GRATEFUL PATIENT
Going Above and Beyond for Our Patients
Jo Ann’s Story
Jo Ann Smith, a retired Baptist Health nurse, was experiencing unusual abdominal symptoms one evening. At first, she thought it was something minor, but when it persisted, she decided to contact her primary care physician Bernhard Brijbag, D.O. — a decision she would later come to realize may have saved her life. A referral to urologist Yekutiel Sandman, M.D., resulted in a CT scan of her kidneys and urinary system. Upon initial review of the CT images, radiologist Kirsten Luedemann, M.D., did not see anything abnormal. She thought something other than the urinary system must be the issue and dove deeper, completing a detailed review of the rest of the images captured in the CT scan. She discovered an abnormally distended appendix which was about to rupture, and knew immediate action was necessary. Within
an hour of the completed CT scan, Dr. Sandman’s medical assistant, Miriam Hernandez, called Jo Ann and insisted she immediately make her way to the Emergency Room for appendicitis. Jo Ann was reluctant to go because she had no obvious signs or symptoms of appendicitis, but Miriam’s insistence helped get her to Doctors Hospital for an evaluation. She was admitted for observation and the surgeon on call, Eddie Gomez, M.D., was notified. He came immediately for surgical evaluation and scheduled Jo Ann for surgery that night. Dr. Gomez performed an emergency laparoscopic appendectomy and Jo Ann was discharged the next morning without complication. The pathology report, however, showed a rare cancer of the appendix. If her appendix had ruptured, the cancer could well have spread throughout her body. Thanks to a proactive team, a medical emergency and life-threatening illness were averted. Jo Ann’s follow-up appointment at Miami Cancer Institute showed that no further treatment was necessary. In response to her experience, Jo Ann made a planned gift to Baptist Health Foundation in support of Miami Cancer Institute. Now part of the Living Legacy Society and Century Club, this longtime nurse is once again leaving her mark at Baptist Health.
For more information about planned gifts or to tell us your planned gift story, contact Kevin Hughes, Director of Gift Planning, at GiftPlanning@BaptistHealth.net.
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