Jacob Herald with Dr. Rachel Shelton
Spending time with his wife, family and friends is one of Jacob Hearld s greatest joys. The 25-year-old, Pulaski County resident is committed to caring for and being with his family and friends as much as possible. However, it wasn t long ago that Jacob s health prevented him from spending this cherished time with the people he loves the most.
In August 2020, Jacob was hospitalized at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital for three weeks because he was septic, severely dehydrated and his kidneys were shutting down. His care team and surgeon, Dr. Michael Citak were able to pinpoint the cause of his illness as diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is the infection or inflammation of pouches, called diverticula, that form inside the intestines. The pouches generally are not harmful; however, diverticulitis can be severe, potentially causing massive infection or perforation of the bowel. In Jacob s case, surgery would have to be performed on three perforations