How Rapid Bloodless Care Helped Jane Recover from a Serious GI Bleed

When Jane Lackner developed a gastrointestinal hemorrhage, she found the swift treatment she needed at Englewood Hospital. 

Jane Lackner, a retiree from York, Pennsylvania, felt great when she arrived at the hair salon one day in January 2024. 

“I had no symptoms,” Jane says. “Then, I went to the bathroom and, suddenly, there was all this blood. I was bleeding profusely.” 

Jane’s husband, Gene, had been waiting in the car, so he drove her to the local hospital, where an imaging scan showed bleeding in Jane’s colon. She lost so much blood she passed out. Medication slowed the bleeding until it stopped, but Jane needed a colonoscopy to find the source. Unfortunately, a suspected infection in the colon delayed the process. 

“Since Jane’s blood count was low, I requested a transfer to Englewood Hospital because I wanted her to get attention faster,” Gene says. “The hospital in Pennsylvania worked well with us, but when a facility isn’taccustomed to dealing with bloodless patients like Jane, it takes more time for them to assemble their team. At Englewood Hospital, though, everything is ready to go.” 

Solving Anemia 

The next morning at Englewood Hospital, Jane’s colon was free of infection and physicians performed a colonoscopy. The procedure found no sign of bleeding. The next step was to build up Jane’s hemoglobin, which had dropped to an unhealthy level and caused severe anemia. 

Donjeta Sulaj, MD, a hospitalist at Englewood Hospital, oversaw Jane’s care during her five-day hospitalization. 

“One thing I’ve noticed during the 13 years I’ve been at Englewood Hospital is that bloodless patients feel at home here. When they’re at our hospital, they’re calm, and it seems like a lot of the fears surrounding their health issues dissipate,” Dr. Sulaj says.  

Health and Strength Restored 

By the time Jane went home, her hemoglobin had risen substantially, and she felt better. She described Dr. Sulaj as “soothing, kind, and loving.” 

The physicians weren’t able to determine the cause of the bleeding—age-related weakening of the blood vessels in the colon may have played a role, they said—but they advised Jane to eat a high-fiber diet for colon health, and to stop taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, and pain medications that could cause bleeding of the colon. If she ever experiences bleeding again, she knows exactly where to turn. 

“Going to Englewood Hospital was the answer for me because the team there worked so much quicker,” Jane says. “They were in sync.” 

Now, Jane’s strength is back, and she feels like herself again. She and Gene are looking forward to their 61st anniversary this year. 

Published June 2025