Standing behind a chain-link fence with a casual acquaintance watching the Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) Tigers practice football late last summer, OBU Athletic Director David Sharp’s life took a drastic turn. With his weight at the heaviest it had been, nearing a hefty 440 pounds, the acquaintance turned to leave and muttered, “You really oughta’…
The Conway nurse and mother of five was doing so well after a hysterectomy at UAMS that she was able to go home the same day. Even more amazing to Katrina Davis and her friends and family is that she was back to most of her normal routine justtwo days later. “I was fixing dinner…
When Frank Englerth’s aorta began to rupture, the stabbing pain high in his back woke him in the middle of a cold February night. It was the beginning of what could have been the end for Englerth, 74, who lives on the Saline River deep in southeastern Arkansas, nearly a three-hour drive from Little Rock….
Shannon Bullock rushed to her husband, David, when she saw him fall on the steps of their family crop dusting business in DeWitt. What happened next speaks to the life-saving power of timely, appropriate treatment that is now available across Arkansas when someone has a stroke. Shannon, an EMT, took the first critical steps: She…
Patricia Ernst questioned her heart surgeon, UAMS’ Gareth Tobler, M.D., when he proposed a unique solution to blockages in three of her coronary arteries. “Do you mean I’m going to be a guinea pig?” Ernst asked before being reassured that her treatments at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences would be in her long-term…
If there’s one thing Jeff Snodgres can do, it’s defy the odds. During a routine physical exam at age 10, Jeff, a self-proclaimed “military brat,” was found to have protein in his urine. Because he lacked any other symptoms, doctors were unable to determine the exact cause. However, they suspected Alport Syndrome, a hereditary kidney…
A split-second connection between a table saw blade and a wedding ring almost took Tommy Watts’ hand. A high-speed, split-second video connection between a Batesville hospital and UAMS orthopaedic surgeon’s iPad helped him keep it. When the teeth of the blade caught on the ring, it pulled Watts’ hand into its path, slicing into his…
Susan Smith dealt with knee pain for years, but when it began to affect her daily activities, she knew it was time to do something. Smith, who is the wife of G. Richard Smith, M.D., former dean of the UAMS College of Medicine, has always been an active person. Whether it’s riding a bike, hiking…
Herla and Sharon Mullins’ lives may have taken an unexpected turn, but the end result gave them a start on a healthier future. Residents of the tiny Arkansas town of Ozone, the couple was often found on their “smokers’ porch,” enjoying cigarette after cigarette, year after year. When Herla began to lose his voice in…
“My mom, Becky Hale, battled breast cancer three different times, and my sister, Devon, was diagnosed in January 2013. The day after she found out she was in remission, we discovered I had cancer in both breasts too. Devon and I had double mastectomies eight days apart, and we went through treatment and recovery together. Sharing this experience as a family at UAMS and being able to laugh and cry together has made all the difference in the world.”