Contributing Writer
The last place you want to be may be the emergency room or the hospital as an inpatient, but when it happens that you need them, it really hits home what a blessing we have at Big Bend Regional Medical Center (BBRMC). I want to share my recent experience with you, because I want you to feel the same relief and comfort I had if you ever need hospital care. I also want to share a lesson I learned from the experience as well.
Up to this time in my life I just went to a hospital to have babies; that is a happy event so everything was generally rosey. But this time was different. I had severe pain and bleeding in the middle of the night and there was no way to wait ‘til morning. Thank goodness for an emergency room just 2 miles from my home, open 24 hours a day just for things like this and worse. The staff at my local hospital was caring and professional. There were 24-hour lab and x-ray services available at BBRMC. I remember the days I worked in the hospital at night: we had to wait for lab and x-ray technicians to come in from home –sometimes it was the same person doing both services! We’ve come a long way.
Intravenous needles and blood draws were a snap. I was dreading it because I had been stuck 5 times in another hospital and suspected my veins weren’t good when they needed to be. The day of admission I had a CAT scan. This has also come a long way from the first one donated to the hospital by Roxana Catto in the mid-1990’s. Again, the technician was professional and caring. The scanner was state of the art and so much faster than the earlier models, which certainly served their purpose when they were around. BBRMC has an in-house radiologist whose skill is unrivaled as far as I am concerned. I receive detailed reports on those of my own patients. I felt very confident in the testing available for diagnosis and treatment decisions.
It would be unfair to compare our hospital with other small ones where I know good, caring people also serve. But we are really blessed with outstanding resources in health professionals, equipment, and the facility in ways that other small hospitals lack. Nothing can replace the friendship you have with people from your own area, who staff the hospital. I did not know a lot of the staff because I now work in a clinic setting. I can tell you this, if you don’t know the staff at BBRMC, when you arrive, you will be friends with them by the time you leave.
I know you don’t want to think about this when you are well. I certainly did not. I always wanted the hospital to be there for my family if they needed it, but did not think of it for myself. I was trying to keep myself so healthy I wouldn’t need hospitalization. But I know good health is more than earned; it is also very much a gift from God.
On that note, I want to remind everyone of the importance of keeping yourself in good health, because you can become ill from unpreventable things, and it will certainly help you heal faster. The reason we think we are working so hard to eat healthy, exercise, and get regular checkups is so we’ll have a good quality of life as we grow older. Right? That is what I thought before this illness.
Now I know another reason. It is also important to be as healthy as possible so you can fight whatever causes those sudden, unexpected illnesses that disrupt the normal equilibrium. I just read that the American Heart Association says nearly half a million women die each year from cardiovascular disease, and that staying physically fit helps you feel better and live longer. I would add that it also helps you be prepared for the unexpected insults that have nothing to do with heart disease.
Just think how many health problems I would already have when some random illness struck sending my body into a crisis, if I was diabetic and wasn’t keeping my blood sugar under control, or if I neglected my high blood pressure and had a damaged heart at the time, or if I had not eaten good foods and was anemic before a significant blood loss?
The importance of regular health checkups is so important. Keeping track of your blood chemistry and resolving abnormalities before the unexpected strain on your health occurs is just good practice. Taking your prescribed medication and daily all-purpose vitamins is an important part of staying healthy. Keeping physically fit with whatever exercise program is right for you can pay off with a quicker recovery and return to normalcy.
I know I plan to do whatever it takes to stay out of the hospital myself, even if it was the perfect place to be when I needed it; and even if it was right there in my own hometown. Hospitals are still a better place to visit than being sick enough to be there as a patient. So I do want to thank our doctors, nurses, dietary folks, housekeepers, technicians, and Senior Circle for doing what they do for people who suddenly need their services: you are the best! I am proud of what our hospital has to offer and hope you readers will feel even more comfortable going to BBRMC if the need arises for you as well.
Clinic Note: The staff at Marathon Health Center wishes you all a very happy Thanksgiving. We will be closed on November 23rd for Thanksgiving and reopen on November 27th. However on November 30th JoAnn hopes to be flying to Houston for the birth of her grandchild. Please call 432-386-4316 before coming to the clinic to be sure we are open as this is sometimes rather unpredictable. As always your patience is greatly appreciated.
JoAnn Lister is a Family Nurse Practitioner Certified, at both the Marathon Health Center and Alpine Family Health Care Services. The Marathon Health Center is open Mondays & Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. - noon, 1:00 - 5:30 p.m. Located at South First at Post Road in Marathon. Phone: 432/386.4316. The clinic accepts appointments and walk-ins. Dr. James Lueke is the Medical Director. Alpine Family Healthcare Services is located at 910 East Lockhart Street in Alpine. Phone: 432/837.1541.
