Special to Iredell Free News
Living with a complex medical condition has sent 53-year-old Sally Nix to several healthcare facilities. However, she found that the quality of care offered by Iredell Health System in Statesville exceeded all that she had gone to before.
Nix’s first interaction with Iredell Health System began in 2011 when she contracted recurrent meningitis. At that time, she had no way of knowing that her battle with meningitis would be just a small part of her larger ongoing health issues.
“When I first got sick, I was treated at Iredell. The physician who initially treated me was John Nicholson. He has been such an amazing person in my life because he got me to the place that I needed to be when I was very critically sick,” Nix explained.
Since 2011, Nix has endured five brain surgeries, been diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease, and struggled with trigeminal neuralgia.
In the medical world, trigeminal neuralgia is often described as the most excruciating pain known to mankind. It is a chronic pain disorder affecting the fifth cranial nerve, which provides feeling and nerve signaling to many parts of the head and face. It causes sudden, severe facial pain. Pain episodes may be triggered by anything that touches the face or teeth, including brushing your teeth, eating, or even the wind.
In 2013, Nix was referred to Iredell Infusion Care to receive medications necessary for her illnesses. Infusion therapy is used to administer medications directly into your bloodstream through an IV. She has been a patient at Iredell Infusion Care for ten years.
However, because of the complexity of her disease, Nix has been treated at several different healthcare facilities and received infusion therapy at other centers. In 2022, Nix needed intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy — an antibody therapy that helps people with weakened immune systems. Her out-of-town neurologist recommended she try a facility close to his office.
“When I was sent to another infusion care center, they made everything much more difficult from the get-go. I felt like they weren’t considering the whole patient,” said Nix.
Nix was relieved to know that the IVIG therapy she was receiving at a different center could be provided at Iredell.
“I went back to my neurologist and told him Iredell was where I needed to have my infusions because I deserved that kind of care. He fully agreed. I have been to several different places, and no matter how far I go, I always come back and see the care that’s offered at Iredell Infusion Care. Their care and compassion are unparalleled,” said Nix.
Now, Nix goes to Iredell Infusion Care every two weeks. Her infusions last about six hours.
“The immunoglobulin is really rough on me for some reason. But, through it all, the infusion staff and doctors do everything they can to get ahead of things and try to solve every single problem that comes up because they understand it all so well. They have done that for me for ten years. They are really just safety nets for me right now,” said Nix.
To help comfort her during her treatments, Nix brings her service dog, Jon Snow. A 2-year-old labradoodle who supports not only Nix but staff and patients as well, the dog has become a celebrity at Iredell Infusion Care.
“My amazing service dog, Jon Snow, is with me through all the long infusions. It’s amazing how he has affected people in infusion care and the staff because he is also trained as a therapy animal. So, when we go in, he gives the nurses, staff, and other patients that kind of therapy that they need,” said Nix.
She loves seeing the faces of other patients, visitors and staff light up when Jon Snow enters the room.
“Even though I am a patient there, I feel like I’m giving back to the people who care for me because of how happy and at ease Jon Snow makes everyone there. It’s so fulfilling,” said Nix.
“Having Jon Snow come into Infusion Care is such a joy for the patients as well as the staff. He always brightens everyone’s day,” said Amy Mchargue, a nurse at the facility. “He has such a calming demeanor and very well mannered. He also loves to visit with staff, patients, and the patient’s family members, enjoying a good petting. It is also wonderful to see how attentive he is to Sally and her needs.”
Nix has felt supported by the infusion care team the entire time.
“The infusion care staff has been essential in comforting me. They’ve seen me at my worst, and they’ve seen me at my best. The extra steps they take, not only for me but for everyone, makes the biggest difference,” said Nix.
“The kindness, comfort, and support starts from the moment you walk in the door to infusion care,” she added.
Nix is thankful for all who have cared for her throughout her last decade at Iredell Infusion Care. She knows their care extends beyond just caring for her as a patient — they care for her as a person.
“A lot of the patients have been here together for quite a long while. So not only have patients bonded with each other, but I watch the nurses get to know their families as well. They know my family. They have watched my kids grow. They’ve been invested in my daughter going off to college.
“When you walk through those doors, you feel like so much more than just a patient,” said Nix.
LEARN MORE
Iredell Infusion Care is located in the Outpatient Services building at 739 Hartness Road, behind Iredell Memorial Hospital. If you would like to learn more or schedule your infusion therapy at Iredell Infusion Care, please call 704-878-7675.
About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare facility has 247 beds; more than 1,800 employees; and has 260 physicians representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The Health System’s newest campus, Iredell Mooresville, is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.org.