SIU's Pelvic Wellness Center gets patient off the sidelines
When you’re a referee, you’re trained to keep your eye on the ball. For Jackie Slayback of Heyworth, Ill., that focus shifted from the court to her own body, specifically, her bladder.
“I work full time and I referee, so I live a pretty active life,” Jackie said. “But for three years, I had to self-catheterize. I always had to think about it. It was really limiting.”
Jackie had been seeing a provider who helped her manage her bladder leakage for years with BOTOX® treatments. The treatments worked well. But after a routine treatment, Jackie began experiencing complications, was unable to empty her bladder naturally and eventually needed to use a catheter. “I’m not sure exactly what happened,” she said. “But after that one visit, I ended up catheterizing for three years.”
She tried to find help elsewhere. “I saw a gynecologist, but I felt like I got brushed off,” she said. So she did what many of us do in moments of frustration and desperation: she turned to Google.
That’s how Jackie discovered the Pelvic Wellness Center at SIU Medicine, where she recognized a familiar name: Samuel Grampsas, MD.
“I had actually seen Dr. Grampsas 20 years earlier when he was practicing in Bloomington. I trusted him then, and I figured, why not see if he could help again?”
Jackie was right to trust her instincts. Dr. Grampsas found that in addition to pelvic organ prolapse and other complications, a leftover piece of surgical mesh from a previous procedure had worked its way into her urethra. He performed a bladder lift, repaired the prolapse and removed the mesh.
“I’m really glad Jackie came in when she did,” said Dr. Grampsas. “Her prolapse and the exposed mesh would have continued to cause pain and dysfunction. These issues don’t resolve on their own; in fact, they tend to get worse.”
Finding the right health care team and getting her the right surgical treatment made all the difference. “The Pelvic Wellness Center team members were all awesome,” Jackie said. From the initial consultation and dealing with insurance to checking in on Jackie after her surgery, Jackie knew she had partners who cared about her health. “I couldn’t have asked for or received better care or responsiveness to my questions and concerns–before, during and after surgery. It was so nice to have someone in my corner and advocating for me.”
“The biggest milestone?” Jackie grinned. “After the Foley catheter came out post-surgery, I didn’t need to cath anymore. I still carry one with me, just in case, but I haven’t needed it since. That’s freedom.”
Bladder incontinence is more common than most people realize. It affects millions of women and can be incredibly isolating.
“It’s not something we want to talk about,” Jackie said. “But I want others to know: You’re not alone. And you don’t have to just live with it.”
Dr. Grampsas, a board-certified urologist and leader in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, says stories like Jackie’s are all too familiar. “Bladder leakage and pelvic floor disorders are underreported and undertreated,” he said. “A lot of people assume nothing can be done, or they’re too embarrassed to ask for help. But treatment is available, and for many patients, it’s life-changing.”
For Jackie, it’s about getting her life back. “I can get back to doing the things I love without constantly planning around my condition. I tell all my friends: It’s worth the drive to SIU. The Pelvic Wellness team listens, they care and they gave me my freedom back.”
