Tammy Schumacher-Monfre
March 2016
Tammy
Monfre
,
NP
ENT
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
Milwaukee
,
WI
United States
Tammy not only has touched the lives of our Veterans, but has had an impact on her coworkers as well. She continues to take time to educate Vets, families and staff. Tammy has given many trach/laryngectomy lectures to students and staff of many departments. She is definitely the "go-to gal" in the ENT clinic. Tammy is willing to take on extra work to accommodate the Veteran's needs. She is always striving to make the Veterans' experience a positive one. Tammy has furthered her education by obtaining her PhD this past fall. Tammy is truly an exceptional example of what it means to CARE.
***
My recognition and admiration goes to the one person I sincerely and wholehearted credit for saving my life. Now Tammy, who is the nurse practitioner in the ENT Clinic, has never shared this belief with me. She stands on her conviction that she was doing her job when she was solely responsible for detecting two spots in my throat that turned out to be cancerous.
I will never forget the day I came to the ENT clinic with an ear infection. As she examined the infected ear, she also decided to take a look in my throat. It was then that she noticed something about my one tonsil that she didn't like. So she called in a doctor for another opinion. After a brief look the doctor's response was something like "oh yes, maybe we ought to keep an eye on it in the future." Now I am not downgrading the doctor for his evaluation, but I am thanking God today that Tammy's concern was the reason the tumors no longer went on without attention.
About a week later, when Tammy had me come back for a follow-up with my ear infection, she also took another look at my throat. Her comment at this point was "I don't like the look of the tonsil, I am ordering a biopsy". Three days later, she called me at home to give me the news that I in fact did have two cancerous tumors.
I ask you this, "what if she didn't follow her instinct and order that test?" There was no pain in my throat so there is no telling how long or if it ever would have been detected. I wouldn't be writing this testimony, no one would.
I believe that Tammy has been given a gift by God to see things that others don't see.
So Tammy, yes, you did save my life. It was more than just doing your job. God is now using me to be a living testimony, and you are the main ingredient to that testimony.
***
My recognition and admiration goes to the one person I sincerely and wholehearted credit for saving my life. Now Tammy, who is the nurse practitioner in the ENT Clinic, has never shared this belief with me. She stands on her conviction that she was doing her job when she was solely responsible for detecting two spots in my throat that turned out to be cancerous.
I will never forget the day I came to the ENT clinic with an ear infection. As she examined the infected ear, she also decided to take a look in my throat. It was then that she noticed something about my one tonsil that she didn't like. So she called in a doctor for another opinion. After a brief look the doctor's response was something like "oh yes, maybe we ought to keep an eye on it in the future." Now I am not downgrading the doctor for his evaluation, but I am thanking God today that Tammy's concern was the reason the tumors no longer went on without attention.
About a week later, when Tammy had me come back for a follow-up with my ear infection, she also took another look at my throat. Her comment at this point was "I don't like the look of the tonsil, I am ordering a biopsy". Three days later, she called me at home to give me the news that I in fact did have two cancerous tumors.
I ask you this, "what if she didn't follow her instinct and order that test?" There was no pain in my throat so there is no telling how long or if it ever would have been detected. I wouldn't be writing this testimony, no one would.
I believe that Tammy has been given a gift by God to see things that others don't see.
So Tammy, yes, you did save my life. It was more than just doing your job. God is now using me to be a living testimony, and you are the main ingredient to that testimony.