How Valor Health helped me recover from surgery
Seventy-five days is a long time to spend in a hospital. The first four-and-one-half days were spent at a Boise hospital as I needed a rather special orthopedic surgery on my fractured femur. At the end of the four-and-one-half days, the hospital doctor was not happy that I had been an advocate for my care as I insisted that I was going to Valor Health’s transitional care/swing bed unit.
I was so grateful for the care I received at Valor from the time the ambulance took me to the emergency room where nurse Billie held my hand as the doctor examined my leg and radiology took x-rays until I was transported. And when I returned, Billie was there with a smile and a hug. During those next 71 days, there were many people for whom I was grateful.
Transitional Care at Valor Mattered
I was so grateful that nurse Lisa was behind me to catch me as I practically passed out. I later learned that she was a catcher on a softball team. I was grateful for Toby who went beyond her nursing duties to go to a store to get distilled water for my CPAP as no one could find any in the hospital. I was grateful for nurse Kay who watched over me and took care of me after another passing-out episode. I was grateful for nurse Sylvia who carefully removed all 32 staples from my leg.
My case manager Kathy answered all of my concerns and complaints. Nurse Gina asked me to go over her master’s paper with her. Angie coordinated the weekly conferences which included any and all who were on my case. I was and am grateful for all of the nurses who were and are so caring and thoughtful.
There isn’t enough space to name you all, but I am grateful for your service and your kindness. And it wasn’t just the nurses for whom I am grateful. The CNAs were there to change or make my bed, to help me dress, to be available when I showered, to bring me fresh coffee at 6 A.M., and to wheel me outside for fresh air so I could play Mahjong. If at all possible, at shift change, they would drop in to ask how my day or night had been and to chat about what they had done while off. And Maria and most of the cleaning staff were friendly and considerate when they came in to clean. I am so touched by everyone’s caring.
I am also grateful for the respiratory therapist, the lab personal, and the radiology team. Even the dietician and kitchen staff were helpful with the meals that they prepared. If I asked for something that wasn’t on the menu, every effort was made to get it. They were all caring and considerate of my welfare.
In addition to the hospital staff, I am grateful to Mountain Land Physical Therapy, especially William and Jake, who encouraged me and gave me confidence in my ability to increase my strength and endurance so that I could correctly use a walker using my arms and one good leg.
Caring Staff at Valor Health
And I can’t forget how grateful I am for friends and family who were able to visit without as many restrictions as at the Boise hospital.
But I wouldn’t be where I am today if it hadn’t been for Dr. Robin Sebastian who is my primary health provider, and Dr. Jerod Hines who is my orthopedic provider even though he wasn’t able to do this particular surgery. Valor is so lucky to have two such caring doctors.
There is much more that I could say about the transitional care/swing bed unit at Valor. But basically, the community needs to be aware and grateful that, even though small, Valor Health is a big cut above the bigger hospitals in Boise. And if you have to choose between a big hospital or Valor, you can’t lose by picking Valor.
Bonnie McGuire