Behind every successful surgery, there’s a life . . . and a story

You already know a little about some of the people featured on our site because we previewed their stories in recent newspaper and television ads. Here you’ll find their stories in full and additional stories from other successful surgery patients. If you’d like to share your own story of successful surgery at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center, click here. Share Your Story

Lois T. - Sugarmill Woods, FL

First of all, there’s no time in Lois’s busy schedule to be sick. Downtime is simply not on her agenda. When she thought she had a urinary tract infection, she dutifully took her antibiotics. But it kept coming back. That’s when her urologist took a closer look and discovered bladder cancer. Because her heart “fluttered” during her first treatment at an independent surgical facility, her doctor instructed her to go to Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center for future care. As her scraping treatments continue, she’s impressed with the attention she receives. “I’ve never had such care as I’ve had at Seven Rivers,” she said. “You really appreciate someone taking care of you, even for minor surgery.” She was especially impressed that the staff also took good care of her husband while she was in surgery. Throughout her illness, Lois never let up on her favorite activity: Fundraising. She is known for her fashion shows – putting them together, selecting models, planning the entertainment, assembling committees – and other events. The organizations around the county (United Way, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Manatee Festival, Homosassa Springs Rotary, Women’s Club, Historical Society and more) that benefit from her hard work are particularly glad to see her back in the business of raising money.

Dorothy R. - Cinnamon Ridge, FL

She’d experienced this type of pain twice before. Indigestion, she presumed. And both times, it went away. This Sunday, however, as Dorothy was getting ready to go to church, her pain was going nowhere. Before long, she was at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center, where her doctor and a CT scan confirmed she had a perforated bowel. “We can take care of this,” she remembers her surgeon saying. And he did. Her stomach cavity turned out to be infected, a condition that could have been brewing for as long as four months. It also could have stemmed from something she ate – something like the calcified bone discovered during surgery. She came through the procedure beautifully, experiencing very little pain. The surgery was a temporary measure, and she’s now looking forward to the reversal soon. As she recovers, she’s back to her outings at the river club, back to the boat rides she loves. She’s doing more and more, just in moderation. “I’m not walking as far as I usually do,” she said, but she is walking. She also continues to embroider, then turns her work into quilts. For her, the sewing must go on.

Roger F. - Beverly Hills, FL

He didn’t think much of the first episode of blurry vision, following a spirited tennis match. He lost sight in one eye, everything was blurry, and the light hurt his eyes, but it lasted just a minute. The next time Roger played tennis, nothing happened. But the following time, the blurry vision and light sensitivity returned, this time for almost a half hour. And when it happened a third time, lasting more than an hour – all the way back home from an away match – his wife convinced him to see a doctor. Because Roger also had chronic leukemia, the doctor thought the blurry vision experiences might have been mini strokes. But the message the doctor left for Roger on his message machine told quite a different story: His problem was a carotid artery, and he should get to Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center. Now. The carotid artery is the major artery in the neck that supplies the brain with blood. And Roger’s was blocked. Those bouts with blurry vision proved to be lucky in a way, because the first sign of carotid artery disease for others can be a stroke. Following emergency surgery, Roger considers himself a very lucky person because of “all the blockage.” But that was then. And now, Roger's back on the court, where he’s seeing the ball more clearly.

Eileen L. - Black Diamond Ranch, FL

That Saturday had been perfect. Beautiful weather, busy schedule, delightful evening. When Eileen, a snowbird from New York, went to bed, she wasn’t experiencing a single pain, twinge, symptom or clue as to what was ahead. But at 1:30 a.m., she awoke in excruciating pain. Two hours later, she was headed for emergency surgery at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center. Her doctor made it clear that her bowel infarction was potentially fatal. The last she remembers is telling him, “Please do what you have to do as quickly as you can.” The next thing she knew, she was waking up in ICU. Ironically, Eileen is a nurse, so she knew how hard her nurses would have to work to meet her medical needs. “I just can’t say enough about the care … everyone, daytime, nighttime,” she said. Recuperation following this procedure is typically brutal, but Eileen had other plans. She worked through the mobility and eating phases of her recovery, and continues to improve. This winter wasn’t exactly the vacation she’d planned, but Eileen is feeling better every day. Before heading back to New York, she was back in the saddle – literally – riding horses again, and playing golf and tennis. In fact, her golf game improved. And although she can’t credit the surgery for that, she’ll take the lower scores.

John L. - Lecanto, FL

John needed a routine physical. All firefighters do. It’s an insurance thing. No problem. But wait, there was something. A tumor on his kidney. Right there on the CT Scan. And it had to come out. How could kidney cancer strike someone so young, vibrant and active? He was used to rescuing people, not fighting for his own life. Last year alone, more than 50,000 Americans received the same diagnosis John got, and can benefit from recent advances in kidney cancer diagnosis, surgical procedures and treatment options. It was an improved, more detailed physical exam that detected his tumor early – so early, in fact, John wouldn’t need chemotherapy or radiation. Just surgery. At Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center. That was back in March. In April, after eight weeks of recuperation, he returned to work. He’s back at The Villages Public Safety Department, not quite at full force yet, but certainly on his way. He says it felt great to be back on the job and suit up again. “Now I can answer the next call without worrying about my health,” he said. “My life was saved, and I’m grateful to be back to saving others.”