My Experience at Mary Washington

First of all, let me reiterate that this is NOT my first rodeo with cancer.  The first time I lived in Cleveland, and was a patient at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic. (Right now I am trying to convince my self to order breakfast and eat, but eating means pain later and I am not hungry)

The Cleveland Clinic is a GREAT hospital, and the doctors and nurses I dealt with are WONDERFUL.  (Now remember this was 2003) and I can't complain one bit about how I was treated.  I loved all my nurses there, the doctors too, but if I had to deal with Cancer again, I am glad it is with the Doctors and Nurses of Mary Washington.

First, when I go for my chemo, I do them as out patient. (yeah I know when I really make it there) it isn't like walking into an institutionalized hospital room, you come up to a building that looks like a ski lodge.  When you walk in there are two fire places, large roomy waiting area, and you feel like you should be getting your ski lift ticket and skis, along with a hot chocolate.

The treatment areas are open and have huge windows that over look a wooded area, and if there were snow on the ground, you'd think you should see a ski lift.  The only thing missing is a fire pit in the middle of the room.

The staff at Hematology and Associates rock too.  Doctors and nurses.  I can't say enough good about them.  The level of care that the staff gives is second to none.  It is a less stressful way of getting chemo, I don't have to stay in the hospital for 5 days, I get to go home, and while I am there I know I am in good hands.  Yes, when I get home I hook myself up to an IV and fluids and drugs to protect my kidneys, but the point is I am at home.

There is also a bond that forms amongst the chemo patients. I was cold on Thursday, didn't bring a blanket, and one gentleman going through chemo let me use his.  When I went to the ER on Tuesday, they were all concerned, and worried.  The nurses told me that they asked how I was doing.  Because you don't always see the same people all the time.  Sometimes the room is full of chatter and laughter, sometimes it is quiet.  There seems to be a bond that binds us all in that room, something unspoken, we are all facing the same thing, we are all facing the same possible out comes, we all choose to fight.

Now my experience being in the hospital is way different too.  At the Clinic, again this is no dish on the Clinic, everything was institutionalized.  Breakfast was at 8 AM, lunch Noon, dinner 5 PM.  You picked your food off of a menu, circle the item.  If you go there long enough, you know the menus by heart, you had choices, but the same choices.  Every Monday the menu was the same,  so you always knew on Monday you would order the cheese ravioli.    There were three choices like salmon, ravioli, or hamburger.

Here at Mary Washington, I have a Menu.  Seriously, I can go down the list of choices and order "room service".  It is up to the patient to what variety they want and when they want to eat, not on someone else's schedule.

Most of the chemo rooms are private, and to be honest, I prefer that, I am one of those people who are a sympathy puker.  I hear the person in the next bed puking, I start to puke, not good when you are trying to get the nausea under control.

Let me tell you no one has a better nursing staff either.  Sorry Cleveland Clinic, but Mary Washington has you beat, and I loved the staff at the Clinic.

It is a totally different feeling here, you don't feel like it is an institution, you feel like an individual, like someone.  It is an amazing difference.  Everyone, I mean EVERYONE that you come in contact with asks to be sure if you are ok, and can they help you in anyway.

Since I was destine to go through this again, I am glad I am in Virginia, and I am so very glad it is with the staff of nurses and doctors here at Mary Washington.  They rock.  And although I am very grateful to the Cleveland Clinic for the success of treatment and the experience, Mary Washington has you beat hands down.