- Men's Health, Women's Health, Stroke Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOne year after suffering a stroke, 47-year-old Ray Torreon says the AAMC Stroke Club has played an important role in helping him recover from and learn to adjust to life after stroke. At those early stroke club meetings . . . I didn’t intend to, but I broke down and cried. The support I got from them lifted my spirits, gave me hope. That’s what the stroke club does. The volunteers that run it from the hospital are a great resource and the educational topics are helpful in terms of learning about stroke, about medication, therapy, the division of rehab services and what’s out there as far as getting a job. But as important as that it, the fellowship of having people who have been on this same journey is what I needed. Other stroke patients understand how alienating and isolating it is— how alone you are even if you have people around you. Everyone’s stroke is different, but everyone in the stroke club has been depressed and has lost things and doesn’t know what the future holds for them. I was a Capitol Hill lobbyist. I was a sales person running a 12 million dollar store. My speech was my trade and someone listening to me now might say my speech is fine, but I’m struggling because I don’t have the fluency I once had. I have never in my entire life struggled for words. I could sell ice cream to Eskimos. I don’t feel that way now. Other stroke patients understand that. Even as everyone else says, “Oh, you look good, or you sound fine,” the stroke patient inwardly shakes his or her head and thinks, “No, I don’t feel fine.” I’m not recovered fully. I have deficits and even though I appear fine to you, I feel sad that I’ve lost some abilities that I know I used to have.” You mourn for the person you were. In the stroke club you come to realize that they’ve had the same journey. There are people with severe aphasia. There are people who were in a wheelchair in the beginning and now they’re walking with a cane or a walker. That’s good to see. Over time, we’ve sort of developed a core group, and we want to expand this to really touch as many other stroke patients as possible. We’re looking for active members and we’re planning more activities outside the stroke club just to socialize and help people along the path to finding a new life. A stroke literally blows up your life, and you have to put the pieces back together. The other members of the stroke club and I would like to help survivors put their lives back together more quickly than they can alone. To learn more about the Stroke Support Group contact Laurie Neely, physical therapist, or Jennifer Irving, speech-language pathologist or by phone: 443-481-6872. Visit our askAAMC to find out more about the support groups and services we offer to all members of our community.0
- Weight Loss, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLove your morning oatmeal, but wondering how you’ll enjoy it without that spoonful of sugar on top? Sprinkle these yummy, unexpected combos of low-sugar fruits and nuts on top for a new, healthy taste sensation. Try these oatmeal toppings without the added sugar. Tart and Tasty 1 oz cranberries 1 oz blackberries 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt A Creamy Confection 1 oz chopped avocado 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt Berry Surprise 1 oz raspberries 1 oz chopped strawberries Citrus Delight 1 oz chopped lemon 1 oz chopped tangerine 1 oz chopped lime Sweet and Crunchy 1 oz sliced almonds 1 oz Brazil nuts A sprinkling of cinnamon to taste Sunny Side Up Sprinkle sunflower seeds on any of the oatmeal toppings provided Author Maureen Shackelford, registered dietitian and nutritionist at Luminis Health, provided these recipes. Originally published Feb. 15, 2017. Last updated Sep 1, 2025.0
- Cancer Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogGillian DuVall’s life turned upside down last summer when she found out she had breast cancer. The business owner and mother of four was visiting Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) to refill a prescription when she decided to go to the breast center and schedule a mammogram – something she had been putting off for over a year. With so much going on with family and work, her appointments often fell to the bottom of the list. “It often goes unsaid that mothers are running a three-ring circus 24 hours a day,” she says. During her appointment, Gillian was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. “The first three weeks after being diagnosed are like nothing else you’ve ever experienced,” she says. “You have to drop everything.” She credits Nurse Navigator Judy Davis as her saving grace. “Judy was there for me…she was my advocate. She kept me from losing my mind,” Gillian says. Nurse navigators are assigned to patients at the cancer center to offer a comforting and consistent presence during a stressful time. The cancer center has several nurse navigators on staff to help patients with appointments, treatment plans, and recommendations from providers. All of this support is free to patients. After experiencing first-hand how important nurse navigators are, Gillian decided to get involved with Fish for a Cure, a local fishing tournament that raises funds for the cancer survivorship program at LHAAMC. “It’s because of Fish for a Cure that the cancer center is able to have nurse navigators, and I know there are people who would not be able to navigate treatment without that support,” Gillian says. To show her gratitude, Gillian’s business, Annapolis Pillow Company, created a Fish for a Cure pillow, available in indoor and outdoor fabric with two design options. The company will donate 35% of profits from the pillows to the Reel Counsel Team, one of the boats participating in the 2021 event. To learn more about Fish for a Cure, please click here. To schedule a mammogram, please click here or call 1-888-909-9729.0
- General Page - Tier 1Our Patient Surgery CentersLuminis Health has conveniently located outpatient surgery centers, which offer surgical care with dedicated, compassionate providers in a variety of specialties. Luminis Health Outpatient Surgery Center AnnapolisLuminis Health Outpatient Surgery Center PasadenaLearn more about preparing for your surgery and surgery at Luminis Health., Learn more about behavioral and mental health resources and services offered at Luminis Health.0
- Cancer Care, Women's Health, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLast August, doctors found a large tumor in Jeannette Mitchell’s abdomen and diagnosed her with stage 3 cervical cancer. For two years, she had experienced pain and bleeding with sexual intercourse. A year later, after chemo and radiation therapy for her cancer, sex was impossible. But a specialized pelvic floor physical therapy at Anne Arundel Medical Center is helping her through the emotional and physical trauma, and Jeannette is looking forward to a day when she and her husband can be intimate again. The cancer and the treatment have affected me a lot sexually and it’s put a burden on both of us. Before diagnosis, the tumor was blocking us from having intercourse. Every time we tried I would bleed and bleed. I thought maybe part of it was menopause, but I’d actually already been through menopause, so I didn’t know what was going on until the doctors told me it was cancer. It was pretty bad, the tumor had blocked both of my tubes which go from your kidneys to the bladder, so the left kidney was shut down, and the right kidney was on its way out too. The doctors had to do surgery and put tubes in my back that went into each kidney and bypassed my bladder so the kidneys could drain. After they got me stable, I had the chemo and radiation everyday for five months. The radiation has changed everything in my private area. I no longer have hair on my vagina and the canal is very small and has a lot of scar tissue. Every time my husband comes near me it hurts. We haven’t had sex in three years. But he’s supported me so much through everything. We’ve talked about it, and he’d rather have me healthy than worry about the sex part of it. I’m going to physical therapy twice a week and it’s helped me a lot. There are exercises to do, and my therapist has really talked us both through a lot of stuff in the past months. She’s asked him to try to get a little intimate with me, but not to the point where it hurts. He’s willing to do anything it takes to help me get back to where we can be intimate with each other again.0
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