Patient Story

August 29, 2019

Pedaling On: Robotic Precision Gets Longtime Biker Back into the Race after Two Knee Surgeries

By Cherry Odom, BSN, RN-BC Seasoned triathlete and retired Mars Hill University sociology professor Tom Plaut knew nine years ago that the pain in his left knee meant his many years of running, biking and swimming had taken a toll on his body. “The wear and tear on my knee resulted in bone landing on […]

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August 21, 2019

A New Normal: A Custom Prosthetic Hand Gave Young Cheyanne Her Childhood Back

By Robert A. Poarch “Before, Cheyanne would hide her hand. If I went to introduce her to people, she would stick it in her pocket a lot, or in her hoodie, or hide it behind her back if she didn’t have a pocket,” said mother Jessica Worley of Asheville. “She doesn’t have to worry anymore. […]

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July 3, 2019

Rattled: One Man’s Unbelievable Snakebite Survival Story

“Surreal. Unimaginable,” said Scott Vuncannon, attempting to describe the ordeal he went through last summer. A former Boy Scout, 58-year-old Scott was more than prepared when he and his dog, Boone, set out on the Ellicott Rock Trail in the Nantahala National Forest on a sunny day last August. But even the most experienced hiker […]

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May 17, 2019

Stick to the Plan: How Bev Barney Reached Her Goal and Lost More than 130 Pounds

A simple conversation with her mom tipped the scales for Bev Barney, a house cleaner from Flat Rock, who decided to have bariatric surgery after decades of battling her weight. “Weight is going to be a constant struggle in your life, isn’t it?” Barney remembers her mom asking a simple question that seemed to linger. […]

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