After 10 years of abusing drugs, Patrisha Pettus was prepared to die. “I actually thought my addiction was going to kill me,” said Pettus, 35. “I had accepted it, I was waiting to die.” Pettus’ drug of choice was Dilaudid, a powerful opioid narcotic used to treat moderate to severe pain. “And then I’d use…
Nurses, obstetricians and midwives in UAMS Labor and Delivery are excited about a new option to relieve pain for laboring mothers. In January, UAMS Medical Center became the first hospital in central Arkansas to offer nitrous oxide during labor. Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is sometimes used during dental procedures. This option is…
David Sutton of St. Petersburg, Florida, was 42 and had an 18-month-old son when, on New Year’s Eve of 2004, he was diagnosed with myeloma and given a bleak prognosis from a cancer treatment center near his home. In response, his local oncologist sent him to the UAMS Myeloma Center for a second opinion. “I…
For Grace Shield, nursing is more than a career. It’s a way of life. With 14 years on the job, she has seen her share of both typical and unusual medical cases. That confidence was turned on its head in October 2017 when Shield suddenly found herself in the role of patient and her colleagues searching for answers to a set of overwhelming and unusual symptoms.
Jackie Dawson is teaching her four grandchildren to enjoy the outdoors. So far, they have learned to hike and bike. The two oldest boys (9 and 11) have also learned to waterski. In spring 2018, Dawson found herself slowing down because the pain in her knees became unbearable. “I understand the benefits and risks of…
A standing-room-only crowd gathered Dec. 17, including members of the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute Advisory Board, to celebrate John Shock, M.D., and the 40 years he has given in service to UAMS. Faculty, staff, patients and others gathered to share memories of Shock’s many years of service and many accomplishments as former chair…
Orthopaedic surgeon Charles Pearce, M.D. joins a chorus of other happy patients when he says he would have had his knee replacement years ago if he knew how smooth the recovery would be. Pearce had been in pain for decades and learned to live with the discomfort until it became debilitating this year. “I injured…
Thanks in part to UAMS Health, the Arkansas Department of Corrections recently dedicated a room for new mothers to pump and breastfeed at the J. Aaron Hawkins Sr. Center, a medium-security prison in Wrightsville. It is part of a program called Growing Together that works to support the needs of incarcerated women who are pregnant…
Butch King counts his blessings every day. First, there’s his growing family, with wife Debbie, their four children, 12 grandkids and soon-to-be seven great-grandkids.
Then, there’s his role as a deacon in the Catholic Church and a passel of friends in the faith. Not mention his lifetime of civil service in the Air Force and U.S. Postal Service.
But this Thanksgiving, as King sits down to dinner with his family, one blessing will undoubtedly rise to the top: the blessing of being cancer-free.
Two years ago, James Calhoun was out of work, his neck twisting painfully to one side because of a neurological condition called dystonia. Today, he’s working in health care, finishing up an associate’s degree and applying to nursing school — his life back on track. Calhoun, 35, of Sherwood has been living with uncontrollable muscle…