New Mom Turns to Saint Luke’s Twice in One Unforgettable Year

When 32-year-old Katie of Johnson County, Kansas, welcomed her first child in April 2026, she expected all the challenges that come with motherhood. What she didn’t expect was that just weeks after delivering her baby, she would find herself back at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City for her own health emergency.  

Fortunately, both experiences left Katie, a health care professional, feeling confident and well cared for during stressful moments.  

A joyful addition  

Katie’s labor and delivery at Saint Luke’s Hospital included an unexpected cesarean section, but she recalls the exceptional maternity care she received from start to finish.  

“I felt so taken care of every step of the way,” Katie says. “Even though the birth plan changed, everyone was compassionate, supportive, and focused on what was best for me and my baby.”

Katie returned home and began settling into life with a newborn. Shortly after, she began experiencing occasional back pain. The pain was manageable, however, so Katie believed it was likely a common postpartum symptom.  

“You expect some aches and pains after having a baby, especially after a C-section,” Katie says. “At the time, I really didn’t think much of it.”  

Then one day in April 2026, that pain became impossible to ignore. It started in her upper back and radiated into her chest at an intensity she had never felt before.  

“It was unbearable,” Katie says. “I had a newborn at home, and I couldn’t breathe through the pain. I knew I had to call 911 and get to a hospital.”  

Once in the ambulance, Katie recalled her positive experience at Saint Luke’s Hospital and requested she be taken there.

An unexpected diagnosis

At the Emergency Department, Katie underwent testing, imaging, and lab work to determine the cause of her back pain: a severe gallbladder attack.  

“I was in total shock,” Katie says. “I had no family history of gallbladder issues, no other health concerns—it just came out of nowhere.”  

Katie’s care team informed her that gallbladder issues are not unusual postpartum. During pregnancy and postpartum periods, hormones can increase cholesterol levels in bile, which is stored in the gallbladder and helps the body digest fat. This can lead to inflammation, blockages, or reduced gallbladder function. But even as a health care professional herself, Katie wasn’t familiar with the possibility and was nervous about the future.

“I’m in health care and this was still a shock to me,” she says. “When the tables are turned and you’re the patient, it all feels scary and overwhelming. You just have to trust your care team.”  

After a successful gallbladder removal surgery with Alyssa Fesmire, MD, Katie underwent a minimally invasive procedure to remove gallstones that had formed in her body.  Gallstones are hard deposits of bile that form when the gallbladder doesn’t empty properly and can cause abdominal or back pain. After a successful procedure, Katie was discharged home to reunite with her family.  

Katie’s recovery proved more challenging than she expected. Just like the weeks following her C-section, she was instructed to avoid heavy lifting and give her body time to heal.

“I had to learn to be patient with myself and give myself grace,” Katie says.  

A fresh start

Today, Katie and her baby are doing well. She’s back at work and eager to get back to her fitness routine now that she’s fully recovered. She hopes other women will hear her story and trust their instincts when something doesn’t feel right—especially during postpartum. And if they need exceptional care in those moments, she knows where they can turn.  

“I was recovering from childbirth, caring for a newborn, breastfeeding, and dealing with an unexpected surgery,” she says. “Still, every single person at Saint Luke’s treated me like a whole person. I was seen, heard, and valued—every step of the way.”  

Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City is the flagship hospital of Saint Luke’s, the West Region of BJC Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States. Saint Luke’s Hospital is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the elite hospitals in the nation, and has received Magnet® Recognition since 2004, affirming its dedication to nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes.