This time last month, Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala was as happy as he had ever been — in good health and newly wed to his loving bride, Bianca.
On Sept. 22, everything would change. What began as an only somewhat concerning bout of abdominal pain would turn into a fight for Latvala’s life, and a resurgence of faith after a prayer chain that extended far beyond Latvala’s home in Pinellas County.
Latvala’s health scare — one from which he is still recovering and faces a long, painful road ahead — started that Monday with intense pain in his stomach that had been persisting for hours. His wife took him to the emergency room, where he was evaluated and ultimately sent home with a referral to a gastroenterologist.
By the time that appointment rolled around — three days later, on Sept. 25 — Latvala was in so much pain he could barely walk, and the doctor immediately sent him back to the ER. A more extensive workup revealed the diagnosis that would send Latvala into a series of surgeries and leave his family praying for a miracle.
Latvala was experiencing an SMA dissection, where the superior mesenteric artery tears. The SMA supplies blood to part of the large intestine, much of the small intestine and part of the colon. A dissection requires highly specialized care. It’s an emergent condition, but Latvala had initially responded well to monitoring, rest and treatment. He was discharged on Monday, Sept. 29, one week after his pain had initially begun.
But by the next night, Latvala would find himself facing a grim prognosis. A spiked blood pressure that would not abate sent Latvala back to the ER. This time, imaging revealed that the tear had worsened. Much worse.
Latvala received care from a certified vascular surgeon who fully understood the complexity of Latvala’s condition, which is exceedingly rare, especially for a man of Latvala’s age. SMA dissections are more common in women and typically occur in a person’s 50s.
Understanding the risks and need for specialized care, the doctor fought to have Latvala transferred to a facility better equipped to handle his case. Thanks to his persistence, Latvala was transported to UF Health Shands Hospital, known for its vascular surgery program, and placed under the care of a vascular surgery expert.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Latvala was taken into what would be the first of four surgeries, this one to repair the tear. The procedure was a success, but complications arose. Latvala developed blood clots that blocked blood flow from the artery to some of his digestive organs.
Latvala was fighting for his life as doctors hoped his body would reroute blood flow to affected areas. The next day, he underwent a second surgery, this one to remove half of his small intestine that had died due to a lack of blood flow. Doctors had to leave Latvala’s abdomen open to monitor for any additional damage.
On Oct. 6, he underwent surgery No. 3 to confirm the remaining part of his intestine was still healthy. As prayer chains spread across the state and beyond, doctors confirmed that it was.
The next day, Latvala had his fourth surgery, reconnecting his intestines and closing his abdomen.
All told, Latvala was on a ventilator for six days, including the four days of surgeries.
Now, Latvala is expected to make a full recovery, but his path back to optimal health will be long, gradual and, at times, painful. He’s expected to live a normal life. Still, as with any medical complication, there are unknowns, and the family will be monitoring his recovery as his digestive system returns to normal.
As of Sunday, Oct. 19, Latvala had been moved out of the intensive care unit to a regular room, a move the family finds both reassuring and a significant accomplishment on Latvala’s journey back to health. He spent 19 days in the ICU at Shands, and that’s not counting the time he spent in the hospital in Clearwater.
But on Tuesday, in a sign of the complicated recovery Latvala faces, he was moved back to the ICU. His tests are still showing signs of progress, and the move was made out of an abundance of caution to run additional tests and monitor his continued improvement.
While Latvala’s health scare is itself a harrowing tale, the rallying of his family, friends, loved ones and even complete strangers is the silver lining, and something his family leans on as an affirmation of the power of faith as a complement to science and medical intervention.
Chris’ wife, Bianca, posted on her husband’s behalf, in his voice, on Oct. 12, writing that he “was under the impression that everything I endured was in one risky but necessary surgery.” Instead, he was informed of the marathon his body had endured — four surgeries in as many days.
But, Chris dictated to Bianca, “nothing compares to the prayers of a mother.”
She had called on prayer chains to lift her son in his time of need, which spread to places “across the country, and even other parts of the world.” He said prayers were coming from places as far away as Costa Rica.
For those who know Chris Latvala, it’s no secret that he’s a proud University of Central Florida Knight. Before he was sedated, Latvala made a promise to cheer on the UF Gators if doctors fixed him. Now, Bianca tells Florida Politics, there are a lot of “Go Gators!” shouts coming from his hospital room.
In all, the Latvala family estimates thousands of people came together to pray, through individuals and their churches.
The family has nothing but praise for the medical staff — his local doctor for diagnosing a rare condition and advocating for his best shot at survival; vascular experts at Shands for their skilled work; and the countless nurses and others who ensured not only his comfort, but that of his family, who revolved in and out to ensure Latvala knew he wasn’t alone, even if his eyes weren’t open to see them.
But the prayers offered a boost, and the family isn’t shy about calling Latvala’s good prognosis now “a miracle.”
“Thank you for the prayers; they have been felt. It is hard to go through something like this and not allow it to change you for the better. It has strengthened my desire to have better and stronger relationships with God, my family and friends. This experience has brought clarity to my priorities and strengthened my desire to be the best husband, family member, friend, and County Commissioner that I can be,” Latvala wrote in an email to Florida Politics describing his health scare and recovery.
For him, though, the biggest boost may have come from his wife.
“My wife Bianca has literally not left my side over the past month, including sleeping on the couch in my hospital room. At times when I couldn’t sleep, she would sit up through the night and talk with me,” Latvala continued. “From the moment I started to not feel well, she was persistent in taking me to the ER and doctor’s visits. What I thought was nagging was really her advocating for my care and ensuring they saved my life.”
While he was on a ventilator, Latvala had difficulty communicating. He often became frustrated when his family didn’t understand his hand signals. But there was one that was unmistakable to any older millennial or Generation Xer who once owned a pager.
Latvala would signal 1-4-3 with his fingers — a numeric representation of the words “I love you.”
It’s easy to forget that, as a gravely ill patient, Latvala was sedated for most of it — that’s why he didn’t know he had four surgeries. So it’s an important part of Chris and Bianca’s story that she experienced a lifetime of worry in just a few weeks. But with that anguish came bright spots.
Her husband’s friends began reaching out not just to check on Chris’ health but also to ensure his beloved wife was holding up under the immense challenge.
The family had visits from an array of friends and colleagues, both past and present. Fellow Commissioners Dave Eggers and Vince Nowicki were there, and Rene Flowers continued to call and text to ensure the family had everything they needed, even offering just to come and sit with Bianca if she felt alone. Former House Speaker Chris Sprowls, a close friend, also visited, as did Rep. Kim Berfield and others.
Latvala is eager to resume his official duties as a Pinellas County Commissioner, but for now, he’s focused on his recovery. Ever the professional, though, Latvala has remained in contact with his aide, Tyler Bonneau, to stay up to date on issues affecting the county and his constituents. As he recovers, Latvala’s Office remains open for constituent services. Those who need immediate assistance can contact Bonneau at [email protected][1].
To put his dedication in perspective, before being moved to Shands and undergoing four surgeries, Latvala sought and received his doctors’ special permission to attend a Commission meeting. Ultimately, his body had other plans, yet serving the county remained at the forefront of his mind.
Now, he hopes his return will bring constituents a better-than-ever version of himself, renewed by the gratitude of survival and the uplifting of a community that cared enough to offer their prayers and show up, far from home.
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