“My journey of facing cancer started in January.  It started with Dr. Sarah Durney, then to Dr. Nate Rieb.  He determined what I was dealing with and referred me on to Dr. Carletta Collins.  I was happy to be able to stay in Powell for care and treatment.  I’m so thankful for all my doctors who have helped me through this.

Dr. Collins is a sweetheart.  She was so positive about everything and she convinced me I could do it.  Then I got to meet the infusion ladies.  They are awesome!

I went through 3-months of chemotherapy infusion treatments and am now in the maintenance phase of treatment. I give Dr. Collins and these ladies so much credit.  They always make sure I am comfortable.

 I am so happy to be able to do the treatments in Powell. I have the best family anyone could have and because of so many good people being here for me, that’s why my treatment went as good as it did.

With all the good care and encouragement and all my family being here for me, cheering me on, I’m one of the most blessed people in the world.”

“I had Covid and it affected my heart, liver and kidneys. It really took its toll on me. I got set up with our local cardiac rehab program here in Powell.

The biggest thing for me for the cardiac rehab program is not having to drive to Billings. The next thing is the health education part of it. The process of going through cardiac rehab really helped me. I learned to do things a little slower and focus on muscle toning. The support you get is fantastic. Cyndy is great and so is Nathan and Melanie. They take time to show you how to use all the equipment and they are always available to give help and ideas. Everyone is friendly and they care. You’re not going to get this in the big city.

I don’t think people know that this great program is here. It works so well with your schedule and it’s so convenient having it available right here in town. This made a huge difference for me. I’ll be completing my last week of the program and I appreciate how they have taught me a lot and showed me the importance of gauging your progress through little steps.”

“I have had some really rough times with MRI exams because I am so claustrophobic. Doing them causes major anxiety for me, to the point I have had nightmares from it.

During my last MRI, Tom and Andy made it so easy for me to do the MRI. Both of them did so great for me and I really appreciate them. It was actually so easy for me to do it that it won’t bother me to do it again if I need to. That is saying a lot for me.

The machine is big, which helps, and Tom and Andy were so good at talking me through the process and helping me to be comfortable.”

“I appreciated that I could trust that you had my best interests at heart. I could trust in the decisions you made because I had developed a relationship with you. I could trust that if forceps or a vacuum or even if a c-section had been the route taken, it would be because it was necessary, and all other options had been tried.

I want you to know how grateful I am for you and the nurses who took care of me and for the calls and decisions you made when I didn’t know what to do. I think I can say, this was my easiest delivery and it wasn’t that easy. Thank you for pushing through it with me and for being there for me and my family. I look forward to seeing you again at my 2 week & 6 week checkups.”

“I found out about the cardiac rehab program, sort of the hard way. I didn’t have a heart attack but was having some issues. Dr. Durney referred me to a heart specialist in Billings and after an EKG and other testing, the specialist determined my heart muscle wasn’t functioning like it should. I ended up having a stent and an ablation and they referred me to start the cardiac rehab program here in Powell. Even after serving as a hospital board member for several years, I didn’t realize the extent of what the cardiac rehab program offered at the hospital. I feel very fortunate to be able to do the program right here in Powell and I’m thankful that Medicare covers this service. I’ll be completing 36 sessions supervised by the therapists and nursing staff. I’m about half-way through and I’m so thankful to be able to complete the program right here at our hospital.

Just in the time I’ve been in the program, my cardiac output flow rate has increased from 35% to 50%. The heart specialist and I were both amazed that I had that much improvement. Cyndy has been wonderful to work with. She makes it fun and monitors everything closely. It is great to get back into a good exercise habit. We certainly take our hearts for granted, especially in middle age and older and It’s so easy to fall out of your exercise routine.”

“I had a bone marrow biopsy at Powell Valley Healthcare by Dr. Collins. After a myriad of testing she felt it was necessary to determine what was going on with my condition. Dr. Collins and Shawna both listened to my concerns and made me feel comfortable about the procedure. I felt in control because Dr. Collins was flexible and gave me options. I woke up from the procedure feeling great and just a little sore. Shawna and Lindsey, in the OR, made sure I received the medication that was best for me as I’ve developed some medication allergies over the past two years. Dr. Collins and Shawna were amazing. Thank you PVHC!”