Donald spent thirty-nine years working as an electrical engineer while his wife, Elizabeth, taught elementary school. In 2017, they finally retired—and loved it. There had been a few health problems through the years, but nothing serious. Then, in December 2023 Donald started experiencing stomach pain. Elizabeth and their daughter had encouraged him to see a doctor.
Elizabeth says her husband is a little stubborn about these things, so he didn’t follow her advice. But after the fifth day of persistent pain, she woke up and found Donald was not home. He’d left a note saying he had taken himself to the West Jordan Clinic Instacare. “So, you know the pain was significant,” she recalls.
At the clinic, he saw Mandy L. Patillo, NP, who took his concerns seriously. She tested him for “several things, anything that she could,” Elizabeth says. The provider admitted Donald’s case was not an easy one and that she suspected something more was going on. Patillo made an appointment for him at the Intermountain Health Alta View Hospital for a CT scan later that day.
After the scan, Elizabeth says her husband got a call before he’d even reached his car in the hospital parking lot. Patillo had already received his results: renal cell carcinoma (RCC). She told him this was a common type of cancer and if caught early could be surgically cured. He needed to contact a urologist as soon as possible.
In a series of events that Elizabeth calls “tender mercies from God,” Donald, who rarely went to see a doctor, had recently visited with a provider who recommended he get a primary care physician, a sleep study, and an appointment to see a urologist.
Donald followed through with those recommendations and had actually met with a urologist, Daniel Simon M.D. just the week prior (concerning other matters).
It was 4:30 p.m. on Friday December 8, 2023. Donald had Dr. Simon’s card in his wallet and called his office as soon as he was off the phone with Patillo. The doctor had already left the office. But his staff made an appointment for Donald to meet with Dr. Simon on the following Tuesday, December 12.
On Monday morning, December 11, Dr. Simon called Donald. Elizabeth says they were surprised to hear from him before his visit. He answered Donald’s immediate questions and said they would talk more the next day at his appointment.
On Tuesday, Dr. Simon had the CT scans available and showed them to Donald and Elizabeth. Though Dr. Simon’s practice had only opened a year earlier, Elizabeth recalls they felt comfortable after learning about his urology training and his additional fellowship in robotic surgery. Elizabeth says, “We felt like though he was very new and young, he was the very best one to handle Donald’s case.” Dr. Simon’s office worked with Select Health for all approvals to be done so he would be ready for the surgery.
On January 18, 2024, Donald had a robotic surgery to remove one of his kidneys and the RCC mass attached to it. After a one-night stay in the hospital, he was home to recover.
Now he’s twenty-one months cancer-free.
A UNIQUE REACTION
Elizabeth says her experience with her husband’s diagnosis was different than she expected. Donald, of course, had lots of anxiety from the moment he learned about the RCC. But Elizabeth says she did not have one worry. “I was totally at peace with the whole thing and knew that everything would come out just fine. We’re talking tender mercies here.”
She says it helped Donald to know that she was at peace with his diagnosis and situation.
THE RIGHT CARE WHEN YOU NEED IT
Recalling her experiences both as a patient and when Donald was a patient, she knows the value of good medical care and coverage. It makes a difference knowing you have access to high-quality providers and insurance coverage when you need it.
“Both the doctors in the hospital system and Select Health, the insurance, they’ve always been good systems,” Elizabeth says. “Even to have Dr. Simon there. Just exactly what we needed when we needed it. That was a real blessing.”
MAKE SURE YOU’RE COVERED
Don’t wait for an emergency or tragedy to strike before securing access to the right care. Select Health’s insurance plans include a wide network of caring providers offering high-quality care. With coverage in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Nevada, members can see the providers they need to help live their healthiest lives possible.
Browse our plans to find one that fits your life and needs best.
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