Patient Stories
Many Summa Health patients have shared their pulmonary health experience, including their personal, life-changing care.
Deborah Solan
Pulmonary Patient
Deborah struggled with a debilitating cough and severe asthma for years; after receiving treatment at Summa Health, her cough is gone, and she finally has hope.
Transcription
Deborah: For 15 years, I suffered a horrible, debilitating cough despite being on an extreme amount of steroids. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. My entire life was debilitated. And then I was referred to Dr. Forte, a pulmonologist in the Summa Health Stow-Kent Medical Center.
He diagnosed me with severe asthma and developed a treatment plan that gave me hope. A key part of this treatment plan was injection therapy with Dr. Ramaniuk. After just three months, I was weaned off steroids, inhalers, and nasal spray.
For the first time in years, the cough is gone. I want people to know that there is help for their coughing, for their asthma. I'm so grateful to the Summa Pulmonary Team. It's a miracle.
Ron Vickers
Pulmonary Patient
Enjoying life after receiving award-winning care at the Lung Nodule Clinic.
Transcription
Ron: I had emphysema, so I was going to the lung nodule clinic at Summa. During one of my routine visits, Dr. Tsivitse discovered that a spot on my lung. A biopsy determined that I had stage one lung cancer.
They removed the lower lobe of my right lung. The doctors they said "no more cancer". They got it all. That team of doctors and nurses, they treated me exceptionally. I have never been treated that well in a hospital before.
Now, I get to spent time with my family, I get to enjoy my grandkids, I get to enjoy my dog, my patio, so life is great. Life is great.
My advice to everyone is: get your screenings, so you can know exactly what's going on inside your body.
Denise Pelima
Pulmonary/Lung Nodule Clinic Patient
Lung nodule discovered on a CAT scan taken after a car accident
Transcription
Denise: I was involved in a car accident and was brought to Summa Health Emergency Room for evaluation. During that evaluation, a CAT scan revealed I had a nodule on my lung. I was referred to Dr. Bauman who did a biopsy and revealed that I had pre-cancerous cells on my lungs.
Dr. Bauman was like sitting down and talking with a neighbor. And I just sensed that he was such an expert in his field. He referred me to a cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Aziken, and had the lesion removed from my lung.
They caught it before it was invasive, and now I am cancer free. And now I'm part of the Lung Nodule Clinic, and they will be monitoring me for years to come. And I feel safe and worry free. And I have so many years left to enjoy with my family. I am extremely thankful.
Brian Nank
COPD/Pulmonary Patient
Happy to breathe, play with his grandkids and one day hike the Grand Canyon
Transcription
Brian: Had a terrible time breathing, walking up stairs, tying shoes. I knew I couldn't erase all those years of smoking, but I knew I could do something. I went to my primary care doctor. He referred me to Dr. Bauman at Summa Health.
Dr. Bauman ran a series of tests, all kinds of tests, and came to the conclusion it was COPD. Gave me a medication that was suited to me, and I could immediately see its effects. Dr. Bauman also referred me to Dr. Wells in weight management. I just love that guy. And with his guidance, I've lost 35 pounds.
I owe it to the Summa Health System. That's really done a lot for me, and no doubt in my mind, has helped extend my life. I'm just happy now. I can breathe. I can tie my shoes, but I can better than that, I can play with my grandkids. My wife and I can hike. And who knows? One day, maybe the Grand Canyon.
Scott Colson
Pulmonary/COPD Patient
Breathing easier with the help of Summa Health Pulmonary
Transcription
Scott: For several years, I had episodes where I just couldn't breathe. It was all I could do to get any kind of breath. And after doing testing, I ended up in Dr. Brian Bauman's office.
He came up with a diagnosis that I had COPD. He put me on some different medications, in addition, his team is treating me for eosinophilic asthma and gives me an injection every eight weeks.
After starting this injection, my life has changed for the best. I umpire girls fast-pitch softball. One of my greatest hobbies for the last 25 years. Now I'm back to doing it again. If I would not have been at Summa, I definitely wouldn't be umpiring, I wouldn't be doing anything with my grandkids, probably wouldn't be alive today. It would've been three strikes and out. All my gratitude to Summa Hospital, Brian Bauman, his nurse practitioners and nurses.
Kathleen Wagner
Nurse and lung cancer patient Kathleen Wagner feels blessed for early detection
Transcription
Kathleen: I was getting ready to go on a mission trip to Africa and I needed a full physical. As part of that physical at Summa I met all the criteria to have a CT scan of the lung. As it turned out, they found a nodule on my lung.
I was just overwhelmed with fear. As a nurse myself, I knew all the risks that were involved with this. But my faith, I just had strong confidence that I had a good team of doctors behind me. And they did find that it was cancerous. But the blessing was, because they caught it early, they only had to remove a section of my lung. I needed no treatment after that.
Dr. Bauman and Dr. Espinal were an absolute godsend for me. I got the cream of the crop with them. This cancer taught me how important it is to have those screenings done. And today it's like the cancer never even happened. And I've got this beautiful grandbaby that I'm gonna be there for. Yeah.