Patient Stories

LETTER DELIVERED MONTHS AFTER PATIENT PASSES AWAY

Luis Gomez, a Housekeeper and Patient Advocate at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, is known for the significant impact he makes in the lives of patients, their families, and the staff at the hospital. He has been with the hospital for four years and believes he is where God wants him to be. During COVID-19, he has gone above and beyond to ensure those suffering from the virus feel loved and cared for.

“As I clean the rooms, I talk to patients and add a little bit more joy,” Gómez said. “I try to make them smile and feel comfortable.” Aside from his job duties, Luis talks and prays with patients, listens to their struggles, and gives advice. He even gives small, faith-based gifts that he buys with his own money. He bought miniature Christmas trees and other items to bring Christmas to COVID-19 patients like Maureen Stinson during the holidays. In December of 2020, Maureen was admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. Visitor restrictions kept her family from visiting her. Despite not seeing her family, Maureen was pleased to have a friendship with Luis. Once she recovered from COVID-19, she moved to a nursing home. However, she returned to the hospital in February of 2021 due to lasting complications, where she later passed away. Months later, Maureen’s family went through her belongings and found a letter written to Luis. Finding the letter was the closure the family needed; they had guilt for not being with her when she was sick, and the letter proved she was taken care of. “Dear Luis, Thank you for the pretty ornament. I will treasure it always. You are extremely thoughtful. I love my little bear. I’m going to take good care of it. I love him. I’m so glad we met. My writing is not good because of my hand that I hurt. Thank you again, Maureen Stinson.” Melissa also found the Christmas tree and a little bear from Luis. Maureen’s family wanted Luis to have the original letter, so they made copies and delivered the original to Luis at the hospital. Melissa, Maureen’s daughter, met Luis, thanked him for all he did, and even invited Luis to attend Maureen’s memorial service. Luis attended the service and was able to meet the entire family. This experience was the first time a patient’s family has contacted Luis personally; it reaffirmed that he is where he needs to be. “This letter and what the family wrote to me made a difference in my life. God answered my prayers through all of this,” Luis shared. Maureen’s family is forever grateful to Luis for his kindness toward their mom.

“Luis went above and beyond his duties, and we appreciate it. We went so long without contact other than Zoom with mom,” said Todd, Maureen’s son. “I mean, he even hugged her! He wasn’t scared of getting the virus. He saw the importance of it … that my mom needed a hug, and he gave it to her.” Luis believes that God put him to work at the hospital for this reason; that is where he is meant to be. “If I can make just one person smile throughout the day, then I’ve done my job. None of the other stuff matters,” said Luis. “I thank them from the bottom of my heart for taking time to deliver this letter and sharing with me how much it meant to them. They treated me like one of their own, and I want to ensure they know how thankful I am to them. It’s just so emotional and hard to explain.” Luis keeps in touch with the family and continues to spread kindness and love to all the patients he meets at the hospital.

As a nurse with over ten years of experience, Allison Walker has always loved singing ever since she was a child. It wasn’t until 2008, when she was working through her clinicals at an Alzheimer’s/dementia facility that she began incorporating music into her work. Allison is a firm believer that being a nurse is more than just helping patients heal medically, but spiritually and emotionally, too. As a nurse at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, she has been incorporating her love of singing into her everyday work to cheer up her patients and herself! “We’re here to take care of you and how you feel and what you’re concerned with and what your fears are … these all matter to us, too. It’s part of your healing,” Allison said. Allison said that connecting with patients and helping them relax is a priority, especially during the past year and a half with COVID.

“It’s a fearful time for patients. And so, sometimes, I will be gowned up in full PPE singing. I’ll hug patients, I’ll pray with them … whatever it takes,” said Walker. “I sing to them to interact with them and calm them. And sometimes it would help them laugh and, you know, relax and help them smile.” One Sunday, Allison was working and couldn’t attend church, so she sang hymns to patients who could not participate in church either. Tom Sablatura was a COVID-19 patient who also is a pastor and loves listening to worship music, so Allison visited him and began singing “How Great Thou Art,” which Tom recorded a video of. Tom said he would start to feel better when Allison sang to him. “Never did we expect for him to have that kind of personal care where he’s not just another patient, especially with COVID being so crazy and hospitals being so full. And I mean, to have that one-on-one attention was so great,” said Tom’s daughter Heather. “We felt like this was God’s plan for us to be at this place.” “If I can bring a breath of fresh air to patients and take time out of my day to just pause and help, I will. It ends up helping me pause and feel refreshed,” Allison shared. Allison believes nurses must make time for their patients and not get so caught up in their day and rush home. “We’re nurses. It’s just like life outside of the hospital— we don’t have time. We never have time. So, we make time,” she said. “There have been so many times I never have time, but I end up making the time to make somebody else’s day because I’m only there for 12 hours. Patients are there 24/7, trying to get better. So, the least we can do is to make time for our patients. The video of Allison singing to Tom has since “gone viral” on social media and shared by many different outlets, including CNN National News! To see the video of Allison singing, visit any of our Methodist Healthcare System social media pages.

PATIENT STORIES

SPECIALTY & TRANSPLANT STAFF CELEBRATE PATIENT’S BIRTHDAY

Jerry Pollack was able to celebrate his 72nd birthday during his stay at the hospital. Nurses and staff lined up along the hallway and waited for Jerry to be wheeled out of his room. Once he made his appearance, with warm hearts, everyone began to sing happy birthday. “It felt like a movie, I had to pinch myself,” said Jerry. He was presented with a handmade crown, which he wore the entire day, balloons and a cake. Jerry said it felt very genuine, and everyone had huge smiles on their faces. He couldn’t have been more surprised on his special day. Jerry was admitted to the hospital after developing an infection following a leg amputation. He’s got a long road to recovery; however, he is very optimistic. “I feel much younger than 72, and for that reason, I will overcome this battle.” Thank you to our wonderful staff for always going above and beyond for our patients!

BAKED WITH LOVE

Former Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan patient, Pat Good, has made it her mission to spread cheer to the hospital’s employees one cookie at a time.

After being misdiagnosed with COVID-19 and a stroke by another health system, Pat was immediately admitted into the COVID ICU at Metropolitan. When she woke up, she was confused, in shock, and the only patient in that unit who could actually talk. Although it was learned that Pat didn’t have COVID-19, she could not leave the unit due to her exposure being there. This led to Pat getting to know the nurses taking care of her, and their stories inspired her to find a way she could make sure they were taken care of once she left the hospital. “I said to the nurses, tell me about your worst day,” said Pat. “And they said one man, who was a nurse, said today was my worst day, April 15th, 2021. He said, we lost an 18-year-old boy today due to COVID. And it was the first time they had lost somebody that young.” Pat sympathized with her nurses, as she understands how hard it can be to see death over and over, having worked for a hospice organization in the past. “I said then on behalf of all the patients here that can’t talk, thank you so much.” Pat then promised the team that she would never forget them and would pray for them daily. Now home and healthy, Pat has made it her mission to remind the team that cared for her how much they’re appreciated by bringing them homemade baked goods every

week! “I call myself God’s Little Delivery Girl, and all the way down to the hospital, I pray, God, whoever receives these cookies bless them today is their burden. Give them just one sweet moment in their day because they have a lot to face, you know?” Pat said. “Everybody has a breaking point, and there’s a lot of nurses leaving the profession today,” Good said. “That concerns me… I want them to know through my baking that I care about them and that I think they’re heroes.” Pat has since inspired her church to help her ‘adopt’ other hospitals in the community by baking for them and spreading the love. She doesn’t plan to stop baking for the hospital until COVID is completely over! To thank Pat and show their appreciation, the ICU team at the hospital wrote cards, provided her a basket of goodies, and even got her a new apron that describes her treats; it says “baked with love.”

ACTIVE DUTY ARMY PATIENT SHARES HER REHAB RECOVERY EXPERIENCE

PFC Olga Ntangsi was placed on ECMO life-support after testing positive for COVID-19 almost one month prior. Olga never gave up the fight for her life, and was transferred to Methodist Hospital | Texsan for rehabilitation as her health began to improve. “I gained my independence here,” says Olga. Methodist Rehab Units created a Challenge Coin for active duty and retired military patients as a token of appreciation for achieving their Independence from rehab. Congratulations on an amazing recovery, and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your story!

PATIENT STORIES

AFTER BEING HOSPITALIZED FOR FIVE MONTHS, TWO CRITICALLYILL COVID-19 PATIENTS SHARE EMOTIONAL REUNION

Carlos Gonzalez, 34, spent several months hospitalized at Methodist Hospital for COVID-19. Battling the virus’s residual effects, Carlos was on ECMO life-support for over 120 days, one of the longest periods a patient has required a mechanical pump to oxygenate blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest. His condition continued to decline, and his care team believed he may need a lung transplant to survive. Carlos said his motivation to keep fighting for his life was the support of his family and the success of another COVID patient on his same unit who inspired him to never give up. Amy Velez, 35, was also on ECMO for more than 100 days after COVID-19 nearly took her life. She too was told that lung transplantation may be her only chance at survival, as her lungs had become too frail to function on their own. Amy and Carlos were in the same ICU unit for months, and she never imagined she would leave a lasting impression on a fellow patient while they both fought for their lives. Once Amy had transferred to in-patient rehab, she requested to revisit the ICU unit to share with her care team how far she had come. She remembered seeing the condition Carlos was still in and felt it in her heart to encourage and pray for him. “You can do this. God’s got your back. I’ll keep praying for you,” she told him. Amy says she prayed for Carlos’s recovery every day since she left Methodist Hospital. Encouraged by Amy, Carlos knew that he too would make it out of the hospital and back home with his three-year-old son. A few weeks later, Carlos’s health progressed, and he

was ready to be transferred to in-patient rehab. It was there that Carlos was told he was in the same room that Amy recovered in. The “warrior room,” he called it. On Thursday, July 29, 2021, Carlos received the exciting news that he would be discharged home after five months of hospitalization. Staff lined the hall cheering Carlos on as he independently walked out of his room on his way home. His motivator, Amy, was cheering him on as well. After only three weeks from the day she was discharged, Amy returned to Methodist Hospital to be by Carlos’s side, to support and congratulate him for beating the hardest thing they both would overcome in their lives.