DBS: Patient Stories
Meet some of the people whose lives were changed by DBS at OHSU.
Parkinson's patients
Colin Halstead
Colin Halstead needed two canes to walk. He took 27 pills a day. His voice was hard to understand and he could make few facial expressions. Then he had DBS surgery. He now walks without a cane. And he's back in his wood shop, making projects for his living room.
Kevin Lyle
After his retirement as an accountant for a timber company, Kevin Lyle wanted to travel. But tremors from his Parkinson's disease were making that a long shot. His DBS surgery changed everything.
Read Kevin's story.
Akemi Noll
Akemi Noll's Parkinson's disease got so bad that she needed a wheelchair to leave her home. Then came her DBS surgery. She now plays tennis three times a week — and her husband is thinking about taking lessons to keep up with her.
Read Akemi's story.
Essential tremor patients
Oscar La Salle
Oscar La Salle's essential tremor symptoms were so pronounced that he couldn't eat a bowl of soup. He became too embarrassed to go out.
His DBS surgery changed everything. He regained his confidence and zest for life. "It's a different world, like a new life," he says. "It's unbelievable."
Read Oscar's story.
Paul Renaud
Paul Renaud is a retired orthopaedic surgeon and avid fisherman. He developed essential tremor that got so bad he couldn't sign his name — or begin to thread a fishing line through a hook. He called his DBS surgery "life-changing."
Read Paul's story.
For patients
Call 503-494-4314 to:
- Ask questions
- Arrange a referral from your neurologist
- Schedule follow-up appointments
Download our patient guides:
Location
Parking is free for patients and their visitors.
Center for Health & Healing
Building 1, eighth floor
3303 S. Bond Ave.
Portland, OR 97239
Map and directions
Refer a patient
- See our Referring Providers page to learn about making a referral to OHSU, how we partner with you, and training opportunities.
- Is your patient a candidate for DBS?
- Download our DBS guide for providers.
- Call 503-494-4567 to seek provider-to-provider advice.