Stories
Our
Volume 3
Pieces of Our Hearts and Lives
Copyright © 2013 Adventist Health
All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be reproduced in any form by parties
not affiliated with Adventist Health without
written permission from Adventist Health’s
corporate office.
Please send inquires to:
Adventist Health
Corporate Communication
2100 Douglas Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95661
916-781-4756
Adventist Health is a not-for-profit,
faith-based health care system headquartered
in Roseville, California. In keeping with the
health ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church, the system operates hospitals, clinics,
home care agencies and retirement centers on
the West Coast. For more information, please
visit AdventistHealth.org.
All patient names in this book have been changed
to protect their privacy, with the exception of
those that were also authors.
Please note that all story contributions have been
edited for grammar, length and content. Stories
compiled and edited by
Jane Allen Quevedo
Stories
Our
Volume 3
Pieces of Our Hearts and Lives
Dedication
For all who share pieces of their hearts and lives
with those whom we are privileged to serve.
Introduction
Much like the creation of a colorful patchwork quilt, the mission of Adventist Health is accomplished in countless ways that involve
more than technical capabilities and know-how to relieve physical pain and disease. Historically, Adventist health care has always
recognized the principle that sympathy and tact often prove a greater benefit to the sick than the most skillful treatment given in a
cold, indifferent way.*
Each experience shared by Adventist Health employees and staff in this third collection of Our Stories draws upon the spirit of
compassion that lies within the hearts of those who uphold the mission and values of this organization. They represent an assortment of
personnel—nurses, social workers, chaplains, physicians, therapists and more. They come from a collection of colorful communities—
from the balmy island of Oahu to the Latino neighborhoods of Los Angeles and the rolling hills of the Napa Valley to the coastal
communities of the Pacific Northwest. They represent a variety of organizations and departments such as small rural clinics and
big city medical centers, home health agencies and emergency departments as well as behavioral health services, surgical suites and
birthing centers.
Patients—and their family members—often come to us with needs beyond physical healing. Whether they suffer from heart disease,
forms of cancer, life-changing trauma, injury, illness or troubling health issues, they also bring to us a whole range of human
emotions: broken and hardened hearts, “cancers” of worry and fear, injured relationships, and the pain of poverty and loneliness. As
much as anything, our patients need the assurance that someone cares, someone acknowledges their pain and respects them as a child
of God. They need someone to listen, to spend time, to cry, to hug, to comfort, to pray with them.
These needs can be met only through selfless acts of compassion, by sharing God’s love. This is the common thread that unites all the
contrasting elements contained in the stories of this book. I commend the individuals, many of whom are not mentioned here, who
generously give pieces of their hearts and lives every day to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our patients. My prayer
is that these experiences will inspire others to share their hearts and lives with those we are privileged to serve.
Gloria Bancarz, RN, MS
Vice President & CNO
Adventist Health
*Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, page 244.
“When things are
bad, we take comfort
in the thought that
they could always be
1 | When Janie Prayed
“She was wandering the streets,” the night nurse reported. “The police brought her to the
ER. She lives alone. She’s ...” ❤ As the report continued, my imagination wandered as I
worse. And when
thought about an old lady out at night, alone, shivering, hungry, terrified. Where would
they are, we find hope
she sleep? What would she eat? My heart ached at the thought. ❤ “She has an IV. Normal
in the thought that
saline running at ...” The night nurse continued her report while I kept thinking about
things are so bad they
the patient. I wondered what would happen to her. Surely she couldn’t live by herself. ❤
have to get better.”
—Malcolm S. Forbes
And then I met Janie. Matted stringy hair, dirty fingernails, and her face so gaunt and
weathered she looked like a feral cat, poised and ready to attack. Her scrambled responses
to our questions spilled out in abrupt, meaningless fragments: “Federal Trade Center.
Senior Center. Carnegie Hall.” ❤
Our Stories 6
“A s a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you ...” —Isaiah 66:13, NIV
“Washington Monument,” I added with a smile.
“No way!” she snapped, rejecting my feeble attempt at
humor.
I tried to take her hand, but she pulled away defensively.
“I won’t take those pills! Why is everyone against me?
I have rights you know!” She started to arch her back.
She was on my mind all day long, and before going
home, I stopped in her room. I sighed with relief hearing
she’d had no incidents. No falls or catastrophes. She’d
had a bath, a tuna sandwich, a few pills, a social services
consult, a visit by a sister, and had kept an IV intact all
day. She lay quietly with her eyes open.
“Good night, Janie,” I said as I tiptoed into her room.
“May I pray for you tonight?”
“Yes!” she agreed so quickly she caught me by surprise.
“I want to pray, too.”
Before I could even close my eyes, she began in a childlike
recitation, “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord
my soul to keep. ... Then she continued—clearly, sweetly,
articulately—a memorized prayer in German.
I bowed my head, and laying my hand on hers, when she
finished, I added an “Amen.” Then, with tears gathering,
I leaned over and kissed the cheek—not of a feral attack
cat, but the cheek of a child of God.
Glenna Eady, RN
Medical/Surgical Nursing
Feather River Hospital
Our Stories 7
“We are therefore
Christ’s ambassadors,
as though
G od were
2 | The Best Phone Call
of My Life
making his appeal
The patient I’ll call Marge knew she was dying, but chose to live every day with happiness.
through us.
No matter what the weather, she began each day declaring, “It’s a beautiful day.” ❤ If she
you on
We implore
Christ’s behalf:
Be reconciled to G od.”
—2 Corinthians 5:20, NIV
had not confided in me, I would not guess that Marge no longer had any contact with her
family. One day I asked if there was anything she felt needed to be accomplished before she
died. To my surprise, after a brief pause, she said she would like to get in touch with one
of her daughters. One daughter with developmental disabilities lived in a foster home.
Another, with Down’s syndrome, had passed away. And the third, Terri, was caring for
her ill father (the ex-husband). ❤
Our Stories 8
“The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution
to the healing of the world.” — Marianne Williamson
After several days, I located the father’s address and
phone number. Then I sat down with Marge to let her
decide what to do. She finally asked me to call Terri and
inform her of the situation and explain that I was the
social worker.
“She wants to talk to you, Marge,” I said.
The mother and daughter cried, laughed, apologized and
cried some more until Marge finally handed the phone
back to me. Through her tears Terri managed to thank
me for placing the call. Her mother was glad I did, too.
When Terri got on the line, I could hear her voice tighten
as she asked about her mother. I explained her condition
and asked if she would like to talk with her.
“That was the best phone call I’ve ever had in my whole
life!” Marge exclaimed.
“Put her on the phone,” she finally managed to say after
some hesitation.
I smiled to myself, thinking it was also one of the best
calls I’d ever made.
Youske Eto, MSW
Hospice
Adventist Medical Center - Portland
Our Stories 9
“Therefore whoever
3 | Special Blessing
humbles himself as
this little child is
the greatest in the
It was an unusually busy night in the emergency department. The waiting room was
kingdom of heaven.
full. Ambulances kept coming and we had patients lined up in beds and hallways. One
Whoever receives one
ambulance brought in a small girl in severe respiratory distress. ❤ The mother described
little child like this
her daughter’s rare medical condition, and the fact that she had already lived beyond her
in
My name receives
M e.”
—Matthew 18: 4-5, NKJ
Our Stories 10
expected years of survival. Her face beamed with pride as she spoke about the very special
daughter she had borne after many years of trying to get pregnant. In fact, the parents
had chosen a unique name for their miracle baby. They called her “Special.” ❤
“Every ray of light that we shed upon others is reflected upon ourselves.” — Ellen White
In spite of all the care and treatment in the emergency
department, Special’s condition deteriorated and she
passed away. It was a loss for all of us. In the short
time she was with us, the emergency staff grew close
to the little girl and her mother. We hugged and
cried together as we tried to make Special’s mom as
comfortable as possible in a tragic situation. Taking
her to a private room, we seated her in a comfortable
chair. Then, wrapping Special’s small body in her own
blanket, we placed her in her mother’s arms. As we left
the room to allow her to grieve alone, a thoughtful
nurse dimmed a light overhead.
Later, when I checked on her, I heard singing as I gently
pushed the door ajar. There the mother sat under the
solitary dim light, rocking her special child. To me, it
was as if heaven and the angels were shining down on
them, providing warmth and peace. It was a night and a
sight I will always remember. ❤
Sheila Rivas, RN
Administrative Supervisor
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 11
“I n his heart
4 | What Are the Odds?
a man plans
his course,
but the
L ord
determines
his steps.”
—Proverbs 16:9,
NIV
Diagnosed with lymphoma, Alan was admitted to the
intensive care unit. Following his first chemo treatment
he went into respiratory distress. Learning that he might
require a breathing machine, he wanted to talk to his
church elders.
I called the chaplain, who was unable to contact any
members of Alan’s church. Then I went to the White Pages
of the telephone directory. Finding three full columns
of phone numbers for various churches, I picked one at
random and reached Mrs. Baxter.
“Is that Alan Knight?” she asked when I told her about
our patient’s request. “He lives across the street from us.”
Mrs. Baxter phoned her husband, and within 15 minutes
three elders were at the hospital praying with Alan. Less
than two months later he died from complications related
to his lymphoma.
Whenever I think about this experience, I do not believe it
was a mere coincidence that from a list of more than 200
phone numbers, I just happened to pick the right one. ❤
Carl Peters, RN
Intensive Care Unit
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 12
“C hrist has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours
are the eyes through which C hrist’s compassion for the world is to look out; yours are
the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which
He is to bless us now.” — Saint Teresa of Avila
5 | Angels at Work
While Paula and Marge, nurses in Simi Valley
Hospital’s labor and delivery unit, were relaxing by their
neighborhood swimming pool, they suddenly heard
screaming and commotion and saw what appeared to be
the lifeless body of a small boy pulled from the water. As
his parents pleaded and prayed, Paula and Marge went
to work and managed to resuscitate the child.
Sometime after this, the boy’s parents thanked “Chad’s
Angels” for what they had done to save their son’s life.
“We will forever be grateful to you for your passion for
the work you do every day and how God showed His
amazing grace through you. If you have ever wondered
what your purpose was in this world, well, there is no
doubt in our minds and hearts that the Lord showed
you on that day.”
Even though we may serve at a particular hospital, our
work is not restricted to one building or space. Those
called to the health care ministry are compelled to serve
wherever they are needed. ❤
Ron Hyrchuk, Director
Spiritual Care Services
Simi Valley Hospital
Our Stories 13
“I think dogs are
6 | Prince Charming
the most amazing
creatures; they
give unconditional
love. For me, they
are the role model
for being alive”
A recent addition at White Memorial Medical Center is animal-assisted therapy. While
teams of handlers and their trained dogs visit select patients on the medical floors, I
wasn’t sure the activity would work for patients in behavioral medicine services. After
discussing it with our staff and the chaplain whose department oversees the program, we
arranged for a trial visit. ❤ I met with the charge nurse to select the patients we thought
would benefit most from the visit and then we extended each invitation personally. My
patient was a young female suffering from severe depression and psychosis. I found her
— Gilda Radner
sitting on the edge of her bed, looking lost and preoccupied. I introduced myself and
described the upcoming visit, and I encouraged her to attend. She looked unsure at first,
but finally agreed to go. ❤
Our Stories 14
“A nyone who does not love does not know G od, because G od is love.”
—1 John 4:8, ESV
As the visit began, the young woman hesitated, standing
in the doorway of the room where the dogs were moving
from patient to patient. Slowly she made her way inside
and took a chair on the periphery of the group. About
this time a small brown terrier named Prince noticed and
walked right up to her, and the magic of animal-assisted
therapy began. Within a few minutes my patient had
lifted the dog to her lap, to which he happily responded
with wet puppy kisses.
“You’re a good boy,” she said with a big smile.
When someone came around with a camera, both pooch
and patient responded with more smiles. Later in the
day I asked what she thought of her visitor. She spoke of
how the dog had accepted her even though she was sick.
She also said it had taken all her strength to join the
activity because she was so fearful, but she was happy
she met Prince.
“I pray that I will get better,” she told me. “Then I can
get a dog of my own and take him to visit people in the
hospital, too.” ❤
Monika La Barbera, OTR/L
Adjunctive Therapy Coordinator
Behavioral Medicine Services
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 15
“Finally, all of
you be of one mind,
7 | Time Out for Compassion
having compassion
for one another.”
Every Thursday morning my oncology team and I review the obituaries in the local
—1 Peter 3:8, NKJ
paper. Too often, the names are familiar, as is the routine: I take another sympathy card
from an office drawer and we each hurriedly write our condolences to the family of yet
another precious patient. But, there is no time to linger. We have patients waiting.
❤
Clutching the red specimen bag, I hurry toward the lab, mentally running through a
checklist of what I need to do in the next few minutes: Wipe down an exam room. Take
vital signs. Review the medication list for the next patient. Order a meal tray from the
kitchen. Return a call to a worried family member. ❤
Our Stories 16
“… every single thing we do has consequences that echo way beyond what we
can imagine. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t act. It means we should act carefully.
Everything matters.” — Sylvia Boorstein
Passing the last treatment room, I see Mary, who has
been our patient for the past three months. She shuffles
about, her face grey, shoulders stooped and hands rubbing
her tumor-filled belly. Her eyes rise to meet mine and
a tentative half-smile comes to her lips. I can see she
needs an encouraging word or a warm touch. I hesitate,
thinking about the list of things I must do. But Mary
needs me, so I stop.
I return her hug, treasuring the moment, but not
knowing this would be my last interaction with Mary
before the cancer stole her life. Thank God I did not let
a myriad of tasks crowd out the compassionate impulse
to embrace her one more time.
“Dear Lord, don’t let me be so busy doing my good work
that I miss moments like this with the very ones You
have called me to minister to.” ❤
“Thank you for caring,” she whispers, wrapping her
arms around my neck.
Julie Alvarez, Charge Nurse
Outpatient Therapy Services
Tillamook County General Hospital
Our Stories 17
“Be kind, for
8 | Isn’t That What Nurses Do?
every one you
meet is fighting
a battle.”
Looking at the work ahead of me, I knew it would be another busy morning. I quickly
organized my day while keeping an eye on the clock. Then I headed for the floor. Blood
sugar to check (sigh). Contact isolation (another sigh). Pulling on my gown and gloves,
—John Watson
I wondered how I could speed up the assessment process. By the time I reached Sally’s
room, I knew I needed to pick up my pace. What shortcuts could I take? ❤ “G’morning.
My name is Glenna,” I quickly introduced myself. “I’ll be your nurse. How are you?”
❤
The patient stared at me, expressionless. I remembered that she had a mental health
diagnosis and had been restless and agitated for the night shift. Hoping she would fit
into my agenda, I pressed on, listening to heart and lungs and checking skin, making
appropriate hmm’s and ahh’s as though I was really listening to what she said. ❤
Our Stories 18
“To the man who pleases him, G od gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness ...”
—Ecclesiastes 2:26, NIV
“You don’t look very comfortable,” I said, hoping she
didn’t want something for pain, which would mean an
inconvenient trip back to the medication room.
“My neck hurts,” she complained.
“Here, let me fluff your pillow,” I said, thinking maybe
the pillow trick would satisfy her.
“How’s that?”
“It still hurts,” she said.
I relented. “Would you like for me to rub your neck?” (sigh).
She nodded. As I massaged her neck, I knew this would
put me behind schedule for everything else I had to do.
“Isn’t that what nurses do?” she asked.
Her comment jolted my thoughts. What about all
the assessments, charting, medication passes, audits,
documentation, The Joint Commission? All of a sudden
I smiled to myself as I realized my patient was right. I
relaxed my relentless pace and rubbed the tense muscles
of her neck.
“Yes, this is what nurses do.” I gulped. “Would you like
a warm blanket, too?” ❤
Glenna Eady, RN
Medical/Surgical Nursing
Feather River Hospital
Our Stories 19
“I am holding
9 | Ministry by iPhone
you by your right
hand —I, the
your
L ord
G od —and I
say to you,
be afraid;
Don’t
I am
here to help you.”
—Isaiah 41:13, TLB
I could see the developmentally challenged young
woman was scared about having a surgical procedure.
Her parents couldn’t be there with her and I could tell
she felt alone and terrified.
I went to my locker for my iPhone, and found some of
her favorite music. When I brought it to her, she was
immediately at ease. She smiled and seemed to forget
her fear. She even sang all the way to the operating room.
Trying to calm her fears, we tried engaging her in
conversation about movies and music. When she
mentioned she loved the popular singer Justin Bieber, it
gave me an idea.
To me, this was a small gesture, but it underscored an
important lesson for those of us who work with patients:
Often it’s the little things we do that make the biggest
difference for them. ❤
Cassi Martin, RN
Surgical Services
Adventist Medical Center - Hanford
Our Stories 20
“Believers, look up—take courage. The angels are nearer than you think.” —Billy Graham
10 | One of My Best Days
As usual, I prayed for guidance in caring for each of our
patients. I knew the last case of the day would be challenging
because of the patient’s health history. When all was ready,
I introduced myself and offered to pray with her.
“What’s that?” I asked, not immediately understanding
what she said.
“I would love that,” she said.
After I prayed for her and the surgical crew, we recited
the Lord’s Prayer together. A few minutes later we headed
to the surgical suite.
Knowing God used me to answer her prayer was a
humbling experience, but honestly, she “made my day.”
While getting ready to go home, I noticed the words on
a magnet in my locker: “You will always have an angel
to watch over you.”
“You are an answer to my prayer,” she said quietly.
This was totally one of my best days! ❤
“I prayed that someone would pray with me, and you did.”
Bambi Poblador, RN
Surgery
Tillamook County General Hospital
Our Stories 21
“A nd we know that
in all things
G od
11 | Detour to the ICU
works for the good of
those who love him,
I decided to take the elevator rather than my usual route up the stairs because I was
who have been called
hurrying to my appointment and it was already 9:30 a.m. However, when the elevator
according to his
doors opened I saw a visitor with a bewildered look on her face. I knew she needed help.
purpose.”
❤ “Not today, Lord,” I prayed silently, realizing if I took time to help this young woman,
—Romans 8:28, NIV
I’d be late for my appointment. But I knew I did not have a choice. We are committed
at Castle Medical Center to escort our visitors to their destination rather than merely
give them instructions. I quickly composed myself and greeted her. ❤ “Good morning!”
I said. “Can I help you find your way?” ❤
Our Stories 22
“If we all tried to make other people’s paths easy, our own feet would have
a smooth, even place to walk on.” —Myrtle Reed
“I’m looking for the intensive care (ICU) waiting room,”
she replied. “My grandmother is a patient and I am
going to wait until I can visit her at eleven o’clock.”
On our way to the ICU, we talked briefly, and she
expressed her concern for her grandmother. When we
arrived, I could see several family members already in
the room, and it appeared the grandmother was dying.
I checked with a staff member to be sure it was okay for
the granddaughter to join the rest of the family, and she
was happy for her to join the others.
As I left, a little late for my meeting, I knew I’d done the
right thing. For all I know, this might have been the last
time our young guest was able to visit her grandmother.
And, she might have missed the opportunity had I not
taken a few moments to help her find her way in what
can be an intimidating place. We may never know the
impact of such small gestures, which in my mind makes
it all the more important to carry out our mission of
caring in both big and small ways. ❤
Kathy Raethel
President & CEO
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 23
“Not by appointment
12 | God’s Busyness
do we meet delight
or joy; they heed
“Lord, please bless my family, the hospital, and our patients,” I prayed that morning.
not our expectancy;
“And, let Your schedule be my schedule.”
But round some
corner of the streets
of life they all of a
sudden greet us
with a smile.”
Our Stories 24
The day turned out busier than usual.
As I moved from patient to patient, I became acutely aware that my attempts to visit
one particular patient were repeatedly interrupted. I was not able to see her until late
afternoon. I immediately recognized the elderly patient and her husband from our
previous visits in the ICU. At those times, as on this day, Harold stayed near his beloved
wife, Carrie. ❤
— Gerald Massey
❤
“For we are G od’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which G od
prepared in advance for us to do.” —Ephesians 2:10, NIV
When I greeted him, I noticed Carrie appeared to be
either sleeping or in a coma. He briefly updated me on
her terminal condition. Only a few minutes before my
arrival, paperwork had been completed for her transfer
to our hospice house.
Within a short time, their adult son Bob arrived.
Glancing at his mother, he wanted to know, “Is she
still with us?” After all the monitoring equipment had
been removed I excused myself and requested that a
nurse check Carrie’s vital signs. One of our fabulous
nurses immediately responded, and after a quick check,
confirmed the son’s suspicions. I stayed with the family
for about an hour and helped them process the initial
shock and grief of losing their beloved wife and mother.
As I reflect on this divine appointment, I believe God
kept my schedule busy throughout the day to allow me
to be at Carrie’s bedside at just the right moment to
minister to Harold and Bob at this time. I have begun to
realize there is “busyness” in God’s business, but as long
as it is God’s busyness then His business will happen. ❤
Brad Brown, Director
Chaplains Services
Feather River Hospital
Our Stories 25
the calling you
13 | Lesson in Patience
and Love
have received.
When I decided to become a nurse, I knew I would work in pediatrics because I love
“I urge you to live
a life worthy of
Be
completely humble
children. However, my first six months in the pediatric unit were difficult and I began
and gentle; be patient,
thinking negatively about the profession. Fortunately, a special little girl helped me discover
bearing with one
the patience, passion and love that made all the difference in my career as a nurse.
another in love.”
Nine-year-old Lacey had been born healthy, but was stricken with a neurodegenerative
—Ephesians 4:1-2, NIV
❤
disorder that affected her motor coordination and neurological development. As she
grew, it became increasingly difficult to care for her. Whenever I was on duty, I made sure I
was her nurse. She went through many procedures (MRI, CAT scans, blood drawing, etc.)
but never complained. Even though she could barely communicate, she always tried to
call me by my name. ❤
Our Stories 26
“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others,
devote yourself to your community around you and devote yourself to creating
something that gives you purpose and meaning.” —Mitch Albom
“I love you,” she’d say, reaching out to touch my face.
Lacey’s mental capacity and memory deteriorated to the
point that my name was the only one she remembered.
I’ve often wondered why my name? On the other hand,
I will always remember hers because she taught me love,
passion and patience, the very qualities that opened my
eyes to see that tending to the sick is my calling.
Eventually I went back to school and became a pediatric
nurse practitioner and nursing educator. Today I share
my expertise and dedication with nursing students with
the hope that someday they too will embrace the passion,
love and patience that I learned while caring for my
young patient.
As years go by I enjoy being a nurse and look forward to
coming to work every day. Above all, I am proud to be
the mother of two registered nurses. It is most rewarding
to know that my dedication and passion for nursing
inspired them to follow my footsteps. ❤
Ruth L. Benitez, RN, MSN, PNP
Manager, Pediatric Services
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 27
“T he only
creatures that
are evolved
enough to
convey pure love
are dogs and
infants.”
—Johnny Depp
14 | Safe at Home
Our terminal patient was agitated. It wasn’t the end-stage
liver disease that bothered Nancy. It was Shotzi, her
companion of 16 years. Blind and deaf, the Shih Tzu
had wandered away from home. Frantically scanning the
newspaper, Nancy noticed an ad about a dog matching
Shotzi’s description at the local animal shelter.
Michael Quackenbush, a licensed clinical social worker,
and I contacted the shelter and the supervisor agreed
to waive all but $65 of the charges. Our palliative care
team quickly raised the money. I took Shotzi home,
bathed and fed her, and made her comfortable for the
night. The next morning, I took her to her owner who
welcomed her with tears of joy.
After the two had time to cuddle and say goodbye, the
palliative care team secured a home where Shotzi could
retire with love and comfort. Nancy was at peace during
her final hours knowing that her beloved pet was safe in
a new home. ❤
Dominique Chevalier, Resource Specialist
Case Management
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 28
“A nd let the beauty of the L ord our G od be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands
upon us; yea , the work of our hands establish thou it.” —Psalms 90:17, KJV
15 | Day of Beauty
White Memorial nurse leaders are doing God’s work
through a haven for battered women and children
called House of Ruth. We aim to give them hope, love,
joy and encouragement through various events and
programs. Much of our work involves health instruction
and children’s activities, especially at holiday time. But
nothing has generated more smiles than the day we
pampered the women with “A Day of Beauty.” The goal
was to enhance their feelings of self-worth while also
helping them prepare for job interviews.
To begin with, we transformed a room into a salon-like
atmosphere where each mom received a hair and makeup
makeover. Then they enjoyed a free shopping trip in another
room that had been turned into a boutique specializing in
business clothes, shoes, handbags and personal hygiene
products. One woman’s comment summed up the general
feeling of those who participated in this event when she
said, “I feel so good about myself now!” ❤
Hazel M. Ada
PCE Resident
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 29
“God delivers me
16 | Help My Mother
from trouble, but
not always; God
My phone seemed to ring every 15 minutes that day.
prevents trouble,
my mom has a fever,” the woman on the line said. “They think she feels warm.”
but not always;
promised to check on the patient right away. When I entered her room, I discovered that
God sustains
through trouble,
always.”
—Dr. Bobby Clinton
❤
“My sisters want to know if
❤
I
neither the patient nor the two daughters with her spoke English. Whenever they had
a question, they telephoned their English-speaking sister at work. That sister translated
their questions to me—and then translated my answers back to them. This went on all
day until my patience began to wear thin. ❤ With my phone ringing three or four times
an hour, I found myself praying for patience and compassion: “Help me see this family
with your eyes.” ❤
Our Stories 30
“… we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from G od.”
—2 Corinthians 1:4, NIV
By God’s grace, I was able to interact with the family
with calmness and empathy throughout the rest of the
day. Then just 30 minutes before shift change, my phone
rang again. It was the English-speaking sister.
“I just arrived from work. Please come to my mother’s
room,” she requested.
Upon entering the room, I recognized the woman at
the bedside. She was my son’s favorite preschool teacher.
Little did I know that I had been speaking on the phone
all day with the loving Christian woman who took care
of my son.
I discovered that her sisters had recently arrived from
another country where they had suffered at the hands
of the government for their Christian faith. Yet they
refused to denounce their religion. They had not seen
their mother for over 30 years. Realizing that I knew
their sister, the two fell to their knees in prayer. The
third sister told me they were thanking God for the
hospital that “heals people with God’s love and power.”
Often we are reminded of our mission through the
words and actions of those we serve: “To share God’s
love with our community by promoting healing and
wellness for the whole person.” ❤
Deborah Milley, RN
Neuro Telemetry Unit
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Our Stories 31
“‘C all to me and
I will answer you
17 | Yes Power
and tell you great
and unsearchable
Two hospitals were closing, and 37 patients still needed to be transferred. Castle Medical
things you do
Center was asked to take some of the complicated and difficult-to-place patients. I could
not know.’”
—Jeremiah 33:3, NIV
have said no, which financially would have been the right answer. However, aligning with
our mission of “Caring for Our Community, Sharing God’s Love,” we accepted five. ❤
Then about five o’clock I received an urgent phone call from the Healthcare Association of
Hawaii, asking us to accept one more—a young obese man with a surgical history and no
motivation to participate in therapies. In fact, he had attempted suicide on Christmas Day. ❤
Our Stories 32
“We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings
on a human journey.” —Stephen Covey
I didn’t want to deal with this. I was ready to go home,
but I paused and prayed for the right answer. It came
to me as clear as could be: we would take the patient.
But I felt I owed an explanation to the staff who would
be caring for him. The charge nurse brought her team
together and I began wading through the story when
one of the nurses stopped me.
“You don’t need to go on,” she said. “We will take care
of him.”
They welcomed the patient with love and care, and
during the month he was with us, he fully participated
in a nutritional program and physical therapy, and was
able to wean off narcotics. When time came for him to
go home, I asked about his care.
“They wanted me and I got better,” he said confidently.
Many times when I am in my office at the end of a busy
day, I think about that young man and the way our staff
members opened themselves to accept him. These are
the experiences that inspire me to say yes, and do my
part to create a positive response because I never know
when my yes might change a life. ❤
Katherine (Kate) Saavedra, Director
Case Management
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 33
18 | Rose in My Hand
“T he fragrance
remains in the
hand that gives
the rose.”
Rose was in her bed waiting for surgery. There was a precious innocence about her, much
like a little lamb. As I approached her bed, the Holy Spirit seemed to whisper to me, “You
are here just for Rose.” I felt that I needed to focus my attention on her and treat her
—Myrtle Reed
gently. ❤ “Hi, my name is Stacey,” I said, taking her hand. “I’ll be your nurse in surgery.”
❤
She responded immediately, telling me of her apprehension and fears. ❤ “We prayed
for you this morning during our worship and I believe Jesus will be right here with us,”
I said, trying my best to reassure her. ❤
Our Stories 34
“‘R ejoice with me: I have found my lost sheep.’” —Luke 15:6, NIV
She looked at me with sadness. “I used to have faith, but
lost it,” she said.
“Jesus loves you more than you can think or imagine!” I
said. “He promised He would never leave us or forsake
us. And, I promise I will be right here with you as well.”
“Do you believe in Jesus?” I asked.
“I wish I had a strong faith, but I don’t anymore.”
She smiled and cupped my face with her hands. “I’m so
glad you will be with me.”
Not knowing why or how her faith had been shaken, I
wanted to say something to encourage her and perhaps
instill a little boost of faith into her soul. Searching for
the right words to convey the love of Jesus, I took her
hands in mine.
At that moment, I realized that while my words were
important, what made a difference for Rose was my
promise to be with her. I thank God for helping me find
the right ways to express His love, comfort and healing
when He puts a rose in my hand. ❤
Stacey Wyman, RN
Surgical Services
Feather River Hospital
Our Stories 35
“A sk, and it
19 | Not Alone Tonight
shall be given
you; seek, and
ye shall find;
Diagnosed with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy,
34-year-old Mary needed open-heart surgery. She and
her family were especially frightened because her mother
had died of heart disease in her 40s.
knock, and
it shall be
opened unto
you.”
Mary told her nurse she had never spent a night separated
from her husband in their seven years of marriage. She
asked if he could stay with her in the intensive care unit.
Sensing her need not to be alone the night before surgery,
the nurse arranged to fulfill Mary’s wish.
The next day, Mary became unstable during surgery
and I had to inform the family of the possibility
that she might not survive. Throughout the six-hour
procedure, we prayed and cried together, clinging to the
anesthesiologist’s promise: “She’s not going to die today.
We won’t let her.” Thankfully, Mary survived, even
though her recovery was arduous.
Reflecting on this experience, I’m especially grateful to
the nurse who met a special need that helped prepare
Mary for surgery.
—Luke 11:9, KJV
Nia Lendaris, RN, MS
Regional VP of Patient Care
St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley
Our Stories 36
“That best portion of a good man’s life; His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness
and of love.” —William Wordsworth
20 | No Job Is Too Small
Often we do not realize the impact a simple act of
kindness can make on others. This became clear to me
while I was caring for a 90-year-old woman diagnosed
with renal cancer. She had no appetite and refused to
eat despite her family’s encouragement. I decided to see
what I could do. As I talked with her about getting well
for her family, she slowly began to eat, and soon she
had finished her breakfast.
I am reminded that we bring much more than clinical
skills to our jobs. A few extra minutes of my time and
a simple gesture of compassion and respect went a long
way in caring for this patient. A gesture of compassion
encouraged her and gave her family hope. These are the
moments that make me appreciate my nursing career. ❤
Sandra Guillen, RN
5 North, CVDOU
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 37
“A nd let the peace
of
G od rule in your
21 | Touched by Tenderness
hearts, to which
also you were called
I was a young nurse caring for Susie, a beautiful, brown-eyed two-year-old with leukemia.
in one body; and be
We knew this night would probably be her last, and I hoped the end would not come
thankful.”
while I was there. I struggled with my feelings because her parents and I had shared our
—Colossians 3:15, NKJ
thoughts and faith throughout Susie’s illness.
❤
After I finished reporting to the night
shift, we were called to Susie’s room where two grief-stricken parents and a team of tearful
nurses had gathered around her bed. The end had come quietly. It fell my lot to take care
of Susie and her parents while the night shift nurses attended to the other patients on our
unit. As the mom and dad said goodbye to their little girl, Susie’s mom asked me to take
care of her daughter’s body. I promised I would. ❤
Our Stories 38
“Care is a state in which something does matter; it is the source of
human tenderness.” — Rollo May
April, an exceptionally kind woman of faith, was
the house supervisor that night. In her wisdom, she
commented that a sheet and gurney seemed too cold to
hold this little one. Together we tenderly wrapped Susie
in a blanket, and I carried her in my arms as we left the
room and headed down the hallway.
Stepping into an empty elevator, April prayed aloud,
asking God to let that elevator go from the top floor to
the basement without stopping. The Lord granted our
prayer and helped us fulfill Susie’s parents’ request that
we take care of their little girl. In fact, even the hallways
were unusually empty, allowing our quiet procession to
remain private.
God used that experience to work on my heart in so
many ways. Susie’s parents and April touched me with
their tenderness and faith in the face of such pain. I
remember their example whenever I experience pain and
tears of my own. ❤
Joan Shackeford, RN
Recovery Department
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Our Stories 39
“While we are
living in the
22 | Kind Acts Remembered
present, we must
celebrate life every
Lei came to talk with me about developing “locally grown” nurses through a program for
day, knowing that
students from difficult and impoverished backgrounds. She wanted to create opportunity
we are becoming
where it seemed there was none. As the first native Hawaiian to receive a doctorate in
history with every
word, every action,
every deed.”
—Mattie Stepanek
nursing from the University of Hawaii, she had personally forged such a path.
❤
than 40 years ago, when Lei was about seven years old, her single-parent father decided he
could no longer care for her and her little brother. He took them to the new Castle Medical
Center (CMC) where their grandmother lay dying. Leaving them with nothing more than
their small suitcases, he instructed them to go inside and find their grandmother. ❤
Our Stories 40
More
“… clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
—Colossians 3:12, NIV
Lei recalled entering the hospital and trying to find tutu.
Of course, every grandmother in Hawaii is called tutu.
Fortunately, someone took them room to room until
they finally located their own tutu, who welcomed the
children with open arms. However, since she was unable
to keep them herself, some of the CMC associates cared
for the children until they could be placed in foster care.
That experience helped Lei through the difficult years
she would later encounter in her own life as a struggling
young single mother. At one point she decided to become
a nursing assistant. From there she went on to become
a registered nurse, and finally to receive her doctorate
degree. Now she wants to create opportunities for others
in similar circumstances.
Looking back on the almost 50 years that Castle Medical
Center has provided care to our local residents, I cannot
help but reflect on how many life-changing moments have
occurred within our walls and how many times the love
of God has been reflected when all around seems dark
and insurmountable. This is truly Sacred Work that spans
our history and shines a light for us into the future. ❤
Kathy Raethel
President & CEO
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 41
“But my mouth
would encourage
23 | Stroke of Compassion
you; comfort from
my lips would bring
As a new chemo nurse, I was apprehensive about giving the treatment, let alone dealing
you relief.”
with the emotional ties that go along with it. When I admitted Antonia, we discussed her
—Job 16:5, NIV
plan of care thoroughly. While I went over all the side effects of the medicines to make
sure she was well-informed, I had no way of knowing how she might handle the changes
she could expect. Fortunately, she received the first cycle of chemo with no problems. ❤
Our Stories 42
“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair but
manifestations of strength and resolution.” —Kahlil Gibran
However, when she returned for her second cycle, she
said she felt so nauseous and weak she could not even
brush her hair. I took her brush and proceeded to
stroke her long red hair. Not unexpectedly, each stroke
produced volumes of hair in her brush. Thinking about
my own hair, I could not help but wonder how I would
feel if I were in Antonia’s place. My eyes filled with tears.
I had warned her that this would occur, yet I feared for
her loss. I also feared having to tell her. I knew she was
feeling sad, and what I was about to tell her could make
her feel even worse. I dried my tears and knelt beside her.
“I’m sorry,” I said, showing her the hairbrush.
After a moment, she proceeded to repeat every detail of
what I had said about the side effects of chemo treatment.
Her understanding of all I had said gave her reassurance
and hope. With this experience, I realized the importance
of the education I provide to my patients because it
prepares them for the unexpected. Showing Antonia
the brush full of her beautiful hair was not as scary as
I had feared. In fact, it turned into a life-sharing moment
between a nurse and a patient. Now every time I educate
my patients about their chemo treatment, I know I am
offering them information that will affect their life now
and in the future. ❤
Genevieve Garibay, RN
2 South Medical/Surgical
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 43
“‘Who touched
24 | Simple Touch
me?’ Jesus asked.
… ‘Someone
touched me;
I
know that power
has gone out
from me.’”
—Luke 8:45, 46,
NIV
Our Stories 44
Caring for a patient with dementia, I decided to try
something I’d seen in a video about how an appropriate
touch can make a patient feel cared for and respected.
With this in mind, I visited our patient, making a point
to place my hand on his knee while we spoke.
He seemed to be immediately at ease and began telling
me about his dog, but could not remember its name.
However, when he told me about his service as a World
War II pilot, he clearly remembered that he had flown
over 4,000 hours! I said I was proud of his service for
our country.
At some point during our conversation, he cupped my
hand with his and gave it a little kiss. Yes, the visit
took a little time from my busy day, but I believe that
small physical touch created a connection that blessed
us both. ❤
Tracy Monreal, RN
Coordinator, Medical/Surgical Department
Feather River Hospital
“If you are cold at night, let the promise of my love cover you like a warm blanket.”
—Matthew White
25 | Love in Our Hearts
After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, a
delegation of nurses, doctors, therapists and volunteers
from our hospital went to Port-au-Prince at their own
expense to help with medical care and clean-up. They
returned to work, showing pictures and telling stories
of how they fell in love with the people there—so much
so that the group decided to “adopt” an orphanage for
young girls.
Hearing their stories and seeing the pictures from Haiti
tugged at my heart until I finally decided to do something
about it. A friend and I got busy and made 30 patchwork
quilts for the girls and their teachers. We arranged for a
Christmas delivery, and the teachers surprised the children
by spreading the colorful quilts on their beds without their
knowledge. I wish I could have been there to see their faces
as they realized the love in our hearts expressed through the
work of our hands. ❤
Kathy Davidson, Registration Associate
Admitting
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 45
“Live in the
26 | The Blue Chevy Impala
present, and
make it so
It was his dream car: a light blue 1968 Chevy Impala. Fortunately, my patient wanted
beautiful it
only a picture of one. He had appeared to be very depressed due to a complicated medical
will be worth
condition that left him paralyzed on one side. After going through a long course of
remembering.”
hospitalization and multiple procedures, he was transferred to the stroke/telemetry floor.
Noticing his sadness, my manager asked what she could do to make his hospital stay
—Unknown
Our Stories 46
better. He said he wanted a picture of his dream car: a light blue 1968 Chevy Impala. ❤
“G od has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other,
passing on to others
G od’s many kinds of blessings.” —1 Peter 4:10, TLB
Since I was his nurse, my manager summoned me to his
room to see if we could make his request possible. At
first I thought he was joking, but quickly realized he was
not. When I went home after work, I decided to create
a collage of pictures of his dream car. I added a get well
message and a picture of myself as per his request.
The next day, I worked on another unit, but during my
break time I took the collage to his room. Even though
he often experienced difficulty with short-term memory,
to everyone’s surprise, he remembered asking for a
picture of his dream car. For this patient, a simple act of
kindness seemed to be a turning point in his care. A few
days later, he returned home with his family—carrying
the collage with him.
I think one of the most important roles of a nurse is that
personal connection with our patients. It’s easy to focus
on our functional tasks of carrying out physician
orders and dispensing medications while forgetting the
personal influence we have on them.
Spending an evening doing something for this patient
reminded me that as a nurse I can supersede a patient’s
need at a higher level than I thought was possible. I
believe as nurses we show our patients how much God
cares for them by the way we care for them. ❤
Grace Wu, RN
6 North
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 47
“R ejoice in the L ord
and be gl ad, you
27 | Tahiti Adventure
righteous; sing, all
you who are upright
My goal working in our long-term care facility is to help our residents feel as happy and
in heart!”
comfortable as possible. I enjoy getting them ready in the morning and helping them feel
—Psalm 32:11, NIV
loved. ❤ One visually impaired resident often told me that someday we should pack up our
bathing suits and head for Tahiti. I learned that Coral had always wanted to visit there,
and even though I knew we couldn’t go there together, I decided to bring Tahiti to her. ❤
Our Stories 48
“Laughter is an instant vacation.” —Milton Berle
I pulled together all the elements I thought would help
this fun-loving woman experience the tropics. I filled a
small pool with warm water and splashed gentle waves
while she sunk her toes in the “ocean.” I filled a bucket
with sand and seashells for her to “beachcomb.” Ocean
sounds played softly in the background and my teenage
son served tropical food and drinks. Coral called him
her cabana boy.
Coral’s husband and daughter also came to enjoy the
luau. Her daughter helped us set up and made sure her
mother was dressed for the part with a big sun hat and lei.
Because of Coral’s blindness, her daughter helped explain
who was there and described what was in front of her,
helping her mother experience the “beach” and “ocean.”
After the luau, we put together a bulletin board display
of images from the event, and Coral let us know she’d be
happy to repeat her Tahiti adventure any time.
“Are we ready to go again?” she would ask me.
Knowing that she finally had an opportunity to enjoy
Tahiti, even though it was here in Sonora, California,
was the most rewarding part of this experience. When
she passed away a few weeks later, I was happy I had the
opportunity to help fulfill her dream. ❤
Tamara Dreuth, CNA
Skilled Nursing
Sonora Regional Medical Center
Our Stories 49
28 | God Is Not Far Away
As we work
to create light
for others, we
naturally light
our own way.”
I was raised in a Christian home, and at times have believed that I had a personal
relationship with God. Recently, I found myself viewing God less as a personal friend,
and more just the ultimate power, somewhere “out there.” This gave sort of a foundation
and meaning to life, but it wasn’t something I thought about much, or talked about to
—Mary Anne
Radmacher
anyone except close friends.
❤
When I became an Adventist Health employee, it was
hard to imagine I would ever pray with a patient or talk to someone about spiritual things.
To me, spirituality was too personal to bring up with strangers. Consequently, I was not
known for asking patients if they wanted prayer—not until one rainy spring day. ❤
Our Stories 50
“The L ord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” —Psalm 9:9, NIV
I was going through a tough family situation, and work
had become my place of refuge. One day a patient came
in who made me realize that maybe God is listening and
wants to be involved in people’s everyday lives.
The patient was not someone I would have sought out.
Our worlds intersected because I was the RN on duty,
and she came in for care. During her visit, she began to
cry and tell me her problems. I asked her if she believed in
God. She said yes. Then, almost without realizing what
I was doing, I asked if she would like me to pray with
her. I could hardly believe I was offering to pray with a
near-stranger. But afterward, I noticed she seemed to be
at peace. Even my coworkers remarked that she seemed
like a different person from when she came in.
It made me think. If God cares enough to brighten
someone’s spirits by using a person who isn’t even sure
what she believes about Him, then He must not be so
far away after all. ❤
Sherah Berthelsen, RN
Outpatient Therapy Services
Tillamook County General Hospital
Our Stories 51
“A nd do not
forget to do
29 | The Kimono Act
good and to
share with
others, for
with such
sacrifices
G od
is pleased.”
—Hebrews 13:16,
NIV
Julia, a newly diagnosed cancer patient who had no
support person of her own, was scheduled for treatment
at the Martin-O’Neil Cancer Center. She was extremely
fearful of the unknown and her upcoming procedures.
Luckily, our patient experience specialist, Marjorie
Jenssen, specializes in taking extra special care of all
patients. When she learned about Julia, she set out to
see what she could do to ease her anxieties.
Marjorie soon discovered that Julia was very theatrical
and loved playing dress-up. In fact, on one occasion
she planned to wear a kimono to her weekly treatment.
Marjorie could not resist an opportunity to get into the
act, too—by preparing a beautiful Japanese scene with
lanterns and decorations especially for Julia.
As Marjorie and others know, creating a supportive
environment for our patients goes a long way in helping
them through their fears and pain. ❤
Alyssa Filipps
Communications Manager
St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley
Our Stories 52
“There is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” —Mother Teresa
30 | I Want to Get Married
A patient called to ask if she could get married before her
baby was born. In fact, she was already on her way to the
hospital to give birth.
I moved into action. Adrienne Eyer, my colleague and a
talented soprano, phoned Kenneth Howell, a radiology
technologist and guitarist. He was willing to accompany
her to “The Wedding Song,” but, he did not have a guitar
with him.
“Teri, one of our unit secretaries, keeps hers here,” Adrienne
said. “I am sure she will let us borrow it.”
I found some colorful paper to make flowers for the
chapel, and the gift shop personnel provided a bouquet
for the bride. Courtney Rasmussen from marketing and
communications took pictures. Shortly after the on-call
chaplain officiated in the marriage ceremony, the baby
was born. Later our hospital family showered the new
family with a welcome package.
Having co-workers respond positively to unique requests
like this is one of the blessings I enjoy about working at
this hospital! ❤
Tamera Snyder
Executive Assistant
Feather River Hospital
Our Stories 53
“L ove one
another; as
I
31 | Sacred Work Finds a Way
have loved you.”
—John 13:34, KJV
It was a busy Saturday afternoon in the emergency department when Sara rushed
through the front doors with her 5-month old son in her arms. Running behind were
her daughters, ages 2 and 3. Through tears, Sara explained that her baby had not been
able to keep anything down and there were periods where she could not rouse him.
❤
Looking at the tiny, pale, lethargic life in her arms, I scooped him up and ran down the
hall. A quick call out to the charge nurse directed me to a monitored bed where our team
quickly stabilized the baby. I assured Sara he was in good hands and informed her of the
diagnostic tests that would be performed. I gave her my name and told her I would be in
triage should she need anything. ❤
Our Stories 54
“Genuine service emerges from our hearts and moves out from our hands.”
—Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
With the test results in, the decision was made to send
the baby by helicopter to Children’s Hospital for a
higher level of care. Unfortunately, for safety reasons,
Sara could not accompany her baby in the helicopter.
She held her emotions together until the flight team left,
and then she broke down hysterically. Finding her way
to the lobby, she told the news to her mother who waited
there with her little girls.
She told me she had no car and no money to buy gas for
someone to drive her to the other hospital. Even though
multiple phone calls were made to social services case
management, administration and the nursing supervisor,
because it was the weekend, we could not find help for
her. As word of her situation spread throughout the
hospital, emergency department staff, including doctors,
nurses, security guards, and registration and lab personnel
responded. They purchased a gift card so she could buy
gas for someone to drive her to Children’s Hospital, they
charged food from the cafeteria, and they covered her
with plenty of prayers as she set off to unite with her
baby once again. ❤
Cindy Archer, RN
Emergency Department
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Our Stories 55
32 | Shave with a Smile
“It’s the little
details that are
vital. Little things
make big things
happen.”
—John Wooden
Charles was admitted to our rehabilitation unit from another facility 12 days after
experiencing a subdural hematoma. He had left-side weakness, an unsteady gait and
required assistance to walk. His memory was impaired and he had lost peripheral vision
in both eyes. ❤ Prior to this, Charles was a healthy and vibrant 76-year-old, planning a
trip with his wife. When he developed a severe headache, he went to his doctor. That day
his whole life changed. He arrived at Glendale Adventist Medical Center confused and
depressed. ❤ “Why don’t they let me talk to my wife?” he asked. (He’d already spoken to
her three times that morning.) ❤
Our Stories 56
“For G od has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
—2 Timothy 1:7, NKJ
He refused food and I had to coax him to drink water. In
the hospital, our staff was patient, caring and encouraging.
As the days went by, his smile grew bigger every day.
However, on the morning he was to be discharged, his
name was not on the board.
“Where is Charles?” I asked.
I learned he had been transferred to the cardiac telemetry
unit after developing heart and lung problems. I feared
this would make him depressed again. When I stopped
to visit him that afternoon, he was not in the room. I sat
down and talked with his wife for a few minutes until
Charles returned.
“Hello, Charles,” I said. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m still here,” he replied with a big smile.
Instead of being downhearted because he could not go
home, he told me how much he appreciated the care he
had received and how professional our staff had been.
He mentioned one nurse assistant in particular.
“She shaved me and helped me take care of myself,”
he said.
Today a modern hospital may provide the latest in medical
advances and technology, but often the most lasting
impression is made by small acts of kindness and
personal attention, such as holding a hand, assisting
with a phone call, spending a few minutes chatting—or
giving someone a shave. ❤
Elsa Cameron, Manager
Rehabilitation Unit
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Our Stories 57
“A nd the G od of all
grace, who called you
33 | Butterflies for Hope
to his eternal glory in
Christ, after you have
A couple days before New Year’s, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer, and a few
suffered a little while,
days later I had resection surgery at San Joaquin Community Hospital. I believe God
will himself restore you
placed me in this caring community where the physicians, nurses, care partners and
and make you strong,
ancillary staff were praying for me. ❤ I was off work after surgery for about five weeks,
firm and steadfast.”
and during that time, my staff decorated a wall in my office now known as the Butterfly
—1 Peter 5:10, NIV
Wall. From top to bottom they decorated it with words of hope, faith, encouragement
and, oh yes, butterflies! Several coworkers made a quilt for me with a scripture of God’s
faithfulness to remind me of His presence during this time. Others gave me prayer
blankets and showed their love in many ways. ❤
Our Stories 58
“Trusting God does not mean building a house in a land of no storms;
but rather building a house that no storm can destroy.” — Larry Crabb
I continued to work during nine months of chemotherapy,
and the kindness and prayers of our leadership team,
my colleagues and staff made all the difference. Some
accompanied me to my treatments, caring for me and
encouraging me to see God’s hand at work in my life. I
felt blessed beyond my circumstances.
Now that I have completed my treatments and my health
is returning, I reflect on how difficult it was during those
months to maintain my intimate connections with
my family, friends and Lord. At times I was so sick I
could not communicate well with them or even pray.
I am grateful to my husband and my hospital family
for helping and continuing to lift me up during those
difficult months.
As I participated in Relay for Life in our community in
2012, I was joined by some of my hospital family in walking
the survivors lap. All their support makes me feel like King
David in Psalms for truly “my cup runneth over.” ❤
Karen Garner, Director
Critical Care
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Our Stories 59
“L et brotherly
34 | Caring Team
love continue.
Do not forget
to entertain
strangers, for
by so doing some
A patient had been with us for 169 days, having been
admitted from a local nursing home. Because of her
unpaid bills, she was unable to return. As the days
passed, she became like a member of our hospital
family. Whether feeding her meals, painting her nails,
doing her hair, or just talking with her, we came to know
her well.
have unwittingly
entertained
angels.”
—Hebrews 13:1-2, NKJ
Our Stories 60
It’s been difficult to find her another home. One time
when we expected her to move to another facility, we
discovered she owned nothing more than one set of
unwashed clothes. We could not send her away like that.
We collected money and bought her new clothes and a
little red teddy bear to hold at night. Even though she
has not yet been released, at least she has a little more
to call her own. For the rest of us, it’s been a blessing to
grow closer as a health care family through our care of
this patient. ❤
Candice Laidley, CNA
Medical/Surgical Department
Adventist Medical Center - Hanford
“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him … the people who give you
their food give you their heart.” — Cesar Chavez
35 | Pizza, Please!
We had a cancer patient for inpatient therapy who refused
to eat. No matter what we suggested, she rejected it.
“If I were to bring you anything, what would you want?”
I asked.
“Anything?” she asked.
“Yes, anything,” I said, determined to bring her the one
meal she really wanted.
“Round Table pizza and a root beer float,” she answered.
No problem. I went to the pizza parlor and ordered
exactly what she asked for. When I returned with the
pizza, she finally ate.
It was a small gesture, but it illustrates our sincere effort
to provide care and nourishment for patients every day.
When a patient is having a bad stay, we try to make
it more pleasant through food. Receiving personalized
service lets patients know that they have control over
their diet, that someone is listening to them, and that
our team will do our best to grant their wish. ❤
Dale Robbins
Director of Nutritional Services
Sonora Regional Medical Center
Our Stories 61
36 | No Words for Fear
“All I ever wanted
was to reach out
and touch another
human being not
just with my hands
but with my heart.”
One of the most memorable experiences in my first year of nursing occurred during
my first rapid response. As a bilingual nurse, I was able to bond with my patient and
her family. She told me she was scared of hospitals because of a previous experience at
another hospital. ❤ Close to the end of my shift she said she felt dizzy. I checked her blood
pressure and seeing a significant change, a rapid response had to be called. I explained
—Tahereh Mafi
there would be a lot of people assessing her situation and told her to let me know what
I could do to help her feel better. She grabbed my hand and begged me not to leave her
side because she was scared. Little did she know I was scared, too. ❤
Our Stories 62
“L et not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” —John 14:27, NKJ
Surprisingly, I managed to remain calm and assured
her that I would stay with her to translate, and answer
any questions she might have. Little did I know at that
moment that I had touched the source of her fear. A
few minutes later, when she was feeling better, she
grabbed my hand, kissed it and thanked me, saying she
felt blessed that I was there to help her.
A few days later her daughter explained the reason behind
her mother’s fear of hospitals: the language barrier.
Previously, at another hospital in a similar situation, staff
members were unable to translate quickly. It took a
long time to get help for her, leaving her feeling helpless
and scared for her life—with no words to express her
fears. When I think of that experience, I think of the
underlying reason why I chose to become a nurse: I just
want to help others. ❤
Beatriz Diaz, RN
5 North CVDOU
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 63
“Now it is G od who
has made us for this
very purpose and
37 | Comfort for Hurting
Hearts
has given us the
Larry had just moved from Oklahoma to begin working in the Glendale Adventist Medical
Spirit as a deposit,
Center emergency department. He planned to begin orientation on Monday morning.
guaranteeing what is
Instead, he woke up Saturday with chest pain and was taken to the emergency department—
to come.”
—2 Corinthians 5:5, NIV
not as an employee, but as a patient. The staff worked with him until he was stabilized
enough to move to the coronary intensive care unit (CICU). ❤ Even though it was not my
usual day to work, on Sunday morning I went to CICU to see the staff and do my payroll.
When I saw Larry’s mom and sisters, I introduced myself. They told me he was a man
with a great heart, and decorated with several awards and honors for military service. ❤
Our Stories 64
“Sometimes death seems purposeless, Lord, yet we are aware that in Your great plan
nothing happens that takes You by surprise. Help us to understand that You, Who knows
the end from the beginning, are always in charge.” — Isabel Wolseley
In CICU he was intubated on a ventilator, an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP), therapeutic hypothermia,
and multiple titratable medication drips while the staff
compassionately tended him. Human resources helped
the family with a place to stay. Customer service and
chaplain services provided food and spiritual support.
Many individuals supported his family through this
crisis.
Unfortunately, Larry coded again on Tuesday morning
and we were unable to resuscitate him. His children,
mom, sisters and fiancé were at the bedside and witnessed
the code. We had to let him go. The nurses taking care
of him were devastated.
Our behavioral health leaders along with our chaplain,
human resources and employee assistance staff came
together to comfort the CICU staff and lead us in
prayer. We could not hide our emotions.
I think in this work God guides us to touch the lives of
people who need us. It was not my routine day to work,
but I believe He led me to go to the hospital that Sunday
in order to meet Larry’s family—and later to be there for
them at a most difficult time. ❤
Arous Kalenderian, RN
Surgical ICU Nurse Manager
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Our Stories 65
“Our deeds
38 | Ready to Serve
determine us,
as much as
we determine
our deeds.”
Many of our clinics in the Central Valley of California are in towns 20 or 30 miles from a
hospital. This means we must be prepared for a wide variety of situations. Such was the case
when a baby was born in our clinic in Kerman, a farm town west of Fresno. ❤ Sylvia was
expecting her fifth child when she visited Dr. Michele Greenhouse that morning. The
—George Eliot
doctor, seeing that she was in mild labor, instructed Sylvia to go home and rest, and come
back two hours later. ❤ The patient was partially compliant. She went home and rested,
but instead of waiting only two hours, she waited four hours. Her husband dropped her
off at the clinic while he took their other children to a grandparent’s house. A few hours
made a world of difference. When Dr. Greenhouse checked Sylvia around noon, she
found her in full-blown labor and almost completely dilated. ❤
Our Stories 66
“I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. A nd
remember the words of the L ord Jesus, that H e said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
—Acts 20:35, NKJ
The doctor immediately called for an ambulance while
the staff called the husband to return to the clinic as
quickly as possible. When the ambulance arrived and
the paramedics began to wheel Sylvia out of the exam
room, they got no farther than the hallway when she
began to cry, “The baby is coming!” They quickly
wheeled her back into the exam room.
Dr. Greenhouse called for blankets and towels, and a
few minutes later amid tears and applause, the clinic
staff welcomed tiny 4-pound-12-ounce Christina into
the world. The staff didn’t hesitate to do what they could
to help the family. One of the staff members gave them
a baby blanket, and Dr. Greenhouse rode to the hospital
in the ambulance with Sylvia and her new baby. ❤
Sherry Pennington, Site Manager
Community Care - Kerman
Adventist Health/Central Valley Network
Our Stories 67
“Blessed are the
merciful , for
39 | Smiles and Apples in Peru
they will obtain
mercy ”
—Matthew 5:7, NKJ
I went on a medical mission project to Iquitos, Peru, in July 2012. We served eight villages
along the Amazon River where people live below the poverty level. There we found poor
sanitation, scarcity of resources, low literacy, lack of medical services and a huge need for
health education. My job was to explain the medications and discharge instructions to
villagers who could not read, write or speak English—and I don’t know Spanish. ❤ With
a translator’s help, I practiced Spanish words and phrases while traveling up to two hours
every day between the villages and our hotel. I did not become fluent in Spanish, but I
learned enough to be useful, and was able to use the “teach back” method of instructing
the people about their medications. ❤
Our Stories 68
“We change the world a little each day with our kindness.”
—Tom Giaquinto
Every time patients could repeat exactly what I told
them, I would exclaim, “Usted hizo un trabajo excelente
y muchos gracias.” (You did an excellent job and thank
you so much.) The female patients usually hugged me
and kissed my cheeks in a gesture of gratitude while
male patients shook my hand. All left with smiles, which
made me feel appreciated.
At lunchtime, I gave my food to the children. Seeing
several of them share an apple by taking turns biting
from it made me wish I could ship all the apples in the
United States to the jungle.
I know what we provided is not sufficient to fill all their
needs, but we made them happy with the little things
we could do in a short time. The most valuable lesson I
learned from my jungle experience is that all people are
significant, and each one deserves attention and care, even
if all they get from me is a smile and a cheerful “Hola!” ❤
Esther Ong, RN, MSN/ED
Education & Training
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 69
“So we know
and rely on
the love
G od
has for us.
G od is love.
Whoever lives
in love lives
in
G od, and
G od in him.”
—John 4:16, NIV
Our Stories 70
40 | Blessed by Respect
It was Ash Wednesday in my first year at San Joaquin
Community Hospital, and I was working a 10-hour
shift. Our chaplain, Ric Johnson, came to our unit to
talk with the staff and patients. Just before he left, he
asked if I knew that Father Ralph was in the hospital,
and whether I would like to receive ashes.
At first I was completely blown away that Chaplain
Ric even remembered that I am Catholic. Our only
conversation regarding this was during my orientation
five months earlier. I was so overcome by emotion that I
had a hard time fighting back tears. Chaplain Ric said I
could call the operator and she would let Father Ralph
know that I would like to receive ashes. I knew at that
moment that this hospital was my home and God had
guided my footsteps here. ❤
Wendy Caine, RN
Recovery Department
San Joaquin Community Hospital
“Life is a journey, not a destination … enjoy the moments.” —Author unknown
41 | Joy Ride
Working with people in the last days of life has taught
me to treat my patients as if each time is the last time I
will care for them. I think of a lovely Vietnamese mother
losing her battle with ovarian cancer. Her sole purpose
in life was to be a mother to her sons, ages 8 to 16.
When the eldest got his driver’s license and wanted to
take her for a ride, she was extremely sick with pain and
nausea. She could have told him, “I’m too sick,” or “I’m
too tired.” Instead, knowing it could be the last time she
shared a milestone in his life, she managed with help, to
get out of bed and take a ride through the neighborhood
with her son at the wheel. In those few minutes, she gave
him a gift he will never forget—and gave me a lesson in
caring for others. ❤
Laura Marcias, RN, CHPN
Adventist Medical Center - Portland
Hospice
Our Stories 71
“T he most
42 | Vessel of Blessing
important thing in
life is to learn how
I remember the look on his face, a look of sheer panic and trepidation when his wife was
to give out love and
rushed into the operating room for an emergency Cesarean section. Trying to comfort him
to let it come in.”
and provide some relief for his anxiety and fear, I wanted to make sure he was engaged and
talking so he would not be overwhelmed by the thought of his wife and baby in surgery. A
—Morrie Schwartz
couple of hours later, we received word that all had gone smoothly, and while the baby was
fine, his wife had to be transferred to the intensive care unit. ❤
Our Stories 72
“How can we thank G od enough for you in return for all the joy we have in
the presence of our G od because of you?” —1 Thessalonians 3:9, NIV
Seeing his fear, I stayed with him and listened while
he expressed his feelings of helplessness about his wife
and baby Christie. The whole staff gathered to pray and
assure him that we would take the best possible care of
them, promising that soon his family would be united.
The day his wife and baby were discharged from the
hospital, he showed his appreciation with a heartfelt
gesture that brought smiles to our faces. Standing before
the staff, he made a deep theatrical bow as an expression
of gratitude.
That was 18 years ago. Every year this couple sends me
pictures of Christie. Sometimes they come personally to
the hospital to express their thankfulness for the care
and comfort provided to them when they felt helpless. A
couple of years ago, I received an invitation to Christie’s
high school graduation. I felt honored that they wanted
me to witness her big moment of achievement. It is times
like this when I feel truly honored to be doing what I do
and humbled to know God can use me to be a vessel of
blessing to others. ❤
Sung Ja Song, RN, BSN
Maternity Nurse Manager
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 73
“Before they call
I will answer;
43 | Special Relationships
while they are
still speaking;
It was a rare thing for both of my aging parents to be patients at the hospital at about the
I will hear.”
same time. I faced the tough decision of whether or not to sign the Do Not Resuscitate
—Isaiah 65:24, NIV
papers for my mother. Her caregiver, Lynn Meadows, a physician assistant who works
with the team of hospitalists, talked with me in kindness and compassion, explaining the
pros and cons. I told her I’d think about it. ❤ When we continued our conversation the
next day, Lynn said she’d been sitting in the hot tub earlier in the morning meditating
and thinking about my mom. ❤ “Looking up at the trees around me,” she said, “I asked
myself, ‘What would my mother want?’” ❤
Our Stories 74
“When the love and sympathy that C hrist manifested for the sick is combined with
the physician’s knowledge, his very presence will be a blessing.” —Ellen White
That really made it easy for me to make a decision,
especially since I knew my mother was more than just a
patient to Lynn. She cared for my mother as if she were
her own mother.
When my father was a patient, his cardiologist, Dale
Morrison, came into the room, shook his hand and said,
“Thank you for serving in WWII.” It was the first time
I’d ever heard anyone thank my father for his service to
our country.
After Dad was discharged from the hospital, Dr.
Morrison saw him in his office on numerous occasions
without an appointment to avoid his having to go to the
emergency department. He knew Dad’s condition and
he could provide a continuity of care with his complete
medical history that an emergency doctor would not
have. Dad and Dr. Morrison had a patient-doctor
relationship that everyone would hope to have.
As Dad neared the end of his life, Dr. Morrison told me
I could call him anytime to talk about anything. He
knew I wanted to be sure I did right by Dad.
I will never forget the respect that both of these providers
showed my parents. ❤
Shirley Wilson, Registration Associate
Admitting
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 75
“As you draw
44 | Christmas Joy
close to others
and bring them
In the spirit of our Sacred Work principle of “Caring for people who care for people,” San
joy, you will learn
Joaquin Community Hospital has an annual program called Christmas at Home. The
and relearn that
purpose is to help some of our own employees who would otherwise not be able to give a
small kindnesses
Christmas to their children. ❤ Beginning in October every year since 2007, the hospital
can address large
departments are divided into teams to collect donations, do the shopping, wrapping, and
needs and have
then throw a party for the employee family they are assigned. The gifts are mostly basic
lasting impact.”
items such as food, blankets and coats—yet, our teams of employees have also collected
bicycles, washing machines, Christmas trees and other large items that bring joy or meet
—James Miller
Our Stories 76
a need. ❤
“… love one another deeply from the heart.” —1Peter 1:22, NIV
Staff members apply to be considered as recipients, and
I am always amazed at how those who need it most are
reluctant to ask. We are able to help approximately 20
families each year through this program, which is always
a blessing to everyone involved. As one team leader
commented, “I think we were blessed more than members
of our family were.”
She explained that staff members in the emergency
and respiratory departments gave $1,558 to provide
a family with bikes for the children, clothes, blankets
and numerous gift cards. In addition, someone paid the
rent and credited the family’s utilities account for one
month. She further mentioned watching the wide-eyed
expressions of the two little girls when Santa’s helpers
arrived with a load of gifts.
“It made our day. We would do it again in a heartbeat.
This is what Sacred Work is all about.” ❤
Sandy Johnson
Executive Director, Mission & Culture
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Our Stories 77
“The L ord is
close to the
45 | Call for Help
brokenhearted and
saves those who are
It was late in the evening on a weekday in late January when the hospital operator received
crushed in spirit.”
an unusual call from a man sounding desperate. He needed someone to pray for him—
—Psalm 34:18, NIV
right away! ❤ The operator put the call on hold and immediately contacted the nursing
supervisor. She informed Margaret, who is known as a Prayer Warrior, that a man on
the telephone was requesting prayer. ❤ Margaret welcomed the call, listening carefully as
the man explained his situation. He was going through rough times and the people who
had been his support system were no longer there for him. He felt alone, abandoned and
desperate for God’s intervention and blessing in his life. ❤
Our Stories 78
“I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can
show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not
defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” —William Penn
Margaret said she’d be happy to pray with him. She
asked for God’s healing and peace in his life, which
comforted and reassured him. She is not sure how long
she was on the telephone with him, but she stayed until
she felt certain it was safe to end the call. Before she
disconnected, she gave the man the hospital chaplain’s
contact information.
A few days later, I saw the chaplain. He reported that
he’d had several conversations with the caller. The man
had expressed his deep gratitude for finding God in the
midst of his pain.
I do not know how this gentleman knew our staff is here
for him, but I guess I should not wonder. God knows our
needs and supplies them in due time. I am comforted
that our hospital represents hope and faith to the people
we serve in this community. There is no question in my
mind. God puts us in the right place at the right time, to
be His hands, feet, ears, eyes and voice to those in need. ❤
Gloria N. Santos, RN, MS
Vice President, Patient Care Services
Feather River Hospital
Our Stories 79
“… though I
walk through
the valley of
the shadow of
death,
I will
fear no evil;
for you are
with me.”
46 | Gift of Love
It’s scary to know a patient is in the final moments of
life. Even though all patients begin as strangers, during
their time with us, some become like family. We do our
best to make them comfortable and at peace.
I had cared for Mary many times. Her only family was
her husband, a very elderly man who was unable to visit
her. While I couldn’t always be with her, my co-workers—
Christina Esquivel, CNA, Vanessa Muro, RN, and
Mark Peterson, RN—helped make sure Mary was
never left alone.
Late one night, when we knew the end was nearing,
we took turns staying with her, holding her hand and
talking to her. Even though it was not part of their job,
my co-workers helped make sure Mary was not alone.
At that point, she was not very communicative, but she
managed to say, “I love you.” I’m grateful that in the final
moments of life, we could give Mary the gift of love. ❤
—Psalm 23:4, NKJ
Shelby Lusk, RN
Medical/Surgical Department
Adventist Medical Center - Selma
Our Stories 80
“Our deeds still travel with us afar, and what we have been makes us what we are.” —George Eliot
47 | More Than a Second Mile
We admitted 70-year-old George following a motor
vehicle accident with his 75-year-old partner, Jim. The
two had been traveling from Yosemite toward their
home, two states away. George broke both legs, while
Jim suffered multiple cuts and bruises.
Carolyn Ford, CNA, called her boyfriend, Paul Nau
of our housekeeping staff, to take Jim to the wrecked
vehicle to get their belongings. When time came to go
home, Jim rented a car. But Carolyn and Paul could not
think of the two men driving such a long distance so
soon after the accident. Carolyn offered to drive them.
“There was no way they could have driven themselves,”
Paul said.
For two days, the party of four—George, Jim,
Carolyn and Paul—traveled together. Arriving at their
destination shortly before midnight, Carolyn and Paul
turned around and headed straight back to California.
While George and Jim were deeply grateful to the “good
Samaritans,” Carolyn and Paul took it all in stride.
“We were just glad to do it,” says Paul. ❤
Denise Fleming, RN
Medical/Surgical Unit
Sonora Regional Medical Center
Our Stories 81
“When we
48 | Frank the Therapy Dog
strengthen the
life in others, we
strengthen the life
within ourselves.”
I’m amazed at the effect our therapy dogs have on those they visit. While any wellsocialized dog enjoys attention, some become so sensitive that I believe they can tell the
difference between a social greeting and “work mode.” Frank is a good example. ❤ As my
specially trained dog and I made our way down a hallway at San Joaquin Community
—Rachel Naomi
Remen, MD
Hospital, a nurse requested that we visit a certain patient. We gladly obliged. Entering
the room, we found an older man unresponsive to our arrival. The nurse instructed us
to move where he could touch the dog if he wished. I even pulled up a chair for Frank,
bringing him to the patient’s eye level. At first the man made no response when the nurse
asked him to look at the big dog that had come to see him. ❤
Our Stories 82
“L et the beloved of the L ord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the
L ord loves rests between H is shoulders.” —Deuteronomy 33:12, NIV
“His name is Frank,” she continued, trying unsuccessfully
to coax a response.
I had Frank step up and the nurse placed the man’s hand
on his shoulder. Several seconds passed with Frank patiently
standing in what must have been an uncomfortable position.
Several moments went by when all of a sudden the
patient began to open and close his mouth as if gasping
for breath. Fearing our visit was not a good idea, I started
to pull Frank down from the chair. Then all of a sudden,
with great effort, the patient called the dog’s name.
“Fraaaank!” he said loudly.
I do not know how long it had been since the man had
spoken. He didn’t utter another sound for the rest of our
visit, but hearing him speak even one word brought tears
to the nurse’s eyes.
Later as I loaded Frank into my van, I thought about
why it’s difficult to formulate an answer when people
ask me what therapy dogs do. After all, how do you put
miracles into words? ❤
Sherry Davis
Pet Partner Volunteer
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Our Stories 83
“E ach of you must
bring a gift in
49 | Home for Christmas
proportion to the
way the
L ord your
When Helen came home, she saw the Christmas tree on her front porch. Her eyes welled
G od has blessed
up with tears, and a smile lighted up her face because she knew who had put it there for
you.”
her. After undergoing open-heart surgery, Helen was recovering in her home alone. As
—Deuteronomy 16:17,
NIV
the holiday season approached, she knew she wouldn’t be able to afford a Christmas tree,
and she certainly wouldn’t be able to decorate it after such a major surgery.
❤
I cared
for Helen during her recovery by helping her with post-surgery diet changes and cardiac
follow-up care. I knew her well because I had cared for her daughter for about seven
years. I had noticed that Helen didn’t have the means to celebrate Christmas with a tree,
so I decided to buy her an electric tree that was already decorated. ❤
Our Stories 84
“Love begins by taking care of the closest ones—the ones at home.”
—Mother Teresa
Home Care is different from other clinical careers because
we care for patients in their own environment, and we
see their home surroundings. Besides helping my patients
improve their health, I always look for ways I can help
them around the house—like taking out the garbage and
other little things that help. One time, some co-workers
and I went together to buy furniture for a patient. Another
time I bought a television for a young girl.
Hospice nurses are there for our patients’ health and
body, but we’re also there to care for their mind and
soul. God put us here to help others. We treat the person
first, then medically and spiritually. If the world would
just stop and help other people in need, it would be a
better place. ❤
David Andersen, RN
Home Care & Hospice
Adventist Health/Central Valley Network
Our Stories 85
“You do not need
to know precisely
what is happening,
50 | Preparing the Way
or exactly where it is
all going. What you
need is to recognize
the possibilities and
Harold was in our intensive care unit with the most devastating leg wounds we had
ever seen. He wanted to go home, but that was not an option. ❤ Even though the social
challenges offered by
worker had secured a room for him at a rehab center known for its excellent wound care,
the present moment,
Harold refused to go. He wanted to stay here, and no one could talk him out of it. The
and to embrace them
transfer van was already in the parking lot and the crew would not wait any longer.
with courage, faith
and hope.”
—Thomas Merton
Our Stories 86
❤
Although this is not normally a request asked of me, I knew I must try to persuade him
to go. I stood up, put on my suit jacket and tried to appear more powerful than I felt as
I headed to the ICU. ❤
“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our L ord:
I n whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
—Ephesians 3:11-12, KJV
“Lord this man is your child and You have worked out
an excellent plan for him,” I prayed. “Please allow me to
be able to convince him of this.”
Walking into Harold’s room, I introduced myself,
and speaking with full confidence, I matter-of-factly
informed him that he was being transferred to an
excellent center. I explained that I had sent another
patient there with excellent success. When he said he
wanted to stay here, I said that was not an option as I
handed him the transfer form. To my surprise, he signed
it without hesitation. The staff could not believe he
agreed so readily.
Why did the Lord place this task on me? I am convinced
the Holy Spirit went before me and gently prepared
the way. I later discovered that I was the only staff
member in the hospital with any experience with this
particular rehab center. No one else could speak with
the confidence I had when I assured Harold of its
reputation. We may not always understand why we are
asked to do something out of the ordinary or out of
our comfort zone, but we can trust that God is able to
prepare the way before us. ❤
Karen Kellar, Vice President
Patient Care Services
Tillamook County General Hospital
Our Stories 87
“Treat others as
you want them to
51 | God’s Timing for Millie
treat you.”
—Luke 6:31, TLB
A few weeks before 84-year-young Millie was admitted to the hospital, she had been
completely independent, able to drive her car, shop and perform light chores. In her spare
time she loved to read. Unfortunately, her condition took a turn for the worse and due to
her age and other factors, her prognosis for recovery became poor. Her family members
came at mealtimes to visit and feed her.
❤
On this particular day, Millie said she did
not feel well and was not up to participating in therapy. I knew this was likely our last
attempt to see her because she was reaching a point of plateau with her progress and no
longer had any functional movement of her arms and legs. ❤
Our Stories 88
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is.” —Albert Einstein
Her husband telephoned and said he was running late
but would be in later to help her with lunch. However,
Millie’s lunch was delivered before I left her room. I
clocked out for my lunchtime and went ahead and
fed her. Noticing a small stain on her gown, I took
some towels and gave her a quick freshening up. Then
I dressed her in a clean gown, brushed her teeth and
hair, and made her comfortable so she could rest. I had
brought in some audio books from the library and a
CD player, which I turned on for her. Just as I was
leaving, her family arrived.
I ate my lunch and then went back to work. About two
hours later the case manager called to let me know that
Millie had passed away. Only a couple of hours had
passed since I’d helped her with her last meal and did
what I could to make her comfortable. I am grateful for
that opportunity. God had the timing all worked out for
me to be in the right place at the right time for Millie. ❤
Barbara “Wednesday” Davis, OTR
Rehabilitation Department
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 89
“T hey may forget
your name but
will never forget
how you made
them feel.”
—Maya Angelou
52 | Beyond the Call of Duty
Making my last round of the day, I found three patients
in the recovery room waiting for feeling to return in
their legs prior to being discharged. The nurses assured
me it would not be much longer, and each patient had
arranged for transportation. With everything apparently
under control, I went home.
The next morning, the nurses informed me that one
patient had taken longer to recover than anticipated. By
7:30 p.m., the transportation he had planned to take was
no longer available. The nurses considered driving him
home themselves, but because it was a long drive, they
called a cab instead and personally paid the $50 fare.
My heart was touched. Often in the rush of the day, we
forget the little things that matter most. These nurses
are known for going the extra mile for their patients.
The patient didn’t know they paid his fare, and may not
remember their names, but he will always remember
that he went home after surgery instead of spending the
night in the hospital. ❤
Seema Talati, RN
Manager, Nursing Services
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 90
“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind;
and the third is to be kind.” —Henry James
53 | The “New” Wheelchair
One Friday afternoon, Irene was ready to be discharged,
but she needed a wheelchair in order to manage at home.
Insurance wouldn’t cover it and she could not afford
to pay for one. We contacted the local senior center,
but they didn’t have one. Then we contacted the local
hospice center. They had one, but someone had to pick it
up. Irene had no one to get it for her.
I contacted our volunteer department and someone
suggested I look for Jean. I found her, as expected on
a Friday afternoon—preparing flowers for the patient
trays on Sabbath. Without hesitation, she agreed to get
the wheelchair. But, she didn’t stop there.
Noticing the wheelchair needed cleaning, Jean took it
to the hospital’s maintenance department and recruited
some of the workers to help her clean it up so Irene could
have a shiny “new” wheelchair to take home. Like so
many of our volunteers, Jean is a blessing to our hospital
because of her willing spirit to go the extra mile. ❤
Linda de Gadea, Physical Therapist
Rehabilitative Services
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 91
“T he Lord’s our
rock, in Him we
hide, a shelter in
the time of storm.”
54 | Ticket to Safety
We met her in the emergency department as she walked in with a women’s advocate
representative. Kathy had experienced a very traumatic event which would impact her
mind, body and soul for the rest of her life. ❤ Her face was angry and hard, her clothes
—Vernon
Charlesworth
tattered and torn. She was definitely not interested in making eye contact or speaking to
me. After some time, we were able to establish trust and she slowly began opening her
shattered soul. She mentioned that an agency had called several local shelters but no one
had room to take her. She was frightened and wanted to move far away from the brutality
she had experienced. She was homeless and did not have family nearby. For months she
had been switching between “couch surfing” and living on the streets. ❤
Our Stories 92
“M ay the G od of peace H imself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and
body be preserved blameless at the coming of our L ord Jesus Christ.” —1Thessalonians 5:23, NKJ
Even though she received a monthly Social Security
check, it wasn’t enough to provide a roof over her head
or food on her table. She wanted to make a new start and
wanted it soon.
Staff members began searching through resource lists
but kept running into dead ends. They even shifted their
focus to Internet postings on Craig’s List, looking for
shelters in other states. Most were too expensive, but by
some miracle, we found a women’s crisis center that had
beds available. We researched them through a number of
sources to ensure they were reputable and capable of
caring for someone like Kathy.
After completing an assessment over the phone, the
shelter called back to inform me that Kathy had been
accepted but that she would have to find her own
transportation.
This was the hope she needed. All of a sudden, I began
seeing the mask of pain melting away as we shared the
news with her. We called Greyhound and purchased her
bus ticket—a ticket out of town and into the safety of a
shelter where her healing process could begin. ❤
Sandy Montiminy, RN
Director, Emergency Department
Adventist Medical Center - Portland
Our Stories 93
“They helped every
55 | Everybody Needs a Friend
one his neighbor;
and every one said
to his brother,
Be
of good courage.”
—Isaiah 41:6, KJV
Karena lives in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Sometimes she can be found in a grove of
trees near the freeway, and other times she parks the shopping cart containing all of her
belongings under the Gobbi Street bridge. She has to keep moving. Otherwise, she’ll
be arrested for loitering or trespassing.
❤
In fact, she was arrested 13 times in 2011,
resulting in a cumulative stay of nearly three months in jail. In the same year, she had
91 visits to the emergency department at Ukiah Valley Medical Center. The 24-year-old
was abandoned as a child. Today she is homeless, desperate and in need of a friend who
can give her lots of love. ❤
Our Stories 94
“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The
poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must
start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” —Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Sandy O’Ferrall, a business development analyst at Ukiah
Valley Medical Center, has become Karena’s friend.
Sandy crunches numbers for a community program the
hospital participates in called Chronic Users System
of Care, which is where she met Karena. Now Sandy
meets all kinds of her needs—not because she has to, but
because she wants to.
She personally supplies Karena with rolls of quarters so
she can use a pay phone to call her cell phone any time
she’s in trouble or needs something. Sandy also takes her
to doctor appointments and makes sure she’s taking her
meds. Occasionally she even buys her a night or two at
one of the local motels, giving her opportunity to take a
shower and to sleep in a comfy bed.
Sandy has volunteered her time to get Karena connected
with a primary care physician who manages her care
rather than forcing her to continually use the emergency
department. She’s also helped her get established with
some government agencies, and is working on finding
her permanent housing. Most of all, Sandy cares and is
there to be Karena’s friend. ❤
Keith Dobbs, Administrative Director
Business Development
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 95
“In some way our
56 | Joe Gets a Second Chance
deepest self is the
self of all men; their
A homeless alcoholic, Joe was a frequent visitor to the emergency department. This
pain is our pain,
was his third visit in a week. He had been found face down on a sidewalk, beaten,
their joy is our joy;
bloodied, bruised and covered with flies. His loud, angry disposition coupled with his
there can be no joy
soiled clothing and the mixed smell of alcohol and body odor made attending to him a
for us until there is
challenge.
joy for them.”
waiting room. Seeing him still there on my third pass through the waiting room, I
❤
Shortly after my shift began, Joe was discharged and moved to the lobby
stopped and asked if I could call someone to come for him. Without saying a word, Joe’s
—Frederick Buchner
eyes spoke volumes. The pain of withdrawal marked his face and he was too weak to
even stand. ❤
Our Stories 96
“The K ing will reply… ‘ whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,
you did for me.’” —Matthew 25:40, NIV
The words of Jesus came to my mind: “I was hungry and
you fed me ... naked and you clothed me ... a stranger
and you took me in ... As you did to the least of these,
you did unto Me.”
contractor. Then the economy began to spiral. I lost
my business, my wife, my children and my will to live.
Everything that mattered to me slipped away. I just
stopped caring, I guess.”
Moments later, Joe checked himself back in and I was
assigned as his nurse. Our team saw that he was fed,
bathed and provided with clean clothes. The loud, angry
Joe began to soften.
Clearly, Joe needed a second chance. His attending
physician ordered a social services consult, and he was
subsequently placed in a sober living home where he
could get that second chance. We have to look past the
stereotypes that so easily develop in this profession. That’s
what allowed us to see Joe as the man he could be. ❤
“You know, I haven’t always been this way,” he said. “I
once owned my own business. I was a very successful
Cindy Archer, RN
Emergency Department
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Our Stories 97
“I tell you
57 | God Softened My Heart
the truth,
whatever you
did not do for
one of the
least of these,
you did not do
for me.”
—Matthew 25:45,
NIV
Our Stories 98
One day in outpatient therapy services, a walk-in patient
came in for an injection for a migraine. She had been
coming here for years. In fact, about 10 years earlier she
had made a formal complaint against me for not getting
her pain medications fast enough. I had avoided caring
for her ever since.
As luck would have it, on this particular day I was the only
one available to care for her. After giving the injection, I
sensed she had something on her heart that she wanted
to share. She told me that her daughter had just died in
an automobile accident. I listened for more than an hour
while she talked, and then we prayed together.
When I took the time to listen, God softened my heart
and filled it with compassion and forgiveness that I did
not think was possible. ❤
Amanda Wiedemann, RN
Outpatient Therapy Services
Tillamook County General Hospital
“People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.”
—Kent M. Keith
58 | A Patient Who Tried My Patience
Admittedly, the intoxicated patient who is down on his
luck is sure to challenge my patience. I remember one
in particular. Chester was a regular in the emergency
department—obnoxious, loud and reeking of body
and street odors. Most of our staff never saw his good
side, but when he was not inebriated, he’d talk about
his interesting past. Recently, I learned he died—in the
streets where he lived.
While that news brought a tear to my eye, I comforted
myself knowing he was not suffering. I wanted to
visualize him freshly shaven, sitting in a warm, clean
pair of pajamas, and holding a glass of milk, which he
often requested when he was sober. Now he was finally
free from his addictions. Dealing with difficult patients
is hard, but Chester taught me to try my best to realize
they are sick, and do what I can to help them through
their difficulties—with patience, mercy and love. ❤
Gigi M. Smith, RN, CEN
Emergency Department
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 99
“Greater love has
no one than this,
59 | Love Affair to Remember
than to lay down
one’s life for his
Emily had dementia and rarely spoke. Jack, 94, was her primary care giver. Jack and Emily’s
friends.”
daughter became increasingly concerned about them and came for a visit. When she
—John 15:13, NKJ
found Jack ill with pneumonia, he was admitted to our hospital. After four days, he was
ready for discharge. Emily’s health, however, had declined and she had to be admitted
the same day Jack was discharged. Thus began our hospital’s love affair with this couple.
❤
Emily’s condition was grave. She was unresponsive except when Jack arrived. Nothing
made her happier than when he would step into her room, extend his arms wide and
exclaim, “Emmie! How’s the most beautiful girl in the world?” ❤ Her eyes would sparkle
and a huge smile would spread across her face. Jack’s unfailing love for Emily touched
every employee they met. ❤
Our Stories 100
“Everything in life responds to the song of the heart.” — Ernest Holmes
Jack and his daughter were informed that Emily would
probably not live out the week. I later found them in
the parking lot trying to cope with the news. We shared
comfort, prayers and contact numbers. Happily, Emily
rallied the next day and was discharged to a skilled
nursing facility. But the story does not end there.
Jack’s neighbor Cal, 90, appointed himself to be Jack’s
driver. The two were with Emily for at least two meals
each day. Even though Emily’s dementia continued to
worsen, Jack was able to stay in their home with the help
of a caregiver.
At age 97, Jack returned to our hospital. This time his
heart just wasn’t strong enough. He passed away with
his friend Cal and his daughter with him. When Jack’s
daughter told her mother that he had died, Emily stopped
eating, and she quietly passed away a few weeks later.
At the celebration of their lives, their friends and family
rejoiced in their 70 years of marriage. Their daughter
shared with me how blessed she felt that her parents’
hospital loved and cared for them so much. ❤
Julie Kline
Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services
Sonora Regional Medical Center
Our Stories 101
60 | Rolled-up Sleeves
“We don’t so
much create
healing space—
we become it.”
—Wright and
Sayre-Adams
While nurses don’t like to think they are unable to relate to their suffering patients,
it is very easy to build a wall of separation in response to day-after-day care of patient
after patient. Yet, nothing brings you to the heart of this profession like being a patient
yourself and receiving care that exceeds your expectations.
❤
It seems like yesterday
I was admitted to San Joaquin Community Hospital for the latest in a long string of
abdominal surgeries. It is never easy to be a patient in the hospital where you work and I
was understandably apprehensive. ❤
Our Stories 102
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
—Romans 12:10, NIV
Our chief nursing officer, Debbie Hankins, had told me
before going into surgery to let her know if I needed
anything. At that time I didn’t realize how much I would
need and value her presence and help. She went out of
her way to stop in and pray with me before the surgery.
She was the first person I saw every morning sitting by
my bedside waiting to pray with me and asking if she
could do anything for me.
After a few days the doctors determined I needed a
second surgery. Debbie rushed to my bedside, helped
me address my fears and solve a problem. Knowing
that I had been in the hospital for several days, she
recognized a need that only the most intuitive of nurses
would notice. I needed my hair washed. Others were
sensitive to my diet, my meds, my vital signs, my pain,
but Debbie was sensitive to something very personal,
though not necessarily medical.
A few minutes later she brought me a basin of water,
a towel and shampoo. Then, to my surprise, she rolled
up her sleeves and began washing my hair, all the while
speaking loving and encouraging words. Debbie’s
example inspires me to be sensitive to the patients I
serve, remembering what it is like to be the one in need.
❤
Cindy Archer, RN
Emergency Department
San Joaquin Community Hospital
Our Stories 103
blood, but against
61 | Count the Ways I Love
Nursing
principalities,
I was 28 years old when my mother underwent open-heart surgery. The staff that cared
against powers,
for her actually cared for our entire family. That was the first time I understood the
against the rulers
impact nurses have on people at the most vulnerable times in their lives. From this
“For we wrestle not
against flesh and
of the darkness of
this world, against
experience, I knew I wanted to go into nursing for the most common reason: I wanted
to help people. ❤ While this was my initial motivation for becoming a nurse, it remains
true to this day. I love the technical part of nursing that requires critical thinking. This
spiritual wickedness
in high places.”
—Ephesians 6:12, KJV
means acknowledging that all patients are different depending on family dynamics and
cultures, disease processes and implications, and various interventions and treatments.
I love the fact that we cannot approach any two patients alike, but must investigate what
works best for each individual. Whether I help patients improve their health or offer
comfort at the end of life, I find it all very rewarding. ❤
Our Stories 104
“I would rather have one person working with me than three working for me.”
—F.W. Woolworth
Later, I discovered that nursing offers many options
such as patient care, hospital-based geriatric, adult and
pediatric care, infection control, school, office, camp
and travel nursing, insurance company and wellness
programs. There are also many nonpatient-care nursing
opportunities, including risk and case management,
legal consulting, program development and computer
systems, just to name a few. In addition, nursing jobs
are available anywhere in the country, providing
professional recognition and good wages.
Combine all of the above factors and I can say
nursing has provided me financial security and job
satisfaction, allowing for a very fulfilling family life
while accomplishing my desire to help others. Thinking
back to the experience that motivated me to become a
nurse, I’m reminded that as we go about our work, we
never know the influence we will have on someone else
who may choose to become a nurse. I am proud that
my daughter has also joined the family of professional
nurses. ❤
Mari Ladnier, RN
Peri-operative Services
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Our Stories 105
“… do not
62 | Blessings Return
forget the
things your
eyes have seen
or let them slip
I have always been grossed-out by deformities, scarring,
amputations and burns. When the Grossman Burn
Center asked me to perform my magic routine for their
patients, I almost declined. However, after praying
about it, I eventually accepted the invitation.
from your heart
as long as you
live.”
—Deuteronomy
4:9, NIV
Our Stories 106
One of my visits was with a severely burned boy. I
avoided looking at him and focused my attention on my
magic tricks. After a few minutes, I heard him say, “I’m
sorry,” but I kept performing. Then he apologized again,
and I had to look up.
“Why are you sorry?” I asked.
“I can’t clap,” he said.
That day I realized I’m not visiting an injury. I’m
visiting a person. In fact, I recently found myself hiding
sponge bunnies in the hands of a man whose fingers
had been burned off. Working with burn patients has
been a blessing to me. I’ve discovered Sacred Work
works both ways! ❤
Elton Kelly
Volunteer
San Joaquin Community Hospital
“I feel the healing hands of God touch my heart and kiss my soul.” —Harley King
63 | Hearts for a Heart
While doing routine postpartum care, I became
concerned over a newborn not breastfeeding well
from its gestational diabetic mother. The baby’s blood
sugar was very low, even after our attempts to bring it
up. Finally, the newborn was transferred to our level 2
neonatal intensive care unit.
The night shift nurse, Sally Vendolowski, while
monitoring the patient, became concerned about a vital
sign reading. She immediately called the pediatrician on
call, and after an assessment, the infant was transferred
to a specialty children’s hospital in San Francisco for
open-heart surgery.
In gratitude for the attentive care by the physicians
and nurses at UVMC, the parents recently invited our
OB team to share in the celebration of their son’s first
birthday. ❤
Lisa Guerrero, RN
The Birthing Center
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 107
“Kindness in words
64 | Double Surprise
creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking
Richard Walker was excited to celebrate his 54th wedding anniversary with his wife,
creates profoundness.
Martha. He planned to make this one special, different from all others. He would shower
Kindness in giving
her with gifts to show how thankful he was for her years of companionship. But one
creates love.”
thing stood in Richard’s way: He had been in the hospital for almost 90 days, and he
wasn’t going home any time soon. ❤ We got to know the Walkers well during Richard’s
—Lao Tzu
three-month stay. When he talked about his upcoming anniversary, he was excited, but
we could hear a touch of despair in his voice because he knew he wouldn’t be able to give
his wife all he wanted on their special day. ❤
Our Stories 108
“… he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” —Proverbs 11:25b, NIV
We decided to throw a surprise anniversary party for
Martha on Richard’s behalf. We collected money to
buy gifts for the couple—including chocolates and
flowers for Richard to give to Martha. A few employees
picked out an anniversary card, which hospital
employees signed. Others decorated the chapel with
streamers and balloons.
moments later—with a cake for all to share. Tears
rolled down her face as she kissed her husband on the
cheek. Then, turning to the rest of us, who thought
we were the ones creating the surprise for her, she
expressed her thankfulness.
With everything all set, on the day of the anniversary,
we took Richard to the chapel to give him the gifts we
had bought for him to give to his wife—as a surprise.
But, to our surprise, Martha showed up just a few
Of course, we took pictures of what turned out to be a
double surprise anniversary party. Today, one of those
pictures hangs in the Walker home, and another hangs
in the medical/surgical department. ❤
“Bless you all,” she said.
Medical/Surgical Staff
Adventist Medical Center - Selma
Our Stories 109
“For H e shall give
H is angels charge
over you,
65 | Little Hospital, Big Heart
To keep
you in all your
“It got so I could hardly talk. I could only say two words at a time before I ran out of
ways.”
breath,” she said. ❤ She was eventually diagnosed with cardiac tamponade, pressure on
—Psalm 91:11, NKJ
the heart that occurs when fluid builds up in the space between the heart muscle and the
outer covering sac of the heart. If not treated quickly, the patient can die. ❤ After a twoweek hospital stay out of town, Laura was discharged home. But the next morning she
felt weak, tired, sweaty and nauseous. Her sister took her to Frank R. Howard Memorial
Hospital (HMH) where the emergency team knew she needed immediate attention. ❤
Our Stories 110
“A good deed is never lost: he who sows courtesy reaps friendship; and he who plants
kindness gathers love.” —Basil of Caesarea
Laura’s case was the highest level of trauma HMH had
seen in eight years, a level not normally seen in small
rural hospitals. Her case was complicated because her
symptoms did not follow the classic presentation for
tamponade, and the fluid around her heart had increased
so rapidly that her heart couldn’t handle the pressure.
While on the gurney, she lost consciousness. Having
accurately diagnosed what was happening, the HMH
team was able to resuscitate her. Then she was transferred
via helicopter to a hospital that provides the level of
cardiac care she needed.
The next day, a nurse from our hospital phoned her to
ask how she was doing. The following day, another one
called. And after she went home, she received more calls
from the HMH nurses.
What Laura remembers most about Howard Memorial
Hospital are the voices of the nurses who cared for her
in the emergency department. After being resuscitated,
she heard one say, “It’s a miracle.” She realized they were
talking about her.
“I’ll tell you, these guys are the miracle,” she said later.
“They’re my guardian angels.” ❤
Amy Buckington, RN
Emergency Department Manager
Howard Memorial Hospital
Our Stories 111
“Never give up,
66 | The Lady in Bed Four
for that is just the
place and time
I did not ask questions when I was instructed to start an IV for the lady in bed four. By
that the tide will
her own confession, Ashley was a lady of the evening. She’d developed a heroin habit to
turn.”
bury her pain and now she had an abscess in her hip from using dirty needles. ❤ Looking
— Harriet Beecher
Stowe
at her arms, I could not see a vein that she had not used. Taking her hand, I said I would
ask the One who created her to help me find a vein. I breathed a prayer and applied the
tourniquet. She asked about my faith, and I gave her a simple answer. ❤ “Jesus created
you for a reason, and I’m here to help you in His name.” ❤
Our Stories 112
“… though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the L ord upholds him with his hand.”
—Psalm 37:24, NIV
When I finally located a vein, I smiled and told her Jesus
had just saved both of us—her from pain, and me from
frustration. At first she seemed willing to be admitted
for treatment with IV antibiotics, but when I left to tend
to another patient, she quietly slipped toward the exit. I
caught up to her, and she mumbled something about not
wanting to go through this again, meaning withdrawal
from heroin.
“If you leave, what will Jesus say?” I asked. “He gave you
a vein so we could give you antibiotics—not to continue
a horrible habit.”
“What do you think He would say?” she replied.
I had to be frank. “He’d say it’ll be awful for you.”
I explained that without treatment, her infection would
slowly destroy her body. Even heroin would not take away
the pain, and she’d be unable to attract clients to support
her habit. She finally agreed to stay, and I visited her
every day. Her infection gradually healed, but she needed
help for her addiction. A friend of mine who works in a
recovery program had space for her. When Ashley left us,
I knew she was going into a very good program, and with
God’s help, a new future lay ahead of her. ❤
W. Larry Hamilton, RN
Nursing Supervisor
Tillamook Community General Hospital
Our Stories 113
“R ejoice in the L ord
always.
Again I will
say, rejoice!
67 | Make a Joyful Noise
L et your
gentleness be known
When I checked my list of referrals, the first name listed was 82-year-old Ellie May,
to all men.”
who’d had a stroke. Not knowing the affect the stroke had on her, I picked up my case
—Philippians 4:4-5, NKJ
and headed to the telemetry unit. Approaching her room, I heard laughter, and when
I stepped inside, I found the patient and a volunteer talking excitedly and laughing
together.
❤
“Is she bothering you?” I asked, pointing my finger at the volunteer and
feigning indignity.
❤
“Is that thing loaded?” Ellie May asked looking at my extended
finger. “You know it could go off and hurt somebody.” Then she focused her eyes on my
name tag. “And what do you want?” ❤
Our Stories 114
“There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.” —Kahil Gibran
“I just came by to check on you,” I replied.
“Good. I had a stroke you know and I’m having trouble
with my speech so I need to talk a lot,” she said. And she
did. In fact, every word she uttered was of gratitude and
joy mixed with laughter.
The next day I shared with Ellie the prayer her joy had
inspired me to pray the next week:
Lord, I remember talking to someone who had a stroke.
She told me she needed to work on her speech so she
was going to talk a lot, and she did. But she was full of
gratitude, joy and laughter, and she blessed me. Father, I
ask for your blessing on our patients today. They touch
us with the spirit of hope, strength and joy. Even when
things are tough, they refuse to submit to pain or pity.
What amazing people you’ve created. Bless us all today. ❤
Ron Hyrchuk, Director
Spiritual Care Services
Simi Valley Hospital
Our Stories 115
“Sing to the
L ord a new
song; sing to
the
L ord, all
the earth.”
—Psalm 96:1,
NIV
68 | The Singing Nurse
I’m known for singing—sometimes even breaking into
a song-and-dance routine before my shift. And when
I’m not singing or humming, I likely have a song going
through my mind. That was the case one Christmas Eve.
I had a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) patient who was not
expected to live through the night. While caring for her,
I made the words of a song my prayer for her: “Have
yourself a merry little Christmas.”
The next morning, a nursing aide and I gave the patient
a bath, changed her linens and turned her. All the while,
I hummed whatever came to mind: “Joy to the World,”
“Little Drummer Boy”—“rum-pum-pum-pum.”
Later, while giving report to the day shift nurses, I
learned our patient had died. My mind filled with
thoughts of how I’d cared for her. Scripture says what we
do for others, we do for Jesus. I had bathed her, prayed
for her, even sang to her. On that Christmas Day, I
claimed the promise that what I did for my patient I had
done for the Baby Jesus. ❤
Peter Solis Nery, RN
4 North, Ortho/Med-Surg
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 116
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest
compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
— Leo Buscaglia
69 | Angel on Time
“There’s my angel,” she said with a smile as I peeked into
her room.
“You are an angel, and you came at just the right time,”
she said, giving me a big hug.
I found this young patient crying and upset. She was
homesick and missing her husband and kids. Even
though I had work to do, suddenly nothing mattered
except this woman and her feelings. She talked as
we walked around the hallways, and by the time we
returned to her room, she was laughing. It didn’t seem
like we had been strangers only a few minutes earlier.
I followed up with her before I went home that day—
and every day I worked until she was discharged.
Whenever she called me an angel, I realized that our
hospital is about more than healing bodies. It’s about
loving people and sharing God’s love to others through
our lives. ❤
Jenny Stoddard
Central Service
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 117
70 | Look for a Miracle
“T here is no
footprint too small
It began as an ordinary day until I received a phone call and a request from Paul MacDonald,
to leave an imprint
pediatrician.
on this world.”
professional-quality photos of this miracle baby before it is transferred?” ❤ Not knowing
❤
“Nick, can you get to the Family Birth Center right away to take some
what to expect, I grabbed the camera and consent forms and headed to the Family Birth
—Author Unknown
Center. I could tell something extraordinary had just taken place as I looked into the
emotion-filled faces of the nurses and staff on the unit. Dr. MacDonald filled me in on the
details of the delivery of a 24-week-old baby. ❤ “Everything went perfectly. It just doesn’t
usually happen like this,” he said. “It all started last night. Dr. Pablo Cortina, OB-GYN,
tried to stop the labor, but it continued and this baby was coming.” ❤
Our Stories 118
“For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.”
­— Proverbs 4:3, NIV
As the pediatrician on call, Dr. MacDonald immediately
realized the dire situation, and called some of the
major neonatal hospitals in the Bay Area. Dr. David J.
Durand, director of neonatology at Children’s Hospital
& Research Center Oakland, answered the call and
arrived to help with the delivery and transfer.
Dr. MacDonald wanted me to meet the family. I stepped
into the room just as the chaplain began to pray for Baby
Owen. After the baby was transferred, I followed the
family by e-mail and phone calls to keep informed of
how he was doing. In fact, his mother sent a reply with
a picture of the baby in an incubator holding her finger.
Sadly, Baby Owen died only two days later. Though his
life was short, his parents believe his delivery was a miracle
just the same, as was his gift to his mother: the memory of
his tiny fingers wrapped around one of hers. ❤
Nick Bejarano, Manager
Marketing
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 119
“Beloved, let
us love one
another, for love
is from
G od…”
—1 John 4:7, KJV
71 | The Patient Remains in
My Heart
As I began my morning shift on the coronary telemetry unit, I stopped in to meet a patient
prior to her being wheeled into surgery. In our brief interaction, the young woman told me
how nervous she was about the procedure. As I walked with her to the gurney, I reassured
her that she had a great surgeon and was in good hands. She mentioned she was hungry.
❤ “I’ll be waiting for you with a tray in hand when your surgery is done,” I said. “See you
soon.” ❤ Arriving at the operating room, we waited for her name to be called. I stayed and
talked with her to allay her uneasiness until she went to surgery. About 45 minutes later
I received a call from the OR asking for her cardiologist. The patient was coding on the
operating table. Unfortunately, the medical team was unable to revive her. ❤
Our Stories 120
“Do all things with love.” —Og Mandino
I had the difficult task of calling her mother and
daughter. When they arrived at the hospital they spoke
with the surgeon and then asked to see the patient to say
goodbye. However, her body was already at the morgue.
I asked my charge nurse and the house supervisor for
help, but according to policy, the body could not be
returned to a patient room.
“What if it was your mom?” I thought. “Wouldn’t you
want to say goodbye?”
I continued trying to get someone to help the family
at this most difficult time. At last, with the supervisor’s
help, we were able to have the body moved to a private
area. I stayed with the family as they said their goodbyes.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to help this patient and
her family, but I still think about them every time I take
a patient to OR. Some patients remain in our hearts for
a very long time. ❤
Jasmine Covarrubias
Coronary Telemetry Unit Manager
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Our Stories 121
72 | Road to Dreams
“Spread the
Gospel at all
I recently received a phone call from Kristina Graebe, who had been a junior volunteer
times; when
and had it in her heart to become a nurse to care for newborns and their moms. Kristina
necessary, use
had been relentless in her pursuit of knowledge, and she never let go of her dream. During
words.”
her senior year in high school, she received one of the scholarships we offer. Even though
her higher education took her to the University of California, Los Angeles, every time
—Unknown
she had a school break she came back to volunteer in our women’s services department at
Central Valley General Hospital. She was always polite, always smiling and caring. Today
she is a registered nurse working in the maternity unit at Lucile Packard Children’s
Hospital at Stanford. The purpose of Kristina’s recent phone call was to thank our Auxiliary
group for providing her the opportunity to learn, grow and pursue her dream. ❤
Our Stories 122
“Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too,
and in what they are doing.” —Philippians 2:4, TLB
I received a second call from another young woman
who started with us as a junior volunteer. Holly Ketz
comes from a large family of nine children. Through
the years, we saw her advance from home schooling, to
high school, to gaining a scholarship from our Auxiliary
group, which helped her enter nursing school. She even
found time to fly abroad to Brazil to help others in need.
For her 18th birthday, Holly’s grandmother took her
and her sister to Europe. Every time she had a few hours
free during all of this, she’d come to volunteer at the
hospital. Through all these years, she gained the respect
and admiration of many of us who saw her blossom into
what she is today. I am happy to say that after becoming
a registered nurse and passing her boards, Holly now
works at Adventist Medical Center - Hanford.
I think we are doing something right. Our volunteer
programs serve as a stepping stone for young individuals
who have dreams of doing great things. Our mentoring
touches others’ lives and will never be forgotten. ❤
Maria E. Davis, Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteer Resources
Adventist Health/Central Valley Network
Our Stories 123
73 | Making a Difference
“My
commandment
is this:
L ove
each other as
I have loved
you.”
—John 15:12, NIV
An elderly man walked into the chapel just after
Chaplain Raul asked if anyone in our group had a
prayer request.
“Can you please pray for my wife?” he asked. “She
is in the ICU … They think she is having another
…” Speaking haltingly and obviously distraught, he
continued. “She’s … bleeding in her brain.” Then he
started to cry.
The chaplain went to his side and offered a prayer while
I went for some tissues. Initially, the man had his back
turned to me, but when I saw his face I recognized him
as the husband of a woman I had evaluated the previous
day. I offered to accompany him to the ICU.
Walking arm in arm down the hall to his wife’s room
took only a few minutes of my time, but it’s these
things that make a big difference for our patients and
their families. ❤
Barbara “Wednesday” Davis, OTR
Rehabilitation Department
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 124
“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things in life which are the real ones after all.”
—Laura Ingalls Wilder
74 | I’m Not an Angel
I overheard a young man in the admitting area requesting
access to a printer. He appeared stressed and anxious,
so I asked if I could assist. He said his wife was being
discharged and he was worried about paying her bills.
He needed to apply for Medi-Cal. Her physician had
sent a letter via e-mail which he needed to access and
print to submit with the application for aid.
I brought him to my office and signed onto the Internet.
Then I invited him to sit at my computer to access his
e-mail and print the letter.
“Thank you. You are an angel,” he said with a great sigh
of relief.
While I’m not really an angel, his expression of gratitude
gave me a good feeling just the same. It impressed upon
me that what we say and how we say it affects others. It
is important to choose our words carefully. ❤
Terri Van Houten, RN
Director of Nursing Operations
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Our Stories 125
“Sing to the L ord, all
the earth;
P roclaim
the good news of
75 | The Nurse Is Singing
H is
salvation from day
A nurse phoned to ask if I could please come and talk to Gracie, a very confused
to day.”
patient who had pulled out her IV and was trying to get out of bed. When I walked
—1 Chronicles 16:23, NKJ
into the room and to her bedside, I took the patient’s hand.
❤
“Is there something I
can do to make you comfortable?” I asked. ❤ “I want to go home,” Gracie replied just
as I expected. ❤
Our Stories 126
“Where there is peace, God is.” —George Herbert
I explained that she could go home as soon as she was
better. But, in order for her to get better, I had to put
the IV back in. I stood there calmly for a few moments
and then proceeded to place the IV. When I finished,
the thought came to me to share a hymn with her. So
I sat down in a chair by the bed, still holding her hand
and rubbing it, I started humming “Amazing Grace.”
I could see the patient beginning to relax, and after a
few minutes she closed her eyes and dozed off while I
continued to hum.
Shortly after I left the room, Gracie’s daughter called
and wanted to talk with her mother. She had been with
her all day and finally went home to get some muchneeded rest. When she said she could not come back
to calm her mom for the night, I assured her that her
mother was resting, but I’d be happy to take the phone
to her. However, Gracie was not interested in a lengthy
telephone conversation.
“I need to go now,” she said. “The nurse is singing to me.”
“Amazing Grace” suddenly took on a whole new meaning
for me. How sweet the sound those words must have
been for the daughter who told me she could rest now
just knowing that her mom was resting peacefully. ❤
Margaret Stephens, RN
Nurse Staffing/House Supervisor
Feather River Hospital
Our Stories 127
“We cannot do
76 | Limousine to Heaven
great things in
this world. We
Late one afternoon I stepped out to the back loading dock for some fresh air when I
can only do small
saw one of the local mortuary vans parked there. Nearby, several distraught family
things with great
members stood together. Minutes later, a team of nurses and security personnel
love.”
wheeled a gurney out of the hospital, bearing a morbidly obese young man. The mother
—Mother Teresa
of “Little John,” as she called him, became even more distraught when the staff was
unable to lift him into the van. ❤
Our Stories 128
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the L ord, ‘plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
—Jeremiah 29:11, NIV
Trying to help, I immediately took her hand and started
talking with her, assuring her that our team would take
very good care of him, and not to worry. With the aid of
a lift and sling apparatus, they safely transferred Little
John to the van. To ensure a smooth transfer when they
reached their destination, we also allowed the mortuary
staff to take the lift and sling. Before the van left, I felt
impressed to ask the mother if I could pray with her and
Little John.
I recognized the woman immediately and recalled the
incident. With tears in her eyes, she hugged my neck
and thanked me. She said she had never forgotten how
good she felt that day, and the care and kindness that her
family experienced.
Almost three years later, I was at the local mall when a
woman approached me, exclaiming, “You’re the Lady—
the one that helped us with Little John’s limousine from
Castle Hospital.”
I am humbled to think that something I did made a
difference and left a lasting impression for this family.
It just shows that Sacred Work can be done when and
where you least expect it—even at the back loading dock
of our hospital. ❤
“Little John always wanted to ride in a limousine,”
she said, “and on that day he had his limousine ride to
heaven because of how he was treated.”
Daryl Jean Carter, RRT, MBA
Director, Materials Management
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 129
“Treat others as
77 | DMV Calling
you want them
to treat you.”
“Hello, this is the chaplain’s office,” I said, picking up the telephone before looking at
—Matthew 7:12,
CEV
the caller ID. ❤ “This is Sue King from the DMV,” a pleasant female voice responded.
❤
Suddenly I wondered whether I had remembered to pay that speeding ticket? Would
the DMV be calling me for that? ❤ “Wow!” I replied, “I’ve never had someone call me
from the DMV.”
❤
“Well,” Sue continued, “I thought perhaps you could help me.”
❤
She went on to explain that she had just assisted an elderly woman named Donna with
the renewal of her driver’s license. Donna was extremely anxious and upset, and when
Sue tried to calm her, she learned that the woman had lost her husband of 57 years just
three months earlier. ❤
Our Stories 130
“Compassion brings us to a stop, and for a moment we rise above ourselves.”
—Mason Cooley
“I did some research online and saw that your hospital
offers grief support groups,” she continued, “and I
wondered if you might be able to help her.”
“Of course we can help her,” I said. “When you speak
with Donna again, please give her my number. And
if she’s willing, get her number for me. Sometimes it’s
difficult to make that first call.”
The very next week I met Donna at our grief support
group, and she continued to attend regularly.
I told Sue I looked forward to coming by and meeting
her and her supervisor, and promised to tell everyone
about the incredible service at our DMV. A month
later, at our regularly scheduled leadership meeting, we
presented Sue King with our first quarterly Community
Partner Award. Our mission is much too big to achieve
all by ourselves. ❤
Ron Hyrchuk, Director
Spiritual Care Services
Simi Valley Hospital
Our Stories 131
“T here are
78 | 15 in 15
genuinely
sufficient
My wife called me at the office about lunchtime to tell me she could see smoke coming
resources in the
from near our friends’ house.
world to ensure
started driving toward Jonelle and Mario Urbina’s home to discover the smoke was indeed
that no one,
nowhere, at no
time, should go
hungry.”
—Ed Asner
Our Stories 132
❤
“Will you check it out?” she pleaded.
❤
I immediately
coming from their place. Both work at Ukiah Valley Medical Center, and Mario is also
a part-time UPS driver. However, their real labor of love is caring for foster children and
developmentally disabled adults. Mario, Jonelle and her mother share the responsibilities of
providing love and support for as many as half a dozen foster children in addition to their
own children. ❤
“C ast your bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.”
—Ecclesiastes 11:1. KJV
The smoke coming from their kitchen was the result
of a fire that had erupted while making lunch for this
extended family of 15 people that day. When I arrived,
I found them all outside the house while the firefighters
fought the blaze. The young foster kids stood mesmerized
in the state of chaos.
“I’m hungry,” I heard one of them say.
I phoned our CFO, Brandon Parker, to ask if I could
request the hospital’s dietary department to prepare
some food for these kids to have lunch. He answer was
an obvious “yes.”
Within 15 minutes of my phone call to Kathleen in the
dietary department, her team with Jim, the chef, and
Sandy, the supervisor, had prepared sandwiches, chips,
fruit, dessert and iced drinks for 15: Food for 15 in 15
minutes.
When I returned to the house, I could feel the excitement
of the fire incident, but I also saw the appreciation and
felt the warmth of these young foster children as they
enjoyed a meal hurriedly made with love. ❤
Jeff Fields, Director
Patient Financial Services
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
Our Stories 133
“Don’t panic. I’m
with you.
There’s
79 | Serving Others
no need to fear
for
I’m your
G od. I’ll give
you strength.
I was on my way to the oncology unit when I met
Juliette, a former patient. At that time she was very sick.
In fact, it is a miracle that she is alive today.
“I want to see if I recognize any of my oncology nurses
and staff. They were so caring and loving,” she said.
I’ll help you. I’ll
hold you steady,
keep a firm grip
I took her to the nurses’ station where she immediately
recognized the nurse manager. Even though Agnes was
busy, she took time for us.
Next I took Juliette to the lounge where some nurses
were having lunch. They welcomed her with hugs,
smiles, tears and memories of some difficult days. What
a memorable moment!
Watching all this, I thought to myself, we choose to be
here to serve others. Our patients and their families,
however, don’t choose to have the diseases and injuries
that bring them here. But we can welcome them into
our “home” by creating a loving, healthy and safe
environment for each one. ❤
on you.”
—Isaiah 41:10,
The Message
Our Stories 134
Mary Farah
Chaplains Department
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
80 | Career Reborn
After a stressful shift the previous day, I wasn’t looking
forward to working that cool autumn morning. For the
first time in my 35-year career I was thinking about
taking off my cap and hanging it up. As I sat down for
morning report, the night nurses asked me, in a teasing
way, what I was doing 24 years ago on this day.
“Why?” I asked with no clue what was coming next.
They had learned that 24 years ago to the day, I had
helped deliver the patient who was at that moment in
labor. Yes, I remembered the family, but I couldn’t
believe they remembered me! Wow! I had the privilege
of helping the patient deliver a healthy baby boy on her
birthday. She lacked just seven minutes from delivering
at the same time she had been born 24 years earlier.
The Lord must have known I was down in the dumps
because He provided me with a heart-warming and
unique situation that reinforced just how full my
career has been and how blessed I am to serve Him as
a nurse. ❤
Gayle Stephens, RN
OB Department
Tillamook Community General Hospital
Our Stories 135
“I, even I am H e
who comforts
you.
Who are you
81 | God’s Love Through
Our Hands
that you should
The ambulance brought in a young man who was barely breathing. I knew he was
be afraid of a man
beyond the benefit of medical intervention, but for some reason, I felt compelled to go
who will die
…”
—Isaiah 51:12, NKJ
to him and just be with him. The ambulance driver explained that because members of
his family were afraid of watching someone die, they had arranged to admit him to the
hospital. Only his mother planned to come, but she had been delayed. ❤
Our Stories 136
“Loving God, thank you for hands to reach out in mercy and
compassion to your children.” —Prayer for Blessing of the Hands
I reached over and lifted the patient’s pale limp hand,
hoping to give a little comfort. To my surprise, he
returned the grip with a strength I could not believe
possible, and he never let go all the while we wheeled his
gurney to his room. I leaned over and stroked his bald
head trying to encourage him not to be afraid. When I
assured him that I would not leave him, he seemed to relax
even though he continued to tightly clutch my hand.
Although his condition was failing rapidly, he held my
hand until his mother arrived a few minutes later. Seeing
her son, and with tears streaming down her face, she
explained that she had promised he would not be alone
and she felt horrible for being delayed. Placing his hand
in hers, I assured her that her son had not been alone and
that I was certain he knew she was there.
I left the room with tears on my cheeks and a new prayer
on my lips. I thanked God for using my hands and for
teaching me that even though lives sometimes depend
on my nursing skills, sometimes the greatest care I can
give is a loving touch. I pray daily for God to use my
hands to provide the best care possible. ❤
Melinda Wertz, Manager
Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 137
“If you judge
people you have
no time to love
them.”
82 | Strength Through Faith
I did an intake assessment on a man the Honolulu Police Department brought in to the
emergency department for psychiatric evaluation. Because he was assaultive and out of
control, Alex, our security officer, accompanied the man while we cared for him. Alex was
—Mother Teresa
a tall body-builder type, full of muscles and physically imposing. For some reason, the
patient became verbally abusive to Alex, hurling insults at him and asking for a fist fight.
(I wondered if this guy had a death wish.) ❤ “I don’t want to fight you, friend. We’re all
here to help you,” Alex said calmly. ❤ As I carried out my duties, I could hear the patient
continuing to taunt Alex. ❤ “Come on, BOY. You scared to fight me, BOY!” he teased. ❤
Our Stories 138
“‘A nd when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him,
so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.’” —Mark 11:25, NIV
I was impressed with Alex’s patience and the gentle
nature in which he handled this patient. Alex was so big
and strong he could have easily squashed the patient with
one hand, but yet he simply sat in front of his doorway,
smiling, addressing him as “friend,” and reassuring him
that he was not interested in a fight. When I overheard
the patient shout derogatory racial epithets to Alex, I’d
had enough. I went to the room.
“Please stop. You’re being abusive,” I scolded. Then I
turned to Alex. “Where do you find the strength to be
this tolerant and kind?” His answer surprised me.
“The Man above. God is my strength,” he said. He
explained that God guides him in his life. He even told
the patient that God loves him and that he’d be praying
for him.
Suddenly, the patient started crying, clearly touched by
Alex’s compassion. The verbal abuse stopped, and later
I noticed that the patient and Alex were chatting in a
friendly way. To me this was God’s love and spiritual
healing in action. I have never forgotten how Alex
walked in faith and the positive impact it had upon
the patient. ❤
Michelle Kendall, RN
Emergency Department
Castle Medical Center
Our Stories 139
“Then they cry unto
the
L ord in their
83 | Pray Boldly
trouble and he saveth
them out of their
“Treat ’em and street ’em” is the familiar pace of the emergency department. While
distress.
we often do not know our patients’ outcomes after they leave, we recently had a young
H e sent his
word, and healed
patient that I could not get out of my mind. ❤ It was mid-shift one December morning
them, and delivered
when we received a teenage male who had “passed out” at school. He complained of
them from their
nausea, and a CT scan indicated massive intracranial hemorrhage. Despite all efforts by
destruction.”
—Psalm 107:19-20, NIV
our emergency staff, he became increasingly unresponsive. Finally, Dr. Bautista took the
father aside and informed him of the poor prognosis. The decision was made to transfer
the patient to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. As per protocol, One Legacy was
alerted for possible organ donation. ❤
Our Stories 140
“Every act, every word, every thought, is as distinctly marked as though
there were only one person in the whole world, and the attention of heaven
were centered upon him.” — Ellen White
Even though all of these arrangements were being made
and we were busy with other patients, I felt in my heart
that we should pray for our young patient’s recovery.
Quietly, so as not to disturb other patients, the primary
nurse and I went to the family and together we prayed
to the Lord Jesus our hopes for this critically ill child.
We boldly asked for a miracle, all the time knowing that
whatever the outcome, it would be according to God’s
will. All too soon the transportation team arrived to
move the patient.
Christmas came and went, along with the arrival of a
new year. Work returned to the same old routine: “Treat
’em and street ’em.” To my pleasant surprise, a couple of
weeks into January a woman came into the emergency
department while I was working in triage.
“Remember me?” she said.
Of course, I remembered her. She had accompanied the
young man we had prayed for, and on this day she came
with good news. He had just awakened from a coma.
He was already talking and was expected to go home in
two weeks! Indeed, God heard our prayers and answered
with a miracle! ❤
Roxanne Escalante, RN
Emergency Department
White Memorial Medical Center
Our Stories 141
84 | Change of Heart
“L et not
your heart be
troubled.
You
are trusting
G od, now
trust in me.”
I had cared for Mr. Smith off and on for several years.
While I was saddened whenever his illness brought him
to the hospital, I always enjoyed his eccentric personality.
One day I noticed a big difference in his behavior. He
was not smiling as usual, and he seemed withdrawn
and quiet. That evening before I went home, I asked if I
could pray for him.
“I don’t believe in God,” he said firmly.
With no more persuasion on my part, he finally said yes.
I thanked him and proceeded to pray. The next morning he
greeted me with a huge smile—and confided that now
he knew God was real. Unfortunately, he died later that
day. I think God impressed me to pray with Mr. Smith
even if he said he did not believe. God knew his heart. ❤
—John 14:1, TLB
Suzette Lewis, RN
Intensive Care Unit & Medical Staff Director
St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake
Our Stories 142
“Kings and cabbages go back to compost, but good deeds stay green forever.”
— Rick de Marinis
85 | Caring for Our Family
The day after foot surgery, I told my doctor I had to go
home even though my condition required a few days
of inpatient care. I was anxious because my diabetic
cat, Lionel, was home with no one to administer his
medication.
Hearing of my concern, Carolyn Burr, RN, volunteered
to give Lionel the insulin injection. I gave her directions
to my house where she and a neighbor gave him the shot.
Carolyn even filled some extra syringes for my neighbor
to use until I returned home. I was so relieved and also
touched by Carolyn’s gesture.
I’ve always known that we have a strong and caring
family at Sonora Regional Medical Center. It’s nice to
know we have each other’s support in times of need. ❤
Teddy Wilson
Switchboard Operator
Sonora Regional Medical Center
Our Stories 143
86 | Home Away From Home
“T he best and
most beautiful
things in the world
cannot be seen or
even touched—
they must be felt
with the heart.”
—Helen Keller
Our Stories 144
While making rounds, I met 28-year-old Caroline, who suffers a long list of illnesses:
Crohn’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Addison’s disease and more. She has been
in and out of the hospital many times. This time she wanted to tell me that our staff had
made her feel at home even though she was away from home. ❤
“L ove never fails.” —1 Corinthians 13:8, NIV
She spoke of the kindness, attentiveness and pleasant
attitudes she observed and how she appreciated the
caring attention she received. Nurses made sure she and
her mother, who was at her bedside 24/7, were well taken
care of. In fact, Caroline’s mother received a meal tray so
she wouldn’t have to leave her daughter’s bedside.
Caroline said she felt comfortable enough to talk with
one nurse about her impending divorce and some other
life challenges. She found the listening ear and silent
support she needed at just the right moment, and it
made her feel like family. ❤
Emillie Battig
Med/Surg Director
Glendale Adventist Medical Center
Our Stories 145
“A nd G od is able to
make all grace abound
87 | The “Unbirthday” Party
toward you, that
you, always having
Sam had been a patient in our hospital for six weeks because of an unsafe home
all sufficiency in
environment. Even though she was afraid at first and did not trust any of the med/surg
all things, have an
abundance for every
nurses, soon our nursing assistant, Alberto Alvalos, won her over with his kind heart. ❤
She began to let him bathe her and do her hair, and eventually permitted all of us to care
good work.”
for her. Sam loved candy and we brought her some—but soon learned to bring it one
—2 Corinthians 9:8, NKJ
piece at a time or it would all disappear at once. She gained a much needed 20 pounds
during her stay. ❤
Our Stories 146
“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
—Ronald Reagan
Sam’s home was uninhabitable and she had no family
or friends nearby to help with her care. Due to some
mental issues, she needed more assistance than she had
been receiving, so a guardian ad litem was obtained and
plans were made to place her in an assisted-living facility.
Before Sam was discharged, we wanted to do something
special for this lady who had become very dear to the staff
in our department. One of our nurses, Connie Goudy,
suggested that we throw her an “unbirthday” party.
About 20 of us gathered in the hospital auditorium on
a Saturday night to watch a movie and give her gifts of
clothes, shoes, makeup and other things she would need
in her new home.
She was overwhelmed, as were we. Her eyes sparkled and
her toothless smile was truly a joy to all. She brought a
childlike joy back into our unit and helped us remember
that the Lord loves us regardless of what we have done,
where we have been or what we have. As nurses we care
for our patients with our hands, but it’s equally important
to show that we care with our hearts.
Beckie Versteeg, RN
Medical/Surgical Services Director
Walla Walla General Hospital
Our Stories 147
“Love and
88 | Labor of Love
compassion are
necessities, not
John was a strong firefighter who spent his days saving lives, and yet at that very moment
luxuries. Without
his own life was smoldering in fear for his wife Amy and their unborn son.
them, humanity
pregnancy had been especially difficult, but together she and John had faced and
cannot survive.”
overcome numerous problems, thanks to the expert help of Dr. Samantha Adkins, who
❤
Amy’s
had been with them throughout the pregnancy. Now Amy was having complicated and
—The Dalai Lama
painful labor. John felt helpless and scared. He needed to know Dr. Adkins and the
nurses could save both his wife and their baby. ❤
Our Stories 148
“P leasant words are like a honeycomb, S weetness to the soul and health to the bones.”
—Proverbs 16:24, NKJ
When their nurse Marsha entered the room, their fears
began to subside—from her warm welcome to the wink
she gave them as she introduced herself and wrote her
name on the white board. She spoke calmly, assuring
them that she would be with them throughout Amy’s
labor and delivery. She said she was their advocate and
would stay with them until Amy and the baby were out
of danger.
While their hospital room was well-equipped with great
technology, it was Marsha’s promise to be with them
personally that gave John and Amy the most comfort.
For John, it was as though she threw them a lifeline.
As the hours passed, Marsha continued to treat them
with compassion and respect, and provided the helpful
explanations they needed. Along with Marsha, of
course, Dr. Adkins provided her professional expertise
while skillfully bridging the gap between science and
emotion during a very scary process.
Within 24 hours, the smoke had dissipated from their
agonizing experience and a celebration of life was shared
through the birth of a healthy son. John and Amy are
just one of many examples of the positive difference we
can make as compassionate advocates for our patients. ❤
Lynae Moor, RN
Educator, Family Birth Place
Adventist Medical Center - Portland
Our Stories 149
Our Mission | To share God’s love by providing physical, mental and spiritual healing