Caring like Family

PATIENT UNDERGOES LIVER TRANSPLANT AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH CIRRHOSIS

Erick Diaz, 42, a husband and father of three, was diagnosed with cirrhosis, a condition in which your liver is scarred and permanently damaged. Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue and causes the liver to lose functionality. The liver can then no longer filter out toxins from the blood. Many of the symptoms Erick experienced included stomach bloating (due to the accumulation of fluid), nausea, confusion, anxiety and he had limited physical mobility. Erick described his pain as almost bed ridden. In Erick’s case, the cause of cirrhosis was related to excessive alcohol use. His doctors were very surprised at how fast it developed as this is known to be more prevalent in older individuals. As a project manager who works from home, Erick sits in an office for 8 or more hours a day and with his condition, it prevented him from sitting for long periods of time. He was unable to focus, felt very uncomfortable and it affected his

overall day-to-day activities. Between January 2022 and March 2022, Erick underwent paracentesis once a week in order to drain out the excess fluid. This procedure provided him with temporary relief.

“Please know that I will forever be thankful for the Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant staff for saving my life,” says Erick.

Erick and his wife flew in from El Paso, Texas for a 3-day evaluation on April 12, 2022. Physicians provided him with very detailed and candid feedback about his serious liver condition. The couple was not prepared for this news, but the staff was very helpful in providing information on their next steps and coordinating a longer stay in San Antonio. After many days of testing, Erick broke down and began to tear up. A nurse and tech played religious music and prayed with Erick, which helped him remain calm and stay positive. At that moment, he knew this facility was different, and God had placed him there for a specific reason. When Erick discovered he was going to need a liver transplant, he felt a sense of relief but also fear. “Having zero surgeries to one major life-saving surgery was quite overwhelming,” commented Erick. “I was very surprised with the liver team. I was only on the transplant list for 11 days.” Erick spoke about the sense of urgency and how difficult this journey was going to be. Luckily, Erick had the support of his family. His recovery time in the hospital was about two weeks, and his wife stood by his side the entire time. Erick was extremely grateful for the staff who made her feel comfortable and provided her with all the necessities.

Post-transplant, Erick began to notice a change in the color of his skin. Prior to surgery, his skin was yellow. He slowly began to gain his physical mobility within 2-3 days after surgery and his veins were visible again. “I was always in the right hands,” says Erick. He described his experience in the hospital as easy, comfortable and calming. In a note to hospital staff, Erick wrote: “I am thankful for your entire team for saving my life and going above and beyond to provide an excellent experience through this very challenging journey in my life. This is why your program is the best in Texas, if not the entire nation.”

Erick would like to recognize the following staff: Dr. Preston Foster, Dr. Luke Shen, Dr. Kavitha Thudi, Dr. Omer Junaidi, Dr. Aiman Ghufran, Dr. Abhijeet Goyal and FNP Yuni Corwin; in the third floor: Nas (RN), Erica (RN), Tracey, Sylvia, Gladys (Nurse Tech), Sally (EVS), Samantha (EVS) and Maricela (EVS), Lumi (ICU Nurse); on the second floor: Corina Esparza (RN Transplant Coordinator), Deborah (RN), Elizabeth (RN), Mark (RN), Kesha (Nurse Tech), Stephanie (Nurse Tech) and Lori (Occupational Therapist).

CARING LIKE FAMILY

HUSBAND RUNS MARATHON SHORTLY AFTER DONATING KIDNEY TO HIS WIFE IN EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR PKD

“For a while, I knew I was going to need a kidney transplant,” said Michelle Gonzalez. Michelle was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) at just 12 years old. PKD is an inherited disorder in which clusters of cysts develop primarily within your kidneys, causing your kidneys to enlarge and ultimately, lose function.

Michelle began to experience severe cramping, weakness, high blood pressure and continuous urinary tract infections; turns out she was diagnosed with endstage renal disease. Her red blood cell count was very low which required injections to stimulate red blood cell production. In 2020, Michelle and her husband, Salvador Gonzalez, went to Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant to begin the screening process. Michelle and Salvador have been married for four years and together, they have a beautiful baby girl. “There was no question in my mind, if I could [donate], I would,” said Salvador. Michelle commented, “When I first told my husband many years ago, he had already decided he would donate, but never verbally told me. It was very noble of him.” Salvador received THE phone call about being his wife’s match and called her right away. The couple could not believe it when they learned he was a match. They were ecstatic. It was such a relief for the pair knowing Michelle did not have to undergo dialysis treatment. “It’s crazy to think about. She told me about PKD when we first started dating and let me know that at some point she was going to need a kidney transplant,” commented Salvador. “When you first hear it, it seems far away in the future.”

The couple sat through the orientation and got to learn about all the science behind kidney transplantation as well as the process. Michelle and Salvador faced many challenges throughout the process but remained hopeful. Due to COVID-19, the transplant process was delayed. The couple was also pregnant with their first child, which caused Michelle’s kidney function to worsen. Salvador had to lose weight in order to qualify to be Michelle’s donor. He lost an estimated 65 lbs. and both continued to monitor their health until surgery day. The kidney transplant occurred on September 22, 2021. Postsurgery, Michelle’s lung collapsed and she was moved to the ICU. While in recovery, the nurses there took excellent care of her. Immediately after, Michelle said she felt healthier and had so much more energy. Salvador experienced a bit of discomfort that lasted about a week after surgery. On November 3, 2021, he began jogging about six miles per day. Four months later, Salvador decided to run a marathon to raise awareness for PKD. Initially, he planned to run half a marathon, which is 13 miles. However, when that day arrived, he ended up running the full 26 miles. “Whenever he sets his mind to something, he is determined to get it done,” said Michelle. Michelle and Salvador would like to express their gratitude to all the staff including nurses, physicians, transplant coordinators and their living donor advocate who supported them through this difficult time. “Any time I had a question, everyone was very responsive and helpful,” said Michelle. “I now have a positive outlook on life and I feel happier,” said Michelle.

“Now that I know what PKD is and the toll it takes on a person’s body, I am glad that I was able to help my wife,” commented Salvador. “There are other people who do not have a donor and there are those who aren’t aware of organ donation; through our story, I hope others know what [the process] is like and I hope we can inspire others to become donors.”

CARING LIKE FAMILY

“Mr. Valenzuela’s case exhibited the most valuable use of Impella device to save a life and allowed him to have optimal treatment, which was the coronary artery bypass graft [CABG] surgery,” commented Renata Ford, MD. Oracio Valenzuela, 58, took a weekend trip to visit his son in Fort Worth, Texas and also celebrated his 12th year anniversary with his wife. Saturday night, February 12th, he started to feel extremely restless and began to have trouble breathing. It was all very sudden. Prior to this occurrence, Mr. Valenzuela had never experienced any serious health issues. The couple thought maybe these symptoms were attributed to COVID-19.

The symptoms worsened and Mr. Valenzuela was driven to the emergency room by his son. After many tests, it was concluded that he had a heart attack. He went into cardiogenic shock. This occurs when the heart is very weak it cannot pump blood and does not generate enough pressure. Due to the heart problems he was experiencing, he was also diagnosed with pulmonary edema, a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs. This fluid collects in the numerous air sacs in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Mr. Valenzuela needed to be connected to a breathing machine and had several tubes attached to his lungs in order to drain out the excess liquid. Prior to the CABG surgery, he was presented with the Impella device, which is designed to help pump blood to those patients who require short-term support. The device is a very small pump inside of a catheter with an electric motor that can deliver about 2.5 liters of blood per minute. After several days, Mr. Valenzuela’s heart began to gain strength again and the Impella device was removed.

On February 16, 2022, Mr. Valenzuela underwent the CABG surgery and was in recovery for about three weeks. CABG is a surgical procedure to restore normal blood flow to an obstructed coronary artery. Mr. Valenzuela’s life was at extremely high risk and without this surgery, things could have taken a wrong turn. He is very grateful to have been given another chance at life. He was able to return to his profession as a civil engineer and to his wife, three children and grandchild. “All the staff were extremely helpful and kind. Everyone is great at their job,” said Mr. Valenzuela.

PATIENT HAS SUCCESSFUL OPEN HEART SURGERY AFTER SUFFERING A HEART ATTACK

METHODIST HOSPITAL | STONE OAK REHABILITATION CENTER STAFF INSTILLS CONFIDENCE AND STRENGTH IN PATIENTS

“The encouragement and positivity that all the nurses and therapists at Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak Rehabilitation Center were sending my way made me want to be positive and have a good outlook. Everything just fell into place,” shared rehab patient Jennifer Armor. After the pandemic hit, Jennifer, age 38, moved from Dallas to San Antonio to be closer to her family. Shortly after arriving, one morning in November of 2021, she woke up unable to feel her legs. While she met with several doctors and specialists to learn why, her symptoms continued to decline. She would fall at random and had to start using a walker to get around. Then, in March of 2022, her family called emergency services as they were unable to get her off the floor.

When Jennifer awoke in the hospital, surrounded by her family, she learned that she had been diagnosed with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and acute systolic heart failure. Meaning she did not have enough oxygen in her blood and that the left ventricle of her heart couldn’t contract strongly enough to pump blood throughout her body. After spending over a month in the ICU, she was admitted to Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak Rehabilitation Center. When she arrived, she felt defeated, tired, and hopeless after her lengthy healthcare journey. Within a few days and due to the constant support of her nurses and therapists, Jennifer began to change her mindset. After accomplishing small goals, such as being able to scoot off her bed, and seeing her body continue to progress and heal, she kept going. Within a few weeks, Jennifer was able to relearn how to use her hands, brush her hair, and eventually walk. Sharing that “Everyday was a struggle, some days it was rough. I came here thinking I can’t move, what can they do for me. Now, I am up walking and going home.” After seven weeks of recovery, Jennifer exited the Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak Rehabilitation Center, independently, on her own two feet in June!