• Thanks to Wilcox staff Thanks to Wilcox staff A number of weeks ago, I sustained an injury while canoeing. Subsequently, it became seriously infected, and I found myself ensconced in room 300 at Wilcox Hospital for nearly two weeks.
• Thanks to Wilcox staff
Thanks to Wilcox staff
A number of weeks ago, I sustained an injury while canoeing. Subsequently, it became seriously infected, and I found myself ensconced in room 300 at Wilcox Hospital for nearly two weeks. During that time, I can’t even count the number of different people who came into my room to take my temperature, change dressings, sweep the floor, deliver my meals, and a host of other functions, all designed to encourage my healing and provide comfort along the way. While there, I was trying to think of a something I could do beyond continually repeating “thank you,” two words that began to lose their meaning to me because of their constant use.
So, I decided to send a letter to The Garden Island and hope to have it printed. I am now home, walking on crutches, with a machine attached to my leg for at least the next few weeks in order to promote the healing of the wound prior to the last surgery to graft skin over the affected area. I wanted to wait until I was settled in enough to collect my thoughts and share this letter.
For those of you who work at Wilcox, I want you to know that you are an extraordinary group of individuals. I have never been surrounded by more compassion and sensitivity in my life. After nearly sixty years, this was my first hospitalization, and I entered the facility with incredible trepidation and anxiety. It is simply amazing how powerful a smile and some attention can be to someone who is feeling quite overwhelmed by his circumstance. Every single exchange I had during my time at Wilcox gently moved me along the path of recovery. Nobody ever entered the room without knocking, and the tone of voice and demeanor was always extremely gentle. I am humbled beyond words regarding the incredible care I received. Even if I am fortunate enough to have this letter published, there is simply no way for me to every repay the repeated acts of kindness I was blessed to receive. Each and every interaction was a gift of untold value, and I left the hospital a much richer person.
To the people who manage and own this facility, your staff is a resource of immeasurable value, and I hope you treat them with the same kindness that they treat people like me.
This island of ours is a remarkable place, and it works its subtle magic on all of us. Its beauty softens us, and always manages to get our attention. I have only been here a few years, and feel very privileged to call it home. While I truly believe that the people who work at Wilcox are exceptional, it is this special island that brings out the best in us all.
Larry Feinstein
Koloa
