Harmonizing for health: A choir of Parkinson’s patients

Editor’s Note: GHN is reprinting this 2019 article as a tribute to its author, Judi Kanne, an Atlanta freelance journalist and nurse who died recently.  Singing isn’t new for Mike Shortal, who is 81 and lives in Sandy Springs. He loves music, and says being a member of a choir has long been one of…

‘The right time’: Georgia nurses to honor their colleagues

By Judi Kanne and Andy Miller The COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the heroic sacrifices and day-to-day service of nurses in an unprecedented way. With their tireless work in mind, the Georgia Nurses Association (GNA) is planning to launch a Nurses Hall of Fame this fall, with about 10 inaugural members inducted. Some will be honored…

A time of need: Foundation provides lodging for families of transplant patients

By Judi Kanne At 23, Jeff Evans was 6 feet 4 inches tall, athletic and known for his charming personality. He was enjoying life, until his health suddenly began to fail. Even at his young age, Jeff was already a 4-star chef in metro Atlanta, and his mother recalls that he was volunteering at a…

COVID isolation, anxiety ‘really reinforce’ eating disorders

By Judi Kanne The COVID-19 pandemic has proved a perfect storm for eating disorders, experts say. Lockdowns to limit the spread of infection have made Americans more isolated from one another while increasing their anxiety. Psychologists say the emotional impact of that has driven many people into binge eating and weight gain, while for some…

Innovative surgery changes life for girl with scoliosis

By Judi Kanne Henry County resident Audrey Benford was 10 when she arrived at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in December 2018, after her pediatrician diagnosed her with scoliosis. The news that she would have to wear a back brace to help correct a curvature in her spine was about the last thing this sports-loving pre-teen cheerleader…

Reusable protective gear to the rescue?

The coronavirus crisis has put unprecedented focus on materials that health care workers use to protect themselves — and patients — from infection. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is in short supply across the nation. Health care facilities are scrambling to keep examination gloves, masks, surgical gowns and face shields in stock. But what about having…

Smoked-filled rooms — where surgery is done

Brenda Ulmer, a longtime operating room nurse, was walking to her car after one of her shifts when she suddenly realized she didn’t feel well. “My chest felt tight, my throat hurt, my nose was burning,” recalls Ulmer, who lives in the Atlanta suburb of Snellville. She was feeling sick to her stomach, too. “I remember…

Child’s hip problems highlight a little-known issue    

At 3 years old, Sarah Davis was a typically rambunctious child. But one day when she leaped onto the family sofa and plopped into her favorite position, the maneuver resulted in a piercing pain that struck without warning. “We didn’t know what was wrong, we just knew she was in a lot of pain,” says…

All in the family: Relatives serving vital role as caregivers

Aisha Adkins wasn’t planning on a role as caregiver. But then her mother, Rose, was diagnosed with a rare brain disorder eight years ago. There were some noticeable signs as the condition developed, but the first two diagnoses missed the mark, says Adkins, 35, of Dunwoody. The correct diagnosis proved to be frontotemporal dementia (also…

CBD oil as medicine: The promise and the risks 

Metro Atlanta resident Becky Ferguson says she started using non-addictive cannabis oil because she hoped it would ease her chronic pain. The result was not quite what she expected. “It might have helped a little bit [with the pain], but I am getting a tremendous reduction in anxiety,” says Ferguson, who is in her late 50s….