When a patient stays in touch with me months and even years after I have completed their treatment, I am given a unique opportunity to look in on their life and follow their progress. Sometimes this snapshot provides a welcome surprise.

The recent article on the accident and incredible recovery of extreme athlete Grant Korgan in the Reno Gazette Journal reminds me of a patient.

A recent AP article reported that Representative Gabrielle Giffords was walking while holding onto a cart, mouthing the lyrics to easy songs and having simple conversations. These new developments are truly remarkable, yet are also somewhat typical of the way many brain trauma patients recover.

Healthcare used to be the recession proof industry. People always get sick. People always need a doctor. Note I said, “used to be”. The economy, nationally and especially regionally, is having quite an impact on healthcare, and not in a good way.

No one does a job well when they are unhappy. That was the premise that spawned the creation of Sierra Neurosurgery Group’s Brain Power Committee.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Sierra Neurosurgery Group. Three decades providing exceptional spine and brain care. Three decades of teaching, mentoring and learning. Three decades of caring for our community.

On the eve of Make a Difference Day, I think it’s fitting to talk about how each of us can do just that–make a difference. Whether in our family, our neighborhood, our workplace, or a larger stage, we all have the ability to make a positive impact. I try to make a difference by educating my colleagues in healthcare about neurosurgery so that they can make a difference in the health of their patients.

Vice President Dick Cheney just had back surgery. While his latest health issue made it into USA Today, he has a condition that many older adult have, lumbar spinal stenosis.

I spent a hot August afternoon recently in the theater at Galena High School in south Reno. I was there at the invitation of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to present to football and soccer coaches on the topic of head and spine injury. 

Many patients are referred to the neurosurgeon for spinal problems and are told that if they do not have surgery they will likely be paralyzed. The true incidence of someone having sudden onset paralysis is quite low and, although a whiplash type injury can cause spinal cord injury, most of the injuries are incomplete injuries where the patient will recover most of their neurological function. Any patient who is told that they must have surgery to prevent imminent paralysis should seek a confirmatory opinion from a board certified neurosurgeon.