Exceptional Encounters at Kishwaukee Community Hospital

Jim Anderson

2012-01-25T11:18:00.001-06:00

When Jim Anderson fell ill with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in December 2010, there was no question he would seek treatment close to home in DeKalb. “I want to be where people know me and care about what happens to me,” said Anderson, 67, a DeKalb native who has owned Illini Tire in DeKalb since 1976. His local team of doctors from The Cancer Center at Kishwaukee Community Hospital and DeKalb Clinic worked in partnership with Dr. Patrick Stiff, director of Loyola University’s Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center.

Jim calls Norma, his wife of 43 years, his nurse and helper because “I could not have gone through this or kept it all straight without her.” Norma, who also is a native of DeKalb, adds, “Cancer is a family disease. When one family member has cancer, we all ‘have’ it,” she said. The Andersons are the parents of a daughter and son, and have six grandchildren.

Jim’s medical problems actually began in July 2010. Jim said, “I had a couple of TIAs and was being cared for by Dr. R. Patel in Internal Medicine at the DeKalb Clinic for that. “I just wasn’t feeling right. For a number of years, I’ve had some smaller lumps on my torso and other areas, but could never determine what they were. Well, one morning after showering while getting ready for work, I found dark lesions protruding all over my torso–overnight! Dr. Patel had already started some testing, so then I also saw Dr. Amanda Friedrichs, a dermatologist, who biopsied two of the lesions. In the meantime, we were also checking for possible gall bladder problems. Then, we got the results of the biopsy—it was Non-Hodgkins Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma,” said Jim.

Dr. Friedrichs said she has known the Andersons for many years since she is also a DeKalb native. “This truly is a good example of how knowing your patients and your community helped us recognize there was something serious going on. Jim just did not look like himself to me, so even before the biopsy results we were ordering other tests and calling in other specialists,” Dr. Friedrichs said.

Dr. Patel credits Jim and Norma for “staying on top of his illness. It began as a difficult case to diagnose because he had flu-like symptoms. He was tired, run-down, a little anemic, but his cell count was normal. The Andersons did not give up until they had an answer.”
Jim then was seen by Dr. M. Ishaqe Memon, a medical oncology/hematology physician at The Cancer Center at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, and had a blood transfusion to restore his blood count. “From the very beginning, I had people encouraging me to seek treatment or another opinion elsewhere. But from day one I was totally impressed with the quality of care I received locally. The caring people and high standard of care I received have yet to be matched anywhere I’ve been,” said Jim.

“We are singing their praises as loud and often as we can,” added Norma.
Even though Dr. Memon told the Andersons he had never seen anyone with as much cancer in his system as Jim, to their relief he also told them “it’s curable.” Jim began a regimen of strong chemotherapy treatments—four treatments three weeks apart. That was followed by two additional chemo treatments.

“When my PET scan showed all the cancer was gone, Dr. Memon advised me that based on the amount of cancer I had, he felt the chances were very high it would come back and in a short time,” Jim said. “He also told me that because I had such a good attitude, was in good shape physically for my age and had gotten good results from the chemo that he would recommend I have bone marrow stem cell replacement.”

Because the The Cancer Center has a partnership with Loyola University’s Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Dr. Patrick Stiff, its medical director, happened to be visiting DeKalb the same day the Andersons received that recommendation from Dr. Memon. “He consulted with us that day and by the following week, we had made the appointments and arrangements with Loyola in Chicago,” said Norma.

“When you’re at Loyola and they’ve taken your immune system down to where you are as close to death as you can be, they keep you moving, they keep you motivated. They encourage you to keep fighting. It’s truly incredible,” he added.

Dr. Stiff said, “People are living longer and taking better care of themselves. However, we are seeing more leukemias and lymphomas in the Baby Boomer and older populations. We’re not sure why exactly, but are studying environmental factors. We’ve polluted about everything in our world and the effects seem to be cumulative,” said Dr. Stiff.

Jim has been regaining his strength since returning home in July.

“I did have a setback about three weeks after we got home. I was in church when I started to feel really ill. I made it out to the hallway before I collapsed and they called an ambulance. I really didn’t want to go to the hospital again, but the DeKalb Fire Department paramedics talked me into it and basically saved my life. I had a blood clot in my leg that resulted in a pulmonary embolism,” said Jim. He added that heart related problems and blood clots are common complications of the cancer treatment he has received.

“You know, I’m a communication buff—I am not afraid to call someone to discuss how I’m feeling about something or question something. I’d rather talk face-to-face or on the phone; I’m not into e-mails or other technology so much,” he added. “The cooperation and communication I saw and experienced between the local medical team and Loyola was so impressive. I can’t say enough about my caregivers, both in DeKalb and in Chicago.

“Everyone—the doctors, nurses, aides—are all such special people. They are amazing in their ability to be so compassionate and caring. I don’t think they truly realize what a gift they all are to their patients,” he said. Jim has been able to maintain the good sense of humor he is known for by friends and customers throughout his illness.

“I always try to use humor to get through every situation; and when you have something like this, you live by the hour, not by the day. “Norma and I both believe in staying positive. That and our strong faith in God have helped get us through this. We believe in the power of prayer and are thankful for everyone who have seen us through this very difficult time,” said Jim.

Ursula Sullivan

2012-01-25T11:05:00.001-06:00

When Ursula Sullivan, 45, woke up on July 29 in severe pain with lost feeling in her left side, she knew what needed to happen and that it would have to happen fast.

Thankfully, her physician, Martin E. Gryfinski, MD, neurosurgeon on staff at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, was also aware of her condition and knew precisely what to do.

Ursula, a professor of marketing at Northern Illinois University, had been experiencing numbness in her hand when she was first diagnosed with a herniated disk in her neck by her neurologist.

She was referred to Dr. Gryfinski, who recommended surgery and encouraged her to seek a second opinion, which concurred with Dr. Gryfinski’s recommendation.

Now or Never

When Ursula woke up in extreme pain, she realized the situation was urgent and called Dr. Gryfinski right away. “I immediately knew the disk had ruptured, and surgery had to happen as soon as possible,” says Dr. Gryfinski. “I scheduled an MRI and the operating room.”

After a brief consult with Dr. Gryfinski in the Emergency Room at Kish Hospital, Ursula underwent surgery to have the disk replaced and pins placed to stabilize two other weak disks. “Dr. Gryfinski came in as soon as I was awake to check on my progress,” says Ursula. “His confirmation that I was showing positive signs was a huge relief to my husband and me. We have two young children, and the thought of me being permanently paralyzed was terrifying for both of us.”

Big Goals

Before leaving the hospital, Ursula informed Dr. Gryfinski of her goal to be back at work on the first day of classes, August 22, less than a month after surgery. To make this possible, Dr. Gryfinski and the staff at Kish Hospital coordinated her aggressive inpatient rehabilitation with Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. After a week there, Ursula was able to return home and immediately begin outpatient rehabilitation at Unlimited Performance Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine, a department of Kish Hospital. “The quickness and intensity of my rehabilitation has really made the difference in my recovery,” says Ursula. “I was able to start teaching on time. My next goal is to be able to walk the two blocks from my home to school without aid. I know that with my team, I can accomplish that.”

Unlimited Performance offers locations in Sycamore and Hampshire. To schedule an appointment, call 815.748.8900. Dr. Gryfinski practices at DeKalb Clinic. For an appointment, call 815.758.8671.

Rhonda Henke

2012-01-25T11:00:00.002-06:00

Rhonda Henke, 54, and Steve, her husband of 31 years, have a farm in Clare, where they love spending time with family and friends. A nurse at DeKalb County Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Rhonda had struggled with knee problems since the age of 17. Her pain became increasingly severe despite surgery until it gradually took over her life. After conservative treatment (icing, cortisone shots, and therapy) proved ineffective, Rhonda decided to have another orthopedic surgery to repair the problem.

Preparing for a Specialized Surgery

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were used to create a three dimensional model of Rhonda’s joint using the Signature ™ system by Biomet, Inc. This allowed Rhonda’s physician, Rajeev Jain, MD, orthopedic surgeon and Medical Director of Kishwaukee Community Hospital’s Center for Joint Care, to thoroughly examine the joint, analyze the exact location of metal hardware from a previous surgery, and create a perfect fit for her new joint. The original hardware was left in place to avoid causing unnecessary trauma to her bones. “I was scared to have surgery again because I did not know if the technique would work this time,” says Rhonda. “But Dr. Jain and his physician assistant, Micheal Wank, reassured me and answered all of my questions. I felt comfortable trusting this team with my procedure.”

To help build strength in the muscles surrounding her knee joint, Rhonda began rehabilitation exercises before undergoing joint replacement surgery. These included weight training and cardiovascular activity on elliptical machines and stationary bicycles. She also began a special diet to reduce the effects of any inflammation that may have developed in the joint.

After her surgery on March 14, Rhonda participated in rehabilitation three times a week. She did stretching exercises, rode a bicycle at home, and practiced going up and down stairs to regain strength and range of movement.

Surgical Success

Her new knee has enabled Rhonda to return to activities she loves, including playing with her 5-year-old grandson and riding motorcycles with Steve. She is happy to be able to return to her garden, an active lifestyle, and caring for patients without knee pain. “Pain is insidious,” says Rhonda. “Little by little, it takes over your whole life. I’m so happy to be free of knee pain and

back to my normal self again.”

Amberley Kowalski

2012-01-24T13:14:00.004-06:00

Twenty-six-year-old English Major, Amberley Kowalski has always been healthy and fit. So when she came down with several seemingly unrelated illnesses—she had lost over 10% of her body weight, had noticeably enlarged lymph nodes and veins in her neck, fatigue, persistent cough, and had trouble breathing—she actually started to question if she had cancer.

She had been reassured by those around her that she surely did not have anything serious. But Amberley was concerned. And finally, right before a new school year was to begin, her doctor pursued his suspicions with a chest x-ray and a subsequent CT scan. The test results came back with abnormalities that were alarming. The tests showed large masses in her chest and around her lungs. A few weeks before her birthday, Amberley was diagnosed with Stage 3B Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Amberley was both shocked and relieved to finally know what she was dealing with. She and her family met Dr. Memon the first night she was admitted to the hospital. He reassured her and told her the truth about her condition. Amberley said, “Dr. Memon’s humor, professionalism, and excellent bedside manner put us immediately at ease. He somehow had a way of making lymphoma sound like something I had the power to take on. My mom remarked later that she just trusted him right away and knew that he would be able to take care of me and I felt the exact same.”

She began her treatment at Kishwaukee Cancer Care Center. Amberley watched The Cancer Center being built and finished while she visited the old center for her treatments. “I had seen the building going up and looked up pictures online and knew I wanted to be treated there,” Amberley said. She ended up having her last two chemo treatments at the new center, and she said, “Cancer treatment doesn’t just end when chemotherapy does and I appreciate knowing that I have everything I need for my aftercare close to home. I like that I can have all my scans, appointments, and bloodwork available to me all in one convenient facility.”

Only half way through Amberley’s treatment, she was very happy when Dr. Memon told her that the cancer was responding to the treatment. Amberley is feeling much better and is looking forward to eventually getting back to her job that she took a leave of absence from. Miraculously, Amberley has continued going to school through her treatment.

With her positive attitude and outlook, Amberley is healing fast. She said, “As weird as it sounds, I loved going to the Kishwaukee Cancer Center and now The Cancer Center! I actually get excited about my appointments (even when I’m going in for chemo!) and I love talking to the nurses and Dr. Memon, who always asks me how his ‘favorite patient’ is doing and makes me feel so at ease. My mom even had a shirt printed up that said ‘I Love Dr. Memon’ which I wore to my first appointment after my initial chemo!

Ray Bennett

2012-01-24T13:12:00.003-06:00

Ray Bennett was one of the first patients treated on opening day of new Cancer Center Nov. 1, 2010. “It’s beautiful,” he said about the new center, “a lot more room, a lot more efficient, and a view that lifts your spirits.” And what remains the same are the nurses. ”They have a special place in my heart. They’ve been so wonderful. They’re my saviors.”

Ray has been Dr. Siddiqui’s patient since 2008, when he was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. “It changes your life. It certainly changed my attitude about what’s important. Family, friends, religion. These have become the most important part of my life now,” says Ray, of Cortland, who worked 31 years for IDEAL Industries designing and building automated machines. By his side through it all has been Regina, his wife of 30 years, their five children and nine grandchildren.

Ray usually chooses the group area when he comes for his chemo treatments. “I like to socialize,” he said. “When someone is down and feeling bad, if I can put a smile on their face, make them laugh, then I’m happy. That’s my goal each time, to make someone smile. It’s a scary position to be in (having cancer). Being with other people, helps everyone understand that we’re not going through this alone.”

Ray said his positive attitude about his situation came from Dr. Roger Maillefer, the local surgeon who removed 16 inches of his colon in 2008.“He put me in good spirits, and I just stayed that way, trying not to look at the dark side. He said we’re not going to cure this thing, but we’re going to fight it as the tumors come and go. I’ve never asked THE question and never will. I don’t want to know,” Ray said.

Dr. Siddiqui says he sees it every day: a positive attitude is the best medicine. “There are medications now that help with nausea and fatigue. But patients with a positive attitude have less side effects,” the doctor said.

John Noreiko, Intensive Care Unit Patient, Kishwaukee Community Hospital

2011-11-10T13:21:00.001-06:00

Miracles happen here, just 5 minutes from home.
The story of John Noreiko’s 17-day stay at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, as told by the patient and his wife, Kate.

We all know people who are slow to go to the doctor when they are sick. John Noreiko was certainly one of those people. “My husband is a typical guy when it comes to seeing a doctor. He always wants to tough it out. After this adventure I think he has learned his lesson,” said John’s wife Kate Noreiko.

His case started as strep before testing positive for meningitis. John is diabetic and has a platelet disorder as well. He developed renal kidney failure; pericarditis, an inflammation around the heart; mastoiditis, an infection of the mastoid bone in the skull located behind the outside ear; and sepsis, a bacterial bloodstream infection. With every new complication came an additional set of challenges.

Protecting . . .
John: I am lucky to have a loving wife who knows when to take action. My fever really spiked and she brought me to Kish. I know I became quite combative with the nurses, staff and doctors, who were trying to help me, guard me from myself if you will. All the people at Kish were wonderful. They saw my illness as the cause of my distress and worked past my delirious protests. They weren’t just fighting against all the diseases; they had to protect me against myself.

Kate: John doesn’t remember a lot from that portion of his visit. I can tell you that the nurses were just amazing. Here was this normally peaceful man who was so ill he wasn’t himself. They refused to let him stand in the way of exceptional care. They were gentle, persistent and professional. They were so concerned about his health and safety they actually assigned a sitter to just be with John so he wouldn’t be alone at any time. I have never heard of that before, that a hospital would go to such lengths to surround a patient with care. They had a large team that was always there for John. How they do what they do every day is beyond me.

John: What really captures my heart is what happens now that I am healthy. I can’t step foot inside the hospital without getting smiles and hugs from the people who saved my life. As tough of a patient as I was for a while, it is remarkable how they continue to pour out encouragement every time I run into them.

Healing . . .
Throughout John’s 17-day stay a dozen physicians were brought in to assist with his case.

John: After the entire team was assembled here at Kish, the decision was made that the best care for my situation was right here, five minutes from our home. While most people in DeKalb were dealing with one of the largest blizzards ever, I had a big team of specialists working to save my life. Even as the case progressed, additional specialists from our community were right there to tackle the new problems and complications. It is such a relief to know that there is such talent to handle these complicated cases right here in our community hospital.

Kate: People don’t realize the difference that makes when your hospital can handle major cases like John’s. Seventeen days is a long time to have a family member in the hospital. During that time life goes on for the family. Meals need to be cooked. Kids need to get to school. I had to work. Bills need to be paid. I can’t imagine the hardship on our family if we had to add in the stress of travel in a situation like this. This kind of high-level care five minutes away is just wonderful.

Miraculous is not too strong of a word for what happened to John. It is a term John, Kate and his doctors all use when discussing his turnaround. From the labs that processed his tests; to the nurses, respiratory therapists and physical therapists who were always there; to the doctors that had the training and insight to treat such a complicated case, this truly was an example of the whole being much greater the sum of the parts.

John: Today everyone involved in the case can and should claim part of the victory. My chances of surviving these conditions were pretty low no matter where I might have been. The team at Kish really helped me beat some pretty long odds.

Educating . . .
Any time a large number of medical professionals are required on a case, the coordination of care and communication between physicians, nurses, labs, patient, and family becomes critical. Cases like John’s require highly trained specialists who can work closely with an entire team and communicate with the patient as well. In John’s case, he had specialists in cardiology, nephrology, infectious disease, pulmonology, neurology, anesthesiology, and internal medicine.

Kate: Most days we would meet in the spacious meeting room near ICU. The doctors would review what we were dealing with currently and where John was at that particular day. They would answer my questions and help me understand just where we were and where the treatment was going. Plus, over the 17 days there was never a time that a doctor or nurse wouldn’t stop and answer my questions. They helped us understand extremely complicated issues very well. I know more about meningitis and pericarditis than I ever imagined! I couldn’t ask for anything more.

John: Our community hospital handled a life or death situation . . . more than handled it. They cared for me, saved my life, protected me from myself, calmed us by helping us understand what was happening every step of the way . . . Miracles happen here, just five minutes from home!
educating. protecting. HEALING

Robert Rosenfeld, Lung Cancer Survivor, The Cancer Center at Kishwaukee Community Hospital

2011-11-10T11:44:00.001-06:00

Robert Rosenfeld credits a dedicated team of physicians and care givers for the early detection of his lung cancer in May 2010. From Dr. R. Patel at the DeKalb Clinic, to Dr. SW Chang, a Sycamore pulmonologist, to Dr. Sabet Siddiqui and Dr. Amit Bhate at Kishwaukee Community Hospital’s Cancer Center, and Dr. Robert B. Love at Loyola University Medical Center, Rosenfeld said everyone worked together to ensure coordinated treatment for the best possible outcome.Dr. Siddiqui, medical oncology/hematology physician at The Cancer Center at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, said that although caught early, Rosenfeld’s case was complex. As it turned out he had two types of lung cancer at the same time.

“His PET scan showed that the tumor appeared to be small, but it was in the middle of his left lung. Our partnership with Loyola turned out to be very beneficial in this case because the tumor extended closer to the bronchial tubes than the scan showed,” said Dr. Siddiqui.“Dr. Love is a specialist in heart and lung surgery. He basically did a reconstruction of his lung, almost like plastic surgery, using Mr. Rosenfeld’s pericardial vascular flap from his heart and
reconstructing the airway to allow one lobe of the lung to be preserved.“In most cases, a patient would have his entire lung removed, but Dr. Love was able to save Mr. Rosenfeld from a mega-surgery that would have meant he would have been on oxygen the rest of his life and a higher morbidity rate,” he said.

Dr. Siddiqui said the partnership between The Cancer Center at Kish and Loyola is “phenomenal, and this case is an excellent example of why.”Dr. Love agreed, explaining that Loyola is pioneering many life-saving treatment options not available elsewhere.

“We are doing minimally invasive surgeries and using robotics for lobectomies when possible. Lung cancer is a real complicated disease to treat. Where patients receive their first treatment often makes a difference in their outcome because deciding on a plan of therapy is critical,” he said.The collaboration between Loyola and The Kishwaukee Community Hospital Cancer Center allows patients the best treatment options available in both health systems, he said.

> Click here to read more of his story

Priscilla Pisarki, Knee Replacement Patient, The Center for Joint Care at Kishwaukee Community Hospital

2011-11-09T10:24:00.003-06:00

My name is Priscilla. I am a Kishwaukee Hospital volunteer. I have never felt so good. Having my knee replaced gave me a new lease on life. I was getting old with my knee, with the arthritis. I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do at church. I couldn’t do things with my grandkids. And I was really starting to feel all my age.

After I had my surgery with Dr. Jain he gave me a whole new life. I had my surgery on January 31^st, and on May 13^th I danced with my husband on our 50^th wedding anniversary.

After my surgery, I became a volunteer for the Joint Care program. I love it. I go in every Monday and I talk to people who will be having surgery and I tell them what to expect before the surgery happens. I know what it feels like to have arthritis. I know what it feels like to have my knee replaced, and I also know what it feels like to walk out and know you have a brand new life starting all over again. I am active in my church. My husband says he has to take a number to see me, and that is fine with me. Life is too short. You’ve got to move. So now I move, because if I keep moving, illness can’t catch me or anything else.

Rhonda Henke, Signature™ Knee Replacement Patient, The Center for Joint Care at Kishwaukee Community Hospital

2011-11-08T19:02:00.001-06:00

My name is Rhonda and I had a total knee replacement done here at Kishwaukee Hospital back in March. The pain that you experience when you have joint discomfort creeps into all aspects of your life. It affects how you interact with loved ones and co-workers. When I woke in the morning, the first thing I thought about was pain. I would have to lie there and talk myself into getting up and moving. People say, “I pray for a miracle. I pray to have no more pain anymore.” Dr. Jain really was a miracle worker. He not only fixed my knee, but he gave me my life back.

I wasn’t sure I was going to be a good candidate for a knee replacement. I had been told many times that I would not be because of all of the past surgeries that I had. But Dr. Jain recommended a new procedure called Signature™ Knee Replacement surgery. It’s done with a series of MRI images that creates a three-dimensional image of not just your knee but also the entire leg.

The staff at the Center for Joint Care recommended that I start my rehab even before I had surgery. Not only did they recommend rehab strength training and things of that nature, they also suggested an anti-inflammatory diet. Once my surgery was over, I was up and walking to rehab within 24 hours. They don’t focus on what you cannot do; they really focus on what you can do.

I am a night nurse at DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center, and I love that job. It is the greatest job on earth. But before I had surgery I really doubted whether or not I would be able to continue. Now that I have recovered from my surgery, not only have I been able to return to work, but I am stronger and better than ever!

Joe LoCascio, Hip Replacement Patient, The Center for Joint Care at Kishwaukee Community Hospital

2011-10-26T14:34:00.001-05:00

I had almost the full course of pre-surgery options. I had therapy. I had injections. None of these really gave me lasting relief. When Dr. Jain and I talked, he assured me that my total hip replacement could give me permanent relief.

I think the unique thing about the Center for Joint Care is that it starts sometime before your surgery with a really good orientation program about what to expect. You meet other people who are going to be having the same surgery or similar surgery.

I was told that I would probably be getting out of bed the same day as my surgery, and that was true. I did. After my surgery I was able to lean a little against my bed and stand. The next day I was walking. I probably walked about 100 yards the first time. I was amazed at how little effort was involved in that.

It’s normally a two-to-three day process of rehab in the hospital after surgery, but I was able to leave by lunchtime on the second day. That might have been a little bit unusual, but I think it speaks a lot to the care that I received.

Click here to learn more about The Center for Joint Care at Kishwaukee Community Hospital.