Good things to say about Hospital

Cedar County Memorial Hospital in El Dorado Springs, Missouri has been an indispensible part of my family’s life for many generations.  It’s where my grandfather went 50 years ago to recover from his first heart attack.  It’s where my grandmother spent her final hours in the company of caring professionals who understood and accommodated our family’s needs.   It is where my dad found comfort from the onslaught of pneumonia during the last few days of his life, surrounded by a medical staff committed to making his transition as peaceful as possible.   It’s where my mom sees specialists and receives physical therapy to help her maintain mobility.  It’s where my 6-year-old nephew was born and where my sister, brother-in-law, and I go for routine tests.  It’s a place I have visited many times to offer encouragement to family members and friends during difficult times.

Our small-town hospital enables us to receive first-rate services without having to spend extra time and expense for transportation to larger areas.    It enables the elderly in our community to have services they would otherwise not receive because they don’t drive in the city.   Having readily-available medical help has given us a much higher quality of life.

Several of our hospital staff members are my former classmates or students, and others are the parents or siblings of these students.  In our town, caring medical professionals are the same people we interact with in our schools, churches, sporting events, and civic organizations.  Our local hospital is an integral part of community life and our hospital professionals enjoy the respect and confidence of our community members.   

This close relationship between the local hospital and the community at-large has meant a lot to me on a personal basis.    It has meant attending community events with the nurses who assisted at my nephew’s delivery and having a heart for them because they played a crucial role in bringing a new life into our family.   It has meant seeing a doctor at a restaurant and hearing him express genuine gladness   at hearing of a family member’s improved condition.   It has involved having a custodial staff member stop me at the grocery store and inquire about a family member’s well-being.

Our hospital professionals are personally engaged in the lives of the people in our community and are deeply committed to their well-being.   Their loyalty to our community and our community’s loyalty to them is what makes the local small-town hospital a vital necessity.

Marcia Abbott,

Cedar County Memorial Hospital

El Dorado Springs