Tonya Melton
Family Nurse Practitioner, Special Needs Mom
Tonya Melton
Family Nurse Practitioner, Special Needs Mom
Advocate Location
Livonia , MI 48154
Specialty
Survivor Support
TeleAdvocacy Available
Offers FREE Initial Consultation
*Greater National Advocates Terms of Use Apply
How I Can Help
I provide medical advocacy so that patients understand everything that they need to know so that they feel informed, knowledgeable, supported, and centered in their care. When I understand a patient’s goals, I can help them get what they’re looking for. As healthcare consumers, we can differentiate between good and bad customer service, but I think that even the smartest, most educated people can struggle to differentiate between good and bad medical care. So many times, we don't even know what to ask to begin to understand our options, and that's where I come in.
My friend “Marcia” had stage 4 cancer and decided to have palliative chemotherapy. She was in her 80s and I went to every doctor appointment, every chemo treatment and test, and stayed with her in the hospital. Hospital staff documented in her chart that she was accompanied by "her daughter," but it was just me. I kept track of her lab and test results, reported details (that she wished me to share) to her family, and helped her understand her results and medications. I took notes of her care and protected her from medical errors. She lived for 11 months after her diagnosis, and this was much more than was expected.
Another friend “Katie” was in the hospital with an infected ovarian cyst, abdominal pain, fever, and chills. The doctors were giving her IV antibiotics and wanted to do surgery to remove her ovary. Before this hospitalization, she had her other ovary removed for the same thing, but she was young and wanted to have children. They said that if Katie wasn’t going to have surgery, she needed to get out. They were going to discharge her with oral antibiotics. I drove to her hospital room and asked her doctor to come explain to us. The doctor used big words and acronyms like REI (a camping store? No, Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility!) and I had to force the doctor to explain. I had to have the doctor explain that Katie’s medical coverage would not cover infertility treatment. I told the doctor that Katie was still having pain, fevers, and chills on IV antibiotics, and she was NOT going home until her symptoms were controlled for 24-48 hours on oral antibiotics AND she was NOT going to have surgery until SHE was ready to have surgery. I told them that her fertility was important to her and she was going to keep coming back and coming back with this infected ovary until it was properly treated with antibiotics or she was tired of dealing with it and SHE decided to have surgery.
I had a lovely patient “Marie” in her 80s with blood cancer (leukemia), and her oncologist was ignoring her symptoms. She was extremely short of breath, but the oncologist wouldn’t listen to her or to me. Marie wanted to do whatever the doctor said because she trusted him implicitly. She was receiving palliative (non-curative) chemotherapy, but it wasn’t working and it was making her feel worse. I had to contact Marie’s primary care provider to draw bloodwork (a CBC) and tell the oncologist that the chemo was killing her. Marie was finally able to transition to comfort in hospice.
I am happy to provide this wrap-around advocacy to help you achieve your healthcare goals.
My friend “Marcia” had stage 4 cancer and decided to have palliative chemotherapy. She was in her 80s and I went to every doctor appointment, every chemo treatment and test, and stayed with her in the hospital. Hospital staff documented in her chart that she was accompanied by "her daughter," but it was just me. I kept track of her lab and test results, reported details (that she wished me to share) to her family, and helped her understand her results and medications. I took notes of her care and protected her from medical errors. She lived for 11 months after her diagnosis, and this was much more than was expected.
Another friend “Katie” was in the hospital with an infected ovarian cyst, abdominal pain, fever, and chills. The doctors were giving her IV antibiotics and wanted to do surgery to remove her ovary. Before this hospitalization, she had her other ovary removed for the same thing, but she was young and wanted to have children. They said that if Katie wasn’t going to have surgery, she needed to get out. They were going to discharge her with oral antibiotics. I drove to her hospital room and asked her doctor to come explain to us. The doctor used big words and acronyms like REI (a camping store? No, Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility!) and I had to force the doctor to explain. I had to have the doctor explain that Katie’s medical coverage would not cover infertility treatment. I told the doctor that Katie was still having pain, fevers, and chills on IV antibiotics, and she was NOT going home until her symptoms were controlled for 24-48 hours on oral antibiotics AND she was NOT going to have surgery until SHE was ready to have surgery. I told them that her fertility was important to her and she was going to keep coming back and coming back with this infected ovary until it was properly treated with antibiotics or she was tired of dealing with it and SHE decided to have surgery.
I had a lovely patient “Marie” in her 80s with blood cancer (leukemia), and her oncologist was ignoring her symptoms. She was extremely short of breath, but the oncologist wouldn’t listen to her or to me. Marie wanted to do whatever the doctor said because she trusted him implicitly. She was receiving palliative (non-curative) chemotherapy, but it wasn’t working and it was making her feel worse. I had to contact Marie’s primary care provider to draw bloodwork (a CBC) and tell the oncologist that the chemo was killing her. Marie was finally able to transition to comfort in hospice.
I am happy to provide this wrap-around advocacy to help you achieve your healthcare goals.
Important Information About Me
- I offer a FREE Initial Consultation
- I offer TeleAdvocacy Service
- My geographical area of practice is Southeast Michigan for in-person and US for virtual support.
My Survivor Support Advocacy Qualifications
I am a survivor of Mother of a child with leukemia, bronchiectasis, ventilator dependence, tube feeding, C. diff, respiratory arrest, ADD, depression, Down syndrome, and IEPs. For myself, preterm labor and bedrest, breastfeeding, death of a child, miscarriage.
I think that it’s helpful to have an extra set of eyes and ears at medical appointments because it can be hard to take in and retain everything that is said (and unsaid). Our daughter’s ENT doctor said that she “might have a little trouble swallowing” after he did extensive surgery on her throat, but he didn’t say that the research shows that among children with "Jennie's" condition, there’s a 90% chance that she will need a feeding tube put in within the year after her surgery. People make mistakes, but this was actively obscuring the risks. Patients need to be informed and protected.
Our daughter “Jennie” had flunked a swallow study and had a feeding tube put in. The GI doctor wanted to do a fundoplication surgery to wrap her stomach around itself so that she wouldn’t have acid or food reflux (go back up) or be able to vomit. Jennie would always need to have a feeding tube vent sticking out of her stomach (in case she needed to vomit - like a stomach flu). I told them that they would have to prove it to me. I said, I get that fluid going down her throat when she swallows goes into her lungs, but you haven’t proven to me that once the fluid gets to her stomach, it comes back up again and into her lungs. They did a pH probe study overnight and were unable to prove that she had reflux. Thus, no fundoplication! Now she eats, drinks, walks, talks, the whole nine yards! No reflux and not throwing up either, thank you very much!
Another time when Jennie was in the hospital and all her nourishment was through her feeding tube (nothing by mouth), the doctor said that he would order her a full liquid diet (cream soup, juice, ice cream, etc., to eat by mouth). Obviously, I had to correct him to protect her.
Our daughter “Jennie” had flunked a swallow study and had a feeding tube put in. The GI doctor wanted to do a fundoplication surgery to wrap her stomach around itself so that she wouldn’t have acid or food reflux (go back up) or be able to vomit. Jennie would always need to have a feeding tube vent sticking out of her stomach (in case she needed to vomit - like a stomach flu). I told them that they would have to prove it to me. I said, I get that fluid going down her throat when she swallows goes into her lungs, but you haven’t proven to me that once the fluid gets to her stomach, it comes back up again and into her lungs. They did a pH probe study overnight and were unable to prove that she had reflux. Thus, no fundoplication! Now she eats, drinks, walks, talks, the whole nine yards! No reflux and not throwing up either, thank you very much!
Another time when Jennie was in the hospital and all her nourishment was through her feeding tube (nothing by mouth), the doctor said that he would order her a full liquid diet (cream soup, juice, ice cream, etc., to eat by mouth). Obviously, I had to correct him to protect her.
Why I Became A Professional Health Care Advocate
While I've had my struggles, I advocate from the heart. My nursing philosophy is to do for patients what they cannot do for themselves, and the first part of that is understanding their health and healthcare choices. I am a champion for others because they deserve excellent care.
Having a daughter with Down syndrome puts me in the unique position of lifelong advocacy. I am on the Board of Directors for our local group, and I volunteer my advocacy at IEP meetings for other individuals with disabilities. I advocate for "Jennie" with doctors, lawyers, nurses, phlebotomists, specialists, insurance companies, oxygen and DME (durable medical equipment) providers, teachers, therapists, administrators, and the community. I am relentless, but I also maintain relationships. I can't burn bridges because I may need those bridges later on.
While I might think that all kids with Down syndrome should do x, other families think that they should do y. It's my job to put my biases and preferences aside to advocate for what you want.
Having a daughter with Down syndrome puts me in the unique position of lifelong advocacy. I am on the Board of Directors for our local group, and I volunteer my advocacy at IEP meetings for other individuals with disabilities. I advocate for "Jennie" with doctors, lawyers, nurses, phlebotomists, specialists, insurance companies, oxygen and DME (durable medical equipment) providers, teachers, therapists, administrators, and the community. I am relentless, but I also maintain relationships. I can't burn bridges because I may need those bridges later on.
While I might think that all kids with Down syndrome should do x, other families think that they should do y. It's my job to put my biases and preferences aside to advocate for what you want.
Contact Advocate