It was a typical Tuesday morning at the Central Valley Family Health clinic in Coalinga, Calif., until a young woman raced through the door and announced that her sister, Anita*, was outside in the car and needed help.
Nurse practitioner Michelle Mitchell quickly discovered that Anita, a clinic patient, was in active labor — a full two months early. Delivering a baby was a far cry from the physicals and flu shots the clinic typically dispensed, but no ambulances were available, so the staff quickly went to “Plan B.”
While they gathered supplies and prepped an exam room, Pediatrician Luz Garcia, M.D., and midwife Linda Colbert were summoned. A scant 45 minutes after Anita arrived at the clinic, baby Roberto was born, weighing just four pounds, four ounces. He was transferred to Children’s Hospital Central California and then to the pediatric ICU at Central Valley General Hospital before being sent home, where he and Anita are doing well.
With the help of a translator, Anita expressed her gratitude to the clinic staff for all they had done to help her and the baby. “The care was excellent,” she said.
“When something like this happens, all the other issues seem to disappear,” said site manager Alexandria Stoppenbrink. “This is why we come to work every day — to help our community and serve the needs of our patients.”
Throughout Adventist Health, employees like those at the Central Valley Family Health clinic are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of their patients.
Making Strides After Stroke
When Paul Sanchez suffered a stroke in September 2005, he thought he’d never walk again. And without any function in his arms, he could no longer take care of himself. Three months later, he created the cover of Paradise Valley Hospital’s (PVH) Christmas card as part of his art therapy. Though his recollection of that fateful day is still a bit fuzzy, Paul remains convinced that he wouldn’t be where he is today without PVH.
Following a stroke, Paul was rushed by ambulance to the PVH emergency department. After nine days in an acute care unit, he was transferred to the PVH South Bay Rehabilitation Center. When he arrived, he wasn’t able to walk, stand or use his arms. In rehab terminology, he was a “total assist.”
With the skillful direction and caring encouragement of the rehab staff, Paul became determined to walk again, regain the use of his arms and hands — and his independence. And so he became yet another success story recorded by the South Bay Rehabilitation Center. Its history of excellence is reflected by the fact that it is the only rehabilitation center in San Diego County to boast 21 consecutive years of CARF accreditation. This rehab specific designation is so difficult to achieve that few other rehab centers in San Diego County have ever earned it — even once.
Now up and about, Paul thanks PVH for healing him, both physically and spiritually, providing him with the hope and encouragement to work hard and regain function and independence.
“I attribute my quick road to recovery to my doctors, nurses and therapists at South Bay Rehab,” said Paul. “I’m grateful for their encouragement, determination and caring.”
Serving with Compassion
In April 2005, Sophie*, an active five year-old, was playing on a trampoline with her friends when an older child landed on her leg. When she tried to stand, it was clear that her injury was serious. Sophie’s parents, Hank and Lola, decided to take her to Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits, Calif., home to William Bowen, M.D., a 30-year veteran of orthopedic surgery.
When the family arrived in the emergency department, Sophie was promptly triaged and seen by the attending physician. X-rays confirmed that her tibia and fibula were broken. Throughout, Linda Prestyly, RN, was on hand to offer compassion — and fun in the form of stickers for Sophie.
“The response from each team member was incredible,” says Lola of the ED staff. “Linda was just fabulous and stuck with us during the entire experience.”
Having arrived at the hospital mid-afternoon, the family began to get hungry as the evening wore on. At dinnertime, Prestyly offered to get them some food, but they refused because little Sophie couldn’t have anything to eat. Later, when Sophie was sedated, Prestyly insisted on bringing them dinner. And as soon as Sophie could have liquid, she was at the ready with a much-anticipated grape popsicle for her pint-sized patient.
The family’s initial consult with Bowen was equally impressive. In simple and straightforward terms, he explained what needed to be done, how he would fix the problem and what the likely outcome would be. His easy manner immediately put all of them — including Sophie, not typically a fan of doctors — at ease.
“We appreciated that our daughter was treated like a family member, not just another patient,” says Hank. “We’d come back to Howard in a second.”
