Long before she became a patient there, Linda Wolfson had a great familiarity with Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center. Her family has lived in and around Tarzana for over 40 years. Linda and her husband Mark have five daughters, and four of them were born at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center. When Mark’s father suffered a heart attack, the surgeons at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center performed a successful angioplasty that saved his life. Linda never suspected that she would need a similar level of care.

Linda’s journey began with a hysterectomy with a doctor in the West Valley. It seemed as though the procedure was quick and smooth, as planned. But throughout the week after the procedure Linda did not feel well. She was weak and sluggish. Her stomach bothered her. She had difficulty eating, and experienced pain throughout her body.

Seeking answers, Linda and Mark went to Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center. As soon as they were admitted she met Dr. Chandra, who in her words “knew instantly what was wrong.” Testing quickly revealed what Dr. Chandra suspected, that the physician who performed Linda’s hysterectomy had accidentally nicked her bowel and ureter. As a result, waste products were leaking into other areas of her body and slowly poisoning her.

Surgical specialists at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center quickly operated on Linda to repair the initial damage, as a first measure in a carefully designed, multi-surgery process. The physicians also installed an ostomy bag and related equipment, and told Linda that she would need to use these products for several months in order to give her digestive system time to heal before the doctors performed their final surgery.

For the first several weeks after her initial surgery, Linda spent time recovering in Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Throughout this period and the subsequent phases of her journey with Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, Linda was blown away by the warmth, acumen and dedication of the hospital’s caregivers. “I was especially thankful to the nurses in the ICU, they were always there for us, every step of the way,” she said. “I can’t say enough good things about how much they helped me and my family during a very difficult time.”

After several more weeks healing at home, Linda had recuperated enough to return for the final stage of her treatment, a surgical procedure in which Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center physicians removed the ostomy materials and essentially put her system back in order. The operation was a complete success and Linda was able to return home with a clean bill of health. Since then, Linda has happily enjoyed her life and her family without lingering health issues.

Linda and her husband Mark are deeply grateful to the caregivers of Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, and remain faithful supporters of the Medical Center to this day.