“The polyps had eroded so much the bone around the perimeter of the sinuses that they were entering into the brain cavity and into the eye,” Dr. Jack Eisenbeis said.
LOUIS — A St. Lucian woman can breathe easier tonight thanks in part to a lifesaving surgery performed by doctors at St. Louis University Hospital. Berthia Mason travelled more than 2,500 miles from St. Lucia, an island country in the Caribbean, for the medical treatment in Missouri.
“I don’t have to breathe through my mouth anymore,” Mason said.
For many of us breathing through your nose is something we take for granted.
“I got to breathe through my nose for the first time in like 6 years,” Mason said.
After experiencing what she thought were allergies, Berthia thought it would simply run its course.
“I realized that when I looked up my nose I could actually see something growing,” Mason said.
Doctors on the island eventually diagnosed the issue as polyps caused by fungal sinusitis.
“It filled up the entire space of the nasal cavities in my face and my forehead,” Mason said.
However, that was just the start of her problems.
“They said we need to do a surgery and we need a tool that we don’t have in St. Lucia,” Mason said.
Berthia was 17 when the problems started.
Site reps with World Pediatrics were recently able to bring the now 22-year-old to St. Louis where Berthia was placed in the care of Dr. Jack Eisenbeis.
“The polyps had eroded so much the bone around the perimeter of the sinuses that they were entering into the brain cavity and into the eye,” Dr. Jack Eisenbeis said. “Truly this is as extensive as me and many of my colleagues have seen.”
One week after surgery at St. Louis University Hospital, she can breathe easier.
“I sent voice notes to my friends, and they were all like, ‘who is that?’” Mason said. “Due to the congestion in the nose it changes the way your voice sounds.”
Though her road to recovery is far from complete.
“I might have to train my nose now to get back the sense of smell,” Mason said.
She had a simple message to everyone who helped her along the way.
“I’m very grateful I got the opportunity to come to St. Louis and get this done,” Mason said. “Dr. Eisenbeis is a great doctor.”
Berthia will spend the next month in St. Louis as she recovers from surgery and undergoes regular checkups.
Doctors from St. Louis University Hospital will continue to monitor her for the next year after she returns to St. Lucia to ensure the problem doesn’t return.