Over Labor Day weekend, Beth Taylor’s family checked her out of the nursing home so she could attend her great-grandchild’s birthday party that was just a couple of hours drive away. Although Beth, who is living with Alzheimer’s, had mentioned some hip pain before leaving, it didn’t seem serious at the time.

After the party, as the family prepared to head home, Beth began having more difficulty walking. Her daughters quickly noticed her leg was swelling significantly and had taken on a purple tint. Concerned, they called the nursing home, which advised them to bring her back for evaluation. The physician on call suggested they continue monitoring her over the weekend and planned to reevaluate on Monday.

When Beth’s husband visited her that Monday, he immediately saw her condition had worsened. Her leg looked much worse than before, and she was unable to walk. Alarmed, the family decided to take her straight to the Emergency Department at Hannibal Regional.

The Emergency Department performed an ultrasound which revealed that Beth may be suffering from blood clots. A CT scan was then performed showing a significant amount of blood clots across Beth’s abdomen, down her left leg, and a few minor clots in her lungs.

Beth and her family met with Interventional Radiologist Dr. Joshua Totchtrop, who carefully explained Beth’s condition and the options they had which was to remove the clots, or to put Beth on bedrest with medication. He explained that Hannibal Regional has the technology to minimally invasively remove blood clots. With Beth having Alzheimer’s, the family was concerned about her ability to remain still for the procedure, but ultimately decided that clot removal would provide the best quality of life moving forward.

Beth’s procedure was a success. Dr. Totchtrop was able to remove a significant number of clots from her knee up and across her abdomen, while the remaining clots in her ankle and lungs would dissolve with medication. With only one stitch behind her knee, Beth was able to return to the nursing home just two days after the procedure and walk from the car using a walker, a remarkable improvement in such a short time. She had even regained her appetite, which she had lost a few months earlier.

“Dr. Totchtrop was great; he took his time and answered all of our questions, with no rush at all. He helped us weigh our options and ultimately choose the best decision for Beth. The care we received from the moment we walked into the Emergency Department all the way through the Step-Down unit was wonderful. Everyone was kind, and we felt like we were among family. I don’t know why people would choose to travel to St. Louis or Columbia for care, we have the best hospital right here. The nurses took special care of Beth and made her feel comfortable the entire time, while also taking care of all of us as a family,” explained Beth’s husband, Larry Taylor.

With Beth being an Alzheimer’s patient, her health is closely monitored by her husband and daughters, making communication about procedures, tests, and doctor updates essential. Beth’s daughter, Angie Wilcoxson explained, “As soon as we arrived at the hospital, my dad, sister, and I were all set up with MyChart through Epic on our phones. Anytime a test came up, we were notified immediately. This was so helpful, we could have a clear picture of Mom’s health, attend appointments or meetings with doctors prepared with questions, and review detailed reports anytime, even if we weren’t in the room which positively added to the seamless care we received at Hannibal Regional.”

Beth will continue taking blood thinners for a few months and will be reevaluated, her story is a reminder of how quickly health concerns can escalate. Thanks to her family’s quick action and the expertise of the Hannibal Regional team, she received the care she needed. Hannibal Regional offers advanced, minimally invasive procedures using Inari Medical catheters to remove blood clots without major surgery, allowing for faster recovery and better outcomes, all close to home. To schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider at Hannibal Regional, call 573-248-1300.