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How a life-saving transplant transformed my life

| Annemarie Ward shares her journey of keeping hope alive amidst heart disease | NEARLY 15 YEARS AGO, Annemarie Ward was walking the family’s three dogs with her mother Polly and sister Emily when she collapsed. At age seven, Annemarie had suffered a heart attack. She was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or enlargement of the…
Pop Quiz: Maintaining optimal optical health

| Understanding the causes of low vision and taking precautions as you age | EYESIGHT is a precious thing, and unfortunately there are many threats to optimal optical health. One common eye problem is low vision, and it affects seniors the most. Low vision, in its simplest terms, is any vision loss that interferes with…
Celebrating Black History Month with a look at local African-Americans in medicine

ALEX ALEXANDER Registered Nurse Bartow Regional Medical Center As a black registered nurse from North Carolina, 56-year-old Alex Alexander has had his run-ins with prejudice. But he’s learned to remember who he is, treat others like his brothers and sisters, forgive, and … not believe everything he hears. “You earn things by your merit and…

Floaters in Your Vision

Common visual symptoms of floaters present themselves in my office on a daily basis and are very common with aging. Let’s talk more about floaters. Usually, the patient will comment about seeing little dots, lines, “worms” or “cells” in one or both eyes. When asked, patients will report seeing these whenever the lights are bright. …
Fall Treats Your Teeth Will Enjoy, Too

Now that the kids are back in school, autumn is just around the corner! Fall is a great time for tasty treats. Popcorn balls, caramel apples, and pumpkin spice everything – it’s enough to make your taste buds tingle. Although these goodies might go down easy, they aren’t always easy on your teeth. Sticky sweets…
Protect Your Eyes

While aging is a fact of life we cannot escape, there are certain measures that can be taken to ensure the best possible vision as you age. The following lifestyle modifications can help delay or prevent certain eye diseases. Regular Eye Examinations One of the most important things you can do is schedule yearly eye…