WELL KEEPING Methodist Healthcare—San Antonio S p r i n g 2 0 2 3 IN THIS ISSUE: p4 Methodist Healthcare hospitals among nation’s best p5 Serving our community p6 Diabetic Foot and Ankle Institute opens Young father beats all odds for son Justin Chauret, 36, is a full-time father and proud H-E-B Partner (employee). His strict fitness regimen and healthy eating habits were important to him; he was in the best shape of his life. 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 went to an H-E-B Wellness Clinic where an EKG alarmed his provider, urging Justin to seek emergency care. Justin’s 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 at 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 he 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. —Continued on next page
2 SAHealth.com KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2023 “He was on the most critical mechanical support devices, and we had to pause on listing him for a heart transplant and focus 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,” Justin said. Several medical exams revealed 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-19 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.” 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 selfsufficient with simple tasks, such as holding a phone on his own. 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.” After 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 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 nurse, Alexis, and his ex-wife. “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 was released from the hospital on April 1. “All I wanted to do was see my son. He was my greatest motivator,” Justin said. “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, where he also continues to receive care from his primary care doctor at an H-E-B Wellness Clinic. “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,” he said. Young father beats all odds for son —Continued from front page Justin with his mom, Susan; son, Bear; and girlfriend, Ashley.
SAHealth.com 3 KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2023 Thirteen years ago, when Michael and Tammie Martinez got married, they knew they were a perfect match. Their match went beyond the altar and into the operating room when Tammie became a life-saving match for Michael by donating a kidney to him. “We were a strong couple before the match,” said Tammie, 43. “The transplant made us even stronger. God is the foundation of our marriage and that helped us get through the entire process. We prayed separately and together. Now, we have a physical connection too.” Michael, 39, had been diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension. Two years ago, his kidney function started to decline, and he had to start dialysis. Soon he was in stage 4 renal failure. As the self-employed owner of a pest control company, he went on peritoneal dialysis which is conducted nightly for eight hours. He said that, from the beginning, Tammie was willing to be a donor. “I was happy, but I didn’t want to put her through something that might put her at risk in the future,” he said. “But in the end, I couldn’t tell her ‘No.’” Tammie said she knew she needed to take care of her husband, so she started asking questions about becoming a donor. “We had a feeling that we would be a match,” she said. “It was almost like we knew this was the path we were supposed to take.” Luke Shen, MD, performed Michael’s transplant at Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant on August 26, 2022. Michael said his whole team, from nurses and physicians to nephrologists, was great, and that his recovery was quicker than expected. With his kidney working properly, he had more energy and was no longer on pain medications. Two months after surgery he was a lot more active, working and enjoying life. Tammie said her recovery was easy with minimal pain and discomfort. Within three weeks she was feeling normal and in eight weeks she was back in her career as an insurance agent. She credits Michelle Salazar, RN, her pre-transplant donor nurse with providing support as someone she could reach out to with questions or turn to just to vent. Both Tammie and Michael have become strong advocates for organ donation. “As a recipient, I can’t thank everyone enough for even thinking of being a donor,” said Michael. The Methodist Transplant Institute in San Antonio completed 171 living donor kidney transplants and 171 deceased donor kidney transplants in 2022. The program was recognized as the largest living donor kidney transplant program and the largest Hispanic kidney transplant program in the nation. Additionally, this program ranks number one in Texas for their deceased donor program. Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant thanks patients like Tammie and Michael for trusting them with their care. The perfect match
4 SAHealth.com KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2023 Methodist Healthcare hospitals named to America’s 250 Best Hospital List by Healthgrades Healthgrades’ America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award recognizes hospitals for superior performance in providing care for conditions and procedures across multiple specialty lines and areas. America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award recognizes the top 5% of hospitals in the country for clinical excellence. While many hospitals have specific areas of expertise and high-quality outcomes in certain areas, these hospitals exhibit comprehensive high-quality care across clinical areas. The following Methodist Healthcare hospitals received this prestigious honor: » Methodist Hospital » Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan » Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak » Methodist Hospital | Northeast » Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant » Methodist Hospital | Texsan To learn more about the methodology used, please visit healthgrades.com. Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan commissions art to honor COVID-19 healthcareworkers “He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” —John 7:38 The COVID-19 pandemic was undoubtedly a challenging time for everyone, but it was particularly challenging for those in the healthcare profession. In collaboration with the McNay Art Museum, Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan commissioned artwork by a San Antonio-based interdisciplinary artist to pay tribute to their employees, patients, physicians, and the community. The glazed stoneware piece, “Hearts that Flow like Rivers,” by local interdisciplinary artist, Jenelle Esparza, reflects on and commemorates the effects of the pandemic and all those who faced its innumerable challenges. Esparza has been in the Education Department of the McNay for over five years. Esparza interviewed several frontline hospital staff and physicians representing various departments to gather insight into the pandemic from those doing the critical groundwork. This collection of interviews culminated in an art piece, which symbolically acts as an altar to acknowledge a period of significant loss and resiliency. “The motif of interlocking hands in each arched frame of the artwork is an infinite pattern that flows like a river,” Esparza shared. “It represents the sacredness of water, the continuation of life, and how hospital staff carried each other through extraordinary physical and emotional grief. The arch consists of emblems, symbolizing a unique experience shared during the interview process. Those I interviewed expressed profound personal and professional encounters from within this hospital during one of the most intense periods at the height of our global crisis exposing the humanity and collective sacrifice this community of healthcare workers undertook.” The artwork is located in the main lobby for patients, staff and guests to see and enjoy. Or scan the QR code below.
SAHealth.com 5 KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2023 Tre Jones and SypherPKbrought holiday cheer to patients atMethodist Children’s Hospital Spurs point guard, Tre Jones, in partnership with Spurs Give, helped spread some generous holiday cheer in December by donating a Gamers Outreach Kart (GO Kart) to Methodist Children’s Hospital. GO Karts are used in hospitals to provide an outlet for kids to be themselves during treatment. Through gaming, kids can explore worlds, connect with others, express creativity and most importantly have fun. A brief donation ceremony was held followed by open play with patients. Joining Tre, who is an avid gamer himself, was YouTube content streamer and creator SypherPK and San Antonio’s favorite mascot, the Spurs’ Coyote. SypherPK is known for his gaming streams and videos centering around the game Fortnite. As of December, he is the 19th mostfollowed channel on the Twitch platform. Children of all ages had a wonderful time gaming with Tre and SypherPK. The gaming was live-streamed for children unable to leave their rooms. Methodist Children’s Hospital partnered with students at Taft High School to learn basic nutrition, how to read food labels and calculate nutrition facts for recipes as part of Kids Teaching Kids. Here, high school students share their knowledge with elementary children. Methodist Healthcare teamed up with the American Heart Association, Living for Zachary, and Keita Bates-Diop of the San Antonio Spurs to train athletes and ROTC students on hands-only CPR and AED devices at Central Catholic High School. Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Methodist Children’s Hospital Dr. Mahesh Sharma spoke about the importance of knowing hands-only CPR and learning how to use an AED device to save a life. Methodist Healthcare and Spurs Sports & Entertainment also donated 10 AED devices to local youthserving organizations. Serving our community
6 SAHealth.com KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2023 Timely care saves Sharon’s life Sharon Pettit is quick to admit that she would not be alive today without the care she received at Methodist Hospital | Texsan. In 2021 Sharon was in and out of medical facilities for 10 weeks dealing with COVID-19 and its complications. She had a pulmonary embolism, which made her COVID-19 worse. She was unable to breathe and felt very sick. “I could not walk at all,” she said. “I thought that I was dying.” She was so disoriented that she remembered getting into the ambulance to go to the hospital, but not much after that. Her challenges continued as she had difficulties with equipment. Her chest tube was pulled out, and she nearly died. Then her lung collapsed. Her situation changed when she arrived at Methodist Hospital | Texsan ER. Carmelo Ortero, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon, assured her that she would recover and provided her with the determination to complete her rehabilitation. “The level of care is unmatched,” said Sharon, a retired nurse. “The level of expertise and dedication was comforting to me and provided my husband with a sense of relief. I also was impressed with the effective communication and timely delivery of patient care.” Now, in the last stages of her rehab, Sharon looks forward to spending time with her grandchildren. The Methodist Diabetic Foot and Ankle Center is located at 4330 Medical Dr Pavilion, Suite 120, San Antonio, TX 78229. To make an appointment, call 210-575-3327 or talk to your primary care provider. Methodist Hospital opens Diabetic Foot and Ankle Institute to combat amputation rates More than 14 percent of Bexar County residents have diabetes, which is higher than the state average of 11.4 percent and the national average of 10.5 percent. Methodist Hospital is proud to have opened the Diabetic Foot and Ankle Institute (DFAI) to serve as a barricade against San Antonio’s high rates of diabetes complications, one of the highest-ranked cities in the nation. Diabetes-related complications and infection can often lead to the loss of limbs. Preventing lower extremity amputation is critical, not only for mobility, but also for survival. Delayed treatment is the largest contributor to diabetic amputations, and some of the most serious complications of diabetes are poor circulation and loss of sensation in the feet. These issues put patients with diabetes at greater risk for foot ulcers, non-healing wounds, and infections that, left untreated, often result in the loss of a lower extremity. The Methodist Diabetic Foot and Ankle Institute provides the highest and most comprehensive level of patient-centered care by treating complex deformities, infections, and traumatic injuries. The program takes a multidisciplinary approach and offers the most up-to-date treatment options with a focus on wound healing and amputation prevention. The DFAI team is comprised of a range of specialists, including cardiologists, wound care specialists, vascular surgeons and endocrinologists. When preventive measures have been exhausted, various surgical approaches can be offered to provide each patient with a functional, biomechanically sound foot that is free of infection, while minimizing the risk of future lower extremity complications. “We have a team of medical and surgical experts readily available to care for our patients with any underlying conditions and lower extremity complications,” said Thomas Zgonis, DPM, FACFAS, Podiatric Surgeon and DFAI Medical Director. “Our goal is to redefine care to the San Antonio community and to become the leading center and resource for advanced wound care and lower extremity preservation.” Sharon Pettit and her husband, Bob.
SAHealth.com 7 KEEPINGWELL — SPRING 2023 Healing interactive art experiences coming toMethodist Hospital | Northeast The patients, employees and visitors at Methodist Hospital | Northeast will soon be able to participate in interactive art experiences five days a week, through the support of Hearts Need Art, a San Antonio nonprofit organization. The mission of Hearts Need Art is to create moments of joy, self-expression and connection for those facing life-altering health challenges through arts engagement, advocacy and innovation. In fall 2022, Hearts Need Art was named the 2022 High Impact Grant Recipient for the “Arts and Culture” award presented by Impact San Antonio. As one of the largest collective-giving, grant-making organizations in the nation, Impact San Antonio empowers women to join together to achieve meaningful change. The grant will provide $100,000 in funding for “Artful Recovery for Healthcare” five days a week for 45 weeks to the patients, employees and visitors at Methodist Hospital | Northeast. During the interactive art experiences, patients, employees and visitors can participate in a variety of healing opportunities. The incredibly talented staff members at Hearts Need Art are able to host group or bedside art sessions, corridor concerts, holiday crafts, writing of poems, letters or haikus, and other unique healing engagements to help individuals feel seen, heard and loved while facing life-altering health challenges. Upon conclusion of the “Artful Recovery for Healthcare” grant, the data collected will be used to further advocate for increasing the need for arts within the healthcare industry. Methodist ER | CityBase opens in South SanAntonio Methodist Healthcare recently opened its newest free-standing emergency room in the Brooks City Base community. Located in the Brooks City Base Landing Shopping Center, Methodist ER | City Base is an extension of Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan. The facility provides exceptional care 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the citizens of the Brooks City Base and South San Antonio communities. “Families on the south side deserve quality healthcare... It means so much to this district, which has traditionally been underserved, but we are growing, and people are noticing,” said District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran. This facility brings the health system’s total number of FSERs to 10. Methodist ER | City Base consists of board-certified ER and trauma physicians, registered nurses, and other medical staff who provide quality, compassionate care to families throughout the Brooks City Base community and surrounding areas. “We are excited to have this new presence in the Brooks City Base community,” said Greg Seiler, Chief Executive Officer of Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan. “We have always served this community from our hospital’s campus and can now provide excellent emergency care much closer to home.” Hannah Ware, Imaging Services Department, guides Jordyn Ruiz in an art session.
METHODIST HEALTHCARE 8109 Fredericksburg Road San Antonio, TX 78229 Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID San Antonio, TX Permit No. 1409 Call-A-Nurse forChildren from MethodistChildren’sHospital 210-22-NURSE (210-226-8773) Monday through Friday, 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Weekends and major holidays. When your child has a medical need, Call-A-Nurse for Children from Methodist Children’s Hospital has specially trained pediatric nurses to assist you with medical advice concerning your child. HealthBus andWellWaldo’sWheels 210-MHS-RIDE (210-647-7433) HealthBus for adults and Well Waldo’s Wheels for children and expectant moms provide transportation from your home to your doctor’s office or hospital and then pick you up later and take you home. This service is especially helpful for adults and children with special needs that require extra transportation assistance. For information on how to schedule a ride and the specific hospitals and ZIP codes served, please call 210-MHS-RIDE. Medical Advice for Adults 210-575-0355 Available 24/7 Articles in Keeping Well do not necessarily represent the opinions of doctors practicing at Methodist Healthcare facilities. Methodist Hospital campuses include: Methodist Children’s Hospital, Methodist Hospital, Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant, Methodist Hospital | Texsan, Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan, and Methodist Hospital | Northeast. Additional Methodist Healthcare hospitals are Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak and Methodist Hospital | Atascosa. Information in KEEPING WELL comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Models may be used in pho- tos and illustrations. 2023 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. KEEPING WELL is published as a commu- nity service for the friends and patrons of Methodist Healthcare, 8109 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78229, telephone 210-575-0355, website SAHealth.com. Dan Miller, President and CEO Palmira Arellano, Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs Cheri Love-Moceri, Associate Vice President of Communications Good to know In honor of March being Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Darnell Adams, Head Chef, and Taylor Brizzee, Bariatric Dietitian from Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan, have come together to create a healthy recipe of pistachio-crusted salmon to reduce your risk for colon cancer. To view the recipe, please use this QR code: SanAntonio Spurs welcome newest fans born on NewYear’s Day The San Antonio Spurs were excited to welcome the newest additions into their Spurs family; the first babies born in 2023 at Methodist Hospital, Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan, and Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak! The Spurs gifted the babies their first set of fan gear, and the employees were excited to help welcome them into the world on New Year’s Day.
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