Woman with Short Bowel Syndrome Finds Care, Thanks to Gas Cards
Unforeseen Complications
In 2016, Christine went in for gastric bypass surgery. The operation itself went smoothly. But shortly after, she began to experience complications that she didn't see coming. Whenever she ate or drank, it would pass right through her, which meant her body wasn't absorbing the nutrients correctly. She became anemic and also was diagnosed with gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach into the small intestine). As if all that wasn't bad enough, it was discovered she had short bowel syndrome.
Pressure and Pain
In the years that followed, Christine had to go through multiple surgeries to try and fix her digestive tract. Eventually, in 2023, nothing more could be done in that area. She had her colon removed, and needed a permanent ileostomy (a sterile hole in her abdomen that empties stool into a pouch). Since her digestive system couldn't absorb nutrients and water, she had to get all her nutrition, fluid, and medications through an IV line. She also suffered from chronic pain from her conditions. "On a scale of 1 to 10, the pain is usually at 4, but it can get up to 9 or 10 really fast," said Christine.
From Complexities...
Because of how many problems she had and how complex they were, Christine needed to seek tertiary care. Unfortunately, her local area didn't offer that. The closest hospital that did was in Pittsburgh - approximately 130 miles and 4 hours total in the car, without taking traffic into account. With those long drives ahead of her, Christine soon faced another problem: "I'm on disability, and I can't afford gas for my car on top of all my other expenses." How would she reach the care she needed?
...To Care
Christine was about to reach her breaking point when a group of angels flew in to the rescue. But it wasn't angels in the sense one would expect - it was Mercy Medical Angels! Mercy Medical Angels sent Christine gas cards. With the charitable assistance helping to cover the cost of gas, she was able to get to the care she needed. "Without the help from Mercy Medical Angels, I would have no money to get to my doctor's appointments," said Christine.
"You Have Been Amazing!"
Christine will likely need more medical help in the near future. But now, she has the means to get where she needs to go. Best of all, she's not walking the road to wellness alone. Christine's message of thankfulness comes directly from her heart. "To the staff at Mercy Medical Angels - you have been amazing! I am so grateful for you and your assistance."
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