With the upcoming Whidbey General Hospital improvement bond, I want public to know that outstanding clinical care is still available right here locally at WGH.

I have just this past week had surgery for a rapid rupture of an inflamed appendix. My care from arrival to discharge was peerless — nothing short of exemplary. Dr. Helene Lhamon made the diagnosis with the help of abdominal CT. Dr. Fru Bahiraei led the OR team with Dr. Steven Hunnel anesthesiologist and a talented OR staff and recovery room delivered me safely to the Medical-Surgical wing.

Every eight hours a fresh shift of knowledgeable proficient nurses (angels really) cared for me.

If timely surgery could not have been done, my risks included life threatening bacterial sepsis (blood stream infection). Our hospital that night was full. I am told that I was given the last “critical access” bed. I was one admission from transfer to an outlying hospital with my appendix leaking more pus and bacteria into my abdomen. Ouch!

WGH has outstanding doctors, nurses, and support staff. Our hospital looks great, has a top flight inpatient critical care unit, surgical suite, obstetric suite and outpatient facilities, but our Medical Surgical wing is very old and the infrastructure precludes simple renovation.

Please support the upcoming WGH improvement bond. You too may need your friendly local hospital ASAP.

Jane A. Mays, MD
Oak Harbor