Grandmother of 11 considered 'walking miracle' after beating both COVID and pancreatitis
[July 13, 2021: Josh Shavit]
A grandmother of 11 is being called a "walking miracle" for beating the odds and surviving COVID-19 and pancreatitis.
Alisa White, 61, returned to Huntington Hospital on Tuesday six months after a procedure that saved her life.
White was admitted to the hospital in January with severe pancreatitis after surviving a prolonged hospital stay with coronavirus.
Doctors said the pancreatitis was a direct result of complications from COVID.
She was placed in a medically induced coma and had a procedure called a cyst-gastrotomy where an endoscope is used to clean out an infection that formed.
Since then, White has had seven follow-up surgeries to help treat the infection. White was given an estimate of a 10 percent chance of survival. Dr. Demetrios Tzimas said in a press conference captured by CBS New York, "She's really a walking miracle."
"Unfortunately she had such bad pancreatitis, most of her pancreas died, and she had a dead organ in her abdomen," he said, later explaining that they removed as much damaged tissue as possible for a human to survive.
Appearing at the press conference with a mask on, White told Dr. Tzimas, "I want to thank you, thank you very much for saving my life."
Now that most of her mobility is restored, White is most looking forward to dining out with her family at one of her favorite restaurants -- Texas Roadhouse.
On Tuesday, doctors presented her with a gift card to the restaurant while her grandkids gave her homemade cards.
For more good news stories check out our Good News section at The Brighter Side of News.
Like these kind of feel good stories? Get the Brighter Side of News' newsletter.
