When Dancing with the Stars performer Val Chmerkovskiy was recently hospitalized in Peoria, Illinois, because while on tour, he experienced intense dizziness and a spinning sensation. Doctors determined he was suffering from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV — the same condition that has affected Bloomington, Illinois, resident David Williams for decades.

Chmerkovskiy’s issue was caused by loose “crystals” in his inner ear and forced him to miss a tour performance before undergoing treatment, including the Epley maneuver. His experience highlights a condition that can strike suddenly, and it’s one that OSF HealthCare specialists say is often treatable once properly diagnosed.

Williams, now 82 and retired as professor emeritus from Illinois State University where he taught and served as an administrator. He taught courses in music psychology and arts technology, a program he created in the late 1970s--now the new School of Creative Technologies. Williams remembers the first time vertigo hit him.

“Well in my 40s one night, I woke up and I thought I was having a heart attack because everything was spinning, and I had cold chills. I was in cold sweats.”

The episode turned out to be BPPV, a condition caused when tiny calcium crystals inside the inner ear move into the wrong part of the balance canals. The displaced crystals send confusing signals to the brain about the body’s position, creating the sensation that the room is spinning.

At the time, Williams said treatment options were limited. He couldn’t do anything except take motion sickness medication and sit in a comfortable chair and focus on an object to minimize the spinning sensation.

For years, Williams’ symptoms would appear unexpectedly, sometimes during travel or in the middle of the night. Eventually, he was referred to vestibular therapist Kristine Cottone, PT, DPT, MBA, manager of rehab services at OSF HealthCare in Bloomington, who specializes in diagnosing and treating balance disorders.

Cottone says the tools available to therapists have changed dramatically over the past two decades. When she first started, she used lenses that magnified eyes in a dark environment. Then, technology progressed, and cameras were put inside. Then, there were infrared video googles.

Goggles bring diagnosis into view

Today, Cottone says the latest goggles from Vestibular First have advanced features that analyze subtle eye movements linked to balance disorders and allow for a more exact diagnosis. Software was developed so therapists can record, play back, zoom in and slow down video. Therapists can see involuntary eye movements to determine which part of the inner ear is causing the problem and guide treatment maneuvers designed to reposition the misplaced crystals.

“So, it has changed significantly in the sense that it has made it very clear what the problem is and I think 20 years ago, sometimes we were guessing based on test position and symptoms,” says Cottone. “And I think that’s why we had a longer trajectory of recovery than we’re seeing now.”

For Williams the technology provided something he didn’t have for years – an explanation and a plan when he has an episode for his chronic condition.

“A good part of it is from the old days, when there wasn’t much you could do but take the meclizine [motion sickness medication] and wait it out. That, you know, with the right treatment, the right diagnosis, and the right exercises, you can fix it pretty quick.”

And that’s what he does – makes an emergency appointment with OSF Rehabilitation, and the goggles can pinpoint the canals impacted and whether the issue is crystals that are free floating or stuck. Once identified, Williams is given maneuvers he can do at home.

“I put my own name to them. Like, there’s the slam dunk I call it. And so, I would have to hit my head as hard as I could on the pillow to juggle the crystals loose and then rotate my head in a certain way and do that like twice a day to get the crystals unstuck.”

Cottone said most cases of BPPV improve after just a few therapy sessions using repositioning maneuvers similar to the Epley technique Chmerkovskiy received. Williams’ case is less typical. His vertigo has returned multiple times over the years and can involve different canals in either ear, making diagnosis more complicated. Still, he says the progress in treatment has been significant.

Positional vertigo is most common in individuals ages 50-70, with women being two to three times more likely to be affected, according to Cottone. For people with recurring symptoms, she recommends having your vitamin D levels checked because crystals in your ears are made up of calcium carbonate, and vitamin D helps them stay healthy and bind.

The Bertec system

OSF Rehabilitation also uses Bertec, a virtual reality platform equipped with force plates that sense where a person is in space. A half-dome screen creates an immersive environment with a variety of balance activities, tests and games, giving people real-time feedback on their movements, even when their feet remain still.

Cottone says the Bertec system can be helpful even when a person doesn’t have a diagnosis. It allows physical therapists to understand weaknesses in the vestibular system that are leading to balance issues.

“The Bertec really helps us identify, ‘Well, I think you’re having trouble in a busy environment, or you’re having trouble when you’re scrolling on your phone or reading on your Kindle because the ear is weak and the eyes are working overtime,’” Cottone explains. “So, it allows us to see where in the system the weakness is, and from there, we can put the patient through fairly lifelike circumstances to rehab them.”

Cottone emphasizes that people should never brush off dizziness, because many causes are treatable, and in some cases, the symptom can signal a more serious underlying medical condition.

An evaluation by OSF Rehabilitation can rule out vestibular issues, and you can be referred to another medical specialist.

Transformative care close to home

Cottone says the latest generation of equipment is transforming care, even in the many smaller, more rural communities served by OSF.

“Having this equipment, especially the goggles and then the Bertec, is an added plus. It really allows community members to stay within their community and get the best care possible and very thorough care. And then if we’re not the ones that can help you with whatever is going on, we’ll at least know that and we’ll be able to then move you on within OSF to the right provider.”

For Williams, knowing help is available has made a major difference.

He now encourages others experiencing the sudden spinning sensation to seek medical care instead of waiting for it to pass. He stresses it’s also important to rule out more serious conditions that could be causing your symptoms.

Video clips with Kristine Cottone

Video clips with Dave Williams

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It’s something Michael Daley, MD, sees in the emergency department often and especially this time of year: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

Dr. Daley, who provides care at OSF HealthCare, says while there’s no cure for COPD, medicine has come a long way to improve your quality of life with the disease.

COPD basics

Dr. Daley says more than 300 million people suffer from COPD, and it’s is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide.

“It’s a destruction of the lung tissue in the airways. A lot of inflammation and destruction over time that causes the condition to manifest itself in people in different ways,” Dr. Daley says.

Those ways include shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing and fever. Dr. Daley points out that those symptoms overlap with a similar disease: asthma. But each has their differences, too.

“Asthma is seen as a disease of the young. People with asthma usually have that diagnosis at a much earlier age than someone with COPD,” Dr. Daley explains. “The textbooks will tell you that you typically see COPD in the sixth decade of life. So, people in their 60s, 70s and 80s.”

Treatment

Dr. Daley says many of the people he sees know they are having a COPD flare up.

“We immediately get them into a room. We put them on oxygen. We initiate various therapies that have been shown throughout the years to work well,” he says. “We’d give them steroids, antibiotics and inhalers over the course of one to three hours. We observe them and watch them improve.”

Though Dr. Daley says it’s not frequent, people can come to the hospital with a severe COPD flare up.

“They’re not moving any air at all. They’re in extreme distress,” he says.

That person would go on a ventilator to, first and foremost, save their life, but also to get them breathing more easily again. Dr. Daley says after a few days on a ventilator, health care providers would then tap into other treatments.

Long-term, a person may go on a nebulizer. It’s a machine that delivers a mist of medicine inside your body through a mouthpiece or mask. The medicine helps your airways to relax and expand, allowing you to breathe easier. This is different from an oxygen tank.

Pulmonary rehabilitation in a hospital or clinic is also a common part of treatment. Like lifting weights to build up muscle, pulmonary rehab involves exercises to work your way back to as normal breathing as possible.

“Often they’ll do what’s called chest physiotherapy. They wear a percussion vest. That helps them cough up a lot of mucus and phlegm inside their lungs that’s preventing them from breathing [well],” Dr. Daley says. “They also do a lot of breathing exercises that will help their airways expand. That leads to a better quality of life.”

Prevention

Dr. Daley says smoking tobacco is a leading cause of COPD, especially in the United States. Worldwide, air pollution is also a trigger, whether that’s outdoor smog or indoor dust and dander.

“We’re actually seeing a much younger population presenting with COPD. People in their 30s and 40s. Just because of very heavy tobacco usage,” Dr. Daley says.

So if you’re a smoker, make a plan to stop. If you live in a smoggy area, avoid prolonged exposure. Consider wearing a mask when outside. And keep your home clean and well-ventilated.

Dr. Daley adds that respiratory viruses like influenza can make COPD worse, leading to an uptick of cases in the winter. So, take basic hygiene steps to avoid those seasonal illnesses: wash your hands, cough and sneeze into your elbow, stay home when sick and be up to date on vaccinations.

Learn more

Read more about how OSF helps people with conditions like COPD recover at home.

Interview clips

Moore, who had her right leg amputated above the knee and did her rehabilitation at OSF HealthCare, has become an advocate for others in her situation. She’s telling them: Here’s what to expect in rehab. And more than anything, losing a limb doesn’t mean you have to lose hope.

“A good attitude is so important when you’re dealing with something like this,” Moore says.

Linda’s journey

A Centralia, Illinois, native, Moore had a long career in the automotive industry before turning her focus to friends and family. But her life’s work took a toll on her body, leading to both knees being replaced in 2014. Complications and a fall in 2019 produced problems in her right kneecap.

“It kept popping off to the side,” Moore says, gesturing to where her knee used to be. “It made for great conversation, but it didn’t feel very good.”

Multiple attempts by doctors to fix the kneecap didn’t produce a permanent solution. In fact, she developed a cellulitis infection that caused her whole lower leg to become discolored.

“The doctor came in and said he didn’t think my knee was going to work out,” Moore recalls.

“He said I could possibly never be able to walk again, or I could have my leg cut off,” she adds with a grimace.

Doctors amputated Moore’s leg on November 13, 2024. She went to OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois, for inpatient rehab – physical therapy to build strength and occupational therapy to relearn movements to accomplish daily tasks like dressing and showering.

She makes no bones about it: “Three weeks of intense therapy,” Moore says.

“It included standing on my left leg. Depending on that leg for my balance. How to move my leg around to get where I need to go, with support of course,” Moore recounts.

“With these patients, we’re working a lot on hip extensions,” says Deidre Murphy, a physical therapy assistant at OSF who worked with Moore. “For the residual limb [limb remaining after amputation,] the hip needs to be straight. You don’t want it to be flexed. People tend to guard that injured leg. When they do, they flex it, and it tends to get stuck there. You have to fight that, or they’ll be walking bent over.”

Sit-to-stand movements, like mimicking getting out of bed or a car, are also common. People take those exercises home to keep up their progress.

For Murphy, Moore was a patient she won’t soon forget.

“Linda had the best attitude from the start. She was positive and ready to put in the hard work,” Murphy says. “She made it fun. She kept me laughing. Always in good spirits. When she got down a little bit, she really bounced back. She could see her hard work pay off.”

“I don’t know how to describe how they made me feel. It was just wonderful,” Moore says.

The outlook

Moore came home to an assisted living facility in Rantoul just in time for the holidays. She spent holiday gatherings on her scooter, but she’ll soon learn to use a prosthetic leg.

“It’s a long process,” Murphy says of getting used to a new leg. “The limb has to heal. They’ll shape the limb with compression. Eventually, they’ll go to a prosthetist and start getting the prosthetic ready.”

Then, it’s like rehab all over again. No fear for Moore, though. She’s determined to dance her limitations away as soon as she can.

“I feel good about things,” Moore says. “Attitude is everything. If you have a bad attitude, you’re going to have a bad recovery. If you have a good attitude, people want to be around you and help you. And it makes your day a whole lot easier.

“You don’t have to be miserable. Accept the help you can get. Find a good place to live. You can get through it,” Moore adds.

Learn more

Read more about the procedures and goals involved with rehabilitation on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips - Linda Moore

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Humans are well-equipped to bounce back from most cases of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, RSV and the flu. But in some cases, the impact on your lungs can be long-lasting, leading to chronic symptoms like difficulty breathing, fatigue or brain fog. You can also be at a higher risk for a blood clot or infection in your lungs.

“There’s damage to the lungs in the form of cellular damage, as well as immune system dysregulation and prolonged inflammation,” says Yiran Gong, MD, a pulmonologist at OSF HealthCare. “These can be the drivers of post-COVID syndrome, or extensive and persistent symptoms after the resolution of the viral illness.”

Dr. Gong admits the outlook can be daunting. But health care providers have several ways to attack the problem.

Pulmonary rehabilitation involves breathing exercises to “retrain your body on how to breathe,” Dr. Gong says. For people with post COVID-asthma, a provider may prescribe an inhaler to reduce inflammation in the lungs’ small airways.

“There are medications to slow the progression of pulmonary fibrosis [scarring]. However, these medications have not really been researched for COVID specifically just because of how short of a time COVID has been around,” Dr. Gong says. “People who do have extensive lung scarring will require referral to a transplant center.”

Staying on top of your health, such as being up to date on vaccines and practicing good hygiene (like washing your hands thoroughly and often), is a good way to avoid the illnesses that cause lung issues. But if you are dealing with chronic lung symptoms, Dr. Gong says you shouldn’t lose hope.

“See a physician. Make sure there’s not an underlying cause that hasn’t been treated,” he says. “Then you’ll work on optimizing lung function. Take it one step at a time.”

Read more about how to keep your lungs in top shape on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

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OSF HealthCare is changing the name of its long-term rehabilitation hospital in Peoria to OSF HealthCare Divine Mercy Continuing Care Hospital.

The move was made to better align with hospital names throughout the rest of the OSF Ministry. The name change will not impact patient care.

Formerly OSF Transitional Care Hospital, the facility is located at 500 W Romeo B Garrett Ave in Peoria. It was fully integrated into the OSF Ministry in 2022. 

OSF HealthCare Divine Mercy Continuing Care Hospital provides care for patients who need extra support as they transition from one care setting to the next. The 47-bed hospital offers two levels of specialized care including an 18 long-term post-acute care beds that offer the same intensive care a person would receive in a traditional hospital intensive care unit, but for an extended recovery period; and a 29-bed acute rehabilitation unit for people who have experienced the effects of an acute injury, impairment or illness.

“He wasn’t able to do this before,” Burk’s wife Gloria whispers as Michael walked unassisted into OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois, to talk about the most recent heart procedure that changed his life: a dual leadless pacemaker.

Old vs. new

Pacemakers work to pace a slow heartbeat, which left unchecked can cause fatigue, shortness of breath and fainting. A typical pacemaker includes the battery and circuitry in a device about the size of a Post-it note that’s implanted in the upper chest. Two wires – called leads – wind their way to the heart. One is typically in the right atrium, and the other ends in the right ventricle.

“That type of pacemaker works very well, but there are limitations,” says Michael Broman, PhD, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at OSF Heart of Mary who performed Burk’s procedure. “You have a bump here [on the chest]. There’s a scar involved with having the battery placed. Having leads in veins can also cause problems. You can get vein obstructions. Infections can occur.”

Luckily, Dr. Broman says pacemaker technology is evolving yearly. Dual leadless pacemakers, using technology from Abbott, can be an answer to some of the challenges of a traditional pacemaker. It means another option for patients, too. In downstate Illinois, OSF Heart of Mary is the only hospital implanting dual leadless pacemakers outside of a medical trial.

“No battery in the chest. No scar on the chest,” Dr. Broman explains. “Instead, we deploy the system into the leg veins. We use a catheter to deliver very small batteries – about the size of pen caps. One of them sits inside the heart in the right ventricle. The other sits in the right atrium.”

“I was positive about it,” Burk says, recalling when Dr. Broman suggested he try this new option.

Dr. Broman says the devices last 15 to 20 years, longer than the traditional option (also called a transvenous pacemaker). Infection risk is lower, and the devices can communicate with each other within the person and an outside computer that programs the pacemakers.

“The top device says ‘I’m pacing now, and I want you to pace 30 or 40 milliseconds later’ or whatever the interval is,” Dr. Broman says. “They talk to each other and tell each other what to do.”

Dual leadless pacemaker patients typically have to spend the night in the hospital to allow things to heal. But afterward, they have less post-surgery restrictions. No running, jumping or heavy lifting for a couple days instead of weeks.

On the horizon

Dr. Broman says someone who simply has a slow heartbeat can be a candidate for a dual leadless pacemaker. If you have a slow heartbeat and your weak heart can’t pump blood properly, you’d likely need a traditional system.

Still, Dr. Broman recognizes that this is a major advancement in heart care. It’s technology he says electrophysiologists have been waiting for for decades.

“This is just the beginning,” he says. “We’re going to have more cardiac technologies that involve this type of wireless and small devices that fit inside the heart instead of big, bulky devices outside the heart. I’m very excited to see what the future brings.”

It's a problem worth solving, adds Dr. Broman, who notes he does at least two or three pacemaker procedures a week. Americans are living longer, exposing more of them to age-related heart disturbances. There’s not much to do about it aside from daily healthy habits. This leads to medical intervention.

Burk today

After taking part in cardiac rehabilitation at OSF Heart of Mary, Burk now continues his recovery at home.

“It cleared up my balance. I wouldn’t stand up and feel faint,” Burk says. “As it was explained to me, these pacemaker [devices] stimulated the bottom of my heart and increased oxygen flow. That makes me capable of walking a lot better. It’ll improve as time goes on.”

Burk worked for a quarter-century as a railroad car inspector before slowing down in retirement. What’s he looking forward to now with his new lease on life? Taking a train to Portland, Oregon, where he lived for a few years as a child.

“I’ll take what comes in life,” he says with a smile.

Learn more

Read more about keeping your heart healthy on the OSF HealthCare website.

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She was about to become a statistic in a polio epidemic and battle a disease that still impacts her in 2024.

Though polio is nearly eradicated today thanks to childhood vaccinations, both the disease and the shots have garnered headlines lately. This month, Paul Alexander, who spent much of his life in an iron lung, passed away at age 78. And the state of Illinois is combating a measles outbreak, reminding us of the importance of vaccines.

Kemnetz’s story

Kemnetz says the week she got her headache that led to a polio diagnosis was a painful blur.

“All my senses were on high alert,” she says. “The littlest sound was like somebody stomping next to my ear. We had a little night light. I couldn’t even stand to have it on.”

On Sunday, the family doctor made a house call and immediately called for an ambulance. Kemnetz wound up at Mercy Hospital in Urbana, Illinois (now OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center). That next month, she says, was also a blur. Among other things, doctors upon her arrival performed a spinal tap to examine Kemnetz’s spinal fluid. She also recalls waking up one day with doctors preparing to put her in an iron lung to help her breathe.

“I screamed at my parents not to put me in that. I was terrified,” Kemnetz says.

After leaving the hospital, Kemnetz got more treatment near her home before spending over a year at a hospital in New York. There, she reprogrammed her leg muscles to work through repetitious exercises. It’s what we know today as physical therapy. Eventually, she returned to a mostly normal life and a career in real estate.

Polio then vs. now

Albert England, MD, an infectious disease physician at OSF HealthCare, says polio has been around “for a long time.” There’s even evidence of ancient Egyptians having it, he says. The disease is caused by a virus that “invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Other symptoms are flu-like, including fever, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headache, vomiting, a stiff neck and pain in the arms or legs.

Dr. England says today, doctors use ventilators to help sick people who can’t breathe. But back in 1952, the iron lung – which Kemnetz got acquainted with – was the help available for people with polio.

“It produced negative pressure around the patient, allowing the lungs to expand and contract regularly,” Dr. England explains.

“It was like having CPR 24/7,” Kemnetz says of lying in the tube. “So uncomfortable.”

Kemnetz also gave blood to help develop a polio vaccine, the number one way we have come to fight that disease and many others. It’s a topic she’s passionate about today.

“We have to save the children,” she says.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says children should get four doses of the polio vaccine as a part of routine childhood vaccinations. The CDC says while it’s rare, adults who know or suspect they did not get the shots as kids should get them as adults. Adults who are at an increased risk of getting the disease, such as working in a laboratory where the virus may be present, can get a booster shot.

“The vaccine prevents illness by developing antibodies,” Dr. England explains.

Kemnetz today

In 1985, Kemnetz developed post-polio syndrome, a disorder that weakens the nerves and muscles. She says her hands “look nice,” but everyday tasks like writing, eating or shuffling cards are tough.

“There are just not as many neurons providing the strength the people need,” Dr. England says of post-polio syndrome.

But, after being told in 1952 that walking, having children and living a long life was unlikely, Kemnetz is counting her blessings. Among them are the chances to recount her life story with her children and grandchildren.

“I think I thumbed my nose at them pretty good,” she quips about her prognosis back then. “The word ‘can’t’ isn’t in my vocabulary.”

Interview clips

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A survivor of a 2019 heart attack, Randy Isham was already on notice.

But Randy and his wife Dawn, retirees in Mansfield, Illinois, couldn’t predict the chaotic events of May 24, 2023. An ambulance took Randy to OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in nearby Urbana, and the man was soon fighting for his life due to a second heart attack.

“I’m glad to be alive,” Randy puts it plainly.

The Ishams and their OSF care team have now joined the chorus of heart health advocates, urging others to know when everyday exhaustion or dehydration is something more serious, especially if you have a history of heart issues.

From garage to gurney

On May 24, Randy was assembling a table in the garage when he began to feel weak but had no pain.

“When I touched his arm, it was a cold sweat,” Dawn recalls. “That’s when I got concerned that this didn’t seem right. Let’s call 9-1-1.”

It was in the ambulance that first responders determined Randy was having a heart attack. That’s when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart is narrowed or blocked. Heart cells begin to suffer damage and die, and the heart no longer works how it should. Serious, life-long health issues or even death can result.

Randy coded at the hospital, adding to the urgency.

“It means there is no pulse. The heart stops. There is no blood reaching the brain and the whole body,” explains Tariq Enezate, MD, one of Randy’s OSF cardiologists. “When that happens, you need to know why and act fast.”

As the hospital pastoral care team and other Mission Partners (employees) kept Dawn informed, Randy was fighting for his life. He was without a pulse for 20 minutes, Dawn says, before Dr. Enezate’s team was able to revive him. Along the way, they removed a blood clot stemming from plaque buildup that they believe was the source of the heart attack. They then put in a stent. Randy is up to three stents, he points out, after his 2019 heart attack. It’s something he can speak about with relative ease now, but the nine-day hospital stay was no laughing matter.

“It could have gone either way,” Dawn says. “They wanted me to call the family in.”

Dr. Enezate describes the scene: “I had to go inside his heart while they were doing chest compressions. I was able to open [the blocked area in] his heart. At that moment, blood flow started back to the heart, and his pulse came back.

“Minutes mean muscle,” during heart attacks, Dr. Enezate adds. “The faster you restore flow in the artery and put a stent in, it’s better for the patient. It relieves their pain. It decreases the risk of complications.”

Lessons learned

Dr. Enezate calls Randy his miracle patient, and the Ishams agree.

“It was lucky he made it,” Dr. Enezate says. “I think the fact he came in early helped him.

“When we saw him coming back, that moment I can’t describe. It’s worth the world for all of us,” he adds.

Dr. Enezate’s affirmations “just gave me a nice warm feeling,” Randy says.

“Everybody there treated me like I was the only patient they had,” he adds, noting daily visits from Pastor Dave Jassman gave the couple strength.

Randy is back at home, doing well and receiving care typical for people who have suffered a major heart event, like therapy through OSF Home Care and cardiac rehabilitation. And he and Dawn are back at the healthy lifestyles that became the norm after Randy’s 2019 heart attack. Exercise is good, but no long work periods in the summer heat, for example. You’ll find Dawn cooking fish instead of steak. A tough, but necessary adjustment, Randy chuckles. Recipes from the American Heart Association also help.

“I used to think I was invincible, but I realize I’m not anymore,” Randy says.

The Ishams are also urging others to research trusted sources and learn not just the signs of a heart attack, but how to tell the difference between those signs and everyday pain like Randy thought he had on May 24. And don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 when something is wrong.

“It could save your life,” Dawn says.

Dr. Enezate says the classic symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. Some people describe it as an elephant weighing on their chest. You may also be short of breath, sweat, feel anxious or feel like you’re going to pass out. Or you may have no warning signs, and suddenly you’ve collapsed.

“If you have symptoms and you’re not sure why, call [a health care provider] for advice,” Dr. Enezate advises.

What about prevention for people who’ve had a heart attack?

Practice healthy habits, Dr. Enezate says. Don’t smoke. Take medication as directed by your provider. Control risk factors like diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. Exercise and eat right.

Learn more

Read more about how to care for your heart on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips - Dawn and Randy Isham

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A January grocery trip for Charlotte Davis turned out to be life-altering.

The Shipman, Illinois, woman was loading food into the back of her van when she says the hydraulics failed, and the back door slammed into her head.

While she didn’t lose consciousness or have any visible signs of trauma, Davis doesn’t mince words: “It hurt really bad.”

Davis says she put up with worsening headaches, garbled speech and weakened memory as long as she could.

“I tried to drive one day. I hit a flower pot, drove through the ditch, missed my turn, forgot where I was going three times,” Davis says. “My eight year old granddaughter told her mom, ‘Please don't let Mawmaw drive anymore. She's scaring me.’”

When a CAT Scan found no brain bleed, Davis wound up at the OSF HealthCare rehabilitation office in Alton, Illinois. She was skeptical at first but now considers herself a prime example of why you shouldn’t just shake off a head injury – whether it’s in a football game or just around the house. Otherwise, serious issues like the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) may follow.  CTE is often seen in football players. In July 2022, officials announced the late NFL player Demaryius Thomas had CTE.

Physical therapist Kelly Bogowith cared for Davis at the Alton office.

“All concussions are a form of at least mild traumatic brain injury,” Bogowith says. “So it’s important to make sure that you get assessed and also ensure that you're not playing sports later that same day. A provider can give you education on how long you should be sitting out from sports and other physical activities, as well. And that might even include work.”

“Sometimes with concussions, we may not have symptoms for hours or even weeks afterwards. So it's important to get checked out by your physician, urgent care, emergency department, or athletic trainer, depending on your setting,” Bogowith adds. “But it's not something to shake off. And it can be especially important, too, to not have a second concussion because that can be very dangerous and even deadly.”

Every patient recovering from a head knock receives a specially-tailored plan, Bogowith says. The roadmap could include different types of therapy, like physical or speech language. It will always include at-home activities – stretches for physical therapy or puzzles for speech language therapy, for example. And the OSF HealthCare team encourages you to ask questions along the way.

Davis’ plan started with massages and stretches to relieve tension. She progressed to walking, then running on a treadmill.

“I beat that treadmill,” Davis says, beaming.

She beat the non-physical aspects, too. Davis’ memory and speech improved to the point that when she met with speech language pathologist Ashley Brim at the Alton location, it was a one-and-done.

“[Speech therapy] can range within working on targeting problem solving skills,” Brim explains. “So, either really basic problem solving all the way up to reading paragraphs of information. And trying to figure out information that, most of the time, people don't think about. We can just read it and figure it out. But when you have a concussion, and that is impacting you, it makes it 10 times more difficult.”

“We work on a lot of memory tasks,” Brim continues. “Exercises for working on memorizing word lists, figuring out different ways to help the patient memorize things better. So they associate the word to something else and then they use those associations to be able to remember what has been said to them and chain it all together.”

What people in Bogowith and Brim’s roles don’t want to see: people relying solely on pills to get through pain. That can lead to addiction and side effects. Therapy is somewhat the opposite, Brim notes. It gives the patient ownership of their recovery.

Davis agrees with that assessment and says her determination to see therapy through to the end has paid off in multiple ways. Most notably, she can handle playing with her eight grandkids.

“I want people to know that it's important,” Davis says. “I understand that it's a pain. It's not always convenient. There are always other things people want to do. But if your doctor says to do therapy, I 100% will tell you: go to therapy. You don't know how bad you need it until you actually go.”

For more information on types of rehabilitation, visit the OSF HealthCare website or talk to your primary care provider. OSF HealthCare also offers neurological services.

Interview Clips - Charlotte Davis

Interview Clips - Kelly Bogowith

Interview Clips - Ashley Brim

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You see the phrase as you browse the grocery aisle: helps lower cholesterol.

But have you looked into what that means for you? And more importantly, is this something my children need to worry about?

The answer to the second question is yes, says Tricia Herman, a cardiac rehabilitation registered nurse at OSF HealthCare in Danville, Illinois. And it’s a perfect time to change lifestyles to avoid cholesterol problems as we enter a holiday eating season where you may be chowing down on unhealthy food.

What is cholesterol?

Herman says cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that’s responsible for building cells in our body. It also helps produce hormones and vitamin D.

“When we have our cholesterol checked, it’s not just total cholesterol that we’re really looking at. We’re looking at three different levels,” Herman says.

“The bad cholesterol is LDL [low-density lipoprotein]. You can consider it lousy. The good cholesterol is HDL [high-density lipoprotein]. And triglycerides is another level that we take a look at.”

LDL values should be less than 100 milligrams per deciliter. HDL should be greater than 60 milligrams per deciliter. And triglycerides should be less than 150 milligrams per deciliter.

Be proactive at all ages

The average person doesn’t need to memorize those numbers. Herman recommends that when you get your yearly physical, get a blood test to measure cholesterol as well. You’ll need to fast for 12 hours before the test, so Herman says to do it first thing in the morning if possible.

After the results come in, your health care provider will come up with a course of action, if necessary. That may involve follow up lab work or medicine.

What you should think about daily: a healthy lifestyle.

For kids, try for 60 minutes of exercise per day. That could be as simple as walking, Herman says.

And cut down on less healthy food choices like fried or fatty foods, sweets and red meat.

Or as Herman puts it: don’t brake and hit the drive thru because it’s the quick and easy option. Keep your foot on the gas.

“Eating habits are the hardest thing for a lot of people,” Herman says. “It’s the way we were brought up. What was served at our table when we were younger become habits we grow up with.”

Instead, try lean meats like fish or poultry. Bake, grill or broil your meat instead of frying it. Use whole grain bread instead of white bread.

“Create a meal plan for your child that has lots of fruits and vegetables,” Herman says. “Don’t have them eat on the go. Have them sit down and eat so it’s more meaningful and thoughtful.”

The consequences

High cholesterol leads to plaque building in arteries of the heart, brain or legs.

“You’re at risk for stroke if it’s happening in your brain or even in your carotid arteries [in your neck],” Herman says. “You’re at risk for heart disease if it’s happening in your heart. And peripheral artery disease if it happens in your legs.”

Herman notes that high cholesterol often doesn’t come with symptoms until it’s too late. So talk to your primary care provider if you have concerns.

Interview Clips

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What you can eat can help improve your cholesterol

The good and bad about cholesterol

To say time was of the essence for Tammi Fanson on July 18, 2022, would be an understatement.

The Gibson City, Illinois, woman had been dealing with high blood pressure, stress, fatigue and shortness of breath, but she chalked it up to life just being difficult. But on that day, she found herself at her local Gibson Area Hospital in the midst of a heart attack.

Fanson was then taken by ambulance to OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois – around 40 minutes on a regular drive but half that with the blaring red lights. That, combined with the cooperation between the two hospitals, and Fanson was fast-tracked straight to the cardiac catheterization laboratory at OSF Heart of Mary, something Tammi and her husband Doug say saved her life.

“They knew me,” Tammi Fanson says. “They knew exactly what was going on. There must have been a lot of communication even before I got there. So it was very comforting.”

“The comfort that she had knowing this crew was waiting for her, it’s pretty remarkable,” Doug Fanson adds.

Fanson’s case is an example of the importance of what’s known as door to balloon time. That measures the time between when a patient has first contact with a medical professional to when a balloon is placed in their heart’s arteries to get rid of blockages and resume blood flow. For Fanson, she had a balloon within 27 minutes of arriving at OSF Heart of Mary.

“Time is muscle here in the cath lab,” says Jo Lehigh, a registered nurse at OSF Heart of Mary who was on Fanson’s care team. “Every minute that goes by could be tissue death.”

That means Lehigh and other OSF caregivers in the cath lab have to be agile. For starters, they have a limited response time to get to the hospital once they get the page that a patient is inbound.

On the balloon process itself, Lehigh says physicians start by accessing an artery through a patient’s wrist or groin.

“We send in a catheter. We go up into the heart and we shoot in contrast dye. The contrast dye helps us to visualize the artery to see where the blockage is located and how severe it is,” Lehigh says. “And from there, the doctor goes in with a small balloon on the catheter and inflates the balloon. Then we'll go in with a stent and another balloon to open it up. So we have blood flow after it's all said and done.”

The Fansons praise Lehigh for the care Tammi received.

“She was our angel,” Doug Fanson says, the emotion in his voice strong.

Tammi Fanson recalls Lehigh at her side in the heat of the battle to save her life.

“I said, ‘Am I going to be OK?’” Fanson says. “And she was right there assuring me that everything was going to be OK.”

Lehigh followed up with Fanson, too, during her stay at OSF Heart of Mary.

“I do go down and check on the patients. I make sure they're doing OK and just kind of show my face because a lot of times they can remember my name and remember my voice, but they don't really remember me or what I looked like.” Lehigh says. “So I have to go down there and just kind of keep up on them and make sure they're doing OK. I think that builds a good relationship.”

Four heart stents later, Fanson is now recovering at home and is doing well. She’s enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation, a typical but vital part of the path back to normal. But most importantly of all, Fanson has a new lease on life. She appreciates the importance of diet, exercise, healthy blood pressure and knowing your family history of heart troubles. And she’s found ways to reduce stress, at least temporarily, like watching the sunrise with no distracting devices in sight.

“I could have easily went back to sleep that night,” Tammi Fanson says, recalling the evening that changed her life. “Don’t do that. Go in [to the hospital]. Get your regular checkups. And listen to your body.”

“Listen to [your health care providers]. Rely on them. Lean on them. They’re experts,” Doug Fanson says. “It helps you get through the traumatic times.”

Lehigh concurs with all those sentiments. She adds that if you find yourself in Fanson’s shoes – having sudden, significant symptoms of a heart attack – don’t drive yourself to the hospital. Call 
9-1-1.

“The ambulance is going to have everything there that you need,” Lehigh says. “They’re going to have the electrocardiogram, the aspirin. They’re going to have all the equipment and supplies they’d need to help make this a smooth and quicker process.”

Learn more about heart care on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview Clips - Tammi and Doug Fanson

B-Roll

Previous coverage

o   Heart Attack | OSF HealthCare

o   Don’t Ignore High Blood Pressure (osfhealthcare.org)

o   Young People and Heart Health (osfhealthcare.org)

o   American Heart Month: Top Takeaways (osfhealthcare.org)

o   Heart Attacks in Women: Recognizing Lesser-Known Symptoms (osfhealthcare.org)

o   Heartburn or Heart Attack (osfhealthcare.org)

o   Do You Know Your Heart Disease Risk? (osfhealthcare.org)

o   Cardiac Survivor: 'I Listened To My Body' (osfhealthcare.org)

o   Know the Signs of a Heart Attack (osfhealthcare.org)

o   The Danger of Peripheral Arterial Disease (osfhealthcare.org)