Shonna Golston is one of eight children. Being the fifth child out of seven sisters, Shonna aspired to have a great career and serve her country. She joined the United States Army in 1995 and worked as a lab technician and combat medic. Serving her country was something she had anticipated doing since she was young; however, not much could have prepared her for what the future held after her service.
On Thanksgiving night at her Texas home in 2019, Shonna woke up with a sharp pain in her stomach and started vomiting. After driving to the hospital, doctors told Shonna that she needed an intestinal resection and diagnosed her with short bowel syndrome, a condition that results from an inability to absorb nutrients from food due to having a short length of intestine. After 11 surgeries, Shonna was left with a little over a foot-and-a-half of her small intestine. Typically, you are born with about 10 feet of small intestine and five feet of large intestine.
Shonna was then given an ileostomy pouch, which allows waste to leave the body through a surgically created opening called a stoma. An ileostomy is where your doctor attaches the end of the small intestine to the stoma.
“Initially I was afraid and embarrassed when I was told I needed an ileostomy,” said Shonna. “Then after about one year of living this new life, I just adapted and became a professional at it. I told myself that I needed to live my best life.”
The Path to UPMC
After multiple operations with her bowel in discontinuity and an ileostomy, Shonna came to UPMC through the Veterans Service program. UPMC and the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) partner to provide veterans with care coordination across the UPMC system for all referrals of care from any VA Medical Center in the Pennsylvania region.
“The VA took care of all my travel arrangements and appointment times. They were just phenomenal,” said Shonna. “When I first got to UPMC, I felt so welcome and peaceful. I just knew this was the right place for me as soon as I walked in the door.”
After talking with Ruy Cruz Jr., MD, director of the UPMC Gastrointestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant Program, about treatment options other than transplantation, he informed Shonna that he could perform a surgical procedure known as an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). During this procedure, the lining of the rectum is removed, and the lower end of the small intestine (the ileum) is attached to the opening of the rectum.
“I feel like I got a new lease on life,” said Shonna. “After all I’ve been through and to not have been transplanted, it’s been a miracle.”
The Result: Back to Old Hobbies
During surgery, Shonna’s bowel was able to be connected to her remaining rectum and her ileostomy was reversed. Since then, she is back to doing what she loves – gardening.
“My family and friends have been so supportive throughout my journey, and I cannot thank them enough for that,” said Shonna. “I am back to my old hobbies, and without their support and care, I don’t know how I could’ve done anything.”
Shonna is now coming up on her one-year post-operation date and is back in Texas recovering while surrounded by her family’s loving support.
“Not only has my family been a big part of this journey, the physician assistants, doctors, nurses, staff – everyone at UPMC and the VA has been amazing,” said Shonna. “I call them the dream team. They just work so hard and are phenomenal at what they do.”
Shonna’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.
