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Lyons, Colorado-based artist Sonny Smith has received antibiotic infusions across every major site of care and favors home infusion. “At one point I had to drive to and from a center—sometimes a couple times a day. It was a bummer,” he recalls. Then a neighbor told him about home infusion. “I asked my doctor and sure enough, it was so much better.”
In his younger days, the 71-year-old played rugby at the international level, which allowed him to travel and earn a master’s degree in art history abroad. However, the sport eventually took a toll on his knees. Sonny went through several surgeries and eventually total replacement of both knees. But, post-surgery, the left knee experienced persistent infection.
“I had several bouts of infection,” Sonny recalls, “Since 2006, I’ve had 4 major infections that required antibiotic infusions to treat.” For the first, he spent 6 weeks in a nursing home rehab center.
Another time, as a traditional Medicare beneficiary, he had to drive 40 minutes to a clinic, twice a day. “The infusions took 2 hours. They would let me order-in food and eat there, watch TV, or read. But it took a long time, and I wasn’t feeling well most of the time because,” he explains. “I was on several oral antibiotics at the same time—I was taking 13-15 pills a day plus the infusions.”
A dear friend volunteered to come over every day and help me keep a strict regimen.
For his last round of infusions, Sonny heeded his neighbor’s advice and asked about home infusion. By that time, he was enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan that covered it, so he made the switch. “It was so much better,” exclaims Sonny.
“I got a delivery once a week in a cold box. The drugs were in vials, all ready to administer, along with all the supplies,” he says. “They taught me the entire procedure—first saline, then slowly administer the antibiotic, then flush with heparin—and a home health nurse came once a week to do lab draws so they could monitor my progress.”
Sonny says he could have managed the treatment on his own, but he had a dear friend who volunteered to come over every day and assist. “She helped me to keep a strict regimen,” he recalls. She also helped with the prep work required to get everything set up and maintain a sterile workspace.
“It was so easy. It only took 30-45 minutes each day,” he recalls. Sonny says that his quality of life was much better compared to driving to and from the clinic—especially since the treatment spanned 6 weeks. “Home infusion was so much more comfortable, and it wasn’t a drag on my life. I would recommend it to anyone.”
Unfortunately, the infections persisted, and Sonny’s left leg had to be amputated above the knee. He hasn’t lost his optimistic outlook, however. “Now I have this super prosthetic from the VA that makes me feel like the Bionic Man,” he says.
Compared to other sites of care, home infusion “wasn’t a drag on my life. I would recommend it to anyone.”
It was so much more comfortable.
Jeannie Counce, FNHIA is Editor of INFUSION. She can be reached at Jeannie.Counce@NHIA.org
