The roving chairman

The Roving Chairman

Wednesday, 05 July 2023 13:26

When I wanted a column in the Clarion to share how great each of our hospital’s departments are, little did I know I would be using some of those departments and would know first-hand how much they care. My idea was to job-shadow each area for a couple of hours to learn their challenges and then sing their praises on how valuable to our community they are. Instead, hilariously, we have a, “Do as I say, not as I do” article from their most non-compliant patient ever! Well, hi. I’m Dawn Pettengill, your Highlands Medical Center Chairman of the Board. Soon to be the “Roving Between Departments Chairman,” and here’s my, “Don’t do what I do” story:
In January, I thought I was bit on the back of my calf . Not thinking anymore about it until a few weeks later, I complained about the bite not going away to my great neighbor, Deedra, who is a wound care nurse. She said, “Let me see it.” I showed her, and at the same time I said don’t press on it, she pressed and told me to go get it checked. I thought, “Ain’t nobody got time for that,” and carried on my merry way.
Late February I was in a meeting with our amazing hospital President Ashley Pool, who is also a Nurse Practitioner, and complained about the bump not going away. She said, “Let me see it.” I did, and at the same time I was thinking don’t press on it, she pressed and said to go get it checked. I thought, “Ain’t nobody got time for that,” and carried on my merry way.
Mid-March, you can’t believe the exact same scenario happened with my co-worker Kathy, but it did. By this time I’m rolling my eyes with the, “What’s wrong with you people? I have no time for that and quit touching me,” attitude.
Then in late March this bite thing was kind of hurting. Not bad, but I knew it was there. And bigger.
In every board meeting, I always teased Dr. Coleman about not needing him again for another month, and it was a running joke between us. In the late March board meeting, I surprised myself by saying I may need to come in and visit you. He said okay, like he understood what it took for me to say that. But of course, I stalled another month.
By April, I visited Dr. Coleman and nervously babbled throughout the appointment. That was even before he said I needed a biopsy! (We really could do with a class or article on what to say and not to say at the doctor’s office.) After the biopsy, I was told it was skin cancer and was aggravated at myself for waiting. The next thing you know, I was scheduled in to see Dr. Herberholz for surgery.
What I found out during this experience was how caring everyone at my Highlands is.
Dr. Herberholz took the time to explain to me what was going to be done and put up with my ‘dad joking’ because I was scared. His office staff, nurses Kimberly and Tiffany, the schedulers, everyone was so kind, and I built trust.
Finally, the day of the surgery was here. The nurses and staff on 2nd were very professional, but still handled me (that takes doing) like champs. Dr. Velez the anesthesiologist, Ashley, Kim my nurse, Blakely employee of the month, all came in to talk to me. People in and out, all kind and supportive. Truly, it’s kind of a blur. When they wheeled me in, it was so scary to go under. A man, I’m not sure of his name, took my hand and squeezed it. One, nobody has held my hand in 14 years. Two, I grabbed his hand like a drowning person and squeezed it back. It meant so much. THAT HAND made all the difference.
Long story short…yes, this is the short version! Everything went fine. The aftercare has been phenomenal. Dr. Herberholz and his staff have helped me learn how to bandage this chunk out of my leg by myself, and it’s getting better on my end. All new experiences and because I’m stubborn, the severity could have been avoided.
So my, “Don’t do what I do” message to you is, YOU DO HAVE TIME FOR THAT! Don’t wait if you have a bad feeling that something is going wrong with your health. Get it checked out and act on it!
Signing out until I job-shadow someone…look out Highlands! Who is going to be next?

-HH Highlands Medical Center Chairman of the Board Dawn Pettengill