Duke Health
Personalized Rehab Helps People Overcome Post-Intensive Care Syndrome
After a lengthy hospitalization at Duke University Hospital, Carolyn Moser, 66, hoped she was on the road to recovery. But three months of lying in bed left her weak, confused, and unable to care for herself. Moser had post-intensive care syndrome, a constellation of problems that can occur after a lengthy hospitalization. The personalized rehabilitative care she received from physical therapists and occupational therapists at the Duke Critical Care Recovery Center helped her regain her strength and her independence.
Know the Signs of Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Charlotte Finley blamed her deodorant when she woke up with a burning sensation under her arm. She wondered if it caused the itchy, dry patches she had seen on her right breast. Then the retired teacher from Stem, NC felt a lump in that breast during a morning shower. “I knew something was wrong, but I was in denial,” she said. Finley had just had a mammogram a few months before.
After confiding in her sister-in-law, Finley went to a local doctor who performed a breast biopsy. By that time, “my breast was dark and had scaly patches,” she said. “The doctor looked at me and asked if I had ever heard of inflammatory breast cancer.” Finley hadn’t then, but she’s learned more than she ever wanted to know since. Finley was diagnosed with the rare, aggressive cancer in 2017.
Learning the Cause of a Loved One’s Sudden Death Can Protect You and Your Family
When a relative -- especially a young one -- dies suddenly and without warning, learning the cause of death is important because it may help save the surviving family members. “Many of these sudden deaths are actually due to heart conditions caused by genetic factors, which means that other people in the family, even children, could be at risk,” said Duke electrophysiologist and pediatric cardiologist Andrew Landstrom, MD. Using comprehensive assessments and advanced genetic testing, Dr. Landstrom and his Duke colleagues help families learn why their loved one died and reduce the risk of another sudden death.