Cheryl Bates
Thank to her doctor and a team of specialists, Cheryl Bates was able to receive help and manage her illness.
“Mrs. Bates came in with swelling, knee pain, and shortness of breath,” said Dr. Michael Cavazos, cardiologist. “She told me she had just learned to live with the symptoms, but I knew something was wrong. I admitted her to Methodist Hospital Texsan directly from my office.”
Dr. Cavazos was right. Bates needed a full analysis for care. He pulled together a team of experts, including a pulmonologist, vascular surgeon and orthopedist, to help.
“I specialize in the heart, but we always look at the whole body for comprehensive care,” said Dr. Cavazos. “I introduced her to the team at Methodist Hospital Texsan to help her figure out what was causing all of her health issues.”
Cheryl Bates had her first blood clot at age 20 and continued to have blood clots throughout her life. In addition, she suffered from fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, hypertension and her metabolism had changed.
“We are all unique. God’s gift. This is the body I was given,” said Cheryl Bates, 72. “But the pain was getting unbearable. I couldn’t walk. My oxygen levels and stamina were non-existent.”
As a sales representative for KAS Rugs, she met with interior designers across Texas and regularly attended international markets. When COVID-19 started, travel stopped, and she realized that she needed to focus on her health. A friend connected her with Dr. Cavazos. He diagnosed her with heart failure. His colleague Dr. Nessa Miller, a vascular surgeon at Methodist Hospital Texsan, discovered and removed an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter implanted in Bates 17 years ago to help keep the blood clots out of her lungs. Dr. Miller replaced it with a modern filter.
“Dr. Miller gathered her team and removed the broken and malfunctioning filter, inserted stents and gave her life again,” said Frankie Bates, Cheryl Bates’ husband. “Had Dr. Miller not removed that filter, Cheryl would not have been able to receive the knee replacement she needed. She would not have survived the surgery. That is my honest opinion.”
After several surgeries for her cardiovascular issues, she met with Dr. Raymond Skunda, orthopedic surgeon at Methodist Hospital Texsan, to evaluate her knee. She had stage IV rheumatoid arthritis. He tried injections to help relieve the pain, but eventually she needed a knee replacement. Again, she was back for surgery and rehabilitation. With help from her Physical Therapist Victoria Hall, Bates was standing on her new knee within a day, and climbing stairs on her own within a few days.
“I do want to commend the wonderful therapist and doctors in the rehab unit. They did a great job preparing me for home care and getting back into normal everyday living,” said Bates. “There were some very dear nurses and PCAs who gave excellent care and showed so much compassion.”
Her husband echoes the praise for the hospital, surgeons and care teams.
“We live in Shiner, Texas, and we choose to drive two hours to be treated here,” said Frankie Bates. “I’m one to honor and credit staff for doing their job and doing it with grace and dignity. Keep up the art of saving lives and caring for the sick.”