Letter for Thursday, November 29, 2018

Gratitude for Wilcox team

Less than 10 days ago, my husband suffered a heart condition called heart block. While working on his car, with little or no warning, he became so weak he couldn’t stand. As he lay on the ground, he called for help.

A wonderful couple in C Building at Sun Village kept hearing something and finally walked out to their lanai to listen better. They could see his car, but couldn’t see him lying on the ground. J.C. decided to go down and check it out.

Upon reaching Rich, he determined that Rich needed an ambulance and, using his phone, called 911. That was the first action that saved his life.

Upon reaching the ER at Wilcox, Dr. Monty Downs and the highly skilled nurses and technicians inserted a temporary pacemaker, which enabled him to be medevacuated to Straub in Honolulu, where he received the permanent pacemaker.

Again, without their skill and dedication, he would not be here today.

We are grateful to live in the Sun Village community where neighbors look out for each other. What J.C. did by walking down to the parking lot from his third-floor apartment was so far beyond the call of duty and is a wonderful reminder to all of us to be vigilant to the needs of our neighbors.

We have had two recent experiences at Wilcox and feel so grateful that we have a hospital, doctors and nurses that are so skilled, capable and kind.

Returning home on Thanksgiving Day, we have so much gratitude for Wilcox ER and for living in a caring community like Sun Village! From the bottom of our hearts, mahalo nui loa J.C. and Lucy and Dr. Downs and the ER crew.

Judie Hoeppner, Lihue