It was a windy November day in Fort Bragg, N.C.—so much so that 29-year-old Centra Mazyck found her petite frame drifting toward another jumper as she parachuted from the C131 aircraft. She and the other jumper untangled themselves just feet above the rapidly approaching ground. The near-fatal accident left Sgt. 1st Class Mazyck permanently paralyzed from the waist down.
“At times, you have a rough landing. I honestly thought that was the case,” Sgt. Mazyck recalled. “Before waking up surrounded by my family, the last recollection I had was of drop-zone medics cutting away my boot and pant leg. When I woke up, the medical professionals explained that I would never walk again.”
During her extended hospital recovery, part of which was spent at Augusta’s Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Sgt. Mazyck had no trouble with her bladder. But upon returning home to South Carolina, she became one of the 13 million Americans - mostly middle-age women - who suffer from urinary control problems. Her bladder began to collapse, causing frequency and leakage problems.
“My doctors unsuccessfully tried three different types of bladder medications and a bladder patch,” she said. “Then, we found the solution that has greatly improved my quality of life.”
Sgt. Mazyck is one of many patients who have had InterStim therapy at MCG Health System under the direction of Dr. Ronald Lewis, chief of urology. Using minimally invasive techniques, physicians implant a small stimulation system similar to a cardiac pacemaker under the skin. This system electrically stimulates nerves near the tailbone that control bladder function. “This therapy may be an effective alternative for any patient who has not had success with medications or other treatments,” Dr. Lewis said.
After a trial period, patients may be candidates for a permanently implanted device. “Many patients have such dramatic relief during the test that they can’t wait to have the long-term therapy. The frustration and embarrassment of bladder control problems exact a heavy toll on their emotional well-being,” Dr. Lewis said. “This therapy, which is covered by Medicare and most private insurance companies, is a major breakthrough that can restore patients’ freedom and give them back normal functioning.”
Sgt. Mazyck agrees. “I knew that it had worked by the second day of the trial run,” she said. “The leakage stopped and I had less frequency. I had the permanent surgery on March 2, 2006, and it has changed my life. I feel normal again because I don’t have to worry about incontinence. Being paralyzed, that means a lot to me.”
-Deborah Humphrey