By Andy Furman
NKyTribune staff writer
Kristi Patzman’s marathon doesn’t have a finish line. In fact, she participates in it every single day of her life.
“Grief,” the 43-year-old Patzman told the Northern Kentucky Tribune, “is normal; you can’t let it consume you.”
It was Gastroparesis – that was the first leg of her marathon.
“I started getting sick around 2010,” she said. “I couldn’t eat. Over two years I lost 70 pounds.”
Gastroparesis, or delayed gastric emptying, is a chronic condition where stomach muscles weaken, slowing or stopping the movement of food into the small intestine, often due to damaged vagus nerve, with common causes being diabetes, surgery, or idiopathic (unknown) reasons, leading to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating, feeling full quickly, named pain, requiring dietary exchanges, medication, and sometimes feeding tubes for severe case.
The Wright State University grad was teaching at Belmont High School, in Dayton. That came to an end.
“I did have a feeding tube,” the Hebron resident said, “The Cleveland Clinic didn’t know the cause at the time.”
Patzman was born in Germany – her parents were in the military – and moved to Florida.
“I missed the seasons, and moved to Ohio. I did have issues with formula as a child; I was told my issues later in life could have been ongoing.”
But in 2015, she got an infection after ankle replacement – Osteomyelitis – which is a serious infection that happens when bacteria or fungi infect bone marrow. Infections usually start on the skin at a wound or surgery site then spread to the bones through the bloodstream. It can cause permanent bone damage if not treated at once.
It did.
“I was in a coma for a week and had a ventilator six months later.
Kristi Patzman lost a leg when the infection entered her blood stream. Soon, after she was told take antibiotics or lose the other leg – she chose the latter.
Prosthetics was the order of the day.
“At first, it was grieving,” Patzman, who lives with her parents, said. “Then it was just plain disbelief. It was hard.”
She found an amputee group on Facebook.
“Most of the people in the group thought their life was over. But that wasn’t me. Those people, were also quite older than me.”
Fate – luck – good fortune – call it what you wish.
“I started babysitting my next door neighbor’s child,” she said. “I then learned to drive —with my hands. It took me about six weeks.”
Patzman said she contacted the Sharonville Mobility Works.
“They installed my hand-system in my new Kia, for about $2,200,” she said.
And three years ago, she decided to visit state parks – with her now baby-sitting bestie – then 10-year-old Wallis.
“Her parents call me her second mom,” Patzman said. Hiking is her sport of choice. “And it is intense. I loved to hike when I was young at our family reunions.”
She visited the Mammoth Caves in southern Kentucky – with Wallis recently, “and I soon found out I didn’t lose my ability to hike.”
One of the hardest trails in the country – The Dangerous Landing in Utah – was conquered by Patzman. In total, she has visited – and hiked – nine National Parks since September.
Some changes in her home included a bathroom remodel. “We had the door widened, and put in a seat in while I shower,” she said.
Her regular exercise program consists of walking her dog — and lifting weights. Hobbies – glad you asked.
She had two first place ribbons in Cross Stitch at the Boone County Fair and two second-place finishes and another two blue ribbons in the same category in Kenton County.
“My pieces went to the State Fair,” she sighed, “But didn’t win.”
Tough is not a strong enough word for her.
“It took me seven years to get in a wheelchair,” she said, “I didn’t want it. But the infection in my knee had me crawling.”
Crawling in a daily marathon to an improbable finish.
“I just may do the Flying Pig Walk,” she said.
Don’t bet against her.