Take me to Brigham City Community Hospital: They do what's best for the patient
Michael Aldred wondered if he had food poisoning. He woke up dizzy with dry heaves, chills and a fever. He got out of bed and walked a few feet to the bathroom before the spinning sensation overcame his senses and he fell — hard.
“He hit his head on the back of the toilet tank, his chin area smacked the lid, his tummy banged into the seat and his knees made a real awful sound when they struck the floor. I heard the crack and thought for sure he broke his knees. Thankfully, it turned out he didn’t break anything,” LuAnn said.
LuAnn and Michael Aldred, of Brigham City, have been married for 44 years and, at this stage of life, have ‘his’ and ‘hers’ medical conditions. Hers center on heart issues while Michael battles end-stage kidney disease. Together they’ve gathered a variety of healthcare experiences, and LuAnn says she can clearly see the differences in quality and compassion at different facilities.
“As a retired nurse with a family history of medical professionals, I know,” LuAnn said. “I recognize quality healthcare — and Brigham City Community Hospital is too great of a hospital not to be taking advantage of it.”
After Michael fell, LuAnn called an ambulance and requested that he be taken to Brigham City Community Hospital, just five blocks from their home. After diagnostic tests and a chest X-ray, the Emergency Room team discovered Michael had a severe urinary tract infection (UTI), pneumonia and sepsis.
Patient needs come first
Caring for patients with end-stage kidney disease requires careful attention to detail. Too many fluids can overwhelm the kidneys, yet Michael needed IV antibiotics to help him heal from the severe and raging infections.
After several days of IV antibiotics and round-the-clock hospital care, Michael’s infections showed signs of improvement, but his overall health began declining.
“This is the longest we’ve ever had to stay in a hospital, and each day Michael’s body needed more treatment,” LuAnn said. “They offered to transfer Michael to a different, larger hospital. I refused. We’ve had bad experiences at some of these larger hospitals, and we knew we were getting the best care right here at Brigham City Community Hospital.”
Doctors and hospital administration discussed the situation and came up with a treatment plan in order to stay at Brigham City Community Hospital. Soon after receiving his treatment plan, Michael made immediate improvements.
“They listened and they put the patient’s needs first,” LuAnn said. “It made all the difference. Immediately after Michael’s final treatment his coloring improved and he started eating more food. I got to meet the hospital administrator the next day and I told her how marvelous her staff and hospital is. She oozed of kindness, thoughtfulness and caring for her patients — just like all the people here.”
Going above and beyond to serve
During their time at Brigham City Community Hospital, Michael and LuAnn grew particularly impressed with the compassion and attention to detail exemplified by the hospital teams.
“I know we’re not the only patient these nurses have to take care of — but that’s how they act,” LuAnn said. “Even the housekeepers ask if there’s something we need before they leave the room! The lab techs draw blood without sticking you 5,000 times. Honestly, every department is wonderful. These are knowledgeable, caring people who aren’t here just to earn a paycheck. They are good people who actually care.”
Michael continues recovering from the infections and faces a constant uphill climb with end-stage renal disease, but LuAnn says the outlook on life remains positive.
“Our life isn’t over. I’m 66 and he’s 68 years old — that’s the new 40. We have our health issues, but we’re still living our life; and we have a good life. Thanks to fantastic local hospitals like this one and the advancements in modern medicine, Baby Boomers like us are living longer and with higher quality than ever before,” LuAnn said.