Healthy Balance - A Blog About UVA and Your Healthcare

With Cochlear Implant Surgery, A Deaf Baby Finds His Voice

Nate Braeuer | 11/27/2019 | Kids, Videos

"You don't know how strong you are until you have to be," reflects Stephanie Nuckols on her baby Blaze's hearing loss and cochlear implants. For Stephanie, learning that Blaze was born without the ability to hear meant she had to make some difficult decisions about his life.

From Facial Reconstruction to Recovery & Beyond: Matt Miller’s Story

Nate Braeuer | 11/26/2019 | Patient Stories, Videos

In 2008, Matt Miller swerved on an uphill bike climb in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As he veered left, he met head-on with a Porsche traveling downhill at 40 mph. In an instant, the trauma would change his life forever.

Derailed by Medical Trauma, One Survivor Gets Back on Track by Offering Support to Others

Holly Cooper Ford | 11/18/2019 | Patient Stories

Recovering from the physical injuries of a medical trauma is just the beginning. Learn how one patient overcame the emotional impact as well.

Latest Posts

portrait of Krista Farris against stone wall

“I am Not Breast Cancer:” A Patient’s Reality vs. Breast Cancer Marketing

uvahealth | 12/13/2019 | Patient Stories

Krista was diagnosed with a fast-growing breast cancer last year. She realized that, for better and for worse, breast cancer gets a ton of attention, and its portrayal doesn't always affect reality. Read her story.

adult children with aging parents

Aging Parents: What Adult Children Should Watch For

Leigh Critzer Thraves | 12/12/2019 | General Health

The holidays can be a great reason to travel home and see family. For the adult children of aging parents, though, those trips can carry extra stress: a chance to see how Mom and Dad are doing at home. Learn what to watch for.

woman craving carbs and struggling with a midday slump

Craving Carbs? How to Avoid a Midday Slump

Elizabeth Timms | 12/11/2019 | Nutrition

Craving carbs in the mid to late afternoon hours? Many things can send us right to the cookie jar but doesn't mean that's a good idea.

Marcia peeling potatoes over a sink

Marcia’s Cancer Story: How Getting a Second Opinion Saved Her Finger

Megan Rowe | 12/10/2019 | Patient Stories

When Marcia was diagnosed with melanoma in her pinky finger, her first doctor recommended amputation. Instead of accepting this, she got multiple opinions and found a surgery team at UVA who could save her finger.

older man & younger family member talking with healthcare provider

How to Talk to Your Doctor & Other Ways Patients Can Advocate for Themselves

Sarah Ridgeway | 12/9/2019 | General Health

It’s happened to everyone at least once – you’ve left the doctor’s office confused. You’re asking yourself, “What’s wrong with me again? What are my options? What does my treatment include?” Try these 10 tips for getting more out of your visit.

a couple accessing fresh food in an urban garden addresses one of the main health disparities in charlottesville, va

Health Disparities in Charlottesville: Healing Takes the Whole Village

Amy Sarah Marshall | 12/5/2019 | General Health

Health disparities in Charlottesville occur due to racism, poverty, food insecurity. Learn about PIECES Iris, a new community collaboration to meet these needs & improve health.

a person sleeps on a sidewalk with trash bags

Does Society Make You Sick? Defining the Social Determinants of Health

Amy Sarah Marshall | 12/4/2019 | General Health

What's hurting us most? UVA experts explain the relationship between wellness and factors of race, food, and class. Find out which social determinants of health most impact the health of our community here in the Charlottesville area.

mistletoe poisonous holiday plant

Poisonous Holiday Plants: Safety Tips for the Holidays

Eric Puffenbarger | 12/3/2019 | General Health

Are poinsettias toxic? What about mistletoe or holly? Get the facts about poisonous holiday plants and safety tips from Blue Ridge Poison Center experts.

Cochlear implant recipient Blaze and his twin Gunner with mother Stephanie in the UVA NICU at Christmas

With Cochlear Implant Surgery, A Deaf Baby Finds His Voice

Nate Braeuer | 11/27/2019 | Kids, Videos

"You don't know how strong you are until you have to be," reflects Stephanie Nuckols on her baby Blaze's hearing loss and cochlear implants. For Stephanie, learning that Blaze was born without the ability to hear meant she had to make some difficult decisions about his life.

Matt Miller, after facial reconstruction, with his family at home.

From Facial Reconstruction to Recovery & Beyond: Matt Miller’s Story

Nate Braeuer | 11/26/2019 | Patient Stories, Videos

In 2008, Matt Miller swerved on an uphill bike climb in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As he veered left, he met head-on with a Porsche traveling downhill at 40 mph. In an instant, the trauma would change his life forever.