Cancer treatment made easier by care close to home

For Boscobel resident Terry Ritter, life changed in the blink of an eye. One day, he was at the farm brush-hogging bottoms, feeling fine. The next morning, he woke knowing something was very wrong. 

“I didn’t feel good when I woke up that morning, and my arm really hurt. In fact, it felt like I had broken my left forearm,” Terry recalls. “Even the breeze from the ceiling fan brushing across my arm hurt. That’s when I knew something was really wrong and told my wife we needed to go to the hospital.” 

'It was tough'

Terry arrived at Gundersen Boscobel’s ER around 8 a.m., where he was examined and had multiple tests done before the decision was made that he needed to be transferred by ambulance to Gundersen La Crosse Hospital, where his prognosis was grim. 

After three days in the ICU, Terry learned that he was dealing with Acute Leukemia. To complicate matters, Terry’s only kidney was impacted and began shutting down, resulting in three weeks of dialysis during his five-week hospitalization.  

“It was tough,” Terry recalls. “Between the medications, the three to four hours of dialysis at a time, chemotherapy treatments and blood transfusions.”  

After five weeks in La Crosse, Terry was finally able to return home and slowly began to regain his strength.  

Care close to home

A cancer diagnosis for most residents of rural communities means traveling long distances for treatment. For Terry, that meant a 130-mile roundtrip drive to and from La Crosse. But, with the help of community donations and support, Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital and Clinics opened its state-of-the-art Infusion Center in 2022. This keeps outpatient nursing services – including cancer care – closer to home. 

"After my Leukemia diagnosis, I found out that I would need treatment five days a week,” Terry shared. 

Terry began traveling to Gundersen La Crosse for chemotherapy treatments until his oncologist referred him to Gundersen Boscobel.  

“I’m so thankful that I've been able to have my treatments here in Boscobel,” he says. “It makes a world of difference only traveling six blocks, rather than making the trip to La Crosse – saving an entire day of driving.”  

Gundersen Boscobel’s Infusion Center boasts five individual treatment bays – each with a recliner, TV, IV pump and blood pressure machine – ensuring privacy and comfort.  

“I’m so grateful for the pharmacy team and nurses who make it possible for patients like me to receive small-town care with big-town expertise and skill,” Terry says. “I know my specific chemotherapy isn’t typically administered at smaller facilities, so I feel really lucky that Wendi Stitzer and her team took the time to understand the care I needed and adjusted schedules to accommodate my treatments. It’s been a Godsend in my experience.” 

“We form such close connections with our patients. We are honest with them as they go through their journey, aiming to create a safe space for them to be honest with us about their experience and any concerns they have,” outpatient nurse Barb Schaefer explains. “When patients are going through challenging times, we try our absolute best to be there for them in any way we can. We communicate frequently with Gundersen La Crosse to ensure continuous care. We try to help patients coordinate their appointments whenever possible, making it one less thing for them to worry about.” 

'Great healthcare is everything'

After nearly eight months, Terry rang the bell to celebrate his final round of chemotherapy on March 29.  

“I’m optimistic,” Terry says. “From not knowing if I would survive to where I am today, it’s been a journey.” 

Terry praises the care he received at Gundersen Boscobel, sharing that his experience was exceptional.  

“There was a ton of positivity and reassuring energy around me,” he says. “Everyone was so kind and courteous and kept reinforcing that I had a good chance of getting better.”  

“Great healthcare is everything. I have been so blessed with Barb, Solitair and Amanda as my nurses and I can’t say thank you enough!” 

To learn more about outpatient nursing services at Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital and Clinics, call (608) 375-6204.