When Jenna Bostick experienced a medical emergency, she needed specialized expertise and resources to determine what was wrong and provide the care she needed.
She found both with gynecologic oncologist and complex gynecologic surgeon Dr. John Schorge, Chief of the Regional One Health OB/GYN Service.
Dr. Schorge led a multidisciplinary team that help Jenna overcome a serious diagnosis and get back to enjoying her career, family and friends.
When Jenna Bostick went to a local emergency room, she had no idea she was about to be at the center of a medical mystery. To find a solution, she needed the multispecialty expertise available only at a comprehensive medical center like Regional One Health.
A team led by John Schorge, MD, chief of the Regional One Health OB/GYN Service and chair of University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, provided advanced care that took Jenna from gravely ill to an astonishing recovery.
“Because she had something of a medical mystery, she needed a hospital with comprehensive services. She needed multiple disciplines involved so when a diagnosis became clear the proper person would be ready to intervene immediately,” Dr. Schorge said.
“That’s the benefit of a medical center where patients have access to academic physicians and advanced resources – she had a team of experts working collaboratively toward what turned out to be an astonishing recovery.”
Jenna had been in good health her whole life, so when she started gaining weight in her abdomen as she approached 40, she attributed it to aging.
But in early March, she became extremely ill. “I had a lot of fluid on my abdomen. I couldn’t eat or drink anything for several days, and I started running a fever,” she said.
Dr. John Schorge led a team that provided the diagnosis and care Jenna needed. “Because she had something of a medical mystery, she needed a hospital with comprehensive services. She needed multiple disciplines involved so when a diagnosis became clear the proper person would be ready to intervene immediately,” Dr. Schorge said.
She went to a local emergency room, but doctors couldn’t determine what was wrong. They discussed transferring her to University of Alabama-Birmingham or Vanderbilt in Nashville, but ultimately spoke with Dr. Schorge about the care available at Regional One Health.
“We made our case, and it was clearly the right decision,” he said. “We have the advanced resources and multidisciplinary care she needed, and she didn’t have to travel 200 miles away from her friends and family, who were a big source of encouragement and support for her.”
At Regional One Health, doctors determined Jenna needed surgery, but was too malnourished and retaining too much fluid to endure an operation immediately.
It was the start of a marathon two-month hospital stay.
“It was a shock, and I was very anxious,” Jenna said. “I remember meeting Dr. Schorge and how calm and kind he was. He wasn’t panicked, so I didn’t panic. He explained everything in a way I could understand, and when he broke it down, it wasn’t as scary.”
Dr. Schorge told Jenna she needed medical nutrition therapy via IV to get strong enough for surgery. He brought in interventional radiology to place a drain that would ultimately remove liters of fluid from her abdomen.
Still, a diagnosis did not immediately emerge.
Two CT scans were inconclusive. The fluid from her abdomen was non-malignant, but also non-diagnostic. Bloodwork failed to unravel the mystery.
Jenna would need surgery both to reveal her diagnosis and resolve it, making the multispecialty expertise available through Regional One Health and UTHSC even more critical.
“We were able to have weekly calls with multiple experts discussing all aspects of her case: nutrition, diagnosis, surgical options, reconstruction, etc.,” Dr. Schorge explained. “We could all weigh in on our different pieces because we’re co-located here at Regional One Health.”
Jenna said Dr. Schorge helped put her at ease about her treatment options: “I remember meeting Dr. Schorge and how calm and kind he was. He wasn’t panicked, so I didn’t panic. He explained everything in a way I could understand, and when he broke it down, it wasn’t as scary.”
When it was time for surgery, a multispecialty team stood ready: gynecologic oncology, surgical oncology, medical oncology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, anesthesia, etc.
As it turned out, Dr. Schorge’s complex gynecologic surgery expertise was what Jenna needed: he discovered a massive mucinous cystadenoma, a benign tumor stretching from her left ovary over her uterus to her right ovary and appendix.
“It’s a known diagnosis, but her case was extreme,” Dr. Schorge said. “We had talked ahead of time, and Jenna’s priority was to fix the problem and not have it return. Given the circumstances and shared decision-making, we did a hysterectomy and also removed her appendix.”
Dr. Schorge explained removing the tumor revealed an unrelated cancerous tumor on Jenna’s appendix, meaning the multidisciplinary approach likely saved her from future health problems.
After surgery, Jenna recovered in Regional One Health’s newly-renovated oncology unit in the Rout Center, where physical therapists helped her get home sooner than initially expected.
“They talked about two months of rehab, but Jenna went home in two weeks. It’s a credit to her – she was very motivated,” Dr. Schorge said.
Jenna will have reconstructive surgery to repair her abdominal wall, which was ulcerated due to pressure from the tumor, but other than that won’t need ongoing care.
Now that she’s getting back to normal, Jenna is enjoying her real estate career and spending time with family and friends. “I’m just so thankful for Dr. Schorge and his team,” she said. “They made a potentially terrible experience a really good experience. I think he’s one of the best!”
Her amazing result is an example of how Regional One Health and UTHSC are elevating the level of care available in our community. “We have specialists covering all the critical areas, so no matter what diagnosis we reach, we have that person on our team,” Dr. Schorge said. “Jenna’s care exemplifies what we’re pushing for as the experience for every patient in terms of expertise, communication, and ancillary services. It’s a case study of what we’re capable of here.”
For Jenna, it’s a chance to return to a rewarding career in real estate and spending time with her beloved dog, family and friends.
“I have nieces and a nephew who I’m very close with. We’ve always spent lots of time together, and I spend a lot of time with my friends,” she said. “But before my surgery I was really down. I wasn’t feeling like myself. Normally, I’m very extroverted and I love being around people, but I just wasn’t feeling very social.”
“Now, everyone keeps commenting how I’m back to my old self!”
As her life gets back on track, Jenna often thinks about something Dr. Schorge told her shortly before she was discharged.
“He said, ‘You’re young. Go and live life!’” she recalls. “I can’t stop thinking about that. I’m trying to be more intentional with the people in my life. I was always happy to see them, but now I’m being intentional about spending time with the people I love and having shared experiences.”
“I’m just so thankful for Dr. Schorge and his team. They made a potentially terrible experience a really good experience. I think he’s one of the best!”