“I just cherish being at a teaching hospital because I feel like I’m part of the greater good, and I find that both inspiring and comforting.”
“I have ovarian cancer, so I’m in gyn oncology. There’s only six gyn oncologists in the state, and five of them are here at the University of Iowa. So I feel very fortunate to be here and under their care.”
Patricia has made a home for herself at Holden. She’s a retired teacher and takes great satisfaction striking up conversations with nurses, therapists, and the physicians-in-training who are part of her care.
Patricia says she gets a tone of concern from friends and family when she mentions that palliative care has joined her care team. Here’s how she describes it:
“Because a lot of people don’t know what palliative care is, they think I might be one step away from hospice, but it’s not.
“It’s all about pain management and quality of care.
“So it can be someone who had just been in an accident and perhaps needed their expertise to get through a crisis situation, or it could be someone like me who needs long-term management.
“And they are wonderful in dealing with every aspect of my health—emotional, spiritual, mental, physical, my nutritional status, my weight, my activity level. They handle everything, and I’ve found them to be a great resource. I also appreciate them for what they will be able to do for my family as this journey progresses.”
