The Patient's Voice

I do not think my situation is unique. I live in a large city with horrendous healthcare. If you do not live in such a city, you may not believe that I live in the United States.

Advances in cancer care and treatment have led to excellent success in the “fight against cancer.” Millions of lives have been saved through the use of more targeted treatments and medications.

If I had to grade my oncology nurses, I would give them, as a group, an A+. They have saved my life, cleaned my privates, kept me company, rejoiced with me when I was discharged, and consoled me with every wave or trickle of bad news I have faced during my care.

It has always been my opinion that nurses are often expected to be the healthcare professionals who “do everything.”

I spent 8 long months in a city far from my own, undergoing intense chemotherapy and then an autologous stem cell transplant. Eventually, after a longer-than-I-would-have-liked stay in the hospital and another few weeks living close to the hospital in case of emergency, I was sent back home with a bagful of medicines and instructions on how/when/with what to take them.

I’ve never met MMA, but I can tell one very important thing about her from the blog she wrote about adherence to therapy at home.