Another successful and amazing procedure done by Dr. Chamsuddin at Newton Medical Center, in Covington GA. When I go for my procedures, I always taken to the outpatient pre-op area to be prepared for the procedure. All the nurses there know me, know my story, and each time they see me, they are curious as to what that next step is. I feel special.
The same fellow always wheels me from the pre-op area to the radiology area where my procedures are done. He is always encourage me along the path that I'm in good hands,because he knows I am nervous . Nice guy and I feel like we are old friends by all the times we have been walking these paths of the procedures together. I make it to radiology and there stands the incredible team of ladies that help Dr. Chamsuddin with the procedures. They are always so nice and caring. I feel like I am part of their team even though I am the patient, they don't treat me that way, by now I could almost do one of their jobs laying there watching what all they do to help in saving my life. Except they are the experts and besides I never wanted to work much less be in the medical field in any form.
The week before last I had my CT Scan and I decided that I wanted to just get them all a little something special. I went to Kroger for something and sitting there in full view were some African Violets, one of my mama's favorite plants. I picked out the prettiest 8 and had them all sitting in a box top and surrounding the flowers I filled in the holes with every kind of candy I could find. I bought a simple card, as I just wanted all of them to know (all the people that help in the procedures), pre-certing the procedures, and scheduling me, just how grateful I am for what they do and how they mean a lot to me as well. Sometimes... it isn't the price of a gift, it's the heart felt love and caring that you give with a gift. For me the african violets mean a lot in my life, they always touch my heart when I see one and the people I gave them to may never know the significance of my gift, but I do and that is what counts.
I was put to sleep, and when I woke I remember seeing and hearing Dr. Chamsuddin talking to me, he had come into recovery room to check on me but was so foggy from the procedure and being put to sleep that it almost felt like a dream .... I asked him later if he came he said yes... I asked "Why were you talking to me because I don't remember a thing?" he looked at me, the way he looks at me when he thinks I am being silly or goofy and said "All you said was blah blah blah,... You were out of it" I laugh and thought to myself "No duh!"
I don't remember recovery, I could not tell you who the nurses are or what they even do for me, I can not remember any of the times that I have been there but I know they must take good care of me because I always wake up ..upstairs in a room with a nurse there offering me a pain shot... They in those moments become my best friends. My night nurse for two nights in a row.. he was great. Poor thing he had done something to his leg and couldn't walk very good at all. I told him to get a wheelchair and he could use it to get up and down the halls better to take care of his patients. He laughed and said he should "He didn't" Even though he was hurting he came to help me with whatever it was I needed and he was AWESOME.. My day nurse and the student nurse were awesome as well. They were totally on top of my pain and were always available when I needed them. They did a great job taking care of me. The nurse that came on shift ... the day I left was great herself. She was cheerful, and so eager to work and help me. When she got the call she had another patient coming to the floor she was thrilled. When nurses are happy to have more patients you know they are a good nurse.
I had all kinds of people that work in the hospital come by and see me. To see if there was anything I needed. I felt like a celebrity but I can honestly say they weren't just on that floor to see me, they were there to see all the patients. That means a lot. To have good care. And to know that if you need something and you push a button that they will come immediately means a lot. I feel very secure and cared for from the procedures that Dr. Chamsuddin does to that entire staff at the hospital. Newton Medical Center may be small but it's full of a lot of care and concern for it's patients. It's forever my first choice of hospitals to go if I am in need of any medical needs I may have. Who would have thought a local hospital would have something so amazing to offer me that NO other large well known hospital would even consider offering me something that could save my life. Think about that I went to Emory, Piedmont, and to MD Anderson and every one of the doctors at those facilities told me to take chemo and die. Hell no.. I want to be 100% cancer free so I can be one of those people that is in their face telling them to stop being so shallow in their belief's and give their patients a chance at life. I would rather have a chance at life than the no chance at life they all gave me. Sad but it's the honest to God truth. I went outside of the box, to a local hospital and I got the treatment and care that I wasn't offered anywhere else and the chance to have a long life. I have to say who wouldn't chose Newton Medical and Dr. Chamsuddin over these big box hospitals that have these doctors treating patients that who knows how many lives they could have saved and chosen not to.
This morning at 3:30 my beautiful 6 year old came in my room, got in my bed, and snuggled up next to me so much that she knew it would awaken me. I asked her to look at the clock and tell me what time it was, as I was hoping it was nowhere close to 6:30.... because I was still so very tired. When she turned over and told me what time it was, I wanted to be mad she had woken me up, but I was just so happy that I could make her go back to sleep. I asked her if anything was wrong... That's when the tears started pouring out of her little eyes and she told me about the $50 American Girl jacket she lost at school yesterday and about the library book that disappeared from her desk. Neither of those things upset me, they upset me because she was upset but nothing money can buy these days really matters much to me, and they could both be replaced. I found it odd that she waited until 3:30 in the morning to tell me, but we laid in the bed, made up silly songs, laughed, tickled and giggled like 2 children and it did my heart good. I knew at 3:30 this morning today was going to be a much better day, I got up, took her to the school. found the expensive little jacket in lost and found and went to the library to pay for the book and the librarian said she was not worrying about that book and we will deal with that much later in the year, it usually turns up. Evan wasn't with me to know the outcome of paying for the book but she will be happy when she gets home to realize that it wasn't a big deal.... I told her this morning, I am the mama and if things go wrong I want her to come to me, I am the one that is going to fix things and that there was no reason for her to worry about anything. A lesson learned and that takes me to the thought of how lucky and blessed I am to still be alive to experience these life lessons with my child. Fighting this battle has changed who I once was ....and who I might have been in the future, that's for sure.
I have to stop writing I have chemo today (not my favorite part by far) I do what Dr. Chamsuddin says and if I didn't he said he wouldn't treat me anymore... The other day I told him he was never getting rid of me... I would stalk him... LOL.... We have a partnership and a life long friendship.. A story for us to tell and lives to save... He could never get rid of me!
Dr. Chamsuddin when you read this as much as a pain as I can be... I want you to know ... I think you are the bomb!! You are doing great things in the medical field...I know that you have chosen the path in life you were meant to travel...Thank you for everything. Brings tears to my eyes to write this but I mean it from the top of my head to the tip of my toes you are amazing!
Don't cry for me... Pray for me.... Share my story of love, compassion, hope, and life because you never know who just may need to hear the story for themselves.
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