High school sweethearts David and Charlotte Parrish not only have a deep love for one another but also their family, friends, music and just life in general. With three children and ten grandchildren, they truly have many blessings to count. After 2022, David’s health became a blessing that they will forever cherish.
In July of 2022, the Parrish’s world fell apart when David collapsed and was taken to a local hospital. The doctor informed David that his legs were full of blood clots and there was nothing that could be done. David lay in the hospital bed as symptoms from the clotting began to take over his body. Despite being completely mentally aware, David was deteriorating with each passing moment.
The Parrish children rushed home, and the hospital room filled with friends, family, church members and about 19 people playing musical instruments, including David, who joyfully played the Dobro. David was sent home a few days later on hospice with two days to live. As people continued to visit David to say their final goodbyes, his daughter began doing everything she could to get him a second opinion with a doctor in Columbia, MO. Unfortunately, she was unable to secure an appointment, and shortly after, David collapsed at home. Scared to return to the initial local hospital who had placed David on hospice, Charlotte decided to take David to Hannibal Regional Emergency Department.
David was immediately referred to Interventional Radiologist Dr. Blake Kramer who explained that Hannibal Regional has the technology to minimally invasively remove blood clots and that he could do surgery on David’s legs. David and Charlotte could not believe there was another option when they had previously been told by the other hospital that nothing could be done.
Dr. Kramer shares, “Five or six years ago, there were very few interventional options available for blood clots, and they have typically been treated more conservatively with high risk medications. If blood clots are not removed from the legs, they can harden and turn into plaque over time. Sizable blood clots are also at risk of traveling to the lungs, causing a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. By mechanically removing blood clots, patients have a much better outcome.”
Dr. Kramer successfully completed the surgery, but David’s legs filled back up with blood clots due to the presence of a Greenfield filter, a medical filter implanted to prevent pulmonary embolisms, which had been placed by another facility in 2008. Dr. Kramer quickly acted and consulted with a colleague in Columbia to remove the filter. The next day, David had surgery in Columbia to remove the filter and the remaining blood clots.
After recovering at a nursing home, David was released and able to return to his everyday life. He continued to follow up with Dr. Kramer, and his legs have been free of blood clots since 2022. Charlotte gratefully expressed, “Dr. Kramer is not just an outstanding doctor, but a true blessing in our lives. We thank God for Dr. Kramer, he took the time to truly listen and responded with such compassion and care to David’s needs. Through God's grace and Dr. Kramer’s dedicated actions, David is still with us today. We see David as our medical miracle, and we give heartfelt thanks to both Dr. Kramer and God for guiding his hands.”
Hannibal Regional is at the forefront of medical innovation with cutting-edge technology for minimally invasive procedures to remove blood clots. Utilizing specialized catheters from Inari Medical, Hannibal Regional has the ability to entirely remove blood clots without the need for major surgery or potentially harmful medications. Patients have a quicker recovery with this minimally invasive procedure and a much better outcome overall —all within the comfort of our own community in Hannibal. To schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider at Hannibal Regional, call 573-248-1300.