Chandler recalls feeling nauseated one day last May and knowing that something wasn’t right. “I couldn’t keep anything down, and my head was pounding.”

Brenda and her husband Ted are counting their blessings after Dr. David Roife successfully removed a cancerous tumor at Fort Sanders Regional.

As her husband Ted began hurriedly driving her down Chapman Highway, Chandler says she suddenly felt strongly that she should
go to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. “I don’t know if it was intuition or what, but I felt that’s where I needed to be. Now, I’m sure it was divine guidance that took us there.

Headed for Cancer Surgery

Chandler arrived at Fort Sanders Regional’s emergency department where she underwent several diagnostic tests. A CT scan revealed a blockage in her duodenum, the part of the small intestine that connects to the stomach. An upper endoscopy by the gastroenterology team confirmed a cancerous tumor in her duodenum was causing the blockage.

Chandler was scheduled for surgery. Her physician was David Roife, MD, a Surgical Oncologist with Premier Surgical at Fort Sanders Regional. Dr. Roife specializes in gastrointestinal cancer surgery, specifically in the liver and pancreas.

Dr. David Roife, Surgical Oncologist

“Surgical oncologists go through extra training to provide the highest quality oncological surgery available including high level, complex procedures,” Dr. Roife says.  ”More importantly, we are trained in the knowledge of multidisciplinary care of our cancer patients, so we can coordinate other types of care besides surgery that a patient may need.”

A Life-Saving Procedure

Dr. Roife performed a procedure called a “Whipple” or pancreaticoduodenectomy. In this surgery, the end of the stomach, end of the common bile duct, gallbladder, head of the pancreas and adjacent duodenum are removed, and the remaining small intestine is reconnected to all of the cut ends. It’s a complex surgery that typically only specialists perform.

Dr. Roife says, “We are a high-volume pancreatic surgery center and perform pancreas surgeries on a regular basis. Research has shown that patients have better outcomes when their surgery is done at a high volume center.”

“I won’t tell you I wasn’t afraid,” Chandler recalls. “But I was at peace. Whatever would happen was in God’s hands.”

Chandler says her doctor and surgical team could not have been better. “Dr. Roife was very attentive and gentle,” she says. “At one point, he drew a picture on the board of what would be done with my stomach. He was compassionate, and I couldn’t ask for a better blessing of man.”

In the Nick of Time

The final pathology results showed a completely resected (surgically removed) duodenal cancer that did not spread to any
lymph nodes, so Chandler was able to forego chemotherapy.

Dr. Roife says, “The procedure saved her life. Having an outcome like Mrs. Chandler’s has made the past decade of training worth it.”

According to Dr. Roife, this type of cancer can metastasize in the liver, lungs or lymph nodes. If it had spread, physicians could treat her symptoms but not cure the cancer. “It was in the nick of time that we saw her,” Dr. Roife says. “Mrs. Chandler was fortunate in that her symptoms led her to seek medical care at a point when it was still able to be resected.

Often times cancer that develops in the region of the pancreas or duodenum is ‘silent.’ Typically by the time symptoms arise, it has already spread elsewhere or has already grown too big to remove surgically.”

“My procedure went great and I’m still here,” Chandler shares. “Everyone was so cordial and kind, and they cared – that’s
what makes dealing with a sickness bearable.”

In her follow-up CT scan and blood work six months later, she showed no signs of disease.

Chandler reflects on the friends, family, neighbors and church members who brought meals, sent cards and lifted her up in
prayer. “I have been blessed tremendously,” she says. “There comes a time when you don’t realize how blessed you have been
until something drastic happens. God is just so good.”

For more more information about the Surgical Oncologists of Premier Surgical Associates, please visit our Surgical Oncology page at https://www.premiersurgical.com/premier-surgical-services/surgical-oncology/.

The post Sevier Woman Cancer-Free after Treatment at Fort Sanders Regional first appeared on Premier Surgical.

Velvet is at high risk of breast cancer and underwent a preventative mastectomy.

“It’s a double-edged sword when you become the patient but you’re also a nurse. Your perspective quickly changes,” Giddens says.

Caring for Others First
Giddens is a registered nurse who manages behavioral health care coordination services for Peninsula Outpatient, a division of  Parkwest Medical Center. Previously, Giddens worked for 20 years in critical care and oncology, caring for many breast cancer patients.

Family History
When her mother received a breast cancer diagnosis, Giddens and
her sisters were presented with the option of genetic testing.  Knowing that her grandmother had passed away as a result of breast
cancer, she jumped at the opportunity. The test revealed she was BRCA positive, indicating a significant risk of breast cancer.

A positive test result means there is a mutation in one of the breast cancer genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2. Although the BRCA genes are the most common cause of gene-related breast and ovarian cancers, a positive result doesn’t mean a person is certain to develop cancer. The mutated gene can come from either parent.

A history of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is shared by all the women in Velvet’s family.

About Genetic Testing
Genetic testing can identify mutations in genes that substantially increase the risk of breast or other cancers. The test itself can be saliva or blood, which is sent to a highly reputable genetic testing lab that provides a detailed report. The results take about two weeks.

William C. Gibson, MD, FACS, is a general surgeon specializing in breast surgery with Premier Surgical at Parkwest Medical Center. He has noticed the practice of genetic testing has gained momentum over the past few years.

Dr. William Gibson specializes in Breast Cancer Surgery.

“A lot of times, the genetic mutation is not discovered until after someone receives a cancer diagnosis. This is why we suggest family members of someone diagnosed with a genetic abnormality also seek genetic counseling and testing,” he says.

Good candidates for any type of genetic testing (not just breast cancer) are typically young people with a family history of the disease or those with an aggressive cancer diagnosis.

Genetic counseling was a positive experience for Giddens, who says it provoked in-depth conversations with her doctors. “It was a lot of material to understand and process, but helped me make an informed decision about my health care.”

At Parkwest
In 2019 Giddens was admitted to Parkwest and underwent a  bilateral, nipple-sparing, prophylactic mastectomy with immediate single-stage reconstruction. Dr. Gibson performed the mastectomy, in which he removed all visible evidence of breast tissue while leaving the healthy skin remaining.

Giddens received implants in the same surgery by Timothy Wilson, MD. The procedure took a total of about five hours, and she went home the same day.

Giddens says, “I wanted to get it done as soon as possible so I could assist my mother and sisters with their decisions.” The other two women followed Giddens with similar procedures.

A Burden Lifted
“I knew I had an increased risk of developing cancer. I knew this was right for me, and emotionally, it took a lot off my mind,” Giddens reflects. “Some people may think it’s a radical decision but I didn’t think twice about it. We had an extensive family history of breast cancer, so the decision for me was easy.”

We Are Blessed
“We are so blessed to have Parkwest right here in Knoxville,” Giddens expresses. “Everyone treated us with such respect, from registration, to pre- and postop, and the surgery team in between. My mother, sisters, and I could not be more pleased with the care we received from the wonderful staff at Parkwest.”

Giddens encourages others to be their own healthcare advocate and ask questions of their physicians to better understand treatment options.

The post Family Matters: Double Mastectomy Puts Patient at Ease first appeared on Premier Surgical.

But what is involved in screening?
Parkwest Comprehensive Breast Center offers high quality services, an outstanding staff and the latest in screening technology. If an abnormality is detected, the Breast Center follows a woman through all her testing and in some cases, treatment.

How Does Breast Cancer Screening Work?
A mammogram is a specialized medical imaging tool that uses a low-dose X-ray system to see inside the breast. It’s a quick and easy test that can save your life.

In addition to imaging, Parkwest Breast Center provides a Lifetime Breast Cancer Risk Assessment at the time of a mammogram. From that assessment, practitioners may recommend that certain patients who may be at a high risk of developing cancer seek genetic counseling and testing, especially if they have a family history of cancer. Patients can begin the genetic counseling process that day while at the Breast Center if they choose.

What is Genetic Counseling?
William C. Gibson, MD, FACS, general surgeon at Premier Surgical at Parkwest Medical Center, says, “I spend time counseling and discussing the risk of developing breast cancer with those who may have a high risk due to a genetic mutation.”

Who Should Seek Genetic Testing?
Dr. Gibson advises, “A lot of times, the genetic mutation is not discovered until after someone receives a cancer diagnosis. This is why we recommend that family members of someone diagnosed with a breast cancer abnormality also seek genetic testing and counseling.”

When is Surgery Recommended?
A prophylactic (preventive) mastectomy, or removal of one or both breasts, is a surgery women may undergo when they test positive for the BRCA gene.

Dr. Gibson says, “For some, the decision to pursue preventive surgery is right for them. My role as a counselor is to explain the risk and statistics of malignancy. We also follow young women whose mothers have been diagnosed with breast cancer and present genetic testing as an option.”

Dr. Gibson says, “Whether or not you have family history and genetic mutation, be diligent with annual mammograms. These screenings detect cancer early, and early detection leads to good outcomes and excellent long term survival.”

The post Is Genetic Testing Right for Me? first appeared on Premier Surgical.

Nina was waking up in the night with acid reflux before having a surgical procedure with Dr. Willard Campbell at Parkwest Medical Center.

It wasn’t a nightmare that was waking Nina Harris up. It was a lump in her throat.

“I felt like I had a wet wad of cotton in my throat all the time,” says the Maryville woman. “I would wake up gasping because I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath.”

The choking sensation was just one symptom that plagued Harris before a procedure at Parkwest Medical Center this year ended her ongoing fight with acid reflux.

Enough is enough

Harris had taken prescription medication and over-the-counter medication for years. She drank milk to try to coat her stomach, too. Her acid reflux was manageable, but after moving to the Knoxville area and dealing with increasing stress at her job, her symptoms worsened.

“I could feel the acid in my throat and I wasn’t sleeping well,” Harris says. “Then I had to start giving up stuff that I like to eat. Anything even mildly spicy kind of threw me over the edge.”

Of all the symptoms Harris had, losing her voice was probably the most annoying. Working as an attorney, she needed to be able speak with confidence in and out of the courtroom, but there were too many times when she couldn’t speak at all.

“After I had lost my voice about the 10th or 12th time, I went to my primary care physician,” Harris says.

When the symptoms refused to yield to traditional treatments, she was referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist. A scope procedure did not find other potential issue, so an acid inhibitor was prescribed – but the symptoms persisted.

“Regardless of what I did, I couldn’t make it go away,” Harris says. She then saw a gastroenterologist who performed two procedures and found a hiatal hernia. Harris’s throat was starting to become inflamed,
meaning she was at risk for lesions that could lead to cancer.

Dr. Willard Campbell

After taking time to intensively pursue the right procedure for Harris’ particular circumstances, the gastroenterologist referred her to Premier Surgical general surgeon Willard Campbell, MD. In April 2018, Dr. Campbell performed what is known as laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication at Parkwest Medical Center.

Taming the tummy

Dr. Campbell explains that the valve in Harris’ stomach that was supposed to keep acid from rising into the esophagus wasn’t working properly. That’s not uncommon as a person ages, and some people are more redisposed to the condition than others.

During the minimally invasive procedure, “We actually wrap a little portion of the stomach around itself and create a pinch around the end of the esophagus, re-creating that high-pressure valve to prevent the acid from refluxing back,” Dr. Campbell says. “And we can do all that through five very small incisions instead of one large one.” He says most patients can go home the same day or the next morning.

Harris is pleased with the results. The first thing she noticed was that for the first time in a long time her throat felt clear. “I woke up, swallowed once, and that sensation in my throat was gone,” Harris says. “I was thrilled!”

Speaking out

Today, Harris tries to watch her diet and eat healthy foods that are good for her digestive health. And for the most part, she can eat just about anything she wants.

Dr. Campbell says the surgery isn’t right for everyone, but it can restore good health and quality of life for those who do need it. The change it’s made in Harris is evident to everyone around her. She feels better, and people have noticed it in the way she looks. Laughter comes more easily, and she can speak with the confidence that her voice will remain strong.

“I would recommend it, absolutely, 100 percent,” Harris says of the procedure. She also praises the doctors who worked together to resolve her problems, the hospital and the nursing staff at Parkwest.

“My mother was a nurse, so I know what to look for,” Harris says. “I can’t say enough about how great they were.”

For more information about surgical treatment for acid reflux, visit the Acid Reflux Relief page on the Premier Surgical website.

The post Reflecting on Reflux first appeared on Premier Surgical.

When you’re a patient at the doctor’s office, how do you measure quality? Most people just want the doctor to fix their problem, as quickly as possible.

From the moment patients walk through their doctor’s front door, maybe even the moment they call to make an appointment, many things impact the quality of health care they receive. The leaders at Premier Surgical want to learn more about that.

“When you call and have pain, you want to know if you can see someone today,” says Dr. Stone Mitchell, medical director, surgeon, and chair of Premier’s quality committee. “Four to six weeks is not good enough.”

Mitchell is working closely with Dr. Will Gibson, general surgeon and partner at Premier, to drive a quality initiative at Premier. Gibson is chair of the leadership committee of the Tennessee Surgical Quality Collaborative, and serves as a “Surgeon Champion” for a nationwide hospital program called the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

“The goal is to measure outcomes and know an organization’s strengths and weaknesses. Then, work to improve those weaknesses. Hospitals need surgeons to interpret their surgical outcomes,” Gibson explains.

At Premier, the initiative seeks to measure successful resolution of problems with a minimum of complications.

Premier Surgical is bringing the model of the national program to private practice. They have hired QCMetrix, which helped implement the national program’s standards for the Veteran’s Administration. The Massachusetts firm brings the power of “big data” to healthcare, offering user-friendly surgical outcomes data platforms and services. These services begin with data capture, which is the key to meaningful quality analysis. Other important components are data validation, storage and, finally, the data analysis.

QCMetrix has a strong reputation in this new area of helping healthcare providers tap into today’s powerful computing capabilities for the benefit of patients. The national program reports that the benefits of such initiatives can include savings in the millions of dollars, shorter and fewer stays in the hospital, and happier patients.

“We’ve taken it upon ourselves to formally quantify our outcomes for the purpose of improving them,” Gibson says. “We’re the only private group in Tennessee, maybe across the country, on this leading edge.”

The surgeons at Premier Surgical, on average, treat 20,350 patients a year. They log approximately 15,000 surgeries a year, with 11,000 general surgeries and 4,000 vascular surgeries. They serve an 18-county region, have relationships with all the major carriers and provide services in both the Covenant and Tennova systems. Premier also maintains a strong relationship with sister groups in Chattanooga and Nashville, bringing together the expertise of more than 80 surgeons.

“We take care of 75 percent of the vascular surgical care in the Greater Knoxville area,” Mitchell estimates, noting that Premier is the largest general vascular surgical private practice in East Tennessee. “Our general surgeons are the backbone of surgical care. They enable the ‘critical’ in critical care. ”

Cancer, especially breast cancer, represents the largest demand for their services, he adds. Premier’s large patient numbers make the practice an ideal place to mine for meaningful data that can make a positive difference in  healthcare, Mitchell suggests.

The process started in 2014, as they began to work with QCMetrix to implement the national model. The first step was a random sample of cases for each surgeon. A system has been developed to identify relevant data points to track and then investigate the data to measure those quality metrics.

“We will be able to measure against national standards and also among each group within Premier,” Gibson says. “Among other things, this will allow us to identify professional development opportunities.”

Mitchell notes that the data will also confirm the practice’s strong areas. “When we tell people we’re the best trained, we’ve been here the longest, everybody loves us, we’ll be able to back this up with measurable data.”

“We’ll shift from hearsay to what’s real, based on best-practice protocols, evaluation and monitoring,” he adds.

When they speak about quality healthcare, Mitchell and Gibson invoke the spirit of a report published in 1999 by the U.S. Institute of Medicine called “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System.” Many credit that report for increasing awareness of medical errors.

Gibson notes that positive outcomes for patients include avoidance of problems, such as infections and pneumonia. These will be some of the data points they collect in their analysis.

“Our ultimate goal is for our patients to go home and tell their friends everything went great,” Mitchell says. “Everything we do is patient-centric. We always ask, ‘Is this the best for the patient?’ Everything we do, we put the litmus test to it.”

Mitchell says he is quite proud of Premier for recognizing the importance of developing surgical leadership and setting up a quality initiative that is meaningful.

“We need thoughtful, knowledgeable, strong leadership so that when we say we do this well, it has meaning,” he says.

The doctors agree that the new building is sure to have a positive impact on the quality of the services Premier can provide. With all of the groups finally coming together in one place, they look forward to moving to this hub location in the middle of Knoxville. They expect the centralized location will streamline the patient experience and help patients get better faster.

The post Better measurements equal better health care first appeared on Premier Surgical.

Brothers Dr. Kristopher B. Williams and Dr. K. Robert Williams are both general surgeons at Premier Surgical Associates in Knoxville.

Growing up, brothers Dr. K. Robert Williams and Dr. Kristopher B. Williams of Knoxville, never imagined they would one day both be physicians, must less – that they would be General surgeons working in the same practice and occasionally in the same Operating Room.

“When we were little kids, I was going to be a football player and Kris was going to be a diesel mechanic,” laughs Rob.

The brothers, who are three years apart, were raised in Knoxville and Virginia, alternating summer vacations and the school year in both states after their parents divorced. It wasn’t until they both attended college at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, that they lived in the same town.

“I was a senior when he was a freshman and we were in the same fraternity. We got to spend more time together in college and medical school than we did as kids in grade school,” explains Rob.

Kris agrees and says watching first hand what Rob experienced during medical school at the University of Virginia influenced his own decision to pursue a medical career.

“I think sometimes people idealize what medical school is going to be like, but seeing the hard training Rob went through – like being so sleep deprived he’d fall asleep during family dinners – gave me a realistic view of what I wanted to do,” says Kris.

Rob says it’s not surprising that they chose the same career. “We’re a lot a like and both like working with our hands. With surgery, you’re able to help someone immediately.”

Rob earned a medical degree from the University of Virginia, and a few years later Kris graduated from the East TN State University Quillen College of Medicine. Both completed General Surgery residencies at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. Rob joined Premier Surgical Associates in Knoxville in 2006. In 2014, as Kris was finishing his Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at Carolina Medical Center, a Premier Surgical surgeon left the practice become a missionary in Kenya.

“It was a unique opportunity that a slot opened in our practice at the right time,” says Rob. “I was impressed with the high quality of the Premier Surgical surgeons and knew Kris would fit in well here.”

Kris joined Premier Surgical in August of 2014. “This was an ideal situation for our families,” says Kris. The brothers, their wives and children now live within five miles of each other and their mother, in Knoxville. “It’s great. Mom loves to cook, so we try to get together every Sunday for a big family dinner,” smiles Kris.

And, the brothers are spending time together in the Operating Room, assisting each other on cases. “It’s neat to be able to consult with each other on complicated cases,” says Rob. “Kris specializes in complex hernia and I specialize in bariatrics, so we can bounce ideas off each other,” says Rob.

“I’m very glad to be here with Rob. I hope we’re working together for our whole careers,” smiles Kris.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Robert Williams, call New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery at 865- 694-9676. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kris Williams call Premier Surgical Parkwest at 865-690-5263.

The post General Surgery is a Family Affair for Two Knox Brothers first appeared on Premier Surgical.

In college she developed an interest in surgery while working in a General Surgeon’s laboratory. “I discovered that the technical aspect and fast pace of surgery really appealed to me,” says Nelson. “Surgery is so decisive. It’s immediately gratifying to see a problem and be able to fix it.”

Nelson’s fascination with science and medicine deepened as she also worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and at an organ bank during her college years. While in medical school at the University of Vermont Medical Center, Nelson was a clinical research coordinator for trial studies involving vascular patients. That experience helped her decide to specialize in vascular surgery.

“Because vascular disease is managed, not cured, you form a relationship with your vascular patients,” explains Nelson. “For me, it’s a good combination of being a surgeon and getting to be the patient’s doctor long term.”

After completing her general surgery residency at the University of Vermont Medical Center and her vascular surgery fellowship at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, Nelson is excited to now be part of Premier Surgical Associates in Knoxville. She’s based at Premier’s office at Fort Sanders Regional.

“Knoxville is great and I love the people, the water and mountains here!” Nelson says she’s looking forward to building her vascular surgery practice and most of all, getting to know her patients. “I’m looking forward to having my own patients.

Your vascular patients are your patients for life. You get to know them – you know their sports teams, their kids’ names. It may sound old fashioned, but I like it!”

Dr. Deanna Nelson is now accepting vascular surgery patient referrals. Please call (865) 524-3695 for visit www.premiersurgical.comfor more information about Dr. Nelson and Premier Surgical Vascular Services.

The post New Premier Vascular Surgeon Enjoys Getting to Know Her Patients first appeared on Premier Surgical.

It’s a common problem people seldom talk about, but something that affects at least half the population by age 50: hemorrhoids. And, many people like Sarah of Knoxville, live with hemorrhoids for years or even decades out of fear that the treatment may be a painful, uncomfortable ordeal.

“I had hemorrhoid problems since I was 18, but they didn’t always bother me so I never had them treated,” explains Sarah. “When I traveled or sat for long periods sometimes they’d flare up or bleed, but you know the joke about sitting on a donut pillow after hemorrhoid surgery? I figured the cure was worse than the disease.”

Sarah was surprised and relieved to learn that pain and a difficult recovery is no longer a side effect of hemorrhoid treatment. “Relieved is the right word,” says Sarah. “It was minimally-invasive with no side effects -you don’t have the long recovery.”

Sarah’s doctor referred her to Dr. C. Stone Mitchell at the Premier Hemorrhoid Treatment Center in Knoxville after she complained of severe pain and itching during a yearly physical exam. “Dr. Mitchell immediately knew what it was – I had a severe yeast infection that combined with the hemorrhoids to create almost unbearable symptoms,” says Sarah.

Dr. Mitchell addressed both issues -treating the infection with an antibiotic cream and alleviating the source of the hemorrhoids with a gentle laser procedure called Infrared Coagulation. Sarah had four hemorrhoid treatments over the next five months.

“The treatments took less than 15 minutes each and the staff worked with my schedule,” explains Sarah. “I liked Dr. Mitchell from the first minute. He is so considerate and cares about your comfort and modesty. He explained what to expect and I had confidence in him.”

Sarah was also pleased that her insurance helped cover the hemorrhoid treatments. “They were good about working with my insurance company –that’s a big plus.”

Sarah says she’s glad she went to the Premier Hemorrhoid Treatment Center.“Don’t wait – there’s no point in suffering. You won’t find better care than I got there.”

To schedule an consultation with Premier Hemorrhoid Treatment Center call (865) 588-9952 or click here to request an appointment.

The post Patient “Relieved” to Have Hemorrhoids Treated without Surgery first appeared on Premier Surgical.

Lori Rogers’ transformation from before weight loss surgery to after is astonishing. Thanks to Dr. Jonathan Ray of Foothills Weight Loss and the Center for Bariatric Surgery at Fort Sanders Regional, she has lost close to one 100 pounds

Moments of joy can come from the strangest of circumstances. Lori Rogers’ laundry is a perfect example. She was going about the mundane task of folding clothes when she stopped to look at a pair of her shorts. She held them up, and that’s when she got that little burst of happiness.

“Never in my lifetime did I think I would be wearing something this small,” Rogers says.

Rogers has lost about a 100 pounds since weight loss surgery performed by board certified surgeon Jonathan Ray, MD. Ray and Mark Colquitt, MD of Foothills Weight Loss Specialists, perform weight loss procedures at the Center for Bariatric Surgery at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center.

“It’s not about the size that I’m wearing,” Rogers explains, “but it’s about realizing where I was at, how far I’ve come, and how much better I feel because I’ve lost so much weight.”

Rogers has indeed come a long way in her weight loss journey, and she came a long way to get started. Her home is in Cleveland, Tenn., but her insurance would only cover weight loss procedures performed by a few providers in Knoxville.

Before Lori RogersKnoxville was a place where her weight had devastated her in the past. She has vivid and not-too-happy memories from the time she landed a position as an usher for the University of Tennessee’s football program.

“I’m a big UT fan, and I was really excited about getting a chance to go up there and work,” Rogers says. “I ushered about half the season, but I had to stand for five hours at each game, and my feet would hurt so bad that I would be almost in tears on the drive back to Cleveland.”

Rogers came to terms with the fact that it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by changing shoes. There was no denying the real source of her pain and exhaustion. “I knew it was my weight. I had to walk up lots of steps in the stadium, and I would be out of breath,” she says.

“My heart would just race rapidly as I went back and forth through the stadium. That was one of the big things that helped me decide I had to do something.”

The weight first began piling on, she says, with pregnancy and the birth of her children. She had always considered herself an average-sized person, so when her weight went above average and stayed there it was a problem inside and out.

First, it was her self-esteem that suffered, because she was unhappy with the way she looked. Then the weight began to take its toll physically. Rogers’ family loves to be outdoors, and she began to notice that she couldn’t enjoy activities like hiking or even playing in the yard. Her blood pressure and cholesterol worsened. Then there was the back pain, and the pain in her feet.

“I tried every kind of diet,” Rogers says. “I might lose a little bit of weight, but then I would gain it right back.” Weighing 223 pounds at a height of five feet and three inches, she took stock of her life, and where it was going. “I’ve got to do something,” she said to herself at the time, “or I’m just going to die obese.”

A good friend who was also planning to have weight loss surgery invited Rogers to go along for a visit to Dr. Ray. Rogers had a chance to see firsthand how Dr. Ray and his staff interacted with patients, and something clicked. She knew they would give her both the expertise and the personal care she needed.

“I absolutely fell in love with Dr. Ray and his staff,” Rogers says. “They were super amazing.” She knew she had made the right choice from the first time she met with Dr. Ray. “He gave me all the different options, everyone was so encouraging,” Rogers says.

“They are really concerned about you as a person.” After hearing all the information, then taking some time to think and pray about it, Rogers says she opted for the gastric sleeve procedure in February, 2013.

“Since that day, things have gone for the better, every day,” Rogers says. “I went from a size 22 pants to a size five or smaller, and from a size 2XL to a size small or medium.” Rogers only mentions those sizes to measure the change for people who want to know. The best part of the transformation for her has been from the inside out.

“I’m healthy now, I don’t take blood pressure medicine anymore, and I’m down to one pill a day on my heart medicine instead of three,” Rogers says happily. “I can go hiking, I can get outside and play with my kids, I can stand on my feet, and I feel so much better about myself.”

She’s also able to take on Neyland Stadium, walking the steps from the bottom to the top, “and I still have breath in my lungs when I get to the top – I don’t feel like I’m going to pass out!”

Rogers advises other who are struggling the way she was to get the facts about medical procedures that can help. She realizes that the decision to undergo weight loss surgery is a very personal one. It certainly was for her. But she came to realize that living with obesity put her at greater risk than surgery ever would.

“Dr. Ray is awesome, and I would recommend him as one of the best in the United States!” she says. “I highly recommend weight loss surgery, and I would do it over again.”

For information about a free bariatric surgery informational seminar, visit click here or visit www.foothillsweightloss.com.

The post Life gets better every day – Rogers finds Knoxville surgeon for life-changing procedure first appeared on Premier Surgical.

The importance of service and helping others was instilled in Jose Luis Mejia, MD, FACS, at an early age. As the son of a politician and owner of a newspaper in the South American country of Ecuador, Dr. Mejia saw how his father served the community.

But it was his uncle, who was a surgeon, who inspired him to serve through medicine.

“When I was young, my uncle took me to the clinic where he operated. I loved cleaning wounds, removing sutures, and I especially loved the operating room. It came naturally to me,” says Dr. Mejia.

While in medical school at the prestigious Central University of Ecuador, Dr. Mejia trained with one of the pioneers of laparoscopic surgery techniques.

Dr. Mejia is an avid runner and is pictured in the 2013 Boston Marathon. He completed the race 40 minutes before the fatal bombing. He says the tragedy is a reminder of the importance of life and family.

“Surgeons were transitioning to minimally invasive surgeries. It was an  advantage that I trained in a time when we did a lot of both open and laparoscopic procedures,” explains Dr. Mejia.

Drawn by the medical technology available, Dr. Mejia moved to the United States in 1999 and completed his residency in General Surgery at East Tennessee State University. He worked at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Johnson City for eight years, serving as Clinical Associate Professor and Chief of Surgery. Most recently, Dr. Mejia was on staff at Masssena Memorial Hospital in upstate New York, providing surgical and wound care to a variety of pediatric and adult patients.

Dr. Mejia and his family missed East Tennessee, so he recently joined Premier Surgical Associates in Knoxville as a general surgeon at the group’s Tennova North and Physicians Regional locations in June.

“We love it here! The mountains, the people – everyone says ‘Hello’,” says Dr. Mejia. “Premier Surgical has a great reputation and I’m excited to be a part of this group.”

Dr. Mejia, who speaks both English and Spanish, has found already his native language to be an advantage in communicating with patients.

“Communicating and always being honest with my patients is very important to me,” explains Dr. Mejia.”

Dr. Mejia, whose special interests include minimally invasive procedures for benign and malignant problems of the abdomen and breast cancer surgery, is currently accepting new patients at the Premier Surgical offices at Tennova North and Physicians Regional.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mejia, call 865-938-8121.

About Premier Surgical Associates
Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Premier Surgical Associates has 27 surgeons who perform general, vascular, endovascular, vein, bariatric, breast, laparoscopic (minimally invasive) and oncologic procedures. Premier has offices in Knoxville, Crossville, Dandridge, Lenoir City, and Sevierville.

The post Dr. Mejia of Premier Surgical: Serving through Surgery first appeared on Premier Surgical.