When Kevin Stanley noticed an ad for BWH in the Journal of Advanced Nursing that his wife Diane receives, he hesitated. “Would there be anyone there who would still remember me?” he wondered. After all, it was 19 years ago this month that the 50-year-old Dixfield, Maine, millyard supervisor was told he would not live beyond the holidays without a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) from BWH.
Not only does Myra Muir, a 21-year staff nurse on BWH’s transplant unit, recall Kevin Stanley’s case, she can provide vivid details of the then-experimental procedure, Kevin’s road to recovery and the rapport the two of them shared at a time when BMT patients were required to spend three full months in total isolation inside the Lamina airflow room, more commonly known as “the bubble,” without much hope for survival.
“Like all transplant patients, Kevin had to endure extraordinary physical and psychological isolation, which was compounded by being so far from home,” said Muir.
There was absolutely no physical contact permitted with BMT patients, and visitors were required to wear surgical scrubs. And despite these obstacles, maintaining a positive outlook continues to be as critical a factor now as it was back then.
“If it wasn’t for Myra, I wouldn’t have made it,” said Stanley. “Although I arrived at BWH 19 years ago filled with a positive attitude and a will to survive, I still found it difficult to overcome feelings of being trapped inside ‘the bubble,’ while life went on around me. That’s where Myra, as my primary nurse, overcame the physical barrier and challenged my wanting to give up—all the while knowing that it was my attitude that was going to pull me through. For me, the worst part was getting through the days when I knew Myra was going to be off-duty.”
Although the bubble is now gone and transplant patients face less isolation, Muir is among five nurses who have remained in the transplant unit with more than 20 years of service to the institution.
“There are quite a few of us who started at BWH at about the same time,” said Muir. “With transplant therapy, there are constantly-changing protocols, new procedures and continuing education.” She credits BWH with providing a stimulating and supportive work environment as contributing factors in the long tenure and the success that BWH nurses are providing to their patients.
“It’s been an extremely rewarding experience for me, but not all transplant cases are as successful as Kevin’s,” said Muir. “The life-threatening nature of the work forces us to never lose sight of the importance of personal care during treatment and recovery. It’s an area of nursing where there is an undercurrent of sadness in losing patients. That’s the reality that we face in the unit. And in even in Kevin’s case, there were times when his own outcome was uncertain.”
As a BMT survivor and the husband of a registered nurse, Stanley has a unique perspective when it comes to the significance of personal care in the recovery process.
“A lot of patients never make it beyond the transplant procedure,” recalled Stanley. “And there were times when I wondered about my own outcome. However, transplant patients, especially the young people who are afflicted with blood disorders, continue to serve as inspiration to me.”
Within six months after being released from BWH, Stanley resumed full-time work. Although he did suffer from some medical complications following his release, Stanley now leads a full and active life free from any medical restrictions.
“I can clearly recall Myra and the nursing staff cheering for me on the days when my blood counts were up,” said Stanley. “And when it finally came time to be discharged from BWH, I was greeted with a cake and champagne celebration.”
Kevin Stanley says he intends to visit the BWH transplant unit the next time he’s in Boston. When he does, Myra Muir will show him his champagne and cake celebration photos among the many that are posted to the discharge board.
When Kevin Stanley noticed an ad for BWH in the Journal of Advanced Nursing that his wife Diane receives, he hesitated. “Would there be anyone there who would still remember me?” he wondered. After all, it was 19 years ago this month that the 50-year-old Dixfield, Maine, millyard supervisor was told he would not live beyond the holidays without a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) from BWH.
Not only does Myra Muir, a 21-year staff nurse on BWH’s transplant unit, recall Kevin Stanley’s case, she can provide vivid details of the then-experimental procedure, Kevin’s road to recovery and the rapport the two of them shared at a time when BMT patients were required to spend three full months in total isolation inside the Lamina airflow room, more commonly known as “the bubble,” without much hope for survival.
“Like all transplant patients, Kevin had to endure extraordinary physical and psychological isolation, which was compounded by being so far from home,” said Muir.
There was absolutely no physical contact permitted with BMT patients, and visitors were required to wear surgical scrubs. And despite these obstacles, maintaining a positive outlook continues to be as critical a factor now as it was back then.
“If it wasn’t for Myra, I wouldn’t have made it,” said Stanley. “Although I arrived at BWH 19 years ago filled with a positive attitude and a will to survive, I still found it difficult to overcome feelings of being trapped inside ‘the bubble,’ while life went on around me. That’s where Myra, as my primary nurse, overcame the physical barrier and challenged my wanting to give up—all the while knowing that it was my attitude that was going to pull me through. For me, the worst part was getting through the days when I knew Myra was going to be off-duty.”
Although the bubble is now gone and transplant patients face less isolation, Muir is among five nurses who have remained in the transplant unit with more than 20 years of service to the institution.
“There are quite a few of us who started at BWH at about the same time,” said Muir. “With transplant therapy, there are constantly-changing protocols, new procedures and continuing education.” She credits BWH with providing a stimulating and supportive work environment as contributing factors in the long tenure and the success that BWH nurses are providing to their patients.
“It’s been an extremely rewarding experience for me, but not all transplant cases are as successful as Kevin’s,” said Muir. “The life-threatening nature of the work forces us to never lose sight of the importance of personal care during treatment and recovery. It’s an area of nursing where there is an undercurrent of sadness in losing patients. That’s the reality that we face in the unit. And in even in Kevin’s case, there were times when his own outcome was uncertain.”
As a BMT survivor and the husband of a registered nurse, Stanley has a unique perspective when it comes to the significance of personal care in the recovery process.
“A lot of patients never make it beyond the transplant procedure,” recalled Stanley. “And there were times when I wondered about my own outcome. However, transplant patients, especially the young people who are afflicted with blood disorders, continue to serve as inspiration to me.”
Within six months after being released from BWH, Stanley resumed full-time work. Although he did suffer from some medical complications following his release, Stanley now leads a full and active life free from any medical restrictions.
“I can clearly recall Myra and the nursing staff cheering for me on the days when my blood counts were up,” said Stanley. “And when it finally came time to be discharged from BWH, I was greeted with a cake and champagne celebration.”
Kevin Stanley says he intends to visit the BWH transplant unit the next time he’s in Boston. When he does, Myra Muir will show him his champagne and cake celebration photos among the many that are posted to the discharge board.