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How sharing family health history can save lives
Bernadette Buszek
Jan, 2020
Physicians: Benjamin Stockton, MD; David Terhune, MD
Chances are, you have a lot in common with your family members, including hair or eye color, height, and personality traits. While heredity plays an important role in the person you become, it can also be an indication of medical conditions you’ll encounter later in life.
That was the case for Bernadette Buszek. The 72-year-old Dowagiac resident thought she caught the flu over the holidays, but it ended up being a much more serious problem.
"Christmas Eve I woke up with a little bit of discomfort in my kidneys, said Bernadette. ”I was tired, had the chills, and was nauseous. Family members who recently visited with us were suffering from the flu, so, naturally, I assumed that’s what it was.”
Later that day, Bernadette’s husband found her unresponsive. He immediately called 9-1-1 and first responders rushed her to the emergency room at Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph.
“My husband told them he suspected we were exposed to the bird flu, so they checked for that first,” said Bernadette. “Further testing showed I had a severe kidney infection caused by a kidney stone.”
Bernadette was septic. Sepsis is a life-threatening illness caused by your body’s response to infection. The condition can trigger changes in your body that, if left untreated, can damage multiple organs or even prove fatal.
“It was so scary,” said Bernadette. “My memory was foggy, and I was so confused. I can’t imagine what would have happened if my care team at Lakeland hadn’t figured it out as fast as they did.”
Urologist, David Terhune, MD, started Bernadette on a round of antibiotics to clear up the infection, and placed a tiny tube, known as a stent, into the blocked passageway between her kidney and bladder to allow urine to pass through.
A week after Bernadette was hospitalized, she saw urologist, Benjamin Stockton, MD, to address the kidney stone. Dr. Stockton and his team performed a non-surgical procedure that uses shock waves outside the body to break the kidney stone into tiny pieces.
“It was like clockwork,” said Bernadette. “It didn’t take long and there was no pain. Everyone was great, and it was so easy having it done in an outpatient setting.”
A follow-up X-ray showed the treatment was a success. As a result, Physician Assistant, Lyndsey Brown, PA, was able to remove Bernadette’s stent.
“Lyndsey was very kind,” said Bernadette. “I just can’t say enough about all the staff. From the hospital emergency room, to the Center for Outpatient Services, they were all very friendly and professional. I am very thankful for how they helped me through that experience.”
While Bernadette says it took her a while to get her appetite and strength back, she knows the outcome could have been much worse, had her husband not sought help when he did. She offers advice to anyone who’s nervous about sharing information about their medical history with family members.
“I learned not to ignore the symptoms because they won’t always go away,” said Bernadette. “And talk to your family. My sister also suffers from kidney stones, and even though she has much different symptoms, we still share the same problem. Relaying that kind of information could save a life.”