Megan Fortenberry (23) died from complications following gastric bypass surgery

[intrigued1csc]

http://www.mydeathspace.com/article/2009/07/02/Megan_Fortenberry_(23)_died_from_complications_following_gastric_bypass_surgery

Funeral for Megan Michelle Fortenberry, 23, of Fort Worth was Tuesday, May 12, at Mount Olivet Chapel. Burial was at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Fortenberry died Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Born May 5, 1985, in Fort Worth to Tony and Rita Fortenberry, she had been a student at Tarrant County College. She graduated with honors from Fossil Ridge High School.

She is survived by her parents of Fort Worth; her brother, Ryon; grandparents, Florentino and Sylvia Cortez, Paul Velasquez Sr. and Janet Fortenberry of Boyd; numerous uncles, aunts and cousins.
 
http://www.wcmessenger.com/obits/content/EkEplVZlklNUYMvZPl.php


A Blog from her Aunt's myspace:
May 8, 2008 - Thursday 
 My Munchkin( niece) Megan Michelle Fortenberry
Current mood:  sad
Category: Life
I cannot believe my beautiful niece is gone!  Megan Michelle Fortenberry  passed away today at 2:57 P.M.  On her 23rd birthday, Monday May 5, 2008 she went in for gastric bypass surgery.  The surgery went well and she seemed to be doing fine up until yesterday.  She knew something was amiss according to my sister, her mother. So the doctor decided today that she needed to go back into surgery because her stomach was dialating and he wanted to get a tube into her to release the gasses that they had filled her up with prior to surger on Monday.  Well, as soon as they got her under anesthesia today, her heart just stopped.  The medical team did everything oin their power to bring her back but, no such luck.   Right now I am in such a state of disbelief, anger, guilt, and numbness. Her doctor claims not to know what went wrong; why her heart stopped.  All I can say about my niece tright now is that she touched so many lives and hearts and she is truly missed!  Anyone who knew her loved her.  She always had a special way about her.  It's funny, she and I were alot alike.  We had the same sense of humor, we loved to laugh, we loved to love. So now with every wisecrack I make I will always remember her and definately smile a sad smile. God bless my sister Rita, my brother-in-law, Tony, and her brother, Ryon. God, this is so wrong but, only You know why it was time for You to take away my Munchkin.  I pray I will see her again someday.  I love you Mubchkin! Now you will be forever beautiful!

Love your tia,

Elvira

 
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=203054228&blogID=391478916

Neener would have liked her...

[Olivia]

http://www.mydeathspace.com/article/2009/07/02/Megan_Fortenberry_(23)_died_from_complications_following_gastric_bypass_surgery

Neener would have liked her...

Thanks for the picture and more info.  I was sad that her myspace was private 

[neenerneener]

Neener would have liked her...

awwwwwwwww.    i totally would have! 

RIP fellow chicken hat wearer.

[intrigued1csc]

Thanks for the picture and more info.  I was sad that her myspace was private 

I was getting frustrated that I couldn't find anything so I didn't give up. I spent probably 25 minutes scouring. She seemed like a fun girl. She was born 2 days after me, so I felt like I needed to find more info. 

[GGluvsBC]

Poor thing!  She was so young.  Man...in this society I feel like it's better to be hooked on crack then to be fat.  I'm glad she was so loved.  I completely understand why should would choose to have such major surgery even with it's dangers.  I don't think it is really all that confusing why she passed.  I'm no doctor but I assume that her poor heart just couldn't handle the anesthesia at her weight & just days after having already had major surgery.  I've had surgery before and the worst part about it (besides the recovery) is that damn disclaimer that you have to sign saying you will not hold the surgeon liable if you die on the table...and I'm like damn it!  It's just my tonsils.  Hell I even had to sign that stupid form when I had my wisdom teeth removed.   

RIP Megan! 

[TinkerBelly]

Poor thing!  She was so young.  Man...in this society I feel like it's better to be hooked on crack then to be fat.  I'm glad she was so loved.  I completely understand why should would choose to have such major surgery even with it's dangers.  I don't think it is really all that confusing why she passed.  I'm no doctor but I assume that her poor heart just couldn't handle the anesthesia at her weight & just days after having already had major surgery.  I've had surgery before and the worst part about it (besides the recovery) is that damn disclaimer that you have to sign saying you will not hold the surgeon liable if you die on the table...and I'm like damn it!  It's just my tonsils.  Hell I even had to sign that stupid form when I had my wisdom teeth removed.   

RIP Megan! 

Her Aunt talks about her heart stopping but her cause of death is listed as: 
Cause Of Death: ACUTE PERITONITIS Due to:ISCHEMIC PERFORATION OF STOMACH FOLLOWING BARIATRIC SURGERY

One of the complications following bariatric surgery is that if there is a small leak in the stomach and/or intestine after they alter it during surgery it can kill you.  If there is a leak it is like having poison leaking into your abdomen.  Usually the first day after the surgery they have you drink a very small amount of a blue dye that will show if there are any leaks.  If there is a leak it is an emergent situation and the patient should be brought to surgery to repair it immediately.

I wonder why the Aunt's story and the official cause of death are totally different.  Interesting.

RIP Megan 

[GGluvsBC]

Her Aunt talks about her heart stopping but her cause of death is listed as: 
Cause Of Death: ACUTE PERITONITIS Due to:ISCHEMIC PERFORATION OF STOMACH FOLLOWING BARIATRIC SURGERY

One of the complications following bariatric surgery is that if there is a small leak in the stomach and/or intestine after they alter it during surgery it can kill you.  If there is a leak it is like having poison leaking into your abdomen.  Usually the first day after the surgery they have you drink a very small amount of a blue dye that will show if there are any leaks.  If there is a leak it is an emergent situation and the patient should be brought to surgery to repair it immediately.

I wonder why the Aunt's story and the official cause of death are totally different.  Interesting.

RIP Megan 

Hmmm that is interesting.  Maybe it was because she spoke before the autopsy report was completed.   

[neenerneener]

Her Aunt talks about her heart stopping but her cause of death is listed as: 
Cause Of Death: ACUTE PERITONITIS Due to:ISCHEMIC PERFORATION OF STOMACH FOLLOWING BARIATRIC SURGERY

One of the complications following bariatric surgery is that if there is a small leak in the stomach and/or intestine after they alter it during surgery it can kill you.  If there is a leak it is like having poison leaking into your abdomen.  Usually the first day after the surgery they have you drink a very small amount of a blue dye that will show if there are any leaks.  If there is a leak it is an emergent situation and the patient should be brought to surgery to repair it immediately.

I wonder why the Aunt's story and the official cause of death are totally different.  Interesting.

RIP Megan 

i think ischemic perforation means that there was a lack of blood flow to part of her stomach, therefore that part turned necrotic and broke down.  then fluids from her stomach escaped into her abdomen and caused the lining of her abdomen to become inflamed and infected.  i could be wrong, but i think thats what happened.  maybe the infection was just too much, and her heart stopped during surgery?  but if she was septic, the coroners report would have stated that, right?   

[jenqtpie]

This is so sad, having had Bariatric Surgery myself (LapBand) I know that Megan probably felt like this surgery would be the beginning of the rest of her life, that she would drop the weight and start from scratch, at least thats how everyone in my family that had the same surgery felt and even myself, though mine was done for preventive measures.

So sad that she didn't make it through, but I am happy to see how loved she was by everyone that knew her and she seemed like a fun and happy girl. They make you do so many psych exams and diets and its a long process to get the surgery, all leading up to the promise of a new life, I always hate to hear these stories knowing that what they thought would be the answer to their prayers ended up being their demise.

RIP Megan   

[ICDEDPPL]

So sad. So young and so much promise. RIP Megan.

[nestlequikie]

You can also get Acute Peritonitis from a ruptured appendix....   it is the Sepsis/Septic Shock that kills you (stops your heart).

RIP Megan.  You had a lovely smile and an awesome chicken hat!

[neenerneener]

You can also get Acute Peritonitis from a ruptured appendix....   it is the Sepsis/Septic Shock that kills you (stops your heart).

RIP Megan.  You had a lovely smile and an awesome chicken hat!

wouldnt the sepsis have been listed as a cause of death then?

my friends cousin died from acute peritonitis from a ruptured appendix, she was only 5 years old. 

[lostlilgirl]

RIP Megan

A friend of mine's mother had gastric bypass surgery at age 67. She had uncontrolled diabetes. She died within 3 weeks of her surgery. Personally, I don't
think she was a good canidate because of her health. Plus this was the doctor's first time doing this kind of surgery without an assistant. 

[TinkerBelly]

wouldnt the sepsis have been listed as a cause of death then?

my friends cousin died from acute peritonitis from a ruptured appendix, she was only 5 years old. 

My father had 2 causes of death on his death certificate. 
1) Pneumonia
2) Septic Shock

My older sister had gastric bypass.  She looks like a 5' 3" Pillar candle that was left out in the sun.

[neenerneener]

My father had 2 causes of death on his death certificate. 
1) Pneumonia
2) Septic Shock

My older sister had gastric bypass.  She looks like a 5' 3" Pillar candle that was left out in the sun.

i'm just wondering...if she wasnt septic, how exactly did it kill her?

my grandfather died from septic shock, i'm not exactly sure where the infection originally stemmed from.  i know he had hepatitis, he got that from a blood transfusion years before he died.  i dont think i've ever heard of a hepatic sepsis   now i'm curious, and i'm going to have to ask my dad. 

is your sister ever going to have surgery to remove excess skin?

[TinkerBelly]

i'm just wondering...if she wasnt septic, how exactly did it kill her?

my grandfather died from septic shock, i'm not exactly sure where the infection originally stemmed from.  i know he had hepatitis, he got that from a blood transfusion years before he died.  i dont think i've ever heard of a hepatic sepsis   now i'm curious, and i'm going to have to ask my dad. 

is your sister ever going to have surgery to remove excess skin?

They wording they used "Cause Of Death: ACUTE PERITONITIS Due to:ISCHEMIC PERFORATION OF STOMACH FOLLOWING BARIATRIC SURGERY"  basically means infection.  Once your body gets septic your organs start to fail.  When she went in to surgery the second time it's entirely possible that between the sepsis and her weight her heart just gave out.

My sister had a tummy tuck but her legs and arms are 

[neenerneener]

They wording they used "Cause Of Death: ACUTE PERITONITIS Due to:ISCHEMIC PERFORATION OF STOMACH FOLLOWING BARIATRIC SURGERY"  basically means infection.  Once your body gets septic your organs start to fail.  When she went in to surgery the second time it's entirely possible that between the sepsis and her weight her heart just gave out.

My sister had a tummy tuck but her legs and arms are 

yeah, i get the cause of death, i guess on the official death certificate/coroners report it probably has sepsis listed somewhere.  i just thought that it had to be more specific, thats all.  i wonder what happened to cause the ischemia, why part of her stomach literally just died.  its really sad.  it all happened so fast, and i can only imagine how much she was looking forward to her life after the surgery.    and she had a chicken hat. 

ah, your sister's got the flappy arms and legs.  is she going to get a lift?  that surgery must be so painful, i dont know if i'd have the balls to go through with it.

[craptastic]

Damn how sad! I had the gastric bypass too and they make you do tests before hand to see if your heart can take the anastesia. you can also die from a pulmonary embolism. That's a common thing when it comes to that surgery. Even with all the risks I would not change my decision. the surgery was one of the best decisions I ever made. and i'm gonna get a free tummy tuck. I'm super juiced about that. i lost a 120 lbs in 9 months. There's no way i could have done that by myself with my own will power.

Anyway RIP megan.

[TinkerBelly]

yeah, i get the cause of death, i guess on the official death certificate/coroners report it probably has sepsis listed somewhere.  i just thought that it had to be more specific, thats all.  i wonder what happened to cause the ischemia, why part of her stomach literally just died.  its really sad.  it all happened so fast, and i can only imagine how much she was looking forward to her life after the surgery.    and she had a chicken hat. 

ah, your sister's got the flappy arms and legs.  is she going to get a lift?  that surgery must be so painful, i dont know if i'd have the balls to go through with it.

Part of her stomach could have died where they cut it during the surgery.  The tissue may have become necrotic and if that was the case it could have caused a leak,  which in turn would have caused the acute infection in the abdomen.

The lack of blood circulation when they sutured or stapled the stomach could have caused the necrosis.

[neenerneener]

Part of her stomach could have died where they cut it during the surgery.  The tissue may have become necrotic and if that was the case it could have caused a leak,  which in turn would have caused the acute infection in the abdomen.

The lack of blood circulation when they sutured or stapled the stomach could have caused the necrosis.

i think they should do some sort of test with dye after a surgery like that, to make sure that the blood flow is adequate.  hmm. they said her stomach was dilating after the surgery, maybe the dilation compressed the veins/arteries/capillaries going to her stomach, and that caused the necrosis. that would make sense.