“Chicken one day, feathers the next!” This is a phrase one of my patients exclaimed when we were talking about life. I had never heard that expression before as an analogy to “here one day and gone the next.” It is written on a note I have hanging in my office. It makes me smile every time I see it, which is often. This patient passed away several years ago, and I think of him when I read it.
The small rural hospital where I work has an outpatient hematology/oncology clinic with only 10 recliners. Our demographic is composed mostly of 70- to 80-year-old patients, but we also currently have 35- and 40-year-olds! Since we are a small clinic, we are close to our patients—they are like family. My role as a cancer patient navigator includes many aspects. I assist with barriers to care such as lack of transportation, insurance issues, and education about their disease and treatment plan. One role I sometimes struggle with is the psychosocial role. We do not have a dedicated oncology social worker, but we have created processes to help fill that void. As I said earlier, we are small.
Our patients become close to us during treatment as they sit in the infusion center receiving their medication. We have an open concept, with our nurses’ station in the center of our infusion room and patient recliners spaced only a few feet in front of us. This is so we can monitor our patients very closely. One chair is available beside the recliner for a family member or friend to accompany the patient. We do not have televisions. We encourage patients to bring books or electronic devices, such as tablets, if they would like. We supply a warm blanket and a drink and/or snack of their choice. We even feed them a complimentary lunch! Some have premedications that make them sleepy, so they nap. Even with all these comforts available to make our facility feel like home, their diagnosis/prognosis is always there.
We have a very special clergy person who comes to visit patients on clinic days. Her name is Yvonne. If you ever wanted to see a real angel on Earth, it would be Yvonne. In the warm months of the year, she has a huge rose garden. She brings a fresh flower every day along with a printed special verse from the Bible. In the winter, she brings a small candy with a verse. She speaks with our patients briefly, then gives them a blessing. When she is unable to meet them due to other commitments, she comes in early that day and leaves her gift on their chairs. It is so awesome to hear the joy in their voices and see the smiles on their faces when the patients see the message she’s left. You will hear voices say, “Oh, Yvonne has been here!”
Fetch has been certified as a therapy dog. Miracles happen every time my granddaughter brings Fetch in! It is so amazingto see how animals can warm any heart.
Patient comfort is one of my highest priorities as a cancer patient navigator. I am always looking for ways to make our patients’ treatment days a little easier. Pet therapy is one of the modalities I have brought not only to our clinic but to the rest of our hospital as well. My oldest granddaughter shows mini American Shepard dogs. One of them named Fetch developed arthritis in his legs. He has retired from the show ring and has been certified as a therapy dog. We have been given permission from administration to have him come visit our patients and our staff. I see mini miracles happen every time my granddaughter brings Fetch in! It is so amazing to see how animals can warm any heart. I am not sure some days who benefits more from these visits—me or the patients! I mentioned to my physician about those “few minutes” of joy and happiness. He said, “That carries much further into their health than just those few minutes.”
There are times when patients require individual one-on-one counseling to learn about their psychosocial struggles and needs. Our physician begins that discussion. After the patient’s appointment with him is finished, I step in and talk with the patient to answer any questions. By then, I have established a rapport with the patient, and we are able to have an informative discussion regarding their psychosocial needs. Our hospital has an available outpatient behavioral health department to which we can refer patients for additional care.
I am a two-time cancer survivor who has gone through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. When I speak to my patients, I feel they believe that I can understand their concerns. I have learned much in the 30 years I have worked in oncology, but I still learn something new every single day. I feel blessed to have been able to be involved in so many lives. I could tell so many stories—many of them make me smile even though those folks may not be with us any longer. I have learned much about living life from my own experiences and through my patients. Remember that we are all “chickens one day and feathers the next!” at some time in our life.
The ESSAY column in Conquer is devoted to lifting the voices of people touched by cancer.
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