understanding and compassion. I don’t think that people in Arkansas realize the top notch health care we have available at UAMS.”

Since her surgery, Grace has shown no signs of complications. She feels that her attitude and outlook definitely helped her recovery process. She said that the procedure made her look at life differently. “It has made me realize the importance of the time that Isabella and I have and that we are able to build memories together.”

Grace has completely returned to normal activities including participating in many community activities. She has also helped other patients who have gone through what she did. She meets with people in the Springdale area who have shared her experience so that they can support and encourage each other.

Grace is extremely grateful to the treatment and care she received at UAMS. “Everybody at UAMS was wonderful to my children and grandchild. I owe my life to UAMS and Dr. Erdem,” she said.

Interventional Radiology
Department of Neurology

Twenty-one-year-old Alissa Pitcher of Grand Rapids, Mich., was moved last spring by a Mena, Arkansas, mother’s plea on behalf of her son.

The request for prayers came via e-mail from an old family friend, Tammy Hamelink, whose 23-year-old son, Kryn, was in desperate need of a kidney transplant.

As Pitcher’s mother read Hamelink’s e-mail aloud, Pitcher became curious, recalling her thoughts on her Web site blog: “What if I could do this? Can I really help in this way? As soon as Mom read Kryn’s blood type (O), my curiosity grew stronger. I knew that my blood type was compatible with his.”

Hamelink’s e-mail also mentioned a contact at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) – Diane Richards, R.N., living donor transplant coordinator – for those who might be interested in donating a kidney.

Pitcher, a student at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, made the call to Richards, who counseled her as she went through the testing that eventually led to Pitcher being declared a match in the fall.

“Basically, she has made herself available to me at anytime,” Pitcher wrote on her Web site blog. “I call. She answers. Yes, she is as busy as ever, my goodness. But yet she still has time to not only answer my phone calls, but go in depth and make sure all is well on this end.”

When Pitcher learned that she was a match, she informed her parents, who embraced her decision.

“I just felt such a peace about it,” Pitcher said. “I was like, ‘I’m young, I’m healthy, I can do this.’”

Kryn’s kidney function, meanwhile, had dropped to about 8 percent. The loss of function was due to Alport’s syndrome, a hereditary condition that affects kidney function as well as vision and hearing. He was fatigued, retaining fluid, and there was an increasingly strong, ammonia-like taste in his mouth. Without a new kidney, dialysis was looming.

After Pitcher told her parents, she called Kryn’s family, and his mother answered. Pitcher recalled her reaction on her blog:

“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!… Tammy was a little excited. ”

Kryn wasn’t at home for Pitcher’s phone call that evening. “I was at youth group, and my sister pulled me aside and said, ‘We found a match for you,’ and I was like, ‘Yes!’”

Surgery was set for Dec. 9, allowing Pitcher to wrap up her semester work and to recover before the spring semester began. UAMS transplant surgeon Frederick Bentley, M.D., and laparoscopic surgeon Diane Rhoden, M.D., removed Pitcher’s kidney through a two-inch incision using minimally invasive techniques. Bentley then performed the transplant.

Two weeks after surgery, both Kryn and Pitcher were doing well.

“I feel great,” Kryn said during a follow-up visit three days before Christmas. “My energy levels are way higher than they were before the surgery.”

“It’s just been amazing how well it’s gone,” said Pitcher, who was able to leave the hospital after just two days.

Her father, Randy Pitcher, said the families were impressed by the UAMS experience.

“The hospital and the people here, even the housekeepers and the people who bring food are so polite and so accommodating,” Randy said. “They always have a smile and a kind word to say. I’ve never sat in a waiting room where they give you a beeper and update you every step of the surgery. It was awesome to get those updates.”

Bentley said it was rare to have such a young donor and recipient. Typical recipients are in their 40s and older, and living non-related donors are usually spouses.

Bentley noted that immediately after surgery Pitcher’s kidney function was reduced by half, but in six months it will be back to 85 percent.

“The other kidney works harder and actually gets larger,” Bentley said. “People live whole lives with just one kidney with no problem.”

Richards said she was impressed by Alissa throughout the process.

“It was remarkable to see her, as young as she is, come forward like she did,” Richards said. “She was willing to interrupt her whole life; it was truly a selfless act.”

Pitcher’s blog can be found at: http://alissakidney.blogspot.com/

Palmalee Byrd was the little boy that all the other children made fun of on the playground. When he went to school for the first time, he couldn’t keep up because he was unable to see to read the board. He returned to school the next year with very thick glasses and was teased every day.

Following his graduation, Palmalee wanted to join the military to serve during the Vietnam War. He failed the physical due to his poor eyesight and was rejected for military service.

After wearing glasses for 50 years, Palmalee was thrilled to be able to see clearly for the first time in his life following his cataract surgery at the UAMS Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute. Doubting that the UAMS Eye Institute could help him because he had been treated by so many eye doctors during his lifetime, Palmalee was still willing to undergo cataract surgery by Dr. Romona Davis. Dr. Davis treated him like a family member and communicated her personal interest in his medical treatment, so he trusted that she would take care of him.

A day after his surgery, Palmalee was able to see clearly and even able to read license plates. Now he uses only over-the-counter reading glasses.

“I could not believe it could be done, but I was willing to try. And thank God I did.”

Relatives who had not seen him in years are astounded by the new Palmalee. Having worn glasses all his life, including a broken pair that had been taped together, his loved ones are very impressed by the improvement in Palmalee’s vision.

Due to his limited vision, Palmalee spent a lot of time in the house when he was young, and he developed a love for music. Able to play several musical instruments, Palmalee has performed with several musical groups during his professional career.

“I want to encourage people who have vision problems to come to UAMS for treatment. I’ve traveled around a lot, and people in Arkansas don’t realize that we have a world-class facility here in Arkansas.”

UAMS Eye Care
Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute