Jeanine’s father, John, had a history of heart disease, giving them reason to be cautious. That morning, after church, he grew increasingly lethargic on the drive home and felt sick to his stomach. 

“With his cardiac history, we feared the worst,” she said. 

The family encouraged him to rest, but when he woke up from a nap still not feeling right, they didn’t hesitate. They headed straight to the Emergency Department at Sturdy Memorial Hospital, bracing for what could come next. 

It was a busy day in the ED — one of those days when every room is full and every member of the care team is moving quickly to help as many patients as possible. But even in the middle of that urgency, Jeanine said her father was never treated as “just another case.” The team made space for him so he could rest comfortably. And more importantly, they made time. 

“This was the most acute thing I had experienced in the ED,” Jeanine said, reflecting on past visits with her children, which had been far less serious. 

John’s nurse checked in often, offering reassurance in moments when uncertainty felt overwhelming. The physician assistant overseeing his care walked the family through every step of the evaluation — tests were run and re-run, and each result was explained with care and clarity. The staff didn’t rush. They listened. 

“I just felt like my dad was in the best of hands,” Jeanine said. “They took great care and got right down to business with all the tests. They explained everything to us along the way, and that really helped put us at ease.” 

After a thorough evaluation, the family received the news they had been hoping for: it was not a heart issue. 

The relief was immense. But the experience wasn’t an isolated one. 

Jeanine saw that same level of attentive, compassionate care again more recently, when her 11-year-old son Connor took a helmet to the shoulder during football practice. At home, something didn’t look right. 

“We thought it was dislocated,” she said. 

They headed to Sturdy, where the experience was strikingly familiar. Connor was quickly triaged, registered, and sent to Imaging before being brought to a room. 

“The triage nurse was amazing,” Jeanine said. 

From there, the care continued with the same calm approach. The physician took time to listen as Connor carefully — and thoroughly — described exactly what had happened. 

“Being thorough is what Connor does,” Jeanine said with a laugh. 

Just as importantly, the physician explained everything in a way both mother and son could understand. “His calm, knowledgeable demeanor was so very appreciated,” she said, noting that the nurses were equally kind and patient throughout the visit. 

The diagnosis: a soft tissue injury — no fracture or dislocation. Connor was sent home in a sling, which quickly became, as Jeanine put it, “the talk of the sixth grade.” 

Taken together, the two experiences left a lasting impression. 

“Sturdy truly has a phenomenal ED staff full of immensely talented, compassionate providers, nurses, and techs,” Jeanine said. “They truly take the time to learn about their patients in order to provide the best possible care, which we most certainly received in both instances.” 

In moments like these, what patients and families remember most isn’t just the clinical care — it’s how they were treated as people. It’s the feeling that someone is truly paying attention. The relief of being heard. The comfort of knowing you’re in capable, compassionate hands.