When Courtney Williams hit one of the lowest points in her life, she put her trust in her Adena Health colleagues to pull her through.
“I literally didn’t know what was going on with me,” says Courtney, a respiratory therapist at Adena. “When I finally went to the doctor, I really thought I was terminal. I asked for every possible test because I’d never felt this way before.”
Courtney’s symptoms and diagnosis
Initially, Courtney dismissed her symptoms — heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, blood pressure changes, aching legs, and brain fog — as anxiety or panic attacks. After suffering for four months, however, she feared it was something more and reached out to her primary care provider, Kara Roof, CNP.
Lab results revealed Courtney was anemic and required iron infusions as a temporary solution until the root of the problem could be discovered. Further testing, including an ultrasound, determined a hysterectomy was necessary. She vividly remembers that time because her daughter gave birth to twins and Courtney was barely able to provide help with the newborns.
Not wanting life to go on that way, Courtney chose Scott Morehead, MD, OB/GYN, to perform the surgery, trusting him from a previous experience with an emergency procedure.
Finding strength through Adena’s Care Team
As a patient, Courtney says, the experience gave her a new appreciation of the quality of care at Adena. Each member of her care team — including Roof, Nelly Rhoads, CNP, Jaclyn Fraley, CNM, Chase Smith, CRNA, Dr. Morehead, and many others — played a critical role in her journey to recovery.
“I would definitely recommend our people at Adena to anybody,” Courtney says. “I’ve always had faith in our physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and caregivers. The way I was treated across the board — and the way I’ve seen them treat others — is amazing.”
Her procedure went well, and within hours, she was back on her feet. The long-term impact, she says, has been life-changing.
“I had always gone to the gym, and when I started having problems, I couldn’t do that, go out with friends, or even go to the store because I couldn’t breathe well,” Courtney recalls. “Now, I’m back to doing normal things and walking every day and being active in ways that at one point I didn’t think I would be able to do. I have my Adena family to thank for that.”
Courtney urges other women experiencing similar problems not to wait to seek help. When they make that decision, she says, they will find compassionate, knowledgeable caregivers at Adena who will provide support from the first appointment all the way through recovery.
Don’t put off getting answers. Like Courtney, you can find quality, expert care from Adena Women’s Health. Take the first step toward feeling like yourself again by visiting Adena.org/Womens or calling 740-779-7201.