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East Volusia County Edition Spring 2020

FEATURED ARTICLES

(see Step Into the Future, page 4)

JASON SCHULTZ, MDTIMOTHY STEFLIK, DCMELONY THOMAS, DC

GREG SALTER, MSN, ARNP

JESSICA COLE, ARNP

Step Into the FutureStem cell therapy repairs damaged, arthritic joints

Internet dating sites weren’t in vogue yet when JoAnne Gee and her husband first found each other while surfing the World Wide Web some 25 years ago.

That initial connection led to a first date in Chicago, and love blossomed soon thereafter.

says. “Everybody was telling me to get a walker or a wheelchair, but I wasn’t about to do that. I was in tears most of the time, and I � nally told my husband, I can’t live like this anymore.”

Even before returning from Hawaii, JoAnne began researching possible solu-tions for her knee pain. � e one that most intrigued her was stem cell therapy. What convinced her to give it a try was an article she read in Volusia Health Care News.

“I was waiting for an appointment with another doctor, and when I read the article, I told my husband, I want to do this,” JoAnne says. “So I went home, did a little more research, and after that, I called Coastal Integrative Healthcare and made an appointment.”

The Body’s Building BlocksCoastal Integrative Healthcare is an inte-grative medical center dedicated to serving its community and providing pain relief for patients through the use of advanced

chiropractic equipment, technology and stem cell therapy.

Stem cells are the basic foundation cells that grow all of the tissue and organs in our body. When injected into a damaged organ or tissue, they support the natural healing process by regenerating that tissue.

Also known as regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy stimulates the body’s natural repair mechanisms. Many in the medical community, including those at the National Institutes of Health and the Institute of Medicine, consider it the future of medicine.

“It’s de� nitely on the leading edge of medical technology,” states Timothy Ste� ik, DC, of Coastal Integrative Healthcare. “It’s a great alternative to surgery. It regenerates the body instead of trying to � x it or cover up a problem with surgery.

“� e real beauty of it is that it is a one-and-done, in-o� ce procedure that

“I was living in Wisconsin at the time, and he was a sportscaster working for a radio station in Atlanta,” JoAnne remembers. “He had to � y to Chicago for a Cubs game one weekend, and that’s where we � rst met up.”

After marrying and moving to Florida, JoAnne’s husband took a job with another radio station while JoAnne worked for a few years herself before devoting her time to caring for their daughter, who has Down syndrome and Tourette syndrome.

All along, the family dreamed of traveling extensively after JoAnne and her husband retired, but just as that opportunity was � rst presenting itself last year, JoAnne couldn’t help but wonder if she had waited too long to begin those excursions.

“It’s a problem I’ve been dealing with for about � ve years now,” JoAnne, 66, reveals. “I had always been very active, and about � ve years ago, I started to have a lot of knee pain. � e � rst thing I did was go to see an osteopath in St. Augustine.

“� e osteopath told me I needed to have knee replacement surgery, but he said I was too young to have it because it might only last about � ve years. We decided to do physical therapy instead, but that didn’t do me much good.

“� e pain only got worse from there, and eventually, it just became horrendous. I was so crippled up, I couldn’t walk my dog, go for walks with my daughter or even get up out of a chair. I was so inac-tive, I wound up gaining twenty pounds.”

At the peak of her discomfort last year, JoAnne, her husband and another couple went o� on a previously planned trip to Hawaii. JoAnne spent most of that trip wishing she’d stayed at home.

“I was in so much pain that I couldn’t even walk on the beach,” JoAnne

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When those practitioners failed to find answers for Paul’s uncomfortable symptoms, his wife decided to research other providers in the area. Her search led her to Blue Ocean Dermatology in Port Orange, where her husband met with Jason L. Welch, MSN, NP-C, a certi� ed nurse practitioner specializing in dermatology.

“I really like Jason,” Paul states. “He’s very knowledgeable and answered all my questions. � e � rst thing he told me was, Get rid of that cream. You’ve got to treat psoriasis from the inside out instead of the outside in.”

Cancer and PrecancerAccording to the latest estimates, 6.7 million people in the United States are afflicted with some form of psoriasis, Jason reports. It’s caused by a disconnect in the body’s protein chain that tells the skin to stop making new cells.

“The process is similar to that of fixing a pothole in a highway,” Jason describes. “In that case, workers hurry to � ll in the hole before a car gets damaged. When there’s a break in the skin, the body hurries to repair it before bacteria get in. To do the repair work, the body produces a protein that tells it to make layers of skin cells to � ll in the wound.

“Once the wound is healed, that cell-making mechanism stops. But with psoriasis, it doesn’t stop. � e skin con-

tinues to produce skin cells on top of skin cells, then plaques form. Further, the skin around the plaques itches intensely. When that occurs, most peo-ple scratch, which breaks the skin again. It’s a continuous cycle.”

S ince Paul Day was a teen, he su� ered with an irritating dis-order that caused � aky patches to form on his body that were

both uncomfortable and unsightly. His doctor diagnosed his condition as the skin disease psoriasis.

Psoriasis occurs when an overactive immune system produces too many new skin cells to replace skin cells that are dam-aged or die. As a result, the extra skin cells pile up on top of one another, forming tough, � aky patches.

“My psoriasis started as areas about the size of a lemon, with big, white � akes on my knees, elbows and the top of my head,” describes the former carpenter. “� ey didn’t hurt. It was more embarrassing than any-thing, so I always wore jeans and long-sleeve shirts to cover up my elbows and knees.”

As Paul grew older, his psoriasis became progressively worse. Eventually, the Maryland native sought treatment for his condition from several skin specialists.

“I went to one dermatologist for nine months, and they gave me creams to treat my psoriasis,” Paul recalls. “Another dermatologist tried lotions and ultraviolet light, but none of that worked. For six months they did that and nothing helped.”

Save theSkin

You’re InBlue Ocean Dermatology

welcomes new patients. Visit them at their offi ce in Port

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MICHAEL MURCHLAND, MDNITRA H. WELCH, MSN, NP-CJASON L. WELCH, MSN, NP-C

Visit their website at www.BlueOceanDermatology.com or � nd them on Facebook at Blue Ocean Dermatology.

Traditionally, the mainstays of psoriasis treatment have been topical steroids, tar treatments and light ther-apy. Unfortunately, light therapy also poses a risk of skin cancer, so using it is a double-edged sword. A little more than a decade ago, however, a new type of treatment became available that revo-lutionized psoriasis management.

“About thirteen years ago, biologic medications such as ENBREL® and HUMIRA® were introduced to treat psoriasis,” Jason observes. “Protein-based biologics work by targeting speci� c types of immune system cells that are involved in the development and progression of psoriasis.

“These treatments are especially important because psoriasis is not just a skin disorder. It also causes psoriatic arthritis, which can attack the joints and the tissue lining the organs and damage them. Psoriatic arthritis causes inflammation, and chronic inflam-mation can also lead to heart attacksand cancer.”

At Blue Ocean Dermatology, Jason and the rest of the sta� have access to a full complement of therapy options for treating patients with psoriasis.

“We’ve got all the tools available,” he veri� es. “In addition to a phototherapy cabinet and excimer laser, which is another therapy for psoriasis, we also have an extensive knowledge and expertise in the use of biologics.

“� ere are a number of biologics available to prescribers, and based on my experience, I chose the one for Paul that reacted for him as I expected, which is COSENTYX®, and gave him an injection on November � rst.”

Beautiful ElbowsJ a s o n e x p l a i n s t h a t w i t h COSENTYX, he gives the first injec-tion to the patient in the office. The patient then returns to the office four weeks later for a second dose.

Michael Murchland, MD, is dual board certified in dermatology and dermatopathology. He attended the United States Air Force Academy followed by the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine. After a tour as a flight surgeon, he trained in dermatology at Wilford Hall Air Force Medical Center. Dr. Murchland

then completed a fellowship in skin pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. He spent half a decade as staff dermatologist and dermatopathologist at Wilford Hall Airforce Medical Center. After a full career in military medicine, he spent eight years as a dermatologist and dermatopa-thologist with a respected private group practice in Dayton, OH. He then returned to Florida, where he teamed up with Blue Ocean Dermatology. Dr Murchland works in the Port Orange and Winter Park offices.

After that, dosing is once a month. Eventually, patients are able to give themselves the injections. That’s how Paul receives his medication now, and he’s thrilled with the results.

“I noticed a real difference in the appearance of my skin about two months after I started to receive the injections, and now, I love the way my skin looks,” Paul raves. “My wife says my elbows are beautiful, and my knees are looking excellent. I’m not embarrassed to show my skin any-more. I wear short-sleeve shirts and shorts now.

“I recommend Jason and Blue Ocean Dermatology to anybody.”FHCN article by Patti DiPanfilo. Photo by Nerissa Johnson. ke

Nitra H. Welch, MSN, NP-C, received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Troy State University in Troy, AL. She was an ICU nurse for eight years. She earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing and her family nurse practitioner certificate from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Nitra also attended an advanced training fellowship at UCF. She is licensed in Florida as an advanced registered nurse practitioner and she is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Nitra also has national certification as a family nurse practitioner and a dermatology nurse practitioner. She has been working in dermatology since .

Jason L. Welch, MSN, NP-C, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Florida State University in Tallahassee. He was an ICU nurse for seven years. He earned his Master of Science degree in Nursing and family nurse practitioner certifi cate from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

He is certifi ed by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and holds certifi cation in family practice and dermatology. Jason is a United States Naval veteran, and he served as a combat medic during

Operation Desert Storm. Jason has been working in dermatology since .

They do this by correlating the find-ings from a physical examination with the results of imaging tests such as an x-ray or MRI.

“When we examine all of this information, we are able to hone in on the specific level of the spine where the problem is occurring,” Dr. Utter informs. “At Halifax Injury Physicians, we use a very sophisticated spinal decompression table that allows us to isolate a specific level of the spine for treatment.

“Sometimes, there is more than one spi-nal level contributing to the pain. � at was the case with Tom. Our table also allows us to start working on one level, achieve some bene� t, then move on to treat the next level.”

The spinal decompression treat-ment itself is rather simple, especially in cases of disc herniation, Dr. Utter observes. With a herniation, pain comes from compression of the spinal nerves by collapsed vertebrae or by the material from the center of the disc seeping out through the break, or her-niation, in the disc.

“The bones of the spine, or ver-tebrae, along with the bulged or herniated disc can compress the nerves that exit the spine,” Dr. Utter explains. “Spinal decompression pulls those bones apart, but extremely gently. As it starts to separate the bones, it creates negative pressure inside the center of the disc. This negative pressure sucks in the disc material that has herniated onto the nerves.

“By pulling back that disc mate-rial, the amount of water and nutrients needed to start effectively controlling, containing and repairing the hernia-tion is increased. Spinal decompression is typically administered in a series of treatments that effectively build upon each other. Over time, there

Halifax Injury Physicians is a full-service chiropractic practice in Daytona Beach. � e practice is devoted to the nonsurgical treatment of neck and back disorders that can result in severe pain and disability. Travis Utter, DC, owner/opera-tor of Halifax Injury Physicians, evaluated Tom’s back condition.

“Tom came to us with severe low back pain and decreased mobility that developed from years of working in a very physical occupation,” Dr. Utter reports. “An MRI showed he had three herniated discs in his low back that were placing pressure on the nearby spinal nerves, causing the pain and disability. � e spinal joints in the area were also severely arthritic.

“Pain management techniques were unsuccessful in alleviating Tom’s back pain. He was evaluated for surgery and determined to not be a candidate for surgery. But he was a good candidate for our nonsurgical treatment protocol that includes spinal decompression. Spinal decompression is an excellent alternative to surgery for severe back and neck pain.”

Protocol CornerstoneHalifax Injury Physicians’ treatment protocol for severe back and neck pain is a package of therapies that includes nonsurgical spinal decompression, spi-nal manipulations and physical therapy. Spinal decompression is the corner-stone of the protocol.

“Spinal decompression is an excel-lent nonsurgical, conservative option for dealing with various spinal condi-tions, the biggest being disc bulges, disc herniations, facet syndrome and even spinal stenosis,” Dr. Utter notes.

Before treatment with spinal decompression, doctors first determine the major factors contributing to the patient’s pain and other symptoms.

P rior to retiring a few years ago, Tom Soriero worked in con-struction for 30 years. During his career, he was part of a crew

that built Publix® Supermarket stores from Tallahassee to Miami. He also had a hand in building the Daytona International Speedway® and other iconic structures in the Sunshine State. But the work wasn’t without consequences for Tom.

“We built every Publix in the Daytona Beach area as well,” he con� rms. “But it was the type of work that can result in an injury to your back. With the work I did, I probably lifted thousands and thousands of pounds, and I crushed three spinal discs from lifting. I had a lot of arthritis in those discs as well.

“� ere’s no cartilage left between the bones there, but the doctors wouldn’t operate because the insurance company wouldn’t approve it. � ey said I was inop-erable. I actually wanted surgery, but they told me my back was too messed up. � ey said if they operated, it would screw me up even more, so they wouldn’t touch me.”

There may have been an initiating injury that prompted them, but Tom can’t remember such an incident. To the best of his recollection, his back problems devel-oped slowly over his many years of working in construction, the damage resulting in severe pain that eventually became excru-ciating and ultimately debilitating.

“I � rst noticed the pain about six years ago, but back then, the discomfort came and went,” Tom describes. “But it got con-tinuously worse over time, mostly because I shrank with age and my bones got softer.

“My doctor sent me to pain manage-ment, where they shot a solution into my back to try to kill the problem nerves. I received about thirty shots, but they didn’t work. Then all of a sudden, my sciatic nerve became pinched. Once that hap-pened, I was pretty much immobilized.”

At that point, Tom returned to the pain management physician, who con-templated other treatment options. Among them were transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and an implanted mor-phine pump. Tom was less than enthused by those recommendations. � en he heard about another, nonsurgical approach to treating severe back pain.

“I got a call from a friend at Halifax Injury Physicians who asked me if I’d ever tried the spinal decompression table,” Tom states. “I told him I had never even heard of it, and he said, You need to try it.”

TRAVIS UTTER, DC

Find Halifax Injury Physicians online at www.pipdoc.com/injury-locations/halifax-injury-physicians

is continued improvement until the patient is stable and can be discharged from care.”

“I Have a Life Again”Tom achieved tremendous success with Halifax Injury Physicians’ treatment pro-tocol. By following the protocol, Tom’s severe back pain was relieved, and his mobility was restored. He credits spinal decompression speci� cally for his excel-lent results.

“Dr. Utter put me on the spinal decompression table, and within fif-teen sessions on that table, I was pretty much pain free,” Tom enthuses. “I’m walking, and everything is good now. I still can’t lift anything, but I’m up and around and mobile, and I have a life again. And it’s all because of that spinal decompression table.

“� ere’s no doubt in my mind that spinal decompression is responsible for the difference in my back condition because I know where I was when I started the treatment, and I know where I ended up after the treatment.”

Being mobile again has allowed Tom to participate once more in his favorite pastimes, activities he had to give up when his back condition became so  painful and disabling.

“I like to boat and � sh when I can get around,” Tom offers. “The spinal decompression has certainly helped me get around and do those things again.”

The treatment Tom received from Dr. Utter at Halifax Injury Physicians made a significant impact on his life, allowing him to be pain free and active. He’s already spreading the word about his excellent experience with spinal decom-pression at the local chiropractic practice.

“I’ve been recommending Halifax Injury Physicians and their spinal decom-pression table all along,” Tom says. “I’ve already told some friends and other peo-ple I know who have back problems about it. And I’ll tell others about it as well, without a doubt.”FHCN article by Patti DiPanfilo. ke

The Perfect

Pain Solution

Dr. Utter and his team believe chiropractic care is the perfect

solution for nonsurgical, drug-free relief of neck and

back pain. For a consultation appointment, contact Halifax

Injury Physicians at their Daytona Beach o� ce at:

337 N. Clyde Morris Blvd.

(386) 265-PAIN (7246)

Travis Utter, DC, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic. He

received additional training in NCV/EMG from the Neurodiagnostics Institute and in whiplash and accident reconstructionfrom the Spine Research Institute of San Diego. Dr. Utter is certifi ed in whiplash and accident reconstruction.

Page 2 | Volusia Health Care News | Spring 2020 | East Volusia County Edition East Volusia County Edition | Spring 2020 | Volusia Health Care News | Page 3deRMatology Spinal decoMpReSSion

A 42-year-old Michigan native, Jordan* works nearly 20 hours a day managing the gas station he owns in Port

Orange. But two years ago, Jordan’s long hours were hampered by changes in his vision. He experienced blurred vision, severe eye fatigue, and his eyes were generally uncomfortable.

“When I went for my annual eye exam, the doctor there told me I needed to see a specialist,” Jordan relates. “It turned out I had diabetes. It was damaging the retinas in my eyes.”

Diabetes is a condition that results when the body can’t use or store sugar properly. Over time, consistently high sugar levels in the bloodstream damage the body’s blood vessels.

When the retina’s blood vessels are a� ected, it damages the light-gathering cells called rods and cones. This results in blurred vision and sometimes loss of vision. Damage to retinal blood vessels due to diabetes is called diabetic retinopathy.

� e specialist Jordan was referred to is William J. Dunn, MD. He is a board-certi� ed, fellowship-trained retina specialist at Florida Retina Institute who explains that there are two main types of diabetic retinopathy.

“There’s non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or NPDR, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or PDR,” the doctor educates. “NPDR is the early form, and PDR is the more advanced form.”

NPDR results in two problematic conditions. One is macular edema, which is swelling of the tissue at the center of the retina, called the macula. � e other is macular ischemia, which occurs when the blood vessels become compromised and can’t supply enough blood to the retina. � is results in starvation of the retinal cells and subsequent loss of vision.

“Due to the progressive ischemia and loss of healthy blood vessels that occur with

PDR, the body begins to

William J. Dunn, MD, FACS, CHE, is board certifi ed by the American Board of Ophthalmology and the American College of Healthcare Executives. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He completed a transitional internship at Malcolm

Grow USAF Medical Center, Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC, and an ophthalmology residency at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San

Antonio, TX. Dr. Dunn then completed a fellowship in vitreoretinal sur-gery/retinal vascular disease at Retina Associates of Cleveland/Mt. Sinai Medical Center/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists and Association of Military Surgeons.

Excellence in Specialty Eye Care

Daytona BeachVolusia Medical Park Health Boulevard

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(386) 447-1847

Founded in , Florida Retina Institute has an experienced team of doctors

dedicated to providing comprehensive vitreous and retinal ophthalmology. To schedule a consultation, call or visit one

of their three convenient locations:

build new blood vessels through a process called neovascularization,” Dr. Dunn notes. “Unfortunately, these new blood vessels are incompetent. � ey leak � uid and blood, which can lead to scar tissue formation.”

� is scar tissue can pull on the retina and cause a tractional retinal detachment, which can result in sudden vision loss. PDR can also result in a vitreous hemorrhage. � at is what occurs when those fragile new blood vessels tear and bleed into the center part of the eye called the vitreous cavity, which is � lled with thick � uid called vitreous.

“Eye � oaters develop as blood mixes with the vitreous,” Dr. Dunn says. “� is can also lead to retinal detachment.”

NPDR and PDR can be treated medically, with a laser or with surgery. Medical treatment involves injections into the eye of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, or anti-VEGF, drugs.

� ese medications promote healing of the abnormal blood vessels and the return of the retina’s normal mecha-nisms for reabsorbing � uid. � is results in vision stabilization and, in many cases, improvement in vision.

“Another method of treatment is laser p h o t o c o a g u l a t i o n , ” Dr. Dunn adds. “During this process, we use a highly focused beam of very intense energy to cauterize the leaks in the blood vessels. We can perform this treatment focally, which is when we treat the blood vessels directly, or panretinally, when we treat the entire retina outside of the macula.

Kinks in the Hose “The third method of treatment is surgery, which is a pars plana vitrec-tomy . During this procedure, we

remove the diseased vitreous, which contains the floaters and scar tissue that impact the sight of a patient with diabetic retinopathy.”

During his examination of Jordan, Dr. Dunn performed tests and scans on Jordan’s eyes and discovered a blockage in the veins in Jordan’s retina, a condition called retinal vein occlusion.

Retinal vein occlusion is the more common of the two conditions associated with vascular occlusive disease. � e other is retinal artery occlusion.

“Retinal vein occlusion occurs when veins, the blood vessels that drain the retina of blood to return it to the heart, become blocked and blood backs up,” Dr. Dunn explains. “� at causes retinal hemorrhaging and macular edema, similar to what happens with diabetic retinopathy.

“We generally divide retinal vein occlusion into two types: branch vein occlusion and central vein occlusion. Branch vein occlusion involves the upper or lower branches of the retinal veins.”

With central vein occlusion, the central retinal vein, or macular vein, becomes occluded, or blocked, and causes the hemorrhaging and macular edema.

“Diabetes definitely plays a role in the devel-opment of retinal vein

occlusion, as does high blood pressure,” Dr. Dunn reports. “High blood pres-sure causes hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis.

“When atherosclerosis occurs in the retina, the hardened retinal arteries rest very close to the retinal veins, either the branches of the retinal veins or the central macular vein. � ink of a lead pipe sitting on a garden hose. � e artery kinks the vein, causing turbulent blood � ow and resulting in a blockage in the vein.

“The symptoms of retinal vein occlusion are similar to those of diabetic retinopathy, mainly blurred vision and, in some cases, vision loss. Retinal vein occlusion causes macular edema, macular ischemia and abnormal blood vessel growth, just like PDR.”

Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. In many cases, retina

specialists simply observe patients with retinal vein occlusion because it can resolve on its own, Dr. Dunn notes. But if the condition is more complex, doctors may perform laser photocoagulation on the occluded veins.

“� rough experience, we’ve found that anti-VEGF drugs also help with vascular occlusive disease,” Dr. Dunn observes. “We can use the injections along with laser photocoagulation to provide visual stabilization and, oftentimes, improvement in vision.

“Jordan came to us with retinal vein occlusion. He was experiencing macular edema and new blood vessel formation. He underwent anti-VEGF injections along with laser photocoagulation. We used multifocal laser treatment and peripheral panretinal photocoagula-tion. Following this treatment, Jordan experienced a decrease in his macular edema, control of neovascularization and improvement in his vision.”

Complete TrustJordan reports that his eyes remain slightly fatigued, but that symptom signi� cantly improved after his treatment at Florida Retina Institute.

“My vision is much better than it was before as well,” he enthuses. “My right eye is now 20/20, and my left eye is 20/25.”

While treatment for Jordan’s retinal vein occlusion is now completed, he still visits Dr. Dunn regularly for follow-up care. The doctor reminds Jordan to monitor his diabetes closely and keep his blood sugar under control to manage any ongoing problems with his retinas.

“Dr. Dunn is an excellent doctor,” Jordan says. “He was very thorough with his examination of me and explained everything from A to Z. And he took his time with me. He wasn’t in a rush like some doctors.

“He performed tests and scans of my eyes, diagnosed the blockage of the veins in my retina and recommended injections and laser procedures to treat it. He’s very professional, and I trust him completely.

“And I want to add that everyone at Florida Retina Institute is nice, thorough and professional. � ey take good care of me, and I wholeheartedly recommend them.” FHCN article by Patti DiPanfilo. mkb

*Patient’s name withheld at his request.

Medicine, laser and surgery e� ective in managing retinal disorders

To learn more, visit them online at � oridaretinainstitute.com

THOMAS A. BARNARD, MDMATTHEW A. CUNNINGHAM, MDWILLIAM J. DUNN, MD, FACS, CHE

SK STEVEN HOUSTON III, MDABDALLAH M. JEROUDI, MD

JAYA B. KUMAR, MDELIAS C. MAVROFRIDES, MD

RAUL J. MORENO, MDTOMAS A. MORENO, MDJAMES A. STAMAN, MD

JONATHAN A. STAMAN, MDBENJAMIN J. THOMAS, MD

(continued from page 1)

• Takes about 15 minutes• No hospital, No ambulances, No anesthesia• Zero recovery time (There are some small limitations)• Expect signifi cant regeneration within 28 days• No adverse eff ects (93% e� ective)• 28-day healing time

At Coastal Integrative Healthcare, we use umbilical cord stem cells that are donated by healthy mothers at live-birth C-sections and fl uid processed in a “clean room” environment that exceeds American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) standards and are subject to United States Pharmacopeia (USP) testing.

Visit them online at www.coastalintegrativehealthcare.com

To see if stem cell therapy is right for you, Coastal Integrative Healthcare is happy to o� er a free

consultation with one of the doctors. To schedule an

appointment, call or visit one of Coastal Integrative

Healthcare’s locations:

Edgewater315 N. Ridgewood Ave.

(386) 427-8403Palm Coast

145 Cypress Point Pkwy., Suite 208

(386) 445-4455

A Healthier YouTimothy Ste� ik, DC, is a licensed doctor of chiropractic who graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Port Orange, Florida in 2011 and now serves as the clinic director and president of Coastal Integrative Healthcare. He is an adjunct professor at Palmer College of Chiropractic who earned his bachelor’s degree

in Biology with pre-med from Brigham Young University in 2008. He is well-versed in the latest technol-ogy and techniques in his fi eld and has been trained in the use of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Physical Impairment. Dr. Stefl ik is an active fi tness enthusiast who was featured on American Ninja Warrior as “The Accordion Ninja.” His run can be seen on YouTube.

Greg Salter, MSN, ARNP, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Pre-Med from the University of Tampa. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Bethune-Cookman College and earned his Master of Science degree in Nursing from South University in Savannah, Georgia. Since graduation,

he has taken courses in joint injections, trigger point injections and regenerative medicine. Greg is a natural-born Floridian who was once a police offi cer in New Smyrna Beach.

Jessica Cole, MSN, ARNP, FNP-C, is a board-certifi ed family nurse practitioner licensed in the state of Florida. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from West Virginia University, where she graduated

magna cum laude. She later received her master’s degree in nursing from the same school, this time graduating cum laude. She began working at Coastal Integrative Healthcare shortly after earning her master’s degree in 2018. Medical treatments provided by Jessica in offi ce include: stem cell therapy,

platelet-rich plasma therapies, trigger point injections, therapeutic joint injections, hyaluronic acid injections, vitamin supplementation, growth hormone replacement therapy, functional examinations and new patient examinations.

takes about � fteen minutes to complete and needs no anes-thesia. It’s a simple injection of the cells that are cryo-preserved right in our o� ce.

“� e doctor told me I was lucky, because there wouldn’t have been much more time left before I would have had to have the replacement surgery,” JoAnne

says. “So we went home that day, signed the papers, and the next day, we went back,

and I got the little shot.”

T h o u g h most patients begin to feel the effects of their stem cell injection after a month or two, some not i ce a r e d u c t i o n in pain and d i s c o m f o r t within a couple of days or weeks, according to Dr. Ste� ik. JoAnne was one of those who experienced the e� ects immediately.

“By the next day, I had no pain whatsoever, and as time went on, my knee function just got better and better,” she says. “When I went back for a check-up a few months later, I had full extension in my right knee and all but ten-percent extension in my left knee.

“� e tech who saw me that day said I would have never gotten that with a knee replace-ment, so I’m doing really well. I have full use of both my knees now, and I can do everything

that I couldn’t do before, and that’s incredible.

“I can go for walks with my daughter, swim and take my dogs for walks. I can go on a vacation and enjoy it, and we already have another one planned. Getting the stem cell injections was one of the best things

“� e whole sta� is wonderful. Dr. Ste� ik is an awesome doctor and very friendly. He knows what he’s talking about and gives you all the information you need. So are the physician’s assistants. � ey’re gentle and kind, and they o� er lots of information.

“Everyone there does a great job, and they make you feel comfortable. � e treatment itself takes � fteen minutes, and you’re out the door. And you don’t have to worry about any complica-tions from surgery or anything like that, which is great.”FHCN article by Roy Cummings. Photos by

Nerissa Johnson. mkb

Step Into the Future

that’s happened to us. It’s given me my life back.”

It’s a very active life that JoAnne’s was given back. Her knees are put to the test most every day. That’s why she strongly encourages others to do what she did and seek help for their joint pain through stem cell therapy.

“I recommend stem cell therapy to anybody,” she says. “And one of the great things about getting the treatment at Coastal Integrative Healthcare is they are there for you, no matter what. If you have any questions or concerns, they answer them all.

“For some patients, we do a color ultrasound to guide the injection because we need to be very speci� c where the cells are placed. Once the cells are injected, the patient just needs time to heal. � ey can return to normal activities right away.”

Stem cell therapy can be used anywhere in the body where there is arthritis or a muscle or tendon tear, Dr. Steflik educates. In addition to knees and shoulders , Coastal Integrative Healthcare providers have also performed the procedure on hamstrings, ankles and wrists.

Not all patients are good candidates for stem cell therapy. Patients who have su� ered a tear of more than 50 percent of the rotator cu� in their shoulder, for example, or have absolutely no cartilage left in their knee would be encouraged to try otheroptions � rst.

JoAnne’s � rst visit to Coastal Integrative Healthcare included a thorough examination that showed her knees still had enough cartilage in them to bene� t from stem cell therapy. But just enough.

What Conditions Respond to Stem Cell Therapy?

• Partial Tear of Rotator Cuff • Knee Arthritis and Degeneration• Plantar Fasciitis• Shoulder Pain• Post-Operative Pain• Neurological Conditions• Tendonitis and Tendinosis

(biceps and triceps)• Medial Epicondylitis/

Lateral Epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow/tennis elbow)

In-O� ce Procedure

Page 4 | Volusia Health Care News | Spring 2020 | East Volusia County Edition East Volusia County Edition | Spring 2020 | Volusia Health Care News | Page 5

Barry LevineExecutive Publisher

Thom GiordanoAssociate Publisher

Gina L. d’AngeloCFO/HR

Roy CummingsEditorial Supervisor

Michelle BrooksCreative Director

Brian LevineProject Coordinator

Patti DiPanfiloEditorial Staff

Laura EngelProduction Assistant

Kristy EllenbeckerGraphic Designer

Nerissa JohnsonJordan PyszPhotography

Steve TurkGary Smith

Aldy LaracuenteBob Mize

Dominic Donnell Distribution

Coastal Integrative HealthcareRegenerative Medicine

Blue Ocean DermatologyDermatology

Halifax Injury PhysiciansSpinal Decompression

Florida Retina InstituteOphthalmology/Retina Specialist

Park Avenue DentistryImplant & Cosmetic Dentistry

Barr & Associates Physical TherapyPhysical Therapy

Atlantic Ear, Nose & Throat, P.A.Ear, Nose & Throat

Coastal Wellness CentersMedical Marijuana

Miracle-EarHearing Aids

Blossom Dental and Facial Aesthetics

Comprehensive Dentistry

Premier Eye Clinic, P.A.Cataract Surgery/

Glaucoma Treatment

215 Bullard ParkwayTemple Terrace, FL 33617

(813) 989-1330

Volusia Health Care News

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ophthalMology/Retina SpecialiStRegeneRative Medicine

Visit Dr. Lester on the web at www.WeCreateBeautifulSmiles.com or text SMILE to 33733 for monthly specials. Like them on Facebook at Facebook.com/ParkAvenueDentistry

PARK AVENUE DENTISTRYSTEPHEN P. LESTER, DDS, MAGD, P.A.

Stephen P. Lester, DDS, MAGD, P.A., earned his dental degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA and completed a comprehensive advanced program in cosmetic dentistry, level , at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Dr. Lester holds a mastership status from the Academy of General Dentistry, which is awarded to less than one percent of US and Canadian dentists. He is a fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and an associate fellow of both the American Academy of Implant Dentists and the World Clinical Laser Institute. Dr. Lester is US Air Force-qualifi ed to administer IV sedation and holds a Florida permit

to administer oral and IV moderate sedation. He has completed a one-year continuum course in all aspects – scientifi c, surgical and cosmetic – of implant dentistry from the Medical College of Georgia, and he is certifi ed in three standard categories from the Academy of Laser Dentistry. He is a member of a number of professional associations including the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, Volusia Dental Academy and the prestigious, exclusive Florida Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

A tale of two approaches to restoring smiles

Robin is thrilled with Dr. Lester’s work.

“My uncle was a Capitol Hill photog-rapher, and I often went with him to big dinners and luncheons to write down the order of the politicians and celebrities in the photos and to gather any other information he needed,” Robin recounts. “It was my uncle who found out that JFK was looking for a secretary, and he told me.

“I went to the Senate O� ce Building and was interviewed on four occasions. � ey wanted me to be his private secretary. He was getting ready to run for president, and his current secretary couldn’t handle all that went with that. � ey wanted me to work with her and ultimately replace her, but I turned them down.

“Almost being JFK’s secretary is my claim to fame.”

For most of her adult life, Robin, 86, a North Carolina native, resided in the Washington, DC–Maryland area. But her family owned a business in Florida, so for years, she regularly visited the Sunshine State. � en in 2001, she made Florida her permanent home. After she relocated, she transitioned her health care to Florida providers, except for her dental care.

“As a youngster and into my thirties, I had horrible dental experiences, so I was traumatized when it came to going to the dentist,” Robin shares. “In Silver Springs, Maryland, I finally found a wonderful dentist who took away all my fears and apprehensions.

“We use the CT images to determine where to place the dental implants as well,” explains Dr. Lester, who also took impres-sions of Robin’s teeth to make molds to follow when creating her replacement teeth.

During the next phase of the treatment plan, Dr. Lester plans to pull the remaining 14 failing teeth in Robin’s upper jaw. While she’s being treated, Robin will continue to wear half of her existing bridge, so at no time during the treatment process will Robin be without teeth in her mouth.

“� ere are many dentists who advertise under various trademarked and brand-names what are essentially teeth in a single day services,” Dr. Lester points out. “We o� er a similar service at Park Avenue Dentistry.

“As part of our service, we � rst fabricate a denture. When the denture is ready to be placed in the patient’s mouth, we extract the teeth and put in the denture. Shortly thereafter, it could be the same day, we place the implants. If the implants are nice and sturdy, we screw the denture onto the implants, � xing it into place.

“I do not market this service as teeth in a single day because there are several prepa-ratory appointments. � ose appointments are necessary for designing and creating the dentures prior to the day of tooth extraction and implant placement.”

Once patients receive the � xed dentures, they wear them for approximately three months. During that time, the jawbone grows around and fuses with the dental implants to become a strong, solid unit.

“At the end of the three months, we throw away the initial, temporary denture and create a really nice, strong and very aesthetic permanent denture that goes the distance,” Dr. Lester says. “The technical term for this is an implant-supported hybrid prosthesis.”

Partial Possibilities For more than 40 years, James Carver, 64, worked in various creative capacities in the marketing � eld. He served as creative

director for ad agencies in North Carolina and South Carolina and did copywriting in Fort Lauderdale.

“I’ve been around quite a bit in the south doing marketing,” James verifies. “Now, I’m doing things that are creative but

also fun and relaxing. I’m mostly sculpting and writing, but I also do some volun-teer work. I love golfing and enjoy exploring the woods with my dogs.”

Not long ago, a medical issue forced James into a long

hospital stay. He says he made it through the critical periods with his family’s support and well wishes, but he also had a frightening experience while in the hospital.

“I was eating grapes, and I ended up inhaling one of the grapes,” James explains. “It went into my lung, and I couldn’t breathe. It was such an emergency that the hospital sta� had to shove a tube down my throat very fast, and a couple of my front teeth got knocked out in the process.

“When I got home and started feeling better, I looked at myself, saw my teeth and didn’t like what I saw. I looked like a person who had never taken care of his teeth. Since I was feeling better, I wanted to look better as well, so I decided to go to Dr. Lester.”

James met Dr. Lester previously when a family friend recommended the dentist. Like Robin, James was impressed by Dr. Lester as soon as he met him.

“Dr. Lester is a very down-to-earth person, and he’s got so much experience,” James reports. “He really knows what he’s doing, and he actually listens to his patients. I like that. He also enjoys a joke now and then, which makes my visits to the o� ce more relaxing.”

When James went back to Park Avenue Dentistry with his broken front teeth, he expected Dr. Lester to recommend replacing them with dental implants. He was surprised by Dr. Lester’s actual recommendation.

“James’ upper front teeth were broken and ground down even with his gumline, so all that was left were the tooth roots,”Dr. Lester remembers. “My initial suggestion

was to crown all of the roots, so he would have multiple crowns on his upper arch. But that did not work for James � nancially.

“He asked me what his other options were, and I recommended a partial denture instead, and that worked for him. We were able to give James a partial denture for signi� cantly less cost than if he chose the multiple crowns option.”

Tooth BankingIn addition to his broken front teeth, James had other upper teeth in his mouth, but they were whole or could be repaired. Those included teeth in key positions around his upper arch that would serve to hold the partial in place. Dr. Lester began James’ treatment by preparing the teeth near his front teeth that would be masked by the partial.

“To prepare those teeth that were not level with James’ gumline, we ground them down so they were level with the gumline, leaving just the roots,” Dr. Lester describes. “� en, we essentially pretend the teeth are not there. � ere was only James’ gum, and we made a partial denture to replace the teeth that were ground down.

“We leave the roots for a reason. It is called tooth banking. If James were to change his mind in the future, we can use those roots to make legitimate teeth with crowns and get rid of the partial denture.”

� ere is another important reason to keep the tooth roots in the jaw. � at is to keep the bone under the gums stimulated so it does not deteriorate and shrink away. When the bone in the jaw deteriorates, facial features can change. � e face can develop a sunken look that makes people appear older than they are. People with low bone mass may not be candidates for dental implants as well.

“When the root stays in the gums, even if there is no tooth on top, the bone will remain,” Dr. Lester assures. “� e bone exists for the purpose of supporting the root, so if the root is removed, the bone simply melts away over time. Keeping the root ensures patients’ bone mass will not change and they will maintain strong, well-shaped jawlines.”

Dr. Lester made sure the color of the teeth was just right, and they looked good. My new partial didn’t turn me into a movie star, but I sure feel better about myself. I don’t cover my mouth with my hand anymore because now I have a nice smile to show people. And I can eat pretty much anything I want with this partial.”

Dr. Lester is just getting started with his treatment plan to replace Robin’s failing upper bridge with an implant-supported hybrid denture. With Dr. Lester doing the work, she’s con� dent the process will go well.

“One of my friends from Sugar Hill has been going to Dr. Lester for a couple of years,” Robin explains. “He just had implants placed, and he told me all about the process, so I feel comfortable about getting them. And I absolutely won’t be without teeth while the work is being done. Dr. Lester guaranteed me that.”

Dr. Lester is using two different approaches to give his patients the same outcome, a restored smile using an aesthetic and functional dental appliance. For James, he chose a partial denture covering existing tooth roots because he did not extract any of James’ teeth.

But for Robin, Dr. Lester plans to remove all of her failing upper teeth and replace them with an implant-supported hybrid denture. Both patients are happy with their experiences with Dr. Lester and his sta� at Park Avenue Dentistry.

“It’s a pleasure to go to Park Avenue Dentistry,” Robin raves. “I can’t sing Dr. Lester’s praises enough, and I totally trust him. He and his sta� give me excellent care, so I don’t mind going to the o� ce at all. No one’s ever recommended their dentist to me, but I recommend Dr. Lester, and now, seven or eight of my closest friends go to him as well.”

“It’s always a pleasure to go to Dr. Lester’s o� ce,” James agrees. “He has a

really nice and e� cient sta� , and they always take good care of me. � ey joke around with me and have fun when I’m there, which makes me feel comfortable. Dr. Lester likes to make his o� ce comfortable for people.

“And when it comes to good care, Dr. Lester went above and beyond with my partial. He really wanted to get it right. When that tooth fell out, it was the dental lab’s problem, not his, but he made sure they � xed it correctly. It was important to him. He was on my side. I’m very satis-� ed with Dr. Lester’s work and de� nitely recommend him.”FHCN article by Patti DiPanfilo. Photos by Jordan Pysz. mkb

James says Dr. Lester went “above and beyond” with his care.

Thinking of a smile makeover of your own? Determined to have a smile that is healthy and dazzling? Dr. Lester welcomes your questions about general, cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry. To schedule a complimentary tour of the offi ce and to meet Dr. Lester and his staff, please call or visit them in Edgewater at:

104 East Park Ave.

(386) 423-7770

Dr. Lester has been successfully performing facial rejuvenation procedures, including BOTOX® Cosmetic and JUVÉDERM® injections, for more than ten years. BOTOX Cosmetic treatments help decrease excess movement of targeted facial muscles, which results in a relaxation and softening of facial lines and wrinkles.JUVÉDERM is a cosmetic filler made of hyaluronic acid that helps add volume and hydration to sagging skin.

To learn more about facial cosmetic procedures available at Park Avenue Dentistry, call us at

(386) 423-7770 or visit www.wecreatebeautifulfaces.com.

Got Wrinkles, Sagging Facial Skin? We’ve got answers!

o b i n B l a c k ’ s

minutes of fame

came when she was

offered a position on

then Massachusetts

S e n a t o r Jo h n F.

Kennedy’s personal

staff as he prepared

to run for President

of the United States.

Hybrid Prosthesis The process of replacing Robin’s failing upper bridge and teeth began with Dr. Lester examining Robin’s jawbone three-dimensionally with a CT scan to ensure there was enough bone mass there to secure her dental implants.

Smiles in

Style

“When I moved to Florida, I changed over all my doctors, but I continued to go up to Maryland a couple times a year to see that dentist. � en a few years ago, going there became more di� cult due to scheduling con� icts and getting older. I knew I needed to � nd a local dentist. I thought it was going to be an impossible task to � nd a substitute for my exceptional Maryland dentist.”

One day, Robin’s partner heard about the teeth whitening service offered by Stephen P. Lester, DDS, at Park Avenue Dentistry in Edgewater. He said, “I’ve always wanted to have that done. I’m going to try this dentist.” Robin’s partner had an outstanding experience at Park Avenue Dentistry and encouraged Robin to visit Dr. Lester as well, which she did.

“Right away, I was impressed,” Robin recalls. “And after two appointments, I realized that the impossible had become possible. Dr. Lester was wonderful to me. He allayed all the apprehensions I had and made me feel very comfortable. His manner and expertise were top-of-the-line and state-of-the-art. He’s exceptional himself, and I felt I could trust him.”

Dr. Lester began his care of Robin by replacing a failing lower bridge with a new porcelain bridge that runs all along the front of her lower arch. He recently turned his attention to her upper arch, where Robin had some old bridgework that was failing as well as some decay on the teeth that were supporting that bridge.

“That upper bridge began falling apart piece by piece,” Dr. Lester explains. “My recommendation to Robin, and she committed to it, was to replace that bridge with a single piece, a full upper arch of teeth resting on and retained by a half dozen dental implants.”

Pleasurable VisitsDr. Lester fashioned a partial denture for James and adjusted it several times to ensure a good � t and aesthetic appearance.

“At first, the partial was loose, but Dr. Lester adjusted it. � en, one of the teeth fell out,” James relates. “Dr. Lester sent the partial back to the dental lab he works with, and they � xed it. I like that Dr. Lester was willing to work with me until the partial was right.

“The teeth in the partial look very close to the teeth that were there before.

Page 6 | Volusia Health Care News | Spring 2020 | East Volusia County Edition East Volusia County Edition | Spring 2020 | Volusia Health Care News | Page 7iMplant & coSMetic dentiStRy

BARR & ASSOCIATESPHYSICAL THERAPY

JACOB BARR, PT, DPT, MTC, CEAS, CHT

Lashanda L. Lovett, DPT, is a licensed doctor of physical therapy. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science from the University

of South Florida in Tampa and later obtained her doctoral degree in physical therapy from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Dr. Lovett currently holds certifi ca-

tion in vestibular rehabilitation from the American Institute

of Balance. She has lived in Volusia County on and off for more than years.

On the MoveLarry Wisniewski, 61, is a highly

motivated professional recruiter for the medical pharmaceutical business. From 1988 to 1994,

Larry worked out of an o� ce in Orlando, but since 1994, his base of operations has been his Ormond Beach home. Much to Larry’s dismay, his home was the site of a serious accident in 2018.

“It was January fifth,” remembers the Detroit, Michigan native. “It was a Saturday morning around eleven o’clock. My wife and I were putting away the Christmas decorations in the attic.

“My wife was handing up the tubs of decorations to me, and somehow, I stepped o� the plywood � oor and onto the area that was just drywall. I fell through the drywall and landed in the hallway of the level below.

“I shattered both feet and ankles, the tibia bone in my left shin, and broke my left wrist and shoulder. I actually consider myself lucky because I could have hit my head on the banister and been killed.

“I underwent seven surgeries and had several pieces of metal implanted in my body. I was in the hospital and a rehab center for four months. When I got home, I received home health care, but I didn’t think I was getting enough therapy to get me better. � en my wife recommended Barr and Associates Physical � erapy.”

When Larry arrived at Barr & Associates Physical � erapy, he met with Lashanda L. Lovett, DPT, and Andre Lacerda, PTA. Dr. Lovett evaluated Larry’s condition and created a treatment plan to address his speci� c de� cits.

“Larry came to us at the end of May,” Dr. Lovett remembers. “He was wheelchair-bound and unable to walk. � ere was excessive swelling in both lower extremities, and while he was able to stand briefly for transfers, it was extremely painful for him. Larry was under the impression he would never walk again.

“Initially, we used very light isometric exercises to calm the pain and swelling in his legs. As he was able to move more, we transferred him to the AlterG®

Anti-Gravity Treadmill™, and he started practicing gait activities.

“When Larry graduated from wearing non-slip hospital socks to wearing slides and eventually tennis shoes, and went from walking with a walker to a cane, those were days of celebration.”

Larry was at Barr & Associates Physical Therapy from May 30 until October 30, 2018. While there, he received one-on-one physical therapy from Dr. Lovett and Andre, a physical therapy assistant. Because Larry had extensive injuries, it was crucial to his physical and emotional recovery that he received one-on-one attention.

“Larry progressed quite well considering the amount of damage he sustained from the accident and how debilitated he was physically and psychologically,” Andre observes. “He went from being in a wheelchair and not being able to wear his own shoes to walking with a cane. I am very proud of him.“Dr. Lovett and I could tell that Larry was a little depressed in the beginning. But once we worked with him and got him psychologically involved in his care, he began to succeed because he was willing to get better each day. It was good to see that change in him throughout his � ve months of treatment with us.” “I highly recommend Barr and Associates Physical � erapy,” Larry says. “� ey not only exceeded my expectations of getting better in a short period of time, they also made each visit an enjoyable experience. I’m so grateful for them.”FHCN article by Patti DiPanfilo. Photo by Jordan Pysz. mkb

 Larry is grateful to be out of his wheelchair and

walking again.

Keeping You Moving in the Right Direction

Dr. Barr and his staff want to help you return to prior levels of function following injury or surgery and maintain a healthy and productive lifestyle. The Barr & Associates Physical Therapy office is in Ormond Beach at:1425 Hand Avenue, Suite H

(386) 673-3535

One-on-one physical therapy gets recruiter back on his feet

Visit Barr & Associates Physical Therapy online at www.barrandassociatesphysicaltherapy.com

Joseph Rosado, MD, is a family medicine doctor who specializes in physical therapy and alternative addic-tion therapy/management. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Life College in Marietta, GA and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Universidad Central Del

Este in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. He later earned an MBA in Health Care Management from the University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona, after which he was the chief intern at Hospital Metropolitano in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

JOSEPH ROSADO, MDALYN BENEZETTE, DOKATHRYNE GUNN, DO

Patients FirstAt Coastal Wellness Centers, caring for you is the number one mission. The staff cares compassionately for each

patient as an individual and creates a personalized therapy regimen that is specifi c to each patient’s needs. To schedule an appointment, call or visit their

offi ce in Ormond Beach at:

725 W. Granada Blvd.Suite 22

(386) 302-4842

Visit them online at coastalwellnesscenters.com and josephrosadomd.com

By the time Andrew* was two years old, he had been diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut

syndrome, or LGS. � e syndrome caused Andrew to su� er frequent seizures, where his muscles sti� ened uncontrollably, as well as severe tremors.

Alyn Benezette, DO, is a board-certifi ed clinical neuro-physiologist who has been practicing for more than years. He received his Doctorate of Osteopathy from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in and later performed his intern-

ship at Botsford General Hospital in Michigan. He later undertook his residency and fellowship at Wayne State University. Dr. Benezette also served in the US Navy Medical Corps in both the United States and Japan.

Kathryne Gunn, DO, is a medical cannabis phy-sician who trained with Dr. Rosado. She received

her undergraduate degree in psychology and health sciences from the University of Central Florida and her doctorate degree from Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, TN. Dr. Gunn completed an internship at

North Florida Regional Family Medicine Residency in Gainesville, FL. She pas-sionately provides care to underserved

populations and volunteers for medical missions in Peru and Africa.

Epilepsy seizures relieved by medical marijuana

Like many children with LGS, Andrew also experienced learning di� culties early in life. But by the time he was an adult, he was able to live somewhat independently while residing in his parent’s home.

“When I was a baby, I was delayed in learning to crawl, walk and talk, and I had trouble all through my school years,” Andrew, now 21, shares. “But I eventually made it through, and today, I have a steady job at a supermarket near our house.

“But last fall, I was really struggling. I was experiencing three to four seizures per week despite being on anti-seizure medicine. And the medicine had really uncomfortable side e� ects. It increased the ammonia levels in my blood, which decreased my ability to focus. As a result, I found it di� cult to express myself, which was very frustrating.”

Andrew’s mother hated to see her son struggle. She has always been open to trying new treatments for her son’s epilepsy. She was excited to learn recently about breakthroughs in treating it using medical marijuana.

� at knowledge triggered a search for a local provider, which is how she discovered Coastal Wellness Centers, a private medical practice that specializes in comprehensive medical cannabis treatment.

Coastal Wellness Centers is the practice of Joseph Rosado, MD. Andrew visited Dr. Rosado for a consultation appointment in late September 2019.

“When I initially saw Andrew, he was seeing multiple neurologists and taking multiple anti-epileptic medications, but they were not controlling his seizures,” Dr. Rosado reports. “He had also received a craniotomy and brain implant. The physician opened his skull and placed electrodes in his brain in an attempt to control his seizures. But nothing worked.

“When Andrew arrived at our practice in September, he had been hospitalized two days previously due to elevated ammonia levels. � ose levels were elevated because he was taking high doses of the anti-epileptic medications KEPPRA® and TRILEPTAL®.

drug called EPIDIOLEX® for treatment-resistant epilepsy, particularly LGS and another rare type called Dravet syndrome.

Clinical trials leading up to the drug’s approval and after show the medication is highly e� ective with minimal adverse e� ects. � ese study results were reported by the American Epilepsy Society and in distinguished publications, including the New England Journal of Medicine and the online journal F1000Research.

“EPIDIOLEX has been thoroughly investigated,” Dr. Rosado confirms. “Before it was approved, its effective-ness was studied in three randomized,

“When I returned to Coastal Wellness Centers on October 31, my seizures were controlled. � ey disappeared,” Andrew relates. “And I haven’t experienced any tremors since I started taking the medical marijuana.”

“At the time of that October 31 visit, Andrew was still taking the KEPPRA and TRILEPTAL, and we decided to continue those medications for three months,” Dr. Rosado notes. “But we told him to return to the o� ce in two months, and we would begin weaning him o� of one of those medications.”

Since his October appointment at Coastal Wellness Centers, Andrew has continued taking the 15:1 ratio of CBD to THC drops prescribed by Dr. Rosado. He has also maintained the one-milliliter-twice-a-day dosage, which has been e� ec-tive at controlling the seizures and tremors associated with his epilepsy.

“� e medical marijuana works for me,” Andrew enthuses. “It keeps my seizures and tremors controlled when nothing else helped. � e anti-epileptic medicines weren’t e� ective, so I’m really looking forward to getting o� of them. � en, I’ll get my focus back, and that will make a huge di� erence in my quality of life.

“I’ve lived with epilepsy and its symptoms all of my life. Dr. Rosado’s recommendations for medical marijuana relieves my symptoms of seizures and tremors, and that keeps me independent. I absolutely recommend medical marijuana and Dr. Rosado. He’s a genius when it comes to using medical marijuana to treat epilepsy. I’m living proof!” FHCN article by Patti DiPanfilo. mkb

*Patient’s name withheld at his request.

“After reviewing Andrew’s case, we recommended a medical cannabis prepa-ration with a � fteen-to-one ratio of the active marijuana compound cannabidiol (CBD) to another active compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). We started him at half a milliliter twice a day.”

Backed by Research� e exact way medical cannabis works to ease the symptoms of LGS and other forms of epilepsy has not been fully defined, but its method of action is understood on a basic level.

“� ere are cannabinoid receptors in the body, including CB1 and CB2 recep-tors,” Dr. Rosado explains. “CB1 receptors are found primarily in the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. CB2 receptors are found in the peripheral nervous system as well as the immune system cells.

“Most seizures are based in either the brain or the peripheral nervous system. Cannabis works on the receptors in these areas and interacts with neurotransmitters there that regulate movement. It is through those mechanisms that medical cannabis helps to control and manage seizures.”

In June 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a prescription CBD

double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials involving five hundred sixteen patients with Dravet or LGS.

“EPIDIOLEX, taken along with other medications, was found to be e� ec-tive in reducing the frequency and severity of seizures compared with placebo. � e most common adverse e� ects were sleep-iness, sedation and lethargy, decreased appetite and poor quality sleep.”

Dr. Rosado notes that EPIDIOLEX is concentrated, puri� ed CBD. It contains no THC. But he recommends using the entire cannabis plant and all of its cannabinoids to treat patients with epilepsy and other disorders.

“When we use all of the plant cannabinoids, we get what is called the entourage e� ect,” he educates. “� e CBD, THC and other compounds work together like an orchestra playing a symphony. By working together, the cannabinoids a� ect di� erent receptors, so the patient responds better to treatment.”

“Living Proof” For one month, Andrew took the 15:1 ratio of CBD to THC as drops under his tongue. During that time, Dr. Rosado and Andrew discovered that one milliliter twice a day was the dosage that e� ectively relieved Andrew’s symptoms.

Say What?Speech therapy resolves persistent cough, scratchy throat

The skilled physicians at Atlantic Ear, Nose & Throat

welcome your call. They are located in Lake Mary,

DeLand and Orange City. For an initial consultation

at any location, call:

(407) 774-9880 or

(386) 774-9880

For Audiological & ENT Expertise

Visit Atlantic Ear, Nose & Throat on the web at www.myENTdoctor.com

Devang M. Shah, MD, is board certifi ed in otolaryngology. After receiving his medical degree with honors from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, he completed his surgical internship and residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in . Dr. Shah is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery and has served as chair of

the department of surgery at Florida Hospital Fish Memorial, Orange City. He coauthored several journal articles inves-tigating the relationship between microscopic inner-ear structures and hearing function and has presented his

work at research conferences.

Daniel L. Rothbaum, MD, is board certifi ed in otolaryngology and specializes in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology. He’s a leader in balloon sinus dilation surgery in Central Florida. Dr. Rothbaum graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in Cambridge, MA with a degree in social studies. He received his Medical Doctorate (MD) degree from Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT. Dr. Rothbaum completed his internship and residency training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

DEVANG M. SHAH, MDDANIEL L. ROTHBAUM, MD

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Dr. Box Most retirees move to Florida for the weather. Not Susan Robertson. When she retired from

her job as a communications consul-tant a few years ago, she moved to Florida to be closer to her daughter and two grandchildren.

“I just wanted to be closer to those kids,” says Susan, a Memphis, Tennessee native who, despite waging a year-long battle with an aggravating throat issue, has greatly enjoyed the time she’s spent with her family.

“� e medical problem I had was this very annoying, little cough and scratchy throat. I was always having to clear my throat,” Susan says. “Because of that, I was very hoarse and hard to understand.”

Susan battled the issue for several months before seeking medical attention, but the � rst two doctors she visited couldn’t resolve the problem. She then visited Atlantic Ear, Nose & � roat in Lake Mary, where she was seen by Devang Shah, MD.

Dr. Shah started his work with Susan by performing a sinus scan, which showed her sinuses were clear. He then examined her larynx using a � beroptic scope. Like the sinus scan, that too showed no abnormalities.

Dr. Shah then conducted a videostroboscopy, which uses a strobe light to examine the vocal cords. � e videos-troboscopy, which allows physicians to see the vocal cords in motion and detect abnormalities in them, revealed the cause of the problem.

“It was a strain,” Dr. Shah reports. “The strain causes inflammation and irritation on the vocal cords, and that’s what was making Susan cough. It’s a problem that is more common than people think because it comes out of habit.

“If someone keeps clearing their throat, it irritates the larynx and actually makes things worse. � at’s why we recom-mend that, instead of clearing your throat, you just take a sip of water or swallow.”

In Susan’s case, sipping water or swal-lowing would not resolve the problem. As

a result, she was advised to undergo six 30-minute speech therapy sessions. She found the prescription odd at � rst, but soon learned why it was recommended.

“� ey had me do some exercises that seemed rather silly at � rst, like holding up a

card and blowing on it so that it vibrates and reading para-graphs and sentences and emphasizing certain letters in the words,” she says.

Susan says her scratchy throat and cough began to dissi-pate after just two sessions. She is speaking normally again. She says that might not be the case had she not found Dr. Shah.

“It’s unbelievable to me that I went to all these other doctors and never got any relief, and then I go to Atlantic Ear, Nose and � roat, and they do this simple thing, and I had relief almost immediately,” she raves.

“Dr. Shah is a very practical doctor. He starts simply and builds up, and I appreciate that. � at’s why I’ve already sent my daughter and two friends to Atlantic, Ear, Nose and � roat, because I highly recommend them.”FHCN article by Roy Cummings. Photo by Jordan Pysz. mkb

Susan Robertson

Speech therapy resolves persistent cough, scratchy throat

Page 8 | Volusia Health Care News | Spring 2020 | East Volusia County Edition East Volusia County Edition | Spring 2020 | Volusia Health Care News | Page 9phySical theRapy Medical MaRijuana

eaR, noSe & thRoat

R ichard Zimmerman’s father and uncle opened their family’s feed and grain elevator business in Dixon,

Illinois in 1924.“My dad and uncle started that

business. After I was through with col-lege and got out of the army, I went back home in 1953 and worked for the company,” Richard relates.

“My dad died in 1982, and I began managing the business, and we sold it in 2017. By then, I was satis� ed with what we’d done, and it was time for me to retire anyway.”

Well past time, some might say. Now 90, Richard ran his family’s business until he was well into his 80s. Every winter, he and his wife would travel south to Florida to avoid the bitter cold in Illinois. � ey � nally made a permanent move to Ormond Beach last summer.

Richard and his wife chose Ormond Beach to be closer to their son, and among the things Richard brought with him to Florida were a longstanding hear-ing issue and the hearing aids that never really resolved the problem the way he’d hoped they would.

“I have trouble hearing higher fre-quencies, and the hearing aids I had never worked,” he laments. “I couldn’t adjust the volume on them, so I hardly ever wore them. � en I saw an ad for Miracle-Ear® and thought, I should check that out.”

Marked ImprovementsRichard first visited Miracle-Ear last September. � at’s when he met Melanee

Donna Elbin, LHAS, BC-HIS, is a second-generation hearing aid dispenser who has helped thousands of people throughout Volusia, Flagler and Putnam Counties enjoy life with better hearing. Her parents were original Miracle-Ear franchisees, and Donna has fi ve Miracle-Ear locations. Donna obtained her license as a hearing aid dispenser in and is a nationally board-certifi ed hearing instrument specialist.

DONNA ELBIN, LHAS, BC-HISMELANEE BRYANS, LHAS

MICHAEL REYNOLDS, LHAS

Life is easier with state-of-the-art

hearing aidsBryans, LHAS, who says Richard came to her expressing a great deal of frustra-tion regarding the poor performance of his old hearing aids.

“But it wasn’t just Richard who was frustrated,” Melanee recalls. “His wife was very frustrated as well because they were having a lot of trouble communicating. Social situations were just not going well for them at that time.

“So I tested Richard and discovered that the clarity he was getting from his old hearing aids was not good. He was having a lot of trouble hearing speech, especially in environments where there was back-ground noise. � at’s when I introduced him to the ME 5500.”

� e ME 5500 is a series of state-of-the-art hearing instruments that feature the latest in technological advancements. � ose advancements combine to provide the wearer with vastly improved hearing in all types of environments.

“Just as it is with most everything else in the world, the technology available in hearing aids has improved markedly in the last five years,” Melanee explains. “� e di� erences are literally like night and day when compared to what used to be available.”

Those differences include noise reduction and speech recognition as well as a direct streaming feature that allows sounds generated by an exter-nal electronic source such as a TV set, radio or telephone to be heard directly through the hearing device.

“With direct streaming, you’re not losing any of the sounds you’re trying to focus on because of all the ambient noise that may be around you,” Melanee describes. “� at’s a feature that is proving to be very popular, especially with people who watch a lot of TV.

“If you’re sitting at home watching television with your spouse, for exam-ple, you can stream the TV directly into the hearing aid. That allows you to hear the TV clearly while your spouse

can enjoy it as well, but at a level that is comfortable for them.

“� e other thing about the stream-ing technology is that it allows the wearer to be hands free whenever he or she is on the telephone. � at’s a big advantage for a lot of people because they don’t need to have the phone nearby to have a conversation on it.”

� e new ME 5500 hearing aids also have a feature called patient-voice recog-nition that eliminates the problem some people with hearing deficiencies have recognizing and understanding their own voice when they speak.

“It’s a critical part of the communi-cation process that in addition to being able to hear what is being said to you, you can also hear what you are saying and are able to hear yourself say it natu-rally,” Melanee relates.

“With this new technology, the wearer gets the more natural sound of their own voice. � at helps them more naturally process what they sound like, which creates a much more comfortable environment for the wearer.

“Everything you can imagine a hear-ing aid can have is in these hearing aids, and Richard being a very tech-savvy type of person, he chose them right away. When I � rst put them in his ears, you could tell he was so happy with the dif-ference they made.”

Life Made EasierRichard concurs. He says he was stunned to learn of all the technological advance-ments that have been made in hearing aids since he was � rst � t for them several years ago and happy that those advancements have made life far more pleasurable.

“Just the fact that I can hear again is what I appreciate the most about these new hearing aids,” Richard reports. “But there’s so much more that they allow me to do that makes life so much easier.

“I have the ability to not only adjust the volume, but I can adjust it

for different environments. I can be in a busy restaurant or a theater and still hear what I need and want to hear clearly, and that’s a big advantage.

“And then I’ve got this streaming device so that I can hear the TV without having to turn the volume up so loud that it’s bothering everyone else. � e TV can actually be turned all the way down, and I can still hear it through my hearing aids. I can do the same with the phone.

“I am extremely happy with these new hearing aids. Melanee did a great job setting them up and adjusting them for me. Since she � rst did that, we have not had to adjust them at all.

“Even the battery life is great. That’s really convenient, and I am very pleased with the hearing aids, with Miracle-Ear and with Melanee. She’s great, and I love that they follow up with you every three months or so to clean them or service them.

“� ey don’t forget about you once you’ve bought your hearing aids. � ey continue to take care of you and your hearing aids. � at’s worth a lot. � at’s why I recommend them to anybody with a hearing problem.”FHCN article by Roy Cummings. Photo by Jordan Pysz. ke

Richard is thrilled with his new hearing aids

Stay Up-To-DateMiracle-Ear is your partner for

life. With free hearing tests, follow-up visits, cleanings and

adjustments, personalized programming and service at more than , locations in

the US, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t keep up-to-date with your hearing health!

For more information, please visit www.miracle-ear.com

Melanee Bryans, LHAS, is a licensed hearing instrument specialist who began working in the hearing care industry in . Her passion for helping people achieve better hearing stems from when her daughter developed a hearing loss at a young age. Melanee holds a Miracle-Ear Professional Certifi cation, which she earned through Miracle-Ear’s extensive training for hearing care professionals. She is an active part-ner in the Miracle-Ear Foundation and a member of the International Hearing Society and Florida Society of Hearing Healthcare Professionals.

Ormond Beach 1199 W. Granada Blvd.

(386) 252-6111Daytona Beach

1500 Beville Road, Suite 605

(386) 788-0646New Smyrna Beach

219 Canal Street

(386) 423-4427Orange City

879 N. Volusia Ave.

(386) 775-4800Palm Coast

4996 Palm Coast Pkwy. NW, Suite 6

(386) 283-4922

The staff members at Miracle-Ear welcome the opportunity to help

you achieve your best hearing correction. They offer hearing

evaluations, instrument fitting, dispensing services and instrument

maintenance and repair. Please contact them at any of the

locations below:

Now Hear This!

At Blossom Dental and Facial Aesthetics, Dr. Huda Aljonaidy

and her staff go beyond conventional dentistry and

provide patients with a smile that refl ects their own personality.

To learn more about the practice or to schedule an appointment or consultation, call or visit their

offi ce in Ormond Beach at:

W. Granada Blvd. Suite

(386) 947-7603

Huda Aljonaidy, DDS, has been practicing dentistry in Volusia County since . She studied dental medicine and graduated second in her class from the University of Jordan in . She later completed her res-idency in advanced education general dentistry (AEGD) for geriatric and special needs and complex dental cases at Nova Southeastern University in . She has also completed two years of advanced prosthodon-

tics training and digital smile design training at New York University College of Dentistry. In , she was named one of the Top

Dentists Under in the US by Incisal Edge Magazine.

For Tom*, life was an endless latte.

He drank coffee after he woke up each morning; he

drank coffee while he worked; and he drank co� ee while he dabbled in his art. Tom drank co� ee so much that he even had a fancy co� ee machine to make sure the ca� eine never stopped � owing.

“I used to drink co� ee all day long to keep going,” says Tom, an IT specialist and artist. “I had a very expensive co� ee machine like the ones that do espresso.”

A busy husband and father of two daughters, Tom had good reason to always keep a cup of joe within reach. He had headaches every morning and felt sluggish much of the day, symptoms that eventu-ally led to him being referred to a sleep medicine specialist.

Tests performed by the specialist showed Tom’s symptoms were the result of moderate obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that occurs when a person’s throat muscles relax during sleep, allow-ing the soft tissue to collapse and block their airway.

As a result of the blockage, sleepers can stop breathing hundreds of times a night for anywhere from a few seconds to a minute or more. Symptoms include snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, memory problems, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, even acid re� ux.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can also be life-threatening. It can increase the risk for serious health problems such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, dia-betes, obesity, depression and impotence.

Tom, who was experiencing several sleep apnea symptoms, was taking med-icine for his acid re� ux, but his snoring was so loud, it prompted his wife to wear earplugs. When their daughter was away at school, Tom’s wife would often move to the daughter’s bedroom so she could sleep undisturbed.

A few years ago, the sleep specialist recommended Tom use a continuous pos-itive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine. Designed to keep the airways from collaps-ing, the CPAP device puts out a constant stream of air through a hose and mask that the person wears while they sleep. But Tom wanted no part of that.

“I couldn’t see myself wearing a mask while I was sleeping,” he says

One day, while performing some IT work at Blossom Dental and Facial

Aesthetics, Tom heard the practice’s founder, Huda Aljonaidy, DDS, talking about sleep apnea. Tom told the dentist he had been diagnosed with the condition.

“Dr. Aljonaidy then told me that there is a device that would stop the sleep apnea and snoring,” Tom says. “It was when I heard her say stop snoring that it stuck with me because I know I snore very loud. So I said, Why not try it?”

A Better SolutionAt Blossom Dental and Facial Aesthetics, Dr. Aljonaidy o� ers comprehensive ser-vices that range from routine cleanings and � llings to crowns, veneers and dentures, teeth whitening, surgery, orthodontics, extractions and BOTOX® Cosmetic.

She also offers solutions for sleep apnea and says that Tom, like a lot of patients with the condition, did not fully understand the dangers of untreated sleep apnea until she explained them to him.

She further explained that a CPAP machine is the � rst line of treatment for sleep apnea and is very effective. But

many patients simply can’t tolerate wear-ing a mask, cleaning the attachments or lugging the machine around while travel-ing, Dr. Aljonaidy says.

“It’s a killer for intimacy because the patient literally feels like they’re sleeping in a hospital bed every night,” says the den-tist, who notes that 50 percent of all CPAP patients stop using the machine, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Fortunately, for patients who have mild to moderate sleep apnea but don’t

want to use a CPAP machine, another option is available. Known as the SomnoDent® oral appliance, it can posi-tion the lower jaw and keep the airway open during sleep.

“If the case has been diagnosed to be mild to moderate, the oral appli-ance is exactly as e� ective as the CPAP,” Dr. Aljonaidy explains. “It’s comfortable, easy to wear and quiet. It’s a clinically proven alternative to CPAP, and it’s con-venient for portability when you travel.”

Dr. Aljonaidy already had done some work to help Tom with his breathing. She used Invisalign® clear braces to properly align his bite and widen his arches. What remained was the management of the soft tissues such as the tongue, tonsils and the roof of the mouth.

“All of that sags when patients sleep,” notes Dr. Aljonaidy, who began that phase of the project by creating a digital impres-sion of Tom’s mouth. Using that virtual model, an FDA-approved lab manufac-tured Tom’s sleep device. Dr. Aljonaidy then adjusted it to � t Tom’s jaw properly.

“It has to be as accurate as one-tenth of a millimeter,” Dr. Aljonaidy informs. “We bring the jaw to a cer-tain position where he will breathe better, and the appliance’s job is sim-ply to hold it in that position the entire night,” she says.

Comfort Dentistry

In addition to quality and emergency dental care, Blossom

Dental and Facial Aesthetics off ers an array of services designed to

enhance your oral health and make you look your best.

They include:• Invisalign• BOTOX Cosmetic• Teeth Whitening• Fillers• Oral Cancer Screening• Sleep Medicine

Visit them on the web at www.blossom.dental and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HudaAljonaidydds

SomnoDent oral

appliance

A New BelieverDr. Aljonaidy worked closely with Dr. Dany Obeid, a pulmonologist spe-cializing in Sleep Medicine at Advanced Sleep and Respiratory Institute. Tom experienced great results after getting his appliance.

“It really changed my life,” he says. It also changed his wife’s life.

“When I first started using the device, my wife had to check on me a couple of times to see if something was wrong because she didn’t hear me snor-ing,” he says. “She wanted to make sure I was okay.”

Tom is more than okay. His head-aches are now a thing of the past, as is the tooth grinding that once wore holes in the retainer he began to wear after complet-ing the Invisalign program. He no longer su� ers from acid re� ux either.

Because his sleep quality improved, Tom has more energy during the day to get things done. A phone app shows improved oxygenation. Tom is now alert all day, allowing him to work at his IT job and pursue his painting. His co� ee machine sits idle.

“I don’t use it anymore because I think that’s a waste,” he says.

Tom says he is grateful for Dr. Aljonaidy and all she has done for him and his family. He would recommend her to anyone in the area who needs her ser-vices. She even inspired his daughter to go to dental school.

“Dr. Aljonaidy is very polite,” he says. “She’s very nice. She listens to me and my problems. She listens and works on get-ting things done.”FHCN staff article. ke

* Patient’s name withheld at his request

Page 10 | Volusia Health Care News | Spring 2020 | East Volusia County Edition East Volusia County Edition | Spring 2020 | Volusia Health Care News | Page 11heaRing aidS coMpRehenSive dentiStRy

Eagle Eyes

Q. Jocelyn Ge, MD, PhD, received her medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and her PhD from the University of California. She completed her

internship at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and her ophthalmology res-idency at the Tulane University Hospital and Clinics in New Orleans. In , Dr. Ge was one of the ten ophthalmologists in the US who received the prestigious American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Foundation research grant. She has published multiple peer-reviewed journals internationally and has presented

many research works nationally. Dr. Ge is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). She is a recipient of the LEO award in and from the AAO. She is certifi ed by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

The doctors and staff of Premier Eye Clinic look

forward to meeting readers of Volusia Health Care News.

Port Orange S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Suite

(386) 788-6198Ormond Beach

Hand Avenue, Suite N

(386) 673-3344Visit Premier Eye Clinic on the web at www.PremierEyeClinic.com

J im and Monica Haskett met and fell in love while working for the same Allentown, Pennsylvania auto dealer. Jim, who hails from the Trenton, New Jersey area, worked for the dealership for 40 years.

He moved there after he was transferred from a job in Doylestown, PA, which just happens to be Monica’s hometown. But Monica didn’t know Jim before she moved to Allentown.

“We knew each other from the dealership,” Jim recalls. “I was the general manager, and Monica was an accountant and the administrative assistant to the pres-ident. After we met, we courted for eight years. Monica and I got together in 1985 and were married in 1993.”

“I left the dealership once we started dating because Jim was in management, and it didn’t look right for him to be dating someone who wasn’t in management,” Monica relates. “I got a job at a CPA � rm and worked there for thirty-two years.”

Jim, who retired 11 years ago, and Monica, who retired at the end of last year, maintain a condo in Allentown, which they love, but spend the winter and spring in Florida, where they love to stroll the beach and spend time with friends.

“We retired folks love to walk on the beach,” Jim says. “We probably walk twenty-� ve miles a week on the beach. We live just o� Florida State Road A1A, so the beach is right across the street from our house.

“We spend a lot of time going out with friends as well. We belong to a couple of wine clubs and a couple of book clubs. � ere’s a lot going on and we � nd that we’re plenty busy in retirement.”

Jim and Monica have been living an idyllic lifestyle here in Florida, but problems with their vision caused by the combination of cataracts and glaucoma recently threatened to derail their best-laid plans for retirement.

Cataracts develop as a result of a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. Glaucoma is a condition that develops from increased pressure in the eyes due to a back-up of � uid. Monica wasn’t surprised that she developed these conditions.

“I’ve had many problems with my eyes over the years,” she shares. “I couldn’t see the clock next to my bed when I was a child. When I was twenty-one, I had LASIK® surgery and wound up with a wrinkle on my retina, which required special surgery to repair.”

Monica � rst learned she was su� ering from cataracts while the couple still lived full-time in Allentown. � at’s where she had surgery to remove the cataract in her left eye because that cataract had developed more rapidly than the one in her right eye.

Eagle Eyes

Accommodating lens implant enhances vision

following cataract surgery

Monica and Jim were both treated for glaucoma and cataracts by Dr. Ge.

Q. JOCELYN GE, MD, PHD

Committed to Your Vision

� e cataract in Monica’s right eye advanced to a point where it needed to be removed in 2019. At around the same time, Jim developed cata-racts as well and was told that his eye pressure was elevated, which is a symptom of glaucoma.

Because increased pressure in the eye can damage the optic nerve and a� ect vision, Jim began searching for an ophthalmologist to monitor the pressure in his eyes. On the advice of several friends, he chose board-certi� ed ophthalmologist Q. Jocelyn Ge, MD, PhD, at Premier Eye Clinic.

Relieving the PressureIt was a wise choice, because Dr. Ge specializes in both cataract and glaucoma treatment and employs a new FDA-approved stent technology that can be utilized at the time of cataract surgery. � e technology facilitates � uid drainage and lowers eye pressure in a type of glaucoma called open-angle glaucoma, in which the eyes’ drainage channels become blocked. � e technology is the iStent inject®.

“Jim originally came to me because of high pres-sure in the eyes, but while I was treating him for that, his cataracts became worse,” Dr. Ge recalls. “He was on medication eye drops for open-angle glaucoma.

“In people with glaucoma, which is a type of optic nerve damage, or with retinal conditions such as macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, the sensory parts of the eye are no longer healthy enough to perceive sharp images.

“� is is called decreased contrast sensitivity, and for folks with this condition, during cataract surgery, the replacement lens implant should provide one hundred percent of clarity without further compromising contrast sensitivity.

“Jim wanted to reduce his dependence on glasses after cataract surgery, but because of his glaucoma, he is not a candidate for a multifocal lens implant because it would further diminish contrast sensitivity and degrade his quality of vision.

“� e Crystalens®, which is an accommodating lens, was the best and only option to reduce his dependence on glasses after cataract surgery because it provides a clear range of vision without compromising contrast sensitivity.”

Fortunately for Jim, Dr. Ge is one of the very few ophthalmologists in the area certi� ed and experienced in implanting Crystalens.

“Jim received the Crystalens in both eyes. He also received the iStent inject in both eyes, and he is very happy now,” Dr. Ge states. “His vision is better than 20/20 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye, and his reading vision is excellent as well, without glasses.”

“Dr. Ge performed cataract surgery on my left eye in August and on my right eye in October, and everything turned out great!” Jim exudes. “One of the e� ects of my cataracts was that I wasn’t seeing colors properly. Everything was sepia, that gloomy light brown color of old movies. But after I got my � rst eye done in August, the very � rst thing I noticed was everything I looked at was gorgeous and colorful.”

Dr. Ge chose the same Crystalens as well as the iStent inject for Monica’s right eye because Monica

has open angle glaucoma and previously had LASIK surgery.

“For Monica to become less dependent on glasses after cataract surgery, her only real option was the Crystalens,” Dr. Ge notes. “She was not a candidate for a multifocal lens implants because of her glaucoma and previous LASIK surgery.”

Excellent Report Card Both Jim and Monica are extremely pleased with the results they achieved following cataract surgery with the iStent inject.

“Since my surgeries, I’m glasses free and no longer using pressure-lowering eye drops because my numbers are good now,” Jim enthuses. “I had a check-up last week, and I received all A’s on my report card.

“When Dr. Ge and I first talked about surgery, I asked her to correct my vision like an eagle’s. She told me if she does that, I would be primarily corrected for distance. I might need cheaters in a dark room or if I’m doing extensive reading, but I wouldn’t need glasses for golfing, driving or walking on the beach. For those activities, I can wear civilian sunglasses. I’m very happy with my results.”

“I have the Crystalens in one eye only, so my situation is di� erent from Jim’s,” Monica relates. “Accommodating lenses were too new when I had cataract surgery on my left eye. � e eye doctors didn’t talk about them much.

“Before my surgery, Dr. Ge talked with me about the di� erent options for my right eye vision, and how my two eyes would coordinate. We eventually came up with the plan for my right eye based on my activities these days. I’m also very happy with the outcome of Dr. Ge’s treatment!”FHCN article by Patti DiPanfilo. Photo by Jordan Pysz. mkb

Page 12 | Volusia Health Care News | Spring 2020 | East Volusia County Edition cataRact SuRgeRy/glaucoMa tReatMent