Sara Beeler, APRN

Anyone who has received post-chemo immunotherapy treatments unfortunately, are aware of, or experienced the intense bone-crushing pain resulting from pegfilgrastim. This was indeed the worst pain my sister had ever experienced. Prior to receiving her initial dose of pegfilgrastim, which is administered 24 hours after chemo, she was asked only by the woman administering the drug if she “had pain medicine at home”. My sister told her no, & didn’t think anything of it as she wasn’t otherwise informed by Sara. That was a Friday afternoon. By the following Monday afternoon, & after having called all weekend, the most debilitating pain she had ever experienced was on day 3 with no relief. My sister called the after hours number, begged for help & was told to go to the emergency room; great advice for someone who was immunocompromised. That was all 3 weeks ago; today was another round of chemo & tomorrow another injection of pegfilgrastim; still no communication or solution for pain relief

Very nice Answered all questions very knowledgeable didn’t feel rushed I feel she took her time

Am RN of over 50 yrs diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. Had been retired for over 10 yrs but told her based on what I knew than would not take chemotherapy but told her I was there to find out changes in treatment so I could make informed decision. Instead of telling me how they would help me she said bluntly and with no compassion— when your cancer comes back not if because it will come back, you will have such severe pain in your brain, your bones, your lungs and your liver and we won’t be able to ease the pain and than you’ll have no quality of life. Than said so when will you seek intervention NOW. I looked at her and said after that statement you just gave. I have nothing to say to you. She wrote up a history, a physical exam (she never touched me and did no exam nor ask me at questions except could she see my incision but I still had my surgical dressing on. If she had ask me questions she wouldn’t have written I had double Mastectomy but no reconstruction but I had. Sad

After cancer diagnose had appointment to decide about chemotherapy. As an RN who retired ten years ago wanted to be updated about changes in cancer treatment so I could make informed decision. Made the mistake of telling her that when I retired 10 years ago both nurses and patients in my research dissertation described chemotherapy as poison. After that I got zero information. What I got was her telling me when my cancer comes back not IF it comes back because it will in my liver my brain my lungs or my bone and the pain will be so severe than we won’t be able to help you. Adding so when are you going to get intervention. As a patient I was crushed as this did not align with my information from my breast surgeon. My reply was “after what you just said to me, I really do not know how to answer your question “. For the first time in ten years that I had taught nurse practitioners I was ashamed to say I taught NPs. I don’t believe in or ever taught using fear to get patient to comply. SAD