Hello, my name is Bonny Lippert. I work at Jamestown Regional Medical Center and I have been treated for health care at JRMC.
Here are the stories of my heroes. “Heroes” — yes plural.
In 2015, my oldest sister was on the last of her life. On Aug. 18, 2015, she passed away after an on-again-off-again battle with cancer. The day before – on Aug. 17, 2015 – she had turned 58 years old. That was the day I ended up in the Emergency Department. My blood pressure was through the roof. Registered Nurse Chris Lunde took care of me. He was great, kind, compassionate, calming and caring. He could even handle my sarcasm and silly, nervous humor. Chris made me stay in the Emergency Department for three hours. That’s how long it took, for my blood pressure to get back to normal. Chris said I was a walking heart attack. I probably would have snuck out of the ED, but Chris made me stay and probably saved my life.
The doctor on call gave me medication for my blood pressure. He also recommended I seek out a primary care provider. I agreed. And then, I never did.
Eight months later, on April 28, 2016, we lost my mom. On March 30, 2016, she had turned 80 years old. She’d battled dementia for the last years of her life and had recently switched nursing homes after residing in a few the last eight years. In retrospect, I think I was in denial about dementia.
Three months later, I was in the Emergency Department again with super high blood pressure. This time I had nausea too. You could call it a breakdown. I broke. Breakdowns happen to the tough ones too. At least, I thought I was one of the tough ones. This time the whole team came in, including Registered Nurses Ryan Keffeler, Rachel Macdonald, X-ray Technician Jess Thorlackson, Phlebotomist Erika Speidel, Dr. Ben Muscha and those I may have forgotten.
Again, they told me to seek a primary care physician. Again, I didn’t.
The tough years and endings during the deaths of my sister and my mother caused a lot of stress within my family, as it would with any family.
I was to eventually find out, I carried that stress in my back. One day, everything caught up with me and took over my body. I was in severe pain. Every day, I suffered. I could hardly walk or sit. It was like there was an alien with a sharp knife in my back trying to get out.
On the suggestion of Cindy Nelms, plant secretary, I went to physical therapy for a screening.
Keep in mind I very seldom see a doctor. I always thought I was so tough and had it all under control. “Buck up buttercup.” “Push through,” mentality. That’s the way we grew up.
In May 2016, I started to see Physical Therapist Cody Champagne. He could barely touch my back without me cringing, crying and even screaming in pain. The pain was physical – and emotional. Cody was super sensitive, kind and understanding with me. He handled my sarcasm and silly humor. That’s what I use to get through the tough stuff. He and I started to work through it and slowly, I let my guard down. We had a few bumps in the road. We had good days and a few, bad. He was tough on me about my exercises…but was still great with me. I can now walk pretty fast with my head held high. I can even climb stairs pretty fast, sometimes without the railing.
Cody inspired me to go to see a primary care provider. Finally, I went. I got all my tests done, including my mammogram and my annual physical. (The tests results came back good. After losing my mother who experienced cancer in her earlier years and my oldest sister to cancer, I was worried.)
A year ago, I wouldn’t have seen a doctor or anyone. But because of Cody, I let my guard down. I gained a great physical therapist, confidant and friend. In exchange, he gained deer, Wishek and summer sausage. LOL. J Because of Cody I was inspired to seek out other treatments. To this day I now trust and see a great chiropractor, Dr. Blake Hochhalter.
From one end of the building to the other, I have been treated with kindness, compassion, confidentiality, dignity and respect in my most vulnerable and embarrassing times. I received wonderful care from all involved in the wild ride that was my Journey of Life: 2016.
Their kindness will never be forgotten. They will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you to those who took care of this crazy goat and got me back to somewhat normal!
It’s ironic that I’m sharing this story now. April 28, 2017, is the one-year anniversary of my mom’s passing. On March 30, 2017, she would have turned 81.
This is “my story” to share and so far part of my Journey of Life. My journey will carry on….and more stories will be created.
JRMC is a great place to be treated and to work!