Erick Diaz

“Please know that I will forever be thankful for the Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant staff for saving my life,” says Erick.

Erick Diaz, 42, a husband and father of three, was diagnosed with cirrhosis, a condition in which your liver is scarred and permanently damaged. Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue and causes the liver to lose functionality. The liver can then no longer filter out toxins from the blood. Many of the symptoms Erick experienced included stomach bloating (due to the accumulation of fluid), nausea, confusion, anxiety and he had limited physical mobility. Erick described his pain as almost bed ridden. In Erick’s case, the cause of cirrhosis was related to excessive alcohol use. His doctors were very surprised at how fast it developed as this is known to be more prevalent in older individuals.

As a project manager who works from home, Erick sits in an office for 8 or more hours a day and with his condition, it prevented him from sitting for long periods of time. He was unable to focus, felt very uncomfortable and it affected his overall day-to-day activities. Between January 2022 and March 2022, Erick underwent paracentesis once a week in order to drain out the excess fluid. This procedure provided him with temporary relief.

Erick and his wife flew in from El Paso, Texas for a 3-day evaluation on April 12, 2022. Physicians provided him with very detailed and candid feedback about his serious liver condition. The couple was not prepared for this news, but the staff was very helpful in providing information on their next steps and coordinating a longer stay in San Antonio.

After many days of testing, Erick broke down and he began to tear up. A nurse and tech played religious music and prayed with Erick, which really helped him remain calm and stay positive. At that moment, he knew this facility was different, and God had placed him there for a specific reason. 

When Erick discovered he was going to need a liver transplant, he felt a sense of relief but also fear. “Having zero surgeries to one major life-saving surgery was quite overwhelming,” commented Erick. “I was very surprised with the liver team. I was only on the transplant list for 11 days.” Erick spoke about the sense of urgency and how difficult this journey was going to be. Luckily, Erick had the support of his family. His recovery time in the hospital was about two weeks, and his wife stood by his side the entire time. Erick was extremely grateful for the staff who made her feel comfortable and provided her with all the necessities.

Post-transplant, Erick began to notice change in the color of his skin. Prior to 

surgery, his skin was yellow. He slowly began to gain his physical mobility within 2-3 days after surgery and his veins were visible again. “I was always in the right hands,” says Erick. He described his experience in the hospital as easy, comfortable and calming.  

In a note to hospital staff, Erick wrote: “I am thankful for your entire team for saving my life and going above and beyond to provide an excellent experience through this very challenging journey in my life. This is why your program is the best in Texas, if not the entire nation.”

Erick would like to recognize the following staff: Dr. Preston Foster, Dr. Luke Shen, Dr. Kavitha Thudi, Dr. Omer Junaidi, Dr. Aiman Ghufran, Dr. Abhijeet Goyal and FNP Yuni Corwin; in the third floor: Nas (RN), Erica (RN), Tracey, Sylvia, Gladys (Nurse Tech), Sally (EVS), Samantha (EVS), Maricela (EVS) and Lumi (ICU Nurse); in the second floor: Corina Esparza (RN Transplant Coordinator), Deborah (RN), Elizabeth (RN), Mark (RN), Kesha (Nurse Tech), Stephanie (Nurse Tech) and Lori (Occupational Therapist).