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as told by Milford Thompson
Living in a small town like Viroqua, it is common for folks around here to help out a friend or neighbor in need. But I never expected my healthcare providers to go to such lengths to help me out the way they did last fall.
 I went in for an appointment at the Viroqua Outreach Clinic with Gundersen Lutheran cardiology nurse practitioner Karen Briggs. I have regular appointments for my heart since having bypass surgery, an aortic valve replacement and a defibrillator implant back in 1993. I’m 84 years old so I really appreciate having specialty cardiology services available close to my home in Viroqua. It means I don’t have to drive all the way to Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse as often.
On this day, I wasn’t feeling at all well. Despite the fact I was tired, weak and in pain, I drove to the appointment. My wife, Merle, was unable to drive because she just had knee surgery.
At my appointment, they determined I was retaining dangerous amounts of fluid and it was putting extra strain on my heart. They wanted me to go to Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse to be monitored and treated. Because of my condition that day, they didn’t want me driving to La Crosse. They were even worried about me driving back home that day.
So another Gundersen Lutheran nurse, Teresa Clements, RN, offered to drive Merle and me home. She also offered to take me up to La Crosse with her the next morning when she was going up to see a patient. But Karen and Teresa determined I shouldn’t wait until the next day to go. Teresa was kind enough to drive us home from the clinic in our car. Someone else from the clinic came and
picked her up to drive her back.
Later that day, Karen picked me up at home and drove me to La Crosse. I thought it was so nice of her to do that. Their decision not to have me wait was the right one. I ended up spending the next eight days in the hospital.
They’ll never know just how much I appreciated the extra care. When Gundersen Lutheran says, “Your health, our passion,” I know first hand they really mean it. |