General surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford helps patient heal after misdiagnosis
Dr. Mark Manwaring, colon and rectal surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee helps a patient find answers to symptoms that suggest Crohn’s disease.
When Brie Johnson first saw Dr. Mark Manwaring, colon and rectal surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, she was in tears—both from pain and frustration. After bouncing between hospitals and receiving misdiagnoses for years, she finally found a doctor in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, who listened.
“They kept telling me it was cysts,” she recalled. “But when I saw Dr. Manwaring, he said, ‘You have rectal fistulas.’”
A rectal fistula is an abnormal tunnel-like connection between the anal canal and the skin near the anus. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, drainage of pus or blood and irritation around the anus.
From that moment on, Brie’s care journey changed. Dr. Manwaring made time for her surgery just two weeks later. But her symptoms continued, and Dr. Manwaring began to suspect something more, Crohn’s disease, which is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss.
“He didn’t give up on me,” Brie said. “Even when my tests kept coming back normal, he kept digging for answers.”
Eventually, with the help of GI specialist Cheryl Woods, nurse practitioner at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, Brie received a Crohn’s diagnosis. A colostomy bag followed, which became a life-changing solution that Brie surprisingly says she loves. “Most people dread having one, but mine gave me my life back,” she admitted.
A moment that came full circle for Brie was when she was provided the opportunity to work professionally on Dr. Manwaring’s team as a medical assistant.
“I never saw myself working in this practice, but when the opportunity came up, it felt right,” she said. “Now I get to help other patients the way he helped me.”
As a medical assistant, Brie brings a unique perspective to her role. “I tell patients all the time: you can still live a full life. I’m a walking testimony. These providers care,” she emphasized. “They don’t give up on you. They don’t just send you home with no answers. They go the extra mile to figure out what’s wrong—and how to help.”
Today, Brie is thriving at work, in life, and in her journey toward becoming a nurse. “I’m excited to keep learning. I want to go deeper, to better understand Crohn’s, and to help others like me.”
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Last updated: July 8, 2025