This month’s Tubie hero is Kristy Poindexter. A strong advocate for the TPN/HPN community, Kristy is the Founder of the Total Parenteral Nutrition Support Group. She’s also a lifestyle influencer, a Stella & Dot Ambassador and a licensed Esthetician. While Kristy’s health issues started very early in life, she hasn’t let them stop her from living life to the fullest. Keep reading for her full story.
At LumaCleanCares, we are constantly inspired by stories of perseverance and innovation within the healthcare community. It’s often how we identify unmet gaps in patient care, and design innovative medical solutions.
When she was just eight years old, Kristy was hospitalized for two months. She was throwing up after every meal and extremely dehydrated. Eating became a major issue, initially thought to be an eating disorder. In 1987, she was sent to Stanford, where they discovered an esophageal blockage due to an improperly closing sphincter. A surgery cleaned out the blockage, and she received her first central line to begin Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) in preparation for a bigger surgery for achalasia.
A 10-hour surgery was successful, but a post-op barium test revealed Crohn’s disease. She was treated aggressively for two years with IV medications, steroids, and TPN. However, a second opinion at UCLA questioned the Crohn’s diagnosis, as there was never a positive biopsy—just an X-ray diagnosis. Over time, she developed esophageal ulcers, requiring another major surgery in 1991, where her stomach was pulled into her chest.
Between 1994 and 1999, she was strictly on J-tube feeds, successfully transitioning off TPN and catching up on life and school. However, after graduating, she developed dry socket from wisdom teeth removal, which led to severe illness at 19. This resulted in her first small bowel resection for diverticulitis in August 1998, putting her back on tube feeds and TPN.
Since then, she has undergone 11 small bowel resections. She cannot swallow anything and relies on a J-tube for medication, though it has had to be relocated multiple times due to surgeries. Since 2021–2022, the J-tube has been primarily for venting, but complications have persisted since her last surgery in 2022.
Kristy attended the OLEY Conference with her mother in 2024. Luckily, her mom stopped at the booth to pick up samples for Kristy, including StomaEase™ and StomaDisc™.
With such bad leakage, Kristy was disappointed when it didn't seem to help, especially when a friend reached out to tell her how much StomaEase™ was helping her skin irritation. That’s when she realized she wasn’t using it correctly! After proper application, “It’s really cut down on the amount of leakage I have.” And she’s been using StomaEase™ every day since then!
Kristy shared that her parents have been her biggest supporters throughout her journey, but despite their unwavering presence, she often felt alone.
“I didn’t know anyone else with my condition,” she recalled. “I just felt so alone for such a long time. Then, in the early 2000s, as computers and online communities started growing, everything changed.”
Through various support groups, she connected with others facing similar challenges, which ultimately inspired her to create the Total Parenteral Nutrition Support Group.
In 2011, Kristy ventured into sales with Stella & Dot, allowing her to pursue something she was passionate about from home. But she didn’t stop there. She expanded her entrepreneurial journey with her own LTK storefront, a partnership with LUX unfiltered, a Poshmark account, and a personal style blog, turning her love for fashion and business into a thriving online presence.
Kristy’s story is one of determination. She advises other tubies to not let their health issues stand in the way of their dreams, if at all possible. She said: “ Don't give up, and don't feel defeated by your tube. I know there are so many issues around feeding tubes, like irritation and leakage, but there are products out there that do work!”
She encourages fellow Tubies to empower themselves with education. “Maybe you can do another tube if yours if it isn't working,” she said. “Look on the internet to see what tubes are available. There are always new brands of tubes based on customer feedback. Don't give up!”
Kristy also finds fulfillment in her business endeavors. She encourages others to follow their passions, whether it's cooking, crafting, or whatever it might be.
“Find things to keep you busy and occupied - so you aren't just sitting and fretting,” she said. “If you do, it will consume you. Those negative thoughts will just make you sicker.”
