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Patsy
Stockdale recovering |
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November 30, 2011 |
According to ambulance personnel, everything
went right when the call came in Monday evening
that a Bonners Ferry resident needed assistance
for a possible heart attack.
The person, indeed, had experienced a heart
attack. Fortunately, a volunteer crew assembled
in quick time and assistance arrived at the
victim's home within moments to administer
life-saving treatment and sprint her away to the
hospital.
It was one of those calls every EMT who's ever
served as a member of Boundary Volunteer
Ambulance loves and dreads; they were there in
time to matter and the outcome gives the promise
of a full recovery ... a save ... but their
patient was a woman known and cherished by each
EMT who responded, kin in some cases.
Nothing is harder in such a time than setting
aside personal feelings and concern and
flawlessly performing the many tasks that must
be done in such a critical time. And the process
follows at Boundary Community Hospital, where
nearly every doctor, nurse and staff members
either knows or knows of the patient brought through
their doors.
In the case of Patsy Stockdale, professionalism
and angst combined; she was a patient, like any
other, but, oh, so much more.
Nothing changed in the treatment; all patients
get the same top-notch, professional care. In
her case, it was the shock of knowing her as a
friend, a Mom ... a community icon.
"This job would be much easier if I could move
to a place where I didn't know anybody," said
ambulance chief Ken Baker.
While many hearts get wrenched later, first
responders hearts are often ripped apart at the
outset, and they aren't allowed the privilege to
mourn ... they have work to do.
In Patsy's case, the work acknowledged in
grateful fashion just why they work so hard,
every time, every call.
Mom will be released tomorrow from Kootenai Medical
Center after having a heart attack," her
daughter, Edna Runyan, said. "Thank you for your
prayers. We are in need if a stationary bike if
anyone has one.
"She is doing well ... thanks to God."
In the wake of those words, Patsy now has a
stationary bike ... just happened to belong to a
neighbor who couldn't sell the thing to get it
off the front porch who never imagined that it
might one day extend the life of a friend.
The hard part now is going to be making Patsy use
it.
That woman has worked so tremendously hard on
both our behalf and for her family, she's going
to have a tough time agreeing that there comes a
time when it's okay ... necessary ... to take
care of herself.
It's going to be hard for her to accept that she
has a community so grateful and eager to say,
"Thank you." |
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