Overcoming Crisis in the Face of Disease
Teamwork and a coordinated rapid response helped this Lakewood resident survive a major health crisis in her battle against a debilitating condition.

Tracy Lado-Tilton is simply an inspiration — in her assertive involvement in her own treatment, in her insightful philosophy on life, and in her unfailing courage.

By the age of 34, Tracy Lado-Tilton thought her life would be very different than it is. As a registered nurse and certified personal trainer, she has always been particularly health-conscious and active. But when Tracy was diagnosed in 2003 with myasthenia gravis (MG) — a neuromuscular, autoimmune disorder — her whole life changed.

A Challenging Diagnosis
MG is a chronic condition that often results in intermittent flares-ups. It is characterized by a progressive weakness in the skeletal muscles (bands of muscles that connect to bone), potentially affecting any muscle in the body. At its most serious, MG can affect the muscles that control breathing, causing acute respiratory distress.

Tracy suffers from the refractory form of MG, which does not respond well to traditional treatment. She must walk with a cane and sometimes has to be carried by her husband. Tracy has been in four clinical trials and undergone high-dose chemotherapy, all with little result. When her symptoms go from bad to worse, which often happens, she ends up in what's termed a "myasthenic crisis," requiring a hospital visit.

"I can quickly go from a shortness of breath to not breathing at all," says Tracy. Twice, she has experienced full respiratory arrest. To control her symptoms, she receives a blood product called immunoglobulin. "I have a standing order for immunoglobulin treatments every four weeks at an outpatient infusion center," explains Tracy. "But sometimes, if I go into crisis, have a very difficult time finding the amount of medicine I need quickly."

Everyone Pulling Together
It was during one such crisis that Tracy ended up in the Alton A. Hovnanian Emergency Care Center at Riverview Medical Center. "No one had immunoglobulin anywhere," Tracy recalls. "In desperation, I contacted Dr. Hetzler, whom I had worked with as a nurse at the Shrewsbury Surgery Center." Peter Hetzler, M.D., a Riverview-affiliated plastic surgeon, immediately called the hospital's ER and arranged with the pharmacy to get the medicine. "Because Tracy's condition can become life-threatening very quickly, it was crucial that we pull together all the resources we had to get her help as quickly as possible," says Dr. Hetzler. "I knew I could count on the team at Riverview to respond quickly."

By the time Tracy arrived, that team was already waiting for her. Interestingly, the nurse who coordinated Tracy's I.V., Pat Crocker, R.N., has a son with a similar condition, so she understood what Tracy was going through. But another nurse who cared for Tracy during her required hospitalization wasn't as familiar with MG, and so she asked Tracy a lot of questions. "The next day," Tracy says, "when that same nurse came to see me, she told me she had been online looking for anything on MG she could find so she could better care for me. I really appreciated the special interest she took. Although I'd never been to Riverview before, everyone was phenomenal and showed so much compassion."

In the end, the quick and professional response to Tracy's crisis saved her life.

What Really Matters
Although Tracy doesn't know what tomorrow will bring, she is looking forward to working with an assistance dog, for which she was recently approved. She remains philosophical about her condition: "Having MG has been one of the greatest blessings that ever happened in my life. Every day I'm here is a blessing. I've changed my whole relationship with my husband and my family, and I've learned not to worry about the small things. It's family, friends, and having a strong faith that really matters."

– Diane Gribbin