Richard Satin began recovering after surgery in early January removed an inflamed section of his small intestine that doctors said was contributing to a bowel blockage and a blood clot. He had lost 70 pounds during months of illness and difficulty eating.
Satin’s health problems began in October 2025, when severe pain sent him to a hospital on Long Island. Doctors diagnosed diabetes and found a clot in his portal vein, which carries blood from the digestive tract to the liver. Treatment stabilized his blood sugar and addressed the clot, but his pain returned within days.
Repeated hospital visits brought different dietary recommendations, including high-fiber and liquid diets, but Satin’s condition continued to worsen. By mid-December, he had little appetite and struggled to eat even small portions.
On Christmas Eve, he saw concierge physician William Klein, who urged him to seek immediate surgery. Klein referred him to Gary Gecelter, chairman of surgery at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center. After reviewing and repeating tests, Gecelter identified an unusual inflammatory problem in Satin’s digestive tract. He believed the inflammation had affected the blood supply to the stomach, contributing to the clot and an obstruction in the bowel.
Gecelter operated in early January, removing the affected portion of the small bowel. Satin was discharged three days later and was eating some of his favorite foods less than a week after the procedure. He later regained much of the weight he had lost and returned to golf and his daughter’s school events, according to CBS News.
The reason Satin developed the initial inflammatory condition remains unknown, Gecelter said. He also said doctors cannot determine whether it could happen again, though they would know where to look if Satin became ill in a similar way.
Satin’s diabetes is stable, and he monitors his blood sugar while making dietary changes. He said he is grateful to be spending time with his family and has resumed plans to travel.
Reid Bentley