Woman in hospice after tummy tuck procedure goes wrong, loved ones say

CINCINNATI (WXIX/Gray News) — Loved ones say a 47-year-old woman is in hospice after a tummy tuck took a tragic turn.

Rachel Tussey documented the days leading up to her surgery on TikTok to help other women who may be contemplating a similar procedure.

“I’m super pumped to do this. I’m only 47, I think I have a lot of life to live. I’m super excited to do this for myself,” Tussey said in one of her videos.

She also expressed some hesitation about the surgery.

“Please pray. I know it’s going to be great. I’ve waited a really long time for this. I know God’s got my back and let’s do this,” Tussey said in a video.

She posted an update to TikTok on the morning of Feb. 25 before her surgery.

Days later, her husband, Jeremy Tussey, shared a follow-up video to his wife’s account. He described speaking with the doctor after the procedure.

“He assured me the surgery went great, so he was heading home. As he left, I could hear Rachel in the background asking for me,” Jeremy Tussey said.

In the video, he went on to say the nurses asked about Rachel Tussey’s pain.

“The girl said, ‘I was checking because a few minutes ago I gave your pain med, which was .5 dilaudid and 150 fentanyl,’” her husband said.

Jeremy Tussey continued, saying he then noticed something wasn’t right a few minutes later when his wife’s face had lost color.

“I got down in her ear a couple times and yelled Rachel, no answer,” he said in the video.

Rachel Tussey’s husband said that’s when the nurse started CPR.

“She put the bag on her, pumped it once or twice,” he said. “The bag wasn’t sealed around her face. Then she walked around and grabbed some Narcan.”

Jeremy Tussey said they called the doctor back.

“He assessed the situation and told them to call 911,” he said.

They were taken to Bethesda North by ambulance, where Jeremy Tussey said doctors told him his wife was without oxygen for six minutes.

Rachel Tussey’s son said his mother was removed from life support and transferred to hospice.

A GoFundMe has been set up to raise $22,000 for the Tussey family.

The family said they have since obtained a lawyer.

WXIX reported it was not naming the doctor because no legal action had been taken. The doctor did not immediately respond to questions regarding the matter.