Chemotherapy number one and two were in Knoxville at Thompson's Cancer Survival Center. Also were all the appointments in between the three week spans between the rounds. It was quite exciting to learn after the second round Thompson's Cancer Center was opening a chemo center in Sweetwater. The eight or so mile drive there would be much better than the sixty or so mile drive, one way, to downtown Knoxville.
The office would be open two days per week. One day was follow up appointments and blood work only. The other was a see the doctor and/or get chemo day. Dr. Charles, my oncologist, would be the doctor to visit Sweetwater. Great! (I might have had reservations about going to treatment in Sweetwater had he not been the doctor. I love my doctor. He saved my life and continues to do his best to give top notch care....)
So chemo rounds three, four, five and six plus all the many, many blood work and follow up appointments were in Sweetwater. Maintenance appointments have also been in Sweetwater for past two and half years. I cannot remember the last time I had to go to Knoxville to see Dr. Charles. Way back early 2010 I believe.
I've made it to six month check up span on visits! Today was my six month appointment with Dr. Charles. I was sad to learn that the center was now closed to chemo treatments.
I'm fortunate my chemo and multitude of medical tests and appointments are over since this has happened. Six month check ups and blood work are all that remain.
There were many benefits to having a treatment center in our area:
*Distance. Several counties benefitted from having a facility offering chemo in our area. The drive to chemo in Knoxville could be up to two hours depending where you live in Monroe or outlying counties.
*Transportation. I'm very blessed I was able to drive doctor appointments in between rounds of the two chemo treatments I had in Knoxville by myself. On the two days I had chemo I readily had someone to drive me. (You cannot drive yourself from treatment.) Many are not as fortunate as I. They may be elderly, no support system, or just plain ole no transportation readily available nor funds for many trips to many doctor appointments out of town. I was a social worker. I saw how hard a time people have with transportation just around town for everyday things which is multiplied ten fold by sickness and having to travel out of town.
*Cost. Cost of gas to and fro gets expensive when driving 50-60 miles one way!
*Time. Trip time=two hours. Wait time, blood work time, doctor time=an hour more or less. Treatment time=two to three hours. This all equals up to a full day off work for you and your driver. In between appointments? You might get away with only taking half day off work. Plus if you are able to drive you can drive yourself and not, as I felt when having chemo rounds, be a burden to someone you love. That saves family and friends at least a vacation day or two.
*Emotional. Emotionally, at least for me-a small town girl, it was much easier to have chemotherapy treatment locally. I feel many from rural areas feel the same. Examples:
The facility is small. It's actually an old branch bank. There are not a lot of staff members. You feel they are more personally invested in you and you're not just some chest port stuck to a tube.
Privacy. I think five chairs are in the chemo room in Sweetwater. The most people I ever had treatment with was three. Usually I was alone. Knoxville? It felt like there were 30 of us patients sitting in chairs with poison cursing through our veins while eating the bland ham sandwich and chips and drink we were given. My first chemo I remember being scared to death. I walked in with my sister and picked a recliner next to a wall (at least one side of me would have no one and Lynette could sit in a chair more easily beside me) and next to the bathroom (in case I got sick I wanted to be as close to that as possible!) The nurse made us move because the first two rounds of the type of chemical I had I would have to be near air tubie thingy's oxygen. Just in case my heart fluttered or, gasp, stopped. After the first two we'd know my body wouldn't react that way and I could sit anywhere. When the nurse told me that I really got uneasy! I told my nurse in Sweetwater about my fear before the first chemo. How very afraid I was that I'd vomit all over myself in front of 30 people. The nurse said, "oh, honey, they should have told you chemo isn't like it was in the old days. It isn't like that at all now."
Visitors. I wasn't always the most polite patient. Because it was local, I had family members who would stop by during my three hour treatment. My nieces and sister would bring me breakfast or lunch. This was great considering there was a steroid monster living inside me making me ever so hungry and sneaking into my closet at night making my clothes smaller and smaller.
(Note to self: remember it's bad etiquette to eat, talk loudly and have a lot of visitors during cancer treatments.)
*Energy. You just don't FEEL like all that time in a car or organizing a schedule that must revolve around your staying alive. Nor time waiting in a busy office which always turns out MUCH longer than the small office in a small town. You're sick, fatigued and sometimes just plain ole grumpy.
What a loss to the community and service to it's members to no longer have cancer treatments in Sweetwater.
I used to get to choose the color gauze for my blood work stick. Fun neon colors such as pink and blue. Plus traditional pinks and blues. Today it was just plain ole panty hose color.
The male nurse taking my blood today asked me all the normal health questions and how I was. I told him I was doing perfect and now "it was up to him to draw perfect blood so I can keep having perfect health." "No pressure or anything" I told him.
He did a great job. My doctor came in and and said I was the healthiest patient he'd seen all day and my blood work was clear. Just waiting on Vitamin D level results which will be in tomorrow.
I did treat myself to a cupcake after treatment today. Course I drove to Farragut to have one. How ironic. Ha ha. (I had to pick up Chris's cowboy boots. So, guys, I was in Knoxville already.)
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