In Their Own Words

The providers and team of FHN affect the lives of so many, by providing expert care from diagnosis to recovery. Here are some of our patients' stories.

Bryant Carter

‘Blessed with the Sound of His Voice’

When Katrinna Carter noticed that her young son was slow to speak, she and her mom, Liz, a retired speech-language pathologist, turned to FHN for an evaluation – and ultimately, help.
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Karlene Johnson

‘So Glad FHN is Here for Me’

One reason she chose Tamisha Bonvillain, FNP-BC, IBCLC as her primary care provider is because Nurse Practitioner Bonvillain is a good listener and a patient explainer.
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Cardiac Sisters

Sisters Get Stents at Cardiac Cath Lab

Sisters Sherri Daniel of Freeport and Toni Bollon of German Valley have been doing things together since childhood – but they never dreamed they would both receive stents in FHN’s state-of-the-art cardiac catherization (cath) lab within four days of each other!"
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Tamara Salazar

"A Hysterectomy and a Whole Lot More"

In 2018, FHN’s Women’s Health Team confirmed Tamara Salazar needed a hysterectomy due to a prolapsed uterus. It was regularly causing her discomfort, but wasn’t an emergency. She put it off to help another family member who was ill, and then COVID-19 came … with a vengeance..."
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Kellermann Family

"Kellermanns Select FHN for Second Pregnancy"

When Samantha Kellermann of Lanark discovered she was pregnant with her second child, she knew she could count on FHN for her prenatal care, labor, and delivery. She and her husband, Josh, welcomed their daughter, Harper, at FHN’s Birthing Center more than two years ago..."
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Dallas Kosier

"They All Go Out of Their Way to Help"

It is safe to say that Dallas Kosier of Savanna had a difficult year. Her husband passed away from cancer, and Dallas received her own cancer diagnosis just shortly thereafter. "If you've had cancer, you know it is the scariest word in the dictionary..."
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Tom Rutkowski

Cancer Patient Considers FHN's Care 'The Gold Standard'

Navy veteran, retired businessman, and self-proclaimed "car nut" Tom Rutkowski was enjoying retirement with his wife at Lake Carroll, until one day he noticed lumps under both arms. He was feeling well and had no symptoms, but thought a quick check was wise...
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Myra

Reclaiming Her Life Through PT

After breaking several bones in a terrible UTV accident, Myra Archer Holland of Lanark has regained her strength and mobility with the help of FHN's Physical Therapy team.
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Jim

'Making a Fist Never Felt So Good'

Eager for relief from the pain and stiffness caused by his arthritis, Jim Wenger tried a promising new treatment for osteoarthritis.
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Sam

'It's Great to Hear Well Again'

Sam Tucibat woke up with sudden hearing loss in one ear, but the FHN team and HBOt 'tube time' got him back to hearing in stereo.
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Jennifer Newman

ENT Patient Finds Relief: 'Allergies No Longer Control My Days'

Sneezing, runny nose, congestion, drainage, fatigue, and headache are unpleasant for anyone. But Jennifer Newman of Freeport suffered with these symptoms every single day...
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Kimball Sturtevant

First Patient Receives New Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement

When FHN orthopaedic surgeon Greg Dammann, MD, asked Kimball Sturtevant if he was fine with having FHN.s first VELYS robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery, his patient.s response was enthusiastic...
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Jeff Lamm r

Fighting Cancer and Leg Wound with FHN's Expertise

When Jeff Lamm was on vacation in Florida, he never dreamed that banging his leg on a boat would put him in the hospital and signal the start of a long healthcare journey...
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Stephen Lafferty

Surgical Success More Than the Luck O' the Irish

When all-things-Irish enthusiast Stephen Lafferty thought his knee needed an overhaul, he didn't want to count on luck. Instead, he trusted the professionals at FHN to help him regain his quality of life. His wife, Susan, first noticed his knee discomfort when he had trouble with...
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Bill Schramm

Feeling Dizzy? FHN Can Help Stop the Spin!

Dealing with vertigo can be a dizzying experience. Just ask Bill Schramm, Heather Politsch, and Rachel Boatwright. All three have grappled with the frustrating condition due to different causes. Any way it manifests itself, FHN has strategies to help make the room stop "spinning" for frustrated patients...
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Len Carter

"I Am So Happy I Didn't Ignore the Pain in my Chest!"

He was walking his dogs on a cold December night, just as he does every evening. But on this night, there was something different – the middle of Len Carter's chest 'felt like a toothache.' He told himself it was from breathing in the cold winter air...
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Farfalena Rahn

Desire for Double Knee Replacement Transforms Woman's Health Journey

Farfalena Rahn's first name means "butterfly" in Italian. This symbol of transformation and hope well represents the last two years of her life, when she went from relying on a wheelchair to walking again, thanks to strong support from FHN, her family, and her friends. In 2019, Farfalena was unable to walk...
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Le-Win Football

State Champs Get Medical Expertise from Former Panther Quarterback

Football injuries are part of the game – it's a long, rough season. Even the best of teams, like the Illinois State 1A Champion Le-Win Panthers, deal with broken bones, torn ligaments, and dislocated joints as they battle through their weekly schedules...
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Mary Lynn Trost

Innovation and Compassion Provide the Right Balance

Mary Lynn Trost was eager to get her surgical staples out – all 50 of them – after having a successful hysterectomy for Stage 1A uterine and ovarian cancer at UW Madison hospital. Unfortunately, her incision reopened almost immediately after her stitches were removed, right in the doctor's office...
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Brad Rothermel

COVID-19 'Long Hauler' Benefits from Pulmonary Rehab

Brad Rothermel's family calls him "the moon baby," since he was born July 20, 1969, when U.S. astronauts first landed on the moon. But his "lunar lineage" didn't give him any breaks when he caught COVID-19 just after their clan's Thanksgiving gathering last year...
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Dan Malin

Heart Attack Patient Conquers Concerns

Dan Malin's work trip to Michigan took an unexpected detour – he started to feel ill before departing,and then feared he was having a heart attack while he was driving in Indiana. He rushed to a local hospital...
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Michele Davis

‘It's a rare fungal disease, but he suspected it and ran the right tests

It never crossed her mind that she might have blastomycosis. She had never even heard of it! But when Michele Davis got sicker and sicker, she and her family were very grateful that FHN Infectious Disease Specialist Robert Geller, MD, MS, FACP, FIDSA, connected the dots...
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Amalia Viveros

From Wheelchair to Walking Again … Thanks to FHN Orthopaedics

When Amalia Viveros came to visit her son Ramon in Dakota, he was concerned about both her physical and emotional well-being. Suffering with osteoarthritis in her knees for about five years, she was in a great deal of pain. Steroid injections...
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Mackenzie Biehl

High School Student Ready to Put Best Food Forward with Help from FHN Podiatry

When Mackenzie Biehl was in kindergarten, her mom, Stacy, noticed a bony bump on her feet below each big toe. She took note of it at the time, but figured it was "nothing to worry about." As time passed, the 'bumps' didn't go away...
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