The Millstone Times December 2020

♥ HEALTH  &  WELLNESS

Drs. Segal, Shriver, Rho, Meirowitz, Osias and Bellows provide patients with timely, compassionate, high quality care for their digestive ailments. If you would like to arrange a consultation with one of our physicians, call us at 609-924-1422 Princeton Endoscopy Center provides services (colonoscopy, upper endoscopy) that can detect early signs of colorectal cancer and can help doctors diagnose unexplained changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain and bleeding and weight loss. Our goal is to

Reinstating the Dr. Home Visit... We Bring Hearing Home to You!

Better hearing is an important part of how we communicate and stay connected to the world and the people we love. For many, seeking hearing care is the first step to a happier and healthier future, being able to secure these ser- vices at home is paramount for many of our clients. Whether you want to explore hearing aids, or discuss concerns about your hearing health, Dr. Laura Padham Visiting Audiologist is here to provide you with options.

www.DrLauraAud.com 609.770.2500 NJ LICENSE #1390 / 924

731 Alexander Rd., Suite 104 • Princeton, NJ 08540

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Beth This was the best thing we could have done. All the providers agreed on the probable diagnosis and potential treatment plan, but we felt reassured by the NIH team. Their suggestions felt objective yet authoritative – and as though they were genuinely invested in my outcome. The experience of Dr. Heiss and Dr. Penas-Prado in dealing with patients who have rare CNS cancers was comforting, and the opportunity to help advance this research is an added bonus. Finally, I felt hopeful. Weigh the Benefits and Risks I have now visited the NIH twice for scans and appointments. Thankfully, my symptoms and scans are stable. Currently, I am experiencing localized pain in my neck, bad headaches and muscle pain. I also have some numbness and muscle weakness in my leg and arm. Overall, the symptoms are considered mild, and the pain is fairly manageable. We still face the decision of when to move forward with the operation. Naturally, I am frightened of having surgery and the difficult recovery, knowing that the resulting deficits will likely be worse than the symptoms I am experiencing now. On the flipside, if I wait too long then I have a higher risk of further deficits. Having the surgery will also allow us to get the pathology needed to determine if I need further treatment and the likelihood of the cancer spreading. I find myself reviewing my symptoms every day and evaluating my progress. It's hard not to worry. I think it's normal to feel helpless when you are first diagnosed with a serious illness, but I believe this just highlights the importance of finding the right medical team for guidance. So far, this journey has taught us how lucky we are to have such a loving family and group of friends. We leaned on them heavily as we went through this difficult time. Once I gained some control of the situation by fully understanding this diagnosis, I became more optimistic. Finding the right experts and resources allowed me to feel positive, and I now have the strength to fight the battles ahead. Credit: The National Cancer Institute “Deciding if and When to Have Surgery for a Spine Tumor was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.”

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