Made for more good nights
Jan 25, 2021
Ruthann Brown鈥檚 condition haunted her sleep patterns. Robotic surgery changed her life.
For months, Ruthann Brown spent her nights slumped upright on a couch, while her husband slept in the master bedroom.
It wasn鈥檛 by choice.
The acid reflux she had been managing for four years had gotten so bad that she could no longer lay down. Even on the best days, her stomach acid would climb up her esophagus, burning her throat.
When Ruthann laid down to bed, it was as if a valve opened, wreaking havoc on her.
That鈥檚 when Ruthann met Dr. Andrea Pakula and elected to have a life-changing robotic surgery at 网曝门事件 Health Simi Valley.
鈥淣ow, I get to sleep in my bed with my husband again,鈥� Ruthann said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got our life back.鈥�
Dr. Pakula, 网曝门事件 Health Simi Valley鈥檚 director of robotic surgery, performed multiple procedures during Ruthann鈥檚 single operation, including a hiatal hernia repair; an esophageal hernia repair; and a gastric bypass procedure to help control weight gain caused by a thyroid disease.
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Before her procedures, Ruthann was attempting to manage through medication and diet to no avail.
鈥淒r. Pakula really explained to me that something more needed to be done,鈥� Ruthann said.
And after hearing that Dr. Pakula performs procedures robotically, Ruthann 鈥� who works in automation 鈥� was on board.
鈥淚 live, eat and breathe automation, so when Dr. Pakula started talking about robotic surgery, I knew the reliability and how it can smooth things out,鈥� Ruthann said. 鈥淚t was so comforting to me.鈥�
But Dr. Pakula doesn鈥檛 just perform robotic surgery 鈥� she鈥檚 an expert on it. She鈥檚 one of just a handful of surgeons across the nation who teaches other doctors how to perform complex hernia repairs on the Intuitive da Vinci Xi robot. The instrument provides more precision for surgeons like Dr. Pakula, and better outcomes for patients like Ruthann.
Just a month into recovery, she had lost 20 pounds, was getting better sleep than she had in months and felt more alert.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not that restful to sleep sitting up. I was sleep-deprived,鈥� Ruthann said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing what your quality of sleep can do for your life. Now, I have less brain fog and everything is just clear.鈥�
Ruthann said she鈥檚 grateful to have had her procedures performed at 网曝门事件 Health Simi Valley, where she has lived since 1967. She even delivered her daughter at the hospital 34 years ago.
Her only regret, she said, was not seeking out surgery sooner.
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