Tiffany’s road to recovery

if you are reading this it is not likely you have never heard of Superior mesenteric artery syndrome, only about .13% of the population will ever experience its horror. Two weeks ago, Tiffany woke me up and said, “Chris I need you to take me to the E.R. I think my kidneys are shutting down. This didn’t make since…. I mean not often do you do to bed with an upset stomach and 12 hours later have a abnormally swollen torso that is obviously retaining fluid. No time to play doctor and I dial 911 because by now Tiffany’s breathing is labored. By the time I reached the UAMS emergency room, Tiffany was understandably frustrated.! Throwing up is not the top of the list for being seen at the E.R. We talk about it though, and decide this is very serious. By this time dehydration has begun, it’s been 24 hours since anything and I mean anything has stayed in Tiffany’s stomach. 9 hours later The diagnosis was Superior mesenteric artery syndrome Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a gastro-vascular disorder in which the third and final portion of the duodenum is compressed between the abdominal aorta (AA) and the overlying superior mesenteric artery. This rare, potentially life-threatening syndrome is typically caused by an angle of 6°–25° between the AA and the SMA, in comparison to the normal range of 38°–56°, due to a lack of retroperitoneal and visceral fat (mesenteric fat).forward to today.It’s been two weeks since that ambulance trip and We almost lost Tiffany. We are still not in the clear. Tiffany is n a feeding tube and needs around the clock care.? On top of the Superior mesenteric artery syndrome Tiffany has dozens of stomach ulcers:. she needs your help. Tiffany lost both her parents at age 17 Her only family left are one set of grandparents. She needs us. The bills are due and she is fighting for her life.!