Our Children and our Family

Thoughts for Persons with a Disability

If you are lucky enough to have been born into a loving family, you are still lucky if you have that rapport. God knows there are too many divided families in this lifetime, and you are really, seriously lucky. You need not read much further, other than to realize that you are truly rare. You care for your aging mother or father in your home, if need be...you never dump a beloved one into the raining darkness of the outside world. You give of yourself. More books need to be written by you, because the non-disabled simply are unable to fully grasp what it means to be Disabled. On top of that, consider having a "rare" (i.e., underdiagnosed, in my opinion) diagnosis like some of us do, a diagnosis which not only restricts our Activity, but one who leaves us physically incapable of having the body movement necessary to....brush your teeth. 

Positive Side:

1. If you are lucky enough to have friends, they come over to your house (or send their children over to have a 'blast'; 1) because they know you well enough to know that you love children and are able to care for them; and 2) they are like family, with both parties displaying an unhesitating willingness to instantly add another child to the magical atmosphere of your home. And you and your child are not living in a jail house with extremely limited numbers of children in and out of the house. Unable to drive. Unable to get fully dressed and make meals, run errands. Go to the grocery store. Am I alone, or aren't there a Bunch of us, like...like.....out there....that...are "Half Alive"?

2. Before, when I was totally and completely bedridden 24/7, I felt "Half Alive" physically. Now, I have more 'better' days, I understand more, and I am sort of 'coming back to life'. This life is still being 'figured out', and with each slowly passing day, I thank God for the miracle of life. To breathe... Outside air.....But when I was physically "Half Alive", I did not have the awareness that for example, my hair needed combing, or that my shirt needed ironing, or that I only went outside and into the car for a few reasons. I lost my appetite and just forgot to eat. I lost weight, looked gray, and felt hollow. My reasons for leaving the house were depressing for anyone: MRI, doctor visit, pharmacy visit, MRI, MRI, physical therapy visit, doctor visit, doctor visit, MRI, visit the Post Office. 

Gladly, I was blessed with Topya,  a loyal and dependable person and Nanny who became a 'second mother' to my child and helped care for me. I could barely stay alive, and what life I had in me? I needed all my ATP for life itself, for breathing, for swallowing. No, I can't talk on the phone. It is too exhausting. No, I can't go out in the sun, but I'm going to get up, and then I'm going to sit up, stand up, and walk. Especially because they did not think I could do it. Just give me a fight. I'll grit my chin and prove you wrong...and if you don't think I can, then I may just find a place where I am treated like the human being that I am. Just because I have to lay down for half the day, or lay down to get some energy back, does not mean that you can go in to my closet and steal my clothes. A skirt gone here. A dress gone there. All my jewelry stolen. All my baby clothes stolen. A pair of True Religion jeans stolen. Who cares, all material possessions..may God bless whoever stole them and may everything go to good use. My treasures are stored up in Heaven, where the 'real' treasures and awards and banners and tributes to each one of our lives will be waiting for us.

Alive enough to know that people are mean and take advantage of you, but "Half Alive" enough to know you are not in a position to defend yourself.........Yet.

Weird place to be.

3. You could be "Half Alive" for other reasons: your body works, but you know you can't.....make it back home from the grocery store without being...sucked dry of ATP, stupid mitochondria, ill-defined neurological pathways, and misunderstood presentations. You're there, but no one really knows who you are, how this disease affects every day life, and what it is to go through something like this, having  been a former chica doctor walking around in high heels and pearl necklaces in the ORs and the ICUs of pretty prestigious medical establishments.

Why are we just now learning about dysautonomia? How come I've never heard of it before, nor has it been listed in the differential diagnosis of syncope? Why? Why? If I had died, Dysautonomia would be less known. But I lived, and now I want everyone to know what it is, and I want to help The Cause for Dysautonomia and ME. I just can't believe that I'm one of the first persons to document the disease....it would have been better for me if this car accident had never happened....but God has a purpose and my purpose in life is to further these Causes.

 Places that..some people are born into, the rest of us aren't. I wasn't, but I'm doing whatever I can writing the limitations, aggressiveness, possible latency, the idiosyncracies of the disease dysautonomia. Where is all the data? You can not sit there and tell me that it is a 'rare' disease, NOT if it is not even included in the differential diagnosis of syncope. It must NOT be rare. It must be more common than the medical community knows.

If dysautonomia is not rare, and more people have it than previously known, that tells me that there is an unnecessary morbidity and mortality for dysautonomia. 

So how many of us have already died? How many of us had this disease and no one believed that we pass out when we stand up? That we end up on the floor if our brain gets no blood?

Dysautonomia must be more common that we think it is. This disease is partially due to a lack of medical education, a lack of Medical Board Examinations to ensure consistence throughout licensed doctors, and a lack of terminology that 'turns back' to the doctor in order to process what is actually happening.

I believe that what is actually happening is this: doctors don't believe the vague symptoms, and they do not know how to 'put them in a box' and diagnose dysautonomia. Increased awareness in the medical and general population is needed to save lives. Distraught lives that are a devastation, day by day. We're not complaining about 'missing' a tooth or having pain in an anatomical location. We're complaining about a known disease that seems to have been "missed".

Just ask. Ask everyone you know if they ever heard of 'dysautonomia' or 'ME'. Little by little, word of mouth by word of mouth, this word.....d..y..s..a..u..t..o..n..o...m..i..a.

Let's get it out there. People are suffering, and they are dying, and it is simply not necessary. Do you want us all to just die off and shut up? Then you'd never have to validate us and we would just think we are crazy. Don't you think the suicide rate in undiagnosed diseases like this ...could..possibly...lead to someone's committing suicide? We're not talking about apples and oranges here, nor are we near the birds and the bees. We're talking about life.

Life. Being able to live a life. Who says we are not worth diagnosing?

Last Note: there is no word that I know of, in the medical nomenclature, that describes the Syndrome that the doctor has when there IS something wrong with the patient and the doctor 'misses' it, won't validate it, it goes undiagnosed, and the patient suffers to death. Funny.

Perhaps there should be a 'catch-all' phrase for these doctors: Broken Patient:Physician Relationship.        Who cares? Any good doctor. And any human being with compassion, in my mind.

Are we all just supposed to 'go away' and quit bugging the medical system? Or can't they just tell us that they hear us, do research to help us, and then come up with a systematic approach for data generation, analysis, and results. Simple. We are not going away. I'm leaving a trace of my life here. Someone else with dysautonomia or ME is leaving a trace of his life there. We're all working together toward the same goal: awareness and research.

I'm with you. Highest Personal Regards, Dr. M

Disclaimer: none of this is intended to be medical advice for any individual person of course. A doctor would have to see you, to examine you, etc. I wish I could fly around the world and have Clinics everywhere. God Bless Us All.

My Curriculum Vitae

MARGARET A. FERRANTE, M.D.

September 2009

Education/Training

Activity/Degree Field of Study Institution Dates__

B.A. Biology CSU, Northridge                1980-85

N/A Medicine Oral Roberts University    1985-88

M.D. Medicine Univ. So. California 1989-90

Internship Medicine LAC-USC Med.Center 1990-91

Residency Anesthesiology LAC-USC Med.Center 1992-95

Residency Anesthesiology Stanford 1995-96

Fellowship Critical Care Stanford 1996-97

Professional Experience

Position         Dates_____

Emergency Room Physician               10/92 - 12/95

Weed Army Hospital, Fort Irwin National Training Center; CA

Assistant Professor of Anesthesia, Anesthesia and Surgical Critical Care 03/97 - 04/01

Department of Anesthesia, University of Pennsylvania; PA

Acting Chief, Department of Anesthesia              05/01 - 09/01

Assistant Professor of Anesthesia

Department of Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center; Philadelphia, PA

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Assistant Professor of Anesthesia and Radiology 09/01 – 06/02

Director, Surgical Intensive Care Unit         01/02 – 06/02

West Los Angeles Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center; CA

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; CA

Pregnancy/Medical Leave 06/02-01/30/03

Staff Anesthesiologist         01/31/03-04/21/03

West Los Angeles Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center; CA

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Staff Anesthesiologis, Co-Director Surgical Intensive Care Unit Declined 06/04

Harbor/UCLA Medical Center Torrance, CA          

Adjunct Assistant Professor July 2004-2005

Department of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Awards

National Foundation for Biochemical Research Award 1983

Outstanding Young Woman of America 1983

Sigma Xi Research Award 1984

Cum Laude 1985

Outstanding Student Award, CSUN President’s Club (1 out of 3) 1985

Full Scholarship, Oral Roberts Medical School 1986

Dean’s Research Fellowship, Oral Roberts Medical School   1987

Resident Finalist, Research Presentation, Calif. Soc. Anesthesiologists 1997

Certificate of Appreciation, Primary Care Simulator 2002

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Certificate of Appreciation, Update on Intensive Care Medicine2002

Seoul National University Hospital; Seoul, South Korea

Certificate of Appreciation, Primary Care Simulator,    2004

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Ferrante, Margaret 

Page 2

Licensures

CA  (G073982; 1991)   PA (MD-061357-L; 1997)      HI (MD-9349; 1997)

Certification

Diplomate, American Board of Anesthesiology 1997

Diplomate, Subspecialty Critical Care 1997

Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Medicine            1997

Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA) 09/26/05

Certificate Number 28550, Expires 12/31/2015

Voluntary Board Exam

University/Dept/Hospital Activities

Ethics Committee, Hospital of the University of PA 1997-1999

Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, WLA VA   2002- April 2003

West LA Animal Research Committee, WLA VA 2003

PRIMER and ARENA Conference Attendee, San Diego April 2003

Research and Education Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

     Activities in Professional Societies

American Medical Association, Member 1988-2002 American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists,             1997-1999

Research Committee

American College of Forensic Examiners, Member 1997-present

American Society of Anesthesiologists, Member 1995-2002

Society of Critical Care Medicine, Committee on Education 1997-99

Pennsylvania Society of Anesthesiologists, 1998-2001

Acute Care Medicine Committee

American Society of Regional Anesthesia, 2002-2003

Bonica Awards Committee

Dysautonomia Information Network-DINET, Member July 2009-present

       American Board of Anesthesiology Activities

Written Board Exam Writer, Critical Care Board Exam 1998

       Primary Teaching Activities

Anesthesia Residents Simulator                      03/21/02, 04/19/02, 05/06/02

College of Applied Anatomy, UCLA Medical Students Simulator       07/11-12/02

College of Applied Anatomy, UCLA Medical Students Simulator 07/08/03, 07/10/03

Primary Care College, UCLA Medical Students Simulator   07/28-07/31/03

Applied Anatomy College, UCLA Medical Student Simulator 07/16/04

Primary Care College, UCLA Medical Student Simulator 07/30/04

Simulator Evaluations, Applied Anatomy College, UCLA 07/11/05

Applied Anatomy College, UCLA Medical Student Simulator 07/12/05

Simulator Evaluations, Applied Anatomy College, UCLA 07/12/05

Simulator Evaluations, Primary Care College, UCLA 07/14/05

Simulator Evaluations, Primary Care College, UCLA 07/15/05

Ferrante, Margaret

Page 3

Primary Teaching Activities (cont’d)

Primary Care College, UCLA Medical Student Simulator 07/13/05

Applied Anatomy College, UCLA Medical Student Simulator 07/14/05

Primary Care College, UCLA Medical Student Simulator 07/15/05

 Invited Lectures

Title, Meeting, Location Date____

“The Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension”. 08/22/98

University of PA School of Nursing; Philadelphia, PA.

“Inhaled Nitric Oxide: Mechanism of Action & Uses in the ICU”. 10/16/98

Chestnut Hill Hospital; Chestnut Hill, PA.

“Identifying and Treating Acute Renal Failure”. 

University of PA School of Nursing; Philadelphia, PA. 11/02/98

“Advanced Directives and Forgoing Life Support”. Bioethics and 01/30/99

Professionalism ID 390.University of PA School of Medicine.

“Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Renal Failure”. 02/11/99

University of PA School of Nursing; Philadelphia, PA.

“ICU Monitoring”. International Trauma and Critical Care Anesthesiologists.03/27/99

Chicago, IL.

“Inhaled Nitric Oxide-Review and Current Uses”. Chestnut Hill Hospital; PA.06/22/99

“Pulmonary Hypertension: Diagnosis, Treatment, & Implications”.    12/16/99

University of PA School of Nursing; Philadelphia, PA.

“The Post-thoracotomy Patient Revisited”. University of PA Grand Rounds, 01/14/00

Department of Anesthesia; Philadelphia PA.

“Renal Failure: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment”. 02/03/00

University of PA School of Nursing; Philadelphia, PA.

“Ventilation/Perfusion: What is New?” Department of Anesthesia Grand 04/07/00

Rounds, Johannes-Gutenberg University; Mainz, Germany.

“Regional Assessment of V/Q Distribution in the Lung: A New Approach 04/07/00

by MRI and the MIGET)”. Department of Radiology Grand Rounds,

Johannes-Gutenberg University; Mainz, Germany.

"Hyperpolarized ³He: What It Is and Why We Care". Department of 05/18/00

Anesthesia Grand Rounds, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA.

“What is New in V/Q Mismatch”. Department of Anesthesia Grand Rounds; 08/10/00

Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL.

“What is New in V/Q?”. Department of Surgical Critical Care Grand Rounds 08/10/00

Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL.

“The Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension”. 11/15/00

University of Penn School of Nursing; Philadelphia, PA.

“Renal Failure: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment”. 03/01/01

University of Penn School of Nursing; Philadelphia, PA.

“Preoperative Drugs: Use and Complications”. 12/13/01

Nursing Education, West LA Veteran’s Administration, CA.

“Fluids and Electrolytes”. 12/21/01

Nursing Education, West LA Veteran’s Administration, CA.  

“Anesthesia Preoperative Assessment and Perioperative Complications”.  02/06/02

Department of Medicine Grand Rounds, West LA VA, CA. 

Ferrante, Margaret

Page 4

Invited Lectures, (Cont’d)

“Anesthesia Preoperative Assessment: The Influence of Primary Care”.  02/19/02

Department of Medicine Grand Rounds, Downtown LA VA, CA.“Learning Using Simulation:

Pushing the Experiential Envelope”. 5^th Annual                                     03/14/02

Bonica Anesthesia Conference; Harbor-UCLA; Maui, HI.

“Hyperpolarized ³Helium-MR Imaging: Clinical Applications”.                     03/22/02

UCLA Department of Radiology; Los Angeles, CA.

“What’s New in V/Q? Intensive Care Update”. Seoul University Department           05/22/02

of Anesthesia Conference 2002; Seoul, South Korea.

“Intensive Care Unit: Hypovolemia”. UCLA Resident Lecture; CA. 06/10/02

“The Management of Hypotension” UCLA Medical Student Lecture; CA. 07/19/02

“General Anesthesia” in Spanish. Seventh grade class project, 11/06/02

Calvary Christian School; Pacific Palisades, CA.

“The Management of Hypotension: Trauma and ICU” UCLA Medical 07/07/03

Student Lecture, College of Applied Anatomy.

      “Ventilation/Perfusion: What Anesthesiologists Have to do with it.”       08/06/03

Harbor/UCLA Department of Anesthesia Grand Rounds; Torrance, CA. 

“Hyperpolarized 3He MRI: V/Q Assessment”; 

Harbor/UCLA Pulmonary Research Conference; Torrance, CA. 11/19/03

“Hypotension: What do you do, Doctor?” Harbor/UCLA Medical Center 02/04/04

Grand Rounds; Torrance, CA.

“Your Patient is Hypotensive. What do you do, Doctor?; UCLA Medical Student 07/16/04

Lecture, Applied Anatomy College; Los Angeles, CA.

“Your Patient is Hypotensive, Doctor” UCLA Medical Student Lecture, 07/30/04

Primary Care College, Los Angeles, CA.

“Your Patient is Still Hypotensive, Doctor” UCLA Medical Student Lecture, 07/13/05

Applied Anatomy College, Los Angeles, CA.

“Your Patient is Really Hypotensive, Doctor” UCLA Medical Student Lecture, 07/15/05

Primary Care College, Los Angeles, CA.

“Critical Care in Pain”; An Intensive Review of the Specialty of Pain Medicine; 08/31/05

Danemiller Memorial Educational Foundation; Chicago, IL. 

Invitation declined secondary to illness. “Pain in the ICU”; An Intensive Review

of the Specialty of Pain Medicine. 08/23/09

Research Manuscripts

 Levy M, Aranda M, Zelman V, and Gianotta S. Rapid Communication: Propyl eneglycol toxicity following continuous etomidate infusion for the control of refractory cerebral edema.  Neurosurgery 37(2):363-371, Aug 1999.

Aranda M, Mihm FG, Garrett S, Mihm MN, and Pearl RG. Continuous cardiac out put catheters: delay in in vitro response time after controlled flow changes. Anes Anesthesiology 89(6):1592-1595, Dec 1998.                                                                                              

Aranda M, Bradford KK, and Pearl RG. Continuous therapy with inhaled nitric oxide and intravenous vasodilators during experimental pulmonary hypertension. Anesth & Analg 89(1):152-8, Jul 1999.

Ferrante, Margaret

Page 5

Research Manuscripts, (Cont’d)

Roberts DA, Rizi RR, Lipson DA, Aranda M, Baumgardner J, Bearn L, Hansen-Flaschen J, Gefter WB, Hatabu HH, Leigh JS, and Schnall MD. Detection and localization of pulmonary air leaks using laser-polarized Helium-3 MRI. Magn Reson in Med, 44:379-382, Sept 2000.

Ferrante FM, King LF, Roche EA, Kim PS, Aranda M, DeLaney LR, Mardini IA, Mannes AJ. Radiofrequency sacroiliac joint denervation for sacroiliac syndrome. Reg Anes and Pain Med, 26(2):137-142, 2001.

Roberts DA, Rizi RR, Lipson DA, Ferrante MA, Bearn L, Rolf L, Baumgardner J, Hatabu HH, Hansen-Flaschen J, Gefter WB, and MD Schnall. Dynamic observation of pulmonary perfusion using continuous arterial spin-labeling in a pig model. J Magn Reson Imag, 14(2):175-180, 2001.

Rizi RR, Saha PK, Wang B, Ferrante MA, Lipson D, Baumgardner JE, and DA Roberts. Co-registration of acquired MR ventilation and perfusion images – validation in a porcine model.  Magn Reson Med, 49(1):13-8, 2003.

Ferrante MA, Asiaii A, Ishii M, Roberts DA, Edvinsson JM, Jalali A, Spector ZZ, Meisel F, and RR Rizi. An Evaluation of Pulmonary Atelectasis and its Re-expansion:  Hyperpolarized ³HE MRI in the Yorkshire Pig. Acad Radiology, 10(11): 1283-90; 2003.

Markstaller K, Kauczor HU, Weiler N, Karmrodt J, Doebrich M, Ferrante MA, Thelen M, and B. Eberle. Lung density distribution in dynamic CT correlates with oxygenation in ventilated pigs with lavage ARDS. Br J of Anaesth, Nov; 91(5): 699-708; 2003.

Wang B, Saha PK, Udupa JK, Ferrante MA, Baumgardner JE, Roberts DA, and Rizi RR. 3D airway segmentation via hyperpolarized ³He gas MRI using scale-based fuzzy connectedness. Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics 28; 77-86, 2004.

Conversion Disorder Mimicking Dejerine-Roussy Syndrome (Thalamic Stroke) After Spinal Cord Stimulation. Ferrante FM, Rana MV, and MA Ferrante.  Reg Anes Pain Med, 29(2): 164-167, 2004.

Ferrante MA and DS Cannom. ‘Brittle’ Dysautonomia, JAMA 2009 Pending.

Ferrante MA and DS Cannom. PACE Essay on Dysautonomia, 2009 Pending.

Books and Theatre Manuscripts

Rashad M, and Aranda M:  Anesthesia Board Review.  Copyright 1996.

      Ferrante MA:  Little Missy Two-Shoes Likes a Ladybug.  

        Self-published, Copyright August 2003.

      Ferrante MA:  No More Tears: A Physician Turned Patient Inspires Recovery.

Self-published, Copyright July 2008 to 2009.

Ferrante, MA. How to Try to Marry a Wonderful Husband. 2009 Pending.

Ferrante, MA. The Resurrection of the Elderly: The Sandwiched Generation’s Guide

to its Own Future. 2009 Pending.

Ferrante, MA. Movie Manuscript: No More Tears: A Physician-turned Patient Inspires Recovery. 2008, 2009

Ferrante, Margaret 

Page 6

Review Articles

Aranda M, and Pearl RG. Pharmacology and physiology of nitric oxide: understanding use in anesthesia and critical care medicine. Anesth Clin No Amer 16(1): 235-257, Mar 1998.

Aranda M, and Pearl RG. The biology of nitric oxide. Resp Care, 44(2) 156-168, Feb 1999.

Hanson CW III, and Aranda M. The impact of intensivists and ICU teams on outcomes. J Int Care Med 14:254-261, 1999.

Aranda M. Clinical Pearls II: an update on renal failure. ASCCA Interchange 11(3): 12-13, Sept 1999.

Aranda M, and Hanson CW III. Anesthetics, sedatives and paralytics: understanding their use in the intensive care unit. Surg Clin N Amer, 80 (3), 933-947, June 2000.

Aranda M and Pearl RG. Inhaled nitric oxide and pulmonary vasoreactivity. J Clin Monit and Comp 16 (5-6): 393-401, 2000.

Letters to the Editor

Aranda M, and Carden E.  Letter to the Editor: Mechanical chin support during general anesthesia.  Anesth & Analg 82(2): 431, Feb 1996.

Book Reviews

Aranda M. Book Review. Atlas of anesthesia volume V11: Pediatric Anesthesia. Reg Anesth Pain Med, 25(4): 432, July 2000.

Aranda M. Book Review. Complications in Anesthesia. Reg Anesth Pain Med, 25 (3):333-334, May-June 2000.

Aranda M. Book Review. Pain Management and Regional Anesthesia in Trauma. Reg Anesth Pain Med, 25 (3): 334, May-June 2000.

Aranda M. Book Review. Handbook of Difficult Airway Management. Reg Anesth & Pain Med 26(1) 87-88, January-February 2001.

Aranda M. Book Review. Anesthesia and Perioperative Complications. Reg Anesth & Pain Med 26 (3) 283-284, May-June 2001.

Scientific Abstracts

Jenkins, D, Reilly P, Anderson III H, Deutschman C, Aranda M, Hanson CW III, Taylor M, Alavi A, Schwab CW. Minimizing medical failure in a potential organ donor population. Crit Care Med 26:1(Suppl):378, Jan 1998.

Aranda M, Hanson CW III, O’Connor EM, and Price J.  Nitric oxide use in intubated patients: demographics and outcome in a teaching hospital. Anesthesiology 89(3A):A417, Sep 1998.

Aranda M, Hanson CV III, Hertkorn CM, Khawam JG, and Ischiropoulos H.  Nitric oxide and the generation of toxic metabolites in intensive care unit patients.   Anesthesiology (ASCCA Suppl) 89:B19, Sep 1998.

Aranda M, Frasch HF, Meng QC, Marshall BE, O’Connor EM, and Hanson CW III.  Characterization of the ‘rebound’ phenomenon after inhaled nitric oxide therapy.  Crit Care Med, 27(1):A157, Jan 1999.

Ferrante, Margaret 

Page 7

Scientific Abstracts, (cont’d)

Aranda M, Kim P, Cordek FC, Fischer JI, Fernandes S, and Ferrante FM. Demographics and outcome of patient controlled epidural analgesia in patients after thoracic surgery. Crit Care Med 7(12)S:A407, Dec 1999.

Lipson DA, Aranda M, Roberts D, Palevsky HI, Schnall M, Taj S, Asiaii A, Hanson CW III, Marshall BE, Hansen-Flaschen J, Baumgardner J, Rizi R. Pneumothorax detected by novel MRI ventilation/perfusion scanning using non-radioactive hyperpolarized ³He and arterial spin-tagging. Crit Care Med 17(12)S:A358, Dec 1999.

Lipson DA, Aranda M, Roberts D, Palevsky HI, Schnall M, Bearn LM, Asiaii A, Hanson CW III, Marshall BE, Hansen-Flaschen J, Baumgardner J, Rizi Rahim. Correlation of the

multiple inert gas elimination technique with ventilation/perfusion scanning using non-radioactive hyperpolarized ³He and arterial spin tagging MRI. Crit Care Med 27(12)S:A281, Dec 1999.

Aranda M, Kim P, Kelley JG, Kelley ST, and Ferrante FM. Post-thoracotomy patient controlled epidural analgesia: should we ‘Get it Right’ the first time? Anesthesiology 93: 3A, Sept 2000.

Markstaller K, Eberle B, Kauczor H-U, Aranda M, Bink A, Weiler N. Lung density in dynamic CT correlates with oxygenation during pressure-controlled ventilation of pigs with lavage-ARDS. Anesthesiology Suppl. Sept. 2000, B19.

Aranda M, Rizi R, Baumgardner JE, Bearn LM, Pourdehnad M, Gefter W, Schnall M, Marshall BE. The development of novel MRI techniques: comparison with standard methods. Anesthesiology Suppl. Sept. 2000, B22.

Aranda M, Rizzi R, Hatabu H, Yamamoto A, Baumgardner JE: The development of novel magnetic resonance imaging in the normal porcine lung: comparison with standard methods. Anesthesiology Sept 2000, 93: 3A.

Aranda M, Bouchard LS, Rizi R, Asaii A, Fertikh M, Schnall MD, Warren WS. MRI detection of cerebral perfusion and oxygenation changes in pig brain using intermolecular multiple-quantum coherences. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, April 2001. 

RR Rizi, Baumgardner JE, Saha PE, Aranda M, Asaii A, Frazer M, Roberts DA, Schnall MD, and JS Leigh. Regional lung compliance by hyperpolarized ³Helium magnetic resonance imaging. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Ninth Scientific Meeting, Glasgow, Scotland, UK; 2001, A-944.

Aranda M, Bouchard LS, Rizi RR, Asaii A, Fertikh M, Schnall MD and WS. Warren. MRI detection of cerebral perfusion and oxygenation changes in pig brain using intermolecular multiple-quantum coherences. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Ninth Scientific Meeting, Glasgow, Scotland, UK; 2001, A-1491.

Aranda M, Rizi RR, Roberts DA, Asaii A, and Schnall MD. Atelectasis: A novel evaluation by hyperpolarized ³Helium magnetic resonance imaging. Anesthesiology Suppl 95;A1314, 2001.

Aranda M, Meisel F, Choudhury N, and Ferrante FM. High or low dose epidural fentanyl for postthoracotomy pain: which is better? Anesthesiology Suppl 2001, 95;A833.

Aranda M, Meisel F, Bearn L, Rickel K, and Ferrante FM. The effect of ethnicity on the treatment of low back pain. Selected for Press Release and ASA AudioLine Radio Interview, 2001. Anesthesiology Suppl, 95; A-816.

RR Rizi , D. A. Roberts, P. K. Saha, Aranda, M, J. Baumgardner, M. Ishii, W. Gefter, M. D. Schnall, John S. Leigh. Atelectasis: A useful evaluation by hyperpolarized ³Helium magnetic resonance imaging. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Tenth Scientific Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii; 2002; A-92.

Ferrante, Margaret 

Page 8

Scientific Abstracts, (cont’d)

Ferrante, MA, Meisel F, Markstaller K, and Rizi RR. Experimental pulmonary hypertension: assessment by hyperpolarized ³Helium and gadolinium magnetic resonance imaging. Anesthesiology Suppl. Oct 2002, A-1312.

Ferrante, MA, Meisel F, Markstaller K, and Rizi RR. Experimental pulmonary hypertension: assessment by HP- ³Helium and gadolinium MRI. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Toronto, Canada Jul 2003.

Ferrante, MA, Mathew B, Meisel F, Bearn L, and Ferrante FM. Access to Health Care for Low Back Pain: Is Ethnicity a Consideration? American Society of Anesthesiologists, Category Rank: Number 1. Anesthesiology Suppl Oct 2003, A-976.

Ko WM, Ferrante, MA, Hayreh B, and Ferrante FM. Ethnicity and the Management of Chronic Low Back Pain. Accepted, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Oct 2004.

Ferrante, MA, Shrager J, Rizi RR, Ishii M, and Spector ZZ.  Alveolar Ventilation in the Rat Lung: Quantitative and Regional Assessment with Hyperpolarized ³Helium MRI. Poster Discussion, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Oct 25, 2004.

Ferrante, MA, Fischer MC, Spector ZZ, Ishii M, and Rizi RR. Hyperpolarized 3Helium MRI in the Normal Mouse: Quantitative and Regional Assessment. Poster Discussion, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Oct 25, 2004.

Ferrante, MA, Ishii M, Han J, Yu J, and Rizi RR. Assessment of Experimental Pulmonary Embolism by Glass Beads in the Pig: Hyperpolarized ³Helium MRI. Poster Discussion, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Oct 25, 2004.

Webpages, TV Clips, News Listings: Hypotension and Dysautonomia

Ferrante MA, author.  http://www.medsch.ucla.edu/curriculum/year4/primcare/foundations.htm Lecture: “The Management of Hypotension. The Patient’s Blood Pressure is Still Low”. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; UCLA Primary Care Foundations. July, 2002.

Ferrante MA, author. http://www.medsch.ucla.edu/curriculum/year4/primcare/foundations.htm Lecture: “The Management of Hypotension. What do you do, doctor?”. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; UCLA Primary Care Foundations. July, 2002.

Ferrante MA, author. http://www.medsch.ucla.edu/curriculum/year4/acutecare/Docs/ACCHypotensionLecture_0703.pdf. Lecture: “The Treatment of Hypotension”. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; UCLA Acute Care Foundations, July 2003.

Ferrante MA, author. http://www.medsch.ucla.edu/curriculum/year4/primcare/foundations.htm Lecture: “Your Patient is Hypotensive Again, Doctor! He’s Still Hypotensive!” David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; UCLA Primary Care Foundations, July 2004.

Ferrante MA, author. http://www.medsch.ucla.edu/curriculum/year4/acutecare/Docs/ACCHypotensionLecture_0704.pdf.  Lecture: “Sorry to Page You. The Blood Pressure is Still Low”

Ferrante MA, author. http://www.medsch.ucla.edu/curriculum/year4/acutecare/Docs/ACCHypotensionLecture_0702_.pdf. Lecture: “Your Patient is Hypotensive Again, Doctor!” David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; UCLA Acute Care Foundations, July 2005.

Ferrante, Margaret 

Page 9

Webpages, TV Clips, News Listings: Hypotension and Dysautonomia (cont’d)

Ferrante MA, author. http://www.medsch.ucla.edu/curriculum/year4/primcare/foundations.htm Lecture: “Your Patient is Hypotensive Again, Doctor! What are you going to do?” David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; UCLA Acute Care Foundations, July 2005.

Ferrante MA and David S. Cannom featured:  “Dysautonomia: Physician Attacked by Rare Condition”.  Denise Dador reporting; Channel 7 KABC News TV clip, June 18, 2009: http//abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=6872819

Ferrante MA and David S. Cannom featured: Denise Dador Reporting; “Dysautonomia” shown on KABC Eyewitness News, June 18, 2009.  http//www.goodsam.org/news/index.php 

Ferrante MA, author. You Tube site: DysautonomiaMD; Started July 2009.

Ferrante MA, author: You Tube Video: “Dysautonomia”.  http://www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD#play/uploads/7/-Blshb2RVMk  

Ferrante MA and David S. Cannom featured: “Dysautonomia: Electrophysiologists Aids Patient With Uncommon Malfunction of the Central Nervous System”.  Good Samaritan Hospital Quarterly Summary, Page 3, July 2009.

Ferrante MA. YouTube site: DysautonomiaMD; Dysautonomia. TV clip of KABC Eye Witness News, Channel 7. July 03, 2009.

Ferrante MA, author. YouTube site: DysautonomiaMD: DysautonomiaMD Finds the Rest of the World; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r2_CsOhpHo July 3, 2009.

Ferrante MA, author. YouTube site: DysautonomiaMD: DysautonomiaMD: We Can Live from Bed; http://www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD#play/uploads/5/jy-E0bli_-I July 6, 2009.

Ferrante MA, author. Bedridden with Dysautonomia: http://www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD#play/uploads/4/YK8q4A0_yj0  July 9, 2009

Ferrante MA, author. YouTube site: DysautonomiaMD: I Got Out of Bed with Dysautonomia; http://www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD#play/uploads/3/4qRyZhbN_KM  July 11, 2009.

Ferrante MA, Dirctor. YouTube site: DysautonomiaMD: Going on with Life; www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD#play/uploads/2/WWfPWRZUXo4July 18, 2009.

Ferrante MA. YouTube Statistics: 162 videos watched by me; 482 videos watched by others. Channel Views: 112. Videos uploaded: 8. Statistics copied from the YouTube site for DysautonomiaMD. Update = July 2009.

Ferrante, Margaret 

Page 10

Webpages, TV Clips, News Listings: Hypotension and Dysautonomia (cont’d)

Ferrante MA. YouTube Statistics: 162 videos watched by me; 482 videos watched by others. Channel Views: 112. Videos uploaded: 8. Statistics copied from the YouTube site for DysautonomiaMD. Update = July 2009.

Ferrante MA, author. New Term: “Ferrante Syndrome” AKA “Doctor, help me! Doctor, help me! I’m not going crazy. Doctor, there is something wrong with my body! Don’t send me to a Nursing Home. I will die there.” 

http//www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD#play/uploads/1/3sSqLdLO108  August 9, 2009. 

Ferrante MA. “Ferrante Syndrome” First referral from Google Search for “Dysautonomia MD”. August 13, 2009.

Ferrante MA. “Ferrante Syndrome” first embedded on www.righthealth.com = August 27,2009.

Ferrante MA. “Ferrante Syndrome”: First YouTube referrals from www.facebook.com, and YouTube Homepage; August 10, 2009. 

Ferrante MA. “Ferrante Syndrome”: First referral from YouTube search of “Dr. Ferrante”. August 26, 2009.

Ferrante MA. “Ferrante Syndrome”: First YouTube referral from YouTube search of ‘Dr. Ferrante Dysautonomia’. August 27, 2009.

Ferrante  MA, author. New Term: “Aranda Syndrome” AKA “Attitude: I don’t care what they say; I’m getting better every day. What medicine is that for?”: http://www.youtube.com/user/DysautonomiaMD#play/uploads         

DysautonomiaMD's webcam recorded Video - August 15, 2009, 07:42 PM. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhUBtmJtu-Y

Ferrante MA. “Aranda Syndrome” First referral from YouTube Homepage. August 15, 2009.

Ferrante MA. “Aranda Syndrome” First referral from “ME/CFS” and from YouTube search: “Dysautonomia MD”. August 18, 2009.

Ferrante MA. “Aranda Syndrome” First referral from YouTube search: “Dysautonomia”. August 19, 2009.

Ferrante MA. “Aranda Syndrome” First referral from YouTube search: “Dysautonomia”; and first referral from related video - My Top 8 Drugstore/Cheap Faves. August 20, 2009.

Ferrante MA.“Aranda Syndrome” First referral from YouTube: “/user/Dys; August 20, 2009.

Ferrante MA. “Aranda Syndrome”

Ferrante MA, author. Update on Dysautonomia. All YouTube “DysautonomiaMD” Video ‘hits’ =  361 videos watched by me; 1,260 videos watched by others. 12 Favorites, 18 Subscribers. August 30, 2009.

Ferrante, Margaret 

Page 10

Self-Coined Terms:

“Ferrante Syndrome” = “Doctor, help me! Doctor, help me! I’m not going crazy. Doctor, there is something wrong with my body! Doctors can not figure me out, so it seems as if “Ferrante’s Back...Again.” Oh No! Its that “Ferrante Syndrome” lady. No one knows what is wrong with her. “Ferrante Syndrome  = Don’t you believe what I am saying, doctor? Why don’t you listen to my heart with your stethoscope? Don’t send me to a Nursing Home, for we both know that I will die there. I am too young to die. Doctor, you do not have a Diagnosis. Therefore, you will not send me to a Nursing Home.” 

Good thing I’m a doctor. Had to scratch and claw my way up to improved health care.

What happens to people who don’t know the ‘lingo’ doctor’s language? I said the Magic Words: “You do not have a diagnosis”. And I made her look into my eyes as I pleaded for my very life.

“Aranda Syndrome” = Fight. Fight to stay alive. Use your sensitivities to listen to that still, small voice who is telling you to do something.  Fight to eat. Fight to eat right. Fight to get proper nutrition. Fight to prevent Drug:Drug reactions. Fight to keep what health you have.Move your body and even if bedridden, do exercises. Keep your health, with whatever limits you need, If you are not fighting to make your body stronger, this inertia will end today. What do I do? I can listen to the Voice of  the Holy Spirit. So can you. Give your Sufferings back to Christ, who suffered the most torturous pathway to Death. It seems backwards, but Praise God in all your times of suffering. Sing in Praise. 

Patent Pending:

Agent: Joseph Farzam, Esq.; Inventor: Margaret A. Ferrante, MD. USPTO Application No: 20080154636; Class 705-2 (USPTO). “Method and System for Operation of a Multifunctional Toyland.” http://www.freshpatents.com/Method-and-system-for-operation-of-a-multifunctional-toyland-dt20080626ptan20080154636.php?type=description