New Hope Found at CRMC Infusion Center

After serving in Korea, Cookeville Regional Medical Center patient Darrell Gabbard worked as an artisan tradesman before Crohn’s Disease began attacking his body. And, following a grim prognosis in his home state of Kentucky, he decided to move closer to his daughter, right here in the Upper Cumberland. Darrell didn’t expect to find hope, and a safe space for treatment, in our Infusion Center upon arrival.

Gabbard stated, “When I was living in Kentucky, my doctor at the University of Kentucky told me, ‘Darrell, you have about a year to live.’ I said, ‘Well I’m moving close to my daughter in Tennessee.’ The morning I first came here, I was originally headed to another area hospital to get a magnesium infusion in the ER and I heard a commercial on the radio talking about the Infusion Center at Cookeville Regional. So, I called and got set up here. They had me in the next day.”

He continued, “I’ve been getting treatment at Cookeville Regional for about two and a half years, way longer than my original prognosis said I should be. I’ve spent two birthdays in that one chair. I’ve been to a lot of places fighting this over the last 20 years. Hospital and infusion centers, but this is the best that I’ve ever seen. They are dedicated. In all my time here I’ve never seen any staff member come in with a bad attitude. It’s amazing. They see 20-30 people each day. So that’s 100-150 people per week and they just stay so kind.”

Echoing the sentiment, Infusion Center Director Kris Ramstad heaped praise on the attitudes, collaboration, and consistency of those she oversees.

“The infusion staff is a family and works together as a team to ensure that each patient gets the care that is needed. There is a lot of laughter and the staff is committed to doing the best for our patients by providing a loving, caring environment.” Ramstad added, “They have received multiple ‘Caught in the Acts’ (CRMC award system that celebrates those who go above the call of duty) from patients that rave about the care that they received. I am so proud of the team and feel honored to be their leader.”

Though necessitated by his disease, Darrell’s trips to the Infusion Center aren’t something he dreads. Instead, he views his time at CRMC as one of joy and community.

“It’s like we’ve become best friends. You don’t have to chat with them about being sick, you can talk about home life, or whatever you want and feel comfortable. That’s what I would tell people thinking about getting treated here, you WILL be comfortable. I’ve met a lot of people in here and they all talk about how good the staff is. They treat everyone the same, and they know what they’re doing.” Gabbard added, “You don’t want to go anywhere that you’re not looking forward to being at. I know I HAVE to come here, but I really look forward to it because I know how I’m going to be treated. You couldn’t get treated any better in Knoxville or Nashville, you couldn’t. There is no way that you could.”

Mr. Gabbard shared his unfiltered thoughts on the staff that cares for him here at CRMC, highlighting just how well the wonderful nurses and staff in the Infusion Center represent Cookeville Regional on a daily basis.

“You know how everyone daydreams about winning the lottery? I daydream about walking in here with an envelope filled with money for each of them. That’s how great they’ve treated me, everyone one of them. They are all just so good.” Gabbard concluded, “They know how I feel. They are the best.”

The Infusion Center at CRMC offers a wide array of treatments for issues ranging from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis to multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and more. To learn more visit https://www.crmchealth.org/.

Those who come to the Infusion Center at Cookeville Regional are often battling serious, chronic illness. Kris, her team, and CRMC overall knows that issues involving mobility are common in those receiving infusion treatment. With that in mind, designated parking near the East Entrance is reserved for patients of the Infusion Center.