As an Educational Coordinator at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Daniel Black is used to teaching lessons.

Throughout April during National Donate Life Month, he’s sharing a personal story in hopes of raising awareness on the importance of organ donation.

Daniel is a living donor. Nearly 16 years ago, he donated a kidney to his older brother, Dwight.

“My brother got really sick and was diagnosed with kidney failure. He had been a bricklayer, working with the sand and everything, it got into his lungs and his body, and destroyed the function of the kidneys,” explains Black.

The road to donation wasn’t a smooth one. Daniel and his sister had repeatedly offered to be tested to see if they were a match, but Dwight had resisted the idea of donation, not wanting to inconvenience his siblings.

“He had started dialysis and was doing that for a couple of years,” said Daniel, “Unfortunately, as with dialysis, ports fail and he wasn’t doing well. And, that’s when I knew it had to happen.”

Both Daniel and his sister went through a battery of tests including physicals, psychological testing and blood draw. After nearly six-month of meeting with different doctors, the family got the news.

“I didn’t even think about it. I just went for it,” remembers Daniel. “The results came in, the doctors were shocked at how close a match we were.”

In July 2003, Daniel and Dwight were wheeled into surgery. The change in Dwight was almost immediate.

“My brother was up and running laps around me the next day! But, I surprised, surgery really threw me through a loop. It took me three months to recoup. I just had to take it easy,” he said.

Before Daniel knew it, he was back on his feet and feeling a little better every day. He doesn’t regret his organ donation decision and is thankful he was able to give his brother the gift of life.

“I was happy to help. It gave my brother time. It allowed him to see his grandchildren being born and see them grow, which right there, is everything.”

Even before his own family had a need, Daniel had been an organ donor. It’s because of this experience, Daniel recommends everyone consider becoming an organ donor. To learn more visit donatelife.net.

Sentara to hold online weight loss seminar 

Prince William County resident Becky Turner had been living in pain for years.

“I had been to surgeons all over the area trying to get some relief. It was to the point where I had to use a wheelchair a lot of the time. At the very least, I had to use a walker,” explains the 62-year-old.

As her crippling back pain increased, so did her weight.

“Everyone said, there was nothing they could do for me,” she said.

Until her primary care physician suggested gastric bypass surgery, sharing how another patient received relief after undergoing the procedure. From there, an idea was born.

“I thought about it for a while and I thought, ‘let’s see what’s involved,’” says Turner.

That’s when she met Dr. Masoud Rezvani and the team at the Sentara Weight Loss Surgery Center, a designated Accredited Center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP).

Her insurance said it would pay for the procedure, but Turner would have to undergo testing and complete a six-month dietary weight loss class.

After the class was completed, the insurance company gave the OK. Because Becky was a diabetic with an insulin pump, the decision was made to perform a Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch, also known as BPD-DS, using minimally invasive robotic surgery.

Dr. Rezvani is one of the only gastric bypass surgeons in Northern Virginia, who performs this complicated procedure.

“It’s very important to have the right procedure for the right patient,” explains Dr. Rezvani, “Every individual is a different package. Based on the patients’ age, gender, body mass index, past medical history, past surgical history and goal of the operation, it’s going to determine what works best.”

In a BDP-DS operation, doctors reroute the intestines, which cuts back on how many calories a patient can absorb. As a result, patients feel less hungry, lose most of their excess weight within one year and keep the weight off, all while having significant health improvements.

“This surgery isn’t for everyone,” Dr. Rezvani says, “It requires a lot of maintenance. Not only is there a weight loss, there’s a metabolic effect which helps patients with conditions such as severe diabetes, sleep apnea and high blood pressure.”

For Becky, who was having issues managing her diabetes, it was a good fit. Her main concern going into her September 2017 surgery wasn’t the procedure, but the pain that could accompany it.

It was something doctors worked with her to manage.

“Actually, I never had the first bit of pain,” she said. “I don’t know if I’m the exception to the rule, but it was a good experience for me all the way around. Everyone was wonderful to me. All the nurses just went out of their way to be nice. I just adore Dr. Rezvani.”

Three months after surgery, Becky had lost 92 pounds and dropped more than three sizes. It inspired her to keep going, “I was shocked it was coming off as quickly as it did. Plus, I was starting to feel better, my constant pain was easing.”

Becky slowly started getting her diabetes under control, first by going off her insulin pump and then taking insulin shots just twice a day.

By June 2018, Becky celebrated her 63^rd birthday and was enjoying a new lease on life. To date, Becky has lost 162 of her 160-pound goal.

“I feel wonderful! I’ve got my life back,” says Becky smiling.

“The most awesome thing for me, I’ve been able to walk and get around. One of my favorite things in the world to do is go to the Occoquan Arts and Crafts Festival. I haven’t been able to go for three or four years because I couldn’t stand long enough. I went this year and had a blast!”

This is just the latest in a year of change for the Prince William County resident.

At her heaviest, Becky weighed 330-pounds. She had trouble getting around. She was in constant agony because of debilitating back pain and a bad knee.

“I owe my life to Dr. Rezvani,” says Becky.

For Becky, the procedure and aftermath have been textbook perfect.

“I’ve never been sick, there are a couple of things that are a little harder for me to eat than others, but I just never had any pain. Everything else I hear people complain about, I never had. I don’t know why.”

In addition, Becky shares her diabetes is now controlled without insulin. She’s able to be move active with her rescue pups, “Penny” and “Peanut.” Plus, she has a new job that she loves.

“I felt like for the last few years I had a black cloud hanging over my head. I’d take one step forward and 10-steps back. It just felt like nothing ever seemed to work out for me. I wasn’t happy in my job. Wasn’t happy with myself. And now, I love my life!”

Becky is feeling better every day, her biggest challenge now is keeping up with clothing. By the time, she buys something it’s too big.

When asked if she would recommend this surgery to others, her answer is a resounding yes.

“Go for it! It changed my life and it will change theirs too. I tell everyone I talk to about this. It’s because of my surgeon that I didn’t have any pain and everything is so wonderful!”

Surgery isn’t for everyone. To learn more, ask questions and discover if weight loss surgery is right for you, join our free, LIVE seminar on Wednesday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m.

Ray Savoy had been living with severe pain and discomfort periodically over the last three years.

After the most recent episode that occurred about Christmas 2018 that forced Ray to seek out the services of a general surgeon, Dr. Steven Nakao, Sentara Surgery Specialist.

Ray was just 36 years old when his extreme pains were diagnosed as symptoms of diverticulitis.

“Diverticulitis are outpouchings of the colon which get obstructed and perforate. The perforation can vary from small amounts of inflammation around the colon to large perforations with spillage of fecal material in the abdomen or anything in between,” explains Dr. Nakao of the Sentara Medical Group.

When Ray was initially diagnosed, he thought diverticulitis was something he’d be able to live with.

“I was having [flare ups] about every six months. I thought if I have it once a year, once every 10 years, I can take an antibiotic, and it will go away. It won’t be as invasive and risky or scary as surgery could be,” said Ray.

But, the extreme, stabbing pains became more frequent. Once he was hospitalized over the Christmas holiday for his diverticulitis, Ray decided he wanted to learn more about his surgical options.

“I was really concerned,” said Ray. “I thought, ‘at least get this consultation and see what Dr. Nakao recommends.’”

Dr. Nakao told Ray he’d be an ideal candidate for robotic surgery. It’s less invasive and involves small incisions, which means less pain and shorter recovery time.

“This procedure is basically resecting the portion of the colon that is diseased, the portion that has those pockets which cause the pain and perforations.  The amount can vary in length depending on the length of the diseased segment,” said Dr. Nakao. “We cut the diseased portion out and then staple or sew the parts of the colon back together.  This anastomosis is then checked to make sure that everything is watertight and without any leaks,” says Dr. Nakao, explaining the procedure.

Ray was nervous about a worst-case scenario which could leave him using a colostomy bag. Dr. Nakao dispelled his fears.

“I asked a lot of questions,” said Ray. “I emailed him pretty regularly over the course of the month with my concerns or clarifying questions from my wife. Dr. Nakao was very responsive. He was dead on with everything.”

Dr. Nakao answered Ray and his wife’s questions and tried to make sure they knew what to expect during every step of the process.

“I like to discuss the disease process with patients, so they understand why they are in the office.  We can then tailor their surgery for them, I like to try and give them as much information as I can about the surgery and what to expect prior to, during, and after the procedure,” said Dr. Nakao. “I keep track of a lot of data from other patients so that I can tell them how others did with similar surgeries or diagnoses.  It always helps for everyone to be well informed.”

After Ray learned Dr. Nakao had a stellar record with higher than average success rates and had developed a personalized plan for Ray if trouble should arise, he was ready to move forward. At the end of January, Ray had his surgery, and it went off without a hitch.

“It went so well. I only stayed in the hospital overnight, when I was told my stay could be as long as three days,” says Ray. “This is my first inpatient surgery, and my recovery has been great! I’m following Dr. Nakao’s advice – not picking anything up over 25 pounds, taking it easy. The incisions are healing up nicely, and I haven’t had any more flare-ups.”

As Ray hopes to leave diverticulitis behind him, he has nothing but praise for the team who helped him in his healthcare journey.

“All the staff, the nurses, everyone, they were very professional. Their bedside manner was on point!” says Ray.
“As for Dr. Nakao, I would recommend him 110%! His professionalism, his candor, his expertise, and great bedside manner. I’d like to treat him to beer!”

Stop living in pain. Make a decision to change your life, visit our board-certified, highly skilled, multi-specialty surgeons, at Sentara Surgery Specialists. Call 703-523-9750 to make your appointment today!

You hear a lot about your cholesterol these days – especially what foods can lower it.

Eat more oatmeal and less red meat, more nuts, and less sugar, etc., but, when you’re told your cholesterol number, how do you know what it means?

Let’s start with the basics.

Cholesterol is found in all the cells in your body and your body produces all the cholesterol you need, but you can also get cholesterol from the food you eat.

There are 2 types of cholesterol: HDL and LDL.
What’s Good?

HDL cholesterol is your “good” cholesterol. You should strive to have your HDL cholesterol above 60.
> 60 Good

< 40 Bad

That makes sense, right? You want a higher level of good cholesterol than you do bad cholesterol.
What’s Bad??LDL cholesterol is considered your bad cholesterol and you should strive to have this number below 100.

< 100 Optimal

100 – 129 Above Optimal

130 – 159 Borderline High

160 – 189 High

> 190 Very high

Now I know what the numbers mean, but what do I do about it?

If your cholesterol numbers fall within the optimal range, then keep up the good work! Those numbers show you are living a healthy lifestyle.

If your cholesterol numbers are outside of the normal range, however, you are at an elevated risk for heart problems and should see a doctor to help manage it. Here are a few tips to lower it:

• Schedule an appointment with a primary care provider. High cholesterol requires medical diagnosis and can be treated by medication. If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol and need additional medical attention, your primary care provider will connect you with a cardiologist. They will work together to provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan.
• Exercise. It’s recommended to exercise 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week.
• Lose weight. If you are overweight or obese, lose at least 5 percent of body fat.
• Change what you eat. Avoid foods that raise cholesterol like fatty, fried, greasy food. Add foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans to lower cholesterol.

High cholesterol does not have any symptoms, so don’t wait to find out what your numbers are. Visit iwantsentaramedicalgroup.com to find a primary care provider.

WOODBRIDGE – Heart disease is the number one cause of death of women in the U.S.

That’s why Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center and Sentara Heart & Vascular Center hosted the third annual Red Dress Luncheon to benefit the American Heart Association.

On Thursday, February 28, a capacity crowd gathered at Matchbox Restaurant in Woodbridge to enjoy an afternoon of information, food, and fun. February is American Heart Month, and to commemorate the occasion the crowd dressed in red in support of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign.

“This is an amazing event for women in our community. It’s informative, it’s interesting and it could save a life,” says Kathie Johnson, President, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.

Mrs. Johnson served as the event’s emcee and presented the American Heart Association a check for $1,500. This year’s event was extra special because sisters and cardiologists- Dr. Rabia Arshad and Dr. Aysha Arshad served as co-keynote speakers.

“Women, because they have so many responsibilities, tend to neglect themselves,” explains Dr. Aysha Arshad, Medical Director of Electrophysiology at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, “By the time women patients show up for care, their disease and prognosis are much worse compared to men.”

Adds Cardiologist Dr. Rabia Arshad, “It’s important to take charge of your life and that means taking charge of your health. Know your risk factors. Some factors like heredity, our race, our sex – we have no control over. But, we do have control over our diet, activity level and deciding whether we smoke or drink. Changing some of our habits can make all the difference in the world.”

Some of those habits include:

• Get active
• Control cholesterol
• Eat better
• Manage blood pressure
• Maintain a healthy weight/BMI
• Reduce blood sugar
• Stop smoking

Among the messages for the women: make your health a priority, know your risk factors, and know heart attack symptoms. According to the American Heart Association, some of those symptoms for women include:

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

To learn just how healthy your heart is, log onto Sentara’s 28daysofheart.com to learn more about risk factors, healthy tips, and recipes and discover your heart’s age, the answer might surprise you.

As Red Dress Luncheon panel Cardiologist Dr. Kambeez Berenji reminded the group, “If you have signs and symptoms of a heart attack, don’t drive, call 911.”

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is pleased to announce the addition of Neurosurgery to the host of services it already provides to the community.

Two neurosurgeons, Dr. Buelent Yapicilar and Dr. Joseph Watson, have joined the Sentara team. With their arrival, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center was able to perform its first craniotomy.

“The expansion of services allows Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center to better aid our community,” explains Dr. Michael Reitz, Vice President of Medical Affairs, “Previously, patients needing these services would have had to be transferred to another hospital. By adding Neurosurgery, those patients will now be able to receive care close to home at their community hospital.”

Dr. Reitz says the addition of this specialty will allow Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center to perform neurospinal surgery, debulking and soon, brain tumor removal, in addition to inserting ventricultoperitoneal (VP) shunts.

Many of these procedures are performed on brain bleeds or may be necessary during the aftermath of a stroke when time is of the essence. The addition of Neurosurgery to Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center gives care team one more resource in caring for those potential stroke patients in an expedited manner, when “time is brain,” when every second counts.

This is just one more way Sentara is working to improve health every day and become the healthcare provider of choice for the communities we serve.

To learn more about Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center’s Neurosurgery program or find a doctor, call 1-800-SENTARA or visit Sentara.com.

Imagine being able to determine your likelihood of a heart attack before it happens without undergoing surgery.

Thanks to cutting-edge technology at the Sentara Heart Vascular Center (SHVC) at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, you can. It’s called Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring (CAC) or Coronary Calcium Scoring.

Recent research shows a direct relationship between the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries and the likelihood of a future heart attack. Many people with plaque or calcium deposits clogging their heart’s blood vessels do not have any symptoms or warning signs they may be in danger of having a heart attack.

The Coronary Calcium Scoring exam is a non-invasive CT scan of the heart. The patient lies on his/her back on the CT table and EKG electrodes are placed on his/her chest to monitor the heart rate. From there, the scan takes a series of cross-sectional images of the heart to allow for early detection of heart disease.

A score can range anywhere from zero to more than 400. The lower the score, the lower the amount of plaque present and the lower likelihood of having a heart attack.

The exam, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, is recommended for people who currently do not have any symptoms, but do have a moderate probability of having Coronary Artery Disease. A physician referral is required.    

While most insurance plans currently do not cover screening exams, for a nominal fee you can have the peace of mind knowing your risks. Contact your primary care physician today or search “Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring (CAC)” on sentara.com to find out more about this early detection screening for your heart.

Tablets aren’t just for perusing the news and catching up on email anymore.

Sentara Home Care Services has updated its telehealth offerings with user-friendly tablets.

Sentara Home Care Services, an early adopter of telehealth technology, has partnered with Health Recovery Solutions (HRS) to enhance remote monitoring of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension and diabetes using 4G tablets preloaded with HRS software.

The tablets pair with Bluetooth devices allowing patients to track blood pressure, weight, heart rate, and other biometric data. The information is delivered electronically to the patient’s assigned nurse, allowing clinical staff to identify and address developing health issues.

“This helps the patient have daily access to clinicians or healthcare providers that can help them remotely. Some patients don’t want someone in their home all the time. This remote connection is really helpful, not just for patients, but for the family members who want to know that their loved one is being carefully monitored, particularly during those first few weeks after they’ve come out of the hospital,” explains Jody Hampton, RN, COS-C, Administrator of Sentara Home Care Woodbridge.

The software also offers medication reminders and education modules to promote disease management and self-care. Clinicians can communicate directly with patients through a video chat feature.

The Sentara Home Care team anticipates further reductions in Emergency Room visits and hospital readmissions while improving long-term outcomes and lowering the overall costs of care.

“Since we’re a hospital-based agency, we really focus on the Medicare population because we need to assist these patients and reducing readmissions. We know patients want to be home, they want to recover at home, they want to heal at home – it’s the first choice, if at all possible. This technology helps make that a reality,” explains Hampton.

This dedication to patients and their recovery has made Sentara Home Care Woodbridge the top rated home health agency in Northern Virginia.

“We’re a skilled agency. We send clinicians out based on the doctor’s orders or based on the initial assessment if the patient may need something other than what the doctor ordered. It really is individualized care for the patient,” explains Hampton.

Sentara Home Care Woodbridge also offers physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, registered nurses, licensed nurses, nutritional and diabetes services, as well.

To learn more about Sentara Home Care Woodbridge, call 571-285-1820.   

By all accounts, Doris Mae Greene lived a simple life.

The longtime Prince William County resident died in May 2017, but even in death, her memory is living on.

The executor of Greene’s estate, attorney and former longtime Prince William House of Delegates representative David Brickley presented Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center President Kathie Johnson with a check for $130,000.

“We’re so grateful and touched by Ms. Greene’s thoughtful and generous gift. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is committed to patient care and safety every day. This gift will ensure Ms. Greene’s memory lives on as we improve health every day,” explained Kathie Johnson, RN, MSN, PhD.

Greene had worked in healthcare most of her life as a nurse in Washington, D.C., but as Brickley shared, she loved her hometown, “She loved her community, loved her church and she loved her community hospital.”

Brickley met Greene nearly 20 years ago when he served her Occoquan community in the Virginia House of Delegates in Richmond.

Brickley left the General Assembly in 1998. In May 2017, Brickley received a call from Greene’s neighbor alerting him he had been named the executor of her estate.

“Since I chaired the health committee, Ms. Greene and I had talked a lot about healthcare in Virginia and Prince William County,” remembers Brickley. “When I got a call, many, many years later from her next-door neighbor informing me Doris had passed away. I was surprised because I hadn’t talked to her in over 25 years and her neighbor said, ‘Well Mr. Brickley, you’re executor of her will!’ and what a surprise because I wasn’t her attorney.”

But, Brickley reached out to Sentara to officially present a check, because he felt it was important to share Greene’s memory with Sentara’s staff.

“Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center was one of three beneficiaries for her estate. The other two were two churches she was very fond of. I thought- what a great feeling, she enjoyed and appreciated and was so proud of her hospital,” explains Brickley.

Ms. Greene’s donation will be applied to Sentara’s cancer assistance fund which helps cancer patients who are in need of medications and supplies not covered by their insurance.

If you’d like to memorialize a loved one with a donation, please visit this website.

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is a 183-bed, not-for-profit community hospital serving Prince William County and its surrounding communities. Our medical center combines the resources of a major health system with the compassionate, personalized care of a community hospital. SNVMC offers quiet, private rooms and high-quality care focused on safety and patient satisfaction. We offer a wide range of medical specialties, a highly qualified medical and clinical staff, and state-of-the-art technology.

Our clinical services include advanced imaging, cancer services, diabetes management, emergency care, heart, and vascular care, lab services, neurology, primary care, orthopedics, urology, weight loss surgery, women’s services and more.