Most people can’t wait to leave the hospital. Deidra and Bow Matthews, however, weren’t quite ready on their discharge day.
Deidra had just delivered Chase, a beautiful girl. Holding that tiny, fragile baby in their arms, both new parents felt nervous about what to do next. But the nursing staff at Wellstar Cobb Hospital surrounded them with unfailing support and helped the Matthews family gain more confidence in holding, feeding and swaddling their new bundle of joy.
Article Category: PeopleCare
MatthewsCare
Published on August 11, 2020
Last updated 02:32 PM August 24, 2020
The Matthews family (pictured left to right: Bow, Canon, Chase and Deidra Matthews).
Every child is different and every parent is different. Wellstar clinical staff does a beautiful job of meeting them where they are in their own journey and supplying them with the resources they need.
- Dr. Avril Beckford
Chief of Pediatrics
Listen to the Matthews' Story
“We were scared out of our minds with our first child. We thought we were ready to go home, but when we saw her, she was so little, and we realized we didn't know what we were doing,” Deidra said. “The nursing staff and doctors were just amazing. They were supportive and caring and very instructive as well.”
“People often say, ‘Give us the manual.’ Well, there are guidelines, but there is no manual,” said Dr. Avril Beckford, Chief of Pediatrics at Wellstar. “Our excellent nursing staff educates new parents on the proper techniques for holding, swaddling and feeding the new baby, as well as prevention methods such as safe sleep.”
“Every child is different and every parent is different,” adds Dr. Beckford. “Our clinical staff does a beautiful job of meeting them where they are in their journey and supplying them with the resources they need.”
Twelve wonderful years have since passed. In that time, Chase got a brother, Canon, who was also born at Wellstar Cobb Hospital. Since then, Wellstar has always been a part of the children’s lives, especially when it comes to bumps and bruises.
“We just feel like Cobb is our family hospital,” said Bow. “We would always go to the hospital or urgent care centers and the emergency room. We wouldn’t trust the healthcare of our family with anyone else but Wellstar.”
Care that doesn't skip a beat
Wellstar was there for Bow in the middle of the night when he drove himself to the emergency room with chest pains. After being promptly diagnosed with cardiomyopathy — and by and large, congestive heart failure — the cardiology team led by Dr. Ravi Edupuganti helped Bow make decisions to save his heart and his life.
“Instead of getting a defibrillator implanted, Dr. Edupuganti gave me my options. I had to drastically improve my health through diet and exercise, which I did. He also referred me to the Congestive Heart Failure Academy which has been a tremendous help. I’m here and healthier because of these resources, Dr. Edupuganti and his team.”
Deidra gained a partner in Wellstar when it came to achieving a healthy weight. Because Wellstar had always been so close to heart, Deidra trusted her care team when she began losing weight at an unhealthy pace.
Following her first bariatric surgery with another healthcare system, she was unable to hold food down and wasn’t getting the nutrients her body needed to function. She underwent successful revision surgery with Wellstar Bariatric Surgeon Dr. Fritz Jean-Pierre, and then Deidra found new joy in hobbies that she hadn’t explored in a long time.
“I realized that there are more things to do than going out to lunch or dinner, like going skating or bowling,” Deidra said. “You just feel like you're able to do anything, like you're on top of the world because that one big rock has finally been removed.”
The Matthews family found the care they needed at Wellstar, from the tiny inconveniences, like when Deidra broke her toe, to life-changing moments, such as the birth of two children.
“We go to Wellstar Cobb Hospital because we couldn't imagine anywhere else to go. It's our family hospital,” Deidra said. “They've always been there for the most important moments in our lives. I can't imagine our life without them.”
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Highlights
How Bariatric Surgery Can Improve Type 2 Diabetes—Even Before Significant Weight Loss
People who seek medical help for weight management are used to hearing that results take time. Imagine the surprise of some patients with type 2 diabetes when their blood sugar improves meaningfully within days or weeks of bariatric surgery. It happens—and it’s a dramatic sign of the benefits bariatric surgery holds for many patients, said Dr. Fritz Jean-Pierre, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and national leader in minimally invasive and robotic techniques for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders. When changes in blood sugar following bariatric and metabolic surgery were first observed in the 1990s, the reason was a mystery. But today, medical experts know more about the hormones that regulate hunger and insulin production. They also know more about how bariatric surgery affects the same hormones.
Understanding type 2 diabetes: It starts with insulin resistance
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Insulin resistance happens when muscle, fat and liver cells fail to respond to insulin, causing the pancreas to overproduce the hormone. Eventually, blood sugar rises. Patients may develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Another hormone that affects weight is GLP-1. It’s naturally produced in the gut after eating. GLP-1 helps regulate blood sugar by:- Stimulating insulin
- Suppressing glucagon, a hormone the pancreas produces that raises blood glucose levels
- Slowing digestion
Many recognize GLP-1 today because of the class of weight-management drugs such as Ozempic, Zepbound and Wegovy. These medications mimic and amplify the effects of the GLP-1 hormone.
How bariatric surgery affects hunger hormones and improves health
Several types of bariatric surgery are performed at Wellstar. While each procedure alters the digestive system differently, all appear to influence the hormones that regulate hunger and blood sugar. Hormones, such as GLP-1, that promote fullness and insulin sensitivity increase after surgery. The liver produces less excess glucose, and the body becomes more sensitive to insulin. Other hormones—like ghrelin, which signals the brain that the stomach is empty—decrease after surgery. “We've known since the early 2000s that after bariatric surgery, you have a boost in GLP-1 hormone production,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre. “Patients notice improvements in their blood sugars and that feeling of fullness.” As a result of hormonal changes triggered by surgery, patients who are not yet on insulin replacement therapy may enter diabetes remission relatively soon, according to Dr. Jean-Pierre. “The patient may have lost only 5 or 10 pounds yet their blood sugars have become normalized,” he said. “Their diabetes is completely controlled without medication after surgery. That’s the best-case scenario.” For other patients, improved blood sugar may take longer. Still, clinical trials show that bariatric surgery leads to diabetes remission in 33% to 90% of individuals at one year after bariatric and metabolic surgery.1 “These surgeries are not just changing or shrinking the patient’s stomach,” Dr. Jean-Pierre said. “We're changing their metabolisms in a way that will help improve a lot of related health conditions like high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and fatty liver disease.”Long-term health benefits of bariatric surgery
There are many health risks of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Those include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and joint pain. Unmanaged diabetes can lead to damage to nerves, kidneys, eyes and heart. Stroke risk is also higher in people with diabetes. Physicians have more treatment options for obesity than ever, including surgery, medications and lifestyle changes. Wellstar Center of Best Health is a comprehensive weight management clinic with clinicians, dietitians, psychologists and exercise physiologists who work collaboratively with surgeons. Together, they learn about each patient’s situation and develop a personalized treatment plan with the best chance of success. Some patients may benefit from both surgery and medication. “Obesity is a chronic, relapsing, multi-variable disease process that we have to approach from different angles in order to best treat it,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre. “You must approach it comprehensively, including nutrition and exercise. Medication itself is not a magic bullet. Surgery is not a magic bullet.” Wellstar’s weight loss teams support patients throughout their healthcare journey. The goal is to see patients reach their goals and return for follow-up care in even better health. “It’s amazing when all of these treatment options fire in the right direction and we see the health improvements that come along with surgery,” such as:- Better diabetes control
- Lower blood pressure
- Less joint inflammation and pain
- End of the need to use a CPAP for sleep apnea
“Most surgeons fix something, then you don't see your patient again. With bariatric surgery, it's a very different relationship,” Dr. Jean-Pierre said. “We see our patients for a long period of time afterward. We get to share in their successes and see their accomplishments as they lose that weight.” Learn more about obesity medicine at Wellstar and make an appointment to see an obesity specialist at one of our locations.
1 Affinati, Alison H et al. “Bariatric Surgery in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.” Current diabetes reports vol. 19,12 156. 4 Dec. 2019, doi:10.1007/s11892-019-1269-4
Highlights
Commemorate Cancer Survivors Day with Wellstar
Wellstar supports people with cancer throughout their journeys, from early screenings to diagnosis to treatment. But our encouragement and dedication to delivering world-class, compassionate care doesn’t end in remission.
Across our system, Wellstar honors the bravery and strength of survivors every day, rejoicing in each milestone. This National Cancer Survivors Day, we are proud to pay tribute to the people who have conquered cancer and offer hope to those still fighting. This year’s Cancer Survivors Day theme—Saddle Up for Survivorship—exemplifies our commitment to being a steadfast source of encouragement for cancer survivors and fighters across Georgia.
Several Wellstar facilities will host events—and you can be a part of the celebration!
Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers in Cartersville
June 5
1 PM to 3 PM
65 Cloverleaf Drive, Cartersville
Contact Mary Ellen Smither at [email protected] or (678) 858-1146.
Wellstar Cobb Medical Center
June 5
12 to 2 PM
4040 Hospital West Drive, Austell
The event will be held in the parking lot across from Tranquility Hospice located at 4040 Hospital West Drive.
Contact Ashley Dapremont at [email protected] or (470) 732-4523.
Wellstar Douglas Medical Center
June 6
11 AM to 1 PM
6167 Prestley Mill Road, Douglasville
Douglasville First United Methodist Church
Contact Diane Harris at [email protected] or (470) 644-5411.
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
June 5
11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
320 Kennestone Hospital Blvd., Marietta
Cancer Center
Contact Leena Augustine at [email protected].
Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center
June 6
2 to 4 PM
3000 Hospital Blvd., Roswell
Main lobby in hospital
Contact Sarah Bentley at [email protected] or (770) 751-2556.
Wellstar Paulding Medical Center
June 7
2 to 4 PM
144 Bill Carruth Parkway, Hiram
Atrium
Contact Kellie Mitchell at [email protected] or (470) 644-8106.
Wellstar Spalding Medical Center
June 5
12 PM to 2 PM
608 South 8th St., Griffin
Cancer Center
Contact Sherry Connell at [email protected] or (470) 935-5526.
Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center
June 5
10 AM to 12 PM
111 Medical Drive, LaGrange
Enoch Callaway Cancer Center
Contact Stephanie Hand at [email protected].
Highlights
Walk Through a 7-Foot Colon Model and Learn About Screenings at Wellstar Events
Early detection is the best prevention, especially when it comes to colon cancer. If caught early, colorectal cancer has a 91% survival rate.
For someone at average risk, screenings should begin at age 45. Those with a higher risk or a family history of colorectal cancer may need to start screening sooner. Talk to your care team to create a personalized screening plan.
To raise awareness of the importance of colon cancer screenings, Wellstar’s surgery, gastroenterology, cancer care and community health teams will host informational events throughout March. Visitors can walk through a large inflatable colon model, learn about the importance of screening and early detection, and at some events, nurses will be available to help patients schedule a colonoscopy.
- March 6, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center B Entrance
- March 6, 11 AM - 1 PM, Wellstar Kennestone Cancer Center
- March 11, 10 AM - 2 PM, Wellstar Sylvan Grove Medical Center
- March 12, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Spalding Medical Center
- March 16, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Douglas Medical Center Main Lobby
- March 17, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center Main Lobby (upstairs)
- March 18, 10 AM - 2 PM, Wellstar Windy Hill Main Lobby
- March 20, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Main Lobby
- March 23, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar East Cobb Health Park
- March 24, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Avalon Health Park Lower Level Lobby
- March 25, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Vinings Health Park
- March 26, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Acworth Health Park
- March 27, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Cherokee Health Park
- March 31, 8 AM - 4 PM, Wellstar Cobb Medical Center
Call our colorectal cancer screening hotline at (470) 793-4032.
