Letter: Kadlec saved my life

Thank you Kadlec, you saved my life!

I recently had the opportunity to enter the hospital for the fourth time since my open heart surgery in June. And thank you, Dr. Ramirez-Suero, for insisting that I go to the ER.

My experiences at Kadlec have been universally positive. The staff, without exception, have been caring, competent, and compassionate.

I particularly want to thank your hospitalist, Dr. Gawlick, who spent over an hour studying my medical history to make sense of a complex situation and then explaining the results clearly to me.

I may only have a single functioning neuron left, but as an octogenarian scientist I still fully appreciate the complexities that balancing congestive heart failure with stage 4 renal failure and stage 4 anemia imply.

I was figuratively drowning in the fluid in my lungs when I entered the ER. While I don’t recommend it, collapsing in front of the ER desk, is an effective attention-getter.

If you are contemplating major surgery in Spokane or Seattle, please investigate staying at home for top-notch care here in the Tri-Cities.

This story was originally published October 23, 2017 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Letter: Kadlec saved my life."