Medical - Surgical

Chemotherapy

The Christmas of 1998 wasn’t a joyful holiday in the John Scuffham household. “It is almost never good news when the doctor calls,” John laughed. “If the nurse calls, you’re okay. If the doctor calls, you’re in trouble.” John received the call from Dr. Richards on December 23rd that he had been diagnosed with cancer.

His course of treatment included surgery, chemotherapy and a radiation/chemo combination and John was pleased to learn that he could have both his surgery and his chemotherapy right here at Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona. “Dr. Nadkarni was just super! And, the chemotherapy nurses are great.”

John received his chemotherapy from nurses Diane Kajewski, Cathy Stevens, and Dar Elbert. According to Kajewsi, “patients sometime need to tell their oncologist that they’d prefer to receive their chemo, here. They don’t always mention the option to the patients. But once the patient requests it, they are always really good about referring them here.”

John’s care was coordinated by the Mercy Cancer Center and Dr. Silberstein. For two weeks, he had chemo in Mason City on Mondays and then in Algona, Tuesday through Friday. Ultimately, John went through four weeks of chemo on that schedule.

“They are great over there in Mason City, but it was much better in Algona,” said John. “It’s just so much more convenient - they let me choose the time that worked for me. They also took their time, which lessened the side effects.”

According to Diane Kajewski, “we tend to push the chemo slower. It just seems to help the patients keep from getting nauseated following.”

“They are so busy over there and there are so many sick, sick people. Lots of time you had to wait quite a while and that gets really depressing - for the patients but probably even more for family members.”

“I actually enjoyed my time in Algona. All the nurses are just super. They were so personable. They were always ready and waiting for me and they really took their time with me. I really appreciated that.”

One Monday the weather was bad and John had to do his first treatment of the week on Tuesday. “Diane Kajewski actually came in on Saturday to do my last treatment so I wouldn’t get off schedule. I don’t think that would happen anywhere else.”

“The chemo nurses tend to develop close friendships with our patients…with such a close one-on-one relationship, the best of friendships develop,” said Kajewski.

“I know that lots of people go to Rochester or even to Mason City because they think ‘bigger is better.’ They don’t know what they are missing, because it is so much better here.”

John’s prognosis is good and he is back to daily life enjoying the truly important things in life!