Jayne Dunaway changed the course of healing for me. I had outpatient urethral surgery and cared for the incision as directed. Several days later, we called the Urology of Indiana nurse line to tell her that was more drainage from the incision, and she said, “You need to go to the nearest emergency room.” After a CT scan and blood work, the doctor consulted with the urologist on call at St. V’s, and the two concluded that moving me by ambulance from Hancock to St. Vincent was the best course of action with the likelihood that the incision would be opened and drained. After three days of nearly continuous IV antibiotics and daily iodoform dressing of the opened and drained incision, I came home with orders for eight IV antibiotics at Hancock; a direction to see an infectious disease specialist within one week; daily dressing changes to be done by my wife with instructions and a few supplies provided; and a suggestion to call the wound healing center at St. Vincent if needed, noting that its staff was very, very busy. My wife had asked whether a home health nurse could help her learn to dress the incision correctly and check to see if it was healing well, but the hospitalist told us that would certainly not qualify for home health. Both my surgeon and the hospitalist told me that healing the incision from the inside out would require at least 3 months, and probably longer.

I had the first IV infusion at Hancock and the next one, Jayne was the nurse who administered the antibiotic. Jayne was keenly interested in what had happened to me and we told her about what seemed to lie ahead. My wife had called for an appointment with the infectious disease specialist only to be told that the first available day and time was 4 weeks away. This nurse said, “well, let me see if there’s anything I can do to help with this.” Leaving the room for about 5 min. she came back with an appointment for the following week. When she asked if we knew where the doctor’s office was, my wife said, “I believe is it near 113th and Meridian St.” “No” Jayne said, “your appointment will be here in an office in the Hancock Internal Medicine offices! The doctor comes here!

Through my eight infusions, Jayne worked each day to keep my arms as comfortable as possible. She suggested hot compresses to reduce swelling and took a call from another nurse concerned about the condition of my left arm on a day when she wasn’t working at the hospital. As the infusions progressed, she asked about the dressing changes, and my wife told her about the frustration of not being able to purchase some of the supplies we had been told were necessary. Jayne asked, “Have you considered using the Center for Wound Healing here?” “They are wonderful” When we asked how we might access the Center, she said, “Let me see if I can talk with them about helping you”. In a few minutes, she returned, having spoken with them about my incision. She gave us the number and the suggestion that we talk with my surgeon when we saw him in a few days. My surgeon had no idea there was a would healing center in Greenfield, but he called and ordered the care. When this nurse set up my IV the next day, we told her that he was supportive of this, and by the time we left the hospital, this nurse had helped with getting an appointment for the day after my infusions ended.

One week later, I began to use a wound vacuum. Now, five weeks later, the 4.9cm-deep incision is very nearly healed. Without Jayne Dunaway's holistic care for my wife and me, I am certain that my recovery would have been so much longer and more difficult. Mere words cannot convey our gratitude to her and to Hancock Regional Hospital. Jayne is a remarkable nurse who has made a real difference in my recovery.