( continued from page 25 )
he sees new and follow-up patients . On his surgery days , once every two weeks , he does implants , sacroiliac joint fusions and other procedures . Across their four locations , Lexington , Bowling Green , Evansville and Louisville , they have seven physicians total .
While many patients may have similar symptoms , he doesn ’ t see many with the same presentation , leaving him to do “ detective work that often leaves me scratching my head .” But those unique presentations are his motivation .
“ There are challenges daily that keep me engaged , challenged and wanting to learn more or adjust techniques that I do for that particular patient . That helps keep me grounded and engaged . The great thing is that when you have really gotten someone back on their feet and pain-free , you ’ ve given the individual their life back . Getting a few victories like that allows you to drive farther .”
As much as he enjoys procedures , he also cherishes patient interaction and enjoys being able to get to know them and help relieve their pain . “ We have a lot of people who have really been struggling with their pain issues , sometimes chronically , and it ’ s really changed their lives for the worse . It interferes with their function , their daily lives , their relationships , and it causes a lot of stress . They ’ re desperate . Educating them on the process and what we do and coming up with a good treatment plan is fun for me . It ’ s amazing that once you get the plan going , they begin to realize their improvements and , after all , helping people get their lives back is the epitome of medicine .”
When asked to share a little about his personal life like the story of how he met his wife , Drew , he swore she was the better storyteller and that she would have to share that one on her own . As she told it , they met while he was in medical school , and she was also at UMMC getting her master ’ s degree in nursing . After realizing they had a mutual friend , Kim , she told her she wanted to get to know him , to which Kim replied that he was “ so nice .” Drew told someone else she was interested in him , and like an echo , they also said that he was “ so nice .”
“ People kept saying it so much that it kind of got on my nerves and I was thinking there was no way anyone was that nice … but he really was that nice ,” Drew said , laughing .
During March Madness in 2000 , she was going to the library one day with Kim and she saw him in an office watching basketball . Kim introduced them and he said “ Hey ” and kept watching the game , seemingly uninterested . Later that summer Drew was having a housewarming party and Kim decided to bring Dr . Beacham . The day before the party , Kim couldn ’ t come but told him to still stop by .
“ He called and told me he had to work and couldn ’ t get off until 10 p . m . I thought , ‘ No thanks ’ but he promised he didn ’ t want anything , but that he would help with anything I still had left to do that night . I told him I needed to go to Kroger , so he said , ‘ Great , I ’ ll go with you !’ and that was our first date .”
At the time , Drew transitioned onto faculty as a nurse educator at the University of Mississippi School of Nursing . She was also a health care policy fellow for a U . S . Senator , which led to her becoming a lobbyist for UMMC . She has a strong passion for health policy that still carries on to this day . After that grocery store date , they hit it off so well that they got married and had their third child before he finished residency . Drew stayed home for a while to help raise the kids , but as they got older , she returned to school to get her PhD . She is now the Research Director at Vitality Pain Centers and has done some teaching as an adjunct professor at Bellarmine University .
Their three kids are all part of the Louisville Youth Orchestra , but Dr . Beacham said he and his wife can ’ t play a single note on any instrument . “ If I had to play a note to save my own life , I couldn ’ t .”
Gabrielle , 18 , will attend the University of Kentucky this fall , double majoring in music ( oboe ) and biology . Timothy Jr ., 16 , is a sophomore and plays the tuba , euphonium and trombone and loves his lacrosse . The youngest is Jonathan , 14 , and he plays the flute and rows with the Louisville Rowing Club .
Dr . Beacham is a not-so-frequent golfer but enjoys playing when he can . They like to go deep sea fishing when they travel and also enjoy going to the movies and live theatre . An inside scoop from Drew also reveals that he loves watching anime and that their family , especially Dr . Beacham , takes board game night very seriously .
26 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE