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Spring 2008
Tanya and Keith Knudsvig would have given anything for a sign of life from Cora. Their 5-year-old daughter, whose big love was dancing, lay in a hospital bed, unresponsive in critical condition and dangerously near death. At her side every moment, they took turns reading aloud her favorite books, playing her favorite music, talking to her and holding her hand. |
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Fall 2007
When an ice storm in the winter of 1997 left them without power for more than a week, the Meyer family discovered the importance of preparedness. "Without the generator, we would have been in a bad situation because at that point, there were no generators available," says Shereen. |
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Spring 2007
Since spring 2005, when Darian barely survived a serious farm accident, the Frost family has made annual trips to MeritCare Children's Hospital… just to visit. "We're making it a tradition," says Jeremy, Darian's dad. |
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Winter 2007
A single candle decorated the homemade cake served to a gathering of family and friends on Nov. 11, 2006. "It's my one-year candle because one year ago my life was saved," says 48-year-old Tammy Peterson. |
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Fall 2006
For Megan and Steve Gaffney,every step went smoothly and on schedule as the late-March arrival of their first child drew near. They even managed to move into their new home in Horace, N.D., the weekend before the birth. |
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Spring 2006
The infection that nearly took 17-year-old Brady Johnson's life began simply: a bloodless finger prick while opening a caulking tube with a utility knife. It happened last August while Brady was helping out on a landscaping project at work. |
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Winter 2006
Phillip and Liz Smith thought they knew exactly how a heart attack would feel — until June 2, 2005. At noon, at their lake home near Park Rapids, Minn., Phillip joined Liz for lunch, mentioning pain in his neck. |
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Fall 2005
Phillip and Liz Smith thought they knew exactly how a heart attack would feel — until June 2, 2005. At noon, at their lake home near Park Rapids, Minn., Phillip joined Liz for lunch, mentioning pain in his neck. |
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Spring 2005
When Michaela woke up with the sniffles and a cough on a Monday morning in early January, her parents, Mike and Kristi Garbow, had no idea that two days later, their 2½-year-old would be airlifted in life-threatening condition to MeritCare Children's Hospital in Fargo.
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Winter 2005
Gil Nelson of Fargo has just one memory from Nov. 15, 2004: "All I can remember is the terrific pain — pain in the lower back and the abdomen," he says. His wife, Carolyn, fills in the rest: "He woke up that morning in terrible pain. He has arthritis of the spine, so I figured it might be related to that. But when I noticed his pajamas were wringing wet with sweat, I knew this was something more."
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Fall 2004
It's been Kathy Burgau's dream since fifth grade: get married, have babies, raise a family. But in November 1996, the dream took on complexities she never could have imagined.
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Summer 2004
Just a few hours before their twin girls were born, Dani and Wyatt Stramer agreed the names would be perfect: Faith and Hope. "We knew that given our situation, with our girls being born at only 24 weeks, we would need plenty of faith and hope to get us through," says the Grand Forks mom. |
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Winter 2004
The pain startled Eloise Deihl out of a sound sleep. "It was about 3 a.m. when I felt strange pains on the left side of my chest," says the retired beautician from Dilworth, Minn. "Not crushing pain exactly, but certainly it was uncomfortable. It felt like somebody had karate chopped my windpipe." Eloise got up, took a couple aspirin then went back to bed. When she woke up a few hours later, the pain had subsided, but she knew she needed to see her doctor. |
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Fall 2003
The first time Dan Dow saw Andrea Gerrard, he had one reaction: "She took my breath away," he says. And Andrea's impression of Dan? "Very cute," she says. "And when he came in and talked to me, I was just in awe." This might not sound so unusual for two 17-year-olds, but here's the unusual part: The meeting occurred at MeritCare Roger Maris Cancer Center in 1993. |
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Spring 2003
Two years ago, Simon Nelson of Hitterdal, Minn., captured the hearts of many. Today this active, healthy youngster shines as a Children's Miracle Network Champion. Excerpts from the media coverage tell his story. |
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Winter 2003
Most people wouldn't be thankful for a back injury, but Lowell Swan of Jamestown, N.D., couldn't be more thankful. X-rays taken in connection with a back injury last summer tipped off MeritCare Jamestown staff that he may have had an even more serious problem. Additional tests at MeritCare in Fargo confirmed their suspicions. |
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Fall 2002
Imagine for a moment that you need heart bypass surgery to treat your blocked coronary arteries – the vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the muscles of the heart. You know it can save your life, but you also know it requires a 6-to-8 inch incision to open the chest cavity, a heart-lung machine to keep you alive while your heart is stopped, and finally, weeks to months of recovery. That's the typical scenario today. |
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Spring 2002
When Marie Montez was told her 9-year-old daughter, Jasmine, needed a kidney transplant, she didn't hesitate. She wanted to be the first to be tested for compatibility. "How could I not do this? She's my daughter," says Marie, her eyes tearing up. "I felt lucky to be the best match." |
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Fall 2001
When DeeAnne Hansen of Moorhead learned she had multiple sclerosis, one slogan kept running through her mind: "the crippler of young adults." Today, 10 years later and very well informed, she says, "With the milder form of MS I have, I realize there's every opportunity to live a full, long life. |
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Spring 2001
Darcy Klain figured an old bed was the reason her 13-year-old son, Tyler, had been having backaches. And the occasional nosebleeds? When he was younger, her husband, Durnell, used to get them. But on March 16, 2000, Tyler got a nosebleed that wouldn't stop, Darcy and Durnell began to wonder. |
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Winter 2001
For four years Steve Morin of Detroit Lakes, Minn., had waited for "the call" — that moment when he'd learn a kidney was available, it was a match and it was time for a transplant. Years of diabetes and high blood pressure had caused his kidneys to fail. |
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Fall 2000
It takes a team to put a family of three back together again. "From happiness to pure utter hell..." Loud noises still startle Larry Pierce. They remind him of the night last June when he and his family were trapped in a tipped car following a two-vehicle crash near Park Rapids, Minn. |
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Spring 2000
If you've heard the life of a champion is easy, talk to 11-year-old Alison Vanatta of East Grand Forks, Minn. The only problem is she won't actually tell you about her life. Instead, she'll tell you something funny about her cat, then offer you a stick of gum and a smile that melts your heart. |
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Winter 2000
Annual Physical Proves a Lifesaver. Plus: Internal Medicine Residents Clinic: MeritCare's best Kept Secret, Exercise Program Delivers Relief from Pain and Osteoporosis, MeritCare Opening New Clinic in East Grand Forks, MeritCare gets word out on Sports Concussions, and more. |
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Fall 1999
Mohs surgery for skin cancer is the best bet in beating the disease. Plus: MeritCare makes community connections with various regional organizations; injured workers take Ôindustrial athleteÕ approach to rehabilitation and see results; car seat safety; breast cancer prevention studies; preventative care exams for students, and more. |
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Spring 1999
A Fargo woman shares her story of heart disease so others can learn from it. Plus: Tae Kwon Do champ claims black belt ten years after corrective surgery for a serious heart defect; advance directives allow for peace of mind; tips for a fit pregnancy; ultrasound assisted liposuction; more accurate anesthesia monitors, and more. |
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Winter 1999
After a spinal cord injury turns his world upside down, 19-year old Ernie Stock learns to live again. Plus: exercise at home after heart surgery; cooperation at Spirit Lake Nation; giving back to the community; FOX Radio's "61 for 61" fundraiser; a Fargo man climbs Mt. Everest; the truth about LASIX surgery; Aunt Cathy, Val Farmer, Health Line and more. |
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Fall 1998
Radiation therapy for breast cancer cut from six weeks to one through clinical trials at MeritCare. Plus: rehabilitation program puts people back in the driver's seat Ð safely; electronic patient records now available; Travel Clinic offers medical advice to world travelers; cardiac rehabilitation orders up exercise and education; Kangaroo Care provides atmosphere for bonding with premature infants, and more. |
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Spring 1998
Telemedicine provides easy access to top quality health care, even in rural areas. Plus: stroke warning signs and new treatments; preventative care: what you might not know; MeritCare volunteers reach out; a world of fitness at MeritCare Southpointe; Teens Teaching AIDS preaches prevention and awareness, and more. |