A Patient's Perspective of Colon Surgery
Imagine the situation: Your mother ends up in an emergency room with a continual bleed from her colon, a rapidly decreasing blood count, and an increasingly uncomfortable situation with medical professionals regarding her strong conviction to receive treatment, but without blood transfusions. What would you do? Perhaps the same as Terri Anderson’s family did for her. Her daughter Peggy tells the story:
“Mom went to the emergency room at another hospital on November 28, 2005, bleeding from her bowel. It became obvious to us that the facility was very uncomfortable about my Mom’s decision to not accept a blood transfusion. She was told by one of the doctors, ‘You have two choices: either change your religion, or die.’ By November 29, her blood count was 8.5. Even the nurse’s aides were coming in her room, asking her to take a little blood. We felt very uneasy there as a family.
“We contacted our Hospital Liaison Committee (a resource for Jehovah’s Witnesses), and they suggested calling The Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at Allegheny General Hospital. The Center referred us to the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery and a hospital transfer was arranged. Mom arrived by helicopter at Allegheny General around midnight. When our family arrived shortly after, what a relief! We immediately recognized a big difference. Our mom’s decision not to have a blood transfusion was not the focus; rather, the focus at Allegheny General was to help our Mom receive the best medical care possible, while respecting her wishes at the same time. Despite the late hour, Deb Tatro, from The Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, met us at the hospital. She explained all of the available treatments, reviewed forms with us and even gave us her cell phone number in case we needed to contact her.
Dr. Celebreeze
Dr. Beck
“November 30 was a whirlwind day. Mom was sent to the Radiology Department in an attempt to find and address her bleeding. Next was a trip to the Gastroenterology Department for a colonoscopy. Mom had agreed that if these interventions were no sufficient that she would be taken directly to surgery. And this is, in fact, what happened. Following this were a few tense days with Mom in the Trauma/Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Looking back on this stressful situation, her care could not have been any better. Drs. Celebreeze and Beck, as well as others on the medical team, took time each day to explain Mom’s situation to us. Perry Doebler and Debbie Tatro from the Bloodless Medicine Department were with us every day. They answered our questions and calmed us many times.
“Mom’s blood count was around 4.5 after surgery (and she had an even lower count of 3.3 several days after surgery). Thanks to the skill of the surgical team and the critical care team, as well as available treatments and equipment at Allegheny General Hospital, Mom was discharged from the hospital on December 8 and returned home on December 22. Dr. Beck released her entirely from her care at an office visit on January 17. Mom is back to all her normal activities and enjoying time spent in the ministry. On February 10, our congregation got together at a local high school gym and Mom even played volleyball!
“We’re very thankful that we found Allegheny General Hospital. As a family, our heartfelt thanks goes to Dr. Celebreeze, Dr. Beck, Perry, Debbie and everyone else who took part in Mom’s care.
Dr. Celebreeze comments: ‘Our focus at Allegheny General Hospital’s
Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery is to do what is best for our patients.
Informed decisions can be made by most patients and we respect their wishes.
We all are certainly pleased with Ms. Anderson’s progress and recovery.’
