Personalized care makes the difference for cancer patient
- Author: Butch Byram
- Date Submitted: Sep 4, 2020
“I would have stayed in Arizona, but it is so much better here. Anyone who thinks care is better in a big city should come here. The nurses spend more time with you, and everyone is open and friendly.”
Like a number of local residents, Butch Byram is a snowbird, summering in Gillette and wintering in Arizona since he retired about 10 years ago. But last winter was anything but normal for Butch and his wife Sue.
Butch saw ENT specialist Dr. Ian Swift and was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in September 2019. He had over 35 radiation treatments and chemotherapy in Arizona throughout the fall and winter, and knew he had to connect with a local healthcare provider to be able to come back to Gillette in the summer.
Dr. Swift helped Butch with a referral to the Heptner Cancer Center at Campbell County Memorial Hosptial, and Medical Oncologist Dr. Pauline Lerma.
Dr. Lerma continued Butch’s treatment with an immunotherapy drug called Keytruda. He gets an IV infusion of the medication every month that helps control his disease.
“When I found out I could get the treatment I needed here, I was very happy,” said Butch. “I would have stayed in Arizona, but it is so much better here. Anyone who thinks care is better in a big city should come here. The nurses spend more time with you, and everyone is open and friendly.”
A common side effect of cancer treatment is lymphedema, which happens when the lymph nodes are damaged by radiation. Lymphedema can cause swelling because fluid can no longer drain effectively from the tissues.
In Butch’s case he has swelling of the neck and throat, making it difficult for him to breathe and swallow. He needs lymphedema therapy, and found a certified lymphedema therapist at CCH Rehabilitation Services. Butch sees Occupational Therapy Assistant Jamie McIntosh three times a week for a special kind of massage therapy that helps the excess fluid to drain from his neck and throat.
Jamie became interested in lymphedema therapy when she was completing training as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, and was amazed at how well it worked to reduce the swelling associated with cancer treatment. She was able to get certified as a lymphedema therapist from the Lymphology Association of North American (LANA) when she came to work at Rehab Services.
“I can actually see the swelling go down when he is being treated,” said Sue Byram. “The extra touch and personalized care he gets here means so much to me and my family.”
You can learn more about this treatment options available in Gillette, Wyoming at the Heptner Cancer Center by calling 307-688-1950 or visiting www.cchwyo.org/cancercare. Make sure you know all your cancer treatment options before you make a decision.
