Patient reunites with life-saving doctor at HCA Florida Westside Hospital
PLANTATION — Katherine Nava traveled to the Dominican Republic with her family in July.
"Then, my stomach started hurting for like three days," she said.
She hoped it would go away.
"I thought it was normal because ever since I was little, I used to get like stomach pains," she said. "Then they would go away once I like go to sleep and then wake up, they'll go away. But this time, it wouldn't go away."
Luckily, Momma knows best, and took her to the hospital.
"We were traveling from Punta Cana in the airplane, she was crying all the trip," Susana Benejam said.
Katherine's intestine was twisted.
"It actually ended up being a life-threatening illness where she was at risk for death of a part of her intestine and just being in a very bad medical situation," Dr. Joseph Carollo said.
Corallo and Dr. Murali Shankar took her into surgery.
"We were actually able to take her to the operating room for very technically difficult operation where we were able to remove the affected part of her colon," he said.
On Saturday, Katherine reunited with her medical team at HCA Florida Westside Hospital. She brought in goodie bags filled with candy, chocolates and coffee mugs.
"I'm coming back to the hospital where I was at for a week and where they did the surgery, and I'm getting to come back like as a visitor," she said, "So it's really nice to be back here again, and like be able to say thank you to all."
Katherine said she is back to feeling 100%.
