Journal entry by Callie McGee —
On Friday, May 15th, Tracy went to Baptist ER in Fort Smith. She had been experiencing leg cramps that were worsening. After an ultrasound on her leg, she was sent home with instructions to "work out" the charlie horse in her leg and to see her GP the following week. By Sunday, the pain in her leg and foot had only gotten worse. Tracy awoke on Monday and made an appointment to see her GP immediately. Upon examination, her GP tells her that he is going to have to call a ambulance because it was an EMERGENCY situation. Tracy had been to the EMERGENCY ROOM ALREADY AND WAS JUST TREATED AND RELEASED. Tracy’s GP couldn't find a pulse anywhere in her foot and it was already turning a blue- black- purple color. Tracy arrived at Mercy ER, this time they immediately do a CT scan with dye. Results: a blood clot. She is then admitted into the ICU and treatment finally begins. Herapin Is hung, she is taken into surgery and TPA is administered . Post-surgery, the surgeon calls Tracy’s wife and informs her that the surgery didnt go well. Tracy was losing blood, needed a transfusion and possibly an amputation of the leg. Tracy would also need to be flown to a HIGHER level of care facility. After a 3 hour wait, Tracy boards Merci 1 and arrives at UAMS an hour later. Tracy’s new surgeon at UAMS confers with his colleague and they have decided to do another CT. They discover that Tracy has 3 clots in her leg behind the 8 ball. He said that they were going to do another surgery and place stents in the arteries with the clot. On Thursday, 24 hours post stent, Tracy’s doctors determine that her leg has been irreparably damaged due to the delay in care that she received. On Friday morning, May 22, Tracy will once again go into the operating room to have her leg amputated. Tracy is a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a grandmother, and a friend to many. Tracy is a dedicated employee, who coaches and shuttles her grandsons to every sport they play. She is a primary care giver to her 3 grandsons. She is important and she is deeply loved. These next few months will be a challenge, even for someone as strong and brave as Tracy is. The average hospital stay, post amputation, is 5-14 days. The average cost of an amputation is $30,000-$60,000. Tracy needs is to show up for her right now, the way she would, and probably has, shown up for many of us. Your support, love, and prayers are deeply appreciated. Love, Tracy’s family
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