A Letter from a Family Member of Two Catawba Valley Medical Center Patients:

“I am writing this letter to commend your staff working in Day Surgery at CVMC. Recently I had two family members as patients in your unit. My daughter had a lap cholecystectomy about two months ago, and my husband had a colonoscopy a few weeks later. Then last Saturday, my daughter had an endoscopy. Though her surgery was delayed due to emergencies, our experience was wonderful. You have a very supportive, informative and caring staff. During all three experiences we were treated with the utmost respect, kindness and care. Mrs. Denise Stiles, RN, was our nurse for two of our experiences and she was great! On Saturday we were cared for by Debra Sites, RN, and Nancy Johnson, RN. Again our care was great! The OR staff was also wonderful!

Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Neonatal Transport Unit is designed to assist families whose newborns need the critical care offered by CVMC’s Level III Neonatal Care Unit.  It is a specialized ambulance equipped with state-of-the-art infant care technology that is capable of transporting infants from medical facilities in outlying areas.  The McNulty family had their first child, Cole, at Caldwell Memorial Hospital and quickly learned about the important role the Unit plays in the region.  Here’s their story, as told by Cole’s father, Chuck:

“My wife, Jeni, went into labor at 33-and-a-half weeks,” said Chuck McNulty.  “Her water had broken, but because we were first-time parents, we weren’t sure what was going on.  We went to Caldwell Memorial to have things checked out, and we learned that she was going into labor.

“Jeni ended up delivering Cole at 2:32 a.m. the next day.  He appeared to be fine at first; he weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces, which is quite large for a newborn at that stage.  He was breathing and crying, but the medical team noticed immediately that something was wrong.  He had very labored breathing and was having trouble getting enough oxygen.  They monitored his oxygen for a short time, but when it didn’t immediately improve, they called the Neonatal Transport Unit at Catawba Valley Medical Center.

As a first-time expectant mother, Jennifer Perry knew she wanted to breastfeed.  So as she and her husband Eric prepared for baby Cole, they signed up for breastfeeding classes at the Health First Center.  Here’s their story:

“I was kind of nervous about the idea of breastfeeding,” Jennifer says.  “I’d heard all these horror stories from other mothers who hadn’t been successful with it, and I was a little unsure.  I wanted to educate myself, so I signed up for classes at the Health First Center.

“It was the best experience ever!  The classes were just perfect.  The instructors tell you what to expect in the first few days and the first few weeks, because everything changes as your baby grows.  You learn technical things, like the best position for the mom and the baby during nursing, and how to use a breast pump.  I recently returned to work, so learning about the pump was very helpful.

The Health First Center’s free aerobics classes, held every Tuesday and Thursday, have developed a loyal following over the years.  One such active participant is Myra Hefner, who started taking the classes after she retired eight years ago – and hasn’t stopped since.  Here’s her story:

“I heard about the Health First Center’s aerobics classes from a friend, so I decided to attend one.  I’ve gone to them ever since.  The class really just makes my day.  It makes me feel good.  A majority of the folks continue to come most of the time, and it’s nice to meet them and get to know them.