Patient Stories
Every Second Counts: Hoag’s rapid response team and cutting-edge technology saves a first-time mom and her baby
Michelle Wood remembers the moment the routine labor and delivery of her baby boy became anything but routine. “As my husband likes to say, he stepped out of the room for 45 seconds, and when he returned, my bed was surrounded.” Michelle’s blood pressure and her baby’s heart rate had suddenly plummeted, a scenario that … Read More
Hoag Empowers New Mom to Advocate for Her Baby–And for Others
Sonia Mann Lehl began advocating for herself and her baby the minute her water broke in the middle of the night, just before Thanksgiving 2022. Although she was only 24 weeks and five days pregnant—and hadn’t experienced her water breaking for the births of her two older sons—she knew what was happening. And she knew … Read More
A Stroke and Heart Condition While Pregnant: How Hoag’s care team saved a patient’s life and her baby
When Sonia revealed to her father over dinner that she was seven weeks pregnant with her second child, he was so overwhelmed with joy that he bought wine for the entire restaurant. The following morning, his excitement quickly turned to terror. “The next call he gets from me was from the ambulance telling him I’m … Read More
From Misdiagnosis to Breakthrough: One Woman’s Journey to Endometriosis Treatment
As a teenager embarking on her freshman year of high school, Amanda Stratton began experiencing severe and mysterious abdominal pain. “Doctors chalked my symptoms up to irritable bowel syndrome, and that was all they could really offer me as a diagnosis,” she said. Months turned into years, and despite following prescribed protocols from specialists and … Read More
One Woman’s Positivity Finds a Home in Hoag’s Comprehensive, Compassionate and Innovative Care
We have a choice about how to react to the heartaches of life. We can wallow in the dark places. Or we can, as Christine Lucas has, place the hummingbird feeder in the sunniest part of the garden, find a comfortable chair and enjoy the gift of being human. After losing two partners to cancer, … Read More
Finding Strength and Resilience: Jennifer’s Journey Through Breast Cancer at Hoag
Fall 2023, Jennifer Drinkwater scheduled an appointment with the Hoag Breast Center to get a second opinion on her small, non-invasive breast cancer diagnosis. Upon further screening, board certified fellowship-trained breast surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Kraft, discovered Jennifer had been misdiagnosed. Jennifer was diagnosed with HER2-positive invasive breast cancer, which had spread to her lymph node. … Read More
Crohn’s Patient – and New Mom – Puts Her Trust in Hoag
Teddi Lamons' inspiring journey to motherhood amidst her battle with severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease highlights the exceptional, patient-centered care at Hoag’s Digestive Health Institute. Guided by Dr. Hwang and Dr. Raskin, Teddi navigated her complex health challenges to safely welcome her daughter, Florence 'Flossie' Lamons, into the world. This heartfelt story underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in managing high-risk pregnancies and chronic conditions.
The Road to Parenthood: Grateful Patient Grows With Hoag
As a young sixteen-year-old starting her health journey, Kailyn Hutchinson first crossed paths with Hoag OB/GYN, Lisa Karamardian, M.D., Jeffrey M. Carlton Endowed Chair in Women’s Health, in honor of Dr. Anne M. Kent and medical director of Maternal Child Health at Hoag Hospital. Little did Kailyn know that this initial meeting would mark the … Read More
Maternal Patient is Grateful for Access to Hoag at Home Postpartum+
As a first-time mother, Sydney Linden found great comfort in Hoag at Home Postpartum+. She was amazed at the direct access and immediate responses the Postpartum+ team offered following the birth of her son. Anytime, day or night, the Hoag team was available to answer questions and ease concerns that came with navigating the journey … Read More
Patient Receives Unique Gift for Postpartum Support
Molly Brooks had no idea what to expect from a unique baby shower gift that gave her access to Hoag at Home Postpartum+, but she quickly fell in love with all the services it has to offer before and after birth. The Postpartum+ team, including Anne Ray, M.D., and Erica Golden, F.N.P., provided quality care … Read More