I first met Chris-Ann Lauria, FNP, and Kari Doohen, MA, when they came to my department at Johnson Brothers to remind us of their services at the Marathon Health & Wellness Center.
I hadn’t seen a doctor in years, and honestly didn’t really know what the health center was all about. Chris-Ann urged me to visit for a physical. I was skeptical, but after their second visit to our department, I took her advice.
At my first appointment, I completed a physical exam and underwent lab testing. Chris-Ann spent a lot of time with me and asked many questions about my health history. She also recommended testing for colon, prostate, and lung cancer, as those are routine screenings for someone my age.
Shocking to me, my prostate-specific antigen levels came back high. In response to my results, my Marathon Health providers set up an appointment for me with a urologist. That’s when I learned I had prostate cancer.
I’m thankful they caught it early. Chris-Ann and Kari kept an eye on me throughout the entire situation. I often called the health center with questions and they always made time to address my concerns. I needed a pre-operative physical and a COVID-19 test before my prostate surgery, and I was able to complete both at the health center.
Fortunately, I haven’t experienced any symptoms since my surgery. I also quit smoking. I still have a long road ahead of me for recovery, but I’m confident I can stay on top of it.
