Christmas Day, 2020, is a holiday Mark Porter will never forget. “I was involved in a motor vehicle accident when another driver pulled out in front of me on Hwy 79.” Mark sustained several traumatic injuries, including some very complicated tibia plateau fractures. Fortunately, the Jefferson Regional team was ready to meet Mark’s needs, even before he arrived at the hospital. “As the ambulance crew was pulling me out of the car, one of our nurses, Andrea Saywer, RN, who had arrived on the scene shortly after the accident, came to my side. Then, after being stabilized in the Emergency Department, one of our pharmacists, Raluca Tudoreanu (a.k.a., Lucy) came to my side and offered support, as she did through my entire hospital stay. Either one of them could have chosen to continue ‘on their way’ during the busy holiday season, but they chose to help someone struggling from a car accident.”
Mark was admitted to 3 North East where he stayed for a week before transferring to Rehab. “Sonja Dean and Amy Blann totally went out of their way to make sure my wounds were cared for and that I had everything I needed before being transferred to Rehab. I don’t know who the nurse was on my 1stnight (late night shift), but she helped me with my pain, and I knew I would not suffer. I can’t say enough about ALL the 3NE staff.”
Mark has just as much praise for the staff in Jefferson Regional’s Inpatient Rehabilitation unit, where he ended up staying for five weeks. “I had heard that Jefferson Regional’s Rehab was one of the very best in the state, and now I know that to be a fact,” Mark said. “Again, it goes back to the compassion of the staff. Teena Luker, RN; Marie Morrison, RN; Gloria Daniel, RN and Liz Collins, RN were so good to me and made sure I had everything I needed. Even though they were all very busy, they made me feel like I was their only patient. Due to my extensive injuries, I was really concerned about getting an infection, but there was not a chance that was going to happen with that staff, at least not without a fight! Even after I got home, (Assistant Chief Nursing Officer) Michelle Powell spent a part of her Saturday to come check and make sure my wounds were treated.”
“Lisa Meek, who is a Physical Therapy Assistant, and Kit Nazareno, who is an Occupational Therapist, spent a lot of time with me to make sure I was headed in the right direction with my physical and occupational therapy,” Mark continues. “They all help you physically, but just as important, they try to make you feel good emotionally. It was great to be able to go there for physical and occupational therapy. And, I still do the breathing exercises Kit taught me every day at work!”
After his discharge from Inpatient Rehab, Mark’s physical therapy continued in the outpatient facility. “I really appreciate all the energy Anthony Brown, Cody Goings, and Skye Bullard put into my outpatient rehab process. They put a lot in my progress and continue to be valuable resources.”
With his extensive injuries and lengthy hospital stay, Mark also relied on a number of Jefferson Regional physicians from his arrival following the accident until after he went home. “I must complement our medical staff, especially Drs. Sara Hanna, Troy Birk, Jameca Edwards and Sue Frigon. I appreciate the competent focused care I got from Dr. Frigon as we worked through my injuries. I can tell you that she wants the very VERY best for our patients. She will do whatever (believe me when I say “whatever”) it takes to make sure our patients are cared for. After working with her for over a month, I came to appreciate her intense work ethic: I’m sort of thinking that making sure our patients get the very best care is all she thinks about!”
Mark has been back at work since mid-February of 2021, and he continues to share his gratitude for the care he received. “The way the staff treated me made a very bad situation very tolerable. This is absolutely a wonderful hospital, and I hope that I can show others just half of the attention and compassion that was shown to me, and my family, by this staff.”
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