Letters to the Editor

To the editor,

While I am sitting here recovering from lung surgery, I realize I have a responsibility to share my experience. I was experiencing respiratory issues and went to the local clinic. I was admitted to our hospital. I spent a night, was given IV medication and then discharged. Not feeling as though I was recovering as fast as I should, I returned to our local clinic and was sent for X-rays. That is when the hospital X-rays located two spots on my lungs and I was then referred to a Lewiston pulmonologist. They did further testing, and referred me to Kootenai Health. They confirmed it was cancer and I was scheduled for lung surgery. The surgeon told me they got it all and that my local hospital had saved my life. Without the early detection my outcome would not have been so favorable.

I am sure many people can recount many similar stories. I have heard our local hospital being identified as a Glorified First Aid Station. I am here to testify it saved my life. We are one of many hospitals begging for taxpayers’ votes. Without it the hospital will close. The trickledown effect will happen. We will lose our nursing home; the pharmacy and our schools will be greatly affected as well as many other entities. The decrease in population will cause great loss overall. Although we do not have many of the same amenities and services that bigger communities have, we have care and compassion for our community. We all have a commitment to family and friends and are willing to help where and when needed. Let’s once again stand up, face the needs of our community and pass the levy with a yes vote!

I am so thankful for our hospital,

Dona Flynn

Pomeroy, Wash.

To the editor,

We would like to encourage everyone to vote “yes” and support the hospital levy. I have been in business for over 40 years and I have been an EMT for 40 years. During this time I have seen many circumstances where the hospital and emergency room have saved many lives. We have used the services of the hospital, clinic and ER (GCHD) ourselves and have had several family members reside in the nursing home. We truly appreciate these services.

We feel that the GCHD is a vital part of our community. In addition to providing healthcare they are a large employer. GCHD has been an important part in helping me at the pharmacy provide care to patients. The facility has gone through some hard times. Those times are over. What happened in the past is being dealt with by our new, dedicated leadership and staff striving to make the facility successful.

The cost to our community is very reasonable compared to those in surrounding communities. No business is perfect all the time. GCHD is working on changing the business model of the facility. They are listening to the community. They have a full-time doctor and several providers. We have appreciated the information that they routinely share via the East Washingtonian and Facebook. As we get closer to living on a fixed income we are preparing ourselves for a yearly levy in order to sustain the level of care that our community needs and desires.

To help ensure that your loved ones and people passing through our community have the best chance of surviving their health issues or an accident, as well as keeping our community alive, please vote “YES” for the upcoming levy.

Brad and Lisa Gingerich

Pomeroy, Wash.