MUSC Catalyst 7-3-2015

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July 3, 2015

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA

Reunion comes full circle Future medical student inspired by doctor who saved her mother’s life.

Vol. 33, No. 43

mAgNEt’S SEvENtH iNNiNg StrEtCH

By J. Ryne Danielson Public Relations “Everything started with a cough,” said Tei Singleton, an officer with the Charleston Police Department and former patient at MUSC. In 1995, Singleton worked in radio and noticed her voice changing on the air. Then, she started coughing. “I thought it was just the humidity,” she said. But, after three weeks when the cough didn’t go away, Singleton thought she had better see the doctor. She was right. Doctors discovered a mass in Singleton’s throat that extended into her brain. The tumor had been there many years, wrapped around her carotid artery, slowly pushing its way into the brain stem, destroying whatever nerves stood in its way. Eventually it would leave Singleton deaf in her right ear. They said there was nothing they could do. Singleton was referred to Sunil Patel, M.D., chairman of the department of neurosciences, at MUSC. He immediately realized how difficult a surgery it would be.“There was a risk of stroke, which could have resulted in paralysis or death. There was a risk of infection, because the surgery destroyed the barriers between the brain and the outside. There was risk of hitting the carotid artery. The list of bad things was quite

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HurSiNg EAltHliNkS N CAmP

photo provided

Former patient Tei Singleton, center, and daughter, Lauren Singleton, right, surprise Dr. Sunil Patel during their June 12 reunion. enormous.” Patel recalls first meeting his patient. “She was very scared,” he said. “The tumor was in a very precarious location in the brain stem, and the surgery was risky, but I tried to help her understand what was going to happen without scaring her further.” “Dr. Patel took the time to explain the procedure to me, introduce me to the other

Student volunteers patientslook at High school seniors connect get a bird’s-eye and families health care. to community resources. LIKE US

See Reunion on page 6

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photo by J. Ryne Danielson, Public Relations

Transitional Care Unit’s Leera Stroble-Lawrence, left, and nurse Carolyn Thompson, celebrate with Charlie the Riverdog for the “7th inning stretch” of their nineweek push for MUSC’s prestigious Magnet designation awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. ANCC will conduct a site visit July 20-23.

SANE PE rogrAm NASA xPEditioN

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Victim advocates, prosecutorsstress preserve Medical student experiences on an evidence of sexually assaulted patients. asteroid.

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