I Love Nurse Practitioners!

I LOVE nurse practitioners!

I know I am predjudiced because I am a nurse practitioner, but I really LOVE nurse practitioners! I even changed my own primary provider to a nurse practitioner because I have gotten such great care over the years from nurse practitioners.

Yesterday, Fred went for his postoperative check-up at OHSU with Dr. A. He was seen by Dr. A, who said he was doing just fine, healing with just little bit of open, bleeding area noted in his throat. The tumor is growing back, as I suspected, since Fred is choking when he eats again.

In addition to seeing Dr. A, Fred was also seen by the nurse practitioner who works with Dr. A. She spent about 45 minutes with Fred explaining all the things that have happened, as well as explaining what is coming. She really emphasized the importance of swallowing, even when his throat is hurting. If he doesn't swallow, he will really have a hard time learning how to swallow again. She gave him a number of exercises to begin now so that he is ready when he needs them.

I think it was good that I wasn't there for this appointment because Fred got the explanations that he needed. Without a nurse in the room, I think the providers were not worried about "talking down" or something. Maybe they gave more information because they didn't make the assumption that we already knew all this information? I don't know exactly what it was, but he got more information yesterday than he had in the past. And, it seemed like he was in a better mood after this appointment than he had been in the past. Previously, he left the doctor's office really down and hardly talked. Last night, he was really talkative and positive.

I heartily thank that nurse practitioner for spending the time Fred needed. She is going to see him about every month or so, throughout the treatment and then post-treatment. She and Dr. A will follow Fred closely for the next five years, which is the time frame that is most risky for a re-occurrence.

I LOVE nurse practitioners!

K