Page 4 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

SURVIVOR, Continued from page 3 like a big rubber band snapping in- me and take me to urgent care. days. “I went through 7 bags of IV an-
side, and it causes horrible pain and Then by the time he arrived to pick tibiotics, they alternated between two
scription for an abdominal ultra- bloating, followed by a fever.” me up, I already determined that I antibiotics, one of which burned
sound.” Rhaesa underwent two ultra- Again, Rhaesa called her gynecol- wanted to go straight to the main going in and the nurse put ice packs
sounds shortly thereafter and ogist. Due to COVID, gynecologist’s hospital” said Rhaesa. “My brother on my arm to help with the discom-
requested that the results be sent to offices were so backed up, Rhaesa was trying to be careful driving, he fort” says Rhaesa. “John arrived at
her gynecologist. was given available appointment could see I was in pain, I held my the hospital to spend the night with
Concurrently, Rhaesa continued dates two months away. seatbelt out from my stomach the en- me and my brother-in-law took my
to prioritize the well-being of loved On March 29, Rhaesa’s condition tire drive and I reclined my seat and mother home. The next morning, I
ones. She regularly assisted her worsened. braced my feet on the floorboard of told John I could have my sister
mother and John was also helping Recalls Rhaesa, “I felt sluggish his vehicle.” Rhaesa and her brother come stay with me so he could go
his mother. Additionally, since 2016, and just kept laying down, and I had picked up their mother and headed home and feed the dog and take care
she and her husband John had been no appetite. But I was just thinking straight to the ER at St. Joe’s Hospi- of her.” Rhaesa’s sister came up and
the primary caregivers for an elderly that an ovarian cyst had ruptured.” tal. stayed with her and shortly after,
friend, who still hadn’t returned But a turning point happened a Once at the hospital, things Rhaesa underwent an MRI, which
home after being hospitalized in Oc- few days later on March 31. moved quickly for Rhaesa. “I got an drastically altered the course the
tober of 2021. Rhaesa and her husband had IV inserted, and they felt around my doctors had planned to take.
In short, Rhaesa’s plate was full. tickets to see contemporary Chris- stomach—thinking that it was my “The doctors wanted to be clear
Rhaesa and her husband buried tian music singer Steven Curtis appendix, they also scanned my on where to insert the needle [to
both of their fathers the same week, Chapman perform live at Plymouth’s bladder and did several other tests draw fluid from the mass], but once
her father on Monday, February 7th, NorthRidge Church where they were late into the night.” the doctor saw the MRI, they de-
and his father on Friday, February meeting up with friends. Two doctors had examined clined because they didn’t want any-
11th. And the episodes were in- When Rhaesa entered the church, Rhaesa prior to an ultrasound, thing to spread,” says Rhaesa. “They
creasing in frequency, one of them she was taken aback by an extreme— which revealed that an abscess had said that they’d have to remove the
occurring the night before her fa- tearing—ache in her abdomen. She ruptured, and another ultrasound mass surgically—an open surgery
ther’s viewing. quickly realized that she couldn’t was completed as well. Finally, a that would also involve a radical hys-
“On St. Patrick's Day, I had an- stay at the performance. Rhaesa in- CAT scan identified a mass that doc- terectomy as well as the removal of
other—a pretty bad one,” says sisted John stay at the concert with tors suspected was cancerous. the appendix and omentum.” The
Rhaesa. “John and I had plans to go their friends. ”I called my brother Rhaesa was kept at the hospital first step, doctors said, was to rid
to US 12 to get our St. Patty’s Day who lived close to the church. I for two nights and was given IV an-
dinner…but I felt it coming on. It’s asked him if he could come and get tibiotics and pain medication both See Survivor, page 6

4 · September 2022 · The Wayne Dispatch