Not “Just Another Patient”
My son, Brandon, tells me, “Mom, I want you to be around as long as possible.” I told him, “son, before you go off to the military, come see where they’re saving me.”
He thinks if I hadn’t come to Katallasso, I wouldn’t be alive today to watch him serve our nation.
My son was the reason I moved from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania fourteen years ago, along with being in proximity to my sister. I needed a change and to be closer to my family.
But I couldn’t use my healthcare benefits out-of-state. I was out of work, and damaged my shoulder badly to the point of needing surgery. I flew back to Massachusetts every three months just to get my prescriptions filled.
Seeing me travel so much to pick up my medications, a friend from church told me, “Big sister, why don’t you go try this place on South Belvidere called Katallasso?” I took her advice and made a visit. Back then, the clinic was much smaller, and Duane (Co-Founder/Medical Director) was the first providerI saw. He’s been my doctor ever since. I met Julie (Staff Nurse), and they have saved my life.
Co-Founder and Medical Director Duane Furman listens to a patient’s lungs.
Katallasso quickly became a family. From the receptionists, all the way to the nurses – they each know me by name. In Massachusetts, I had premium insurance, but was seeing five different providers every time I came in for an appointment. To them, I felt like "just another patient" and barely got five minutes to speak with my doctors.
But at Katallasso, I get to spend time talking with Duane, and he asks me about my son. Sometimes, I search online for everything that’s wrong with me and think that I’m dying. After Duane prays for me, whatever was wrong with me is gone. Here, the team looks at you as a human being, even without health insurance.
And surprisingly, they cover everything—I can get bloodwork not once a year, but every three months, and my physical therapy is paid for. They make sure I am taken care of and stay healthy. They take care of every single need. I’ve never had that even with insurance.
Because of my care at Katallasso, I have the energy to witness to others and tell people about the good news. Katallasso is taking care of me, so I can go out into the community, volunteer for our soup kitchen, and sometimes cook for our pastor.
“If I wasn’t being taken care of at Katallasso, I wouldn’t be strong for others.”
If I wasn’t being taken care of at Katallasso, I wouldn’t be strong for others; I would wallow in sorrow. Coming here has been a miracle. Katallasso took care of me, but it was God working in the background.
People who support Katallasso should know that it’s God’s work they’re doing, and it’s impacting people like us.
I have to wait until I turn 65 to get Medicare benefits. Until then, God has been good to me that he put me in Katallasso’s care, and for that I will be forever grateful.
—Praxede, Katallasso Patient