18 minute read
Caring Like Family
YOUNG METHODIST HOSPITAL PATIENT WITH ALL ODDS AGAINST HIM RECEIVES SUCCESSFUL HEART TRANSPLANT.
Justin Chauret, 36, is a full-time father and proud H-E-B employee. He led a life with a strict fitness regimen and healthy eating habits; he was in the best shape of his life. Though one day Justin faced difficulty recovering from a workout; he believed it to be a side effect after recovering from COVID-19. Justin remembers having problems breathing and an elevated heart rhythm one afternoon. Though, stubborn to receive care, he presented to a health clinic inside H-E-B where an EKG alarmed the nurse, urging that Justin rush to the hospital. Justin drove himself to a nearby emergency facility. His echocardiogram showed an ejection fraction (measurement of the percentage of blood leaving your heart each time it squeezes) of 25 percent, suggesting chronic change. He was administered some heart failure medications and was put on IV medication to make his heartbeat stronger. Shortly after, his blood pressure dropped dramatically and he went into rapid response; he was found to be in heart and kidney failure. Despite the measures taken, Justin’s condition was worsening and he was placed on dialysis and transferred to Methodist Hospital. The rest is a blur to him. Upon arrival to Methodist Hospital, Justin was in cardiogenic shock and immediately taken into surgery for a ventricular heart pump to stabilize his heart. As his oxygen was worsening, he was also placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an advanced form of prolonged cardiac and pulmonary life support. When Justin was removed from ECMO after a few days, his oxygen levels immediately dropped and was placed back on ECMO the same day. “Justin’s case was a very complex, clinical dilemma since he suffered from two critical conditions suddenly; he had severe heart failure and a rare and life-threatening respiratory failure,” commented
Chandra Kunavarapu, MD, Medical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant
Program. “He was on the most critical mechanical support devices, and we had to pause on listing him for a heart transplant and focused on treating his pulmonary condition separately.” Justin recalls the moment Dr. Kunavarapu told him, “Your heart no longer works and we’re going to find a replacement.” He remembers the defeating realization that he may not survive. “I wasn’t going to leave my wife without a husband and my son without a father.”
Several medical exams revealed that the source of Justin’s weakened pulmonary function was a rare and fatal condition known as diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, which may have been caused by an infection developed from COVID pneumonia. The severe infection is believed to have caused myocarditis, inflammation and weakening of the heart muscle that reduces the heart’s ability to pump and causes rapid or irregular heart rhythms. Justin was treated with high-dose steroids. Once his kidney failure normalized on ECMO and it was determined that his pulmonary status would allow for a transplant, Justin was placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) cardiac transplant list.
“Justin’s case exemplifies how the multidisciplinary team approach at Methodist can make a huge difference when multiple specialties collaborate to diagnose and treat these difficult, complex, and incredibly sick patients,” commented Michael Kwan, MD, Program Director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Program.
“This is a great example of why it’s not only the technology but the expertise and experience that sets Methodist apart.” “I told my wife, I was never going to quit. If I go, it will be on the operating table when I’m out of control,” Justin said. He knew his survival was dependent on his motivation and strength. Justin devoted himself to what he knew best – hard work and strength training. Every day he set goals for himself to walk even just a foot further than he had the day prior: 70, 500, 1,000 feet; he gained confidence becoming self-sufficient with simple tasks, such as holding a phone on his own. Justin told himself, “I’m going to do this. I’m going to make it,” every single day. He remembers taking the steps to the nursing station where he saw Dr. Kwan. He said, “Hi sir. Please don’t give up on me.” Throughout his hospitalization, Justin became incredibly close with his care team. He wanted to be more than another patient to care for and would stand out as the man who would overcome this. He requested his nurse, Able, shave him a mohawk as his facial hair and otherwise crew cut had grown dramatically. Just over a month, Justin had lost 60 pounds, having gone from a bodybuilder physique to one of very little muscle and energy. Justin found solace in those around him. The community roared with support for him throughout his care. A “Justin Strong” Facebook group was built to share inspiring stories, prayers and words of hope, and his H-E-B family set up community blood drives in his honor.
On March 18, 2021, Justin received a call that changed his life forever; a donor’s heart matched and he would be transplanted that day. It was a surreal moment. He recalls the realization, “that someone else’s family is getting a different call than the call I’m getting.” It was the most humbling moment of his life. Masahiro Ono, MD, heart transplant surgeon performed Justin’s transplant. He recalls the moment he woke up met with the sight of his wife and nurse, Alexis. “She [Alexis] took her stethoscope and put it to my heart. She let me hear my new heartbeat for the first time,” Justin emotionally remembered. Justin’s transplant was successful, and he spent a few additional weeks in the hospital recovering. “All I wanted to do was see my son. He was my greatest motivator,” Justin said. He was released from the hospital on April 1. “When I got home, my son, Bear, ran up and gave me a hug on my leg. That hit me hard…that he still remembered me. He hadn’t seen his dad in over two months,” Justin said. A few months post-transplant, Justin ran his first mile and was slowly getting back to his active lifestyle. He was released back to work, and H-E-B proudly welcomed their brave employee back. “Your second life really starts the moment you realize you only have one. I’m extremely thankful to be alive, to appreciate the beauty of life, to listen to the sound of my son’s laugh. Everything is amplified.”
CARING LIKE FAMILY
A TEAM WITH HEART: AFGHAN REFUGEE UNDERGOES LIFE-SAVING SURGERY
In October 2021, John Kupferschmid, MD, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, received a phone call from a representative with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A 10-year-old girl from Afghanistan had a congenital heart condition and she needed surgery to survive. The voice at the end of the line was hopeful Dr. Kupferschmid and the Methodist Children’s Heart Institute team could step in to repair the child’s heart. The child, whose name we are protecting for her family’s privacy, required surgical intervention to repair a congenital heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot. In America, this defect is repaired before children are six months old. However, due to lack of access to advanced medical treatment, congenital heart defects often go without repair in children who live in other countries.
“Most children with this defect do not make it to adulthood,” Dr. Kupferschmid said. “The simple task of walking to the bathroom was almost impossible for her prior to this surgery.” Without hesitation, Dr. Kupferschmid agreed to perform the life-saving surgery, which required the family to relocate to San Antonio. The child recovered in the pediatric intensive care unit for a few weeks where staff had the opportunity to get to know her. Her care team quickly learned although shy and quiet, she has the most beautiful smile. That smile was apparent when she had the opportunity to interact with Bambi, the hospital’s therapy horse. Though she may require a valve later in life, Dr. Kupferschmid expects she will make a full recovery. He was thrilled to hear she is planning to enroll in elementary school for the first time. Methodist Healthcare’s mission is serving humanity to honor God by providing exceptional and cost-effective health care accessible to all. This case is another example of the impact our care leaves on others near and far.
SWEETHEARTS CELEBRATE THEIR FIRST VALENTINE’S DAY
Valentine’s Day was celebrated in a big way at Methodist Children’s Hospital and Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak. Infants in Methodist Children’s Hospital’s Level IV NICU donned sweet and even trendy messages, while cuties in Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak’s Level II NICU spent love day wrapped in red hearts. Staff at each hospital created the hearts and backdrops for each special photo shoot. The sweethearts brought joy and love to their parents, NICU staff and physicians.
CARING LIKE FAMILY
METHODIST HOSPITAL | ATASCOSA HELPS GUITARISTS’ HEART STAY ‘ON BEAT’
“I was lying there in bed with tears in my eyes when this attending nurse came in to check my fluids. She looked over at me and said, ‘You know God’s looking out for you, right? You’re going to be OK. It happened for a reason; we figured it out.’ She said, ‘This is a blessing. So, you need to be happy. I know you’re scared, but God’s looking out for you.’ I appreciated that so much. I knew I was in good hands.”
This is just one of many memorable moments William O’Rourke had during his time at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa after crashing his car on the highway on Thanksgiving morning. William was on his way back to San Antonio from Corpus Christi when he felt a strange sensation come over him. “I was just driving and felt something come over me. I could feel myself trying to get the car off the road. And then I woke up and was in a field smacked up against a tree with two of these really nice Corpus Christi firefighters,” said William.
That’s when William was taken to Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, which he says is a blessing to have been sent there for care, despite warnings and hesitations from his family and friends. Once at the hospital, the team ran every test they could think of to find out what was happening to William, but they couldn’t find anything wrong. “I work out, and people will tell you that I’m Mr. Fitness, eating my vegetables, working out the whole nine yards. The doctors said I was the picture of perfect health and didn’t know what was going on,” said William. “They were extremely thorough about everything.” After all the tests, the team still couldn’t find anything wrong, so they kept William overnight for observation. Out of nowhere, after being at the hospital for over “24-hour”, William’s heart rate dropped to 32 beats per minute, making him feel very weak and sick. It was then that the team realized what was wrong and what William needed; a pacemaker. “I immediately started crying. I couldn’t believe it,” said William. “The entire staff at the hospital really went above and beyond to make things comfortable for my family and me. I even told one of the ladies there that they didn’t have the best reputation from the past, and my friends and family were trying to get me out of there. However, my stay was the complete opposite and did not reflect the stories I previously heard.” William was eventually transferred to Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan where his pacemaker was installed. Now, he continues to go about his life like normal. A member of the Poteet, Texas band, David Lee Garza Y Los Musicales band for over 15 years, William plays the bajo sexto—a Mexican string instrument from the guitar family with 12 strings in six double courses. Thanks to the exceptional care he received, William is back with his band doing what he loves and living life to the fullest.
METHODIST HOSPITAL | STONE OAK HOSTS DINNER FOR NICU PARENTS ON VALENTINE’S DAY
Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and NICU Director,
Darlene Funk, collaborated for a second time to host a Valentine’s Day dinner for NICU parents to enjoy, as they spent the holiday in the hospital caring for their newborns. The parents were greeted with live music from Hearts Need Art, as senior leaders escorted them to their designated tables. The decorations included fresh flowers, a full charcuterie board, linen and a framed picture of their newborn baby’s footprints to take home. FNS staff dressed up as waiters and waitresses to bring the prepared food right to their table which consisted of lobster, steak, and cheesecake, among other delicious items to choose from. As parents left the dinner, they shared how grateful they were to those who put the memorable event together, creating a memory to last a lifetime.
COUPLE SAYS “I DO” HOURS BEFORE OPEN-HEART PROCEDURE
Love filled the halls of Methodist Hospital | Northeast last month when Juan and Juanita Gamez exchanged wedding vows. The couple was set to say “I do” on Valentine’s Day, but their wedding was postponed after Juan began suffering from severe chest pains and was hospitalized. After undergoing multiple tests, he was diagnosed with triple vessel disease. He would need emergency open-heart surgery in order to save his life. As an expression of their love, the couple decided to exchange vows ahead of his procedure with the help of Juan’s care team, who made the ceremony possible. Now, Juan is home and on the road to recovery! Congrats to the happy couple!
CARING LIKE FAMILY
KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PATIENT MEETS HIS PERFECT MATCH
“I know I was supposed to be his support system, but he remained my support system through everything,” said Lauren Naegler, 27. “There is nothing in the world that I wouldn’t do for him.”
Derrick Naegler, 27, met his wife in 2014 on a bus ride home after a football game from Florida State. The couple was on the marching band team; Derrick played the tuba and Lauren played the clarinet. Derrick and Lauren said “I do” on January 25, 2020. For their honeymoon, the couple took a trip to Disneyworld, and soon after, the newlyweds began their life together in Las Vegas, Nevada where they accepted job offers with HCA Healthcare. Despite the worldwide pandemic, Derrick and Lauren continued to excel in their careers and became pet parents to rescue dogs. However, little did they know Derrick’s health would soon be at risk.
While at work, Derrick’s colleagues expressed concern regarding his health after noticing he was experiencing a great deal of pain at such a young age. Derrick was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of joint function.
In April of 2020, Derrick suffered a nose bleed, and shortly after, began to cough up blood which required immediate medical attention. Derrick’s lung health was also worsening due to an infection caused by COVID. Further evaluation revealed his kidneys were shutting down and he would require a kidney transplant. “When I heard that Derrick had this illness and that his kidneys were not working, it was all very sudden,” said Lauren.
Though it can take many years to match with an organ donor, Derrick requested that he be added to the waitlist. In the meantime, he was placed on daily home dialysis, which removes waste from the blood when kidneys can no longer function. Kidney transplantation significantly prolongs and improves life compared to dialysis. A recipient can obtain a kidney from a living donor or a deceased donor. The fastest way to receive a kidney is through the living donor program, however, live donors must undergo many tests to determine eligibility. For Lauren, it was a no-brainer. She decided to add her name to the donor list along with two of Derrick’s uncles and a security director at a hospital he previously worked for. Luckily, results showed Lauren was a blood and a genetic cross match.
“She told me it is marriage insurance, I can’t return her without all of her parts,” Derrick laughed. After consulting with James Pitman, MD, Transplant Director for HCA along with Adam Bingaman, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon and Director of the Abdominal Transplant Program, it was decided that the kidney transplant would take place at Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant on September 29, 2021. According to Luke Shen, MD, the transplant team used the single-site donor approach for the Nephrectomy that many others do not do. It is known to minimize scarring and post-surgery pain. “Derrick and Lauren’s surgeries went very well and they have fully recovered,” said Eric Treat, MD. “The couple had the option to do their surgery in Las Vegas as there are other transplant programs there, however, she was well-aware about our reputation here at Methodist Specialty & Transplant. It was good to know that they were comforted by our program,” commented Luke Shen, MD. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your transplant journey!
CARING LIKE FAMILY
99 YEAR-OLD HAROLD REICH WALKS HIS GRANDDAUGHTER DOWN THE AISLE AFTER SUFFERING A FRACTURED HIP
Harold “Soupy” Reich, 99, was born on April 26, 1922, and grew up in San Antonio, Texas right across from Brackenridge Park. Back in September, Harold suffered a fall and fractured his hip. After surgery, Harold was transferred to Methodist Hospital | Texsan for rehabilitation. Harold had one goal in mind while completing his rehab journey and that was to be able to attend his granddaughter’s wedding in Memphis. Harold’s family advocated for him and his ability to recover quickly. His daughter, Helene Abrams, describes her father as self-sufficient and extremely driven. “He lives alone, attends the gym on a regular basis and he is even on Facebook. He is very capable of living his life at 99 years old,” said Helene. Johanna Nueman, occupational therapist at Methodist Hospital | Texsan described Harold as hardworking and very motivated. Her job was to help Harold develop, recover and maintain meaningful day-to-day activities. “I remember one time he told me to come back later because there was a football game on,” said Johanna. “He was very much into sports.” “Harold was a unique patient. He wanted to remain independent,” said Kelly Quintero, physical therapist at Methodist Hospital | Texsan. She focused on improving his mobility, strength and balance. “Making a comeback from a hip fracture is pretty difficult and he did it.” With his resiliency and Methodist Hospital | Texsan’s dedicated staff members, Harold was able to achieve his goal. “Rehab was very good at Texsan. Everyone was efficient, friendly and had a positive outlook,” said Harold. He was discharged after sixteen days and received at-home physical and occupational therapy twice a week. The special day finally arrived and Harold was able to walk his granddaughter, Molly Moss, down the aisle. Later, they shared an unforgettable dance. Helene, the mother of the bride, said “My daddy put up a fight. It was tough, but he worked hard and the staff at Texsan was amazing. They went above and beyond. Everyone at the wedding was so surprised to see my daddy there.” Harold’s family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Methodist Hospital | Texsan. Their patience and kindness are truly appreciated. On to 100!
The new year is when many people jump-start their healthcare journey, specifically when it comes to dieting and exercise, but it can be hard to stick to goals. Former Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan patient, Mackenzie Mitchell, has found that her gym community, bariatric support group, and participation in triathlons have kept her motivated in her weight loss. Though she was physically active by going to the gym, 33-year-old Mackenzie struggled to lose weight and keep it off, so she felt bariatric surgery would help her jump-start her weight loss and health goals. In July of 2020, Mackenzie had bariatric weight loss surgery at Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan. Since her surgery, Mackenzie has lost over 100lbs and has noticed continued improvements in her strength, endurance, and motivation at the gym; she says she’s now working out five times harder than she used to. Mackenzie’s biggest accomplishments since her surgery, aside from incredible weight loss, have been her completion of several triathlons!
Mackenzie has also been participating in her gym’s form of a triathlon known as a “DriTri.” Hosted by Orange Theory Fitness, this version of triathlon doesn’t include a swimming portion but consists of a 5K, a 2,000m row, and 300 body-weight reps. Not only has she participated in dry-triathlons through her gym, but she also has participated in women-only triathlons with her mother, who felt motivated after seeing her daughter’s success. Mackenzie attributes her weight loss and health success to the bariatric team’s comfort and support and the hospital staff; she had a great experience at Metropolitan!
