The Nurse and GI specialist who saved my life.

“Becoming a nurse is one of the most selfless acts a person can undertake. In a society of so many different races, cultures, customs, and beliefs, nurses are a universal gift to all, and the dedicated work that they do and kindness they deliver on a daily basis should serve as a reminder of the fundamental humanity inside us all. “
– ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nurses and honest, caring providers do not get enough credit for what they do on a day-to-day basis.

When you’re not feeling well and end up at a check-up, or worse, an Emergency Room with nurses and doctors who treat their patients exactly as though you’re at the DMV… it makes for a totally bad experience.

Further, have you ever met someone who enjoyed being a patient in the hospital?

It freakin’ sucks and it doesn’t help when doctors obviously and truly don’t care about their patients…who knows, maybe they used to but we’ve all had one Primary Care or even specialist who didn’t seem trustworthy or willing to figure out x problem.

The beginning of my life-changing moment was pretty harsh and the providers I worked with before the EXODUS clinic caused a severe infection that altered my life until the end.

The Nurse and GI specialist who saved my life went the extra mile, every single day.

Most importantly, as a woman who worked in the medical industry, it was easy to see the strength they had within the first 5-minutes of our introductions.

Damn, that’s rare, right?

Well, in 2012, I spent most of the year with chronic bowel problems. We’re talking going to the bathroom between 6-10 times a day, progressively, I got worse and tried having a colonoscopy done by a GI specialist at Intermountain Health Care.

As always, the results came back normal, but this specialist missed something far more important than a diagnosis of ulcers or autoimmune diseases (which she also missed) due to careless follow-up and negligence when using their system for communication.

Self-Image can feel so damn humiliating.

Unfortunately, anytime I sent an electronic communication, she would just respond with, “try this diet,” or “just take your pills.”

Completely missing a diagnosis she could have easily seen had done the procedure correctly.

Fed, up I began doing more research online, I wanted to find the highest rated specialist because I was tired of being thrown around and I’m a fighter.

Nonetheless, one morning a few months later, I found the EXODUS clinic and instantly called the clinic in Magna, UT after reading reviews online about specific practitioners, nurses aids and overall clinic quality.

They had a couple of specialists, but luckily they share details about each of their providers and specialists, which brought a “relatable comfort,” to the situation I was facing.

I was off to see my second GI specialist, and who I feel is the literal best gastroenterologist in the entire state.

In fact, Dr. Radwin is one of the only doctors in Utah who can perform a double-balloon enteroscopy procedure with ease, skill, and patience.

What is a Gastroenterologist?

A Gastroenterologist (GI) is a physician who specializes in diseases of the digestive system, also called the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Honestly, I had very low hopes because of all the doctors prior to visiting Exodus.

But I literally met “Batman” and his side-kick nurse “Robin,”(Georgia Cordova), she’s a valuable person because she cares and works very hard for her patients.

It was easy to assume they would have success with my situation, due to the fact not only did they find out I had antibiotic-associated c.diff (which happens when you use too many antibiotics and get an infection in your intestines, which can literally kill those with weakened immune systems or the elderly) they also found my IBD.

Together, we spent 6-months battling the C.DIFF due to the fact that my body relapsed 3 different times.

Imagine, waking up from a completely healthy body, 115lbs with a perfect 18% body weight, which slowly made you 99lbs with no energy to even get out of bed.

Regardless of how bad I felt, these two made sure I was taken care of and seen as often as needed even within their Instacare.

In Jan 2012, I visited the Insta-care 21 times, I had to buy medication that cost over 400-dollars plus due to my relapses.

Eventually, we kicked C.DIFF’s ass… but something was still wrong. I was now going to the bathroom more than ever before, so we proceeded to do a stool test and saw that the C.DIFF was in fact gone and according to my symptoms, this specialist was able to perform multiple colonoscopies, a pill camera, and a double-balloon to confirm my an official diagnosis.

“You have Crohn’s disease 75% of the way down into your small intestine.”

Little did I know, my life changed that day, I laughed and said: “just Crohns?”

Yep, I googled so I had some ideas as did my husband. I had no idea what a battle this would become in my life.

In fact, this demon took a harsh, emotional toll on my health but the team kept me strong.

Dr. Radwin and Georgia Cordova helped saved my life, my emotional health and they are still working hard to put my disease into remission.

What defines a good medical provider, nurse or specialist?

The US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health shares in great detail what it takes and most can agree with these qualities.

Respect people, healthy or ill, regardless of who they are
Support patients and their loved ones when and where they are needed
Promote health as well as treat disease
Embrace the power of information and communication technologies to support people with the best available information, while respecting their individual values and preferences
Always ask courteous questions, let people talk, and listen to them carefully
Give unbiased advice, let people participate actively in all decisions related to their health and health care, assess each situation carefully, and help whatever the situation
Use evidence as a tool, not as a determinant of practice; humbly accept death as an important part of life, and help people make the best possible arrangements when death is close
Work cooperatively with other members of the healthcare team
Be proactive advocates for their patients, mentors for other health professionals, and ready to learn from others, regardless of their age, role, or status

Proudly, I have to say that EXODUS Healthcare has some amazing providers, so be sure to check them out and if you’re experiencing GI issues and live in the State of Utah, it’s worth the drive, their team doesn’t give up on you, trust me, I’m an active patient, working hard on remission.

Oh, and let’s think about it this way, I have a new normal, and I still have to work, finding out the name of your disease is one thing, living with it is another… emotionally you grieve, it’s difficult to be positive but with a good team, you can achieve anything, and that’s why I feel as though they have the absolute best providers, at least the ones I have been able to see and talk with…

Most people get online to write bad reviews, it’s time for a good one, and one that teaches you exactly what to expect in a good provider.

Remember your health always comes first, so be sure to stay positive and be honest with your doctors, they are there to help.

Thank you to the Exodus Healthcare team for never giving up on my health or disease.