The Philadelphia Eagles Prevent a Medical Catastrophe
"So, the Eagles are going to the Super Bowl and I need to be able to eat wings, drink beer and be a degenerate."
Monique Boskett was throwing up half her meals involuntarily.
While stomach issues are not new for Boskett, this particular issue was more alarming than others. She sought answers, and in September 2022, Boskett received her first diagnosis: hiatal hernia, which is a small hole in her diaphragm.
“Even though it didn't fix anything, it was nice to know I wasn't crazy,” she said.
Doctors told her that her stomach was coming up through the hole, which was triggering increased burping and vomiting.
“It wasn’t just casual, I was in a lot of pain.”
A surgery was proposed. Doctors would wrap Boskett’s stomach around her esophagus, which would ultimately cover the hole, preventing the stomach from coming through. Recovery would be a 10-week process, including six weeks of ingesting only liquids, eventually weaning onto solid foods by week 10.
Boskett did the math and it did not add up in her favor.
“So, the Eagles are going to the Super Bowl and I need to be able to eat wings, drink beer and be a degenerate,” she said. “It has to be after that.”
She fondly remembers February 12, 2018—the Eagles Super Bowl parade.
“I’m not a beer drinker but do you know how many beers I had? Hella beers because they were on the ground for free.”
The Eagles had just started their 2022/2023 season and the team was looking in Super Bowl shape, raising their biggest fan’s hope.
“I had bronchitis and I was just picking up floor Bud Lights and drinking them and I needed to do that again.”
Her mother, however, was not in favor of this strategy.
“I’ve been dealing with this for years, lady. A few months for the Eagles is no big deal.”
A lifetime of devotion
Boskett grew up in a sports family, with her mother and cousins being big influences in her Eagles love affair.
“Everyone’s like, ‘Your dad must love that you love sports,” Boskett said. “No, it's my mom.”
Bosket was born in New Jersey, which is split with which sports teams residents root for. Growing up in South Jersey, Boskett lived in Eagles territory.
“New Jersey as a whole is split into everything, even foods,” she said. “In South Jersey, you root for Philly teams. You could also be a Steelers fan but why would you want to be a Steelers fan?”
Strict about bedtime, her parents allowed her to stay up to watch the Eagles face the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX when she was in fifth grade. That’s what sealed the deal.
“They were already my team but after the Super Bowl, they became everything inside of my soul.”
When she moved to Philadelphia in 2018, it felt like home.
“Being in the actual city, the greeting is ‘Go Birds,’” she said. “You make friends from it! Because you’ll be sitting on the bus and someone will say ‘Did you see Agholor not catch any balls?’”
And yes, the fandom has affected her bank account.
“I’ve spent a lot of money on the Eagles. Way more money than people should know about.”
Saved by the Philadelphia Eagles
Banking on the Eagles going to the Super Bowl and potentially winning, Boskett pushed back her surgery. This gave her surgeon—who did not make the initial diagnosis—time to investigate her condition further and order new tests. Concerned about the vomiting, which is not part of a hiatal hernia, she had a suspicion there was more going on with Boskett than her initial doctor uncovered.
Those tests revealed what her surgeon suspected—Boskett did not have a hiatal hernia, as initially suspected. Instead, she had a paralyzed stomach.
“My doctor said, ‘That surgery is irreversible, you would’ve been so miserable.’ And then she also told me to get a new doctor.”
Most people take 80 minutes to digest their food. With a paralyzed stomach, Boskett takes up to six hours to digest food. She compares her condition to a bowl. The more food you put in the bowl, the fuller it gets until the food starts overflowing.
“I wasn’t digesting, so my stomach was always full of food.”
The previously proposed surgery would take away her ability to hiccup and burp, making it even more difficult for her to digest food. By putting off the surgery to prioritize a potential Eagles Super Bowl win, Boskett did herself a huge favor. She even changed the mind of one of her biggest critics.
“The Eagles might have lost but I’m glad Monique won. Go Birds,” Boskett’s mother shared.
Now, the Boskett family has one more reason to root for their favorite team.
“The Eagles really did save my life,” she said. “Mind you, though, we lost—just the way we do.”
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